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

January 31, 1910

HOW JUSTICE ROSS

MADE HIS FORTUNE.

DONOR OF MONEY TO MA-

HONEY CHILDREN WAS

ONCE A LAMPLIGHTER.

Formed Partnership With

John Mahoney Twenty-

Five Years Ago.

Justice Michael Ross, of Kansas City, who in the Wyandotte county, Kansas, probate court Saturday gave the children of his dead partner, John Maloney, $50,000, was born in Cincinnati, O., December 19, 1859. His father, Alexander Ross, came to Kansas City in 1866 to aid in the erection of the first gas plant the city had. In June a year later, the family followed him, coming from St. Louis by boat.

"The Missouri was full of boats in those days," said Justice Ross last night, "and was the principal means of navigation between here and St. Louis. Kansas City had a real wharf and it was a busy one."

Two brothers, William J. and James Ross, and a younger sister constituted the children at that time. James was drowned while swimming in the Missouri river in 1872.

"We attended a little frame public school down in the East Bottoms just opposite what was known as Mensing Island," said Justice Ross. "Later we went to Washington school which still stands at Independence avenue and Cherry street. A ward school education was as high as one could go in those days unless he went away, and that was all we received."

After the erection of the gas plant Justice Ross and his brother William secured positions as lamp lighters. It required them to get up at all hours of the night, according to the condition of the weather and the fullness of the moon, both to light and turn out the street lamps. After doing this work at night Justice Ross worked all day on an ice wagon for J. E. Sales. Later on he worked in the old Davis brick yard, which stood about where the Zenith mill now stands in the East Bottoms.

Justice Ross always had in view the day when he would go into business for himself -- be his own boss. With his savings and some help from his mother he started a little grocery and general store on the levee at First and Campbell streets in 1874. After a time his brother, William, was taken into partnership, but remained but a few years. The latter for several terms was a member of the city council.

BOUGHT OTHER STORES.

As the city began to grow away from the river, Justice Ross saw better opportunities and opened a grocery store at 1401-3 East Fifth street, at Lydia avenue, and later another at 1100-2 East Fifth street, at Troost avenue. These two stores were money makers and enabled him later to branch out along other lines.

In September, 1888, Justice Ross was married to Miss Bessie Egan. All of their children, seven boys and four girls, are living, the oldest daughter being away at school near Cincinnati, and the oldest boy at St. Mary's, Kas. Six of the nine children at home attend the Woodland school.

"I knew John Mahoney from the day he came here with the C. & A. railroad," Justice Ross said. "He was doing small jobs of grading in those days and his mother went with him over the country. They used to trade with us at the little store on the levee and when in town Mahoney and his mother stopped at our home."

It was almost twenty-five years ago that Mahoney and Ross went into partnership and the latter has been a silent partner ever since, Mahoney seeing to most of the details and looking after the work. Justice Ross also had other interests, such as tree planting, and planted the trees around the finest residences and along many of the prettiest boulevards. In speaking of some of the work done by himself and Mr. Mahoney, the justice said:

"We built all of the Southwest boulevard, also Fifteenth street, doing the grading work. Roanoke boulevard is another piece of our work, as was the ill-fated Cliff drive, where poor John and his wife met such a tragic fate. We did lots of work on the country roads in Jackson county and built almost all of the roads in Wyandotte county, besides many of the brick-paved streets.

LARGE CONTRACT WORK.

"We also did much work away from here, such as government work on the levee at New Orleans, county roads in Southern Indiana and railroad grading in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Colorado. Mahoney was a man who made friends wherever he went. I just received a letter from Indiana asking if he and McGuire were the same men who were there asking for all particulars."

As Justice Ross's business ventures thrived he found it impossible to give the time required to his two grocery stores, and a few years ago he disposed of them. Previous to that, however, he had established the Missouri Carriage and Wagon works at 308-10 Broadway, which he still operates.

For many years he has been buying property and erecting modern flats thereon. He does not build flats to sell, but he keeps them for what they bring in. When Admiral boulevard was cut through at Virginia avenue, Justice Ross owned a big row of old flats immediately in the right of way. They are brick and their moving back was the biggest job of that kind ever done in this city. He made them modern and is erecting more flats near them.

The prettiest and most costly structure erected by Justice Ross is a flat building at Benton boulevard and St. John avenue, on a promontory overlooking the entire city. He owns forty or more pieces of improved property in the city.

In the fall of 1898 Michael Ross ran for justice of the peace on the Democratic ticket and was elected. Since then he has held the office for three terms, twelve years, winning each time with ease. He said last night, however, that he would not seek the office again. He intends to build a big home in the southern part of the city and he and Mrs. Ross will devote their time to their children. He now lives at 626 Troost avenue.

"John Mahoney almost decided to go to Jacksonville, Fla., with our party," said the Justice. "The ground was frozen and he could not work. But he was such a home-loving man he hated to leave his family, even for a day. I had a premonition when I left that something would happen. When I got the wire the first thing I thought of was his automobile. We did not get the particulars, however, until we got a paper at Memphis, and did not get full particulars and learn that McGuire was killed and the others hurt until we got The Journal at Paola, Kas.

Labels: business, Campbell street, East bottoms, grocers, history, Independence avenue, Justice Ross, New Orleans, politics, public works, real estate, schools, St Louis, Troost avenue, Utilities

January 16, 1910

PHONE SERVICE VIA ROSEDALE.

New Cable Across Kaw, to Argen-

tine, Being Constructed.

The residents of Argentine, now the Seventh ward of Kansas City, Kas., whose communication over the Missouri and Kansas Telephone Company's lines to the rest of the city was cut off by the breaking of the company's trunk line across the Kaw river, when a pier and one span of the old Southern bridge went into the river Friday afternoon, are now getting service through the Rosedale exchange. The service was out only a few hours. Linemen are now at work stretching a new cable over the Kaw, and until that work is finished the operation of hte Argentine lines will be through the Rosedale exchange.

Labels: Argentine, Kaw river, Rosedale, telephone, Utilities

January 8, 1910

MUCH LIME IN THE WATER.

Cold Weather Is Responsible for Its

Unusual Hardness.

"Just natural conditions of the river," is the explanation given by the city chemist department for the hardness of the water from the Missouri. "It is lime that makes the water hard, the natural lime rock in the stream. Every time the weather gets cold the water becomes affected. The lime congeals with the water in greater proportions, and it is not as easily dissolved as in warmer weather. So long as the cold spell lasts so long with the water be hard."

Complaints of chapped hands and faces are general. People are blaming it to the hardness of the water.

"Every time I wash in Missouri river water my hands and face feel like nutmeg graters," complained a woman yesterday.

"Did it ever occur to that woman that probably she did not thoroughly dry her face and hands after washing, and that the chap is due to exposure to the cold and winds?" is the retort from the city chemist. "She should apply a lotion of glycerin and rose water after washing. It is a sure preventive for chapped hands and face."

Labels: City Chemist Cross, Missouri river, Utilities, weather

December 31, 1909

SILVER CITY TO

BECOME A WARD.

ARGENTINE TO BE MERGED INTO

KANSAS CITY, KAS.,

TOMORROW.

Population 7,000; Its Debts Assumed

and Assets Absorbed -- Will Soon

Have Gas Supply.

At 12 o'clock, noon, tomorrow, Argentine, the Silver City, of which great things were expected in the early '80s, will merge its identity into that of Kansas City, Kas. This additional territory will be known as the Seventh ward and will be represented in the Kansas City, Kas., council by two councilmen to be appointed by Mayor U. S. Guyer. By the annexation of Argentine and the extension of its city limits Kansas City, Kas., will have graduated into the class of metropolitan cities. It is estimated that the additional territory will increase the total population of Kansas City, Kas., to something in excess of 135,000. Steps have already been taken by the city authorities to assume active charge of the former city's affairs. Two police sergeants and eight patrolmen will afford police protection for the new ward.

Argentine was organized as a city of the third class in 1881. The city covers an area of six square miles and has a population of 7,000. It is on the south of the Kaw river and just south and west of the Sixth ward of Kansas City, Kas. The majority of Argentine's residents are hard working, industrious home owners. The city has a bonded debt of about $126,000, in addition to special improvement bonds to the amount of $70,000 and school bonds for a like amount.

There is also $60,000 in outstanding warrants. The consolidated city assumes all these debts. While the new territory is in debt to no inconsiderable amount, there are many advantages to be gained by its annexation. Argentine has two miles of bitulithic pavements and also two miles of macadam paving. In addition to this there are about fifteen miles of paved sidewalks. A fire wagon and a team of good horses, also 3,000 feet of new hose, are among the assets.

