26 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 
The Empire people also had the advantage of the knowledge 
and experience of ex-Governor Crawford as a town builder 
and boomer, and for several months the rivalry between the 
two towns was intense. Empire City was altogether the most 
beautiful tract, and with the advantage of its three enterpris- 
ing managers made substantial progress, and at one time it 
looked as though it would win the prize, having, besides 
these advantages, control of the Nichols tract, where the 
mines were located. 
‘About this time a post-office was thought of, and each 
town started to getit. The town companies were each try- 
ing hard for the post-office, believing that the place which 
secured it would eventually be the town. As Galena seemed 
to be making more rapid progress than Empire, the Empire 
people asked Mr. Leeds to get permission of the government 
to move the Leedsville post-office, mentioned before, to the 
mines. The department would not grant the request, but 
did give him permission to move to the stage line between 
Galena and Baxter Springs, but that line proved to be suffi- 
ciently elastic to reach the hill just in Empire City. In the 
meantime, Galena had been awarded the post-office by the 
government, and ordered to take possession of the Leedsville 
post-office. Mr. L.C. Weldy was appointed postmaster, and 
when he and others, among them J. C. Murdock, whose portly 
dimensions entitled him to almost anything he wanted, went 
to Empire after the post-office, they were informed by those 
in possession that they had better retire without the office, 
at the same time displaying some specially fine specimens 
of the gun family. In fact, the post-office could not be 
located exactly, and it may be added that it has never been 
found up to date. The Galena people then went out and 
brought in the Chico post-office under their arms, and began 
doing business immediately. An adjuster had to be sent here 
by Uncle Sam, and, in due course of time, each place was 
awarded a post-office—Mr. Weldy being appointed postmas- 
ter for Galena June 19, 1877. 
‘‘Wollowing the settlement of the town sites of Galena and 
Empire City came another period of two months of wild con- 
fusion. It seemed to be a time when there was no other at- 
