davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22

The Board or Trade resolved that We
must for a time forget everything save
cementing the foundation on which the
/ town rested. We resolved We must have
solid underpinning, viz;
Packing houses.
Elevators.
Glucose and starch factories.
Straw board factories.
Canning factories.
All in the order above named. We in
terviewed Armour, Swift. Nels Morris,
Fowler, and from each of them received
the information that packing west of the
Missouri river was nonsense. The elevator
ct al things were dropped We were Ash
ing for whale and wanted no small fish
mot even a hundred pound mud cat) We
then had men whose private business was
not only neglected, but ruined, in trying to
ward off the blows that fell on Wichita;
men who forgot their own affairs 90 hold
up the town. There were men who lived
at the Board of Trade rooms; who could
be found there daily and among these
men were y. a. English. George II. Black
welder, George L. Rouse, Pat Healy, y.
F. Neiderlander. A. ". Oliver. Others
worked. spent time. money, answered
every call by the board. but attended 20
their own business. These six men were
invoiced a a million dollars. They and
their fellows at many millions. and if the
establishment OF packing houses. the
founding of schools. the securement Of the
c., r. ]. & p. r. r. and other things can
be estimated in money, these men we're
worth TO Wichita all these things by their
dollars; but by their example not only at
that time, but for all time.
In that date there were many Elljshs-
the Elishas VINO shall catch and wear their
fallen msntles are yet incog. OF the men
who labored for Wichita, there are many
whose names deserve to NJ printed in cap
itsls. whenever used. Yet it would be
unjust to these loyal and unselfsh men
not to state that there were rnen At that
date whose names in long primer would be
decoration, and whose real size is small
plea or great primer.
Wichita. al that date or shortly after
reeernbled a caIlow youth. brought up on
small beers. who had reached the brandy
and champagne stage; suddenly brought TO
face With native wine. diluted with water
being unable 10 sacrifice his passion for
liquor he, al least. wanted the aroma.
We died hard. and among the boldsr
souls was the determination 20 bet the
last dollar" and "let the tan 90 with the
hide" Like the thrifty housewife. with a
lean larder. we put on bold frontage and
kept up appearances.
The paving OF streets. building court
house and a city building has its proto-
type in the family who eats thin soup 10
keep a carriage.
Governor Stanley and others thought
that $500 invested in small concerns
would grow 20 large ones. but this was IN
needed in the happening Of the DoId and
Whitaker whales. and when we
landed the whales we were as Board
or Trade hopelessly iusolvent and a large
majority OF the membership Of the Board
were beEgars.
Note; Ottunwa. Ia. with half % Wich-
its's population. furnishes Kansas Okla
homa et a.. states Silver Gloss starch. Elk
towns IN Kansas whose population f. less
than Wichita's sell Wichita canned goods
Ask your grocer about this. Herein =
a pointer Tor the coming Elishas. Lishss
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
DID HIN DAMAGE

Since the increase q rents and the new
growth Of the city the men who rent
houses have a great deal u serious fun
with obstinate Ee1-e-s VINO want 10 BE
ejeCzsd legally. Il - told 0f a farmer
VINO owned a house IN Wichita teat he
wanted 20 Be careful ABOUT TIE people 10
whom he rented - 50 ne sent n word
20 his agent thYE a. soon 81 TIE house
was vacant ne should n0y zen; Il until he
rad consulted with aim. Later. ne farm
- came IN. found ths- the house mad
been vacant. bat thar q cp,ored family
had taken possession OF the secoad story-
This second story VAS reacasd only b. an
outside stairway he ordered ths cosored
family out. out they refused 20 20. 50 he
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22

L. jumbied the matter and in Kay county
took the county seat away from Blackwell.
But Blackwell grew 70 be a thriving city
and r. stin growing. and Il made Colonel
Blackwell rich and VIII keep his wife and
children comfortable for lifs The Indians
and white men always wondered how he
picked the centers OF counties. lie an
swered ne vas a prophet and God told
aim.
Colonel Blackwell later decided 70 build
the city OF David. in the Cherokee nation.
and sold lots. The deeds were declared
illegal By the Cherokee council and Black
well WAS chained In a Gug-out and kept
prisoner. In order % protect themselves.
the holders OF deeds in David decided ths
land an back 70 Mrs. Blackwell N whose
name the deeds all now stand. blackwell.
Ia establishing a town. always established
a newspaper. the only demand OF the edi-
tor being that he carry in hia oolur.ns
perpetually a picture OF himseif. MrA
Blackwell and their boy. David.
OF al saus wmen, he Vas the most nota-
bic in the west. excepting William Grsren-
stein, and his visits % che Eagle once
with his angel stories viii De missed IN the
future.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
A PII-G.HAT PROPHET

