From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

August 15, 2020

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

1

FROM RAILS TO TRAILS TO HIGHWAYS AND BACK This narrative documents life in Allen

provided by the United States Congress.

the public, the exhibit features dozens of

Society, several sources were critical to

County through five generations of the

Today’s publication in the Iola Register is

photos and items publicly displayed for

this narrative’s success. Among others,

Wilson family, a fictional family whose

designed to support the local companion

the very first time.

The Annals of Allen County, Volumes

progress and challenges echo those of

exhibit, “From Trails, to Rails, To Highways,

Certain passages highlighted in this

One and Two, and The Chronicles of Allen

our communities.

and Back”, a collaborative effort by the

publication will be displayed on the walls

County, Volume Three, along with the

“Crossroads: Change in Rural America”

Allen County Historical Society, Bowlus

with surrounding supportive photographs,

collections at the historical society, were

is an exhibition at the Bowlus Fine

Fine Arts Center, Thrive Allen County, Iola

articles, and artifacts. Additionally, extra

essential sources in documenting local

Arts Center which opens August 29.

Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the

prints of this publication will be available

history. All featured photos are courtesy

“Crossroads: Change in Rural America”,

Bowlus and the Iola Register.

at the exhibition, whose layout will be in

of the historical society.

made possible by Humanities Kansas,

We invite you to come to the Bowlus to

the chronological order of the diary. Please

is part of Museum on Main Street, a

explore the many crossroads experienced

contact the Bowlus at (620) 365-4765

collaboration between the Smithsonian

throughout

or visit bowluscenter.org/crossroads for

Institution

Discover your community’s history and

more information about the exhibit.

for

the defining moments that make our

Composed by Larry Manes, a board

Museum on Main Street has been

corner of Kansas a special place. Free to

member of the Allen County Historical

Councils

and

State

nationwide.

Humanities Support

Allen

County’s

history!

Osage Indians

Je re m i a h Wi l s o n Journal entry - May 15, 1856 My name is Jeremiah Wilson and I was born in the early summer of 1841 on a small but well maintained farm near Gloversville, New York – the first-born son of Jedidiah Wilson.

My father was a stern, principled man who supported abolitionism, temperance, pacifism, and egalitarianism. In the fall of 1855 he was approached by a man named Henry Clubb, who was of similar ideas, about establishing a utopian socialist community in the new Kansas Territory which would follow these ideals. According to Mr. Clubb, plans were well established to build a new town. My father found this idea very appealing and after due thought he sold our farm in New York, packed up the family and set off for the Far West region of Kansas at the first signs of spring, 1856. Mr. Clubb provided us with a map of our route and a letter of introduction to the community members of Octagon City.

I have decided to keep a written record of our experiences in Kansas to pass on to my descendants so they can appreciate our travels and travails in arriving at this grand undertaking to build a perfect society.

Cofachique About midday of our third day out of Ft. Scott we stopped at the town Cofachique. It may be notable that the name is pronounced as if the “que” was not appended to the name. Given the report we had received the previous day, my father thought it well advised to purchase some staples at this community to see us through our first month at Octagon City.

Father was most disappointed in the town. Beyond its rough appearance, the men (the population was primarily male) proved to be most undesirable. They were primarily originally

from the South and were decidedly pro-slave. They also seemed to enjoy visiting the saloon and partaking of alcohol – several appeared to be somewhat besotted.

This led father to declare the town a den of iniquity, and while we did secure some basic supplies, he vowed to never again trade with the businesses in the town so long as they persisted in their unacceptable ideas and behaviors. We camped that night at the base of the mound and would complete our trek to our ultimate destination early the next morning which would allow us nearly all day to settle into

our new home.

Addendum - May 10, 1859.

The trip from the edge of Cofachique to Octagon City took only about an hour.

We arrived a little after 9:00 a.m. on the morning of May 15, 1856 and were immediately cast into shock.

Based upon the information we had received from Mr. Clubb, we expected to find a large stone structure in the middle of town to house new-comers, an array of houses surrounding it, and cultivated fields stretching for acres beyond. Instead we discover a large tent in the middle of the City with a dirt floor and a single large cooking stove in the center and a cluster of smaller tents serving as housing for settlers. As we continue to survey our surroundings, there is no saw mill and no grist mill – both of these had been promised by Mr. Clubb.

My father can contain his anger only as a result of his growing concern about our immediate prospects. While

she does her best to contain her disappointment, I can see that there are tears in my mother’s eyes. We are told that many families have already left which in a strange way is of benefit to us – we are able to move into one of the recently abandoned tents and with effort should be able to improve into at least a minimally acceptable condition.

It is now two days later and my father has decided to stay here for the summer in the hopes that the promised support from the East will arrive. There is a single plow available in the community and Father, as one of the few experienced farmers in the community, is trying to plow parcels for the planting of at least some garden crops.

His efforts are made almost impossible by the heavy mud left from last night’s storm.

He has decided to wait a day or two in the hope that the ground, which appears to be potentially rich, will dry enough to be tilled.

With fall upon us we are now committed to stay at Octagon City for the upcoming winter. There are but a few of us left here, however the ones that have stayed represent the strongest and most dedicated of the original settlers. Still, it appears that we lack the necessary resources to survive the winter without outside help. Travelers have told us that the local Indian tribe has a semi-permanent encampment along the Neosho River about a mile north of Cofachique. We understand that the Indians have excess food reserves and will trade for cloth and trinkets if they meet their fancy. Hence we have gathered up all the fabric and limited jewelry, including my mother’s wedding ring, in the wagon and will set off in the morning for the Indian encampment.

I am writing this some three years after our original visit to Cofachique. That town is now largely abandoned and certainly condemned to total collapse in the very near future. Over the last three years the County has grown in population as more settlers have arrived from the East. These new settlers recognize the evils of slavery October 12, 1856 and those who support it and When we arrived at the have founded new towns Indian camp yesterday which have allowed them to morning, we were quite boycott Cofachique. surprised at the appearance of the camp and its inhabitants. The camp, or more appropriately the village, is quite clean and September 28, 1856 well kept, despite the dogs The past few months have and horses that the tribe been busy as those of us who possesses. The Indians remain in the colony try to have a large stock of dried prepare for the on-coming buffalo meat and hides as winter. It is now fall and we well as dried maize and have been able to store away beans from the summer’s enough garden produce and gardens. These Indians were canned enough excess to see most happy to greet us and our greatly reduced numbers two spoke a limited degree through the upcoming of English which made winter. Fortunately, those of our efforts much simpler. us who do remain are used We succeeded in securing to the hard labor necessary dried provisions and enough to improve a few tents to buffalo hides to provide make them tenable for the warmth for the cold nights to trials that lie ahead. We have come. The Indians insisted strengthened our canvas that we stay the night and tents with long strips of tree they treated us to a hearty bark that add to the stability meal and a dance by the and warmth of our humble men for our entertainment. abodes. If we can survive At the end of the day my the winter, Father says that father opined that they were we can reassess our options much superior in behavior to move to better prospects and morality to the men we when spring comes. I fear had met at Cofachique. We that several of our neighbors secured sufficient food stuff and perhaps some of our to see us and our neighbors family will not live to explore back at Octagon City through the cold months to those options. come.

Octagon City (The Vegetarian Community) Journal Entry – May 20, 1856

Journal Entry – October 10, 1856

Allen County’s first residents, AN OSAGE INDIAN FAMILY

Humboldt Journal Entry – May 15, 1857 It appears that spring is now definitely here after a seemingly long winter.

While we did lose two members of our group to croup and ague, our immediate family was left relatively healthy and ready to find a better location for our settling place. We have talked to people passing by on their way to found a new community on the banks of the Neosho River a few miles south of our current location. It appears that this community has sound backing for a town company from reputable men led by N.B. Blanton and J.A. Coffey. Today my father and I traveled to this new town site to judge for ourselves the character and permanence of this effort.

My father will not again relocate to a new city based solely on the promises of developers and speculators.

place and work is obviously progressing on a two-story log hotel and a general store that promises to be well stocked. A gentleman named Thurston has promised a steam powered saw mill will be in operation by early summer and much of the equipment is already on site. Plans are also set to construct a tin shop and grist mill within the next year. A strong movement is afoot in the State Legislature to officially move the county seat to the place from Cofachique during the 1858 session, which, if successful, will ensure the continued growth of the town in the future. My father was most impressed.

As we continued to survey the town, one potential problem did confound my father. The town will be named for the German scientist, philosopher, and geographer Baron von Humboldt. It is not the name itself which bothers my father, it is the fact that When we arrived at this new the vast majority of the community, it exceeded new residents are German our expectations. Several immigrants only recently permanent dwellings are in

2

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

arrived in America. As a result, when visiting the community we noted that a majority of discussions are taking place in the German language, which neither my father nor I understand or speak. Father fears that this would mark us as outsiders in the community.

Certainly, many of the new settlers in Humboldt are bilingual, but it appears that most prefer to conduct business in their native tongue rather than English.

He was also troubled that many of the new households have plans to brew beer once established. While this is not as concerning as distilled spirits, alcohol is still alcohol and my father is nearly as strongly disapproving of this as he is of slavery.

At the end of the day, father had no doubt that the Humboldt community has a bright future of growth and success, it is not the place for us to relocate. We have heard of additional communities being formed in the north portion of the County which might be better prospects for us. In the next few weeks he is intent upon exploring these possibilities.

Addendum – May 10, 1859.

Father was correct in his assessment. Humboldt is now a well-established community and is now the County Seat.

Geneva Journal entry – May 20, 1857

Geneva Post Office which operated from 1857-1942.

Building was destroyed by fire in the 1960s.

Three men (Merrit Moore, Deacon Fisk, and a Dr. Stone) came by our most modest hovel yesterday evening and talked to father about their idea for a new community being planned for the northwestern part of Allen County. They have selected a site for this new endeavor and are actively recruiting settlers to form a town to be named Geneva.

This town was being founded on strong belief that religion and education would prove to be the key to the growth of the West.

While their primary areas of recruitment were New York

and Michigan, they also wished to have some settlers who had spent at least a year in Allen County to move to this new town. They felt that people from this area would help the new settlers from the East to adapt to their new setting and provide needed experience to prevent the newcomers from repeating mistakes such as those that doomed Octagon City.

Father was impressed by our gentlemen visitors, and hence we are traveling to this new town site today to consider moving there.

Upon arrival we find a well-planned community laid out. Home sites are marked out and the first settlers are clearing land for construction on those sites.

Plans are also underway for a saw mill, a church, and an academy. The three men in charge and two brothers named Northrup clearly have the financial resources to make this venture a success. While my father is much impressed with the early progress at this place, he does have one reservation: the enterprise seems to be more based on social ideas than economic prospects.

Having moved to Kansas to build a community based on social ideals and finding only desolation and despair, he is somewhat concerned about moving to a community similarly oriented.

He promised to give serious consideration to moving to Geneva, but we left without making a commitment.

the sounds of hammering which we followed to this new community under construction. Two men, a mister Carmine and his friend mister Ditmars, were busily employed starting to erect houses for the expected settlers which would arrive as a group the next spring.

These settlers had been pre-selected from a largely Scottish population in

Journal Entry – May 21, 1857 Father and I awoke early this morning and, after tricing up our bedding, headed northeast to find the location of the new town site of Carlyle. After we had traveled for less than half an hour, we heard

and follow that up with a field suitable for raising corn. I have talked to the men working to build the housing at Carlyle and once our crops are in, they will hire me as a laborer to help in their construction projects.

The income I earn will help to fund our living needs until harvest and should provide enough additional money to improve our farmstead.

A 1979 gathering celebrating the 120th anniversary of the founding of the Carlyle Presbyterian Church.

Johnson and Park Counties in the state of Indiana. In short, this was obviously the most highly organized of the potential towns for our future home. It was wellfunded, demonstrated solid planning, and had a waiting population to fill the homes being constructed. Plans were also in place for a saw mill which would soon be operational to supply lumber for the further growth of the community. After spending most of the day looking at plans and talking to the builders, we returned home, On the way home we arriving just before dusk. would encounter another May 30, 1857 group who were looking at building a new town only After a week of deliberation, a few miles southwest of father announced that we Geneva. Father decided we would move to the area of should camp along a small the newly forming town river known locally as Deer of Carlyle. While we are Creek for the night and visit not of Scottish descent, we the site of this new town had known several Scottish before returning home. He families back in New York, had told mother that we and my father was impressed might be gone for two days by their honesty, frugality, when we left, so she would and initiative. Further, they not be overly concerned by spoke English, although with our delayed return. We have an accent, and we would be found a sheltered area along able to communicate with the creek, built a small fire, our new neighbors when and will arise tomorrow to they arrived. The Scots are, continue our quest for a new after all, from the British home site.

Isles and share many of our ideals.

Carlyle

August 15, 2020

June 17, 1857 We are now ensconced in our new home and after almost a week of dawn to dusk labor have tightened up the house to withstand the spring rains.

We also cleaned out the well and erected a suitable privy some distance downhill from the well. Tomorrow we will begin to plow for the garden

Iola Journal Entry – December 31, 1858

her husband’s donation of four square blocks for a city square in addition to his sale of essentially half of the land for the town, the Town Company has voted to name this new community “Iola” in honor of Mrs. Colburn.

Streets have been marked off and lots are surveyed and staked. Let the town become a reality.

June 21, 1859 The first commercial lots in Iola have been sold to Misters Case and Faulkner.

Both are store owners from Cofachique. I have been employed as a workman to help disassemble their stores in that town, move the material to Iola, and reconstruct the stores here.

We have carefully marked each major beam before taking the stores down to ensure the ease of a faithful reconstruction. In addition several residential lots have also been sold to families in Cofachique. It appears by year’s end, that community will no longer exist. The Town Company has made it clear to these translocators that Iola will be a town of free-staters and any man promoting pro-slavery ideas will not be welcomed. While each is welcome to his own idea on the issue, the open promotion of slavery will not be tolerated.

As the new year dawns, we have been on our farm near Carlyle for 18 months, and a profitable 18 months it has been. One problem this has created is that despite our growth, we are some twelve miles from the County May 17, 1860 Court House in Humboldt.

That is a full day’s round Our new community of trip, not including time for Iola is well on its way to meeting the dreams of the transacting business there.

Town Company founders.

January 15, 1859 Along with the commercial Father has returned from a businesses which moved series of meetings held at our here from Cofachique, new school on Deer Creek. several new enterprises have He and some 50 community been established to provide leaders are intent upon the services needed by the forming a new community surrounding community. Of in the northern portion course, these new businesses of the County to replace have created a growing need Humboldt as the County for housing. The Federal Seat. The group included Census completed last leaders of Carlyle and month showed a population Geneva as well as farmers in Iola of over 150 and in the area. The group additional residents are voted almost unanimously arriving daily. We have to form a Town Company begun a movement to call for to implement this idea. J.W. a vote to move the County Scott will head up this effort. Seat from Humboldt to Iola as part of this fall’s regular May 25, 1859 election.

The town of Iola is quickly September 10, 1860 moving from a concept to reality. Two quarter- The growth of Iola has been section tracts of land have quelled by an unexpected been purchased, one from problem – draught! It has J.F. Colborn and one from been almost a year since we W.H. Cochran. These two have had any measurable adjoining tracts are just east precipitation. Our well has of the Neosho River and gone dry and we are daily north of Elm Creek. The land hauling water from the is flat and has been partially Neosho to meet the needs of cleared. In honor of her well- the family and our livestock. known generous personality This disastrous weather has toward new-comers and also “dried up” interest in

potential new settlers from the East, but additionally several residents have given up on the rains and have moved elsewhere.

The population now is undoubtedly less than it was in the spring when the official census was taken.

November 15, 1860

The vote to move the County Seat to Iola failed badly according to the official count. It may be noted that the vote against the move in the Humboldt area seems to have exceeded the actual number of total voters in that area. Those of us in the northern part of the County have no doubt that many of the votes from the Humboldt area were fraudulent, but there seems to be no recourse for us to pursue. Hopefully when the drought ends in the spring (which it certainly must) there will be a renewed influx of settlers which will once and for all establish Iola as the primary town in the County.

January 30, 1861

What a celebration! As of yesterday we became the State of Kansas, still a rough land, but a state nonetheless with all the rights and privileges it provides. Last evening we built a great bond fire in the middle of Madison Street, musicians broke out their instruments, and we danced till all hours.

I have never seen such gayety and celebration, and suspect I shall not again.

March 20, 1861

Rain! Yes, it has been raining for much of the past week. It now appears that our long drought is over and we have survived it with our family and farm intact. While it is still too early to plant, father has begun preparing our ploughs and other equipment for the task.

Surely our tenacity during this trying time will be well rewarded and the growth in Iola and surrounds will be even greater than the years before the drought.

April 22, 1861

Rumors had reached us as early as last week that war had broken out between the various states of the South and our great national union.

Today those rumors were verified. When we traveled to Iola this morning for supplies, we discovered that war was indeed afoot. Every man in town is assessing what role he will play in this great national struggle.

CIVIL WAR Journal entry – April 30, 1861 The County is today a far different place than it was only a week ago – the beginning of the War on Slavery has made all the difference. Since this area is almost universally anti-slave, there is a great movement to enlist men to fight in this great and noble effort. A movement is afoot to form an Iola Battalion and men are lined up at the City Square to sign up. I have spoken with Father about joining up, but he is adamant that I should not. In addition

to his great aversion to armed conflict, he is concerned that some number of able-bodied men must remain behind to help tend the fields and see to the needs of families whose husbands will soon depart to quell the rebellion.

While I am torn to take part in this great battle, I can see the value in his argument.

At least for now I will resist this urge and devote myself to the welfare of our community.

full companies of men were enlisted by Commander Lane at Iola and now have departed to serve with the 9th and 10th Kansas Regiments as they move toward the battles which will soon face them. Now Humboldt is raising troops.

Captain Blanton has formed up a company of men who are also deploying to the East while Captain Phillips is forming a cavalry company and Captain Tibbets an additional infantry June 3, 1861 company. Once recruited The past weeks have been so and equipped, these later busy that I have neglected to two companies will also be keep it all recorded. Three on their way to combat at

locations as yet unknown.

September 11, 1861 Three days ago a group of Rebels under the command of John Mathews raided Humboldt. While they did limited physical damage to the community, they did seize large amounts of money and valuables, as well as several colored residents they claimed as escaped slaves, before departing that city. This has resulted in the formation of a home guard made up primarily of old men and young boys to arm themselves to fend off future attacks. I fear that this

small assemblage may not be sufficient to ward off another attack. Many others agree with my assessment and this has led to a movement afoot in Iola to go to Humboldt and rescue County Records for safekeeping in this community until the threat of further raids has passed.

of Humboldt. Its location should prove a tactical advantage to the Battalion if further Southern incursions should attempt an attack on the community. In addition, plans are well underway to build a fortification in Iola for a home guard. It will be located on the largely vacant block located south and west September 16, 1861 of the corner of Madison and The new Allen County Jefferson Streets.

Battalion is now in place and October 15, 1861 building strong log cabins for the new troops. It has Word reached Iola today been named Camp Hunter of another and much and is located on the bluff more destructive raid on overlooking the Neosho Humboldt which occurred River on the west edge yesterday. Rebel Colonel

August 15, 2020 Talbott at the head of some 300 troops swept into town and took all the male residents into custody before the Home Guard could establish a defense. After the women of the town were allowed to remove such household goods as they could recover, the entire community with the exception of churches, the Masonic Hall, and a few houses was put to the torch. Only one man of the community was killed, the rebel forces took all sound horses and mules they could catch and withdrew.

Reports state that the town site is now little more than smoldering ruins as of dawn this morning.

December 12, 1861 It is fortunate that we built a surplus of barracks at the Iola fortification – we have received word that with

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back the oncoming winter, the pace of the War has greatly lessened. Company F of the Ninth Kansas has returned to Iola to winter over and has filled the extra space.

They will stay here until winter weather has passed and then return to the front.

They should arrive with 81 men before the end of 1861.

This will allow them to spend some time with their friends and family before that happens.

August 15, 1862 Rebekah’s mother received word today that her husband was killed within the week in a battle at Compton’s Ferry in Missouri. While I mourn his loss, it also means that Rebekah and I can proceed with our marriage plans. We have arranged for a secret ceremony next week because a public marriage at this time would appear

inappropriate given the for display. He also invited recent death of her father. the tribe to Humboldt for a victory celebration where May 28, 1863 they were treated to much While the War seems to be food and honored for their far away from our area, an victory. incident earlier this month August 23, 1863 has brought the dangers back to our minds. In the The entire area was shocked first encounter with the yesterday evening to learn Osage, a brave was killed by of a massacre in Lawrence a rebel soldier. Chiefs Hard by a group of irregulars Rope, Little Beaver, and from Missouri led by a man Little Bear raised a war party named Quantrill. After of some 200 warriors and feeling that the War was pursued the Confederates to far away, this act brought a sharp bend in the Verdigris. it all back home again.

At that point the rebels Reportedly, some 400 men made a stand. Only two under Quantrill fell upon escaped while the remainder the city at sunrise and over were slain and beheaded a brief period of a few hours by the enraged Indians. burned the entire business Major Duodna from Camp district of the town, looted Hunter heard of this action all the banks, and killed over and traveled west to confirm 100 men and boys before it. He oversaw the burial successfully fleeing back to of the defeated troops in a the Missouri border. This common grave, but allowed dastardly act has generated the Osage to keep the heads both grief and fear in our

3

area not experienced since more. Although we will still the burning of Humboldt in maintain our bases in Iola the fall of ’61. and Humboldt, our chances of being called up now seem October 24, 1864 remote indeed.

Word was received today April 15, 1865 that the forces of Major General Curtis routed Hallelujah! It is official Confederate forces under – after some five years of General Price at Westport, armed conflict the righteous a community on the western and blessed cause of the edge of Missouri some five Union is victorious! We have miles south of the confluence officially received notice of the Kansas and Missouri of the surrender of General Rivers. All of our Home Lee’s forces to General Guard troops have been Grant. We should see the placed on full alert and are first of our own troops back preparing for battle. in the county in time to put in the crops for the coming October 26, 1864 growing season. It is indeed Today our Home Guard a time for great celebration, unit was allowed to stand but also a time to reflect on down as we learned that the men who will not return U.S. Cavalry troops caught and their sacrifices for the up with the fleeing forces survival of a just and noble from General Price’s nation. God be praised! command at Mine Creek, some few miles north of Fort Scott, and routed them once

A gathering of old Civil War Headquarter Soldiers

POST CIVIL WAR BOOM Journal entry – April 30, 1865

As a soon-to-be father it of Swedish or Danish origin. is important that I have a They have formed two new communities that appear Rebekah and I have publicly steady income. to be on their way to actual announced our marriage and towns – Savonburg and not a moment too soon OCTOBER 3, 1865 Elsinore.

Rebekah is with child. I am building us a small house a July 4, 1866 little south of the square for Rebekah and I Today we had a celebration our home. have done our of Independence Day, May 20, 1865 making it very crowded on part to increase the square. It is also notable As expected, almost all of the population of that more businesses have the men who left for the the County – our opened this summer. In War have now returned. son was born on addition to those who are The County is back to its added to the competition in pre-war level of activities. this day! We have established areas, we have Of course, not all returned – named him Joshua. totally new industries. These our thoughts and prayers go include carriage works in with those brave souls lost November 15, 1865 both Iola and Humboldt, in the great conflict. I must admit the toils of farming Today we delivered a set of an improved brick plant, have never been attractive new cabinets to a family in and a new facility to turn to me and I have left it to my Humboldt. While there I local limestone into lime for younger brothers to work noted that several ex-slaves, mortar and plaster.

their immediate future.

during the war. However, since I never actually faced December 10, 1866 the horrors of battle, I felt In April just past, a group unworthy to join. was formed in Illinois which August 20, 1867 seeks to unite all union veterans of the war into a It has been announced that single group with a united the long-planned Academy mission. It is known as the at Geneva will open its doors Grand Army of the Republic, to students next month. or more commonly, This institution of higher simply the GAREfforts are learning will be a welcome afoot throughout Kansas, addition to our community, including Allen County, to providing education beyond form additional chapters. graduation from our public The purposes of this group schools. include recognizing the September 3, 1867 valor and contributions of A lawyer named Nelson the veterans, maintaining the comradery that they Acers moved to Iola from established, and creating Topeka where he was a lasting monuments to their legislative secretary. He has service to preserve the established a law office on the north side of the square Union. and is investing in several

with Father on continuing some escaped before the war the family farm. and some freed as a result of the war have taken up July 18, 1865 residence in Humboldt. It A new and unexpected was with no small degree boost to the local area is of pride that I relayed occurring. Each day more this information to Father families and single men are who has been a life-long Humboldt High School about 1866 with students in front of the moving into our area. They abolitionist. Although I have building and peering through the windows are primarily veterans of not seen them, I also have the recent conflict looking learned that a small number July 5, 1866 for a new start in life. Most local industries. It appears of colored families have are starting their own farms There is one other new June 6, 1867 to many as if he has strong located in the timber just under the Homestead Act. industry in the County reasons to think that this west of the river in Iola. week marked that I was loath to mention Last August 23, 1865 area will be the subject April 17, 1866 Day at in yesterday’s list which Decoration of considerable business The influx of new citizens As new settlers have come many of us hope will be cemeteries throughout the growth in the fairly near continues unabated, but to the County, it has not a complete failure. There County. Special attention future. now many of the newcomers been exclusively along the is now a brewery to turn was given to honoring the December 12, 1867 are not farmers, but Neosho River corridor. It nutritious grain into unholy graves of the dead from the tradesmen and businessmen seems that many new settlers beer. Of course, many of our War to Preserve the Union. Today is perhaps the coming to serve the rapidly have discovered the upper German immigrants have Local recognition of this saddest day of my young growing local population.

Marmaton River basin in long brewed beer in their day was fostered largely by life – Father passed into the On a personal note, I have the southeast part of the homes for personal use, this GAR post 51 of Iola, post 72 great beyond in his sleep hired myself out to a new County and new homestead extension of the practice of Humboldt, and post 73 of last night. He succumbed local cabinet/furniture claims are being registered into a profitable enterprise Neosho Falls. When the Iola to galloping consumption producing company in there at a rapid rate. Most is most discouraging. post was formed this spring, which he contracted in the a job which makes good of these people are said to be Hopefully, failure awaits in I was eligible to join as a early fall. At first it seemed use of my carpentry skills. member of the home guard

to be a simple chest cold, but it rapidly progressed into fits of coughing, loud wheezing, loss of vitality and coughing up blood. The doctor had offered hope that he might have one more Christmas here on Earth, but it was not to be. Fortunately, my brothers are well trained to take over the family farm and to care for our mother throughout her remaining years. My one consolation is in realizing that Father led an admirable life and surely has passed into the Arms of our Lord in Heaven. No man deserved it more.

June 7, 1868

A community made up of colored folks from the Old South and a few Osage Indians who did not move with the tribe has sprung up on the west bank of the River, just across from Iola.

There are no businesses yet, but an increasing number of rough cabins have been constructed. The west bank of the Neosho is still heavily timbered along the valley floor and these folks have made good use of it. They fall enough timber to build a log cabin and then use the cleared land for gardens. To supplement this source of food, they cut more timber for firewood and sell it to those of us in Iola who have no immediate source of this necessity. Though typically poorly educated, they seem to be industrious and hard working – not at all fitting the portrait painted by their ex-owners in the Rebel states.

4

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

August 15, 2020

The Railroads manner of human ills.

April 20, 1873 Mr. Acers has purchased several houses and a small hotel which he has moved to this mineral well and has opened a spa where patrons can come to not only partake of the odious liquid, but also bathe in it. I am amazed at the number of people who travel to Iola to enjoy(?) this opportunity. People are arriving on the railroad daily to spend a weekend to two weeks at the spa and many of them tout the great bodily benefits it provides. Having consumed a few bottles of the salty water, I remain unconvinced of its value, but I seem to be one of the few to actually say this.

June 15, 1873 Interior shot of a rural one-room schoolhouse.

Journal entry – March 7, 1870

myself, were intent upon providing the same educational opportunities to all residents of our area. As a compromise, the Board decided that they would keep the school open to all students, regardless of race.

However, because of their perceived lower capabilities, separate classes would be taught for blacks and whites.

Two railroads are now pushing track toward Allen County. The Missouri, Kansas, and Texas (Katy) is building southeast from their tracks at Emporia, and the Leavenworth, Lawrence, and Galveston (LL&G) is building from their railhead at Lawrence. The entire October 9, 1870 County is excited at the prospects these lines will The coming of the railroad create for the good of all. has allowed many new April 3, 1870 businesses to open and many old firms to greatly The Katy tracks reached the expand. One great note to Humboldt area yesterday! me is the opening of Norris Unfortunately, the tracks and Harrington Furniture moved down the west side Factory. It is of great note of the Neosho River Valley to me because after about a while almost all of the decade of doing carpentry population of the County is work alone or with a small on the east side. The tracks cadre of carpenters at run several miles west of individual houses, I have Iola and there is no decent been able to find a regular roadway linking our town job with a dependable to the tracks. In Humboldt pay check each week at the tracks run just on the the plant. I have hopes of west side of the river and a becoming a line foreman as toll bridge is being built to the company continues to access the tracks from that grow. community. A depot is also April 5, 1871 being constructed there for both passengers and freight. Plans are underway for the Of course, Humboldt did opening of a cigar factory pay the Katy $75,000 to in Humboldt this fall. The ensure the tracks would pass announcement is being so closely to the town. made at this time so that

June 18, 1870

The tracks of the LL&G have reached Iola and are quickly being pressed on to Humboldt. By the end of the month the tracks will be completed in the County and on their way to the Indian Territory border near Coffeyville. Following the pattern of the Humboldt and the Katy line, the County has issued $125,000 in bonds to ensure the LL&G would pass through Carlyle, Iola, and Humboldt. A depot and loading facility are being constructed in Iola at the west end of Madison Street.

The rail line also brings the Western Union Telegraph line with it, putting us in near instantaneous contact with the State Capital in Topeka and the growing regional center of Kansas City.

local farmers can plant tobacco with the knowledge that there will be a ready market in the fall. I have mixed feelings about this enterprise. While I have never used tobacco in any form and generally regard it as an unpleasant habit, I can appreciate any attempt to expand the number of crop options for our local farmers

April 24, 1871

A major new industry has opened along the new railroad tracks on the west edge of Iola. This is the King Bridge Co. The company has been long established in Cleveland, Ohio, but has determined that since railroad bridges are their primary product, they needed to build a new plant in the West to build bridges for the new rail lines crossing the Great Plains. The City of August, 1870 Iola sold $50,000 in bonds to build the 25,000 square-foot A question has been raised building to the company’s with the Iola School Board specifications. on dealing with colored May 21, 1871 children in the local school.

Some residents wished to see A group of some forty or so the building of a separate, colored people have arrived small school just for these in New Charleston, having relative new-comers to our left Kentucky for the greener area. Others, including pastures of Kansas as part of

the so-called Exoduster movement. This is a plan advanced and funded by various groups in the East to offer new opportunities to the ex-slaves in the South to build new lives as free men. I applaud this effort and sincerely pray for the success of these attempts.

July 30, 1871 A beer brewery is under construction on the east bank of the Neosho River in Humboldt. While I cannot condone the product, I must admit that it seems to be a major part of the cultural history of the German population of the area.

They plan to open in time to process part of this year’s grain harvest.

April 13, 1872 Of some concern to us working at the Norris and Harrington Furniture Factory, it has been announced that two additional furniture factories are opening, one in Iola and another in Humboldt.

That concern was greatly lessened today when further information became available that each plant will specialize in a specific product. The new Iola facility will specialize in making school desks and the Humboldt plant will make walnut coffins. The Humboldt plant is unique in that the line shaft will be powered by a water wheel in the Neosho River rather than steam. At any rate, neither plant will offer competition for our household furnishings.

July 8, 1972 Nelson Acers has recently drilled a test core about a mile south of the square in Iola seeking to find veins of coal similar to those he has visited some 70 miles southeast of here. He began the project with a partner who withdrew when the bore had reached a depth of 400 feet. Mr. Acers continued the project on his own and had a major unexpected event at about 800 feet – he stuck a deposit of mineralized water infused with a gas which had proved to be very flammable. This gas can be burned off at the wellhead and the resultant water recovered. Acers has concluded that this rather foul tasting water can have great health benefits and he has begun to bottle and sell it as a great elixir for all

With payment of interest on the bonds the City issued to build the King Bridge plant are due at the end of the month, and the City lacks the funds to meet that payment, the City is suing King Bridge for the funds necessary to redeem the bonds. Successful or not, this action allows the City to delay any payments until the suit is heard in court, which could take several months. A receiver has been appointed by the District Court to manage the empty building for the benefit of the bond holders.

July 10, 1873 The town of Moran now has a newspaper of its own. The Moran Herald has begun publishing and covering the entire eastern part of the County.

December 28, 1873 Due to the great reduction in the demand for new furniture, Norris and Harrington has announced that they will reduce their production and cut their work force at the beginning of the new year. They delayed this announcement until after Christmas to prevent ruining the Yuletide joy of many in the community.

They announced the cuts would be based on a combination of seniority and abilities. I have been with the company since the day the new factory opened and my work has been frequently complemented

by Mr. Norris, himself, so I feel that my position is safe even though my wage may be reduced.

August 2, 1874

which make bank lending almost impossible to secure.

The County Commissioners have appointed emissaries to travel east to Ohio and Indiana to seek relief donations of food to see us through the winter. It is hoped that since many of our farmers came from this area, the people there might feel some sense of kinship to us.

With results in from the fall election across the nation, the Democratic Party has taken control of the Congress of the U.S. Since the War of Rebellion, that Party had been branded by its support of the cause of slavery, but the recent financial crises has led to a rejection of the actions of the Republican Congress, bringing about this historical shift. While I still hold a strong anti-Democrat bias, I can only hope that they will succeed in ending this credit situation which is stifling Kansas farming.

My brothers on the family farm have made a revolutionary choice in planting for the ’78 crop year.

Typically they have devoted the majority of their land to corn since wheat does not mature until early August, before which dry weather in July and August stun the crop. Now they are going to attempt planting a new variety of wheat brought to America by the Volga Dutch who have settled in Central Kansas. This wheat, called Turkey red, is planted in September when rains have begun to return and sprouts before the first freeze of the fall. It then lies dormant during the winter and begins growing again in late April.

The head-start in growing which took place in the early fall means that the wheat will mature in June before the dry season begins.

If this variety lives up to this projection, it may become one of the major crops of our area within a few short years.

April 28, 1875

May 20, 1880

A new, large grain milling plant is being constructed on the east bank of the Neosho River in Humboldt.

The company has plans to build a 500 foot long dam, 8 feet high to service a water wheel to power the plant.

They will be able to grind 300 bushels of wheat or 700 bushels of corn per day and have storage capacity of up to 15,000 bushels on site.

They hope to complete the project in time to take in the summer and fall harvest this year.

The first telephones have been installed in Allen County, once again by the visionary Mr. Acers. He has run wires from his Mineral Spa to Scott’s Drug Store in downtown Iola to take orders

November 12, 1874

May 10, 1875 July 17, 1875 - The dispute over the bonds sold by the City of Iola has finally been settled with a ruling by the United States Supreme Court. In the final decision, the City was found to be not liable for paying the bonds.

At the same time, that liability was not placed on the King Bridge Company.

The Court ruled that the only recovery by the bond holders was the granting of the ownership of the building and land that made up the King Bridge holding in Iola to the bond holders.

The Iola Register building located on the southwest corner of Madison and Washington in Iola

for more of his mineral water and to allow his visitors at the Spa to order other healthful drugs and supplies from a pharmacist.

November 10, 1880

Last week in the general election, the Constitutional Amendment to ban the manufacture, transportation, and sales of intoxicating beverages was approved by a substantial majority state wide and almost universally in Allen County. The law will take effect on the last day of December of the current year. I only wish that Father had lived to see March 30, 1876 this day – it was one of his Robert Cook is building a greatest wishes. plant to produce cheese.

