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, Volume II > Part 20
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the State Historical Society .. Among these who became editors were R. G. Elliott, G. W. Brown, John A. Martin, John Speer, D. W. Wilder, T. D. Thacher, Sol. Miller, G. W. Martin, D. R. Anthony, M. M. Mitrock and Jacob Stotler. The foremost names among the journalists are: Richard J. Hinton, James Redpath, W. A. Phillips, A. D. Richard- son, J. H. Kaga, Nicholas Smith, T. H. Gladstone, Douglas Brewerton and T. H. Higginson.
Another newspaper correspondent, and one who achieved much dis- tinction through his proficient verse making, was Richard Realf, said to have been a relative of Lord Byron. In 1889 Richard J. Hinton pub- lished a collection of Realf's poems. The interest of eastern editors, literary men and song bards, promoted in Kansas further literary growth. Dr. William Herbert Carruth, in his bibliography of Kansas books, shows twenty-three numbers between 1854 and 1860. During these years a number of books were published under the auspices of the New England Emigrant Aid society. These books were descriptive of the territory and its advantages. One was "Kansas, Its Exterior and Interior Life," written by Mrs. Sara T. D. Robinson of Lawrence. The simplicity and directness of style characterize the book, making it the most notable of the period.
Between 1860 and 1870 the output of books decreased, there being issued ten less than in the preceding decade. The years of war and recuperation therefrom were not conducive to imaginative or poetical composition. However, one volume, both poetical and imaginative, "Osso, the Spectre 'Chieftain,'" an epic in eight cantos, was published by Evender C. Kennedy of Leavenworth in 1867. It is distinguished by being the first imaginative work produced in the state.
The flood of immigration during the years between the close of the Civil war and 1874, the "Grasshopper year," increased the development of towns, railroads and schools. The buoyancy and hopefulness of the people are expressed in the foundation of the Kansas Magazine in 1872, a literary journal of high merit. It is said to have used the Atlantic Monthly as its model, and to have fallen only a little short of its excel- lency. The first editor was Henry King, who possessed rare taste and the power to exercise it. His successor was James W. Steele. The shortage of suitable material made Mr. Steele's duties more difficult than those of Mr. King had been. He was often obliged to fill more than the space allotted to editorials, and this he did by stories written under the name of Deane Monahan, or some sketch written under his own name. The dearth of worthy composition brought an end to the Kansas Magazine, at the close of its second year. Among those who were introduced to the public through the columns of the Kansas Magazine are Rev. Charles Reynolds, Rev. James H. Defouri, Annie F. Burbank, D. L. Wyman, J. M. Roberts, M. H. Smallwood, Eurique Parmer, R. S. Eliot, Edward Schiller, Charles Robinson, Noble Prentis, M. W. Reynolds, Richard J. Hinton, John J. Ingalls and D. W. Wilder. Occasional contributions were received from well known writers outside
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the state, such as Walt Whitman and W. E. Channing. Those who wrote with highest literary merit were Mr. Ingalls and Mr. Steele. Mr. Ingalls gave up literature for politics, but his mastery of language made many regret that he did not devote his life to a literary career. His power of invective, his conception of beauty, his highly developed sense of humor and keen insight of character gave his orations pic- turesqueness, originality and magnificence. An appreciation of the beautiful and a skill with words necessarily made him a poet. After his death Mrs. Ingalls published his essays, addresses and orations, dedicating them to the people of Kansas. Mr. Steele, another Kansan of ability, wrote some very good stories, among them "The Sons of the Border," "Cuban Sketches," "Frontier Army Sketches," "To Mexico by Palace Car" and "Old California Days."
Only a few volumes were published in the late 'zos, the most impor- tant of which is the "Annals of Kansas," an invaluable chronicle of Kansas events by D. W. Wilder of Hiawatha. In 1878 Noble L. Prentis, who bears the reputation of humorist, produced "A Kansan Abroad," the first of his entertaining volumes. His later books are "Southern Letters," "Southwestern Letters," "History of Kansas" and "Kansas Miscellanies." The year 1885 witnessed the publication of Edgar W. Howe's "The Story of a Country Town," Eugene F. Ware's "Rhymes of Ironquill," Leverett W. Spring's "History of Kansas," and several other volumes of lesser value. "The Story of a Country Town," by Mr. Howe, as a realistic novel possesses more than local interest, and, while gloomy, has true literary merit. The effect of this book is attained by a direct truthfulness with which he portrays the conditions of a country town, and through his powerful descriptions and keen delineation of character. Mr. Howe (q. v.) was editor of the Atchison Globe from the date of its foundation to Jan., 19II. His pointed para- graphs, called "Globesights," were widely read and copied.
