Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 3: Geology, .botany and Climate, 1881 (part 1 of 2)

Chapter 3: Geology, .botany and Climate

General Observations - Different Formations - Indications of Coal - Trees, Plants and other Productions - HorticuHure - Bee Culture - Climate and Health - The Jackson County Cyclone - Climate, Health and Disease Continued.

A few introductory words may not be out of place at this time, and a brief synopsis of this chapter will doubtless benefit the reader and furnish a guide for the writer. In all branches of intellectual and physical labor some plan of operations is at first necessary. Every person who aspires to the position of an intelligent American citizen, capable of discharging all duties which attach to such a person, must read, and his reading should, if not extensive, be devoted to matters which particularly affect him in the proper understanding of home and local affairs ; he should be informed in regard to the history of his own State and county, he should, in brief, read just such a work as we propose to make the history of Jackson county. But if he should even read no more it would be well for him to have the facts of local Geology, Botany and Health presented in such a form that it may serve for reference. In this chapter we shall notice but briefly the most important facts in relation to these two sciences as they appertain to Jackson county. Jackson county might be taken as a representative county in the State, not only for agriculture, horticulture and internal improvements, but also in respect to its physical features, mineral resources, growth of forest trees and plants and cultivated crops of all kinds. Its soil, surface, drainage, salubrity of climate and other desirable qualities are not surpassed in the Union.

There are five sub-divisions of geological time, and beginning with the earliest formation they are named as follows : Azoic, or Archean, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic and Age of Man. The Paleozoic Time is divided into (i), the Silurian Age, or age of invertebrates, (2), the Devonian Age, or age of fishes, and (3), the Carboniferous Age, or age of the formation of coal. Mesozoic Time includes the Reptihan Age, or age of reptiles. The Cenozoic Time includes the Mammalian Age, or age of mammals. This brings us to the Tertiary Period, or the geological formation which includes all the rock formations found in this county. The sub division of the Tertiary Period are, beginning with the lowest, the Eocene, the Miocene and Pliocene. The Quaternary, or time of the alluvial deposit ushering in the age of man is at the surface. The average thickness of the tertiary formation is 1,319 feet. The Quaternary, or Post tertiary formation, as it is sometimes called, extends to a depth in Jackson county ranging from a few feet to 150 feet. This last formation includes the bluff, or Loess formation, also the alluvial deposits and soils above the tertiary rocks, The Quaternary includes three periods; i, the Glacial, or the Drift; 2, the Champlain, and 3, the Recent, or Terrance.

The following general vertical section of coal-measure rocks below the Jackson county group is taken from the geological survey of Missouri for 1872. Beginning with the top rock at Kansas City and Independence, a strata thirty feet thick of irregularly bedded gray and buff thin bedded limestone, then blue clay shales with ochre concretions twenty-five feet thick, bluish gray limestone containing large fossils, five feet thick, blue and bituminous shales two feet, even bed of coralline limestone one foot, blue shales within upper part, five feet, drab limestone nine feet, blue and olive shales five feet, nodular and buff shales two feet, irregularly bedded bluish drab limestone three feet, fossils eighteen feet, shales fifteen feet, blue limestone with fossils fourteen feet, blue clay shales two and onehalf feet, rotten coal four inches, very dark blue silicious limestone with lenticular forms and concretionary beds of black chert with numerous fossils especially in upper (art, nine feet, fine-grained dove and drab-colored limestone with calcite specks throughout, nine feet four inches, shales five inches, irregularly bedded drab and blue limestone with some chert concretions and has buff shaly partings with fossils, three feet eight inches, blue shales five inches, concretionary ash-blue limestone fourteen inches, blue shales eleven inches, bituminous shales one foot, seven inches, clay shales, two feet, nodular and shelly fine grained limestone four feet, oolite limestone one foot, Bethany Falls limestone, dun and gray twenty feet, blue clay shales two feet, bituminous shales one foot four inches, blue clay shales seven inches, concretionary limestone six inches, blue clay shales two feet, gray and ferruginous limestone six feet, clay shales fourteen feet, calcareous sandstone and sandy limestone two feet."

The above rocks have entire thickness of 240 feet. The area and thickness of the coal measures are obtained from the same report: The upper or barren coal measures of Missouri include a vertical thickness of 1087 feet. To this we add 180 feet of the Atchison county rocks with probably about fifty feet of rock not seen in Missouri which should be placed at a lower geological position than our Atchison county rock, thus making a total of 13 17 of upper coal measures, extending to the highest rock in Atchison county, and embracing an area of 8406 square miles, including the rocks in the counties of Atchison, Holt, Nodaway, Andrew, Buchanan, Chnton, Dekalb, Gentry, Worth, Harrison, Daviess, Platte, Clay, and most of Cass, Jackson Caldwell, with limited areas in Johnson, Lafayette, Ray, Livingston, Grundy and Mercer.

The south and last boundary of the upper coal measures is about as follows : Entering the State near the southwest part of Cass county, passing eastwardly, near Harrisonville, thence northeast across the mounds between Big Creek and Camp Branch, thence northeast to the middle of T. 46, R. 29, thence north to

Chapel Hill in Lafayette county, thence via Oak Grove and Pink Hill or Owens' Landing on the Missouri River, crossing the river, the line passes down to the vicinity of Albany, Ray county, thence it tends off to the north part of Ray county and the line of Caldwell and Livingston counties, thence northwardly along the ridges on the west side of the east bank of Grand River, to the line of Grundy and Mercer counties, and thence northwardly to Iowa State line. Around and without this line are occasional outlines of upper coal measure rocks, for instance, Center Knob at Kingsville, Johnson county, and the knobs to the north, the long ridge east and north of Greenton, Lafayette county, Grady's Knob near Wellington and hills east of Grand River, Mercer county. Within this border where the streams have made deep erosions, the sandstones of the middle coal series are often exposed for some distance up stream, as for instance, on Big Creek, Cass county, nearly to Jackson county line, on Little Blue, Jackson county, as far up as the middle of T.48 and on Shoal Creek, Caldwell county, nearly to Kingston, and up the west fork of Grand River above Gallatin.

In this great thickness of upper coal measures, only about eight thin seams of coal are found, amounting in the aggregate to about four feet, including one of ten inches, another of about a foot, two are three inches in thickness and the others mere streaks of one to two inches thick.

Coal

Speaking more particular of coal, it may be proper first to observe that in the fall of 1859, a company was formed for the purpose of sinking a shaft, and the shares at that time were $100 each. The members of the company, so far as the writer can now collect, were, J. A. Lobb, R. N. Hudspeth, John Wilson, David Waldo, Wm. McCoy, W. N. White, N. B. Stone and M. O. Jones. There was no money paid in at that time neither was the company fully organized, and the war put an end to the undertaking before the work was done. The theory advanced at that time was, that coal in paying quantities had been found all around Jackson county, and that from the known laws of the coal measures it must underlie our county; but deeper than in some counties adjacent. The Lexington coal formation had been traced as far up the Missouri River as Napoleon, where it was to be seen at low water mark, and that it still continued, was evidenced from the fact the floods of 1844 threw up quite a quantity of coal on the head of an island just below Cogswell's (now Mathews') landing. Jonathan Colcord hauled several loads from thence to blacksmith shops in and near Sibley. Some of the blocks were as large as two men could lift and the coal was said to be of the best quality.

A. M. Allen, living near Cogswell's landing, about two years before the war, struck a layer of excellent coal about eighteen inches thick, in a well some thirtyfive or forty feet deep, at the foot of a bluff in Fire Prairie bottom. A mile or two south of Mr. Allen's discovery in the hills of Fire Prairie Creek, coal has also been found of about the same thickness. The last mentioned formation can be traced through the Bone Hill country to Sni-a-bar Creek, and across the creek up Horse Shoe Branch to the neighborhood of Oak Grove. The next best surface indications are to be found about three miles northwest of Lone Jack, on the head waters of Sni-a-bar Creek, where sand rock, similar to the sand rock that overlies the Warrensburg coal, is to found, but no coal has been discovered or even prospected for at this place. Surface indications in nearly all the remaining portions of Jackson county are not good, and the presumption is, if we get coal outside of the above named localities, _ we must go deep, although there are numerous beds of shale or slate all over the county, and some of them carry a very thin seam of coal, as may seen in the railroad cut north of Little Blue station on the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

deposits. Stratified coal, in the carboniferous age, it is conceded, extended over great areas of country, and at that time the deposits were about on the same level ; the thickness of the deposits were not uniform, but would vary gradually at different places. In subsequent geologic periods the strata of the earth's surface became greatly changed, so that in some places they were wavy, in other places broken by faults or other depressions, and in other places, particularly in mountainous countries, they were changed by upheaval and the shrinkage of the earth into folds of every conceivable angle, from the horizontal to the perpendicular.

