Meade County news., 1916-11-09
Chase County Farmer Has the
Countryside as Guests at
House Warming.
GOVERNOR CAPPER ATTENDED
After Speeches by State Executor and
Others a Free Dinner Was
Served to $500.

wagons carried a crowd variously es-
timated at between 1000 and 2,5OO
persons to the big house warming cele-
bration given by William Mercer, a
young Homestead farmer, at his ranch
twenty-five miles southwest OF Cotton
wood Falls recently. Mercer is just
completing $4,000 residence on the
site his father first erected a little
cabin forty-five years ago when the
family emigrated to Kansas from
Kent, England.
The celebration, which was one Of
the largest of the kind ever held in
that part of the state, was attended
by Gov. Arthur Capper, VINO spoke in
the afternoon. His speech was fol-
lowed by an address by Maj. "lronjaw"
Brown. Visitors from thirty miles
away were present and the day was
declared a holiday by the various
school districts surrounding the MS1r-
Ger ranch so the pupils and their
teachers might attend the celebration.
A big dinner of beef, pork or mutton
was served free to everyone.
One of the most interesting parts OF
the days celebration was an Indian
fight staged between a group OF cow
boys and a score OF horsemen who
represented the redskins, who were
painted and wore all the trappings of
the Indian warrier.
When the Mercer family came from
England to Chase County forty-five
years ago they took homestead. The
father, Alfred Mercer, built their first
cabin of stones and logs and thatched
it with brush Although they were
without means and those first years
were trying ones for them, yet he
raised large family, all of whom are
now prosperous farmers or farmers
wives of that county.
X X X
Shriners Meet at Salina-Hundreds
of Shriners from all over Kansas gath
cred recently at Salina for their semi
annual ceremonial. Forty-seven nov
ices were initiated at Isis Temple in
the afternoon. At night there was a
Shrine show" banquet and a grand
ball.
Electricity for Two Cents.-The city
commissioners of Wellington have
put into effect rate of two cents a
kilowatt for electric current for cook
ing and heating. The rate for lighting
remains at eight cents and for motors
at five cents. The city plant is max
ing money and is in fine condition.
X K X ~
Greeted X. U. Soldiers. s.-University
of Kansas students and faculty mobi
lized at Lawrence to greet Company
M, First Kansas Infantry, mustered
out of the federal service at Fort Ri
ley. Company M is composed Of Uni
versity Of Kansas students. Chancel
lor Frank Strong issued orders that all
classes be dismissed at the Sound OF
the whistle" The university band led
q long procession of X. u. men, co-eds
and "profs" to the train to greet the
student soldier boys.
X X X
Mother of Furteen Dies. - Mrs
Sarah Arthur, So years old, resident
of Atchison county for forty-five years
is dead at her home near there. Mrs
Arthur was the mother of fourteen
children, all Of whom, with her hus
band, Samuel Arthur, survive her.
X X X
Sues for Gas shortage.-Injunctiol
proceedings have been started in dis
trict court at lola by the lola Port
land Cement Company against tn
Wichita Pipeline Company, as a re
suit of shortage of gas in the recen
cold wave.
The pipeline company supplies Iol
with gas, as well as the cement plant
and when citizens began complainin
of the shortage the plants supply o
gas was cut off for several hours Il
order more might be turned into tn
city's mains. The cement company I'm
mediately went into court and aske
for a temporary restraining order, pre-
hibiting the pipeline company fror
cutting off their gas supply, under tn
contract they have with them callin
for four months notice before the cor
tract can be terminated. The orde
was granted
X X X
Pioneer Realty Man Dles.-Jame
M. Lane. SO years old, who came t
Burlington in 1857, died there recent
ly. He was a prominent real estat
agent in the early days and leadin
Republican politician, holding severa
county offices.
x 4 X
New Oil Well Near Paola.-Driller
recently brought in an oil well at
depth of seven hundred feet west o
Paola. Oil sand to the depth of eight
feet was struck, anG oil men say 1t /
one of the most promising wells eve
drilled in that community.
x 4 X
Found Dead In Barn.-Harry Brand
ley, farmer and stockman Of Chas
County, A years of age, was foun
dead In the, barn on his farm severa
miles southeast Of hatfield Green tn
other day. The cause OF death is Ut