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

February 11, 1910

DEPUTIES RAID

MERRILL HOME.

Long Siege of Residence Ends

When Wife Follows At-

torney's Advice.

PAINTINGS TAKEN AWAY.

Cincinnati Firm to Hold

Them Pending Settlement

of Supposed Debt.

A sharp rap at her front door apprised Mrs. J. L. Woods Merrill in her home, 3200 Peery avenue, a 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon that the enemy, in force, were storming her position. Tiptoeing to the window, she peered out. Then she stepped back in sheer surprise. James Fairweather, her attorney, was in the act of looking in.

"We'll have to give up," he whispered hoarsely through the casement. "The enemy is without and will soon be within. Deputy John Whole is here, armed with an ax and an order from the sheriff to cut a cat-hole in the portcullis if it is not lifted immediately."

It was true, as Mrs. Merrill could see at a glance. Wholey, ax in hand, looking like Richard, the Lion-Hearted, in the act of advancing upon a belligerent Corsair, was moving up the concrete steps leading to the three-story brick house which sets on a terrace several feet from the sidewalk. Behind him trouped four deputies. Not far away in the offing a couple of yellow fans had cast anchor.

"Oh, very well," she assented quietly.

A moment later Mrs. Merrill opened the door a wee little bit, peeked out, received the attachment writ which four deputies had been trying two days to serve and shut it again. Silence reigned in the house after the Yale night lock snapped. On the front porch a platoon of big men were drawing long breaths. If she opened the door again a siege which had cost them a night's rest and belated meals would bear happy fruit. If the oaken panels remained staring them in the face -- hist! The night lock was turning.

"Come in," invited Mrs. Merrill with an immobile face. "If you've got to ransack the house get through it as quickly as possible."

The deputies filed into the house and began work. Beautiful paintings that had cost thousands in good money were in a few minutes more or less carefully packed, so that the Madonnas of Spain could gaze serenely down upon Flemish landscapes through clouds of excelsior and gauze paper. Big, strong hands, admirably adapted to lifting pianos and transferring semi-anthracite from a wagon to a sub-basement, were skillful in wedging painted Cupids between the best efforts of Raphael and Murrillo so the time-seasoned paint would not rub off in the journey to the safety vault of the criminal court building.

"It's a shame and an outrage and it should not be permitted," said J. L. Woods Merrill in his office in the Arlington building yesterday afternoon, in speaking of the attachment gotten out in the interests of the Gamble Soap Manufacturing Company of Cincinnati, O., to get possession of $150,000 worth of paintings to satisfy a debt of $2,800 which is claimed Mr. Merrill owes Mrs. Francisca Gamble, but which Merrill claims never existed.

"Mrs. Merrill borrowed $2,800 from Francisca N. Gamble three years ago, but neither my wife nor myself ever gave a note for the same," said Mr. Merrill. "Since the money was borrowed, $800 was paid back one time and $600 another time, leaving only $1,200 due Mrs. Gamble. I have offered several times to settle the matter and last Monday morning when A. K. Nippert of Cincinnati called at my office we decided on a settlement, but at the last minute Mr. Nippert objected, saying he 'wasn't getting enough for Cincinnati.' And that is just the matter. They want to get those paintings to Cincinnati and then what would be the chance of me getting them back? They only put up a $6,000 bond to cover the value of ninety-two paintings worth over $150,000.

"While we were talking about the matter Mr. Nippert placed some papers on my table. When he left he gathered them up, putting them in his pocket. The next morning he came back and demanded that I return them to him. He then had issued a replevin to make me give them up and later got out the attachment.

"The replevin calls for 'one written instrument acknowledging the receipt of the sum of $2,800, signed by J. L. Woods Merril.'

"Take it from me," said Mr. Merrill, "those papers never existed.

"Just before Colonel Swope died, I talked with him regarding the establishment of an Original Oil Painting Art Institute in Kansas City," said Mr. Merrill, "and I had intended to donate some of our most valuable paintings. I still intend to do so should the institute be built unless these people are allowed to cobble them.

Labels: arts, business, Thomas Swope

February 6, 1910

HANDSOME STUDIO OPENS.

Henry Moore, Winner of Many Med-

als From Photographer's Asso-

ciations, Is Proprietor.

The well appointed photo studio at 214 East Eleventh street, opened recently by Henry Moore, twenty years a photographer and formerly with the K. C. Photo Supply Co. and a winner of many medals from the Photographer's Association, has many features of advantage in addition to the departments adapted to carry on a large volume of business. A new feature is the dressing rooms, a red room for the ladies and a green room for the gentlemen. The studio is beautifully furnished, and prominently located. Mr. Moore issued initial invitations for free sittings to visitors.

Labels: business, Eleventh street, photographs

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

December 17, 1909

MILLION IS RAISED

FOR ORIENT SYSTEM.

Result of Recent Trip of

Officials and Capitalists.

The sum of $939,000 in subscriptions for the promotion of the work on the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Railway is the result of the recent trip conducted by President A. E. Stilwell and Edward C. Dickinson, vice president of the railroad company. The trip was taken the first of this month, lasted fifteen days, ending the first of this week. Mr. Dickinson was accompanied by a party of Eastern business men and capitalists. He pronounces the trip a success from a business standpoint as well as in every other way. Before the trip was completed $789,000 had been subscribed by the men of the party and since then the other $150,000 has been sent in.

The trip started at Chicago, the party being taken in a special train. Th intention was to go straight to El Paso and down to the City of Mexico directly from there. However, storms, washouts and swollen streams made that particular rout out of the question. So the party had to give up the idea of going over that section of the company's tracks. The trip South was therefore by way of Chillicothe, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Laredo to Mexico City. The latter part of the trip was made over the Orient lines.

The return trip took the party over the Mexican Central to El Paso, over the Texas Pacific to Sweet Water and on into San Angelo. The Kansas City, Mexico & Orient line was then followed as far as Altus where the Frisco was traveled to St. Louis. At the last mention place the party disbanded. Mr. Dickinson returned directly to Kansas City, disappointed in only one thing -- the party had not been able to travel over as much of the company's tracks as had been desired.

The work on the road is to be pushed as fast as possible and all of the improvements contemplated will be made in both roadbed and rolling stock.

When asked in regard to the personnel of the party Mr. Dickinson said he preferred not to give out the names yet because of reasons which also he didn't care to make public. However, he said that John F. Wallace, former chief engineer of the Illinois Central railroad and chief engineer of the Panama canal, who is also a vice president of the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient railway, was one of the party. Mr. Wallace, said Mr. Dickinson, has only recently been made vice president of the road to fill the place of George Crocker, recently deceased. Further that the above Mr. Dickinson said he could say nothing for publication.

Labels: Arthur Stilwell, business, Chicago, Mexico, railroad, Texas

November 20, 1909

NEGRO THEATER MANAGER

LOOKED FOR NO PROTEST.

Louis Woods Says His Company In-

vested $5,000 in Contracts for

Rebuilding Synagogue.

Louis Woods of 722 Charlotte street, owner of the Kansas City Son, a negro weekly paper, a negro who leased the Jewish Synagogue at Eleventh and Oak streets to open a theater for negroes, said last night that he was surprised at the opposition the proposed theater has received.

