The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-12-02
a HUMOROUS "RoAsT."
Automobile Man who stopped Awhile
Here Writes OF Us at Norton.


J. r. St. John, who tarTied IN Good
land last summer and took people out
riding IN his automobile for ten cents
ride, is now at Norton doing engineer
service in the city water works there,
and incidentally writingof his trip over
land east IN the Norton County News.
In his story he is as far east as Good
land. He doesn't seem to ike as very
well, but his roast is funnier, than it is
fierce. He says:
Near Kanorado my exhaust lever
cracked nearly in two The machine
stopped aid we hunted for considerable
time before we located the trouble.
When we found It we took the lever of,
Strengthened it and bound a coal chisel
to it with barbed wire and rode into
Goodland in fine shape.
''The first man to open his head in
that distinguished town was an editor
who knew Kansas when It was baby
He wanted to know whittier was go
ing. I told him, eastward into Kansas.
Well, he said, I do not want to be too
ofhcious, but don't go by the way of
the Rock Island via Norton as you viii
find sand and hills that are far worse
than along the Union Pacific railroad
Next morningI decided to do a little
business by taking people out to the
cemetery, etc. 1 got started up the
principal thOroughfare, brief descrip-
ton of which must give in order to IL
lustrate how not to have a street made.
The crossings are of plank on stringers
about four or six inches high; the street
IS six inches lower in the center, thus
making, in wet weather each little
block a pond of water which, I suppose,
are intended for skating Kinks in case a
cold snap freezes up the water.
81 was slowly going over one of those
crossings which were so abrupt as to
make a dent in my tires clear to the
rims, when a team left united before a
meat market started up the aforesaid
street. They trotted a block, got sick
of it and stopped. stopped within 80
feet, and the proprietor of the meat
market emerged from his place of bust
ness, his wrath knowing no bounds: 4
don't want you with your automobile
on this street. was surprised, but
having the decision of the supreme
court of the United States at my back,
was not IN the least ratified. I quietly
told him had the right to run my ma
chine as 1 was with caution on any
street in the country. He was too mad
to argue the case with me, so 1 cracked
up my auto and rode away. I asked
some of my passengers who the man
was, and I was told: He is the mayor
of GOodland.'
Next day called on the gentleman,
thinking It would be well to argue the
case when he was cooler. noticed his
own little meat cart in front Of the place
and the horse not tied. Is there any
ordinance IN your town, Mr.. Mayor, 1
asked? There is an ordinance requir-
! ing people not to hitch their horses on
| this street; there are no hitching posts
and if they hitch to these awning posts
they will tear down the buildings. I am
going to have an ordinance passed the
next time the council meets prohibiting
the running of automobiles on the bust
ness street saw It was useless to
argue with him so I went back and be-
gan taking people out riding. The
horses soon became used to the auto,
even the Mayors little delivery cart
pony paid no attention to me, and
| stayed over a week with none to modest
and make me afraid. -