"Did You Know This About Geary County History?”By Dr. Ferrell MillerGeary County Historical Society Board Member<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596729389819.jpeg" alt="Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, Sr." />
 <figcaption>Gen. Adna R. Chaffee, Sr.</figcaption>
 </figure>“Bringing Junction City Into The 20th Century”In Susan Franzen’s book, Behind the Façade of Fort Riley’s Hometown The Inside Story of Junction City, Kansas, she wrote that “Having a self-proclaimed Junction Citian, General Adna R. Chaffee, as the first Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army meant that Fort Riley would receive its share of attention from military planners. In 1901, the Secretary of War had approved Fort Riley for a national encampment of up to 30,000 men. The decade between 1900 and 1910 marked the growing economic dependence of Junction City on Fort Riley. The new look began just prior to the turn of the century with the limestone Civil War memorial arch in City Park (1898). (The park is now called Heritage Park). The Opera House was also built in 1898. On Sixth Street, just one block west of City Park, was a new stone high school (1903). (Currently the Geary County Historical Society’s Museum). Several two-story storefronts appeared along Washington Street, replacing one story frame buildings. A massive stone county courthouse was built on East Eighth Street (1900). 	It was the infrastructure that really brought Junction City into the twentieth century. Most important were the enlarged Union Pacific roundhouse, which assured that Junction City would continue to be a railroad center; The Electric Railway, Light and Ice Company, which provided the power for street lights, interior lighting, the Junction City and Fort Riley Street Railway; the telephone company and concrete sidewalks for the anticipated brick paved streets.	The Ladies’ Reading Club had its own distinction in the new era. Captain Bertrand Rockwell built a stone cottage-style clubhouse in honor of his wife, Julia Snyder Rockwell. Inspired by the expanding spirit of the town, they renewed their commitment to establishing a free public library, a cause they had espoused when they first met in 1874. They collected a thousand volumes and planned to submit a library bond issue to the voters in 1903. Two years later, when the electorate still had not voted the money, Junction City acquired funding for a library building in a dramatic and unexpected way.	George Smith was a tinsmith who owned several pieces of commercial property in Junction City. He was an eccentric who lived in a room above a grocery store. During the Civil War, he opened a hardware store in Junction City. In the early-morning hours of January 5, 1905, he shot himself in the head with a derringer pistol. His will revealed that he had left all his property, an estate of over $50,000 for the building and maintenance of a public library.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596729442895.jpeg" alt="Former Good Eats Cafe, 605 N. Washington" />
 <figcaption>Former Good Eats Cafe, 605 N. Washington</figcaption>
 </figure>“Handwashing at Frey’s Restaurant in 1911”	During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all aware of the importance of the need to frequently wash our hands to prevent advancing the virus. Sanitizing our hands is also important when we enter a store or church. In September of 1911, the Kansas Board of Health, under the direction of Dr. Samuel Crambine, it was decreed that roller towels in public facilities were not sanitary and should be replaced with paper towels. William Frey, was the owner of Frey’s Restaurant at 605 N. Washington Street, which later became the Good Eats Café, Stevie’s and is now Bella’s Italian Restaurant in the Rialto Building. William had the new paper towels installed at his popular restaurant. However, when a writer for the local newspaper learned of a story about a hand washing incident at the restaurant, the author suggested the food department send a person to instruct patrons regarding its use. Apparently, one gentleman went into the restaurant to get dinner. Before dinner, he went to the washroom to wash his hands. After washing his hands, he began to look for a towel on rollers to dry his hands, which was common in 1911. However, the man could not find anything except a roll of paper. The only other thing in view was an old coat, which had been left hanging in the washroom. He took the coat from the hanger and eagerly completed drying his hands on the coat. This leaves us to wonder if there was more chance of getting infected from drying his hands on the coat, than if he had not washed his hands at all. If you “dine-in” at a restaurant, be sure to wash your hands. Use an air-drying system or paper towel for drying your hands. Properly dispose of the paper towel. Some of us carry our own small bottle of sanitizer with us, just in case there are no paper towels or air-drying system.

Our Past is Present