USA > Kansas > Kansas; a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence, Voilume I > Part 108
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At the election on Nev. 8 the Populists carried the state by pluralities ranging from 5,000 to 6,000 votes. The highest vote for presidential elector on each of the three tickets was as follows: W. N. Allen, Populist, 163,III; E. G. Dewey, Republican, 157,241; Charles Fair- field, Prohibitionist, 4,553. The electoral vote of the state was cast for Gen. James B. Weaver, the People's party candidate. The vote for governor was as follows: Lewelling, 163,507; Smith, 158,075; Pickering, 4,178. The proposition for holding a constitutional conven- tion was defeated by 466 votes.
Gov. Humphrey retired from the office upon the inauguration of Gov. Lewelling in Jan., 1893. Concerning his administration McCray, in the review above mentioned, says: "Be it said to his credit that he did not run his administration with a brass band and fireworks. He did not consider that the people elected governors for grand stand purposes, but honestly, faithfully and modestly to conduct the busi- ness of the state. Gov. Humphrey's ambition was to make a record that should be meritorious rather than notorious, useful rather than spectacular ; that should be remembered as a quiet and faithful endeavor to perform each day's duties aright, rather than a noisy display of the brief authority vested in the chief executive."
Hunnewell, one of the smaller of the incorporated towns of Sumner county, is located in South Haven township, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 18 miles south of Wellington, the county seat. It has a number of retail stores, a mill, an elevator and a bank. The town has gained considerable newspaper notoriety lately by having elected a woman mayor, who got into trouble with the council, which was made up of men.
Hunnewell was founded in 1880, and the first house was erected by Ford & Leonard. Within a month a number of buildings had been erected and the town had practically reached its growth. Two marshals and a police judge were hired by the railroad company and the citi- zens prior to the organization of the town. The postoffice was estab- lished in Aug., 1880, and Frank Shiffdaner was appointed postmaster. The organization of the city government took place in April, 1881. The following were the first officers: Mayor, J. A. Hughes ; police judge, T. G. Ricketts; city clerk, Thomas T. Ivers; councilmen, A. B. Smith, F. Hoolcroft, T. B. Sullivan, J. Dickerson and B. F. Hall. The town is supplied with telegraph and express offices and has a money order postoffice with two rural routes. The population in 1910 was 208.
Hunter, a country postoffice in Mitchell county, is located in Custer township in the southwest corner of the county, 25 miles southwest of Beloit, the county seat, and 16 miles from Lucas on the Union Pacific, the nearest shipping point. The population in 1910 was 50.
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Hunter County, now extinct, was one of the counties created in 1855, by the first territorial legislature. It was bounded as follows: "Be- ginning at the southeast corner of Butler county; thence south to the southern boundary of the territory ; thence west 30 miles; thence north to a point west of the place of beginning; thence east 30 miles to the place of beginning." In 1857, the county was enlarged by extending the western boundary to the line between ranges 4 and 5 east. In 1860 Irving county was created out of the northern part of Hunter, and in 1864 Butler county was enlarged to include both Irving and Hunter, which disappeared. The greater portion of what was once the county of Hunter is now included in Cowley county.
Huntsville, a little inland hamlet in Reno county is located between Salt and Peace creeks 24 miles west of Hutchinson, the county seat, and 6 miles north of Plevna, from which place its mail is distributed by rural delivery. Plevna is also the nearest railroad station and ship- ping point. The population, according to the government census of 1910, was 60.
Huron, the fourth largest town in Atchison county, is located near the northern boundary on the Missouri Pacific R. R. 16 miles north- west of Atchison, the county seat. The immediate site and vicinity was owned by D. R. Anthony (q. v.) of Leavenworth, who donated the railroad company 20 acres of land and the right-of-way for a mile. Within six weeks after the town was surveyed and named five dwellings had been completed or were under way; stores were erected; the village was well started toward prosperity ; a postoffice was established within the year and before the close of 1882 there were at least 50 houses in the town. Two churches were built before 1883, one by the Baptists, the other by the Presbyterians, on ground donated by Col. Anthony. Huron soon became an important shipping and supply town, and its growth has been steady. At the present time it has good schools, banking facilities, a money order postoffice, several general stores, a blacksmith shop, lumber yard, hardware and implement house, express and telegraph offices, etc. In 1910 the population was 300.
