A History of Kansas

by Anna E. Arnold

The “Iron Trail” Across the Prairies.

Railroad Companies Receive Land Grants. The immense cost of railroad construction, the sparsely settled country, and the limited amount of traffic, made the early building of railroads a risky undertaking. But railroads were needed in order to unite the West to the East as well as for the development of the new country, and in order to encourage their building Congress adopted the policy of making liberal land grants to railroad companies. The Union Pacific through Kansas was given land amounting to a strip ten miles wide on each side of its line. Several other companies, including the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, received grants amounting to five miles on each side. This policy brought about the rapid building of railroads, but when the State became fairly well supplied the land grants were discontinued. Much of the land was later forfeited by the companies through failure to meet the conditions of their grants.

Railroad Companies Interested in Settlement. When the early railroads were first built across Kansas there were but few people living in the western part of the State. Since population was necessary to the prosperity of the railroad companies, these companies gave much attention to the matter of increasing the settlements along their lines. They sent land agents throughout the United States and Europe, they invited people of prominence to join excursions through Kansas, and they filled the newspapers with descriptions of the great West. Kansas was widely and favorably advertised. Interest was everywhere aroused and many people were attracted to the State.

Mennonite Settlements. The railroad companies succeeded in planting a number of colonies of foreigners on their lands. Among them were the settlements of Mennonites in Reno, Harvey, Marion, and McPherson counties. These people came from Russia for religious freedom. “They came simultaneously with the grasshoppers but outstayed them.” The first party, in 1874, numbered 1900 people, and many more followed rapidly until there are now many thousands of these people in Kansas. They brought a considerable amount of money with them and were able to purchase their land. The Mennonites were farmers, a thrifty, industrious people who have contributed much toward making Kansas a great agricultural State.

Swedish Settlements. Swedes had been coming to Kansas since Territorial days. In 1871 the Union Pacific sold a large tract of land in Saline County for a Swedish settlement. This settlement has increased and others have been formed until there are now many people of this nationality in Kansas. Lindsborg, almost entirely Swedish, is their religious and social center. It is noted for its school of music. Most of these people came in poverty, but they have converted the bare prairies into fine agricultural districts and have become prosperous citizens. They are an industrious, intelligent, progressive, and law-abiding people.

Other colonies have settled in various parts of the State; among these, German-Russians in Russell, Rush, and Ellis counties, Scotch in Republic County, English in Clay County, and Bohemians in Ellsworth County. There are, at present, people of many nationalities in Kansas.

Relation of Railroads to State’s Industries. Not only did the early building of railroads do much to bring about the rapid settlement of Kansas, but it hastened the development of practically all of the State’s industries. For instance, the railroads have made it possible for the farmer to market his live stock and his crops. Out of these better market facilities have grown the great meat-packing centers and the flouring mills. On the other hand, the growth of settlements and industries has brought prosperity to the railroads and they have increased in wealth, equipment, and mileage. Thus the relation between the railroads and the State’s progress is very close.

There are at present nearly 10,000 miles of railroad in Kansas, most of it belonging to the four great companies, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Missouri Pacific, the Union Pacific, and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific.