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

October 14, 1909

WELL-KNOWN SPORTSMAN DIES.

Frank J. Smith Was President of

Kansas City Gun Club.

Kansas City lost one of its oldest and best known sportsmen yesterday afternoon when Frank J. Smith, president of the Kansas City Gun Club, and also president of the Missouri State Fish and Game Protective Association, died at 12:55 of pulmonary congestion, at his home, 811 Troost avenue. Besides heading these two organizations he was an enthusiastic member of the Belt Line Gun Club and Missouri River Gun Club.

He leaves his wife, two daughters and a son. They are: Mrs. G. W. Baehr of 824 Schaefer avenue, Mrs. S. G. Parke of 2508 Chestnut avenue and Frank J. Smith, Jr., of St. Louis. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Burial will be in Forest Hill cemetery.

Born in Germany sixty-eight years ago, Mr. Smith came to this country when he was a young man and first settled at Troy, Pa. Later he came to Kansas City where he has lived for forty-four years.

Probably no other person has been so thoroughly identified with the sport of hunting in this vicinity. Sport for sport's sake was the motive that led him in his enthusiasm and he was among the first to agitate for better fish and game laws in this state. Nearly every winter he went down to the Gulf of Mexico to shoot duck and never missed attending a state shooting tournament. At the traps he was considered an expert.

Labels: death, fishing, hunting, immigrants, Troost avenue

September 27, 1909

BOY FLOATED SIX BLOCKS.

Miraculous Escape From Drowning

by Harry Palmer.

Harry Palmer, a nine year old Argentine boy, yesterday had almost a miraculous escape from death by drowning in the Kaw river near that city. while fishing with a number of companions near the foot of Olive street the boy dropped his pole into the water. In an effort to regain it he lost his balance and fell into the river. The current at this point is very swift and although the boy was unable to swim he was carried out into the middle of the river, while his frightened companions stood screaming on the bank. In his fall the boy had graspsed at his fishing pole and succeeded in catching the line. His struggles in the water wrapped this line again and again about his body.

The screams of the women and children who witnessed the accident, attracted the attention of Sam Taddler, a grocer's clerk, who lives at 230 Mulberry street, Argentine, and also George Brown, a laborer. These boys were standing near the river about two hundred yards below the Twelfth street bridge. As the boy was seen coming down the river, the rescuers threw off their clothes and sprang into the water. Taddler succeeded in reaching the boy, who was lying on his back and struggling with the current. He was carried to the bank and, almost unconscious, was removed to the home of his father, Dudley Palmer, an employe of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, who lives at 225 South Olive street, Argentine. A physician was summoned and at a late hour last night the boy had apparently recovered from the effects of the accident. When asked how he managed to stay above the water, he answered:

"I just shut my eyes and mouth and kicked my feet and worked my elbows."

It is estimated that the boy was carried at least six blocks down the river from where he entered it.

Labels: accident, Argentine, children, fishing, Kaw river, laborer, laborers

July 17, 1909

BOY DROWNS IN POND;

EFFORT TO SAVE VAIN.

BODY OF 9-YEAR-OLD STARR

ALLISON YET UNRECOVERED.

Playmate, in Swimming With the

Younger Lad, Makes Heroic

Struggle to Rescue Him, but

Becomes Exhausted.

Starr Allison, the 9-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Allison, 3532 Windsor avenue, was drowned about 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon in a slough immediately west of the entrance to the Milwaukee bridge on the Missouri river.

Clyde Perkins, 13 years old, made a most heroic effort to save his playmate. Twice he was dragged beneath the eddying waters, but becoming exhausted himself, he was forced to release his grasp on the drowning lad to save his own life. The drowned boy's body has not yet been found. Young Perkins is a stepson of K. L. Perkins, a druggist at 3600 St. John avenue.

W. H. Jackson, 3011 East Twenty-third street, was fishing about 100 yards south of where the boys were swimming. Hearing repeated cries for help he looked toward the slough and saw Perkins struggling in the eddy with his little friend. Perkins is said to be an excellent swimmer for a boy his age.

