Free press., 1904-12-10
KANSAS COMMENT

posed primary election bills. He de-
clares that some of their provisos, If
passed, will completely deprive many
of the smaller counties from any voice
In the nominations.
Easily Discouraged.-The Fort Ri
ley battery that has been marching
around over western Kansas lost
heart when It came TO the range OF
sand hills near Hutchinson and turn
ed back What would the battery do
If it had to march over a country like
that around Port Arthur?
Cotton Burned.-At Wichita a spark
from passing engine set fire to q car
load of baled cotton standing in the
Rock Island yards. 1t was raised in
Oklahoma and was billed to an East
ern market 1t burned so rapidly that
the fire department could not save it.
The loss is estimated at $4,000.
Corn Husking Record.-R. S. Mess
mer, of Hiawatha. claims the corn
husking record of Kansas for this fall.
While at work in the corn field OF
John Hart he shucked 2O5 bushels in
ten hours. Messmer's home is at re-
donia. He husks-on an average more
than 100 bushels of corn every day
Grocery Bill Case.-State Treasurer
Kelly has filed an answer to the man
damus proceedings begun by Govern
or Bailey in the supreme court to
compel Kelly to pay the governors
grocery bill out of state funds. At
t. IaI hA ~ min
fix time for the hearing. The case
will no doubt be heard at the Decem-
ber term of court.
$1,000 Shortage.-At Wellington A.
o. Baker, who recently resigned as
superintendent of the city water and
electric light works, it is alleged, has
been found $1,000 short in his ac-
counts. An examination of his books
by an expert accountant is now in pro-
gress. The city is protected by sur
ETY. bond and will allow the bonding
company to settle with Baker in any
way it may see fit.
Investigate charses.-A petition is
being circulated in Topeka for a
grand jury for the January term of
court. The object Of the grand jury
Is to probe into the charges of cor
ruption around the state house and to
get after the Topeka jointists. To
get it requires the names of 400 tax
payers to the petition. Nearly that
many have already signed and the
trouble.
He Will RecoVer.-T. d. Powell, the
machinist who was attacked and
stabbed by three union machinists in
Newton. will recover He received
three bad cuts. one of which was
close to the spinal cord. The city
council was called in special session
and passed a resolution deploring the
affair and instructing the police to ar
rest all persens using offensive Ian
guage toward any of the strike break
ers employed in the shops.
Burned to Death.-The 2-year-olt
son of John Campbell, a farmer liv
ing east of Arkansas City, was burn
ed to death. An older brother secur
ed some matches from the house, ant
the two were playing with them nea
the home They set fire to a pile o
dead grass, and in little while wer'
unable to put it out. Frightened th'
older boy ran to his mother, who call
ed help. and by hard work the barr
and outbuildings were saved. The
child was not missed until a neighbo
found the body burned to crisp.
Kicked BY MuIe.-Mrs. o. L. Stud
ley. Conway Springs woman, wa
kicked in the head and side by null
one day last week. She had gone int
the stable to turn the horses out an
was unaware of the mules pres
ence
Many Private Gifts.-The Univel
sity OF Kansas has cost the state yer
little as compared with other stat
universities. The present value O
private gifts to the university i
100000. These gifts, among other.
include three buildings. or one-fourt
Of the present number of buildings.
Wouldn't Oil Axle.-T. D. Hampso
and other citizens of Roper. Kan
have fled an application before tn
state board of railroad commissioner
asking that the Missouri Pacific r,
new its train service between Rope
and Sedan on the Caney valley al
line. In reply. Colonel Richards. gel
eral attorney of the Missouri Pacih,
says enough people at Roper do nj
ride on the train TO pay for oiling on
axle. They want the train to sa
through Roper just to see it CO." sal
he. But they don't want to pay an
of the expense by travelling on it.
Very Few Paupers.. The sma
number OF paupers in Brown count
almost does away with the need of
county poor house. The poor farl
consists of 226 acres of good Ian
which is double the size of many poe
farms in the state. During the pas
year there have been only sixtee
inmates.
Died in Agony. - The 3-year-ol
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Albert Pric
swallowed some mercurial tablet
that she had got hold of in her pls