Jackson County, Missouri - Chapter 6: Kansas City Redivivus, 1881

Chapter 6: Kansas City Redivivus

Reorganization of the Town Company - The First Great Sale of Lots - An Interesting Record - Bad /'itles - Further Surveys and Sales - The Company Dissolved - Town Development - The California Emigration - The Concentration of the Santa Fe and Indian Trades at Kansas City - Cholera and its Direful Effects - Municipal Organization - The First Newspaper - Revival After the Cholera.

The events chronicled in the last chapter concerning the movement and development of trade, together with the settlement of the question concerning the title of the town company to the Prudhomme estate led to a revival of the town building feeling. A meeting was held on the 28th of February, (1846), at the house of Wm. B. Evans, at which time were present Messrs. William Gillis, Fry, P. McGee, Jacob Ragan, Wm. B. Evans and John C. McCoy. These gentlemen, together with Robert Campbell and H. Jobe now held the fourteen original shares, some of the original parties having sold out to some of their associates or to the new parties here introduced into the company. The fourteen shares always existed so long as the company existed, but some members held two or more. The record of this meeting is as follows :

"On motion of F. P. McGee, ordered that a sale of lots be advertised to take place on Thursday, the last day of April, next, and to be sold on twelve months credit, reserving the title of said lots until the money is paid, and to bear interest from due until paid at the rate of ten per cent per annum from due until paid."

A settlement of the sales of 1836 was now made with the purchasers of lots at that sale. Interest was charged on the purchase price at ten per cent for six years, making the total for that sale, $11,482.88; the money was collected and titles made, the deeds being signed by each member of the company and the wife of each member, which was an expensive and laborious way of making titles.

While the sale ordered at this meeting in February was being advertised a new survey was made by John C. McCoy. At this time he adopted the survey of 1838, and extended it back to the township line and east half a block beyond Grand avenue, then called Market street, and west three hundred feet beyond Wyandotte street.

The First Great Sale Of Lots

The sale was held as advertised, and the original records of the company show that one hundred and twenty-seven lots were sold singly and two whole blocks together, Robert Campell being the purchaser of the two blocks, for which he paid three hundred dollars. These two blocks were those lying between Fourth and Fifth streets and Wyandotte and Main streets, now the center of Kansas City's Jobbing Trade. The highest price paid for any one lot sold at this sale was three hundred and forty-one dollars, paid by Wm. M. Chick for lot No. 9. A few others in the same vicinity on the levee between Wyandotte and Walnut streets sold for between two and three hundred dollars, but most of them went below one hundred. The amount for which some of the lots were sold is not carried out in the original record, but the total of those carried out is $8,- i'37.42. A copy of this record made at a later date foots up the sale $8,643.62. Spaldings Annals states this aggregate at $8,625, and the average at $55.65, but the records of the company do not appear to contain the data for such calculations.

An Interesting Record

A very interesting feature of the record of this sale is that it gives the vocation of most of the purchasers, as well as their names, and this shows what kinds of business prevailed here at that time, as well as who lived here. Thus it is shown that there were seven farmers among the purchasers, Jacob Ragan, N. Ross, W. G. Barkley, F. P. McGee, John Park, Peter McGee and Thomas A. Smart; four merchants, H. M. Northrup, W. M. Chick, P. M. Chouteau and Thos. Elliott; three butchers, John Javins, H. Javins and Thos. Javins ; three doctors, Jos. O. Boggs, Benoist Troost and S. G. Harlan ; two carpenters, Henry Jobe and M. Walden ; two grocers (saloon keepers in these times), Geo. Hudson and A. G. Yancy ; two traders, F. H. Booth and B. Linkingfelter ; two laborers, Henson Javins and Peter Belanger; two brick makers, Wm. B. Pruddy and Jas. Pruddy ; two brick layers, Wm. Champagne and Franklin Barnes ; one landlord, Wm. B. Evans ; one pilot, Chas. Dripps ; one lawyer, L. Kaufman ; one broker, Chas. Horning; one stone mason, D. Edgerton ; one Santa Fe trader, B. Pruitt; one surveyor, John C. McCoy; one tailor, J. A. StuU; one gunsmith, Gabriel Phillebert , one wheelwright, Moise Belmar ; one school master, Lott Caufman ; one Indian, Isaac Zane, and one gentleman, Wm. Gillis. A "gentleman" in those days signified a man who had no regular business, and lived without labor. There were also among the purchasers Robert Campbell, formerly of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company, Thos. Breeze, Edward F. Hand, Lewis Ford, David McWilliams, Robert Hudgins, Elijah Jackson S. D. Ray and Mr. Parsons, whose vocations are hot stated in the record.

