News Stories Various Butler County Kansas Genealogy Trails

BUTLER COUNTY, KANSAS

NEWSPAPER STORIES

AN EXPLOSION

Boiler of Engine at Clipper Mills Explodes - Three Men Seriously Injured - May Be Fatal

The boiler of the engine at the Clipper Mills on Mechanic street in north El Dorado exploded this morning, seriously injuring Chas. Dye, Grant Rogers and A. N. Crowther.

The explosion occurred at 9:25. The force was terrific and sufficient to tear away the south portion of the building and completely wreck the interior arrangements. Fragments of wood, brick and iron flew through the air at terrific speed for a distance of over two hundred yards. Not a board of the engine room was left standing. The largest part of the engine, most of the boiler was carried for a distance of seventy three yards, completely crossing Mechanic street and landing in the yard of Bart Pyle's residence. This was a complete section, 12 feet long and 4 feet in diameter. Had it not been deflected from the regular course by a tree it would have crashed into the house. Another large part of the engine was thrown across the street to the gate of Wm. Givens' home. The concussion was so great that a number of windows in the vicinity of the mill were broken and the jar and noise of the explosion was so great that it was felt and heard down town, a distance of nearly a mile.

J. W. Jenkins, of the Santa Fe, was the first man on the scene after the explosion. He was working at the freight depot when it happened and immediately ran to the mill. Hearing cries coming from the engine pit he jumped down into it. The steam was so thick he could see but indistinctly, but he managed to find Crowther, who was in a kneeling position bending over Rogers, trying to get him out. Rogers seemed to be fastened down in some way. Jenkins first took Crowther to the open air, and then brought Rogers outside. By the time Jenkins had taken Crowther out Will Hurst, D. W. Wideman, John Coleman, Taylor Smith and Wm. Burnham were present and lent willing aid. They found Dye on the first floor of the building, which is several feet above the engine pit. He was lying between the burrs and the walls of the building near a window.

Dye had brought a load of corn to the mill. He had unloaded and was inside the mill, standing on the steps that lead to the engine room when the explosion occurred. He was only a few feet distant. He was thrown violently against the east wall of the building. He was taken to the Santa Fe depot, later was taken to his home a short distance north of there. He is very badly bruised up and a jagged hole was torn in his head, slightly behind the right eye. It penetrates the skull and enters the cerebrum. He is also cut on the left side of the face below the eye. His wounds will probably be fatal.

Crowther and Rogers were both in the engine pit, putting on a belt. Crowther received deep scalp wounds in both the back and front portions of his head. They are deep and reach to the skull although it is not fractured. The wounds were filled with brick dust and is probable that the wounds were made of flying brick. The right side of his face is badly scalded and the other side is bruised and contused. His back is injured and he is scalded in several places. Rogers has two or three scalp wounds, rather worse than Crowther's that are something of a serious nature. He is badly scalded and burned all over the back and on one side of the body. The burns extend nearly down to the knees. His lower limbs are also very badly burned. He is suffering greatly from the shock and his exact condition can not be told until it is seen how he will recover from the shock. It is possible that his wounds may prove fatal he is so severely burned. Crowther will recover. Both Crowther and Rogers were immediately taken to their homes. The former lives three blocks south of the mill, on Mechanic street and Rogers home is only a block south of the mill.

Wm. Swinton, a stranger, was at the mill only a few moments before the explosion. He said this morning: "I went to the mill to buy some corn; looked in the engine room and the engine was working back and forth on its foundation. I thought it might be just the nature of the creature but the steam looked too blue for me and so I got out." He was only a short distance away when the engine exploded. He said nothing to the people at the mill.

The boiler is one that was brought here by Mr. White who built the first elevator that was ever in El Dorado twenty three years ago. The building was burned down and this boiler passed through the fire. It has been considered unsafe for a number of years. The boiler was less than a sixteenth of an inch in thickness in some parts. The mill is the property of Mr. Clark, of Ohio, and was operated by Mr. Crowther. (Walnut Valley Daily Times, November 19, 1900)

TWO DEATHS MAY RESULT

It is probably that two deaths will result from the explosion at the Clipper Mills yesterday morning. A. N. Crowther's condition is not serious and he will recover.

