The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-01-10
A Chapter of History.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
WASHINGTON d. c., Jan. 5, 1878.


altloug l may find time to .jot down the
early outline before l die. am tempt
ed to write merely by the perusal OF an
article partly yours, partly that of the
Manhattan Enterprise, which have just
read. Some facts in both articles were
correct. Let me give few more.
Reeder and Saline City were always
much better defined on the map than on
the face of the country. In fact they
neuer uere settled. They were both the
oretically located in Saline county and
created by act of the bogus Missouri Leg
islature, in 1855. They figure quite con-
spicuousIy on early maps. Saline City
was put on the maps, in tho forks of the
Saline and Smoky Hill rivers. The
town companies consisted of members
of the bogus Legislature. These took
the map during their first session at the
Shawnee Mission, and also at their Sec
ond at Lecompton, and created town
companies in every part of the State, the
corporators being OF their own number.
They in nine cases out OF ten never made
the slightest attempt to get title TO the
land, or settle the towns, but contented
themselves by issuing "sbares, general
ly of five or six small lots, in "town"
never trodden by human foot except the
foot of the hunter or savage. They put
these on the market and sold them whom
they could, and "the subsequent pro-
ceedings interested them no more"
These enterprises in old Kansas days
were, for distinction, called "paper
towns" Ten years after the birth of
"Saline City" | was importuned by a
widow lady writing from Boston to re-
deem lots in Saline City by lots in Sail
ma, which of course 4eclined She had
given $500 each for the two shares of six
lots, 50xl20 feet, and that, too, in the
patrlmony of orphons. As for Reeder,
no wonder "one stone is not left on an
other" for there was never stick or
stone there.
Buchanan, although as unhappy as its
namesake, was real enterprise. 1t
was chartered at the second session of
the bogus Legislature at Lecompton.
l was present when the bill passed, and
heard some eloquent speeches about the
future of Buchanan, by Grover, of Kick
apoo, and others. They had the impu-
dence to pretend they could locate two
sections in town site, and expected to
be allowed special privileges as a CON-
pany from the Federal Governm ent.
The site actually chosen was the present
site of the salt works at Sabra. think
this was one of the very few cases where
the old Border Ruffians ever spent any
money in one OF their enterprises. They
expected agrcat city to grow
up somewhere in that region. The land
was not surveyed-not even clown
shipped" west of the sixth Principal
Meridian. They surveyed part of the
town site they claimed and mado a con-
tract with parties to build some houses
around the public square. In 1857
eight rough hewed log houses were built.
These were 16xl8 feet, made Of cotton
wood logs. Each had one door and two
small windows, or rather holes for win
lows. One of them was foored, or par
,ially hoored. | saw them first shortly
after they were built. They stood two
On side, around large square of four
Or five acres The prairie fires burned
most of them, although probably some
IF tho logs and material might have
oeen taken by squatters, after the fash
on mentioned by Capt. Hunter. No
attempt was ever made BY the company
o get title 10 any pert OF The land. The
officers of the company offered ii 10 me
IN my own terms, when went up the
Smoky river to found town; but de-
,Iined that and several similar PROPOSE I
ions because did not like the locations.
OF Salina ! have no time at present
o speak. Enough to say that one secret
# its prosperity lay in the fact that its
took WAS never permitted to drift INTO
he hands of outsiders.
The Mobley who settled in Buchanan
vas not Dick but his brother, who lived
n Ogden. He stad there in Buchanan
With his wife sometime, and until their
hid died. For want of a coffin | was
old that it was buried in band box.
'rivations drove the few who ever lived
here away. Mobiey went to Florida and,
think, into the rebel army.
The correct name of the town project.
by Col. Plumb, Capt Hunter, and Mr.
fierce was, believe, "Mariposas," not
Xenia,' although some of them wished
, call il Xenia. The company all aban-
oned it,and the land was long after TAX .
n as a farm claim. Ii was across the
IL l.. C.l - 1