Allen County had fewer farms in 1959 than in 1954 but they were larger in size and represented a substantially larger investment. This is revealed in the preliminary report of the 1959 agricultural census which was taken last fall. It lists 1,283 farms with a total land area of 302,690 acres. The average size of the farms is 235.9 acres and the average value is $22,919, including the land and improvements. Similar figures for 1954 were 1,499 farms, averaging 202.9 acres in size with an average value of $14,181.
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H.W. Doty, president of Foodtown Super Markets, Inc., announced today that his firm has leased the building at 114 E. Madison which was vacated Saturday by the Kroger Company. The company will open a new store in the building Thursday. The Foodtown Company was formed in 1937 and its first store was opened in Chanute that year. It now operates 23 markets in southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri and northeast Oklahoma. Neil McCracken will be the grocery manager in Iola and John Phillips will be in charge of the meat department. The building is owned by B.W. Curtis, well-known retired furniture dealer who now lives in El Cajon, Calif.
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The Iola Chamber of Commerce will give its annual Ladies Night dinner and program at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Hotel Kelley. The speaker will be Dr. Wilbur Schaeffer, Los Alamos, N.M. who is known as an authority on atomic energy and the space satellite program.
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Carmel C. Vaughn, president of the Vonolite corporation, reported this morning that his company had purchased the Micolite building on East Street and will soon begin the manufacture of a new fireproofing material. Vaughn says his product has been extensively tested and approved as an insulating, sound deadening, fire proof material which can be applied easily to either existing or new structures. He said he expects to hire 10 or 12 men.
