The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-06
BY HARRY ROOT.

61 HAHN 6OOI.
There was filed in the office of the
secretary of state in December, 1874,
a charter for the Trego County Keim
$62,500. The incorporators were: d.
N. Harwood, H. w. Hall, c. J. Dexter,
Henry Ewalt, George Chaffee. j. r.
Harding, ]. e. Ward, all of Shelby
Vile, ILL.,; J. K. Boyer, of Keim, Trego
county, and Preston W. Smith, W. P.
son, of Ellis county. The original pur-
pose of the organization was the lay
ing out townsites, which included the
selection of a site for the county seat
of Trego county. If there was any
town built up by the name of Keim
of it, II is doubtful il there is a per-
son living in Trego county who has
ever heard the name of Keim as men
toned in the charter. Several years
later, in November, 1887, another
charter was granted to the Wakeeney
was $4,000. The incorporators were:
y. F. Keeney, Albert e. Warren, Chas.
p. Keeney and Daniel Barkley, of wa
keeney, and Oscar c. Gibbs, of Illinois.
On the organization of the county IN
June, 1879, J. F. Keeney was the Ilrsl
member of the legislature. Besides
the town was named in honor OF two
of these men, taking the first letters OF
Warren and the last name OF keeney
-Wakeeney. The town has prospereo
with other northwestern Kansas towns.
Her people deserve credit for ,beautiry
ing their streets in growing shaoe
trees. Her court house lawn ought to
be the pride of all county seat towns.
Il having a fine growth of trees ana
so1n to blue grass. Wakeeney was Tor
several years the site of government
land office. 1t is the home OF isaac
Purcell. judge of the Twenty-third
judicial district.
The first visit your correspondent
made in the South Solomon river val
lev was by stage from Downs to Stock
ton. thence by blackboard to Hill City
The first day out was spent in Os-
Aborne among Pennsylvanians, VINO hao
located a colony of Keystone people
in Osborne county, and many of them
had taken up honesteads surrounding
the town, others were already in bust
ness and some were building to en-
gage in trade of some kind. There
was some commotion over threat
ened county seat contest, as the writer
caught on the second day out when
the stage pulled into Bloomington,
five miles west Of Osborne. Hearing
there was a newspaper fellow from the
Atchison Champion with the other
passengers at the hotel, committee
or Two WalIeQ OH IllIIi, anu WdhlCo q
boom article written up advocating
Bloomington for the county seat, for
which the advertising committee had
some ready funds for the purpose.
The newspaper man seemed to have
plenty of cash to pay stage fare and
hotel expenses, and the offer was
turned down with thanks. The people
of Osborne had treated the Champion
fellow royalty, besides gave him a
good list of subscribers for the paper.
Osborne retained the county seat, and
Bloomington lost out. Since then the
town has grown to be thrifty grain
and business point. Continuing the
Journey west by stage, the next place
was Bull City, which few years later
was changed to Alton, and was one OF
the Iiveliest northwest Kansas towns
for many years. There was only one
| stopping place between Bull City and
| Stockton, a station on the stage road
named Raceburg, with only the post
| office and one store. The stage
slowed up as it passed the post holes
and foundations of the once town OF
Lowell, which had all been moved
| to Stockton. 1t took a day to sight
| see, get acquainted and get up an
/ other bundle of subscribers for the
Champion. A good nights rest, and
( here the passengers changed to tbs
| blackboard. Twelve miles west o.
| Stockton was Webster, which came
near getting the Plainville & NortoT
railroad. the grading of which wal
completed to the banks of the Solomon
river. opposite the town, and here i
stopped. without a foot of steel beinl
| put down. The next stop was Altoona
| Here there was a pstoffice and stor,
| combined in a building built of logs
frame and sod. Continuing west (
few miles the road branched, one forl
going to the newly discovered tow
of Gould City, named after Jay Goult