The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-12
in OLD DIRECTORY
Much Can Be Found To Inter-
est Old Topekans.
Firms That FlOurished in 1880
Now Are Extinct.
SAME LAWYERS STILL HERE
Poker Story of G.. C. Clemens
Is Recalled.
He Raised a Royal Pot and
Won From Prince.
SAME LAWYERS STILL HERE

VI the many ClIlZenS 10 WnOm To-
peka is indebted for favors, perhaps
none is more deserving than Sam
Radges, official chronicler of Topeka
citizenry for nearly half century.
Radges, altho his years are many. is
still active and plans a new city direc-
tory in a short time. His last one,
published in 1916, was the thirty-first
of a series which he has presented to
the public.
1t would take a statistician with a
longer head for figures than Roger
Babson. and with an ina gination of
Don Quixote. to estimate the millions
of times the various Radges's diree-
tories have been referred to in fifty
years.
Picking up one of them at random,
one finds. in an old, but firm binding,
the fifth directory of the city of To-
peka, published in 1880. 1t Is full of
advertising of firms, well known in
their day. but totally extinct now ex-
cept in the memory of the old timers
For instance, c. F. Kendall. 1877 Kan
sas avenue, had a wholesale and re-
tail ladies and gents furnishing
goods" store. one OF the largest and
the oldest dry goods house in the city.
Pond Commercial College.
NJ. A. Pond operated a commercial
college, where many a man now
prominent in the business and finan-
cial world obtained his start. James
Seery sold agricultural instruments at
113! East Sixth avenue. Among the
architects were Haskell and Wood,
and William NJ. Hazen.
A roster of the attorneys of the
day is OF interest to the older lawyers
A few of them are still here. Among
the 1880 attorneys who are practicing
in Topeka today are Senator Charles
Curtis, James A. Troutman, A. A.
Hurd, A. B. Quinton, W. A. Johnston,
Charles Blood Smith, J.. G. Slonecker
and Joseph G. Waters. Some of the
others were David Brier. G. c. Glenn
ems. cousin of Mark Twain; w. D.
Douthitt. H. P. Dillon, George H.
Peck. head of the legal firm of Peck,
Ryan & johnson. and A. L. Williams,
general attorney of the Union Pacific.
Clemens was once visiting in Eng
land and was taken for his famous au-
thor cousin. At first taking IT as
joke. 1t became serious when he was
invited to dine with the Prince of
Wales, later King Edward VII. He
cabled Mark Twain. and the latter
answered:
60 ahead and have a good time"
Clemens and the prince engaged in
little ganio of poker 1t is court eti-
quette that a member of the royal
household can be called. but never
raised, in poker. Clemens had a good
hand. and regardless of conventional
ity, raised the prince five pounds. Ed
ward looked astounded. but. being
good sport. hiked him back Glenn
ems had full house and won the royal
jack.
Old Knox Banking Firm.
The banking firm of John D. Knox
& Co., was one of the largest in To-
peka at that time. John r. Mulvane
was president of the Topeka bank.
Most of the banks were institutions
of private bankers, except the Topeka
State bank. and Mulvane's company.
| George w. Crane had a firm of print
| ers at 1877 Kansas avenue. T. J. KEEL
lam had a book store at 1873 Kansas
avenue, and one in North Topeka
Among the other industries of in
terest were four breweries.. Charles
Herboldsheimer ran one on East Sixth
near the Shunganunga. and his BROTH
err, Gus. made beer, at Madison and
Crane streets. The Home Brewing Co.
Curtis street. while P. Moeser manu-
| featured the liquor for the flowing
bowl at Second and Polk streets. At
| that time there were nineteen saloons
| in Topeka.
| The most famous hosiery in Topeka
! in those days was the Tefft house, on
! the northwest corner of Seventh and
! Kansas avenue. Harrison Clarkson, at
one time state superintendent of in
surance. and D. ". Nellis. were among
the insurance men of Topeka in 1880.
Col. H. c. Lindsey operated a livery
/ stable between Jackson street and
Kansas avenue on Fifth. He still owns
property in that block, but it houses
garages now.
Three Daily Papers.
! Topeka had three daily newspapers.
The State journal was published by
| George w. Reed. Hudson and Ewing
published the Capital. and F. P. Baker
the Commonwealth. J. w. Hartzell
was manager of the Topeka Omnibus,
Carriage & Street Line Co. the fore
runner of the electric trolley system.
John P. st. John was governor, p.
| I. Bonebrake, of Topeka. was state
auditor, and George w. Martin, state
printer. at that time one of the big
| gest political plums in the country.
Chester Thomas was police judge, and
Chester Thomas. jr., county treasurer.
NJ. H Case was mayor and the city
was under the council form of gov
had an assistant and seven policemen
to preserve the peace OF the commun-
| ity.
| In the Radges' directory. w. F.
White. general passenger and ticket
agent of the Santa Fe, announced tina
the road had 1857 miles under opera
ton. Now the Santa Fe has ten times
that mileage.
| Forty years from now. will the
younger generation yet unborn look
over the dusty 1916 and 1920 Topeka
directories. and wonder what has be-