USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, from the first settlement to the close of 1892 > Part 23
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
the construction train was put on, and by the close of June it was com- pleted as far west as Edna. On July 2, 1886, the first train arrived in Chetopa from Edna, and during the summer Coffeyville was reached. The following aid was extended to secure the construction of this road through this county : A subscription of several hundred dollars by the citizens of Chetopa, and municipal aid ; from Hackberry township, $10,- 000; from Elm Grove township, $20,000; and from Iloward township, $20,000.
NEVADA & MINDEN BRANCII.
During the fall and winter of 1885-6 efforts were made by different citizens of the county to secure the extension of the road from Nevada, Mo., in a southwesterly direction, but it was finally determined to build it to Chetopa ; that place securing for it the right-of-way for about twenty miles and giving it thirty acres of ground in the city for depot and yard purposes. During the spring the work on it was rapidly pushed forward, and on April 6, 1886, the first train over this branch arrived in Chetopa.
L. L. & G. R. R.
It was at first expected that this line of road would run through the western part of the county its entire width from north to south, but on the organization of Montgomery county it was proposed to change the route, and that county voting liberal aid, the proposed location was changed so that the road only crosses the northwestern corner of this county a short distance and then enters Montgomery.
ST. L. & S. F. RLY.
To secure connection with St. Louis was among the first things that the citizens of Oswego desired after the town was fairly started. The first effort in this direction of which I have any knowledge was the organiza- tion of a local company known as the Oswego, Carthage, Mount Vernon & Springfield Railway Company, for which R. W. Wright and others secured a charter January 27, 1869. On December 9, 1870, the Oswego Register published an account of the proposed extension of the Southern Pacific Railway from Springfield to Wichita. About that time delegates from Oswego attended meetings at Carthage and Columbus, at which the project was talked up .- On May 21, 1870, on the petition of quite a num- ber of citizens, the Board of County Commissioners made an order sub- mitting to the voters of the county a proposition to issue county bonds in the sum of $150,000 to the Southern Kansas Railway Company on con- dition of its building a road through the county seat, and west as near the center of the county as practicable. This left out important points in the county through which the road could not pass, and before the day fixed upon for voting the proposition was withdrawn .- On December 20, 1870, a meeting was held at Oswego, at which it was determined to have
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RAILROADS.
an east-and-west road. On May 23, 1871, Oswego voted $75,000 in bonds for the Atlantic & Pacific Railway. On this proposition there were but five votes against the bonds. On June 28, 1871. delegates from Mont- gomery, Labette and Cherokee counties met at Oswego, and decided to form a local company to aid in procuring the road from Springfield west. On August 13, 1871, a charter having been procured, the directors of the State Line, Oswego & Independence Railway met at Oswego, and organ- ized by electing H. G. Webb of Labette county president, Milton Douglas of Cherokee county vice-president. A. W. Jay of Cherokee county secre- tary, J. B. Emerson of Montgomery county treasurer, and J. J. Browne of Labette county attorney .- In September, 1872, a survey for the line of road from Minersville to Oswego was made. Another local company, designated the Memphis, Carthage & Northwestern Railway Company, had been formed, and contracts for the construction of the road as far as Oswego were entered into. A large force of hands was put upon the road, and the grading was nearly completed. While the bonds which had been voted could not be legally issued until the road was completed to Oswego, still, to aid its construction, by general consent of the citizens a part of the bonds of Oswego township were sold and the proceeds ap- plied towards paying for the grading. Without going into details, it is sufficient to say that this local company failed, and for some time nothing further was done toward the extension of the road. On January 4, 1875, Joseph Seligman bought this Memphis, Carthage & Northwestern road, and in February a new company was formed. On March 22, 1875, the Pierce City & Kansas Railway Company was consolidated with the State Line, Oswego & Independence Railway Company, the consolidated com- panies taking the name of the Missouri & Western Railway Company. Joseph Seligman was president and Edward Livingston secretary and treasurer. Additional bonds were voted by Oswego city and township. To show the interest which Oswego felt in securing this road, it may be mentioned that one evening at a public meeting held in the court-house personal aid to the amount of $32,745 was promised, all of which was afterwards paid, to secure this enterprise. On June 15, 1876, definite arrangements were made with Seligman for the construction of the road. Hobart & Condon were awarded the contract for preparing the road-bed from Minersville to Oswego. From this time the work progressed satis- factorily, and on Thursday, December 14, 1876, just at dark, the con- struction train reached the foot of Commercial street, in the city of Oswego. The end of the road remained at Oswego until 1879. when arrangements were made for pushing it westward, and during that sea- son it was completed as far as Wichita. This construction was done in
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
the name of a local company and with Hobart & Condon as chief con- tractors, but as soon as it was completed it came under the management of the Frisco company.