"For years I have been giving this matter much needed thought," he said. "I have seen white play houses in Kansas City prosper and added to every year. I noticed another thing -- that few negroes attend a white theater unless a negro troupe happened to be there. Then the first and second balconies are packed with negroes who pay nearly as much as those on the lower floor. It struck me that as all negro shows that come to Kansas City are liberally patronized by negroes, they might as do as well by a theater managed by a person of their own color.

"I talked with Sam Conkey, advance man for the Cole and Johnson show, with Bob Motts, proprietor of the Pekin, a negro theater in Chicago, and with Sir Green, supreme chancellor commander of the negro Knights of Pythias who just has completed a $100,000 negro theater in New Orleans. We combined on the project. It was our intention to have a chain of negro play houses over the country. We have been looking at a proposition in St. Louis.

"We had no idea that there would be any objection to our going by ourselves. White people usually want the negro to keep to himself, but just as soon as he attempts to do so, they object. We had no idea that we would meet the color objection with this theater.

"The theater was to be an investment. We examined the lease and found it without restrictions as to color. The building and the location were so well adapted to our needs that we put money into the business. We have let several contracts and have spent about $5,000.

"Had we known that our going there would have been offensive, it would have caused us to look for another location. So far as I am concerned I do not wish to raise any strife. I was born and reared in Missouri and expect to live and die here."

When it was known a negro theater was to be near them business men on East Eleventh street got up a petition remonstrating against the lease. It was signed by nearly every business firm near the theater.

A. P. Nichols, a real estate agent, has charge of the synagogue property for the owner who lives in Omaha. The principal objectors are D. O. Smart and the North-Mehornay Furniture Company. Mr. Smart has under erection a five-story building west of the proposed negro theater. There are many retail firms along East Eleventh street, members of all of which are opposing the lease to a negro theater.

Labels: business, Charlotte street, Chicago, Eleventh street, New Orleans, newspapers, Oak street, Omaha, race, real estate, St Louis, theater

November 12, 1909

THOMAS G. BEAHAM

SUCCUMBS AT 68.

FAULTLESS STARCH FOUNDER A

KANSAS CITY BUSINESS MAN

FOR 22 YEARS.

Veteran Army Man Made This City

the Scene of His Many Ac-

tivities -- Became Ill

Last Summer.

THOMAS G. BEAHAM.

Thomas G. Beaham, for twenty-two years a Kansas City business man, died at his home, 2940 Troost avenue, at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Mr. Beaham had been ill since last summer, while on a hunting and fishing trip on the Nipegon river in Canada.

Mr. Beaham was born in Cambridge, O., the only child of John and Harriett Beaham. His boyhood was spent in Muscatine, Ia., where he enlisted September, 1861, in the Union army as a commissary sergeant of the Second Iowa volunteer cavalry in the Civil war. He was appointed second lieutenant December 1, 1861, and promoted to first lieutenant a month later. Mr. Beaham was detached from his regiment in April, 1862, and assigned to duty as aide-de-camp on the staff of General Gordon Granger, commanding a cavalry division in Mississippi, until August, 1862. On November 19, 1863, he was appointed and commissioned major and aide-de-camp of United States volunteers and assigned to the staff of General Granger. While in the department of the Cumberland, in the military division of the West, he participated in the advance and siege of Corinth; occupation of Corinth and pursuit to Boonville; pursuit of Van Dorn to Duck river and defense of Franklyn against Van Dorn's attack. He was in the battle of Chickamauga, Orchard ridge and Missionary hill, and many other historic battlefields. He resigned September 12, 1864, and was honorably discharged from the service. Mr. Beaham was a lifelong friend of Captain Gordon Taylor of Cincinnati, O., who was on the staff of General Granger.

Shortly after the war he went to Cincinnati, O., where he engaged in the wholesale paint and glass business. In 1878 he moved to Zanesville, where he lived until 1887, when he came to Kansas City and entered into partnership with E. O. Moffatt in the whlesale coffee, tea and spice company. The company was formerly Smith and Moffatt, but Mr. Smith was killed in the cyclone of that year and the firm was started anew under the name of Beaham & Moffatt. At that time Mr. Beaham was living with his family in Independence, Mo.

It was early in the history of the firm of Beaham & Moffatt that the Faultless Starch was originated as a specialty. Shortly afterwards Mr. Moffatt returned to the grain trade and the business was conducted as the Beaham Manufacturing Company. Owing to the growth of the starch department the coffee, tea and spice business was disposed of and for several years the business was conducted as the Faultless Starch Company, unincorporated, Mr. Beaham being the sole owner. In 1900 he moved to Kansas City from Independence and in 1903 the business was incorporated as the Faultless Starch Company with Mr. Beaham as president and Gordon T. Beaham as secretary.

Mr. Beaham is survived by a mother, Mrs. Harriett Beaham, 91 years old. Mrs. Beaham has been living with her son for the past seventeen years. His wife, one son and two daughters also survive him. Gordon T. Beaham, the only son, was named after his lifelong friend, Captain Gordon Taylor of civil war fame. Two daughters, Edna and Helen, reside at home.

Mr. Beaham was a member of the University, Country, Midday and Commercial Clubs; also a member of the Loyal Legion. He was very fond of fishing and hunting and was a member of several shooting clubs. For a number of years he spent his summers in Lake Miltona, Minn.

Labels: business, Civil War, Commercial Club, death, Independence, Troost avenue, veterans

November 12, 1909

JAPANESE COMMISSIONERS

COME TO TOWN TODAY.

COMMERCIAL CLUB ROOMS DEC-

ORATED FOR RECEPTION.

Five Women Members of Party Will

Be Guests of Honor at Country

Club Luncheon -- Omaha

the Next Stop.

Kansas City will be the host today to the Honorary Commissioners of Japan, consisting of forty-three of the leading business men and educators of the Oriental empire, who, together with five Japanese women, are touring the United States. No efforts will be spared to entertain the foreign guests during their stay here, which will be from 9 o'clock in the morning until 11 o'clock at night.

Following the arrival here the party will breakfast in their special train. At 9:30 the men of the party will be met in automobiles by the members of the Commercial Club and the next hour and a half will be spent in a reception in the club rooms. The club rooms have been decorated with palms and ferns, the stars and stripes, the Japanese national flag, the mikado's coat of arms, and the Japanese man-of-war emblem. Judge W. T. Bland, president of the club, will head the receiving line, and in it will be the forty-three Japanese commissioners, the officers off the Commercial Club and all former presidents of the club.

WILL VISIT HIGH SCHOOL.

At 11 o'clock the party will be taken to the Westport high school, where Baron Kanda, head of the school of the nobility in Tokio, will make a short speech. Baron Kanda speaks English fluently and is a graduate of Amherst college. The address will be followed by a drive through Swope park and a stop at the Evanston Golf Club for a buffet luncheon.

After the luncheon the party will be driven through the city, up and down the principal streets, over the boulevards and through the leading parks.

The first place of interest to be visited will be the Bank of Commerce. This will be followed by an inspection of the Burnham-Munger overall factory. A drive to Kansas City, Kas., is next in order, where the party will be shown through the plant of the Kingman-Moore Implement Company. These will be the only places visited during the day.

While the men are being entertained by the members of the Commercial Club the five women in the party, Baroness Shibusawa, Baroness Kanda, Madame Midzuno, Madame Horikoshi and Madame Toki will not be forgotten. A committee composed of the wives of the Commercial Club directors and Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Clendening will entertain them. A visit to the Westport high school, a noon lunch at the Country Club and a tea at the home of Mrs. W. R. Nelson will be the events of the day which have been mapped out for the women.

