USA > Kansas > Reno County > History of Reno County, Kansas; its people, industries and institutions, Vol I > Part 2
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224
Mill
213
Newspapers 1 I 1
240, 241
Postmasters
217
Sylvia Township
122
T
Temperature 390
Tharp, Zeno
115, 116, 237
Threshing Machine, First
82
Township Organizations
110
Towns of Reno County
310
Trails, Early
67
Treasurer
99
Treaties with Indians
55
Troy Township
115, 116
Turon-
Bank
251
Location
314
Mail Service
224
Mill
213
Name
315.
Postmasters 220 1 1 1 1 1
Townsite
1
1
1
I
315
U
Universalist Church
24
V
Valley Township
111, 202
Valuations
181, 184
Veterans of Civil War in Reno
209
W
Walnut Township
122
Water and Light Plant, Early
92
Weather Records
390
Wild Game
43
Wild Geese
42
I 1 Wilkinson, Lieutenant 41
World War
303
1
Y
Yoder
219
Yoder Township
117
Z
Zenith
217
I
I
I
I
I
1
I
I
t
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
184
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
A
Abel, Josiah W. 274
Aelmore, Martin A 491
Akin, Rev. Dudley D., D.D. 322
Allmon, Elbert
O
382
Anderson, Joel M. 208
Armour, Thomas G.
101
Ash, Fred W. 461 1
Asher, Arthur 62
Astle, George 252 1 1 1 t
B
Bailey, J. N 775
Bailey, Joe F. 457 1
Bain, Millard F. 661
1 1 Ballard, Benjamin F 511
Bangs, Merwin
243
1
1
Barr, Walter G. 757 1 1 1
Barrett, George
232
Barrett, M. L.
623
Barrett, Nelson T
183
Barton, Edward E
760
Bay, C. M
528
Bay, Clyde
1 740
Bay, Delmar 507
Bear, Arthur M. 439 1 1
Beck, Konrad C. 517
Bennett, Capt. William R 296
Bigger, Leander A 714
Bixler, Thurman J 282
Bloom, Charles
144
Boehm, John
263
Bonnet, Lee
527
Coleman, Monroe
389
Collingwood, J. M. 768
Collingwood, John A 681
Collingwood, Mrs. Mary
748
Comes, John W. 384
Cone, William R., D.D.S. 203
Conkling, Charles A.
707
Connelly. William M. 470
1
Brown, Harlow B.
764
Brown, Morrison H.
291
Brown, William A
303
Buettner, J. H.
550
Burgess, William 387 1 1
Burris, Martin 256 1 1
Buser, Atlee M.
626
Bush, Charles
405
1 Bush, James M 659
Buskirk, James E.
639
I
I
1
1
1
Bussinger, Martin
72
Byers, O. P.
697
C
Cain, Morris R. 614
Calbert, Robert E. L
747
Campbell, John H
283
Campbell, John W.
378
Cantwell, George W
674
Carey, Hon. Emerson 33
Carpenter, Fred H
275
Carr, William E. 217 I
Carson, William FF 121 T 1
Catte, Joseph
371
Chamberlain, Grant
486
368
Chubbuck, Willis J. 530
54
Citizens Bank of Hutchinson, The_ Claybaugh, C. W
327
Clothier, J. B .. 568
Coffman, Capt. George T.
560
Coleman, Lewis W. 429
1
1
Bowman, Eli 196
Bowser, George R.
160
162
Brainard, Capt. Jesse 192
Branch, Charles M.
55
Branine, Judge Charles 36
Brewer, Elmer . I 271
1
1 1
I I 1
I
1
I
I 1
1
I
I
1
I 1
1
1 Bowser, Lemon I 1 I
Chapin, Cornelius ()
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.
Cook, Fred W., D.V.S. 52
Cook, J. W. 776
Cooper, S. Leslie 774
Cooter, Fred W
117
Cooter, George W
264
Copeland, Cornelius B 418
Cost, Frank H. 684
Crabbs, Abraham
B
366
Crawley, William P 720
Crotts, Samuel M
588
Crow, Edward G.
719
Crow, George
277
Crow. William 320 I 1
Curnutt, Henry G.
151
1
D
Dade. Arthur 174
1 Dade, Ernest 546 1 1
Dade. Richard G
656
1
I
Danford, E. F
632
1
1
Danford, Isaiah
221
Danford, Louis P.
