Archive for February, 2012

29
Feb

Death of Mrs. D.A. Haviland

   Posted by: admin    in Death, obituary

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 29, 1904

Death of Mrs. D.A. Haviland

Stroke of Paralysis Causes Demise After Protracted Illness.

She Was Well Beloved

Had Been a Resident of Fort Dodge Since 1854 – Family Assembling.

After an illness which lasted from August last, Mrs. David A. Haviland answered the call of her Lord and passed from this earth at 7:43 last evening at her home, number 1300, Sixth avenue north. Never was news of one’s death met with more sorrow than was this one by many friends of the family who were pioneers of Fort Dodge.

Mrs. Haviland with her husband was among the first to come to this city when it was but a small trading post on the banks of the Des Moines, and has lived here and seen it thru its many changes until the present time.

Cecelia Wood, which was Mrs. Haviland’s maiden name, was born in Delchertown (sic), Massachusetts, November 21, 1826, where she lived until about four years of age when her parents moved to the state of Illinois. Hhere (sic) she lived until womanhood and on December 12, 1844 she was married to David A. Haviland in La Salle by Rev. W. Bassett.

In 1854, Mr. and Mrs. Haviland moved to this state and settled in Fort Dodge in what is now the north part of the city and where had been the family home ever since.

There are left to mourn the loss of a mother, eight children, two of whom reside in this city. they are, Mrs. David Risk of Rolfe; Mrs. W.G. Moore of this city; Mrs. Charles A. Stevens of Des Moines; Miss Hattie A. Haviland of Denver; Mrs. R.F. Coyle, of Denver; F.P. Haviland, of St. Charles, Illinois; Miss Carrie Haviland of this city and E.G. Haviland formerly of this city but now of Ladysmith, Wisconsin. All members of the family were notified by telegraph of their loss and will come as soon as possible.

Mrs. Haviland had been a sufferer from heart failure since last August which caused a stroke of paralysis about six weeks ago. this was followed by a second stroke a month later which with her extreme age was the cause of her death. ZShe was seventy-seven years, three months and seven days old at the time of her death.

Owing to the delay in waiting for absent relatives no definite arrangements as yet (have) been given out (regarding) the burial.

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29
Feb

Webster City Young Men Sad

   Posted by: admin    in Railroad, Webster City

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 29, 1904

Webster City Young Men Sad

One Result of a Recent Trip to the Neighboring Gypsum City.

They Were Given Good Time

And When They Went Back Home They Slept Too Soundly.

Two young men whose homes are in Webster City came to Fort Dodge the other day and had an awful time getting home. The Webster City freeman-Tribune says they were shown a good time in Fort Dodge and from past experience of Webster City’s good times in Fort Dodge it is more than likely that while here they contributed generously to the mulct tax.

Their sad story is told by the Freeman-Tribune in the following:

“A three mile walk and a livery bill of $3.50, all extra was what it cost two certain Webster City young men to make a little afternoon’s trip to Fort Dodge the other day. It wasn’t because the Webster City boys got lost looking at the skyscrapers, or bought the new Crawford hotel of a sharper or anything of that kind. Oh no.

“The boys, whom we will call Jack and George, for the reason that these names will fit as well as any, spent the afternoon in the Gypsum City, were shown a first-class time by the natives, saw the gypsum mills, the ruins of the mill which burned the other night, the site where the Great Western shops were to have been built – if they hadn’t been erected in Clarion – went thru the automobile factory and numerous other sites famed on the pages of history. In the evening, tired of their sight-seeing and weary to the bone, they boarded the midnight train for home. It being so late, they felt sleepy and therefore didn’t see the lights of Webster City until the train was pulling out of Blairsburg. The boys wanted the “con” to run the train back, but he wouldn’t . Then they wanted him to carry them on to Waterloo and promise to send them back on a special car – but he wouldn’t . He just wouldn’t do anything that a good, respectable, polite conductor ought to do. The boys then wanted to fight – and he wouldn’t even do that. He just grasped them by the nape of the neck and ejected them from the train three miles out of Blairsburg.

“The men found their way to the ‘burg and by putting up $3.50 induced the livery man there to bring them back to dear old Webster City.”

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28
Feb

Marble Season in Full Blast

   Posted by: admin    in Entertainment

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 28, 1905

Marble Season in Full Blast

Fort Dodge Dealers Are Kept Busy Supplying the Small Youth With Marbles.

The Games Remain the Same

In Some Ways the Class of Marbles Has Been Bettered, But Still The Higher Classes Are Not in As Big Demand.

The small boy and marbles are connected in everyone’s thoughts at this time of year, and no matter if the streets are covered with mud, you can find the small boy at his game everywhere you go. The local dealers report the sale this year as being very large, and that already, hundreds of thousands have been disposed of.

