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 6
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Section 31 fixed the temporary seat of government at Leavenworth, the permanent seat of government to be established by act of the legis- lature.
Section 32 contained the features of the bill that caused all the trouble. In addition to providing for the election of a delegate to Congress, it contained the provision for the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, to-wit: "That the constitution and all laws of the United States which are not locally inapplicable, shall have the same force and effect within the said Territory of Kansas as elsewhere within the United States, except the eighth section of the act preparatory to the admission of
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Missouri into the Union, approved March 6, 1820, which being incon- sistent with the principle of non-intervention by Congress with slavery in the states and territories as recognized by the legislature of 1850, commonly called the compromise measures, is hereby declared inopera- tive and void; it being the true intent and meaning of this act not to legislate slavery into any territory or state, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the constitution of the United States. Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive or put in force any law or regulation which may have existed prior to the act of the 6th of March, 1820, either protecting, establishing, prohibiting or abolishing slavery."
The remaining five sections of the bill related to matters of minor detail. Section 33 appropriated money for the erection of public build- ings and the establishment of a library ; section 34 set apart two sections of land (16 and 36) in each Congressional township for the benefit of the public schools; section 35 provided that the governor should divide the territory into judicial districts, which should be recognized until the legislature should change them; section 36 provided that officers ap- pointed by the governor should give bond; and section 37 stipulated that all laws and treaties with the Indians in the territory should "be faithfully and rigidly observed."
In section 32 the slave power overreached itself. Under the influence of the Congressmen from the slave states the Missouri Compromise had become a law in 1820. Thirty-four years later, when the law stood in the way of the extension of slavery, the same influence was brought into requisition to secure its defeat. This had the effect of crystallizing the sentiment in opposition to slavery, with the result that the institution was finally abolished after one of the most sanguinary wars in the world's history. During the debate on the bill in the United States senate, the situation was well summed up by Charles Sumner, of Massachusetts, when, as though endowed with the spirit of prophecy, he said :
"Sir, the bill which you are now about to pass is at once the worst and the best bill on which Congress ever acted. It is the worst bill as it is a present victory of slavery. In a Christian land, and in an age of civilization, a time-honored statute of freedom is struck down, opening the way to all the countless woes and wrongs of human bondage. It is the best bill on which Congress ever acted, for it pre- pares the way for that 'All hail hereafter,' when slavery must disappear. It annuls all past compromises with slavery, and makes all future com- promises impossible. Thus it puts freedom and slavery face to face and bids them grapple. Who can doubt the result? Everywhere within the sphere of Congress, the great Northern Hammer will descend to smite the wrong, and the irrestistible cry will break forth, 'No more slave states!' Thus, sir, now standing at the very grave of freedom in Kansas and Nebraska, I find assurances in that happy resurrection, by which freedom will be secured hereafter, not only in these territories,
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but everywhere under the national government. Sorrowfully I bend before the wrong you are about to perpetrate. Joyfully I wel- come all the promises of the future."
Kansas Orphan Asylum, first known as the Leavenworth Protestant Orphan Asylum and Home for Friendless Children, was organized and incorporated in 1866, as a private charitable institution for the county and city of Leavenworth. It was located on a tract of 5 acres of land on south Broadway about a mile from the city. The cost of the land and first building was $4,000, all obtained by private subscriptions and donations. At first the asylum had only the right to receive and dis- pose of children under the apprentice law, and many applications were made by people desiring to adopt children. On Feb. 2, 1867, the legis- lature passed an act authorizing the asylum "to receive and retain orphans, destitute and friendless children, and provide the same with homes for such time, not exceeding their majority, and upon such terms as the board of directors may determine."
The institution grew so rapidly that in 1871 the state was asked to make an appropriation for its support, and $2,500 was granted the asylum by the legislature of that year. This amount was not enough, however, for the erection of new buildings and the money was placed on interest until a larger fund could be raised. As the necessity for more room became imperative, the board of trustees asked for and received an appropriation of $7,000 in 1874. This, with the previous $2,500, was used for the erection of a new building. The act of 1874 pro- vided that the name be changed to the Kansas Orphan Asylum, and that children from all the counties of the state should be admitted. Since then frequent appropriations have been made by the legislature to further the work of the asylum.
