THE WINFIELD COURIER.

WINFIELD, COWLEY COUNTY, KANSAS, THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1886.

SIX PAGES.

OVER THE RAIL.

T. J. Harris Takes a Trip.—How He Looks At It.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 4, 1886.

On the morning of Feb. 18, I was prepared for a little trip north and east, so I boarded the north bound train on the Frisco line for the first ride over this new road. I must say I was somewhat surprised to see the accommodations of this new road. Although entirely new, the accommodations and the smoothness of this road will compare with any in the state. While the majority perhaps that will read this are aware that I am in the real estate business; and while I must say that is my business and has been for the last six years, and while I am perfectly familiar with every crook and nook in Cowley County and have driven over most every section of land in the county and have sold land from $2.00 to $350.00 per acre, I must confess that I was somewhat surprised to go gliding through nice little villages which have sprung up in the last few months. I tell you it behooves a man to “git up and git,” and see what is going on in his surrounding country.

The first village we found north of Winfield was Floral, lying on the Timber Creek slope, overlooking one among the prettiest valleys dotted over with neat little buildings. The next was the village of Wilmot, located up in the level prairie and surrounded with as nice a view in all directions as you would wish to behold. Like Floral, new houses loomed up in every direction. Next was the stirring little city of Atlanta, and here I note it was encouraging to me to see that the people out on the border of our county have the vim and push in them to build up such a nice village in such a short time. In Atlanta with their large new buildings under headway, their lumber yards, livery stables, and the big broad streets, the sight you get of it, one would think he had struck Broadway, New York. The next city of importance was the city of Wingate, located in the edge of Butler County. This city I had the history of before I reached it, as the windy editor of THE COURIER accompanied me this far. “This city,” says the chief of the quill, “is bound to become a noted place, located as you see on this beautiful elevated ridge with the Rock creek valley meandering up to our left and the Timber creek valley rolling up to our right.” “No doubt,” I told him, “it would make a beautiful city.” “Yes,” he says, “I think we have got to the place.” The train slackened and he alighted. Some friend was there to greet him and took his hand and welcomed him to the city. He led him to the highest knoll there was on the prairie and as the train pulled out, I could not see the city for the editors.

In my travels in both Kansas and Missouri I find every town, city, and village thriving and with bright prospects before them for the coming spring, and the citizens of each and every place trying to push every effort possible to make their town boom. So I say to the citizens of Winfield, do not let us lay back on our oars and think that we have reached our goal and that our city is the only one on the way to prosperity. If we do, we will be left. Let us make every effort, take hold of everything with energy and vim, and push. Let nothing go by that will be of interest to the city and if she won’t boom, we will make her boom. I will never go back on old Cowley. I have been somewhat despondent myself while showing strangers over our county over last year’s crop of corn. The stalks did not show up big enough to suit me nor the yield was not as large as I thought it ought to have been. But after my trip up through the fine Neosho valley and the northeastern part of the state (where they claim the finest corn soil of Kansas) and seeing the size of their stalks and the yield, I came back saying, “Well done good and faithful Cowley. She will do to stick to and ‘don’t you forget it.’”

Now, as the evening shades are drawing nigh, I find myself nearing Carthage, Missouri. Having to change roads at this place, I had to wait for the train from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. During this time I had the pleasure of investigating the electric light, which they are using extensively in that city, notwithstanding they have a good system of gas works. In conversation with one Mr. Roe, who is in business there, and who is using one electric light, he told me that one electric lamp was worth a dozen gas jets, and to make his word good he lit six of his gas burners and turned off his electric lamp; and to compare it as near as I can, it was like stepping out of sunshine into moonshine. He stated that the electric lights were giving entire satisfaction, which I have no reason to doubt, for it had one tower upon the square, and I saw boys playing marbles by the light. You may doubt this, but if you will go with me to Carthage, I will satisfy you of the fact, and I want to say here, that the city council did not ask the company to erect a tower before they would grant them a franchise. They do not try to whip the devil around the stump in any such way. When the franchise was asked for, it was granted because they knew it would be of interest to the city, and the consequence is that the city, after night, is a beautiful glow of light.