Dr. Miller is in charge of Grant Rogers. He is not in good condition as he was yesterday, his pulse is considerably weaker. He vomited a great deal of blood during the night. Complications with the kidneys have arisen and unless this trouble can be abated he will die. A short time will tell the result. The chances are against him.

Dye has recovered from the shock and is resting better than could be expected under the circumstances. He was struck with some hard substance on the prominence of the cheek bone; the temporal bone and frontal bone were fractured; the skull was fractured in numerous places and his right eye is destroyed. Dr. McKenzie does not think the membrane of the brain has been broken. Dye also has a large gash over the left eye and in the back part of the head. He is in a semi-rational comatose condition most of the time. His chances for recovery are very meager. (El Dorado Republican, November 20, 1900)

THE KENWORTHY CASE

The case of the city of El Dorado vs T. P. Kenworthy is at last settled, and adversely to the city. It will be remembered that several years ago Mr. Kenworthy had a drug store here. During the Betts administration it was raided by the city marshal and considerable liquors taken. The case grew out of that transaction. At the trial the city was represented by J. C. McCarty and G. P. Aikman, the defendant by H. W. Schumacher, Lafe Knowles and E. N. Smith. They city won before the court and jury. The defendant took the case up. The court of appeals sometime ago reviewed the case on a vital point. An effort was made to have the supreme court review the case but the judge said "no, the case has been correctly disposed of." The attorneys for the defendant are quite elated over their victory and the vindication of their judgment. The city now has to pay the costs. (El Dorado Republican, August 12, 1898)

COLD BLOODED MURDER

July 24th, on the farm of Capt. Henry Brandley, two miles south of Matfield Green, Sunday evening, about nine o'clock, occurred a very mysterious murder.

Frank Reynard, who has been working for Capt. Henry Brandley for the past year and a half was shot and killed by some unknown person, within a short distance of the home. He had been out with several of his friends and on returning went to the barn, unsaddled his horse and hung his saddle in the barn, and it is supposed he went back to his horse when shot. The report of the revolver was heard at the house. He was about twenty years old, highly respected, and had no enemies anyone knew of. His father and mother live near Durachen. This is the third murder in this section of the country in the last five years. None of the murderers have been apprehended. (El Dorado Republican, July 29, 1898)

MURDER CASE

Sam Smith on Trial Charged with Murder

SEPARATE TRIALS GRANTED

The Defendants - Court Room Crowded - Brief Summary of Evidence Submitted so Far

On request of the Andover train robbers they will be tried separate and Sam Smith is now on trial charged with the murder of Wm. Belford. The court room is crowded with people. We give here with a brief summary of the evidence.

Tuesday Afternoon

In the case of the state of Kansas vs Sam Smith et al the court was occupied until 3:30 Tuesday afternoon impaneling a jury.

Wallace Hume was called as first witness for the state. The main part of the testimony was the identification of the saddle, horse, bridle, etc, which were found next day after the hold-up.

Gus Wabbles was at the hotel the time of the hold-up. On direct examination it was brought out that Belford was some where near him when the shot was fired and fell in his arms.

Dr. Barton, of Andover, testified that Belford died from wound and that wound was made by a gun shot.

County Attorney Schumacher introduced map of places at Andover where train, depot, hotel, etc., were located.

Drs. Koogler and Dillenbeck offered in evidence the 9th and 10th docile vertebrae from the spinal column of Wm. Belford, both testified that the shot caused the death of Belford. On cross examination, Adams brought out the fact that the bullet was not found although it would have been possible had they tried.

John Means testified having seen Sam Smith and Tom Wind and talked with them in regard to where Andover was.

I. D. Rone saw Smith and Wind at Andover behind the coal shed on their horses, testified that he was positive as to the two men.

At 6:10 court adjourned 'till 8:30 Wednesday morning

Wednesday Morning

The first witness called to the stand by the state was Mrs. J. Dilling, followed by her daughter, Miss Nellie, and also by Mrs. S. B. McClaring; their testimony was all along the same line and was in substance that they had met two men at the edge of town on the 10th day of July when returning from a picnic and identified the defendant as the same men, cross examination failed in each case to develop any material difference from the direct examination.

Maggie Lyons testified that she had seen two men on the road whom she identified as Smith and Wind.

Homer Lyons, 14 years of age, was next called and testified at having seen (men who he identified as Smith and Wind) twice upon the 16th of July; first while with his aunt Maggie Lyons, returning home and next at the pasture of W. Williams when the defendant asked him if they could let their horses graze there and he said yes.

