BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
OF
BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
When the main western line of the Missouri Pacific railroad was being built west from Kansas City, and the construction force had reached a point near where is now the townsite of Hoisington, a company of well known Kansas men began the laying out of the town that takes its name from the head of the company, A. J. Hoisington, one of the pioneers of Barton County and for many years engaged in the newspaper business in Great Bend.
The townsite company was composed of A. J. Hoisington, C. Samuels, H. T. Weaver, E. L. Chapman, Edward and Clayton Moses and S. V. Brinkman of Great Bend, these gentlemen having a one-half interest in the company. The remainder of the interest In the company was owned by S. V. McCracken and Brothers and E. C. Moderwell.
The first substantial building to be erected on the townsite was a two-story structure which was occupied by the firm of Brooker and Brown with a stock of general merchandise. This was in 1886, shortly after the townsite company was organized. The first agent of the town company was A. Mitchell, who served for about a year, when he retired and the place was taken by A. H. Baker in 1887.
In 1887 a great many people from Iowa, Illinois and other eastern states, began to arrive and the town began its growth which has been remarkable from the fact that it was not of the spasmodic, boom kind, but has been steady and substantial until now the town has a population of 2,200. This number will be greatly increased when the Missouri Pacific shops are in operation with a full force of men.
The town was incorporated in 1888 as a city of the third class, and at the first city election E. M. Carr was elected mayor. The council was made up of men who were progressive and steps were immediately taken to make the town one that offered good advantages for home making.
The territory surrounding Hoisington is among the
best and most productive in Barton County, and with the beginning of the town a great many names were added to
the rural districts' population through the sale of farm land to eastern people. As the soil was developed and
made to produce more and more each year the demand for supplies grew and a number of good stores were added to
Hoisington's business section. The first bank was established by A. J. Hoisington in 1887.
The schools of Hoisington have always been maintained on the same high standard as is found in all parts of Barton
County. The city schools are among the best attended in the county. There are two fine buildings, one on the east
and one on the west side of town. In these buildings there is plenty of room to take care of all the pupils enrolled
and the future has been taken care of by provision for a large increase in the attendance. Hoisington's population
is made up of lawabiding people and the religious advantages offered by the town are second to no town in this
part of the country. The following denominations are represented by large congregations and commodious and modern
houses of worship: Catholic, United Brethren, Christian, Methodist and German Lutheran. All the societies usually
found in connection with churches of these denominations are active in Hoisington and have large memberships and
accomplish a great deal of good in the field of religious endeavor.
The business section of Hoisington is well built and the stores which represent nearly all lines of the mercantile trade, contain large and well selected lines of goods. There are six general stores, three banks, three drug stores and many other stores that are operated on a high standard of excellence.
Hoisington has a municipal water plant that supplies water for domestic and other purposes at a nominal cost to the consumer. A fine sewage system was recently completed at a cost of $45,000 and it adds greatly to the advantages of the town as a place in which to make a home. A local company operates a modern electric and ice plant that meets the demands of the town in a most acceptable manner.
The officers of the city at the present time are: Charles Hall, mayor; F. A. Soderstrom, treasurer; J. L. Pieper, clerk; B. F. Jones, police judge; J. C. Ready, marshall, and J. R. Williams, water commissioner. The council is composed of the following: T. C. Morrison, president; H. E. Willard, Phil Ochs, Jr., J. M. Lewis, M. H. Beckett, A. Kindsvater, G. W. Cooney and J. F. Stoskopf.
Hoisington is a freight and passenger division on the Missouri Pacific railroad and the company operates at this point the largest shops between Sedalia and Pueblo and, next to the Sedalia shops, are the largest owned by this company on its entire system. The pay roll of the railroad men in Hoisington adds greatly to the prosperity of the city and makes it not alone dependent on the famers in the surrounding country for trade.
September 28, 1910, work was begun on the first building that makes up the large number composing the Missouri Pacific shops. This building is the roundhouse and has a concrete foundation with fifteen 63-foot engine pits. It is a brick building with the most modern apparatus and appliances. Two sides of the structure are composed of glass which allows plenty of light to filter in. It contains 2,000 yards of concrete, has a turntable with a diameter of seventy-five feet, a 100,000-gallon capacity hot well for the purpose of washing boilers, etc.
The coal chute has a capacity of 500 tons of coal and is the type made by the Robinson & Schafer Co. It has elevators with a capacity for lifting 125 tons of coal per hour and a storage capacity for fifteen tons of sand. Green sand is made ready for use after it has been lifted by a Holeman elevator system to the top of the chute where it is dried by a steam drying apparatus. From the dryer it is conducted through chutes to the storage bins from where it is supplied to the engines as needed. This system almost entirely eliminates hand work and results in a high class product. Near the coal chutes are found two 100,000-gallon water tanks that afford an endless supply of good water. The water is forced into the tanks by modern pumping systems and their close proximity to the coal chutes makes it possible for an engine to be supplied with coal, water and sand in the shortest possible time.
The cinder pit on which work was begun October 24, 1910, is 225 feet in length with a depressed track which allows the work of cleaning the fire box of an engine to be done quickly and thoroughly.
The blacksmith and machine buildings are large and equipped with all the latest labor saving machinery and are capable of turning out a great amount of work in the shortest possible time and when in full operation will give employment to a large number of men.
The system by which water is supplied to all parts of the different buildings is composed o three wells near the powerhouse - powerful pumps that force water into the pipe lines that conduct it to all parts of the works. The reservoir for the reserve supply of water has a capacity of 100,000 gallons.
The power for the plant is furnished by powerful engines and boilers housed in a large building from where power is transmitted to all parts of the works by twenty-four wooden poles strung with wire of high carrying capacity.
On the grounds are found a number of other buildings which include the offices of the different heads of departments and when the shops are working at full capacity it is expected that a force of 1,600 men will be required. The total cost of the plant is about $1,000,000. All the buildings are amply protected against fire by the latest and most approved methods.
The Missouri Pacific shops is an establishment of which the people of Barton County are justly proud and it is a big thing for the town of Hoisington from a business standpoint.
The Peoples State Bank of Hoisington, Kansas, was organized May 25th, 1903, with E. R. Moses, president, O. P. Putman, vice-president, W. B. Lucas, cashier, and the following directors, Henry Wildgen, D. J. Lewis, T. C. Morrison, Robt. Merten, R. H. Moses, E. H. Heath, G. N. Moses and E. R. Moses.
The bank opened for business June 15, 1903 in the back room of T. C. Morrison's Mercantile house. In a very short time it moved to its present quarters in the J. B. McCauley Opera House Building, which they purchased in May, 1904. They immediately enlarged the opera house to its present size and extended their banking rooms to its present dimensions, making one of the finest banking rooms in the State of Kansas, being finished with marble on the outside and marble and mahogany on the inside. With rooms for customers' use, directors' room, and private rooms for its officer including all the conveniences modern science can give such as electric lights, hot water heat, lavatories and rest rooms for its customers. The officers find it a pleasure to do business in its present quarters. Since the bank was organized Mr. O. P. Putnam, Henry Wildgen and G. N. Moses have passed away. E. R. Moses, Sr., has been president from its beginning. Mr. W. B. Lucas has been cashier from its beginning. Frank Soderstrom who was bookkeeper is now assistant cashier and Miss Eva Goodwin has been book-keeper since July, 1910. The bank has had a regular semi-annual dividend since 1905 and has increased its surplus each year until January, 1911, the capital stock was increased from $10,000 to $25,000 with a surplus of $2,500. This increase was practically made from the earnings of the bank.
