June 21, 1904 . . . The oiled streets have done more for the comfort of the citizens this year than to keep down dust and disease spread as they have also proven to be the death of flies and mosquito swarms. The odor of the oil is so obnoxious to the bugs they are not congregating as they usually do around horses, mules and saloons . . . though there may be some impact on human congregating too.
Did the farmer ever stop to think that out of a bushel of corn the distiller gets four gallons of whiskey. Out of it the farmer gets 40 cents, the government gets $4.40, the railroad gets $1, the drayman gets 13 cents, the saloon man gets $7 and the consumer gets drunk and the wife and children get hunger and rags. Who gets the worst of it? Maybe the bugs.
The Bluegrass Traction Company ought to do something or quit talking about it. This company has kept a large portion of the citizenship in a state of expectancy over a proposed electric line to Frankfort by way of Midway and Versailles. Time and time again the franchise of the company has expired and been renewed but there is no sign of a road yet. Sen. Davis, the presumed head of the company, bobs up every now and again and says the road will be surely built but not a spade has been struck or a single clod turned over on the work.
Alfred Stanhope and Willie Mitchell were with the Versailles baseball club on a tour for several days last week.
Captain and Mrs. James Blackburn of Spring Station announce the engagement of their daughter Miss Henrietta to Benjamin Harris Wallace of Chicago. The marriage will be at the Blackburn homestead.
“Storm” parties are popular with the young set in society now. Monday night the young people “stormed” Misses Julia Erdman and Duke Kenney at Dr. W.E. Risque’s home. They were warmly welcomed by the young ladies and Mrs. Risque and all was appropriate.
J.W. Parrish had the largest single crop of wheat so far reported. He sold his crop of 10,000 bushels to Cogar & Co. for 92 cents which brought him a nice little sum of money.
Field McLeod sold for the Jacob A. Penn Estate 240 acres of the Lemon’s Mill Pike at $107.25 an acre to John Graves.
Gov. Beckham appointed J.W. Parrish as Woodford County magistrate to fill out the unexpired term of W.B. Harper who had resigned.
A young lady came into Midway last Thursday selling shoe polish and her methods of disposing of her goods were sure novel! Entering one’s place of business, she “modestly” asked for a few moments of time. Being granted this, she quietly opened her gripsack and taking therefrom a bottle of polish she was trying to dispose of by sale, began her little spiel and at the same time stooping down before the gentleman and gently applied the polished brush to the shoes of her intended victim. After performing such a service, all she had to do was hand over the bottle, pocket the quarter and say goodbye. Few men in town escaped her, and it was noticeable that there were more shines on shoes seen that day than in many months! Ike Wingate, Charley Parrish, Ben Mitchell, Tom Shipp and many others are now using nothing but the “Dazzler” polish on their shoes purchased by the comely sales girl.
July 17, 1924 . . . Thursday night at Mt. Edwin Methodist Church on Oregon Road near Nonesuch between 35 and 40 members of the Ku Klux Klan assembled in full regalia and while the congregation was singing the opening hymn, they marched down the aisle and deposited $1 on the table and marched right back out. A similar occurrence took place at the Christian Church in Midway a few months ago. As before, no one could say who were behind the robes. In related news, the Woodford County Fiscal Court voted to permit the Ku Klux Klan to use the county courthouse for speakers and meetings so long as no disorder is allowed. [Editor’s Note: The Sun is committed to re-printing stories from our archives from the same week 120 and 100 years ago as it was written, including terrible events such as this Klan march. We cannot, today, say whether any of the congregants of this place of worship indeed were unable to identify any of the robed Klansmen. Also, today it seems remarkable the Klan would be permitted to hold events inside the courthouse, but this happened here 100 years ago.).
The contract has been let for erection of the Kentucky Female Orphans School academic building to Wortham Construction Company of Louisville. The building will be finished by the spring of 1925 and will cost under $250,000. A new directory proposed for 1925 will raise the number of girls that can be housed to 300. Only 150 can now be accommodated.
Price Starks, formerly of Midway, died in Kansas City on July 14. He formerly lived on the farm now occupied by Mr. Dunlap but moved away 20 years ago. HE was 82.
Barbara Ann Lacefield, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lister Lacefield, died Tuesday of meningitis after an illness of four days.
Robert Curry, an employee of Farmers Union Mill, was cranking a Ford on Thursday when it backfired and broke one of his fingers.
Wilmore Wright and Paris Rossi have gone on their vacation to Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Misses Lilly Parrish, Jeanette Lehman and Ida Kenney Risque attended the dance at Bide-A-Wee Camp on Saturday given by Chi Omega sorority.