Wilmot

                                                        Richland Township.

The little town of Wilmot, located just north of the Winfield City Lake, first came into being soon after the K. C. & S. W. railroad was built across country between Beaumont, Kansas, and Indian Territory. Eventually it extended to what later became the city of Enid, Oklahoma. The only means of travel at that time was by horse drawn vehicle, or on horseback over dirt roads. As the people desired to be near a shipping point and means of transportation, a number of little towns developed near the railroad, among which was the town of Wilmot. [The railroad later became a part of the Frisco.]
As the people began locating near the railroad, plans were made for a little town. On September 4, 1885, a plat was laid out in streets, blocks, and lots for a townsite which they named Wilmot. Numerous business and residential buildings were constructed by the people and a depot, stockyards, and a section house were built by the railroad company which also provided the area with both passenger and freight train service twice daily.

[CORRESPONDENT FROM POLO, RICHLAND TOWNSHIP: “M. C. SELTER.”]
Winfield Courier, June 3, 1880.
Mr. McPherson has been appointed postmaster at Wilmot, vice Mrs. S. M. Phoenix, resigned.
[WILMOT CORRESPONDENT, RICHLAND TOWNSHIP: “SPECTATOR.”]
Winfield Courier, January 18, 1883.
                                                              Wilmot Items.
The farmers have been resting on their oars during the holidays, enjoying the beautiful weather that has prevailed.
Mr. Williams has gone on a visit to the home of his childhood, in North Carolina. Mr. Frank Moore has quit the stone quarry and moved on a farm. Mr. Vandeventer has returned to Illinois. The township trustee gave the bridge over Timber Creek a regular overhauling. It was badly out of repair, but it is now safe to drive over.
The farmers are selling their wheat now, so that they will not have to pay taxes on it, and the delivery will not interfere with their spring work. They are expecting an early spring, as Easter Sunday comes on the 25th of March, this year.
D. C. Beach was elected as a delegate to attend the State Temperance Convention at Topeka. The rumor that T. A. Blanchard had sold his farm proves a canard.
The stone quarries will soon be in connection with the railroad, the engineer is looking up the route, making preliminary surveys, etc. This will enhance the value of property, and add considerable to the population of our township.
The conundrum in politics is who shall be assessor? The present incumbent, J. C. Roberts, has ably filled the office since the organization of the township, and will undoubtedly be re-elected. M. N. Chafey has many friends for treasurer, and J. Anderson for clerk—all good Republicans, in whose hands the business of the township would be ably and honestly cared for.

J. L. King, wishing to retire from the office of Justice of the Peace, someone in his neighborhood will be nominated, as that has been the custom from time immemorial, to elect one each alternate year from the eastern and western shores of the classic “Timber.”
In conclusion, I would suggest to farmers to look at the early and late sown wheat, and read and digest a lesson therein contained.
The laws regulating the surveying of land need remodeling, so as to prohibit the setting of an indefinite number of corner stones where but one ought to be. SPECTATOR.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, August 6, 1885.
The town of Wilmot, in Richland township, is one of the booming new villages of Cowley. The stone is on the ground for the foundations of several new business buildings.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, August 13, 1885.
For Sale. My farm in Richland township, within a half mile of the proposed new town of “Wilmot,” on the K. C. & S. W. railroad, consisting of 320 acres. Also my stock—55 head of 1 and 2 year old heifers, in calf by imported Galloway bull. Also 28 head of half-blood Galloway calves by their sides. The farm is fenced with wire, and good, perpetual running water. A. T. Holmes, Wilmot P. O.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, August 20, 1885.
Brother Henthorn, of the Burden Eagle, convicted himself of “assault with intent to kill” in the following. Any man who would deliberately, with malice aforethought, seek to inveigle a fellow sinner into abject poverty and sure death by starvation, should receive a long term in the “pen.” Listen: “There are several towns in Cowley County needing newspapers. The field is open. Atlanta, Wilmot, Floral, Torrance, New Salem, Box, Glen Grouse, Maple City, Tisdale, Hackney, Kellogg, Polo, and Rock are among the number.”
                                                              ATLANTA.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, August 20, 1885.
Atlanta is about twenty-two miles from Winfield in the center of Omnia township, and is starting on a substantial basis. The buildings already erected are better buildings than are usual for the first buildings of a new town. They are painted up well and make a fine appearance. R. S. Strother has his hotel, the Atlanta House, completed and is running it splendidly and doing a large business. It is quite a good sized and good looking building. Another hotel nearly completed by Mr. Burroughs is a still larger and better building, and is finished in front in a very stylish and artistic manner. Gillard & Darlington have a general store and quite a large stock of goods, and are already having a very considerable trade. There are two other stores with small stocks, a post office, land office, and two livery stables. Some buildings are in process of completion and others are just beginning to get material on the ground. It is going to make a good town, and perhaps the prettiest town in the county.
                                                         Wilmot and Floral.
About nine miles this side of Atlanta is the town site of Wilmot, just being laid out and already building has begun. Only one frame is up yet, but several are preparing to build and the town will take a boom as soon as the track reaches it and commences bringing in building material. Floral is also preparing for a second birth, with a prospect of becoming a town of considerable consequence in the near future.
[WILMOT CORRESPONDENT, RICHLAND TOWNSHIP: “T. R. C.”]
Winfield Courier, Thursday, August 20, 1885.

