25 years ago: April 26, 2000

Clifford Tessendorf has figured out the ins and outs of moving houses. “We have a unified jacking system,” said the owner of Valley Moving, Wamego. “We set six jacks under a house, jack it up and bring it straight up.” This, he said, helps prevent the walls from cracking. Before jacking the house up, though, “we take the furnace out and some of the plumbing, unbolt them off the foundation, and knock holes in the foundation to put our beams through.

Several years ago, Tessendorf did even more work than usual in this area when his company picked up 18 houses from land that is now part of the Kansas Speedway.

A bicycle safety course will be offered as part of the Health and Safety Fair at the Tonganoxie Junior High School cafeteria and east parking lot on Saturday.

50 years ago: May 1, 1975

On the flagpole in front of the Tonganoxie City Hall fly Old Glory, the Flag of Kansas, and the official flag of the American Bicentennial.

The First State Bank has established a reward fund to assist the Tonganoxie and Leavenworth County authorities and KBI officers in the arrest and conviction of Mrs. Joan Scott’s murderer. Mrs. Scott was shot to death in her rural home April 21 by an unknown assailant. Bill Stephenson, bank president, contacted Dan Hawes, Leavenworth County Sheriff, to see if such a fund would be helpful to the official investigation. Upon Hawes approval, the First State Bank made the initial deposit into the fund. The funds have grown to $1,500. The full amount of the fund would go to a person who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer. All information would be kept confidential. A list of donors is being kept at the bank and in the event that the fund is not used, the donations will be returned in full to the contributors.

The Tonganoxie High School Concert Band, Stage Band and Art Department are presenting their annual Spring Festival. Students of Mrs. Anne Durham will have artwork on exhibit. The Concert Band and Stage Band under the direction of Mr. Bob Hensley will perform.

The High School Drill Team is having a dance show “Under the Big Top” in the Auditorium and the public is invited. The High School Drama Department will present a Dinner Playhouse.

The Annual Athletic Banquet will be held in the High School Gymnasium and the guest speaker will be Sam Miranda, the assistant K.U. Basketball Coach.

The FHA will hold a Bridal Style Show. Dresses from Ava’s Bridal Show in Lawrence will be modeled by FHA members. Also modeled will be prom and bridesmaid formals of chapter members and wedding gowns of women of the community. Approximately 50 gowns will be modeled, and admission will be 50 cents per person which will go toward sending FHA’ers to camp this summer.

75 years ago: April 27, 1950

Spring is in the air and so is love as Mr. A.P. Laughlin announces the engagement of his daughter Margie. Miss Laughlin attends Mt. St. Scholastica college in Atchison. The intended groom is Mr. Robert Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Smith. Miss Betty Irick has set the date, May 28, for her wedding to Mr. William Stephenson, Jr. Congrats to all the young couples.

The Community Club continues to clean up the city as some requests and complaints roll in. Concerns numbered 1, 2, and 3 were about outdoor toilets and their lack of care. A committee of John Dorney, Delmer DeLude and Hervey Quisenberry have formed a “potty patrol” to inspect and declare these facilities to be nuisances. If these three men can’t get things cleaned up, the health department will be called in. Call members of the clean-up crew if you have any bad conditions in your area.

A nation-wide railroad strike is being called for by the Firemen’s Union of America. The problem is the transportation industry’s request to add an additional fireman to ride on diesel locomotives. This is on the grounds of safety and is deemed a “feather bedding” situation by Union leaders. The Fact-Finding Board states that they are trying to create jobs where there is no work. New York Central, Pennsylvania, Santa Fe and Southern are the targeted lines.

100 years ago: April 30, 1925

Is Time Worth Money? Time is worth as much per hour as we produce in one hour. How much can a housewife produce in one hour when baking Bread? We believe it is time wasted to bake at home by the old-time method in a small way. Why not save time, worry, and money by buying Your Bread? To-Buren’s Better Bread is made in a modern way with machinery and baked in a large oven that bakes it just right with a fine nutty flavor that can’t be beat. We also make a nice line of pastry of all kinds. We are here to stay. If in need of anything in the Bakery line, we are here to Serve you. TO BUREN BAKERY, Will Musil, Proprietor.

The newly created Public Service Commission will have a hearing May 18th that Topeka in relation to the bus service companies in the state, and all officials of the communities interested will be invited to attend the hearing. At the hearing the distribution of license fees will be considered, and no license money will be distributed until the mileage and footage of the pavement the busses use have been agreed upon by the various communities interested.

How dare you sing, “Home Sweet Home” when you pay rent? Make your song appropriate by owning your own home. We advance two-thirds of the value on monthly repayments of $1.25 per $100 borrowed. THE TONGANOXIE BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION.

125 years ago: April 26, 1900

A farmer near Neely is contemplating an experiment that is new in this part of the neighborhood and perhaps new for this part of the United States. He is intending to purchase 75 cows and a patent milker and will furnish the milk to the Neely skimming station. 

The Creamery directors were at Dafer Friday afternoon, to talk with the people of that neighborhood relative to establishing a skimming station at that place. Farmers there are anxious to have a station and show a disposition to give their support to a plant. A subscription list was started, and the condition is that the amount subscribed be returned from the earnings of the station. If enough money is subscribed, a first-class station will be established at Dafer. 

What promises to bud into a flourishing institution is a little factory recently started by Lem Evans for the manufacture of the “Dewey” washing machine. J.S. Dixon is building the machines for Mr. Evans, and they are going like hot cakes. The machine is simple and efficacious, and no doubt will have a wide sale when its merits become known. 

A good supply of peach trees at the Tonganoxie Nursery – 2,000 to 3,000 trees, budded and from selected seed, choice varieties that will supply fruit from July to October. Raspberry tips of three varieties, Hopkins, Kansas Early and Queen of the West. 200 apple trees, early and winter apples. My strawberry plants are limited, but I can get them elsewhere for you if you send in your order 3 or 4 days before you come for your plants. I have no pear or plum trees for sale this spring.  Jesse Lacy, Tonganoxie, Kas. 

The next regular Teachers’ Examination will be held at the Courthouse in Leavenworth and at the public-school building in Tonganoxie, Saturday, May 8, 1900, commencing at 7:30 a.m. The examination at the close of the Normal Institute will be held in Leavenworth July 30 and 31. M.R. Howard, County Superintendent