The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-23
Farmers in Decatur County Are
Having Prosperous Days.
A Load Of Hogs Sells on the
Streets forsAbout $l25.
HAVE PLENTY OF THEM
One Man at Jennings Disposes
of Four for $I79.4O.
Most Of "the Folks" I'm That
Section Pay With Checks.

Jennings, Feb. 23.-Decatur county,
in which Jennings is located, has been
advertised near and far as has few
counties in northwestern Kansas. The
big Indian raid in 1878, when l 8 or 20
settlers were killed on the Sappa, is
yet fresh in the minds of her Oldest
citizens One of them is Sol Rees, liv-
ing in Jennings. Soon as the news or
this Indian raid and massacre became
known, Sol. Rees and Warren Jennings
followed the Indian trail and they tell
it to this that Mr.. ReeS has a trophy
of that rail in the scalp of an Indian
which he knows more about than any
other person. Mr.. Rees owns rhaIf
section of Decatur county land, close
to Jennings, and in the fertile Prairie
Dog creek bottom.
Another incident which has given
Deca tur county wide publicity was in
her people trying to find oil or gas:
Two attempts have been made, one of
Ramona, ten miles from Oberlin,
which was a failure, and the other
trial was in Jennings At this place
the company reached depth about
5000 feet, with the best indications for
the coveted stuff at every strike of the
drill. Suddenly there turned up
stranger. No one seemed to know
who he was or what he was here for
All of sudden the drill ceased work,
and sthe naachinery was carted off.
Some of the Jennings people to this
day Believe that the stranger was an
emissary of he-Reelxefellers.
Jennings township, of which this
town is the business capital, has large
colony of Bohemians, said to be no less
than fifty families who are progress
sive and hard-warking, having built
neat residences and roomy barns, and
titled the soil so that they have made
the upland prairie bloom and blossom
with fields of wheat and corn, and all
of them raising hogs. The business
men of Jennings say these foreigners
IND Cf,~i< all -fo do
orally pay their bills with bank checks.
They have also erected a commodious
hall about six miles from here, where
they hold lodge meetings. and give en-
tertainments.
Adjoining the town of Jennings is
pleasing sight Witnessing the herds of
sheep belonging to Frank Pine, of
about $50 head. and J. B. Jennings,
1900 head.
A common wagon load of hogs on
the streets of Jennings is now worth
from 500 to SIPS. Speaking of hogs,
J. F. Bennett recently marketed 131
head here. Four of them weighed
2,76O pounds, for which he received a
& Wilson have shipped since January
/, 27 cars of hogs. % cars of cattle,
and two cars of sheep. The bulk of
cattle and sheep is yet in the feed lots.
Land is increasing in value in the vi
cinity of Jennings at rapid rate
There is not much for sale in this To-
cality and what is is held from SIS to
$50 an acre. Wheat prospects are fine.
Belshe & Shockey is the name of
firm recently from Missouri, who have
already bought a section of land four
miles from here. paying as high as &c.
900 a quarter" 1t is their purpose of
raising alfalfa and fine registered
stock of both hogs and cattle.
The people of Jennings are proud of
their new $4,000 opera house, with a
seating capacity of between 400 and
500.
The graded school is under the prin-
cipalship of A. V. Hedges. assisted by
Miss IRA Danley and Miss Matte
Keever. About 125 scholars are en-
rolled.
The Methodists and Baptist denomi-
nations have churches.
Frank Shimmick, dealer In hard
ware and furniture, has been SO Sue
cessful in business that he is showing
his pride in Jennings in the erection of
brick block.
The Masons, Odd Fellows. A. Q. U.
W., and Modern Woodmen OF America
have flourishing lodges.
Jennings is good enough town for
the rumor that the second bank will
soon organize. w. r. Fisher. banker
of Norton, Chas. Evans, receiver of the
Colby land office, A. Lauterbach, bank
er of Colby, and Grover Walker. bank