A Century of Greenwood County, KS History

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

1939

The Eureka Music Co. moved to its new location in the building formerly used by the Eureka Bank at the corner of Second and Main. work had started on the new White Way system. The KEP had agreed to furnish and install 62 of these standards on Main street. Remodeling of the Griggs Shoe Store had been completed and the formal opening held.

Dr. Charles E. Basham of St. Louis, Mo. was planning to move to Eureka, where he would be associated with his brothers, Drs. Francis, John and James, in the practice of medicine. Water from Lake Eureka, was turned into the city mains. So gradual was the change that consumers failed to notice the difference until the supply was about one-half lake water. One of the finest things about it was the softness of the water - and the taste was improved.

The Drs. Basham leased the Wood building, corner of Main and Second, occupied by the Eureka Music Co., and planned to have their offices and clinic there. The city purchased a new 1939 Standard Ford V8 Tudor to replace the old police car. The new car was black with "Police Department" printed in three-inch letters on both sides. A police siren was to be installed.

The Eureka Baker installed a new automatic doughnut machine of the latest type, such as was used at the New York World's Fair and the San Francisco Exposition. The machine was installed in the front room of the bakery and the public was invited to watch it operate. A new clothing store, with a complete line of men's clothing, opened in the Gooing building. The new business was owned by Ed R. Osborn, formerly of Gridley. The Home Furnishing moved to its new location at 107 North Main.

1940

A new Gambles Store, located at 109 North Main, was to open under the management of Marion Harding. The census of April 1940 showed Eureka's population to be 3,804 as compared with 3,696 on April 1, 1930. A new food storage locker plant was being installed in the building on East Fourth, formerly occupied by the S & H Bakery. Work had been started on the new auditorium-gymnasium at the high school in Neal.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Sponsored a Soap Box Derby for the Cub Scouts of eureka. The event took place on the Second street hill between Mulberry and Elm streets. In Greenwood County, 1656 young men registered for the draft as youth of the entire nation signed up under the Selective Service Order. According to word from Topeka, no open resentment against the draft registration was reported. There was no excitement as in the World War I enrollment 23 years before, when parades, mass meetings and martial music were the order of the day in Kansas.

A 24-inch vein of coal was found on land near Eureka where George McConkey, local inventor and research engineer, was drilling for water at a depth of 80 feet. Congressman W.P. Lamberston of Fairview believed the United States would enter the World War within four or five months of December 1940. "It will be sometime in the spring," he asserted. "We (the United States) always like to start our wars in April, so I think that it would be about that time."

1941

Mrs. C.A. Leedy traded her business building at 211 N. Main to Ether Burton for his building at 104 S. Main and a cash consideration. After alterations and repairs to the building, Mr. Burton was to move his electric appliance and furniture business there. The O. K. Cornett grain elevator on the Santa Fe tracks between Fifth and Sixth streets was completely destroyed by fire and approximately 2,300 bu. of seed grain were badly damaged by fire and water.

The United States Defense Bonds and postal Savings stamps were placed on sale in the Eureka post office as part of the national effort to make America impregnable. Eureka's newest business enterprise, Harold's ready-to-wear, millinery and shoe store, was located at 208 North Main with H.J Winterscheid of Horton, owner and manager. Ten days later a fire, caused by a short circuit in electric wiring, resulted in almost complete destruction of the new store's stock. It was planned to re-open the store as soon as new merchandise arrived and the building repaired.

Seventy-two men from Greenwood County were among the 10,000 new registrants for army service, who had reached their 21st birthday as of October 6, 1940. The Service Director ordered deferment of men over 29 years of age. work in installing the new dial telephone system in Severy was progressing in a satisfactory manner. The new telephone building was to be completed in July.

Tom Raber purchased the interest of his brother, Ed, in the Leader Auto Supply. Milliken's Auto Supply, under the management of Dave Milliken, was to open in Madison. There was one person who had read the Herald every week since it was established in July 1868. She was Mrs. L.J. Barrier of Eureka, who came to Eureka with her parents in 1867 at nine years of age and had read the Herald for 73 years.

Six Eurekans were in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked - James Jackson, Dick Colvin, Edward (Babe) Donnelly and Jack West were in the Navy and Fred Hartman was in the Marine Corps. Two Eureka boys were thought to be aboard ship somewhere in the Pacific enroute to the Philippine Islands. They were Steve Postlethwait and Glenn Welch.

Title Page
1942 - 1943

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