Archive for April 1st, 2011

1
Apr

In Memoriam: August Lindahl

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1903

In Memoriam

August Lindahl, whose death occurred Tuesday at his home in West Fort Dodge was one of the best known and highly respected citizens of the community in which he lived. For twenty-three years he has made his home in this city, and during this time he has made his mark as a man of industry and worth. His death is generally regretted.

August Lindahl was born in Sweden on March 26, 1853. He came to the United States to live thirty-two years ago, and settled first in Illinois, where he followed the pursuit of forming. Twenty-three years ago he decided to come farther west, and traveling by wagon, as last reached Fort Dodge and settled on the west side of the river.

During two terms of two years each, Mr. Lindahl was a member of the city council, elected on the republican ticket, and in this manner was identified with the city’s management. His services in this capacity proved his ability and devotion to the city’s interests.

For the past two years, Mr. Lindahl has been a sewer contractor, but of late had not been active in his business on account of his sickness with diabetes, the disease which finally caused his death. It is a sad coincidence that four years ago Adolph, Mr. Lindahl’s only son, died from the same disease. Mr. Lindahl leaves one daughter, Amanda.

Deceased was a member of the West Fort Dodge fire department, whose members feel deeply the loss of one of their number.

Shortly before his death Mr. Lindahl made a will whose contents have not as yet been public.

The funeral will be held from the West Side Methodist Episcopal church at 2 o’clock on Thursday afternoon.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 2, 1903

West Fort Dodge Business Houses Closed

Honor Shown to Late August Lindahl Whose Funeral Was Held This Afternoon.

Business in West Fort Dodge was practically at a standstill this afternoon on account of the funeral services of the late August Lindahl, which were held from the Riverside M. E. church at 2 o’clock this afternoon. The merchants of West Fort Dodge without exception, closed their places of business during the time in which the funeral was in progress.

The services were conducted by Rev. C.J. Messenger, pastor of the church, and were in every way suitable to the sad occasion. Interment was made in the cemetery in West Fort Dodge.

The West Fort Dodge fire department of which Mr. Lindahl was a member, attended the funeral in a body.

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1
Apr

Rockwell City’s Baptism of Fire

   Posted by: admin    in People, Rockwell City

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1903

Rockwell City’s Baptism of Fire

Columbia Hotel and Illinois Central Depot Destroyed by Fire Today

Guests Roused From Sleep

Many are Forced to Leap From Buildings of Blazing Hotel. Loss is Heavy

Rockwell City, Ia. April 1 – Thirty guests were forced to flee in their night clothing from the burning Columbia hotel in this city at early hour this morning. Many were compelled to jump from the widows (sic) of their rooms, but at the hotel was a two story structure none were injured.

Scarcely anything was saved from the burning building, the startled guests being barely given sufficient time to make their own escape. One traveling man for Younker Brothers of Des Moines lost samples valued at $800.

The fire started from the explosion of a kerosene lamp, shortly before five o’clock this morning, and before the fire department could arrive the flames were beyond control. The building was burned to the ground.

The hotel was owned by Dr. J.M. Cooper. The loss, which will amount to $5,000,  is total, the insurance policy having expired three days ago, and not having been renewed.

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Rockwell City, April 1. – The Illinois Central depot at this place burned this afternoon. The flames started while Agent E.E. Empie and his assistants were all away from the depot, and the source of the fire is a mystery for this reason. The whole structure, including the baggage and express rooms and their contents, burned to the ground.

The fire department had a hard fight to save some barns near by, but were successful in this endeavor, altho they could not save the depot building itself.

(Editor’s note: According to this website, 1903 dollars adjusted to 2009 dollars [the latest year offered on the site]  would mean the salesman’s $800 samples would be worth around $19,000 today. The $5,000 hotel would be approximately $118,000 today.)

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1
Apr

Engine Stopped Just in Time

   Posted by: admin    in Animals, People, Railroad

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1903

Engine Stopped Just in Time

Misses Carrie Johnson and Inger Larson in Serious Peril

Horse Fell in Crossing Track

Alertness of Engineer of Approaching Freight Train and Flag Men Avert Accident.

With the horse they were driving fallen and floundering on the track, Misses Carrie Johnson and Inger Larson sat helpless in their buggy, watching an Illinois Central freight train bearing own (sic – should be down) upon them, on Tuesday. The alertness of the engineer in charge of the train, and the flagman on duty at the crossing, saved them from what seemed for a time to be a deadly peril.

As soon as the man at the throttle saw the predicament of the two ladies he reversed his engine. The emergency brakes were set, and the train was stopped before it reached the buggy with its helpless inmates.

The carriage was slightly damaged but nothing else resulted from what might have been a terrible accident.

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1
Apr

Will Be an Army of Unemployed

   Posted by: admin    in Business

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1904

Will Be an Army of Unemployed

Estimated That Nearly 1500 Men May Soon Be Idle in Webster County.

Will Be Felt in This City

Most of Men Either Live Here or in Vicinity and Counties Tributary.

As nearly as can be estimated at this time, about 1,400  men will be thrown out of employment in Webster county alone if the coal strike continues for any considerable length of time. There are in all something like 600 miners and men dependent on the coal industry for employment. Besides these there are the men employed in the brick yards, the gypsum mills, and other like industries, which cannot be run without coal.

There is little coal ahead at any of these institutions, and if the prospects for a settlement of the mining difficulties do not look bright within a few days, there will be no kilns fired at the brick yards. In such an event, the kilns all being full, the yards must of necessity be closed down. This would throw 150 to 200 men out of employment here in the city of Fort Dodge. There are two yards at Kalo and four at Lehigh, employing at least 175 men. These would also be forced to quit work for the same reasons.

The stucco mills of this city, it is estimated, employ all the way from 300 to 600 men and should all the mills close down as a result of the strike, as they will undoubtedly be forced to do unless they are able to secure coal for their boilers and for firing their kettles, these men also will be added to the list of the unemployed, bringing the number up to nearly a thousand and a half in the county. The result of so many unemployed men would be greatly felt in Fort Dodge, as practically the whole county is more or less tributary, and more than half the men affected are actual residents of the city or immediate vicinity.

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