Q. M. BIXLER.

Salt City, Sumner County, Kansas.

Note: Q. M. Bixler in 1880, from Iowa, was a Notary Public, Real Estate Agent, and Dealer in Drugs, Medicines, Chemicals, Paints, Oil, Brushes, and Perfumery at Salt City.

FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 30, 1880.

SALT CITY’S FOURTH. A meeting to make arrangements for the due celebration of the nation’s birthday was held at Salt City, June 19, at which W. M. Berkey was elected president, F. L. Davis, secretary, and R. Hoffmaster, treasurer. On motion it was decided to hold a celebration in McLay’s grove near the ferry, on the 3rd inst. Messrs. Berkey and Hoffmaster were appointed a committee to procure a flag; Davis, Berkey, and Hoffmaster, to secure speakers for the occasion. W. M. Berkey was appointed marshal of the day, and J. F. Holloway president. Messrs. Holloway, Berkey, and Bixler were appointed to assist the secretary in drawing up a programme. Everybody in the neighborhood is requested to assist in furnishing lumber for conveniences on the ground. It was agreed that all stands for refreshments should be admitted free and no intoxicating liquors are to be allowed on the ground. The meeting then adjourned. The following is the programme for the day: Procession from bath house to grove, at 10 a.m. Prayer. Reading of Declaration. Music and Singing. Oration. Dinner.

In the afternoon: Music, Vocal and Instrumental; Toasts; Speeches by Everybody; Singing of “Star Spangled Banner” by the Assembly. This will be followed by a tub race, wheelbarrow race, sack race, and climbing of the greased pole. Last of all, a terrible leap from the precipice that overhangs the treacherous Arkansas by Prof. John Smythe. There will be a free ’bus to and from the Springs.

[SALT CITY CORRESPONDENT: “GEUDA.”]

Arkansas City Traveler, August 10, 1881.

SALT CITY ITEMS.

SALT CITY, AUGUST 7TH, 1881.

Editor Traveler: Dear Sir: We are still right side up with care. There is quite a crowd in town today—comprising citizens of Wellington, Winfield, and Wichita, besides a large delegation from the Terminus, who came over to take a bath to rouse their systems from the nervous prostration caused by the excessive heat.

Mr. Resch returned from Colorado yesterday evening, and we understand he intends to remove thither shortly, provided he can dispose of his property here satisfactorily.

Dr. Collins has been quite busy the past few days.

DIED. The funeral of the infant daughter of Mr. Chas. Willard will take place this morning at 9 o’clock.

Mr. Dix, who came here a few weeks ago, unable to turn himself in bed, is getting along finely.

Salt City wants a $10,000 [? $19,000 ?] hotel to accommodate those who are daily visiting Geuda Springs for their health.

Q. M. Bixler and his father returned from a trip to Chautauqua County yesterday evening. They report the discovery of a mineral spring in that locality, also of rich lead mines. Q. M. hastened home lest Julius, “the son of Thomas of the House of Royal,” should prevail with Ida “of the house of the Amalekites,” and she should hearken unto him.

The following is a list of the visitors at the Geuda Springs Bath House for the week ending August 7, 1881:

A. A. Jackson and family, Seeley.

A. M. Sherp, Kansas City, Mo.

A. E. Kelley and lady, Cowley County.

B. C. Swarts, Arkansas City, Kansas.

M. Stanton, Arkansas City, Kansas.

C. R. Mitchell, Arkansas City, Kansas.

J. M. Hoyland, Cowley County.

H. O. Vigus, Wichita.

C. E. Decker, Eureka.

G. S. Simpson, Kansas City.

Mrs. M. E. Roberts, Kansas City.

J. E. Platter and family, Winfield.

Miss Ella Johnson, Winfield.

Miss Ida Steward, Winfield.

Miss S. W. Bowman, Winfield.

Mrs. E. H. Matlack, Arkansas City.

Miss Mary Matlack, Arkansas City.

Miss Lucy Walton, Arkansas City.

Mrs. A. A. Newman, Arkansas City.

Mrs. W. Gooch, Arkansas City.

Mrs. R. C. Haywood, Arkansas City.

Mrs. J. H. Searing, Arkansas City.

J. H. Folks, Wellington.

____ Blodgett and family, Wellington.

Mrs. Parmenter, Arkansas City.

