Year: 1877

oS That Road.


EALsTEAD, November %.


EpTroR TINE: This is Gods own
country. Gown in this section, along the line
of the Santa Fe, and ii doesn't take an ex-
tended visit 10 make the most confirmed
skeptic fully convinced Of the fact Of the
hundreds Of thousands of acres in this por-
tion Of the state there is but the very small
eS, proportion OF it which is not fit for culti-
yation, proportion so small that it isn't
worth taking into consideration. The
towns along the line OF this road are live
and energetic and growing rapidly; the
country surrounding them is filling up with
ac,ual settlers al rate which is aston
ishing; the newspapers pcblished are
specimens OF plucky Kansas
journalism; the people who have
settled and built up this country are main
Iv OF the better class, from the eastern parts
oi tne United States, and Europe, who have
come here with the idea OF making this
their permanent home, and bring with them,
in the majority OF cases, enough solid cash
to outfit themselves handsomely, the result
being that whether they start in business in
the towns or go TO farming in the country,
they find themselves in better circumstan-
ecs than ten years of hard labor and close
saving could possibly make them in the
East. That part OF Kansas lying within
lines down south and east from EmpOria is
paradise itself, and is the garden spot Of the
west. The soil Is productive beyond the
widest dreams of the most theoretic enthu-
siast, and practical demonstrations OF
this is the fact that OF the thou
sands who visit this section yearly
upon tours OF inspection very few fail to
make it their future home. The immigra-
ton this year has been immense, but next
year it will be greater, while each succeed
ing year will witness an increase. As an
example, take the towns, without exception,
along the road OF the Santa Re from Tope-
ka westward, andsnot one will fail to show
an increase in population and business,
many having doubled the former, and treb-
led the latter, while none of these embryo
cities have grown beyond the capacity OF the
country TO sustain them. In,
the early times towns grew ahead OF the
and the very natural and inevita-
bic consequence was that whep the spasm OF
the excitement of the first rush was over
these towns found themselves standing up
ON the air, so to speak, with little or 10
perceptible foundation beneath. The towns
Of Kansas, to-day, which are building and
being started, have foundations upon
which they can rely, and while their
growth may be as rapid as has been the
growth of the towns along the Santa Fe,
the agricultural support will be sufficient
to not only keep them up, but push them
forward. Until man comes here he can
form no adequate conception Of what the
country is, and no description can do jus
tice to the subject


ELLwooD,


a short distance east of Great Bend, is a
thriving little village, mainly a German
and being of sufficient distance
from its larger neighbor, Great Bend, has a
good support from the country, and has
promise OF becoming town of some conse-
qucnce A large number OF business build
ings are in contemplation for next spring,
and as soon as the season will admit, the
erection of the new structures will CON-
mence.


STERLING,


formerly known as Pace, is a surprise to
the visitor, who could hardly expect within
the bounds of reason at least to find a town
of such population and business activity,
where a few years ago was nothing. But
all things are possible in Kansas, and il
Sterling is not town of three thousand in
habitants in as many years, it will he be-
cause some mysterious dispensatiOn ol
Providence will intervene and thwart the
the designs of the citizens. Sterling is well
built up, and although not the county seat,
il Is the mart OF the county and Is its COM
mercial center. \ war between cold water
and alcohol is now raging, with cold water
one ahead, the last individual who had tie
temenity to sell fire water having been
hauled up before the justice and fined for
50 doing. No liquor is sold in the town
now except for medical purposes, and it is
astonishing, to a nonresident at least, 10
note how many invalids there are in this
healthiest of communities. There is prom
Use of great activity in Sterling in the
spring, as several merchants who have late
ly announced their intention of locating are
compelled to erect buildings for their own
accommodation, there being not 4
single empty store-room in the town
at the present time, while several other par
ties will either add to their present build
ing or erect new ones. The character oi
the structures, erected this year, dwellings
as well as business houses, is one of per-
manency as well as elegance, and give TO
he little city quite metropolitan air.


HUTCHINSON,


the best advertised town in the state OF
Kansas, or in the country for that matter, is
a representative town, ard has the appear
ance OF a young Chicago. 1t is, in fact, the
Chicago OF the Southwest, and while labor
ing under some disadvantage, tendency to
go upon a cold water spree whenever it rains
10 any extent, it pushes forward and grows
rapidly Notwithstanding. The late heavy
rains put the town somewhat under water,
rendering boats the fashionable vehicles
for a period, but the warm and softening in
fiuences OF the Kansas Indian Summer
cleared away the too familiar element and
the Hutchinsonians again saw the tops OF
their dwelling and business houses. Hutch
ison is business from the werd go, and never
lets up Its merchants never have allowed
the word fail to be introduced into their
vocabulary and / doubt if a single mer-
chant could parse it. This spirit OF indom-
liable energy is what has made Hutchin-
son what she is. and is exactly what will
keep her up.


HALsTEAD


is a neat little burg, nine miles west of
Newton, and is full of life and get up. The
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