KANSAS CITY, LAWRENCE AND SOUTHERN KANSAS RAILROAD.

                             [Generally referred to as “K. C., L. & S. Railroad.”]

Trying to track down this railroad was most difficult inasmuch as the Winfield Courier editor called it the “Southern Kansas & Western Railroad” in 1877.

The following items show the start of this railroad...

                                               FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.

Winfield Courier, January 18, 1877. Editorial Page.

The Humboldt Road.

Hon. T. B. Murdock writes to his paper as follows:

“We met Col. Sears, attorney of the M. K. & T. road today and had a lengthy talk with him in regard to the proposed Humboldt Road. He said that Maj. Gunn was on the Winfield route making a survey, and that within a few weeks a route from Humboldt via Eureka and Eldorado to Wichita would be run. He said his company was going to build either to Winfield or Wichita within the year, but that in his opinion, the Winfield route had the preference. It may be they can be induced to adopt the Wichita route. If the road should be built to Winfield, it will go by the way of Fredonia and Howard City, and will not touch Greenwood or Butler counties.”

Winfield Courier, February 1, 1877.

                                              OUR RAILROAD PROSPECTS.

The great overshadowing subject of interest to the people of this county is the question: How can we get a railroad during this year?

The farmers are almost unanimous in urging that something be done immediately; some plan adopted and carried out at once to secure that end.

We have evidently arrived at a crisis which must be met by the united action of our people, based upon an accurate knowledge of the facts, unbiased by prejudices of party or the schemes of older railroad organizations, or our county will be impoverished and many of our best farmers and citizens will be driven to abandon this section for more favorable locations.

We are in a crisis, which if we meet with the proper unity and spirit will place our county among the most favored and prosperous of the State.

We therefore deprecate any partisanship for any particular road or company for the present. The first thing to do is to collect all the facts.

No one can yet know what particular road or plan would be sure to succeed, what course is the best to adopt, and we ear­nestly beg our citizens to guard themselves against violent partisan feeling and to use all the means in their power to procure facts that bear upon the subject.

The members of the committee appointed by the citizens of Winfield to examine the whole subject and recommend a plan of action are busily at work and have collected much information.

Some of this committee are urging in our legislature some amendments to the railroad laws which it is thought would facilitate railroad building in this direction. Some are corre­sponding with various companies and persons interested in such road, and gathering their opinions and plans, and some are examining the modes in which other railroads have been built.

The committee will be ready to report in a reasonable time, but not quite so soon as Feb. 1st, as was contemplated.

The correspondence of the committee thus far has not been without results, for quite an extensive interest has been discov­ered to the east and northwest of here. One company has sent an engineer over the route from Humboldt, in the person of Maj. Gunn; another company has an engineer, Col. McClung, on the route from Oswego, surveying to this place. Another company has commenced such a survey on the route from Parsons to this place; another company has sent us a plan for building a road from Chanute, via Fredonia to this place, which plan seems to be well matured, and on which they are actually at work and have several miles of grade. This company has the services of Col. B. Dornblazer as engineer, who will soon make a survey in this direction.

Another company develops a plan to build from Emporia in this direction and have actually submitted a proposition to vote aid to the citizens of Lyon County.

So far all the attention we have received of the nature just indicated is from the friends of narrow gauge roads, with the exception of that represented by Maj. Gunn; and from that company we have a letter, signed by two of its directors, in which it is suggested that they may change their plan to a narrow gauge.

The only plans for raising the means for construction yet submitted are from the Emporia and Chanute road.

Both look feasible and sure in case the people along the line should approve with sufficient unanimity.

These plans are too voluminous to be here presented, but are based on the general idea that all the means necessary to procure the right of way, grade, bridge, and tie the road must be raised along the line in private subscriptions and municipal bonds, and this bed so constructed be mortgaged for the means to procure the iron and equipments.

No company yet heard from proposes to raise means in any other way, and it appears that no road in Kansas has ever been built with other means except in case of land grants.

                       [NOT SIGNED: PROBABLY WRITTEN BY MILLINGTON.]

[L. L. & G. RAILROAD COMPANY.]

Arkansas City Traveler, June 6, 1877. Front Page.

The following letter has been received by the Elk County railroad committee.

                                           KANSAS CITY, MO., May 2, 1877.

Messrs. Woodring, Sweet and Vliet.

GENTLEMEN: We are authorized by Mr. Hunnewell, President of the L. L. & G. R. R. Co., to say that the extension of the Southern Kansas Railroad from Independence west will be made as fast as it can be done with the net earnings of the L. L. & G. and Southern Kansas road and individual subscriptions on the part of the bondholders of both roads, provided that aid of $4,000 per mile is secured. While they expect to accomplish more, they are willing to guarantee that the road will be finished to Elk City this year, to Elk Falls next year, and through Cowley County the year before. Yours, GEO. H. NETTLETON, Gen. Manager.

B. S. HENNING, Receiver.

The Elk County Ledger says the surest indications we have seen that the L. L. & G. railroad is to be extended west is the fact that Independence is terribly scared. The people of that city send delegations out to Elk County to discourage and prevent our people from taking measures to secure the building of the L. L. & G. west from Independence. We cannot blame Independence for taking this course—it is only in self defense.

But if the people of Elk and Cowley counties really want a standard gauge road built through their respective counties, they have only to take hold with a will and pull together, and, in our opinion, they will secure the road within a few months. We are confident that it intends to build the road right away, and if it will give the proper guarantees that it will pass through the center of the county, there will be comparatively little trouble in securing the amount of bonds asked for, I. e., $4,000. Press.

Note that the next item refers to “South Kansas & Western Railroad Company...

Arkansas City Traveler, June 6, 1877.

There will be a meeting of the Directors of the South Kansas & Western Railroad Company at Cedar Vale, Chautauqua Co., Satur­day, June 9th.  E. B. HIBBARD, Secretary.

[KANSAS CITY, BURLINGTON & SANTA FE RAILROAD.]

Winfield Courier, September 19, 1878.

BURLINGTON ROAD. Gen. W. H. Schofield, president of the Kansas City, Burlington & Santa Fe railroad, with Major Orson Kent, treasurer, Major Gunn, engineer, and Hon. T. L. Davis, attorney of Eureka, were in town Tuesday and in conferences with R. F. Burden, E. C. Manning, Rev. J. E. Platter, and D. A. Millington, members of the committee appointed to confer with them in relation to building their road into and through Cowley County.

Gen. Schofield says that the money is now secured to build the road as fast as men and money can rush it along; that the aid required from Greenwood County will soon be forthcoming, and that they will be able in all probability to be running trains to Winfield before the first of September next if Cowley County responds with the required aid; that the company desires to build in a direct line from Burlington via Eureka to Winfield and thence to the state line either at Arkansas City or Caldwell with a view of eventually running through the Indian Territory, and that a million of dollars is ready to invest in the stock and mortgage bonds of the road and in the municipal bonds that may be obtained along the line. He requires that this county soon call an election and vote his company bonds to the amount of $4,000 a mile to be exchanged for the capital stock of the road and that the bonds be executed and placed in escrow with the State treasurer to be forfeited, canceled, and returned if the road fails to be in operation to Winfield by Jan. 15, 1880, thus giving them six months to cover unexpected contingencies.

The committee insisted upon several modifications to the proposition to make it similar to those carried last year for the Parsons and Emporia roads, and that Cowley should not vote until the franchises were secured or the road under contract up to our county line. Some slight concessions were made, but after discussing the subject in its various bearings without coming to an agreement, the gentlemen of the railroad departed to visit Wellington but promising to call for another conference on their return Wednesday evening, where the questions at issue will be further discussed. As we go to press Wednesday we shall not be able to report the result this week.

[BOUND TO COME: KANSAS CITY, EMPORIA & SOUTHERN R. R. COMPANY.]

Arkansas City Traveler, September 25, 1878.

                                                      BOUND TO COME!

                              Kansas City, Emporia & Southern R. R. Company.

                                        EMPORIA, KANSAS, SEPT. 21, 1878.

James C. Topliff Esq.—

DEAR SIR: Your favor of 16th inst. at hand. Thanks for the interest you and your people manifest toward our road. I will now proceed to answer your questions.

We are now at work with all the men and teams that the contractors can procure, thirty miles south of this point, in Greenwood County, and are grading about two and a half miles per week. Mr. Young concluded a contract with Philadelphia parties in August, whereby they agree to have the line completed to Eureka by the first of January, 1879, and they are now at work with a will. I do not know what Mr. Schofield will do as it is but a short time since he was trying to sell out his line of road to our people, and induce them to build from Burlington instead of Emporia, but after a careful examination of his line from Burlington to Athens, they decided his iron would be worth more, buying in Kansas City, than his road and equipments as it is constructed with so many heavy grades, several over 120 feet to the mile, that it would be impossible to do any business over it. On our line from Athens to Cowley County line, we have no grade going north over 30 feet to the mile, an immense advantage as you will readily see. Mr. Schofield is doing no work south or west of Burlington, and has not as yet paid for the work done on his line last season, making him some $50,000 in arrears, and still going behind. These are facts! Or were facts three weeks ago! I do not say this from any ill will, but in order that you may know the exact facts. Our people are putting forth every effort to have the line completed to Eureka by Jan. 1st, and through the Flint Hills by April. The greatest difficulty at the present time is the scarcity of teams, the farmers being very busy putting in wheat, but that will soon be over when we hope to have 250 teams steadily working till the grading is completed. If there are any idle in your vicinity they can get work on the line in Greenwood County, some thirty miles south of this place. Wages $2.50 per day and board $2.50 per week.

