Greenwood County
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A new Gambles Store, located at 109 North Main, was to open under the management of Marion Harding. The census of April 1940 showed Eureka's population to be 3,804 as compared with 3,696 on April 1, 1930. A new food storage locker plant was being installed in the building on East Fourth, formerly occupied by the S & H Bakery. Work had been started on the new auditorium-gymnasium at the high school in Neal.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Sponsored a Soap Box Derby for the Cub Scouts of eureka. The event took place on the Second street hill between Mulberry and Elm streets. In Greenwood County, 1656 young men registered for the draft as youth of the entire nation signed up under the Selective Service Order. According to word from Topeka, no open resentment against the draft registration was reported. There was no excitement as in the World War I enrollment 23 years before, when parades, mass meetings and martial music were the order of the day in Kansas.
A 24-inch vein of coal was found on land near Eureka where George McConkey, local inventor and research engineer, was drilling for water at a depth of 80 feet. Congressman W.P. Lamberston of Fairview believed the United States would enter the World War within four or five months of December 1940. "It will be sometime in the spring," he asserted. "We (the United States) always like to start our wars in April, so I think that it would be about that time."
Mrs. C.A. Leedy traded her business building at 211 N. Main to Ether Burton for his building at 104 S. Main and a cash consideration. After alterations and repairs to the building, Mr. Burton was to move his electric appliance and furniture business there. The O. K. Cornett grain elevator on the Santa Fe tracks between Fifth and Sixth streets was completely destroyed by fire and approximately 2,300 bu. of seed grain were badly damaged by fire and water.
The United States Defense Bonds and postal Savings stamps were placed on sale in the Eureka post office as part of the national effort to make America impregnable. Eureka's newest business enterprise, Harold's ready-to-wear, millinery and shoe store, was located at 208 North Main with H.J Winterscheid of Horton, owner and manager. Ten days later a fire, caused by a short circuit in electric wiring, resulted in almost complete destruction of the new store's stock. It was planned to re-open the store as soon as new merchandise arrived and the building repaired.
Seventy-two men from Greenwood County were among the 10,000 new registrants for army service, who had reached their 21st birthday as of October 6, 1940. The Service Director ordered deferment of men over 29 years of age. work in installing the new dial telephone system in Severy was progressing in a satisfactory manner. The new telephone building was to be completed in July.
Tom Raber purchased the interest of his brother, Ed, in the Leader Auto Supply. Milliken's Auto Supply, under the management of Dave Milliken, was to open in Madison. There was one person who had read the Herald every week since it was established in July 1868. She was Mrs. L.J. Barrier of Eureka, who came to Eureka with her parents in 1867 at nine years of age and had read the Herald for 73 years.
Six Eurekans were in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked - James Jackson, Dick Colvin, Edward (Babe) Donnelly and Jack West were in the Navy and Fred Hartman was in the Marine Corps. Two Eureka boys were thought to be aboard ship somewhere in the Pacific enroute to the Philippine Islands. They were Steve Postlethwait and Glenn Welch.
Greenwood County was to get food stamps February 1. Eight hundred families were eligible to receive stamps in the new method of distribution of food for relief clients. The daylight saving time schedule went into effect 2:00 a.m., Monday February 9, 1942, and most people turned their clocks ahead one hour before going to bed Sunday night. There was some confusion due to changes in opening hours of business houses and in the school schedule.
A new business firm, the Frock and Bonnet Shop, at 206 1/2 North Main opened in eureka, owned by G.R. Horn of Grenola and to be managed by Mrs. Richard Crebo of Eureka. A new manufacturing concern, an alfalfa dehydrating plant, was to be located four miles southeast of Eureka on the Mort Hughes land just west of the Santa Fe railway crossing at Highway 99. W.J. Small of Neodesha was the owner and operator of the plant which was to have a capacity of 100 tons per day.
The two passenger trains on the Missouri-Pacific line were removed as the government demanded the equipment for troop train movements and other operations. The first women's fire department in the state of Kansas was organized in Eureka on March 16. The department was organized for the purpose of aiding civilian defense by training the women how to act in an emergency and how to combat fire hazards by means of prevention. Their training consisted of all the rudiments of fire fighting including ladder work, handling of hose, rescue work and the assembling of equipment. M.E. (Cap) Souders, chief of the Eureka Fire Dept., had great hopes for this group of feminine fire-eaters, including Catherine Wiggins, Bettie Sluder, Elizabeth Peters, Dorothy Pomranky, Naomi Wardrip, Lois Davis, Viola Greeley, Mary Allen, Mary Meredith, Olga Souders and Meriem Roby, chief.
