L. D. Latham

                                                          Chicago, Illinois.
[NOTE: Have also given what information that I found in early newspapers about early towns on the Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad [K. C. & S. W. R. R. Co.]
Many of the towns listed in the newspapers that were located on this railroad cannot be found in the present maps of Kansas: Latham, Beaumont, Burgess, Wingate, Atlanta, Wilmot, and Floral.
                                               FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 20, 1884.
Messrs. Young and Latham, two friends of O. F. Godfrey, were in our city Sunday last.
[ANOTHER RAILROAD FOR WINFIELD.]
Winfield Courier, March 27, 1884.
Cowley County will have Competing Lines. A meeting of citizens of Winfield was held at the Brettun House last Monday evening to hear concerning movements which have recently been taken toward the construction of a railroad direct to Winfield from the direction of Kansas City.
W. H. Smith was chosen chairman and Ed. P. Greer, Secretary.
Henry E. Asp, being called upon for a recital of what has been done, stated that since any report has been made to the citizens, James Hill, the manager of the Missouri, Winfield & South Western railroad company, has visited St. Louis, Chicago, and other cities east conferring with capitalists and railroad builders to induce them to take hold of the organization he represented and build us a road. He finally got Messrs. Geo. W. Hoffman, James N. Young, and L. D. Latham, of Chicago, and M. M. Towle and C. N. Towle of Hammond, Indiana, so far interested in the project that they sent Mr. L. D. Latham to look over the route, examine the situation, and report. Mr. Latham came about March 1st, at the time that our narrow gauge excitement was strongest, which was an element of discouragement to him, but such other facts and reasons were placed before him that he was prepared to make a favorable report. Mr. Hill returned with him and secured a meeting of the above named gentlemen at St. Louis, where they could confer with the authorities of the railroads running west from that city. Mr. Hill and Mr. Asp met them in St. Louis about the 11th of this month and the result of the arrangements made there was that Messrs. L. D. Latham, M. M. Towle, and J. N. Young were authorized to visit the route again, get further information, and make such arrangements as in their judgment was best for themselves and their friends.
These gentlemen arrived at Newton last Friday, where they met with Mr. Hill, who took them down to Arkansas City. That evening Mr. Asp went down and consulted with them. They came to Winfield Saturday, but after consulting with but a very few of our citizens, they returned to Arkansas City that evening, saying that they would be back Monday and then be ready to announce their decision. On Monday they returned and stated their decision that they could not use the old M. W. & S. W. charter because it did not cover the ground from Coffey County to Kansas City direct and was insufficient for their purposes in other respects, beside, if they built the road, they must have the full control.

They therefore decided to make a new organization and file a charter to suit themselves at once and proceed to build the road immediately if they can get such aid from the counties and townships along the line as will warrant them in proceeding. They locate by their charter the general office of the company at Winfield and Kansas City, Kansas. They will first try for aid between Winfield and Eureka over the route surveyed by the M. W. & S. W., if permitted by that company, and will pay for any part of the work done that they can make available. If they fail of getting sufficient aid by that line, they will next submit propositions up the Little Walnut to Rosalia. As soon as they are assured of the aid, they will put that portion of the road from their connection with the Ft. Scott & Wichita road to Winfield under contract and will complete it this season. They expect to bring their iron and ties on the Frisco road, which is now under the control of the Gould interest. They will build from that road to Winfield first. If they fail on both of these routes to get the aid, they will try another.
Messrs. Towle are the men who originated the scheme of carrying dressed beef in refrigerator cars, have overcome all obstacles, have their slaughter houses at Hammond, Indiana, twenty miles out of Chicago, where they have built quite a city and are slaughtering about a thousand beeves a day and shipping the dressed beef to New York. They have the idea that a slaughter house on the south line of Sumner County, with direct and cheap rates to Kansas City and New York, would have greater advantages over Chicago as a packing point than Chicago has over New York. They are worth half a million. Mr. Hoffman is the heavy capitalist of the concern and is worth several million. Mr. Latham is a railroad builder in which he has had much experience and success. He can command plenty of money. The same may be said of Mr. Young, who is an experienced broker and dealer in railroad stocks and bonds. There is no doubt of their ability to build the road. They expect to offer propositions for voting aid by our people in a very few days and to push the matter as rapidly as possible.
The meeting passed a resolution to the effect that we want them to build the road and will do anything reasonable in aid thereof.
A committee consisting of D. L. Kretsinger, J. C. Fuller, M. L. Robinson, H. E. Asp, and C. A. Bliss was appointed to confer with them, get their terms, and report at a meeting to be called by themselves, and directed the secretary of the meeting to inform the company of these proceedings.
Adjourned.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 16, 1884.
Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad.
Messrs. Latham and Young, of Chicago, were in our city yesterday and held a railroad meeting in Highland Hall. The gist of the proposition submitted is that the road is to be built by township aid, and $35,000 in Creswell Township bonds is asked for, in return for a similar amount of capital stock thereof. The road is to be constructed from a point in the Flint Hills, where it will join the Frisco road, yet no bonds are to be delivered till the road is in running order from Arkansas City to said points on the St. Louis and San Francisco road. The construction of this end of the road, which when completed will give a direct communication to Kansas City, is much facilitated by a temporary connection with the St. L. & S. F. R. R. Hence, the above clause in the proposition. The road from Kansas City to Arkansas City would give us a direct trunk line, and fully sixty miles shorter than any line now in existence. Of this proposition we only say it appears fair, and is at least worth the consideration of our people.
Arkansas City Republican, April 19, 1884.

James N. Young and L. D. Latham, directors of the Kansas City and Southwestern railroad, attended the railroad meeting in this city last Tuesday. They left that afternoon for Walnut Township to attend a similar meeting there, that evening.
[RAILROAD ELECTION.]
Winfield Courier, May 22, 1884.
Winfield to Lead Off and Take the First Rank. Next Tuesday is the election in the City of Winfield on the proposition to vote a city subscription and bonds of $40,000 to the Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad Company.
The men who have taken hold of this enterprise are heavy capitalists themselves and are backed by the heaviest capitalists and railroad interests of the country. They have large private interest which the ownership of this railroad would serve. It is a road competing with the Santa Fe road, it has no interest in common with that road, it will parallel the Southern Kansas auxiliary of that road from Kansas City to the Neosho River and come into direct competition with it at Eureka and Winfield. Every guarantee that could be worth anything is offered that it shall always remain a competing road, and if security were possible, it would be given. The bonds are now being submitted all along the line to the Neosho River, at or near Le Roy, and in case they are carried as is expected, the whole work from Le Roy to the state line will be put under contract at once and the first train that reaches Winfield will come from St. Louis by way of Le Roy and Eureka and in an almost direct air line from the Neosho River. In the meantime the division from Kansas City to the Neosho River will be worked up and within two years the whole line from Kansas City will be built and in operation to the state line in Sumner County.
This will be the most valuable road for Winfield that could be built. It is just what we have always needed and wanted. It will wake up our dormant energies and bring laborers, and capital, and factories, and trade. It will place Winfield in the lead of all the cities of Southern Kansas. It will be worth to every person in this city from ten to a hundred times what it will cost him. Even if it was a Santa Fe road built parallel to itself half of the way and no more competition than the Southern Kansas is with the Santa Fe, it would be worth to the people of this city ten times what it would cost them.
Of course, Winfield will be practically unanimous for the bonds, but it is possible that many, feeling sure that they will be carried, will not take the trouble to vote. It is of great importance that Winfield shall poll a large and full vote for the bonds for much depends on the influence of this vote on the townships. If Winfield by its vote shall show enthusiasm in the matter, it will enthuse all along the line and insure the building of the road by the way of Winfield; but if through want of enthusiasm here, some townships should fail to vote the bonds, it would change the route to the Little Walnut Valley and probably to Wellington instead of Winfield. The road will be built from Kansas City to the South line of Sumner County either one way or the other.
Messrs. Hoffman, Towle, Young, and Latham have got the money to do it and all the backing that there is any use for, and besides they have use for the road. If it is not built through Winfield, it will be built all the same.
If it is built this way, the Neosho River will be the end of the first division and Winfield the end of the second division.
Let the voters of Winfield all turn out and give this project a rousing endorsement.
Winfield Courier, June 26, 1884.

