The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1873-12-18
Sic TranSif.

The County Board has given nsiiSe, that at
their January meeting, IL no sufficient reason is
shown 20 the contrary, they will vacate the town
site Of Bellemont. This brings Ap long train
Of rerhembranees Of departed glory. In the years
1853 aud lo60, Bcllemont, although not the larg-
est, one of the liveliest towns in the County,
with hopes for the future far ahead of any other.
The proprietors made heavy push, expended a
great deal of money, encouraged settlers, and
made noise loud and continually. A steam fer
ry was established between that place and St.
Joseph, intended to close the st. Joseph ferry
The iudncement to travellers. was, that it would
save fonr or five miles Of travel and that through
wide button, at many times almost impossible
from mud. Bcllemout WINS to be the head d-quar-
tiers of overland travel, and, in time the metrop-
oils Of Northern Kansas. Very strange to say,
they never had newspaper there, although the
thing was much talked of.
Bellemont was essentially Democratic town.
For that day, it poled a considerable vote, near
ly all of which was Democratic. There were very
few Republicans, but they were spunky, and
freely spoke and voted their sentiments, although
not tallying ont formidably at the ballot-box. A
number of extra high-toned gentlemen, mostly
sontherners, of the fireeatng persuasion, located
there. One of these was DIR. Crane, from Ma
ryland-a long g-shanked fellow, who made pre-
tentiois to chivalry, and assumed to be politi-
clan and orator. We have since learned that he
seriously contemplated challenging ms, for some
criticisms which we indulgel in mt his expense,
although we did not know it at the time. There
was an Englishman named clrnlesffs, who kept
the hotel. He could quote Shakespeare by the
page, and professed to he q French scholar
There was Joe Penney, the principal proprietor,
who had a facility for changing his politics ON
short notice. He had been u Free State man,
bnt relapsed into Democracy, with the balance
of them. When the war brcke ont, he was
Union man, and remained on the Republican
side as long We kept sight Of him. There were
Dick and Tom Penney, his brothers, and many
Others, whom We do not just now call to mind.
of course, BOllemont made calculations to be-
the County Seat, in n very few years. Her high
toned citizens did cOndesccnd to come to Troy,
but took care to disinfect themselves afterwards
But, TO tell the TRUTH Troy was toleraI,iy hard
old hole, at that time, and very few people liked
TO come here. But Bellemont began to dwindle,
even before the rebellion; end that event closed
her ont. The ferry boat snagged and sank, and
for while horse-ferry was maintained; then
no ferry at at all. The hotel was closed; the
houses were hauled to the country; and the vote
dwindled to nothing almost-but it was Demo-
cratic, while it lasted. Then most of the town
lots regularly appeared in the annual delinquent
tax list, and the surviving proprietors besieged
the County Board for abatement of taxes Fl
nally, no attention was paid to taxes or dclin-
Al
About six weeks ago, the remsinder of the town
was knocked down to some individual at public
sale, for trifie; and the first week in January,
1874, will in all probability see the name of the
town blotted out Of existence, nevermore to ap-
pear even in the delinquent tax lists
Wherefore we say, Sic transit