March 25, 1881 While other such businesses have been attempted with One major effect of the minimal success here, Cook coming of prohibition was is bringing in a master cheese the immediate closing of the maker from New York to Humboldt brewery at the oversee the operation and end of last year. Now a new is confident this can be a enterprise has begun to take successful operation with advantage of the abandoned expert advice. Unlike raw buildings that business milk, cheese can be shipped occupied. Edward Strickler some distance without is opening a wool processing spoilage. The operation plant in the old brewery should eventually use the buildings. The company will daily production of some undertake the entire process, 500 dairy cows. from carding and spinning

Leaders of our local colored community have announced that they will hold an Emancipation Day celebration on the City Square later this month.

Coloreds from throughout the area will be invited to attend, as well as whites who support the emergence of a strong colored presence in May 20, 1876 our society. My family and I plan to attend.

My youngest brother, being 20 years old and unattached September 5, 1874 has joined a number of local Late this summer, a men heading to the Black grasshopper plague even Hills of South Dakota in greater than that of 1866 has search of gold. Like me, hit the County. Crops almost he never developed a love ready for reaping have been of tilling the land and was totally destroyed. At times looking to leave the family the swarms are so thick that farm. I hope he is more they actually darken the successful in this effort than sun, making it appear to be the numerous men who near dusk at high noon. This headed to Pike’s Peak in ’58 catastrophe is worsened for similar purposes. further by the national August 20, 1877 financial circumstances

the raw wool into thread through weaving and dying the cloth for shipment. It is slated to produce 20 yards of fabric each day. Again, this represents a new source of demand for local farm output.

August 9, 1881

The railroad from Ft. Scott to Iola has been completed and construction is continuing on at a rapid rate toward Wichita. In addition to the increased opportunities the rails bring to Iola, two new towns have

August 15, 2020 sprung up along the line as they put in loading facilities every six miles along the route. These are LaHarpe, about six miles east of Iola, and Moran, six miles beyond LaHarpe. At both of these new communities the railroad has built a depot, and grain elevators and small stock yards have sprung up. Along with many small businesses which will certainly be forthcoming to support these facilities, the railroad will be a great boon to farmers in getting their outputs to market.

May 28, 1883

Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Depot in Humboldt, KS.

I must make a personal note of the pride I take in our oldest son, Joshua. He has graduated from a full 12 years of schooling, during which he has demonstrated a remarkable ability with numbers and ciphering.

As a result, he has been offered and accepted a junior bookkeeper position with the bank formed by the Northrup Brothers. This job holds great potential for future advancement. Well done, Joshua!

June 14, 1884 My son Joshua, now having a secure position, has decided to take a wife. He is marrying Rachael Schmidt, a local rural school teacher.

Of course, being a now married woman, she will be

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back forced to resign her teaching position. That should be for the best as I sincerely hope they will begin a family in the near future that will require her services in the home. Congratulations to the new couple!

is a large and established company that will ensure the long run success of the line. On a personal note, I have noted a decrease in my vision over the past year.

My distance vision remains quite good, but am having some trouble with reading July 18, 1985 and writing, particularly in Today I am most proud to dim lighting. find myself a grandfather!

December 15, 1886 Rachael has brought forth a son that Joshua has named The Iola Gas and Coal Jonah in keeping with family Company which began tradition of giving first-born drilling a deep well earlier sons Biblical names. Both this year has hit a major gas mother and child have strike at 1000 feet. Plans survived the ordeal of birth are being made to distribute in perfect health. this gas to households and businesses around and near February 23, 1886 the square.

It has been known for June 8, 1887 several years that natural gas underlies the Iola area. The Carriage Works has To this point, however, it discovered that the old has really only been used Bridge plant has more by the Mineral Waters Spa space than they need, so south of Iola. This month they are offering sub-leases an article from an Ohio for the excess space. It newspaper was reprinted in now appears that two the Iola Register discussing additional businesses will new developments in Ohio take advantage of this spurred by the research of opportunity. The Iola Iron a man named Bunsen on Works which specializes controlling and utilizing in casting plows, discs, and natural gas for home, other agricultural tools is business, and industrial uses. moving to the south end of Several firms are studying the plant and the Iola Steam this with an eye toward Evaporating Fruit plant further expanding the use of will take up the remainder. natural gas in our area.

This plant will utilize a process which I don’t fully August 17, 1886 understand using steam The Missouri Pacific heat to dry fruit, making it Railroad has purchased the possible to ship the product east/west railway through without spoilage. the County originally known May 5, 1888 as the Fort Scott, Wichita, and Western, and more The Kansas Southern recently the St. Louis, Fort railroad through Iola Scott, and Wichita. This (originally the L.L. & G.) is should make this link more being purchased by the Santa important as the MoPac Fe railroad. In other rail

5

news, the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas, commonly called the Katy, is laying track along the eastern part of the County. We will now have three major railroads in the County which guarantees our future growth and prosperity. My close-up vision has now failed to the point where my son, Joshua, stops by each evening and reads the paper to me. It might also be noted that the writing in this journal has become much larger over the past year as my vision has diminished.

September 5, 1888 The new Katy tracks through the eastern part of the county has led to increased activity in the towns in that area. Moran, of course, is growing greatly in business and population as the exchange point between two railroads. In addition, three smaller communities have new businesses as a result of the north/south line. What was the sleepy community of Bayard, some six miles north of Moran, is now becoming an actual town. The railroad has built a passenger depot, grain loading facility, and a small stockyard there.

Similarly, the Elsmore community has moved a little over a mile to be on the new line and also has the amenities associated with the railroad as Bayard.

It should be noted that when the new depot was built, the town name on the depot placard was written as Elsmore as the painter misread the proper name. Strangely enough,

One of many drilled gushers by W.S. Fees, Gas, Kansas

the new town decided to adopt this new name rather than ruffle feathers of the railroad by protesting the change. Finally, the tracks pass through the town of Savonburg. As of now, there is only a platform and depot at that site, but movements are afoot to build loading facilities for both grain and livestock there as well. All of this news has been relayed to me by Joshua. Even in the brightest of daylight I can no longer read newsprint.

I have tried specially ground glasses, but they are of limited help with my

problem. The doctor is at a loss to explain my disorder.

September 30, 1888 For the past several months my failing close-up vision has made it increasingly difficult for me to maintain this journal. I have had to increasingly rely upon my son Joshua to maintain it.

As it turns out, this has created a solution to the problem of maintaining this record for our family’s future generations. Joshua has become very interested in these volumes and has promised to continue my efforts to record it.

Joshua Wi l son Journal entry – October 1, 1888

Over the past few years I have come to help my father more and more with his journal, and now that he is no longer able to continue it, I have pledged to him that I will continue this personal history. My father is quite limited in what help he can provide on the farm, but mother is adapting to farm life and becoming helpful with the chickens and gardening. I continue to hope that my father’s vision will improve, but the Doctor says that he knows of no case with this particular set of symptoms that has ever been reversed. He is at a loss for any further treatments.

THE GAS BOOM Journal entry – September 1, 1889 The Iola Gas and Coal company has completed gas lines all around the square and most businesses there have put in gas fixtures.

The few who have not are making plans to do so in the near future. Now the Gas Company has begun drilling what is planned to be five additional wells so that lines can be extended throughout the community. The plan is to drill these wells one by one as demand increases. All five should be completed within the next four years.

April 21, 1890

deposit and sell it as marble.

The initial market is planned to be for tombstones and contacts have already been made with funeral homes not only in the County, but also in Paola, Ottawa, and Parsons. Plans are afoot to expand the product line to paving stones for sidewalks in downtown areas.

May 13, 1890 The Gas company is now offering gas street lights as their production has increased. Businesses or households can have a street light installed in front of their building for three dollars and keep it lit for 40 cents a month.

A deposit of very fineJune 30, 1890 grained limestone has been discovered along the Figures from this year’s Neosho River just south Federal Census have just of Iola. A stock company been released. The official has been formed to tap this

count for Allen County was 13,509. There is virtually no unclaimed land here.

Even the up-lands between the Neosho and Marmaton Rivers have been claimed.

This is simply a result of all the most productive land along the waterways was claimed in the first decade after the War of the Rebellion. Those new arrivals in the second decade were forced to move onto the less productive lands away from the rivers. Still, the growth of processing facilities for farm products, the coming of the railroads opening new markets, and improved crops and farming techniques adapted to the local soils and climate have made even those farms with poorer lands successful.

With the very limited empty land for homesteading,

future growth for the area will have to depend upon growth of the towns and cities in the County.

four-year absence. Allen County remained true to its traditional Republican majority.

May 15, 1891

December 26, 1893

A mile-long horse racing track is being built next to Riverside Park. It should prove to be a major attraction later this summer as both horse and sulky races will be staged.

The town of Iola was awakened yesterday by a loud, continuous roar from the southern part of town.

The greatest gas well in the area to date came in at over one million cubic feet per day. Before it could be capped and controlled the great sound of it erupting from the ground could be heard for up to three miles away.

November 12, 1892 Shockingly, Kansas will send its first non-Republican Senator to Congress. The People’s Party representing the populists won the Senate race in Kansas! The State has been strongly Republican since the era of the Civil War. In the Presidential race, Democrat Grover Cleveland was returned to the White House after a

April 17, 1894 The County Clerk this week reported to the Council that requests concerning the large gas strike in Iola and its potential use for industrial uses are arriving daily at the

Krokstrom Store of Elsmore, Kansas

Clerk’s office more quickly than they can be answered.

We are very excited at the bank about the potential for increased loan activity as these inquiries turn into actions. As a personal note, I have been promoted to a fully-fledged bookkeeper at the bank. This represents a financial benefit for my growing family and increased social standing.

November 7, 1894

Tuesday’s election included a referendum on a state law to allow women to vote throughout the state of Kansas. Unfortunately, it failed statewide, but I am proud to say that it did pass in Allen County. Perhaps a successful attempt to make it state law can be undertaken again in ’96.

6

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

March 28, 1895

November 16, 1896

October 5, 1897

The extent of the local gas field has been further demonstrated this month as a second million cubic foot a day well has been brought in on the grounds of the old King Bridge plant. The full extent of the field is not yet known, but the existence of two million cubic foot a day wells within only about a mile of each other prove that the first was not a fluke.

In last week’s Presidential election, Kansas went for the Democrat W.J. Bryan. It was the first victory for a Democrat in the race in Kansas. Allen County retained its usual majority for the Republican candidate and national winner, McKinley.

Gas street lights are being placed every 75 feet around the Iola square and will also be placed at busy intersections around town.

The city should be a more pleasant place as the days grow short this winter.

June 14, 1896 George Bowlus, who acquired ownership of the old King Bridge plant, has announced that he has negotiated to end his lease with the Iola Iron Works on that property and will lease it to the Lanyon Zinc Smelting Company. That Company has been trying to use coal from the Pittsburg area to smelt zinc with varying degrees of success.

When he learned of the vast deposits of natural gas, he realized that it would be a far superior fuel for smelting zinc. He will sign a longterm lease with Mr. Bowlus for the property, including the major gas well on the site.

July 5, 1896 What a celebration was held on the square in Iola yesterday! There was a great Gas Carnival to mark Independence Day with trains bringing in celebrants coming from all around the area. The Carnival included “gas guns’’ shooting flames high into the air from nozzles and a “gas cannon” which could be charged with gas and then ignited creating great booms that echoed around the town for several minutes each hour. There was also a Ferris Wheel set up which was a somewhat smaller copy of the one that thrilled visitors at the Great Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Never before has such excitement been seen west of the Mississippi.

August 4, 1896 Given the changes that have occurred in public behavior on the Sabbath as industrial workers have begun to move in, Moran has passed a new ordinance governing Sunday activities.

In their monthly meeting the City Commission has voted to ban sales of ice cream, sodas, lemonade, and other frivolous products on Sundays.

December 10, 1896

April 4, 1898 A phone line is now in place to carry phone calls from Moran to Fort Scott. Of course, with the previous line from Iola to Moran, calls can now be made from Iola to Fort Scott.

There is a new and somewhat unique newspaper in Iola, The Iola Journal.

The uniqueness comes from the ownership and editor, who is colored. The paper May 13, 1898 will be oriented toward the The Lanyon Company concerns and interests of the has announced that it colored population. will build a third smelter March 19, 1897 (Lanyon Works #3) in Iola.

A great fire has swept It will be located just east through the business district of the new Iola Iron Works of Moran. The flames on the East Street. At the consumed almost all of the same time, the Nicholson businesses along Randolph Company announced that Street and the west side it will open a zinc smelter of Spruce. While the later this summer just east of depots and grain elevator the new Lanyon Words #3. were spared, the hotel, Iola is clearly becoming the restaurant, hardware store, primary zinc smelting area in and furniture store, as well the nation. Needless to say, as several houses were lost. large numbers of workers It may take several months will be moving in to work before rebuilding will be these smelters, resulting in undertaken.

Discussions growing opportunities for a as of now indicate much of wide range of commercial the rebuilding may move businesses. to Cedar Street as the new May 21, 1898 retail district.

Over the weekend I visited May 30, 1897 Moran to see the progress The growth of Iola Brick after last year’s disastrous continues at an unbelievable fire. Rebuilding is nearly rate. The Company has complete and with the put in a steam-powered addition of an Opera House press to form raw bricks, to host local events. greatly reducing the labor August 18, 1898 necessary to prepare them for firing. The local demand Our local ministers have remains very strong as new jointly approached the City demanding businesses are opened to Commission closure of the illegal saloons serve the laborers in the rapidly growing smelter that have opened here to industry. We may become satisfy the desires of our the industrial heart of all of new citizens who have come from the East where Kansas within a few years. such businesses are legal.

June 9, 1897 While the Commissioners The Iola School Board voted listened to the plea to rid last night to start a high us of this plague, their lack school football team. This of a satisfactory reply made represents a new idea of high it quite evident no action school sports and no one is would be taken. How certain if area opponents disappointing. can be found. However, it September 20, 1898 was successfully argued that “some one has to be first” in A new and unpleasant any new endeavor and this industry has come to light in is Iola’s opportunity to be a Iola. Going by various names leader rather than a follower. (bawdy houses, disreputable A team will be assembled houses, disorderly houses, and practice will start with or establishments of illthe beginning of classes in earned wages) women lacking in virtue are offering the fall. themselves as entertainment

August 15, 2020 to men in the area. Many of the newly arriving workers for our growing industries are single, or have left their families in the East until they are established here.

This creates a substantial demand for the services of these women. This may soon rival the illegal booze joints as a moral blot on our community.

October 28, 1898 Mr. Taylor has filed a plot for a new town with the County. He will be selling lots in this town for workers at the new smelters there and for new businesses to support them. Appropriately enough, he has named his new town Gas City.

November 3, 1898 Only days after the announcement of the formation of the new town of Gas City, another large gas strike has been made in LaHarpe and Lanyon Zinc has announced it will build a fourth smelter (Lanyon #4) there.

July 5, 1899

admittedly hard labor under poor conditions, but with The Iola nine were brought much better pay than the down a notch in yesterday’s previously mentioned jobs.

Independence Day games.

March 15, 1901 Being overly proud of their baseball prowess, the team A new long-distance phone invited the professional KC company has now reached Blues from Kansas City to Iola. The Missouri & Kansas provide the competition. Telephone Company is Provide it they did, and now providing service from then some – the Blues easily Kansas City to Iola. The bested the locals in both Company also announced ends of a doubleheader. that they will extend that

October 22, 1899

service to Coffeyville and Parsons by the end of this A company from back year and to Wichita by the east, Michigan Portland end of 1902.

Cement, has announced August 5, 1901 that it will build the first Portland cement plant west A gas well drilled by the of the Mississippi in Iola. electric railway currently Land has been acquired under construction has just south of the City for come in near Rock Creek both the plant and a quarry with a strong pressure. which will provide the raw This greatly reduces the materials. The plant will financial burden on the line be named Iola Portland which had a backup plan of Cement. Clearing the land buying gas from one of the will begin immediately and nearby smelters. This new construction will begin when gas discovery will be used to weather allows in the spring. fire boilers to power steam This will be an exciting new engines to drive the electric industry for the County. generators.

A rock quarry and rock hauling carts.

December 14, 1898

August 5, 1900

September 12, 1901

With all the increased population and businesses in the area, our Bank has had a very profitable year. We have all been expecting good Christmas bonuses as a result, but for me there is even more reason to celebrate. Mr. Northrup called me into his office today and informed me I will be promoted again. Beginning with the opening of business after the celebration of the New Year, I will be promoted to be a loan officer. I will begin in agricultural loans with the opportunity to expand my reach as I gain loan experience. I may even gain a vice-presidency at some point in the future. I can hardly hide my extreme pride in this accomplishment, but I was always taught by my father to be humble. At times this isn’t easy.

The Republican VicePresidential Candidate, Theodore Roosevelt made a whistle stop campaign stop at the Santa Fe depot here. He is a powerful speaker and made quite an impression on the local (and partisan) crowd.

A new company is being formed in LaHarpe to provide phone service throughout that community.

The system should be in full operation by the summer of 1903.

A brick plant in Gas, Kansas

February 28, 1901 Iola Portland Cement has announced that this month’s production reached 650 tons a day! What a success for the company and the County. The coming of the cement industry to our area has had an interesting effect on the local colored workforce. For many years their main occupations have been limited to working for the City to clean the streets, working for the railway depots as porters and redcaps, or working as stable hands at livery stables. Now, however, there has been a surge in their employment prospects at the cement plants. They are hired to work on the bagging floors,

October 9, 1901

In a special election yesterday the citizens of LaHarpe voted to issue bonds to fund a water treatment plant and distribution system. Actual work on the project will not occur until the bonds have been sold, which will probably mean waiting until weather allows in the spring.

December 26, 1901

Yesterday on Christmas Day the new electric trolley made its initial full length run from the Neosho River Bridge to LaHarpe. It will make a superb Christmas present to those who have walked to work at the various industries along the way.

August 15, 2020

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

January 15, 1902

December 3, 1902

Apparently the citizens of Iola are more concerned with good water than good lighting. The City Clerk reported this week that 60 houses are now served by the City electric system, but 275 are now connected to the municipal water system.

A review of oil drilling in the area has now delineated something geologist are calling an “embayment” of oil reaching from the area of Chanute along the Neosho River valley up to Neosho Falls and along a trend from Humboldt to Elsmore then north to Moran.

The vast majority of this “embayment” lies within Allen County, making a potential new source of local industry.

February 10, 1902 After the recent closing of the Dunkard Hospital, Drs. Coffman and Dresbach have announced that they are working with the Sisters of Charity Order from Wichita to open a replacement facility. The Order will provide nuns to care for the ailing for only their cost of room and board.

March 29, 1902 Today the first recorded automobile passed through Iola. I was fortunate enough to be able to look out our bank window and actually see it.

April 15, 1902

The YMCA has begun a drive to raise funds for the construction of a major facility in Iola.

The proposed building would provide spaces for all manner of sports and physical activities as well as a room for religious research and instruction. I have made a modest donation because I believe in the mission of the organization most strongly.

in the short run, but the Company believes that the limited cost of maintenance will more than make up for the initial cost.

impressive building.

It stands 60 feet tall as the main gable and includes a bell tower extending upward another 64 feet. The tallest building in the county, it June 22, 1904 can be seen for several miles At last night’s School Board approaching the City from Savonburg Swedish Concert Band

February 12, 1904 Mr. P.W. Webster has announced that he will soon build a 250 barrel per day oil refinery along the Neosho River in Humboldt

January 20, 1903 The Cities of Humboldt and Bassett are jointly threatening a lawsuit to halt the discharge of sewage from Iola into Elm Creek. The vile odor this is creating in the Creek and for some distance down the Neosho River, along with the possible health impacts, would be the basis of this suit. As a result, the City of Iola has pledged to put in settling septic pools to address the problems.

Humboldt and Bassett are hopeful this will solve the problem, but will continue to monitor the waters in Elm Creek and the Neosho.

Iola Portland Cement has announced that it will expand worker housing near the plant by 60 more houses and name the community March 28, 1903 Bassett. Again, the entire project will include houses The electric railway system with electricity and concrete has discovered that the sidewalks. electric generators they have installed provide May 6, 1902 more power than is needed Iola will undertake to pave to run the trolleys. After Washington Avenue with considering various options brick from the square to to make a profit from this the Elm Creek bridge this excess electric power, the summer. Special “paver company has decided to bricks” which are fired at a put in an “electric park” much higher temperature just west of the car barn and and are hence much harder generator. It will feature an are being shipped in from a electric lit pavilion and a brick plant in Leavenworth. lighted park area for nightMay 30, 1902 time picnicking – a totally new experience for all in the Many of the new residents area. of the County are recent April 2, 1903 immigrants from the large cities of the East who are Mr. Nicholson and Mr. used to meeting at saloons Cockerill, both successful after work to relax from investors in the local smelter their days of hard labor. industry, have announced As a result, open saloons that they will become are now known to be partners in a new brick operating in Iola, Gas City, plant to be named Union LaHarpe, and Humboldt Brick. These men will use despite the 1880 prohibition their experience with high amendment to the Kansas temperature gas firings to State Constitution. I am make brick which will be quite disappointed with this suitable for paving. Their blatantly illegal activity, hope is to sell enough bricks but the large numbers of to the City of Iola to pave patrons these establishments most of the major streets in attract seem to offset my town, after which they will complaints. extend their marketing to June 30, 1902 neighboring communities throughout southeast After over 30 years as Kansas. an unincorporated April 16, 1903 community, Savonburg has become an incorporated In the recent spring town. This will allow them elections a County-wide to create a set of legally vote approved the selling of enforceable ordinances to bonds to build a new County protect their traditional Court House. Despite the values handed down complaint of many in Iola, from their ancestors. it will be constructed in the These ordinances include center of the City Square in banning bawdy houses, Iola. This will result in the drunkenness (both public removal of many trees from and private), profane the plot, but such is the price discourse, rudeness in any of progress. church, and the displaying April 18, 1903 of excited bulls, stallions, or jack asses on any street, In recent days, Charlie park, or other public place. Wheeler and Dr. Dresbach

August 2, 1902

miles north of Gas City.

They have surveyed out eight blocks just south of the new plant and will give lots to anyone who will build a house or business there.

These lots are a spacious 50 X 150 feet in size. The resultant town will be named Concreto.

Portland Cement Co. row of company houses that were in the town of Bassett, KS

to serve the many new wells in the County. The refinery will produce Kerosene, lubricating oils, and fuel oil from the local crude.

March 21, 1904 The Katy Railroad has completed a spur that runs from their line in Gas City to the Kansas Portland Cement plant at Concreto. The first shipments will be made by the end of next week.

meeting our representatives voted to establish a sport for high school girls to participate in. Starting this fall the school will field a girls’ basketball team.

any direction.

December 12, 1904

It is reported that steel magnate Andrew Carnegie will provide funds to build and equip a free lending July 12, 1904 library in Iola if the City will Taking advantage of the pay ten percent of the costs. gas field discoveries in the No City Commission could eastern part of the County, be so foolish as to turn down Savonburg has completed a project to bring gas to every home in that community.

7

The joints will not be raided as long as they pay a weekly $100 “peace bond” and close on Sundays. How disgusting an arrangement.

April 20, 1905

Another new entertainment facility is under construction in Iola and should open by mid-summer. This will be an outdoor performance area on Jackson Street between Jefferson and Sycamore.

It will be an upscale venue with a large flower and shrub garden, classical sculptures, and 3,000 electric lights. Of course, it will operate only during summers when the weather allows. It will offer a welcome respite from the indoor theaters which can become unbearable during the summer heat.

June 1, 1905 Kansas has just released the state 1905 census data. The listed population for Allen County is 29,579 – 21,130 of which live in organized towns. For comparison, the 1895 state census showed a population of 13,301 – only

July 23, 1904

After working as a laborer for the Iola Iron Works for just over a year, my son Jonah has been promoted to a much less physically demanding April 5, 1904 job. As his supervisor has The Grand Theater Opera noted his felicity with House will soon open in numbers, he has made him Iola. The Theater will offer a the time-card keeper. His wide range of entertainment, job is to take the time slips including plays, lectures, kept by the foremen and Southside of West Street showing the destruction of musical performances, and record the hours worked by Charley Melvin’s bombing of three saloons movie pictures. It will be each laborer during each a welcome addition to the shift and keep running totals culture of our County. for the paymaster. If I know such an offer. Mr. Carnegie 4,134 lived in organized my son, at some point he Notably, with April 29, 1904 has pledged the majority of towns. will become the paymaster his sizable fortune to build the coming of gas-based Prairie Oil and Gas, along himself. local free lending libraries industries the population of with Prairie Pipeline July 28, 1904 throughout America – a towns has increased five-fold Company (both owned great gift for our citizens while the rural population is

by Standard Oil) have Less than a month after the virtually unchanged. What now and into the future. announced they will Ringling Brothers Circus, a difference!

January 15, 1905 be constructing an oil Iola will host the Barnum June 7, 1905 collection facility about a and Bailey Circus. It may E.K. Taylor, prominent mile southeast of Humboldt actually be too soon on the businessman of Gas City, has After nearly two years of and a pipeline from there to tails of the Ringling Brothers. announced that he will donate construction, the YMCA a Standard Oil refinery in While a major Circus is an property and initial planning has opened the most Indiana. absolute joy, it is an event funding to build a large, impressive building on the that can be overexposed May 22, 1904 modern hospital between Iola Iola square, after the County if it becomes a common and Gas City to serve both Court House of course. It To keep up with Iola, La event. Still, the Barnum and locales. Plans are now being is on the north side of the Harpe is nearing completion Bailey Circus Parade is an drawn and construction can square and has a basement of construction of Peet’s added attraction that offers start as soon as weather allows plus four full stories of brick.

Opera House on its main something new. The Parade in the spring. The facility will The upper floors have rooms street. It should be noted will circle the Court House be a two-story building with for rent to newly arriving that Humboldt also has Square before the actual a basement and constructed young men while the lower plans for the construction of opening of the big tent show. of local limestone. Mr. Taylor floors contain basketball and such a facility, although it July 31, 1904 has selected the name St. volleyball courts, rooms for may not be completed until boxing and gymnastics as John’s for this facility. next spring.

The City of Humboldt has well as a quiet room for Bible March 12, 1905 completed a water treatment June 17, 1904 study and lessons. Finally, system using raw water from Construction has begun on there is a swimming pool in The Katy Railroad is the City owned well. The a new, three-story, brick the basement. experimenting with water is pumped into a water school on the north edge of July 10, 1905 putting in a company tower located on the City Moran. It will consolidate owned telephone system square by a diesel engine many of the one-room Just after midnight last night in the small towns it serves powered pump and gravity school houses in the area three large dynamite bombs throughout Kansas. Their fed through the water main and have a complete four- went off at booze joints on first experiment with this system. the south side of West Street year high school. idea has been to put in a here in Iola. No one was August 20, 1904 April 10, 1905 system in Elsmore. Notably, seriously injured since the they are placing their lines The new County The Iola police department joints were closed for the underground rather than on Courthouse has been has arrived at an agreement night, but the buildings were poles. It is more expensive completed and it is a most with the local joint operators. all but totally destroyed.

In addition, windows Intersection of Madison Ave and Washington Ave. with two water wells for horses were broken on the new County Courthouse and at numerous stores around the square. Fortunately, our both have taken delivery bank has no windows on the on automobiles, becoming side facing the blast, so we the first two people in Allen experienced no damage.

County to own autos. They July 12, 1905 are engaged in a playful debate, arguing over who A worker at the Kansas actually brought his car into Portland Cement plant, the County first.

Charles Melvin, has been

October 19, 1903 The Kansas Portland Cement Company has been formed to build a new cement plant and company town for workers about two

identified as the bomber. He has long been a vociferous campaigner against alcohol, he had been acting strangely recently, and the dynamite was stolen from the quarry at the Cement plant. A vigorous search of the

8

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

August 15, 2020 Riverside Park yesterday automobile races were held on the track for the first time.

It is notable that autos are still not fully accepted as the horse racing crowd was at least twice as large as that attracted by the auto race.

The intersection of E. Jackson and Cottonwood looking northeast

town and County could not find him and he had been seen on the square on the evening of the 9th. There can be no doubt of his guilt.

A description of him has been widely circulated by telegraph and he should soon be found and returned to face justice.

July 18, 1905 Over the past ten years the number of fraternal organizations in Allen County has exploded. No less than 20 such organizations or their wives’ auxiliaries have been formed. Although I have long ignored these groups, I have finally joined the Order of the Owls. I might also note that the Prince Hall Masons now have a lodge here. This is a division of the Masons for colored men.

August 1, 1905 A group of local business men with interests in the gas industry are forming a new company to transport and sell natural gas for household use to utility companies in both Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. The company will collect natural gas from lower pressure wells in the south part of the County and northern Neosho County at a site just north of the county line between the two counties and just west of the Neosho River. It will include a large compressor to pump the gas to the Kansas

City area. A new town will be open to all, regardless named Petrolia is springing of race. up at this point to provide April 18, 1906 worker housing near the new The electric railway company facilities. has announced that with the December 15, 1905 coming of spring two new The St. John’s Hospital lines will be laid. One will run between Gas City and Iola from Gas City to Concreto will be opening within weeks. and the second will run from An agreement has been the Washington Avenue line reached with the Sisters of to Riverside Park to provide St. Joseph to provide nursing part of the track for these care for the afflicted projects, the rails from the December 31, 1905 Neosho River Bridge to the Santa Fe Depot.

Looking back at the past 12 April 30, 1906 months, it has been a most auspicious year for our county After last week’s election seat. Thanks largely to the the Mayor of Iola has efforts and influence of U.S. proposed that the City install Representative Charles Scott, a public whipping post for Iola has a fine new post office the punishment of men on West Street and a U.S. found guilty of wife-beating.

Department of Agriculture There is no ground-swell weather bureau building at of opinion supporting such the corner of Jefferson and an antiquated punishment, Broadway. In addition, the but hopefully the attention new Carnegie Library has this proposal has brought to opened after just under a year the problem will lead men of planning on East Madison considering wife abuse to Street at Buckeye. No city think twice about it. in Southeast Kansas exceeds March 30, 1906 Iola in its public facilities.

Electric Park opened April 13, 1906 yesterday with many new Much to the dishonor of attractions. There is now our local community, Iola’s an aerial tram that circles Riverside Park has a “whites the park, a lighted boating only” policy. In order to have pond made by damming a place to picnic and recreate, Rock Creek, and lighted the local colored community tennis courts. It is such an has established the Elm Creek attraction that a special train Park at the South end of the brought visitors from Kansas Washington Street Bridge City and people flocked in over Elm Creek. This park from throughout Southeast

Kansas.

The Company reported first-day attendance of 5,000 people. I suspect that may be a slight exaggeration, but it would be impressive at half that number.

June 10, 1906 Results from the 1905 Kansas census lists the population of Bassett at 545. A substantial number for a town only three years old.

June 22, 1906 The Humboldt oil refinery has announced that given the expected arrival of gasoline powered automobiles in the area in the near future it is undertaking a process to separate that product from local crude oil. It is one of those “chicken and egg” situations – if there are no automobiles in the area, it makes no sense to produce gasoline, but if there is no gasoline available it makes little sense to bring in an automobile. Kudos go out to the Humboldt refinery for breaking this chain.

performers in “black face,” but a true Minstrel Show with all colored performers.

In addition, the normal “whites only” rule has been eliminated for this show and the entire 400 seat balcony is reserved for colored patrons only. It isn’t the totally open July 12, 1906 society I would prefer, but it The City of Humboldt is a notable step toward the will install gas street lights future. around the square and main January 14, 1907 streets for both security and convenience of evening Seeing no real chance of shoppers. moving up at the Iron Works, my son Jonah turned in his July 16, 1906 two-week notice to leave Today Iola’s first Chautauqua that company after having was held. This is an event received a job offer from the which began as a public Electric Railway company. educational program some He will become the payroll 20 years ago in New York accountant there – a major and has become popular and step up in position and pay. widespread. These events March 11, 1907 last for two weeks and feature a combination of political The Iola City Commission and scientific lectures has passed an ordinance mixed with humorists, requiring all automobiles in musical performances, the City to be registered with evangelists, and an olio of the City Clerk by Mid-April. other entertainments. The They have also established Iola Chautauqua will feature speed limits for these vehicles socialist Eugene Debs as the – 8 miles per hour in the lead attraction. business district and 20 miles per hour elsewhere in town.

August 5, 1906

My faith in our local community has been somewhat restored. The Grand Theater here in Iola has staged a play, “The Clansmen.”

This play glorifies the Ku Klux Klan as protecting “white America.”

The play has provoked a strong negative reaction from the local colored community, and from the reasonable and educated white citizens.

The Iola Register has taken a strong editorial position opposing this play and demanding its immediate closing – a path which the June 30, 1906 ownership of the Theater has Once again Savonburg has taken to heart, sending the taken action to ensure a troupe on down the road. moral and peaceful aura. The October 15, 1906 new ordinance becoming in restitution effective tomorrow will ban Perhaps billiards, pool, bowling alleys, for the staging of “The the Grand box alleys, and similar games Clansmen,” Theater is offering a true in that City.

Minstrel Show this month July 5, 1906 – not one of the mimicking In the big celebration at performances using white

April 7, 1907

The Grande Theater and Opera House will finally fulfill its name. The Wagner opera Parsifal will be staged this year at the auditorium by a traveling troupe of operatic voices.

April 22, 1907

The town of Elsmore has now become the last community of note in Allen County to supply gas to every home in town.

May 26, 1907 Electric Park will open this weekend with two more added attractions. First of all, and most amazing, is a figure-eight roller coaster.

Secondly, they have added a bandstand at the pavilion and will offer dances with a live band on Saturday nights and special dates throughout the summer.

May 30, 1907

Within the past two months, two new cement companies have announced plans to build plants near Humboldt.

Humboldt Portland Cement will build its plant on the south edge of that city just east of the Santa Fe rail line and Monarch Portland Cement from Wichita will build its plant south of Humboldt just west of the Santa Fe tracks.

June 30, 1907 At the Kansas State Convention of School Superintendents a motion was passed to condemn the continuation of high school football. This action was based on the high number of serious injuries which have occurred on the fields of play. The sport was found to be too violent and dangerous for the participants. It seems all but certain that the various districts in Allen County will follow this strong recommendation from the State group.

July 15, 1907

Briscoe Automotive and Iola Plumbing.

Although last summer’s Chautauqua only broke even, the event has returned for a two-week run this summer. The main speakers will be two leaders of the progressive movement in America, William J. Bryan of Nebraska and “Fighting” Bob La Follette of Wisconsin. A most interesting presentation will also be made on the

August 15, 2020

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

discovery and potential uses rapidly. This would seem to of radium. be a sign that the deposit is being exhausted. Projects July 30, 1907 are being planned with some It has become obvious that in progress to bring gas from the gas pressure from the the deposit centered around local pool is decreasing rather

Carlyle, outlier wells south of La Harpe, and even a smaller field near Elsmore. However, I am convinced that the era of the Great Gas Boom has come to an end.

The Gas Decline Journal entry – August December 30, 1907 closed entirely. Since there is 3, 1907 no cost-efficient fuel source Since announcing With more oil wells beginning production in the eastern part of the County, a new oil refinery is opening about 3 miles northeast of Moran. This refinery, operating under the name Eastern Kansas Oil Refining Company, will process 100 barrels per day and initially will produce only kerosene and heating oil.

October 30, 1907 Progress on the construction of the Kansas Portland Cement plant south of Humboldt has come to an end.

The banking panic has dried up financial resources and the company lacks the funds to continue construction at this time. At the same time, construction is continuing at a good rate on the Monarch facility in the same area.

This later company has been much better planned and has financial resources to weather the current national financial storm.

construction plans in July, Great Western Cement has made major progress. It has completed a 12-mile gas pipeline from the Carlyle/ Colony gas field to its selected site, has found a good location for a quarry with ideal rock and shale, and has created a lake to supply water by damming Coal Creek. It should be noted that this is not the same Coal Creek as dammed

by Monarch Cement – there are two Coal Creeks in Allen County. They have also begun building a town to house their workforce and the necessary businesses to serve them.

January 21, 1908

available here, the industry may never fully recover.

July 8, 1908 This summer will feature an 8-day Chautauqua on the Courthouse lawn. It will be similar to the Chautauqua presentations of previous years, but will be shorter and, hence, less costly. The primary political speaker will be Warren Harding, a leading Republican from Ohio. The event will be funded by Dr. Garlinghouse who will cover and deficit experienced by the touring company.

