KANSAS

The earliest evidence of the possibility of local registration appears in Chapter 67, Section 8, of the laws of the State of Kansas, passed March 13, 1903 and effective April 1, 1903, which gives cities (but not counties such as Sedgwick!) the power to pass ordinances regulating automobiles.  Even without this power, Topeka passed its first automobile ordinance specifying speed limits five months earlier on December 3, 1902;  therefore, it's difficult to speculate whether or not, without this state law, local registration ordinances would have proliferated across the state to the extent that they did.  The earliest known ordinance which provided for automobile registration was passed in Chanute in 1904, with Parsons, Junction City, Topeka, Kansas City and Emporia following in 1905.  By the time all local registration was invalidated by the new state registration law which took effect July 1, 1913, at least 60 cities and towns in Kansas are known to have had registration in effect, with perhaps over 75 more still waiting to be discovered.

Abilene (4,118)

Ordinance #273, passed February 2, 1906, effective February 9, 1906, provided only for speed limits and other automobile regulations, but not registration or number plates.

Ordinance #372, passed May 8, 1911, effective May 15, 1911, required a city-issued plate.  There was no registration fee, but plates were sold at cost at $1.

The Abilene Daily Reflector noted on May 8, 1911, that "Besides a number, these tags will probably have Abilene written on them."  The May 22, 1911, edition provided more details:  "The automobile tags arrived today.  They are of light metal and black numerals..."  On May 25, 1911, the paper reported that "The city clerk so far has issued 47 automobile tags."  The day before, the Abilene Weekly Chronicle stated that "They begin with No. 100 and run up."  The Daily Reflector announced on June 5, 1912, that "Fifty new automobile tags arrived Thursday [May 30].  They are the same as the ones in use.  In all there are 101 licensed autos in town and several that are not.  The fee for a permanent license under the existing ordinance is $1."

The Daily Reflector of January 12, 1912, and the Daily Chronicle of January 7, 1913, gave the annual calendar year statements of income and expenses of the City Clerk's office for the years 1911 and 1912, respectively, which included the following listings:

(1911) "Auto license         $87.00"

(1912) "Automobile licenses  $37.00"

For 1913, similar quarterly statements were published by the Daily Chronicle on April 11, 1913, listing "Auto Tag $3.00" for the first quarter of 1913, and on June 18, 1913, listing "Auto Tags $16.00" for the second quarter of 1913.

Based on the above, at $1 per license, one could conclude that the city had a sufficient supply of plates up to #249, and that plate numbers were issued by year as follows:

1911   100 - 186

1912   187 - 223

1913   224 - 242

An undated black-on-aluminum plate #190 is known with "ABILENE" at the top, in the same style as 1910 and 1911 Northwood, ND, plates.  The plates were manufactured by the J. P. Cooke Co. of Omaha, Nebraska.

Anthony (2,669)

A Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910, lists Anthony automobiles #1 to #57.

Arkansas City (7,508)

An ordinance passed March 23, 1909, required a $1 fee to the city clerk, and an owner-provided rear plate.  Non-residents were exempted.  An Arkansas City Daily Traveler article on March 27, 1909, mentions that the local automobile club "ordered numbers for the machines and will have them for sale...by taking the tag to the club a person can get a number the same as is on the tag.  The reason for the club buying the numbers is to escape the annoyance of having them duplicated.  The numbers will begin with thirty."

The Arkansas City Daily News published a list of owners on June 5, 1909, which included numbers 31 through 58 and 101.  Another article on August 2, 1909, stated that "In Arkansas City up to date there are 35 auto licenses issued."  A Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910, lists Arkansas City automobiles #31 to #74, #83 and #101.

Atchison (16,429)

Ordinance #2646, passed September 3, 1906, effective September 10, 1906, required a $1 fee to the city clerk and an owner-provided rear plate in white-on-black with 3-inch-tall numbers.  Motorcycles were also included.  Annual registration expired one year from the date of issue.  An Atchison Daily Globe news article on September 4, 1906, mentions that "...An ordinance regulating the running of automobiles was placed on its second reading and passed.  ...Licenses must be taken out and machines numbered.  Non-resident owners or drivers of machines who propose to remain in Atchison longer than an hour, must register at the city clerk's office, for which no fee will be required."  It is worthy of noting that those non-residents who desired a long lunch hour in Atchison could also "register" their home tag if they had one displayed.  Let's hope that no one experienced slow waitress service, getting them in trouble!

According to the Atchison Weekly Globe of August 1, 1912, "No. 195 is the last automobile license issued by the city clerk..."  The only plate known is an undated leather tag #163, with "ATCH" at the bottom and "KAN" vertically at right.

Beloit (3,082)

Ordinance #437, passed July 5, 1910, effective July 8, 1910, required owners of automobiles and motorcycles to pay a $1 fee to the city clerk.  The annual registration expired June 30th.  Owners were to provide their own rear plate with 3" tall numbers.  Non-residents were allowed 3 days before they were required to register their home plate number with the city clerk and pay 25 cents for a 30-day permit.

We are lucky in Beloit to have records of all licenses issued for the three years from July 1910 through June 1913 for both automobiles and motorcycles, listed below.  Due to the requirement of yearly renewals, the figures for July 1911 onward are difficult to determine how many are newly issued numbers.  According to The Beloit Daily Call on November 19, 1910, "Frank Walls was issued motorcycle license No. 19 by City Clerk Herrick recently."  This matches up well with the figures for 1910.  Another article on November 26, 1910, stated that "J. T. Devault was recently granted automobile license number 38 by City Clerk Herrick."  With 37 licenses issued in 1910, it would appear that one number was either skipped or reserved for someone for issuance later on.  A final report on August 17, 1911, announced that "George Roberts took out automobile license No. 51 for Beloit city today.  Although the year 1911 is over half gone there hasn't been a motorcycle license issued in Beloit city this year.  The last one issued was November 15, 1910."

          AUTO   M/C                     AUTO   M/C                     AUTO   M/C

JUL 1910   27    11            JUL 1911    3     0            JUL 1912   30     3

AUG 1910    5     4            AUG 1911   35     8            AUG 1912   13     2

SEP 1910    4     2            SEP 1911   12    10            SEP 1912    8     1

OCT 1910    0     1            OCT 1911    5    10            OCT 1912   10     7

NOV 1910    1     1            NOV 1911    1     0            NOV 1912    3     1

DEC 1910    0     0            DEC 1911    1     0            DEC 1912    0     2

JAN 1911    0     0            JAN 1912    0     0            JAN 1913    1     0

FEB 1911    1     0            FEB 1912    0     0            FEB 1913    1     0

MAR 1911    0     0            MAR 1912    0     0            MAR 1913    1     0

APR 1911    1     0            APR 1912    0     1            APR 1913    2     0

MAY 1911    3     0            MAY 1912    2     0            MAY 1913    0     0

JUN 1911    0     0            JUN 1912    0     0            JUN 1913    0     0

Burlingame (1,422)

Ordinance #210, passed September 5, 1910, effective September 8, 1910, required a $1 fee to the city clerk, and a rear plate with 4-inch-tall numbers.  An undated leather plate #107 is known with "BURLINGAME" at the bottom, but it is unclear whether this was a city-issued or owner-provided tag.

Burlington (2,180)

Burlington's first ordinance to address automobile licensing was Ordinance #103, passed September 6, 1909, effective September 11, 1909, which merely added automobiles to the list of occupational and other various licenses required by the city.  The listing stated "Automobiles, $1.00 per year and to be numbered by City Clerk for which an additional fee of 50c will be charged."  This same provision was reenacted by Ordinance #114, passed August 3, 1910, effective August 17, 1910, which repealed Ordinance #103.

Just nine days later, the city passed a separate automobile ordinance, #115, on August 26, 1910, effective August 28, 1910.  This revised the fee to $2.50 plus a 25-cent recording fee, with renewals set at $1.50.

The Burlington Daily Republican reported on December 27, 1910, that "City Clerk Mrs. Hall has received the new automobile tags and most of the local motor owners have bought them...The cost is only $2.75.  The tag is a neat one and as good looking as any that have been seen here."  An undated brass-on-black plate #1 is known with "BURL'N" over "KAN." at left, and a similar tag #57 is known but in a different style more like plates from Hutchinson.

Caney (3,597)

Ordinance #209, passed February 21, 1911, published February 24, 1911, required an annual $3 fee to the city clerk, and a city-issued rear plate with "Caney, Kansas" and 3-inch-tall numbers.  Non-residents were allowed 30 days.  No 1911-12 plates are known.

It was decided in early 1913 that annual dated plates would be issued to better enforce the payment of the annual license fee.  On January 24, 1913, the Caney News published an article as follows:  "Hardman reported that the License committee had purchased new Auto tags bearing the date of the current year and from this time on, a new tag would be issued each year.  The cost of the new tags is only about one half what the old ones cost."  A 1913 porcelain plate #102 is known.

Chanute (9,272)

Chanute appears to be the earliest known city in Kansas to enact an ordinance providing for automobile registration and license plates in 1904.  Ordinance #278, passed on June 6, 1904, and effective upon publication in the Chanute Daily Tribune on June 8, 1904, included the following full text of Section 5:  "Each owner of an automobile or motor car shall, within thirty days after the publication of this ordinance, register at the office of the City Clerk, and be given a number, which number shall be conspicuously marked upon, or displayed from the rear of each automobile or motor car, the figures constituting such number to be not less than four inches in height.  The City Clerk shall charge a fee of $2.00 for said number and which shall be paid at the time of registration."  Interestingly, there were only 8 automobiles owned in the city at the time.

It is unknown whether plates were issued by the city or provided by the owners themselves, but it seems that by mid-1906, plates were being purchased by the city to supply the automobile owners.  According to the Chanute Sun of September 17, 1906, the city clerk's expenses during the month of August 1906 included a line item for "J. P. Cooke and Co. - Auto Numbers - $4.91."  Registration #23 was issued on May 31, 1907, and as of June 3, 1908, numbers were up to 33.  By November 12, 1909, #72 was the highest number issued.

Ordinance #457, passed July 12, 1909, and again effective upon publication in the Daily Tribune on July 14, 1909, made minor changes to Section 5 of Ordinance #278.  The words "marked upon" were removed, rendered obsolete by the issuance of city plates as early as 1906 and perhaps from the beginning in 1904.  The numbers were now to be five inches tall, and "Said figures shall accompany the word "Chanute."  Finally, the $2.00 fee was replaced by the phrase "The City Clerk shall charge a fee not to exceed the actual cost for said numbers."

A complete plate reissuance was undertaken in 1909.  The following report was published in the Chanute Daily Tribune on July 22, 1909:

"Automobile owners are anxious to know when the city will have some of the new number tags which were provided for by the automobile ordinance recently passed.  H.L. Freeman was particularly eager.  He left this morning on a tour and he wanted to display the name of "Chanute, Kansas" wherever he went.  The ordinance provides that the new tags shall have, in addition to the number, the words, "Chanute, Kansas."  The tags now in use merely show the number of the license given to the owner of the machine...It will probably be some time before they arrive.  They could not be purchased before the ordinance was adopted.  The ordinance fixes the height of the figures which are to be used, and until the ordinance was finally passed it was not known what sized figures would be agreed upon.  As soon as the ordinance was adopted Miss Lyda Dorrington, city clerk, wrote to companies dealing in such supplies, asking for competitive bids...The numbers will be nickel plated and will be displayed on patent leather.  Leather of this kind will not gather dust as ordinary leather does.  The tags will be much larger than the ones now in use.  The figures on the present tags are but three inches high, and numerals are the only designs that the tags bear.  The new tags will be about twice as wide as they are long.  The number will be displayed on the left hand side, and to the right of it will be "Chanute, Kansas" in great big letters...W.W. Kaney will retain No. 1...He was the first man to bring a machine into the city.  That was seven years ago...H.L. Freeman...has asked for the highest number that is issued.  What this will be is not known yet.  It is not likely to be above 40...There are between 35 and 40 cars in Chanute at present.  Licenses were issued under the old ordinance for 57..."

A further report on August 23, 1909, starting with the headline "AUTOMOBILE TAGS HERE", stated that "Miss Lyda Dorrington, city clerk, has received the number tags which are to be assigned to automobiles under the new ordinance...The legend appears in white metal on a black background, the edges of the tag being of raised white metal so as to frame its face.  The tags are six inches wide and about a foot long.  The numerals are on the left-hand side and to the right of them are the words, "Chanute, Kansas," in fairly good sized letters...The tags are not all the same length.  The numbers run from 1 to 105, inclusive, and when the factory reached the 100 numbers, it had to make the tags wider to get space enough for all the legend...Miss Dorrington is not ready to assign the tags, because she doesn't know yet how much they cost.  The city agreed to furnish the tags to the auto owners for just what they cost, and Miss Dorrington has not yet received a statement of the expense.  As soon as she does, the work of relicensing and renumbering Chanute's autos will begin..."

