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Fhc Arkansas City (Kan.) Daily Traveler, Friday, July 30, 1971Page 11EBy BETH LILLEYArkansas City this year celebrates its centennialbirthday anniversary, but the city was not incorporated as a City of the Third Class untilJune 10,1872.The Council form of city government was used and thefollowing is an account of the highlights of city council“happenings” before the turnof the century.The first Council meeting to be held in the incorporated town of Arkansas City was onJuly 5, 1872, Councilmen were H.D. Keith, Mayor; andBenedict McLaughlin andMitchell Mclntire.The first Justice of the Peacewas H.O. Mericf and the City Clerk was Amos Walton. SilasMoon was named the first City Marshall and H.T. Fletcher wasassistant City Marshall. C.R.Sipes was appointed CityTreasurer and H.O. Meigs was street commissioner.During that first Councilmeeting Arkansas City’s first city ordinance was drawn and approved and it was one pertaining to “dogs.” In part the ordinance stated “no dog shall run at large unless the owner or keeper thereof shall place and keep upon the neck of such dog a substantial metallic plate fixed theretouponMcLaughlin to confer with theeditors of the Traveler inrespect to printing and toreport on that meeting at the next meeting.”The City Clerk was instructed to obtain a seal and abook for recording ordinancesand a docket for the PoliceJudge.Three days later on July 8, 1872 the second Councilmeeting was held. At that session L B. Kellogg and H.B. Norton was selected asdelegates to a Railroad Convention at Emporia to be July 11.At the second meeting, ordinance No. 2 was drawn andapproved.Thatordinancepertained to building a city prison. Second item of business was the assessment of a tax of10 mills on the dollar to beassessed “in a legal way.The next day, July 9, 1872 the Council again went into session and Five city ordinances were drawn.Ordinance No. 3 was to levy and collect tax for the general revenue fund; No. 4 for thedigging of public wells; No. 5for setting a regular meeting date for the Council; No. 6 forlicensesowner shall be legibly inscribed,lesspoll tax.Also during that meeting streets and alleys were discussed and the Council talked about constructing sidewalks onSummit St. After the discussion a vote was taken and the$10____Besides drawing the dog ordinance, the Councilmen selected “Messrs Keith andsidewalk issue was defeated.On July 29, 1872 the Council again met because the City Marshall had resigned.Appointed to that position was L.W. Currier. The Council thendrafted City Ordinances 9 and 10. Ordinance No. 9 created theA big day for Arkansas Citywas May 5, 1875. On that date sidewalk contract wasaawarded Thomas Baird. He wasposition of City Marshall No. 10 defined the duties oCity Marshall.On Aug. 15, 1872 a special council meeting was called and the main topic to be discussedofto construct the sidewalks on the West side of Summit from 4th Ave. to 6th Ave. Native Oak, Black Walnut or Pine wasOn April 10, 1885 CharlesCryant was elected Police Judge; B.C. Lindsay was Justice of the Peace; Frank Thompson was constable.department.Theelectionpassed 189 to 3.District Court room at City HallThe City was experiencing a steady growth during the nextOn April 17, 1885, W.J.Lemay was City Marshall andgot $50 monthly.$500was theappropriation monies to purchase nails tobuild the city prison; to pay forIn theto be used with stone supports. Baird was to be paid 70-cents per foot as soon as thethe city printingsidewalks were completed.On June 7,1875, Baird askedthe City for $144 for hisOn May 4, 1885 Mayor C.G. Thompson appointed J.J. Dunkel was the night policeman at no salary; and J.J. Breene was the assistant marshall.years.On May 12, 1890 theCouncil appropriated to wards the erection of a bridge across the Arkansas River at the end of S. Summit St. and $200towards a bridge across theWalnut on Chestnut Ave.and opened bids for repairing the W. Chestnut bridge over the Walnut River.the city to furnish street lights and later that year they were installed.On May 5, 1891anordinance was drafted making it unlawful forhogs to run at large in the city.On May 12, 1891 a Mr. Buthasked the “hav market bemoved“hay from SummitAlso during 1892 the streets and alleys were re-done; a tax levy was set; the canal bridges were repaired and new ones added; many new buildings were erected and the Councilandnewspaper and city bookssidewalk building and he wasfor the city’s seal. Also on thatda was a petition Booth and Mr. Lilpaid in City script. He was paid $100.10 more on Sept. 6,1875 for sidewalk construction.Dram Shop license. The Council took no action then, but two days later on Aug. 17 called another meeting and approved the license and Booth andThe next few years saw a rndy growth in Arkansas City. The first curfew was set Feb.Many city ordinances were passed inthose formative years. ... including a law against frightening horses; larceny; assault and battery; repairing the sidewalks, obstenciens on Main St.; and prohibiting businesses fromJune 17, 1890 bids