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William P. Hackney
Born December 24, 1842, in Jefferson County, Iowa.
Parents: Jacob B. and Lucy Chapman Hackney.
In 1850 the family moved to Logan County, Illinois, where William Hackney received his education. He worked on the family farm until he joined the Union Army in 1861, at the age of 19. He enlisted as a private. At the battle of Fort Donelson, W. P. Hackney was promoted to the rank of sergeant; at the siege of Corinth, to the rank of orderly sergeant; and at the battle of Ottawa Pass, Georgia, where he was wounded twice, to the rank of captain. He was in the battles of Fort Henry, Shiloh, Nashville, Allatoona Pass, Wise’s Forks, and many others. He was wounded at Allatoona Pass on October 5, 1864, one ball passing through his right cheek and another one through his body. [See Volume I, Pages 123-125]
Hackney was honorably discharged July 1865. Started his law studies in 1866. He was admitted to the bar in 1867. Married Callie L. Vanderventer January 1868, two children.
1870: Came alone to Cowley County. [See Pages 167-176] Moved his family to Arkansas City and built his first home there.
1871: March, Moved to Belle Plaine in Sumner County.
Member Kansas House of Representatives 1872, 1874, 1876, 1905
1875: Prior to September moved his family to county seat in Winfield.
Elected to State House of Representatives.
1876: Mr. Hackney offered a resolution memorializing Congress to grant the right of way through the Indian Territory to certain railway companies.
1881: Elected a Kansas State Senator; re-elected again in 1883.
Was Mayor of Winfield in 1887 and 1888.
Was also general solicitor for the Santa Fe Railroad, which named a station in
his honor. Station became the town of Hackney.
1881: Introduced bill for location/building asylum in Winfield, feeble-minded children.
Introduced a temperance bill.
Introduced a joint resolution granting equal rights of suffrage to females and males.
1910: Printed at his own expense, American Merchant Marine, advocating subsidies to restore our flag to the seas. (If his arguments had been heeded, World War I would not have found the United States dependent upon Europe for water transportation.)
1926: Died July 28, 1926, at Sawtelle Soldiers Home, Los Angeles, California.
HACKNEY
Salt City - Geuda Springs
1878: September. “About fifteen miles southwest of Winfield, in Cowley County, and one half mile north of the little village of Salt City in Sumner County, are situated the famous salt and mineral springs now owned by Messrs. Hackney & McDonald, attorneys of Winfield.
These springs are among the wonders of the world. The salt marsh comprises about twenty acres and the supply water is simply beyond computation and so strong that by solar evaporation four pounds of salt is obtained from each gallon of water placed in the vats.
On the same quarter section with the salt marsh are located the mineral springs and it is said that no other water known to medical and chemical science possesses such wonderful curative properties, . . . .” [Note: Became known as Geuda Springs.]
1879: August 20. Yesterday Hackney & McDonald perfected the sale of their Salt Springs land. The farm consisted of 159 acres of land, on which are situated the famous mineral springs, and was sold to C. R. Mitchell, of Arkansas City, for the sum of $4,000. Messrs. Hackney & McDonald have held the lands some eighteen months, and make a clear profit of $3,500 on the sale. We congratulate them upon their good fortune. Telegram.
These famous springs are now owned in partnership by C. R. Mitchell and A. A. Newman, of this place. They are both shrewd businessmen, have plenty of capital at their command, and if they don't make three or four times $3,500 out of this venture, you may have our hat. Bob and Al. seldom make much noise, but they know a good thing when they see it.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 20, 1881.
We are under obligations to Hon. C. R. Mitchell, one of the proprietors of the Geuda Springs, for complimentary tickets to their elegant baths, now completed and in good order at the above Springs. These waters have undeniably great medical virtues which we shall take much pleasure in testing in our own proper person.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 20, 1881.
James Hill & Co. have one hundred solar evaporation salt vats in successful operation at Salt City. Arkansas City is making gigantic efforts to transfer this enterprise to that place. To accomplish this purpose, they offer Hill & Co. a bonus of $5,000; which will more than construct a system of pipes from Salt City to Arkansas City sufficient to carry all the brine of these salt springs to that place. The brine once there, the people of Arkansas City offer a large subsidy to encourage the enterprise. Arkansas City people have an eye to business, and know how to promote their own interests.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 20, 1881.
SALT CITY BLURBS.
