Archive for August, 2011

20
Aug

Sends Wolf Pelt by Mail

   Posted by: admin    in Animals, Lehigh

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 20, 1903

Sends Wolf Pelt by Mail

Lehigh Man’s Novel Plan to Pay His Taxes

Asks That County Treasurer Apply on His Taxes the Bounty of $4 Allowed for Skins

“Please apply enclosed wolf pelts on my taxes,” reads a communication from Lehigh received at the office of the county treasurer today.

The county auditor has them on his hands which have been transferred to this keeping by the county treasurer. The pelts are those of young wolves, and are worth $2 each, the bounty paid by the county. The name of the Lehigh man who has resorted to this novel manner to pay his taxes is withheld by the recipient of the letter.

The wolf pelts were wrapped in paper and sent by mail. The bounty of $4, however, cannot be applied to the taxes until the pelts are personally sworn to.

(Editor’s note: The wolf pelt bounty would be about $96 today.)

Tags:

20
Aug

Michael Schumack Passes Away

   Posted by: admin    in Death, obituary

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 20, 1903

Michael Schumack Passes Away

A Well Known Railroad Man Succumbs to Long Illness.

Funeral Will Take Place Tomorrow Morning – Has Been in Employ of the Illinois Central.

Michael M. Schumack, a hostler at the Illinois Central roundhouse died at his home at 429 Tenth avenue south Wednesday afternoon at 1:15 after four weeks illness. Death was due to heart failure, which was aggravated by an attack of scarlet fever.

Deceased leaves a wife and five month’s old child, besides one brother, James, living in this city. At the time of his death he was twenty-six years old. He was born and raised in the eastern part of the state. Since moving to the city a year and a half ago he has been in the employ of the Central where he was popular and well liked by all the men.

Deceased was at one time fireman on the Northwestern, when he was located at Boone. The funeral will take place from Sacred Heart church Friday morning at 10 o’clock. None of the out of town relatives will be able to reach the city in time to attend the funeral.

Tags: ,

20
Aug

Ray Roper Painfully Injured

   Posted by: admin    in Accident, Animals, Havelock

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 20, 1903

Ray Roper Painfully Injured

Sustains a Broken Leg in Runaway at Havelock

Horse Became Frightened and Starts to Run – Mr. Roper Jumps and Catches Foot in Wheel.

Ray Roper, traveling representative for the Fort Dodge Grocery company, met with a serious runaway accident Wednesday afternoon near Havelock, as the result of which he is suffering from a broken leg and other injuries.

Mr. Roper in company with another gentleman was driving near Havelock, when the horse became unmanageable, and started to run away. Mr. Roper was not driving so that he was free to jump which he did, but in lighting he in some way caught his leg in the wheel. At the speed of which the vehicle was moving it was impossible to extricate his limb so that he was dragged some distance during which he sustained a compound fracture of the leg which will necessitate his absence from work for some time. the driver kept his seat and was uninjured.

Mr. Roper is now in Havelock, where he is being nursed by his father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Haney Roper, who went to Havelock Wednesday evening. The accident happened at five in the afternoon.

Dr. Saunders, of Fort Dodge, was summoned to Havelock to assist in the care of the patient. A telegram received from him today indicates that the injury is quite serious.

Tags: , ,

20
Aug

Concrete Work is Completed

   Posted by: admin    in City Council, Transportation

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 20, 1903

Concrete Work is Completed

Laying of Asphalt Paving is Nearing the End.

Expected to Be Finished Within Two Weeks – Job Completed on Contract Time.

The work on the asphalt paving is fast drawing to a close. The concrete work was completed today and William Murdock, who has charge of this work and a gang of nine men, leaves tonight for Waterloo where the company has a contract.

There now remains but seven blocks to receive the asphalt surfacing, so that the entire work will be completed within two weeks. The work is finished down Second avenue north as far as Thirteenth street, and but two blocks are to be covered on Twelfth street.

Altho the weather has not been ideal the job will be completed within contract time. When the work is finished here the plant which has been used here will be taken to Waterloo.

While the paving has cost the property owners considerable, yet a great deal of the money has been left in the city. The company has had from 100 to 125 men on the pay roll which has totaled $2,000 every two weeks and a larger part of this money is left right in Fort Dodge.

Assistant cashier for the company, C.L. Howe will be in the city Friday.

W.R. McLaughlin, district manager for the company is also in the city.

Tags: , , ,

19
Aug

Would Return The “Cardiff Giant”

   Posted by: admin    in Entertainment

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 19, 1903

Would Return The “Cardiff Giant”

Suggestion to That Effect is Made by G.F. Rankin – May Take Up Matter.

