Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-09-23
WAYSIDE OBSERVATIONS
To the Editor of The Missouri

about to write will interest the read
ers of The Times but here goes.
In passing through southeastern
Nebraska and eastern central Kansas
one cannot fail to be impressed with
the evidences of prosperity and the
prospects of a bumper corn crop ev-
erywhere. In no year of my recollec-
tion have the gifts, with rain and sun
shine sent, been so abundant. I spent
a couple of days in Topeka, the beau
tieul capital city of Kansas, with a
population of about fifty thousand
souls. The first object of interest
that claims attention is of course, the
great State house, with it's vast and
magnificent dome, which can be seen
for many miles. A visitor can spend
many profitable hours at the State
Museum. On entering this building
which is constructed of : Vermont
marble, one is Instantly greeted by
portraits of the men and women who
have figured prominently in the his
tory of Kansas and have helped make
the "Old Sunfower" state famous.
One sees here the faces of the Terri
torial Governors, of old John Brown
of Ossawottamie, whose soul still goes
marching on, of the brilliant John j.
Ingalls,, Col, Dan Anthony, Cy Leland,
Noble L. Prentiss and II. D. McCarty,
famous educator. Some of these have
distinguished themselves in the fields
of journalism as we'll as, in politics
and craftsmanship. One of the out
standing features of Topeka is the
splendid plant of the Topeka State
Capital, one Of Kansas great dailies,
owned and operated by Senator Ar
thur Capper, who was also Cover
nor of Kansas until quite recently.
This building, which is of granite, adj
joins the capital grounds, and must
have valuation of at least half a
million dollars. I take off my hat to
man who has such achievement to
his credit.
On Sunday afternoon while l was
in Topeka terrible tragedy occurred
on the Cowles Aviation Field when an
airplane crashed to the ground after
attaining a height of fifty feet. The
pilot escaped through the breaking of
his safety belt, but his passenger,
U. r. Nadean of Concordia, Kans., al
so an aviator, was burned to a crisp
in sight of thousands of people. The
pilot is said to have placed the blame
for the accident on faulty controls.
The wife of the unfortunate man was
at their hotel awaiting his return.
All the money they had was on his
person, which was, of course, destroy
ed. Moral: "Let the wife carry the
pocketbook."
At Emporia, which is my home
town, I found many changes, mostly
for the better. Emporia is pro-
gressive city of twelve thousand pop
ulation and is the seat of the Kansas
State Normal school and the Presby-
terian college at Emporia. 1t has
asphalt streets, fine court house, post
office, beautiful modern churches, a
street railway. system and is on the
main line of the Santa Fe railroad.
But Emporia is best known through
the personalities of two famous liter
ary men-William Allen White and
Walt Mason, whose rhymes are pub
lished daily through newspaper
syndicate. Walt Mason owes his
present prosperity to William Allen
White, for when Mason came to EN-
poria White gave him job in his
newspaper office, The Gazette( and
helped him on his feet, not only finan-
cially, but also helped him to get rid
of the drink demon that had wrecked
his life. Recently Walt has taken up
his residence in California and has
sold his beautiful home in Emporia
for about $4,000. Walt Mason's pet
aversion is whiskers and the man who
bought his home has most luxurious
out-growth of this masculine adorn-
ment. The Gazette editorially re-
marked that Walt would probably
throw a fit if he should pass by his
house and see the be-whiskered one
sitting on his front porch.
William Allen White is one of EN-
poria's most popular citizens. His
book In Our Town." is said to be a
tolerable accurate picture of Emporia
saw his home which is being repaired
and beautified after recent fire. 1t
is a spacious mansion of red pressed
brick with trimmings Of Colorado red
sandstone. When completed it will be
one of the most handsome residences
in the city.
1t is said that William Allen White
owes his fame to an editorial he prin-
ted in The Gazette some years age
entitled 'tWhat is the Matter With
Kansas 2" Some remark he had heard
on the street had stirred his editorial
fighting blood. The. only statement
in that editorial which l recall was
this, (Which is slightly expurgated)
kansas has started out to raise
Hannibal, Mo-, and has an overpro.
duction." was told that Mr.. White
is now at one of the mountain resorts