Mickel Williams testified to the conversation he had in the pasture with them and identified the men as the defendants. His testimony differs from the rest of the witnesses who have identified them in the point that he said Smith had a mustache.

Ticket agent at Andover, S. B. McClaring's evidence was very damaging to the defendant. He stated positive that the Defendant was the man who ordered him to throw up his hands and flag the train, that Tom Wind went "through him" at the command of the defendant Smith. On cross examination witness thought that Smith had a short black mustache also a dark hat.

John H. Brown, foreman on the train, testified that he was ordered to get down off his engine. He identified Smith and Wind as the robbers.

C. P. Grider, Wells Fargo & Co's messenger's testimony was not very damaging.

L. E. Myers, brakeman on the train, said that he gave the engineer the "high ball" but he did not start so he walked to the engine and was ordered to throw up his hands with which he complied and then went back to flag the train; heard shots fired.

Court then adjourned for noon.

Wednesday Afternoon

In the afternoon session F. G. Callander was the first witness called to the stand and said that he was engineer on the train on the night of the robbery. He said that he was ordered to come down off the engine which he did. His testimony was of not very much importance to either side. On cross examination he differed from the other witnesses in the fact that he stated that the night of July 16th was dark and that you couldn't identify a man ten feet away.

S. Campbell the next witness was the conductor on the train but his testimony contained nothing but the fact, he was shot at.

Elmer Criser testified that he was in eighteen inches of Wm. Belford and saw him fall with the exclamation, "I'm shot boys."

J. L. Glancy testified that he saw Wm. Belford fall and was present when the wound was examined.

Ed Clark testified as to having been within five feet of the men when at the blacksmith shop.

Howard Fitzgerald saw Belford at the end of the elevated platform and heard him say "Boys I'm shot," also identified bridles.

Wm. M. Belford, cousin of the late Wm. Belford, testified that he done some shooting and also saw some men trying to get on their horses.

Tom Hicks Wright, father-in-law of Sam Smith, testified that some time after the 16th of July, probably the 17th, Sam Smith came to his place some time in the night and was joined at about nine o'clock in the morning by Tom Wind. Said that Wind said he thought Smith was dead and Smith replied that he was under the impression that he (Wind) was shot; also said that Wind told Smith that he got $40 from the agent and that he did not steal the horse and buggy he came in but just hitched it up. He was the most damaging of any witness introduced by the prosecution.

E. A. Parker, of Nowata, I.T., testified as to having seen Smith at Grant Nippers and was present when he was arrested.

J. B. Foster of Belle Plaine identified the rifle as having been Smith's and said that Smith sold it to Wind.

Sam Allander testified as to having found a shell for a 44 Winchester rifle and that he found it in a crack in the platform where he was told by McClarine the man stood when he fired the first shot.

Recall of E. A. Parker was for the purpose of determining the caliber of the rifle to be 44.

This concluded the states evidence. The defense introduced only two witnesses, S. R. Wright and Gus Waples, and attempted to show that the shots were fired from the west. This concluded the evidence in the case.

Thursday morning Judge Shinn made his charge to the jury, the lawyers did their pleadings and the case is now in the jury's hands. (El Dorado Republican, December 9, 1898)

SATURDAY SPEAKER LAUNCHES SERIES LEADING TO STAPLETON DAY

A kickoff event for a series of programs and events this year to recognize the 85th anniversary of the Stapleton Oil Well No. 1 near El Dorado was held here Saturday.

Professor Craig Miner, an author and distinguished professor of business history at Wichita State University, spoke Saturday afternoon at the Augusta Senior Citizens Center on the importance of the oil industry to this area of Kansas.

The anniversary series will culminated with Stapleton Day and a salute to the oil and gas industry of Kansas on Oct. 7.

Prof. Miner revealed oil was found in 1914 southwest of Augusta while drillers were hunting for gas and that well became known as Varner No. 1. Varner No. 1 pre-dated Stapleton No.1 by about a year, but Stapleton is the one found by geological means rather than the "creekology" method. And Stapleton was the first well in what would become a world class oil field in the El Dorado area.

