100 Year Old Weblog: food

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May 24, 2025 ~ ICE CREAM VENDOR ROBBED.

May 24, 2025

ICE CREAM VENDOR ROBBED.

First Sampled His Wares Then Took His Cash.

"Let's have a couple of ice cream cones."

A. Minniear, who drives an ice cream wagon, filled the above order at 10 o'clock last night for one of two men who stopped his wagon on Bales avenue between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets.

"Now, let's have your cash," the same man demanded as he showed the driver a revolver pointed in his direction. They took $7 in money -- and the cones.

"And they didn't even pay for those cones," Mr. Minniear, who lives at 2561 Cissna avenue, Kansas City, Kas., told the police.

May 21, 2025 ~ SEES "SPUDS" WITH CANTALOUPE FLAVOR.

May 21, 2025

SEES "SPUDS" WITH CANTALOUPE FLAVOR.

Speaker Before Horticultural Society Predicts Other "Wonders.".

The day is coming soon when potatoes dug from the ground will taste like cantaloupes; grapefruit will be plucked from trees like cherries and the Sahara desert will bloom like a rose garden. Such at least was the prediction made by Howard Dean, professor of chemistry at Park college, Parkville, Mo., speaking before the Missouri Valley Horticultural society yesterday on the lawn of the home of L. A. Goodman, Fortieth street and Warwick avenue.

Professor Dean said he already had succeeded in reducing the starch of a potato to sugar through chemical treatment. He asserted that be feeding certain plants on formaldehyde they can be made to develop sugar and starch.

He said that investigations now being made by chemists show that plants manufacture compounds that are not normal to them. These investigations, he said, are being continued and chemists are diligently searching the leaves of plants in an attempt to find the agent which converts the carbon dioxide in the air and the moisture into plant products.

when that secret is discovered -- and of its early discovery he is confident -- he said we would possess an unlimited source of energy. The point he brought out was that the possession of that secret would enable man to convert the sun's energy to his own use in any way he desires.

Then it would be possible, he asserted, to fill the Sahara desert with plant life; to grow any plant so that it would taste exactly as its grower wished. He also said, in answer to a question, that it would be possible to raise grapefruit with the bitterness removed. Fruits, he added, could be raised so they would taste just as the grower desired.

Dr. J. C. Whitten of the State university at Columbia, Mo., spoke on the spraying of trees. He declared that spraying is absolutely essential to successful orcharding and explained the best methods of spraying.

Other speakers were Miss Florence H. Russell of Kansas City who told of a visit to Luther Burbank, and Arthur H. Helder, a landscape architect of Kansas City. Prior to the meeting a luncheon was served on Mr.r Goodman's lawn

May 2, 2025 ~ STOCK YARDS MILK IS TABOO.

May 2, 2025

STOCK YARDS MILK IS TABOO.

Foreigners Ordered to Discontinue Milking Cows There.

The practice of foreigners milking cows penned up at the stock yards and selling the milk to others or even using it themselves will not be longer tolerated by the city health authorities. Carleton Coon, city food and drug inspector, made the announcement yesterday and said the Stock Yards company officials were co-operating with the health authorities.

Mr. Coon made a trip of inspection yesterday and about seventy-five gallons of milk were poured on the ground. He warned the men if they did not stop the practice they would be arrested.

April 28, 2025 ~ PRISONERS WILL COOK.

April 28, 2025

PRISONERS WILL COOK.

Only Bread and Water for Those Who Don't in Independence.

Marshal Harris has established a school of cooking for city prisoners at Independence. The food of prisoners has been a little high and the marshal thought economy could be practiced if the prisoners do their own cooking. Yesterday the pots and kettles, long in discard, were brightened up and ranged along the municipal kitchen. "If any of the prisoners do not know how to cook I will teach them," said the marshal yesterday, "and those who refuse to cook will have to go without or have bread and water."

The cooking will be done by prisoners after working hours.

April 26, 2025 ~ SMALLER ICE CREAM SODAS.

April 26, 2025

SMALLER ICE CREAM SODAS.

