From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Oct. 6, 1911:

• “In response to the petition of the local Merchants Association asking for more adequate fire protection, Mayor Bishop last night appointed the present fire committee and councilmen Cox, Herman, Hults and Hazen as a special committee to make a thorough investigation of the proposition…. In their petition they set forth their wishes that the city purchase an auto fire truck. They contended that the present fire fighting ability was insufficient for a city of the size of Lawrence. The cost of a motor fire truck such as would be adaptable to a city of the size of Lawrence would be between $7,000 and $10,000, but the Merchants argue that by the greater efficiency of the truck this amount might be saved by controlling a single big fire. They also argue that it would reduce the present insurance rates of the city if we had better fire protection.”
• “Lee and Adams streets [currently 13th and 14th Streets] have long been the favorite coasting grounds of local sledding parties. At present these streets are in the process of being paved and this winter the slick, icy pavement would make it an even better place to coast than it has been in the past. But there are so many cross streets there and there is the street car line crossing them at Tennessee and there is always a large amount of travel in this part of the city. Danger has always been in the path of the coasters, but this year with the streets paved it would be even greater. Bob sleds have gone as far as Massachusetts street after a start from the top of the hill even before they were paved, while now with the hill paved the speed that might be attained in the descent would carry the sleds far across the town. The danger would be greater and the number of accidents that have always occurred on the hill would no doubt be greatly increased. To avoid this and to even avoid a repetition of the accidents of past years, Mayor Bishop last night urged that the city council pass an ordinance prohibiting coasting on these streets and that signs be posted warning the coasters to stay off the street. A penalty for the violation of this ordinance might be attached. The council seemed unanimously in favor of such action and some of the members would include Indiana street in this ordinance. It is quite probable that before there is any snow on the ground, Lawrence will have an anti-coasting ordinance…. Last year there were about fifteen or twenty people injured in accidents of various kinds. Some of them were only minor affairs while others suffered broken bones and were obliged to remain in the hospitals for some time. This is what the mayor and council wish to avoid. It is too dangerous a sport to be indulged in.”