Oil was in demand in America and the world and small fortunes were soon accumulated by the oil well owners.
(Augusta Daily Gazette ~ March 3, 2000 ~ Submitted by Marland Boucher)

*** VARNER WELL WAS FIRST COMMERICAL PRODUCER IN BUTLER Co. ***

The first commercial production of oil in Butler Co., was obtained from a deep test drilled on the Frank Varner land, about five miles southwest of Augusta, in 1914. Drilled by the Wichita Natural Gas Company predecessor of the Empire companies in compliance with the terms of the lease this company had taken on the Varner and adjoining tracts for the development of the gas sands found at shallower depths in that vicinity, the deep test struck oil in the Bartlesville sand at 2,460 feet, in March, 1914 and that was the beginning of the flow of black gold from Butler Co..

The first oil well in Butler Co., was not a wildcat test, for it was surrounded by gas wells. Develpment of the gas fields discovered east of Augusta 10 years earlier had spread toward the southwest. Geology of the territory south of Augusta had been carefully mapped out by the Wichita Natural Company and independent lease men, and the sound of drilling machinery was familiar in that neighborhood. But, nevertheless, the discovery of oil was a great sensation. Earlier tests had found showings of oil, but none of the strength of the Varner welI which began flowing 100 barrels daily when drilling was completed on March 6, 1914, to a depth of 2,520 feet.,

**** Varner's Profited ****

Frank and Ed Varner, the brothers on whose lands was found the first oil in Butler Co., now reside at Augusta in modern, comfortable residences built with part of the fortunes their oil wells produced, and they can recall clearly those exciting days a decade ago when the black gold first rolled from the wells.
Ed Varner remembers that the first hint of development in the neighborhood of his farm came in 1912 when C.L. Ford, representing the Wichita Natural Gas Company began blocking up a large tract of land around Gordon, south of Augusta. Riding an old bay mare, Mr. Ford called on the landowners in that vicinity, telling them of the possibilities of gas wells there. Finally, a mass meeting of landowners was called, and Mr. Ford outlined his plans for a drilling block. He offered $200 a year for each producing gas well on the leased land.

That sounded like pretty big money. Many of the owners put in 80 acres or a quarter-section for the block. But some of the land in the middle of the proposed block - the Varner brothers', Warren Brown's and Ralston, Feltham and Cunningham tracts were held out of the block at first, in hopes of a better offer. Finally, the block was completed, and one provision of the Varner leases was that a deep test for the oil be drilled on these tracts.

**** Gas Wells First ****

The drilling of gas wells was started in 1913, gas was found in shallow sands, and soon a good sized field of derricks towered upwards in the neighborhood. When the last available location for gas was staked on Frank Varner's land, a larger derrick was put up and heavier tools installed and it was evident that this was to be a deep test for oil. The Boggs Drilling Company, which had the drilling contract on this test, started operations in the fall of 1913. The detailed location of this well was the northwest corner of northeast quarter of northwest quarter of section 21, township 28, range four east.

The drill went down slowly. Troubles with casing and tools was frequent, especially as the test penetrated beyond the levels at which the gas tests in that field had been completed.

"We spent quite a bit o time around that well," Ed Varner recalls. "Frank was there oftener than I was, I think. I remember quite well that it was on a Saturday night when they struck the oil. Frank had gone over to the well that afternoon and had found them getting pretty deep, so he decided to stay there all night. He came back to my place early Sunday morning, and called me to come out to the barn. He was acting pretty excited and mysterious, so I guessed something had happened. He showed me a pint bottle full of some greasy black stuff. I asked him what it was. He said, "It's oil!"

"You can bet I didn't waste much time going over there and getting a bottle full of that stuff myself."

**** When Oil Appeared ****

They had oil. Landowners and lease speculators were sure of that, but they didn't know just what to do about it. Oil was a new crop to the farmers of Butler Co.,. Some of them even protested about having their fields torn up by derricks and strange machinery. Oil was worth then only 30 to 40 cents a barrel and no market for it existed nearer than the industrial plants of the East. There were no pipeline connections, few railroad sidings, where oil could be conveniently loaded and no refineries near to take the supply of crude.

The discovery well was shut down for several weeks after the oil sand was found. The Wichita Natural Company was reported to be planning to abandon the well as not commercially profitable. Excitement over the discovery abated. But, in the meantime, the deep test on Ed Vamer's land had been slowly drilling ahead. When it struck the sand, this well begain blowing; 125 barrels a day. Such an encouraging discovery increased confidence in the new field. Also, the World War 1 had begun and increasing demand for crude oil already was sending the price higher.

