The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-12
Sixth District Netus Notes
Item: and "reminiscences by An Old Timer With His
Ear to the Grass Roots.

tiers. secured a good farm, and became
a useful citizen
Robert Cram, member OF the Iegis-
lature from Cheyenne county. has
lived in the county since 1897. At
that time Bird City was the county
seat and ST. Francis wasn't thought
Of From the farm the main travelled
road angled across farms six miles to
Bird City. There wasn't another
family between the Grams and tow
the nearest neighbor being about
three miles At the noon hour, one
time, the family saw a buggy passing
half a mile off, and this created more
interest and speculation than would
an aeropIane in these times. To show
how that section of the state has i'm
proved since the Grams located there,
ne says there are no less than ten i'm
proved farms and homes with private
electric lighting and water systems.
and modern in every way. besides a
graded road running on section lines.
He says that in 1900 the family traded
q $40 calf for $50 acres of level land
three miles from Bird City. A few
years later they bought an adjoining
$50 acres for $500. This looked like a
Dig price at that time because the
country could be used with no cost.
1hese TWO same quarter sections
would now sell for $4,000 each. Sales
az 500 per acre are common around
Sird City, he says In the twenty-four
years ne has lived in Cheyenne
county he has never failed to rais-
some kind Of a crop. For several
years crops have been short res71I+in1
from winds, drouth and grasshoppers
OUT IN recent years Yields OF twenty
thirty and some forty bushels of
wheat nave been common Only
about one-haIf the 1920 crop of u-baar
has been sold The corn crou is o1Iy
beginning to be sheIled.
me Goodlaud Republic seems to he
making more money than mos aT ]Ea
SKIN district papers, While the prb
-SIer was ANXIOUS to represent the
1nirty-nlnth district in the state SEN
ate this winter, the town has = bar1
named after the Republic navs,sn -
me band boys will remember p q
~ oLe' the publisher, with pride. and
VIII boost him for postma ster as soon
office '--7 oiallo
me hanorado correspondent OF the
GoooIano Republic is anxious thar TIRE
outside people know thar the marc Of
ne town was f1lched from Kansas and
OoIorado when the goddess of Justice
was taking nap He goes on TO saw
! nat the town is on the Rock Island
3
raoo border It is d thrifty town in
sherman county of 200 population. has
modern school building two lumber
yards national bank. and other brsi
ness houses
There were only few nane-s
printed in northwest Kansas as early
as 1879, SO the following item didn't
get much publicity: It was in the
spring OF 1879 that q band of Indians
passed thru Jewell county. returning
10 their reservation in Dakota from a
"Trip to Oklahoma It was in the vfcin-|
ny OF Ionia, IN the valley of Lin estoue
cupIed by Ben Curtis, whose wife had
died early that year. leaving the hus-
oand and three small children a bov.
and two girls, the boy being the Oldest
about nine years. That day the father
happened to be away. As the Indians
approached the dugout the children
ran in and crawIed under the bed An
other settler named John Finch was
staying with q brother named Fred
Finch. half a mile from the Curtis
dugout. and they kept a lookout as the
indians passed by. and knowing the
curtis children were alone he made
his way 70 the dugout- trying to keep
out of sight OF the Indians When
Finch arrived at the dugout the chill
ing out to meet him. The first per
son he met was q middle aged squaw
and she was putting her time IN by
aiming everything in the dugout.
and confiScatflz all the wearing ap-
paref- including the dresses Of the de-
ceased wife, besides all the eatabIes.
iiTreIuding the meat he had on hand In
imearleSs days The childrensclung 10