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 43
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The Kansas Freeman first appeared on July 4, 1855. It was pub- lished at Topeka by E. C. K. Garvey, who issued a daily evening edi- tion during the sittings of the Topeka constitutional convention. The Freeman expired in the spring of 1856. Another paper that began its existence in 1855 was the Southern Kansan, a Democratic sheet, the first number of which was issued at Fort Scott some time in August. It lived but a short time, and the proprietor's name seems to have been forgotten: The Territorial Register was also started at Leavenworth in 1855. It was published by Sevier & Delahay, the latter being the editor, and the first number was issued in March. Although a free-state paper with conservative tendencies, it succeeded in arousing the animosity of the pro-slavery element, and on the night of Dec. 22, 1855, the office was practically demolished by an organization called the "Kickapoo Rangers," the type, etc., being thrown into the Missouri river.
Several new papers were launched in the year 1856, the most im- portant ones being the Lecompton Union, the Leavenworth Journal and the Doniphan Constitutionalist. The Lecompton Union was found- ed in the spring by Jones & Faris, but the latter was soon succeeded by a man named Bennett. It suspended in 1861, when the outfit was removed to Marysville. The Leavenworth Journal was established about the same time as the Union by Col. S. S. Goode. It ran along under different proprietors until the early part of 1859, when the build-
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ing in which the office of publication was located fell in and inflicted such serious damage that after a few numbers were printed at the office of the Times the paper suspended. The Doniphan Constitutionalist was founded by Thomas J. Key, a Southerner, who conducted it until July, 1858, when it was forced by circumstances to suspend. The out- fit was removed to lowa Point and used in publishing a paper called the Enquirer for a short time. Mr. Key then returned to the South and the Enquirer passed out of existence. All these papers were some- what aggressive in their advocacy of slavery, and the growing sentiment in favor of making Kansas a free state was no doubt largely responsi- ble for their discontinuance.
That the free-state sentiment was increasing at this time is evidenced by the newspapers founded during the year 1857. Out of a dozen new publications established in that year, eight were open and avowed sup- porters of the free-state cause, two others showed leanings that way, one professed neutrality, and only one was an advocate of the pro-slavery ideas. The Leavenworth Times first appeared on March 7, 1857. It was one of the free-state papers, published by a stock company with Robert Crozier, afterward chief justice of the Kansas supreme court, as editor. The first daily Times was issued on Feb. 15, 1858. During the next ten years it was edited by various persons, and in Sept., 1868, it was consoli- dated with the Conservative, which was first published in Jan., 1861, and for a time was published under the name of the Times and Conservative. Then the latter part of the name was dropped and the paper has since been issued as the Times.
In April, 1857, Babb & Walden began the publication of a free-state paper at Quindaro called the Chindowan. After running it about a year the publishers were forced to suspend, but the paper was later revised and published for a time by the Quindaro board of trade, of which Alfred Gray was president.
The Wyandotte Democrat began its existence in May, 1857, with J. A. Berry's name at the head of the editorial columns. It was the only paper started in Kansas in this year that espoused the cause of slavery. After running a while at Wwandotte the outfit was removed to Pleas- anton in Linn county.
M. W. Delahay, one of the founders of the Register at Leavenworth in 1855, established the Wyandotte Reporter in the spring of 1857, but before the close of the year sold the plant to S. D. McDonald.
On May 28, 1857, the Lawrence Republican first appeared, with Nor- man Allen as proprietor and T. D. Thacher as editor. In the summer of the following year three of the Thachers bought out Mr. Allen, and in Dec., 1860, the paper was sold to John Speer, who on Sept. 4, 1862, sold it back to T. D. Thacher. The office of the Republican was destroyed by Quantrill and his gang of guerrillas on Aug. 21, 1863, but the paper was promptly reestablished by Mr. Thacher, who continued to publish it until March 4, 1869, when it was consolidated with the State Journal and the Ottawa Home Journal. After this arrangement the daily edition was
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called the Republican Daily Journal and the weekly the Western Home Journal. Under various owners and managers the paper continued until in 1876, when the Lawrence Journal company was organized and took over the plant.
In the latter part of May, 1857, Sol. Miller began the publication of a free-state paper called the Chief at White Cloud, Doniphan county. On July 4, 1872, the office of publication was removed to Troy, where it was conducted by Mr. Miller until his death, the paper at that being the old- est in Kansas under one continuous management. The Chief is still running (19II).