Makers Raise Price and Druggists Will Reduce Portions.

Less ice cream in the sundae or the ice cream soda served at Kansas City drug stores is the prospect as the summer season approaches. The wholesale ice cream makers have raised the price, and the druggists declare they must either cut down on the amount they serve to their customers or conduct the fountain business at a loss.

This matter was discussed last night at a meeting of the Kansas City Drug Club at the Coates House. The ice cream men were present to present their side of the case. They all indulged in a banquet and were entertained by a cabaret. The druggists also discussed the amount of money they would raise for the G.A.R. entertainment fund. W. C. Brown talked about the clean-up campaign.

April 22, 2025 ~ CITY INSPECTORS SEIZE DIRTY MILK.

April 22, 2025

CITY INSPECTORS SEIZE DIRTY MILK.

Contents of 204 Bottles in Wagon of Rosedale Dairyman Destroyed.

A Rosedale dairyman, who frequently had been warned that he was selling misbranded milk in Kansas City, and had been ordered to come up to requirements or cease delivery, got his lesson at Thirteenth and McGee streets yesterday morning, where he was making delivery to a grocery store. Inspectors from the food and dairy department, acting on orders of W. H. Phipps, chief inspector, seized 204 bottles of milk and cream, and destroyed the contents by adding vinegar to each bottle.

The milk was dirty, Mr. Phipps was told by those who made the inspection, the bottles contained a sediment and they had not been properly cleaned. The amount destroyed consisted of 108 quarts and 84 pints of milk, and 62 bottles of cream. Dirty, dangerous and insanitary as it was the dairyman had "Grade A Raw Milk" on the caps of the milk bottles and "Grade A Raw Cream" on the cream bottles.

To Conduct Vigorous Campaign.

"This plan will be pursued vigorously from now on," said Mr. Phipps later. "The dairymen selling milk in Kansas City must comply with the ordinance or stop selling milk here. The man whose product was destroyed today has been in trouble with the hospital and health board previous to this. Two years ago, when he admitted watering his milk, his permit was revoked, but later, on a promise of good behavior, it was returned to him."

Mr. Phipps yesterday sent out to all producers and distributors of milk who sell their product in Kansas City, a circular letter on the production of pure milk and advising them to get busy with the spring clean-up. The letter told them how to clean up and said plainly what will be expected of them. It draws attention to the fact that milk, of all food products, is the most easily contaminated and, therefore, the greatest care should be exercised in its production. It also discusses the problem of flies, mosquitoes and other insects which contaminate milk and tells how to rid the pace of them.

Dairy Plants to Be Scored.

The dairymen are told that an inspector will call on them soon and their plants scored for the summer months on conditions as they are found. This score will be used as a basis for grading the milk which will be permitted sold here this summer.

April 16, 2025 "PUSS IN BOOTS" IS NEW CANDY SHOP.

April 16, 2025

"PUSS IN BOOTS" IS NEW CANDY SHOP.

Fred Wolferman Opens Branch Store on Main and Eleventh.

"Puss in Boots." Who has not seen the apparently meaningless statement on the billboards, accompanied by a large black cat, with a smiling countenance, wearing a red brigand hat and high boots like those worn by the knights of old?

"What does that mean?" thousands of persons have asked every day.

Particularly it has been noticed that "Puss in Boots" occupied all the window space of the store room at the northeast corner of Eleventh and Main streets in the Wolferman building. Behind the frosted glass of that store room was a secret. It came out yesterday.

This unique name has been adopted by Fred Wolferman for his new candy store, which opened its doors yesterday morning. All the candies sold there will be made fresh each day; none is to be made six months in advance of the season and kept in cold storage.

In the unique little store will be found over a most artistic soda fountain a legendary picture of "Puss in Boots." The fountain itself is constructed of Circassian walnut, leaded mirrors and a black marble base. The candy counter will be entirely of plate glass, with the exception of the black marble base.

The candy department at Wolferman's store on Walnut street outgrew the establishment. The idea of opening a store elsewhere with a name, catchy and unique, suggested itself to Mr. Wolferman. The idea prevails to a great extent now on the Pacific coast. Mr. Wolferman advertised that a prize would be given for the most suitable name. The prize was won by Master. A. Leon Reddick, Jr., 1220 East Forty-fourth street.

