The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-01-14
FROM TOPEKA.
The Trip Up-JanetiOn Organization
OF the House, Etc., Etc.

On Friday last, the 7th, we rode out
of Emporia for the first time on the
cars. Our mind reverted to the time
we first went into the town twelve and
a half years ago. At that time we di-
vested ourself of q portion of our cloth
ing and waded the Neosho. After q
search of an hour or so we found the
town. 1t contained three partially fin
ished houses. Now we were leaving q
thriving and growing town of two
thousand or twenty-five hundred in
habitants, on the cars of first-class
railroad. The struggles of all the in
tervening years were the subject of our
thoughts for an hour or so. And when
we consider all that there has been to
hinder our material advancement and
development, we have really accom-
plished wonders. 1t used to be fashion
able to call our NeOsho Valley road a
visionary scheme. No Kansas man now.
who understands the Kansas people, is
in the habit of characterizing any of her
railroad schemes as visionary. Even
while slow people have been calling
railroad schemes in Kansas visionary
and impracticable, the cars came to their
doors to wake them from their delusiou.
All along the line of the Southern
Branch the people are still praising Hon.
X. S. Stevens for the rapid way in
which the road has been built since he
took charge of it.
The trip from Council Grove to juno
ton City has been called a dull ride. 1t
was not SO to me. Above Council
Grove, along the Neosho and its tribu-
taries, are many fine and well improved
farms Crossing the divide between
Neosho and Clark's creek, we find the
latter a much larger stream than we ex-
pected to see, and an extensive and love-
ly valley with a large amount of tim
Der.
At function City we stopped at the
Hale House, and after partaking of g
well cooked and excellent supper, saun-
tered out to see some of our friends at
this point. We spent a pleasant hour
or two with George Martin, of the I'm
ION, Hon. j. X. Wright and G. e. Bates,
the U. S. Assessor of Kansas. This was
our first visit to this city. Knowing
the leading men of the town though we
were not disappointed to find it large
and thrifty town. We should judge it
is larger than EmpOria. 1t has q land
Office, the U. s. Assessors ofice and
headquarters of the Southern Branch
road, and many fine business houses.
We arrived at Topeka Saturday at
noon. Topeka has expanded wonder
fully since we were here in the summer.
Business is at present rather dull. All
the large towns are complaining more
of hard times than the smaller towns.
Not many of the members of the legis-
lature had arrived on Saturday. The
canvass for Speaker began actively on
Saturday. The writer was induced by
the assurances of friends to enter the
contest. The other candidates were
Mr.. Kellogg, of Leavenworth, Col.
Sells, of Lawrence, Col. Webb, of Fort
Scott. The only objection urged to us
was that the Lieutenant Governor resi-
ded at Emporia. This objection was
neutralized by the fact that all the other
candidates hailed from points where
State officers and Senator'S resided. By
Monday morning the contest narrowed
down between Mr.. Kellogg and the
writer. Col. Sells withdrew and brought
all his force to our. support. Monday
evening Mr.. X. withdrew, as did Col.
Webb also, and when the House assem-
bled there was but one candidate.
Capt. II. C. Olney was elected Chief
Clerk, beating his opponent, A. r.
Banks, ten votes. In the election of
clerks Coffey comfy succeeded in get
DIR. +. w. Watson for Docket Clerk.
II. Tucker was elected Engrossing Clerk.
Miss Emma Campbell, of Topeka, was
elected Enrolling Clerk. The House
starts off in good shape.
There are several men in the legisla-
ture of large legislative experience in
this State as we'll as in some Of the East
ern States. s.