davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-08-01

The Bee Hive.
80 Main Street.
,sebree Old Stand).
4 few prices to boom business dur
ing the dull season
Prunes &C. pound.
Maccaroni SC.
Plain and Mixed Candy 20 10.
Large box Lye Sc.
Lump Starch &c. 10
Alabaster Starch, with Blueing and
Wax &c. package.
Corn Search 40.
Large boxes Matches DC dozen O. dozen
for 25c.
Wooden Wash Boards 80.
Clothes Pins lc. dozen
Cobbler's Shoe Nails Be. box.
Ink &c. bottle
Envelopes &C. package
Paper 3 and 4c quire.
Armour's Key Soap for &C.
Our Favorite Soap, ~ bars for 200
This an old we'll seasoned soap and
only limited quantity in stock and
cannot be sold again at the price
Special bargains in
SHOES, BOOTS,
Tinware, Dry Goods, Notions, Etc.
Country merchants will do we'll to
get our figures to the trade before buy
ing.
Don't forget the place,
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
CHICAGO EXPANSION TREE.

CFrom the Chicago Inter-Ocean-1
Cook county has a tree almost with
in the limits Of Chicago that is trying
in a modest way to keep pace with the
city in growth 1t rears its majestic
height in a field on the farm of Charles
kotz, two miles and half west Of
Crosse Point
It is the biggest known tree in the
United States, the great seduoias of
California alone being excepted Three
feet from the ground its girth is IL
feet The diameter is Is feet inches
The height is 130 feet
Yet this marvel. which hundreds Of
years ago may have been worshiped by
a savage race. has gone on year by
year producing it's foliage and in the
order of nature casting 1T off. all I'M
noticed by Chicago. About its only adj
nirer has been the owner. Charles
kotz- He guards it as jealousy as he
does his own children
Aside from the great height and girth
Of the trunk is a remarkable hollow or
room at its foot This hollow is 26 feet
in circumference 81 feet IN diameter
and 20 feet in height: a natural door
way feet high and 4 feet wide at the
broadcast part A horse and its rider
can easily pass through To the interior
Three horses can easily be sheltered in
side the mammoth trunk. The hollow is
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05

one Of the stage boxes which was occu-
pied by Z gigantic drOver and a party of
friends With his long arms he reached
over the rail grabbed her around the
waist. lifted her into his box and placed
her calmly on his knees in less time than
it takes to tell it.
The audience was furious at the f4miI-
iaritieS taken with its favoriLe- and there
was a rush for the stage The big drOver
dropped the girl and drawing his re-
volver. held the crowd at bay Then bed
lam broke loose and pretty soon nearly
everybody began TO shoot Those who
did not care to participate in the battle
started for the door, and their flight was
fastened by a hysterIcaI Individual. who,
in Ieaping from one bench TO another.
struck a big kerosene lamp with his head
and sent IL flying into the midst Of the
pandeuOuium-
How I got out of the place never was
able to decide. but --Rowdy Joe-s'' pal
ace was heap of ashes two hours after
ward and there were ruHors OF numer-
Gus lost lives
'-Rowdy joe passed in his checks at
Denver only 4 few weeks ago This town
got too tame for him and he went out to
the mines Then. after he reached the
age of 10, he decided to settle down and
enjoy a peaceful life During the last
blizzard he drove into town and left his
horses hitched in the street without bIau-
kets- A policeman of humane instincts
took them to j stable, and Joe expressed
his views of that Interference and of pO-
ucemen in general in saloon where he
had taken refuge from the cold. An ex-
member of the Denver police resented the
criticisms '-ROw1y Joe Is IN the Gene
terry and the ex-pOliCenan is in jail await
ing trial for murder
T 7
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05

