The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-20

and when they mounted horseback to
start for Mound Valley they looked
like a company of cavalry. 1 thought
that the civil war had broken out
again and was terribly excited. The
party rode to Mound Valley and drove
the cattle out of the stock yards there
and shot them. 1t seemed an awful
thing to do as we'll as wanton destruc-
tion of valuable property, but such
drastic action was necessary at that
time in order to prevent the spread
of the Texas fever among the herds
of Kansas cattle. The owners of these
Texas steers knew the chances they
took when they sent their cattle
through Kansas in those days, and
they sent their herds heavily guarded
by cowboys. But the latter were
overawed at Mound Valley that night
by the numbers of and determination
of the Kansans and made no resist
ance to the destruction of their cattle.
There were many such cattle kill
ings' as the above in southern Kansas
in the sixties but / do not remember
a case where the cowboys made any
serious resistance to the self ap-
pointed committees which waited
upon them.
1.-THE Kansans kept scouts stationed
along the border who sent notice
ahead when herd was driven into
this state and messengers rode
hastily over the country round about
and summoned a hundred or so of
the best men in two or three coun-
ties and they would assemble at some
given rendezvous in the path of the
herd and ride up and kill every steer
in the bunch while the cowboys SWore
until they could be heard in the skies
above but did not dare to start any
thing. While adventurous men and
ex-soIdiers composed part of these
committees yet some of the best
citizens of the state also joined them
in the enforcement of this stern but
necessary law in regard to quar-
antine."
According to the Manhattan papers
the best chance of becoming the sue
cessor of f. r. Nichols as president of
the State Agricultural college is said
to belong to Prof. Russell of the Uni
Versity of Wisconsin. According to re-
liable information Prof. Russell has
been most highly recommended for the
place and unless the board of regents
finds some one more satisfactory in the
meantime the place will probably be
offered to him at the June meeting of
the board.
Profs. Hunt of the Pennsylvania
State college and Butterfeld of the
Massachusetts Agricultural college are
the other prominent candidates for the
place.
Why Kansas which raises more farm
products than Wisconsin, Pennsylva-
MIA and Massachusetts combined with
all the rest of the New England states
ard a few more northern states thrown
in for good measure. should go east or
north for a head to her agricultural
college, passes understanding. What
does a man from barren New England,
or the coal fields of Pennsylvania or
the frozen snowdrifts of Wisconsin
know about the climate and soil and
peculiarities of the Sunflower state, the
most productive area in the world? :?
Hasn't Kansas material for this posi-
tion? Why wouldn't E. T. Fairchild,
state superintendent of public instruc-
ton, make an ideal president?
John Marshall, assistant attorney
general, has gone to Pratt to investi-
gate the charges against Dell Travis,
former fish and game warden, of using
state property for his own personal
needs and having state employees work
on his farm, which adjoins the state
hatchery at Pratt. Before Governor
Hoch's term expired these charges were
filed against Mr.. Travis by a former
employe of the Pratt hatchery. Gov
ernor Hoch declined to make any in
vestigation of these charges and
turned the papers over to Governor
StubbS. They were recently sent to the
attorney generals office with instruc-
tions to investigate and make a report
Dell Travis many friends over the
state do not regard these allegations as
anything of serious nature
The last issue of Hamilton county
bonds in the sum of $4,000 has been
sold to J w. Powell. a farmer of that
county, who paid 800 premium for the
entire issue, thus opening successful
competition against the eastern bond
buyers. The bonds were registered in
the auditors office this week.
| Mr. Powell went to Hamilton county
| in 1870 as a / section hand on the Santa
Fe railway. He saved his money and
! invested it in Hamilton county land
! and now owns one of the largest cattle
ranches in the state and is wise enough
and rich enough to invest his surplus
| in Kansas bonds.