Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-02-08
THE. WAY TO SANTA MONICA.
Changes and Points OF Interest
Noted by an Old Nlipnesotan
Santa Monica, Cal. Jan. 10, l9(

! j = (
Concluded from last week.
L1Sunday { morning finds us within
the bounds of Kansas City Mo-, the
great commercial gateway Of the
Missouri situated at the bend in that
noted stream near the boundary line
of two states. The tracks of the
many railroads centering here are at
the foot of high bluff on the one
side and the business portion on the
other. The amount of railroadiDg
done here in this narrow space, is.
simply immense. | was grealY sur
prised to see the amount of baggage
and light freight or express being
handled on that Sunday morning.
| was not enabled to see much Of
the city as I had arranged to meet a
friend at the depot; was looking for.
him not daring to go far lest I should
miss him and my train also-which
came nigh being the case as I had
been misinformed as to track from
which it would start, found out 'juss
before it WIS to late, 7" that | had for
gotten that it was Sunday and had
been looking only one way and that
the wrong one, when seeing my fellow
travellers gathered at train near by
I quickly joined them, entered tie
same car and soon found my section
all right and was at home again.
We passed outat narrow gorge
into narrow plain with bluffs on
either side and beside small stream
soon passed the boundary line and
are in the renowned state of Kansas
where I had expected to see green
fields of winter-wheat, pastures and
meadows, decked in q spring or
summer hue, but none of this was
apparent to the naked eye, but every
thing, Of Vegetable nature, was sere
and dry, and hardly any signs of life
appeared on any hand, hardlya fur
row plowed and not a farm implement.
of any kind in sight, and this through
out the breadth of the whole state n
AS we pass along the valley widens..
Some large farms appear with oecs-
sionalpeach and apple orehards,sma!l
fields of unharvested corn and of
corn fodder, Evidently the farmers
here about allow their stock to do
their own harvesting and shreding.
Small villages appear along our
way at frequent intervals, among
them Lawrence, no ed place during
the border war or excitement that
helped to bring on the Civil War.
Toeeka the capital appears with its
large brick capitol building, high
massive dome worthy of a better
state) large hospital, and other pub
lie buildings, broad and long streets
with innumerable shade trees, is said
to be one of the prettiest capitals of
the west. City said to contain 10000
inhabitants.
All this in eastern Kansas, said to
be the second best agricultural area
of the union, (Let them "teiI that to
the marines" not to any one who has
ever travelled in the Northwest.) 1t
is also said that almost the entire
state was once an ocean bed. [ can
wei believe it, and that the da e
thereof is not far distant; So that
the foundation thereof has not had
sufficient time to take on proper
amount of "top-dressing" to make it
a lasting and ever largely produt tive
soil. the real sierra firma" being sck-
ing. Usage City and Emporia ar
both large and important cities. Tn
latter has large stone station b use,
walks about paved with Huml olt,
Kansas vitrifed brick, streets wld
and long and we'll shaded, large
college building, school and churches.
Here the Southern or Straight line
road joins ours which is the Atchin.
Topeka and Santa Fe proper.)
Hutchison, largest city in western
Kansas, population 5000 is situated
on the Arkansas river. which stream
our road now follows with few diva
tions fol many miles.
Night is now upon us. aud we are
therefore obliged to leave another
blank From certain signs seen in |
towns just passed it would seem that
Mrs. Carrie Nation has not yet passed |
this way in her work Of joint smash
ing. Let the good work go, on,
madam. Il. S. NJ.