Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-07-24
SOUTHERN KANSAS.
General Observations and Remarks
4 "Let MS Hear the Conclusion of
7 the Whole Matter"

n. TOOlnS ihay iio1 oCaouboA paw
The need of special work among the
railroad men was seen years ago by the
Young Mems Christian Association,
and after mature deliberation twas de-
termined to organize the Railway
branch for this purpose. This was done
in 1874, believe, and now every rail-
way town of any Importance In the
country has rooms set apart for the use
of the association. The work is sup
ported entirely by railroad men, the
different companies in the United
States paying out thousands of dollars
annually to further the work, and the
unanimous verdict is, that no money
Is expended brings them better returns.
Here In Kansas City the different COM
panies have dubbed together and fitted
nm fine suit of rooms in the Union
depot, including fine, airy reading
and lecture room, wash and bath rooms
etc. They have recently refurnished
and frescoed the reading room and every
thing is as convenient, neat and nice
as one could wish. The work here was
organized some four years ago, and now
the membership numbers more than
three hundred. The association was
started and set in working order by ex-
State Secretary Williams, of Ohio, who
had charge oft about one year. Then
Geo. II. Coxhead took charge of the
work for over three years, until last
January, when he resigned to take the
position of State Secretary of Missouri,
and T. H. Clark, the organizer of the
Lawrence, Kan, association was called
to the place. The position sought Mr..
Clark, not he the position. He was
widely and favorably known by reason
of his work in Lawrence, and as Presi-
dent of the State convention of 1882.
When I was in st. Louis last summer,
Secretary Douglas, of the st. Louis asso-
citation, inquired of me very particular
ly, regarding the present employment
of Mr.. Clark, who was then principal of
the Emporia high school, and whether
Thought he would enter the Y. M. G..
A. work; and at the State convention
last fall, Mr.. Ingersoll, International
Secretary of the Railroad work in North
America, was SO pleased with his ap-
pearance and the spirit with which he
entered into the exercises of the con-
vention, that he offered him this place
if he would enter the association work.
The proposition was complete surprise
to Mr.. Clark, but after some weeks de-
liberation he concluded to accept, and
entered upon the duties of his office the
last of January, of the present year.
He has proved, so far at least, the
fright man in the right place." carry
ing on the work successfully, and in
|augurating many new and attractive
features. The rooms are place of re-
sort for all the railrord men of the lines
running into the city, and their facili-
ties are in constant use. The reading
room is well supplied with religious
and secular papers, and there is the
beginning of a fine library. ,Fe
I should like to go on and devote my
whole letter to this subject, but other
things command attention.
On this, my return from five weeks
trip through Eastern and Southern
Kansas, few general remarks and OBJ
servations are in order. realize that I
have made some statements and asser-
tions which may seem rather extrav-
agant to those who have never been in
that part of the state, but I can assure
the readers of my communications that
nothing has been over-stated. have
not drawn upon my imagination, but
have tried to give plain, unyarnished
account of things as saw them, and as
I had reason to believe were as my in
formants stated. The fact is there is
no need of enlarging upon the facts.
The plain truth is enough to cause
scepticism in the minds of those who
do not know for themselves. Kansas
cannot be over-estimated-th facts
cannot be over-stated. This state has
had the most wonderful development
within the last decade of any state in
the Union. Then her population num-
bered perhaps half a million; now it is
at least million and half. The acre.
age of cultivated land has doubled again
and again-each year adding thousands
of acres to that capable of producing
crops. Some of the richest portions OF
the state are in the area formerly
marked on the maps as within the
"Great American Desert"
The grasshoppers were really a bless
ing in disguise, as before the grasshop.
per season, everybody, without regard
to "color, race or previous condition
wasrushlng here with no thought but to
get rich as quickly as possible, many
thinking all they had to do was to si
around and wait for the corn and wheat
to grow. Speculation in land was rife
and eastern parties, good business mer
at home, "lost their heads" when they
saw the square miles of land waiting
for purchasers, to be had for song, ant
bought themselves Gland poor"
| Two great classes come to Kansas