A Century of Greenwood County, KS History

A Century of Greenwood County, KS History - Eureka Herald, 1968

1870

On the western border of our county is a series of hills known as Flint Ridge. While there are some out-cropping ledges and some surface rock these hills are mostly covered with grass. In the shelter of the ravines it has grown a foot or more this season. There are innumerable springs of clear water. The tillable land extends nearly to the base of the bluffs. We think that before many years some of the most profitable stock farms in the state will be found lying against this ridge. If the fires could be kept out of it, it would be but a short time before an abundant growth of timber would spring up in the ravines.

The Lawrence lands in Greenwood County were selling for $2 and $3 per acre.

The Herald was enlarged to a seven-column paper on April 9, 1870.

The country south and west of us is settling up rapidly. Colonies pass through here every few days, while the number of single teams is enormous. Work has been commenced on the churches in this place. There will be large buildings and will seat several hundred people.

(May, 1870) Eureka is incorporated. The city dads are I.R. Phenis, A.F. Nicholas, W.L. Stoddard, L.H. Platt and C.A. Wakefield.

The Methodists have let the contract for their church, to e finished on June 15. It is to be of pine, 24 x 44 and 12 feet high, and cost $1325 all completed, seats, painting and all.

The Norwegians are making an effort to establish a church in which there will be preaching in their own language. They will probably succeed.

(April 1) Our paper comes out in curious shape. But it was a matter of necessity. A supplement is given to make up in part for the diminutive size of our issue last week. After this we shall have more room.

GROWTH OF EUREKA - Two years ago the town of Eureka consisted of four log houses. Today (March) it has two dry goods and grocery stores, three grocery and provision stores, two hardware stores, one furniture store, one drug store, one newspaper and printing office, three firms of carpenters and builders, one butcher, one shoemaker, one saddler's shop, one blacksmith shop, one painter and glazier, one photograph gallery, one watchmaker, one land agency, one livery stable, one bakery, four attorneys, two clergymen, one physician, one notary public and conveyer and not a single loafer. We have also a good school, three church organizations, a flourishing literary association and Odd Fellows Lodge, etc.

To show the substantial character of this growth, we may say that with the exception of the two clergymen, one attorney and one shoe-maker, every business man owns the property he occupies or is preparing to build; and there is not a piece of property in town ornamented with a mortgage.

A stream of immigrants comes into this part of the state each day, and day after day we see our streets filled with canvas-covered wagons headed West. It looks as if the whole East had the Kansas fever.

(March) We have ordered the new material for enlarging our paper and expect it soon. Of course, it will increase our expenses considerable, If any of our subscribers happen to have a two-dollar bill that they have no particular use for, they may send it to the Herald - that is, if they happen to owe us.

Immigration still continues to pour into this county. Scarcely a day passes without some newcomers. Yesterday there were ten families in town who propose to locate near here.

A pair of panthers have strayed into the neighborhood of Otter Creek and are considered unwelcome. The hunters of the neighborhood are invited to meet at Walter McGrew's on Friday, February 18, early in the morning and have a good time catching them. The panthers are expected to be at home on that day. (Later) The panthers have dwindled down to catamounts. Next week they will be wild cats of Bill Ward brindle dog.

A postoffice has been established on Elk River, called Howard. T.J. Barnes is the postmaster.

NEW BUILDINGS - A.D. Miller had his frame up and partially enclosed. Biggs and Hunter have their new building nearly completed. Rossel has his frame up. Mr. Biggs is getting together the material for a new store room on Main street. Adair & Sons are about ready to put up a new store room and work has been commenced on the new hotel. We doubt if there is any town in this section of the state in which more good buildings are going up than in Eureka. We counted 24 new buildings and substantial improvements and enlargements during the last six weeks.

There are several families of colored people in this vicinity. We learn that they contemplate establishing a night school for the benefit of the adults as well as the younger ones.

Hodgson has fresh beef on hand each day. Price from three to ten cents per pound.

A noisy town in northern Kansas brags that it had $7000 worth of buildings erected in six months. We have done more than that in six weeks.

H.S. Jones sometime since invested a trifle in sending the Heralds to his friends in the East. The first copy went to Galesburg. It caused an attack of Kansas fever there and two enterprising men came out here and bought a farm up the river. Another paper brought three families and one other will come soon. the Kansas fever is yet prevailing in those neighborhoods and several others may come.

Sherman and Dodge have contracted to put up 12 new houses in the north part of town.

The school house in town being too small to accommodate all the scholars, the school has been divided. Miss Tucker having charge of the advanced scholars and Miss Gilbert the primary department, the latter being in the town hall. Is it not time we had a large school house in Eureka?

The city of Eureka was incorporated in May, 1870.

The Methodists dedicated their new church on Sunday, June 20, 1870. Rev. T.J. Leak preached the dedicatory sermon. The discourse was one of very great power. After the sermon, a collection was taken up to pay the debt of the church and the sum of $280 was raised. $950 was subscribed before, the Ladies Sociable paid $115 and furnished the house with lamps, carpets, etc. The whole cost of the building was $1335, all of which is paid, or provided for and the church was dedicated free of debt.

The Congregational Church was dedicated on Sunday, July 13, 1870.

Sept. 8, we have just got us a good job press and a supply of new job type. We can now do job work, plain or colored, including bill heads, cards, programs, posters, blanks, etc. at reduced prices.

We are glad to see that the Emporia people are about to do something to make a passable road over the Cottonwood bottom. If they don't, our merchants will be obliged to ship via Burlington or Humboldt. Teamsters charge awfully for hauling loads through that mud.

The Herald for nearly two years the pioneer newspaper of southwestern Kansas, is so no longer. New papers have been established and now a printing press is going into Howard County. But a little more than two years ago Howard County had but about a dozen inhabitants. Butler was sparsely populated and the counties south and west of it were almost uninhabited. Now in this same area there are no less than eight newspapers, some 20 or more flourishing towns and a population that is counted by thousands. Greenwood has kept pace with all this improvement and now ranks as one of the best counties in the state. (10-20-1870)

A new postoffice has been established between this place and El Dorado, on the head of Spring Creek, called Collin's Post Office, and George Clemens has been appointed postmaster.

Title Page
1871

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