The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-07-04


POria Takes Eureka by Surprise.
And Finds a Number one Town.
Hearty Welcome and JOIIhcatIOn at the
Depot.
Major Fuller. L. SeVery, and Others, the
Heroes OF the Hour.
Thursday morning last Mr.. L. Severy,
superintendent of the X. G. Z. & S. rail
road to Eureka, extended general invi-
tation to our business men to take a
free ride to see the narrow gauge track
laid into Eureka, and to visit that city,
on the first railroad train which ever
reached it. Some 200 of our leading
citizens responded TO the Invitation, and
at one p. m. the two narrow gauge pass
enger cars here, and a cabOose, drawn
by the engine Echo, and packed "full of
fellows" started from the Junction, in
slight shower Of rain, which was soon
left behind. The crowd was disposed to
have all the fun that could be manufac-
tured. and with Chaplain Lutz and other
jokers on board, the miles sped merrily
along.
The country looked very well as far as
Eagle creek. Beyond there and for
some miles south of Madison, there had
not been any rain this season TO speak of,
and while corn looked fairly and there
was plenty Of pasturage, the grass was
short and some good rains are very
necessary. After getting a few miles
into Greenwood county the rain had
evidently been better, and around Eure-
ka and ten miles this side of it, the corn
and grass were in very good condition.
The route traverses beautiful and
gently undulating upland the entire dis
lance, Greenwood county being equal to
any prairie we have seen, and the soil of
very evident fertility. The grade of the
road is quite easy, there being but two
or three cuts and fills of any consequence,
and though the track has been laid at
the rate of one or two miles per day, and
not yet ballasted, the cars had q very
easy motion, without rock or jolt, and
the ease of the ride, when running at
full standard gauge speed, gave great
satisfaction. The road is thoroughly
constructed in all respects with first
class mason work and bridges The
mason work having been done by Mr.
Lewis, of this city.
The first stop was at Eagle creek,
where the engine was watered, and the
next at ''old Madison" on the south bank
of the Verdigris river. Here the passen-
gers were watered with Anheuser, an
ample supply of which popular and
healthy beverage had been provided for
the use of the excursionists. The old
town is going rapidly south half mile
TO the new town site, around the depot,
TO be constructed, where there is more
room for corner lots. Everybody who
was dry having been properly watered,
the train moved south again, and reach
ed Homer creek, ten miles north of Eu-
reka, about 8 p. m. Here the boarding
and sleeping cars were found, and also IA
construction train being loaded with ties
for the end of the road. The loading of
the ties took an hour or more, and might
have taken all. day had not Messrs. Wi
bley, Frederick, and others, taken off
their coats and lent the regular force
helping hand. The stop was diversified
by number of good songs from the
Normal school Amphion quartette, by
watering chaplain Lutz, and by grand
chase after we'll known thief, one L. T.
Rodent, who was finally captured and
numerically killed on the track Geo
Cooper was called upon to hold an in
quest, but decided that Greenwood coun-
ty was outside of his Jurisdiction.
The next stop was at Bachelor creek,
four miles and 4SO feet north of Eureka.
The construction force had reached and
stopped work there Wednesday evening,
and at O'Clock Thursday morning had
started to lay the miles and 4SO feet of
track that day, had taken two hours for
dinner, waited an hour for ties, and were,
when the EmpOria train reached Bach
elor creek, one mile from Eureka. The
construction train going on ahead and
the excursion train following, came up
to where the track layers were at work,
and the excursionists disembarked and
walked along the track to see how ties
and rails can be laid and put together at
the rate Of four miles per day, and then
proceeded on to the city, which was in
plain view. There were about $50 men
working in all capacities to lay the track,
and il was busy scene. Wagons took
the ties from the construction train and
distributed them along the grade, and
men took them and laid them in place
as fast as the wagons brought them up.
A large hand-car loaded with rails was
drawn along by horses, in canal boat
mode, and as it reached the end OF the
rails, two gangs of men lifted off a rail
each, and laid it in place on the ties, and
the car moved along on these rails and
was again unloaded, and so on till empty,
when 1t returned to the train for more
rails. Following close after the hand
car, came gang of men who bolted the
ends of the rails together, and following
them came another gang who spiked the
rails to the ties, and then came the loco
motives and cars. In this way, with I'M
ceasing activity, the work proceeded,
and the track neared the Eureka depot
every moment. The citizens of that
place had not had any intimation of the
excursion, until the train came into view,
but they no sooner caught sight OF the
passenger cars than they came driving
out in all kinds of carriages, and with
smiles on their faces that spoke volumes
of happiness over the sight at last, of the
first railroad train arriving at their city.
BY about Q p. m. the excursionists had
reached the Metropolitan hotel, the lar
gest in Eureka, and though its landlord
was completely surprised, he managed
TO set up plenty of supper for everybody
on short notice. The excursionists then
occupied an hour of good daylight stroll
ling about the town, visiting the stores,
and climbing to the top of the court
house tower, from which a magnificent
view Of the very beautiful town site and
surrounding country was obtained. Eu-
reka has large and very handsome stone
court house, built by John Hammond,
ofthis city, and more imposing than any
building in EmpOria, except the State
Normal school when that is regretted.
The Eureka school house. of stone is