Mr. L. D. Latham, of Chicago, one of the directors of the Kansas City & Southwestern railroad, has been in the city several days. He left Tuesday, accompanied by Mr. Baker, a well known contractor, for Burlington. They will ride over the route from Burlington northeast.
Winfield Courier, September 18, 1884.
Messrs. Young and Latham of the Kansas City & Southwestern Railroad Company, were in the city Saturday. They went from here to Hickory Township in Butler County, where a proposition was voted on this week. They reported everything going along smoothly and that the road will surely be built.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 2, 1885.
We publish on the first page of this issue the proposition in full submitted by the Kansas City & Southwestern Railroad Company in Cowley County. It is elaborate, explicit, and covers every point that will possibly be raised, as between the County and the railroad. The time in which the road is to reach Winfield is limited to six months, with a bond to pay the costs of election in case it does not build within the time. The townships which have heretofore voted aid to the road are released by the terms of the proposition, and the line is located down Timber creek as heretofore surveyed. The Burden people made a very strong effort to secure the road, but President Young would not consent to any divergence that would lengthen the line. The proposition has been unanimously accepted by the Winfield Enterprise Association and by the people of Arkansas City and all along the line. The petitions will be out for signature this week. The COURIER will discuss the proposition at length during its pendency. While there are some things in it that we would like to see modified, we know that this is the best that can be done. The line is attracting much attention, and promises to be one of the best roads for the people that has ever been proposed in southern Kansas. Cowley must secure it. It is a matter of vital interest to every citizen—not for a week, or a month, but for all time. With this line and the D. M. & A., our future is settled and our permanent prosperity assured. This is no time for vain croaking but a time when every citizen should go energetically to work to get every new enterprise that can in any possible manner be reached.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 2, 1885.
We present on the first page the proposition of the Kansas City & Southwestern railroad to the people of Cowley County. President J. N. Young and Vice-President L. D. Latham are now here and mean to push things with a vim. Mr. Young will rent a house here and remove his family and make Winfield his headquarters until the road is completed.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 2, 1885.
COWLEY COUNTY RAILROAD PETITION.
To the Honorable Board of County Commissioners of Cowley County, in the State of Kansas:

The undersigned resident taxpayers of the County of Cowley, in the State of Kansas, respectfully petition your honorable body to submit to the qualified voters of said County of Cowley, at a special election to be called for that purpose, a proposition for said county to subscribe one hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($160,000) to the capital stock of, and to take one hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($160,000) in the capital stock of the Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad Company, and to issue the bonds of said Cowley County to the amount of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($160,000), in payment for said stock so taken, to the said Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad Company, to aid in securing the construction of the line of railroad which said railroad company proposes to construct from Kansas City, in the State of Missouri, through the said County, of Cowley to the south line of the State of Kansas. The said railroad company proposing to first construct the portion of its said line of railroad from the Saint Louis and San Francisco Railroad north or northeast from said County of Cowley into and through said County of Cowley by the way of the city of Winfield, in said county, and the city of Arkansas City, in said county, to the south line of the State of Kansas as aforesaid.
The terms and conditions of said proposition, the subscription to, the taking of said stock and the issuance of said bonds are as follows, to wit:
The amount of aid intended to be hereby voted by said Cowley County to said railroad company, and the amount proposed to be subscribed to, and taken in, the capital stock of said railroad company by said Cowley County, and the amount hereby petitioned and asked for, is the sum of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($160,000). The bonds of the said Cowley County to be issued under the authority hereof, to be of the denomination of one thousand dollars ($1,000) each, to run thirty (30) years (redeemable after ten years at the will of the county) from the date of their issuance, to bear interest at the rate of six percent per annum, the interest to be payable semi-annually, and the principal and interest to be payable at the fiscal agency of the state of Kansas in the city of New York.
The said railroad when and as so built shall enter the said County of Cowley on the north side thereof and extend through said county in a southwesterly direction, as near as practicable, and through the townships of Omnia, Richland, Fairview, and Walnut to the city of Winfield, and touching the corporate limits of said city, and thence by the most practicable route to the said city of Arkansas City and touching the corporate limits thereof, and thence from said city of Arkansas City to the south or west line of Bolton township in said Cowley County, with suitable freight and passenger depots located, one in said Omnia township at the place provided in township proposition of said township heretofore voted on; two in said Richland township at the places provided in township proposition of said township heretofore voted on; one within three-fourths of a mile by an air line from the crossing of Main street and Ninth avenue in the said city of Winfield; one in said Pleasant Valley township; one within three-fourths of a mile by an air line from the Central Avenue Hotel in said city of Arkansas City; and one in said Bolton township.

The said railroad to be of standard gauge to be a first-class road, and is to be built and completed and have cars running thereon for the transaction of business through said county to said Arkansas City on or before six months from the date of the election herein prayed for, and to the south or west line of said Bolton township on or before nine months from the date of the election herein prayed for unless prevented by unavoidable legal proceedings. And provided that in case this proposition is carried at the election herein prayed for, that the said Richland, Omnia, Walnut and Creswell townships and said city of Winfield shall be released from their subscription heretofore voted and authorized to be made to the capital stock of said railroad company. And provided further, that before any election shall be called as herein prayed for, the said railroad company shall give security either by depositing with the county treasurer of said Cowley County a sum sufficient to defray the expenses of said election or by executing a bond to the State of Kansas, for the benefit of said Cowley County, with sureties to be approved by the chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, conditioned that in case said proposition is carried at said election and said railroad company shall fail to build its said railroad as herein provided, that said railroad company shall pay all the costs of said election. And in case said railroad company shall build said railroad as herein provided, the said sum of money shall be returned to said railroad company, or if such bond is given, the same shall be and become void. And in case the said railroad company shall fail to comply herewith it shall forfeit its right to the bonds herein provided for and the subscription of stock made in pursuance of the election herein prayed for shall be and become void.
When and immediately after the subscription of stock and issuance of bonds of said Cowley County have been voted and authorized to be made and issued as herein prayed for, according to the terms and conditions herein then the Board of County Commissioners of said Cowley County, for and on behalf of said Cowley County, shall order and direct the county clerk of said Cowley County, in the name of and for the benefit of said Cowley County, to make said subscription of stock to the amount of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars ($160,000), to the capital stock of said Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad Company, according to the terms and conditions provided for herein, and the said county clerk shall make such subscription of stock immediately thereafter.
When the said railroad company shall have built or caused to be built its said line of railroad into said Cowley County ten miles from the north line of said county as aforesaid, and the cars are running thereon for the transaction of business, the Board of County Commissioners of said Cowley County shall thereupon immediately and without delay cause to be executed as the law directs the bonds of said Cowley County of the denomination, and on the terms and conditions hereinbefore stated and described, to the amount of thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) and shall deliver said bonds when so executed to the President of said railroad company or to his order, and the said railroad company shall at the same time it receives said bonds make out, execute under the seal of said railroad company and deliver to the treasurer of said Cowley County, in the name of, and for the benefit of said Cowley County, certificates of full paid stock of the capital stock of said railroad company, in an amount equal to the amount of the bonds of said Cowley County so received by it, dollar for dollar, in exchange therefor and in consideration thereof.

When the said railroad company shall have built or caused to be built its said line of railroad from the north line of said Cowley County as aforesaid, into and through said county to the said city of Winfield, and touching the corporate limits thereof, and the cars are running thereon for the transaction of business, the Board of County Commissioners of said Cowley County shall thereupon immediately and without delay, cause to be executed, as the law directs, the bonds of said Cowley County of the denomination and on the terms and conditions hereinbefore stated and described, to the amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), and shall deliver the said bonds, when so executed, to the president of said railroad company, or to his order; and the said railroad company shall, at the same time it receives said bonds, make out, execute under the seal of said railroad company and deliver to the treasurer of said Cowley County, in the name of and for the benefit of said Cowley County, certificates of full paid stock of the capital stock of said railroad company in an amount equal to the amount of the bonds of said Cowley County so received by it, dollar for dollar, in exchange therefor and in consideration thereof.
When the said railroad company shall have built or caused to be built its said line of railroad from the said city of Winfield to the said city of Arkansas City, and touching the corporate limits thereof, and the cars are running thereon for the transaction of business, the Board of County Commissioners of said Cowley County shall thereupon immediately and without delay cause to be executed, as the law directs, the bonds of said Cowley County on the terms and conditions hereinbefore stated and described, to the amount of forty thousand dollars ($40,000), and shall deliver said bonds when so executed to the president of said railroad company, or to his order, and the said railroad company shall at the same time it receives said bonds, make out, execute under the seal of said railroad company and deliver to the treasurer of said Cowley County, in the name of and for the benefit of said Cowley County, certificates of full paid stock of the capital stock of said railroad company, in an amount equal to the amount of the bonds of said Cowley County so received by it, dollar for dollar, in exchange therefore and in consideration thereof.
When the said railroad company shall have built or caused to be built its said line of railroad from said city of Arkansas City to the south or west line of said Bolton township, and the cars are running thereon for the transaction of business, the Board of County Commissioners of said Cowley County shall thereupon immediately and without delay, cause to be executed as the law directs, the residue of the bonds of said Cowley County, upon the terms and conditions provided for herein, which sum, in addition to the bonds hereinbefore provided to be used, shall not exceed the sum of four thousand dollars per mile for each mile of main line, exclusive of side tracks constructed in said county, and shall not in the aggregate, including the bonds hereinbefore provided to be issued, exceed the sum of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars and shall deliver said bonds when so executed, to the president of said railroad company or to his order, and the said railroad company shall at the same time it receives said bonds, make out, execute under the seal of said railroad company and deliver to the treasurer of said Cowley County, certificates of full paid stock of the capital stock of said railroad company, in an amount equal to the amount of the bonds of said Cowley County so received by it dollar for dollar in exchange therefor and in consideration thereof.
The form of the ballots to be used at such special election for and against the proposition to take stock and issue bonds therefor, as above recited, shall be in the following form, to-wit: The ballot in favor of said proposition shall contain these words, “for the railroad stock and bonds of the Kansas City, and Southwestern railroad company,” and the ballot against said proposition shall contain these words, “against the railroad stock and bonds of the Kansas City, and Southwestern railroad company,” and your petitioners will ever pray.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, April 18, 1885.

