From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Sept. 6, 1913:

• “The new treating device installed at the Lawrence water plant is a success, and Lawrence is now being served with pure water. Tests made in the University laboratories resulted in this good news to the city of Lawrence this morning. Prof. C. C. Young, chemist at the University, is authority for the statement. Prof. Young has tested several samples that have been taken since the new device was installed and in a statement issued this morning declared that the water that is now being served the city of Lawrence is in first class condition and safe for drinking and general domestic use. Prof. Young adds that the new device is working successfully an that if properly operated the water should continue to be pure and wholesome. What a relief this report is to the citizens of Lawrence. Lawrence has had trouble with the water for many years, the conditions here have been a menace to the city for so long that it is almost equal to escaping from imprisonment to be able to go to a faucet, draw a cup of water and drink it without fear of disease. Of course, this does not settle the water question permanently, it is intended but as temporary relief. The plans for greater improvements, for the purchase of the water plant by the city, will proceed just as before and just as rapidly as possible.”
• “Lawrence hasn’t any ice to spare. The Griffin Coal and Ice Company of this city which supplies Lawrence with artificial coolness is daily turning down orders from other towns where the supply is short. Among the orders that could not be filled is one from Kansas City. It is said that this city would accept 10 car loads of ice daily from here. But Lawrence is using all of the local ice herself…. The Griffin Company thus far has been able to supply the entire demand in Lawrence although at times it has been an extremely difficult task. The capacity of the plant here working day and night is 53 tons, and this amount has been exhausted practically every day this summer in caring for the demand here.”
• “Just now there is great danger of fire in this city…. A fire at this time would be almost uncontrollable. The weather is so warm, the vegetation so dry and the water pressure so inadequate that the destruction would be heavy before the fire could be mastered. There is a city crusade against bonfire, but there must be caution outside of the police regulations. This is a time for the strictest care to prevent fires.”
• “The city schools will not open till a week from Monday, September 15, and will continue till June 5. This action was taken by the Board of Education at its meeting last night because of the continued hot weather and in order to give the board more time to deal with the problem of supplying the pupils with suitable drinking water. No change was made in the date or length of the Christmas vacation…. The fact that the board has little faith in the gas prospect for this winter was shown by the fact that it voted to advertise for bids on coal to be delivered at each of the schools. A gas shortage this winter will probably not handicap the heating facilities of the schools beyond a few hours required to change the boilers for the use of coal.”