The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-29
HISTORY HIS HOBBY
Sheridan PIOughe Working on
Story of Southwest Kansas.
Writes in His Bed as Rheumatic
Twinges Interrupt.
FIRST BEEF TRUST.
Cattle Pool After War Equal to
Present Combine.
Every Day Shady Deals Must
Not Be Told.

Hutchinson. Kan, April 29.-Propped
up in bed, where he has been now Lol
six weeks, a victim OF lnflamihdIoI
rheumatism, Sheridan Ploughe Is VIII
ing the first chapters of what event.
ually Will become the first detailed MS
tory of southwest Kansas to De Wit
ten.
In preparing the history, Mr.. Ploughe
is not depending wholly upon neWspa-
per files or recollections of early set
tiers. He is, in fact, going back beyond
the DAYS of the first settlement.
The first chapters of his history VIII
be devoted to the early Spanish and
French explorers, the Indians who oc-
cupied these lands, the early pathf1nd-
ers who crossed the plains, and the
cowboys and cattIemen who drove their
herds here long before there was any
settlement.
In order to get the correct data for
these chapters of the earlier history
Mr.. Ploughe spent weeks at Washington
ton delving into the records of the gov
eminent He found Spanish and French
documents which he had to employ In
terpreters to read and transcribe for
him.
Digging Into Archives.
Later he spent many weeks more at
Topeka, digging into the documents
and archives of the state historical So
ciety. The Texas historical society was
called on to help him and he procured
valuable documents there regarding the
early cattle trails, one of which crossed
what is now Reno county and r1valed
the Old Santa Fe Trail in traffic and
Importance at one time.
But in digging into the earlier MS
tory of Reno county and southwest
Kansas it has been requiring much
time and expense" said Mr.. Ploughe. Il
have found much valuable data in the
records at Washington and Topeka L
foa aT,f1i inc
earlier history of affairs which even our
Oldest and best posted men were igno-
rant of.
Nearly Missed Hutchinson.
"For instance have dug up the real
history of the building Of the Santa Fe
railway, and how it came to be built up
the Arkansas. The fact is it came
very near being built to San Antonio,
Tex, and Hutchinson would never have
been started
Il have also dug up some interesting
data regarding the original beef trust,
a cattle pool in southwest Kansas
shortly after the war. When 1 told n
magazine writer at Washington regard
ing the data on this story 1 had pro-
cured he offered me $500 cash, from his
magazine, for the story. 1 had to re-
fuse the offer"
Some TickIish Matters.
Mr.. Ploughe is having considerable
trouble, however, IN hgurlng out now to
tell the story of many early day af-
fairs of a rather shady nature, affairs
political and financial, which involve
people who are today prominent Cit
zens
Were I to tell the truth, and the
whole truth about these early day
matters / would make many enemies
he remarked. And yet I want to
make this history as fair and impartial
and truthful a statement of historical
fact as possible"
1t will be the story of forty Kansas
towns, most of them county seats
which We're established, flourished and
then after the bursting Of booms, died
and have almost been forgotten.