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

February 8, 1910

MONSTER STADIUM

WILL BE BUILT.

TEN-ACRE TRACT BOUGHT NEAR

ELECTRIC PARK FOR AN

ATHLETIC FIELD.

Kansas and Missouri Uni-

versities Offered Use of

Park for Football.

A monster stadium which will seat 30,000 people, and an athletic field large enough for football games, track meets and baseball will be constructed on a ten-acre tract of ground within two blocks of Electric park by the Gordon & Koppel Clothing Company within the next six months. The ground was purchased yesterday for $30,000 and work on the stadium will start immediately.

The land is located between Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth streets and Lydia and Tracy avenue. It is on two car lines and crowds can be handled as well as they are handled at Electric park. The stadium will be of wooden construction, and it will be an up-to-date athletic field, such as has been proposed in the many stadium propositions talked of recently for football games between Kansas and Missouri universities. It will be known as the Gordon & Koppel Athletic field and will be under the management of George C. Lowe, a member of the firm.

TO VISIT M. S. U. TODAY.

This project is the result of the talk of erecting a stadium for university football, although the management has made no proposition to the universities to date and has not been promised the annual Thanksgiving day game. Mr. Lowe will go to Columbia, Mo., today to put the proposition before the athletic management of the university. He will then outline his plans to the Kansas university management. He will offer the field to those institutions for 10 per cent of the gross receipts of the annual game, but says that no matter whether those schools can be interested in it or not his plans will be carried out because football is but one of the many athletic events this stadium will be used for.

This is a private enterprise. For more than two months the backers have been trying to purchase the ground, but did not agree to terms until yesterday, when the transfer was made. The ground belongs to the Davis estate and the sale was made by G. E. Bowling & Co. The stadium will be built on ground 500 by 600 feet, the rest of the tract of ground to be used for other purposes. The inside of the field will be large enough to allow a quarter of a mile track to be built, which will be outside of the baseball diamond, and football gridiron.

MODERN IN EVERY RESPECT.

There will be bath rooms and lockers for the players. The stadium will be so constructed that there will be five entrances in front of it and as patrons of the park enter they will go up incline walks to the top of the seats, as they do in Convention hall. A walk will be built around the top. A grandstand will be constructed on each side of the athletic field and the ends will be bleachers. A row of boxes will be constructed around the entire field. The field will be laid out so that in case football crowds are more than 30,000 people, about 5,000 can be seated in chairs on track.

This field will be open to the public for use for all athletic evens and the management announced last night that in case a circus or anything of that nature could be put in the inclosure it will be rented for such purposes. Director Barnes of the Y. M. C. A. favors the enterprise for athletic events in which his men take part. City League baseball will be played there and Sunday School Athletic League and ward and high school athletic meets will have the privilege of using this ground.

Labels: Electric park, Forty-eighth street, Forty-seventh street, Lydia avenue, real estate, sports, Tracy avenue, University of Missouri, YMCA

February 8, 1910

GIFT WAS DEAD WIFE'S WISH.

Twenty-Five Thousand Dollar Tract

Presented to School Board.

Property valued at $25,000 at the northwest corner of Twenty-Fifth and Holmes streets has been presented by Louis George, a retired trunk manufacturer, to the board of education. The one stipulation is that the land, consisting of 175 x 130 feet, be made the site of a branch public library.

Mr. George made the gift to conform with the wishes of his wife, now dead. The deeds conveying the property to the school board have been executed. The board will meet next Tuesday to accept the gift and express its thanks to the donor. Mr. George will continue to live on the south forty-five feet of the tract.

Labels: Holmes street, libraries, real estate, Twenty-fifth street

February 6, 1910

OLD PIER STONES UTILIZED.

Taken From Old Bridge for Big

Building Foundation.

When the work of cutting down the piers of the old Winner bridge in the Missouri river to make them conform in height to the bridge the Armour Swift interests intend to build on the piers began there was some curiosity expressed as to what use was to be made of the mammoth stone slabs discarded. The question is being answered. They are to form the foundation for a big building that is to be erected at the northeast corner of Eighteenth and Holmes streets. Portions of the stone have been set already in the excavation of the building, and the remainder is being delivered. One stone is about all a team of horses can draw at one time.

The concrete approaches for the bridge are about finished, and the first delivery of steel is looked for some day this week.

Labels: Eighteenth street, Holmes street, Missouri river, real estate

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 14, 1910

EQUAL SHARE FOR ALL.

United Order of Enoch to Have

Communistic Settlement.

A communistic settlement, following in general the ideas of the late Henry George, is planned by the Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints at Independence, in articles of association filed in the circuit court. The United Order of Enoch is the name chosen.

The purpose of this association, says the petition, is for a "Benevolent society to work in the interest of the poor and needy; to supply work for the unemployed; to build homes and furnish social entertainment for its members." There is to be a common store house. At the annual meeting last April, at Lamoni, Ia., the local members of the Latter Day Saints' church were instructed to organize an association of this kind.

In addition to securing homes for the poor and equal opportunities for the needy, financial, educational and social, the association is to promote temperance, morality and the equality of the members. It is "To provide against selfishness and covetousness," and there is to be a "voluntary co-operation in the use, application and distribution of wealth." It is not to be run for individual pecuniary profit. All property is to be held in common and the debts of members are to be paid by the association. The boys and girls are to be educated in the public schools and later sent to college.

The petition provides for an annual settlement of the "stewardships." All surplus in worldly goods is to be turned into the common treasury, and an itemized account of what is needed for the coming year filed with the officers and directors. In case of a shortage, after a "faithful performance of duty," the member is to be supplied from the common treasury. "Each one is to seek to the interest and good of his neighbor. the annual meeting of the officers and directors is to be held the first Monday in April.

The officers are: E. L. Kelley, president, F. M. Smith, secretary, Ellis Short, treasurer.

Labels: churches, Independence, organizations, real estate

January 13, 1910

BIGAMIST PAROLED

FOR FAMILY'S SAKE.

Benjamin Franklin Hughes
Must Support Family and

Avoid Primrose Path.

Benjamin Franklin Hughes, 51 years old, formerly a real estate agent of this city, pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon in the criminal court to a charge of bigamy and was sentenced to six months in the county jail. Hughes was paroled on condition that he would support his wife and family and follow the straight and narrow path. He is to report April 4 to Judge Ralph S. Latshaw of the criminal court.

With bowed head and trembling voice, Hughes stood before the bar of justice and told of his mishaps. He admitted that he had acted a "silly, old fool," but promised, with tears in his eyes, to reform and devote his years to his wife and children. Mr. Hughes has secured a position as a real estate salesman in Illinois. He stood alone in court, deserted by his friends and disowned by his wife and family.

"It is not for your sake, because under ordinary circumstances I would have sent you to jail, but for the sake of your wife and family that I parole you," said Judge Latshaw. "They have suffered as much as you; they are disgraced because of your foolhardiness. It was not so much for the crime of bigamy that you deserve punishment, but a far worse crime -- infidelity to your wife, and family."

