Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1891-02-07
Description Of Coyote a Trego
County City of 1863.

consequences rather disagreeable to IN
terested ears.
Ever since the giant, steam, strobe
Westward in his seven league land grant
boots, each momentary resting-place has
become a newborn city. Child Of a
nursing railroad. the infant town has
often rended the heavens with its birth
shout, while Fate prepared to throttle it
at tooth cutting. The inclsors, however
have usually developed before decease
sufficiently for every one to be bitten
who fondled the infant. And the spon-
sors have usually cut their wisdom teeth
about the same period.
That portion of our continent between
the Missouri River and the Rocky Noun
tains has of late years borne upon its
face not only the wrinkles Of numerous,
projected as well as finished railways,
but like pimples upon sot's eountenance
an eruption of towns has broken viol-
emily out-the impurities Of new states
and territories drunken with glittering
projects. Not only have these menaced
and then taken temporary seat along and
upon the backbone of the continent
but its broad face has been pitted by
what well may have been termed angry
ulcers, slow of cure.
The Pacific railways have been respon-
sible for more and worse towns than any
other single cause. Every Temporary
terminus of track laying became, for the
time being, city, wicked, wonderful and
short-lived. Dull care and prudence fed
as fugitives out OF these butterfly swarms
and only found refuge in the lonely "dug
outs" of pioneer farmers, Shame haunt-
ed her scarlet rags from the dance-house's
open door, and saluted passenger trains
with an air fall of violin scrapings, feet
beatings, and ''all hans round" swing
yer partners" Life was merry after
fashion; and love, no longer snowy
pinioned, but soiled, leaned on a bar
instead of a bow, and gave ever constant
evidence of having been out over night
with Bacchus.
1t was the writer's destiny to be asso-
ciated for some years with the organiza-
ton OF towns for what was then the
eastern division OF the Union Pacific
Railway line running from Kansas
City to Denver. The first portion Of the
road, that east of Fort Harker, the GEN.
ter of the state of Kansas, was through
an agricultural region and with that our
article has nothing to Go. From where
the "Harker Bluffs looked out upon the
silent plains, away of through western
Kansas and eastern Colorado to the
Rocky Mountains, the iron road was
being placed. Five hundred miles
through the red mans pastures was a
path leveled, that the genius, steam,
might tread it; and along this path,
whenever the Aladdin lamp of the engine
became stationary for brief time, magic
cities sprang into existence. With those
which have survived, future generations
have to do. Be ours the task to rescue
from oblivion those towns which were,
but are not.
Coyote was a temporary terminus Of
the railroad in 1863 On every side of the |
dreary rolling plains lay up against the
cloudless horizon. Sky and earth came
together like two tenantless wastes, re-
lieved only by the golden sun rolling dai-
ly over the one, while the mushroom town
looked up at it from the other. a crazy |
street of shanties and mob of men had |
been flung down among the buffaloes-
the wreck of other mushroom cities, and |
the habitants of their purlieus. Canvas
saloons, sheet-iron hotels, and sod dwell /
Iings, surrounded by tin cans aud scat
tered playing cards, the latter so out Of
form by the repeated turnings from the
bottom that even the Coyote gambler
could not manipulate them. And
t was interesting to see BOreas
md Notus take a hand at these
discarded trumps. Before the breath
If the north wind they would rise
nto air, the queens dancing like SO many
witches in effigy, as, close over the smooth
urface they sped south. A few moments
nd the barren earth would be swept
lean. while the pasteboards, accompani-
d by stray newspapers and old hats, were
luttering, like fight of white birds, ont
( sight. Three days, the usual life of
ull-grown prairie gale, might pass, and
hen, as the north wind met the forces Of
he south, and fed back over this disput-
d territory OF the tempests, the tenant
sss air became alive again. Far off on the
eel of the vanquished and the crest of
he victor wind came the wi ite-w winged
onveys OF cards Ike the curses Of the
royerb, on their way home 10 roost. At
ight-fall they had collected beside the
rack and among the houses, and we're
gain as thick as leaves in autumn. Had
; been possible for conscience to prick
trough Coyote gamblers skin, how it
hight have gratified him to see the mark
d Jack that had heeced the last stranger
Sc up like a grasshopper and fly soath,
eyond the possibility Of becoming
tate's evidence! And how annoying to