From the Lawrence Daily World for Dec. 3, 1909: Beginning Dec. 1, business institutions that use Western Union Telegraph will have to pay for every five letters as if they constituted a word. The goal is to speed transmission, billing and the accurateness of the service. Operators are urged to be cautious about people who use odd words to cut down on the costs. . . . More than 450 turned out for the banquet last night to honor the 1909 KU football team. There were many good speeches and 14 members of the varsity team received letters. . . . Tommy Johnson, star quarterback on the university football team, will have the leading role in a play, “The Father and the Frat” opening this weekend. It involves a freshman who joins a fraternity against the wishes of his father. This leads to many difficuties and we hear Johnson plays his role well. . . . The state has ordered the lowering of fire insurance rates and the new rates are considered much fairer. . . . There is increasing evidence that an interurban electric railroad line will be built next spring and that it will provide good service from Lawrence to Kansas City. W.B. Strang of Kansas City is a leader in the effort.