The air filter for the big engine, which generates the power at the city light plant, which was ordered by telephone from Massachusetts last Wednesday, was installed Sunday afternoon and tested until Tuesday morning when the smaller engines were again put in use. At the end of the 22-hour test run, which was satisfactory, about two pounds of dust were removed from the filter, with no exceptionally severe dirt storm having occurred during that time. The big engine uses 3,362,000 cubic feet of air each day, according to City Manager Goodrich, and it is estimated that in just ordinary weather, half a pound of dirt is contained in this amount of air. It can easily be seen that the amount of dirt taken into the engine during one of the bad dirt storms would be enormous.

All previous Rooks County dirt storms have paled into insignificance since the storms of Friday night and Wednesday morning. All the old-timers are unanimous in their opinion that they were the worst ever seen here. Word came to Stockton early Friday evening that all traffic had stopped at Colby and Goodland early in the afternoon. Dust filled the upper air here all day, but the storm did not strike here in all its fury until about 7:30 p.m. From then on until midnight, a high wind raged, and the air was filled with the minutest of dust particles. The storm followed an afternoon when thermometers registered in the high 80s. All day Monday, it looked as if another severe storm was on its way, but the community escaped with a sifting of fine dirt. Tuesday was a nice day, so the storm that came yesterday morning was a complete surprise. The atmosphere began to darken a little after 6:00 p.m., and by 7:30 p.m., it was impossible to see across the street. From then on until after 9:00 p.m., objects a few feet away could not be seen, and lights did very little good. The dirt in the air did not beat in quite as bad as in Friday night’s storm as the wind was not so strong, but it was bad enough, and general house cleaning was necessary again. The dust was so fine that it was forced through crevices in buildings, which had withstood ordinary dirt storms. The air was so heavy that breathing was difficult even inside the good buildings. Outdoors, the few pedestrians on the street had to feel their way along by the side of buildings, and motorists, in some cases, found it impossible to see their way even if their cars kept running. Some progress could be made by dimming the lights and going slow, but any going was dangerous at best. Cars had to be guided into garages by flashlights, and many cars around town were left standing all night.

One of the chief helmsmen at the Record Office, Cloyce Hamilton, is in the St. Joseph’s Hospital in Concordia, recovering from an appendix operation. He was taken there on Tuesday night and operated upon on Wednesday. He is getting along fine, according to all reports. However, he will not be back on the job for several weeks, and the Record may suffer somewhat during his absence. This week’s paper was finished under difficulties, and we beg your indulgence if errors have been made or material that should be in the paper has been omitted.

The Chamber of Commerce Wolf Hunt was just advertised too well. It seems there was so much talk and enthusiasm about this big event that even the wolves heard about it and the canny animals they are, gave the six-mile square territory a wide berth on Tuesday. Not one was seen, let alone killed. However, the poor dumb bunnies were not so smart. They showed up, and as a result, there were thousands of them lying dead in the hunt area. Lunch, which was held at the Lester Maddy farm, found more than 1,500 wieners being consumed and around that many buns. Coffee was served in gallons, and many compliments were heard about the quality. A. C. Gillilan has long had the reputation of knowing all there is to know about brewing Java, and he certainly lived up to his reputation on the day of the hunt.

A blizzard, a mixture of snow, dust, and sleet, making a strange combination, whose like has not been seen here since 1895, raged in Stockton on Sunday, causing traffic tie-ups and badly drifting roads. The storm subsided early Monday morning. According to reports, the blizzard extended from eastern Kansas to the Rocky Mountains, bringing tornadoes to southeastern Kansas and southwest Missouri. It was difficult to determine the amount of moisture from the snow due to drifting. However, very little of it stayed on the fields, most of it piling up in the roads and ditches.

As a result of a decision made by the board of county commissioners, the town of Damar has been incorporated. On Tuesday, an election will be held in the township hall, where the election will be held to choose a mayor, five councilmen, and a police judge. This makes Damar the smallest incorporated city in the county. A caucus has been held to select a ticket for the election. Z. J. Bedard was the only nominee for mayor, and W. L Kerr was unopposed for the office of police judge. The following were nominated for councilmen: R. P. Berland, H. J. Berland, Art Bedard, F. E. Newel, E. X. Arpin, Mrs. Joe Meissen, John Hamilton, A. Menard, D. J. Roberts, and Paul Benoit.

If the grapevine system is operating among the rabbits and wolves in this vicinity this week, it is imagined their conversation might run something like this, “Brother, we had better find a darned good hiding place on February 26th, or better yet, get clear out of the country because the Stockton Chamber of Commerce is going to stage another one of its big wolf hunts, and when those boys start out to do anything, they don’t fool with it. They really get the job done. If we’re around on the 26th we had better be awful, awful careful.” And if the wolves are as canny as they are supposed to be, they’ll try to make themselves pretty scarce. From all indications, the hunt will be as successful as it was a year ago, if not more so. Last year’s hunt was a huge success from all angles. Eight wolves were killed, thousands of rabbits were shot, hundreds of sandwiches were consumed, and all had fun. About 500 men were in attendance, and the Chamber would like to see at least that many of them this year. The meeting place will be at Lester Maddy’s farm, where promptly at 12:00 noon, a free lunch consisting of sandwiches and coffee will be served. The hunt will embrace territory six miles square.

A wolf hunt is being arranged in this vicinity for all who like this kind of sport. It will be on February 11th, and all those who wish to take part are requested to meet at the Mt. Vernon Church at 12:30 p.m. Trucks will be furnished to haul the hunters. This hunt is a little different in one respect than most of them. If you shoot a coyote, it’s yours to do whatever you wish. Heretofore, in most cases, the coyote went to the truck driver as his reimbursement.

A rural electrification survey will be made in Rooks County as a relief project under the direction of the Rooks County Relief Administration. This is in accordance with a bulletin received by Miss Pearl Rorabaugh. It is desirable to obtain the approximate correct location of every rural home, church, school, store and shop using electricity or the possible user of electricity. The survey calls for the location and capacity of existing generating plants and transmission lines, private plants, and telephone and telegraph lines. The scope of the survey is to extend outside of incorporated cities. From the findings of the potential demand, records are to be kept to aid any projected future method of supplying electricity in the county.

The contents of the botanical laboratory of Dr. Elam Bartholomew, well known scientist and former Rooks County resident who died in Hays on November 18th, have been bequeathed to his son, Elbert T. Bartholomew, in trust for Dr. Bartholomew’s five children according to the Ellis County News. Dr. Bartholomew left his wife, Rachel, his real estate providing she has the income from it during her lifetime. At her death it is to go to the five children, share and share alike in value. The will provides, however, that the old Bartholomew homestead north of Stockton shall at the death of Mrs. Bartholomew descend to the son, Lee, on payment to each of the other four heirs a sum equal to one fifth of the appraisal value of the land.