Burns newspaper butler county kansas

Butler County, Kansas

The Burns Citizen
Newspaper Tidbits
1921-1925

January 6, 1921 - Miss Ethel Gray of DeGraff, is the new assistant postmaster, beginning the first of the week.

January 20, 1921 - H. A. Boatright is having the second floor of the Dooley Bldg. Fixed up for bedrooms to take care of the overflow from the Cottage Hotel.

January 20, 1921 - Jas. Hobbs has purchased the Midway Café which Mr. Barbee re-opened Monday.

January 27, 1921 - Last week, W. Scribner, who is said to have used in several instances, the name of one of our well-to-do citizens, I. N. Smith, in writing checks, was taken to Marion by Marshal Leonard.

March 24, 1921 - The Wagner Brothers Bakery opened in Burns in March.

May 5, 1921 - According to assessor, H. W. Allen, Burns, lost 55 people in the past year.

May 12, 1921 - Henry Hammann received full citizenship papers Monday at Marion.

May 26, 1921 - Two small tornadoes struck Burns and vicinity this afternoon about 4:20 and did considerable damage. One hit town and one passed to the north. The Burns Independent Oil Co's. filling station suffered badly, E. A. Barker's silo at the south edge of town was blown down, the 3rd floor of the new school building, being exposed was badly wrecked. Several garages and small buildings were turned over and smashed. The 2 large plate glass windows in the Post Office and the one in the furniture front were blown in. The storm was also hard on trees. At Wesley Barker's in the county everything was smashed, except the house and barn. A number of oil derricks west and south west of town were blown down.

July 21, 1921 - R. L. Freeland sold his dairy to Wm. Manning.

August 18, 1921 - The opening of school as been postponed 1 week to install the furnishings in the new High School Bldg.

September 22, 1921 - The Local American Legion Post was organized and named for one who gave his life in the World War - Marion Sidener.

December 8, 1921 - The High School Dedication and formal opening is scheduled for Dec. 16.

December 29, 1921 - Butler County officers raised a still south of Burns one day in 1921. One gentleman was arrested and placed in the county jail at El Dorado. When his case came up before the judge, it was found the gentleman in question was preparing a medicine for "hog cholera". Needless to say he was released!

February 9, 1922 - The oil boom around Burns is on the wane.

March 23, 1922 - The Santa Fe installed an electric crossing alarm at the Broadway crossing last week. They are also preparing to build a tile Mexican tenement.

May 4, 1922 - Roger and John Lilley took back the management of their elevator the first of May.

May 11, 1922 - The Burns Co-operative Union was organized Tuesday evening with a capital stock of $10,000 and 70 stockholders.

Mr. and Mrs. Warren have taken charge of the Cottage Hotel.

May 25, 1922 - Miss Ethel Gray of DeGraff was the successful contestant for the Ford touring car offered by the Burns Hardware Co. Marshall Lyons was the only close rival.

June 22, 1922 - Burns is going to need a new traffic cop if drivers are not a little more considerate. Marshall Leonard was busy with a group of Mexicans at the Burns State Bank corner, Wednesday evening, at about 6 o'clock, when Miss Genevieve Palmer forgot the traffic rules in turning the corner and nearly ruined the strong arm of the law. Leonard is wearing a crippled foot and a bruised leg.

The Farmers Union closed a deal, Tuesday, for the Harader & Bell merchandise stock. They take possession July 1.

September 7, 1922 - Conrad Hammann closed his tailor shop and has gone to work in El Dorado.

October 26, 1922 - There is a new tailor in town - Mr. Robert E. Sinclair.

November 2, 1922 - The public drinking fountain purchased by the Burns Study Club was installed at the Bank corner last Thursday.

Janurary 4, 1923 - J. W. McCreary sold his meat market, Saturday to Mr. A. F. Arnold of Potwin. W. E. Robinson will be in charge.

February 1, 1923 - Those who wish to have letters delivered in El Dorado the first thing in the morning, just drop your mail in the post office before six in the evening and it will be delivered by the early morning train.

March 22, 1923 - The Burns Catholic congregation now has a priest of its own. Father Brady has been assigned to Burns, coming from Great Bend. The Burns congregation has been coupled with Florence ever since its organization in the early 80's.

March 29, 1923 - An odd thing happened out at J. L. Orr's one day last week. A cow fell of a straw stack and broke her neck. No one in these parts has ever heard of such a happening before.

April 5, 1923 - Schimpff & Giddings disposed of the Auditorium Theatre and adjacent confectionery to Mr. Frank Havenhill of Manhattan. Geo. Johnson will continue as manager.

April 26, 1923 - Burns will inaugurate service on RR3 next week, Postmaster Smith announced.

May 31, 1923 - The Catholic people of this community are planning to build a new parish house soon and on Tuesday they sold the present house at public auction. C. A. Godding was the high bidder at $623. The new house will cost between $6,000 and $9,000.

June 28, 1923 - The contract for building the new Catholic parish house was let last week to F. B. Sprague. W. B. Brenning has the contract for the concrete work.

July 26, 1923 - The old swimming hole out on Bill's Creek is being transformed by the Boy Scouts under the leadership of Scoutmaster, C. L. Bruner, into quite a desirable resort. It has become so popular that it is unsafe to take to the water in nature's garb.

August 2, 1923 - F. C. Freeburn sold his Santa Fe Tire shop to A. R. Clark, who took possession Wednesday.

August 9, 1923 - Monday R. P. Smith sold his interest in the Burns Hdw. to his partner, J. K. Dooley.

August 23, 1923 - The old Burns Hotel was re-opened, Monday under the management of Mrs. Ada Bettis. Workmen at the new Catholic parish house are making quite a showing this week, they are putting up the frame and boxing it. At the present rate the roof ought to be ready for the shingles by Sat. night.

August 23, 1923 - Mrs. Jas. Clark of Girard was in Burns, Saturday, on a pilgrimage to the grave of John Cornwell, one of the early residents of Burns. He died 30 to 35 years ago and was the first person buried in the Burns cemetery.

September 6, 1923 - Geo. Hennes sold his blacksmith shop to E. E. Lister, Tuesday. Mr. Hennes operated the shop 16 years.

September 13, 1923 - I. N. Smith's barn burned Monday morning. No one knows how the fire started but no one seems to lay it on rats and mice.

September 20, 1923 - (Taken from a letter written to the paper from Mr. Eakin of Valley Home, Calif.) "This writer helped organize the Burns School Dist. And helped build its first schoolhouse in 1883. I was the first Justice of the Peace in what was then the south end of Doyle Twp. The town then consisted of the Funke & Beuke Store and a building built by a man named Moore, bought and occupied by this writer. This bldg. later became the dining room of the Burns Hotel, built by this writer. There was no railroad station then only a spur track which was lengthened the next year and connected at the south end to the main track. The stockyards were then built. This writer then became the first depot agent, keeping the books in my little store. In a year or so a little depot was built. I remained in charge a short time longer and then a telegraph instrument was put in and Arthur Dunham was sent to take charge."

October 11, 1923 - Floyd Draper moved his barber shop to Burns from Peabody last week-end. They have located in the Bird Bldg. across the alley from the electric shop.

October 25, 1923 - City supt. of waters and lights, Frank Brown, installed a 500 watt light on the top of the water tower this past weekend. In some directions it can be seen some 15 to 20 miles.

November 1, 1923 - Opened for business - The Freeburne Produce - located east of the Burns Hotel.

December 6, 1923 - Burns is planning a community Christmas tree and big Christmas party for the children. They plan to erect a tree in a public place the week of Christmas and on Christmas Eve give a program including carol singing, Santa Claus, and free treats for the children.

December 13, 1923 - Floyd Draper sold his barber shop to Ben Hennes and moved back to Peabody.