The surface of our county gives but Uttle evidence of upheaval, hence all stratified formations that are in place, including the coal measures, have not changed their former horizontal positions abruptly, but gradually, and have generally a wavy dip or angle of depression for consideration, and then changing the angle for some other direction. The dip of the stratifications in this county appears to be toward the west or northwest, and the geologic, or rock formations at the water's edge Kansas City are similar to the formations on the top of Bone Hill in the eastern part of the county. From the foregoing it appears that if coal exists in the central and western portions of the county, it must lie deeper than it does farther east. There is presumptive evidence of its existence deep in the earth at Kansas City, since in all their deep borings around that place they strike an inflammable gas, which we cannot well account for, unless we consider that it arises from carboniferous deposits in that locaHty, and we know that still farther to the northwest the enterprising citizens of Leavenworth have developed coal in paying quantities some hundreds of feet below the level of the Missouri River. From the foregoing deductions we conclude that enterprise will develop coal in almost any locality in Jackson county, if there is only the purse and nerve to go deep enough.

We cannot flatter ourselves that the stratum that appears at Lexington, unless it becomes thicker, would pay in deep excavations, but the experience in coal mining is, that the first stratum indicates other strata below, which, as a rule, are thicker and of better quality ; we would also state, that since the dip of the coal measures in this county are toward the west or northwest, the inference obtains that the coal deposits in Jackson County are in a kind of basin, since the coal formations again appear at or near the surface north and west of this county. If this basin-like depression had commenced forming in the carboniferous period, which seems probable, then we may look for an increase in the thickness of the coal strata throughout this basin on the same principle that we look for a deeper soil in low situations.

The next inquiry is, where to find the best localities for prospecting. In making a selection, we must not deceive ourselves because we have found a bed of shale or slate cropping out of a hill or ravine, or a spring of mineral water, and conclude that by following them into the hill we shall find coal, since we have good evidence, as above stated, that if we find it we must go deep - deeper perhaps than the bed of the Missouri River, consequently deeper than any tributary of that stream. In our view of the proper place to begin work, would be in the bottom lands of some stream, and near where such bottom lands meet the hill or bluff, since in such situations the formations have not been changed at any great distance beneath the surface by the action of water in ages past.

This was the plan adopted at Leavenworth where they sunk their shafts at the fof t of the bluff and near the margin of the Missouri River. They are at work there on the second stratum, and although they are so near they river, they experience no inconvenience from an influx of water. In an enterprise like this, experienced men should select the site for operations with an eye to railroad facilities as well as the lay of the ground. If.coal can be found in paying quantities, it would undoubtedly pay better (everything else being equal) to have the works located near Kansas City; but we have reasons to believe that we would reach the coal measures sooner and at less cost east of Independence in the bottom lands of Little Blue or Fire Prairie Creek, where we might reasonably expect to strike the first or Lexington forrnation between one and two hundred feet.

Prospecting for coal should be done by boring, the cost of which would be much less than the sinking of a shaft. A capital of many thousand dollars would be needed to purchase lands, buy and put up the necessary machinery, buildmgs and fixtures required to carry forward the work.

It is perfectly reasonable to expect that the mineral wealth stored up in the bosom of historic old Jackson, will be utilized in the coming years of progress.

Taking the dip of the rocks from Lexington, distance about forty miles east, and also the fall of the river, we may calculate (i) the dip, in a general westerly direction, which is about three feet to the mile, which would make about 120 feet below the river at this place, and (2) the fall of the river plus 120 feet would give the depth at which a good vein of coal would be found below low water mark of our own river frontage at Wayne City.

We are located in what is known as the upper or barren coal measures, which are about 300 feet below what is known as No. 78, in the State survey, and which rocks outcrop of the bluff at Wayne City about iifty feet above the river, and the peculiar formation of the rock with their stratification and above all, the fossils found here, is evidence that coal is there in paying quantities, provided the boring or shaft is sunk deep enough, which, at the elevation of the courthouse, would be about 700 or 800 feet.

Mr. Thomas, an old miner, whose experience in coal digging extends to for. ty years under ground in the business, and who has prospected all over the county and found what there is in small seams, and knows well their different localities, is sanguine that a four foot vein of coal can be had.

It appears that we are here right o^er the deepest part of a basin of coal, as all around us coal is found, some places outcropping and at various depths, as for instance we have an eight-inch vein on Little Blue River, this is, however, an inferior quality; and closer to the city on Mill Creek we have a good vein of coal of four inches, and on Rock Creek a two-inch vein of very good bituminous coal, while in the bluffs at Wayne City a vein of semi-anthracite eighteen inches in thickness outcrops, and bu-rns with all the characteristics of the Lehigh coal and leaves as pure and white ash as can be found in any coal.

Geologists give in their general sections of the upper coal measures a series of 224 strata of rocks, shales and clays. We here in our neighborhood have numeral order about No. 100, the public springs of Independence coming out of No. 98, so it can be seen from a, geological point of view, our horizon is not as near as in Atchison where No. 224 outcrops, and at places is 1087 feet. Where here it is about 245 feet, in Platte and Buchanan counties No. 159 outcrops and is the highest there, and has a geological elevation of 757 feet. A geological horizon must not be confounded with a geographical horizon, for the latter refers to the level of the earth, whereas the former refers to the upheaval of the rock, caused by the shrinking of the earth's crust. As for instance, Independence is geologically higher than the Rocky Mountains.

Our rocks are mostly limestone, but on the eastern part we have a carboniferous sandstone, and at Kansas City there occurs in the bluff in one strata about one foot of the same and about the foot of the bluff at Wayne City. No. 98 is the top rock at Kansas City and Parkville, and in it may be found fossils thft give good indications of the much sought for carbon which has called forth so much discussion and labor. They are unerring guides to the rich treasures lying below. Among them we find three varieties of Productus, also Terebratula bovidens, Athyris subtilita, Meekella, Myalina quadricostatus, Plerutomaria tabulata,

P, spherulata, Machrochular Chonites, Athyris and Orthis (Brachropods) and among the Lamellibranchs Macrodon carbonarius and Allorisma subcuneata. Among the Radiates we find Corals and crinoides, and varieties of fish teeth, notably several varieties of Petalodonts and Placoids which are abundant in a quarry just east of Independence. We also have the Proetus Euprops, Danse, Spirorbis and numerous other fossils belonging to the carboniferous age, that if mentioned here would take too much space.

Stratum 98 is about thirty feet thick. We next come to bluish gray limestone. We find here the first and upper traces of Trilobites, PhilliDsia and other numerous fossils and scales of the Lepidodendron, transformed from their native trees as the epidermis of them to a beautiful sulphuret of iron, and preserving their shape in all their pristine beauty still luring the enthusiast on to deeper diggings to find what must be below, viz : Thicker and better veins of carbon which increase as we go deeper.

Weeping Mountain Ash

So it would appear (from the above) that the deeper we go the thicker the coal, and consequently the better article. There is no doubt but if the boring had proceeded further, say 100 feet, a heavier vein of coal would have been found. The above table appears to correspond with the Leavenworth shaft before it was sunk to its present depth.

That there is coal here there is no doubt. We have all that is required to positively indicate its existence ; all it wants is for capitalists to go to work and get enough together and let the matter be tried. There are two wells that can be bored deeper (the distillery and Waggoner's); they are now 300 to 400 feet deep, a good beginning, and by following them up it would not take long to tell whether the matter would pay or not. Those wells wef e bored for the purpose of procuring a permanent flow, but failed as was predicted ; they cannot get a good flowing well here short of 1,500 or 2,000 feet, for the reason that we are at the bottom or eastern water shed off Pike's Peak.

Let those who feel interested in the welfare of Jackson county, strike now, before the counties south stop the enterprise, by stocking the markets.

Jackson county is the most favored locality in the State for the successful growing of forest trees, evergreen trees, apple trees of all varieties, together with peaches, plums, pears, apricots, grapes and small fruits. All kinds of ornamental and shade trees, flowers and hedges grow and flourish with only reasonable care and with a certainty that is not known east or west, north or south. If we go further south the apple will not flourish, if further north the peach is liable to blight ; but here, all are almost sure to do well. In the following list we give some of the most common native trees and plants.

The lobelia, mint, sassafras and birthwort families furnish many species of plants having valuable medicinal qualities. The lilies, wild roses, cacti, wild honeysuckle, violets, etc., meet the eye in every wood in early spring and summer with a profusion of rare and beautiful flowers. There is a great variety of valuable forage grasses, such as blue grass, foxtail grass, timothy, millet, etc. Many species of trees and plants are cultivated with great success which are not mentioned in this list. All kinds of trees, shrubs, grains and fruits adapted to this latitude and climate can be produced in the greatest profusion and luxuriance.

Products, Etc

The lands of Jackson county, are of the best known in the State - a rich and fertile bottom and upland deposit, producing everything planted. The industrious husbandman is amply rewarded for his labors, abundant crops greet him on every side. Jackson county holds out the most promising inducements to settlers. If you want a good house, good land, water, health, climate, plenty of fruit of all kinds, and good neighbors, come to this county. We have every- thing here that the most avaricious could desire. Nature has been liberal with her gifts, bestowing fertile valleys, rich uplands, abundant woods, pure streams, fine orchards, healthy climate and immense deposits of coal. Commerce observing these facts, reached out with its arms of iron and steel, and embraced us. Numerous railroads center here conveying to and from the world articles of trade and traffic. We would say to you, come and behold Jackson county and its lands. Come and see us if you want good homes.