SALT CITY, JULY 15TH, 1881.
We've just been to milk, and here we come with our pail full of cream.
We have an abundance of rain water, as well as mineral and salt water, thus making us happy.
Still they come to the all-healing Geuda and get what they want—a square meal and their health.
The Salt City Hotel is again opened for business, and the public will find it a convenient place to stop.
Mr. McClellen, of Winfield, who has been stopping at the bath house for the past two weeks, is entirely cured, and left yesterday, on the Winfield hack, for home. That is the way we fix them up down here.
O. P. Houghton and Rev. Fleming, of Arkansas City, accompanied by some Illinois gentlemen, paid our city a flying visit the other day; they, of course, took a bath and a square meal, and went home happy and healthy.
Dr. Chappel, who has charge of the salt works, is just tearing the gizard out of the salt water, and taking out 1,000 (?) pounds of salt per day.
W. T. Berkey says if you want to smell tar on his har, you can smell till you get tired, for he doesn't give a tarnal cent nohow.
Prof. J. L. Berkey's mustache is long enough to twist, and Prof. likes to twist them, so says the girls; all caused by the free use of mineral water.
Q. U. says "he'll be darned" if Iulas can have his girl, for he's got himself a fine buggy team, and has got plenty of old clothes left.
Hon. C. R. Mitchell, of Arkansas City, was over on Monday last, and says he will soon commence work on his hotel at this place. This is what we want bad.
GOLD DUST.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 27, 1881.
BATH HOUSE
AT
GEUDA MINERAL SPRINGS!
The Best Mineral Water That Flows!
These Springs are all situated near
SALT CITY, KS.,
seven and one-half miles northwest of Arkansas City. They are seven in number within a circle of 25 feet, and contain seven different kinds of Mineral Water. We have fitted up a first-class
Bath House,
and are prepared to give baths at nominal prices that are better than any Turkish Bath. They are a sure cure for all Female complaints, diseases of the skin, Rheumatism, Sciatica, Catarrh, Diabetes, Diseases of Liver and Kidneys, Erysipelas and Dyspepsia, and are the best known remedy to tone up the digestive organs.
We mean just what we say, and to prove it, we will enter into a written contract to cure any of the above named diseases—no cure, no pay—and we will pay the board of invalids in case they are not benefited by use of the water. A large number of persons are being cured every week by the use of these waters. Go and see for yourselves. For further particulars call on or address,
GEUDA SPRINGS CO.,
ARKANSAS CITY, KANSAS.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 3, 1881. Editorial Page.
SALT CITY ITEMS.
SALT CITY, JULY 25TH, 1881.
Ed. Traveler:
Allow me through the columns of your valuable paper, to inform the reading public of the events that are transpiring in the vicinity of the city of Chloride of Sodium.
Robert Mills' house is undergoing repairs, and our druggist has turned carpenter for the occasion. Madam Rumor says: He has quite a fancy for the country, especially that portion to the west; also that there is, a fair damsel, somewhere out that way, that is proving quite an attraction.
Dr. Collins has returned from a trip to Montgomery Co., Kans., where he was called to treat a cancer. The Dr. is very successful in the treatment of this much dreaded scourge, having successfully treated one from that county last spring. He reports the crops in that section as excellent, and the people doing well.
We came very near having a little excitement in the way of a team running away, on Sunday evening last. While Mr. Jessie Reeves' team was being driven to the springs, the neck yoke came down, throwing Mr. Berkey and Julius Royal from the buggy. The ponies were stopped, and no damage done further than soiling Mr. Royal's good clothes; but since Q. M.'s girl wouldn't go pluming with him, he says he don't care for that. Q. M. tends to the knitting closer than he used to.
Our gentlemanly and courteous bath house man has had a busy week of it. Over 130 persons have taken baths, besides a great many who visited him but did not improve the opportunity of bathing in the best medical water in the United States, if not in the world. A large list of visitors for the past week embraces residents from Winfield, Arkansas City, Grainfield, Illinois, Bolton, Cleardale, Eureka, Wichita, Bradford, Pennsylvania, Constant, Floral, St. Joseph, Kansas City, Mo., Wellington, as well as a host of our own citizens. The above speaks well for the notoriety these Springs are daily acquiring by reason of the marvelous cures effected. OBSERVER.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 3, 1881.
GEUDA MINERAL SPRINGS.
