Archive for September, 2011

24
Sep

Still No Danger From Jack Frost

   Posted by: admin    in Autumn, weather

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 24, 1903

Still No Danger From Jack Frost

Second Visit By the Unwelcome Stranger to this Vicinity

Tender Plants Are Touched

Every Day of Freedom From Killing Cold Means More Prosperity

An iceman once sold
Bits of ice, small and cold,
And charged for them
Their weight in gold.
At last he died,
And in torment cried,
“What wouldn’t I give
For that ice again.”

Mr. J. Frost made his second visit to Fort Dodge Wednesday night. from what can be learned by those who arose early enough to observe traces of his visit, he did not make a very lasting impression. A well known man whose word is never doubted, made the statement this morning, that but very little if any damage had been done. He also stated that the thermometer had registered but 34 at the lowest point during the early morning hours, and the frost had not done any damage on the high places and where there was shelter. On some of the low places about the city there was evidences of frost but not of a damaging character. Some of the more tender plants and vines showed traces of damage, but the more hardy varieties of vegetables and plants were not damaged.

A very favorable indication for fair weather and no frost tonight, is the friendly quarter in which the wind shifted this morning, being in the southeast. Every bright day means more prosperity for northern Iowa and incidentally Fort Dodge. It means more ground turned over by the farmers, more vegetables in the gardens, more fall pasturing for the feeders, more work for the man with the dinner pail, more building and improvements, and incidentally hands a sassy swipe to the coal trust.

24
Sep

Young Girls’ Long Walk

   Posted by: admin    in People

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 24, 1903

Young Girls’ Long Walk

Make Two Hundred Mile Tour in the Rockies

Were Formerly Residents of Jefferson – Was Rough But Healthy Exercise.

The Denver Daily News of September 13 has the following to say of some former Jefferson girls, Misses Maud and Laeta Elden, who have just taken a long tramp among the Rockies. The Misses Elden are nieces of Mesdames Enfield and Adkinson of Jefferson. The write up is accompanied by a picture of the party in walking rig:

“Miss Maud Elden and a party of friends have just ended a two hundred mile tramp at Boulder. In their tramp these parties twice crossed the ‘snowy range.’ From Boulder they went in a northwesterly direction and crossed the continental divide on Arapahoe pass, from which they descended into Middle Park. From Grand Lake they went to Estes Park, over the Famous Flat Top trail. For some distance this trail is among wild scenes 12,500 feet above the sea level. In Estes Park they spent several days and made many side trips, includingq (sic) a climb up Long’s Peak. In starting forward again they tramped for many miles along near the range, and ultimately reached Boulder by way of Allen’s Park and Jamestown.

“On the trip they wore short skits and carried but little baggage. One coffee pot and one tin pan was their only cooking outfit, and one blanket each was their only bedding.

“The weather during the tramp was ideal, and the outing brought to all a ravenous appetite. They did not carry provisions, and as most of the tour was made through a sparsely settled section, they often went hungry.

“All returned delighted with the tramp and every one is in vigorous health. All are school teachers and are graduates of the state university.

“At the head of the party was Miss Maud Elden, an instructor in the university at Boulder. The others were Miss Laeta Elden, a teacher at Sterling; Miss Helen Reed who has charge of the primary grades in the Boulder schools; Walter Reed, a teacher at Carbondale, and Ralph Reed, an instructor in the East Denver high school.

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23
Sep

City News

   Posted by: admin    in Death, Divorce, Divorce record, Kalo, Lawsuits, Marriage, obituary, Society news

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 23, 1910

City News

Marriage License
James B. Apland Kalo
Josie Hotek Kalo

■ ■ ■

Divorce Suit Dropped.

The divorce suit filed by Guy Walrod against his wife, Muriel Walrod, on the grounds of desertion has been dropped by the plaintiff and stricken from the district court docket.

■ ■ ■

Settlement is Reached

The case of George Townsend vs. Mrs. J.M. Beavers, assigned for trial at the present term of the district court, has been dismissed by the plaintiff at his cost.

■ ■ ■

Small Judgment Given

The jury in the case of Wm. Oberton vs. J.B. Black, on trial in the district court brought in a verdict awarding the plaintiff damages in the sum of $8 as a result of the defendant’s cattle trespassing on his corn fields.

■ ■ ■

Another Case Settled.

The case of Conrad Brown and Anna Brown vs. The Fort Dodge Brick and Tile Co., slated for trial at the present term of the district court, has been settled out of court, the defendant company paying the plaintiff the sum of $310 as a result of an accident suffered by their son.

■ ■ ■

Jury is Excused

Wednesday evening, owing to the settlement and continuation of many cases assigned for trial in the district court during the present week, Judge C.G. Lee dismissed the petit jurors for remainder of the present week. They will report Monday afternoon at 1:30 for service during the coming week.