Notwitfistanding the inability of the company to make titles or sell lots between 1838 and 1846, the tendency of trade to transfer itself to this point, caused an accumulation of people here for various purposes, so that at the time of this sale, in April, 1846, it was estimated that the town had already a population of not less than three hundred.

Bad Titles

Notes were taken for lots sold in 1846, having fallen due in 1847, on the ist Ma:y, of that year, P. M. Chouteau, son of Francois Chouteau, was appointed by the company, to collect the money. On the 3d of May, Fry P. Mc Gee was also appointed to collect. At this time, of course, titles had to be given to the lots, as the notes were collected, and the method employed the previous year - that of each member of the company and his wife signing the deed - was too slow and cumbersome to be re-adopted, hence a power of attorney was given to Mr. Chouteau to sign the deeds for the company. This he did, but signed them by his own name as " attorney-in-fact," without signing the name of the company by himself as " attorney in-fact. " This was afterward found to be irregular, and it gave rise to much trouble in adjusting titles

While referring to this subject, it may be as well to mention another fact which subsequently arose to cause some litigation and trouble. A posthumous daughter was born to Gabriel Prudhomme after preceedings for sale in partition had been initiated by the other heirs. In this situation the order of court naming the heirs among whom the proceeds of sale were to be divided did not mention her, and hence the commissioner paid her nothing. She afterward became the wife of Col. M. J. Payne, now president of the Kansas City Gas Company, and suit was brought for her portion. This suit was not successful in its object, but for a- long time it caused a cloud to rest upon the title to every lot in the Prudhomme estate.

Further Surveys The Company Dissolve

In May, 1847, the company decided to lay off the balance of their land into lots Accordingly, a contract was made for the clearing of the land east of Market street (Grand avenue) to " Phillibert's Branch," about Campbell street, running back to Fifth street; and John C. McCoy was employed to lay off the balance of the land into lots. All this having been done, another sale of lots was held July 17, 1847, at which twenty-three lots were sold for an aggregate of $1,-

On this same day - July 17th - the company decided to close up its affairs, and divide proceeds. Accordingly, Messrs. McGee, Gillis and Evans were appointed to make a survey of the assets of the company, preparatory to such action. On the 30th <# September following, the division was made, lots and notes being apportioned to each share in the company, in as nearly equal values as possible. The company appears here to have practically gone out of existence, as the record shows no further proceedings, except some business transacted for it by McCoy and Gilhs, in disposing of a few lots overlooked by the committee, in the division of the proceeds.

Town Development

At the time of the first sale above referred to, April 30, 1846, it was estimated'that there were about three hundred people in the new town, nearly all settled along the river front. However, under the impulse of the Mexican war and Santa Fe trade, added to the Indian trade already existing, the place grew rapidly, and before the close of the year, the population was estimated at seven hundred. New warehouses and outfitting houses were established, trade facilities became much enlarged, and the tendency of the Santa Fe and Mexican war trades to concentrate at this point largely increased.

The next year, 1847, Colonel Charles E. Kearney, now of this city, located in Westport, and went into business with W. R. Bernard, still a citizen of that place. Mr. Bernard was at that time engaged with Colonel A. G. Boone, in Indian trading, and Colonel Kearney had been for some years previous trading in Old Mexico, from southern points. The new firm opened a large outfitting house for the Santa Fe traders, and thus supplied, the only lacking facility for transferring the trade to the border, and obviating the eighteen miles haul and the bad roads, and the rendezvous twelve miles from the depot of supply. Kansas City, in her new warehouses, in her unequaled natural steamboat landing, and her near proximity, suppHed all the balance. For the next three years Westport was the headquarters of the trade, but Kansas City was rapidly absorbing it.

California Emigration

The excitement incident to the revival of the Santa Fe trade and the Mexican War, was supplemented by the CaHfornia gold excitement in 1849. The progress of Kansas City meantime was rapid, for anew town against older, more populous, and better known towns. Still, she had not, up to this time, advanced to a point where she could successfully compete with \Vestport and Independence for this new trade, and while it lasted they had the hon's share of it. The emigration was large through this locality, for it was soon found that on the more northern routes the springs were later, and the winters came earlier, not giving emigrants time to get through. Besides, the routes up the valley of the Kansas River, or over the prairies toward Santa Fe, were by far the best for the emigrants. Many of them came by boat to this place, and outfitted here. It was useless to go higher up the river, for they got no nearer to California by doing so, besides which they lost their time, and approached the latitude of shorter seasons. Here again this locality vindicated its natural advantages, and again Kansas City vindicated her natural advantages as the best steamboat landing on the river, and her rightful claim to the business being done from neighboring points.

