From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for July 10, 1911:

• “There is no running to the mail box at W. F. Elkins’ home, five miles west of Lawrence, on rural route No. 1. Instead when the mail carrier is seen to stop at the box, a little contrivance is put into motion and in one minute the box has covered the thirty-five yards between the road and the house. Thirty-five yards is nearly one-eighth mile, and after walking to and from the box many times Mr. Elkins decided he could work out an easier way. The first move was the build a wire trolley from the house to the location of the mail box and then to suspend the box from it. The next was to arrange an endless wire cable to bring the box back and forth. An old bicycle wheel, with a crank arm where the pedal formerly was, completed the outfit and now the box travels back and forth to the house.”
• “Rain, real rain. At last it came and this morning the air is many degrees cooler than it has been this month. This is worth a great deal but further than this the rain has had the effect of doing great good to the crops that are still alive. Corn is reported as saved; the stalks are still green and the amount of rain that fell yesterday will keep it green for several days and with more rain a good crop is assured for this fall.”