From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for August 7, 1914:

• “Mr. John Shea, the new superintendent of buildings and grounds at the University of Kansas, has arrived. On August 15th he will succeed E. F. Crocker, who has been superintendent of the buildings and grounds for 12 years…. He will have considerable work to look after from the very beginning. The basement of the Biology Building is being entirely remodeled, some repair work is being done at the Journalism Building, the stone work at Fraser Hall is being re-pointed, the large brick flue is being repaired and lightning rods added…. Mr. Shea said this morning that he was well pleased with the University and things in general in Lawrence.”
• “Fire Chief Reinisch finished his inspection of the hydrants of the city Wednesday night and turned in the report to the commissioners this morning. The chief finds that a great number of the hydrants are not in good condition and need attention immediately. The chief personally examined every hydrant in the city and knows the exact condition of each one of them…. There is a total of 172 hydrants in the city and out of this number the chief reports there are 147 out of repair and need immediate attention to give adequate fire protection to the people who pay for it…. The fault that is found with most of the hydrants is that they do not drain. Especially in the winter time this would be a serious matter for the hydrants would freeze and it would be impossible to get water from the hydrant.”
• “Street car traffic was tied up for a while this morning on Massachusetts street on account of a broken cable. It was soon repaired and made no serious inconvenience to the traveling public.”
• “Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, wife of the president of the United States, died at the White House at 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Death came after a struggle of months against Bright’s disease with complications. The president was unnerved by the shock, but bore up well under the strain and devoted himself to his daughters…. Both houses of Congress adjourned when Mrs. Wilson’s death was announced, and for a brief time the wheels of the government practically stopped, while everyone paid respect to the loss of the president.”
• “The German emperor issued a proclamation saying the world has been jealous of Germany since the formation of the empire…. ‘In the midst of perfect peace the enemy surprises us,’ says the premier, ‘therefore to arms. Any dallying and temporizing would be to betray the fatherland…. We shall resist to the last breath of man and horse and we shall fight out the struggle.'”
• “The Cunard liner Lusitania, speeding to Europe, sent back word by wireless that ‘all was well.’ The position is not given. This is the first word received since the liner slipped out of the harbor Wednesday morning, prepared to dodge German vessels.”