Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-01-01
BARBER COUNTY!
A Short But Truthful History,
of the Best County for
GUe Stock and Agriculture to
Be Found in Kansas.
Facts for Farmers and M0th-
erS in Search of Homes.
Location, Size, Topography, Soil, Products,
Industries, Climate, Organization, Schools,
chuEshes, Political. Population. Wealth,
GovetnmsEt Lara and Prospects

Now, that the Southern Kansas rail-
road has been completed to Medicine
Lodge, and there promises to be many
inquiries from persons desiring to To-
cate concerning our natural and ac-
quired advantages, the INDEX gladly
furnishes herewith information of
general interest, not overdrawn or high
ly colOred, but facts as they should be
related in histOry-facts that will stand
the crucial test and not be considered
as paid for puff by those who are in
search of information.
LOCATION AND SIZE.
Barber county is bordered on the
i north by Pratt and Kingman counties,
on the east by Harper, on the south by
the Indian Territory, and on the west
by Comanche county. 1t is 320 miles
southwest of Kansas City, and is the
middle county of the southern tier of
the state. 1t is SO miles from north to
south, and SO miles from east to west.
and contains 1,I34 square miles, and
725, 760 acres.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The county is divided into bottom
land, 10 per cent; upland, 80 per cent;
forest government survey, per cent;
prairie, 80 percent. Average width of
bottoms, one mile. General surface of
western half of county, bluffy, with
narrow bottoms along streams; eastern
half, level or gently undulating.
The timber is confined to scattering
groves along the streams. Different
varieties are cottonwood, red ceder,
white elm, blackberry, ash, walnut, ETC.
The principal streams are the Medl-
cine river, Driftwood, Mulberry,
blackberry and Mule creeks. Big and
Little Mule creeks flow southeast into
the Salt Fork of the Arkansas. Bear,
Monument and Cedar creeks flow north
into the Medicine river. Turkey
and Elm flow south into the same river.
The county is well supplied with
springs; well water is obtained at a
depth of from 10 to so feet, and gener-
ally excellent.
Considerable sandstone is found in
portions of the county, and stone of fair
quality for building can be obtained in
many localities. Unlimited quantities
of gypsum are found sonth of the Medi-
cine Lodge river. Salt and other min
eral waters are abundant in Kiowa and
Elwood townships.
SOIL AND PRODUCTS.
The soil of the county will produce
anything that can be grown anywhere.
So far, every kind of grain has been
successfully cultivated and harvested.
and the yield has surprised even the
most sanguine. Corn, oats, wheat, rye.
millet and sorghum are the leading
crops, though experiments with barley
and buckwheat, and all the tame
grasses have been entirely satisfactory.
Fruit and forest trees grow remarkably
well, and are unusually free from the
troublesome worms and flies that too
frequently devas.ate timber. Small
fruits of every description are rich and
luscious, the mild climate protecting
the bushes and vines in winter. and the
sun reflected from our Italian-like sky
ripening it into rich flavor. Gardening
has proved profitable whenever tried, a
ready MARKET being found for anything
raised.
INDUSTRIES.
Most of the population Of the county
is engaged in farming and stock-raising