The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-25
Eagle.
WICHITA MEMORIES

The years roll on almighty fast; I can't
get through my head
That Cracker Frank is still out west,
and dear old Joe is dead.
There never was squarer lad than that
same happy Joe,
And as for Frank. it can be said he never
had foe
There was Oklahoma" Jackson, who took
me on a trip
Ny first, if memory serves me right, from
Sedgwick to the Strip.
We took in towns and ranches-it was
where the cattle run
Kingman, Waterloo and Maud Elm, Tur-
key Creek and Sun"
We visited Lake City. where old Reuben
Lake held sway
Then from Medicine Lodge to Harper by
the way of Kioway.
And later. when the grangers came flock
ing far and near,
Made the lower tier of counties and re-
turned the second tier
County-seat fights. cyclones, lynchings,
were quite common in those days,
And the passing of the cowboys saw the
coming of the Jays"
Then trip above the Santa Fe, through
HodsInan, Rush and Ness
They told me that l was the first 10 make
the trip, unless
1t was that jov,al drummer Dodge, who
Travelled from st. Joe.
Ross Calhoun said he hailed from Maine,
SO twas all the same, you know.
There are statesmen row in Kansas who
remember those hard drives,
And none remember better than the sales
mems lonely wives.
Four hundred miles by wagon, an uncer-
tain place 70 lodge:
To RicEfield via Harper, then to Lakin
ard to Dodge.
Nose Haseltine was the pioneer, and Sey-
mour was the wit;
Will Wyman was the scrapper and he had
plenty grit.
Lee Donnelly and Pullen, Barn.dge Claf-
fey, Ainsworth. Brown,
Frank Eeam and Charlie Peckham, were a
siege to any town.
And another old side partnerI get letters
He's now in Kansas City, selling nipple
rnents. you bet
A regular jack-at-all-trades, he could al
ways take hand
At sir ging in the choir and playing tuba
in the band.
Before the boom struck Wichita, while Joe
and Frank were there,
Our room was over Schnitzlers. and
Wh.tescarver cooked our fare.
Times were good, and Wichita developed
quite BOOM
The buyers came by hundreds and there
was plenty room.
They all had plenty money; yes. they
brought it there in trunks
They lad to when a corner lot brought
fifty thousand plunks.
Yes, those were stirring times. my boys;
rome knew IL more IMAM we,
When we sojourned in Wichita, In eighty
two and three.
The agents with their CURRIERS' reached a
thousand head or more,
From Neiderlander at the top to Otto near
he floor
The farmers out near Benton, tho it was
against the law,
Sold their farms as new additions 10 the
town of Wichita
Gandolfo sold the CURRIERS'" many bottle
and a bird
But when the ga gle" pulled the string a
Goieful sound was heard.
THE boom's unhealthy" Murdoch SAD
Its time that it should stop;
We've got town that is a town. more
boom will cause a drop"
The storm once PASSED then peace pre-
vailed: the agents loyal allies
Gave IN their birds and bottles and m
dugei in hot tamaies.
.Joe took the train for Steubenville, and
Frank then took frou
And started for Taloga with two horses
and cow.
I took the good old sample case and snooA
the blooming town
For Co!orado's mountains, where l toured
with Patsy Brown.
Won statesmen all know Brownie. the only
one They say
He travels now frem Frisco. and l hope
he's making hay.
A. Finite ne makes headquarters, and
Frank at Pueblo,
While Joe-I told YOU. did l not? Poor
soc is dead, you know.
Portland. Maine. December q, 1896.