Mr. Cottingham will have his blacksmith shop ready for the workman in a few days.
The Town company here finished their well 93½ feet, with an abundant supply of water 40 feet.
Mr. Adam Stuber is on the invalid list, having been so for the past two weeks, but is improving somewhat at present.
Work on Mr. Lorton’s building is progressing rapidly and will be ready for our Kansas City merchant in a few days.
Mr. R. C. Jones of Polo is figuring on the probable cost and place for a store room at Wilmot, and expects to be one of us in the near future.
A restaurant on the tapis this week, and will be ready to furnish the hungry yeomanry and others with the necessary of life (good grub) in short order.
Mr. D. F. McPherson will move his stock of goods this week from his old stand at the post office to Mr. Phoenix’s stone building, which he will occupy until he has time to erect a building of his own.
Mr. David Roberts, we understand, has purchased the Coon quarter of land adjoining his farm, which will be a splendid addition to his already improved farm; also, that F. B. Moery has purchased the Shannon quarter, 8 miles northwest of town.
The town of Wilmot is located about 13 miles northeast of Winfield, on the line of the K. C. & S. W. R. R., in one of the most prosperous and enterprising neighborhoods in the county. The sound of the hammer is heard and the streets present a busy appearance.
We learn that Mr. Holt has rented his grain and stock farm to Mr. J. R. Thompson for a term of one year, and will take up his abode in the suburbs of Wilmot, having already purchased 5 acres of land from the Wilmot Town company. He expects to erect a residence thereon this fall.
The K. C. & S. W. is completed to Wilmot, building will commence in dead earnest now that the lumber can be laid down here by the cars. The boom is surely coming to this part of the moral heritage. The dry bones are beginning to rattle, and the purchase of land is the talk of the day.

The county commissioners were out Monday to see if the railroad company had filled their contract in regard to the first 10 miles of constructed road in the county before they issue the county bonds to the railroad company as per contract. We predict they will find the road all right. We understand that L. D. Latham, of Chicago, was also down along the line this week looking up the future prospects of his belongings.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, August 20, 1885.
The Board of County Commissioners, accompanied by County Attorney Asp, inspected the first ten miles of the K. C. & S. W. railroad built in this county Tuesday. The rode over the line from Richland township to Beaumont, and were surprised at the completeness of the road bed and equipments. They found everything first-class—far from the scrap iron and two-ties-to-a-rail line the Burden Eagle and other sorehead papers had been trying to make believe. The engines are as fine as ever run on a track, and like the cars, and everything else about the road, are splinter new. The Commissioners were unanimous in pronouncing the road, so far, as good as any in the west, and unhesitatingly accepted the first ten miles. They also examined the abutments of the Dutch creek bridge and found them of the very best. The track is about twelve miles from Winfield now, coming right along. Side-track has been put in at Wilmot. The Commissioners went out today to condemn from the north line of Walnut township to Timber creek. The survey around the city is not yet settled.