A final article on August 27, 1909, starts with the headline "YOUNG FIRST TO GET TAG", and states that "Eight automobilists called at city hall yesterday afternoon and secured the new license tags, which bear the name of the city as well as the number of the machine.  Autoists who had taken out licenses under the old ordinance are selecting tags which bear the same numbers they had heretofore.  Several new numbers were issued yesterday to the owners of machines which have been acquired since the new ordinance was adopted.  The following is a list of the licenses issued yesterday..."  The article then goes on to list Mr. Young with #49, followed by numbers 55, 56, 6, 57, 58, 59 and 20.

It looks as though new registrations began August 26, 1909, at #55 or so, and continued to 75 by the end of the year.  According to the Daily Tribune on April 11, 1910, the 1910 numbers began at #76.  On June 20, 1910, the paper reported that numbers were up to #101, and "The tags now on hand at the city hall only extend to 106, so a new supply will have to be ordered..."  The June 27, 1910, edition stated that numbers stood at #104, and "The tags on hand at the city hall only ran to 106 and a new supply was ordered.  The new ones arrived last week.  There are 80 of them, taking the numbers up to 186..."  The last report for 1910 that could be located was on July 25, 1910, when numbers were issued up to 111.  On March 20, 1911, numbers were up to 134, and #180 was issued on November 11, 1911.  The Daily Tribune of June 17, 1912, reported that "Up to date 212 license tags have been issued by the city...The present system of licensing cars and the use of consecutive tags was begun in August, 1909."  The last number issued in 1912 was #266, while #267 was assigned in 1913.  The last report of a new number being issued was #284, assigned during the week of April 14-18, 1913.  By May 5, 1913, the city had discontinued issuing plates.

Ordinance #554, passed July 14, 1911, required a $1 fee to the city clerk for permanent registration, and a city-issued rear plate with the name "Chanute".  Motorcycles were now included for the first time.

The Daily Tribune published an article regarding both motorcycle and automobile tags on July 26, 1911, with the headlines "MOTORCYCLE MEN NOT KEEN FOR TAGS" and "None Has Applied to the City for the Honor of Owning No. 1."  The text reads:  "The council passed an ordinance including pop-pops among the vehicles regulated...This ordinance will not go into effect until it is published in the pamphlet containing the revised laws, but that will not be long now.  There are ten motorcycles in the city.  It is likely that a new series of tags will be provided for them.  The ones for motor cars are not of the size and shape that would make them convenient for use on motorcycles...The city has but thirty-two auto tags on hand.  It ordered a series to and including 200.  No. 162 was issued today..."

A second article reporting on the progress of motorcycle plates on September 19, 1911, bore the headline "THE MOTORCYCLE TAGS ARE HERE" and stated that "Harold Williams...will display Tag No. 1 on his motor cycle.  The tags have just been received by City Clerk Sams.  They are of brass, about 3 by 5 inches, stamped with the word "Chanute", and below it the numeral.  Twenty-five were purchased..."

Motorcycle plate #27 was issued during the week of June 17-21, 1912, so a new order of tags must have been received by then.  Number 37 was issued during the week of November 18-22, 1912, the last known 1912 issue.  Numbers 38 and 39 could not be located in reports, and 40 was issued the week of March 24-28, 1913, the earliest known for 1913.  The last known issue was #41 during the week of March 30 to April 4, 1913.

Ordinance #607 (repealing #554), passed August 12, 1912, effective August 13, 1912, had the same requirements as 1911 but charged a $3 fee, made registration annual from October 1 to September 30, and specified 4-inch-tall numbers.  Non-residents were allowed 30 days.  A Chanute Daily Tribune article on August 12, 1912, gives the reason for the ordinance change:  "The idea is to give the city a more accurate record of the owners of motor vehicles.  Under the present system the licenses are good year after year, and the city has no way of telling to whom the cars belong, because many of them have changed hands several times since the original license was issued."

Ordinance #614, passed September 27, 1912, effective October 1, 1912, repealed annual registration, amended the fee back to $1 and changed the plate wording to "Chanute, Kansas", which of course, reflected what plates had shown all along since 1909.

The Chanute Times announced on November 1, 1912, the arrival of a "NEW SUPPLY OF TAGS", stating that "City Clerk Geo. T. Amyx has received a new lot of tags for motorcycles and for automobiles.  They are of the same kind as the ones in use now.  A hundred automobile tags were received and number as high as 350.  Only fifty motor cycle tags were purchased..."

Undated aluminum-on-black plates #1- (dash suffix) to #272 are known with "CHANUTE/KANSAS" at right.

Cherryvale (4,304)

Ordinance #377, passed June 10, 1907 and effective the next day, provided for automobile speed limits only.

Ordinance #623, passed January 22, 1912, and effective upon publication January 24, 1912, repealed #377 and enacted registration of automobiles and motorcycles with an annual fee payable to the city clerk.  The registration year was January 1 to December 31.  The ordinance required owner-provided rear plates but the number height was not specified.  Section 7 states that "...the owner or operator shall furnish his own plate; the city clerk to give the owner thereof the certificate number which the owner shall put upon his number plate..."  Despite this clause, it appears the city ordered a supply of plates and issued them to the owners instead.

The Cherryvale Journal published an article on January 23, 1912, entitled "MUST REGISTER AUTOS" and "Commissioners Passed a New Ordinance - Registration Fee $1."  It stated that "When you see a Cherryvale automobile go spinning past some of these fine days with "No. 144," in big figures swinging from the rear of the car, don't jump and shy out.  Just act as though you were used to it, for the city commissioners met in special session yesterday afternoon and passed an automobile ordinance requiring all automobiles to be registered and numbered.  The tax for owning a car, or the registration fee, is one dollar a year...The numbers will begin with 101, instead of one.  The ordinance provides for the registering of all automobiles, motor cycles..."

The Cherryvale Republican reported on February 10, 1912, that "A box of numbers arrived at the city clerk's office this afternoon and will be distributed among the automobile owners who have registered.  Mrs. H. J. Hendricks received number 123."  Another article on January 1, 1913, announced "New Auto Tags - The city clerk is [in] receipt of new 1913 tags for motor vehicles.  The tags are numbered from 161 to 200 inclusive.  There are 60 licenses now out in Cherryvale..."  Although the registration fee was payable annually, it is not believed that these new plates were a new annual issue or that they were dated 1913.  Only 40 were ordered, not enough for the 60 registered vehicles, and the numbering continued starting at 161, implying a continuation of the old plate series.

Clay Center (3,438)

Ordinance #127, passed June 14, 1907, and another ordinance which passed on July 19, 1909, are both believed to be automobile speed ordinances only.

Ordinance #230, passed October 3, 1911, effective November 1, 1911, required automobile owners to register with the City Clerk and pay a fee of $1.  The City Clerk then issued a number which was to be displayed on the rear of the vehicle.

City officials must have had some second thoughts about how the licensing process was going to work.  After just one week in effect, the first section of the new ordinance was repealed and replaced by a new one.  Ordinance #233 was passed November 7, 1911, and effective upon publication in the Clay Center Dispatch, likely a few days later.  The new ordinance raised the fee to $1.50 but made clear that the City Clerk would then issue "a number tag" without extra charge.

The Clay Center Dispatch issued the following update on November 16, 1911, under the headline "Auto Numbers Arrive":  "City Clerk Martin has received the new automobile numbers and is desirous that the car owners call for them..."  Another article on November 23, 1911, reported that "The numbers which City Clerk Martin ordered some time back arrived the first of the week.  These number tags are neat and durable.  They are the same as the Nebraska state license tag.  Something over half the motorists have complied with the ordinance up to date and have their registered number on their cars."  (It must be noted that Nebraska did not issue plates until 1915, so this reference is to a popular style of owner-provided tag.)

An undated leather plate #193 is known with "CC" vertically at left and "KAN" vertically at right.  Clay Center is the most logical Kansas city the "CC" abbreviation could stand for.

Coffeyville (12,687)

The Coffeyville Daily Journal reported on August 8, 1907, that "The city attorney was instructed to draw up an ordinance amending the present automobile ordinance, regulating the speed and requiring the owners of the machines to put numbers and speed registers on their machines.  Motor cycles are also required to adhere to the speed regulation."

The earliest automobile ordinance that could be found is #960, passed December 7, 1908, and effective December 9, 1908.  Details were reported in the Daily Journal on December 8, 1908, which stated that "The new ordinance also has a section relative to the display of a number on the machine.  The motorists must have in a conspicuous place on the machine, the registered number, the letters of which must be four inches in height...The names of the owners of motor vehicles must be registered with the city clerk."

Through various additional articles, we can track the progress of number issuance.  Number 71 was issued on March 18, 1910.  As of August 30, 1911, numbers were up to 150.  This number was increased to 197 as of May 18, 1912.  Numbers stood at 236 by September 12, 1912, and 253 was the lowest confirmed in 1913 as of February 13, 1913.  The highest known number was 281, issued by June 14, 1913.  The Daily Journal explained on May 18, 1912, that "There are 19 motorcycles registered, although the last number taken out was 22, but the clerk dropped out 17, 18 and 19 for the present because the supply of the figure "1" for the tags has been exhausted here."  From this, it appears that plates were city-issued, and were of the type with attachable numbers.  One would think that #21 also had to be skipped.

A final article on June 30, 1913, announced the end of city automobile licensing:  "The city commission Monday morning [June 30] passed an ordinance abolishing the city automobile registration numbers and requiring the owners of machines to register their state numbers with the city clerk.  The ordinance was passed in deference to the wishes of the autoists, who objected to plastering their machines with number tags.  There is no city registration fee.  The ordinance applies also to motorcycles."

Cottonwood Falls (899)

Ordinance #342, passed June 5, 1911, effective July 1, 1911, required a $2 fee to the city clerk for annual registration on a July 1 to June 30 basis.  (This ordinance repealed #334, likely passed July 5, 1909, which provided for speed limits only.)  Funds collected were to go towards street improvements only.  A registration certificate was issued, but no plate requirement mentioned.

The Chase County Leader published an article on July 13, 1911, which suggests that plates were being used, but whether they were city-issued or owner-provided is unknown.  It states that "In accordance with the new ordinance recently passed by the city council, requiring all auto owners to take out licenses and number their machines, the following have already complied..."  14 owners were listed with numbers ranging from 101 to 125 except for #329 issued to a motorcycle.  6 more owners were listed in another article on October 12, 1911, all within that same number range.  An undated leather plate #113 is known with "CWF" at top.

Dodge City (3,214)

Ordinance #305, passed June 3, 1909, effective July 10, 1909, required a 25c fee to the city clerk and $5 for a city-issued white-on-black plate with the letters "D.C." after 3-inch-tall numbers.  Non-residents were allowed 48 hours, then had to "register" their home plate or buy a refundable plate.  The Dodge City Globe reported on August 5, 1909, that "So far 25 auto owners have taken out numbers..."  An undated leather plate #140 is known with "DC" slanted at the right.  Luckily for collectors, this design differs from most District of Columbia 1903-07 owner-provided prestate plates which have "DC" vertically, although this was probably not done intentionally by Dodge City!

El Dorado (3,129)

Ordinance #529, passed December 15, 1908, effective December 17, 1908, required a $2.50 fee to the city clerk, and a city-issued rear plate with letters "El. D." and 3-inch-tall numbers.  Motorcycles were registered but not issued plates.  Non-residents were exempted.  The Walnut Valley Times of February 17, 1909, listed approved expenditures of the city clerk which included an entry for "C. E. Bogardus, auto tags $37.50."  A Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910 lists El Dorado automobiles #10 to #39.

Emporia (9,058)

An ordinance passed December 26, 1905, effective December 27, 1905, required a $1 annual fee to the city clerk for annual registration which expired one year from the date of issue, and an owner-provided rear plate with 5-inch-tall, 3-inch-wide numbers.  Motorcycles were not mentioned.

A second ordinance, passed June 21, 1910, effective July 1, 1910, repealed the 1905 ordinance.  The primary changes were that the plate number height was reduced to 3 inches with "corresponding" width, and motorcycles were added.  An April 26, 1911, Hutchinson News article mentions that license tags from Emporia have the city's name on them.  A solid brass plate #30 with "EMPORIA, KAN." was found in the 1940s and reported as having been issued in 1911.

Fort Scott (10,463)

Ordinance #1180, passed August 9, 1910, effective August 15, 1910, required a $1.50 fee to the city clerk, and a city-issued rear plate with 3-inch-tall numbers followed by "the word Ft. S.".  Annual renewals were to cost $1.  (This ordinance repealed #949 which provided for speed limits only.)  The registration year was April 1 to March 31.  Non-residents were allowed 15 days.

The Fort Scott Republican reported on August 16, 1910, that "City Clerk J. O. Brown was yesterday arranging the license tags that are to be given to automobile owners as their machines are registered.  The tags will be of leather with an iron frame, and will have both the number of the machine and the letters Ft. S."  Another article on September 27, 1910, stated that "Up to this time fifty automobile license tags have been issued..."

According to reports in the Fort Scott Daily Tribune and Daily Monitor, the number of plates issued had reached 114 by April 27, 1912, 131 as of June 7, 1912, and "over 150" by July 13, 1912.

Fredonia (0,000)

According to the Wilson County Citizen on July 19, 1912, "In practically every town in the State save Fredonia the city furnishes motor license tags to motorists paying their yearly fee.  These number plates give both the license and the name of the town issuing the same and are included upon the payment of one dollar.  But here, the car owner is stung one fifty, and furnishes his own license tag.  Great!"