■ ■ ■

Divorce Granted

Thursday afternoon Judge C.G. Lee in the district court granted a divorce to Jessie Davenport on the grounds of desertion. The number of divorces granted during the two weeks court has been in session is nearly a record breaker.

■ ■ ■

Funeral on Saturday

The funeral of the late P. Henry Vaughan, who passed away on Wednesday evening as a result of a stroke of apoplexy suffered on Tuesday morning, will be held at 9:30 on Saturday morning from Corpus Christi, with interment in Corpus Christi cemetery. All of the members of the family of the deceased are in the city to attend the funeral.

■ ■ ■

Paving is Delayed

The rain of Thursday called for a cessation of the paving work in the city, and this morning the employes (sic) are taking a still longer enforced vacation as a result of continued inclement weather. Up to the present time the men have been able to push their work with a pleasing degree of speed and little time has been lost through bad weather.

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23
Sep

Gladys Powell Burned to Death

   Posted by: admin    in Accident, Death

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 23, 1910

Gladys Powell Burned to Death

Young Girl Meets With Fatal Accident On Thursday Evening

Fell Down Cellar Stairs While Carrying Lamp

Clothing Was Completely Burned From Her Body and Death Resulted Seven Hours Later

Miss Gladys Powell, aged between sixteen and seventeen years, and who resided at 326 South Fifth street, received burns on Thursday evening about seven o’clock which resulted in her death at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital about seven hours later.

Fell Down Cellar Stairs

The family were eating their evening meal in their  home when the daughter had occasion to visit the cellar, carrying a kerosene lamp to light her way. In some unaccountable manner she tripped and fell, and her clothing was set on fire from the lamp, according to members of the city fire department who made an investigation of the case. the mother rushed to the assistance of the young woman and was herself painfully burned about the arms and face, while attempting to rescue the young woman.

Clothing Burned Off

The young lady was gowned in light fabrics and for this reason the flames took rapid hold, all her clothing being burned from her body, with the exception of about one inch of one stocking and her entire body with the exception of the waist, which was given some protection by the corset, was one immense blister as a result of the burns.

An alarm of fire was turned in from Box 43, and the central fire department responded in record time. The emergency case carried on the fire wagon was pressed into service and Chief Trusty did all in his power to relieve the suffering of the young lady until two physicians who had been summoned had arrived. The physicians gave additional needed medical attention and the young woman whom it as seen was fatally burned, and mother who was painfully burned, were then taken to St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital. The young woman passed away about one o’clock this morning as a result of her burns, and while the mother will be confined at the hospital for some time it is not believed she will suffer permanent disfigurement.

Although the accident was of the most serious nature, and resulted fatally to Miss Gladys Powell, the house was not damaged in the least, and members of the fire department for this reason were able to give all of their attention to the relieving of the suffering of the young woman until the arrival of the physicians. Chief Trusty speaks in the highest terms of praise of the emergency case which has been prepared for the city fire department by Dr. C.H. Mulroney, city health officer, and which is carried at all times on the h ose wagon sent out from the central fire station.

No Inquest Necessary

Coroner J.D. Lowry stated this afternoon it would not be necessary to hold an inquest to inquire into the death of the  young woman.

(Editor’s note: Besides the sensational nature of this article, with graphic details about the extent of the young woman’s injuries, I did see something quite interesting. It mentions an emergency case prepared by the city’s health officer, Dr. Mulroney. It sounds like an early version of what paramedics take out on calls.)

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22
Sep

Webster City Felt Shoe Factory Starts

   Posted by: admin    in Business, Webster City

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 22, 1903

Webster City Felt Shoe Factory Starts

After an Idleness of Three Months Caused by the Late Fire.

Thirty Hands are at Work

Capacity of the Factory is Six Hundred Pairs Shoes Per Day.

Webster City, Sept. 22. – After having been idle for a period of more than three months, the Northwestern Felt Shoe company’s plant resumed operations Monday in the old wholesale grocery building. The full force is not yet at work, as there is not enough material on hand, but it is expected that within ten days there will be thirty hands working.

The company has a large lot of orders ahead. There are now three traveling men on the road, Messrs. Kelly, Derr and Porter. The capacity of the new plant is 600 pairs per day, but Manager Coppenall says that they do not expect to run over 300 pairs per day this fall. He also says on account of the larger number of orders ahead it is likely that the plant will run until about the first of December. It is customary to close plants of this kind fully a month earlier than this.