The present directors are T. C. Burton, vice-president
and director, M. H. Beckett, B. C. Wildgen, E. R. Moses, Jr., Robt. Merten and E. R. Moses, Sr.
The deposits of this bank are over $160,000 now and are constantly increasing. The loans and discounts are over
$140,000. The success of this bank has been from its very beginning and one of its reasons for its success is the
manner in which it treats its customers and people in general. Once a customer, always a customer. The deposits
of this bank are guaranteed under the state law. The bank pays interest on all time and saving deposits.
Another institution of which the people of Hoisington and Barton County are justly proud is the Railroad Young Men's Christian Association which is a branch of the International Y. M. C. A., and was established in Hoisington in 1902. The money for the work was obtained by private subscription, donations by the Missouri Pacific railroad and Miss Helen Gould. The building is in the center of five 25-foot lots on the main street of Hoisington in close proximity to the M. P. depot. In addition to the cash which Miss Gould gave the society for the erection of the building she also aided it with special donations consisting of books for the library, musical instruments and she also provided for an emergency hospital, but this department of the institution was abandoned when the hospital was opened. The building is 60 feet square, and the big dormitory room gives ample accommodation for forty beds which are kept neat and clean and are rented to members of the association for 15 cents per night in the buildings are found in addition to the dormitory room and foyer, a reading room, bath room, library, correspondence room, all of which are equipped neatly and conveniently. The bath room contains three tubs and five shower baths, is strictly sanitary and all articles used in bathing are furnished the members free of charge. The reading room is nicely furnished and on the tables are found scores of daily and weekly papers, magazines and periodicals all of which are for the free use of the members. The library contains twelve large cases filled with 2,000 volumes that cover every subject for entertaining and educational reading. The correspondence room is supplied with writing material and is furnished in keeping with the remainder of the rooms. The lobby is large and is used by the members for playing chess, checkers, etc. The institution is not intended for railroad men alone, but contains on its membership rolls a large majority of the men of Hoisington. The membership averages around 600 but at times the list contains as many as 800 names.
In addition to the privileges mentioned above, at frequent intervals the members are given the benefit of lectures on practical subjects in the auditorium or assembly room.
The religious education of the members is not overlooked and an air of good fellowship permeates all the work of the institution. The price of membership is $5.00 per year. The place is managed by a board of directors consisting of seven members, but the active part of the work is most ably done by T. C. Straw, secretary, and H. R. Popejoy, assistant. Mr. Straw devotes his entire time to directing the work of the association and he is untiring in his efforts to make it a place where men may come and feel at home and get the benefit of living in clean, wholesome surroundings.
The Lind Hospital and Training School was established by Rev. W. J. Lind in the city of Hoisington and was thrown open to the public in February, 1912. It is a general hospital for the treatment of medical and surgical cases and is one of the best equipped institutions of the kind in this part of the country. The building, which is three stories in height, is located in a most desirable spot in the northwest part of Hoisington within eight blocks of the business section. The building is made of brick with re-enforced concrete floors. The building of this hospital was due to the fact that Dr. Lind, while a minister of the gospel, has always been interested in the treatment and cure of diseases of the human race. He was born near the Ural mountains, in Russia, April 11, 1881. He came to America in 1902 and spent the first year after his arrival in travel during which time he visited all parts of the United States and Canada. In 1903 he entered the Concordia Seminary at Concordia, Illinois. He finished his studies at this institution in 1910. During the year 1908 Rev. Lind was in the field as a missionary. At the conclusion of his studies he was ordained a minister of the German Lutheran church, and at once accepted a call from Milberger, Kansas, where he remained until he started the hospital in Hoisington. He still has charge of congregations of this denomination at Galatia and Wilson.
The hospital has room for thirty patients in addition to the rooms that are maintained by the Missouri Pacific railroad. The operating room at the hospital is equipped with all the most modern appliances and devices for the practice of surgery in its most intricate forms. Dr. Lind spent two and a half years in the study of medicine in the old country before coming to America. He was married September 1, 1910, to Miss Matilda Borell and they have one bright boy, Alexander, who, at this writing, is one year old.
In connection with the hospital a training school has been established under the supervision of the superintendent of nurses, assisted by a competent corps of physicians. The course comprises three years, which will render them thoroughly qualified to receive a diploma. While the didactic work is carried on in the class room, the pupil nurse has every possible chance to study her chosen profession in its practical lines by personal contact with the different phases of her work. During the probationary term the applicant has ample opportunity to discover whether she wishes to continue in the work and also to demonstrate whether she is qualified to remain. Applicants may enter at any time.
One of the best known of the really old timers of Logan township was Henry A. C. Hartman. He was born in Prussia in 1840 and came to this country with his parents when he was a child. He was raised in the state of Ohio and came to Barton County in 1875. He located a homestead in Logan township, one mile north and three miles south of the township of Claflin. In 1876 he brought his family to the new country and began the work of building a home. Until the time of his death which occurred in July, 1907, he took an active part in the development of the resources of the northeastern part of the county of Barton. His death was due to drowning in Cow creek, where as the result of the water being exceptionally high his wagon in which he was riding was overturned and he was thrown into the water while he was attempting to cross. Mr. Hartman was married to Miss Anne Elizabeth Shellhase in Ohio and they were the parents of eleven children. Mrs. Hartman came to America from Russia where she was born in Hess-Cassel province. She arrived in America in 1845 at a time when this country was in the throes of a scare due to the cholera, which caused the death of a great number of people. Mrs. Hartman at that time was six years of age and many of her relatives and people who came over on the boat with her died as a result of being afflicted with this disease. Of the eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hartman, two of them died in infancy. Those who are living are: Louise, who is now Mrs. F. W. Waknitz of Ness County; Lydia, who is now Mrs. W. H. Barnes of Preston, Kansas; Charles A., who resides in Reno County, where he is interested in farming; Matilda H., who is the wife of Dr. S. B. Russell of Yuma, Colorado; John H., who was born in Logan township, February 15, 1877, and now resides in Hoisington where he is vice president of the First National bank, an institution which he founded. He is also engaged in the insurance and loan business in that city. He was married to Miss Dale Nimocks, daughter of G. W. Nimocks of Great Bend, January 1, 1902. They have two children, Blanche and R. Lynn. Edwin E. is a traveling representative of the Acme Harvester company with headquarters at Wichita; James F. is in the hardware business at Preston; Jesse S. is now Mrs. E. R. Jukes of Boise, Idaho; Benjamin H. is farming near Preston; Mrs. Hartman is now living in Idaho with her daughter, Mrs. Jukes. There is no family that is better known in Barton County than the Hartmans and John H., who is mentioned above is one of the best known business men of Hoisington and is an enterprising and progressive citizen.
