A Century of Greenwood County, KS History

A Century of Greenwood County, KS History - Eureka Herald, 1968

1889

A small force of men were engaged in January in the construction of the street railway. The work was at the south end of Main and consisted of grading and placing ties and rails in position. The new fire bell, weighing 525 pounds, arrived in February and was swung into position in the tower of the city hall.

Water mains were being extended east of River street. four hydrants were placed in the courthouse yard, one in each corner. The county paid for putting in the pipes and the city supplied water without cost. Honorable Edwin Tucker was a member of the State Senate.

The old Adair building, an ancient landmark, was reconstructed by the owner, Joseph Leedy. More than 20 years before the county seat of Greenwood County was established at Eureka by a majority vote of four votes. William Martindale took three of his hay hands from the field and induced them to vote for Eureka for the county seat.

A telephone connected the Fourth Avenue Hotel with the depot and a wire was soon to be extended to the Santa Fe depot. Presbyterian churches were organized at Hamilton and Neal. Ed Crebe purchased the Nye & Pierce lot on Main street and a two-story brick and stone business house, one hundred feet deep, was to be erected.

The Howard State Bank corporation was starting to build on the corner south of the Hotel Greenwood at a cost of $10,000. It was to be known as the Farmers & Drovers Bank, starting with a capital of $100,000. during the building boom in Eureka, $75,000 worth of structures had been erected during the first nine months of 1889. The commodious assembly room of the high school was supplemented by two recitation rooms, constructed during a recent vacation. Eureka won first money in the Hood and Ladder race at Ottawa.

The merchants of Eureka met in September to organize the protective system of the Merchant's Mercantile Agency of Chicago, ILL. The merchants organized themselves to the end that all men should be compelled to honesty when their own honor failed to be a sufficient incentive. J.W. Leeds was interviewing people in the county concerning a new railroad from Kansas City through LeRoy, Eureka, Winfield and Arkansas City.

Do not swear. There is no occasion for it outside of a printing office. It is useful in proof-reading and indispensable in getting forms to press, and has been known to assist in looking over the paper after it is printed, but otherwise it is a disgusting habit.

1890

Eureka Building & Loan Association, after a little more than five years of existence, closed, the shares having reached a par value of $100. Over $12,000 in the treasury was distributed among shareholders. Coal has been found in Salem township. Although the real thickness of the vein had not been ascertained, some figured it to be 37 inches. Those seeing the coal said it was of first class quality, burned freely and almost entirely. Hopes for Eureka's and the county's future were bright for this vein promised to be the thickest yet in Kansas so close to the surface. Some Wichita parties were trying to lease the land.

Dedication of the Presbyterian Church in Madison was conducted by Rev. J.F. Hendy. The church had a seating capacity of 225 persons. The most destructive fire in the history of the city occurred March 29 when $25,000 worth of property on Main street was destroyed in a few minutes.

H.S. Kline sold the Hamilton Broadaxe to an organized company of gentlemen. The plant was to be moved to Eureka and efforts were to be made to get the Alliance to adapt the paper as its official organ. The fire department announced a change in the manner of ringing the bell for fires so that the alarm would be sounded first and taps to indicate the ward, after the alarm had sounded several minutes.

Eureka was to have electricity. The Electric Company purchased the lot directly east of Hotel Greenwood on which to erect buildings for dynamos, etc. The company was assured of 350 incandescent lamps, 16 candle power, the city taking 75 of them. The manager ordered work to begin on the buildings, to be completed by mid-July. Poles were being erected and wires stretched. At a council meeting, it was decided to change to arc lights, agreeing to take ten of 2000 candle power each, and pay the sum of $83.33 per month. A 100-horsepower boiler was brought here from the sugar works at Douglass.

Crebo was building another building east of the new bank. It cost $1.50 to join the Herald family of readers. The Herald "clubbed" the weekly Topeka Capital and the Herald for $2.00 for one year.

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1891 - 1892

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