The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-09-01
FROM THE STRIP
THE STRIP NOT THE PARADISE
SUPPOSED.
Sherman County Land Ahead OF Any
to Be Found I'm the Strip or Ok
Iehoma-The Settlers Not
In Good circumstances.

HENNEssEY, Ok, Aug. 24.-Editor RE-
PUBLIC: Having selected your paper to in
form the many friends and neighbOrs of
Sherman county, through its columns, of
the truth relative to the true condition of
Oklahoma and the Cherokee strip, to he
opened soon for settlement.
The KonkliM brothers and myself left
Brewster with five cars of stock and house
hold goods, arriving at Hennessey on the
O'Clock train on the 18Th inst. We imme-
diately set about looking up location I'M
til the strip ouened for settlement.
There was but one vacant house in town,
hence there was no choice to be made, so
we had to except the old, weather-beaten
shanty, 1Ox12, at $50 per month. This,
however, was very unsatisfactory to our
little party, but we had to succumb to the
inevitable ways of a mushroom town on the
meridian of great boom.
After having housed our goods in the
above-described palace, we then turned our
attention to the stock which needed water
and feed. After several hours of search one
of the party reported the news that he had
secured good pasture for the IS head of fat
horses and cattle, brought from Sherman
county, at the cost of 10 cents per head per
day, or So per month. We again bowed in
humility to the inevitable destiny of men
in a new country. The party having been
informed there was an inexhaustable sup
ply of good running water we returned to
onr palace, DIETER known as a shack be-
lieving all was for the best.
The next to do was to visit the country
examine the soil and products of country
represented to people of Sherman county
as an Ell Dorado, and a land that flows with
milk and honey. But bear with me in
brief description of two days travel and I
will not exaggerate the true condition of
this country. l think that the red man
should not be deprived of so valuable a
hunting land as it is unfit for white men.
The grasses consist of the bunch, wire
and blue stem. The soil is red resembling
poor quality of red lead, with occasional
light and dark spots. The water IN the
running streams is red as a solution of red
paint. Well water either contains great
per cent of salt or alkali, making 1t very
repulsive to the taste as we'll as unhealthy,
to which the newcomers can verify from
their number under the doctors care.
The grass along the railroad is about two
inches high and at this writing, dry enough
to burn. 1t is true that the settlers in Ok
lahcma raised fair wheat crop, corn has
dried up. and in fact all other cereal and
root crops have failed. Potatoes are worth
S1.2O per bushel, corn so cents per bnShel
and all other products correspondingly
high. Groceries and dry goods are much
higher than in Sherman county.
Many people are in destitute circum-
stances and will if they stay need help.
Good, young mares weighing from HOO
to 1900 pounds, with colts by their side, are
selling at $40 to $50 per span. During the
eight years l lived i'll Sherman county
cannot recite sales of good stock at the
above prices.
The people of Sherman county have
never experienced as hard times as the peo-
pie here, with u long winter befOre them,
moneyless and limited with clothing. The
prediction of any result of the winter will
be appalling in the least.
From these facts allow me to urge you to
hold and stay with your land and homes
in Sherman county. If you are not able
to stay there, you are not able to stay here.
You have a good country and above all
good water.
Do not believe the stories that this is the
best country in the world; many have feast
ed on these stories to their sorrow, and all
that are able to go, will leave.
The strip has but little grass and is not
near as good as Sherman county.
Prairie dogs and other animals that bur-
row in the ground are red, resembling the
color of the soil, and do not grow as large
as they do in Sherman county.
GEORGE w. BENSON.
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