The Kansas National Guard in Howard

[W. Gray]

Howard appears to have had its own National Guard company in 1893, shown here drilling at the train station.

The Santa Fe station shown is the original station built in 1879 and destroyed by fire in 1907. The fire may have been purposely set.



From the Kansas State Historical Society via the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Society web site.

[larryJ]

Probably by the National Guard!!!!!!!!!!!!    LOL

Larryj

[W. Gray]

One of the Howard newspapers speculated that a gang of organized thieves, who had stolen a railroad shipment of liquor, set the fire to cover their escape.

Here is a another photo of the Howard unit of the Kansas National Guard on guard on the steps of the state capitol building during the Populist War.

I do not know much about this war but do remember reading about it while in junior high school in Missouri.

Here is a slight synopsis.

In November 1892, the Populist Party won the governor's office and control of the senate.

Somehow, both a Populist Party and a Republican Party House of Representatives was elected and seated, although they agreed to meet at separate times in the house wing.

The speaker of the Populist house of representatives was arrested for disturbing the peace based on a complaint brought by the speaker of the Republican house of representatives.

At around the same time members of the Republican house marched on the capitol building, smashed the doors with a sledge hammer, and took control of the representatives wing.

I do not know if the Howard unit was the only one mobilized to keep the peace--probably not.

After peace was restored, both houses continued to meet at different times and both bodies passed state legislation.

The Kansas Supreme Court subsequently ruled in favor of the Republican House of Representatives.


Kansas Memory

[W. Gray]

This blown up photo is of a Wichita artillery battery on the Kansas capitol grounds. That unit also responded as a result of the Populist War. For you civilian folks, a battery is unique to artillery and is the equivalent of a company.

If the Wichita guys responded with their field pieces as the photo seems to suggest, that sure seems like overkill and a waste of taxpayer money.

When the Populist governor ordered the National Guard to Topeka, the state Adjutant General, a Republican, refused to follow the order. The AG was relieved of command and replaced with an officer who followed orders.

[W. Gray]

A much better photo from Kansas Memory of the Wichita Battery.

[W. Gray]

Here is a another photo of the Howard unit of the Kansas National Guard on guard on the steps of the state capitol building during the Populist War.

I do not know much about this war but do remember reading about it while in junior high school in Missouri.

Here is a slight synopsis.

In November 1892, the Populist Party won the governor's office and control of the senate.

Somehow, both a Populist Party and a Republican Party House of Representatives was elected and seated, although they agreed to meet at separate times in the house wing.

The speaker of the Populist house of representatives was arrested for disturbing the peace based on a complaint brought by the speaker of the Republican house of representatives.

At around the same time members of the Republican house marched on the capitol building, smashed the doors with a sledge hammer, and took control of the representatives wing.

I do not know if the Howard unit was the only one mobilized to keep the peace--probably not.

After peace was restored, both houses continued to meet at different times and both bodies passed state legislation.

The Kansas Supreme Court subsequently ruled in favor of the Republican House of Representatives.


Kansas Memory

I noticed this large building labeled "TRAINING" from an 1893 Sanborn map. Anyone know what it might be? It is two story and is across from the Howard Independent Baptist church at Pine and Illinois.

The only thing I could think of would be Kansas National Guard, but those types of buildings are usually labeled as an armory.



Wichita had an artillery battery called up at the same time as Howard.

[flintauqua]

The 1899 Sanborn has that same building labeled "Hanna & Co. Training".

The 1905 Sanborn has it labeled "Breeding".

It's still there in 1912, but just labeled "Private".