STRIKES.
There have been at least three strikes upon the M. K. & T. which have more or less affected the people of this county. In July, 1877, the workmen at other points on the road struck; the men engaged in the shops at Parsons did not formally strike, but appointed a commit- tee to confer with the strikers ; work was suspended for some time, but matters were finally arranged between the company and its employés so that no strike was made in this county .- In March, 1885, the workmen in the shops at Parsons, as well as the train-men generally, went out on a strike. For a number of days freight traffic was completely blocked, but passenger trains continued to be operated. The differences between the company and its hands were satisfactorily settled, and they all, or nearly all, were taken back into the company's employ .- The most seri- ous of all the strikes was in March, 1886. It extended all along the line of the road. On March 6th the machine shop whistle at Parsons sounded at 10 o'clock A. M., and the entire force of railroad employés ceased work and marched out. An effort was made by the Governors of Kansas and Missouri to effect a settlement of the matters of difference between the company and its hands, but they were unsuccessful. New men were employed by the company, but were not allowed to work, the old em- ployés being of sufficient force to prevent their performing their duties. The strikers placed a guard around the company's property to prevent its being injured, but would not allow anyone to assist in moving trains. Adjutant General Campbell came down from Topeka and conferred with the strikers, but could not prevail upon them to come to any terms. Toward the last of March many of the strikers became more desperate and defying than they had been at first. Not only was force used to prevent freight trains from running and to "kill" the engines on all trains that attempted to pull out, but some went so far as to interfere with passenger travel. The track just north of the Bachelor creek bridge was loosened, and the north-bound passenger train was ditched. Had the train been going south instead of north it would have been plunged into the creek, and the result would necessarily have been fatal to many persons. Attempts were also made to burn some of the bridges. The citizens of Parsons organized for the purpose of assisting the company in running its trains, but the striking force was so strong that they were not able to accomplish their object. On the evening of April 2d seven car-loads of the State militia came into Parsons over the Neosho division,
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and about the same time several more car-loads over the Sedalia division, and soon thereafter several more cars arrived over the Gulf road. The arrival of the soldiers was a complete surprise to the strikers, as they had not learned that the militia had been called out. The soldiers at once took control of the entire railroad property and prevented anyone from entering the premises, placed those who had been employed by the com- pany in charge, and at once trains commenced to move. The strike was over. The soldiers remained several days, until everything was quiet and the citizens' organization felt itself strong enough to preserve the peace. The leaders among the strikers were arrested on a criminal charge, and a number of them were tried and convicted. They were punished by fine and imprisonment in the county jail. The great body of those who participated in the strike permanently lost their places in the railroad employ, and many of them. were practically financially ruined.
POLITICAL.
I give the following letter as bearing upon the organization of political parties in the county :
"LAKE CITY, COLO., April 5, 1892.
"FRIEND CASE : I am not much at writing history, and can only give you some of the points where I was interested and so remember them. You are right about the organization of the party at Trotter's ford and Jacksonville. It was there agreed to make no opposition to the organ- ization of the southern part into an independent county. It was also agreed that they were to nominate all the candidates for Neosho county from the northern part, and that we from the south part should abstain from voting for or against them, and should organize on our own account, and trust to the Legislature to legalize our action. According to that agreement, a mass meeting of the Republicans was called soon after, and met in the open air outside of Carr & Bridgman's store, in the east part of what is now Oswego. Dr. J. F. Newlon was elected as its chairman, and the meeting then proceeded to nominate candidates for Representa- tive and for county officers. I was nominated for Representative, Ben. Rice for Sheriff, Sam. Collins, John Rice, and I think Norris Harrer, for County Commissioners; A. T. Dickerman for County Clerk, I think. You can verify these names from the records. After my admission to the Legislature the programme was carried out. Although our action was irregular, I found all the members and State officers willing to ren- der any assistance in their power. A resolution was at once introduced legalizing my election, and I was admitted to my seat. I then went to Governor Crawford with our petition for appointment of temporary county officers, and had those elected in the fall appointed.