E.E. Jacobs, formerly of Oberlin, had purchased half-interest in the Home Furnishing Co. and was to be active in the management of the business. He had been engaged in the furniture and undertaking business at Oberlin for 18 years. As the need for scrap metal became more urgent, Greenwood County citizens rallied to ship 99 tons of scrap our of Eureka during one week.
The sheriff's posse intercepted two truck loads of booze on Highway 96 between Piedmont and Fall River to confiscate 1880 pints of liquor, bound for Wichita. A farm machinery rationing committee had been selected to make arrangements with dealers for the rationing of farm machinery in the county for the duration of the war. The Griggs Shoe Store quit business as Kenneth Griggs, proprietor, had made application for enlistment in the Army Air Force and expected to be in the armed services soon.
The following appeared in the September 17 issue: Please be brief - in common with everyone else, newspapers find themselves under great handicap these days. In order to give proper publicity to things pertaining to the war effort, some contributions which ordinarily would be published must be omitted. so we are asking contributors to be brief. We want all the news, but find we have neither the time nor the facilities to print the details that would be acceptable in normal times. Each week some things have to be omitted. So please keep this in mind. Tell the facts in as few words as possible. Thank you. The Herald.
Mrs. Hazel B. Souders was appointed acting postmaster at the Eureka office to serve while the regular postmaster, Geo. E. Hull, was in the U.S. armed service. Herbert Smith (Smitty) purchased the Basement Bar from William Russell and took over the ownership on Jan. 1. In collaboration with Uncle Sam's nationwide hunt for copper, Monday, January 25, was set aside by the movie theatres as "Copper Collection Day." Four ounces or more of war-precious copper was a ticket of admission to the Princess Theatre.
Don Rice, pharmacist at the Rexall Drug Store in Eureka for three years, purchased an interest in the business from Earl Rickerd, who was stationed at Coffeyville. The firm was known as Rickerd & Rice, with Rice as resident manager. Within the next few months, Eureka was to have a new Basham Hospital. The Doctors Basham had purchased the Lyndon Hotel from Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Tuttle. Work was to start on its conversion into a hospital as soon as authorization from the War Production Board was received. The building was large and conveniently located.
The Herald was 75 years old on July 4. John C. Stapp was transferred to Arkansas City to become manager of the J.C. Penny store there. His successor at the local store was Jack Bayless. Francis Vanhaverbeke purchased the interests of his brother and sister, John and Jennie, in the Eureka Greenhouses and assumed full management of the business.
Charles Sweely, formerly of Wichita, was the new manager of Safeway store, succeeding Clarence Arthur Biggs, who was inducted into the U.S. Coast Guard. The Bratton Tire Shop, which had been closed for some time, opened for business, with Don Bratton and Curtis McClintick as proprietors.
The change in ownership of the City Drug Store was announced with the purchase of the business by L.B. (Mac) McCarthney and Howard Willoughby from R.C. Morris. The scrapping of the Santa Fe line between Virgil and Benedict had to continue as a matter of necessity in wartime.
The Electric Show Shop 43-opened in a room east of the Greenwood Beauty Shop, after a revision in the selective service age law allowed Ralph Stuck to return home. Dr. Beterf moved from the shoe shop room to the room west of the beauty shop in the Greenwood Hotel, now being vacated by the local Red Cross. The Red Cross moved to the room known as the old Citizens National Bank location in the Crebo building.
Day and Nite Grocery, now operating under the IGA plan with L.L. jones as manager, was being entirely redecorated and remodeled. The new set-up provided for self-service and a more convenient arrangement for checking our customers. The work on remodeling and redecorating of the building to be occupied by the Eureka Monument and Mausoleum Co. on North Main was nearing completion. C.N. McCarter was the proprietor and Jule Anderson was local manager. Blood caravans were making trips to Emporia to donate blood.
No ration points were required on veal but sirloin steak took 13 points; T-bone steak, 14 points; a can of tomatoes, 7; tomato juice, 18; jar of grape jelly, 2 and sugar ration stamps were good for five pounds of sugar.