The new company is nicely situated. At present it occupies only the second floor of the wholesale grocery building with an office down stairs. With the expansion which will be made in the spring, the company will occupy the whole of the building. F.S. Currie is in charge of the office, while Mr. Coppenall is managing the plant. The felt now being used in the shoes is all new goods. There was no felt saved from the fire which destroyed the former plant of the company. It is the purpose to work the new plant up to the full efficiency of the former factory.

The cutters, lasters and fitters began Monday morning and will get the raw material in shape for the full force within ten days. However, all the machinery is not in operation.

(Editor’s note: The fire occurred on June 16, 1903, and there was a problem with the former manager on Sept. 14, 1903.)

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22
Sep

The Siren Auto Horn

   Posted by: admin    in Automobile, Lawsuits

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 22, 1906

The Siren Auto Horn

Description of the “Horn  That Startled the Mayor” – is in Favor With Autoists.

The suit of the city of Fort Dodge against Ed Rank in the effort to make him lay aside the siren horn on his auto, which holds the record for strange suits in this state for some years past is for trial at the next term of the district court. In view of this face a description of the horn that caused the trouble and in the words of big headlines in leading dailies all over the country, “startled the mayor” will no doubt be interesting to many.

The horn was invented by a Frenchman about two years ago and at once took a popular place. It is operated automatically by the pressing of a lever. The sound is produced by a revolving mechanism in the front of the horn and stars (sic) with a slight whir-louder (sic). The principle is the same as in the small “Devil Whistles” much in favor with small boys. The lever presses a bulb against the fly wheel which turns the “buzz mechanism” in the front part of the horn and starts the sound. A special copy right cable from Paris to the New York World on the siron (sic) horn has some interesting points on the matter. It is as follows:

Paris, Sept. 21. – Sirens instead of ordinary horns are growing in use among automobilists. This warning apparatus, which makes a noise like the wail of a lost soul, is much more effective as a frightener than any common tooter. A cart driver asleep in the bottom of his vehicle is not easily roused by the sound of an ordinary auto horn because he long since has become accustomed to it, but the siren’s song awakens him to the danger and the necessity of giving a portion of the route.

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21
Sep

Potato Famine Has Been Broken

   Posted by: admin    in Farm life, Food

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 21, 1903

Potato Famine Has Been Broken

And Joy Reigns in the Kitchens of Fort Dodge Once More.

Is Dry Enough to Dig Them

And As a Consequence Plenty of Mealy Tubers Come on Market.

Joy reigns supreme in the hearts of the Fort Dodge housewife today – the potato famine is broken.

After a week’s almost total absence, the ever edible tubers are again with us and once more occupy a prominent place on the boarding house table, as well as on the bill of fare of the ordinary home dinner table.

As has been stated, potatoes were off the market for a while last week, after the long continued rainy weather, and were hard to secure during the latter part of the week, but today murphies may again be had without any particular standin (sic) with the grocery man.

Beginning at a dollar a bushel ($24), the first of last week and steadily advancing until they could not be purchased for love or money, and closing the week at $1.25 ($30) potatoes were scarce all week, but the price has dropped to $1 today and dealers are looking forward to a further decline.

The return of ideal weather has besides saving the corn crop, brought about the return of the potato. The recent famine was due entirely to the rains, it being impossible to dig potatoes in damp ground, and almost similar conditions had prevailed in Minnesota, where Iowa receives most of her supply. Now that the ground is in condition to be worked, farmers are bringing many into the city and a car of Minnesotas was received today at one of the local commission houses, so that no one need be without potatoes today.

The crop is said to be bad in this vicinity this year, the wet weather having rotted many of the tubers, but a good harvest is looked for in Minnesota and the western states, so that the present figure of $1 per bushel can not continue long.

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21
Sep

Monday Morning’s Police Court

   Posted by: admin    in Police court

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 21, 1903

Monday Morning’s Police Court

The Usual Number of People Charged With Law’s Violation Before Mayor.

Charge Theft and Drinking

Man Fined $7.25 for Beating His Horses Unmercifully and Using Profanity.

A gray haired man over fifty years old was arrested by the police this morning upon information from the sheriff of Pocahontas county, who had warned local officers to be on the lookout for the man whose name was Frank Emmons who had absconded from Fonda, on last Saturday, having in his possession a large quantity of upholstering tools, leather and cloth furniture coverings which he h ad stolen from a furniture dealer of that place, leaving town upon the same day.

The supposition of the Fonda sheriff that Emmons had come to Fort Dodge was correct for three grips, containing the described articles were found at the American Express office this morning, and Emmons was arrested shortly after when he came after the grips. The Fonda officers have been notified and will come to the city tonight to conduct Emmons to that place.

