The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-22

freighted lumber from Grainfleld to
Oberiln. at the time most every quar-
ter section had either a sod house or
a dugout upon it. The freight trail
was along the ridges near where Hoxie
now stands and ran thru Kenneth, then
the county seat of Sheridan county.
In 1884 he came to Mitchell county,
and went to farming near Beloit. He
served the county fourteen years as
engineer, at the same time keeping
lookout on the ups and downs of
northwest Kansas. He bought and
sold lands in Thomas and Sheridan
counties, and still owns lands in those.
A quarter of a century ago your cor
respondent rode with him in a four
horse stage coach from Colby to At
wood in a fearful dust and hot wind
storm, at times the dust being SO thick
| it could almost be cut with a knife,
middle of the afternoon the street
| lamps and stores were lighted. He
| has always been a friend to the farmer.
having furnished many of them seed
wheat to start life with. On account
4, of drouth and grasshoppers he lost all
| in some cases, and in others he broke
even. In all these years he has seen
ehe advance from sod houses to mod
ern homes and commodious barns. He
now owns farms in Mitchell county
and a fine Beloit home. He has rustled
for what he has accumulated. He had
the nerve and push, and has won. In
Populist times he was one of the
leaders.
Henry Pirott, of Mitchell county.
corn. He has 1000 bushels in sight,
besides 140 head of cattle to feed it to.
Towns as well as people have their
ups and downs The town of Randall,
in Jewell county, named in honor OF
Z Il Of he nj Il
that section during the extension OF
the Central Branch missouri Pacific
road from jamestown to Burr OAK.
seems to have lost out. Her neWspa-
per, hardware store, doctor, hotel and
restaurant are gone. The town was
lively one in its best days. It was in
this town your itenizer came near wit
Messing a lively scrap in the pollt1cai
times of Popuism. The Republicans
and Populists were holding meetings
the same day, Webb McNall: cano1daIe
for congress, was speaking for the Re-
pubIicans, and Anna Digs for the
Populists Ropes, knives and guns
were plentiful on both sides. and all
that was necessary for the ball to open
were two captains who had grit to
give commands. The affair blew over
without a gun being fired
Bertha Kempton. OF Goodland. who
was reelected clerk of court Of Sher-
man county for q fourth term, has
given the office a thoro cleaning. In
a rubbish drawer on table she found
among the aggregation of keepsakes a
bible, cork screw. collar buttons, cart
ridges. tobacco, pipe and a miscellan-
eous collection of many other gifts
from friends.
The two banks of Palco, Rocks
county. have consolidated. They were
the Palco State bank and Farmers
State The former bank will carry
on the business The capital stock was
increased to $1,000, and the surplus
fund to $4,000. The stock is owned
by local people. A national charter
has been applied for, when the organ
ization will become a member of the
Federal Reserve system In point or
capital the new organization will be
one of the largest in northwest Kan
sas.
Decatur county seems to be getting
ready for a new court house, having
takes up sapce room in two or more
buildings. The Oberlin Times asks:
Why not have it now rather than wait
Is or 20 years longer?
Harry F'reese, of Hays, is secretary
of the Hyacinth. Ellis county, and
Great Bend, Barton county, railroad
proposition. pure farmer line for
the object of shipping their grains TO
the gulf markets. The line will be
81 miles long. with a spur reaching
to Hays He is a worker. and he will
keep the matter stirred up so long as
he remains one Of the officers
]. W. Railsback. legislative member
from Decatur county, was asked by
one of his friends what the expenses
of his campaign was to make the race
for reelection He said he was busy
in his line of work, and didn't need
the office, but he would accept the
honor again if Decatur county wanted
him. He didn't campaign a day, and
wasn't out one cent He was elected
by a splendid majority. Railsback
spent a day out with q gun. He was
after rabbits, his county being full OF