History of Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Kanzas, a pleasant post-village of Jackson county, Missouri, on the Missouri river, three- quarters of a mile below the mouth of Kanzas river, and 14 miles W. from Independence. It hag a good landing, and an active business. Great numbers of emigrants pass through this place. It contains several churches and (in 1853) about 1000 inhabitants.

Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 8. - A terrible disaster occurred at the corner of Second and Main Streets yesterday afternoon. Four brick three-story building occupied by Carle & Sons, cracker and candy manufacturers, tumbled down and were completely consumed by fire. At the time the accident occurred, 107 persons, mostly boys and girls, aged from 12 to 20 years, were at work in the factory, all of whom escaped alive except six. The cause of the accident cannot be fully determined; but as an explosion occurred simultaneously with the fall of the walls, it is supposed to be a repetition of the accident in New York last year, viz. a starch explosion. As soon as the walls fell, the building took fire, and the Fire Department being on hand in a few minutes, by their efficient service the flames were prevented from extending to the buildings adjoining. As soon as the news of the accident had spread about the city the parents and friends of those employed there flocked to the scene to learn the...

KANSAS CITY, June 17. - This city was visited last night by a terrific tornado, which unroofed and overturned houses, blew down trees and fences and worked general havoc. Fowler Brother's cooper were blown down, and Thoman madden, who was in the latter, was killed. The Howell Hotel, at Roseda's a suburban town, was also blown down, killing William Reese, Fred Powell had a leg broken. At Wyandotte, across the Kansas river, Durring's opera house was unroofed. The loss in Kansas City is estimated at $200,000.

Kansas City, August 29 - Switch engine No. 27, of the Council Bluffs railway, was badly ditched about five o'clock this morning while taking a train of empty stock cars out of the stock yards. The train was on the western track, next to the Kaw river, and was in the rear of the Stock Exchange when a broken rail sent the engine flying from the river bank, breaking it up very badly, and pinning to the ground Thomas BOYLE, a yardman, who was standing on the pilot of the engine when it jumped. The engineer and fireman escaped injury by jumping. BOYLE was dug out after an hour's hard labor, and strange to say received slight injuries, the cylinder of the engine having kept the great weight off from his leg. His only hurt is a badly bruised foot, but no bones are broken. The business on the west track was stopped for eight hours on account of the wreck.

, Atchison, KS 30 Aug 1884

Kansas City, Missouri, the second city of the state in population and importance, is in Jackson co., on the right or S. bank of the Missouri River, 3 mile below the mouth of the Kansas River. Lat. 39°4' N.; lon. 94° 37' 40" W. By railroad it is 283 miles W. by N. of St. Louis, 26 miles S.E. of Leavenworth, and 70 miles S. by E. of St. Joseph. It is the W. terminus of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which connects here with the Kansas Pacific Railroad. Ten other roads meet here from various directions, and the trains of several lines cross the Missouri River on a magnificent iron bridge which was erected at a cost of about $1,000,000. The city is mostly built on the top and sides of a steep hill, the site having been originally very rough and uneven. It has, however, been greatly improved by grading, and much money has been expended in sewers, water-works, and mains. It has 28 churches, 14 schools, 2 medical colleges, a seminary, 2 hospitals, an orphan asylum, a workhouse, 2 theatres,...

In One Hour Nothing but Walls and Burning Debris Remained to Mark the Place Where the Building Stood - Western Newspaper Union and the Western Type Foundry Principal Sufferers.

KANSAS CITY, March 14. - Fire destroyed between $300,000 and $350,000 worth of property at Fourth and Broadway last evening. At about 5:30 flames burst out of the windows of the big 4-story building at 410 West Fifth street, occupied by the English Supply company, dealers in engine supplies and wrought iron materials, and spread with great rapidity. One hour after it started only walls and a mass of debris were left to mark the place where the big building had stood. The wind was blowing a gale when the fire broke out, and the flames were carried to the top of the 5-story brick building north of the English building, occupied by the Western Newspaper union and the Great Western Type Foundry. Within half an hour the walls of the Western Newspaper union building began falling and all hopes of saving it were...

Kansas City, Mo., Oct 10. - Fire which started from an unknown cause on the stage of the old Comique theater yesterday resulted in the complete destruction of the building. $8,000 damage to an adjacent building occupied by Mrs. John Hughes as a saloon, and the death of Alvin E Canaday, brother-in-law of Chief Hale and a member of fire company No. 1. The loss on the theater is $12,000, on scenery $3,500, insurance on building and scenery $2,500. Beside these losses the Billy Rice Minstrel Company lost all of its scenery, wardrobe and other effects, valued at $1,500 or $2,000.