Hughes's defense was that he was forced into an unfortunate alliance with Miss Vairie Wilder, aged 17 years, who lived with her mother, Mrs. Cora Westover, 1622 Madison street. The real estate agent married the girl in Kansas City, Kas., early last month when he had a wife and family living in this city.

THOUGHT HIM WEALTHY.

Hughes charged that Mrs. Westover compelled him to marry her daughter. he said she thought he was a wealthy widower. Hughes and the girl met last April, and immediately Hughes became enamored of her. Then he furnished rooms in a flat on Troost avenue and lived with her there.

"I spent hundreds of dollars," he said, buying her clothes and presents. "I was forced to pay this girl's board at home, and all her expenses. Now I am broke and have exhausted my credit.

"When I asked to take the girl to Excelsior Springs for her health, Mrs. Westovermade me deposit $15 with her. Besides that I was forced to pay all the expenses while in Excelsior Springs. We stopped at a $4 a day hotel.

"After the girl got in trouble, Mrs. Westover demanded that I marry her, thinking all the time that I was a wealthy widower. I thought Miss Wilder an innocent young girl and that I alone was responsible. I wanted to do the right thing so I decided to marry her. I thought I would be able to keep it a secret from my family. But the farther I went the more trouble I found. Then the girl faced me and my wife with her charges. I was a fool. Who knows this better than I? A silly old fool."

"Yes, you were a silly old fool," interrupted Judge Latshaw. "Your conduct is inexplainable. How could you expect to gain the love of this young girl? You, with deadened passions, shoulders bending under the weight of years, and with deep-wrinkled brow. Every furrow in your brow was an unfathomable chasm, dividing you from her. The law of nature ordained ages ago that a man of your age could not win the love of a fresh young girl, as is Miss Wilder. It would have been like the union of January and May, as impossible as the laws of nature themselves to overcome. But the fool that you are, you followed your fancies.

" 'Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive,' said the poet.

UNNATURAL ROMANCE.

"The farther you went the deeper your feet sank into the mire. Did you hope to win this girl's love? Do you think that she ever cared for you? It is natural for the young to love the young, and for both to despise the old -- the doting, old fool. With one hand she caressed you and with the other hand she was seeking to take the money from your pockets. It was not you but what your money could buy that she wanted.

"But the crime you committed against this girl and later your becoming a bigamist were the least of your offenses. You violated the trust of your wife. What could be more disgusting or inhuman than a man with a good, pure woman at home, totally forgetting his obligations and duties that marriage has brought upon him.

"When the exposure comes they must suffer the same as you. when the name of Hughes is held up for ridicule, made the subject of ribald just, not you alone suffer, but your wife and family also. No wonder the woman whom you swore to cherish and love, despises and hates you. No wonder you are a disgusting sight to her eyes.

"But I think this one experience has cured you. If you fall again you must end with a suicide's grave or the felon's cell. Go out into the world and start anew. you cannot forget the past, because with your sensitive nature and cultivated tastes, the consciousness of your wrong-doing must remain with you forever. You must retrieve your past black record. The rest of your days should be spent in working for your wife and family, the ones who have suffered so greatly because of your misdeeds. If when you come back here, I find you are not supporting your family, you will be sent to the county jail to serve the sentence just imposed on you. Go and make good."

Labels: bigamy, criminal court, Excelsior Springs, Judge Latshaw, Madison street, real estate, romance, Troost avenue

January 10, 1910

HYDE PARK M. E. CHURCH

A REBUILT RESIDENCE.

Upper Floors Refurnished for

Parsonage -- Congregation Formal-

ly Takes Possession.

The congregation of the Hyde Park M. E. church yesterday formally took possession of their new house of worship at Valentine road and Broadway. This is probably the first instance in the history of religion of the transforming of an old residence into a church. For years the property was known as the Allen residence and a year ago it was bought for $20,000 by the congregation. At an additional expense of $5,000 the first floor was made over into an auditorium beautifully decorated and fitted out with comfortable pews and an attractive pulpit. The upper floors were re-decorated and refurnished for the parsonage and the basement arranged for sociables and a meeting place for the different church organizations. Three-fifths of the cost has been paid with out assistance from the public, and in bringing about this satisfactory condition the congregation has received generous support from George N. Neff, J. W. Vernon, Fred B. Houston and William S. Kirke.

Prior to yesterday the church society to the number of 100 have been conducting services in a store room at Thirty-seventh and Main streets and have had as their pastor for a year the Rev. Dr. Napthall Luccock, who resigned a $5,000 a year pastorate in St. Louis to come to Hyde Park to help it grow at a salary of $1,800 a year.

Labels: Broadway, churches, Hyde Park, ministers, real estate, St Louis, Valentine road

December 8, 1910

SKYSCRAPER FOR

"PETTICOAT LANE."

Northeast Corner of Main

and Eleventh Leased

for 198 Years.

By the leasing of the northeast corner of Main and Eleventh streets for 198 years, plans were made yesterday of a skyscraper, twelve stories of concrete and steel, to be built on the expiration of the old lease, February 1, 1911. The consideration was $18,000 a year, a total of $5,544,000 for the entire lease.

Hoyt-Ballentine-Kelley Investment Company acted as agent. John O. Patterson of is the lessee from the May-Stern Realty Company.

The rental of the ground, although of considerable size, is in reality less, per annum, than the rentals accruing from the out-of-date improvements now on the land. The property was purchased five years ago by the May-Stern Realty Company for $325,000, and just recently the firm refused an offer of $500,000 for it. The lot faces Main street with a frontage of forty-eight feet and runs back on Eleventh street for 115 feet.

"The new building will be equal in construction to any in the city," said Mr. Patterson. "The first four or five stories will be used for retail purposes and the upper eight stories will be entirely for commercial and office use. The building will be arranged that every office room in it will be exposed to light, and air." Mr. Patterson's offices are at present diagonally across the street from this corner.

Labels: Eleventh street, Main street, Petticoat Lane, real estate

January 7, 1910

CURED OF ILLS

OVER THE PHONE?

ABSENT TREATMENT PUT MRS.

MOSTOW UNDER SPELL,

WITNESSES SAY.

Spiritualist Seeks to Prevent

Heirs From Depriving

Him of Bequests.

That by giving her absent treatment over the telephone for rheumatism and in other ways, John H. Lee, said to be a spiritualist, won the confidence of wealthy Mrs. Victoria Mostow, 71 years old, and thus influenced her to bequeath him property worth $35,000, was the substance of testimony given yesterday in Judge J. G. Park's division of the circuit court.

The occasion was the trial of a suit by which Lee seeks to have set aside deeds transferring to James P. Richardson, principal of the Prosso school, and nephew of Mrs. Mostow, the property left to Lee by will. The heirs have a suit pending to set aside the will.

The story told by witnesses in substance follows:

Mrs. Mostow was the wife of the late Randolph Mostow, and a sister of the late Dr. De Estaing Dickerson. From the latter she inherited a large amount of property. Mr. Mostow died in the summer of 1908. During his last illness, he summoned Lee and was given treatment. In this way Mrs. Mostow became acquainted with the spiritualist.