Garfield (333)

Ordinance #21, passed February 6, 1911, effective February 10, 1911, required a 25c fee to the city clerk, and $2 for a city-issued rear plate with "Garfield Kans." and 4-inch-tall numbers in white on black.  Non-residents with their home plate displayed were exempted and those with no plate were allowed 48 hours, then had to buy a refundable plate.

The Garfield Booster of May 12, 1911, published the City Clerk's report which included 1911 activity up through April 3, 1911.  Receipts indicated "Auto Tags $34.00" which would represent 17 issued.  35 automobiles were listed in the assessor's valuation list of June 1911.  Another article on January 26, 1912, listing the City Clerk's annual report for all of 1911, didn't break out the amount received from the sale of automobile tags, but it did contain two entries for "Geo. Steele, auto tags" for $25.00 and $12.50, presumably for two orders of plates from the manufacturer.

An undated leather plate #35 is known with "GARFIELD" at the top and "KAN" vertically at right.

Garnett (2,334)

Ordinance #447 was passed on June 14, 1909, effective June 19, 1909, and published in the Evening Review that same day.  It required registration with and a $2 fee to the city clerk, who issued a rear plate.  Non-residents were exempted for 14 days.

A subsequent article on October 27, 1910, stated that "City Clerk Pilkington has placed twenty-nine automobile numbers.  When the order was given for numbers, it was thought that thirty would be all required for several years.  Now, there is only one left, and a man due to hang that on his machine.  A number costs $2."

An undated white-on-blue porcelain plate #114 is known.

Girard (2,446)

Ordinance #332, passed June 12, 1911, effective August 20, 1911, required a city-issued rear plate with the words "Girard, Kans." from the city clerk.  There was no registration fee except for the cost of the plate itself.  A previous ordinance, #296, passed March 4, 1907, effective March 7, 1907, which provided for speed limits only, was not repealed.

The Pittsburg Daily Headlight printed the following article on July 17, 1912:

"The motor cars of Girard are to be decorated soon by a flaming red number placard similar to any license tag.  However, this is not to indicate that a license has been paid, for there is no auto tax in Girard...It is for the purpose of identifying speed violators...The tags will be sold to car owners for 30 cents, the amount of the cost of them to the city.  They are numbered from 101 to 150, with "Girard" and "Kan." on them.  There are according to a recent count, 48 cars here which will come under the ruling to carry one of these licenses."  This fits well with information in the Girard Press on August 8, 1912, which reported that city commissioners approved several bills at their last meeting on August 5, 1912, including one from the "Enameled Steel Sign Co., 50 auto plates $11.00."

The only plate known is an undated white-on-red porcelain #133.

Great Bend (4,622)

Ordinance #397, passed September 16, 1911, effective October 15, 1911, required a 25c registration fee and 75c for a pair of city-issued permanent plates with "Great Bend" before 4-inch-tall numbers in white-on-blue.  Non-residents were allowed 48 hours, then had to "register" their home plate or buy a refundable plate.  This is the only city in Kansas known to have issued plates in pairs.  Undated white-on-blue porcelain plates #148 to #269 are known, including one matched pair.

Greensburg (1,199)

A Wichita Beacon article on May 9, 1913, mentions Greensburg plates seen on automobiles, in addition to several other cities.

Harper (1,638)

A Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910, lists 28 automobile owners in Harper but no numbers yet.  A Wichita Beacon article on May 9, 1913, mentions Harper plates seen on automobiles, in addition to several other cities.  However, a thorough search of the city's ordinance books from this era turned up nothing regarding motor vehicles.

Hays (1,961)

Ordinance #626, passed July 22, 1912, effective August 3, 1912, required a $2 fee to the city clerk (or a $1.50 renewal fee if the original number was retained) and a city-issued rear plate with "Hays" preceding 3-inch-tall numbers.  Annual registrations expired one year from the date of issue.  Non-residents with home plates displayed were exempted, and those without tags were allowed 10 days.

The Ellis County News Repulican reported on August 17, 1912, that "a quantity of tags have been sent for and will soon be here."  Announcements that the tags had arrived and were ready for issue appeared on September 28, 1912.  An undated blue-on-white porcelain plate #194 is known, and an embossed steel plate has also been reported but not verified.

Hiawatha (2,974)

Ordinance #138, passed June 18, 1906, effective June 29, 1906, required owners of "automobiles and motor vehicles" to pay a $1 fee to the city clerk for registration, and provide their own plates.  Annual registrations expired December 31st.  Non-residents were exempted.  This ordinance was still in effect as of July 31, 1908, but it is unknown whether it was ever updated with a newer version, since it is a relatively early one.

According to the Hiawatha Daily World on March 19, 1910, "At the end of 1909 there were 38 city automobiles registered at the city clerks office.  So far this year there are only 23."  A subsequent article on May 25, 1911, stated that "The following automobile licenses had been registered up to noon today - 35 in all.  The fee is $1.  There are 25 in town not yet registered."  No documented plates are known.

Horton (4,658)

The Horton Headlight-Commercial reported on July 5, 1906, that "The automobile ordinance was passed by the council Monday night [July 2].  All owners of automobiles or motor vehicles must register with the city clerk and procure a number."  

Humboldt (2,548)

Ordinance #434, passed August 12, 1912, effective September 14, 1912, required a $2 fee to the city clerk "for the license and tablet for the balance of the year 1912 and 1913", and a city-issued rear plate ("tablet") with the words "Humboldt, Kansas" and the last two digits of the year date.  A renewal fee of $1 was due on January 1 (presumably of 1914).  Motorcycles were included.  Non-residents were allowed 30 days.  An undated white-on-blue porcelain plate #7 is known.

Hutchinson (16,364)

Ordinance #723, passed July 15, 1907, effective August 17, 1907, required a $2 fee to the city clerk for annual registration each January 1, and a city-issued rear plate with black 3-inch-tall numbers.  (This ordinance repealed an earlier speed-limit-only ordinance passed April 13, 1906.)  Although the tax was supposed to be annual, city officials didn't feel they could charge the fee again without issuing a new plate, so "renewals" did not take place until a new series of plates was finally issued in June 1911.

Some evidence suggests that Hutchinson tags were identified by an "H" prefix before mid-1911.  The McPherson Daily Republican of May 7, 1910, observed that "It may be true that the McPherson automobile tags may not be as classy as some of the larger cities have, such as Hutchison labeling its cars "H-15" and so on..."

Numbers started at #101, as evidenced by a Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910, listing Hutchinson automobiles #101 to #292.  Several Hutchinson News articles provide us with more information.  The July 20, 1910, issue mentions that $124.00 had been collected by the city for "Automobile tags" for the six month period from January 1, 1910, to June 30, 1910.  At $2 each, we conclude that this figure represents 62 automobiles.  Since the July 2, 1910, edition states that tag #347 had been the only tag issued during the past week (June 27 - July 1), we can assume that 1910 numbers began at #286.  Further number issuance data appears below.

On July 16, 1910, the Hutchinson News states that "The first call for a license number for a motorcycle was made at the city hall last evening.  The city clerk has ordered some special tags of a much smaller size than the auto tags, for the 'pop pops.'"

Several 1910-11 articles describe plans for a plate reissue that ultimately took place in 1911.  On September 24, 1910, the headline "A NEW DEAL IN TAGS" continues as follows:

"The New Ones Will Advertise Hutchinson on the Cars"

"H. H. Taylor, chairman of the license tag commission of the Automobile club appeared before the city commission yesterday afternoon with one of the proposed new automobile tags which the Automobile club wants the city to officially adopt.  The tag is a brass plate, bearing the number and the words 'Hutchinson, Kans.'  It will advertise Hutchinson wherever the cars go.  The present automobile licenses expire January 1.  The Automobile club wants the commission to collect a new two-dollar tax from all auto owners the first of the year, take up the old tags and give each car owner one of the new tags.  Mayor Martin and Commissioner Winans expressed approval of the scheme, but deferred action until Commissioner Oswald returns."

Numbers ran out on April 24, 1911, when #430 was issued.  No new tags were issued until the brass series arrived two months later.

On April 26, 1911, a detailed article describes how Automobile club officials again met with the city commission the day before to urge new tags.  The commission had deferred action in 1910 until after the state legislature met, expecting that a state automobile registration law would pass, which it didn't.  Then, in early 1911, it was decided to wait until the new city commission was seated.  Now there are 330 automobiles (#430 was issued on April 24, 1911).  Despite the ordinance's provision to collect the $2 license fee annually by January 1st, the fee had only ever been collected once, upon initial issuance of the license tag.  The Automobile club stated that 90% of its members desired to pay the fee again to acquire the new tags.

The June 10, 1911, issue with the headline "WILL ORDER THE TAGS" gives a further update on the proposed tags:

"And City Will Pass Special Ordinance Requiring Their Use"

"New automobile tags are to be ordered at once.  And City Attorney W. F. Jones has been instructed to prepare an ordinance requiring all owners of cars to get the new tags, and pay an annual auto tag license.  The ordinance will be presented at the next meeting of the city commission on Tuesday."  (June 13)

A June 21, 1911, article reports that "There are many autos in the city without tags and numbers at present.  The city has no more to give out, but there will soon be a good supply of them."  The city had ordered 100 of the new brass plates.

Finally, the June 23, 1911, issue announces the good news with the headline "NEW NUMBERS ARE HERE" and the following article:

"All the Motorists Can Now Advertise Hutchinson"

"The city's new automobile numbers, the brass ones with brass letters on a black background showing the words "Hutch'n. Kas.", and the number showing plainly, are here.  These are to be attached to all of the new cars by the city, and the old cars can also get them, by taking out a new number, or by having their old number made over again.  The new tags begin with No. 431, and will go on from there.  Automobile owners who have lower numbers than this may order them direct..."

Undated brass plates #471 to #575 are known with "HUTCH'N" over "KAN." at left, the initial letters being larger than the others.  A second style, plate #668, is similar but has a more rounded font on the numbers.  Leather and flat steel plates have also been reported but not verified.  Since the old tags may have had to be turned in to get the new brass ones in 1911, this could account for the rarity of the earlier tags.

Statistics for 1907-09 have not been found but the following is a complete breakdown of license tag numbers issued by year for 1910-13:

1910   286 - 407   (122)

1911   408 - 535   (128)

1912   536 - 667   (132)

1913   668 - 701    (34)

An article in The Hutchinson News on May 3, 1913, states that "City Clerk Ed Metz has ten tags still on hand.  They have been selling for $2.  They cost the city $1.70 each.  They are offered at a bargain for 50 cents each because they will be valid only for two months."  The city would be stuck with them after July 1st, so officials felt that some income was better than none!  A May 10, 1913, article lists tag numbers #689 to #699 issued during the week of May 5-9 as having been sold at the reduced rate, so the city clerk must have had more than just ten plates in stock.  And the May 22, 1913, edition reports that tag #701 was issued that day, the highest number we know of.

Another article on June 21, 1913, describes what happened to the remaining motorcycle tags issued by the city:

"Hereafter the city hacks will carry license number tags.  The city is collecting licenses from the hacks, and will require each to carry a tag showing license number.  'I have some of the old motorcycle tags left and will give these to the hackmen, to place on their hacks', said City Clerk Ed Metz."  This interesting recycling program would make it hard to decide whether or not to classify these higher-numbered motorcycle plates as prestates!

Independence (10,480)

Ordinance #736, passed March 3, 1909, effective March 9, 1909, provided for registration with the City Clerk and payment of a fee of $1.  Registrations were valid for one year and expired on December 31.  Owners of automobiles were required to provide one license plate to be displayed on the left side of the rear of the vehicle, containing numbers at least "5 inches in length and 3 inches in width".  Ordinance #815, passed October 21, 1909, and effective the next day, provided only for speed limits and regulations.

Apparently it was decided early on to have plates be city-issued.  The Independence Daily Reporter stated on March 4, 1909, that "If the tag furnished by the city is not sufficiently esthetic or ornate there is nothing to prevent the owner from blowing himself for a better one, so long as he sticks to the number given him by the clerk."  The Evening Star reported on May 25, 1909, that "The city clerk has received an installment of license tags, and all auto owners are notified to come in and register and secure a tag."  The Reporter of June 14, 1909, published a list of all 54 plates issued up to "noon today", which included numbers 101 through 154.  The Reporter mentioned on June 17, 1910, that "In the report of City Clerk Underwood for the past year, $118 was received into the city treasury from auto tags."

Since registration fees were due annually, the city needed to find a way to identify which automobiles were paid up for 1910.  The Reporter announced the news on May 5, 1910, that "A new design in the tags attached to local automobiles has been arranged by City Clerk Underwood.  Not only will the tags contain the large numbers, as at present, but they will bear the year of issue, and in large letters, the words "Independence Kansas."  This, Mr. Underwood believes, will be a good advertisement for the city...One hundred of the tags were ordered.  The cost of making them is 40 cents each, but this expenditure is more than covered by the registration fee of $1..."