Bills are scattered all over our city announcing that Latham & Co. want 500 teams to commence work on the Kansas City & Southwestern, Beaumont. Wages $3 per day. It won’t be long until we can hear the whistle.
Latham Town Company, railroad town, Union township, Butler County...
Winfield Courier, Thursday, July 2, 1885.
Last Tuesday the articles of incorporation of the Latham Town Company were filed with Secretary of State. Latham is a new railroad town in Union township, Butler County, and is about fourteen miles southwest of Beaumont and on the K. C. & S. W. railroad.
[WILMOT, RICHLAND TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “T. R. C.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, August 20, 1885.
The town of Wilmot is located about 13 miles northeast of Winfield, on the line of the K. C. & S. W. R. R., in one of the most prosperous and enterprising neighborhoods in the county. The sound of the hammer is heard and the streets present a busy appearance.
We learn that Mr. Holt has rented his grain and stock farm to Mr. J. R. Thompson for a term of one year, and will take up his abode in the suburbs of Wilmot, having already purchased 5 acres of land from the Wilmot Town company. He expects to erect a residence thereon this fall.
The K. C. & S. W. is completed to Wilmot, building will commence in dead earnest now that the lumber can be laid down here by the cars. The boom is surely coming to this part of the moral heritage. The dry bones are beginning to rattle, and the purchase of land is the talk of the day.
The county commissioners were out Monday to see if the railroad company had filled their contract in regard to the first 10 miles of constructed road in the county before they issue the county bonds to the railroad company as per contract. We predict they will find the road all right. We understand that L. D. Latham, of Chicago, was also down along the line this week looking up the future prospects of his belongings.
[ATLANTA, OMNIA TOWNSHIP, CORRESPONDENT: “LARRY.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, September 3, 1885.
Atlanta naturally commands the trade of a large section of the country, being eight miles north of Burden, eighteen south of Leon, eighteen southeast of Douglass, twelve southwest of Latham, the new town on Rock creek, and fifteen northeast of Floral, about half-way between Winfield and Beaumont, and is starting right to make the finest town between these two points.

This new town is located on the southwest quarter of section 15 and the southeast quarter of section 16, 30 s 6 e, the center of Omnia township, in the midst of as fine and firm looking country as the sun shines upon. The town is about six weeks old and already contains two hotels, two livery stables, two groceries, two dry goods, grocery and clothing, and one hardware store, one meat market, one restaurant and boarding house, one drug store, one millinery store, one real estate office, one billiard hall with two tables, blacksmith shop, barber shop, and all without exception doing a lively business, one store having average sales of $200 per day for the past eight days. There have been but few residences erected yet as the hauling of lumber from Burden was considered too expensive a luxury in the light of the fact that a good lumber yard would be located here in a few days. Mr. Dicus, of Mound Valley, has a large stock of lumber on the ground and is fitting up his yard and building an office and extensive sheds, and proposes to duplicate the bills of any yard in Southern Kansas in quality and prices.
Newspaper started in Latham, Butler County, on the K. C. & S. W. railroad...
Winfield Courier, Thursday, September 10, 1885.
The Latham Journal, just started in Latham, the new Butler County town on the K. C. & S. W., has just reached us. It is a neat six column folio, published by Olin W. Meacham, and blows its bugle loud for Latham.
Arkansas City Republican, November 7, 1885.
The K. C. & S. W. Once More. Wednesday morning, bright and early, information reached our citizens that some of the propositions to be submitted by the Geuda Springs and Caldwell road in different townships in Sumner County asking aid, read to the effect that the road was to leave the K. C. & S. W. between Arkansas City and Winfield. In Walton Township—Geuda—the proposition read to go west from Arkansas City. By this it would seem that someone was determined to hurt the interests of Arkansas City. Our citizens were once more aroused to action, and when James Hill, L. D. Latham, and H. E. Asp made their appearance upon the streets in the afternoon they were besieged on every side by inquiries in regard to the matter. We were told by these gentlemen that we had been informed correctly. Immediately the citizen’s committee marshaled its forces and called a meeting, requesting the railroad company to be present. The meeting was held in Judge Pyburn’s office, that gentleman presiding. Some very plain and sensible talk was indulged in by our citizens and the company. The latter was informed that if any such propositions reading that the road would be extended west between here and Winfield, were submitted in Sumner County, no right of way through the city would be granted and the company’s interests would be fought by our citizens on every hand. This stirred the gentlemen up somewhat and after a conference among themselves they decided to comply once more with the requests of Arkansas City. It was agreed that all propositions to be submitted in Sumner County should be sanctioned by our citizen’s committee before submission. A copy of each petition calling the elections will be forwarded to the citizen’s committee for perusal in order that no more “monkeying,” as Jim Hill expresses it, may be indulged in. We are glad to announce to the public that it has been decided by the company to build its road west from Arkansas City via Geuda to Caldwell within the next 16 months and petitions calling elections in the several townships will be submitted to that effect in a few days. This is as it should be.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, November 28, 1885.
BOOMING BEAUMONT VISITED BY SOME OF OUR CITIZENS TUESDAY.
An Excursion Over the K. C. & S. W., that Long Fought For Railroad.
Beaumont Found to be a Booming Metropolis (?), Fast Growing in Opulence upon the Flint Hills of Butler County.

Early on last Tuesday morning, two omnibuses drew up to the Leland Hotel and took on board the following gentlemen, who had been invited by the managers of the K. C. & S. W., to take a pleasure trip over that road to the famous and booming Beaumont: Mayor Schiffbauer, Councilmen Hight, Davis, Thompson, Bailey, Dean, and Dunn, and their friends whom they invited, H. H. Perry, J. Frank Smith, J. H. Hilliard, Frank Thompson, and City Clerk Benedict; also, the railroad committee, consisting of A. A. Newman, N. T. Snyder, Major Sleeth, G. W. Cunningham, W. D. Mowry, and T. H. McLaughlin. Bro. Lockley, too, was among the honored ones, and was to chronicle the thrilling incidents of the trip, furnish intellectual food for the party, and report the impressive appearance, the “sights” and widely spread influence, of flourishing Beaumont. After a drive of about three miles, the gleeful party reached the end of the track, where over 200 railroad hands were busy at work, rapidly advancing the “iron bands” towards Arkansas City.
It was after 8 o’clock before they heard the distant whistling of the excursion train, towards which they at once started, and which they reached after a brisk walk of nearly a mile. Had it not been for Councilman Davis, who has only one natural leg to work with, they probably would have continued their journey on foot, and thus economized time. As it was, Mr. Davis was conveyed to the cars in a carriage to avoid the fatigue of walking. All having gotten on board, the train moved slowly up the track. They had a jolly, rollicking time.
Having arrived at Winfield, the passengers allowed the engine to rest a little, although it caused them much weariness to be delayed in a village of such few attractions when vivid pictures of enterprising Beaumont occupied their excited minds. Mr. Latham joined the party at Winfield, and when the train pulled out, the officers of the road suspended from the rear end of the last car a banner, bearing the inscription, “The town we left behind us.” From that railroad station onto the end of the journey, the train swept over the track at a rapid rate, passing through Floral, Wilmot, Atlanta, and Latham. Beaumont (a French word meaning “the fashionable world”) was reached at 11:30 a.m., and the party evacuated the cars and proceeded at once to the central part of the city. On either side, as they walked up main street, tall and magnificent buildings met their view, and the hearts of the rustic excursionists almost ceased to beat on account of the grandeur they beheld. Councilman Dunn had purchased a bran new hat that morning, and in trying to pass in under one of the lofty awnings, it was completely crushed. [N.B. This incident occurred before the drugstore was visited.] They found that the city consists of fourteen houses, which have been standing for 14 years, and the inhabitants number about 75. This is conclusive evidence that the town is still booming. When one of the natives was asked why he did not move to a better locality, he proudly pointed to the barren flint hills, and, with Kansas enthusiasm, maintained that Beaumont was the garden-spot of the world. After dinner, which was served in the spacious dining hall of Noah Herring, some of the party, for amusement, played at billiards and pigeon-hole. Bro. Lockley and Geo. Cunningham leveled down the flint hills and bombarded the town pitching horseshoes. Some of them went into one of the two drugstores in the place and consulted the “holy record” in order to procure some remedy for their ailments. The druggist showed them a full “soda pop” barrel, the greater portion of whose contents they consumed.
While in the drug store they made the following invoice of the stock it contained.
1 small stove: $2.00; 1 old keg: $0.00; 1 old box: $0.00; 1 counter: $10.00; 10 boxes of candy: $10.00; 1 pail of tobacco: $4.00; 2 boxes of nuts: $.50; 1 barrel of whiskey: $8.00.
TOTAL: $34.50.
The excursionists returned to Arkansas City at about 9 o’clock p.m., full of joy and “soda water.” There will be another excursion over this road soon and everybody here will then have a chance to see Beaumont.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 1, 1885.

