Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-02-11
LETTER FROM THE WEST.

NESS city, Ness Co., Kansas, FEB.
I'd, 1888.-DEAR HERALD.--After
some trials and fluctuations of travel
I'VE have s"cUme down like a wolf on
the fold" Tor vice versa on the Mecca
of Ness County. I came to Kansas
prepared for the worst of everything,
consequently ! am agreeably disap-
pointed. I rather like the country,
the climate, the town, and the people
l have met. The first Is open to in
spectIon and immigration. The seq
ond is not SO black as it is painted, by
a long way. When I read that the
weather guage stood at 10 degrees be-
low zero in Winchester at time
when could sun myself on the rear
platform of the train Hs it crossed the
Kansas plains, and see men at work
in their shirt sleeves all along the
route, / concluded that this was bad
~ Inaligned country. The stories of
famine and cold, told of this State, are
in many cases purely imaginary. No
cases ofdestituti0n have beenrepOrted
In this county, and no especial suffer.
ing from cold or lack of fuel, heard
from. Ness City is the county-town
Cf Ness County and is county or two
west of the centre ofthe State, East and
West, and the centre running North
and South, and with the exception
perhaps of the Arkansas river bottoms
Is considered the finest land in the
State. The county has an area of 1850
miles, nearly as large as the State of
Rhode Island and Is well supplied
with water, from the Walnut and
Pawnee rivers aud several smaller
streams. A novelty with these rivers
are the springs that lie IN the river
bed, and feed them constantly.
The county is new,not over a dozen
years old. MIR. Calhoun, the manager
of the Hotel at which We are stopping,
came here in 1878 when his own and
several other families were the only
settlers. A year agoth town had about
or hundred now it has a pOpula-
ton of 1900 aud is spreading out rap
idly. The new graded school is quite
as large and finer in architectural de-
sign than the Martinsburg Grammar
School. 1t, and almost all the business
blocks, are built of native stone when
first taken out it is readily cut into
any shape or size, but when exposed to
the air hardens like iron, and is as
durable as the everlasting hills. The
business houses here are better and
finer than have seen in any eastern
town of 5000 inhabitants, and are built
not by spectators but by residents
and citizens who have lived here and
mean to stay, and who have the inter-
est of the town at heart. One of the
sflh Far Is ATr al
houn, who has probably done more
for the town than any one else In his
generosity with the people and for the
welfare Of the city. understand that
he has donated some of his most valu-
able property for public purposes. and
IN order to accommodate the influx of
travel that could not otherwise have
found room, built I" The Calhoun
House, at a cost of $4,000. 1t is
a marvellous sample of the transit of
civilization and its conconlitants. It's
dining room will accommodate hun
dred guests, and rooms in proportion.
Water, heat, and light in abundance !;
bath room and electric bells, while its
Furnishings and accommodations are
in every way of the very best, and no
by the week at 81 per day. Mr.. Jas.
L. Calhoun, Ia brother of the Proprie-
tor, who manages the Hotel, is one of
the best of a host of /" hosts"; and we
are indebted to him aud his wife for
many kind and friendly courtesies
extended. They are favorites among
the people of Ness City. Let me see !;
/ waEted to tell you of some of the
novelties of the west, that struck me
as being odd in the extreme, and one of
them is the sod houses, houses built of
sod. Of course they are only one
story high. fiat roof of boards, sodded
over; they tell me they are not such
bad houses to live in, but, -''eXcuse
me-" / havn't seen nor heard much
of the whistling winds, perhaps the
winds have their time to blow,
and are hiding away in honor of my
coming. This is the country of po-
nies. Ponies in every degree of cult
walton, and abandonment. Some of
them are sleek and bright as Walt
Lalnbert's team, Others look as tho
they were covered with coat Of Buf
falo grass gone to seed Most of them
are of the Cuisines before pleasure
variety" Mr.. Calhoun ha, II +" bron-
cho" here that he urges me try to
ride. It's perverse little customer;
il walks along all right but when in
C ease of speed is wanted it invariably
turns up its back feet and walks on its
head. aud Pm afraid l couldn't ''re-
verse" attitudes as fast as Mr.. Pony
It's clear case of heads and tails up,
with the chances for winning on eth
err, pretty evenly balanced. Pm not
betting either way, or taking any
chances until I've fed it sugar a little
while. The weather here has been
warm and sun-shining until the last
few days.. when we have had rain.
The temperature now compares favor
ably with our May and June weather.
They tell me business is dull here
now and yet it seems rather lively to
me. Lots that sold year ago for $50,
sell now readily for from $500 to
$4,000, depending upon location. Resi-
dence lots can be bought for from SIS
toS3n0. When the spring boom comes
in lots ofall kind will in all probabili-
ty double in value. Farming lands
sell at from 81 to $40 an acre through
out the country. The land is smooth,
handsome prairie. of the black lime.
stone variety, and is almost inexhaus-
tible. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa
Fee branch running through this city
connects with the Pacific at Scott
City, and two other roads are to be
built through here soon. Bonds
have been voted for them. Thereare
three newspapers, all live and ener-
getic. l had the pleasure of meeting
the editors Of the Times. and Sentinel
They are pleasant, energetic business
men, with plenty ability. Ifany one
desires special information as to
facts regarding in this town or county,
I shall be Yery clad to answer any