Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-07-08

to be had. In q few years, where once
was unbroken prairies, there will be culti-
waited farms, acres upon acres of wheat and
oats and square miles of corn; good houses
and out-buildings and all the necessities and
many of the luxuries of life, and all this has
been accomplished in the length Of time that
it would take to clear enough in timber
country so one could see out, let alone plow
and raise crops.
Pioneering here does not mean what 1t did
fifty or sixty years ago on the Maumee. 1t
has cost an infinite amount of hard work to
make Henry county what it is to-day; it has
cost the health of the pioneers and half a
century of time, and after all that it is not as
fully developed as Harper county has become
in eight years.
I was in the Eastern part of the State the
first week in June, and found the farming
community al, feeling good over the pros
pect for good crops. The Neosho valley
seems to be especially favored this season,
the weather and rains having come Just right.
1t seemed good to get back to where one
could see the forests of the Neosho river, af-
ter having lived for two years where no trees
are to be seen, except those put out within
the last four or FIVE years. In my opinion
the Neosho valley is the best part of the
State when it comes TO seeking place for a
home. The heavy forests along the river re-
mind one of Ohio, and add very much to the
scenery; then the country has been improved
for much longer time, and does not look so
new. The streets of the towns are lined with
trees, and the lots are fenced, which looks
more home like than where nothing inter
venes between the front door and the street.
Burlington is a fine town of some three
thousand people. It is on the Neosho divis-
ion of the Missouri Pacific, and also on a
branch of the Southern Kansas. It is the
county seat of Coffee county, has poor
court house, but very beautiful school
building. 1t is one of the pleasantest towns
in the Neosho valley. Neosho Falls is re-
ioicing over the advent of a new railroad
the Colony, Neosho Falls and Western. 1t is
really branch of the Southern Kansas, and
will give Neosho Falls direct communication
with Kansas City, which will be great bene-
fit to the business men, as heretofore all they
bought in Kansas City had to be freighted
across the country from Colony.
Yates Center, the county seat of Woodson
county, is growing town of fifteen hundred
inhabitants, it is situated on the st. Louis,
Ft. Scott and Wichita Railroad, and also has
a second road, the name of which have for
gotten. It is the extension of the road from
Leroy, and will give a direct line to st.
Louis.
Yates Center is destined to be the solid
town of that section of he country. OF
course it expects two or three mo2e Railroads,
but there is no town in Kansas which does
not-the railroads have been the making of
Kansas.
Thursday, July LIST, as was walking along
Central Avenue, met Mr.. R. B. Heller, who
thought was a thousand miles east of here,
in Napoleon. 1t was very pleasant sur
prise, and the time from then till he left was
well improved. He, like all who come West,
was very much pleased with Kansas, and is
ready to say, with the Queen of Shebe, "the
half was not told me-" He has been month
in Kansas, and in that time has travelled over
large portion OF the State, and SO knows of
what he speaks. G. L. E.