For the first time in its history, THE DAILY COURIER has failed to connect on an advertisement. Some time ago L. D. Latham, of the K. C. & S. W., told us to get him a house to occupy as soon as the road reached Winfield. We have advertised for the house now for a week and no answers. Is it possible that there isn’t a good house to rent in Winfield?
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 8, 1885.
L. D. Latham’s wife and two sons have arrived. They will be at the Central a week before going to house keeping in the Frank Lockwood residence, south Mansfield street, which Mr. Latham has purchased.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 8, 1885.
SHE IS HERE!
The K. C. & S. W. Completed to Winfield and Opened for Through Traffic.
ST. LOUIS & WINFIELD JOINED.
Another Big Stride in the Progress of The Queen City of Southern Kansas.
MARCHING ON WITH RAPID TREAD.

Again does THE COURIER chronicle another big stride in the progress of Winfield. From month to month and from year to year has it heralded steps in our city’s advancement that have gradually placed her in the ranks of the best cities of the west—with present worth and future promise—the admiration of all. Improvements which in the infantile days of the city, would have resurrected every booming cannon and screaming eagle and old wood cut in the office, now pass with a few lines of notice. These material advances, backed by a people whose motto, like that of the state, is “Ad astra per aspera,” have come to be taken as matters of common note. The first railroad, which set our people wild with hilarious demonstrations, has been gradually followed with a second road, our splendid water and gas works, our magnificent Fair Ground and Park, the Imbecile Asylum, the M. E. College, and now a third railroad, with the fourth in the grasp of the very near future. And the city’s private improvements stand absolutely unexcelled by any city of Winfield’s age. At six o’clock Tuesday evening the construction train of the Kansas City & South Western railroad rolled into the depot, on North Main. Today the road was opened for through freight traffic, the first freight going out being three carloads of flour for the Winfield Roller Mills. The first passenger train left this morning at 8:30. Tomorrow morning a through St. Louis coach leaves Winfield at the same hour, connecting directly with the Frisco at Beaumont—no change of cars. The regular passenger train will leave Winfield at 8:30 a.m. and return at 7:00 p.m. An accommodation coach will be attached to the regular freight the last of this week or the first of next. The Kansas City freight for points on the K. C. & S. W., now comes by Winfield. This road’s equipments are splinter new throughout and first-class in every respect. The road is as good as any in the west. It gives Winfield direct and through freight and passenger connection with St. Louis, something badly needed, giving a much shorter and quicker route, with reduced freight rates. Five hundred men and teams are now at work surfacing, grading, and track laying. The depot here is neat and convenient, and will soon have its network of side track. The track will reach Arkansas City by November first, when work on the Geuda and Caldwell branch and eastward from Beaumont will be commenced and pushed right through. The Kansas City & Southwestern railroad will be one of the main arteries reaching out from Kansas City through the Southwest. It is backed by men of large influence and capital. Every foot of road so far has been built with the company’s money, without the sale of a bond. Not a bond has been placed on the market. Hon. M. M. Towle, at the head of the company, is now here from Chicago looking over the line and is highly pleased with its outlook. Hon. Alonzo Stevens, of Chicago, Mr. Towle’s associate, also inspected the road and its prospects a few weeks ago, with equally satisfactory results. James N. Young, L. D. Latham, and James Hill are personally supervising the construction of the road, and are determined to make it one of the best lines in Kansas. The origin of this road was with Winfield men, several of whom are members of the company, and the headquarters of the road are at Winfield. Winfield money and enterprise inaugurated the line, and its feasibility and splendid opening for investment soon enlisted eastern capitalists who have made it a solid reality—one of vast benefit to Winfield and every town it strikes.
A CELEBRATION BANQUET.
The completion of the K. C. & S. W. to Winfield was celebrated last evening in the Brettun by a grand banquet given to the railroad track layers and graders by L. D. Latham & Co., the contractors. Owing to camp headquarters being yet at Floral, a number of the employees couldn’t be present, but one hundred and eight of them engaged in the feast, and expressed the warmest appreciation. After the supper to the gang men, Messrs. Harter & Hill, ye landlords of the Brettun, complimented the officers, contractors, managing employees, and engineer corps of the road with a magnificent banquet, which was thoroughly enjoyed and most appreciably received.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 15, 1885.
Bliss & Wood are the first to ship three car loads of flour north on the new road. They went loaded Thursday for Latham, Atlanta, and points on the “Frisco.”
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 15, 1885.
Time Table of Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad showed trains going west and going east. Stations: Beaumont, Burgess, Latham, Atlanta, Wilmot, Floral, Winfield.
S. C. Gibbs, Gen. Passenger Agent.
F. D. Blackman, Local Agent.
L. D. Latham, Superintendent.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 15, 1885.
The following are the real estate transfers filed in the office of Register of Deeds since our last issue.
F E Lockwood et ux to L D Latham, lot 9, blk 92, Menor’s ad to Win.: $1,800.00.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 15, 1885.
A COURIER representative spent some days at Latham, the new town in Butler County on the K. C. & S. W., last week. The town is but three months old and contains about two hundred inhabitants and fifty houses. It is full of bustle and activity and promises great things in the future. Its business location is most favorable, being the only available supply point for a large territory of rich agricultural lands. New settlers are flocking in and the improvement and growth of the place is phenomenal.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 22, 1885.
K. C. & S. W. R. R. CO. Time Table No. 1. (In effect Oct. 1, 1885.)

Towns on K. C. & S. W.: Beaumont, Burgess, Latham, Atlanta, Wilmot, Floral, and Winfield. Trains connect at Beaumont with St. L. & S. F. Railway trains. A through coach will be run between Winfield and St. Louis. Through tickets for sale at coupon offices to all points East and baggage checked through.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 29, 1885.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. L. D. Latham & Co. will not be responsible for any order, discharge, or time checks issued by their employees until countersigned by Wm. D. Carey, Paymaster. L. D. Latham & Co., contractors K. C. & S. W. railroad.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 29, 1885.
The depot building at Latham, on the K. C. & S. W., will be moved next week four or five hundred yards up the track, and the city of Tolles will be taken up bodily and placed some half a mile this way in order to make it a commercial center. Fred Kropp will hitch next week. Fred has moved almost everything in the last few weeks, but this is the first town he has unseated.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 29, 1885.
EXCURSION SATURDAY.
About Four Hundred of our People Take a Whirl Over the K. C. & S. W.