DINNER AT THE BALTIMORE.

At 6:30 o'clock in the evening a dinner will be served to the men in the banquet room at the Baltimore hotel. At the same time a dinner will be given for the women in the Japanese room of the hotel. At the conclusion of their dinner the women will repair to the banquet room, where the entire party will listen to the addresses by David R. Frances, Senator William Warner, Baron Shibusawa and Baron Kanda. Judge Bland will act as toastmaster.

This will conclude the events of the day. The visitors will be taken back to their train, and will leave for Omaha, from where they will work west to San Francisco, from which port they will sail for Japan, November 30.

LEADING FINANCIER.

The Japanese arrived in Seattle from Japan September 1, and when they leave will have spent eighty-eight days in America, visited fifty-two cities, and traveled more than 11,000 miles. During this time they have visited plants and institutions representing nearly every American industry. Many of Kansas City's leading industries will not be visited, as the party has been to similar ones in other cities.

Baron Elighi Shibusawa, who is the head of the commission, is one of the leading men of Japan, being both a statesman and a financier. His individual efforts have raised the status of business men in this country. In 1873, Baron Shibusawa organized the first national bank in Japan under the capital stock system, and has been connected since with all leading banking institutions in Japan.

One Pullman dynamo car, a baggage car, a Pullman dining car, four ten-compartment sleepers, one twelve-section drawing room car and a six-compartment observation car comprise the equipment of the special train that will bring the Japanese to Kansas City over the Burlington railroad. The train will be in charge of W. A. Lalor, assistant general passenger agent for the Burlington at St. Louis.

Labels: banking, business, California, Commercial Club, Edwin Clendening, Evanston Golf Club, Hotel Baltimore, Judges, Kansas City Kas, Omaha, railroad, schools, Swope park, visitors, Westport

November 2, 1909

STILL THE RATS ARE THERE.

"Us Look Like Frumps?" Say Postal

Girls, "Guess Not."

"Come around tomorrow and see how many of us will wear our rats," said one of the pretty young women employes of the Postal Telegraph Company, as her eyes snapped and she nervously clutched at the stray hairs which insisted on finding their way down the sides of her face.

"Why, I just look horrible, and if A. B. R. or any other self constituted authority on the art of dressing a woman's hair imagines for a minute that h e is going to make me the laughing stock of all of the girls in the city, I am going to tell him right now that he is mistaken. He can fire me all right, but I guess I can get another job, because I know that my work has been and is satisfactory or I would have been fired long ago."

There is a rebellion in the hearts as well as the minds of the young women employes of the Postal Company. Several of the young women ignored the order that they were to l eave their rats at home and dressed their hair as usual. They were in trepidation for the greater part of the day that Mr. Richards of some one else would inquire as to what reason they could assign for failing to observe the order, but the inquiry did not come.

"Towards evening those of the girls who had dressed their hair without the usual "rats" and had been annoyed by the unusual headdress all day long, took courage. A council of war was held and although they would not declare that they would violate the order, the information was extended that "anyone with eyes could determine whether rats would be worn or not."

Labels: business, telegraph

October 3, 1909

LORD BERESFORD IS A

KANSAS CITY VISITOR.

FORMER BRITISH ADMIRAL

TRANSACTS BUSINESS HERE.

Meets Manager of Texas Ranches

and Clears Up Accumulated

Business Details -- Drives

Over City Boulevards.

LORD CHARLES BERESFORD.

Lord Charles Beresford, former admiral of the British navy, in company with his solicitor, Orlando Hammond of New York city, dropped into Kansas City from Chicago yesterday morning for a conference with Robert Moss, manager of the Texas and Mexico ranches Lord Beresford owns. Incidentally Lord Beresford received a check, the proceeds of a sale of 1,000 head of cattle which had been sold on the Kansas City market during the last week. The shipment was made from his ranch at Ojitos, Chihuahua, Mexico. Lord Beresford thought when he left Chicago that he might have to make a trip to his ranches to settle some business affairs, but last evening he said he would attend to all of his business in Kansas City.

He and Mr. Hammond were met yesterday morning by Robert Moss, his manager and the trio drove to the Hotel Baltimore, where they breakfasted. They were joined there by J. MacKenzie and T. J. Eamans, who took them for a ride over the boulevards and then for luncheon at the Country Club. Another ride followed and the party returned to the Hotel Baltimore, dust covered and hungry, about 6 p. m. Lord Beresford and Mr. Hammond will remain in the city until Monday evening.

ENJOYED THE PLAYGROUNDS.

"I have been in Kansas City before, but I have never had the pleasure of a trip over your boulevards and through your parks," said Lord Beresford, "until today. Even this morning I feared that I would not have the time to thoroughly enjoy it. I want to say that the ride was a surprise to me. I have been over many drives and boulevards but I cannot recall a city I have ever been in that the boulevards excel those of Kansas City.

"Next to the boulevards, I was impressed with the playgrounds. We drove to each of the playgrounds, and I was greatly interested in watching the children as they scampered about and enjoyed themselves with the swings and apparatus. In this your country is ahead of England. You have so much more room, though, than we have. Ground is so much more expensive in England than it is here, but England has taken the cue from America, and she has begun the establishment of these playgrounds.

MOST PLEASANT TRIP.

"I saw the site of the new depot and the plans were explained to me. I am surprised that Kansas City has gotten along as long as it has with that old excuse for one. You will no doubt appreciate the new one much more, as the contrast will be so great that you will forget all about the inconveniences of the old one.

"Your residence section, especially the newer sections, impressed me greatly. They are different than the sections in the East, where the houses are all crowded on little lots. They remind one more of the English country houses with their wide stretches of lawn and tree-bordered drives and boulevards Altogether I shall remember my trip about Kansas City as one of the most pleasant I have ever taken."

Labels: business, Chicago, England, Hotel Baltimore, New York, Union depot, union station, visitors

September 19, 1909

DO THINGS QUICKER HERE.

No More Pages, Clerks and Chief

Clerks for This Hollander.

"No more pages, clerks and chief clerks for us when we get back to Rotterdam," said C. W. Lucardie at the Hotel Baltimore yesterday afternoon. "I discovered how much quicker you Americans do business here than we do, that I am going to install that sort of a system in my house. In the Netherlands as well as in the greater part of Europe, when a salesman or customer desires to see the head of the firm, he has to pass through a line of several clerks and pages before it is possible. Meanwhile he loses from 15 minutes to half an hour of his time. In continental Europe the head of the house looks after the little things which here are put in the hands of clerks and hired men. As a result the head of the house here has plenty of time to talk business while in the old country it takes almost all of his time to look after his business.

"There is only one point in which the European merchant excels the American and that is in the cost of his help. In Europe the clerks all work from three to five hours longer than they do in this country.

"Rape seed is now one of the principal exports of Holland," continued Mr. Lucardie. "These seed was not thought much of until recently when its value as a quick growing feed for stock in the event of a drought or flood was brought to the attention of agriculturalists all over the world. Now over 2,000 tons a year are imported by the United States and the grass is grown in the North and Northwest. Good feeding grass can be grown in from three to four weeks."