July13, 1908

seeing her with a broom and finally taken a wife after some shovel cleaning the streets tacit prodding from myself. around the square.

She is nearly eight years younger than he, but seems October 10, 1908 to be mature for her 16 years.

The City of Iola is replacing August 23, 1909 the gas street lights around the square with new electric The Allen County Medical lighting, creating what the Society has petitioned the City is referring to as the County Commission to “Great White Way.” ban the sale of products containing cocaine in Allen October 22, 1908 County. Several products The LaHarpe Brick available at local drug stores Company just east of that contain various amounts of community experienced a the drug. The Society feels disastrous fire last week. The there is sufficient evidence of entire facility was almost the drug being addictive to totally destroyed. After ban it except under the direct assessing the damages, the supervision of a licensed Company has concluded that doctor. The Commission it lacks the funding to rebuild will take this request under the plant and are seeking advisement pending further bankruptcy. investigation.

December 14, 1908 The City Commission has passed an all-inclusive “blue law” for Iola to take effect immediately. This law will prevent all work and sales on Sunday except for daily necessities. The definition of daily necessities is not clear and will, in all likelihood, result in cases before the local court to make that determination.

At last night’s Iola School Board meeting a group arrived to seek the reinstatement of football at the high school. They argued that the team had provided a great degree of school spirit.

May 5, 1909 While denying the request to reinstate football, the Board The State Legislature has did agree to institute boys passed and the Governor basketball this coming year. has signed a progressive Child Labor Law. This law July 20, 1908 prohibits the employment The Brownfield & Davis of children under the age candy plant is expanding of sixteen in factories and with the construction of in the area of dangerous a new production facility machinery. Because of the on the north side of East tradition of family farms in Madison with its intersection the state, agricultural work with Sycamore Street. This was specifically exempted will provide much needed from this law. space to grow production.

A study by the bank of local records at the end of 1907 indicate that there are now 308 producing gas wells in the County with a total daily capacity of some 750 million cubic feet at standard atmospheric pressure.

However, many of the November 10, 1907 older wells have rapidly lost The Sinclair-Cudahy oil pressure in the last year and company has announced may soon be capped. it will build a new pipeline June 7, 1908 from its Oklahoma wells to the northeast that will run The Electric Park has redone through Allen County. As a the lighting on their baseball part of this operation a new field, making it a much better “tank farm” will be located park for night baseball. Now just south of the Prairie no fly ball can reach a height August 4, 1908 Pipeline facility southeast of beyond the reach of the Humboldt. lights.

Today the local court has demonstrated that there is December 15, 1907 June 30, 1908 at least a small degree of With construction At the end of the fiscal year dignity left in the County. continuing on their plant for the County, the County A “worker” at one of our south of Humboldt, Monarch Clerk today reported that diminished but still active Portland Cement has there are now 24 automobiles bawdy houses was actually announced they are moving in Allen County. sentenced to jail. Ella Reese their home offices from July 4, 1908 was convicted of, as the court Wichita to Humboldt. The reports it, contributing to the company also announced The Independence Day moral dissipation of a youth that it has cleared overburden celebrations this year will under the age of sixteen. for its quarry, dammed be greatly subdued from the Unlike most such cases, the Coal Creek to provide the previous few years. The gas Judge actually sentenced her necessary water supply pressure from our local wells to 30 days in jail at labor. needed, and completed a gas is so greatly reduced that Though I am shocked at her the smelters have curtailed pipeline to the plant site. behavior, I do look forward to operations, and in some cases

July 10, 1909

The Iola police department will begin to enforce an ordinance long on the books that prevents minors from smoking cigarettes in public in town.

July 31, 1909 Sensing that the growing number of automobiles in the area may eventually lead to the demise of the Electric Railway, my son Jonah has left his position with that firm and has taken on the paymaster position with the new overall plant. I am also proud to say that he has

The Humboldt Association Band

9

Given the failure of all efforts to find new gas resources in the area, these hopes seem to be totally unrealistic.

June 10, 1910

The official census records for 1910 are now available.

The total for Allen County is 27,640 which is more than double that of 1890, and most of that is the result of new industries brought by cheap gas. From personal observation, I am quite certain that the majority of that growth has occurred in the ten years from 1895 to 1905.

June 14, 1910

The nearly-new City of Mildred now has electricity services throughout the town and telephone service to the January 21, 1910 plant, most of the businesses, The Santa Fe depot is and a growing number of seeking a new ticket agent. homes.

I have talked to Jonah about July 11, 1910 his applying for this job. I explained to him that it would Despite their brick output, be at best a “sideways” move Lumberman has declared in his career, but the ridership bankruptcy. It seems that is falling on the Electric all profit from the brick Railway as factories close, production has gone into and it may well be forced into attempting to complete the bankruptcy. On the other cement plant. That effort has hand, the Santa Fe passenger proved a failure due to some business will continue – there questionable design flaws. is no more stable industry in America than the railroads.

February 3, 1910 The suit by Trust Company of America against Lanyon Smelter Company has been resolved. The County Sheriff will sell all physical assets of the Company on the Court House steps by the end of the month. Proceeds will go to pay off the bonds held by TCA and then any other creditors. Given the condition of the plants and the loss of gas to operate, it is widely expected that the assets of the company will be sold at scrap value.

February 21, 1910

July 13, 1910

At last night’s Board meeting the Iola School Board voted to discontinue girls basketball at the high school. The sport will still be offered in exercise classes, but not as a competitive sport.

August 2, 1910

Humboldt is in the process of replacing gas lighting with electric lights. The power is being supplied by diesel engine powered generators.

This new power will soon be expanded to homes in the City.

December 12, 1910

The gas well at Monarch has now lost pressure. Apparently the well hit only a small pocket of gas which was quickly exhausted. The plant is in the process of quickly converting burners to oil after having discovered significant deposits of this fuel on their own property.

Bankruptcy actions have begun against the Cockerill Smelting Company and its wholly owned facilities, the Cherokee Lanyon works and La Harpe Smelting. The Kansas Zinc Company would purchase all of the assets of these smelters for $150,000 June 18, 1911 – essentially scrap value – with some hopes of the Today (Sunday) re-emergence of the industry.

the

10 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back Electric Park presented a play on its stage. Shortly into the presentation the Iola police ended the play and arrested all the actors involved for desecrating the Sabbath. Their punishment (probably a small fine) will be determined by the court.

July 28, 1911 After an extended shut down due to a lack of gas pressure at its Concreto plant, the Kansas Portland Cement Company has announced the permanent abandonment of this plant. The town will also be abandoned and plans are already being made to move many of the houses there into Gas City.

June 18, 1912 As one new cement plant opens at Carlyle, another is in danger of failure. Today creditors filed papers in court for the payment of a large volume of overdue debts. After a hearing, H.F. G. Wulf, a man with considerable experience in the management of the company was appointed receiver for the duration of the suit.

July 10, 1912 At yesterday’s meeting, the Iola City Commission set fines for minors smoking cigarettes. Minors will be fined $10 and businesses allowing minors to smoke in their establishments will be fined $25. It is widely

believed that smoking by For those of us who do not adolescents can stunt physical own an automobile and and emotional growth. need to travel about the community now have an July 25, 1912 alternative. There is now a Hallelujah – just over a month motorized taxi service in Iola. after opening the brick plant, April 15, 1913 the Lumberman Cement plant is finally open! The Iola will soon have a new first shipment of cement was A.M.E Church at the corner made this week. of Lincoln and Buckeye Streets. This will join the August 20, 1912 Second Baptist and the This week I have had the Holiness Church in town opportunity to visit the City for the third church for the of Mildred, created by Great colored community.

Western Cement Company.

June 9, 1913 The town is named for the daughter of one of the leading Over the weekend the investors and now has a Grande Theater tried an medical doctor and clinic, interesting experiment. The a grocery, a hardware store, ran a moving picture show two hotels, a school through accompanied by a Victrola high school, and even a record with the actors’ motion picture theater. The voices recorded on it. The Company claims a population experiment had two major of their new City of 2,000, problems – when the Victrola including 375 workers at sound was amplified it was the plant which now fires difficult to understand, and it bricks in addition to making proved almost impossible to cement. keep the record synchronized November 9, 1912 with the film images.

Despite this, the people who The final national tally of witnessed the show were votes from Tuesday has amazed at the potential of been released. Woodrow films with voice included.

Wilson will become the August 10, 1913 second Democrat to reside in the White House. Wilson One final attempt to stage also won the vote in Allen a profitable Chautauqua County, the first Democratic in Allen County will be Presidential candidate to undertaken next week. This do so. This was largely the will be only a one-day affair on result of President Taft and the City square of Humboldt Teddy Roosevelt splitting the and will be directed at Republican vote. children. They hope to draw December 10, 1912 an audience from throughout

August 15, 2020 the County. Parents can City of Humboldt, and the bring their children and entirety of Allen County. enjoy shopping and dining in February 13, 1914 Humboldt while the kids are Last December the Congress entertained. created by law a new financial October 3, 1913 institution to be called The After nearly 16 months of Federal Reserve System to court hearings, possible control the national money reorganization plans, and supply, credit conditions, meetings of preferred stock and the overall banking and bonds in the company, a system to ensure maximum reorganization plan has been employment and stable approved for the Monarch prices across the nation. The Cement plant. H.F.G Wulf, System will have twelve who has served as the receiver District Banks spread across during the long hearings the nation including one at and alternative plans, has Kansas City to be responsible been named the President for conditions on the Great and Chairman of the newly Plains. At the urging of Mr. reorganized company. The Northrup I have applied for plan includes the sale of a position with this District some non-essential property Bank. My written application to raise funds and the rapid has been favorably received development of oil wells on and I will travel to Kansas the remaining properties to City next Monday for a provide a continued source of formal interview. I hate to income until the cement plant consider leaving my beloved is in full production once Allen County, but Mr. more. It is projected that oil Northrup has assured me production could reach 1,000 that this is an opportunity too barrels of oil a day within great to be ignored. a year. This marks a great April 3, 1914 victory for the company, the

After two daughters, Jonah and Beth have finally presented me with a grandson. Not that I do not love my granddaughters, but I have always hoped that there would be a son to carry on the family name. They have named him Josiah.

June 2, 1914

I have received notification that I will be hired by the Federal Reserve District Bank in Kansas City and will report for duty to their temporary quarters Monday, June 15. I have much to do in the coming two weeks.

I will leave my home here to the trust and care of my eldest son, Jonah, with the understanding that he will return it to me if we decide to return to Iola within the next ten years. If we do not, the house will become his.

The other condition of this arrangement is that he will continue the family journals recording local history begun by his grandfather. I leave these in his capable hands.

J O NA H W ILSO N Journal entry – June 5, 1914

In 1888, my father Joshua took over the task of continuing that family story. Now he has moved to Kansas City and left the duty of continuing this tradition. I was born in Iola, Kansas, in 1885 and have spent my entire life here. I have a wife, Beth, two daughters, one son, and another child on the way. Though I will miss my father’s presence, he is near enough to visit regularly on selected weekends. Because of all of this, I hereby pledge myself to do my best to carry on our Journal. Hopefully future generations of the family will treasure it as much as I do.

World War I and Effects Journal entry – June 11, 1914

football program this fall.

Improvements in rules and equipment have greatly reduced the possibilities of serious injury. Still, this possibility is not zero.

Therefore the high school will provide a written statement to all parents whose boys will participate in football covering the dangers.

Last night the Iola City Commission approved the experimental paving of some streets in Iola with a material known as asphaltic concrete.

The is a mixture of small crushed stone, sand, and heavy residual oil from the refining process. With the growth of the oil industry August 23, 1914 in the County this should provide a welcome market Dr. Sutcliffe is expanding for what has been a useless his sanitorium near St. residue at refineries.

John’s hospital and will add July 6, 1914 a school of nursing at the site. This should ease the With Independence Day shortage of trained nurses in occurring on Saturday this the County. year, it actually allowed for June 10, 1915 two days of celebration with Sunday also being a day In another sign of the off. For a second year the modernization of local colored baseball team came industry, Monarch Cement down from Kansas City for of Humboldt has replaced a doubleheader and again horse-drawn heavy wagons overmatched our local best. with a steam engine and cars Of course, we also had the to move rock from its quarry usual horse and sulky races to the plant. In an additional at Riverside Park. It was a transportation note, the nice weekend.

Iola Railway Company has

10 mile route.

March 27, 1916 It has been announced that the Lehigh Portland Cement Company will buy out our local Iola Portland Cement Company. The new company is committed to keeping the local plant in operation with the current labor force. This company also has the financial means to implement needed improvements and updates to the plant.

June 20, 1916 The war in Europe has had one major benefit for the local economy. The war is occurring across much of the most productive agricultural land on the Continent. As a result, there is a shortage of grain, particularly wheat worldwide. Two years ago wheat was selling for just under $1 per bushel. This year it is bringing just over $2. That is pumping a great deal of money into the Allen County economy.

The Iola Button Factory, button producers that used muscle shells from the Neosho River Zimmerman has verified the earlier news report that Germany has urged Mexico to declare war on the U.S. if we declare war on Germany. He offered Mexico the recovery of the U.S. southwestern territory including Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. This has created a great outcry among our citizenry.

the Central European Powers and join the Allies in what is now being termed the “Great War” even though the idea of any war being great upsets me.

President Wilson’s primary campaign basis was “he kept us out of war.” Now it should be modified to “he kept us out of war until he did not.”

How disappointing.

April 7, 1917

April 10, 1917

have spoken in haste in my last entry concerning our entry into the Great War. Yes, I am personally opposed to war, but the general citizenry seems to be overwhelmingly in favor of our intervention. Hundreds of men in Allen County have already expressed their willingness, and even strong desire, to join U.S. troops in this undertaking.

August 23, 1917 announced that it will be It was announced yesterday Given the sinking of March 5, 1917 replacing rough sections of that the Congress of the U.S. American ships and the The Humboldt Union The Iola School Board track and switches along its German diplomat Arthur voted to declare war against Zimmerman letter, I may newspaper has announced has voted to reinstate a three significant events in the oil industry in that community. The Miller Oil Refinery is undertaking a major expansion, the new Sinclair-Cudahy tank farm is now functioning just south of the Prairie Pipeline tank farm, and Prairie Pipeline is putting in a new pipeline to bring oil from the new El Dorado field to their tank farm. All of these will be of benefit not only to Humboldt, but to our entire County.

July 17, 1914

January 10, 1918

The Iola Go Devils which George Sweatt played on before joining the Kansas City Monarchs. Sweatt is the 3rd on the right on the back row.

An insidious disease has struck out County, spreading in the southwest part of the state. It is a most virulent form of illness causing high fever and lung congestion. It particularly

August 15, 2020 hits children and the elderly.

There is hardly a family in our community that has not been affected. Most people recover within a few weeks, but for the unfortunate it may be fatal.

February 1, 1918

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back in which they live.

October 25, 1918 With the coming of an early winter the Spanish Influenza has again hit our nation. This time it seems to affect more young adults than children or the elderly. It seems that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are free upon the earth – Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death. While we have no famine here, the same cannot be said for Europe.

It has been announced that the button factory, idled since late last summer, will soon reopen. Mussel shells will be shipped in from across Kansas and Oklahoma to be processed. The company is now signing up workers November 11, 1918 and will reopen as soon as enough workers are secured. The wires are alive with the news of the end of the May 7, 1918 Great War. An armistice With the coming of warmer was signed today that ends weather the terrible all fighting. A formal treaty epidemic, now widely must still be made, but that termed “Spanish Influenza,” is simply a formality – the seems to have abated. The killing has stopped and disease was widespread that is most important. It throughout the nation and is estimated that 9 million the world at large. It is combatants and 7 million generally believed that it civilians were killed over the spread so widely and quickly five-year war. What a waste. because of the movement of November 28, 1918 soldiers related to the Great War and the close quarters Today was clearly a great

day for Thanksgiving. The Influenza epidemic has greatly eased and the Great War has ended. Our troops will soon be arriving home, including, of course, our local boys. While records are not complete since many men enlisted in places other than their home county, unofficial data indicate that just over 600 local men joined the military either through enlistment or conscription. Still, it is such a pity that not all who left will return, having been struck down by battle or disease. May they rest in peace.

January 13, 1919 With the apparent end to the great Influenza epidemic worldwide, The New York Times reports an estimate of 500 million people were infected and perhaps 50 million perished from the disease.

June 28, 1919 The Great War, now being optimistically termed “The

War to End All Wars,” is fully and officially ended with the signing of a Treaty by representatives of all involved nations. It is a great day for the world. We can only hope that the new moniker is accurate.

July 7, 1919 Last Friday was a very pleasant Independence Day, the first after the recent war. My parents were down for the weekend to take in the celebration and great old friends. The one worrisome note arose when father and I talked about the recent Treaty of Versailles. Analyzing it from an economic view, he is very concerned. He notes that very heavy reparations payments from Germany are included by some vindictive victorious nations. According to him, these payments are so great that a German economy, largely destroyed in the War, cannot possibly meet.

He feels that this will result

11

in future disputes which September 13, 1919 may eventually lead to a The Iola Railway Company new armed conflict. has announced it is July 17, 1919 discontinuing all services This is a glorious day and closing Electric Park for America. Yesterday as the boilers and electric Nebraska ratified the generators have been sold Nineteenth Amendment and will be removed from to the Constitution making the site by the new owners. prohibition the law of the December 31, 1919 land.

Admittedly, the decade of open saloons in Today marks the end of a our County has passed, most depressing decade in but alcohol still remains local history. While there available. Hopefully this have been triumphs, the new law will bring federal negatives seem to dominate. power to finally end this. It is The senseless losses of the expected that a law affecting Great War, the collapse this new amendment of the smelter industry, a will soon follow and severe reduction of cement implementation will occur and brick plants, and the terrible loss of lives to the by the end of this year.

Spanish Influenza have July 26, 1919 taken much from us. On a It has been reported that personal note, at least I have there are now only seven found a solid if now exciting active cement plants in all of job, my immediate family Kansas. This compares to 14 escaped the threat of the in operation in the summer influenza, and it appears that of 1914. It speaks well of our better days await as we start local plants that of the seven into the next decade. still operating statewide, two are in Allen County.

The “Roaring” Twenties Journal entry – April 6, 1920

swimming pool, and such other amenities as members my desire and finances may Allen County is losing allow. another industry. It has been December 30, 1920 announced that the Miller Oil Refinery in Humboldt Recent reports from the will be moved to Chanute as County and Businesses part of the MFA Refinery. indicate a strong recovery While the tank farms will for the area economy. The remain and Humboldt will County Clerk has reported still have an important there are now just over 2,200 petroleum base, this is still a producing oil wells in the disappointing loss.

County and seven drilling

May 3, 1920

A group of area business men have acquired the quarry dug by Lumberman Brick and Cement near Carlyle during the “gas boom.” They intend to use the flooded quarry as a swimming pool and to build a park on its banks. Both the pool and park will be private facilities and charge a monthly fee for their use.

June 1, 1920 For the first time in nearly a decade, all three remaining cement plants in Allen County – Monarch, Lehigh, and Great Western – are all in full production. The demand for concrete as a paving material is largely responsible for this joyous development.

rigs are now employed in added drilling. BrownfieldSifers year-end report lists total production this year of 1,200 tons of candy and 30 thousand gallons of ice cream. Finally, the County road supervisor is proud to announce that the entire highway from Iola to Moran is now paved with concrete.

On the downside, the cement plants have reduced production this month as paving demand slows in the winter. Still, it has been a good year.

December 10, 1921

A survey has determined that the Iola Bottling Works is now the third largest soft-drink bottler in Kansas behind only those in Topeka and Wichita. They bottle Coca Cola, Orange soda, June 15, 1920 and non-alcoholic Pabst The results of this year’s Blue Ribbon Beer. national census are in, and as was expected Allen County has lost population. Our total was counted at 23,509, a fifteen percent drop since the 1910 federal census.

This was to be expected given the loss of many major industries.

August 19, 1920 Finally an Amendment to our National Constitution, the Nineteenth, will give women the unlimited right to vote in all elections. This is the answer to a national movement some 40 years in the making. Persistence pays off!

Brinkley’s Drug store (cedar st.) in Moran Kansas from 1921

October 27, 1922

In most distasteful news, the “new” Ku Klux Klan has come to Southeast Kansas and several communities now have active chapters.

This despicable group spreads hatred directed November 25, 1920 not only at the colored The Iola Country Club has population, but also Jews, and recent opened on the high ground Catholics, immigrants. just east of Gas City. It includes a clubhouse with January 1, 1923 meeting and party rooms and a golf course. Plans The Iola School Board for additional facilities has approved placing a include a tennis court, a proposal on the April ballot to fund a Junior College

under the auspices of Kansas University. This is a movement which began in this area at Fort Scott some four years ago.

April 11, 1923 In the Iola election yesterday, voters approved the formation of a Junior College in Iola by a margin of three to one. I was most pleased since my oldest daughter will graduate from Iola high school this spring and wants to become a teacher. Having the Junior College here will save me the cost of sending her to the Normal College at Pittsburg.

APRIL 17, 1923 In local elections last week Fort Scott, Emporia, and Arkansas City all elected Klan members to the post of Mayor. How disappointing, how despicable.

For shame! On a bright note, Miss Louise Fussman was elected Mayor of Humboldt – the first female mayor in Allen County.

May 23, 1923 The local Kiwanis Club has built a tourist camp at the site of the old Colored People’s Park just southwest of the Washington Street bridge over Elm Creek. It includes picnic tables, fire pits, toilets, and playground equipment for children. It will be open next week for Decoration Day and then throughout the summer travel season.

July 10, 1923

struck for women’s equality.

January 31, 1925 Lavonia Donica of Bayard After its most recent was elected to the Kansas improvements, the Kelley House of Representatives.

Hotel now rivals any found December 10, 1924 in the State. It has 154 guest Last night the Grande rooms, including 45 with August 31, 1923 Theater burned to the private bathrooms; a large When classes start next ground. It had served Iola ballroom; and a banquet Monday the Junior College well for many years, but hall suitable for large dinner will take over the top floor fortunately the newly meetings. of the Iola high school as its opened Memorial Hall can April 15, 1925 home. fulfill the role the Grande Last fall the Ku Klux Klan September 20, 1923 has provided these many was denied a state charter in years.

Kansas. The group filed a suit After Wednesday night December 31, 1924 with the Kansas Supreme services last night, the elders of the Ward A.M.E Church I feel that I must take the Court to overturn this met and decided to start a opportunity at year’s end decision. Now the Court has boys basketball team from to comment on the state ruled. They not only denied the local community to of the nation’s morality at the Klan’s suit, but further participate in a league made this time. In watching films ruled that the organization up of teams from segregated and seeing photos from our could not solicit members schools in other towns of major cities, I am shocked or hold functions of any sort Southeast Kansas. that the moral decline – open without such a charter. Let speak-easies, young women Freedom Ring!

July 10, 1924 wearing scandalously short June 12, 1925 Due to a lack of community dresses and smoking and support, the YMCA will drinking in public, wild and A group of volunteers from close its facility in Iola. frenzied dances to driving the colored community are Hopefully a new tenant beats of decadent music – all razing the current Colored Center at can be found for this great of these seem common in Community Broadway and South building. our centers of population.

Street and will build a more My only consolation in all of July 24, 1924 suitable structure there for this is that I do not see these their use.

Mr. Arbuckle has been things happening in Iola or contacted by representatives June 22, 1925 Allen County. May it ever of Southwestern Bell be so!

After the recent death of Telephone claiming that he is using patented technology owned by the telephone company in his broadcasting enterprise. Rather than paying their demanded licensing fee, he will discontinue his broadcasts immediately after having been on air almost exactly one year. broadcasts from 5:15 to 6:00 pm each evening. The broadcast includes local music performances from the Roberts Music Store in Iola.

August 28, 1924 Given a rash of bank robberies in Southeast Kansas, the Allen County Sheriff has deputized 20 men with shops around business districts in the County to carry guns and respond to any bank alarm.

For my part, the Santa Fe has provided me with a loaded pistol under the counter at the ticket office to fend off potential robbers since ticket offices are known to have cash on hand. I have rejected this idea personally – I would never take a man’s life to protect money.

Mr. Ross Arbuckle, one of the most forward thinking November 14, 1924 business men in the area, has begun a local radio In last week’s general station, KFID. It currently election another blow was

Sifer’s Candy Factory located at 112-114 E. Madison Ave. in Iola

12 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back Mr. Brownfield, there was some question concerning what would happen to our local candy plant. Mr. Sifer, partner in the operation, has reached an agreement with the Brownfield heirs to buy out their interest and continue to operate as Sifer Candy.

May 16, 1926

before 1840 and has long been grown there as a fodder crop highly superior to any variety of hay. Now several farms in the County are trying it as a way to cash in on the dairy boom created

by Pet Milk.

June 12, 1928 The Iola School Board has voted to allow any graduate of an Allen County high school to attend Iola Junior College without paying any tuition.

In response to a national movement to end prohibition, the Register has conducted a poll of its readers. The response was April 8, 1929 an 85% majority favored continuing prohibition in The Button plant has announced that it will close perpetuity. at the end of this month.

May 15, 1927 Shells brought in from A new crop is being trial- Oklahoma have proved planted in Allen County. to be of lesser quality This is alfalfa. The Spanish than expected and are not brought alfalfa to California suitable for the local button

making process.

June 20, 1929

August 15, 2020 doors due to the inability to maintain profitability under the current financial conditions. Sales have fallen in recent years, leading to financial problems. Of course, this company was the primary customer of the Button Factory, so that business will be moving to Iowa where there is a market for their output and mussel shells are now more common. The loss of these two companies will mean the loss of many jobs in Iola, particularly the women from the sewing floor at Wheeler-Mott.

With harvest once more upon us, there is more bad news for farmers. Prices are about $1.20 per bushel.

While other industries have boomed this decade, wheat prices are actually down, largely due to increased production. It seems to be a vicious cycle – prices fall, so farmers plant more to try to keep their overall incomes up, but the greater production only acts to keep the prices low. It is keeping our farmers in severe financial straits as they must October 25, 1929 continue to borrow more to try to keep incomes up.

Yesterday the Stock Market September 15, 1929 in New York fell a stunning eleven percent. That means The Wheeler-Mott the margin buyers who had company has shuttered its

put up only ten percent predicted that the selling of the stocks actual cost was very overdone and were forced to borrow large prices would rebound today. amounts to meet margin October 30, 1929 calls.

Yesterday the ticker tape October 26, 1929 machines could not keep up After the massive losses with the level of trading as on Thursday, the stock the market again plunged. market recovered somewhat The markets closed at 4:00 yesterday as New York’s pm, but the ticker tape largest banks stepped in to output did not catch up until buy stocks on their own 7:30 in the evening. At the behalf in hopes that this close, the market was down would restore confidence in another 12 percent and the market. many stocks had no buyers at any price. Holders of October 29, 1929 those stocks and those who Yesterday it became clear could not meet margin calls that the efforts of the New lost everything. In addition, York banks last Friday were news from Europe indicated of no avail. The market that the Weimar Republic opened down again after the in Germany finally reached weekend and at the close of complete chaos. trading was down another 13 percent. Still, the banks

The Great Depression Journal entry – November 30, 1929

brine and dispose of it in a December 10, 1930 responsible manner. This Several farms have been on will add to the costs of an In yesterday’s Iola Register, the market since September already challenged industry. the paper used the term and the selling prices have October 1, 1930 “negro” in place of colored. I fallen to the range of $25 have long felt uncomfortable Noting the number of to $35 per acre depending using the term “colored,” children who are going upon the quality of the but could not settle upon a barefooted, the Elks Club is land. These are the lowest suitable substitute. Now, raising funds to ensure that prices in Allen County since having seen it in print, I will every school-age child in the the 1890s. Two farms up henceforth use only the term County has a pair of shoes for auction in the County negro for our dark-skinned and socks for winter use. actually drew no bids at all. brethren.

December 14, 1930

September 10, 1930

The Kansas Department of Health has determined that many oil wells in our area are discharging brine into local rivers and creeks. Brine comes to the surface with the oil and must be separated and dealt with. The Department has ordered all well operators to capture this

October 22, 1930

Six Iola lodges have announced they will ban together to form the Iola Welfare Association to raise funds for groceries and coal for needy families in Allen County.

The Red Cross has established a local chapter of the Needlework Guild of American in Allen County.

This group is open to all women who will pledge to make at least two garments each year for donation to the poor. The Iola Welfare Association will select the recipients.

DECEMBER 26, 1930 The banks in Moran, Elsmore, and Mildred all failed to open today after having closed at the normal time on Christmas Eve. It was a shocking Christmas present for all depositors. In each case the banks pointed to failed agricultural loans as the cause of failure.

January 15, 1931 Crude oil prices in Allen County have fallen to a new low of 30 cents a barrel.

Many marginal wells will be forced to cease pumping soon if prices do not increase.

Many well owners are in serious financial straits.

March 12, 1931 Both Lehigh and Great Western cement plants have closed down due to lack of demand. There is not a cement plant in Allen County in operation.

June 10, 1931

cost of the wood for hives, he has essentially no costs other than his own labor – unlike cattle or hogs, bees forage on their own and require no added feed or attention other than collecting the honey.

September 23, 1931 The Iola Welfare Assoc. has announced that it will raise funds again this fall to provide help to needy families to make it through the winter.

November 25, 1931 There was some consolation for depositors in the failed Elsmore Bank today. All depositors will receive 30 cents on the dollar when the bank opens for the day on Monday. It may be a reason for some thanksgiving on the holiday tomorrow for those affected.

A group of nearly 200 farmers assembled for yesterday’s County Commission and demanded a reduction in County property taxes on farmland.

After a long discussion, the Commissioners agree to a reduction and will pay for January 4, 1932 the tax cut by reducing maintenance on county The Savonburg bank failed roads. to open today after the September 20, 1931 NewYear’s Holiday and weekend. The bank has no Local farmer E.C. Hawley cash on hand to meet normal has found a profitable operations to start the new endeavor. Last year he year. It is hoped that by constructed numerous bee closing now enough funds hives which he has dispersed can eventually be recovered around the area and this year to pay off depositors at a harvested over 7,000 pounds reduced rate. of honey. After the initial

March 19, 1932 The Citizens Bank in Humboldt has announced that it has failed. With strong rumors of a bank run on Monday morning, which the bank knows it cannot withstand, has convinced bank ownership to not open on Monday morning.

Hopefully this will allow enough assets to eventually pay depositors a portion of their accounts.

April 20, 1932 The Kansas State Agricultural College has released a report breaking down farm income by county in the state for 1931. By their figures, Allen County farmer earnings were from the following activities in order from greatest to least: dairying, meat livestock, eggs and poultry, and corn.

These top four created over 80 percent of the total farm income in the County last year.

May 2, 1932 For the second year in a row the U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering direct loans to area farmers to buy seed for spring planting. We can only pray that this year’s corn crop is a success.

June 1, 1932 The County has received funds from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to build a new concrete Marsh Arch Bridge over the Neosho River at Iola. This will not only create jobs, but will also remove some of the stored cement at local cement plants.

June 4, 1932 Today we are having friends and family over to celebrate the graduation of my son, Josiah, from high school.

While I am gratified by his efforts and achievement, I hold some doubts about his future prospects. He does not share my and my father’s interest in numbers.

His love is in art and he has little interest in anything else. For the last year he has been working part-time coloring photographs for Mr. Gibson’s photography shop, but the demand there is not enough to make a fulltime position. We will see what the future holds.

while Oklahoma has gone “moist” (they allow beer, but not distilled spirits).

Missouri, on the other hand, has passed no prohibition law whatsoever – it is totally wet. This means that U.S. highway 54 through Allen County has become a major bootleggers’ route between Missouri and the Wichita area. The Sheriff now has one more problem to try to control by “busting” liquor transporters.

December 31, 1933

As I look back on the last year, it has been a very disappointing year.

Unemployment is up, many people are in dire straits, and the weather has turned against our farmers. My son Josiah has been unable to find full-time employment and is still living at home.

He still works part-time coloring photographs and has been able to find some commissions to paint children’s portraits. He has a steady girlfriend he would like to marry, but they November 10, 1932 cannot be wed until he has Probably as a result of an income to support them. the terrible economic March 4, 1933 conditions, F.D. Roosevelt The inauguration of had a landslide victory in President Roosevelt the national election for represents not only a new President. He carried every President, but a new theory state west of the Mississippi of government and the or south of the Mason Dixon economy. The U.S. has line. always operated under the December 5, 1932 economic theory that the It is a sad day for me. We government has no role in were notified early this the economy other than morning that my father has to guarantee civil order passed away in Kansas City and conditions to foster from apoplexy. Fortunately, competition. Mr. Roosevelt his suffering was brief. He follows a new theory, first was rushed to the hospital presented by the British after collapsing last night just economist J.M. Keynes. before bed and though he This theory holds that it was somewhat lucid when is the responsibility of the he reached that institution government to ensure full he quickly lapsed into employment and output by unconsciousness and did not using government actions survive the night. He had a to ensure full employment. productive 67 years on this We shall see how that theory earth and never strayed from works in implementation. his own convictions. May he rest in peace.

August 11, 1933 The Iola School Board has voted to require all school children to provide proof of vaccination against smallpox and diphtheria before attending classes this fall.

December 5, 1933 After the ending of Nation Prohibition, each state and locality has the power to make its own laws on alcohol. As was expected, Kansas remains a dry state

March 15, 1933

In an attempt to stabilize wheat prices at a higher level, the U.S. Congress has passed the Agricultural Adjustment Act. This law authorizes payments to farmers who do not plant wheat or harvest wheat already in the field.

March 18, 1933 Just when it is most needed, the home on the County Poor Farm burned to the ground last night. No one was seriously injured, but the residents have been left

homeless. It is hoped people of means will either take them in or subsidize housing for them.

April 23, 1933

The Sifers Candy plant on East Madison has burned.

It seems unlikely it can be repaired and contingency plans are being made to build a new factory on Jackson Street.

May 1, 1933

It has been announced that the Button Factory on West Madison will reopen now that the dress factory is reopening. They will buy mussel shells from small beds along the Neosho that had previously been passed over as uneconomical. With the current high unemployment, several local men have agreed to work these beds at a low wage rate.

June 17, 1933

The safety of all banks still open has been assured. The new banking act passed yesterday has established a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. This agency will insure all deposits in participating banks up to $2500. If the bank fails, the agency will reimburse all depositors for the amount of their loss. In addition, the Act requires all residents of the United States to turn in their gold (other than jewelry) to the treasury in return for paper currency.

Henceforth, gold will be used only in international transactions involving the federal government. The value of the dollar, which has long been set at $20.67 equal to an ounce of gold, will be changed to a ratio of $35 per ounce of gold.

This action should improve international competition for all U.S. industries.

July 15, 1933

The Kerr-McFall dress company was short-lived, but the operation has been taken over by H.L. Miller.

It will remain a dress factory making women’s house dresses. They will wholesale for $8.85 a dozen and the recommended retail price is one dollar.

October 12, 1933

Construction has started on a new and much improved home at the County Poor Farm. It will be all concrete and brick construction and include 20 sleeping rooms, two large day rooms, a kitchen

August 15, 2020

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back she has a job there as a sewing machine operator.

Normally, the plant prefers single women, but since she was single when she began and has proved to be a very good worker, they will allow her to keep her position. The new couple will make every effort to remain childless until Josiah can move up in pay or find a more lucrative job.

copied in pen and ink on high quality paper.

November 3, 1936

13

June 30, 1938

Construction has begun on a new large building in Riverside Park with funding from the WPA. It will act as a meeting place for the Iola National Guard Unit and as a general community center with a large open area suitable for basketball, a little theater, offices, storage rooms, and restrooms.

It has been announced that Germany and Italy have signed a pact creating a Rome/Berlin Axis of power in Europe. Both nations are now under the unlimited power of their respective leaders, Adolph Hitler in Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy. Both of August 3, 1938 March 28, 1936 the autocrats seem to be set The Negro Community As weather permits the on territorial expansion.

Center at South and WPA will undertake to November 12, 1936 Broadway will be converted rebuild the dam across the Neosho River at Iola. The With results in from into businesses specifically current dam was severely Tuesday’s national election, for the negro population weakened by the high water President Roosevelt was re- of our area. It will house in the river last spring and is elected, carrying every state a mattress factory and a except Maine and Vermont. sewing room employing in danger of failure.