One dealer in speaking of the matter to a Messenger reporter this morning said that the class of marbles most in demand continued to be the “comies” and “chinies,” while “glassies” held a good place in the sale. He said that as far as he knew there was little demand for the more expensive agates or cornelians this year.

The small boy changes his whims with the marble constantly. One dealer says that he finds the crockery marbles, that is in marble terms the “crockeries” were in big demand. These marbles are more expensive than either the “comies” or “chinies” but are still a cheap grade of marble. This man said that two years back the demand for these was very small but last year it grew greatly, and that before the end of this season he expect4ed that the demand for these would out reach all others.

With the older marble players, the “crockeries” and “glassies” will be used almost exclusively, as the cheaper grade do not make a big enough stake for the players with the more pronounced gambling spirit in them. Thus far however the sale has been confined to the cheaper grades, but as the season advances, the dealer expect that the sale of the better classes will grow greater.

The games played by the marble players have not changed much so far this season, and as a rule the games are the same as have been played for year. Of course as the streets are muddy, much of the playing so far is the games “Odd or Even” of (sic) “Five or Under Five” or with the figures changed.

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27
Feb

$10,000 For The Fort Dodge Schools

   Posted by: admin    in School days

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 27, 1907

$10,000 For The Fort Dodge Schools

Will of Late Harry Hawley Provides a Yearly Scholarship

Under School Board’s Control

President Butler of Board Receives a Letter Giving Paragraph in Will Which Provides for Fund for High School.

On the death of Harry W. Hawley at Oakland, California, about a year ago it was announced that provision had been made in his will for a bequest of $10,000 to the Fort Dodge high school, to be set aside as a permanent scholarship fund and its earnings used in helping one graduate each year to secure a college education.

President Bulter (sic) of the school received today a letter from the clerk of courts at Oakland in reply to a request for information concerning this clause of the will which gives information regarding the generous provision not heretofore known. The letter is as follows:

The Clause in the Will.

Oakland, Cal., Feb. 23, 1907

J.B. Butler, Esq., Fort Dodge, Ia.

Dear Sir: – Your inquiry of February 19th at hand, and in repliy (sic) thereto, I quote herein that portion of the will of Henry W. Hawley, deceased, which will interest you and your associates, viz:

“I bequeath to the Independent School District of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and the Board of Directors thereof, the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) in trust, to be by said board invested in safe interest bearing securities, as a perpetual fund for the founding of one or more scholarships to be known as the “H. W. Hawley scholarship of the Fort Dodge high school;” for the purpose of aiding worthy graduates of that school in obtaining a collegiate education only the income of said fund to be used for this purpose. I direct that the trustees of this fund shall invest the same to the best advantage and disburse the interest as herein directed. It is my wish that on the first Commencement of said school following the collection of the first yearly interest and annually thereafter the said Board and the superintendent of said school, shall elect from its graduates, one or more, who shall have, by his or her proficiency in their studies, shown themselves worthy to be aided in obtaining a collegiate education, and it is my wish that the preference be given to those who have not means of their own, and that no discrimination be made between male and female applicants.

Said Board of Directors shall determine the amount to be paid to each beneficiary, and shall pay the same to him or her from time to time, as needed, until he or she, shall have completed or abandoned college studies.

Should any one chosen as a beneficiary become, in the opinion of said directors, unworthy of said aid, said Board shall discontinue such aid. I am moved to make this bequest in recognition of the good already accomplished by said school, and hope it may be the means of stimulating many of the graduates therefrom in years to come, to strive for a noble manhood and womanhood, and a high plane of moral and intellectual life.”

The attorney of said estate is R.S. Gray, whose address is 201 Bacon block, Oakland, California.

Trusting the above information will be of service to you, I am,

JOHN P. COOK
County Clerk
By A.E. JOHNSTONE, Deputy.

Mr. Hawley spent the years of his boyhood and early manhood in Fort Dodge and was educated in part in the schools which he so generously remembered in his last testament.

He was a many (sic) of brilliant parts and through only about forty years when overtaken by death had had a journalistic career of note, which was brought to a sad and early ending largely through his untiring exertion, which brought on nervous exhaustion and physical collapse.

That he should have turned, in making a disposition of his property, to lingering recollections of his youthful days in the schools of Fort Dodge and was prompted, despite many years of absence from the city, to remember the growing boys and girls of the community with a gift which will be perpetual and will give advantage to each generation in time to come, seems strikingly strange.

As yet it is impossible to learn just when the fund will be available. It is hoped to secure it in time to aid a graduate or graduates of the class of 1908. On behalf of the school board Mr. Butler has written to the attorney who has charged of the estate requesting information on this point.

