The Leavenworth weekly times., 1877-11-29
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a Times Correspondent On the Road.
PsproS Cnr-yTY

BAEACN ttN
GREAT BEND. Kan, November -.
Barton county has a his;ory-a history
frought with wild deeds and fearful expert
ence which belong more properly, however,
to that period previous TO the settlement OF
this fair and fertile region. The section
now known as Barton county was visited in
1864 by Mr.. ii. ii. Kidder, now one OF the
leading merchants OF Great Bend, in COM ,
pany with Kit Carson, the famous scout, |
WHO arrived at the old Santa Ee crossing, |
three miles east OF this place. There was at
that time a toll bridge there, across the |
Walnut, kept by Mr.. Charles Raih, late of |
Dodge City, but now doing business in
still be seen. In 1865 the | dians, angry at
the uncalled for incursion Of the whites,
broke out in open warfare, necessitating the
stationing Of troops at the Santa Fe cross
ing, and two years later, in 1861, the mill
tary reservation was laid out and Fort
Zarah built. In July, 1865, a stubborn
fight took place at Pawnee Rock between
the troops and the reds, resulting in the re-
pulse Of the latter with considerable loss.
the soldiers losing one man. The savages
again, in 1866, attacked a wagon train
bound Tor Mexico, and succeeded in cutting
off the two rear wagons, taking an old
lady prisoner. The red devils outraged
her person. tore the clothes IRON her body,
and after dividing her into quarters burned
her remains upon the ground. Her hus-
band was also killed at the same time
From 1865 up to 1869 the indians were
remarkably active and collisions between
them and the whites were OF frequent oc
| currence, the former varying the monotony
intervening between the skirmishes by rob
bing and pillaging wagon trains, and mas
sacreing any unlucky white brother who
was unfortunate enough to fall into their
hands. In September 1869, party of
| twelve, among them Mr.. kidder, was az
tackled by a band Of Kiowas, numbering
about seventy-fve, and sharp fight ensued,
the Indians being repulsed with a los of
several killed and wounded. This battle,
| which was the last blood shed between the
reds and pale faces, took place three miles
three miles east OF Walnut creek Fort
Zarah was abandoned IN 1870, the remains
| of the red sandstone walls stand
| ing until as late as 1874, but at the
present time there is not visible
single stone or piece of wood TO mark
the only refuge afforded the early settlers
against the insane fury and hate OF tine saw
ages. The first white child born in Barton
county, saw the light at Fort Zarah in 1863,
| its parents, Shafier by name, now residing
| in Sedgwick county. The year previous a
| soldier and his washerwoman were "swurn
in" as man and wife, but the first legal mar
riage in the county did not take place un-
| til 1872, when J. +. Tilton and Mrs. Ada
Easty were married by ID. \. Heizer. pro-
bate Judge, the ceremony being performed
upon the train between Great Bend and
| Pawnee Rock, at the rate of twenty-five
miles an hour. The first permanent white
settlers came TO the county in 1870 and 10
Gated on Walnut Creek in what is now Buf-
falo township. Barton county was organ
lied in 1872 and named in honor of Miss
Clara Barton, Of Massachusetts, who dis
tinguished herself during the war OF the
rebellion, in giving relief to our boys in
blue who were battling among the swamps
and fens OF the south. From the time OF its
organization up to the present, it has in
creased most wonderfully and rapidly in
population, now estimated at 65O0, and is
making rapid strides forward in -very di-
r-ction. The wheat yield is estimated at
about tifty-six bushels to the acre, corn
fifty, and oats one hundred and
twenty. This, OF course, il not
the average yield of every field, but it Is Il
fair average for estimation. Large organi-
cations are now under culti- alton and are
in a thrifty, growing condition. The popu-
lation of the county from July 1876, 10 the
! same month in 1877, fully doubled, and the
prospects at the present writing are that IN
July, 1878, there will he fully ten thousand
inhabitants within the county limits.
GREAT BEND
! was founded at the same time Of the or
ganization OF the county seat and has a
population OF about one thousand two
hundred, having increased three hundred
within tine past year. The business portion
OF The town is well built up, the building
being ranged around large square, in the
center of which is the beautiful country
court hourt house, one of the finest struc.
tures of its kind West Of Leavenworth
Many of the merchants are now preparing
to erect substantial business blocks in the
spring, which, when completed, will add
greatly TO the beauty OF the citv, and rem
der Great Bend one of the handsomest
towns in the State Within the last year
eight or ten new business houses have been
erected to accommodate the increasing trade
while the older merchants were forced to
enlarge their stock to meet the growing de-
mand. A score or more Of elegant, sub
stantial residences have also been put up
in various portions OF the town, which