Soon, a second well came in on Frank Vamer's land, making 750 barrels daily. Then, shortly before Christmas of 19 1 5, the Ed Vamer No. 4 came in a gusher making 2,500 barrels a day. That was the final impetus needed to start the big boom. Pipeline connections were rushed in, lease men and independent operators flocked to the scene. The boom was on at El Dorado, too - when oil had been found by the Stapleton No. I in Oct. of that year and the two fields 15 miles apart were developed concurrently, with the Augusta field leading the way for a while till the big gushers near Towanda began to come.,

**** First Sale of Oil ****

The first sale of oil from the Varner wells was made on Sept. 9, 1915. A railroad siding had been built on the Feltham place, in the new field and the crude was shipped in tank cars. The oil was of 33 degrees gravity and brought a price of 40 cents a barrel. Freight charges took nearly half the value of the oil. As more wells came in and the field became established as one of considerable area, the Prairie Pipeline Company started construction of a line to the wells, and on Jan. 20, 1916, a run of oil from the Ed Varner No. 4 - the first gusher - was made through the new pipeline. The price paid was $1.20 per barrel.

The year 1916 saw the biggest development in the Augusta field. Oil was found in more-or- less connected pools on three sides of the fast growing town. From the original Vamer well, drilling extended south and northeast. The little town of Gordon - nearest the new wells - became a thriving oil field city. The Gordon Heights Oil Company put on a big selling campaign of city lots, in Gordon, offering buyers a fine home site to "The busy little city" with a chance of getting an oil well in the front yard. This vicinity already had felt the excitement of discovering big gas wells such as the James Love gas well which came in for 50 million cubic feet daily, and now oil contributed to the excitement.

Some landowners, though, were inclined to dislike the way the oil companies were tearing up pastures and fields to lay their pipelines and put up their derricks. One incident is recalled concerning the owner of a large tract in the center of the new field. He had leased his land to the Wichita Natural Company and that company prepared to drill an offset on his land, but the owner objected, for the location was in the middle of his best patch of alfalfa. He told the drillers they could put up their derrick in his timber land or in the pasture but not on the alfalfa land. The company halted operations for a while, and the owner steadfastly refused to give permission to let the test go ahead. But one day he happened to be talking with a neighbor who showed him a $9,000 oil royalty check just received. Suddenly the landowner changed his mind. He told the drillers to go ahead and get busy, in fact later he urged the company to put up several derricks at the same time. Oil was a better crop than alfalfa, he had decided.

With the discovery early in 1916 of oil on the T.A. Kramer land a half mile west of Augusta, and the rapid extension of the field for two miles to the north with a big producer on the Frank Anderson land, Augusta became the center of oil activities. In the south part of Butler Co., oil was found in the shallow sand in the Bartlesville horizon at 2,500 feet, and as the field was developed it became common practice to locate two tests so near together, that the derricks almost touched. One test would produce from the shallow sand while the other produced from the deep sand, each not impairing the other to any extent since different sands were tapped.

By May of 1916, the Empire companies were producing about 20,000 barrels of oil daily from the new Augusta and El Dorado fields. Produciton from the Augusta field climbed steadily - though not so sensationally as from the El Dorado field which soon was augmented by huge gushers and by early 1918 the Prairie Pipeline Company was running about 30,000 barrels daily from the Augusta field. When the flush production subsided, the daily runs from the Augusta field settled to around 13,000 barrels, the amount was reported in the official production figures - Sept. 1919.

**** Population Boosted ****

Meanwhile, Augusta's population was increasing from 1,000 to an approximate 7,000 - including outlying lease settlements in the course of a year and a half. Royalty owners were receiving fortunes each month as their share of the oil from gushers and steady producers. Lease deals in figures that sounded
fantastic to the older residents who had struggled through "the lean years" were reported every day.

The Manufacturers Oil and Gas Company sold its interest in the famous "Whitewater block" northwest of Augusta to the Cosden Oil Company for a reported price of one million dollars. A tract in the heart of the field leased fo $400 per acre. The Wichita Natural had most of the choice acreage leased, but
outlaying acreage that looked promising was available and the lease men went the limit for this.