Place Image in the Park

The Famous International Hoax, Now in a Barn in Boston, Could be Purchased and Brought to Fort Dodge – Would Attract Attention.

Why not return the Cardiff giant to Fort Dodge?

The famous giant, the story of whom is entwined with that of the early history of Fort Dodge, has been absent from this vicinity for thirty-five years. His present resting place is in a barn in Boston.

G.F. Rankin is the originator of the scheme to return the Cardiff Giant to Fort Dodge. In speaking of the matter Mr. Rankin said today that he will head the list with $5 for the purpose of subscribing an amount necessary to buy the stone man and return him to this city. The giant is now resting in a barn in the city of Boston where he has been deserted and nearly forgotten. It is Mr. Rankin’s plan to buy the image form its present owner, convey it to Fort Dodge and here set it up in the city park together with a brief sketch of its history.

Much has been written and said about the world renowned fake since it was discovered near Cardiff, New York, nearly thirty-five years ago. According to the many stories told of the giant it was in 1868 that Hull and Black came to Fort Dodge and quarried an immense piece of gypsum for the purpose, they said, of making it Iowa’s contribution to the Washington monument. The stone it is known was dug up in Gypsum Hollow, carted to Boone and on a flat car taken from that place to Chicago and finally east. After much labor and pains it was carved until it assumed the likeness of the petrified remains of an immense man. The stone was buried near Cardiff, New York, in the fall and dug up the following spring, when the money-making reign of its discovers (sic) begun. It was finally declared and proven a hoax by Professor Marsh of Yale.

Because of the fact that the Cardiff giant had his origin in Fort Dodge, and also in view of hte fact that the fake has been seen by a comparatively few, should the stone man be returned to this city and set up in a public place he would be of interest, not alone to the city, but to everyone.

The matter of buying the giant may be taken up and a subscription list for that purpose started.

Tags: , ,

18
Aug

Many Victims of Soda Water Habit

   Posted by: admin    in Entertainment, Food

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 18, 1903

Many Victims of Soda Water Habit

Fountain Habit is Almost as Hard to break as That Acquired at the Bar

Druggist Tells of Increase

Of Soda Drinkers This Summer, saying That More Soft Drinks Are Being Sold in Fort Dodge This Summer Than Ever Before

Fort Dodge lovers of soda water concoctions still continue to throng to their favorite refreshment resorts altho the weather during the last week would not seem a strong incentive. Those who are fond of creations such as “Hooligan’s Flip” Dust Chop Suey Sundae patronize the drug stores solely in search of such preparations. But the fact that the soda fountains are doing more business this year than ever before is not so much the stern necessity of quenching the thirst but the habit once formed by the fountain devotee is seemingly almost as hard to break as the one formed by the perpetual booze fighter for alcoholic beverages.

The fact is people, men as well as women are more restless in the summer. When they can think of nothing else to do they repair to the nearest soda fountain and there pass away the time downing some mixture prepared by the fizz water clerk.

“It’s got to be a steady drink,” explained the local druggist yesterday after he had declared that more soda water has been drunk in Fort Dodge this summer than ever before in spite of the cool weather. “They drink it now because afternoon is warm,” he continued, “and they drink it next day because the morning is cool. No doubt a very how season would have increased the receipts at the fountains; but the situation isn’t what it was ten years ago, when every chilly day in the summer meant practically no soda water sales at all.

“This visiting the fountain is a habit of course. But humanity and especially the American humanity must have its little habits, we can safely say for the soda water tipplers that their indulgence is usually harmless. A man and particularly a women may take too much iced stuff; too much sugar, too many nuts and other rich things as a soda water fountain. But after all it’s merely the same danger to which the community is exposed daily at it’s (sic) dinner table. And there are few persons either, who find it convenient to drink soda water more than once or twice a day; the fact that you can’t carry the fountain home is a might good thing for you and for us. As to the adulterants the poisonous preservatives that you read about, that’s an abuse confined to the cheap, second-rate fountains. A first class concern does too much business, has too much as stake, to trifle with its customer’s health.

“Yes, hitting the fizz water is a habit and a growing one. I can’t say tho that he habit has increased any more, proportionately among the women than among the men. It’s true that many girls look on a “sundae” after the matinee as an artistic and necessary part of the play – the curtain is pulled down, to their young eyes by the boy with the white jacket. It can’t be doubted, either, that women console themselves at the fountain after shopping in bad luck, and celebrate at the same spot, their victories over the girl behind the bargain counter much as the lads on change keep up their equilibrium of soul by prescriptions from the bar. But the soda menu has gained popularity quite as rapidly among the men. Many a business man is a regular visitor at our fountain to day who would no more have called for a ‘Pineapple Frappe’ five years ago than he would have put his hat on with a pin.