Hurt, a country postoffice in Colony township, Greeley county, is located 16 miles from Tribune, the county seat, and 9 miles north- west of Astor, the nearest shipping point. The population in 1910 was 15.
Huscher, a post-village of Nelson township, Cloud county, is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 6 miles southeast of Con- cordia, the county seat, with which it is connected by telephone. It has a local trade, does some shipping, and in 1910 had a population of 50.
Hutchinson, the "salt city," is one of the important cities of the first class in Kansas. It is the judicial' seat of Reno county, in the central part of the state, and is 168 miles southwest of Topeka. It is at the outlet of a great corn and wheat raising district, and has one of the largest salt works in the world. Hutchinson is a city of active, wide-
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awake business men, excellent railroad facilities, fine hotels, extensive manufacturing and jobbing interests, shady streets, beautiful buildings, and plenty of automobiles. A home owned electric street railway sys- tem extends all over the city. The Hutchinson salt plants have been yielding from 2,500 to 5,000 barrels of salt per day for the last twenty years and the source still seems inexhaustible. The vein of rock salt is 400 feet thick and is found at a depth of 375 feet. The Hutchinson salt is unsurpassed as a table salt. The amounts of money spent in running these plants is enormous, the cost of fuel alone being more than the amount received for salt sold within the state, the profits coming from export sales-and that with natural gas for fuel at 10 cents per 1,000 feet. The various flour mills have a combined capacity of 3,000 barrels per day, most of which is shipped out of the country by way of Galveston. The elevators have a storage capacity of 6.500,000 bushels. The soda ash plant, which is probably the largest institution of its kind in the country, manufactures the raw material or base of all soda products. The wholesale business aggregates $11.500,000 annually and 400 traveling salesmen, representatives of Hutchinson firms, have their homes here. There is a meat packing establishment and the poultry and egg business is extensive and brings large returns. There are foundries, a straw board factory, canning factory, paint factory, creamery, blank book manufactory, machine shop, furniture factory and boiler works. The five Hutchinson banks have a combined capital of over $500,000, and they were among the few banks in the country which did not in some manner restrict cash payments during the panic of 1907.
The city is paved, lighted with electricity, has a good sewer system, waterworks, an efficient fire department and police force. The finest hotel between the great lakes and the Pacific coast, and the best retail stores between the 6th principal meridian and the Continental divide are located here. This is the seat of the state reformatory. Hutchinson has a live commercial club, which is continually inducing new factories and new commercial enterprises to locate there. The railroad facilities are greatly to their advantage, in these matters, and have been one of the principal factors in the growth of the city into an important commercial and manufacturing center. The main lines of both the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe pass through the city; the Missouri Pacific line from Ellsworth to Wichita runs through Hutchinson, and there are two additional lines of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, one running south and the other running west to Kinsley, where it meets the main line. The freight hauled from Hutchinson by the Santa Fe alone amounts to more tons per month than that of any town on the line, except Kansas City and the terminals. Hutchinson ranks sixth among all the towns on the road, terminals included. A state fair is held annually at Hutchin- son by a fair association owning large grounds and buildings. Exhibits of live stock and agricultural products come from all over Kansas and neighboring states.
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Aside from her money making interests Hutchinson has other valu- able assets, not the least of these being her large and beautiful shade trees, which money cannot buy and which time alone can produce. A Carnegie library, many fine churches, and the best of schools make the town attractive from an intellectual and religious standpoint. The population in 1910, according to the government census, was 16,364. It is rapidly increasing, as a great deal of labor is needed in the factories. In 1900 the population was but a little over 9,000.
