100 years ago: Historic Woodward Drug Store changes hands

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for August 28, 1914:

  • “The Woodward Drug Store has changed hands. This store was established in 1855 and has been in the Woodward family all that time. The new company will be known as the Round Corner Drug Co. and it will be incorporated at once. The controlling interest will be owned by Robert G. Eyth and Walter H. Varnum…. This drug store is one of the landmarks of Lawrence. It was established in 1855 by B. W. Woodward, who ran it during his lifetime. It then went into the hands of B. D. Woodward who has run it since. The drug store is the oldest west of the Mississippi river and has become one of the landmarks not only of Lawrence, but of the state of Kansas…. The store has been known as the Round Corner Drug store since it was established. It has a round corner and this name will be given to the new company.”
  • “The best rain Douglas county has had since late in the spring fell last night beginning at about 5 o’clock. The rain fell gently and was all taken in by the ground. The rain that has fallen lately has come with more or less beating force and has not all soaked into the ground. The rainfall last night was 1.02 inches. The rain will be a great help to the late crops and will improve the pasture which has all dried up.”
  • “Fire alarm was turned in last night at the department at about 10:30 o’clock from 835 Vermont street. The fire was a large trash pile burning. Some one had dumped a can of calcium carbide on the trash pile and when it began to rain the water on the carbide made a gas and was ignited in some way. There was no damage done at this fire…. A fire this morning was in the house owned by Jack Lawrence at 546 Tennessee. The fire was caused by a defective flue…. While the firemen were fighting the fire here, the team on the hook and ladder wagon decided that they had not run far enough and they started and were almost a block away before the firemen knew that they were running. They were caught on Sixth street at about Indiana.”
  • “The work of testing the supply of water in the second test well in North Lawrence is going well. The pumping began last Tuesday and has been going steadily ever since. It seems that the supply of water there is inexhaustible. The pump has been throwing a steady four-inch stream for almost four days and the supply does not diminish in the least.”
  • “The large barn owned by W. A. Pence on his farm 1 mile east of Willow Springs burned early yesterday morning. The barn was almost full of hay and also contained some grain. The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion. The entire structure was destroyed.”
  • “The groceries are laden with tomatoes this year and in the early morning loads can be seen going up and down the streets. The crop of tomatoes this year has been very good.”