The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-08-16
JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT.
THE FIRsT CAPITOLOFKANsAs


The American Magazine.
The traveller by the Union Pacific
hallway who crosses the State Of
Kansas sees, not far from Fort Riley,
:tnd little more than "A hundred
miles from the Missouri State line,
he ruins OF q stone structure stand
ing alone on the hillside which
lOpes to the Kansas river. Around
his ruin are green hills; and
ssiimpses Of fertile valleys in the
1leighbOrhOOd, a. the train rolls on,
give some idea OF the beauty of the
surrounding country. Tls building
which stands thus isolated on the
hillside is an historical monument.
Il Is all that remains Of the city Of
I'awnee, the first capital OF Kansas.
My parents were among the
earliest emiI grants to Pawnee. The
'ity-fOr thus, in confident anticipa-
ions Of its future, it was called
was but a short distance outside of
the land reserved for Fort Riley.
Through the town ran the military
road, made and kept in repair by the
United States, for Transporting
troops and supplies 10 the forts along
the route. This was the only travel
cd highway in that part Of the Ter
ritOry. Near this road was the first
house built on the town site, erected
by man named Knapp. The
second house was built by two
brothers named Clutz, who were
warm friends OF Governor Reeder
Those two houses were OflOgs. But
a stone building, To be used as a
store, was begun 10y one Wilson,
Sutler at Fort Riley. He never
finished IL nevertheless, rented il in
ITS imperfect condition to broker
by the name OF GaTTet, who there
kept store, which was much fire.
quented by the Indians. For
reasons TO me unknown one OF the
brothers shot an Indian in broad
daylight, and jumping upon the
murdered mans pony, hurried
away, closely followed by members
Of the tribe. He eyaded his pur-
suers near OskolOOsa, and escaped
into Missouri.
The different tribes of Indians
made a general stopping place on
their way to and from the hunting
grounds, and sometimes camped
there for weeks together.
As soon As il became generally
known that Pawnee was to be the
capital Of the Territory, the tide Of
immigration began pouring in, and
in less than six weeks hundreds Of
men had pitched their tents, invest
ed their money, and gone to work
with a will. Business began i'm
earnest.
Everywhere were seen shingles,
artistically lettered in chalk or char
coal, each recommending the goods
or talents of some one to the resi-
dent aud travelling public.
All day long the cheerful sounds
Of the brOadaxe aud hammer were
heard. Trees were felled logs hewn,
clapbOards made, and hOuse-raising
parties dotted the land with shelter
ing places. Every hour there arriv-
eel new recruits, weary, hopeful,
wanderers, who had staked all to
gain all. Some Of them were ae-
cOmpanied by wives and young
children; others had come alone to
make a home for the wives and
childred they had left behind.
As these tired and worn travellers
crossed Three-mile Creek, and
rounding a little knoll, set their
eyes for the first time on the lovely
valley, in which Pawnee stood, il
seemed to them haven Of delight,
i'm which they would gladly pass the
remainder of their days. AS IL by
magic there sprang into existence a
miniature city, full Of life and full
Of hope.
Early i'm the spring of 1850 the
government began work upon a
building to be used as a Legislative
Hall. Its dimensions were about
thirty by fifty feet, two stories high, |
with one room above and one below. |
In the ruins, as they may be seen to- |
day, is a large hole in the top on the /
west side, and many suppose is to /
have been made by cannon ball.
But this is not so. This irregular
opening was never filled-in, as tue
was occupied before COM
pletiOn; it was used as a passage for
rarrying stone and mortar TO the
desired height.
The rough inside walls were un-
plastered, and presented quite a con-
rast with the comfortable rooms of
he present body Of Kansas law