Then came the almost endless task of obtaining a picture of a real friendly and attractive cat for the trade mark of "Puss in Boots." Nearly 100 sketches were submitted but they were just ordinary cats; they did not express the meaning sought. It remained, however, for Walter Rager, a bill board illustrator, to submit the smiling, good-natured black cat with which the people of Kansas City soon are to become familiar. "Puss in Boots" candy was on sale yesterday.

February 12, 2026 SCHOOL CHILDREN DRINK INTOXICANTS.

February 12, 2026

SCHOOL CHILDREN

DRINK INTOXICANTS.

Parents Supply Liquor to

Little Ones at Meals.

BEER, WHISKY AND WINE.

Doctors Say It Explains

Nervousness -- Plan to

Stop Custom.

The physicians who are empolyed in school inspection have been endeavoring of late to find out what the children ate and drank at home. This has been done with a view to finding the reason for nervousness in so many otherwise healthy children. In one school which has a large foreign attendance the information gained from but two rooms was startling. In one room of forty children it was discovered that seventeen had either beer, wine or whisky to drink with some of their meals the previous day.

In this room the teacher was making a record of what each child had to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner the previous day. The following has to do only with the beverages, or liquids, served them:

Water -- Two had it for breakfast, eighteen for lunch and five for dinner.
Milk -- Three for breakfast, two for lunch and nine for dinner.
Tea -- Four for breakfast, two for lunch and nine for dinner.
Coffee -- Twenty-three for breakfast, three for lunch and four for dinner.
Beer -- Three had it for lunch and nine drank it for dinner.
Wine -- Three drank wine for lunch and one for dinner.
Whisky -- One had it for dinner.

In another room, while no wine or whisky was given t he children, they showed up strong on the coffee and beer. The report follows:

Water -- One had it for breakfast, six for lunch and none for dinner.
Milk -- Eight for breakfast, three for lunch and nine for dinner.
Coffee -- Twenty for breakfast, two for lunch and ten for dinner.
Cocoa -- Five for breakfast and one for lunch.
Chocolate -- One for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Beer -- Five for breakfast, fourteen for lunch and fifteen for dinner.

"While people are buying $30,000 organs for churches here in this city," said the physician who inspected this school, "I think it would do more good to get a cheaperr organ and use the rest of the money in educating the parents of these children. The children of this generation will be the parents of the next and if they are reared on beer, wine and whisky, what kind of citizens will they make? This is a very serious matter and parents who see no wrong in poisoning a child's brain with alcohol and making it a nervous wreck before it is half grown must be taught better."

NURSES TO INSTRUCT.

On account of this startling discovery it is the intention now to go further than the inspection in the school and only in the home where disease exists. Mrs. Kate E. Pierson, a member of the board of pardons and paroles and connected also with the Associated Charities, has taken an interest in the matter. An effort will be made to secure nurses who speak the foreign languages necessary in this case, to go into the homes and instruct the mothers. They especially will be warned regarding giving intoxicants to their children.

"The nurses will have to do more," said Mrs. Pearson yesterday. "They will teach the mothers what is best for a child to eat, how and where to buy the proper food and how to prepare it. They also will be taught how to care for their babies and growing children."

"We find a great many nervous children in the schools, especially in certain districts," said one of the inspectors. "There is no doubt but that the giving of intoxicants is bad for them, but the constant drinking of coffee and tea by a child is also injurious.

"A growing child going to school needs the proper kind of nourishing food to hold up its end of the game. Much of the nervousness among the children in a certain district comes from alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea. Others are permitted to eat anything they choose and at any time, and consequently are badly nourished."

TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR. ~ Kansas City's Chinese Colony Beginning to Make Arrangements.

February 3, 2026

TO CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR.

Kansas City's Chinese Colony Be-

ginning to Make Arrangements.