Cholera And Its Effects

At the same time this new element of trade and town development came into existence, there came also that dread scourge, the cholera. It came first in 1849. It first made its appearance among some Belgians brought here by Mr. Guinotte and Mr. Chouteau. There were about eighty of them camped below town, and the cholera proved very fatal among them, and soon spread to other classes of the populations and to Independence, Westport and other neighboring places. Fi/om the earliest history of this disease, it appears to have traveled farthest and fastest and with deadliest effect along water courses. Wherever it has taken epidemic form in this country, it has shown this peculiarity to a marked degree, and once possessing itself of a footing on the Mississippi it has penetrated all the ramifications of its tributaries. Kansas City this year having a large trade and many steamboats touching her levee from points below, received the scourge in its most fatal form. It followed the California emigrants in 1849 and 1850 on to the plains, and besides decimating their numbers also greatly depressed the trade and emigration. In 1850 there was little if any of it in Kansas City, or in the adjacent cities of Independence and Westport, and, though it had caused the flight of many people from here, they returned, and in 1850 Kansas City had a population of between 700 and 800.

The Santa Fe Trade Drifts To Kansas City

But though Kansas City did not participate to any great extent in the rich harvests of the Mexican war and California emigration trade, she felt the stimulus of it and grew rapidly. And as she grew, adding warehouses and outfitting stores to the facilities of her natural landing, she began more and, more surely to command the Santa Fe trade. At a banquet given by the merchants Christmas day, 1857, Col. E. C. McCarty made a speech, a report of which is here copied from the Journal of contemporaneous date, because of its historical value :

" He said he was a poor speaker, but would make some few statements as to the Santa Fe trade. He had been engaged in it as early as 1828, having come to Missouri in December of that year. The Santa Fe trade was then in its infancy, from ;J5o,ooo to $100,000 being the amount of merchandise transported annually across the plains. In those days there were very few trains with more than two or three wagons, and it was customary for all the Mexican traders to meet at Council Grove, organize into a company under a captain there chosen, and so proceed on their journey under his direction. The press of the whole United States then used to make particular mention of the departure of the Santa Fe caravan from Council Grove, and like notice was given of their return. It was almost universally the case in those early days for some one or more of the party to be scalped by the Indians. The trade gradually commenced to increase year by year, and has multiplied to the present almost incredible amount. I was informed two years ago, by Dr. Connelly, probably the largest trader in New Mexico, that the Santa Fe trade across the plains then amounted to five millions of dollars, nearly all of which passed through the City of Kansas. It was on this statement of the amount of trade as set forth as above, that he succeeded in forcing the passage of a bill by the Legislature establishing a Court of Common Pleas in this city, while bills sent in in favor of other counties were rejected. In the spring of 1847 he, in company with Mr. Russell, now (1857) of Leavenworth, started the first train from this city to New Mexico. Old Mr. McDonald went in charge of it, and was the first man that ever crossed the great American Desert with a wagon. Mr. Northrup was the first merchant he had the pleasure of doing business with in Kansas City, and their business operations have been continued until the present time with high satisfaction to the speaker. Mr. Northrup was one of those men who had taken an early day for settlement in Kansas City and had stuck to it ever since. In the spring of 1850 his brother, then in New Mexico, came in as a partner of Capt. St. Vrain, and through their influence and his own, all outfitting trade, previously done in Independence, was brought to this point, and from the year 1850 dates the era of Kansas City trade with New Mexico. Six hundred wagons started from this point that year. Was engaged, as one of the firm of Brown, Russell &. Co., during the summer and fall of 1850, in transporting the army supplies from Fort Leavenworth to the western forts, and from their knowledge of the routes they oiTered the Government to receive the freight at St. Louis, and pay freight and insurance on the same from thence to this point if the Government would permit them to land the goods here instead of at Fort Leavenworth, as the advantages of the route from this point would more than compensate for the additional expense. The Government refused to do it - for who ever knew an army officer to walk ten steps out of his way to accommodate anybody? Their loss, in consequence of not being permitted to start from this point, amounted to sixty thousand dollars, one item in which was 600 yoke of oxen. For a number of years it was customary to transport all goods over the plains by mules, as it was thought impossible for oxen and wagons to be used. He was the first man that started an ox team across the plains from this point, and they had been used altogether ever since."