728
Davies, John M
245
1 Dean, Albert A 703 I
Deatz, A. J
586
I 1 Deck, Peter 373 1
I Decker. Thomas J 670
Dick, James I.
478
Dillon, Franklin E I 267
Dixon. Albert P.
1
215
Dunn, George W
493
Dunn. F. M.
489
Dunsworth, Buckner W.
383
Duvall. Hunter J., M.D 562
F
Eastman, Byron A 723
Eastman, Wilbur B. 570
Elliott, Alpheus E 272
Ellis, Peres
424
I Erker, George A 730
Eskelson, Swan 155 1
Everett, Elmer
I
I
Į 536
F
Fairchild, William G.
85
Fall. George T. 624
Farley, Joseph P 218
Farrell, Rev. William M 286
Farthing, Peter R. 520
Farthing, Sylvester
261
Fearl, Frank E.
672
Ferguson, James E
295
Fernie, George K 450
Field, Hon. F. C. 312 1 1
Firebaugh, Frank F
495
Fontron Family, The
134
Forsha, Fred A.
738
Fountain, Albert S., M.D 552
Fraser. Thomas J
494
G
Gantz, George R 622
Gaston, Samuel D
112
Gibson, Charles
370
1
Giles, Benjamin E
138
Glass, John W. 107 I
L Graham, Robert J 146 1
Gray. George T
363
J
Graybill, Samuel S
1
I
288
Grayson, John W.
1
I
512
T
Green, James
496
Guymon, Edward T
64
H
Hadley. Levi P.
104
Hall. Justus
O
437
1
1
Hall, Ross E. I 299
Hamilton, Frank
D.
226
Handy, Edward S.
185
1 1 Harden, Albert E 178 1
Hardy, Noalı 541 I 1 1
1 Harms, Henry W 612 1 1
1
1
Harris, Walter B.
133
1
1
Harsha, John P
I 82
1 Hartford, Col. Henry 1 200 1
Hartmann, Henry P
509
Harvey, Royal M 655
Haston, James 780
Haston, Samuel
412
1
Hedrick. Capt. John
M
77
Herr. J. Nevon 57
Herren, Isaac W. 756
Hershberger, Randall P
195
Hiatt. Charles E
779
Mickey, John
650
Hickman, Overton
572
1
I
I
1
1 1 1
1
1 I
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
I
1
1
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.
Hickman, William H. 11. 631
Hill, Harrison 410
Hinds, David H. 667
Hinman, Milton
E
709
Hinshaw, William
584
1
1
Hirst, Frederick
119
1
Hirst, George 80 I
Hirst, William
96
1
1
Hitchcock, Charles O I I
361
Hoagland, Ben S.
573
Hoagland, Lieut. Martin
396
Hodge, L. D
503
Hodgson, Herbert
C.
314
Hodgson, William
336
Hodgson, William
519
Holaday, Harry E., D.V.S.
734
Holdeman, A. R.
783
Hornbaker, Finley D. 504
Hoskinson, George W.
348 .
Housinger. Nicholas
743
Howell. Ed. G.
409
Huckleberry, Andrew J., Jr.
157
Hudson, William L
380
Hurd, E. R
630
Hutton, Emmett
259
Hutton & Oswald.
258
Hutton, Samuel F
606
J
Jennings, Thomas 583
Jessup, Barclay 319 I 1 1
Jewell, Warren D. 593 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 Johnson, Arthur W. 428
1 1 1 Johnson, Jesse W. 675
Johnson, William H 451 1
1 Jones, Peter 182 1
Jones, Robert S. 596 1 1
1 Jones, Walter F 543
Justice, Richard 581
Justus, J. F
771
K
Kautzer, John D. 342
Kellams, James C. 431
1 Kelling, Henry 415 1
1 Kennedy, Thomas K 498
King, David H.
616
King, Joseph W 646
Klein, Frank F.
712
Koontz, George M.
364
Krocker, George T.
11,7
L
Lambert, Charles .
315
Larabee, Frederick D
602
Layman, Roscoe C.
308
Leatherman, William
508
Lee. George W.
416
Leighty. Stephen S. 176
Leonrod, George von, M.D.
640
Leslie, John F
628
Loc, William
472
Long, William E
269
Lovelace, James
R
300
Mc
McCandless, Archibald
598
McCowan, Samuel
350
McDermed. Frank M 213
Mc Dermed, Robert F
566
McIlrath, James H
688
Mckeown, B.
