USA > Kansas > Cloud County > Miltonvale > Miltonvale : the western terminus of the narrow gauge, to 1910 > Part 4
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Early transportation consisted of walking, riding a horse, or using a wagon or buggy and team. Oxen were sometimes used to pull wagons, especially if no horses were available. The trading centers were so far before the railroad came that it would take from a day to a week to make the trip there and back, depending on the distance and weather conditions. In the seventies the Zahns would go to Waterville to mill which took about a week. The father would go to Junction City as often as once a month to trade, the trip taking three days with a wagon and team of horses.1 The trip to Clay Center took about 24 hours, depending on one's loca- tion from the town. If the trip was to be made in one day, one had to rise as early as 2:00 or 3:00 A.M. in order to be home the following morning at that time. 2
The first "roads" used for these marketing trips consisted of the open prairie. However, as the townships became more settled,
1 "Miltonvale Record, Sept. 28, 1933.
2 Interview with Pleasant Fry, July 12, 1955.
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a number of inhabitants petitioned the County Commissioners to allow the opening of a road between section lines, specifying how far and between what sections of the township the road was to run. The coming of the Kansas Central Railway into Starr township on April 1, 1882, changed the marketing conditions materially, for now the farmers of the township had a marketing center much nearer home where they could sell their products and buy the necessary supplies. Then, too, the coming of the railroad gave them quicker and more comfortable transportation to other towns near and far. The closer and quicker means of transportation was an encouragement to the settlers to cultivate more ground and raise better crops, for the market was now close enough to make it profitable.
The Kansas Central was extended from Onaga, beginning in April, 1879, to Miltonvale, a distance of almost 88 miles at a cost of approximately $3,735 a mile. The total distance from Leavenworth to Miltonvale was 165.39 miles. Although the charter called for 300 more miles of track, no attempt was made to extend the road from Miltonvale.
The Union Pacific, on January 1, 1882, formally took over the road and operated it as an associated line until 1893, when the parent company passed into receivership. In 1897 the Kansas Cen- tral was reorganized as the Leavenworth, Kansas and Western, and operated under that name until 1908 when it again became a part of the Union Pacific.3
This was the only narrow-gauge railroad in Kansas and it did not prove very successful so in April, 1890, the work of widening
3 Crimmins, op. cit., pp. 26-27.
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the tracks at Miltonvale was begun. The first train to come into town on the standard-gauge arrived at 8:40 P.M., June 4, 1890.4
In the year 1883 there was no small stir about the possibili- ties of the Salina, Lincoln & Freemont Railroad being built from Lincoln, Nebraska, through Miltonvale to Salina, Kansas. Bonds were voted through in Starr township but the road did not mate- rialize.5
Again in 1885 there was some hope of getting a north-south railroad through Miltonvale. This time it was to run from Hope, Kansas, to Concordia, via Miltonvale. This, too, fell through. 6
The Kansas Central Railroad solved the mail problem from Clay Center to Miltonvale but communication with Minneapolis, Con- cordia, and Glasco was still maintained by stagecoach, with the stages going to Minneapolis and Concordia tri-weekly, and to Glasco twice a week.7 Finally, in May of 1887, the Santa Fe road crew moved into Miltonvale to build their line through the town to Con- cordia. At last, Miltonvale was getting the north-south line which had been anticipated in other years but which had failed to materialize. The bonds were voted through on March 15, 1887, in the town and on April 12 the township passed the bond issue by a
4 The Miltonvale News, April 3 and June 12, 1890. On January 10, 1935, the road from Clay Center east to Knox was abandoned, the section from Clay Center west to Miltonvale being used as a part of the Junction City to Concordia Branch of the Union Pacific, rather than its own section to Concordia. See Crimmins, op. cit., pp. 32-34, for a fuller discussion of the history of the Kansas Central between 1908 and 1935.
5 The Miltonvale News, July 20 and 27, 1883.
6 Ibid., Dec. 3, 1885.
7 Kansas State Gazetteer, 4:1002-1003, 1884-85.
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vote of 142 for and 18 against. The first train of the Santa Fe arrived at 11:45 A.M. on November 25, 1887. The depot was com- pleted the next month and passenger service was begun. The train was composed of an engine, a baggage and mail car, and one pas- senger coach. This line put Miltonvale within 40 minutes of Con- cordia, the county seat. Optimism was running high as the specu- lators and businessmen competed to buy land in Miltonvale. The editor of the Miltonvale News thought the population would almost triple within a few months. Prices doubled on property and labor was quite scarce. Contractors were being pushed to the limit to meet the demands of those who wanted to build. 8 However, the population figures in Table 6 show that the population in 1888 dropped a third from the previous year. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe failed to bring the permanent prosperity and growth to the town that was anticipated.