I learn that Major Gunn, Mr. Schofield’s engineer, decides that a line by way of Lazette is very impracticable. Yours truly, L. B. FULLER, Chief Engineer, K. C. E. & S. R. R.

Winfield Courier, October 10, 1878.

Maj. Gunn, chief engineer of the Burlington railroad, called on us Tuesday. He had been surveying another route for his railroad from Burlington to Winfield. Major Gunn is one of the most competent civil engineers in the West.

[LETTER FROM MR. SCHOFIELD: RE RAILROAD.]

Arkansas City Traveler, October 16, 1878

                                                EUREKA, KAS., Oct. 4, 1878.

C. M. Scott, Esq., Arkansas City, Kansas.

DEAR SIR: My attention has been called this morning to an article in your paper of Sept. 25, dated at Emporia, Sept. 21, and addressed to James C. Topliff, Esq., by L. B. Fuller, Chief Engineer of the K. C. E. & S. R. R.

In the article Mr. Fuller has undertaken to state some things (which he calls facts) in reference to myself, to the road I represent, and to Maj. O. B. Gunn, our Chief Engineer, which statements, as made by Mr. Fuller, are so utterly at variance with the facts that I respectfully solicit the privilege of correcting—through the columns of your valuable Journal—some of the statements therein made by Mr. Fuller. And allow me here to say that we have nothing to say about or against Mr. Fuller, or the road he claims to represent, and we think he would much better accomplish what he and his associates have undertaken, if they would confine themselves to their own enterprise, and leave us and ours alone. Now to the points in Mr. Fuller’s letter which I want to correct. He says, “I do not know what Mr. Schofield will do as it is but a short time since he was trying to sell out his line of road to our people, and induce them to build from Burlington instead of Emporia.”

Now I wish to say to Mr. Fuller that what I shall do will be to build our road, therefore he need have no especial anxiety on that point, and further, he is entirely mistaken in the matter of my trying to sell out our line, etc.

Mr. William Sturgis and Mr. Joseph E. Young, of Chicago, met me on my way from New York, and did propose to me to purchase our road from Ottawa to Burlington, and in anticipation of that purpose they, through and by means of Mr. Johnson and Mr. Fuller, had organized a new corporation, to be called the Kansas City, Eureka & Santa Fe Railroad Company, whose purpose was to build a road (as an extension of our road) from Burlington via Eureka to the Southwest. This they had done before I had ever met, to know, either Mr. Young, Mr. Wm. Sturgis, Mr. Johnson, or Mr. Fuller. When I did meet these Chicago gentlemen, I did, in a respectful manner, listen to their proposition to purchase our road, and we discussed the question at great length, and I spent with these gentlemen several weeks in Chicago and New York, on this subject, they wanting to purchase much more than we wished to sell. The result was, they failed to offer us any consider­ation that we could accept in exchange for our road. Thus ended, amicably, all there was about that purchase and sale of our road.

Now Mr. Fuller further says: “But, after a careful examination of his line from Burlington to Athens, they decided his iron would be worth more lying in Kansas City than his road and equipment, as it is constructed with so many heavy grades (several over 120 feet to the mile) it would be impossible to do any business over it.”

Now on these points I have to say that they failed to pur­chase because what they offered us in payment for our road—in quantity and quality—we declined to accept; otherwise (that is, if we had accepted the amount and kind of pay) they would have purchased our road. About those “many heavy grades,” and the impossibility of doing business, etc., I say to Mr. Fuller that he has most wickedly and, I think, foolishly overstated these things. We have not many grades on our road of “over 120 feet to the mile,” and we are now doing every day, and have done since the day we opened our road, a good business over our road—and could do three times the amount, as we shall surely do when and as soon as the business of the new country we run through becomes organized. We have neither run off the track, damaged, or destroyed any property, or injured any person, since we have been operating our road, and I respectfully solicit public patronage in passengers and freight, and leave the question of our ability to do business with the public who do now, or may hereafter, patronize our line of road.

Mr. Fuller further says: “Mr. Schofield is doing no work, and has not as yet paid for the work done on his line last season, making him some $50,000 in arrears, and still going behind.”

I wish to say to Mr. Fuller that he does not know what work I am doing, and further, his statement as to our arrears is not true, either in whole or in part, and his further statement that we are “still going behind” is absolutely untrue. I deem these statements impertinent. I declare it to be none of Mr. Fuller’s business. I pronounce them false, and think it of very question­able propriety in Mr. Fuller, or anybody else, to thus falsely attack another corporation in order to show up a possibly better condition of his own.

I have no sort of objection to Mr. Fuller and his associates building their road, and completing it to Eureka, Coffeyville, Howard City, Douglas, Winfield, Arkansas City, Wellington, Caldwell, etc., in the shortest possible (or impossible) space of time. I have not, and never shall, put or attempt to put a straw in their way.

We shall build our road. We may not attempt so grand and diffusive a plan or network of railroads all over Southern Kansas, but we shall try honestly and faithfully to build some road, and reach as soon as possible the Walnut and Arkansas Valleys, and thence through Sumner to points west and south. Trusting that this explanation may set at rest any prejudice created by Mr. Fuller’s letter, I am, sir, your obedient servant. Very Respectfully,

                                                      WM. H. SCHOFIELD.

P.S. I am authorized by Maj. Gunn to say that his sugges­tion about the impracticability of a route by Lazette is all sheer imagination. He never gave any such opinion. Major O. B. Gunn is an engineer of such standing, and his character as a man is such and for 20 years so well known in Kansas, that such allusions made by Mr. Fuller are exceedingly foolish.

The K. P., the M., K. & T., the Central Branch, and many other of the trunk line railroads of our country, the elegant and exceedingly convenient new union depot at Kansas City, with its complex network of yard tracks, are works that bear honorable testimony to Major Gunn’s engineering skill and ability—all of which Mr. Fuller could copy from and study with advantage and profit to himself. W. H. S.

[RAILROAD MATTERS.]

Arkansas City Traveler, October 24, 1878.

                                                  [From the Wellington Press.]

Maj. O. B. Gunn, Engineer of the Kansas City, Burlington and Southwestern railway, arrived in this city Saturday evening, accompanied by a force of surveyors. The company left for Caldwell on Monday, at which point they began a preliminary survey of the proposed line.

An authorized representative of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad company will be in this city today, to make definite propositions to the people of Sumner County to receive an exten­sion of their road, to be completed and operated to Wellington during the next year.

Cowley County has accepted an offer from the A. T. & S. F. railroad company to extend their road from Wichita to the city of Winfield—the said extension to be completed and operated to that point on or before Dec. 31, 1879. The company asks for the usual four thousand dollars per mile in bonds.

Winfield Courier, November 14, 1878.

Maj. Schofield was here again last week on railroad matters. He was accompanied by Col. Fisk, of New York, an experienced railroad builder and capitalist, who is a brother-in-law of Joseph P. Hale, the principal capitalist of the Burlington road. Col. Fisk will have a large interest in the road and superintend its construction. They were accompanied by Mr. DeLong, attorney for the company, and Maj. Gunn, the chief engineer. The company is thoroughly and powerfully organized with able and experienced men in every department and claim an abundance of capital to build the road. These gentlemen went on to Sumner and to counties west to make arrangements with those counties having ordered that their proposition be circulated in the form of a petition in this county at once.

Winfield Courier, February 6, 1879.

L. L. & G. RAILROAD. Major Gunn has visited our commissioner R. F. Burden to notify him and the people of this county that the new owners of the L. L. & G. railroad will immediately go to work to build their road from Independence to this place. The new company means business. They will want what help we can give. Mr. Burden is satisfied that this road will be speedily built. Oswego and Independence are to be connected by a road and we will then have a continuous line direct to St. Louis.

Winfield Courier, March 6, 1879.

General Charles W. Blair, of Fort Scott, came to Winfield on Tuesday of this week in the interest of the new L. L. & G. railroad company. That company proposes to build a good standard gauge steel track railroad from Independence by way of Elk Falls to Winfield and on westward. They will commence immediately and push the work as fast as men and money can do it, and expect to reach this place by the first of November.

The new company is composed of leading capitalists of Boston, and others, with Gen. Nettleton as manager, Maj. Gunn as chief engineer, and a full corps of experienced railroad men as officers; they have the money all ready for the investment and much of the material contracted for. They have submitted propo­sitions in every township between Independence and the east line of Cowley County, with not a doubt that all will be carried.

They now come to us and offer to build through our county for $68,000 in county 7 percent 30 year bonds, the estimated residue of the ability of this county under the law, after giving the Santa Fe the $144,000 already voted. They ask that $51,000 of these be delivered when they have built to Winfield, and $17,000 when they have reached the west line. They agree to deposit with the County Treasurer $10,000, which shall be for­feited to the county, and the bonds to be forfeited also, in case the road is not completed through the county from the east line to the west line by way of Winfield before the first day of next March.

