davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-04-21
WONDERS OF THE SHOWS
Rise Of a Great Industry and
the Largest Concern in the
West-Story Of the Busl-
ness Development.

To rise from position Of jsnito'
to that Of the leading amusemen
king Of half continent in less than
dozen years, is record Of which an.
man should be proud.
The opportunities of the West have
been amply demonstrated in the his
tory OF on Abilene man. Charles W
Parker has shown what can be done
by young man Of energy and
shrewdness and with the ability to
understand human nature.
Added to this has been On unre-
mitting diligence that has spared no
time and no effort in developing his
business. .-.-.-
On April 26, 1904, when the carni-
val season opens with a display at
Abilene, Mr.. Parker will be exactly
40 years old. 1t will likewise bc ex-
actly IL years since April 26. 1898,
when he started out with his first
merry-go-round, small affair with
which he journeyed to Chapman and
commenced his career as an amuse-
ment king. Before that he had been
. painter, played in the band, was
ianitor Of the Court House, and, ran .
well-digging outfit.
As he tells 1t himself. he went up
town one Saturday night in 1892,
with one dslIar in his pocket with
which to purchase groceries for Sun
day. His little girl was with him.
They passed merry.go-round on the
street and MIR. Parker, taking his
daughter, invested in ride; then they
.ook another and another until all but
fifteen cents Of their money was gone.
II thought that an institution that
could get my money. bad y as | need
ed it for my family. could get any
body's money, and then and there l
determined to run merry.go.round,"
explained Mr.. Parker. During the
winter he made several attempts to
borrow enough money to invest in
riding gallery, generally unsuccess-
fully, but by spring he had secured
one on the payment plan and started
on his amusement trip.
BEGINNING AS MANUFACTURES.
II soon became evident to MIR Park
or that the merry.go-round was chief
ly q children's amusement. The
clerks, travelling men, railroad men
and adults generally. needed some
more complicated amusement.
To satisfy this demand. he COM
menced in 1895 to manufacture the
Parker Mechanical Shooting galleries.
They were somewhat crude affairs to
begin with, but the moving figures,
the music and the training in expert
shooting made them popular. Now
there are over 400 Of these shooting
galleries In use in this country, while
many have been exported to foreign
nations, and scores are built here
every year.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-04-21
Attractions, Season 1904.
Abilene Carnival,
April 26, 81, %.

Demona,
Looping the loop.
Nervette,
Whirling the perpendicular Flume.
LANCER,
Thrilling slide for life.
Irridescent Electric fountain,
New and larger.
Jumping horse "Carry-us-all,"
Nothing newer.
Ferris Wheel.
Miniature Railroad.
Trained Wild Animal Arena.
The Coliseum.
A Day in the Tyrolean Alps,
Beautiful electrical creation.
Crystalplex,
A revelation in glass.
Temple Of Music,
5000 pounds Of musical machinery.
Laughing Palace,
Laugh till you cry.
"Girl from Abilene"
The queen Of light and color har-
mony.
Palace of Illusions,
Bewildering, mystiiying, perplex-
ing.
Dog and Monkey Circus,
Amusing, entertaining.
Foolish House,
A side splitter.
Lady Minstrels,
Vaudeville and minstrelsy.
Electric Theatre,
Carrying its own staff Of photo 4
graphers. a
Old Plantation,
Scenes from the South.
Parker's Mechanical Shooting
Galleries.
The Mutoscoptican,
Penny pleasure palace.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-04-21

J. H. McCurdy, superintendent cal
works.
W. G. Brown, shooting gallery
factory.
W. J. Gunzelman, wood working
department.
Thomas Brown, machine shops.
J. H. McCurdy, military band organ
factory.
Geo. Himmelberger, "carry-us-all'
factory.
Sol. kaufman, paint shops.
J. H. Dudley, scenic studio.
Geo. Stuck, iron foundry.
VIM. Dutton, brass foundry.
G. r. Simmons, blacksmithing de-
partment.
Guy Tate, wood carving depart.
ment.
Harry Sauers, tent factory.
@. R. Pleiser, composes music for
band organs.
John Pleiser, automatic piano
factory.
Thomas Brown, electric light and
power plants.
E. j. Cassatt, chief engineer.
John Stuck, superintendent deliv-
cries.
MR. PARKERS PERSONALITY.
The loyalty MIR. Parker has always
shown toward Abilene has endeared
him to bis home town. Time after
time have eastern cities offered him
inducements to move his shops else
where but always be has refused. He
pays out more wages in Abilene than
anybody who ever lived in the town
and there is no home enterprise that
he does not encourage. 1t Is UNDER
stood that worthy object can always
get a large donation from Charlie
Parker and he is respected accord
ingly. He stands for clean govern
ment, fairness and progress and the
city knows what to depend on when
he is at the head Of any movement
He ia prominent in lodge circles,
taking lively interest In this work
He believes that lodges are helpful to
humanity and should be encouraged.
Here is q list Of the societies to which
he belongs. There may bs others for
this list was made up two days ago
and II is not certain that be has not
Joined something else since:
Hail Mecca Temple, Mystic Shrine,
New York City.
Isis Temple, Mystic Shrine. salins.
Alden Temple, No. SO, D. o. K. K
Salins.
Wichita consistory, No. 2, S2nd de-
gree.
Abilene Commsndery. Knights
Csmplsr. No. %.
Cyrus Chapter. R. A. M. No. %.
Salina Lodge, No. 71S, B. P. o. E.
F. o. Eagles, Lexington, Mo. !.
Benevolent Nc. 90, A. +. & A. NJ.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-04-21

