100 years ago
JUNE 12, 1903 — The flood struck Frank Kieferle a harder blow, perhaps, than any one else in town, not in direct damage. The building in which his hardware and implement establishment was located was rendered unsafe, and his business has been greatly retarded. He has had a hard time to get another building, but is temporarily moving into Dr. Rogers' south store room, hoping to get the use of the stone livery barn, which everybody hopes he will succeed in doing. Frank keeps a "stiff upper lip" in spite of his discouragements, and has decided not to leave Marion as it seemed for a while he would be compelled to do. Such grit will win, and deserves to win.
Chapter of Calamities
The little son of Dan Mehl was bitten on the foot by a rattlesnake, Monday. Dr. Rogers attended him and says the little fellow will be all right.
Willie Wakefield, the fifteen year old son of Mr. and Mrs. George Wakefield, was fearfully injured by Dockstader's hack horses, Monday evening. The boy fell under the horses in some way, while they were hitched, and frightened the horses, causing them to tramp him awfully. They tramped on the back of his head, side of his body, and nearly crushed the life out of him. Drs. Hannaford and Rogers were called, and did all they would to relieve the little fellow's suffering, and it now looks as if he will recover.
Walter Hawkins, a man between thirty and forty years of age, committed suicide early Tuesday morning, at his farm home a few miles west of Marion. He came here from Nemaha county some months ago and bought the Gus Faust farm. He had been despondent for several days, and hadn't slept for several nights, worrying over crop conditions and financial matter. He has several brothers on farms around here, all recently from Nemaha county, and his parents, fine people, have been visiting the boys for some weeks. They appear to be excellent people, all of them. The deed was done with a rifle, the bullet entering the right temple. A wife and four children are left with broken hearts. It is a sad case.
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In the presence of a brilliant company, at the elegant home of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Wheelock, on Second street, Tuesday evening, the charming daughter, Lillian, was married to Mr. Ferdinand Lawrence Immer, of St. Louis. Rev. Mr. Kjellin performed the impressive ceremony. The preparations were elaborate, and the ceremony very beautiful. The bridal couple marched in a beautifully festooned alcove through an aisle formed of ribbons held by eight pretty girls, and preceded by little Miss Gertrude Enst, bearing the wedding ring on a silver salver, and by the groom's brother and the bride's sister, as attendants. The impressive ring ceremony was read. After congratulations, the large company were served with refreshments. The presents were many and valuable.
When the board sidewalks were all topsy-turvy in front of his fine residence, last week, Hon. J.W. Moore put up a sign on his beautiful blue grass lawn. "Keep on the grass."
Miss Minnie C. Dickens, representing the Old Ladies' Rest, an institution for homeless old ladies, canvassed Marion Monday. A rich lady has given fifty thousand dollars for the erection of a building, and the structure, as we understand it, is now under way. Meantime, old ladies needing such a Rest place are being cared for.
From the "31 Years Ago" column — A.D. Billings' first stock of baby carriages went off like hot cakes. He has ordered another supply.
The workmen on the well in East Marion Center found water at the depth of 43 feet. The water now stands six feet deep. (This well was later sunk twelve feet deeper and always had fifteen feet of splendid water in it. It is in the middle of Lincoln avenue, just north of E.W. Hoch's residence, and is covered with a large stone, graded over with dirt.
Marion Center, the county seat of Marion county, is eleven miles up the Cottonwood from Florence, and we can truthfully say is the best watered section of the county.
S.N. Wood, attorney at law, Cottonwood Falls, will practice in all the courts of Marion county.
Mr. John Shoemaker, of Topeka, was married last Sunday afternoon to Miss Addie Bower, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Bower, at their home four miles south of Marion. Rev. Mr. McCormick performed the ceremony. Mr. Shoemaker is a splendid young man, and he has wooed and won a jewel. For a dozen years or more Mrs. Bower was an invalid (now happily recovered) and all these trying years Addie was the mainstay and queen of the home. A girl like that is worth a thousand butterflies of fashion.
Taylor Riddle complains that the fish continue to give him trouble in his corn field. He would like for some more experienced farmer to inform him as to the best method for raising corn and carp in the same field.
The home of Miss Porter, on south 4th street, was one of the few valley places which escaped the high water by several inches. Anyone wishing to purchase a home high above the swirling flood would do well to look at Miss Porter's place.
J.W. Barker is erecting a two story brick block in Burns, 50x90, with town hall. By the way, Marion is going to have a town hall, sometime, sometime!
Talk about patience! Why, we looked out of our door one morning last week and saw a fellow walking down the sidewalk leading a cow on our nice, smooth blue grass parking, when the ground was soft and slushy. Now, did Job ever have any experience like that?
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1903 microfilm files of the Marion Record.