The Reporter went on to note on June 2, 1910, that the new tags dated 1910 have arrived, and that they are smaller and lighter than the old ones.  Special tags were also evidently made for motorcycles:  "The motor bike tags are small, brass ones, with Independence, Kansas, the number and date of year, inscribed thereon."  On July 15, 1910, it was reported that 50 of the new tags were issued, while 86 of the old ones had been issued.

The Evening Star carried a notice on February 2, 1911, to the effect that "We have just received our Auto license plates for 1911, and you are hereby requested to call at this office and settle for your license at once.  Respectfully, T.S. UNDERWOOD, Clerk."  The 1911 plates were somewhat larger than the 1910 issues.

A new ordinance, #968, passed May 25, 1911, and effective June 1, 1911, repealed both of the 1909 ordinances but re-enacted much of the same language.  The most major changes included the inclusion of motorcycles among the vehicles requiring registration, and the rear license plate being issued by the City Clerk instead of being owner-provided.  These changes appear to reflect what had already become common practice.

On November 10, 1911, the Evening Star reported that the new 1912 plates had been received, and were in the same design and colors as 1911 (Black on Aluminum).  150 plates were ordered and #1 had already just been issued.  "One hundred twenty-five tags were ordered last year but the supply was exhausted about a month ago...Altogether 130 tags were sold last year and the last five were some old tags without date or name of the issuing city."  We presume these to be leftover 1909 plates above #86.

The May 24, 1912, issue of the Evening Star listed all owners of plates from #1 to 133, and motorcycles were mixed in with the regular list, indicating that special cycle plates were not issued this year.  On September 26, 1912, plate #176 was now issued.  The October 30, 1912, edition announced that the 1913 plates had arrived, and they were Blue on Aluminum but otherwise like the 1912 issues.  200 automobile and 25 motorcycle tags were ordered.  As of January 3, 1913, only 21 had been issued so far.

No undated (1909), 1912 or 1913 plates are known, but 1910 and 1911 tags are verified.  The 1910 white-on-black embossed plate #13 has "INDEPENDENCE" above "KANSAS" at top right, with "1910" sideways at left.  A 1911 black-on-aluminum plate #111 is known with "INDEPENDENCE" arched above "KANSAS" top and "1911" sideways at left, similar in construction to the Abilene plates.

Iola (9,032)

Ordinance #625, passed April 4, 1907, effective May 4, 1907, required registration with the city clerk and an owner-provided rear plate with 4-inch-tall numbers "of a white, bright, or other easily discernable color."  There was no registration fee.  Motorcycles were included.

At some point six months later, it was decided that the plates should be city-issued.  The Iola Daily Register And Evening News stated on November 14, 1907, that "City Clerk Wendorff wishes it known that owners of automobiles can now get the numbers for their machines at his office, and thus abide by the auto ordinance.  The numbers arrived today and are being placed on leather pads at the Helgele harness shop.  The numbers are made of aluminum.  The auto ordinance passed by the council some time ago provides that all machines must have numbers."

Ordinance #767, passed November 15, 1910, effective November 27, 1910, required a $3 fee to the city clerk for a license and "tablet" (plate), or a $1 renewal fee for annual registration each January 1, and a city-issued rear plate with the words "Iola, Kansas" and the last two digits of the year date.  Upon renewal, "the Clerk shall cause to be attached to the tablet the figures for the current year."  Non-residents were allowed 30 days.

Further articles in the same newspaper give the progress of plate issuance.  On September 29, 1910, it was reported that "There are over 90 autos in the city of Iola at present.  Of these nearly one-third have no license tags, as there have been just 63 tags issued."  An article on November 16, 1910, mentions that an automobile census is being taken by the Iola chief of police.  "The Chief says that the city has put out seventy license tags, but it is certain that there are more than seventy autos in Iola."  Another article on May 24, 1911, lists all 85 numbers issued up to that point, with asterisks marked by those 16 which "have been sold or otherwise removed from the city."  An undated leather plate #2 is known with "IOLA" over "KANS" at left, and a small "11" (1911) tab with serial #6 is attached.

Ordinance #802, passed May 23, 1911, allowed the appropriation of funds for certain city expenses, including $30.00 to Henry A. Grimm for "Auto Tags."  It is not certain whether Grimm was supplying the undated leather tags, of which this would have been a supplementary order, or if this represented an advance payment to Grimm for manufacturing a new metal plate issue possibly planned for 1912.

Junction City (5,598)

The Junction City Republic reported on April 7, 1905, that the city had no automobile ordinance but that there were five cars owned in the city and several more on order.  The Junction City Union reported the next day that an automobile speed ordinance was passed the night before.  It didn't take long before city officials realized that enforcing their new speed limit ordinance was challenging without being able to identify the vehicles! A new, supplementary ordinance was passed on July 7, 1905, and effective upon publication in the Union on July 10, 1905.  It required owners to register their automobiles with the city clerk and display their assigned number on an owner-provided rear plate in figures 4 1/2 inches tall and 3 1/2 inches wide, in white on black.  No fee was charged for registration.

A Wichita Beacon article on May 9, 1913, mentions Junction City plates seen on automobiles, in addition to several other cities.  This infers that plates by this time featured either the name or initials of the city, but no further ordinances or news articles have been found about a change.

Kansas City (82,331)

Ordinance #6316 was passed October 24, 1905, and became effective upon publication in the Kansas City Daily Gazette on October 25, 1905.  The ordinance required that each automobile and motorcycle be registered with the city clerk and display the registration number on the rear of the vehicle in figures three inches high in white on a black background.  There was apparently no fee for registration.  In addition, all motor vehicle owners were required to take out an operator's permit for a $1 fee, which was valid for one year from the date of issue.

An undated leather plate #203 is known with "KC" over "K" at right, while another leather example #372 has a slanted "KCK" at right.  These variances could likely be the result of owner-provided interpretation.

An undated white-on-green porcelain plate #747 is known with "KC" over "K" at right.  While the design conforms to the known lower-numbered leather specimens, the porcelain construction is more suggestive of that of a city-issued plate, as very few private owners could afford the more costly porcelain style at their own expense.  It is interesting to note that the color scheme and material matches the 1912 city issues, leaving open the possibility that it might be a late issue of the 1912 series which probably continued into 1913.

According to various articles in the Kansas City Gazette and Kansas City Globe, other ordinances and amendments were proposed or passed between 1905 and 1912, but nothing further has been found to develop more history surrounding these changes.  The Gazette reported on December 31, 1908, that "The city council passed an amendment to the auto ordinance last night.  Every auto owner must have a permit to run his machine within the city limits.  This permit must be numbered and registered and may be taken out by the owner or chauffeur...A fee of $3 must be paid to the city clerk who issues the license, which must be renewed every six months."  The Globe mentions on May 27, 1910, that "The city license on automobiles is raised from $6 to $10 a year by an ordinance introduced at the meeting of the city commissioners last night."  It is unknown if this fee change passed or not.

The Globe stated on January 26, 1911, that "There are 203 auto licenses issued in Kansas City, Kas."  The June 9, 1911, issue reported that "The ordinance providing for the registration of automobiles in this city was laid on the table last evening.  The ordinance was introduced at a previous meeting and provided that the head of a family take out a registration and that by doing so he or any member of the family over 16 year [sic] of age might operate the car.  A fee of $5 per year is provided for."  On July 27, 1911, it was announced that an ordinance was being drawn up by the city attorney to require pairs of plates, not just rear plates, on automobiles.  Again, it is not known if either measure was passed.

Ordinance #10450, passed April 2, 1912, effective April 3, 1912, required a 6" x 10" annual city-issued rear plate with "K.C.K." and the year date.  A Kansas City Star news article on April 4, 1912, states that standardized city-issued plates will be required after July 1, 1912, and that previously, all plates had been owner-provided.  1912 white-on-green porcelain plates #98 to #314 are known.

Ordinance #10678, passed July 2, 1912, effective July 5, 1912, changed the display of the 1912 plate from the rear of the automobile to the front, most likely in response to Missouri drivers having to display their Missouri state plate on the rear.  This is the only instance we know of in which a Kansas plate was displayed on the front of the vehicle instead of the rear.

The Globe published two brief reports on the progress of registration in 1912.  On July 11, it reported that "In the past ten days there has been 212, 1912 automobile licenses taken out.  The license costs $5 and the city furnishes the tags which are now uniform tags with white numbers on a green background."  The August 2 issue stated that "Up until the present time only 312 automobile licenses have been taken out, and there are 500 machines in the city."  City officials eventually got close to reaching their goal of licensing 500 automobiles - the March 13, 1913, edition mentioned that "There are at the present time 464 cars that bear a city license."  It seems likely that the 1912 plates were probably intended to expire on June 30, 1913, in which case 1913 dated plates are not expected because by that time the state law had taken effect, ending city registration.

Kingman (2,570)

Ordinance #346, passed April 19, 1909, provided for speed limits only.  A Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910, lists 53 automobile owners but no numbers yet.

Registration and plates began with Ordinance #429, passed July 1, 1912, effective July 15, 1912, which required an annual 50c fee to the city clerk, and a one-time fee of $1.50 for a city-issued rear plate.  Registration was on an annual basis from July 1 to June 30.  Motorcycles were included.  Undated brass plates #179 to #183 are known with "KINGMAN," over "KANS.", both words sharing the same larger letter "K".

Kinsley (1,547)

Ordinance #195 was passed May 4, 1908, providing for speed limits only.  It was published in the Kinsley Mercury and became effective on May 8, 1908.  It was amended by Ordinance #206, passed April 19, 1909, to raise the speed limits somewhat; this one was effective upon publication on April 28, 1909.  There was still no licensing or tag requirement, nor could a later ordinance be found.  However, evidence exists that suggest city-issued tags were in effect by the spring of 1911.  The Kinsley Graphic stated in an article on April 6, 1911, that "The city clerk, who has multitudinous duties, issuing building permits, licenses, automobile tags, and dog tags, will now have two new kinds of records to keep."

An undated leather plate #137 is known with "KINSLEY" at top.

Larned (2,911)

Ordinance #112, passed August 19, 1908, effective September 3, 1908, required a 25c fee to the city clerk, and $2 for a city-issued rear plate with the words "Larned, Kan." after the 4-inch- tall numbers in white on black.  Non-residents were allowed 48 hours, then had to register their "home" plate or buy a refundable plate.

The Larned Chronoscope gave a detailed description of the new plates on September 24, 1908:  "The number tags adopted by the city are neat, patent leather affairs about 12x8 inches on which are placed the register number and the words "Larned, Kans."  The numbers are of aluminum and are about three inches high."

As of September 30, 1909, the highest number issued was #108.  139 were registered as of June 30, 1910.  A June 29, 1911 article mentions that "more than 230 cars" are registered with the city clerk.  Undated leather plates #3 to #269 are known with "LARNED" at top, and "KAN" vertically at right.

Lawrence (12,374)

The Jeffersonian Gazette reported on March 29, 1911, that "Last year there were 143 automobile owners who paid the required license tax..."  The annual tax for 1911 had been due since January 1, but only 13 owners had paid up at the city clerk's office.  The article listed the owners' numbers, which ranged from 9 to 146.  It's quite possible that 144, 145 and 146 were newly issued in 1911.  The annual fee was $1.

Ordinance #903, passed September 6, 1912, effective September 21, 1912, required a rear plate with 4-inch-tall numbers in blue on white.  Motorcycle plates were to have 2 1/2-inch-tall numbers.  It is not certain if plates were issued by the city or provided by the owner.  (This ordinance repealed Section 4 of Ordinance #228, passed August 8, 1906.)  An undated leather plate #116 is known with black-on-white porcelain inserts, one tile for each digit, riveted onto the leather, a very unique combination.

Leavenworth (19,363)

Ordinance #2815, passed June 30, 1908, and effective upon publication on July 2, 1908, required a $5 fee to the city clerk ($1 for motorcycles), and a rear owner-provided plate with an "L" prefix and 3-inch-tall numbers in white on black.  Registration was annual, with the same number assigned yearly.  Non-residents were allowed 3 hours.  According to various articles in the Leavenworth Post, 30 automobile owners protested at the next city commission meeting on July 7, 1908, and as a result, Ordinance #2819 was passed on July 21, 1908, and published July 25, 1908, amending the first ordinance by making the annual fee $1 for both automobiles and motorcycles.

Once it was discovered that automobiles could not be taxed as "pleasure vehicles" under the city charter, the move was back on to restore the original fee of $5.  The Leavenworth Post reported on June 9, 1909, that at the city commission meeting the night before, "The ordinance regulating licenses was so amended as to require owners of automobiles to pay $5 for each machine, owners of motor cycles $2..."  The increase in receipts by the city was dramatic:  From approximately July 25, 1908, when registration began through March 31, 1909, $59 was received for registration of 59 motor vehicles, but from April 1, 1909, to March 31, 1910, the amount received was $439.

Liberal (1,716)

A Wichita Beacon article on May 9, 1913, mentions Liberal plates seen on automobiles, in addition to plates from several other cities.