Roy Cornelius was born in McPherson, Kansas, March 31, 1883, and came to Hoisington in 1902 and bought the Hoisington Dispatch which was established in 1889 by Ira H. Clark, who later sold it to Franklin Brothers, who, in turn, sold it to Roy. Mr. Cornelius learned the printing trade in Great Bend under Ira H. Clark and D. T. Armstrong. He was married in 1908 to Miss Theresa Helfert and they are the parents of two children: Helen, 3 years of age, and Esther, about a year and a half old at this writing. The Dispatch office, which is the pride of its owner, is one of the best equipped printing plants in this section of the state. It contains a modern linotype, a good press for newspaper work and good presses for the job department. The Dispatch is a weekly paper devoted to the interests of Hoisington and Barton County and since Mr. Cornelius has been guiding its policy has made a great number of friends. Roy is a capable, enterprising business man and numbers his friends by the score both in the newspaper profession of the state of Kansas and among the people with whom he comes in contact in other lines of business. He occupies a nice residence in Hoisington and devotes all his time to the management of his business. At the present time he is official printer for the County of Barton having been elected at the county election in 1910. He has filled this office in a satisfactory manner and in a way that reflects credit on himself, his office and his many friends in all parts at the county.
The certificate of ownership and dedication of the original plat of Ellinwood is dated September 6, 1873, and signed by Alden Speare, president of the Arkansas Valley Town Company. It was acknowledged before George L. Goodwin, a notary public, in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The plat was certified to by John M. Cummins, a surveyor, but bears no date. He did not do the actual work of survey, neither did Colonel Ellinwood, but it is understood that J. W. Jackson, one of the quaint characters of that time did the field work. The town company could not file the plat until it got title from the railroad company, and the latter could not obtain title from the government until the road was built to the west line of the state. This was done in 1872 in the month of December. This caused delay in the filing of the town plat, but the plat was finally filed for record with Register of Deeds D. N. Heizer, October 28, 1873 at 9:05 p. m. The first plat included the south half of block 1, and all of blocks six, seven, ten and eleven. The railroad right of way, a short side track on the north side of the main track, and the depot were shown on the blue print of the plat. The depot was shown to be directly south of the Wolf hotel building. Santa Fe, Topeka and Atchison avenues and Humboldt, Washington and Bismark streets, named and located as they are now. There was nothing south of the railroad included in the original plat.
Ellinwood is located on section 31-19-11, and the center of the section is the southeast corner of the lot on which a part of the business section of the town is built. Washington street is commonly called Main street, it being the main business thoroughfare.
The supplemental plat which includes all of section 31, north of the river, except the forest reservation of 25 and 71-100ths acres and all south of the railroad and east of Schiller street, was filed for record July 8, 1873. The name of the surveyor does not appear. The plat shows the same uneven banks of the river as on the plats of the original government survey. The river has receded from a great distance since this work was done. Both the Catholic and Protestant cemeteries appear on the plat.
All the streets extending north and south were given German names except the main business street which was named Washington. The north and south streets beginning on the east side are Wielan, Gothe, Schiller, Bismark, Washington, Humboldt, Arndt, Wilhelm and Fritz. The avenues beginning on the north in their order are Northern, Colorado, Barton, Ellinwood, Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe, and south of the railroad are Chestnut, Maple, Walnut and Cedar. The names of all the streets remain the same as when platted. As the original settlers were not German, nor was the controlling element of the old timers, the Arkansas Valley Town Co., that owned this town, German. The query has often been asked why the streets are given German names. The answer usually is, all the settlers will remember C. B. Smith, probably the ablest German immigration agent who ever did business in the State of Kansas. He happened to select this locality as one of the points on the Santa Fe road where he would colonize German buyers of real estate. On his maps for circulation among the Germans he marked the territory adjacent to Ellinwood Germania. C. B. Smith, the German immigration agent of the Santa Fe Railroad Co. caused this part of Kansas to be settled by Germans.
City Government
Ellinwood became a city of the third class, April 22, 1878. On that date a petition signed by nearly every qualified elector on the townsite was presented to District Judge Samuel R. Peters at Newton, Kansas. The judge immediately issued an order creating the City of Ellinwood. Its boundary lines were the exterior lines of section 31-19-11, according to the original government survey. The order directing the first election was given and the election was held on the first day of May, 1878, at the office of J. D. Donstadt, and George Bowers, George B. Gill, and Vancil S. Musil selected to be judges, and W. B. D. Monow, clerk. It also named J. D. Ronstadt, George W. Ashton and Charles W. Williamson to act as the board of canvassers. The latter were ordered to meet at the close of the polls and canvass the returns. The board met as directed and chose J. D. Ronstadt as clerk. The election resulted as follows: Mayor, F. A. Steckel, 43; J. D. Ronstadt, 14; Councilmen, Wm. Mangelsdorf, 56; Wm. Meisner, 46; George W. Ashton, 41; John W. Conroy, 39; O. M. Dotson, 35; L. M. Story, 20; W. W. D. Monow, 20; John Mousel, 15; James Ward, 9; John Wind, 1. Police judge, George Towers, 56. Certificates of election were issued as follows: Mayor, F. A. Steckel; councilmen, Mangelsdorf, Meisner, Ashton, Conroy and Dotson. Police judge, Towers. The first council met and with all present, organized. H. J. Reints was city clerk by appointment, and the mayor appointed all the councilmen a committee on ordinances and then adjourned to May 7. No other business was transacted and the first business meeting of the council was held May 14. At this meeting a petition was granted Beal and Phipps to keep a dram shop, and a like petition was granted to Hess and Harmick. The council passed ordinance Number 1, which provided for the drafting and compiling of ordinances for the city of Ellinwood. At this meeting fourteen ordinances were passed, all relating to the duties of the city officers, except thirteen, relating to elections, fourteen concerning animals running at large and 15, relative to the sale of intoxicating liquors. The first council of Ellinwood laid the foundation for the building of a city and their work was thorough and had for its purpose the betterment of the community and the people residing therein.
Schools
Ellinwood was included in the second school district to be organized in Barton County, in 1872, and was known as school district number 2. The first school was taught by Miss Carrie Bacon, daughter of Isaac Bacon. Later she married Thomas Towers. The first term of school began September 1, 1873, and ended January 1, 1874. For teaching this term Miss Bacon received the sum of $125.00. The scholars were housed in a small frame building owned by William Misner. The school was later taught in a frame school building built especially for a school on the ground now occupied by the modern school building of which the town is so justly proud. Among those who attended the first school in Ellinwood may be mentioned Kittie Ellsworth, Wm. Halsey, John and Sina Hewitt, May Whitten, Lotta and Frank Towers, Charles L. Bacon, James and Lillie Hutchinson and Abraham Forsyth. The schools of Ellinwood have progressed with the town and nowhere in the state can there be found better educational advantages than are obtainable in Ellinwood.
Ellinwood has a population of about 1,300 and is growing every year in importance as a trading point and as a shipping point for agricultural products. It is on the main line of the Santa Fe railroad about forty miles west of Hutchinson and eleven miles east of Great Bend. It is also the western terminus of the Florence branch of the Santa Fe. This line runs through some of the richest portions of the state. Ellinwood has modern stores representing nearly all lines of retail trade, the best of churches and schools and its population is steadily growing in like proportion to other parts of Barton County.