Two other papers were started in Doniphan county in 1857, viz: the Era at Geary City, and the Elwood Advertiser. The former was estab- lished in June ; was free-state in its political sentiments, and was edited by Dr. E. H. Grant, Joseph Thompson and Earl Marble. The Era passed out of existence in the fall of 1858. The Advertiser was started in July by Fairman & Newman. It was neutral in political matters, owing to the difference of opinion on the part of the publishers, Fairman being a free-state man and Newman a pro-slavery advocate. A few months later the firm was succeeded by a company and Edward Russell was installed as editor. It evidently had a struggle for existence, as it changed hands several times during the next year, and in the winter of 1858-59 it was succeeded by a paper called the Free Press, published by Robert and Frank Tracy. The political policy was changed to an espousal of Republican doctrines, the editors being D. W. Wilder and A. L. Lee. The Free Press suspended in the fall of the year 1861, and the materials were purchased in the spring of 1864 by John T. Snoddy for the publication of the Border Sentinel at Mound City, Linn county.
On June 25, 1857, appeared the first number of the Freeman's Cham- pion, which was published at Prairie City by S. S. Prouty, the initial edi- tion being printed in a tent erected by some women for the purpose. The type used by Mr. Prouty in this enterprise was that formerly employed in publishing the Herald of Freedom and the press was the one brought to Kansas in 1833 by Mr. Meeker. After eleven issues the paper suspended for about three months, when it was revived by Mr. Prouty and O. P. Willett and published until Sept., 1858, when it again suspended never to be resuscitated.
In July, 1857, Dr. Carl F. Kob began the publication of the Kansas Zeitung at Atchison. This was the first German paper in Kansas. It was issued weekly by Dr. Kob until about the beginning of 1859, when he sold it to a man named Soussman (or Sussman), who removed it to Leavenworth. In March, 1868, it was consolidated with the Journal and continued under the name of the Kansas Staats Zeitung. The Journal had been started by Soussman & Kempf in March, 1865. Sub- sequently the Staats Zeitung was merged into the Freie Presse, which had been established by John M. Haberlein on April 1. 1869.
Late in the year 1857 the Wyandotte Citizen was started by Ephraim Abbott. It was succeeded by the Western Argus, which in turn was
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absorbed by the Wyandotte Gazette, which was established by S. D. McDonald in Aug., 1858. Another paper founded in the latter part of 1857 was the Young America, which was established by George W. McLane at Leavenworth. It was an independent journal, but inclined to support the free-state cause. Later the name was changed to the Daily Ledger and Ward Burlingame was employed as an editorial writer. The Ledger suspended in July, 1859.
Among the papers founded in the year 1858, probably the most impor- tant were the Wyandotte Gazette mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the Crusader of Freedom, the National Democrat and the Junction City Sentinel. The National Democrat began its career at Lecompton on Feb. 23, under the editorial management of S. W. Driggs, who was also the proprietor. The leading editorials were written by the territorial officials, Govs. Walker, Medary, Stanton and Walsh all contributing to its columns. In Oct., 1860, it was removed to Atchison, and on June 20, 1861, the name was changed to the Atchison Bulletin. Early the fol- lowing year it went out of business and the materials were subsequently used to publish the Leavenworth Inquirer. The Crusader of Freedom was started early in the year at Doniphan by James Redpath. It was a pronounced Abolitionist sheet and was the personal organ of Gen. James H. Lane, eloquently pressing his claims for the presidency. In a short time, however, a quarrel arose between Lane and Redpath and the pub- lication of the Crusader was discontinued after one number had been devoted almost exclusively to a bitter denunciation of Lane for his ingratitude, etc.
The leading papers founded in 1859 were the Western Kansas Express, the Kansas Press, the Kansas State Record and the Kansas Tribune. The Western Kansas Express, the first paper published in Riley county, was founded by C. F. DeVivaldi, the first number being issued on May 4, 1859. The press and type were taken up the Kansas river on a steam- boat. In 1860 the name was changed to the Manhattan Express. On May 30, 1859, S. N. Wood issued the first number of the Kansas Press at Cottonwood Falls, but later in the year removed to Council Grove. Later the name was changed to the Council Grove Press. On Oct. I, 1859, E. G. and W. W. Ross began the publication of the Kansas State Record. After various changes in ownership it was finally absorbed by the Topeka Commonwealth. The Kansas Tribune was established at Quindaro in the fall of the year by Francis & Davis, the materials of the old Chindowan being used in publishing the paper. In 1861 the office was removed to Olathe.
