Amos Walton

         [Amos Walton lived at Winfield, Arkansas City, and East Bolton Township.]

[COMMENTS BY MAW: Amos Walton was a very important citizen of Cowley County. I was able to cover items concerning him from all the papers that I have thus far covered and feel that I only scratched the surface. This man had numerous occupations during his lifetime: soldier, farmer, politician, newspaperman, police judge, county commissioner, etc. It is amazing to me that the people living in Cowley County ad the present time never knew of his existence.]

Amos Walton was the brother of Mrs. William Benedict, an early resident in Arkansas City, mother of May Benedict, often called “Libbie.” In the early 1950s Lillian Freed, daughter of May Benedict (Curtis) McNaughton, contributed to the book, Between the Rivers, Volume I, with items from her mother’s diary concerning events in her life.
The following are bits and pieces as she wrote them: “TOWN OF CRESWELL, now Arkansas City, located on what is now Highway 77, between two rivers, the Arkansas and the Walnut.”
“We came to Creswell in a covered wagon. There were several families in our party making the trip. My uncle Amos Walton came with us, my parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Benedict, and myself. Mr. Denton’s family made the trip also. As our caravan approached the new town about where Highway 77 now crosses Kansas Avenue, the wagons were halted and my uncle Amos shouted jubilantly ‘Well, here we are!’ My mother, suffering with a bad case of homesickness, tentatively raised the wagon sheet at the side and looked out. All she could see was more buffalo grass, sandhills, sunflowers, jack oaks and cottonwoods. With tear filled eyes she quavered ‘Where’s the town?’ Uncle Amos, eager to cheer her cast about for means to accomplish it, and called out ‘Libbie, look over there—see the little buffalo!’ Sure enough the sight of a baby buffalo nestling in the brush by the roadside delivered her for the rest of the distance to town.”
“Usually, Fourth of July was celebrated down at Riverside. Amos Walton would be the speaker. He was big, kindly, and a very entertaining speaker—humorous and articulate. The speaker’s platform was large enough to be used for a square dance afterward.”
                                                           Notes by RKW.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 27, 1898.
OBITUARY. Amos Walton was born July 29, 1838, at Clarksville, Green County, Pennsylvania. He married Mary V. Murray in 1889. Amos Walton’s remains were buried in Riverview cemetery (lot 8-9-0).
Mary V. Walton, wife of Amos Walton, died June 3, 1954, at Edgetown Manor in Winfield, Kansas. She was born October 22, 1858, in Ohio. Her parents were Thomas S. Murray and Sarah Jane Ramage. She was buried in Riverview cemetery, lot 6-9-0.
Information by Olive Ramage. Baby Walton, daughter of W. B. and E. Walton, (three or four days old), died August 15, 1899. He was buried in Riverview cemetery, lot 1-0, and later moved to lot 8-9-0 in space with Amos Walton.

1882 Bolton Township 1882: Amos Walton, 43. No spouse listed.
[Note: The enumerator of 1875 census in Winfield made a notation: “Lagonda House Boarder” with respect to Amos Walton. MAW]
Kansas 1875 Census, Winfield Township, Cowley County, March 1, 1875.
Name                     age sex color          Place/birth          Where from
Amos Walton         35  m     w            Pennsylvania                 Illinois
                                                          NEWSPAPERS.
Emporia News, November 20, 1868.
Old soldiers of Company “B,” 9th Kansas Cavalry, will be gratified to learn that Amos Walton was elected a member of the Legislature from Palmyra District, Douglas County. Mr. Walton was a true soldier and served his country faithfully during the war. He is a sound Republican and withal a man of ability, and will make a good legislator.
Emporia News, June 4, 1869.
Mr. A. Walton, of this county, one of our most intelligent and successful farmers, says the Lawrence Tribune, sends us the following plan for construction of a cheap gate—a desideratum on every farm. Mr. Walton says he has used this gate a year or more and considers it one of the best, for the cost, that can be devised.
“Take three fencing boards, run them through the mortice in a common bar post, nail two pieces on each side, let them extend sufficiently below the lower board to almost touch the ground, so that when you shove your gate it will slide upon them; the same at the other end, leaving enough of your boards to enter the mortice, and you have it. No cost for hinges, no trouble about the wind, no getting out of repairs. If you wish to go out with a horse, you can open it sufficient to let you out; if with a wagon, open wider. The best of it is, its cheapness—$1.50 for pine lumber, one pound of nails, and one hour’s work.”
[Note: In 1871 Amos Walton was nominated by the Democratic Party for the position of County Commissioner in Cowley County. He did not win.]
Walnut Valley Times, February 2, 1872.
We notice in the Arkansas City Traveler, that our old friend, Hon. Amos Walton, has resumed the practice of law in Arkansas City. We served three years with Mr. Walton in the army, and know him to be “true blue.” Mr. Walton formerly resided in Douglas County and was elected to the Legislature for one or two terms. Besides being a good lawyer, he is in every respect a gentleman and we wish him success.
[RECORD FROM 1921 COVERING 1872 UNCOVERED.]
Arkansas City Traveler, Thursday, June 16, 1921.
Capt. M. N. Sinnott, city clerk, has dug up a very interest­ing record of city affairs which dates back many years, at the beginning of the city administration of the now famous Arkansas City, Kansas, and which is being kept for future use in the matter of looking up affairs that may be needed for various purposes. This book dates back to the beginning of time in this city, which was in the year 1872. The record shows that the city was incorporated as a city of the third class on June 10, 1872; and the papers were signed by W. P. Campbell, judge of the 13th judicial district of Kansas. The first election held for the naming of city officials was on July first of that year. The canvass of the vote showed the following:
1872: Mayor, A. D. Keith, 39 votes. Police Judge, Amos Walton, 74 votes.

[CONVENTION: GREELEY SUPPORTERS.]
Winfield Messenger, September 6, 1872.
Meeting organized by the selection of R. B. Saffold for chairman, and A. Walton as secretary. Mr. Saffold made an interesting speech in favor of the Cincinnati Platform and the nominees; Mr. Jackson made a motion that a committee of five be appointed on organization, seconded and carried; also moved that a committee of five be appointed on resolutions; carried. Recommended by T. A. Blanchard, Chairman, that a Central Committee be elected, consisting of two members from each town­ship, and that they be requested to meet at Winfield, Saturday, the 9th day of September, 1872, for the purpose of organization of said Committee and apportioning to each township its number of delegates for a County Convention Sept. 18, named as the day for a Greeley Mass meeting at Winfield.
A. A. Jackson, Secretary.
Nominations were then made for delegates to the two Conven­tions to be held in Topeka September 11th, 1872. A. A. Jackson and R. B. Saffold, with S. D. Oaks and T. B. Ross as alternates were nominated to one Convention, and A. Walton, T. McIntire with H. N. Deming and T. A. Blanchard, alternates to the other, for the purpose of nominating State officers, Electors, and Congressmen.
[LIBERAL NOMINATING CONVENTION - WINFIELD.]
Winfield Messenger, Friday, October 11, 1872. Front Page.
Convention called to order by A. N. Deming, Chairman of Central Committee. Committee on organization was appointed and reported Judge McIntire as chairman and W. M. Allison as secre­tary. Committee on resolutions was appointed: Judge R. B. Saffold; C. P. Spaulding, H. H. Constant. Short speeches made by A. N. Deming, A. Walton, Mr. Chase, and others.
The following Delegates and alternates were appointed to attend the Senatorial and Judicial conventions to be held at Wichita the 12th inst.: Judge R. C. Saffold, Judge McIntire, J. F. Paul, and C. P. Spaulding. Alternates: T. H. Benning, Dr. Wilkins, A. Walton, and W. M. Allison.
Walnut Valley Times, March 21, 1873.
The Arkansas City Traveler says: “As spring opens our city assumes an air of improvement and progress. Several new houses are going up, and many others are under contract and in contem­plation. Dr. Hughes’ fine residence, and L. W. Currier’s neat cottage are already enclosed, and the lumber for Mitchell’s, Walton’s, and many others is on the ground. Eastern capitalists are visiting us, and the Texas cattle men contemplate driving to this point during the fall and winter months, and our farmers are planting large quantities of wheat, corn, tobacco, potatoes, and other staple crops. Everything considered, the prospects of Arkansas City and Cowley County are more flattering than ever before.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 8, 1873.
The annual meeting of the stock holders of the Cowley County Agricultural society was held on Saturday last, at the office of the Secretary. 228 shares were represented, and voted upon. The following persons were chosen directors for the ensuing year.
J. D. Cochran, W. W. Limbocker, W. K. Davis, H. Silver, E. Davis, J. B. Fairbank, Amos Walton, S. C. Winton, F. W. Schwantes, C. M. Wood, A. S. Williams, and J. R. Smith.

A. T. Stewart was chosen President, C. M. Wood, Vice Presi­dent, J. B. Fairbank, Secretary, and J. D. Cochran, Treasurer. Two committees were appointed to prepare and submit premium lists to the board of directors.
[One of the committees consisted of J. B. Fairbank, C. M. Wood, A. Walton, H. Silver, and W. K. Davis.]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 22, 1873.
The Real Estate Record published monthly by Walton & Meigs, of Arkansas City, is a very neat record indeed. We hope it may continue to visit us regularly.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, July 31, 1873.

The July number of Meigs and Walton’s Real Estate Record, published monthly at Arkansas City, in the Traveler office, is upon our table. It is neat in appearance, ably and spicily edited, and does credit to the office from which it emanates.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, August 21, 1873.
Co. Road of Dennis Hawkins was ordered surveyed Aug. 26th, with Amos Walton, Strong Pepper, and W. J. Mowry as viewers.
Bedell Co. road ordered surveyed Aug. 28th with same view­ers.
Moffat Co. road ordered Surveyed Aug. 27th, with same viewers.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, September 4, 1873.
The directors of the Agricultural Society will meet at the Fair Grounds, Saturday, Sept. 6th, 1873, at 2 o’clock P. M. They earnestly desire that the Superintendents of all the departments meet with them to acquaint themselves with their duties. The following are the names of the various Superintendents: Capt. E. Davis; A. Walton; J. H. Churchill; J. P. Short; John R. Smith; E. B. Johnson; W. K. Davis; A. S. Williams; Will S. Voris; S. H. Myton; Samuel Darrah; James Stewart; Jas. H. Land; T. B. Myers; Geo. W. Martin; W. M. Boyer; Max Shoeb; John Swain; S. C. Smith, Mrs. L. H. Howard; Mrs. J. D. Cochran; Mrs. E. Davis; Mrs. J. C. Fuller; Mrs. C. A. Bliss; Mrs. Fitch; Max Fawcett; J. O. Matthewson; H. B. Norton; D. A. Millington; E. B. Kager, C. M. Wood; T. A. Wilkinson. The Superintendents are desired to study carefully the rules and regulations of the society so they may be able to render assistance to exhibitors.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, September 4, 1873.
By invitation of the Pleasant Valley Farmers’ Club, the Beaver Farmers’ Club and delegates from the Tisdale Farmers’ Club met at the schoolhouse in Pleasant Valley at 7:30 o’clock P.M. Sept. 3d, 1873. Meeting called to order by Mr. Shaw, Esq., of Pleasant Valley. By motion Mr. K. J. Wright of Beaver was chosen Chairman. Moved that Mr. Henderson of Pleasant Valley act as Rec. Secretary; and N. C. McCulloch, of Beaver, act as Cor. Secretary pro tem. The object of the meeting stated by Mr. West Holland, to consider the propriety of, and to take steps to put a Farmers’ ticket in the field to fill the county offices this fall. Remarks by Mac W. Roseberry of Beaver, and Mr. Gay, of Tisdale. The resolutions of the 23rd called for, and read by the Corresponding Secretary. Discussed by Mr. Holland, McCulloch, and Walton. Mr. McCulloch being called for to make a speech, said that he was not an orator, but a farmer, and that in lieu of a speech he would read “A Warning” from the Telegram, and by request explained his position. Remarks by Mr. M. S. Roseberry of Beaver, Mr. Foughty of Tisdale, and Mr. Shaw of Pleasant Valley. Mr. Shaw moved that the Pleasant Valley Club cut loose from the 23rd movement. Debated. Standing vote taken, and motion carried unanimously. By motion of Mr. Foughty, of Tisdale, it was resolved to hold a County Convention at Tisdale September 29th. By motion the Corresponding Secretary was instructed to furnish the proceedings of this meeting to the County papers for publication. On motion, adjourned. N. C. McCULLOCH, Cor. Sec’y, pro tem.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 9, 1873.
The disappointed candidates at the “farmers’” convention, now console themselves with the declaration that the convention was run by Amos Walton and Col. Manning.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, November 13, 1873.
Here is what the Traveler says of a little fellow that once flourished in our neighboring town as a partner of A. Walton, and left with a few hundred dollars of another man’s money.

“Lawyer Stewart, who absconded from this place some months ago with considerable money belonging to parties here, was recently met at Fort Collins, Colorado, by one of our citizens. After leaving this place he went to Newton, where he became drunk, and then went to Los Angeles; from there to Denver, and then to Fort Collins, where he had a good practice and large income. While there he became acquainted with the daughter of a wealthy miner, whom he afterwards married and started for Salt Lake City, where he is at present. After leaving Newton, Stewart assumed the name of Frank Conroy, and is familiarly known by that name at his last place of residence. When met by our townsman, he said he did not know him, but afterwards owned all, told his story, and begged for secrecy.”
Winfield Courier, Thursday, November 13, 1873.
RICH. Amos Walton exploded as follows the night following the election, when information was received in Arkansas City that the farmers had elected the whole of their ticket. “I became aware two years ago that Manning was running the republican party of Cowley County and I swore then that I would bust it, and by G___d I have done it!” The official returns do not make so much noise as Walton did, but they read a good deal better than his bombast. Apropos to the above is the story told by a bedfellow of Walton’s the night following the farmers’ speaking meeting at this place during the canvass. Walton had made a rambling speech and among other foolish things said: “I am opposed to sending smart men to the Legislature and I believe the people feel a good deal so.” Whereupon Manning asked Walton if he contemplated ever being a candidate for the Legislature himself, and if that was the reason why he opposed the rule of sending smart men there. The audience saw the point and laughed heartily, but Walton showed the white of his eyes along the lower lids and looked toward heaven in a mental effort, and said: “There may be a point to that but I can’t see it.” That night at 2 a.m., his bedfellow was awakened by two or three vigorous thrusts and shouts from the aforesaid Walton, who sat bolt upright in bed and was cursing Manning, and among other things said: “Why, d___n him, he insulted me, didn’t he?” He had evidently been all that time finding the point.
Winfield Courier, November 20, 1873.
A. Walton is out again in the Telegram crowing over the defeat of James McDermott. Walton has labored for the last two years to destroy the Republican party, and boasts that he has succeeded. What a giant Walton is, to succeed in breaking up a party his friends failed in a four years’ war to break up. He has also tried, the same length of time, to make the people of Cowley believe that they did not want to send smart men to the Legislature. Knowing that if the people conclude to drop smart men and take up ignoramus, there would be a good chance for A. Walton.
Winfield Courier, January 9, 1874.
                                            MARRIED. MANSER - WALTON.
Married in Arkansas City at the residence of Amos Walton, by the Rev. J. E. Platter, on Sunday eve., Jan. 4th, Mr. G. S. Manser of Winfield, to Miss Fannie Walton of Arkansas City.
The happy couple have taken up their residence in our little city, amid the best wishes and warmest congratulations of their numerous friends both in this place and Arkansas City. The bride, without resigning her position as a lady, has become a Man-ser.

[NUTS FROM THE WALNUT VALLEY TIMES.]
Winfield Courier, May 8, 1874.
If the Paola & Fall River railroad is built to Arkansas City, the Wichita branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe road will be pushed to that point at once. This will make Arkansas City one of the largest towns in Southern Kansas. Amos Walton will please pay the taxes on our town lots in that town and draw on us for the money.
[THIRD EXHIBITION: COWLEY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.]
Winfield Courier, August 7, 1874. Front Page.
Officers of Cowley County Agricultural Society: A. T. Stewart, President; C. M. Wood, Vice President; J. D. Cochran, Treasurer; J. B. Fairbank, Secretary.
Directors: A. T. Stewart, W. Q. Mansfield, H. S. Silver, J. P. Short, F. W. Schwantes,
W. H. Grow, D. A. Millington, Amos Walton, W. K. Davis, C. M. Wood. J. D. Cochran, J. R. Smith, J. B. Fairbank.
Winfield Courier, August 28, 1874.
Our old friend Amos Walton, finding that his literary efforts were not fully appreciated by the newspapers and citizens of this county, and not wishing to longer bother his gigantic brain with trying to entertain such unappreciative people, now opens out to the inhabitants of Butler County, with a communica­tion to the Walnut Valley Times. It won’t take Butler County long to get as sick of him as Cowley is at present.
[THE GRANGE FESTIVAL.]
Winfield Courier, August 28, 1874.
The festival held by the Grangers of Cowley County, in the woods northeast of Winfield, on Saturday last, was a success. At an early hour the different Granges commenced driving into the city and taking up position on the Courthouse square, awaiting the formation of the procession, and at eleven o’clock, when the procession was formed, not less than three hundred teams were within the city limits. The procession, which was over a mile long, was headed by the Chief Marshal, H. W. Stubblefield, followed by the Winfield Band; next came some fifty or sixty horsemen, and then the different Granges—some thirty in number—with their banners, flags, and mottoes flying to the breeze. Near the middle of the procession and at the head of the Creswell Grange came the Arkansas City Band. The afternoon exercises were opened by music from both bands followed by a song from T. A. Wilkinson and others. Prayer by Rev. Martin, of Vernon Grange, and a speech by Amos Walton.
Winfield Courier, September 4, 1874.
Six townships were represented at the Farmers’, alias, Independent County Central Committee, meeting which was held in this city last Saturday. Including the spectators there were twenty-five persons present at one time but that number in a short time dwindled down to being from fifteen to eighteen. The following persons were chosen delegates to the Congressional Convention that met at Emporia on the 4th inst.: Amos Walton and W. M. Allison; R. B. Saffold, alternate.
Excerpts...
Winfield Courier, September 25, 1874. [Editorial by James Kelly.]

The readers of the COURIER will bear witness to our patience under the slanderous misrepresentations of the Telegram and its allies, for two years past. We have hoped in forbearance to avoid a conflict with the “ring” that keeps that paper on its legs. Long since the people of the county withdrew their support from it on account of its personal abuse and unreliability. For more than a year it has been kept running by desperate make­shifts, by moving from room to room, and from garret to cellar about town because it could not pay rent. By paying its employ­ees with promises, by borrowing material, by taking continuances in court against creditors who were trying to compel it, or its editor, to pay their honest debts, and with the aid of all the subterfuges, practiced only by scoundrels, backed by a ring that we hereafter describe in detail, it has succeeded in maintaining a sickly existence. The Telegram is for anybody or anything that will keep T. K. Johnston in the Post Office at Winfield, and serve the interests of its masters, Read & Robinson, and Alexander & Saffold.
 The “ring” delegates to the “reform” congressional conven­tion (Allison and A. Walton) did not go to Emporia and demand a recognition of the interests of Cowley County in that convention. They remained at home still looking for available men who were “above suspicion,” and to help Johnston watch the post office for fear Manning might steal it in their absence.
[LAZETTE CORRESPONDENT: “LAZETTE.”]
Winfield Courier, October 29, 1874.
On the evening of October 22nd, the citizens of this vicinity were entertained with speeches by part of the Indepen­dent candidates, and by some who were not candidates. Mr. Hemenway was called to the chair and introduced the speakers in a few well chosen and appropriate remarks. The first speaker was Amos Walton—of whom you may have heard—who appeared to represent Mr. Pyburn, as all the candi­dates but him were present. Mr. Walton made the principal speech of the evening, and seemed to be the political mouthpiece of the Independent party at this time and place. In his view the country is afflicted with a terrible distemper of corruption and dishonesty coming from the diseased body of the Republican party. Only in this party, it would seem, could one find dishonest men or corrupt measures. The real friends of the people were in other ranks, and the opponents of monopolies and “bloated bond-holders” were to be looked for elsewhere. Even Cowley County, according to Mr. Walton, is in a deplorable condition, from which it, with the rest of the country, can be redeemed only by the turning out of the “ins” and letting in the “outs.”
Mr. B. H. Clover gave the meeting a few remarks in reply to Mr. Walton’s utterances, concluding with the statement that if he were a candidate, and desired anybody to speak for him, he would give Walton a yearling calf to stay at home and keep still. Lazette.
Winfield Courier, October 29, 1874.
Lazette News. Judge Moore, L. J. Webb, and T. A. Wilkinson paid our village a short visit last week. The notices of the coming of these gentlemen were not received and the crowd was small which met with them here. But they thus got better acquainted with the citizens whom they did meet. On Thursday morning the Independent candidates met at the schoolhouse and entertained a number of our people with speeches. Mr. Manly Hemenway, our postmaster, presided, and speeches were made by Messrs. Walton, Williams, and Gans, and Ben Clover, Julius Woollen, and R. C. Story responded to some toasts fur­nished by the preceding speakers.

Winfield Courier, March 18, 1875.
Traveler Item. Amos Walton will apply for admission to the bar next week before Judge Campbell.
Winfield Courier, March 25, 1875.
R. C. Story, of Lazette, Amos Walton, of Arkansas City, and W. M. Boyer, of Winfield were this week admitted to the bar.
Winfield Courier, April 15, 1875.
We have for sometime taken quite an interest in the welfare of our friend, A. Walton, of Arkansas City; and when last summer, he abandoned the real estate business and crossed the river to engage in the manly art of tilling the soil, we confess that we had some misgivings as to the result. But when we learned that he had actually broken three quarters of an acre of soil in two and a half weeks, it gave us some confidence in our friend’s ability to wrestle with the problem of agriculture. But again, when he abandoned the farm and resumed the practice of the law, and was actually admitted to the bar, then did flee all the hope we had. Will he abandon his pet theories? Will he leave the farmers to grope in the dark without his teachings and example to guide them? But no; Amos don’t intend, although he has abandoned the farm and gone to practice law, that the farmer shall do without his profound knowledge of agriculture, or rather broommolassesculture.
In last week’s Traveler, Amos wrote an article in which he says that the raising of broome is profitable, and that “molasses is another plant as easily raised.” That is “something for farmers to think about,” says Amos. We should think so, for broome and molasses are certainly good things to have in a family, and if they are as easily raised as he says they are, it is certainly worth thinking about. We hope Amos will continue to give us his views on this interesting subject.
Winfield Courier, April 22, 1875.
The following is a list of the officers elected at the meeting of the District Grange, on Saturday the 17th inst. Bro. Williams. W. M.; Bro. White, Overseer; Bro. Vanorsdal, Steward; Bro. Parker, Asst. Steward; Bro. Sparks, Chaplain; Bro. Graham, Treasurer; Bro. Walton, Secretary; Bro. Mentch, Gate Keeper; Sister Hundy, Ceres; Sister Gay, Pomona; Sister Waite, Flora; Sister White, Lady Asst. Steward; Bro. T. A. Wilkinson, Business Agent.
Winfield Courier, April 22, 1875.
At a meeting of the Cowley County Bar held at the office of J. E. Allen, in the city of Winfield, April 26th, 1875, Judge R. B. Saffold was called to the chair and J. E. Allen appointed Secretary. The following were appointed a committee on resolu­tions: L. J. Webb, A. J. Pyburn, Amos Walton, and W. M. Boyer, who reported the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted.
WHEREAS, The Hon. W. P. Hackney is about to remove from our midst, therefore it
Resolved, That we, the members of the bar of Cowley County, do most sincerely regret the loss we sustain in his removal.
Resolved, That in Mr. Hackney we recognize a true lawyer, and one who graces the profession to which he belongs.
Resolved, That we recommend him as one in whom the people wherever he may locate may repose implicit confidence, not only as a lawyer, but as a citizen and neighbor.

Resolved, That the Secretary furnish a copy of these resolu­tions to Mr. Hackney, and a copy to each of the county papers for publication. R. B. SAFFOLD, Chairman.
On April 22, 1875, the “Cowley County Democrat” began. The paper was published by Amos Walton and C. M. McIntire. Formerly the newspaper was known as the “Plow and Anvil.”
Winfield Courier, May 27, 1875.
One day last week the boys at the Courthouse attempted to illustrate the cold water ritual of the Methodists by sprinkling each other. Judge Gans, an old hand at the business, “frowed de last water fust” on Dick Walker, and Dick, not being partial to water in any form, handed a pitcher full to Troup, which, owing to his carelessness, landed on top of his head. This set the ball to rolling. Troup returned the compliment by emptying his coal scuttle of dirty water in Walker’s left ear. Then Bedilion and Walton joined in only to get treated to more cold water than they had been used to lately, and they retired satisfied. Then Walker and Gans formed an alliance, which they were just sealing with a “shake,” when the irrepressible Troup put in his ladle and sent them off shaking themselves and swearing vengeance against him. They soon proved too much for Troup, for while he was guarding the pump and watching Dick, Gans stole upstairs, and emptied four gallons of muddy water down his shirt collar, and in attempting to retreat, he was overhauled by long Dick and treated to another bath, which closed the circus for that day. They are now suffering from bad colds, the penalty for using too much cold water when their constitutions were not used to it.
Excerpt...
Winfield Courier, June 24, 1875.
Lazette News. Amos Walton, of the Plow and Anvil, was in town last week, making a short visit for business and pleasure.
Winfield Courier, July 1, 1875.
Col. E. C. Manning will orate about the “glorious 99th anniversary of American Independence” at Little Dutch, and Mr. Amos Walton will worry the tail feathers of the proud bird of liberty at Arkansas City on the 4th. Winfield furnishes two orators! Hip! hip!!
Winfield Courier, July 22, 1875.
Mr. Amos Walton, editor of the Plow and Anvil, started for Douglas County last Monday, to be gone about twenty days. Charlie McIntire will hold the plow and Tom Copeland will sit on the anvil till he returns. The paper shows marked improvement already.
Winfield Courier, September 2, 1875.
Mr. Amos Walton, of the Plow and Anvil, has gone down to Okmulgee, the capital of the Indian Territory. Whenever you hear of a meeting of the chieftains, you may bet your old paper collar that Amos is fooling round there not far away. Politics are warm down in the Territory now, hence this visit of his is suggestive.
Winfield Courier, September 16, 1875.

A week or more ago we charged Amos Walton with diverting immigration from Winfield to Arkansas City. Mr. Walton, impudent as he is, has not the hardihood to deny what we said, but comes back with a half column or more of silly stuff, intended to be abuse of the COURIER and its editor. Now we do not propose to be drawn into a dirty newspaper quarrel. The COURIER’s business here is to do what it can to build up Winfield and Cowley County. To this end we expect to labor with all our might. The interest of every citizen of Winfield is our interest, and we do not propose to have our attention diverted from the main object by a foolish quarrel with Amos Walton, that would interest nobody.
If Amos Walton is in Winfield merely for the purpose of running a temporary POLITICAL paper, and his interest is some­where else, and he advises people to go to Arkansas City when they want to stop in Winfield, then we don’t want him here. Now we say this without saying one word against Arkansas City, as Amos would fain make it appear. If Mr. Walton will turn his attention to the building up of Winfield and Cowley County, we assure him that his assistance will be fully appreciated. We are prepared to prove, by the gentleman himself, that the object of his sojourn among us is to run a political newspaper, and then we are prepared to prove to the satisfaction of any unbiased mind that a newspaper, exclusively devoted to any political party, is the greatest curse that can befall any new town like this. The business of a newspaper in any of these western cities is to advertise the place; to keep its advantages before the world. THEN let it advocate what party doctrine it pleases; then it can count on the support of the businessmen of the town to sustain it. The COURIER proposes to devote most of its time and space to the building up of Winfield and Cowley County, and make the discussion of political issues a secondary consideration. Will our neighbor help us in this matter?
Winfield Courier, September 23, 1875.
It seems that Amos Walton is fearfully exercised because a request signed by sundry individuals, asking Mr. Howland of this place to become a candidate for Register of Deeds, was not published in the COURIER, and assigns various reasons for its non-appearance, all of which reasons, we need hardly say, are perfectly absurd as well as entirely at variance with the truth. The reason we did not publish the request, friend Amos, was because no one offered to pay us therefor.
Winfield Courier, September 23, 1875.
On last Saturday evening the proposed Winfield Musical Association met and received report of committee on constitution, which was adopted and the society fully organized.
Twenty names were enrolled for membership. The following officers were elected: President, Dr. Mansfield; Vice President, Prof. Lemmon; Treasurer, Frank Gallotti; Secretary, Prof. Robinson; Chorister, Prof. Hoffman. Executive Committee: J. D. Pryor, Dr. Houx, Amos Walton. The Society adjourned to meet on next Saturday evening, at the Methodist Church, for the practice of music. J. SWAIN, Secretary pro tem.
Winfield Courier, October 7, 1875.

Monday we surveyed the county road petitioned for by John Annis, et al, of Bolton Township. Beginning at the south end of the Arkansas River bridge and running northwest to the township line. This is one of the most important roads in the southern part of the county. The immense travel of Bolton, in this county, and Walton and other townships in Sumner County, as far west as Caldwell, has been compelled to go at least one mile out of a direct line in order to get to this bridge, the only cross­ing on the Arkansas south of Oxford. The aggrieved party in this case is Reuben Bowers, Esq., who owns the land near the bridge. His damage he assesses at one thousand dollars. The viewers, Thos. H. Henderson and Geo. W. Melville, awarded him one hundred and fifty dollars. The reports went before the Commissioners on Tuesday, and the attorneys in the case agreed to lay it over till the next session of the Board. L. J. Webb, of this city, has been employed by the defendant, and Amos Walton is advisor for the principal petitioner.
[REFORM CONVENTION!]
Winfield Courier, October 14, 1875.
The convention of self-styled Reformers met at the Court­house in this city last Saturday and organized with M. B. Leonard of Creswell, for Chairman, and C. G. Holland and Ed Millard, Secretaries. The Committee on Resolutions, of which T. M. McIntire, of Creswell, was chairman, reported the following which, on motion, was rather meekly adopted.
1. Resolved, That the policy of further contraction of the currency at this time is calculated to bring financial ruin to the agricultural, manufacturing, and commercial interests of the country and will only be of advantage to the bond holders and money loaners of the East.
2. Resolved, That the National bank system was originated and has been sustained in the interest of the monied oligarchy of the East and has subserved no purpose save the protection of that interest at the expense of the productive and commercial inter­ests of the West.
3. Resolved, That the course of the administration in subsidizing the local press of the country by the appointment of partisan editors to federal offices is destructive of the inde­pendence and usefulness of the press and merits the hearty condemnation of all patriots.
4. Resolved, That competency and honesty being the quali­ties which should alone commend a candidate, we hereby pledge ourselves to the nominees of the convention so long as we remain convinced that they possess these qualifications and no longer.
T. M. McINTIRE, Chairman.
George Melville then read the programme, which was that nominations begin with Representative, then Treasurer, etc., down to Coroner, which programme was adopted with some misgivings on the part of the more wary, believing, as they did, that George had some hidden object in view.
Five candidates were nominated for Register of Deeds: Henderson, Roseberry, Allison, Cheneworth, and Howland. Mr. Roseberry rose to a personal explanation and charged Amos Walton with misrepresenting him and thought this would be a good time for Amos to “take it back.” He was also willing to read a recommendation given him by the county officers, but the Chair couldn’t see it, and Mr. Roseberry was chalked off. First ballot: Henderson, 16; Howland, 12; Roseberry, 6; Allison, 28; Cheneworth, 18. No Choice. Here Mr. Cheneworth withdrew his name and said that he had been solicited to become a candidate, and the inference was, by those who had control of the convention; but there was something back behind the screen which would slaughter him and he preferred to withdraw his name. By this time it was apparent that the race would be between Allison and Henderson, Howland and Roseberry having already been lost sight of. The last ballot proved Tom Henderson the winner by 17 votes, Mr. Howland receiving but one vote and Roseberry none.
From now on all interest was lost in the convention, it having gone against nearly everybody’s prognostications, and some two dozen defeated candidates went home disgusted, which left the convention pretty thin.
Amos Walton was appointed a Central Committee and the convention adjourned.

