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2,500 bushels of seed wheat were received and distributed among the different counties.

The whole amount of cash received by the Committee, was $83,869,52, which was chiefly expended on bagging, boxing and freight. But little or no money was distributed among the settlers.

The Committee and all their agents labored gratuitously, never receiving a cent for their time.

Besides the relief furnished by this Committee, contributions flowed into the Territory through other channels. Churches, individuals and communities operated independently, and for certain persons or localities. It would be impossible to arrive at any just estimate of the amount thus furnished. Much of that sent through the General Relief Committee had special assignments, and was designed for certain neighborhoods or settlements.

The State of New York deserves a special mention in connection with the relief movement, for generously appropriating $50,000 towards purchasing and shipping seed wheat to Kansas. The Legislature of Wisconsin extended a similar favor; while the citizens of Indiana, Illinois and Ohio made liberal donations in seed grains of various kinds.

Such efforts as these greatly relieved the people of their wants, without which not only would hundreds have perished during the winter, but still more would have been unable to plant their fields in the spring, and consequently unable to better their condition. But notwithstanding the vast amount of remittances from the East, the people of Kansas, in many instances, experienced all the effects of destitution and privation.

The evil effects of this drouth were not confined entirely to the personal sufferings it occasioned, but threw the Territory back in her march of progress, not only by diminishing her population one-third, but by deterring emigration to the present day. Ever since this great calamity, Kansas has generally been regarded abroad as subject to drouth,

and with it the idea of famine has been associated. Thousands have been prevented from emigrating to the State, from the popular conviction that this country is periodically visited by such appalling misfortunes as that of 1860. In justice therefore to the Territory whose history we are writing, it behooves us to examine into the facts bearing upon this subject, which will amply show that Kansas is no more liable to drouth, and no more affected by it, than any other State of similar latitude.

The following table was taken from Dr. Sink's report to the Governor upon the climate of Kansas, which was arranged from the records of all observations made at the military posts within the State, extending to the year 1865: MEAN PRECIPITATION OF RAIN, CALCULATED FOR SEASONS AND

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"The measure of moisture, precipitated in rain and snow, for the entire year, in Kansas, is very considerably below that for the other States represented in the table. By comparing the measurements for the spring, summer and autumn months, however, it will be found that the difference is very slight.

"The winter months show a great dimunition in the relative amount, but as the deficiency occurs during the absence of vegetation, it is of no practical importance. As a consequence, the roads during this season are usually dry and in splendid condition for travel, thereby rendering trans

portation easy at the very time the farmer desires to send his heavy produce to market."

"The precipitation of rain for the month of March shows a small increase over the winter months. The quantities are doubled in April, and again doubled in May. The mean maximum occurs in June, and the mean minimum in January.

"The greatest amount in one year ever observed at Fort Leavenworth was 59 inches, in 1858; the least amount was 16 inches, in 1843. The greatest at Fort Scott was 523 inches, in 1844; the least was 29 inches, in 1838. No records were kept at Fort Scott during the year of 1860, but the amount for the summer months was undoubtedly less than at Fort Leavenworth, as was evidenced by vegetation. The deficiency of rain at Fort Leavenworth in 1843 must have been local, as the records at Fort Scott for the same year show a measurement of 44 inches. Besides, the Indians living in the Territory at that time have no recollection of a drought of a general character. The amount of snow that falls during the winter is usually very slight, and it remains on the ground but a short time.

"Taking the records at Forts Leavenworth, Riley and Scott, as a basis for calculation, the mean annual precipitation of rain for the eastern half of the State in 32 78-100 inches. The mean for the western half is about 24 inches. The mean for Minnesota is 30 inches, for Wisconsin, 32 inches, and for Michigan, 30 inches.

"In 1860, the relative deficiency of rain was quite as great as in southern Missouri, Arkansas and western Tennessee as in Kansas. In 1854 a general drought prevailed in all the Central States, from the Missouri River to the Atlantic coast.

"The following tabular statement will give a better expression of its extent and character than if made in general terms. The statistics are for the summer months only, as this is the period of greater importance in the supply of

1851--inches. Summer of

Sum--inches.
Average for

rain. The drought, however, continued throughout the autumn months, in most of the localities.

1854-inches.

Summer of

Sum-inches.

Average for

Fort Leavenworth.

Fort Riley.

Fort Smith, Ark.
St. Louis
Cincinnati

5 7 13 0 Pittsburg....

2 7 10 6 Washington.

4 1 13 9 Norfolk, Va.....

5 414 1 New York..

6 6 13 7 Burlington, Vt..

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"A drought so widely extended as that of 1854, is a rare occurrence in this climate. They are usually confined to a much smaller compass, and, at such times, the neighboring districts are supplied with an excess of rain. While a drought is by no means a desirable occurrence, an excess of rain is equally injurious. The general proposition, that the whole Mississippi valley is more damaged in its grain and root crops by an excess of rain than from a deficency, will scarcely be questioned."

CHAPTER LI.

VARIOUS ITEMS.

There were several events of interest occurred this year, which we will briefly narrate, though not connected with the general history of the Territory.

In the winter of 1859 and '60, Dr. John Doy, of Lawrence, set out to conduct thirteen negroes, by way of Iowa, to Canada. They had fled from slavery to that city. This was a common thing in those days for the negroes of Missouri. On their arrival they always found friends and help in effecting their escape. As he was passing through the northern part of the Territory, fifty miles from the eastern boundary, he was suddenly captured by Missourians and carried to St. Joseph, where he was tried on the charge of enticing away slaves, a crime punishable with death according to the statutes of that State. The Kansas Legislature appropriated one thousand dollars to employ counsel for Doy at his trial. Though he was charged with an offense as having been committed in Platte County, and though the prosecution was unable to prove that Doy had been within thirty miles of that State, the Jury at the first term of Court failed to agree, but at the next he was convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary for life.

But Doy had friends in Kansas who cared but little whether he was sentenced or not, knowing well that they could effect his deliverance. A company from Lawrence

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