The Fort Dodge Messenger: Nov. 5, 1906

Ladies Got Dumped Out

Tongue of Carriage Buried in ground by Force of Runaway – Occurs on 15th Street Viaduct.

The tongue of the buggy was driven several feet into the ground, the fair occupants were dumped unceremoniously into the street and the team trotted home, uninjured, with the tugs and ends of the harness trailing behind them. Such was the result of a peculiar accident on the hill near the 15th street viaduct Saturday evening as the Misses Oleson, daghters (sic) of Mrs. Gunder Oleson, of Badger, were driving home after a visit in Fort Dodge. The team was not harnessed very securely so that when they were making the descent the tugs became unfastened, and the tongue fell and frightened them.

The team ran across the viaduct, finally stopping when the tongue was driven into the ground and the young ladies were thrown from the buggy. No serious injuries were reported, although the Misses Oleson sustained a bad fall.

Tags: 1906, Oleson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Nov. 4, 1904

F.R. Ingersoll is Dismissed

Grand Jury Found Evidence Against Him Insufficient to Justify a Bill Being Brought.

After going over the evidence in the cage thoroughly, the grand jury returned no bill against F.R. Ingersoll the former agent of the Great Western railroad company in this city, who was charged with default to the extent of $700. Ingersoll’s case has been brought up before the district court for the last two terms, and he has been under bonds for several months. The case was to have come up at a former session, but for some reason was carried over to this term with the result that he is now a free man and may go where he will without bonds.

Mr. Ingersoll was for several years the trusted agent of the company here, and when he was released by another man (and) was placed under arest, (sic) the surprise was general. The arrest was made on an alleged shortage on the amount stated above. His friends will be much pleased to hear that the evidence against him was not strong enough to hold him

Tags: 1904, Ingersoll

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Nov. 3, 1903

Fish in the Farm Fields

An Interesting “Fish Story” From Hamilton County

After Past Wet Seasons Fish Have Been Deposited on Drying Farm Meadows

Webster City, Ia., Nov. 3 – Catfish and bullheads are so plentiful in the ponds, marshes and low places in the southern part of Hamilton county that women go out in the fields to the nearest ponds and gather them up on their aprons as they would chips. This extraordinary condition of affairs has just been discovered by the farmers of the section and “fish gathering” within the past few days has become quite the order of the day.

The fearfully wet seasons of 1902 and 1903 has brought about this strange phenomenon. All the streams during these two years have been so high that the fish, in seeking the headwaters have followed up the creeks, drain ditches and even the drain tile, although it is averred in some parts that the natural evaporation and precipitation of water has been carried on so quickly that small fish and spawn have been lifted from the rivers and have fallen with the rain. Those which fell in the lower places have lived and begot their kind. Of  course this story is more or less discredited, yet the fact remains that the farms in the southern part of the county are well supplied with fish. When the waters receded the fish were unable to get out of the ponds and marshes and can now be easily caught. Many of these ponds have receded to such an extent that the fish can be picked out of them with their hands.

There is something very peculiar about the way the bullheads act as the waters begin to dry up. The other day Sam Varland, a prosperous farmer living near Radcliffe, was crossing one of his fields when he came upon a small pond almost dry. Thinking, perhaps, there were fish in it, he removed his shoes and stockings and waded in. He found it literally crowded with bullheads and cat. While engaged in throwing them out with his hand he felt something hard and slimy deep down in the mud. He ran his hand down and what was his surprise to pull out a big bullhead weighing about four pounds. He kept on digging about, and before he left the pond he had succeeded in pulling twenty-five big fish out of the mud.

Fishermen explain this by saying that the bullhead, as soon as the waters begin to recede and freeze, will dig deep down into the mud, where it will live all winter and come forth again in the spring. Fishing in the larger ponds of the country has been common all summer but no one dreamed until recently that they were so full of fish as they now seem to be. All the farmers are now making a specialty of cleaning out their ponds and all the low places upon th efarm.

Much interest is manifest all over the county in the matter of fishing. It is likely that the farmers will get such a fill of fish that they will have no liking for the finny tribe after the present season is over.