About four hundred of our best citizens repaired to the K. C. & S. W. depot at 8:30 Saturday morning, where a long train was waiting in readiness to take the party of excursionists over this beautiful line of road to Beaumont, a distance of about 48 miles, where this neat little town of about 300 inhabitants is at the junction of the K. C. & S. W. and “Frisco” roads. Everyone started for a good time, prepared with baskets of every kind of culinary delicacies, the most necessary thing to insure a pleasant trip. THE COURIER scribe as usual, rushed off without once thinking of our lunch basket, but on landing at Beaumont, and, when searching in vain for some hotel that had not already been eaten out of house and home, the eye of W. H. Shearer fell upon us, and, supposing from the expression of our face and the leanness of our form, that a square meal would be the most essential thing to insure comfort, hailed us and invited us to follow him, which we did, to a large hall where we found a table spread with all manner of delicacies, presided over by Mrs. Col. Whiting, Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. Fred Whiting, and Mrs. W. H. Shearer, who invited us to a seat with them, which we accepted, and when everyone had refreshed the inner man to a satisfactory extent, the town was taken in until four o’clock, when the train started for Winfield, over as beautiful country as the eye could wish to gaze upon, stopping at Latham, a pretty little town only two months old and with about 250 inhabitants and grand prospects for a city of much importance in the near future, to gather up some of the excursionists who had stopped off, as we went up, on a prospecting visit. The next station at which we stopped was the beautiful town of Atlanta, about the same age as Latham, but some larger and with much more flattering prospects. Atlanta is situated about 22 miles northeast of Winfield, in the most fertile part of the state, surrounded by a thickly populated section of country and every advantage necessary to make a glowing city, and it already shows evidence of business and enterprise in the many fine business and residence buildings now nearing completion. Wilmot, our next stopping place, is also a thriving little place with a splendid foundation for a city equal to any in southern Kansas. The town of Floral has taken a boom since the railroad has settled on her fair soil and new buildings are shooting up like mushrooms. This was our last stop until we pulled up at the depot at Winfield at half past seven in the midst of the watery elements. Everybody pronounced the road first-class, and await the earliest opportunity for another excursion.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, November 12, 1885.
Mr. J. M. Lambert, who is making arrangements and will in a few days open a banking institution at Latham, on the new extension of the Frisco line, says a through car is now run from St. Louis to Winfield daily and that the mail being put on the new line, of course he wants the big daily of the southwest. Wichita Eagle.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, November 12, 1885.
J. M. Lambert came down from Latham Tuesday to meet his family, who have been visiting Mrs. Fred Whiting for several days. They return tonight on the K. C. & S. W. accommodation. Mr. Lambert’s banking business at Latham starts off well.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, November 12, 1885.
Saturday evening at Latham, Charlie Webb, one of the employees in the general office of the K. C. & S. W., was severely injured while trying to board a train. He was thrown on the platform and knocked insensible. He came too, however, and is now improving.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, November 25, 1885.
THE SORROWS OF WINFIELD. There is a heavy washing of dirty linen being done in Winfield. The jealousy of the people there is aroused at the advantages likely to accrue to this city from the Kansas City and Southwestern railroad being built through our boundaries and then carried to the state line.
The Courier, in an article over a column long, charges hostility to the enterprise on a number of the city council, who were solicitous for the safety of their backyards, and this solicitude also cropped out from the doings and sayings of several private citizens whose property was likely to be invaded. The Courier thus states the treatment visited on the railway managers.
“The council had got it into their heads that the proper place for the road was out by Bliss & Wood’s mill and up a canyon, despite the protest of the chief engineer that such a route was impracticable. Then the road tried to get the council’s consent to buy their way through the east part. This was refused. Then they asked permission to climb the hill and cross Ninth Avenue 4 miles east of Main Street. The councilmen were taken in carriages to view the route and agreed verbally to let the road go there. A special meeting was called that evening only to result in their going back on what they had agreed to in the morning. Then the road asked that they might follow the Santa Fe around the town, and get out in decent order. But another councilman’s backyard was endangered and even this was refused. The company was dismayed. Instead of finding Winfield friendly to the road, they found her council ready to throttle it, to disembowel it, to scatter its fragments over the whole surrounding territory, rather than that the ‘beauty of the east part of town’ should be forever marred by the presence of a railroad track.”

It has been frequently talked on our streets that Winfield gave the K. C. & S. W. company $20,000 to go there, and charged it $25,000 to get out. But the Courier makes a still worse showing. After dwelling on the impracticable character of the route pursued, and bewailing the ruin wrought to the fair ground, the injury to the park, and the divergence of the track from the only road over which the people of Vernon, Beaver, and part of Pleasant Valley can get into Winfield, the writer sums up the adventitious cost of the road at “$46,000 more than it receives from Winfield in aid.” With this further disadvantage, that it leaves the company “one of the most dangerous and expensive pieces of road to maintain (and operate forever) that there is in Kansas, outside of the flint hills.”
With such unfair and inhospitable treatment, we can understand that the railroad company has not the kindest feeling toward that city, and must feel that such help as was bestowed on them costs more than it comes to.
But all this talk is apart from the real question. When the city and county bonds to aid in the construction of the K. C. & S. W. road were voted in this city, it was with the distinct understanding that its track was to be laid directly here and carried hence to the state line. Our people were informed that the road was to be built through into Texas, and the halt would be made on the border of the territory only until the right of way through the Indian country should be granted. The bonds were voted with that understanding and the faithful performance of the undertaking looked to. Our cotem, in strong antithesis, contrasts the conduct of this city toward the railway company with that of Winfield.
Here is how he puts it.
“She (Arkansas City) wanted the road. She was willing that Winfield might have two roads to her one, and voted solidly for the D. M. & A., redeeming her pledges faithfully. She also wanted the Caldwell branch. She asked the company to simply notify her of what it thought necessary to be done and they would do it. The company suggested that they give the road a street, free of cost, from limit to limit of their city. The suggestion was embodied in an ordinance and passed unanimously, leaving the company its option to select which street it wanted, and even holding the company harmless for any damages that might arise from its occupancy.”
This is in striking contrast with the conduct of Winfield toward the railroad company (as detailed by our sprightly cotemporary), but it moved no feeling of gratitude. Ever since the ordinance was passed by our city council, granting the road its choice of the right of way, there have been schemes proposed and combinations entered into, to deprive this city of the benefit of the road, and put us off on a stub. But these sharp tricks were defeated by the prompt, and energetic, action of our businessmen. On two occasions, when they learned that the road was to be diverted from its proposed course and good faith violated, they summoned Messrs. Young, Latham, Asp, and other managers of the road, and informed those gentlemen that if the engagement with this city was not honestly fulfilled, no bonds would issue.
This was argumentum ad hominem. It has been forcibly said: “The man who carries the bag has many forces at his back; an empty sack will not stand upright.” This threat to cut off supplies brought the road managers to terms, and the track was graded to our city without further flouncing.

What threat may be contained in the significant passage with which the Courier editor winds up his arraignment, we do not clearly comprehend. He says: “We may yet secure some of the advantages which seem to have drifted away from us, but the fight has to be made over again. The Winfield members of the company will work for Winfield to the extent of their ability and means, but the measure of their success will depend on the attitude of Winfield and her council and men of influence.” If this means that when the bonds of this city are issued and hypothecated, an effort will be made by “the Winfield members” to have the track removed from this city, it is clear that an act of perfidy is contemplated which will bring confusion on the heads of its promoters. But we borrow no trouble over this intangible avowal. The road will be completed to this city in a few days, and the necessary depot buildings started upon, and possession is nine points of the law. Good faith has been observed by the railway company in spite of the machinations of “the Winfield members;” and as they have lost their opportunity to divert the road, they will now find it a fruitless task to attempt to undo a work that has already been accomplished.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 25, 1885.
THE RAILROAD AT HAND.
Excursions Over the New Line from Arkansas City to Beaumont.
Steel Rails and Oak Ties, and a Finely Equipped Road.
On Monday Mr. Henry E. Asp, on behalf of the managers of the Kansas City and Southwestern Kansas railroad, then within a few miles of Arkansas City, tendered Mayor Schiffbauer and the city council an excursion over the line to Beaumont and return. The mayor said he should like the invitation extended so as to include our principal businessmen. Mr. Asp said a general excursion to our citizens would be given as soon as the road was completed to the city, and arrangements could be made for the entertainment of a large number of guests, but at the present time not more than a score of excursionists could be provided for. This being the case, Mayor Schiffbauer invited the city council, authorizing each member to take a friend along, and also included in the invitation the railroad committee of the board of trade. This filled out the allotted number.
The following gentlemen composed the excursion party: Mayor Schiffbauer, Councilmen Thompson, Bailey, Dunn, Dean, Davis, and Hight. (Councilman A. D. Prescott was unable to take part, through business engagements, and Councilman Hill was found superintending the construction of the road.) The friends they invited and who were present for duty, were mine host Perry, J. Frank Smith, J. H. Hilliard, Frank Thompson, and City Clerk Benedict.
The railroad committee consisted of A. A. Newman, N. T. Snyder, Major Sleeth, G. W. Cunningham, W. D. Mowry, and T. H. McLaughlin. These with the present writer (nineteen in all) formed the invited party, Henry E. Asp accompanying them as host and guide.
At 7:30 on Tuesday morning, omnibuses were in waiting at the Leland Hotel to carry the excursionists to the end of the track, and the party being seated, a brisk drive of three miles carried them to an animated scene. The day’s labors had begun, upwards of 100 workmen being employed. A construction train of ten or a dozen cars was on hand, loaded with implements and material: ties, rails, fish-plates, bolts, spikes, shovels, and so on. The ties were of well seasoned oak brought from Arkansas, which were being unloaded by lusty arms, and thrown onto tracks, which was distributed along the grade. The train was standing on the foremost rails that were spiked, and in advance of this was a rail truck drawn by two mules, which recovered the iron from the flat car, and carried it forward over the loose rails, a force of men standing by the truck and laying the rail as fast as the ties were in place.

