Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-12-21

County Generalization Scheme Revived
The talk of a wholesale consolida-
ton of western Kansas counties has
been revived. Ever since the collapse
of the boom this question has come up
before every legislature, but the only
result SO far has been the wiping out
of one county. Garfield county was
abolished and the territory was an
nexed to Finney county. 1t as the
opinion of many of the leading men of
the state, however, that something
should be done to relieve the situa-
ton. For instance, eight counties in
southwestern Kansas, with total
vote of 2,175, have as many represent
atives as eight counties in eastern
Kansas with a combined vote of A.
654. In other words, representative
from a sparsely settled county of the
west represents 272 voters, while the
representative from eastern Kansas
represents 5,216 voters.
Imagined Himself . Counserfsitsr.
Edward Gillespie, living at Garden
Plain, west of Wichita, was taken
to Wichita on a lunacy warrant. Tho
man is under the impression that he is
the leader Of a gang of counterfeiteys
and that the United States secret
| service men are after him. He went
| to secluded part of his farm, built q
fire and was in the act of destroying
good United States greenbacks wher
found by his wife. He informed her
| that he had burned $240 and was
| about to consign to the flames the
last of $500 roll when his wife
| found him.
Five New Legislative Districts
Gov. Stanley in his message to tho
| legislature, it is said, will recommend
| the consolidation of western Kansas
| counties for legislative purposes. Ru-
| NOR has it that he has decided upon
| five new districts, representing Is
counties, with an aggregate voting
population of only 1888. They ares
Clark and Comanche, 6SS; Haskell,
Gray, Seward and Meade, $50; Hamil-
| ton, Kearney, Stanton, Grant, Nor
ton and Stevens, 992; Wichita, Scott
and Lane, 991; Wallace, Logan and
and Greeley, 791.
Ballots Reached There Too Late.
Chairman Albaugh received mes
| that advices from Gen. Macarthur
announced that none of the Kansas
soldiers outside of Manila got to vote.
as the ballots did not reach them in
time. This practically knocks out
the hopes of the four republican con-
| testants who expected to win by that
vote, including Wheatley for congress
in the Third district.
Taps Bill for Telegraphers.
State Senator Tapp> of Wichita, is
preparing a bill making it compul-
sorry upon telegraphers to pass an ex-
| animation as to competency and to
| secure license before they can do
railroad work in Kansas The bill is
| designed to prevent railroads, in case
of strikes, from hiring students to
take the place of strikers.
! Peculiar Accident to . Youth.
| While Arthur Read and Damer
| Parks, two boys, were out hunting
near Coffeyville recently the shotgun
carried by Read was accidentally dis
charged, the load entering the Parks
| boys side. Parts of the clothing and
| two marbles he had in his pocket
|
dition was serious.
Top of Hls Head Blown on.
| Charles Pearson, a young married
man near Edna, Montgomery county,
| had just returned from huntinge and
set the gun in the barn. A largo
| wrench fell from beam and struck
the hammer of the gun, the load be-
ing discharged and blowing of tho
| top of Pearson's head
wheatis, VIII E.ssr Contest.
G. w. Wheatley, who was defeated
for congress in the Third district By
| A. M. jackson, democrat, has en-
ployed w. w. Dudley, of Indiana, to
| represent him in q contest for the
seat.
Cove County Out Of Debt.
Cove county occupies the mont en-
| viable position of any county in the
state in the matter of bonded indebt-
edness. Not a cent in bonds, either
county, city or township. is outstand-
ing against it.
Serious Flight Over . Foot Race.
At the Kenyon schoolhouse in
Cloud county Frank Neal, aged Is.
stabbed John Poore in a quarrel over
a foot race. The wounds were in the
head and partial paralysis set in
To Succeed Mrs Annie Digs.
Miss Nellie Armentrout, deputy
clerk of Kansas City, is said to be the
choice of the supreme court judges
for state librarian to succeed Mrs.
Annie L. Digs