Winfield Courier, October 21, 1875.
The “Reform Central Committee,” i. e., Mr. Amos Walton, declined to enlighten the good people of Dexter on his subject of “Credit Mobelier,” when called upon by Capt. McDermott the other night. Why didn’t you tell them, Amos, that owing to the recent troubles in the South, the credit of Mobile was not good. That would answer just as well, as they don’t know anything about such a question (?). “Don’t fly your kite so high” next time. The people of this county read the papers and keep posted.
Winfield Courier, October 21, 1875.
Lazette News. The joint discussion between the candidates of our parties came off last night. A good crowd met at the schoolhouse to see the aspirants for office and to hear the speeches. While there was no discussion between the opposing candidates, each one of them made a speech, not so much however to display his oratorical abilities, for each one said, “I am no orator, as Brutus is,” but to let the people see what good looking men were seeking to serve them. Col. W. P. Hackney opened the exercises, after which Messrs. Handy, Bryant, Kinne, Henderson, Deming, and Walker became bold enough to speak. Col. J. M. Alexander was then called out, and he made a happy and well received speech. Judge Gans followed the Colonel with some good natural remarks and a joke on one of the candidates. After our distinguished visitors had spoken, some of our township candidates and citizens joined in the “discussion.” Squire John Clover, Charley Jones, B. H. Clover, H. D. Wilkins, and Burt French made effective and telling speeches. There was but one disappointment in the evening, namely, the non-appearance of friend Walton of the Plow-Handle. The meeting was closed with a few remarks by the chairman, R. C. Story.
Winfield Courier, October 28, 1875.
Railroad meeting at the Courthouse Tuesday night, Oct. 26th, 1875.
Meeting called to order for the purpose of discussing the railroad question; organized by electing Dr. Mansfield chairman, and Amos Walton secretary. Col. Alexander stated the object of the meeting to be to work up correspondence with different parties on the railroad question.
Winfield Courier, December 30, 1875.
Mr. Walton, the senior editor of the Plow and Anvil, has returned from an extended trip to the north part of the State.
THE WINFIELD COURIER. CENTENNIAL ISSUE.
WINFIELD COURIER, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 1876.
Arkansas City. First city election took place July 1st, 1872. A. D. Keith, mayor; Amos Walton, police judge. The office of mayor is successively filled by A. D. Keith (second term), H. O. Meigs, S. P. Channell. Judge Timothy McIntire has been police judge since April 8, 1873. On the 19th day of November, 1874, the Plow and Anvil made its first appearance, with Col. J. M. Alexander editor and proprietor. Col. Alexander was succeeded by Amos Walton and C. M. McIntire, the present editors and proprietors, April 22 last.
[COMMUNICATION FROM T. A. WILKINSON.]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 13, 1876. Front Page.

“Is This a Swindle, a Theft, or a Fraud?” Under the above caption, in the Plow and Anvil of last week, Mr. Amos Walton made some statements, which, if true, would prove me to be a scoundrel, if not a thief. I desire Mr. Walton to print this in order that it may reach the same readers that have already been excited, and wrongfully influenced by the animus of his motive, which will appear plain to all. I think all fair minded readers will say that he ought, at least, to have called upon me for an explanation of what to him seemed so grave an offense. No thief ought to be convicted without a fair trail. But Mr. Walton rushes my name into print as a man who, not only has stolen from the county treasury, but who has knowingly and wilfully sworn falsely in order to clear away the obstacles that stood between him and the object of his theft. His article reads just as it should read after my official conduct had been thor­oughly investigated, my own defense carefully weighed and found wanting, and a verdict of culpable guilt rendered against me. Under such circumstances Mr. Walton’s course would be justifi­able. But even his friends will not, I think, agree with him in his ungenerous attack upon me without first learning both sides of the case. I am charged by Mr. Walton with having drawn $1,200 as Superintendent of Public Instruction, when I should have drawn but $1,000. He claims that if I had excluded Arkansas City and Winfield from the enumeration of persons over five and under twenty-one years of age, I could have drawn legally, only $1,000; but contrary to the law, I enumerated the children in those two cities, and thereby unlawfully drew $275.00 from the county treasury. He further states that the number of persons over five and under twenty-one years of age, as shown by official documents for the year 1874, was 3,030. Excluding 300 for the incorporated cities of Winfield and Arkansas City, would leave 2,730. It requires 3,000 in order to entitle the Superintendent to $1,200 a year, and with 2,730 he is entitled to but $1,000, and states that I really drew $1,200.
My annual report shows no such figures as Mr. Walton states. He either ignorantly or wilfully states falsely. My annual report for 1874 shows 3,555 persons over five or under twenty-one years of age. Now, taking out 369 for Winfield and Arkansas City, we have for the year 1874, 3,186 persons over five and under twenty-one years of age.
Mr. Walton quotes the law relating to incorporated cities. Winfield and Arkansas City are cities of the 3rd class. On the 16th day of December, 1873, I wrote to the State Superintendent in regard to this very matter, and for the very purpose of avoiding the crime Mr. Walton so maliciously charges me with.
The following is an answer to my letter.
State of Kansas, Office of Supt. Pub. Instruction, Topeka, Dec. 20th, 1873.
THOS. A. WILKINSON, County Supt. of Cowley County, Winfield, Kansas.
Dear Sir: Yours of the 16th received. The affidavit with a decision of the Attorney General has been sent you some time since. Cities of the “3rd class” are to be included in the enumeration to determine the salary of County Superintendent. They have no right to elect a separate Superintendent to do the work of the County Superintendent. Your obedient servant. S. A. FELTER, Asst. Supt.

The above letter, even if the cities of Winfield and Arkan­sas City were enumerated in 1873, would at least exonerate me, I think, from the charge of theft or a desire to defraud the people of Cowley County. This letter was submitted to the County Commissioners and County Attorney, which determined their action in regulating the County Superintendent’s salary. I only hope Mr. Walton will always be as careful as I desire to be in matters of duty to my fellow man. You have scented and barked up the wrong tree, Amos. The coon you are after is somewhere else. Take a glance in the looking glass. T. A. WILKINSON.
[Note: Amos was proven correct later on with respect to Wilkinson having a crooked nature. MAW]
Winfield Courier, January 20, 1876.
A. N. Deming and Amos Walton are going to take a look at Pueblo.
Winfield Courier, January 27, 1876.
The undersigned, residents of Cowley County, cordially unite in inviting the citizens of said county to meet in mass meeting at Winfield, on Saturday at 2 P. M., FEBRUARY 5TH,
to take such action as shall seem advisable upon consultation to secure the construction of a railroad into Cowley County. We desire each paper in said county to publish this call, and we hope that every township will be fully represented at said meeting. Dated January 25, 1876.
Residents from Winfield: M. L. Read, S. D. Pryor, N. M. Powers, N. W. Holmes, N. L. Rigby, Thomas McMillen, L. J. Webb, Charles C. Black, J. S. Hunt, W. M. Boyer, John W. Curns, G. S. Manser, B. F. Baldwin, J. H. Land, A. H. Green, W. Q. Mansfield, E. C. Manning, S. H. Myton, J. C. Fuller, A. B. Lemmon, James Kelly, W. H. H. Maris, T. H. Henderson, A. N. Deming, H. S. Silver, J. M. Alexander, Amos Walton, D. A. Millington, J. E. Platter, W. M. Allison, and one hundred others.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 2, 1876.
We spoke of a hunchback running a race in Winfield, lately, and Walton took it that we referred to him, and went for us accordingly. It is a little strange he should think we meant him, and yet how natural for him to think so. Well, go for us on the Post Office, Amos, or originate another yarn. Anything for ‘revenge,’ you know, as you had it on the matrimonial occasion.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 9, 1876. Editorial Page.
A number of individuals attended the Railroad Meeting at Winfield, from this place, last Saturday. The procession was headed by the Silver Cornet Band, and great enthusiasm manifested. Members of the City Council and other prominent citizens mingled with the multitude, showing that the interest was general. We went to the room where the Democratic organization was to be made and found only three persons present. Charley Black had elected himself Chairman so as to head off Amos Walton, who it was understood was to officiate.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 9, 1876.
Railroad Meeting at Winfield on February 5, 1876. On motion of C. M. Scott, Mr. D. A. Millington, of Winfield, was elected Chairman. On motion of A. N. Deming, C. R. Mitchell, of Arkansas City, was elected Secretary. On motion of Prof. A. B. Lemmon, the following committee of thirteen was appointed to draft resolutions to express the feelings of this meeting: A. B. Lemmon, of Winfield; C. M. Scott, of Arkansas City; Mr. Harbaugh, Pleasant Valley; W. R. Wilkins, of Liberty; H. L. Barker, of Richland; R. P. Goodrich, of Spring Creek; Enos Henthorn, of Omnia; S. S. Moore, of Tisdale; S. M. Fall, of Windsor; T. W. Morris, of Beaver.; Amos Walton, of Winfield; J. B. Holmes, of Rock; S. B. Fleming, of Creswell.
Prof. A. B. Lemmon, Chairman of the Committee, read the following resolutions.

WHEREAS, We, the people and producers of Cowley County, unless we have a railroad in our county, will expend within the coming year, in time, labor, and money, half a million of dollars for transporting grain, lumber, and merchandise to and from the nearest railroad stations, and in losses by being compelled to sell in a distant town on a market temporarily unfavorable, thus leaving the producers utterly without any profits on their labor, which sum, if saved to the county, would yield to the producers an enormous profit; and
WHEREAS, The present financial condition of the country, and particularly of our and adjoining counties, and the history of railroad building in the West, proves that it impossible to get a railroad here without the aid of reasonably liberal county or other municipal franchises, which it is impossible to give under our present laws; and
WHEREAS, Though our county would probably vote such aid by a two thirds majority, as the law now requires, yet a failure by any other county along the line to give such majority would be fatal to the road; therefore, it is by the people of Cowley County, Kansas, in mass convention assembled,
Resolved, That we earnestly appeal to the Legislature of Kansas, now in session, to enact a law enabling counties and other municipalities to vote aid in bonds or cash sufficient to induce the construction of railroads where they are needed.
Resolved, That such law should allow such aid to be given by a majority vote.
Resolved, That our railroad law should be amended so as to allow the voting of a reasonable amount of bonds as aid in the construction of a railroad within our county.
Resolved, That such law should provide that all taxes collected from such railroads within any county or municipality shall, to the extent of the amount of principal and interest of the aid given, be paid pro rata to the counties and municipali­ties giving such aid, and applied to the payment of such interest and principal.
Resolved, That our Representatives and Senator at Topeka are hereby earnestly requested and instructed to labor to procure the enactment of such a law as is herein contemplated.
A. B. LEMMON, S. B. FLEMING, C. M. SCOTT, A. WALTON, E. H. HENTHORN,
J. B. HOLMES, S. M. FALL.
[T. A. WILKINSON: RESPONSE TO ATTACK FROM AMOS WALTON.]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 17, 1876. Editorial Page.

To the Patrons of Cowley County. Amos Walton, in last week’s issue of the Plow and Anvil, insinuated that I had collected from the different subordinate granges about $1,000.00, as subscription for stock in the Patrons Commercial Agency, at Wichita, Kansas, and was making an improper use of it. The following are the facts. About September 20, 1875, at the earnest solicitations of the agent, J. G. Sampson, I gave up teaching the Dexter school, for which I had contracted a term of nine months at $50.00 per month, and began the not very pleasant or easy task of canvassing Cowley County Granges for the purpose of urging them to take stock in the Patrons Commercial Agency, at Wichita, Kansas. I traveled and spoke nearly every night for about one month, raised a subscription of something over $600.00, only one hundred of which was paid down. After receiving the $100 mentioned, I continued my labors, but did not go farther than to induce the different Granges to pledge the payment of the stock, receiving in many cases, orders on the Grange treasury, but leaving the money undrawn, and, for this reason I visited Wichita once or twice, and also heard well-founded reports which convinced me that the agency, as it was being managed, would get into trouble, and although willing to aid in establishing a well-founded business agency there, I did not deem it prudent to be instrumental in sinking the funds of the order I had sacredly pledged my honor to aid in advancing and building up. Of the one hundred dollars I obtained in cash, I paid to J. G. Sampson forty dollars before I had any reason to suspect anything wrong. I had some circulars and receipts printed, and some light expenses. I now have about forty dollars of that one hundred, and when the agency settles up its difficulties, unless especially requested not to do so, I expect to pay over the remainder in my hands, into the treasury of the Patrons Commercial Agency, at Wichita; but not until it is conducted in a more business-like manner than has characterized its management in the past. It is, indeed, encouraging to have one’s efforts for the good of the order made to appear like selfishness, if not dishon­esty. But I have no fear in the least, that the readers of the Plow and Anvil will not put a proper estimate upon the motives and desires of its editor in taking the course he has in this and other matters. It will be observed that I have made no charge of my time, although leaving a position with a salary of fifty dollars per month. I make no charge simply because the agency, thus far, has not proved a success. If it had been successful, I know my brother patrons would have willingly paid me for my trouble. As it is, I ask nothing, and no man or Grange will ever lose a cent by any willful act of dishonesty on my part. T. A. WILKINSON.
Winfield Courier, February 17, 1876.
Lazette News. Mr. William Hinshaw, of Arkansas City, and Amos Walton, of the Plow Handle, favored Lazette with their presence Sabbath last.
Arkansas City Traveler, March 1, 1876.
The Railway Convention held at Peabody, Marion County, Kansas, on the Santa Fe railroad last Wednesday, was largely attended, and every town in the valley from Arkansas City to Junction City on the Kansas Pacific railroad, was represented with the exception of Douglass. Speeches were made by Capt. Shannon and Dr. Harrington, of Augusta; Rev. Lackey, of Peabody; Amos Walton and C. M. Scott, of Cowley, and a number of others.
Arkansas City Traveler, March 22, 1876.
AMOS WALTON toasted his number thirteens at our stove last Monday.
Cowley County Democrat, Thursday, April 6, 1876.
The district court opened on Monday; Judge Campbell on the bench. Attorneys present: J. W. McDonald of Wellington; C. R. Mitchell and James Christian of Arkansas City; James McDermott of Dexter; Mr. Ruggles of Wichita; Byron Sherry of Leavenworth; J. M. Alexander, A. H. Green, L. J. Webb, D. A. Millington, A. J. Pyburn, T. H. Suits, W. P. Hackney, E. C. Manning, John Allen, S. D. Pryor, W. M. Boyer, and Amos Walton of Winfield.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 12, 1876.

Mr. English introduced Hon. Amos Walton, editor of the Winfield Plow and Anvil, whom he announced to the audience, was a wheel horse in the Democratic Party. Mr. Walton said he did not come to speak but to hear others. He came up to see how the Democratic party organized, as Cowley County was to organize next week. He said they intended to organize down in Cowley to clean out the Republicans. He thought it was time that the Government was handed over to the Democrats. He said the Republican party had promised to reform, but better expect the thieves in the Five Points to reform. Works but not words was what he was in favor of. The interests of the west and the south are identical, and he cared nothing for the howl of bloody shirt, Jeff. Davis, and Andersonville. Clean out the carpet bag government and restore the south to the government of the people. All the rats and thieves are in the Republican party, and as soon as it succeeds again, it will pardon out all the criminals it has sent to the penitentiary. Wichita Eagle.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 12, 1876.
While Amos, of “Plow Handle” fame, was traversing the street of Arkansas City a few days since, a young lady, who had never before seen him, and who was looking from the window of a millinery store, exclaimed: “Hello! There’s a stranger come to town.” A general rush to the window was made by the fair ones, when they gave vent to their disappointment in “Pshaw! That’s only Amos Walton.” “Amos Walton!” the first speaker exclaimed. “Is that Amos Walton? Well, I never saw him before,” and still gazing after him as he passed along, she was interrupted by the question, “Do you think you will know him the next time you see him?” She quickly replied, “Oh yes, I guess I will!  I’ll know the backside of him anyhow.”
Telegram.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 19, 1876. Front Page.
Amos Walton toasted his number thirteens at our stove last Monday. Arkansas City Traveler.
Scott, that’s mean! Amos is not to blame for having a big foot. In 1863 we were in Wyoming Territory with Amos, and while out hunting, a she bear made an attack on us. Knowing that Amos was spoiling for a fight, we took to the first sapling. As Amos stepped backward a few steps to get a good ready, his heels went up, and the bear sailed in; and the way that old bear chewed those number thirteens was a caution. Had not a lot of fellows happened along about that time, Amos would not have lived to be editing a Democrat paper, for we were perfectly willing to remain up the tree and see our friend sacrificed. It isn’t fair to talk about Amos’ big feet. They were all right till that bear chewed them out of shape. Walnut Valley Times.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 19, 1876.
IN TOWN. Judge Gans, Tell Walton, Amos Walton, James Kelly and wife, and two other Winfield people were in town last Monday.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 19, 1876.
An interesting conversation took place between Amos Walton, of Winfield, and the stage driver, last Friday evening, that provoked the laughter and indignation of all present. It seems, from the driver’s account, that Amos has been in the habit of “dead beating” his passage on the stage, and on this occasion the driver objected to it. However, Amos got through, but not until he had received a sound cursing from the driver. This is not the first instance of this kind, as some parties concerned in the Masonic festival at this place, and one conductor on the rail­road, can testify.
Winfield Courier, April 20, 1876.
At the railroad meeting last Saturday, Judge Ross presided and C. M. Scott of the Traveler occupied the Secretary’s desk. Eloquent speeches were made in favor of the railroad by the Judge, Amos Walton, and others.

Winfield Courier, May 11, 1876.
Amos Walton retires from the Democrat. He labored faithful­ly, but in a waning cause.
Cowley County Democrat, May 18, 1876.
Amos Walton sold his interest in the newspaper to C. M. McIntire.
Cowley County Democrat, May 18, 1876.
This week Mr. Amos Walton, so long the editor of the “DEMOCRAT,” of this place, retired from that paper—having sold his interest in the office to his former partner, C. M. McIntire. Although we have had some spats with friend Amos, we entertain the kindliest feelings for him and regret to lose him from the newspaper circle of the county. Wherever he may anchor, and in whatever business he may engage, he will have the best wishes of the Telegram for his prosperity and welfare. Telegram.
Cowley County Democrat, May 18, 1876.
Messrs. A. J. Pyburn and Amos Walton started yesterday morning for Topeka, to attend the Democratic State Convention. Mr. Walton goes from there to the Centennial, where he will spend the summer. We wish him a pleasant trip, and a good time generally, and may he find friends wherever he may locate that esteem him as highly as we do.
Winfield Courier, June 29, 1876.
Several farmers were heavy losers in consequence of the unexpected departure from Arkansas City by Mr. Woodyard, the miller. He bought wheat on sixty days time, gave his notes, which the holders endorsed and left at the banks, thereby secur­ing a loan for almost their face. He skipped the country and the farmers are “left to hold the bag” while a man with a chattel mortgage holds the wheat. Amos Walton disposed of his wheat before starting to the Centennial. He will lose about $400.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 6, 1876.
CANDIDATES. L. J. Webb will probably be the nominee, on the Republican ticket, for Representative from the northern district of Cowley County; J. M. Allen for County Attorney; R. C. Story for Superintendent of Public Instruction—that is, if “straws show the way the wind blows.” The friends of Capt. McDermott insist on him coming out in place of Allen, but the Captain is slow to aspire for any honor. On the Democratic ticket, Amos Walton is fishing for Representative again, from this district, and the friends of Judge Christian want him to come forward as County Attorney, and Judge Gans for Probate Judge.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 20, 1876.
The following persons were appointed last Saturday as delegates and alternates to the Democratic Convention, to be held at Winfield on Saturday, the 23rd.
Delegates: J. Benedict, A. Walton, T. McIntire, P. F. Endicott, A. J. Burrell, M. E. Welch.
Alternates: W. M. Berkey, Wm. Green, Jno. Harmon, S. Johnson, W. Dolby, Wm. Gray.
[DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.]
Winfield Courier, September 28, 1876. Editorial Page.
The convention met at the courthouse last Saturday and temporarily organized by electing E. P. Young chairman and J. W. Curns, secretary. Committees were appointed and the conven­tion adjourned till 1 o’clock. On reassembling the committee on permanent organization reported Amos Walton as chairman and P. W. Smith as Secretary.

The committee on credentials reported the following as delegates.
From Creswell Township: J. Benedict, A. Walton, T. McIntire, M. E. Welch, R. Hoffmaster, W. Goff.
A part of the delegates to the county convention then assembled in the west part of the courthouse and organized a convention for the 89th district. They elected Amos Walton chairman and Jas. Benedict secretary. The chairman nominated Ed Green, of Creswell Township for representative. On motion the nomination was made by acclamation. Mr. Green thanked them for the compliment. On motion adjourned.
Winfield Courier, October 5, 1876.
The following attorneys are in attendance at the present term of court: M. S. Adams, of Wichita; L. B. Kellogg, of Emporia; C. R. Mitchell, A. Walton, and James Christian, of Arkansas City; James McDermott, Dexter; Webb & Torrance, Hackney & McDonald, Pyburn & Seward, D. A. Millington, J. M. Alexander, Jennings & Buckman, A. H. Green,
Pryor, Kager & Pryor, A. B. Lemmon, and John E. Allen, of Winfield.
Arkansas City Traveler, March 14, 1877.
LAND AGENTS. AMOS WALTON and RUDOLPH HOFFMASTER have entered into partnership for the sale of real estate. They are old residents and know every foot of land in Cowley and Sumner counties, and parties desiring to buy will be conveyed to all parts of the county free of charge. Legal documents executed at reasonable rates, and titles and abstracts carefully looked after. We can recommend them as perfectly responsible men.
LAND FOR SALE! WALTON & HOFFMASTER. Will sell your lands. We keep a team constantly on hand to show lands, and have all the requisites of a first-class Real Estate Office. Call and see us, in the Benedict building, corner of Summit Street and Central Avenue, Arkansas City.
Arkansas City Traveler, March 21, 1877.
Real Estate agents have loomed up like mushrooms within the last two weeks. Mitchell & Channell, Walton & Hoffmaster, W. S. Hunt, J. L. Huey, and some others have expressed the determina­tion to engage in the business. It is a branch of business that has been somewhat neglected heretofore, and we are glad to see the institution well represented.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 3, 1877.
A committee composed of Wm. Allison, Cliff. Wood, Frank Williams, Rev. Platter, E. C. Manning, and Dr. Mansfield from Winfield visited this place Tuesday, March 27, for the purpose of combining an east and west railroad proposition with the Walnut Valley project. A meeting was held in Pearson’s Hall in the afternoon, and a committee of seven elected to meet and confer with them, composed of Amos Walton, James Benedict, Frank Lorry, S. P. Channell, C. R. Mitchell, J. C. McMullen, and C. M. Scott. The committee from this place agreed to unite the two propositions if they could be voted on at the same time on the same ballot, and if it was not legal to vote for both on the same ballot, then they wanted the Winfield people to vote for the Walnut Valley project first, and our people would give them every reasonable assurance and pledges that they would support the proposition offered, or any definite project from the east. No positive agreement could be made and the matter was adjourned.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 3, 1877.

A meeting was held at Pearson’s Hall on Tuesday, March 27th, to consult with a delegation from Winfield on railroad matters. S. P. Channell was elected chairman and I. H. Bonsall, secretary. Rev. Platter requested Col. Manning to address the meeting, and explain a proposition he had with him for an east and west road; also to inform our citizens of the actions of meetings held at Winfield on railroad matters. He said that Winfield wished to avoid a clash, if possible, and to come to some understanding with this part of the county in regard to railroads. Mr. Millington and himself were sent by the people of Winfield to the eastern part of the State, to see what the prospects were for an east and west line. They went to Fredonia first, and found things too uncertain there to make it worthwhile to wait on the uncertainty; from thence to Parsons, where they found the people holding a conference with Eastern contractors; from there they proceeded to Oswego, and found the situation such as to give no hope of help from that quarter. They then returned to Parsons, and had a full conference with the Parsons men, and found as good prospects for a road from that point as from Emporia. Col. Manning admitted that a proposition he read for the Parsons road had not been accepted by the railroad company, but that he would make the company accept it.
They returned by the Parsons route proposed, and in their estimation found a good route. The franchise is being worked up as far as the east line of Elk County. In Elk County the peti­tion had been signed by a sufficient number, but they preferred to change the proposition from town­ship bonds to county bonds, as the recent change in the railroad law made it possible to carry county bonds. Winfield feels that an election for railroad bonds at this time would be premature, and prefers to wait until the other counties have voted and secured a line to Cowley County.  Rev. Platter thought Col. Manning had given a true version of the case as it now stood, and said that Mr. Hamilton, a civil engineer, wanted Winfield to call an election for the Parsons road. He believed that the present proposition of the Emporia road was such as would not be sustained at all, there being clauses which, in his estimation, could not be changed to suit at all. He said Winfield wanted an east and west proposition submit­ted at the same time that the north and south proposition was submitted, and that if Arkansas City wanted a north and south road, she must consent to an east and west road to secure the support of Winfield. C. M. Scott moved to appoint a committee of seven to confer with the Winfield delegation, and see if a compromise could not be agreed upon. After considerable discussion, the motion was seconded, and the following committee appointed: Frank Lorry, of Bolton, Amos Walton, C. R. Mitchell, S. P. Channell, James Benedict, C. M. Scott, and Col. McMullen. On motion meeting adjourned, to give the committees time to confer.
S. P. CHANNELL, Chairman. I. H. BONSALL, Secretary.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 11, 1877. Editorial Item.

Railroad Matters. The committee who went from this place to Augusta, learning that Mr. Young and Gov. Eskridge intended going to Winfield to confer with the people of that place, at the urgent request of one of the citizens and a member of the Railroad Committee of Winfield, sent word for a delegation to come up to agree to a new proposition. A number went, but upon their arrival, found that no agreement could be made, as the Committee of Winfield had stated they could not entertain any proposition from the north, as they had one from the east. Mr. Young and Gov. Eskridge then came to this place and submitted the proposition to Creswell Township to build their road down the west side of the Walnut by Township aid. The same proposition will be submitted to Rock, Nennescah, Vernon, Beaver, Creswell, Bolton, and probably Pleasant Valley Townships, and if the aid is rendered, the road will be built. In the evening a large and enthusiastic meeting was held at the church, during which a stirring speech was made by Mr. Eskridge, and remarks by Mr. Young, Rev. Fleming, Judge Chris­tian, Amos Walton, Mr. Channell, and others, after which a committee of eleven were appointed as follows, as Managing Committee, with power to appoint Finance, Canvassing, and Sub-Committees: Dr. Hughes, O. P. Houghton, C. M. Scott, A. A. Newman, James Christian, J. C. McMullen, S. B. Fleming, M. R. Leonard, Amos Walton, R. C. Haywood and S. P. Channell. The Committee then elected Dr. Hughes, President, J. C. McMullen, Vice President, Amos Walton, Secretary, and R. C. Haywood, Treasurer. The hour being late, the Committee then adjourned.
[ITEM FROM THE TELEGRAM.]
Arkansas City Traveler, April 25, 1877.
Messrs. Channell, Walton, Houghton, and others, of Arkansas City, represented that city before the Board of County Commis­sioners, in the North & South Railroad matter.
[CITY COUNCIL.]
Arkansas City Traveler, May 9, 1877.
Petition of L. W. Currier’s for dram shop license, contain­ing 125 names, referred to City Clerk, I. H. Bonsall, and City Attorney, Amos Walton.
[COMMUNICATION FROM TISDALE: NAME NOT GIVEN.]
Arkansas City Traveler, May 16, 1877.
Editor Traveler: DEAR SIR: I attended the grand mass meeting held at Winfield, on Saturday last, and a grand affair it was. Some gentleman from the south part of Rock Township, I believe, was elected Chairman, and Cliff Wood of Winfield, was elected Secre­tary. Manning was called upon to explain the object of the meeting, and in his sonorous monotones made some statements about the Pikes Peak and Puget Sound Railroad, Winfield branch, and from his own statements, there is no likelihood of his road being built at all.

He was followed by a gentleman by the name of Rushbridge, I think, who lives at Winfield and is a preacher. Rushbridge made a rampant political speech about railroads in general, and in particular, in favor of the Parsons road and against the K. C., E. & S. Railroad, and not particularly against the citi­zens of Arkansas City. He said he knew the Parsons Railroad Company was substantial and that they would build the road. But when Mitchell asked him something about it, he could not even tell who its President is, and referred to General Peanut agent Manning. Then followed Mitchell in a short speech in answer to the others, and Judge Hackney then made some statements about “es­crow.” This meeting appeared to me to be a fight between two or three little villages and a few individuals, and nothing about what railroads are needed in Cowley County. It may be best to always consult the towns about railroads, but it seems to me the farmers might be entitled to be consulted once in awhile as they will have to pay for the roads when built. If this Parsons road is the same one which broke up some time since, over east, it is a humbug from beginning to end. I think it is the same Company, as some of the directors, at least in this company, are the same persons who were members of that company; and they busted up completely over there and could not pay the hands who did the grading; and I believe they still owe the workmen for the grade done on the same road at and near Brownsville. I don’t think the people of Tisdale want anything to do with this fraud, and you will see that their votes say the same at the election. The extreme wet weather probably kept the farmers from the meeting; and the city of Winfield, being the only part of the county represented to any great extent, had it their own way generally. I believe there were but two persons from Vernon, two from Rock, four from Tisdale, three or four from Creswell, two from Dexter, and two from Lazette, and the balance from Winfield. On the general wind-up they passed a resolution that we, the people of Cowley County, in mass meeting assembled, etc., favor the Parsons railroad project. The number voting in favor of the resolution as announced by the chairman was 51, and no announce­ment was made as to those opposed. I should think there were at least 25 votes in the negative, as I know there were at least that many persons present who do not favor the Puget Sound fraud.
Rushbridge had the manhood to move to strike out the word “the” in the resolution before “people” or “citizens,” and Amos Walton had the charity to move to insert “we, the citizens of Winfield,” and someone else had the ignorance to move to lay the amendments on the table, which would have taken the resolution with it, but Hackney’s tactics defeated the amendments, and the General Peanut boy moved the passage of the original resolution; and it was carried with the result before given.
[RAILROAD MEETING.]
Winfield Courier, May 17, 1877. Editorial Page.
WINFIELD, KANSAS, May 12, 1877. At a railroad meeting of the citizens of Cowley County, held at the Courthouse, in Winfield, on motion Reuben Boothe was elected chairman and C. M. Wood secretary. By request E. C. Manning stated the objects of the meeting and then read a lengthy letter from the president of the Parsons railroad company, explaining his absence from the meeting and assuring the people of Cowley that the road would be built if the aid was voted. Mr. Manning further gave a full detail of the necessity, the probability, and the prospect of a railroad through the county from the east. Amos Walton, of Arkansas City, was called upon but failed to respond. Rev. Mr. Rushbridge then spoke in favor of the east and west proposition for railroad, and also exposed the attempted perpetration of frauds in opposition to the E. & M. R. R. Rev. Mr. Fleming of Arkansas City made a few remarks in explanation of his position on narrow gauge R. R. Mr. Mitchell, of Ark. City, was called upon and responded with remarks in favor of north and south railroad. Mr. Hackney, of Winfield, was called upon and spoke in favor of the east and west railroad. Mr. C. M. Wood, J. B. Evans, E. P. Young, and others, spoke on the subject.
The following resolution was adopted: Resolved, That we, the citizens of Cowley County, have full confidence in the Memphis, Parsons & Ellsworth R. R. Western Branch, project and that we will support it at the forthcoming election.
[Note: The exact name of the railroad extending north and south was not made clear in either the Courier or Traveler. This article refers to the “E. & M. R. R.” The Traveler article of May 16, 1877, refers to the “K. C., E. & S. Railroad.”]
Arkansas City Traveler, May 23, 1877.

