The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-07-27
SOME NOTES OF TRAVEL.
Rev. s. .B. Houston Writes OF Some
Things He Saw on Recent
Trip to Kansas.
VISITED DIR. AND MRS. R. ". MCKIBBlN,
Mr.. EDIToR:

Mr.. EDIToR:---
shall jot down II few
thoughts that may possibly be of
some interest to your readers.
We usually think of Kansas as
a dry country, as it Is on the bor-
der of a vast arid region; but in
May and June, when the writer
was there,it was anything but dry,
especially while in the eastern
part of the state. Rain fell copi-
ously and the consequence was de-
structive floods in many localities.
Hundreds of acres of corn were
under water. By reason of excess
i've rainfall 100000 bushels of
wheat have been lost in the state.
In the central part the grain fields
looked very fine; and such fields
as we never see in Pennsylvania -
hundreds of acres lying contigu-
ously, with scarcely anything oft
en- times to mark the boundary
lines between the farms. Wheat
is harvested with headers. Six or
seven men with about eight horses
will harvest from twenty-five to
thirty acres day. That includes
'the hauling in"
The writer had the pleasure of
spending little more than day
at Ft. Riley. This is a very pict-
uresque spot, situated at one side
of a 22,000-acre tract of land be-
longing to the government. 1t is
about seventy miles west of Tope-
!. ka. The Kaw river, formed by
the Republican and Smoky Hill a
short distance above the Fort,
skirts its southern boundary. This
is where DIR. w. McKibbin and
wife, formerly of Fulton county,
+ are comfortably located and are
. very happy in their home. There
. is cavalry and also an artillery
l., post at this point. Several hun
dred troops are here all the time
The camp is very tastefully laic
, out and kept in the best order
There are about eighty-six officers
quarters, each built of Kansas
;, limestone, covered with slate, fit
- ted up with electric lights and al
> necessary conveniences, costing
from eight to ten thousand dollars
. Beautiful lawns surround the build
. ings and lofty shade-trees skirt the
;, walks and drive-ways. There are
- three large barracks three stories
I, high costing, severally, seventy
y five thousand dollars. There are
several fine stables which are every
way complete, well lighted anc
: ventilated, fitted up with automat
ic feeding troughs and watering
J. troughs. An elevated place the
l. length of the stable, but on the
X outside, with IL heavy rope stretch
o ed between posts, Is where the
re grooming is done. Near by is {
q commodious corral enclosed with
IL neat stone wall, where the horses
and mules can recreate when no
II on duty. Each stable will accom-
y modate about seventy-fve horses
t. A fine stable is being presently
V. erected for a hospital.
e saw guard mount the evening
a. / was there and it was substantial
N " the same exercise we were pn
le through forty years ago in th'
g. sunny South. Uncle Sam has beer
e. lavish in his expenditures in fittin:
e up the fort for the convenience ant
"A comfort of his boys and horses.
r Splendid water, clear Us crysta
'e comes down into all parts of tn
Or fort from the reservoir filled from
De artesian wells. Near the reservoi
ar is a monolith, erected on amassiv
II
IL pedestal, with II strong iron fenc
ri around 1t. The stone which
Is probably fifteen feet high bear
T. this simple inscription: "Erecte
10 to the Memory of Brevet Major A
f. Ogden" This monument
ID said to be the geographical centr
iE east and west of the United States
'h Lest occupy too much space
W. your columns, ! shall close.
On Respectfully yours,
S. B. HOUsTON.
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