From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Sept. 1, 1913:

• “The city of Lawrence is absolutely without a place to confine violators of the city’s laws. The old stone jail is now a complete joke and the officers feel that it is useless to attempt to hold prisoners in this place. During the month of August there were a total of eight prisoners who escaped through the holes in the shack. All of these had been fined and were being held until their fines were paid. But it was easier to crawl out than to raise the money and the prisoners simply paroled themselves and left…. Some time ago the city council had a plan of converting the old commissioners room in the city building into a city jail but the plan never materialized and the police have been obliged to use the old building and the law breakers continue to poke fun at the city for its slackness in handling them.”
• “The month of August, 1913, was the most severe of all summer months since the records of the Kansas University station were begun, according to the report issued by the weather bureau today. Both in heat and dryness was the month a record breaker.”
• “The advisory committee of the social service league met on Saturday afternoon and discussed the work of the visiting nurse as planned for the future…. It was pointed out that after two months’ trial many people did not understand the province of this nurse. The nurse is not doing charity work but is just being neighborly and helping wherever she can. People pay for the service just what they can afford to pay.”
• “A greater part of the city’s population observed Labor Day by remaining on the job today. No effort was made at holding a labor parade or at any general observance of the day. Organized labor took a rest in most instances today, but there was no general closing of stores or suspension of business because of the holiday. The banks of the city closed for the occasion and a few business houses took part of the day off.”
• “The Lawrence fire department responded last night to a call from No. 55 school house, the India school. An out building had been set afire by boys who were smoking on the premises. The damage is estimated at the about $30.”
• “Frank Varnum, a cattle buyer in North Lawrence, sustained a broken leg this morning when a horse he was riding slipped on the pavement and fell on him. Varnum was trying to head off a steer which had gotten loose and had just reached the corner near Boener Brothers Cigar factory when the steer turned west and Varnum in attempting to turn the corner too short was thrown violently to the ground by his horse slipping. He was taken to Dr. Keith’s office in an automobile and his fracture dressed. It was discovered that both bones just above his ankle had been broken. He was taken to his home and is reported doing nicely.”
• “Julian Besera, the Mexican who was killed by No. 28 on the U. P. tracks last Friday, was buried in the Catholic cemetery yesterday morning. Besera was 35 years old at the time of his death and leaves a wife and two children in Mexico. Short services were held at the chapel of the Funk Undertaking rooms.”
• “This was bill collectors day and they were out early with their accounts reminding folks of the High Cost of Living.”