Track laying, in these days of railroad building, is reduced to an exact science. The ties are laid along the road bed under the direction of a foreman; another crew extends the nails, which is followed up by the spike-drivers. A sufficient force can lay two miles of track a day without extraordinary effort, and the onlooker has to maintain a steady sauntering pace to keep up with the workmen.
Some delay was caused on Tuesday morning by a disagreement between two foremen, which resulted in a fisticuff encounter. The aggressor in the unpleasantness was discharged, and his crew, numbering about thirty men, refused to work under another boss. They were all sent to Winfield to receive their pay, and a fresh force brought from there to take their place. This delayed the work about an hour and a half.
At 8:30 a.m. the whistle of the excursion train sounded about one-fourth of a mile along the track, and our party of pleasure seekers made good time walking in the direction of the cars. T. H. McLaughlin stumped along, with his one live leg, as agile as the best of them; but Councilman Davis, another mutilated war veteran, jumped into a vehicle to save a fatiguing walk. The track to Winfield is not yet ballasted, and the running time to that city was slow. The bridge over the Walnut is a substantial piece of work, being raised on trestles 45 feet above the stream, and the approaches being supported on solid masonry. The two miles of road south of Winfield cost $65,000.
At Winfield a brief stay was made to take on passengers, and here Mr. Latham joined the party, who was heartily greeted by his Arkansas City guests, and who spent the day in their company. From Winfield a good rate of speed was put on, the road being well ballasted and running as smoothly as a bowling green. The first station reached was Floral, nine miles from Winfield. This is a thrifty place, which has sprung into existence since the road was built, is well situated, and surrounded by a good country. Wilmot is 8½ miles distant, and Atlanta, 7 miles along. Latham is in Butler County, also a railroad town, built on a broad creek, and already containing 400 or 500 inhabitants. Commodious stone stores are in process of erection, an extensive lumber yard is well stocked, and other business lines are well represented. At Wingate (between the two places last named) there is a flag station. Beaumont was reached about 11:30, the distance from Latham being 13 miles. Here the K. C. & S. W. Road forms a junction with the St. Louis & San Francisco road, and here the journey terminated. Several miles of the Flint hills were traversed in reaching here, a surface formation of brecciated and abraded rock, which proves that at some time in the geological periods this whole region was overflown. Dinner was ready for the excursionists when they stepped off at the station, their dining hall being a commodious room on the upper floor of that building, under charge of Noah Herring and his very excellent and capable wife. Two tables furnished room for the score of hungry guests, and a good dinner, promptly served, was in waiting to allay their hunger.

Here four hours was afforded to take in the town, and enjoy the fine scenery that surrounded it. A party of the most robust pedestrians, under conduct of Henry Asp, took a breezy walk over the hills into Greenwood County; where a fine panorama of scenic beauty lay spread before their gaze, with Eureka, in the distance, nestling in the valley, like a sylvan deity. Those less enterprising visited the post office, made acquaintance with store keepers, talked with the oldest inhabitant, and then played the games of billiards, pigeon-hole, and quoits. Major Schiffbauer, at the first named game, made some extraordinary shots in missing the balls he aimed at. At quoits G. W. Cunningham did great execution, bombarding with his rings an extensive region of country around the pin he professed to aim at.
Our narrative of this very enjoyable trip must be brought to a close, as space fails. At 4:30 the train started on return. Mr. Young, of Young, Latham & Co., the builders of the road, who came in on the Frisco train, joined the party. Winfield was reached at 7:30, where our friends belonging to that city, left us, and Ed Gray came on board, escorting W. H. Nelson (of Meigs & Nelson), who had been spending a day in the county clerk’s office, making a transcript from the tax list. Towards the close of the journey a vote of thanks to the officers of the road was proposed by Mayor Schiffbauer for their hospitality to the excursionists, and polite attention to them as guests of the day. This was heartily responded to by the party. The day’s labors of the track layers brought them 1¼ miles nearer the city. Omnibuses were in waiting to convey the tired travelers to the city, and by 9 o’clock they were deposited at the Leland Hotel, all clamorous for supper, but unanimous in declaring they had spent a delightful day.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, November 26, 1885.
Tell W. Walton, of the Caldwell Journal, Goes Over the K. C. & S. W.
The editor of the Caldwell Journal, Tell W. Walton, writes thusly of our new railroad.
“Last week while the local railroad committee was in Winfield, by special invitation of Superintendent Latham, Attorney Asp, and Vice President Young, they took a run over the above named road from Winfield to Beaumont, the junction with the Frisco. Messrs. William Corzine, A. M. Colson, and the writer availed themselves of the invitation and accompanied by Messrs. Latham and Asp, boarded the passenger train at 7 a.m. and pulled out for the north. On the route we passed the booming little cities of Atlanta and Latham besides several smaller villages in embryo. The writer had not been in that part of Cowley County since 1878, and many were the changes he noticed. Most of them, however, had been made since the building of the road through there last summer. Any description of the new road that we could give by the single trip over it would not do it justice, but such observations as we made will be given.

“The road up the Timber Creek valley is well built and no grade on it to the summit of flint hills at Beaumont is over 60 feet to the mile and no curve more than six degrees. The Southern Kansas road to get over the flint hills has many grades of over 90 ft. to the mile and curve as high as ten degrees. The ties are all either oak or cedar, the rails steel, and the bridges combination wood and iron set upon solid stone piers and abutments. The culverts are all stone and built in a substantial manner. The grading is well done and is sufficiently smooth now so that riding over the road at a thirty mile gait is attended with no more jostling than is on the Santa Fe and Southern Kansas. The coaches run on the passenger train are one combination coach and baggage, and a regular day coach, such as are run on all first-class roads. The day coach runs from Winfield direct to St. Louis, while the combination coach is used for local travel. A regular freight on the Frisco, from Wichita to St. Louis and from St. Louis to Wichita. The passenger train connects with the regular through passenger train on the Frisco from and to St. Louis. In conversation with men along the line of the road, we found none but the best words spoken of the management of the road and their honorable treatment of all with whom they have had dealings. The Kansas City and South Western is a good railroad and one that will revolutionize the freight rates of this part of the valley when completed to Caldwell, as it has already done at Winfield and will do at Arkansas City on December first, at which date it will be completed there. Our people are at work now circulating petitions to aid in the construction of the main line of this road, but under a different name from Arkansas City to this point.”
Arkansas City Traveler, December 2, 1885.
Young, Latham & Co., the contractors of the K. C. & S. W. Railroad, entertained about 170 of their men with a turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day. Ninety were fed at the Leland Hotel, Grubbs provided for about fifty more, and the remainder ate at the Central Avenue Hotel. The excellent behavior of these railroad builders is spoken of in high terms by all their entertainers.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, December 5, 1885.
The first shipment over the K. C. & S. W. Railroad from Arkansas City occurred last Saturday night. It was made by the Arkansas City Roller Mill Co. The cargo was a load of flour and its destination was Latham.
[Note that the town of “Wingate” was added to stations on the K. C. & S. W.]
Arkansas City Traveler, December 16, 1885.
Railroad Time Tables. K. C. & S. W. R. R. CO.
Time Table No. 3, in effect Nov. 20, 1885.
INCOMING N. E.            STATIONS                    GOING S.W.
No. 1                                                         No. 2
 8:15 A.M.       Leave Arkansas City         Arrive   6:50 P.M.
 9:05 A.M.       Winfield                              Leave         6:05 P.M.
 9:20 A.M.       Floral                                                   5:40 P.M.
 9:40 A.M.       Wilmot                                           5:36 P.M.
10:10 A.M.            Atlanta                                           5:10 P.M.
10:15 A.M.            Wingate                                                4:55 P.M.
10:30 A.M.            Latham                                           4:40 P.M.
10:50 A.M.            Burgess                                                4:20 P.M.
11:15 A.M.            At  Beaumont                                       4:00 P.M.
Trains connect at Beaumont with Frisco Line trains. A through coach is run between Arkansas City and St. Louis. Through tickets for sale to all points East, and baggage checked through. S. C. GIBBS, General Passenger Agent.
Arkansas City Republican, December 26, 1885.
Our friend and subscriber, Wm. Gooch, from over near Otto P. O., has moved to Latham on the K. C. & S. W. Road up in Butler County.
Arkansas City Republican, January 2, 1886.
As soon as the 5th avenue K. C. & S. W. Depot is completed, a bridge will be placed across the canal and 5th Avenue graded up and made the main thoroughfare to the two depots. Soon we will have telegraphic service along the K. C. & S. W. Road. The poles are up along the line between here and Beaumont, and the wire has been attached as far this way as Latham.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 6, 1886.