entirety and he has agreed to give
Abilene the first exhibition OF the
season April 26, IL, 2S on the lots
east Of bis factory. 1t is certain that
there will be an immense crowd here.
He next goes to lola and later to To-
peka where be will have space on the
state house grounds at the Kan
sas semi centennial celebration.
ALL MUST BE REFINED.
One of the essential features OF
state house grounds during the Kan
Mr.. Parker's company, and one
which has marked it throughout his
career in this line Of amusement, is
that every performer and attache
must be respectable and courteous.
No dancing girls. freaks and other
immoral and disgusting exhibitions
get any concessions under his man
agement.
He insists that every one travelling
with him be polite, gentlemanly and
ladylike, and that the surroundings
Of the shows in every respect be SO
clean that no visitor shall be dis.
pleased. The fact that cities like To-
peka and Abilene give the company q
hearty welcome and that tie towns in
which he appeared last season have
been the first to ask for q return date,
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-04-21

During all this time Mr.. Parker has
maintained his Office, shops and resi-
dence In his home town. The first
little shop erected in 1898 was 12xlS
feet; in 1894 it had grown to 20x40;
then came additions and buildings
moved from other parts Of town. until
today the Parker shops cover four
acres of ground, employ one hundred
men, and are the biggest enterprise
in Central Kansas. A half dozen
houses located near the shops are resi-
dences Of superintendents and heads
OF divisions.
1t is the only factory Of it's kind in
the world, that is, it is the only fac.
tory which builds organs, manufac-
tnres cars, makes pullman cars, tents,
hand organs, merry-go-rounds, circus
wagons. shooting galleries and every
mechanical and meterial appliance
that goes with complete carnival in
stitution or circus Attraction. Others
do some Of these things singly, but
none does them all. In the musical
department are experts from Germany
who are capable Of making Stein
way piano or a mouth organ. The
foundry department 10 as complete as
any in the state. aud orders come
from all parts Of the West for large
castings and other portions Of ma
chinery. More merry-go-rounds are
made in Abilene than in any place in
the world. More shooting galleries
have the Parker name ON them than
all others combined. The work Of the
factory goes on IL months in the year
and orders are always piled high on
the superintendent's desk. During
the past winter complete train oil
cars has been tnrned out, including a
private car and two pullman cars,
which will be used In the carnival
tour Of the present season.
COMMENCING CARNIVAL LIFE,
1t soon became apparent to Mr..
Parker that q merry-go-round and
shooting gallery business was not ex.
tensive enough to occupy bis abuud-
ant energies.
Two years ago he began catering |
to the carnival craze just beginning In |
the West. Street fairs aud cslebra-
tions Of various sorts demanded q list
Of good attractions that would enter
tain the people. HIS first experiment
included chiefly the msrry.go-rounds
and shooting galleries with few
mechanical centrivanoes. A consid-
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-04-21

Many people have been desirOus Of
seeing Mr.. ParkerS 1904 show in it
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13
The Swamp Rabbit Railway.

Greenville, July 4.-There seems to be
no doubt that the old Swamp Rabbit''
railroad, which was abandoned several
years ago and dismantled, will again be
rebuilt and operated. A company was
recently chartered with Hugh Prince, of
Greenvile, as president; w. III. Patter-
son, of Atlanta, treasurer, aud Dupont
Patterson, secretary, and Mr.. Patterson,
after re urning from trip over the pro-
posed line, announces that there is moth
ing in the way of beginning actual con-
struction but trifling disagreement be-
tween certain land owners aud the com
pany as to the purchase of a small part
of right of way.
So soon as this is settled bids will be
called for building the road, which will
extend from this city toward the noun
iains, distance of about thirty miles.
But little. grading viii be required, as the
new road will follow the line of the
swamp Rabbit" Tho new company is
incorporated under the name of the
Greenville and Knoxville Railway. 1t
will be used as an outlet for the lumber
interests in the mountains.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13
Summons for Relief.
STATE OF SOUTH CAl,OLINA, I
COUNTY OF OCONEE
In the Court of Common Pleas.

