Medora, Kansas - A Reno County town

Becker's Bunkhouse.

Here's a map showing old Medora and new Medora.
Medora moved a mile to the southwest in 1904 or 1905. There is nothing left of the original town site.

A general store - the photo was taken in old Medora.

A postcard from the early 1900s.

The Medora school - a learning center moved in 2011 to another location. The school sits vacant.

Story from Medora - Feb. 14, 1913

But Medora Has Faith - Seeking to locate missing man through clairvoyant
 
HER TIP WORKED ONCE And Medora Figures It Might Work Again In Finding Embezzler.

Medora's faith in clairvoyance Is
causing the search for George
Mitchell, missing manager of the Kansas
Lumber company at Medora, to be
conducted along psychic lines.
A committee from Medora, beaded
by tho father-in-law of the missing
man, who Is- just as anxious to got
his hands on him as the lumber company
is, went to Wichita yesterday
to consult a clairvoyant, in tho hope
of getting a lino on .Mitchell's whereabouts.
The clairvoyant advised them that
the missing .manager has gone to
Canada. Which has somewhat shaken
their faith In the pBychlc wireless
operator, tor any ordinary man would
guess Canada as a refuge of an tmbeszllng
caehler,' The committee returned
last night somewhat skeptical.

'The Clairvoyant's Tip.
The people at .Medora have been
strong lor t h e Wichita clairvoyant
ever since she tipped off where Axel
Johnson's sweetheart was hiding,
after a lover's quarrel.
. Axel Johnson was second trick operator
at the.Rock Island station at
'Medora, and lie loved Nettle Thurnian,
a pretty Medora . maid. After their
•little quarrel she went away on a visit
and ho didn't fcuow where she had
gone. Axel went to Wichita, consulted
Madam-Somethlng-or-other, and she
advlsod him to try "Jola." He did
and found Nettio there. They came
to Hutchinson, Were wed a n d ' a r e living
happily-ever after. But that, of
course, has Both lug to do with the
missing Medora manager mystery.
Was Modal Young. Man. '
George Mitchell lias been manager
of the Kansas Lumber company business
at Medorn for two years. Ho
enmo to Mcdorafrom Bmporla, where
bis parents live.
Ho was regarded ;is a model young
business man, went In the best circles,
was highly regarded, and married the
daughter) of a 'prominent Medora merchant.
Now ho la gone, his aocounts are
short, it Is alleged; and he loaves his
wife on a sick bed and helpless, with
a little child to care for.. i .
The invt'H_tigattoiii:beliig mado Into
his accounta'.'By'.tfi'e Company Bhows
it la alleg'ej. tnat the shortage is fully
$500 andmay bo much more.
-Sheriff K. C. Beck Is' sending out
hundreds of photographs and description
cards In an attempt to locate the
missing manager, who "will be prosecuted
for embezzlement.