They demand this time before a forfeit that they may save themselves in case that extraordinary circumstances should hinder them, but they expect to reach Winfield before November. They want their proposition voted on immediately that they may know at once what they can do.

They have 40 miles of road in the best coal fields of Kansas and Missouri, between Fort Scott and Springfield, Mo., on the A. & P. road, which road runs directly to St. Louis; and they propose to build at once the remaining 50 miles between those two cities and truck the grade between Fort Scott and Humboldt, thus giving a through line from Winfield to St. Louis as well as a through line without change from Winfield to Kansas City.

A large but informal meeting of leading citizens of Winfield met with Gen. Blair on Tuesday evening at which the points above named were settled upon, a committee appointed to sit with the General and draw up a proposition to be submitted to as many of the people of the county as can be collected together on Wednes­day evening at the courthouse.

As we go to press on Wednesday morning, of course, we can report no farther in this issue, but we can hardly doubt that a proposition so remarkable in its liberality and in the profound safety of its provisions will be accepted, petitioned for by the requisite number, and carried almost unanimously.

[RAILROAD PETITION: SOUTHERN KANSAS AND WESTERN]

Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 13, 1879. Front Page.

To the Honorable the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Cowley and State of Kansas.

Inasmuch as the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company proposes to construct a line of railroad into and through the county of Cowley, in the State of Kansas, the undersigned, being more than two-fifths of the resident taxpayers of said county, respectfully petition your Honorable Board to call a special election in said county at as early a day as is practicable, and legal, and at such special election to submit to the qualified electors of said county, a proposition to subscribe 68 thousand (68,000) dollars to the capital stock of said Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company, a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Kansas, and to issue the bonds of said county in the like amount of sixty-eight thousand (68,000) dollars, in payment of said sub­scription, said bonds to be delivered to said railroad company for like amounts of the capital stock thereof as follows: Fifty-one thousand (51,000) dollars when said railroad is in operation to the point herein after named, near the city of Winfield, in said county, and the remaining seventeen thousand (17,000) dollars when the said railroad is in operation to the western line of said county.

We further respectfully petition, that in payment of said subscription the county of Cowley shall issue one hundred and thirty-six bonds of five hundred (500) dollars each, payable to said Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company, or bearer, thirty years after date, but which may be paid by the county at any time after ten years, and bearing interest at the rate of seven percent per annum, with interest coupons attached, payable on the first days of January and July in each year; and that the conditions on which said subscriptions shall be made and said bonds issued shall be as follows: That said railroad company shall construct a standard gauge railroad from some point on the east line of said county to the point hereinafter designated near the city of Winfield, and thence to the western line of said county in the general direction of Wellington, in Sumner County, and shall establish at least two depots and side tracks on said line between said eastern line of said county to the point herein­after designated near the city of Winfield, and shall establish and maintain a depot and side tracks within three-fourths of one mile of the crossing of Main street and 9th avenue in said city of Winfield, and east of the Walnut and south of Timber Creek; and shall construct said line of railroad to the above point near Winfield with continuous rail communica­tion from Independence, in Montgomery County, Kansas, by or before the first day of March, 1880, and to the western line of the county by or before the first day of May, 1880.

And said bonds shall not be issued to said railroad company unless it shall have its line in operation to the points above indicated within the time above limited.

And it is to be a further condition of the subscription and issue of bonds hereby contemplated, that said railroad company shall have its line in operation to Elk City, in Montgomery County, Kansas, by or before August first, 1879; to or near Longton, Nov. 1st, 1879; to or near Elk Falls, Dec. 1st, 1879; to the west line of Elk County by or before Jan. 1st, 1880.

We further respectfully petition that said special election may be called in said county in pursuance of the provisions of chapter 107 of the laws of Kansas for 1876, and the several acts amendatory thereof.

That the ballots to be used at said election in favor of said proposition shall have printed or written thereon the words, “For subscription of stock to the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company.” And those against the proposition shall have printed or written thereon the words, “Against subscription of stock to the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company.” And no vote shall be counted against said proposition that does not contain the above words.

We further respectfully petition your Honorable Board to require said railroad company to give security or make a deposit in money that it will pay the expenses of said special election in case the bonds should be voted and said company should fail to comply with the conditions of the same.

[COWLEY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]

Winfield Courier, March 13, 1879.

The board of commissioners met on Monday and called the election on the L. L. & G. railroad proposition, to be held April 29th.

Winfield Courier, March 20, 1879.

                          NOTICE: SPECIAL RAILROAD BOND ELECTION.

Whereas, the county commissioners of the county of Cowley, State of Kansas, at a special meeting, held March 10th, 1879, made an order of which the following is a copy.

“At a special meeting of the county commissioners of Cowley County, holden at the office of the county clerk in the court­house in the City of Winfield in said county on the 10th day of March A. D. 1879, there were present: R. F. Burden, Chairman; W. M. Sleeth and Geo. L. Gale, Commissioners; with E. S. Torrance, County Attorney, and M. G. Troup, County Clerk; a petition was presented to the Board, signed by two-fifths of the resident taxpayers of said county which, with the signatures omitted is as follows: to wit:

“To the Honorable the Board of County Commissioners of the county of Cowley and State of Kansas:

“Inasmuch as the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company proposes to construct a line of railroad into and through the county of Cowley, in the State of Kansas, the undersigned, being more than two-fifths of the resident tax payers of said county, respectfully petition your Honorable Board to call a special election in said county at as early a day as is practica­ble, and legal, and at such special election to submit to the qualified electors of said county, a proposition to subscribe 68 thousand (68,000) dollars to the capital stock of said Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company, a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Kansas, and to issue the bonds of said county in the like amount of sixty-eight thousand (68,000) dollars, in payment of said subscriptions, said bonds to be delivered to said railroad company for like amounts of the capital stock thereof as follows: Fifty-one thousand (51,000) dollars when said railroad is in operation to the point herein after named, near the city of Winfield in said county, and the remaining seventeen thousand (17,000) dollars when the said railroad is in operation to the western line of said county.

THIS GOES ON AND ON...SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS OUTLINED TO BEGIN WITH...MAIN THING: SPECIAL ELECTION: TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1879.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EDITIONS, THUS FAR...SHOWS PICTURES OR SKETCHES OF SOME OF THE BUILDINGS: READ’S BANK, WINFIELD; THE “AUNT SALLY;” ARKANSAS CITY SCHOOL BUILDING; COURT HOUSE AT WINFIELD; AND LATEST REVISED MAP OF COWLEY COUNTY ON FRONT PAGE.

[STATE NEWS.]

Winfield Courier, April 3, 1879.

There were 1,452 names signed to the L. L. & G. railroad proposition in Cowley County.

Winfield Courier, April 10, 1879.

Mr. Henry Goldsmith visited Independence last week, leaving for his return on Friday morning. He says that the L. L. & G. R. R. Co. are receiving large quantities of ties and other material for building the road to Winfield, and that they promise that the cars shall be running into Louisburg township by the first of May.

[RAILROAD ITEMS.]

Winfield Courier, April 10, 1879.

General Blair, attorney, and Major Gunn, engineer of the L. L. & G. railroad extension to this place, were in town last Friday and report everything “booming” in relation to their work. Louisburg township, in Montgomery County, voted their bonds by a three-fourths majority. They think that the Elk townships will be carried by even greater majorities. Sumner County is active in the preparation to submit a bond vote and will no doubt put her shoulder to the wheel.

The engineers are out engaged in locating the Cowley, Sumner and Fort Smith railroad, extension of the Wichita branch of the A. T. & S. F. Large amounts of material are in preparation for the work and dirt will soon be flying all along the line from Wichita to Winfield.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 23, 1879

The Daily Telegram says we oppose that L. L. & G. road because it is coming to Winfield, and that we would tear our shirt if it was coming to Arkansas City. Quite a mistake, my boy. We would not give a cent for a garment in that condition. We are not at all envious of Winfield, and are proud that she is in Cowley County, though we can see no reason why the people who reside outside the corporation should not enjoy a breath of air. Our motto is “Live and let live,” and we think there is plenty of room in Cowley for both towns, even were they much larger. We have no desire to do injustice to others, and our imagination is not morbid while we see in the future both towns growing into one, with a Grand Central Depot in Posy Valley, and ships from all nations rolling the waters of the noble Arkansas!!!!

[AN EAST AND WEST ROAD]

Winfield Courier, April 24, 1879.

To the Voters of Cowley County. On the 29th of this month you will be called upon to cast your ballots for or against the proposition to exchange the bonds of your county for $68,000 of the stock of the Southern Kansas and Western Railroad Company. It is your duty to prepare your­selves to vote intelligently, and in order to assist you in doing so, your committee, appointed to look after the railroad inter­ests of your county, desire to advance a few reasons (which appear to them to be well founded), why this proposition should receive the favorable consideration of every vote in the county.

In the first place, the proposed road is greatly needed to advance the material interests and welfare of the people. It is to extend through the county from east to west, affording this county a connection with all the eastern roads running through Missouri to the Mississippi river; with the projected road through southern Missouri to Memphis and with the M. K. & T. road running through the Indian Territory to Texas, with a Ft. Smith connection soon to be made which will open up to us the long coveted market of Little Rock and other coveted southern points.