For years there would wander into the
Eagle office. at varying intervals. a man
with dingy rad wniskers, tall form with
many angularities about H. rather large
feet and rather heavy. rough hands. who
respect TO a stranger if it we're not for
a pretentious silk hat, high. Of a passe pat
tern. which he always wore, even when
ploughing on his farm.
This was Colonel Blackwell who died
this last week at David, Indian Territory.
He was A regular subscriber to the Eagle
and his friendship for ii was based on his
idea that it was a town-builder and for
town-buiIders Colonel Blackwell had a sur
passing weakness.
Blackwell wore a long, red beard. never
kept nicely, tied his necktie, usually brill
liant in color. loosely and negIigently and
set his warped silk hat. mentioned above.
squarely on his head so It always set per-
pendicGlarly.
It has been told how he served SEN
tence in the Missouri penitentiary for
counterfeiting and IN after life. it should
be said, he forgot that entirely and kept
without the range OF the clutches of the
law.
Next to his silk hat, the marked things
about Blackwell were his eyes. which
were excessive in cunning. cunning equal
ling that of a fox. Some of his stories
will bear repeating. ii always being re-
membered that his cunningness extended
into the evils of imag ination at times.
AS many readers will remember, when
Colonel Blackwell was imprisoned by the
Cherokees. a dispatch was sent out from
Springfield, Missouri. saying that the
Cherokee Indians had gathered around the
chained Blackwell, and dancing in a circle
had slashed him with their long knives
until ne fell in his chains insensible from
loss of blood. This was fake, pure and
simple But 70 the end Of his days. in
protection of the fake, he claimed it mad
happened, and one day pulled up his trou-
ser leg in the Eagle Office and showed the
editor one scar. Friends liberated Black
well, and a correspondent at Guthrie at
once sent out a report that Blackwell as
serted that angels had liberated him, this
being in line with Blackwell's old claim
that he was prophet. Blackwell had
thought Of no such claim, but the minute
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22

FOUND SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS.
James Campbell and \. =. Jobes were
talking over old times the other day,
when Jobes told thss story:
It was four or five years ago. during the
hard times, when Campbell borrowed $50
from Jobes' bank. the Kansas National
for ninety days. At the end Of the ninety
days Campbell paid 500 and asked for a
renewal for $lo0.
It's all right" said Jobes. but Why
don't you use some Of your deposit?'
What deposit?" asked Campbell
Your deposit of $600.
Wei, I guess not" said Campbell,
Heavens. haven't any deposit Are you
rrazy?"
You have $500 in this bank said JObes
There's some mistake" said Campbell
with a dreamy. hOpe-lost look in his eyes
Mr.. Jobes went.to work ard found the
old deposit slip where in some building
transaction man mad deposited for
goods delivered S69o 10 Campbell's credit
Campbell did his business at the Wichita
National and imagined that he had used
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22

slty. Those taxing part were Misses Eeifh
Campbell. Laura IAGghiin. ETA Bennett,
&Iie Hays. Piszas Birk5raae A&ue Gaze.
Nag BEL B0EEs. EneHs Bszznsz. Lena
Richards. Luiu Annaisalt. My Paiise.
VirEz-ine Lucy. Ma EFa OK znt a.. c.
ca Harris ard Mr. J0aa ShSscld-
Arthur Il CSrpsater = thls osT was
appointed tlHne--keeVer fer las hossss &
r@2rese1.zt1Fes - Topeka. ihsn tu ssss-sgs
The Board % Trade passed Fsas. z.isrs
zEalnst boonerx' rasts !nto Okla5Szus-
Be1 Downing. J. r BroEu, Hsnk He
German. john Wallace asd Jean Do-sa a.
tended a. Installation a. cofEfcA
TIE Kesne FuTn5turs CO. = Kee1s. SsF
HamDsalEe. greseItes Oak DaTi1E1n sitn .
spselzIy z46e s.ds5oard as6 za70zASy
CHAMBER sst-
Ths pzper rss Fan - rewards fsr TIE
recovery q T. 7. BTezus BODY
Il y Izzrenos. father o p Z 4aF-
rsace. Elea o. 5roarEls1 pasS11e-e-
Mr.. e. a WalkeF gave c4r1 aaFty -
hs- fr.sn6.
re eoanty oGesas sse<ezsss 4-=EAs
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22