TREATED BY PHONE.

After her husband's death, Mrs. Mostow became a believer in spiritualism. Through the medium of spirits and mesmeric powers Lee claimed that he could cure every known ill. Mrs. Mostow put in a telephone at her home, at Thirty-fourth and Wyandotte streets, and when she became troubled with rheumatism, Lee would give her absent treatment over the phone. At this time he lived near 4800 East Eighth street, several miles across the city from his patient.

In January, 1908, Mrs. Mostow made deeds to property at 817 Main street, and her home on Wyandotte, to her only surviving heir in Kansas City, James P. Richardson, owner of the Prosso Preparatory school. This was done to escape the payment of the collateral inheritance tax, and to prevent the heirs in Chicago from securing any of her property. The deeds were not to be recorded until after her death.

LIVED WITH HER.

In the summer of 1908, it is charged, Lee secured so great an influence over Mrs. Mostow that he secured permission to move himself and family into her home. Here they have lived since. The taxes are said to have been paid by the Mostow estate, and during her lifetime all the household expenses were met by Mrs. Mostow.

After Lee had been living in the Mostow home a few months, it is charged, it was seen that he gained an influence over the aged woman, and she began deeding small pieces of property to him.

Mr. Richardson, seeing the trend of affairs and fearing that he might lose the property that was to be his at the death of his aunt, immediately recorded the two deeds. When Mrs. Mostow died, it was found that she had bequeathed the same two pieces of property to Lee.

Suit was brought in the circuit court by Lee to set aside the deeds, charging undue influence. A similar suit was also brought by Richardson and the Chicago heirs to set aside the will.

The evidence was all submitted yesterday in Judge Park's court. The final arguments will be heard some time next week.

Labels: Chicago, con artist, Eighth street, illness, probate, real estate, schools, telephone, Thirty-fourth street, women, Wyandotte street

December 24, 1909

GAS COMPLETES RUIN

OF RIALTO BUILDING.

FLAMES UNDER CONTROL WHEN

MAIN BREAKS, EXPLODING.

Firemen Grope Way to Street as

Third Roar Is Heard and Fire

Raging for Hours, Leaves

Only Ice-Coated Walls.

CHARRED WALLS OF THE RIALTO BUILDING, ALL THAT REMAINS OF A "FIRE TRAP."

Flames fed by a broken gas main destroyed the Rialto building at the southwest corner of Grand avenue and Ninth street at 3:30 o'clock yesterday morning. The building was erected in 1887 by Albert Marty, its present owner. The fire started in the basement and raged virtually unchecked for three hours until everything inflammable had been consumed. Nothing remains but the ruined and ice-coated walls. The loss is estimated at $300,000.

The building was one of the few remaining big Kansas City fire traps which are a terror to the fire department. Almost entirely of frame construction inside, it burned like tinder. In the language of Assistant Chief Alex Henderson, "not all the fire companies in Missouri could have stopped it."

The fire was noticed first by J. W. Johnson, a negro janitor, who had for many years been a fixture in the building. Johnson was sitting in one of the offices on the second floor at 3 o'clock in the morning, when he was startled by a rumbling sound like the report of a muffled cannon. He jumped from the chair in which he had been resting after several hours of hard work in policing the building, and bounded down the stairway.

He was confronted by dense smoke, and forgetting everything but that there were several person in the building who were in imminent danger of losing their lives, he bounded up the steps and shouted fire from each landing. In this manner he aroused Dr. J. W. Gaines, Dr. Robert O. Gross, Dr. Emil Thielman, Dr. Oliver F. Jones, Dr. A. Talbot, Dr. B. E. Jordan, Dr. J. B. Jones and Dr. Frank Jones. On the fifth floor Johnson came upon Charles R. Manley, senior physical examiner of the Y. M. C. A., in a semi-conscious condition, the result of striking his head against a post in his efforts to escape while groping his way through the dark, smoke-filled hallways. Johnson himself was beginning to feel the effects of the smoke, but not thinking of his own life in his efforts to save others half carried and dragged Mr. Manley down the stairway and out into the streets to safety. In the meantime, A. E. Perrine, night watchman in the building of McGowan, Small & Morgan, gas grantees, which is the first building south of the Rialto, discovered smoke and noticing the glare of flames which by that time had gained considerable headway in the trunk factory, hastened to a telephone and turned in the alarm.

FIRE FIGHT BEGINS.

The fire department soon was on the scene. The fire at first looked to be easy to extinguish. The firemen had the flames smothered, when a terrific explosion, caused by the breaking of a gas main, shot the flames up through the building to the top floors. At the time of this explosion Assistant Chief Alex Henderson and a squad of men were on the first floor of the building. The force of the explosion shook the entire building and as the flames were spreading to all parts of the structure, it was as much as a man's life was worth to stay inside, as another explosion could be expected at any time. While Chief Henderson and his men were extricating themselves from the trap, Captain Pelletier, with several men, were groping their way about in the basement of the Ninth street entrance. In what seemed to be hours, they emerged through the smoke and debris into the street. It was none too soon, as the third explosion occurred a few minutes later and had any of the firemen remained in the building they would have been buried beneath the floors and walls. By this time twenty companies had arrived and were throwing streams of water into the burning building from all sides, but it was of no use. The interior of the building was mostly wood and the outside wall kept the streams from getting to the center of the building, where the fire was worst.

The Rialto was the only old-time building of any consequence on Grand avenue. Albert Marty, the owner, is an active real estate and building man of Kansas City. He purchased the ground in 1886 and in 1887 constructed a five-story building on the corner. In 1889 he purchased forty-eight feet on the south side of the corner lot and the same year erected the south half of the building which burned yesterday morning.

The building was occupied by many prominent physicians and dentists, some of whom have been in the building twenty-five years.

"The number of occupants is in the neighborhood of 100," said Dr. H. D. McQuade, who had offices in the building for many years. "Many of us will be up against it for offices for some time, but I expect to contract for offices on the fifth floor of the Keith & Perry building tomorrow. Many of us received offers from other physicians to share their offices while looking for locations."

VALUED AT $125,000.

The building was valued at $125,000, although at the time of its erection it cost in the neighborhood of $200,000. That was more than twenty years ago. There was $81,500 insurance carried on the structure. The heaviest loser among the occupants was Hugo A. Brecklein, a druggist, occupying the first floor. Mr. Brecklein estimated his loss at $20,000, with $12,000 insurance.

J. H. Langan, son of John P. Langan, a grocer at 4601 Independence avenue, was walking north on Grand avenue yesterday morning when the fire started, and in attempting to awaken some of the men who were sleeping in the offices, he broke the glass in one of the doors, severely cutting his hand. But he saved the life of a man who was sleeping through all the disturbance, and succeeded in helping him to the street.

At least sixty physicians and twenty dentists lost their office furnishings and instruments in the Rialto building fire yesterday. The average loss for each tenant is said to have been about $700, and that only a small part of it was covered by insurance.