December 27, 1923 - Herman Ketteman arrived Monday, from Wurttemburg, Germany, to make his home in this country. He is a nephew of Mrs. Geo. Knauss.

January 3, 1924 - The store room vacated by the Cook Furniture Co. has been remodeled to accommodate the Hennes-Gfeller barber shop.

January 10, 1924 - Rev. A. M. Goepfert, driving a Ford and Wesley Dauber, also driving a flivver, tried the billy-goat stunt on the eastest highway a mile south of Burns, last Thurs. evening, with disastrous results to the flivver. None of the occupants were hurt. Rev. Goepfert was driving on the wrong side of the road because the track was better and met young Dauber on the same track.

February 14, 1924 - It seems that someone made a raid on one of C. A. Waggy's pens of hogs a few days ago. Mr. Waggy had a few porkers on the old Waggy farm, though he lives on the Keith place. One hog is missing and it is believed it was killed in the lot. In trying to kill the one they succeeded in crippling two other valuable animals, one of them a registered sow for which he paid a good price.

June 5, 1924 - The Auditorium Theater has been sold again to H. C. Strom. He plans to reopen the first of July.

June 12, 1924 - Charles Olberding is now a registered pharmacist receiving his diploma last week.

Mr. Ojile is opening a dry goods store in the Vestring bldg. east of Rierson's meat market.

June 19, 1924 - Burns most disastrous fire to date occurred just after midnight, Monday night. A $15,000 to $20,000 blaze made a huge hole in the business district. The Auditorium Theater was entirely consumed by the fire and the Vincent Motor Co. Bldg. was a desolate and charred wreck. The theater was a stucco finished frame bldg. and burned like tinder. It was soon communicated to the Vincent bldg. next door and gravely threatened other structures in the vicinity because of flying embers. Some were carried 4 and 5 blocks though the wind was rather light. The rear of the Vincent bldg. was a total wreck and the main part suffered some badly damaged places. The loss at Vincents was estimated at $7 to $8,000. The original cost of the theater was about $16,000. It had been closed since Jan. and plans were to reopen the first of July. The cause of the fire is unknown.

July 3, 1924 - The Telephone Co. has been moving the central office into the Koebele residence during the past week and are getting pretty well straightened around at this time.

July 31, 1924 - Last Thursday the Burns Comm. Was given an introduction to a real life size KKK meeting. The Klan held its demonstration in the Barker field a quarter mile south of Burns. The location was marked by large K's of red electric lights distinctly visible to anyone who may have been on the main street of town. A number estimated to at 2 to 4 thousand were in attendance.

August 7, 1924 - Dr. F. T. Johnson, local doctor was killed in an auto accident on the road between Burns and Florence during the early morning hours on Tuesday.

September 4, 1924 - The automatic burgler alarm at the Burns State Bank created a little excitement Sat. eve. It started going and no one knew why. People cautiously peeped in the window to see if someone was pulling a daring robbery. The cashier, Mr. Bruner, finally arrived and put a stop to the noise. It developed that his little son, Max, had moved a switch earlier in the evening.

October 2, 1924 - Mrs. Cannedy sold her millinery store.

October 16, 1924 - R. W. Long sold his lumber business to the McIntire Lumber Co.

November 6, 1924 - Dr. Wise moved back this week from Greensburg.

John Fessler arrived Saturday from Pennsylvania. He had been reported to have died some while back, but he recovered from the stroke and thought he would show us!

November 23, 1924 - Myron Vincent wants that fire siren fixed, he says every time it sounds an alarm in the dead of night the bloomin' thing gets his underthings all balled up. He has the sympathy of many others.

January 8, 1925 - Prince Pash was born in Bloomington, Ill., in about the year 1856 and died at Burns, Ks., Jan. 5, 1925. When he was 12 years of age he was chased from his home by his father. When Prince was a young man he went to work for E. W. Barker, with whom he stayed for some 3 years. Then he came to Burns and began work for J. W. Barker and here he stayed for nearly 39 years. Buried in Burns Cemetery.