"Vely fine happee New Year" will be the common greeting in the Chinese world next Wednesday which marks the beginning of another twelve months for the Mongolian race. The Kansas City colony, the seat of which is West Sixth street, is already making elaborate preparations for the annual festivities. The Moys, the Sings, the Chins, the Lees, the Wahs, the Lungs and all the rest of the representatives of the various provinces of China are combining their efforts to make themselves conspicuous, despite the fact that there are comparatively few Chinamen here.

Spaghetti, Irish stew and bean chili must all sink into the caverns of oblivion as toothsome dishes for a day at least and good, old chop suey, with noodles on the side, together with gloutchew, Oriental prunes and other equally palatable things from the Celestial standpoint, will be in evidence. A large shipment of Chinese fruits, vegetables and wines arrived Monday and is held in readiness for the celebration.

"We feel much glad on New Year," said Kwong Sang, a tea merchant at 113 West Sixth street yesterday afternoon. "We can't have so much big time here as in New York and San Francisco, because there's not enough Chinamen. All same we have much feast and music."

Kwong Sang has commenced to hang decorations in his store and his wife was busy all day yesterday arranging the rear of the room for a banquet table. They expect to entertain a number of their countrymen. The little Sang children have caught the spirit of the occasion and are already crying for goodies they can have only on New Year.

Shung Fung Lung, a dealer in fancy Chinese goods at 123 West Sixth street, has also sent out invitations to several of his out-of-town friends and will assume the role of host in a brand new silk suit just received from China.

"We like the fireworks on New Year," he said yesterday, "but no allow it here. Much sorry."

The warring Tongs, the Hop Sings and the On Loongs, of which there are a few of each here, have apparently patched up their differences sufficiently to permit speaking terms of one day, if no longer. The Yongs, most of whom are laundrymen, are showing a disposition to be clannish and are said to be planning some exclusive parties on East Twelfth street, but their doings will not worry the wealthier merchants and importers of the North End. There is no likelihood of any serious quarrels and it is safe to bet that the local Orientals enjoy a peaceful advent of their New Year.

FIRST COFFEE FROM MEXICO. ~ Received at Customs House; Americans Establish Plantations.

February 3, 2026

FIRST COFFEE FROM MEXICO.

Received at Customs House; Ameri-

cans Establish Plantations.

G. W. Clarke, surveyor of customs at the port of Kansas City, issued his monthly statement yesterday showing a gain of 58.5 per cent in the receipts of his office in customs duties over the month of January, 1909. In January of last year the receipts amounted to $48,541.39, while for the month just past they amounted to $77,367.12, a difference of $28,825.73. Every month this office has shown a gain over the like month of the year before.

"We received our first shipment of coffee from Mexico today," said Mr. Clarke. "The shipment reached nearly 50,000 pounds. It was unusual, as heretofore most of our coffee has been imported from Brazil. Americans have bought vast tracts in Mexico, however, and have begun raising coffee there."

There are no import duties on coffee and tea, but they have to pass through the custom house just the same. A separate report is kept of the free and dutiable imports. Coffee and tea is examined by experts to see that it is good. All tea shipped here is opened and samples sent to Chicago to be tested. Not long ago an entire wagon load was ordered dumped into the river as unfit for use. There is no such chance to cheat in shipments of coffee as there is in tea, but the government tries to protect the consumer by ordering both examined by men who know the goods.

CHILDREN WON'T EAT MEAT. ~ Independence Sunday School Pupils Vote Thirty-Day Boycott.

January 21, 2026

CHILDREN WON'T EAT MEAT.

Independence Sunday School Pupils

Vote Thirty-Day Boycott.

The boys and girls of the Maywood Sunday school, near Independence, met last night and decided to eat no meat during the next thirty days. Petitions were circulated in Independence yesterday, but received few signers.

BRICKLAYERS BAR MEAT ONE MONTH. ~ LOCAL UNION NO. 1 STARTS BOYCOTT MOVEMENT IN KANSAS CITY.

January 20, 2026

BRICKLAYERS BAR

MEAT ONE MONTH.

LOCAL UNION NO. 1 STARTS

BOYCOTT MOVEMENT IN

KANSAS CITY.

