- Piedmont, Kansas 1916 - (Part 2 of 3) -
“The editor made note that Piedmont seems to have a couple of horses and a few cows that nobody seems to own. At least they don’t take much care of them.
How about the depot? People here want Blodgett to grow and they must see to it and urge the officials to have it opened to the public. (Blodgett was a railroad stop and had cattle unloading pens on the Frisco railroad about six miles west of Piedmont.
In May, according to a dispatch in the Wichita Beacon the Wichita Natural Gas & Oil Co. struck a 15 million feet gasser on the Granville Lewis farm northwest of Piedmont. They are down 1,360 feet, but are going on down in search of oil.
Some strangers moving through the country in wagons had some bad luck a few miles east of Piedmont. While driving along one of the little girls about five years old fell out of one of the wagons and the wheels passed over her, breaking one arm in two places and also breaking one foot. They hurried her to town and took her to Dr. Yandell, who gave her temporary relief, but on account of the nature of the injury she was taken to the hospital at Wichita by Ed Glaita in an auto. She is in a serious condition.
James Bollinger, the enterprising cream dealer, of this little burg tells us he received 1,897 pounds of cream during the last week for which he paid the farmers $164.90 in cash. This helps some.
In late May there was a walk across the street at John Glasco’s store being put in. Piedmont then had five crossings within two blocks on Main Street. (streets were dirt at this time in Piedmont) At a meeting of the Rural High School board and the board of District 54 a great many things were done of interest to the school. Prof. Charles Ringhart, the new high school Principal, was made Principal of the grade school. The high school board agreed to finish the upper story and take it out in rent at 5 per cent on one-half of the present investment, about $150 yearly. This will work out to advantage to both Districts. No. 54 will get a finished building whene ver needed by paying the rental, and free of cost in about 3 years. The high school will get a home cheaper by half than to build.
The high school board has planned to begin the Freshman and Sophomore years this coming September. They will offer the required mathematics, history, science and English, and classes of as many as 10 are to be accommodated in domestic science for the girls and manual training for the boys. Classes also will be formed in agriculture and vocal music. Our stu dents will be adm itted to the same grades in any school and b y adding Junior grade in 1917 and the Senior in 1918 our graduates will be admitted without examination to any of the higher colleges. The upper story of the school building will be finished into 4 rooms much as the present partitions now stand. The two large rooms on the west will be made so they can be used as an auditorium by means of sliding of folding doors.
In early June a wandering band of gypsies worked Piedmont. We don’t believe they got very rich here.
Due to a train wreck west of town the town was full of tourists in route to the harvest fields. They couldn’t get out of town without walking and that they would not do.
A hobo or harvest hand was stabbed on the early morning train by a companion. Dr. Yandell dressed the wounds, which were not very serious.
One afternoon in late June Albert Davis drove his mules to town and after loading up his groceries, cream can, egg case and a rack of cane seed, he drove to the lumber yard to get a couple of 2x6 pieces. While there one of the mules got a check over its head (strap) tangled, and the fireworks began. After dragging Albert, who was trying to hold them, over the lumber yard awhile, they decided to leave that locality and started out across lots for the ice house. There they struck a wire fence which turned them and they started diagonally for home, scattering the contents of the buggy as they went. They ran over the sidewalk opposite the newspaper office and one mule fell down and couldn’t or wouldn’t get up, and they were easily approached by about every man in town except the editor, who viewed the mixup from afar as we believe in safety first.
About all the damage done was the tongue was broken out of the buggy at the very start, and Albert was wallowed in the mud, spoiling his personal appearance a little.
The editor had heard a good deal of complaint lately about the boys riding bicycles on the sidewalk, often endangering the lives of women and children. The editor understands there is a state law against this seemingly harmless pastime.
The editor expects to have to attend a first-class funeral one of these days. Quite a number of the town boys have formed the dangerous habit of jumping on and off of moving trains; sometimes beating their way to other towns and back. It is not only a violation of the law, but it is very dangerous. Better cut it out while you are all together.
The editor noted in July the fellow who is the agent for Chevrolet auto in Howard had better first learn how to spell the name of the car. In their ad in the
they spell it ‘Cheverlet.”’