F. C. Nommsen, Winfield.

H. Endicott and wife, Arkansas City.

P. Endicott, Arkansas City.

Mrs. Tyner, Arkansas City.

G. C. Cleveland, Indiana.

L. Calvert, Indiana.

A. N. Maher, Wichita.

M. French, Wichita.

J. Kelly, Arkansas City.

Mrs. G. Miller, Salt City.

S. D. Palmer, Chicago.

N. Bowman, Chicago.

C. C. Harris, Winfield.

Mrs. G. L. Horning, Winfield.

Mrs. G. S. Loose, Winfield.

O. M. Reynolds and family, Winfield.

A. G. Wilson and family, Winfield.

A. W. Davis and wife, Winfield.

E. P. Young and wife, Winfield.

W. T. Grey and family, Winfield.

W. C. Grey and family, Winfield.

Miss Allen, Winfield.

Mrs. H. P. Farrar, Arkansas City.

Mrs. C. A. Howard, Arkansas City.

W. Wentworth, Sumner Co.

GEUDA.

Arkansas City Traveler, October 12, 1881.

Mr. Q. M. Bixler, one of Salt City’s enterprising merchants, was in town on Monday last.

Winfield Courier, October 27, 1881 - Front Page.

McIntire’s Madam Rumor says:

That the law firm of Mitchell & Houston will soon be changed to Mitchell, Swarts & Bixler. Mitchell & Bixler will be located at Geuda Springs, and Swarts will remain here.

[GEUDA CORRESPONDENT “NO NAME”: SALT CITY, KANSAS.]

Arkansas City Traveler, January 11, 1882.

Geuda Gossip.

Esquire Butterfield’s residence is completed.

Dr. Perry’s five houses are almost completed.

The Springs are beginning to boom in good shape.

James Stiner has his two story hotel nearly completed.

Hon. I. J. Buck is building a summer residence in Geuda.

Joe Conklin has finished the foundation for his residence.

Dr. George A. Cutler has his drug store about completed.

Mr. Bixler will soon commence his building for a grocery store.

George B. Green had the first building on Geuda Springs town site.

Dr. Perry will improve the Salt Lake for boating, and will put on several new boats.

Several parties from Leavenworth, Kansas, are prepared to build at the Springs.

There has been at least twenty-five parties here this week selecting lots to build on. Boom! we should remark.

J. P. Marshall intends to build a business house and put in a hardware store, and our friend, Johnnie Houston, will run it.

Near & Axley have completed their Livery Stable, which, with the additions soon to be put on, will be about 45 x 60 feet.

Perry has his foundations, for five more houses, completed, and talks of putting up still another five houses in the spring.

Mr. Mitchell has about 50 cords of stone on the ground to fix the springs and build an addition to the bath house, so as to be able to give salt water baths.

A new two story building is about finished by parties hailing from Oxford, the first story of which is to be used for a billiard hall and the upper story as a general hall. This building is 25 x 60 feet, and put up in good style.

Mr. Foss has built an ice house that will hold 200 tons of ice, but has no ice yet to put in it. He will commence his elegant two story residence in about two weeks hence. It is to be 36 x 40 with wings, and two stories high.

The new feature of salt water baths will be an additional attraction at Geuda. The waters are found to contain salt 22 percent, soda, iron, and sulphur, and are pronounced much better than sea water for bathing purposes, so you need not go to the sea coast any more.

The Geuda Springs Company are shipping the Mineral Water in all directions, and are receiving many complimentary statements from its effects. They have made arrangements with the express companies to return cans free of charge, and the shipment of water is rapidly increasing.

Quite a number of parties are still at the Springs for their health, and all are improving.

NO NAME.

[GEUDA SPRINGS CORRESPONDENT: “NO NAME.”]

Arkansas City Traveler, February 1, 1882.

Geuda Springs Items.

The Geuda Springs are still boiling over.

The two-story billiard hall of Messrs. Hahn & Bishop is almost completed.

Mr. Anderson, of Newton, is rapidly improving from an attack of rheumatism.

We have heard a rumor of a $10,000 hotel to be built by a joint stock company, but could not learn the particulars.

Some Winfield parties are now talking strongly of putting up some business houses here. We shall see what we shall see.

The Geuda Springs Co. are shipping their spring water to all parts of the United States, and are receiving flattering reports.

Jacob Musgrove, et. al, of Hunnewell, are putting in a stock of groceries, and will soon build a large two-story business house.

