RAILROADS COWLEY COUNTY.

                                                       NARROW GAUGE.

 

Railroads: [Gauge]

Distance between the heads of the rails measured at right angles thereto at a point 5/8 inch below the top of the rail.

Standard Gauge: 4 feet 8-1/2 inches.

Narrow Gauge:   4 feet 3-1/2 inches.

Gauges found in dictionary. Does not agree with articles in early newspapers with respect to “Narrow Gauge” measurement. They said either “three feet” or in other instances, “three feet, six inches.”

 

Gauge [Distance between the wheels of a vehicle].

 

Great Western Railway in England was 7 feet [broad gauge] as opposed to the ordinary gauge of 4 feet 8-1/2 inches.

 

Broad Gauge: The wider distance at which the rails are laid on some railroads, involving a corresponding width of carriage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winfield Courier, November 18, 1875.

                               THE RAILROAD MEETING AT ELDORADO.

Last Friday, Nov. 14th, a large and earnest railroad meeting was held at Eldorado. Messrs. Meigs, Channell, McMullen, and Christian, from Arkansas City; Millington and Manning of Winfield, and Holmes and Lee, of Rock Township, were the repre­sentatives from Cowley County.

A large turn-out of active men of Butler County were pres­ent, and C. V. Eskridge, P. B. Plumb, E. P. Bancroft, and others from Emporia, and Messrs. Danford and Schenk of Osage City, and C. K. Holliday and Lakin, of Topeka, were present.

The meeting organized at 2 p.m. by choosing Neil Wilkie, of Douglass, as chairman. Mr. Bancroft, of Emporia, in a clear and comprehensive manner, presented statistics showing the advantage to the people and company of constructing a narrow gauge railroad in comparison to a wide gauge road.

Gov. Eskridge then spoke at some length demonstrating the ability of the people along the line to build and own a road from Emporia into the Walnut Valley.

Interesting speeches were made by Col. Plumb, D. A. Millington, and others.

Finally the citizens of Butler County present selected eight persons to cooperate with the representatives of Cowley in drafting articles of incorporation for a railroad company. After several hours of conference the two counties by their representatives agreed upon a charter form road beginning at Emporia, and run by the Walnut Valley to the south line of the State below Arkansas City.

The following named gentlemen were chosen directors.

P. B. Plumb, H. C. Cross, and A. A. Baker: Emporia.

J. C. Becker: Chelsie.

T. B. Murdock and A. L. Redden: Eldorado.

E. L. Akin: Augusta.

A. Cox: Walnut City.

Neil Wilkie: Douglass.

J. E. Platter and J. C. Fuller: Winfield.

J. C. McMullen and S. P. Channell: Arkansas City.

The corporation is named the Walnut Valley R. R. Company.

The directors are to meet in Emporia on 23rd inst., to put the enterprise in motion. Of their action, we shall keep our readers posted. If possible, we shall attend the meeting.

Winfield Courier, December 2, 1875.

Manning has a long article about “The Coming Railroad.” He advocates a narrow gauge, which he says can be built to Winfield by September 1876, called Walnut Valley R. R. Company. Stresses that road can move wheat to Emporia and then Kansas City.

“A narrow gauge is within our reach. A broad gauge is not. As now situated it costs the farmers of Cowley thirty cents per bushel to put their wheat into Kansas City. Twelve months from now they may put it there for less than ten cents.

“New year’s wheat crop will produce an excess for market of at least 500,000 bushels. Twenty cents per bushel on this is 100,000 dollars. This saving of 100,000 dollars is all that Cowley need give to secure the road.”

Winfield Courier, December 9, 1875.

High Fiske and Joseph Houser, of Rock, were down last Tuesday talking up the “narrow gauge.”

Winfield Courier, December 23, 1875.

Floral Grange, last Friday, after business hours, debated the question of Narrow and Broad Gauge Railroads. The judges in the debate decided that the Narrow Gauge debaters had presented the best arguments and rendered their decision accordingly.

Winfield Courier, January 27, 1876.

Thanks to S. B. Littell, of Beaver, for a call and some narrow gauge items.

[RAILROAD MASS MEETING: WINFIELD.]

Arkansas City Traveler, February 9, 1876.

                                                WINFIELD, February 5, 1876.

On motion of C. M. Scott, Mr. D. A. Millington, of Winfield, was elected Chairman. On motion of A. N. Deming, C. R. Mitchell, of Arkansas City, was elected Secretary. On motion of Prof. A. B. Lemmon, the following committee of thirteen was appointed to draft resolutions to express the feelings of this meeting.

A. B. Lemmon, of Winfield.

C. M. Scott, of Arkansas City.

Mr. Harbaugh, Pleasant Valley.

W. R. Wilkins, of Liberty.

H. L. Barker, of Richland.

R. P. Goodrich, of Spring Creek.

Enos Henthorn, of Omnia.

S. S. Moore, of Tisdale.

S. M. Fall, of Windsor.

T. W. Morris, of Beaver.

Amos Walton, of Winfield.

J. B. Holmes, of Rock.

S. B. Fleming, of Creswell.

C. R. Mitchell, being absent, on motion of A. B. Lemmon, Mr. I. H. Bonsall of Arkansas City was elected Secretary in his place. On motion of Mr. Fleming, the Arkansas City Silver Cornet Band was requested to give the meeting some music while the committee was absent drafting resolutions. After listening to some very good music by the band, Judge Ross, of Rock Township, was called on for a speech, and responded with an effective and pointed speech in favor of railroads, and convinced the conven­tion that he was, as he said in commencing his speech, covered all over with the railroad fever, and must have convinced the most skeptical of the need of a railroad outlet for our crops.