For years the Rialto has been the doctors' office building of Kansas City. Many of the most prominent physicians of the city were established there. Owing to the fact that in many buildings dentists and physicians are not allowed to rent offices, because the odors arising form the mixtures of medicines is objected to by other tenants, this building has long been recognized as the headquarters of men engaged in these two professions.

VALUABLE RELICS LOST.

About 1,000 specimens of prehistoric stone implements and two ancient violins were cherished treasures of Dr. A. H. Cordier, which were lost in the Rialto fire. Dr. Cordier occupied room 310, third floor.

A collector of prehistoric implements, Dr. Cordier, on trips to Mexico, Alaska, Ohio, Kentucky, Arkansas and through Missouri, got several thousand specimens, and he had about 1,000 of them on display in his offices. His is a collector of old violins and had two of these instruments, which he prized highly, in his rooms. Another relic which Dr. Cordier lost was the mounted head of a mountain sheep which he shot while on a hunting trip in British Columbia. Dr. Cordier's office had been in the Rialto building eighteen years.

DR. ANDERSON LUCKY.

A long distance survey of the Rialto ruins makes it appear that Dr. R. V. Anderson, a dentist, is the only tenant of the burned structure whose effects were not destroyed, and he recalls the fact that once before in a fire in the Rialto building he also was lucky.

Dr. Anderson's office has been in the building nearly eighteen years, ever since he began to practice, and some years ago ago fire broke out beneath his office, and his rooms, enveloped in smoke and flame, seemed doomed. The firemen, however, extinguished the blaze before his effects suffered any serious damage.

ORDINANCE NOT ENFORCED.

At the burning of the Rialto building yesterday morning the firemen were greatly handicapped by dangers from exploding gas, and they were in continual danger of being burned by flame of escaping gas. Had the building been equipped with a Siebens' shut-off gas valve it would have been possible for the firemen the moment they reached the fire to turn off the gas in the entire building and thereby lessen the danger occasioned by the escaping gas. The building code requires the installation of gas shut-off devices on all buildings, but for some reason the ordinance has never been enforced.

Labels: dentists, doctors, druggists, explosion, Fire, Grand avenue, grocers, Independence avenue, Ninth street, real estate, Rialto building, YMCA

December 16, 1909

DOCTORS BUY SITE FOR HOME.

Jackson County Medical Society to

Build on Thirty-First.

The Jackson County Medical Society has purchased a lot at Thirty-first street and Gillham road, and some time after January 1 definite plans will be adopted for the erection of a building, which is to be the ethical home of the physicians of Jackson county. the structure will be used as a meeting place, and will be equipped with a large medical library and a museum. It is the intention to raise the necessary funds for the enterprise by subscription.

About 320 Kansas City doctors are members of the society, and they are working as a body to secure headquarters that will be a credit to the profession and to Kansas City as well.

Labels: doctors, Gillham road, libraries, real estate, Thirty-first street

December 3, 1909

CALLED ON THE POLICE TO

ARBITRATE LOVE AFFAIR.

John Kenyon of McLouth, Kas.,

Wasn't Sure of His Ground, So

Asked Advice.

Meets an Unromantic Police Sergeant.

The intervention of the police spoiled a runaway marriage yesterday. John Kenyon, a farmer of McLouth, Kas., 84 years old, walked into police headquarters yesterday morning and, producing a letter from his fiancee, Mrs. Ada Cross of Frankfort, Ind., sought the advice of Chief of Police Frank Snow as to his matrimonial affairs. The chief refused to arbitrate and advised John to return to the farm.

Kenyon left headquarters, but a few hours later returned and this time called on the desk sergeant to referee. The sergeant, a big unromantic man, thought that Kenyon was a fit charge for the police matron and after depositing his valuables, some $20 in cash and a bank book showing a healthy balance, in the office safe, Kenyon was escorted upstairs.

Kenyon went to bed, but was not permitted to rest long in peace. Mrs. Ada Cross, in company with several real estate dealers, soon appeared on the scene. They wished to pay the old man a visit and informed Captain Whitsett that Kenyon was negotiation for the purpose of a rooming house on Twelfth street opposite the Hotel Washington. The captain then took a hand in the administration of the old man's finances. Mrs. Cross, on being questioned, admitted that she was engaged to be married to Kenyon and that he had promised to indorse her note for $2,500 for the purchase of the property. She stated that if it had not been for the intervention of Walter Kenyon, the old man's son, who made a trip from McLouth for the purpose of breaking up the marriage, the couple would have appeared before a justice of the peace Sunday.

Labels: Captain Whitsett, Police Chief Snow, police headquarters, police matron, real estate, romance, Seniors

November 28, 1909

WOLFERMAN LEASES CORNER.

Six-Story Building to Be Erected at

Fourteenth and Walnut.

A 50 x 115 foot tract on the northeast corner of Fourteenth and Walnut streets was leased for 99 years yesterday afternoon by O. H. Dean to Fred Wolferman of the Fred Wolferman Grocery Company, 1108-10 Walnut. The terms of rental are: $2,500 for the first year, $3,000 for the second, $3,500 for the third, $4,000 for the fourth, $5,000 for the fifth, $5,500 for the next five years and $6,000 a year until the expiration of the contract.

Mr. Wolferman is allowed five years in which to erect a six-story fireproof building which he will probably occupy with his store. The Walnut street property was purchased by Mr. Dean four years ago for $27,500. He is now leasing it on a basis of $100,000.

"I am renting the property with an eye to insuring a place for my store in the future when space becomes cramped," said Mr. Wolferman yesterday. "I have plenty of time to build, but will probably begin within a year. I may build a larger building than required by the contract. It is doubtful whether I will move into the building with my store for years yet as my lease at 1108-10 has a long time to run and the location with a little economy will supply my present needs."

The deal yesterday was through Charles E. Forgy of the Junction Realty Company.

Labels: Fourteenth street, real estate, Walnut Street, Wolfermans

November 23, 1909

TERMINAL DIRECTORS

ACCEPT DEPOT PLAN.

KANSAS CITY'S UNION STATION

TO COST $5,750,000.

Great Structure Will Have Every

Facility for Handling Trains

and Travelers -- Dirt to Fly

in a Few Months.

New Union Passenger Station Faces on Twenty-Third Street and Has a Frontage of 512 Feet.

SOUTH ELEVATION OF NEW UNION PASSENGER STATION.

Five million, seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars will be the cost of Kansas City's new Union passenger station.

The plans prepared by Jarvis Hunt, a Chicago architect, were accepted yesterday by the board of directors of the Kansas City Terminal Railway Company. As soon as the stockholders of the several railroads that are to use the depot ratify the action of their representatives, work will begin on the structure. This consent is expected to be immediate. In a few months dirt will be flying and construction under way.

GENERAL PLAN OF STRUCTURE.

The main entrance to the station will face south. It's exact location will be twenty-five feet south of Twenty-third street, and 100 feet west of Main.