Other papers established during the territorial days were the Southern Kansas Herald at Osawatomie in the winter of 1856-57; the Palmetto Kansan at Marysville in Dec., 1857; the Kansas Leader at Centropolis, Franklin county, in the fall of 1865; the Linn County Herald at Mound City in April, 1859; the Grasshopper in Jefferson county in the spring of 1858; the Cricket at Holton in the fall of 1858; the Troy Democrat and the Palermo Leader in 1858; the Ottumwa Journal in the fall of 1857; the Olathe Herald and the Neosho Valley Register in Sept., 1859.
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During the years from 1854 to 1860 more history was made in Kansas than was ever made in any state in the same length of time. Conse- quently the territory offered a promising field to the adventurous and enterprising journalist. Among the early local editors were such men as John Speer, T. D. Thacher, George W. Brown, R. G. Elliott, Sol. Miller, D. W. Wilder, D. R. Anthony, John J. Ingalls, Ward Burlingame and Albert H. Horton-men of ability, courage and resourcefulness-to whom much of the credit is due for making Kansas a free state. Jour- nalism was not confined to local talent during these early days. A num- ber of metropolitan newspapers kept correspondents in Kansas con- stantly on the lookout for news "from the seat of war." Among these correspondents were William A. Phillips, Richard J. Hinton, James M. Winchell, James Redpath, Albert Richardson, A. D. Brewerton, Richard Realf and James F. Tappan, whose names are inseparably connected with the newspaper history of "Bleeding Kansas."
With the admission of Kansas to statehood, journalism took on a dif- ferent tone. The question of slavery that had so long agitated the ter- ritory was settled by the Wyandotte constitution and new issues arose for discussion in the public press. In a short time the war of secession overshadowed all other subjects. Practically every paper published in Kansas took a firm stand for the preservation of the Union and a vig- orous prosecution of the war.
The development of the press in a state is an index to the growth of the state's industries and institutions. During the decade following the admission of Kansas a large number of newspapers sprang up in different parts of the state, most of them in the last half of the decade, after the close of the Civil war. The following list of newspapers estab- lished during this period may not be absolutely correct, but it is approx- imately so, and gives some idea of the progress of Kansas in the first ten years of her statehood.
1861-Leavenworth Conservative, Olathe Mirror, Smoky Hill and Republican Union (now Junction City Union), Kansas Frontier at Junction City, Brown County Union, Paola Chief.
1862-Bourbon County Monitor, Doniphan County Patriot, Leaven- worth Evening Bulletin. In 1871 the last named was consolidated with the Leavenworth Times.
1863-Manhattan Independent, Nemaha Courier, Osage County Chronicle. The Kansas Farmer, the first agricultural paper in the state, was also established in 1863 by L. D. Bailey, president of the state agricultural society. It is still running, the publication office being at Topeka.
1864-Union Sentinel at Hiawatha, Marysville Enterprise, Humboldt Herald, Troy Investigator, Kansas Patriot at Burlington, Baldwin City Observer, Kansas News Journal at Minneola, Home Circle at Baldwin, Young America at Baldwin, and the Hampden Expositor.
1865-Garnett Plaindealer, Kansas New Era at Lecompton, Topeka Leader (afterward consolidated with the Commonwealth), Kansas Journal at Leavenworth.
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1866-North Lawrence Courier (name changed to Kaw Valley Courier), Die Fackel (The Torch), at Wyandotte, Leavenworth Com- mercial, Humboldt Union, Fort Scott Press, Miami Republican, Chase County Banner, Paola Advertiser.
1867-Atchison Patriot, Baxter Springs Herald, Jackson County News, Pottawatomie Gazette at Louisville, Railway Advance at Hays City, Kansas Family Visitor at Baldwin, Kansas Central at Olathe, Salina Herald, Allen County Courant, Leavenworth Medical Herald.
1868-Anderson County Expositor, Cherokee Sentinel at Baxter Springs, Ellsworth Advocate, Eureka Herald, Jacksonville Eagle, Oswego Register, Leavenworth Evening Call, Lawrence Freie Presse, Junction City Avalanche, Jackson County Democrat, Neosho Valley Eagle at Jacksonville, Osage Mission Journal at the Osage mission in Neosho county.
1869-Independence Pioneer, Council Grove Advertiser, Seneca Mer- cury, Fort Scott Evening Post, Girard Press, People's Vindicator at Girard, Ottawa Herald, Wamego Courier, Wabaunsee County Herald, Frontier Democrat in Woodson county, and the Workingmen's Journal at Columbus.
