The Topeka state journal., 1908-12-23
A REAL LIVE TOWN
One of the Best Business Points
in 9Th District, Is Oberlin.
Has a Big Building Residence
Boom On at Present.
FOUR LUMBER YARDS.
One of the Finest Homes Is
That of Otis L. Benton.
Thoroughly Modern so by so
Feet Square and Three Stories.

Oberlin, Kan, Dec. 23-There are
some landmarks here yet which viii
carry the visitor back to the time wher
Oberlin was the seat of the northwest
ern Kansas land office. On small
building now occupied for a residence
Is this sign: "U. s. land Office; biz OF
every kind done right. Money loaned
and real estate, bot and sold" The
sign and building ought to be preserv-
ed as relic of the settlement OF north
western Kansas,
1t has been reported and some of the
papers have printed the rumor that the
Oberlin Times has changed ownership
Col L. G. Parker is owner and pub
Usher and while he needs a few weeks
off to rest he proposes to hang onto
his Times until some fellow who has
plenty Of money comes along and offers
him his price for his newspaper.
Work is progressing on the new res
idence of Otis L. Benton, which Will
cost not less than $4,000. and may
reach 500, 900. It will be heated by fur
mace heat with hot water in every
room. 1t will have a full cement base
rrlent The building will be 50x50 feet
square, three stories high, and Will
contain 21 rooms. There will be hve
mantles and CRATES besides three bath
rooms. It will be brick veneer
trimmed with Cottonwood cut stone.
The interior will be hardwood finish.
Large porches and balconies with ce-
the building. A barn of brick veneer
and cement floors will also be erected
at a cost of not less than $4,000. Frank
Blanch, a well known Topeka contrac-
tor and builder, has the contract.
Otis L. Benton has been a resident
of Oberlin for upwards of quarter or
a century. He came here poor ana was
willing to work. He has witnessed the
Growth and development of this sec
tion, and made money staying mere. he
is 43 years old, the bigger part being
spent in Oberin and Decatur county
He has had some political ano1tlon;
he made the race for national delegate
to the Chicago convention and won
Some of the people say he Is ou1ld-
ing this large, modern home to enter
tain his friends when he gets into pon-
tics. and that he is in trimming for
congress from the Sixth district. he
tells them that he is young yet, ana
that he can afford to wait a dozen
years, and then be young enough u
enter politics If he likes.
Oberlin is the only town in nortn-
western Kansas where four lunnpeE
yards appear to be a big source OF
revenue to the different companies own
ing them. The town has a great coun-
try tributary to draw trade from ana
the managers report good business
The town affords moqern
opera house, two commodious school
houses. one of which is the high school
building. and the town has modern
and up-to-date hotel, the Benton.SInlIh
named in honor of two OF her cluEens;
OF course a town like Oberlin would
hardly be complete without three i've
newspapers. ?.
OberIfn Is quite a political center. 1t
has furnished a delegate to Repub-
Tcan national convention, she has fure
nished congressional material, one OF
her citizens was speaker of the mousse
when the Populists were in power IN
the state. and one of her citizens, now
dead. was the Republican nominee for
eIector. And who can tell what two
years will bring forth in the sixth ais
{rict Two of her politicians may be
the nominees for congress by both Re
pubHcans and Democrats. And the
Town is the home of an ex-d1strict |
Judge.