After attaining over 790 signatures of registered voters and basically finishing construction, the Reno Township will finally have a fire department. “We’re a brand new fire department,” said Reno Township Fire Chief Richard Ogden, “we’re the new kid on the block.”

The brand new department boasts a 46×64 square foot facility, with a 16 foot ceiling.

The Reno fire department already has a base radio system hooked up and ready for action. The volunteers wear pagers so that they may be notified that fire assistance is needed.

The volunteers for the fire department are: Larry Carden, Bill Dollison, Jeff Dover, Rick Falley, Rick Tedrow, Marvin Torneden, Stewart Johnson, Burt Mary, Richard Ogden, Jeff Shultz, Lawrence Torneden, Ken Wilson, John Winsor, Bill Merkel, and David Segura.

The Tonganoxie Nursing Center received a near perfect inspection when the State Fire Marshall stopped by on Tuesday, Feb. 6, to conduct an un-announced inspection of the center.

The Tonganoxie City Fire Department recently received a 1976 Pierce Mustang Mini Pumper, to ad to their fire fighting arsenal.

The truck is a 1976 Dodge and the pumper will be capable of pumping 500 gallons of water onto a thirsty fire per minute.

50 years ago: Feb. 18, 1971

The Food News and Clues from the Aunt Jemima Test Kitchen in this week’s Mirror included a recipe for a “Coldest Day” breakfast for pineapple pancake stacks.

The front page photos were of the new paneled and carpeted Law Office of Joe Cox located in the former Dale Rawlings building.

Grapefruit was 15/ $1 and Gleem toothpaste was 43 cents at Bill’s Market.

A 35-foot-long roll of wrap on pipe insulation was $1 at Shilling Electric. 

75 years ago: Feb. 14, 1946

The road between Tonganoxie and Basehor was the scene of another deadly accident this past weekend when a 1941 Chevy Coup missed a corner and crashed. Francis Kennedy of Norton Kansas was the driver who came upon the sharp curve in the road.

There were three other passengers in his vehicle who survived, however, Kennedy was killed instantly in the embankment. This curve, known locally as “Dead Man’s Corner,” has claimed many lives over the last twenty five years. The hope is that a two lane road that will be built in the future will eliminate this hazard once and for all.

Get your dogs vaccinated or suffer the consequences from the city. That is the message from the city council with the most drastic vote in the state. One rabid dog has made for a bad situation for three young children who were bitten by this animal. Glenda Freeman, Joan Wiley and the small son of Bennie Hughes were injured and now must receive the rabies vaccinations.  

Do not allow your pet to run loose if you value its life. Fines, tie ups and rabies serum will cost owners up to $50 if violating this new law.  

S/Sgt. Billie Stephenson arrived in Hawaii from Yokohama, Japan Jan. 24 and landed at Seattle, Feb. 6, on the SS Chanute Victory, He arrived in Tonganoxie Wednesday with a discharge.

A few of the county schools are rejecting the idea of consolidation with the reason being that the roads are undeveloped at this time.

Poor weather can turn these back roads into a muddy mess and become impassable for school busses to transport students from one school to another.

And on this Valentine’s Day, Mrs. Alton Grems reports a lost gold heart shaped necklace. If found, please return.  

100 years ago: Feb. 17, 1921

Reports made by public officials are usually confined to financial statements and though these in some measure tell what has been done with the public funds, they leave many things concerning public business untold. That is why this review of the business affairs of Tonganoxie is herewith presented:

Comparative Taxation – Any increase in tax levies makes taxes seem high and though there has been an increase in the levy in Tonganoxie, a comparison of the tax rate with some of the close by cities makes a favorable showing. Tonganoxie for 1920 paid taxes of $9 for $1,000 valuation. Lawrence paid $9.35, Bonner Springs $10 and Leavenworth $12.50.

Taking it on a per capita basis Tonganoxie paid about $9 compared to about $60 spent by the federal government for the year ending June 30, 1920.

Tonganoxie paid $6.90 on the $1,000 valuation for district school taxes, and $2.20 for rural high school taxes making a total school tax of $9.10 against $11.95 for Kansas City, $12 for Leavenworth, $12.62-1/2 for Lawrence and $20.05 for Bonner.

The per capita taxes of either Tonganoxie or the two school districts are not as high as the expense of going to the movies once a week, nor much higher than drinking an ice cream soda or losing a game of billiards once in six days.

Kansas has ten cities of the first class and not one has as low city taxes as Tonganoxie. Out of 71 cities of the second class only twelve have lower taxes than Tonganoxie. Tax figures for cities of the third class are not available.

125 years ago: Feb. 20, 1896

A Reno Township Citizen Found Hacked to pieces with an ax.

A.T. Lamborn, aged about 70 years, was found dead Tuesday morning in his kitchen, by his daughter. His own ax lying by his side told the tale how his death was accomplished.

Mr. Lamborn is a very wealthy farmer, who lives directly south of here ten miles, near Fall Leaf, and has resided in this county many years. Monday, he went to Lawrence, and as his son and daughter who live with him, wanted to attend a dance Monday evening, they left supper on the table for their father, who had not yet returned at nine o’clock when they left.

Son and daughter returned home at three o’clock in the morning and at once went to their rooms.

In the morning, the daughter went to the kitchen to start a fire, and to her horror saw her father dead and lying in a pool of his own blood. The neighbors were at once notified, and Mr. Lamborn was examined. His breast had been crushed in with the ax. His left arm cut near the elbow, his right leg cut, and his collar bone also cut. It looked as though the murderer had missed his victim once, and the ax had sunk deeply into the floor. At what hour this dastardly crime was committed it is impossible to tell, but it is supposed that it occurred between nine o’clock and three o’clock while son and daughter were away from home.

A coroner’s inquest was held Tuesday afternoon, by Justice of the south end of Reno township, and a jury found that Mr. Lamborn came to his death at the hands of a party or parties unknown.

As only three witnesses were examined, the people were dissatisfied with the investigation. The coroner was telephoned for yesterday evening. He arrived this morning and will hold another inquest today.

Besides the two staying at home Mr. Lamborn had two sons, one who resides on a farm in High Prairie township and the other AC Lamborn who was once connected with the Leavenworth Times, and an aspirant for postmaster at Leavenworth in 1889.