The poems of Mr. Ware are mostly lyrical in nature and often express an exuberant fancy, a quick sight for social and professional shams, a whimsical sympathy for the dumb patience of toil and a vigorous enthusiasm for the "strenuous life." "The Washerwoman's Song" is well known throughout the land. Mr. Spring's "Kansas: The Prelude to the War for the Union," in the American Commonwealth Series, is the first unprejudiced history of the state. It is a scholarly, dignified narrative from an unbiased point of view. Another book of this same year is "Annabel and Other Poems" by Ellen P. Allerton. Her "Walls of Corn" is the best known of the collection.
The period from 1885 to 1895 is a very prolific one in Kansas books, showing an accelerated interest in literary activity. Among the books are the first one from the pen of Col. Henry Inman "In The Van of Empire," Osmond's "Sulamith," Sheldon's "Robert Bruce," Cole's "The Auroraphone," Blackmar's "Spanish Institutions of the Southwest," Chittendon's "The Pleroma," Florence Kelly's "Francis," Mill's "The Sod House in Heaven," Woodward's "Old Wine in New Bottles,"
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Nina Morgan's "A Slumber Song," "Letters" by Charles F. Scott, George R. Peck's "The Nation and the Soldier, and other addresses," W. Peffer's "The Farmer's Side," Moody's "The Song of Kansas," and Cree's "Direct Legislation."
In 1891 "The Agora," a Kansas Magazine, appeared under the aus- pices of certain men of Salina and Abilene, chief among whom were Messrs. Dewey, Phillips, Chittenden and Bishop, with T. E. Dewey as editor. It had as contributors the best writers of the state, but financially was unsuccessful. Though a creditable magazine "The Agora" did not achieve at any time during its five years of publica- tion the excellent standard of the first Kansas Magazine. Albert Bige- low Paine of Fort Scott made frequent contributions to its columns. In 1893, with Mr. White, he published a volume of verse, entitled "Poems by Two Friends." He achieved later success by writing non- sense rhymes for children. His works are: "Garbiel," a poem; "The Mystery of Evelin Delorme; A Hypnotic Story," "The Dumpies," "The Hollow Tree" and "The Arkansaw Bear." Miss Florence Snow of Neosho Falls may be mentioned in connection with "The Agora." She issued a volume of sonnets, "The Lamp of Gold," in 1896.
It was not until many years later that another Kansas magazine was started. In 1908, however, a Kansas Magazine company was formed with Thomas Blodgett as president; William Allen White, vice- president, and F. M. Cole, secretary. The first number of this pub- lication came out in Jan., 1909.
The period from 1895 to 1910 produced the most brilliant work of native writers, Nearly every field of literature was invaded by Kan- sas men. In 1896 William Allen White of Emporia, in his paper, the Emporia Gazette, wrote an editorial entitled "What is the matter with Kansas." The week following he was famous and has remained so since through compositions of a more serious nature. "The Real Issue," a book of Kansas 'stories, was published that same year. "The Court of Boyville" came out in 1899 and met with immediate success. The people of whom he writes are Emporia people, Kansas people, humanity at large. His provincial friends are cosmopolitan. His greatest work is a novel entitled "A Certain Rich Man," published in 1909. The theme is a modern one in that it treats of a poor boy who reaches the pinnacles of wealth by a continued sacrifice of honor and friends. The moral note is held throughout the book, good conquering evil in the end. During the first eighteen months of publication 75,000 copies were sold.
Col. Henry Inman (q. v.) is best known as the author of "The Old Santa Fe Trail," which was published in 1897. The story is a thrilling narrative of that famous highway reaching from Independence, Mo., to Santa Fe, New Mex., which was a scene of frequent conflict between traders and Indians. Mr. Inman is said to have spent forty years on the plains and in the Rocky mountains, and was familiar with all the famous men, both white and red, whose lives have made the story of
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the trail. He has written a great deal about the adventures of the early days in the west. His tales are historically invaluable because they depict the customs of a highly colored life just past.
