The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-04
Sixth District NelOs Notes
Items and "reminiscences by An Old Timer With His
Ear to the Grass Roots.

wheat and corn Yields. It does seem
with SO much money in sight in the
hands of the people there ought to be
less divorces.
There is a grove of several acres
adjoining Beloit, known in pioneer
times as Williams park 1t is sur
rounded by the Solomon river. In the
early days it was never known TO over
flow. Williams sold it to Beloit city,
several years ago, and it was convert
ed into and renamed Chautauqua
park. improvements aggregating
several thousands of dollars were
made and now Beloit has one of the
handsomest chautauQua grounds in
the state, and annual meetings are
held there. While the grounds were
never known to overflow when Will
liams was owner, the park. big audi
torium and other buildings have been
under water many times since Beloit
and the Chautauqua association have
been the owners The question has
been asked many times if 'spooks''
had ever inhabited the park in pioneer
times
One of the now historical items in
the Cawker City Tribune printed in
the pioneer days of 1873. was one to
this effect: 1.-The brewery of Peter
Marsh has lots of beer. and sells 1t for
cash; s2.50 will buy eight gallons. de-
livered to any part of the CITY," Many
a mans thirst was quenched at this
brewery as the homesteaders and buff
faIo hunters drove thru this town to
the then unoccupied lands awaiting
the coming of the loaded prairie
schooners," and the thousands of buff
fa1os had gone further west to new
fields before the coming of the settlers
It seems the high cost of living isn't
coming down in Rocks county very
fast. A pie social was given IN one
of the school houses, and the total re-
ceipts aggregated over $40. One OF
the pies sold for 1925. That sure
must have been one of the sort mother
used to make in boyhood and girihood
times
Tt was along in 1ss7-'s5 when To-
peka,s pave MuIvane began his ac-
ouaintance in the Sixth district. At
that time he was working for the santa
Fe railroad The counties OF Lincoln.
Mitchell, Osborne and Rocks wanted
Santa Fe branch lines, and Mulvane
was sent in these counties to help pave
the way for bond elections wherever
II was advisable. While in Rocks
county he made his headquarters in
PIainviIIe. at the Little Soddy" hotel.
which was known from one end OF the
short grass country to the other as the
best place to get square meal BulIt
entirely of sod in the pioneer times II
served its purpose for many years.
when it was torn down a few years ago
TO make room for a more palatial
building Many of the big political
guns in the state have eaten and slept
under the roof of the Little Soddy.'
While on these trips Mulvane met and
got acquainted with people who have
since proved friends worth having. He
rem embers many of them, and it is
interesting to sit down with him and
talk over the times while he was work
ing for Santa Fe bond elections in
Rocks county He says Paradise flats.
a section of country in Rocks county,
and P1ainville is in the center of the
flats is one of the loveliest and most
fertile sections in the state, and that
town has grown from a few struggling
buildings when your correspondent
first visited the town, and now has a
population close to 2so00- In 1900
Mulvane was chosen national Republi-
can committeeman, serving until 1912.
In 1920 he was again elected. He
loves the work. and he produced the
goods in his statements he made
months before the last election He
made warm friends with the fellows in
the Sixth district while working for the
Santa Fe road. and they haven't for
gotten Dave Mu1vane to this day. He
didn't get out there in time to help
chase after the buffalo. but jackrab-
bits were thicker than bees in q sugar
barrel. He helped to depopulate them,
and he hung his hat and coat up on
many a peg in the sod houses in the
county while working for Santa Fe
bonds and right of way.
Word has been received by Judge
Charles W Smith, state parole officer,