Now, as I have said before, let nothing stand in the way, nor let nothing go by, that will lead our city on to prosperity, and I want to say I am for Winfield and Cowley County, first, last, and all the time. T. J. Harris.

REMARKABLE RECUPERATION.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 4, 1886.

D. M. Ferry & Co., the well-known seedmen of Detroit, Michigan, announce that they are on their feet again and ready and anxious to receive orders for seeds from everyone of their old customers, and from as many new ones as feel kindly disposed toward them. They are in condition to fill promptly every order with new seeds of the best quality. On January 1^st their immense warehouse was destroyed by fire. It was filled with probably the largest stock of assorted seeds ever gathered under one roof. Their books and papers were all saved, and every person who had ordered seeds of them will be supplied with his usual stock. They hard large quantities of seeds in their warehouses on their seed farms in the hands of their growers and not yet delivered, and on the way from Europe, which, together with their fully stocked branch Seed Store in Windsor, Ontario, close at hand, and the free and vigorous use of the telegraph and cable, enabled them to secure a new stock in a remarkably short time. Before the fire had subsided, they had secured new quarters and were devoting all their energies to their customers’ interests. In thirty days from the fire they were in perfect working order again. When we consider the magnitude of their business, the appalling destruction of property at the most unfortunate season of the year, we doubt if the annals of history furnish a case of such rapid recuperation. Such energy deserves success.

A DRIVE OUT OF TOWN.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 4, 1886.

We have taken quite a drive over the county this week, and we found the prospect for wheat was never better at this season of the year. The fine rains that we have had lately and the beautiful spring-like weather that we are having insures a good wheat crop in 1886, and gives the farmers an opportunity to harvest their bountiful crop of corn. We enjoyed driving over the finest natural roads in the world. Every section line is a public highway. Fine farm houses and barns, beautiful groves and orchards in every direction. Kansas is indeed a beauty: a paradise for stock, and as nearly so for man as we may expect in this world. We also noticed in every neighborhood the pride of Kansas, a well-built schoolhouse. Having lived here 13 years, and driving over the county almost every week, yet we are surprised to see the rapid growth of improvements. A happy, healthy, intelligent, moral people, the peers of any in the United States, are building and beautifying homes of which they feel proud. Where a few years ago we saw only prairie, we now see groves of timber 20 to 40 feet high, and fine bearing orchards. Most of our farmers came here poor, some with less than nothing. We are acquainted with a number of them with farms worth from $4,000 to $10,000. These men would have been renters a hundred years if they had lived in the eastern States. Good land is cheap here yet.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 4, 1886.

Our delegation to the Wichita G. A. R. encampment are profuse in praises of the grand reception, decoration, and entertainment afforded them by the people of Wichita. Specially marked was the attention of Marsh Murdock, whose Eagle office was headquarters for the “Vets.” It was the most successful encampment the G. A. R. ever had in Kansas.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 4, 1886.

Whiting & Son have a young yearling beaver, with its buzz saw teeth and dam-making tail. It was trapped three miles up the Walnut, where an army of these wood-cutters have slayed most of the trees along the bank for a mile or so. They will put it in the hands of a taxidermist and mount it on a limb as an ornament for their meat market.

A MURDER AT DANVILLE.

One Man Shot and Lynching Threatened.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 4, 1886.

Wednesday evening the train men on the S. K. informed us that three brothers named Weaver went into Danville, 8 miles east of Harper, yesterday, on a load of hay and there met Dell Shearer, a performer on a violin, whom they had hired over a year ago to play for a dance conducted by the Weaver brothers. Shearer failed to materialize, however, and left the Weaver dance without music, which made them wrathy and they threatened to lick Shearer the first time they saw him. Yesterday they proceeded to carry out their threats, whereupon Shearer pulled his “pop” and opened fire on them, which they returned, putting six holes through Shearer’s body. The report comes that the Weaver brothers were bullies and Shearer a very quiet, gentlemanly young man. The victim was still alive last night, but it is impossible for him to recover. The citizens of Danville are much excited and threats of lynching have been made. The prisoners were taken to Harper last night for safekeeping.