News Items from The Kansas City Journal ~ Old News That's New to You from Vintage Kansas City.com

January 31, 1910

FINAL "JIM CROW" ACTION TONIGHT.

Alderman J. E. Logan, Au-

thor of Measure, Disclaims

Any Political Motive.

The council is expected to take action tonight on the ordinance requiring the Metropolitan Street Railway Company to furnish separate cars for negroes, or if permitted to ride with white passengers, to designate certain seats for them. As the measure is championed by Democratic aldermen there is every probability that Republican members will permit them to do all the voting in favor of the passage of the ordinance. This is the sentiment in the upper house, but not altogether in the lower house, for if Alderman Frank Askew, a Republican, has not changed his mind he will second a motion to be made by Alderman Miles Bulger, a Democrat, that the ordinance be passed under suspension of the rules.

This will call for ten affirmative votes, and if they are not forthcoming the ordinance will have to go to a committee.

All of these possibilities depends of course on the action of the upper house. A special committee headed by R. L. Gregory, president of that branch of the council, will recommend the passage of the ordinance and this can be done with eight affirmative votes. There are nine Democratic aldermen in the upper house, and the tip has gone out that they have been lined up to vote for the ordinance. Some of the Democrats were hesitating on the propriety of passing the ordinance on account of "political policy," but it is now stated that they have been induced to see it differently.

In political circles the cry has been set up that the ordinance has been introduced at this time to cripple the candidacy of a Republican alderman, who is seeking the nomination for mayor, and who will be called upon to cast his vote either for its passage or defeat. Alderman J. E. Logan, a Democrat, who fathers the ordinance, denies this allegation.

"There is no politics or racial question involved in the ordinance," said Alderman Logan yesterday. "Similar laws are in effect in other cities where there are large negro populations, and they are entirely satisfactory to both races."

Labels: Alderman Bulger, Kansas City council, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, politics, race

December 1, 1909

FATHER DALTON ON FRANCHISE.

To Beat It a Public Calamity, He

Declares.

"I am for the extension of the Metropolitan street railway franchise. It would be a public calamity to have it beaten," said Father W. J. Dalton, pastor of the Church of the Annunciation, yesterday.

"Many opinions have been advanced why the franchise should pass, but none has appealed so strongly to me as the appeal of the banking institutions of the city. They represent the heart throbs of the commercialism and progressiveness of Kansas City. How any man can in the face of this common sense presentiment of the issue vote against it is a mystery to me.

"If Kansas City is to grow, it must have adequate street car and transportation facilities. The Metropolitan has been one of the greatest factors in the development of the city. It has spent its millions in paving the way for the great city we have, and it will spend millions more in the development of a greater and more powerful Kansas City if it is but given the chance."

Father Dalton is one of the oldest clergymen in the city, and has always been known as a public spirited citizen, actively identified with every movement for the good of Kansas City.

Labels: Father Dalton, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, ministers, politics

November 29, 1909

ITALIANS FAVOR FRANCHISE.

Canvasser Says He Did Not Hear

Any Talk of Money Being Used.

Edward B. O'Dowd, 2404 Paseo, an insurance agent with offices in 501 Kemper building, is one of the legally appointed canvassers for the board of election commissioners in obtaining names of voters disfranchised by change of residence. It so happened that he and his colleague have just finished some of the precincts in the Seventh ward.

"When canvassers were appointed," said Mr. O'Dowd last night, "all were instructed that they were named for the sole purpose of finding out who had moved away. Under no circumstances were we to attempt to get the sentiment of the voters. A. C. Perkins, my colleague, and I have obeyed this instruction to the letter.

"Most of our work has been down in what is known as 'Little Italy,' " continued Mr. O'Dowd. "While neither of us asked for an expression of opinion many of the men volunteered their sentiments on the Metropolitan franchise question and without doubt the most of them appear to be in favor of it. During all of the canvass I never heard even the mention of money being used to buy votes in 'Little Italy" and, if it is such common talk down there some of 'the more ignorant sort,' as the Star calls these working men, certainly would have expressed themselves while we were making the rounds. while many were free to give expressions of favor of the four-cent fare franchise, as it appeared to appeal to them most, not one as much as suggested that money was being used."

Mr. O'Dowd said that the story printed in the Star is not true. The Star story was that "canvassers were told in 'Little Italy' that many of the Italian voters of the more ignorant sort are expecting to be well paid for their votes. One Italian leader said: 'Money will do most anything. It will carry this ward for the franchise.' "

Labels: immigrants, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, newspapers, Paseo, politics

September 8, 1909

R. A. LONG FOR EXTENSION.

Says It Would Be Mistake to Hamper

Street Railway Company.

Having spent two months on vacation, R. A. Long, the man who set the pace for imposing structures in the West by putting up the skyscraping Long building, said yesterday that he "hoped the people of Kansas City will stand by the Metropolitan Street Railway and grant them an extension."

"I have not read the ordinance through yet," said Mr. Long, "but in a general way I understand it wants to extend its present right sixteen years, asking no new ones, but granting the city half fares for children and one-half its profits for the accommodation.

"We ought not to be penurious in dealing with our public utilities. There is a great risk which they assume. We must let them make money. The successful public service corporation always spends its money liberally in the way of improvements. The unsuccessful one cannot. The Metropolitan sure has shown this in its treatment of Kansas City.

"It would be a great mistake to hamper the company. It is a credit to the city and we are proud of it."

Labels: Metropolitan Street Railway Company, R A Long, R A Long building

July 6, 1909

SERVED SANDWICHES AND TEA.

Street Car Men Were Too Busy to

Lay Off for Supper.

Twelve hundred ham sandwiches were distributed among the employes of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company at supper time last evening, and each man had copious draughts of iced tea to wash down the food.

The lunching places were Fairmount park, where 500 sandwiches were distributed; Electric park, where an additional 500 sandwiches were given the men, and Forest park, where 200 were eaten. The lunches were in lieu of supper.

The company found employment for all of their men yesterday, and as none were left for relief work, it was found necessary to furnish them with lunch. This was done through the office of General Manager W. W. Wheatley.

Labels: Electric park, employment, fairmount park, food, forest park, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, streetcar

July 2, 1909

VICTIM OF BUSHWHACKERS?

Skeleton Unearthed on the Old Judge

Shouse Farm.

While excavating for a basement in a house going up at 1611 Elmwood avenue at noon yesterday workmen unearthed the skeleton of a man. A few minutes after the original discovery Arthur Williams, a boy living at 1530 Elmwood, while prodding around in the basement for a stick found a rotten board of a box and several old-fashioned square nails.

Deputy Coroner Harry Czarlinsky ordered the bones taken to the Carroll-Davidson undertaking establishment, from whence they probably will be taken to the potter's field for burial.

"The basement is located on the old William Shouse farm, near where a house belonging to him was burned by bushwhackers during the fore part of the civil war," said E. M. Bradley, and employe of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, who was born near the place in 1852, and has resided at Sixteenth street and Kensington avenue ever since.

"Mr. Shouse used to be county judge of Jackson county," continued Mr. Bradley. "He was a Southern man, but very outspoken against the bushwhackers. One day they raided and burned his place. It is just possible that some dark deed of the bushwhackers was covered up."

Labels: Civil War, Dr Czarlinsky, Elmwood avenue, history, Kensington, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Sixteenth street, undertakers

June 2, 1909

15-CENT TICKETS ON SALE.

