Melvin run recalls infamous history

Charley Melvin was one to take the law into his own hands.
A strict prohibitionist, Melvin worked to rid Iola of the demon brew himself.
Just past midnight on July 10, 1905, Melvin lit the fuses to hundreds of sticks of dynamite placed in saloons around Iola’s courthouse square.
The subsequent explosions became history, one which is still remembered more than 110 years later.
Melvin’s ill-fated, one-man attempt to rid Iola of alcohol became the basis for tonight’s Charley Melvin Mad Bomber Run For Your Life.
Perhaps just as remarkable as the damage incurred — three saloons were blown to bits, dozens of windows were blown out of the nearby courthouse, and the iconic courthouse clock came to a sudden stop — was the realization it could have been much worse.
In the bombing’s aftermath, authorities found dynamite with partially burned fuses in three other downtown joints.
It took police about a month to find Melvin, working in a railroad camp near Keystone, Iowa.
He wound up serving nine years in prison. He was released in 1914, shortly before his death.
In 1881, Kansas became the first state to ban the sale of alcohol. On the national level, the production of alcohol was banned in 1918 to save grain for the U.S. involvement in World War I.
In 1919, the 18th amendment enforced prohibition which remained in effect until 1933 with its repeal under the 21st amendment.

THE EVENTS should keep crowds of all ages entertained until the final runner crosses the finish line.
The festivities kick off at 5 p.m., with late registration opening for runners and walkers, inflatables on the courthosue lawn opening and hours of free music on the main stage along Washington Avenue.
Free watermelon and children’s games also begin at 5.
Other events, including a pickleball tournament, lead up to the 8:45 arrival of the “Drag Race” participants and the 9:30 parade of lights.
The Drag Racers, complete with heels, dresses and assorted forms of formal wear, take to the starting line for their madcap relay at 10 o’clock.
Then comes the countdown.
An added event, a 10k run, begins at the stroke of midnight, prior to the traditional 5k run and 3k walk at 12:26 — the exact time Melvin lit the fuses and changed Iola’s history.