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

October 14, 2025

GREAT CROWD SEES

TWO NEAR ACCIDENTS.

MULES DASH FOR GATE OPENED

BY MISTAKE.

Women Avert Collision in Chariot

Race and Are Applauded --

Horses and Poultry Draw

the Most Attention.

The rise in the temperature, combined with a cloudless sky during the better portion of the day aided materially in increasing the crowd attending the American Royal Live Stock show and a conservative estimate yesterday placed the paid admissions at about 14,000. There was, by far, more congestion than on either of the previous days, and in some of the exhibitions it was difficult to move around without elbowing someone out of the way. The crowd was made up largely of visitors from the small neighboring towns, though there was a number of country people and a goodly sprinkling of city folk in the throng.

The horses and poultry continued to be the mecca for the crowds and the barns in which they were exhibited were crowded all day. The cattle and swine also came in for a good share of attention, and, in fact, there was nothing on the grounds that was not visited by a fair portion of the visitors.

CHAMPION IS SHOWN.

The usual exhibition and parade was given in the pavilion during the afternoon. In addition to the Morris six, the Anheuser-Busch mules and the Clark ponies, Casino, the undefeated world's champion Percheron, was shown in the parade, together with $3,000 worth of medals which he has won in various parts of the world.

Two accidents were narrowly averted in the arena. The first came when, through a mistake, some one opened the upper gate while the Anheuser-Busch mules were being exhibited. The animals thought it was for them to go through and they swerved toward it. The crowd beyond the gate made a rush to get out of the way but the driver, by a quick manipulation of the reins, managed to turn the leaders back into the arena and no damage was done.

The second came in the chariot race in which Mrs. Georgia Phillips and Miss Fra Clark participated. At the second dash around, while the ponies were going at top speed, Miss Clark failed to make her turn short enough and the pole of her chariot almost crushed into the one occupied by Mrs. Phillips. Quick driving on the part of the women prevented an accident and the race was finished amid a storm of applause.

BARKERS OUT IN FORCE.

The barkers were out in full force yesterday, much to the delight of the rural housewife. There were apple parers that could be utilized in a hundred different ways, can openers, milk skimmers, knife sharpeners, and in fact, all descriptions of household gimeracks which could be purchased from ten cents to a quarter, and nearly every farmer's wife availed herself of one or more of the implements.

The candy paddle wheel man was also in evidence, and he did a rushing business. The feature which appealed largely to the country brethren, though, was a hill-climbing automobile demonstration. A runway sixteen feet long, built on a 50 per cent grade, was erected and the car, in charge of a competent chauffeur, would, like the French general, go up the hill and down again. There was no charge for riding and many a love-lorn swain and his sweetheart from the rural districts enjoyed their first auto ride.

HOT SOUP AND COFFEE.

From a financial standpoint the women of the Jackson Avenue Christian church have the very best proposition on the grounds. They are operating a lunch stand where hot soup and coffee, together with other edibles, can be obtained on short notice at a moderate sum. The place is crowed all the time, as the air chilled one in the barn and the soup and coffee are used to "heat up." Of course there are some who do not heat up on soup and coffee, but they seem to be in the minority, and the church women reap a harvest, between those getting warm and those really hungry.

The Kellerstrass farm of Kansas City, which has a large exhibit in the poultry barn, after the first of the year will add a new industry to its line, that of raising fancy pheasants. The farm has been experimenting along that line for some time and the past year raised 700 pheasants. This decided them that it could be done successfully, and after January pheasants will be listed in the Kellerstrass catalogue. The birds will be sold only to fanciers.

STALLS ARE DECORATED.

Many of the owners in the horse barn have decorated in a most handsome manner, the stalls allotted to them. Among these are the McLaughlin and Robinson exhibits. They have their stalls in white, green and yellow bunting, together with the cups, ribbons and other trophies, won by their animals, over the stall occupied by the horse which won them. The effect adds beauty to the barn and is quite pleasing to the visitors.

The sale of Herefords in the Fine Stock Sale Pavilion yesterday was attended largely. It began at 2 o'clock and continued until 5:30 at which hour fifty head had been disposed of at fairly good figures.

The highest price of the afternoon, $800, was paid by J. P. Cudahy of Kansas City to W. S. Van Natta of Fowler, Ind., for the bull Pine Lad 38th. The animal has one prizes all over the country and is an exceptionally fine specimen. The average price of the day was $166 1/2, which is $15 less that the average prices realized at the sale last year.

There will be a sale of Galloways in the sale pavilion today, while in the show proper the judging of sheep will be started and several classes will be finished up.

Labels: American Royal, animals, automobiles, farmers, food, races, salesmen, visitors

September 19, 2025

FOR THE AMERICAN ROYAL.

Everything Nearly Ready for the

Live Stock and Horse Show.

The stock yards company is beginning already the work of brightening up the yards for the American Royal Live Stock and Horse show. The fine stock pavilion, where the sale cattle are kept, is being furnished up, and the tin work painted. The yards in the neighborhood of the Royal have been largely rebuilt and remodeled this year, so that visitors will easily get an idea of the improvements and growth here.

The spaces for concessions, the booths in which manufacturers of feedstuffs and other necessities of the live stock raiser show their wares, have all been engaged -- the first time in the history of the Royal when booths along the Midway have been taken so far in advance.

There are no side shows at the Royal, since the inevitable rule has always been that one price of admission admits to everything. If anybody has anything to show, the public can see it without paying extra.