"The Democratic party in 1866 nominated W. C. Watkins for Repre- sentative. Very truly yours,
C. H. BENT."
GREENBACK ORGANIZATIONS.
The introduction of greenbacks into the politics of this county ( not as an element of bribery, but as an organized body of voters ) dates from 1877, when the first ticket was put into the field by the Greenback party. But of course there was some work done before that time in the way of organizing clubs and disseminating the principles of the party. I am not able to say definitely when and where the first organization was effected. The first mention which I have found of this organization is a card pub- lished in the Advance of September 16, 1875, signed by J. W. Caldwell, calling a meeting of those who were favorable to organizing a greenback club, to be held at Drake's Hall, Chetopa, September 18, 1875. I have.
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POLITICAL.
no information as to whether or not the organization was effected, but probably it was not, or if so did not live long. Sometime in 1877 a club was organized at the Slocum school-house, District No. 75, in Mound Val- ley township. On May 18, 1878, a club was organized at the Valley school-house, District No. 72, in Elm Grove township. During this spring a number of clubs were organized and a more perfect county organization was effected in a convention held at Parsons in April. After 1883 there was little life manifested by this party under its organizations as then existing.
THE FARMERS' AND LABORERS' UNION
Was organized at Mound Valley in the latter part of 1885. It was con- ducted with open doors as a reform club till June 9, 1886, when a secret work was adopted and a secret organization perfected by the following charter members : George Campbell, Dr. E. Lemon, J. K. Russell, I. M. Evans, W. N. McCoid, William Clark, Joseph Riff, J. White, N. Clark, B. F. Miller, B. F. Ralls, and E. H. Barnhart. Under the leadership of Mr. Campbell a number of lodges were instituted in this and adjoining counties, and the organization was extended to other States. In 1886 Mr. Campbell established and during 1887 conducted a paper called United Labor, for the purpose of giving publicity and strength to the new organization. Whatever may have been the good effects of this effort on others I do not know, but it proved a very disastrous under- taking financially to Mr. Campbell. After spending several thousand dollars in the attempt to put it on a paying basis, the publication of this official organ ceased, after being conducted about a year. In 1889 this organization was merged in that of the Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union. - In the meantime, out of this and other labor organizations there had sprung up a new political party, which took the name of the Union Labor party, which was organized at Cincinnati, February 22, 1887. John W. Breidenthal, being one of the delegates from Kansas, was made chairman of the State committee. He at once took active steps towards organizing the party in this county. The first club in the county was or- ganized at Edna, in March. This was soon followed by others. A mass convention was called, to meet at Altamont, August 5, 1887. This meet- ing was largely attended. George E. Stone, of Howard township, was made chairman. To prevent being imposed upon, a pledge was required of all parties participating in its proceedings to support the Union Labor ticket : 137 signed this pledge. The party was then organized, and Wm. Cook was made chairman of the central committee. To Mr. Breidenthal is, in a large measure, due the victory which the party achieved that fall, for he was instrumental in bringing a number of their best speakers into
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
the county, among whom were Gen. J. B. Weaver, H. A. Streeter, Jesse Harper, Moses Hull, and Capt. Geo. W. Bell. With the exception of Commissioner, this party elected the entire county ticket that fall.
FARMERS' ALLIANCE.
This organization so far as it relates to this county dates from January, 1889, when Mount Zion Sub-Alliance was organized, in Osage township. This was followed by Pleasant Hill, in the same month, and on February 12th Globe Alliance was organized, in Mound Valley township. These organizations were formed by C. Mellvain. According to one report An- gola Alliance was organized before either of those above named. The County Alliance was formed at Altamont, on May 18, 1889. It has had the following officers : Presidents-G. J. Coleman. E. A. Richcreek, Daniel Pfaff, G. J. Colmena, Ben Johnson. Secretaries-C. L. Albin, Walter Phillips, Harry Mills, George Campbell .- Out of this, and the organizations which preceded it, in 1890 sprang the People's party.
POLITICAL CONVENTIONS.
REPUBLICAN COUNTY CONVENTIONS.
The Republican party in this county was organized in 1866. The fol- lowing are the steps taken to secure such organization, and to hold the first convention.