A group of investors from Chanute where extensive oil development had occurred several years earlier, came to Augusta, looked over the new field and decided to put up the money for a refinery there, to be known as the White Eagle Oil and Refining Company. The plant was soon constructed and has been in operation ever since with frequent expansions till it now ranks with the largest in the Mid-Continent field. Standard Oil Company of New York now owns this plant. Three smaller refineries were operated at Augusta for a while, but have been abandoned.

The city of Augusta had, during the early development of the gas wells which supplied the town, acquired considerable acreage under lease for oil and gas. When the boom came, the city sold a part of its interests for $200,000 retaining a royalty share which still brings the city some income. The money obtained from the city leases was used to pave the city's streets with brick, to install white-way lights through-out the business district, to construct city buildings and to make other improvements - without the issuance of bonds.

The wells in the Augusta field have been steady producers and many are still making from two to 25 barrels a day. The Empire's Ed Varner No. 4 - which was the first gusher in the Augusta field - is still producing oil with little water. Acidization has revived some of the wells and new tests recently have been drilled to obtain production from the limestone by acid treatment.

**************
Augusta is a busy, model town today, in the midst of a fertile farming region to which oil has added its wealth during the more than 20 years since the underground riches were discovered.

****************
A 30-acre tract adjoining Derby's lease on the Wilson land in the north part of the El Dorado field was leased for $750 per acre, in the boom days of the new field.

***************
In 1916, Augusta and El Dorado ranked first and second respectively, of all Kansas cities in regard to increase in population over the preceding year.
(October 9, 1990, "El Dorado Times" reprint from the October 9, 1935, original publication ~ Submitted by Marland Boucher)

Boucher receives 50-year pin from Masons

On Saturday, June 10, Mystic Tie Lodge No. 74 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Kansas honored Raymond Boucher as a 50-year member.

Walter Jack, Grand Standout Bearer of the Grand Lodge of Kansas, with assistance of Dwight Applegate, District Deputy Grand Master of Grand Lodge of Kansas, presented the 50-year pin, Ross Boucher placed the pin on his father's lapel.

Family members in attendance were is wife, Lovey, sons, Ross Boucher and wife Jill, Marland Boucher and his wife Vicky; daughter Kathy Baker; granddaughter Heather Boucher; and grand nieces Pam and Becky Patterson. The Patterson girls came from Anchorage, Alaska to honor their grand uncle.
(Augusta Gazette ~ 12 June 1995 ~ Submitted by Marland Boucher)

ENDS HIS LIFE

EX-Congressman Clover Commits Suicide

SICK AND IN POVERTY

Despondency the Cause of Self-Destruction

WAS A PIONEER POPULIST

Served as First President of Farmers' Alliance

A Nap Cost HIm His Seat in Congress

Douglass, Kan., Dec. 30---Ex-Congressman Ben Clover committed suicide at hi home hear this city this afternoon by shooting himself. Despondency, resulting from sickness and poverty, was the cause.

For several years before the organization of the Farmers' Alliance, Ben Clover was a well to do farmer in Cowley county. When the Alliance was formed he was elected to be its first state president, in 1889. He had always been a Greenbacker up to this time, and naturally fell into the movement to make the alliance a political organization and was active in forming through and from it the Populist part. At that time he was comfortably well fixed, and out of debt, with a good paying farm.

In 1890 he was elected to Congress from the Third district, defeating Perkins, and was himself defeated for renomination in 1892 by Jeff Hudson. After Hudson's election, Clover returned to Washington and while he was there his wife got a divorce from him. He signed over to her and his boys all hsi property, including the farm, which the boys still run. As soon as the divorce was granted Clover married a second time, a woman whom he met when a member of Congress.

Clover returned to Kansas in 1893, and in 1894 left the Populist party, supporting the candidacy of E. N. Morrill for Governor. During Governor Morrill's administration he held the position of farmer at the Reform school.

Thrown on his own resources, he became a clerk in the old St. Nichols hotel, located just north of the federal building, and recently torn down to make room for the addition to the government building. About a year and a half ago he went to Douglass, in Butler county, to run a hotel. Recently he moved to a farm again. Several months ago he fell from a wagon and was severely injured. He had no property at the time of his death, and his wife is in poor circumstancles.

A nap cost Clover a re-nomination for Congress. A bill in which the Kansas reading, and Clover, being asleep in his chair, failed to vote. The story got out, and made the Pops very mad. They refused to forgive him, and nominated Jeff Hudson.