The Sub-Soils

of the county are generally rich in silicious marls, are strongly marked with the Loess characteristics, range from one to one hundred feet in depth, slack like quick lime on exposure to frost and atmosphere, and are an inexhaustible mine of productive wealth which some day will make Jackson county, and indeed, all Central Missouri, the classic ground of American husbandry. As a whole, the soils mentioned give known to modern husbandry. Every domestic product of the soil that flourishes between the northern limit of the cotton fields and the northern Red River, is at home and reaches perfection, in these soils. Jackson county is emphatically

The Home Of The Grain Growers

Corn, the great staple cereal of the lower Missouri Valley, gives a yield of thirtyfive to ninety bushels per acre, depending upon soil, season and culture, and it is safe to estimate the total crop of the county for 1880 at 4,000,000 bushels. This is as the superior quality of the late crop fully attests. The south half of the county is largely underlaid with limestone, the subsoils are rich in lime, and every condition to successful wheat growing obtains in high measure. Fully 500,000 bushels of white winter wheat were grown in the county in 1879, and the area in wheat for the coming harvest, with the exceptionally fine stand, promises a yield of 1,000,- 000 bushels. The oak and hickory soils give a yield of fourteen to thirty bushels per acre, and with anything like thorough culture following clover, the county would give an average yield of twenty-five bushels in ordinary seasons. Jackson county certainly presents a splendid field for ambitious wheat growers. Among oats, barley and rye all do finely here, the former often give a yield of fifty to seventy-five bushels per acre. Broom corn makes a fine growth of the finest brush and might be made a very profitable crop. Sorghum is cultivated with decided profit for local use. Hungarian and millet make a wonderful growth and are in great favor with the best farmers. Up to a recent date, has been an abundant crop here, the dry, warm oak soils of the greater elevations producing a very superior quality of leaf, which under the treatment of old experienced Virginia cultivators made an enviable reputation in the great markets. The product of the county^ 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 pounds, could easily be increased 300 per cent if the demand shall again warrant the general culture of this plant.

Field And Garden Vegetables

returns to the cultivator, who may gratify his nobler senses with a little paradise of vegetables, plants and blooms, with half the labor required in the east and north. To the credit of old Jackson be it said that is recorded in her 65 years of agriculture. Extreme conditions of climate have sometimes shortened the export surplus of some of the cereals and grasses, but the bounteous soil has never faild to yield ample supply for the use of the home, the flocks and herds.

Horticulture

The people of Jackson county took an interest in the cultivation of fruits at an early day, and no county in the State had a local supply of all the fruits incident to this climate at an earlier period in their history. Apples, peaches, grapes, pears, cherries, apricots and a number of kinds of berries all flourish in Jackson county. Of the earliest orchards nothing now is known but it has been the usual course with the farmers to plant orchards as soon as practicable after the Oiening of their farms, and hence Jackson became a fruit growing county before there was any attempt on the part of those interested in orchards to organize and so preserve a history of the industry.

The first horticultural organization in Jackson county was effected on the 1 8th day of December, 1869, at Independence, when a small number of farmers and fruit growers assembled at the call of Maj. F. S. Ragan for that purpose. At this meeting the Jackson County Horticultural Society was organized, by-laws adopted and officers elected. Alexander Proctor was the first president; F. S. Ragan, Vice-President; U. P. Bennett, Secretary, and John Bryant, Treasurer. The Board of Directors was composed of J. O. Blair, E. M. McGee, W. E. Mc- Bride, Henry Parker and A. Renick.

Further meetings were held by the society in January, February, March and April, 1870, at which a list of apples suitable to the country was adopted. Apple, pear and small fruit culture was discussed.

The society renewed its meetings the following November and at the first meeting the society submitted a list of apples as those so far approved by the society for cultivation in Jackson county.

We append this list so that our readers may have the benefit of the experience of those longest engaged in the culture of apples in the county :

Wmter Apples - Ben. Davis, Jesse Black, Wagoner, white winter pearmain, white pippin, wine sap, northern spy, Clayton, McAfee's, none such, Newton pippin (green), Peck's pleasant willow twigg, Fryer's red, Missouri pippin, Rawl's jenet, Huntman's favorite, Talpahockin, Ortiey, Rome beauty, Smith's cider, golden russet.

At this meeting the annual election was held, at which F. S. Ragan was elected President and U. P Bennett, Secretary, and it was also determined at this meeting that part of subsequent meetings should be held on the premises of members from which there resulted many pleasant gatherings of the horticulturists during the spring and summer months of succeeding years. On the 29th of May, 1875, this society was merged into the Missouri Valley Horticultural Society.

In 1870 the Missouri Valley Grape Growers' Association was organized, for the purpose of fostering the cultivation of the grape. It held three meetings in

1870 and 187 1, two of which were held at Leavenworth and one at St. Joseph. Its fourth meeting was held in Kansas City, in September, 1872, during the Kansas City Exposition, and in the Fine Art Hall of that association. At this time, Major F. S. Ragan, of Independence, was its president. At this meeting it was merged into the Missouri Valley Horticultural Society, which had been organized in 1868, of which J. C. Evens, of Clay county, is now president, a,nd L. A. Goodman, of Jackson county, secretary.

The Missouri Valley Horticultural Society has followed the habits of the Jackson county society, and holds monthly meetings, partly at the residences of the members, for about five months in the year. At these meetings essays are read on topics connected with the fruit growing interest, experiences and observa tions are exchanged, methods discussed and illustrated, and samples exhibited. Under its influence, and the influence of the other societies merged into it, horticulture has been materially fostered in Jackson county, better methods have been brought into use, unprofitable varieties of fruits discarded, and more profitable ones adopted'; and the quality and quantities of the fruit produced has been improved.

Bee Culture

Until 1866 little attention was given to the culture of bees as a distinct branch of industry. Prior to that time there were no opinions as such in Jackson county, but many of the farmers kept a few bees, allowing them to take care of themselves during the summer season, and in the fall, when honey was wanted, killing a number of hives with sulphur matches. In 1866 Mr. Harper Bennett came to this county, as agent for improved hives, and went into partnership with Mr. James D. Meador, of Independence, in the manufacture of hives and the culture of bees. They obtained Italian queens, and conducted the keeping of bees in sucji scientific manner as soon to demonstrate its profit. From this small beginning the interest grew rapidly, until in 1872 there were so many engaged in it that they convened at Lee's Summit, and organized what they called the Greenwood Bee-keepers' Association of Jackson county, electing Mr. James D. Meader president; WiUiam McKedrick, vice-president; J. D. C. McFarland, secretary; and John Proudfitt, treasurer. This movement gave a great impetus to the interest, and caused many others to undertake the keeping of a few colonies by improved methods.

In 1878 the interest met with great disaster in the bees in many colonies by death during the winter from causes which have never been satisfactorily ascertained. Many then abandoned the business, but a few of those who understood it belter continued it and have fully overcome the losses of that year. Among these are Messrs. William M. Kitterick, of Greenwood; M. O. Rowe, of Grain Valley; L. W. Baldwin, P. Baldwin, F. J. Farr, J. D. Meador and Charles Crandall, of Independence; Mr. Grigg, Mr. Briant, Mr. Salesbury and E. M. Hayhurst, of Kaw township. Some of these gentlemen, especially those at Independence, make bee culture a specialty, and during the year 1 880 the product was not less than twenty-five thousand pounds of excellent honey, mostly gathered from the blossoms of the linden in the space of about eighteen days, and from an area not exceeding five miles square. Mr. Hayhurst of Kaw township, makes more of a specialty of raising improved queens, of which he produces several thousand annually, and distributes them on orders to all parts of the United States.

Through the efforts of the gentlemen here mentioned, Jackson county has been brought to the front rank of bee-keeping counties in the United States. The county abounds in honey producing flora, and her apiculturists are of the enterprising intelligent character necessary to realize its highest possibilities.

The Native And Domestic Grasses

grazing belt attain luxuriant growth here. Better still the soil and climate give them a perfection of quality rarely attained in other regions.

The Native Prairie Grass

though not equal in variety to the wild grasses of Nebraska (of which 154 varieties have been catalogued by Prof. Aughey) are yet very numerous, especially on the grand Prairie, and from early April to the last of July, give more flesh to grazing animals than any of the domestic grasses ; but they are fast disappearing before and may not be named among the permanent grazing resources. The green, luxuriant, nutritious, tenacious blue-grass is the all prevading, all-absorbing herbage of this beautiful herdman's paradise. It is "marching on to the conquest" of field and forest with a sort of Roman firmness, persistence and confidence that seems heroic enough to be human. It is the grand imperial resource of the country, leading the grain fields " two to one " in net returns. These splendid blue-grass pastures of forest and field in Jackson county, will compare with the best range in Illinois or Kentucky - every acre representing the net returns of two acres of good corn. The writer, though neither venerable with years nor sage in worldly wisdom, remembers in half a dozen years of western travel, a score of opulent blue-grass herdsmen to every instance of personal independence in the great wheat regions.