J. B. Evans, of Vernon, responded to a call with a lukewarm speech favoring a road on conditions, but did not want to commit himself at the present time. Judge Christian of Arkansas City responded to a call with a few pointed remarks in favor of a railroad, when the Committee on Resolutions came in, ready to report, and Prof. A. B. Lemmon, Chairman of the Committee, read the following resolutions.

WHEREAS, We, the people and producers of Cowley County, unless we have a railroad in our county, will expend within the coming year, in time, labor, and money, half a million of dollars for transporting grain, lumber, and merchandise to and from the nearest railroad stations, and in losses by being compelled to sell in a distant town on a market temporarily unfavorable, thus leaving the producers utterly without any profits on their labor, which sum, if saved to the county, would yield to the producers an enormous profit; and

WHEREAS, The present financial condition of the country, and particularly of our and adjoining counties, and the history of railroad building in the West, proves that it impossible to get a railroad here without the aid of reasonably liberal county or other municipal franchises, which it is impossible to give under our present laws; and

WHEREAS, Though our county would probably vote such aid by a two thirds majority, as the law now requires, yet a failure by any other county along the line to give such majority would be fatal to the road; therefore, it is by the people of Cowley County, Kansas, in mass convention assembled,

Resolved, That we earnestly appeal to the Legislature of Kansas, now in session, to enact a law enabling counties and other municipalities to vote aid in bonds or cash sufficient to induce the construction of railroads where they are needed.

Resolved, That such law should allow such aid to be given by a majority vote.

Resolved, That our railroad law should be amended so as to allow the voting of a reasonable amount of bonds as aid in the construction of a railroad within our county.

Resolved, That such law should provide that all taxes collected from such railroads within any county or municipality shall, to the extent of the amount of principal and interest of the aid given, be paid pro rata to the counties and municipali­ties giving such aid, and applied to the payment of such interest and principal.

Resolved, That our Representatives and Senator at Topeka are hereby earnestly requested and instructed to labor to procure the enactment of such a law as is herein contemplated.

A. B. LEMMON,

S. B. FLEMING,

C. M. SCOTT,

A. WALTON,

E. H. HENTHORN,

J. B. HOLMES,

S. M. FALL.

On motion the report was accepted, and committee discharged. Moved and seconded that the report be accepted as a whole. Moved by Mr. Allison that the motion be amended so that the report be considered by sections; amendment accepted and carried; motion as amended carried. On motion that the preamble be adopted, moved by Allison to amend by striking out the words, “WHEREAS. Though our county would probably vote such aid by a two thirds majority, as the law now requires, yet a failure by any other county along the line to give such majority would be fatal to the road; therefore, it is by the people of Cowley County, Kansas, in mass convention assembled.”  Motion to strike out lost. On motion, the preamble was adopted.

On motion, the first resolution was adopted.

Moved to reject the second resolution by Mr. Allison; motion seconded; motion to amend by adopting the resolution as read, by Prof. A. B. Lemmon, and previous question called; amendment withdrawn; motion of Mr. Allison to reject lost; moved to adopt the resolu­tion as read; carried.

On motion, the third resolution was adopted without opposi­tion. On motion, the fourth resolution was adopted unani­mously. On motion, the fifth resolu­tion was adopted.

Rev. Mr. Platter read a letter from Peabody, asking for delegates to be appointed to attend a meeting there on the 23rd or 27th. A motion of Rev. Platter that the chair appoint dele­gates was carried, and Rev. J. E. Platter, of Winfield, C. M. Scott, Arkansas City, and Judge Ross, of Rock Township, were appointed delegates.

The following resolution was offered by Mr. Allison.

Resolved, That it is the sense of this convention that Cowley County should not vote aid to a narrow gauge road until there is no probability of there being a standard gauge road constructed through the county.

Moved to lay it on the table; carried.

The following resolution was offered by Mr. Manning.

Resolved, That the Topeka Commonwealth, all papers in Cowley County, and other State papers interested, be requested to publish the proceedings of this meeting.

Carried unanimously.

Moved by A. N. Deming that a vote of thanks be given to the Arkansas City Silver Cornet Band. Carried unanimously, and responded to by music from the band.

Moved and seconded that the convention do not adjourn.

                                              D. A. MILLINGTON, Chairman.

I. H. BONSALL, Secretary.

Winfield Courier, February 10, 1876.

                                             THAT RAILROAD MEETING.

                                                         The Farmers Speak!

                                                     And Demand Legislation.

Last Saturday a large concourse of representative men from all parts of Cowley County assembled in Winfield to give expres­sion to their views upon the railroad situation. The meeting was held in the Courthouse. The room was packed full and many were left outside that could not gain admittance for the jam.

Mayor D. A. Millington was chosen Chairman, and I. H. Bonsall, of Arkansas City, selected as secretary.

A committee on resolutions consisting of A. B. Lemmon, S. M. Fall, of Lazette; R. P. Goodrich, of Maple City; W. R. Watkins, of Liberty; S. S. Moore, of Tisdale; J. B. Holmes, of Rock; H. L. Barker, of Richland; Enos Henthorn, of Omnia; Mr. Harbaugh, of Pleasant Valley; T. M. Morris, of Beaver; L. Bonnewell, of Vernon; Amos Walton, of Bolton; and S. B. Fleming, of Creswell Townships was appointed.