Lindsborg (1,929)

Ordinance #565, effective upon publication on April 9, 1909, required a $2 fee payable to the city clerk for each automobile and motorcycle.  Numbers 4 inches tall were required to be displayed on the rear, but it is unclear if they were issued by the city or supplied by the owner.  Registration was to occur by May 1 of each year, and non-residents were allowed 24 hours in any 1 week period.  An undated blue-on-white porcelain plate is known, #107, with "LINDSBORG" across the bottom.  A second undated plate is known with porcelain tiles showing numbers.

Macksville (626)

Ordinance #57, passed November 1, 1909, effective November 26, 1909, required a 25c fee to the city clerk and $2 for a city-issued rear plate with the words "Macksville, Kan." after 4-inch-tall numbers in white on black.  (This ordinance repealed Ordinance #56, the one just preceding.)  Non-residents with "home" plates were exempted, while those without were allowed 48 hours before having to buy a refundable plate.  An undated leather plate #84 is known, with "MACKSVILLE" at top and "KAN" after the numbers.

Manhattan (5,722)

Prior to the fall of 1911, Manhattan had only speed ordinances for automobiles, as follows:  Ordinance #103, passed August 20, 1907, effective August 29, 1907; Ordinance #155, passed February 18, 1910, effective February 24, 1910; and Ordinance #195, passed June 30, 1911, effective July 1, 1911.  It was found that this last one fell short of speed limits set by state law by this time, thus a new ordinance had to be drafted rather quickly.

Ordinance #209, passed September 19, 1911, effective September 22, 1911, required a $1 fee and $1.50 for a city-issued rear plate, 6" x 14" in size, with the words "Manhattan, Kansas No.".  Annual registrations expired one year from the date of issue.  Non-residents were allowed 10 days.

The Manhattan Mercury published an article on September 20, 1911, with the headlines "AUTOS MUST CARRY NUMBERS." and "Council Decided This - Brass Number Tags Have Been Ordered."  The paper reported that "The city clerk today ordered from a Kansas City firm the automobile license tags which will be used by the city of Manhattan...The wording: "Manhattan, Kansas, No. 100" will be engraved on the tags."  Numbers indeed began at #100.

As of October 27, 1911, the new plates had still not arrived.  Evidence suggests that perhaps none were issued until the beginning of 1912.  The financial reports of the City Clerk mention no plates being issued in 1911, but that $210.00 was received for "automobile plates sold" in 1912, representing 140 plates, and $14.00 was taken in during the first quarter of 1913 for more plates, presumably about 9 of them.  The Mercury reported on April 9, 1912, that all 52 licenses issued to date were issued "during the past two months."  Another article on July 17, 1912, states that the first order of one hundred plates was "received the first of the year..."

The Mercury stated on April 9, 1912, that "Up to date the city clerk has issued 52 licenses to automobile owners.  All of these licenses have been issued during the past two months.  Several new owners have applied for licenses and quite a few of the last year licenses have not yet been duplicated."  A further article on July 17, 1912, announced that "The clerk was then instructed to order fifty more automobile tags as the hundred received the first of the year is nearly all gone."  The Manhattan Republic added the next day that "Mr. Gist says he has but five tags left."

An undated brass-on-black automobile license plate #211 is known, with "MANHATTAN" over "-KAS-" at left.

Motorcycles finally attracted the attention of city officials in September 1912.  Ordinance #263, passed September 7, 1912, published September 9, 1912, and effective September 17, 1912, provided for the registration of motorcycles at the same annual fee as automobiles, $1.00.  It required a city-issued front-mounted tag at a one-time cost of 50 cents.  According to the Manhattan Morning Chronicle on September 13, 1912, "City Clerk C. T. Gist has ordered 100 motorcycle tags...The new ordinance...goes into effect next Tuesday [September 17]...There are now about 30 motorcycles in the city..."

When the motorcycle tags finally arrived from the manufacturer, protests about the size and mounting position erupted.  The Morning Chronicle of November 16, 1912, announced the arrival with the headline "POP POP TAGS ARE HERE."  The article stated that: "Owners of motorcycles, beginning next Monday [November 18], will have to buy a license and a tag to be permitted to ride their pop pops in Manhattan.  The motorcycle tags that have been lost in transit, showed up at the Rock Island [sic] this morning.  They were shipped from Baltimore, October 1st.  The motorcycle license costs $1.00 and the tags 50 cents each...The mayor, this morning said that owning [sic] to advanced season, licenses and tags purchased now will also be good for use during 1913."  The Mercury reported on November 19, 1912, that "The motorcycle owners are protesting against the size of the tags...The tags are four by six inches in size...It is said there are forty-seven motorcycles in town..."  The cycle owners also objected to having to mount the tag on the front, and recommended changing the ordinance to display it on the back of the machine.  The Chronicle summarized the result of this controversy on November 27, 1912, with these headlines:  "NEW SIZE MOTORCYCLE TAGS - CITY COMMISSIONERS ARE FAVORABLE TO CHANGE, PROVIDED: The Motorcycle Club Pays For Ones Now on Hand - New Tags Will Be Long and Narrow, 3 1/2 by 7 Inches."  The agreement was that the club would pay for new plates to be made, and would have to purchase the balance of the city's unsold plates in exchange for the city allowing the motorcyclists to display the new tags in the manner they wished, on the rear fender.  It is unknown if this occurred, since the financial statements below don't seem to reflect this activity.

According to financial reports of the City Clerk, $2.50 was received in 1912 for "motorcycle plates sold", representing just 5 plates.  During the first quarter of 1913 up to March 31, 1913, $17.00 was collected, representing 34 plates.  In the second quarter of 1913, to June 30, 1913, only 50 cents was taken in for 1 plate, for a grand total of 40.

Marysville (2,260)

Ordinance #199, passed August 24, 1908, and effective upon publication August 27, 1908, provided for automobile speed limits and rules of the road, but not registration or plates.

Ordinance #218, passed July 10, 1911, effective July 13, 1911, required a 50c fee and $1.50 for a city-issued rear plate with 3-inch-tall numbers, and a full-size "M" "shall follow each number."  Dealers were to have a "D" "before such number."  The annual registration year was from July 1 to June 30.

The Marysville Advocate listed owners of automobiles registered from #1 to 47 on September 7, 1911.  As of September 25, 1911, there were 52 automobiles and 1 motorcycle registered.

An undated leather plate #5 M is known, with "KAN" vertically at right.  Another undated leather tag #M88 is known, also with "KAN" vertically at right, but it is possible this tag is from another heretofore undocumented city in Kansas starting with "M", since the letter "M" is before the numbers, not after them as specified in the Marysville ordinance.  #M88 was found in the early 1950s by a collector who lived in nearby Home City, lending further credence to it being a Marysville issue.

McPherson (3,546)

Ordinance #362, passed July 5, 1909, effective July 8, 1909, provided for a $7.50 annual fee ($2 for motorcycles) to the city clerk and a city-issued rear plate with the name "McPherson".  The license was due on the first day of January and July each year, and non-residents were exempted.  This ordinance was repealed just two months later.

The McPherson Daily Republican reported on July 12, 1909, that "Clinton Hawley was the first man to pay an automobile license under the new automobile ordinance, and this entitles him to the choice of the number tags, when they arrive...He appeared before City Clerk Pearson Saturday morning [July 10] and handed him a check for seven dollars and fifty cents.  The clerk did not like to give him the coveted No. 1 because he promised it to another.  But Mr. Hawley having been the first to comply with the ordinance insisted upon his rights and won out."  In this same issue, a meeting of all automobile owners was called for city hall that evening, no doubt to discuss a protest of the abnormally high fee of $7.50.  It comes as no surprise that the ordinance was repealed two months later and replaced by a new one with the fee set at $2.

Ordinance #364, passed September 6, 1909, effective September 7, 1909, required a $2 fee to the city clerk and a city-issued rear plate with the name "McPherson" and 4-inch-tall numbers.  Annual registrations expired one year from the date of issue.  Motorcycles were included.  Non-residents were allowed 30 days.  (This ordinance repealed Ordinance #362.)

The Daily Republican of September 17, 1909, had a detailed report with the headlines "McPHERSON AUTO TAGS" and "Numbers Begin With One Hundred - Porcelain Covered Metal."  The article states that "The automobile numbers for the car owners of McPherson have arrived...The tags are...made of strong metal and covered with blue enamel showing the number of the car in white lettering and bearing the city name "McPherson" in smaller capitals under the car number.  The plate weighs about two pounds and is twelve by seven inches in dimensions.  Numbering was begun at one hundred one."

As of November 8, 1909, 60 automobiles were registered, and by September 20, 1910, when the first renewals were coming due, that number had grown to about 90.

Three varieties of undated white-on-blue porcelain plates are known, all with "McPHERSON" at the bottom:

Type 1 - Small size (6" x 12"), square numbers #128 to #179

Type 2 - Small size, round numbers  #211

Type 3 - Large size (8 1/4" x 14"), square numbers #280 to #334

At 115 1/2 square inches, this last type is the second largest porcelain issue in the U.S., just behind Muskogee, OK.

Newton (7,862)

Ordinance #533, passed June 17, 1907, effective June 19, 1907, provided for automobile speed limits only.  A Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910, lists 52 automobiles in Newton but no numbers yet.  However, a Wichita Beacon article on May 9, 1913, mentions Newton plates being seen on automobiles, as well as plates from other towns.

The Evening Kansan-Republican on March 17, 1910, announced that "The Automobile club had a meeting last evening...among other things decided was the numbering of machines owned by club members.  All members of the club are requested to register with the secretary of the club and obtain their numbers from him."  Another article on April 14, 1910, reported that "Mr. D. McGowan, Jr., requests the Kansan to state that the auto numbers have arrived and can be obtained from him at the First National Bank.  The registry fee is one dollar, which includes the price of the number.  The latter are artistic as well as durable, are of heavy sheet metal enameled with blue background and white figures, the latter being six inches in height.  The name Newton appears on the end of each number plate."  Mr. McGowan was in fact the secretary of the Newton Automobile Club, which had been in existence since at least 1907.  It turns out that the city of Newton never passed any automobile ordinances after 1907, so the plates reported in the Wichita Beacon in 1913 must have been these auto club plates.  This is one of only two cases known in Kansas in which license plates were not the result of a city ordinance, but instead by the efforts of a private auto club - the other was Williamsburg, also in 1910. 

Ottawa (7,650)

Ordinance #597, passed on February 14, 1906, and published on February 17, 1906, provided for automobile speed limits and other regulations, but not registration or plates.

Ordinance #740, passed on December 2, 1908, published on December 5, 1908, and effective January 1, 1909, required an annual $1 fee and a city-issued rear plate with 5-inch-tall numbers.  The registration year was January 1 to December 31.  Motorcycles were included, and non-residents were exempted for up to 10 days.  This ordinance repealed Ordinance #597.

Issuance of the 1909 plates began on January 2, 1909.  The Evening Herald reported on January 1, 1909, that "The automobile numbers...have been received at the city clerk's office, and registration...will begin Saturday morning.  The numbers are white on dark blue enameled plate, together with the words, "Ottawa, Kansas, 1909."  The series on hand now is from 1 to 50.  It is planned to begin the numbering of the automobiles with number 10, using the smaller numbers for motorcycles..."  (The Daily Republic reported the dimensions of the plates as being 6 1/4 x 8 1/2 inches the day before.)  On January 2, 1909, the Herald stated that "The first automobile registered was that of Lyman Reid, who was given number 10, the smaller numbers being reserved for motorcycles."  The Daily Republic listed on March 23, 1909, the owners of automobile numbers 10 to 31 and motorcycles 1 to 3.

The Herald reported on May 6, 1909, that "The city clerk was ordered to purchase twelve more automobile tags as there are only a few left."  The Republic followed up with its report on June 15, 1909, that "City Clerk Marcell issued today the last of the 50 original numbers purchased to be used on autos and motorcycles.  Of the fifty, nine were applied to motorcycles...The clerk has just received an additional lot of twelve numbers.  They are somewhat different from the others, being smaller."  The Republic stated on October 20, 1909, that "City Clerk Marcell has closed out his supply of automobile tags.  Yesterday he issued Nos. 61 and 62..."  The Herald elaborated on that announcement the next day, reporting that "As all of the automobile tags for 1909 have been given out, 62 in number, the city clerk announced that he would have to have more.  By the vote of the council he was authorized to secure 100 new tags of the 1910 design and issue them from now on."

The Herald described the new 1910 plates on December 30, 1909, which suggests that they weren't issued much before the new year, if at all:  "The metal automobile tags for 1910 will be white and black, and easily distinguishable from the white and blue ones of the present year...The tag is about eight by ten inches in size...and the "Ottawa, Kansas, 1910," with the number, is also larger.  The new tags are of steel, and the white and black is put on with paint.  The old tags were enamel."   The Herald listed owners of motor vehicles on April 13, 1910, as follows:  Motorcycles #1, 2, 3, 6 and 9, and automobiles #10 and 18 to 73.

Ordinance #865, passed August 16, 1911 and effective upon publication August 19, 1911, revised the previous ordinance but did not make any changes to the registration or license plate provisions.  Sections 2 and 4 of this ordinance were amended by Ordinance #882, passed February 21, 1912, and published on February 24, 1912, but again, no substantive changes to the registration process were made.