The railroad committee of the board of trade had a brief interview on Monday afternoon with Mr. Young, of Young, Latham & Co., contractors for the Frisco road, to learn what the company would do towards bridging the canal where it intersects Fourth, Fifth, and Central Avenues. Mr. Young could suggest no other way than to assess the cost on the lot owners along these avenues. As an individual he might be willing to contribute something towards the sum necessary, but he was not authorized to pledge his company to anything. The meeting broke up with evident signs of dissatisfaction.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 6, 1886.
Mr. Hill Explains. Mr. Young, of Latham & Co., rather offended the railroad committee of the board of trade of this city, on Monday, by his abrupt way of refusing to expend money in grading an avenue leading to the depot. Mr. James Hill, in the city council that evening, explained the cause of Mr. Young’s obduracy. The K. C. & S. W. Company, he said, hadn’t a dollar to operate their road; they couldn’t pay their fare from this city to Winfield. They have themselves prevailed on the Frisco company to run their trains, until they shall be in condition to help themselves. Latham & Co., the contractors, who built the road, are no better off. They have done the work, and are left as poor as Job’s turkeys. He (the speaker) was in the same fix. Five or six thousand dollars was owing to him by the company, and he was now looking round with great vigilance to see what property there was to secure him. Mr. Young offered $50 from his own pocket to grade a road to the depot, which was an act of liberality as that gentlemen had no interest in building up this city. With this explanation Mr. Young’s apparent indifference for our needs is relieved of its sombre hue.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 7, 1886.
When, O! when will this slow Democratic administration put a mail service on the K. C. & S. W. railroad? THE COURIER has subscribers, both weekly and daily, at Floral, Wilmot, Atlanta, Wingate, and Latham who are entitled to a daily mail service and are much inconvenienced by having practically no regular mail service at all.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 14, 1886.
Nixie Ackerman, editor of the Latham Journal, was in the Metropolis Monday night.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 14, 1886.
L. D. Latham and family arrived last evening from the east.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 21, 1886.
Mrs. F. M. Friend, Mrs. Col. Whiting, and Mrs. Ed. Nelson went up to Latham Friday morning to visit with Mrs. J. M. Lambert.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 28, 1886.
James N. Young and L. D. Latham, of the K. C. & S. W., went to St. Louis Thursday over the Frisco on railroad business.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 4, 1886.

Mr. Nixie Ackerman and Miss Alice Godfrey came down from Latham, Saturday evening, preceded by a telegram informing Judge Gans to be at his office. A hack was in waiting at the depot and they were driven right to the Probate Judge’s office, where the Judge cemented them. It was a little surprise to the Latham folks, who anticipated the wedding one evening this week. Mr. Ackerman is editor of the Latham Journal, and a young man of ability and energy. Himself and wife remained, guests of the Brettun, until 9 o’clock Sunday morning, when they took the Frisco for home. The bride is of El Dorado, and was visiting friends in Latham when this determination was reached.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 11, 1886.
The reporter took a trip up the Frisco Saturday under the charge of Conductor Hub. North, who is one of the most agreeable and thorough railroad men in the whole country. We found Latham and Atlanta quite lively considering the bad weather. Quite a number of new buildings are in progress and it looks as though these towns would boom right along in the spring.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 18, 1886.
J. M. Lambert, Latham’s banker, was in the southwest metropolis Monday.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 18, 1886.
W. C. Rankin, formerly of Attica, but now a banker at Latham, was in town Sunday.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 18, 1886.
E. M. Ackerman, of the Latham Journal, was in town Saturday night, taking in the sights, and dropped in upon us.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 18, 1886.
James N. Young and L. D. Latham are off for New York on business connected with the K. C. & S. W. extension, which will be begun with the opening of spring.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 25, 1886.
J. N. Young and L. D. Latham, of the K. C. & S. W., got home Friday from New York.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 25, 1886.
WINGATE. The editor went to Wingate Thursday for the same reason that the bear went over the mountain, “to see what he could see.” Wingate is a new town, just laid out, on the K. C. & S. W., at the county line between Cowley and Butler. It is on high, rolling prairie on the divide between Timber and Rock creeks and midway between the towns of Atlanta and Latham. It is the sightliest and prettiest place for a town along the whole line of road and can be seen for many miles in every direction. It is surrounded by excellent farming land in every direction and the soil of the uplands is very deep. No rock is seen cropping out nor loose stones on the surface. On the town site, in sinking a well, it was found that it was 17 feet through the soil and dirt down to rock. Wells with an abundance of water at a depth of forty to eighty feet are bored on the town site and its vicinity. The surrounding uplands have hitherto been used only for grazing, but the few fields which have been plowed and cultivated have produced the best kind of crops. Within a mile and a half to the southeast lies the rich valley and bottom lands of Timber creek, filled with well cultivated farms, which will be tributary to Wingate for a distance of ten miles up and down the valley, while equally well cultivated farms lie on the broad tract west of these bottoms and nearer to Wingate. The large number of well cultivated farms on the bottom of Upper Grouse for a distance of ten miles up and down the stream are within six to ten miles of Wingate, which is their nearest railroad station. Northwest of Wingate two and a half miles, lies Rock creek, well lined with bottom lands and cultivated farms. The farmers of this valley and of the whole region herein described are enthusiastic for a town and trading point at Wingate and assert that with proper and sufficient facilities for trade, Wingate will do more business than any town on the Frisco from Winfield to Severy and it really looks as though they were correct.

The work of building a town at Wingate has commenced. The town site is surveyed and a plat made, which will be filed at once. A railroad switch is put in and a depot will be built immediately. A station agent will be there to take charge of the freight during the building of the depot. A well has been bored on the town site which affords a good supply of water, and other wells are contracted for. Already nine buildings grace the town site and as many more are commenced. S. P. Firestone has built two excellent business houses and is arranging to build others. Reuben Booth,       Rupert, A. J. Nelson, Wm. A. Ferguson, W. E. Rose, Wm. Patterson, L. D. Hicks,        Henson, and others have built or commenced building stores and residences. Already Booth and Ferguson have a grocery store, Rupert has a dry goods store, Dr. S. E. Patterson has a drug store, and A. J. Nelson has a livery stable. A hotel, a hardware store, a lumber yard, and a blacksmith shop will be there immediately.
W. E. Rash is there with his interesting family. He is a very intelligent gentleman and has charge of the town site on whom persons wanting location will call. He has the writer’s thanks for his warm and courteous reception.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 25, 1886.
Tuesday morning Marshal McFadden came across Teddy Purcell, from Latham, Butler County, who was full of “spirits Frumentum.” Being too drunk to be taken before His Honor, he was placed in the cooler, and after dinner was brought before the court. The Marshal also ascertained that an Irishman with a red moustache was following Teddy, and had sent for a buggy to take him out riding in order to rob him of quite an amount of money that Teddy had on his person, and when Teddy was in the Police Court, this same party, whose name we could not find out, kept close watch on him, and upon coming out, followed him. The Marshal steered Teddy into the bank and had him deposit his $101 for safe keeping; the red mustached Irishman still hanging around until a young, low set man, with a white hat on, knocked him out of time. It seems as though this young man had been aware of the proceedings, and concluded that the Irishman ought to be licked, and gave it to him just right.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 4, 1886.
J. M. Lambert, Latham’s banker, spent Friday in the Future Great. He carries an eye in a sling, but knowing his tranquil disposition, we know he hasn’t “licked” anybody.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 11, 1886.
Postmaster Rembaugh has word from the Postmaster General that a regular U. S. mail will be established on the Frisco railroad from Beaumont to Winfield on the 15th inst., with offices at Latham, Atlanta, Wilmot, and Floral. This will be hailed with rejoicing by the people all along this route, especially the small offices that have been entirely dependent upon star routes. And among the happy is THE DAILY COURIER, which has been sent to the towns up the road by special carrier. This will give us a direct eastern mail a day earlier than by K. C.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 11, 1886.
Engineer Wingate has returned from his trip to Comanche County, to view the R. R. route. Messrs. Latham and Asp will wade on as far as Ashland.
Arkansas City Republican, March 13, 1886.

Information has been received by Postmaster Sinnott from the Postmaster General that a regular U. S. Mail will be established on the Frisco railroad from Beaumont to Arkansas City on the inst., with offices at Latham, Atlanta, Wilmot, and Floral. This will cause rejoicing by the people all along this route, especially the small offices that have been entirely dependent upon star routes.
Arkansas City Republican, March 13, 1886.
C. L. Welsh, of Latham, was in the city Wednesday on business.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 18, 1886.
Mrs. Mary E. Brown, the mother of G. S. Brown, the teamster at J. H. Bullene’s lumber yard, died at Latham and was buried Tuesday.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 25, 1886.
Henry E. Asp and L. D. Latham left on the Frisco Tuesday for St. Louis.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 1, 1886.
Ed. P. Greer and wife were up at Latham Wednesday.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 1, 1886.
WINGATE. Wingate is a new town, just laid out, on the K. C. & S. W., at the county line between Cowley and Butler. It is on high, rolling prairie on the divide between Timber and Rock creeks and mid-way between the towns of Atlanta and Latham. Already nine buildings grace the town site and as many more are commenced. S. P. Firestone has built two excellent business houses and is arranging to build others. El Dorado Republican.
[COWLEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 8, 1886.
CIVIL DOCKET.
179. 2350. A J Brown vs L D Latham et al, John Hall for plaintiff.
180. 2351. W A Trueing vs L D Latham et al, John Hall for plaintiff.
200. 2379. John Larson vs L D Latham & Co. et al, John Hall for plaintiff, Henry E Asp for def.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, June 5, 1886. From Friday’s Daily.
Bower & Wood received Thursday evening from Latham a carload of fine cattle for butchering purposes.
Arkansas City Republican, June 26, 1886.
Railroad Racket. The building of the Kansas City & Panhandle road is a settled fact beyond the shadow of a doubt from Reece to Arkansas City via Latham and Burden, running through the townships of Harvey, Silver Creek, Sheridan, and Liberty in this county. The people are jubilant in all the townships through which the road will pass. The majority of the directors in this company are prominent officials in the Ft. Smith & Wichita railroad, which all know is one of the Missouri Pacific system of roads. The building of this road means sharp competition between the Missouri Pacific and the Santa Fe, the two most powerful roads in the west, and places Burden at the front as a railroad point. Burden Eagle.
Arkansas City Republican, July 24, 1886.

