The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-11-01

Editor Graphic
arrived all o K on the evening of
the fourteenth at Komalty, o. T.. after
about q nine-day drive, having left
Offerle on the evening of the fourth
and stayi ing over night with my brother
in Kinsley. The next night Saturday
I spent at Polk Manuals where l got
two square meals 20 leave the county
on, and being an amOrOsO of good
cooking it is not necessary to say that
1 did Justice to the bounty of his table.
Prom here I pulled to Greensburg
where l found the stores doing gen.
eral business, regardless of it being
the Sabbath. This night was spent
with philanthropic German who
found me ON the lone prairie just as
it began to rain. Next day COldwater
and the remains of Avilla were seen.
Avilla consists of wells and cellar
holes, the only building remaining
being the schOOlhouse. Getting on
the old salt plain road, few miles
from Avilla, l drove for the salt
marsh of the Cimarron and camped
on the north bank among the mosqui-
toes. Before reaching the river you
pass Keener Lookout, fine place to
use a camera, but a hard one on horse
flesh as the roads are either sandy,
or rough and stony. The river at
the marsh is about three miles wide
aud everything is covered with salt
excepting where there is a stream of
clear salt water. After crossing one
is puzzled how to get farther as the
banks, with the exception OF q few
breaks, look to iayhawker to be
perpendicular to height of over Two
hundred feet and are capped with
stone. Among these the unfortunate
got lost and spent nearly the entire
day getting out of the bluffs.
The roads from the river to Curtis
consist of sand. sand hills, canons,
more sand, sand hills, then some mt ore
hills and canons. The country roads
through here are rough and rocky
and would be aband Oned in Kansas,
although the Oklahomans call them
good roads.
There is some good land in this
section and it, like the rest of western
Oklahoma, is being taken up by home
steaders. Curtis, like the other rail-
road towns of western Kansas and Ok
lahoma, is rapidly Improving.
After crossing Beaver Creek OF
North Canadian river I met a farmer
who told me that cheap smarter" men
than had been lost in the breaks of
talking to a prospective congressman
and president one of my teachers
once told me all patriotic boys were
prospective congressman and presi-
dents). Well, did nothing to him
as he looked like a native, but pulled
for the river that was told swallowed
wagon, team and man and then grasps
for more. passing the towns of Mutual,
Cestos and Riley, and crossing tine
river north of Taloga without any ac-
cident. Now my heart beat more
easily.
Taloga is nice country town with
about five hundred Inhabitants. From
here 1 drove to Arapahoe, which is
built on high Hill and can be seen
for miles. passing through Putnam,
Ruth and Independence on the way.
The crops north of Taioga were most
ly feed and castor beans, south of
here cotton is added. They claim to
have only half a crop.
Crossing the Washita river, on the
road to COrdell, saw man digging
in the bank. When asked what he
had struck he replied, a gold mine.
1 Immediately jumped out with pick
et-pin in one hand and Ratchet in
the other intending to stake out 4
claim, but finding it only bed of
stucco reluctantly climbed back into
the wagon and pounded the grays on
the back to make up lost time. There
are acres of stucco in that section;
you can take large piece of it in
your band and crumble it until it
looks like the finest of flour, with the
exception of it's blue cast of color.
Passing on through Cordell reached
Komalty that evening, completing a
journey of about two hundred and
thirty miles, to say nothing of the
crooks. and found my claim and
camped on it that night. l would not
trade it for Harry Reid 3 6rst-class
claim, regardless of his having a
young squaw for a neighbor. The
last sixty-hve miles of roads were
good. but come the rest of the way on
mother road.
New houses are to be seen in all
directions in the new country. Some
breaking is being done and wells dug.
All in these parts seem to be well
pleased with their claims and the
country in general.
1 expect to go to making bay to-
morrow although this country was
covered with stock all summer and
H. I