Boston Potpourri

[W. Gray]

From the Howard County Messenger (Boston), July 17, 1874, as quoted in the Howard County Ledger (Elk Falls),  July 23, 1874

"Some of the Kaw Indians camped in our town, Wednesday night. They were on their way to Topeka." [All the Indians in eastern Kansas, over twenty tribes, were gone by 1874, but they frequently made trips between Indian Territory to the south and Topeka coming through Howard County].

"Camp meeting commences near Howard City, on the first day of August. Yellow legged chickens in that vicinity are hiding themselves." [Not sure but I think this is a barb against Howard City citizens. The Boston editor bought the Howard City Messenger and renamed it Howard County Messenger and moved to Boston.]

"A drove of cattle passed through town on Tuesday among which were two tame Buffaloes, one two year old and the other a yearling. They were caught when calves on the plains and are now as tame as any domestic cattle."

"Our mail facilities are much better than formerly. The line from Independence to Winfield is changed, and now runs from Elk Falls, by the way of Boston to Winfield. They have taken off the stages on the whole line, and run nothing but a Buck Board." [Independence was the nearest railhead at the time to Howard or Cowley County]

"We hear nothing more of our county Fair." [There was no fair that year—partly because of the Boston War and partly because division was such a hot issue even though it had already been defeated once in a prior legislature]

The Boston newspaper also contained a story of a Boston resident, holding a grudge, riding to Wild Cat Creek and belting another man over the head with a pitchfork. He was brought to the Centre Township Justice of the Peace in Boston and fined $10.