One Hundred Dollars Worth Quickly

Taken by Early Buyers.

The new 15-cent rate tickets between Kansas City and Independence were placed on sale yesterday by the Metropolitan Street Railway Company and $100 worth were quickly taken by early buyers.

It is expected that several hundred dollars worth will be disposed of within the next few days.

Labels: Independence, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, streetcar

May 15, 1909

STORM STOPS STREET CARS.

Traffic on Many Lines Delayed by

Water, Broken Poles and Ob-

structed Tracks.

The service of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company suffered severely from yesterday's storm. Mud and stones on the track at many places on all lines held up cars for 20 minutes at a time. Although all help available was hurried to such places to clear away the impending debris, most of the cars on the long lines, like the Quindaro boulevard line, were from half an hour to a full hour late in arriving at their terminals.

It was said at the general office at Fifteenth street and Grand avenue at 8 o'clock that three-quarters of a mile of trolley wires was down near Fairmount park, and that twelve poles had been broken off at this point. Also it was said service was temporarily suspended on the West Side line in Kansas City, Kas., because of debris across the tracks in the vicinity of Riverview.

Labels: fairmount park, Fifteenth street, Grand avenue, Kansas City Kas, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, streetcar, weather

April 20, 1909

STREET CAR A DAY NURSERY.

Unusual Duties Devolve Upon Mem-

bers of Twelfth Street Crew.

T. J. Randall, 522 Elmwood avenue, a conductor on the Twelfth street line of the Metropolitan street railway, and his motorman, were yesterday forced into temporary custodianship of a 2-year-old baby girl.

"When I helped a number of women to alight from my car at Twelfth street and Grand avenue about noon yesterday I didn't know that one of them was making a nursemaid of me," said Randall last night, "or I would surely have set up a longer and larger howl than the baby did a few minutes later.

"About the time I jingled the bell to get away from McGee street, and began to feel good about the light load I had aboard, with lunch looking strong at me after the next trip, I heard that wail. It was long and plaintive. At first I paid no attention to it, and as it persisted I looked into the car and saw the youngster was alone.

"I went to the little one and asked what was the matter. 'Mamma,' was all the answer I could get. 'Where is your mama?" I asked her, and the saddest, sorriest, most doleful and altogether hopeless 'gone,' from the baby, told the story. It was up to me and I made the best of it. I rocked her and talked to her and carried her up and down the car in an effort to quell the riot that was evidently going on within the breast of my diminutive and unwilling passenger.

"At the end of the line I made Allen, my motorman, take the kid, and he had his troubles for about five minutes while I got some candy. The trap back was really pleasant. The candy was good and the kiddy was better. Not another sound aside from the occasional smacking of tiny lips was heard all the way in. At Grand avenue, where the mother got off, there was a delegation waiting for me; mamma remembered her baby, and say, she was tickled to get that kid back in her arms again. But she wasn't any more tickled to get her than I was to get rid of her. Babies are all right at home, but a conductor's job was never calculated to include nursing."

Crossing Patrolman Heckenburg got the story a few minutes after the car left Grand avenue. The mother was almost frantic for nearly an hour, and stayed close to the bluecoat, anxiously inspecting every car that passed the corner until the right one came along.

Labels: children, Elmwood avenue, Grand avenue, McGee street, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, missing, police, streetcar, Twelfth street

March 5, 1909

CHILD OF 4 KILLED

BY NORTHEAST CAR.

MANY FRANTIC MOTHERS TRIED

TO IDENTIFY THE BOY.

Each Woman Thought Little Leo

Cassidy, Decapitated and Mangled

Beyond Immediate Recogni-

tion, Was Her Own.

Leo Cassidy, aged 4 years, was run over and instantly killed by a Northeast car yesterday afternoon while playing in the street with two other small boys. The boy lived with his aunt, Mrs. Anna Reddick, at 613 Forest avenue. Excited mothers who thought the unfortunate child might be one of their own, thronged the street, pushed and crowded each other in a mad endeavor to identify the mangled body under the trucks of the car. The accident occurred at Independence avenue and Holmes street.

Mrs. Reddick was in the habit of leaving the child with Mrs. John Davis, 557 Holmes street, during the day while she was at work in Blake's restaurant at the city market. The child slipped out of the house unnoticed. Johnny and Teddy Trent, aged 5 and 3 respectively, who live in the same house with their parents, greeted Leo with a childish welcome.

RAN IN FRONT OF CAR.

Leo ran directly across the street in front of a fast approaching car, the two Trent boys behind him. As the car struck Leo, the others turned and ran screaming to the house. Within the shortest possible time every mother in the neighborhood was on the scene of the tragedy where a crowd had gathered.

Though several persons had seen the accident, none was able to give a concise account of the tragedy. Maud Mahoney of 543 Holmes street was an eye witness. She said that she saw the three children run across the street and a moment later one was run down by the car. Mrs. Gus Berkowitz, who lives over the grocery store at 706 Independence avenue, looked out of the window in time to see the children start in their chase. She thought one of them was her own and was in the act of leaping out the window when she was caught by her husband. All the witnesses said that the car was going at a moderate rate of speed.

POLICE TO CLEAR STREET.

When Mrs. Davis reached the scene her agony knew no bounds, and her screams attracted persons for blocks. D. M. Armstrong, the motorman of the car, was leaning back in the vestibule, his face deathly pale, and Charles Perkins, the conductor, was taking down names. The trunk of the body lay under the car. The head, under the trucks, was beyond recognition.

Passengers from the blockaded cars began to alight when Sergeant John Ravenscamp arrived with a squad of policemen. It took their united efforts to clear the street. Excited mothers would rush up and try to identify the child as their own.

The scene of the accident is one of the crowded parts of the city and is within a block of the proposed North End playground. The Washington school is a block away and all motormen are supposed to run their cars slowly at that point.

Immediately after the accident, the crew of the car were placed under arrest by Detective Ben Sanderson. They were arraigned before Justice of the Peace James Richardson last night, and were released on a $500 bond, furnished by the street railway company. Neither would make a statement.

Labels: accident, children, city market, death, detectives, Forest avenue, Holmes street, Independence avenue, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, police, restaurants, streetcar

January 20, 1909

WIFE WOULDN'T STAY AT HOME.

Mother of Four Children Is Arrested

and Fined for Vagrancy.

Standing in front of the rail in the municipal court yesterday morning was Harry O'Hare, motorman for the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, and his four children, ranging in years from 7 to 14. Next to the father stood the mother, with downcast head and eyes, charged with vagrancy on the complaint of her husband. The family lives at 1517 Montgall avenue.

In a broken voice he informed Judge Harry G. Kyle that his wife failed to stay at home and take care of the children, but paraded the streets. Sometimes, O'Hare said, his wife was away from home for a month or more at a time. She admitted liking the company of other men better than that of her husband, and Judge Kyle fined her $50.

Her case will be taken up by the pardon board. The Humane Society agreed to secure some woman to take care of the children and O'Hare will pay the expense.

Labels: Judge Kyle, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Montgall avenue, police court, vagrancy

January 7, 1909

CARS STOP AT BUSY TIME.

Accident to Converter Holds Crowd

Downtown in Cold.

An accident to one of the rotary converters in the reducing station of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company at Fifteenth and Walnut streets, tied up every street car in the down town district at 5 o'clock last night, when the homeward bound crowd was heaviest. In eight minutes one division started to move off gingerly, but it was half an hour before all divisions were back in service again.

