The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-12-01
STAYED WITH THE COUNTRY
a SAMPLE OF SUCCESS IN SHEER
MAN COUNTY.
William Kuhrt OF ShermanviIle Town
ship Has Wrought Marvel
Ously.

Many countries under the sun are
represented in Sherman county in the
persons OF some or our most respect
ed citizens, and in this article 1t IS
Germany. The representative Of this
paper spent Sunday in a snug little
home in Shermanville township, and
thereby hangs our story. We would
never have known so much Of the
Fatherland nor appreciated quite 50
well the bubbIing social side Of VIII
liam Kuhrt had we not spent the day
with the man that was born near the
Baltic sea His stay in Sherman cOun-
ty has blessed him with lands and
herds, domestic happiness and four
bright children, all born in Sherman
county.
It will be twenty years next spring
since he came TO Sherman county and
took a claim just south Of the Bea-
yer creek, sixteen miles northeast Of
GOOdland. If the assessor should have
called on him then to take an inyen-
tory Of his wealth, Kuhrt could truth
fully have said: We'll, put down my
wife und me, and say dat my COLT ist
Of der stuff dat dreams are made OF"
Hence not burdened with money he
worked at anything he could find to
do. He was a mason by trade, and Sc
cured odd jobs from time to time,
and years ago builded a bake-oven
that contributed so we'll to the future
material welfare OF the late Dad"
Auer- So were the rude monuments
Of Kuhrt's handiwOrk scattered along
the way, out Of which came his bread
and butter and a few dollars besides
as a lever TO pry against the weight
Of coming days
During the hard times from crop
failure, this man and his helpful mate
held down the homestead. To say
that they stayed while others left is
not, however, strictly true. Kuhrt
faltered once and went west for a
short time, but he soon came back IN
the midst Of the exodus from Sher-
man county, reOccupied his mOrtgaged
farm, and struggled on The tide in
his affairs now turned, and while 9TH
ers were still leaving, Kuhrt bought
more land at avery low price
Today William Kuhrt owns two
sections Of land in a very choice lOca-
ton on the south Beaver. His holdings
would be cheap at $4,000, and the
whole family are cOntented and hap
py- Their home on the creek is pleas
antly located. The Beaver at this
point has running water in it, clear
and free the whole year round. The
bluffs break away north and south,
between which the meandering stream
winds gracefully, bOrdered by natural
meadows furnishing an abundance Of
hay, the home OF grouse and prairie
chickens, while fish Of various kinds
abound in the stream
In this sheltered and seQuestered
nook Of the great plains stands the
humble but comfortable farm house,
partly constructed Of sod and partly
OF stone A seventy-five fOt shed shell
tiers the cattle from the north winds
A barn 2SxTO feet furnishes stable
room for the horses and dairy COWS,
and storage for IS tons Of hay, and a
granary OF well filled bins Of barley.
Besides this, long stacks Of hay para
lei the barn. A short distance to the
north is a large granary filled with
corn and wheat On the northern
slope stands new stone building, half
Of which Is a new poultry house, and
the other half contains a gasoline en-
CINE and bone mill to grind winter
feed for the large flock Of gellinace-
Gus fowls, mostly Of the Brown Leg
horn variety. A capaciOus cave fur
nishes the storage room for milk and
butter.
One interesting and historic relic
stands just north Of the farm house.
It is the first postoffice building erect
ed in Sherman county, a sod build
ing Of two rooms, with cottonwood
beams and willows supporting a dirt
roof. Here Uncle sam put out his
sign for the first time in the county
history, some twenty years ago. 1t
is now utilized as a chicken house, and
| besides the rOosts and boxes, not for
mail but for eggs, a small stove is pro-
/ r~fH Cd Nn he VA n q
very coolest weather.
Mr.. Kuhrt has, besides meadow and
/ farm land, a young orchard, straw
| berry beds. windmill and reservoir,
and an irrigated truck patch No
/ landlord asks for rent here, no groc-
| cry man presents monthly bills The
| dairy. the truck patch and the fowls
/ pay all bills in advance Kuhrt is
both his own village blacksmith and
/ mason His gasoline engine will not
/ only grind bones, but Will run the
/ cream separator, the grindstOne, the
corn shelter and the feed grinder. The
whole place is competence, content
i ment- success and independence
/ wrought out on the Kansas plains by
/ industry, courage and the staying
Il qualities Of a typical pioneer.
1 Moreover. this settler is not out OF
i the world here. but at its very center
/ Ten miles to the south spins the
/ through trains Of the great Rock Is
Il land system, and sixteen miles is the
I county seat and division station al
/ GoOdland- Newspapers, daily and
weekly, visit his home Neighbors are
| near, and one mile away is a hne
/ modern school house, with a fine or
gan among the furnishings, where the
children attend school, and all attend
| religious meetings OF the neighbOr.
hood