The following attorneys were in attendance upon the present term of the District Court: Hon. Alfred L. Redden, of Eldorado; Mr. White, Howard City, Elk County; Judge M. S. Adams, Wichita; Mr. McBryan, Sedan, Chautauqua County; Hon. C. R. Mitchell, Amos Walton, Judge Christian, E. B. Kager and Col. McMullen, of Arkansas City; and Messrs. Hackney & McDonald, Pryor & Pryor, Jennings & Buckman, Pyburn & Seward, Jas. McDermott, Henry E. Asp, E. S. Torrance, J. E. Allen, L. J. & Linus Webb, D. A. Millington, A. H. Green, W. M. Boyer, J. M. Alexander, of Winfield.
Arkansas City Traveler, June 20, 1877.
On the fourth of July the citizens of Bolton will have a celebration at Captain Smith’s grove and spring about a mile south of the bridge. Judge Chris­tian is to deliver the oration. Amos Walton and other speakers are invited to address the crowd. A good time generally is expected. All are cordially invited to attend, and join in the festivities. Come one, come all, bring your baskets and have a jolly time.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 11, 1877 - FRONT PAGE.
The Fourth of July in Bolton. A Woman’s View of it. Mr. Editor: I attended the Fourth of July in Bolton last Wednesday, and took a few notes I want to tell you. I did not go for fun; I did not go for frolic; but for sober, solid information and instruc­tion.
Soon the dignity of Creswell appeared, with covered car­riages and fine horses. Among them Col. McMullen, Dr. Alexander, Rev. Fleming, O. P. Houghton, and last, but not least, his Honor, Judge Christian, and Amos Walton, speakers of the day. After prayer, Dr. Shepard, who was appointed Chairman, introduced Hon. James Christian. His speech lasted about half an hour, and was appreciated by all who heard it. Hon. Amos Walton then spoke in a strong, pleasing tone, after which the gathering began to separate and seek their homes.
[COMMUNICATION FROM “C. C. H.”—BOLTON TOWNSHIP.]
Arkansas City Traveler, July 11, 1877.
We had the pleasure of attending a picnic in Capt. O. C. Smith’s grove, on Spring Creek, yesterday, the 4th. Owing to the committee being busily engaged, the grove was not very well prepared. Notwithstanding the limited preparations made and the heat in the grove, the participators in the picnic seemed to enjoy themselves finely. The programme for the day was somewhat varied on account of the band boys being unable to get over until noon. The exercises of the day commenced with prayer by Rev. McClanahan. Then came Lieut. Thos. S. Parvin, who read the Declaration of Independence, which was listened to with extraor­dinary patience, as Mr. Parvin is an elegant reader. Next in order was dinner, which consisted of every variety of goodies, which are too numerous to mention. After dinner we listened to a very interesting, eloquent, and patriotic discourse, delivered by Judge Christian, of Arkansas City. Then came the band boys with a recital of “The Red, White, and Blue,” which seemed to cheer all present, even the “old folks.” Next in order was a speech from Mr. Amos Walton, who spread the eagle in the most elegant manner, after which lemonade, ice cream, music by the band, etc., until evening, when everybody went home with a gladsome heart.
[COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]
Winfield Courier, July 12, 1877.
County Treasurer Examiner:
H. D. Gans, $2.00; A. J. Pyburn, $2.00; and Amos Walton, $2.00.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 25, 1877.

CHEAP FARM. 260 acres, 20 acres of timber, 3½ miles south of Arkansas City, on the State line. A splendid stock farm. All for $1,600. Will take part in trade. A. Walton, Benedict building, Arkansas City.
Winfield Courier, August 30, 1877.
The District Court commenced its session on Monday with a light docket, and it is to be hoped that it will be cleared up this week. The following members of the bar present: Hon. W. P. Campbell, Judge; E. S. Bedilion, Clerk; R. L. Walker, Sheriff; M. S. Adams, of Wichita, C. R. Mitchell, E. B. Kager, and A. Walton, of Arkansas City; J. McDermott, County Attorney, J. E. Allen, A. J. Pyburn, O. M. Seward, W. M. Boyer, L. J. Webb, W. P. Hackney, J. W. McDonald, E. S. Torrance, H. E. Asp, D. A. Millington, S. D. Pryor, J. D. Pryor, F. S. Jennings, G. H. Buckman, and A. H. Green, of Winfield, attorneys.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 3, 1877.
FOR SALE. 160 acres of good upland 6 miles east of Arkansas City; house 14 x 22, well, and 20 acres broken; price $500; $200 cash, balance will take in trade. Inquire of A. Walton.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 10, 1877.
The Democrats of this township held a meeting Saturday night and elected five delegates and five alternates to attend the Democratic nominating convention at Winfield next Saturday. The delegates are M. E. Welch, Amos Walton, Noah Kimmel, A. J. Burrell, and M. R. Leonard.
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.]
Arkansas City Traveler, October 17, 1877.
Judge McDonald elected Chairman; Amos Walton, Secretary. Present: 38 delegates. For Sheriff: Chas. L. Harter; W. A. Freeman; John R. Smith—Harter won.

Arkansas City Traveler, November 14, 1877.
AMOS WALTON received one vote for township treasurer, Col. McMullen one for constable, H. P. Standley one for road overseer, and Ed. Gray one for coroner.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 14, 1877.
SOMETHING DEFINITE should be done about the Walnut and Arkansas River bridges. It has been suggested that a meeting be held in Walton’s office tomorrow afternoon, at three o’clock, to talk over the matter.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 21, 1877.
PROGRAMME for the Literary Society next Friday evening.
Debate: I. H. Bonsall, Amos Walton, Ed. Thompson, and Judge Christian.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 12, 1877.
Programme for the Literary Society next Friday evening showed the following participants: Annie Norton, Chas. Swarts, Miss Pickett, Arthur & Archie Coombs, W. D. Mowry, Edwin Thomp­son, Ella Grimes, Clarence Harris, Miss DeCoo, Peter Trissell, Amos Walton, and L. Norton.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 20, 1878.

The trial of Bilson and Ridenour was held at Pearson’s Hall last Wednesday afternoon and night. County Attorney McDermott prosecuted the case, with C. R. Mitchell defending Ridenour, and Amos Walton defending Bilson. Judge Christian and I. H. Bonsall were the judges. Bilson was bound over to appear at the next term of the District Court, in the sum of $600, and failing to obtain bail, was committed to jail. The evidence was not suffi­cient to convict Ridenour, and he was discharged. In searching Bilson’s property, in Mrs. Williams’ boarding house, some goods were found that had been taken from Charley Balcom’s house some time ago, also some articles that were taken from A. K. Melton’s trunk.
Winfield Courier, March 14, 1878.
Real Estate Transfers. Arkansas City town company to Amos Walton, lots 15, 16, 17, 18, block 98, Arkansas City.
Arkansas City Traveler, March 27, 1878.
On complaint of Wm. Gray, city marshal, L. H. Gardner was arraigned before Judge Christian on Monday last for selling intoxicating liquors without a license. Amos Walton acted as attorney for the city, and C. R. Mitchell for the defendant. After hearing the testimony, the evidence failed to sustain the charge, and Mr. Gardner was discharged. The cost will have to be paid by the city. It is the opinion of the Police Judge that no one can sell liquor without a license under the city ordinance, for medical purposes or otherwise. This will compel all drug stores to take out a license, unless the ordinance is amended.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 3, 1878.
The engine used on Christy’s steam thresher is to be placed on the ferry west of town by Speers and Walton, to try the experiment of ferrying by steam.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 24, 1878.
Mr. A. Walton, of Arkansas City, was in town last Friday. Mr. Walton came up to ascertain how much the Oxford people would subscribe to a project, now on foot, to construct a boat, to be propelled by steam, to navigate the Arkansas river between Wichita and Arkansas City. Mr. Walton says that the subscribers will not be requested to pay their subscription until one trip has been made between those points. Mr. Walton proposes to use a flat boat now at Arkansas City, and by using an ordinary steam engine and stern wheel, intends to experiment on the navigation of the Arkansas River. This sounds like business, and our people should give it a careful consideration before passing it by. Democrat.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 24, 1878.
Messrs. Speers and Walton, of Arkansas City, are endeavoring to obtain the aid of the towns on the Arkansas River for the purpose of running a light draft boat between that point and Wichita. The boat is built, the machinery spoken, and everything in readiness to push the experiment. Mr. Walton was in town on the 12th looking after their interests. The citizens of this place will hold a meeting on the night of the 17th, to hear the gentleman’s plans and objects, and to discuss the feasibility of the project. Independent.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 24, 1878.
SPEERS and WALTON will have their steam ferry boat ready to run this week, and before long will make a trial trip to Oxford, El Paso, and Wichita.
Winfield Courier, April 25, 1878. Editorial Page.

[Item from Wichita Eagle.] The steamboat spoken of on our second page is expected to reach Wichita about the 15th of next month. T. M. Lane and other gentlemen are enthusiastic in the belief that the enterprise will succeed. Messrs. Walton & Speers, who are putting their money into it, say they know they can navigate the Rackensack to the mouth of the Little river. If the government survey should determine Wichita to be the head of navigation and experience should determine the same thing, why—Wichita will be the biggest city in the west.
Arkansas City Traveler, May 1, 1878.
[From the Wichita Eagle.] Thomas Ryan, our Member of Congress, writes, under date of April 2, that the House Committee have agreed to a survey of the Arkansas River. The following is the letter written to Scott, of Arkansas City.
WASHINGTON, D. C., April 2, 1878. FRIEND SCOTT: The House Committee on Commerce has agreed to provide for a survey of the Arkansas from Fort Smith up to the mouth of the Little Arkansas, to determine the cost and practica­bility of making it navigable for commercial boats. The survey will be thorough, embracing the subjects of river, slack water, and canal investigation. THOMAS RYAN.
In this connection Messrs. Walton and Speers, of Arkansas City, are building a light draught boat, of fifty feet length by sixteen feet beam, capable of carrying twenty ton of freight, drawing about seventeen inches of water. The boat is about ready to receive its engines, and the proprietors propose to visit Wichita within two or three weeks, we believe. These gentlemen are satisfied that after once learning the channel, they will find no difficulty in making regular trips, and to that end they were interviewing our businessmen on Monday.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 2, 1878. Front Page.
[Item from the Wichita Beacon.] Messrs. Speers & Walton, of Arkansas City, are proposing to open navigation between Arkansas City and Wichita. They have a boat already built 16 x 50 feet with a draft of ten inches, and a carrying capacity of 40 tons. They will ask of our city and citizens the sum of $500; $250 to be paid upon the completion of two round trips between the above places. The trial trip will be made within the month. T. M. Lane will shortly circulate a petition for a subscription. There is no money to be paid until the feasibility of the navigation is demonstrated; our citizens should not withhold the sign manual.
Arkansas City Traveler, May 8, 1878.
SPEERS and WALTON are going to name the steamboat the “Arkansas Traveler.”
The Daily Winfield Courier, Saturday Morning, May 11, 1878.
District Court Proceedings. State vs. William H. Bilson; called and trial proceeded. Offense grand larceny. Jury empaneled as follows: J. M. Mark, B. B. Vandeventer, James Jackson, W. S. Gilman, M. A. Kelsey, J. W. Miller, John M. Gates, S. Elkins, J. H. Mounts, Abijah Howard, D. A. Byers, S. Martin. County Attorney appeared in behalf of the state and E. S. Torrance, H. Asp, and Amos Walton for the defendant. This case occupied the whole day and will come up again this morning.
Winfield Courier, May 23, 1878.
Arkansas City Item. Capt. Walton’s steamer has just been down the “Rackensack” twenty-five miles and returned without difficulty. He is now loading at Arkansas City with flour for the Pawnee Agency, 125 miles by the river.
Winfield Courier, May 23, 1878.
Capt. Walton thinks there is more sand in the Arkansas River than water.
[LETTER FROM AMOS WALTON.]

Winfield Courier, June 13, 1878.
ARKANSAS CITY, June 2. ED. COURIER: Supposing that you would be interested in common with the citizens of Cowley County in an experiment which we have been making with what the K. C. Journal calls a “sorghum pan,” to develop the capacity of the Arkansas River for transportation, I send you this brief history of the attempt as far as developed.
Our boat is 16 x 50 feet, our engine 12 horsepower, our draft about ten inches. Our first attempt was up the river; from Arkansas City, the river at a very low stage, we succeeded in finding sufficient channel as far as Salt City ferry, and left the investigation there in good water. But as we desired to know the channel below Arkansas City while the water was low, and we were expecting a rise, we turned down the stream and below the mouth of the Walnut. Our first trip was below the mouth of Grouse into the Indian Territory and about twenty-five miles. We found the river channel, after passing the mouth of the Walnut, a great deal better.
The obstructions or hindrances to navigation, I think, can mainly be set down under three heads. The rocky chutes where rocks on top and underneath have to be avoided, and where the water runs very swiftly. Three of these occur between the mouth of Walnut and Deer Creek, but in all of them the water is amply sufficient to float a light draught boat.
The next difficulty is the crossings where the channel crosses from one side of the river to the other, and in these are the principal difficulties, as the water divides, and you must follow the main body or strike a bar; but I think we found no place that the deepest water in the main channel would not go 15 inches, or sufficient to carry a light draught. These crossings could be greatly improved by a very little aid in turning and directing the current. The only other obstructions are the snags. They are generally in deep water, and sometimes they seem to have piled in together to keep each other company, and the mariner has to do considerable dodging to keep from shaking hands.
As I wrote, we made our first trip 25 miles down, and we felt considerable anxiety as to how our little craft, geared with belt and pulley, would drive us up stream. But when we turned our little engine in against the Arkansas, we soon had our confidence restored. It showed us from the first mile that it had the power and the will to take us back home, and I thought the little fellow kept saying, “Now if you will only make those old belts stand, I’ll put you through.” We made home in less than a day without any trouble.
Our next trip was 50 miles down the river. We ran 45 miles from 1 o’clock, and the rest next morning. I think the river grows better and the channel deeper as you go down. This trip was made without meeting any difficulties. There is some beautiful scenery as you pass down where the scattering trees stand out on the hill slopes and remind one of the gentlemen parks of merry old England, of which we have read, and a trip up and down is worth taking, for there is certainly some of the fairest country that ever laid out of doors in the possession of the noble red man along the waters of the “Big Sandy.”
In conclusion, if we have only taken the initiative step that will make useful the waters of this grand highway that will open the doors to a cheaper transportation and a better market, we have done something. Our reward so far has been laughter; our encouragement nix, but we shall hold out faithful to the end, as we try a freight trip to Pawnee Agency on Tuesday. Yours truly, A. W.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 26, 1878.
MESSRS. SPEERS and WALTON contemplate putting up the ferry west of town again.
Winfield Courier, July 11, 1878.
The “Arkansas Traveler” navigated by Messrs. Speers and Walton have demonstrated that the Arkansas River from the Pawnee Agency to Oxford is navigable for steamboats, and the “Aunt Sally” has removed all doubt from that part of the river from Pawnee Agency to Fort Smith. Boats of 150 tons burden and two feet draft can run all the way from New Orleans to Arkansas City for a part of the year without doubt.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 14, 1878.
Since the practical test of the navigation of the Arkansas by Messrs. Speers and Walton, an effort has been made at Wichita to organize a company for the purpose of purchasing a light draught steamboat, the object being to ascertain whether or not the Arkansas River can be made navigable as far up as that city. If it could, there would be millions in it for Wichita.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 21, 1878.
The following gentlemen were elected delegates and alter­nates to the Democratic Convention to be held at Winfield, August 24th, 1878. Delegates: W. Green, Noah Kimmel, Pat Somers, Judge Christian, T. McIntire, and S. B. Adams. Alternates: Amos Walton, John Gooch, E. M. Godfrey, J. Holloway, J. W. Hutchinson, and J. P. Eckles.
Winfield Courier, August 29, 1878.
The delegates to the Democratic County Convention met according to call at the courthouse in Winfield on Saturday, August 24th, at 2 o’clock p.m., and the meeting was called to order by Hon. A. J. Pyburn. The veteran, Judge T. B. Ross, was chosen permanent chairman, and J. S. Allen secretary. There were twenty-five delegates present and, on motion, the call of the delegates was dispensed with and the meeting resolved itself into a mass convention. The following named gentlemen were chosen delegates and alternates to the state convention, which meets at Leavenworth on Wednesday, September 4th, 1878, viz:
Delegates: A. J. Pyburn, J. B. Lynn, T. B. Ross, A. Walton, W. D. Lester, J. B. Adams.
Alternates: C. C. Black, R. B. Pratt, J. F. Miller, Ed. Green, J. Christian, T. McIntire.
It was voted that the delegates chosen have power to fill vacancies.
Winfield Courier, October 17, 1878.
Democratic Convention. This body met in the office of C. C. Black, in Winfield, on Saturday last, at 11 o’clock a.m. E. P. Young was chosen temporary chairman and C. C. Black secretary. A committee on credentials was appointed consisting of Williams, Lester, and Yount; and as committee on permanent organization, McIntire, Howard, and Pratt; also a committee to confer with a similar committee from the National Convention to report a fusion ticket, consisting of Judge McDonald, Sol. Smith, and Amos Walton.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 2, 1878.
160 Acres, only one mile east of town; fine level prairie, $500 cash will take it. Inquire of Walton & Knight.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 9, 1878.

Steamboat Meeting. BOLTON, OCTOBER 5TH, 1878. The meeting was called to order by Capt. Hoffmaster, who was elected chairman, and J. O. Wilkinson, secretary. Amos Walton came forward and explained the object of the meeting in an extended speech, explaining the reason why the Arkansas River has not been navigated ere this. He gave his experience in navigat­ing the river last spring, proving conclusively that the river can be navigated with light draught boats nearly the whole season, and that the channel did not change in the regular chutes at all. He showed by statistics that steamboat transportation is far cheaper than any other kind. He then read a letter from a gentleman now surveying the Kaw River, stating that he intended to survey the Arkansas after he had completed the survey of the former stream. Mr. Walton, continuing, said there was nothing in the politics of any party that was one-tenth the value to the farmers of this county, Bolton in particular, as there was in the successful navigation of this river. He then referred the people to the boat now building by McClaskey and Seymour, and said that those gentlemen had promised him not to ask for any aid from the people until their boat was constructed. That time has now arrived, and he now asked the people to respond according to their own judgment of what was right. Mr. Walton closed his remarks by calling for a general expression of opinions by the members of the meeting. Captain Hoffmaster was called, and said that he was willing to give all he had donated to the Hartsock enterprise, Mr. Hartsock having given it up. Mr. Herrick came forward and said that he was willing to do the same. All then came forward and turned their donations to the Hartsock fund over to McClaskey and Seymour. Messrs. Herrick, Bowen, Sample, and Conaway were appointed a soliciting committee, when the meeting adjourned, to meet next Saturday night, October 12. R. HOFFMASTER, Chairman.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 24, 1878.
The trial of Schiffbauer Bros. against Eckles, for attempt­ing to abscond to defraud creditors, resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff. Judge McDonald appeared for the Messrs. Schiffbauer, and Mitchell and Walton were attorneys for the defendant.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 31, 1878.

Steamboat Meeting. BOLTON, Oct. 19, 1878. The meeting was called to order by Mr. Walton, after which Mr. Mercer was called to the chair and J. O. Wilkinson was chosen secretary. Mr. Walton then came forward, and made a stirring speech in favor of the practical navigation of the Arkansas River. Said that all the people living along the river should be interested in its navigation, and Bolton in particular. The people of Bolton had shown more enthusiasm in the matter than the people of any other township so far. His whole speech was pithy, pointed, and well delivered, and at the close was greeted by a round of applause from the audience. Mr. Walton then introduced Mr. Barnes, an old river pilot of thirty years’ experience, who told them in a brief speech that he had made a trip down the Arkansas, and gave them a practical knowledge of its peculiarities, its drifting channel, chutes, etc. He found that the rocky chutes had a good stage of water in them the greater part of the time. This is in contradiction to what we have heard heretofore in regard to this matter, but he presented it in such a truthful manner the people believed his statement. He further said that there was as good a stage of water from here to Ft. Gibson as from Gibson to Ft. Smith. Mr. Barnes had visited the boat now being built by Messrs. McClaskey and Seymour, and pronounced it good for carrying one thousand bushels of wheat on twenty inches of water, and also said she would take three barges in tow. His remarks were well received by the meeting, after which committees were appointed and resolu­tions passed. Messrs. Lorry and Mercer were added to the solic­iting committee, and Mr. Lorry was appointed a committee of one to wait on Mr. Hartsock for the purpose of collecting those wheat notes given him (Mr. Hartsock) by the farmers, to aid him in his now abandoned steamboat enter­prise.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 31, 1878. Editorial Page.
We assure our Bolton Township friends, and all interested in the navigation of this river that anything we can do in their behalf, or in furtherance of their enterprise, will be done willingly and cheerfully. Our faith in the ultimate success of this scheme was never stronger, and we believe the day is not far distant when this southern tier of countries will have the best outlet in the State for their produce, and at a saving to them of thousands of dollars in railroad bonds not voted. Next spring and summer will see many boats here from the South, buying our grain at a good round figure, or for a moderate sum ready to float it down to the best of markets, where its superior quality will command the highest prices. The snug, well built craft lying west of town is a monument to the industry and self-denial of the two gentlemen who have risked their little all, and confidently devoted their time and means to the completion of the boat, relying only upon the generosity of their many friends for what assistance is tendered them. If the enterprise is a success (and we earnestly hope it will be), to Messrs. Walton and Speers, no less than to those now laboring on the boat, the people owe a debt of gratitude not easily paid, as they have worked untiringly for the interests of the community.
[APPEAL BY AMOS WALTON.]
Arkansas City Traveler, October 31, 1878.
Farmers, Why Not? It has been requested of you that you give some aid to the parties who are giving their best endeavors toward building a steamboat, and determining by a practical test the value of the river running by your doors, for transportation. You will grant the great value to yourselves of the increased and cheaper facilities for getting to a better market. You grant also that if the farmers determine that this enterprise shall have a fair test, it will get it, and requires but a slight aid from each. Now if these men have thus far, single handed and alone, pushed the matter far enough to satisfy you that they mean business; if they have risked every dollar they have—can you well refuse the necessary assistance toward making it a complete success? The first trip will be the hard one, and the costly one. You should bear your share, for if that is successful, the case is made, and you gain a highway to the sea cheaper for all time than iron rails can carry, and open to all. A. W.
[TOWNSHIP OFFICERS ELECTED.]
Arkansas City Traveler, November 13, 1878.
CRESWELL. Trustee: Amos Walton. Clerk: Robert Maxwell. Treasurer: S. B. Adams.
Constables: G. H. McIntire and James Morgan.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 20, 1878.
REAL ESTATE AND COLLECTION AGENCY. We have now for sale a fine selection of lands in COWLEY AND SUMMER COUNTIES. No trouble to show land or give information. MONEY TO LOAN AT LOW RATES. COLLECTIONS PROMPTLY ATTENDED TO. WALTON & KNIGHT Office corner of Summit Street and Avenue.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 11, 1878.

Amos Walton is thinking of going down the river on the “Cherokee” when she leaves. Better remain at home, Amos, and attend to repairing the south end of the bridge. The people elected you trustee to look after just such business.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 25, 1878.
Capt. Walton and the Cherokee are at the dock south of town. Slush ice cooled the Captain’s ardor.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, January 8, 1879. Editorial.
We publish in another column Walton’s reply to what he terms a sarcastic local. We certainly have no objections to the boat making every effort to prove successful, but deny, that if a failure, it falls entirely on the owners of the boat. The public have an interest in the navigation and improvement of the river, and if the first boat that starts down with a load runs onto a bar, without power to reverse, and push off, we think it will dampen the ardor of the enterprise, and not enhance our chance for an appropriation. We would like to see the boat make a successful trip, but we would like also to have an appropriation made to improve the river. On that appropriation being made, hangs the entire enterprise.
Now, if our correspondent can look beyond the single object of a small craft with weak power and appreciate the movement to improve hundreds of miles of navigation affording a market to thousands of our people and a blessing to generations, he will realize the situation. The one is a child’s toy, the other, a great measure for the benefit of a nation.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 8, 1879.
Editor Traveler: SIR:  I have been asked by Messrs. Seymour and McClaskey, the builders and owners of the steamboat [CHEROKEE], now completed and ready to move, to make a short reply to a sarcastic local in your last week’s issue, in which their work is called a failure, and to state that, in the opinion of good mechanics, the power is fully sufficient to drive the boat, and to say further, that since the matter if successful is all for the people, and if a failure, the heaviest loss will fall on them. They have a right, in justice, to ask a suspension of judgment until they have made a trial. Hoping at least for fair dealing from the paper, they remain yours, SEYMOUR & McCLASKEY, By A. Walton.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 22, 1879.
The Road Overseers elected for the different Districts of Creswell Township will please report as soon as possible. A. WALTON, Trustee.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 5, 1879.
50 Lots in the city, all together or separate, down to bottom prices.
WALTON & KNIGHT.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 12, 1879.
Editor Traveler: My attention has been called to an article that appeared in the last issue of the Semi-Weekly, on the subject of Amos Walton’s departure to Little Rock. The thing is too flat to deceive anybody except the writer himself, and even he is not responsible for its origin. He is simply a cats paw that has been put forward to do the dirty work for a few men who feel sore over the loss of the control of township matters. Another attack of this nature, during Walton’s absence, will bring out for publication a full exhibit of township indebtedness with assess­ment and taxation during the last six years, so that the people can realize who has “mixed things.” “Just so,” may discover that his goggle-eyes are hit with mud before the Slink had time to dip in his hole. It may pay him better to explain why he ran from justice, while honest men were happy on Old England’s Shores. EAST BOLTON.

[COMMUNICATION FROM AMOS WALTON.]
Arkansas City Traveler, February 19, 1879.
MYER’S LANDING, Feb. 14, 1879. Editor Traveler, SIR: In your last edition I have seen a reply by some friend of mine, to some strictures upon myself, which have appeared in the Winfield Semi-Weekly. As to the party who strikes at another’s head while he conceals his own—he is too contemptible to bandy words with. But as to the matter charged, I will say I had this trip in view previous to any election. Delays in starting brought the trip and work in the office closer together than I expected. Previous to starting I consulted with leading citizens in town and some heavy tax-payers in the coun­try, stating that I thought it best to resign, and they opposed it. I then appointed a deputy, and made all the arrangements for business during my absence that I could. I have but little more to say, only that it would be far better to wait until some necessary duty was left undone before citizens of our own town raise a complaint; and secondly, that the remedy is easy and plain if the township or any portion of the citizens have a strong desire for my removal for any purpose whatever. Let them go before the Commissioners and have another appointment made on account of my absence. Yours, A. WALTON.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 19, 1879.
The last heard of the steamer Cherokee, she was on her winding way through the Territory. Capt. Walton returned to town on Friday last for six months’ rations and a copy of the Pilgrim’s Progress.
[COMMUNICATION FROM JAS. M. SAMPLE - BOLTON TOWNSHIP.]
Arkansas City Traveler, February 26, 1879.
BOLTON TOWNSHIP, Feb. 24th, 1879. Editor Traveler, SIR: I deem it my duty, as having a full knowledge of the facts, to make some statements in regard to charges made against Mr. Walton, as Trustee of Creswell, in a Winfield paper. I will say in the first place, from the time Mr. Walton took possession to the time of his departure, we made a full and complete ar­rangement by which I was to conduct the business of repair on the bridge, and I have made every effort in my power to procure lumber, and so far have succeeded only in getting a sufficient amount to keep the bridge safe, and I will say to the citizens of the two townships that Mr. Walton has been in no sense to blame, and I have done the best I could, and the charges made have been both false and malicious, as the cowardice of a man who makes charges against a public officer and conceals himself. The public, I think, can understand that. JAS. M. SAMPLE, Trustee of Bolton Township.
Winfield Courier, February 27, 1879.
ARKANSAS CITY ITEMS. No news from the “Cherokee.” The captain and his crew were at the mercy of the waves, wind, and sand when last heard from.
Capt. Walton has got back. He explored as far south as the mouth of Grouse. He will start soon on another voyage of discovery.
Arkansas City Traveler, March 12, 1879.
Capt. Walton, of the Cherokee, is again on our streets, a victim to misplaced confidence. Let’s have a little more dew.
Winfield Courier, March 27, 1879.

The question of utilizing the vast, though ever-changing current of water, known as the Upper Arkansas River, flowing through our State from west to south-east, and making it the highway to a southern market, has been a living subject with the enterprising agricultural people of Cowley, Sumner, Sedgwick, and those counties lying along and contiguous thereto, ever since the first settlement of that fertile valley in 1870. Owing to their remote distance from a railroad or a market, and the consequent cost of transporting the vast surplus of wheat raised in Cowley and Sumner, this matter has been of vital interest to the people living within their borders. The subject has been discussed in the field and in the grange; has been the slogan of the country politician and the shibboleth of the farmers. It has been resolved upon by conventions, petitioned for by representatives and memorialized by our State Legislature until Congress has taken the matter under consideration, and appointed a commission of competent engineers to personally visit, examine, and report on the feasibility of opening up the stream for navigation, from some point near the terminus of the Wichita branch of the Santa Fe railroad to Little Rock, Arkansas.
In view of these facts, a brief account of the local and individual efforts to solve the problem will doubtless be of interest. During the fall of 1872, A. W. Berkey and S. C. Winton, of Cowley County, built a small flatboat at Arkansas City, loaded it with flour, and started down the river, bound for Little Rock. While they may not have had the “unexplored wild­ness” that lay between De Soto and the dream of his ambition or the dangers that beset Coronado in his march of disappointment through undiscovered Kansas to encounter, yet four hundred and fifty miles of an unknown river, guarded by a semi-barbarous people who have no particular good feeling towards a frontiers­man, lay between them and civilization, presented anything but a cheerful outlook for this pioneer voyage. The trip was made, however, without adventure, and in a reasonable length of time. The produce disposed of, the navigators returned overland to Arkansas City, and reported a fair depth of water and a lively current from the State line to Fort Gibson.
On the strength of this report, a joint stock company was immediately organized, and an agent appointed to proceed at once to the Ohio River and purchase a suitable steamer to ply between the points named. A light draught wharf packet was procured, and a point known as Webbers’ Falls, between Little Rock and Fort Gibson, reached on her upward trip. Here it was found that her engines were of insufficient power to stem the current, so she was taken back to Little Rock, and there sold at a loss to her owners of twenty-five hundred dollars.
This failure temporarily dampened the ardor of even the enthusiastic commercial path-finders, and nothing further was attempted until the summer of 1878, when Messrs. W. H. Speers and Amos Walton, two leading public spirited citizens of the county, equipped a “ferry-flat” with a 10 horse-power threshing machine engine, and by several trips up and down the river for a distance of 60 miles from Arkansas City, demonstrated beyond a doubt that a steamer could be successfully propelled on the Arkansas River at any season of the year. The flat was fifty feet long, sixteen feet wide, and drew ten inches of water. This novel little craft visited Grouse Creek, the Walnut River, Salt City, the Kaw Indian Agency, Oxford, and other points along the river, and attracted crowds of people wherever it went. At Oxford a public reception was tendered its officers and crew! These experimental trips were all made while the river was at its lowest stage, and prior to the annual “June rise.”

