The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1892-12-29
Of Kansas west Of the 9th principal

, 81 Kansas west Of the 9th principal
/, meridian and all ~ Colorado. In the
! history 81 the United States no man ever
, represented ~ much territory M mem
. Der ~ state legislature; not only terri,
tory. but represented several tribcs 10
Indians aud immense herds ~ the Amer.
lean bison or buffalo. that he acquired
aud was known IN Buffalo jones. Grcat
effort was made Ia secure the w.t. of the
whole county, which vas just "a. lcst
Denver might organize n precinct and
out vote them.
] have no recollection " county sup.
erintend-n, being elected until Novcm
Der, ls,i2, when the Rev Vim. Bishop was
elected g. that Office aud also the follow
ing named officers were elected: * n.
Bishop, as member 81 the Legislature.
and the undersigned. County Clerk. To
I'LL the vacancy 81 r. II. bishop. Tn my
taking the office. jan. |, Ism, visited
the residence of H. II. Bishop, one half
mile west 10 the then limits ~ Salina,
and near the east bank % Dry Creek,
where he had built log cabin on his
claim. Here he turned over to me, la an
old black satchel. all books and papers
pertaining to the County Clerks office,
and In one year from that time, iireturn.
Ell the same satchel 10 him, with what
additional papers had accumulated while
held the office for the year is,gl, be bc.
ing elected ~ my successor. The county
offices were portable for the first few
years.
The taxes collected from personal aud
real ior the year isrl, the first for the
county WAS just ssD. When We settled
with the County Treasurer, We found
the county and township expenses
amounting To s2.,5 With the remaining
g., ! went Ia Junction City and con
tractcd with George ". Martin. editor ~
the Junction City Union, Ia print and
bind a scrip book Tor Saline County.
which he did promptly, and in his weekly
Union, commented upon the finances 81
Saline County.
Saline County was attached 10 Davis
County lnow Gearyl for Judicial pur.
pnses, therefore in all Judicial business
nf the county We had To 90 To Junction
City 10 attend court.
An incident occurred in the Saline
valley that caused good deal 81 excite.
ment at the time. An Italian by the
name 81 Costa had claim on Section H.,
L IL, X ,, adjoining the farm % Is r.
Gardner. on the Saline River. Costa
was accused 81 stealing a. and yoke ~
cattle. and during the winter ~ 1851 90
some three or four citizens ~ Saline
County visited his log cabin and insisted
On his cnnfessing To the charge: he re-
fused. whereupon they hung him up scv
eral times To make him confess; and the
last would have finished him, but other
parties appeared and saved his life. He,
ls SION ~ he was able, left the county
and turned up in Topeka aud swore out
10 have these parties arrested
Tor murder. The warrants were put in
the hands 81 4. ". Cullen, sheriff ~
Davis County. but il was over u year be.
lore he got service upon the parties.
They gave bonds Tor their appearance at
'uurt for the September term, at June
ion City. ls,fk The sheriff had IN the
meantime presented his bill Tor service
ind consecutive mileage. which made u
"rrIble bill. near ssuO, aud only begin
IIng 81 the cost for the county. The
county commissioners requested inc Ia
AXE the bills down Ia the Judge at the
'uurt and have them ia some manner
cduccd Accompanying inc were two nt
10" parties Ia bc tried aud u. H. Bishop
4, l.. Jones. Irwin Farms. John prutcr
Ind others rs witnesses. ] think sumc
"n ar twelve pcrsuns altogether. Dn
'ur ARRIVAL at junction City, the onl,
iutcl WAS crowded. We then iuuk an
'ut door ruum aud campcd un tn bnuk ,
4 the Smoky liill River and lived on the
at 81 the land. Sweet putatues, water.
ueiuns, three for quarter aud buffalo
neat
When the case was called Tor trinl |
Uund the Judge and prosecuting attur
ley quite cHsy To get along with, and
'osta gone. At least he did not apIaaf
md the case was dismissed. | got u )
argc amount 81 the costs dismissed. !
justa IN short time WIS enabled to
tart butcher shop in Topeka and !
'retty soun another, and in few years )
'uilt the first Opcra house in that city,
he Costa House, at cost ~ nearly I
lb.ubn II was the current report aud \
'elief that the guilty parties bought OH
,usta, as for years afterwards there
eemed To lie some fate against them
rom which they never recovered. Some
{ them died many years ago aud others
1T the country.
Another matter ~ much interest can
~ mentioned. The mail route west Of Z
Junction City only extended Ia some
lace near where Solomon City in now
Dcated come ON horseback once weeK.
nd for about year Mr.. Campbell or L. -.
1. Bishop would ride down on Sunday 3
morning for the mail. In the meantime G
ir. \. NJ Campbell had been appointed I
'ostmaster at least a year before the !
inc was extended 10 Salina. The mail :,
ame on horseback weekly until the
pring Of ls62 when the Kansas over
and stage line was established and W.
lad mails three times week. Mr.. J
remained our pest master FOR
q years and more accommodating man
ever lived ON the frontier.
Very truly yours,
u. Z. HAMILTON.