70 Cents an Hour Wage and

Can't Afford Meat at

Present Prices.

Kansas City bricklayers, hard-working but well paid, are the first here to take action toward boycotting meat, because of the prevailing high prices. At a meeting of the local union resolutions were adopted by a unanimous vote, to this effect:

"We, the members of the Bricklayers' local union No. 1 of Kansas City, hereby refuse to buy meat of any kind for thirty days."

The bricklayers' union has a membership of 138. There is another union in Kansas City, Mo., and also one in Kansas City, Kas. The other unions have been invited to join in the movement and action will be taken in a few days. The bricklayers of No. 1 union have extended an invitation to the organizations of other crafts to join in the movement.

David R. Morgan, business agent of No. 1 union, in discussing its action, said:

"We are prompted in adopting the resolution by a recent similar movement in Cleveland, O., which resulted in a material reduction of prevailing prices.

"We bricklayers work on a scale of 70 cents an hour. This is generally considered high pay, but when it is understood that we lose a great deal of time, our wages are brought to a normal workingman's standard.

"There are but few bricklayers in our union who feel that they can pay the present high price for meat. We have our own vernacular for certain meats. A 'bricklayer's turkey' is an ordinary undressed rabbit, fresh from the Kansas shortgrass, for which we pay 5 cents. A 'bricklayer's steak' is a small piece of liver. Even these meats are becoming so costly that we are willing to forbear their pleasures for thirty days.

"If the other crafts will join us in our movement, we believe the result will be the same as that attained in Cleveland, and that meat prices will be reduced within the reach of all."

HILARIOUS DINERS HAIL THE NEW YEAR. ~ Thousands at the Hotels and Cafes Watch Passing of 1909.

January 1, 2026

HILARIOUS DINERS

HAIL THE NEW YEAR.

Thousands at the Hotels and

Cafes Watch Passing

of 1909.

"It's 12 o'clock," said "Billy" Campbell, electrician at the Hotel Baltimore.

Frank J. Dean, manager of the hostelry, whose hand was on one of the big switch levers, gave it a pull, and in an instant the lights in the five dining rooms, the Pompeiian room, the grill room and the lobbies were extinguished. Bands in the dining rooms struck up "Auld Lang Syne," 1,200 diners blew souvenir horns, congratulated one another, and the new year was on.

Capacity crowds filled the dining rooms and cafes of the hotels and restaurants of Kansas City last night. At the hotels the lights were extinguished for a minute at midnight to indicate to the diners that the new year had been born. Special orchestras furnished the music and at most of the hotels the old Scotch refrain was sung.

The crowds this year were larger than last. The hotels began making reservations for last night over two weeks ago. A week ago practically all of the lists had been filled. Even at that, last night found hundreds at the big hotels, who waited in lobbies for an opportunity to get into the dining rooms before midnight.

A check system similar to that used in theaters, in which the tables were numbered and the diners held numbered checks, was inaugurated at the Hotel Baltimore this year. This avoided confusion. After dinner scores of men were put to work on the dining rooms. The tables were arranged for their guests and the decorations were put in place. The favors or souvenirs consisted of horns, in the base of which were bits of confections. The color scheme was red, roses and carnations being used in the decorations.

COFFEE AT MIDNIGHT.

The doors to the dining room were opened at 10:30, but dinner was not served until 11:30. The dinner was timed to last half an hour, with the service of coffee on the tables just at midnight. Orchestras were hidden behind banks of palms and ferns in the dining rooms.

The largest crowd was in the Pompeiian room. It was also apparently the jolliest. Long before midnight hundreds of would-be diners thronged the lobby and pleaded vainly for room in one of the dining rooms. As the midnight hour approached the doorways were crowded by those who would look in, even though they could not cross the portals. The balconies above the marble room and the main banquet hall were crowded early in the evening by those who could only watch the revelers.

SING "AULD LANG SYNE."

At the Savoy hotel the dining rooms were thrown together and the orchestra was placed in the hall so that the grill room, with its quota of stags, could be entertained. Dinner was served here at 11 o'clock. At 12 o'clock the lights were extinguished and the familiar Scotch melody was sung.

