SALINA. 



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only for a time. The terminal depot must soon be moved 

 forward, and tlie little colony will be left to its own resources. 

 If the district has good natural advantages, it will remain ; 

 if not, it will disappear, and the town lots will fall to nothing. 

 Salina, when we were there, was just at this zenith stage of 



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existence ; so I shall describe it as we found it. 



On the open grass land between the Smoky Eiver and the 

 \^^ Saline Fork several broad streets could be seen, marked out 

 mi ' 'with stakes, and crossing each other like a chess-board. The 

 d^ central one was deeply cut up with cart-rucks, and strewn 



with rubbish. There had been heavy rains, and the mud was 

 so deep that it was almost impossible to move about. On each 

 side of this main street were wooden houses, of all sizes and 

 in all shapes of embryonic existence. !N'ot a garden fence or 

 tree was anywhere to be seen. Still paddling about in the 

 mud, we came to the most advanced part of the " city," and 

 10 here we found tln-ee billiard saloons, each with two tables, 

 'J1 and the everlasting bar. Then came an ice-cream saloon; 

 » then a refreshment saloon. I^ext — ^we could scarcely believe 



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L' eyes — appeared the office of the Salina Tribune (I will not 

 -flJ^ vouch for the name). All these "institutions," as well as a 

 gt' temporary school-house, and several small well-stocked shops 

 ,.# made of wood unpainted, evidently represented first principles 



the actual necessities, in fact, of Western life. Opposite was a 

 ^k- row of substantial " stores," having their fronts painted. The 

 ^p^ builder here was evidently a rash speculator. He did not look 



m Salina as a Julesburg, but intended to tide over the stage 



-<t -of depression. Each of these houses was ah-eady inhabited, 



and piles of unpacked goods lay fronting them in the streets. 



{/ On each side w^as an " hotel," at the door of w^hich — it being 



t mid- day — the landlord was ringing furiously a great bell 



innounce to the inhabitants that dinner was ready. And 





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