The advantages to be derived from these connections, in bringing to our doors the cheap lumber from the pineries of Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas, the superior coal of the eastern counties, reduced freights from St. Louis and the east, and in the transportation of our own exports to a favorable market, certainly cannot be overestimated.

But will the road be built if the bonds are voted? This query, owing to the singularly modest demand of the company in asking but $68,000 for building nearly forty miles of first-class road, using steel rails, and overcoming the Grouse hills, may well be repeated and answered doubtingly by the reflective mind. Nevertheless, we can confidently assure you, fellow-citizens, that if the bonds are voted in Elk and Cowley Coun­ties, the road will not only be built, but will be completed considerably ahead of time. A letter just received by the chairman of this commit­tee from Major O. B. Gunn, chief engineer (and who, we may justly add, stands at the pinnacle of his profession), whose honor and truthfulness are unimpeachable, says: “I told your people that while our proposition was for the first of March, we should expect to reach Winfield by the 1st of January; but I am able to say that if the bonds are voted all along the line, so we can spread out, we shall try to do even better than I stated.”

How do we know that the company mean business, and that the road will be constructed if the bonds are voted? We know it on business principles. The company is backed by representatives of some of the best railways in the country, and possessed of immense capital. The building of this road is necessary to the welfare and prosperity of other roads owned by these backers. The company have deposited with the Winfield Bank the amount of money fixed by the county clerk to pay the expenses of the election, provided the bonds are voted and they fail to comply with their agreement.

The company has placed in the hands of T. R. Bryan, county treasurer, a certificate of deposit of the banking house of Armour Bros., Kansas City, payable to the order of the county treasurer, for $10,000, dated April 12, 1879, to be forfeited to the county, provided the bonds are voted in Elk and Cowley counties, and the company fail to build the road as stipulated.

The contract for the construction of the road from Indepen­dence west to the Elk County line has already been let, to be commenced immediately, and the ties and steel rails for the same are purchased and waiting to be used.

But some men say that the voting of this subsidy, though small, will, added to that already voted to the Cowley, Sumner & Ft. Smith company, increase and make our taxation burdensome. Let us see if it will. We propose to make a plain statement of figures that cannot lie, nor be controverted.

The interest on $68,000, for one year, at 7 percent, amounts to $4,760. The road will be assessed at not less than $6,000 per mile. Taking 38 miles as the least length (a low estimate) of the road, the assessment will amount to $228,000. We will average the tax at $3 on the $100 valuation, as some townships pay more, and some less. The tax on the road then will amount to $6,840, or $2,080 in excess of the interest! It is easy to see that this excess, each year for 30 years, without any accumula­tion of interest, would nearly extinguish the whole debt. But used as a sinking fund, which under the present law, it must be, and availing ourselves of the wise provision in the proposition, giving the county the privilege, after ten years, of paying off the indebtedness, as we become able, no one need feel the least apprehension that the county is assuming more than she is able to bear; but that, on the contrary, she could not do a wiser thing for her future welfare and prosperity, than to buy the construc­tion of this road with her bonds, getting the stock of the company to boot, which may not be considered, by any means, worthless. The time may come when the stock of a first class road like this one, and backed by unlimited capital like this, will be worth nearly par.

But the road itself is by no means all the taxable property that it brings in. Consider the increased valuation of all kinds of property resulting from it! The settlement of unsettled lands—the growth of towns and stations—the increase of crops and stock, and the inflow of capital for all purposes, certainly must convince a reasonable mind—a mind of fair capabilities—that it would not be the part of wisdom to reject such a proposition as the one before us.

In conclusion, fellow-citizens, we would have been pleased to have paid a deserved eulogy to our county, the best and fairest, and to become the richest of the best and fairest state in the Union; a county, in which to be a resident, may justly add to one’s pride and self-respect—but our circular is full lengthy now; and we must be contented with the few plain facts herein stated.

Committee. J. M. ALEXANDER. M. L. ROBINSON. E. P. KINNE. T. K. JOHNSON. R. L. WALKER.

Winfield Courier, April 24, 1879.

A railroad bond election is to be held in Cowley County on the 29th. The company agreed for a forfeit of $10,000 if they do not carry out their promises.

[ELECTION RETURNS: L. L. & G. RAILROAD.]

Winfield Courier, May 1, 1879.

The following is the vote of this county on the proposition to vote $68,000 to the extension of the L. L. & G. railroad through this county on Tuesday last, so far as heard from as we go to press:

TOWNSHIP                               FOR     AGAINST

Beaver                                           75                   30

Bolton, east .........................

Bolton, west ........................

Cedar, east ...........................

Cedar, west ..........................

Cresswell                                             43                 182

Dexter                                                  27                   20

Harvey                                           51                     5

Liberty                                           11                   11

Maple                                                  16                   32

Ninnescah                                            16                   16

Omnia .................................

Otter, north                                            2                   18

Otter, south                                            2                   27

Pleasant Valley                               32                     4

Richland, North ...................

Richland, South                                    47                     5

Rock ....................................

Sheridan                                               62                     2

Silver Creek                                         33                     3

Silverdale                                             20                   22

Spring Creek ..........................

Tisdale                                           69                     1

Vernon                                           74                     4

Windsor                                             140

Winfield                                              183                     2

Winfield City, 1st ward                 287                     2

Winfield City, 2nd ward                      252                     2

[OFFICIAL COUNT: VOTE ON L. L. & G. RAILROAD PROPOSITION.]

Winfield Courier, May 8, 1879.

TOWNSHIP.                 FOR   AGAINST

Beaver                                    75          10

Bolton, east                              3          24

Bolton, west                            20            9

Cedar, east                               8          14

Cedar, west                            13          13

Cresswell                                42        182

Dexter                                    27          29

Harvey                                    51            5

Liberty                                    11          11

Maple                                     10          33

Ninnescah                         16          16

Omnia                               30          17

Otter, north                              2          18

Otter, south                              2          27

Pleasant Valley                      32            4

Richland, north                       30            3

Richland, south                      47            5

Rock                                       73            5

Sheridan                                 62            2

Silver Creek                           31            3

Silverdale                         20          22

Spring Creek                            5          27

Tisdale                                    69            1

Vernon                                    74            4

Windsor                                140

Winfield                                183            1

Winfield, city, 1st ward      287            2

Winfield, city, 2nd ward     252            1

          TOTAL: ................ 1,612        438

[EAST AND WEST ROAD: SOUTHERN KANSAS AND WESTERN RAILROAD.]

Winfield Courier, May 8, 1879.

The building of the Southern Kansas and Western railroad from Independence to Winfield within the next ten months is assured. The franchises are voted along the whole line. Louisburg township voted the bonds some weeks ago by an over­whelming majority. Last week Tuesday the Elk townships voted bonds to the road.

On the same day Cowley County voted the bonds by 1200 majority. The company has deposited $10,850, which now cannot be withdrawn and which it must forfeit to Cowley County if the road is not in operation to Winfield within ten months. Major Gunn, the engineer, and Gen. Blair both assure us that it will be built long before the time given, even before the year 1879 expires.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 11, 1879.

The L. L. & G. R. R. propose to build directly west from Wellington, into Harper County. This will leave New Caldwell to lay in the shade till the morning of the Great Resurrection. Good bye, sweet child, thou hast given up the spirit ere the morning of life tasted the sweets of this beautiful world.

Winfield Courier, June 19, 1879.

The engineer corps of the L. L. & G., were in town Saturday, having established their route to within 18 miles of this place.

 

[EDITOR MILLINGTON JOURNEYS ON THE K. C., L. & S. RAILROAD.]

Winfield Courier, March 18, 1880.

Last week we passed over the K. C., L. & S. railroad between Grenola and Oxford, in the daytime, and had a good opportunity to inspect it. Its rails are all steel, and it is thoroughly well constructed and unusually smooth for a new road.

The rise from Grenola and the Cana valley westward to the top of the Flint ridge is one of the triumphs of engineering skill, and Maj. Gunn and his engineers may well be proud of his success. The rise of between 300 and 400 feet is effected in so strategic a manner that one scarcely realizes that he is riding uphill. In our anxiety about the possibility of building a road from the east to Winfield in past years, we spent considerable time in hunting a pass through the Flint ridge, and finally concluded the one now occupied was the best, but we never dreamed that the difficulties would ever be so completely overcome. The rise from the Grouse to Burden seems to have proved at least as difficult, but here, also, the difficulties have been as com­pletely overcome.

Probably no road in Kansas presents so many romantic and interesting features as does the road between Grenola and Oxford.

Winfield Courier, March 25, 1880.

After next Monday trains on the K. C., L. & S. will leave here for Kansas City at six o’clock, a.m., and run through from Wellington. They will do away with getting up in the middle of the night when going east.

Winfield Courier, March 25, 1880.

The S. A. Brown Lumber Company are making great improvements on their lots near the K. C., L. & S. depot. They have put up a shed 25 x 100, and are just finishing a large room for sash and doors.

Winfield Courier, April 1, 1880.

We are in receipt of a handsomely illustrated pamphlet issued by the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern railroad, descrip­tive of the counties lying along the line of their road. It is calculated for general circulation throughout the eastern states and to induce immigration to the counties above mentioned. It is a model work and can be had, free of postage, upon addressing J. E. Lockwood, general ticket agent of the K. C., L. & S. railroad, at Kansas City, Mo.