The Wolf Milling Company's establishment at Ellinwood is one of the largest and best equipped flour mills in the state of Kansas, and its products have had a great deal to do with earning Barton County's enviable reputation as a producer of the best of milling wheat. The mill is operated by John Wolf and his son, Fred. It was established in 1908, and has a capacity of 600 barrels per day. Since the first mill building and elevator was erected in the year mentioned additions have been made from time to time and the machinery and process in use have been kept up to the highest standard. John Wolf is one of the old timers of the county having come here from Ohio in 1877. He was born in Bremen, Germany, November 23, 1848. He was married in Toledo, Ohio, to Miss Kate Haas, July 5, 1871, and it was in that city that Fred was born May 23, 1872. Fred was married to Miss Lotta Schaefer of Kansas City, Mo., July 1, 1901, and they are the parents of two children, one of whom is an infant at this writing, and the other being John Frederick. The elder Mr. Wolf has another child, Kate, who is now Mrs. George M. Heim of Ellinwood. The mill buildings and surroundings cover about a square block of ground and in addition to this interest the elder Mr. Wolf owns considerable town property in Ellinwood and Great Bend as well as two sections of farm land in the county of Barton. The flour sold under the name of "Wolf's Premium" has made a most gratifying record wherever it has been used and reflects great credit on the establishment where it is made. The Wolf family is one of the best known in this section of the state, the members of it being enterprising and progressive and among the most substantial citizens of the county.
John McMullen was born July 21, 1881, in Barton County and since 1895 has been engaged in the printing and publishing business with the exception of five years while he was engaged in farming west of Great Bend. He received his education in the schools of Barton County and began to learn the printing trade in the office of the Barton County Democrat in 1895. He was married October 7, 1892, to Miss Mabel DeMotte and they are the parents of five children, four of whom are living, two boys and two girls, while their first child died in infancy. January 1, 1911, Mr. McMullen took charge of the Ellinwood Leader having purchased the plant, and since it has been under his management he has made of it one of the leading weekly publications of this part of the state. The Leader was established in September, 1896 by J. W. A. Cook who published it until the fall of 1909 when John C. Meyers was appointed manager of the plant. Mr. Meyers continued the publication of the paper until Mr. McMullen took charge.
There are few, if any, young business men of the county who are better or more favorably known than John McMullen. Being a product of the county he is naturally very proud of his home town and county and he devotes his paper and his personal efforts to the best interests of the community in which he lives.
Edward L. Smith was born in Edwardsville, Illinois, February 5, 1864, and is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian P. Smith. He remained in his native state in his boyhood and attended the public schools, later finishing a course at the Central Wesleyan at Warrenton, Mo., in 1884. He received the degree of A. M. at this institution which is the Alma Mater of some of the country's best known statesmen and business men. While Mr. Smith's parents did not come to Barton County, they invested in Kansas land, after their son had located here. Soon after Mr. Smith arrived in Barton County he with others organized the Citizens Bank of Ellinwood and since that time he has been closely identified with the financial and commercial life of the county. This was in 1889 and soon after the organization of the bank and at different times in the early nineties farmers living in the neighborhood of Ellinwood became discouraged with the prospects and it was frequently the case that a farmer would request Mr. Smith to return the farmer's note in return for which he would give him a deed for his land. Mr. Smith being possessed of unlimited confidence in the future of the county invariably advised against this procedure and many of the farmers who had grown discouraged and afterwards "made good" thank Mr. Smith for his advice. Mr. Smith also owns the Smith Hardware Company's establishment in Ellinwood. Before coming to Ellinwood Mr. Smith taught school for three years in Illinois. After the organization of the Citizens Bank Mr. Smith was appointed assistant cashier and after serving four years in this capacity he became cashier and president which offices he now holds. Mr. Smith is a prominent member of the Elks, Eagles, Masons and Odd Fellows and is one of the best known men in Barton County. He was married in November, 1891, to Miss Mattie S. Harrison, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Harrison of Barton County, and they are the parents of two children, E. Aubrey, 17 years of age and Elbert, 14 years of age, both of whom are being educated in the schools of the county. Mr. Smith in addition to his business interests owns considerable farming land in this and other counties and his mother and father are also interested in Kansas land. Mr. Smith has served the city of Ellinwood as mayor and has been a member of the school board a number of years and is at present treasurer of the board. He is an enterprising and successful business man and is well known in all parts of Kansas and Barton County.
Along in the latter 80's E. L. Smith and other well known residents of the eastern part of the county of Barton decided that Ellinwood needed a good bank. Therefore in 1889 the Citizens State Bank was organized with a capital of $5,000, with an authorized capital of $50,000. It first bore the name of the Citizens Bank but when it was chartered under the new state banking laws five years later it became known as the Citizens State Bank and the capital was made $15,000. The officers of this bank are: E. L. Smith, president and cashier; Robert Shouse, assistant cashier and secretary and these with P. B. Kimpler, G. H. Ernsting and H. P. S. Smith form the board of directors. The bank now has a surplus of $32,000 and the deposits are approximately $175,000. This bank has gained the confidence of the people by square dealing methods and by extending to its friends and customers every accommodation that is consistent with safe banking methods. The bank occupies a modernly equipped building with an electrical burglar alarm and all modern appliances for protecting the valuables contained in the vaults.
The Peoples State Bank of Ellinwood was organized in March, 1908, with a capital of $25,000, with the following officers and directors: J. H. D. Bosse, president; D. C. Johnson, cashier; Charles Mellies, assistant cashier and C. Buck, Fred, Fred Wolf, E. D. Isern and the president make up the board of directors. The bank has enjoyed a steady growth since its organization and at this writing has a surplus and undivided profits of $10,221, and the approximate average deposits amount to $210,000. This bank has the largest deposits of any bank in the county outside of Great Bend and is one of the county's substantlal financial institutions. The bank is located on the main street in a building that is furnished and equipped in a neat, convenient manner for the carrying on of a general banking business. The interests of the bank's customers are carefully looked after by the officers of the bank and by careful management and by the use of modern banking ideas this institution has gained the Confidence of the people of that section of the county.
Johann Herman Diedrich Bosse, or D. Bosse, as he is better known in Barton County, was born in Hanover, Germany, November 1, 1852. He came to America in 1871 and located first in New York state where he remained two years, after which he went to Ohio, and from that state came to Barton County, Kansas, in 1875. He married Miss Catrina Lampe, in June, 1876, and they are the parents of two children: Marie, who is now Mrs. E. S. Brodie of Wichita, and Milton August Bosse, who resides in Ellinwood and is engaged in the farming business with his father. Milton August married Moneta Butts of Wichita, Kansas, in 1910. The elder Bosse farmed for twelve years after his arrival in Barton County and has been one of the most successful of the old timers of Lakin township. After Mr. Bosse moved to Ellinwood he accepted a position as book-keeper for the Edwards & Fair Lumber Co. He was twice elected to the office of treasurer of Barton County, Kansas. The first property he obtained title to was railroad land northwest of Ellinwood. He now owns about 1,760 acres of land in the county, all of which is under cultivation and is being worked mostly by renters.
