The Way It Was

100 years ago:

Rich Hill gas well strikes natural gas

The citizens of Rich Hill are exceedingly jubilant these days and are beginning to dream of increased population, manufacturers and a general increase of business, the cause of this being the finding of natural gas near that city. For several years much prospecting has been done in and around the former Bates County town in search of coal deposits, and an especially strong effort has been put forward in that regard since the coal mines began to scatter.

75 years ago:

Locked bowels proved fatal to a 9-year-old boy

James A. Allison, the 9-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. L.V. Allison, 316 North Cedar Street, passed away Wednesday afternoon at 3:15 after an illness of only four days, his death being due to locked bowels. The funeral services will be held at St. Mary's church Friday morning at 10 o'clock.

The parents have the heartfelt sympathy of many friends in the hour of their bereavement.

50 years ago:

Cottey students will arrive in Nevada Tuesday

Cottey juniors will begin arriving on the campus Tuesday with formal class session to start Sept. 13.

Second-year students will arrive in Nevada next Sunday.

As Cottey prepares for its 71st fall opening enrollment now totals 233.

Making up the student body will be girls from 29 states and 11 foreign countries.

Dr. Blanche H. Dow, Cottey president, returned to the campus Friday after three weeks spent in Bern and Geneva, Switzerland, attending the 36th council of the International Federation of University Women at a seminar on international understanding.