Greenwood County
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The handsome new schoolhouse at Hamilton was completed. The Eureka Mortgage Co. was a new institution in Eureka with Capt. Ira P. Nye as president. Edwin Tucker, who came to Eureka in 1857 and was instrumental in founding the city, died in January. The Palace Cafe was destroyed by fire in March. The annual coursing meet was held under the management of Dr. Moonleigt and E.M. Hager. The event was held 2 1/2 miles west of town on the Essick farm. C.A. Leedy, a dry goods and clothing merchant in Eureka for many years, retired in July. Frank H. Brooks purchased his business.
The Farmer's Feed Yard, corner of Oak and Third, was opened in April. W.E. Doud was erecting a new store building on West Second. Daughters of Rebekah, an auxiliary lodge to the Odd Fellows, was organized in June. A new picture show, in a test, had opened at the corner of Fourth and Main.
William Jennings Bryan appeared on the Chautauqua program in August. The Citizens National Bank had installed a new burglar-proof vault. St. Paul's Norwegian Lutheran Church was being erected at the corner of First and Sycamore streets, the first church to be located west of Main. A special election was held December 20 to submit to the voters of Eureka the commission form of government. It carried and was to replace the council form. Under the new system the mayor was to receive $300 per year and the other two commissioners received $250 each. The town's most sacred landmark, the town spring, had been cleaned out and walled up with brick and cement.
T.C. Peffer and Miss May Peffer purchased the Herald and assumed ownership on January 2. Filter beds and wells were completed to assure a supply of pure water for the city. A new dam was built. Finishing touches were being put on Eureka's new Missouri-Pacific depot. The red brick structure with the tile roof and white stone trimmings, plus a brick platform, was a credit to the city. The old wooden depot was moved west to the south of the tracks and was to be used as a freight house.
The building formerly occupied by the Smith Bros. Meat Mkt. was remodeled for an up-to-date moving picture show and was opened on February 11. The new place had 200 opera chairs. Films shown were guaranteed to be out of the factory less than 30 days. The machine was run by a motor rather than by hand, insuring a steady picture.
A new hotel, the Sunflower, was erected on North Main in the block opposite the Methodist church. A band was formed in Eureka with 25 members anxiously awaiting new uniforms. The leader was C.F. Downing. A rural telephone development in the vicinity of Eureka was reported with three new lines being installed. J.S. Martin moved his newsy sheet to Severy, giving that city two papers. The new publication was called the Severy Journal. Eureka fireboys brought home $127.50 in prize money from the state firemen's tournament.
The Souders Livery Barn was completely destroyed by fire which badly scorched the backs of nearby buildings. Several buggies, a hearse and harness were destroyed, along with several tons of hay. The structure had been formerly used as an ice house. A new bridge across Spring Branch at the crossing of Elm and First streets was completed. The bridge, of reinforced concrete, was expected to stand for many years without much need of repairs. A new rural telephone line, the Piedmont line, was added to the Eureka exchange.
Greenwood County now had 1840 miles of streets and roads with 45 steel and 27 concrete bridges. Janesville led with 225 miles of public roads in the township. Eureka City had 35 miles of streets and 25 miles of sidewalks. The Greenwood County Good Roads Assoc. was organized for the purpose of stimulating better roads throughout the county. Albert Tucker, in the hardware and implement business since 1895, traded his stock of goods to Theodore Fischer for the Fischer farm northwest of Eureka.
A woman suffrage meeting was held to organize Greenwood County for the campaign. The new Methodist Church in Hamilton was dedicated March 10. A new press had been installed at the Herald in April. The old jobber, a Peerless, had done duty in the office for nearly 25 years. Some new type, brass rule and other material had just been purchased and the Herald laid just claim to being one of the best equipped county printing shops in Kansas.
One of A. Frazier's buses was torn to pieces when the horses pulling it became frightened at the elephant with Lucky Bill's Show. J.D. Clark had opened a new soda fountain. The first county track meet was held on May 3. Jumping, running, hurdling, vaulting, and relay races were featured. The electric company turned on an all-day current for the first time May 16. The 24-hour service put Eureka ahead of most towns of the same size. On May 18, a one-half horsepower motor was installed in the basement of the Herald office and attached to the linotype. The noisy pounding of the old gasoline engine gave place to the gentle click of the motor and already the office assumed a more metropolitan air. Any one interested in electric motors was invited to inspect the one in use in the basement of the Herald.
The new Baptist Church at Utopia was dedicated September 29. The new Methodist Church was being erected in Eureka (opened on Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913). Farmington school district was building a new school for fall. The new building was to be used for church services, for the Grange, for social gatherings of the district and for school. Nearly 100 autos were in Eureka. The owners felt a need to organize an Auto Club to promote the interest of auto owners in road improvement, legislation and the general betterment of automobile conditions.