Although Barton County lays no claim to being an exceptionally good fruit country, this line of business has been made a specialty by Mr. Bosse and he has met with success in raising many varieties of apples. Near the town of Ellinwood Mr. Bosse maintains an orchard consisting of twenty acres in which are found trees bearing apples of such well known names as Jonathan, Grimes' Golden, Nero, Akin, Arkansas Black, Wine Sap, Schackleford, Black Twig, Missouri Pippin, etc. Here can also be found choice varieties of cherries. Mr. Bose's orchard has attracted a great deal of attention not only at home, but it has been visited by government experts who on different occasions have spent a great deal of time in observing the ideas that have have been used by Mr. Bosse in the cultivation of his trees. The trees are supplied with moisture by a large irrigating system; the water being conducted to all parts of the orchard by the means of tiling placed under the surface of the ground. The water is pumped from below the surface by two large windmills and rotary pump supplied with power by a 5-horse power gasoline engine. The pump has a capacity of 200 gallons per minute. When moisture is supplied by rain the pumping plant is not needed but when the seasons are dry it is sometimes found necessary to operate the pumps as much as three weeks at different intervals during the year. A large pond confines the water that is pumped until it is needed. The pond has six outlets that make it possible to irrigate two acres of the orchard at a time. In all there are about six miles of tiling in the orchard and it is safe to say that Mr. Bosse is the leading orchardist in this part of the state of Kansas. He is an enterprising and progressive citizen and in addition to the property mentioned above he owns a great deal of town property in Ellinwood where he is well known and recognized as one of the old timers of the county who has done a great deal to further its interests and make of it one of the most desirable from an agricultural standpoint, to be found in the entire country.
In July 29, 1871, the company was chartered that had been previously selected for the townsite of Great Bend. This company consisted of Thomas J. Mitchell, C. R. Curtis, Clark H. Charles and Robert T. Shinn of Quincy, Ills.; James Israel of Mount Vernon, Ohio.; Samuel D. Houston of Manhattan, Kansas; John T. Norton and A. L. Williams of Topeka, Kansas, and Thomas L. Morris of Barton County.
It was the intention of the company to locate the
town on the north half of section 34, township 19, range 13, which is southeast of the site finally decided upon.
There were several reasons why the site was changed, the principal one being that the present site is on higher
ground and safer from the flood waters from the creeks and rivers.
The new town was christened Great Bend by Hiram Bickerdyke on account of the fact that it is located on the north
bank of the Arkansas river at a point where the big bend in the river forms almost a half circle and the townsite
is at the apex of this bend.
One year after the town was organized the first city election was held and it resulted in the election of the following officers: A. A. Hurd, mayor; A. S. Allen, G. W. Poole, M. S. Kutch, Ed Markwort and D. Cooley, councilmen. Mr. Cooley moved from the city within a month after his election and his place was taken on the council by Edward Tyler. James C. Martin was the first police judge and A. C. Moses the first city clerk, while D. R. Smith and James Gainsford were the first treasurer and marshal, respectively.
At this time the principal business activity was
in the cattle trade and large herds of cattle from northern Texas, Indian Territory and Oklahoma were driven from
the pastures in those states, north to the nearest railroad point from where they were shipped to the eastern markets.
Until the town of Great Bend was organized, this business was monopolized by Newton, Abilene and Wichita. However,
the A. T. & S. F. railroad had been built west to Great Bend at the time the first city election was held and
Great Bend's closer proximity to the southern ranges gave it an advantage that finally resulted in a large part
of this business being shifted to this point. George N. Moses was one of the pioneers in this business and drove
the first herd of cattle to pass through Great Bend from Texas to Newton in 1872.
The first building to be erected on the townsite of Great Bend was the Drover's Cottage, afterwards the Southern
Hotel, of which Colonel Thomas L. Stone was the first landlord. The first store building was erected by Tyler and
was also used as a residence. The hotel was located on lots 1 and 2, block 90, which is the ground now occupied
by the Brinkman bank building. In all there were forty-two buildings erected on the townsite during the year 1872.
The first city administration accomplished a great deal in attracting business to the town and encouraging the building of business and residence buildings. The principal work of the administration was in getting a part of the cattle trade from the towns farther east.
In 1873 the administration of A. A. Hurd was endorsed by the people of the town and he was re-elected as well as nearly all the members of the first council. W. H. Odell was elected as a member of the city council at this election.
Like all western towns of that period, Great Bend was a typical border settlement and was made up of a population that included many cattle men and buffalo hunters. The hunters sold their hides in Great Bend and the cattle men loaded their stock on the cars in which they were ttaken to the markets.
In 1873, one year after the county was organized,
there were 2,500 acres of land under cultivation and the harvest that year gave a yield that was considered mighty
good and consisted of the following: 48 acres of wheat, 30 acres of barley and 75 acres of oats, as well as a large
number of acres of hay and small acre of corn.
It was in 1873 that work on the court house was begun, this being the first building of any size to be built within
the limits of the townsite.
In 1874, at the city election, the following were elected to fill the different offices: Samuel Maber, mayor; councilmen, C. W. Gray, E. C. Sooy, H. H. Kidder, G. N. Moses and A. S. Allen; treasurer, I. H. Upton; police judge, J. C. Martin; city clerk. A. J. Buckland and W. W. Winstead and William Leak, marshals. It was during this administration that the court house was completed and on July 4, the new building was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies.
The year 1874 was famous or notorious for a plague of grasshoppers, and has since been referred to as "Grasshopper Year." For several days these pests were in evidence in such great numbers that at times they obscured the sunlight and devoured everything with which they came in contact that was not proof against their hunger and ferocity. It is related by old timers that the hoppers would swoop down on a field of corn and when they rose there would be nothing left to denote that there had been anything on the spot except the bare prairie. They also tell of the pests having often eaten clothing, and incidents are cited where they actually stopped a railroad train by piling up on the tracks in such numbers as to make it impossible for the engines to push their way through them.
It was during this same year that a genuine Indian war dance was held on the court house square. The Indians to the number of about 200 were led by Spotted Horse, chief of the Pawnees. The Indians danced themselves into an awful frenzy, much to the amusement of the people of the town and Indians who did not take part in the dance.
During this year a change was made in the city administration and D. N. Heizer became treasurer; A. C. Moses, city clerk, and James Gainsford took William Leak's place as one of the city marshals. It was also during this year that the famous trial of "Hefty," a noted character of the county, was held. He was charged with murder but was acquitted by Judge W. R. Brown, sitting in the district court. "Hefty" was acquitted after having been accused of brutally murdering two Frenchmen, new arrivals in the county.
In 1875 the following officers were elected and appointed: R. Taylor, mayor; G. N. Moses, William Torrey, A. J. Buckland, E. W. Burton and John H. Taylor, councilmen; A. C. Moses, city clerk; E. L Chapman, police judge; James Gainsford, marshall; D. N. Heizer, treasurer and A. A. Hurd, city attorney. It was during this year that "Mother Bickerdyke," the famous civil war nurse came to Great Bend on a visit to her sons, James and Hiram Bickerdyke. She was prominent in the work of relieving sufferers from the famine caused by the grasshopper pest.
In 1876 the city election resulted in the following officers being chosen to carry on the affairs of the rapidly growing town: C. F. Diffenbacher, mayor; E. W. Burton, John Taylor, R. C. Bailey, William Odell and A. S. Barnes, councilmen; A. C. Moses succeeded himself as clerk; Josiah Clayton, city attorney; E. L. Chapman, police judge; A. S. Allen, treasurer, and George B. Hayden, marshal.
