The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-22
KANSAS COUNTIES AND RHODE
ISLAND

To the Editor OF the Eagle.
The statement in your paper the other
day, that Butler county was larger than
the state of Rhode Island, brings to my
mind a story of 1874, related by a gentle
men who is resident of New York, on
the New York Central year ago, viz. ::
''My firm having invested in some lands
in Kansas and Iowa, [ was detailed to
go out and examine them, and in Oc-
tober, 1874, ] arrived at Emporia, Kan
And being a stranger was RECALLED by
astounding statistical information, which
ended with the statement, in long
primer small capitals, that Lyon
county was larger than the state of
Rhode Island. | left Emporia and went
to Hutchinson, and there learned that
Reno county was fine wheat
county, and was larger than the
state of Rhode Island On the
completion of business at Hutchinson
went to Wichita and took ride with
real estate agent big as the side of a
house, and received some information
relative to the productiveness of Kansas
land in general, and Sed wick county in
particular, and again learned that Sedg-
of Rhode Island" From Wichita to
Wellington, thence to Howard county
and then to Montgomery. At each place
heard statements that would have caused
Sinbad the sailor to feel that he had
lived in vain, and also learned that Sum
ner, Howard and Montgomery counties
were ''larger than the state of Rhode
Island" The thing was growing furious
IL i ] II
souri,, Kansas and Texas railway for St.
Louis and realizing that ! was leaving
Kansas perhaps forever, went into the
smoker" aud asked what county we
We're in. 1t was Bourbon, and in
moment l received lot OF real estate
agents cards and more statistics"
At last an old gentleman. who had
said nothing, arose in his seat and faced
me and said: Speaking of the size of
counties, reside at Ell Dorado, in Butter
county"
! knew what was coming and deter
mined TO prevent il, even if | was MOB
bed for il. SO | said 10 him: please
pardon me for interrupting you, but I
am a stranger in Kansas seeking infor-
nation. aud as you gentlemen are all
we'll acquainted in Kansas | would like
10 ask you one question which Is dppl1Ca-
bic to all of the counties represented BY
you, and may assist IN advertising your
respective counties ia the east, where /
reside. | should like 10 know how the
size of your respective counties, and es-
pecialiy Butler county compared with
the state of Rhode Island"
There was pause, death-like still
mesa calmuess something akin to the
dead calm presaging a thunder shower
in June. | left the car and went
into the sleeper. II moment
the conductor came in and said that
the gentlemen in the smoker" desired
me to return. went, bat had some
misgivings: when I reached the car
everybody was laue hing. The old man,
from Butler county, had bottle in his
hand and everybody took drink. Then
the old man said: Young man, what
county in Kansas do you live in" /
then related my experience and by the
time we reached s.. Louis in the morn
ing we had celebrated so much that nv
head felt as large a the state Of Rhode
Island The old gentleman. from Butler
county, said his was larger than Texas.
"QCONDaM'