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

1899

Thirty-nine Greenwood boys were among those who left for Manila in January. There were 100 telephones in operation in eureka. The People's Bank was organized in Madison. Dr. C.C. Cheney and his son, Dr. R.E. Cheney had opened a dental office in Eureka over the Clark Drug Store. Many problems were in existence in Eureka - such as stray cattle, mad dogs, odors from smelly livery barns and feed lots, army worms, medicine shows, fights, team runaways, loafers spitting tobacco juice on the sidewalks (especially bad for the ladies passing in their long skirts), many suicides and murders and a sprinkling of "wife-beatings."

The total assessed valuation of Greenwood County was $3,941.288. A military company had been formed at the Academy.

1900

There were 11 weekly newspapers in the county. If sufficient electric fan contracts could be made, the town was to have a day circuit next summer. Prospects were good for a telephone line from Eureka to Emporia, at a cost of $2000. A rich find of zinc was reported on the John Willis farm, five miles northeast of Eureka. Several "hop tea" sellers had contributed shekels to the city fund. Soybeans was a new drought resisting crop, imported from Japan.

The Eureka Commercial Club was organized in March with Edw. Crebo as president. A meeting was held in the courthouse in January to organize a mineral prospecting company. An attempt was made by some person or persons to destroy the Christian Church by fire. The mud was so thick and deep that Al Frazier had to put four horses on his bus, then it was all they could do to pull it.

The ownership and management of the Herald passed from Z. Harlan to George E. Tucker on January 20, 1900 and the paper was changed back to a six column, published on Friday. A 10-foot roadbed of crushed rock was laid on Main from Fifth to the tracks at a total cost of $200. The completion of the stone arch bridge at Gleason's ford was celebrated on June 6. The salary of the street commissioner was raised from 12 to 15 cents an hour; the marshall received $25 per month and the night watchman, $20.

A baseball team, the "Eureka Blues," was organized. $6000 was raised in Eureka to prospect for gas. Greenwood was the banner cattle county in the state. Eureka Gas Company was formed in June and the city council granted it a franchise. Gas was reached in December at a depth of 1255 feet. A new Populish paper, Toronto Times, was started with the press work done in Yates Center.

The school levy was 15 mills. The Madison News was established by George Wood and George Gilman. They later bought the Madison Star and consolidated the two papers. Greenwood County had a new crop - angora goats - in the southern part of the county. Approximately 1500 people attended the celebration of the new Ladd bridge in Fall River township. Thursday, August 9, was the day Eureka commenced to drill for gas. The first blow of the drill was at 4 p.m. A telephone line was being built from Howard to Severy and was to continue to Eureka.

Cement and brick sidewalks had made their appearance in Eureka. All buildings on the west side of Main in Reece were destroyed by fire on September 6. A new 900-lb fire bell had been purchased by the city. A disastrous tornado visited Hamilton in September. Theo. Roosevelt visited Eureka on September 30 and spoke to 4000 people assembled at the depot. Greenwood County had 119 school buildings with a value of $90,900. The Piedmont Methodist Church was destroyed by fire in December.

Title Page
1901 - 1902


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