100 years ago
OCTOBER 3, 1902 — Mention was made in last week's RECORD of the fact that the Coble hay stacker received first premium at the State Fair at Hutchinson. The Hutchinson News gave the machine almost a column write-up. We quote the first paragraph of the write-up:
An exhibit at the State Fair that attracted more than usual interest of the farmers was a hay stacker invented and patented by Mr. R.C. Coble, of Marion, and exhibited by his brother, G.C. Coble. It certainly is a most excellent machine and the large alfalfa fields that are becoming necessary for the maintenance of the immense cattle and stock interests of the state, together with the products of the prairie and tame hay fields, make such a machine as Mr. Coble had on exhibit a necessity to the farmer. It does the work of which it was designed and no one who saw it working and the result of that work wondered that it received the first premium upon machines of this kind. Farmers from all parts of the state with years of experience who have used or seen used all the hay stackers in the market were unanimous in the verdict that the Coble stacker was the best thing of the kind ever invented.
Last Sunday was a great day at the Methodist church. Sixty-one probationers were taken into full membership, and one received upon probations. Thirty were baptized.
Major Fred Lewis, Jesse Sheets, Will Taylor, C.O. Hazelton, David Lucas, Morton Crist, Scott Sheets and Rosse Sheets took advantage of the special rates to the G.A.R. encampment at Washington. Some of them will spend most of their time visiting friends in other places in the East. Scott and Ross Sheets will play in the Sterling band, which goes to Washington. Major Fred Lewis will have charge of the splendid display of grains and grasses prepared by A.E. Case & Son.
The new Santa Fe depot was opened for business last Tuesday. It is well finished inside and out and is a decided improvement.
The fellow who was prowling around last Monday night playing the disgraceful role of "Jack the Peeper" came mighty near getting shot. A gun was leveled on him and if he had known how near he was to its muzzle he would have skipped faster than he did. Next time the trigger may work easier.
Mr. C.E. Butterfield has brought to this office the first ballot box used in the county. It was the property of Mr. W.H. Billings, who was one of the first settlers in the county. It was first used back in Ohio, from where Mr. Billings came when he moved to Kansas.
A.E. Case & Son are offering five dollars as a premium to the farmer who will bring to them the best two dozen ears of corn before December 15th — the award to be made by three disinterested farmers. The premium ears are to be used in the display of farm products which they prepare every year.
Dr. Marner left Wednesday for a two weeks outing in Colorado. He took his gun and camera and expects to rub up against the mountains and have a good time generally. Dr. Stauffer will be in the office during Dr. Marner's absence.
If the person who found a man's overshoe recently will report at this office we will give him the name of the owner. Don't bring the overshoe, however, as our office room is none too great, as it is.
Mrs. Linda Dickerson has been appointed general agent for Kansas of the Favorite dress cutting system. She has authority to sell the system, to appoint agents, and to assign agents to territory. She has engaged rooms at Mrs. Shambaugh's and organized classes here. She will be here on Monday afternoons and on Tuesdays.
Avery Dickinson started to his claim near Chickasha last Wednesday morning.
Politics and prose, rather than poetry, are demanding our attention this month, but a literary friend who has read liberal excerpts from Mrs. Hattie Horner Louthan's "Thoughts Adrift" says they abound in poetic beauties, and that Apollo has breathed a whiff of the divine affiatus over the soul of this gifted young writer. Mrs. Louthan is a Kansas woman — formerly a Butler county girl. She is acquiring enviable fame in the world of letters.
Miss Kate Martin was up from Ponca City the first of the week. She expects to take personal charge of her store in Florence for awhile.
Robert Hegle is advertising a public sale to occur at his place 2 miles west of Lost Springs, on Friday, Oct. 10, at which time he will offer for sale cattle, horses, hogs, and implements. A.C. Merilatt, auctioneer.
Many of the people of Aulne were greatly surprised last Saturday, when they went to get their mail, to find the post office had been moved across the street. Ed Fruechting, the postmaster, has bought the hardware store of Mr. Danskin, and the latter will handle coal and implements and will run the elevator.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1902 microfilm files of the Marion Record)
