The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-20
BY HARRY ROOT.

ID I1AIh1 ISOOl
There were several exciting county
seat contests in the Sixth district, and
two of the most bitter were in Graham
and Rawlins counties. There weren't
any killings in either county over the
county seat rivalry, but guns were
drawn by the rival factions. The con-
test in Rawiins county commenced in
earnest in 1886, and was finally decid-
ed by the supreme court in 1890, in
favor of Atwood. The B. G. NJ. road
was building thru the county, and
pulling with all their might for the
new town of Brakeman. which was
laid out five miles west of Atwood. A
number of business men and others
moved to the new town, and being as
sured that it had a cinch on winning
the permanent honor, no less than
forty-six buildings were moved there
from Atwood. In those early days this
left a big gap in the town, but the At
wood people who remained never lost
courage. On the completion Of the
railroad the company refused to build
a depot or stop their trains until the
court decided II favor of Atwood, and
then they built the depot a mile away.
Had they cared to- and with the aid of
the loyal people of the town. the depot
could have been three-quarters. of a
mile closer to town, and a quarter of
a. mile from her magnificent court
house and Schoolhouses. Your item
izer was a visitor to Atwood during
the thickest Of the fight. A man
named TASTY had the contract of NOV
ing the buildings to the new town. He
was on his JOB that day. People were
so excited all that was needed was a
captain. ). {. Arbuckle, one of the
business men, organized the people.
They marched to where Hasty was,
which was at the crossing of Beaver
creek. Right at this place the crowd
put stop to the moving of any more
buildings. The excitement was in
tense and the Atwood people were de-
termined. After the supreme court
fight, Atwood remains the county seat,
many of the buildings moved back.
and the once thrifty townsite of Blake
man is being farmed. In its best day
it was claimed the town had about 500
population. 1t was miraculous that in
such an exciting contest not a gun was
fired. Only two towns in Rawlins
county wanted the county seat. while
in Graham county there were five
towns at the first, and only two in the
finish.
Cawker City will be so years old
April 23. Fifty years ago this date
Col. E. Harrison Cawker, J. P. Rice,
r. J. Kshinka and John J. Huckel
drove the stakes for the first home
steads on what is known as the four
corners of the present Cawker City.
On this date the Inhabitants OF town
and surrounding country Will cele-
brate the event in a becoming man
ner. Mrs. Emma B. Alrich, who was
associated with her husband for more
than forty years in the publication of
the Record, has charge of the program
and arrangements. All old veterans
of the Civil War, world war soldiers,
and old settlers are INVITED to be pres
emit A basket dinner is being planned,
and other arrangements are being
made to make the historic event one
of enjoyment. AS late as 1872 a wild
buffalo was killed on the townsite.
Today it has a population or about
1000, The writer of these notes first
visited the town in pioneer times, be-
fore the railroad and when Waconda
SPRINGS three miles east, was one of
the main attractions. Now it is one
of the best known curative properties
in the west, and is visited by hundreds
of invalids annually. The town is the
/ home of Clark A. Smith ex,memoer
of the supreme court. And her Lin
coin park, one of the best shaded re-
sorts, was for years known as among
the most popular parks in the state.
Harlan, a Smith county town, was
doing fine at the time Louis Hanback,
was congressman from the Sixth dis
! trict Besides 1t was the seat OF
Gould Educational college, named in
| honor of Jay Gould the noted railroad
| raagnate. The building was complet-
i ed the college opened for pupils, and
| there was quite an amount of indebt-
! edness yet to meet. The home people
| had given literally to defray expenses
1t was suggested that Gould might
meet some of the financial obligations
| so one of the towns most foremos;
citizens, "A. L. Bailey, was sent tc
Washington TO consult with Congress
man Hanback, and il possible get him