Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1911-07-15
From d. E. McCoIlum

Editor Republican, have read
| and heard, with considerable concern,
/ of the unusual drouth and terrible
heat from which Kansas is suffering
While you are sweltering in 100 de-
gree weather, we are getting along
nicely with a temperature ranging
from IS to S5 degrees, with ideal
nights for sleeping. However the
drouth conditions are affecting Colo
RADIO just the same as Kansas.
The reports coming from Kansas
remind me in many respects of con-
ditions during the early days, yet
there is one marked difference: /
have not heard of single farmer be-
| coming discouraged and Offering to
sell his land for nominal considera-
tion or even abandoning it to be sold
under the mortgage or for taxes.
This marks the differance between
the present and thirty years ago.
The relation of some early Trego
county experience may not be out of
place: Father was typical settler
of that country. In the early spring
of 1879 he landed there with his
family, his household goods, a team
of fine Illinois mares and about fifty
bushels of corn, after having located
claim and built ''dug-out" the
fall before
Farming was carried on in the
Eastern fashion. Everything except
watermelons however, was a failure.
Fall and winter came on and with it
the most severe drouth ever known
in Kansas. For seven months the
sky was as of brass, with not a trace
of moisture to quench the parched
earth. With the coming of spring, a
few showers gladened the hearts of
the settlers. Crops were planted and
tended with all the zest of the East
ern agritulturiSt. Then came that
memorable day in June, to which c.
III. Berry referred in recent issue of
The Republican. At 10 O'Clock in
the forenoon, corn stood nearly waist
high, dark green color. A gentle
breeze was blowing from the south
west and the whole country looked
beautiful in the radiance of SPRING
time. By II o'clock, the heat had
become intense; the gentle breeze
had changed into fearful blast like
the breath of a furnace; vegetation
was whitening and dyeing, while all
animal life was endeavoring to hide
itself from both the hot wind and
the rays of the sun. By O'Clock the
buffalo grass was brown and sere as
in December, while the blades of
corn would crumble to powder be-
tween the fingers All vegetation
had been killed.
Then began the exodus of settlers.
Practically all who were able to get
away, left; most of them in covered
wagons, drawn either by horses or
cattle. A few who had brought
enough money or property from the
east to tide them over another year,
decided to remain; also those who
were unable to get away. Father
was in the latter class. His big
mares could not live on buffalo gaass.
One laid down and died; to prevent a
like fate overtaking the other, she
was traded to man going back east,
for a Texas mule. "a Texas mule
was about two sizes larger than a
mountain burro, and in addition to
the usual accomplishment of kicking,
could snort and ''kick with its front
feet" equal to any Texas pony. But
it also possessed the ability to live
on buffalo grass, remain fat and sleek
the year around and do more work
than any other animal of it's size }
However, it was not prudent for a
family of five to start on six or
seven hundred mile trip with only
one mule.
About this time father learned
that Dave Rathbun, prominent
Ellis county lawyer, had a team of
Texas ponies which were for sale for
consideration of $50, and promptly
offered him a warranty deed to eighty
acres of beautiful land for the team.
Rathbun drove out from Ellis, looked
over the land, remained until after
dinner and finally decided to keep
his ponies. Father never talked of
leaving western Kansas, but / have
always had suspicion that had he
gotten those ponies he would have
loaded the family into the wagon and
headed east.
The fat years followed and those
who remained in western Kansas
were glad of it.
There is but little to say concern
ing myself except that my health
has not improved, the higher altitude