"The Perkins boy was holding to the Allison boy, and at the same time trying to master the swiftly rushing eddy and get his companion to a place of safety," said Jackson. "I believe it was he who made the outcry. While running along the steep embankment of the railroad to get near enough to go in I saw the boys sink twice. The next I saw, Perkins was alone swimming toward the bank just beneath the bridge."

The Perkins boy, after gallant fight to save a human life, was almost exhausted when he reached the bank. Johnson supported him until he was rested. He had swallowed a quantity of water. After a time the two secured little Starr's clothing, and, realizing what the shock would be to the mother, left them with a neighbor next door.

J. L. Allison, father of the drowned boy, is connected with the Allison-Richey Land Company at the Union depot.

"Star went down to Kanoky, as the boys call the place, with some other boys the other day and they all went bathing in the shallow pond," Mr. Allison said. "He was greatly delighted over the new venture, but his mother and I cautioned them.

"This morning when he asked to go down there again with Clyde, his mother refused her consent until he had secured mine. He called me up at my office, but I was out. He begged his mother until she consented after he had promised not to go in the water. We understand the Perkins boy told Starr to stay out, and he certainly made an effort to save our boy."

"Star wanted to go in when we got there," said Clyde Perkins, "but I would not let him. After a short time he went behind some tall weeds and the next I saw he was in the water. Then I told him to stay close to the bank, where it was shallow. While swimming later I saw him wading out from the bank. There is a step off, made by the eddy, and he went down. Then I swam and caught hold of him.

"He was excited and struggled hard or I believe I could have gotten him to shore. After he had dragged me under twice I became so exhausted that I had to release him and make for the bank myself. It seemed to me that I barely made it, too."

W. H. Harrison, former license inspector, Herman Robrock, and Dr. C. O. Teach, neighbors of Mr. Allison, with three men from the latter's firm, went to the slough shortly after the drowning to make a search for the body. Most of the men are expert swimmers. Until 10 o'clock last night they took turns diving from different points in search of the dead boy. Grappling hooks were used and drags made. The men will return to the scene early this morning and renew their search.

Where the eddy swirls about, it has formed a whirlpool, and it is the opinion of some that the whirling waters may keep the body from floating out into the open river.

Labels: children, drowning, druggists, fishing, Missouri river, St John avenue, swimming, Twenty-third street, Union depot

May 23, 1909

FAIRMOUNT PARK OPENS.

A Balloon Race One of the Features

Advertised for Today.

Fairmount park opens today. This afternoon at 3:30 o'clock, the free attraction that has given the park a part of its popularity -- a balloon race -- will be given. The race is between L. M. Bales of Kansas City and R. V. Porter of Minneapolis. The management of the park has announced that there will be a regular schedule of races at the park this summer. The free vaudeville which will take the place of the band this year is also to be another one of the important features of the park. The bill is to be given in the band shell, twice in the afternoon and twice at night on Sundays and once in the afternoon and twice at night on the week days. It includes this week the Gee Jays, a European novelty troupe, Anisora and Leonita, M'lle Triende, a rolling globe artist, who has been featured for several seasons with circuses and Abdallah, the Arabian gymnast.

There are several new concessions at the park this year and among them is "Darkness and Dawn,' something new in the scenic line.

Of course the lake is still going to form one of the main amusement places this year. Last season, at the early part of the season, many thousand small fish were brought from the fish hatcheries at St. Joseph and placed in the lake. These have grown considerably during the winter and have made fishing much better. The bathing beach has been improved and the boating facilities have also been made better.

Labels: amusement, balloons, fairmount park, fishing, vaudeville

May 22, 1909

MAYOR OFF ON FISHING TRIP.

A Float Down the Little Niangua

for Crittenden and Party.