Winfield Courier, April 15, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. depot presents a lively appearance at train time. The passenger traffic is rapidly increasing over this line.

Winfield Courier, April 15, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. have decided to extend a branch from Oxford to the State line, near South Haven. Three surveys have been made, the line of the road finally located, and the material is on the ground. It will be completed in a very short space of time.

Winfield Courier, April 15, 1880.

Notices have been posted up on the K. C., L. & S. depot threatening prosecution to any person defacing the depot build­ing. This is right. Persons who will sit down and whittle away for a half hour on a building worth $4,000, at this season, ought to spend a year or two “resting up” at Leavenworth.

Winfield Courier, April 22, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. bridge across the Walnut was finished last week. It is a magnificent iron structure and is a credit to the company.

[THE RAILROAD FREIGHT WAR.]

Winfield Courier, April 22, 1880.

The extraordinary cut in freights made by the Santa Fe railroad has been the subject of much comment for the past few days. The company is now carrying goods from Kansas City to Winfield and Wellington in car load lots for five cents per hundred, and in broken lots for ten cents. We learn that a pool has already been agreed upon to take effect in a short time. The K. C. L. & S. is making no attempt to compete with the Santa Fe road in rates, and is simply lying low until some adjustment of the matter is reached. The result of this will probably be the establishment of higher rates than have heretofore been charged, and perhaps a discrimination in favor of towns north and east of us which are not touched by both roads, and where each can adjust the tariff to suit themselves. If this proves to be the result of the pool there is fun ahead, for our people will not tamely submit to the dictation of these corporations.

LATER: We learn through Mr. Garvey, agent for the Santa Fe at this place, that the cause of the break was not a desire on their part to force a pool, but solely to protect their shippers from cuts by the K. C., L. & S. to outside parties.

That if a pool is decided upon, he has the word of Mr. Goddard, general freight agent, to the effect that enough of the territory around Winfield will be included in the pool to protect us from discriminations in favor of other towns near us. As the Santa Fe is chiefly interested in Winfield and the management has no favorite town in the vicinity, we may suppose that they will insist on the above conditions.

Winfield Courier, April 29, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. is having the main part of the work for the western division done at the Southwestern Machine Works. They claim that they can get it done cheaper and better at Winfield than in any town along the line.

[SERVICE BY K. C., L. & S. RAILROAD.]

Winfield Courier, May 6, 1880.

The first train on the K. C., L. & S. railroad carried a large lot of newspaper seeds in a broken package, and scattered them all along the line. Subsequent rains and warm weather have caused them to sprout up at Elk City, Longton, Elk Falls, Grenola, Burden, and Oxford, with four other stations to hear from. The probable dry weather may cause several of these young newspaper sprouts to wilt down and die, but we do not predict. Go in, boys, and win if possible. We admire your pluck.

Winfield Courier, June 17, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. have about concluded to retain their Sunday train. It is one of the most convenient trains on the road and we should regret to see them discontinue it.

Winfield Courier, July 8, 1880.

The K. C. L. & S. passenger train was three hours late Tuesday night, owing to the train being ditched this side of Chanute. No one was hurt as yet reported.

Winfield Courier, July 22, 1880.

The K. C. L. & S. road is building new stock yards near their bridge on the Walnut. They will also put in a new tank.

Winfield Courier, July 29, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. railroad company are fitting up commodi­ous and convenient stock yards near the bridge. The work is done in the superior manner usual for that company.

Winfield Courier, July 29, 1880.

If the K. C., L. & S. railroad should ever take a notion to build a branch to Wichita, we suggest that the junction be made at Winfield and go up the Walnut Valley to Douglass, thence to Wichita. The cost would be much less by this route and the necessary aid could be easily raised.

Winfield Courier, August 5, 1880.

M. L. Bangs is employed by the K. C., L. & S. railroad at Wellington.

Winfield Courier, August 5, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. have the track laid west of Wellington nearly to the Harper County line.

Winfield Courier, September 9, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. railroad is completed to Harper.

Winfield Courier, September 23, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. railroad changed time last Sunday. No more Sunday trains. Mail train leaves at 5:40 in the morning and arrives at 9:58 in the evening.

Winfield Courier, September 23, 1880.

The two railroads building west into Harper County have come to an agreement and have quit work in building the roads. The K. C., L. & S. had nearly reached Harper City, and the Santa Fe was within eight miles of Anthony.

Winfield Courier, September 23, 1880.

We were pleased to meet Major Gunn, the chief engineer of the K. C., L. & S. railroad, in this city last Sunday. He was in company with Mr. Hamilton, assistant engineer.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 7, 1880. Front Page.

                                                            TORRANCE.

                                                  [WINDSOR TOWNSHIP.]

This town is only six months old, and has sprung into existence like a mushroom. It is situated one-half mile west of Grouse creek and is almost encircled by this beautiful stream.

The scenery is both romantic and grand. Torrance is on an elevation overlooking the stream and valley, and at a distance on both sides of the stream are a range of bluffs which would meet the eye of a landscape painter very favorably. I think the citizens of Burden and Cambridge made a mistake by not combining and making this place the center of attraction. All kinds of fish are caught in the stream. The K. C., L. & S. R. R., with its usual liberality, intends to erect a depot here.

[RAILROAD CONSOLIDATION: SANTA FE TO TAKE OVER K. C., L. & S.]

Winfield Courier, October 7, 1880.

From the reports now current, it seems pretty certain that the Santa Fe company is now, or soon will be, the owner of the K. C., L. & S. road. If this is the case, the Santa Fe road now has complete control of the transportation of Southern Kansas. With its main line running through the central part of the state from East to West, its many feeders reaching out from the main line on every hand, and now possessed of another and the only line from which opposition could come, they certainly are masters of the situation.

Winfield Courier, October 14, 1880.

The reported purchase of the K. C., L. & S. road has been denied. We are glad of this. With competing lines we are sure to have reasonable rates. With both roads in the hands of one corporation, we might fare worse.

Winfield Courier, October 21, 1880.

About 40,000 head of cattle have been shipped over the K. C., L. & S. railroad this season.

[JUDGE MARTIN, ATTORNEY FOR K. C., L. & S., DECEASED.]

Winfield Courier, November 18, 1880.

We are informed that Judge H. W. Martin, who has been the right of way attorney of the K. C., L. & S. railroad, died of typhoid fever at Kansas City on the 7th inst. Judge Martin was a man of high personal and mental qualities and his death will be deeply regretted by all of his acquaintances.

[OUR RAILROAD STOCK.]

Winfield Courier, December 2, 1880.

The directors of the following named roads have made an arrangement to consolidate their stocks into one corporation and management called The Kansas City, Topeka and Western Railroad company. The terms of the consolidation are, that the stock of the Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern is to be taken up at 95 cents on the dollar, the stock of the Southern Kansas and Western at 75 cents on the dollar, and the stock of the Sumner County at 75 cents, and the stock of the Kansas City, Topeka and Western substituted therefor at par. This latter stock is to be taken at par and paid for by secured 5 percent 40 year bonds of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad company. The present Lawrence, Topeka and Western railroad is the line from Kansas City to Topeka which has been operated by the A., T. & S. F. under a lease. The K. C., L. & S. is the road from Lawrence (and we think from Olathe) to Independence and Coffeyville.

The S. K. & W. is the road from Independence via Winfield to Harper; and the Sumner county is the branch from Wellington to Hunnewell. It is the S. K. & W. in which Cowley County owns $68,000 of stock. The proposition so far as it affects this county substantially involves the sale of our $68,000 of stock for $51,000 A. T. & S. F. five percent 40 year bonds.

We are inclined to think that this would be a good operation for this county. The bonds would doubtless sell at any time at par in cash while the railroad stock may never be worth more than 75 cents on the dollar and in case of a financial revulsion, it might go down to next to nothing.

There never was a time when railroad stocks were so much in demand as they are at present. The scramble of Jay Gould and several great corporations to get control of so many railroad lines by buying in a majority of their stocks has so inflated railroad stocks that they sell much above their real value. How long this state of things is going to continue cannot now be seen but it is probable that some of these operators will before long get so heavily loaded that there will be a magnificent failure like that of Jay Cook in 1873 when the bubble will burst and railroad stock such as ours will not sell for ten cents on the dollar. At the same time first mortgage and other well secured railroad bonds will be but little affected by the money stringen­cy that would ensue for they must first be paid. The sale of a road to pay such bonds has usually frozen out the stock entire­ly and rendered it worthless.

We suppose the consolidation will be affected by the direc­tors, whether our county as a stockholder in one of the roads consents or not; but we suppose the exchange of our stock for the bonds cannot be made without a vote of the people. A proposition in relation to the matter has been sent to J. S. Hunt, county clerk, to be laid before the commissioners for their action. We do not know what will be done about it, but presume the commis­sioners would wish to have the matter laid before the people, and would desire to have an expression from as many as possible in relation to the matter.

Winfield Courier, December 2, 1880.

The K. C., L. & S. are about putting up a wind machine to pump water for their tank at this place.

Winfield Courier, December 2, 1880.

A new warehouse for storing grain is in progress of building at the K. C., L. & S. depot. S. A. Brown & Co., are the proprietors.

[KANSAS.]

Winfield Courier, December 16, 1880.

                                      Fowler, Indiana, Era, P. D. Corkins, Editor.