Labels: business, Hotel Baltimore, visitors

September 8, 1909

CONSULAR AGENT OBJECTS

TO PENCIL WRITTEN NOTE.

Turns Down Clint Wilson, Who Was

Seeking Information, and

Gets Stinging Reply.

Clint Wilson's experience, with Charles D. Taylor, United Stated consular agent at Guaymas, Mexico, has not increased his respect for the consular service.

Mr. Wilson has several thousand dollars to invest. Some time ago he concluded to investigate the culture of the maguay plant, which is raised in Old Mexico and the extreme southern part of Arizona and New Mexico in the arid lands.

"Recently," said Mr. Wilson yesterday, "I was told that the maguay plant was being cultivated about Guaymas, Mex., and someone advised me to write to Consular Agent Taylor for full particulars."

He went on to say that he wrote hurriedly to Mr. Taylor on a piece of neat tablet paper, but wrote with a lead pencil. Yesterday he received the following reply from the consular agent:

"American Consular Agent, Guaymas, Mex., September 1, 1909.
Mr. Wilson -- Sir: Your pencil note of August 26 has had my notation. Judging from your use of a lead pencil, and the grade of paper you have selected, I imagine that the matter is of slight importance, therefore, I cannot give it the consideration which matters of importance would deserve. Would refer you to the publication, "Modern Mexico," published in New York City. Hurriedly, CHARLES D. TAYLOR, Consular Agent."

Later in the afternoon Mr. Wilson sought out the same tablet on which he had written his previous letter and penciled the following:

"Judging from the tone of your letter of September 1 you are unfit to represent an American citizen.

"Say, Taylor, the government pays for your paper, and, incidentally, I help pay your salary -- and for the paper, too. I had about concluded to lay your communication before our worthy president but will refrain from doing so until I hear from you again. I never knock unless I have to, but I am from Missouri and you'll have to show me.

"Will you kindly write on the subjects asked for in my last letter? And, say, don't let the quality of this paper or the lead pencil bother you or disturb your aesthetic equilibrium. It is the same kind of paper I used before and the same pencil -- only it has been sharpened. Don't let anything deter you from giving me a courteous reply.

"In closing, I wish to inform you that there are many good citizens of the United States who cannot afford monogram paper and a stenographer. But many of these good citizens have the coin and some of them have lots of it. Before going further in this matter I await a decent reply from you. I will not sign this "Hurriedly," as I am not in a hurry as you seem to have been. Respectfully, CLINT WILSON."

Mr. Wilson said he intended to place his money in the hands of the consular agent for investment, as the country's representative there.

Until a year ago Mr. Wilson was manager of the Majestic theater.

Labels: business, Mexico, theater

August 16, 1909

HUGH C. WARD DIES

IN NEW YORK CITY.

APOPLEXY FOLLOWED HEAT

PROSTRATION A MONTH AGO.

Mrs. Ward and Judge PHilips at His

Bedside -- With Family Was

Spending Summer at Bass

Rooks Point, Mass.

HUGH C. WARD.

Hugh C. Ward, one of the most prominent attorneys of Kansas City, and a member of a pioneer family of Western Missouri, died from a stroke of apoplexy in New York yesterday morning.

An attack of heat prostration which he suffered in Chicago a month ago was one of the causes which led up to the death of Mr. Ward. He had never fully recovered from this attack, although his condition had improved sufficiently to permit him to continue his journey to New York, accompanied by his wife. With Mr. Ward at his death were Mrs. Ward, Judge John F. Philips and several relatives.

WESTERN TRIP FATAL.

Mr. Ward had taken a cottage for the summer at Bass Rocks Point, near Gloucester, Mass., and he left for that place in June with Mrs. Ward and their four children. Business matters required the presence of Mr. Ward in Kansas City and he came home for a few days in July. He left again for his summer home on July 13, but became ill as a result of becoming overheated in Chicago.

Mrs. Ward was called to his bedside by telegraph, and after a week his physician pronounced him able to travel. Mrs. Ward and her mother, Mrs. J. C. James, started for the East with Mr. Ward, but it was found necessary to make a stop in New York where Mr. Ward was taken to a hospital and given the attention of some of the best specialists of the city.

SUDDEN CHANGE FOR THE WORSE.

His improvement was slow, but a telegram from Mrs. Ward to her father, J. C. James, on Tuesday announced that he was much better. A sudden change occurred, however, and at 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon Mr. James received a message that Mr. Ward had grown much worse. Mr. James left at once for New York.

The announcement of the death of Mr. Ward came in a telegram from L. T. James, Mrs. Ward's uncle, who landed in New York yesterday morning from a European trip.

The funeral services and interment will occur in Kansas City, the details for these to be arranged as soon as Mr. James reaches New york.

In addition to his wife and the children, Hugh Campbell, Jr., James Crawford, Francis and John Harris, Mr. Ward is survived by his mother, the widow of Seth E. Ward, and his brother, John E. Ward.

LEGISLATION AND POLITICS.

Hugh C. Ward was born March 10, 1864 at Westport. His parents were Seth and Mary Frances Ward. Hugh was reared on the farm and received his elementary education at a private school in Westport and his collegiate education at William Jewell Collete, Liberty, Mo., and at Harvard University. He was graduated with honors from Harvard, a bachelor of arts, in 1886. He then entered the St. Louis Law School and in June, 1888, received his diploma. He then was admitted to the bar in Kansas City.

In recognition of his ability as a lawyer came in 1894 his appointment as receiver for the John J. Mastin & Co., banking business, on dissolution of partnership. The property involved consisted mostly of real estate, and amounted to more than $3,000,000.

Aside from his profession Mr. Ward was known in business circles as a director of the National Bank of Commerce, Commerce Trust Company, Kansas City Railway and Light Company, and of the Kansas City Home Telephone Company.

He was long influential in Democratic circles, and in 1892 was elected to the state legislature where he did much work in connection with constructive measures.

In case preparation Mr. Ward was known as thorough and exhaustive, and in presentation before a judge or jury clear and vigorous in expression, and intensely earnest.

As a politician he was equally successful and well known. In the legislature in 1892 besides being made vice chairman of the judiciary committee, he was appointed chairman of the committtee on conditional amendments.

In 1898 he was appoointed police commissioner by Governor Stephens, who also made Mr. Ward a member of his staff, and placed in his hands the organization of the Missouri National Guard. He resigned as police commissionier and retired from politics in 1902.

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SIDE.

Mr. Ward was a member of the Society of Colonial Wars, deriving his eligibility through the lineal descent from Seth Ward, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. H e was also a member of the Elks lodge, the Country Club, the Commercial Club, the Harvard Club of the Southwest and the American Bar Association.

Mr. Ward was married October 26, 1898, to Miss Vassie James, a graduate of Vassar college and a daughter of J. Crawford James.

One of Mr. Ward's last acts was to give $25,000 to the Young Women's Christian Association of Kansas City.

Labels: attorney, banking, business, death, Judge Philips, Liberty, New York, politics, universities, Westport, YWCA

May 30, 1909

NEBRASKA CLOTHING CO. SOLD.

A. L. Askanas Purchases Control of

This Well Known Firm.

The Nebraska Clothing Company, for many years located at 1113-1115 Main street, are retiring from Kansas City and have disposed of their interest to Mr. A. L. Askanas, who has been associated with this firm as a stockholder and resident manager for the past sixteen years. This business will be conducted in the future under the name of the Askanas Clothing Company.

