W. F. Dorley

                                                                 Winfield.
                                               FROM THE NEWSPAPERS.
Winfield Courier, March 17, 1881.
CARRIAGE MANUFACTORY. Messrs. Dorley & Myers have the credit of establishing Winfield’s manufacturing enterprise. Their first carload of material arrived Tuesday evening. With the new additions they now have five rooms: a blacksmith shop, a wood-work shop, a paint shop, an office, and stock room. They will manufacture light work exclusively, such as buggies, pha­etons, carriages, and light wagons. They are now building six light wagons, most of which are sold. They have already turned out two buggies, one of which was sold to John Whistler, of the territory. They will work at present from six to eight men and will add more help as a market is created for their work. Mr. Dorley is a thorough carriage builder and has at different times superintended many of the largest establishments of the United States. His object is to build up a large manufactory here, and in this he will be heartily seconded by our citizens.
[RELIEF FOR THE SUFFERERS BY THE FLORAL CYCLONE.]
Winfield Courier, June 16, 1881.
A considerable number of the citizens of Winfield met on Monday evening on the steps of the Winfield Bank to provide for raising funds for the immediate relief of the sufferers caused by the cyclone Sunday evening. Mr. Crippen called the people together by music from the band.
W. F. Dorley, $1.00.
Note: Carriage Works were at first on Ninth Avenue: just moved to Main Street. Now in Alexander’s brick block...
[FACTS AND FIGURES: CARRIAGE WORKS.]
Winfield Courier, November 10, 1881.
Last Friday afternoon we visited the Carriage Works and were shown through the institution by the Superintendent, Mr. W. F. Dorley. Since their removal from Ninth Avenue to the commodious buildings on Main street, the business has increased to propor­tions hardly realized by our citizens. The works now occupy all of Alexander’s brick block, three rooms 25 x 76 on the first floor, and have 1,800 square feet of storage room in the base­ments. They work fifteen hands and turn out five buggies and spring wagons each week.
Their orders come in much faster than the work can be completed. Since the commencement they have manufactured and sold 150 buggies and spring wagons. Ninety-nine of these have been furnished with the Elliptic side-bar spring: the invention  and property of Mr. Dorley. They now have on hand $1,500 worth of work ready for delivery. Their buggies range in price from $60 to $250, and are built and sold cheaper than a buggy can be laid down here from Chicago. The reason of this is that they can ship the material for ten buggies in at less than the rates for one finished.
The quality of work being turned out is equal to any eastern manufacture. Mr. Dorley has built buggies all his life and has been foreman of several of the largest carriage factories in the United States. He is an enthusiast in his line, and knows more about a wagon than any one.

The shops are run on the most business-like principles. Everything moves like clock-work. One man does nothing but make buggy boxes, another works exclusively on another part, and every hand does nothing but that with which he is most familiar; thus all the parts work harmoniously. They have turned out buggies and wagons for Wichita, Wellington, Arkansas City, and many other neighboring towns. The finishing touches are just being put on a buggy which goes to Iowa. One of the greatest troubles they have had to contend with has been to secure skilled workmen, and especially carriage painters. Last week they overcame this difficulty by securing the services of one of the finest carriage painters in the country, who came on from New York and took charge of their paint shops.
Such manufacturing interests as this is what, above all else, Winfield wants to encourage. This one has added nearly fifty souls to our population, as their skilled mechanics were all brought from the east. Their payroll foots up about $200 per week, all of which goes into the hands of our merchants and helps to build up business and make a market for produce. It brings in money from other localities and helps to swell the name and fame of our city. This is good: let’s have some more. It is pros­pering, and so can others.
We want a paper mill, a sugar factory, and more grist mills: and we want them bad. We must have a woolen mill to furnish wearing apparel for the carriage builders and a sugar factory and more grist mills to feed the woolen mill men, while we want a paper mill to furnish the COURIER with white paper on which to blow about it.
Let us all take hold of this business with a will and give a long pull and a strong pull toward bringing about the desired end. Let the Board of Trade take immediate steps toward getting mill men interested and bring to their knowledge the many advan­tages of location and raw material to be worked up. Now is the accepted time and if Winfield wakes up, she can be the future great city of the southwest. She cannot afford to sit idly by and let these “golden moments fleeting pass.”
Winfield Courier, February 9, 1882.
The Carriage Factory turned out last week one of the handsomest buggies we have ever seen on our streets. The style was much nicer than most of the eastern buggies brought in, and the painting and finishing almost perfect. It was set on the latest Dorley patent spring and rode like a cradle. The Winfield Carriage Works are doing themselves proud by the beauty and completeness of the work they are turning out. Their fame is spreading and they will have to have more room before long.
Cowley County Courant, June 8, 1882.
Gregg Brown, banker, and Charley Clark, stock dealer, of Sigourney, Iowa, are in the city on the lookout for stock. They are friends of that bundle of energy, Mr. Dorley, Winfield carriage manufacturer.
[OLD VETERANS’ REUNION.]
Winfield Courier, September 7, 1882.
VETERANS OF THE LATE WAR WHO WISH TRANSPORTATION TO TOPEKA DURING THE REUNION IN SEPTEMBER, 1882.
W. F. Dorley, Co. G, N. Y. Vol. Cav.
[OTTER CREEK CORRESPONDENT: NAME NOT GIVEN.]
Winfield Courier, November 2, 1882.

