The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1916-05-26
Man Who Invented a Vehicle
Propelled by Wind is Dead
in 0skaI00sa.
AAV|GATED PRAIRIES IN 1860
Samuel Peppard Rushed Across Plains
Nearly to Denver at Fifteen
Miles an Hour.

cessfully to navigate dry land. In
1860 he drove to within one hundred
miles of Denver.
Peppard, who was born in Wayne
county Ohio, in 1888, was one of the
pioneers Of Central Iowa. He settled
in Oskaloosa in 1858, where he ran a
sawmill on the banks of the Grasshop-
per. The drought of 1860 made every
thing dull in Kansas settlements and
drove men to all sorts of desperation
Peppard for lack Of anything else to
do. built his wind wagon.
He finished 1t just fifty years ago.
and May 8, 1860, the wagon had its
first trial The wind was too high,
however, and 1t was wrecked before it
had gone very far. Repairs were soon
made and with three companions Pep
pard set out for Pixies Peak. The wa.
gon weighed about three hundred and
fifty pounds. 1t had bed three feet
wide, eight feet long and six inches
deep. A mast with sail eleven feet
square was raised over the center Of
the front axle and resembled the re-
versed tiller of boat.
When they got within one hundred
miles of Denver a big storm was en-
countered. The wagon was demolished
and the occupants injured. They had
been on the road about four weeks,
but had travelled only nine days, as the
weather had been unfavorable part Of
the time. The wagon had attained
maximum speed of fifteen miles an
hour.
The injured all recovered. Peppard
remained In Colorado and in 1852 en-
listed in the Second Colorado Volun.
teers. He served three years and
three months in the Union army. After
the war he returned to Oskaloosa,
where he had since made his home.
4 X X
Doing Its Part-Kansas is doing its
part toward furnishing men for the
| United States army, according to Off
cial reports received by Lieutenant
| West, in charge of the Wichita re-
cruiting station. The Wichita district
exceeded eighteen other larger and
more densely populated districts in the
last few weeks.
To Honor Custer-Mrs. Elizabeth B.
Custer, wife of Gen. G. A. Custer, is
helping the senior class Of the Fort
Hays Normal school locate the spot
on Clusters Island" near there where
stood the famous camp of Custer in
1867. The senit are erecting ~
foot concrete shaft to mark the place.
X X X
Banker Was Prepsred-Two rob-
bers, who locked Urban Gibbs, cash
Ter, in the vault at the Peru State
bank recently, escaped with $4,000.
Gibbs was the only person in the in
stitution at the time. He unlocked
the vault from the inside with screw.
driver after the robbers had left.
X X r
Woman Town Builder Dead-Mrs.
Anna C. Waite, widow of the late
Walter S. Waite, died recently in Lin.
coin Center. She was the first school
teacher in Lincoln county and she and
her husband helped in organizing the
town of Lincoln.
Markham Heads Editors-Before
closing its session at Lawrence the
Kansas Editorial Association elected
w. c. Markham, Baldwin, president;
Herb Cavaness, Chanute, vice presi-
dent; o. w. Little. corresponding Sec
rotary; ]. Bryon Cain, Belle PLANE,
vice president; Clark Conklin, Lyons,
treasurer Election to vice president
virtually is equivalent to being elect
ed president next year, as the vice
president annually is promoted. Mrs.
E. d. Aldrich of the Cawker City Her
aid Chronicle was awarded $25 for
writing the best story on IF had to
Do It Over Again, Would Marry a
Kansas Editor?"
New School Tax Plan-In an ad.
dress at a banquet of business men
of Neodesha business men the state
superintendent, w. d. Ross, advocat.
ed a readjustment of the rural school
system of Kansas in relation to the
methods Of taxation for school pur.
poses, on the grounds that the present
system does not provide sufficiently
in some cases, and in others the tax
levy provides more than is necessary
| to conduct the schools.
X X X
Baby browns in Jar-Attracted by
q number of crawfish which her older
brother had confined in five-gallon
Jar, Thelma, the 16-months-old baby
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Fred Mott of Cherry.
vale. fell into the four inches Of water
which the jar contained and was
drowned.
X X 4
Fall Injuries officer--Capt. Fred ].
Herman. quartermaster corps, was Sc.
yerely injured when he was thrown
| from his horse while riding near Fort
Riley, sustaining a compound fracture
~.