Red Clover

makes a splendid growth here, especially in the oak and hickory soils, is very successfully cultivated on the oak lands in the southwest part of the county, and is becoming popular among the farmers of other portions resulting here, as everywhere, in enrichment of, and large increase in the productive power of the lands.

White Clover

like blue-grass, is indigenous to the country, flourishes in all the silicious soils and in years of full moisture adds largely to the grazing capacity and wealth of the country. With the foregoing notes upon the climate, soils, water supply and grasses of Jackson county, it seems almost superfluous to pronounce it

But I am reminded that three-fourths of the prospective immigrants who are looking westward for Etopia, locate that fabulous land somewhere on the broad savannas of the New West, and think, talk and dream only of becoming shepherds and herdsmen. Well, that is natural, honorable and sagacious, for no calling is more profitable and reputable, and these gentlemen of the prospective flocks and herds will permit the writer to tell them that north lii^estern Missouri is the and that grand old Jackson county is; "pretty nigh" its head center. Here are the cheap lands, here the matchless herbage and clear plenteous waters, here the forest ravines, bluffs, gulches and chaparral that make the finest natural stock shelter known to a mild and equable climate, and these with cheapest transportation to the National and Union stock yards are the things that go into the make up of a royal stock country. We must not forget to add those other essentials - cheap corn and

Almost Perennial Pasturage

They grow corn here at a cost of fifteen cents per bushel, and the years are rare that do not furnish ten months grazing for young stock. Only a field of rye and a reservation of the autumn growth of blue grass in the underbrush woodlands are necessary to complete as full year's pasturage. It should interest those coming herdsmen, too, to know that there are none of the climatic rigors of the far western plains ; that the good Lord giVes this region plenteous rainfall ; that the coal and wood and fencing timber are almost as "cheap as dirt; " that the highways are made, the bridges and school houses are built ; that there is between life here and on the borders. It may be well to remind him, too, that there is such an order as polite and refined society for his wife and good schools for his children ; that the country is full of first-class railways ; that the rough work of pioneering was done by other hands than his, half a century ago ; and that Jackson county has stood the test of sixty years of unfailing agricultural production without diminishing the productive power of its soil. This prospective stock grower who is already asking if Jackson county is really a good county to live in, will pardon me for telling him a little story about the

Extent And Profit Of Stock Husbandry

In Jackson county. The late assessors returns accredit the stock men of the county with a total of 19,680 horses; 4,212 mules; 18,325 cattle; 23,275 sheep and 35,390 swine. This splendid aggregation of domestic animals is not made of passed into history. It is worth the journey of a thousand miles to look over the stock ranches, farms and herds. Hardly too much can be said of

The Character Of The Herds

And their progressive owners. There are half a hundred short horns of illustrious heraldry and Hneage here ; another half hundred animals of model types, fit for the show-ring, and several hundred finely bred animals of noteworthy families. The feeding herds are all good or high grades, a large per cent, of this stock being bred and fed for the European trade. Some of the enterprising breeders are introducing Herefords, to meet a fast growing demand from the ranchmen of new prairie States and Territories. Hundreds of young thorough-bred short horn bulls are annually shipped out of the county for the same destination. Imported Jerseys, whose names and fame are known to two continents, are kept and bred here in fair numbers. Imported Cotswolds, Downs, Leicesters and Marines of national fame, grace the estates of several sheep breeders, and are giving generous infusion of the best blood into many of the local flocks. Model Berkshires and Poland Chinas that have swept the Provincial and National prize may be found here, and it may be safely said that Jackson county, in regard to blooded stock, has no superior in the west.

Many another good word might be said for old Jackson county, and its enterprising citizens, but there are some live and successful stock men in it who are more than deserving of passing notice. Scattered throughout this beautiful county of hills, vales and picturesqueness are some dozen or more noteworthy fine stock

Of short horns, and, indeed, of all other kinds of stock, a note of whom will serve to show the character of the county and herds, and men who are pursuing this noble caHing. Jackson county stands second to no county in the State in the quality of her stock. Three miles east of Independence is Mr. C. Pugsley's Elm.^ Wood farm, that stands as a model of what energy and enterprise can do. It consists of 317 acres of good land, all splendidly fenced and heavily coated with a good covering of blue grass. A good home, ample and convenient stabling, sheds and corrals, ponds and elegant pastures, make up this model farm. His herd consists of 40 recorded short horns of the Rose of Sharon, formerly bought of T. C. Anderson, of Kentucky. His herd is well handled, and has a high pedigree, the bull of the herd is a royal Princess and Bates cross. In addition, Mr. Pugsley has 400 Spanish Merino sheep of pure breeding, and was the first to introduce them into this county. Jackson county has in Mr. Pugsley an old Ohio raised farmer and stockman, a worthy and exemplary citizen, farmer and stockman. A visit to his farm, and a look at his beauties, will convince the -most skeptical that there is something in life yet worth living for. In our researches after food of the above mixture we^run across

Wm. Anderson

A man rich in mortgages, stocks and bonds, rich in all good human feeling, has a large and exhaustless stock of good common sense, sympathizes with every movement for the advancement of the county, and in practical business talent is the peer of any man in the State. Mr. Anderson, with the enterprising energy characteristic of his nature, has not only added to the lovely attractions of his rural home, but has invested largely in fine blooded stock, among which may be mentioned the following noted families : care. The herd is a large one, headed by a male of the celebrated Rose of Sharon family. Mr. Anderson's farm presents to the eye an attraction seldom found m the travels of a lifetime. [We have been unable to glean all the facts connected with the fine breeds of the county, and the fault is not ours, as we have earnestly questioned all.] Mr. H. M. Vaile, another of our fine breeders, has m quarantme at Baltimore a herd of fine blooded cattle, one of which cost him the fabulous sum of $3,000. [We are sorry to say we were unable to see Mr. Vaile.] One more fine stock, man calls for our words of encouranement, and that man is who resides about two miles east of Independence. He is a man who believes in a good home, good farm and stock, and, therefore, he has all of them. He is a careful, discreet breeder and feeder, is successful in the business, and believes this is one of the finest stock countries in the world. He is a model farmer and a born gentleman of rare good sense, courteous, conservative temper, exceptionally good habits, fine sense of honor, well disciplined mind, is practical, enterprising and liberal, and is held in high esteem throughout the county for his manly qualities. His farm is one of the best in the county, and his stock of the finest and purest breeds. His attention has been more directly turned toward the breeding of fine wool growers than anything else, and his flocks to-day are the best in the State.

There are several other stock men whose names should appear, but owing to their own carelessness, or fear of notoriety, or loss of a few dimes, failed to give the desired information. Men are known by their enterprise and pluck, and when soft heads decline giving information for ' ' fear you are not posted in regard to stock," they need expect nothing. It is supposed that a practical newspaper man understands his business, and one who does not had better shut shop. Of all the men in this world, a newspaper man should be, if he is not, the most gifted and best posted man, though there are any number of men who are capable of holding wealth, though incapible of making it.

Missouri is situated in the southern half of the north temperate zone, consequently the winters are not long and rigorous, neither are the summers excessively hot and depressing.

Jackson county though subject to the sudden changes which visit all parts of the country has a great advantage both in locality and elevation over other counties of this state and also Kansas. At one time it was asserted that the climate of the Missouri Valley was colder in winter and warmer in summer than the Atlantic States in the same latitude, but this idea has long since been exploded by observations which have been made in both regions. The mean temperature during the summer is 75°, and the annual average rainfall is forty inches, no other section of the State having a greater supply of rains.

From Blodgett's Climatology of the United States we learn that the " early distinctions between the Atlantic States and the Mississippi Valley have been quite dropped, as the progress of observation has shown them to be practically the same, or to differ only in unimportant particulars. It is difficult to designate any important fact entitling them to any separate classification ; they are both alike subject to great extremes; they both have strongly marked continental features at some seasons and decided tropical features at others, and these influence the whole district similarly, without showing any line of separation. At a distance from the Gulf of Mexico to remove the local effect, the same peculiarities appear which belong to Fort Snelling ; Montreal as well as to Albany, Baltimore and Richmond."

As this county is nearly on the same parallel as Maryland it is fair to presume that the climate is nearly identical, provided the above be true, yet observation shows that there is a perceptible tendency to extremes as we go further west, owing to the lakes and prairies, probably, and shows that the spring and summer are decidedly warmer, and the winters colder here than in Maryland. From the open country, the great sweep of the winds and the force of the sun, the malaria arising from the rich alluvial soil is counteracted and dispelled, so that the cliamte here is as healthy as in any portion of the known world.

