Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 April 1883 — From Kansas. [ARTICLE]

From Kansas.

Mr. F. H. Dunn, a former resident of Gillam tp., in this county, writes us a letter from hush county, Kansas, under date of April 4th, with the evident purpose of doing something towards counteracting the Dakota Boom. Mr. Dunn’s Postoffice is Paletine, in Ellis Co., but his place of residence is in the northern part of Rush county, on the second bottom lands of the Smoky Hill, and 12 miles south of Hays City. Mr. Dunn is staying there only for the summer, and owns no property there, and wants it, therefore, understood that he has no selfish purpose in view in praising the country. Splendid soil, and everything that is planted grows fast, but the seasons usually prove too dry for corn. Wheat, millet, rice-com, sorghum and broom-corn, are very sure crops

generally, which makes it a good country to raise stock in. Cattle require but little feed in the winter. Many cattle have not been fed atall during the past winter, but yet are looking well. A few have died but not more than five per cent. They had a very bad snow and sleet storm on the 25th of March, which covered the buffalo grass for 8 days, and more cattle died during those .8 days than during the whole previous winter. But the storms are over now, the grass is getting good, and cattle are doing well. Farmers are in good cheer. They think the prospect is fair for a good corn crop. Corn planting has been in progress for several weeks. Mr. Dunn thinks a man can do well there raising stock. Plenty of grass and water, and chance to cut all the good hay one wants. Lots of railroad, and some government land left. Some good claims, with 40 to 80 acres broken, have reverted to thegovernment. The country Was settled, sor 6 years ago, by a poor class of people, who turned their attention too much to farming, and not enough to stock raising. Many failed and had to leave. If they had invested in sheep and cattle, they would have done well. Sheep do splendidly. Thinks a man with 8500 in money, and about twice that amount in patience and perseverance, can do well there.