On the 12th inst. I decided to go into the south part of the state, hence took the K. C., L. & S. route, at 1 p.m. My first sight of Kansas was in Johnson County, which we traversed from northeast to southwest, through as rich farming country as I ever saw; the improvements through that and into Franklin County, to Ottawa, indicate wealthy farmers. Kansas City is their market. Fruit is grown in great abundance, but wheat and corn are the staples. Improved farms in Johnson County, I am told, can be bought at from $10 to $25 per acre. This is a desirable country in which to live. From Ottawa to Humboldt, in Allen County, the land along the route was rough and stony—not our “nigger heads,” but a continued strata of limestone near the surface, jutting out along the brinks. This I would consider a good grazing county.

From Humboldt to Winfield we traveled in the night. The latter place is the county seat of Cowley County, 80 miles west of Independence, and about 250 miles southwest of Kansas City. The town was organized in 1870. Its nearest railroad point then was Emporia, 100 miles to the north, but now two railroads cross here, and it has a population of 3,500, well supplied with churches and other public buildings. The second school building is just completed at a cost of $9,000; the two costing $15,000. There is now in progress of erection a hotel at a cost of $25,000.

There are three weekly and one daily papers published here. One, the COURIER, weekly, Republican, has a circulation of 1700. They have a public reading room and the town is filled with live, wide awake, enterprising people. There are many residences far exceeding in cost and beauty that of Templeton’s, in Fowler. The town is surrounded by hills filled with the best building stone. Many quarries are now being worked, giving employment to hundreds of hands. The country in the immediate vicinity is very rough and rocky, being fit for grazing only. The valleys, however, are very productive. About one-third of the county, in the east, is of this nature, a great portion being very rough and unproduc­tive. The central one-third is rolling, with many small streams and rich valleys. The western one-third lies in the Arkansas valley, and is generally known as second bottom land, in appear­ance resembling Richland and Union townships in Benton, save there are no ponds or sloughs. Here I find all the land in cultivation. Many fine residences and barns, hedges, and or­chards, indeed, I could imagine myself in Benton County, and that alone is sufficient recommendation. There is considerable public lands in the county, but of an inferior quality. Yet for men of some means there are chances for good homes at reasonable fig­ures. The constant query with me as I travel over the country is, why are men so anxious to sell if the country is so produc­tive and desirable? I am told that many by whom the country was settled came here without money, took their claims, and hired money with which to improve. Big interest and a failure of crops compels them to sell. Again, there are a class of men calculated only for frontier life, and are discontented. Others are shift­less or bad managers, and are being rooted out. As in all new countries, the third or fourth classes of settlers are the ones to reap the benefit. These good chances will not last many years.

The county has a population of 22,000. There are six flourishing little towns within its borders. There are splendid water facilities for manufacturing. Sheep raising is proving remunerative. There are already 80,000 sheep in the county, a woolen mill is being talked of at Winfield, and at no distant day will be in operation. There are 116 school districts in the county and a good schoolhouse in each, beside each town has one or two, making at least 125 schoolhouses. The streams are spanned in many places by good iron bridges, public improvement is well advanced, so that taxes in the future will not be high.

There is no doubt a grand future for this part of Kansas. At this writing it is quite cold, yesterday morning the tempera­ture was 6 degrees below zero, with three inches of snow, this, I am told, is very uncommon at this season of the year. The climate is mild, and my experience proves it is favorable for persons troubled with asthma, yet I don’t recommend those having homes in old Benton to “pull up stakes” and move to this county. In fact, I think it would be injurious to come here without money. More anon.

Cowley Co., Ks., Nov. 19, 1880.

[KANSAS CITY, LAWRENCE & SOUTHERN RAILROAD.]

Winfield Courier, February 17, 1881.

AD. THE THROUGH ROUTE. The Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Railroad now completed to Winfield, is 30 miles the shortest, 2 hours the quickest, and the only line running through trains between Winfield and Kansas City. It is the best route to all points east. Close connec­tions are made with all trains at Union Depot, Kansas City. Trains on this line are always on time, thus making connections sure. Through tickets to all points are on sale at the Company’s office in Winfield, at lowest rates. If any of your Eastern friends are coming West, write them to purchase tickets via the Through Route, the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern R. R.

Winfield Courier, March 17, 1881.

The track connecting the Santa Fe and K. C., L. & S. is almost finished.

Winfield Courier, March 17, 1881.

The Santa Fe company is building a “Y” in the junction of the Santa Fe and the K. C., L. & S. west of town. This is done so that trains may be run from one road to the other.

[K. C., L. & S. RAILROAD: RECLINING CHAIR CARS.]

Winfield Courier, March 17, 1881.

The K. C., L. & S. railroad have put elegant reclining chair cars on their through trains, running from Wellington to Kansas City. We had the pleasure of riding in one of them from Elk Falls to Winfield last week. They are models of neatness and comfort and make the trip to Kansas City a pleasure rather than a bore, as it has heretofore been.

Winfield Courier, March 31, 1881.

In addition to the report that Gould has purchased the K. C., L. & S. railroad, comes the report that he has withdrawn his proposition from Chautauqua County. The proposition was to be voted on yesterday (Tuesday) and had every prospect of carry­ing. If he has withdrawn on the eve of a favorable election, it means something; and that something cannot be favorable to Winfield and Cowley County.

Winfield Courier, March 31, 1881.

A report is current that Jay Gould has purchased the K. C., L. & S. railroad. The report is not yet authenticated, but is believed to be true by most of the employees of the road. If this is a fact, our Arkansas City friends will look down their noses for some time to come. However, we will not kill the fatted calf until Jay tells us something about it himself.

Winfield Courier, March 31, 1881.

A special train passed through on the K. C., L. & S., Monday. It was made up of a dining car, two sleepers, and a reclining chair car, and contained General Manager Strong and President Coolidge of the Santa Fe, and General Manager Nettleton of the K. C., L. & S., with their families. They were out on an inspec­tion of the road.

Winfield Courier, April 14, 1881.

George Mann, the gentlemanly operator at the K. C., L. & S. depot, is off for a visit.

Winfield Courier, June 16, 1881.

The K. C., L. & S. railroad will carry persons attending Fourth of July celebrations for one fare for the round trip or half rates between points on the road.

Winfield Courier, June 30, 1881.

Tell W. Walton makes in the last number of his paper, the Caldwell Post, the following statement.

“Last Saturday night, while en route to Oxford from this city, we were compelled to patronize the K. C., L. & S. road from Winfield to Oxford. We applied at the ticket office for two tickets to Oxford, and tendered our money, a ten dollar bill. After marking the tickets and passing them over the counter, he found he could not make the change; so he said to get on the train and pay the conductor, or get the tickets after we had arrived at Oxford.

“Thinking it would be all right, and having his assurance that it would be, we boarded the train, and after we got out three-fourths of a mile from the station, the conduc­tor came through the car collecting tickets. We tendered our money a second time, but he refused to even look at it or hear an expla­nation of any kind, but stopped the train and compelled us to get off where we were, causing us, with our wife and child, to walk nearly a mile over the rough roads and cross the prairie back to the depot. We had some baggage with us, which we were obliged to carry too, or leave on the prairie. . . .

“This * * on the same evening beat a poor, lone woman out of the last cent she had, in making change for a ticket. She gave him a silver dollar, the last she had, and in return got a ticket for Oxford, costing forty cents, and ten cents in money. He claimed that she only gave him a half dollar, but the bystanders would swear that she gave him a dollar.”

John A. McGuire, of Tisdale, says that the other day he applied to the ticket office at Cherryvale for a ticket to Independence, the price of which was forty cents, and offered a half dollar piece, which was refused as not being the exact change. A feeble woman with two small children just then applied for a ticket to Independence, but failed for the same reason. Just then the train for Independence came along and McGuire and the woman got on board. The conductor came along and demanded tickets. The half dollars were offered and refused on the ground that the conductor would not take money but must have tickets. No amount would do. The only alternative was tickets or get off. The train was stopped and McGuire and the woman and her chil­dren were put out on the prairie two miles from Cherryvale, to which place they had to walk back. The woman could scarcely walk and her exertions would have been fatal had not McGuire been there to carry her small children.

The conductor of this train was not the same man with whom Tell Walton had to deal; but both are brutes, if these statements are true, which we cannot doubt, being made by men of undoubted veracity. We do not now give the names of these conductors because we wish to give them an opportunity to tell their ver­sions of these stories. It is no excuse for them that they were ordered at headquarters not to take money but only tickets for fare, no more than it would excuse them for assassinating a man because he had been ordered to do so. If these conductors believe that such acting is required of them by the company, they are venal hirelings or they would not work for such a company.

We do not believe the managers of this road desire such brutality on the part of their employees. We believe they are accommodating and obliging gentlemen who require their employees to be reasonable and obliging in carrying out such rules as are deemed necessary for the protection of the company and would discharge such brutes as these are alleged to be. Here were civil persons able and anxious to pay their fare and making due efforts to comply with all known rules of the company, and were treated worse than these same conductors would have dared to treat a party of Thugs who had attempted to rob the whole crowd. We do not blame the company for not daring to trust such men to solicit money, but we do blame them if they keep such in their employ knowing what they were.