In his observations on the climatology of Missouri, Dr. Engelmann states that the principal elements of the climate of a country are its temperature and moisture. They influence and condition the existence and prosperity of organic life and the well-being of the human family. But these elements are to be considered not only in their average but even more so in their extremes ; for the extremes more than the means establish the capability for and the geographical limits of many productions. The climate of Missouri is on the whole a dry one with strong evaporation, and an atmosphere but rarely overloaded with moisture. The average amount of vapor, or rather dissolved water in the atmosphere, the relative humidity, in only 66°, 72° in winter and 59° in spring, 66° in summer and 68° in autumn. Thus spring proves to have the driest atmosphere, and April more than any other month, which by the way is perfectly comfortable with the considerable fall of rain which we often notice in spring. We enjoy in this country an unusual amount of fair weather. Our autumnal season is celebrated for it and also in the other parts of the year fair weather and bright sunshine prevail to the great benefit of organized life and the well-being of the human family. Thunder storms are frequent in spring, on an average fourteen, in summer twenty, principally from May to July, they occur rarer in autumn seven, and in winter only two. In the warmer seasons they are sometimes accompanied by short but violent tornadoes, which invariably like most thunderstorms come from the southwest, and sometimes do considerable damage. Violent hail storms have prevailed in some seasons and some localities, while others have been free from their injurious visitation.

The Cyclone

The cyclone struck Jackson county about two miles south of Lee's Summit. For about a half hour it had been raining and hailing from the northwest when another cloud came up from the south bearing a deep, dark color. At once the wind changed and blew furiously from the south, and when the two clouds came together it formed a figure in appearance to that of an inverted funnel, the upper end of the funnel-shaped cloud reached far up in the heavens, while the lower or larger end rested on the ground, and as it advanced seemed to drive the other clouds right and left as a steamboat ploughs through the water. The cyclone was now organized and took a northeasterly course in the direction of Dr. Dunnington's residence. At that time the family were in the basement at supper, the cyclone seized the house as with the grasp of a giant and scattered it, furniture, clothing, etc. , in fragments all over the surrounding fields,but none of the family were hurt. When it passed the Missouri Pacific Railroad, it twisted off the telegraph poles at the surface of the ground as if they had been pipe stems, and scattered them in fragments over the plain as it had done the house of Dr. Dunnington. Proceeding on its way it mowed its course through crops, fences, hedges, etc. , on a line about half way between the residences of Mr. Goodman and Mr. Reeder, drawing the house of the latter off its foundation about ten feet, but leaving it whole and not injuring a single member of the family, of whom there were several, but seriously frightening them. Just opposite to Reeder's and a half mile away, it destroyed Mr. Goodman's barn, but doing no further damage. Its next pranks were concerned with Mr. Watson's nursery buildings which it damaged somewhat, moving one of the buildings twenty feet in its course without otherwise damaging it. Passing along three or four hundred yards further, it entered the orchard of Mr. John C. Howard, and ploughing its way through it at about two hundred yards in width, uprooted and tore off at the surface large numbers of trees, destroying at least two-thirds of the orchard ; thence it proceeded carrying away fences, pulling posts out of the ground, transferring them and the rails and planks to various distances from one hundred yards to a half mile. When it reached the residence of Mr. Cushenbary on the farm of John R. Blackell, it did its work more completely even than before, whirHng the house around, tearing it literally to pieces, carrying most of it for several hundred yards. The family, consisting of Mr. Cushenbary, his wife and two children, were taken with the house into the air and borne along in the wind. When they fell to the ground they were more dead than alive, having been dropped down from the clouds head foremost, for their hair was all matted with mud and their clothing was torn in shreds. Mrs C. and one of the children were thought to be fatally injured, but Mr. C. and the other child were uninjured. It seemed a miracle that any being could live through such an experience. Everywhere were scattered pieces of lumber, fences, furniture and debris covering the ground. Here more damage was done to the crops than anywhere else on the route of the storm, even the young corn being torn to tatters. On it went reaching and unroofing the house of J. A. Scruggs and the family escaping unhurt except Mrs. Scruggs whose collar bone was broken, just how no one could tell. Next the residence of Mr. T. Constable was demolished and everything it contained, the family escaping with nothing left but their lives. Then the district school house yielded to the unceremonious visitor and was numbered with the things that are past. The fine two-story residence of Mr. John Hutchings was next swept away, hardly leaving a vestige to tell the tale of distraction, but all the family, part above and part on the ground floor, escaped unhurt. It was by Divine intervention that their lives were preserved. The residence of Mr. Thaddeus Warden, built of large, heavy logs, was taken to pieces in an instant and scattered, the family of six or seven were hurt, but none fatally. Thence the destroyer tore Mr. Black's residence to pieces and proceeded on its way to Blue Springs.

The little boy Frank Harris who was present and saw the terrible catastrophe says that the first Mr. Harris and family knew of the approach of the cyclone was when it reached the railroad about three hundred yards south of the house. Believing it was coming directly toward the house, Mr. Harris seized the babe and bade the others to follow and with his wife started west and went thirty or forty yards from the house, then saying to his wife "It is coming right here," they reversed their course and ran back to the house, and twenty-five yards east to the straw stable. Here they were overtaken by the cyclone at about its center, the western part sweeping away the house but not extending as far west as the parties had gone on their first attempt to escape. The boy who was a bright little fellow of nine years of course knew nothing of what occurred after the cyclone struck the family, but was himself thrown into the straw rick and covered over with straw and was there quite a while before he could get out. He was not seriously hurt only bruised or burned about the face. When Mr. Mallory Smith who was the first on the ground arrived, the boy had in his arms the babe which he had picked up from the ground where it had been thrown Hterally stripped of its clothing. The boy stated that when he got out of the stack and saw first his mother that she ran toward him, which with her wild and strange appearance frightened him and he ran from her, but she soon fell to the ground. When Mr. Smith reached the place she was still prone on the ground but conscious. She spoke to Mr. Smith telling him she was killed. Leaving her, Mr. Smith went in search of the others. He passed along the course of the cyclone and in about thirty or forty yards found the httle eight-year-old girl dead, and going still farther at about three hundred yards in the corn field, he discovered Mr. Harris struggling to rise and when he reached him he found him unable to rise and though trying to talk was unable to do so by reason of the mud in his mouth. He assisted him as best he could and amongst the first things said by Mr. H. was that he was killed. His clothing was literally torn into tatters and rolled in the mud, his leg broken and his ribs and other parts of his body seemed to be crushed. Other help coming up the entire family dead and ahve were taken to Mr. Smith's, the wife dying on the way and Mr. H. dying about 12 o'clock that night. The tornado after leaving the Harris place kept on in the same general direction, but did no damage of consequence until it reached the residence of Mr. Underwood, half a mile away, which it also completely demoHshed. The family saw the storm coming and saved themselves by running out of the house lying flat on the ground and clinging to the shrubbery. The next place the storm struck was the residence of Martin Gore, one mile farther on. The gable ends of his dwelling were torn out leaving the sides standing and the roof on. After this the storm did no further damage of consequence and after pursuing its course for three miles further it seemed to scatter and was seen by ex-County Judge A. G. Williams to rise directly in front of his residence and disappear into the clouds with a loud noise like the roar of artillery. Mr. Williams and family were preparing to vacate their dwelling when the storm disappeared.

All along the whole path of the tornado trees were uprooted and the leaves were scorched and blackened as if a fire had burned them. The general appearance of the storm was very much like that of the cyclone which passed over Richmond, Ray county one year before. As above stated this cloud from which the wind and rain seemed to come was in the shape of an immense inverted funnel of a dark bluish cast and seemed to be continually whirling and grinding within itself. The funnel seemed to float along with the bowl part close to the ground but frequently bounding up and almost disappearing in the air for a space of several seconds when it would again drop to the earth. The storm was accompanied by a heavy storm of rain, and in the vicinity of Blue Springs the rainfall was accompanied by a large shower of black sulphureous mud.

The storm was plainly visible at Independence, Buckner and other adjacent points, but no effects of it were felt. It was upon the whole the most terrific, as well as most disastrous storm that has ever visited Jackson county and one which will long be remembered and talked of. The damage to life and property was very great.

Mr. Cushenbary was in bed sick and by his side lay a little babe. He was carried one hundred and fifty yards from the house and was found sitting in the corn field holding the babe in his arms. At the same time a dog was blown about same distance and found near Mr. C. in a hole scooped out apparently for him. On the line of the storm at one place a mule was caught and carried off". At intervals he would reach the earth and plant his feet in it, ploughing it up with the vain endeavor to hold his own - failing he would sail on with the storm, and then stop again in the same way, but there was no use Mr. Mule had to yield up his own preference and obey the exigencies of the master that had him. The same facts are predicted of the horses belonging to Mr. Scruggs, but only two of which were as unfortunate as the mule. A rock two and a half by six feet was pulled out of its bed, turned over and whirled about like a plaything.