HAS FINE SCHOOL EQUIPMENT.

Many commendable things can be said concerning the system of schools in the new ward. There is a high school recently completed and five ward schools averaging eight rooms each. The teachers in these schools will be continued in their respective positions by the Kansas City, Kas., board of education.

Among the industries in the newly acquired territory are the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad shops, the Kansas City Structural Steel Works, the Santa Fe Car Iceing Company and the United Zinc and Chemical Company. Of these the Santa Fe employs the larger per cent of the people of the city. Two of the largest grain elevators in the state are located at the Argentine terminals of the Santa Fe, one with a capacity of 1,000,000 bushels and the other, one-half that size.

COULD NOT GET GAS.

One of the urgent reasons for annexation from the Argentine standpoint was the inability of the people of that city to obtain natural gas. This condition of affairs will be remedied by the merger. The Wyandotte Gas Company will extend its mains to the new ward.

C. W. Green, the last mayor of Argentine, during his four terms in office had much to do with the progressing of public improvements.

As to just what the effect of the Annexation will be on the complexion of politics is problematical. Persons in a position to know declare that the Democrats and Republicans are about evenly divided.

At a special meeting last night of the Kansas City, Kas., council the Democratic members refused to confirm the appointment of C. W. Green and J. W. Leidburg as councilmen for the new ward. Mr. Green is at the present time mayor of Argentine and Mr. Leidburg is a councilman in that city.

Labels: Argentine, history, Kansas City Kas, Kaw river, politics, railroad, Utilities

December 10, 1909

COAL RANGE INTO ITS OWN.

Resurrected, Dust Covered, and

Again Put to Use.

The despised coal range has again been given its place. The big hotels, as well as the smaller hostelries, have pulled the old coal range from out of the dust under which it has lain for a year and the kitchen boys have been kept busy for the last couple of days shoving coal, removing the ashes and keeping the fires clean. The failure of the gas pressure means much to a cook in one of the big hotels, where the orders come fast and where the cooking is timed with mathematical precision. In several of the places the cooks burn gas solely, except for certain classes of chops and steaks, which are broiled over charcoal.

Labels: food, hotels, Utilities, weather

December 9, 1909

ST. JOE COLD AND HUNGRY.

Gas Users Suffer by Reason of Short-

age -- Coal Men Can't Supply

Demand for Fuel.

ST. JOSEPH, MO., Dec. 8. -- Zero weather, with natural gas cut off in many parts of the city, leaves patrons shivering and suffering here tonight. General Manager K. M. Mitchell of the gas company announced that 750,000 cubic feet held in reserve in the great tanks of the company would be turned into the mains for patrons to use in preparation of the evening meal. The supply was turned on all right, but disappeared before it reached the suburban residences. Cold and scanty dinners added to the anger and discomfort of gas patrons.

Coal men are unable to meet the immediate demands for fuel. Manufacturing plants and public school buildings likely will be compelled to close tomorrow unless the gas supply is improved. Officers of the gas company can give no assurances of an improved condition.

There is a demand that artificial gas be manufactured to tide over recurring shortages of the natural product from Oklahoma and Kansas fields, but in this event charges for gas for fuel and lighting will be quadrupled.

Labels: St.Joseph, Utilities, weather

August 20, 1909

ICE WATER FOR PRISONERS.

Supt. Murphy Has Refrigeration In-

stalled in Workhouse.

"I cannot get along without ice water in the summer, and it is wrong to deprive those who are so unfortunate as to be sent to the workhouse of a cooling and refreshing drink of water," said Cornelius Murphy, the new superintendent at the workhouse yesterday. During the recent hot spell he had plumbers install refrigeration in the supply pipes in the institution leading to the men's department, and yesterday a similar improvement was installed in the women's section.

Mayor Crittenden, who made a personal inspection of the workhouse yesterday, congratulated Mr. Murphy on his thoughtfulness and also complimented him upon the cleanly appearance of everything about the place. The mayor was accompanied by the city comptroller and the city plumbing inspector for the purpose of determining what it will cost to make the cells sanitary and to improve the general sanitation of the building. The inspector was directed to prepare plans immediately for necessary changes so the board of public works can advertise for bids. Comptroller Pearson promised to provide the revenues.

A change in the illumination of the building is also contemplated. Natural gas is used wholly, and the mayor thinks that besides the product being too warm for summer there is danger from fire. He has ordered the city electrician to prepare an estimate of the cost of connecting cables with the new general hospital electric light plant.