The lease covering the building at 1125 Main street, now occupied by the Kline Cloak and Suit Co., has been transferred to the Askanas Clothing Co., and the building at 1113-1115 Main street has been transferred to the Kline Cloak and Suit Co.

As will be announced in a few days, the stock now at 1113-1115 Main street will be entirely closed out at this location, and the new firm will open with a complete new stock for fall, on or about Sept. 1 at 1125 Main street.

W. N. Dixon, who has been with the old firm for a number of years, will be retained in his present position as advertising manager.

Labels: business, clothing, Main street, real estate

May 18, 1909

WIVES AS TRUST BUSTERS.

Two Refuse to Sign Deeds, and Pre-

vent $550,000 Merger of St.

Joseph Master Bakers.

ST. JOSEPH, MO., May 17. -- The wives of two master bakers assumed the role of real trust busters today, and refused to sign deeds for the merger of their properties into a bakers' combine.

The company was to have been capitalized at $550,000. There was to have been $200,000 in preferred stock, and the rest in common stock, and the properties were to have been bonded for $150,000.

Five plants were to have been run the same as they are now, and present owners were to have been managers of their respective plants. Each manager was to hold an office in the company.

Max Oschley and G. Coblenz of Kansas City, and H. T. Westerman of St. Louis, were the promoters. It all looked fine on paper, and the deal seemed in a fair way to go through. Then came an unexpected obstacle. The wives called a halt.

As one of them said:

"I don't propose that my husband shall work for anyone else. He is his own boss now, and he will stay so so long as I have anything to say about it."

Labels: bakers, business, St.Joseph, women

May 13, 1909

JOHN HAYES ENJOINED IN

SUIT BY FORMER PARTNER.

F. H. Tillotson Would Restrain the

Former Police Chief From Selling

Detective Agency Stock.

Freeman H. Tillotson brought an injunction suit in the circuit court yesterday against John Hayes and John B. Hayes, Jr., to restrain them from selling, voting or transferring twenty-four shares in the Hayes-Tillotson Detective Agency. The plaintiff says that on June 18, 1908, he transferred the stock in question to Hayes, without consideration. Now he asks the court to give him back the stock and to restrain the Hayeses from disposing of it.

"Tillotson was invited to quit the agency May 1," said John G. Schaich, his attorney. "He is bringing this suit to recover his stock in the concern."

Labels: business, circuit court, detectives, Police Chief Hayes

April 25, 1909

PRESIDENT STILWELL

RETURNS FROM MEXICO.

With English Stockholders, He Paid

a Visit to President Diaz -- Good

Progress Being Made.

A. E. Stilwell, promoter and president of the Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Railway, returned to Kansas City yesterday after a trip over the right of way of the Orient and a visit to President Diaz with his party of English capitalists. The party arrived at the Union depot at 6 o'clock last night over the M. K. & T. in a special train.

"There is nothing much to say," said Mr. Stilwell last night. "We went over the Orient and found things progressing as always. The result of our interview with President Diaz had no unusual features. We made a purely social call upon him and received his congratulations upon the progress we have made."

H. J. Chinnery, one of the English financiers and a heavy investor in Mr. Stilwell's railway, was enthusiastic.

"We are more than ever delighted with the prospect," said he. "The reception accorded us at the hands of the president of the Mexican republic has given us encouragement far greater than we ever contemplated. It seems as if there is nothing in Mexico that Mr. Stilwell cannot have if he will ask for it. Our faith and confidence in that gentleman's ability as a railroad promoter and builder is only exceeded by that of Diaz.

"He gave us ever assurance of encouragement and help from the republic. Already he has done much to aid the road by using his influence in our behalf. The idea of a direct line of railroad from New York to Mexico and the gulf is not only a future possibility, but a reality, and the future is not a great way off.

"The work on the road between Sweetwater and San Angelo is already well under way and will be completed by September. This extension will connect Kansas City direct with one of the richest countries in America. It is hard to believe that any better or more fertile soil exists anywhere than in the territory of San Angelo. Most of the early vegetables, strawberries and fruits come from this section, and the completion of the track between San Angelo and Sweetwater means considerable difference in freight rates and time by a cut of more than 100 miles, it being necessary now to come up by way of Fort Worth, Tex."

After dinner at the Hotel Baltimore last night Mr. Stilwell, Mr. Chinnery and Mr. Hurdle left for Wichita, Kas., to look over terminal possibilities. The party will then go to Boston for a conference with Eastern investors, when the Englishmen will return to Europe.

Labels: Arthur Stilwell, Boston, business, Hotel Baltimore, hotels, Mexico, railroad, visitors, Wichita

April 17, 1909

SOUGHT HEALTH IN MEXICO.

Ingalsbee Found It and Incidentally
Made a Fortune.

Twenty years ago a young man, A. B. Ingalsbee, went to the City of Mexico as a representative of a furniture company of Chicago. Primarily he was in search of a climate that would benefit his health. He introduced into Mexico the first school desks of United States manufacture ever sold there. Today he has accumulated a snug fortune as president of one of the largest real estate companies of the Southern republic.

"My success is nothing to brag of," said Mr. Ingalsbee at the Baltimore hotel yesterday. He is just returning from a busines and pleasure trip to New York city.

"I went to the City of Mexico a clerk, but you must remember that the country has grown some under Diaz's administration.

"Why, when I went, there wasn't but one plate glass window on San Francisco street, the principal business street of the city. Now, of course, that street looks like any other big business thoroughfare."

"How does the growth of the Mexican capital compare with that of Kansas City?" Mr. Ingersoll was asked.

"Oh, about the same," he replied. "There aren't any vacant residence buildings to speak of in either city. I think, in the City of Mexico there are even fewer empty store buildings than here.

"You will find in Mexico," he continued, "an up-to-the-minute country where you don't have to know the language to succeed. Where you always get an even break before the law, and where you will enjoy society just as select as that of any American or European city.

Labels: business, Chicago, Mexico, visitors

April 10, 1909

CHARLES C. YOST DIES

AFTER BRIEF ILLNESS.

FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE

HELD SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

Was Prominent Politician and Busi-

ness Man and Member of Many

Orders -- Had Lived in Kansas

City Thirty-Seven Years.

CHARLES C. YOST.

Charles C. Yost, prominent Republican politician and partner in the Smith-Yost Pie Company, died last night at his home, 3032 Park avenue, after an illness of a week. His trouble was inflammation of the brain.

Mr. Yost was born 47 years ago in Rochester, Ind. Charles was only 10 years old when his parents brought him to Kansas City. He received a common school education and graduated from the Kansas City High school at the age of 16 years. He was only 19 years old when he became a clerk in a grocery store, a position which he held for two years and a half. At the end of that time he had accumulated enough money to go into the grocery business with L. M. Berkeley as a partner. Unfortunately, during the boom years of 1885-6-7 the firm invested heavily in real estate and went down with a large number of other business houses when the boom burst. The partnership made an assignment.

It wasn't long, however, before Mr. Yost was on his feet again. He organized the Yost Grocery Company and operated it for four years, selling out in 1894. After that he became the owner of a novel concern called Yost's Market. A short time later he went into the business of manufacturing pies, and rapidly built up his business. In 1902 he consolidated his interests with those of Howard Smith.