Soon after this and while the “ferry-flat” was still promi­nently before the public, Mr. I. H. Bonsall, an experienced engineer and prominent citizen of Arkansas City, corresponded with the businessmen of Little Rock, and induced them to send a boat on a trial trip to the upper country.
The little steamer, “Aunt Sally,” (see engraving) a tug built for the deep sluggish bayous of Arkansas, and used in the local cotton trade there, was selected and manned for the pur­pose. Though not designed for swift water, this crude little steamer made the complete voyage, and, in command of Captains Lewis and Baker, with Mr. Chapman as pilot, landed safely at Arkansas City, and was moored there, in the Walnut River, Sunday morning, June 30th, 1878. The officers reported sufficient water and a safe current for light draught steamers for the entire distance, and expressed themselves of the opinion that a boat built especially for the purpose could run regularly between the two States every day in the year.
Soon after the “Aunt Sally” returned South, Henry and Albert Pruden and O. J. Palmer, of Salt City, Sumner County, started for Little Rock with a “ferry-flat” loaded with seven hundred bushels of wheat. The wheat was sold at a good round figure, and the gentlemen returned, reporting a successful trip and a good stage of water.
On their return, the businessmen of Arkansas City, finding that steamboat owners in the lower country were not disposed to adventure up so far with their boats, resolved to build a steamer themselves, and with it make regular trips between their city and the Indian agencies in the Territory. After several attempts to find men of experience to take the matter in charge, McCloskey Seymour secured the services of Mr. Cyrus Wilson, who began the building of a boat for the purposes named.
Wednesday afternoon, November 6, 1878, the “Cherokee,” the first steamboat ever built in Kansas, was successfully launched at Arkansas City. The hull of this boat is 83 feet long, 16 feet wide on the bottom, and 85 feet long and 18 feet wide on the boiler deck; beam, 22 feet, with guards extending 2 feet around a model bow. She carries two twenty-horse power engines, and with all her machinery, draws less than eight inches of water; and, when loaded to the guards, will not draw over sixteen inches. The shallowest water found on the bars between Arkansas City and Little Rock during the lowest stage of the river was eighteen inches. From this it will be seen that the “Cherokee” will answer the purposes for which it was built, and be of great service in transporting the supplies from these counties to the Indian Agencies lying south and east of Arkansas City.
With the Arkansas River opened for navigation, and a good line of boats and barges making regular trips between the points named in this article, business of all kinds will receive a fresh impetus in Southern Kansas. There will be no railroad monopo­lies, no “pooling of earnings,” and no forming of combinations to affect the interest of the producers. The farmers of this locality will then have a highway of their own by which they can exchange their surplus wheat, flour, and corn for the coal and lumber of the Lower Arkansas. The advantages of this proposed line of commerce are apparent, and need not be repeated here. The attention of Congress has been called to them, and we pa­tiently await the official report of its Commission on the subject of navigating the Upper Arkansas River.
—[State Agricultural report.]
Arkansas City Traveler, April 9, 1879
160 acres choice land near the line in Bolton, low down for cash. WALTON & KNIGHT.

Arkansas City Traveler, April 30, 1879.
Capt. Walton and crew, of the Cherokee, took their departure on Thursday last for a voyage down the Arkansas.
Arkansas City Traveler, June 4, 1879.
We have received a communication from the Hon. A. Walton, of the steamer Cherokee, in which he states that wheat is selling for $1.00 per bushel, corn 60 cents, and new potatoes $1.50.
[REPORT FROM AMOS WALTON RE THE “CHEROKEE” STEAMSHIP.]
Arkansas City Traveler, June 11, 1879. Editorial Page.
FROM THE CHEROKEE. FORT SMITH, May 29th. Editor Traveler: Supposing a desire on the part of the friends of the Chero­kee to hear something in regard to the trip and our experience on the river, I propose to write in brief, until I can give them a more thorough knowledge of the facts developed by our experience.
We left Salt Fork, or Ponca Agency, at which place I joined the crew, on the 26th of April, at half past one o’clock, and landed in the mouth of Poteau at half past five o’clock on the morning of the 19th of May: our actual time, about 21½ days. We laid up whole days, without moving, according to my diary, 8, and detained two days, one upon snags, where we had a good channel but accidentally struck our bow upon one and drifted upon more; and one whole day at the mouth of Verdigris, by missing channel—making 10 days without running. I estimate, also, three days lost for lack of appliances and some experience in the river, and think now, that if we had the same trip to make again, we could make it in about eight days. Although the river was low, our soundings generally run over two feet. Some of the worst river was for about 15 miles below Bear creek, where it spread out very wide, with numerous channels. I think our worst bar was at the mouth of Cimarron, where the water spread evenly over the whole river—a smooth, solid bar, but sounding two feet. Taken altogether, we are satisfied that the river can be utilized as a means of transportation to our city and our producing community. As you advance down the river, the timber grows better and extends farther away from the river—the Cedar begins to make its appearance on the bluffs, and we begin to see something that looks like coal formation, cropping out from the banks.
About 12 miles above Childer’s ferry, on Old House creek; 3 miles from the river, is a four foot vein of splendid coal. This is on the left bank of the river. Further down, on the right, and just above Childer’s ferry, is a vein of the same depth, which has been worked. Either can be worked without any difficulty. Below this, again, on the farm of Napoleon Moore, we dug, from the bank by the boat, some very fine coal, which we used in the forge and furnace. These first outcroppings our smith called good coal. We have specimens and intend to take a ton or two back with us. As we go on down, we find the river growing better in the length of the runs without crossing—sometimes narrow and deep for six or eight miles, with high banks on either side, and sometimes breaking away from the river in a gently ascending slope covered with grass and thinly scattered oaks. The scenery alone is worth the trouble and hardships incident to a trip down the river.

We have been kindly received and well treated by the people of Fort Smith, and part of them are fully alive to the importance of working up a river trade, while some seem to have grown rich here and feel that the country is far enough advanced for all their purposes. The town is a small one in population, consider­ing the amount of territory covered. Many of the premises take in two acres of ground, and you can walk around among these country homes for hours, finding splendid old oaks for shade trees—cedars, flowers, and blue grass for adornment. When you first see the town, you see only the main street, and expect a town of about 1500 inhabitants, but after you have traveled for hours around in the suburbs you conclude they have what they claim, about 6,000. They have four newspapers—three Democratic and one Republican; seven churches; one fine furniture and chair factory, splendidly furnished with machinery, and anxious to work up a trade with us. They have a great many business houses and no specialties; they keep everything under the same roof that people want or call for. Their busy time is after cotton picking commences.
We sold the wheat to Dr. Wall, who has a very fine mill about one mile out of town with all the latest improvements and capable of grinding 300 bushels a day.
I have been treated very kindly by the gentlemen of the press here, who are, as they always are, everywhere, keenly alive to the importance of opening trade with our country, and they promise hearty cooperation with us in our attempts to improve and navigate the river.
There have been two courts in session here—State and United States—and I have had a chance to see that summary dispensation of justice we read of in the U. S. Courts. I have seen a jury take only three-quarters of an hour to condemn a man to death, that I, although hearing all the evidence, arguments of counsel, and charge of the Judge, would not have condemned at all—only a slight difference of opinion; one calls it justice, another says it is judicial murder.
To conclude, I have written this hasty letter to give you some idea, for the present, of what we have seen and done. I will say in regard to pine lumber, wagon stuff, furniture in the rough, coal or fuel of other kinds, we can make an exchange that would be of almost incalculable benefit to our country, and there is a market along the river for all our wheat, corn, and pota­toes; and I am now satisfied that they can be successfully transported by the river.
I start up the river tomorrow. Yours, A. W.
Arkansas City Traveler, June 18, 1879.
Capt. Walton, of the steamer Cherokee, hove into this port of entry last Monday morning. He reports leaving the boat at Ft. Gibson on the 10th, and gives it as his opinion that she will reach here in a few days. The steamer has on board pine lumber, shingles, and wagon stuff.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 2, 1879.
Cheapest Farm in the county, 160 acres; 40 acres under cultivation, orchard under fence, 100 Apple Trees, small fruits and grapes in abundance. Good House with an ell addition and good cellar, good well, water the year round. One half mile of hedge 3 years old. All for $500. WALTON & KNIGHT.
[THE GLORIOUS FOURTH - AT ARKANSAS CITY.]
Arkansas City Traveler, July 9, 1879.

After reaching the grounds the first thing in order was the speaking. Mr. Amos Walton was the first introduced, and spoke feelingly of those who had laid down their lives that this day might be celebrated. He was followed by Judge M. S. Adams, of Wichita, who gave the main oration of the day.
Winfield Courier, July 10, 1879.
Capt. Amos Walton was up from the city this week.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 23, 1879.
100 Lots in the city, single or together, at bed rock prices. A. WALTON.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 13, 1879.
NOTICE. The Arkansas river bridge is unsafe with heavily loaded wagons. Hereafter trains will be compelled to drop the trail wagons, and wagons carrying over two tons must take their own risk. A. WALTON, Trustee.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 13, 1879.
Statement of the Indebtedness of Creswell Township. The Board is unable at present to make a complete statement further back than the commencement of Mr. A. Chamberlain’s term as Trustee, with E. D. Eddy and W. D. Mowry as Treasurer and Clerk, i.e., 1875-6. Orders issued, $1,099.73; orders outstand­ing Dec. 11, 1878, $171.00.
T. M. McIntire, Trustee, 1876-7: Total amount of orders issued, $2,312.88, as follows: To Walnut Valley Bridge Company for road purposes, $1,634.00; issued on general fund, $678.88. Total amount outstanding Dec. 11, 1878, $1,724.20.
James Huey, Trustee, 1877-8: Total amount of orders issued, $745.50; orders outstanding Dec. 11, 1878: $406.71.
Total amount of outstanding orders against the township, Dec. 11, 1878, $2,301.91.
BONDED INDEBTEDNESS.
1st series—Date, Nov. 26, 1872; due Nov. 26, 1882; amount, $4,500, in nine bonds of $500 each; interest 10 percent, payable annually; for bridge near Newman’s mill.
2nd series—Date, Sept. 20, 1873; due Sept. 1, 1883; amount, $7,500, in seven bonds of $1,000 each and one of $500; interest 10 percent, payable semi-annually; for purchase of Arkansas River bridge.
3rd series—Date, May 1, 1877; one bond of $500; due May 1, 1877; interest 10 percent, payable semi-annually; for Walnut River bridge.
This is a statement of the indebtedness of the township, with the exception of a few unpaid orders of this year. Next week we will attempt to show how this amount has been expended.
A. WALTON, Trustee. R. E. MAXWELL, Clerk.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 17, 1879.
Judge Christian and Amos Walton are at Lawrence, attending the Old Settlers’ meeting.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 24, 1879.
Hon. Judge Christian and Hon. Amos Walton have returned from Lawrence, where they went to attend the Old Settler’s meeting. The judge long resided in that city and has personal knowledge of much of the early history of the State.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 29, 1879.
                                       Creswell Township Treasurer’s Report.
To cash received of W. E. Gooch $113.80
To amount received of County Treasurer $1,301.94
To cash received for sale of house $25.00

Total: $1,170.74
By amount paid on Scrip issued by W. W. Berkey $1.00
By amount paid on Scrip issued by H. Chamberlain $181.15
By amount paid on Scrip issued by T. McIntire $415.16
By amount paid on Scrip issued by Jas. L. Huey $195.52
By amount paid on Scrip issued by A. Walton $366.72
Total: $1,159.55
Balance on hand October 28, 1879 $11.19
S. B. ADAMS, Treasurer.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 12, 1879.
At the regular October meeting of the board of Creswell township, the following bills were presented and allowed. A. Walton, trustee:  $34.00.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 19, 1879.
There will be a meeting of the Bolton militia company at the office of A. Walton, Benedict building, Arkansas City, on Satur­day next at 10 o’clock for the purpose of drawing uniforms. R. HOFFMASTER, 1st Lieutenant.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 3, 1879.
That Bridge. Ed. Traveler: I read with great satisfaction the article in last week’s TRAVELER relating to the miserable condition of the bridge across the Arkansas. I have heard considerable comment in Bolton township on this subject, and we all agree that the TRAVELER has expressed our views on this subject exactly. In reading the Democrat last Saturday I noticed a reply to the TRAVELER article by the trustee of Creswell township that looks more like an effort to vindicate his actions while he has been in office than to show that the bridge is sound and safe, which everybody knows it is not. Now we are ready to give Walton and Sample due praise for all they have done to keep the old thing upon stilts; but the fact is, all the same, that though scores of teams have daily crossed over without damage, the south span is in a very unsafe condition, and it is the judgment of our best mechanics that it has never been safe since the high water, and is liable to fall most any time.
If the trustee will inquire, he will find that able men as represent the Santa Fe railroad company examined the south span of the bridge and reported that it was in a very unsafe condition for even unloaded wagons to pass over, and this less than sixty days ago.
Several teams have nearly been killed on the south span by the floor of the bridge springing up when the team would chance to step upon the center, because the middle stringer had rotted and fell out. No longer ago than July last, the trustee acknowl­edged the unsafe condition of the bridge by nailing to its timbers in large letters “condemned.”
I do not credit the report that “The trustees are opposed to repairing the bridge and want to see it go down because they have interest west of Arkansas City and want to see the principal crossing of the river on that side of the city.” It is my honest judgment that they have done what they could to keep the crazy old thing from plunging into the depths of the river. If my communication is not already too long, I would like to add that at a late meeting held in this township to consider the railroad question, a very small number were present, neither did the resolutions express the voice of any respectable number of the township.

Frank Lorry, whom everybody knows, has tried with the sweat of his brow for the last five years to tickle himself into some little notoriety, attempted to run the meeting by pawing and bellowing like an old stag. He got the floor and his terrible wrath soon began to kindle into flame, and the way he went for the people over in Creswell township resembled a flea in a flannel shirt. Frank has a voice that growls like muffled thunder, and whenever he strikes out for a foe, he plunges like the male gender of a Texas calf, and bawls for the sweet pap in the public teat. As soon as he is weaned, we shall hear less of him.
More Anon. E. Bolton Township.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 3, 1879.
Ed. TRAVELER: The people of Bolton are under obligations to you for calling attention to that old rotten hulk dominated south end of the bridge. Why the trustees of Bolton and Creswell tolerate an old Bender drop like the old bridge is beyond the comprehension of ordinary mortals. The only solution must be, that they need a little coffee money, and can earn it easier by repairs than any other way. Or, are they influenced by hash money from those who haven’t any freighting to do and care nothing for the lives, limbs, or property of the citizens of Bolton and Creswell. Continue in your good work until a new bridge is built and the masses will thank you. A. S.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 3, 1879.
MONEY at lower rates than can be found elsewhere. A. WALTON, Benedict Building.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, December 10, 1879.
Bridge Question. Editor Traveler:
SIR: I have written some articles lately as an official of Creswell township, which I deemed necessary in justice to Mr. Sample and myself, and now I wish to offer a few words as a citizen of the southern part of the county, in regard to matters in controversy between a portion of the citizens of Bolton township and Arkansas City; matters which say the Winfield papers are representing as very serious indeed, but which I think will be settled without any of their assistance whatever. I find in a recent issue of the Semi-Weekly a set of resolu­tions purporting to represent Bolton Township feeling, handed into the paper by Frank Lorry, with the statement that they were refused by the home papers  Let us see now as to the action of the home papers. I myself asked Mr. Deweese, whose name is appended to the resolutions as chairman, about them. And he said he did not know anything about them, and he would not publish them. He did not believe it was the sentiment of Bolton.

Here is a quotation from a recent issue of the TRAVELER, the writer of which I believe to be one of the most prominent in advocating what he believes to be for the best interests of Bolton. “If my communication is not already too long, I would like to add that a late meeting held in this township to consider the railroad question, a very small number were present, neither did the resolution express the voice of any respectable number of the township.” Now this gentleman was at the meeting; and if his statement is true, then what shall we think of the man who rushes to Winfield to do his printing. Now let us say a few words in regard to a square, honest, manly understanding of the differences in this controversy, and then go to work in a square, manly way to settle the questions  I would suggest first, that as full a meeting of the citizens of Bolton as can be called together meet at some central point, that a full delegation of the citizens of this city meet with them, and consider every proposition which they have to make. That in the mean-time the work on the road which has been agreed on be thoroughly prosecuted, that the bridge as it stands be put in shape that there can be no possible quibble about danger in passing over it, and immediate measures be inaugurated for one or more new spans as soon as the city can command the ability to accomplish it. Let a committee of citizens from both townships take into consideration what will be for the best interests of all knowing it is the intention of the city to do all in her power to induce and hold trade.
I am satisfied that the people of Bolton will only insist upon that which they have a right to demand, and which is their just due if they are forced to come to this side of the river with their produce. Am I right, in the language of the great, “let us have peace.” A. WALTON.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, December 10, 1879.
At a bridge meeting held at Spring Side schoolhouse, it was resolved that our trustee be requested not to expend any more money on the old part of the bridge, as said bridge is regarded as unsafe and in an unsound condition.
          MATTHEW CHAMBERS, Chairman. CHARLES WEATHERHOLT, Secretary.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, December 17, 1879.
ED. TRAVELER: At a meeting of citizens of Bolton on the 12th inst., to talk bridge matters, our Township Board and ten citizens were appointed to meet the citizens of your Township and city, and hear what they propose to do about the Bridge across the Arkansas River. Said committee to meet at A. Walton’s office on Wednesday at 1 o’clock.
It was also unanimously resolved that Frank Lorry be exoner­ated from all wrong in the printing of the resolutions in the Semi-Weekly and that he did as the meeting ordered him to do. T. S. PARVIN, Secretary.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 7, 1880.
Editor Traveler. Dear Sir: I notice an article in the Semi-Weekly purporting to have been written from Bolton, reflect­ing on Dr. Leonard and A. Walton. Allow me to say that the citizens of Bolton regard Dr. Leonard with the highest respect and incapable of double dealing. That, but for him, the road would never have reached your city, and for which they render lasting obligations; and that both gentlemen are too well known to be injured by parties in Winfield, or the man who thinks he will get a depot on his farm and employed a lawyer to write for him.
The people of Bolton do not want the cattle drive either to the State line or Arkansas City. Not because it would injure your city, but for the reason that it would drive the native stock out of Bolton. WEST BOLTON.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 7, 1880.
GOOD FARM CHEAP. Will sell se ¼ of sec. 20 and a ¼ of nw ¼ of sec. 28 and undivided ½ of 18 acres of timber, good level land, close to city, all for $1,600. Call on A. Walton, Benedict Building.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 28, 1880
Capt. Walton, Douglas County, is here visiting his son, Amos Walton.
[ACTIVITIES OF CRESWELL TOWNSHIP IN THE YEAR 1879.]
Arkansas City Traveler, February 11, 1880. Editorial Page.
Report for the past year as follows:
Amount of scrip issued by board, A. Walton, trustee, $864.32.

Scrip paid off as follows: Issue of Amos Walton, $864.32, all paid.
There was a portion of indebtedness, acquired under Chamber­lain, not fully shown in the books and interest on bonds not figured. With these exceptions we have made a fair exhibit of the books paying every dollar of indebtedness created by our­selves and $1,060.95, made by others. By order of the board. A. WALTON, Trustee. R. J. MAXWELL, Clerk.
Excerpts...
Arkansas City Traveler, February 18, 1880.
Creswell Township Treasurer’s Report. Mr. Editor: My term of office as Township Treasurer having expired, I deem it my duty to make a full statement of all the business transacted by me during my term of office, which is as follows: Cash received of W. E. Gooch, former Treasurer: $113.86; Cash and vouchers received of T. R. Bryant, County Treasurer: $1,772.65; Cash received of A. Walton on sale of house: $48.85. Total amount received: $ 1,935.36. Cash paid on scrip issued by A. Walton: $858.44. Interest on same: $1.90. Total amount received: $860.34.
As there has been a great deal said about repudiation and my refusing to pay certain scrip issued to the Missouri Valley Bridge Company, now in answer to which I will say if my refusing to pay said scrip for the lack of funds is repudiation, then I will have to plead guilty to the charge. The record will show that there has never been any levy made for the payment of said scrip; therefore, I deemed it to be my duty to pay the debts for which the levy was made, and have paid all the debts contracted by said Board amounting to the sum of $860.34 as follows: $230.40 for material and work done on the Arkansas River Bridge; $154.74 for material and work done on the Walnut River Bridge; $475.20 for the incidental expense of the Township; $1,070.95 for scrip issued by former Trustees that remained unpaid, including $428.16 issued to the Missouri Valley Bridge Company.
All of this is cheerfully submitted for the consideration of the taxpayers of Creswell Township, Cowley County, Kansas. S. B. ADAMS, Treasurer.
[CITY COUNCIL.]
Arkansas City Traveler, March 10, 1880.
Amos Walton for making collections as per order of council, $5.00; making special road tax, $6.00; total $11.00. Referred to Finance Committee.
[LEAP-YEAR CATCHES IN ARKANSAS CITY: EDITORIAL COLUMN.]
Arkansas City Traveler, March 17, 1880.
AMOS WALTON. Amos ought certainly to be ashamed of himself. The idea of a man of his good quality sliding along towards the forties and not married! We are astonished when we think of it. Handsome; the very best of habits; no “lodge nights,” in fact, the best possible fellow you could imagine.
[CASH ACCOUNT: ARKANSAS CITY.]
Arkansas City Traveler, March 24, 1880.
April 14, 1879: Amos Walton, services as judge of city election: $2.00.
November 7, 1879: A. Walton, road tax return list: $3.00.
Arkansas City Traveler, March 31, 1880.

Mr. Leonard’s office, one door north of the Post Office, will in addition to Mr. Leonard be occupied by Messrs. A. Walton and James Benedict, and will assume the familiar cognomen of “The Democratic Headquarters.”
Winfield Courier, April 29, 1880.
Our venerable friend, Amos Walton, has assumed the editorial control of the Arkansas Valley Democrat. Amos is not new to the profession, having formed an acquaintance with the paste pot, and scissors during the eventful career of the Plow and Anvil. We joyfully welcome him back to the journalistic ranks.
Arkansas City Traveler, May 12, 1880. Front Page.
Nixon, not satisfied with the report and verdict of the engineer designated by the government to make a survey of the Arkansas River, or at least not satisfied that Congress and its members would approve the practicability of the scheme, in addition and accompanying the petitions forwarded by him, ob­tained and forwarded the affidavits of two men who had made experiments.
Mr. O. E. Kimball, of Oxford, who has lived on the bank of the river nine years, swears that in 1871 he constructed and for some time thereafter ran a ferry boat at that point. The river at this point is about 500 feet wide and the channel was ever changing and cutting out deep holes.
In 1877, for the purpose of a pontoon bridge, John Murphy constructed a jetty about half way across the river of hay, trash, and small stone. The result was in a very short time a deep channel, with even smoothly flowing current, cleaning out all the bars, and for a long distance, both above and below the jetty, deep enough for ordinary navigation.
The next affidavit is made by Amos Walton, now editor of the Arkansas City Democrat, who swears that he has had experience in running a ferry boat on the Arkansas river by steam, and has also experience in contracting the channel by the same, by the use of a brush jetty. He threw three channels into one of about 200 feet wide. The channel and jetty are still extant and as good as when examined by McKown. Walton swears that he ran a light draught steamer one trip down to the mouth of Grouse creek, one trip down to the Kaw Indian agency, and another trip to Ft. Smith and as far back as the Ft. Gibson bridge. He swears that wherever the river was confined by obstructions, he found a good clear channel and that he agrees with the report made by the U. S. engineer corps.
Now what have the incredulous to say? Wichita Eagle.
Arkansas City Traveler, May 12, 1880.
That old veteran, Amos Walton, has again assumed control of Cowley County’s Democratic journal. Amos is an aggressive character and will try to make things lively in his vicinity. Sumner County Press.
That’s taffy.
Arkansas City Traveler, May 12, 1880.
At the Democratic primary Thursday, May 6, the following persons were chosen as delegates and alternates to the Democratic county convention to be held in Winfield on the 15th of this month.
DELEGATES: Noah Kimmel, S. B. Adams, Amos Walton, Wm. Aumann, T. McIntire, P. F. Endicott, J. W. Hutchison, F. M. Peek, Jno. Holloway, Ed. Green.
ALTERNATES: A. P. Hutchison, Walter Dolby, J. E. Cox, Jas. Benedict, H. Godehard, Jas. Wilson, Wm. Bahruth, W. H. Brown, Jno. Weir, R. E. Fitzpatrick.

Arkansas City Traveler, June 9, 1880.
One of our roistering citizens was arrested by the marshal, and mulcted in the sum of six dollars before Judge Walton last Wednesday for running his horse and shooting his pistol within the corporate limits on the previous evening. The fine would have been heavier only it was “a first appearance” before the Police Judge.
[REPORT OF CITY TREASURER.]
Arkansas City Traveler, June 30, 1880.
From A. Walton, license: $3.00.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 28, 1880.
The Democrats of this county scrambled together at the county seat last Saturday, and tickled themselves in the ribs by putting in nomination a county ticket. The following are the nominees: State Senator, A. J. Pyburn; Representative, 88th district, R. H. Schofield, of Rock; 89th district, M. R. Leonard, of Creswell; county attorney, L. Pence, Winfield; probate judge, T. McIntire, of Creswell; clerk of district court, J. S. Allen; county superintendent, Mrs. I. E. Brown, of Tisdale.
W. C. Garvey, Amos Walton, C. C. Black, G. W. Gardenhire, and R. Hite were elected delegates to the State convention, and were instructed for E. G. Ross for Governor.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 11, 1880.
In the 89th district Hon. C. R. Mitchell was on last Satur­day declared the nominee for the Legislature by a vote of thirty-one to nine. His only opponent in the convention, Mr. Walton, gracefully yielded.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 18, 1880.
In the Monitor of July 31, giving an account of the Demo­cratic convention, we find the following glowing tribute to Hon. A. J. Pyburn, the Democratic nominee for State Senator, uttered by one of the pure and undefiled. Says Brother Conklin: A special Monitor reporter slipped around among the dele­gates for items. It was admitted on all hands that there was no possible hope of success unless through defection of Republicans, and it became a question of grave importance to them, as to the best means to employ in order to accomplish this end, and the probability of there being any serious defection. Some contend­ing that there was not now, neither was there likely to be any serious defection this year; others insisted as the Republican party was largely in the majority in this county, it would this year, as it has always done in the past, develop animosities that could find vent only by bolting.

Others replied to this that last year for the first time in the history of Cowley County, the Republicans made a clean sweep. When this statement was made, a rural rooster jumped up and startled a group with “Yes, and it was the d         d Monitor and Bill Hackney who did the work that brought this about.” Whereup­on a prominent Democrat of Winfield informed him that “it were well if he kept his mouth shut about what Hackney had done for the Republican party, that his enemies in his own party had for years been misrepresenting him relative to his politics; that he was one of the most effective workers in that party, and that it was all important that his services to the party should be kept in the background, in order that any injury done him by his enemies might be used against him in this campaign.” This did not seem to mollify the rooster any and he demanded in impatient tones: “Well, Smarty, if you will be kind enough, please tell me who there is in the Democratic party that we can beat him with?” “Pyburn, of course,” replied Smarty. “To h   l with Pyburn!” roared the rooster. What did he do as a Senator for us that we should vote for him? Why, he has been four years in the State Senate, and in all of that time he did not accom­plish as much for the public as that infernal bulldozer, Bill Hackney, did in sixty days; don’t talk Pyburn to me! He voted for that infamous Republican, John James Ingalls, for the United States Senate—that man, who more than any other since the days of Jim Lane, vilifies us Democrats.” To this Smarty replied, “that the party could not afford to find fault with Pyburn for that, because he pledged every Repub­lican who voted for him four years ago, that if he was elected he would ignore politics and vote for the Hon. P. B. Plumb, of Emporia, for the United States Senate, and that his vote for Ingalls was only following out his pledges then made to the men in the Republican party who elected him, and in order to secure his election he would have to make the pledges again; that it was true that he had not accomplished anything as a Senator, except the introduction and securing the passage of a resolution memori­alizing Congress to pass the electoral bill.” Here Rooster could wait no longer, and he broke out again at a white heat: “Yes, he pledged the Republicans to vote for Plumb, did he? I know he did, but did he do it? I know Plumb; he is an honest man, and Pyburn never voted for him or any other Republican that winter, but steadily voted for John Martin, who was the Democratic caucus nominee for United States Senator, and thus violated his pledges to the man who elected him. Oh yes! he wanted to keep faith with the Republicans who elected him, did he, when he voted for Ingalls? but he did not want to keep faith with them when he voted against Plumb. The Republicans claim that Ingalls bought his way into the Senate, and everybody admits that Plumb was honestly elected, and all admit that money was used in Ingalls’s election, and that none was used in Plumb’s. Your ideas as to the motive that made Pyburn go back on the Republicans who voted for him in one case, and caused him to keep faith in the other, is evidently very widely different from my idea!” Closing his remark with a sneer, the Rooster said: “And Pyburn got up that resolution endorsing that caused the electoral bill, did he? That infamous bill that defrauded us out of our President, and you offer that as the only thing he did while a Senator? I know that is the only time I ever heard of him as a Senator, but d      m me if I ever thought any Democrat would point to that as commendable in his career—even the worst enemy he has. No. You can nominate him if you like, but if you do I will not vote for him.” Whereupon Smarty and the rest of them pro­ceeded to kick him out of the Democratic party.
After much wrangling similar to the above, the time came to meet, and they all adjourned to the courthouse, and the reporter quietly stole from behind the barrel of whiskey in Fahey’s saloon, where he had been hiding, and was soon swallowed up in the crowd as they wended their way to the convention.
When that body was duly organized, A. J. Pyburn was nominat­ed by acclama­tion. Our reporter looked over the room for the “Rooster,” but he was not there. The next seen of him he was blind drunk with his arms around Amos Walton’s neck, ejaculating that he would not vote for Pyburn—no, not he, while Amos wildly beseeched him to vote the straight ticket.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 1, 1880.

