The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1860-07-11
0sKAL0osA. KANSAS.
ira ursrosr AID POSITION.

country" with a view of settling at ne
distant day some where within it
boundaries. Among the points tina
4 attracted the favorable notice Of Mr.
! Newell, the present site Of Oskaloosa
was the most prominent. But tht
''chims" in this region were already
nearly alItaken by "squatters, and his
circumstances being such as to prevent
his either taking or purchasing I
claim just at that time, Mr.. Newell, re-
turned to his home in Iowa. Having
on his first visit to Kansas conceive,
the idea of laying out a town here,
though he said nothing to his comrades
about it. he determined to sell his farm,
as soon as a favorable opportunity pre-
sentcd. which he did during the follow
ing winter. intending to remove 10
Kansas the ensuing spring. 6a
On the 10th day of May, 1856, Jesse
Newell aud Joseph Fitsimons arrived
here with their, families. Mr.. Newell
bought James Mobiles claim, and moved
into his cabin, and Mr.. Fitsimons camp
ed on the prairie some where near what
is now the Public Square. The latter
soon afterward purchased claim ad :
joining Mr.. Newclls. a portion OF which
he still owns.
During that summer Mr.. Newell
erected and put in operation on the West
side Of the present village, near a spring
which he had found in '55.a good steam
saw mill. In July of the same season,
Mr.. N. and Mr.. F. laid off about forty
acres Of ground between them, into
blocks. lots. streets and allcys.a gave
It the name of O Oskaloosa: but owing to
the troubles and difficulties of that time
not a single house was built on the sur
veycd plat during that year, nor until a
bout the middle Of June, 1857. This
month J B. Forbes built the Kansas Ho-
tel. now kept BY S. T. McMurray y and
Jos. Fitsimons erected the store house
he now occupies.
In the spring Of 81. Mr.. N. and Mr.
F. associated with them Franklin Finch
Henry Owens. N. B. Hopewell, v. F.
Newell. John Newell. Isaac Newhousc,
VIM. Meredeth and W. C.. Stagg. who
composed the Oskaloosa Town Associ-
ation-Jessc Newell. President. From
the best information We have been able
to get. during this year there were not
more than seven or eight houses built
in TON n, n,making-all told-lcss than a
dozen houses in Oskalcosa tie first two
years Of its existence.
Early in 1883, i; began to improve
more rapidly than ever before. and dur
ing that year i: much moro than doubled
its population.
In October. Of the same year. by a
vote Of the people Of Jefferson County,
e"
the County Seat was located at this
place. Since that time the same ques-
ton has been submitted 10 the arbitra-
mcnt OF the ballet box three different
times. but Oskaloosa has retained by
Increasing majoritics what it gained in
1855 BY only four votes.
During the past two years Oskaloosa
has grown with unprecedented rapidity,
for an inland town; and now, where less
than four years ago. The prairie sod was
unbroken, and not single house was
seen, there is thriving village of an
estimated population Of seven hundred.
An almost incredibly short space OF
time has elapsed since the wild Indian.
the buffalo, the deer and the antilopc
roamed over these prairies and through
the woodland. unmolested by the white
nan: and in the same short time, though
retarded by the strife Of war and inter-
n1l broils. these same prairies have be-
come comparatively deilsely populated,
and al, enterprising village. where the'
busy hammer. tho steam whistle. the
printing press. and all the buslling noise
Of business town is heard. has sprung
up like magic. commanding lively
trade from "all the region round about"
The location Of Oskaloosa is such as
to insure it 10 be one of the first inland
towns Of tho future great state Of KIM
sas. 1t is within a short distance Of
the geographical ccntre Of Jefferson
County rs near to it as any other
town. the Dcicwarc Reservation having
already been treated for and at the
following distances from the most prom
inent points Of the Territory Lcavcn-