William D. Street, a pioneer of Northwestern Kansas and long a leader in state affairs, was born near Zanesville, Ohio, in 1851. He moved from Ohio to Kansas in 1861, and eight years later became identified with Northwestern Kansas. Mr. Street first became known to the people in that part of the state as a soldier in a campaign against the Indians, conducted in 1869, by Company I, Nineteenth Kansas Volunteers, and Company D, Second Battalion, Kansas State Militia, of which he was a member. In 1883, 1889, 1895 and 1897 he served in the State Legislature, during the last session named being elected speaker of the House. From 1893 to 1896 he was regent of the State Agricultural College, his experience as a successful farmer of Decatur County peenliarly fitting him for that office. He has also been experimenting with irrigation since 1880, and has accomplished much in that line which has been of especial benefit to Western Kansas. Until 1890 Mr. Street was a republican, but joined the people’s party in that year and in 1896 came within four votes of receiving the congressional nomination.
