The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-11
Sixth District NetOs Notes
Items and "Reminiscences by An Old Timer With Hi.
Ear to the Grass Roots.

costs, amounting to about $500, and
this, too, after the defendant had con-
veyed the same away with the inten-
ton of defeating the county out of the
collection of the costs. Judge Holt
said it was the first case of the kind
in his knowledge where a county Sc
cured the costs out of the defendants
property. Both Holt and Pratt, who
served the district several terms. are
dead. The first court held in the
county was in 1873. in a school house,
and the buffaloes came SO close Judge
Holt adjourned court.
Geo. w. Shook, Of Jennings. an old
newspaper pioneer, is a candidate for
chief doorkeeper of the legislature. a
position he has made good for the last
two sessions.
Northwest Kansas is being drilled
full of holes to find oil and gas. So
far neither has turned up. The writer
Of these notes witnessed the sinking
of holes in the following Sixth district
Cedar, in Smith county; Oberlin, Kan
ona, Jennings and Traer, in Decatur
county; Lincoln, Vesper and Sylvan
Grove, in Lincoln county; Collyer.
Trego county; Ellsworth and Wilson in
Ellsworth county; and Goodland, Sher-
man county. Nor is this all, for drills
are plugging away in other towns. In
Lincoln salt was found and the oil
prospect was abandoned. In Els
worth gas was hit, but not of sufficient
quantity to further develop it,
There is talk of reviving the alfalfa
meal mill plants in some Sixth district
towns At one time mills were in OPP
Grafton in Beloit, Mankato, Kirwin,
Lebanon, Norton and other points,
names now forgotten, and for the same
reason the gas and oil wells were
abandoned, these alfalfa meal mills
closed down. Northwest raises lots of
alfalfa, there is enough stock to eat it,
hence the stockholders didn't get any
dividends out Of them.
Land is getting high priced in Os-
borne county. The Craney tract, of
20 acres, adjoining Downs, was re-
Gently sold for $1s,25o.
It isn't everybody who is holding
office who would resign these times.
This is what H. A. Dawson did. He
had held the office of city clerk, of
Russell, for Is years, and resigned to
give his paper, the Record, more at
tention.
Another Democrat has resigned his
office. F. w. Boyd, postmaster of
Phillipsbu-g, wants to be relieved. so
he can put in more time on his Post
newspaper.
There is money raising poultry in
Rocks county. Not only do the hus-
bands make money raising stock, corn
and wheat but the wives do the same
raising chickens and turkeys. Mrs.
E. H. Hulse Matched about 900 turkeys
and cared for them. The wolves
killed 100 of them, and a few died,
leaving her about 200 for the good.
She took them to the Stockton produce
| buyers, and received a check for 1920
Of
of them sold for Sc and 81 apiece. She
also raised over 500 chickens. She did
ali the work of raising poultry. besides
did her homework, and cooked for
harvest laboFers.
Corn is so cheap in Smith county.
80 cents a busheL that one of her
farmers wants to trade 1000 bushels
for an automobile, and will have no
objections to Ford car. Coal is so
be burned in that county this winter.
There was town staked off in De-
catur county in January, 1879, known
as the st. John Town Site Co, named
/ after Governor St. John. The capital
stock was only $500, hardly enough
to financially cramp the promoters.
The incorporators were all BeIlevilIe
men. VIM H. Woodward, Ed. Knowles
Chauncey Perry, Z. NJ drummer, E.
/ A Hollowen and J. c. Humphrey
| All Of them are now dead. The new
| town was only few miles from Ober-
| lin, which already had a fair start
| St. John started the year after the
! murderous Indian raid along both the
| valleys Of the Sappa and Beaver. in
Decatur and Rawlins counties. Some
| buildings had been erected, other:
| were getting ready to build, while
printing press and some type was OF
! the way to launch a newspaper. A