The frontage of the main building is to be 512 feet. The train sheds are to be 1,400 feet long, and are to be constructed so that trains east and west can run through.

The exterior will be of stone, concrete and steel. The roof will be rounding or barrel shape. The general lobby is to be 350 feet long and 160 feet wide, and the decorations and accommodations will be rich and elaborate.

Especial care has been taken in lighting and ventilation; the ceiling will be arched, and will be 115 feet high. The interior walls will be of marble, and massive columns will grace each side of the passageway into other parts of the building.

The center of the lobby will be the ticket office. Adjacent will be the baggage room, where passengers can check their baggage and not be annoyed with it again until they reach their destination.

ON THREE LEVELS.

In a space of 75x300 feet off the lobby will be the restaurants, lunch rooms, waiting rooms, men's smoking rooms, and other utilities. Telegraph and telephone stations, a subpostal station and other accessories will also find places within this space.

On the upper floors will be located the offices of several railroads using the depot together with rooms for railway employes.

Space has been set apart for dining and lounging, reading, and billiard rooms.

From the center of the lobby and above the track will extend the main waiting room, on either side of which there will be midways or passages leading to the elevators to carry passengers to the trains. Smoke and gases from the locomotives will be s hut out from the station by a steel and glass umbrella shed.

There will be three levels to the depot. These are to be known as the passenger level, the station proper; the train service level, from where passengers take the trains, and which is connected with the midways by eight big elevators on either side, and also, stairways; and the level on which are the baggage rooms, express and postal service.

Labels: architects, Chicago, history, Main street, railroad, real estate, telegraph, telephone, Twenty-third street, union station

November 23, 1909

SETBACK FOR NEGRO THEATER.

Permit Denied Promoters Who In-

tended Remodeling Synagogue.

A permit was denied yesterday to the promoters of a proposed negro theater at Eleventh and Oak streets. It was the intention to remodel the old Jewish synagogue. Matt Shinnick, in charge in the absence of John T. Neill, superintendent of buildings, said no plans were submitted.

One of the main objections to the remodeling of the old synagogue is the stairway entrance from the street. The steps are only ten inches wide, and the incline is steep.

Labels: Eleventh street, Oak street, race, real estate, theater

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 18, 1909

PROPOSE $14,000 HOME FOR

THE CRITTENTON MISSION.

Fireproof Building at Thirtieth and

Woodland Will Be Ready by Next

Summer.

Captain J. H. Waite, at the head of the Florence Crittenton mission and home, located in an old dwelling at 3005 Woodland avenue, made the statement last night that by next summer the institution hopes to be in a new fireproof building. It is to be erected, he said, on the corner of Thirtieth street and Woodland avenue, where they own 156 feet fronting on the latter street.

"The foundation should be laid within the next ninety days," said Captain Waite, "so that work on the super-structure may begin in the spring. We have planned a building to cost between $10,000 and $14,000. As we want to make it absolutely fireproof and of reinforced concrete, we anticipate that the cost will be nearer $14,000. It is a grand institution and has done and is doing the noblest kind of work."

The Florence Crittenton Mission and Home for unfortunate girls was started in this city on February 4, 1896, with an endowment of $3,000 from Charles N. Crittenton, the millionaire philanthropist of New York, who died suddenly in San Francisco Tuesday. It first was situated on the northeast corner of Fourth and Main streets in a large three-story brick building which now has been torn down to make space for a city market.

After being at the original location for a short time it was decided to abandon the downtown mission work and establish a home. The institution then moved to Fifteenth street and Cleveland avenue into rented property. In June, ten years ago, the property at the southeast corner of Thirtieth street and Woodland avenue was purchased for the home.

"A debt hangs over our heads for some time," said Miss Bertha Whitsitt, superintendent of the home yesterday, "but now we have 156 feet frontage on Woodland avenue on which we expect soon to erect our new building.

"Since the beginning of the mission and home," continued Miss Whitsitt, "we have cared for 582 young women, the majority of them with children. Just during the last year we cared for twenty-eight young women and twenty-three children. When totaled the number of days spent in the home by all of them amounts to 4,612, which we record as so many days of charity work."

Captain J. H. Waite, who has been at the head of the home for many years, said that Mr. Crittenton had given the home and mission $3,000 to start on. When the property at 3005 Woodland was purchased the National Florence Crittenton Home at Washington gave about $1,500 toward buying and improving the property.

Labels: charity, Fourth street, Main street, New York, real estate, Thirtieth street, women, Woodland avenue

November 11, 1909

NEW CLAIMANT FOR

HUNTEMANN ESTATE.

ANNA GESINE HEUER SAYS SHE

IS FIRST COUSIN.

Follows Over Two Hundred Claim-

ants for Eccentric Recluse's For-

tune -- Will Come From

Germany to Fight.

Another heir to the Adolph Huntemann estate, claiming to be the first cousin of the eccentric old bachelor who died nearly three years ago, leaving an estate valued at $250,000, appeared yesterday when Anna Gesine Heuer of Bremen, Germany, filed suit in the circuit court to have herself declared the sole heir.

If the German woman can establish her relationship with the late Adolph Huntemann, she will inherit the entire estate. Over two hundred claimants have applied for shares. Of these all have been cut out except eight distant cousins.

The suit is brought against R. S. Crohn, former public administrator, and the only one who now has charge of the estate. The petition says that all the debts against the estate have been paid and that it is now ready for distribution. The personal property is estimated to be worth $76,000, and the real estate, $175,000.

Anna Heuer is 44 years of age and married. She has never been to America. If the court refuses to accept her deposition at the trial of this case, she will come here to fight for the estate.

For years Anna Heuer has been writing to German friends who have settled in Kansas City. In the exchange of letters one of her former friends mentioned the Huntemann matter and told of the fight now being made among the heirs to secure possession of the estate. Anna Heuer investigated her family tree and decided that she was a first cousin.

Among the recent claimants to the Huntemann estate was Mrs. Minnie A. Shepard of Burlington, Ia., who secured affidavits from confederates in Chicago, St. Louis and other cities showing her to be an illegitimate child of the deceased.

Fraud was suspected, and Grant I. Rosenzweig, attorney for the estate, went to Burlington to investigate. Few discrepancies were found. The "tip" came from a woman who had been jilted by one of Mrs. Shepard's confederates. Affidavits were received from relatives to prove that Mrs. Shepard's mother was married, and that the Iowa woman's claims were fraud. When confronted by this evidence October 19, Mrs. Shepard admitted that her affidavits and claims were false.

Huntemann, who was a bachelor, died March 8, 1907, at his home, 4025 McGee street. He had been a recluse, and the amount of his wealth was not known until after he died. He came to this country from Germany in 1860, and settled in Kansas City two years later, without a dollar, and amassed a fortune by investments in Kansas City real estate.

Labels: Huntemann estate, immigrants, probate, Public administrator Crohn, real estate

November 5, 1909

CITY'S UNEMPLOYED

TO HAVE NEW HOME.