A man going by the name of Charley Jones, three weeks from Pittsburg, and now working for Milt Hurst, got full of “budge” last Saturday, and felt called upon to knock a man down. Mr. Sinnott, who in the absence of Mr. Hartsock is acting as marshal, attempted to arrest him, but he resisted to such an extent that two or three men were called to the marshal’s assistance. As they marched the drunken lout down the street, he made the air ring with the foulest curses, which could be heard by any and everybody on the streets. He was finally lodged in the “cooler,” where he rusticated until Monday morning, when he was taken before Police Judge Walton and fined five dollars and costs. Jones has been a miner, is possessed of considerable strength, and doubtless thought he could do as he pleased in a small town, but the sooner he learns that a drunken man is no better than a dog, and that our citizens are not afraid to arrest a man, whether he comes from Pittsburg or any other burg, the better it will be for him. We will take this occasion to remark that while we believe in treating prisoners with all the humanity they deserve, no man should be allowed to resist the officers and fill the air with curses. In the case of Jones, Mr. Sinnott would have been justified in silencing him, if he had to break his skull to do it. That he was drunk is no excuse. A man knows what he is doing as long as he can stand up to do it, and if he will not quietly submit to an arrest, a gentle reminder over the head is recommended.
[REPORT ON MEETING: BOLTON TOWNSHIP.]
Arkansas City Traveler, September 15, 1880.
Editor Traveler: According to call, the Republicans of Bolton met at the Bland schoolhouse on Thursday evening, Septem­ber 9, and organized a rousing Garfield and Arthur club. After the organization, in absence of expected speakers from abroad, the president, Mr. Buckner, asked some of the members to state their reasons for being Republicans. Mr. Marshall first responded, and concluded by quoting the forcible reasons given by Col. Ingersoll, which elicited great applause. Amos Walton, being present, was called on. He gave his reasons for having been such a consistent and life-long (?) Democrat, which was a weak argument, to say the least. Then followed Mr. John Brown, who gave us such a rousing speech as we seldom hear. He bled the gentleman (Mr. Walton) and the Democratic party at every thrust. In the course of his remarks he asked if anyone present ever knew a colored man to vote with the Democrats. Mr. Andrews being present said if any such had existed, they were dead. Mr. Walton tried to reply, but his mind (or whatever he calls it) was so muddled that he could not say anything.
The next speaker was Mr. Clark, a Greenbacker, who scolded the Republicans and Democrats on the financial question about alike. Then referring to the Alabama election, and the manner in which they treated Messrs. Weaver and Randall down there, he came out in such bitter denunciation for the Democrats that those present—Walton, Turner, Gilbert, and Eaton—could not raise their heads “or sit low enough in their seats.” It was the most laughable sight I have witnessed for a long time. I venture they will not sign for a similar experience in this campaign.
[REPORT FROM “VOLUNTEER” - SILVERDALE.]
Arkansas City Traveler, October 6, 1880.

The Democrats of Lower Grouse had quite an interesting time at Coburn’s schoolhouse on Thursday last, at 7:30 p.m. After some little trouble in securing a chairman (none of the party desiring office), Mr. Hill was induced to act. I never saw either of the speakers before, but was told their names were General Amos Walton and Hon. Dr. Leonard. The General made a great impression on his Democratic audience of nine by a fine oratorical display, who cheered him as if they were afraid of hurting the floor. The impression he made on us Republicans was that he hadn’t his lesson well learned. It may not be improper to notice some of the General’s “p’ints,” as he termed them. He said he could explain what had become of the Republican votes of the South, which he did to the satisfaction of his nine. He said the negroes were persecuted by their old masters to vote the Democratic ticket. The General ought to know that every school boy in Silverdale township knows how the negroes were persuaded. The “old masters” persuaded Judge Chisholm and his innocent children to cease voting the Republican ticket.
Dixon was persuaded not to oppose the nominee of the party the General represents with the good loyal Southerners whom the General said had now come back under the flag; but he did not tell us these same loyal persuaders gave Dixon’s murderer the best office in the county, and sent him to Cincinnati to nominate the candidate whom General Walton will support. The spirits of those murdered children will appear as witnesses against any party who will wilfully make such false representations.
In 1876, in the State of Alabama, there were 68,230 Republican votes counted; in 1878 there were 213. Alabama is only a fair sample of the Solid South, and in a free North the editor of a newspaper gets up and attempts to make an audience believe that 68,017 men in one State were persuaded in two years to leave the party that was instrumental in securing their freedom. “The right preservative of all rights must and shall be maintained in every part of the United States,” says the sixth plank in the Democratic national platform, 1880. What does it mean?
He charged General Garfield with desertion at Chickamauga, which he did not do.
He charged him with being implicated in the Credit Mobilier, which he was not.
He eulogized Hancock as a soldier and military man, but forgot how his party condemned General Grant for being one four years ago.
He told how the Republicans under Gen. Grant had defrauded the Government, but did not say anything about the Democrats of the South, who make war on the United States Marshals that a Democratic Congress refused to pay.
He closed by appealing to Republicans not to support a Winfield ring, speaking of Mr. Hackney in a light manner; but don’t you forget it, General, the soldier boys will send W. P. Hackney to the State Senate. He is the volunteer’s brother and friend. That scar on his face will admit him to the Senate chamber. He marched, fought, and starved with us, and we will honor him again. He wore the bloody shirt you harp so much about. The thirteen thousand dead who sleep in the pine woods of Georgia near Andersonville, whom your party starved to death, cry out from their neglected graves for us to stand by our comrade and vote for the principles for which they died—only to have their widows and orphans refused an increase of pension by a Democratic Congress, 68 out of 109 voting against it.
It is recorded against your party. VOLUNTEER.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 6, 1881.
Amos Walton has returned from Lawrence.
[THE OLD SOLDIERS.]
Winfield Courier, August 25, 1881.

The meeting at Manning’s hall on Saturday, August 20th, was well attended by the old soldiers. Capt. Haight with a section of his battery, put in a number of shots that sounded like old times to the boys. Messrs. Pixley, Requa, Woodruff, Roseberry, and others furnished old time martial music. At 11 a.m., the meeting was called to order with C. M. Wood in the chair, and Jake Nixon, secretary.
On motion comrades present from the various townships were requested to name their vice presidents. Bolton: Amos Walton.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 31, 1881.
SOLDIERS: ATTENTION. The soldiers in Bolton Township are requested to meet at the Bland schoolhouse on Saturday evening, September 2nd, for the purpose of taking some measures in regard to attending the reunion of Cowley County soldiers at Winfield. Soldiers are requested to notify each other of the meeting, and all are requested to attend.
A. WALTON, Vice President of Bolton Township.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 16, 1881.
Amos Walton returned from Lawrence with a load of apples last week, which he retailed at Winfield at a fair price.
[WEST BOLTON LYCEUM: “REPORTER.”]
Arkansas City Traveler, March 29, 1882.
Editor Traveler: It was my good fortune to be at the closing exercises of the Lyceum at the Guthrie schoolhouse in Bolton Tp., on Tuesday eve, March 21st. The entertainment was a decided success, both financially and artistically. The dialogues were excellent, showing that the performers had given them frequent rehearsals. The essay by Miss Blanche Marshall, “A Visit to Dist. No. 96 in 1890,” was a masterly effort and elicited cheer after cheer during the reading. The court trial in which Mr. W. J. Conway was the prisoner, was tried before a jury consisting of Messrs. Ed. Donnelly, Ed. Gates, and Zane Bland. The legal talent employed in this case (the charge being, “Fined for Misconduct,”) was Mr. A. H. Clark as pros., and Mr. Amos Walton and Wm. Clark for Defendant. At 11:30 p.m. the Society adjourned to meet the first Tuesday evening of November next at 6:30 p.m. REPORTER.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 12, 1882.
What’s to become of Bolton Township? With Hon. C. R. Mitchell in one end; C. M. Scott in the other; and Amos Walton in the middle.
Winfield Courier, April 20, 1882.
Amos Walton dropped in to see us Monday. He reports things booming around Arkansas City, and money circulating freely—although we don’t see how he found out about the money business. The canal is running nicely, mills grinding out the “staff of life,” a gravel train loading daily, and other enterprises going forward. In other words, the city is booming.
Cowley County Courant, April 27, 1882.
We don’t remember of having done a meaner thing than that of receiving a friendly call the other day from Amos Walton, of Arkansas City, and then never saying a word about it. Now Amos is entitled to a good notice, and were it not that we let it run by so long, we would give him a stunner.

Speaking of and seeing Amos brings back many remembrances of Cowley County’s early history. ’Twas he who organized the Farmers’ party in 1872, left his office in town, went to the country farm, broke calves, plowed hedge, salted chickens, trimmed rhubarb trees, and done every kind of work which would identify him with the farming element and make him solid. All this availed him nothing except glory, and the next year he came to Winfield, opened a law office, and did a pretty good business. He afterward published the Plow and Anvil, and made a red hot paper of it. but finally concluded there was no honest way of making a living except that of farming, and drifted into that calling again, the last time as a matter of business. Amos says he is doing well, and we are truly glad to know it. There is one thing sure. While he was leader of the opposition party in Cowley County, he did a good job of it, if the Republicans did abuse him and have a good deal of fun at his expense.
Winfield Courier, May 11, 1882.
 A good story is told on Amos Walton, and as Amos seems to be somewhat before the public, the present is as good a time as any to tell it. One of the Justices of the Peace in Bolton Township approached a leading citizen of Arkansas City recently and requested a donation of ten cents, stating that there was a tobacco-devouring lawyer in his neighborhood who had borrowed enough tobacco of him to kill an elephant, and that he wanted to raise enough to buy him a plug. After going around among the boys, the J. P. returned with a huge plug of “horse-shoe,” which he enclosed in a wrapper addressed to “Amos Walton,” and accompanied by a card bearing the inscription, “From Your Long-suffering Friends! May it Last You a Thousand Years!” Amos has not since been heard from until the publication of his “Open Letter.”
Winfield Courier, August 17, 1882.
Democratic Convention. [From Arkansas City Democrat.]
Amos Walton, Bolton Township, chosen chairman; Samuel Davis, of Winfield, elected Secretary. Delegates to state convention at Emporia August 30: S. L. Gilbert, Winfield; Rudolph Hite, Dexter; Henry S. Rouzee, Beaver; Samuel Davis, Winfield; Richard Courtright, Cedar; Timothy McIntire, Arkansas City; I. D. Harkleroad, Silverdale; Amos Walton, Bolton.
[BOLTON VETERANS.]
Arkansas City Traveler, August 23, 1882.
Among the Veterans of Bolton, the following names, with rank and Regiment, are on the muster roll to attend the reunion at Topeka, Sept. 11th to 16th, 1882.
Amos Walton, Q. M. Sergt., 9th Kas.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 13, 1882.
The Mass meeting announced for last Saturday came off as per programme, and was held in McLaughlin’s Hall in this city. The meeting was called to order by J. B. McCollum, and then proceeded to elect officers, the result being that Judge W. A. Tipton, of Liberty township, was elected President and George O. Allen, of Creswell township, Secretary of the Meeting. H. D. Kellogg was nominated for Representative of the 67th District by acclamation.
The following gentlemen were put in nomination for County Commissioner: Amos Walton, I. D. Harkle­road, and Will Green. Messrs. Walton and Harkleroad withdrew in favor of Mr. Green, who was thereupon nominated by acclamation.

Arkansas City Traveler, November 1, 1882.
The Cheyenne Transporter, of Oct. 13th, whose local editor was at one time a compositor on the A. V. Democrat, and conse­quently knows what he is talking about, says Amos Walton was formerly editor, and is the author of most of the original articles the Democrat contains today.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 8, 1882.
Amos Walton, candidate for County Commissioner, didn’t get elected. That’s too bad.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 15, 1882.
During the revolution of political affairs last Tuesday, Amos Walton was elected County Commissioner over Henry Harbaugh, one of the best commissioners the county ever had. Many a poorer man for the place might have been elected than Mr. Walton. He is a farmer and a lawyer, familiar with the needs and wants of this section, and especially the township in which he resides. We may now look for some action to have the county do something to support our $20,000 Arkansas river bridge.
Winfield Courier, November 16, 1882.
Amos Walton refused to accept the nomination for commissioner of the 2nd district, and gave out in various ways that he would not be a candidate under any consideration, so it was considered that Harbaugh had no competition and would surely be elected. So no attention was paid by the Republicans to that matter. When, on election day, both the Democrat and Greenback tickets came out with Walton’s name, it was a surprise, and was a still greater surprise to the Republicans when Walton came out sixteen votes ahead. It seems that there had been a still hunt for votes for Walton, and altogether it was about the sharpest political management of the campaign.
AMOS WALTON, DEMOCRAT, DEFEATED HENRY HARBAUGH, REPUBLICAN.
VOTE WAS 704 TO 688...16 VOTES DIFFERENT. [COMMISSIONER 2ND DISTRICT.]
Winfield Courier, November 16, 1882.
The first knowledge Winfield folks had of Amos Walton’s candidacy was when the returns began to come in. Amos kind of sneaked in, as it were.
Winfield Courier, November 30, 1882.
Commissioner-elect Walton was in the city Tuesday. He feels reasonably well over the election outcome. Amos may prove better than he looks.
Winfield Courier, January 11, 1883.
The meeting of the County Commissioners of last week was the last of the term of Mr. Henry Harbaugh, late chairman of the board, who is succeeded as commissioner from the second district by Mr. Amos Walton. Mr. Harbaugh has been one of our best commissioners and by his sound judgment and devotion to the interests of the county, been of great value to his constituents. He has won the confidence and respect of the people of this county and carries their good will with him. He is one of the best farmers in the county, and it is a real pleasure to take a look over his splendid farm.
Winfield Courier, January 11, 1883.

Mr. Amos Walton, the new member of the County Board from the second district, is a farmer, lawyer, and an old member of the newspaper craft. As such he is thoroughly well informed and his long residence and active participation in the concerns of the county qualify him for a most able and efficient member. He is the only Democrat who holds an office in this county, and the Democrats are fortunate in having so good a representative. However, we do not expect that politics is going to cut much figure in the matter, and we may expect the same devotion to the interests of the county from him as from any other.
Winfield Courier, February 8, 1883.
Commissioner Walton returned Wednesday of last week from a visit to relatives in Douglas County. He stopped over in Topeka to have a word with Gov. Glick about the sheriff appointment, but arrived too late.
Winfield Courier, February 15, 1883.
Commissioner Walton was in the city Tuesday, on business connected with county affairs.
[BOLTON TOWNSHIP CORRESPONDENT: “J. R. C.”]
Arkansas City Traveler, March 7, 1883.
District 96. Our Lyceum is still in full blast, and, with our corps of able debaters, consisting of Messrs. Walton, Marshall, Conaway, Sumners, Wm. Clark, Andrews, A. H. Clark, Harkins, and a host of others, we feel able to compete with any Lyceum in the county and will accept a challenge to debate from any Lyceum in the county.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 4, 1883.
Communicated. Ed. Traveler: During the past winter the enterprising citizens of Dist. 96, Bolton Township, have conducted a Lyceum, greatly to the instruction and amusement of young and old, under the leadership of J. B. Guthrie, supported by Messrs. Walton, Marshall, Conway, Andrews, and others, not to mention the Clark brothers. The object has been to cultivate a taste for refining literature, as well as to develop the forensic art; and by way of parenthesis, let me say that this is one of the most profitable ways that the denizens of the rural districts can spend the long evenings of the winter months, as it furnishes not simply amusement and recreation, but is specially adapted to prepare the young people to acquit themselves with credit in after life.
[COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]
Winfield Courier, April 12, 1883.
The board met Monday morning. Chairman Smith and Commissioner Johnson present. Considerable routine business in the way of witness and pauper bills was taken up and passed upon. In the afternoon Commissioner Walton came up and the road cases were taken up. Justice Young of Tisdale appeared before the board and asked that the county furnish each Justice of the Peace a copy of Daslers compiled laws as the present session laws now in their possession are broken and generally of no value. He urged it as a matter of economy to the county. T. H. Aley was appointed trustee of Otter Township vice C. R. Myles, deceased. Mr. J. F. Wallace was awarded $30 road damages.
Winfield Courier, May 17, 1883.
Judge Amos Walton called at this office Tuesday. He is in attendance at the District Court.
Arkansas City Traveler, June 13, 1883.
The following list of our soldiers of Bolton Township were furnished us for publication by Gus Lorry, trustee of that township.

Amos Walton, sergt., Co. B, 9th Kansas Cavalry.
[DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.]
Winfield Courier, August 30, 1883.
The Democratic Convention of Cowley County was held at the Courthouse last Saturday the 25th inst. Amos Walton was chairman and Jos. O’Hare secretary.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 31, 1883.
Amos Walton says Nipp is defeated. Amos always was such a cheerful liar that we really enjoy hearing him croak.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 7, 1883.
We are almost moved with tears when we gaze on that shining prophet, Amos Walton. At times we are constrained to remark that Amos is a daisy.
Winfield Courier, November 8, 1883.
Amos Walton was the Democratic striker for Bolton Township. Behold the returns!
Arkansas City Traveler, November 14, 1883.
LOST. Five dollars reward will be paid for reliable information leading to the discovery of the whereabouts of Amos Walton’s influence in Bolton Township. The finder will please leave what can be found of it with the Democratic central committee.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 12, 1883.
Amos Walton did himself proud last Saturday night at the Grand Army supper, making the most effective speech we ever heard from him.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 12, 1883.
The G. A. R. Arkansas City post, No. 158, gave a supper at the Perry house last Saturday night, after which the officers for the coming year were elected. The supper was a most bountiful one, and considering the great rush was very neatly managed. The exercises in McLaughlin’s hall were necessarily cut short, Mr. Walton giving a very appropriate speech to an audience composed of old soldiers and their wives.
[COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.]
Winfield Courier, February 21, 1884.
Office of the County Clerk, Winfield, Kansas, February 12th, 1884. BOARD met in regular session agreeable to adjournment of January 16, 1884. Present: S. C. Smith (Chairman), Amos Walton, Commissioner, County Attorney, and J. S. Hunt, County Clerk.
Winfield Courier, March 6, 1884.
Gus Lorry was up from Bolton Monday; also Commissioner Walton. It was also a field day for township trustees.
[RICHLAND TOWNSHIP: ELECTION.]
Winfield Courier, May 22, 1884.

On May 17, 1884, at a special meeting of the Board of County Commissioners, came Adam Stuber, a resident taxpayer of Richland Township, praying that a special election be called for the purpose to subscribe to the capital stock of the Kansas City & Southwestern Railroad Company $12,000, to aid in construction of the line of railroad from Kansas City, Missouri, through the county of Cowley and through Richland Township to the south line of the state of Kansas, in Sumner County, Kansas, by the way of Winfield, 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 through Richland Township by the way of the Winfield, etc. Election asked to be held June 23, 1884.
Board of County Commissioners: S. C. Smith, Amos Walton, J. A. Irwin. J. S. Hunt, County Clerk.
Arkansas City Republican, July 5, 1884.
The Fourth. The persons who visited our city yesterday witnessed the most memorable celebration that has ever occurred in our city. On the evening of the 3rd the old soldiers lighted their camp fires on the banks of the Walnut, and indulged in a regular old-fashioned army supper. Appropriate speeches were delivered by prominent speakers, and an extremely pleasant evening was enjoyed. Early on the morning of the Fourth, visitors began to arrive and against the time, 10 a.m., had arrived, our streets were well nigh impassible. At the appointed time the Grand Army Post and Arkansas Valley Guards, preceded by the Arkansas City Band, and followed by the multitude in vehicles proceeded to the grounds. At eleven o’clock, prayer was offered by Rev. Fleming, and Rev. J. O. Campbell delivered the oration of the day, which for beauty of conception, depth of thought, and grandeur of delivery could not be surpassed. Dinner was then declared the order of the day, and after a sumptuous feast, eloquent speeches were made by Mr. Stafford, of Iowa, and Mr. Walton, of Bolton. A beautiful selection was recited by Mrs. Ingalls, and the whole exercises were interspersed by choice musical composition by our band. At 4 o’clock a sham battle ensued which for thrilling interest was only slightly inferior to the real. Stands for dancing had been erected and those who chose indulged their fancies to their content. In the evening a magnificent display of fire works interested and entertained large crowds on the street. It is estimated that from six to eight thousand persons were present and what speaks volumes for these people is that not a drunken man was seen. To the indefatigable efforts of the committees, all honor is due. These celebrations awaken the patriotism of the youth of our land and imbue them with a deep love for native land. We trust that all future celebrations here will be as successful as the glorious Fourth just passed.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 6, 1884.
The barbecue and festival given by the colored people in this city last Friday was numerously attended and a most enjoyable time was apparently had. The tables were loaded with all kinds of toothsome viands, and after dinner short speeches were made by Col. T. H. Soward, of Winfield, and Rev. Fleming and Amos Walton, which were duly appreciated. Prof. Farringer’s band, from Winfield, were in attendance and discoursed elegant music. The weather was decidedly propitious and, everything considered, the affair was a success and reflected much credit upon the part of the management.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 20, 1884.
The farmers’ meeting for the purpose of discussing the question of securing a woolen mill at this place was organized by the election of A. C. Williams as chairman and Amos Walton as secretary. After considerable favorable talk by those present, the following resolution was passed:
Resolved, That the erection of a mill for the manufacture of woolens at Arkansas City would be a benefit to every farmer in Cowley County.

The following committee was then appointed to work up a full meeting on Saturday, the 23rd of August, at 2 o’clock, in the Highland Hall, at which time will be developed to all those interested the full status of the matter: Mr. Lowe, I. D. Harkleroad, Frank Lorry, John Myrtle, Wm. Trimble, and Wm. Wright. The meeting then adjourned to August 23, at 2 o’clock. A. WALTON, Secretary.
Winfield Courier, August 21, 1884.
Visitors from Lawrence. Last week our city was visited by Paul R. Brooks, and Alexander Shaw, of the Lawrence council, and Messrs. Wm. Draper, J. C. Walton, and John Walton, county commissioners. The last named is a brother of our commissioner Walton. They were examining our Water Works system and stone quarries. One of the Walton’s is a contractor and has been using Junction City stone. He much prefers our stone and will make an effort to use it. The gentlemen all expressed themselves as highly pleased with our city and its prospects.
Arkansas City Republican, September 6, 1884.
Amos Walton, and his sister, Mrs. Wm. Benedict, left Monday afternoon for Lawrence, where they will visit their father and attend the fair.
Arkansas City Republican, September 20, 1884.
B. Walton, of Lawrence, is here visiting relatives. He is a brother of Amos Walton and Mrs. Wm. Benedict.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 1, 1884.
Last Monday was a political red letter day for Arkansas City, two conventions holding forth at the same time.
The Democratic Convention for placing in nomination a candidate for representative from this district met in the opera house at 11 a.m., and effected a temporary organization by electing Amos Walton chairman and E. G. Gage secretary. After appointing the various committees, adjournment was taken until 1 p.m. In the afternoon the temporary organization was sustained. The committee on resolutions reported the following.
It is hereby declared that we accept the platform of the national Democratic party and the candidates thereon.
Further, that the state Democratic platform embodies our views and the candidates named upon it are worthy of our support and work.
Further, that justice to the people of Kansas demands a fair and square resubmission of the constitutional amendment to the end that it may be settled forever as to the question of prohibition.
Resolved, That the arrest of persons at Rock Falls, in the Indian Territory, by the military authorities, without due process of law, and taking them beyond the jurisdiction of the court of said district, is an outrage upon humanity, and is an usurpation unwarranted by the letter or spirit of our constitution and dangerous to personal liberty.
An informal ballot for representative was then taken, resulting in 18 votes for I. D. Harkleroad and 16 for A. J. Pyburn. Mr. Pyburn rose and disclaimed any desire for the office, advising the convention to nominate Mr. Harkleroad by acclamation. A vote was then taken by townships and Mr. Harkleroad was nominated by a vote of 22 to 15. The nomination was then made unanimous, after which a central committee was elected and the convention adjourned.

Arkansas City Traveler, October 8, 1884.
Following is a complete list of stockholders in the Arkansas City Woolen Manufacturing Company, mention of which was made last week.
T. H. McLaughlin, Arkansas City Bank, Frank J. Hess, Wm. Sleeth, H. P. Farrar, Landes, Beall & Co., Sanborn & Gordon, H. Endicott, A. Walton, J. A. McIntyre, I. D. Harkleroad, W. E. Gooch, F. W. Farrar, A. A. Wiley, R. A. Houghton, T. J. Gilbert, A. Campbell, G. W. Cunningham, Schiffbauer Bros., A. [?] Andrews [Not sure of first initial.], Fitch & Barron, S. Matlack, J. B. Nipp, A. A. Newman, James Hill, E. H. Parker, T. D. Richardson, Benedict & Owen, D. Warren, J. H. Sherburne, J. N. T. Gooch, Uriah Spray, Theo Fairclo, H. D. Kellogg, Ira Barnett, A. J. Chapel, S. F. George, G. W. Miller, P. F. Endicott, Jamison Vawter, Kimmel & Moore, N. C. Hinkley, L. McLaughlin.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 29, 1884.
See notice to hunters in another column.
NOTICE TO HUNTERS. We, the undersigned, hereby give notice that we will prosecute to the full extent of the law all persons who may be found hunting upon our premises.
JOHN LINTON, C. J. BECK, J. D. GUTHRIE, S. MATLACK, A. A. NEWMAN, WILL McGINNIS, D. P. MARSHALL, S. F. DAVIS, S. J. TAFT, THOS. BAIRD, JOHN A. SCOTT, I. SHURTZ, D. D. JONES, AMOS WALTON, JOHN CORLETT, HOWARD TRIMBLE, JAS. ARMSTRONG, W. J. CONAWAY, GEO. SMOTHERS, LEWIS BASS.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 29, 1884.
A Merited Endorsement. The following is a copy of the certificate of approval of the valuable services of two faithful and efficient officers by the county commissioners.
          OFFICE OF COUNTY CLERK, WINFIELD, KANSAS, October 13th, 1884.
To L. B. Stone, Esq., Retiring Treasurer: The county commissioners desire to express their satisfaction for the uniform courtesy, close attention to business, and order in your accounts manifested in your associations with us, and desire to send you on retiring, their best wishes for your future. We also desire to express the same testimonial of appreciation for your efficient and courteous deputy, Mr. W. J. Wilson.
S. C. SMITH, AMOS WALTON, J. A. IRWIN. Attest: J. S. HUNT, County Clerk.
Arkansas City Republican, December 6, 1884.

The question of utilizing that vast, though ever-changing current of water known as the Upper Arkansas River, flowing through our state from northwest to southeast, and making it the highway to a southern market, has been a living project with the enterprising agricultural people of Cowley, Sumner, Sedgwick, and those counties lying along and contiguous thereto, ever since the first settlement of that fertile valley in 1870. Owing to their remote distance from a railroad or a market, and the consequent cost of transporting the vast surplus of wheat raised in Cowley and Sumner, has this matter been of vital interest to the people living within their borders. The subject has been discussed in the field and in the grange, has been the slogan of the country politician and the shibboleth of the farmers. It has been resolved upon by the conscientious, petitioned for by representatives, and memorialized by our state legislature until congress has taken the matter under consideration, and appointed a commission of competent engineers to personally visit, examine, and report on the feasibility of opening up the stream for navigation, from some point near the terminus of the Wichita branch of the Santa Fe railroad to Little Rock, Arkansas.
In view of these facts, a brief account of the local and individual efforts to solve the problem will doubtless be of interest. During the fall of 1875, A. W. Berkey and S. C. Winton, of Cowley County, built a small flat-boat at Arkansas City, loaded it with flour, and started town the river, bound for Little Rock. While they may not have seen the “unexplored wilderness” that lay between De Soto and the dream of his ambition or the dangers that beset Coronado in his march of disappointment through undiscovered Kansas, to encounter yet four hundred and fifty miles of an unknown river, guarded by semi-barbarous people who had no particular good feeling towards a frontiersman, laying between them and civilization, presented anything but a cheerful outlook for this pioneer voyage. The trip was made, however, without misadventure, and in a reasonable length of time. The produce disposed of, the navigators returned overland to Arkansas City, and reported a fair depth of water and a lively current from the state line to Fort Gibson.
On the strength of this report, a joint stock company was immediately organized, and an agent appointed to proceed at once to the Ohio river and purchase a suitable steamer to ply between the points named. A light draught wharf packet was procured, and a point known as Webber’ Falls, between Little Rock and Fort Gibson reached on her upward trip. Here it was found that her engines were of insufficient power to stem the current, so she was taken back to Little Rock, and there sold at a loss to her owners of twenty-five hundred dollars.
This failure temporarily dampened the ardor of even the enthusiastic pathfinders, and nothing further was attempted until the summer of 1878, when Messrs. W. H. Speers and Amos Walton, two leading public spirited citizens of the county, equipped a “ferry flat” with a 10 horsepower threshing machine engine, and by several trips up and down the river for a distance of 60 miles from Arkansas City, demonstrated beyond a doubt that a steamer could be successfully propelled on the Arkansas River at any season of the year. The flat was fifty feet long, sixteen feet wide, and drew ten inches of water. This novel little craft visited Grouse Creek, the Walnut River, Salt City, the Kaw Indian Agency, Oxford, and other points along the river, and attracted crowds of people wherever it went. At Oxford a public reception was tendered its officers and crew. These experimental trips were all made while the river was at its lowest stage, and prior to the annual “June rise.”
Soon after this, and while the “ferry flat” was still prominently before the public, Mr. I. H. Bonsall, an experienced engineer and prominent citizen of Arkansas City, corresponded with the businessmen of Little Rock, and induced them to send a boat on a trial trip to the upper country. The little steamer, “Aunt Sally,” a tug built for the deep, sluggish bayous of Arkansas, and used in the local cotton trade there, was selected and manned for the purpose. Though not designed for swift water, this crude little steamer made the complete voyage, and, in command of Captains Lewis and Baker, with Mr. Chapman as pilot, landed safely at Arkansas City, and was moored there, in the Walnut River, Sunday morning, June 30th, 1878. The officers reported sufficient water and a safe current for light draught steamers for the entire distance, and expressed themselves of the opinion that a boat built especially for the purpose could run regularly between the two states every day in the year.

Soon after the “Aunt Sally” returned south, Henry and Albert Pruden, and O. J. Palmer, of Salt City, Sumner County, started for Little Rock with a “ferry flat” loaded with seven hundred bushels of wheat. The wheat was sold at a good round figure, and the gentlemen returned, reporting a successful trip and a good stage of water.
On their return, the businessmen of Arkansas City, finding that steamboat owners in the lower country were not disposed to adventure up so far with their boats, resolved to build a steamer themselves, and with it make regular trips between their city and the Indian agencies in the Territory. After several attempts to find men of experience to take the matter in charge, McCloskey Seymore secured the service of Mr. Cyrus Wilson, who began the building of a boat for the purposes named.
Wednesday afternoon, November 6, 1878, the “Cherokee,” the first steamboat ever built in Kansas, was successfully launched at Arkansas City. The hull of this boat is 83 feet long, 18 feet wide on the bottom, and 85 feet long, and 18 feet wide on the boiler deck; beam, 22 feet, with guards extending 2 feet around a model bow. She carries two twenty horsepower engines, and with all her machinery draws less than eight inches of water, and, when loaded to the guards, will not draw over sixteen inches. The shallowest water found on the bars between Wichita and Little Rock during the lowest stage of the river was eighteen inches. From this it will be seen that the “Cherokee” will answer the purposes for which it was built, and be of great service in transporting the supplies from these counties to the Indian agencies lying south and east of Arkansas City.
With the Arkansas River open for navigation, and a good line of boats and barges making regular trips from Arkansas City, business of all kinds will receive a fresh impetus in Southern Kansas. There will be no railroad monopolies, no “pooling of earnings,” and no forming of combinations to affect the interest of the producers. The farmers of this locality will then have a highway of their own by which they can exchange their surplus wheat, flour, and corn for the coal and lumber of the Lower Arkansas.
                                                                      ---
We furnish this bit of navigation reminiscence to our readers to show what has been done to make the Arkansas navigable. It is taken from the biennial report of the state board of Agriculture. The scheme which has now been made practicable by our millers was contemplated and experimented on as early as 1875. It will be seen that “Aunt Sally” made a successful voyage and her officers pronounced sufficient water and a safe current for light draught steamers for the entire distance, such as our millers are now building. Mr. Moorehead will remain in Arkansas City for a short time and then go east to pay a visit. His next trip will be up the Arkansas on the millers boat, which is now being constructed. He has no doubts whatever but what we will be shipping merchandise down the river within 60 days. It will be a great day when that occurs. The failure of the “Cherokee” and others to make a successful trip was because they were not constructed properly. They were not built for such shallow water.
Arkansas City Republican, December 20, 1884.
G. F. Thomas, the gentleman mentioned in the REPUBLICAN last week as being here from Lawrence, purchased the Pierce place, half a mile northwest of town. It contained 73 acres without any improvements and the consideration was $2,500. Mr. Thomas, when he returns here, will start a dairy. He also bought a residence of S. A. Hoffman. J. L. Howard manipulated the sale. Mr. Thomas is an old friend of Amos Walton.