In 1877 the board of trustees was empowered to organize auxiliary societies throughout the state. The object of the asylum is to provide a home for orphan and friendless children. It seeks to protect the help- less who have no natural protectors.
Kansas River .- This stream derives its name from the Kanza or Kaw tribe of Indians, which lived on its banks from time immemorial. The river has been given various names by map makers and explorers, such as Riviere des Cans, des Kances, des Quans, Kanza, Konza, Kan- zan, Kanzas, etc. One of the earliest references to the stream was by Antonio de Herraray Tordesillas, historiographer to the King of Spain. Marquette mentions the Kanza in 1673. A map of the British and French settlements in North America, published in 1758, gives the stream as the "Padoucas river." The Kansas river is formed by the junction of the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers at Junction City and flows in a general easterly direction through Geary and Riley counties, forms the boundary between Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties, crosses Shawnee, forms the boundary between Jefferson and Douglas, and of Wyandotte and Johnson counties in part, and empties into the Missouri river at Kansas City. From Junction City to the mouth is about 240 miles.
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Among the early accounts of the river there is much fiction. Bracken- ridge in his journal (1811) says: "The patron of our boat informs me that he has ascended it upwards of 900 miles, with a tolerable naviga- tion." Morse's Gazetteer (1823) says the "Kansas river rises in the plains between the Platte and the Arkansas and joins the Mis- souri in latitude 39° 5' north, 340 miles from its mouth. It is navigable 900 miles." In 1820 S. H. Long's expedition ascended the river about a mile in a boat, experiencing considerable difficulty in getting over a deposit of mud left at the mouth by a recent flood in the Missouri. Maj. Long says: "Tlie Gasconade, Osage and Konzas rivers are navigable in the spring season, but their navigation seldom extends far inland from their mouths, being obstructed by shoals or rapids. . . . The Kon- zas is navigable only in high freshets for boats of burden, and on such occasions not more than 150 or 200 miles, the navigation being obstructed by shoals." In the travels of Maximilian, in the early '3os he says : "The steamboat has navigated the Kanzas about 7 miles upward to a trading post of the American Fur company, which is now under the direction of a brother of Mr. P. Chouteau." During the period of early overland travel to the far west much emigration went up the valley of the Kansas river, travelers bound for Oregon, Utah and California cross- ing the river at Topeka at Papan's Ferry, or following father up stream and crossing at Uniontown over a rock bottom ford. Another ford was located near Fort Riley, and considerable travel went by that way.
Prior to the opening of the territory the river was practically un- known as an artery of commerce. The keel boats and pirogues of the early trappers and hunters, laden with supplies for the camp or return- ing to civilization laden with peltries and other trophies, or the canoes and bull boats of the Indians were practically the only craft to disturb these waters. Shortly after the signing of the Kansas-Nebraska bill the first great influx of settlers arrived by way of the Missouri river in steamboats, landing at Westport, Mo., or going up the river a short dis- tance to Fort Leavenworth, near which was soon to spring up the embryo metropolis of the territory. As other free state towns in the interior were started some more rapid means of getting inland was needed and an enterprising river man, Capt. Chas. K. Baker, anticipated the opportunity by the purchase of the steamer Excel for the Kansas river traffic. (See Early River Commerce.)