“Among the male customers an egg phosphate is probably the favorite drink. It’s nutritious, a real tonic and quite harmless. Fellows come in after that as they would call at a saloon for a ‘life preserver’ in the morning or a ‘bracer’ later in the day. But the ladies smile the brightest when they’re meeting an appointment with a ‘sundae.’ I think I have guessed the reason. There isn’t any soda in a sundae, so the contrary creatures like to buy it at a soda fountain.

“As a matter of fact – tho I wouldn’t want the girls to know it – anybody can serve sundae anywhere. With a pail of ice cream and a few bottles of syrup, chocolate and fresh fruit; any person could furnish very good sundaes on the street corner. Any woman could put things up at home to entertain her friends. Indeed a sundae is, strictly speaking a cafe dish and it originated some years ago in a big Chicago restaurant. At present the ‘nut sundae’ is the thing for which sweethearts are forgetting their respective ‘noblest men in the world’; and the nut sundae is merely a spoonful of ice cream underneath a mixture of chocolate cream and nuts.

“But only a reformer who views with horror has to be told that our fountains supply something besides eggs phosphates and sundaes. It’s a neck-and-neck race with the barkeeper and the fountain boy to see which one will have the most glorious inspirations. At some Fort Dodge fountains you could surround a new drink every day from now until the middle of next August. Altho the sale of cold drinks fall off in the winter, they are still be had at some fountains, and hot drinks come in, of course, with snowstorms.”

Tags:

17
Aug

Newsboys to the Shows

   Posted by: admin    in Entertainment

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 17, 1906

Newsboys to the Shows

Carrier Boys of Messenger go Through The “White City” Last Night.

The newsboys of the Messenger office, about twenty-two in number, were treated to a visit to Parker’s White City last evening through the courtesy of the management. The boys first “took-in” the Eruption of Vesuvius show; next the Creation show and the Novelty theatre. At the proper time they all filed into the Bagdad tent and were shown to excellent seats in the reserved section. The performance of Bagdad was hugely enjoyed by all the boys present as was quite evident from the expressions on their faces. The boys say that McCabe, the Irish comedian made the greatest “hit” with them.

On account of the storm, it was impossible to continue on their rounds after the Bagdad show was over. It is needless to say that the boys appreciated the privelege of “going to the show” and they were not snow in expressing their opinions in the loudest terms.

The heat of yesterday did not seem to effect (sic) the evening business very much. The crowd was large and as the storm did not come up until the Bagdad performance was well over, everything went along very well.

Tags: , ,

15
Aug

Young Furniture Maker is Genius

   Posted by: admin    in Business, People

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 15, 1904

Young Furniture Maker is Genius

Henry Carlson Designs and Makes Furniture Which is Unequaled

Uses No Pattern Whatever

Young Man Who Has Only Been in This Country a Year and Who Has Had No Previous Experience is Very Skillful.

Henry Carlson, a young man employed in the furniture repair room at the A.D. McQuilken furniture store has proven that he is an excellent workman in furniture manufacturing. He has made several articles of furniture which exhibited in the window of the McQuilken store show the designer and maker to be a man of genius in this line.

The first that his talent was discovered by the other employes (sic) in the store and by Mr. McQuilken was when he asked some of the employes to come to his room and see a chair which he had made in the evenings after his working hours were over. The employes as a rule accepted his invitation and went to the room to see the chair. When they saw the chair they were all delightfully surprised as the chair was indeed a beauty. The chair was a large rocker made solely with the use of a saw, knife and hammer. The chair is an enormous one and is beautiful in design. It is said o be one of the most comfortable chairs imaginable.

After this he was given more work of this kind and in no case has he failed to do as good a job as is done with the must uptodate (sic) machinery, while he uses only the saw, knife and hammer. He has made several articles for people who have wished something made by special pattern. He is quick to catch any one’s idea as to how a piece of furniture is to be made and as soon as he understands the design he is able to go directly to work on it and without the use of a pattern or any other design to make the article. His work is speedily done and is very neat with finished. He has made book cases, hall trees, music cabinets and magazine stands which are now exhibited on the McQuilken window.

