The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1903-03-20
RAINFALL SURELY INCREASING.
The Record Of Years Proves Kansas
Is Getting to Be a Wet State.
The Salvation Of the Western Part in the
Hands Of the Everlasting Farmer, Who
Nay Bring About Conditions 10
Cause Big Increase in Moisture.

-Sa- win AlEcGc5E tue ALElGlE VIII
ten BY ". J. Kreshbiel in your issue o
February IS, concerning the history o.
the short grass country, or the great
plains, and part Of the Rocky mountains
perhaps 1t would be q little more ex.
plicit for me TO say a descriptive history
Of the great west, itE sources and re-
sources and finally ending up by sdvo.
eating an appeal Of the homestead laws.
also note with the same interest the
response to this article BY B. b. Berry,
Of Mcdonald. Kan.
must say the first named writer has
given a very good general description Of
the country geographically except IN a
few instances which caused me to think
that he vas not writing altogether from
personal experience and observation. He
left the impression on the mind that the
east end Of Kansas had good, deep, rich
soil and that the western end was thin.
Any man who has Travelled much over
the state Of Kansas does not have to be
very close observer TO know better
than to believe such q theory. There is
only one place where you can find a soil
IN eastern Kansas that viii begin to
compare with the soil In the western end
Of the state and that is right down on the
first bottoms Of the rivers. Old Dame
Nature in forming the state Of Kansas
certainly turned her face westward when
she smiled, and spread the soil over the
western part with lavish hand. There
seems to be no bottom 70 It. You may
throw the earth out Of the bottom Of a
deep well and plant corn in il and il it
gets a sufficient rainfall it will make a
big crop saw in the year Of 81 where
wheat had been scattered over the buf-
falo sod IN Decatur county Kansas, from
threshing, scattered perhaps over a quar-
ter Of an acre. There was an abundance
of rain that year. The wheat took root
and grew up and made not less than %
bushels per acre.
There Is an inexhaustible sheet Of wat
er or underfOw from the Rocky noun
tains eastward all through eastern Colo
RADIO and western Kansas. The under
flow can be tapped at a reasonable depth
and lies on a level with the water in the
stream. Mr.. Krehbiel left the impres
sion that nearly all the rivers and creeks
Oh the great plains are dry. That is true
TO a certain extent but all the old from
tiersmen and cowboys know that a great
many streams in western Kansas and
eastern Colorado are never dry. This
underhow as 1t passes eastward down
through the middle Of the state Of Kan
sas runs over great beds Of salt or mir
erals that give it such a salt flavor as to
render it unfit for man or beast, but
western Kansas and eastern Colorado
have soil that for productiveness and
fertility and water Of clearness, GOODNESS
and purity cannot be surpassed any
where in the United States. Especially
Is this true Of the northwestern part Of
Kansas. I am we'll aware OF the fact
that there is q large slope Of country
lying directly east of the strip which is
now under irrigation close up to the foot
hills Of the Rocky mountains which, for
lack of good water and soil, is liable to
be fit for nothing but the DEVILS dump
ing ground for some time to come, but
the question comes in right here, Who
shall be able to satisfactorily establish
boundary line and define the exact place
where progression shall have stoppedg
This man has pushed away vest into the
eastern part Of Colorado aud is getting
rich raising wheat and other farm pro-
ducts. His nearest neighbOr, a mile
west Of him, is doing the same thing,
but we want to repeal the homestead
law and sell OF lot Of this worthless"
domain to the shylOcks, the milliOnaires
and the cattle kings Of the earth. But
where shall We find the man With brains
enough to 60 out there on the great
plains and draw the dividing line and
say, "Here on the eastern side Of this
line lies q very fair farming country,
but west Of this line It is perfectly use
less for you to try, it Is impossible for
you to make a living Ny solution Of
this problem would be to agree with Mr.
Berry and say, Let the homestead laws
alone as they now stand. They are the
poor mans friend and the homesteader' 5
only salvation"
Chancellor Snow, Of Kansas, kept q
record Of the average rainfall IN this
short grass country for over 50 years His
records proved conclusively that the
rainfall over this section Of the country
vas slowly but surely on the increase.
What is the general opinion as to what
causes this increase IN rainfall? All
people having experience in the great
west are q unit on this question and with
scarcely dissenting voice would an
sEer, The everlasting farmer tearing up
the slick buffalo sod, causing what
moisture falls 70 be retained and BY 50
doing creating more. Now Is Dame Ma
ture going 70 call halts Is she going
70 reverse her Wheslsg Or Is prOgres-
sion still going to slowly. but surely,
push on westward? IL al depends up
on the repeating Of the homestead laws
OF letting them stand.
Ny experience covers q period Of near
/ u 20 years IN the great west crossed
the great plains four times IN wagon
and was 10 a covered wagon SIX months