Transcribed from volume I of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar.

Empire City, a station on the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R. in the southeast corner of Cherokee county, was founded early in the year 1877 by the West Joplin Lead and Zinc company. A postoffice was established, and soon afterward the place was incorporated as a city of the third class with S. L. Cheeney as the first mayor. For some time there was a spirited rivalry between Empire City and Galena, located on opposite sides of Short creek within a stone's throw of each other, but in 1907 this rivalry was ended by the annexation of Empire City to Galena (q. v.).

Page 588 from volume I of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar. Transcribed May 2002 by Carolyn Ward.