The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-05-17
HALF SECTION SOLD
Good Land Near Valley Gen.
ter Brings $4,000.
OWNED IN CALIFORNIA
Known as California Section
and UnimprOVed.

What has long been known as the
California section TO the people of VAL
ley Center. was sold yesterday. It
consisted of q haIf-section of raw land
and brought $4,000 cash in hand.
Iutlda Smith, of California, sold the
land to James A Simpson, OF Valley
Center. through her agent, George Davis
of Valley Center, and there was some
trouble in getting the trade closed. 1t
was claimed at the court house that Mrs.
Smith came here yesterday to make out
the papers. She tried to close the trade
with Simpson and cut Davis out of his
commission on the sale. A friend OF Mr..
Davis was present and he managed to
delay the trade, and Davis was sent for
to come at once. He secured an attorney
and run an attachment on the money
in the Fourth National bank, when the
California woman came to time and set
tied the commission.
The land is described as the east half Of
section IL, which would make il 800 acres
Of land. Some of the people in that sec
ton Of the county say there is not
thing on the land, except grass; it is
just the same now as it was when the
Indians roamed over that part of the
country. The holder simply let it re-
main vacant and sold the grass to the
farmers near by
w. w. Smith. the husband OF this wo-
man who sold the land. came here in
1872. and bought the land two miles from
Valley Center for a speculation or rather
an investment. Ever since it has been
known in that part Of the county as the
California section. At the same time
he bought a full section just across Gyp-
sum creek, southeast OF this city, and
it has ever since that time been known
as the California section. When farmers
brought hay to the city to sell and they
said it was from the California section
it was considered equal TO saying IT, was
good hay. Mrs. Smith says the ether
California section is not for sale. After
she had to pay the commission for sell
ing the Valley Center land she informed
Harry Stewart, conhdentialiy, that the
worst liars and thieves in the whole
world lived in Kansas.
The California section, southeas. &C
four Wichita men: Michael Block. Scott
Corbett. ]. H. Black and Frank MartsoIf
Nobody knew for certain then whether
land in this county would ever haze very
much value, and the four men who had
proven up what is known as the Cali
fornia section, each sold his quarter ses:-
ton of land to Jim Steel. Steel sold it
70 the California man for less than s., o0J |
After that Mr.. Steel became one OF the |
most successful land agents in the est |
NJ. w. Levy came here and he and Steel
formed the real estate firm of Steel & !
Levy. They got the agency for selling
the lands of the Santa Fa Railroad Com |
pany and they made moneS. Harry Stew
art says that he and Charles Stanley |!
figured ana balanced the books for the !
firm of Steel & Levy in 1872 and they :
showed that the firm had made SIS. geo |
in commissions during the year.
WHEN NATURE
Needs assistance it may be best to rem
der it promptly. but one should remember /
to use even the most perfect remedies |
only when needed. The best and most |
simple and gentle remedy is the Syrup |
of Figs, manufactured by the California |
Fig Syrup Co.