The Way it Was

100 years ago

San Francisco earthquake

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Reports from San Francisco are to the effect that at 5:13 a.m., this morning, occurred the most terrific earthquake known in the history of the Pacific coast.

Following the terrific earthquake shocks building toppled and fell in every direction. The police patrol was put to work carting away the dead and injured from the ruined and wrecked buildings

Fire broke out in the wholesale district near the water front and other localities, which added horror to the terror stricken people, and as the water works plants had been wrecked there was no water to fight the flames.

Dynamite is being used to destroy buildings to check the progress of the fire.

50 years ago

Thorpes win vacation to Mexico

Tom Thorpe, owner of Thorpe's Appliances Store in Nevada, has been awarded an 8 day trip to Mexico as a result of his successful participation in a four month, General Electric appliance-selling contest.

Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe will join a group of approximately 30 other General Electric appliance dealers and their wives from the western half of Missouri and eastern half of Kansas. They will fly to Mexico City, May 5, returning to Nevada, May 13.

This is the sixth trip the Thorpe's have been awarded since General Electric originated the appliance-selling contest five years ago. They have gone to Sun Valley, Idaho; New York City; New Orleans, La.; and Havana, Cuba.