HELPING HAND INSTITUTE AC-

QUIRES ADKINS HOTEL.

With Aid of Four Story Building

1,000 Men Can Be Cared For --

Plenty of Light, Baths --

Has Disinfecting Room.

NEW QUARTERS AT FOURTH AND WYANDOTTE STREETS.

With the acquisition of the old Adkins hotel at the southeast corner of Fourth and Wyandotte streets, the Helping Hand Institute has solved the problem of taking care of the city's unemployed. Carpenters are now at work overhauling the four-story structure and by the beginning of cold weather it is believed that the building will be ready for occupancy.

With the old building at 408 Main street, where the main offices are located, the Helping Hand institute will be prepared to take care of more than 600 men without the least crowding. In extremely cold weather little difficulty will be experienced in caring for 1,000 men.

PRESENT HOME OF THE INSTITUTE.

But the new building will have many features not possessed by the old quarters on Main street. Plenty of light, the best of ventilation, high ceilings, a laundry, shower baths and disinfecting room will make it very little inferior to the municipal lodging house in New York city. On the north side of the building are forty-one windows which makes the light and ventilation problem easy.

INSTALLING SHOWER BATHS.

But the main feature is the shower baths and disinfecting room. On the lower floor the plumbers are at work installing baths that will accommodate twenty-five men at one time. No one will be allowed to go to bed without first taking a bath and allowing his clothes to be placed in the disinfecting room, where they will remain over night. The laundry in the basement will keep the linen clean and eventually save the institution hundreds of dollars. Particular care will be exercised in guarding against tuberculosis. Before the year is over it is hoped that a physician will examine every man who applies for a bed.

Without doubt Kansas City will have as good a system for taking care of her unemployed as any municipality in the country. It is true that many of the large cities in the East, particularly New York and Philadelphia, have larger municipal lodging houses but they suffer disadvantages. In most cities bread lines are formed and the man without employment does not feel obliged to work for a night's lodging. In Kansas City, however, the city and county have made the Helping Hand an official charity institution.

WORK IS PROVIDED.

Men are not allowed to sleep in saloons or in other public places where the conditions are not sanitary. There is no other avenue for the unemployed man but to go to the Helping Hand institute, where he is given a chance to work for his meals and lodging. The mere fact that he must work keeps the professional "moocher" from making his headquarters in Kansas City.

The credit for the acquisition of the Adkins building belongs mainly to William Volker, one of the directors of the institute. Mr. Volker clearly recognized the need of more room for the institute, and believing that the employment system is the best, he used his influence in getting the building. E. T. Brigham, superintendent of the Helping Hand, is directing the work.

Labels: charity, employment, Fourth street, Helping Hand, hotels, Main street, real estate, Wyandotte street

November 3, 1909

INDEPENDENCE VOTED BONDS.

$30,000 Will Be Expended in Build-

ing City Hall.

At the special election held in Independence yesterday for the purpose of voting to increase the bonded indebtedness to the extent of $30,000 for the purpose of erecting a city hall, the bonds carried by a majority of 456, leaving a few votes to spare, a two-third majority being required. The council met last night, canvassed the vote and decided at once to have plans and specifications drawn for the new building.

The building likely will be erected on South Main street, just across from the Masonic building. The city has secured an option on this property, which will cost $10,000, leaving $20,000 to be expended for the new structure.

Labels: Independence, politics, real estate

October 31, 1909

RAZING A LANDMARK

MADE FAMOUS BY

WASHINGTON IRVING.

Oldest Building on Fifth Street

Meets Its End.

THE OLD BREVOORT HOTEL IN WEST FIFTH STREET.

With the razing of the old Breevort hotel at 118 West Fifth street, to make way for a modern building which will be erected shortly, the oldest structure on Fifth street will have been a memory. Long before the '60s the hotel was known as an old building, and no one seems to know the exact date of its erection or its builder.

Standing on an eminence directly opposite Kansas City's first Methodist church, the "Cannon house" as it was called then, was one of Kansas City's most elite boarding houses. The owners of the building rarely rented the rooms to transients, but were content with making it a fashionable boarding house. The rates after the war were $1 and up. In the '70s the building became known as the "Morgan house" and fifteen years ago it was christened the "Breevort."

When Fifth street was graded in the '60s to its present level, the cellar of the Breevort house was on a level with the street. The proprietor immediately arched up the windows, painted the cellar walls and had a three-story building. A week ago, before the structure was being torn down, the old cellar walls were clearly discernible and indicated that at one time Kansas City's hills were much steeper than at present.

"The hotel was an old building when I was a boy," said Dr. W. L. Campbell of 504 Olive street, one of the recognized authorities on early Kansas City history. "I don't think there is anyone living who knows the exact time that it was built or the builder. There used to be a report that Washington Irving stayed there when he made a visit to Kansas City, but I think that the report is generally discredited."

Fred Seewald, who runs a grocery store at 317 West Fifth street, is confident that the building must have been about 60 years old.

"It was by far the oldest building on Fifth street," he said.

Labels: churches, Fifth street, grocers, history, hotels, Olive street, real estate

October 23, 1909

Y. M. C. A. FORMALLY OPENED.

Moving Pictures Show Asso-

ciation's Work Around

The World.

In the chapel, festooned with flags, a small audience, composed mostly of chief contributors to the building fund, formally opened the new Y. M. C. A. building, Tenth and Oak streets, last night. the speeches, interspersed with songs, were led by Henry M. Beardsley, president of the association.

Beardsley said, in introduction, that the new building is a credit to the city it represents, he said, an expenditure of about $377,000. After next month there will be no indebtedness. The building committee at present is only $2,000 behind the appropriation and this amount will be raised at a carnival to be held one week beginning November 16. His remarks were cheered.

John Barrett, long connected with association work in foreign countries, spoke lightly of conversations he has had with diplomats, presidents or magnates. With the versatility of a moving picture machine, Barrett called up mental views of Japan, Africa, Asia Minor, Argentina and Mexico. He compared statements of a viceroy of Manchuria with that of the president of a Central American republic or of a may or of a little town in Iowa.

In ever country, Barrett said, the association is leading the vanguard of civilizing influences.

Labels: Mayor Beardsley, moving pictures, Oak street, real estate, Tenth street, YMCA

October 21, 1909

FOR CITY'S TRIBUTE TO SWOPE.

Relatives in Letter to Mayor Thank

Kansas City People.

In a communication addressed to Mayor Crittenden, Mrs. L. O. Swope, sister-in-law of the late Colonel Thomas H. Swope, yesterday formally thanked the citizens of Kansas City for the public funeral tendered him. Mrs. Swope's letter follows:

"I wish to express to you, and to all of the city officials, on behalf of the Swope family, our high appreciation of the most beautiful tribute of honor and affection shown our dead. We feel that not a stone was left unturned to show him honor and gratitude.

"The services at the church were all that could have been. All the singing was sweet, but the solo, "One Sweetly Solemn Thought," was almost a voice from heaven. Once more thanking you for your great kindness, I remain, very sincerely, MRS. L. O. SWOPE. October 15, 1909."