An author of wholly different type is the Rev. Charles M. Sheldon of Topeka, whose sermon stories are read throughout the world. A few years ago Mr. Sheldon adopted the method of giving his evening sermon in the form of fiction. These sermons later were put in book form and published, carrying a lesson of right living to those beyond his church doors. The value of his books is more ethical than literary. Among the books written are: "The Twentieth Door," "Robert Hardy's Seven Days," "Malcom Kirk," "One of the Two," "The Miracle of Markham," "His Brother's Keeper," "John King's Ques- tion Class," "The Redemption of Freetown" and "In His Steps," which is the one of largest circulation.
In "The Journey of a Jayhawker" is found an interesting collection of letters published by William Yost Morgan in 1905: These were writ- ten by Mr. Morgan for the Hutchinson Daily News, of which paper he is editor, during his sojourn in Europe. They are written in a happy humor and are more than the impressions of an ordinary tourist.
Dr. William Herbert Carruth of Lawrence has published a little volume of poems of unusual grace and merit. His "Each in his Own Tongue" is one of the best poems lately written. Mr. Carruth has an insight of beauty and a keenness of expression that marks all his poetical work. He does not follow literature as a profession, being the head of the German department in the University of Kansas, and the time not given to teaching has been employed in compiling text-books, making translations, and writing gems of literature.
Esther Clarke's poem, "The Call of Kansas," has received favorable comment from critics. She has published a volume entitled "Verses by a Commonplace Person." Margaret Hill McCarter, in her "Price of the Prairie," published in 1910, depicts the conflict of Indians and whites in early days of Kansas. It is a mild love story built up with good description of the plains before civilization. Mrs. McCarter also wrote "The Cottonwood's Story," "The Cuddy Baby," "The Peace of Solo- mon Valley," biography, text-books and miscellanies.
There are a number of Kansas men who have written books that can scarcely be classed as literature, yet are deserving of notice. A group of these books that are of interest to Kansans are those published by William Elsey Connelley of Topeka. His principal works are "The Life of John Brown," "Quantrill and his Border Wars," "Fifty Years in Kansas: a brief sketch of George Martin," "The Provisional Gov- ernment of Nebraska Territory," "The Journals of William Walker," "Overland Stage to California" and the "Memoirs of John J. Ingalls." Another group are those by Dr. Frank Wilson Blackmar on sociology, economics, and history. In his last book Mr. Blackmar departed from his usual subjects and wrote a biography, "The Life of Charles Robin- son," the first state governor of Kansas. It is a splendid portrait of
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Mr. Robinson and is written with the fine literary spirit that is shown in all his works. Among his other books are "Elements of Sociology," "Economics," "The Story of Human Progress" and "Spanish Coloniza- tion in the Southwest."
Among those men who have compiled text-books are Edgar H. S. Bailey, who wrote "A Laboratory Guide to the Study of Qualitative Analyses," and a text-book of "Sanitary and Applied Chemistry."
Herbert Spencer Carruth, previously mentioned, wrote "Woman's Suffrage in Kansas," made translations of Ekkehard by J. V. von Scheffel, William Tell by Schiller, and the Legends of Genesis by Her- mann Gunkel. He also edited Auswahl aus Luther's Deutschen Schriften, and Wallenstein.
Mr. Ephraim Miller has "A Treatise on Plane and Spherical Trig- onometry," published in 1891. Prof. Frank H. Hodder is author of "The Government of the People of the State of Kansas," and has a History of Oregon in press. Another Kansas work is L. L. Dyche's "Campfires of a Naturalist; the story of fourteen expeditions after North American Mammals," edited by Clarence E. Edwards. Samuel John Hunter is author of "Coccidae of Kansas." Lucius Elmer Sayre wrote "A Manual of Organic Materia Medica and Pharmacognosy," An introduction to the Study of the Vegetable Kingdom and the Vegetable and Animal Drugs. Dr. Arthur Tappan Walker is the author of Latin text-books entitled "Bellum Helveticum" and "Cæsar."
A book of agricultural industry is Foster Dwight Coburn's "The book of Alfalfa, its history, cultivation and merit," and Walter Mason of Emporia published a volume of prose poems in 1912. Prof. Boodin of the University of Kansas published a book on "Truth and Reality," which was published in 1911.