The people of Cowley, Sumner, and adjoining counties are just wakening up to the fact that the "Geuda Mineral Springs," near Salt City, Kansas, are fast becoming quite a popular health resort. The history of these springs is, that the s. w. 1/4 of Sec. 6, R. 34, Tp. 3, on the west line of Cowley county, was purchased of the government by a Mr. Walpole when the Osage lands first came into market, supposing it to be quite valuable on account of a large salt marsh and some very clear water springs that were on the land, since which time the land has passed through several hands.
The quarter section opposite this tract was at about the same time purchased by other parties for the famous salt spring on that tract, and for over two years salt was manufactuered there, but on account of the vats being constructed of inferior lumber, and because there was no transportation for the salt produced, the manufacture was abandoned until this summer, when James Hill & Co. got a ten year's lease of the land and have commenced to manufacture again, and the salt produced is of the very best quality, equal to any salt we have ever seen, and it is claimed that the water produces 1-3/4 pounds to the gallon, being equal to the great Syracuse salt well, at Syracuse, New York, heretofore claimed to be the strongest salt water in the world.
Messrs. Hill & Co. are under contract to manufacture 500,000 pounds of this salt the coming year, and at least 1,000,000 per year for the balance of the term of their lease.
As the water is almost inexhaustible, the prospects for an extensive salt manufactory appears to be good.
The clear water springs on the other tract were, for several years, supposed to be of no particular value, as the water in most of the springs had a very strong taste of mineral, and, to a person unaccustomed to drinking mineral water, was very disagreeable to taste.
Robert Mills, Esq., however, an old resident of Salt City, was seriously afflicted with the rheumatism, and, having tried about everything else, concluded to try the water of these springs, and in a short time all symptoms of rheumatism disappeared.
At about the same time, or soon after, others began to use the water for different diseases, and almost invariably found relief. The people in the near neighborhood soon had a great deal of faith in the curative properties of the water, but it was not publicly known or generally used until Messrs. Hackney & McDonald, of Winfield, Kansas, purchased the land, and Judge McDonald, who was very seriously afflicted with eruptions on his face, which he had been unable to get cured, concluded to try the use of his own medicine, and to his surprise, he was cured up by using the waters for a very short time by bathing his face.
Then Dr. James Allen, who had been at most of the watering places in the United States for his health and finding no relief (he being afflicted very badly with diabetes, and also catarrh—so much so, in fact, that he was unable to even walk), came to try the benefits of these waters, and in a few month's time was entirely cured.
The news spread until the people generally in the counties of Cowley, Sumner, and some of the adjoining counties, would afterward, when afflicted, go to Salt City for their health; and there being no accommodations whatever at the springs, they were compelled to camp out.
During the summer and fall of 1879 there were often 8 or 10 tents to be seen near the springs, ocupied by persons in search of health.
Messrs. Hackney & McDonald, being attorneys with a very lucrative practice, were not in a situation to improve the springs and sold the same to Messrs. Newman & Mitchell, of our town, for $4,000 cash, and in a short time, probably the best bath house in the State was erected near the springs, and during the summer and fall of 1880, on Saturdays and Sundays, from one to three hundred persons would visit the springs; generally going out of curiosity, but now it has become so popular a place for health that it is impossible to accommodate all who go.
The springs, so far as we are able to learn, have never yet failed to cure ulcerations and other diseases of the uterus, rheumatism, skin and blood diseases, dyspepsia, diabetes, catarrh, and diseases of the liver, kidneys, and digestive organs in general, and are especially effective in female diseases, rheumatism, and affections of the skin and blood.
We have, heretofore, always been skeptical about cures of such magnitude as claimed here, "but seeing is believing," and we have personally known of at least fifty persons who have been undoubtedly cured by the use of these waters, and we are told that at least five hundred persons have been cured, and we do not doubt it in the least.
Most of our people who have been talking of an expensive trip to Hot Springs, Saratoga, or Colorado, are now going to Geuda Springs. The springs themselves are a natural curiosity. There are seven of them, and they each contain a different kind of mineral, and are within a circle of twenty-five feet in diameter, and it does not require a chemical analysis to detect the difference, as it is readily distinguished by the taste. There are two of these within eight feet of each other that taste as different as does common rainwater and vinegar. It is well worth a trip to anyone who has never seen them to make the trip for that purpose alone.
