Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-04-01
CHANGEABLE
WEATHER
The Kind the People Of Kan
sas and Nebraka are
Blessed With.
Little Rock a Progressive and
Energetic Southern
City.

The middle western states, notably
Kansas. Nebraska, Iowa and the states
north. are undergoing a great deal
of bad weather lately. When the
writer went east two weeks ago We'd
nesday, from Denver to st. Louis over
the Missouri Pacific road, the " Gather
was very good, Through middle
Kansas now and then grass was polk.
ing Its green nose through the dead
leaves and winter wheat looked well
and farmers were plowlng and prepar-
ing for spring work generally. Hav-
Ing an eye on ducks we were inform
ed that the advance guard had gone
north and that shooting would soon
end. This was discouragins. as 1t
would be Il week before we could
pull gun on a mallard. but the
duck and the goose were doomed to
be driven south again, not once, but
three times, and probably oftener.
While at Hot Springs dispatches told
of the blizzard which ragged in Ne
hraska, Kansas and Missouri week
ago Tuesday. We said, here is our
opportunity. The featheret tribe
will have to oarne south, but pleas,
ant weather stopped their fight and
they returned north al far as Kan
sas, and for well known duck dis
t1ict we headed, arriving at Iioislng-
ton Saturday to spend few days.
Saturday 1t rained. and that night
while we slept and dreamad of ducks
snow fell. 4he next morning II was
being driven over the bleak waste
at the rate of forty miles an hour
Those who have been in Kansas know
the fury of the wind when IL sets a
good start. And here II was the Gath
of March. We like ducks pretty well
but hot stove better on such day
and every sensible duck had again
Int out for the south. AS II would
be several days before they returned
we gave 1t up in disgust. utterly dis
pleased with Kansas weather. And
according to yesterdays dispatches
another snow storm OF much greater
proportions, driven by stronger wind
with penetrating cold, again over
took that section, and the ducks that
ventured back day or two previous
have undoubtedly been driven back
to the gulf. The duck business is
mentioned In order to show the vari
ETY. of weather in Kansas and Ne
braska. Notwithstanding these con
ditions as regards the weather.. Kan
sas is prosperous, and the state ap-
pears to be settled by happy and
contented people. Al ftoisington. a
district supposed to be out Of th'. rain
belt few years ago. the land Is large
ly under cultivation, one farmer last
summer raising $4,000 bushels OF
wheat. Rains are becoming more fre-
quent and farmers have little isar OF
absolute drouths. such as formerly
prevailed before the country was set
tied Leaving Hoisington Sunday
night we had the pleasure OF spending
six hours in snow drift. Who would
want to live in such a climate after
spending a few years In southern Col
orndo? Certainly no one.
While returning from the south we
passed through the northeastern por.
ton OF Oklahoma for distance OF
l50 miles. The section traversed is
mostly settled. There are no large
towns. as Oklahoma City appears to
have caught the tide. but 1t is appar.
emily prosperous farming anl stock
raising section. Striking Kansas at
Coffeyville. our road conveyed us
along the southern line for distance
of 16d miles. thence to Wichita. and
then tn the main line connecting with
Pueblo. In the southern part of the
state farmers were busy with spring
work. some plowing and a few seed
ing. Spring wheat looked unusual
ly fine. Ground was well and evenly
covered and stock was feeding In the
fields to prevent II stooling too early
Some farmers are reported to'be pas
turing their neighbors' stock free Of
charge on winter wheat zelda In or
der to keep 1t back.
| All Kansas. except the extreme
western portion. is thickly settled
Districts considered wild and woody
fifteen or twenty years ago are unde
thorough cultivation. Every town II
growing. New houses indicated this
Farmers are building new houses. new
barns. and buying machinery. Lo