From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 3, 1915:

• “The following is a communication received this afternoon by The Journal-World from the people of Williamstown expressing their gratitude to Lawrence for their help in the time of need yesterday when their entire town was threatened by fire…. ‘With bared heads the people of Williamstown stand as one man in deference to the people of Lawrence, Kansas, who so nobly came to our rescue yesterday afternoon with a fire-fighting machine and firemen. They came at a time when if we ever needed help we needed it then when our own men were fast giving out and a brisk wind blowing and threatening the entire business district, and half the residences, leaving families in the streets, it is completely beyond us to attempt to express in words our deep gratitude to the people of Lawrence. It was only through their efforts that the town was saved. Again, we, the people of Williamstown and vicinity bow our heads to the city of Lawrence for their loyalty to a sister town.’… The chemical car of the Lawrence fire department went to Williamstown yesterday afternoon in answer to a call from there saying that the entire town was threatened by a fire which broke out in the basement of the department store bellowing to P. H. Welter. The fires was too far under way when it was discovered to check without apparatus and the entire store building was destroyed and the fire spread to Mr. Weller’s residence which was near the store. When the fire spread to the residence the fire department here was called and the chemical car and three men were sent to answer the call. The trip of 12 miles was made in 45 minutes and the department reached the scene in time to keep the fire from spreading to other buildings. Four chemical tanks were emptied on the house and the walls were torn down to keep the size of the fire from increasing. The fire was stopped with the burning of the two buildings and the only other damage that it did was to char the windows of the brick bank building which stood near the store.”
• “The library board held their annual meeting last night…. The report of the librarian, Nellie G. Beatty, which was accepted by the board discloses some facts of general interest that are not commonly known to the public at large. One thousand one hundred thirty-eight books were added to the number already in the library, making 13,115 in all. Each year a number of books must be retired from the shelves through wear…. Over four thousand of these books are given over to fiction. About four hundred of the books on the shelf are in foreign tongues, the greater part of these being German. Many of the German books have been in such constant use that rebinding has been necessary. Seventy-nine periodical are accessible at the library without mentioning numerous newspapers that are received. Each year the librarian gives a lecture on library science to the freshman class at the high school. In this manner the pupil on entering high school gains a proper conception of the use and purpose of the institution that he must use during his course. It is probable that very few students in other high schools enjoy such a privilege…. Many old books in the way of relics have been presented to the library in times past and make a unique collection…. A study of the library cards discloses the fact that many children on reaching the age of thirteen or fourteen cease to find joy in juvenile fiction and begin to call for ‘grown up’ literature.”