The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1876-07-08

at the last session adopted new plan of
county organization, consisting of three
county commissioners instead of the
board of supervisors, and a Probate
Judge with greatly restricted powers
On March 26th . special election was
held for the new officers. ]. G. Richard
was elected Probate Judge; Geo. Zim-
norman, N. T. Winans and D. B. Stew
art county commissioners. But 4 more
absorbing interest than Offices and politics
soon began to claim the attention of the
people. As spring passed on and ripened
into summer there was still no rain the
dust in which the seed had been planted
remained dust. The burning sun glared
fiercely all day and no dew descended At
night. The sky above our heads seemed
brass, and the earth was iron beneath
our feet. The air around us seemed the
very breath of hell, and the whole at
mosphere ready to burst into devouring
fame. Day after day and month after
month the scanty vegetation looked up
helplessly to the IMPLYING heavens, and
finally dropped and died. How many
nights we sat hour after hour watch
ing the hurrying clouds and hoping
against hope that they would bring the
needed moisture, but they were dry as
ashes and the hearts of the boldest died
within them. No people ever struggled
more manfully against overwhelming
disaster. When one crop failed another
and another was tried, each to meet with
no better success than the first. The
troubles of this unfortunate year, the
failure of cherished hopes, the loss of
population, the unrewarded toll of the
summer, and the want and distress Of
the following winter, relieved only by
the charity of more favored sections, are
subjects not pleasant 20 speak of or to
hear, and we dismiss them briefly.
This year the county was for the fist
time divided into commissioner districts.
The Board elected at the special election
in March were only to hold till the gen.
eral election in November, at which time
the following persons were elected COM
missioners: Henry Doren, H. D. Parsons
and d. B. Stewart, with Yancy Martin
assessor,-the other county officers hold
ing over. J. w. Scott was reelected
Representative, Watson Stewart holding
over in the Council. An attempt was
made during this year to build a Jail at
Humboldt. Specifications were adopted
by the county board and proposals re-
ceived; but the time was unpropitious
and nothing further was done. The first
regular census was taken this year and
gives Allen county population of 1920.
The number of cattle reported was 5O43,
swine 2O60, horses 95l, mules so, and
sheep 10. This was in June, and it is
probable that by the close of the year
the population was considerably dimin-
i>lred, many having become discouraged
on account of the droutb( The following
winter was severe ana much suffering
was experience, especially by those who
were compelled to make long trips after
relief goods. These were mostly distrib-
uted from Atchison through S. C. Pom
eroy, and the journey-often made with
OK teams-required a week or ten days,
sometimes through the fiercest storms.
was only rendered endurable by the abso-
lutte necessity of the case. II
During this darkest pefiod of her his
tory Kansas was ushered into the sister
hood of states, the bill for her admission
having been signed by President Buch-
anan on the 10Th of January 1861.
And now 1 pause. On this dividing
line between the old and the new l leaye
this record to be taken up by some
worthier hand. Ladies and gentlemen
am as sensible as any of you can be of
the meagreness and inadequency of this
sketch. The subject is too large for our
present limits. 1t would require book |
instead of an essay of half an hour. 1t
would be folly to attempt on this OCCASION
to speak of the war which quickly fol-
lowed-of the patriotic response of our
county to the country's call, when al |
most the entire population fit for service
went forth, leaving old men and women
and little children, to cultivate with fee
BILE hands the neglected fields of the
great company OF martyrs-the brave and
the good and the true that went out from |
among us and returned no more, but laid |
down their lives on every battle field and |
in every prison during five weary years
peace and rebuilded homes
IF renewed prosperity and growth, and
The astonishing progress of the last Is
years. say it would be folly to attempt
in the limits of an address even a sketch
Of these years. I.have simply laid q
foundation on which to build history
IF Allen county.
CHAMPION MEAT MARKET