The committee retired to prepare the resolutions, and during their absence speeches were made by several persons, the most notable of which were those of Judge Ross and Judge Christian. The resolutions reported by the committee were adopted.

Some opposition was manifested to the resolution asking that the proposed law should allow a majority to vote aid to rail­roads, but it was voted down by more than two to one. The opposition came principally from non-taxpayers around town. There were but a few of the town people out. The Winfield citizens preferred that the farmers should conduct the meeting. The Arkansas City band furnished music for the occa­sion. Intense interest in the proceedings were manifested and the meeting adjourned with three cheers for a railroad.

On motion three delegates to the Peabody convention, on the 27th inst., were appointed, to-wit: Rev. J. E. Platter, Judge T. B. Ross, and C. M. Scott.

A feeble effort to have the meeting declare against a narrow gauge railroad was promptly tabled. A vote of thanks was tendered the Arkansas City band.

We give the preamble and resolutions.

WHEREAS, We, the people and producers of Cowley County, unless we have a railroad in our county, will expend within the coming year, in time, labor, and money, half a million of dollars for transporting grain, lumber, and merchandise to and from the nearest railroad stations, and in losses by being compelled to sell in a distant town on a market temporarily unfavorable, thus leaving the producers utterly without any profits on their labor, which sum, if saved to the county, would yield to the producers an enormous profit; and

WHEREAS, Though our county would probably vote such aid by a two thirds majority, as the law now requires, yet a failure by any other county along the line to give such majority would be fatal to the road; therefore, it is by the people of Cowley County, Kansas, in mass convention assembled,

Resolved, That we earnestly appeal to the Legislature of Kansas, now in session, to enact a law enabling counties and other municipalities to vote aid in bonds or cash sufficient to induce the construction of railroads where they are needed.

Resolved, That such law should allow such aid to be given by a majority vote.

Resolved, That our railroad law should be amended so as to allow the voting of a reasonable amount of bonds as aid in the construction of a railroad within our county.

Resolved, That such law should provide that all taxes collected from such railroads, within any county or municipality, shall, to the extent of the amount of principal and interest of the aid given, be paid pro rata to the counties and municipali­ties giving such aid, and applied to the payment of such interest and principal.

Resolved, That our Representative and Senator at Topeka are hereby earnestly requested and instructed to labor to procure the enactment of such a law as is herein contemplated.

Resolved, That the Topeka Commonwealth, all papers in Cowley County, and other state papers interested, be requested to publish the proceedings of this meeting.

Arkansas City Traveler, February 16, 1876.

S. P. Channell returned from Topeka, last Thursday, where he had been as a representative of this place on the Narrow Gauge proposition from Kansas City and Emporia to Arkansas City. On the way he met Mr. J. C. Fuller, who represented Winfield, and the two represented Cowley County. Owing to a bill pending before the House of Representatives in the State Legislature, to amend the bond law, it was deemed best not to organize the company until the result of the bill was known; and the matter, for the present, is postponed. Mr. Fuller states that the people in the northern part of the State express more confidence and assurance that we are to have a road, than we ourselves do, but that is not to be wondered at, as they have not experienced so many buncomb propositions. All agree we are to have a road soon.

Winfield Courier, March 2, 1876.

                                                            Lazette News.

                                              LAZETTE, KAN., Feb. 28, 1876.

On the 20th and 21st inst., Col. Marvin and Col. Hunt, of Kansas City, were here examining the route for a railroad from Independence, via Elk Falls and Lazette, to Winfield and points west in Cowley County. They reported the line a very practicable one, and said they found a natural roadbed through the flint ridges. Give us the railroad from the east.

The railroad meeting which was held here last Saturday was well attended by parties from all quarters in this side of the county. John Clover, Esq., was called to the chair, and J. W. Tull was made secretary. R. C. Story, L. N. McCracken, and Ab. Peebler were appointed as a committee to draft resolutions. The report of this committee was discussed by parties on all sides, and a number of resolutions were amended and modified. The assembly was a unit in desiring a railroad east and west through the county, though very much divided as to the best means of getting the same. The resolutions were considered and adopted one at a time, and some of them were carried only by a small majority. Part of the speakers wanted an unconditional endorse­ment of railroad enterprise, others were in favor of voting bonds for a road from the east, while others were opposed totally to increasing our taxes for any railroad whatever. Some said “wait two or three years and the road will come without the bonds.” The meeting was largely attended by the farmers and businessmen from Cedar and Grouse valleys, and the country west, and it demonstrated the fact that the people on the eastern side of the county are not sleeping over this question.

In regard to the gauge, most of those present said, “Give us more light in regard to cost and convenience of the narrow gauge.” A number of our leading men express the opinion that a good big bonus could be voted, even without a change in the law, for a railroad connecting Winfield and Arkansas City directly with the east.

Winfield Courier, March 2, 1876.

                                           EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

                                                      FEBRUARY 26, 1876.

The apportionment bill having passed the House, was taken up in the Senate and variously amended and passed. As it leaves the Senate, it gives Cowley one Senator and two Represen­tatives. This is a little more than our share, but then we have been getting along a long time with far less than our proportion of representation. The amendments made in the Senate will be vigorously opposed in the House. How it will result is doubtful. Sumner or Chautauqua counties may be at­tached to us yet. Senator St. Clair did nobly by us and labored for our interests in this as well as in other matters.