The hour and the bitter cold did not contribute to put the disappointed throngs in a good humor. The Metropolitan had most of the crowd off the sidewalks by 6:30, however.

It will take two or three days to repair the damage, and in the meantime the stret car service will be impaired slightly.

Labels: Fifteenth street, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, streetcar, Walnut Street

December 1, 1908

VENTILATE CARS BY SCOOPS.

That Is, Fresh Air Is Scooped in at

End of the Run.

"There have been no general orders issued regarding the ventilation of cars," said Assistant General Manager W. A. Satterlee of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company yesterday. Complaint had been made that during the rush hours not enough fresh air is admitted to the street cars.

"There are all kinds of people riding on street cars," said Mr. Satterlee. "One kind calls ventilation fresh air, and another calls it a draft. Conductors are told to exercise their judgement about ventilation. We get complaints of the draft and the lack of fresh air in the car. The question is how to get it there and not have somebody catch cold. This street car business is something fierce in the fall and winter."

The company has everything its own way at the end of each division. There are not many passengers at terminals. Accordingly, an ironclad rule is enforced to open the front and rear doors 150 feet from terminals, and allow the rushing car to scoop up enough fresh air, or draft, to ventilate the car for the next hour.

Labels: Metropolitan Street Railway Company, streetcar, weather

September 7, 1908

NOW ITS A HIPPODROME.

New Amusement Planned for

Twelfth and Charlotte.

Within a few weeks Kansas City will be in possession of a real hippodrome. Already the spacious car barns of the Metropolitan company, at Twelfth and Charlotte streets, have been leased for the purpose, and from now until the building will have been transformed into a wonderland of beauty hundreds of workmen will be employed.

The Hippodrome Amusement Company, with T. J. Cannon at its head, is responsible for this innovation in Kansas City's amusements. Mr. Cannon for several years was connected with the New York hippodrome and Luna park at Coney Island.

Having a floor space of 96,000 feet, the old car barns afford ample room for the project. The roof will be torn off and raised eight feet, making it sufficiently high for the performance of aerial acts. The gallery will have a seating capacity of 7,200, and the whole interior of the hall will be brilliantly lighted with arc and incandescent lights.

The interior of the building will be arranged so as to resemble a mammoth midway, most of the concessions having their entrances and exits from it. It is the intention to bring one of the largest herds of trained elephants in the country here, all of which will be seen in Elephant Path, and can be ridden for a small consideration.

Among the numerous amusement devices will be an aquarium, zoo, and animal sh ow, the latter two being received from the best specimens in the Bostock animal shows. There will be the famous razzle dazzle from Luna park, Coney Island, the second of its kind to be erected in this country, while one end of the building will be devoted to the gondola, an amusement device said to be the thriller of them all.

In conjunction with the concessions there will be two free exhibitions of some sort each week, and it is said to be the intention to spare no expense to procure the very best obtainable. These acts will include the famous automobile thrillers of circuses now on the road, high wire acts, dare devil bicycle acts and others.

Labels: amusement, bicycles, Charlotte street, hippodrome, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, New York, Twelfth street

July 14, 1908

PUBLIC LIKES THE

PAY-AS-YOU-ENTER

FIRST DAY'S TRIAL ON TROOST

LINE IS SATISFACTORY.

Cars Make Better Time and Much

Inconvenience to Passengers Is

Overcome -- Bad Layout

for the Deadbeats.

HOW YOU PAY IN THE PAY-AS-YOU-ENTER CAR.

Pay-as-you-enter cars began running in Kansas city yesterday, the new system being inaugurated on the Troost avenue division. At the end of the first day every report made to the general offices was approving. The public took to the new system at once. Those conductors who were questioned by the company inspectors all said they had not found anyone objecting to the new rule of requiring fares to be paid when passengers board the cars.

The rush hour test proved that the system delays the cars at the main points about 50 per cent longer than the old custom of collecting fares from the interior of the car, but ten blocks out, meaning as far as Troost avenue on the Troost avenue line, the time lost in taking on passengers was more than made up by the quick way in which conductors could dispatch their trains.

There was not a single accident reported during the day, even of the most trivial sort.

An hour's observation at Tenth and Main streets and at Tenth and Walnut, between 5:20 and 6:30 last evening, when travel is heaviest, showed, what the company had not promised, an even distribution of the load. As cars would fill so that it was necessary to allow passengers to ride on the rear platforms, the conductors would close their gates and go without allowing any more to crowd on their cars. To the man who was left standing on the street this looked discriminating, but a watch showed that in six instances where this occurred cars followed within half a minute, in two instances within a few seconds, as two Troosts were running together. Under the old rule the first of the delayed cars would have been packed to suffocation, to the great discomfort of the passengers, while the car immediately behind would have run either with empty seats or at least with its aisles empty.

IT'S A LITTLE SLOWER.

A watch showed that it took eight seconds to take nine passengers on one of the old style, wide platform cars, but twelve seconds to take nine on the Troost avenue cars. It required eighteen seconds to unload five and take on six passengers from and on a Jackson avenue car. No Troost avenue car unloaded more than three passengers at Tenth and Main during the rush hour, but at no time did it take longer than two seconds to take on and seat a passenger.

There was no confusion in the matter of making change. Not having to watch his rear step from the front of his car, the conductor was able to handle his fares with alacrity. Taking twenty-seven passengers on one car at Tenth and Main in thirty-two seconds, the last to board had paid her fair and entered the car before it crossed Main street.

TWO CONDUCTORS TO A CAR.

Two conductors were on all cars during the rush hours -- one to block the exit door from incoming passengers and to start the car, the other collecting fares. The extra men worked only in the downtown district.

"It will be a week, perhaps," said Assistant General Manager W. A. Satterlee, "before the public is familiar with the new system. Accordingly we are putting extra men on to show them. The main difficulty now is to keep passengers from getting in the wrong door. Nobody complains, as there is another within two inches, which is open to them . The front door is closed, so, of course, the public understands it cannot board at that end of the car. We have had several messages telephoned in complimenting us on the innovation."

Ordinarily there are twenty cars and eight trailers on the Troost avenue line during the morning rush hours, and twenty-seven cars with eight trailers at the evening rush time. Yesterday the evening service was augmented to thirty-three cars, making a difference of half a minute between cars. The extras were put on to guard against any delay which might arise through the delay required in making change, the rule being that the car shall not start till the last waiting passenger is taken on, and yet everybody past the conductor shall have paid fare.

NO MORE DEADBEATS.

One of the old conductors laughed as he pointed out two men whose fares he had got. "I have carried them for a year and do not think I got a nickel out of them in all that time," he said "They used to give me a stare that I dare not question, bluffing me out of their fare If I had asked them where they got on they would have said Eighth and Wyandotte, most likely. I suppose they n ever paid the other conductors. They paid me tonight, though. This is pretty tough on the deadbeat."

An inspector, whose attention was called to the small crowd at Tenth and Grand, had a curious explanation.

"The deadbeats are gone," he said. "We known them by name, almost. they go to points like this, where cars always arrive loaded, and then force themselves on the end which the conductor is not working. This class did two things -- they beat the company out of their fares and they crowded passengers The paying passengers suffered from them in the annoying way of having them clock up the aisles. They never wanted seats, preferring to stand, on the alert, ready to leave the car in a natural way the moment they would see the conductor getting close to them. I am certain we carried a front platform load of these deadbeats from Tenth and Grand every night. Their disappearance makes room for ten people to get out of the aisle into the front platform, which is something the other passengers will approve."

