Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-12-08
Old Names.

We see by the Council Grove Cosmos
that the people of that city, or at least
some Of them, are talking about chang
ing the name of their town.
AS one of the old timers, we hope
they will consider that idea before it
comes even to serious consideration.
For many years Council Grove was at
the end of what might be termed the
eastern division of the great Santa Fe
trail. 1t is located in beautiful, pic
teresque section of country, interspersed
with forest and prairie, hill and valley.
and watered by many beautiful streams
and springs. 1t was the last out-fittihg
place between the Missouri river and
the old Spanish town of Santa Fe-a
sort Of jumping off place, as it were
the point where any Of the Injuries,
even the comforts of civilized life, could
be procured. Beyond was the great
DESERT weary stretch of six hundred
miles of Indians and prairie. The Sam
Ia Fe trail was to this country like the
great trail from Damascus across the
Arabian desert, to that, and over it
were carried every year millions and
millions of every description of goods.
Its entire length was dotted with great
caravans of white-covered wagons.
drawn by teams Of three TO SIX pairs
or mules, and the "whack" and the yell
Of "whippers-up" were the constant
music of the road. The Santa Fe trail
became almost world famous as a great
insland route of trade. and Council
Grove was a sort of oasis of the desert
as well known and talked of by mercan-
tile men every where, and conspicu-
Gus fixture in the geography of the
West. Especially to Kansas people it
became sort of household world. The
school boy might know but little about
Washington-not even where it was,
but he knew all about Council Grove.
To the western traveller, especially, it
had kindly memories that few localities
ever attain. To him it was a sort of
Mecca in his pilgrimage.
1t was at Council Grove that the
west-going trader babe adieu to the
large vestige of civilization-there he
ate his last meal in house-a rude
cabin though it was-yet it was one of
the comforts of civiliZation-for the
last time drank his coffee out of an
earthen cup and stirred the sugar with
a pewter spoon, or sat upon a four
legged, splint- bottomed chair-beyond
was dreamy blank, so far as even the
rudest accomplishments of civilized
life were concerned. Thenceforward
he sat upon the ground and ate from
tin plates, OF board, or took his lunch
in his fist, and drank his coffee, made
in camp kettles, from a tin cup, and
slept in the open air.
Coming eastward, again, Council
Grove was hailed, like the dawn that
precedes the rising of the sun, as the
opening of the light of the day of civ
ilization. There were again the faces
of white men, and white mems com.
forts. Council Grove to him, was the
synonym of home-a haven of rest.
The name was talismanic, and meant
more than words could express. 1t
meant green trees, pure water, run
ming brooks, and the light and life of
civilization. 1t meant rest for a few
days from the interminable monotony
of dust and heat of "jerked buffalo
and "hard biscuit" and from the
wearying sight of the endless process
sion of caravans
All these thing will come up in the
mind of the "old timers" at the talk
of blOtting out the name of Council
Grove. The old name is to them full
of fragrant memories. Fifty or a
hundred years from now, when we
''old cocks" shall have been harvested
by the man with the scythe, it will
make no difference what you do with
that name, but till then, we shall unan-
imously and vigorously protest. We
have a common property in that name.
1t is music to our ears. 1t tells us of
struggle, of trials, of strifes and of
triumphs peculiar to this grand era of
the triumphs of mind over matter, of
endurance and will power over the
untoward environment of circum-
stances. 1t tells US of the courage
and constancy of comrades that have
gone down before us-martyrs to the
great cause Of humanity and liberal
development that has made Kansas
the wonderland of the civilized world
1t is an integral and conspicuous
part of the most exciting pioneer his
tory that the age has developed.
America exported to June sIst, 1881, of
butter, 81 ,560, 500 pounds, worth s6,526O24.
and cheese, 147 995, 614 pounds, worth S16,-