Arkansas City Traveler, December 24, 1884.
Amos Walton is located over the Cowley County Bank with Judge Pyburn now. Amos says he has the cheapest money in the city to loan on real estate. He will also engage again in the law business.
Arkansas City Republican, December 27, 1884.
Amos Walton is assisting Judge Pyburn in the legal business.
Arkansas City Republican, January 3, 1885.
Money to Loan on Real Estate. Pyburn & Walton over Cowley County Bank.
[FARMERS’ INSTITUTE.]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 5, 1885.
A two-day convention was held at Winfield, Kansas, on January 29-30, 1885, at which a decision was reached to form a Farmers’ Institute.
J. F. Martin was elected chairman; F. A. A. Williams, secretary; Dr. Perry, treasurer, and J. S. Baker and Mr. Foster, vice-presidents. At the afternoon session there was a very good attendance. A number of ladies and some farmers from distant parts of the county attended. Profs. Shelton and Fallyer and Supt. Thompson of the agricultural college were on hand as well as Mr. Heath of the Kansas Farmer. The exercises were opened by President Martin in a paper on forestry, which excited a good deal of interest and discussion. In the discussion Mr. Adams favored the improvement of school grounds by the planting of trees—suggesting that each child plant a tree. On Friday afternoon, January 30, 1885, the first business taken up was the formation of a permanent farmers’ organization for Cowley County. Mr. D. M. Adams moved that a committee of one from each township be appointed to perfect a plan of organization. Carried. It was also agreed that the present officers hold over until the final organization be effected. It was moved and seconded that sub-committees on organization be effected. It was moved and seconded that sub-committees on organization and plan of work be appointed. Carried. The chair named the following gentlemen on organization—Dr. Perry and F. A. A. Williams; and on plan of work—M. A. Markham and F. W. McClellan.
The full township committee was made up as follows: Bolton, Amos Walton; Beaver, F. H. Burton; Vernon, R. J. Yeoman; Ninnescah, L. Stout; Rock, S. P. Strong; Fairview, T. S. Green; Walnut, F. W. McClellan; Pleasant Valley, A. H. Broadwell; Silverdale, George Green; Tisdale, J. S. Baker; Winfield, Dr. Perry; Liberty, J. C. McCloy; Richland, D. C. Stevens; Omnia, W. R. Stolp; Silver Creek, John Stout; Harvey, R. S. Strother; Windsor, Samuel Fall; W. E. Merydith, Dexter; J. H. Service, Cedar; Mr. Mills, Otter; J. R. Smith, Sheridan; Mr. Fitzsimmons, Maple, Ed. Green, Creswell; and H. S. Libby, Spring Creek. This committee with the sub-committees and officers were requested to meet at the Courier office on Saturday, February 14th, at one o’clock P. M.

A short discussion on stock raising followed, introduced by a question as to the profit of feeding yearling steers. The general opinion seemed to be that with a good grade of cattle, it might be done profitably. Prof. Shelton stated that an acquaintance of his fed young steers (high grade short horn) which he marked at one and a half years old, and found them more profitable than any others he handled; he also stated that fine stock must be well kept or they would rapidly deteriorate. You may take two pure bred short-horn heifers and breed them to the same or equally good males, but starve and expose the one and well treat the other, and in two or three generations the progeny of the one which was starved will be miserable scrubs, while the descendants of the other will hold their own or improve. If a man is going to starve and expose his stock, he had better not handle anything but Texans; they are the only kind that will prove profitable under such treatment. At this point the chairman rose and stated that the college professors would have to leave at 3 o’clock and if the institute wished to get any more light from them, they must do it before that time and carry on any desired discussion afterwards.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, February 19, 1885.
Cowley’s Farmer’s Institute is now a permanency. A good number of our wide-awake farmers met at the COURIER office Saturday last with Mr. J. S. Baker, of Tisdale, in the chair and Mr. F. A. A. Williams, of Winfield, Secretary. Dr. C. Perry, chairman of the committee on organization, submitted a plan of organization, which was discussed and adopted as follows.
WHEREAS, Everyone engaged in the business of agriculture can be benefitted by having at command the combined experiences of practical men engaged in said business, and more particularly so where the peculiarities of climate and soil have to be learned before successful results can be obtained; and
WHEREAS, That if a proper spirit of emulation can be excited among us the result will be that the standing of the agricultural profession will be raised in the estimation of the whole community in this region and that values of agricultural property will be greatly enhanced.
Therefore, we, the undersigned farmers in Cowley County, do hereby organize ourselves into an association to be called The Farmers Institute of Cowley County, Kansas.
The objects of this association will be to hold regular meetings for the discussion of agricultural topics and the dissemination of facts, which shall tend to produce the results before stated. Anyone interested in the cultivation of the soil or the raising of livestock can become a member of this association by the annual payment of the sum of fifty cents.
The officers of this Association shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, who shall be elected annually and who shall perform the duties usually required of such officers. There shall be a Board of Directors, which shall be composed of the aforesaid officers, ex-officio and one member in each township, who shall take in charge the interests of the Association, each in his respective township, and to have for a part of his duty the organization of a local Farmers Club auxiliary to this Association. The before named Board of Directors to have the complete management of the affairs of this Association. The officers of the Association shall be the officers of the Board who, with two directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. There shall be an annual meeting of this society continuing two or more days for the election of officers and for the discussion of agricultural topics in accordance with a program arranged by said Board of Directors, and there shall also be such other meetings as the Board of Directors shall call. Any other rules and regulations can be added to these articles of association by a majority vote of members present at the annual meeting.

After the adoption of the plan of organization, the following members were enrolled, and paid their admission fee: G. L. Gale, M. H. Markcum, R. J. Yeoman, J. S. Baker, J. F. Martin, F. W. McClellan, W. E. Merydith, F. H. Burton, Dr. C. Perry, R. T. Thirsk, A. H. Broadwell, D. C. Stevens, H. McKibben, S. P. Strong, and F. A. A. Williams.
The officers of the Institute were selected as follows: Mr. S. P. Strong, of Rock township, President; Mr. F. W. McClellan, of Walnut, Vice President; Mr. F. A. A. Williams, of Winfield, Secretary; Mr. M. H. Markcum, of Pleasant Valley, Treasurer.
The following board of township directors was elected, conditioned on their becoming members of the organization.
Bolton, Amos Walton; Beaver, F. H. Burton; Vernon, R. J. Yeoman; Ninnescah, L. Stout; Rock, E. J. Wilber; Fairview, T. S. Green; Walnut, R. T. Thirsk; Pleasant Valley, A. H. Broadwell; Silverdale, George Green; Tisdale, J. S. Baker; Winfield, Dr. Perry; Liberty, J. C. McCloy; Richland, D. C. Stevens; Omnia, W. R. Stolp; Silver Creek, John Stout; Harvey, R. S. Strother; Windsor, Samuel Fall; Dexter, W. E. Merydith; Cedar, J. H. Service; Otter, Mr. Mills; Sheridan, J. R. Smith; Maple, Mr. Fitzsimmons, Creswell, Ed. Green; Spring Creek, H. S. Libby.
On motion, M. H. Markcum, F. W. McClellan, and Dr. C. Perry were appointed a committee on plan of work. Jas. F. Martin was elected honorary vice president of the Institute by a unanimous rising vote.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, February 21, 1885.
The directors of the Farmers Co-operative Milling Exchange met at the Windsor Hotel Wednesday evening. The meeting was called to order by the temporary president, and D. P. Marshall was chosen temporary Secretary. The roll of Directors was called, and the following persons answered to their names: H. Harbaugh, T. W. Gant, D. W. Ramage, John Myrtle, D. P. Marshall, A. V. Alexander, C. W. Jones, F. H. Brown, G. Greene, and Ed Grady. After which the charter was read and approved. The constitution and by-laws were then read section by section and adopted as a whole. On a motion the Secretary was instructed to have 500 copies of charter, constitution, and by-laws printed in pamphlet form. Also a copy of today’s proceedings published in the papers of this city, and in one of the papers at Winfield. The organization was then completed and the following officers elected: Henry Harbaugh, President; Ed. Grady, Vice President; D. P. Marshall, Secretary; John Myrtle, Treasurer; T. W. Gant, General Manager. It was decided to hold regular meetings the first Monday in each month. The meeting then adjourned to meet on February 25th.
H. HARBAUGH, Pres.; D. P. MARSHALL, Secretary.
The following are the ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.
FIRST. The name of the incorporation shall be “farmers co-operative milling exchange.”
SECOND. The purposes for which it is formed shall be the construction and operation of a flour mill for the purpose of doing an exchange and general milling business.
THIRD. The place of business of said corporation shall be at Arkansas City, and on the canal adjacent thereto in Cowley County, Kansas.
FOURTH. The term for which said corporation shall exist shall be ninety-nine years.

FIFTH. The number of directors of said corporation shall be thirteen and the names and residences are as follows: H. Harbaugh, Winfield; T. W. Gant, Arkansas City; D. W. Ramage, Arkansas City; John Myrtle, Arkansas City; C. F. Snyder, Arkansas City; D. P. Marshall, Arkansas City; A. V. Alexander, Arkansas City; C. W. Jones, Minneapolis, Minnesota; F. H. Brown, Constant; G. Greene, Silverdale; Ed. Grady, Arkansas City; J. L. Andrews, Maple City.
SIXTH. The amount of capital stock of said corporation shall be $75,000 and shall be divided into 2,000 shares.
We, the undersigned, hereby subscribe our names to within articles of incorporation.
AMOS WALTON, D. P. MARSHALL, C. W. JONES, A. V. ALEXANDER, T. W. GANT.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, March 7, 1885.
Last night occurred again one of those pleasant A. O. U. W.’s socials. Amos Walton made an excellent address on the “Good of the order,” and recitations were rendered by Maud Sifford, Walter Pickering, Maggie Ford, Flora Kreamer, and Wyatt Hutchison.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 29, 1885.
Steamboat Enterprise. In Geuda Springs a stock company has been formed to run a steamboat between that place and Arkansas City. The directors chosen are George Ferris, J. H. Noble, Will M. Berkey, and B. F. Hall, of that city, and C. L. Swarts, Amos Walton, and A. V. Alexander, of Arkansas City. An investigation of the Arkansas River between the two points named, shows a course in no place less than fifteen inches deep, the shallowest place being found just south of the large island below the ferry. A boat 20 by 75 feet is to be built, with a draft of 12 inches. It is expected the boat will be ready to make trips two months from date.
[CITY COUNCIL.]
Arkansas City Traveler, May 6, 1885.
A Bomb Shell in the Council. Monday evening a regular meeting of the city council was held, Mayor Schiffbauer presiding. When most of the routine business was performed, Mr. Amos Walton presented himself, and asked to call the attention of the mayor and council to a law passed at the last session of the state Legislature (Senate Bill No. 145), which requires as a qualification to the office of mayor or councilman that the incumbent be an owner of real estate in the city. Councilman Rarick said the provision of law had just come to his knowledge, and as he was not an owner of real estate in the city, he felt himself disqualified to hold his seat. He had written out his resignation that morning to tender to the council, and he now gave notice that he should no longer perform the functions of councilman.
Some debate followed this tender as to what should be done with the resignation, but it was decided that no action was required, as the gentleman was not a member and the law declared that fact.
But in the morning a new trouble arose. It was talked on the sidewalk that Mayor Schiffbauer and Councilmen Thompson and Davis, were also ineligible to hold office, they not being the owners of real estate in the city. This seemed to have a paralyzing effect on the honorable board, as the members did not present themselves to sit in committee of the whole. The matter was talked over by the groups on the sidewalk, and the question whether their past acts were valid caused a feeling of painful uncertainty.

At 10 o’clock the council met, Mayor Schiffbauer again in the chair. The recent act of the legislature was discussed, and “what are you going to do about it?” seemed a poser to our legislative Solons. Mr. Hill desired that some intelligent proceedings be taken to learn the facts in the matter; and after various suggestions were offered, it was finally resolved that the roll of the members be called and they be asked to declare whether they were owners of real estate within corporation limits. The mayor said he owned real estate; the councilmen from the first ward (Hight and Hill) also declared themselves real estate owners, Messrs. Dunn and Dean, of the second ward, had the necessary qualification; Capt. Thompson, of the third ward, declared himself a property holder, Capt. Rarick, of the same ward, was not in his seat, Councilman Davis, of the 4th ward, reported himself not a property owner, Mr. H. G. Bailey said he had the necessary qualification. This left two members ineligible on their own statements. The mayor questioned whether Councilman Bailey was ineligible to serve. He owned a homestead in the city although it was held in his wife’s name. She could not dispose of it without his assent and joint signature to the deed, and hence his mayor regarded him as a property owner. But Mr. Bailey took a different view of the matter. He said he did not own a lot on the city plat, he was not listed as the owner of real estate, and hence the law made him ineligible.
The talk on the subject is that two other members of the city government are in the same box with the fourth ward member, and a number of our citizens declared that elections must be held to fill their places. The question is referred to the attorney general of the state for an opinion, and when that official gives his views, a way will be devised to disentangle the snarl.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 7, 1885.
To all persons owning lands on the line of the Kansas City and Southwestern Railroad Company, as the same is now or may be located through the County of Cowley, in the State of Kansas.
You and each of you, are hereby notified that the undersigned Board of County Commissioners of Cowley County, in the state of Kansas, will on the 8th of June, A. D. 1885, on the north line of section number six (6) in township number (80) south of range number seven (7) east in Cowley County, Kansas, where the line of said railroad enters said section, commence and from day to day (Sundays excepted), proceed southwesterly along the line of said road, through the townships of Harvey, Omnia, Richland, Fairview and Walnut in said county to the city of Winfield in said county and thence to the city of Arkansas City in said county, and thence in a southwesterly direction to the south line of said county, and lay off a route for said railroad, and appraise the value of the land taken from each quarter section or lot of land through and over which said line of railroad is now or may be located in said county, and assess and adjudge the damages to each quarter section or lot of land through and over which said line of railroad is now or may be located in said county.
S. C. SMITH, J. A. IRWIN, AMOS WALTON, County Commissioners of Cowley County, Kansas.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 7, 1885.
WHEREAS, on the 5th day of May, A. D. 1885, at a meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Cowley, State of Kansas, the following, among other proceedings, were had by and before said Board of Commissioners and duly entered of record on the journal of their proceedings of that day, to-wit;
“In the matter of the Denver, Memphis and Atlantic Railway:

Now on this 5th day of May, A. D. 1885, at a session of the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Cowley, State of Kansas, duly holden at the Court House in the City of Winfield, in said county, present, S. C. Smith, chairman, Amos Walton and J. A. Irwin, members of said Board, and J. S. Hunt, county clerk, comes J. Wade McDonald, attorney for the Denver, Memphis and Atlantic railway; and presents to the said Board the petition of J. M. Barrick and seventy-eight other resident tax payers of the municipal township of Fairview, of said county of Cowley, praying that a special election be called for the purpose of submitting to the voters of said township a proposition for said township to subscribe to the capital stock of the Denver, Memphis and Atlantic railway, to the amount of ten thousand (10,000) dollars, and to issue the bonds of said township in the sum of ten thousand (10,000) dollars in payment for said stock upon the terms and conditions in said petition mentioned and provided for; said petition being in the words and figures following, to-wit;
To the Honorable Board of County Commissioners of Cowley County, Kansas.
We, the undersigned petitioners, resident taxpayers of Fairview township, in Cowley County, respectfully ask that you submit to the qualified electors of said township, at a special election to be called for that purpose, the following proposition, to-wit;
Shall the Board of County Commissioners of Cowley County order the County Clerk, for and in behalf of said township, to subscribe for twenty shares of $500 each of the capital stock of the Denver, Memphis and Atlantic Railway, in accordance with the laws of the State of Kansas, and in payment therefor issue the bonds of said township, running thirty years, bearing six percent interest, payable semi-annually, redeemable after ten years, at the will of said township, provided said township shall give one year’s notice to the Fiscal Agency of the State of Kansas at New York City, of their election to call any of said bonds, upon the following conditions, namely;
When the roadbed of said railway is built and track laid, of standard gauge, and cars running thereon, from a connection with the Missouri Pacific, or the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf, or the St. Louis, Fort Scott & Wichita Railroad, through said township, with a suitable depot and side track sufficient to accommodate the business, located at the most convenient and practicable point in said township, the bonds of said township, to the amount of $10,000 shall be delivered to said railway, upon the delivery by said railway to the County Treasurer of twenty shares, of five hundred dollars each, of the full paid capital stock of the said railway, issued for and in the name of said township.
Unless said road shall be completed as aforesaid, within two years from the time of voting said bonds, said railway shall forfeit all right to said township bonds.
The form of ballot to be used at such election shall be as follows: “For the subscription to stock and issue of bonds to the Denver, Memphis & Atlantic Railway;” and “Against the subscription to stock and issue of bonds to the Denver, Memphis & Atlantic Railway.”
And your petitioners will ever pray.

And said Board of County Commissioners having duly heard, examined and considered said petition together, with the evidence in support thereof, doth find that said petition is in writing and is signed by more than two-fifths of the resident tax-payers of said township, and it is in all respects according to, and sufficient in law. It is therefore ordered by the Board of County Commissioners, of the county of Cowley, State of Kansas, that a special election be held in the municipal township of Fairview, of said county, on Wednesday, the 10th day of June, A. D. 1885, and that thirty days notice be given by the Sheriff of said county, by publication in THE WINFIELD COURIER, a weekly newspaper printed and published at the city of Winfield, in the said county of Cowley, and of general circulation in the township of Fairview, for the determination by the qualified electors of said township, of the following proposition, to-wit;
Shall the board of County Commissioners of Cowley County order the County Clerk, for and in behalf of said township, to subscribe for twenty shares of $500 each of the capital stock of the Denver, Memphis & Atlantic Railway, in accordance with the laws of the State of Kansas, and in payment therefor, issue the bonds of said township, running thirty years, bearing six percent interest, payable semi-annually, redeemed after ten years, at the will of said township, provided said township shall give one years notice to the Fiscal Agency of the State of Kansas at New York City of their election to call any of said bonds, upon the following conditions, namely;
When the roadbed of said railway is built and track laid, of standard gauge, and cars running thereon, from a connection with the Missouri Pacific, or the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf, or St. Louis, Fort Scott and Wichita Railroad, through said township, with a suitable depot and side track sufficient to accommodate the business, located at the most convenient and practicable point in said township, the bonds of said township, to the amount of $10,000 shall be delivered to said railroad, upon the delivery by said railway to the County Treasurer of twenty shares, of five hundred dollars each, of the full paid capital stock of the said railway, issued for and in the name of said township.
Unless said road shall be completed as aforesaid, within two years from the time of voting said bonds, said railway shall forfeit all right to said township bonds.
And it is further ordered that the form of ballot to be used at such election shall be as follows: “For the subscription to stock and issue of bonds to the Denver, Memphis & Atlantic Railway,” and “Against the Subscription to stock and issue of bonds to the Denver, Memphis and Atlantic Railway.”
Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 14, 1885.

Advertising Railroad Elections. James A. Irwin, of the board of county commissioners, is one of the tried and true men of this county, and his judgment is always clear and intelligent. In the matter of advertising the township railroad elections, he saw at once the propriety and justice of placing the proposition for each township in the local paper published in such township, because it was in no sense a county matter paid by the county and there is no reason that it should be published in the official paper of the county as urged, and because the local paper only pays township taxes and works especially for the benefit of the particular township, and is entitled to the benefit of the patronage paid for by his township. In pursuance of this principle, he promptly voted to place the proclamation for Ninnescah township in the Udall Sentinel, but in the first instance he was in a minority of one, then AMOS WALTON saw the injustice of the thing and immediately changed his vote to the Sentinel, which gave it the job. We have had many differences of opinion with Mr. Walton on personal, local, and political matters, but these have not so prejudiced us against him that we fail to see his sterling qualities, his wide intelligence, his sagacity, energy, and love of justice. We specially commend him in this act in favor of the Sentinel.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, May 27, 1885.
Geuda Springs Herald: Our steamboat company have gone to work in earnest now. Mr. Amos Walton, the president of the association, was over to see the members of the board at the end of the route Wednesday. Arrangements were made to go to work soon. The engine and boiler will probably be purchased inside of two weeks.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 28, 1885.
The barge line between Geuda Springs and Arkansas City seems to be materializing. The Herald says: “Our steamboat company have gone to work in earnest now. Mr. Amos Walton, the president of the association, was over to see the members of the board at the end of the route Wednesday. Arrangements were made to go to work soon. The engine and boiler will probably be purchased inside of two weeks.”
[FAIR.]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 28, 1885.
“PREMIUM LIST” OF Cowley Co. Fair.
Class A.—HORSES. AMOS WALTON, Supt.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, June 13, 1885.
EDITOR OF THE REPUBLICAN: SIR: I desire to call the attention of the public to the following quotations from the “Traveler” of the 16th.
“The repair of roads and bridges lying outside the city limits, over which general traffic passes, lies with the county; and the county commissioners, who, from any feeling of jealousy or other selfish cause, neglect to perform this important duty, are false to the trust reposed to them by the people, and this neglect becomes oppressive and unjust.”
And again from the same article: “This loose-jointed way of whipping the devil around the stump is forced upon our citizens because of the refusal of the county commissioners to perform their duty, and this is why we say a state law should be passed requiring such bodies to keep bridges and roads in repair, and then if they neglect, there is a chance to get after them with a mandamus.”
I now publish from statutes of 1885.
“SECTION 1. The township trustee, clerk, and treasurer of each municipal township in the state shall constitute a board of commissioners of highways and township auditing board for their respective townships.
“SECTION 5, same chapter. The said board shall have charge of the roads and bridges of their respective townships, and it shall be their duty to keep the same in repair, and to improve them as far as practicable. Whenever the available means at their disposal will permit, they shall construct permanent roads beginning where most needed.”
I have only this to say, that ignorance is no excuse for an editor in criticism of public officers when the means of knowledge are easy of access, and further, that public officers have sufficient to answer for in proper criticism for errors of judgment in matters for which they are responsible, without unjust criticism in regard to matters entirely out of their control.
A. WALTON.
Arkansas City Republican, June 13, 1885.

Amos Walton, with the other commissioners, were up in the north part of the county, Monday, condemning right-of-way for the K. C. & S. W. R. R. He says the graders were just crossing the Butler County line into Cowley County.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, June 27, 1885.
THE CO-OPERATIVE MILL. The stockholders held a meeting at the office of the company on the 20th inst. Considering the weather and the press of farm work, the attendance was unexpectedly large, numbering nearly 200. D. P. Marshall, secretary, stated the object of the meeting to be to amend the charter and constitution. L. W. Gant, general manager, offered a resolution striking out the words, “and on the canal adjacent thereto,” as found in the third section of the charter and in the constitution. After some discussion the amendment was adopted by a unanimous vote.
A motion was then made that in view of the many contingencies attending the water power, we recommend to the board of directors the adoption of steam power, which was carried by a unanimous vote. Mr. Walton being called upon for a speech, said he had been in favor of water power; but after investigating the matter, he was of the opinion that steam was the best power to adopt. It would cost a little more, but the loss of time would more than compensate for the extra expense and would be more satisfactory to the farmers. He then discussed the division of profits of the mill. He was followed by Mr. Ramage, who favored the English system of dividing the dividends. Mr. Vooris said that there some years that the big fish would eat up the little ones. Mr. Fuller said the object now was to build the mill and divide the profits afterwards; that we should build the mill if it took two or three years to do it and we shouldn’t expect to get dividends for some time to come. He didn’t expect to get any on his stock for several years and he was not in favor of trying to cross the bridge before we got there. Build the mill and divide the profits afterwards was his policy. Mr. Gant said that he agreed with Mr. Fuller. He regarded the discussion on profits and dividends as premature. Those things would adjust themselves when there was anything to adjust. As to the little fish being in danger from the big ones, the danger was on the other side. That we had ten stockholders of $100 and under to one above that amount. And as long as the little fish had the same vote of the big fish and that they numbered ten to one, he failed to see that Mr. Vooris or anyone else was in danger of being eaten up.

There had been many idle rumors circulated by parties interested in the defeat of the enterprise by poisoning the minds of farmers and creating apprehension and distrust in the hope of ultimately defeating the enterprise by such underground work. They would influence some, but we would build the mill. No enterprise worth anything ever attained success unless it encountered difficulties and trials.      Determination and perseverance in a good cause will always overcome difficulties and succeed in the end. Every stockholder is morally bound to every other stockholder to do his duty to advance the interest of the enterprise and legally bound to perform his obligations instead of stopping to cavil about dividing the profits. We want to put our shoulders to the wheel and in our united strength push the work to a successful completion. In union there is strength. It is the purpose and intention of the board to build a mill that every stockholder will be proud to own and that will be a blessing to the country and that will mete out evenhanded justice to every stockholder whether he be a big or a little fish and deal fairly and justly with every man whether he be a stockholder or not. Let every man’s shoulder be to the wheel and before another twelve months roll round, you will be grinding your own wheat on your own mill, the best one that ever stood on Kansas soil.
The meeting then adjourned in high spirits of ultimate success.
Arkansas City Republican, July 4, 1885.
Stock Exchange. As per announcement in REPUBLICAN, those interested in the stock trade met in room No. 3 in the Hasie Block last Saturday for the purpose of organizing a live stock exchange. W. M. Snyder was chosen chairman and Frederic Lockley, secretary. After considerable discussion of the benefits of a stock exchange by those present, a motion was made and adopted to appoint a committee on organization and the Chair appointed Geo. E. Hasie, H. P. Farrar, and N. T. Snyder. Amos Walton, Maj. M. S. Hasie, and T. L. Hill were selected as a committee on constitution and by-laws. N. T. Snyder, W. M. Snyder, and Pink Fouts were chosen as a committee on the furnishing of the room. No other business coming before the meeting, it adjourned until Saturday.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, July 23, 1885.
A number of our people, ladies and gentlemen, young and old, are very desirous of an excursion down the “Ragin’ Arkansaw” on the “Kansas Millers.” County Commissioner Walton has consulted with Captain T. S. Moorehead and has the promise of the boat for Thursday. Mr. Walton is also trying to arrange an excursion train down in the morning, but Mr. Ingersoll, of the Santa Fe depot, at the Terminus, is uncertain whether this can be done. A train to return at night is assured and the crowd can go down at noon. One hundred can be comfortably seated on the boat and one hundred and thirty is the limit. It would be a delightful, charming trip. The boat fare, just enough to pay expenses, will be 50 cents per capita, and the whole trip will not cost over $1.50 apiece. Mr. Walton will complete arrangements in time to duly advertise it in THE DAILY.
[COUNTY AUDITOR.]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, July 30, 1885.
The following claims were allowed in July.
Salary county commissioners: S. C. Smith, $75.00; Amos Walton, $75.00; J. A. Irwin, $75.00.
[MEMORIAL SERVICES: U. S. GRANT.]
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, August 5, 1885.
At a meeting of the Arkansas City Post of G. A. R., held on Saturday, the 1st, inst., the following resolutions were adopted.
WHEREAS, It has pleased an all-wise Providence to remove from our midst our illustrious comrade and foremost soldier of the late war, Ulysses S. Grant; and
WHEREAS, It is our desire as loyal citizens and former companions in arms of the deceased hero, to testify our affectionate regard for his memory; therefore
Be it resolved, That the veterans of Arkansas City Post, No. 158, G. A. R., place on record their admiration of the distinguishing qualities of their former commander-in-chief, his heroic patience under affliction, and his moderation in the hour of triumph; a soldier without passion or revenge, who closed his military achievements and the great civil war of the age without the traditionary horrors of such internecine conflicts.

Resolved further, That as a civil officer of the republic, his simplicity of character and wisdom of counsel added lustre to his successes in the field, and won the confidence, the admiration, and the affection of the entire American people; they believed him to be upright and just, and no error of judgment, or reverse of fortune shook their abiding faith in his integrity.
Resolved, That in testimony of our deep affection, our post-rooms be draped, and the members wear mourning badges for a period of thirty days; that this expression of our sorrow be inscribed on the adjutant’s record, and that copies of the same be furnished the city journals for publication.
FREDERIC LOCKLEY, C. R. FOWLER, HENRY T. SUMNER, H. D. KELLOGG.
A program of proceedings was also decided on with services commencing at Highland Hall at 3 p.m. Comrade Walton was scheduled to give an address.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, August 15, 1885.
Memorial. “He whom God crowns, let no man discrown,” said Joseph Cook of Wendell Phillips, and the same expression may be well applied to the late General Grant.
General Grant’s burial took place on last Saturday and the whole civilized world paid tribute to his memory and performed befitting ceremonies in his honor. Arkansas City showed due respect to the distinguished dead. In the afternoon all business places were closed. At a little before 3 o’clock, the procession was formed. It was composed of the Arkansas City militia, the drum corps, and the G. A. R. Post, all dressed in mourning, and many carrying draped banners. Headed by the drum corps, they marched slowly and solemnly to Highland Hall, where the services were held. Having reached the hall stairway, James Ridenour, the marshal, ordered a halt, and the A. V. Guards, who were next to the drum corps, formed into two columns facing each other, between which the G. A. R.’s passed, and entered the hall first. Notwithstanding the intense heat, the hall was fully occupied. It was appropriately decorated by the Woman’s Relief Corps. From the partly raised stage curtain was suspended a large flag to which was attached General Grant’s picture, encircled by a band of crepe. Flags of different sizes were fastened to the foot of the stage. The largest ones were in the middle and they regularly diminished in size towards the ends. A single band of crepe stretched around the hall, and many other ornamentations gave it an imposing aspect.
The ceremonies were opened by the choir singing a chant, after which the post performed the customary funeral rites in honor of one of their deceased comrades. The record of General Grant as a soldier was read by Dr. C. R. Fowler, the post adjutant. At three rolls of the drums, the members of the post arose to their feet, and Rev. H. S. Lundy, the chaplain, read appropriate Scriptural passages, and was responded to by the comrades in concert.
After the choir had sung a hymn, the comrades, in honor of the dead, formed a square around the altar, and Rev. J. P. Witt offered up a prayer, receiving the Lord’s prayer in response by the veterans. Prof. Duncan and his assisting singers then sang an anthem, after which the chaplain read the 19th Psalm. He was followed by Comrade A. Walton, who, in behalf of the post, made the eulogy on the character of the departed hero. He spoke reverently of the man whose “iron hand guided the armies of the North through a four year’s struggle, and whose heroic deeds will be proclaimed to the world by the marble shaft now rising.”
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, August 15, 1885.