677
Mckinstry, James 553 1 1 1 1 1
McLaughlin, T. R.
1
280
1
1
McLeod, Hector K
1
I
110
1
Mc Murry, James F
136
M
Mackay, James B.
54
1
Magwire, Frank
240
1
Markham, John J 434
Marshall, Elmer E.
657
1 Martin, Edward T. 351
Martin, Frank A I 402
1 Martin, Hon. Frank I 331
1
Mastellar. D. H
607
Meyer. Dietrich 488
1 I Meyer, Eugene I 39 1 1
Miller. Clark C. 732 I
Miller, Eugene T.
732
Miller. William H 249
Mills, James
317
Mitchell, Hon. William H 48
Moore, David
579
Moore. Rev. Daniel M .. D.D 67
Moore, Marcellus
236
Morgan, Hon. William
440
I
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.
Mourn, George W 165
Mueller, William. Jr 325
Myers, Dr. James 188
Myers, John .. 224 1 1
Z
Nafzinger. John 532
Nation. Pet 76
Neeley, Hon. George
-
44
1
Nelson. James
432
1
Nelson, John W
I
604
Nelson, Peter .1
211
Nettleton, Adelbert M.
229
Neuenschwander, Henry
154
Nicholson, George
426
O
Obee, Louis H 548
Olmstead, Oscar W 175
Oswald, Charley W 258
P
Parish, James W 375
Payne, Walter W 699
Pearson, William 148
1 1 Peckham, Charles W 352
1
Peirce, Walter C.
344
I 1 Penney, James 131
Pennington, William
R.
544
Peterson, Arthur |
339
340
1 Ploughe, Sheridan 752 I 1
Potter, James C. 617 1 1 1
I I Potter, John W 678 1 I I 1 1
I 1 1 I 1 Potter, Martin H 635
Poulton, Irvin W
448
1
1
1 Presby, Wilbur F 634 I
Price, Rhys R.
762
I
J
Priddle, Vincent t
171
Prigg, Hon. Frank 557
I Puterbangh, Samuel G. 70
R
Rabe, Henry 620)
Ramsey, Herbert 223
Rayl, Levi
482
Ream, William B. 413
Reed, John . 1 92
Reichenberger, Nicholas 745
Reynolds, Melvin J. 140
Rexroad, William W. 310
Rice. Thomas J
376
Richhart, David E 115 1
Rickenbrode, Harvey 460 Roberts, Pierce C. 126 1
Rowland, John 683
Rowland, Prof. Stewart P
86
Rutherford, Gordon S
642
Ryker, Charles
60
S
Sallee, Garrett 167
Sanders, John R.
407
Scales, Herbert L., M.D
559
Schardein, Fred
199
Schardein, John 181 1 1
Scheble, Alfred R.
515
Schlaudt, Arthur H 1
447
Schmitt, E. B.
294
Schoonover, John U
1 1 608 I I
Scedle, Charles
Shafer, Omaha T
1
1
1 172
Shea, Patrick
456
Shircliff, Edward E
592
Shive, Eads E. 741
Short, George B.
164
Shuler, William D
99
Shuyler, John S.
578
Sidlinger, Samuel H .. M.D. 41
Siegrist, Arthur
231
Siegrist, George W
524
Siegrist, Jacob L
328
Simmons, John S
98
1 Skeen, Mrs. Elizabeth 1 400
Slavens, Oscar R.
1 576
Smith, Charles H
1 686
Smith, E. B., A.M. 706
Smith, Fay
1 467
Smith, Isaac 254 I 1 1
Smith, James W 228 1 1 1
Smith, John
I
522
1 I Smith, Parke 292 1
I 1 Smith, Wilson 1 1 I 1 142
1 Snyder. Charles M 5,39 1 1
1 Specht, Robert T., . 443
Spencer, Orlando
770
Spencer, Ornaldo
770
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
I 1
1
I
1
1
I
I
1
1
I
1 1 653 1
Peterson, Charles
1
I
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX.
Sponsler, Alfred 1. 304
Sponsler, William 564
Spront, John 772
Sprout, James
459
1
1
Stecher, Christian
480
Stevens, Nelson P 701
Stevens, Rev. William B 454
Stewart, Richard A., M.D. 767
Streeter, Ray G.
534
Suter, Arthur H
123
Swarens, Albert I 168
Switzer, Alexander M
392
T
Taylor, Carr W. 444
Taylor, Harry H 124
Teed. Edson L 465
Thacher, Mowry S., M.D. 679
Thompson, Henry S.