Early means of communication centered mainly around the postoffices. Green Cove and Zahnville seem to be the earliest ones located in the southeast part of Cloud County. Zahnville Post Office was in existence before Starr township was organized, for the first election of officers for the township was ordered to be held at this postoffice November 4, 1873.9 Later on the mail was sent to Starr Center, which was located in the approximate center of the township. The postmaster, who also was owner of the store in which the postoffice was located, was W. T. Matthews.
8
: The Miltonvale News, May 5, 1887; March 17, 1887; April 14, 1887; and Dec. 1, 1887.
9 Cloud County Commissioners' Journal A, p. 186.
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He moved his store to Miltonvale sometime in 1881 and continued as postmaster until the following summer when he resigned. After his resignation, C. M. Phelps was appointed postmaster and served until 1885, when H. P. Flora was appointed to serve under the Democratic administration of President Grover Cleveland. 10
With the coming of the Kansas Central in 1882, there came also a quicker means of communication; the charter had called for a telegraph line to be included in the construction of the rail- road. This made rapid communication with other areas of the country possible and helped to tie Miltonvale more closely to other towns near and far.
Another instrument of communication and the spreading of ideas and information was the newspaper. The Miltonvale News was the first paper to be sold in Miltonvale. The first issue was published August 4, 1882, and was printed at the Dispatch office in Clay Center, Kansas. Within a few weeks the material of the Glasco, Kansas, printing office was purchased and removed to Miltonvale. The first issue of the News to be published in Milton- vale was the issue of September 29, 1882. The real estate firm of Pinkerton & Bower was the publisher.11 By April of 1885 the News was being sent to Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts, Missouri, Min- nesota, Iowa, West Virginia, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, New York, Indiana, Washington (territory), New Mexico, Canada, California, Arkansas, Oregon, Holland, and
10 Hollibaugh, op. cit., pp. 838-839.
11 The Miltonvale News, Aug. 18, Sept. 4 and 29, 1882.
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Norway. 12 In 1891 the News went out of business . 13
In July of 1885 C. W. Robb began publication of the Milton- vale Star but it was a short-lived undertaking and ceased publica- tion August 26, 1886.14
The third newspaper to be published in Miltonvale was the Miltonvale Chieftain, which came out the latter part of July, 1887, and was edited by C. W. Trowbridge. It ceased publication the following year. 15
Other newspapers which were published in Miltonvale are: The Miltonvale Review, from July 25 to November 14, 1889; the Ad- vance, from January 15 to April 6, 1892; The Reporter, from Feb- ruary 25 to March 17, 1892; The Miltonvale Echo, from July 26, 1892, to January 6, 1893; Miltonvale Press, 1892-93; The Milton- vale Leader, August 31, 1893 to January 4, 1894; Miltonvale Tribune, 1894; The Miltonvale Press, 1896-98; and the Miltonvale Record, from 1901 on. 16
The Miltonvale Telephone Company was organized in June of 1901, with Fredrick Koster as owner and manager. His daughter, Ella M. Koster, was secretary, and his son, John F. Koster, was treasurer.17
12 Ibid., April 9, 1885.
13 Hollibaugh, op. cit., p. 173.
14 Hollibaugh, op. cit., p. 173; The Miltonvale News, July 9 and Sept. 17, 1885.
15 The Miltonvale News, July 28, 1887; Hollibaugh, op. cit., p. 173. 16 Hollibaugh, op. cit., p. 173.
17 Hollibaugh, op. cit., p. 851.
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Through the years the various improvements in transportation and communication contributed their part to the economic and population growth of Miltonvale and the surrounding area, as well as making possible closer and more convenient social and political ties, locally, nationally and internationally.
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CHAPTER V SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE OF MILTONVALE
Churches
Church activities played an important part in the social history of Miltonvale. By 1910 there were five organized churches in the town: the United Presbyterian church, the First Methodist Episcopal church, the Church of Christ, the Wesleyan Methodist church, and the Roman Catholic church.
