The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-24
ST. FRANCIS alive
Carthest Northwestern Kansas
TOwn-Change Cars.
Has All Modern Improvements
H., Started by Railroad.

St. Francis is a pushing, active town-
IT ia the farthest northwestern Kansas
town, Here everybody changes cars be-
cause IL is the terminal of the brancn
of the b. & NJ. road from orleans,
Neb. Visitors at once inquire wnat ~
there here to build up town. ana they
are informed that the immense trace
from the farming section demands SOHO
banks and other substantial firms. AND
St. Francis has them. Then there are
more than 10000 acres OF valley iano
fit for raising alfalfa tributary 10 the
town, and much Of it can be irrigated.
The country is rich in live stock ana
while the crops were somewhat short
this year, as in other parts of the state
enough was raised for home consump-
ton and many carloads have or will
be shipped out. The farmers around
st. Francis as well as Cheyenne county
were fortunate this year. they raised
enough grain SO they didn't need to
ask for seed wheat.
Municipal improvements.
st. Francis is the county seat OF
Cheyenne county. The county has q
fair court house, good school buildings
and churches. Many improvements al
ready completed and others under way
are permanent. The waterworks plant
has proved a great success in every
respect. the streets are being graded,
filled in and covered with shale which
makes a permanent, hard surface. The
installation Of the electric light sys-
tenn will begin about December /, and
the provisions Of the construction in
sures an up-to-date system and a well
lighted and an all night service. Miles
Of frst-class cement walks reach all
over town, and fine homes, many of
them modern, greet the eye in all direc-
lions.
In a business way the Citizens State
bank building is a credit to any city OF
10000 population. It cost 1000 to COM
plete and furnish. The second story 'is
used by the Masons and Odd Fellows.
The last statement Of the bank showed
$4,000 in deposits. The officers are:
L. J. Willis. president, w. B. Lock
wood. vice president, and F. L. Shields.
cashier. The Cheyenne County State
bank is another healthy business house,
and although several years younger the
deposits aggregate more than $S8, 900.
L. e. Harrison is president and H. H.
Clore cashier. The business building of
M. Winter is one Of the most substan-
tial in northwest Kansas These i'm
provements and others show that the
people OF st. Francis are alive and UP
and doing something all the while.
st. Francis is the home Of the present
member of the legislature from Chey-
enne county, J. E. Uplinger, one of the
live business men Of the town. He
easily caught onto his political Job
made careful and useful member
and it is doubtful If any one in his
county will try to beat him for d sec.
ond term. Several ex-members of the
legislature from Cheyenne county live
In st. Francis. They are active busi.
ness -
Lockwood. r. L. Shields, Josiah Crosby
ana J. L. Finley are ex-legislators. Ev-
eryoody who knows him, and most ev.
cry one In Cheyenne does, points Out
r. L. Shields as one Of the most &C.
tive business men and broad minded
citizens Of st. Francis. He has me,
with success in business affairs. anc
wnen there Is an enterprise headed thi.
way r. L. Shields is hunted up. He II
a Dig man Tor the town, and he Justly
merits the success which has come hi,
way. .e A''N
). H. Egan is another active and
successful business man. He orief.
mated the annual picnic of bows WIN
come under the age Of Is years sew.
eral years ago. and every year he toot
tnem to the country for days out.
ing. Like Bale Waggener's annual
Atcnlson picnic, Mr.. Egan hopes te
and various amusements are fnduIreT
In. A big crowd Of boys attend these
annual festivals, and everything i,
furnished free. The picnic this veal
was so large that it took every anti
and many other vehicles to carry tn.
boys. Next year the girls under II
years will be invited, and Mr.. Eear
mas already drafted F. L. Shields tt
help him.
Burlington Started the Town.
Your correspondent has watched
the growth of st. Francis from tn,
start. A town was building up a mil,
or more to the east known as Wano
1t had good start some years befor
St Francis was known. With the al,
OF the b. M. road, then buildin,
this way, that company pushed tn
town here and renamed it st. Francis
and most of the people moved thei
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