1
1
1 1 479
Thorp, Fred W 1
220
Thurman, J. S. 247
Turbush, George
159
1
U
Updegrove, Jacob B
347
V
Z
Van Eman, William J
234
Vincent, Hon. Frank
500
W
Waddles, Howard 753
Wagoner, Charles E. 128
Wall, David L. 690
Wall, Mrs. Henrietta Briggs 692
Watson, Lawson 663
Weesner, Fred 391
Wells, Charles A 755 1 1
Wespe, Oscar S 600 1 1
Wheeler, J. () 1 4 1 1 1 I 143
Whinery, Lorenzo V 648 1
Whiteside, Houston
205
Wiley, Francis M 665
Wiley, Vernon M 475
Williams, Judge Charles M 190
Williams, Walter F. 758
Winchester, Charles S. 513
Winsor, George R
453
Withroder, John 638
Wittorff, John 643
Wolcott, Frank D. 704
Wooddell, Charles N
652
Woods, Mrs. Mary M. (Lippitt ) 736
Y
Yaggy, Edward E 88
Young. Jacob A
118
Yust, George H
420
Zimmerman, George
238
Zimmerman, John S
474
1
1
669
Thompson, Will S. 1
HISTORICAL
CHAPTER I.
EARLY EXPLORATIONS OF THE WEST.
The obtaining from France of the land known as the Louisiana Pur- chase, in 1803, met with the most violent opposition in the New England states. Even the Revolutionary War had failed to teach those who lived along the Atlantic coast the value of a wider national policy than that which they had been following. These segregated colonies had found that a closer union added greatly to their advantage-in fact, had been their salvation in their early struggle with England. They had found it impossible to main- tain themselves without the compact under which they obtained their inde- pendence. But when the war was over, the advantages of uniting to build a greater nation seemed to have no place in their minds. They wanted no larger union. They wanted no more states, unless it be by division of the thirteen original states. From the people of New England, particularly, came opposition to Jefferson and his expansion policy. They had no vision of empire such as had inspired France when she explored the territory of the West: when her missionaries were among the Indians with the Cross; when her frontiersmen were naming the streams and her hunters were becoming opulent in their fur and peltry trade. With singular shortsightedness, the Americans at that period hugged to their breasts their early patrimony. They had no desire for the possession of any land west of the Mississippi river. To the French their giving up of their dream of an empire on the American continent, that had inspired their statesmen, was one that only the exigencies could end. The condition of affairs in France made the sale of Louisiana a war necessity, not only for the money it brought to their treasury, but to keep the land from falling into the hands of their enemies as a prize of war.
(3)
34
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
To the people of New England, the purchase of Louisiana seemed a use- less squandering of money. "The sale of a wilderness has not usually com- manded so high a price," said one anti-Jefferson Federalist of that time. AAnother recalled that Ferdinando Gorges received but twelve hundred and fifty pounds for the province of Maine, and that William Penn gave but sixteen thousand pounds for the tract that bears his name. "Weigh it," adds still another, "and there will be four hundred and thirty-three tons of silver. Load it into wagons and there will be eight hundred and sixty-six of them. Place these wagons in line, giving to each two rods, and they will cover a distance of five and one-third miles."
While the purchase of Louisiana met with this violent opposition, yet this was but a small matter compared to the feeling that was stirred up when it was proposed to admit to the Union a state from territory outside of the territory of the thirteen original states. One of the distinguished representatives from Massachusetts. Josiah Quincy, declared that if Louis- iana was admitted to the Union of states, that "the bonds of the Union were, virtually, dissolved: that the states that compose it are free from moral obligations, and that as it will be the right of all, it will be the duty of some. to prepare. definitely, for a separation, amicably, if they can, vio- lently if they must."
With such a sentiment against the West, it was somewhat remarkable that Congress could be induced to vote any money for any expedition that had for its purpose the development of the West. Only outside dangers could have induced the narrow-minded New Englander to give up his pre- judice and join with others in authorizing an expedition such as was pro- posed to send into the West.
Among the things that led to this new policy was the disastrous failure of the Missouri Fur Company, and the similar failure of the Astor project along the Columbia river. These two things, and the activity of the British among the Indians in the north, combined to make the proposed expedition suddenly a very popular one. But to overcome the criticism against further western development, President Monroe and John C. Calhoun, secretary of state, favored a strong military expedition to the Northwest. Some of the more liberal men of Congress grew enthusiastic in this enterprise and wanted to go farther and make a formidable showing of national authority along the upper sources of the Missouri river, and to restore the rights the United States had obtained under the Treaty of Ghent along the Columbia river.