The United Presbyterian church was the first to be organized, June 7, 1882, with seven members, two men and five women. The church building was erected this same year with the Board of Church Erection donating $700 and loaning the church $200. The building when completed cost $1,250. By 1886 the church had a membership of 46. This year the $200 borrowed from the erection board was paid and a parsonage was built. In 1888, the year of crop failure and depression, the church had its highest member- ship, reaching 89.1
The First Methodist Episcopal church of Miltonvale was char- tered April 27, 1883. Reverend W. S. Morrison was sent to organize the Miltonvale circuit by the Northwest Kansas conference of the Methodist Episcopal church. During this year lots were purchased and the parsonage was erected. In 1884 lots were bought and the foundation of the church was laid. Reverend S. L. Semans replaced Rev. Morrison as pastor in 1885 and continued the work of erecting the church structure which was completed by August, 1885, and
1 Hollibaugh, op. cit., pp. 839-840.
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dedicated August 30, 1885. The size of the structure was 50 feet in length and 28 feet in width. The height of the steeple was 45 feet. The Church Extension Society of the Methodist Episcopal church granted the trustees a loan of $300, and the balance of $1,300 was raised among the members and friends, making the total cost of the church about $1, 600.2
The Methodist Ladies' Aid Society was organized in September of 1885 with the following officers: President, Mrs. S. L. Semans; Vice President, Mrs. W. Phelps; Secretary, Miss Alice Olmstead; and Treasurer, Mrs. Black."
The Mite Society of the Methodist Episcopal church contributed much to the social life of the church. On one occasion the follow- ing Musical and Literary Entertainment program was presented by the society:4
Programme
Singing by audience Recitation .... George Beatty Song .. Invocation ... .Gertie Babbitt
Instrumental .. Mrs. Symons
Instrumental .. J. C. Cline
Recitation Willie Bond
Recitation .... E. Worthen
Song. J. C. Cline
Song. . . . Male Quartet
Recitation Clara Burns
Recitation .... Alice Bond
Song Mrs. Symons
Instrumental .. Mrs. Symons
Doxology
On another occasion they sponsored an ice cream festival in Miller's store building. 5 These are a few examples of the many activities they engaged in to raise money for church purposes.
2 Ibid., p. 842; Miltonvale News, June 12, 1884; ibid., May 14, 1885; Ibid., Aug. 6, 1885.
3 Ibid., Sept. 17, 1885.
4 The Miltonvale Chieftain, April 28, 1888.
5 Ibid., June 9, 1888.
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The Sulphur Springs class was added to Miltonvale in 1886 and the membership of the two churches in 1904 totaled 88. The church of Miltonvale had a membership of 45 and 18 probationers, and the Sulphur Springs church which had been moved to Aurora in 1897 had a membership of 25.6
The Church of Christ was organized April 17, 1884, with a charter membership of 26, many of them coming from the country districts. They worshipped in the school house until the Methodist Episcopal church building was erected. They had assisted in the building of this church edifice so worshipped there on alternate Sundays but later returned to the school house. In May, 1886, the people of the Christian church began raising money for their new church building and the foundation of this edifice was laid by October of that year. The new building was opened for religious worship Sunday, February 13, 1887, and was dedicated the first Sunday in April, 1887. During the dedication service the entire debt on the church was met in the offering taken. The building was of brick construction and cost about $4,000. The size of the church was 50 feet long and 30 feet wide and was seated with 216 chairs. The membership of the church in 1904 was about 100.7
The Miltonvale Wesleyan Methodist church was organized on August 22, 1909, with 30 charter members. Soon after Miltonvale Wesleyan College was established, a number of Wesleyan families moved here to give their children the opportunity to attend the school. It was evident before the school opened that year that a
6 Hollibaugh, op. cit., pp. 842, 843.
7 Ibid., p. 843; The Miltonvale News, May 7, 1886, Oct. 8, 1886, Feb. 10, 1887, March 10, 1887, and April 7, 1887.
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sufficient number were on hand to establish a church so the organi- zation was effected when those who desired to organize met at the Camp Ground Dining Hall, just west of the College Campus. Their first pastor was H. S. Abbott. 8
The first Roman Catholic family to come to Miltonvale was James H. Burbank, who arrived in 1877. This family attended Mass at Meredith until 1883, when Rev. K. T. Withoff, from Delphos, came to Miltonvale to hold Mass. 9 Reverend Benchler started a Roman Catholic mission in June of 1885, with the intention of building a church in Miltonvale after a time.10 In November of 1888 Rev. Fitspatrick began holding services at the Opera House every other week. 11 A number of other clergymen ministered to the families of the Roman Catholic faith before a church was con- structed. However, on July 15, 1909, a building site was pur- chased from William L. and Clara B. Babbit at a cost of $800. Construction of the church was begun the following year and the cornerstone was laid September 21, 1910. Reverend R. J. Mattingly was the priest in charge at this time. The church building is of brick construction and measures 60 feet by 32 feet. It is of Gothic structure and stands at the north edge of Miltonvale, over- looking the town. It was completed in the spring of 1911, at a cost of $5,000.12
8 T. J. Pomeroy, History of the Kansas Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, p. 77. Unpublished material obtained from T. J. Pomeroy, Miltonvale, Kansas, Sept. 26, 1955.
