A visitor to Comanche-co. today cannot help but notice how up-to-date everything seems, not only about the towns, but also throughout all of the rural districts, and if the visitors happens to be a person who lived here between 40 and 45 years ago, when the country had just begun to be settled, he could not help but be impressed with the vast contrast between the country then and Comanche-co. of today. Here are some of the contrasts which would be sure to come to his notice:As has already been pointed out, the first settlers in what is now Comanche-co. came during the 70s and early 80s, and they all took claims along one of the streams which runs through the county. There were very few of them prior to 1884, however, their houses, or rather, their places of abode, were in most cases dugouts, or were constructed almost entirely of sod, very few pieces of timber being used in their construction. Nearly all had dirt floors. They were built in a manner which mad them both cool in summer and warm in winter. Yes, they were what might be called "crude" affairs, but they served the purpose well, and in them were sheltered some of Comanche-co.'s pioneer. Of course there were no barns then.
A dugout or a rudely constructed affair in which a few poles and some hay formed the principal part, served as shelter for livestock. Of course the time came when these "improvements" were replaced by much more convenient and substantial buildings. It is probable that even as late as the summer of 1884, one half of the houses in the county, outside of Coldwater (at that time Coldwater was the only town in the county) were of the dugout or sod type. During the year 1884, however, quite a number of substantial frame houses were built on claims in various parts of the county.
Mail facilities were then very meager, as there was no railroad, and only the beginning of stage lines. Cannonball Green's mail and passenger coach lines from Kingman and Riley Lake's from Medicine Lodge and Sun City, also the lines from Kingsley, and later from the west of here will be remembered by every old timer. The story of their activities has heretofore been told in these columns.
And what a contrast in the matter of means of transportation. During the early days, wagons, many of them drawn by oxen, were used almost exclusively. The person who could afford a spring wagon or a buggy was looked upon then as belonging to the "upper class," and was entitled to a little extra notice when it came to public affairs, picnic, etc. People who lived ten miles or more from town usually took an entire day in which to come to town and do the necessary shopping. They usually put their teams in some livery stable, and when noon came, they got a good dinner for themselves at some hotel, price 25 cents.
Until the railroads came, practically all the building material used had to be hauled from 60 to 75 miles, usually from Larned or Kinsley. All kinds of merchandise, also, had to be freighted in from those points. Traveling then was necessarily rather slow, as compared with today.
Today Comanche-co. people nearly all have comfortably built and well equipped homes, with almost every modern convenience - rural mail service, telephone, radios, electric lights, good barns and other improvements and conveniences. Automobiles, trucks and tractors and modern farm machinery of every kind is the rule now on almost every farm.
The educational advantages now found in the schools of our county are the highest order. Teachers are well paid and in every district at least an eight months term and in some districts a nine months terms of school is maintained. Each of the towns has a fine school building thoroughly equipped in every way. Good church buildings, even in the rural districts, are to be found. Good lyceum courses are maintained, and every advantage is afforded to developed on the religious , educational and social life of the various communities. In these and many other ways, Comanche-co. has made wonderful advantages during the past 40 years or more.
Also see:
A Few Changes of the Past 40 Years
The Western Star, October 1, 1926.From "Longhorns" to Pure-bred Cattle
The Western Star, October 8, 1926.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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