The Burns School Alumnae was organized Jan. 2, 1925.

February 19, 1925 - More about the airy days by J. H. Eakin - "I came to Kansas in 1880 and located on the Keystone sheep ranch north east of Burns (now the Grace ranch). In about 1883 I bought a building and small stock of merchandise from a Mr. Moore. Afterward I sold the stock to Mr. T. A. Baxter, who had become my partner, and he put up a new store building. (The one just north of the Citizen's office) and moved the goods into it. I started a boarding house in the old store building, and in 1885 built the Burns Hotel (then three stories high) making a dining room of the old store building section. Funke and Beuke had arrived in Burns in or about '77 or '78, Barney Strotkamp, Mr. Olberding, Henry Westerhaus, Barney and Joe Vestring came about the same time. The Joe Collett family lived a half mile north of Burns at the time I moved there. The Pete Swengle, Jesse Heath, and F. L. Giddings families preceded me also. Soon Burns began to grow, J. G. Morse put in a lumber yard (where McIntire Lumber Co. is located now) Dysert and Sherry built a livery stable on the site of the present A. Funk and Co. Charley Lyons built a blacksmith shop. We got a school district formed and built a school house (on the present site of the Reaugh residence). The German settlers built a church about 1882. Before this a new township was formed and I was the first Justice of the Peace. Sometime later we bought ground for a cemetery. I had a lot in it, but never used it."

March 5, 1925 - The Vincent Motor Co., is in the process of getting settled in its location on East Main. It is a magnificent building for the purpose.

March 26, 1925 - Linus Riggs, who was rendered unconscious in a recent car accident with Dr. Wise, notes that a couple of years ago, while playing football in high school, he suffered a severe injury which drove him to wearing glasses and it also sent him back home after starting school in a Wichita institution. Since he got out again after his recent accident he finds he no longer needs his glasses.

April 25, 1925 - The population of Burns has fallen off over 10% in the last years, putting it back where it was before the oil was found in the vicinity.

The largest shipment of cattle received at Burns in many years arrived Tuesday and Wednesday. 62 cars of stock from southeast Kansas and Texas for the Barkers. This makes them something around 3,000 head.

April 30, 1925 - R. P. Smith sold the Burns Tire & Supply to Squire and Allen, Tuesday.

July 2, 1925 - Mrs. Julio Vasquez, wife of one of the Santa Fe track men living here, died this morning. The family has resided here a number of years. Their daughter, Conception, has been used as an interpreter for the Mexican Colony since she was 5 or 6 years old.

July 16, 1925 - The Summit School Dist. is to have a new modern 2-room school building by fall. Work is in progress.

July 30, 1925 - A fourth rural route is to be added to Burns.

September 10, 1925 - C. F. Smith, postmaster for 5 years resigned and R. N. Palmer succeeded him in that position.

W. A. Tittle was badly injured in a horse race at the Burden Fair last Thursday. He is a jockey.

October 1, 1925 - Ebenezer M. E. Church is undergoing improvements. A new basement was dug and finished off and an addition to the auditorium made.

October 29, 1925 - Dr. A. L. Wise sold out to Dr. Brown of Clearwater.

December 3, 1925 - Three churches in the vicinity are showing unusual activity. Ebenezer held a re-opening last Sunday after extensive remodeling, the U. B. church in town is under going a remodeling project, Wonsevu is raising funds for a basement under their church, Summit U. B. will re-open after Christmas with a revival campaign.

December 17, 1925 - The F. K. Rowe Independent Oil Co., sold to Skelly Oil Co.

Mr. and Mrs. S. Crites celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary last Thursday. They are among the few remaining real old settlers of this community, Mr Crites having 1st come here in 1881 and homesteaded the farm he still owns in Summit Twp.