without great labor. The last $4,000 was
like pulling jaw teeth. The last $1,000 was
harder work than the $4,000. The lists
were overhauled, revised, to see that mo
guilty man escaped" Then came the in
creasing of the subscriptions already made.
At last the executive committee announced
that the committees might disband
The victory was ours!
As to whether or no Kansas City at any
time wanted the Burton Car Works, no
one ever knew. Whether this was pure
bluff to rib US up" no one ever learned.
When this business was all finished,
ninety per cent of the board had some
doubts as to the success of the Burton
Car Works, but loyalty forbade any COM
ment or carping criticism.
The members had faith in the general
directors. The town had faith in the
board.
The Eagle proclaimed our victory, yet
things" were taking on a darker hue.
There were clouds in the sky but we
dared not own up 10 each other The
thoughts that we ''thunk.' Full we'll we
knew that the carrier pigeons of spite
and malice were being sent out daily pro-
claiming our downfall. The old proverb
applied to us: For a bird OF the air shall
carry the voice and that which hath wings
shall tell the matter"
1t was no profit to tell our people that
che that cbserveth the wind shall not sow:
and he that regardeth the clouds shall not
reap"
We had finished sowing and knew that
unless We reaped quickly the stuff would
rust. burn and mildew.
Our only hope was IN the patriotism
Of our own people. The simon-pure spec
ulator was gone We were as a man who
mad built a house and no cash with which
to furnish It. We had all the elements
that 60 10 make up a city save manu-
factories. Somethsg must be done, and in
the language Of Mrs Macbeth: IF it were
done when It's done. then 'twsre well Il
we're done quickly"
The Burton Car Works would not, d.
rectly, consume cattle. hogs or sheep; corn.
wheat or oats. These things were ger
name To our soil and we reasoned as fol-
lows: That n ship out all this in A raw
state and pay two or three profits and
two freight bills 70 get a part Of the same
back. was nonsense. Hence our needs
were industries.
Ten thousand Eagles on double wings.
announcing our triumph. bore our hopes
70 every poin. Of the compass. to impede
II not arrest the brewing hurricane Com
ing events before them shadows cast And
the stoutest held his breath. We knew
We were dropping. paling, falling. fading.
sinking. and almost ready 20 founder. As
small BOYS going by graveyard. we
shouted and whistIed 70 "skeer" away the
ghosts. Among our intimates We closed
the doors. stopped the key holes. peepea
in the closets and spoke in loud whispers
or grave. low. funeral tones. Me.ophor-
icaHy we unto each said:
Not the values sinking daily wT IN SUM-
Unless relief be furnished. OR sands Of life
shall run.
Faster and lower observe the values 20.
A the crawling river melts the mountain
snow.
soon The storm viii burst in fury Ger Cur
defeuceless head.
And the Princess Of the Plains will be
numbered 'mongst the dead.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
REMINISCENTIAL OF THE DAYS
WHEN WICHITA WAS IN THE
GRISTLE.
THE BOARD OF TRADES WORK, AND
HEREIN
of Many Things Which I Fain Would
Rescue From Quick Oblivion"
CHRONICLE Y.


Examples, not precepts, govern the
world"
on July 4, 1887. as the writer was going
10 town he saw an excited crowd in front of
I,evy's bank; I think there were at least
fifty men. 4. W. Oliver was talking. and
in moment it was learned that J. o.
Davidson had sent a telegram 10 the eff
feet that he had secured the location of
the Burton Stock Car Works, on terms
that he was sure Wichita would accept.
The John Bright university. located some
where in the vast terre incOgnito wing
southwest of Wichita some miles, was for
the time being forgotten; the Baptist col
lege. down south (since dedicated to hum
bier uses by Henry Schnitzler by haulin-
part of same away and building with the
remainder), was overlooked; the Reformed
Church college and Paramount were laid
away in the shade; Garfield college was no
longer a theme; the talk concerning the
location for the government building was
suspended; city hall and county court
house locations no longer engrOssed atten-
ton; the Gould car shop in the W across
the river no longer interested anyone
These things were sure and certain. and
the Burton Stock Car company was a
bread winner" It was to be the initia-
tive Of the dreamed-of tin bucket bri-
sade" that would draw others similar to
Il. Aye, verify. as a magnet attracts iron
filings; as Sunday schools do boys who
love girls; as Christmas doings at a church
or picnics in May draw the "one-gaIlused
kids" from swimming holes and fishing
places for a day.
The excitement July (, 1898. was loud
noisy and went off in explosions: the feel
ing July 4. 1887. was deep. exu,tant and
triumphant. OF course no one knew what
the things was TO cost. nor how il was to
be paid. No one cared. \ stranger. COM
ing to Wichita. as he met each individual
unit fiat made up Wichita, would have at
once exclaimed:
There IS either LIQUOR in his pate or
money in his purse
When he looks so merrily."
Up to this hour we were on smooth seas.
under benign skies. and unconscious that
the rapids were but little way below us
We had never known defeat and had the
hot blood of past success in our veins We
could well eXclaim:
This is the period of cur ambition;
Q this blessed hour
The cautious individuals who limited that
this thing" might cost more than it was
worth. hunted inches in the walls and as
mummies, sat like their "ErandsircS cut
in a.abaster." To have faith in things
hoped for was a part OF our creed. and he
that dallied was bastard and he that
Sal, b+ed W. already damned nv an a lr,,osr
unanimous vote. and if the boomers
could have fixed the penalty, like a Mis-
souri jury. each ominous croaking raven
would have left the town or climbed a
telegraph pole
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
MAKING IMPROVEMENTS.