Mr. Yost was an ardent Republican all his life. He was appointed city assessor by Mayor Webster Davis in 1895, and reappointed for two terms by Mayor Jones. He was chairman of the Republican county committee for several years and a member of many republican clubs.

He was married to Miss Hattie M. Beedle of Johnson county, Kas., in 1883. Six children survive. They are Leroy, Charles, Joseph, Mrs. Pearl Yost Dietrich, Miss Nina and Miss Jeannette. All of them live in this city.

Mr. Yost was a mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World, Order of American Mechanics and several other societies.

Funeral services will b e held from the home Sunday at 3:30 p. m. The Rev. E. C. Smith, pastor of the Linwood Methodist church, will officiate. Burial will be in Mount Washington.

Labels: business, churches, death, food, Funeral, grocers, Johnson county, lodges, ministers, Mt. Washington, Park avenue, politics, real estate

April 9, 1909

BUSCH INSPECTS PROPERTY.

St. Louis Brewer Looks Over Com-

pany's Holdings in Kansas City.

Adolphus Busch, president and principal stockholder of the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company, of St. Louis, passed through Kansas City yesterday in his private car on his way to St. Louis from his winter home, Ivy Wall, in Pasadena, Cal. The party arrived at 4:30 o'clock in the afternoon over the Santa Fe, and departed at 9 o'clock last night on the Burlington for St. Louis.

Mr. Busch took advantage of the wait in Kansas City to look over some of the property holdings of the company in this city, the erection of two new buildings being contemplated. With him on the drive over Kansas City were his son, Augustus Busch, who came from St. Louis yesterday to meet his father; Julius Bachman, local representative of the company; J. C. Harvey and Carl Conrad, Mr. Busch's private secretary and chief adviser.

Members of the Busch party from California were: Mrs. Musch, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Faust and F. Widmann. Mr. Widmann is the architect of the company.

Labels: alcohol, business, California, railroad, St Louis, visitors

March 17, 1909

SUGAR CREEK WORKMEN.

Are Afraid the Refinery Is Going to

Close Up.

JEFFERSON CITY, March 16. -- There was never a more pathetic little delegation called upon any governor than tonight called upon Mr. Hadley. It was made up of workmen from the Sugar Creek district who have been building homes near the oil refinery.

In it were Frank Woodward, George V. Hackett, W. H. Harvey, B. F. Karkin and Edward Linn. The delegation called first on Representative N. R. Holcomb, who made an appointment for a meeting with the governor.

"We are all working men, governor," said Harvey, "and we have started to build homes for our families. The plasterers are ready to go to work in some of our houses. We have been told that the oil works are to be closed and that every one of us will be thrown out of work and our homes destroyed. Is it true?"

"I can not tell you what will be the ultimate outcome in law, but I can tell you that I do not think you need lose any sleep over your work or your homes," said the governor.

"How long will it take to get a final decision?" Woodward asked.

"It will take several months to get the case on the supreme court docket, and then six or nine months to get it argued," the governor answered. "When it is all done, I think the refinery will still be running. You are, like many others, laboring under a misapprehension. The decision of the court puts the Standard Oil Company out of the state, but it does not put the Sugar Creek refinery out of the state," the governor concluded.

Labels: business, Herbert Hadley, Jefferson City, Sugar Creek

March 6, 1909

EXPORTERS OF WALNUT LOGS.

Rates Were Excessive to European

Points, Says Penrod Co.

Some interesting facts about Kansas City as an export center may be found in a suit filed yesterday in the circuit court. The Penrod Walnut and Veneer Company is asking $293.00 from the Kansas City Southern railway, alleged to represent freight overcharges on export shipments of walnut lumber. The lumber was shipped last summer, four cars going to Manchester, England; two cars to St. Petersburg; one to Belfast, Ireland, and one to Glasgow, Scotland. It is alleged by the Penrod company that the rates were quoted as follows: To Manchester, 36 1/2 cents; St. Petersburg, 43 1/2 cents; Belfast, 37 1/2 cents, and Glasgow, 38 1/2 cents. More than the rates mentioned were charged, asserts the Penrod company.

Labels: business, circuit court, England, Kansas City Southern, Lawsuit, railroad

December 19, 1908

SPALDING'S 43 YEARS OLD.

Commercial College Celebrates Its

Long Period of Success Here.

In the presence of an audience of over 600, exercises were held at the auditorium of Spalding's Business college last night commemorating its forty-third anniversary. This institution was started in 1865 by James F. Spalding. A small room at Second and Main streets was sufficiently large for the seven pupils he then had. One of these, Bernard L. Ganz, is still living. Since that time, over 23,000 young people have entered the college, of whom more than 4,000 are in business or in positions in Kansas City.

In introducing the programme last night, Mr. Spalding, still president of that college, said: "I am very glad to state that the present school year is prosperous; that the attendance is larger than ever before. I am equally as happy to say that many new additions and valuable improvements have been made to the course of study in order to more fully meet the ever increasing and exacting demands of the business world, and thus put our graduates in better condition to cope with them. The grade of our scholarship has been advanced. The demand for our graduates is often far in excess of the supply, yet we deem it necessary to fully equip a student for any emergency before sending him or her out. Another note of gratification to me is that in the college now are many students whose parents before them attended the Spalding school."

A most excellent musical programme and an address by Professor J. M. Greenwood constituted the set programme. In the musical numbers were piano solos by Miss Adeline Nentwig and Miss Clara Blakeslee; vocal solo by Miss Hazel Kirk, with violin obligato by Dale Hartmann; cornet solo by Walter M. Eby, and violin solo by Miss Phebe Brooks. Besides these, there were readings by Miss Maude Edris Speer and Everett Elliott.

As souvenirs of the occasion the college distributed booklets containing half tone views of the school, also fifty-two views of the prominent buildings and places of the city. An edition of 50,000 of these booklets has been printed in the college's own printing office.

Labels: business, Main street, music, schools, Second street, Spaldings college, Superintendent Greenwood

December 17, 1908

LAST OF AN AIRSHIP DREAM.

Suit Is Filed for Non-Compliance

With Anti-Trust Laws.

Dreams of airship fame and their crumbling may be read between the lines of a suit filed yesterday in the circuit court against the Shultz Airship Manufacturing Company. It is a perfunctory matter, in no wise different from the 405 others which were brought against Missouri corporations which have failed to make anti-trust affidavits to the secretary of state.

The Shultz airship was the creation of George D. Shultz, an insurance man, who now lives in Independence. At the time of the company's incorporation his residence was Westport. His flying machine was the first attempt in this part of the country to solve the problem of heavier-than-air machines, a type which does not depend upon a balloon to give it buoyancy.

In the company were also Frank Pelletier of the company bearing his name and J. M. Cleary, attorney, who drew the papers. There were others, too, but their names have been forgotten.

Shultz worked for a long time on his airship, but when it was nearly completed two of the men who had supplied a large part of the funds and were looked towards for more, died. No more money being available, the project had to be left as it was.

It was in 1903 that the company was formed. Since the funds ran out it has practically ceased to exist. So there is little matter, say some of the incorporators, if the state declares forfeited a charter which now is of no value.

"There were a number of inquiries for the machine when it was announced that it was building," said one of the incorporation yesterday. "Had it been completed and turned out all right, the honor of imitating the bird's flight would have brought fame to Kansas City and Shultz, not to the Wrights and Delagrange, Ohio and France.

