the putting down of 24 blocks of street paving and the grading and graveling of several miles of streets in the residence section of the city.
Baxter has one of the best systems of schools to be found in this section. To meet the educational needs a $200,000 high school building was erected in 1919. It is absolutely fire-proof and one of the finest High school structures in the entire state. Under the superintendency of S. B. Apple the school
system has been advanced from the lowest grade to the rank of Class A, which is the highest rating and on a par with Wichita, Topeka and other first-class cities of the state. Among the various religious denominations which have churches here might be mentioned the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Christian, Friends, Episcopal, Catholic and Apostolic churches and a Christian Science society; the African Methodist and African Baptist church.
Baxter Springs has a Kiwanis Club that is doing excellent work for the city. Its membership comprises many of the foremost business and professional men of the community.
Baxter Springs is served by the Frisco, M. O. & G. and Southwest Missouri Electric Railway. The K. C. S. has purchased a right of way into Baxter Springs and will no doubt build into the city within the next year or so.
Baxter Springs has several wholesale mining and mill supply houses, extensive lead and zinc mines, machine shops, two grain elevators, foundry, wholesale auto supply house, 3 lumber yards, ice and cold storage plant, wholesale produce house, bottling works, one of the most modern greenhouses in the state, three strong, vigorous and successful banks carrying large deposits year in and year out, a number of first-class garages and auto salesrooms, an up-to-date laundry and dry-cleaning plant, sheet metal works, one large creamery and ice cream factory shipping its products over a wide radius of
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territory, two newspapers and job printing plants, local and long distance telephone exchange, a thoroughly modern and up-to-date electric light and power plant, natural gas, dozens of metropolitan retail stores and other lines of business of more or less importance.
PORTER M. CLARK.
Furniture and Undertaking.
The furniture trade of Cherokee County, like every other staple branch of retail commerce, comprises every class of dealer with corresponding rates of value and excellence. As in everything else, so in furniture - it always pays to get the best. An establishment which stands in the front rank among the choicest furniture trade of this section of the State is that of Porter M. Clark, located at the corner of Military Avenue and 12 Street. Mr. Clark first began business at Galena about 20 years ago and about six years ago opened a branch store at Baxter Springs. This is one of the strong, growing and successful establishments of the county. The stock to be found in the local establishment comprises about everything that could be mentioned in the line of furniture and home furnishings, and at a price as low as can be had anywhere on goods of similar quality and merit. A special feature of the house is a well-equipped undertaking department, in charge of men of the highest qualifications in this line. This department includes the best of motorized service, pulmotors, and other life-saving devices.
The Baxter Springs store is managed by Porter M. Clark, Jr., one of the most enterprising and progressive of the younger business men of the city. Both are widely known throughout the district and have always been commendably active in the upbuilding of the community in which they reside.
THE BAXTER LAUNDRY & DRY
CLEANING CO.
Standing conspicuously in the foreground among Cherokee County's many representative business institutions and contributing its full share toward the growth and prosperity of this city and section, is The Baxter Laundry and Dry Cleaning Company, located at the corner of 10th Street and Grant Avenue. Starting in business here in 1916, the growth of this concern has been steady, substantial and gratifying. The establishment is equipped with the latest machinery known to modern laundry science, and the work turned out is strictly of the highest possible class. As indicated by the firm name, they operate a dry cleaning department in connection. In the latter branch of the business they have an equipment costing $6,000.00, and are in position to offer the public A-1 service at economical prices. In all departments they furnish employment to about 25 people. The building in which the business is housed is a modern brick structure, especially adapted to their needs and contains floor dimensions of 50x120 feet. They enjoy a large local patronage, also make deliveries by auto truck to all surrounding towns and villages. This business is managed by C. K. Roberts. He is one of the most alert, far-seeing and progressive business men that the town has ever had and has always taken an active part in matters for the welfare and progress of the district.
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