In their own words. Letters from the past.

Emporia, Kas., July 9, 1888.
W.N. Burdick, Dear Sir:
I read a letter in your paper written by Uncle T.C. Taylor, and desire to differ with him in some respects. We like Kansas. The winters are not so long or so cold as in Iowa. We have had heavy rains lately and the crops all look splendid. Oats will yield thirty-five or forty bushels to the acre; the wheat crop is fair and the prospects for a large corn crop are very good. There is as yet very little tame grass cultivated here. Alfalfa is raised to some extent and does very well. Tame grass can be raised here, but the wild grass has heretofore answered all purposes and consequently tame grass has been neglected. This is a finer fruit country than Iowa. There will be an extraordinary large crop of apples this year. The apple crop hardly ever fails. There are many fine vineyards here and prospects are good for a large grape crop. Fruits of all kinds except peaches pay well here. The land is rich as is evinced by its ability to produce such magnificent weeds. Keep down the weeds and this soil will produce the best crops in the world. We have gumbo here; but if rightly managed it is an excellent soil. We will not return to Iowa, but will make our home in sunny Kansas. We live 3 miles west of Emporia, one of the most beautiful cities in the west. It is sometimes said, that "they who drink water on Kansas soil will never be contented to live anywhere else." While I am writing I may as well add that water is about all there is to drink here. Kansas prohibition is a success.
Yours Truly,
Nora S. Taylor.

Washta, Io.
April 7, 1888.
I arrived in Cherokee county March 17th; the snow was all gone and farmers ready to commence seeding. the weather is nice and warm. The 19th we had a snow storm, but the snow soon went off. We like our new home very well. I think this is good farming country, the soil is good and the season is two weeks earlier than in the northeast part of the state. I have four places of market now, in two different railroads and there is another road laid out, located in two miles of my place. This road will be built this year, the station will be within two miles ofmy place. I would say a word to those living in the northeastern part of the state, wishing to go south, or to Kansas or Nebraska, to go and see those states and then come and take a look at northwestern Iowa before buying. I think they will say like the Indian -- this is the land.
Yours &c,
J.W. Patterson

Lodi, Cal., Jan. 5, 1887
Editor, Review:
As you are aware I left Postville the last of November, passing through portions of Missouri, which seemed quite bleak, with considereable snow, arriving at Emporia about Nov. 26th. I found things very different from what I had expected concerning Kansas. I have great objections to the country on account of mud and dry weeds - there is no grass. The stock interest is all centered in a few cattle kings, and a common man, with small means cannot stand any chance with them. The weather is precarious, the winds are very severe and high, more so than I expected. It is no wonder that cyclones frighten the inhabitants. In fact I found a great many old settlers who would be glad to leave the country on account of these objections. I was urged by capitalists and infulential men to invest in real estate, and I received all the courtesy and hospitality imaginable from interested parties, by being taken around to see the land, but my impressions were such that I did not care to invest, and my advice to all parties owning good farms in Iowa, is remain there. Two parties who owned land in Kansas offered to exchange with me without having seen my land in Iowa.
I left Emporia on the 3rd of Dec., arriving in Colorado the next morning. We passed through considerable snow and saw innumerable herds of cattle and sheep. Crossing the line into New Mexico we passed through a town which is inhabited by Indians, (about 500). They were a dirty, miserable tribe and were in nearly a nude condition. As we had the opportunity of spending some little time in their village the passengers had a chance to have considerable sport seeing them shoot their arrows and barter their pappooses. We left at 10 o'clock a.m.
On New Year's day we passed through Arizona. We had pleasant weather and company and a most enjoyable time with but one exception, and that was when going up an elevation of 3600 ft. the cars became uncoupled and fourteen cars were in danger of being thrown over the precipice. But for the brakemen being at their posts and nobly doing their duty, a sad fate would have been ours. To use the expression of the conductor, "the 500 passengers would have been dead in five minutes." As it was nine cars were completely demolished a great many were hurt and several killed otright. I have not yet received my trunk as it was in the cars that were wrecked.
I arrived at Lodi, Cal., on Monday, Jan. 3rd, where I found one of my old Iowa neighbors, Mr. T. Stoddard, with whom I spent the afternoon very pleasantly in recounting old times and viewing the surroundings of Lodi, which interested me much. I consider my old friend well situated. He thinks years [and] years have been added to his life by living in California; and we can see many of the resources of the state in Mrs. Stoddard's collection of native woods, minerals, shells, birds etc.
Leaving Lodi for Woodbridge, which is situated about two miles from Lodi, I arrived at my daughter's, (Mrs. Ridenour's) about sun-set, finding them well and pleasantly situated. I like California better than any place I was ever in. I learn that the California winter has been a perpetual summer. The blackberries have borne two crops and are in bloom again, and there are young figs on the trees. I find that the vegetable gardens are as nice as if it were spring. They have all kinds of vegetables the year around. I think I could live and end my days here if were I permitted to any time. I am told and am impressed that San Joaquin valley is the best valley in California.
Society in California is as refined and as intellectual as in Iowa. Schools are of the best grades and churches are well supported. Every state of the Union and every coutry of Europe, Asia and Africa are represented by its inhabitants, and its dry, pure air is believed to be efficacious to health and vitality. This contributes to the health resorts and the scenery is unsurpassed.
Now I think you will credit me with having kept my promise in a measure, so I will close.
Yours Truly,
E. Harris

