USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > Kansas City > Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. Historical and biographical. Comprising a condensed history of the state, a careful history of Wyandotte County, and a comprehensive history of the growth of the cities, towns and villages > Part 37
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nature of fiction, and has been gathered from unreliable sources. Reference is made for the accounts of the Indian and French settle- ments to the general State history. The first white settler after the French traders to locate upon the present site of Kansas City, Mo., was James H. McGee, who made three entries of eighty acres each in Sections 5, 7 and 8, on November 14, 1828. The settlement of Rev. Isaac McCoy, four miles south of Kawsmouth in 1831; the establish- ment of a trading house at this point by his sou, John, during the next year; the removal of the Indians, from 1832 to 1840; the plat- ting of Westport in the meantime; the development of the great Santa Fe trade, and the founding of Kansas City, as a convenient landing place for the goods of the Indian and Santa Fe traders, and the formation of the town company in 1838, are matters which can not be separated from the history of Kansas City, Kas., nor yet, since the city is treated here as a separate corporate body, can full details be given. A settlement was begun in 1857, on the east side of the Kansas River, in what is now Kansas City, Kas., or, more properly, a house was planted on ground where now flows the Missouri River, just east of the mouth of the Kaw. It was built by David E. James, was a two-story frame, and stood there about ten years. This was United States land at that time, being claimed by Silas Armstrong, under the treaty between the Wyandottes and the United States, as his float. Certain leading Wyandottes had been granted a section of land each, to be located in any spot they might choose; hence the term 'float.' Willis Wills and several others squatted upon different por- tions of this land, and claimed the right to pre-empt it. But in 1858, through D. E. James, a compromise was effected, by which Silas Arm- strong released his claim to a portion of it, and the settlers released to him the balance. The log house occupied by Mr. McDowell in 1857, and several years after, may be seen to-day standing on the sonth side of Sixth Street, just this side or west of the State line. This is the only building left of those on the Armstrong 'float,' in 1857-58. That float comprised what is now Kansas City, Kas., lying between the State line and the Missouri River. Many acres of it have been washed into the river. That year, the traveled road be- tween Kansas City, Mo., and Wyandotte ran where now is the south side of the Missouri River, at its most southerly bend; hence at low water the whole of the river runs where then was a cornfield; but since the riprapping of 1867, it wears no more. Much might be written of the early history of the Armstrong 'float,' now known as
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Kansas City, Kas. Several families resided on the point from 1856 to 1860, who were regarded only as squatters. They obtained a liv- ing by various means. There was a family named Johnson here then, having a habitation where now the Missouri River runs, a few hun- dred yards northeast of the Anglo-American Packing House. This family was known to the early settlers as fishermen. The family of Edward Olivet was recognized by Armstrong as having a squatter's interest in the land, and while the towns of Kansas City, Kas., and Wyandotte were being built, Mr. Olivet was the agent of Armstrong for the sale of sand and wood to the people of either town. Mr. Henry Williams also resided out in land now claimed by the 'Big Muddy.' There was also a house full of colored people in that now imaginary place on the point. The house heretofore mentioned as the land office building was a building of twelve rooms, and had its history. Settlers of early date now reside in Kansas City who remem- ber this old house as having had the reputation of being haunted. It was said that the ghost of a Mr. Wills would on certain occasions . appear in the house and make claims to the ground on which the house in which he once resided stood, as the property of his heirs. The claims of the Missouri River were pressed with such irresistible force that when the land became water, the occupation of the ghost departed. Business is now too lively in this neighborhood to permit the existence of ghosts, and that old idea is rapidly fading away. Near the State line on Sixth Street, the widow of Edward Olivet- Mrs. Sophia Olivet -now lives, the only one of the original squatters on the Armstrong 'float ' claiming a home on this tract.
"The Kansas City (Kas.) Town Company was formed in 1868, by Silas Armstrong, David E. James, Dr. George B. Wood, Luther H. Wood, William Weir, Thomas Ewing, Jr., T. H. Swope and N. Mc- Alpine.
"The town site was situated upon parts of fractional Sections Nos. 10, 11 and 14, Town 11 south, of Range 25 east, lying north of the old bed of Turkey Creek, east of the Kansas River, south of the Mis- souri River, and bounded on the east by the State line between Mis- souri and Kansas, and comprised the following named tracts, viz. : Two tracts of land belonging to George B. Wood; two tracts of land belonging to D. E. James; one tract belonging jointly to George B. Wood and N. McAlpine, and the piece of land lying between the lands of Thomas Ewing on the south and lands of D. E. James on the north, between Armstrong Street and Kansas River. The site was surveyed
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by John McGee, civil engineer, April 24, 1869, and recorded with the register of deeds of Wyandotte County May 3, 1869.
