having at the same time a site furnishing any desirable amount of water-power. They have already completed a dam which makes that water-power available. A sawmill is in operation, and a gristmill of the largest size almost completed; woolen and other manufactories. are to follow in rapid succession, and the colony will be more than a self-sustaining community before the end of another year. I did not learn whether the colonists own the capital invested or not.

Underway again; it was dusk when we crossed the Blue at Irving, reaching Atchison near twelve o'clock, where we found a special train to take us to Leavenworth, where we arrived at half past one in the morning.

The following may be taken as a general summary of the features, character, quality of soil, sanitary condition, etc., of the country between Atchison and Waterville.

The soil is deep and rich, even on the upland prairie. Timber abounds in considerable quantities, and is well distributed. Here the prairies are seen generally to be bounded by timber, while along all brooks and creeks the forest is heavy. In this there is a great difference between a landscape here and that of the great prairies in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, where the whole horizon includes but one single continuous treeless plain.

The drainage is perfect, since the country is rolling, but only in gentle swells, while the river bottoms, several miles in width, are flanked by hills of considerable elevation. There is a strong current in all the streams, the water consequently is clear and pure. There are no stagnant pools nor low wet and marshy lands to poison the air with miasma. True, there are bilious diseases, but so there are everywhere, where new clearings are made, and virgin soil broken up and exposed to a midsummer sun. These diseases however are of a mild type, and decrease as the quantity of newly broken prairie diminishes from year to year, and almost entirely disappear when all the land is brought under cultivation. This conforms to ex

perience everywhere, either east or west. That bilious diseases become milder and less frequent as the country settles up, is a well established fact. Time was when chills and fever were just as prevalent in the Genessee valley as ever they were in Illinois.

The bluffs that flank the valley often are stony, and some even expose ledges of rocks. They are so abundant in some places, that we saw quite a number of stone fences along the route.

Springs of pure cold water are numerous along the whole route, and are said to exsist westward indefinitely. On the highest prairies the best, pure and cold water can be obtained by sinking wells from 20 to 50 feet.

Wood is still generally used for fuel, costing from three to four dollars a cord. But it has been ascertained that extensive coal beds underlie the country, from two to four feet in thickness. At several places, these beds have been opened, and are now worked.

The Grasshopper, Vermillion and Blue rivers furnish a large amount of water-power, and sawmills are found along all of these streams. The price of native lumber is from $15 to $25 per thousand feet.

Besides, stone, board and wire fences, we saw quite a number of osage orange hedges planted, and some pretty well established. I should think the country from its abundant fresh water, large range covered with luxuriant grasses, and fine climate, well adapted to stock raising and dairying purposes. These no doubt now and for an indefinite time to come will be as remunerative as any other business what

ever.

I could not obtain any reliable data of how much public land there remains subject to entry, homestead or pre-emption. The railroad has a grant of land of every alternate section for ten miles on each side of the road. They hold them from two to eight dollars per acre, with a liberal discount for cash. They will sell them also on a credit of three, four, six and ten years at different rates of interest,

according to time. Full particulars can be ascertained from the General Superintendent and Land Agent of the road, Maj. W. F. Downs. The amount of corn, wheat and potatoes raised per acre, is equal to the highest figures attained in Missouri and Iowa. In fact the quantities reported seem like marvelous stories. But from the character of the soil and nature of the climate, there can be no doubt that the yield is enormous.

CHAPTER II.

After breakfast we found carriages provided by the citizens in readiness to give us a drive through and around the city. We drove up one of the main streets to the Military Grounds just north of the city. These grounds are very extensive, and are elaborately laid off into plots, on which are situated, surrounded with flowers and shrubbery, expensive mansions for the accommodation of the numerous officers always located here. This is the Headquarters of the TransMississippi Military Department, where men and military stores are collected for distribution to the Upper Missouri, Colorado, Upper Arkansas and New Mexico. The barracks are very large to accommodate the soldiers concentrated here from the malarious Gulf States for recuperation, and from the Northwestern, Western and Southwestern Territories for relaxation. The military reservation is a most beautiful tract, containing 6000 acres. The part occupied is a level plateau on a high bluff, whence there is a commanding view of the city of Leavenworth to the south, which it entirely overlooks; the Missouri River for many miles both up and down and the rich bottom or valley east; and west a fine undulating country of hill and dale, as far as sight extends.

After driving through the military grounds, we drove south-east to the edge of the bluff, and dismounted to look at the structure, a stone abutment, in process of erection at the terminus of the bridge, on top of the bluff, for the Chicago and Southwestern Railroad, and also of the piers of the bridge, then ready to receive the superstruct

ure.

The bridge is to be wrought iron, placed upon piers of cast

iron, the columns of which are now in position. As this was a novelty to me in civil engineering, I will briefly describe it. The sections of the columns are eight and a half feet in diameter, ten feet in length and one and three quarter inches thick, and weigh about ten tons each. With proper flanges at the ends, these sections are joined in the process of sinking, so as to form a continuous cylinder, reaching from the superstructure to the solid rock on the bottom of the river. The whole is then filled up with concrete masonry and grouting. Two of these columns placed side and side longitudinally with the current, form one pier. There are three of these piers, two in the river, and one on the eastern shore; the bridge to land on the western shore on a stone abutment. The elevation is ten

feet above the high water line. Each of the three spans thus formed, will be three hundred and forty feet in length; and the bottom of the lower chord fifty feet above extreme high water, so that steamboats can pass at any stage of the river. The approach to the eastern end of the bridge consists of trestle work, 1500 feet long, and an earth embankment extending 2500 feet further, both of which are completed. It is contemplated to make this bridge a common union for the crossing of all railroads terminating here, both from the East and West.

Remounting our carriages, we were driven back through the military grounds, and west on and along the heights. that surround the city. These were at some places quite stony, covered with a young and low growth of forest trees, interspersed with the many wild flowers indigenous to this section. We now for the first time realized the charming location of the city. We could look down the Missouri river south-eastwardly fully twenty miles, and both shores appeared one unbroken forest of gigantic trees. But right below us, on the banks of the river, in an amphitheatre of some three or four miles in length, two miles in depth, and gradually rising to our position, is nestled the city of Leavenworth, containing fully 25,000 inhabitants.