Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-11-02
. 4 Z 4 & Z & & & A.AAA &
{ WHEN ABILENE WANTED 4
9 TO BE KANSAS CAPITAL. &
4 a a a a 4 AA a

to the Kansas City Journal the other
day. ~ suppose that settles IT.
the capital will not be moved to
Abilene. We thought one time II
might be and along with its other
claims to publicity Abilene has this:
1t is the only town in the state that
had the nerve Of late years to try
to secure the seat of government
Funny thing about 1t, too, that wai
one of the biggest things that hap.
pened in the town, and 1t received
less publicity than almost anything
that ever happened.
ut was started as last>desperate
effort to revive the boom. We had
surveyed and laid off into lots ali
the surrounding farms until the
town was as large as Wichita. But
the bottom dropped out of things
and lots were not selling. The Abb
lene Gazette, a morning Associated
Press daily, was on its last legs,
and G. w. G. Rohrer and little Dick
Colver dreamed a dream Of con-
quest. l think Colver was RESPONSE
for 1t, but once started 1t took like
wildfire--in Abilene. We would
hold a capital removal convention
and start things. Delegates were
elected from every town in western
Kansas that could be induced to
help--and a good many were will
ing.
"In April, 1888, the convention
met. There were several hundred
visitors, all coming on passes, Of
course. The meeting was held in
the old Bonebrake opera house, and
DR.. J. M. Hodge, the most influential
force in Fifth district politics, now
passed to his reward, presided. J..
R. Burton made the opening speech.
He called attention to the fact that
Topeka was only seventy-five miles
from the east line Of the state and
declared that it was shame that
the central and western sections
should be compelled to go there for
state business. He said that If the
capital were In the central part Of
the state a great city could be built,
but none would grow so near to
Kansas City. Without consulting
anybody he pledged that Dickinson
county would give $1,000,O00 to
build a new capitol building. This
was received with cheers, though
as matter of fact 1t was not exactly
clear Just where the million could,
be secured.
al. B. Kelly, then Of Mcpherson,
was selected chairman of the con-
vention and Charles Martin Of Sa-
lima secretary. A list of vice presi-
dents representing every town in the
western half of the state was named.
Kelly made q red hot speech and a
string Of resolutions column long
was adopted. These set forth that
Topeka was selected when 1t was
thought that the sixth principal mer-
idian was the limit Of production in
Kansas and that now with western
Kansas prospecting the capital should
be changed. Plans were made for
electing legislators the coming fall
who would be favorable to reloca7
ton of the capital. G. w. Click Of
Atchison made the evening speech
and the way he took the hide off
Topeka and hung 1t on the barbed
wire fence was a caution. When he
finished 1t seemed likely that the
state house would be put on wheels
inside of a year. We imported q
vaudeville singer from Kansas City
and wrote for him two or three ropi-
cal songs setting forth the glories
of a number of western towns, es-
pecially Of Abilene, and he enter
tained the audience between the
speeches.
Nowadays all that would have
been great news--and 1t was then.
But we did not have the facilities
for sending news that we now enjoy.
Father Baker was editor of the
Topeka Commonwealth and he was
the censor Of the Associated Press
for Kansas. We fixed up a rip
roaring story a column or two long
telling all about 1t and filed 1t. We
had to send It to Topeka and 1t went
through Father Bakers hands. No
kick on the length Of the telegram
came to Us and the story seemed to
be making a hit at the other end.
The town looked forward to seeing
in the Topeka, Kansas City and st.
Louis papers Aext day q front page
display telling Of the wonderful
movement set on foot In Abilene. Did
1t. Not much-not . line, not q