"The streets were named after the original proprietors of the town. Mr. James erected the first dwelling-house of any prominence in 1870, at the south end of James Street, near the railroad tracks. Soon fol- lowed the establishment of the large packing-houses and stock yards, whose business forms the bulk of the city's trade."
Some of the streets were made eighty and some sixty feet wide. James Street, and all streets running parallel with it, has a direction bearing north 28° and 10' west -- the variation of the needle being 11º east when the survey was made. The streets, excepting the one under a portion of the elevated railroad, cross at right angles. The original plat of the city was acknowledged by the proprietors, George B. Wood, Anna B. Wood, D. E. James, Nicholas McAlpine and Maria McAl- pine. The leading business of this part of the consolidated city of Kansas City, Kas., is given elsewhere in this work.
In the fall of 1869 the estate of Silas Armstrong, deceased, lying within the corporate limits of the former Kansas City, Kas., was sur- veyed, and laid out into blocks, lots, streets and alleys, so as to con- form to the survey of the former city, by A. B. Bartlett and Silas Armstrong, Jr., administrators of the estate of the decedent. Some other additions have also been made to the former city of Kansas City.
In October, 1872, Kansas City, Kas., was incorporated, and the first city election was held October 22, 1872, by order of Judge Hiram Stevens of the Tenth Judicial District, and resulted in the election of the following city officers:
Mayor, James Boyle; councilmen, S. W. Day, Charles H. Jones, John McKnight, George Forschler and James Lundell; police judge, James Kennedy; city clerk, Cornelins Cushin; treasurer, Samuel Mc- Connell; city attorney, H. L. Alden. The mayors of the city from its incorporation up to April, 1881, were James Boyle, C. A. Eidemiller, A. S. Orbison and Eli Teed. In June, 1881, the governor of Kansas proclaimed the city of Kansas City a city of the second class, and from April, 1881, until it became a part of the consolidated city in 1886, the mayors serving were as follows: Samuel McConnell, from April, 1881, to April, 1883; R. W. Hilliker, from April, 1883, to April, 1885; James Phillips, from April, 1885, to April, 1886.
Armourdale, embracing a part of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 15, and part of the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 22, all in Township 11 south, Range 25
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east, and being on the north bank of Kansas River, about one and a half miles above its mouth, was laid out in June, 1880, by the Kaw Valley Town Site & Bridge Company, composed of Boston capitalists, and of which Charles F. Adams, Jr., was president, and John Q. Adams, Charles Merriam, Nathaniel Thayer, H. H. Hunnewell and John A. Burnham were members. At this time the company owned a large amount of land adjoining the original town site, some of which has since been laid out in additions, and some occupied for manufacturing purposes. The first addition to Armourdale, extending from Fourth to Tenth Streets, was surveyed and laid out in June, 1881, by the same town company.
The city was incorporated in the spring of 1882, and the first city election was held May 5. The officers were: Mayor, Frank W. Patterson; councilmen, Nehemiah Sherrick, Daniel Herbert, E. W. Anderson, S. Snyder and Joseph Bradley; police judge, John C. Foore; marshal, William Ross; city clerk, Granville Patterson. The mayors of the city from the time it was incorporated until it became a part of the consolidated city were, Frank W. Patterson, from May, 1882, to April, 1884; George W. Parsons, from April, 1884, to April, 1885, and Jacob Barney, from April, 1885, to April, 1886.
Early in the spring of 1882, the old school district, in which a school had been maintained for over twenty years, was divided, and that portion of the school district containing the school-house was set over to South Wyandotte. In May the Armourdale District No. 9, voted bonds for a $9,000 school-house, which was completed on Oc- tober 5. The officers of the school board were N. Sherrick, president; E. Sheldon, secretary, and F. W. Dryer, treasurer. A colored school was opened in the old wooden school building in the west end of the town. In the six years of the existence of Armourdale, that is from the time the town site was surveyed until it became a part of the con- solidated city, it had acquired a population of 1,582.
Presbyterian services have been held here several years, but it was not until April 15, 1882, that the Central Presbyterian Church was organized. The society immediately commenced building a house of worship, which is located on the corner of Wyandotte Avenue and Eleventh Street. It was completed in June, at a cost of $1,800.
The city of Armourdale was named from the Armours, bankers and pork packers. It gives promise of being the center of still greater manufacturing interests, and many new establishments have bought ground here and propose to establish extensive works thereon.