At the time of the occurrences here referred to by Col. McCarty, Kansas City had not probably more than five hundred inhabitants, owing to the effects of the cholera in 1849 in driving people away. In 1850 Kansas City, Independence and Westport were none of them ijicorporated towns, hence the census of that year does not give the population separate from that of the townships in which they were located. Lexington, however, was a considerable place, and Weston had a population of 3,775. The growth of these two places was due to the large production of hemp in those days, for which they were the markets.

Cholera Again

However the rapid development of the city promised by the fact here noted by Col. McCarty it was destined to receive a serious check by the re-appearance of the cholera in 1851. At this time it created a panic, which speedily reduced the population to about three hundred. People literally deserted the town and fled in all directions. The scourge revisited the place in 1852, and revived to a considerable degree the previous panic. That year forty-eight deaths occurred in Westport within twenty-four hours after the appearance of the disease, and there were in a like space of time about forty deaths in Independence and twenty or more in Kansas City. Owing to this circumstance the outfitting business for the Santa Fe trade and the trade on and across the plains did not fully concentrate itself here until several years afterward - about 1856 and 1857.

Municipal Government

There was no municipal government in Kansas City prior to 1853. Previous to that time the peace was preserved and difficulties were adjusted by a township Justice of the Peace and a constable, but a circumstance occurred in December, 1852, which led to the establishment of municipal gevernment. This circumstance was the arrest of a man for some light offense by the constable, upon whose trial it was discovered that the commission issued to the authorities was for the next congressional township east, which located their jurisdiction at least six miles from where they had been exercising their authority. This led to a movement looking to municipal organization. That winter, February 22, 1853, a charter was obtained from the State, and in the spring of 1853 a municipal government was organized. The land embraced in Kansas City, according to this charter, was bounded by the river on the north, by Summit street on the west, by Ninth street on the south, and on the east by the alley between Holmes and Charlotte streets, and therefore embraced much that was not yet, nor for two years to come, laid off into town lots. All that was platted at that time was the old Prudhomme estate, the boundaries of which have already been given. At the election, W. S. Gregory was elected mayor, but served only a short time when Dr. Johnson Lykins was elected to succeed him. Dr. Lykins was re-elected next spring, and in the spring of 1855 John Johnson was elected, but resigned a month afterward. M. J. Payne succeeded him, and held the office till i860.

C. P. Wiggins, E. O' Flaherty, City Engineer; J. P. Howe, Marshal; Wm. A. Strong, City Aitorney; Councilmen: R. J. Lawrence, Wm. J. Jarboe. R. T. Van Horn, A. T. Gilham, Michael Smith, L M. Redge, D. J. Williams. On the 17th of August this council resigned and the following were elected; Wm. J. Jarboe, John Johnson, James A. Frame, T. B. Lester, I. M. Ridge. John A. Boarman.

1873. - E. L. Martin, Mayor; D. H. Porter, Recorder; H. C Kumpf, Auditor; Wm. Weston, Treasurer; G. G. Neiswanger, Marshal; H. M. Withers, Attorney ; D. L. Hall, Supervisor of Registration ; M. McCormick, Supt. of Workhouse ; Web. Withers, Collector ; H. L. Marvin, Engineer ; John Phillips, Market Master ; John T. Blake, Robt. Salisbury, Assessor ; E. H. Russell, Sanitary Sergeant ; J. M. Silvers, Chief of Fire Department ; A. M. Crow, Physician ; A. Mayer, City Clerk ; James Sweeny, Inspector of Weights and Measures-; Thos. Clowdsley, T. McLean, Wood Inspector; J. Brumback, Counselor.

Supervisor of Registration; D. A. N. Grover, Comptroller; John C. Gage, J. Brumback, Counselor ; Jas. Bowling, Superintendent Workhouse. Councilmen: J. M. Beach, John Campbell, A. C. Moffat, B. A. Feineman, Dennis Levy, G. W. Lovejoy, W. W. Payne, P. McAnany, Ed. H. Webster, J. W. Reid, Ed. Kelley, H. A. Simms.