Two detailed articles appeared on January 31, 1911.  The Ottawa Daily Republic reported on "New Auto Tags - City Clerk Marcell has received the new license tags for 1911, which may be obtained at his office.  They are of leather, regulation size, black enameled surface, the letters in silver and numbers in embossed platinum.  The date is omitted from them so that they can be used indefinitely.  The tags for motor cycles are considerably smaller but similar in style except that the word Ottawa does not appear.  There are 85 of the tags.  Last year tags to the number of 65 were issued for autos and 12 for motorcycles."

The second article, published by The Evening Herald, featured the headlines "NEW AUTO TAGS" and "No More the Sign Board Tag for Ottawans."  The full text stated that "The new automobile tags, which have been waited for by every autoist in the city, have at last arrived, and are now to be had in the office of the city clerk.  The tags are on the metropolitan order, and are a marked contrast to those which have been placed in the past.  They are of leather, one side of which is polished, and on it the lettering "Ottawa."  Under this word, which is spelled in nickel plated letters, is the number of the car in large aluminum figures.  The tag measures 6 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches, being an inch smaller all around than those issued last year.  There is no year number on them.  Mr. Marcell contemplates the keeping of a system of books, whereby the auto owner will simply keep the same tag from year to year, and at the first of the year will pay the license.  The tags cost about 70 cents each."

The number range for motorcycles was larger for 1911.  On April 25, 1911, the Daily Republic listed the owners of motorcycles #1 to 6 ("Numbers 7 to 17 not taken.") and automobiles #18 to 84.  It was also mentioned that after #6, the "...next eleven numbers were reserved for motorcycles."

As it turned out, the undated 1911 plates were not extended for another full year.  The Evening Herald reports on March 7, 1912, that "...the city clerk was instructed to purchase 150 automobile license tags at $15 per hundred.  The tags will have red letters and numerals with white backgrounds."  This order was confirmed by a line in the city clerk's expense report on June 18, 1912, showing $22.50 was paid to Henry A. Grimm (the plate manufacturer in St. Louis) for "auto license plates".  Additional articles provide more details.  On March 14, 1912, it was stated that "The clerk also placed an order for 150 automobile license tags today.  The tags will be numbered from "10" and the last number will be "160."  The first numbers will be used for motor cycles."  The April 6, 1912, edition reports that "The new 1912 tags for Ottawa's automobiles have arrived...The first nine tags are used for motorcycles although some of the motorcycles have been tagged with letters instead of numerals...As near as possible, the same numbers are being given to the persons who held them last year."  Finally, the August 10, 1912, paper mentioned that "There are now 112 automobiles in the city of Ottawa...W. A. Wheeler and Early Carder have Nos. 159 and 160 respectively.  The reason that these numbers are larger than the total number of registered cars is because both of these owners have lost their original license tags."

It seems likely that the 1912 motorcycle plates were ordered from a different manufacturer, and that the desire to limit them to single characters appears to have resulted in a system whereby numbers 1 to 9 were issued, after which single letters A to Z would be issued.  This is supported by an Evening Herald list published on May 31, 1912, which included motorcycles "A", "B", "C", "4" and "7", followed by automobiles #10 to 108.

The Evening Herald reported on December 5, 1912, that "The 1913 automobile license tags were ordered by the council last night.  There will be 200 tags in the shipment and they will be like the 1912 tags except that the background will be blue instead of red."  Another report on January 4, 1913, shares the headlines "NEW AUTO TAGS HERE" and "Design for 1913 is in Blue and White."  Details include the following:  "...The new tags are of metal and of the same size as the old ones.  The only change is that the white letters are printed on a blue background instead of a red one like the old ones.  The automobile tags range from 10 to 210, inclusive.  The motorcycle tags are smaller than the automobile tags, but are of the same color.  They range in numbers from one to ten, inclusive."

According to the city clerk's financial expense claims, we know which firms made the plates each year:

January 1909 - Burdick Sign Co., auto tags - $20.00

June 1909 - Burdick En. Sign Co., auto tags - $4.80

January 1910 - Ottawa Metal Sign Co. - 100 auto tags - $25.00

February 1911 - C. F. Burk, auto tags - $65.25

April 1912 - Henry A. Grimm, auto license plates - $22.50

(1913 unknown)

Known plates include a 1909 porcelain tag #12, an undated (1911) leather plate #10 with "OTTAWA" at the top, and a 1912 red-on-white embossed steel plate #24 with "OTTAWA" sideways at left and "1912" sideways at right.

Parsons (12,463)

Ordinance #1388, passed June 26, 1905, effective June 29, 1905, required automobile owners to register their machines with the city clerk.  No fee was mentioned.  Section 7 provided "That each automobile or motor vehicle operated within the city of Parsons, Kansas shall be numbered with large metallic figures in a conspicuous place thereon, and each vehicle so numbered shall be registered...with the city clerk..."  (Ordinance #1834, passed May 3, 1909 and effective May 7, 1909, amended sections 3 and 5, which dealt with speed limits only.)

Ordinance #1714, passed September 23, 1907, effective September 26, 1907, was an expansion of Section 7 of Ordinance #1388, which remained in effect.  It established a $1 annual fee for registration, valid for one year from the date of issue, and specified a rear plate with numbers 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide.  The fee remained at $1 even as late as September 1912.  It is believed that plates were owner-provided, and no further ordinances or news reports indicated a change to city-issued plates at any time after 1907.

The Parsons Daily Eclipse published a letter from the Mayor on January 16, 1911, in which he stated that "I recommend that the ordinance fixing a license tax on automobiles and electric cars be revised, and the license be materially increased, and that each car be furnished a uniform number tag showing the fact that it is owned in Parsons."

Registration statistics are unknown from 1905 through 1909.  The Office of Auditor was created as a new entity by city ordinance in early 1910.  Based on quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports of the Auditor published in various editions of the Parsons Daily Eclipse and the Parsons Daily Sun under such line entries as "Registering automobiles", "Auto Registration", "Auto", "Autos" and "Automobile licenses", we can deduce the following list of annual registrations by year:

1910    63   (from April 16 on)

1911    99

1912   127

1913    80

Pawnee Rock (458)

An editorial in the Pawnee Rock Herald on June 14, 1912, bemoaned the fact that the city did not have an automobile license tag ordinance in effect:  "Every small town in the west has an automobile license ordinance and cars passing through here are tagged, showing the enterprise of the owners.  Not so with Pawnee Rock and only after careful inquiry are the people in other towns able to ferret out the identity of where such fine cars as the Pawnee Rock autoists are proud of, come from.  We believe if the attention of the car owners here was called to this matter they would be glad to tag their cars."

Apparently it worked, as Ordinance #53 was passed on October 14, 1912, and effective upon publication in the Pawnee Rock Herald on October 18, 1912.  It required automobile owners to register their cars with the City Clerk and pay an annual fee of $1.  Registrations expired one year from the date of issue.  Owners were required to display their license numbers on the rear in figures at least 4 inches tall and 2 inches wide.  Based on the low registration fee, it is assumed that plates were to be owner-provided.

An undated leather plate #159 P.R. is known with the characters painted in black on a white background, but there is no documentation linking the plate with Pawnee Rock or even with Kansas.

Pittsburg (14,755)

Ordinance #1184, passed July 24, 1912, effective July 26, 1912, repealed Ordinance #802, and was the first to provide for the registration of automobiles and motorcycles.  Owners were required to pay a one-time fee of $1.50 to receive a city-issued rear tag.  Non-residents were exempted for 30 days.

The Pittsburg Daily Headlight reported on August 19, 1912, that "Eighteen motor car owners had paid for and received numbers at 3 o'clock this afternoon.  The tags are given out by City Clerk Jones on payment of the registration fee.  Another report published on October 2, 1912, stated that "Sixty-three motor car license tags were issued in September by City Clerk O. T. Jones."    

Pratt (3,302)

Ordinance #106 was passed on August 10, 1908, and published in the Pratt Republican on August 13, 1908, and effective on that date.  Automobile owners were required to register with the City Clerk, be issued a register number and pay a fee of $2 through January 1, 1909, and $5 annually thereafter.  They were further mandated to display their number on a rear plate on which the "number shall be painted in black on heavy tin, each figure shall be at least four inches in length..."

A Wichita Beacon article on May 9, 1913, mentions Pratt plates seen on automobiles, along with plates from several other cities.  Undated silver-on-black flat steel plates #100 to #112 are known with "PRATT" over "KANSAS" at left.

Rosedale (5,960)

Ordinance #773 was passed on August 1, 1911, and published in the Inter-State News on August 7, 1911, upon which it took effect.  It required all owners of motor vehicles operating on city streets to pay a license tax to the city.  Rates were $2 per six months or $4 per annum, except motorcycles, which were $1 and $1.50, respectively.  There is no mention of a plate, tag or number to be issued or displayed.

A previous ordinance, #443, was passed on December 10, 1907, and published in the same newspaper on December 20, 1907, when it took it effect.  It required all wagons of various types to pay a license tax for road use, similar to the above ordinance.  In Section 2, there is one mention of a "self propelling vehicle" but otherwise, this doesn't qualify as an automobile ordinance.  The city clerk was to furnish a "metallic tag" to be displayed in a "conspicuous place" on the wagon or vehicle.  Rosedale was annexed to the city of Kansas City, Kansas, in 1922.

Salina (9,688)

Ordinance #1521, passed October 18, 1909, effective November 1, 1909, required a $2 fee to the city clerk (or a $1 renewal fee if the same number is kept) and a city-issued rear plate with the name "Salina" preceding 3-inch-tall numbers.  Registration was annual, expiring one year from the date of issue.  Non-residents with no "home" plate were allowed 3 days.  (This ordinance repealed Ordinance #1243, passed October 17, 1904, and effective upon publication two days later.  This ordinance only provided for speed limits, not registration.)

According to articles in the Salina Daily Union, plate numbers began at #100 and the tags had not arrived yet as of November 8, 1909.  But the next day, the paper reported that "The automobile numbers were received in Salina today. A.T. Daggett, to whom was awarded the contract for furnishing these numbers, stated this morning that they would be delivered to the city clerk today."  By noon, 13 numbers had been called for, ranging from #100 to 123.  Apparently, dealers could get multiple plates with the same number.  Numbers 105, 107 and 110 each got four "numbers."

The Horseless Age reported on December 22, 1909, that 81 license tags have been issued so far at the $2 rate, and "thirteen duplicate tags for garages at $1 each."  On May 12, 1910, the Daily Union reported that the city clerk had just placed an order for 25 more tags since the original order of 125 (up to #225) had all been exhausted but one.  Another article on June 29, 1910, had the headlines "MARTIN TAKES NUMBER" and "His Automobile Will Bear No. 1 in Future".  #1 and #237 had just been issued, and it was explained that "His number is the only one issued below 100."

The Daily Union published an article on September 8, 1910, explaining the system used:  "At the present time there are exactly 193 licensed autombiles in the city.  The numbers began with 100 and run to 252, which alones makes 153 registered automobiles.  But there are many people with two or more automobiles and using the same number.  There are forty-one registered cars in this way which do not show in the rotated numbers."  On September 17, 1910, the city clerk received a new order of 20 plates numbered from 251 to 270.

In November of 1910, it was decided that annual automobile licenses would be issued on a fixed year schedule of January 1 to December 31.  Since the plan would start January 1, 1911, the city gave two months of leeway to those who had originally registered in November and December of 1909.

The Salina Evening Journal reported on April 30, 1912, that "W. S. Boughton...was the first man to take out a motorcycle license in Salina under the new ruling.  He took out license tag No. 10 this afternoon..."  A Salina Daily Union article on June 6, 1912, confirmed that motorcycle plates indeed began at #10, and that motorcycle numbers were up to 42 while automobile numbers had reached #345.  On August 27, 1912, the highest numbers issued were #357 for automobiles and #59 for motorcycles.  An undated leather plate #375 is verified with "SALINA" spelled out at top.  No motorcycle tags are known.

Ordinance #1698, passed December 16, 1912, effective December 21, 1912, amended Ordinance #1521 to include motorcycles, and to change the registration year for all registrations to January 1 to December 31, with the year date to be shown on plates.  The Daily Union reported the day after passage that "The ordinance changes the old one in that the dates will hearafter appear on motorcycle and automobile tags."  The 1913 red-on-white tags were scheduled to be issued on January 1st, but they didn't arrive until the next morning.  300 automomobile tags and 75 motorcycle tags were ordered from the Henry A. Grimm Co. of St. Louis.  A 1913 red-on-white embossed steel plate #248 is known with "SALINA" at top and "1913" sideways at left.  A motorcycle version has not been seen so far.

Sedgwick County (20,645)

This is the only county in the state that is known to have registered vehicles, even though this authority was not granted by the state law of 1903 as it was to cities in the state.  A Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910, makes no mention of listing automobile owners in the county.