As a Liar. As a liar the Winfield Courier is entitled to the whole bake shop. The article on the Chicago, Kansas & Western, in the daily of the 14th, is a tissue of lies from beginning to end. The facts are that Arkansas City did not go to old man Reece until the businessmen of Burden, who have been looking up a connection with the Missouri Pacific railroad, had the arrangements for the building of the Kansas City & Pan Handle railroad from Reece to the State Line via Arkansas City completed, and suggested to them that they ought to become interested in the movement. The map of Kansas showed at a glance that the building of this road from Reece via Latham & Burden to Arkansas City was almost an air line and would give direct connection with Kansas City and St. Louis via the Missouri Pacific; also that it would be a very easy line built because of the level country through which it runs. Their people then became interested; and the mayor of Arkansas City, Frank Schiffbauer, and Amos Walton were made directors of the road, it being insisted upon that six of the ten directors should be Missouri Pacific railroad men, two at Burden and two at Arkansas City.
To show the fallacy of the position of the Courier, we quote as follows.
“Now any sensible man would decide at once that their Pan Handle road will never be built simply because no man with money would invest in such a wild scheme and no railroad company would expend three millions of dollars to build a road over such a country where the grading would be such a tremendous expense, when there is no prospect that the business of the road will ever pay six percent on one-tenth of the money.”
Everyone in Cowley County knows that no easier line to build could be found in Cowley County than the proposed line of the Kansas City & Pan Handle. Here is the milk in the cocoanut.
“If there was a reasonable probability that this road would be built, Winfield would “be tooth and toe nail” for it because it would surely come to Winfield as that it ever reached Silver Creek and because it would be of advantage to the townships along the line.”
The Courier admits that if it came to Winfield, it would be an advantage to the townships along the line. Now if the road connects the townships along the line with Kansas City, St. Louis, and the Pan Handle of Texas, it would seem that the said townships can live through it, even though it does miss Winfield. Again, we quote:
“What inducement would the paltry sum of fifteen to twenty thousand in bonds each from six townships not aggregating $100,000, scarcely $1,000 a mile, be to the building of a hundred miles of such road, costing $20,000 to $30,000 per mile?”
Our readers will remember when the Courier, not three years ago, insisted that railroads could be built for $6,000 to $8,000 per mile through Cowley County, and now when the K. C. & P. H. proposes to build for $2,000 per mile, they say it “ain’t enough money.”
It is well known that Winfield’s scheme is to vote every dollar the different townships can vote so as to tie them up so they can’t vote any assistance to any road that don’t point to Winfield.
The Kansas City & Pan Handle road does not ask for the limit the townships can vote; but simply asks for a fair amount and propose to put up the balance themselves and build the road. Another point is that the majority of the directors are Missouri Pacific railroad men, and as is well known, that road has wanted for some time to get into Cowley County to compete with the Santa Fe for our business.
There is no intention on the part of the road to defeat the D. M. & A., in Sheridan or any other township, but they do propose to build this road, and the friends of this road in Sheridan Township will also vote for the D. M. & A., Winfield to the contrary, notwithstanding. Burden Eagle.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, July 31, 1886. From Monday’s Daily.

The Courier Again. In an attempt to answer an article in the Arkansas City Republican, the Courier of the 20th says:
“Again it says of the K. C. & P. H.: ‘In it are four prominent members of the Ft. Scott, Wichita & Western railroad and the positions they hold are as follows: J. H. Richards, general manager; W. P. McNair, assistant superintendent; Geo. Smith, and ___ Prosser, of St. Louis, directors.’
“Mind that these are the offices those four men hold in the Pan Handle instead of the Ft. Scott & Wichita. Neither of them were ever heard of before in railroad circles. Prosser is the only one of them we ever heard of before and he lives at Latham and has some town lots in that place, but he can do no more toward building a railroad than the average citizen of Sheridan or Liberty township.”
The Courier wilfully and maliciously misrepresents when it says “mind these are the offices those four men hold in the Pan Handle instead of the Ft. Scott & Wichita.”
Everyone knows or can easily find out, that J. H. Richards is the general manager of the Ft. Scott & Wichita. They know equally as well that W. P. McNair is the assistant superintendent of the Ft. Scott & Wichita.
The Courier grows facetious when it says that “Prosser is the only one of them ever heard of before and he lives at Latham.” It is true there is a man named Prosser living at Latham, but not one of the directors of the Pan Handle ever saw him. The Prosser who is a director of the Pan Handle lives in St. Louis and is the contractor who furnished the material to build all the Missouri Pacific extensions in Kansas for the past three years.
The Courier maliciously lies when it says these are the four offices those four men hold in the Pan Handle. Mr. Richards is vice-president of the Pan Handle and Mr. McNair and Mr. Prosser are directors. The facts are that these men hold the positions named in the Ft. Scott & Wichita and the Courier knows it.
In this issue we clip from the Wichita Eagle a notice concerning this same J. H. Richards, showing that he has been recently elected vice president of two other Missouri Pacific lines. Still the Courier says, “We never heard of him before.” As a first-class liar the Courier is a success. Burden Eagle.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, August 7, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.
The Frisco passenger failed to arrive last evening. A washout between Atlanta and Latham was the cause.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, September 25, 1886. From Thursday’s Daily.
The Signal, the new paper at Latham, is a very reputable sheet and should be sustained.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, October 30, 1886. From Tuesday’s Daily.
Thursday Wm. Gooch tore down, boxed up, and shipped his blacksmith shop to Arkansas City, where he will locate for the present at least. Latham Signal.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, December 4, 1886. From Monday’s Daily.
Isaac Edwards and family removed to Arkansas City last Wednesday. Latham Signal.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, December 4, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.

Messrs. Jones & Burroughs, of Latham, were in the city yesterday. They were here purchasing hardware stock of our wholesale dealers for their new store which they have started at Latham. They purchased a bill amounting to $1,623 of H. S. Heap, the hardware man in the Hasie Block. Although Winfield is 13 miles nearer Latham than Arkansas City and on the same line of railway, Messrs. Jones & Burroughs came to the latter to make their purchases.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, February 19, 1887.
As a wholesale point, Arkansas City is eclipsing her rivals. Today Austin Bros., the wholesale grocerymen, made a large shipment of goods to merchants at El Dorado, Latham, Atlanta, and Douglass. These sales are in Wichita’s territory but the Canal City has invaded it and begun to knock the persimmons. Buyers of groceries claim they can get better inducements and prices of Arkansas City’s wholesale merchants than those of Wichita. This is explained when the fact is known there is only two cents difference on a hundred weight freight rates between the two cities from Kansas City. Wichita merchants cannot load and unload for this amount and compete with us. A groceryman of this city informs us that for two months or more past he has been replenishing his stock entirely from the wholesale houses of this city; that the prices were lower and he saved money by buying at home.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, February 26, 1887. From Thursday’s Daily.
John Danks returned this morning from a three days trip to Caldwell and Bluff City. He was over to repair Latham & Co.’s construction engine. He informs us Caldwell is nothing compared with Arkansas City; only a very few buildings going up there at present. At Bluff City the railroad company are building a four stall stone roundhouse. They have a better depot there than any place else on the line out from Beaumont and there is also more side track. The improvements of R. R. Company look as if they were intended to be permanent. Bluff City’s growth will retard Caldwell’s.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, March 12, 1887. From Thursday’s Daily.
Austin Bros. shipped a large bill of groceries to Latham and Fredonia today.
1891.
Daily Calamity Howler, Thursday, October 1, 1891.
WHEATLAND.
Miss Agnes Renfro left for Latham last Saturday. She will teach near that place. This is Miss Renfro’s first school, all wish her success. KANSAS ANNIE.