Little Arkansas River .- The starting point of this stream is not far from the town of Geneseo, Rice county. It flows in a southeasterly direction through the counties of Rice, McPherson, Reno, Harvey and Sedgwick, and empties into the Arkansas river at the city of Wichita. The origin of the name is unknown, but the stream was called as at present as early as 1825-27, when the Santa Fe trail was surveyed and the names of the streams thereon were given. The Osage Indians called the stream the "Ne-Shutsa-Shinka," the "Young, or Little Red Water." The river is about 80 miles in length, has high banks in many places, making it rather difficult to cross, and the flow is subject to sudden rises. On Du Pratz's map of Louisiana (1757) the course of the Arkansas is correctly given, and at the junction of the Big and Little Arkansas "a gold mine" is marked. This section was a favorite hunt- ing ground with the Indians, buffaloes and other game being very plenti- ful. In Oct., 1865, a treaty was made with the Indians on the east bank of this stream, in which William S. Harney, Kit Carson, John B. Sanborn, William W. Bent, Jesse H. Leavenworth, Thomas Murphy and James Steel represented the United States, while Black Kettle, Seven Bulls, Little Raven and others looked after the interests of the Indians.
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Little River, the third largest town in Rice county, and an incor- porated city of the third class, is located in Union township, on the Little Arkansas river and at the junction of two lines of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. It is 13 miles northeast of Lyons, the county seat, with which it is connected by rail. It is the business center for Union township, has 2 banks, a grain elevator, a weekly newspaper, known as the Monitor, telegraph and express offices, and an inter- national money order postoffice with two rural routes. The popula- tion, according to the census of 1910, was 661. The town was founded in 1880. The first store was built by Walker & Russ of McPherson. The first newspaper was published soon after the founding of the town and was called the Little River News. Valuable stone quarries exist in the vicinity.
Little Rock, a Cheyenne chief of some prominence during the years immediately following the Civil war, belonged to Black Kettle's band, which caused so much trouble on the western frontier in the latter '6os. He took part in the conference at Fort Larned, Kan., Aug. 16, 1868, and almost immediately afterward joined the hostiles of his tribe. When Black Kettle was killed in the battle on the Washita, Nov. 27, 1868, Little Rock assumed command and was soon afterward killed by a detachment of Custer's force under command of Maj. J. H. Elliott. His daughter, Mo-nah-se-tah, and two other squaws were carried as captives by Gen. Custer to assist in communicating with the Indians.
Live Stock .- Kansas was settled by tillers of the soil, who brought their little flocks and herds with them from the older states, and from the organization of the territory more or less attention has been given to stock raising. In the early days little thought was given to the improvement of the breeds, quality was sacrificed to quantity, the broad- horned Texas cattle being the principal species raised for market. In March, 1881, a writer in the Kansas Monthly, published at Lawrence, called attention to the advantages of Kansas as a stock-raising state as follows: "The State of Kansas has made satisfactory showing in all classes of live stock, but more particularly in cattle, sheep and swine." Then, after enumerating the advantages of climate, grazing ranges, etc., adds: "The local stock market here is so much better than Eastern people suppose, that it is well to mention it as a strong stimulus to business. Right here at the gateway to Kansas is Kansas City, already the second cattle and hog mart of the Great West. It has extensive stock yards, a magnificent stock exchange, and half a hun- dred stock commission merchants, whose representatives visit every stock ranch in Kansas, and pay full, round figures too, so near to Chicago prices that only the heavy dealers can afford to ship to that market."
There is little question that the establishment of the stock yards at Kansas City had much to do with stimulating the live stock industry in Kansas. At the time the above was written Kansas had been a state for twenty years. In 1880, the year before it was written, the value (IF-12)
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of live stock, including horses, mules, cattle, sheep and swine, in the state was $61,563,956. Ten years later it had increased to $113.533,342; in 1900 it was $143,457,753, and in 1910 it was $242,907,611, an increase of nearly 400 per cent. in thirty years. Not only did the live stock of the state thus increase in value; it also improved in quality. The old "scrub" stock of the pioneer and the range cattle of the early ranch- man gave way to better breeds, so that the value per head of animals increased during this period in even greater proportions than they did in numbers, when compared to the market prices at different dates.
