From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Aug. 1, 1915:

• “L. J. Meade, vice president of the Lawrence National Bank, realizes, following many trips through all parts of Douglas county, that there will be manyfold as much corn as the generality of people yet believe is possible, and that much of it will be first-class stuff. This has decided him to put on another ‘Tall Corn Contest,’ similar to that conducted last year, which was a great success, but with variations that will make the event of this season far more interesting. A prize will be offered for the tallest stalk, as last year, but that will not be the limit. It is probable that there will be a prize for the largest ear, the heaviest stalk, and the most perfect ear. With but one prize offered and that for but one standard, there were last year sixty-three contestants. It will be recalled that Mrs. J. A. Ford won the prize in the one lone competition as to who would raise and bring in the tallest cornstalk only. Her stalk measured seventeen feet, six inches, and can be seen now in the lobby of the Lawrence National Bank. Contestants last year brought in stalks from all over the county, and doubtless will this year…. Contestants out for the tallest stalk this year will remember that the tallest stalks of corn do not grown on the richest ground, as many would conclude, but rather on the upland, where the corn is protected by timber from the high winds.”
• “In spite of the great amount of rain that has fallen during July, the month only takes third place in the amount of rain falling for the month of July during the past forty-eight years…. The month is noted for the small amount of hot weather. There was but one day that reached a temperature of 90 at the station on the Hill. On July 18, the maximum temperature was 93. Twenty other days during the month had a maximum temperature of 80 or above.”
• “While the good people of Douglas county are busy figuring out schemes to improve the county’s roads, County Treasurer C. M. Pearcy and his assistant, the county treasurer elect, I. C. Stevenson, are busy collecting the wherewithal to make these improvements. One of the big items in the tax collection for the road fund comes from the auto tax of $5 for each car in the county, of which $4.25 stays in the county and seventy-five cents goes to the state…. Up to last Saturday night tags for 652 automobiles and 51 motorcycles had been taken out from the office of the treasurer, and the assessors reports, made several months ago, showed that there were over 700 cars in the county at that time. This means that there must be at least 100 car owners in Douglas county that have not procured the bright yellow decorations furnished by the sovereign state of Kansas…. The road tax thus collected is not supposed to be used for permanent improvements in the county’s roads, such as bridges and culverts, but for the daily upkeep of highways, for grading and dragging. Automobilists have complained in the past that they did not know where their money went, but the fund and its expenditure can be ascertained at any time by making a trip to the county treasurer’s office and looking at the records.”