A bill revising the tax laws of the State passed the House Thursday of this week, and if the Senate can reach it, it will probably become a law. It is the best law that can be devised, when considered in all its bearings. Under its provisions the expenses of laying, collecting, and disbursing the taxes are very much reduced. No law affecting usury or interest has passed or is likely to pass this session.

The bill concerning attorney’s fees in mortgages is not likely to become a law.


A very long bill, entirely revising the school laws of the State, is before the Senate today, and may pass both houses, but it is doubtful. If it does become a law, scholars in one district may attend a school in an adjoining district, in case the schoolhouse is nearer to the scholars desiring schooling.

The bill allowing counties to vote aid to railroads is a law, or will be, as soon as it is published in the Commonwealth. It requires a two-thirds vote to carry the proposition in a county, township, or city. It came very near being defeated in the Senate, only fourteen votes being the number that were favorable to the bill, as it came from the House, and even this vote was obtained by a combination of the friends of Stilling’s narrow gauge and Eskridge’s standard gauge bills. By amending and coaxing, and urgent solicitations, the friends of the measure finally obtained eighteen votes and carried it. Senator St. Clair worked earnestly for the measure.

The Legislature in a body is going to Pueblo in an excursion train over the A. T. & S. F. road next Friday, immediately after adjournment.

Hackney has worked very hard this winter, and is one of the leaders in the House. He has never neglected the interests of his constituents.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 22, 1876.

Robert Crozier, L. F. Smith, and O. B. Gunn were in town last week to see about an extension of the Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Winfield Courier, March 30, 1876.

Recap: Manning advocates a narrow gauge railroad; backs the Keokuk, Galesburg and Chicago Railway in Illinois.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 12, 1876. Front Page.

Editor of the Vermont News:

Dear Sir: As there is a growing desire among the people of the Eastern Townships to know more of this vast new country, I have thought that a few items from this county might not prove uninteresting to your readers.

The Arkansas and Walnut valleys contain some of the finest sheep, stock, and produce farms in Kansas, and the early completion of a railroad to this town is all that is needed to cause a flood of emigration to these beautiful and fertile valleys. And we feel confident that within a year, and possibly less, the desired end will be reached. Already there are various projects under consideration for the construction of a narrow gauge road to this town, and delegates have been appointed to attend a railroad meeting to be held in St. Louis shortly, when the different routes will be considered and a definite plan of operations adopted.

Arkansas City Traveler, May 24, 1876.

C. R. MITCHELL is at Topeka, attending the narrow gauge railroad meeting. He is also a delegate to the State Delegate Convention.

[ITEMS FROM ARKANSAS CITY TRAVELER.]

Winfield Courier, June 1, 1876. Editorial Page.

We want a standard gauge railroad, will aid a narrow gauge, but are bound to have something. Traveler.

[ATTACK ON E. C. MANNING FROM “BRUTUS”—WILLOW VALE.]

Arkansas City Traveler, September 13, 1876. Front Page.

                                          Reform within the Republican Party.

                                               WILLOW VALE, Sept. 5, 1876.

Editor Traveler:

Having been a Republican since the organization of that party, believing in the fundamental principles of that party, and anxious for its prosperity and perpetuation, I cannot but look with alarm at the widespread and general dissatisfaction within our ranks at the recent unexpected, disastrous, and disgraceful culmination that (through the apathy and neglect of the people themselves) has rendered it possible for the commercial politi­cians—the trading rings, shysters, and tricksters, who have taken advantage of such apathy to debase the primary meetings for the election of delegates, and prostituted by fraud and chicanery the last county convention—to nominate a man of notoriously bad character for the high and honorable office of State Senator.

Go where you will, travel where you may, and is it possible to find a more earnest, honest, upright, and energetic people than are in Cowley County? Where will you find the diffusion of knowledge more general and widespread, the morals of the people purer, their love of virtue more proverbial? A high-toned, prosperous people, and such a nomination by the representatives of the last convention, who misrepresented the Republican party!

Well may it make old and tried Republicans tremble, causing them to bow their heads, while their cheeks are mantled with shame and indignation.

Oh! Why is it possible within our ranks for such men to receive a patient hearing, much less a nomination? Why is it that the people will stay at home from the primaries, and leave a few miserable trading tricksters to elect themselves delegates and nominate such a man?

How is it possible for any man in Cowley County to consider patiently for one moment the elevation of such a man as E. C. Manning to the State Senate? A man whose bad political record is not circumscribed within the limits of Kansas, but who himself has testified to his own infamy before a committee of the Senate of the United States. A man, who, by fraud and trickery, in 1870 had the Commissioners of Cowley County to disfranchise a portion of our people by rejecting the votes cast in six voting precincts that voted against him, and thus defeating his opponent, who on a count of all the votes cast had a clear majority of nine; but Manning, knowing a majority of the people had voted against him, went up and misrepresented us, as he swears to himself, before the committee of Congress.

These are not the only charges that men of unimpeachable integrity all over Cowley County are making every day and every hour. No wonder there is such universal sorrow and discontent within our party over his nomination. Never was there such universal, open, and notorious rebellion within our ranks over any nomination. Men who never bolted the ticket, nor scratched a name therefrom, are today asking each other what they should do.