The Board of County Commissioners of Sedgwick county passed a motion April 29, 1912, effective May 15, 1912, to require all automobile and motorcycle owners outside Wichita city limits to register with the County Clerk for a $1 fee.  The county ordered 250 automobile plates and 50 motorcycle plates.  A Wichita automobile directory from 1913 lists Sedgwick owners #2001 to #2202.  These higher numbers seem to have been chosen so as not to duplicate Wichita city numbers.  Undated blue-on-white porcelain plates #2035 to #2143 are known with "SEDG. CO." in red at the bottom.  No motorcycle plates are known, but a description and illustration in the Wichita Daily Eagle on July 28, 1912, shows them to be vertical white plates with 2 digits in black followed by, in red, the letter "S" and the letter "C" with a smaller "O" inside.

Solomon (949)

Ordinance #63, passed May 3, 1909, effective May 7, 1909, only set speed limits for automobiles.  However, Ordinance #68, passed June 5, 1911 and effective upon publication on July 14, 1911, required all owners of automobiles to register them with the City Clerk.  Upon payment of a fee of $1, the City Clerk provided the "numbers to be used on the automobile"; said numbers "shall be preceded by the word 'SOLOMON'."

A 1911 brass-on-back 4" x 8" embossed plate #125 is known with "SOLOMON" at top and "1911" sideways at right.  Apparently there were dated tags for 1912 as well, as evidenced by the following announcement in the Solomon Tribune on March 22, 1912:  "Notice - All parties interested are hereby notified that the city automobile license is now due and payable to the city clerk.  I also have the 1912 tags for sale.  G. M. Spaulding, City Clerk."

Stafford (1,927)

Ordinance #281, passed January 24, 1911, effective January 26, 1911, required a $2 fee to the city clerk (or a $1 renewal fee) and a city-issued rear plate with the words "Stafford Kansas."  Registration was annual, expiring February 1.  Non-residents had the option of buying a plate for $2 "on condition that the said owner shall carry and display the said tag on the rear of his automobile thus advertising the city of Stafford."  City pride seems to have been a more important goal even than vehicle law enforcement here!

Ordinance #314, passed March 25, 1913, effective two days later, repealed Ordinance #281.  The city was reacting to the recent passage of the state motor vehicle law, but inadvertently left automobiles with no licensing requirement for about three months!

Undated brass-on-black plates #120 to #198 are known with "STAFFORD" over "KAN." at left, the "S" being larger than the other letters.

Sterling (2,133)

According to the Sterling Bulletin of October 28, 1910, "The new auto license tags are now here and all auto owners must go to Will Coyle at the Farmers State Bank and get one next Monday [Nov. 1].  The numbers start with 200 and go to 250."

Tonganoxie (1,018)

Ordinance #284, passed February 12, 1912, effective February 22, 1912, requiring a $2 fee to the city clerk (or a $1 fee for motorcycles) and a city-issued rear plate with the words "Tonganoxie, Kansas" before 3-inch-tall numbers in white on black.  Motorcycles were included.  Annual registrations expired one year from the date of issue, and the owner's original number was kept when renewed.  Non-residents were allowed 36 hours, then had to record their "home" plate with the city clerk at no fee.  Undated brass-on-black plates #34 to #37 are known with "TONGANOXIE" over "KAN." at left, the letter "T" being larger than the other letters.

Topeka (43,684)

Ordinance #2623, passed July 25, 1905, required a $1 fee to the city clerk for an annual registration expiring one year from the date of issue, and an owner-provided rear plate with 5-inch-tall numbers.  (This ordinance repealed Ordinance #2378, passed December 1, 1902, effective December 4, 1902, which only specified speed limits for automobiles.)  The ordinance took effect on December 1, 1905.  The Topeka State Journal published an article on that date proving that plates were city-issued from the very beginning:  "The sixty odd owners of automobiles in the city will now be forced to take out licenses at one dollar per and also are further forced to purchase the registration numbers of their automobiles from the city at an additional cost of eighty cents...A very attractive design has been secured for the registration numbers.  The design...consists of nickeled figures on a background of patent leather..."  The same day, the Topeka Daily Herald reported that "Mayor Davis said this morning that the contract for furnishing automobile numbers would be awarded to J. C. Darling & Co.", a company in Chicago.  Subsequent articles in the next few days revealed that plate numbers started at 1, and that 100 plates had been ordered.

On December 15, 1905, the Topeka Daily Capitol reported that "Twenty-five of the 100 automobiles numbers which the city has ordered from Chicago arrived yesterday.  The first person to receive a number was Mayor Davis.  His is number 15.  The numbers are aluminum on a black patent leather pendant...The city ordinance requires that the figures each be five inches high and three inches wide.  Technically all of the numbers in which the figure 1 is a part do not comply..."  By December 24, 1905, numbers 26 to 29 had been issued, indicating that the second batch of 25 or more plates had arrived.

1906-07 news:  The Daily Herald stated on January 4, 1906, that 35 numbers had now been issued.  By September 1, 1906, numbers had progressed to 82.  On August 13, 1907, it was reported that 125 automobiles were now registered.  #131 was issued on August 27, 1907.

1908 news:  The Topeka Daily Capital reported on June 12, 1908, that "Hereafter automobile number tags will cost the machine owners $1.75, instead of the $1.00 license fee paid heretofore.  The city clerk has just received a consignment of twenty-five new number tags, much more substantial and expensive than the old kind, and the raise in price is due to this change."  Another article on September 30, 1908, stated that "Of the last bunch of twenty-five automobile licenses secured by City Clerk Burge for issuance to automobilists, only three remain...The last order placed by the city clerk for the licenses was with G. F. Worley, the harness manufacturer.  Mr. Worley contracted to manufacture the licenses at $1.75 each.  Some complaint had been made by the police department because of the fact that the first few automobile licenses issued in this city would curl when wet to such an extent that only half the number would show.  Mr. Burge remedied this defect by ordering a piece of sheet iron placed on the back of the licenses...City Clerk Burge will place an order for twenty-five licenses with a local harness maker within the next few days.  As it stands...there are 196 automobilists...who have secured licenses.  They are forced to pay $2.75..."  On October 13, 1908, numbers 197 and 200 had been issued, and only 198 and 199 remained.  The State Journal announced on October 16, 1908, that "There is no longer any danger that the city will run out of automobile tags, City Clerk Burge having placed an order for 25 tags running in numbers from 200 to 225..."

Ordinance #2956, passed June 7, 1909, published June 12, 1909, required the same $1 fee to the city clerk, plus the cost of the plate, which was the same description as before but now city-issued.  Motorcycles were now included.  Non-residents were not exempted, but those bearing plates from other cities or states were allowed 30 days.  (This ordinance repealed Ordinance #2623.)

Motorcycle numbers:  An article on October 27, 1909, announced that "The city clerk will have a supply of motorcycle license tags ready...by the end of the week."  This was the first mention of the issuance of motorcycle plates to fulfill the provisions of Ordinance #2956.  On November 22, 1909, 11 motorcycles were registered, and that number increased to 23 as of January 28, 1910.  Motorcycle tag #45 was issued on October 6, 1910.  On February 15, 1913, numbers were at 180, and by April 20, 1913, numbers had reached 236.  As of May 1, 1913, number 249 was in use.

Automobile numbers:  By June 1, 1909, numbers were up to 266.  On November 8, 1909, numbers 381 and 400 were issued, the latter assigned early by special request.  1909 numbers ended at 389.  In 1910, numbers 390 through 570 were issued, less #400.  In 1911, numbers 571 through 807 were issued.  1912 numbers began with 808.  #1000 was issued in normal sequence on September 5, 1912, and #1051 was assigned on November 27, 1912.  Numbers stood at 1066 as of February 15, 1913.

The Topeka State Journal of July 25, 1912, reported the following headline:  "Metal Number Plate for Autos."  The article went as follows:

"A new motor car style of number plate will be adopted by the board of city commissioners.  Instead of the leather numbers used by the old administrations, Roy L. Bone, city commissioner, has submitted a metal plate with the number and "Topeka."  The old style did not name the city.  Commissioner Bone will use a sample number in a conference with the Topeka Motor Car League soon.  If they approve it, all numbers sold at the city hall thereafter will come under the latest pattern.  The leather number plate was the laughing stock of visiting motorists."

It is unknown if these new-style plates were ever issued; none have been seen.

The city planned to replace and reissue new plates to motorcycles in 1913.  The State Journal reported on December 12, 1912, that "Next week the board of commissioners will order the arrangement of an ordinance providing for a new system of numbering machines in this city.  All of the old motorcycle numbers will be called in by the city clerk...and new larger numbers will be provided the machine owners by the city."  On January 29, 1913, it further reported that "Commissioner Bone moved that the city clerk be instructed to notify the Topeka Stamp Company that unless they can furnish the motorcycle numbers by February 10, 1913, the order will be cancelled, which motion prevailed."  The February 10, 1913, edition mentioned that "The new motorcycle licenses are expected to arrive today.  It was decided in the commission meeting this morning that the tags will be sold from the office of the city clerk for 50 cents apiece."  The Daily Capital reported on February 11, 1913, that the new tags arrived the day before, that the same numbers would be issued to renewals, which would cost 50 cents, while new licenses would be $1.50.  "The new tags are about two inches in width and long enough to include the numbers which are printed on them."

The city commissioners decided to cut the rates of automobiles licenses at their meeting on March 20, 1913, as a result of the state law having recently passed and scheduled to take effect soon.  "...owners came into the city clerk's office and paid $1 each, receiving in return a license tag number that cost the city of Topeka 97 cents..."  Two owners, #1082 and 1083, registered on March 20 and paid $2.50 each.  Three owners were issued numbers (1084 to 1086) on March 21 at the $1 rate.  On April 19, 1913, the city clerk received what was to be the final batch of 25 plates, numbered 1101 to 1125.

Ordinance #4229, effective May 17, 1913, required display of the new state-issued plate.  This was interesting since the state plates were not issued until July 1, 1913, so for six weeks there would be no way to comply with the ordinance!  (This ordinance repealed Ordinances #2956, #2973, #3010 Sections 2-3, #4014 and #4195.)

Free tags were only issued for one day, May 1, 1913, before they ran out.  The following news article which appeared in the Topeka Daily Capital that day describes the confusion during this era:

"CITY STOPS GIVING OUT TAGS FOR AUTOMOBILES; NUMBERS WILL COME FROM STATE HEREAFTER"

     "The highest Topeka auto license number, and the last city number to be given out, went yesterday afternoon to F. M. Steves, 305 Kansas avenue.  He drew number 1125.  The city will not furnish number 1126.  The supply of tags is exhausted; the state auto license law went into effect yesterday, though numbers are not scheduled to be given out until July 1.

      Just what to tell the autoist who comes in for number 1126, if any come, the city clerk says he doesn't know.  'Probably we'll ask him to get some numbers and tack them on a leather tag,' City Clerk Burge said, with a shrug of his shoulders.  'Don't know what else we can do.  The last six numbers were given away free, and the tags cost the city real money, too.'"

Several undated leather plates are known which are most likely from Topeka, but since they have no identification other than the numbers, they are impossible to unequivocally distinguish from tags from Texas and many other regions.  Helpful clues include the relatively large 5-inch-high number height unique to Topeka (only Emporia, KS, before mid-1910 specified this height), and the fact that Topeka license numbers reached as high as #1125, far higher than most cities.

T (Unknown city)

An undated leather plate #T52 with "KAN" at right is known.  Tribune only had 16 automobiles registered with the state in 1913.  Troy would have been a much better possibility with 397 autos registered that year.  Troy passed Ordinance #137 on August 6, 1909, for speed limits only, effective August 12, 1909, and published in the Kansas Chief that day.  A later ordinance in which registration and plates might have been added has so far not been found.

WaKeeney (883)

Ordinance #147, passed August 7, 1911, effective August 10, 1911, required a $2 annual fee to the city treasurer and a city-issued rear "metallic number".  The registration year was May 1 to April 30.  The city treasurer was authorized on August 7 to order fifty tags from #1 to #50.  The "numbers" were already ordered as of August 10, the date the first registration was issued.  Subsequent numbers progressed slowly, suggesting some resistance or controversy regarding this ordinance, which might explain its rather quick repeal.  However, it appears the few licenses issued continued in force after the repeal.

Ordinance #149, passed October 2, 1911, effective October 30, 1911, required the same $2 fee to the city treasurer (but no mention of annual renewal or dates of validity) and a city-issued rear "leather and steel pad having securely fastened thereon in aluminum letters the word "WaKeeney" followed by a number composed of aluminum figures...".  (This ordinance repealed Ordinance #147.)  Since the changes to the description of the license tags to be issued are not substantive, and probably merely reflect more details of the initial order of plates by now received, the only other change is the now non-annual fee.  Records of the city clerk list the date each automobile license was issued.  Only 37 of the 50 plates ordered were ever issued.  The following list is given under the assumption that all numbers were issued in strict order, although this could not be verified:

August 10, 1911      1                November 17, 1911   21 - 22

August 19, 1911      2                November 18, 1911   23 - 25

August 21, 1911      3                November 30, 1911   26

August 25, 1911      4                December 2, 1911    27

September 4, 1911    5                December 6, 1911    28

September 11, 1911   6                April 18, 1912      29

October 28, 1911     7                May 8, 1912         30

November 4, 1911     8                June 27, 1912       31

November 6, 1911     9                June 28, 1912       32 - 33

November 9, 1911    10                August 14, 1912     34

November 11, 1911   11                August 23, 1912     35

November 13, 1911   12 - 17           September 3, 1912   36

November 15, 1911   18 - 20           November 9, 1912    37

Undated leather plates numbered 6, 7 and 9 are known with "WAKEENEY KS" arched across the top, the letters "W", "K" and "K" being larger than the other letters.