Norton, Kas., May 8th, 1887
Mr. Editor:
You see by my address I am back in the states and my head is not broken yet. I started from California the last of March, for emporia. I passed through Salt Lake City, which is a lovely place, and think "Old Joe" Smith's head was level when he selected this spot for his church's future home. Passing through Colorado I saw some good land and a considerable poor. It takes a great deal of irrigation to make crops grow there. Arriving at Emporia I found all the friends well. I spent about two weeks with J.C. Taylor and then started for Norton where my son, H.S. Harris, is located. Norton is a fine town of about 1,200 to 1,500 and is a lively business town, growing very fast. I like the country here much better than in Lyon Co. I find plenty of good water and fine farms. I expect to go back to emporia this wek as I have many more friends there than when I left for California and will spend some time there before going home. While in California I enjoyed myself hugely and really think California the garden of the world. Here we see people raising nothing but watermelons and shipping them for a living. One man has a field of 400 acres and such nomsters as can be raised so easily and all kinds. The oranges for instance hang on the trees to all its stages from blossoms to ripe ones, all the year around. Flowers are cultivated extensively. One lady, in Woodbridge, has a lovely garden of flowers covering five acres. I visited the gold mines and saw them digging the precious stuff -- using the hydraulic method where they dig on the mountains. This method is against the law, but you know people will do most anyway or anything for gold. California is no place for a poor man to go to seek a home, all the tillable land is taken, and, when you buy you may give all the way from one hundred to five hundred dollars an acre in the valley. When I was coming back, on my train were 42 going back to Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa, disappointed but much wiser than when they came. My advice to those that have good farms in Iowa or elsewhere; better be contented as I have came across so many that are dissatisfied, as on one state pleases everybody.
Now, Mr. Editor, I will close here and will have a god talk when I get home.
E. Harris

Seatle June 8
Dear Art and Nina well my head is in some what of a whirel yet but I am feeling fine they have a nice old lady staying with me I am at Franks as yet Alma was here the first day Lillian has been over both evenings and i am going there for supper tonight and i tel you I have slept this last to nits didn't sleep so good on the train but we had everything as handy as if I was in my own bedroom and everyone was so nice the trains were on time so Lill and [illegible] had a little visit she would get back the next morning at 6 or so everything went well so far. Frank has fixed up this old house where Alma ust to live so it looks fine there was a man here last nit wants to buy it but don't know whot they will do was awful cold yesterday warmer today and the roses are in bloom and such flowers wish you were both her will writ more next wk
Love to all, Mother

Sept. 12th we took our family into the buggy and started for McGregor. Six of our load had never seen the Father of Waters or been east over five miles. We passed through Hardin, Luana, Monona, Froelich and Giard. We were almost envious of the green corn and grass after we passed Monona. I hadn't been at McGregor for 30 years. All along the road I could see great changes. Then $25 per acre would have been a good price for any of the farms along the road, now from $60 to $100 would not buy many of them. At that time farmers drew much of their pork and grain to the river. when J.H. Laughlin and myself drove into McGregor 31 years ago this fall with dressed hogs, the street was blocked with teams as far up this way as buell park. We got into the town at 10 o'clock a.m. and did not get unloaded until the next day at the same time. the great river was 10 or 15 feet deeper then than now. Where the city scales were then, now the water spouts up into the air 8 or 10 feet high from an artesian well, the water as cool and nice as any spring water. The one near the school building sends the water some five feet highter and tastes like weak soda water with no trimmings in it. Then we saw the steamboat and heard it blow its whistle and many other sights. Then we drove up the hill as far as Mr. Frank Larrabee's where we could see more of Wisconsin than Iowa. I wonder how many children under fifteen years of age have seen these sights. How little cost there is to such a trip to farmers that have teams.
ERAB [9/21/1895]