A series of coyote drives were being sponsored by the American Legion and Chamber of Commerce in response to an appeal from farmers that something be done to eradicate the coyote menace. F.J. McCue was sworn in as a state senator in Topeka. Many Eureka boys were reported missing in action, several had been wounded and several had been killed in action. George G. Wood, editor of the Herald for nearly 40 years, died suddenly on January 18.
On February 1, the War Production Board placed light restrictions on advertising and promotional purposes - no outdoor advertising, no display lighting, no show window lighting, no marquee lighting in excess of 60 watts and no street lighting except as necessary for public safety. The city had purchased a new street sweeper-flusher. Home-canning sugar had been added to the tire and gasoline rationing.
C.E. Moore, a 62-year resident of Eureka, died in April. President Franklin D. Roosevelt died April 12 in Warm Springs, Ga. Charles Bovard, with the Herald for 21 years, moved to Moran to publish the Moran Herald. The Seventh War Loan Bond Drive started in May with a county quota of $596,000. Hostilities ceased in Europe on May 8. More than 1000 people gathered in Memorial Hall on VE Day to participate in a special memorial and thanksgiving service, sponsored by the Ministerial Assoc. and Chamber of Commerce. The armistice celebration here was not boisterous but meaningful and significant.
Eureka was host to the state Regional Track Meet with 400 athletes taking part. M.A. Miller, in business here 64 years, died in May. R.L. Dodd was elected junior high principal. Eureka celebrated Independence Day without fireworks. A few limp firecrackers brought out from pre-war supplies made little more noise than the matches which the youngsters pounded with hammers. The city streets were deserted as residents confined themselves to relaxation.
Dr. W.E. Janes, prominent Eureka physician since 1919, died in July. A new elementary school law offered the way to reorganize and consolidate rural schools. Ed Ladd, 76, a prominent citizen and world traveler, died in August. The long-awaited VJ-Day arrived on August 14. The downtown streets were full of people, shouting, laughing, making noises with whatever they could find. Cars, led by the fire trucks, paraded through all the streets with horns and sirens blasting. Some had attached tubs and pans to bumpers and they clattered merrily on the pavements. If there was a paper shortage, it was forgotten on that Tuesday evening as scraps of every type fluttered down from upstairs windows. Third street from Main to Oak was blocked off for a dance. The celebration lasted until early morning and all business houses were closed on Wednesday and the tired but happy people rested. Meanwhile, another battle had just begun - that of picking up the pieces of a shattered world and fashioning a new and brighter one.
Eldon Donaldson had purchased the Betsher Laundry. Hugh Dennis opened his insurance agency at 212 1/2 North Main in September. The Rexall Drug and Reno Hardware were damaged by fire in October.
Eurekans celebrated the first peacetime New Year very quietly. The BPW was sponsoring a Victory Clothing Drive. A total of 10,000 articles were shipped, including 1,076 pairs of shoes. The M.E.Mozingo family, who had been in Eureka 25 years, sold their studio to F.C. Brown of Wichita. Bill Mason began his duties as pharmacist at the Rexall Drug in January. Main street was aglow with its new street lights.
Fire destroyed No. 11 schoolhouse in January. Dr. W.G. Crebo, Jr. announced the opening of his dental office February 5. Shirley Ott purchased the Porter Grocery on North Main. eureka firms were offering on-the-job training for veterans. Mabel Gordon purchased the Nixon Insurance business. The Crebo building, built in 1890, was sold to three separate buyers - S.T. Freeman and H.O. McManis, E.J.Marshall and Mrs. R.B. Osborne.
Miss Emma Smith observed her 25th year with the city library. Eddie Todd and Crayton Gardner had opened a new barber shop off the lobby of the Greenwood Hotel. Mrs. Harriett Focht, editor of the Democratic Messenger, died in March. A bond election in April for $60,000 for a proposed addition the high school carried by 482 to 421. A contract was awarded to Arcole Midwest in the amount of $6,107,053.90 for the construction of the Fall River dam and reservoir.
The Paul Appliance and J.T. Francis Plumbing had consolidated under the name of Francis-Paul Appliance. Don Rice sold his interest in the Rexall Drug Store to Earl Rickerd and purchased a store in Hutchinson. The big drive was underway for a swimming pool and construction was stated in September. Robe Hardware opened its doors at 105 N. Main on June 22.