Labels: Mayor Crittenden, Utilities, workhouse

May 8, 1909

ELECTRIC INSPECTOR'S PAY.

Ordinance to Have Light Company

Contribute $1,800 a Year.

An ordinance will be passed by the council next Monday night, directing the Kansas City Electric Light Company to contribute $1,800 annually to the city to pay the salary of an inspector of electrical meters. Patrons of the company can have meters installed in premises occupied by them tested for irregularities by depositing $1 with the inspector. Should the meter register too fast the $1 is restored to the patron, but should it prove slow or correct the dollar is retained.

Labels: Utilities

January 7, 1909

WEAR WRAPS INDOORS.

Many Kansas City Kansans Can't

Keep Houses Warm.

The shortage of gas yesterday in Kansas City, Kas., as a result of the sudden drop in the temperature proved a menace to many families in that city. All attempts to keep a home even passably comfortable were futile. The flickering, uncertain flame gave out no warmth and women and little children were compelled in many instances to sit around all day in heavy wraps, unable even to coax out enough heat to cook a meal.

The wiser and more fortunate ones who had not disposed of their coal stoves fared better. Those families who are still burning wood or coal for heating purposes were the recipients of many compliments as to the soundness of their judgment. In the northern part of the city, where the pressure appeared to be lowest, several families gathered at a neighbor's home and stayed there all day with their children. The neighbor was using a wood stove.

The officials of the Wyandotte Gas Company could hold out only little encouragement when questioned concerning the prospects.

Labels: Kansas City Kas, Utilities, weather

December 8, 1908

J. S. CHICK, PIONEER

MERCHANT, IS DEAD.

HE FOUNDED THE FIRST BANK

IN KANSAS CITY.

Widely Known for His Integrity and

Honor in Business Affairs.

Funeral Will Be Held

Tomorrow.

Joseph Smith Chick, founder of the first bank in this city and for fifty years a citizen here, died at his home, 1039 Brooklyn avenue, at 4:30 yesterday morning. He had been ill several months, although he went to his offices until last week.

Mr. Chick was born in Howard county, Mo., August 3, 1828. His parents were from Virginia and the family lived on a farm. In 1830 the family moved to the town of Westport. Mr. Chick's father, Colonel William M. Chick, was one of the early purchasers of the original site on which Kansas City was built. At the time the family moved to Westport there were not a half a dozen families in Kansas City, called then Westport Landing. Joseph Chick went to the Westport schools, but at the age of 18 years put away his books and went into business. He became a clerk in the general store of H. M. Northrup, the largest shop of its kind in the town of Westport Landing. He worked hard and faithfully and in 1852 was admitted to a partnership in the firm.

Soon afterwards he and his partner conceived the idea of operating a bank in Kansas City and established one under the name of H. M. Northrup & Co. The company also took some interest in the trade across the plains to Santa Fe and in the year 1861 Mr. Chick and Mr. Northrup, with their wives, made the trip over the Santa Fe trail to trade with the Indians.

BANKING IN NEW YORK.

The next year, on account of the unsettled conditions prevailing, the company gave up its business in Kansas City and removed to New York, where they established a bank under the name of Northrup & Chick, on Wall street. For eleven years they continued in that city but in 1874 Mr. Chick sold out his interest and removed to this city, where he associated himself with some of the wealthy business men of the city and organized the Bank of Kansas City. In 1888 this institution was merged with the National Bank of Kansas City and Mr. Chick was chosen president, a position he held until the dissolution of the firm in 1895. Since then he had been in the real estate business with his son.

Mr. Chick was also connected with the St. Louis and Missouri River Telegraph Company, built to Kansas City in 1851; the Missouri Pacific Railroad, the macadamized road from Westport to the city, the first telephone company, the Kansas City Electric Light Company and the National Loan & Trust Company. He was once president of the board of trade.

For many years Mr. Chick had lived in the house where he died. Immediately after his return from New York he bought a large plot of ground in that neighborhood, ten acres facing on the street that is now Brooklyn avenue. Mr. Chick gave the street its present name after the city that he made his home when a banker in New York.

Since his early youth Mr. Chick was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and a faithful attendant at church services. For the last twenty-five years he had been the president of the board of stewards of the Central Methodist Episcopal church.

