Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-06-03
The First Capital of Kansas.

The traveller by the Union Pacific
Railway who crosses the state of Kansas
sees, not far from Fort Riley, and lit
| tie more than hundred miles from the
! Missouri state line, the ruins of a stone
structure standing alone on the hillside
| which slopes to the Kansas river.
Around this ruin are green hills; and
glimpses of fertile valleys in the neigh
borhood, as the train rolls on, give some
idea of the beauty of the surrounding
country. The building which stands
thus isolated on the hillside is an his
torical monument. 1t is all that re-
mains of the city of Pawnee, the first
capital of Kansas.
There are, perhaps, not many living
who, like myself, are familiar with ali
the brief history of Pawnee. Its life was
not long, but 1t saw some stirring
scenes. On it's soil took place MEM
orable encounter in the war between
slavery and freedom, in which for the
time slavery was worsted. My tender
age prevented my being an actual wit
ness of all that terrible encounter; but
| heard so much about it from those
nearest and dearest to me, that it seems
to me as though every incident of the
contest must have passed before my
eyes. l was girl but eight years old
when my parents took me to PaWnee.
But my father and an uncle who accom-
panied us were animated by love of
freedom, nor was my mother one whit
behind them. They were bent on Kan
sas being free state, and to assist in
that holy work they thought no efforts
nor privations too great. We children
heard nothing else talked about. 1t was
the atmosphere in which we lived and
breathed. We shared the enthusiasm
and apprehensions of our elders. "Mis-
sourians" and "Georgians" were names
that struck terror to every child's heart.
/ thought no greater i'll could befall me
than a visit from them. They appeared
to my imagination, hideous monsters to
| be feared. And such was not the feeling
of children alone, for, many grown per-
sons were scarcely more courageous
when visit was expected from the
bloodthirsty supporters Of slavery The
scenes of those days made an indelible
impression on my mind, and after the
lapse OF more than thirty years 1 still
wildly recall the exciting events when
at times 1t was uncertain whether life
or death would be our portion.
My parents were among the earliest
emigrants to Pawnee. The city-for
thus, in confident anticipation of its flu
| ture, it was called-Was but short dis
lance outside of the land reserved for
Fort Riley. Through the town ran the
military road, made and kept in repair
by the United States, for Transporting
troops and supplies to the forts along
the routes. This was the only travelled
highway in that part of the territory.
Near this road was the first house built
on the town site, erected by a man
named Knapp. The second house was
built by two brothers named Clutz, who
were warm friends of Governor Reeder.
Those two houses were of logs. But a
stone building, to be used as store, was
begun by one Wilson, sutler at Fort Ri
ley. He never finished it, but neverthe-
less, rented it in its imperfect condition
to broker by the name OF Garret, who
there kept store, which was much fire.
quented by the Indians. For reasons to
me unknown one of the brothers shot an
Indian in broad daylight, and, jumping
upon the murdered mans pony, hurried
away, closely followed by members of
the tribe. He evaded his pursuers near
Oskaloosa, and escaped into Missouri.
The different tribes of Indians made
Pawnee general stopping place on their
way to and from the hunting grounds,
and sometimes camped there for weeks
together.
As soon as it became generally known
that Pawnee was to be the capital of the
territory, the tide of immigration began
pouring, and in less than six weeks
hundreds of men had pitched their tents,
invested their money, and gone to work
with a will. Business began in earnest.
Everywhere were seen shingles, ar
tistically lettered in chalk or charcoal,
each recommending the goods or talents
of some one to the resident and travel
ing public.
Ali day long the cheerful sounds of the
broadaxe and hammer were heard. |
Trees were felled, logs hewn, clapboards
made, and house-raising parties dotted |
the land with sheltering places. Every |
hour there arrived new recruits, weary, |
hopeful wanderers, who had staked all |
to gain all. Some of them were accom-
panied by wives and young children
others had come alone to make home |
for the wives and children they had left |
behind
As these tired and worn travellers
crossed Three-mile creek, and rounding
little knoll, set their eyes for the first
time on the lovely valley, in which Paw
nee stood, it seemed to them haven of
delight, in which they would gladly pass
the remainder of their days. As if by
magic there sprang into existence a
miniature city, full of life and full of
hope.
Early in the spring of 1855 the gov
eminent began work upon a building to
be used as legislative hail. It's dimen-
sions were about thirty by fifty feet, two
stories high, with one room above and
one below, In the ruins, as they may
be seen to-day, is large hole in the top
on the west side, and many suppose It