Observations and reflections
A spooky experience was reading this newspaper's files of a year ago. Last year's edition is replaced each week with the current year. It was a year ago that your Ol' Editor experienced cardiac arrest, life was restored by the Marion ambulance, and a highly skilled surgeon at Wichita repaired the damage. You know all that. You read the paper. But it wasn't until this the week that your OE read those papers. The two weeks are totally blank in memory, and so is most of the next two weeks. But, in reading the four issues that were published, the OE is amazed at the high quality of the newspaper. "You obviously don't need me," the OE commented. He noticed that editorials published were signed with his name. He didn't recall writing them, so asked "who did?" The reply was "you dictated them to us over the telephone." There's a message, somewhere, in this dissertation — but one wonders if he wants to hear it.
A train driver, former star football player, and all around nice guy is one of the most avid opponents of the regional landfill that was proposed for Marion. He objects to the potential dangers of a landfill — toxic waste and such. One wonders if he worries about the potential danger of chemicals being hauled by trains that go through many towns?
Back during the dirty thirties there was a proposal to bring electricity to rural areas of Kansas. Your OE lived in a small village of the Flint Hills where there was no electric power nor sewer facilities. When the government REA folks proposed bringing the "high line" to our area, people stormed in protest. They didn't want those unsightly poles alongside roads, they would be cluttersome and no doubt "spook" the cattle. The wires would attract birds, which would mess on the ground below. And if one of the wires broke and fell to the ground it could electrocute people. Luckily, the REA didn't proceed with the project. Country folks are well served by Coleman lanterns. and Rayo lamps.
— BILL MEYER