Labels: airships, business, circuit court, history, Independence, inventors, Westport

December 16, 1908

PLANNING A NEW SKYSCRAPER.

Business Building May Be Erected

West of Shubert Theater.

On Baltimore avenue between Tenth and Eleventh streets, just south of the Dwight building, Leo N. Leslie and others will erect a ten-story fireproof building. Work will be started by the last of December. The building will be constructed at a cost of $150,000 and will be of cut stone for the first two floors and the remainder will be brick. It is contemplated to have completed the building by July 1, 1909.

It is the plan of the builders to so construct the building as to rent entire floors. The frontage will be thirty-seven, with a depth of 175 feet.

Nonresident capitalists are seeking to bargain with W. A. Rule on his own behalf and Mr. Leslie's for the erection of a large business building just west of the Shubert theater. Mr. Rule said yesterday that it was almost a certainty that the building would be erected, though as to exact nature he was not sure. It had been circulated among real estate and architectural circles that the building would be a hotel. This Mr. Rule positively denied. All of the capital, about $150,000, invested would be foreign and would bring in more revenue to Kansas City.

Martin Lehman stated yesterday that he had not settled upon any plans submitted for the new theater which the Orpheum Company will erect on the lot recently purchased at Eleventh and Central streets. It was given out that a theater to cost $350,000 would be erected there and work would be started upon it as soon as the plans were finally selected. At the present it is not the plan of the Orpheum to have any office space in the theater, but devote the whole building to the operation of the stage and seating of the audience.

"Taking it all in all," said Mr. Leslie yesterday afternoon, "it begins to look like the West Side is far from dead. Within the past three weeks movements have been started which tend to improve the site wonderfully. That district will remain important as long as Kansas City exists. It is just at the edge of the wholesale district and at the edge of the retail district. We consider it a very profitable holding and will do our best to keep its value up."

Labels: Baltimore avenue, business, Eleventh street, real estate, Tenth street, theater

November 6, 1908

BUSINESS MEN ARE

CONFIDENT OF FUTURE.

TAFT'S ELECTION MEANS BRISK

TIMES AGAIN, THEY SAY.

Already Business Is Beginning to

Strike Its Old Gait -- Big

Orders, and Plenty

of Them.

Business men in Kansas City feel confident that the election of Taft as president means an increase in their profits by the end of the year. Some of the larger business houses have had heavy orders for their goods, subject to the election of the Republican candidate. While some houses have received such orders ot hers have felt the unrest due to the election by the falling off of orders. Many of the large wholesale houses handling commodities such as groceries, boots, shoes and dry goods said that the result of the election would not have affected their trade one way or the other.

Rollins M. Hockaday of the Burnham-Hanna Dry Goods Company said that the election of Taft would give trade confidence, and that he had reason to believe that there would be a general wave of prosperity following the late election. "Business has been very good, and with the restoring of confidence I expect to see a large increase," he said. "There is no doubt that the election of Mr. Taft will mean that the entire country will forge ahead and that business of all kinds will push along. While the election of Mr. Bryan might not have caused hard times it would have retarded business to a certain degree."

The greatest activity shown by any line of business since the election of Mr. Taft has been in the iron and steel industry. Reports from the mills in the East are to the effect that numerous orders which have been hanging fire for the last few months are being filled. Charles E. Faeth of the Faeth Iron Company said that his company felt that the election of Mr. Taft meant a future prosperity in the country. He said that numerous concerns had held back in their business fearful of the outcome and that they would now forge ahead.

Colonel John Conover of the Richards-Conover Hardware Company was jubilant yesterday over the election of Mr. Taft because he believed that it meant a continuance of the prosperous condition of the country. He said the business men believe that the policies which have governed the country the last years spells large dividends.

Labels: business, President Taft

October 14, 1908

DISASTROUS FIRE IN

BONNER SPRINGS.

THREE BUSINESS BLOCKS BURN,
LOSS $125,000.

Origin of Fire is Not Know -- Rest of

City Is Saved by Inhabitants

Carrying Water From

the River.

The frantic honking of an automobile driven by 17-year-old Robert Waters, accompanied by his shouts of "fire" awakened the people of Bonner Springs to an appreciation of the fact that flames were eating away the business section of that city early yesterday morning.

The blaze, due, it is thought, to spontaneous combustion in the rear of the Kelley & Pettit drug store on Oak street, was first noticed by Isaac Milstead, a laborer. Backed by a mighty northern wind that carried a rain of sparks to the roofs of neighboring buildings, it spread rapidly and soon two entire business blocks were involved.

It was at this moment that the Waters boy heard the cries of Milstead and alarmed the town. In twenty minutes perhaps a thousand men, women, and children, in the absence of any fire-fighting facilities, were carrying buckets of water from the Kaw river to Oak street.

Many of the impromptu fire fighters were only partially dressed, and the morning air was sharp. The first attempt to get outside aid was made at 4:45 o'clock, a half hour after the blaze was noticed. Then the workmen of the Bonner Portland Cement Company's plant, situated four miles from the city on the electric line, were notified to board special street cars furnished for them and come with all haste.

ASKED CITY FOR HELP.

The idea was then to blow up some of the houses ahead of the fire or tear them down so as to keep it within the section it had already claimed. An attempt to blow up the Kuhn building, near Second street, was given over, as the flames beat the workmen there, so Kansas City, Kas., was telephoned for fire apparatus and all the companies it could spare.

Meanwhile men and women had organized a system in their maneuvers. The banks of the Kaw are steep at this point. Certain men were detailed to be dippers at the margin, while others handed the laden buckets to each other until they could be grasped and carried away. It was a lively scene and the energy displayed had a decided effect.

When, after repeated delays, No. 1 fire company from Kansas City, Kas, arrived on a special train, heroic treatment had done its work and only a smouldering three blocks of business houses were left on which to play the hose.

The loss in yesterday's fire is variously estimated by the local insurance agents. The best authorities place it at between $100,000 and $125,000. The insurance amounted to a little over $61,000 in all eleven companies.

SOME OF THE BUILDINGS LOST.

The buildings lost in the fire were: B. L. Swofford's dry goods store, loss $15,000, insurance $6,500; Waters & Frisbee building, loss $7,000, insurance $4,000; Walwer & Kirby stock, loss $300; Farmers' State bank, loss $300.

Dr. E. P. Skaggs, dentist: loss, $1,500; insurance, $500.
Knights of Pythias lodge: loss $200.
L. G. Frisbie, frame building: loss $2,000.
Hall & Fletcher, meat market: loss $1,500.
Edwin Page, pool hall: loss $1,000; insurance $200.
John Klem, frame building: loss $900.
Opera House block, Brant Adams, Olathe, Kas., owner: loss on building, $6,000, on contents not known.
Baxter & Kay Grocery Company, loss $2,000; insurance $1,500.
Mrs. Lia Dunn, restaurant: loss $700.
Kelley & Pruitt, hardware and drugs: loss $7,500; insurance $3,500.

Labels: Bonner Springs, business, Fire, Kansas City Kas, Kaw river, Olathe, railroad, retailers

September 18, 1908

ELI W. FISH, MERCHANT, DIES.

Was in Business on Grand Avenue for

Forty Years.