They say, “Is this the reform within the party that we have waited upon so long, and which is the war cry of Republicans in their campaign?” The answer is: “No!” This nomination is unrepublican; we will not be bound by it. The man is a fraud, as was the convention that nominated him, and rather than be repre­sented by him, we will vote for a Democrat—anybody rather than such a man. The misfortune incident to Democratic ascendancy, disgraceful though it would be, is far more preferable to the people than that the shameful knowledge should diffuse itself over the State that we of Cowley County were infamous enough to say that such a man was a representative of our people—because it is but too true that the people are judged abroad by the character of their Senators and Representatives.

Now, Mr. Editor, in behalf of our party, which has shown such energy and made such a gallant effort to reform abuses within itself; in behalf of that party that has not hesitated to drag from power some of our most trusted leaders, because of their trickery and rascality; in behalf of decency, honesty, and respectability; in behalf of the people of Cowley County, our good name and fame hereafter—in the name of all that is honor­able in this Centennial year, let it never be said that there were enough infamous Republicans in Cowley County to elect this man to the Senate.

“But,” say his backers, “he will get us a railroad.” How has it come to pass that railroads can be built by law? Is it possible to induce Eastern capitalists to invest in Kansas railroads, with those that are here in the hands of Receivers?

“But,” say they, “we will get the law changed so that a majority vote will carry bonds.” Why change the law when you can’t get even a proposition from responsible parties looking to the building of a railroad?

“But,” say they again, “we will organize a local company and build a narrow gauge.” He and his followers build a railroad? Ye gods! What a railroad they would build! Bankrupt in character, bankrupt in purse, only affluent in brass, brag, and political trickery.

Have the people forgotten the Kansas & Nebraska railroad fraud, and Manning’s effort to get the bonds of this county for it? And how today Marion County is groaning under a debt of one hundred thousand dollars issued to this corporation? And “still they have no railroad!” Oh! Such hypocrisy! Such rum bosh! It may satisfy the unthinking, but to people of sense it is the merest clap trap to catch votes.

Last fall it was a Granger Bank; this fall it is a railroad. Last fall Manning pocketed the Granger Bank charter that was placed in his hands, to be filed with the Secretary of State, by the Grangers of Cowley County, who had pledged $60,000 to start a Grange Savings Bank. In full fellowship with the movement before his nomination, he suddenly discovered it was not popular with the money changers of Winfield (when he had withdrawn from the campaign)—and yet this man boasts that he is a Granger, and wants the Granger vote.

The time was when such men might, by the aid of the power and prestige of a presidential campaign, secure their election, but that day is passed.

The Republicans propose to break the power of party ties whenever the machinery of the party places men on the ticket obnoxious to them, and they will scratch them, regardless of consequences. The time has passed for self-styled dictators of the party to dragoon us into doing their bidding. The party whip is powerless, and when the ides of November shall come, we will by voice and ballot defeat this man—that the cup of bitterness prepared by providence in the elevation of this man (the conse­quence of our neglect of duty at the primaries) may pass from our lips.

Cowley County expects every man to do his duty, and if he does, the threatened disgrace that hovers over the good name of our county will pass away forever; and this man who bolted the Republican party in 1870, and organized the bolter’s and Demo­cratic Reform party of that day in Cowley County, will be driven to his old comrades for aid and comfort. Further, the Republican party will be purer and better therefor, and the disgrace atten­dant upon the recent frauds upon our party will never again be repeated. BRUTUS.

[We have to repeat again that we are not responsible for the views of our correspondent in the above article, or for the opinions expressed in any communication.—ED.]

Winfield Courier, October 5, 1876.

Mr. De Wolf, a brother-in-law of W. D. Roberts, has been spending a few days in this community. He is an experienced railroad man, having been in the employ, as conductor, of one of the best roads in Illinois for a number of years. He is enthusi­astic for the narrow gauge system, and says that a road of that kind is just what we want in this section. He is a very pleasant and well informed gentleman.

Arkansas City Traveler, January 3, 1877.

                                         Railroad to Cowley County—Definite

                                                 Arrangements Being Made.

Prof. L. B. Kellogg, of Emporia, writes to his brother, Dr. H. D. Kellogg, of this place, that definite and positive arrange­ments are being made with Eastern capitalists for a railroad from Emporia to Arkansas City, and that they are at work making out the proper papers to close a contract for building and operating the road before the winter of 1878, or in time to carry next year’s wheat crop. The proposition will first be submitted to Lyon County, then Butler or Greenwood, and then to Cowley.

It is generally understood that it is to be a narrow gauge, and that its course will be down the Walnut Valley. The Eastern capitalists are at Emporia, and Mr. Kellogg says it looks as though the road would be built. They can’t get here too soon to please us.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 14, 1877.

The citizens of Butler and Cowley counties are invited to meet at Douglass, March 17, 1871, at 11 a.m., to consider a proposition to vote county bonds to a narrow gauge railroad.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 21, 1877.

ON PAGE 1 SCOTT GAVE PROPOSITION OF THE KANSAS CITY, EMPORIA & SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY...READY TO FURNISH A RAILWAY, IF THE PEOPLE VOTED $4,000 A MILE TO GET THE NARROW GAUGE ROAD CON­STRUCTED TO THE SOUTH LINE OF THE STATE WITHIN 18 MONTHS. SCOTT MENTIONS THIS IN AN EDITORIAL ALSO: “Petitions will be circulated throughout the county asking that an election be called.”

THE PETITION WAS PRINTED BY SCOTT. IT STATED THAT MORE THAN TWO-FIFTHS OF THE RESIDENT TAXPAYERS OF COWLEY WERE BACKING THE PETITION FOR KANSAS CITY, EMPORIA & SOUTHERN RAILROAD COMPA­NY. [GAUGE TO BE THREE FEET, DEFINITELY MAKING IT A NARROW GAUGE.]

