The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-13
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.

indiana, remarked a gentleman at the
Fifth Avenue, land to say that 1 was
surprised at their ignorance of the con-
ditions of the western country is putting
it lightly. In travelling we frequently
meet Englishmen who show a remark
able lack of knowledge of this part or
the country and we consider their ig-
norance amusing, but it is painful to
meet men, whole car load or them,
who have been brought up in an en-
hghtened community and have read, OF
at least should have read, the daily pa
pers, and yet display such Ianentable
ignorance as the crowd I met did. Short
~ after getting in the car began lis
tening to the conversation of four OF
the Hoosiers who occupied the two seats
directly in front Of mine. They were
all going to Oklahoma with the 1nten-
ton of taking claims, and were, ap-
parently, a comparatively well fixed lot
of farmers. One of them remarked that
he had heard the land close to Guthrie
and Oklahoma City was not considered
very good, but he thought that he would
take a claim on the edge of the town
in order that his family might nave
school advantages. Another wanted
better land and concluded that he
would spend several days riding over
the country looking for first class land
He did not care about living near town
and, as the roads were always good,
he thought it would make little differ
ence how far out he got as long as he
was within days drive of town. Some
of them had decided to take up claims
that had running water and timber,
while others objected to timber on the
ground that they had cleaned all the
timber land they wanted to and they
thought that a prairie claim, within
driving distance OF town and fenced
with barbed wire was just what they
wanted. I was greatly tempted to tell
them not to get out too far or the In
dams would get them, but refralned be
cause feared it would cause SIAM
pede. I suppose some Oklahoma land
agent had been lying to them, but how
it is possible for anyone who has read
the papers to believe that claims are
waiting to be picked up in Oklahoma
is too deep for me. Indiana produces
some people who can give Missouri paw
paw pickers cards and spades and still
win easily
Jacob DeCou, claim agent on the San
ia Fe, who formerly lived in FL Dorado.
said, aprOpOS of the Renaissance OF
Charley Lobdell concerning the defeat
of that towns footracer: Long before
the memorable defeat of Billy Robinson,
1 think it was in 1872, or about that
year, the favorite horse in FL Dorado
was known as Burdette'S colt. The colt
was a bald face sorrel, if l remember
correctly, about three years old and had
been brought out west from Illinois
which state was Mr.. Burdette'S former
home. The colt had defeated everything
in the country and every citizen stood
ready to back him against anything on
y
was considered loyal to the town who
would not bet on the colt He was the
pride of the town and, incidentally,
source of revenue, for many horse
traders who passed through that town
with fast horses had been persuaded
to back their talk with a few bills and
had gone on wiser but poorer. One
morning a typical traders rig crossed
the bridge coming into town and stop
ped at the Burdette mill which was To-
Gated near the bridge. They had among
L i
runner, although he needed a little care
He was evidently from good stock and
his good appearance made the ElDorado
fellows all the more anxious to get a
race. The travellers, after a great deal
of bantering, took up the dare to run
their horse for 400 yards and put up
a little money, probably ten or twenty
dollars. They refused to bet more:
A straight track was made and
the entire town turned out to see the
race which occurred the next day. The
Burdette colt refused to follow the track
and took a half circle running a full
hundred feet from the track and cross
ing the score about three feet behind the
pony which had stuck to the path or
track. This made the ElDorado fellows
mad and they wanted another race, but
the travellers refused. The town fellows
begged and threatened and dared until,
in order that they might have fair
show for their money the travellers
agreed upon another trial for the next
day. Another bet was made not much
larger than the first, but noticed the
next afternoon several strangers in town
mingling with the crowd and betting.
The strangers seemed to have unlimited
wealth and the town crowd was bet to a
standSti1I. They finally began to bet
their reyolvers, in those days everybody
had revolvers and ponies; in fact, some
of the fellows bet their coats. Every
thing that could be put up was utilized,
the town fellows being so confident of
success that they would have bet their
lives if they could have been cashed in
When the race came off the travellers
pony won just about as easily as he had
the first day, and I never saw such a
detected crowd as the ElDorado fellows
were. They never backed the colt after
that and it was years before they would
back a home horse in any kind of a race.
l believe it was q year before anything
was bought or sold in that town; the
travellers had taken almost every cent of
cash with them"
at have been troubled with the rheurn-
atism off and on all my life" remarked
q travelling man at the National, land
believe could publish volume of 500
pages containing nothing but kindly
meant suggestions for a rheumatic man.
1 find when 1 mention the fact that I
have occasional attacks of that painful
disease that the man am talking with
has had it or he has brother or sister
or aunt or some kin who has had it and
that he is ready and willing to tell how
it was permanently cured. [ have a
thousand so-called remedies at my
tongues end and if I get half chance
1 can display a knowledge of positive
cures for rheuma tism that would throw
a fake doctor into spasms. Whenever a |
man mentions rheumatism to me now I |
light right in, roll off few suggestions |
and leave before he has a chance to tell |
his remedy. 1 do not believe there is a |
known disease that has as many sure |
cures as rheumatism. They extend from |
oil to the Hot Springs and in |
clude every patent medicine and house |
hold remedy that has ever been con- |
cocted, compounded or distilled. Skunk |
oil is frequently recommended and it is |
a good thing to use in case of inf1amma- |
tory rheumatism, because people will |
stay away a great distance and you will |
have no fear of being Jared. Electricity |
in all the known modes of applying 1t: |