The town was founded by C. C. Hutchinson in 1871. The first build- ing on the site was erected in the fall of that year and in early days was the stopping place for newcomers and travelers. It was also the grocery store, the meat market, and contained the real estate office of C. C. Hutchinson. In Aug., 1872, the. new town having sufficient pop- ulation, it was incorporated as a city of the third class. The first officers were: Mayor, Taylor Flick; police judge, J. B. Brown; councilmen, John McMurray, G. A. Brazee, E. Wilcox. R. C. Bailey and D. M. Lewis. The founder of the town and the city officers from the first tried to eliminate the selling of intoxicants in or about the town. In spite of this some of it was sold outside the limits, and as there was no county government at the time the offenders could not be molested by the city. However, they were arrested by the United States marshal. Among the first to open stores were W. Bailey, general store; T. F. Leidigh, grocery; Jordan & Bemis, general store; E. Wilcox, hard- ware and farm implements; J. S. Fay opened a hotel, and J. & C. McMurray, a livery stable. The year 1872 was an eventful one. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. was built past this point; the first bank was started by the founder of the town; the Hutchison News was founded on July 4, and the first school was taught by Miss Jennie Hodgson in a small frame building on Main street. Mr. Hutchinson was elected to the legislature, and through his efforts Hutchinson became the county seat.
Hymer, a hamlet of Chase county, is located on Diamond creek, in the township of the same name, and is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 13 miles northwest of Cottonwood Falls, the county seat. It has telegraph and express offices, and a money order postoffice. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 30.
I
Iatan Flag .- Early in 1861, before war had been declared, a Confed- erat flag was raised at latan, Mo., a small village about 12 miles above Leavenworth. Col. D. R. Anthony of Leavenworth, one day hap- pened to be a passenger on a boat that was carrying regular troops from Fort Leavenworth to St. Joseph, and when the boat tied up at the landing near Iatan, he and a companion decided to visit that village
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and make inquiries regarding the flag. They found the town loafing: place was a small grocery, at which place they made their inquiry. About a dozen men were in the store at the time, and one of them pointed to the flag that was folded and lying on the counter. "I'll take that with me," said Anthony, whereupon every individual in the store drew a revolver, and the colonel changed his mind. The story reached Leavenworth and the pro-slavery element had considerable fun out of the incident.
Shortly after the organization of the First Kansas infantry a few members of Companies A and I learned that the flag still defiantly floated, and also that a force of Confederate cavalry had been organ- ized and armed at the place. A spy was sent to Iatan to make investi- gations and upon his return reported that the flag pole had been erected within a few feet of the railroad track, that a company of "rangers" had been organized and was then encamped, 140 strong, within the town. On June 3, 1861, a portion of the First Kansas received arms, and a few of them resolved to lower the Iatan flag. The members of the proposed expedition, through the kindness of friends among the other companies, secured rifles enough to arm their crowd, together with a limited supply of ammunition. That night 17 men stole quietly out of camp and midnight found them hunting up and down the river for boats to enable them to cross. A small skiff capable of holding. 5 persons was found and the first load crossed. In the meantime another small boat had been found and pressed into service. When the first boat returned for the others, 5 men concluded to withdraw from the expedition, leaving but 12 to carry out the plans. The balance of the members were taken across the river, whereupon they started on a
long march for their destination, arriving at the outskirts of Iatan about daybreak. The spy originally sent to make investigations was- again delegated to make a reconnoissance, which he did, reporting that the flag would not be hoisted that day and that it was kept at the rear of a small store. Determining to have the flag at any cost, the party advanced on the town and when turning a corner within a hundred yards of the flag pole discovered that the stars and bars were being run up. The members of the expedition charged and surrounded the- flag pole just as the cord had been tied. A demand was made for the flag, which resulted in a little parleying, whereupon "Mell" Lewis, one of the expedition, whipped out a knife, cut the rope, and the flag fell at their feet. It was gathered up and a retreat ordered, when some one inside the store opened fire on them at a distance of less than 100 feet, three of the expedition being wounded by buckshot, two. of them quite severely. The retreat was much slower than was hoped for on account of the wounded men, but at last all were safely landed on the Kansas side with their trophy.