                    [I GATHER THIS ROAD DID NOT MEET WITH APPROVAL!]

Arkansas City Traveler, March 21, 1877.

The narrow gauge is the farmer’s railroad.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 21, 1877.


COL. J. C. McMULLEN, of Arkansas City, was in town this week. He reports a deep interest in the narrow gauge enterprise in Cowley County. Emporia News.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 21, 1877.

MAJOR SLEETH and T. H. McLAUGHLIN visited Elk County last week on matters pertaining to the narrow gauge railway from Kansas City.

Arkansas City Traveler, March 28, 1877.

The editor of the Telegram does not support the K. C. E. & S. railway proposition, as offered by the agents who recently visited this county to bring the matter before the people, and cites his reasons therefore, saying the narrow gauge would be his last choice. He favors an east and west project, stating that the Emporia scheme should be laid to rest for awhile.

[COMMUNICATION FROM “C. C. H.”—BOLTON TOWNSHIP.]

Arkansas City Traveler, March 28, 1877.

                                                  BOLTON, March 22, 1877.

We understand that Frank Lorry is canvassing the northern part of the county with a petition asking the County Commission­ers to call a railroad election, to give us an opportunity to vote against the narrow gauge road from Emporia to the south line of the State.

NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD.]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 3, 1877. Front Page.

[Much attention on the front page was given to the strong possibility that Arkansas City would see a Narrow Gauge Railroad come to pass in this vicinity.]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 3, 1877.

At a railroad meeting, called at Winfield on the 14th inst., to take in consideration a proposition from the representatives from the Kansas City, Emporia and Southern railroad company to extend their contemplated line of narrow gauge road down the Walnut Valley, in consideration of certain aid to be furnished by the county, the proposition was, by vote, rejected, thus giving the company to understand that the people of Winfield are no narrow gauge men, especially when that gauge is not exclusively in the interest of that city.

Oxford Independent.

[SOME FIGURES RE NARROW/STANDARD GAUGE RAILROADS.]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 11, 1877. Front Page.

RECAP OF LONG ARTICLE.

STANDARD GAUGE (4 FEET 8-1/2 INCHES). Iron laid on standard gauge roads is usually 56 pounds or 60 pounds to the yard; the cost laid down in Kansas would be about $48 per ton, or from $4,224 to $4,524 per mile.

NARROW GAUGE (3 FEET). Iron laid on narrow gauge roads weighs 30 pounds to the yard; the cost laid down in Kansas would be about _________ [not given in this article.]

COMPARATIVE COST PER MILE OF STANDARD AND NARROW GAUGE:

Engineering: Standard $1,500; Narrow $900.

Grading: Standard $1,350; Narrow $900.

Spikes: Standard $300; Narrow $200.

Fish-plates: Standard $250; Narrow $140.

Bolts: Standard $75; Narrow $50.

Ties, 2,640 to the mile: Standard $870; Narrow $580.

Iron, 56 pounds to the yard: Standard $4,824; Narrow $2,356.

Bridging and Culverts: Standard $550; Narrow $300.

Right-of-way, assuming that a large portion would be donated: Standard $275; Narrow $200.

Station houses, water stations, etc.: Standard $400; Narrow $300.

Sundries: Standard $300; Narrow $150.

Fencing: Standard $400; Narrow $400.

Track laying and surfacing: Standard $500; Narrow $225.

Standard Gauge. Cost of road per mile: $9,944.

Narrow Gauge. Cost of road per mile: $5,951.

Rolling stock for a moderate equipment: Standard $4,800; Narrow $3,500.

Cost of road and equipment per mile: Standard $14,444; Narrow $8,451.

                                   [Facts obtained from the Chicago Inter Ocean.]

[“A. W.” LASHES OUT AT EDITOR E. C. MANNING.]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 11, 1877. Editorial Item.

                                                     CLEAR THE DECKS!

                                                  Nail Down the Hatchways!

                                                        Prepare for Action.

This is the language of the heading of an unfair article in the Courier of March 29. If it means anything, it means a deadly, bitter fight; and it would be well if all the fair and impartial citizens of Cowley County would honestly consider what this man, who thus pretends to represent the city and citizens of Winfield and the people of Cowley County, is determined to fight in such a bitter way. Surely the city of Winfield must be in great danger to thus have to prepare her decks for action. What is it? you ask. Well it is simply this: Certain gentlemen of known wealth and reputation, having secured the confidence and franchises of Lyon County, proposed to build a road of three feet gauge to and through the city of Winfield. The Courier man has said himself that the men who are backing the road are able to build it.

Then flows an enumeration of Winfield objections to the proposition of the company, which is characterized as an arbi­trary provision. Now will the people of Cowley County go back on the record a few years and test the sincerity of the citizens of Winfield, and of the writer of the article, “Clear the Decks.” He and they not only advocated such a proposition before, but he, the aforesaid writer, was very anxious to have the escrow part fulfilled. He hankered more after crow a year or two ago than he does now. Then it was perfectly proper and safe; now it is dangerous. Now, again, go back on the record a little over a year ago, when the writer of “Clear the Decks,” was anxious to form a local company and build a narrow gauge road from Emporia. If this gentleman and one or two others who were intimately connected with him will refresh their memories, they will find that they stated over and over again that $150,000 was not enough for building through the county.