The Hotel Kupper dining room was crowded an hour before midnight and those who could not gain entrance filled the lobby and joined in the chorus of "Auld Lang Syne" when the lights were turned up after midnight.

At the Sexton hotel the crowds overflowed the dining rooms and were taken care of in the grill room in the basement.

The actors and actresses about the city had their celebration at the Century hotel. Immediately after the curtains were rung down at the various show houses a rush was made for street costumes and the members of the "profession" gathered at the Century hotel. The tables had all been reserved, and an orchestra greeted the crowd from each theater as they appeared.

The cafe of the Coates house held a capacity crowd. It was quieter than those at the other hotels.

At the Densmore, the tables in the dining room had been reserved for several weeks. Scores were turned away last night. Special music was the rule here also.

VOLUNTEERS GIVE A TREAT. ~ Needy Folk Fill Oak Street Hall On New Year's Eve.

January 1, 2026

VOLUNTEERS GIVE A TREAT.

Needy Folk Fill Oak Street Hall On

New Year's Eve.

The large hall at 1416 Oak street, occupied by the Volunteers of America, was crowded to its utmost capacity last night when Major R. A. Davis, who recently took charge of the institution, opened the New Year's eve services with prayer and song.

Between 200 and 300 men, women and children of the poorer classes enjoyed the entertainment of songs and New Year's recitations. A large tree, around which were piled the treats of the evening, stood at one end of the hall.

Each one present was given a bag containing oranges, candy, nuts and cakes.

"We will serve coffee and rolls after services Sunday night," said Major Davis.

FOUND DEAD IN A CELLAR. ~ George Dixon Stricken While at Work Cultivating Mushrooms.

December 30, 2025

FOUND DEAD IN A CELLAR.

George Dixon Stricken While at

Work Cultivating Mushrooms.

George Dixon, 66 years old, living in the Metropolitan hotel, was found dead in a cellar under the Last Chance saloon, Bridge street and Broadway, yesterday morning. Dixon, who cultivated mushrooms in the cellar, did not return to his home on Tuesday night, and his wife requested the police to make a search.

Coroner Harry Czarlinsky was summoned and after pronouncing death to be due to heart failure, ordered the body sent to the Carroll-Davidson undertaking rooms.

AN OLD TIME CELEBRATION. ~ Prisoners at the Municipal Farm Experienced Real Joy.

December 25, 2025

AN OLD TIME CELEBRATION.

Prisoners at the Municipal Farm

Experienced Real Joy.

Two oranges, two bananas, half a pound of assorted nuts, one dozen cream cakes, a bunch of grapes, and one-half pound box of candy, all inclosed in a neatly decorated basket, is what the Christmas season brought each prisoner at the municipal farm, a mile and a half southeast of Leeds, last night.

A large Christmas tree, decorated in tinsel and Christmas bells, just like the Sunday school trees, was fitted up in the big farm house last night. A real live Santa Claus, with his customary tonsorial makeup, dressed in a red and white suit, presided over the tree and distributed the Christmas baskets.

Tonight for entertainment will be proved for the prisoners. Among the numbers on the programme will be "Semi Dempsy," a one-act comedy with three characters; "Pills of Merriment," a two-act farce introducing six characters; "The Oklahoma Traveler," a burlesque by Dowd McDonald, Dood and Jones, a negro team, and songs and dancing. A stage with elaborate settings, spot lights, hand-painted scenery, and all necessary adjuncts was constructed by the prisoners.

MAYOR'S CHRISTMAS TREE IS ALL READY. ~ CANDY AND TOYS FOR THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN.

December 24, 2025

MAYOR'S CHRISTMAS

TREE IS ALL READY.

CANDY AND TOYS FOR THOU-

SANDS OF CHILDREN.

Convention Hall Doors Will Swing

Open at 1 o'clock Today to

Admit the Eager

Youngsters.

