Allen County KS Archives News.....Allen County -- It's Advantages-- Improvements at Iola May 1, 1860
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Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 December 12, 2019, 6:31 pm

Western Home Journal (Lawrence, KS) Thur May 10, 1860 Pg 1 May 1, 1860
Allen County -- It's Advantages-- Improvements at Iola
                             Iola, Allen County, Kansas
                              May 1st, 1860
   EDITORS REPUBLICAN-- Believing your invaluable journal
to be devoted to the interests of Kansas generally, and
peculiarly identified with the prosperity and advancement
of Southern Kansas, I have thought that a voice, how
feeble soever it may be, from the extreme south, would
be heard and listened to by you. Southern Kansas has not
received that notice from the journals of the day her 
character entitles her to. She has been grossly overlooked
and neglected. But the day is coming, and not far distant,
when her claims upon the public attention will be urged
by able and strenuous advocates.
   The people of this portion of the country are peculiarly
blessed with a salubrious climate, rich, productive soil,
a full sufficiency of timber for every purpose, and 
abundant limestone and other kinds of rock for fencing
and building purposes. A great many claim  holders have
splendid springs bursting from the hill sides, affording
a great supply of clear, wholesome water, and those
who are not thus blessed, procure abundance of water by
digging from eighteen to twenty-five feet deep. In the
town of Iola there are five living wells of water, which
afford as much water at this, the dryest time ever known
in Kansas, as they did when they were dug last spring, 
when all Kansas was inundated with high waters. There
are other blessings and advantages incident to the people
of Allen county, not enjoyed by ever section of Kansas.
They have had no taxes to pay on their lands, and the 
probability is they will not have to pay any for one or
two years to come. Considering the hard pressure of 
monetary affairs in Kansas, this is quite a blessing. 
We are having a long continued dry spell in this part
of Kansas, and I presume in all other parts, but still
our farmers are not disheartened. Many are inclined to be
highly encouraged, believing that we will get rain when
the crops need them--when the ear is forming on the stalk.
   We have a very energetic class of people in and around
out town. The farmers are especially industrious. It is
not an unusual thing to see one hundred and sixty acres
under cultivation, and most all the farmers who have 
been here for one or two years have from fifty to one
hundred acres under culture. Our county has the appearance
of an old settled country.
   Some twenty or thirty of these energetic, industrious
and thorough going farmers have taken shares in the town
of Iola, and in order to secure these shares they are
compelled to erect a building for which they are making
vigorous preparations at this time. A goodly number are
getting out rock and hauling to town for the  purpose of
building stone houses. There is, however, one difficulty
under which we labor at this place, and that is a scarcity
of stone masons. There is a great demand for them here.
Five or six or more good stone masons would do well here
this summer. There are several large stone houses in
contemplation at this time. There is one house commenced
of stone, of good dimensions, for an inland town. It is
forty feet by fifty, twenty-five feet high, requiring some
five hundred perch of stone to build it, and there are
other buildings, the stone for which has been quarried.
    The townof Iola, is located in the great valley of
the Neosha, in Allen county, the foremost county in
Southern Kansas, well watered and timbered. The town is
beautifully situated. It is girt by timbered streams. On
the west flows the clear and rapid Neosho, a most lovely
strea, heavily timbered. There is a splendid wate
privilege on the river at this place -- some ten or
twelve feet tall in a short distance--waiting to enrich
some person who will improve it. Thousands of dollars
could be invested in this privilege to an immense advantage.
Fortunate will be the man who secures and improves this
privilege.
    These are a few suggestions, and I hope, at an early
date, to give some more minute partuculars respecting
the soil and products of Allen county. I would say to all
who may feel inclined to emigrate to Kansas, to bring
flocks of sheep them, and wealth will be their portion.
All are united in saying that Allen is a great wool 
growing county.
                              Respectfully       ALLEN


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