The ancients supposed that such springs that were of a healing nature, were manipulated by spirits of ghosts—Bethesda, Siloam, and others are instances of such belief. Modern scientists, however, have, by chemical analyses, discovered that the curative properties of such springs consists in the different kinds of minerals contained in the waters, and the minerals found in this state are undoubtedly natures purest remedies.
A qualitative analysis of the Geuda Springs shows that they contain the bicarbonates of iron, soda, magnesia, and calcium; sulphates of ammonia and magnesia; chlorides of sodium and potassium; iodide of sodium, bromide of potassium, sulphur and silica, and are strongly charged with carbonic gas.
The name "Geuda" is taken from the Indian name "Ge-u-da," meaning healing, and, although not euphonious, is very appropriate. We say this because we have personally tested many of the mineral springs of this country and Europe, and have never known any, in our opinion, to equal their healing and curative properties. The letter "G" in this name has the hard sound, as in the word "get."
We are informed that a joint stock company is about to be formed, called "Geuda Springs Co.," and that it is the intention to build a new hotel, and make other improvements which are greatly needed, as not more than half the people, who now want to go there, can be accommodated with boarding. If we mistake not, by the time next spring opens, Salt City and Geuda Springs will experience a boom, such as it never before thought of, and all she will need is a railroad, connecting her with the commercial world, which in time will be built. A narrow gauge road connecting it with our town can easily be built if taken hold of right, and thus be a great benefit to both places.
There is also a large quantity of excellent salt water, or more properly brine, there running to waste, which, if here, might just as well as not be manufactured into salt. We see no good reason why pipes should not be laid and this water conveyeed here in the near future. By this means it could be utilized not only to the benefit of our town, but to Cowley county, and the adjacent counties. We believe there is some hostility to this enterprise, but if the people in the neighborhood of these springs cannot manufacture it themselves, it is certainly a dog in the manger policy to object to others doing so, especially when they would be equally benefited by the undertaking.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 24, 1881. Editorial Page.
GEUDA SPRINGS.
Their Remarkable Properties.
Henry Vigus returned home last week from the Geuda Mineral Springs, forty miles below Wichita, in the Arkansas valley. We guess there remains no longer any doubts whatever touching the wonderful properties of these springs, which are right at home. Patients and medical men who have visited at the famous springs of the country, including Saratoga, of New York; White Sulphur, of Virginia; Eureka, of Arkansas; and many others, say that the springs in Sumner county, Kansas, excel them all. Judge Campbell tells us that a bath in these waters is like dipping in water connected with the poles of a strong battery. Vigus says while he was there a man crooked, bent, and helpless was carried to the springs, and that in two weeks he was sporting and dancing about on the prairies.
Geuda is an Indian name, and means healing. There are seven springs within a few yards of each other, no two of which taste alike, but the properties of which do not differ greatly. The famous salt springs are on the same plat of ground, and a large amount of salt will be manufactured there this summer by the lessees, Messrs. Hill & Co.
To many, the waters are at first very disagreeable to the taste, but that soon gives way to a positive liking. Judge Campbell and Henry Vigus both declare that for ulcerations, and other skin diseases, the waters are infallible, while others say that for diabetes, dyspepsia, rheumatism, female diseases, etc., they are equally infallible. There is as much difference in the taste of two of the springs as between rain water and vinegar, but a qualitative analysis of the Geuda springs shows that they contain the bi-carbonates of iron, soda, magnesia, and calcium; sulphates ammonia and magnesia; chlorides of sodium and potassium; sulphur and silica, and are strongly charged with carbonic gas.
Henry Vigus came back after only two weeks, looking like a new man. Let us make up a party of dyspeptic preachers, diabetic lawyers, diableric editors, and malairic doctors, and armed with beds, tents, and cooking pots, go down and spend a week or two discussing prohibition and getting rid of our grunts.
Wichita Eagle.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 24, 1881.
Yesterday morning saw the initial steps taken towards the erection of an $8,000 hotel at Salt City, in close proximity to the far famed Geuda Mineral Springs.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 24, 1881.
A hack line is now running between this place and Geuda Springs tri-weekly, but it will be run daily if the travel warrants it. Messrs. McIntire & Davenport are the proprietors.
1882: June. We understand that the Santa Fe company wants to get Geuda Springs into their possession, and have offered Mr. Mitchell $26,000 therefor. If the Santa Fe company gets hold of these springs, they will become a noted watering place in a few years.
