Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-02-26
Mrs. Henry Young Tells of Kansas

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Before leaving Audubon some OF
our friends requested us to let them
know through the REPUBLICAN how
we liked our new home. AS we have
been here few days over a year, we
think we can tell something of this
part of Kansas, give our impressions
at least.
We like it here very much, the coun-
try, the climate, the people, almost
everything. The country lays beauti-
fully, not fiat, but very slightly roll
ing, rising into low hills west of us.
There is timber along the creeks.
The soil is good, harder to work than
Iowa soil but rich and productive.
Some parts are stony, rock may be
found anywhere from the surface to
fifteen feet below. This is a wonder
full country for grass and we have
never seen finer corn, fruit or vege-
tables than we saw this year at the
county fair. We think the climate
very pleasant. There was an excess
of rain during the summer but very
few of those terrible electric storms
which used to drive us out OF bed so
many times in Iowa. The summer was
very hot. The winter until this week,
has been mild but Monday the Their
mometer went down to y dgrees which
temperature is not usual here. There
is about six inches of snow on the
ground.
The people? l feel like searching
around for some new adjective which
will do justice to these nice, friendly
people. We expected to feel very
much alone for long time after COM
ing here, but we were made to feel at
home from the first. There are many
people here from Iowa. Within the
past month five families from Guthrie
county, Iowa, have settled south of us.
The people are generally prosperous.
At recent sale amounting to two
thousand dollars, there were only
sixty-four dollars worth of notes
taken. Land is advancing in price
and is worth from fifty to seventy-five
dollars.
Ottawa is fine town of about 5000.
There are many handsome public
buildings, just now there are being
builtlI public library, endowed by
Carnegie, Methodist church to cost
$4,000 and the Baptist university
which was burned this fall, is being
rebuilt. There are two parks, the
City park where the new library is sit
mated, and Forest Park which is most
lovely with its grand old trees, beds
of beautiful flowers, fountain and
pretty buildings. The Chatauqua AS
sembly is held there every summer,
also the county fair.
There is an earnest, persistent eff
fort to make and keep Ottawa a tenn
perance town. l do not know whether
or not it is betttr or worse than other
towns of tie size, but l do know that
in the year have been here I have
never seen a drunken man on its
streets. Each school here is an indie
pendent district. In our district we
have free text books which are selec-
ted by the state board The school is
graded and the work done prepares
the pupils for the high school course.
Our teacher is paid $50 per month.
asked Mr.. Young what are the draw
backs to this country? He answered
at once ''cockle burrs." We have a
field which is badly infested by them
and'which has kept the men busy this
summer. We think we have been
very fortunate in selecting our home.
We live four miles south of Ottawa
on the main road between Ottawa and
Princeton, about fifty rods from one
of the best schools in the county and
in a good neighborhood. Fred Story
and wife and Mr.. Elrod live near us
and have gone to housekeeping in
good earnest. But although we are
happy here we have not forgotten our
friends in Audubon county and the
REPUBLICAN is a welcome visitor
every week and is eagerly searched
for news of those we left behind us.
Very sincerely,
Mrs. Mary Young.
Ottawa, Kansas, Feb, 20.
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