- Piedmont, Kansas 1916 - (Part 3 of 3) -
“The Robinson Co. has bought the leading grocery store in Augusta and will close out their store in Severy and sell their stores at Piedmont and Latham and all move to Augusta and take charge of their new purchase, as it is in the heart of the oil country and requires the united attention of all the brothers. They are wished success, but Piedmont was just selfish enough to hope they keep the store here for some time, as the manager, Robert Robinson, is very popular, a good advertiser and booster, and has built up a big business here by his honesty and pleasing business dealings. Later: The store in Piedmont was bought by Dickerson & Brandt, of Severy, who have taken possession.
You have heard of the bread line and soup line in the large cities, now Piedmont was starting an ice line. In August the local ice dealers were unable to get a railroad car of ice, but received 1,000 lbs. on the train each morning, so the editor suggested that if you did not stand in line and wait your turn you are apt to lose out.
Four loads of gypsies stopped in Piedmont a few minutes in August and attracted much attention. They all had large machines and represented a pile of money.
Enrollment at the Piedmont High School took place in late August. Nine students enrolled for Sophomore work and fourteen for Freshman work. Several others are expected to present themselves for admission when school starts.
The equipment is nearly all on hand, the necessary books have been ordered and the completion of the building is being done as rapidly as possible by a large force of workmen.
In September another cream station was open in Piedmont. The Beatrice Creamery Co. was opening in a new building just south of the restaurant. Their representative says their present price is 28 cents.
A certain Piedmont lady says she is going to make syrup from her former sweetheart’s letters. She says they are so sweet that if boiled they are bound to make a good brand of syrup.
Several boys yet in their teens are addicted to the habit of cigarette smoking on the streets and in public places in Piedmont. The county attorney will be down here one of these days investigating and trying to find the dealer who is selling the “makings” to minors.
Earl Denniston is laid up with a lame foot. While at play he was so unfortunate as to run a splinter a couple of inches long into his foot and it could not be extracted without a good deal of pain, due to which he was laid up for some time.
Piedmont has the second Rural High school in the county, Reece having the first.
An effort was made to secure a tract of land adjoining the school ground on the west to be used for an athletic field.
Later in September the High School district was able to lease an acre of ground on the west side of the school yard which would be used for baseball, basketball and track.
The Frisco railroad turn table, which has so long been a familiar landmark in Piedmont and unused for the past several years, was torn down and moved elsewhere on the line.
In late September the editor said the Frisco had beef for sale for a while one day. A train killed one of Harold Colyer’s calves out northwest of town.
Nearly all Piedmont children of school age are attending school. Still there are a few not attending school and the truancy officer might find something to do in case he made the town a visit.
Dr. Jones in October seeing that there was a need for such a place will have in his drug store now, hot drinks, ice cream, hot sundaes, chili and sandwiches. He expects to add other eatables as the trade may demand.
The teachers of Piedmont schools are complaining because boys who should be in school, but are not, are butting into the different amusements at recess, often crowding the pupils out.
The Piedmont baseball boys went to Howard and were beaten again by Howard. The game was not as one-sided as before, but was bad enough at that.
A new ruling for school has been made concerning absence and tardy marks. Three tardies make an absence, 5 absences require a test covering the work missed. This gives the absent one a chance to make up the work missed; and also make it fair to those coming regularly.
The basketball team at Piedmont has been challenged for a game. Reece wants to play Piedmont. The baseball team was defeated in two games with Howard, but by a team which consisted of upper classmen. The basketball teams intend to play only Freshmen and Sophomores, and from the way the boys are starting out it looks like they are going to have a pretty strong team.
The Frisco railroad had been doing a good deal of improving to its property in Piedmont in November by putting a new board fence around the section house and whitewashing the fence around the stockyard.
While engaged in the duties of teaching school one day John Arnold was suddenly stricken blind. He was immediately taken to a specialist at Wichita. The doctor believed the sight of a least one of his eyes can be restored.
One evening the citizens of Piedmont were horribly shocked by the report of the sudden death of one of the oldest and most highly respected citizens, John H. Glasco, which occurred at his home shortly after 7 o’clock.
He had been about as well as usual all day, in fact he told the editor in answer to an inquiry, about 5:30, he was well. He went home shortly after that and told his wife he wanted some oyster soup for supper. While she was preparing it, he went upstairs to bed. A short time his wife went to call him and found him dying. Dr. Yandell was summoned, but when he arrived it was too late to do anything for him.
Mr. Glasco had been in the lumber, coal and feed business here for a number of years.
Late one afternoon while blacking a stove at her home, Mrs. John Osborn was pretty badly burned about the body and one hand, by the heat of the stove igniting the liquid in the polish, setting her clothes on fire. She held onto the can containing the polish with the intention of throwing it in the yard, so this hand was badly burned. She happened to see Elnora Rutter in the Rutter yard and signaled her to come, and she hurried to her rescue and help extinguish the fire, but not until Mrs. Osborn was badly burned, the clothes she wore being almost all burned off from her body. Dr. Yandell reports her on the mend, and out of danger.
In late November the biggest wreck yet on the Frisco occurred one Sunday morning about 6:30 o’clock when a freight train east bound jumped the track coming around the curve about 2 miles west of Piedmont. 16 cars left the track, 6 of which were a complete wreck. These cars contained flour, wheat, feed, salt, broom corn, a car of junk, and a couple of coal. The wrecker arrived here about 5 o’clock and it was two or three days clearing up the wreck. No one was hurt except a man who was stealing a ride. He afterwards died.
A number of boys and some men of Piedmont are making a lot of money killing rabbits for which they receive 5 cents apiece, and also trapping the fur animals.
In early December there was a coal famine in Piedmont. As luck would have it, the weather was mild and there was no suffering from cold among the people.
Two weeks later a car of coal came in to Piedmont and it was gobbled up like hot cakes. It was divided up among those needing coal.
A few weeks ago, a traveling fellow made Piedmont, claiming to represent a large carpet house. He not only undersold the dealers, but sold on easy and attractive terms. All he wanted was $1.50 down; the balance to be paid at so much a month. He has never come back after the balance, and if he knows what is good for him, he never will. Wonder how many Piedmont women bit at his game?”