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HISTORY OF KANSAS.
In May, 1857, Judge M. W. Delahay began the publication of the Wyandotte City Register, which was the first paper published in the city. The first number was issued in a tent on the corner of Nebraska Avenue and Third Street. Delahay sold to Eddy & Patton. It finally passed into the hands of Mr. Abbot, who changed its name to the Citizen, and published it but a few months. It was succeeded by the Western Argus, which was printed on the same material and published by the Western Argus Company, J. E. Bennet, editor, and P. Sidney Post, commercial editor. The first number of the Argus was issued March 25, 1858, and was continued till March 9, 1861, when the mate- rial was sold to R, B. Taylor, and became a part of the office of the Wyandotte Gazette. The first number of the Gazette was issued August 7, 1858, by S. D. McDonald, editor and proprietor. Mr. McDonald continued the Gazette one year, issuing a daily during the session of the Constitutional Convention, and then suspended.
In August, 1860, the publication of the paper, after a suspension of some months, was recommenced by Messrs. McDonald and R. B. Taylor. The partnership continued but a few weeks, when Mr. Tay- lor hired the office of Mr. McDonald, and continued to publish the paper alone. January 15, 1861, while the editor was in the East on business, the office was entirely destroyed by fire, together with the building in which it was located, both belonging to Mr. McDonald. When Mr. Taylor returned in March he purchased the material of the Western Argus, as before mentioned, and continued the publication of the Gazette until the spring of 1867, when Philpott & Brown secured possession of the office and published it three months under agreement to purchase, which they failed to do. Mr. Taylor then took the management of the paper again and published it until October 1, 1869, when he leased the office to Kessler & Tuttle. January 1, 1870, Mr. Tuttle withdrew, leaving Mr. Kessler sole lessee and editor. In July of this year Mr. Taylor again came into possession of the Gazette, remaining editor and sole proprietor until his death.
Richard Baxter Taylor, who for so long a time was editor of the Gazette, was born in Buckland, Franklin County, Mass., March 29, 1832, and died at his residence in Wyandotte, Kas., March 26, 1877. He received a good common-school and academical education. When seventeen years of age, he went to Canandaigua, N. Y., where he was engaged as an educator about five years, and then went to Ellen- wood, Ulster County, in the same State, where he commenced the
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study of law. He became connected with the Ellenville Journal, and so remained until he came West. In 1857 he visited Kansas, and the next year removed with his family to Wyandotte. His purpose in coming to Kansas was to aid in making it a free State. In 1851 he married Miss Rachel Broadhead. Mr. Taylor was a Republican in politics. As a journalist he was able, intelligent and bold. Through his efforts, the Kansas State Editorial Association was organized, and he was president of the first meeting, which was held at Topeka, Janu- ary 17. 1866. He strongly advocated the writing and printing of words by the phonic method. The editorial association which Mr. Taylor was so active in organizing, at its annual meeting held at Man- hattan, April 7, 1875, suggested the action which led to the organiza- tion of the State Historical Society, and Mr. Taylor was one of its first directors.
At the death of Mr. Taylor, his son, William B. Taylor, conducted the Gazette till October, 1879, when R. B. Armstrong and A. N. Moyer bought the office with all its appurtenances, and, under the firm name of Armstrong & Moyer, published the paper for a number of years. In the spring of 1888, the present Gazette company was formed and took charge of the office and paper, and in January, fol- lowing, Mr. George W. Martin, the present editor, assumed control of the editorial department. A weekly and daily edition of the Gazette are published, both having a large circulation. In politics the Gazette is Republican.
The Kansas Post, a German weekly, was removed from Kansas City to Wyandotte in the early part of the war period, and remained one year. It was published by A. Wuerz and John Haberlein, the latter being principal editor. The Kansas Real Estate Herald was issued at Wyandotte, by E. F. Heisler, from November, 1868, to July, 1869. The first number of Die Fackel (The Torch), was issued in Wyandotte, September 12, 1866, by Kastor, Fischer & Co., H. W. Kastor, editor. It was first printed on the Gazette press. On Janu- ary 1, 1868, it was moved to Atchison. The Kansas Pilot was estab- lished in Wyandotte, in 1879, by William Caffrey, and published for a season.
From 1861 to 1866 there was no Democratic paper in ,Wyandotte County, but in the latter year J. A. Berry started the Wyandotte Democrat, issued it about thirteen months and then abandoned it and left the city. The next Democratic paper in the place was the Herald.
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HISTORY OF KANSAS.