Sublette wins out _ Hutchinson News 1919

Santa Fe is Defeated in Fight to
Retain County Seat of Haskell
County.
S u b l e t t e , May 17.—In tho special
e l e c t i o n held yeRterday S a n l a Fe lost
its right lo c o n t i n u e as tho s m a l l e st
county seat In Kansas. Tho light
was "lost by a majority of 186. T ho
total vote was C76. An Injunction
was defeated In' t h e d i s t r i c t court
which prevented the removal ot t he
county records ,lo S u b l e t t e . J. S. Patrick,
a n a b s t r a c t o r ot S a n t a F e , made
t h e effort. Tho m a t t e r was c a r r i e d to
t h e supremo court and h e fought his
c a s e o n t h o g r o u n d s t h a t tho l aw providing
for t h o e l e c t i o n ' was uncons
t i t u t i o n a l .
S u b l e t t e Has Railroad.
S u b l e t t e , S a n t a Fe'a r i v a l for I ho
Haskell county seat, has a railroad.
S a n t a Fe h a s not.
If S a n t a l-\> wins 11* fight in tho
s u p r e m e court, which seems unlikely,
it will r e t a i n its seventy-rive Inhabit
a n t s . If t h e s u p r e m e c o u r e decision
goes against It, as t h e election did,
S u b l e t t e will gain most of t h e aeventyflve,
with the p r e s t i g e of being tho
county capital. IVfeauwhlle, the site
of Santa Fa would r e v e r t Into grazing
c o u n t r y , with ail buildings possible
moved away.
The various moves In the county
seat, war, which s t a r t e d l a s t year, have
d r a w n state-wide Interest.
The law p a s s e d by t h e r e c e n t legisl
a t u r e p e r m i t t e d c o u n t i e s w i t h a popul
a t i on of l e s s than 2,000 t o c h a n g e t he
runty seat by a vote of thrce-tifttia
of the I n h a b i t a n t s.
The law was passed through the
efforts of C. 0 . Dennis ot S u b l e t t e,
elected r e p r e s e n t a t i v e on t h e p l a t f o rm
t h a t he would secure s u c h a law. T h e
l aw applies only to c o u n t i e s with a
population of lesB t h a n 2,000. Haskell
county, h a s 1.720 c i t i z e n s .
It Is under this law, p e r m i t t i ng
three-fifths majority to c h a n g e the
s i t e , that the election was held.
Supreme Court T a k e s Hand.
Now Ihe s u p r e m e court h a s g r a n t ed
»M Injunction which will p r e v e n t tho
county ""commissioners of Haskell
county from moving a n y of t h e c o u n ty
r e c o r d s from Santa Fe to Sublette
u n t i l tho s u p r e m e court h a s passed on
t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y of t h e l aw under
which the eloctlon was held, even
though the e l e c t i on in Haskell county
went against S a n t a F o a n d i t s seventy-
five i n h a b i t a n t s . The h e a r i n g h as
b e e n s e t for J u n e r>. Mr. P a t r i c k ' s att
o r n e y s contend that Ihe l aw Is "special
c l a s s l e g i s l a t i o n " forbidden by t h e
c o n s t i t u t i o n .
In t h e s e v e n t i e s a n d e i g h t i e s , county
seat fights in K a n s a s were exciting,
blood-shedding affairs, value of prope
r t y .was. a t s t a k e , , ; WJien t h e county
aeat locations were finally settled,
laws were passed making it almost
impossible to c h a n g e t h e Bites. This
was to p r e v e n t further rights. Haskell
county was m a d e a special exception.
Mr. Patrick, r e p r e s e n t i n g the side
opposed to Mr. Dennis and Sublette,
as p r o p e r t y a t l i a n t a Ve. It w o n ' t be
worth much if t h e c o u n t y court houso
is moved to S u b l e t t e.
Haskell county is located near t he
s o u t h w e s t e r n c o r n e r of t h e s t a t e and
i s thinly populated. It is connected
wilh t h e o u t s i d e world by a branch
S a n t a Fe r a i l r o a d r u n n i n g from Dodge
Clly, on t h e S a n l a Fe main line,
t h r o u g h Ford, Gray, S t e v e n s and Haskell
counties.
S u b l e t t e is o n this railroad. Santa
Fe is not. T h e r o a d was b u i l t in 1910.
Sanla Fe is Defeated in Fight to
Retain County Seat of Haskell
County.
S u b l e t t e , May 17.—In tho special
e l e c t i o n held yeRterday S a n l a Fe lost
its right lo c o n t i n u e as tho s m a l l e st
county seat In Kansas. Tho light
was "lost by a majority of 186. T ho
total vote was C76. An Injunction
was defeated In' t h e d i s t r i c t court
which prevented the removal ot t he
county records ,lo S u b l e t t e . J. S. Patrick,
a n a b s t r a c t o r ot S a n t a F e , made
t h e effort. Tho m a t t e r was c a r r i e d to
t h e supremo court and h e fought his
c a s e o n t h o g r o u n d s t h a t tho l aw providing
for t h o e l e c t i o n ' was uncons
t i t u t i o n a l .
S u b l e t t e Has Railroad.
S u b l e t t e , S a n t a Fe'a r i v a l for I ho
Haskell county seat, has a railroad.
S a n t a Fe h a s not.
If S a n t a l-\> wins 11* fight in tho
s u p r e m e court, which seems unlikely,
it will r e t a i n its seventy-rive Inhabit
a n t s . If t h e s u p r e m e c o u r e decision
goes against It, as t h e election did,
S u b l e t t e will gain most of t h e aeventyflve,
with the p r e s t i g e of being tho
county capital. IVfeauwhlle, the site
of Santa Fa would r e v e r t Into grazing
c o u n t r y , with ail buildings possible
moved away.
The various moves In the county
seat, war, which s t a r t e d l a s t year, have
d r a w n state-wide Interest.
The law p a s s e d by t h e r e c e n t legisl
a t u r e p e r m i t t e d c o u n t i e s w i t h a popul
a t i on of l e s s than 2,000 t o c h a n g e t he
runty seat by a vote of thrce-tifttia
of the I n h a b i t a n t s.
The law was passed through the
efforts of C. 0 . Dennis ot S u b l e t t e,
elected r e p r e s e n t a t i v e on t h e p l a t f o rm
t h a t he would secure s u c h a law. T h e
l aw applies only to c o u n t i e s with a
population of lesB t h a n 2,000. Haskell
county, h a s 1.720 c i t i z e n s .
It Is under this law, p e r m i t t i ng
three-fifths majority to c h a n g e the
s i t e , that the election was held.
Supreme Court T a k e s Hand.
Now Ihe s u p r e m e court h a s g r a n t ed
»M Injunction which will p r e v e n t tho
county ""commissioners of Haskell
county from moving a n y of t h e c o u n ty
r e c o r d s from Santa Fe to Sublette
u n t i l tho s u p r e m e court h a s passed on
t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n a l i t y of t h e l aw under
which the eloctlon was held, even
though the e l e c t i on in Haskell county
went against S a n t a F o a n d i t s seventy-
five i n h a b i t a n t s . The h e a r i n g h as
b e e n s e t for J u n e r>. Mr. P a t r i c k ' s att
o r n e y s contend that Ihe l aw Is "special
c l a s s l e g i s l a t i o n " forbidden by t h e
c o n s t i t u t i o n .
In t h e s e v e n t i e s a n d e i g h t i e s , county
seat fights in K a n s a s were exciting,
blood-shedding affairs, value of prope
r t y .was. a t s t a k e , , ; WJien t h e county
aeat locations were finally settled,
laws were passed making it almost
impossible to c h a n g e t h e Bites. This
was to p r e v e n t further rights. Haskell
county was m a d e a special exception.
Mr. Patrick, r e p r e s e n t i n g the side
opposed to Mr. Dennis and Sublette,
as p r o p e r t y a t l i a n t a Ve. It w o n ' t be
worth much if t h e c o u n t y court houso
is moved to S u b l e t t e.
Haskell county is located near t he
s o u t h w e s t e r n c o r n e r of t h e s t a t e and
i s thinly populated. It is connected
wilh t h e o u t s i d e world by a branch
S a n t a Fe r a i l r o a d r u n n i n g from Dodge
Clly, on t h e S a n l a Fe main line,
t h r o u g h Ford, Gray, S t e v e n s and Haskell
counties.
S u b l e t t e is o n this railroad. Santa
Fe is not. T h e r o a d was b u i l t in 1910.

