MARCH 47 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
OUR PORTRAIT GALLERY 
CASSIUS MARCELLUS CLAY. 
Cassius Marcellus Clay is the son of 
General Green Clay, who migrated from "Vir¬ 
ginia to Kentucky about 1777, and was distin¬ 
guished in a civil capacity both in the Virginia 
and Kentucky Legislatures and as a soldier 
did valiant service under General Harrison 
in the war against the British in 1813. The 
subject of this sketch was born in Madison 
County, Ky., on October 19, 1810, He gradu¬ 
ated at Yale College in 183:2, after which he 
practiced law in Kentucky and was elected to 
the State Legislature in 1835 and 1837. Hav¬ 
ing removed to Lexington, he was once more 
elected to the Legislature in 1840, but was de¬ 
feated in 1841 on account of his opposition to 
slavery. In 1844 he traveled through the 
North advocating the election of his relative, 
Henry Clay, to the Presidency. 
In 1845 he issued the first nurnher of the week¬ 
ly anti-slavery paper, “The True American,” 
but the press was seized by a mob and sent to 
Cincinnati ; Mr. Clay afterwards revived 
it, printing it at Cincinnati, but publishing it 
at Lexington. During the Mexican war he 
served as captain in 1846. and was taken pris¬ 
oner at Encarnacion in January ’47. He was 
a supporter of Gen. Taylor for the Presidency 
in 1848, and next year, mainly through his in fin¬ 
ance, a large convention of emancipationists 
met at Frankfort to discuss a change in the 
State Constitution. Having separated from 
the Whigs in 1850, ho became the anti-slavery 
candidate for Governor and received about 
5,000 votes. He was appointed Minister to 
Russia by Lincoln in 1861; but having soon 
afterwards returned to the United States, he 
was commissioned Major-General of Volun¬ 
teers, April 11, 1803, but resigned March 11, 
1863, and was reappointed Minister to Russia, 
which position he held until 1869. In 1870 he 
vigorously supported the cause of the Cuban 
revolutionists, and ho was a staunch advocate 
of the election of Horace Grooly to the Presi¬ 
dency in 1872. Just. as his father, a t the close ol' 
the war in 1814, retired to his estate and devoted 
the remainder of his life to agriculture, so 
Mr. Clay, after a busy and exciting career, 
employs his declining years in stock-raising and 
other agricultural pursuits, in which he has 
always taken much interest and had much ex¬ 
perience, the results of which he will, from 
time to time, present to our readers in the 
columns of the Rural New-Yorker. 
Various. 
MORE FROM KANSAS. 
— 
The Wealth ol'the Southeastern Por¬ 
tion. Crawford County and its 
Towns, Girard, Pittsburg 
and Cherokee. 
MESSRS, IIOLMKS AND 6WKETLAND. 
_______ 
[Special Correspondents of the Rcuvt, Xbw-Yohkcr. [ 
In the Spring of 1882 we made a trip through 
the southeastern portion of Kansas, and in one 
general letter told the many readers of the 
Rural many interesting points and generali- I 
ties regarding this highly-favored section of 
the country; but at that time we could not 
ascertain the special ad vantages of the several 
counties in detail. A trip down the Ft. Scott 
and Gulf Road during the growing season is 
one of very varied interest, differing materi¬ 
ally from the usual trip over the Weak prairies 
of the West, and even during the Winter 
months it is one by no means devoid of inter¬ 
est. Reaching to the south, the next county 
but one to the line of the Indian Territory, is 
Crawford County, bordered upon the east by 
Missouri. It is nearly square and contains 
376,880 acres. The population has increased in 
the last two years from about 16,000 to over 
21,000. There arc nine townships, containing 
about 10 per cent, of timber—<iak, hickory.wal¬ 
nut, hack berry aud other sorts, growing in thp 
valleys and skirting the streams. The rolling, 
undulating prairie—not bluffy—is watered by 
several creeks ami a few springs. The princi¬ 
pal creeks are, Lightning, Cow, Walnut. 
Thunderbolt and Drywood. The average depth 
of wells in the county is about 20 feet. 
The soil is greatly diversified, but, is all rich 
and fertile—classification, limestone, with a 
sub-soil of clay underlaid with stone. Aver¬ 
age yields of the cereals are:—wheat, 20 bush¬ 
els; oats. 40; corn, 40, with a reliable and pro¬ 
lific growth of vegetables and r<x>t crops. Cat¬ 
tle, horses, sheep and hogs are beiug graded 
up ami raised in larger uumlwra with an in¬ 
creasing interest. Merino*, for fine wool, and 
Cotswolds, for coarse wools, are favorites. In¬ 
formation in detail of a farmer who has expe¬ 
rience in horses and sheep can be obtained bv 
addressing A.Underwood, Girard, Kansas, w ho 
four years ago brought in some coarse-wooled 
sheep that weighed 250 pounds each. The sea¬ 
sons are remarkably favorable to the agricul¬ 
turist, the Springs being early and the Falls 
late. The climate is one of the best features 
of this portion of the country, beiug mild, 
equable and healthful. The largest, and most 
reliable rainfall occurs during the growing 
months and is never insufficient for the crops. 