Nimble fingers, hastened and made dexterous by kind hearts, effected a transformation in Convention hall yesterday, and today the great auditorium is a Santa Claus land for the poor children of Kansas City. At 1 o'clock this afternoon the doors of the hall will swing open for the mayor's Christmas tree, and at 2:30 they will close, while Santa Claus distributes Christmas presents to at least 7,000 little boys and girls who, by force of circumstances, might otherwise have had no Christmas.

Notwithstanding unceasing efforts, the committees of the Mayor's Christmas Tree Association have been unable to locate all the poor children in the city to give them the tickets which are necessary to entitle them to gifts, and these children who have been overlooked are asked to apply at Convention hall this morning from 8 o'clock until noon. Tickets will be supplied these children any time between those hours.

The Fraternal Order of Moose caught the Christmas spirit in earnest yesterday and notified the Mayor's Christmas Tree Association that it would have twenty-five wagon loads of coal at Convention hall at noon today for distribution among poor families. Each wagon will contain two tons of coal.

WORKED ALL DAY.

Poor families who need fuel are requested to notify the mayor's office by 'phone or in person up to 11 o'clock this morning. These cases will be investigated and if the applicants be found worthy the coal will be delivered at their homes at noon. The offer from the Order of Moose was made by W. A. McGowan, secretary of the local lodge.

That the Convention hall association is heart and soul in the Christmas tree project was shown when Manager Louis W. Shouse and the directors placed the whole Convention hall force at the disposal of the Christmas Tree Association. As soon as the railroad ball was over Wednesday night, Manager Shouse put a force of men to work taking up the dance floor and before 6 o'clock yesterday morning the building was ready for the decorating committees of the Christmas tree.

Steve Sedweek was the first of the association workers to appear on the scene. He arrived at 6 o'clock and within a short time a large force was at work, setting up the Christmas trees, decorating them and packing the gifts into sacks ready for distribution. The committees worked all day and this morning they will have the hall ready for the great event.

That the people of Kansas City may inspect the work of the "best fellows" a general invitation is extended to any who care to do so to stop into the hall during the morning hours, up to noon today.

THE GIFTS IN SACKS.

Among the busy people at the hall yesterday were Captain John F. Pelletier, A. E. Hutchings, Steve Sedweek, Captain W. A. O'Leary, Hank C. Mank, the Rev. Thomas Watts, Gus Zorn and a Mr. Bennett of Wichita, who is here to gain ideas for a similar event to be inaugurated in his city next year.

Among the most valued workers were the members of the committee of twenty. Their duties consisted of the packing and arranging of the gifts in sacks. They worked from early morning till late at night and ate luncheon and dinner in the hall. Mayor T. T. Crittenden was present at the luncheon and sat at the head of the table, commending the women for their work.

The workers were assisted by seven men from No. 6 hook and ladder company, Thirty-first and Holmes, detailed for the duty by Fire Chief John C. Egner. Chief Egner had intended detailing twenty men, but the fire in the Rialto building made it impossible for him to do so.

The giant Christmas trees, which will be among the objects of chief interest to the children, were decorated in magnificent fashion by the employes of the Kansas City Electric Light Company and the Webb-Freyschlag Mercantile Company.

The presents for the children will be arranged in sacks bearing the inscription, "Mayor's Christmas Tree, 1909." The sacks for the boys will be placed on the east side of the arena and those of the girls on the west side. The sacks for children up to 8 years of age are printed in blue and those of children from 8 to 12 are printed in red.

Each child will receive two suitable toys and candy, nuts and fruit, all arranged in Christmas style.

A CLOWN BAND, TOO.

The programme for the mayor's Christmas tree will be a simple one. The doors will open at 1 o'clock, when the children can come in to feast their eyes upon the great Christmas trees and enjoy a fine musical entertainment. The doors will close at 2:30, so that it will be necessary for the tots to be in the hall by that time.

Preceding the distribution of the presents, the Eagles' clown band will give a dress concert on the arena and a large electrical organ will also furnish music. Old Santa Claus, who, it is said, resembles very much in appearance Captain John F. Pelletier, will be present and he will have six assistants with him to mingle among the children. At 2:30 o'clock Santa will introduce Mayor T. T. Crittenden, who will make a short talk, and the presents will then be distributed.

