MEMORIES: 100 years ago
RUNAWAY TEAM CAUSES DEATH
James Meehan Dies from Injuries. Buggies Wrecked and Several Parties Have Close Call
Last Thursday afternoon, a team of young sorrel horses belonging to Karl Zeller started to run from the Santa Fe station, north on Third street and in crossing Main street the team collided with I.N. Updyke's spring wagon, breaking the hind wheels and otherwise putting it out of commission. Brown Corby's horse and buggy was standing beside the bank and there was very little left of the buggy when the team had passed. All the wheels were smashed and shafts broken. How the horse escaped with only slight scratches is a mystery. The team finally stopped after a mix up with the trees at the M.E. church corner, breaking loose from the wagon.
Mr. Zeller hitched them up and again started for the Santa Fe station. When the team reached the place where it first started it ran away again and went east on Moore street to Fourth. At this corner James Meehan was mowing for M.G. Bissey. Just before the team turned south Mr. Zeller motioned and called to Meehan to get out of the way, and then saved himself by jumping. Meehan made an effort to stop the team but was knocked down and the wheels passed over him. He was carried to the jail near by, where he died at eight o'clock that evening. His left thigh was crushed and also his right shoulder. Funeral Friday afternoon from Funk's undertaking parlors.
The dead man was a stranger, sixty-two years old. He arrived in Marion a couple of days before and expected to work through harvest time as he had done two years previously at the Meehan farm northwest of Marion. The body was laid to rest Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock, prayer being offered at the grave. Some kind heart sent a profusion of flowers for the nice black case in which he was laid away.
It is a very unfortunate affair and it is hoped the runaway team will be detailed to duty on the farm the rest of their days.
Council Meeting
The meeting of the city council last Monday night convened at the regular hour with all members present except Mayor Quisenberry, who, however, arrived late, President of the Board Lewis in the chair.
The first of the committees to report was the nuisance committee. The particular case was an objection to the unmolested growth of weeds on vacant lots. This committee has done considerable good work in the past and if you or your neighbor has allowed the scythe to get rusty it will be a good thing to see that it is sharp and then get busy.
To the regular bills allowed was added the one for $16 to the fire laddies for the Costello blaze last Saturday night.
The council next accepted the small strip of land from the Baptist church which joins Central Park on the east and ordered the deed recorded.
A petition was read praying for a street crossing on Fourth street from the south side of the jail east to vicinity of George Scott's residence The prayer was granted.
The ordinance read at the last meeting which provided for an increase in salary of the street commissioner was given its final reading and becomes effective after it publication in the official paper of the city.
The city marshal was ordered to have prepared copies of the ordinance recently passed which prohibits the firing of giant fire crackers and dynamite caps on the streets of Marion and to post the same at street crossings so that visitors to the city and citizens alike may be properly informed.
The most important business transacted and which consumed the greater part of the session was the sidewalk ordinance that has been asked for so many times the past year. The ordinance provides that all walks hereafter laid, or repaired within a designated district, shall conform to the specifications of the ordinance, in the grade established, width of walk and distance from lot line. Failure to comply with the ordinance for more than thirty days after notification, has also been provided for. Should this condition arise the work will be taken in hand by the city and the amount charged to abutting property and collected as other taxes are collected. The ordinance will meet with general approval and be instrumental in beautifying and bring about a uniformity in sidewalks in the future which does not now in some instances exist.
Business Firm Buys Property
T. Jensen & Bros., poultry and produce dealers, this week purchased the store building on west Main street, for some time occupied by the Marion Produce Co. The deal has been on for some days and was completed Tuesday. Jensen Bros. will occupy the Main street property as soon as the change can be made.
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The wire for the metallic circuit phone between Marion and Hillsboro was strung in Marion, Tuesday, and 'tis likely the line will be ready for service this week.
Orley Billings arrived Tuesday morning from Texas on the belated Rock Island. In order to get around a washout the train made quite an extensive trip through Oklahoma and finally arrived in Marion about 11 o'clock a.m. instead of at midnight. Mr. Billings and Rev. W.M. Runyan were on their way to Cimarron, Kansas where they next meeting is to be held, and visited home folks between trains.
The Crescent Vaudeville Co., C.H. Wheelock, owner, played to a good sized house at the Auditorium last Friday and Saturday nights.
Wood & Bown are the first to show fireworks and they have a dandy assortment, too. See their east window.
The high water has interfered materially with freight shipments out of Kansas City and Topeka the past two weeks and from present indications several days will intervene before shipments can be received for these points.
If you are expecting mail from your friends or business associates don't get too impatient these days of high water and other hindrances. A good deal of mail came from Topeka the first of the week by way of Newton. Considering the difficulties of the trainmen, they are making good time even if they are several days behind schedule time.