Vs e would tell the mean temperature, except 
that, wo have been unable as yet to find any 
mean temperature in this portion of the State. 
The thermometer seldom goes below zero, or 
above 100 degrees. Apples, peaches aud all 
small fruits are abundant, of fine quality, large 
in size aud elegaut, in flavor. The prices of 
fanns range from $12,50 to 825 per acre, being 
governed by improvements, surroundings and 
location—lands $8 to $10 per acre. For much 
information and numerous courtesies we are 
indebted to Mr. T. T, Perry, an old resident of 
Girard, and also to Messrs. Van Fossen and 
Wilcox, of Fort Scott, Kansas, and here ac¬ 
knowledge it. 
While rembering the wealth of Crawford 
County in cereals and fruits, one cannot omit 
to mention the important interests of mining. 
Good bituminous coal underlies fully one-half 
the county, and is sold in towns at from $2 to 
$2.50 per ton. Building stone is abundant, the 
sandstone and flagging being unusually excel¬ 
lent. There are ample quantities of brick and 
fire-day of good quality. We will touch upon 
zinc mines and smelters later. 
Crawford county is fortunate, There is no 
indebtedness, bonded, or floating. The gen¬ 
eral taxes are only If},' mills, with a school 
Hon. Cassius M. Clay—From 
tax in addition to support the 110 school dis¬ 
tricts. The comity sustains ten weekly news¬ 
papers, and has developed to its present im¬ 
portance in 15 years, Iwginning with about 
1600 population. Every township is touched 
by a railroad, there being eight liues in the 
county. The principal of these is the Kansas 
City. Ft. Scott and Gulf, connecting at Kan¬ 
sas City for the East, with the C. R. I and P; 
C. B. and Q; aud C. A. aud St. L; and with 
the Missouri Pacific for all directions. 
(5 irard. the county seat, is a city of 2000 pop¬ 
ulation (Census 1*80. 1250) made up principally 
from the Middle aud Western States. It is 
located almost in the center of the county up¬ 
on the K. C. Ft, 8. and G; St. Louis and San 
Francisco, and Nebraska, Topeka, Iola, Gir¬ 
ard, aud Memphis R. R.’s., a beautiful loca¬ 
tion with rich agricultural surroundings, wide¬ 
awake, energetic and enterprising business 
men, and a good society. The Girard Im¬ 
provement Association has done much toward 
the development of the town and county, aud 
any additional Information" desired can be 
obtained by addressing its secretary. Prof. 
Randolph, an efficient public educator, is su¬ 
perintendent of the public school system and 
principal of the High School in which pupils 
are prepared for the State University without 
examination. There are seven churches; eight 
flourishing civic societies; a public library; * 
and two unusually good local papers, the 
Girard Press in its 14th volume, in which by 
the way an extensive review from the first 
settlement of the county was published Jan 12, 
1882; the Press has many Eastern subscribers 
aud merits them. The Herald is in its fifth 
volume and is Democratic in polities. The 
weekly pajiers are invariably an index to the 
character of Western towns, ami no better 
guide could lx? secured by parties desiring to 
study the advautages of these places than their 
local papers. A hall (50x 80) for public enter¬ 
tainments will seat 500. There is a volunteer 
fire department of 70 members with a good 
hand engine. We saw many substantial 
brick buildings, ami note a rapid transition 
from old-timers to new and permanent archi¬ 
tecture. The value of permanent improve¬ 
ments was $100,000 in 1882. The commercial 
business is large for the size of the town, 
making ample work for two banks. There 
are three flouring mills, a foundry and ma¬ 
chine shop, a inanufactoiy of wagons and 
buggies, three brick-yards, a lime-kiln, cream¬ 
ery aud cheese factory, one elevator, and 
four warehouses. The packing and shipping 
of hay is a prominent industry. 
An artesian well was su nk in the public 
square, and at the depth of 857 feet struck a 
fine stream containing great mineral quali¬ 
ties. The temperature as it comes from the 
well is 711°. A fine tank holding 20(H) barrels 
set upon a substantial frame work 31 feet high, 
is supplied by a large 25-foot w'heel windmill 
a Photograph— Fig. 123. 
of eight horse power. Physicians have testi¬ 
fied as to the healthful qualities of the water, 
and great interest is felt in making necessary 
provisions to bring Girard into prominence as 
a health and tourist resort. The necessary 
pipes are now being laid to supply the city. 
Pittsburg, in the southeastern portion of 
the county, has had, on account of its exten¬ 
sive mining development during the last two 
years, a remarkable Ikhmu, increasing in pop¬ 
ulation from 650 to 8000, which includes the 
sout h and east town. The business men of the 
city are largely from the Middle or Eastern 
States. Thera is a public school graded into 
four departments, with nearly 600 children in 
attendance; the capacity is sadly deficient 
and soon to be enlarged. 