We think that if the outraged parties should apply to Gen. Nettleton, stating the facts, the cases would be righted as far as possible.

Winfield Courier, June 30, 1881.

General Nettleton promptly furnished transportation over the K. C., L. & S. road and General Talmage over the Mo. Pacific for the relief of the sufferers of the Floral cyclone.

Winfield Courier, June 30, 1881.

A freight train and caboose was over the west part of the K. C., L. & S. road Saturday evening picking up section hands to go over to Moline and repair the track torn out by the floods. The rains that fell in that direction Saturday morning were very heavy.

[WELLINGTONIAN ITEM.]

Winfield Courier, June 30, 1881.

A fair soiled dove rejoicing in the name of Belle Lockwood, went to Winfield last week, to buy morphine. Returning to this city she became intoxicated, and while in that condition was robbed of fifteen dollars, and Jim Reynolds, a brakeman on the K. C., L. & S. Railroad, was charged with the aforesaid steal. The trial was set for last Monday morning, to be heard by Jas. Lawrence. In the absence of positive jurisdiction, the latter official dismissed the case.

Winfield Courier, July 7, 1881.

The Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern has put on a train which they call the “stock express.” It is for the shipment of stock, and makes the run from here to Kansas City in eighteen hours. It leaves at 11:15 a.m.

Winfield Courier, July 7, 1881.

Mr. Geo. Schroeter has invested in another enterprise that will be of much benefit to our citizens. Aside from furnishing time by bell, he has put up on the sidewalk in front of his jewelry store a stone column and pedestal in which is set two clocks, one registering Santa Fe time and the other K. C., L. & S.

George’s public spirit is commendable and he understands the principal that looking out for the wants of the public always brings its own reward.

[ANOTHER ASSASSINATION: CHARLES COLSON, K. C., L. & S. R. R.]

Winfield Courier, July 7, 1881.

Charles Colson, foreman of the section hands stationed near the summit of the Flint Hills divide near the eastern line of this county on the K. C., L. & S. railroad, was terribly, probably fatally injured, by a hand car last Friday morning, caused by an obstruction placed upon the track by some scoundrelly assassin, for the purpose of wrecking the morning train going east.

Colson with his hands started early in the morning, to repair a culvert a mile or two east, before the train should arrive; and in passing around a curve in a cut rapidly on a hand car, they suddenly encountered a pile of rock placed carefully on the track so as to surely throw the train in the ravine.

The collision threw the hands forward upon the track and the car struck and passed over them, wounding the foreman in the most terrible manner, cutting through the flesh on the upper part of the thigh and stripping it to the bone downward a distance of more than twelve inches.

He was taken to Grenola and Dr. Mendenhall of that place has been attending him. He has borne his dreadful calamity and distress in the most heroic manner. It is possible that he may recover, but his chances are still against it. The hands re­ceived less serious injuries.

Efforts have been made to discover the scoundrel or scoun­drels who perpetrated the deed, but so far without success. Had they succeeded as they intended, probably several lives would have been lost and many would have been seriously injured.

Winfield Courier, August 4, 1881.

Charlie Hodges has accepted a position with the K. C., L. & S. railroad as baggage master at this station.

Winfield Courier, August 4, 1881.

Tell Walton and many other admiring friends will regret to learn that Jim Shannon has been given the “grand bounce” by the K. C., L. & S. company and that his vinegar visage will no longer haunt travelers over that road.

Winfield Courier, October 6, 1881.

The Brettun House draws part of its water supply from the K. C., L. & S. railroad tank.

Winfield Courier, October 6, 1881.

The 10 o’clock train on the K. C., L. & S. Thursday night struck a cyclone just east of this place. It damaged the roof of the baggage car and came near blowing the train from the track.

Cowley County Courant, November 17, 1881.

THE THROUGH ROUTE, KANSAS CITY, LAWRENCE & SOUTHERN KANSAS R. R. is the most pleasant and reliable route to all points east, north, and south, etc. W. C. CARRUTHERS, AGENT, WINFIELD, KANSAS.

Cowley County Courant, December 1, 1881.

Business was lively around the K. C., L. & S. depot today. Allen Johnson is putting up a large crib for corn, a half dozen cars are loading with corn, several cars of coal and wood were being unloaded, three cars of hogs were shipped, and the regular freight pulled out with two locomotives and thirty-three cars.

Cowley County Courant, December 1, 1881.

Through the kindness of Mr. Scribner, the K. C., L. & S. operator, we learn something of the doings of a mob at Wellington Tuesday night. Our readers will remember our mention of the failure and closing up of the banks at Caldwell and Hunnewell a short time ago. The proprietor, J. S. Danford, and Smith, the cashier, of the Caldwell institution, were in Wellington last night and sometime during the night, about one hundred mounted men fully armed with shotguns, rifles, and revolvers, appeared and demanded the surrender of Danford and Smith from the Sheriff, who seemed to have them in charge. Securing their prisoners, the mob started for Caldwell, but the bankers, fearing they would be hung on the road, proposed to the leaders to pay for a special train to take them to Caldwell, which was done. On their arrival there they were locked up in the bank. Further information we have been unable to get up to the hour of going to press.

Cowley County Courant, December 22, 1881.

The new townsite of Salem has just been surveyed eight miles east of this city on the K. C., L. & S. road, and work has com­menced on a depot there.

Cowley County Courant, January 5, 1882.

It is rumored that the A. T. & S. F. R. R. assumed control of the K. C., L. & S. R. R. last Monday.

Cowley County Courant, January 12, 1882.

J. H. McBeth, who has for a long time been conductor on the Western Division of the K. C., L. & S., has accepted a similar position on the Gulf road, and left for Kansas City, Wednesday morning. His family will remain here for some time yet. “Mac” was one of the most popular conductors on the road, and everyone regrets to see him leave it.

Cherryvale Globe.

Cowley County Courant, March 16, 1882.

The Wells Fargo & Co.’s Express will run over the K. C., L. & S. K. railroad about the first of April. We think this will be a good move.

Cowley County Courant, April 27, 1882.

The officials of the A., T. & S. F. railroad have notified the management of the Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Kansas Railroad that they will take control of that road on the first of May, and instruct them to notify their employees along the line that after that date their services will no longer be required.

Winfield Courier, April 27, 1882.

The officials of the A. T. & S. F. Railroad have notified the management of the K. C., L. & S. K. that they will take control of that road on the first of May, and instruct them to notify their employees along the line that after that date their services will no longer be required. Most of the old employees will probably be retained by the Santa Fe.

NOTE: EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 1882, THE K. C., L. & S. WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA & SANTA FE RAILROAD COMPANY..

Cowley County Courant, May 4, 1882.

The K. C., L. & S. road will soon commence the erection of a depot building at Torrance. The site has been surveyed and the preliminary arrangements made for the erection of the building. The boys there have waited long and patiently for this improve­ment, and we congratulate them upon their success in at last gaining their point.

[RAILROAD.]

Cowley County Courant, May 4, 1882.

The Lawrence & Southern road will not be amalgamated with the rest of the Santa Fe system, but will be operated independently.

[RAILROADS.]

Cowley County Courant, May 11, 1882.

While the changes are being made in the railroads now passing through Winfield, with a little effort on the part of our city, we can make a change which will very much benefit us as a railroad point.

  We believe by proper management Winfield can be made the end of a division on the Kansas City, Lawrence & South­ern, instead of Wellington, because it is much the best place for a section. The distance from Cherryvale is about the right dis­tance, and the time the trains arrive here in the evening, is much more conve­nient than the late hour they arrive at Welling­ton. Now the trains do not get to Wellington until midnight, while they get here at eight and ten o’clock. The train that goes west can make the round trip from Winfield the same as from Wellington, and the change would be an immense improvement for these crews who come through from Ottawa.

The hour is so late when the trains arrive here that but few people go on farther west; hence this is the proper place for the end of the division, and we believe it has been the intention of the railroad company all the time to make it here as soon as they could get around to it.

But then there has never been any hint from our people that they wanted it, or would appreciate such a move; hence the company has been slow to act. Let us take some steps, in keeping with the activity of our town in this direc­tion, and there is little doubt but success will crown our efforts.

Winfield Courier, May 11, 1882.

Engineer Robb, who runs the freight train on the K. C., L. & S. from Cherryvale to Wellington, has been sadly bereaved during the past few weeks. Some three weeks ago he lost a little child by sickness, and last Friday morning he pulled in from Wellington with his train to find his wife lying dead at her home in this city. He had pulled in from the east the evening before, eaten supper with his family, and taken his train on to Wellington leaving her seemingly well. During the night she was taken suddenly and violently ill and died at seven o’clock Friday morning. Mr. Robb is one of the oldest engineers on the road and the boys along the line sympathize heartily with their comrade in his bereavement.

Cowley County Courant, May 25, 1882.

M. J. A. Snow, freight agent at the K. C., L. & S. depot, had the misfortune to lose a piece of one of his fingers.

Cowley County Courant, May 25, 1882.

The stock express will soon be put on the K. C., L. & S. K. again, and the thousands of head of Texas cattle which will be shipped this season will be the attraction.

Winfield Courier, June 8, 1882.

NEW ARRANGEMENT. The Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern railway went into control of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe company on June 1st, with the following general officers with headquarters at Lawrence, Kansas.

