The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-01-17
WANTS TO SQUEEZE
EUGENE WARE Is ATTORNEY IN
A PECULIAR CASE.
Exciting Narration of the Finan-
cial Antics of One SOulc, Who
Was Equally Versatile in
Wet Hop Bi.ters and
Dry Ditcles.

Yesterday in the federal court some p-o
ceedings were had which vividly called to
| nind some of the stirring scenes that have
made Kansas interesting in the past.
The occasion was the application of the
Mercantile Trust company, by Gleed.
I! Ware & Gleed, its attorneys, to have n
| receiver appointed for the celebrated irri
cation canal that extends from Ingalls, in
Gray county down through Ford, Hodge
| man and Edwards counties to the city of
| Kinsley.
A large number of afidavits were pre-
sented which very fully covered the present
| condition of the canal and some of its past.
There are few more interesting chapters
in Kansas history than the story of the
Eureka ditch" as the big canal was called
by its founders.
Many years ago in Rochester man con-
ceived the idea of making what he called
Hop Bitters." 1t was back iu the era of
bitters, during which SO many men made
fortunes in "bitters." The world took to
| "bitters," and 'Hostetter." LOG Cabin"
| 'Purdy," and Vinegar" bitters took the
bad taste out which the world made in
the mouths of humanity. The EAGLE we'll
remembers that era: the whisky was reas-
onably pure, and the bitters were reason
ably bitter. and the amount of headaches
per quart filled about The same proportion
that the interviews with Mary Ellen do
the columns of the Topeka newspapers.
This poor young man named SOule in
vented Hop bitters, and it soon hoped
into the favorite consideration of the peo-
pie OF Rochester, where the beer has al
ways been SO good, and the whisky always
SO poor.
The first began with kettle on cook
stove-he ended with vats and boilers and
tanks and brick warehouses.
| His profits were millions, and the world
kept on drinking his decoctions and pay
ing him dollar for what cost him six.
teen cents.
He, having more money than he knew
what to do with, came to Kansas and be-
| gan making things bitter" on the frontier.
He started in to make city far out on
the Arkansas river.
| He named the city 'Ingalls" after gen.
| tleman who lived in Atchisou, a town on
the Missouri river, more generally known
as Hog town until Governor Felt moved
Al ChSAO auo ICSlOICu tu0 Oiu udHCs
The founder Of 'Ingalls on the Arkan-
! saw" determined that it should be a
county seat and large area of buffalo grass
and large number of coyotes were select
ed and marked off, and instead of being
attached to Ford county for judicial pur-
poses" it was attached to Soule for fuan-
| cial purposes.
But rival county seat was started by
the name of Cimaron, and things began to
Cimar-. A vote WAS finally called for.
The founder of Ingalls, went to Dodge City
and hired every cowboy and tough that
was engaged in infesting that dangerous
and purple painted city. There were
great many there who had lived or were
living on ''Bitter Creek Some were
from the head waters of the creek. Gray
county was named alter one of the quiet
est and most peaceable men who ever
lived on earth,-Hon. Alfred Gray.
but for three months Gray county
was troubled with insomnia.
On behalf OF the settlers of Ingalls, Mr..
Soule drew great many checks while a
great many of the settlers of Cimaron
handed theirs in. The controversy was
very ''bister," but Ingalls, won, and In
gals became the county seat, aud justice
WAS dispensed with at that place in an
official manner.
From ingalls, a great irrigating canal
was projected which should take the
water of the Arkansas, and fer; ilize the
vast plain that lay under its projected
level on the north OF the river. The plan
was Mr.. Soule's. as we'll also the plans to
found oLher townsites, and to build water.
works and electric light plants. These
were all carried out, and hundred miles
Of the Arkansas valley soon sprang
like Governor Lewelling from obscurity
into notoriety and greatness The build
ing of the ditch was gigantic enterprise
1t was the digging OF u new bed for the
Arkansas river. 1t was a canal that was
to place the river where it would do tho
most good. The river had fall of eight
feet per mile. and by giving the canal II
fall of two feet per mile. there was a gain
in height of six feet in every mile. In
twenty miles the canal had climbed the
hills 120 feet. In ten miles more it was on
the divide and thence it went east water
ing the most beautiful country that the
sun of May and June ever shines upon
The ditch was expensive, and was built
with great care and skill. At points
on its line large reservoirs were
put in where valleys were crossed aud in
many places huge embankments were
made to carry the canal across obstruc ting
ravines.
When the canal was we'll under way it
was bonded for 81 coo. 900 and prospectuses
were printed giving glowing account of
how the desert would be made to blossom
as rose.
While Mr.. Soule was visiting England
one Of these prospectuses dropped out OF
his pocket accidently and was picked up.
1t WAS afterwards read, and the result was
that MIR. Soule was detected in carrying
around large quantity of valuable
securities aud was compelled to let them
go, at par, and he returned to America
very much detected, with q million Of
dollars. He was also compelled to sell bis
hop bitter business for half n million.
Here Mr.. Soule seems to practically dis
appear from Kansas soil and politics.
Shortly afterwards the people of Oolora-
do drained off all OF the water In the Ar
kansas river to raise potatoes aud alfalfa |
in that Walcott Inflicted state aud the |
ditch like the balance Of the people OF |
Kansas went dry. The ditch became |
abandoned, aud as time wore away the
banks of the ditch wore away, aud it |
could ha-dly hold the snow that driftet |
into it.
The stock of the canal company |
is held in large amounts BIZ |
unknown parties There are mil |
lions of dollars of it. but it |
cannos be located and like Tho O.,t.
platform it is never referred to By those |
who know all about IL
The suit heard yesterday was a suit by /