The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 21, 1904
Chickens Will Be Scarce
Supply Not Recovered From Past Wet Seasons.
Comparatively Few birds and Unusually High Price May Be Expected This Spring.
Chickens and in fact all kinds of farm fowls are unusually scarce this spring and the prices promise to be higher than in years. Old fowls to be used for stock purposes, are bringing from five to seven dollars, just double the usual price, and are scarce at that. Early spring friers this year promise to bring unprecedented prices, and a good henery will be a real “oil well” investment to the farmer who is lucky enough to own one.
The past two wet seasons are accounted responsible for the scarcity of the birds. It is well understood that wet weather is exceedingly hard on the young chickens and lucky, indeed, was the spring chick that pulled thru last year.
Thousands of chickens were drowned outright in the big rains of last spring, or died from the exposure of being dragged about thru the wet grass by a most inconsiderate mother. For these and a number of other reasons, there were few chickens raised last year, as compared to the ordinary season, and the surplus over the spring market was light. This year about all the chickens there are left in this part of the state are those left over from two years.
This scarcity of the old bird, with the intense cold of the past winter, also accounts for the scarcity and high price of eggs during the winter, and there will probably be some dearth of eggs felt until this year’s birds are large enough to lay.
Tags: 1904
The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 21, 1903
Two Canine Robinson Crusoes
Fine Gordon Setters, Marooned on Duck Island Were Rescued on Friday
Animals Were Almost Starved
Supposed That They Had Been Left There Since Going Out of Ice 10 Days Ago
If it were part of a canine’s education to read Robinson Crusoe, two fine Gordon Setter dogs might consider their positino during the past ten days as similar to that of this famous adventurer.
On Thursday, some of the workmen employed on the Great Western elevator noticed two wolfish looking dogs skulking around Duck Island. The dogs appeared to be in desperate circumstances as they had evidently been imprisoned on the island since the ice went out, which was about ten days ago, and were afraid to brave the deep icy water which lay between them and the shore.
H.J. Bryson and Otto Foster, who are employed at the elevator were moved with pity at the sight of the poor beasts, who were howling with hunger and cold and a boat was procured and the dogs rescued. Mr. Bryson says the dogs were as “tickled as a seven-year old child on Christmas Day,” and were as grateful to their rescuers as human beings in like circumstances. After appeasing their appetites the freed prisoners scampered off not being anxious to remain in the vicinity of their bondage. It is not known who is the owner of the dogs. It is thought that the animals, which are valuable ones were tempted onto the island in pursuit of rabbit, on other game and the ice going out left them in a rather unenviable position. Judging from t heir actions the dogs must have been on the island for ten days or more.
Tags: 1903, Bryson, Foster
The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 21, 1904
He Forgot to Stay Away
Nutty Willey Returns and Gets into Trouble.
Steals a Coat and is Bound Over to the Grand Jury on the Charge of Larceny.
Ernest Willey, the “Nutty” Willey of police court fame, will probably give the city authorities little trouble for some time to come. Willey was ordered out of the city Friday morning and promised to do so and never return. He left town, but forgot to stay away. worse than that when he did return Saturday night he went into the Haire clothing store and when he left forgot to pay for a coat which he had carelessly picked up.
When arrested he was given no further chances to depart from the city, but was taken before a justice of the peace and bound over to the grand jury charged with larceny. It is probable that the jury will report on Willey’s case tomorrow, and a disposal made of the charge against him at the present term of court.
Tags: 1904, Willey