MRS. CHICK IS ILL.

Mr. Chick was married to Miss Julia Sexton of Howard county in 1855. Mrs. Chick is 76 years old. She is dangerously ill and may not survive her husband for long.

Two children survive, Joseph S. Chick, Jr., and Mrs. E. E. Porterfield, wife of Judge Porterfield, and three grandchildren, Mrs. Robert G. Caldwell, who lives in Indianapolis, Ind., E. E. Porterfield, Jr., and Miss Julia C. Porterfield.

The funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the home. Burial will be in Mount Washington cemetery. The active pallbearers will be selected from Mr. Chick's nephews.

In both his public and his private life Mr. Chick bore the reputation for exemplary character. His business integrity was above reproach, and when the bank with which he was connected failed in 1895 on account of hard times, Mr. Chick assumed the task of paying off the debt. Five years ago the last dollar was paid, together with 8 per cent interest on the money. He was always benevolent in disposition and had given an efficient business training to many young men now scattered in many states. His bearing was erect and his address cheerful. He was beloved by many, and liked by all who knew him.

Labels: banking, Brooklyn avenue, cemetery, churches, death, history, Judge Porterfield, Mt. Washington, New York, pioneers, railroad, real estate, retailers, Santa Fe Trail, telephone, Utilities, Westport

December 2, 1908

DRIVEN TO BED TO KEEP WARM.

GAS PRESSURE GOES DOWN,

LEAVING THE CITY COLD.

BLAME IS PLACED ON FIELDS.

"ALL RIGHT IN THE MORNING,"

SAYS THE COMPANY.

Cold Snap Made Plumbers' Fingers

Stiff in the Gas Belt, and They

Couldn't Connect Pipes, Etc.

Gas Lakes Reported Frozen.

During supper hour last evening, and for several hours before and after, the gas supply was poor. There was no other name for it -- poor. In the northeast portion of the city and in the eastern and southern parts there are complaints of almost no gas at all and people had to go to bed to keep warm. The gas lacked both in heat unites and illuminating power, and in most households it was found necessary to turn on the furnaces to their full capacity to get any warmth at all.

One peculiarity noted by many a sh ivering, anxious basement watcher was that the meters seemed to measure just as much imaginary gas while there was little gas or no gas, as they did on nights when there was enough to warm the rooms and make light sufficient to read a paper.

"We're not getting the gas from the fields, that's the trouble,' was the satisfaction consumers got from the gas company. "The sudden change in the temperature caught them unprepared in the fields, and they have been necessarily slow in connecting up additional wells with the pupmps. This will be all attended to in the morning, and there will be no more trouble this winter."

A FAMILIAR TUNE.

Consumers recalled having heard similar statements last winter when the gas supply failed every time the thermometer registered below the freezing point, and they were not prepared for a like excuse for yesterday's shortage of gas in view of the rosy tales carried home by the city officials who recently visited the fields, the solemn assurances of an abundance of the product there and the extra improvements that had been put in for getting it to consumers in Kansas City.

Little by little the gauges at the reducing station, Thirty-ninth and State Line, where the gas from the flow lines from the gas fields connect with the city's distributing mains, showed spells of sinking yesterday, indicating a lack of gas pressure. As the hours wore on and the kitchen ranges and lights were turned on, the symptoms became alarming. Marked depression, slow pulse, difficult respiration, and all indications of a moribund patient alarmed everybody but the doctor. He was accustomed to it, having seen many a household darkened in the full years of his experience. The normal pressure is forty-five pounds at the reducing station. At 7:30 o'clock last night it was twenty-three. It didn't look like the patient would live until morning. It was twenty-three. Just a coincidence. Nothing more. Twenty-three.

In some high altitude there was no gas at all, and there were many complaints.

THEY WANTED TO KNOW.

Every home in Kansas City dependent on gas for heat and illumination was effected, and during the early hours of the evening the office of The Journal was besieged with inquiries as to the cause of the weak supply. Mayor Thomas T. Crittenden, Jr., also put in some busy hours telling people over the telephone that he couldn't account for the slump, and repeated what the gas company told him abot the supply being frozen over, the lakes of gas being frozen over, or some such thing, in the gas fields.