SoOtNha Il VT SSoNEhs J
In the Court of Common Pleas.
Joseph j. Fretwell, as surviving partner
of Sylvester Bleckley and Joseph j.
Fretwell as partners in business under
the style and firm name of Bleckley &
Fretwell, Plaintiffs,
against
Andrew Singleton, Jr., Anna Bleckley,
Dock Singleton, Hannah Evans, Ra-
chael Brown, Phillis Gambrell, Sam
Robinson, James Robinson, Sallie Rob-
inson, Jennette Robinson, Phillis Rob-
lnson, ODE Robinson, Jr., Scylla Robin
son, Hannah Robinson, Harrison Rob
lnson, Milo Robinson and Mary E.
Sigh, Defendants. - Summons for
Relief.-(Complaint not served.)
10 the Defendants above named:
VOU are hereby summoned and re-
il CURED to answer the complaint in
this action, which was flied in the office
OF the Clerk of the Court of Common
Pleas for the said county, on the 9th
day of June, 1904, and to serve a
copy of your answer to the said COM
on the public square, at Walhalla Court
House, South Carolina, within twenty
days after the service hereof, exclusive
OF the day of such services; and if you
fail to answer the complaint within the
time aforesaid, the Plaintiff in this action
VIII apply TO the Court for the relief
in the complaint.
Dated June 9th, A. d. 1904
Q. II. ID. BURNS, O. @. z. lSeal.1
JAYNES & SHELOR,
Plaintiffs Attorneys.
TO the Defendants above named:
7 MAKE notice that the summons and
Il complaint in the above entitled
action were filed in the office of Clerk
of Common Pleas of Oconee County,
5. C., on the sixth day of June, 1904;
that the object of this action is, the
foreclosure of the following mort
Cages of real estate to wit: Q) Andrew
Singleton, ST., to Blecklev e fsretwell on
November II, 1895; (2) Andrew Single
ton, ST., to j. S. Fowler on April 1, 1896;
that said mortgages convey all that
certain tract OF land containing 100
acres more or less, on waters of Cane
creek and Little River adjoining lands OF
Alic McMahan and others owned by An
drew Singleton, Sr., on the dates Of said
JAYNES ~ SHELOR,
Plaintiffs Attorneys,
June 9, 1904. (2S) Walhalla, S. G.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13
raE p. Y, PIERCE coMpANrs SUIT.

In The Courier of May 11th Se noted
the suit filed by the II. V. Pierce Co., of
Buffalo, N. Y, for 100000 damages
against the Curtis Publishing Co., (The
Ladies' Home JournaD. on account OF
charges made in that magazine as to Ger.
tain injurious ingredients claimed by
them to be contained in the medicine to
which the Home Journals article re-
ferred. Iu the July number of the Home
Journal the following article appears, in
which the previous charges arc retracted
and acknowledged TO be without founda-
tion:
In the May number Of the Ladies'
Homo Journal wo published, i'm the arti-
Gle entitled "rhe Patent Medicine Curse
an analysis of DIR. Pierce's Favorite Pre-.
scription in which that preparation was
represented as containing, among other
ingredients, tiucture of digitalis, tincture
OF opium, and alcohol. Immediately
upon publication of the number a suit
for damages was instituted by the II. V.
Pierce Medical Co., of Buffalo, N. Y,
tion, against the Curtis Publishing Co..
based upon the claim that none of the
three ingredients ws contained in The
medicine.
Upon the filing of the suit wo of
course looked into the published analy-
sis. 1t appears that this particular
analysis had been made, if made at all,
fully twenty-five years ago. We there
upon employed three leading chemists in
different cities to make an analysis of
tho preparation from bottles bought in
the open market. These analyses, one
and all, now show to us conclusively
that not single one of the ingredients
mentioned by us in tho analysis quoted
that is, either digitalis, opium or alcohol
was contained in the bottles analy zed
We then-the president of this company
and the writer-persOnally visited the
II. V. Pierce Medical Company, at Buff
falo, and was there convinced that the
officers of the company were absolutely
truthful in their claim that not one of
these iDj furious ingredients was contained
in DR.. Pierce's Favorite Prescription.
Naturally, since the analysis we printed
has been proved erroneous, the deduc-
tions madcin connection with tl.is prepa-
ration were unwarranted and unfoundrd.
Uudrr these circumstances it is now
perfectly plain to us that this magazine
was unintentionally, but nevertheless alb
snlntely, misled in making the original
statement. and we hereby, of our own
volition, make this unqualified acknowl-
edgment of our mistake To tho II. V.
Pierce Medical Company and to our
readers.
Tho mistake was honestly made, but il
was mistake.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13
Items from Madison.

