From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for March 24, 1916:

“Two hundred more automobiles are in use in Douglas county this year than last according to the auto license figures in the office of the county treasurer. There are yet five months in which to make the record even greater. Last year the total number of cars licensed was 705. Licenses for 905 cars have been issued since July first. During the month of March thirty-eight auto owners have applied for licenses. This is an average of nearly two licenses a working day up to the present date. Probably on account of the coming of spring and open roads March has been the heaviest month in the license business for some time…. The increase of good roads over the county and the plans under way for more hard surfaced roads probably have something to do with the noticeable increase in the number of automobiles in Douglas county.”

“The route chosen for the hard-surface road connecting Topeka and Kansas City will be determined by the activity of the benefit districts along the roads in rivalry for the selection. This was the official action taken in a meeting of the Kaw Valley Improved Highway Association in a meeting at Kansas City, Kansas, yesterday…. Two main routes between the two cities are now in contest for the hard-surface, one north of the river and one south. Each side has many friends of hard-surfaced roads who are attempting to secure this line.”

“Merrill Trowbridge and Clarence Jones were bound over to the district court yesterday as the result of a preliminary hearing conducted before John Clark, justice. The men were recently arrested in Kansas City, Kansas, with a harness in their possession which they are said to have stolen from a Lawrence farmer. Their bond was placed at $500 which they have been unable to give.”

“The registration books will be open at the city clerk’s office until 10 o’clock tonight, to accommodate voters who have postponed registration until the last day and hour. The registration is for the city election April 4, and no person who is not properly registered before the books close tonight will be eligible to vote at that time…. Although the ballots at the city election will be short, the election is none the less important for that, and the voters of the city should see that the necessary preliminaries to the casting of their ballots on April 4 are attended to.”

“News was received in Lawrence today of the death at San Diego, Cal., of A. Monroe…. For nearly twenty-seven years Mr. Monroe was president of the Merchants National bank in Lawrence. He retired from the position and from all active business concerns two years ago. Previous to that time he was in the railroad contracting business, a member of the firm of Monroe, Strang & Lee. This firm built much of the Santa Fe through Kansas, and the road through Lawrence was constructed by it…. Mr. Monroe built up a reputation for energy and business integrity that was highly appreciated by the men who were his closest associates. The business concerns in which he was interested were known for their sound policy and absolute reliability. His death removes from the community one of the men who have left the impress of their personality upon the institutions of the town.”

“Sydney, New South Wales – Liet. Sir Ernest H. Shackleton has returned from his Antarctic expedition. News of the achievements of the expedition is withheld for the present.”