The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1908-08-20
Strong City, Kansas

DEMOCRAT SENTINEL.
Mrs. Mauk and / boarded the
train at Logan, Ohio, on Wednes-
day morning the 9Th. of August,
with the rain pouring down at a
rapid rate. 1t rained the most of
the way to Columbus, where we
took a train on Penn. II X. for
st. Louis, Mo. at 10 a. IN. Plenty
of rain along the road west.
Pasture and tobacco crop looks
eplendid, but the potato fields
look bad, not more than one.half
as many tops as there ought to be,
did not come up. But to continue,
everything looked tlourishing
until we reached the vicinity of
indianapolis where the ground
vas dry and everything nearly
parched up. Corn not more than
3 or 4 feet high and out in tasel,
not as good as the corn on the
poorest hills in Hooking county.
1t continued in that condition
until we reached Eastern Illinois,
where they have had more rain
and everything looks better. And
by the time we reached Central
Illinois darkness set in and we
could not see any more out OF
doors. But we went on rapid
rate until we reached the Father
of Waters, the great Mississippi
River, which We crossed into Sb.
Louis, Mo, at 9.4O p. IN and at
III: :35 p. IN. we boarded train
on the Chicago and Alton
] r. r for Kansas City, Mo-, and l
would just say that anyone that
takes an Alton train will not make
mistake. They haye every con-
venience to make passengers
comfortable. We slept nearl y as
we'll as if we had been at home.
W hen daylight again opened we
we're speeding through Western
Mo-, where every thing looked
hourishing. We reached Kansas
about 8 u. M, where everything
was rush and hurry. There is
quite a difference since the first
time | was there in April 1870,
9:35 we boald ded a Santa Fe
train bound for Kansas, long
train of ten coaches was crow deG
full. We had some fifty Indians,
a mixture of men, women and
children, bound for some place in
the Southwest. You better think
the squaws looked nice dressed in
their red calico suits with their
black hair hanging down their
backs.
We followed the Kansas valley
through Lawrence, Lecompton to
Topeka, which is beautiful city
situated along the banks of the
Kansas or Kay River. From
thence, we struck Southwest
through the counties of Shawnee,
Usage, Lyons to Chase. Osage
county appears to be underlaid
with vein of coal. They only
have to dig down short distance to
find coal, and then draw it up
with horses.
The next city of Importance is
Ewporia, the county seat of
Lyons county, which is quite a
city. Contains the State Normal
schools with some 1000 students.
We are now at Strong City, along
the Cottonwood River, near the
Cottonwood Falls, in Chase coun
ty. This Is principally grazing
county. The Cottonwood valley is
some two miles wide and is as fac
u farming land as in the State,
but the upland is covered with
limestone, the dirt and soil only a
few feet thick. There is no sand
in the county at all. They ship
sand here and sell by the pound.
This county is principally owned
by cattle men in large tracts of
LAID and was bought in an early
day, some fifty or sixty years ago.
/ When the emigrants had TO spend
four or five weeks in coming in
wagons. But what change. We
came he entire distance, which is
nearly 1000 miles in 81 hours. l
must close as | am getting t o
lengthy. We will leave here to-
morrow for Northern Kansas.
We are getting along fine. Feel
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