Tags: 1903, Varland

The Fort Dodge Democrat, Nov. 2, 1861

A Destructive Prairie Fire

The most destructive Prairie Fire ever witnessed in North-Western Iowa, occured (sic) on the 28th, near Dayton, but supposed to have originated near Jefferson, on Coon River, the greatest damages, however, occured (sic) at the former place, burning Timber, Fences, Hay, Grain, &c., to an unlimited extent, compelling farmers either to sell their stock for merely nothing or leave them to famish with the cold and hunger. – The scamp who perpetrated the crime, should be severely punished.

The Prairie Fires illuminate the atmosphere nightly. It (is) to be deplored that the laws are not more strictly enforced with regard to setting out fire. Unprincipled persons thus save their own property suffering the conflagration thus raised to destroy the property of persons unprepared to extinguish it. In this manner a large amount of property has been consumed at Dayton on the 28th inst. Some person near Jefferson, Greene Co., are said to have occasioned this disaster.

Tags: 1861

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Nov. 1, 1905

Badger Woman is Centenarian

Celebrates Her One Hundredth Birthday Sunday at Her Badger Home.

Her Energies are Un-impaired

Her Hair Has Not Yet Turned Competely Gray, While She is Able to Knit and Also to Read. – Walk to Church on Sunday Mornings.

Mrs. Sarah Hanson of Badger celebrated her one hundredth birthday Sunday by having twenty relatives and many friends to dinner. Her birthday was on Thursday, but the celebration did not take place until Sunday, as more of the relatives could come on that day than on Sunday.

Mrs. Hanson was born in Norway on October 26th, and resided in her native country until about thirty-eight years ago when she came to American (sic) and then to Badger, where she has resided constantly ever since. She has been married twice, her first husband dying before she came to America. This husband was William Williamson. Two years after she came to Badger, she was married to Peter Hanson, twenty years her junior, who still is living.

By her first husband she had two children, Ole Williamson of Badger (and) Knute Williamson of Wisconsin, both living. The oldest son is sixty-eight years of age. Mrs. Hanson has two brothers, both of whom are living at this time.

Both of these brothers reside in Illinois, one being ninety-eight years of age and the other ninety-six. For a family of long lived people, the Williamson family, certainly should be up near the top. Neither of these brothers were able to come to their sister’s anniversary, but both sent congratulations. Her son living in Wisconsin, also sent a letter of congratulations to his mother and this was read at the celebration.

At the Sunday celebration, there were four generations present, the oldest great grandchild being sixteen years of age. There were several other great grandchildren present and a family picture was taken, and also one of the four generations.

Mrs. Hanson generally walks to church every Sunday but at this was her anniversary an dso (sic) many were coming she refrained from doing so.

A big dinner was served during the day to the assembled guests most of whom were relatives but several were friends. The pastor of the church Mrs. Hanson attends, was also at the celebration and made a long address, complimenting her and telling of her interesting life.

Mrs. Hanson is well preserved in every way, and today is able to get around in a manner to make a woman of seventy jealous. Besides her trips to church, seh knits almost constantly. She is also able to read and enjoys this very much.

Her hair is black in places, and although the gray shows, yet it is that of a woman much younger. Her hearing, although somewhat impaired is yet good, and she is able to hear an ordinary conversation. At the Sunday celebration she joined in the merrymaking with all and enjoyed the day greatly. Everyone congratulated her, and in return she told stories of her early life in far away Norway.

She told reminiscences of her childhood days, which greatly surprised, her hearers, who thought that surely her memory must have been impaired by the many years of life. However her stories were told with a vim and were very interesting to all. During the day she related storeis that would fill many a volume and stories that would rival those of fiction.

Her condition is such that her relatives feel that she will live for many years, for her vigor is equal to that of a woman much younger. Among the relatives at the celebration were Mr. and Mrs. O.O. Stageberg and children, who reside on Round Prairie in this city. Mrs. Stageberg is a grandchild of Mrs. Hanson.

Tags: 1905, Hanson, Stageberg, Williamson