1876. - Turner A. Gill, Mayor; P. M. Chouteau, Treasurer; L. J. Talbott, Auditor; W. H. Sutton, H. R. Nelso, Recorder ; Wash. Adams, Attorney; J. M. Ekdahl, Supervisor of Registration ; J. Brumback, Counsellor ; D. A. N. Grover, Comptroller; Robert SaUsbury, Assessor; A. A. Holmes, Engineer; Patrick O'Reilley, Market Master ; Wm. C. Morris, Physician ; J. W. Wirth, Supt. Workhouse ; John Kelley, Inspector Weights and Measures ; A. Mayer, E. R. Hunter, City Clerk; F. Foster, Chief of Fire Department; Thos. M. Speers, Chief of Police. Councilmen : John Campbell, W. S. Gregory, B. A. Feineman, D. R. Porter, Edward Lynde, G. W. Lovejoy, Dennis Levy, P. McAnany, James M. Buckley, J. W. Reid, Wm. Holmes, H. A Simms, David P. Bigger.

1880. - C. A. Chace, Mayor; A. C. Walmsley, Treasurer; William Vincent, Auditor; H. Finney, Recorder; Thomas King, Attorney; M. Burk, Supervisor of Registration ; Wash Adams, Counselor ; John Donnelly, Engineer ; Nathaniel Grant, Comptroller ; V. D. Callahan, City Clerk ; Thomas M. Speers, Chief of Police; F. Foster, Chief of Fire Department; Robert Salisbury, Assessor; C. J. Jenkins, Physician ; Adam Johns, Inspector of Licenses ; J. J. Granfield, Market Master ; F. R. Allen, Superintendent Workhouse. Councilmen: J. A. McDonald, T. B. Bullene, John Salisbury, George W. McClelland, W. J. Ross, J.

1 88 1. - Daniel A. Frink, Mayor; A. C. Walmsley, Treasurer; M. L. Sullivan, Auditor; John W. Childs, Recorder; W. J. Strong, Attorney; M. H. Bass, Supervisor of Registration; D. S. Twitchell, Counselor; Nathaniel Grant, Comptroller; Robert Salisbury, Assessor; V. D. Callahan, City Clerk; John Donnelly, Engineer; A. A. Holmes, Assistant' Engineer ; John Fee, Physician; John J. Granfield, Market Master ; B. Waibel, Inspector Licenses, Weights and Measures; Thomas C. Clary, Superintendent Workhouse; Thomas M. Speers, Chief of Police ; F. Foster, Chief of Fire Department ; Councilmen : W. J. Ross, J. M. Ford, J. A. McDonald, D. H. Porter, John W. Moore, James Anderson, L. A. Allen, John Salisbury, L. Dragon, B. A. Sheidley, W. G. Duncan, M. Gafney.

Reviving Times In 1 85 3-4

During the years 1853-4, there was a material revival of confidence among the people of this locality. The cholera, which, it had been feared, would become an established disease, had failed to make its appearance since 1852. The Santa Fe trade was rapidly growing, and the settlement of the adjacent country made a larger local trade. The fact that this angle in the river was the nearest water transportation for all the Indian country from the head of the Platte River round by the Rocky Mountains to the Cherokee country, caused the whole of the Indian trade to come here, and at that time it had become very large. People began to return, and others to make their homes here, and at last there began to be new hopes of realizing the bright promises of 1846-9. The next enumeration of the population, which was in 1855, showed a revival to 478, but business grew much faster than population.

The First Newspaper

As early as the year 1851 or 1852, there was an attempt made ta-establisji a newspaper. A Mr. Kennedy undertook the enterprise, calling his paper the Public Ledger. It was not, however, a financial success, and after a vain struggle with the waves of adversity, Mr. Kennedy yielded, and the Public Ledger out of existence. The need of a paper to represent the interests of the new city, and properly chronicle local events, had become so apparent that the people interested in its welfare could not long do without one. Hence, after much talking about it among themselves, they finally held a meeting at the Union Hotel, now known as the old Gillis House, and determined that a paper must be had. A company was organized at that meeting, the capital stock was fixed at one thousand dollars, and the larger part of it taken on the spot. The names of some of these subscribers were Wm. Gillis, W. S. Gregory, Northrup & Chick, M. J. Payne, Dr. B. Troost, E. M. McGee, Thompson McDaniel, and Robert Campbell. Dr. Troost, M. J. Payne and W. S. Gregory were elected trustees, with power to collect the subscriptions, purchase material, and start and manage the paper. M. J. Payne was deputed by his associates to do the most of the work. He went to St. Louis and purchased the material, and shipped it to Kansas City. About this time, Mr. D. K. Abeel made his appearance in Kansas City, and the trustees finding that he was a printer, engaged him to take mechanical and business charge of it. Wm. A. Strong, an attorney, was engaged to conduct the editorial department. Its first appearance was in October, 1854, and, as it was deemed only an enterprise, it was given the name of the Kansas City Enterprise. This was the first permanently established newspaper in Kansas City.