"It's fierce," said the mayor shortly after 8 o'clock. "In the last two hours I've had fifty complaints over the telephone about shortage of gas. The complaints come from every part of the city, and vary from no gas at all to a scanty supply for illumination and heat. The high points northeast and east seem to be the principal sufferers. I can't understand it. There is plenty of gas in the fields, and plenty of power to deliver it to Kansas City, if it were not for the fact that the gauges at the intake, or reduction station at Thirty-ninth and State Line indicate a meager supply from the gas fields. I would feel disposed to blame today's and tonight's troubles to local conditions, or, to be more explicit, to failure on the part of the distributing company to install proper facilities for the delivery of the gas.

Labels: Mayor Crittenden, State line, telephone, Thirty-ninth street, Utilities, weather

September 1, 1908

WASN'T WORKING ON WIRES.

J. W. Harris Had No Business on

Pole From Which He Fell.

No reason has been found why J. W. Harris of Topeka, who was killed yesterday afternoon, near Fourth street and Roland avenue, Kansas City, Kas., by falling off a telephone pole, should have been tampering with the wires of the Home Telephone Company. He died from the effects of a broken back at noon yesterday.

All the electrical companies with wires at the spot where he was working at the time of the accident accounted for all their men yesterday.

A brother of Harris came to Kansas City, Kas., last night and will return to Topeka with the body this morning. He says his brother was a lineman and was in good standing in Topeka. The stranger who was with Harris at the time of the mishap has not been found and no one who saw the two men working among the wires could give the police a description of him.

Labels: Kansas City Kas, telephone, Topeka, Utilities

July 21, 1908

UNION DEPOT IN DARKNESS.

Passengers Couldn't Find Their Way

Out and Trains Were Delayed.

The Union depot was in total darkness for five minutes, from 8:54 until 8:59, last night. Trouble at the power house shut off all the electricity just at the time the passengers were going to the Santa Fe, Chicago & Alton, M., K. & T., Missouri Pacific and Wabash 9 o'clock trains.

It was homeseekers' night and the depot was crowded when the lights went out. The depot employes did not start to procure lights for a moment, expecting the "juice" to come back immediately. Finally they lighted a few gas jets and procured candles. The telegraphy office looked as thought it were decorated for a Santa Claus reception, for each operator had a candle all his own.

The arc lights came back five minutes after they went out but the incandescents were out until 9:13. Many of the 9 o'clock trains went out several minutes late, waiting for the passengers who could not find their way through the dark depot.

Labels: railroad, telegraph, Union depot, Utilities

May 29, 1908

RAIN INTERFERES WITH LIGHTS.

Insulation on Electric Wires Is Be-

coming Saturated.

Prevailing rains are interfering with the electric light wires. Insulation is becoming saturated and the result is that electricity is "cutting around" instead of going out on spurs to lamps.

"There is nothing that can be done to prevent these new troubles," said an official of the electric light company yesterday. "Weatherproof insulation does not mean waterproof insulation. Ordinarily it is waterproof, but that is where it gets a chance to dry out after one rain before another falls. The last two weeks there has been rain so often and the sun so seldom that the insulation is becoming saturated. Dim lights are the result in some places. Only sunshine can cure that sort of defect."

Labels: Utilities, weather

April 20, 1908

BURNED BY ELECTRIC WIRE.

Carroll Freeman, Argentine, Was Un-

conscious From the Shock.

While twenty children were playing at the foot of Ash street at Argentine yesterday morning one of them, Carroll Freeman, caught hold of a guy wire, which extends across the tops of two telephone poles, and down to a stake in the ground, and before his comrades could pull him free of the wire, he was seriously burned. Clyde Foster was the first lad to rescue and his quickness probably saved Carroll's life.

Carroll's left hand was burned to the bone, and the toes on both his feet were scorched. His rescuer was slightly burned on the hands from taking hold of Carroll's garments and clinging while he pulled the helpless boy from the wire.

Walter Freeman, Carroll's father, who lives at 202 North Eleventh street, said last night that the boy would recover. After being brought home in the morning the lad remained unconscious until six o'clock in the evening, when he came to himself and rallied rapidly. The Foster boy lives on Ruby street, a block west from Ash. He is 13 and Carroll is of about the same age.

Walter Freeman explains the accident by saying that an electric light wire, carrying a heavy voltage, sagged and touched the guy wire, where it crossed from one telephone pole to the other. The end of the guy wire, which ran toward the ground, being attached to a dry post, had no opportunity to ground the electric wire current. When the lad took hold of the wire, the current grounded through his body, Freeman says. That explanation would account for the boy's toes being burned.

