Year: 1878

III regular OrueT Is WlultT Jou, auu
that is cutting the stalks this is done
with machine called 'stalk cutter,
cutting q row at time; it is drawn by
two horses; it is made on the order CT
a cylinder, with blades to cut the stalks.
This is all done ridiug-there is no ma
chine that you have to walk with ex-
cept the harrow. This is about all to
be done in the way of farming in the
West.


Ny father received a letter some two
or three weeks ago asking him about
the health of this country. | can say
this for him and others, that chills exist
along the different rivers, bat to take
uplands there is scarcely any, If none.
| have heard of no other disease except
permanent diseases, which were brought
here by the people having them.
don't think | have ever been in coun-
try where the people look as healthy as
they do in Kansas. l don't really think
that there is State in the Union that
can boast of more healthy climate than
Kansas, taking it throughout.


He asked question, why the people
preferred railroad to government land,
and about the lease of the lands to the
railroad; it is good until three years af-
ter the completion of the road. l can
say also that there is not road in Kan
sas that has ever been completed yet,
and probably some of them never will
to show you l will give you an example
of an unfinished road, as l.. l.. * u. Il.
X, this is Leavenworth, Lawrence and
Galveston railroad, which has gotten
scarcely to Independence yet, so You
see it has good distance 10 60 yet.
and the rest of the roads are in the same
fix, so you see government land is very
scarce in this portion OF the State. There
is government land in the western part
of the State, but it is a great distance
from any railroad at all, and | tell you
it is no little undertaking TO go out
upon these prairies and live there; you
see nothing but heaven and earth, and
that is about ALL But you need not go
quite so far; buy land at 81 per acre; l
know you can tell the difference, but
come out and see for yourselves; it would
do your eyes good to look over these
prairics after looking at your rocks, hills
and rugged mountains. Another ques-
ton was asked as follows: "llow do
you do for fencing?" / can answer this
question by saying that near the rivers
and creeks there is plenty OF wood, and
then We make fence the same as you do.
But back on the prairie there are found
four different kinds of fence first, there
is "a large amount of Wire fence, and IN
deed the most of it is wire; second,
there is q great amount Of hedge fence,
but by new corners wire is first put up
and then the hedge is planted after
wards; third is stone fence, there is no
small amount of stone fencing done in
Kansas, | think this is the most sub
stantial of all, as you can find so many
flat rock out here, that it is no trouble
to build this kind of fence; fourth is
pole fence, or what you would call a
three rail fence, or sometimes two wires
and pole, this latter makes as good a
fence as any of them, three boards or
two wires and pole or board, or a four
rail stake and rider fence, or three wires
is considered legal fence, but in some
of the counties of the State, YOU don't
have to have any fence, at all, on ac-
count of the famous "Herd law" which
makes every man herd his own cattle,
that is the place for people to go who
have no cattle unless you have the
money to hire somebody 10 herd them
for you, but | think after you have got
ten fitted up, l think you would rather
be away from the "Herd Law" Now /
have given you as near as l could our
manner Of fencing and protecting our
crops.


1t is still the idea Of some that the
people of Kansas are half barbarians.
| Just wish that those who think so
could come out here and see for them
selves how much farther ahead the
West is than the East in the art Of
Labor saving machinery and educational
interests, this would tell whether Kansas
is behind Virginia or not. / don't be-
lieve that if you were once TO come out
here you would ever want 10 60 back
again until you had once settled down
and spend all the money You bring along
with you, aud have to go on "sEort
holds" for awhile, and then comes on
what is called that terrible homesick-
ness, or 81 want to go back again" but
this is not what we want to do, we want
TO act like men, 90 into society, be live
ly, always look pleasant and you will
surely come out all right, after the first
year has passed over you will be better
pleased and would not 90 back.


There is one other advantage in
coming 10 Kansas and that is this, the
great educational interest Of the State,
they are surely better than in any state
in the Union, we have school here Q
months out of the year with the best
kind of teachers, a teacher has to stand
a thorough examination before he is
able to take charge OF school, Kansas
surely is well provided with schools
aud competent teachers, We have in this
town large stone building containing
four departments or class rooms, we
are to have FIVE teachers this year. The
buildings would be as large as Shepherd
College if they were both put together,
there are two separate buildings. There
was an Institute, which / think was Of
great advantage to those who attended,
nearly all the teachers in the county