Eli W. Fish, who, since 1867 until last year, conducted his feed and grain business at 1418 Grand avenue, died yesterday afternoon at his home, 3228 Euclid avenue, after an illness of over a year.

Mr. Fish was born in Bedford, Ind., in 1843 and passed his youth on a farm. He was one of sixteen children, many of whom are still living. At the age of 18 years, in 1861, the young man joined the Eighteenth Indiana infantry and marched away to war. He fought in many engagements and afterwards transferred to the Fourth Indiana cavalry.

After four years of service he was mustered out and returned to Bedford to marry a girl from his native town. He then moved to Des Moines, Ia., and engaged in the gain and feed business, but in 1867 moved to this city and took up his quarters where his business stood for the next forty years. The sign which he had displayed, a large fish, is known to many residents of the city. For many year she lived in the rooms above his place of business on Grand avenue, but several years ago he moved into the south side.

Mrs. Fish died seven years ago. A daughter, Mrs. Clint Schley, lives at 3228 Euclid avenue, where Mr. Fish had made his home for several years. A son, Philip C. fish, an electrician, also lives in this city. Mr. Fish was a Republican in politics and was a candidate for the office of county marshal in 1894.

The funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the home. Burial will be in Forest Hill cemetery.

Labels: business, cemetery, Civil War, death, Des Moines, Euclid avenue, Grand avenue, veterans

September 15, 1908

THEY WOULD LIGHT ELEVENTH.

Business Men Make Plans From Bal-

timore to McGee.

If the plans of the men representing the business houses on Eleventh street, between McGee street and Baltimore avenue, materialize, Eleveth street within those limits will be the mo st artistically lighted street in Kansas City. A committee of six of these business men met at the Hotel Baltimore last night and discussed the plans. They will meet again next Monday at 12:15 o'clock at the Hotel Baltimore when plans and bids will be submitted.

There being an absence of poles on Eleventh street, a different plan from that which obtains in other districts is necessitated. The committee is unanimous in the belief that there must be a uniformity in the lighting of htis street, and that the lights must be artistic. From the discussion last night it is probable that a combined light and pole will be secured at a cost of not less than $50 each. It is estimated that there should be no fewer than three lights on each side of the street.

These men were in the conference last night: C. C. Peters of Emery, Bird, Thayer & Co.,; H. C. Lambert, president of the German-American bank; D. M. Bone, secretary of the Business Mens's League; C. M. Boley, John D. Howe, secretary and treasurer of the Robert Keith Furniture Company, and J. W. Wagner.

Labels: Baltimore avenue, business, Eleventh street, Hotel Baltimore, hotels, public works

September 4, 1908

LIGHTS READY OCTOBER 1.

Merchants Will Pay for Extra Street

Illumination.

Lights and ornamental brackets to be used in the downtown street lighting projet have been selected, and the contract awarded to the Loewer Wire and Iron Company. The company was the lowest bidder and offered to furnish 325 bent iron brackets, place them on the trolley poles and wire them for $6 each. The lights will be ready for the merchants to use by October 1.

Letters were sent out yesterday to merchants on each block in the illuminating district, asking them to collect the money from the merchants on their block to pay for the lights. C. N. Boley, president of the Business Men's League, is attending to the collection from merchants.

Labels: business, public works

August 24, 1908

MAKES CITY LIFE

LOOK COOL.

Prest Foundry at Sheffield, Hot, but

Interesting Place.

While the average Kansas Cityan who has had to stay at home this summer is complaining of the heat, it would make their lot much easier to bear if they should visit a foundry where the furnaces are being manufactured which are intended to heat their homes during the winter months. To see the perspiring foundrymen running here and there with great ladles of molten iron would make the office man feel that his lot had been cast in pleasant places.

The Prest Heating Company's plant at Sheffield is a busy place these days, trying to keep ahead of their orders for furnaces and furnace fittings.

"This has been the best year we have ever had," said Mr. John R. Ranson, president of the company. "This, we think, is not only due to the superiority of our goods, but to the fact that the patriotic people of this section want factories and they believe the way to build factories is to patronize them." This firm in addition to manufacturing and installing furnaces makes high grade commercial casting in any quality.

Labels: business, sheffield

August 24, 1908

JAMES YATES DIES SUDDENLY.

An Hour Before the End He Was

Walking About House.

James Yates, 68 years old, president of the Yates Ice Company for many years, died yesterday at his home, Thirty-seventh and Summit streets. Mr. Yates was born in New York and attended college at Schenectady, N. Y., graduating in 1863. He took no part in the civil war, but was engaged in the railroad business for several years and then moved to Atchison, Kas.

Mr. Yates came to this city twenty-two years ago and founded a natural ice company, which eventually supplied most of the ice for the city. He was also the founder of the company now known as the Stewart-Peck Sand Company. Three years ago he organized the Economic Asphalt Company, but last year he sold out his interests in all of his companies, saying that he intended to do nothing but enjoy the rest of his life. Death was due to heart failure, superinduced by liver complaint. Only an hour before he died Mr. Yates was walking around the house.

No children are living, but a widow survives. A brother, Charles Yates, lives in Lincoln, Neb. The funeral arrangements have not been made.

Labels: business, death, ice, New York, Summit street, Thirty-seventh street

April 19, 1908

NEW SUGAR CANE HARVESTER.

The Cockrell Company Has Trans-

ferred Its Offices to Kansas City.

The Cockrell Harvesting Company, Ltd., of New Orleans, Louisiana, has transferred its offices from that city to Kansas City and are located permanently in the new Commerce building.

This company controls the patent rights to the first mechanical sugar cane harvester ever built and are at present building the first allotment of these machines for the coming harvest of sugar cane in the South.

F. M. Cockrell, Jr., who is president of the company and inventor of the machine, is a son of Francis M. Cockrell, former United states senator from Missouri and at present a member of the United States interstate commerce commission. E. J. Finneran, a well known newspaperman, is general manager of the company.

Labels: business, Commerce building, inventors, New Orleans

April 12, 1908

AN EVENING PAPER QUITS.

The Kansas City World, Established

in 1894, Goes Out of Existence.

The Kansas City World, an evening newspaper owned by Edward W. Scripps and J. G. Scripps, announced in its issue yesterday that it had decided to quit business. The office force was discharged one week ago. It had been known for some time that the paper was gradually going out of business. Several months ago the United Press Association office was removed from Kansas City to St. Louis. The press association is owned by the same people who controlled the World. It is said that about $400,000 was spent on the paper.

The World was established January 11, 1894, by what was known as the World Newspaper Company, with L. V. Ashbaugh and Nain Grute as the principal stockholders. Mr. Grute was the first managing editor, and the paper, an eight-page, eight-column sheet, was edited and published at 815 Walnut street. In 1895 Bernard Corrigan and Dr. W. S. Woods secured controlling interest and the late Arthur Grissom became managing editor. On January 5, 1897, the Scripps-McRae League acquired the plant and made the World one of its string of newspapers. Arthur M. Hopkins was the managing editor. Shortly after the new owners assumed control, the building now occupied by the World was erected at 1116-1118 Oak street and the plant moved there.

Some years later the control of the plant passed into the Clover Leaf League of papers, which company published it for about one year, when it was again taken by E. W. Scripps and his son, J. G. Scripps, on January 5, 1907.

Labels: business, Dr. W. S. Woods, newspapers, Oak street, Walnut Street