Clover served one term as vice president of the National Farmers' Alliance.
(Kansas Semi-Weekly Capital ~ January 2, 1900)

DAGELS REMEMBER OIL CAMP DAYS

By Rochelle Needham
Augusta Gazette Society Editor

Memories are as much a part of the Virgel Dagel household as the Dagels themselves.

Virgel and his wife, Alberta, Route 1, Augusta, have lived through some exciting times and have heads and hearts full of memories plus a few pictures to show for it.

Except for a brief few months during World War II, Alberta and Virgel Dagel have been lifetime residents of southern Butter Co.,.

A part of the oil boom days of the 1940s, the Dagels lived in the old company town of Browntown that once prospered a few miles south of Augusta.

These days without running water and other luxuries were fun ones for the Dagels and many other families.

The inventive Dagels were leaders in the community and Virgel was elevated to near hero status after he and a neighbor devised an impromptu washing machine for Alberta and the other women of Browntown.

How did they do it?

The men adapted an oil barrel. into a wash tub and rigged it to the rod of the big company oil pump that brought alternately hot and cold water. and lended a washing motion to the tub.

"We paid $7.50 a month for the house, electricity and gas then," Alberta remembers.

Virgel also rigged a shower for the community using a bucket, some rope and a bit of wood for privacy.

But there was always the river for fun and for bathing.

"We used to pack a picnic basket and go down to the river and take our baths and then have our supper," Alberta said.

And sometimes the women would travel over to a neighboring oil camp in the evening to use the showers at the plant after the men had gone home for the day.

That homemade shower was a boon to the bathing practices of Alberta's childhood. she remembered.

"In the old days. we'd hide it (the bathtub) behind the door ( to the farmhouse ) so's our family and neighbors wouldn't see us naked " she said.

The Dagels, both raised on farms between Rose Hill and Augusta, enjoyed the social life of the oil camp days.

"Oh, we used to have big parties then," Mrs. Dagel reminisced.

"We'd have big square dances at the recreation hall - we were all the best dancers. and we never had a lesson," she said.

"Which reminds me of something I'd like to set straight." she said. Younger people sometimes think of the oil camp days as big benders. she said. "but there was never any liquor," she said.

"None whatever." Virgel added. " If there had been. we'd have been fired," he said.

Social life for the hard-working homemaker in between square dances usually amounted only to daily morning meetings at the water well. Alberta tells.

"And we cooked everything we ate." she said.

"We had no refrigerator." she said. "In the winter we'd just hang our beef out on the porch. "

Life in Browntown was similar to that at Haskins Camp. Miller Town and other oil camps in the Augusta area, the Dagels say.

For many years, Virgel and the other oil field workers slaved 12 hours a day, seven days a week at their jobs. Later. the workers were given one day a week off, but never a holiday unless it happened to fall on that one precious day off, Alberta said.

Some people made millions of dollars in oil leases in those days. the Dagels report.

"And a lot of them are still pumping," Alberta said.

She remembers when the area that is now Lunger's of Augusta was the area's big livestock trading area. Later that same land supported a glass factory "that made the prettiest blown glass." Alberta said.

Those were the days...

And what remains of the once-bustling oil camp communities?

"There are some trees yet ", Alberta said

The Dagels have a son, Verl who lives with his family in the house next door.

Alberta and Virgel lived full lives as single, young farm people too.

Alberta started working very young to help support her family. which included seven brothers and three sisters. one of them Clare Patterson.

Alberta worked as a housekeeper and waitress before she married.

She's been active on election boards all her life and also has done a lot of volunteer work for the Red Cross, area schools and other organizations.

She also has worked the many tasks of being a mother and wife on a farm, caring for neighbors. newborns and their mothers and for her brothers and sisters as well.

There was World World II that neither the Dagels or the rest of the world will ever forget.

Virgel was of course drafted for the Army, but took pneumonia and was later discharged.

There's so much that Alberta and Virgel remember. There were the box suppers, the times they had to climb windmill towers or towers to fetch their young brothers and sisters and there was the depression to remember.

The Dagels and probably others in the area have lived through a special old time in American and Kansas history.

And they'll never forget.
(Augusta Gazette ~ 1980's ~ Submitted by Marland Boucher)