From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Oct. 30, 1915:

• “Isaac Babb, 50 years old and a bachelor, was yesterday afternoon caught by a cave-in half a mile east of Lone Star, and was smothered beneath six feet of earth. A companion, Frank Lutz, nearly met with the same untimely end. He was caught by the feet and the lower legs, but scrambled away without injury…. Five men were repairing the township bridge across Washington Creek at the point mentioned, and at the time of the accident were making ready to replace an old abutment that had been dug out in readiness for the new part. Without thought of danger, Babb had followed the overhang while at his work until he was practically beneath it…. Suddenly there came a rattle of dirt from near the top of the overhang. Babb caught the warning instantly, and made one abortive effort to get from under. It accomplished nothing as the mass of dirt, six feet of it, was on top of him before he could make a second move…. One of the men started instantly for Dr. W. O. Nelson, who lives in the neighborhood. The other three set to work with spades and shovels to get their companion out. It took them somewhat more than an hour to do it. Dr. Nelson arrived in the meantime and took immediate charge of the body when it was exhumed.”
• “J. E. Murphy of Lecompton has been in the western part of the state, and today he wrote to The Journal-World of the conditions he found there regarding the scarcity of labor. According to Mr. Murphy the demand for workers is greater than can be supplied and the farmers are on the lookout continually for men who may be induced to take jobs.”
• “Probably no one in Lawrence follows the news of the military operations on the eastern front of Germany than Dr. John C. Rudolph, and with good reason, for Dr. Rudolph has several relatives and connections by marriage among the officers of the German staff. The list starts with General von Hindenberg, who married a cousin of Dr. Rudolph’s mother. On von Hindenberg’s staff is a brother-in-law of Dr. Rudolph, Brig. Gen. Hans von Kuschel…. Also with the eastern army in the light field artillery is Eric Rudolph, a brother of the Lawrence physician.”
• “Hilarious, reckless boys not stocked with either sense or propriety, property rights, or respect for the national emblem, last night drew to the place the American flag usually occupies at the top of the Court House staff, a festoon of tinware and galvanized iron wash boilers. The same were removed by the Court House janitor this morning.”
• “The proposition of purchasing electric current from the plant at Lawrence is being entertained by two towns nearby just now. Perry and Eudora are estimating the cost of transmission lines for carrying the current. Perry has already an electric light plant, but its service is somewhat restricted. The patronage does not justify a twenty-four hour service in the small municipal plant.”