Gen. J. L. Barnes, Superintendent; H. C. Whitehead, Auditor; S. B. Hynes, Gen. Freight Agent; B. A. Ambler, Cashier and Paymaster; Capt. Geo. R. Peck is appointed General Solicitor with headquarters at Topeka.

Cowley County Courant, June 8, 1882.

Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas Railroad Company, Office of the General Manager, Kansas City, May 23, 1882. Mr. C. C. Wheeler having been appointed General Manager of this Company, will assume the duties of that office on June 1st, next. On and after that date all officers and employees will report as directed by him.

GEO. H. NETTLETON, General Manager. WM. B. STRONG, President.

Cowley County Courant, June 8, 1882.

Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas Railroad Company, Office of the Superintendent, Lawrence, Kansas, June 1st, 1882. The following appointments have been made and will take effect this day: J. H. Hill, Superintendent of Telegraph, office at Lawrence, Kansas; J. D. Hildebrand, Road Master, office at Lawrence, Kansas; T. J. Whisenand, Chief Train Dispatcher, office at Ottawa, Kansas; T. D. Volk, Master Mechanic, office at Ottawa, Kansas. J. L. BARNES, Superintendent.

Cowley County Courant, June 8, 1882.

Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas Railroad Company, General Manager’s Office, Topeka, Kansas, June 1st, 1882. Mr. H. C. Whitehead is this day appointed Auditor of this Rail­road, with headquarters at Lawrence, Kansas. Mr. Whitehead will have charge of all matters pertaining to the Accounting Depart­ment, and employees will respect his orders accordingly. C. C. WHEELER, General Manager.

[WELLS, FARGO & CO. REPLACES ADAMS EXPRESS CO.]

Cowley County Courant, June 15, 1882.

TO THE PUBLIC: Under an agreement with Wells, Fargo & Co., Adams Express Co. will on and after June 1st, 1882, discontinue its distinctive service on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, and after June 1st, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad will be operated by Wells, Fargo & Co., in the joint interest of itself and Adams Express Co. Rumors that Adams Express Co. are going to withdraw from K. C., L. & S. or Southern Kansas are entirely without foundation, and I would like to say to the public and especially to my friends, that we are still on Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern railroad and our rates to Kansas City, and all eastern points, are still as low if not lower than any competing line. Orders for goods of any kind will be promptly attended to. Order all your goods by Adams Express Co. J. W. McROREY, Agent.

[McRorey has proven himself an excellent man, and we doubt very much if the Adams folks have a better man anywhere. While he has only been in Winfield a year and a half, his fair dealing and gentlemanly manners have won for him a warm place in the hearts of all who have made his acquaintance. ED.]

Cowley County Courant, July 6, 1882.

Seven full trains, of twenty cars each, of Texas cattle, equal to 4,000 head, were shipped from Hunnewell to Kansas City Sunday over the K. C., L. & S. railroad.

Cowley County Courant, July 6, 1882.

Allen Johnson and Bartlett & Co. loaded and shipped out on Saturday via K. C., L. & S. seven cars of new wheat and it was not much of a day for wheat either.

Cowley County Courant, July 6, 1882.

G. W. Miller, our Winfield stockman, shipped from Hunnewell via K. C., L. & S. on Sunday, sixty car loads of Texas cattle.

Winfield Courier, July 13, 1882.

The Kansas City, Lawrence, and Southern Railroad Company has donated to the Fair Association the free use of all the iron they need to build the bridge over Timber Creek to the Fair ground. This will be a great saving to the Association and a kindness that is appreciated.

Winfield Courier, August 10, 1882.

But few people know that Winfield is now virtually the end of a passenger division of the K. C., L. & S. Road. The passenger trains going east and west change crews here, and the Brettun is becoming the home of lots of railroad men. This is the first wedge. Let us have a sure-enough division, with roundhouses and machine shops, and we’ll ask no more—this year. But hold on! There’s one other thing we want, and that is a switch from one of the main lines to the stone quarries on Badger Creek. If these quarries could have been connected with the main line, Wellington would have used four hundred car loads of our stone this spring. Wichita wants three hundred cars now, but it can’t be handled profitably until the switch is built. It seems to us that there is a bonanza in the way of freights to the railroad company in our inexhaustible quarries of finest stone.

Winfield Courier, August 10, 1882.

On Friday morning last, Orlando Beaver, a brakeman on the K. C., L. & S. R. R., had his hand badly injured while engaged in coupling the cars at the depot here. He was immediately conveyed to Dr. Graham’s office where he had one finger amputated and his hand dressed. Mr. Snow seems to have been slighted this time. Heretofore he has furnished the hands ground up by the cars.

Winfield Courier, August 17, 1882.

Allen Johnson’s elevator on the K. C., L. & S. Railroad is about completed. It is a good building and will greatly facilitate the handling of his grain business.

Next two items a wee bit confusing! Appears as though the paper could not decide whether to mention “SANTA FE” OR “K. C., L. & S. K.” IT APPEARS AS TIMES AS IF THEY DON’T WANT TO MENTION THAT SANTA FE TOOK OVER THE OTHER LINE! MAW

Winfield Courier, September 7, 1882.

The fare from Winfield to Topeka and return, via K. C., L. & S. K. R. R., for those persons attending the “Big Fair,” will be $4.35 for the round trip, from 11th to 18th Sept. Inclusive. Passengers by this route leaving here by the morning train arrive at Topeka early same evening. W. C. CARRUTHERS, Agent.

Winfield Courier, September 7, 1882.

Railroad Arrangements. Special trains will leave here on the A., T. & S. F. Monday and Tuesday mornings between 4 and 5 o’clock. The cost to everyone for a round trip ticket from here to Topeka, including one days admission to the fair will be $4.50. The regular trains will also run as usual. St. John’s Battery leaves on a special train Monday morning.

Winfield Courier, October 5, 1882. Editorials.

Since the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad has assumed control of the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas, the business of this road has greatly improved, and it is now doing a heavier traffic than ever before. For three months (June, July, and August) the road shows an increase over the same time in 1881 of about sixty percent.

Winfield Courier, October 5, 1882.

Mr. R. S. Smith has been appointed agent on the K. C., L. & S. Road to fill Mr. Carruthers’s place, and arrived and assumed his duties Tuesday. Mr. Carruthers goes to the Fort Scott & Gulf road.

Winfield Courier, December 21, 1882.

Geo. L. McDonough, traveling agent of the K. C., L. & S., has been chaperoning a party of tourists through Cowley in quest of homes. He took a sheaf of our big wheat to show Eastern people what Cowley can do in the way of grain.

Winfield Courier, December 28, 1882.

Last Wednesday Mr. Smith, the agent of the K. C., L. & S. Railroad at this place, was arrested by the Company, charged with embezzling eight hundred and thirty-five dollars of the Company’s funds. He is now in jail in default of fifteen hundred dollars bail. Mr. Smith has heretofore borne an excellent reputation and has been a trusted employee of the Company for ten years. After coming here he got into the habit of gambling and had associated with him one Chambers, the telegraph operator, who evidently conspired to rob him in this way. Chambers has since jumped the town.

Winfield Courier, January 11, 1883.

The place of Chambers, the operator at the K. C., L. & S. Depot, who recently decamped, is filled by Mr. H. C. Chappell, who is a pleasant appearing gentleman.

Winfield Courier, March 29, 1883.

Agent Branham of the K. C., L. & S. is one of the most popular railroad officials we have ever had. He is just the reverse of his predecessors, in being gentlemanly, obliging, and accommodating. One can now transact business at the K. C., L. & S. Depot without fear of being insulted and abused.

Winfield Courier, March 29, 1883.

Parties contemplating a trip east are cordially invited to call at the K. C., L. & S. K. Depot where any information as to routes, rates, etc., is cheerfully given.

Winfield Courier, March 29, 1883.

The receipts at the K. C., L. & S. Depot Saturday amounted to over fifteen hundred dollars.

Winfield Courier, April 12, 1883.

Agent Branham of the K. C., L. & S., was presented with a handsome office chair by Messrs. Hepler & Myers, the proprietors of the transfer line, last week. It was a birthday gift.

Winfield Courier, May 10, 1883.

Mr. Branham has been re-arranging the depot and offices in a much more convenient form than formerly. New walks have been put down, the tracks planked between the rails, and other improvements made for the benefit of the public. The K. C., L. & S. affords the public the very best accommodations possible.

Winfield Courier, May 17, 1883.

Mr. Branham, agent for the K. C., L. & S., in this city, has moved into the J. E. Conklin house.

Winfield Courier, May 31, 1883.

Numerous attempts were made Sunday by the K. C., L. & S. wrecking train to clear the engine and tender out of the Arkansas River at Oxford, but without avail. The whole thing is covered with sand and ten feet of water, and as fast as the sand was taken out, the hole was drifted full again. Hawsers were attached, but broke as fast as the strain was put upon them. The diver traveled around over the wreck but could do nothing. It looks as if the body of Finley would never be recovered.

Winfield Courier, May 31, 1883.

The railroad surveyors ran lines all around over the city and surrounding country. As they set more stakes along the second street east of the schoolhouse than anywhere else, residents about there seem confident that a track will be run from the K. C., L. & S. Depot around through the east part of town, down through Loomis’ addition, striking the Santa Fe near the south bridge.