Wellington (7,034)

Ordinance #1069, passed June 7, 1909, effective June 16, 1909, required a $1.50 fee to the city clerk and a city-issued rear plate with 3-inch-tall numbers "and also as a part of such number the letters, "We.".  Motorcycles were included.  Non-residents were exempted.  The Wellington Daily News reported on July 2, 1909, that "The city has received the automobile numbers and tags and certificates..."

When the ordinance was under consideration, the Wichita Daily Eagle described the choice of initials on April 22, 1909, as follows:  "To the right of the number on the tag of a motor car will be the letters "W-e" for Wellington.  The "e" was added because Wichita and Winfield were each using the "W."

A Wichita/Southeastern Kansas automobile directory from April 1, 1910, lists Wellington owners #100 to #150.  Undated leather plates #135 to #229 are known with a "WE" suffix, the letter "E" being upper-case, but smaller than the full-size "W".

Wichita (52,450)

AUTOMOBILE PLATES 1907-12

Ordinance #2803 was passed on August 20, 1907, but not published in the Wichita Daily Eagle until October 9, 1907, when it took effect.  The act required automobiles owners to register with the city clerk, pay a $5 fee and display a city-issued rear plate with numbers 5 inches tall.  According to further Daily Eagle articles, city officials solicited bids for the plates, and two bids were received and opened on September 18, 1907.  On October 10, 1907, the city commissioners met and voted to award the contract for 300 tags to the lowest bidder, the Wilson Automobile Co., and they adopted a size of 6 x 12 inches with figures 3 inches tall.  This necessitated a change in the ordinance, which had stated 5-inch numbers.  The issuance of plates began on November 2, 1907, starting with #100W.

Ordinance #2875, passed November 7, 1907, and effective upon publication on November 9, 1907, required a $5 fee and a city-issued rear plate with 3-inch-tall numbers and letter "W".  Motorcycles were not included.  As of March 6, 1909, there were 253 automobiles licensed, which meant that about 46 plates remained from the original allotment.  The Daily Eagle published an ad on May 13, 1909, soliciting bids for 300 additional plates ranging from #400 to 700 (although this probably should have been #699).

The following is 1910 numbering data:  A Wichita automobile directory from April 1, 1910, lists owners #100 to #618.  218 plates were issued during the first five months of 1910.  In various newspaper articles, it was reported that #861 to #889 were issued between October 2, 1910 and November 11, 1910.  442 automobile tags and 110 motorcycle tags were issued in 1910.

The following is 1911 numbering data:  On February 13, 1911, the Wichita Beacon listed owners which had been issued licenses since January 1st, numbers 904 to 919.  As of March 15, 1911, 833 automobile licenses and 190 motorcycle licenses were in force.  On April 17, 864 automobiles were licensed.  169 plates were issued during the first five months of 1911.  As of September 18, 1911, 1,041 automobile licenses were in force.  On October 28, 1911, #1174 was the last number issued.

The following is 1912 numbering data:  On June 8, 1912, there were 1,184 automobile licenses in force.  Plate #1331 was issued June 19, 1912, the 23rd license issued in June.

Undated leather plates #163W to 1078W are known, covering the period from November 2, 1907 through June 30, 1912.

MOTORCYCLE PLATES

Ordinance #3055, passed October 19, 1908, effective upon publication on October 27, 1908, required motorcycles to register with the city clerk, pay the same $5 fee as automobiles and display a city-issued rear plate with 3-inch-tall numbers "and also as a part of such number the letter W."  An article in the Wichita Daily Eagle on December 17, 1908, reported that "A consignment of motor-cycle numbers was received by City Clerk R.N. Door yesterday...The motor-cycle numbers are not quite as large as those carried on automobiles, but are large enough to be very easily seen..."  Motorcycle plate #1 was issued on December 17, 1908, indicating that numbers did not start at #100.

Ordinance #3250 was passed on June 28, 1909, and effective upon publication July 6, 1909.  The Wichita Daily Eagle mentioned on June 29, 1909, that "The license was changed from the $5 permanent fee to a $2 annual charge."  As of August 27, 1909, 49 motorcycle licenses had been issued.

Ordinance #4313, passed October 30, 1911, effective November 21, 1911, required the same plates as before "with letter "W" or word "Wichita" (the latter to perhaps accommodate motorcycle tags).  The $5 fee remained, but a second vehicle belonging to the same owner would only cost a $1 license fee.  Motorcycles were listed with a fee of $2.  Non-residents had to, within 3 days, "obtain a visitors number, as hereinbefore provided for residents of this City" for 25c.  (This ordinance repealed Ordinances #2875 and #3055.)

AUTOMOBILE AND MOTORCYCLE PLATES 1912-13

Ordinance #4570, passed August 12, 1912, effective August 21, 1912, required the same fees as in 1911 (except the fee for an owner's second vehicle was raised to $2.50) and a new city-issued rear plate with "WICHITA" at the bottom in red for passenger cars, in black for taxis, or in green for dealers; and a red "W" for motorcycles or a green "W" for motorcycle dealers.  Non-residents had to buy a refundable plate within 24 hours, valid for 30 days.  "No resident of Sedgwick County living outside the City of Wichita shall drive a car on the streets...of the City of Wichita without displaying either a Wichita or a Sedgwick County Number."

This ordinance was passed simply to allow enforcement of the new plates, which had already been issued starting in late June of 1912.  These new plates were patterned somewhat after the Sedgwick county plates introduced about a month earlier,and no doubt all were designed in tandem with one another.  The Wichita Beacon reported on June 22, 1912, that "A strike of freight handlers at Chicago is keeping 300 Wichita motor cars from being tagged according to city ordinance.  The new enameled number tags recently ordered by C. M. Tucker, motor car officer, are in a freight depot in Chicago..."  Another article published on June 28, 1912, stated that "Harry Meade, who left the city several days ago, was so anxious for a new number tag that he drove his car to the factory in Chicago and received one on an order from the city.  New tags were mailed this week to parties that left before the tags arrived."

A tantalizing article appeared in the September 11, 1912, Wichita Daily Eagle:  "What to do with 250 automobile numbers which were rejected by the city is causing Automobile Officer C. M. Tucker no end of worry.  He must destroy the numbers, but he doesn't know how.  They are of steel and the enamel is burned on with great heat.  The steel plates cannot be burned, melted or torn up.  It was suggested to Mr. Tucker that he bury the numbers in quicksand.  Not having a better way to get rid of them, he thinks that he will do it.  "Suppose that in a thousand years to come somebody digs into the quicksand pile and finds the numbers.  What will they guess them to have been?" the officer pondered."

An additional color scheme was used, although none are known today.  The Wichita Daily Eagle described the scheme in their March 9, 1913, edition as follows:  "Auto Numbers Theft Proof" "System of Checking Makes It Dangerous to Use Duplicate As Catching Is Easy." "Wichita has a color scheme system on enameled automobile number tags which eliminates much confusion in lost and depredated car numbers.  C. A. Tucker, automobile officer, has devised a method of checking up on lost tags by colors.  The numbers are enameled on a plate of steel 6x12 inches, in four colors.  On the private car the numbers are painted black on a white background.  The tag has a blue border and the word "Wichita" is painted in red under the number.  When a tag is lost, instead of issuing a new number...the same number is given, only the arrangement of colors differ.  The border is changed to red and the word "Wichita" is painted in blue...Wichita is the only city in the United States that has this system.  Its merits have been recognized by other cities and many have written Mr. Tucker for a copy of his system."

As of December 27, 1912, there were 1,250 automobiles and 275 motorcycles in use.  A Wichita automobile directory from 1913 lists Wichita owners #100 to #1500 and Sedgwick county owners #2001 to #2202.  Numbers issued to dealers are scattered throughout the number range, indicating that all numbers were probably assigned to the same owners and dealers as in 1907-12.  (However, both passenger and dealer porcelain plates are known with the same number, #373.)  On January 22, 1913, there were 1,360 automobiles and 388 motorcycles licensed.  Finally, as of May 25, 1913, it was reported in the Daily Eagle that "The city's records show 1,384 auto number tags to have been issued here."

Undated black-on-white porcelain plates #137 to #1438 are known with a blue border and the name "WICHITA" at bottom in various colors depending on the class of vehicle.  No motorcycle plates of the descriptions in any of the ordinances (1908, 1909, 1911, 1912) with the letter "W" are known.  An undated white-on-blue small porcelain plate #249 is known with "MOTORCYCLE LICENSE" at top and "WICHITA KANSAS" at bottom.  Based on the relatively high number, we estimate this to be from the 1911-12 period, before the vertical porcelain style of mid-1912 began.  The Daily Eagle of July 28, 1912, showed descriptions and illustrations of the three kinds of motorcycle plates issued.  All are vertical white plates with up to three black numbers followed by a variously-colored letter "W":  Red for private owner, green for dealer or blue for a replacement plate.

Visitor plates were illustrated and described in the same July 28, 1912, article as follows:  "The visitors' number plates are made from the unused tags on hand when the new plate was adopted.  They are of leather and will run from 10 to 100 and will have the abbreviation 'VIS' with a small letter in the right hand corner of the tag.  This small letter is the key letter for a certain month.  Thus '10 VIS A' will be good only during July, some other letter being used in August.  This will make it impossible to duplicate a visitor's tag or to use one permanently."  None of these are known to exist today.

A notice was published in the Wichita Beacon on April 3, 1913, as follows:  "Notice is hereby given that the State Automobile License Law will go into effect on July, 1, 1913; from now on until that time the city will only charge $1.00 for automobile and motorcycle lcense and number."  On May 20, 1913, the city started selling its plates at 50c each (less than their 75c cost) in order to use up its remaining stock of about 100 plates, since they would become obsolete on July 1, 1913.

Williamsburg (399)

This is one of only two known cases in Kansas in which license plates were not the result of a city ordinance, but rather from the efforts of a private automobile club. (The other was Newton, also in 1910.)  Apparently, the advertising value was just too irresistible - having plates really put Williamsburg on the map!  A Williamsburg Star article on August 11, 1910, mentions a public meeting held the previous Tuesday to discuss organizing an automobile club.  "It was agreed by all present that this would be a benefit to the town, in the advertising it would give it and improvement of the road.  A committee...was appointed to investigate the purchase of signs and numbers."  Another article on September 1, 1910, mentions that the club was indeed formed.  "Williamsburg now has an automobile club consisting of 14 members.  Each machine now bears the name Williamsburg, Kansas., and its respective number."  The owners of #26 to #39 were listed.  It is unknown why numbers began at #26 instead of at #1.  A black-on-white flat steel plate #26 is known with "WILLIAMSBURG" at top and "KAN." sideways at right.  An undated leather plate with "WM" vertically at right has also been reported but not verified.

Winfield (6,700)

Ordinance #864, passed February 3, 1908, effective February 8, 1908, required a $5 fee to the city clerk and a city-issued rear plate with 3-inch-tall numbers "and also as part of such number, the letter 'W'."  Non-residents were exempted.

The Winfield Daily Courier published a notice on February 25, 1908, as follows:  "City clerk informed the council that the auto numbers have arrived and that motorists can now take out their licenses."  Another article on March 18, 1908, reported that "The numbers for the automobiles in use in Winfield have arrived and are at the Winfield Garage.  Each tag is made of enameled leather, with large white letters and figures in metal.  The lowest number is "W-100" and there are twenty-six of them now, enough for present needs..."

Several additional articles listed the automobile owners by license number.  For example, the October 11, 1909, edition listed numbers 100 to 156.  #113 was not issued in 1908 but was finally accepted by a non-superstituous motorist in March 1910, by which time numbers 165 to 169 were being issued.  Numbers reached 202 by January 2, 1911, and 253 as of April 30, 1912.  No plates are known.

Yates Center (2,024)

Ordinance #110, passed June 2, 1909, effective June 4, 1909, provided for registration with and payment of a fee of $1 to the City Clerk, who assigned a license number to be displayed on the front and rear of each vehicle in numbers at least 4 inches tall.  Numbers were to commence with #1 and were to be "followed by the letters Y.C. of the same height of a white color."  Of special interest is the clause stating "That for the two numbers for each machine and the registration of each machine as required herein, each owner...shall pay said city clerk the sum of one dollar..."

That ordinance was repealed by Ordinance #125, passed August 17, 1911, effective August 25, 1911, but most of the same language was re-enacted.  The most major change, other than a reduction in the speed limit, was that the fee was raised to $2 and only a rear plate was now specified.  It is quite possible that plates were issued by the city starting in 1909, based on the language above concerning two numbers for each machine, but that the city was losing money issuing two tags for only $1, resulting in the change to requiring only one tag for $2.  However, the status of such plates, if any are known to still exist, remains unclear.

The Iola Daily Register And Evening News reported on December 13, 1912, that "Three Yates Center autos, numbers 36, 37 and 41 were in Iola this afternoon."