The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-15
is THRIVING TOWN
Norton Citizens Work Hard for
Their Community.
December Railroad Business
Largest in Twelve Years.
GET ANYTHING THEY GO AFTER
Auditorium, P0stOffice and
School Results of Activity.
Building Boom in Prospect Fol-
lowing Two Good Years.

Norton. Kan, Jan. 15.-An excess
over December business in the past
ten years amounting to 80 per cent
is shown by a comparison of the rec
ords of the B. and NJ. railroad here
by the local agent, Geo. Scott. The
volume of business in all lines of ac-
tivity has increased in accordance
with the large increase of railroad
business The Rock Island also runs
into Norton but no figures from that
road are available.
Norton has met with success in
nearly every undertaking the town
has assumed. A modern auditorium
was built by the citizens and the town
is justly proud of it. The residents
| of Norton were also responsible Tor
| securing the state tuberculosis Sani-
torium After securing a waterworks
and light plant, a $4,000 school and
| jobbers' rates on the railroads. the
town is after a hotel. 1t is claimed
that Norton will support hotel or
| fifty or more rooms
A large wholesale grocery house is
in prospect and the Carnegie library
| is assured. AS a result of the boosting
by the townspeople bill has been
| introduced by Congressman ]. r.
| Connolly for a new federal building.
And every time somebody suggests
something new the town gets busy
and nails it.
Much Building Last Year.
The year 1915 was a busy year for
| building in Norton. The Kent garage
was built-modern, and one of the
| largest in northwestern Kansas. The
/ modern ice cream plant of the Chap
pelles is nearing completion. In the
residence part several houses were
| completed. Among them is the parish
home of Rev. Father T. p. Tuite, one
| of the most modern residences in
| Norton at a cost of $4,000. Father
lutte has been in charge of the
! church here for the last ten years. He
was educated in Ireland, and came to
Norton county in 1902 The Catholic
church property here is valued at
| $4,000. Father Tuite is not only pop
| MAR with his church but all Norton
likes him.
Two Big Crop Years.
The new year of 1916 starts in with
big promise. Splendid crops have been
raised the last two years, and the new
year starts in with the best prospects.
Wheat is looking fine
| The new modern Cope garage is
being built, and the Hamilton bust
ness building is nearing completion.
Work on the new school building will
commense in the spring. There are
rutnors that several business houses
viii be erected this year. The con-
tractors and builders predict there will
be several fine residences erected this
year.
| Second Largest in Sixth.
! 1t has been the pleasure of the
State Journal correspondent to visit
Norton for the last 35 years. In this
time the town has grown to over g.
500 inhabitants, Beloit being the only
town in the Sixth congressional dis
trict with a larger population. Com
| ing here long before a railroad, the
building of one brought another. The
writer has seen most of Norton build
up. Her beautiful Elmwood park,
and the fertile valley of the Prairie
Dog are widely known.
| Norton has a wide awake daily
newspaper, four weekly publications
and a monthly. Few old landmarks
remain, many of them having been
torn down to make room for more
modern buildings. Some of the Nor
tonites have moved to Topeka, and
they are good pushing citizens and
business men there as they were in
Norton. And the numbers of pas
sengers getting of the trains in the
depots remind one that they are in
metropolitan cities.
U. c. T. and Commercial Club.
| Norton is the home of a large num-
Der of travelling men, who have an
active U. c. T. council of more than
fifty members. The town has large
commercial club, with their home for