You see it makes some difference who is to handle the bonds as to how much the county ought to give—according to some people’s notions. Now we will make a quotation to show the unfairness of this article, and the evident determination of the writer, whose malignant feeling toward Arkansas City is shown in every line. We quote:

“Without coming to any agreement, the gentlemen went to Arkansas City, and soon thereafter we find men in every township in the county from Arkansas City, circulating petitions.”

An omission of the writer makes a lie and a misstatement in the above as much so as though he had put it into words. He should have been sworn to tell the whole truth.

He forgot to tell the people of Cowley County that the gentlemen representing the road returned to Winfield, and with them a deputation of the best citizens of Arkansas City, and that they stayed all day; and that the citizens of Winfield would not even get together in a room and state what modifications they wanted, nor listen to any terms of agreement, but treated the citizens of their neighboring city with such marked disrespect as to amount almost to insult; that they said, in effect, “Winfield controls the county—when we get ready to say the word, Arkansas City and the country townships can walk up to the trough and drink, and not until then.”

After this, in the same article, comes a statement in regard to a committee from Winfield visiting Arkansas City, and again the writer’s memory proves treacherous, and he only states that their committee offered to put in $100,000 each for an east and west and a north and south road—forgetting entirely to state that they offered to give $120,000 to a north and south road, and take just enough to bring an east and west road to the city of Winfield, and no further.

He forgot, also, to state that they had no reliable, reason­able project to present at Arkansas City, or anywhere else, in regard to a road from the east.

To conclude this article, I would make this one observation in the shape of an appeal to all fair minded citizens, and especially to the farmers and producers of the county: There is in the article referred to a feeling of malignity exhibited against a thriving village in your midst, in which you cannot share. It may be only the members of a bitter political contro­versy, only existing in the mind of one man, and it may be the feeling of property holders in the city of Winfield, who think that they will be largely benefitted by anything which will destroy the growth of a sister town. But neither reason applies to the large majority of the citizens of the county. Every dollar of taxable property added to either city helps the county so much towards lightening the burden of taxation, and is an aid to them. A. W.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 11, 1877. Editorial Item.

                                                         Railroad Matters.

The committee who went from this place to Augusta, learning that Mr. Young and Gov. Eskridge intended going to Winfield to confer with the people of that place, at the urgent request of one of the citizens and a member of the Railroad Committee of Winfield, sent word for a delegation to come up to agree to a new proposition. A number went, but upon their arrival, found that no agreement could be made, as the Committee of Winfield had stated they could not entertain any proposition from the north, as they had one from the east. Mr. Young and Gov. Eskridge then came to this place and submitted the proposition to Creswell Township to build their road down the west side of the Walnut by Township aid. The same proposition will be submitted to Rock, Nennescah, Vernon, Beaver, Creswell, Bolton, and probably Pleasant Valley Townships, and if the aid is rendered, the road will be built.

In the evening a large and enthusiastic meeting was held at the church, during which a stirring speech was made by Mr. Eskridge, and remarks by Mr. Young, Rev. Fleming, Judge Chris­tian, Amos Walton, Mr. Channell, and others, after which a committee of eleven were appointed as follows, as Managing Committee, with power to appoint Finance, Canvassing, and Sub-Committees: Dr. Hughes, O. P. Houghton, C. M. Scott, A. A. Newman, James Christian, J. C. McMullen, S. B. Fleming, M. R. Leonard, Amos Walton, R. C. Haywood and S. P. Channell.

The Committee then elected Dr. Hughes, President, J. C. McMullen, Vice President, Amos Walton, Secretary, and R. C. Haywood, Treasurer. The hour being late, the Committee then adjourned.

[COMMUNICATION FROM “L” TO SCOTT.]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 11, 1877.

                                          A Farmer’s Opinion of the Railroad.

                                              FLORAL P. O., March 25, 1877.

MR. SCOTT: Although not a constant reader of your paper, I see it occasionally, through the friendship of my old Kentucky friend, James Christian, of your place. I see your people are advocating a railroad down the Walnut valley, and I saw your petition and signed it last week, but at the time I told Mr. Christian that I would vote against it. But as I have been considering the matter over in my own mind, and have come to the conclusion to vote for the bonds.

Nearly all the people in my neighborhood favored an east and west road, and we are still in favor of one of that kind if we could get it; but I see no hopes of one soon. I am an old man, and have lived here on Timber Creek six years. I am getting tired waiting for a railroad, and will now favor this one, the first tangible proposition that I have seen, and shall advise my neighbors to do likewise.

Cowley is a big county, and all cannot have a road to their door yard. I find that by an examination of the little maps that Mr. Christian gave me that not a man in ranges 3, 4 and 5 (the best half of the county) will be more than 10 miles from some point on that road. This is near enough in all conscience for any of us. We can start from home in the morning with a load; go to the railroad, and be back home before night to do our chores, feed our stock, etc., as no farmer ought to be away from home after night if possible.

I am a Republican, and a believer in “the greatest good to the greatest number.” I further find from that little map that in the three ranges the west half of the county contains 7,401 population, while the three east ranges contain only 2,720—a little over one-third of the population of the county. So that the proposed road down the Walnut valley will accommodate two-thirds of the present and prospective population of the county.

