City of Axtell, Kansas Webpage

Axtell: 1901 - 1910

1901 begins with an epidemic of colds throughout Axtell. Very few have escaped a more or less severe attack. The Kerkhoff- Locke Dramatic Company has been playing at the Axtell Opera House. They are the best company to ever play in Axtell. St. Michael Church had a Midnight Mass on January 1st to welcome in the new century.

In 1901, eggs were 3¢ a dozen, sugar was 16 pounds for $1.00 and coffee was 25¢ a pound.

Famous Corner - Opera and Bank Block	Opera House Drug Store	St. Michael Church
City bakery and restaurant on Fifth Street	Keegan's Hardware. 5th Street (where Alfers Electric is today)	Fr. Francis Taton, pastor of St. Michael (1903-1918)

Other interesting happenings in Axtell during the year 1901 were as follows:

• In February, 1901, incumbent Mayor Thummel announces he will NOT be a candidate for mayor. In March, he was nominated and in April, elected Mayor for a third two year term.
• Elms and evergreens were planted at Rose Hill Cemetery.
• Dr. M. Wachter and Dr. J. Dittemore werethe town physicians.
• Ernest Mack Sr., blacksmith, developed a new power trip hammer that can pound out a blade for a plow in one-tenth of the time it took to make it out by hand.
• The population of Axtell grew by 22 persons in 1900. The official 1901 Axtell population is 673. There are approximately 120 more people living just outside the city limits, making the total population approximately 793.
• Grand Ball at the opera house with Trotts Orchestra providing the music.
• T. R. Roupe sold buggies and carriages.
• A soda fountain was installed in the Opera House Drug Store for use during the summer months.
• A burglary at the Postoffice and other Axtell businesses on April 23 was attributed to a tramp that came into town.
• The Bell Telephone Company comes to Axtell bringing a telephone line to the outside world. Now Axtell patrons can call Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C. and other large cities. The Inter-State Company, that provides local service, are in for some competition.
• A tornado was sighted on the ground northwest of town. It did no damage.
• The telephone company moved its main offices from the Racquet Store building to the Opera House Building. There is plenty of room for the Central Operator and some rooms have been constructed for patrons to use for private calls.
• The last frost of the season occurs in Axtell on May 26, 1901.
• The "doughnut coin" ­ a 3 ¢ piece is now being manufactured by the U.S. government. It gets its name from the hole in the middle of the coin.
• Axtell had two lumberyards: Axtell Lumber Co. and Rabe & Brawner.
• Joyce & Brumbaugh and R. B. Barrett were the town barbers.
• E. A. Gaston and W. S. Hurlbut were dentists.
• J. C. Ford sold John Deere implements.
• E. P. Billingsley was with the Continental Fire Insurance Company.
• C. L. Fuger had the Axtell dray line.
• Shearer and Son had the livery.
• Jack Scott locates bowling alley between the livery barn and the meat market.
• On Friday, June 21st, the papers were made out that transferred the beautiful N. H. Cone property on the north side to the Catholic church. The church authorities intend to erect a handsome house of worship and parish house in the near future. According to The Axtell Anchor, "This is a beautiful spot for Church purposes and can be made one of the finest in the state."
• A July 4th Tornado strikes southwest of town destroying some outbuildings. The Fourth of July fireworks program is postponed because of the bad weather.
• Temperatures of over 100 degrees in the shade occurred every day during the week of July 14th. July, 1901 is the hottest month on record. The mean average is 86º, 8 and 1/2º above the normal July Average with July 21 hitting a record 110º in the shade.
• The Axtell Public schools opened for the 1901-1902 academic year with 76 pupils in the primary school, 54 in intermediate school, 54 in grammar school and 56 in high school for a total of 240 pupils.
• President William McKinley is shot on September 6 in Buffalo, New York and dies a few days later. On September 19, Axtell mourns the assassinated President with a Memorial Service at the Axtell Opera House. Very few open seats remained at the Opera House.
• Rev. M. Burk was pastor at St. Michael's Church until 1903, then Father Francis Taton was appointed pastor and built new church.
• Rev. W. D. Hamilton was pastor at the Methodist Church.
• Rev. F. A. Bonander was pastor of the Swedish Lutheran Church.
• Rev. Frank Dametz was pastor of the Presbyterian Church.
• A stone crossing was laid between Phil Hynes' drug store and W. H. Connett's residence and between the homes of Ed Hanna and L. Yauslen.
• Jake Rothfelder owned and operated the Palace Bakery.
• Peter Froom, the first Swede to locate in Marshall County in 1858 at West Fork in Rock Township, section 30, dies.
• A.L. Gilliland purchased the blacksmith shop of August Hurtie. Gilliland was formerly a blacksmith in Axtell.
• Commercial Club formed to help boost Axtell.
• School District #56 (Axtell) calls for a special District Meeting to discuss the establishment of a graded school system. Unfortunately, no one showed up for the meeting. The action was tabled for two months until the July, 1901 meeting, where the proposal passed. Axtell had a nine month school term and graded classes.
• The Axtell Anchor newspaper warns its readers to BEWARE of mail-order houses and doing business with them. It strongly advocates: Buy locally.
• The annual School Superintendent report to the State of Kansas indicated that Marshall County had 144 school districts; 149 school buildings; 197 school rooms; 201 teachers. The average male teacher salary was $44.83 per month while the average female teacher salary was $35.83 per month. The estimated value of school property in Marshall County was given as $76,000.00.
• Twenty-seven Axtell businessmen form a Commercial Club, whose purpose will be to help upbuild the town.
• The Kansas wheat crop for 1901 was the largest harvest for the State of Kansas, according to a statement from the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Coburn.
• The Young People's Catholic Club sponsored sixth annual ball at the opera house with the York Orchestra furnishing the music.
• Stueve Bros. purchased the John Carney sorghum mill and evaporator.
• Gaylord's store was a booming business, selling groceries, shoes, hats, fabric.
• W. H. Connet installed acetylene lights in his residence. The gas was made from carbide in a self regulating plant located in the basement and 29 jets illuminated the house.
• John Scanlan entered the Thomas Hynes drug store as an assistant to study pharmacy.

