Burns 1919-1915 newspaper butler county kansas genealogytrails

Butler County, Kansas

NEWS TIDBITS

THE BURNS CITIZEN NEWSPAPER

1909 - 1915

July 15, 1909 – While out in the field along with the men thrashing oats Tuesday, Ira Rigg’s two boys, Carl and George, were both bitten by rattlesnakes. Carl was bitten in the morning between 9 and 10 o’clock and medical treatment was given at once. The snake was killed and had 5 rattlers. When George was bitten is not known as it was not discovered that the little fellow was bitten till night when his mother was washing his feet when she noticed one of them was swollen.

August 3, 1909 – The Burns State Bank is now located in their elegant new rooms in the Barker Block. Charles Bruner was made a stockholder and elected cashier.

Feb. 24, 1910 – We have bought Miss Heise’s millinery establishment and will carry an up-to-date line of millinery. We also solicit all kinds of dressmaking – Mrs. Alta Oakley and Miss Mary Dauber.

March 24, 1910 – J. W. Barker and son, Ira, went to El Dorado, Wednesday, and blowed themselves for a fine forty horse Overland motor car. F. U. Stroup took them down in his Reo and E. E. Stroup went along to see that they got back safe.

June 16, 1910 – Burns now has its new fire fighter and a hundred feet of hose. The enemy of the flames arrived Monday morning and by night about every man in town had divested himself of bits of wisdom regarding the machine; but the first bad fire will tell the real story.

December 15, 1910 – The worst fire in the history of Burns occurred Friday evening, when the elevator belonging to J. W. Barker was totally destroyed with all its contents.

April 20, 1911 – Two Stores Robbed – Thieves help themselves to Insurrecto Supplies and Replenish Wardrobe – They robbed. H. M. Reaugh & Son’s and Fain & Rickerd’s. The amount of goods taken from the two stores entered will foot up close to $200.

April 20, 1911 – C. L. Bruner ran into a small tree with his motorcycle Tuesday. It did not hurt the tree very much.

June 22, 1911 – The Star Barbershop installed a fan last week and now the customers enjoy waiting for a shave in its cooling breeze.

June 29, 1911 – Attempted Holdup – William Oakley had a little experience with a couple of hold-up men as he was returning from a livery drive to Florence last Wed. night. He was at the corner turning south a mile and half out of Florence when two fellows jumped out from the side of the road and grabbed his team and ordered him to halt. Instead he layed on the whip and tore loose from the one that grabbed his team and ran him over. The other, who expected to take care of the valuables, didn’t get into the game quick enough and when the buggy had passed him sent a few shots in pursuit but they went wild. The team ran about a mile over the worst road between here and Florence before Oakley could get them under control.

November 23, 1911 – The End – Sunday afternoon saw the end of a short-lived masquerade. On Tuesday of last week a man and woman with a little child came to town to join the Heaton hypnotism aggregation. City Marshall Leonard who is also deputy sheriff, arrested them for living together as man and wife.

December 14, 1911 – Methodist Church Nearly Burns – The damage done by the fire was not extensive. The organ was reduced to a charred ruin, the window burned out, the carpet spoiled by fire and water and perhaps the plaster spoiled by the soaking it received. The only explanation for the fire worthy of credence is that a measley mouse had found a match in the organ and proceeded to commit suicide.

March 14, 1912 – If you want to know how it feels to drop from a buggy into a draw full of slush and ice water, just inquire of T. A. Enright. Also L. P. Nonken might furnish a little information. It’s a case of following a bad example. H. W. Abplanalp started to town Monday and came through Van Smith’s pasture to avoid bad roads. His rig dropped into a deep hole in a draw but he got through without mishap. The next party to come down the road was Enright. He saw the track leading through the pasture and off the road he went. Alas and alack! When his buggy went into the hole, the double-tree broke, his team kept on going and he – kept on going! Boo-o-o, those shivers were cold ones! A rescue party was organized, in the person of Clyde Weber and Enright was gotten out of his predicament. Then along came L. P. Nonker and wife and the track and the water gave no token of previous tragedies. Plunk they went in and were immediately surrounded with trouble. O, how a fellow hates to get out of a comfortable buggy and wade around waist deep in water that chills the marrow in your bones. Mr. Smith was the “good Samaritan” this time and gave aid and comfort to the unfortunates. Each one was glad to know someone else had come to grief the same way so the joke wouldn’t be all on himself.

May 9, 1912 – The township assessor, H. A. Allen, report the population of Burns is 422.

September 4, 1913 – Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Denker and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hucht arrived at home last Thursday after an absence of about 3 months in the land of the Kaiser. The stay in Germany was a very delightful one, although the weather was rather damp and sometimes chilly. Two of Mrs. Denker’s brothers, Conrad and Henry Hammann came over with them to see how they like America. Mr. Denker stopped in both New York and Chicago to buy stock for the store.

