The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-08
Will Don Overalls
and Work Next Week.
Chamber of Commerce, Rotary
and Coop Clubs Combine.
CLEAN DEBRIS FROM FIELDS
Several Hundred Men Offer
Their Services to Farmers.
Necessary That New Planting
Begin Immediately.


lied, are needed at once in the dew
asted Menoken district, swept by
Tuesdays tornado, to help farmers
clear debris and ruins from their land
in order that crops may be harvested
and replanted. A plea for assistance
for the farmers was sent to Topeka
today by farmers in the Prairie Home
district. who have organized and are
helping their Menoken neighbors, thru
w. S. Robinson, a Prairie Home
farmer.
Robinson appeared before the
county commissioners. In turn that
body appealed to the Chamber of
Commerce. the Rotary club and the
Cooperative club. John S. Dean, pres
ident of the Chamber of Commerce,
responded promptly by calling meet
ing of the body tomorrow at the clubs
rooms. Every member, it was urged
by Mr.. Dean, should be present Plans
will be completed to organize MEM
bers and mobilize others for work in
the devastated fields Monday.
The Rotary club with Fred Voiland
presiding met today at the Chamber
of Commerce. and completed plans to
go into the Menoken district Monday.
The Rotarians, Voiland estimated, will
send at least $50 men to aid the farm
erS in clearing their lands Henry
Bennett was named chairman of a
committee on general arrangements
Herbert S. Putney and Leroy Powell
were placed on a committee to mobiI-
iZe Rotarian motor cars to haul the
clubs forces to the field. The Rotar-
ians voted to call for volunteers from
the outside of the club and issued a
statement urging all who go to meet
at the Chamber Of Commerce Monday
haul the workers will be waiting.
Captains Named
Eighteen captains, to take charge
of squads of Rotarians and their
volunteers, were named today. The
squad heads include:
George Stone, Bert Overton, D. O.
Coe, Herbert S. Putney Phil Billiard,
Ray Lattner, w. j. V. Deacon, Frank
Beck, LIE Roy Powell, VIM. Lewis,
Herbert West, Horace Hall, Scott
Hopkins, w. T. Beerholm, s. L. Court
ney, F. A. Derby, Fred Bonebrake.
Baynard Eittelman and NJ. A. Palmer.
Each Rotarian will take his own
lunch He will also take along equip
ment such as gloves, overalls, axes
and other paraphernalia
W, o. Anderson, president of the
Cooperative club, today announced
that between rs and 100 members of
the club would be sent to the devast-
ated area today and tomorrow Several
Co-Ops left Topeka this afternoon in
automobiles. More will go tomorrow.
D
would do all in its power to help the
farmers clear their land
Fifty boys from the Boys Industrial
school, north of the city, will be sent
out to aid in the relief work Monday,
officials of the school stated
/ Organize Workers.
/ Every attempt was made today to
organize the workers to avoid confu-
sion. This afternoon H. w. McAfee,
county commissioner, and the county
surveyor started on tour thru the
Menoken district to find out just
where help is needed. Monday morn
! ing when the workers leave Topeka
they will be given cards showing them
where to report so as to get the men
evenly distributed.
In a statement to the State Journal
today Mr.. Robinson, who brought the
appeal for help to Topeka, said:
Neighbors Helping.
'Neighbors of the farmers who lost
their homes and had their lands
/ strewn with debris and lost their
crops are helping the losers get back
on their feet. The wheat crop cannot
be harvested unless the timbers, wire
nails and other rubbish scattered
broadcast are cleaned from the fields
Corn must be replanted if crop is
to be obtained this year. If it is re-
planted the work must he done next
week. This will be impossible, how
debris.
j THE gardens We're also ruined
They were literally blown out of the
ground and must be replanted.
The people at Menoken are not
asking for money. They want help in
retaining their lands and need it
badly.
Fifty Farms Need Workers.
Estimated, there are about fifty
farms in the Menoken district in this
condition. If a thousand men and
boys could come out there Monday and
put in one day cleaning debris off the
land, farmers living around the Memo
ken district will jump in with theiI
teams and help replant crops and start
things going again.
Il would also like to emphasize the
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