Newspaper: CASS COUNTY DEMOCRAT, Vol. 63, June 24, 1943 Dontated by: Fran Miller June 16, 2002 Copyright at end of file ==================================================== Newspaper: CASS CO…(i.e., CASS COUNTY DEMOCRAT, article was torn from Date: June 24, 1943 Volume: 63 Page: Number missing Column: 2 Article Title: CASS COUNTY BOY IS KILLED INACTION Sub Title: Cpl. Raymond Benson, 24, Makes Supreme Sacrifice May 29, According to War Department Announcement June 16. Friends and relatives of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Benson of Peculiar were grieved Wednesday, June 16, when the parents were notified by the War Department of the death of their son, Cpl. Raymond Benson, 24 years old. The information in the message was meager. While it stated Corporal Benson was killed in action May 29, it did not state where he was located when he made the supreme sacrifice. Station Overseas. Only a few weeks ago Mr. and Mrs. Benson received a letter from their son stating he had landed safely overseas, and as far as can be ascertained, he had been “across” about three days prior to his death. It is difficult to picture where such quick action after landing could take place. It is surmised the action may have been on Attu, an Aleutian island in the North Pacific which Americans wrested from Japanese control late in May. This is merely a guess for Mr. and Mrs. Benson have no idea where their son landed. Corporal Benson enlisted in the Army in Kansas City, Kans., February 5, 1942. He would have been 25 years old next December 17. Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rice of Kansas City, Kans., son-in-law and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Benson, arrived in Peculiar Wednesday morning of last week, conveying the sad news to her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Benson accompanied the Kansans home that afternoon, returning to Peculiar Monday evening of this week. Other Sons in Service. Mr. and Mrs. Benson have three other sons, besides three grandsons and a son-in-law, in military service. Mrs. Mary B. Fowler of Washington D.C. and Mrs. Mildred Davis of Herington, Kans., daughters; Pfc. Arol Benson of Camp Rucker, Ala., and Pvt. Finis Benson of Richard, Va. sons, have visited their parents and sister, Mrs. Rice, this week. ibid…same page, column 1 Article Title: PLEASANT HILL ELEVATOR A SPECTACULAR FIRE Sub Title: Tall Structure Is Destroyed Early Saturday Morning - Much of 45,000 Bushels of Grain Being Salvaged. The following story of a destructive fire in Pleasant Hill early Saturday, June 19, is furnished the DEMOCRAT by the Pleasant Hill Times. Member of the Harrisonville Legionnaire Fire Department, who answered the call for assistance, could see the light of the fire from the overhead bridge on Highway 7, two miles northeast of this city. The story: Possibly the most spectacular fire in Pleasant Hill’s history occurred Saturday when the elevator at Moundridge Milling Company caught fire at 4 a.m., and burned to the ground. The wooden structure, four stories high and sheathed in sheet iron poured a great peak of flame into the calm night sky, making a beacon that was seen many miles away. The elevator structure and its contents represented an estimated $80,000 value. However, of the 45,000 bushels of grain in storage, it is hoped to salvage a substantial amount, perhaps as much as two thirds, so it is difficult to appraise the damage in dollars and cents. Discovered By Employee. Stanley Anson, a night-shift employee at the mill, discovered the blaze on making a trip to the elevator from the mill building. It was about half way up the four-story structure in the “man-life” a hand-operated elevator. Anson emptied a fire extinguished (sic extinguisher) on it without stopping the blaze and went for another. Forrest Christy, another employee, was also on the scene early. Anson returned with the second fire extinguisher, but this time the rope on the man-lift burned in two before he could get up to the blaze. The Pleasant Hill fire department had water on the fire soon after the alarm was sounded, but the blaze was too big and too high to the (sic be) handled and the principal effort was soon devoted to the problem of saving the three-story brick mill, only 30 feet away from the elevator’s roaring blaze. `By 4:30 o’clock it became questionable whether the mill could be saved and an appeal for help was telephoned to the Legionnaire fire department of Harrisonville. Assistant Chief Orion Brookhart and six firemen (Harlan Davis, Orville Parrish, Frank Tuttle, Oren Webster, Ted Cox and Stanley Mills) made the run here in one of the two Harrisonville trucks, arriving at five o’clock. They laid a hose line from the fireplug at Lake and Oak Streets. Mill Is Saved. 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