were opened for construction of a City tool house.On July 1, 1890 The town Council accepted the bridge across the Walnut River andCentral.That year 1891 water rateswere increased; streets andcanal bridges were repaired; thehay market was relocated at thedrew up a city ordinance saying the Railroad must ring the bells on the train engines whenever the engine moves through town.On Aug. 16, 1892 the Opera House Co. reauested thecorner of First and Chestnut;Lilly’sDramshopwasparently soon in business.Just short of a month later,aon Sept. 10, 1872 another special Council meeting was called and Ordinance No. 12 was drafted. That applied todrunkenness and riotous11, 1884 when the Council drew up ordinance No. 117. That stated in parts that minors not over 15 years had to be off the streets by 8 p.m. or the City Marshall or the Night Police was to tell them to go home or Fined them $5.” Billiard Halls or where games of chance were held were also offstaying open on the SabbathDay. A regular Council meetingtime was also decided upon.paid the Missouri-Valley Bridge and Iron Works $2,200.The 1890’s saw many city streets macadamized, sewers were laid; sidewalks werevarious city water mains were extended and new sidewalkswere laid.OnJuly 28, 1891 theCouncil instructedrequested presence of two firemen during each performance. About that point in 1892 the Arkansas City Water Works agreed to furnish water to the YMCA baththerooms.conduct and disturbing thepeace. Apparently Booth and Lilly’s Dram Shop was alimits to anyone under the age of 16. Fine for violating that law was set at not more thanOn May 25, 1885 theCouncil and Acting Mayor Thompson drew an ordinance whereby houses in Arkansas City would be numbered.But all was not going smoothly in Council meetingson July 13, 1885 the records show that a local citizenreplaced.Aug. 18, 1890 Mayor F.P.Schiffbauer set Friday at 2 p.m.for the Council to inspect the S.Policemen to discontinue using whistles as they sounded too much like bicycle horns.On Aug. 18, 1891Later in 1892 regular votingplaces were established.During the Council meetingof Feb. 1, 1893 an ordinanceSummit bridge and accept or reject the same. Also during that meeting the Council the Fire Committee and the Firevoted to buy the water worksfrom J.B. Quigley for $40,000 and a special electionthe city was drawn prohibiting “loafingat and around depots.nwasOn April 4, 1893 F.M. Peckcalled.su ccess$10.appearedandasked theresignationsofthe CityMarshall were instructed to reduce the Fire department to eight men to a section.The Council also decided “toOn Sept. 18, 1891 thewas given permission to build a blacksmith Shop on Lot 18,election was held on the waterblock 84.On Oct. 12, 1872 OrdinanceSectionprovidedstated(4beAttorney; the Police Judge and the Street Commissioners. Thediscontinue the game of cardsthe Citv Councilworks bonds and it passed 258 to 34 and on the City soon thereafter acquired theThat year buildings sprang upmadein a special Council meeting.During the Nov. 4, 1872 Council meeting, City Clerk Amos Walton gave a report station he had collected $12 for dog licenses. During that same meeting Ordinances 15, 16,17 and 18 came into being.Ordinance No. 15 prevented swine from running at large; No. 17 amended the originalany minors to play any games on Summit St. between 6thAve. and 3rd Ave. and if founddoing so, fined not more than $5.records showed quite a debate over that but no one resigned.On that same day Mayor Thompson appointed J.A. Stafford night watchman andplayedRoom.”inArkansas City Water Company.more rapidly; curb and gutters were repaired on Summit St. and sidewalks were alsoThere was a big shake up inrepaired again.During the remaining yearsAt that same meeting the Council decided to installdecided to pay $25 a month if44he stayed on the streets untilhitching posts on the side midnight.” streets and remove them fromNov. 18, 1885 an ordinanceSummit St.On April 7, 1884 W.D.provided for the constructionOn Sept. 15,1890 the Mayor ordered the City Marshall to.... “close and keep closed all joints, original package houses, houses of prostitution; gambling houses and all other dens of infamy inthe city, so far as he has the authority to doFire alarm then!!? 1fpartTenlon ?,ct: before the tum of the century27, 1891. Records show thatCity Marshall W.F. Wallace and anothercharged frompoliceman withwerean ice plant was constructed; more sidewalks were laid, andtakingprostitutes andmoneytellingthe towntremendousexperienced aandgrowththem not to go to court. After abig investigation they wereexpansion.This story could go on andon about the various highlightsnKreasserand regulation of the operation of the water works.so..a disrupted the Council meeting during the voting on thatacquitted and all charges were of g bu.|djng # dty But't0’thisdropped.writer, at least, the formativeOn Ceb. 15, 1891 the City years were an exciting time inLhll
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Arkansas City Traveler
Arkansas City, Kansas, US
Fri, Jul 30, 1971
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