The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-07
STORY OF TWO TOWNS
Changes in Pratt Since Cid County
seat Fight.

seat right.
William Bailey, who was until January
sth last, chairman of the board of coun-
ty commissioners of Pratt county. in May
last purchased a residence in this city,
and has now moved his family to Wichi-
ia. While in Pratt Mr.. o. II. Bentley had
occasion to examine various records Of
the county board, which were dated at
1uNa, now a small town six miles north
Of Pratt, and yesterday Mr.. Daley and
Mr.. Bentley were talking over the old
boom days. These records at Pratt We're
signed by Arthur J. Eggleston. as chair
man OF the board. Mr.. Eggleston was the
son of General Eggleston, well known in
this city as one of the old-time soldiers
Of Wichita. Eggleston r-ost G. A r.
bears his name.
The conversation then drifted to the
well remembered county seat contest be
tween Pratt City, so-called at that time,
and Saratoga, so called at that time
which has now faded entirely from the
map. The records show that Morton Al
baugh was a leading citizen in Saratoga,
and editor Of the Saratoga Sun. j. X
Hupp was his partner at that time in
the Saratoga Sun. Mr.. Hump is now
foreman Of the Pratt Republican. and
keeps a hotel in Pratt. The contest be-
tween Saratoga and Pratt for county seat
of Pratt county was as spirited and
warmly contested fight for county seat
as was ever waged in Kansas It was a
hotter contested fight than that between
Harper and Anthony, Leoti and Corona
do, or Horace and Tribune.
The Pratt contest gathered together the
natural county seat boomers from every
part of The state, among others Can
nonball Green and Bill NuttinE. Bill
NGtting was recently shot while resisting
arrest by the marshal from ST. John. He
ra-l drug store in Clearwater, this coun-
~, for number Of years. and killed
- Frenchy, IT Hunnewell. He is said TO
have killed at least ten men in his ca
reer as scout, deputy marshal and saloon
keeper 3t Leou, Saratoga. Hunnewel
and other places. Cannonoau Green, the
stage driver from kingnan to Pratt and
Green3urg, was one OF the wei known
characters Of the day. II. p. Cooper was
one OF the leading spirits in SaratoSa-
Cooper is ROW q well known lawyer in
Denver. At one time Saratoga had ten
or twelve hundred people. When the
Kir gman. Pratt and Yves ~rn railway was
built through Pratt county from king
man. Cooper enjoined them from cross
ing his mill pond at Saratoga. Judge {.
S. Bowman appeared for the railroad
company. and made it extremely lively
for Mr.. Cooper. making him turn several
back handsprings.
people than Pratt and the contesing fac
tons We're drawn up in lire on the hin
and fan armed. At one Jime it looked
like there would be considerable blood
shed, and in fact two men were wounded
n The trouble, Nearly al winter the con-
tending factions were under arms. and
watching each other, though the roRns
We're only two and one-half miles a9ar-
In the spring they cooled down and s
vote was taken "a TO the county seat
TIE matter then got into the supreme
court 81 Kansas. and in the meantim,
Pratt went up TO iuka and stole the rec.
ords and moved them TO Pratt. The 81.
Qrere court then ordered the records re
turned 10 IukS. 3nd another election was
GATED and Pratt was the winner. and
sto3 the county seat vas removed tC
Pratt. Saratoga then gradually faded
from the map. For time It was q ran.
road station on the road now known as
the ighita ana Western, but this has
lors since been abandoned and the sta.
tion moved away. The large hricl
school house which once was a beautieu
edifico has Been torn down and a smaller
one built in its place. The brick store,
\ 4. - -,,fff
the dam site sGa the race is still Their,
and the FISH in the mihrace and mil,
pond and the ducks OF that locality stu