The men taking part in the capture of the flag were Frank H. Dren- ning, Thomas Merrick, Frank M. Tracy, G. Mellen Lewis, Fred Amerine .. William Smart and James Liddle, of the Elwood Guards, and Emil'
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Umfried, Theo. Kroll, Voeth, Richard Lander and Henry Laurenzier, of the Steuben Guards. The boys reached camp about dusk and intended to keep the matter quiet, but the story got out and was printed in the Leavenworth Conservative the next morning. This noted flag now reposes in the museum of the Kansas State Historical Society at Topeka.
Idana, a village in Clay county, is located in Five Creeks township on the Union Pacific R. R., 8 miles west of Clay Center, the county seat. It has about 25 business establishments, among which is a bank. There. is a telegraph office and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population in 1910 was 225.
Idell, a small hamlet in the western part of Crawford county, is 12 miles southwest of Girard, the county seat and most convenient rail- road station, from which point mail is delivered by rural carrier.
Idenbro, a station on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R. R. in 'Labette county, is located in Labette township, 5 miles southwest of Parsons and 15 miles northwest of Oswego, the county seat. It receives its mail from Parsons. The population in 1910 was 104.
Idylwild, a hamlet in Clay county, is located II miles north of Clay Center, the county seat and postoffice from which its mail is delivered by rural route. The population in 1910 was 15.
Igo, a hamlet in Rooks county, is located on Big Medicine creek, IO miles southeast of Stockton, the county seat, and 5 miles south of Woodston, the nearest shipping point and postoffice whence mail is distributed by rural route.
Imes, a village in the eastern part of Franklin county, is located on the Missouri Pacific R. R. 7 miles southeast of Ottawa, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice and is a shipping point for the rich agricultural district by which it is surrounded. In 1910 it had a population of 40.
Immigration .- The United States census of 1860 showed the popula- tion of Kansas to be 107,206. Early the following year the state was. admitted into the Union with a population of less than two persons. to the square mile. Almost immediately came the great Civil war, which for four years overshadowed everything else. The people and author- ities of Kansas felt the need of increasing the population with an intelli- gent and industrious citizenship for the development of the state's vast and varied resources. In his message to the legislature in Jan., 1864, Gov. Carney said :
"The subject of immigration is one which attracts the attention of the whole country. Near 200,000 of the young men of the republic sleep in the soldier's grave, or are disabled for life, and a million of kindred spirits are in the field. This drain upon the labor of the coun- try taxes it heavily, and will tax it still more, unless we supply it with alien labor. The president of the United States, in his annual message, foreseeing this result, urges upon Congress the policy of facilitating, by every means in its power, a rapid immigration, and the secretary
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of state, anxious to ward off its consequences, has sent a special agent to Europe to stimulate it. Every western state, acting upon this theory, has its bureau of immigration, or its agents abroad, laboring especially for their interests. . These are plain and simple facts ; but plain and simple as they are, none more important could be brought to your attention. You will weigh them and weigh them well, and after doing so, will determine which is the best course to pursue, or the wisest policy to adopt. Whether you will establish a bureau of foreign immigration, or send commissioners abroad or do both.
I am so convinced of the necessity of prompt, systematic and thorough action, that I would gladly cooperate with you in any practical measure you may adopt."
In response to this message, the legislature passed an act, which was approved by Gov. Carney on Feb. 26, 1864, "to establish a bureau of immigration and appoint agents therefor." By the provisions of the act the governor was authorized to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, two commissioners, who, with himself, should constitute the bureau of immigration. The bureau was given power to appoint one or more agents to visit Europe for the purpose of encouraging and directing immigration to the state; to make con- tracts with railroad and packet companies for the purpose of securing a low rate of fare to immigrants, and to perform such other duties as might be necessary to secure the ends aimed at in the act. The higher educational institutions of the state were directed to preserve a meteorological record and other scientific facts, which were to be forwarded to the bureau for publication. An appropriation of $5,000 was made to carry out these provisions, and the bureau was directed to try to effect the organization of county immigration societies to cooperate with it.