Emmons seems peculiar as if he were not in his right mind. He explains the matter by saying that he is out on the road, got drunk, and just landed in Fort Dodge. The value of the articles stolen would amount to over $25 ($599 today). Emmons has two new suits of clothing and two pair of shoes in his possession but only sixty cents ($14.37) in cash.

Stealing a kit of tools from his employer an hour after he had received employment on the plea that he was hungry is the crime Jack Ryan will be charged with in police court Tuesday morning. Ryan, who is a stranger here got a job cleaning gasoline stoves from M. Rhyne, proprietor of a second hand store on first avenue south this morning, after completing the work and receiving his pay stole the tools, so it is said, that he had used to clean the stoves, Mr. Rhyne being too busy at the time to notice their absence.

Ryan was later in the day arrested for drunkenness and the tools, the missing of which Mr. Ryne had reported to the police, were found in his possession.

Elmer Porter, a teamster, also figured in police court this morning. Porter was charged with disturbing the public quiet and using profane language.

The charges were filed by Mrs. Richadr (Richard) Linthel, who lives hear Porter on the round prairie. Mrs. Linthel also testified that Porter was often guilty of mistreating his horses.

Porter was let off with the costs of the case or $7.25 ($174).

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20
Sep

Swindler Comes to Unexpected Grief

   Posted by: admin    in Scams

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 20, 1906

Swindler Comes to Unexpected Grief

Man Who Attempted to Rob Andrew Hower is Caught by Police in Wisconsin

After attempting to swindle Henry Hower, a member of the upper Central Avenue business firm, Hoffman & Hower, John Mueller a clever crook, came to grief at Hudson, Wisconsin, in attempting to work the same dodge upon D. Hoffman, the proprietor of a small grocery store.

Mueller reached Hudson on the same day with a carnival company billed in there for the week. He was rather seedy looking, and passed himself off for a retired farmer residing near Albert Lea, Minnesota. On the day of his arrival he approached Hoffman for the sale of his store, saying that he had just disposed of his farm near Albert Lea, and was looking for a business location. Hoffman arranged for the transfer of his business to Mueller for the consideration of $4,000 ($95,798 today), Mueller giving Hoffman a worthless check, drawn on the State Bank at Albert Lea for $500.00 ($11,975), asking for a receipt for the same.

When Hoffman made the receipt out Mueller seemed rather careless and indifferent to it, which aroused the suspicions of the grocer. He at once sent his daughter to the telephone office to talk with Albert Lea, and learn the amount of the deposit and standing of Mueller in the Minnesota city. She learned that there was no such a depositor on the books of the bank, and more over that he was wanted in Albert Lea to answer to the charge of swindling.

She hastened back to her father, in the mean time warning the city police who arrested Mueller when he attempted to make a swift “getaway.”

Mueller was in the city the early part of the week, and attempted to purchase, with bogus checks, a portion of some city property owned by Mr. Hower. While he was at the bank depositing the five dollar check ($120) given him to bind the bargain by Mueller, the swindler attempted to secure a loan of ten dollars ($239) from Mrs. Hower, who was too shrewd to give it to him. He left before the return of Mr. Hower.

(Editor’s note: There seems to be some confusion about names. Mr. Hower is referred to as Andrew in the drophead and Henry in the article. I’m not sure if there is confusion about Hoffman, since the article refers to Hoffman & Hower, and to D. Hoffman, a grocery store proprietor in Hudson, Wisconsin.)

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19
Sep

Free Want Ads For Present Week

   Posted by: admin    in Advertising

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 19, 1910

Free Want Ads For Present Week

Readers’ Attention is Directed to The Enlarged Classified Department of This Issue

This evening the first of the free Want Ads appear, and during each evening this week The Chronicle will given (sic) free service to any who desires same, merely for the purpose of demonstrating to the people of Fort Dodge more thoroughly than has ever been done before the benefit of the Chronicle’s classified department.

The number given today is a large one and if the reader will look over the same he may find some article he desires to purchase, or may find some one who is looking for some particular article which he has for sale. Read them every evening during this week, and by that time the habit will be so firmly fixed with you that it will be one of the departments never overlooked in reading the evening paper. There are hundreds of good bargains offered and there are a great many opportunities to dispose of certain articles.

During the present week, as has been announced in these columns in the past, a free service will be given to the people of Fort Dodge and vicinity. This offer is open to all, whether subscribers of the Chronicle or not, and is merely made to demonstrate the value of classified advertising. All ads received up to noon each day will appear in that evening’s issue of The Chronicle, but they must be forwarded by mail or brought to this office as under this offer we would be swamped if an effort was made to take the same over telephone. That a large number were received at this office after noon t0-day accounts for their non-appearance this evening, but they will be found under the proper classification on Tuesday evening and will be run for the remainder of the week unless the party inserting the same notifies us their wants have been supplied.

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