Labels: Eighth street, Main street, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, streetcar, Tenth street, Troost avenue, Walnut Street, Wyandotte street

July 2, 1908

OVERHEAD FUSE

SET CAR AFIRE.

PANIC AMONG PASSENGERS FOL-

LOWED EXPLOSION.

CORINNE TALIAFERRO HURT.

SEVERAL OTHERS WERE IN-

JURED, BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY.

Trolley Car in Flames Ran Wild

Through Wyandotte Street Un-

til Pedestrian Turned

Off the Current.

When the "overhead" blew out on a Grand Central depot bound car at Twelfth and Wyandotte streets at 9 o'clock last night, half a dozen passengers were momentarily shrouded in flames. Miss Corinne Taliaferro, 1747 Pennsylvania avenue, became hysterical and jumped from the car w hen released by a passenger who had removed her from immediate danger from fire Her back and shoulder were wrenched, and she was so hysterical when taken to emergency hospital that an examination of her injuries could not be attempted.

A. L. Perry, 513 Locust street, who made a brave attempt to save the women passengers who tried to jump from the car, was treated at the emergency hospital, and Edward H. Bly, 5617 East Ninth street, who set the brakes on the car after it had been deserted by the crew, was burned severely. An unidentified woman passenger whose ankle was inured sent for a carriage and was taken home.

E. G. Combs, motorman of the car, No. 713, says he was thrown from the front vestibule by the explosion. The car had just crossed the Twelfth street tracks when the overhead blew out and the motorman left his brakes. Immediately the front of the car was enveloped in flames and the passengers fled to the rear vestibule. The first of the passengers, eager to leave the burning car, which was then under ordinary speed, pushed the conductor into the street and the car was left running wild.

It was then that Perry and Bly, the latter with an ambition to be a motorman, and with his application for a job placed with the Metropolitan Street Railway Company earlier in the day, attempted to rescue the passengers While Bly aided the two women to the rear of the car, Perry braced himself on the steps and refused to allow them to jump from the car.

Mrs. Taliaferro, who had been touched by the flames, stooped low and leaped straight into the street under Perry's outstretched arm. The rest of the passengers crowded upon the young man with such force that he was pushed to the pavement and his right ankle was twisted and his left shoulder bruised. The car, running wild and burning, had passed Eleventh street.

Bly, who could no longer aid the passengers, turned his attention to the brakes. The front vestibule was full of smoke and fire but he stepped in and fumbled for the levers. He brought the car to a stop near Ninth street, just as the insurance patrol company swung into Wyandotte from its Eleventh street station. The flames were soon extinguished The car was pushed to a switch in the North End.

The conductor and motorman, bruised, went to their barn and Bly sought a physician, while Perry went to the emergency hospital. Miss Taliaferro for two hours was too hysterical to receive treatment and was given opiates to quiet her nerves and brace her for examination . In the meantime Jack Bell, a traveling man acquaintance, had reached the emergency hospital and later D. H. D. McQuade was summoned. At midnight Miss Taliaferro was removed to the Wesley hospital, Eleventh and Harrison streets.

D. H. D. McQuade stated last night that the injuries may prove more serious than at first indicated by the examination. He thinks the girl has been injured internally and that several bones have been broken. A further examination will be made today. An opiate was given her last night in order that she might get rest and recover from the nervous shock sustained at the time of the accident.

Labels: doctors, explosion, Fire, Grand Central depot, Harrison street, hospitals, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Ninth street, Pennsylvania avenue, streetcar, Twelfth street, Wyandotte street

April 7, 1908

FILLED CONVENTION HALL.

Beardsley and Warner the Speakers

at Closing Republican Party.

Republicans held the closing general rally of the campaign in Convention hall last night. Speeches were made by Senator William Warner, Mayor Beardsley and R. R. Brewster.

The big hall was crowded to overflowing with men, women and children, many bringing their entire families to hear the speeches of the workers for the Republican administration. Repeated applause from a vicinity within close reach of the platform where the speakers stood followed the attacks on the different corporations, James A. Reed and Mr. Thomas T. Crittenden, Jr. Bitter attacks were made upon the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, and pictures of cities were shown where the street car fare is less than 5 cents, in one of which, at least, the fare was reduced by a public utilities commission.

Another series of pictures of the different Republican candidates for election today and of different improvements in the city made under the Beardsley administration was shown.

Senator William Warner acted as chairman of the meeting and delivered the opening address. The first part of his speech was pertaining to national and state affairs, in which he upheld the policies of President Roosevelt, and added that William H. Taft intends to carry out those policies. He gave a short talk on the railroad corporations as they are conducted today and as they were before President Roosevelt's administration.

NEED OF A COMMISSION.

He soon turned, however, to the election today in Kansas City, and in a brief address commended every candidate and attacked the Metropolitan street railway, Mr. Reed and Mr. Crittenden. One of his principal points was that a utilities commission will give the city a chance to govern corporations, and not the corporations to govern the city. "Corporations should not govern the city and dictate to the people how much they shall pay for their service, or how city affairs shall be operated," said Senator Warner. "I believe in a public utilities commission. The people should control and regulate the electric light plant and the Metropolitan street railway. We do not know whether these corporations and others are conducted properly, we do not know whether they are charging us unreasonable prices for service. A public utilities commission would see the books of these corporations and determine for the citizens if the corporations are meeting the public's interest.

Labels: Convention Hall, James A. Reed, Mayor Beardsley, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, politics, President Roosevelt, Senator Warner, Utilities

April 2, 1908

MASTERS OF THEIR OWN VOTES.

Corrigan Tells Metropolitan Employes

to Be Independent.

"You are all free American citizens and can vote as you please. The Metropolitan will continue its policies of the six years I have been president of the company, and as long as I am its head, of not attempting to influence its employes to vote contrary to their own wishes," said Bernartd Corrigan, president, yesterday afternoon to a large delegation of Metropolitan Street Railway Company employes that met at their club rooms inters at Fifteenth and Grand.

"Pay no heed to men who tell you otherwise," continued Mr. Corrigan, "and if any man tells you that the Metropolitan wants you to vote for any special candidate next Tuesday you will be fully justified in telling he he is a falsifier."

The president of the company repeated the talk he made to a delegation of motormen and conductors the night previous.

Labels: Metropolitan Street Railway Company, politics

March 12, 1908

THEY WANT A 5-CENT FARE.

Independence People Again Take Up

the Matter -- Bloodhound, Also.

At a meeting of the Independence Commercial Club held last night a committee of five was adopted to co-operate with a committee from the Maywood Improvement Club to go before the Commercial Club of this city at its next meeting and urge that the local organization assist in getting the Metropolitan Street Railway Company to adopt a 5-cent fare between this city and Independence.

James B. Forbis made a motion that the city purchase bloodhounds for the tracking of criminals, and it was unanimously adopted.

Labels: animals, crime, Independence, Maywood, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, organizations

March 1, 1908

MET THE DEATH

HE HAD FEARED.

WILLIAM BRENNAN IS CRUSHED

BETWEEN STREET CARS.

YEARS WITH THE

METROPOLITAN.

