25 years ago: Feb. 11, 1998

Tonganoxie High School instructor Steve Hughes’ fifth- and sixth-hour classes are in the process of building a real three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. Roughly 30 students from the 11th and 12th grades have undertaken the task of building a home from the ground up. The house project is an undertaking that several area schools have made part of their curriculum. This is the first year Tonganoxie has done it. The house is currently located behind THS. The school board is taking bids on it right now.

The county commissioners are planning to set aside the existing platting of roads and building in areas of the county where expansion to complete them was simply never realized. “Basically, it’s to get rid of a bunch of places designated as roads, but have never been made into roads,” aid Commissioner Dan Navinsky.

50 years ago: Feb. 8, 1973

A reduction in the set aside requirements for the 1973 Feed Grain Program were announced on January 31 by Secretary of Agriculture Earl L. Butz. The reduction is designed to achieve larger corn and soybean crops, providing more of the income from market sources and less cost to the taxpayer.

The Tonganoxie Chieftains found the going rough last Saturday as they traveled to Wamego to compete with six other schools in the Wamego Invitational Tournament. Vince DeMaranville was the only Tonga man to dominate his weight class and claim the number one place and a Gold Medal. Gary Starcher and Charles Conrad took the number two positions in the 155 and 126 lb. weight classes.

The Tonganoxie Chieftains witnessed one of their worst efforts of the year against Pioneer League leader Osawatomie on the Trojans home floor. When the dust and smoke had cleared the scoreboard showed Osawatomie had slaughtered Tonga 75-50.

From the standpoint of the tax paying public the so-called split between the Republican President and the Democratic Congress may be somewhat exaggerated, although the TV and other media like to play up controversy as news. President Nixon is putting on pressure for financial responsibility in order to avoid higher taxes, while the anti-Nixon Democrats appear to be lining up as Big Spenders. While this sort of thing might appease groups concerned with unlimited public money, there is a political risk as to what effect it may have on the tax conscious public in the congressional elections of 1974.

75 years ago: Feb. 5, 1948

Three bad crashes have occurred in these first few weeks of the new year. Young Daniel Simpson, five-year-old son of Mildred Simpson, was traveling in a car driven by a friend. The driver and Mildred were seriously injured. Highway 40 south of Six Corners was snow-covered at the time of the incident. Both adults suffered fractured skulls, nose and back injuries with bruises and lacerations. This happened when their car rear ended a semi-truck, and the young lad was killed instantly.

Robert Quisenberry, age 10, slipped on the icy sidewalk, fell and broke his leg. He slid directly into a parked car which resulted in his painful injury. The third accident occurred on old 40 when four young college students were traveling on snow covered roads. The highway department no longer clears the snow from old 40 as it is not used as often. The car skidded off the roadway and into a 25-foot ditch. The motor of the car was pushed into the front seat by the crash. Injured were Juanita Morrow and Clifford Larrison of KC. Juanita is the daughter of the former high school principal, W.C. Morrow. With three crashes in less than one week it bears reminding to be careful on snow and ice.

A full-page ad is being run in the paper this week advertising the Linwood Farms sale. This is one of the largest sales ever held in this area with farm equipment and livestock valued at $50,000. Everything from steers to fly nets to sheep sheers is going on the auction block and is sure to draw an enormous crowd of bidders. In addition, a 400-acre farm is also offered for sale.

Whoa, Nellie! Zoellner’s is selling frozen horse meat for $.20 a pound. We have heard that this is considered a delicacy in France, but here in the US, we feed it to the dogs.

100 years ago: Feb. 28, 1923

On the dates given below a government representative for the Internal Revenue Department will visit the cities named to assist taxpayers in making up their income tax returns. As the time is drawing near when the returns must be filed, it is only possible for a deputy to be in each locality a very short time, and in order that the taxpayers may avail themselves of this opportunity, they should come early and have their data so arranged that it will not take very much of the deputy’s time. No doubt there may be many who will be desirous of consulting. The Internal Revenue Department will be at Leavenworth, Kansas, Feb. 17, 19, 20 and 21st and at Tonganoxie, Kansas Mar 1 and 2.

A petition has been circulated on Main Street to the property owners requesting the Council not to change the ordinance providing for a thirty-foot pavement on that street. The property owners take the stand that if the street is going to be paved it should be done right, and they think that twenty-four feet is too narrow.

125 years ago: Feb. 10, 1898

The county clerk has completed the apportionment of last Fall’s election expenses, which have been charged up to the city and townships as follows: City, $497.65; Alexandria township $37.14; Delaware, $59.39; Easton, $43.73; Fairmount, $36.49; High Prairie, $32.39; Kickapoo, $51.76; Reno, $23.83; Stranger, $33.32; Sherman, $36.48; and Tonganoxie, $55.57. The total expenses for conducting the county election amounted to $907.75.

No bridge contracts were let by the board of county commissioners Monday, and the county clerk was again instructed to advertise for bids. In the matter of the letting of the county printing, there was a strong effort made by the civic federation to have it let to the lowest bidder. A representative of the federation appeared before the board and made a vigorous plea for economy and urged the board to get the county printing done cheaper, but the Standard was made the official paper for the county for the ensuing year at full legal rates notwithstanding these protests. Chairman Phenicie voted to let the contract to the lowest bidder, but the democratic members were averse to going back on their party organ.