Free press., 1904-11-26

Prospecting company in search of oil
or gas, struck a bed of solid salt at
depth of 440 feet. The drill had
penetrated the salt bed to depth of
ninety feet and is still going through
the salt. The salt is overlaid with a
thick strata shell. The drill will not
be stopped at the salt, but will be con-
tinued in search of oil or gas to a
depth of three thousand feet unless
oil or gas is reached before. The rock
salt is of the purest quality and clear
as crystal.
Gen. Bells PIans.-General J.
rankin Bell. U. S. army commandant
of the infantry and cavalry school at
Fort Leavenworth post, has sent to
the chief of staff plans and descrip-
tions in detail Of elaborate improve
ments in the college section of this
post. General Bell utilizes all of the
present buildings, arranged with the
idea of slightly enlarging the facil-
tiles of the institution and increasing
the accommodations for instructors
and student officers.
Early Pioneer.-J. w. 10y of Lyon
county is dead. He crossed the plains
in 1851 to dig gold in California. He
came back to Kansas at the beginning
of the Civil War and served as a pri-
vate and a lieutenant in Kansas
regiment. For two terms, eommenc-
ing in 1875, he was a member of the
Kansas Legislature. He was regent
of the state normal college for long
time. He died possessed of the love
and respect of his neighbors.
Governors to Feel at Home.-It is
expected that the Commercial club will
at its December meeting decide to take
steps toward making the governors of
Kansas feel at home" in Topeka. The
club will probably decide that in the
future each successive governor shall
be an honorary member of the organ
ization and that once year a public
reception will be given to the COVER
nor by the city and the Commercial
club.
Asked for an Opinion. - State
Auditor Wells has asked Attorney
General Coleman for an opinion on
State Accountant Rowett's board bill
at the Copeland hotel. Mr.. Wells
thinks possibly the bill ought not to
be paid, as the accountant could OBJ
tain board at a less rate than that
charged at the Copeland. Rowett's
bill is 81 a day straight with extras"
Kansas Getting Dry.-From many
parts of the state come reports of the
dry weather and need of rain, and
it is feared that cold weather will
come and freeze out the wheat in its
present dry condition. A large
acreage has been sown in the western
and central counties and farmers are
beginning to get anxious for rain
fall.
Class in JournaIism.-Last year the
University of Kansas organized a
class in journalism. The work is con-
tinued this year upon a wider scale.
OF the students who did the work last
year with a journalistic career in
view, every one is now regularly en-
ployed upon leading dailies.
Star Mail Route.-A star mail route
has been established between Great
Bend and Hoisington, to go into eff
feet November 21. A. ]. Henry has
the contract at 5000 per year. The
trip is to be made twice daily.
Alfalfa Queen Abroad.-Miss Mary
Best. the alfalfa queen of western
Kansas, has left Medicine Lodge for
trip through Europe. Her neighbors
think there will be an alfalfa king
when she returns.
In a Business Way-H. T. Trice,
the Winfield land man, has purchased
twelve big automobiles to be used in
showing prospective buyers that sec-
tion of the country.
! Henessey to Rome.-Bishop Hennes-
/ sey, of the Wichita diocese, has gone
/ to Rome to attend the golden jubi-
lee of the dogma of the Immaculate
! Conception on December Sth.
| Big Turkey Shipment.-The first
carload Of live turkeys ever shipped
I from Lakin was loaded and sent to the
Kansas City markets. The streets
have been lined with wagons coming
| in filled with choice birds and $50
! fine specimens were loaded into> the
! car.
Prosperity in Wichita.-The call OF
! the comptroller of the currency for a
! report from the national banks up to
the close of business November 1C
found the deposits in the four institu
tions of Wichita amounting to
| $5,S1S. .691.92.
Caught Incendiary.-The incendiary
who set fire to a livery stable in
Olmuty and succeeded in almost burn
ing down the entire town was caught
by the enraged citizens and beaten sc
badly that the local physician ex
pressed fear for his life. He was take1
to a hospital at Council Grove. The
culprit is said to have set the fire be-
cause of being refused a drink.
To Good Job.-Oscar DePriest, son
of a Salina janitor. has been elected
a commissioner of Cook county, II.
linois, at salary of forty-five hundred
dollars year.
Thrifty kansan Dies-Ernest Stock