WAS SUPERINTENDENT OF FIF-

TEENTH STREET LINE.

Caught Between Two Cars at Fif-

teenth and Prospect While Mak-

ing a Coupling -- Death

Quickly Results.

WILLIAM BRENNAN.

Meeting the death which he daily feared during the twenty years of service for the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, William Brennan, division superintendent for the Fifteenth street line, was crushed to death between two cars at Fifteenth street and Prospect avenue about 7 o'clock last night, while making a coupling.

After the rush hour the trailers are taken from the cars at Fifteenth street and Prospect avenue, and in strings of two or three are hauled to the barn by a work bar. One trailer had already been coupled to the work car by Brennan and a negro assistant and Brennan was stooping over working with the rear coupler when the second trailer struck him. His breast bone was crushed and he lived only about fifteen minutes after the accident.

It was no part of Brennan's regular duties to assist in coupling the trailers to the work car, the negro who was helping him being employed for that purpose. But in order to keep the lines in his division clear, he frequently took charge of the work in order to hurry it and get the trailers out of the way as quickly as possible.

The cars with which Brennan was working were empty, and there was no one to warn him of the danger, the negro being on the rear end of the second trailer and not seeing Brennan's plight in time to cry out.

It was said last night at Brennan's home, 3815 Dixon avenue, that ever since he began work for the Metropolitan Street Railway Company twenty years ago as a gripman he had feared that he would meet his death in a street car accident.

"He aways said that he was going to die while at work, and I have been afraid for him every day while he has been on duty," said the widow, Mrs. Mary Brennan, last night. But when he was promoted to be assistant division superintendent and didn't have to be on the cars all the time I hoped that the danger was over."

Mr. Brennan had been division superintendent for four years, and was known as one of the hardest working men in the street railway company's employ. He was 50 years old, and leaves a widow and three children, May, Queen, and Harvey. The coroner took charge of the body, and ordered it taken to O'Donnell's undertaking rooms.

Labels: accident, death, Fifteenth street, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Prospect avenue, streetcar, undertakers

February 5, 1908

BECAUSE HE HIT A LAWYER.

B. T. Hardin Is Being Sued by T. B.

Buckner, Also and Attorney.

"Yes, I slapped him and I will hit any man who charges me with what he did," was the statement of B. T. Hardin on the witness stand in Judge Goodrich's division of the circuit court yesterday when the trial of the suit of T. B. Buckner against Hardin for $1,000 actual and $5,000 punitive damages for assault was in progress.

The suit is the outgrowth of a quarrel in Judge Seehorn's division of the circuit court in January, 1907, when these attorneys acted as counsel in a damage suit against the Metropolitan street railway. According to the evidence introduced in trial Buckner accused Hardin of appropriating certain papers connected with the former trial. Hardin resonted the statement and called Buckner a liar, at the same time hitting him with his fist, according to Buckner's statements. John T. Mathis, who was at that time connected with the Metropolitan street railway, and who was assisting Hardin in trying the case, also hit Buckner.

Mathis was at first one of the defendants but yesterday afternoon he was dismissed by Judge Goodrich and the trial proceeded with Hardin as the only defendant.

Besides the plaintiff and the defendant there were several prominent witnesses in the case yesterday. Among these were Judge T. J. Seehorn, John Tobin, clerk of the circuit court; Deputy Sheriff Harvey and jurors who were serving on the case in Judge Seehorn's division of the court at the time of the alleged assault. All were witnesses of the affair.

Labels: attorney, courtroom, Judge Goodrich, Judge Seehorn, Lawsuit, Metropolitan Street Railway Company

January 17, 1907

LIVE WIRE CREATES A FURORE.

Endangers Lives as It Swings in

Street at Eighth and McGee.

Fast running under a circuit breaker caused a break in the trolley wire at Eighth and McGee streets last night. This was followed by a brilliant electrical display as the fallen wire touched the trucks, and a heavy roar which almost deafened those who were passing in the street at that time.

A policeman who was walking on Grand avenue near Ninth street hurried in the direction of the flashes, thinking that a bomb had been thrown at the post office building. Persons as far away as Eighth and Campbell streets saw the electrical display and heard the reports which the wire made as it swung back and forth over the tracks. Persons walking on Eighth street near the break at the time flagged the cars, and also passersby who started to walk across the street.

The wire was broken by the trolley pole of an eastbound Independence avenue car, which passed under the circuit breaker so rapidly that it jerked the wire from its hangings. The car passed on with undiminished speed, the crew not seeming to realize that a death-trap had been left behind unguarded. A Metropolitan division superintendent was summoned and soon captured the live wire, allowing the blockaded cars to drift under the gap and continue on their way.

Labels: Campbell street, Eighth street, Grand avenue, McGee street, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Ninth street, streetcar

December 11, 1907

SHOT DOWN IN BARROOM ROW

W. H. BARNES KILLS JAMES E.

WHITE, A MOTORMAN.

PISTOL AGAINST HIS HEART

"WHY DID I GET DRUNK? WAILS

DYING MAN.

Murderer Surrenders and Is Now in

Jail -- Holds Weapon Leveled at

His Victim Some Minutes

Before Firing.

In a barroom brawl yesterday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, W. H. Barnes of Argentine shot and killed James E. White, a motorman in the employment of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, living at 816 Bank street. The fight, according to the story told by an eye witness, was begun by White. Barnes, or "Hank," as he was commonly known, was standing by the bar in Peter McDonnell's saloon, Twelfth and Charlotte streets, with a friend. White entered the room and, seeing some of his acquaintances, began to joke and jostle them in a familiar way. He had been drinking heavily.

Going down the line of men at the bar and speaking to each of them, he stepped up to the young man who seemed to be under the protection of Barnes, and spoke to him, lurching heavily against him as he did so.

The young man resented the drunken familiarity and demanded an explanation of White. But White did not choose to explain matters, and went on teasing the boy, who finally started to strike him. At this juncture Barnes interfered and began to make threatening gestures at White. They were standing within two feet of each other when White made a move towards his hip pocket with his right had as if attempting to draw a revolver. Barnes immediately drew a revolver himself and leveled it at White's heart.

Not believing that either man meant his move in any other manner than a joke, White threw off his coat and turned completely around, evidently to show that he was not the possessor of a revolver. Barnes did not lower the revolver, which was pointing at White. This made the drunken man angry, and he called Barnes many vile names.

FISTS AGAINST REVOLVER.

Mere words and threats did not lower the revolver which Barnes, with a steady hand, kept aimed at his heart for fully two minutes, so White started in bare-handed to disarm Barnes. He struck at him twice, neither blow reaching Barnes. Barnes said nothing, but stepped a little nearer White and pulled the trigger of the revolver. The cartridge did not explode, and Barnes waited another instant before pulling the trigger a second time.

This time the revolver did its work, the bullet striking White in the left breast slightly to the left of the heart. White did not stagger or fall, but kept to his feet and walked steadily to the rear of the saloon where several men had been playing cards. One man who had been standing in the inner doorway during the fight hastened forward to help the wounded man, who tried to throw him aside, saying: "I can whip him any time, but he got me like a coward just now."

He finally consented to sit down after considerable urging on the part of his friends. The minute that he sat down in the chair he became deathly sick and lost consciousness for a short time.

"I HAD TO DO IT."