The fore part of August, 1866, a number of Republicans were assem- bled at the store of Roe & Dennison, at the Erie postoffice, about a mile north of the present site of Erie. Political matters were talked over, and it was decided to call a convention at Trotter's ford, to organize the Republican party. Afterwards, by request of those residing in the south- ern part of the county, ( in what is now Labette county,) the place of meeting was changed from Trotter's ford to Jacksonville. Delegates having been selected from all parts of the county in such way as each locality chose, they met in convention in a grove some two or three hun- dred yards north and about the same distance west of what is now the southeast corner of Neosho county, on Saturday, September 8, 1866. A Mr. Nugent (?) was chairman, and J. A. Wells secretary. At the request of the delegates from the southern part of the county, the nominations for the county officers were all made from those residing in the north half, with the agreement on their part that at the next session of the Legislature the county should be divided. On motion of G. W. Kings- bury, it was voted that when the division was made the southern part should be called (as they then wrote the word ) La Bet county. J. S. Waters was recognized as the chairman of the delegation from the south- ern half of the county.
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POLITICAL.
Following we give a summary of various political conventions which have been held in Labette county, from 1866 to 1892, inclusive :
In October, 1866, a Republican convention was called for the proposed new county of " La Bet" (alluded to above). It met in the open air near Carr & Bridgman's store, Oswego; J. F. Newlon chairman, A. T. Dick- erman secretary. The following ticket was nominated: County clerk, A. T. Dickerman; sheriff, Benjamin A. Rice; clerk district court, Elza Craft; register of deeds, George Bent; county assessor, Jabez Zink; pro- bate judge, David C. Lowe; county treasurer, C. C. Clover; superintend- ent public instruction, J. F. Newlon; coroner, G. W. Kingsbury; repre- sentative, Charles II. Bent; commissioners, S. W. Collins, C. H. Talbot, and Bergen Van Ness.
J. S. Waters, chairman central committee.
March, 1867, open air, near Carr & Bridgman's store, Oswego; J. F. Newlon chairman, A. T. Dickerman secretary. County clerk. A. T. Dickerman; county treasurer, C. C. Clover; sheriff, Benjamin A. Rice; county assessor, Francis Wall; clerk district court, R. S. Cornish; pro- bate judge, Bergen Van Ness; register of deeds, Elza Craft; superintend- ent public instruction, John F. Newlon; coroner, George W. Kingsbury; surveyor, Z. Harris; commissioners, Nathan Ames, William Shay, and David C. Lowe.
September 1, 1867, Benj. A. Rice, chairman. Representative Eighty- fifth district, J. S. Waters; sheriff, John N. Watson; coroner, G. W. Kingsbury; county clerk, C. E. Simons: county attorney, W. J. Parkin- son; county treasurer, Bergen Van Ness; probate judge, David C. Lowe; commissioners, Isaac Butterworth, William Logan, J. F. Molesworth; superintendent public instruction, Enos Reed: clerk district court, R. S. Cornish: county surveyor. S. R. Southwick: register, Charles Beggs; county assessor, J. R. Morrison.
C. H. Bent chairman central committee, J. S. Waters secretary.
September, 1868, Oswego .* Representative Eighty-fifth district. Dr. D. D. McGrath; probate judge, H. M. Minor; superintendent public in- struction, R. J. Elliott; county attorney, Walter P. Bishop; county clerk, Charles C. Beggs; clerk district court, Robert Steele; county commis- sioner first district, Elisha Hammer.
E. R. Trask chairman central committee, W. H. Carpenter secretary.
September 17, 1869, court-house, Oswego. Probate judge, W. H. Witlock; treasurer, Harvey I. Cox: sheriff, J. C. Wilson: county attor- ney, J. S. Waters; county clerk, L. C. Howard; register, P. H. Cherry; surveyor, E. G. Davidson; coroner, James Logan; commissioners, first district Gilbert Martin. second J. S. Anderson, third James H. Beggs.
E. Hammer chairman central committee, E. D. Graybill secretary.
September 17, 1870, court-house, Oswego: J. W. Horner chairman, C. H. Lewis secretary. Representative Eighty-fifth district, J. M. Mahr on third ballot over I. W. Patrick and C. H. Bent: probate judge, B. W. Perkins on third ballot over J. Demorst and Davis Vulgamore; county attorney, J. S. Waters, by acclamation; superintendent public instruc-
* In all cases where possible, the names of chairmen and secretaries are given, but in some instances no record of these could be found.
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HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY.
tion, J. W. Horner on first ballot over R. J. Elliott and D. C. Constant; clerk district court, D. S. Morrison on first ballot over Robert Steel and E. D. Graybill; surveyor, G. T. Walton by acclamation, provided David- son does not get back; commissioner first district, Samuel Ballentine on first ballot over David Stanfield.
