The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-29
Thomas County Is in Good Con-
dition This Year.
Corn and Barley Takes Place OF
OF Missing Wheat.
HAS 90 INCHES OF RAiN
So Far This Year Drouth Has
Not Hurt the Crops.
Schools at Colby Well Attended
and Successful.

| Colby Sept. 29.-Thomas county is ir
fairly good shape this year without hei
magnificent wheat crop of 1903. In the
| last two years she has been the banner
barley. county of the state. Besides
| there will be raised a fair crop of corn
some of which will run from 40 to 81
| bushels an acre. Potatoes are a big
| yield, one farmer, z. Troyer, having
out about ten acres, will harvest not
| less than one thousand bushels.
State Senator Chas. Buschow, of the
Thirtyninth district, lives in Colby. He
settled here in 1886, and is engaged in
banking. The three banks in Thomas
county, two in Colby and the other in
Rexford, have deposits aggregatins
$z50,OOO. In 1887 there were four banks
in Colby.
Since 1898 Senator Buschow has kept
record of the rainfall in Colby. He
notices the fact that it gradually in
creases. In one month this year about
six inches of water fell. So far this
year about 20 inches has fallen. Since
1888 the amount of rainfall has aver
aged from II to % inches annually.
There has been gradual increase in
the price of land in Thomas county.
Lands were higher in the years of 1888
of 89, during the building of the Rock
Island railroad. The Union Pacific,
CnaC the from oakley TO COL
by, was completed in 1887. During the
building of the Rock Island here a
quarter section farm was known to
have for $500, but this was a fabulous
boom price then. All this year the sale
of Thomas county lands have been big.
The demand is getting better as the
country grows older.
One need to drive into the country to
see the wonderful development. Most
of the farmers have a bank account,
the%Sod house and dugout are a thing
of the past, and instead comfortable
homes and barns greet the eye. Thou
sands of head of cattle can be seen on
the prairies or in the draws in either
direction. Nowhere in northwestern
Kansas has there been more wonderful
changes than can be seen in Thomas
county. The population of the county
footS up about 5000.
The pride of Colby, the county seat,
is her splendid school advantages. The
county high school has been a success
from its start, in 1898. 1t is open to all.
and free to everybody living in Thomas
county. A tuition is charged to all
those living outside the county. This
year the scholarship will run over $50,
the largest in it's history. w. E. Ray
is the principal, who is assisted with
a flTst-class corps of teachers.
Colby is a sort of political center,
that is, most of the Sixth district con-
yentions are held here. Not all the
nominees chosen here by the several
parties are elected. For this reason the
influential people of the place are talk
ing up an opera house or an auditor
fum. It is the site of one of the gov
eminent land offices. 1t has a fine
grist mill and elevators, and two news
papers. 1t has the most commodious
hotel in the Sixth district. Her school
advantages are credit to Kansas, be-
sides there are several churches. There
is a progressive set of business men as
can be found in all this section. Pros
perity seems to have struck Colby in
building and business.