Meade County news., 1917-04-26
Warden COdding Would Parole
State Honor Prisoners So
They Can Farm.
MORE GARDENS IN KANSAS NOW
Railroad Report Shows Big Increase in
Vacant Lot Cultivation-Cities
Are Busy, Too.

penitentiary has already submitted to
the board of corrections and Governor
Capper list of the men in the prison
suitable for paroles for farm labor.
'In this time every able-bodied man
is needed in the fields and workshops
of the state" Mr. Codding explained
II am going to recommend an unusual
ly large number of paroles next
month"
Warden Codding's idea is to parole
the men with good records in the
prison and set them to work in the
state, where they can be looked after
by the parole officer of the institution.
Some of the lesser criminals might
even be released to go into the ranks
later, If they make good in the fields.
There are about one hundred young
men available for farm work at the
Hutchinson reformatory.
There has been an increase Of 120
per cent in the number of vacant lot
gardens in Kansas this year over 1916.
Early this month the agricultural de-
partment of the Santa Fe railroad di-
rected its agents to make a survey of
the smaller towns of Kansas to see
what effect the agitation for increased
production was having.
The survey has just been completed
in thirty-seven towns of from 500 to
1000 population, comprising total of
35,200 persons in 1850 families.
The agents are making a similar can
vass in the larger cities. While not
completed, the returns show there has
been even greater increase in the
number of gardens in the cities of the
first and second classes than in the
smaller towns.
X x X
Plan War on Plant Pests.-The
University of Kansas is ready to serve
the nation by giving the services of
its best instructors in the production
and conservation Of foodstuffs.
X X X
Saina Forms Red Cross Unit.-A
Red Cross unit has been organized
at Salina with a membership of 200.
Each member will pay a fee of SO,
which will be used in promoting re-
lief work in cooperation with national
organization.
Helped Build Emporia.-Charles N.
Linck, who helped build the first three
houses on the townsite of Emporia in
1857, is dead at his home there. He
was born in Germany in 1880 and came
to Kansas in 1854.
Seven Enlist at Ransom.-The ef-
forts of a recruiting officer in one day
at Ransom, netted seven men for the
army. Several other youths are plan
ming to enlist.
x X X
To Build Concrete Road.-The coun-
ty committee to build the National Old
Trails Road across Usage county per-
fected a permanent organization at
Burlingame, with ]. A. Kesler of Over
brook, chairman, and c. A. Stoddard
of Burlipgame as secretary. The COM
mittee unanimously adopted a resolu-
ton favoring a concrete road sixteen
feet wide for the entire distance of
thirty-one miles.
X X X
Hutchinson Has 22,571.-Reports to
the county clerk show the population
of Hutchinson at the close of 1916 was
22,571, gain of 1,544 over 1915. Farm
ers are moving to town, as the town
ship reports all show losses.
X x X
Bars Track for DrlII.-The students
of the Washington High School in Sa-
lima have abandoned track athletics
for this season and adopted military
drill. More than hundred boys will
take up the new work.
X X X
Power Plant estroyed.-Recently
Fire destroyed the power plant of the
Caney Electric Light & Railway Com
pany. The loss is estimated at $25, 900.
The power plant will be rebuilt.
Potatoes on X. U. Campus.-A part
of the campus OF the University of
Kansas may be planted in potatoes
this spring if the plans of Chancellor
Frank Strong work out. The probable
lack of foodstuffs in the United States
this year has caused authorities at
the university to back the move of
giving state property to crops this
year.
X X X
kansan Dead at 93.-R. A. Dowell is
dead at Wellsford at the age of SO.
He came there in 1884 and settled on
the land now used as this townsite.
He was banker and large landholder.
He leaves eight children.
X X X
Wichita Recruiting Record.-Enlist-
ments in the United States Army in
the Wichita recruiting district the
other day numbered seventy-seven,
many Of whom enlisted for the avia-
tion corps. Ten stations are in the
Wichita district and today's enlist
uent was the highest ever known.