Kansan Alf Landon failed only negro men and women.

June 4, 1936 to carry even his own October 12, 1938 The Iola Welfare Assoc. home state. In addition, the yesterday’s County announced today that it has Democrats now hold over At meeting a now provided over 11,000 ¾ of the seats in the House Commission group calling themselves the hot lunches to underweight and a strong majority in the elementary school students Senate. This seems to be Taxpayers League of Allen in the past 18 months. the result of the improving County brought rumors of men economy over the last two actually employed receiving June 12, 1936 relief benefits under false years. pretenses. They demanded Under the WPA free sewing April 13, 1937 that the County find these classes will be offered at Lincoln school for women. Yesterday the WPA “relief cheaters” and remove Once the sewing skills are announced that its next them from the welfare rolls. learned these young women major project here will be October 15, 1938 will be qualified to work at to build a swimming pool the dress plant, the overall and bath house in Riverside Figures show that this past plant, or in the sewing Park in Iola. This should be summer electric lines have rooms. Classes will be completed by mid-summer been extended throughout Iola Theatre located at 110 S. Washington Ave. Iola offered for both white and and be available for the heat the Elsmore and Savonburg area in southeast Allen negro women. of August. and dining room, and living charged $13 for materials, compiled a year-end report County.

June 14, 1936 June 25, 1937 quarters for the manager. It which may be waived for of the activities completed June 6, 1939 will use all locally-supplied those who cannot afford that under the PWA during A plague of grasshoppers The State Legislature has materials and hire only local cost.

1934. They report 119 miles such has not been seen in passed a two percent sales tax Construction is beginning on unemployed workers. This is of county roads graded and many years has descended that will be levied starting what may be the last major July 6, 1934 being funded by a $30,000 rocked, 99 concrete vaulted on Allen County. They are July 1. It is an attempt to project in Allen County bond issued by the County. The largest celebration outhouses, five new water consuming almost every sign reduce reliance on property under the WPA program. of Independence Day wells drilled, 6 farm ponds of green vegetation in sight. taxes at the state level which Since the conversion of December 8. 1933 since 1929 was held at built, 12 new miles of water the old “negro community are hard on farmers.

June 21, 1936 After having passed Riverside Park. It included mains, 30 bridges repainted, center” south of the square May 17, 1938 Congress in February, the a community picnic; a 13 septic tanks installed, The WPA is seeking into a mattress factory, 21st Amendment to the carnival; horse, motorcycle, and a total of 810 garments unemployed workers who The Iola School Board has there has been a need for U.S. Constitution was fully and car races; and was completed at the sewing are not physically capable been notified that the WPA a new such facility. This ratified earlier this week. topped off by a large rooms. of hard labor. They will will replace both Lincoln project will be a native stone This action repeals federal fireworks show. Families work to recopy old records and Jefferson elementary building which will serve as May 7, 1935 prohibition. While I am attended from throughout of deeds and actions of the schools this summer. Both the new “negro community convinced this is a terrible the County.

Yesterday President Probate Court. Many of schools will be built on the center” just south of the mistake, at least the Kansas Roosevelt created the Works these were originally done site of the current schools A.M.E. church. Note – it October 10, 1934 Constitution will prevent it Progress Administration in pencil and are fading from which will be razed as a part is being referred to as the An Iola Community by executive order. This from taking effect here. “colored community center, age and usage. They will be of the project.

Symphony Orchestra is government agency will but I am now using negro January 2, 1934 being formed. I am proud create jobs at public expense as the preferred term of The Iola Welfare Assoc. that my son, Josiah, is one for public improvement JUNE 18, 1938 reference. has announced it will of the founding members. projects. The benefits of this September 2, 1939 provide hot lunches to any In grade school he became program will be dispersed elementary school child who very interested in the violin nationwide. This WPA will troops from Today a Chinese Lawn Party was Yesterday is underweight according to and I was able to buy a essentially replace the PWA Germany under the ultimate the standard height/weight used one at Roberts Music and is funded so as to avoid held on the County Square. This command of Adolph Hitler chart beginning with this Store. He took a few lessons, the issues which led the invaded Poland. Under was intended to show community a mutual defense treaty school term. but is largely self-taught Supreme Court to find the through listening and PWA unconstitutional. support of China during its time of Britain and France quickly March 25, 1934 experimentation. This does declared war on Germany.

June 8, 1935 With PWA funding, new not pay, but it does increase suffering at the hands of an invasion Did these nations learn concrete outhouses with his community profile Despite continued heavy by the aggressive Japanese Empire. nothing from the disastrous concrete composting catch which may gain him more rains, Josiah and Mary were war of 20 years ago? I can pits will be built for homes portraiture business.

Ladies wore Chinese fashions and only hope that the United married this past Saturday. without sewer service He has secured a job as a January 4, 1935 rice was served as the primary dish States will remain neutral in throughout the County. dress sketch artist at the the ghastly affair.

Home owners will be The Iola Register has Miller dress factory and at the party.

Journal entry – September 4, 1939

WORLD WAR REDUX

May we be wise enough to leave Europe to its own devices this time. We need War is surely upon us. not; indeed, cannot allow Yesterday France and ourselves to be drawn into Britain both declared war this coming catastrophe. on Germany following that May 2, 1940 nation’s invasion of Poland.

For us, there may be a After having unionized in benefit – in the last Great Monarch Cement nearly War in Europe our economy a year earlier, the United boomed. The loss of Cement Workers went on agricultural productivity in strike today demanding Europe collapsed, swelling higher wages, a union demand and prices for our shop, dues deducted by the agricultural output; and as company, and a seniority European industry turned system. largely to war equipment, May 16, 1940 the demand for our normal industrial goods expanded to Two weeks after the union the benefit of our industries. went on strike at Monarch, This should end our decade all workers returned to the of economic depression. Yet, plant today. None of the there is another lesson to be demands of the union were learned from the last war. met, but the company did We were drawn into it with pledge there would be no a great sacrifice of human retribution against workers life and wasted resources.

who went on strike. The majority of workers dropped their union membership disappointed in the inability of the union to meet promises for change.

June 3, 1940 A public library has opened today in Humboldt. It is another sign of the literary growth of our County.

September 16, 1940

is actually considering the United States. A program possibility of entering the termed the Lend/Lease growing war in Europe.

Program has passed the September 30, 1940 Congress. It will allow the U.S. to supply material Germany, Italy, and Japan support to Britain, Free have signed a cooperation France, and eventually treaty, pledging not to Russia and China. We interfere with each-others will also “loan” military actions in their respective equipment to these nations spheres of influence. It until the end of hostilities seems the war has expanded and approve long term loans into Asia as well. Only to fund purchases. I can only the American Continents hope that this will provide remain at peace. enough support that our entry into the war will not February 28, 1941 occur.

The national military draft March 15, 1941 has hit Allen County for the first time. Previous All skilled workers in the calls had all been met by County will be registered volunteers. Conrad Johnson for potential recruitment for of Savonburg is our first true defense industries. Between draftee. those entering military

Today President Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act. This law will require all males between the ages of 21 and 36, inclusive, to register with the Selective Service Administration for potential conscription in case of war.

Registration can be done at local post offices. I find service and the growth in March 11, 1941 this to be disconcerting – it demand for labor in defense implies that our leadership This day marks the end of industries, such recruitment official neutrality for the

may prove necessary.

July 4, 1941

An old fashioned, all-day picnic was held, open to all, by the local negro community in the park at the south end of the Washington Street Bridge. It was the only official recognition of the Day in Iola. Many Iolans traveled down to Chanute for a large Wild West show, and rodeo during the afternoon and a large street dance in the evening.

August 7, 1941

Allen County will have its fiftieth County Fair starting tomorrow and continuing throughout the coming ten days. In addition to the usual displays and attractions there will be a carnival, horse and harness races, an auto daredevil show, and a

14 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back big dance.

September 2, 1941 The local Draft Board has announced a conscription call of 20 men for this month.

If the number of volunteers does not reach this number, men will be drafted to make up the difference.

November 11, 1941 With the clouds of war on the horizon, the local Armistice Day celebration took on a special meaning this year. The traditional parade was accompanied by a fly over of six dive-bomber aircraft from the Naval Air Station in Olathe much to the enjoyment of the crowd.

This evening there will be three large dances in town.

The Community Center at Riverside Park will host a ballroom dance, the Modern Woodsmen Hall will have a square dance, and the negro citizens of the County will have a dance at their Community Center on North Buckeye Street.

November 14, 1941 Today the Pet Milk Company has signed a contract with the Teamsters Union covering all its workers. Terms include a 40-hour work week with time and a half overtime, wage increases to 47 cents an hour now and 50 cents next spring, seniority rights, and a 1-week annual vacation.

The plant should be back to full operations with the first shift on Monday.

November 24, 1941 Today the Congress has approved sending U.S. troops to Dutch New Guinea to protect U.S. aluminum supplies from Japanese aggression.

December 8, 1941 In a totally shocking event, the forces of the Emperor of Japan attacked the large U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor in the territory of Hawaii late yesterday afternoon, our time. A great part of the Pacific Fleet has been destroyed and the number of U.S. deaths reported are growing hourly. This afternoon the Senate voted 82-0 and the House voted 388-1 to declare war on the Empire of Japan. Opposed as I am to war, under these circumstances our nation had no other choice.

December 9- 1941 Under orders from the Kansas Adjutant General of the Nation Guard, Capt.

Mac Percy of the Iola Guard Unit and Capt. Leo Eckert of the Humboldt Guard Unit are mobilizing their men with the greatest dispatch to guard railway depots, utility plants, cement plants, Pet milk, and Walton foundry.

of Wartime Production has ordered the County Sheriff to ensure that no new tires are sold in the County until further notice. Men previously rejected from the draft list for medical reasons will be re-examined for potential limited duty. No one will be allowed within 300 feet of the Neosho River Dam at Iola. More will surely follow.

the ship. It seems that his interest in music has left him with an unusual talent – his ability to discriminate between differing sounds and pitches. This talent was exposed during his basic training and the Navy will send him to sixweeks training to become a sonar man, a job in which tonal recognition is very important. We have December 17, 1941 arranged for Mary to travel to spend these last six weeks After a long debate in which with him before he heads I tried to change his mind, out to sea. my son Josiah is set upon February 16, 1942 enlisting in our armed forces to fight in this war. He is This month’s local quota making arrangements to go of 40 draftees left the Santa to Kansas City on Monday Fe depot in Iola today for and sign up. Among these training and assignment. arrangements is that his wife Their ultimate destination will move in with us for the is unknown. It has also been duration of his service. With announced that the draft our other children out on registration age range will be their own, we have the room. increased to 20-44 years of At the end of my discussion age. Registration offices are with Josiah, I did convince now open in Iola, Humboldt, him to join the Navy rather Moran, and Elsmore. This than the Army. While no has resulted in 1024 new one is safe in war, it seems to registrants this month. me that being aboard a ship March 20, 1942 is safer than carrying a rifle The USDA is urging farmers across a battlefield. to consider caster beans as December 18, 1941 an alternative crop. The oil Two new efforts have begun from these beans is an input to further the War effort. into the making of waterThe National Red Cross resistant paints and varnishes has started a drive to raise for navy vessels. The $50 million for a War Relief government will provide free Fund. The local chapter’s seed and buy the output for assessment for this fund is just over 2 cents per pound $4500. In a separate effort, which would work out to be a scrap drive has started and about $1.10 per bushel. will continue indefinitely. It March 26, 1942 will collect paper, iron and steel, used tires, metal foil, After a brief leave to bring Mary back to Iola, and “tin” cans.

Josiah is off to his ultimate December 30, 1941 assignment. While he To induce city workers cannot give us any details to stay at their jobs rather on this assignment, he will than move to area defense be stationed as a sonar plants, the City of Iola has operator on a ship to defend announced a pay increase supply convoys. Given of 10% for all salaried this information, I have workers and 20% for sewer concluded that he will be and garbage workers to take protecting supply convoys across the North Atlantic. effect on January 1.

This is surely a safer duty January 8, 1942 than being in the Pacific Three related events took to encounter the strong place in the first week of Japanese Navy. I am at once January. First of all, the concerned and relieved.

County Commission voted May 2, 1942 to take on the added task Office of Price of a Local Rationing Board. The has Secondly, this Board faced Administration its first big decision when announced a price freeze the County received its on all goods other than commodities.

January ration of 22 car tires agricultural and 36 bus and truck tires. Starting Monday nothing Finally, local car dealers all may be sold for more than announced that there would the highest price charged be no new cars available this during March. Agricultural year: henceforth they will commodities are not included in this regulation. trade in only used cars.

January 30, 1942

A new committee is being formed to aid town-folk in creating Victory Gardens this spring. They will work with the local Farm Bureau in instructing first-time gardeners. The more food we can produce here at December 10, 1941 home, the more we can ship to our troops and allies to Based upon their alliance advance the War effort. treaty of September, February 2, 1942 1940, Germany and Italy have declared war on the The Allen County Local United States based on our Rationing Board has similar declaration against received its monthly Japan. Being tied up on allocation of tires. As with the battlefields of Europe, last month there are more there is virtually no chance bus and truck tires than that either of these powers car tires. This marks the could launch an attack on importance of agriculture the U.S. I am still hopeful and dairy operations for the that our nation will ignore War effort. Those in need this latest declaration and of tires can apply to the let the war in Europe run its Rationing Board which will course, but I know this hope sell them on a need basis. is unrealistic.

December 13, 1941

August 15, 2020

May 8, 1942 The OPA is quickly moving to control the entire national economy. Rationing now reaches to meat, butter,

cheese, sugar, and cooking oil and fats in terms of groceries; and gasoline, rubber, wool, silk, solder, plastics, leather goods, copper, and most iron and steel consumer products.

The use of leather in shoes is also being restricted – hightopped shoes will no longer be available.

May 20, 1942 A group of 15 conscientious objectors to military service passed through the Santa Fe station today on their way to a work camp in Nebraska where they will do farm work under government supervision.

May 22, 1942 Today a doctor verified what we had suspected for some weeks. Mary is indeed with child! It seems that the time she spent with Josiah during his sonar training was not all spent on training. She will stay with us at least until the baby arrives.

May 25, 1942

relegated to lower-wage and less desirable jobs.

Many have found that with the labor shortages in larger communities, they are welcomed to much better jobs. This effect is not limited to Allen County or to Kansas – it seems to be nationwide migration of negroes from rural to industrial areas.

May 29, 1942

August 17, 1942

For the last week of school, Iola school children have been dismissed from class to undertake a large scrap metal drive. They collected over 55,000 pounds of scrap to go into the War effort.

A new drive is being waged to collect used cooking fats, greases, and oils. These will be shipped to processing plants to retrieve glycerin to be used in explosives for the War effort.

June 17, 1942

August 22, 1942

At last night’s meeting the County Commissioners delegated the job of administering rationing and price controls to a newly formed committee made up of Angelo Scott, Mitchell Bushey, and Leslie Lee of Iola; Lewis Davis of Humboldt; A.A. Peterson of La Harpe; Ted Swanson of Elsmore; and Dale Jordan of Savonburg.

Throughout the year a Bon Voyage Committee has seen off draftees and enlistees headed off to basic training.

They assemble at the Santa Fe depot with signs, cheers, and well-wishes as the new troops board up. For the first time this Committee amassed to see off six negroes to join our forces. I was very pleased to see them at the station in this act of appreciation of our darkskinned neighbors.

As the year reaches its midpoint, I should comment on the changes in local population. Of course, the call for military service has greatly reduced the number of young men in the County, but other changes are also occurring. With the growth of war-time industries across our area – Kansas City, Wichita, Parsons, Desoto, Topeka – the demand for workers has led many local men to move to these areas for the higher wages they pay. This is particularly notable among our local negro population.

In Iola, they have long been

October 5, 1942

Construction of a new sorghum mill in Iola is under way. The mill will use sorghum grains to create syrup to help ease the sugar shortage and the remains July 19, 1942 will serve the dairy industry Official word has reached the as fodder. family of Lt. Harold Finley November 10, 1942 that he died in combat. This is the first such report of an Coffee has been added to Allen County resident dying the list of rationed goods. in combat. The last known While I will certainly miss duty station of Lt. Finley my “morning brew,” I am was Corregidor Island in happy to do my part for the Philippines which fell to the war effort. While I still question the wisdom of our Japan in May. entry into this fight, as an August 10, 1942 American I must do what I There will be an can to support it. organizational meeting of December 12, 1942 an Allen County Mothers Club this evening in Iola. Today we received an This club is for mothers of early Christmas gift. Mary men serving in the military delivered our first Wilson during his war. Members grandson early this morning will display banners in their at St. John’s Hospital. windows with a blue star for Mother and child are doing each son serving. Members well and should be home by who have lost a son will early next week. In keeping display a gold star. My wife with family tradition, she is planning to attend and will has named the child Jacob.

Ray Vonn Bean and Robert Lane have become the first negroes to be drafted in Allen County. They will serve in segregated battalions in the U.S. Army. help sew up banners.

June 30, 1942

farm incomes at record high levels, these unpaid taxes are unacceptable. The sale raised $18,559 in taxes from the sale of 489 properties.

September 9, 1942 At last night’s County Commission meeting it was decided to forgo the annual Armistice Day parade around the square. The celebration of a peace treaty at a time when so many of our men are gone to war seemed inappropriate.

September 30, 1942 A large tax sale was held on the Court House steps today. Unpaid taxes during the ‘30s were often ignored as many families on relief lacked the means to pay.

Now, with jobs plentiful and

December 15, 1942

Four members of the staff of the Iola Register and the City Editor have been called up in the military draft.

Owner Ruth Scott Lynn has announced she intends to fill the now-empty positions with women joining the labor force.

December 18, 1942

Federal Food Administrator Claude Wickard has released a statement that canned vegetables, fruit, and juices will be added to the rationed goods list in 1943. This, of course, will not affect home canned goods. In a related matter, it has been announced that the production of farm equipment will be cut to 10% of 1942 levels for 1943.

Farmers will be expected to repair old or worn equipment rather than buy new.

December 22. 1942

Given the lack of complete compliance with last week’s “blackout” drill, the Iola City Council held a special meeting last night to consider an enforcement ordinance.

Henceforth, refusal to participate can result in a fine of $500 and up to six months in jail whether the “blackout” is real or a drill.

In a nonbinding resolution, all citizens are strongly urged not to display exterior Christmas lights.

December 27, 1942

February 8, 1942

Josiah has completed his New wartime directives basic training, but will have quickly been arriving undergo a further six weeks in the County. The Office of training before boarding

Madison Ave. looking southeast from the intersection of Madison and Washington

August 15, 2020

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

The big Elks Club dinner and dance which has long been the major social event to mark the new year will be canceled this year. There are simply not enough men left in town to hold a large dance. The Club will hold a dinner buffet instead.

There will be a small dance at the ballroom of the Kelley Hotel.

a sharp pain in my chest and left arm and collapsed.

The Doctor kept me in the hospital for two days on oxygen and ordered a week’s bed-rest at home. He tells me my heart is weakened and I need to refrain from vigorous activities. I should be okay if I remember that I am no longer 40 years old and behave accordingly.

January 15, 1943

February 27, 1943

The local chapters of the Red Cross and Red Shield are working to support the war effort. They have women working to knit woolen clothing for winter use in Europe, to prepare surgical dressings, and to bake cookies for troops on their way to war.

The local Draft Board reported yesterday that the February call-up included 40% of the male student body at the Junior College.

Many classroom seats are now empty.

Allen County exceeded its quota by 20%. It was also reported that during the month the Allen County Red Cross shipped over 30,000 surgical dressings to the U.S. Army Medical Corps. The quota for the County for the May bond drive will be $247,000.

April 8, 1943 At this month’s School Board Meeting a motion passed to sell the high school’s activities bus to the Kaw Valley Railway Company. It will be used to transport Allen County workers to and from the DeSoto Defense plant. With no gasoline ration for the bus, the district has no use for it.

Moran, and Elsmore are joining in the War effort.

Students will go doorto-door to collect papers, tabloids, and magazines in a coordinated paper drive. All grade schools in the county are expected to join the effort in days to come. Iola Coal and Junk Company is paying $9 per ton for sorted paper.

February 9, 1944

In response to offers to buy and scrap Washington and Garfield Schools, the School Board acted last night to rid themselves of these two underutilized buildings. Their sale will bring in $1595. The Board March 26, 1943 also decided to offer night Rations for next month courses in farm equipment have been announced. repair again this year given February 25, 1943 April 28, 1943 The availability of meat, the response last year’s I have been somewhat lax cheese, butter, and cooking United Mine Workers classes brought. in writing in this journal fats will again be reduced. President J.L. Lewis has February 26, 1944 the past two weeks. A fight In addition, a freeze will announced that his union broke out at the depot be placed on the sale of all will go on strike against A meeting of local business between two new enlistees canned fish and seafood. coal mines nationwide on men and ministers met at the being shipped out and one Friday. This is in the face of County Court House last April 2, 1943 of my Red Caps. I rushed a direct plea from President night to discuss the potential out to stop the fray and as The local results are in from Roosevelt to keep the mines of building a new Allen I separated the men, I had the March War Bond drive. open in this time of war.

County Hospital. Even though there is probably a need for a new facility, the MAY 1, 1943 on-going War Bond drives are drawing all the excess funds from the County.

Today President Roosevelt ordered the Department of Another meeting of this “hospital committee” will be the Interior to seize control of the nation’s coal mines, hire held in about a month.

non-union workers to mine coal, and use Army troops to guard the mines and non-union workers from any possible violence. In light of this only 165,000 of 409,000 union members actually participated in the strike.

May 4, 1943

Allen County again met its War Bond quota.

Savonburg, Elsmore, and Humboldt exceeded their quota while shortages in other parts of the County were made up of $100,000 in bonds purchased directly by the County Commission and an oversubscription by local banks. In the final accounting, Allen County exceeded its quota by 26%.

May 17, 1943 The Iola area has suffered through 14 inches of rain in the past 12 days.

The Neosho River, Elm Creek, and Rock Creek are all flooded and water has reached half way up Washington Avenue toward the Iola Square. Crops have been washed out throughout the area.

saving now to participate in this necessary activity. The success of this drive is key to both winning the War and protecting our young men now serving in the military.

July 9, 1943 After the wet spring, it is now clear that we are in for a very hot summer. As a result, the Iola churches have announced that starting this Sunday they will hold joint services outside on the Court House square. It is assumed this practice will continue through the end of August.

At this time of National danger, all Denominations will surely have a common prayer – victory and peace.

July 21, 1943

In a long-expected decision, the Allen County Fair Board has announced there will be no County Fair this year.

May 24, 1943 The local 4-H chapters will have their usual contests at Crop losses have been the park, but without any huge for spring planted further activities. crops and wheat must August 9, 1943 soon be harvested as soon as it is mature to prevent At last night’s Iola Board losses due to mold. The of Education meeting the County has issued a call decision was made to close for all able-bodied citizens Iola Junior College for the to volunteer to help with duration of the War. The replanting and harvesting. large number of young The DeKalb Seed Company men going into the military has announced that it will has reduced the number replace any seed that was of potential students, and washed out at no charge. the drafting of older men Many employed workers are has reduced the available volunteering to put in 3-4 teaching staff for the hours in farmers’ fields after College. completing their normal September 9, 1943 work day.

The first step toward peace June 1, 1943 in Europe was taken earlier The Iola airport will be used this week. Yesterday it was by 15 training aircraft and announced that Italy has 10 instructors to prepare 60 surrendered unconditionally recruits for flight school to in an armistice signed on the become Army-Air Force island of Sicily. pilots.

June 21, 1943 In anticipation of another War Bond Drive on the horizon, the Iola Register today ran a full-page ad urging people to begin

landmass of Italy was not.

The German Army has quickly marched into Italy from the north and seized control of that nation. Italy is still in the hands of the Nazis.

December 17, 1943 At the close of the day shift today, Lehigh Cement announced that it will be closing for an unspecified period of time due to a lack of fuel for the kilns. Current regulations prevent them from using natural gas and they cannot find sufficient sources of coal to fire the kilns.

January 4, 1944 Figures released by the local Draft Board indicate that 1230 men from Allen County are now serving in the armed forces. Local families have been notified of six combat deaths and five men missing in action.

In addition, there have been several men reportedly held as prisoners of war.

January 10, 1944 With Jacob now being 13 months old, Mary has made a major decision. She has been rehired by the Dress Plant and returned to work today. With the military allotment from Josiah and her pay from the plant, she can afford to move into her own apartment. Her younger sister, who is now 18 and out of school, will move in with her to provide the necessary day care for Jacob.

Islands in the Pacific.

August 2, 1944 A speaker at the Kiwanis meeting today discussed the new antibiotic penicillin.

While it was discovered some 15 years ago, the War has provided a testing ground for its use. It works wonders at stopping infections in wounded soldiers and seems to be effective against a wide range of diseases.

August 25, 1944 Good news has reached us from the War Front. Today American troops have marched to the Arch de Triumph in Paris. Only 80 days after D-Day, Paris was liberated. There is still much to be done and many battles to be fought, but this is still a large boost to the morale of the American people and a landmark event in this struggle.

November 9, 1944 The final results are in from Tuesday’s election.

While President Roosevelt was reelected to a fourth term, it was by the lowest margin yet. He carried only 37 states. Kansas returned to its traditional role with Republicans sweeping to victory. Governor Dewey outpaced the President by a two to one margin in Kansas.

April 15, 1944

November 20, 1944

For many years the County Poor Farm has operated as an actual farm, growing crops and running cattle. As the population at the Farm has decreased with boom times and the remaining residents are primarily elderly, the farming operation will be ended.

The residents will continue to maintain the orchard and a large vegetable garden, but the farming equipment will be sold to local farmers who can put it to better use.

The sixth National War Bond Drive was announced today. The quota for Kansas will be less than the fifth drive at $453,740. The Allen County quota has yet to be calculated, but whatever it is, I am certain we will exceed it as we have in every drive to date.

Journal entry – December 10, 1944

As part of her unofficial duties, the County Clerk has kept track of the number of Allen Countians serving May 8, 1944 in the military. Her count Over the weekend the has now reached 2,027 and project to create a “Wall continues to grow. of Honor” on the County December 22. 1944 Court House square was Six days ago I had a second completed. The Wall lists heart attack. I had taken all residents of Allen County Mary, her sister, and young who are currently serving in Jacob out to select and cut the military. It was erected a Christmas tree for their as a joint project by the local apartment. As I was tying American Legion and VFW the tree onto the top of the posts. car, I was hit by the chest May 25, 1944 pain and shortness of breath.

Final numbers have I was unable to drive, so been calculated for the Mary took the wheel and damage created by the drove to St. John’s Hospital. late April flood. It covered I was placed in an oxygen 201 thousand acres of tent for three days and after bottomland with an another three days of bed estimated financial loss of rest was sent home with specific instructions. I must $423,000. spend 12 hours a day in bed, June 10, 1944 though I may be “propped In the wake of the great up” with pillows when invasion of France, the awake. During the other fifth War Bond drive has two hours I can sit up on the been announced. The City couch or at the table, but do Council of Iola has voted to nothing strenuous. I have buy $30,000 in additional reported my condition to War Bonds and a large rally my superiors at the Santa Fe is being held at Memorial but have insisted that no one Hall which will feature relay my condition to Josiah. official military films taken Nothing must happen to at Tarawa and the Marshall take his mind away from this

15

critical job in the war.

JANUARY 1, 1945 Needless to say, we had a quiet New Year’s Eve celebration. Beth and I spent the evening alone. We planned to play a simple, two-person card game called Casino to bring in the new year, but by 10:00 I became quite tired, so she helped me into bed and I slept into 1945.

January 5, 1945

My Doctor has sent a letter to the Santa Fe and the Railroad Retirement Board explaining my illness. He assures me that I will qualify for disability payments under the Railroad Retirement Act even though I am still a little over 5 years short of normal retirement age.

January 11, 1945

The War is turning in the Pacific. It has been announced that two days ago U.S. Forces landed on the beaches of southern Luzon, the largest and most populous Island in the Philippine Islands. The landing was not greatly challenged, but difficult fighting is now underway there. In other War news, the Local Draft Board has received its call-up number for January. It must enlist or draft 25 men this month.

February 5, 1945

We received great news today.

The Railroad Retirement Board has approved my application for disability retirement benefits. I will begin receiving benefits immediately. Although Beth and I have some savings, there was a real limit to how long we could survive without income. If we live frugally, we can exist solely on my benefits.

April 12, 1945

President Roosevelt left this world into the pages of history today. VicePresident Harry Truman of Missouri was immediately sworn in as our new President. The nation is wracked by grief at the loss of President Roosevelt, and concerned with the new President Truman. Little is known of this new President and there is considerable trepidation about his ability to carry on the war effort.

At least it is known that he served in the first World War in Europe as a Captain which is somewhat comforting.

MAY 1, 1945

January 17, 1944

The Fourth War Bond drive began today. Allen County’s quota is $514,600 – somewhat less than in the September 11, 1943 Third Drive. To this point, we have exceeded every The joy over the surrender drive quota and I assume of Italy was muted today this one will be no different. as more details have come January 24, 1944 to light. While the Italian Army itself was surrendered, Grade schools in Iola, the vast majority of the Humboldt, LaHarpe,

The Rationing Board has announced that meat and sugar rations will be reduced again for this month. While the War in Europe appears to be nearing an end, there is a great demand for food for civilian use on that continent.

For the last year or more Germany has put all resources into military efforts, ignoring food production other than that for troops. The food shortage in Europe is far more serious than imposed by rationing in the U.S.

16 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back May 7, 1945

at the Community Center, weekend horse races, and Hooray! Today we received swimming, croquet, and the announcement of the horseshoe throwing contests end of the War in Europe. for all.

When the word reached May 31, 1945 Iola, the schools were let out, all businesses on the Today the Register Square closed, and a mass published a list from the War rally began on the Court Department which reports House lawn. Still, the crowd 66 combat deaths and 13 was somewhat subdued as men missing in action of men there are still many local inducted or enlisted from boys fighting in the Pacific. Allen County. Of course, the War in the Pacific still May 8, 1945 rages, so this number must The “brown out” which surely rise. May that rise be has kept street lights, movie as small as possible. marques, and store display June 23, 1945 windows darkened for the past three and a half years With the coming of warm officially ended at 8:00 this weather, a group of men I morning. worked with at the railroad came by today and put up May 28, 1945 a nice swing on our front In light of the end of the War porch so that I can sit outside in Europe and the progress of during the summer. I look U.S. forces in the Pacific, a forward to enjoying the sun large number of events have on my arms and the wind in been placed on the calendar my hair again. My doctor for Riverside Park. Plans has approved this activity include two age groups for and feels it may actually aid softball leagues for boys, my poor health. a baseball league for adult August 6, 1945 men, Friday night dances

August 15, 2020

The Iola Register reported today that a great bomb has been dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

This weapon, which has been secretly developed over the past year or more, utilizes the energy stored in the atoms which make up all things. It is reported that over 60% of this major city now lays in ruins and perhaps 100,000 Japanese have perished.

August 9, 1945 A second atomic bomb has been dropped on Japan, this one on the port city of Nagasaki which was home to several key wartime factories.

Surely this demonstration of the power of this new weapon will lead Japan to realize the futility of continuing the War.

August 13, 1945 The OPA has announced it will no longer print ration stamps. The current supply is enough to carry the nation through the end of the year and it is anticipated that rationing can be ended

before the beginning of the September 10, 1945 new year. This must indicate that the government feels the Over the weekend I had War will be ending rather several attacks of shortness of breath and chest pain. quickly. May it be so!

When the doctor came August 15, 1945 by today he was quite Peace breaks out! Today the concerned. He has set up Emperor of Japan accepted a home oxygen tent over defeat and tendered his my bed and instructed me unconditional surrender. to spend at least four hours V-J day is upon us. The a day in it with the oxygen Court House square is full turned on. I should also use of celebrants. Vehicles are it whenever I feel the chest circling the square and pain. Though he did not a giant “snake dance” is specifically say so, I know underway and growing that my time is limited. Yet by the moment. Church I have sworn to myself that I memorial services are being will not pass through death’s planned for tonight to offer door until I have seen Josiah thanks for the victory, but one more time. Hopefully he also in remembrance of those will return before the end of lost in the war. For many, it the year. is a day of mixed emotions.

September 24, 1945

September 3, 1945

Yesterday the Emperor of Japan officially signed the unconditional surrender of all Japanese troops and people on the bridge of the Battleship Missouri. General McArthur represented the United States in this great ceremony.

The local American Legion is opening a Veteran’s Service center on the Square to help returning service men readjust to civilian life.

They will also work with any local company or business in need of workers to help with employment. The Santa Fe and several other employers

have already agreed to rehire workers who left to join the military and to include their time of service to their seniority standing.

December 17, 1945

This will be our greatest Christmas ever. It will be our first Christmas at peace in five years, and on a personal note, we have heard from Josiah and he is being processed for discharge. He should be back home within a week, which will be just in time for the Holiday. He is so excited to see Jacob who has just turned three.

December 31, 1945

Things are returning to normal. Each day more troops come home from the War, Josiah is back in the arms of his Mary and young son, and Mary’s sister is engaged and moved out of the apartment. Josiah is seeking a job, which he hopes will be a quick search, and they are looking for an actual house to move into.

In all, 1946 is looking to be a great year for all of us.

J OSI AH WI LS ON Journal entry – January 5, 1946 This is a sad day. My father, Jonah, passed away in his sleep last night. He was only sixty, but he lived a full sixty years during some of the most interesting, and at times challenging, times of our history. These times become even more real to me because he kept a Journal for the last 32 years of his life.

For the last nearly four years of my life, I had little sense of what was happening here at home as I served in the Navy. One of the great pleasures of the past few weeks was reading this journal for the War years. It brought home to me what had occurred – it became my tie to the community over the past four years. There are other sources of historical information, but this one is unique in that it was written as the history was actually happening – it is less a history and more a continuous string of current events.

Having said all this, I am greatly motivated to continue this invaluable record. I pledge to do my best to carry on this family tradition. I hope that my descendants will value it as I have come to do.

Journal entry – January 6, 1946 We buried Father yesterday.

I was impressed by the large number of friends my father had made that showed up for the funeral – apparently the Depot manager affects the lives of many more people than just his coworkers. All those who frequently used the Santa Fe knew and respected him. May he rest in peace. For the last three weeks, I have devoted my time to getting to know my son and reconnect with my wife. Now I must find a job to support us. I plan to go to the American Legion tomorrow to join up and to use their program to help returning veterans to find work. Surely I can find something that will bring me a paycheck at the end of this month.

January 7, 1946 I received some interesting news when I visited with the American Legion office yesterday I discovered that a so-called “G.I. Bill” that includes low interest home mortgage rates, low interest mortgages for farms and small business start-ups, one year of unemployment benefits, and tuition and living expenses for schooling. If I cannot find a job in the next two weeks, I will apply for the unemployment payments and in the near future, Mary and I may try to find a house we can buy with the low interest rate loan program.

January 10, 1946 I have landed a job! Based upon the long record my father had with the Santa Fe and my Navy experience as both a sonar operator and a radioman, I have secured a position as a railway telegrapher at the Iola Depot. As part of the job, I will also act as the Western Union telegrapher as these

POST WWII BOOM two jobs are directly linked pounds, four ounces. We at depots the size of Iola’s. It could not be more pleased should be interesting work. and have named her Judith.

Unfortunately, because of January 16, 1946 the size of the baby and A new poultry processing the breech position in the plant is coming to town. womb, it was a very difficult The Iola Broiler and Poultry delivery. The doctor has Company plans to process told us that Mary probably 6,000 broilers a month. cannot, and definitely should not, have another March 16, 1946 child.

