Ness City, the county seat of Ness county, is centrally located and is on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. It is an incorporated city of the third class; has 2 national banks, 2 newspapers (the News and the Echo), an electric light plant, flour mill, ice plant, creamery, telegraph and express offices, and an international money order postoffice with two rural routes. The population according to the census of 1910 was 712. Ness City was founded in 1878 by Richard Dighton. In 1880 an important addition was made by Robert Stephens. When the railroad was built in 1886 the town, which had not had much of a growth in the six years of its existence, began to have a wholesome boom, which reached its height in 1890 when it had a population of 869. In the next ten years there was a falling off in the population, due to the money panic and poor crops. A succession of good years and continued prosperity caused a gradual rise in the next decade.