one else at an advance or loss, as the
case might be- for values were affected
daily by plans for Improvement and rlI-
ru0rs of street car lines new railroads,
factories and fine residences TO be
erected in that neighbOrhOOd- Blocks
and streets were laid out over an area
sufficient to accommodate I, 600 600 peO-
pie
When the boom burst IT is said that
$500 houses were torn down and the
material used for drewOod- Town lots
that once were severed and sidewaIked
and uiDed for gas and sold for hun
dreds Of thousands of dollars are now
cultivated as cOruheIds- one man sold
q quarter of his homestead On the out
skirts o. town for 81. 0O0. 600 and spent a
large part Of the money in building and
equippfug a street car line to reach It
He took the land back from the pur-
chasers upon the payment Of q small
part of the purchase price and surren-
dered the notes they had given him for
the amount Of $750.0e0 The rails of
his tranway were sold for old iron. the
ties for hrewood- and the cars, which
were brought all the way from Phila-
deIpEia- make picturesque group OF
0uthoUses around his barnyard-
one of the real estate men who sur
vfved the boom tells me that his COM
missions on sales OF town lots were
s40O. 900 the week before the break The
week after they were less than $1,000
The collapse of the boom in Wichita Is
traced directly editorial written by
Marsh AIuriock and published II his news
ably caused more cOmmOtiou IN this htrle
western world than any other article that
WIS ever published. because It Knocked
all the wind out of Wichita and the rapid
panic that followed became Contagious
nd spread TO every Kansas town II Is
q question whether Mr. MurI0Ck realized
the possible results of his adu10nilLou- He
vas a pioneer IN Kansas state builder
He started the first paper west or south
Of ToDsl1a IN 1862 ard he came to Wichita
before the railroad He loved the town
more than any other man n II HIS am
biCiOu. his pride. his hopes were al -uvOlv-
ed in its interests, and he did more Chau
any other man TO create the ficCiOn OF a
metropolis which he himself exposed and
20 inspire the decisions that he destroyed
Nobody doubted his sincerity Nobody
ever questioned the honesty Of his motive
but II is doubtful If wider or deeper OF
haaped upon any other man Thousands
Of Spectators who thought they were mill
E0udIreS were bankrupt the next morn
ing Every line of that editorial cost 81
0a0. GOO 10 the town of Wichita. and with
out doubt it was the most costly article
that ever appeared in type
But the boom would have broken sooner
or later The balloon had become 50 dis
tended that II must have burst within
which prompted Mr. Murdoch TO call Z
Hail Under that title in a few I'M
preSSiva words he warned the people of
Wichita that they had reached the Emit
Of human folly, and II the name Of hon
est citizenship and ordinary business sense
he demanded that insane SpscuIa ton IN
town lots should cease and that the ener-
gfes of the people should b employed in
the fulhIlmenr Of the promises and the de-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
RISE AND FALL
And Gradual Recovery Of Boom
Wichita.
The Metropolis Of the Plains Is
Immortal.
A GLORIOUS FUTURE
Can Be Seen For the City By
Its Residents.
Interesting Correspondence to
Interesting Correspondence to
the Chicago Record.

W E Curtis, continuing his letters
TO the Chicago Record. sends the last
from Kansas under a Wichita date line
Of April Is. He says:
The pressure Of local pride and am
blrlol at Wichita Is about as powerful
As that Of the natural gas at lola
about 1000 pounds to the square inch
and skeptiC car easily cause an ex-
plcslon by expressing doubts as to the
future greatness OF this city
lchlta Is 4 typical boom" town
we've years ago il had a population
OF 5000 Today it has perha ps p 600.
which * a considerable recovery from
q low tide IN 1885. when It had less than
1S-uuo according 10 estimates based
upon the number Of names IN the d.
r-ctorE- IN ISS6-S before the boom
BROKE Wichita real estate was selling
al New York prices and they point out
lots On the main street that sold for
S--5Ct q front foot for which the owners
would now be glad 10 get $500 or S400
1 Ne real estate exchanges in New York
N good times VIII reach about So. OOO. 600
q year N Chicago in 1892 lust before
the " orld- s fair the transfers as shown
py the reCoruer's books were about $50 =
ou@UtU Out al Wichita during the five
months preceding the collapse in ISIS
more than s35, 600 600 in town lots
Changed hands
There was never such a craze for
speculation anywhere else in the world
Town lots were sold AT auction night
after night The trading at the real e.
tate exchanges was like the spAc11I4-f0r
IN stocks on the New York stock ~
change and wheat on the board OF trade
in Chicago Comparatively few OF the
sales were followed by actual trans
fsrs- Before the deed could be. made
cut the property would be sold TO some
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05

