The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-22
OLD DAYS LIVELY
RawIins County Almost Had a
Feud Over County Seat.
Atwood Described as 1t Was and
as 1t Is Now.

| Journal correspondent IS always Bidn
to make his visits to the seat OF gov
eminent of Rawlins county. A VS.
itor to this county for more than 81
years. he believes he has been coming
to Atwood long enough to pc NUM-
bered one of the pioneers. He mas
seen Atwood grow ard RaWl1nS county
populate and develop. In these years
an exciting county seat flgnt between
Atwood and Brakeman existed, ana
| before the courts finally settled II IN
favor of Atwood many of the bullq-
ings were moved to Brakeman. ON
one of the early visits here Dulldlng
was being moved that day. II nau
reached Beaver creek about quarter
of a mile away. The excitement was
at fever heat. The Atwood people
organized, and they, too, followed the
house movers to the creek, and for
time it looked as if blood would be
shed. The movers and the Atwoodltes
were armed. The townspeople were IN
a big majority, and won out without
gun being fired or blow struck Thls
was the last building the movers
undertook to move to Brakeman. The
case was taken to the courts, and
Atwood was finally awarded the
county seat From that time to the
present the town has grown, until
today it is looked on as one of the
most prosperous trade centers IN
northwest Kansas.
Prior TO the county seat light AT
wood was located on site half mile
away from the present town. One of
the early pioneers here was j. M.
Matheny. He died several years ago
in Topeka. His widow still resides
there. The town was named for At
wood Matheny, and Atwood Cochran
was the first child born on the town
site. 1t was found out that a clear title
could not be given for the land upon
which the town was first located.
hence the change of site. Mr.. Matheny
was a strong advocate of temperance,
and being one of the prime movers in
the location of Atwood, he fought the
wet element to the end. He favored
the change of the townsite and was
successful. The element favoring re-
moval, it is claimed openly said they
would move the town if they had to
use the dead men for rollers.
Old Well, Mysteries.
Another early Renaissance which
furnished sensational talk was an old
well located on the divide near At
wood. 1t was known as the ''Old
Horn Well" and for several former
years had furnished sensations. The
well was long ago abandoned, and
filled up with stone and dirt. 1t has
been said that if this well could be
cleaned out human bones could be
found there. The well was more than
| 200 feet deep.
Lake Beaver, a body of water ad-
| joining Atwood, furnished amusement
! for several years for the people. More
A., than twenty-five skiffs at one time
were owned by the families of At
wood, and the lake furnished plenty
| of amusement for the owners. 1t was
| on this lake that prominent district
| judge had a miraculous escape from
| drowning, and the Associated Press
dispatches heralded the news all over
the country. The State Journal cor
respondent and Judge Bertram were
| boat riding. A lively gale came up
and the waves ran high, filling the
boat with water. We both got out
and the water being over our heads,
we hung to the sides and pushed it
| back to shallow water. Both of us
were wet as drowned rats. No dam
age was done to either of us.
If the old pioneers of Atwood could
return they would rejoice at the won
| derful growth of the town. Autos
were not thought of in the old days,
now they come to town by the hun
dreds. And the town supports sew
| eral garages as good as any in north
west Kansas. About the only thing
missing is the young girls band of the
| early days, and the first one to or
ganize in the state. Some of it's mem
bers are sleeping in the cemetery,
| others are married and living else
where, while few remain in Atwood.
| And the checks in the banks and the
| business at the depot show that At
wood is the home of the most sue
| ceSSful mule and horse buyer of all
this section. George TilIett has built
a fine home and erected a mammoth
feed and sale stables and horse barn
for the accomm odation of his grow
ing business.
Many Modern Improvements.
Atwood has branched out in the
past few years. Her streets and bust
ness houses and many of her resi-
| dences are lighted with electricity as
| they are furnished with a good sys-
tenn of waterworks. The town has a
| roomy opera house, furnished by E.
w. Egleston, which when completed
and furnished will give Atwood a
chance to draw many theatrical
/ troupes
For many years Atwood was the
| home of Fred Robertson, United
J States district attorney. He has large
+, interests in Rawlins county. And At
wood is the home of r. S. Hendricks,
former member of the legislature
from Raw1ins county, and j. T.
Short, the present member The three
! banks make a fine financial showing
and the deposits are enormous for so
many banks in a town so far west
as Atwood. The schools and churches
are good and we'll patronized The
pioneer building here still stands, and
| is the home of Frank Greason's
Square Deal newspaper. The town
supports another paper as well, the
SillzeH-1dt winch mas as com
plete a newspaper office as one will
see in this section of the state For
several years one lumber yard could
| do the business, now the town and
country support two. The several
real estate firms are busy showing
RawlinS county lands to visitors The
hotels are crowded. There is a good
trade in every branch of the Atwood
business industry, and the town is on
the map to stay.
346 NEW LIEUTENANTS