While the subject of navigation was a live one, the Kansas legislature of 1857 passed "An act to encourage the navigation of the Kansas river." Section I provided that Powell P. Clayton, P. Z. Taylor, Jesse P. Downer, George F. Hill, B. F. Simmons, John W. Johnson, D. W. McCormick, R. R. Rees and others, their successors and assigns, be and are created a body politic and corporate by the name and style of the Kansas River Navigation company. Section 2 set forth that the pur- pose of the charter was for the purpose of employing one or more steam- boats to navigate the Kansas river and its tributaries, for the conveyance of passengers, towing boats, vessels or rafts, and the transportation of
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merchandise or other articles. Section 3 provided that the capital stock should not exceed $350,000. The same legislature passed an act to incorporate the Kansas River Navigation company. Section I provided that William F. Dyer, C. A. Perry, F. J. Marshall, P. M. Hodges, M. L. Young, J. C. Thompson, Samuel J. Jones, D. A. N. Grover, A. H. McDonald, and those who may be associated with them, their succes- sors and assigns, be and are created a body politic and corporate by the name and style of the Kansas River Navigation company, with the powers and privileges granted to corporate bodies. Sections 2 and 3 were substantially the same as the original act to encourage navigation. Both laws were approved by the governor on Feb. 17.
In 1864 the railroads secured the passage of an act by the legislature declaring the Kansas, Republican, Smoky Hill, Solomon and Big Blue rivers not navigable and authorizing the bridging of the same. This was intended to remove any competition that might develop if the rivers of the state were left open for free navigation.
In carrying out a provision of Congress requiring an examination of the Kansas river with a view of its being kept navigable, J. D. Mckown, of the United States engineer corps, submitted a report on Jan. 8, 1879, of an investigation made by him of the river between Junction City and the mouth, with the recommendation that an appropriation of $450,000 be made for the purpose of contracting the width of the channel, for the protection of the banks and removal of snags, but no action was taken by Congress on that report. In 1886 the Kansas legislature again resur- rected the matter and passed the following concurrent resolution :
"Whereas, Congress in 1878 passed an act requiring the examination of the Kansas river with a view to its being kept navigable; and
"Whereas, In accordance with said act the secretary of war did, on Feb. 14, 1879, transmit to Congress the report of Maj. G. R. Suter, corps of engineers, which report was referred on Feb. 15, 1879, to the commit- tee on commerce, where it has since lain without further action, though in said report the recommendations were made to have said river de- clared a navigable stream, and that an appropriation of $480,000 be made to remove certain impediments; now, therefore, be it
"Resolved, That our senators and representatives in Congress are earnestly instructed and requested to use their best efforts to secure the proper legislation for the carrying out of the objects of this resolution.
"Resolved, That upon the passage of the foregoing resolutions, the secretary of state be instructed to transmit to each member of the U. S. senate and house of representatives from the State of Kansas, a copy hereof."
The Kansas river drains an area of 36,000 square miles in Kansas- almost the entire northern half-11,000 miles in Nebraska, and 6,000 miles in Colorado-in all 53,000 square miles. In times of excessive rain- fall the channel of the river has not been equal to the task of carrying off the flood waters of all its affluents, among the most important of which are the Smoky Hill, Republican, Blue, Delaware and Wakarusa rivers. (See Floods.)
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Kansas Wesleyan University, located at Salina, was organized under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal church and is under the control of the Kansas conference. It was opened on Sept. 15, 1886. The univer- sity building, a three-story structure, 126 feet by 74 feet, stands in a campus of 15 acres. The building contains class rooms, laboratories, a chapel, museum, hall for literary societies and president's room. The site, buildings and permanent endowment, exclusive of real estate, are valued at over $150,000. Dr. Aaron Schuyler became the head of the institution and acted as professor of mathematics and philosophy when it was opened. For five years he served both as acting president and instructor. He was then relieved from duty as president until 1897, when he was elected to that position, which he still holds.
KANSAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY.
The history of this institution has been the history common to every college struggling through the difficult first years, but it is proud of the improvement made. In 1904, Schuyler Hall was erected as a dormitory for women. A good athletic park has been laid out in connection with the school, and an observatory containing a twelve-inch reflecting tele- scope has been erected on the campus. In 1908 the college had an enroll- ment of over 400 and a teaching force of 12 instructors. The courses offered are classical, philosophical, scientific, a normal department for the training of teachers, and a preparatory department which fits for the college or other colleges and scientific schools.