35
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
To carry out these plans, Major Stephen Il. Long was selected to head the expedition.
Major Long was to be accompanied by a corp of assistants chosen both from civil and military life. A very pretentious force was to be put into the field. Major Biddle was selected to keep the journal of the expedition. There was also added to the party Doctor Baldwin, botanist, Doctor Say. zoologist; Doctor Jessup, geologist; Mr. Peale, assistant naturalist; Mr. Seymour, sketcher and painter, also Lieutenant Graham and Cadet Swift, topographical assistants. The party, including soldiers, numbered between six hundred and seven hundred people. It was called the Yellowstone ex- pedition.
But the expedition never accomplished any of the purposes for which it was organized. In fact, the whole enterprise did a great deal more damage than it ever did good. It demoralized the whole matter of western explora- tion and development. It was the intention of the promoters of the Yellow- stone expedition to proceed up the Missouri river in vessels from St. Louis. The ship-building proposition fell into the hands of an unscrupulous charac- ter, named Johnson, who was to build and equip the vessel needed to make the trip. Johnson failed to keep his contract and a large percentage of the money appropriated for the purpose was squandered. The matter was later investigated by Congress and the report, which was against Johnson, recom- mended legal proceeding to recover the money he had wrongfully obtained.
This gave a bad name to the whole matter of opening up the West and Northwest. The absurd extravagance that characterized the whole matter disgusted Congress. It was shown that Long could have kept the entire command in the field for five years and explored the whole territory west of the Mississippi and east of the Rocky mountains on the money that had been wasted. So the Yellowstone expedition was abandoned and another one planned, that was only a small part of the original project.
According to the new plan, the "Western Engineer," the vessel that caused the scandal, started from St. Louis on June 9. 1849. The boat was seventy-five feet long, with a thirteen-foot beam, drawing nineteen inches of water. The vessel carried three small brass cannon. They reached Ft. Osage on July 19, 1819, and on August I reached Isle de Vache, near where Leavenworth is now. The party stayed there until August 25. From that point they divided into smaller parties, each making short exploration trips through the country, near the Missouri river. They resumed their trip on August 25 and reached Ft. Lisa, where they went into winter quar-
36
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
ters. Major Long remained with the expedition about two weeks, when he went back to Washington to spend the winter. He was severely criticized for his inactivity and for going into winter quarters in Septem- ber, in a latitude that made this the most enjoyable time of the year to pursue his plans. During the time his party were to remain in winter quarters, they were to make short excursions, gathering all the information obtainable about the country and making as many friends with the Indians as pos- sible.
While Major Long was in Washington, the shorter trip of exploration was arranged. Long returned to his company at Ft. Lisa in the spring, and on June 6, 1820, the entire party left their winter quarters. They reached the Pawnee village on the Loup fork of the Platte river on June 11, 1820. When they reached the village of the Grand Pawnee, they found the Indians too busy hunting to see them. Very little was accomplished with this tribe of Indians, but an attempt was made to introduce vaccination among the Indians. Smallpox had broken out among this, as well as many other Indian tribes, and had greatly reduced their numbers. On June 13. 1820, the expedition camped on the Platte river about where Grand Island is now. Continuing their march westward, they saw the Rocky mountains on June 30. On July 5 they camped about where Denver now stands. After resting for four days, the party resumed its march and, on July 12, camped about twenty-five miles from Pike's Peak. They measured its altitude and Doctor James, with two men, made the ascent of the peak, the first white man to do this arriving at the top at 2 p. m., July 14, 1820. They calculated its height at about eight thousand five hundred and seven feet above the plains. which was probably five thousand seven hundred above the sea level. They also discovered another peak, which they named after the head of the expe- dition, "Long's Peak."
The party continued its march southward and reached the Arkansas river, about where LaJunta is now, on July 21. Here they divided the expe- dition. Captain Bell, Lieutenant Swift, three Frenchmen and five soldiers were sent down the Arkansas river, while the balance of the party continued their march southward. proceeding to the source of the Red river, intend- ing to follow it till it flowed into the Arkansas at Ft. Smith. Both parties started on their trips, July 24, 1820. Captain Bell and his party reached the Great Bend in the river on August 9.
