Did You Know This About Geary County History?
By Dr. Ferrell Miller
Geary County Historical Society Board Member
“Some Stories About Early Fire Fighters”
October is Fire Prevention Month. Seventy years ago the special month was marked in a unique way. On October 27, 1949, a demonstration was given downtown by city firemen. It included a simulated rescue of three girls from a burning building.
Two girls were lowered by ropes from the third floor of the Masonic Lodge building on North Washington Street. The girls were Cynthia Meade and Nancy Shumate. The third girl was Dorothy Knapp. She was carried from the roof of the Cole’s store down a ladder by Fireman D.H. Comstock.
An unintended display occurred when Floyd Young, who was operating the booster pump on a fire truck, caught a finger in a hand throttle device for the pump. The flesh of his finger was torn as he pulled his finger loose and the throttle was opened so suddenly the increased pump pressure broke a hole in the hose line.
The role of fighters has changed over the years. They not only respond to calls related to fires, but also medical emergencies. The Geary County Historical Society wants to thank all of our fire fighters at the Fire Department and those who volunteer as rural fire fighters for all they do to keep us safe and protect our properties in Geary County.
We have a display of early fire-fighting equipment in the basement of our Museum. Stop by and take a look at the hook and ladder, pictures of members of the early Fire Department when the Department was located in the Opera House, a trophy won in a fire-fighting competition and other items. The Museum is open any day except Monday between the hours of 1 and 4:00 PM. Admission is free.
“Some Spooky Tales”
In the spirit of Halloween, the following local ghost story researched by a Junction City High School student, Wilma Roark, in the 1930’s was titled “The Haunted Bridge”. “About a mile from Junction City was the South Bridge, which crossed the Smokey Hill River. In 1910 a farmer by the name of James was returning from town at about midnight. He was riding in a one-seated buggy hitched to an old white horse. When it was two o’clock and he had not returned home, his family became alarmed and started a thorough search.
Several days later his body was found in the river with his overcoat buttoned, but all of his money and watch was still in his pockets. It was an unsolved mystery how he came to be drowned. For years it was said that if you pass the bridge at midnight, you would hear a mournful wail from the river as if someone drowning was calling for help.”
Another “spooky” tale is told about a team of horses, which were stolen in September of 1865. The horses were later discovered being driven by a man and a boy. The man confessed to the theft, but pleaded for the boy stating he did not know him. He was merely giving the boy a ride. The boy corroborated the story. The two were taken back to Junction City and the same night both were hanged at the Smokey Hill Saw Mill. After those hangings, whoever ran the mill lost money until no one would take the property and it was eventually torn down.