Throughout the Jacob Doid packing plant
extensive improvements are SONG on both
as TO actually needed mechanical repairs
and artistic decorations about the Offices
and receiving rooms. This house keeps
right up all the time with repairs and
nothing Is ever allowed 70 go long in a half
working condition. Bur the heavy business
clear up 10 the holidays had kept al the
departments busy getting out the daily
shipments and some inIperfectlons had 30
be left 10 a more quiet time. Now several
large gangs of their own workmen and
artisans are busy ST work. adding newer
improved conveaiences and repairing ali
parts Of the plant Carpenters. plumbers,
and painters are overhauliEg the entire
establishment and soon a renovated con-
Germ viii welcome the visitors and show
the most complete and up go-date packing
house in the whole west
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
WICHITA TIN YEARS AGO

WICHITA TEN YEARS AGO.
2 =. Brown made lis mysterious DE-
appesraues
r C. wilson and Joseph BTubscher
formed 2 law partnership.
Born. 10 M and Mrs Luther sales. cf
Paramount = CIR
The John .. Alien Dry GODS store o.
North Main street, vacated Tor The Arcade
Dry Goods company.
MeSsrs- II. y. Johnston. s. ard L, n
ner we're n the east bgyiaE goods.
Born, 70 NJ ard Mr.. ". G. Little, a
boy
There vas howl because sns ATTENDANCE
Ezs % Hgat al the B0s,oz symphony
clubs concert
There vas = rectal al Gs-sssd Enive--
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
d %% GOSSIP FOR FOr1E PEOP @

got aim out OF tie building. lie started
down town. TIE mstr0n, NTH ner horse
and carriage, overlook him and invited him
20 ride. He accepted. thinking he had
struck a snap which he had. FOR she drove
straight 20 police headquarters ard turned
MIN over TO the police.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22

pulled down the stairway. A. soon az the
colorea man got down and rescued III
II the building for damages. Calming he
had injured min ~ taking away '-his
means o. ingress and exit" The case id
not s-ck
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
MIGHTY HAPPY PEOPLE.

You can hear OF the streets II Wichita
every day now: The boom i here" Ev-
eryoody j. figuring on getting richer in
the next FIVE years Every man YOU meet
has a scheme. Wichita during the last
week has had more schemes Matching
than any city n the country. Is people
are the hsppiest n the world But the
funniest thing about Il = the way the
man VINO said that Wichita would always
be a good kttle town" Is hauling in his
horns ard putting up ne price o. his p1oP-
e-ty
FOOLED THE DRCNKARD
\ hsf drunken man Usnt into the Res
cue Home some time since and made him
self quite obnoxious. Finally tae nzt-on
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
nrIET1NG TITLES

\ new feature OF real estate deals in
Wichita Is a rustling around ID set quit
claim deeds and have titles q,Iietsd- pre-
caution which y being taken in many
cases by people who had trouole with u
ties during the boom
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
WHEN II STARTED.

