100 years ago
MAY 25, 1903 — This is a partial copy of a file noted "31 Years Ago" and dated May 18, 1872:
"School report: Number of pupils enrolled, 66; average daily attendance, 59.
"Quite a crowd of men went down to help Mr. Moore raise his new mill on Thursday.
"And now comes J.H. Costello and speaks for a half a column in the RECORD in which to tell the people what he has to sell and how cheap he will sell it.
"Nearly every day, for the last two weeks the rain has descended on the just and unjust who reside in drouthy Kansas. The creeks are up and every hollow and ravine full of water.
"A.S. Kunk took possession of Uncle Joe McClary's dug out, possible with an intention of jumping his claim a few days ago. Uncle Joe got "wind" of this movement, and immediately commenced operations for the routing of his troublesome tenant.
"Dave Eby, Dal Rogers, Al Nooney and Jim Buckley left last Wednesday for the buffalo grounds, where they will slaughter the buffaloes for their hides and tongues which they will ship. They expect to be gone about two months and hope to return with whole scalps.
"County officers. County Clerk, T.W. Bown; Treasurer, R.C. Coble; Clerk District Court, J.H. Costello; Probate Judge, I.W. Bouse; Register of Deeds, E.A. Hodge; County Superintendent, J.N. Rogers; Sheriff, S.T. Howe; Surveyor, J.D. Milliken; County Attorney, L.F. Keller.
"Considerable interest and excitement was manifested at the election for the choice of a school house site last Saturday. 180 votes were cast, with the following result: 28 majority for locating the school house on the hill We are sorry to see so much bitterness expressed about the result of this election.
"Business men: A.D. Billings, furniture; Baxter & Doster, real estate and insurance agents, lawyer and notary public; Case & Billings, land agents; Bower & Coble, general merchandise; Fuller hotel, Eby & Griffith, proprietors; J.H. Costello, 'everything'; Bigelow & Baker, groceries: Wm. Kellison, dry goods, groceries."
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If you see a married man hiking out from home at an unusually rapid rate, these days, you need not err in understanding the celerity of his movements. It is house-cleaning time!
There is talk of a ball game being arranged between the Marion baseball nine and the Emporia Normal nine. Four of the members of the Normal nine are from Chase, and if the game is played a special train will be run from that town for the accommodation of the people who wish to come and "root" for their "home boys." The people of Chase promise to send fifty or a hundred people, and it is hoped that the Marion fellows will make every effort to arrange for the game.
Soaking rains fell here again Monday and Tuesday. The wet weather has greatly hindered building operations.
A great crowd of Marion people gathered at the Rock Island depot Tuesday to see the train of threshing machines from the Case manufactory, Racine, Wis., go through. It was a long train and made an imposing appearance. The Band advertised didn't materialize, but a calliope made music which enlivened the occasion.
Mr. Wolfenberger has hauled twenty-three hundred loads of dirt for "filling" purposes in Marion, this season, and is still busy.
While riding out in the country the other day we noticed something which is along the line of what we have often contended for. We noticed that the road for several miles south of town is being graded a certain width, and then "cropped" clear up to the roadway. That's business. Most all of our roads are too wide, and the result is an unsightly weed patch between the road and the cultivated fields. It is a great waste of land, and it mars the landscape. Thirty feet is plenty for roadway, and then let the farmers cultivate clear up to the beginning of the road grade. It looks better and is better than the old way.
Miss Grace Church, the beautiful daughter of Hon. W.V. Church, was married at their home in Topeka yesterday afternoon to a young man named Smith, of Jewell City, Kansas. Miss Grace is a charming girl, and her Marion county friends (she was born and reared in this county) will be glad to know that she has given her hand and heart to a prominent, prosperous worthy young man.
Messrs. W.C. Buck and J.D. Davis, two very prepossessing young men, arrived in town this morning, and will start a cigar factory here. They will receive a warm welcome.
The largest stone arch bridge in Kansas will be "dedicated" on May 26 between Arkansas City and Winfield. It is a three-arch bridge, fifty feet to the arch and twenty-five feet high. A picture and description of it recently appeared in the Mail and Breeze. A Marion man, Mr. Kellet, quarried the stone for it; a Marion man, Walter Sharp, superintended its construction; and a Marion man will "dedicate" it. All the Cowley county people will have to do will be to pay for it. Walter Sharp is trying to work up an excursion from Marion and El Dorado. It is to be a big occasion.
The newest style of type are consistently being added to the RECORD'S Job Department, nearly all the old type has been supplanted by new during the past year or two. The office is up to date, and can turn out as neat, modern, and cheap work as any office in the state.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1903 microfilm files of the Marion Record).