After firing the last shot, Barnes walked out of the door leading into Charlotte street, remarking to a friend whom he passed, "Bob, I had to do it, didn't I?" He then jumped into his buggy, which was standing by the sidewalk, and drove rapidly south on Charlotte.

Hearing the shot, Officer Ed Doran ran into the saloon to investigate. By the time he arrived, Barnes had gone. The officer telephoned to the Walnut street police station for the ambulance. White was treated by Police Surgeon Dagg, who, seeing his critical condition, ordered him taken immediately to the general hospital.

On the way to the hospital White tried to talk and to answer questions, but the effect of the liquor and the mortal wound were too much for him, and he would only cry out hoarsely: "I know him. I know him. What is his name, I forget? He got me, yes, he got me. Oh, why did I get drunk!"

He died within two hours after he arrived at the hospital, from an internal hemorrhage caused by the bullet, it is thought that the bullet was one of the 38 caliber, as it pierced the body through.

THE MURDERER SURRENDERS.

Several hours after the shooting Barnes appeared at the county jail, where he surrendered. He is now in jail.

Barnes had owned the saloon in which the shooting occurred up to a little over a year ago, when he sold it to Rube Snyder, who sold it to its present owner, Peter McDonnell, a month ago.

White had been a motorman on the Metropolitan for about four years. He ran the Troost avenue owl car for some time, when he was transferred to a daylight run on the Broadway line.

White had been granted a divorce from his wife, Pearly White, by Judge Powell at Independence Monday afternoon. The divorce was granted on the grounds of desertion. His wife does not live in this city and her present address is unknown.

White was born in Caldwell county, near Breckenridge, Mo. He was about 35 years of age. He lived on his father's farm up until four years ago when he moved to Kansas City. His fellow workmen say that he was one of the best natured men in the service of the street car company.

SALT WATER IN HIS VEINS.

It was believed from the first that White would die from the effects of the wound, but the doctors and nurses at the hospital did all in their power to save his life. Word was received from Captain Thomas Flahive of the Walnut street police station that he would be out to the hospital in order to take a dying statement, but when he arrived he found White too near dead for the police to gather much information from him.

While lying upon the operating table he called time and again for Gertrude Stevens, moaning desperately, "I want my girl. I want my girl." He gave her name and said that she worked at the Fern laundry. When she arrived it seemed to have a good effect upon him, for he no longer groaned and was willing to lie quietly, a thing he had refused to do before.

She stooped over and kissed him upon the forehead, talking soothingly to him. He asked to be moved over on his right side, that he might better see her and talk with her. "He shot me," was all that he would say, and then closed his eyes as if everything was satisfactory.

Three nurses and Miss Stevens stayed with during the hour he survived. His sweetheart stood over his body for several minutes after his death, and then left the hospital without a word. It is said that his recent divorce was procured so that he and Miss Stevens might be married.

SELF-DEFENSE, SAYS BARNES.

When seen at the jail last night, Barnes made the following statement in regard to the shooting: "There is not much left for me to say. I shot him in self-defense. He was a man about twice my size, and was ready to fight with me. I am much older than he and knew that I would stand now show with him when it came to a test of strength. For that reason, and to protect myself, I drew a revolver."

"If I had to go through it again, I would let him wipe up the earth with me rather than to even threaten him with a revolver. I did not try to evade the offense, but I just wanted to be the first to tell the unfortunate affair to my wife and family. I live on a farm about a mile and half from Argentine. It took me some time to drive out there and back again. As soon as I opened my front door I told my wife of the affair and told her that I had to go back to the city and surrender. I then drove directly to the jail.

Labels: Argentine, buggy, Captain Flahive, Charlotte street, jail, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, murder, nurses, saloon, Twelfth street, Walnut street police station

September 5, 1907

DIED IN CORONER'S PRESENCE.

Roman Berger, Taken Ill on Car,

Moved to O. H. Parker's House.

Roman Berger, 4040 Pennsylvania avenue, a motorman for the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, died yesterday at the home of Deputy Coroner O. H. Parker, where he had been carried after becoming ill on a Westport car at Forty-first and Main streets. Heart disease is given as the cause of death. Berger had been a motorman in the employ of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company for sixteen years, and was 42 years old. A widow and three children survive.

Labels: death, Deputy Coroner Parker, Forty-first street, Main street, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Pennsylvania avenue

July 9, 1907

FROM BROADWAY TO TROOST.

Ordinance to Pave Twelfth as a

Business Street.

A resolution was adopted by the upper house of the council last night to pave
Twelfth street, Broadway to Troost avenue, as a business street. If the document passes the lower house and is signed by the mayor, it will devolve upon the property owners to agree among themselves what material they will use. Failing in this agreement the board of public works will decide. If left to the board, Kettle River sandstone blocks will be in all probability chosen. The Metropolitan Street Railway company laid these blocks between its tracks on Twelfth from Grand avenue to Broadway. The experience has been to the credit of the new material for heavy traffic.

Labels: Broadway, Grand avenue, Kansas City council, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Troost avenue, Twelfth street

June 19, 1907

NEW STREET CARS ARE HERE.

"Blind" On One Side and Open on

the Other.

New style street cars are arriving for the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, the first six of a consignment of twenty-five arriving yesterday. The cars are coming without electrical equipment, to be used first as trailers. They will be lopsided in appearance and will seat sixty passengers. One side will look like the standard coach now running, with the exception that there will be no door at the vestibules. The other side will be open from one end to the other, with the old-style running footboard. The first of the cars will be tried out in the Electric park service. The side entrance is adopted to accelerate the loading and unloading of passengers, while the idea of the blind side is to prevent the impetuous from getting run over by cars running on the other tracks in opposite directions. The color of the new cars is the regulation green.

Labels: Electric park, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, streetcar

June 1, 1907

THE INFORMER GOES

BETRAYER OF ANDERSON RE-

MOVES TO INDIAN TERRITORY.

HAS SOLD HIS BUSINESS

HAD LUCRATIVE TRADE BEFORE

HE GAVE UP EX-CONVICT

Pledged Himself to Reveal the True

Cause for His Act When Ander-

son Is Released, but It Is

Not Believed He Will

Ever Tell.

Benjamin F. Barnes, who informed on Charles W. Anderson, the escaped convict, has removed his harness shop business to the Indian Territory. At 2845 Southwest boulevard his wife, with its former good patronage regained for her little bakery, is waiting with her infant and her 5-year-old son until the location of the new home is finally decided upon.

Barnes' goods were sent to Ada, I. T., where he has an uncle. This is near Sapulpa, and from Sapulpa Barnes had a long distance telephone talk with his wife before the goods were sent yesterday. She says they expect to locate somewhere in Texas and that the harness stock is to be stored at the uncle's only temporarily.

It was in Indian Territory that Barnes nineteen years ago committed the crime for which five years later was captured, and sent to the federal penitentiary, where he knew January, alias Anderson. Later both came to Kansas City. Barnes says that he found out Anderson caused him to lose a position with a saddlery concern about three years ago and had, after that, done things to injure his business on Southwest boulevard.

Against this is Anderson's alleged statement since returning to the penitentiary that Barnes made a practice of demanding sums of money from him. Barnes says that his business was profitable and that he did not need money.

After Anderson was returned to prison, Barnes announced that on his being set free he would exploit his motive for notifying Warden McClaughry. As Anderson will not be set free until July 19, and Barnes is already residing in a distant territory, Kansas City will probably be cheated out of this revelation.

