The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1916-11-17
The Hobby of a Wholesale Gro.
Ger at SaIina Is Good
Highways.
HEAD OF THE MERIDIAN ROAD
w. w. Watson Believes Good Roads
Builds Up Towns and Enhance
Farm Values.

cities, enhance farm values, make
farm life more desirable and make
life really worth living. They lessen
the distance from the farm to the
market and reduce the expense of
hauling. That's why l take such an
interest in good roads," said w. w.
Watson, wholesale grocer Of Salina,
who gives at least half his time to
the work Of interesting people Of this
section Of the state in good roads.
And he spends lots Of money in the
work.
Considerable is being said and
written at this time about prepared
ness" continued Mr.. Watson. "Few
people have stopped to think that the
good roads movement is one Of the
greatest toward preparedness. The
movement Of troops and war equip
ment where overland trips are neces-
sary could be made much better and
easier with good roads than over
roads neglected"
Mr.. Watson is president Of the Kan
sas branch Of the Meridian Road AS
ISOLATION. He was made president
when the association was organized
and has succeeded himself each year
at the annual election. The recent
motor car run across the country with
relay cars, from Winnipeg, Canada, to
Galveston, was put on partly to in
terest people in good roads, and ac-
cording to Mr.. Watson, the run was
success. When storms compelled the
abandonment of the run In the Dako-
tas, it was Mr.. Watson who put on
the car to finish the run from Ches-
ter, Neb.
The Meridian Road is in perfect con-
dition from Chester to the Gulf and
Mr.. Watson declares this highway is
especially favorable for military pur-
poses, as it passes by Fort Sill, Ok,
Fort Sam Houston, Tex, and is easy
of access to Fort Riley, Kas. The
road passes through six states, con-
Meeting them with the capital Of
Manitoba.
Sheriff Shot Insane Man.-Abra-
ham Thelander. who had barricaded
himself in his farm home thirteen
miles southwest Of Salina and threat
ened to kill any of the sheriff's posse
who approached the house, was shot
and wounded later by Sheriff Ander-
son.
Thelander blew up his house at
midnight and made his escape in the
excitement that followed the explo-
sion. The insane man yelled out OF
window to the posse: Don't come
near, the old house is going" and al
most instantly the whole top of the
building was blown into the air and
Thelander was seen to leave through
the front door. The house, fourteen
rooms, and thoroughly modern. was
completely destroyed by the fire that
followed. At o'clock in the morning
the sheriff saw Thelander making for
his fathers home and shot him. His
wounds are not dangerous. Thelan'
der was injured several years ago
and has been insane most of the
time since. He was in a hospital at
Kansas City from which he escaped
two weeks ago. Thelander lived alone
in the house. He is 40 years old.
X 4
Load of Wheat Brings $297.-The
most valuable load of wheat ever mar
keted at Stockton brought $287 on To-
cal markets recently.
X X X
Oil Lands Bring 100000. L.
Strickler announced recently he had
sold his oil interests nine miles south
east of Cherryvale to a Tulsa com
pany for 100000. The property con
sists of 1900 acres of leases. pipe.
line from the field to the Frisco Rail.
way, and ten producing wells.
\ X X
Kansan Killed by Train.-Frank
Mahan, 20 years old, Of Louisburg.
was killed the other night by being
run over by freight train on the
st. Louis & San Francisco Railroad be.
tween Paola and Henson.
X X