Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-02-20
Facts About Western Kansas.
OAKLEY, st. John Co., Kan,
February /. 1885.

February 1, 1850.
st. John county is in the western part
of the Wa-Keeney Land district, and is
one OF the finest counties for land in
western Kansas. The Kansas division
Of the Union Pacific railway runs through
the county from east to west, and near
est the north side OF the county. The
following stations are On the road: Oak
ly, formerly called Cleveland, or Car
Isle, Monument Siding, Monument Sta
ton, Gopher and Sheridan; all of Which are
in fine localities surrounded by fine coun-
fry, and destined to become nice towns in
the near future.
St. John county is thirty by thirty -six
miles square, and contains 1850 square
miles or sections, making 691, 200 acres
of land.
The land grant to the {. P. railroad
company extends distance OF twenty
miles on either side of the railroad, and
includes every odd, or alternate, section,
embracing 463 full sections, or 296,32O
acres.
The sixteenth and thirty sixth sections,
in each township are school sections, and
in st. John county there are sixty Sec
tions, making 38,4O0 acres. There are
about 307, 200 acres Of government land
in the county, and the records in the
land Office at Wa-Keeney show that
about Ill, 760 acres have been taken by
timber culture, homestead and pre-
emption entries to date, leaving about
1875, 800 acres OF vacant land in the coun.
ty at the present time. There are quite
q number of choice timber claims which
can yet be secured if applied for soon;
but delay is fatal, as applications are go.
ing very rapidly.
The soil is rich, fertile and productive,
and experience has shown that with the
proper improvement and cultivation if
will produce almost anything common to
this latitude, and that western Kansas
can and will soon be made as fine an
agricultural country as the eastern por-
tion OF the state. which ranks among the
finest sections in the west.
About three fourths of the school land
has been purchased, and the remainder
is advertised and will be sold at pub
lie sale at Wa-Keeney, Kansas.
Government land is being taken at a
rapid rate, and at the rate taken during
the months OF September, October, No
vember and December, there will be but
little left by July 4, 1886. About one
third of the entire amount Of government
land has been taken, leaving about two
thirds vacant
The 1868 acres OF railroad land is
not yet on the market for sale, but the
railroad company propose to offer it this
coming spring; and it will vary in price,
according to quality and locations. At
the present time, good smooth land in
localities near the railroad is worth about
$500 al acre on an average, and i'm
proved lands more, according to i'm
provenents, ETC.
= Land is rapidly rising in value, and
tho present time and in the near future
is the time to invest at bed rock rates,
and get the benefit Of the rise in the
near future, which is sure to come with
the immense tide of immigration which is
pushing westward Us fast as the weather
will permit.
st. John county is unorganized as yet,
and is attached to Trego county for
judicial purposes; but with the present
rush of actual settlers tho county can and
will be organized in tho near future.
New towns are being built, school districts
organized, and churches established,
which is giving this portion of the once
great American Desert the appearance OF
civilization, prosperity and future useful
ness The present rapid growth OF the
county, the immense immigration, the
grand rush and boom, are unparalleled
in the history of the settlement of til.
west, and especially of the state Of Kan
sas. There is more life, business, stir
and money in the western portion of
Kansas than in any other newly-settled
country in the west. The land is cheap
fine and productive. Labor is in demand;
wages are good; money is plentiful;
everything is on the boom. The climate
is splendid, and the advantages for both
rich and poor are unparalleled in the
history of Kansas. And now is the ac-
cepted time to strike the iron while It's
hot, and secure homes and valuable
tracts of land before they are all gone.
Good land will double in value in the
next twelve months, and those who are
lucky enough to secure valuable tracts
in the near future will never regret the
investment.