The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1881-01-27

From the Atchison Champion.
fHB CAPITAL OF KANSAS.
Ths Cld esasts CSanlos-1As 0ssl Ssasts
ef 1o5e
Noble Pfentis, who was the sole reporter
Of the Senate proceeding for several ses-
sions aud ~ho y again back II Topeka this
winter reporting for the daily Atchisou
CAsmpios, thus talks Of nen and things con-
nected with his early experiences In Ksnsas
The Senate yesterday removed TO the old
Representatives Hall Ut has been "old'' since
Monday and the former Senate Chamber was
left, swept and garnished to be used, be-
lieve, by the enrolling and engrossing de-
partments Of the Legislature.
The old Senate Chamber il the only apart
ment In this building that possesses any spe-
cial interest for me. II was in that room that
I may be said to have passed my irst Kansas
winter, as the Senate reporter Of the old
Kansas Daily Sfste Record, now gone to the
journalistic heaven. the best beloved OF all
the newspapers for which have welded the
weary plumbago.
The Senate had the honor to report, was
that Of 1870. saw John C. Carpenter in the
old precints the other day; getting old and
heavy; trifle too ample about the waist,
yet handsome still; and still, unaccountabIy,
bachelor, and it brought the old crowd
back again to the then new hall Of legisla-
ton.
The President Of the Senate was the Hon.
orable Charles Vernon Eskridge. That was
before be had relapsed into the smiIeless con-
dition described in Charley Aldrich's poem.
All know Of his previous career was, that
he had invented for the female advocates Of
woman suffrage In Kansas the name Of ssElm
Peelers," but what that means have never
known. Mr.. Eskridge was very good pre-
siding officer. He was always imperturba-
BILE and pronounced his decisions In amonot-
onous, unvaIyins tone, like an alarm clock.
The year 1870 was m "era Of good feeling !"
The State was doing very well. Railroad
were being built, and their progress excited
great interest. Whenever the advancing line
reached \ new town there was y celebration
in honor Of the event. 1 do not know how
many Of these demonstrations the Legisla-
ture adjourned TO attend. The Senate was =
very placid affair in reality, though there was
considerable '.jawing'' among the members
for the fun Of it. In fact, there was really
very little for the Senate to do, yet It nobly
stayed out the fifty constitutional days with
out u murmur.
To begin ut the head Of the roll, there was
arif NJ un1
with head bald In front. He il still living
in the good county Of johnson, though was
sorry to learn from Mr.. Brcyfogle, his pres
ent successor. that Mr.. Arraswith IL In feeble
health.
J. c. Bailey, u handsome, quiet young man.
from jefferson, died some years ago. have
understood from the effects Of . stab rcceiv-
ed long before from border ruflian.
J. T. BrOadhead, then Of Linn, Is now prac-
ticing law at Independence. He was the
stubbOrnest man in the Senate.
A. b. Carnahan, then Of Cloud, Is still u
resident Of that county, but in politics is
''anOther good man gone wrong"
John Carpenter, the handsome man of the
Senate, was Senator from the NeoshO dis
trict. He Is now Federal officer, and his
festive days are over. They were not in
1870
Stephen A. Cobb, of Wyandoite, was the
most active man in that body. He afterwards
went to Congress. The comm now shuts In
that once proud and ambitious heart.
The next name on the roll was that OF W.
Ii. Fitzpatrick, of shawnee. He, too, retired
to a Federal Office, and see his "good gray
head" on the streets Of Topeka every day.
Next came my good old friend, DIR. w. II.
Grimes. Of Atchison, whose kindly smile was
my daily comfort and reccmpense. lie has
gone over to the silent majority.
o. J. Grover still hOurishes in Pottawato.
mic.
+. }. jenkins, then Senator from Doni-
phan, had the good luck that bcfell several OF
his colleagues. He got good Federal Office.
and still retains it. He has accumulated
lands and goods, and pieces Of silver and
changes of raiment. and also abdomen, and
lately has entered the field OF literature and
written that very readable collection OF
sketches, "The Northern Tier
Next came that most original old gentle
man, William Larimcr, of Lcavenworth, who
once came to your correspondent and said
IN, in sending me here it is just as il my
had dug up an old Roman and
put new set Of bowels into him. He was
indeed an sold Roman" brave and true. He
died few years ago.
.. f. Learnard was the seemingly careless, |
but very sharp Senator from Douglas. He
has let out his waistband, retired from poll |
ties, and Is u railroad man.
James II. Mead, silent pioneer sort Of man |
who had hunted and traded all over the |
plains, sti'l lives at Wichita.
NJ. NJ. Murdoch was on the floor from Usage |
county. Those were the days when Marsh's |
heart was not entirely weaned from the vani- |
lies Of the world, and he wore blue swallow
tailed coat and mastOdonic gold finger ring. |
The cares Of big newspaper, postofiicc,
md services on the joint committee ON accu-
babies, have considerably toned
Town the Beau Brummel Of 1870.
John Mckee was i Senator from Leaven-
worth. and looks now just rs did then.
f. S. NiccOlls. a pleasant gentleman from
Anderson, has Of late years become interest
u in business in Texas.
j. II. Prescott, who then represented Sa-
inc county and every thing west Of it to the
state line, went on the bench as district
Judge soon after leaving the Senate, and re-
mains there. Prescott was the Yankee of
he Senate. and spoke with decided New
hampshire accent. Though not particularly
varlikc in appearance, he was a fighting SOL
ier in Virginia.
Martin Schmidt, still Of Leavenworth, was
be only forcign-born Senator. lie was a
ensible member.
W. II. Smallwood, Of Donipl,au, has had ,
he ''most strange, eventful history" o. any
{ them. lie is now listening to the waves ,
n far Vancouvcr's shore. He rose to he !;
ecretary Of State, and aspired to be Govern {
r. There has been "a heap Of trouble on I
he old mans mind" since then. IL
S. j. II. Snyder, positive old man, a reg {
lar Covensnter in his mind and manner, was |
re associate Of DIR. Grimes. He was good q
ian. and believed all he said. and spoke with :
reat carncstness Of men. lie, like his col +
ague. Is dead. &
A. G. Spear was gay young member from q
rown. aud still lives there.
Edwin Tucker, n most excellent man, was -
Senator from Greenwood. With every u
iality for public position, he retired years u
20 from participation in public affairs, and v
Is devoted himself to making money at b
nreka. e.
Then came Martin V. Voss. a most singu- I
r mind i'm an ip,lescribabiy curious looking n
'dy. He was excessively tail. or rather il