100 years ago: Response to war relief effort overwhelms storage facilities

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Nov. 17, 1914:

“The zeal of sympathetic Kansas citizens is getting ahead of the preparedness of the executive committee of the Kansas Belgian Relief fund. Shawnee county is standing on its toes waiting to hand in some of the 5,000 barrels of flour it has promised, but the committee has no place to put it. P. L. Bonebrake yesterday went over the city in search of a warehouse in which to store supplies for ten days or two weeks, but last night he had not found one large enough for the purpose. Today probably will bring an offer of one of the largest warehouses in the city…. Now, don’t get the idea that the committee will not receive what anyone wishes to give, for they will. And they’ll find a place to keep it, too. They just were not prepared for the rush that greeted them yesterday morning…. E. P. Ripley, president of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, yesterday telegraphed to W. R. Stubbs, chairman of the executive committee, that he had authorized free transportation of all supplies for Belgian relief over all the Santa Fe’s lines…. ‘These railroad men know that Kansas is going to send a whopping big bunch of supplies and they are making way for it now,’ said Stubbs.”

“At the request of Coach Wheaton, a big rally will be staged in Fraser chapel tonight at 7:00 o’clock. The program will consist mostly of yells and reasons why Missouri will not win Saturday. Joe Berwick will be out to lead the ‘Rock Chalk’ and Uncle Jimmy will do his best to give Kansas the best end of the prophecy.”

“The cold snap that Lawrence has been experiencing the last few days has brought the old complaint of gas shortage out of its summer retirement. The citizens of the city who have been depending on the gas for heating purposes were unable to maintain proper temperature both in residence and business districts. People are supplying themselves with other kinds of stoves in their efforts to cheat Jack Frost.”

“The official city business was transacted in a very short time this morning…. The discussion of a new ordinance providing for the construction of fireproof chimneys was taken up in the meeting, but was not passed on in the meeting. The commissioners want to investigate the proposition more thoroughly before the ordinance is passed. It was generally agreed that the ordinance was a good thing and will probably be passed in time…. Orders were given for the construction of a sidewalk on the north side of Twenty-second street between Vermont and Kentucky…. A representative of an automobile tire company appeared before the commission and gave a somewhat lengthy discussion of the advantage of the solid rubber tire over the pneumatic tire for the fire truck.”

“A disastrous fire in Oskaloosa last night consumed three business buildings belonging to C. B. Harmon of this city. The buildings were good ones and Mr. Harmon was recently offered $8,000 in cash for them…. The fires started in a restaurant. The sides of the building were blown out by the explosion of a keg of gunpowder. This loss is very severe upon Mr. Harmon. The post office was located next door, but was not hurt.”