One man from Wichita—we did not learn his name—sends word he will be here tomorrow, and wants to put up a building at once.

Mr. Bixler has commenced to build his residence on block 4, at the Springs, and expects, if the weather is favorable, to commence his business house within two weeks.

Another gentleman, who had tried Eureka Springs for three months for rheumatism without being benefitted, is here now, and has gotten almost well in two weeks—could hardly walk when he came—and is now at work for Mr. Buckwalter. This makes the fifth person cured here who has tried Eureka.

Contracts for 49 new buildings have already been let to be erected on the new town site, and all to be completed by June 1st, 1882. Three are to be large sized boarding houses, or hotels; fifteen of them cottage houses for rent; and the balance business houses or private residences.

A Mr. Roberts, of Ottumwa, Iowa, talks of putting in a newspaper. In fact, April 15th, 1882, will find Geuda Springs booming, as well as boiling over. NO NAME.

Cowley County Courant, April 6, 1882.

A Geuda correspondent of the Arkansas City Democrat ventilates himself to no small extent, and winds up his letter with the information

That Mr. Mitchell has sold his property in Arkansas City, and is going to move to Geuda Springs.

That Foss is building a large store to be rented to F. L. Davis, who intends to fill it with groceries.

That Mart Bixler is about ready to move into his new store at Geuda.

That Wm. Berkey has a new awning in front of his store. Take notice ye loafers.

That Foss has gone to east St. Louis after thoroughbred cattle; also is going to bring a fine Percheron Norman stallion.

That Hall, Axley, Neer, and Walker have taken a trip to the Cherokee Nation, for the purpose of buying ponies.

That there is soon to be an I. O. O. F. Lodge instituted at Geuda Springs.

That the hotel is going up for a certainty.

That there is more building at Geuda Springs than any town in Southern Kansas.

That winter wheat is looking better than ever before at this time of the year.

That Miss Una Royal and Lina Snyder are going to attend the Manhattan College another three months.

That Dr. Vawter is looking toward Geuda Springs with a view of locating permanently.

That Mr. Marshall, of Leavenworth, and one of the Geuda Springs Town Company members, proposes to build a summer residence at Geuda Springs.

That Dr. Perry’s houses are almost completed and ready for occupancy.

BIRTH. That they have a new boarder at the bath house. It’s a girl and Buckwalter is the happy man. He sets up the cigars.

That ’tis an awfully bad year for candidates, and a good one for snakes, on account of the scarcity of “St. John’s amendment.”

That it is a good joke to buy one of those double strength lamp chimneys to take home and throw into the house for your wife. She thinks it will break, “you know,” and gives a scream, and, the chimney hits the stove leg, well, she calls you an old soap keg, and you go and put the team away, get kicked in the abdomen by a mule, trying to figure out where that joke came in. The next time you buy, the cheap ones are good enough, and then you ain’t liable to play jokes on your wife with that kind.

That Jake Musgrove is set up ready for business. Groceries as cheap as anywhere in Kansas.

That Patterson, the butcher, is going to tear down the old Salt City saloon building, move it to the springs, and construct a two-story house out of it.

That T. C. Mills is about to sell his three-year-old colt to Wm. Thompson, for $300; pretty good price for a colt.

That a party of young folks got badly fooled; went into the country to attend a supper by invitation, went early, stayed late, no supper, went home down in the mouth, and also in the region of the digestive organ.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 14, 1882. Editorial by H. P. Standley.

GEUDA’S BOOM.

The Coming Health Resort of the South West,

Its Business and General Prospects.

On Wednesday of last week, in company with J. W. Scott, of Cadiz, Ohio, and his son, C. M. Scott, we made a flying visit to this new and prosperous burg, which is fast becoming one of the most popular health resorts of the West. Driving along on the east side of the Arkansas River, through a magnificent farming country, now adorned with waving fields of golden grain, in some instances already bending before the harvester, we could not help but feel how glorious a country this was of ours. About four miles up the river, from Arkansas City, as Geuda looms into view, one can hardly realize that a few short months ago the present thriving town did not exist; not even on paper. Crossing the river on the ferry, run by W. V. McCormick, we climbed the river bank and came in full view of the town of Geuda, glistening in the sunshine of a bright June day, about one mile distant. Upon arriving at our destination, and having turned our team over to the care of D. A. McIntire, formerly one of Arkansas City’s liverymen, we looked around with a view to dinner, and were directed to the Hotel run by J. A. Notestine, where we partook of as good a meal as one could wish, but totally unlike the bill of fare we indulged in, on nearly the same spot, ten years since.

