The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 11, 1905

Small Improvements Over Town

Terraces are Being Graded and Planted and Trees Being Set Out.

Will Aid the Town Materially

All the Property Owners, Especially On Paved Streets Should Follow the Example of a Few and Repair the Terraces that Have Been Broken up.

Signs of spring and improvement are fast being noticed throughout the town, and if everyone else follows the example of the few who have started this city will be one to be proud of this summer, when excursions are run here from surrounding towns.

There is much of the terrace around the city, on the streets that were paved last summer, that is still lying broken and ugly and some few of the citizens have already begun to put it into shape, so that the spring rains will be able to cover the brown mud with a velvety green slope.

Much of the terrace where the streets were paved last year was necessarily graded so much that if any pains are taken to fix it up, it will be even prettier than the flat terrace of the other streets.

The S.T. Meservey property is being improved in this respect and by summer it is probably that no otheer (sic) residentce in the city will present a more beautiful appearance.

All around town, small improvenst (sic) are noticed. Much of the Snell property is being planted with trees, and other terraces are being finished with stone walls or leveled off and planted with grass seed.

These are all improvements which will aid the town materially, although they seem insignificant, and it is to be hoped that every property owner will get to work and see that his own property is put in the best of shape.

Tags: 1905, Meservey

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 11, 1917

Better Buy Your Clothes Now, Girls

Girls, Girls!

It’s a sad story but when the hot summer days roll around and there is nothing comforting but the summer frock, don’t forget to lay away your spring suit so that you may draw it out again next spring ready for use.

Uncle Sam’s officials have announced that this may be the last year for some time that ready made factories will be turned over for the manufacturing of women’s wear. Uncle Sam is going to have a little party all of his own in the next few years and he is going to require the ladies factories to make olive drab and khaki suits for his boys, and we girls are going to be the sufferers.

But then, patriotism comes first, and who will care to sport a new suit or a silk gown with all the sweethearts away on the border fighting? The dress maker will reign supreme one more. Her reign has fallen to the background during the past because the ready to wear garments have proven so exacting with the women.

We want our brothers to look spick and span when they go away to war, if it must be and this now looks inevitable. A million uniform suits will have to be made and maybe two million. There must be hats, coats, caps, shoes and socks.

A rush order may be that the boys will have to have the out put of the wool in this country, so girls get together al of yoru clothes. Brush them up and hang them away for it may be our lot to wear made over garments instead of ready made during the war.

Tags: 1917

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 11, 1905

Mayor Draws a Full House

Is Confronted by Three of a Kind and a Pair in Police Court This Morning.

Was Liberal With Justice

Fines Were The Largest That Have Been Assessed in Police Court For Many Months. – Will Have a Most Discouraging Effect on Graft.

Mayor Bennett drew a full house in police court this morning. When the moment arrived for the doling out of justice, there were three of a kind and a pair ranged on the penitential bench before him. It was with no miserly hand he ladled out the big bunches of fines and costs. The freedom with which he piled it on them was certainly discouraging to the bum, the vag, the thief.

Peter Coyne and John Lowery, both of whom were caught while in the act of stealing overalls from in front of one of the local stores, were given a fine of $100 and costs each or thirty days in the county jail. Neither of them having a cent of money they were sent to jail where they will have a chance to dwell on the evils of their ways for a month.

The three remaining in the line were given fifty dollars and costs each and allowed a chance to sweat it out in the county jail, a job that will occupy their vagabond minds for a period of fifteen days. The three vags were Frank Jones, Charles Wright and Luke O’Brien.

The theft of the overalls took place on Monday afternoon. Peter Coyne took the garments from a box in front of one of the stores on South Sixth street and ran with them to a nearby corner where he secreted them in a buggy and made his get-away. It was then Lowery’s turn to play his part in the deal, so getting the bundle from the buggy he made his way through an alley to the rear of one of the lunch counters of the city where his brother is employed, and there hid them in a box.

He was seen to do this by one of the high school boys who reported it to the police and the two arrests followed with the resulting convictions.

Both of the parties to the game plead guilty to the charge entered against them and there was no delay in meting out their punishment. Coyne has been implicated in other petty thieveries about the city, and was arrested a few months ago as one of the parties engaged in the burglary of the Cochran saloon. At that time, however, the evidence against him was not sufficient to hold him to the grand jury and he was released.

Tags: 1905, Lowery, O'Brien, Wright

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 10, 1905

Disorderly House Raided by Police

Was Closed Saturday Night and Inmates Given Hearing Today.

Fined $50.00 and Costs

Later It Was Decided to Let her Get Out of The City Which She is Glad to Do, Taking Her Daughter With Her.