October 9, 1913 – La Clare Obee and Harry Surber are thinking of going to Montana in the near future. They are hustling young men and we believe they could do well if they just stay with it. Montana is a very cold country, and has not been thoroughly tried out yet.

October 16, 1913 – On January 1, 1914, Burns becomes a third class office and the postmaster will be subject to appointment by the president.

November 27, 1913 – Let’s Have It – Now that the city has a good sized hole in the ground with plenty of water in it, the next thing is something else; A water tower high enough to throw water over the top of any business house in town and enough mains laid to afford the protection to at least the business section.

December 11, 1913 – J. B. Hunter is erecting a blacksmith shop just north of the city jail and will be ready to open for business before very long. He has a first class layout of tools which he brought with him from Oklahoma.

January 8, 1914 – J. K. Dooley has purchased the hardware stock of the Burns Hardware Co. and will consolidate it with his harness business by moving his harness shop into the hardware building. They are invoicing this week and Mr. Dooley will be ready to make a business announcement next week.

January 15, 1914 – Jacob H. Payton and Miss Esther Slabaugh drove to El Dorado last Wed. and were united in marriage by the probate judge in the presence of Pearl Goodwin and Miss Carrie Payton as witness.

After starting back home, the witnesses in the above ceremony decided to become principles in a wedding affair of their own; so the party returned to El Dorado and Miss Carrie Payton and Pearl Goodwin were made man and wife by the most approved process of law.

January 15, 1914 – Koebele Appointed New Postmaster – J. L. Koebele’s appointment to be postmaster at Burns was sent to the Senate last week, and on Tuesday, was confirmed. Mr. Koebele has not made known when he will take over the office. This is the first change in the office of postmaster here since the close of Cleveland’s second administration. Postmaster Stroup having held down the job during the entire Republican regime.

January 29, 1914 – Earl Barker went to Peabody, Saturday to bring Wesley home in his car. On the way over he bent a radius rod which made steering difficult and on the return trip, a rough place in the road made him lose control. They were going at a good speed and the machine turned completely over. As luck would have it neither Earl nor Wesley were badly hurt-skinned and bruised up some. The car was not damaged much. Wesley returned to Manhattan Tuesday.

February 5, 1914 – City Dads Buy Pump – The city council took action Monday night authorizing the purchase of a pump suitable for the water service needs of the town. The city thinks it is a good well and if it can furnish the pump authorized with its full capacity of water, it’s a hummer.

February 19, 1914 – Jens Christian Ehnstedt was born September 24, 1840 in Rentz, Schleswig, Holstein Germany and died February 10, 1914 at 11:20 p.m. He was confirmed in the Lutheran Church during his 15th year and served in both the Danish and German armies. He immigrated to America in the year 1871 and landed in Lawrence, Kansas, June 17th the same year. In the year 1872 he homesteaded where he lived until his death. In the year 1873 he was united in marriage to Miss Sara Christina Lund of Charlotte, Ia., formerly of Jels, Schelswig Holstein, Germany. In 1888 he donated the land now occupied by the United Brethren Church, known as “Summit”, also the land occupied by the cemetery. In 1890 he became a member of the United Brethren Church at Summit and was a very active and influential member. He was also very prominent in school and political affairs having held several school and township offices. He has always lived a Christian life and in the language of his own words, died, “at peace with all his friends and God.”

February 26, 1914 – Badly Hurt – Joe Uppenkamp was badly hurt Saturday when his clothes caught in the drive shaft of a feed grinder. His father drove in the yard just as it happened. He was unconscious for 12 hours.

April 2, 1914 – To The Public Twenty-Eight years ago this month, I came to Burns, and a few weeks later started in business where I have remained continually active to the present date. – J. L. Koebele.

April 2, 1914 – To the Public – I have purchased the harness shop in Burns and respectfully solicit a continuance of the patronage of this community in my line. I learned the trade thoroughly in Germany and will do the work in a first class manner at reasonable prices. My terms are cash as my capital is too limited to do a credit business, but will make it up to you by pricing all harness and saddlery goods for less. Respectfully, Henry Hammann.

April 2, 1914 – Misses Emelia and Adelheide Koebele came home from Emporia Friday. Miss Emelia will assist her father in the post office. Miss Adelheide returned to Emporia Sunday and her sister, Miss Appollonia, went with her to take the spring term work at the normal.

May 7, 1914 – Martin Ashenfelter died at his home near Blue Mound Saturday evening after a brief illness although he had been troubled with arterial sclerosis for some time. He was past seventy years old, and came to Butler County in the ‘70’s and ’71 being one of the real old settlers.