The first number of the Wyandotte Herald was issued January 4, 1872. V. J. Lane and F. G. Jackson were its founders, the former being its editor. It was first published on the corner of Minnesota and Fifth Streets. In 1872 the office was moved to the corner of Third Street and Minnesota Avenue, where it remained a year and a half, until it was removed to Hescher's building, on the north side of Minnesota Avenue, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, where the paper was published till January 1, 1880, when it was moved to the Masonic building, on the corner of Minnesota Avenue and Third Street. In September, 1881, it was moved into permanent quarters belonging to its proprietors, on the north side of Minnesota Avenue, between Fifth and Sixth Streets, No. 512, where it still remains. B. R. Lane, son of the editor, bought an interest in the Herald in April, 1880, and has since been a partner with his father. The Herald is a neat seven-col- umn folio, Democratic in politics, and has a large circulation in Wyan- dotte and adjoining counties.
The Weekly Spy was established in the former city of Kansas City, in 1880, by its proprietor, B. M. Drake. In September, 1882, Charles H. Van Fossen and Felix G. Head bought the material of the office and began the publication of the Daily Evening Globe, which was con- tinued for a time.
The American Citizen, formerly established at Topeka, Kas., was moved to Kansas City, Kas., July 26, 1889. It is a six-column folio, all printed at home, and is published by the American Citizen Publish- ing Company, with W. T. McGuinn, editor, and George A. Dudley, business manager. These gentlemen are colored, and look well to the interest of their race. The present circulation of the Citizen is 2,500, a very good showing for a paper published by the colored people. In politics it is independent.
The Kansas Catholic, now in its eighth volume, was established at Leavenworth, and published there until April, 1890, when it was moved to Kansas City, Kas., where it is now published weekly by the Kansas Catholic Publishing Company. It is a very neat six-column quarto, containing much reading matter, consisting of general, local and foreign news, all being printed in the best of style.
The Weekly Press, a seven-column folio, is published in the Armourdale division of Kansas City, Kas., by J. B. Whipple, editor and proprietor. Its forty-ninth number dates July 12, 1890, thus showing that it was established in July, 1889.
The Kansas City Journal, Times, Globe and Star, all published in
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Kansas City, Mo., each publish a special edition for circulation in Kansas City, Kas. The local news of the latter city appears in these editions. The Journal is published by the Journal Company, Frank M. Tracy, business manager, and S. C. Britton, editor.
The business manager of the Times is W. C. McBride, and the editor is M. B. Maret. Of the Globe, A. C. Caley is business man- ager, and R. A. Pope, editor. The business manager of the Star is M. C. Krarup, and the editor is Mrs. Belle Ball.
In pursuance to notice given in the Wyandotte newspapers, a mass meeting of the citizens of Wyandotte County was held at Dunning's Hall in Wyandotte City on September 4, 1875, for the purpose of dis- cussing the subject, and devising ways and means to assist in building up the commercial metropolis of the State of Kansas at the mouth of Kansas River. V. J. Lane was appointed chairman, and N. McAlpine secretary. After the chairman stated the object of the meeting, Col. S. A. Cobb introduced the following resolution, which passed unani- mously :
" Resolved, That a meeting of the citizens of the State of Kansas be held at Dunning's Hall on Thursday, the 23d of September, in the afternoon and evening, and that prominent citizens of the State be invited to address the meeting and become our guests."
On motion the following five persons were appointed as an invita- tion committee: H. W. Cook, John B. Scroggs, R. B. Failor, V. J. Lane and Sanford Haff.
On motion a committee on arrangements and finance was appointed, consisting of S. A. Cobb, Mayor Hains, Mayor Teed, of Kansas City, Kas., E. L. Bartlett, Dr. Thorne, Thomas Vick Roy, L. H. Woods, J. S. Stockton and W. J. Buchan. A committee of five on assessment and taxation was then appointed as follows: L. H. Wood, Mayor Hains, H. M. Northrup, J. J. Keplinger and N. McAlpine.