NE ssoBB 66 b Of 5 FsoqFee Upon 1 T i
attention Of the public 10 what was al
ready painfully apparent TO everyone
that il would require half a century Of
patient toll to carry out the plans that had
been made for the Improvement of WiCh-
tia and that there was not enough money
in the state of Kansas to settle the obi
town He urged his fellow citizens 10
abandon speculation and settle down to
business.
The Wichita Eagle had a big circulation
II those days and It has always been one
Murdoch was recognized as A man of
great power with the pen and 4 strength
of purpose that never faItered- Hence
when the real estate spectators and the
boomers read the editorial they realized
that il was the honest exh9rtarton of a
They knew that Marsh MurdOck was act
uared BY conscIenJ1ous motives and that
the publication which threatened their in
teresrs would De followed by another Of
downtown TO sell his properly for the best
price he could get. and found that every
body else was there ahead of him for the
What a day that was in wichita, A
stampede OF wild beasts in a meuaE erie
was nothing IN Comparison 70 the panic
OF frenzied men whose fortunes were van
would have sold for hundreds Of uhous-
ands Of dollars twelve hours previous
loaned millions upon real estate mortgages
realized within the next few hours that
they were ruined ana cOHSlerIls ulon sat a I
every dreside II the town. Hundreds Of
thousands OF dollars worth OF 6aIf finish
sd houses upon which the wOrkmen were
busy that morning were left untouched
for years after and one-Chird Of the resi-
dauCes and business Stocks were tenant
less for the next six years
Marsh Murdock fully realized what he
had done No man in Wichita felt deeper
o more genuine grief His own hopes and
future prosperity suffered from the blow
that ruined his fe4IOTF-tOvv nSu1eu- but when
they packed what little they had and LEFT
and started for their former homes in the
east he remained he had been from
Wichita and has ever since been labor
ing to build up the town
Murdoch Ike every body else believes
that Wichita Will yet be A great City-rhe
metropolis of the plains That Is the con-
fident expectation of the entire pOpula-
ton. and. as I have already said the local
pride surpasseS anything that be
found elsewhere That is what keeps up
the place That is what the people are
is working for Wichita with a zeal and
confidence thai Il amusing They are.
however extremely sensitive on this sub
jecC- and there II impression that all
the rest of mankind are watching Wichita
with jealous eyes and throwing obstacles
in the way Of her progress when they
ought 70 be helping her along
Wichita i Jealous Of Topeka and kan
SaS City. and Minneapolis and Chicago.
London and New York. and her people
believe that the ca piCaI and the energy
that ara now being expended in the devel-
OpmsuC OF South Africa and the Siberian
railway properly ought to have been in
vested here Some nlAligu influence has
been exerted 70 prevent Wichita from hav-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
Mrs. Kelley as q Blind Girl


Many anecdotes are told that illus
trate the careful study which the late
Mrs. Kelley was accustomed to bestow
upon all the parts that she undertook
Next to her Jack Sheppard. which had
a tremendous success at the AdeIphi
about the period of the queens mar
rage. and secured her what was then
deemed the splendid salary of SO 4
week. perhaps the most celebrated OF
her parts was that of Nydia, the blind
girl. in a version Of Lord LytCon
Last Days Of Pompeif' which must
have been produced near the Jack
Sheppard period Speaking on this sub
ject to a friend some L or Is years
ago. Mrs. Kelley said:
.fSmike, in Nicholas NickIeby.' was
one Of my favorite parts but 1 loved
Nydia. the blind girl. in 'POmpeiL' the
best of all How hard I studied the
ways Of blind people for that partt
attended day after day the blind school
and watched the pupils under variety
of circumstances remember seeing
a woman thread a needle with her
tongue, and one little incident I noticed
one day I introduced with great effect
Kelley and I were walking down the
hall, and girl who was passing with
her eyes wide open ran against kee-
ley You see, he had no idea she was
blind As she brushed against him she
gave an impatient little sound, which
I initiated as Nydia. and which always
won me a round of applause 1t is q
wonder I did not hurt my eyes and
suppose 1 would have done so if had
been playing the part in these days OF
long runs You know the AdeIphi sea
son in the days am talking about on
ly lasted three months The most try
ing part of the fmpersOnatiou was when
had to go down to the fOotlights To
sing two songs. I could never keep the
tears from stealing down my cheeks,
and the effort to maintain the rigid eX-
preston of the eyes sometimes became
painful But I don't like to think OF
those times. When do I feel as
though 1 should like to get up in th9
middle of the night and play again.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
There are Bargain Lots at the
Lace Counter Tomorrow.

