The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-07

Thirty-three directors are elected
each year for a term of three years.
The directors elected this year are as
follows: Paul r. Brooks, Lawrence;
George A. Clark, Junction City; c. Z.
Cory, Fort Scott; E. B. Cowgirl, Tope-
ka; Conner T. Davies. Concordia; John
S. Dawson. Hill City; c. H. Fairfield,
Alma; John Francis, Colony; Winfield
, Freeman. Kansas City; H. C. F. Hack
bush. Leavenworth; E W. Hoch. Mar
Topeka; Margaret Hill McCarter. To-
peka; John Martin, Topeka; ]. E.
Miller. Marysville; Mrs. Caroline Prem
tbs, Topeka; A. C. Pierce. Junction
Richey, Harveyville; Bertrand Rock
well, Junction City; Mrs. Olive 1. Royce,
Phillipsburg; Charles F. Scott. lola; c.
W. Smith, Lawrence; w. B. Stone,
A Valentine, Clay Center; A. B. Whit
ing, Topeka; B. P. Waggener, Atchi-
son: l. D. Whittemore, Topeka; Sam
F. Woolard, Wichita; D. r. Anthony,
Jr., Leavenworth; Sheffield ingalls,,
Atchison.
A list of the thirty-six annual mem
bers and five life members was received.
The life members are NJ. A. Low of
Topeka, B. Rockwell of Junction City,
DE-. c. A. Peterson of st. Louis, George
E Cole of Topeka, and B. B. Smythe
of Topeka
Some exceedingly interesting Incl
dents of life on the plains of Kansas
nearly fifty years ago were related to
the State Historical society Tuesday by
G. r. Mead of Wichita Mr.. Mead's
subject was THE Saline River Country
in 1859" and what he said was of spec
ial interest to residents of central and
western Kansas.
Mr. Mead explored the Saline valley
from Salina west in 1859 and the two or
three succeeding years. He named the
streams along the north side of the
river, among them Spilman. Wolf and
Paradise creeks. the principal tribu-
taries of the Saline. and he had a num-
Der of exciting experiences with the In
dams.
Some time before he went to the Sa-
line valley Mr.. Mead had come out
rom lola and had stopped with a
ranchman down in Usage county on the
Santa Fe trail. Wagon trains were
continually passing back and forth.
The ranchman kept a toll bridge over a
stream and Mr.. Mead related incident
ally how he helped to collect twenty
or thirty dollars a day crossing over a
hundred dollar log bridge"
A hunting party started out one day
along the trail and Mr.. Mead went
with 1t. They finally brought UP on the
Smoky river southwest of Salina. While
here a stranger appeared in their camp
on foot and unarmed and said he and
his brother had been crossing the Sa-
line to the northwest when their oxen
had died. and he wanted help. Mead
lltQ a team ana OuIIlI OF MS own ana
he volunteered his assistance. Return
ing to the spot where the other man
had been left they found him almost in
sane from solitude and fright, as the
wolves were exceedingly bad.
On an eminence overlooking the river
Mr.. Mead built cabin and the place
became known as MeaG's ranch From
there he went out on hunting and ex-
ploring trips. He made his way down the
river to Salina then a place of perhaps
a dozen cabins, and Colonel William A.
Phillips. the founder of the place. Of
fered him a sixteenth interest in the
tOwnsite and a quarter section. adioin-
ing it if he would remain and help
build up the town, but he was out for
hunting and adventure and E4f1lsed the
Salina were Robert and william Bishop,
Robert Campbell, a young man named
Spillman and others. Spillman told him
of exploring up the Saline valley and of
discovering a large tributary on the
north side of the river some distance
up. Spillman afterwards became a
district judge at Manhattan.
Later Mead went UP this tributary of
the Saline and called it Spillman's
creek, the name it bears today. 1t as
the largest creek in Lincoln county.
Mr. Mead hunted in that locality and
had a camp on the creek for a time.
Further west he killed a lot of wolves
on a big creek which he accordingly
named Wolf creek. 1t was along in
this territory-what is now Lincoln
periences with the Indians.
Mr.. Mead said a big Indian battle
was fought north OF Spillman's creek in