Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-12-24


braced in the above dates, but We do |
mean to say that out of about 500 located
by Mr.. Street the above eleven named
persons are all who are in the county to-
day.
On the 18th day of August Hannah I.
Smythe made homestead entry and on
the same day Nathaniel 81. Sawtelle
made homestead entry. After making
these entries the parties we're married
and held and proved up on both quarters.
This of course was legitimate and was
only another evidence of the thrift for
which these parties were justly cele-
brated. Many others in this land dis
trict have done the same and the depart
ment has always held it legal.
By way of recapitulstion: Mr.. Street
kept the first hotel in Wa-Keeney; had
the first land Office; first stove aud tin
shop; was the first deputy district clerk,
first deputy sheriff and first notary pub
lie as we'll as being the first actual settler
who has stayed with the county ever
since.
Like almost all of our early settlers he
came here with little. In fact he did not
have money enough to pay all the freight
charges on his car load of goods and the
railroad company allowed him to take his
team and some of his goods and held the
rest until he could pay the balance due
them and, when he made entry for his
land, he was compelled to borrow the
money to pay the government fee.
Again, like all of our pioneers, he has
had his ups and downs and disappoint-
meuts. He lost $1,000 by fire at time
when he could very i'll afford to lose it
and in the winter and spring of 1886 he
lost $1,000 worth of stock on account of
the blizzard. But, notwithstanding all
these mishaps and despite crop failures
in 1880 and 1881, we think he has been at
least moderately successful and will not
say life on the plains of western Kansas
has been failure. At the present time
he owns one of the most complete hard
ware stores in western Kansas-one that
will invoice at least $6,OOO-and has other
business property in Wa-Keeney. He is
a good business man, liberal and public
spirited and we trust that when the
WORLD gives another "write up" of
those who have lived here quarter of a
century, that Mr.. Streets name will again
head the list.
The governors proclamation to organ
ize Trego county was issued in June,
1879. George Pinkham was appointed
county clerk and T.. W. Miller, 81. G.
Bryant and w. H. Fuson constituted
the first board of county commissioners
by appointment. The first officers elected
after the county was organized were as
follows: Representative, j. F. Keeney;
county clerk, S. G. Robb; probate Judge,
w. Fl. Fuson; county treasurer, John
Weckel; sheriff, j. F. Allen; county at
torney, John A. Nelson; register of deeds,
w. 81. Hartshorne; clerk of the district
court, ]. V. Ruddle; county surveyor. T.
K. Peck; superintendent of public in.
struction, T. P. Vale; coroner. G. F.
Neall,. Enos Click, T. w. Miller and j.
G. Brown were the commissioners elected
OF the whole number only our esteemed
fellow citizen, John A. Nelson, remains.
This election was held in November, 1879
and the total number of votes cast were
500.
The first city election in Wa-Keeney
was held April 1, 1880. It was a strictly
temperance ticket and nominated on that
basis. B. j. F. Hanna was elected
mayor; councilmen, James Kelly, E. L..
Roberts, W. c. Olson, John Kershaw and
W. 81. Fuson. D. NJ. Mitchell was
elected police magistrate. OF the num-
Der w. G. Olson and James Kelly are
citizens of Trego county at this time.
Tt may not be generally known or re-
membered that Wa-Keeney had brass
band as long ago as 1879. 1t is true,
nevertheless, and 81. J. lille was presi-
dent and played the LIST solo alto. OF the
other members not one remains. We give
their names: F. F. Garland, William
Street, Charles Smith, William Byfeld,
81. J. Hille, E. Russell, Lincoln Evans,
G. W. Griswold, William Derby, Charles
Edgar, Lafayette Minor. T. r. Evans
was employed as teacher.
A correspondent from Iowa writes:
"Your idea in permitting the old settlers
of your county to give their experience
and their opinions based upon personal
knowledge will do more good, SO far as
inducing immigration is concerned, and
by way of giving truthful and reliable
description of your country and re-
sources, than all the boom articles that
can be written. People are becoming
suspicious of the roseate and often much
overdrawn pictures that are sent out by
real estate dealers. What we want are
xI,o eooke xp;kborf ouv oolorinO md from