Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-06-01
THE HARPER TRAIL

All along we have insisted that the
talked of trail from Barber county and
the Territory to Harper, the terminus
Of the railroad, was by no means a sure
thing, and in fact we have doubted if
any trail whatever could be secured
that would be satisfactory to the ship
pers. To show that we were correct
in the position, we publish below a let
ter from prominent citizen of Ruella
township, Harper county, which ap-
peared in the Anthony Republican last
week:
RUELLA TP., May 81, SO.
Editor Anthony Republican:-Please
publish the following, which is true. to
my certain knowledge:
The Harper Times has put forth GER
tain statements I'm regard to the Harper
trall for the purpose of binding the
cattlemen and the railroad officials, in
order to hold the road at Harper. They
have set forth they have secured a new
drive from Harper running southwest
TO Barber county and the Territory.
This is untrue. They have neither
bought the right of way, leased 1t or re-
ceived ii as a gift, as has been told by
their committee, who saw but three
men namely: Messrs. Hamilton, Per-
~, and Pirl. Now, do they control all
the land along the supposed trail to the
Barber county liner / say not, and
when the Harperites geta trail through
Ruella township they will be wise and
well pleased. Now Mr.. Editor, if the
Harper people dispute this after you
publish it, we, the people of Ruella
township, will furnish you with our
names on petition, and prove that
they are facts. ArTICA.
1t must be remembered that Ruella
township is southwest of Harper and
the proposed trail passes through it a
distance of about 20 miles. The only
reliable water courses available on the
trail through that township are Bluff
creek and Little and Big Sandy, and the
water on these streams is all taken up.
A bunch of even fifty beeves cannot be
grazed as they should be from the Bar
Der county or the Territory line clear to
Harper. The sentiments expressed by
"Attica," the correspondent quoted
above, are those held by nine-tenths of
the Harper county citizens.
What cares the agriculturist for Har-
per who has located his quarter section
on one of these water courses at the ex-
pense of every dollar he owns in the
world. The town is nothing to him.
He would rather remain in the undis-
turbed possession of his farm than to
see million beeves shipped from Har-
per. He well knows that the financial
condition of Harper will not permit of
his land being purchased or leased, and
that if he gives the right of way to a
trail it will be free gift with no hope
Of return from any source.
The railroad people must know the
true situation of this matter. First.
there isno trail guaranteed, and il there
was, stOckmen would still hesitate to
drive to Harper. OF the $1,000 beeves
to be shipped from Barber and Conan
che counties and the Territory, MOI
more than 1000 will be put on cars at
Harper. This is no reckless assertion:
but win be proved before this season is
over.
Before the season was over last year
1t became necessary for one large pool
to ship their last beeves from Dodge
City. From then until now matters
have been growing worse, until now, a
herd Of wild range cattle could be driv-
en- through every street in New York
and the owner called on to pay less
damages thzn If he attempted to drive
them 10 Harper for shipment.