1870-This was the banner year of the decade in the number of new publications founded, to-wit: Abilene Chronicle, Altoona Union, Augusta Crescent, Belleville Telescope, Council Grove Democrat, Cow- ley County Censor, Elk Falls Examiner, Fontana Gazette, Fort Scott Democrat, Fort Scott Telegram, Guilford Citizen, Hiawatha Dispatch, Howard County Ledger, Kansas Democrat at Independence, Kansas Reporter at Louisville, La Cygne Journal, Lawrence Standard, Neo- desha Enterprise, New Chicago Transcript, Olathe News Letter, Osage County Observer, Parker Record, Perryville Times, Republican Valley Empire at Clyde, Seneca Independent Press, Solomon Valley Pioneer at Lindsay, Southern Kansas Statesman at Humboldt, Spring Hill Enter- prise, Topeka Independent, Vidette at Wichita, Walnut Valley Times at Eldorado, Waterville Telegraph, Western News at Detroit, Westralia Vidette, Wilson County Courier.
Some of the above newspapers have passed out of existence, and others have been absorbed by or consolidated with other publications. An instance of this character is seen in the case of the Topeka Common- wealth which was started in May, 1869 by S. S. Prouty and J. B. Davis. It absorbed the Topeka Leader and Daily State Record, and was in turn merged with the Topeka Capital which was founded in April, 1879, by Hudson & Ewing. Another example is that of the old Topeka Blade, an evening independent paper which began its existence on Aug. I, 1873, with J. C. Swayze as editor and proprietor. Mr. Swayze was killed in a street fight by J. W. Wilson, a son of V. P. Wilson, pub- lisher of the North Topeka Times, and Mrs. Swayze sold the Blade to George W. Reed. The last issue of the Blade was on Sept. 30, 1879, and the next day it appeared as the Daily Kansas State Journal, Reed & Sewell publishers. This was the beginning of the present Topeka State Journal.
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If one were asked to name the 25 leading newspapers of Kansas in IgII he would probably select the following: Atchison Globe, Atchison Champion, Beloit Gazette, Coffeyville Journal, Emporia Gazette, Fort Scott Monitor, Girard Press, Iola Register, Junction City Union, Law- rence Journal, Leavenworth Times, Manhattan Nationalist, Marshall County News, Olathe Mirror, Ottawa Republic, Topeka Capital, Topeka State Journal, Troy Chief, Waterville Telegraph, Wichita Beacon, Wich- ita Eagle, Wilson County Citizen, Winfield Courier, Wyandotte Gazette. (See sketches of the various counties for local newspapers.)
In addition to the general newspapers of the state, there are a number of publications devoted to literature, the professions and occupations, education, trade and commerce, manufactures, fraternal societies, reli- gious and charitable work, etc.
Newton, the judicial seat and largest town in Harvey county, and one of the thriving cities of central Kansas, is located 30 miles north of Wichita and 33 miles east of Hutchinson. It is the division point of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., and the pay roll of the employees at this point amounts to about $85,000 per month. It is also a station on the Missouri Pacific. The abundance of natural gas has made Newton a manufacturing town. It has a grain drill factory, an alfalfa mill, a wagon works, a threshing machine factory, cornice works, and a num- ber of small plants devoted to various productions. In addition to the public schools, which are second to none in the state, Newton has two colleges, Bethel College (Mennonite) and the Evangelical Lutheran (Congregational). The business interests include 4 banks, a daily news- paper (the Evening Journal), three weeklies (the Journal, the Kansas Republican, and the Post), and the Volksblatt (German), a building and loan association, a creamery, 3 flour mills with a capacity of 1,200 bar- rels daily, 3 large elevators, and a number of well appointed stores. Among the metropolitan conveniences are two parks, a hospital, city mail boxes, telephone local and long distance service, a Carnegie library, 24 daily passenger trains, waterworks, an efficient sewer system, electric light plant, an ice plant with a daily capacity of 60 tons, all the leading fraternal organizations, 17 churches and a government building. The city is well supplied with express offices and telegraphic communi- cations, and has an international money order postoffice with seven rural routes. The population according to the census of 1910 was 7,862.
The first building to occupy the town site of Newton was brought from Darlington township in March, 1870. Ten years later a thriving little city of the second class, with handsome brick blocks, fine resi- dences, churches, schools and newspapers had grown up. This pros- perity was largely brought about by the completion of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. in 1871, making Newton the shipping point for the immense herds of Texas cattle, which hitherto had been driven to Abilene. The cattle trade while it brought a great deal of wealth to the town had its disadvantages. A rough element held sway during this time, and social amusements were devised for the "cowboy trade" that
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were a disgrace to any community. Every person went armed, liquor was plentiful, many quarrels were engaged in, and some shooting was done, although the number of people killed in these border towns have been always exaggerated. In the two years of "cowboy reign" there were but 12 men killed in Newton. In 1873, the railroad having been extended to Dodge City and Wichita, the cattle trade moved to these points, leav- ing Newton free from this undersirable element. For a time business was dull as a result of the loss and this state of affairs was augmented by a disastrous fire which swept out the best part of the business section. However, in 1875 the town recovered from both and began a new and steady development.