On Saturday night the supposed fruit stand located on North Eighth street, was closed on the grounds that it was a disorderly house, and the proprietress, Mrs. Lizzie Wilson, along with her alleged daughter, Laura Beech Russell, ordered to apepar (sic) in police court at ten o’clock this morning to answer to the charge.

At the hearing of the woman which was held today, she was held guilty by his honor, and fined $50 and costs, the young girl, fifteen years of age, being of too tender an age to be sent to jail was ordered turned over the the (sic) district court.

The woman, however, plead (sic) that she was penniless, and that if given an opportunity she would leave the city. Seeing nothing to be gained for the good of the town by keeping her here in jail, she was finally released, and will be under police escort until she leaves at four o’clock in the morning for Sibley where she claims to have friends.

Made Bluff of Business.

The woman and her daughter arrived in Fort Dodge on election day and securing the building they have since occupied for the alleged purpose of running a candy kitchen, moved into it at once. In the front part of the building, which is partitioned off from the rear they put in a little fruit, some cigars, soft drinks and a little candy as alleged to keep up appearance, and under the cover of this operated a disorderly house.

It is alleged by the neighbors, two families of whom have moved away from the vicinity on account of the ill fame of the place, that there was always a crowd of young men and boys gathered about the place, that the piano was heard as late as three o’clock in the morning and that there was every evidence that the busines (sic) of the two women of the place was anything but legitimate.

A number of witnesses appeared in the case and testified to the above facts. Testimony was bought out which proved that the woman had been driven out of Spencer, where she had conducted the same sort of business.

The story of Mrs. Wilson herself developed the fact that she had been almost continually on the move, and while she claimed that both she and her daughter were respectable and of the best character, her appearance and especially the appearance and testimony of the girl failed to bear her out in her claim.

The place ahs been under surveillance for some time.

Tags: 1905, Russell, Wilson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 10, 1903

Time Honored 7.10 is Superseded

Mayor Northrup Announces Change in Assessment of Fees in Police Court

Marshall’s (sic) Fees Will Be $1.85

Claimed that Former Rate $3.10 was not Authorized by law. Other Fees the Same.

Mayor Northrup has instituted a change in the manner of assessing police court fines, which went into effect at the session of court held on Thursday afternoon. As a result, the time honored sum of $7.10, which for years has been set over against the name of the man fined for the offense of drunkenness, has been consigned to oblivion, and $5.85 will take its place.

Mayor Northrup looked up the matter of police court fines when he entered upon the duties of his office, and states that he found nothing in the law to make the marshal’s fee amount to $3.10, the sum at which it has been placed almost ever since Fort Dodge has had a police court. He says that the marshal’s fee legally amounts to but $1.85. Substituting this amount for the $3.10 formerly paid the marshal the amount $5.85 becomes the fine will hereafter fall to the lot of the plain drunk.

The fees for the ordinary fine of $1 and costs will be assessed as follows:

In addition to these customary fees, the following may be assessed when necessary:

Mayor Northrup announced this morning that his police court will be carried on under this system of fees during this term of office.

Tags: 1903

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 10, 1917

Memberships in Red Cross Jumps to 564

Organization Wants 1,700 in Webster County

Lehigh Women Will Enroll

May Have Three First Aid Classes Here

Fort Dodge women are giving their loyal support to every branch of the Red Cross work. Membership in the Webster County Red Cross chapter has jumped to 564. Thirty new members were received this morning. The mark of “1700 new members for Webster county,” as set by the national headquarters no longer seems impossible and in a short time that number will be reached.

Lehigh Women Enroll.

Lehigh women are anxious to organize an auxiliary. This will be done at a meeting at the home of Mrs. John Marsh Thursday afternoon. One of the Fort Dodge women will talk to the women and explain the methods of organization. The local chapter is known as the Webster County Red Cross. Any other organizations in the county will be auxiliary to this. That means that the money that will be raised will be distributed to the general fund here and work will be apportioned out to them from the headquarters here.

“Any Rags, Any Rags?”

Officers of Company F and company G has asked the Red Cross Chapter t collect as many rags as possible for them. These are used to clean rifles. Any rags, any color and of any age of service will do for this purpose. It is a simple request and with housecleaning on the program an opportunity will be given housewives to collect them and send them to the headquarters at the Municipal rest room.

White rags, such as old pillow cases and sheets are also needed for making the oakum pads. These may also be sent to the local headquarters.

May Be Three Classes.

If membership in the First Aid class increases as rapidly as it has started there may be three classes formed. At present there are forty members enrolled. It is the intention that the members should have one general meeting. Depending upon the size of this classes will be subdivided. Each class will then elect officers and choose its time for meeting.

The largest crowd that ever attended  a work session was present at the Municipal rest room Monday afternoon. Every chair was taken, but there was plenty of work for all and it is hoped that this attendance will be kept up.