: 9Miltonvale. Unpublished history of the Miltonvale Roman Catholic church obtained from Rev. Maurice Dion, Miltonvale, Kansas, Sept. 27, 1955.
10 The Miltonvale News, June 4, 1885.
11 Ibid., Nov. 8, 1888.
12 Unpublished history of the Miltonvale Roman Catholic church.
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A First Day Advent Church was organized in September, 1888, with about 15 people represented in the organization. The of- ficers were: 0. A. Loomis, Elder; J. Matthews, Clerk; S. Robb, Deacon. They met every Sunday in the High School building at 3:00
P.M.13 There is no record of their having built a church building or parsonage and they are not mentioned in Hollibaugh's Biographi- cal History of Cloud County, so it may be assumed that they were disbanded previous to 1904 when this book was published.
Other religious organizations present in Miltonvale were the W. C. T. U. and the Y. M. C. A. The W. C. T. U. was organized in April of 1885, with the following officers elected: President, Mrs. Lizzie Hughs; Vice Presidents, Mrs. Antes from the United Brethren church, Mrs. Badger from the Christian church, Mrs. Davis from the United Presbyterian church, and Mrs. Phelps from the Methodist Episcopal church; Secretary, Mrs. A. J. Hanna; Corre- sponding Secretary, Mrs. Charles Wilson; and Treasurer, Mrs. J. W. Tayloe.14
These various religious organizations contributed greatly to the social and moral fiber of the community, providing a means for social relationships with other members of the community as well as contributing to the knowledge and education of many individuals in the field of human relationships.
Educational Organizations
The Educational Organizations of Miltonvale also made their
13 The Miltonvale News, Sept. 6 and 27, 1888.
14 Ibid., April 30, 1885.
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contribution to the social life of the community. The early schools of the Seventies were taught in dugouts, a room in a home, or in a crude building. Some of the first schools in the com- munity were Limestone, Spring Mound, Woodruff, and Manning. 15 After Miltonvale was founded, a grade school building of wood con- struction was erected in 1883 consisting of two rooms. The build- ing was 40 feet long and 30 feet wide and was so constructed that another story could be built on top. 16 By 1885 there was much agitation for a larger school building with four rooms, as the fall enrollment was expected to be over 300 students. There was a bond vote to raise the school house (the bonds amounting to $2,000) but the bonds were defeated. The following year another election was held which favored the bond issue. The specifications for the new building called for two stories, 12 feet to the story, the size of the building to be 36 feet wide and 64 feet long. The total cost amounted to about $5,000.17
In 1909, Miltonvale Wesleyan College was founded under the auspices of the Wesleyan Educational Society of Syracuse, New York. The campus consists of ten acres which were donated to the school by the Tootle Estate, and the people of the town gave $12,000 to apply on the administration building. In October, 1908, Silas W. Bond was elected president of the College and his first task was to supervise the building and organization of the school. The
15 Miltonvale Record, Oct. 5, 1933.
16 Ibid., Sept. 28, 1933; Miltonvale News, Oct. 12, 1883.
17 The Miltonvale News, Sept. 10, 1885, Aug. 20, 1885, June 18, 1886, June 25, 1886; The Miltonvale Star, July 29, 1886.
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building committee met on March 26, 1909, to consider bids for the main building and accepted one at $13,348.50. The school opened September 4, 1909, although the building was not completed. The first year's enrollment was 144, with a staff of five full-time teachers and two who taught part-time. The school offered work on the elementary and high school levels, with Theological work for ministers. The instructional program did not include college level work until 1912.18
These educational institutions contributed much in the way of cultural and social development of the community as well as de- veloping social responsibility in the students. Opportunities for educational advancement and social growth were to be found in other organizations as well, such as the select school run by Martha Austil, which was erected by her father, George Austil, in the North Addition of Miltonvale, in 1885.19
In February, 1886, J. A. Dixon started a school of bookkeeping which met at the school house every Wednesday evening. 20
The editor of the Miltonvale News, J. C. Cline, opened a Free Reading Room in November of 1886, giving the citizens of the town and surrounding area an opportunity to develop their knowledge through the reading of good books. 21 In the spring of 1890, a Miltonvale Library Association was begun with 78 new books to start with. To belong to the association one had to pay two dollars
