The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-10
Sixth District NetUs Notes
Items and "reminiscences by An Old Timer With His
Ear to the Grass Roots.
BY HARRY ROOT.

BY HARRY ROOT
r. G.-Wolfe. editor of the Goodland
Republic. announces his candidacy for
senator from the Thirty-ninth district,
on the Republican ticket.
Personally he will make the race
upon the following platform:
Il am firm believer in furnishing
men and money for the defense of the
United States in time of war. but 1 am
opposed to military CONSUMPTION and
compulsory military training. If nomi-
mated and elected l will introduce and
endeavor to have passed memorial
to congress. asking that there be no
military CONSUMPTION or compulsory
military training bill passed. / believe
that western Kansas boys are serving
their country better in their homes on
the farms and in the towns. than in
military camp.
" am in favor of building up a
strong normal school at Hays, that
western Kansas young people may
have as good a school near their
homes as have the young people of
eastern Kansas.
AT an times 1 will work for the in
terests of the counties comprising the
Thirty-ninth district. and champion
anything the district as a whole or any
county individually may want
4'I have lived in the Sixth congress
SlOnal QlSlTlCt SfIlCe O. Will t1tO ca
ception of about three years spent in
Peabody, this state, where l ran Re-
publican newspa per just prior to com
ing to Goodland, where l am now
owner ana editor of the Goodland Re-
public, a Republican paper"
One of the Rock Island towns in
Thomss county is Gem, so named
doubtless on account of its location,
and situated in one of the gem rails
ing wheat and stock sections of north-
west Kansas. One of the largest
wheat and cattle raisers of this gem
section is P. S. Houston, banker and
land man as we'll He came to Gem
in 1856, when only IL years old. He
went to work and he has been at it
ever since For more than twenty
years he was working on the farm
for others, later he engaged in the
work for himself. The first few years
he rented and farmed on shares, and
every year he was rewarded with
bumper crops. He then ventured into
the business for himself. He now
owns 5000 acres of choice land in the
vicinity of Gem. and the year 1918
he raised 10000 bushels of wheat. He
is large cattle raiser and feeder.
owning about loco head, besides a
half interest in fine Hereford herd
with A. J. Smith, another extensive
stock and wheat raiser in that local
ity On another of his stock ranches
he has about 200 head of horses and
mules.-, He farms entirely with trac-
tors which pillow and drill forty acres
a day. Last season with so much de-
pendent on the wheat output, the
working force on his farms threshed
during the day and plowed at night.
Nor is this all of Houston's many bust
ness interests. He is president of the
Gem State bank, owns elevators IN
he
Hopper Oil & Gas company of De-
catur county, director in the Kansas
Central Indemnity company of To-
peka, besides several other financial
organizations. Recently he has started
in a new oil venture in Wyoming. The
writer has known him since he located
in Gem and Thomas county. He has
heard him say that he considers his
section of the state one of the very
best for wheat and stock, and the
farmers are prosperous. He is
booster for his town and county, his
financial and business interests are
there.A He likes Kansas, Thomas coun-
ty and his home town of Gem. He is
a radical Republican, nor is he seek
ing(an office at this time.
The writer remembers his first trip
from Stockton to Hill City. The stage
Rugged the, South Solomon river as
far west as Altoona. thence climbed
onto the divide" and then we had
good wheeling as far as Nicodemus,
the site of the colored settlement in
GrahaU county. The country was
level as a floor. and the passengers
voted it the most beautiful landscape
they had ever seen. The coIored peo-
pie were getting started. and most of
the families on farms were living in
sod houses. In the early days proba-
bly, near 1000 colored people all told
made their homesin the county. How
we'll those who remained have sue
ceeded, many of them. the visitor will
now see many improved farms and
comfortable. stone and frame houses.
In the best days of Nicodefnus the
town had two newspapers, bank,
lumber yard stone hotel. and several
mercan tiIe houses Those who visited
Der the sign on one of the mercantile
houses. reading: III. Cones (proba-
bly, intended for Jones.) The place
failed to get a railroad. her business
quit, and there is but little left of it.
Two other towns started to build up.
one on the north side of the river
named Gould City, the other on the
south side was Pagan. both named
after Missouri Pacific officials. They
died before they scarcely com
menced to grow. The colored people
of the county have been honored
politically. z. p McCabe served two
terms as state auditor; Daniel Hick-
man was county commissioner several
terms also county surveyor. j. r.
Hawkins and J. e. Porter have filled
the office of clerk of court, and w. l..
Sayers, G. W. Jones and John Savers
have served as. county attorney. Jones
was also a candidate for congress in
the Phillipsburg convention. For
many years they have celebrated their
emancipation. which are attended by
thousands both colored and white. 1t
being a good place to hunt for votes
many politicians are usually present.
The colored settlements are surround
ed with a RICH agricultural country.
and many of them are doing we'll.
They have schools ana churches, be-
sides raise cattle and hogs.