The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-13
OLD timer WRITES
Former Citizen Of Pawnee City
Tells Of the Town.
Town Was Laid Out in Fall
of 1854.
FIRST LEGISLATURE.
Irving Stanton Tells of the
Session.
Makes a Plea for Preservation
of the Old Hall.
LEGISLATURES.

tioning "Pawnee City," which was To-
Gated on the military reservation on the
left bank of the Kansas river, one mile
below Fort Riley.
Having been among the early settlers
and residents of Pawnee, which in the.
expectation of it's founders was des-
tined to become the capital and an inn
portant commercial center of the future
great state of Kansas. I have, some
knowledge of its early history.
The writer is native of Wayne
county, Pennsylvania, and in the spring
of 1855, when twenty years of age, with
a view to profit by the ADVICE OF Horace
Greeley, whom he saw for the first time
on the train on which he started west
Mr. Greeley being on his way to deliver
lecture in some town of northern
Ohio, Joined a party mostly of Wayne
county men attracted by the Favorable
reports made by the then governor of
the territory. Andrew H. Reeder. of
Easton Pa, decided to become a pio-
neer settler and assist to make Kansas
a free state.
our party left susquehanna depot and
Great Bend. Pa, on the I'd day OF
March, 1855. via the Erie railroad, stop
ping in Chicago a couple of days, thence
via, Chicago & Alton railroad to Alton,
where we took the steamboat Reindeer
for ST. Louis. Here we were compelled
to remain for a few days, waiting for
the Missouri river boat, the Polar Star.
TO sail. F1naIly we got SIdrIeQ- LIE
boat was loaded down with freight and
passengers; staterooms were not to be
had, at night the cabin floor and all
available space was covered with mat
tresses. These beds were very COM
Portable, and the only complaints I
heard were on account of being COM
PEELED to rise at dawn This, however,
was compensated for in measure by
each one being served with a cup of
hot coffee upon rising. after a five
days trip by boat we arrived at Kansas
City Landing, as 1t was then called.
From there we went out to sWestport,
four miles. where we hired teams to
take the party and their baggage to
Pawnee City-Fort Riley-reaching our
destination in time for the March cleo
ton of 1855. I do not remember the
date of this election, but think it near
the close of the month. AS was not
of age I did not vote, but Pawnee pre-
cinct gave majority for the free state
candidates for the legislature.
Pawnee City was laid out in the fall
of 1854 by Governor Reeder; Major
Montgomery. then in command of Fort
Riley; Bob Wilson, sutlef of the post;
a Pennsylvania lawyer named Albright,
| who had a farm on Three Mile: Robert
Klutz, of Mauch Chunk Pa, and a
lawyer named McClure-and perhaps
others did not know. In the spring
and early summer of 1855 there were
some half dozen buildings in Pawnee
City, one log house, the others frame
structures Ia the latter part of March
BOD hiulz, VINO nau pretty WIFE, mn
ished large building for hotel. 1t
contained a large office and dining
room with rough board floors. This
hotel was opened in due form with a
stag dance. In our party was a left
| handed fiddler. The officers at the post
were invited, and the ceremonies of
opening the hotel were think properly
| performed. Among the officers then
stationed at Fort Riley and present on
| that occasion were Capt. Nathaniel
Lyon, afterwards General Lyon, killed
| at Wilson Creek: Lieut.. Stewart q do
| not know what Stewart, but think he
was lieutenant in Capt. Lyons COM
| pany; DIR. w. A. Hammond. post sur
| geon. afterwards surgeon general of the
| United States army in the war of the
| rebellion. Other officers were present
whose names / do not recall.
| Pawnee City being located on the
| Fort Riley reservation it was expected
| that the character and influence of it's
founders would be sufficient to secure
through the war department the con-
sent and approval of the government.
| think, however, this object was never
accomplished. Governor Reeder issued
his proclamation calling the legislature
| to meet at Pawnee City. about 40 miles
| from Missouri river points.
/ During that summer large two
story stone building was erected by the
town company for the use of the legis-
| 1ature and territorial officials, and here
on the I'd day of July, 1855, the first
| legislature of Kansas territory assam
bled- I was present on that occasion
and saw this body of law makers in.
session. 1t was Missouri legislating for
Kansas. During the short stay of this
legislature, Pawnee City had many
more in population than ever before or
| since in its history The accommoda-
| the members camped out and after a
| few days the body adjourned to Shaw
nee Mission. Among the members and
others present at Pawnee 1 remember
Dock Stringfellow who assaulted Cover
nor Reeder in his office. bruising the
governor face. DIR. Johnston OF
Shawnee Mission, who was pres
Bill Barber of Fort Scott, whom every
one knew or soon became acquainted
with. When under the influence OF
whisky it was his delight to make Sport
of the Kansas river and call it THAI
miserable ditch feeder to the river OF
sticks''-Styx- remember Judge Wake
field, a gray-haired benevolent looking
gentleman. an ardent free state man
One day Stringfeflow in an argument
with him took offense at something
said and spat in his face, then drawing
a pair of revolvers from his belt held
them out, saying to the old gentleman
Make your choice and take satisfaction
The judge was no border ruffian and quiet
| ly walked away. These were the only
difficulties of a serious nature which
occurred on that occasion within my
knowledge.
The town of Manhattan, at the mouth
Of the Blue, twenty miles below For
Riley. was laid out in the summer o.
1856
/ Early in the month of May I was EN-
ployed by Bob Wilson to make a triI
to Fort Leavenwerth with two teams
a small boy driving one of them-fol
sutler stores. Col. Rich who was
think, an uncle of Wilson, wa.
sutler at Fort Leavenwortf. A
i that time there were perhaps twenty
five houses in Leavenworth City Oh
our return to Fort Riley we passed
| through where Topeka now stands anC
surveyors were at work laying out tina
| city.
| There were a number of cases O.
cholera that year at Pawnee City and
Fort Riley. but nothing like anepidemic