Prices were holding firm as OPA control ended in the nation. The Greenwood County Fair was to resume after being discontinued in 1943 due to World War II. The Messenger was sold to Burt Doze in September. A new Goodrich store opened in Eureka with Ted Freeman and H.O. McManis, owner, on September 14. One thousand workers at the Fall River dam went on a strike in September.
J.J. Wardrip and Elmo Miliken were manufacturing a bait-saving float. The city commission called for a bond election for a light plant in the amount of $240,000. following many heated debates, propaganda, etc., the issue was defeated. J.C. Penny store opened in its new location, 213 North Main, in October. The Miller Clothing Store, operated by Ralph Miller, was re-opened in its new location, 207 North Main.
Roger Babson quietly arrived in Eureka and purchased property here in October. A charter was granted in November for Utopia College and class sessions were to begin in September. The Exchange Club of Eureka received its charter in December. A youth center was opened on Dec 21. Kenneth Rockhill was a new lawyer in Eureka.
Johnson Bros. Grocery, established in 1913, was temporarily closed due to illness. The thermometer touched 24 degrees below zero on January 4, the coldest since 1899 when 25 was recorded. Walt Geist purchased the Ott Grocery at 823 North Main. The Greenwood Alfalfa Mill, a new business venture of Allen Green, Jack Wallace and John Branson, was to be ready for harvest season. The Eureka Locker and Cold Storage formally opened on March 1 at Sixth and Main.
A three-day Blue Stem Festival was held in May for the benefit of the swimming pool when $2,315 was raised. A Grand Champion Rodeo, at the McGinnis field, in September for the pool benefit, was attended by 4,000 people. Roger Babson returned to eureka in April and was royally entertained while here on business concerning Utopia College. After two weeks here, Mr. Babson departed for the east in a 10-gallon hat, gift of Ward McGinnis; high-heeled cowboy boots gift of Jack Bayless of J.C. Penny; and a silver studded belt, gift of Wayne Cox. He expected to carry the spirit of the cattle country by appearing to his eastern associates in western attire.
Walter Bowers was named president of Utopia College and Babson was present for the opening of the school on October 3. A National Guard was activated here in April and hoped to have a membership of 71. The Municipal Building was leased by the organization. A Eureka Saddle Club was organized in May. The new Foodtown Super Market opened its doors in June. A special election was called for July 23 to vote on $125,000 for a sewage disposal plant, which carried by a good margin.
The three-story Taylor building, Second and Main, was barricaded, by order of the state fire marshall, for public safety. Later, J.W. and L.J. Clever purchased the building and planned to remove the third floor and rebuild and remodel the first two floors. Burt doze, editor of the Democratic Messenger, died in July. The Lee Washburns had purchased the Brown Studio. Miller Dry Goods Store, operated her by the family since 1880, was sold to C.C. Boles. Vocational Ag. had been added to the high school course of study. Erma Hoffman was elected president of the National Council of State Boards of Beauty Culture at a New Orleans convention.
A new organization, future Farmers of America, was formed at eureka High School in October. Talk of the Month Club was organized in Eureka with a full schedule of speakers for the winter. A charter was granted to Roger Babson and others to incorporate Utopia Church. Students, faculty and Eurekans were rejoicing over the purchase of their new school athletic bus - to be used the first time when the Tornadoes journeyed to El Dorado for a Turkey Day clash.
The Kansas City market paid $28.25 for a shipment of Greenwood Co. steers. Sliced bacon was 63 cents; picnic hams, 47 cents; eggs, 47 cents; potatoes, 10 lbs. for 47 cents; and hamburger, 39 cents. Gerald Brizendine had purchased the Oklahoma Tire & Supply and took charge on January 16. The Lasater Garage at Madison was razed by fire. An appeal was made for funds to keep the youth center, REK, open. The Eureka basketball team had won the Tri-Valley championship. Members were: Bob McCue, Weldon Jacobs, bill Brookover, Farrel Starner, Jerry Steele, Lew Marshall, Bob Dettmer, Bob Henry, Don Henderson, Duane Vanhaverbeke, and coaches were Blair and Erickson.
