The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-21


supremacy. What has he got out OF
politics? He has served as state SEN
ator, and ct one time was a member |
of the State Board of Charities for a /
few months. He has been doorkeeper |
in the state legislature and was also |
postmaster Of Norton. Neither of these
offices was there much salary at
tached. Many a man he has worked |
hard and faithfully for and pulled |
them through politically, forgot there
was such a man as Frank Lockard. |
He also wrote and had printed valu- |
able history of Norton county. He |
had so many friends he had to give
the book to that the sales didn't pay
him for his work. He is well and |
hearty yet, and regrets his absence |
from the state prevented him from |
attending the recent Kansas banquet |
Five towns in the Sixth District |
have been the places of business of |
the United States land offices, Cawker |
City being the first. kirwin was the |
second. At this time it looked as if |
nearly every other building around the |
business square had hanging on the |
doors and windows signs reading:
Land office business and homestead |
papers made out here" Later on the |
office was moved to Oberlin, thence |
| to Colby, and finally to Wakeeney, |
where it continued to do business for
several years, and was finally conson- |
dated with the Topeka office. Prob |
| ably more people transacted business
| in the Oberlin office than any other. |
At one time the office was the scene
| of great activity. Long lines OF home
steaders stood in line the distance of
block or more awaiting their turn TO
be served by the land office clerks:
| At one time the landlady of the hotel
\ said to your iteniZer that she was
rooming and feeding more than 125
people that day who were waiting to
file their homestead papers. And
every day was alike for several months
"Old Fluke" was one of the most
| noted horses in Smith county. 1t was
owned by Webb McNall, state super
intendent of insurance in PopuHst
now dead. "Old Fluke" made the
record of being the fleetest horse on
foot ever in Smith county. McNall
owned the horse when he was serving
as deputy sheriff of that county. He
and "Old Fluke' were out among the
farmers serving legal notices. Every
paper he served he would start from
the court house and return, then start
again, see another man and repeat
| keeping this up all day and until late
at night. Figuring up his mileage 1or
the day it ran up to near $40 mlfes
which he and "Old Fluke" had trav-
| eled in one day. Later on the horse
and McNall were cartooned by the OPP
position political papers. He was
beaten for congress in the Sixth dis
trict after receiving the Republican
nomination. When the Free Sllverltes
| had a following in Kansas McNall ana
I'D. o. McCray, now assistant secretary
of state. carried the silver banner In
several elections and they We're tne
Hast ones to desert the cause they
stood for To return to McNaH ana
"Old Fluke," someone said at the
time If the commissioners allowed
such exorbitant mileage expenses as
this was for one days work it would
Isoon bankrupt the county. 1t was
claimed all the papers served on PEG
lple that day lived in the same ne1gh-
borhood, and could have been easily
found O nthe first trip, instead of max
ing a separate trip to and from the
county seat.
AS early as August, 1879. Beloit
supported three policemen and mar
shall. 1t is claimed their services were
mot needed, but that they served the
Ipeople to. show the visitors that Be
lott was the best town in northwest
Kansas, and was entitled to put on
metropolitan airs
The writer of these notes made his
first visit to Sherman county with Z.
In Turner candidate for congress II
Twas before the county had rallroao
Facilities Eustis, named AFTER the
general passenger agent or the Bur
tIington railroad system in Nebraska
-os the county seat of Sherman
icoun+y. There were several hundred
Ineople in the county. Homesteadefs
were coming n. and one was selooh1
Tout of view of the whlte-toppeu
"prairie schooners." Behind them
was usually a coop of chickens, ara
Ithe children in the "schooners" were
Iplaving with the dog. The county
Iseat was quite thrifty burg, there
being two newspapers. me people
had been expecting the burlington
would build a road to Eustis. but they
Inever did. Some time later the Rock
IIsland commenced their line at st.
Joseph and pushed rapidly westward
lThey built thru the county seats or
| RelIeViIle Mankato, Smith Center,
Phillipsburg and Norton, which are IN
the northern tier" of counties. From
Morton the road bore to the southwest.
land missing Oberlin, county seat OF
decatur; Atwood. county seat OF RAW
lime, and st. Francis, county seat or
iChcvenne, all three being in the
northern tier the road was built
| to Colby, county seat OF Thomas
county, and on to Sherman, ooth
counties being in the second tler:
As work on the Rock Island eXteltd-
| ed westward, a. B. Montgomery, at
one time member of the legislature
from Rocks county, was a visitor to
Sherman county. lie was represent
ing some financial syndicate. Land
was bought on the present town site
of Goodland, and before the town was
named, Montgomery had taken a poll
of every voter in the county. He said
Ito your itemizer that he was going
to carry his point in the relocation of
1.-The county seat from Eustis to Good
land. Everything being in readiness
a vote was taken and Goodlsnd won.
only a few votes being cast against
the town. and this settled the county
seat struggle. The Eustis people
fought bitterly to retain the county
seat records, and pickets were sta
toned, some of whom had rifle pits
L.