Wednesday Evening class.

For the benefit of those whose work keeps them from attending the after noon sessions a class is held every Wednesday evening. The attention of young women and girls who work is called to this. The lighting facilities are excellent.

J.M. Plaister, manager of the Fort Dodge Telephone company, has donated a telephone to the Municipal rest room for use of the Red Cross members. This will be a great convenience and a saver of time.

Mrs. R.P. Atweil has been appointed chairman of a committee to arrange for lunches at the close of the work sessions. A small price will be charged for this and the money raised will go toward the general fund.

Visit Sherman Laundry.

Nearly 100 visitors were at the Sherman laundry Monday, the first day of the all week benefit for the Red Cross chapter. for every visitor F.V. Sherman will give ten cents to the chapter. Automobiles were kept busy going back and forth. St. Margaret’s guild after their meeting in the Boston Store tea rooms, attended in a body.

Tags: 1917, Atweil, Plaister, Red Cross

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 10, 1905

A Real Live Sensation On

Police Alarm Sounded Saturday Night and Immense Crowd Assembled.

Blocked Street For An House

Waited Sixty Long and Awful Minutes While a Policeman Closed a Contract for a Room in a Business Block.

Saturday night after supper at the time the streets were crowded with people, the police alarm at the corner of Seventh street and Central avenue began sounding wildly, and was not long in calling a large crowd to the point to see what was the matter.

It was but a few moments until one of the policemen ran up the stairway into a nearby business block, and this clinched the surmise that there was something sensational doing in that neighborhood. The crowd surged up the street to the entrance, and there all progress was blocked so far as the sidewalk and half of the street were concerned. It was only a few minutes until there were all sorts of stories going the rounds each one more livid than the proceeding one, till the crowd had an idea that there were at least a half dozen people weltering in gore up in the block somewhere. Some of them had it that a man had been found dead in the building, others that a fellow had his throat cut, adn so the rumors were hatched till there was enough excitement there to furnish a good sized hanging.

for more than an hour the crowd of horror-filled people hung about the entrance, and even this morning not more than a few had found out that the cause of the whole excitement was the desire of one of the policemen to rent a room from the owner of the block.

He had seen about it a day or two before, but was not assured he could have it at the time. Later the proprietor found he could accommodate him, called up the police headquarters to tell him of the face. At the same instant he called up the city hall, central started the police call, and this was the cause of the startling occurrence which would have been in better season on April 1st.

Tags: 1905

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 9, 1903

Were Wedded After Lapse of Many Years

Youthful Romance of Manson People Ends Happily After Ten years of Waiting.

Manson, April 9 – Some years ago, about ten if we are not mistaken, J.B. Benton wooed a young lady in Manson, Miss Mary Fluharty. The affection was returned, but for some reason the parents of the young lady objected to the marriage, and Mary being a dutiful girl, listened to the parental objection and told her lover that the wedding could not be consummated.

Years passed. Mr. Benton met another young woman, and married her. In the course of time the wife died. His first love remained single. He was located in Bosatt, Idaho.

He again offered his hand and heart and was accepted. Miss Fluharty went out to Idaho, and the marriage took place on the 2d of April.

After ten long years of waiting, love has been rewarded by its faithfulness. We occasionally read of such things, but it is not often they come home to us as in this case. Manson friends of Miss Fluharty, of whom she has many, congratulate her upon her happy marriage.

(Editor’s note: I have no idea what they meant by Bosatt, Idaho. I found a listing for Basalt, and of course there is Boise. Unless there is a ghost town of that name, I’m guessing one or the other of those two towns was meant.)

Tags: 1903, Benton, Fluharty

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 9, 1903

Was a Boy in Fort Dodge

Willard, Specialty Artist, Known to Many in City

He showed Here This Week.

Act Consisted of Difficult Balancing Feats on Bicycle on Slack Wire.

Several years ago, Thomas Willard, Tom Willard, he was known in those days, was accustomed to do stunts in the back yard with a toy velocipede and a clothes line. At the Midland Monday evening, people wondered and applauded at the skillful act of the lithe young man who made a bicycle do incredible things on a slack wire. It was Tom Willard again, but grown to man’s estate, and recognized by few of the many who made up the audience.

The clothes line and the toy bicycle have given place to the genuine article, and Tom Willard is now prepared to go up against the best show people in his class.

Mr. Willard, with his wife, came to this city with the North Brothers, comedians, but Monday was his last appearance with the troupe. He severed his connection with the company to accept a position with a Palace water show, which is to play along the Mississippi this summer. He and his wife are now visiting in Algona.

The Willard family is still well remembered by many Fort Dodge people. The father was a plasterer by trade.

Tags: 1903, bicycle act