Madison, July 4.-"Hoora' for the
Fourth of July. 1t only comes once a
year. Then why not let the boys have a
good time on this day? Let them re-
member the day when our grandfathers
declared their independence. Just think
how short the time has been since our
grandfathers shouted, Ring, Ring, Oh,
Ring for Liberty"
But that old bell now is silent,
And hushed it's iron tongue,
But the spirit it awakened
Will live forever young"
Just think what day this must have
been, when our fathers shouted until
their voices rufiied the calm, gliding
waters of the Delaware.
Plenty of rain. Farmers looking per-
fectly happy. Crops the best they have
been for years.
jim Jones has gone "fox-hunting."
Dewitt King returned home from
Cedar Springs, where he has been at
tending the school for the deaf De is a
sharp boy, and every one was glad to see
him back at home.
We are glad to hear that the school at
Stony Point is to be opened now soon,
with Miss Freeman as teacher. We do
not think there could be better teacher
found anywhere than Miss Freeman
Candidates on every stump. Hope
none of them will be elected.
Long live The Courier. 'Katic."
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13
Summons for Relief.
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. }
COUNTY OF OCoNEE.
Court of Common Pleas.

James w. Hare, Jr., Plaintiff,
against
Mary Hare, James Reid Hare, Wallace
jefferson Hare, Alonzo Hare, Towns
Hare, Archeleaus Hare, Luther Hare,
Emma Hare, Carrie Hare, Margaret
Hare, Ella Hare Lee and Heirs at Law
OF Margaret Goodwin, deceased, names
unknown, Defendants -.Summons for
ReHet-COmplaint not ISerued
10 the Defendants above named
" VOU are hereby summoned and re-
IL quired to answer the complaint in
tins action, which was filed in the Office of
the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas.
Tor the said county, on the seventeenth
day OF June, 1904, and 10 serve a COPY of
your answer to the said complaint on
the subscribers at their office, on the
Public Square, at Walhalla Court House.
South Carolina, within twenty days after
the service hereof, exclusive of the day
of such service; and if you fail to an
swer the complaint within the time
aforesaid, the plaintiff in this action
will apply to the Court for the relief de-
in the complaint.
Dated June 18th, A. D. 1904.
L.. s.. G. r. ID. BURNS, G. G. p.
JAYNES 81 SHELOR, Il
Plaintiffs Attorneys,
Walhalla, S. @.
TO the Defendants above named: Take
holice tndC Cne summons and complaint
IN the above entitled action were filed in
the Office of the Clerk of Court of Com
mon Pleas for Oconee county, S. c., on
the 18th day of June; that the object of
this action is the partition of the real
estate of James w. Hare, Sr., deceased,
among the parties to this action as his
heirs at-law; that no personal demand
Is made against you or any of you.
juno II, 1904.
JAYNES & SHELOR,
Plaintiffs Attorneys,
Walhalla, s. @.
June %, 1904. $3.50
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13
The Census Report as to the Negroes.

Washington, July a.--The census bu-
reau has issued it's final bulletin of ne
gro population in the United States.
The number in the United States, includ-
ing the area covered by the twelfth CEN
sus, continental United States, Alaska
and Hawaii and Porto Rico, is 0,20I, ,531.
The report indicates that between eleven
and sixteen per cent are believed by the
enumerators to have some degree of
white blood. The center of negro popu-
lation is Dekalb county, Alabama. Al
most ninety per cent of the negroes in
the continental United States are in the
Southern States. The negroes constitute
one-iifteenth of the city population and
about One-seventh of the country popu-
lation Of the continental United States
The negroes, unlike the Indians and
whites, have slight excess of females.
llliteracy among them is seven times
greater than among the whites. Nearly
four million in the United States are en-
gagged in gainful occupation. The death
rate approximaies thirty per cent, while
that OF the whites, under the same calcu-
'ations, is thirty-seven per cent.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13
CASTORIA
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
signature Isssa sps Of GersHzzzzM
The Rural Libraries.

