The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-12-13

Kansas laugh.
Topeka is fine city located on the
south bank of the Kaw River about
sixty miles west Of Kansas City with
a population of about 10000 people
The country around 1t is of a gentle
undulating nature and very pretty TIC
t look upon, in fact 1t Is the best part
of Kansas that was in.
/ went on top of the dome Of the
capitol and had a very good view OF
the surrounding country. AS build
ing it cannot compare with the capitol
of the state of Iowa, both in architec-
ture and design.
While in the southeastern part of
Kansas had occasion to visit the city
of Cherryvale. It is well known that
the notorious Bender family once liv-
ed about nine miles north of this
place. drove past the farm where
they lived and saw the orchard where
they buried so many of the people they
killed. But to be told of the cowardly
murders they committed is enough to
make the hair stand on anyone's head.
! was glad when / got past the farm
for could almost imagine could see
the ghost of that murderess, Kate Ben
der, fitting around, over and under the
buggy. / confess that night my SUM
bers were not of the sweetest.
Business also took me into that Sec
tion of Missouri where the zinc mines
are located, the greatest in the world
it is said
was in the city Of Joplin which is
in the heart OF the zinc country and
1t is a hustling town Of about 10000
people. For miles and miles you can
look and see hugr piles of waste lying
on the ground that Is taken out of the
mines, and there are miles and miles
of road that is paved with this waste.
Kansas City, both in Missouri and
Kansas, is growing at rapid pace.
The towns are being extended far out
into the country and Kansas City,
Missouri, is preparing to build new
union depot to cost in the neighbor-
hood of s5,0O0,O00 At the present
time a great fight is going on between
the Kansas City Star and the Metro
politan Street Railway Co.
A new proposition or ordinance is
to be voted upon by the people on Dec.
18th. 1t is an ordinance extending the
franchise of the company to 1871,
granting it certain privileges which it
does not now possess and In which the
city will get four cent fares
Bill Nelson, as the people of Kan
sas City call him, the owner and edi-
tor of the Kansas City Star, is fighting
the Metropolitan for all he is worth
while the Journal and the Post are
supporting it, and there is a battle row
al on They say Nelson is fighting II
because he cannot dictate the policy OF
the railway, SO as to get his finger in
the pie and reap profit.
Mr.. Frank Hagerman who formerly
lived and practiced law in KeokuK, is
located in Kansas City and is one o
the leading attorneys in the city. He
has become great corporation lawyer
and is generally employed by the
Standard Oil and the railroads In
protecting their interests.
also visited the city of Independ
ence. Missouri, which has a population
of about $4,000 people, and is connect
ed with Kansas City by trolley line,
1t is about ten miles from Kansas
City, but in reality a suburb of thai
town. Here are located about 1000 Of
the organization, who call themselves
the Reorganized church of Jesus
Christ of the Latter Day Saints. The
most common name they go by is
Mormons.
AS is well known this church was
organized and founded by JOSEPH
Smith, who originally hailed from the
state of New York, where he gather
ell a number of followers and moved
TO Kirkland, Ohio.
From there they came to Independ
ence, Missouri. later going to Nauyoo
Ill.,, and it is also we'll known that
| Joseph Smith was killed by a mob at
Carthage in that state.
ne majority OIL These people iell
Nauvoo, going to Utah and founding
the city of Salt Lake City After the
death of Smith some Joined the lead
ership of Brigham Young, while some
remained in the western part of Iowa
under the leadership of Joseph Smith
q son of the prophet.
They founded the town of Lamont
Iowa, in Decatur county, where was
established the headquarters of this
| faction but they have somewhat
divided the headquarters between In
dependence and Lamont.
Joseph Smith formerly lived al
Ismoni, but has moved to Independ
ence, Mo-, where he conducts the at
fairs of the church.
In Lamont they have established q
school and it has grown to be quite
an institution, but majority of this
faction has moved from the town Of
Lamont to Independence.
There is another faction in indie
pendence called Hedrickites, the fol
lowers of one Hedrick, and they have
built a small church on what is called
Temple Lot"
I'll Il.