The State Legislature is considering removing November 12, 1946 prohibition from the State Yesterday Iola hosted a Constitution. It seems that huge Armistice Day Parade. many returning veterans, It was estimated that over having been in places 1000 musicians participated where alcohol was widely in the bands and some available, would support 20,000 people watched such a move. To gauge the the event. A team came local feeling on this issue, down from the Kansas City the Iola Register has polled Star and a film crew from its readers and come up with MovieTone News was here an unexpected result. Of to record the festivities. respondents, 53% support April 24, 1947 the repeal of this section while only 47% supported All Allen County school retaining prohibition. Allen boards held a joint meeting County had long been one at Memorial Hall last night of the major supporters of to hear the details of the prohibition. new school consolidation law. The law required July 11, 1946 the election of a county In an unusual action, the St. consolidation board in each Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery county of the state. Such in Humboldt is being a board was selected at his moved. As the Monarch meeting, although there was Quarry has progressed near universal objection to toward the Cemetery south the new state law overall. of town, the shock waves May 7, 1947 from blasting have begun to displace headstones and In yesterday’s special intrude on the sanctity of election the proposition to funeral services. Some 276 reopen Iola Junior College burials will be moved to a in September passed 379new site just north of the 254. The proposition also City. included a mill levy of 5 mills for this purpose.

October 16, 1946 Once again the Allen County Medical Association will provide free diphtheria and smallpox vaccinations to children over 10 months old who have not yet been vaccinated.

November 3, 1946 Early this morning Mary gave birth to our second child, a healthy girl weighing an unusual 10

September 3, 1947

For many years, negro students at Iola High School have been limited to only running track and singing in glee club for school activities. This fall a young negro, Ronnie Garner, was allowed to join the High School Band. This is a move in keeping with my family’s long-standing support for treating all people the same

in society.

October 13, 1947

After announcing the departure of the National Guard from Iola just a year ago, it has now been announced that Iola will become the Headquarters of the 35th Division, Field Artillery of the Kansas National Guard.

The federal government has recommended that all Americans adopt “meatless Tuesdays” and “poultry-less” Thursdays to make more food available for shipment to famine July 1, 1948 areas of Europe. At least locally, the response to this Within the last month, the recommendation seems to bodies of six more men be patchy at best. killed in the War have been returned to their families in October 18, 1947 Allen County. It is reported As the local American there are still hundreds, Legion accepts only perhaps thousands, of “white” members, a new bodies of War dead yet to American Legion Post, be identified.

Esmond-Wells Post 9623, July 20, 1948 has been established in Iola for negro veterans.

At a time of year when it would normally be dry, October 29, 1947 massive rains have struck.

The results from the special Yesterday Burlington election held yesterday are reported over 6 inches of now in. The proposition rain while Iola measured for a new Allen County well over 3 inches. Needless Hospital carried easily with to say, so much rain in a two-to-one “yes” vote. such a short time has again November 19, 1947 brought the Neosho River out of its banks.

Construction has begun July 23, 1948 on a new water treatment plant for Iola. The project is Continued rains are keeping planned to be completed by the Neosho in flood stage. spring.

The flooding has closed

January 24, 1948

down the Iola Power Plant and both US 54 and 59 through Iola are closed. It is estimated that at least 100 Iola homes have been flooded.

After the success of the vote to build a new Allen County Hospital, Thomas Bowlus has donated land at the east end of Madison Street to July 26, 1948 the County as a site for the new hospital.

Today President Truman officially integrated the April 16, 1948

United States Military.

While negroes have always served in the U.S. military, they have typically been in segregated units or noncombat roles. As of today, these practices are a thing of the past. It is an action well overdue.

August 5, 1948 With Jacob turning six later this fall, Mary and I are faced by a decision. Since Jacob will turn six before the end of the year, he could start first grade this fall. On the other hand, since he will only be five when the school year starts, he could also wait until next year. After due consideration, we have decided he would be better served being one of the older children in his class than one of the youngest. It is our option and we have decided to hold him back until next year. He’s a bright boy and Mary is teaching him many fundamentals at home. He should be well prepared by next fall.

October 15, 1948 Nearly on the eve of the Presidential election, President Truman has reaffirmed the end of racial segregation in the U.S. military services. This may damage his campaign with Strom Thurmond running on the so-called “Dixiecrat” ticket. This division should create an easy victory for Governor Dewey.

NOVEMBER 4, 1948 Final results of this week’s election are in, and to the surprise of almost everyone, President Truman triumphed over Governor Dewey. Equally amazing, the Democrats also wound up with a majority in both houses of Congress. Of course, Kansas remained strongly in Republican hands with Dewey easily carrying the state.

August 15, 2020 November 10, 1948 Tomorrow should be a great celebration of Armistice Day. The Parade has signed up 32 bands and the usual array of floats is expected. In addition there will be a large variety show staged both in the afternoon and evening at Memorial Hall.

April 20, 1949 Preliminary estimates for the cost of a new hospital in Allen County were released today.

They included $432,000 for the building and another $75,000 for equipment and furnishings.

Federal funds of $160,000 are available and the County has the authority to sell $375,000 in bonds.

April 4, 1949 In the face of a potential threat to long-term peace in the world, twelve nations of North American and Western Europe have signed a mutual defense treaty.

An attack on one will be considered an attack on all.

Twice in the past 50 years America has been drawn in to saving democracy in Europe. I only hope this is not a pledge that we will continue to do this every 25 years into the future.

August 24, 1949 Research of Federal records indicate that both the Iola Elks Club and the Allen County Country Club have paid the Federal Licensing Tax for slot machines.

Why have local authorities not stepped in to rid the community of these “onearmed bandits?”

August 30, 1949 The Soviet Union (Russia) has announced to the world that they successfully tested their first atomic bomb yesterday. The U.S. monopoly on this great weapon has ended.

September 2, 1949 Another five cases of infantile paralysis, now called polio, were reported in the County during August.

September 6, 1949 Harvey Rogers, an Iola negro boy noted for his incredible running ability, will join the Iola H.S. football team – the first of his race to do so. He also plans to play basketball when football is over. It is a small, but positive, step toward eventual equality for all Americans.

September 13, 1949 After a surprise visit to the Allen County Jail, the State health inspector has found the facility to be unfit for human habitation because of a lack of prisoner separation and insufficient sanitation facilities. The County has responded that money is being built up in an escrow account for the replacement of both the County Court House and the County Jail.

October 17, 1949 The lots at the end of Madison Street have now been cleared for the construction of the new Allen County Hospital.

Hopefully construction will soon begin.

November 12, 1949 Another large celebration was staged in Iola for Armistice Day. The parade included 27 bands and 29 floats plus business entries and was estimated to be two miles long. Then in the evening four public dances

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back were held at various venues beginning of the year that and all were well attended. it would stop accepting new patients. Dr. Lenski February 10, 1950 will keep it open until the The Catholic Church new Allen County Hospital announced today that it opens and then convert it to will build a new, brick a nursing home.

Catholic School in Iola. It April 11, 1951 is planned that the school will be completed in time The new hospital building is to hold classes this coming now complete. A drive has September. started to sign up individuals and businesses to fund the February 25, 1950 furnishing of rooms.

One of my favorite sounds April 13, 1951 at the Santa Fe depot is now history. Today the last The Pet Milk plant has put Steam engine on the line into operation a new, large was retired from service. freezer to keep milk cold The Missouri Pacific has while awaiting processing. announced that it will follow June 15, 1951 suit before summer.

A new rural school consolidation plan passed APRIL 6, 1950 the State Legislature in May to replace the unsuccessful attempt in 1947. This one will give counties a large Julius French, a voice in the process. In Negro, has won keeping with this law, an agreement was reached by a $25 judgement Allen County districts to consolidate into 47 new against the districts, down from a high Greyhound Bus of 80 some sixty years ago.

from federal sources to aid in rebuilding. Of course, the Allen County Fair has been canceled for this summer.

August 9, 1951 The Iola State Bank, Allen County State Bank, and Humboldt National Bank are all open and accepting loan applications under the Reconstruction Finance Corp. for flood damage repairs and replacement of structures.

August 20, 1951 Lehigh Cement has restored production on a limited basis. Full production levels are expected to be reached within two weeks.

September 13, 1951 Twenty new houses are now under construction to replace those lost in the flood. This number should grow rapidly until winter weather slows construction.

October 25, 1951

Perhaps spurred on by the recent flooding across Southeast Kansas, President Truman today signed a bill Service for refusing July 13, 1951 authorizing funds for the him passage and With heavy rains north of construction of the longAllen County, the flooding planned John Redmond forcing him off a is now at record levels – 9 Dam north of Burlington. bus in Coffeyville. feet over the recorded peak January 1, 1952 in 1948. The Iola water Justice rightly and power plants are shut In a special meeting today the served! down. We are cut off from City Commission approved the rest of the world – the to fund the preparation of railroads and highways are the north end of the shale June 16, 1950 flooded and the telephone pit on South Washington for Preliminary figures from this and telegraph systems have ice skating. Lehigh Cement year’s federal census show also stopped working. Forty will add water as necessary that the current population percent of Iola’s residential to maintain the skating area. of Allen County is now areas are flooded and over January 22, 1952 18,172, down almost 2,000 1000 people have been Answering a push by the from 1940. forced from their homes.

Allen County Medical Today the river seems to June 25, 1950 Association, Iola will start be at a crest, but it will take Today forces from days for it to recede enough the fluoridation of water at communist North Korea to fully assess the damages. the water plant. This action is designed to reduce the level crossed the 38th parallel and July 18, 1951 of tooth decay, particularly invaded South Korea. The South was quickly overrun The Neosho is back within among the youth. Of course, and pushed to a small area its banks in most of the area. this will also benefit those at the tip of the Korean Electric power was restored local towns that rely on Iola Peninsula. The United yesterday in Iola but Lehigh water.

Nations Security Council Cement is still closed down.

March 8, 1952 was called into immediate In a rough calculation the session and moved to allow County Engineer reports In a rare event, an earthquake forces to come to the defense that 32 square miles of hit Allen County today. It cracked walls and broke out of South Korea. the 48 square miles in Iola windows. Geologists say it township were underwater July 12, 1950 was located on the Nemaha at the peak.

Uplift fault underlying the With war now starting July 24, 1951 Flint Hills. in Korea, the local draft board has been reactivated. Typhoid may be a danger April 2, 1952 Allen County has 254 men after the flooding. Shots currently classified as 1-A. It for the disease are available Even though the Kansas is expected that 10 of those from the County Health Dry Forces campaigned may be called up this month. Officer, Dr. Chambers, heavily for local prohibition ordinances, all 20 of the November 27, 1950 and the American Legion locations where they Auxiliary is providing meals North Korean forces have at eight cents each to flood worked hard rejected those proved to be no match for victims. So far they have ordinances in yesterday’s elections. In Iola the vote the U.S. troops. As these provided over 3100 meals. went “wet” by a margin of forces are facing ultimate July 31, 1951 1455 to 1028 and Humboldt collapse, Red China has sent some 400,000 troops in Recovery efforts are by a margin of 570 to 241.

Korea to support the North underway. Volunteers are April 9, 1952 forces. On a local note, 100 being recruited to help clean men from Allen County up and repair damages in A nationwide steel workers have either enlisted or been Riverside Park. Financially, strike was slated to take effect drafted since the War began. the Reconstruction Finance today. As a result, President Truman nationalized the Corp. will provide loans up January 16, 1951 steel industry by executive to $5000 to rebuild homes order because of the need Dr. Lenski has purchased and support damaged the old St. John’s Hospital businesses. The City of Iola for steel to press the Korean after it announced at the has requested $564,000 War campaign.

MAY 2, 1952

17

Reports from both farmers both trash and garbage. The and local elevators indicate current city dump east of that the recently completed town will be closed. wheat harvest may be the July 15, 1953 largest in County history.

In a special election July 28, 1952 yesterday Iola voters Last Friday and Saturday approved a $460,000 bond the new County Hospital issue to build a new National staged an open house. It does Guard armory. seem to be a most impressive July 20, 1953 facility. The first patients are expected to be accepted on The new hospital has acquired a mechanical the first of the month. respirator which will save September 15, 1952 the lives of polio sufferers.

The final official statistics July 27, 1953 from the 1950 census have been released. Allen After nearly three years of County’s population is 8916 stalemate, a truce has been men and 9221 women; negotiated between North 17,778 white, 331 negro, Korea, backed by Red and 68 other; and average China, and South Korea, 35.1 years of age. Those backed by the U.S. The over 65 represent 14.5% of established Neutral Zone very closely follows the the population. original boundary between October 17, 1952 the two Koreas. In short, the Allen County is in the efforts of three years and the middle of a fall drought with loss of countless thousands little rain since July. The of lives went for nothing. farmers need moisture for September 15, 1953 the newly planted wheat crop before freezing weather With the growing popularity of the new soil treatment, a to ensure next year’s crop. new anhydrous ammonia November 5, 1952 plant has opened east of Iola.

Over 8,000 votes were It includes a 30,000-gallon tallied in yesterday’s storage tank and a fleet of election. It was a big day trucks for delivery. for the Republican Party.

October 20, 1953 They swept local and state offices, while nationally The City of Iola has secured General Eisenhower bested 4 acres of land east of State Senator Stevenson for Street between Buchanan President and both houses of and Garfield. With the Congress went Republican. approval of the State Board, In Eisenhower we have a it will become the site of President with proven strong the new National Guard Armory. leadership abilities.

December 23, 1952

November 7, 1953

The Kansas National Guard has requested that the City of Iola provide land to build a new facility for the Guard Headquarters. The Guard will fund the building, but the City must provide the land. This must be land not flooded in 1951.

The new polio vaccine developed by Dr. Salk will be tested for safety and effectiveness on second grade children across the nation after successful animal testing.

June 3, 1953 The Iola City Commission has purchased the needed equipment to open and maintain a sanitary landfill.

This pit will be used for

January 10, 1954

Corrected figures have been released by the Department of Defense on U.S. deaths in the Korean War. The newly confirmed total is just over 37,000 American lives lost.

What a waste!

MAY 14, 1954 Today the United States Supreme Court ruled school segregation violates the “equal protection” section of the 14th Amendment.

This, of course, will have no real effect in Allen County which has always had desegregated schools, but it is a major victory for negroes in many parts of the nation. Interestingly, the case actually started in the Kansas State Capital back in the fall of 1951.

The wheels of justice may grind slowly, but in the end, all is right.

Now we must see how quickly the new decision will be implemented.

June 3, 1954

Riverside Park. Yesterday featured horse racing on the half-mile track with over 50 horses from around Southeast Kansas, followed up by auto races on the quarter mile track today.

A new amusement park, has opened south A new Kansas law will allow women to serve on District Louieville, of the drive-in theater on the Court juries for the first time. east side of Gas. It features a motorized train ride and May 28, 1952 the Neosho. of their industry and the other typical carnival rides November 11, 1954 steel strike originally called and midway attractions. We June 2, 1952 The Katy railroad will took the children and they The celebration of Armistice for in April began. suspend passenger service The U.S. Supreme Court enjoyed it immensely. We’ll Day, now officially renamed June 3, 1952 on its line down the west ruled today that the President certainly go again soon.

Veterans’ Day, featured the side of the Neosho River lacked the Constitutional Today the new Allen July 4, 1954 usual largest parade of the valley at the end of the authority to nationalize the County Hospital was year. It included 26 bands month. This will impact steel industry. The steel officially dedicated.

This year's Independence and 24 floats. In addition Humboldt where the track companies regained control Day celebrations included the day included the official June 27, 1952 runs just west of town across two full days of races at

18 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back dedication of the new National Guard which was named in honor of General Frederick Funston. In the evening there were four dances and a vaudeville show at the Memorial Hall.

February 1, 1955 The Allen County Centennial Committee has selected an official seal highlighting the development of the County including images of the railroads, ag, and industry.

February 10, 1955 The County Commissioners have issued a proclamation requiring all men in the county able to do so to grow facial hair for the Centennial celebration.

February 22, 1955 A plat map has been filed with the City of Iola to establish the Meadowbrook housing development on 20 acres north of Carpenter between the streets of Colburn and Elm.

March 16, 1955 The last issue of the Moran Herald newspaper was printed today. The company is closing.

April 1, 1955 The Centennial Committee has selected a name for the big celebration – it will be “Prairie Cavalcade. The Committee also agreed to sponsor a “Centennial Queen” contest. This will not be a beauty contest, but a community popularity contest.

Any Country lodge, club, church, or other organization may nominate

one candidate, single or June 14, 1955 married, between the ages At yesterday’s meeting of 16 and 25. the Iola City Commission April 22, 1955 took two related longToday 665 second graders overdue actions. They across Allen County were voted unanimously to open given the new Salk polio the City swimming pool vaccination with the to all, regardless of race consent of their parents. For and followed that up by unknown reasons, seven designating the building percent of parents declined known for the past 15 years to have their children as the “colored community center” to use by all protected. regardless of race. Negroes April 28, 1955 will also be allowed to use The new Allen County the Riverside Community State Bank building opened Center on the same basis as today with a huge open whites. house celebration complete June 20, 1955 with tours and refreshments.

A new musical sound seems June 1, 1955 to be catching on with the Iola Industries was youth of the County. It’s incorporated by a group been named Rock and Roll of 12 businessmen with and is marked by a driving the stated goal promoting back beat, rapid tempo, and industry in and around high volume. Bill Haley is Iola and attracting new leading a group that is filling industries. the air with this sound. To me, it is reminiscent of the June 2, 1955 jazz music of the “roaring The big Centennial twenties” and seems to be Celebration kicked off generating similar frenetic tonight with a big formal dancing. Hopefully, the dance. The Centennial craze will be short lived.

Queen was named and August 25, 1955 most celebrants wore period clothing. Many women Moran will soon once more wore dresses passed down have a local newspaper. The from their grandmothers.

Moran Sentinel will publish its first issue on September June 7, 1955 1.

The County Commission August 31, 1955 passed an edict allowing all men who had grown facial The Durite Power Mower hair to shave. In a way, I hate company in Iola had another to shave - I’ve become rather record year this summer fond of my bearded look. with sales hitting $250,000 On the other hand, my wife for the first time. The plant is much less appreciative, so will be expanded to double off it will come! output for next year.

Iola has secured another employer by being at the crossroads of two major highways. District 5 of the Kansas State Highway Commission will build a new office, garage, and outdoor storage area on five acres on the west side of State Street north of the US 54-169 intersection.

Parking meters have been installed around the square in Iola and a man hired to ensure they are used. Fines will be levied for those who ignore the meters.

October 20, 1955

completed and shows that the group has $4,180 still in its accounts. These funds will be used to fund an Allen County Historical Society which will have an office and display window in the new Court House. A Board of Directors for the Historical Society will be elected by the Celebration Committee as its final official act by the end of the month.

November 8, 1955 It seems interest in the history of Allen County continues to grow. The Kansas State Historical Society has gained ownership of the boyhood home of General Frederick Funston five miles north of Iola. The house and grounds will be restored to the Nineteenth Century state and open for visitors next spring. Mrs. Eckdall, the last remaining of Frederick’s siblings has deeded the site to the state.

February 2, 1956 The biggest dance in Iola in several years will be held tomorrow night at Memorial Hall in Iola. All proceeds from the dance will go to the March of Dimes to continue the fight against polio.

February 8, 1956 At this week’s City Commission meeting in Iola a plat map for another new housing development was revealed. It will cover about 17 acres northeast of the intersection of Buchanan and State streets. The city will lay sewer and water lines for the project.

May 16, 1956

SEPTEMBER 1, 1955

October 15, 1955

August 15, 2020

Paola to Humboldt to Eureka. This would have left many wells in Allen County without a ready market for their output. As a result, a group of local oil men quickly joined together to purchase these oil lines.

The biggest event will be a parade featuring floats depicting stories from the Bible. Both area churches, clubs and organizations, and youth groups. It is planned to be held each year on the first Saturday of October.

October 1, 1955

October 4, 1955

Some six weeks after the opening was expected, the Funston Home north of Iola is now open for visitors.

Only one room is currently fully furnished, but work is progressing to complete the remainder of the interior with original period pieces and Funston memorabilia.

May 30, 1956 Jacob has graduated from Junior High and will begin High School in the fall. He was at the top of his class and does very well in his academics. He is a bit of a dare-devil and at times I am concerned about some of his personal choices in activities, but hopefully it’s only a stage.

June 13, 1956 Last week the Sinclair Oil The first of what will be an The final accounting by Company announced that annual event, Humboldt the Centennial Celebration Congress has appropriated they would shut down oil expressly for is hosting Biblesta today. Committee has been $50,000 collection pipelines from

planning for a flood control dam on the Neosho River upstream from Allen County.

on the boats. While I lack experience at this, it does fit in with my lifelong interest in art and color.

June 18, 1956

March 19, 1957

Pet Milk reports that Allen County now has nearly 10,000 dairy cows being milked and producing $1.25 million in dairy products.

A cinder track has been built around the football field in Riverside Park. This will provide a facility for the high school and junior college track programs and allow them to host track meets.

June 30, 1956 Today President Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway Act. This will fund major new four-lane, divided highways linking the nation together. This should prove a boon to Allen County. First of all, a route from Kansas City to Dallas might well pass through the County, but even if this doesn’t occur, the national demand for cement to build these new roads will ensure continuing high demand for our two cement plants.

August 17, 1956

September 23, 1957

This past weekend Humboldt celebrated its town centennial. After the usual parade, a joint religious service of all Humboldt churches was held at the Humboldt High School auditorium.

November 27, 1957

To give Christmas shoppers a special gift, Iola has announced that the parking meters on the square will be covered and out of service from tomorrow through Christmas Day. The city’s parking fund has a balance of almost $11,000 collected from the meters and fines levied for ignoring them.

The Kansas Corporation Commission the week ruled that the Missouri Pacific Railroad may cut passenger service from Durand in Wilson County, across Allen February 18, 1958 County, and to the Missouri The widow of Ira Kelley has State line. offered the now-closed hotel September 10, 1956 to the City as a site for a new A major fire struck Elsmore, City Hall. The building will destroying the grain elevator be razed and used for public and severely damaging the parking as the construction depot, railway warehouse, of a new City Hall is and coal storage bins. considered.

January 4, 1957

April 4, 1958

I have been given a twoweek notice from Santa Fe that I will be terminated.

This is through no fault of my own – electronic signaling and the telephone have simply made my job as a telegrapher obsolete.

These positions are being ended throughout the Santa Fe system. By fall there may be no more railway telegraphers anywhere in America.

Figures released today by the U.S. Department of Commerce reveal that the United States is in a rather steep recession. It seems to have begun as car sales returned to normal after 10 years of catching up from the War years and interest rates on home loans rose.

May 5, 1958

Monarch Cement in Humboldt is funding the construction of a swimming February 16, 1957 pool in that community. It The State Legislature has should be completed before passed a bill allowing Allen the truly hot weather of County to transfer the summer arrives. ownership of the old jail to November 5, 1958 the Allen County Historical Society. The Society will In yesterday’s elections, take over maintenance of the Democrats made surprising in Kansas jail and grounds and provide inroads politics. They captured tours of the facility. the Governor’s race and March 1, 1957 most local offices in Allen I have found a position County. In addition, the with Iola Molded Products “right to work” proposition company and will start was passed, as well as an Monday. I will work with amendment allowing the the team that mixes pigment Governor to appoint State with the raw fiberglass to Supreme Court Justices. create the colorful pattern On the national level both

1959 Centennial parade featuring a Kiwanis horse-drawn wagon with a band inside

August 15, 2020 the House and Senate won substantial majorities.

November 17, 1958 The Corps of Engineers will expend $400,000 over the next few months to buy land and build access roads for the construction of the John Redmond flood control dam 50 miles north of Iola.

December 18, 1958 The Allen County Historical Society will open its office and displays in the new Court House tomorrow.

This office will be on the second floor.

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back January 14, 1959 New buildings are being erected on the east side of the Santa Fe tracks at Lincoln Street to serve as a home for the Iola Molded Plastic Company. This will be a subsidiary of Red Fish Boat Company out of Texas and will make fiberglass boats.

January 17, 1959 At the beginning of the year, Iola Industries began to raise funds to buy the site of the old Lanyon #3 smelter east of town on US 54 to clean up the mess left behind when

the equipment was sold and moved or scrapped. It was announced today that more than enough was raised, so the project will be increased to 21 acres including the old Iola dump. The land will be leveled and seeded and available for future industrial uses.

April 9, 1959 At yesterday’s municipal elections in Iola the first negro and the first woman were candidates for the Iola School Board. While neither won a seat, the simple fact of their running indicates how times are changing.

MAY 1, 1959 The Iola National Guard Unit has changed its status. It had been a unit of the Field Artillery but will now be the Headquarters Company of Heavy Construction Engineering Corps.

May 29, 1959

sites north of US 54 have been completely cleared and leveled. It is a great improvement in appearance and should provide sites for new development in Iola.

The last vestiges of the old Allen County Court House have been removed from the Square. The contractor salvaged and sold 18 rail May 4, 1960 car loads of brick from the building, earning a good Preliminary figures have profit. been released for last June 5, 1959 month’s census count in Allen County. It appears Jacob is hounding me to pay that the population of the for him to take flying lessons County is down about 10% now that he has turned 16. in the past decade.

It is a bit of a luxury, but June 1, 1960 he deserves some reward for maintaining very good A new company, Iola Cable grades and controlling some TV has plans to build tall of his wilder instincts. antennas to pick up television

June 12, 1959

signals and transmit them over wires to homes in Iola.

Iola Industries has leased Of course, a monthly fee the old National Guard as yet undisclosed will be buildings in Riverside Park charged for the service. from the City and sublet June 9, 1960 them to a new industry in the area – Irrigation Pump A ground-breaking and Motor Company. ceremony will be held for

December 31, 1959

As the decade of the 1950s comes to a close, a review reveals a mixture of good and bad. On the bad side was, of course, the weather – it seemed to swing between draught and flood, including the record flood of 1951. The second was the senseless loss of life in the Korean War which did little except maintain the status quo. On the good side, the spread of polio was defeated, new industries came to the County and the wastes of old industries were cleaned up, and the economy grew with the exception of the brief recession of 1958.

the first new industrial plant on the now-leveled smelter ground east of Iola. Thompson Poultry, a chicken processing plant long a part of the community, is building a new plant there. The new plant will feature two automated production lines, increase employment to 30 line workers, and process 12,000 birds per week.

November 9, 1960

In yesterday’s national election, John Kennedy bested Vice President Richard Nixon by one of the closest elections in modern history. The Democrats also held their majorities in April 27, 1960 both the House and Senate.

President Kennedy is the Iola Industries reported first President born in this today that the smelter

January 3, 1963 Well, we have finally given up and joined the TV viewing public. With a dependable cable system now available, we finally bought a TV and have it set up in the living room.

January 28, 1963

century. Hopefully his youthful idealism will prevail over his lack of experience.

November 28, 1960 Construction is slated to begin on a new 20-unit motel on the east side of State Street a half-block north of Garfield. It is said it will be the largest motel between Iola and Kansas City and will even feature a swimming pool for summer use.

January 10, 1961 The reading of the will of Thomas Bowlus estate revealed that the vast majority of his estate will be dedicated to the construction of a fine arts and culture building on the site of the Bowlus home for the Iola School system to provide a modern auditorium for performances and classrooms for the fine arts courses.

January 31, 1961

from the State Department of Health that no further extension of sewer lines will be allowed until a new treatment facility is completed, voters yesterday overwhelmingly approved a bond issue for the new sewage treatment plant.

graduated from high school and Judith from junior high. Amazingly (to me at least), he has secured an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs based on his academics and extreme interest in flying. He is quite different from Judith. She April 13, 1961 also earns high academic The Russians have out-done marks, but is very shy and us again. Yesterday they withdrawn compared to his launched the first human outgoing nature. into orbit. Yuri Gagarin December 20, 1961 circled the earth for a single orbit and was returned safely Jacob called us long distance to earth. today to tell us he will not be home for Christmas.

April 20, 1961 He is going to spend some After Fidel Castro gained time working on his studies control of Cuba some two and will be going skiing years ago, he revealed in the Rockies west of the himself to be a Communist. Academy. He has always As a result, last week a CIA- been adventurous, but we supported group of Cuban will still miss his presence at exiles invaded the Island at a the Holiday table. place called the Bay of Pigs.

February 7, 1962 Expected U.S. air and naval support did not follow and Despite many neighbors’ today the invading force has complaints, a modern been forced to surrender to nursing home will be Castro’s forces. built on East Carpenter Street. The City Planning April 25, 1961 Board approved the plans After a year and a half last fall, but that decision without turning a profit, was appealed to the City the Irrigation Pump and Commission, but to no avail.

Motor Company has ceased February 20, 1962 production. Iola Industries will seek a new tenant for As I write this, the first the facilities in the Park.

American, John Glenn, is orbiting the earth in a May 4, 1961 satellite, hopefully named The Columbia Metals “Friendship 7.”

Company has leased all March 15, 1962 the old National Guard buildings in Riverside Park After a brief lifetime, the for a manufacturing facility. Moran Sentinel newspaper The company makes today became a thing of the aluminum windows and past. storm doors.

May 28, 1962

May 10, 1961

Dr. Lenski, the City Health Officer, reports that a survey of Iola has revealed that there are still 186 out-houses within the city limits, although many may no longer be in use. He demands that all be destroyed by August 1.

For Memorial Day the Allen County Historical Society gave tours of the 1869 jail today. The ownership of the jail was transferred from the County to the Society in accordance with a law approved by the Kansas Legislature.

May 28, 1961

August 28, 1962

This has been a wonderful A group has been formed Kansas State University weekend.

Jacob has to manage fundraising for reports that Dutch Elm Disease is spreading rapidly in Eastern Kansas. To slow this vicious disease dead and dying trees should be felled and burned. Healthy trees should be sprayed with DDT during the winter months.

May 22, 1963 Following a large meeting of Allen County farmers at Memorial hall on Monday concerning the government’s role in the wheat market, ballots were returned and counted today. Our local farmers voted against the proposed 1964 government acreage allotment by a small margin. It is suspected that the overall vote nationwide will pass the program.

Early this morning the temperature hit a low of 14 below zero, the coldest in recent history. The temperature was so low that it froze and ruptured a major July 30, 1963 water main under Madison Street.

The Iola Board of Education May 7, 1963 has voted to offer hot lunches at all Iola schools this The Kansas Highway school year. The school will Department will widen East utilize surplus commodities Street (US 54) from the “S” provided through the U.S. curve to the Iola City limit to

charities in Iola. This United Funds of Iola organization will reduce the demands on citizens and businesses by numerous solicitations by combining them into one.

August 31, 1962

The M.K.T. railroad, the Katy, has made its last runs between Iola and Moran today. The line opened in 1902 to serve gas boom industries. Passenger service ended 30 years ago.

September 6, 1962

The total enrollment number for the Iola School system exceeds 2000 this year for the first time in its history.

November 8, 1962

The results from Tuesday’s election are now final. The Republicans nearly swept local races and a 1.5 mill levy to support Iola Junior College passed easily.

November 21, 1962

When the plans for the new Bowlus Fine Arts and Cultural Center were bid, the bids came in substantially above expectations. The School Board, the slated owner of the Center, wants to pay the extra expenses while the Allen County State Bank, trustee of the estate, wants to reduce the scope of the project to keep the cost in line with original estimates.

Negotiations have been unable to bring the parties together and the decision will rest with the Probate Court.

December 22, 1962

Jacob has come home for the Holidays over Christmas break at the Academy. He tells us that his classes are going well and he is enjoying the experience. The regular physical training at the Academy seems to be serving him well – he has gained some 12 pounds and it all appears to be muscle.

He’ll be here for ten days before returning to school.

It will make for a great Christmas.

February 1, 1961 Plans were unveiled at last night’s City Commission meeting for a new Iola sewage treatment system.

It will use the new system of lagoons rather than tanks and filters.

The Bowlus Fine Arts Center

April 5, 1961 After Iola received notice

NATIONAL TURMOIL

four lanes this summer.

19

Department of Ag.

centered in Iola, Humboldt, and Moran. This will not August 28, 1963 affect this year’s schooling I am concerned about Judith. structure.

She does well academically November 18, 1963 in school, but she seems to have no friends. She has The Iola Ministerial Alliance always been shy, but now has unanimously passed a seems to me to go beyond resolution calling for the that to reclusive. Mary says racial integration of all that she has just had a hard churches in the County. If time adjusting to puberty, there were ever a location but I fear it may be more. that should recognize the September 5, 1963 equality of all men, it would certainly be in houses of After a summer of long worship. and often contentious November 22, 1963 discussions, the Allen County School Today in Dallas, President Unification Committee Kennedy was assassinated has recommended that all in a parade. He became the County School Districts be fourth President in U.S. consolidated into only three history to be assassinated.

Unified School Districts He was so young and

showed so much promise as a great leader I cannot comprehend his loss. VicePresident Lyndon Johnson was sworn in within hours.

At least he has a great deal of governmental experience in Congress and should prove to be competent to lead the nation.

December 5, 1963 It has been determined that all stock in the Allen County State Bank held by the Thomas Bowlus trust will be sold to provide the funds to build the Bowlus Fine Arts and Culture Center. Members of the Bowlus family will be given preference in this sale.

January 2, 1964

It was announced today that in the absence of family interest in buying the stock of the Allen County State Bank held in the Thomas Bowlus Trust, controlling interest in the bank has been sold to a small group of investors from Wichita. The new group has no intention of changing the operations or employees of the Bank.

June 3, 1964

In a special election yesterday, Allen County voters approved the consolidation of schools in the County into only three unified school districts. While there was a “no” vote in most rural areas of the County, they were overwhelmed by a strong “yes” votes in the larger

20 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back towns.

in a very positive manner.

With one more year of high July 10, 1964 school, perhaps we can direct Finally, Judith has found her into a nursing school something that gets her after next year. out of her room. She has August 10, 1964 become a “candy striper” at the Hospital. She seems to be The U.S. has long had very happy at it, even though advisors in South VietNam it is basically menial labor. I going back to the withdrawal talked to her supervisor and of the French in 1954. she tells me that Judith has a They have been there in a strong affinity for the elderly non-combat role, but their patients and they react to her numbers have grown over

AUGUST 17, 1964

the last ten years. Now the President has been given the approval of Congress to send in combat troops. This Act, the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, resulted from last week's apparent attack on a U.S. Destroyer in international waters off the coast of North Viet Nam. It appears that another senseless war is on the immediate horizon. Let us pray that I am wrong.

August 15, 2020 been signed between USD 257, the Allen County State Bank, and the Allen County Community College implementing the entirety of the Court’s ruling.

December 1, 1966 IMP has announced that their sales for the year will reach $2,500,000 this year. There is a growing demand for luxury boats. Employment is now up to 100 from 65 at the end of last year.

March 1, 1967

suppression. It is not a skill that would be expected to be useful in Allen County, but the unit could be called to other locations.

September 10, 1967 Last night in Atlantic City, Debra Barnes of Moran was crowned Miss America for 1968. It has been reported that a spontaneous celebration broke out in Moran that lasted well into the early hours of Sunday. Many people from throughout the County attended. Attendance at church was notably lower today.

received word last week that Jacob’s plane had been shot down over Laos. He was seen to eject, but his status was unknown – he was officially listed as Missing in Action.

I couldn’t bring myself to even believe it. Then today we received a report that he had been recovered. He was sheltered by Hmong tribesmen allied with the U.S. and returned to U.S. control by them. God bless them! He has been injured by shrapnel, but his wounds are not life threatening. He is being transported to the military hospital at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi for treatment and recovery.

One part of the President’s “War on Poverty Program” It was announced today that classrooms in the Bowlus is pre-school education for economically disadvantaged Center will be ready for occupancy by students when children. This program, October 4, 1967 June 7, 1968 Head Start, provides Last Saturday the Santa Fe’s school starts this fall. Fourteen pianos have been secured dubbed free preschool preparation to mail contract expired and Is there no end to the ensure all children are able to was not renewed. This was madness that is sweeping our for classroom and concert uses. start school on an equal basis. the only thing that kept nation? Last evening Robert Today it was announced that passenger service profitable Kennedy, the younger August 22, 1964 the College until the election December 28, 1965 this program was coming to on the line through Allen brother of John and a of a new College Board at Judith has made Jacob has completed Allen County.

County.

Therefore, the candidate for the Presidency, next spring’s general election arrangements to continue advanced flight training and railroad announced today it was killed in Los Angeles.

May 8, 1967 in April. volunteering nightly with came home on leave two will seek to end this service.

June 12, 1968 May 20, 1965 the candy stripers. I know weeks ago. He was here for This past weekend the new This is the last passenger rail she enjoys the work, but I Judith did not attend her Christmas, which made it Iola library was officially service in the County.

