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

1960

The National Farm Loan Assoc. of Eureka changed its name on Jan 1 to the Federal Land Bank Assoc. of Eureka. The name change was in compliance with the 1959 Farm Credit Act passed recently by Congress. Lloyd L. "Tom" Grayson announced the sale of the Western auto Associate store in eureka to Clayton Bailey. Grayson operated the business for seven years and, on the advice of his physician, retired. Bailey had been active for 14 years in the operation of the Bailey Bottling co., which was no longer to function as a business.

The condemnation of the present fire station by the State Fire Marshal due to its age and structural weakness, prompted the city of Eureka officials, citizens and commission members to hasten an investigation of plans and costs for a new city building which would adequately house the municipal facilities, including fire station, police department, city clerk's office and commissioners meeting room. According to the commissioners, it would be too impractical and too expensive to remodel the present Memorial hall due to its design, size and age. A preliminary plan had been presented to the commission by an authorized architect, which the commission desired to place before the public and to hold a city election to authorize issuance of bonds. The bonds were voted down on April 7.

Eureka's most disastrous fire since 1948, reported at 4:20 p.m., Saturday, February 27, destroyed the McLellan store building and its contents, seriously endangered several other buildings in the 200 block of North Main. The fire all but exhausted the city's water supply and resulted in costly smoke and water damage to four nearby establishments. Realizing at one the local fire department lacked equipment to battle a blaze of such extent and ferocity, Chief Carl Knudsen called for assistance from the El Dorado fire department. A pumper truck and two firemen were dispatched at once. A pump truck and crew of the Dowell Co also donated their services.

Fire reported at 3:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 20, resulted in heavy damage to Bratton's Grill, 108 N. Main, and the George R. Brown building adjoining it to the north. The over-all loss totaled many thousands of dollars. Just 21 days previously, the McLellan store was gutted by fire. The two major fires were the most serious in Eureka since 1948.

The Eureka Floral and Gift Shop at 312 N. Main, a new business enterprise for Eureka, announced its formal opening on April 2. The business was to be operated as a partnership of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Winfrey and Clyde Zimmerman. City limits were to be enlarged. All persons owning land near the city and desiring to be included were to petition the city clerk. New style telephone numbers were to go into service in Hamilton on April 30 as this city went on the new dial plan.

Purkeypile's Econ-o-Wash, Eureka's new coin-operated self-service laundry held a grand opening on May 20 - 21. The new facilities at First and Elm street were open for 24-hour a day, seven-days-a-week service. An estimated 8,000 persons thronged Toronto Dam and Reservoir area on June 18 for formal dedication of the $14.7 million facility on the Verdigris river, south of Toronto. The reservoir, which drains an area of 730 square acres, was authorized by Congress in 1941 and construction by the Corps of Engineers began in 1955. The conservation pool covers a surface area of 2,800 acres with a total storage capacity of 195,000 acre-feet including the 24,000 acre-feet conservation and sediment reserve pool.

Following the annual summer custom in Eureka, religious services were held each Sunday evening at 8:00 p.m. in the ball park at Eureka city park. The Ministerial Alliance of Eureka sponsored the services. The city received an $80,219 estimate on remodeling the Memorial Hall for a combined fire station and city building. In the last city election a proposal for a bond issue not to exceed $65,000 for the construction of such a building was voted down. another bond issue was to be put to public vote as the widening of the cracks and the increased hazard of the present fire station in the last few months made it imperative for the commissioners to be able to take action as soon as possible. The bond issue was voted down once more.

A meeting for the purpose of viewing the proposed plan of the Fall River Watershed project was held August 16. The proposed plan included 28 flood water retarding structures and one multi-purpose flood water retarding and municipal water supply structure for the city of Eureka. The plan was accepted by the board of directors of the watershed district and by the city officials.

The Eureka postoffice turned 102 years of age in August with "business as usual," now serving approximately 6,000 patrons. Large crows attended the three-day open house of the L.D. Griffitts Plumbing at the new location, 108 North Main. Glenn E. Truskett announced the opening of a new Allis-Chalmers agency, east of Eureka, known as Truskett Equipment. C.R. McKay opened a new Fina station at 200 West River, which was also the headquarters for Eureka Propane Co. The Greenwood Cafe reopened for business under the management of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Myers. Open house was held for the new State Highway Commission building on East Seventh.

Title Page
1961 - 1962


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