JJ Outfit in Arkalon, Kansas Photographs

Good. Set of five silver gel photographic prints on buff mounts depicting scenes of the "JJ Outfit" of Arkalon, Kansas. Likely taken circa 1900. Photos measure 8" x 5" with mounts 10" x 7 ¼"; all photos have title and negative number in the negative, and 3 of the 5 have photographer's info in the negative; contemporary manuscript on verso (previous owners' names and addresses). Overall in good condition. All mounts have moderate to heavy chipping and soiling; all photographs have light wear to edges and soiling, one photograph has loss of 1" on left edge and two photographs have heavy soiling. Images are titled and numbered: "'Chuck' Time, Landon's Wagon JJ Outfit, No. 12, Photo by Day, Doby, Kas"; "Cowboys with JJ Outfit , No. 14, R. W. Day Doby Kas"; "Shipping Pens, Arkalon, Kas. No. 11"; "'JJ' Outfit Shipping at Arkalon, Kas. No. 3"; title is cut off by framing in the negative but "Photo by Day, Doby, Kans" is readable. Arkalon is located in Seward County, Kansas near the Cimarron River. It was established in 1888 as a stopping point along the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway, the small town boasting a post office and large stockyards. The stockyards, depicted in a couple of the images here, sustained the area until the 1920s after which it was mostly abandoned. JJ Ranch, and the accompanying outfit, could be referring to the ranch first owned by brothers Stephen, Jim, and Peyton Jones, who purchased land in Chase County, Kansas around 1888 (Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve). Little information was found on R. W. Day; he was mentioned as a pioneer photographer in Harry Chrisman's book "Lost Trails of the Cimarron," and some his negatives and prints are found at the Liberal Memorial Library in Kansas. .