There are two churches and two more are to 
be erected this year. The civic societies, of 
which there are five, embrace in their mem¬ 
bership? many of the best citizens. The Pitts¬ 
burg Smelter [a weekly newspaper) furnishes 
the news of the day. There is a public hall 
25x80 feet, seating 300. Steps an? now being 
taken to secure ample and reliable water, 
works, the particular plan of which has not 
yet been decided upon. There are u number of 
good brick buildings, but in a city of such 
wonderfully rapid growth frame structures 
predominate'. The future buildings will lie 
largely of brick. The manufacturing inter¬ 
ests are enormous. Three smelters run in the 
aggregate 14 furnaces manufacturing zinc. 
1 hey employ about 175 men, and turn out 
35,000 pounds in slabs of spelter, using nearly 
45 tons of ore daily. Another smelter is now 
being erected by a company from St. Louis 
to cost, when completed, about $500,000. 
There are a flouring mill and three brick 
kilns. A need is felt for a grain elevator; 
for, besides the manufacturing and mining 
interest, there is considerable tributary agri¬ 
cultural country. Two railroads, the K. C., 
Ft. S. and G. and the St. L. and 8. F. reach 
the city. The permanent improvements for 
1882 footed up $129,850: the commercial busi¬ 
ness, $375,000; the coal trade over $300,000; 
real estate over $100,000; and the bank de¬ 
posits have averaged daily during the last 
year $20,000. The city is prosperous and will 
undoubtedly continue in its rapid growth. 
Cherokee. Kansas, is in the southern por¬ 
tion of Sheridan township, Crawford County, 
and comes as near being in Cherokee County as 
it well can. The population has increased about 
50 per cent, since 1880, being 1,050 at that time. 
This little city is in the center of the coal and 
agricultural district, and enjoys a splendid 
trade. It is a prominent shipping point for 
coal, wheat, corn and stock, having two Di¬ 
visions of the K. C. Ft. S. and G. R. R. Its 
location is somewhat elevated and slightly un¬ 
dulating with a rich and well-developed agri¬ 
cultural country on every hand. The perma¬ 
nent improvements, as learned from E. A 
Perry, are estimated for the last year at $60,- 
000. The manufacturing interests consist of 
two flouring mills. There is also one grain 
elevator. Mr. Perry will gladly answer ques¬ 
tions. The business portion of the city is 
above the average, and seems to be almost en¬ 
tirely of brick. There is an excellent well, 100 
feet deep, supplying, apparently, an inex¬ 
haustible quantity of water, so, with their 
volunteer tire corps, and hook and ladder 
company, they are in good condition to fight 
the flames. A lake near the town, lying 70 
feet above its level, is to be utilized for a water¬ 
works department by piping. Tbe railroad 
company have already laid pipes and are using 
the lake water. The city has one newspaper, 
the Cherokee Sentinel; a public llbraiw of 
1,000 to 1,200 volumes, receiving constant ad¬ 
ditions; a public hall (50x50); sLx civic soci¬ 
eties, all prospering; three churches, and other 
organizations without buildings; and excellent 
schools. 
One peculiar feature of almost all ot the 
towns in this portion of Kansas, or we may 
say the whole State, is the attention paid to 
public education- Here the value of school 
property is $15,000, a fine two-storv brick 
building of handsome architecture, being a 
recent improvement. 
This glance at Crawford Count}*, and its 
principal towns, reveals many inducements to 
the home-seeker to establish himself perma¬ 
nently where the climate is salubrious, fruit 
abundant, and the crops universally excellent, 
and it also will appeal to the money-making 
propensities of the capitalist who is seeking 
an investment for his surplus wealth. 
Cilciurq. 
CONTRACTS. 
W hen two or more parties agree for a good 
or valuable consideratiou to do or to forbea r 
doing some act, and each acquires a right to 
what the other promises, they are said to make 
an agreement or bargain. When this agree¬ 
ment contains promises to be performed at a 
future time it is properly called a contract— 
executary. The parties to a contract may be 
two or more, anti each party may cousist of 
one or more persons. To render contracts val¬ 
id so that they may be enforced when they are 
not to be performed within a year; when they 
are of the nature of security; when made in 
consideratiou of marriage (except mutual 
premises to marry); when they involve the 
sale of merchandise beyond the amount fixed 
by law (usually $50) exeept when a part is paid 
or a part of the merchandise delivered: leases 
having more than one year to run; and all re¬ 
lating to sales of land, they should be reduced 
to writing and signed by tbe parties thereto. 
In cases where the law does not specially pixv- 
vide they may be sealed and witnessed, or not 
Affixing a seal to a written contract is con¬ 
sidered evidence that it is made with due delib¬ 
eration. A walid instrument presumes a con¬ 
sideration. although it may not be expressed. 
No person under 21 years of age is compe¬ 
tent to make a contract to charge or bind him¬ 
self except for the necessaries of life, as an ap¬ 
prentice, or to marry. In the latter ease the 
legal ago in most States is for females 12, and 
for males 14 years. In most States married 
women may make contracts so far as regards 
their private property, but in New York and 
some other States uo agreement to pay money 
will be binding on a married woman unless it 
is agreed by her to be paid out of, or to be a 
