Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-10-24

living thing that thirsteth. Az occa-
sional deer is still seen in that aection,
and last winter a Pittsburgh hunter
GOT a shot at a fine buck as b. stood
drinking from one of these trc lghs.
One of the queer things which Clapp
has done, and for which his most in
innate friends can give no explana-
ton, was the purchasing of store
filled with merchandise. locking it up
lust as it stood. and never allowing it
to be opened again for business. This
was eight or ten years ago, and the
goods are still in the building. some
So, 900 worth, and all of it molding and
rotting away. A man who clerked in
the store at the time it was so strange
ly locked up has told the writer all
that is known of the affair. The store
is located at President, not far from
Clapp's residence. 1t was the only
store for several miles around, and
the country people came long distances
to trade. The business done was light,
because the country is very sparsely
settled. there not being house in sew
eral miles. Still, there was some bust.
ness all the time, and it is not thought
the store was closed on account of the
light trade. 1t would be more like
Clapp to keep it open for the benefit OF
the public, although he lost money by
so doing. This seems to have been the
spirit that moved him in the building
of so many miles of free roads. He
had a partner in his store, and if there
was any trouble between the two men
it was not apparent. One morning he
came into the store and said to the
clerk:
Il have bought cut my partner in
the store and am now sole proprietor.
Nail up all the windows and doors and
give me the key. We will not sell any
more goods"
The clerk did as he was instructed,
and the store remains in that condition
to-day, with the goods rotting on the
shelves inside. Clapp is not d man
who tells his affairs to anybody, but
quite the reverse, and. understanding
him thoroughly in this respect, no one
is likely to ask him any questions in
regard to the closing of the store, and
it is not likely that any one will ever
know any more about it than is known
now, which is practically nothing.
Although Clapp has spent hundreds
of thousands of dollars in building
roads from President, the place con-
sists virtually of one house, and that
the house in which he lives. There
are perhaps half a dozen cheap houses
in the vicinity, together with the bar
ricaded store, but the only house of
value is Clapp's residence. This
is an ordinary-appearing country
house, frame, painted white, and
two stories high. 1t is old
fashioned, even to the porch
extending along the front, and
has the appearance of house that
cost not over $1,000 to build. 1t is a
house, however. that cost many thou
sand dollars = how many nobody
knows. The house stands on the bank
of the river. in very conspicuous To-
cality, and is sure to be noted by the
traveller along the Allegheny. There
is a cellar under the entire house, and
the masonry in the walls is something
marvellous. Clapp will show an occa-
sional visitor over the house, but in
his ordinary moods he is not particu-
lar to crafty anybody's curiosity
about it. Indeed, if he suspected any
caller of any curiosity in the matter
he would not be permitted TO see the
house under any circumstances. To
all questions as to the cost of the
house he has one formula: "This
house is all paid for" He is known to
have told one visitor that the masonry
in the cellar walls cost him so, 1000.
Clapp's love of plenty of pure water is
seen in this house, where there IS rum
ming spring water in every room. The
water is brought down from the hills
back of the house. by asystem of pipes.
and the supply is never failing, winter
or summer
1t was said that Clapp refused to
sell or lease any part of his big tracts
of land. This is not literally true.
OF his 5000 acres he did some time
ago lease 200 acres to an oil man. A
we'll or two was put down on these 200
acres. and the result was satisfactory.
These wells test" as the term is, a
large scope of territory. and prove it
to be good for oil purposes. Notwith-
standing this he refuses to sell or lease
any more, and regrets that he gave
this lease. The result of these wells
has brought oil men down on Clapp
by the hundreds to secure leases. but
he refuses to lease or sell on any
terms. The Standard Oil Company
offered him $75O.OOO for part of his
President tract. but he declined to ac-
cept it. He will put no price on the
whole or part of it, but simply says it
isn't for sale or lease. To one mans