It is said that the last legal transaction performed by Colonel Swope was the signing of a deed to a piece of property to the city on the north side of Fourth street, between Walnut and Main. It is a part of the square bounded by Walnut, Main, Third and Fourth, to be used for market purposes. There is a three-story brick building on the land, and this will be razed together with the four remaining buildings which the city will soon get posession of. there has been a delay in the formal transfer on account of the city having to deal with heirs.

Labels: Fourth street, Main street, Mayor Crittenden, real estate, Third street, Thomas Swope, Walnut Street

October 12, 1909

JANITOR WORRY KILLS HIM.

Real Estate Man Falls Dead Upon

Inspecting Apartment House

Employes Had Neglected.

Heart disease made acute by worry over the janitor service in an apartment house on West Thirty-fourth street, for which he was the agent, is said to have caused the death of Dr. Ammon Kuns, a real estate man of 805 East Fourteenth street, who expired suddenly in front of the apartments at 6 o'clock last night.

Dr. Kuns, who seven years ago retired from dentistry in order to handle realty, had been suffering from pulmonary trouble for more than a year. He left his home yesterday morning in good spirit and apparently in excellent health, remarking to his wife that he would go to the flat on Thirty-fourth street before supper and see about hiring a new janitor.

"Everyone leaves the rooms in a worse condition than the last," he said. "It is about the only worry I have."

Mrs. Kuns said last night that she had learned that conditions at the apartments were not even as good as her husband had expected when he arrived there. She believed that his dismay at finding that some of his instructions had been neglected caused the undue excitement that hastened his end.

Mr. Kuns was 57 years old. He was born in Illinois, went to Jewell City, Kas., 27 years ago to practice dentistry, and lived there continuously up to seven years ago when he moved to Los Angeles, Cal. Four years ago he came to Kansas City.

Besides the widow, he is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Stella Mayhue, San Francisco; Mrs. Theodore Conley, Los Angeles; Mrs. O. E. White, of Jewell City, and Miss Helen, living at the home.

Kuns was a member of the Odd Fellows, Masonic and Woodmen of the World, local lodges. Funeral arrangements have not been made.

Deputy Coroner Harry Czarlinsky ordered the body sent to the Wagner undertaking rooms.

Labels: California, death, dentists, Dr Czarlinsky, Fourteenth street, lodges, real estate, Thirty-fourth street, undertakers

October 10, 1909

COLONEL SWOPE LEFT AN

ESTATE OF $3,000,000.

ENTIRE INSTRUMENT WRITTEN

IN HIS OWN HAND JUNE 15, '05.

Full Text of the Paper as Filed in

Independence Shows the Wide

Extent of Kansas City's

Benefactor's Holdings.

An estate of $3,000,000, by the provisions of the will filed yesterday in the Independence division of the probate court was left by Colonel Thomas H. Swope to his near relatives, friends and to charity. The greater part of his property is bequeathed direct to his blood relations. City lots left to the Humane Society is the largest gift to charity.

The will was filed for probate by J. G. Paxton, an attorney of Independence, Mo., who framed it June 17, 1905. Mr. Paxton since has been its custodian. In filing the will, Mr. Paxton was accompanied by Stuart S. Fleming, Mr. Swope's nephew, who lives in Maury county, Tenn.

Colonel Swope named Mr. Paxton, Mr. Fleming and James M. Hunton of Independence his executors, and requested that they be allowed to serve without bond. George B. Harrison, Arthur F. Day and F. T. Childs, all of whom live here, signed as witnesses. The three men were present yesterday morning in court to attest their signatures.

A "HOLOGRAPHIC WILL."

The instrument states that "this is my holographic will." This is to indicate that it was written by Col. Swope. There were no changes in the instrument as written by him.

The bequests to charity are as follows: To Humane Society, two lots in Turner Company's addition; to Park College, two lots in West Kansas addition; to the Women's Christian Association, $10,000 cash; to Young Women's Christian Association, $10,000 cash; to Young Men's Christian Association, $10,000 cash; to the Provident Association, $25,000 cash.

After providing for charity and making specific bequests to his near relatives and friends, the balance is left to his nephews and nieces, to be divided share alike.

S. W. Spangler, attorney for Mr. Swope, has prepared a conservative estimate of the values of some of the real estate bequests made in the will. The values are as follows:

One-half of the two story building at 1017-1019 Main street, left to Ella J. Plunket, $75,000; the other half of the same property, left to Gertrude Plunket, $75,000; the undivided half of lots Nos. 10 and 12 on East Fourth street, left to Felix Swope, $13,250; the northeast corner of Hickory and Joy streets, now occupied by the John Deere Plow Company's warehouse, left to James Hunton, $40,000; the northeast corner of Twelfth and Walnut streets, 85-115 feet, left to Margaret Swope's five unmarried children, $400,000; 1112-1114 Walnut street, left to the same children, $190,000; 916-918 1/2 Main street, to the same children, $120,000; the northwest corner of Mulberry and Eleventh streets, to the same five children, $50,000; the southeast corner of Twelfth and Campbell streets, left to the five children, $60,000; 915 Walnut street, left to Frances Swope, $87,500; 120 acres, to the south half of the ground occupied by the Evanston Golf Club, to Thomas H. Swope, Jr., $240,000; the eight-story building at the southeast corner of Eleventh street and Grand avenue, to his nine nephews and nieces, $400,000.

Labels: charity, circuit court, Evanston Golf Club, Humane Society, Independence, probate, real estate, Swope Mystery, Thomas Swope, YMCA, YWCA

October 7, 1909

SWOPE PROVIDED FOR

AGED, POOR AND NEEDY.

ORPHAN'S HOME AND CHILD-

REN'S OUTINGS REMEMBERED.

Will Gives $25,000 to Provident As-

sociation and Contains Other

Charitable Bequests,

PUBLIC BEQUESTS BY COLONEL SWOPE:

To the Humane Society of Kansas City, Mo., I give, grant, devise and bequeath in trust forever lots 1 and 2 in clock 43 of Turner & Co.'s addition to Kansas City, Mo., the proceeds of the rental thereof to be used by said Humane Society in the entertainment of children in Swope park, near Kansas City, annually, forever.

To Park College, situated in Platte county, Missouri, I give lots 15 and 16 in block 3, West Kansas addition No 2 to Kansas city, Mo.

To the Women's Christian association I give the sum of $10,000.

To the Young Women's Christian Association of Kansas City, Mo., I give the sum of $10,000.

To the Young Men's Christian Association of Kansas City, Mo., I give $10,000.

To the Provident Association of Kansas City, Mo., I give the sum of $25,000 to be known as the "Swope Fund," and to be used for the benefit of the poor and needy of Kansas City, Mo.

Before the body of Colonel Thomas H. Swope was removed from the family home in Independence, Mo., yesterday afternoon to be brought to this city to lie in state in the rotunda of the public library building, J. G. Paxton, an attorney who had possession of the philanthropist's will, gave out the public bequests mentioned therein. They are enumerated above.

