The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-10
Came From 40 Counties When
Santa Fe Opened New Line.
Scores of Prominent Men and
State Officials There.
GOV, HODGES I'm GRAND BALL
A Circus Tent Was Not Large
Enough to Shelter Crowds.
Personal Mention and Incidents
of the Big Celebration.

History in the far southwest Kan
sas country will date from the night
that Governor Hodges led the grand
march at the country ball in Hugoton,
concluding the celebration of the open
ing of the new Santa Fe railroad 81
miles southwest from Dodge City and
the practical wiping away of the rail-
roadless county district in this state
Never since the Indian gave way to
the white man, has such crowd gain
cred in Stevens county. Never IN all
the history of the railroadless counties
have SO many state officials and men
of prominence in Kansas affairs spent
a day in the sandy plains in that coun-
try which for years knee of railroads
only as word that was 1ouhu SOME
where in the dictionary. 1t was these
two features, together with the tact
that Kansas will never witness an
other similar celebration, that the Dig
picnic and barbecue at Hugoton last
Thursday is to be recorded in history
and become an event of real heart in
terest to the people In the WESTERN
counties of the state.
Came From Forty Counties.
Not less than 40 of the 105 counties
of the state were represented at the
Hugoton show. OF the crowd OF S,UVo'
nearly 1000 were hauled to the picnic
in the two special trains operated from
Dodge City by the Santa Fe. Prooaoiy
400 automobiles lined the streets or the
1i+t1e town or were stationed on the
sandy. fenceless plains at points con-
venient to the scene of celebration EV-
erv county in western Kansas sent Dls
delegations. Added to the crowds was
the Hutchinson band and the COWBOY
hand from Dodge City, a reminder OF
the davs of frontier life when Chalk
Reeson was at the head of the famous
musical orgGniZa ton.
a bis circus tent, hauled from Dodge
civ for the occasion, partially shelter
ed the crowd from the sun and Wlhu
and sand. 1t was inside this tent that
the sneeches were made in the afternoon.
At night a temporary floor was lalu
and 1 900 people danced until midnight,
when the big rain drops bega1n TO ran
as a sort of significant benediction ana
blessing on the progress and advance
ment of the western plainsmen.
The laying of the new railroad means
much in western Kansas. Some day.
perhaps, the road will extend south
through Oklahoma and Texas. But just
now the people in stevens ana mas
keu and Grant counties are content.
They are in touch with the OUTSIDE
world. have shipping facilities and out
let and market for their crops
Until the new Santa Fe line came,
there was little inducement for the peo-
wheat or broom corn. There was no
opportunity to place the output on the
market and the only crop which really
paid dividends was cattle Ihe 1arIn-
ers could drive their cattle to the near
est shipping point, but it was big
job to haul crop OF wheat or broom
corn so miles to a railroad station
Broom corn and wheat can be raised
successfully in this new western coun-
try, the old timers claim. At the dance
Thursday night, one old resident Of
fered to make affidavit that his land
had produced Is and 20 bushels OF wheat
to the acre. Now he expects to en-
gage in the wheat raising industry on
larger scale. Broom corn is also a sue
cessful crop in the Stevens-Stanton-
Hasken-Gray ct al county district. But
corn is out of the question. The altl-
tude of Hugoton is little more than
3,10O feet-more than 1000. feet above
Topeka-and corn will not grow in the
high altitude
There is water in abundance, but
the wells are deep. At Hugoton wa
ter is found at so feet. In Haskell
county the wells are more than 200 feet
deep, while in Gray and Seward coun-
ties, water is found at less than 100
feet.
Looking over the agricultural pursuits
of the men who have braved the sand
storms, the billiards., prairie dogs,
graSshopperS and many privations and
hardships of the western country, are
stories of fortunes made in the country
almost within stones throw of Color
ado. There is John Kelley. Bob
Crawford, Z. w. Jocelyn at Hugoton
and fully as many living examples in
the adjoining counties.
Out in that western country land is
not counted by the acre. 1t is counted
by the section and quarter section
John Kelley. for instance. owns some
thing more than 100 quarter sections of