A special thanks the Round Rock Leader for letting the museum post these wonderful articles.
The Time Capsules stories are prepared by Bob Brinkman
Texas Historical Commission
A fire that breaks out in the dry goods store of Edell & Kincade destroys an entire block of ten downtown businesses. The town had no equipment for controlling the fire, and so the Round Rock Fire Department is established.
Merchant W.H. Lawson is murdered on his way home from work on a Friday night. Governor O.B. Colquitt issues a $250 reward for the capture of his assailants. The following morning, the Round Rock Institute catches fire and burns to the ground.
The Williamson County Rat Extermination Campaign is an effort to improve the public health by killing rodents and rat-proofing barns and silos to protect food supplies. Farmers and citizens pay bounties to the schoolchildren, who have a contest to see who can kill the most rats. By February, more than 42,000 rats are reported dead.