The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-18
Gather rose-buds while We may;
Old time is still flying;
The fairest rosebud Of today,
Tomorrow may be dying.

Tomorrow may be dying.
To the Editor of the Eagle:
When Wichita is moss grown, when 1t
reaches the second or third generation of
the lean and slippered santalooa''; when
some local chronicler prowls around TO
substantive some myth; verify some
legend, or preserve some fading fact, then
interesting to our grandchildren even INTO
the third and fourth generations; when
Ine preservatiye feature in town history
overtakes US, then Wichita will eventu-
ally regret that nothing was done TO call
back the receding past
In an humble way in by-gone days.
the writec has written some pieces, pub
hshed in The Eagle. Mirror and Beacon.
which may contain few grains of wheat,
amongst its chaff to put in bound vol
une by some historical society. Wichita,
so far, as town, has taken no step 10
preserve any fact in its history. This
paper is not broadcasted for pelf; nor
the laudation of self but simply to re-
mind the people of Wichita and call their
attention TO the duty of the present to
adopt some method to embalm the past,
for the amusement and instruction of the
future, when the present Wichita is
counted and numbered in the census to
be taken from year to year from the
ghostly stones in the silent city on the
eastern hill, that overloo1s the city.
which stones admonisn the passengers on
. the Frisco train daily, that in the midst
of life we are liable soon to be dead;
dead as Adam, hamases or a des:clted
political hack.
Simply 20 write a dry fact and fie II
away for the use of the historical artist
TO come after US, who will aGorn it and
preserve it, is neither labor or waste of
time; to write the future in detail. so as
to be worthy of adoption by the future
chronicler as a fact to be credited TO the
real author, VIII please your gran6chil-
dren. when ye are dust of ashes.
Many things have impelled me to write
this piece. bat the motor" that caused
rne to work at the present moment was
o letter written from Iowa, asking me to
give my recollection as to the location
ef an old wooden building in the town in
which was born, IN which my father had
on Office in July. 1861. 1t struck me that
an appeal to the recollection of nine
years -old-boy. proved that facts are feet
ing even amongst the denizens of a town
$ ia the whirl-i-gig of time. Wichita on
rome former occasions has adopted sug-
sestions by the writer and his associates
and in connection with this piece and its
legends, / believe the suggestions made
herein are worthy of attention One in
trinity of the human mind that has come
under my notice. is the old residential
liar, who recalls facts that no contem-
porary ever heard of; another is the fact
that some men remember absolutely moth
fng: and lastly. is the fact that some men
remember vaguely, but conversation en-
ables them to recolIect facts / received
n letter last week from an old friend in an
ndjoining county, who answered a letter
60 me as to what took place in land
gale i'm A. d 1919. where FraZer's drug
store nov Is situated ana the answer of
my correspondent. a suscinct statement
covering one page Of typewriter matter
rs as clear cut as a stamp on "a dollar
eff our daddiesr Just struck from the
TINTED States mint This and oil this has
moved me TO call a meeting of myself
md appoint a committee 10 take hold CT
this matter and organize THE Wichita
Historical Society" OF which the mayor
of the city of Wichita shall and his sue
cessers until time shall be no more. shall
be the chairman: the city council to fur
nish the store-hOuse for all The wares
that are brought to the store house,
vhisa are worthy of preservation, Until
that future day arrives when the city
nhau chronicle the past AMI monument
il for the delight amusement and pas
time of the future people of Wichita for
ever. This society once formed, viii en-
dure and when Wichita. as Chicago. COM
memorates its hundredth year. our hours
of saving facts viii be appreciated. The
society can meet annually and elect its
trustees and it recommended that for
Abe first trustees. the following named
persons be chosen:
Chairman: Mayor B. F Mclean.
Secretary: II. Nj. MurGoc6.
Custodian: John Davidson
Trustees: Doctor Fabrique. Bon Aldrich.
NJ. ". Levy, Robert Z. Lawrence. WI
lam c. Little. Mrs. J. II. Alley. Mrs j.
IL Black. Mrs II. ]. HILLS, Mrs. y. y. /
English.
These trustees to be elected Annually.
five men and four women. or If you want
10 ES dSticAiAs HNt CNsAtiC-titAA taAl- ANe4A
ladies'. or, if rough FIVE males and four
females. as follows:
Three. one year;
Three, two years;
Three. three years.
However, this is a matter OF detail and
to be governed by the wishes of the
trustees. II might be nice thing to
elect three OF these trustees for life, as
in some New England towns. 1t wolid
be a tribute to three pioneers. and pleas
ing 20 them as 10 the days of sans
teeth. sans eyes and sans taste. APP
proach and they shall I've in the autumn
haze of recollections. indulsins in the
pleasant memories Of the days that are
dead i
Every city administration should be a
mile post TO remember as the days so
speeding by. recall the pass. The rallyi1g
cry of former days and deeds of former
years.
For Example.
Wichita was organized under three trus-
tees. 9. A. Stafford. who lived on the land
where Abe Wright and Al Biting now
live: Ike Elder. who lives in Harvey com
ty: G. II Smith. also called Listla Smith.
who owned the land from Eleventh street
10 ST Pauls church on Lawrence avenue.
who was at one time John Steele's partner
and who went into partnership with Tn
Gle Jake Pittinger and then stole al the
assets and ran away and from that hour
even unto the present day. he hath not
beea seen or heard OF by any man that
dwelis In Wichita.
The first mayor was DR.. +. B. Allen.
- tha fret cot,,c1 WAS : y Johnson