While a notable change has taken place to the sentiments of the Southwest boulevard people on the Barnes-Anderson case, their gossip has developed some new observations. Men who at first were anxious to help tar and feather Barnes or drive him from the town, now agree that an injustice was done to him and that the wave of sympathy on the other shop was inexplicable in the light of the fact that most normal people do want the authorities to know the whereabouts of escaped convicts, whether good or bad.

Mrs. Barnes, the mother of a babe of 5 weeks when the sensation came, comes of an excellent family now living in St. Joseph, Mo. Two of her uncles held superintendents' positions with the Metropolitan Street Railway Company in the city for years, and are similarly engaged on other roads now. One of her own cousins in a practicing dentist of the city. The family, it is said, did not know Barnes was an ex-convict at the time of the young woman's marriage. Mrs. Barnes says they are leaving merely for business reasons and that all the neighbors were friendly and considerate with them.

Labels: bakers, Charles Anderson, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, penitentiary, Southwest boulevard, Texas

March 29, 1907

STREET CAR EARNINGS GROW.

February Shows a Total Net of

$46,000, Against $37,000 Last Year.

The joint net earnings of the Metropolitan Street Railway and the Kanas City Electric Light Company for the month of February, according to the auditor's statement issued yesterday, amounted to $46,318.52, against $37,417.34 for the corresponding month in 1906. The net earnings of the two companies for the nine months of the fiscal year which ended with February were $836,085.76. The same nine months of the fiscal year ending June, 1906, showed $725,042.79. The gross earnings for February were $423,509.04. The February taxes and interest amounted to $146,876.59.

Labels: Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Utilities

March 19, 1907

WALLACE PRATT IS DEAD

FOR 38 YEARS HE HAD BEEN A

KANSAS CITY ATTORNEY.

Prominent in Early Enterprises of the City,
Espcially in Railways--Had
Been Ill About Four Years.

Wallace Pratt, Prominent Kansas City Railway Attorney

THE LATE WALLACE PRATT.

Wallace Pratt, for 38 years one of Kansas City's prominent attorneys, died yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock at his residence, 213 West Armour boulevard. A stroke of paralysis four years ago and a relapse last December brought on a weakened condition, and for three weeks Mr. Pratt had been confined to his bed. For a week his life has been despaired of. Until the last two days, however, he conversed occasionally and recognized friends. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock at Grace Episcopal church.

Mr. Pratt was one of the most prominent railway lawyers in Missouri and for many yars was legal adviser of some of the railroads entering Kansas City. It was principally through the efforts of George H. Nettleton, at one time president of the old Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis railway, and Mr. Pratt, general attorney for the road, that that line reached the proportions it did before being taken over by the Frisco. At the death of Mr. Nettleton, Mr. Pratt was appointed to the presidency of the road, but declined it, stating that he would rather remain as the road's legal counselor. He was general attorney for the St. Louis & San Francisco road, and for many years the firm of Pratt, Dana & Black, with which he was last associated,was employed to look after the legal affairs of the Union Depot Company. Mr. Pratt was at one time general atorney for the Metropolitan Street Railway Company. During the last two years, however, he had not been actively engaged in the practice of law.

The age of Mr. Pratt was 76 years. He came to Kansas City in 1869, and associated himself with W. S. Rockwell and Watson J. Ferry in the law firm of Pratt, Watson & Ferry. In 1872, Mr. Rockwell withdrew, the other partners continuing as Pratt & Ferry. In 1875, Judge Jefferson Brumback was admitted to the firm, which then became Pratt, Brumback & Ferry. Within two years Judge Brumback retired, and was succeeded by George W. McCrary, ex-secretary of war and a former United States circuit judge. Frank Hagerman became a member of the firm in 1887, and in 1890 Mr. McCrary died, the remaining partners continuing their association until 1890. Later Mr. Pratt associated himself with I. P. Dana and James Black, and the firm devoted its practice almost exclusively to corporation law.

Mr. Pratt was instrumental in forwarding various enterprises important to the commercial development of Kansas City, among them the Union Transit Company, now the Kansas City Belt Railway Company, of which he was a director, and for which he was counsel up to the time of his retirement.

He was born in Georgia, Vt., and later moved to Canton, N. Y., with his parents, where he received his early education. When he was 14 years old he entered Union college, and was graduated four years later. He at once entered the study of law under the tutelage of Henry J. Knowles, at Potsdam, N. Y. In 1852 he went to Chicago, where he was admitted to the bar, and a year later went to Milwaukee.

He was married in 1855 to Miss Adeline A. Russell, of Canton, N. Y. In 1874 his wife died, and ten years later he married Mrs. Caroline Dudley, of Buffalo, who died shortly before her husband's stroke of paralysis.

Mr. Pratt leaves four children, Mrs. Hermann Brumback and Wallace Pratt, Jr., of Kansas City, and Mrs. Elwood H. Alcott, of Pasadena, Cal., and Wesley R. Pratt, of Buffalo.

Labels: churches, death, Frisco, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, railroad, Union depot

March 18, 1907

CUT OFF HER FOOT.

LITTLE FRANCES SHAW RUN

DOWN BY ALTON TRAIN

GOT CAUGHT IN CATTLE GUARD.

"WHAT WILL MAMMA SAY!"
MOANED THE SUFFERER.
Accident Happened to the Girl While She Was
Walking Along the Track --Brother
Was Killed Years Ago by the

Metropolitan Cars.

"Oh what will mamma say? What will mamma say? I know this will kill her?"
This unselfish remark was the first to pass from the lips of Frances Shaw, 14-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Shaw, 2043 North Valley street, Kansas City, Kas., last evening after an incoming Chicago & Alton passenger train had passed over and completely severed her left foot above the ankle. The accident happened about 6 o'clock on a curve in the tracks at Mount Washington, just east of the city. Frances had been out there visiting her cousin, Minnie Eaton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Eaton. Both are about the same age. While on the way to the station to take a car for home the little girls were walking along the C. & A. tracks. In crossing over a cattle guard Frances' left foot became tightly wedged in between a rail and the guard. The children worked away casually to remove the imprisoned foot, not realizing the danger.

When a train was heard approaching, however, they were seized with fright and both girls pulled with all their mights to loosen the involved foot. All the while the puffing and steaming of the oncoming iron monster could be heard. The children could not see the train for the embankment. When all hope of freedom had fled Minnie jumped back from the tracks and Frances drew her right limb under her and laid down flat away from the track. Her presence of mind saved her life but the whole train passed over the left foot just at the shoe top and severed it as if with a cleaver.

The train was going at a rapid rate, so many witnesses said, and did not stop until several hundred yards beyond where the injured girl lay. Then it backed up and the conductor and train crew tried to do all they could for the child. Not a tear came from Frances Shaw during this terrible ordeal and her first words were of her mother -- not of herself. "What will mamma say?" she said. "What will mamma say? I know this will kill her."

It was a pretty day and many persons were out near Mount Washington. Probably a dozen persons heard the screams of the children and ran to the top of the cut in time to see the train pass over the girl's foot. Until she was reached it was thought she had been killed. Tenderly she was carried to the home of Dr. W. L. Gist, an assistant city physician, who lives nearby. There emergency treatment was given by Dr. Gist and Dr. W. L. Gillmor and when the shock of the accident was over she was removed to St. Luke's hospital, 2011 East Eleventh street. Dr. Gillmor and Dr. C. E. Nixon, whose wives are related to the injured girl, later completed the amputation, assisted by Dr. Pierce, house physician at the hospital.

