History of Atchison County, Kansas. Sheffield Ingalls

the summer of that year twenty-four trains comprising 775 wagons, 1,114 men, 7,963 oxen, 142 horses, 1,286 mules conveyed 3,730,905 pounds of merchandise across the Rocky mountains and California. One single train that was sent out that year consisted of 105 wagons, 225 men, 1,000 oxen, 200 mules, fifty horses and 465,500 pounds of merchandise. During the latter part of 1859 and the early months of 1860, forty-one regular traders and freighters did business out of Atchison. During nine months of one of those years, the trains outfitted from Atchison were drawn by mules and cattle and comprised 1,328 wagons, 1,549 men, 401 mules and 15,263 oxen. The Pike’s Peak gold mines, which were discovered in 1858, and the prospecting in that region were the causes of the larger part of this enormous business. Denver at that time had a population of about 2,500, and was the center of the mining region around Pike’s Peak. In the period just mentioned, thirty-three of the trains that left Atchison were destined for Denver. One of these trains was composed of 125 wagons, carrying 750,000 pounds of merchandise. It extended from the levee on the river far beyond the western outskirts of the city. The outfit was managed by fifty-two men, twenty-two mules and 1,542 oxen. Several of the trains for Denver had from twenty to fifty wagons. One, sent out by Jones & Cartwright, had fifty-eight wagons and carried over 3,000 pounds of merchandise. Among the trains that left Atchison during the latter part of 1859 were, one for Santa Fe, N. M., another for Colorado City, Colo., two for Green River, Wyo., and four for Salt Lake City. The biggest overland outfit was owned by Irwin, Jackson & Company, who were Government freighters. During one season this firm sent out 520 wagons, 650 men, 75 mules and 6,240 oxen. This firm had a good contract for supplying the military posts on the plains, including Forts Kearney, Laramie, Bridger, Douglas, and Camp Floyd, a short distance from Salt Lake City. In addition to these larger overland staging concerns there were a number of lesser outfits sent out by private parties in Atchison, with one, two or three wagons each. Most of the freight conveyed across the plains in wagons was brought to Atchison in steamboats, which unloaded at the levee extending along two or three blocks, beginning at about Atchison street and running south. Very frequently loaded ox trains nearly a mile in length were seen on Commercial street, and some of the prairie schooners would be loaded with hardware or some other dead weight, drawn by six to eight yoke of cattle; and more wagon trains were loaded and departed from Atchison than from any other point on the Missouri river.

      The act of the Territorial legislature of Kansas incorporating the city of Atchison was approved February 12, 1858, and it provided for the election of a mayor and councilmen. The charter was voted upon and accepted by the people at a special election held March 2, 1858, and the first mayor and council were elected at a special election March 13, 1858. The charter provided for an annual city election at that time to be held on the first Monday in September, and consequently the first mayor and councilmen of the city, elected in March, held their offices only until the following September. Samuel C. Pomeroy was the first mayor of the city, holding his office from March, 1858, until May, 1859. Pomeroy was one of the prominent Free State settlers and was one of its most popular citizens. His election as mayor was the result of the toss of a coin. A temporary truce having been effected between the Southerners and the Free State men, it was agreed that a compromise in local affairs would be beneficial to the community. By the toss of a coin the Free State men won the mayor and three councilmen, and the pro-slavery men had four councilmen. Pomeroy was named by the Free State men mayor. Pomeroy subsequently became actively identified with the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Association, in the distribution of aid to the stricken people of Kansas following the great drought of 1860, and it was largely because of his identification with this organization that he was enabled to place aid where it would do the most good, and he subsequently became one of the first United States senators from Kansas. When he was a resident of Atchison he lived at the corner of North Terrace and Santa Fe streets, but later he moved to a tract of land near Muscotah, and during the twelve years he was senator he claimed the latter place as his home. It was when he asked for a third term as United States senator that he was exposed on the floor of the State senate by Senator York, who arose in his place and, advancing to the secretary’s desk, placed $7,000.00 in cash thereon, which he alleged Pomeroy had given him to influence his vote. Many have always believed that Senator Pomeroy was greatly wronged by this act of York. Ex-Governor George W. Glick, himself a Democrat and a leading citizen of Atchison in the early days, was a very warm friend of Pomeroy and always expressed indignation when he heard Pomeroy abused, not only about his conduct in connection with the Emigrant Aid Association, but also in connection with his downfall politically. It was the contention of Governor Glick that Pomeroy’s fall was the result of a conspiracy and not because of general bribery. However, Pomeroy never rose to political prominence after this incident and ended his days in Washington, D. C., where he lived for a number of years prior to his death.

      Associated with Pomeroy as the first mayor of Atchison, were the following citizens: John F. Stein, Jr. register; E. B. Grimes, treasurer; Milton R. Benton, marshal; A. E. Mayhew, city attorney; W. O. Gould, city engineer; M. R. Benton, by virtue of his office as marshal, was also street commissioner; H. L. Davis, assessor; Dr. J. W. Hereford, city physician. The board of appraisers was composed of Messrs. Petfish, Roswell and Gaylord. The first councilmen were William P. Childs, O. F. Short, Luther C. Challiss, Cornelius E. Logan, S. F. Walters, James A. Headley, Charles Holbert. John F. Stein, who was register, resigned his office in August, and R. L. Pease was appointed to succeed him. In the following August the city was divided into three wards, the first ward being entitled to four councilmen, the second ward to two, and the third ward to three. At the first meeting of the council, which was held March 15, 1858, an ordinance was adopted providing for a special election for the purpose of submitting a proposition to take $100,000.00 of stock in a proposed railroad from St. Joseph, Mo., to some point opposite Atchison on the Missouri river. The election was held and the stock was subscribed for. Mayor Pomeroy was appointed agent of the proposed road, which was to be known as the Atchison & St. Joseph Railroad Company. A further account of the development of railroad building from Atchison will occur in a subsequent chapter. The council at this session also fixed the salary of the mayor, and in spite of the freedom of those days, saloons were ordered to be closed on Sunday, and other stringent regulations were passed in connection with the liquor traffic. The first financial statement of the city, of date September 5, 1859, is as follows:

General city tax, 1858	$ 5,927.70
Fines imposed by mayor’s court	186.50
Dray and wagon licenses	192.00
Dram shop licenses	1,787.76
Beer house licenses	101.33
Shows	130.00
Billiard tables	225.00
Registry of dogs	50.00
Assessment on C street from River to Fourth	3,381.00
Total	$12,008.29
Amount of scrip and orders issued on general fund to December 15, 1858	$ 6,317.17
Amount of scrip and orders issued on general fund to September 5, 1859	3,140.53
Scrip issued toward building jail	1,675.00
Scrip issued for grading streets, curbing, etc.	10,105.39
Total	$21,238.09
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