At last night’s Iola City fear that a nightly job will Senior Prom. She may be one of our best. He left today dedicated today. Governor November 1, 1967 Commission meeting a continue to isolate her from the only girl in her class to for assignment to Da Nang Docking was on hand to give contract was signed for the friends and activities in her complete four years of high air base in VietNam with the opening speech praising At a special meeting last construction of a new City the $230,000 project. night, the Junior College Hall at the corner of Jackson senior year of high school. school without having had my best wishes and deepest Board of Trustees approved and North Street. Bonds for June 28, 1967 September 25, 1964 a single date. She also has prayers. He will be assigned a contract for the building the $147,156 project were to a fighter squadron flying had no real girl-friends, just At yesterday’s County of a new campus for the The Bowlus Fine Arts F-104’s, one of the most approved by a narrow margin acquaintances. and Culture Center will advanced aircraft of the Commission meeting the Institution. It will be on in an election last month.

June 4, 1965 problem of an ambulance North Cottonwood, across be officially dedicated on USAF. June 18, 1968 service for Iola again arose. from the Highland Cemetery.

Sunday although it has been We have returned from a February 16, 1966 The County lacks the power The total cost will be over Judith has become quite in use for several weeks now. week’s vacation to Colorado to order the County Hospital $1,820,000 and receive an involved with the local In a special election yesterday November 5, 1964 Springs for the graduation to provide such service $800,000 grant from the League of Women Voters.

Allen County voters of Jacob from the Air Final results are in from and the Commission does Department of Health, She has also become active approved a $1.5 million bond Force Academy. We left Tuesday’s national elections. not see it as a Countywide Education, and Welfare. It is in the campaign of Eugene the afternoon after Judith’s issue to fund the building of President Johnson routed problem – Moran and hoped construction can be McCarthy for the Democratic a new structure to house the graduation from Iola High challenger Barry Goldwater Humboldt already have their completed in time for the candidate for President. She Allen County Community School and arrived in by a margin of over 20 own services though they are opening of the fall semester is becoming the first member Junior College by a three to Colorado in time to see the percent – the largest spread financially troubled. in 1969. of our family to join the pomp and circumstance of one margin. since the early 1800’s.

Democratic party.

July 2, 1967 the Academy’s graduation.

April 6, 1966 January 17, 1968 Similarly, the Democrats Jacob was in the upper 20% June 29, 1968 increased their margins in In yesterday’s election an After an 18-month tour in Tyson’s Pride has announced of his class and was most both the House and Senate. official Board of Trustees was Viet Nam, Jacob is again it will open an egg processing The bridge across Elm pleased to have been selected Strangely, at least to me, elected for the new Junior home on leave. He seems to plant in Iola. The plan calls Creek on Kentucky Street for Air Force Fight School.

Judith was greatly enamored College. Interestingly, after have somehow changed – he for a line that can produce was closed today. It has August 5, 1965 of Goldwater. a full-page ad in the Iola is much more self-assured or 200 cases of eggs per day and been condemned by a State December 1, 1964 Judith has announced her Register urged local voters even haughty. I’m not sure employ 20 workers at full engineer as unsafe. It will be the change is all for the best, I production. removed this summer. choice for schooling for next to ensure that the new Board Last night was a truly gala think he may have been more would be all Iolans, not a year. She will attend ACCJC January 19, 1968 July 18, 1968 event. The Kansas City lovable when he was more this fall as a pre-nursing single person from Iola won Symphony Orchestra was in subdued. He should be home Tomorrow afternoon a Jacob is again here. He has student. The College does a seat.

Iola to become the first major for most of this month. The groundbreaking ceremony been released from the not offer a nursing program.

July 15, 1966 attraction at the Bowlus Fine bad news he brings is that he will be held for the new Allen military hospital and is She was a decent, but not Arts Center. They presented After five years of disputes has volunteered for a second County Community Junior home on leave. His injuries outstanding student in high a matinee performance for between the USD 257 tour of duty in VietNam. At College academic building. are not obvious, but they will school – she was strong in local school children and Board and the Allen the end of his leave he will prevent him from combat April 5, 1968 biology, English, and history, an evening performance for County Bank, the actual return to Da Nang. flying, so he will not return but lacking in mathematics One of the leading figures in to Viet Nam. After a 30 day the general public. Everyone responsibility for the Fine August 12, 1967 and physical sciences. the battle for racial equality “survivors leave,” he will be attended in their best finery.

Arts Center has been vested August 17, 1965 A new movement has grown was senselessly assassinated stationed at Edwards Air It was a most enjoyable in the Board of Education in Memphis. Force Base northeast of evening – even Judith The last week has seen by the State Supreme Court. along with the anti-war and yesterday attended and was impressed. terrible race riots in the Management of the trust the racial justice movements. Martin Luther King was Los Angeles where he will December15, 1964 Watts area of Los Angeles. funds for the Center will fall Naming itself as the women’s killed on the balcony outside assume an administrative liberation movement it seeks his motel room. This is a position. He could have Waves of violence and arson to the Board of Education An assessment of the impact equality for women in the terrible loss not only to resigned his commission, but have decimated that area. It is and, while the College Board of Iola Junior College on workplace in both pay and the Black Communities of has decided to make the Air will play no role in the reported that over 30 people the local economy has been advancement opportunities. the nation, but also to the Force his career. management of the Center, it have lost their lives. released. The average student will retain the right to use the Judith has become quite nation as a whole. He was August 23, 1968 October 14, 1965 spends $700 per year here in taken with this movement. the leading voice of reason facility for performances. addition to their tuition. Of The inevitable has happened. and racial justice in America. The local chapter of the BPW August 30, 1967 August 15, 1966 course, as a further benefit, After reducing its activity As news has spread, violent is sponsoring an “Action graduates from Allen County for the past year or more, Judith will enroll in Given the unrest generated riots of protest have broken Course in Practical Politics.”

High Schools pay no tuition. the Pet Milk has officially fundamentals of math and a at nationwide anti-war out in negro neighborhoods It is intended to teach women Enrollment continues to closed with no plans for social science class this fall protests, special training has throughout the nation. how to become involved in grow and the College needs reopening. Fresh Grade A along with her internship at been ordered for the Iola the political process. Our May 13, 1968 more classroom space and milk has replaced condensed the modern nursing home National Guard unit. At their daughter, Judith, was one of local housing for out-of-area milk in the marketplace. The on East Carpenter. This will summer encampment they The last six days have marked about 20 participants. She will be given special training both the greatest fear and the has become very interested students.

Company has stated that allow her to complete her December 24, 1964 the plant and land are for CNA trailing. The nursing in crowd control and riot greatest relief of my life. We in the “women’s movement.” home has guaranteed her a immediate sale.

A final accounting on the job upon this completion. I AUGUST 28, 1968 construction and equipping December 22, 1965 hope that after a year or so the Bowlus Center was Judith did well in her first she will return to school to released today. The total cost semester at the College. earn her registered nurse’s came to just over $1,125,000 She really enjoyed a class credentials.

The Democratic Party Convention in Chicago is being - very large investment, but in anatomy and physiology August 29, 1966 disrupted by a huge anti-war demonstration by “hippies.” resulting in a most valuable from Mr. Haire and an community resource.

Thompson Poultry is now The height of those was reached tonight as I and millions English class from Mr. processing 17,000 fryers May 18, 1965 Chester. She also became of other Americans watched on Television. A group of very close to Miss Bragg, who a day and distribution is In keeping with a new law over 10,000 protestors with various affiliations united taught personal hygiene and taking place throughout the passed this spring by the four-state area and beyond. community health, as her in a huge anti-war protest. They were confronted by Kansas Legislature, the Iola advisor. She has discovered The plant is now employing Board of Education last night an even larger number of Chicago police and National that she can become a 75 workers and looking to approved the conversion of Guardsmen. While some of the protestors were indeed Certified Nursing Assistant expand that number by 10 to Iola Junior College to Allen with another semester and 15 in the coming months. totally unruly, the response of the police seemed to me County Community Junior some summer classes and November 22, 1966 College as an independent to be totally excessive. Clouds of tear gas and mace often then an internship next fall. entity. A separate board In keeping with the recent That seems to be her current were so thick it blocked the camera shots on television. appointed by the Iola Board State Supreme Court goal. of Education will supervise decision, a contract has To me, it was a total breakdown of norms on both sides.

August 15, 2020 August 30, 1968 After the total disgrace of violence surrounding the Democratic Convention, Hubert Humphry was chosen as the Democratic candidate for President. He will face Richard Nixon, who was Eisenhower’s VicePresident, in the November election.

November 6,1968

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back consolidation, each USD will have its own superintendent, making the county position redundant. Secondly, the bottling of Coca Cola in Iola has come to an end. The business will remain open, but only as a distributor with no bottling. This ends a 90year activity in Allen County.

July 16, 1969

March 31, 1970

Discussions began at last night’s Commission meeting concerning the razing of the old Memorial Hall in Iola. The building is in need of repair and is no longer necessary as its role can be adequately filled by the Bowlus Center.

The City of Iola and Iola Industries have reached an agreement to jointly fund the building of a new industrial facility just north of town on US-169. This will be a “spec” building as no tenant has yet expressed an interest. It will be interesting to see how this strategy plays out.

In yesterday’s election Richard Nixon narrowly defeated Hubert Humphrey in the popular vote, but easily in the Electoral College contest. George Wallace, running on a thinly veiled segregationist policy trailed July 21, 1969 far behind. On the local front, the bridge over Elm Today is a day which all Creek on Kentucky Street Americans can celebrate. was soundly defeated.

Last night we successfully landed a man on the moon.

May 15, 1969 Neil Armstrong was the first Jacob has met a girl in to step on the surface and Bakersfield, CA, and they stayed there for nearly three will be married there at the hours. end of the month. I will take October 15, 1969 my vacation time and Mary and I will travel out for the The next chapter in the wedding. I had almost given on-going saga of the Santa up on Jacob ever finding a Fe trying to end passenger wife, but now that he has, I service in Iola has been am overjoyed. closed. The railroad asked

June 5, 1969 Mary and I have returned home after an exhausting trip to the wedding. It was a very nice military wedding on base. My new daughterin-law’s name is Melinda and she seems delightful. She has been working as a secretary in Bakersfield but will now become a housewife.

July 1, 1969 Two long-time features of Iola are ending services today. First of all, the position of County Superintendent of Schools has ended.

With the success of school

and raw material storage will The final figures from remain in the downtown this year’s federal census location. have been released. The population of Iola is now February 5, 1970 6,428, down from 6,985 The final remaining store in 1960. Apparently, many in Savonburg will close of the new jobs in Iola are tomorrow. Patrons will have being filled by those living in to travel to either Elsmore or surrounding communities.

Stark for groceries.

the Interstate Commerce Commission to end the service back in mid-May. A hearing was held on August first and the final decision was handed down today. The service must be continued for at least one more year.

We have escaped losing that service one more time.

October 24, 1969 Another long-time employer is on the move. This time, however, it’s only to a new facility. The sewing floor of Miller Dress factory will move to a new building just east of the Santa Fe tracks on the north end of Iola. Design

April 20, 1970 After a year of discussion, the Wichita Diocese has determined that St. John’s Catholic School will not open this fall. The school will close permanently at the end of this school year.

May 2, 1970 The Southeast Kansas Community Action Program (SEKCAP) began in Crawford County some four years ago and has slowly extended its reach over time.

Today it made an entry into Allen County. They will begin offering birth control counseling to any woman in Allen County whose family income is below the national poverty level.

May 4, 1970 During a war protest at Kent State University in Ohio, National Guard troops opened fire on the unarmed protestors for reasons that are not yet clear. Four students were killed and 13 others were wounded in the brief shooting.

June 26, 1970

July 22, 1970

immediately.

April 30, 1971

138 at this time last year to 216 today. Meanwhile, Thompson Poultry has also grown and is now utilizing a work force of about 250 and processing 200,000 birds a week.

After years of attempts, the Santa Fe has finally received governmental approval to discontinue rail passenger service between Kansas City October 15, 1971 and Tulsa. The last passenger trains passed through Allen This afternoon the Kelley County today.

Hotel was put up for auction on the County Court House May 3, 1971 steps for unpaid back taxes.

Thompson Poultry continues With a minimum bid to expand its labor force. required equal to the taxes They have advertised for 50 due, no qualifying bids were additional workers for the received. The property will cutting floor. pass into public ownership.

After having decided to help fund ambulance service for Humboldt and Moran earlier this year, the County Commissioners have extended such help to Iola. They voted last night to provide $3,680 in the May 13, 1971 new budget to Iola to help At this week’s Iola with ambulance costs for the Board of Education, the town.

Superintendent reported September 9, 1970 what many people had long Reflective of the aging suspected. The nationwide population in Allen County, problem of illegal drug the nursing home on East use among our youth has Garfield will increase the found its way to Iola. He number of beds from 50 to estimated that no fewer than 30, and as many as 75, 100 this fall. students in the Junior High October 12, 1970 School or High School were Lehigh Cement Company involved in illegal drug use. has ceased production, Four students have recently probably for the final time. been hospitalized for drug Employment was down to overdoses. only 40 at the start of the year.

May 29, 1971 Less than 10 workers will stay on after the shutdown for The accounting from last security and safety purposes. weekend’s auction of the Iola Industries has secured equipment and supplies of financing and purchased all Lehigh Cement has been assets of the Lehigh Cement completed. When all was Company, ending any said and done, Iola Industries thought that the plant might took in enough to cover the entire cost of the acquisition, reopen. leaving them with the land and buildings at essentially April 12, 1971 no net cost.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has granted $608,661 to the city of Humboldt to construct 30 one-story duplexes for low-income housing.

Construction will start

21

October 18, 1971

The first new tenant for a part of the Lehigh plant has been secured by Iola Industries.

FEEM, an aluminum casting company, has come to Iola and will begin operations within weeks.

December 3, 1971

Plans have been made for the property that for over 40 years was the Pet Milk plant. Now that the last Pet buildings have been razed, the land will become a large shopping center with a TG&Y super store at the south end and a major grocery at the north end. Various smaller stores will fill in the remainder of the space.

May 26, 1972

A tenant has been found for the “spec” building erected under a joint agreement between Iola Industries and the City. Intercollegiate Press will move into the building. The company July 30, 1971 prints diplomas and higher As July ends, two Iola education degrees along with companies have announced the cases to protect them. increased employment. IMP June 18, 1972 Boats has put on a third shift, running the plant for News has spread that last 24 hours a day. Their total night a small group of men employment has gone from broke into the Democratic

A LeHigh Portland Cement Co. billboard sign

22 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back Campaign Headquarters in Washington. Although their precise mission is not yet clear, all were involved with President Nixon in some capacity. It is largely believed they were trying to find material to use in the upcoming Presidential campaign.

June 28, 1972

season. Jacob, Melinda, and their two young children have been here for nearly a month. They will leave on Tuesday for Jacob’s new post. He will be assigned to the Ramstein Airbase in Germany. He has advanced far enough that he can take his family and have a place in on-base married housing.

Thompson Poultry has announced another plant expansion on US-54 on the east edge of Iola. This will be a $1.2 million project to again expand and improve the processing operation.

Intercollegiate Press is slated to open on Monday with 45 workers. Plans are also in place to add a second shift and reach 80 jobs by the end of next month.

August 2, 1972

January 28, 1973

January 27, 1973

SEKCAP is instituting another program in the County. This will be a “meals on wheels” program in Iola, Moran, and Humboldt.

Meals will be prepared for shut-ins at local nursing homes and delivered by volunteers.

Two great pieces of news arrived in Allen County yesterday. First and foremost, a treaty of sorts has been signed in Paris ending the U.S. participation in the VietNam War. All combat troops will be coming home.

Simultaneously November 8, 1972 in Washington, the end of the military draft was In yesterday’s Presidential announced.

God bless Election Richard Nixon easily America! defeated George McGovern February 22, 1973 as expected.

Governor McGovern ran against the At least 12 men from Allen War in Viet Nam and in favor County were killed in action of a wide range of very liberal during the long Viet Nam policies – much too liberal War. That is based upon for most of the electorate. the listed home town the He carried only the state of recruits gave at the time Massachusetts and garnered of their enlistment. This less than 40% of the popular number does not include vote. an unannounced number of November 11, 1972 men still listed as missing in action.

The group leasing the old March 2, 1973 County Farm has changed its mission. Originally it Central publishing Company intended to house pre- is moving to a new facility on teen foster children. It has the east edge of Iola south of discovered that there is US-54. The company prints a far greater need for the county business directories housing of boys of all ages for customers in Kansas, with behavioral problems. Missouri, and Oklahoma. It The location of the home now has 16 employees and five miles from town should will expand that to 23 in its prove a benefit. new site.

August 15, 2020

has voted to extend the City Limits to take in land owned

by Iola Industries south of town including the grounds of the old Lehigh Cement Plant, and the area between North Cottonwood Street and US-169 out to north of Miller Road.

March 15, 1974

Two major construction projects have begun with the coming of better weather.

The first of these is the major manufacturing plant for Berg Manufacturing and the second is another new nursing home in Iola – a May 23, 1973 60 bed facility to be named Unfortunately, With unemployment Arkhaven. my skills are of little use in at nearly zero in Allen the construction industry.

County and a projected 200 additional jobs to be March 18, 1974 created this year, a large job Just as I was about to become fair will be staged in Iola to discouraged, IMP Boats attempt to attract workers has reopened at a reduced from nearby counties. Many level of production to meet local industries will establish orders for boats expected in recruiting booths at this the spring. Due to my long affair. seniority at the plant, I am September 25, 1973 among those being recalled One of Iola’s strongest to work. employers is being sold. It was announced yesterday that Tyson Poultry, a national company and leader in the industry, will buy out Thompson Poultry. Tyson will continue to operate the local facility and no real change in employment or output are expected.

December 7, 1973 Yesterday the U.S. Congress elected Gerald Ford of Michigan to assume the office of Vice-President by overwhelming majorities in both Houses.

December 9, 1973 In the surest sign to date of the severity of the energy crisis, the “eternal” gas flame at the Court House has been turned off. This flame was a tribute to the veterans of all U.S. wars.

January 19, 1974

IMP Boats has shut down, furloughing 200 workers indefinitely. The demand for high-end boats has collapsed.

At the age of almost 60, I find myself again without a job.

December 31, 1972 April 11, 1973 My age may make it difficult It has been a great holiday The Iola City Commission for me to find another.

May 9, 1974 The U.S. House of Representatives has begun impeachment proceedings against President Nixon.

Potential crimes to be considered include contempt of Congress, obstruction of justice, and abuse of power. All of this stems from the Watergate break-in to two years ago and the administration’s response to earlier House and Senate Committee hearings.

July 23, 1974 In another win for industry in Allen County, Klein Tool of Chicago has purchased land on the Katy railroad tracks a mile and a half north of Moran. It will be a drop-forging plant to make rough electric linemen’s tools which will be finished at the Chicago plant. The total cost of the project will be nearly $3 million.

July 30, 1974 The U.S. House of Representatives today passed articles of impeachment against the President and will present them to the Senate

for trial.

August 9, 1974 Having been advised by his attorneys that he will almost certainly be removed from office by vote of the Senate, President (now former President) Nixon resigned his office last night. Gerald Ford has been sworn in as the nation’s thirty-eighth President.

area and serve as a base for specialists that travel to Iola on a regular basis.

April 30, 1975

The long struggle in VietNam has finally ended. Today the last U.S. troops were airlifted from the Embassy in Saigon by helicopter to waiting ships offshore. The North Vietnam forces have taken the city, effectively ending the war.

September 9, 1974

May 10, 1975

Construction has begun on the new Gates manufacturing plant just south of the abandoned buildings of the old Lehigh Cement plant.

When completed next summer its primary product will be hose for the oil production industry.

After Iola realtors reported a housing shortage in Iola as a result of recent industries coming to the City, Willard Horde committed himself and his crew to building 25 to 30 new houses in the next year. Rather than starting a new addition as others have, he will concentrate on “in-fill” housing – that is, building new houses on vacant lots in already developed areas. This will greatly cut the cost of utilities to the new units.

February 15, 1975 It has been a very dull winter compared to those of the past 10 years. I must also admit that I have lost much of my drive to continue this journal. Jacob will be in the Air Force for at least another 10 years and he seems to have little interest in the happenings in Allen County now.

December 6, 1975

Since the “Boy’s Home” at the old County farm closed earlier this year, the County attempted to auction off the land, excluding the March 18, 1975 house and 14 surrounding Judith will leave the acres, today. There were no Carpenter Street nursing acceptable bids. home at the end of the December 31. 1975 month and begin working at the new Arkhaven facility. After long thought, I decided Her tasks will be similar, but to announce tonight that I the pay is nearly 10% higher would no longer keep the and the facility is larger. She tradition of this journal. seems to love working with Since our only son will be the elderly and, I am told, stationed at bases all over the is very good at comforting world for the next decade, those at the end of their lives. there is no male heir to Perhaps it is her true calling. continue the tradition. I was shocked when I announced April 28, 1975 this and Judith immediately Iola Industries has secured spoke up and stated she lots on the southeast of the would carry on the tradition. block where the County I had never considered that Hospital is located and plans a woman would do such to build a medical office a thing, but she is surely building there. The hope is capable. I will leave the task that these offices will attract in her hands until she tires additional Doctors to the of it.

J U DI TH WI LS ON

My name is Judith Wilson and I will be taking over continuing this family journal as my father has become disinterested in the task. This journal has been kept by my family since coming to Kansas in 1856. It began with my great-great-grandfather and has been carried on by the eldest son up through my father. Now, his son has little interest in the journal as he has left Kansas and has no intention of returning. He is currently serving with the U.S. Airforce in Germany, is making a career of the service, and has told Father that he plans to retire to Colorado once his service is over. He developed a great love for that state while at the Airforce Academy in Colorado Springs and plans to retire to some community in the Colorado Rockies when the time comes.

When my father learned that Jacob, his oldest and only son, had no interest in Allen County, he lost interest in continuing the family tradition. In many ways, my father is very “old school.”

The idea that a woman could have the interest or the ability to take over the task of the family journal was totally shocking to him. To him, “women’s work” revolves around raising children and maintaining a household for her husband. I cannot really explain this – in all other areas, racial matters, civil rights, and international affairs, he is quite liberal. Yet he cannot see the value in the women’s rights movement with which I have become quite involved.

Some years ago, I read the entirety of the journal and have kept up with his more recent additions. I find it most interesting, and in talking to the Allen County Historical Society I have discovered that it may be unique as an overall history of the County since its inception. Therefore, despite his misgivings, I intend to continue the story.

As a personal note, I am soon to turn thirty years old, am (and intend to remain) single, and work as a Certified Nursing Aid at a local nursing home. I find working with those approaching the end of life most rewarding. It gives me the chance to learn their lifelong experiences and to ease their fears of the end of those experiences. This offers us both a sense of fulfillment. I cannot see myself in any other job that would be half so important to me or to them.

PAX AMERICANA Journal entry – February 13, 1976 In a blow to local employment, Thompson Poultry, now part of Tyson Company, will cut its labor force in half. Chickens will be killed here, but will be shipped to Little Rock to a larger facility for further processing.

April 22, 1976 A new locker plant has opened in Moran. It will specialize in processing locally raised beef and hogs and will have a freezer capable of holding 60 sides of beef.

April 27, 1976

basketball team. He has been a successful boys’ basketball coach at the high school level in Eudora for the past several years. The College has had volleyball for women since 1972 and opened track to women before that. Now we have a legitimate women’s basketball team If and when they add softball for women, I will be ready to give them complete support.

The growth in oil drilling in response to higher prices has March 6, 1976 greatly increased demand for IMP Boats has had an Gates Hose. They are looking July 5, 1976 increase in orders and plans for 125 additional workers What a great bicentennial to double its employee and will start a second shift celebration we had yesterday numbers by summer. the first week of May. in Iola. Since it was Sunday, April 5, 1976 June 11, 1976 everything started off with Premier Castings, the The Junior College is finally a large community church successor company to starting to live up to Title IX service. This was followed FEEM, closed down today in athletics. After two years of up by historical displays with no plans to reopen. It suffering with inexperienced and film clips. The old Allen is unable to compete with coaches, they have hired an County Jail was opened by larger operations. actual coach for the women’s the historical society and

drew large crowds, most of which had not seen the inside and a few of which had actually been there not by choice at some point in the past. The day then saw numerous musical groups at the bandstand and wound up with evening services at the individual churches around town.

August 6, 1976 A joint agreement has been reached among the three USD’s in the County to form a coordinated building trades program this fall. It will begin with the construction of a house on the old Garfield School site in Iola. The house will then be sold at a price that reclaims the cost of materials. It is believed that a house can be built yearly

and the program will be It was announced today that self-supporting. the old YMCA building, November 3, 1976 most recently used by the First Baptist Church, will Yesterday’s national election be razed. It is one of the was a close contest with most unique appearing and Jimmy Carter narrowly the tallest building on Iola defeating President Ford. Square.

Ford carried the western March 30, 1977 states while Carter carried the South and most of the First of all, I should explain northeastern states. I finally the large gap in this journal. followed my heart and left First of all, it has been a a long family tradition by very quiet winter with little voting for Carter. Both of great or lasting note the U.S. House and Senate happening. Secondly, the will also be in control of past three months I have the Democrats. Locally, a been working two jobs – the proposition for the City of day shift at Ark Haven and Iola to sell the municipal the evening shift at Windsor airport to the County for $1 place. The extra wages have was approved. That transfer allowed me to finally buy will take place on January 1 my own home – a small of next year. house that just fits my single November 6, 1976 lifestyle. I am now moving to

August 15, 2020

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

the day shift at Windsor and half-a-million dollars from leaving Ark Haven. the Federal Government to build 20 new units of public April 12, 1977 housing for the elderly.

The news is both good and October 20, 1977 bad. On the good side, Gates Rubber has completed a In a surprising development, $275,000 expansion which the parent company of will create more jobs. On IMP Boats has declared the down side, the Missouri bankruptcy. Even though Pacific had filed a request the local plant has been with the ICC to abandon profitable, the overall their tracks from the east company has not. Production edge of Iola to Bronson. It at the local plant will cease. will leave the grain elevators Once again, Father finds at Bronson and LaHarpe himself unemployed. As without rail service, but he is now 63, he is eligible trucking can take over that for social security and task. The Moran elevator will is seriously considering still be served a short spur retirement. from the Katy RR. October 28, 1977

April 15, 1977

Moran has opened a new senior citizen housing project of 24 units built at a cost of $239,000. It was funded by a 50-year Farmers Home Administration loan that will be paid by rent income.

Quality Packaging has announced another expansion. They will erect a new building to house their offices and turn current office space into storage for raw materials.

have been obvious, the shipping of live chickens to Iola for slaughter and then shipping them back to Arkansas for further processing made no business sense.

December 4, 1977 Last Friday a large portion of the ceiling at the Iola Junior High School collapsed during an assembly. Seventyfive students were injured, though fortunately, none seriously. An inspection determined that there was no major structural flaw and once the remainder of the ceiling is removed and replaced, the facility should be safe for use.

December 27, 1977

Father decided that he will work at least another two years to become eligible for his full social security benefits. He has taken a job November 4, 1977 at Quality Packaging in their design department. It’s a job At the end of shift on the that fits well with his interest September 5, 1977 23rd, Thompson Poultry in art and color choices.

Humboldt has been notified will close, leaving 160 people that it will receive almost unemployed. In what should

FEBRUARY 3, 1978 The Iola Community Theater has acquired a building on South Jefferson to serve as a “warehouse.” It will serve as storage space for costumes and props as well as a venue for rehearsals.

July 8, 1978

Holstein cattle and sells breeding stock not only in A second townhouse for North America, but across senior citizens will be built the world. on North Street east of the current high rise with 40 November 8, 1978 additional apartments.

Yesterday’s national elections

July 18, 1978

The Iola City Clerk has released figures that show building permits in the first half of the year for new housing in the City totaled 23 with an expected market value of $1,116,138, an average value of about $45,000 each.

presented a landmark event.

Nancy Kassebaum was elected to the U.S. Senate.

She was the first woman elected to that body who was not following her husband or father into the Senate.

To top it off, she was elected in Kansas – perhaps there is home for my home state yet in the fight for women’s equality.

over Elm creek to be unsafe for automotive traffic. It will remain open for pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

November 25, 1978 T&E Industries located in the old Lehigh plant is now making pallets for Gates and Midland Berg hiring 12 workers.

December 9, 1978

After minimal disturbances during the VietNam war era, a boisterous demonstration was held at the Community College yesterday protesting September 18, 1978 American support for the Shah of Iran. There are Ivan Strickler has been November 15, 1978 currently 55 Iranian students named the Man of the Year Engineers have declared the at the College and protest at the World Dairy Expo.

Washington Street bridge leaders claim that 95% of He is a noted breeder of

them support a revolution to that will allow them to see unseat the Shah. out their days comfortably December 31, 1979 on Social Security. Father is looking forward to dabbling The year ended without the in art and fishing. ratification of the Equal August 15, 1979 Rights Amendment. Passed

by Congress in 1972, it was Under a new state regulation almost immediately ratified setting service areas for by 35 of the required 38 Junior Colleges, ACCJC states. At that point, a very will offer courses at 12 conservative, and to my off-campus sites in Allen, mind ill advised, woman, Coffey, Osage, and Woodson Phyllis Schlafly started a Counties. Most of these movement in opposition will be taught by part-time to the Amendment. While faculty who will meet the the original law called for same requirements as fulla “sunset” in March of this time staff. year, that was extended to June 30, 1982. I can only NOVEMBER 7, hope that President Carter will make the passage in 1979 three more states a major part of his reelection campaign next fall.

February 3, 1979 Tyson is once more opening the old Thompson Poultry plant and seeking 150 workers. The plant will now process ducks as well as hens.

March 31, 1979

In yesterday’s election, the

citizens of the Marmaton Valley School District rejected a bond

LaHarpe has received a issue to build a $264,000 grant from the new high school Department of Housing and Urban Development to by a two-to-one improve the housing stock of margin. the city. Projects will include repairs and maintenance to existing homes and razing December 31, 1979 of homes that are beyond Things seem to be swinging repair. out of control in our nation.

May 11, 1979 We have been hit by a At last night’s Board of new phenomenon termed Trustees meeting, a policy “stagflation,” a combination was set to limit the number of stagnation which has led to of foreign students from nationwide unemployment any one nation. This spring and high rates of price the College had 55 Iranian inflation. National leaders in students. both the administration and the Congress seem to have July 24, 1979 no idea how to solve these Final figures show that this problems. The inflation has year’s wheat harvest was the brought about very high best in many years. Average interest rates and a resultant yields over the past 20 years collapse of demand. In was about 30 bushels per addition, 52 Americans acre. This year the average are being held, imprisoned was over 40 bu. per acre and actually, in Iran and have some fields were near 60. been for almost two months.

It is a dreary new year this July 27, 1979 year. Hopefully next year will Having turned 65, Father be much better. Personally, has decided to retire. He has I continue to lead a very given notice and his last day simple life and my job is very of work will be Friday, August secure, so all of this has had a 17. Their house is paid for minimal effect on me. and they have some savings

23

January 21, 1980

After nearly two months trying to follow the President’s suggestion to reduce thermostats to 65 degrees, we have given up at Windsor Place. Our residents have repeatedly complained about being cold and there seems to be little we can do to help. Adding blankets has proved to be uncomfortable due to their weight and our residents lack the financial means to purchase heavy wool sweaters and other clothing that would make the temperature bearable for them. As of today we have set all of our thermostats back to 72 degrees.

February 4, 1980

For savers the unprecedented high interest rates are proving a boon. My savings finally reached $1000 this month and I was able to buy an 18-month certificate of deposit at Franklin Savings and loan paying 18% interest.

June 21, 1980

The Funston Boyhood Home north of Iola has closed to visitation. A lack of funds has resulted in no maintenance and the house and grounds are no longer attractive, or even safe, to present to visitors.

June 26, 1980

As several local businesses are suffering from “stagflation,” there are two exceptions. Walton Foundry is booming as a result of high demand for oil drilling equipment which they cast.

The other exception is the wheat harvest. Due to a lack of railcars, the Iola elevator is full and some 16,000 bushels of wheat are stacked on the ground in the depot parking lot. Things are looking less promising for the corn and bean crops as we have had little rain for the past several weeks.

July 23, 1980

Preliminary results from this spring’s national census are in. Iola is up some 200 people over the last decade.

November 5, 1980

Yesterday’s national election

Spencer Ambler being sworn in as the first African American postmaster in the state of Kansas

24 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back gave a resounding victory to ex-actor Ronald Reagan over President Carter. In a series of debates leading up to the election, Mr. Reagan demonstrated the confidence and self-assuredness learned in his years before the movie cameras. There seemed to be a general feeling that while President Carter was a genuine and honest man, he was just overwhelmed by the pressure to the office. He carried only six states. The Republican party gained a majority in the Senate while the Democrats maintained control of the House.

Hopefully this will serve as a limit on the conservative President Elect.

December 19, 1980 The new US-169 has been opened from Humboldt to Iola. Eventually, the project will redo the road from south of Chanute to just north of Colony. The new route will bypass Chanute, Humboldt, Iola, and Colony once completed. It will pass just east of the city limits of both Iola and Humboldt once completed.

April 18, 1981 B&B Theaters, which began several years ago with three theaters in Iola, has continued to expand. With their latest acquisitions, they now own 25 theaters throughout Southeast Kansas and continue to maintain their main office in Iola.

July 9, 1981 The Census Bureau has belatedly released the official results from the 1980 census.

Allen County’s population is up 511 since the 1970 count.

September 19, 1981 A new roller-skating rink has opened just east of Gas on US-54. I always enjoyed my “sidewalk skates” when I was a child. Now I think I will give this new rink a try to see if the old magic is still there. Skating is an activity I can undertake alone.

October 9, 1981 After last week’s failure of a proposal to issue bonds to buy a new County Hospital, the State Fire Marshall has released his report of the fire safety of the current

hospital. To remain open the hospital will need to add a sprinkler system, replace wooden partitions with fire proof material, and add two elevators to evacuate bedbound patients in the event of fire.

August 24, 1982

In the past three days, three people have been found murdered and another badly beaten in Allen County. The victims were three young men and an older woman. As they have pieced together the February 3, 1982 evidence, investigators from The ACCJC Board voted to the KBI have come to believe raze the main building at all four cases are related. the old county farm which October 8, 1982 the College purchased some After three generations, there months ago. The job will is no longer a Sifers company be done by trustees at the operating in Allen County.

Toronto Honor Camp as With no prior warning, Sifers weather allows this spring.

Chemical Company did not The Honor Camp will keep open its doors this morning. whatever profits come from After starting as a partner in salvaging the bricks in the a candy company in the early building. It was a great old years of this century and later building, but the lack of converting to a chemical maintenance over the past 15 company specializing in years have left it irreparable. aerosol spray systems, the final end has come. No MARCH 4, 1982 plans were announced for disposing of the assets of the company.

In a notable event, Spencer Ambler has become the new Post Master of the Iola post office.

He is the first African American in the state of Kansas to serve in such a position.

October 12, 1982 A second old-line company in Iola is closing its doors.

Quality Packaging filed for bankruptcy today. The company hopes to reopen after reorganizing and restructuring debt under federal bankruptcy law.

December 27, 1982

Another long-time company in the County has ceased production. Humboldt Brick and Tile, which began during the great natural gas boom, It’s about time! has closed its production lines. Once the on-hand May 18, 1982 inventory of finished goods On the heels of the closing of is sold, the company will the Food Town Grocery in cease to exist. the plaza shopping center, a December 28, 1982 new grocer has announced it is coming to town and will Not surprisingly with the move into the building being closing and cutbacks at local left by Food Town. Farm industries and the on-going Fresh Grocery will open as recessions, figures released soon as restocking can take today showed a substantial increase in unemployment place. in Allen County. The rate at July 1, 1982 the end of last year was 3.4% Although it was not covered and today it is 6.1%. by our newspapers or TV January 17, 1983 news, yesterday was a sad day for women across the The Santa Fe will raze their nation. The “sunset” date depot at Iola. While many for ratifying the ERA was people have suggested it be yesterday. That left the sold for various uses, there amendment still one state is a covenant in the deed to short of ratification. I am still the property that requires a second class citizen of our the building be used for a railroad depot and excludes nation. any other usage.

