Year: 1878

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Ed. News II received the NEwsto-day
and it was like cold water to a thirsty soul.
The weather has at last cleared up, and
the farmers are making a great effort to
secure the crop Of wheat, which Is very
heavy. They were very much discouraged
on account Of the rain, which began on the
10th and continued, with an intermission
Of a day now and then, until the 18th.
The ground is yet so soft that the machines
can scarcely run.


Corn is about waist high. The potato
: crop has partly rotted during the vet
weather. The settlers say they never before
saw so much rain at this time Of year.


This is indeed fine country, and the
more I see Of it the better like It. There
is no timber here, and they burn coal,
though great many new eomers bnn
corn stalks and even hay. Not that they
are compelled to, but that they may have
the money which would otherwise be paid
out for coal, to expend for lumber, with
which to build houses. So you see how
economical they are.


have been in great many houses since
came here, and in each one did not fail
to see the pile Of stalks. At first [ could
not conjecture to what use they could be
put, until I was informed that they were
Kansas fuel was surprised to see what
a hot'fre they make, and how quickly a
meal could be prepared. While one cooks,
another generally child sits by and does
what is termed "stufing the stove, and It
keeps one busy putting in stalks. The
time is not far distant when coal can be
procured here with much less expense and
trouble than at present.


Many families live in small box houses,
y K IA, and others in houses made Of sod.
The sod is turned over with a plow, cut IN
pieces two feet long and laid in a wall, as
we lay brick, without mortar.


There is plenty Of good water.


There is a class Of persons from Russia,
called Mennonites, who speak the German
language, and are settling here. They
build their houses without floors, and every
morning sprinkle sand on the ground floor
and sweep it out in the evening. They dig
their cellar in one corner Of the house, and
cover it up with boards. Sometimes the
roof Of their houses is hay or sod. Things
viii not always remain so.


Nearly all who come here have either
been soldiers, ov are persons who we're too
poor to buy good homes in the East. The
land does not cost them much, and after a
year or two, from the proceeds Of their
crops, they are enabled to possess all the
comforts Of life, and in ten years there wiz
be as fine buildings here and the country
will be as thickly settled as IN some Of the
more eastern States.


Emigrants are coming in by hundreds.
To those who are thinking oimoving West,
I would say, you can find no better land
any where than can be found in Kansas.
I have examined It carefully in Reno and
Mcpherson counties. The crops speak for
the country.


There IS a strip Of country, lyingon eth
er side Of the arkansas river, from five
miles to ten miles wide, in Reno county,
the soil Of which is strongly impregnated
with alkali. It may be known by the color
Of the soil, which looks as though soda or
white lime had been spilled upon it. No
grain will grow on it. do not know
whether it can be rendered fertile by ma
nuring it or not. Perhaps it could


Hutchinson, although a pretty town,
stands in the midst Of this belt There is
no danger Of persons being deceived now,
for the country is known, and this alkah
region is unoccupied except in the towns.


There is no selffshness here and each one
seems to feel an interest in the welfare Of
his neighbor. j. NJ. KAY