From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Dec. 17, 1913:

• “‘It is time the people in the interior of the country were given some aid by the United States government,’ declared G. W. Lansberry of Washington, D. C., representing the National Highways Association, in an address before a dozen local Good Roads boosters last night. ‘It is time we were getting out of the mud in the country,’ he continued. ‘Congress has spent hundreds of millions of dollars for rivers and harbors and canals and not one cent for roads. It is time that the people in the interior were demanding that something be done directly to benefit them. That is what this organization is planning to do. We have a bill ready for presentation to Congress asking for an appropriation for $500,000,000 which will be sufficient to build a road across the continent. Now the question is, do you want this road through Kansas, through Lawrence? The Golden Belt Road is being considered as the possible route for the national road and it is up to the people along this road to get busy and see that it is selected. Otherwise a route to the north or south will be selected. If this road is selected and the appropriation made by Congress, Douglas county will receive the sum of $200,000 for the construction of about 18 miles of modern roadway through this county.'”
• “‘My investigations have not been completed, and until they are I have nothing to say,’ was all Prof. F. W. Blackmar would say regarding his present trip to the state penitentiary. The charges of extremely bad conditions at the state prison at Lansing made some time ago have caused Gov. Hodges to make an investigation and promise a reform. He appointed Prof. Blackmar, whose specialty is sociology, to inspect the prison and make a report on it…. Prof. Blackmar said today that at least two weeks and probably three would be required for him to make up his report. He would not say whether he thought the conditions better or worse than they have been represented. ‘It will all come out in the report,’ he said.”
• “LOST, in the business portion of town Monday, a $20 bill; finder please return to Wm. Weidlein, Bell phone 1045.”