The Congress of 1864 passed an act organizing a national bureau of immigration in the department of agriculture. Agents were sent abroad or stationed at all the leading coast cities of the United States. In his message to the legislature in Jan., 1865, Gov. Crawford recom- mended that the law of 1864 "be so amended as to provide simply for a Kansas state agent in the city of New York, whose duty it should, in part, be to visit the principal cities of the Union, and make such arrangements with the railroad and steamboat companies as will lessen the rate of fare, and otherwise facilitate the passage of emigrants to Kansas."
The general assembly failed to adopt the governor's advice, and, in fact, no legislation supplementary to the act of 1864 was enacted until 1870. Immediately after the close of the Civil war there was a tide of immigration to Kansas, many of the newcomers being dis- charged soldiers seeking to establish homesteads in the West. In the spring of 1868 Rev. S. G. Larsen, a Swedish minister, visited Kansas with a view to locating some of his countrymen in the state. Adjt .- Gen. McAfee, in his report at the close of that year, said: "The great
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famine in Sweden has been causing tens of thousands to immigrate to this country; a great portion of them might, with proper effort, be secured to this state. Large purchases have already been made in Republic, Jewell, Cloud, Mitchell, Ottawa, Lincoln, Saline and McPher- son counties." (See Swedish Settlements.)
In his message to the legislature of 1869 Gov. Harvey complained that the general assembly had "persistently refused to appropriate any money to induce immigration, throwing the burden upon those public spirited citizens, who, together with the governors, have con- stituted the board of immigration." He recommended that the legis- lature "at least make provision for the compilation, publication and dissemination of a large number of pamphlets in the English, German and Scandinavian languages, showing the advantages and resources of the state," but again the legislature declined to make any appro- priation. The following year he again called attention to the subject and mentioned the fact that railroad companies, auxiliary organiza- tions and enterprising real estate firms were doing good work, while the state sat idly by and did nothing. Gov. Harvey joined with other governors in calling an immigration convention at Indianapolis, Ind., Nov. 23, 1870, and in 1871 he submitted a report of this convention to the legislature, which provided for the preparation and publication of some pamphlets. These were distributed by the governor.
In Aug., 1873, the Catholic Publication Society of New York issued a book on "Irish Emigration to the United States," which gave a good description of Kansas. About that time the military laws of Russia drove many of the inhabitants of that country to the United States. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad company had about 3,000,- 000 acres of land which it desired to dispose of to settlers. A. E. Touza- lin, general passenger agent and land commissioner of the company, and Carl B. Schmidt, immigration agent, succeeded in attracting some of these Russian immigrants to Kansas. Mr. Schmidt conducted a party of them to the vicinity of Great Bend and Larned, and A. Rodel- heimer, of the Kansas (now Union) Pacific, showed them lands in Rush, Ellsworth and Ellis counties. A large Russian settlement was planted in Ellis county.
The Centennial exposition at Philadelphia in 1876 was of great benefit in stimulating immigration to the state. In presenting this matter to the legislature of 1877, Gov. Anthony announced that letters of inquiry were coming in by scores and that colonies had already been located in various sections of the state. In Jan., 1878, a German immigration convention was held in Topeka, and the same year the "Kansas Hand Book" was issued by J. S. Boughton. The year 1878 witnessed the largest influx of settlers of any year in the history of the state up to that time. Concerning this tide of immigration the Atchison Champion said: "By every railroad train and along every highway leading to Kansas, immigrants are pouring into the state. It is an immense immigration that is now pouring into and over Kan-
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sas-the largest known for at least four years. And it is swelling in volume every week, and bids fair to continue for a year or more to come."
By 1880 the population of the state had reached almost to the million mark, and the subject of immigration dropped to a position of secondary importance. Since that time the railroad companies, land companies, commercial clubs and business men's associations have been somewhat active in advertising their respective localities, but the state has passed no additional laws for the promotion of immigration ..
Imperial, a country postoffice in Finney county, is located in Garfield township, 23 miles northeast of Garden City, the county seat, and 19 miles southwest of Dighton, Lane county, which is the nearest rail- road station. It has tri-weekly mail. The population in 1910 was 20.
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