The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-08-06
The Late p. D. RidenOur.

P. d. Ridenour. We think the article
will be interesting, especially TO the
old citizens Of this locality. As they
well remember when the firm of Rid
enour & Baker had a store 10 Chanute,
presided over by Sam Rdenour
brother OF P. d. The store here
always had the name of fair dealing:
To the younger generation OF
Kansas City business men the death
of Peter d. Ridenour was only the
passing away of one Of the commercial
elders, enc Of the leaders who were
held up as examples of the highest
type Of probity and deserved success.
But to the business men whose mem
CRY goes back half century, back to
the troublous times Immediately pre-
cedlng and during the civil war, the
name of Peter ID. Rldeneur looms up
| ia letters of heroic size. His career
| fills many pages Of the history of
those times, for 1t Is inextricably
interviewer with the pioneer COM
merce OF the border. Kansas and
Missouri are bound together In indis-
soIu0 ole bonds In that narrative, which
begins long before there were steel
rails winding over the pTairles OF
Kansas and ends withfhe end of Mr.,
R:denour, who for the past five years,
following the death OF his life long
friend and business associate, Harlow
W Baker, had been the head Of one
Of the greatest business concerns 10
the Missouri valley.
1t Is In the hearts of those who
knew him best that Mr.. Ridenour's
memory will be enbhrlned longest
His career Is noble example viii h
should be held up to the emulate n
Of young men a. long as goods are
bought and sold, ~ long as there is .
business career to be founded on such
qualities as made that Of Mr.. Riden-
our such a conspicuous success. T e
pi neer days are gone. The hardships
which Mr.. Rideneur aud Mr.. Baker
endured can never be repeated in these
days Of peace, property and multi
piled railways. But the business
prl nciples upon which Mr.. Rldenour
and Mr.. Baker. who might we'll be
called the Damon and Pythias Of
! Western commercial history, built
their success are universal 10 their
applicability.
Anything like an adequate history
OF Mr.. Ridenour's life would require
volume. His early years we're spent
IN agriculture and merchandising pur-
suits, which built up the foundation
OF experience that served him so we'll
10 after life. he spraDg from sturdy
yeomau stock, which gave him in
mense powers OF physical endurance
I'D the fundamental honesty OF the
people of the soil. His pathway
wound far through the pioneer fields
Of Ohio. lows, Minnesota, Kansas,
Missouri and tbs distant West before
it led him to Lawrence, where with
Mr.. Baker, he founded the great
grocery house which was moved TO
this city a quarter OF q century ago.
Through the terrible days Of the
border warfare, eliminating In the
Quantrell raid and massacre, the nrm
underwent narrowing experiences
which interrupted the history Of It's
continual growth. Almost at the
apex Of It's prosperity, when It had
built UP . fiourishIng trade, every
thing wss crushed to the ground 10
ashes and ruin BY the Quantrsll raid,
lin which Mr.. Baker we'll nigh lost his
life. But with . sterling integrity
which was not less magnificent be-
lsause IL was characteristic the part
Rsrs refused 70 take Advantage Of any
subterfuges and they paid every cent
they owed with interest. After the
Disasters Of the war and the unsettled
conditions Of Affairs during the re-
copstruction period the visitation OF
grasshoppers was but an incident,
bhough IL gavs them the opportunity
o. displaying ths msttIe Of their
character once more. They we're the
direct means Of bringing about the
replsutipg OF Thousands OF acres Of
corn land and changing the despair of
the Kansas farmers into hope and
plenty.
Like other far sighted merchants
10 surrounding towns, Mr.. RIdeneur
aud Mr.. Baker-for IL is almost i'm
possible TO write Of one without the
other-had faith 10 the future Of
Kansas City. They removed their
business here thlrty-one years ago