"Bloody Chasm" in Elk County

[W. Gray]

It would seem that the people of the county are pretty generally settled down to the conviction that the fair way in the matter of voting aid to the Railroads is to give all parts of the county a show. Hence the talk now is all in favor of aiding the east and west road through Longton, Elk Falls and Greenfield and the K.C E. & S. from Eureka to Howard City. This plan would, in our belief give general satisfaction of a very large majority of the tax payers in the county and we hope arrangements will soon be perfected to carry the scheme into execution.  We understand that the friends of the east and west road are perfectly willing to accept and work for a scheme of this kind, and it is just what the LEDGER and the people of the north side have been advocating for some time. Let's join hands and close up the "bloody chasm" and see if Elk Co., will not prosper more than she has under the old regime of eternal warfare between the different sections of the county.

Elk County Ledger, Howard City, Kansas, July 21, 1877.

[Diane Amberg]

Very interesting! Thanks.

[evanstrail]

And to think, it's 135 years later and there are still some who want nothing more than to keep that Bloody Chasm open, trying to swallow all attempts at bettering the chances for future prosperity for all of Elk County.