Labels: accident, Argentine, children, Utilities

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

March 28, 1908

WILL THEIR PAY BE RAISED?

Question City Employes Are Asking

Mayor Beardsley.

"If a public utilities commission will raise the salaries of private utility corporations, as is being asserted by political orators, I hope the same commission will have the power to do likewise to underpaid employes of the city," said W. H. Applegate, emoployed as a laborer at the Turkey creek water pumping station, yesterday.

"I have lived in Kansas City for forty years," he continued, "and have been employed as laborer for a number of years at Turkey creek water pumping station at $1.75 a day. This was the salary paid in 1891, and has never been raised, although the cost of living has advanced 40 per cent.

"Some months ago, with a delegation of laborers from the pumping station, we appealed to the board of public works for a slight increase in pay, but were refused. George Hoffmann, president of the board, said to us: "Boys, you have got an easy job and 365 days to work."

Labels: employment, laborer, Mayor Beardsley, public works, Utilities

March 24, 1908

BELL 'PHONES TO BE LOWER.

Compromise With City in Pole

Tax Controversy.

An ordinance introduced in the upper house last night, and referred for one week to the committee on streets, alleys and grades, contemplates the immediate reduction of Bell telephone rates from $96 to $60, in the business district, and from $60 to $36 per year for instruments in residences.

Accompanying this ordinance was another effecting a compromise between the city and the Mirrouri and Kansas Telephone Company, populraly known as the Bell system, whereby the city drops its pole and conduit scheme of taxation and is to accept 2 per cent of the gross earnings of the company, in addition to the right to use one conduit and all pins on the Bell poles, for the carrying of police and fire department wires. Further, the city is to receive $28,533.34 as a settlement of arrears of disputed taxes and also to get a receipt for something like $7,500 due the Bell compny for services already rendered.

Labels: telephone, Utilities

February 28, 1908

THREE YEARS FOR FOREST.

He Admitted That He Stole Gas Stove

Worth $3.

Albert Forest, who stole a gas stove last Wednesday and was arrested in front of the Kansas City Missouri Gas Comany's office while he had the stove on his back, entered a plea of guilty to a burglary charge yesterday afternoon, and was sentenced to serve three years in the penitentiary. The stove was worth $3, but Forest brokeinto the Western Auction and Mercantile Company's store to get it. He also stole the padlock from the door.

Labels: crime, penitentiary, Utilities

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

February 6, 1907

HIS GAS BILL WAS $26.

On the First Reading the Company Sent a Bill for $78.

"Here is your gas bill, ma'am," said a boy to Mrs. C. F. Hutchings, of 20 South Eighteenth street, Kansas City, Kas., handing her a folded sheet of paper. Mrs. Hutchings closed the door and then read the bill.

"Seventy eight dollars!" she cried. "Oh no, surely that is wrong. They mean $7.80."

She laid the bill away. When her husband came home she showed it to him.

"Seventy-eight dollars!" also exclaimed Mr. Hutchings when he had read it. "What is this --- a bill for the past year?"

Careful examination showed taut the statement was for the month of January only. Mr. Hutchings took an pencil and paper and began to figure.

"At 26 cents a thousand cubic fee, $78 would buy 312,000 cubic feet of gas," said Mr. Hutchings.

The company when the matter was brought to its attention, re-read the meter. The bill was then reduced to $26.00.

Labels: Kansas City Kas, Utilities

January 5, 1907

GIVEN BACK THEIR $50,000.

McGowan, Morgan and Small

Comply With Requirements

The $50,000 in cash deposited with the city by Mssrs. McGowan, Morgan and Small, grantees of the natural gas franchinse, as a guarantee that they would be furnishing natural gas to consumers through seventy-five miles of mains before January 1, was paid back to James B. McGowan, representing the grantees, by order of the board of public works yesterday. The company reported that it had more than complied with its part of the arrangement, as early in December it was furnishing consumers through 84.92 miles of mains, or nearly nine more miles than required by the provisions of the franchise. S. F. Scott, city gas inspector, who conducted the inspection to determine the correctness of the gas company's statement, reported that it was practically correct, and that all gas lamps throughout the district served with natural gas were equipped with mantles and the light was satisfactory.

Arrangements for connecting up other districts of the city with natural gas are being pushed, and it is thought that early in February another large area will be served.

Labels: Utilities