PRICES OF LUMBER AND OTHER COMMODITIES, 21

about fuel, for trees grow vigorously and rapidly wherever I have
seen them planted; and as railroads are multiplied, as they will be,
and other deposits of coal discovered—of which there are indications
in many places—that difficulty will be overcome.

Lumber for building is procured both here and at Chicago and St.
Louis, and sometimes at Cincinnati, and sells at this place at about
the following prices:

Per m,

Pine—clear stuff, planed, No.1, . . . . $110
cc cc ce “eo «ce 2, . . . $95 @105

« Common “ a . TO@8
Pine flooring, worked, : . : : - $70, 80, 90
Siding, (weatherboarding) . ; . . . 45@60
Shingles, pine—perm. . . + 10@11
“ Dimension stuff,” (scantling,) ing, . 5s . 70
Cottonwood boards, we : ce 45 @ 50
Cottonwood shingles, .  . : : ; . 450@6

From these figures the cost of building up here can be proximately
estimated. Rents are high. The “Goddard House,” a tolerably large,
but flimsy and roughly finished building, almost entirely built of cot-
tonwood, rents for $1500 a year. A smaller but somewhat better
finished house, where I am staying, brings, I am told, $1800 a year.
Flour is selling at $22 a barrel, and potatoes $2.75. The soil yields
enormously as a general thing, and farming is a remunerative busi-
ness. Cattle, I am informed, only require of from four to six weeks
feeding in the winter, and hay, cut ad libitum on the prairies, is the
cheapest thing in this country.

I have thus endeavored to give you a fair report, leaving the reader
to ponder the pros and cons.

The report now is that the river began to fall this morning. We
expect to get off this afternoon.

 

LETTER IV.—The Flood—The Question of Routes.

Satna, Kansas, June 12, 1867.— Afternoon.
THe “Smoky” still continues to swell, contrary to the report this
morning that it was falling. It has overspread the flats for miles in
places. This town now stands ona large island. No trains can get
out to-day, so I must be content to abide one day more. The report
now is that the Senatorial party will be at Junction City this evening,
and will probably be here for dinner to-morrow. Ifa train should go