The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-08
THIRTY YEARS
MADE CHANGE
In Wichita Said [. M. CuSty
Yesterday.
HE CAME HERE IN 1869
Tells the Eagle Some Things
Then and Now.
HE CAME HERE IN 1869

L. n. Custy chief of police of the Chi
cago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway
COMPANY, was in the city yesterday. Mr.
Custy is the son of one of the oldest set
tiers IN SedSwick county. John Custy,
the father, came here in 1863, and pre-
empted claim five miles south of the
city. The claim is still in the widows
name and Mr.. Custy stated yesterday
that he believed his mother would move
TO Wichita in a few months and make
this city her future home. His mother
likes Wichita and often pays this city and
her friends visit and has always spoken
that she Would Ike to live here again.
The family moved away from Wichita
In 1873 and this IS the first time in that
thirty years that L. II. Custy has been
in Wichita. He called upon some of his
fathers oId-time friends yesterday and
had many pleasant chats with them.
There has been big change in WICK
ita in those thirty years. said Mr.. Custy
yesterday. When we came to town in
the old days there was ford some place
south of Douglas avenue bridge. Just
south of the. ford was large island,
which at that time was used as the GEM
etery.
I'VE did not come to Wichita very often
then. but when we did, we were always
particular to look over the island and see
If there We're any new graves. Those
Were warm times and once in a while
someone got killed.
He went down to the river and said he
hardly knew the stream. There was lit
tie water in it and the channel was mar
row. When he came to Wichita the east
bank Of the Arkansas river was about
where Wichita street now is. This has all
been filed UP and there are several sub
stantiaI business houses and a mill
standing on ground that Mr.. Custy once
knew as the channel of the Arkansas
river. The west side of the island that
he knew as the cemetery is now about
the east bank of the river. The island
was washed away years ago Many peo-
pie who came here ten years later than
Mr.. Custy REMEMBER the island. 1t was
large one and the ford across the river
touched the north end and when the
water was low there was always a big
Sandbar on this side.
I, James Cairns, in talking with Mr..
Custy yesterday, told him that mary
years ago the bodies were taken from the
island and for years James Cairnes used
the island TO pasture his cow and kept
boat tied to a tree where Southward's
tannery now stands and every night and
morning went over in his boat to milk his
COW. The island wass large enough to
Afford plenty of pasture for the cow the
entire season. az. af.e .Hs.
Mr.. Custy went to Chicago when he left |
Wichita and for the past eleven years
has been connected with the Chicago po-
lice department. A short time ago he was
made chief of police of the Rock Island
railroad and has control of the detective
force of the entire system. He is quiet
unassuming man, with very sharp it'ey
eyes, and his success in his chosen pro-
fession is shown by the fine appointment
made the first of the year. lie was here
yesterday looking after the affairs of the
department in this city.