Lot IAN assorted lot of wide and
medium widths. black Silk Point Venise
Lace Edges, also some hand run Iaces
very rich fine goods specially right
for trimming black costumes and
wraps. have been selling at soc, 75c 81,
s1-25. S135 and up to $3.50 q yard, to so
tomorrow at half the marked prices
Dressmakers are specially recommend
ed TO take advantage OF this sale
Lot "A broken assortment of wide
and narrow white cotton Val Laces for
trimming undercIothiug. have been sell
ing at 1-3c to soc a yard. to be sold to-
morrow at 4 trtfdiug fraction Of their
real value.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05

Lot 3-Abo twenty pieces of net
top and other close fine white Laces fit
for trimming cotton dresses and all
summer costumes, nearly all desirable
widths. TO go at three-duarters the
marked prices tomorrow-to reduce the
stock a bit.
Each of these offerings IS a genuine
bargain worth coming for.
MOUSSELINE DE SOLE
100 pieces in black. brown. light blue,
navy pink. and dark lavender, maise,
and suitable for waists or millinery
trimmings. Il inches wide and regular
~ sold at Csc per yard Special price
only 45c-
VEILINGS
The wanted shades that MiIIiuers are
using for Hat Trimmings. Tomorrow
at 10 cents yard
MOLINE NETS
27 inches wide, popular shades. May
sale price 19c per yard
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
PiqHe, Denim, Crash and Duck Separate
Skirts on Center Counters Tomorrow

Washable, stylish, and thoroughly
pretty. We never saw the demand so
decided in April never had so many
styles, and such ample stocks to sup
ply it. Pique Skirts are simple and
pretty. With few rows of insertion
tastefully placed, they are Drettier
than ever. : There are skirts finished
with fancifully shaped hounce of white
and further designs in braid.
But never mind more descriptions
come, see the whole group.
Here are few prices made for our
May Sale
Ladies and Misses Crash we'll
made Skirts, each. ....---. 2oc
Ladies' White Duck Suits. $1.25
Other Denim and Pique Skirts
stopping $500
Misses Checked Suiting Separate
ChILS vCO
Other styles up to .S1.5O
The famous p. D. Empire Short Corsets 800
each is the price for the remainder now have !;
were SAYS
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05

in town for q year. and s30O. coo worth of
- .-Il.---,---+0-- --T,l--- = = go -,
in Kansas. nor IN the entire west for that
matter. and both the residence and bust
ness sections Of the citv are beginning TO
take on a polished and permanent air. The
commercial transactions last year were
larger than ever before. and the increase
thus far this season surpasses all records
The relics of the boom period are seen
on every hand IN magnificent residences
erected twelve or fifteen years ago by men
who were then uiIIfOuaires- but afrerxar I'd
diSa ppeared IN the maeIsrrOm or remained
among the wreckage TO earn a living :
ing a hack He related his romantic eX-
perience. pointed out the houses he had
erected and the blocks he used TO own.
and talked gayIy Of the time when he had
tens of thousands of dollars cash to his
credit in the banks and thought no more
of a thousand dollars than he now does of
a 5o-cenr fare He was a little too fluent
complete confidence and he may have en-
riched his own biography with the expert
ence of others. but all that he said was
true OF somebody.
The finest house in town which was
built in the middle Of a block then worth
several hundred thousand dollars. would
be ornament to Michigan bOuIes ard
II has been purchased by the SIasons for
about . per cent Of its cost and Is now
a home for INDECENT members of that or
der. Another handsome bujlding-one Of
the f1leSl examples of architecture west
Masonic fraternity and is used for lodge
giory are utilized and furnish TOPICS FOR
the entertainment OF strangers who like
to hear what happened when Wichita was
a big town
I haven't been in Wichita before since
it was the END Of the track" and the
widest and wIckedeSL town in the west
It was the center of the cattle trade in
those days. the shipping point for the
Texas herds, the end Of the trail where
thousands OF steers which had been driven
across the hanges Of Indian Territory were
loaded 0 uthe cars every week TO be ship
ped 10 the eastern markets Everything
was wide open then with q vengeance, and
the cowboys were kings
one night attended entertainments
in the Palace Opera House. or a place
with some such name kept by 'RoWdy
Joe q famous character who had for
merry been known as OJSeph Lowe of La
Sale HI He was bOatman before he
came TO this country. and had Won an
enviable reputation as the toughest man
IN Kansas Mr. Lowe kept drinking
place. a gambling den and a dance house
com Ined and Mrs Lowe. who was bet
ter known *Rowdy Kate was his
cashier and first lieutenant Together
they made a powerful team and the at
fractions OF their place of business were
wei advertised between the Missouri river
and the Rocky mountains There was
nothing TO beat It then and there has been
nothing TO beat II since
On the evening of my arrivaI-it was in
the spring Of fl attended a vaudeville.
entertainments AT this famous place and
the great attraction was a -sserio-corufe
artist OF the feminine persuasion whose
pictures Were plaStered on all the dead
walls in town At the close of her first
number while waiting for the applause TO
Subsfde, she leaned against the side Of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05

big enough to permit a table TO
be spread in its bounds. and there is
room enough to spare for chairs about
the table
The height to the first limb is 20 feet
A man of average size must take -
PAGES to complete the circuit Of the big
trunk
A competent authority on forestry
has estimated that the tree, which by
the way, is of cottonwood family, is no
less than 500 years old In the days OF
King John and Magma Charta this tree
was ffOurishing- When Columbus dis
covered America it was as large as its
companions in the forest 1t is known
that even half a century ago it was as
big and majestic as it is today.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05

