The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-24

II on TO Pratt and Greenshurg. The Rock
Island people threw out a line from
Hutchinson to Pratt, Greensburg and
through Liberal The Missouri Pacific
found terminus at Iuka, one of the three
county seat towns of Pratt county and
the result was that before "Cannonban'
realized the situation the demand for his
stage lines disappeared almost as fast as
it had been created. and his popularity
waned with his credit. The line OF his
former triumphs was scattered with the
ruins OF stages and spawned horses.
Nothing more was heard of Cannonball
until 1891 when the Cheyenne and Arapa-
hoe country in Western Oklahoma was
opened to settlement. Al that time the
Rock Island had not completed its Texas
line any farther south than at Pond Creek,
twenty miles south OF the Kansas line. and
then the headquarters of the Southwest
Cattemen's Association. But not to be
outdone by other companies they adVor
tised TO carry passengers to Fort Sill, $50
miles further south. for a certain price.
They made contract with "Cannonbalr'
Green 10 make the connection at so much
head. No one realized what a gigantic
contract this would he. but no one who
had a knowledge OF Cannonhalls past ca
reer doubted for a moment his ability to
meet any emergency. He was even more
fore the run" he located his relays, en-
ploying every farmer and farm team
which could be hired for miles around the
southern Kansas line. On the morning
of the run" Cannonhall looked with pride
az the 200 lumber wagons drawn up at
Pond Creek, each fitted to carry eight pas
sengers with baggage. And then the rush
began-and what wild. pell-mell, dia-
bolcal scramble IL was! A flood of hun
CRY homeseekers as irresistible as Niagara
took possession of "Cannonbalrs'' convey
ances, and money rolled An faster than he
could shove II away. His teams numbered
away In the distance and the cowboys still
remember the larger Importance with
which Cannonbal discoursed upon his
ability to take care of crowds and run
stage lines.
But suddenly the whistle of the Rock
Island train was heard. and n downed
upon Cannonball that he had been employ
ed to assist the railroad people to take
care of their contract lie had mounted
a fine mustang when the rushing Of the
train was heard, and. after waiting for
one look at the surging mass OF passen-
gers that came tearing down the track.
waving their coupons and demanding
transportation he dug the spurs into his
horse and silhouetted along the horizon
a moment and was gone like a flash The
Rock Island people could inform you of
the end of this tragedy. for tragedy it
certainly was; of how thousands of heart
sick Adventures either started on foot
for this new Eldorado, or returned ours
ing the railroad and demanding back their
money!
Nothing more was heard OF Cannon
balr' until 1893, when he made the run
into this Cherokee Strip and settled three
miles northwest of Pond creek. His claim
was a good one. A good house was built
and the proud man brought his elegant
furniture down onto his claim One by
one the pieces of his former property van
ished, One by one the beautiful diamonds
We're pawned, bringing not half their real
value. His elegant grand plano was the
last piece of furniture that he parted with
and that was a few months back, when
IL went on mortgage, and the last scene
shifts into the court room, where / saw
him pleading for the last possession he
had on earth-two mules and a COW! His
cause was granted and in the evening
"Cannonbalf' and his unfortunate family
disappeared and have not been heard oil
since. Probably nothing more will ever
be heard Of him Unless he regains his
former wealth and sta lion. His wife Is
an own cousin of ex-Vice President Ste
VensOu,