The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-21

It will doubtless be interesting to
the lawyers now living in the Sixth
congressional district to know who
have represented their judicial dis
tricts on the bench. In the original
18th district the judges have been
D. J. Banta, Joel Holt. Clark A. Smith,
CYRUS Heren, R. NJ. Picker and W. R.
Mitchell In the 18th district, D. c.
NeIlis was the first followed by w.
H. Pratt, L. K. Pratt. G. Webb Ber-
tram, John r. Hamilton, A. C. t.
Geiger. w. s. Langmade. C. A. P. Fal-
coner and Willard Simmons. In the
34th district are Chas. w. Smith and
&c. ]. Sparks. In the 23rd district, F.
H. Prescott, S. o. Hines. w. G.. East
land, S. ]. Osborn, Lee Monroe, J.
H. Reeder, ]. C. Ruppenthal and Isaac
Purcell. Banta, Holt, Clark A. Smith,
Nellis; w. H. Pratt, Hamilton, Pres
colt, Hines, Eastland, Osborn and
Reeder have passed on. The living
judges and ex-judges are: Heren lives
Mitchell, Mankato; Chas. w. Smith,
Topeka; Sparks, Goodland; L. K.
Pratt is in Alaska; Bertran, Arbuckle,
Calf; Geiger and Iangmade live in
Oberlin; Falconer, Atwood, Simmons,
Norton; Ruppenthal, Russell and Pur-
cell, Wakeeney; Judge. Smith, now pa
role officer in tho governors office,
has the ecord of serving on the bench
continuously longer than any other
district judge in the state. He was ap-
pointed by Gov. Humphrey on the
creation of the 34th district, in 1889,
and served until he was succeeded
by Judge Sparks in 1915. Your cor
respondent was personally acquainted
with these men with two exceptions,
Prescott and Hines.
Let the reader of these notes take
Iie Of NJ ffaP
boundary lines of the Sixth and Sew
enth congressional district, two geo
graphical divisions that cover one
half of the state. Lying side by side
they stretch from the center of Kansas
to the Colorado line. The building of
the four great railroad lines across the
state from east to west, separated the
people of these two districts. as far as
neighborly visits were concerned, as
they are separated from the First and
Second districts. All railroad travel
was cast and west; there were no
cross lines. If a citizen of the Sixth
district living on the Rock Island at
Norton, or on the Union Pacific at
Hays, desired to transact business, po-
litical or otherwise, at Dodge City, he
would have to travel by rail via To-
peka. And the same was true of the
citizens living in the Seventh district,
who would have to use the Santa Fe
or the Missouri Pacific via Topeka.
Now with the automobile all this is
changed and the people of the Sixth
and Seventh districts are neighbors,
and visit with each other. What. the
railroads failed to do-buiId cross
lines thru western Kansas-enterpris-
ing citizens have done, by establishing
several automobile bus lines which
touch the principal towns. of these dis
tricts. Why, this correspondent has
heard that the people of the Sixth
district attend church in the Seventh,
travelling long distances by automo-
bile, and that it is not unusual for
Seventh district people to attend
church at towns along the Union Pa
cific railroad. In the earlier days only
the. old time politicians of these two
districts knew each other. They
would meet at state conventions in
Now the telephone and the
automobile have made all the citizens
neighbors and friends. For this
changed condition you must give
credit to three things-the telephone,
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT the primary cleo
ton law.
Among the prominent figures in
Topeka last week, in attendance at
the farmers congress. and visiting old
timers, was John w. Schlicher, OF
county, ne o6INCQ LHO
terms as representative from that
county. He also served as deputy live
stock commissioner under the Hodges
administration. In 1915 he was a can
didate for state auditor. He is now
out of politics, but he wouldn't stay
away from the farmers convention.
He is now giving his attention to live
stock. with farming as a side line. In
the 1913 session of the legislature he
attracted much attention. by his OPP
position to an amendment to the pro
hibitory law, which he thought would
work a hardship to his church, the
ritual of which required wine for sac
ramental purposes. Schhcher has
scores of friends in Topeka who are
always glad to meet him.
Halle L. McIvor of Oakley, and
brother of Frank McIvor. assistant
state auditor, is the new editor of the
Messenger. published at Cedarvale.
Chautauqua county. There were only
two of the McIvor boys and they both
graduated from printers devils into
newspaper publishers in northwest
Kansas.
Romance in Business" is the title
of an article recently printed in the
Beloit Call. 1t refers to the home of
the milling company in that town,
and is full of interest. This mill is
located on the solomon river, at the
foot of Mill street, the principal bust
ness street of the place. On this spot
is where Tim HeFsey, the founder of
Beloit put his feet down. on, and
started his saw mill. On the site was
a spring of water so Beloit was first
named Willow Springs, as the banks
of the river were covered with
growth of willows. Jersey and others
continued their efforts to start and
build a town on this chosen spot. 1t
wasn't long until the saw mill grew
into Grist mill, and soon the trading
post Of Willow Springs was changed
in name to Beloit, and Mill street and
Jersey avenue are reminders of pio-
neer days. the one of his dreams, the
other of his home and name. Since
the early days the Touring mill
changed hands several times. the sew
eral owners. being Vreeland & Me-
Crum, A. T. Rodgers. ]. C. Fisher,
and F. C. sheldon Two men con-
nected with the enterprise are c. G.
Blair, manager who has beer with