The men n Wichita have q separate
starting point for the revival IN Wichita
Some OF them claim that the new eoora
started with the new SIDEWALKS. Some
say the revival started With tho coznpie-
ton OF the Sheets building. Orhers date
IL from the big wheat crop OF 1897. As a
matter OF fact. Wichita was never dead.
and the upturn began with the moving Of
houses from the outskEts into the eentrAi
ps.rs OF the city. then general painting.
then prices IN realty. then residence bWfla-
ing. and now the construction OF the big
wholesale houses Tho revival II coming.
a great deal faster new than anybody AZ
pected.
BE AN ADVERTISEMENT.
The people who psss through the Sty
on the santa Fe viii get 20 see a htg adj
yertisemeut for Wichita north Of Doug
las and on both sides az the track whers
the new wholesale houses arc EninE in
People passing through who are told AZ
Burton Car Works that Wichita r. dead
VIII open their eyes wien they gel into
the business district.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22

il up years before When he actually
found the money was his he wac the hap
pies- man in Wichita
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-28
SALOON TAXES.

The Courier publishes in this issue
the valuable report of State Auditor
Merriam showing the income of every
county in the state from the mulct
tax. 1t will be seen by this table of
figures that Wapello county has the
highest average annual tax Of any
county in the state. The average tax
in this county is, $1,622, while the gems
eral average Of all the counties is i$s64.-
As. The total tax collected from the
thirty-one saloons in this county DUR
ing the year ending July i, 1899, was
S4s,b16.66.A The auditors figures are
highly interesting and should be pre-
served. Incidentally it might be re-
marked that Ottumwa and the county
should congratulate themselves that
they have made such good showing,
and have made the liquor business
come so high that the number of sa-
looms has been kept down as low as
possible. In the face of these facts no
propositions to reduce the license in
this city should be tolerated for d mo-
ment. *s,satss4ff ~ 90.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-28
THE SUPPLEMENT.

The Courier's supplement for this
week will be fully as interesting as
heretofore. There will be an inter-
esting article on "The Priyateer in
Modern Warfare which will contain
sketches and illustrations of the pri-
yateer of today compared with the pri-
vateer of history. An article on ''small
Bore Rapid-fre Guns" will contain
much useful information, as will also
a sketch of Wireless Telegraphy and
War" The humorous page will be
given up to Thanksgiving fancies, a
series of side-splitters dealing with the
traditional turkey and his adventures
The story of San African FARM will
be continued, and the regular depart.
ments will appear as usual.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-28
MIR. HENDERsoN's GAvEL..
From Fridays Daily.l

In yesterdays Courier an article
Stated that movement was on foot
to present Colonel David B. Henderson,
Iowa's representative in congress who
is to be the next speaker of the nation
al house of representatives, with an APP
propriately made gavel. This is a good
proposition and will be an excellent
testimonial of Colonel Henderson's pop
ularity in his9native state. The contri-
buttons should come from many
sources, and inasmuch as no contribu-
ton of more than dollar will be ac-
cepted everybody will have a chance to
do his share. 1t has been suggested
that it would be a graceful tribute to
Mr.. Henderson if the school children of
Ottuniwa should take an interest in
the. matter, and each one, or as many
of them as possible, contribute penny
toward the proposed present. The CON
tributions may be sent to Frank B.
Merriam, state auditor, at Des Moines,
or they may be left at the Courier Of
flee, whore they will be sent to Mr..
Merriam, together with the name of
the dOner ~. ssst si4.. e.. ",
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-28
TEARING UP THE STREETS.
From Thursdays Daily.

T. = Il z +
The Courier yesterday published
some useful information. on the. laws
regulating the tearing up and relaying
of city payements. 1t appears that if
the state law and the city ordinances
on this subject were properly regard
ed there; would Che no. trouble what
eyer. The law says that whoever
would eKcavate in an improved street
must first obtain permission from. the
city council or the city clerk acting
for the council. He mnst then file, "a
bond sufficient to cover all damage that
may arise from the proposed excaya-
ton. The city engineer must then be
notified and he must appointya compe-
tent person to oversee the, Job, and to
see that the excayat ton lis properly
filled up, and the paving rightly relaid.
To compensate this person the party
making the excavation must pay the
city 20 cents an hour for every hour it
takes him to supervise the operation.
[ This is all very clear and simple, but
according to Engineer Brady, it is not
the way such things have been done in
Ottumspa, THERE'S no reason why
they shoald not. be done insthis way.
1t would cost the city nothing to obey
the lay, and the. plan, if followed,
would ,reserve opr, improved streets.
1t rests with the city administration to
say why the gross negligence of the
past few years has been allowed to go
on. Tax payers are interested in this
question, indeed, every citizen of OF
tumwa is interested, and they should
make it their business to find out why
the law has not been obeyed.