Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-09-04
JOTTINGS FROM KANSAS.

tRIEND TihMoNs Perhaps n few
items from this locality may be of interest
TO some OF your readers, If found worthy
of place in your columns.
As yet am but a stranger in Kansas,
therefore / know very little about any
other place then Leavenworth, which ia
situated on the Missouri River, on high
rolling or hilly ground. 1t is beautifully
located, with river front and partially
surrounded by bills Of considerable eleva-
tion, just outside the city Ii mils, making
good protection from the strong winds for
which this section is noted. The town IL
well laid out and all that is necessary to
make it fine city is time, money and
muscle. The inhabitants are protect ed on
the north by the u. S. Military Post, Fort
Worth, established So years ago by Col.
Leavenworh, whose name it bears, and
Oh the south we have the State peniten-
uary, at present containing 500 convlc,s.
The new Soldiers Home is located Just
three miles south of the city, on beauti-
fnl spot OF ground. There il at present
800 men emp loyed in laying out the aven.
ues and putting up the buildings. The
brick are being made on the ground, Of
which there are 300 900 turned out weekly.
They expect, ii the winter il favorable, to
have some Of the buildings ready by Spring,
To make life sweet we have on the out
skirts large glucose factory, which takes
the starch out of 80, 600 bushels of corn pc
week. The refuse corn ia fed to beef cat.
tie, brought here for the purpose OF fatten q.
ing. / saw ! 200 head OF steers under one
ROOF, feeding on the warm ground corn
after the syrup had been extracted. Some
!. were lame, some sick and some sore, the
right of which crippled my appetite for
neei. One consolation, they were being
fatiened for the Eastern markets-turtler
east Than the Burg. This herd was owned
/ by one man and was only a portion of his
drove. Last winter he lost 9 600 head in
one snow storm, out in the Rockies.
There are several large manufactures
here, but at present the most of them are
idle, but expect TO start up in few weeks
We have two coal mines here, one at The
north end of the city, it's shaft being down
800 feet, and one at the penileniiary. The
mining at the latter is done by convict
labor. The "Pen," as they call il, ia n large
manufacturing establishment, turning oul
wagons, carriages, furniture, boots and
Z shoes and some Of the best stone cutting ~
q the city il done there.
I There was quite lot of building done
q here this season, bu! think il will be
!, quite awhile before the owners will realize
3 on their Investments, for the town wa,
= doomed this season by lew men and or
y \. account of the dull times and no business
to warrant il. Matters are dull here jnsl
I now. The population il about 10000
z made up of all naiionalities. with a larg,
: per cent. Of the ebony race; in fact yO,
can find them here from all parts of th,
:, earth, Of all grades Of society, from ths
y II wild Cow Boy to that specimen of fungus
I" humanity called the "Dude." We ar,
visited frequently by the tall, gaun., greasy
long-haired, lantern jawed Mi.sourian, III,
y" longest men / ever saw, They loom M
u among the Kansas yankees like telegraph
: poles on the sidewalk, aud are well adapt
:. ed to the bottom land, being built on III,
e crane principle 20 they can wade TO th,
, bluffs when the river Overflows.
a People are continually coming and go
IL ing and are unsettled. About one-half o
q the population keep boarders and IN,
10 other half board, and each party ia lryin,
TO keep the other from getting more thar
they pay for. In the spring few emi
i grant wagons may be seen going west
: Last fall / saw one bound east, with th
y following motto on the wagon top; III
God we trusted in Kansas we busted, b,
J. c."
Il IL worth has about Is churches TO kee,
e the people in the right path, and abon
3. 220 saloons, which seem 10 be as prosper
~ Gus as the churches, IL not more so. ",
e know very little OF prohibition In this city
: There are few gambling houses that d,
c. business with open doOrs and windows
a where the old professionals get rid Of lhe
change, while The beginner play freeze.on
Il In the saloons ior the drinks. Asa resul
the "Cooler" Ia always pretty well filled
. and any day you can see 20 or 80 mel
:. with bnll and chain working on the streets
:" " Ia bad weather they break stone under
y q shed In the prison yard.
Sunday 10 fully observed with base bal
and pic-nlcs, To simmer il down, Sunda,
here means plc-nic-brass baud, gu!
crowd. dancing, len pins, full supply o
beer, consequently big drunk. row, sor
Il 'eads. get pulled, and il you can't pa'
J, your fine, work II out al the end OF
e cham with ball attached Tor charm
y weighing about 25 pounds.
Il We have good slorea, good schools, AM
all that IL requisite 10 make large an,
o prosperous city, and no doubt will be SOM
II day.
n expect 10 be home aboni the time III,
y snow fies. Yours, truly. 81
J. f. FLEMING.