FIGHTING IN COURT - Santa Fe, Kansas. A Haskell County Dead Town

Sorry for the misspellings. This is copied from a 1913 Hutchinson News - Amy Bickel


The Haskell County Seat War is
a Bloodless One.
BATTLli WITH LAWBOOKS
The Town of SatantaJoins Forces
Willi Santa Fc to Beat
Sublette.
"Tlin county soot fight in Haskell
county is Retting to be a real contest
now," reported Chas. Button, n land
agent who has returned to Hutchinson
from a business trip down tJio new
railroad.
"Satanta, while having no chance
of securing (he county seat, itself,
has Joined forces with the old town of
Santa Fe, or what Is left of It, to
keep the county seat from being moved
to Sublette. Satanta and Sublette
are hardly on speaking terms."
Mr. Button expressed tho belief
however, that tho necessary vote
would be secured by Sublette at tho
special county seat election which
will be held February 25.
Tho Rival Leaders.
Steve Cave, who owna th« big
mercantile store at Sublotto, and is
one of the heavy land owners of the
county, is lending the fight for Sublette.
J. 8. Patrick, real estate man
and land owner nt Satanta, is heading
the faction of that town.
There isn't much left of Santa Fo
excepting the court house, an old
frame structure, the rest of the town
being gradually broken up and moved
away. Hut those who own land Interests
In that section are hoping
that a noii.h-and-south railroad will
build through .from Onrdeu City to
liberal which will give Santa Fe a
railroad, and a chance to retain the
county seat. . ;
"Mayor" Steve .Cave, of Sublette, insists
however, .that. ' this/ north-ami-j
south road, even ir •bttlH,,"#ill make!
his town a junction, point and even I
more'desirable for the county, seatship.
' '.• .
Fighting In the Courts.
TTiilike other county seat wars In
the shortgrass, tho • fighting In this
Haskell county "war".'is being ifone
in the courts. Both sides have hired
lawyers, Satanta being represented by
Attorney Sluhbs, and '>3tiblelle' by Attorney
Murr, both of Garden City.
A petition was filed by Satanta to
enjoin the Haskell county newspapers
from printing the election notice for
the county seat removal election, and
restraining the holding oftlio election.
Judge Downer, In chambers at Garden
City donlcd the application/
Overlooked the Women, /
The Sublette petition almost fell
through, however, because those In
charge of circulating It forgot to consider
the women. The law requires
that the petition bear a certain percent
of taxpayers. The night before
It was to he presented to the county
commissioners, Attorney Marr discovered
that they had overlooked the
'women, who are now legal voters and
taxpayers. It therefore lacked the
necessary three-fourths of the signatures.
He hustled to Santa Fe and Induced
the commissioners to defer action for
one day, wlille the Stibletln -workers
scoured the county in automobiles and
got the necessary additional women
signatures."
A Satanta Trick.
A trick -worked by tho Satanta people
failed to work. They pretended
at first that they were favorable to
the county seat being moved, and all
signed tho petition.
At tho last moment the Satanta
people withdrew their signatures oxpectlug
It would leave the petition deficient.
But It had eigjit names to
spare when tho show-down came.