Like all western towns of that period Great Bend was infested with a number of men and women who belonged to the rough element and the work of the administration of 1876 was directed towards ridding the town of this undesirable class. By this time the cattle trade had drifted farther westward and Dodge City was the town where most of the cattlemen and the cowboys made their headquarters. The administration succeeded in ridding the city of dance halls and obnoxious things that were a part of them. With the disappearance of this element the population which was enjoying a steady growth was made up of settlers and men who came here to engage in business or take up the work of farming. In fact this administration marked a new era in the life of the town.
The election of city officers in the year 1877 was marked by an issue that brought out some little argument. The question was whether or not the city officers should receive salaries, and A. C. Fair who stood for no salaries, received a majority of the votes and was elected mayor. The remainder of the city offices were filled as follows: G. H. Hulme, Joseph, Gray, T. C. Cole, Chas. Rozel and E. C. Bailey, councilmen; W. H. Odell was appointed police judge; W. H. Dodge, city attorney; A. S. Allen, treasurer and A. B. Underhill, marshall.
The administration of 1878 was composed of the
following: G. N. Moses, mayor; C. W. Gray, J. C. McClure, A. A. Power, C. B. Chapman and Fred Vollmer, councilmen.
This council appointed E. L. Chapman, police judge; W. H. Dodge, attorney; A. S. Allen, treasurer; W. H. Odell,
clerk and J. T. Airhart, marshal.
In 1879 the election of city officers resulted as follows: A. W. Gray, mayor; R. T. Ewalt, R. C. Bailey, A. J.
Buckland, M. B. Fitts and A. C. Fair, councilmen. The following were appointed: G. W. Nimocks, attorney; E. L.
Chapman, clerk; C. Goit, police judge; A. S. Allen, treasurer and W. W. Winstead, marshal.
The affairs of the city were looked after during the year 1880 by the following: E. L. Chapman, mayor; A. J. Buckland,
M. J. Fitts, F. Vollmer, A. C. Fair and Henry Moss, councilmen. During this period R. T. Ewalt was police judge;
A. S. Allen, treasurer; Fred Long, clerk; W. H. Swift, marshal and street commissioner.
In 1881 the following city officers were elected: H. M. Kline, mayor; G. H. Hulme, Henry Moss, A. Laidlaw, A. C.
Fair and A. J. Buckland, councilmen; R. T. Ewalt, police judge; James Clayton, city attorney; A. S. Allen, treasurer;
W. P. Mellen, clerk and James Airheart, marshal.
The year 1882 was a good one for the cultivation of the soil and a number of new settlers arrived and located south of the river from Great Bend. At the election the following officers were elected: S. V. Brinkman, mayor; H. M. Kline, C. Goit, G. H. Hulme; Wm. Bruesser and A. Laidlaw, councilmen. This council appointed the following: R. T. Ewalt, police judge; Elrick Cole, attorney; A. S. Allen, treasurer; C. Goit, clerk and James Airheart, marshal. It was during this year that the town was visited by a smallpox epidemic that caused the death of fourteen people as well as making business poor in all branches. The disease continued in its spread for several months and at times a panic was threatened that might have resulted in depopulating the town.
In 1883 the spring election resulted in G. W. Nimocks
being elected mayor with the following councilmen: J. C. Gwinn, E. R. Moses, R. C. Bailey, A. C. Fair and E. W.
Moses. Mr. Ewalt continued as police judge, B. F. Ogle was appointed attorney; James Clayton, clerk; A. S. Allen,
treasurer and J. T. Airheart continued as marshal.
The election of 1884 was without any particular interest as the town was enjoying a good growth and the people
seemed to work with a community of interests. The following were elected: E. W. Moses, mayor; G. N. Moses, T. O.
Cole, J. C. Gwinn, E. E. Benedict and Wm. Bruesser, councilmen. Mr. Ewalt was again appointed as police judge;
C. Gait, attorney; R. A. Charles, clerk; A. S. Allen, treasurer. The police department remained the same.
In 1885 E. W. Moses succeeded himself as mayor and had with him as councilmen: Dr S. J. Shaw, F. M. Burson, Wm. Bruesser, C. H. Patterson and W. H. Keeney. A. J. Buckland was appointed police judge; C. E. Castle, clerk; A. S. Allen, treasurer; J. W. Clarke, attorney, and Cal Crilley, marshal.This administration accomplished a great deal of good for the town. The first drainage system was established and consisted of a ditch running from the west boundary of the city through the town to Walnut street, with laterals from both north and south.
In 1886 the city was changed from a city of the third class to a city of the second class. The officers of the city who had been elected in 1885 were appointed by Governor John Martin to serve until an election could be held under the new order of things. The election was held on the day appointed by the governor and resulted as follows: D. N. Heizer, mayor; A. S. Allen, treasurer; L. R. Nimocks, police judge; J. W. Clarke and A. J. Buckland, justices of the peace; John Dawson and L. P. Aber, constables. It was during this year that the first election of councilmen was held by wards and resulted as follows: First ward - J. Alefs and G. W. Poole; second ward - W. G. Merritt and A. Laidlaw; third ward - D.. Jones and D. C. Luse; fourth ward - D. Roberts and Fred Vollmer; treasurer of board of education, J. V. Brinkman; members of the board of education, A. C. Shermerhorn, D. M. Woodburn, G. W. Nimocks, C. F. Culver, A. H. Connett, A. R. Moss, D. Turner, S. H. Moss. S. M. Rusk was appointed street commissioner; C. E. Castle, clerk; F. Patterson, marshal and C. Q. Newcomb, city engineer. In November, 1886, at a special election F. J. Kramer was elected councilman to take the place of W. G. Merritt, who resigned. It was this year that the city of Great Bend was separated from the township as far as political matters were concerned.
In January, 1887, C. E. Castle resigned as city clerk and his place was filled by the appointment of C. W. Murphy and at the same meeting of the council Wm. Osmond was appointed city attorney.
It was during the administration of 1887 that the city of Great Bend voted aid in the sum of $23,000 for the Kansas & Colorado Pacific Railroad company. This company built the road that is now a branch of the Missouri Pacific from Great Bend to Hoisington. At the election in that year the following were selected to fill the different offices: Mayor, A. S. Buckland; police judge, W. H. Odell; treasurer, James Clayton; treasurer of the board of education, R. F. Typer; justices of the peace, George Crummack and John W. Brown; constables, L. P. Aber and Parker Corbin; councilmen - First ward W. O. Morrison; second ward, George Spencer; third ward, F. B. Caldwell; fourth ward, F. B. Schuster and S. H. Moss; members of the board of education, J. W. Thompson, S. J. Shaw, D. Turner, Charles Allison and Charles E. Hedges. C. W. Murphy was chosen for city clerk; attorney, D. A. Banta; marshal, J. W. Dawson; street commissioner, J. T. Airheart. G. . Poole resigned as a member of the council and at a special election held April 25,...... was elected to take his place. In July of this year C. W. Murphy resigned as clerk and the vacancy was filled by the appointment of Will E. Stoke.
In 1888, at the spring election, the following were chosen to fill the city offices: Councilmen, W. E. Harper, C. L. Moses, G. N. Moses, J. B. Daniels; school board, A. C. Schermerhorn, C. F. Culver, J. C. Gwinn, W. W. Culver.