"It was thought befitting," he said, "that bequests made to public institutions and to charity should be published before the funeral. The complete will, enumerating private as well as public bequests, will be filed for probate Saturday."

The lots left to the Humane society are situated at the southeast corner of Union avenue and Mulberry street in the West Bottoms. The corner lot is occupied by the Union Avenue Bank of Commerce. Good rentals are secured from the two buildings of the property.

"The bequest of Colonel Swope to the Humane Society is not a surprise to me," said E. R. Weeks, president of the society last night. "Colonel Swope had a life membership in the society and for several years has been its first vice president. He has been identified with the work for more than twenty-five years and was our closest friend.

WROTE PORTION OF WILL.

"Several years ago Colonel Swope sent for me to come to his office. When I arrived he told me that he intended to remember the society in his will which he intended writing himself. At his suggestion I wrote that portion of his will which he later copied. That is why it is no surprise. There is a provision regarding this bequest to the effect that the society may sell this property at any time it deem necessary or advisable."

The property left to Park college, Parkville, Mo., also is situated in the West Bottoms and is said to pay a good annual rental.

The Women's Christian Association, to which Colonel Swope left $10,000, has charge of hte management and maintenance of the Gillis Orphan's Home and the Armour Memorial Home for Aged Couples, Twenty-third street and Tracy avenue. Colonel Swope gave the land on which the orphanage is built. It is a large tract and later Mrs. F. B. Armour built the home for aged couples which bears her name. Sometimes it is known as the Margaret Klock home, named for Mrs. Armour's sister.

"We had hoped that we might be remembered in a small way," said Mrs. P. D. Ridenhour, acting president of the Women's Christian Association, when informed of the $10,000 bequest. "But this comes to us as a most pleasant surprise, and I might say that it comes at a time when we need it most. We had not expected anything so handsome as our benefactor has given us and to express our thanks would be the smallest way in which we can show our gratitude. In honor of his memory we will endeavor to do the greatest good with what he has left us.

Y. W. C. A. GIRLS REJOICE.

"Have you heard of the $10,000 left the Y. W. C. A. by Colonel Swope?" a young woman at the association rooms was asked over the telephone last night.

"Humph," she replied quickly, "he gave us $50,000."

"But this is over and above the $50,000," she was informed. "This is a bequest in his will."

"Oh, goody, gracious, goodness, isn't that just scrumptiously grand," she cried, dropping the telephone to fairly scream the glad news to other young women present. "Won't we have a dandy home, now, God bless him."

At that moment someone began a song of praise in honor of the welcome news. The telephone was forgotten.

"This certainly comes to us as a glad surprise," said Miss Nettie E. Trimble, secretary for the Y. W. C. A.

"Colonel Swope was so good to us when we were struggling for our new building that we had no idea of getting a bequest from his will. Years ago when the building of a home for the Y. W. C. A. was mentioned, he said he wanted to have a part in it. While committees were out working he sent us $25,000 unsolicited. Toward the close, when it looked as if we would not reach the $300,000 mark by the time set, he sent for me and asked how much we lacked. When told that we needed $22,000 to complete the figure he promptly gave us $25,000, making a total of $50,000 which he gave toward our new home.

AN ENDOWMENT FUND.

"As we have plenty of money to complete our home it is possible that Colonel Swope's bequest of $10,000 will be made a nucleus for an endowment fund to carry on industrial and Bible work. The industrial department never has been self sustaining and teachers for both have to be hired and paid. That the name of Colonel Swope will forever remain dear to the members of the Y. W. C. A. goes without saying."

Henry M. Beardsley, president of the Y. M. C. A. was out of the city and James. B. Welsh, a member of the board of directors, was notified of the bequest of $10,000 to that association.

"Good, good," he cried, "that comes to us at a time when we need it most. We have been in pretty hard straits to complete our new building and this most gracious gift will put us on our feet under full sail. The association, no doubt, will take appropriate action when notified officially of the bequest. I will sleep better tonight and so will many others."

Labels: attorney, charity, Humane Society, orphans, Parkville, probate, real estate, Thomas Swope, West bottoms, YMCA, YWCA

October 4, 1909

HE DIDN'T FLATTER HIMSELF.

Colonel Swope Told Kelly Brent He

Was Not the Smart Man Many

Thought Him.

"Many persons think me a smart man but the truth of it is I'm an old fool," Colonel Thomas H. Swope said one day to Kelly Brent.

The two had a real estate deal on, and the colonel concluded at the end of long negotiations not to make the investment.

"Some years ago I concluded to sell off a great deal of my real estate holdings," said Colonel Swope, "and hang me if I didn't sell for a song the best of it. What I sold is worth millions today and a great deal I have left is not worth paying taxes on."

When the park board a few years ago suggested placing of a brass medallion of Colonel Swope at the entrance to Swope park he protested earnestly. He wrote to the board saying that while he lived he wanted no monument to be erected. It was explained that the medallion was not intended as a mark of the memory of the donor of the beautiful park, but as a slight token of appreciation and esteem from the city. After a long parley Mr. Swope reluctantly gave his consent to the installation of the medallion.

No man was more averse to publicity in the making of public bequests than was Colonel Swope. Just a hint being dropped that he contemplated a gift would anger the philanthropist and he would abandon his purpose. Some years ago Colonel Swope visited Roosevelt hospital in New York and asked to be shown through the institution. He incidentally remarked to the attendant that he was from Kansas City and that it was his purpose some day to build a hospital here and present it to the city.

A reporter for The Journal heard of the colonel's intentions and printed the story. The colonel became exasperated over the premature announcement and asked the reporter to visit him at his offices. The reporter to this day remembers the wrath displayed by the colonel and his ears still tingle with the tongue lashing administered.

"By your interference, sir," the colonel loudly declaimed, "you have deprived Kansas City of one of the best hospitals in the country. When people get to knowing my business it is time for me to quit."

It is unnecessary to state that Colonel Swope did not build the hospital, but he did give the ground on which it stands.

"I have known Mr. Swope a great many years, and knew him to be a kind, generous man," said J. J. Swofford last night. "Several times in the past five years I have approached him for donations for the Y. M. C. A. building fund and other funds for the promotion of the association's enterprise. He usually contributed from $100 to $400 a year.

"I know very little of Mr. Swope's business tactics, but I remember a peculiar thing about the manner in which he made these donations. He kept absolutely no account of his charities and when he signed a check to give me for the fund he used a check without a number and stub. He seemed very modest and sensitive about what he gave away.

"About three months ago, I think it was, he made and arrangement with my son Ralph Swofford of Thirty-first and Summit streets, who is president of the executive board of the Franklin Institute, to endow the institution with $50,000 providing as much more could be raised. A campaign has already been started and I believe is pretty well under way to raise the required $50,000.

Labels: charity, Franklin institute, hospitals, New York, Park board, real estate, Swope park, The Journal, Thomas Swope, YMCA