"We have plenty of funds and plenty of gifts for all the city's poor children," said A. E. Hutchings, "and if they do not come and get their share it will not be the fault of the committees, which have labored incessantly to get in touch with every child entitled to the pleasures of the tree."

Although it was announced that no more funds were needed, and that no further cash donations would be received, the financial committee of the association was forced to decline donations yesterday to the amount of several hundred dollars.

GAVE THE MAYOR A CAKE. ~ City Hall Employes Remember His Forty-Sixth Birthday.

December 24, 2025

GAVE THE MAYOR A CAKE.

City Hall Employes Remember His

Forty-Sixth Birthday.

Mayor Crittenden admits that he was 46 years old yesterday. His official family and close personal friends took advantage of the occasion to present him with an ornamented cake weighing twenty-five pounds. It was pyramidal and decorated with cupids, bon bons, and images of flying doves. The pyramid was shaped as a bouquet holder, and this was filled with American Beauty roses, ferns and delicate plants. At the base of the cake forty-six miniature candles were set in the open petals of lillies of the valley.

While the mayor was absent in another part of city hall the cake was smuggled into his private office, and when he returned he was greeted by a host of friends, and Frank Lowe made a facetious speech of presentation, and the mayor responded as well as his embarrassment would permit.

YOUTHS "SWEATED"; STILL DENY CHARGES. ~ EXAMINATIONS MADE IN VAIN BY WOODSON.

December 10, 2025

YOUTHS "SWEATED";

STILL DENY CHARGES.

EXAMINATIONS MADE IN VAIN

BY WOODSON.

Shay Says He Can Prove He Was at

Theater on Night of One Hold

Up, the Victim of Which

Identifies Him.

The three youths, Louis M. Dye, Ralph A. Clyne and Harry Shay, locked up in the county jail charged with highway robbery and suspected of the Spangler murder, were subected to a series of rigorous examinations yesterday by Assistant Prosecutor Norman Woodson. His efforts in "sweating" the prisoners so far have met with no success. The trio deny every charge made against them and with the exception of numerous identifications, the authorities have obtained no evidence that might help toward conviction.

The matter is at present entirely in the hands of the prosecutor's office, the case having been taken from the police department.

SHAY IS WORRIED.

Shay is profuse in assurances that he knew nothing of the robberies with which he is charged.

"Of course I am innocent," he says, "but these people whom I never saw before coming in and identifying me a criminal naturally makes me worried. A man swore yesterday that I had held him up at 10 o'clock on the night of December 2. At that time I was a a theater with a friend who can swear to it."

Mrs. Nora Dye, the bride of Louis Dye, visited him yesterday. She remained only a few minutes. Beyond stating that he is innocent, and that he can account for every evening that he had spent away from home for more than a month, Dye refused to talk.

Ralph Clyne is the most talkative of the three. He is in a cell on the third floor of the building in the woman's department and is far more comfortable than his fellow prisoners. He is cheerful and jokes about his surroundings. "Yes, I'm in the state quarters up here," he stated.

DENIES ACQUAINTANCE.

"I can give an account of myself on the occasion of all these hold ups. Before I was arrested I never even knew the names of Dye and Shay. I sued to see them in the morning when I came to work and that was all. I certainly never went any place in their company."

His mother, Mrs. M. Clyne, paid him a visit. "Cheer up mother. I'll be out of here in a week," he told her after kissing her affectionately. "It's no disgrace to be locked up when you are innocent."

Mrs. Clyne had brought him a big package of fruit. "This is like money from home," he said as the jailer pushed the oranges and apples through an aperture in the cell. "I missed your hot cakes this morning at breakfast."

Three more complaints of highway robbery were filed against the prisoners yesterday, and a further examination will be made and more statements taken this morning.

COAL RANGE INTO ITS OWN. ~ Resurrected, Dust Covered, and Again Put to Use.

December 10, 2025

COAL RANGE INTO ITS OWN.

Resurrected, Dust Covered, and

Again Put to Use.

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