Mr. Gammon has bought a new buggy of Albro & Dorley of Winfield. Now Uncle, ride out to church and show your purchase.
Winfield Courier, February 1, 1883.
The following petition was circulated last week by Frank Manny, taken to Topeka, and presented by him to Senator Hackney.
WINFIELD, KANSAS, January 23, 1883.
HON. W. P. HACKNEY, State Senator, Topeka, Kansas.
Inasmuch as the Prohibition Amendment, as enforced, has always resulted in injury to the material development of our town—it having signally failed to accomplish the object sought, the suppression of the sale and use of intoxicating drinks—we would respectfully urge upon you the necessity of so providing for the enforcement of the law that its application shall be uniform throughout the State. If this is impossible, don’t sacrifice our town on the altar of inordinate devotion to an impracticable principle.
W. F. Dorley was one of those who signed the petition.
Winfield Courier, March 22, 1883.
The Council had a lively time on Monday evening with an ordinance letting the Brettun House block out of the fire limits. Charley Harter had erected an ice house to which Dorley, the carriage maker, objected, claiming that it added to his insurance rate. He had Harter up before the police court, so the matter was brought to the Council for adjustment. Holders of eight out of the twelve lots in the block were in favor of letting Harter have his ice house,  so the matter was laid over till next meeting with the understanding that the suits be dropped and it be then passed.
[CARRIAGE WORKS.]
Winfield Courier, April 12, 1883.
The Winfield Carriage Works are meeting with most gratifying success. The capacity of the works has been increased until it now furnishes employment for thirty-three persons, and turns out from twelve to twenty finished rigs every week. The work is giving most excellent satisfaction and the stamp of Albro & Dorley is becoming almost as well known in this county on buggy work as is that of “Studebaker” on wagon work. A large market is found for their buggies in all surrounding towns and counties. They are meeting with success, which is both a matter of pride and profit to Winfield.
Winfield Courier, May 10, 1883.
Lost. An open-faced gold watch on Wednesday evening somewhere between Island Park and Lindell Hotel. Finder will be liberally rewarded by returning to the owner, W. F. Dorley.
Winfield Courier, August 23, 1883.
Dorley, the carriage maker, has been laid up for a week with a bad attack of rheumatism.
[COWLEY COUNTY FAIR.]
Winfield Courier, October 4, 1883.

The south main exhibition building was devoted to the ladies department supplemented by a grand organ and sewing machine show. The fancy work under Mrs. D. L. Kretsinger, was a varied display of taste and industry such as we have never seen before in one collection. There were articles of every imaginable name, and Mrs. Kretsinger hid amid a wilderness of lace and embroideries, had her hands more than full. The fine arts under Miss Kate Millington attracted much attention. The beautiful collections of paintings of Mrs. Geo. W. Miller and Mrs. C. C. Black were greatly admired. There were several fine displays in the flower department, in charge of Mrs. J. L. Horning, and it made a very fine appearance. The cloths, counter panes, quilts, carpets, knitting, etc., were in charge of Mr. W. R. McDonald and made a grand showing. There were about forty pairs of knit socks competing for A. E. Baird’s special premiums; twelve or fifteen sunbonnets for Hudson Bros. special; and fifteen or twenty handsome calico quilts for Hahn & Co.’s special. Between the two buildings S. H. Myton had a handsome buggy show and just outside was the Albro & Dorley exhibit of home manufactured work. Both were very fine. The show in agricultural implements was larger than ever before. S. H. Myton, Brotherton & Silver, and W. A. Lee had large exhibits and each carried off a number of blue ribbons.
CLASS S. MECHANIC ARTS.
Best open buggy, home manufacture, Albro & Dorley, city, 1st premium.
Best spring wagon, home manufacture, Albro & Dorley, city, 1st premium.
Best two horse carriage, S. H. Myton, city, 1st premium.
Best top buggy of any manufacture, exhibited by manufacturer or his Agent, Albro & Dorley, city, 1st premium; S. H. Myton, city, 2nd.
Winfield Courier, February 14, 1884.
More Fires. Again, on Sunday evening, an attempt was made to set fire to property in the city. A lot of hay was stuffed under the rear end of Hendricks & Wilson’s hardware store and ignited. It was done about half past seven o’clock in the evening. Mr. James McLain, who has been acting as night watchman, first discovered and put it out. Shortly before, when walking across Manning Street and Tenth Avenue, he passed a man who was walking hurriedly. As soon as he passed, the man broke into a run, and a moment after McLain discovered the fire. When he turned, the man had disappeared in the darkness. What the object of these incendiaries is cannot be defined. The fire in the Hodges barn could have injured but little business property if successful. The fire started in the Shenneman barn, immediately after, when the hose was handy and hundreds of people standing around to use it, could not have been set with a very villainous intent to destroy, as the destroyer might have known it would be put out in a minute. The setting of the Sunday evening fire early in the evening, when everyone was about, showed a lack of deep intent to do great injury. However, our people have resolved to put a stop to it, and to that end the following paper has been prepared and duly signed, and the total sum of $222.50 goes to the person who runs the fire-bugs in.
We, the undersigned, promise to pay the sum set against our respective names as a reward for the apprehension and conviction of any person or persons engaged in setting any incendiary fire in the city of Winfield, either heretofore or hereafter.

THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED $5.00: S. C. Smith, T. K. Johnston, Horning & Whitney, Wm. Newton, Hudson Bros., McGuire Bros., J. B. Lynn, Geo. Emerson, COURIER Co., Ella C. Shenneman, W. S. Mendenhall, Winfield Bank, M. L. Read’s Bank, Rinker & Cochran, Miller & Dawson, H. Beard, Whiting Bros., Hendricks & Wilson, A. E. Bard, Johnston & Hill, J. N. Harter, Farmers Bank, Wallis & Wallis, F. V. Rowland, J. S. Mann, Hughes & Cooper, A. B. Arment, Quincy A. Glass, W. L. Morehouse, McDonald & Miner, Curns & Manser, J. D. Pryor, M. Hahn & Co., O’Meara & Randolph, S. H. Myton, J. P. Baden, Telegram, Schofield & Keck, Henry Goldsmith.
THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED $2.50: R. E. Sydal, S. D. Pryor, E. G. Cole, Kraft & Dix, H. Brown & Son, Brotherton & Silver, F. M. Friend, F. H. Blair, F. H. Bull, T. J. Harris, Albro & Dorley.
TOTAL RAISED: $222.50.
Partnership dissolved: W. H. Albro and W. F. Dorley...
Winfield Courier, February 21, 1884.
Dissolution Notice. WINFIELD, KANSAS, Feb. 13th, 1884. NOTICE is hereby given that the firm of Albro & Dorley has been this day dissolved by mutual consent. All accounts due the firm have been left with Mr. S. D. Pryor for collection.
W. H. ALBRO, W. F. DORLEY.
Winfield Courier, February 21, 1884.
Mr. W. F. Dorley sold his sorrel pacer Monday to Carrie Roberts, of Walnut Township, the consideration being two hundred dollars. Mr. Dorley has disposed of about all of his Winfield property and will go east to find a remedy for the rheumatism with which he has been very seriously afflicted for some time past.
Winfield Courier, March 6, 1884.
W. F. Dorley has accepted an offer of one thousand dollars and lots on which to erect buildings from Harper City to locate there and start a carriage factory.
[WINFIELD CITY COUNCIL.]
Winfield Courier, March 13, 1884.
The lease existing between Albro & Dorley for room for hose carts was annulled, both parties concurring. A lease was then made with J. C. McMullen for his brick and stone building on North Main for the term of five years at $25.00 per month, for the use of the fire department.
Winfield Courier, April 3, 1884.
Frank Dorley came in from Harper Wednesday morning. He has his carriage factory buildings up and started ten men to work Tuesday.
[WINFIELD CITY COUNCIL.]
Winfield Courier, July 10, 1884.
Albro & Co., for hydrant wrenches, $3.75.
Albro & Dorley, storage room for hose carts previous to contract with Col. McMullen, $20.00.
Winfield Courier, Thursday, March 4, 1886.
W. F. Dorley, formerly our carriage Frank, was taken in for the wrong man at Harper the other day, by the editor of the Danville Express, who claimed Dorley threatened him if he would publish anything detrimental to the Weaver boys, recent murderers of Shearer at Danville. Dorley suffered durance vile a day, but had on the boots of one Allen and was let loose.