100 years ago
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 1903 — A few days before dry spell was broken last week, Mr. E.J. Kelsey promised his wife that if it rained within the next three days he would send her on a visit "back east." Just before the limit expired a good rain fell. Enos is keeping his word, and Mrs. Kelsey left yesterday for her old home in Markle, Ind., her first visit there for ten years.
The Wells Fargo and the U.S. Express companies have parted company, locally, and will maintain separate offices in the future. Ike Runyan, who has been agent for both companies, will continue as agent for the U.S., and will do business "at the old stand" on Main street. The Santa Fe depot will be the headquarters for the Wells Fargo, and Williard Wood will assist in the work there.
We have received a copy of the "Wireless," a paper printed at Santa Catalina, California, the celebrated "enchanted isle in a summer sea." The news in this remarkable paper is received exclusively by wireless telegraphy. In the local column we find this item: "Mrs. G..W. Standforth, Marion, Kas., Mrs. G.W. Riley, Wichita, Kas., and J. Stoneberger, of Oklahoma, are among the recent arrivals at Catalina and are domiciled in one of the Island camps."
School people and other people have been much interested in a case, the past week, under the new truancy law. John Faust, the eccentric German, well known, refused to give the ages of his children, as required by the law. He was arrested and tried before Esquire Eby this week, and was fined five dollars and costs, amounting to $28, which he paid. We believe this law is a good one, but whether it is or not, it should be enforced, and will be in Marion county.
L.F. Keller and J.H. Hoch, with their wives, have been fishing down the Cottonwood this week.
The Santa Fe company deserves mighty well of Marion. Its new depot here is one of the neatest on its lines, in towns of this size, and its brick platforms and other environments are in harmony therewith. It also yielded (to its financial disadvantage in some respects) to the request to build nearer town. And now it has just fulfilled its promise to the Ladies' Altruistic Club, and built a neat fence around the two plats of ground east and west of the depot which they propose to Park and otherwise beautify. These will be beauty spots when the ladies carry out their plans which they are proceeding promptly to do. Mr. Santa Fe, thanks, many thanks!
Mr. D.E. Fishburn has been awarded the contract to erect a school house in District No. 9, Grant Township. The new building which is to supplant the old one, is to be 22x36 in size, frame, finely finished, and to be complete by September 15. Mr. Fishburn has contract from foundation up. The cost is to be about $1,000.
A tramp who gave his name as John Mason, attempted to outrage Mrs. Parliman, a good woman who lives in East Branch township, last Tuesday. He approached her while she was hoeing in a field near her home, her husband being absent. She kept him away from her with the hoe, and escaped to the house, locking herself in. The tramp, baffled in his hellish designs, left. As soon as she dared to venture out, Mrs. Pariman ran to the Cresswell store and gave the alarm. Mr. Ed Butts borrowed a pistol and with others pursued the fiend and captured him. While guarding the prisoner, the pistol in Mr. Butts hand, being a self-cocking gun, was accidentally discharged inflicting a painful wound in his leg. The prisoner was brought to Marion, tried before Esquire Billings, fined $250 and sentenced to six months in jail. The scoundrel may count himself lucky to get off this easy.
Miss Annabel Knowles has been elected teacher of the 4th and 5th grades of the valley school.
The ball game last Saturday afternoon between the "County officers" and Marion "Professional men" was one of the most fancy exhibitions of the National game which ever took place on the Marion diamond. This great agricultural and sporting guide ought to record in detail the story of the game but space is limited, and besides description seems prosaic and tame. Among the special features however, may be mentioned the star playing of the preachers — Rev. Woodside "in the box" and Rev. Caughey at "short" — Sam Burkholder's dramatic wait in right field for the ball to bounce, W.H. Carpenter's phenomenal base-running, Orley Billings slide for the pitchers box, Dave Wheeler's heroic slide for 3rd, and — we haven't room to specify further. But which side won out? Well at the end of the ninth inning the score stood about 14 to 15 in favor of the "Professionals." The officials, however, maintain that the agreement was that only seven innings were to be played and that they were the victors because at the close of the 7th, the score was decidedly in their favor. Upon this question the writer desires to take an unequivocal position. The relative merit in the two sides of the discussion seems unmistakably clear. Why, of course. The argument on the other side is mighty weak. And though our frankness be decidedly injudicious we propose to say so. And so we repeat that with reference to this contention we maintain what we maintain though the heavens fall.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1903 microfilm files of the Marion Record