Farmers were asked to sell their scrap metal to maintain maximum steel production. Several carloads of cattle were shipped to Greenwood County from the drought-stricken area of southern California. Kenneth Griggs was elected president of the Kansas Skeet Shooters Assoc. in March. Al Langton, Ward Clark and Bob Lewis, All EHS athletes, were members of the Kansas State Wildcats Big Seven Champions. A number of big name business and industrial leaders met in Eureka to confer with Roger Babson to organize a "Magic Circle" council.
The Lions Club show, "Mirthful Mississippi Minstrel," netted approximately $800 for the swimming pool fund. W.H. Carter, a jeweler here since 1916, died in May. Brushes were flying as Chamber of Commerce members painted the swimming pool in May. The BPW club served the painters a buffet lunch. The pool was opened at 1:00 p.m. on May 29 with Bobby Brown making a running dive to hold the honor of being the first one in. Charlotte Murdock was the first girl to hit the water.
The Harlan Dairy Products, a new Eureka industry, manufacturers of cheese, opened for business in June at 116 East Fourth. Jack Johnson purchased the Burns Auto Parts store in June. Eureka elevators were swamped with a million dollar wheat crop. Thousands of bushels of the golden grain were dumped into the streets and at the fairgrounds, due to box car shortage. Nine inches of rain had been recorded in Eureka in two weeks during July, causing considerable damage to lowlands.
Dr. C.M. Crum announced the opening of optometric practice in Eureka on August 16. Rhudy's, Eureka new ladies store, held its grand opening on August 23 in the new Clever building, corner of Second and Main. Registry of young men for the draft, between the ages of 18 and 25, was underway at Madison and Eureka. Clarence Burch was the first registrant.
The Motor Inn Garage was destroyed by fire in September. The entire business district was threatened and fire departments for El Dorado, Yates Center, Howard and Fredonia responded to emergency calls. Tires and debris smoldered for two days. Utopia College opened its second year with 80 students. The schools inaugurated a hot-lunch program in October. The Lutheran Church celebrated its 75th anniversary on Nov. 21. Dr. S.W. Moonlight, retired physician, died in December.
A hard-driving sleet, one of the heaviest falls on record, fell in January for two days. Communication and power lines were down, buses couldn't run and schools were closed. Bob Dettmer had been appointed to the Naval Academy. Announcement had been made by the Parks Oil Co. of the grand opening of their new modern station at Seventh and Main. The Snooker Parlor, owned by Glen Handley, opened March 5 in the basement of the Clever building.
Clarence Bailey of the Bailey Bottling co. had completed 40 years of business in Eureka. Fire destroyed the exhibit building at the fairgrounds in March. A capacity crowd attended the Merchants Jubilee and Style Show on March 23. Roger Babson stressed youth education at a May meeting in Eureka, attended by 200 business leaders from eight states.
A huge Blue Stem Festival was held on May 6 with a parade, an aerial parade, an evening program, dances, booths and concession stands. All proceeds were to be used for the community recreation program. The Motor Inn opened with its new building on May 14. The "Little Miss Bathing Beauty" contest at the local pool was a success with Susan Cox awarded first prize in the 1-3 year olds and Judy Wheat, first in the 4-5 year old class. Runners-up were Susan Talley and Stephanie Bradford in the first division and Julie Rockhill and Karen Downard in the last division.
The Fall River dam and reservoir was completed and dedicated on September 5, Labor Day. The celebration drew 50,000 persons in the three-day event. The first bottle of legal liquor was sold in Eureka on July 20 by J.L. Clever. Other licensed stores were Vic Myers and Merle Allen. In 1949, the ladies skirts were slim-as-a-reed in becoming mid-calf length.
Eureka's population was 3.674 and Greenwood County was 13,268. The new Utopia Sunday School was dedicated on September 11. Alex Dreier, radio commentator, was speaker at the 22nd annual Cattlemen's banquet. Television had arrived in Eureka. Vernon Donnelly installed the first television set in the town and programs were received in Oct. He had a 10-inch table model Motorola. It took seven men to install the 45 foot antenna. The set sold for $219.95 and the antenna $150.
The Magic Circle six-state checker tournament was held in Eureka, under the direction of L.S.Hilyard, in November. Dr. W.T. Grove, who had practiced in Greenwood County for 57 years, died in November.
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