The long desired Sunday train service on the Howard Branch was arranged and was to start December 8.
Christ's English Lutheran Church was being remodeled. Resolutions were passed for the paving of Main street from 2nd to 5th streets, and for paving the abutting side streets, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th from Elm to Oak, making a total of 11 blocks of paving. Later, six more blocks of pavement were ordered by the city commissioners for Fifth street from the east side of Main to the east side of Greenwood. Petitions signed by a majority of property owners pushed action for 14 additional blocks of paving. At another meeting the commissioners passed an ordinance for four more blocks of paving on North Main, 70 feet wide from 5th to 7th and 50 feet wide from 7th to 9th. The paving had reached such proportions to give the town a boom aspect.
The library proposition being approved by the voters, a library board was organized for the public free Carnegie Library. The Carnegie Corp. of New York offered $9000 to the building and Mrs. P.H. Landergin bequeatherd $500 for books and furnishings. The one-story building, with full basement, was to face west at the corner of Sixth and Main. Work was being done to remodel the room formerly occupied by the Wood pool hall to be used for the Gem Theatre. Films shown were those shown in Kansas City and were of the highest class. Despite criticisms or hopes to the contrary, the motion picutre shows were a very popular source of amusement. Mr. Baxter's desire was to offer Eurekans shows of the highest standard.
A system of lighting was installed at Riverside Park. A special train was scheduled on the Santa Fe, August 21, for the Greenwood County Fair from Emporia to Eureka. The Eureka Light and Power Co. was contracted to install an electric motor to pump water from up-stream basin to the power plant in place of the gas engine. A garage was erected on the G.K. Jackson lots at the corner of Fourth and Main and was to be the largest in the state.
A permanent organization of Boy Scouts was formed when a number of men met to elect officers for the local council. Twenty-eight boys enrolled. A rain guage was installed in the front window of the First National Bank. Greenwood County bankers organized a county unit, backed by the Kansas Bankers Assoc. Banks represented were: State Bank of Reece, Climax State Bank, Hamilton State Bank, the First National Bank of Hamilton and the Eureka banks.
The Eureka Herald once more changed hands in January as Peffer & Peffer retired, giving credit to their success to the readers, merchants and business men who had been loyal friends. George C. Wood assumed ownership with the following statement: "In assuming the ownership of the Herald it is unnecessary to make a lengthly statement announcing my formula of political faith. There will be no radical change in the policy of the paper. Public men and measures will be discussed from week to week through the editorial column and the Herald will take into consideration a candidate's fitness for public office as well as his politics before giving him its support. It is my purpose to conduct a newspaper that may be depended upon to do the fair and decent thing in any emergency. It will be found loyal to the best interests of Eureka and Greenwood County and will endeavor to be of some service for the good in the community."
A Parent_Teacher organization was formed January 9. The Home National Bank, located in the Dibert block, was moving to the place occupied by the Palace Cafe on the west side of Main street between 2nd and 3rd streets. The future bank building was to have a new marble front.
The Eureka Auto Club, under the direction of Dr. C.C. Cheney, voted $75 to be used in assisting the city commissioners to make needed repairs on streets in Eureka. The Eureka Light & Power Co. had purchased the Eureka Ice Co. The new Carnegie Library had its formal opening September 25. The librarian was Miss Clover Mahan.
Help was asked for the starving million in Belgium. Flour, not money, was wanted. Greenwood County citizens responded by donating a car of flour in three days. Over $1000 was raised to ship the flour to the Belgians.
The "white way" made its appearance on Main street on December 4. Iron pillars lined each side of Main street from First of Fifth, making the old town look quite metropolitan. These lights had long been awauted.
The Madison Mirror was a new paper, published by Lawrence M. Shearer. Its competitor was the Madison News, edited by Eugene Kelley. Greenwood County decided to help raise funds for a proposed railroad line of the Olathe, Winfield and Arkansas City Railway Co. The line would pass through the county from the southwest corner to the northeast corner, touching territories previously from eight to 20 miles from a railroad. The county was asked to raise $1000. The Eureka Maroons, under the foremanship of A.W. Harstook, took part in the contests in Coffeyville at the State Fireman's Convention. The members came home with $225 in prize money.
L.F. Reed leased the lots just north of the courthouse square and started a lumber and coal business in August. Greenwood County was the prize "twin" county in Kansas. The census of Kansas showed the county could boast of 40 pairs of twins on March 1.
The state law governing the speed of automobiles under certain circumstances on county roads was as follows: The speed limit shall be 8 miles per hour when approaching a railroad crossing, when approaching an intersection of highways, when approaching a bridge or sharp curve, when approaching a steep descent or when approaching another vehicle or person, outside of any village or city. The penalty for violating this law was a fine of not to exceed $50 for the first offense.