I am now fourteen miles northwest of Winfield, but eight miles will take me to Little Dutch P. O., on the line of the road, and I have no doubt but we will have a station at that point or near it; so you see we will not be badly injured if we do not get an east and west road, provided we get one up and down the valley. What first put us in the notion of an east and west road was that nearly all the surveys that were made run up and down our creek. Two of them run across my land. But I am not so selfish as to contend for a road by my own door, to the injury of any neighbors. A road east from Winfield must run up our creek to the head of Grouse in order to cross what is called the flint hills, leaving all the balance of the Grouse Creek valley out in the cold, for we cannot have two east roads in our day.

Therefore, let us be generous and accord the greatest good to the greatest number by going in heart and soul for the Walnut valley road. It takes us five days to make the trip to Wichita and back, and live like hogs while on the road at that. Yours Respectfully, L.

[COWLEY COUNTY DIVIDED: RAILROADS.}

Arkansas City Traveler, April 11, 1877.

Cowley County is divided on her railroad projects. Arkansas City and the north part of the county are in favor of the Kansas City, Emporia & Southern road, while Winfield is opposed to it and wants only an east and west road. If this road cannot get through Cowley, it will have to go round it and into Sumner, where the people are ready and anxious to get it and will doubt­less vote the requisite aid. Emporia News.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 18, 1877.

Two gentlemen from Elk City and Longton report that it will be impossible to carry any bonds for the Parsons narrow gauge road from east to west, for the reason that there are none but standard gauge roads to connect with.

[PETITION FOR SPECIAL ELECTION.]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 18, 1877.

WE, the undersigned, being more than two-fifths of the resident taxpayers of the municipal township of CRESWELL, in the county of Cowley, . . . .

[Recap: Above pertains to asking for a special election to be held not later than May 22, 1877, for a proposition to subscribe to the capital stock of the Kansas City, Emporia & Southern Railroad Company. Amount: $26,500, payable in 30 years at 10% interest. Road to be built from Douglass, in Butler County, to Arkansas City.

Entire railroad to be a narrow gauge (3 feet 6 inches), which would run from Kansas City to Emporia, thence to Eureka, and from Eureka to Augusta and Douglass, and thence to Arkansas City.

[ARTICLE BY JAMES CHRISTIAN RE NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD.]

Arkansas City Traveler, April 25, 1877. Front Page.

                                            To the Citizens of Cowley County.

                                            A FEW FACTS ON RAILROAD.

Citizens of Cowley County, let us reason together. Do you really and sincerely want a railroad into or through our beauti­ful county? If you do, act like sensible men. Come out in your might and crush the hired minions that are trying to deceive you by false propositions and bogus companies, not worth a dollar. Men who may mean well enough, but who could not raise a dollar for any such purpose to save their necks from the halter.

I do not wish to impugn the motives of any man, but when I see men act as some are acting in this county, I am constrained to believe that they are dishonest, for no honest man will sail under false colors. No honest man will be untruthful; these men are not deceived as to the ability of the men comprising the Parsons Narrow Gauge Company, commonly termed the East and West route. Several of them are good fair men, but they do not pretend to be capitalists or have a dollar to put into railroads, and should they ever get to Parsons, there is no evidence that they will build a narrow gauge any father. Then where are you? Where is Parsons, pray? A station on the M. K. & T. R. R., at the junction of the L. L. & G., thirty-five miles southwest of Fort Scott, in Labette County, one hundred and forty miles from Kansas City, the market town of Kansas and the New West.

But to resume, Cowley County is comprised of twenty-two municipal townships, and a population of over ten thousand five hundred souls, if everyone has a soul, which seems doubtful by their act. Seven thousand five hundred of the population is in the Walnut Valley. A road up and down the valley would accommo­date two thirds of our present and prospective resident taxpayers and build up two prosperous towns where the comforts and conveniences of civilization would center for the benefit of the great farming and producing class of the country as well as the improvement of our species.

All these benefits must be thwarted to gratify a hell engendered spirit of revenge of a few sore head politicians and disappointed office seekers whose principles are rule or ruin. Citizens of Winfield and Cowley County, the day is coming, and is not far distant, when you will curse in your bitter wrath the memory of the men that are now plotting your destruction under the false and delusive pretense of being your friends.

Take down the map of your county, examine it closely, see where its best lands lay, see for yourselves if you are not blinded by local prejudices or actuated by the most vindictive hate to a sister village of your own county, that can in no shape or manner be a rival to your commercial and financial prosperity where the bulk of our population lays. Don’t let passion subjugate your judgment, you have the County Seat, the public offices, and a favorable location for a thriving business town.

Without descending to particulars and statistical informa­tion on the comparative cost of broad and narrow gauge railroads, we will state the cost per mile for what is termed standard and three feet gauge over the same character of country; the former costing $9,944, the latter $5,951, or in about the proportion of five to nine, a little over half. The cost of equipments of the two roads would be a little more in the proportion of three and a half to four and a half. The cost of standard gauge being $9,944 per mile, and thirty miles through our county, amounts to $298,320, while a three feet gauge would only cost $178,530, leaving a balance of $119,790, near $120,000 for the road alone without equipments or rolling stock, this $120,000 would be dead capital that we would have to pay interest on in the shape of passage and freight, money that the farmers and traders have to pay the railroad, for all freight and passage money is intended as interest on the capital invested. The more that is invested in the road, the more is to be paid by the producer and trader. The buyer and seller in this, as in all business transactions, will invariably look for the consumer to pay the tariff, and the mass of mankind are consumers. Do not then tarnish your good name by such a suicidal course, such a dog in the manger policy.

                   Note: Christian refers to NARROW GAUGE as THREE FEET.