The following is a copy of the call published in the papers for a meeting to be held September 23, 1875:
" To the People of Kansas:
" The citizens of Wyandotte County, mindful of the fact that the increasing commerce of the Missouri Valley must concentrate some- where on the bank of our great river for general exchange, and build up a great emporium at the point where such general exchange shall be made, believe that the necessities of trade, the laws of nature, facts not to be denied, have fixed that point at the mouth of the Kan- sas River. This commerce, for the most part, is the product of the
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industry, the intelligence and the resources of Kansas; the city which is its offspring they believe should be on Kansas soil, subject to her laws and tributary to her wealth. They believe that city may be planted by wise and judicious action on the part of the people within the borders of their State. They believe a generous interchange of senti- ment on the spot by citizens of Kansas, with their fellow-citizens who reside at the mouth of the Kansas River, will convince the most skep- tical and win him to their belief as to where that great mart shall be seated. Therefore, in no spirit of rivalry, as citizens of Kansas, solicitous of her welfare, they cordially invite as many of the people of their State as can attend a public meeting, to be held at Wyan- dotte on Thursday, September 23, 1875, in the evening, to consider the subject. To such as come they pledge a hearty welcome to their homes."
This invitation met with a very liberal response, there being 300 of the representative men of the State in attendance at the meeting on September 23. These guests were met at the depot by the citizens and escorted through the principal streets of the city in carriages. The following counties were represented by delegates in person: Dong- las, Riley and Davis on the west; Leavenworth on the north; Johnson Miami and Bourbon on the south; Franklin, Anderson and Allen on the southwest; and Jefferson on the northwest. The following coun- ties sent words of encouragement by letter: Shawnee, Crawford, Coffey, Linn, Osage, Pottawatomie, Saline, Ellis, Republic, Ellsworth and Atch- ison. The press was represented by W. H. Miller, of the Kansas, City Journal; S. M. Ford, of the Kansas City Times; H. Wilcox, of the Kansas City News and Chronicle; R. B. Taylor, of the Wyandotte Gazette, and V. J. Lane, of the Wyandotte Herald.
The ladies had decorated Dunning's Hall where the meetings were heid. Col. S. A. Cobb was elected president, and the following gentle- men, vice-presidents: Gen. W. H. M. Fishback, of Johnson County; Theodore C. Bowles, of Franklin County; Hon. John T. Lanter, of Anderson County; Hou. L. J. Worden, of Douglas County; Dr. George B. Wood, of Wyandotte County; Judge Williams, of Jefferson County; Gen. John A. Halderman, of Leavenworth; Hon. George A. Crawford, of Bourbon County; Judge Hiram Stevens, of Miami County; Judge N. F. Acres, of Allen County; and Hon. John K. Wright, of Davis County. Speeches were made by Col. Cobb, Senator Harvey, Gov. J. P. St. John, Gov. George A. Crawford, Gen. J. A. Halderman, Hon. T. C. Bowles, Hon. John K. Wright, Hon. L. J. Worden, Judge Williams,
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Hon. W. J. Buchan and others. Letters and telegrams all giving en- couragement to the movement were read from other parties, among whom were Hon. J. J. Ingalls, J. R. Goodin, Byron Sherry, Gov. Os- born, George W. Veale, Chancellor Marvin, John Frazer, P. I. B. Ping and H. P. Dow.
The following is an extract from the speech of Col. Cobb, which vividly portrays the natural advantages of the location at the mouth of Kansas River, for the commercial metropolis of the State:
"The terminus of one great line of railroad, the Kansas Pacific, whose trade extends westward beyond our limits to the mining camps of Colorado, and the grazing fields of New Mexico. On the north of this line of railroad, her supplies and goods minister to the wants of the settlers in the counties of onr State, lying west of the district drained by the Central Branch Union Pacific and the St. Joseph & Denver Railroads, until she reaches the neighborhood of the Burling- ton & Missouri River Railroad of Nebraska. Then extending west- ward under the advantage of the pro rata bill passed at a recent ses- sion of Congress, by way of Denver and Cheyenne, her influences are felt, as the competitor of Omaha, on the plains of Wyoming and the valleys of Utah. On the south side of the Kansas Pacific Railroad she has practically no competition in the field of trade, and her busi- ness men solicit exchange over the whole expanse of country south- ward to the northern boundary of Texas, and westward to the limits of settlement this side of the Rocky Mountains. Confining the ques- tion to our own State, the railroads which extend westwardly from the mouth of the Kansas River drain every section of Kansas, except the counties of Leavenworth, Atchison, Doniphan, Nemaha, Brown. Mar- shall, Jackson and portions of Jefferson, Pottawatomie and Washing- ton. The Republican branch of the Kansas Pacific, which extends northward np the valley of the Republican River to Clay Center, in Clay County, takes the trade of the northwestern counties, which would otherwise go to the Central Branch or St. Joseph & Denver roads to the line of the Kansas Pacific. The Kansas Midland road between this point and Topeka, and the line between here and Ottawa, are the lines over which the trade of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, and the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston roads will respect- ively pass with the same facility with which it will to Atchison or Leavenworth.
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