The Santa Fe announced a new flag station, halfway between Hamilton and Madison Junction for the convenience of stock shippers. A new bank, the third in Madison, was opened in November and known as the Farmer's Bank. The new Princess Theatre was formally opened November 2 with "The Third Degree." We desired a playhouse worthy of an enterprising town like Eureka and it was at last realized.
J.R. Gray put down an edge for the floor in the Eureka Opera House. On nights when a show was not billed, the haul was to be open for a skating rink.
The city commissioners had awarded to J.S. Davis the contract for the construction of reinforced concrete dam across Fall River at the Branson ford. Two men were in town trying to interest the citizens a proposition to furnish gas to Eureka for domestic and commercial purposes from the well on the Lewis farm, southwest of town, or from wells to be drilled nearer town. Greenwood County was in the midst of an oil boom, the likes of which had never before been seen in this part of the country. The hotels were filled with wildcatters and speculators. Eureka now had two squads of National Guard.
Piedmont had a new paper, the Piedmont News, edited by J.S. Martin. Many people were receiving sprained and broken wrists from cranking their autos. One of the classiest baseball games of the year was played in May when the clerks on the east side of Main played the clerks on the west side - the "Window Polishers" vs "The Janitors." Some of the stars were Dr. Darling, James Burch, Russell Osborne, Ralph Miller, Clyde Frost, Pat Gordon and Harold Burt. The Delco light was being demonstrated in Eureka for farm use.
The National Guard had been called out in June for duty on the Mexican border. The Eureka unit was mobilized and 65 men left for Fort Riley on June 22. Everyone in Eureka was suffering from oil on the brain. Ten wells were being drilled in the county in July. M.A. Miller leased the Badger building on the east side of Main street and opened a bootery.
The city marshal was warning automobile owners that the state law and city ordinance prohibited a speed of more than 12 miles per hour and that front and rear lights should be displayed one-half hour after sunset. Sliced pineapple was selling for 2 cans for 25 cents; salmon 10 cents a can; peanut butter, 15 cents per lb.; and a gallon of peaches, 45 cents. The county was bankrupt, both the general fund and the road fund were exhausted. Oil was struck at Eureka in October on the Bitler lease, one-fourth mile east of town. A new bronze drinking fountain, donated by the WCTU, was installed in the southeast corner of the courtyard. W.F. McGinnis of El Dorado and Eureka had purchased the White building.
Oil drillers were receiving $8 per day; tool dressers, $7; rig builders, $4 per day; and teamsters $6 per day. There was considerable excitement in oil circles in Eureka as representatives from several large companies were visiting the town and there was a renewed activity in leasing. Leases ran up to $300 per acre. The telephone exchange in Eureka was now known as the Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. Eureka suffered a $35,000 blaze in February, including the loss of the East Side school
Oil was struck in the Christy test, seven miles northeast of Eureka. New locations throughout the county were being staked out daily. Well on the pump were producing up to 700 barrels per day. After eight months in the federal service, five of which were spent on the Mexican border, Troop A Kansas Cavalry, the last Kansans to leave the border, were mustered out in March and arrived in Eureka by special train on March 5. There were 58 members and they were assigned 32 horses which would be kept permanently in Eureka. The town was out to meet the boys, stores were closed, the band was out and the streets decorated with flags and bunting. The troop was still in the state service and would drill regularly. Five men were assigned to care for the horses. In August, they were called for duty and were mustered into the regular army.
City mail delivery service started in Eureka on May 1. Race Parks and Ralph Gordon were the first carriers. All male citizens between the ages of 21 and 30 had to register for the draft June 5. In Greenwood County, 1,126 registered. Each man was given a number and these were forwarded to Washington where the draft drawing was held. L.G. Short of Hamilton was the first local name drawn.
Governor Arthur Capper delivered the high school commencement address at the Princess Theatre. The new Santa Fe depot was completed and officially opened in June. Race riots were reported in St. Louis. The Greenwood County Red Cross Society was organized in July. H.D. Hover had sold "Big Charley," his 3000 pound prize steer. J.H. Wiggins had purchased a new automobile hearse. An oil deal involving over $1 million was consummated when Wallace Good sold 9,000 acres of leases in the Flint Hills to the Ohio Oil Company. The Liberty Bond drive was on and efforts were being made to secure $300,000 in subscriptions in the county. A Farm Bureau was established in Greenwood Co. in November.
"Lightless Nights" had been ordered, signs of all kinds were ordered discontinued completely on Thursday and Sunday nights. Stores should not open on these nights and householders were to use as few lights as possible. A special election was held to vote $37,500 in bonds to build a new grade school to replace the one burned. The bonds carried 526 to 243.