June 18, 1914 – Nine Poisoned at S. S. Picnic-Nine members of the Peter Nonken and Rev. Obee families were taken sick with ptomaine poisoning after eating dinner at the Sunday School Picnic at the John Austin farm last Friday.

June 25, 1914 – Go to the Burns Hardware for gasoline and coal oil

July 2, 1914 – The first oil well found in the Augusta field has just been drilled and produces from 200 to 300 barrels a day. The well is 2500 feet deep and is on the farm of Frank Varner, 4 miles southwest of Augusta. Frank Varner lived at Burns many years.

July 2, 1914 – Walter Jr. and Fred Davis, brothers, sons of W. W. Davis a cattleman of Peabody, were struck and killed by lightning in a pasture about six miles northeast of Burns, Tuesday afternoon, probably about 3:15. They were fixing fence in the pasture Tuesday afternoon and a rain came up that night, nothing was thought of their not returning home until they were found by Earl Barker and Gil Green about 9:00 Wednesday morning when they went to the pasture to look at some cattle.

July 30, 1914 – The Knocker’s Prayer – “Lord, please don’t let this town grow. I’ve lived here for 30 years and during that time I’ve fought every public improvement; I’ve knocked on everything and everybody; no firm or individual has established a business here without my doing all I could to put them out of business. I’ve lied about them and would have stolen from them if I had the courage; I have done all I could to keep the town from growing; never have I spoken a good word for it, but instead, I’ve knocked had and often”

“It pains me, O Lord, to see that in spite of my knocking this town is beginning to grow. Some day, I fear, I will be called upon to put down sidewalks in front of my property and who knows but what I may have to help keep up the streets that run by my premises. This Lord, would be more than I could bear. It would cost me money and I could not afford to put out my money, though all I have was made right here in this town.”

“Then too, more people might come if the town begins to grow which would cause me to lose more of my pull. I ask therefore, to keep this town at a standstill, that I may continue to be the chief knocker. – Amen.” Exchange.

October 8, 1914 – Auto Flopped Over – Thursday night as C. M. Lyons and family were motoring home from El Dorado their car upset and pinned them all underneath. Mr. Lyons, although pinned down by the weight of the car, managed to extricate himself by breaking a door off and then got the others out. Mrs. Lyons was not badly hurt although the car rested heavily across her chest. Marshall, who was at the wheel, received a severe cut above the forehead and the skin peeled loose a little distance. The younger son, Mason, was practically unhurt. Mr. Lyons got the worst of it, as he not only was injured by the car falling on him but also by the strain of lifting it off the others. He has been confined to his bed since, but is gradually improving. The accident happened, so far as can be learned, by a loss of control while chasing a rabbit down the road. They were brought home Friday morning by W. W. Leathers to whose house they had been taken.

Mrs. Lyon’s condition indicates a cracked rib as her souvenir of the accident.

October 15, 1914 – J. H. Heymann, aged 86 years, died at his home 1-1/2 miles north, ½ mile west of DeGraff, Thursday, October 8, 1914 of pneumonia. He had been sick two weeks. He was born at Kaltenholzhausen, Germany, August 13, 1838 and came to America with his parents in 1849, settling near Monroeville, Ohio. He went to California in 1853, going overland and seeking gold. He returned in 1855.

Mr. Heymann was married in 1855 to Miss Katherine Scheid of Monroeville, who died in 1882. He was married again in 1883 to Jennette Elizabeth Heimann. He was the father of 19 children, 11 of whom with his wife survive him. He came to Kansas in 1886 and settled in North Butler County. He was in the sheep business here for many years and was known all over this part of the country as a kind, noble and God fearing man, never too busy or in too big a hurry to speak a kind word to everybody. He was a charter member of the German M. E. Church.

January 21, 1915 – Robbers Get Big Swag – Funke & Co’s Store Visited by Burglers Loot Worth Over $500.00 – Robbers made a raid on A. Funke & Co.’s store at about 2:00 last Friday morning and carried off a swag that beats any previous effort in this burg. Their loot consisted of about 25 suits and overcoats, 9 ladies coats and fully a dozen pairs of trousers besides about 400 yards of silk. The robbers entered the store through one of the rear windows over the balcony. In forcing the window one of the large panes of glass fell and injured one of the party, as evidenced by the blood splashed around. The thieves got away with their plunder on a handcar, which they had taken from a Florence station. The officers traced them to Florence but could locate no further clue. A Mexican who had a key to the car house was arrested for complicity but was later turned loose as nothing could be gotten from him that would clear up the case to any degree. The probabilities are that the goods were taken to Wichita in an automobile and there disposed of through “fences.”