This article was taken from Allison Times dated Friday, June 1, 1888.  
Thanks to Darrell Jepson for donating the article.

ALLISON AND Decatur County

  CHEAP HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS

  As we propose to give this county, and town a write-up, not as a fashion of other papers, nor as a land agent would picture the country for self aggrandizement; but shall make as plain unvarnished discription of the country as possible, that all who may read can understand exactly the situation as near as can be without being present, and getting personal knowledge. 

  Politically, Decatur county is Republican, by a majority of 400: yet there is considerable liberallity, and often good men of other Parties fill office�s in the County.

  The religion of the county is diversified as much so as any country, and a greater amount of liberality than will be found in the east.  The people are friendly, and much more sociable than in eastern states:  all thinking people will see the cause for this at once.  The people here are all upon a more equal footing:  not saying that all are poor:  but the great majority are about equal in circumstance�s and being a selection of all the resolute, high spirited poor people, of almost all other states, they naturally are congenial spirits.  It takes no philosopher to see the situation in this direction.

  The soil is a dark loam, and very productive, the only requirement for a bountiful yield, is sufficiency of rain, of which we are inclined to think will get better as the country is broken out, and subdued.  Almost all crops do well here but the most prolific is corn, wheat, rye and sorghum; vegetable�s of all kinds do exceptionally well, fruits are succeeding well, the small fruits have been thoroughly tested, and yield well, apples, pears and peaches are getting a start, some orchards getting old enough to begin bearing, and every indication will convince you that in a few years Decatur county will produce as fine fruit as any country, the advance of the County is wonderful for the past four years.  Portions of the county that four years ago, you would drive for miles without seeing a habitation:  at this time it is settled, and improved to a degree that is wonderful, good substantial frame houses, and any amount of good pasture inclosed with good fencing, the improvement in this short a time is greater than would be made in settling up in an eastern state in twenty years. 

  Decatur county is especially blessed with water, the four streams;  the Beaver, Sappie, Prairie Dog and the Solomon running diagonally across the county.  The Beaver, Sappie, and Prairie Dog each have a Railroad transversing their Valley�s and soon the Solomon will have a road following this beautiful, and productive valley, and especially is Decatur county blessed, as she has those three roads without one cent of Bonds. 

  Allison is situated on the Solomon in the southeast corner of the county:  being 30 miles from Oberlin, the county Seat, 28 mile from Hoxie, the county Seat of Sheridan county, 33 mile from Hill City, county Seat of Graham county and about 40 mile from Norton Center, county Seat of Norton.  There could be no better location as regards a relative position to other towns.  Lenora, 18 miles east, and the present terminus of the Central Branch Railroad.  By consulting the maps, you will see at once the beautiful location, and that Allison is one of the very best points for the location of any business.  We have at the present, one Hardware store, one General store, two Grocery stores, one Drug store, two Hotel�s, two Livery barns, Blacksmith and wagon shop, A flouring Mill, 25 barrell capacity, Brick yard, and many of our residences are composed of that solid material.  The town, and country surrounding is composed of as intelligent industrious and honest a class of people as can be found anywhere, the great majority of course are men that have come here within the last three or four years, yet there are a few who have been located along the River for ten years, and we are glad to say without a single exception they are in good circumstances:  all of those that had the nerve to stay are far ahead of the fainthearted, who ran back to their wife�s people upon the first failure of a crop.  But why why bother those details?  All pioneer people know what it takes to make a country, and those that are coming in, are not coming to battle with what the first settler did, for now although in the short space of four or five years.  Those arid plains have been transformed from a wild desolate sparsely settled country to a well developed, and well organized country, with churches, school houses of a better grade than many localities we could name far beyond the rolling Mississipie.

  In conclusion, if anyone should wish for more particular information as regards to the town, and country, write to our Board of Trade, who will be glad to give any information desired. 

 

Another article in the Allison Times Friday, June 1, 1888

  ALLISON

  As it is at this time, we have the following businesses; A first class hardware store, implements and undertakers establishment; a general drygoods, boot and shoe store; two grocery stores; one drugstore; blacksmith shop; two hotels, two livery and feed barns; a grist mill; and all are doing a good business; a land and loan agency with our own modest enterprise, in the newspaper business.

  Now think for a moment, this town is but three years old, has never had a town C??? boom it, and never had a railroad company sell lots at big prices;  but has been the outgrowth of a natural force of circumstances, viz:  The development of a good country, and unparalleled location, and beautiful situation for a town. 

  To show that Allison is one of the substantial growths that makes permanent towns:  we have but to say look around on the good substantial brick buildings.  Take into consideration the failures in business, in towns that have been boomed, beyond the natural development of the country.  For illustration, Lenora, a Railroad town:  we can count no less than eight firms who have failed in the past three years, other towns have done as bad; but Allison has her first assignment to make.  Those cool facts speak volumes; and those that are looking for location in business should heed them.  At present, times are dull, generally over the country.  Now would be a good time to invest, and we think Allison can give as many advantages as any town in Northwest Kansas today.  We have no jealousy of any rival town, in fact do not consider that we have any and merely speak of Lenora as an illustration, being personally known to the facts as named. 

 

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