The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-01
DEVELOPMENT OF KANSAS.

The average western man takes the
development of the west as a matter
of course. It does not seem to him to
be anything remarkable, But if the
same things took place in the east as
do in the west and with the same rapid
ity, the easy-going fasteners would
scarcely have time TO catch their breath.
comparatively short time ago the
prairies of Kansas were covered with
great herds of buffalo, and the dwellings
of civilized people were few and far be-
tween. Today eastern and central Kan
sas are thickly populated, railroads and
telephones are everywhere. and in some
localities there are conveniences which
the farmers of New England do not
enjoy.
The changes which have taken .placs
in Kansas in the last thirty years are
aptly illustrated by the experience of J.
Clarence Norton. a farmer who lives
near Moran, Allen county. In writing
of his experience he says:
Il have lived here on this farm for
thirty-one years and have been an eye-s
witness to all the changes that have
taken place; and if the next thirty-one
years make such a remarkable change
as the past thirty-one years have, one
can well believe all the prophecies made
!
of the future.
1--WE brought the first piano and
spring buggy into this county. There
were no barb wire fences and only one
house between our place and lola. the
county seat, ten miles away. The Usage
Indians had just removed from here,
and rowing hunting parties of them
often went over the Drairies shooting
deer which were very plentiful. Wolves
and prairie chickens were in abundance,
the latter thousands in a flock. Ono
could get on a horse and gallop in any
/ direction for miles and miles and never
see a house or a sign of man. And one
often got lost on the great Silent plain.
OF all the great dreary and monotonous
| things the most dreary was this great
plain after a fire had burned off the
grass in the fall. No matter what we
wanted we had to go to lola, ten miles
away, to get it, and have often spent
a, day going there to get the threads cut
on a bolt. We got our mail when we
went after it, which was often only once
in two weeks. We had to haul water in
a dry time and those who loved COM
pany must have been awfully home
sick.
L was only IA years old and fond OF
hunting, and with my breech-loader--
the first one in the county, spent all
my spare time afield. I became an ex-
pert wing shot and we fairly lived on
the best wild game on earth, the young
and tender prairie chicken. My two
sisters were good looking and fine mu-
sicians, and the young folks ten or
twelve miles away thought nothing OF
riding over of an evening on horseback
and having singing and music.
Now every spot of land is occupied
and under fence. The roads are well
worked and frequently Travelled. Eight
long distance telephone wires pass the
house and only ten feet from the desk
where now write is my own phone
with which ] can talk with anyone in
town or the farmers in any direction
for miles around.
The value of the farm telephone can
never be realized until one has used one.
call up the neighbors every night and
learn just what progress the threshing
machine makes towards my place; get
prices on grain before 1 leave home; sell
my produce over the phone: engage
services of stallion for certain hour; ask
the time of day, and thousands of
things. After supper the farmers use
, the line the most, and keep central in
} hot water. I have had parties passing
by, stop and talk with their folks at
home to tell them they were coming
and to have supper ready. Have had the
doctor traced and a message delivered.
The most vivid Imagination can never
dream of all the uses of the farmers
telephone, until it has been used awhile.
AT a. m. every week day. the Uni
ted States mail carrier delivers the
mail at the door. and any merchant in
town delivers goods by him free of
charge to US. Only last week I decided