Prior to 1872, Newton was without government in any form. In Feb- uary of that year it was incorporated as a city of the third class, and at the election held on April 1, the following officers were chosen: Mayor, James Gregory ; police judge, M. J. Hennessey ; councilmen, E. Cham- berlain, D. Hamill; Isaac Thayer, B. C. Arnott, John Winram. The city council appointed R. B. Lynch, clerk; G. Chamberlain, treasurer ; D. Skelley, attorney; W. Brooks, marshal; Charles Bowman, assistant marshal. In 1880 the governor proclaimed Newton a city of the second class, and it was divided into three wards.
The postoffice was established in 1871 with W. A. Russell postmaster. It was made a money order office in 1874. Newton owns and operates its own water system, which furnishes an abundance of water of supe- rior quality.
New Ulysses, the county seat of Grant county, is located just west of the center, 20 miles south of Hartland in Kearny county, the nearest shipping point. It has a bank, a newspaper (the Grant County Republi- can), a hotel, a number of well stocked mercantile establishments, and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population in 1910 was 175. Ulysses was founded in the 'Sos before the organization of the county in 1887, and was located in the geographical center. The foun- ders had a furrow plowed to Meade, 50 miles away, and had mile posts set up announcing the number of miles to Ulysses, and added "water 40 feet." This brought everybody who read it to the town, as water was scarce. They soon had a town of 1,500 inhabitants, with 15 stores, 6 saloons, 3 banks, 3 large hotels, 3 livery barns, several restaurants, 2 newspapers and an abundance of real estate offices. This population later dwindled to 40. In 1909 the town site was moved to its present location. (See Grant County). This town appears on the railroad maps as "Ulysses," but the U. S. postoffice guide gives the name "New Ulysses."
Niagara, a country postoffice in Stevens county, is located in Voor- hees township, 12 miles from Hugoton, the county seat, and about 20 miles from Hooker, Okla., the nearest shipping point. The population in 1910 was 15.
Nickel, a small hamlet of Kiowa county, is located about 5 miles from the southwest corner on a tributary of Bluff creek, 13 miles from Greens-
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burg, the county seat, and 10 miles south of Mullinville, the nearest railroad station and the postoffice from which mail is delivered by rural route.
Nickerson, the second largest town in Reno county, is located on the Arkansas river, and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Missouri Pacific railroads, 12 miles northwest of Hutchinson, the county seat. This is the location of Nickerson College and of the Reno county high school, which was established by act of the legislature in 1899. There are 2 banks, an opera house, mills and elevators, a weekly newspaper (the Argosy), and all the general lines of retail establishments. The town is supplied with telegraph and express offices and has an inter- national money order postoffice with two rural routes. The city is divided into three wards and according to the census of 1910 had 1, 195 inhabitants.
Nickerson was founded by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad company. The depot was built in 1872 and the station was named in honor of Thomas Nickerson, who was at that time president of the company. A section house was built the same year. In 1875 a school house was erected. It was not until Aug., 1875, that anyone came to live on the town site. At that time Dr. L. A. Reeves built a two-story structure and opened a store. These buildings comprised "old Nick- erson." In 1878 a new town site was laid off on land owned and up to this time farmed by Mr. Sears. Building began at once and within 60 days after the town was surveyed it had two hotels, a dozen stores, 2 livery stables, 2 lumber yards, and a printing office. The first building was a drug store put up by M. McCormick. The hotels were built by James DeVitt and A. L. Harlow. The postoffice was established in 1873 with Mrs. M. Sears as postmistress, and was kept in a little sod house. Later Dr. Reeves was postmaster and kept the office in his store, which he moved to the new town in 1878. The money order system was estab- lished in 1880. The first school was taught in 1874 by Mary Kinney. The Nickerson Argosy was established in 1878 by Sargent & Brown. A wooden bridge was completed across the Arkansas at this place in 1879. Lodges, churches and other organizations were established at different times during the '70s, until by 1880 all the leading ones were represented. The town was organized as a city of the third class in June, 1879. The first set of city officials were: Mayor, Dr. L. A. Reeves; council, M. McCormick, C. S. Morse, J. O. Smith, H. R. Nickerson ; police judge, O. O. Olmstead ; treasurer, C. E. Heath ; clerk, A. H. Jackson ; marshal, J. D. Reed.
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