The Fuel Administration put all Kansas cities on a uniform closing schedule - 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for general stores; banks, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; shows, 1 to 10 p.m.; and dance halls closed until further notice. The Eureka Herald started a tobacco fund - "Do Your Two Bits" and send a kit to a soldier boy. Mondays and Wednesdays were "wheatless" days; Tuesdays "meatless"; Saturdays, "porkless"; and one wheatless and one meatless meal each day.
Dr. Norman was killed in a car-train accident in February. A $34,000 waterworks improvement bond election carried in March. The new plant would furnish one-half million gallons pure water daily. The new Mulberry school was dedicated on March 25. More than 300 Greenwood County men were in the army and navy. Chas. Stith was building a new rooming house on North Main. A delegation of Eurekans went to Wichita to hear the famous singer, Galli Curci. Eureka was in dire need of 50 dwelling houses due to the tremendous oil activities.
The lovely Chandler Six touring car could be purchased from the R.C. Teichgraeber garage for $1595. A new Reo fire truck was purchased by the city at a cost of $2500. The golf links east of town were ready and a golf club was organized in August.
In Greenwood County, 1,811 men between 18 and 45 years answered the military call when the registered in September. On this number, five were negroes and two Indians. In order to conserve paper, no newspaper was allowed to continue subscriptions after three months from date of expiration. Ornamental piers and supporting columns at the Main street entrance to the park had been completed. A mayor's proclamation was issued that all schools, churches, clubs, theatres, billiard halls and bowling alleys be closed and all meetings and gatherings prohibited, due to the prevalence of Spanish influenza.
10,000 barrels of oil were lost in October when the Prairie Pipe Line Co.'s big storage tank five miles southeast of Eureka was blown up by dynamite, supposedly the work of the I.W.W. Cpl James Morris Smyth was the first Greenwood County boy to fall in action. He was killed September 27 in France. Germany surrendered unconditionally on November 11. Thousands of cheering citizens paraded Main street with flags, cheers and noise - up and down - on foot and in autos - they celebrated far into the night. No one enjoyed the celebration more than A. Auget and L. Vanhaverbeke. Auget was a native of Alsaco and Vanhaverbeke was born in Belgium.
A carload of horned steers, owned by E.H. Lehman of Eureka, established a world record for beef cattle when they sold for $25 per cwt. in Kansas City.
Two U.S. Army airplanes visited Eureka, enroute from Scott Field, Ill. to Colorado. A gasser was brought in, estimated at 8 million cu. ft. per day, 12 miles southwest of Eureka on the Riley farm. The big Lassen Hotel in Wichita was opened January 1. A meeting was held in February for persons interested in establishing a co-op elevator. Russ Osborne had purchased an interest in Miller's Booterie. A gusher was brought in on Stanhope-Gregg with a start of 1,000 barrels per day. Pay sand was found at 1960 feet and oil poured over the top of the derrick. It was accompanied by a strong flow of gas and within a few minutes the rig caught fire and everything combustible within reach was destroyed. The well burned for several days. It later flowed 150 bbls. in 56 minutes. The Christy well was another oil-circle sensation, together with Teter.
Net results of a trip after whiskey runners in March was 55 gallons of whiskey, a big Reo car and one prisoner. The Pioneer Trust Co., a successor to the Eureka Mortgage Co., began business in march with D.C. Johnson as president. Electric rates were reduced - residential from 15 cents per KWH to 12 cents and business from 12 to 10 cents. The proposal to levy a tax of .2 mill to provide for a municipal band carried by an overwhelming majority. The Standard Oil station opened at Main and Fourth.
A rousing welcome was planned for the returning soldiers. Long tables were erected at Main-Third street intersection for the banquet. The crowd was so large, an overflow picnic was served at the park. Flint Hills pastures were renting from $13 to $20 per head. Eureka was visited by an Army tank in April in the interest of Victory loans. A hard-surfaced road to Reece was scheduled. The academy grounds and builds, a historic land mark, went under the hammer to the highest bidder on June 10. Purchasers were H.A. Lovett, D.S. McMeill, L.S. Hoover and Lon Smethers. The price was $3250. The building was razed in July and August. The ground, tenant house and barns were sold to Rev. Gardner and E.W. Jackson, the heating plant to C.N. Shambaugh and the stone was to be used in paving. The bell was placed in the belfry of the Congregational Church.
Dr. Manning sold his business to Dr. L.A. Jeffrey. eureka entertained 10,000 people on July 4. Eureka's new filtration plant was placed in operation in May. E.L. Barrier of the State Board of Administration had started a new style at the state house, working in his shirt sleeves and wearing galluses. Jackson & Forbes was a new law firm in eureka.
A passenger-carrying aeroplane had actually arrived. Seated in a luxurious cabin lighted by electricity, one could travel at a two-mile-a-minute rate over mountain and sea. The largest of the liners carried 30 passengers.
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