This is the second serious accident to occur in the Shaw family. Fifteen years ago Newton Shaw, the 4-year-old son, was killed by a Chelsea park car at the "L" road crossing and Fifteenth street in Kansas City, Kas. It was said last night that Mrs. Shaw had never quite recovered from the shock of her little boy's death and that the accident to Frances would prostrate her. There are four children in the family, two brothers and one sister being older than Frances. The father, William Shaw, has for a long time been crippled with rheumatism and can do no manual labor. He is employed as a watchman for the Metropolitan Street Railway Company.

People living in Mount Washington have long called the place where the accident occurred as "Death Curve." The road makes a sharp curve at that point, which is right in the settlement of Mount Washington.

"It is a wonder to me," said Dr. C. E. Nixon last night, "that more accidents have not occurred there. It is almost necessary to use that portion of the tracks going to and from many of the homes across the tracks. One can see only a few yards on account of the embankment and if the train doesn't whistle as a warning it is right on you before you know it. Only a short while ago I came near getting caught there myself. It was night and I was returning from the city with my wife. Before I realized it a train had whisked around that curve and was right on me. My wife was off the track but I had to leap to save myself."

Many persons, it is said, who live out there, have similar stories of narrow escapes to tell. Few witnesses yesterday heard any whistle.

After the train had passed over Frances Shaw's limb the foot was left so tightly wedged in the cattle guard that it took a man's strength to extract it. Frances and her cousin, Minnie, said that they thougth of taking off the shoe to release the foot only when it was too late -- the train being nearly at the entrance to the cut. Those who witnessed the accident said that they never saw such presence of mind displayed by a child. Had she not laid down perfectly flat as she did she probably would have been killed by being struck by the steps of the coaches.

After the operation at St. Luke's last night the little girl was reported as doing well. The accident is not regarded as serious enough to result fatally. The girl's mother was at the hospital waiting long before the ambulance arrived. She remained all night by her daughter's bedside.

Labels: accident, children, doctors, Dr. Gist, Eleventh street, emergency hospital, Kansas City Kas, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Mt. Washington, railroad, St. Luke's hospital

January 31, 1907

A SURPRISE AT THE DEPOT.

Greetings From a Man Whom a Visitor Believed Dead.

When R. C. Bortwood, of Auxvasse, Mo., arrived at the Union depot last night in response to a telegram, he found a brother-in-law, whom he supposed to be dead, there to greet him, and a brother-in-law, whom he had expected to find alive, dead in a Westport undertaking establishment.

John N. Addison, an employe of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, died Tuesday while at work on a bridge over Brush creek and was found some time later in the stream. His wife at the time was visiting her parents near Centralia, Mo., and a telegram was sent to her.

J. B. Divers, who resides at 1921 Harrison, a brother-in-law of Mrs. Addsion, telegraphed Bortwood, a brother of Mrs. Addison, advising him of the death. The telegram was received at Auxvasse and repeated over the rural telephone to Bortwood. In repeating, the message was changed to convey the information that Addison had wired of Divers' death, and Bortwood started for Kansas City on that theory. He was greeted here by the brother-in-law he mourned as dead.

No word has been received from Mrs. Addison and the body of her husband is now held at Lindsey's undertaking establishment in Westport.

Labels: death, Harrison street, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, telegram, undertakers

January 24, 1907

BOTH HIT BUCKNER.

HARDIN AND A CLAIM AGENT

TOOK A POKE AT HIM.

MELEE IN CIRCUIT COURT.

COMBATANTS FINED $50 EACH

BY ACTING JUDGE SEEHORN.

Dispute Over Missing Legal Papers Caused AttorneyHardin to Land on Attorney Buckner,Who Grabbed a Chair--Jury Was Dismissed.

It did not add to the decorum of the circuit court yesterday when Lawyer Ben T. Hardin and Claim Agent John Mathis, of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company, played tennis, using Lawyer T. B. Buckner for the ball in division No. 3 of the circuit court. A composite view of the various versions of the unpleasantness would tend to show that Mr. Buckner said something offensive to Mr. Hardin, that Mr. Hardin thereupon tapped Mr. Buckner on the east side of his face and that while Mr. Buckner was drawing a chair with which to reply to Mr. Hardin, Mr. Mathis flanked the chair movement and landed one behind Mr. Buckner's ear, where he would hear it and pay attention.

Judge Seehorn, as official referee, fined Hardin and Mathis $50 each for contempt of court, but is holding the fine till the case is over. Meantime both men are prisoners of the court -- on their own recognizance.

It all happened while a panel of jurors was being called. Court was in session, but Judge Seehorn was not on the bench. Pending the bringing up of the panel from the floor below he was stretching his judicial legs by walking about on the court room floor. A dispute began among the lawyers regarding the disappearance of certain papers in the case of A. Cole against the Metropolitan Street Railway Company which was then called for trial. The dispute grew warmer and finally Buckner said:

"It seems as if you are trying to keep the records of this case out of this court."

"If you say that," said Hardin, "you say what is a falsehood."

Here the testimony differs. Hardin says Buckner directed his charge unmistakably at him. Buckner says he did not. At any rate--

Biff!

Hardin, who is more than 6 feet tall, had landed with his open hand on the left side of Buckner's face. The two men weigh about the same, though Hardin is much the taller. Both of them are older than they were a few years ago. Buckner accumulated a chair and was trying to impress it on Hardin when Mathis boarded it with one hand and struck Buckner in the back of the head with the other.

By this time Judge Seehorn, who was standing close to the two men, and the court deputy sheriff got into the game and stopped the fight. While this was going on the jury was coming in to take its place for the trial.

"This panel will be excused," said Judge Seehorn, "and another will be called. I will fine Mr. Hardin and Mr. Mathis $50 each for contempt of court."

A new jury was brought and the lawyers went on with the case.

When court was over for the day Judge Seehorn suspended the fine till the case is finished, which will be sometime today.

Labels: circuit court, courtroom, Judge Seehorn, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, violence

January 5, 1907

PROSPECT LINE TO 37TH ST.

Extension Will Not Take It to the
Swope Park Connection

With the announcement that in extending the Prospect avenue line this year the Metropolitan Street Railway Company will take it no further south than Thrity-seventh street, there will be disappointment along Troost avenue. The expectation that big crowds will go to Electric park every night, and many thousands on Sunday, most of them using the Troose avenue line, has distrubed Troost residents for a long time. In addition, the Troost avenue people realize that there will be thousands going over their line to Swope park. A negro park was started last summer just beyond the new Electric park and hundreds of negroes went nightly out on Troost aveune.

The negroes will still have to use the Troost avenue line to reach their new park. The Woodland avenue line is to be extended to Electric park, but will go no further south than Forty-fifth street. General Manager C. N. Black said yesterday that the Metropolitan would make ample arrangements for handling the crowds which will patronize Electric and Swope parks. "They will have," he said, "the Rockhill, the Troost, and the Woodland avenue lines. This will be good service. I do not think it will crowd the Troost avenue line."

Labels: amusement, Electric park, Metropolitan Street Railway Company, Prospect avenue, race, Rockhill, streetcar, Swope park, Troost avenue, Woodland avenue