Kaw Trail .- This trail commenced at Big John, on the Kaw reserva- tion, near Council Grove and passed through the counties of Morris, Chase and Marion, to where Florence now stands; and thence to what was known as Big Timbers, on Turkey creek, where it intersected the old Santa Fe trail (q. v.) It was distinctively an Indian trail, hence its history and traditions are local and belong to the Kaw tribe and the settlers living along the route. Over this trail the Indians traveled on their hunting expeditions every year, and some traces of it may yet be found on the rising ground west of Florence, and also on Diamond creek, Chase county.
Kearney, a country postoffice in Kearny county, is located in Hibbard township, about 17 miles northwest of Lakin, the county seat. It has tri-weekly mail.
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Kearny County, one of the newer counties of the state, is the second east from the Colorado line, and the third north from Oklahoma. It is bounded on the north by the county of Wichita; on the east by Finney ; on the south by Grant, and on the west by Hamilton. It was named for Gen. Philip Kearny, an officer of note in the Civil and Indian wars. It was first created and the boundaries defined in 1879. These boundaries did not differ from those defined in 1887, which are the same as at pres- ent. The description was as follows: "Commencing at the intersection of the east line of range 35 west with the 4th standard parallel ; thence south along range line to its intersection with the north line of township 27 south ; thence west along township line to where it is intersected by the east line of range 39; thence north along range line to its inter- section with the 4th standard parallel; thence east to the place of be- ginning."
In 1879 it was attached to Hamilton county for judicial purposes. In 1881 it was one of the unorganized counties to be attached to Ford for judicial purposes and was in the 16th district. In 1873 John O'Laughlin established a trading post on the Santa Fe trail at Lakin. This was the earliest settlement in the county. By 1883 Lakin had grown sufficient to have a newspaper (the Herald). Prior to 1885 there were few people in the county. At that time the Alameda Grape Growers association caused a boom by the purchase of 21,000 acres of land in the vicinity of Lakin, and in the spring of 1886 several thousand acres were planted to vines. The population of Lakin increased by about 400 people at the time this work was being done, and agitation for county organiza- tion was begun by the newspapers of the county, published at Lakin, Hartland and Kearney, all three of these towns being candidates for the county seat.
In 1887, in response to a petition, Gov. Martin appointed S. S. Prouty census taker. The enumeration of the inhabitants was not an easy undertaking, owing to the fact that each legal voter was entitled to sign the petition of some one of the towns for county seat. The promoters representing each of the towns did everything they could to have as many as possible enumerated who would be on their side and leave those uncounted who were opposed. This led to several confusing situations. It was charged that Lakin shipped in from 200 to 300 transient voters from Colorado, who were distributed all over the county. These charges came from Chantilly, which took the place of Kearney as the candidate in the northern part of the county, and was far ahead until the very last of the enumeration, which gave some color to the charges. Hart- land openly offered town lots in exchange for signatures to their peti- tion. Gov. Martin advised that no person be enumerated who had not been in the county at least 30 days before the beginning of the census.
When the report of Mr. Prouty was submitted to the governor in July it showed a population of 2,891, of whom 812 were householders. The valuation of property, exclusive of railroads, was $1,079,09I, of which $799,824 was real estate. Lakin appeared to have the largest
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number of names on her petition, but the attorneys of Chantilly appeared before the governor with charges of fraud and several hearings were held over the matter that summer. It was later taken into the court of Shawnee county. The charges of Chantilly were not sustained by the courts and in March, 1888, Gov. Martin issued a proclamation organ- izing the county, with Lakin as the temporary county seat and naming the following officers : Commissioners, W. J. Price, H. A. W. Cornfield and Samuel R. Hibbard; county clerk, J. H. Waterman ; sheriff, R. F. Thorne. Price and Cornfield were arrested in 1889 on charges of for- gery, and the charges were sustained by Judge A. J. Abbott. In Feb., 1889, a county seat election was held. Hartland won over Lakin, but the county officers were Lakin men and they refused to move the offices. Again the matter was taken into the courts and after considerable fight- ing the supreme court in Jan., 1890, ordered the records moved to Hartland. This town continued to be the seat of justice until Sept., 1894, when the county seat was again moved to Lakin, where it has since remained.
