Brown County, Kansas Newspaper Articles

Hiawatha, Kansas, September 3. - The worst fire ever known in this city broke out at 1 o'clock this morning gin William Horne's livery stable, and in less than three hours it had destroyed two and one half blocks in the business center of the city, causing a loss of at least $150,000.

The greatest loss was the First National Bank building, owned by Congressman Morrill. The vault, containing $50,000 in currency and many valuable books and papers, gave way under the intense heat and its contents were entirely destroyed.

For over two hours a furious wind from the north drove the fire southward, but about 3 o'clock the wind died down. There is only one fire engine in the city, and should the wind rise again the whole of the business portion of the city will be wiped out.

At 3 A.M., the fire was still raging. The fire engine has a small stream on the buildings near the Hatch block, but it is doubtful if the buildings can be saved. The destruction at 3 A.M. included the First National Bank Building, the Odd Fellows Building, two of the best livery stables in the city; the grocery Store of J. A. McGuire, loss $6,000; Blue Trout Livery Stables, $8,000. Those are but a few of the losses.

Times Picayune - September 4, 1890
Transcribed and contributed by: Frances Cooley

SMOOTH BUNCO GAME

It is customary for hotel keepers to cash the expense checks for traveling men. At Hiawath this week a man came into the hotel, registered his name and inquired for his mail. The proprietor handed him a letter and an expense check for $63 from the Bushton Mill Company dropped out of the envelope. It was after banking hours and of course the traveler needed some expense money, so the hotel man advanced him $30 on the check. That night the man received a message from the Bushton Mill Company to make a hurry-up run to St. Joseph and he asked the hotel to forward the rest of his money there the next day, which was done. From Hiawatha the traveler went to Horton, where he received another letter from his compay with another check for $63, which was obligingly cashed. Three days afterward it was discovered that the letters had been mailed by a partner in a smooth bunco game. But so far as the officers can learn the man is still journeying eastward collecting his "expense money" from the hotels as he goes along.
(Kansas City Star ~ September 24, 1909)

HORSES WRECK A TRAIN

Two Persons Are Killed and Several Others Injured

Kansas City, March 15---A Missouri Pacific passenger tain, north-bound, leaving here at 9:15 o'clock Sunday night, was wrecked at Wolf Creek, Kan., one and one-half miles east of Hiawatha at midnight Sunday night, by running into a bunch of horses. The engineer and fireman were killed, express messenger, baggageman and conductor badly injured and three passengers hurt, one of them severely.

The dead are: Ed Nye, engineer, Kansas City, aged 40 years, leave wife; Patrick Connor, fireman, aged 32, Kansas City, leaves wife and three children. The injured are: John H. Meyers, conductor, Kansas City, slightly injured; Jack Appleton, Kansas City, slightly hurt; H. A. Kemp, express messenger, badly scratched and bruised; ----- Meadows, traveling man, Atchison, Kan., two legs broken; L. F. Bacon, Kansas City, traveling passenger and ticket agent of the Santa Fe, slightly injured.

Two of the other passengers, names unknown, were badly bruised. Bacon sent a message to his wife in this city, stating that he was able to be around and would be home.

The train consisted of engine, baggage and two chair cars and one sleeper, and carried a light load. All but the sleeper were overturned. The engine turned over on Engineer Nye and Fireman Connor and crushed them to death. The passengers managed to escape with comparative ease, but it was some time before aid from Hiawatha was received for the injured. A train bearig physicians left here for the scene and will bring the dead and injured to this city. Engineer Nye was one of the oldest engineer in the service, having been on the road for fourteen years.

J. B. Meador, one of the injured in the wreck, died at 9 o'clock Monday morning. Meador traveled for a Leavenworth grocery house and lived in Atchison. Five horses on the track caused the wreck. The grade was down hill. The horses were standing in a bunch on a curve and could not have been seen till within seventy-five yards. Evidently the engineer caught the first glimpse of them as he rounded the curve and realized that he could not stop, and pulled the throttle open. Four of the horses were thrown clear off the rails. The fifth went under the wheels. The engine turned entirely over, laning with its nose pointing in the opposite direction to which it had been traveling.

The baggage, smoker and chair car were piled up in a heap. The fireman and engineer jumped, but were caught under the engine. Connor being killed instantly and Nye living but ten minutes. Drummer Meador of Atchison was seated in the middle of the smoker. The car fell over against the engine and his leg was caught and smashed by a heavy timber. Before he could be extricated, steam from the engine cooked his flesh horribly. He was cared for as well as possible, but died in terrible agony. Austerland will probably die.
(Kalamazoo Gazette ~ March 16, 1897)

THE TOWN OF HIAWATHA, KAN., ALMOST DESTROYED BY FIRE

The Entire Business Portion of the Town Destroyed by Fire

HIAWATHA, KANS., Sept. 3---The worst fire ever known in this city broke out at 1 o'clock this morning in William Horne's livery stables, and in less than three hours it had destroyed two and one-half blocks in the business center of the city, causing a loss of at least $150,000. The greatest loss was the First National Bank building, owned by Congressman Morrill. The vault, containing $50,000 in currency and many valuable books and papers, gave way under the intense heat and its contents were entirely destroyed. For over two hours a iurious wind from the north drove the fire southward, but about 3 o'clock the wind died down. There is only one fire engine in the city, and should the wind rise again the whole of the business portion of the city will be wiped out.

At 3 a.m. the fire was still raging. The fire engine had a small stream on the buildings near the Hatch block, but it is doubtful if the buildings can be saved. The destruction at 3 a.m. included the First National Bank bulding, the Odd Fellows' building, two of the best livery stables in the city; the grocery store of J. A. McGuire, loss $6000; Grimes and Love, hardware, loss $5000; the Kentucky Hotel, loss $5000; livery stables of James Kings, loss $5000; White's grocery, loss $5000; Blue Trout livery stables, $8000. These are but a few of the losses.
(Times Picayune, September 4, 1890)

FIRE PANIC IN A KANSAS HOTEL

Dr. Wilder, of Chicago, Badly Burned---Guests Jumping from Windows

TOPEKA, KAN., Jan. 6---Early this morning flames were discovered issuing from the staircase of the principal hotel in Hiawatha. This cut off the escape of the guests and they were obliged to jump from the second and third story windows to save their lives. Seven were injured by the flames and in jumping, but none fatally.

QUITE A LIVELY PEDESTRIAN

HIAWATHA, KAN., Jan. 12---At 12 o'clock tonight Bill Bierer of this city completed a hundred mile walk, making it in twenty-four hours and winning a large bet. The walk was very difficult, requiring a turn every eighty feet and Bierer was badly used up. He is a dry goods clerk and had gained considerable notoriety as a bicyclist.
(Kansas City Times ~ January 13, 1889)

A fire broke out at David Pray's feed stable, at Hiawatha, Kas., last night, and burned it to the ground, together with three adjoining buildings, an implement store and bucket shop on the east and patent sash catch factory on the west.
(Kansas City Star ~ September 7, 1887)

The Iola Register says Mr. John Chambers, proprietor of the HIawatha House at Humboldt, died at half past nine o'clock, on Monday morning of last week, after an illness of five or ten minutes before his death. A sick spell came on him suddenly. He went into his room, laid on his bed, and asked that someone would fan the flies away---saying he would soon feel better and in a few minutes, without any further conversation, he was dead.
(Leavenworth Bulletin ~ July 11, 1870)