18 Smith, op. cit., pp. 194-5; Miltonvale Record, Sept. 28, 1933.
19 The Miltonvale News, Oct. 1, 1885.
20 Ibid., Feb. 3, 1886.
21 Ibid., Nov. 25, 1886.
:
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which purchased three books and gave the member the privilege of reading all the books belonging to the association. 22
Musical talent was displayed as early as the fall of 1883 when a band was organized and gave its first appearance at a bene- fit ball in Fairchild's new building on the evening of September 21. There was also a singing class being taught by Addie Lee this same year. A ladies' cornet band was organized in the spring of 1890, which included Nora Squires, Josie and Maggie Mitchell, Cora and Mamie Weck, Annie Kuhnle, and Grace Cline. In one of their first appearances, at an ice cream social, they cleared $36.01.23
Other Organizations
In the field of sports Miltonvale presented some outstanding local talent, especially in baseball. As early as 1885 their base- ball team won honors as the Central Kansas champions and held that title for a number of years, going undefeated until they began to play for money and hired outsiders and professionals. The follow- ing players composed the first baseball team: B. C. Weathers, catcher; Art Bright, pitcher; Fred Kuhnle, first base; Bill Eaves, second base; Emery Squires, third base; Frank Cline, short stop; Charley Kuhnle, left field; Frank Rose, center field; Al Morris, right field; Walter Wilson, pigtail. The umpire was Dr. Fairchild; Jim Neill was manager and Fred Kuhnle was captain. 24
The need for a city auditorium or opera house was evident as
22 Ibid., April 10, 1890.
23 Ibid., Sept. 14, 21, 1883; Oct. 19, 1883; and May 1, 1890.
24 Miltonvale Record, Sept. 21, 1933.
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a place for recreation and social gatherings of the community. The Kuhnle Opera House was completed in June of 1887 and was opened August 15 by the Ruby Lafayette Dramatic Company. It was a large structure measuring 70 feet long and 30 feet wide and seated 400 people. The Opera House was used for a number of activities other than professional dramatics. Political gather- ings, Christmas programs, New Year's Eve Balls, and other social gatherings were held there. In 1889 local talent entitled, The Miltonvale Dramatic Company, gave "Turn of the Tide" in the Opera House and drew a large audience for the occasion. 25
The political gatherings at the Opera House evolved around a number of issues and parties. The Republican party was generally the main political party in Miltonvale although three other parties were in evidence in the county in 1887. Their county tickets were advertised in the Miltonvale Chieftain and undoubtedly there were active members of each party in the town. The parties were the Union Labor Party, the Democratic Party, and the Third Party or the Prohibition Party. 26 The Union Labor Party presented its cause to the town, calling a Union Labor meeting in the Opera House October 28, 1887, at 7:00 P.M. Captain P. J. Meserez and others brought addresses and martial music was given as entertainment.27 How- ever, this year the Republican county ticket was elected. 28
25 The Miltonvale News, May 5, June 30, and Aug. 4, 1887, and Jan. 24, 1889; Miltonvale Chieftain, Oct. 27, 1887 and Jan. 7, 1888; Miltonvale Record, Oct. 5, 1933.
26 Miltonvale Chieftain, Nov. 3, 1887.
27 Ibid., Oct. 26, 1887.
28 Ibid., Nov. 10, 1887.
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The following year the prohibitionists organized a club with 14 members which met twice a month. 29 The Prohibition Party, how- ever, did not become a major threat to the Republicans but another party was becoming quite popular which did cause the Republican leaders much concern nationally as well as locally. That party became known as the Populist Party. Why the Populist Party arose can be seen in the following quotation:
The Populist movement was conceived as an organi- zation seeking to improve the plight of the farmers, who allegedly were being victimized by money-changers, rail- road magnates, and farm equipment manufacturers. It stemmed from the Farmers' Alliance, organized in Kansas in 1887, and began to take on political significance in 1890, rapidly congealing into a third-party movement that was known first as the People's Party and later as the Populist Party.
Most of the projects sponsored by the Populists have since become a part of the law of the land. The primary law, woman suffrage, the regulation of railroads, the supervision of stock and bond transactions, the di- rect election of United States senators, postal savings, the recall of public officials -- all these movements were fundamental planks of the Populist Party. 30
In 1887 the railroads were enjoying great prosperity, the banks were flourishing, and manufacturing enterprises were making great profit, yet agriculture failed to share the fruits of labor. Prices on the farmer's commodities were low, so low in fact that he could burn corn cheaper than coal, yet local freight rates were high, and the grain elevator companies enjoyed almost a complete monopoly in both buying and selling. This eliminated any possi- bility for direct shipment of grain and froze out the independent
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