At S1-6O q dozen
Fine handsome DamaSk Napkins. in
beautiful patterns, 20 inches SQUARE
At So 90 a dozen
Beautiful Satiny Dinner Napkins, -
inches square.
TABLE DANASK. at soc
Heavy Snow White Scotch Damask
in neat patterns, so inches wide
At S5c.
Handsome BIeached FIuisu Damask.
SIS inches vide
At S1-OO-
Beautiful Satiny finish Damask. ex-
ira elegant and , yards wide; patterns
exclusively ours
At SOC
Heavy Scotch DamaSk. cream the
best quality We have been able to Of
fer at this price, 50 inches wide.
At 75c-
Cream Damask- two yards wide
choice patterns and = very unusual
value
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
Nav Sale of Linens.

As an Illustration Of the variety and
extent Of the Linen stock here we'd
like you TO consider the fact that the
line OF 21c Towels alone contains 10
kinds. all different in sort. size, weight
or fneness and all at PIC.
The lines of Towels at other prices
are quite as complete but We say most
about the 21C ones because We are Civ
ing better Towels, better values for this
price than before and We are selling
four or five times as many Towels than
We have ever sold before, in c0use-
QueuCe-
NAPKINS at 75c a dozen
Full bIeached Scotch Damask Nap
kins- 1112 inches square
At csc a dozen
Heavy German Napkins. especially
servicabIe for Hotels and Boarding
Houses, IS inches square-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
May Sale of Lace Curtains.
NOTTINGHAM LACE
1899 Patterns.

Reproductions of the popular finer
makes of curtains.
No. ., 293-Whit Nottingham, 3 yards
long. 46 inches wide, CSC pair.
No ?. 292-White Nottingham, 3 yards
long, As inches wide, s1-25 pair
No S,376-Ecru Nottingham Curtain,
31a yards, S125-
No. s,s52-Ecru and White Noting
ham Curtain. 31z yards, $50
No S,031-Ecru and White 54-inch
Nottingham Curtain. 81 yards, S175-
Other styles at S2-25, S275. 1925, 1915
and $3.50, stopping at $500 pair.
Brussels Lace Curtains.
Brussels Net Curtain, , yds in length
and 81 inches wide, an unusual value,
$3.50 pair.
We show during this sale many choice
designs at $3.50, $500, $3.50 and $3.50
pair.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
May Sale OF Bed Spreds and
COmf0rtabIeS.

a particularly advantageous pur-
chase by Us always means 4 substantial
saving for the consumer. Thus come
these bed spreads. fresh. clean, worthy
goods. here but q little while. but here
through q bargain chance
A. 81 each-Nhite crochet bad
spreads Narsei-le patterns; full double
bed size. S1-25 grade.
At 80 each-NarseiIIeS bed spreads
fast back II effective patterns. fuIlsIze;
81 grade
At S1-s5 each-Satin finish bed spreads
fast back Ike MarseiIIes, but easier TO
wash sz75 grade
At s. charlottesville double bed
spreads, II effective patterns $3.50
grade.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
Nav Sale Muslin Underwear.
Rumed Curtains.

We have on show a profusion OF
beautiful sorts of the dainty Ruffied
Curtains now so widely wanted Little
wonder that they are so popular, for.
measured by their effectiveness, they
are quite inexpensive. These hints OF
prices
Ruffed Muslin Curtain as low as SOC
pair
Then others Iace-edged and with lace
edge and insertion
Also BOIiuet Lace with edge and in
serrfOn III, TO & 3 q pair
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
Tapestry Portieres.

: pairs Tapestry POrtierres. in red
two shades green. brown and dark
ecru; fringed top and bottom and good
full width, $500 pair
A very special number is our plain
Tapestry Portierre, in brown, olive and
two shades green, SO. IS pair.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05
\ MAY SALE OF GREAT IMPORTANC

W
h
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-05

to 40. The price is low enough; we need
not press that point.
Come in and see these suits, whether
you think you want suit or not. If you
know you want a suit, we advise coming
early for the first choice.