The sun., 1905-08-20
POUNDED THIRTY CITIES,
BUT A CEMETERY LOT WAS ALL
TIN HERSEY GOT OUT or 1T.

po0Do. kToo8o1y t0oIv VIII % 0fOCteo
On it . monument to old Tim Mmsslf-
for b died up IN Warrington State ths
othsr day.
Hs was the wssts most persistent town
baildsr. 10 founded thirty cities and
towns, but named none after himself. and
finally died . thouand miles from any
Of thsn.
This Wa ons of his ozsstons. He @ms
aoross ths plains In 1887 and built log
cabin on ths banln Of Mud Creek. whore
now stands . $sS,oo0 msnGion. he was
the first white man on the towndte, and
buffalo used to feed between him and
civilization BY tho thousand.
His log cabin was the stopping plsce
for those who crossed The plains in the
early days. BayaSd Taylor spent two
days there when on his Western tour.
Horace Greeley was guest, and Cen. Grant
and Cen. Sheridan more than onoe while
inspecting ths frontier f1ts mAde this
their headquarters.
Tim Herssy WAS known throughout ths
Western frontier. But others came In and
. town wss started.
TOO thick for me- said Hersey one day,
and with his fanily-an that was left Of
Il, for three little girls had died here-hs
went UP 10 the mouth of the Solomon.
he founded the town Of Solomon; then
further up oame CAwker, Beloit, Downs
and . soore Of similar p'aces, now thriving
communities. His wife named Solomon
and Abilene-both out Of the Bible. The
other towns named themselves.
And then one day = queer thing hap
pened, ono Of those things that would not
b possible save In Q new country.
Hesssy went back to Illinois to visit his
old home and there purchased three marble
tombstones, each with proper lettering
and Nttle verses Of commemoration to
decorate tho graves Of the three children
WHO died during Hersey's residence IN
this city.
He shipped them here. and later came
himself, intending to put the stones In place.
But much had happened since he loft.
Tho wild and woolly cowboy days had
passed away. Tho cattle trail orgies were
ended and the better civilization Of the new
era had begun.
The cemetery that was once q wind
blown, grass covered hill had been laid
out In streets and lots and tho driveways
graded. Hersey could not find the grave.
Of his children. He tramped over the hill
d.y after day, sl-sJs il vain.
Sadly he went on West and for twenty
years little was heard Of him. Then, laet
fail, he wrote TO the Mayor this request.
He wanted the three marble headstones
loft hero but never properly placed. He
asked TO have them forwarded to him,
at least the portions containing the letter
ing.
The town was stirred by the incident
and by its sympathy with the citys founder
then an old man. After much sesrch two
OF the stones were found one Of them
being used ~ doorstep. The other Il
lost.
Something else was found: tho graves.
An oldtimsr remembered that an old
time sexton had told him when here on a
visit that over tho hill in little hollow
wsre some graves Of children. A search
was made. and beneath the mat Of blue
stem prairie grass was found q natural
stone marker on which could b deciphered
With difficulty tho letters, IS. H. Ono
Of the children was named Sarah.
30 the city officials notified Hersey and
ordered tho lot cleared and put in shape
for him. A deed was made out and sent
to tho towns founder-but few days ago
oAnae tho news that he had passed away
suddenly.
Whether he knew what the town had
done for him 10 not known. 1t is prob
able that there will be further action to honor
his memory for he did much to give the
city prominenco In tho days when it was
struggling for existence.
Not far from the Hersey grave in the
oennstsry b the grave Of brave Tom Smith,
The city's frontier marshal. who was killed
while trying to arrest some murderers
In cowboy days. He was tho only marshal
The town ever had who could control the
tasTors Of tho cattle trail, and over his grave
d huge boulder purchased by popular
subscriptton . few years ago and bearing
bronse tablet falling Of the courage OF
ths hsro Of the city's early life.
The monument was dedicated by oeTe-
monies - pretentious q ever were held
In the town. including addresses by the
towns hrst Mayor, T. G. Henry, the oldtims
Wheat king, and othsrs. II . monument
h ersoted to the memory Of Hersey it will
mako . companion for that to the coura-
gsous marshL.
Il WAS ono Of Hersey's peculiarities that
he sought to keep ahead Of civilization.
Had Be remained in any oS the towns he
founded he might have been wealthy. for
overy ono Of them has made prosperous
community and those who came after him
have cleaned up fortunes.
Tho railroad was always just behind
and when 1t caught him he moved on, going
up through the northwest part Of this
State into Colorado and thence to Wyo-
ming. Next he sought the Wild Northwest
and there ended his remarkable and check
cred life.
He was The most restless Of all the Kan.
sas town builders and In the end reaped
LEES than any. Unless this city, the first
Of his efforts In founding towns in this
State, erects 4 monument to his memory
II u unliksly that he win have even head
stone.
DARTMOUTH COACHES IN WEST.
KAEbbs and Crifnn Arrive NJ University OF
CAlifoyulA for Football Work.