Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-10-10
RIVER EATS UP 4 CITY.
Reoaskabie Mishap 20 . kaasas
Settlement.


In the story OF the rise and fail Of |
Western boom towns within the past
generation there Is one strange history
that has never been written-,he pass
ing OF Elwood. Kan.
The Missouri river. twenty feet deep.
rolls and gurglcs and foams over the
spot that was once the main street.
Where hNstling merchants once display
ell their wares in commodious houses.
aud the hardy plainsman bumped cl-
bows with the moueyed tendcrfoot
fresh from the East. the broad aud
erraiic river flows to-day. The corner
lots that once fitted back and forth in
che real estate exchange have gone
glimmering like the will o the wisp Of
The gold scckers-gone to make sands
On the scashore. Elwood has tumtled
into the muddy Missouri.
One Seth Allen. whose memory Is still
revered along with that Of his famed
colonial ancestors, Of whom he often
toasted. flung his lank frame from a
prairie schooner at the door Of the prin.
cipal tavern on the eastern shore one
spring day In the early sos, swearing
he would go no further. The emf.
grants Of whose party he had been one
secuperated few days, and then start
ed for the gold fields. Allen stood on
the river bank and watched the wagons
cross the stream; he stood on the bank
and watched them touch the farther
shore. Then. II Is presumed, an idea
occurred to him that the western side
OF the Missouri river was the proper
place for emlgrants to outfit and make
their departure.
At any rate. few days passed before
q wooden building, with the sign, Last
Chance Tavern" swinging from the
door. stood on the pleasant prairie
across from IT. Joseph. Other houses
soon clustered around Tavern Keeper
Aliens and Yankee industry. combined
with foreign capital. had a line Of ferry
stcamers-sturdy stern wheelers-ac-
lively churnng the muddy waters Of
the Missouri into foam before the sum.
mer was dead. Elwood grew-grew
and prospered. Truly, 1t filed long.
felt want.
The next year overland traffic In.
creased. Long caravans came and went
settlers and pioneers came and remain
cd. The busting real estate agent, the
honest homcscekcr. the rakish river
gambler. the arscnal.bcgirdled terror
the nondcscript hanger-on, all drifted
into Elwood.
The Great Western Hotel, the fines,
structure Of Its kind anywhere on the
river. was built. and old-tmers OF this
rity-formcr residents of ElwOod, who
came and went with its powers and
glory-to-day relate many wonderful
tales Of the rcvcls that went Oh beneath
SITS prosperous roof.
Interesting relics Of the Elwood Town
Company come to the surface occasion
ally. Purchasing Agent George Dixon
Berry. Of the 1t. Joseph and Grand
Island Railroad In this city. has one OF
the original certificates Of stock In thu
town site scheme. 1t Ii rcmarkabl!
well preserved. 1t was issued to Rich
ard 4. Graves. and bears the signature
Of Henry Douglas, president, and Ed
ward Russell. secretary.
Little by little the best part Of FL
wood crumbled and was swept Into thu
stream. To-day there u but little Of thu
once prosperous town left standing
One Of the most interesting OF thu
old landmarks yet remaining Ii the FL
wood fail, built on land high and dry
far removed from the river bank. With
In its narrow confines many touGl
character has been thrust by the towI
marshal.
A. the place looks to-day It present
the appearance Of deserted village
The houses now standing We're In tn
suburbs before the course Of the rive
was changed. The greatest evidence o
life that IL there now Is the depot Of tn
1t. Joseph and Grand Island Railroa'
Company, which Is about mile fron
the original town site. This road wa
built after Elwood was on the want
The few remaining houses are occupie
BY fishermen and the people who Elk
ont a precarioH existence by doing oil
Jobs In the city across the river.-S
Louis Republic.