The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-18
Six Towns Once Fought for
Seat of Government.
GOODLAND WON AS DARK HORSE
Only Newspapers i'm County Are
Located There.
Three Big Crop Years Send
Town on Boom.

towns aspired for the county seat at
one time. Eustis was the seat OF gov
eminent temporarily. Along came
Voltaire, Sherman Center, Leonard,
Itaska and Candy, each one wanting
to be the permanent county seat. Then
came along some more boomers,
and squatt-d down in the center, nam
ed their townsite Goodland, an cleo
ton was called, and Goodland was
voted the county seat by decisive
vote.
Eustis, Sherman Center and Vol
taire had newspapers. AT one time
the county had as many as six jour
nails. today there are two papers in
Sherman county and they are printed
in Goodland
When the county records were NOV,
ed from Eustis to Goodland it looked
for a time as if blood would be shed,
but not a drop was spilled PITS
were dug around Eustis, and guards
put in them, but when it came time
for removal the surrender came with
out shot being fired or knock
down on either side, as the state mill
tia had been sent to quen any dis
turbance if necessary.
Then the Railroad Came.
Later or the Rock Island road was
built to Goodland, and this town was
made a division. For several years
the people travelling through referred
to the Rock Island road as being all
there was to Goodland. 1t is differ
ent now. The town grew, and has
about 1000 people. The Rock Island
road leaves about $4,000 monthly TO
the employees.
With the growth of the town and
the rapid settlement of sherman
county, times have changed. The Wis
itors now talk of the success of the
farming community, and how much
the railroad has done for the country
is little thought of. The big all round
crops raised in Sherman county is
now the principal conversation one
hears.
Crops Show Big Yield.
Some fields of wheat are turning out
25 and 8 8 bushels an acre, and oats
from As to 70 bushels. W. S. Gray
bell reports his barley yielded about
80 bushels an acre, and George Man
gus claims Sc bushels. Fred Ger
man threShed his wheat which turned
out 40 bushels an acre. w. H. Stone,
ex-member of the legislature from
Sherman county, will raise upwards of
10000 bushels of wheat.
There are large crops of sorghum,
Sudan grass, milo maize, kaffir and
millet in all parts of the county as
fine as was ever grown in the state.
Sherman county has fine fields of
alfalfa as seen anywhere, Lee Con-
quest, J. J. Knight, Rhoades & Son,
and many others are large alfalfa
growers. Many Sherman county farm
ers who farm their lands in a prac-
teal way, have produced enough in
the years 1913, 1914 and 1915 to
more than pay for their lands each
year at the prices the owners originally
paid for them.
Show Farm Scenes at Topeka.
The recent Sherman county fair
was fine display of agricultural
products and an unusually large dis
play of stock.
The Calvert Realty company is get
ting large number Of Sherman
county farm scenes together COM
prising fields of growing crops, har-
vesting, threshing and stock, and ex-
poets to show them at Topeka in
vert is one of the most active pushers
and workers for Goodland and Sher-
man county He also holds a county
office, that of county attorney.
In the list of live business wires for
town and county deserved mention is
made of Mayor George Kelley, Post
master VIM Walker, Jr.; R. A. Kent, |
the auto man; DR.. F. H. Smith, G. L.
money to build up Goodland and de-
velop Sherman county. H. NJ. Hester,
Frank Dawson, J. H. Stewart, editor
of the Republic; E. F. Murphy, attor-
J. J. Phillips is one the big cattle
men of Sherman county. His herd
at this time comprises ITO head of |
fine registered Herefords Besides he
has several head of horses, 400 acres
of small grain, 400 acres of corn, and
other forage crops, including 80 acres
of sudan grass planted on broken |
ground this spring which stands
and 10 feet high.
Don't Depend on Railroad.
Goodland is up to date f., north
west Kansas town. With the good |
crops Sherman county has been rails |
ing, and her high grade cattle and
horses, it can no longer be said that |
the business men depend on the pay
roll of the Rock Island road to build
up the town.
In 1914 the town completed one of
the best waterworkS systems, miles of
cement walks and a fine electrical
white way. The town has good schools
and churches. Her business men are
prosperous, which is another indica-
ton that Goodland is surrounded by
a fine agricultural country. The Ho-
tel Neu, the Neu Bros, owners and
proprietors, to meet the requirements
story to the hotel, and making it mod
ern throughout.
Has a Unique Judge.
Goodland is the home of Charles I.
Sparks, judge of the Thirty-fourth jul
dicial district He has the honor of
his courts with prayer. His district
comprises the counties of Graham,
Sheridan, Rocks, Thomas and Sher-
man. Judge Sparks considers it an
honor, too, of being the second judge
to represent the district, the first be-
ing Charles W. Smith, who broke all
records in holding the office for n
quarter of a century.
Dr. L. A. Golden of Kensington,
Smith county, is the largest land own
err in Sherman county. He owns about
$4,000 acres, many of his farms be-
ing improved. He owns two irrigation
plants DR.. Golden is so well pleased
that he is after more Sherman county