The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-27
ON THE NORTH SIDE
R. D. Davidson Dies Suddenly
This Morning.
Was One of the Oldest Merchants
of Topeka.
HUNTING A BINDER.
Engineer ParkhurSt May Use
Oil on bikes.
Amusing Mistake in Kansas
Avenue Store.
HUNTING A BINDER.

r. ID. Davidson. known as Grand
pa" Davidson, the friend of the chill
dren. died of heart failure about 6
O'Clock this morning at rooms at the
Cottage hotel at 927 North Kansas
avenue He was 76 years old. He
was probably one of the oldest Odd
Fellows in the state. He Joined that
lodge in Wisconsin, when he was 21
years old. He also organized lodge
at Itasca, Iowa, and has held several
offices in that order.
Mr. Davidson was born February
6, 1888, in Liberty, Trumble county,
Ohio. He went from there to Wis
consin. He moved to Iowa and was
married at McGregor, Iowa, in June,
1860 He was in business in Nc
Gregor and afterwards in South
Dakota. He came to Kansas about
ten years ago, living at Sabetha for
several years.
In December, 1908. he moved to
North Topeka and opened a con-
fectionery store at 915 North Kansas
avenue. Last spring he sold this out
and bought the Manning grocery at
Chandler and East Sixth street. Later
he sold this also and retired from ac-
part of the time with a daughter
Mrs. J. w. Dowler, now living at 935
North Monroe street.
He was well known and liked by
was very fond of the little ones and
their custom was to stop in the North
Topeka confectionery store on their
way home from school and chat with
the old man.
Last September. he was i'll with
pneumonia. He apparently recovered.
Some time later ha was again taken
sick. He seemed to be growing. bet
ter until just before his death.
His wife died several years ago.
leaves
other daughter, Mrs. w. A. Haynes of
Sabetha. The funeral arrangements
will be made later.
V. r. Parkhurst, engineer for the |
North Topeka drainage board, is ex-
perimenting with oil residuum, or
liquid asphalt. with the idea of using
it as a binding for the dikes. He has
filled several boxes foot square |
with the different material found in |
the dikes and is treating these with |
the liquid. In this way he can tell |
how much of the residuum will be |
needed to bind a square foot of the |
different soils. Thus he can get a ba- |
sis of calculation to ascertain the |
necessary to protect given |
of dixie surface. He intends |
to pour this residuum on the dikes and |
see if it will keep the earth from |
washing. If it does so the liquid may
be used in place of rip rapping in the |
future. The experiments are being !
watched with interest by Captain Ed |
win Shultz. of the government en- |
gineer corps.
Because North Topeka man spoke |
to a clerk in too low tone of voice |
TO be heard by him, the latter thought |
the customer was deaf and dumb, and |
on account of the resulting actions of |
the clerk, the mistake was made mu- |
tual
1t all happened yesterday afternoon,
when a man went into a local store to
buy a collar. A new clerk, a stranger
to the prospective customer, approach |
ed him. Without waiting for the clerk |
to speak, the collar-buyer asked for a |
collar and unconsciously pointed to his
neck. Having a cold, he spoke in a
very low tone which was not heard by
the clerk, who was yet several feet |
away. However, the clerk saw the !
gesture and, not hearing the voice,
concluded that a collar was wanted,
and also decided that his customer
was deaf-mute. He then wrote on a
pad of paper: What size and kind do
you want?" The man was surprised !
at this but supposed that the clerk
must be deaf and dumb, although he /
thought it strange to find a deaf-mute
clerk. However, he told in writing
that he wanted a wing collar and to
further explain, drew what he thought