As they advanced, they kept about a mile from the stream on the north
37
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
side of the river, in order to avoid the sand drift along the river banks, that made traveling difficult. Each night they would camp on the river in order to have water and also because they were thus able to find driftwood which they could use for firewood for cooking their meat. They lived off the land as far as possible and found plenty of elk, deer, buffalo and other wild game. Their description of the country at that time is interesting. The weather was hot. They experienced a severe storm early in August, a typical northwest rain, with which the early settlers of this country were so familiar. It was an exceedingly hot day. Late in the afternoon a heavy cloud from this northwest came up and the rain fell in torrents. The light- ning was terrible and the wind blew down their tents. Their horses wandered off with the storm, and they had no means of lighting a fire that night, all the wood being soaked
Captain Bell's description of the country at that time is exceedingly interesting. especially in view of the report made by Major Long as to the quality of the land he traversed. The grass was described as luxuriant ; along the river the sunflowers were abundant and very long. This would seem to show that the claim of the Mormons that they carried the sunflower seed with them when they went to Utah is unfounded, as Long's trip ante- dated the Mormon expeditions west more than a score of years. They reached Cow creek about sundown on August 12, 1820. Whether the point where they crossed Cow creek was where Hutchinson now stands, or near the mouth of the stream, is not disclosed in the description of these trips. As will be referred to later, it is probable at that time Cow creek did not run in the same channel it now runs in, but followed the low ground at the foot of the Sand hills, flowing through what used to be Brandy lake and then on south to the river.
Long's men continued down the river and later in the fall they were joined at Ft. Smith by the part of the expedition that branched off at La Junta and followed the Red river. The Arkansas party reached Ft. Smith much ahead of the others, and remained there awaiting the arrival of Long. Together, the party continued down the Arkansas to St. Louis, and from there made their way back to Washington, where Major Long made his report to the President and the secretary of state.
Long's expedition was a great disappointment to the President and to Congress. It was eagerly seized on by all those opposed to the expansion of territorial lines. Outside of the money that was squandered on the enter-
38
RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
prise. the report of Long was such that, instead of promoting the develop- ment of the territory covered in the purchase from France, it really retarded the settlement of the country. In his report, Long fairly stated the condi- tions as he saw things. He spoke of the vastness of the plains, of the great multitude of buffalo, of the abundance of all kinds of game, and of the fact that the entire country was well watered and well drained. He reported very little about the Indians, as he saw but few of them. Long had the idea that so generally prevailed of the West. The people of that time saw 110 necessity for more territory. Their vision was bounded by their own small interests. The vastness of the West, with their method of transpor- tation. blinded them to the possible development of their new territory. The nation that was to grow up and settle this country was to be the work of a generation ahead of them. It was in great contrast with the view the French held regarding the same territory. To them it contained a new France. Visions of an empire were in the brains of her chancellors. They saw beyond the Mississippi a territory, vast and fertile, free from the jealousies of European nations. They saw the vineyards of France reproduced in the low lands of the Missouri and the Kaw and the Platte. They saw a great empire arise. But their vision faded when Napoleon, under the stress of war, sold the empire of their dreams, lest it should fall as a prize of war into the hands of the enemy.
But Long saw nothing of this. To him it was a territory valuable as a protection against any nation attacking the United States on the west. Hle could see nothing of the states to be created out of the Louisiana Pur- chase. He could see the Indian tribes and the buffalo as the constant occu- pants of the land. To him it had nothing of promise, nothing of added resource to the handful of states along the Atlantic ocean. To him it had no mines to add to the wealth of the land ; no land to be subdued ; no cities to be built. But one thing alone he saw-and that, the negative side of the whole matter ; he saw the vast areas as barriers against a foreign foe. It was a matter of regret to the President and the people who supported the policy of Jefferson in the purchase of Louisiana, that such an unsatisfac- tory report was brought back. The spies sent out to view the land, as did those of Moses of ancient story, returned ladened with the riches of the land, but repeated again, as of old, the stories of the giants that lived in the land.
There were other explorers in the valley. One of the most interesting
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RENO COUNTY, KANSAS.
of them was Jacob Fowler. His biographer has published his records, just as they were written. His spelling is not just as we would spell the words today-in fact, he did not always follow his own style, but varied it as he desired. It is interesting on this account, in addition to the fact of the close observation that Fowler made and the accuracy of his statement.
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