It was during the administration of these officers that the first city water works system was installed, a franchise being granted to the Great Bend Water Supply Company. The franchise was to run for twenty-one years. The city voted aid for the Chicago, Kansas & Western railroad Company in the sum of $15,000. The road extended from Great Bend to Scott City and is now a branch of the Santa Fe Railroad Company. In November of this year Charles Chamberlain was elected councilman to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of J. B. Daniels.
In 1889 O. B. Wilson was elected mayor with the following councilmen: John Langham, W. B. Cornell, C. H. Hulme, C. B. Gillis and C. Q. Newcomb. The board of education was composed of C. F. Diffenbacher, G. W. Nimocks, J. K. Humphrey and William Torrey, with C. W. Murphy, treasurer. The following were appointed by the city council: W. H. Odell, police judge; James Clayton and John F. Lewis; justices of the peace, L. P. Aber and John W. Dawson, constables; O. J. Richmond, treasurer. The remainder of the city offices were filled with the same as during the previous year. At a special election in 1889 J. S. Dalziel was elected a member of the city council to take the place of W. E. Harper, who resigned and M. Gilmore was elected to take the place of Charles Chamberlain.
In 1890 the city election resulted in the following being chosen to look after the affairs of the city: Councilmen, John Taylor, C. L. Moses, W. P. Coles and M. Gilmore. The board of education was composed of A. C. Schermerhorn, A. J. Buckland, A. H. Connett and Fred Vollmer.
In 1891 the city offices were occupied by A. Laidlaw, mayor; Parker Corbin, police judge; O. J. Richards, G. L. Chapman, treasurer of the board of education; John F. Lewis and James Clayton, justices of the peace; J. W. Dawson and L. P. Aber, constables. The council was composed of John Langham, J. B. Hannum, Wm. Kelley, W. W. Culver and the long term members elected at the election of 1890. The board of education was made up of C. F. Diffenbacher, Charles E. Dodge, S. J. Day and Wm. Torrey. R. A. Charles was clerk; G. W. Nimocks, attorney; W. W. Winstead, marshal and street commissioner.
The election of 1892 resulted in the following being elected: Wm. Friend, R. C. Bailey, G. H. Hulme and W. H. Swift, councilmen; A. C. Schermerhorn, A. J. Buckland, D. C. Luse and W. H. Keeney, members of the Board of education; R. A. Charles, clerk; G. W. Nimocks, attorney and R. T. Ewalt, marshal.
In 1893 E. W. Moses was elected mayor; C. M. Smith, police judge and O. J. Richards, treasurer; C. L. Hobart, clerk; J. W. Clarke, attorney and W. P. Cone, marshal. The council was composed of the holdovers and L. P. Aber, Geo. W. Moore, A. R. Moss and I. N. Woodward who were elected at the election in this year. The board of education was composed of Bruce Jones, Charles E. Dodge, W. H. Hulls and C. W. Murphy.
The succeeding council, the members of which were elected in 1894, together with the holdovers, was one that did a great deal of good for the town in the way of public improvement. Those elected at the election of 1894 were: John Hiss, Theodore Griffith, George Kincaid and I. N. Woodward.
The board of education elected at this election were: Albert Weiss, A. J. Buckland, D. G. Gibbons, Wm. Torrey and Fred Vollmer. C. L. Hobart served this year as. city clerk, James W. Clark as attorney and R. T. Ewalt as marshal. It was in September of this year that C. M. Smith resigned as police judge and J. W. Brown was elected to fill the vacancy.
In 1895 the following were elected and appointed to fill the offices in the city administration and they, together with those who already were holding seats in the city council, continued the work of building the town and making it better in every way: G. N. Moses, mayor; W. M. Gunnell, police judge; J. Geo. Brinkman, treasurer; L. P. Aber, John Dickson, A. R. Moses and H. L. Shore, councilmen. The new members of the board of education elected were: J. H. Borders, Chas. E. Dodge, D. C. Luse and Fred Vollmer. During this administration G. L. Chapman was treasurer of the board of education; B. F. Ogle and J. H. Jennison were justices of the peace and J. W. Dawson and W. F. Cone served as constables, while F. V. Russell was attorney; C. L. Hobart, clerk and R. T. Ewalt, marshal.
On January 6, 1896, C. L. Hobart resigned as city
clerk and the vacancy was filled by James A. Townsley, who received the appointment and it was during the same
year that L. P. Aber and A. R. Moss resigned as members of the council and their places were not filled until the
city election of the spring of 1896.
The election of 1896 resulted as follows: Henry J. Meyers, James E. Savage, Theodore Griffith, A. H. Schaeffer,
George C. Kincaid and E. G. McNown were chosen for members of the council, and Pat Boughan, H. J. Kline. A. J.
Buckland, Isaac Reynolds and D. J. Newton were chosen to serve on the board of education. George Crummack was appointed
as clerk, F. V. Russell, attorney, and R. T. Ewalt succeeded himself as marshal.
In 1897 George N. Moses was re-elected mayor and the following councilmen were chosen: James E. Savage, John Dickson, I. N. Wilhide and Thomas Clayton.
The following members of the board of education were elected: Edwin Tyler, Wm. Osmond, D. C. Luse and E. P. Smith. This was the first election in the city after the new law made the offices of clerk, marshal and street commissioner elective ones, and George Crummack, R. T. Ewalt and W. A. Rush were elected to fill these offices, respectively. During the administration W. M. Gunnell was police judge; Louis Zutavern and J. W. Dawson were constables and G. L. Chapman was treasurer of the board of education.
In 1898 the following were elected and appointed: Peter Jordon, marshal; George Crummack, clerk; B. S. Dale, street commissioner; Henry Meyers, M. Eppstein, R. A. Allison and H. L Shore, councilmen; Pat Boughan, Martha L. Moore, A. R. Moss and W. R. Bunting members of the board of education, and F. V. Russell served as attorney. In January, 1899, Frank Brown was appointed clerk to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of George Crummack.
G. H. Hulme was elected mayor in 1899 with the following members of the council: C. G. Morrison, John Dickson, Thomas Clayton and I. N. Wilhide. J. F. Lewis, R. . Charles, O. W. Dawson and I. N Woodward were elected as members of the board of education. It was during this election that the new law went into effect which made the office of city attorney an elective one and F. V. Russell was chosen. This year found W. M. Gunnell as police judge; Louis Zutavern, treasurer; G. L. Chapman, treasurer of the board of education; B. F. Ogle and J. H. Jennison, justices of the peace and W. H. Zutavern and W. H. Cone, constables. R. T. Ewalt again served as marshal and D. J. Newton, street commissioner.
In 1900 W. M. Gunnell died and B. F. Ogle was appointed to fill the office of police judge. In this year the following councilmen were elected: J. F. Durkin, L. P. Aber, A. H. Schaeffer, R. A. Allison and H. L. Shore. The following members of the board of education were elected: Ira H. Clark, F. M. Russell. H. E. Lindas and W. R. Bunting. During this adminstratlon P. Cooprider was marshal; F. E. Brown, clerk; William Osmond, attorney; W. P. Cone, street commissioner and R C. Bailey, assessor.