In 1857, its name was changed to Journal of Commerce, and is now known simply as The Journal. On the 15th of June, 1858, it appeared as a small morning daily, the fourth daily in the Missouri Valley. Soon afterward, a telegraph line having been completed to Boonville, arrangements were made for dispatches by that line, and by express . from Boonville to Kansas City. In its different editions prior to the war, it was the most active and wide-awake paper the writer has ever had the pleasure of examining; the fullest of local and business news, and the most devoted to the welfare of Kansas City. It was at once a faithful reflector of all local and business news, the leader and exponent of public commercial sentiment, and the fosterer of every public enterprise.

In the summer of 1855, Col. R. T. Van Horn came to the city and purchased the Enterprise, of which he assumed control in October. He had previously lost an ofifice, the Telegraph, at Pomeroy, Ohio, by fire, and for a year or two had been steamboating for a brother-in-law who was largely interested in steamboat stocks. It was from this fact that he got the title of captain, by which he was generally known, until by mihtary services in the late war he gained the one by which he is at present known. In the summer of 1855 he took a boat to St. Louis to sell, and while lying there for that purpose boarded at the Virginia hotel. Here he met William A. Strong, then editor of the Enterprise, who, learning that he was a printer and journalist, induced him to come to Kansas City.

His purchase of the Enterprise was for one thousand dollars, one half cash and the balance on time. From its first issue under his management, it became an active, earnest and vigilant advocate of Kansas City's interests, and so far exceeded the expectations of the old company that before the maturity of his notes they were canceled and presented to him.

D. K, Abeel, Esq., who had been connected with the paper from the first as printer and business ' manager, soon afterward became associated with Col. Van Horn in the proprietorship, taking charge of the business affairs, into which department he infused that vigor and energy which at once put the paper on a sound and progressive financial basis. These two gentlemen have since been largely associated together in the paper in these respective capacities, each ably fulfilling the promise of their early years.

Kansas City In 1854-5

At this time all there was of Kansas City was situated along the river front, except a few residences which had been built upon the hills overlooking the river. The levee was only about wide enough for a team to pass, jutting over a ledge of rocks into the river on the one side and rising hundreds of feet into bluffs on the other. Here and there excavations had been made into the hill, and business houses built. One of these houses was the Union Hotel (now Gillis House), built in 1849, and another Chick's warehouse, built in 1843. About the foot of Broadway, the bluffs, coming round in nearly a perpendicular wall from Turkey Creek, jutted into the river, and a wagon road wide enough for one wagon had been cut across it leading into the Kaw bottom, which was then a dense woods, except where the French traders had cleared off a few patches. The hills back of the levee were well covered with woods, except in the less broken portions where clearings had been made. A deep ravine, starting at the lower end of the levee, a little below the present foot of Grand avenue, wound around to the southwest, across the present market square, up by Delaware and Sixth street, and thence southeasterly to the Junction.

There was a road up this ravine, over which the Santa Fe and other wagons passed, but with its precipitous banks on either side it was a bad road. It took the hill at a point near the junction of Main and Delaware streets, and crossed the creek south of the city, not far from the street railroad stables, going up the hill again toward Westport. A less inviting spot for town building it would be difficult to conceive. But from this great angle in the Missouri River was the best natural road to the southwest and west, and it was the highest point to which goods for the great Santa Fe and plains trade could be taken by boat, without increasing the cost of land transportation and incurring worse roads. This determined this locality as the starting point for that trade, while the unequaled river landing determined the exact spot whereon the transfer from boat to wagon should be made. These facts were then recognized, and with the beginning of the new era of activity, the plains trade previously done at Independence and Westport, centered entirely at Kansas City. Outfitting houses were opened and provision made for the outfitters, so that they no longer were compelled to go either to Independence or Westport. This trade, however, lasted but a few weeks in the spring while the trains were starting out, and a few weeks in the fall when they returned. At a later period the Enterprise, referring to this date, editorially, says : "Two years since, when we landed in Kansas City in the month of July, there was little or no business doing - ;two boilers, an engine, and a small lot of machinery, covered with a tarpaulin, was all there was to be seen on the levee. Business men informed us that the trade of the season was over ; that with the exception of a short time late in the fall no more would be done until next spring."