Labels: American Royal, stock yards

August 12, 2025

AMERICAN ROYAL LIVE STOCK

SHOW'S NEW HOME.

Will Have Seats for 7,000 People.

SKETCH OF THE NEW AMERICAN ROYAL BUILDING.

Work on the pavilion which will house the American Royal live stock show this year was commenced yesterday. The building will occupy a lot 148 by 368 feet and will be 48 feet high. It will contain a ring 80 by 300 feet which will be surrounded by seats which will house comfortably over 7,000 people. The show ring is to be free from posts or any other obstructions. The outside walls will be 20 feet high and will be of cement on steel laths. The roof will be carried on steel trusses spanning the show ring.

The previous shows have been in big tents. Last year's experience with a tent resulted in the decision this year to build a substantial house. The show will be held from October 11 to 16 and is the court of final decision in the live stock world. In this show the winners of the prizes in the various state fairs here meet in general competition for the grand prizes of the American Royal.

It is planned to have the cattle show in the day and the horse show at night.

Labels: American Royal, real estate

October 12, 2025

OPENING DAY OF

AMERICAN ROYAL.

STOCK SHOW OPENS AT YARDS

THIS MORNING.

BIGGER THAN EVER

THIS YEAR.

THERE'LL BE A HORSE SHOW

EACH NIGHT.

Fine Line of Beef Cattle, Draft and

Coach Horses, Sheep and Poul-

try on Exhibition -- Judg-

ing Begins Today.

The last flag has been draped, the last bit of bunting festooned over the walls, and the Royal family of American live stock are ready for inspection. The exhibition which opens today is said to be the biggest and best in the Royal's history. The number of entries in the various classes exceed those of former years, and new features have been added which promise to prove attractive to the lover of purebred stock.

All day yesterday and far into the night a crowd of busy attendants worked preparing the decorations for their respective sections. In the big tent workmen were engaged in constructing seats and lacing chairs for the reserved sections. In the big tent workmen were engaged in constructing seats and placing chairs for the reserved sections. Sixty arc lights have been placed in the tent, the roadway has been put in good condition, and everything is ready for the big show.

In the cattle pavilion yesterday the contestants were being washed and groomed for the grand opening this morning. No lady preparing for a ball could be attended with more care by a faithful maid than these representatives of royalty receive at the hands of the grooms. The hair is curled, the hoofs and horns greased and polished, until they look indeed worthy representatives of their royal family.

SHEEP WANTED CABBAGE.

When the sheep began to arrive late Saturday night there was an insistent call from the owners for cabbage. "We must have cabbage to feed our sheep," was the cry. The stock yards company had agreed to furnish feed for the live stock, but here was a contingency which they were not prepared to meet. Being unable to procure cabbage at that late hour, and yesterday being Sunday, there was consternation among the sheep owners. About 8 o'clock yesterday afternoon an old negro who had evidently heard of the dilemma, drove into the pens with a wagon piled high with cabbage. There was a wild scrambling among the sheep owners to purchase the lot and the enterprising farmer realized a good profit on his load. The show sheep now ready for exhibition will eat about 1,000 heads of cabbage daily.

Many devices, showing the enterprise of the attendants with the different heads, may be seen in the pens. "How am I for a Calf," is the inscription above the head of a 1,300-pound yearling, in the Shorthorn division. On every head the grooms and owners are ready and willing to tell of the virtues of their particular string of horses, or herd of Shorthorns.

GREAT LINE OF HORSES.

"If this 2-year-old Belgian mare fails to land first prize we'll walk her back to Iowa," was the boast of a groom who stood at the head of his favorite mare. Stately Percherons, massive Belgians, Clydes and Shires are seen in one section, while in another are the French and German Coach and the Hackneys.

B. O. Cowan of Chicago, assistant secretary of the American Shorthorn Breeders' Association, was enthusiastic over the prospects for the American Royal.

"We are going to have the best show ever seen in Kansas City," he declared. "We have more entries and the people throughout the country have taken a deeper interest. Another thing, you will observe that we have a chicken show this year, a new feature which will be of interest to many."

The night shows during the week will be practically the same as the horse shows formerly held in Convention hall, with this exception, that in all classes there are more entries than in any previous horse show ever held in Kansas City. The big tent, 150x400 feet, with a seating capacity of 7,000, will be well lighted. All seats will be free during the day.

Labels: American Royal, animals, Chicago, farmers, food, organizations, visitors

August 3, 2025

NO HORSE SHOW THIS YEAR.

Lack of Public Interest Prevents

Convention Hall Display.

There will be no horse show in Convention hall this fall. W. A. Rule, president of the Horse Show Association, explained yesterday that "a lack of public interest is responsible for this. There is not time now to get up such a show as we would want to give, and when there was time in which to make such arrangements there was not sufficient interest."

It had been announced two months ago that there would be a horse show. Cities east of here, notable St. Louis, have foregone their annual horse shows this year, which would make it doubly hard for Kansas City, remote as it is, to get a string of exhibitors to come here for the show.

There are prospects that the horse show attachment to the America Royal Live Stock show will be enlarged and taken somewhere up to the height of perfection of a Convention hall horse show. Younger Denny, who managed the horse show at the yards last year, said yesterday, however, that he had received no instructions this year, and he id not know what would be done.

Labels: American Royal, Convention Hall, organizations, St Louis