While all this was going on, the county was building up and pros- pering. In 1887 an irrigation ditch was projected in the northern part by C. J. Jones. He succeeded in interesting the farmers of that section and 100 miles of ditch was constructed. This was much more im- portant for the future than the county seat fight. A few years ago the government established an irrigation plant at Deerfield, which makes this one of the important irrigating sections of the country. A reservoir for the storage of the flood waters of the Arkansas has been built in the southeast. It is 5 miles long and has a storage capacity esti- mated at 2,352,000,000 cubic feet, providing irrigation for 100,000 acres of land. One of the most important crops is broom-corn, which in 1910 brought $225,048. Sugar beets are raised extensively and marketed in Garden City. This crop in 1910 was worth, $97,000; the hay crop in the same year was $108,094; wheat, $50,000; and the total value of farm products was $715,951.
The surface of the county is level or rolling, with an elevation of 3,000 feet. Water is easily accessible. The bottom lands in the valley of the Arkansas are from 4 to 6 miles in width. This river enters in the south- west and flows across southeast, east and northeast. Limestone and sandstone for building are plentiful. Blue limestone, from which lime is made, and gypsum are common.
Kearny is 24 miles wide by 36 miles long, having an area of 24 Con- gressional townships. The civil townships are Hartland, Hibbard, Ken- dall, Lakin and Southside. The postoffices are Lakin, Conquest, Deer field, Hartland, Kearney, Oanica and Windsor. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. enters in the east and crosses southwest to Lakin, thence southwest and west, along the Arkansas river, into Hamilton county, a distance of about 27 miles. The assessed valuation of property in 1910 was $5,961,662. The population in the same year was 3,206, an increase of 2,099 or nearly 200 per cent. over that of 1900.
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Keats, a village of Riley county, is located in Wild Cat township on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., 10 miles northwest of Man- hattan, the county seat. It has a postoffice with one rural route and is supplied with telephone connections, and telegraph and express offices. The population in 1910 was 79.
Kechi, a village in Sedgwick county, is located in the township of the same name on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific R. R., 8 miles north- east of Wichita, the county seat. It has several stores, a feed mill, tele- graph and express offices, and a money order postoffice. The popula- tion in 1910 was 100.
Keck, an inland hamlet in Woodson county, is located on Turkey creek, in the western part of the county, 10 miles northwest of Yates Center, the judicial seat, from which it receives mail. Yates Center is also the nearest railroad station and shipping point.
Keel Boats, a species of craft much used by the Indian traders, were usually from 40 to 75 feet long, with a 15 to 20 foot beam. They were "cigar-shaped," i. e. pointed at each end after the manner of the pirogue of the French or Canadian voyageur, and were propelled by a square sail and oars, and in cases of necessity, by setting poles and a tow line. Such boats had a carrying capacity of 10 to 20 tons, a draft of about 30 inches, and cost from $2,000 to $3,000 each. Frederick Chouteau, one of the early traders on the Kansas river, mentions one of these boats which was used on this stream, as follows: "The keel boat which my brothers had in 1828, I think, was the first which navigated the Kansas river. After I came the keel boat was used altogether on the Kaw river. We would take a load of goods up in August and keep it there until the following spring, when we would bring it down loaded with peltries. At the mouth of the Kaw we shipped on steamboat to St. Louis. The keel-boats were made in St. Louis. They were rib-made boats, shaped like the hull of a steamboat and decked over. They were about 8 or 10 feet across the deck and 5 or 6 feet below deck. They were rigged with one mast and had a rudder, though we generally took the rudder off and used a long oar for steering. There were four row locks on each side. Going up the Kaw river we pulled all the way; about 15 miles a day. Going down it sometimes took a good many days, as it did going up, on account of the low water. I have taken a month to go down from my trading house at American Chief (or Mission) creek, many times lightening the boat with skiffs; other times going down in a day. I never went with the boat above my trading house at the American Chief village. No other traders except myself and brothers ran keel boats on the Kaw. We pulled up sometimes by the willows which lined the banks of the river."
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