In 1901, the law was changed and the offices of clerk, marshal, attorney, assessor and street commissioner became appointive ones. It was at the election of this year that L. P. Aber was elected mayor; D. D. Page, police judge; Louis Zutavern, treasurer and G. L. Chapman, treasurer of the board of education. The following councilmen were chosen at this election: J. F. Durkin, L. J. Barker, Thomas Clayton, B. S. Dale and F. B. Newcomb. The members of the board of education elected were: John F. Lewis, R. A. Charles, O. W. Dawson and I. N. Woodward. M. B. Fitts was appointed city clerk; F. V. Russell, attorney; Frank D. Wilson, marshal; S. H. Luttrell, street commissioner. B. F. Ogle and J. H. Jennison were justices of the peace, while W. P. Cone and H. M. Wells served as constables. On June 3, F. D. Wilson resigned as marshal and his place was filled by the appointment of George E. Webber. S. H. Luttrell resigned as street commissioner and Frank Harvey was appointed to fill the vacancy. In July, M. B. Fitts resigned as clerk and his place was taken by Wm. Woodward. In December, George Webber resigned from the office of marshal and his place was taken by F. D. Wilson. January 7, 1902, Mr. Woodward resigned from the office of clerk and W. P. Feder was appointed to fill the vacancy.
In 1902, the following were elected to fill the offices of the city: Councilmen: W. T. Kendall, H. J. Smith, B. S. Dale and Alfred Miller. The election resulted in the selection of Ira H. Clark, F. M. Russell, H. E. Lindas and W. R. Bunting to serve on the board of education. The following were appointed: W. P. Feder, clerk; F. V. Russell, attorney; Joseph Schaeffer, marshal; James A. Airheart, street commissioner.
At the election of 1903 Martin Weirauch was elected mayor with the following councilmen: L. C. Miller, J. G. Slentz, J. B. Rediger and F. B. Newcombe. For the board of education, J. F. Lewis, R. A Charles, O. W. Dawson and I. N. Woodward were elected.
This administration made the following appointments: Police judge, D. D. Page; treasurer board of education, G. L. Chapman and Louis Zutavern continued as city treasurer.
In July of 1903, Mr. Weirauch resigned as mayor as did also Mr. Slentz as councilman. A special election was held July 28, 1904, which resulted in the election of E. W. Moses as mayor, and H. E. Dean to fill the vacancy in the council. Mayor Moses appointed F. D. Wilson, marshal. In October of that year Mr. Morrison died and his place as clerk was taken by W. E. Torrey.
The election of 1904 resulted in the choosing of the following councilmen: W. F. Honnen, N. J. Smith, Thomas Clayton and Alfred Miller. For the board of education the following were elected: Ira. H. Clark, F. M. Russell, H. E. Lindas and Wm. Rubart. W. E. Torrey was appointed clerk; Wm. Osmond, attorney; F. D. Wilson, marshal and E. Price, street commissioner.
In 1905, E. W. Moses was again elected as mayor of the city with the following councilmen: J. F. Durkin, H. E. Dean, C. S. Allison and W. R. Bunting. Louis Zutavern, treasurer; Ed. L. Chapman, treasurer of the board of education and for members of the board the following were elected: H. H. Whiteside, R. A. Charles, Porter Young and M. Simpson. The following appointments were made: W. P. Feder, clerk; Elrick C. Cole, attorney; F. D. Wilson, marshal and E. Price street commissioner.
At a meeting of the council February 6, 1905, after some discussion had been indulged in regarding the advisability of erecting a city building W. F. Honnen, N. Smith and Thomas Clayton were appointed a building committee. Then began systematic work which resulted in the building of a fine brick and stone structure to be known as the Great Bend City Hall. It is located at the corner of Williams and Lakin streets and is ample for all needs of the city for years to come.
In 1906, the new city building was dedicated and thrown open for the use of the city officers. At the election held in the spring of this year the following were named: W. F. Honnen, N. Smith, C. N. Moses and F. H. Miller, councilmen; S. J. Newcombe, W. J. Sama, E. E. Morrison and D. C. Luse, members of the board of education. Elrick C. Cole continued as attorney; F. D. Wilson as marshal and E. Price as street commissioner.
In 1907, E. W. Moses was elected mayor with the following councilmen: Amos Johnson, G. N. Moses, B. E. Giles, W. R. Bunting. Members of the board of education: W. J. Sama, A. M. Collins, Lester Cox and Porter Young. H. A. Hall was elected police judge; Louis Zutavern, treasurer and Ed. L. Chapman, treasurer of the board of education; James Clayton and J. H. Jennison continued as justices of the peace with W. T. Bennister and W. B. King as constables. F. D. Wilson was appointed marshal; Frank Hitchcock, assistant marshal; E. Price, street commissioner and F. A. Moses, clerk.
In 1908, the following councilmen were elected: W. F. Honnen, N. Smith, E. H. Miller and W. C. Merritt. For the board of education: S. A. Newcombe, E. E. Morrison, J. E. McMullin and Wm. Rubart. The appointive offices were filled by the same gentlemen as were appointed in 1907.
In 1908 O. W. Dawson was elected mayor with the following councilmen: W. L. Smith. G. N. Moses, B. E. Giles and O. M. Frazier. The same appointive officers were chosen with the exception of F. D. Wilson, whose place was taken by the appointment of Axel Wemmergren as marshal. Louis Zutavern was again elected treasurer and James Clayton police judge. Ed Chapman continued as treasurer of the school board, for which the following were elected: E. W. Seward, F. V. Russell, Porter Young and Lester Cox.
In 1910, the following councilmen were elected: W. F. Honnen, J. F. Lewis to fill the vanancy made by the resignation of W. L Smith, E. W. Moses, W. E. Hayes and W. G. Merritt. For the school board: S. A. Newcombe, E. E. Morrison, J. E. McMullin and Louis Omer. The appointments were the same as the previous year.
It was during the administration of 1910 that steps were taken that finally resulted in letting a contract for a sewage system for the city. The contract was let December, 1910, and called for an expenditure of approximately $100,000. The contract was awarded to Bash & Gray of Joplin, Mo. It was found, after work had been begun that the original plans were too small to give the city a proper system, therefore, they were enlarged and the work on the sewer was finished in the south half of the town in the spring of 1912. It is expected that the entire city will be afforded sewer connections within the present year. The same council appropriated $35,000 for a drainage system for the city. The work on this was done by home people under the supervision of a construction company.
In 1911, O. W. Dawson was re-elected mayor, and J. F. Lewis, G. N. Moses, D. C. Luse and S. P. Giddings were elected as members of the council. The appointments were the same as in 1910. The following were elected as the members of the board of education: Lester Cox, Porter Young and F. V. Russell. The treasurer and justices of the peace were the same as in 1910.
In 1912, the following councilmen were elected: Louis Hans, R. A. Ewalt, W. P. Deal, L. P. Aber and Warren Baker was elected to fill the unexpired term of G. N. Moses. The appointments were the same with the exception of Clyde Allphin who took the place of E. C. Cole as city attorney. The offices of sewer and electric inspectors were created and Fred Hans, and F. K. Zutavern received the appointments.
The present administration of the city of Great Bend is a most aggressive one and is continuing the work so ably begun by their predecessors in making Great Bend an ideal home city with the best of religious and educational advantages.
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