MARCH 29, 1983

August 15, 2020

The County Appraiser has revealed that the valuation of farm land in Allen County will be down from 10 to 30 percent due to sale prices having fallen. This seems to be the result of continued high interest rates on ag real estate loans.

Father has heard from Jacob today with big news.

Although it hardly seems possible, he has now been in the Air Force for over twenty years. He plans to resign his commission and retire effective September 30 of this year. Apparently, he never forgot his time in Colorado Springs and his love of the nearby mountains. He has just moved to Peterson Air Force Base on TAD until his retirement while he and Melinda search for a good house for the family. Father tried to convince them to move closer to us so that we might visit more often.

Personally, I have to admit that seeing them only on rare occasions, I no longer have any great feelings for Jacob and hardly know the children. I suppose I was never cut out to be the “family type.”

November 7, 1984

August 24, 1985

In yesterday’s national elections, President Reagan overwhelmed challenger Walter Mondale for a second term. I personally voted for Mondale based upon his brave selection of a woman, Geraldine Ferraro, for his running mate.

Despite the still-shaky economy, Mondale was never able to connect with the majority of U.S. voters. He carried only his home state of Minnesota and D.C. and lost the popular vote by 18 percentage points.

In the Congressional races, the Democrats held the House and the Republicans held the Senate.

In shocking news, the Bank at Bronson was taken over by the FDIC at the close of business yesterday afternoon. While the bank is actually in Bourbon County, many of its depositors live in eastern Allen County.

Three of our residents have their accounts with the bank and I made a special trip today (my normal day off) to reassure them. The FDIC has issued a statement this morning that all deposits up to $100,000 are insured. The bank itself had made several very large loans to oil drilling companies in Oklahoma which have gone bad.

November 8, 1984

October 18, 1985

Dear Judith Bragg received a special Honor Award from the Kansas Association of P.E, Recreation, and Dance instructors. They could not have selected a better honoree for this annual award.

Construction has begun on the addition to the Iola Library. The new addition on the west side of the current building will include a reading room, facilities for the handicapped, and an office for the SEK Library System.

April 11, 1984 An original painting by local artist Gary Hawk was presented to President Reagan and now is on display in the Oval Office.

April 25, 1984 Another new housing development is on the drawing board for Iola.

Streets and utilities will be put in north of Miller Road and east of Cottonwood for the “South View” development which will include 30 new lots.

June 15, 1984

August 4, 1985

NOVEMBER 23, 1985 As it continues to attempt to find profitability, IMP Boats has again reduced its labor force with the elimination of 20 jobs. That will bring employment at the plant to just under 60.

December 29, 1985

The farmer/members of the Moran/La Harpe co-op have voted to dissolve the operation after the revelation earlier this month that the management has been selling grain out of trust. The company has sold delivery futures in excess of the grain on hand thinking prices would decline as harvest approaches. In fact, prices have risen, meaning they are unable to meet their obligation to make deliveries. The District Court has appointed a receiver to try to save the co-op, but he has reported that there is no legal method to do so. He has estimated that if all assets are sold, the company will still have an unpaid debt of nearly $800,000.

May 25, 1983 Intercollegiate Press is expanding its operations, adding 10 full-time jobs and 40 temporary workers during this busy time of the year for them.

May 30, 1983 One of my few personal friends and trusted advisor, Judith Bragg, has announced her retirement from the College. She has served as a friend and advisor to so

concerning mother’s condition, but to no avail.

He told me in no uncertain terms that his marriage vow of “for better or worse” was now being put to the test and he has no intention of failing to meet that vow. I tried to convince him that she would be much better served at Windsor Place, but he would have none of it. I will stop by daily to be sure that she is as well-tended as Father can provide.

the community. The KBI is assisting local police in investigating this tragedy.

January 28, 1986

After a full investigation, it has been determined that what was first thought to be a double murder was, in fact, a murder/suicide. Although no details were made public, both KBI and local police investigators have no doubt that Dr. Hines shot his wife and himself sometime late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

June 13, 1986

Father had quite a scare last night. The police came to the door at 3:00 with Mother. Apparently, she got up during the night and simply walked away. She was sitting on a bench on the Square and may have been there for some time – even though it was fairly warm, she complained of the cold.

Unfortunately, Father can simply no longer watch her every minute of the day and night. Fortunately, he realizes this. He has agreed to place her in Windsor Place – we’ll check her in this afternoon and Father will stay with me for the next few days as he adapts.

July 9, 1986

The Kansas State Department of Human Resources has released their most recent data on the economic status of individual Kansas Counties. Allen County ranked 83rd out of 105 in terms of per capita income.

August 2, 1986

Although Kansas is known for strange weather, one of the strangest yet has hit Allen County – an “inland hurricane.” With sustained winds of 100 MPH and gusts measured up to 125 MPH the storm also brought strong rains and heavy hail. It cut a six-mile wide swath across the County from northwest to southeast and centered up on Iola in its path. The damage is near catastrophic.

September 25, 1986

The final tally is now in for the damage from last month’s inland hurricane. A total of 586 houses plus 56 mobile homes had significant damage, 230 utility poles snapped, uncounted out buildings were destroyed, and fall crops were leveled along the primary path of the storm. The state estimates that total damage was $25 million. Fortunately, most of that will be covered by insurance.

In ways both joyful and sorrowful, it has been a strange Christmas. Jacob and his family have been here for a few days, which has left November 15, 1986 father happier than I have Klein Tool in Moran has seen him in months. On the widened its product line by down side, Mother is slowly adding a line of wrenches to losing her grip on reality. its line of pliers to keep the Several times she had to be company operating at full reminded who my brother capacity. and his family are. She has been slipping mentally December 31, 1986 for about the last year and It was a quiet holiday season January 21, 1986 that slippage seems to be accelerating. It has reached The entire County is shocked this year. Jacob and Melinda the point where, once the today. College President Paul were here for a few days holidays are over, I must talk Hines and his wife Pauline but left the children with to Father about placing her were found shot to death Melinda’s parents. I know that finding Mother in the many students over the by revenue bonds, so no with us at Windsor Place this morning in their home nursing home and in a state of years, particularly those who increase in the mill levy will where I can watch over her on the edge of the campus and he can visit at any time. by Mr. Haire. Both the advanced dementia was hard had no local ties, that her be needed. on Jacob. We all dined at the retirement is a great loss to September 23, 1983 January 10, 1986 President and his wife were nursing home on Sunday as a the local College. well liked and respected in belated Christmas dinner.

Allen County Community I had my “talk” with Father July 8, 1983 College has released its At last night’s Board meeting preliminary fall enrollment FEBRUARY 10, 1987 it was agreed that the College figures. Numbers are at will build a second residence all-time highs. The total hall with a capacity of 60. headcount is 1941 students, Yesterday was one of those days of great sorrow that With expected fall day full including 528 on-campus time enrollment projected day students, 281 on-campus eventually comes to all families. Since Mother has been at 400 there is a need for night students, and 1172 additional housing. The students at the various offat Windsor Place, Father has come to share lunch with project will be funded campus sites.

August 15, 2020

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

her every day. When he did not arrive on time yesterday, I knew something must be wrong. After helping everyone to their seats for lunch, I took a few minutes away from work to check on him. I found him lying on his back, still in bed. I have seen enough deaths at work to know immediately that he had passed. I called the police and the funeral home to come. There was no sign of violence or injury and the coroner ruled it a probable heart attack.

He would have been 73 this spring.

May 12, 1987

condition. Jacob did not come back for a funeral, The Iola Rotary Club has so I just had a very simple admitted its first woman graveside service. member. It’s about time!

June 25, 1987 The College has started a new program to teach illiterate adults to read.

While illiteracy is low in Allen County, any level is unacceptable in today’s world.

Congratulations ACCC.

July 8, 1987 The Kansas Department of Human Services has released a study of wages in the State. The average industrial worker earns $17,886 per year. In Allen County this figure is $14,052.

July 20, 1987 Walmart today announced that they will be building a new store in Iola on North State Street. The company plans to be able to open the store in late fall and projects 100 jobs will be created.

September 22, 1987 Mother passed away yesterday, although she hadn’t really been “Mother” for over a year now, but merely an empty vessel that used to house my mother.

I have mixed emotions – while I will miss her, I am relieved to see her released from her greatly diminished

received from Jacob was a perfunctory Christmas card last December. Of course, I must share the blame for this – I haven’t attempted to January 16, 1988 keep in contact with him. I’m A new business has opened afraid we have simply grown on Kentucky Street a block apart as we each have built north of US-54. Triple our own lives.

K Parts and Service will November 9, 1988 specialize in selling and repairing engine electric In yesterday’s national parts – starters, alternators, elections, Vice President and magnetos.

Bush easily defeated Governor Dukakis, carrying May 17, 1988 40 of the 50 states. At the Strickler dairy is making same time, the Democratic major improvements to their Party maintained control operation. They are building of both the U.S. House and a new free-shell barn to Senate. President-elect Bush house up to 400 cows and will in all probability be the a new, large pond that will last WWII combat veteran provide a water source in dry to hold the position. On the weather and will also contain local level, the voters of USD the run-off from the new 257 approved $3.7 million in barn to allow for settling and bonds to improve the High aeration of the waste.

School with a new lunch room, vocational education August 18, 1988 area, and gymnasium.

Edward D. Jones & Company has opened a brokerage December 31, 1988 office in Iola. While the firm All in all, it was a good has traditionally attracted year. With interest rates bond investing and other down and job numbers up, conservative strategies, they stagflation has become a are a full-service brokerage term relegated to the pages open to all types of investors. of history books. Another

September 21, 1988 year has passed without the

Today was the first anniversary of Mother’s death and I don’t think anyone but me took note of it. Since her death, the only contact I have

U.S. being involved in any notable military adventures (or misadventures). May it be that I can write the same at the end of next year.

March 20, 1989

Humboldt has successfully old Thompson Poultry plant. moved into its new, recently He will remove the plant, constructed library. except for the pre-stressed concrete building, and clean May 2, 1989 up the site. This marks the Now in its fifth year of final act in the plant’s long operation, the ACCC Rodeo history. He announced no Program has been selected plans for the eventual use of to host the Central Plains the site, but removing the Regional Championship of eyesore is a great benefit to the National Intercollegiate the community.

Rodeo Association. TwentyFebruary 5, 1990 five schools, both two and four year are expected to The Iola Bank and Trust has compete in this four-day been sold to the Team Bank event. chain. The bank will take on the new Team Bank name May 5, 1989 but will continue to employ TG&Y has closed its store all current managers and in Iola, leaving the Plaza tellers. shopping center in over $1 March 7, 1990 million of debt. The Farm Fresh grocery market will Dial telephones are certainly change its name to Country on their way out. Today Market and move into the the Iola phone system has old TG&Y location once announced that the local proper shelving and coolers exchange will go to fully can be installed. touch tone dialing by this fall.

June 7, 1989 Both the Allen County State Bank and Citizens State Bank in Moran have been bought out by Emprise Bank in Wichita, a rapidly growing chain. Both banks will assume the Emprise Bank name.

June 22, 1989 The Allen County Hospital will go totally “smoke free” this week. This will include not only staff and visitors, but also patients. Having worked all these years at nursing homes and worked with those having severely injured lungs from smoking, all I can say is, “what took so long?”

JUNE 15, 1990

The old, longclosed Kentucky Street bridge over Elm Creek was finally removed this week.

June 16, 1990

As the demand for classes in the Topeka area continues to grow, ACCC has reached an agreement to build an out-reach center to offer November 9, 1989 classes in Burlingame. The new center will be a joint Today one of the greatest project with the Burlingame symbols of the Cold War fell. USD and offer both day The Berlin Wall is no more! and evening classes. Gerald December 29, 1989 Chester, long time English instructor at the College, will Larry Macha, owner of SEK be the lead administrator at Asphalt, has purchased the

25

the site.

August 10, 1990

A major fire ravaged the west side of the Iola square very early this morning. Three buildings collapsed and a fourth may well be damaged beyond repair in the first block of Washington, south of West Street. No cause has been determined yet, but the State Fire Marshall is in town today to begin an investigation.

August 22, 1990

As a result of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and fears of a spread of the war to other Arab nations, oil prices have spiked this month. In Allen County gasoline prices are up by 20% in two weeks.

August 31, 1990

Initial figures have been released by the government from last spring’s census. The count for Allen County has fallen from 15,654 in 1980 to 14,606 this year, a decline of over 1000.

December 13, 1990

The Santa Fe Railroad has sold its tracks through Allen County to the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad. It has been known for some time that the Santa Fe was looking for a buyer, so this was not unexpected. Now the question is, what level of service will the new owner provide.

December 31, 1990

Another decade has ended and it has now been 15 years since the U.S. has had troops involved in a foreign war.

There appears to be a real risk that events in the Middle East may bring this period of non-intervention to an end, but we can only hope otherwise.

On to the Millennium JOURNAL ENTRY – JANUARY 6, 1991

in Humboldt by Joe Works and Roger Baker in Works’ garage a little over four years ago. They have now secured the old Knights of Columbus Dance Hall on the Humboldt square as a permanent manufacturing site.

Today, Kansas inaugurated its first woman governor, Joan Finney. Along the way she defeated previous Governor John Carlin in the primary and sitting MARCH 14, 1991 Governor Mike Hayden in the general election. A In a sign of the times, Iola woman Governor – what a High School has installed an great day for Kansas. instructional computer lab JANUARY 15, 1991 for students with 16 Apple II computers.

After diplomatic measures APRIL 4, 1991 have failed, the United States and its allies have set today Ray Maloney of LaHarpe as the final date for the forces has opened a metal recycling of Iraqi to withdraw from facility on the north side of Kuwait. There seems to be US 54 in that community. no evidence that Iraq has any He will accept all manner intention of doing so. of metals plus paper, plastic, JANUARY 18, 1991 and glass if he can find a market for them.

Yesterday morning the APRIL 10, 1991 assembled forces of Desert Shield attacked Iraqi forces A disgruntled employee at to drive them from Kuwait.

T.C.s Diner has admitted to Once more it seems that lists starting the great fire which of U.S. casualties will begin to destroyed five businesses appear in the news. While I on the west side of the Iola wish our troops only the best, square.

I cannot support this violent APRIL 29, 1991 action.

JANUARY 28, 1991 The Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to stabilize the banks of Deer Creek south of Carlyle in an area which frequently has flooded and washed out the road near the Creek.

Tramec (the old Trade America) has received a $200,000 Community Development Block Grant to develop new products. The Company has moved to the south side of US 54 on the west side of Iola.

the land at the idle IMP Boat plant found heavy metal pollution (lead and zinc) almost certainly left from the Lanyon Smelter days nearly a century ago.

JUNE 15, 1991 A study has been released

by ACCC to demonstrate its value to the local economy.

The College employs 144 people that live in Allen County; the College spent $632,000 to purchase goods and services from local suppliers last year, and total student expenditures locally totaled nearly $2.8 million.

JANUARY 11, 1994

date.

MAY 19, 1992 The State Legislature has designated the entire abandoned railroad bed from Iola to Ottawa for the “Rails to Trails” program. The bed will be converted into a hiker-biker trail between the two cities, beginning with the segment from Welda to Garnett.

FEBRUARY 3, 1993

At last night’s USD 257 Board meeting, the Board agreed to run a six-week summer school this summer.

JULY 12, 1991 The purpose will be to aid at-risk students to succeed Two notable events with special tutoring in occurred today. First of English, mathematics, and all, it was announced that communications.

Allen County will receive a JUNE 21, 1993 federal grant of $1.5 million to improve and expand the At a follow-up auction this County airport. Secondly, past weekend, the City was Mary Martin was elected able to sell the north part of the first female president of the old IMP Boat site which the Iola Rotary Club. While had drawn no bids last fall. most people will see the While the funds recovered in first of these as by far the the auction did not cover the most significant, I was most cost of taxes due, it did place impressed by the second. the property back on the tax

DECEMBER 11, 1991

At last night’s Iola City Commission meeting, Clyde Toland presented his plan to move the Funston Home to Iola. He requested funding and city owned land at the corner of Jackson Ave. and MAY 10, 1991 Sycamore St. for the location.

FEBRUARY 5, 1991 The Commission decided An environmental study of to take up the idea at a later B&W Truck Beds was begun

rolls.

DECEMBER 1, 1993 The State Department of Parks and Wildlife has appropriated $4 million to extend the Prairie Spirit Trail the entire distance from Ottawa to Iola along the old Santa Fe rail line.

An anti-abortion display at the Iola Library was removed today after numerous complaints from concerned citizens that it was offensive.

I was among those who protested the display – I believe a woman should have complete control over her body.

JANUARY 26, 1994 In a joint decision involving the City of Iola, the County, and the USD 257 Board, the City Hall, County Court House, and all Iola schools are now smoke free buildings. I greatly applaud this move – I have seen too many people, both men and women, in my profession whose final years have been marked by breathing difficulties as a result of years of smoking.

public funding.

APRIL 1, 1994

The federal government has granted over $1 million to complete the Prairie Spirit Trail from Ottawa to Iola.

Along with state funds already approved, this should be enough to make the trail a reality. Not surprisingly, a group of property owners along the route has already formed to oppose the trail.

MAY 3, 1994

The USD 256 School Board has decided to close the Elsmore school at the end of the school year. Starting next fall students from Savonburg and Elsmore will be transported to Marmaton Valley school in Moran.

MAY 4, 1994

The Allen County Historical Society has received a FEBRUARY 16, 1994 $24,500 grant from the State Lottery Fund to help in the Last night a special joint effort to move the Funston meeting of the County Home to Iola. This is a major Commission and the Iola boost to the effort.

City Commission was held to JULY 19, 1994 hear pleas from the Bowlus Fine Arts Center for public Dress Factory support. When interest Miller announced today that all rates were above 12%, the endowment provided actual sewing will be moved adequate funding, but with to a contractor in South Texas interest rates returning to to remain competitive. Over more normal levels, added 225 sewing jobs will be lost funding is needed. While here. Miller’s will continue neither group made a formal to keep design, office, and commitment, it appeared management positions in that there was general Iola – over 70 jobs. support for the idea of some

26 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back AUGUST 26, 1994

The Iola police department has hired its first female police officer. Progress for women is slowly, but undeniably, occurring. Our congratulations to Officer Cindy

FEBRUARY 22, 1995 After months of planning and a most interesting journey, the Funston Home is now ensconced on the square in the void left by the major fire. The home will now be renovated inside and out and should open this spring.

MARCH 22, 1995

the building as an office, Miller Dress Company attempted to sell its Madison Street building at auction today. No bidders were willing to buy at the pre-set minimum. It remains to be seen what will become of this fine old building.

OCTOBER 31, 1995

The Allen County Hospital, Gates has announced its 1994 in conjunction with local total production reached a doctors, will open clinics value of $142 million, a 16% in Humboldt and Moran to make medical services increase over 1993. available across the County.

APRIL 18, 1995

Tuesday construction began on a new veterans’ memorial on the southwest corner of OCTOBER 11, 1994 the Court House square. The work is being overseen by A stunning event in my the local American Legion, personal life occurred which has raised the funds to yesterday. My nephew John make it possible. showed up at my door shortly

Nelson!

NOVEMBER 15, 1995 At last night’s meeting, the Iola Commission voted to change the name of Horville Road to Marshmallow Lane from Patterson Street to Miller Road. The new name is reflective of the new plant along that road being built by

August 15, 2020 JANUARY 3, 1998

over the past 15 years, ground was finally broken B&W Custom Truck Beds this week to double the size is expanding its plant in the of the Iola National Guard North Humboldt Industrial Unit facility.

Park. It’s an amazing success OCTOBER 14, 1998 story for a company that Moran Clinic (Moran, KS) started in a private garage ten Colt Energy, the largest which was operated by the years ago. local oil well operator, has AC Regional Hospital announced that it is now JUNE 13, 1998 pumping at 834 wells in In addition to serving the congregation, it will provide Two of Iola’s most successful Allen County. These are all will be “stripper wells” which means another venue for general manufacturers expanding employment that their individual output is community gatherings. this summer. Gates will be small. The 834 wells produce OCTOBER 30, 1996 adding a fourth line of spiral only about 600 barrels per hose manufacturing and day combined.

A fund-raising project has Russell Stover will be starting OCTOBER 31, 1998 begun to restore the Civil weekend production.

War soldier statue which has After a year marked by JUNE 19, 1998 graced the old Iola Cemetery advances in local job since 1909. The statue is one a negative of only four such statues in The Humboldt Historical numbers, announcement was made Society will be in a new the state of Kansas and is today.

Haldex will move the showing the effects of nearly building this month. It has production of manual slack always seemed interesting 90 years of Kansas weather. to me that Humboldt has adjusters (a key component of NOVEMBER 6, 1996 its own Historical Society truck air brakes) to a facility while we have a very active in India. The company did In this week’s national Allen County Historical not immediately release the election, President Clinton Society. I have been given to number of jobs affected. bested Kansan Bob Dole. understand that it dates back JANUARY 23, 1999 President Clinton was to the Civil War era when expected early on to have a the County Seat was moved Advantage Computer problem, but an upturn in to (stolen by?) Iola from Enterprises has moved the economy in mid-year and Humboldt. into a larger space located the age of Dole combined to on north State Street. The JULY 3, 1998 prove the winning edge. It is company sells a variety expected that Senator Dole will be the last World War II This fall USD 257 will start of computer peripherals, veteran to run for President. a new opportunity for high software products, and In the Congressional races, school dropouts to get their repairs computers infected the Republicans kept the diploma. The CrossRoads with “bugs.”

APRIL 28, 1999 majorities in both houses of learning center will operate out of the old Catholic Grade Congress they gained in the School in Iola and will use a The Miller Dress factory will 1994 midterm elections. variety of computerized and end all sewing operations NOVEMBER 23, 1996 person tutoring services for in Iola and will lay off 38 those not amenable to the workers. The company will The Federal government is traditional classroom setting. maintain design and office funding a new building on Miller Road west of the old SEPTEMBER 12, 1998 facilities here, keeping 35 local jobs.

Santa Fe right-of-way to house Farm Service Agencies, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development offices.

JANUARY 3, 1997 Building permit records indicate that more new houses were constructed in Iola in 1996 than any previous year in the 1990s.

Major Gen. Frederick Funston’s boyhood home museum on the west side of the square in Iola. after I arrived home from work. I had not seen him since he was in grade school and now he is 24. Following in his father’s footsteps, he has become a pilot. He works for the Gates office in Denver and flies their private jet.

He flew three upper level executives in today for a twoday inspection of the local plant. He graduated from the University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo where his younger siblings are now enrolled. My brother Jacob is working as an air traffic controller at the Colorado Springs airport after retiring from the Air Force. I offered him a place to stay for the night, but he declined and is staying at the Best Western. It was probably a good choice, after going out to dinner together and returning to my house, we soon discovered we had little in common – the discussion became forced. I drove him back to the motel and said what was probably our final goodbye.

NOVEMBER 22, 1994 B & W truck beds has again moved to a new location. The company has built a 12,000 square foot plant in the North Humboldt Industrial Park.

In addition, they purchased ten acres north of the plant for future expansion.

MAY 3, 1995 An SEK Mental Health office is opening in Iola. It will provide out-patient mental health services along with alcohol and drug abuse evaluation and counseling.

JUNE 19, 1995 Two events occurred today that will change the Iola City Square. Most notably, the Funston Home had its official dedication and opening today. The event was marked by speeches and a band, as well as tours of the home. It actually is an interesting tour whether you have an interest in General Funston, or just early day housing. The other was the beginning of work for the veterans’ memorial wall on the southwest corner of the square. So far 4500 names have been collected for the wall, and many more will surely come forward.

JULY 11, 1995 The local Rotary Club is sponsoring a program to recycle magazines and newspapers. It will keep these things from filling our landfill and these products do have a market value.

Turning trash into cash seems to be such an obvious benefit!

SEPTEMBER 1, 1995 Having recently abandoned

Russell Stover. Of course, the original name was in honor of an early-day family which settled along that road, but the name is somewhat phonetically unappealing.

MARCH 27, 1996 The City of Iola will be undertaking efforts to reduce flooding along Coon Creek during heavy rains.

The bridges at North Street and Benton Street will be removed since they seem to hinder flow.

JULY 3, 1997 Two major news items concerning local industries came out today. First of all, production began this morning at Russell Stover.

Secondly, the Governor was in Iola today to recognize Gates as the top industry in Kansas, based not upon size but on community involvement.

AUGUST 19, 1997

After some 30 years, I will be returning to school this fall. As all of our records at the nursing home are being computerized, I will be taking night classes at the MAY 1, 1996 Community College to learn the basics of computer usage.

It was reported at last night’s Hopefully, “old dogs” can Historical Society meeting learn new tricks! that the Funston Visitors’ NOVEMBER 1, 1997 Center just south of the Funston home should be The local Gates plant has completed by the end of this hit a new all-time high month. It will include a great in employment with 579 deal of Funston memorabilia workers on the payroll and and a library of books and they expect to add another 20 articles about the General. positions immediately after MAY 9, 1996 the beginning of the new year. Demand for the output The County Commissioners of the Iola plant continues to have followed the lead of Iola grow. and will provide a monthly DECEMBER 18, 1997 stipend toward the operating expenses of the Bowlus Fine I successfully completed Arts Center. my computer science class.

JUNE 9, 1996 Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed the challenge St. John’s Catholic Church of stepping into a new area. in Iola is building a large In fact, I have enrolled “Parish Center.” It will in another class, BASIC include classrooms, meeting programming for the spring rooms, and a large meeting semester starting in January. room with kitchen facilities.

Russell Stover is expanding employment and output again. By the end of this month they will start a second production shift, which should bring employment up to about 280.

MAY 18, 1999

Monarch Cement staged an open house this past weekend to show off their new equipment. With their latest expansion plant capacity SEPTEMBER 28, 1998 is now one million tons per year. Over 800 people After numerous proposals attended the celebration.

JUNE 30, 1999 In the past month an entire set of fears have been sparked regarding the end of the millennium, or Y2K as it’s been named. Some evangelicals believe it will mark the second coming and the rapture.

Somehow, I doubt this strongly – I am not irreligious, just skeptical. As I understand it, similar ideas were expressed 1,000 years ago in 999.

There is also concern that many computers use only two digits for the year and they will interpret 2000 as 1900. This, they believe, will lead to massive failures. From my classes in the past two years, it is a simple task to reprogram to recognize fourdigit year notation, and this can be done well in advance of January 1.

Still, the concerns continue among many people – I look forward to greeting them in January!

AUGUST 11, 1999 Last night a special community forum was held with all citizens of the County and the press invited to quell the continuing concerns over Y2K. The County Commissioners and a wide range of community leaders spoke. The primary

message was simple – there is nothing to fear from Y2K – local utilities are all prepared, local banks and the national banking system have taken all necessary steps, and local emergency services are all well prepared. The only thing to concern people is to be sure to write 2000 instead of 1999 on checks.

August 15, 2020

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

AUGUST 26, 1999

north of Humboldt. They are currently employing 55 After last year’s problem workers and that should with grain storage, the Piqua increase to 85 with the new Agricultural Co-op which addition. serves much of western Allen OCTOBER 19, 1999 County has spent $700,000 to expand storage capacity The new US-169 bypass by 60%. There will be ample from east Iola to Colony will storage for even the most open tomorrow morning. It optimistic of expectations of should reduce traffic on State yields.

Street, but still be handy enough for travelers to get OCTOBER 5, 1999 off and visit Iola.

As demand for their NOVEMBER 24, 1999 products is increasing, B&W is building a 50,000 square The Kansas Bureau of foot addition to its plant

Investigation has formed a new anti-drug task force for six Southeast Kansas counties, including Allen County.

The primary target is the relatively new threat posed by methamphetamine. The big problem with this drug is the relative ease with which it can be made with common inputs, minimal equipment, and limited knowledge of chemistry. In just the first few days of the operation, 43 production facilities have been raided.

NOVEMBER 29, 1999

Site preparation has begun for the construction of a new truck stop just west of the new US-54/US-169 interchange on the old Thompson Poultry property. It will include both gasoline and diesel pumps, a large area for truck parking, a convenience store, and a BBQ restaurant.

plant in Mildred. That plant closed in 1931 and has no successor corporation to hold responsible for the clean-up. Shortly after the closing, local people began to use the site as an unregulated public dump. This area has now been closed to further use, but there is a large DECEMBER 15, 1999 accumulation of trash to be removed. Details of the The Kansas Department of clean-up funding has yet to Health and Environment be determined, but it should has agreed in principle be done in the coming year.

DECEMBER 31, 1999 to fund the clean-up of a major trash dump at the old Great Western Cement Big celebrations are on tap

27

for tonight. Almost every group in the County is hosting a large dance and a huge fireworks display is planned for Riverside Park at midnight.

JANUARY 1, 2000

As a final note on the turn of the millennium, when I awoke this morning the sun did, in fact, rise, my lights work, my shower ran, and things appear no differently than they have for the past several days. There is no Y2K disaster!

Into the Third Millennium JOURNAL ENTRY – JANUARY 2, 2000 I find myself facing a great dilemma. This journal has been kept by five generations of Wilsons, registering the most significant events in the history of Allen County.

Each following generation has lived here and found a certain fascination in keeping the story going. Now I must wonder, why? The record was always kept by the eldest son to be passed on to the next generation. Then my brother, Jacob, had little interest in history and left the County shortly after graduating from high school.

Although he returned from time to time on leave, he has spent his life stationed around the world and has now chosen Colorado as a final residence. His children have no ties to the area, having only visited here briefly over their early years and not at all in decades. This year I will turn 54 and am clearly beyond child bearing age. So, for whom am I keeping this record? On the other hand, after 25 years, it has become a part of my routine, and a part of my life. I suppose I will continue for now and face the ultimate question of “why” at some point in my dotage.

JUNE 5, 2000

SEPTEMBER 24, 2000

The official numbers from the 2000 census were released today (it takes much less time now that computers do much of the work). The official population for Allen County is 14,385.

Last night I had the most enjoyable experience. I attended the Buster Keaton celebration at the Bowlus Center. Specifically, they ran two old Buster Keaton silent films, complete with a live pianist who played the original score. It was such a treat – I had no idea that anyone could express such emotion simply through facial expression. This is an annual event which started seven years ago. I wish I had discovered it then so I could have attended all of them.

I will certainly mark my calendar for next year’s.

JULY 26, 2000 The Allen County Historical Society has had a display room at the Courthouse since the new facility opened in 1959. Now that they have greatly increased their property ownership on the west side of the square, they have agreed to relinquish that space for the use of the State Drivers’ license office.

AUGUST 2, 2000

Delaware Rd.) is quickly deteriorating. The County has agreed to rebuild the first three miles of the road east from old US- 169 from the base up and with concrete rather than asphalt.

MARCH 7, 2001 Tri-Valley Development Services has raised $1.1 million to build two new duplexes, one in Iola and one in Humboldt, to provide communal housing for the mentally disabled unable to live alone.

MARCH 13, 2001

home ended as both staff and patients were glued to television sets watching what may be the greatest attack on U.S. soil since the War of 1812. Two passenger jets were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The fires brought down both towers and deaths will surely run into the thousands. Minutes later, a third plane flew into the Pentagon, again killing all on board and many on the ground. It was learned later in the day that a fourth plane was seized with the intention of flying into the White House. This plane crashed in Pennsylvania as brave passengers tried to regain control of the plane. All on board were killed.

nation. So, I must ask, why are we still keeping troops there? Yes, we have military superiority, but so did the British in the late 1800s and the Russians in the 1980s, and neither was able to control this wild, rugged, and intensely independent nation. Have we learned nothing from history? We could stay another decade and still Afghanistan will be a nation of tribal groups, not a modern democracy that the President envisions.

Bring our troops home!

APRIL 6, 2002

After three months of negotiations, the County has been given the old Presbyterian Church in Moran and the remaining SEPTEMBER 17, 2001 building fund of the Church in order to raze the Church After an intense and replace it with a Senior/ investigation, it has been Community Center. determined that the attack JUNE 14, 2002 was planned and funded by the scion of a wealthy The eternal flame at the Saudi family, Osama Bin Court House which was Laden, and a radical group extinguished during the he founded called Al-Qaeda. energy crisis of the late 1970s This group is highly anti- has been refurbished and American, basing its hate on now is glowing once more. the existence of American JUNE 28, 2002 troops in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, and American support of Israel. The group The need for a new jail has has set up headquarters become much more obvious and training camps in the as the number of prisoners mountains of southeast there has exceeded the state approved limit. Excess Afghanistan. inmates will now be housed DECEMBER 31, 2001 at the Neosho County Jail in Chanute at cost of $40 per As the year ends, the Taliban day. forces which were protecting OCTOBER 3, 2002 Osama Bin Laden have been largely defeated, at least to the extent of being With intelligence information an organized fighting force. that Iraq is creating stock piles Of course, there are still of poison gases, biological SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 many supporters of the weapons, and the necessary As Monarch has opened resources to create a nuclear a new quarry east of US Today all non-essential radical faction that continue weapon, the Congress today -169, Tank Farm Road (now services at the nursing bombings and brief attacks, authorized President Bush but they are no threat to our There has long been a Biblical quote on one wall of the Allen County Courtroom, and at today’s Commission meeting a question was raised over this considering recent Supreme Court Rulings. In a compromise, the Commission voted to leave the quote, but to remove the citation of the source, leaving neither side fully satisfied. I’m sure my father and grandfather would have opposed any change, In yesterday’s election, Allen but I, being less conservative, County voters approved can fully understand the liquor by the drink in the reasoning.

County. In order to sell APRIL 26, 2001 drinks, a business must receive at least 30% of its Monarch Cement has begun revenue from food sales. a $50 million, five-year OCTOBER 18, 2000 expansion plan which will increase output by 40%.

In accordance with a Currently, 200 construction new state law passed last workers are employed on spring, the Allen County the project. When the entire Commissioners voted project is completed, the to provide property tax Company expects to employ abatements for up to 10 years a total of 720 workers. Allen for economic development County has granted a 10projects. year tax abatement on new FEBRUARY 7, 2001 equipment installed.

Allen Community College's Iola Campus

28 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

August 15, 2020

Members of Iola Industries and Thrive observe the building plans for the new G&W Foods of Iola grocery store which opened January 2018.

to stage a preemptive attack on that nation to ensure U.S. security. The House passed the bill by a two-toone margin and the Senate a three-to-one margin. It seems as though the drums of war are beating strongly once more.

MARCH 20, 2003 Using last fall’s Congressional authorization and added intelligence verifying vast amounts of “weapons of mass destruction,” President Bush has ordered an invasion of Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein and destroy these dangerous weapons.

MARCH 27, 2003

of America. This event has now been finalized and the County has transferred the management contract for the local hospital from Health Midwest to HCA.

APRIL 3, 2003 American troops have driven Saddam Hussein out of Baghdad and his troops are in total retreat. Unfortunately, this does not mean the end of the war. Iraq is made up of numerous minority groups which were held in check only by the dictatorial power of Hussein and his loyal troops. Now that they are on the run, violence among the various sects is on the rise and threatening civil war.

APRIL 27, 2003 As early as last December there were reports that Health Midwest was Today the new Senior/ negotiating to sell out to Community Center in Moran the Hospital Corporation had its official opening and

an open house. I drove over to see the new facility. It is somewhat plain, but appears to be very serviceable with a small kitchen, adequate restrooms, and a main meeting area.

committee headed up by House.

Donna Talkington has been NOVEMBER 13, 2003 appointed to investigate this fund and what it will mean After numerous complaints, for Allen County. the County Commission JUNE 24, 2003 has voted to approve sexual harassment training to all MAY 6, 2003 The City of Humboldt has County employees. From donated two lots to Tri- rumors I have heard, it is a In very welcome news, Valley Development to build long overdue step. the County Commission two additional duplexes for JANUARY 27, 2004 learned today that HCA group homes. is establishing a major SEPTEMBER 27, 2003 Allen County will be joining endowment for the counties with 11 other counties in that had hospitals owned or managed by Health Midwest. While most all interior Southeast Kansas to form Since Health Midwest was work remains to be done, the SEK Regional Planning non-profit and HCA is a the external shell of the new Commission. The ultimate for-profit company, the jail is now up and sealed. goal will be to attract more funds that Health Midwest This means that interior industrial businesses and would have received in the construction can continue economic activity to the sale will instead go into throughout the winter with overall area. While Iola the endowment. In our concerns of weather. It also Industries has been quite area, Health Midwest had means that we can all get a successful at this in Allen County, this group will take a six hospitals in the Kansas view of what the completed much wider view of the area.