The Traveler appears to be fond of finding fault with Amos Walton. A short time ago it gave him a half-column notice in regard to his duties as a commissioner in attending to the repairing of roads, bridges, etc., severely condemning him. After Mr. Walton had informed the editor of the Traveler, through the REPUBLICAN, that the township trustees attended to such matters, he came to Mr. Walton and apologized; but did not make any correction in the paper, which is due any misrepresented citizen.
The Traveler, in regard to the Grant memorial exercises, says: “Comrade Amos Walton delivered the eulogy in behalf of the post, but as he appeared to address his remarks to the opposite wing of the stage, they were unfortunately lost to the audience. Those on the stage who caught his address say it was able, touching, and appropriate.”
A representative of the REPUBLICAN was sitting in the gallery at the time Mr. Walton made his address, and with the exception of the first few sentences, he heard and appreciated the address. ’Tis true Mr. Walton only partly faced the audience, but we must remember that his address was to his comrades. We fail to see the cause of the Traveler’s captiousness.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 19, 1885.
The Republican is in small business endeavoring to misrepresent the remarks of this journal in reference to Amos Walton. In reporting the Grant memorial services in the hall, we expressed a regret that Comrade Walton turned his back on the audience, thus rendering his remarks inaudible. Those on the stage who heard his address say it was able, touching and appropriate. The Republican, with pitiful captiousness says: “It is true Mr. Walton only partly faced the audience, but we must remember that his address was to his comrades.” This writer sat among the veterans, and it was upon these very men that the speaker unwittingly turned his back. What our neighbor is to gain by malicious misrepresentation in this case, when Bro. Walton and this writer are members of the same post of the G. A. R., is not obvious to common sense.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 2, 1885.
The board of county commissioners at their last meeting accepted ten miles of the Kansas City and Southwestern road, running from Beaumont to Atlanta, which entitles the road to the issue of bonds to the amount of $30,000. The contract calls for the building of a passenger station at Omnia, which has not yet been provided; when the station is built, the company will be entitled to an additional $7,000 in bonds. Commissioner Walton pronounces the road bed first-class.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, September 5, 1885.

A meeting was held in the office of Meigs & Nelson to take into consideration the condition of the bridge west of town. Amos Walton stated the bridge was almost impassable in its present condition and that the Chicago Lumber Company would furnish 2-inch oak plank delivered at depot for $35. Judge Kreamer was appointed chairman and I. H. Bonsall secretary. On motion, offered by H. O. Meigs, it was resolved that it was the sense of the meeting to raise $700 to put the said bridge in good and safe condition. On motion a committee appointed was to circulate a subscription paper to raise that sum with authority to see that the money was properly expended in purchasing the lumber and repairing the bridge. H. O. Meigs, John Kroenert, and Amos Walton were appointed, Mr. Walton agreeing to look after the business in Bolton Township. A motion was made that the committee see if the city council would not donate something to help repair the bridge and was carried. On motion the meeting adjourned to meet at Meigs & Nelson’s office next Wednesday evening, Sept. 9th, 1885, at which the committee is to report what progress it has made. Mr. Walton was instructed as one of said committee to keep the bridges in repairs until lumber arrives to put in an entire new floor, and he was empowered to purchase lumber for temporary repairs. W. D. KREAMER, Chairman. I. H. BONSALL, Secretary.
[CITY COUNCIL.]
Arkansas City Traveler, September 9, 1885.
A committee consisting of ex-Police Judge Kreamer, Amos Walton, N. T. Snyder, and Meigs, applied for assistance in the work of laying an oak flooring on the west bridge. Its present insecurity kept trade away from the city, and a pine floor was continually wearing into holes. At a meeting of citizens held in Meigs & Nelson’s office on Saturday evening, it was computed that an oak floor would cost $700, and the above named committee was appointed to collect the amount by enlisting subscriptions from our businessmen. About $300 had been subscribed; but all referred the committee to the city council for aid.
Mr. Dunn thought the expenditure of such a sum on a bridge that was likely to be carried away next winter, injudicious. The piling was loose and the whole structure in an insecure condition. He would rather see money spent in permanent improvement. The mayor said the council had no shadow of authority to devote the public money to any such purpose. If the gentlemen chose to assume the responsibility, well enough. The council had voted $65 to the repair of the bridge on a similar occasion, and it could exercise a similar discretion again. He was satisfied that taxpayers would raise an objection. Mr. Dean said the repair of the west bridge was more essential to our businessmen than mending the city streets. A large amount of trade was lost to our city because of its dangerous condition, and money voted by the council to put it in fit condition for travel would certainly be approved. Mayor Schiffbauer remarked that the people of Arkansas City would soon find themselves without bridges, and they wanted stirring up to a knowledge of this fact. There is no law in the state to define the duty of county or township in the matter. Last year Senator Jennings introduced a bill in the legislature, requiring county commissioners to appropriate money towards building necessary bridges, and if the cost was over a certain amount to bill them entire. But the measure did not pass. Now that our city is set apart from the township, the council is without authority to devote money to such a purpose, the township won’t do it, and the county cannot. There is thus no way on God’s earth to build necessary bridges, or keep old ones in repair.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 23, 1885.
On the adjournment of the county convention, the delegates from the second commissioner district met in the same hall, to choose a candidate to succeed Commissioner Walton. Louis P. King presided, N. T. Snyder was appointed secretary. The names of J. D. Guthrie, of Bolton, and W. M. Sleeth, of Arkansas City, were presented, the choice rested on the former by a vote of 42 to 8. This closed the business of the day.
Arkansas City Traveler, September 30, 1885.

A number of veterans, with the Border Brass band, and a good sprinkling of citizens, left the city on Monday to take part in the reunion of soldiers and sailors at Topeka. At Winfield the veterans were joined by comrades from that city, Dexter, Udall, and other neighboring towns, it being the endeavor to make up an aggregate of 100, which number would entitle the party to the free transportation of a band of 21 pieces. As all the tickets are required by the railroad company to be sold at one place, the G. A. R. boys and their wives bought tickets to Winfield merely, and on arriving there they would procure transportation through. The following are the names of the band who joined the excursion, and the Arkansas City post members and their wives. Band: E. J. Hoyt, leader; J. W. Kitchen, E flat cornet; H. Godehard, B flat clarionet; Chas. Grimes, 2nd B flat cornet; O. S. Finke, solo alto; Jack Thornton, 1st alto; Al Smith, 1st tenor; Eric Nordan, 2nd tenor; Frank Speers, baritone; E. O. Stevenson, tuba; Horace McConn, base drum. G. A. R. Veterans: G. W. Miller, P. A. Lorry, A. A. Davis and wife, John Cooke, Jacob Dunkle, J. B. Nelson, P. B. Marshall and wife, G. C. Brewer, W. S. Voris and wife, James Hedley, Henry Hughes, Joseph Post, Adam Neuman, D. P. Marshall and wife, Amos Walton. A. Jeanneret, the watchmaker, a soldier of the Franco-Prussian war, was also taken in. The festive party went off in high spirits, and there is no doubt they will have a happy time.
Arkansas City Republican, October 3, 1885.
The Democrats will have a fight over the nomination of county commissioner. One faction desires Amos Walton and the other James Benedict.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 7, 1885.
There will be an active contest for the commissionership, as both the candidates are good men. Amos Walton, the present incumbent, has performed his duties satisfactorily, and has many friends to support him; while the republican nominee, J. D. Guthrie, is a competent man, a substantial farmer, and will poll a strong vote in the rural districts. We cannot say a harsh word of our fellow townsman, but where merit is about even, prefer to see a member of our own political persuasion elected.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 8, 1885.
The Democrats of Cowley County met at the Courthouse Saturday to go through the same old farce of nominating a county ticket to be easily defeated by the Republicans: a sequel inevitable in grand old Republican Cowley. About fifty delegates were present, with a small audience of visitors. Some of the Democratic County Central Committee mentioned: Arkansas City, Geo. R. Westfall, T. E. Braggins, Peter Wycoff, and C. M. McIntire; Winfield, Capt. Gary, H. S. Silver, Geo. Crippen, and J. B. Lynn; Creswell, W. J. Abbott; East Bolton, Amos Walton. The delegates of the 2nd Commissioners district also met and unanimously selected Amos Walton for commissioner.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, October 10, 1885.
The democrats of Cowley County met at the courthouse Saturday to go through the same old farce of nominating a county ticket to be easily defeated by the Republicans—a sequel inevitable in grand old Republican Cowley. About fifty delegates were present, with a small audience of visitors. J. L. Andrews, of Maple City, was chosen chairman and Ed Gage secretary. Everything was as tranquil as a May morning. The office went around hunting its man, as usual in Democratic conventions in Cowley. Nobody could smell meat, and didn’t care to sacrifice themselves on the party altar. Amos Walton, East Bolton, was named as a member of the Democratic County Central Committee for the coming year. The delegates of the 2nd commissioners district also met and unanimously selected Amos Walton for commissioner. The Democratic convention last Saturday, adopted the following declarations.

First. The Democracy of Cowley County, Kansas, in convention assembled, do endorse and heartily approve The National platform of 1884, and also the platform of the Democracy of the State of Kansas and the policy of President Cleveland in the adoption of civil service reform and the removal from office of offensive partisans.
Second. We are opposed to class and individual legislation at the expense of the laboring, wealth-producing people of the country.
Third. We are in favor of more rigid economy in the administration of county offices and a reduction of salaries of county officers to a point not in excess of ordinary profits of legitimate business and we demand that the office of County Auditor be abolished.
Fourth. We approve of the careful, economical, and prudent course of Amos Walton as just, fair, and commendable in his efforts to reduce county expenditures, while a member of the Board of County Commissioners.
Fifth. We are opposed to prohibition and in favor of high license and local option.
Sixth. That in President Cleveland the country has found a man of solid judgment, conscientious integrity, unswerving fidelity, patriotism, and courage and equal to that of Andrew Jackson, and in his efforts for economy, for the exposure of the criminal acts of the Republican party and its officers; for his unflinching firmness in dealing with the cattle kings; for his zeal in behalf of reform; for his efforts to save the public lands for settlers; for his effort to enforce the law against polygamy, and for his constant watchfulness of the public welfare, in such a way as to receive the hearty thanks of the Democracy of Cowley County and its unswerving support. And with these principles we come before the people of Cowley County calling upon all to unite with us in bringing about these results, to which we are hereby pledged.
Arkansas City Republican, October 10, 1885.
The Democrats have re-nominated Amos Walton for commissioner of the second district. Labor lost.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 15, 1885.
The Tisdale squabble, over which so much blowing was done by J. J. Johnson and J. S. Baker, was settled Saturday by the Board of County Commissioners refusing to change the boundaries established by act of the Legislature. Sixty-one of the residents of the New Salem strip petitioned the Board to let it remain as it is and about all of Tisdale township. Only about fourteen wanted the old boundaries. Still Amos Walton voted with the fourteen against the express petition of three hundred, presumably because he wanted to “spite” some one. The prejudices of a little mind are as unfathomable as the depths of an ocean.
Arkansas City Republican, October 17, 1885.

Railroad Meeting. The citizens of Arkansas City have just awakened to the fact that they are about to be left out in the cold in the matter of the K. C. & S. W. Railroad. It has now become known that the Geuda Springs branch is only another name for the K. C. & S. W., and that while the company will fulfill their agreement to the letter, and build the road through Arkansas City to the state line, they have intentions of making the junction at least three miles north of here and thus make the Geuda Springs & Caldwell branch the main line, while this will be only a stub with not sufficient length to justify a separate service. The effect will be that when the road is in operation that only such trains as are absolutely necessary will ever be run down here, a local freight perhaps. This is a direct stab at Arkansas City from the Winfield element in the company headed by the road’s attorney, Henry E. Asp, our present county attorney. To devise some means to have the junction here or south of here, provided a western branch is built, was the object of a meeting held in the office of Meigs & Nelson Thursday evening.
The meeting was called to order by N. T. Snyder, Judge Kreamer being called to the chair and N. T. Snyder, secretary. George Cunningham stated the object of the meeting, which was to devise some way to prevent the junction from being north of Arkansas City, and asked Mr. Hill to make a statement of what the company intended to do. Mr. Hill said that the company intended to build the road through Arkansas City to the state line, and that the Caldwell branch would also undoubtedly be built, and that it would be to his interest, and to the company’s interest, to have the branch start from here, as it would require but one bridge. He also stated that the company, outside of the Winfield element, was favorable to Arkansas City. He acknowledged that the company was morally, if not legally bound, to make the junction here, because it was upon these express promises that they had obtained the aid of Arkansas City in voting the bonds.
Rev. Fleming made a forcible speech, charging it as conspiracy on the part of Winfield to leave Arkansas City out in the cold and a violation of the promises made by Asp and others when they obtained our aid.
Amos Walton said that it was a conspiracy that was entered into at the time the company approached Winfield. Every opposition was made to Mr. Hill’s efforts to get the road through the east part of the city and east of the Santa Fe. The city council was even in the conspiracy, as shown by the fact that they would not grant the right of way of street crossings unless the road went west of the city. The road going west, he estimated, cost $25,000 more than the east route. “Winfield voted $20,000 bonds to get them in there and charged them $25,000 to get out.”
A. A. Newman moved that a committee of five be appointed to confer with Mr. Hill as regards the best means of attaining the object of the meeting. The chair appointed A. A. Newman, Geo. W. Cunningham, Amos Walton, Rev. Fleming, and S. Matlack as that committee.

The following resolution was passed. Resolved, That the K. C. & S. W. Railroad Company is not treating the city of Arkansas City fairly, and in the same generous spirit which the citizens treated them in the inception of the road in the matter of building a road diverging from their line north of this city. In support of this proposition, would say that it was promised and agreed by Mr. Asp, attorney for the road, in order to obtain our aid, that the line of road should come down east of the A. T. & S. F., and yet the leading citizens of Winfield antagonized the road sufficient to prevent its coming through Winfield on a line to accomplish that object and to the injury of the company forced it upon the west side of the city of Winfield, and then as a part of the scheme for the injury of Arkansas City proposed and looked up a line leading west only three miles north of the city of Arkansas City. Feeling that it is a violation of the good faith pledged to the city, we would respectfully state that the said line should be left open until the line to the territory on the south of us is built. We would further state as to the matter of expense that in case the company will make a survey and establish the cost of the road from the point in Beaver Township, to the west line of Walton Township, Sumner Co., and a corresponding survey from Arkansas City or south of it, west through Walton Township, Sumner County, that we will willingly make the difference in case it should be favorable to the first mentioned line.
W. D. KREAMER, Chairman. N. T. SNYDER, Secretary.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 21, 1885.
A reunion of the war veterans was held in Dexter last week, which was well attended. Commander Stewart and his senior vice, Major Macartney, being present at the gathering. Arkansas City post was represented by Capt. C. G. Thompson and Amos Walton, and the Winfield veterans showed up in Major Soward, Capt. J. B. Nipp, S. J. Smock, and W. P. Hackney. The exercises lasted two days, and were enlivened with war reminiscences, some effective speaking by Commander Stewart, Macartney, Hackney, and others; and the boys filled in their time with harmless jollity such as was prompted by the revival of former camp days. These reunions are keenly enjoyed by the retired campaigners.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 21, 1885.
A democratic organ in the county asks what objection there is to Amos Walton being elected to a second term of the commissionership. Republican voters find a sufficient object in the fact of his being a democrat. The name of J. D. Guthrie has been placed before them for support, a man competent in every way to fill the position, and whose long residence here and extensive property interests are guarantees that he will promote the public good. There may be no personal objection to Mr. Walton, but he belongs to the other side; his plans and instincts are alien to the republicans, and hence he has no claim on republican support. Mr. Guthrie, on the other hand, to the qualifications of good business ability and thorough acquaintance with the needs of the county, is a staunch political friend, and when any contingency arises, may be counted on for faithful service. It is not necessary to assail Mr. Walton to urge Mr. Guthrie’s claims; but when the direct question is put by an opposition organ, why Amos Walton should not be reelected commissioner, the answer is obvious, he is found in the camp of our political enemies, and must not look for republican support. At such times as the present, he who is not for us is against us.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 22, 1885.
It is fun to see the way I’ve stirred up the Republicans of Arkansas City. I began it in fun, but I believe it will win.—Amos Walton.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 22, 1885.

Amos Walton is a schemer whose abilities in that line have not heretofore been fully appreciated. A week ago it was apparent to him that J. D. Guthrie was going to beat him for County Commissioner by at least 150 majority. Something must be done or Amos was a “gone sucker.” He was equal to the occasion. He went about to stir up a war on the Republican ticket in Arkansas City. He is credited with the conception and propagation of the idea that the Republican nominees could and ought to cause the railroad company to withdraw the Sumner propositions, and with stirring up the great sensation and threats in Arkansas City last week. He well knew that the Republican candidates could not effect the withdrawal of the propositions, did not want them to, for that would have beaten his little game, which was to get Republican votes for himself. He well knew that the game could not change enough votes to defeat any Republican candidate except his opponent, Guthrie, and that was really all he wanted to effect. If the Republicans of Arkansas City in any considerable number tumble to his selfish racket and vote the Democratic ticket, they are a great deal softer and more gullible than we can believe until the facts prove it.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 22, 1885.
I tell you I felt kind of forsaken at the reunion the other day. Everybody seemed to be for Guthrie. Seaver and I and two others held a caucus in the bulrushes. We were mighty lonesome. I was glad to get home. Amos Walton.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 22, 1885.
A COURIER reporter spent Friday at the Dexter reunion. Camp “Pap Thomas” was located in a beautiful grove on Grouse Creek with plenty of pure, sparkling water and more hearty, honest, good cheer than we have ever met at a gathering in Cowley County. Dexter never does things by halves: her people are harmonious on everything they undertake, are of a generous, hearty, and hospitable nature, and nowhere is a stranger made to feel so much at home as among them. This was specially remarked by Department Commander Stewart, of the G. A. R., and Gen. Tim McCartney, who were present. The attendance was very large, and we venture to say that those who were fortunate enough to be present enjoyed it more than any reunion they have attended. During the afternoon speeches were delivered by Commander Stewart, Geo. McCartney, Senator Hackney, Revs. Brady and Fortune, Judge Soward, Amos Walton, and Capt. Tansey. Altogether the reunion was a grand success and the Dexter boys may congratulate themselves on the outcome of their efforts.
NOTE. Amos Walton’s bald head went bobbing around in the crowd like a red cork in a trout pond. His “hello! old pard, give us yer vote—yer hand, I mean,” accompanied by a six-by-ten smile that made one feel like asking him if he had the stomach ache, were most affecting. They do say that he gave a small boy ten cents to call him out for a speech, but this is probably a lie, as he is generally on hand without calling. He’s as ready to pop and fizz as a soda bottle, and runs away much faster.
Arkansas City Republican, October 24, 1885.
Pres. Toole of the K. C. & S. W. Railway informed Amos Walton that Arkansas City was the best town on this line and that owing to its location would make a city in fact as well as name.
Arkansas City Republican, October 24, 1885.

Just at present the Democrats are trying to make capital out of the K. C. & S. W. Railway junction, against the Republican nominees for county offices. Our dearly beloved brother and friend, Amos Walton, has tried his hand at it to some extent. We often see him closeted with the genial editor of the Democrat, when but a short time ago they spoke not as they passed. What means this lying down together of the lamb and the lion? It means this, Republicans. They are scheming to defeat J. D. Guthrie, for commissioner, an honest and capable Republican. He is an Arkansas City man, heart and soul. But, pause a moment, Amos, and think. Have you not been at Winfield the greater part of your time lately? Did you warn Arkansas City of her peril? No, you did not. Don’t you see you had better keep quiet about the Republican nominees as the tables are turned upon you now. Remember this, Democrats; you who are so anxious that some Republicans should “scratch” and vote the Democratic ticket for home. Practice what you preach by “scratching” Amos Walton’s name. He is just as much responsible for that branch talked of to Geuda as any of the Republican nominees.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, October 28, 1885.
If Amos Walton is so vigilant a guard of our city interests, how came he to allow that proposition to build the road to Geuda Springs and Caldwell to pass the board? The scheme was concocted in Winfield, and its purpose was to put this city off on a spur; it was a violation of good faith and was prompted by local jealousy. Certainly it was the duty of the commissioner of this district to fight such an infamous device with all his might; and if he found his opposition ineffectual in the board, to give due caution to the people that the popular voice might be raised. But such faithful regard for this city’s interest was not shown by the commissioner; and herein is found a sufficient reason for replacing him with a better man.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 29, 1885.
Just at present the Democrats are trying to make capital out of the K. C. & S. W. railway junction, against the Republican nominees for county offices. Our dearly beloved brother and friend, Amos Walton, has tried his hand at it to some extent. We often see him closeted with the genial editor of the Democrat, when but a short time ago they spake not as they passed. What means this lying down together of the lamb and the lion? It means this, Republicans. They are scheming to defeat J. D. Guthrie for commissioner, an honest and capable Republican. He is an Arkansas City man, heart and soul. But pause a moment, Amos, and think. Have you not been at Winfield the greater part of your time lately? Did you warn Arkansas City of her peril? No, you did not. Don’t you see you had better keep quiet about the Republican nominees as the tables are turned upon you. Remember this, Democrats, you who are so anxious that some Republicans should “scratch” and vote the Democratic ticket for home. Practice what you preach by “scratching” Amos Walton’s name. He is just as much responsible for that branch talked of to Geuda as any of the Republican nominees.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 29, 1885.
We have plenty evidence that there is a scheme matured by which tickets headed “Republican Ticket” containing the names of most of the Republican candidates, but substituting the names of at least two Democratic candidates, are to be printed and circulated at every poll in the county as genuine Republican tickets. It is to be regretted that there are men in this county so low down in villainy as to be guilty of such a crime, but such is undoubtedly the fact. We hope that Fred Hunt, John W. Ledlie, and Amos Walton are too good citizens to countenance such a fraud, but if such frauds are perpetrated or attempted in their interest, people will believe that they cannot be wholly innocent.

But there is another phase of this matter. The printing of such tickets and the circulation thereof are crimes, punished by law by fine and imprisonment, and the printer who prints them and every man who offers one of them to a voter is guilty of a crime and liable to a fine of five hundred dollars and imprisonment three months. Every man who enters into the scheme in any way is likewise liable for conspiracy to commit crime. The following is the section of law relating to fraudulent ballots. Sec. 218, page 357, of the compiled laws of Kansas: Any person who designedly gives a printed ticket or written ticket to any qualified voter of this State, containing the written or printed names of persons for whom said voter does not design to vote, for the purpose of causing such a voter to poll his vote contrary to his own wishes, shall on conviction, be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding three months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. We warn such scoundrels that the law will be enforced against them to the limit if it is possible to detect them, and we caution and exhort every honest voter to scrutinize every Republican ballot they see offered to a voter, and if in any manner different from the genuine ticket, cause the man offering it to be arrested on the spot and held for legal prosecution. At least take the names of all persons offering such ballots, and get as many copies of the ballot as possible for further evidence.
It can be found out later who printed the tickets and who conspired to have them printed.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, October 29, 1885.
Don’t vote for any man by the name of Ledlie, or Hunt, or Thompson, or Hite, or Weeks, or Tandy, or Walton.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 4, 1885.
Will our cotemporary tell what Amos Walton or the county commissioners of Cowley County had to do with the Geuda Springs and Caldwell proposition? Democrat.
Quite cheerfully. The scheme to put this city at the end of a bobtail line was concocted in Winfield; and the gentleman named makes frequent visits there. Unlike the county officials, he is commissioner for this district, and it is his duty to be vigilant in guarding the interest of his constituents. The Democrat is unreserved in condemning the treachery and bad faith that marked this piece of jugglery, and the resentment of all our citizens was aroused at the attempt to carry it out. Yet County Commissioner Walton gave no note of warning, and its defeat was due to the prompt and united action of the people of this city.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 4, 1885.
On Monday evening of last week, about a score of our prominent citizens held a meeting in Judge Pyburn’s office to consider the most practicable means of advancing the interests of this city. The views expressed were that in a rapidly growing country, where incoming population is apt to seek new channels, and business interests are created by the changing tide of affairs, it is necessary for every city that seeks growth and prosperity to be on the alert and lend its hand in shaping matters to its own advantage. It was agreed that to put the forces of a community to the best avail, it is necessary to have some organization to depute some number of men of good judgment and business acumen to watch the changes in the kaleidoscope of social life, and suggest means for turning them to proper advantage; to perform the duty of a picket guard in the army. In fact, holding themselves in an advanced position, and watching every movement that comes under their notice. As an initial step to the organization sought after, the meeting chose of the persons present, Messrs. A. A. Newman, A. D. Prescott, G. W. Miller, N. T. Snyder, and Amos Walton as an executive committee, with power to add to their number, and report to a public meeting to be held in the Opera house the following evening.

On Tuesday the Buckskin Border Band stationed outside that popular place of amusement, gave notice to the public that business was to be done by playing several choice airs in their usual artistic style. Several score of people gave heed to the summons, and by 8 o’clock there were about a hundred assembled. The meeting was called to order, Mayor Schiffbauer was chosen chairman, and our new postmaster, M. N. Sinnott, appointed secretary. Amos Walton, on behalf of the originators of the movement, was called on to explain the object of the meeting. He told what had been done the evening before, and handed to the secretary a list of names selected by the committee to add to their number, and said he would then ask the sense of the meeting on the choice made. The secretary read the following names: C. R. Sipes; G. W. Cunningham; Rev. S. B. Fleming; A. J. Pyburn; H. O. Meigs; W. M. Sleeth; Jacob Hight; O. S. Rarick; J. P. Johnson; Ed Grady; Geo. Howard; D. Mowry; F. P. Schiffbauer; James Ridenour; Jas. L. Huey; W. D. Kreamer; T. H. McLaughlin; Dr. Jamison Vawter; Dr. H. D. Kellogg; O. P. Houghton; M. N. Sinnott.
Mr. Walton said he commended the object of the proposed organization because it gave our citizens the benefit of the counsel and services of two dozen of our most experienced citizens (He wished to exclude himself from self commendation.) who would be on the lookout for opportunities to turn to the public good. The plan as he sketched it was for those two dozen sagacious men to mature among themselves whatever movements would advance the public good, and then call a public meeting to whom their plans could be unfolded and action taken on them. On motion the list of names read by the secretary was approved.
Several other speakers followed in like strain. Frank Austin preferred to have the organization placed on a broader basis. It had been called a board of trade by some speakers, and he wanted it made one in fact. He wanted membership thrown open to all eligible persons, and stated times of meeting. To create a fund for any sudden use he would have an initiation fee and an annual subscription. But this proposition was generally opposed on the ground that it was taking the organization out of the hands of those who framed it. The meeting having nothing further before it, adjourned.
At a subsequent meeting of the executive committee, on the 29th, an organization was effected by electing A. J. Pyburn, president; H. D. Kellogg, vice president; M. N. Sinnott, secretary; N. T. Snyder, assistant secretary; W. D. Mowry, treasurer. It was also decided to increase the membership by admitting any fitting person on payment of $5 initiation fee. The following committees were appointed.
Finance Committee: A. A. Newman, H. O. Meigs, W. D. Kreamer.
Executive Committee: G. W. Cunningham, W. M. Sleeth, Amos Walton, H. D. Kellogg, N. T. Snyder, T. H. McLaughlin, W. D. Mowry, A. D. Prescott, F. P. Schiffbauer.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, November 5, 1885.
Whether or not Amos Walton succeeded in convincing the people of his district that he is the Board of County Commissioners, that Smith and Irwin are but the Kings and knights on the chessboard which he moves as he pleases, and that by his wonderful sagacity he saved the county $600 in the county printing; the said people did not seem to think they needed his valuable services any longer and so they elected J. D. Guthrie Co. Com., vice Amos Walton, not resigned. The accident of three years ago was not repeated.

AMOS WALTON. [Illustration of a coffin.] The political accident and demagogue of Bolton township is laid away in his political coffin forever. The people have shown by their votes that they want no such shyster and false economist representing Cowley County on the Board of County Commissioners. His fight was hard and the dying struggle is harder, but the coffin is ready, the voters have laid him out, and he can’t kick. He has appeared for the last time in the political arena of Cowley. He has exposed himself, the people were not slow to catch on, the political coffin is inevitable. He has made it himself and must crawl in.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, November 12, 1885.
Some enterprising citizen would strike a bonanza if he would rent Amos Walton’s bald pate for a skating rink. The rumble, rumble would be terrific, but could perhaps be averted by a packing with sawdust. Amos is anxious to rent it to someone who can use it. He can’t.
Amos Walton, the defunct county commissioner, was up from Bolton today trying to explain how the people saved themselves by 300 majority.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, December 24, 1885.
WHEREAS the Board of County Commissioners of Cowley County, in the State of Kansas, at a special meeting duly convened on the 22nd day of December, A. D. 1885, duly made and caused to be entered of record in the office of the County Clerk of said County, the following order, to-wit:
NOW, on this 22nd day of December, A. D. 1885, at a special meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Cowley County, State of Kansas, duly convened, present, S. C. Smith, Chairman; J. A. Irwin and Amos Walton, Commissioners, comes Jno. M. Harcourt, a resident tax payer of Rock Creek Township, in said Cowley County, and with him comes Sixty other resident tax-payers of said Township, and present their petition in writing to the Board of County Commissioners of said County, praying that a special election be called in said Township, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified voters of said Township, a proposition for said Township to subscribe for One Hundred and Eighty (180) shares, of One Hundred ($100) Dollars each, of the capital stock of the Florence, El Dorado and Walnut Valley Railroad Company, and in payment therefor to issue to said Railroad Company Eighteen bonds of said Rock Creek Township, of the denomination of One Thousand ($1,000) Dollars each, said bonds to be payable upon the terms and conditions in said petition mentioned and described, and the said Board of County Commissioners having duly heard, examined and considered said petition, and the evidence of witnesses introduced to support thereof, doth find: That said petition is in writing, that said petition is signed by more than two-fifths of the resident tax-payers of said Rock Creek Township, and is in all respects in conformity with the law. The following being a copy of said petition, to-wit:
To the Honorable Board of County Commissioners of Cowley County, Kansas:
We the undersigned, your petitioners, being resident tax-payers and legal voters of Rock Creek Township, in the said County and State, respectfully petition your Honorable Body to submit to the qualified electors of said Rock Creek Township for their acceptance or rejection, at a special election to be ordered by your Honorable Body, under and in pursuance of the laws of the State of Kansas, and an act entitled “An Act to Enable Counties, Townships and Cities to Aid in the Construction of Railroads, and to Repeal Section Eight of Chapter 39 of the Laws of 1874,” which took effect February 29th, 1876, and amendments thereto, the following proposition, with terms and conditions herein specified, to-wit:

Shall the Rock Creek Township, Cowley County, in the State of Kansas, subscribe for One Hundred and Eighty shares of One Hundred Dollars each, of the capital stock of the Florence, El Dorado and Walnut Valley Railroad Company, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Kansas, and in payment therefor, issue to said Railroad Company Eighteen bonds of said Rock Creek Township, of the denomination of One Thousand Dollars each; said bonds to be payable to the bearer at the fiscal agency of the State of Kansas, in New York City, thirty years after the date thereof, bearing interest at the rate of six per cent per annum payable annually, for which interest coupons shall be attached, payable at the fiscal agency aforesaid.
This subscription of stock and issue of Bonds to be upon the following conditions, namely: As soon as said proposition shall be determined in the affirmative, by canvass of the votes cast at said election, the Board of County Commissioners of said County of Cowley, for and in behalf of said Rock Creek Township shall order the County Clerk to make, and the County Clerk shall make, said subscription, in the name of said Township for said One Hundred and Eighty shares of capital stock of said Railroad Company; and when the Railroad of said Railroad Company shall be built of standard gauge, and completed, and in operation, by lease or otherwise from its present terminus at Douglass, Butler County, Kansas, to a connection with the Railroad of the Wichita and South Western Railway Company, at or near the junction of that Railroad with the Railroad of the Southern Kansas Railway west of Winfield, in the County of Cowley, in the State of Kansas, or to a connection with the Southern Kansas Railway or the Wichita & South Western Railway at any point between said junction and a point one-half mile east of present depot of the Southern Kansas Railway, at Winfield, the said Florence, El Dorado and Walnut Valley Railroad Company shall receive Eighteen Thousand Dollars of said bonds and issue One Hundred and Eighty shares of stock therefor.
The said Board of County Commissioners shall cause such bonds, with interest coupons attached, as aforesaid, to be issued in the name of said Township of Rock Creek and shall deliver the same to said Railroad Company on delivery or tender to the Treasurer of said Township by said Railroad Company, of certificates for its share of fully paid up capital stock of said Railroad Company, equal in amount with said bonds dollar for dollar; provided said Railroad shall be built and completed and in operation on or before the 1st day of November, 1886; and provided further, that said Railroad Company shall construct a suitable depot building, and side tracks at some convenient point in said Township.
And it is also to be stipulated and agreed between said Railroad Company and said Township by the delivery and acceptance of said eighteen bonds and exchange therefor of said capital stock, that said shares of said capital stock, and the subscription therefor by said  Township, shall be valid and binding, irrespective of the authorized capital stock of said Railroad Company, which shall be otherwise taken and subscribed for.
The ballots to be used at said election shall be in the following form to-wit: The ballot in favor of said proposition shall contain these words: “For the subscription of stock and issue of bonds to the Florence, El Dorado and Walnut Valley Railroad Company.” And the ballot against said proposition shall contain these words: “Against the subscription of stock and issue of bonds to the Florence, El Dorado and Walnut Valley Railroad Company.”