According to the reports sent in by the
various County Superintendents of Edu-
cation to the State Supcrintedeut of Edu-
cation, 302 school libraries have been
established under the provisions of the
Aull Library act, passed by the recent
Legislature. State superintendent Mar
tin thinks that this is doing very well in
deed, inasmuch as the law has been in
operation but four months and many of
the schools closed soon after the money
became available. He says chat this
work will receive renewed interest and
effort when the schools open again in
the fall.
1t will be noticed that the counties of
Darlington, Edgefield, Fairfield, Flor
ence, Greenwood, Marlboro, Richand
Spartanburg and York have the full
twelve allowed under the provisions of
the act, and several of the others will
soon reach the limit for this year. Seve-
raj County Superintendents report that
they could raise more than twelve Su-
perntendent Elmore, of Spartanburg.
says that he thinks that his county would
raise fifty by the close of the year if the
same conditions should apply to all over
twelve. For Richland twenty-three Ii
braries have been established, the trus.
tees having advanced the money for the
extra ones. A prominent citizen of Oar
hngton county donated enough money to
nelp the GWelVB most needy schools IN
tnat county, and that will make twenty
four for Darlington.
The establishment of tho small libra
iies has given an impetus to the move
ment for improved school libraries and
better equipment. The State Superin-
tendent hopes that the library law will
be continued with it's provisions en-.
larged and extended, and he believes
also that it will lead to some legislation
for better houses and equipment
The following shows the number in
each county:
Abbeville 7, Aiken Z, Anderson s,
Bamberg 3, Barnwell 7, Beaufort 3,
Berkeley Q, Charleston Q, Cherokee 8,
Chester 8, Chesterfield 0, Clarendon 8,
Colleton 9. Darlington IL, Dorchester O,
Edgefeld IL Fairfield 12, Florence 12,
Georgetown 1, Greenville TO- Greenwood
12, Hampton 5, Horny 5, Kershaw Z,
Lancaster @, Laurens ~, Lee o, Lexing.
ton 8, Marion 4, Marlboro IL, Newberry
&, Ooonee 10, Orangeburg ~, Pickens 4,
Richland 12, Saluda 8, Spartanburg ~,
sumter O, Union @, williamsburg 8, York
l2.--Colnmbja Record, July 9th.
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13
w akefa1l?
Sleeples sness Is a
Sign of Nerve Trou-
Bile and Should
Be Looked To.

There are three different manifesto
tions OF slecplossness
First. hardly to sleep wink all night,
second, to lio awake n long time before
falling asleep; third, to fall asleep soon,
waking up after several hours and then
find 1t hard to sleep again.
They mean that somewhere in tre
nerve nbres. somewhere in the brain
cells, somewhere IN the blood vessels
that carry blood to the brain, something
Is radically wrong, and must be rghted,
or the end may be worse than death
To right 1t, take DR.. Miles Nervine.
Some other symptoms OF nerve trou-
Bile are: Dizziness. Headache. Back
ache. Worry. Fretfulness, Irritabiity,
Melancholy. Lack OF Ambition.
They Indicate diseases which may lead
to Epilepsy, Fits, st. Vltus' Dance,
Nervous Prostration, Paralysis. Insanity
Nothing will give such quick and last
ing relief as DR.. Miles Nervine.
my husband had been sick for weeks,
couid not SIT up to have his bed made.
he continued to grow worse. He could
neither sleep or, eat. Our baby girl was
sent sent away. Sn and all callers barred be-
ttTation cured by DR.. Miles restorative
and MsiVmo IN fsS Ms Ssgan 6sga bs giving Il to him
tann;, tdressed; From that time he steadily
Mrs. A. q. HAskIN, P'reevillo. N. Y.
FREE. Write to us for Free Trial
Pain eliis Patfbkags tba A{ Of Dr. Mica Anti:
speciaist viii disssndse isss9 ,or aes case. Qsfi tell
Gs wnaf biz r. wS2hs Ess snd MhSS g right
LABOHAToHIES, ELKHART, IND,
Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-07-13

1t purifcs the blood by eliminating the
waste matter and other impurities and by
destroying the germs or microbes that
infest the blood. 1t builds up the blood
by reconstructng and multiplying the red
corpuscles, making the blood rich and red.
1t restores and stimulates the nerves,
causing full free flow of nerve force
throughout the entire nerve system. 1t
speedily cures unstrung nerves, nervous.
ness, nervous prostration, and all other
diseases of the nervous system
RIDALES TONIC is sold under a posi-
tive guarantee.
Trial size SO cents. Family size 81 90