In 1902, the mayoral contest was hotly contested in Axtell.

Other events happening in Axtell in the year 1902:

• J. L. Shumway, a most respected citizen of Axtell, dies on April 8th.
• The citizens of Axtell organize a brass band.
• The week of April 20, 1902 saw the very first "motor wagon" come into Axtell. It was driven by a representative of the Palacine Oil Company.
• The editor of The Axtell Anchor, S.W. Stains, is elected mayor in the April election.
• The worst dust storm in years hits Axtell on April 25th. The dust was so thick that one could only see a few rods length.
• Axtell was treated to a Balloon Ascension. Aeronaunt Bob Wipple on Saturday, May 24th, lifted his hot air balloon to a height of 1500 feet. At that point, he cut loose his parachute and landed in the pasture of A.H. Bird, just east of town.
• Population of towns in Marshall County (1902): AXTELL, 619; BLUE RAPIDS, 1229; BEATTIE, 658; FRANKFORT, 1260; IRVING, 388; MARYSVILLE, 2000; OKETO, 278; SUMMERFIELD, 600; VERMILLION, 388 and WATERVILLE, 623. The population of Marshall County in 1902 stands at 23,149, down 586 from 1901.
• Parts of Kansas experienced a light frost on June 22, 1902 - the longest day of the year. No damage to the crops occured.

When W. H. Connet became mayor in 1905, the council passed an ordinance against board sidewalks, stating that only stones, bricks or cement would be allowed for walk ways. The city started off the project by building over $1,000 worth of crossings in the business area. By 1908, there was not a board sidewalk to be found in the business area.

By 1905, the city fathers approved a franchise with Hybskmann Gas Co. for construction of an acetylene gas plant and to lay pipes for lighting and heating purposes. The franchise also included a clause stating that the company would provide one street light in the center of the business area, free of charge, to the city.

In July 1908, the Axtell Standard was sold to Ernest F. Werner. One of the first special editions he published was titled: "Axtell & Vicinity ­ In Pictures and Print." It sold for 25¢. Listed in it where the merchants of Axtell in 1908. The following includes the original titles given the 55 businesses or services provided in the Axtell vicinity.

This same special edition of The Axtell Standard listed the City Government of Axtell for 1908. They were: Mayor : A. A. Nork; Councilmen E. Mack, Dott Adamson, E. A. Gaston, J. B. Temple, J. D. Smith; Clerk T. A. Williams and Marshal J.G. Stanley.

In September, 1908 Frank A. Werner, a brother of Ernest, who published the Axtell Standard, came to Axtell and brought out The Axtell Anchor which was then consolidated with The Standard. Axtell has only one weekly newspaper now. The Werner brothers would publish The Axtell Standard for four years together.

In 1908, the population of Axtell was near 800.

In 1910, Marshall County formed Lincoln Township.

Click on years below to go to that era:

1872-1890  --   1891 - 1900  --   1901 - 1910  --   1911 - 1920  --   1921 - 1930  --   1931 - 1940  --   1941 - 1950  --   1951 - 1960  --   1961 - 1970  --   1971 - 1980  --   1981 - 1998

Other Historic Articles from Past Issues of Axtell's Newspapers

• Early History of Axtell - Axtell Anchor, October 18, 1883
• Early History of the St. Joseph & Western Railroad - Axtell Anchor, May 29, 1884
• Axtell - Its Growth, Advantages and Business Interests - Axtell Anchor, March 2, 1888
• Old Land Marks In Axtell - Axtell Anchor, June 8, 1894
• Axtell - the town as it now stands - Axtell Anchor, Dec. 20, 1895
• Careful Resume of Our Town and Surrounding - Axtell Anchor, July 27, 1900
• Building the Axtell Public School - WPA Project - Axtell Standard, January 7, 1943