NOW therefore, pursuant to the prayer of said petition, and in compliance with the laws of the State of Kansas, and an Act entitled “An Act to Enable Counties, Townships and Cities to Aid in the Construction of Railroads and to Repeal Section 8, Chapter 39, of the Laws of 1874,” which took effect February 29, A. D. 1876, and the amendments thereto. It is therefore ordered and declared by the said Board of County Commissioners, that the prayer of said petitioners be and is hereby granted, and that a special election be held in said Rock Creek Township at the usual place of holding elections therein on WEDNESDAY, the 27th day of JANUARY, A. D. 1886, and that thirty days notice of said election be given by the Sheriff of said County as hereinafter provided; and at said election the said proposition as set forth in said petition shall be submitted to the qualified voters of said Township, and as soon as said proposition shall be carried at such election and shall be determined in the affirmative by a canvass of the votes cast at such election, the Board of County Commissioners of said County of Cowley for and on behalf of said Rock Creek Township shall order the County Clerk to make, and said County Clerk shall make, such subscription of stock in the name of the Rock Creek Township for One Hundred and Eighty (180) shares of the capital stock of said Florence, El Dorado and Walnut Valley Railroad Company, and the said Board of County Commissioners shall, at the time hereinafter mentioned, cause said bonds, with interest coupons attached to be made out in the name of said Rock Creek Township, to be signed by the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners of said County of Cowley, attested by the County Clerk of said County, and said bonds shall be of the denomination of One Thousand ($1,000) dollars each, and shall be payable to the bearer at the fiscal agency of the State of Kansas in New York City, thirty years after the date thereof, and shall bear interest at the rate of six per cent per annum, payable annually; for which interest coupons shall be attached to said bonds as aforesaid, payable at the fiscal agency aforesaid. And when the said Railroad of the said Railroad Company shall be built of standard gauge, and completed and in operation by lease or otherwise, from its present terminus at Douglass, in Butler County, Kansas, to a connection with the Railroad of the Wichita & Southwestern Railway Company at, or near the junction of that Railroad with the Railroad of the Southern Kansas Railway Company west of Winfield, in the County of Cowley, State of Kansas, or a connection with the Southern Kansas Railway, or the Wichita & South Western Railroad at any point between said junction and a point one-half mile east of the present depot of the Southern Kansas Railway, at said City of Winfield, then the said Florence, El Dorado & Walnut Valley Railroad Company shall receive the said Eighteen thousand ($18,000) dollars of said bonds, being Eighteen bonds of the denomination of One Thousand ($1,000) dollars each as aforesaid, and the said Florence, El Dorado & Walnut Valley Railroad Company shall, at the same time it receives said bonds, make out, execute under seal of said Railroad Company, and deliver to the Treasurer of said Rock Creek Township in the name of and for the benefit of said Rock Creek Township, 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 Rock Creek Township so received by it, dollar for dollar in exchange therefor, and in consideration thereof, provided: That said Railroad shall be built and completed, and in operation, by lease or otherwise as aforesaid, on or before the First day of November, A. D. 1886, and a suitable depot building and side tracks shall be constructed at some convenient point in said Township.

The ballots to be used at such special election for and against the proposition to take stock and issue bonds therefore as recited shall be in the following form, to-wit: The ballot in favor of said proposition shall contain these words: “For the subscription of stock and issue of bonds to the Florence, El Dorado & Walnut Valley Railroad Company.”
And it is further ordered that the sheriff of said Cowley County, make due proclamation of the holding of said election to the voters of said Rock Creek Township, of the time and place of the holding thereof by publishing the same for at least thirty days preceding the time of the holding of said election as required by law, in the WINFIELD COURIER, a weekly newspaper published and printed in the City of Winfield, in said County of Cowley, and of general circulation in said Rock Creek Township, and that in said proclamation he set forth the foregoing order and proceedings of said Board of County Commissioners in full.
Done by the Board of County Commissioners, of Cowley County, in the State of Kansas the 22nd day of December, A. D. 1885. S. C. SMITH, J. A. IRWIN, AMOS WALTON, Board of County Commissioner of Cowley County, Kansas.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 14, 1886.
The Board of County Commissioners Saturday, adopted the following: “In view of the retirement of Commissioner Walton, after three years’ service, we, the remaining members of the Board, wish to express our appreciation of his valuable services. By his sound judgment, general intelligence, and unfailing diligence, as well as by his uniform courtesy, he has made our duties less irksome and contributed largely to the success of our labors. Our remembrance of him will always be kindly, and we tender him our best wishes for his future happiness and prosperity.” S. C. Smith. J. A. Irwin.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, January 28, 1886.
Amos Walton was up from Bolton Friday.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 18, 1886.
Rev. S. B. Fleming, Mayor Schiffbauer, W. D. Mowry, F. E. Lockley, George W. Cunningham, Amos Walton, N. T. Snyder, and a dozen or two other prominent lights of the Terminus were the wild and wooly besiegers of the courthouse today, during the calling of the bond elections. They tried hard to wedge in effective kicks. Their visit was as ineffective as was the attempt to defeat the signing of the petitions.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, April 8, 1886.

Josh Jottings. [Illustration of Donkey.] The above photograph hardly does “Josh” justice. It is a perfect representation of guileless innocence, fit for a Sunday school class—in that the likeness is right. “Josh,” as his picture indicates, can be considered in a great many ways, though the worst place to consider him is behind, anywhere within a radius of fifteen feet. If you “don’t know anything,” be very shy of consideration from that point. “Josh,” true to his likeness, has but three senses: hearing, seeing, and smelling. All he asks is to pass him along his plate with whatever rubbish happens to be around the pantry, and he won’t go away and growl about the poor steak. He eats whatever is set before him and asks no questions. If well fed, he might easily be induced to stand eleven days in one spot, apparently thinking of something, and then, if he gets hungry, start off again as though nothing had happened. Josh, as plainly indicated in the above portrait, is liable to strike, and when he does strike, human calculation will have a tough time finding a rule by which to reckon when he will start again. He will stand more beating than a sitting room carpet. To fully appreciate “Josh,” you should hear his voice. You really can never know whether you like him or not until you hear him sing. Should you happen to pull through, you would then know much better how to appreciate him. With this slight introduction, and the assurance that Josh is liable to inflict you almost daily for some time to come, he will go off on a skirmish for some clay and brick bats for noon-day mastication.
Now a listening world is again to be astounded. Arkansas City has had another illegitimate birth. It is a gigantic, stupendous scheme concocted by the same statesmen and millionaires at the head of the State Line abortion. A gentleman just from the squaw town informs Josh authoritatively that the Arkansas City, Alaska & North Pole railroad has been chartered and will be built before Old Africus melts the ambient breezes. The squaw town is intensely excited and is clamoring to vote $700,000,000 in bonds. This road will fill a long felt cavity in the minds of the greatest of American kickers. It will give direct and through connection between the biggest sandhill and gopher mound in the Southwest and the glittering ice fields of the Northwest, cooling and comforting the Rip Van Winkles of the southern end. The transportation of ice will require the running of a dozen through trains from the north each day, to return laden with gall and sand, for the craws of the Alaska canary birds. British America holds an election in the center of next week at four o’clock in the morning to vote $2,000,000 in bonds to boost the construction of this great line, to be paid forty years after marriage of Queen Vic to Boss Cleveland. The road makes a bee line from the back door of Jim Hill’s flourishing hennery to a polar bear’s hole at the foot of the Yum Yum river, in the northeast corner of Alaska, just missing Winfield, the center of gravity. Every car will be grandly equipped with Limburger air brakes, political platforms, and gall bumpers. Jim Hill, Amos Walton, Dick Howard, Frank J. Hess, A. J. Pyburn, and other millionaire railroad builders have borrowed and subscribed 22 cents each to the capital stock. Judge McIntire and Fred Lockley furnish the ice cage for the immense importation of frigidity, which they hope to receive in time to freeze out the great Santa Fe L. & S. W. The conductors will have to buy a million tons of lard oil at Winfield annually, necessary for hair grease. THE COURIER will be refused a pass for its brazen cheek in refusing to mention the road.
Arkansas City Republican, May 8, 1886.
Yesterday was a gala day in Arkansas City. Our friends from the eastern townships along the State Line road had been invited to come to our city and partake of the hospitality of our citizens, and assist in the celebration. It was a grand celebration, indeed. It surpassed anything we have ever had in commemoration of July 4. Yesterday was a beautiful day. Bright and early our merchants and citizens began the decorations of their stores and homes. Everybody decorated. After one o’clock the visitors began arriving. About 3:30 the delegation from Cedar and Spring Creek Townships came in a body. They were met by the bands of the city and escorted along our main thoroughfares, and citizens falling in the procession to the Opera House, where a most sumptuous feast awaited them, which was prepared by the ladies of Arkansas City. After one and all had eaten heartily, they adjourned to the streets. At 7:30 a grand procession was formed, everybody falling in. After the procession came the pyrotechnic display and the firing of anvils and then our citizens and their guests repaired to the opera house to give vent to their enthusiastic feeling.
The vast assemblage was called to order at 8:30 by Maj. Sleeth and the following gentlemen responded to toasts.

Rev. J. O. Campbell, “Cowley County and her Railroads.”
A. A. Newman, “State Line Railroad.”
Rev. S. B. Fleming, “The Campaign.”
F. P. Schiffbauer, “Arkansas City.”
Arthur Smith, “Cedar Township.”
A. L. Andrews, “Spring Creek Township.”
Robt. Howe, “Maple City.”
Dr. H. D. Cooper, “The long-haired Men from the Irish Flats.”
Ike Harkleroad, “Silverdale Township.”
Rev. W. W. Harris, “Creswell Township.”
Dick Courtright, “Rock Creek.”
Amos Walton, “Ignoramus.”
Rev. J. P. Witt, “Winfield telegrams.”
A. D. Prescott, “The Missouri Pacific R. R.”
Col. Sumner, “That Spoon hook.”
Mr. Neal, of Wellington, “The Ft. Smith, Wellington & Northwestern.”
Wm. Jenkins, “The Waterloo of Cowley County.”
Mr. Manahan, of Cedar, “Blessed are the Peacemakers.”
James Hill made the final response, choosing his own subject.
At the close of the exercises, our guests were taken care of for the night. The most enthusiastic and friendly feeling exists in southern Cowley. Never before in our existence have we ever seen as many happy souls as there are now in the townships of Cedar, Spring Creek, Silverdale, and Creswell, and the city of Arkansas City. One cause has bound our hearts together and soon the link will be more welded by the bands of steel.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, May 29, 1886. From Monday’s Daily.
Amos Walton went up to Wichita today.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, June 5, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.
A little son of J. H. Cunningham, residing on Amos Walton’s farm, is suffering from an attack of pneumonia.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, June 26, 1886. From Monday’s Daily.
Amos Walton and F. P. Schiffbauer of Arkansas City are in the city. They report that city on a regular boom, and also state that the report circulated that the dam at that point had washed out was untrue; all the damage, if it could be called such, was a small amount of brush washed out of place in one spot. Wichita Eagle.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, July 3, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.
The Traveler, in reporting the McCoy whiskey trial, says: “At 1 o’clock p.m., the court reconvened and after a delay of half an hour, a number of witnesses were sworn and Amos Walton was put on the stand. He testified to visiting the cellar kept by the defendant in company with John Kennedy, and the two drinking of a bottle of what he supposed was beer. The quality was poor and one glass he found enough to satisfy his want.”
The editor of the Traveler was one of the twelve “good” men who acquitted McCoy. His newspaper report and his report as a juryman do not agree. How inconsistent you are, Bro. Lockley, upon the beer question.

Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, July 10, 1886. From Thursday’s Daily.
Mayor Schiffbauer, Amos Walton, President Reece, and Director Harkness of the Kansas City & Pan Handle road went up to Liberty Township last night and held an enthusiastic railroad meeting. They inform us no trouble will be experienced about carrying the bonds.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, July 10, 1886. From Thursday’s Daily.
At a citizens meeting held at Rose Valley Schoolhouse in Liberty Township on Wednesday evening, June 7th, held for the purpose of submitting propositions of the Kansas City & Pan Handle railroad, the following were the proceedings. Mr. Fisher was chosen chairman, Messrs. Walton, Reece, and others spoke in explanation of the enterprise. Motion made by Mr. Cochran that the township vote $18,000 township bonds, to be issued to the first railroad completed and operated through the township. Mr. Reece, President of the K. C. & P. H., promptly agreed to enter into such an arrangement if the C. K. & W. would agree to enter into such an arrangement. The proposition of the K. C. & P. H. was then submitted, and owing to some disaffection in reference to location of depot, and for this reason the motion to accept was decided lost by the chairman. Motion made that a committee of five be appointed to confer with the officers of the K. C. & P. H. and formulate a satisfactory petition to submit to the voters. Motion made that this committee be instructed to submit the resolution of the meeting to the officers of the C. K. & W. R. R. Co. Motion carried. After adjournment the committee met the officers of the K. C. & P. H., and agreed to an amended petition. This meeting was harmonious and enthusiastic for the K. C. & P. H.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, July 17, 1886. From Thursday’s Daily.
We had the pleasure of forming the acquaintance of Amos Walton, of Arkansas City, Monday. We take him to be a genial, whole-souled gentleman though with much sandhill dust in his eyes. Telegram.
Arkansas City Republican, July 17, 1886. Supplement.
Amos Walton was here yesterday and just before leaving was heard unburdening himself concerning the State Line project. He said, “That scheme is dead. Arkansas City listened too long to Jim Hill, but we’ve got to keep up a howl to keep those townships from tying themselves up, or our railroad prospects are forever dead.” Visitor.
In reply to the above, Mr. Walton over his own signature in the Democrat, denies the above as a lie out of whole cloth, and gives it as his opinion that the State Line will be built.
Arkansas City Republican, July 24, 1886.

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 Democrats held their county convention Saturday. Winfield, Arkansas City, Rich-land, Bolton, Creswell, Beaver, Spring Creek, Ninnescah, Liberty, Dexter, Pleasant Valley, and Vernon townships were represented by delegates. Capt. Gary called the assembly to order and Amos Walton was chosen temporary chairman and D. C. Young, of the Telegram, secretary. The committee on permanent organization recommended that the temporary organization be permanent, which was done. The following delegates were then elected.
State Convention. Delegates: John A. Eaton, J. B. Lynn, Chas. Schmidt, S. G. Gary, A. J. Thompson, J. D. Ward, C. C. Black, Amos Walton, Frank Manny, C. G. Thompson, T. McIntire.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, August 7, 1886. From Monday’s Daily.

Hon. Amos Walton of Arkansas City, one of the Directors of The Kansas City & Pan-Handle Railroad Company, was a visitor to our city the first of the week. Mr. Walton drove with his team over the proposed route between Arkansas City to this city, and reports the line an easy one to build—no heavy grades and no acute curves. The sentiments of the people of the different townships, so the gentleman informed us, is overwhelmingly in favor of voting the aid asked. Reece Sunflower.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 11, 1886.
The meeting in Liberty on Monday evening was well attended, and the people were treated to the same strong argument by Col. Birch, Mayor Schiffbauer, and Amos Walton. Bill Hackney was there and tried to controvert some of the statements made, but every point advanced was sustained, and the Winfield wind bag subsided with a far away look.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 18, 1886.
The result of the bond election in the five townships on Saturday was satisfactory to the Pan Handle people, although we have no victory all along the line to record. To Harvey there was a local difference about the location of the depot, in consequence of which want of harmony the bonds were defeated. Silver Creek voted the aid asked with gratifying alacrity. Sheridan voted down the proposition, while in Liberty the bonds carried. In Pleasant Valley the bonds were rejected by a majority of 47. This was the result of the election Saturday, but it does not correctly express the sentiment of the people toward the railroad proposition. In Harvey the citizens the same evening pledged themselves to give the right of way through their township and $5,000 in money. The defeat in Sheridan was due to the fact that $15,000 was asked, while that township is tied up within $10,000, which is the limit of additional indebtedness it can incur. The citizens pledged themselves in writing to vote that amount on the submission of a new proposition. The victory gained in Liberty for the Pan Handle was in spite of the most persistent efforts of W. P. Hackney and his co-workers to defeat them, and the result is memorable as being the first time this big gun of Winfield was ever overthrown by that community. It seems as if the braggart Bill was losing his grip. In Pleasant Valley another election is to be held, at the request of a number of voters; but success is not so material there as Silverdale comes in with an offer to give $10,000 in bonds and half that amount additional in cash if the route is deflected southward, so as to traverse that township and leave Pleasant Valley to the right.
Those who have been waging the campaign in the interest of the Pan Handle bonds, Mayor Schiffbauer, Amos Walton, Major Burch, and others, express themselves entirely content with the work done on Saturday, and are confident in their statements that the road will be built to this city.
Arkansas City Traveler, August 25, 1886.
In felicitating our citizens on the successful result of the late township elections to vote bonds to the Pan Handle road, let it be remembered that the merit of the victory is mainly due to Frank P. Schiffbauer, our popular and progressive mayor, and our efficient ex-commissioner, Amos Walton. These gentlemen show a special fitness for this kind of missionary work, in holding the religious belief that the locomotive is the true pioneer of civilization, and in their readiness to seize the salient points of an audience.

Amos Walton is one of the early settlers, has a property interest in the county, is thoroughly acquainted with its wants, and is always forward in every useful public movement. As a speaker he is not engaging. His movements are constrained and awkward, his voice not modulated, and he is just as apt to turn his back as his face to the audience. But he always commands attention. He is known to be astute and long-headed, his understanding of his subject is always thorough; and whenever he presents a matter, it is always illustrated with new and striking ideas. It takes him some little time to warm to his work, but he holds the attention of his hearers as he goes along, and his argument, though given without elocutionary force, has due weight on the reasoning faculties, and never fails of effect.
These two men, as doughty paladins, espoused the cause of the Kansas City and Pan Handle bonds, and although they were met at every town by the most effective speakers from Winfield, and had the false statements of the press of that city to embarrass them, presented their claims with such prevalence and effect that they signally triumphed in their undertaking.
[REMARKS: AMOS WALTON.]
Arkansas City Traveler, September 1, 1886.
EDITOR TRAVELER: Seeing your complimentary notice of a portion of the workers in the recent Pan Handle contest, I wish to say in reference to the canvass in Liberty, that Mr. Easterday, on the west, and Mr. Cochran, in the west, and John Marks, in the center, believing that they were working for the real interest of their township, and that their labors would assure them a road, did yeoman service for the cause, thereby earning from their own people and from the people of Arkansas City, a debt of gratitude, which I hope in the future we may be able to repay. A. W. Arkansas City, Aug. 28.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, September 18, 1886. From Monday’s Daily.
Amos Walton came home Saturday from his labors along the route of the Kansas City & Pan-Handle railroad. A new route has been selected. It is to be run from Reece to Leon, thence to Atlanta, Burden, and Arkansas City. Elections have been called all along the line up to Butler and Greenwood Counties. The K. C. & P. H. is materializing rapidly.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, October 9, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.
The great unwashed democracy held their county convention Tuesday at Winfield. Amos Walton was nominated for probate judge; C. A. Roberts, of Walnut, for district clerk; C. I. Forsyth, of Winfield, county attorney. No one in the party was deemed capable of filling the office of county superintendent; therefore, no one was nominated.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, October 16, 1886. From Tuesday’s Daily.

Last evening Hon. Frank Bacon addressed the Democracy of this vicinity. Hon. Frank is the people’s candidate for congress from this district and he came down with the intentions, we suppose, of taking the people by the seat of the pants and pulling their votes into the ballot box on November 2 for him. The Hon. Frank is also the candidate of the Democracy and spoke here under their auspices. This ever thoughtful party was very elaborate in their preparations for this “grand rally.” They even went so far and opened up their hearts so widely as to secure the Mechanic’s Band to dispense soothing syrup strains of music. They also engaged the large and commodious storeroom—100 x 25 feet—of J. L. Howard, which was freshly plastered but the day before. We are informed Mr. Howard gets the post office at Cale for this great service to the party. The aroma given off from the plastering and the dust arising from the dry lime as the audience walked over it was simply bewildering. It served its purpose though. The smell of their favorite “medicine” was completely killed off. The effect was better than the eating of cloves. And as Mr. Bacon is of the meek and lowly kind, he said naught of his shabby reception and niggardly treatment. At about 8 o’clock the venerable Judge McIntire escorted Mr. Bacon from the hotel—$2 per day house—to the temple in which he was to orate. They were followed by right-bower Schiffbauer, in this campaign only, and left bower Thompson, and crowd of boys. Arrived without accident upon the improvised platform, the band fell over a few bars of Democratic music, which had been left down the evening before, and then Mr. Bacon was introduced to the few assembled by Mayor F. P. Schiffbauer. Mr. Bacon made a very short speech. He told his hearers how the poor people of this district were suffering for homes down in the Indian Territory. He gave a regular re-hash of one of Capt. Couch’s old Oklahoma speeches, with which our readers are familiar. He never advanced a new idea. He never said he would work for the opening of Oklahoma if elected. His speech was made up principally of quotations of what renowned men had said upon the subject of Oklahoma. This showed that he possesses no mind of his own and that his knowledge is not limited beyond being a well-read man. In congress he would not even command attention. He is a poor speaker; has no eloquence at all. His diction is extremely poor. From the beginning to the ending of his speaking, he stood flat-footed upon the platform with his heels placed closely together and he did not move from that position during his address. Only once or twice did he raise his hand to gesture. Such speaking is exceedingly wearisome and quite a number of the audience showed their disapproval by getting up and going out before half of his speech was delivered. Amos Walton addressed all who remained at the conclusion of the address. He made a much better speech than Mr. Bacon and the audience showed their appreciation of the change of orators by frequent applause. It would have been better for Democracy if Amos had been nominated for congress and Bacon for probate judge. Taking all in all, the rally last evening was a grand failure. The audience at first would not exceed 125 persons and before the speaking was over, it had dwindled down to about 60 or 70. We are safe in saying that Mr. Bacon will run behind the ticket.
P.S. Mr. Bacon never said one word about the big time he and Jeff Davis had at New Orleans over the Independence bell.
Arkansas City Traveler, October 27, 1886.
Amos Walton is spreading himself on oratory, but Capt. Tansey will be our next probate judge.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, October 30, 1886. From Friday’s Daily.
The Democrats will have their wind-up rally Monday evening, November 1, in Highland Opera House. The following personages will deliver addresses: Col. Forsyth, Amos Walton, Miss Ella Kelly, and F. P. Schiffbauer. This is a sleek scheme of the Democracy to ring in an entertainment of this kind on the eve of election. They will make some startling (?) charges, no doubt, thinking the opposition will have no chance to answer. But the voters are not to be misled by any such proceedings. They have their minds made up.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 3, 1886.

Amos Walton made a stout fight for the probate judgeship, and diligently worked the county for aid to send him there. But Capt. Tansey was popular with the boys in blue, whose votes count in a close contest, and as he was well supported in Winfield and in the rural districts, it was considered that the ex-commissioner was waging a losing fight.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, November 6, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.
Jeff. Darnell did excellent work yesterday in Silverdale Township for the Republican ticket. While, in the Democratic ranks, Joe Gibson labored. As the fruits of Darnell’s work, King got 32 majority; the result of Gibson’s was a majority of five for Walton.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, November 6, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.
Yesterday in Arkansas City was an unusually quiet one for election day. Drunks were few and far between, although representatives of the rival candidates were out in full force. The vote in the city was hardly a half of a full vote. Scratching was the principal feature of the voting. [The following is the vote in the city for Probate Judge.]
FIRST WARD. Probate Judge: Tansey, 62; Walton, 90.
SECOND WARD. Probate Judge: Tansey, 70; Walton, 104.
THIRD WARD. Probate Judge: Tansey, 40; Walton, 76.
FOURTH WARD. Probate Judge: Tansey, 107; Walton 89.
TOTAL VOTE OF THE CITY. Amos Walton, 359; W. E. Tansey, 270.
Amos Walton polled a larger vote in Arkansas City than John A. Martin. Amos ran ahead of his ticket. Amos Walton, for probate judge, gave Capt. Tansey a mighty close run, but it is conceded by Democrats the last named has gotten there by a small majority. Mr. Walton carried this city by 80 majority.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, November 6, 1886. From Friday’s Daily.
Capt. Tansey carried Winfield by 123 majority. Amos Walton carried Silver Creek Township (Burden) by 55.
[POLITICS: ELECTION RESULTS.]
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, November 13, 1886. From Wednesday’s Daily.
FOR PROBATE JUDGE.
W. E. Tansey, 2,915; Amos Walton, 2,442; B. F. Wood, 309.
Tansey’s plurality, 473; majority over all, 164.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, November 27, 1886. From Saturday’s Daily.
Amos Walton will commence the publication of a democratic journal in this city in a month or six weeks. The intention of the paper is to be a faithful exponent of democracy, and also to give the REPUBLICAN hades.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 1, 1886.
Arkansas City is to be favored with a new democratic organ, with Amos Walton for publisher and editor. It seems a strange infatuation that a prosperous citizen who owns a good farm, and has a knowledge of law as a professional resort, should voluntarily assume the drudgery of journalism, with its scant returns and many risks. But the hopefulness that is native to the human breast makes light of discouragement; man never is but always to be blessed. Our friend, Amos, has done good service to the county, is a staunch democrat, and certainly deserves well of his party friends. We look for a lively newspaper at his hands, and hope to see him make it a success. His office will be in the Bittle block and he promises to have his first number out during the present month.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, December 4, 1886. From Tuesday’s Daily.

The Winfield Courier says Amos Walton intends starting a daily Democratic paper. This is a mistake. Amos thinks one daily is sufficient in Arkansas City and says Winfield will not have that number in another year. Winfield has too many dailies to prosper. They have to write something to fill-up when news is scarce and the consequence is many items detrimental to Winfield’s interests get into print.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 15, 1886.
Amos Walton is busy taking subscribers for his forthcoming democratic organ. His list shows a big string of names, but he does not say how many are paid up subscribers. The astute ex-commissioner has a great deal to learn in the business of journalism.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 15, 1886.
At an election of officers of Arkansas City Post, No. 158, G. A. R., on Saturday evening, the following were elected. Post Commander, M. N. Sinnott; Senior Vice Commander, John R. Nelson; Junior Vice Commander, Jacob Dunkle; Quarter Master, G. W. Miller; Surgeon, Capt. C. G. Thompson; Chaplain, Jacob Crites; Officer of the day, Dr. H. D. Kellogg; Officer of the guard, John Lewis; Inside guard, I. N. Dodd; Outside guard, Amos Walton. Comrades Frederic Lockley and Amos Walton were elected delegates to the next department encampment to be held in Abilene, Kansas, and Comrades Henry T. Sumner and G. W. Miller alternates.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, January 1, 1887. From Friday’s Daily.
Amos Walton will issue his Canal City Dispatch next Thursday.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, February 19, 1887. From Thursday’s Daily.
The Winfield Courier says Arkansas City was up in Beaver Township Tuesday to defeat the D. M. & A. bonds. That is a falsehood. Amos Walton was the only man in Beaver Township from Arkansas City election day and he was there in the interests of his paper. Arkansas City never made the slightest attempt to defeat the bonds; therefore, we were not scooped, as the Courier alleges.
[ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.]
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, February 26, 1887.
About 35 of the Canal City amusement enthusiasts assembled in the Business Men’s Club rooms last evening to take steps to enter the State League. Amos Walton was chosen chairman and R. G. Norton secretary of the meeting. It was resolved to organize a stock company with a capital stock of $5,000; there are to be 250 shares issued at $25 a share. Committees were appointed to solicit subscriptions. A committee was chosen to raise $50, the fee necessary to enter the league. It was also the voice of the meeting to enter arrangements for the hire of players for the coming season and if possible secure only those that would be sure to win the championship of the state. It is safe to say that Arkansas City will get there. The right men are pushing the enterprise.
Arkansas City Republican, Saturday, March 12, 1887. From Monday’s Daily.
Amos Walton went to Abilene this afternoon to attend the State Encampment.
1891.
Daily Calamity Howler, September 28, 1891.
Cowley County People’s Party Ticket: For Commissioner 2nd District: Amos Walton.
Daily Calamity Howler, September 28, 1891.

Appointments for People’s Meetings.
Thursday, October 1, Tannehill, Bradshaw and Walton.
Friday, October 2, East Bolton, IXL schoolhouse, Walton and others.
Saturday, October 3, West Bolton, Theaker schoolhouse, Bradshaw and Walton.
Daily Calamity Howler, September 28, 1891.
Amos Walton was in the city Monday. Amos is making a lively canvass for commissioner from the lower district, and is giving the Traveler and Guthrie more worry and uneasiness than anything that has crossed their path for many a day.
Daily Calamity Howler, Friday, October 2, 1891.
A rousing People’s meeting was held at Tannehill last evening. J. C. Bradshaw and Amos Walton were the speakers, and they handled the g. o. p. without gloves. J. C. Bradshaw is drawing like a mustard plaster; being one of the most entertain­ing speakers on the stump. We know that when he reads this, he will blush clear up to the root of his hair, but we can’t help saying that he is one of those young men who is bound to leave his impress upon his generation.
Daily Calamity Howler, Wednesday, October 7, 1891.
The A. C. Democrat still keeps telling its readers something about Amos Walton’s record. So far Bro. McIntire has shown the successor of Amos which was McIntire himself, to be the rascal. If Amos Walton was a candidate on the democrat or republican ticket, he would be a gentleman.
Daily Calamity Howler, Wednesday, October 7, 1891.
DEXTER ITEM. The following gentlemen visited at the residence of L. B. Bullington last Saturday: Salem Fouts, Amos Walton, Ham Hawkins, and Jap Cochran. It is wise to say they are all candidates on the people’s ticket, and will of course be elected in November.
Daily Calamity Howler, Saturday, October 31, 1891.
For commissioner of the second district, Walton has served one term, Guthrie two. And now Guthrie asks for the third term. The men should be tried by their record only. Walton’s record is that the last year of his administration he reduced the cost of the county printing one-half; Guthrie’s record is that the first act of his administration he raised the price to full rates with the same bids in that did the work the year before, at one-half rates. Let them be tried by their records.