The state has encouraged stock raising by favorable legislation. In 1884 Gov. Glick called a special session of the legislature to provide for some means of protection against the "foot and mouth disease." At that special session laws were passed providing for the establish- ment of a live stock sanitary commission, the appointment of a state veterinarian, and a quarantine against Texas cattle. '(See Glick's Ad- ministration.) A long act of 33 sections relating to live stock was approved by Gov. Hoch on March 4, 1905. This act authorized the appointment by the governor of a live stock commissioner-some one who had been actively engaged for not less than ten years in breed- ing and handling cattle-whose duty it should be to protect the health of domestic animals from contagious and infectious diseases by the establishment and maintenance of quarantines, and the killing of dis- eased animals when necessary to prevent the spread of the disease. The act authorized the commissioner to establish a patrol along the southern boundary of the state to supervise the movement of cattle, and to inspect all cattle before permitting them to cross the state line. A penalty of $50 to $1,000 fine, with imprisonment in a county jail for not less than thirty days nor more than one year, was provided for those bringing diseased cattle into the state.
In 1909 the legislature passed an act providing that city authorities might require dairymen to subject their milch cows to a test for tuber- culosis, and that milk offered for sale might be subjected to the tuber- culin test under the direction of the live stock sanitary commissioner. This power has been exercised in nearly all of the principal cities of the state, with the result that dairymen have usually selected their cows with great care, and this has indirectly been the means of improv- ing the grade of dairy stock. The same legislature (1909) appropriated $7,500 as a revolving fund in the Agricultural College to buy stock, feed and experiment in breeding, etc. The fund is called "revolving," because the college authorities are directed to turn all proceeds from the sale of stock back into the fund, thus making it perpetual. Through the operation of this law it is expected that, within a few years, the farmers and stock raisers of the state will derive much useful and scientific information regarding the breeding, care and feeding of domestic animals.
As the stock raisers of the state began to realize the advantages to be gained from improved breeds of animals breeders' and growers'
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associations were formed for the interchange of ideas. A great impetus was given to this line of procedure in the fall of 1897. On Nov. 16 of that year the Colorado Cattle Growers' association and the Denver Chamber of Commerce issued a call for a convention of stock raisers in that city on Jan. 25-27, 1898. Kansas sent 13 delegates to that convention, viz .: G. W. Melville, B. J. Ladd, Taylor Riddle, Joseph G. McCoy, George M. Kellam, J. W. Johnson, J. D. Robertson, Frank Weinshank, F. A. Lane, W. R. and C. H. Nunemacher, I. L. Dresin, all practical stock men. At the Denver convention the National Live Stock association was organized as a permanent institution, its mem- bership being made up of delegates from local and state associations. In 1905 there were nine such associations in Kansas, to-wit: The Im- proved Stock Breeders' association of Topeka; the Live Stock associa- tion of Cottonwood Falls ; the State Live Stock association of Emporia ; the State Cattlemen's association of Abilene : the Stock Growers' asso- ciation of Ashland; the Hodgeman County Cattle Growers' association
A CATTLE RANCH NEAR OBERLIN.
of Jetmore; the Southern Kansas and Oklahoma Breeders' associa- tion of Caldwell; the Southwest Kansas Cattle Growers' association of Dodge City ; and the Horse Breeders' association of Topeka. All these organizations are working systematically for the advancement of the live stock interests of the state, and visitors to the state fairs of Kan- sas in recent years can bear testimony as to the success of their efforts.
Lobdell, a country postoffice in Lane county, is located in Sutton township, about 20 miles southwest of Dighton, the county seat, and 13 miles from Grigsby, in Scott county, the nearest shipping point.
Lockport, a country postoffice in Haskell county, is located near the east line, 12 miles east of Santa Fe, the county seat, and 6 miles south of Colusa in Gray county, from which place its mail is distributed by rural route.
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Loco, a country postoffice in Seward county, is located about 17 miles northeast of Liberal, the county seat and nearest shipping point. It has mail tri-weekly.
Logan, a thriving incorporated city of the third class in Phillips county, is located in Logan township on the Missouri Pacific R. R. and the Solomon river 15 miles southwest of Phillipsburg, the county seat. It is lighted with electricity, and has waterworks, a sewer sys- tem, a fire department, an opera house, 2 banks, a newspaper (the Republican), telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with four rural routes. The population, according to the census of 1910 was 714. Logan was founded in 1870 and named for Senator Jolin A. Logan of Illinois. Very little growth was made during the first ten years. In 1878 a number of energetic men came in, and two years later the railroad was built, which gave things a new impetus. The postoffice was established in 1870. Logan was organized as a town in 1872, with A. B. Miller, trustee; and John Sears, clerk. It was organized as a city of the third class in 1880, with Charles H. Bridges, mayor; W. W. Gray, clerk; T. M. Bishop, Dr. Thomas, F. R. Hamilton, W. A. Johnson and Charles Smith, councilmen.
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