City area and ours. This facility will look like. I think means we will share in this it will blend well with the largess of $140 million. A design of the current Court

FEBRUARY 3, 2004

District Judge Crietz has announced a new program for children in need of care in Allen County. It uses the acronym CASA – Court Appointed Special Advocates for children.

It will help children who become involved with the courts directly or indirectly and provide them with encouragement, emotional support, and guidance.

MARCH 13, 2004

Precision Pump Company has purchased the old Miller Dress Factory on west Miller Road and will convert it to manufacture “down hole pumps.” These are pumps designed to be placed at the bottom of oil wells and driven by a pump jack on the surface. This is another of our “home-grown” industries.

JUNE 7, 2004 The traveling Vietnam Wall is in Iola for a week, from last Friday till this coming Friday. It is an exact duplicate scaled-down copy of the Wall on the National Mall. It covers most of the walkway from the south entry to the Courthouse to the west sidewalk of the square. I was surprised by my reaction to it. Although I was against the War, or all wars for that matter, I couldn’t help but be humbled by so many names carved into black granite.

Most moving was seeing the reactions of men who were surely veterans of the War as they gently caressed the engravings of names of men they knew. The Wall is open 24 hours a day and watched over by our local veterans.

I’ve been told that a few veterans come in the middle of the night to be alone with their thoughts and memories of the War, many breaking into tears. I was so moved.

OCTOBER 19, 2004

CourtRoom. In addition, they have approved the use of the old weather department building on South Jefferson Street by the Multi-County Health Agency.

The County Commissioners have approved an added office in the Court House now that the new jail will allow some expansion. NOVEMBER CASA will be given a permanent office near the In yesterday’s

3, 2004 National

Election, President Bush carried 31 states to best Governor Kerry in the Presidential election. The Republican Party held their majorities in both houses of Congress.

NOVEMBER 30, 2004

The Reach Foundation, created with the purchase of management lease of our local hospital by HCA, has announced a threeyear, $150,000 grant to the Health Care Foundation of Allen County to further the health and wellness of

the community. Plans must now be made as to how to administer these funds. The grant will not be available until such a mechanism is in place.

JANUARY 18, 2005 Less than three months after

opening, the new jail has 20 out-of-county prisoners at a rate of $40 per day each.

That is $5,600 per week.

This is more than enough to eventually pay off the bonds sold for the construction of the new jail.

JANUARY 25, 2005

August 15, 2020

It was reported at today’s County Commission meeting that the Prairie Spirit Trail from Ottawa to Iola will be fully completed before the coming of spring.

Plans are now well underway for the County and the City of Iola to work together to extend the trail from its planned ending at the north end of town on to Riverside Park at the south end of town.

MARCH 31, 2005 After a two-year search, our government has finally admitted that there were no “weapons of mass destruction” in Iraq. Our whole reason for going to war with that nation was a fantasy. Meanwhile, violence continues to be the rule in Iraq and democracy is nowhere to be seen on the horizon.

MAY 3, 2005 The County Commissioners have given final approval to the expansion of the veterans’ wall on the southwest side of the Court House Square.

MAY 18, 2005 As a part of the Cement Industry International Technical Convention, 350 engineers from across the nation toured Monarch Cement Company.

They observed the latest technological innovations in the industry added to the plant over the past five years.

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back

to be taken to formalize the Reach Grant. Many different ideas must be melded into one.

revealed today that the Jail brought in $233,700 from housing out-of-county prisoners in its first year of operations. This exceeds the JULY 15, 2005 amount that was anticipated The Reach Foundation has in planning for the new awarded a grant to a Kansas facility.

APRIL 1, 2006 University Work Group to study the health care needs of Allen County.

Under new legislation, prisoners in county jails, including Allen County, will AUGUST 23, be covered by Medicaid. This will lift a significant burden 2005 from local taxpayers.

MAY 23, 2006

The Federal Aviation Authority has approved a major grant for the Allen County Airport to build a return taxiway from the end of the new runway back to the control room and hangers.

OCTOBER 22, 2005

Answering concerns from local churches, the County Commissioners passed an ordinance to allow the selling of liquor in the County on Sundays to the hours of noon till 8:00 pm. In addition, no sales will be allowed on Easter, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day. On all other JUNE 7, 2005 days, hours will be limited to An expanded Allen the hours between 9:00 am to County Health Foundation 11:00 pm. committee has been formed DECEMBER 6, 2005 to determine the future of the group and the actions The County Treasurer

will begin. This program will offer tax abatements to any new construction projects south of US 54 and east of State Street. This should help rebuild a distressed area in Iola.

Kneisley products, which provides other amenities to movie theaters. Between the two companies, they provide everything necessary to open a modern movie theater except the building itself.

JULY 11, 2006

SEPTEMBER 15, 2006

For many years before cleanup of the area, slag from the smelters was often used as fill for yards in residential areas of Iola. Of course, we now know that this material was often heavy in lead contamination. The EPA has announced that this summer it will seek out some of the most contaminated soils in residential yards and remove it, replacing it with good top soil.

A new company recently took over the old Klein Tool plant north of Moran.

It is Stewart Manufacturing which produces a newly patented claw hammer with the nail extractor located just below the nail driving head rather than the claw hammer style with the extractor on the opposite end from the driving head.

After nearly a year of discussions, the Allen County Health Foundation has a definite plan to implement the ideals of the JULY 12, 2006 Reach Grant. The Board has decided to name this effort “Thrive Allen County,” Iola Industries has sold reflecting the ultimate goal of five acres on Miller Road, this program. west of State Street to Sonic Enterprises. Sonic JUNE 8, 2006 (not to be confused with With the agreement of USD the drive-in eatery) sells 257 and ACCC boards, the modern projection systems neighborhood revitalization and screens to theaters plan passed last month by throughout the Great Plains. the County Commissioners They have also purchased

DECEMBER 19, 2006 In response to the new “concealed carry” law in Kansas, the County Commissioners have ordered to post “no gun signs” at the entrances to all County owned facilities. All County ambulances will also be equipped with a “gun safe” for the storage of any guns carried by those who the ambulances transport.

JANUARY 24, 2007 The Thrive Allen County board has realized that in order to meet its goals, two things are necessary. The organization should have an independent identity, apart from the County. To this end, it will begin the work to become a not-for-profit corporation under Kansas Law. This will require a written set of bylaws. This writing will be the first step in the process. Once incorporated, the new corporation must establish itself as a 501(c)3 entity under the U.S. tax code. This process will take some time.

29

JANUARY 27, 2007

Following the actions of Iola, LaHarpe has requested to enter the Neighborhood Revitalization Program. As Iola has been approved, it seems all but certain that LaHarpe will be also.

APRIL 10, 2007

For the first time, construction projects in the rural areas of Allen County will be required to obtain a building permit. This can be done at the Court House.

MAY 1, 2007

A very preliminary open public meeting is being held tonight at the Community Center in Riverside Park to discuss the possibilities of a new Allen County Regional Hospital. I plan to attend and vocally support this idea.

MAY 10, 2007

With the approval of the County Commissioners, the City of La Harpe has opened a library in their senior/ community center. It will be operated by volunteer help at no cost to the County.

MAY 19, 2007

Plans have been made for a walking trail in Humboldt.

The Centennial Trail will connect the two athletic fields in Humboldt and will be just under a mile long,

MAY 23, 2007

Over half of last night’s County Commission meeting was devoted to discussions of a new County Hospital. A group representing the ideas from the public meeting on the

30 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back first of May pushed hard for the Commission to move on this. The Commissioners will hire an outside consulting firm to study the concept and financial feasibility.

honor his commitment to and certainly does not want to try to move during the Holiday season.

JULY 16, 2007

The County Commissioners have agreed to transfer $1500 from the alcohol tax fund to Hope Unlimited – the nonprofit group that works with abused women and children.

The justification for this act was that statistics show that many problems of the clients of Hope Unlimited is a direct result of alcohol abuse.

A search has begun to find a director for Thrive Allen County. While it will lengthen the search process, it was decided to open up a nationwide search rather than just look locally. The job opening will be promulgated and the committee awaits responses.

AUGUST 28, 2007

DECEMBER 4, 2007

JANUARY 11, 2008

Even with the recent flooding much in mind, the question of a new hospital has not fallen off the screen. Today the County Commission reached a contract with HCA to have an outside firm review financial records for the past several years in return for a promise of confidentiality.

At last night’s Board of Trustees meeting, Allen Community College voted to make all campus buildings “no gun” facilities. Dorm students may bring hunting weapons, but these must be checked into the Dorm Directors and will be stored under lock and key except for such times as the students may be legally hunting.

SEPTEMBER 1, 2007

FEBRUARY 18, 2008

The $2 million improvement project at the Allen County Airport is now complete, primarily with funding from the Kansas DOT and the FAA and in-kind work from the County. The runway is now 5500 feet in length and 100 feet wide with a 35-foot return taxiway. It can now handle large private jets.

David Toland has moved his family to Iola and assumed the leadership position of Thrive Allen County. His immediate task will be to inform the public of Thrive’s mission and determine the most pressing needs of the area. The City of Iola is renting an office in their building at the corner of Jackson and North Street as

NOVEMBER 4, 2007 After considerable screening of resumes and a few personal interviews, the new Thrive Allen County group has reached an agreement on a hire for the Director Position. He is David Toland, son of local attorney Clyde Toland. David has several years of experience in the operation and management of similar foundations and organizations. He will not move to Iola until after the first of the year. He has a current position that he must

a home for the organization.

FEBRUARY 19, 2008 Today the County Commissioners approved the tax abatements for a neighborhood revitalization program for Humboldt.

The approval is contingent upon the agreement of the Community College Board and USD 258.

MARCH 13, 2008 Thrive will sponsor an open community meeting tonight at the CNB&T of Iola meeting room to discuss

recreation and enrichment projects for the County. All County residents are invited to take part. The County has agreed to help fund a survey concerning public opinion on recreational programs.

This is the beginning of “community conversations” which will be held at every incorporated town and community in the County over the next 18 months.

These conversations will seek to determine the precise needs of each area of the County. The County and the City of Iola will join with Thrive to fund a countywide survey of recreational needs.

allow any citizen in the area to have a garden spot. A committee has been formed to make this idea a reality.

The Community Garden will provide gardening tools, a watering source, and advice to novices to create garden spots. This will provide a method for all to have fresh, healthful produce during the summer months and an excess to be canned for winter use.

JUNE 15, 2008

Stewart Manufacturing has failed to find a market for its unique hammer and has left the Klein Building once again empty.

When they left, it was discovered that they had never paid taxes on the plant as was required under the lease agreement.

To prevent a tax sale, Klein today paid all taxes due for the

Iola Industries has purchased the land which makes up the west half of the public golf course at the end of north Cottonwood. The golf course will remain open as a ninehole facility. A development of some 30 moderate income housing will be constructed on the south half of this plot and the north half will be sold to the City of Iola for future development.

JUNE 16, 2008

United States elected its first Black President nearly 150 years after the end of slavery.

Barack Obama carried the west coast, New England, the mid-Atlantic states, and the Great Lakes area states for an easy win over John McCain. At the same time, the Democratic Party held both the House and Senate.

Thrive Allen County held its first annual meeting. More than just a typical businesses annual meeting, this was actually a celebration of the advances in the County which have occurred over the past year. Awards were made for recreation to the Bowlus Center, health and wellness to the Family Physicians, education to the new Savonburg library, and a top award named for Donna Talkington to the Humboldt Community.

After a Thrive Community Conversation in Moran, a group of Moran citizens have banded together to form the Moran Pride/Thrive Group, dedicated to the same purposes as Thrive, but concentrating on the eastern portion of the County.

APRIL 4, 2009 Thrive is sponsoring a “melt-down” open to all in Allen County. The idea of the project is to gather overweight citizens to lose a total of a ton of weight over the next 8 weeks. People will weigh in today and again at the end of the project in eight weeks. In the meantime, they will be enrolled in free Zumba exercise classes and given healthy eating tips.

JULY 4, 2009

Charley Melvin Run for Your Life will be hosted by Thrive and Crime Stoppers in Iola. Charley Melvin was a strong prohibitionist who dynamited three open saloons during the gas boom.

His blasts stopped the Court House clock at 12:26 am, so that is when the 5 K run will begin. Over 360 runners are pre-registered.

JULY 7, 2009 After a heated meeting last week featuring two strong supporters of concealed carry and Kansas NRA President Stoneking protesting the “no guns” designation for County Facilities and a larger, if somewhat more reserved, group of “no guns” supporters, the County Commissioners have voted to keep the gun ban at County facilities in place.

JULY 10, 2009

Tonight, or rather early tomorrow morning, the first After two years, the FEMA

MARCH 2, 2010

The Reach Foundation has awarded a half-milliondollar grant to Thrive to fund a new dental service for the past four years. economically disadvantaged in Allen County. A dentist will be recruited and an APRIL 20, 2010 office equipped in the Family Physicians’ building on East Allen County will institute a Street. “drug court” for non-violent, NOVEMBER 5, 2008 first-time drug offenders. This should reduce the overload Though not unexpected, on the District Court and the outcome of yesterday’s replace incarceration with Presidential election were counseling and treatment to still most notable – the reduce repeat offenders.

NOVEMBER 20, 2008

MARCH 17, 2009

August 15, 2020

MAY 13, 2010

In a joint project between Thrive and local gardeners, a weekly farmers’ market will be established in Iola beginning this Thursday and running into the fall.

MAY 30, 2010 This month discussions have begun on the use of the flood zone property purchased

by FEMA. Ideas include a dog park, picnic areas, soccer fields, and a Frisbee golf course. Whatever the eventual usage, it cannot include any permanent structures that future flooding could affect.

JUNE 7, 2010

Official census figures were released by the Census Bureau today. The current count for Allen County is 13,371. The peak U.S. census count for the County was buyout of homes in the 27,640 in 1910. Since that floodplain affected by the time the population is down flood of 2007 has begun. by more than 50%.

Once the properties JUNE 8, 2010 are turned over to the County, the County will be In today’s meeting the Allen responsible for removing the County Commission voted houses affected. to ban smoking in all County JANUARY 5, 2010 owned facilities and vehicles.

The ban will extend to 10 feet The Allen County outside of all doors.

Commission and Thrive JULY 12, 2010 Allen County have jointly declared 2010 to be the “Year After several years of of the Hospital.” Both groups planning and fundraising, the will concentrate on arriving new Allen County Animal at a solution for an aging Rescue Facility has opened health care facility in the on the east edge of LaHarpe.

County.

It is a well-designed, modern MARCH 1, 2010 no-kill operation that will ensure proper treatment of Val McLean, long-time abandoned and seized dogs baseball coach and counselor and cats. at ACC, has recently AUGUST 31, 2010 purchased a home in southeast Iola with several The last month has seen a acres of undeveloped land. rush of actions to promote He has offered the use of building a new hospital in a portion of this land as Allen County. The month a Community Garden to

began with a mass public meeting in which 62 citizens signed up to help promote the project. Then Iola pledged to earmark half of its ½ cent infrastructure sales tax to the hospital project and the Iola Booster Club announced it will accept donations toward the projects. Finally, the County will pace a ¼ cent sales tax on the November ballot which, if passed, will be dedicated to the hospital construction.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 Thrive has organized a meeting for interested persons tonight to discuss the need for a new hospital.

Having a role in health care, I attended and was impressed by the energy generated for a new hospital project.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010 After a failed earlier effort, Ray Maloney has finally purchased the old Klein Tool plant north of Moran.

He would prefer to find a company to lease the facility, but if that fails he will consider scrapping the plant for the materials in the buildings.

NOVEMBER 3, 2010

FEBRUARY 8, 2011

At today’s meeting the Allen County Commissioners pledged to sell up to $30 million in bonds as needed to build a new hospital for the County. A planning board was also appointed to study the needs to progress on this project.

MAY 2, 2011

After ten years on the run, Osama bin Ladin was trapped and killed today in a compound in northern Pakistan. The CIA developed information on his hiding spot and a U.S. Naval SEAL team staged the attack.

There were no American casualties. After a positive identification, bin Laden remains were buried at sea to prevent a burial site which could have become a shrine.

JUNE 30, 2011

The Moran Pride/Thrive group has gained 501(c)3 tax status and has raised funds to place planters along the main street for flowers and to sponsor a twice weekly bus to take children from Moran, Elsmore, and Savonburg to the swimming pool in Iola.

USD 256 will provide a school bus, a local resident has volunteered to drive, and funds have been raised to provide the fuel for the bus.

Among the issues on yesterday’s ballot in Allen County was a proposition to approve potential bonds to build a new Allen County JULY 12, 2011 Hospital. It passed easily. A committee will be formed to A long list of entities appeared make this project a reality. at the County Commission DECEMBER 31, 2010 meeting to request new or increased funding from the For as long as I can County in next year’s budget. remember, Jacob and I have Among others there were exchanged Christmas cards. large requests from ACARF, In fact, it is about the only from the Southeast Kansas contact we have had since homeless shelter, from a father died. This year I did fitness program for County not receive a card, and the employees, and a $50,000 one I sent out was returned increase for Southeast Kansas as undeliverable. I have no Mental Health. The first idea what has happened. three of these were simply He is four years older than I denied and the last was met am, but that is still relatively with substantial cynicism. young – I would hate to AUGUST 1, 2011 think that he has passed away. He may have just tired The Iola City Council has of the winter weather on offered to take over the entire the edge of the Rockies and County ambulance service. moved to a warmer climate Needless to say the rural and not notified me. At least, areas and outlying towns in that is what I have decided to the County rose up in arms. conclude.

The County Commissioner quickly rejected suggestion.

the

AUGUST 23, 2011 If an Allen County Community Foundation is formed, the County Commission has agreed to place $100,000 of County reserves funds into the organization and the Reach Foundation will donate $25,000 in matching funds. Only the interest on the County funds would be available to this new organization.

NOVEMBER 3, 2011 Today marks my 65th birthday. I usually pay little attention to birthdays, but this one is special.

Tomorrow morning, I will have no job to go to – I filed my papers to retire this past week and will receive my final paycheck next Friday. Then I can await my first social security check on the first Wednesday of December. I plan to continue to drop by and visit many of the residents of Windsor place who have become quite

dear to me and I have begun to crochet. I still make errors in that, but with time on my hands, I think I can become quite adept at it rather quickly. I also will continue with this journal, although perhaps not so diligently – I plan to do some traveling to places I’ve never been before as my finances will allow.

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

In accordance with a new state requirement passed last spring, the County has established a completely separate fund for all fees

August 15, 2020 assessed on devices that can access the 911 system. These funds can be used only for 911 services.

FEBRUARY 14, 2012 The original hangar at the Allen County Regional Airport is no longer being used because of its deteriorated condition. It will be scrapped out and removed.

FEBRUARY 21, 2012 The Iola Pharmacy has opened a new facility connected to the Family Physicians office on east US 54. The County Commission today granted them tax abatement under the Neighborhood Revitalization Program.

MARCH 13, 2012 The 911 call center has installed a new automated system that will direct all calls to the appropriate entity – fire, police, ambulance, utilities, etc.

MARCH 15, 2012 Enbridge pipeline company has notified the County of its intention to place a large oil pipeline on a right-of-way it already owns in Allen County. It will be laid along the right-of-way of the 1951 Sinclair Oil pipeline through the county – starting at the east side of the County just east of Mildred, and exiting just south of Petrolia at the southwest corner of the County.

MAY 8, 2012 KDOT has announced major repair work will be undertaken on US 169 between Iola and Humboldt this summer. The project will also include the north access road between the highway and Humboldt. Traffic will be rerouted through Moran and Erie for the duration of the project.

JUNE 11, 2012 Grant funds have been received from the Sunflower Foundation and the Health Care Foundation of Kansas City for the construction of the Southwind Trail from Iola to Humboldt on the old Santa Fe road bed.

OCTOBER 20, 2012 USD 258 in Humboldt has released a three-year plan to build a complete outdoor sports complex east of town to include a football field, baseball complex, and soccer fields complete with lighting and grandstands.

Allen County has approved a change in zoning to make this possible.

NOVEMBER 1, 2012 Over two years ago, the Affordable Care Act (also known as “ObamaCare”) was passed by the U.S. Congress and will be in full effect at the beginning of next year. Those unable to find or afford private health insurance can go to state or federal exchanges to find a policy.

Kansas has failed to form such an exchange, making the federal exchange the only option for many. Because the rules and options may be confusing, Thrive Allen County will provide “navigators” to help people through the process.

From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back Iola, and Iola Industries to establish an oversight committee to serve as the primary economic development advocate for the area and hire an administrator.

Each of these entities will put up $15,000 each to fund the project, and each will have two representatives on the committee.

MAY 28, 2013 Today marked the passing of the owner/operator of one of Iola’s many entrepreneurs.

Neil Westervelt died of a heart attack while still at work. He and a partner, Meisenhalter, started M&W machining in a garage in 1979. With the help of Iola Industries, Neil moved the business to the south half of the old Walton Foundry site in 1991, using the old offices, design, molding and raw material storage facilities as his new production site. He started out sub-contracting fittings for Gates, and later expanded into custom machining, plastic pipe connectors, and finally, RV accessories. As he was the sole owner, it remains to be seen what will happen with the business.

JUNE 8, 2013 Two official openings took place today. The first was the official opening of the Southwind trail from Iola to Humboldt – this is actually a continuation of the Prairie Spirit Trail which now reaches from Ottawa to Humboldt. The second was dedication of a new River Park in Humboldt located just south of the west end of the Neosho River Bridge.

Both of these offer new recreational opportunities to the people of Allen County.

JUNE 12, 2013 The Allen County hospital has changed its relationship with HCA. HCA will now act as the manager of the hospital rather than leasing the facility. The County now has complete ownership of the old hospital and grounds at the S-curve on US 54.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 Allen County will become a Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ). This is a program passed by the State Legislature to attempt to lure well-educated people back to Kansas. Anyone who graduated from a Kansas high school and has moved out-of-state for five years will receive a financial benefit for moving back to a ROZ county. This includes state repayment of educational loans and a substantial state income tax credit.

NOVEMBER 15, 2013 After a long delay, I have taken an extended vacation and traveled the West. With little more than my minivan and a sleeping bag, I traveled almost 5,000 miles! I saw Mount Rushmore, Devil’s Tower, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park (where I was nearly snowed in), and across Northern Cascades National Park. From there I dropped down to Mt. St. Helens Volcanic Park, Crater Lake, and Lava Bed National Monument in California.

From there it was on to San Francisco and down the Coastal Highway and Big Sur. On the way home, I took in the Grand Canyon, Zion NP, Brice Canyon NP, and Arches NP. I went north to Dinosaur National Monument and back across the Rockies to Rocky Mountain NP. It was the trip of a lifetime. Now I’ll try to get back into my normal life and the concerns of Allen County Kansas.

NOVEMBER 20, 2013

their checking accounts to Community National. This is on the heels of a similar switch away from Great Southern to Landmark Bank earlier this month.

interest of EDP Renewables in a wind farm, now Nextstar is looking at a similar facility in the southeast part of the County. As a result, the County Commission is discussing what improvements MAY 6, 2014 would need to be made to Allen County Regional county roads to accommodate Hospital reported on its construction equipment for a financial affairs for its first six wind farm.

AUGUST 14, 2015 months of operations today.

As expected, there have been added costs associated The Southwind Trailheads with buying new equipment along the old Santa Fe and training on its uses. right-of-way from Iola to A new hospital typically Humboldt was officially experiences this for the first dedicated today. nine months. It also noted that the use of ICU facilities AUGUST 18, is markedly down, but this 2015 is largely offset by increases in utilization of physical and occupational therapy Two weeks ago, services. Overall, current Monarch Cement performance is in line with approached expectations.

JUNE 1, 2014 Thrive has had a major problem in completing the Lehigh Portland trail system.

There was a need for a bridge across a small creek feeding Elm Creek. This problem has now been solved as the County has relocated a small bridge no longer safe for vehicle traffic from a county road to the trail. One of my goals for this summer is to get out and explore this new trail addition.

JUNE 23, 2014 The Allen County Historical Society has learned that it will receive a major testamentary bequest. This will make it possible to replace the siding on the Funston Home, which is showing signs of major deterioration, and still leave some money for investment.

NOVEMBER 10, 2014 Enbridge has completed the new pipeline across the County. They will have a smaller crew here next week to repair road and bridge damage they created on County roads as per agreement.

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Here are a few events that I missed on my long trek. After a ground breaking in May of last year, the new Allen County Regional Hospital construction was completed a few weeks ago. The entire project was completed in just 18 months – an incredibly fast time for a job of this magnitude. Needless to say, while the County and Iola have agreed in principle to the City assuming the countywide ambulance services, many details are still being argued.

The county crew has helped with some major clean-up projects along the Southwind Trail where trees, some living, some dead, needed to be removed.

DECEMBER 10, 2013 Today marked the official dedication and opening of the new hospital.

APRIL 22, 2014

Both Allen County and the Community College have used Great Southern Bank for their checking accounts since it was Iola State Bank JANUARY 10, 2013 and then Team Bank before being sold to the current Thrive Allen County has company. In recent years, reached an agreement with however, that bank has Allen County, the City of changed its philosophy on

income generation. Banks make money primarily by three avenues: investing in U.S. Treasury securities, charging interest on loans, and charging fees for various services. It is now clear that Great Southern is relying more on the third of these.

The County Commissioners learned at their meeting today that the fees on their checking accounts at Great Southern are now $2400 per month and may soon go up to $3,000. They are therefore transferring the majority of

EDP Renewals, a company that operates wind turbine farms for electricity production, has made preliminary contacts with Allen County on the possibility of erecting such a wind farm in northeastern Allen County. I saw several of these projects on my long trip last fall and had mixed emotions. In talking to people in these areas, they also were very mixed in their opinions. If this project were to move forward, I suspect it would generate controversy similar to that of the nuclear power play decades ago in Coffey County.

NOVEMBER 25, 2014 The County Commission has signed an official “certificate of completion” for the new Allen County Regional Hospital.

JANUARY 20, 2015 The City of Gas has purchased the old grade school in Gas from USD 257 for $1. The city plans to use it for a city hall, library, and senior center. The County Commissioners have agreed to allow the city to take some tables and chairs from the old hospital and to repair some roof leaks in the old grade school.

APRIL 28, 2015 In addition to the earlier

the County to approve a new quarry three miles north of Humboldt to provide soil and shale for cement making. After hearing protests from neighboring property owners and arguments from Monarch, the County Commissioners agreed to the conditional use permit. There will be no blasting at the new quarry (soil and shale can be removed without blasting) and trucks will be routed along the old US 169 roadbed since it was originally built to support heavy trucks.

31

made no specific requests for approval at this time.

OCTOBER 27, 2015

Representatives of Iola Industries appeared before the Allen County Commission today and asked to purchase the north portion of the old hospital site for the construction of apartments.

The Commissioners instructed the County Attorney to work up a sales contract for consideration.

DECEMBER 1, 2015

The County Commissioners today signed a contract with Iola Industries for an option to buy the old hospital land north of that under contract to G&W for a new apartment complex.

FEBRUARY 8, 2016 The Iola City Council has approved increasing the age to legally buy tobacco products to 21.

FEBRUARY 19, 2016

The Moran Pride/Thrive Group in conjunction with the City of Moran has firmed up plans to use grant money to create a fitness center in that town. The grant will purchase equipment and a search is now underway to decide upon a site.

MARCH 1, 2016

The Humboldt Community Growth group has purchased 25 acres just east of B&W trailer for a future addition to the Humboldt North Industrial Park.

APRIL 20, 2016

Today an open house was held at the new Regional Technology Center in LaHarpe. This is a collaboration between three local community colleges and area USD’s. Class will start this fall.

APRIL 26, 2016

Today was the official groundbreaking for the East At today’s County Gate apartments on the Commission meeting, northern portion of the old the County Appraiser hospital property.

MAY 25, 2016 announced that the new Enbridge pipeline and pumping station will add The first segment of the nearly 40% to the county Lehigh Portland Trail was opened today. The trail starts valuation. at the bridge over Elm Creek August 26, 2015 - The razing on the south bank and will of the old Allen County eventually extend along the Hospital began today. It north side of the Elk’s Lake should be completed and and on to the extension of leveled before winter sets south Kentucky Street and be in. A special “goodbye” marked by several rougher celebration was staged at side trails. It will provide for the hospital yesterday with a both bikers and hikers. final walking tour for those MAY 30, 2016 with memories of being born or treated there.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 Ground was broken today for the construction of a new grocery store in Iola. This Under bankruptcy, the will be G&W Foods and will facilities and land of longbe located on the middle time business Diebolt of the site of the old Allen Lumber in LaHarpe was County Hospital. At this auctioned off in three time, Walmart is the only different plots. All three provider of groceries in Iola. sold though there is some JUNE 30, 2016 question about the title to the land on the east side of After having purchased the the plat.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 building in January, Thrive Allen County has now moved into the old Kress EDP Renewables Building on the east side of representatives made a the square. The north part of lengthy appearance before the the building will continue to Allen County Commission house a flea market. today to discuss the benefits NOVEMBER 8, 2016 of wind generated electricity and turbines in the County.

They took questions and This year’s national elections expressed their strong were anomalous. Secretary interest in building a wind Clinton won the overall farm in northeast Allen popular vote, but President County. This was purely an Elect Trump won the informational session – they electoral college majority. In

AUGUST 25, 2015

32 From Rails to Trails to Highways and Back a strange local election, the town of Mildred voted to disincorporate by a vote of 2-1 – not a 2-1 margin, but an actual 2-1.

and rebuild the buildings around the town square. It is made up primarily by the Works family and funded by the owner of B&W NOVEMBER 21, 2016 Manufacturing. The group has purchased much of the The hospital is opening a property around the square clinic this week in Humboldt. and renewal will begin soon.

It will be covered by a Physician's Assistant and an actual doctor one day a MAY 9, 2017 week. A similar clinic will be opened in Moran next year. Last month’s decision by .

DECEMBER 13, 2016 The SEK Multi-county Health Center has purchased a site on north State Street to build a new facility.

Construction will begin when weather permits next spring.

DECEMBER 31, 2016

the County Commission to approve county funds to G&W foods on a 2-1 vote, there has been substantial negative comments by the local community. As a result, the Commissioners have decided to create a committee of leading businesses experts from throughout the County to review such requests for aid to non-public entities in the future. This committee, whose members have yet to be appointed will be the Economic Development Fund Advisory Group. They will set their own criteria for recommending such grants in the future.

between the commissioners and representatives of EDP. Now that the Planning Commission has approved the zoning for conditional use of land in the area for the proposed wind farm, the final decision is in the County Commission’s hands.

It will prove to be a very controversial decision.

MAY 30, 2017 The grocery store in Moran has been for sale for the past five years with no buyers willing or able to buy it.

As a result, the owner is considering simply closing the market. Recently a group of concerned citizens of that area are looking at alternatives. They have decided to try to make it a consumer-owned store.

Toward that end, they held an ice cream feed for the community with musical entertainment this afternoon and called it “God, Country, and Groceries.” At the end, they signed up nearly 50 people at $100 each to launch this project. I wish them well in this effort.

In what must be the longest decision-making process in County history, the rezoning of land for a wind farm in northeastern Allen County is still unsettled. It first came before the Planning Committee in August. After MAY 17, 2017 considerable discussion, the decision was delayed until At yesterday’s County September, then October, Commission meeting a then to November, and long discussion was held now has been put off until January of the coming year, five months after the initial SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 hearing.

FEBRUARY 21, 2017 The Planning Commission has finally approved the request from EDP Renewables for a special use permit for the wind farm.

They did include special setbacks from roads and houses to minimize the impact of the project. Now their recommendation must be approved by the County Commissioners.

MAY 3, 2017 A new group, Bolder Humboldt, has been formed in that city to improve

This summer the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation visited Allen County and Thrive Allen County.

The RWJ Foundation is the largest private charitable foundation in the U.S. and the most prestigious. Today Thrive received notification that they were awarded an unrestricted $25,000 grant. More than the funds, the prestige of this award is to be celebrated by Thrive and the County.

August 15, 2020 OCTOBER 3, 2017

requests. With no reasons given or suggestions for The Allen County changes, the Board rejected Commission has decided to all six requests out-of-hand. refinance the hospital bonds DECEMBER 19, 2017 due in 2036. Because interest rates have dropped since the Marmaton Market bonds were originally sold, representatives appeared refinancing will save nearly before the Allen County $2 million over the life of the Commission to appeal the bonds. rejection of county funds by OCTOBER 29, 2017 the EDAB. The appellants stated that they received After months of delaying no feedback on reasons for in taking up the issue, the denial or suggestions of Planning Board finally changes they might make to opened up the question of qualify. The Commissioners non-conforming use zoning reminded the group that for the proposed wind farm this was a new program from EDP Renewables. The finding its way, that the two change in zoning would absent members were both cover about 500 parcels supporters of the market, of land with 71 owners. It and that they should return was a long and contentious to the EDAB meeting in meeting. The land owners February and make a second were in support, but a small request. number of very vociferous opponents also appeared.

When the Board finally ended comments, they recommended the change be granted.

DECEMBER 5, 2017 After the County Commissioners agreed to the decision of the Planning Board on the wind farm rezoning, EDP met with the Commissioners to work out the payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) payments. These payments will be $250,000 per year for the next ten years beginning in 2018.

The Commission voted to divide these funds between the Regional Tech Center and the three USDs in the County. EDP also indicated that actual construction will begin this coming summer.

JANUARY 5, 2018

The new G&W Grocery officially opened for business today. I visited and found it quite busy, being the opening. As for the store itself, it seems well organized with shelves that can be easily reached separated by wide aisles. It seems a very nice place to shop for groceries.

JANUARY 9, 2018

Major equipment manufacturer Murphy Tractor has announced it will open a sales and repair facility in the new north industrial park in Humboldt.

Monarch Cement, which uses many pieces of Murphy machines, will purchase the land for the facility. With architectural work has yet to begin and utilities yet DECEMBER 15, 2017 to be expanded to the site, construction will probably The EDAB (Economic not begin until next year.

Development Advisory FEBRUARY 6, 2018 Board) held its first meeting to actually consider funding The EDAB met again last requests. With seven of night and heard six requests nine members present, six for funding, including applicants presented their four that were denied in

December.

The Board delayed action, stating that they now had scoring sheets which each member would complete and present at the next meeting.

MARCH 20, 2018

At today’s Allen County Commission meeting four of the five applicants who were rejected by the EDAB for county funding appealed to the Commission to overrule the recommendations of the EDAB and approve county funds. It appeared to the applicants that given the way the scoring sheets were constructed, only very large projects had any chance of being approved. The Commissioners will take a week to review the process and report back next week.

MARCH 27, 2018 Each of the four entities that had appealed the decision of the ECAB made long presentations to the County Commissioners, pressing their cases for support. The Commissioners promised to make a final decision at their next meeting.

APRIL 3, 2018

The County Commission again addressed the requests that were rejected by the EDAB. After a long discussion, they approved funds for the Regional Tech Center and the Marmaton Market. They also moved to disband the EDAB and thank the members for their service. The system simply did not work as was hoped.

ADDE N D U M – M AY 2 2 , 2 0 18 Judith Wilson passed away at some time during the early morning hours of Monday, April 16 from a cerebral hemorrhage. Her neighbors became concerned that evening when they had not seen her all day and called 911 when they looked in her bedroom window and could see her still abed and not responsive to their repeated knocking. The court appointed administrator of her estate found little of

value beyond her small house and a checking account with a minimal balance. He did, however, find

a multi-volume historical family journal in a bookcase near her bed. It had no real value other than its

historical importance. In the absence of any testamentary will or instructions, the administrator has

donated it to the Allen County Historical Society. I have accepted it on our behalf. It is a wonderful

reference from the personal perspective of five generations of her family. The remainder of her estate will be liquidated and held by the state while awaiting a legal claimant.

Larry Manes,

Board Member, ACHS