From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Jan. 8, 1915:

• “By the fires of a single day the loss by fire for the year 1914 in Lawrence exceeded the loss of 1913 by several hundred dollars. The day that was so expensive to the people of Lawrence was the day the paper mill and Dunmire’s barn burned. These were two of the largest fires that occurred in Lawrence during the year and the first was not yet extinguished until the alarm was turned in for the other…. This was the largest since the Bowersock Theatre burned in 1911. Lawrence has escaped with a very few big fires, nearly all have been discovered in time to check them before they had a chance to get a good start…. The fighting efficiency of the department will be increased as soon as the new fire truck is ready for use. It will prepare the department so that they can answer a call in a much shorter time than before and they can make a long run without having to go slow so that the horses will be able to endure the run…. There has been some talk among the officials of taking all of the horses from the department and a possibility of reducing the force. Chief Reinisch says, ‘I do not think it would be advisable to take all of the horses from the department for with but one truck there is too much chance of an accident and not being able to make the fire at all. It would be better to keep at least one team here for reserve.'”
• “‘I wish you would remind your readers,’ said a merchant this morning, ‘that the merchants have to meet their bills for their holiday goods now and that it would be a great help to them if everyone who owed them would at least pay something on account if they could not pay it all.’ The people who enjoy all of the modern conveniences of buying by telephone and having the goods delivered to the house, frequently do not seem to appreciate the extra work and expense that is occasioned the merchants in collecting their bills. It costs money to even come once, and when the collector has to call again and again it frequently costs the face of the bill, let alone any possible profit that the merchant may have made.”
• “Emery McIntire, the University student who was injured while coasting on Indiana St. hill last week, is reported to be doing as well as could be expected. His physicians say that he will probably recover without amputating his leg. The other members of the party who were injured are improving and it is now thought that there will be no fatalities as the result of the accident.”
• “Some months ago Cy Fields, a son of Eugene Fields, accidentally discharged a shot gun while in his winter home on the gulf coast of Texas. The charge entered the back of his piano and brought forth a howl from the sounding board. Today P. H. Pierce of Lawrence had the job of picking out the shot. The piano is now owned by Mr. Mahan on Missouri street.”
• “The war in Europe has been brought close home to Henry Nieder, of Lone Star, who has had two nephews killed. Mr. Nieder met them when he was in Europe five years ago and says they were fine boys. Mr. Nieder believes it would help bring the war to a close if the United States would stop selling ammunition to the combatants.”