At Mr. Samuel Constable's house a bedstead was taken from under a bed on which two ladies were resting and carried a half mile, and the house scattered in all directions, the occupants of the bed being left intact on the bed on the ground beneath where the floor had been. Several persons report having seen a ball of fire, some say as large as a bushel measure, others like a barrel in size, moving in front of the storm, and leading it whithersoever it went.

Mr. Harris's little son mentioned above was lifted up, deposited in a straw stack near by, and covered over entirely, thus escaping without much injury. Persons carried up compare their sensations to what would be felt in sinking into a snow bank, or in some yielding substance thicker than water. All speak of a sulphureous odor. The storm dispersed when it struck the elevation in the neighborhood of Judge Williams' farm, thus leading many to the conclusion that high localities protect against the cyclones. I

Climate, Health And Disease

We shall use as the basis of this article on pathology the notes and experiences of Dr. Leo Twyman, who was for many years a successful practitioner in Jackson county. Dr. Twyman was born in Scott county, Kentucky, January 23, 1799, and was educated at Bardstown in the same State. He married Julia Ann Payne, a native of Woodford county, Kentucky. He removed to Illinois, and there for a short time followed his profession, and in 1827 came to Missouri and settled at St. Charles, where he lived till 1844. I" addition to the medical practice, Dr. Leo Twyman carried on a large mercantile business at St. Charles, and when the St. Charles College was established, under the auspices of the M. E. Church, he erected a large boarding house in connection with the institution, which, however, proved a financial failure. In 1844 he removed to Jackson county, where he died April 22, 1872. He practiced in this county for more than a quarter of a century, and showed himself a superior man in his profession. He was a good student, and did much to advance the science of medicine in Jackson county and the country adjoining. During his later years he kept hotel in Independence, and was an exceedingly popular landlord. At one time he belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church, but some years before his death united with the Catholic Church, the sect in whose care he was brought up and educated, having in youth graduated at the Saint Joseph's Catholic College in Bardstown, Kentucky. At his funeral great respect was show his memory in the vast concourse that assembled to do him honor. The funeral obsequies were conducted by Father Donnelly, who died recently in Kansas City.

Meeting Of The Medical Society Of Independence, Mo

At the summons of the President, Dr. Asa Farrar, the Medical Society of this city met to pay the last tribute of respect to the venerable Dr. Leo Twyman, who died at his residence Monday night, the 2 2d inst, at 10 o'clock.

On motion, a committee of three members, Drs. J. T. Brown, J. P. Henry and John Bryant, Jr., were appointed to report resolutions expressive of regret and sympathy for his friends. The Chairman of the committee reported the following :

Resolved, That it is with sorrow we meet to commemorate the demise of our learned and venerable associate in the Medical Profession, Dr. Leo Twyman.

Resolved, That we tender our sympathies to his family and friends, and that a copy of these proceedings be presented to the family of the deceased.

Dr. Twyman gave considerable attention to the relation of meteorology to hygiene. He studied the typography and climate and the origin of the principal diseases. It is quite important for settlers and immigrants to know what sections of the county are most healthful. Some have asked if this is a healthy county ? The answer without any hesitation will be given in the affirmative, that it is as much so as any in the State. In all the counties there are somethings that are calculated to produce disease - some localities are more healthy than others, and to enable strangers coming into the county to select the one and avoid the other is our object. Jackson county in its general aspect is an elevated, undulating plain intersected by numerous small streams running generally from the southwest to the northeast, and emptying into the Missouri River which forms the northern boundary of the county. The principal of these streams are the Big Blue^ the Little Blue, Rock Creek, Sni-a-bar Creek, Fire Prairie Creek, Sugar Creek and Mill Creek and their tributaries. Adjacent to all these streams are bottom lands, more or less extensive, nearly along their whole course on one side, and bluffs or hills on the other. These bottoms are but little subject to overflow for the reason that their beds are very deep and capable of containing and carrying off a large amount of water, and the great number of them when compared with other sections. As may be supposed the country is well supplied with springs of good water ; as an evidence of this let us mention that the city of Indepen dence is situated on one of the highest points of the dividing ridge between the Little Blue on the one side, and Rock Creek and Big Blue on the other. Within the limits of the city are numerous springs which are the sources of considerable creeks, some of which will be noticed. On the southeastern portion of .the town is one of the heads of Sanders Creek, emptying into the Little Blue at a distance of five and a half miles. On the east there are five springs which are the sources of Lick Fork Creek, emptying also into the Little Blue at a distance of six miles. On the north there are seven which unite with various others to form Mill Creek, emptying into the Missouri River eight miles distant. On the west is one of the head springs of Sugar Creek, running into the Missouri River about four miles from its source. In the southwest are three of the sources of Rock Creek, which after running southwest about two miles, turns nearly north and empties into the Missouri River between Sugar Creek and Big Blue. Some idea may be thus formed of the abundance of water, and the perfect manner in which the land is drained.

The bottoms above mentioned extend up the several branches to near the summit of the dividing ridge, and many of the springs rise within fifty yards of the summit. In the larger bottoms are a number of small ponds or lakes, and spots of marshy ground which are filled with water the greater part of the year, and in rainy seasons become quite extensive, which evaporate and dry up in the hot, dry seasons usually following in the months of July, August and September, and thus generate the poisonous exhalation about which so little is- known, and called by physicians "miasm" or "malaria" which produces fevers of various types and grades. This exhalation follows along the different ravines, even to the summit of the highlands, and is carried a greater or less distance in proportion to the current of air or wind.

But they do not seem to extend very far up the sides of the ravines unless carried by a strong breeze ; care should, therefore, be taken to avoid locating residences near the heads of ravines, and more particularly where they terminate on the ridges, which is a frequent error. A man finding a good spring near the summit of a hill, builds his house so as to be near the water, on the hill or ridge, and immediately in the course of the ravine, and as a consequence receives the concentrated "miasm" arising from it. Now at a distance of fifty or at least a hundred yards a point may generrally be selected very nearly if not entirely free from it, The existence of this malarious air in the ravines is very clearly proven to any man of observation ; in walking or riding across them in the night, m descending a hill as he approaches the base he will be sensible of cold darnp atmosphere which will disappear at the same elevation in ascending the opposite slope. This fact is often observed in Missouri and Illinois. It is generally believed that the bottoms are much more sickly than the hills, or uplands, which is to some extent true. The cases of fever are perhaps more frequent in the bottom lands, but less malignant, and all experience goes to show that persons fivirig on the bare slopes or summits of hills near the bottoms, suffer most, and those living near the banks of rivers, or creeks of running water in the bottoms, are rnore healthy. The reason is that the exhalations rise and are carried by the winds over the dwellings in lowlands and are wafted to the tops of the highest hills. Several precautions are necessary in selecting sites for dwellings on hills near bottoms. First, build if possible, on the opposite side of the hill from the bottom, so that the "miasm" after reaching the summit may pass above you j second, avoid the heads of ravines ; third, have a grove of timber between you and the bottom - this will have the effect of protecting you from the "miasm," and moreover, the trees absorb a large portion of it. Again, hills having bottoms to windward of them will be more sickly than those that the wind blows from them to the bottom. The prevailing winds here in the months of June, July and August, are from the south and southwest, but in the lattei part of August they begin to blow from the north and continue mostly during September and October in that direction. Thus it will be seen that persons living north and south of the bottoms will, in a sickly season, suffer first, say in July and August, but the fevers would be milder than later in the season, when the "miasm" has become more concentrated and virulent when the winds are from the north, that is during the latter part of August, and the whole of September and October, then those living south of the bottoms will suffer most, and, for the reasons given above, the fevers will be of more malignant type. Hills east and west of the bottoms are most healthy because the winds in the hot months seldom blow in these directions.

In speaking of topography of Jackson county it should be observed that in the vicinity of all the streams are strips of woodland more or less extensive, and that along the Missouri River the timber land extends from three to ten miles in width from the river, and in many places the timber is large and of excellent quality, and in others the growth is smaller, forming dense thickets in many places, showing clearly that the timber has encroached on the prairie, and it is interesting to note the gradual change which takes place from almost impenetrable thickets to open woods. As the trees grow and overshadow the undergrowth, such as hazel, sumach, etc., this dies out and the more thrifty and larger trees continue to grow, while the more feeble and delicate die out one after another and give place to their more stately neighbors ; and thus in a few years thickets become open woodlands, and as this process goes on the sun has freer access to the earth and it is consequently drier and more healthy. Many thickets in this county during the period of thirty years have undergone these changes, and are now beautiful open woodlands of trees of considerable size and height. Another very interesting fact going to show that the country is becoming more healthy, is that the wet lands in the bottoms are being filled up by the alluvial deposits brought down to them from the roads and cultivated fields, and are being covered by a thick sward of blue grass as fast as they become dry enough, and at the same time the channels of the branches which run through them are being deepened and compressed into narrow space. There are quite a number of bottoms along the Blue which thirty years ago were quite wet and swampy, which have become dry tillable land, and which will, in all probability, continue in the future to improve more rapidly than in the past. This holds good with the broader ravines and valleys in the upland prairies, many of which are quite wet and in many places marshy. Now as these slopes of the hills are cultivated, these marshy spots are filled up and the land rendered more compact by the trampling of stock, the blue grass takes hold readily and a firm sward covers them so that they are less likely to generate "miasm" and consequently the country around will become healthier. Those settling in the prairies should be advised to observe the same rules in building homes as in the timber, that is, to avoid heads of ravines, as mentioned heretofore, and even more carefully on account of the want of protection by trees. It may seem strange, but I believe the statement is fully attested by experience, that in very rainy and consequently sickly seasons, persons living on the prairies suffer more than those in the timber; the cause of this may I think, be found to be the protection afforded by the timber in absorbing and warding off "miasm." Such persons, as soon as possible, should make for themselves a protection by planting groves of timber and orchards near their dwellings, which will be a source of safety from disease and at the same time of pecuniary profit, to say nothing of the agreeable shades in the summer and protection from cold in the winter - both important objects for the preservation of health, and particularly in a climate as variable as ours.