T. E. Clark chairman central committee, E. D. Graybill secretary.
October 7, 1871, held at the court-house, Oswego; J. W. Horner chair- man, E. E. Hastings secretary. Sheriff, L. S. Crum on first ballot over J. C. Wilson; register, I. W. Patrick on second ballot over J. G. Steel, R. E. Holloway, Levi Seabridge, and Thomas Irish; county clerk, L. C. Howard on first ballot over R. J. Elliott, E. D. Graybill, and George T. Walton; treasurer, C. F. Smith ou first ballot over N. Sanford; coroner, J. F. Newlon on first ballot; surveyor, S. R. Southwick, by acclamation; commissioners, first district Henry Stewart, second J. H. Tibbits, third W. H. Carpenter.
J. W. Horner chairman central committee, T. C. Cory, secretary. August 7, 1872, Horner resigned as chairman of the central committee, and J. S. Waters was elected in his place, and F. B. McGill secretary.
October 5, 1872, at court-house, Oswego; E. B. Stevens chairman, I. O. Pickering secretary. Senator Fifteenth district, J. H. Crichton, ou third ballot, over J. S. Waters and J. J. Woods; probate judge, B. W. Perkins, by acclamation; county attorney, E. C. Ward on second ballot over David Kelso, W. B. Glasse, T. L. Darlow; clerk district court, R. J. Elliott, on third ballot, over Wm. Houck, John Hamblin, D. S. Morrison; coroner, William Pinkerton, by acclamation; superintendent public in- struction, Mary A. Higby, on first ballot over W. A. Starr, E. H. Tay- lor, Keirsey Cook; commissioner second district, J. B. Cook, who declined nomination, and George Farland was substituted by central committee.
F. B. McGill chairman central committee, S. O. Fletcher secretary.
October 11, 1873, at court-house, Oswego; Josephus Moore chairman, H. L. Partridge secretary. Probate judge, S. L. Coulter; treasurer, C. F. Smith; sheriff, S. O. Fletcher, on second ballot over J. N. Watson; county clerk, J. B. Cook, on first ballot over L. C. Howard and Saml. Collins; register, I. W. Patrick, by acclamation; surveyor, Samuel F. Terrill, by acclamation; coroner, D. B. Crouse, by acclamation; commis- sioners, first district John Nelson, second P. B. Clark, third W. A. Starr. Decided to make no nomination for representative of the Forty-third dis- trict; Forty-fourth district, W. H. Mapes.
R. J. Elliott chairman central committee, Willard Davis secretary.
September 26, 1874, at court-house, Oswego; E. B. Stevens chairman, L. M. Bedell secretary. Senator Fifteenth district, J. H. Crichton on second ballot over T. C. Cory, D. Kelso, and W. H. Mapes; clerk dis- trict court, H. C. Cook on second ballot over R. J. Elliott, E. B. Newton, and Wm. Houck; superintendent public instruction, Mary A. Higby on first ballot over J. G. Coleman and Allen C. Baker; county attorney, Willard Davis, by acclamation; coroner, J. G. Coleman, by acclamation. C. H. Bent chairman central committee, V. J. Knapp secretary.
October 2, 1875, court-house, Oswego; J. S. Waters chairman, G. W. Hawk secretary. Treasurer, George M. Caldwell, by acclamation; sheriff, S. B. Abbott on first ballot over J. H. Golden and J. A. Mapes: county
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clerk, S. T. Herman, by acclamation; register, I. W. Patrick, by accla- mation; coroner, D. B. Crouse, by acclamation; surveyor, S. R. South- wick on second ballot over George Thornton and Charles McClung; commissioners, first district J. J. Woods, second W. M. Mabery, third W. A. Starr.
J. M. Cavaness chairman central committee, S. O. Fletcher secretary.
September 16, 1876, court-house, Oswego; Major H. W. Martin chairman, George Thornton secretary. Senator Fifteenth district, J. H. Crichton on seventh ballot over M. W. Reynolds, J. G. Coleman, H. G. Webb, and W. B. Glasse; probate judge, S. L. Coulter, by acclamation; clerk district court, H. C. Cook, by acclamation; county attorney, J. S. Waters, by acclamation; superintendent public instruction, Mary A. Higby on first ballot over L. J. VanLandingham, Keirsey Cook, A. C. Baker.
WV. B. Glasse chairman central committee, F. B. McGill secretary.
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