After refreshing the inner man, we took in the town, and an idea of its goaheadativeness will be inferred from the following list of its places of business.

Our old friend, Jake Musgrove, late of South Haven, has a large store, from which he dispenses Dry Goods, Groceries, and Hardware, and almost opposite his place is a large frame two story Hotel, just completed but not yet occupied.

A. W. Patterson has also a frame building in the city, which will be occupied next week.

Mr. Turner is running a Grocery, Flour, and Feed Store.

J. A. Notestine, the Hotel above mentioned, and James Stiner is also running a Hotel and Restaurant.

Dr. Cutler and Q. M. Bixler are each engaged in the Drug business.

Mr. W. N. Hubbell has an Ice-cream and Confectionery establishment, and almost opposite the Bath House we noticed a Photograph Gallery, which affords newcomers an opportunity to test the effects of the water upon them by being “took” upon their arrival and at departure.

Messrs. Ferguson & McIntire have a large and well stocked livery barn, and are doing a lively business, and immediately south of their stable will be found the blacksmith shop of Joe Jolly.

There are two carpenter shops, one of Allen & Son, and the other is run by M. B. Wilson.

The Chicago Lumber Co. has also a yard here, which is under the supervision of Mr. Roberts, who was formerly in the lumber yard at this city.

The tonsorial art is represented by an establishment, and Dr. Griffith has an office in the town.

The Bath House has been much improved since our last visit, and the work of enclosing the seven wonderful mineral springs, from which the place is rapidly gaining notoriety, is under way. In addition to the places of business, above mentioned, there are some thirty residences on the town site, all of which are occupied.

Just before leaving, we drove over to the salt works of Mr. James Hill, which we found in active operation under the supervision of T. McIntire, who informed us that he had 100 vats in working order, which, under favorable circumstances, would yield from 15 to 20 barrels per week.

Business generally was good, and all the townspeople, with whom we talked, were well satisfied with the progress of their city, and fully persuaded of a glorious future in store for them and it.

Wishing to see as much country as possible, determined our part to drive home through Bolton Township instead of returning by the ferry, and the panorama of agricultural beauty that greeted our eyes on every side must be seen to be appreciated. Wheat in large fields, of golden promise, were to be seen on all sides, together with oats and corn growing splendidly. In some cases, especially on the farms of Messrs. Shurtz and Stiner, the wheat looked, and indeed was, ready for the knife of the reaper, the whirring of whose machinery could occasionally be heard as it swept through the more ripe pieces of grain. The farmers of Bolton Township have, indeed, much to be grateful for, as their lot is evidently cast in one of the best countries out of doors.

As we drove back into Arkansas City, we could truthfully say that the drive had been one beautiful picture, without a single blemish to mar its brightness.

Arkansas City Traveler, December 20, 1882.

Q. M. Bixler, of Geuda Springs, is bound over to the next term of court in the sum of $450 for violating the Revenue laws. He plead guilty.

Arkansas City Traveler, July 18, 1883.

Recap. R. L. Walker, Register, Land Office of Wichita. Final notice to make final proof in support of claim. Before Q. M. Bixler, Notary Public, at Geuda Springs. Claimant, Thomas J. Hatfield. Witnesses: A. S. Mendenhall, Wesley Gott, John McFadden, Geo. A. Hatfield, all of Geuda Springs, Sumner County, Kansas.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 12, 1884.

To Whom It May Concern. I very cheerfully testify that Messrs. Howard & Coonrod did on the 10th day of March, 1884, place on my residence lightning rods forming a complete circuit according to the latest scientific tests and that the application of the battery proved them in every respect satisfactory and according to contract. I can recommend them as reliable gentlemen who will do thorough work in their line. S. B. FLEMING, Pastor Presbyterian Church, Arkansas City, Kansas.

GEUDA SPRINGS, KANSAS, March 4, 1884. George E. Coonrod rodded my house and did me a good job, and gave me general satisfaction. Can fully recommend him.

Q. M. BIXLER.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 8, 1885.

Bixler’s drug store was struck by lightning last Wednesday night, but injured no one excepting Frank Mutke, who was stunned and considerably shaken up. The floor was torn and splintered up and a frying pan near the stove was melted. Geuda Springs Herald.