In considering the causes tending to influence the health of any locality, we should take into account the effect of temperature and the particular season in which we have the greatest amount of rain and highest temperature. As a rule, our rainy season commences about the 20th of May and extends to the loth of July ; when we say season, we do not mean that it is only in that season that we have rains, but that rains are more abundant then than at other times. Yet, there occur seasons that are exceptions to the rule, as we shall see hereafter. The months of June and July, and the early part of August, are marked by the highest range of temperature.

We will now endeavor to give a brief account of many of the seasons since I844. The year A. D. 1844 is known in Missouri as the great flood. In the month of May there was considerably more rain than in any other year, especially in the valleys of the Kansas and Platte rivers, so as to cause a partial overflow of the bottoms of those rivers and of the Missouri River.

About the i sth of June the rains abated, and the rivers receded from the bottoms, but in a short time recommenced exceedingly copious rains of almost daily occurrence to about the loth of July, and the Missouri River and its tributaries overflowed their banks to the depth of twenty feet, and in many places to the depth of thirty feet - the temperature at this time being high. It is remarkable that during this season the Missouri River, above the mouths of the Kaw and Platte rivers, continued low. The latter part of July and the month of August were very dry and hot, and sickness was general throughout the State, the diseases being mostly of a mild character, and yielding readily to the influence of medicines. The winter of 1844 and 1845 was very mild, little snow or rain fell during the winter or spring, so that the rivers were quite low to the latter part of May, when the rains commenced and continued to the beginning of July. Some of the heaviest rains ever know in the State were witnessed this season, but west and north in the valleys of the Kaw and Platte rivers there was but little rain, and the Missouri overflowed its banks but little at the mouths of the Osage and North Grand rivers. This season was also very warm, and about the first of August sickness commenced and was more general, and of a more malignant type, than in the preceding year, but still quite managable. The succeeding winter was cold, with considerable snow, and the spring pleasant.

The season of 1846 had no excess of rains, and had not a great many cases of fever, but some of those we had were more violent and difficult to manage. During the early part of the summer there was an epidemic of scarlet fever, and in the fall a great many cases of jaundice.

rain and but little sickness. The following year, 1847, partook very much of the same character, and was also a tolerably healthy year.

The winter of 1847 and 1848 was very mild, so much so that very little ice formed sufficiently thick to keep. The spring and summer of 1848 was dry and healthy.

The winter of 1848 and 1849 was remarkably cold, with a great deal of snow, which melted partially in the month of January and froze suddenly, leaving the ground covered with a very firm coat of ice from three to five inches in thickness, which remained the greater part of February, and then melted off, accompanied by rain, and broke up the ice in the rivers, which had formed to a thickness of fifteen to eighteen inches. The spring of 1849 was wet and cold till sometime in April, when commenced a succession of hot weather with frequent rains, alternated with sudden changes of cold, which continued through May, June and most of July. Such was the peculiar condition of the atmosphere that a feeling of debility and exhaustion was very generally experienced, and those who have been exposed to its influence will thereafter recognize it as a cholera atmosphere ; the wind during the greater part of this time, and especially during the damp days, was from the east and southeast. In the month of April there occurred a number of cases of sraall-pox among immigrants, which, however, did not spread, to any extent among citizens ; diarrhcea, and other diseases of the digestive organs were of frequent occurrence, and on the 17th of April occurred the first case of genuine Asiatic cholera in a vigorous and previously healthy negro man, the property of Jabez Smith. From this time forward occasional cases occurred, not, however, very mahgnant until the 6th of May, on which day it broke out with great malignancy in various parts of Independence which was crowded to overflowing with California immigrants ; the hotels were excessively crowded, and at the Independence House there occurred seven deaths in the first twenty-four hours; in four or five days afterward ten persons died at the Noland House within twenty-four hours. From this time the disease continued to prevail, with occasional remissions, until sometime in July, and was succeeded by fevers in August, September and October.

The year 1850 was not remarkable for heavy rains or any great vicissitudes of temperature, and was comparatively healthy; but the following year, 1851, this region was again visited by hot and rainy weather and eastern winds, and cholera again made its appearance and was excessively malignant, continuing from the latter part of May to almost the first of August, which was again followed by fever ; during this year a greater number of citizens fell victims to cholera than in 1849. The year 1852 was again "a very equable season; there was not a great amount of sickness until late in the fall and beginning of winter, when the vicissitudes of temperature were great and sudden, and there occurred a large number of cases of pneumonia of a typhoid character and a general prevalence of typhoid diseases. About the middle of December epidemic erysipelas - also assuming a typhoid character - made its appearance, and continued to prevail in some neighborhoods until the following April.

The year 1853 was a mild and pleasant season, unmarked by great rains or changes of temperature, and although there were occasional cases of cholera, it was, in the main, a healthy season. The spring of 1854 was pleasant, and vegetation came forward very early. About the last of May it began to rain very frequently and heavily, and continued till the 19th of June, from which time scarcely any rain fell until the i8th of November. The crops of small grain were heavy, but in consequence of the long continued drouth after heavy rains the crop of corn was very small, not being more than one-third the usual yield. On the 1 8th of June, when we had had several days of hot showery weather, with an easterly wind, the cholera again made its appearance with great violence, and extended generally over the country more than any previous year, the reasons of which were, that there were on the 17th and i8th an unusual number of persons living in the county who were in town attending a meeting at the Christian Church, which was then in progress, and who sickened in a day or two after their return home. The disease continued about two weeks, gradually declining after the first few days. We had considerable fever in August and September ; early in October it became quite healthy, and continued so during the fall and winter.

The spring and beginning of the year 1855 were pleasant until the latter part of July, when there set in a succession of heavy rains which lasted until about the 20th of August. Crops of all kinds were good, wheat and oats were far better than usual, both as to quality and quantity; but the farmers having adopted the use of threshers, and being busy with the corn and hay crops, failed to house or stack them in season, and at least three-fourths of the crop of small grains was spoiled, and rotted in the fields. This year was quite healthy, except a short time in September and October. The year 1855 was not remarkable as to health, there being no unusual sickness until late in the fall, when typhoid fever prevailed to a considerable extent for some three months. Sometime in November, when the epidemic of very mahgnant scarlet fever made its appearance in the northeast part of the county, and spread over a large portion of the county and towns, and continuing through the winter. The winter of 1856 and 1857 was unusuatly cold, with but little snow, and we had an unusual number of cases of rheumatism, and in the spring considerable pneumonia and other inflammatory affections. The season during most of the year 1857 was not unusual. The following winter was not marked by any unusual extremes, and the spring of 1858 was rather dry and pleasant, until the month of June, when we had again excessive and long continued rains, extending to the early part of July; during this month and August the weather was hot anddry. Early in August fever commenced, and we had more sickness than in any year since 1845.

The ensuing year of 1859 was very similar in regard to temperature and rains, and we again had a considerable amount of sickness through the fall and winter months. The winter and spring of i860 was unusually dry and windy, there being no rain sufficient to wet the ground until the 2Sth of May, at which time and also some time in June, there was a good shower in the northeast part of the county, particularly on the Little Blue, near its mouth. This drouth continued through the summer, and consequently the crops were exceedingly short ; and west of us, in the State of Kansas, almost an entire failure. About the loth of July we had for two or three days a south wind, as hot as if coming from a furnace, which was very oppressive to man and beast, and wilted the vegetation considerably. There was also on the 4th of July a severe storm of wind, amounting almost to a tornado, with very little rain. In this year, as well as 1854, we had incontestible evidence of the superiority of the bottom lands along the Missouri .River, which are bedded on sand as subsoil, in dry seasons, for reason that the water from the river percolates this sand, and a sufficient quantity of moisture arises to sustain the growth of grain. This is also true to some extent in uplands, in which there is a considerable amount of sand mixed with the sub-soil. The year 1861, which will be long remembered for the inauguration of She civil war, which cursed our country and desolated the finest portions of our land, among which Jackson county is one of the most beautiful and fertile, was a season of unusual health and productiveness - full crops and fruits of all kinds, rewarded the labors of the husbandman ; and had we been blessed with peace, would have been one of abundance and comfort. There was but little sickness during this and the two following years.