Mayor Thomas T. Crittenden, Jr., W. P. Motley, Russell Greiner and David Thornton have hearkened to the call of the wild. They left last night for Lebanon, Mo., whence they will drive for twenty-five miles through the uncut to a farmhouse near Corkery, where three days will be spent, far from the maddening franchises, trafficways and hospital investigations.

Each morning they will float for twenty miles down the Little Niangua, said to be the most crooked river in Missouri, and at nightfall they will be but two miles from their starting place. Then the boats will be hauled back by wagon, and the circuit renavigated the next day.

Labels: fishing, Mayor Crittenden

August 31, 1908

BUSY DAY AT FAIRMOUNT.

Biggest Sunday Crowd of the Season

There Yesterday.

There was a large attendance at Fairmount park yesterday, the largest since the Fourth of July. Everything at the park was busy. Graham, the "human fish," gave his last performances at the park yesterday afternoon, and last night. In his act, Graham ate, smoked and drank while under water, enclosed in a large glass-tank. He also gave an exhibition of the actions of a drowning person.

Wheeler's band played two interesting programmes. In the music was that of the "Girl Question" which opens the season at the Grand theater.

The bathing beach is a popular place with park visitors, and the fishing in the big lake is the very best.

Labels: daredevils, fairmount park, fishing, music

August 23, 1908

DRINKS MILK

UNDER WATER.

Graham, the "Human Fish," the At-

traction at Fairmount.

Graham, the "Human Fish," is to be the free attraction at Fairmount park today. A large glass tank, filled with water, is used. He descends into the water, and while under the surface eats and drinks a bottle of milk. To do this he must exhale enough air from his lungs while under water to correspond to the amount of air displaced by the milk. Graham gives an exhibition of a drowning person, showing the various actions, from the time the person falls into the water until he lied apparently dead at the bottom, showing the struggle under water. The shows will be given near the circle swing and will take place at 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon and at 9 and 10 o'clock at night.

Fishing is still good at the lake and so is the bathing. The concessions are all doing a rushing business and the band has a full programme for the day.

Labels: amusement, daredevils, drowning, fairmount park, fishing, food, music

July 20, 1908

FLYCASTERS WANT PLATFORMS.

Where They May Exhibit Skill in

Troost Park Lake.

The Kansas City Bait and Fly Casting Club wants the board of park commissioners to help educate city anglers in the art of scientific game fish catching. A letter from the club yesterday asked the board to build two platforms on the lake in Troost park for the use of citizens who would learn the casting art from seeing professional sports fish.

The letter signed by Seldon P. Spencer and members of the Kansas City club, stated that the West Chicago park commissioners are going to help out the Chicago club with platforms in Garfield park in that city, and stated that other city park boards have taken an interest in casting from a scientific standpoint. There are about fifty anglers in the local club. The officers are J. W. Bramhall, president; W. S. Rock, vice president; Charles E. Heite, captain, and George Robirds, secretary and treasurer.

Labels: Chicago, fishing, organizations, Park board, Troost avenue

May 17, 1908

HIS CHILDREN SAW HIM DROWN.

Hector Bonne, a Belgian Gardner,

Lost His Life in the Blue.

In the presence of his family of four children, Hector Bonne, a Rosedale gardener, was drowned while fishing in the Blue just south of Dodson last evening about 7 o'clock. He had taken his children for a day's visit at an uncle's, Charles Cula, near the Harrisonville bridge, not far from where the accident occurred.

Several men were fishing there and some were intoxicated. Bonne waded into the water banteringly with his clothes on, and all seemed to think when he dropped out of sight that he was making fun for the children. But he had stepped off a ledge and was drowned without coming up. In a few minutes the dead body was recovered by R. H. Hopkins, a farmer, who was there fishing. Bonne was a Belgian. Deputy Coroner O. H. Parker sent R. V. Lindsay, a Westport undertaker, for the body. With his wife and children, Bonne lived just beyond the end of the Rosedale car line.

Labels: Blue river, children, Deputy Coroner Parker, Dodson, drowning, fishing, immigrants, Rosedale, undertakers