One of the most beautiful pieces of workmanship is a gentleman’s shaving stand which he has just finished. The stand has a mirror on the top which can be turned or revolved in any direction. A music cabinet which he also recently finished was designed by him from a description of one he received from a man who wished one made for himself.

A magazine rack which he made, he designed wholly himself. He has made several others from pictures he has seen of them but this one he designed himself and is a great improvement over any of the others. It can be used as a small bookcase to contain books which one needs in any part of the house away from the large bookcases. The stand although seemingly being small has a capacity of a large number of books or magazines.

The shaving stand which he made was a surprise to Mr. McQuilken, as he had had several of similar appearance before and while he was in Chicago this last time on his purchasing trip this stand was made. It was feared for awhile that Mr. McQuilken would buy one while on his trip as he was much pleased with them, but he returned without one and was glad to find that he would have one in stock although he had neglected to buy one while away.

Another piece of furniture which probably attracts the most attention of any is a large upholstered couch. This couch was designed by this young gentleman after a picture of one he had seen in a magazine. The couch is a very beautiful one and isĀ  upholstered in leather. The couch is made in the style so universally popular now, that of the massive old time furniture. The couch looks as though fastened together by wooden bolts, and in every way its appearance as a couch made one hundred years back is carried out. The upholstering is of felt and is made to that it can be taken off, if desired. The couch is the most comfortable couch that has ever been carried in stock according to Mr. McQuilken.

The story of the life of this talented man is very interesting. He arrived in this country less than one year ago from Sweden and as yet it is hard for him to understand some points of English grammar. He understands perfectly what is said to him and is also able to read newspapers and books, which is very remarkable for one who has been in this country as short a length of time as he was. From the artistic work turned out by him one would think he must have been a furniture maker in his own country but until he commenced work at the McQuilken store he had never done any work of this kind. The work in fact comes natural to him and he is able to do as good work as is done in the leading furniture factories of this country with the aid of skilled workman and the latest machinery.

Tags: , ,

15
Aug

Disastrous Fire at Eagle Grove

   Posted by: admin    in Disasters, Eagle Grove, Fire

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 15, 1905

Disastrous Fire at Eagle Grove

Wells Block Opera House is Wiped Out – Fire Started From Gasoline Stove

Webster City, Aug. 15 – (Special to the Messenger) – Fire ot (sic) Eagle Grove last night totally destroyed the opera house block and Wells restaurant and the rear part of the I.O.O.F. hall. Loss about twenty-five thousand dollars ($598,737 today), mostly covered by insurance.

The fire started in the restaurant from the explosion of a gasoline stove. There were a number of men in the place at the time eating, besides the cook and night waiter of the cafe. The explosion occurred about midnight and burst forth so suddenly that all within the room were forced to beat a hasty retreat before the flames.

They were hardly able to enter the place again for the fire spread in a few minutes over nearly every part of the building. The fire company was called out and though they worked heroicly (sic) against the flames it was soon evident that they were of no avail and then confined themselves to trying to save the adjoining buildings. The opera house soon took fire but the other buildings were saved. Not until five o’clock this morning did the watchers feel safe to return from the scene of the ruins.

Tags:

15
Aug

Business Block for First Avenue South

   Posted by: admin    in Business, Real estate

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 15, 1904

Business Block for First Avenue South

Big Three Story Double Store to be Build (sic) at 8th Street and First Ave. South.

Be Finished in Four Months

Upper Stories Furnished for Office Rooms and Flats – Will Be One of the Best Business Buildings of the City – Work Began at Once.

The contract has just been let for the erection of a fine business block on First ave south at the corner of Eighth Street. J.T. Gleason is the man who is backing the enterprise.

Double Store Room

The building is to be three stories with a basement the full length. The lower part of the structure will be finished and fitted for two store rooms, both of which will be large and roomy designed to accommodate two large business enterprises. The second story of the structure will be finished up for offices and flats. It as (sic) not yet been decided what will be done with the third story. The office rooms and flats will be finished in the latest and most up-to-date manner, and the building, when completed, will be one of the finest in the city.

Will Be Finished in Four Months.

The contract has been let to W.J. Zitterell of this city, who is to turn over the completed building for acceptance inside of the next four months. Work will be begun at once. The excavators will begin this week, and the project pushed to completion with all possible haste.

Purpose Not Known.

What the purpose of Mr. Gleason is in the erection of the building is not known. When asked this morning what business would occupy the structure, he stated he had nothing to say with regard to this part of the matter, but inferred it might be for rent. Architect J.H. Albrigh3t (sic) designed the building.

Tags: , , ,