The winter of 1863 and 1864 was exceedingly cold with considerable snow, the spring was pleasant but too cold to bring forward vegetation This dry weather extending through the greater part of summer there was great drouth and vegetation became scarce. The crops of all kinds were light and the Httle prod- ucewas mostly destroyed by the two contending armies during Price's raid, which passed through in the latter part of October. During the latter part of summer and beginning of fall there was a severe form of dysentery, followed later in the season by typhoid fever. The year 1865 may be properly called a rainy season for frequent and exceedingly heavy rains set in early in June and continued till the latter part of August. Dysentery again made its appearance in July and prevailed during that month and August. In September,- October and the fore part of November there were many cases of fever which were very violent, being mostly of a congestive type, and complicated with diseases of the bowels. Later in the season we had some cases of typhoid fever, also attended with disease of the bowels and in some cases of the lungs. During the year 1866-7 all the diseases were of a mild character and easily managed. There were no cases of epidemic diseases. In the year 1868 there were more cases of sickness, and some were typhoid fever, but not of a very malignant type. Since the war, even to the present time, there have been no severe cases of cholera since 1854. In 1869 the cases of sickness were less frequent than in 1868, all diseases easily managed. There have been no cases of small-pox since the year 1865, and it might be remarked that as the county grows older it becomes more healthy. The summers which are wet and excessively warm are followed in the fall months by more or less fevers. In 1870 there were several cases of " Rothlene," a form of scarlet fever, in the spring, some cases of intermittent fevers in the fall and taken altogether it was more sickly than 1869. During the years 1871 and 1872 there was some pneumonia in the spring, with mild cases of fever in the fall of 1871. There were very few deaths. Several severe accidents occurred in the year 1871 ; one was the falling from a wagon of Mr. A. G. Robinson, of which injuries he died soon after, and another a son of Mr. Oldham receiving so severe a fracture of his leg, from a kick by a horse, that he died. The year 1873 was healthy and all the cases requiring the attention of a physician were easily managed. The summer of 1874 was very dry and hot, several persons required treatment for sunstroke, the mercury ranging for considerable time from 95° to 100° in. the shade. There were some cases of diphtherietic croup, several of which were fatal. There was also epidemic whooping cough. The spring of 1875 ^^s very wet, and there were cases of capillary bronchitis among children and sore throat and catarrh among adults. There were some fatal cases of consumption. The summer of 1876 was healthy and also the year 1877. I" 1^77 there were some cases of scarlet fever, but of mild type and easily managed. The year 1878 was quite healthy. The year 1879 chronicled some scarlet fever in the spring. Mr. John Wilson, one of the prominent citizens of Jackson county, died July 23d, of what is termed chronic cystitis. Mr. Wilson was for many years a resident Independence and a highly respected man.

Considerable sickness of a typho-malarial character existed during the spring of 1880, but the remainder of the year it was exceedingly healthy. There were sufficient rains to produce the growth of abundant crops, and probably never in the history of the county has there been a better average yield to the labors of the husbandinan. Grekt quantities of fruit and cereals matured and have been gathered for the market. General prosperity and abundance have crowned the year. Men who were in debt are paying up the mortgages on their farms and houses and becoming independent.

Independence is the highest point of land in the Missouri Valley in the State and admitted by all as being situated in the most healthy locality in this whole region. There are few deaths here, nearly all the old persons who die, die of nervous exhaustion or old age. J. N. Wallace died January 19, 1880, and Thomas Stayton June 14, 1879, the latter's death was caused by softening of the brain.' In the city of Independence there are at present eight regular practicing physicians. The city physician and marshal are constituted a health board and

We have now given a condensed history of the seasons for the past thirtyseven years, and by it a tolerably correct idea may be formed of the healthfulness of this county.

It will be found that seasons in which there has been an excess of rains, and of floods in the streams, have produced a large amount of sickness, and this is also true with other portions of this great valley. It will also be remarked, that in our seasons rains are later and more immediately followed by dry and hot weather than in the Eastern States and as a necessary result we would expect in those seasons a considerable amount of fever, but the comparative frequency of such seasons are not greater than in other locaUties. We find also that we have had several visitations of cholera during its last appearance in the West, but this being then a great thoroughfare of travel across the plains and being greatly crowded this was rationally expected, and such, was the case on all the great lines of travel, moreover some places of undisputed reputation for health, have been, similarly afflicted during .the prevalence of cholera at different times, for instance, Lexington, Versailles and Louisville, Kentucky, in the epidem.ic of 1832-3 and various other points in 1849 and the following seasons, to say nothing of the larger cities and their surroundings. As to the prevalence of scarlet fever, measles, erysipelas and other diseases of similar character, it may be asserted that our county has not suffered more than other parts of the Western, and perhaps less than many of the Eastern States. Of typhoid fever it may be said that the disease is milder and less frequent than in many of the Northern or Eastern States. In the course of thirty-seven years there have been five, or less than one seventh, in which there were heavy and long continued rains in early summer and general prevalence of fevers, the remainder being comparatively healthy. Tljere has been no year when there has been an entire loss of crops and nearly every year great abundance has been produced.

The greater portion of the county - leaving out the bottom of the Missouri River and larger streams - is posed upon a bed of limestone at various depths ; yet such is the formation of the country that the stone very little, if at all, interfere with the cultivation of the soil, for the reason that it does not crop out, except in the immediate vicinity of streams, on the slopes of hills, or at their base. So abundant is the rock throughout the county that it is said that there can scarcely be found four contiguous sections of land on some one of which there is not rock enough for all building purposes ; furthermore, very few spots, and those small, in which the stone is so near the surface as to interfere with the growth of vegetation in dry seasons. Those sections in which the limestone is wanting are based on sand of very considerable depth. There is also in the greater part of the county a large admixture of sand both with the soil and the sub-soil, and consequently, as may be inferred, the land is light and easily cultivated, much more so than in many fertile regions elsewhere, as, for instance, the rich blue grass lands of Kentucky. No amount of tramping can make it so hard that, if broken up in large clods, it will not shake and fall to pieces, like lime, in the first considerable shower; and moreover, it has the additioual advantage of becoming sufficiently dry in a short time after rains for plowing, and does not break and become hard so easily if worked a little wet. This enables the farmer to cultivate his crops in wet seasons to better advantage than if the sand was wanting. In addition to this, as mentioned in the last article, drouth does not so greatly affect the crops, because a considerable amount of moisture arises from below, which goes to support vegetation. Indeed, our farmers say that crops will grow here with less rain than in almost any other country. We have in this -county but Hitle poor land; yet the quality of the soil and the growth of the timber indicating thoSe qualities vary a great deal, and the changes are frequently abrupt. We have, for example, strips of land covered by walnut, hickory, elm, box elder, honey locust, coffee bean, lima, etc, of some miles in extent, and changing in many instances abruptly, to Oakland, of inferior quality. Again, we have strips on which the growth is white hickory, different species of oak, wild cherry, slippery elm, etc., and the undergrowths are in oak lands, hazel, sumach, and a species of dogwood. The papaw abounds in the walnut and hackberry lands, and on river bottoms and hills contiguous to them. There are also some spots of rather sponty lands, with stiff clay sub-soil, the growth on which is almost exclusively a species of pin-oak, of a dwarfish character, with the limbs extendiiig almost to the ground. There is some diversity of opinion in regard to the fertility of the different characters of soil, but the statement is fully borne out by experience that the walnut and hackberry lands are strongest, and in favorable seasons will produce the largest crops of hemp and corn, and are better adapted to the domestic grasses, especially the blue grass, while the brush lands, in which the white hickory abounds, with the undergrowth of hazel and sumach, will on an average pf all seasons, and all kinds of crops, surpass them, and are greatly superior for wheat and other small grains. This county is well adapted to the production of various kinds of fruits, as the apple, pear, apricot and peach, all of which grow rapidly and yield abundantly, fruits of excellent quality. The common morello cherry also yields well, but the finer qualities of cherries and damson plums do not seem to do as well. The gooseberry, black raspberry, dewberry, blackberry and strawberry are indigenous to the soil, growing in large quantities in the woodland and prairies. Grasses have not yet been extensively cultivated, but so far as their cultivation has been tried the result has been very satisfactory.

The climate of Missouri is very changeable, the changes of temperature being frequent and sudden, varying often fifty or sixty degrees in a few hours. Great precaution is, therefore, necessary to adapt the apparel so as to be little affected as possible by these sudden vicissitudes, and I would advise those whose business requires them to be at such a distance from the dwellings as to be unable to change their clothes readily, to suffer the inconvenience of being uncomfortably warm for a time rather than run the risk of exposure to these sudden changes when thinly clad. Woolen clothing, therefore, is preferable to lighter fabrics even in summer.