As stated in the will, the fund will be under the control and direction of the school board, who will also have the power of selection of the graduates to be benefitted. Some plan of selection by merit in study, financial circumstances, etc., will be necessary to be devised.

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26
Feb

W. Jorgensen’s Spring Chickens

   Posted by: admin    in Animals, Farm life

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 26, 1903

W. Jorgensen’s Spring Chickens

Fort Dodge Man HasĀ  Novel Record to Live Up to Each Year

Chickens First on Market

For Several Years, Including This One, He Has Had Brood by Washington’s Birthday

A W. Jorgensen, of this city, holds a record in the matter of spring chickens. For years past, it is Mr. Jorgensen’s proud boast that his spring chickens have been the first on the market. It is one of the events of his year when his first brood of chickens open their eyes upon a frosty world, just a little ahead of every one else’s.

For several years past, Mr. Jorsensen has had a brood of chickens hatched out before Washington’s birthday and this year was no exception, altho it was a close shave. It was only the day before that historic date that thirteen fluffy yellow balls crept out of their shells into the light of day, but they appeared and now bid fair to rank well with the other Jorgensen chickens.

Mr. Jorgensen scorns the use of the incubator. His chickens are all the product of the faithful efforts of the mother hen, who hatches them out in the orthodox manner which was in vogue when incubators were still incubating in the minds (sic) of the inventor.

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25
Feb

Victor B. Dolliver Dies While Sleeping

   Posted by: admin    in Death, obituary

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 25, 1907

Victor B. Dolliver Dies While Sleeping

The Shocking Occurrence Was Entirely Unexpected – Natural Causes

Probably Had Heart Weakness

He Had Been Ill With a Cold for About a Week, But Seemed To Be Better. Was Found in His Bed Several Hours After Death.

Quietly reposing in slumber of life, Victor Brown Dolliver passed into eternity’s sleep at his residence room at the W.B. Moore home, 217 south 12th street. Death came without warning sometime Saturday night or early Sunday morning and no one knew of it until about half past five o’clock Sunday afternoon. Natural causes for death were assigned by the coroner’s jury which held an inquest over the body.

The news of Mr. Dolliver’s death rapidly circulated about the town and at first seemed incredible to his many friends who had seen him apparently well in health and robust in strength, but a few days before. Many of them went direct to the dwelling that was his home to see if there was not some mistake in the rumor. The facts were found to be as follows:

Discovered Hours After Death.

Mr. Dolliver had been rooming with the Moore family since last November. He took his meals at down town restaurants and was away from the city a good deal of the time looking after business matters. for this reason his habits of life were not intimately known by the family and they did not pay close attention to his coming and going. That is the reason his death was not sooner discovered.

Sunday morning before church time the door of Mr. Dolliver’s room was tried and found locked. It was supposed he was still asleep and would not want to be disturbed. After 12 o’clock the door was again examined and it was thought Mr. Dolliver had gone out. He usually locked his door at night, but left it ajar when he left the house and it was commented on as unusual that he should have gone away and left his door locked. Some uneasiness was felt over the unusual proceedings, but it was dismissed as an act of forgetfulness.

Mr. Moore went to the men’s meeting of the Y.M.C.A. on Sunday afternoon and returned about five o’clock. He went at once to Mr. Dolliver’s room and was determined to make certain whether he was there or not Looking through the key hole he was able to see the key in the lock on the other side. He called and there was no response.

A door connected Mr. Dolliver’s room with the adjoining vacant room. A large trunk was set against the door, but with the help of his son, Ezra, Mr. Moor forced the door in. They found Victor Dolliver lying in his bed like one asleep, but it was the sleep that has no waking.

Had Been Dead Ten Hours.

Doctor Evans was the first physician to reach the scene. He said Mr. Dolliver had been dead from ten to fifteen hours, judging from the condition of the body which was cold and rigid.

Coroner Lowry was summoned and a jury composed of Messrs. J.B. Hine, J.W. Campbell, and W.F. Maher was summoned. They inspected the deceased and the condition of the apartment and adjourned to meet at the court house this morning at nine o’clock.

Conditions of Body and Room.

The deceased was in night attire with the bed clothing covering him and undisturbed. His eyes were closed and countenance was composed. He lay on his right side in easy position with hands carelessly thrown across his breast. The room was orderly: shoes placed with care side by side, clothing he had taken off for the night hung up in its place. Fruit had been placed on the table and the clock with the alarm signal set at eight o’clock on the trunk near and facing the bed was ticking along, showing it had been wound the evening before.

Every circumstance indicated that painless and unexpected death had taken away life.

Had Sore Throat.

Mr. Dolliver returned from a two week’s trip to Oklahoma and Texas a week ago last Saturday. He complained of having gotten a cold while away and last Tuesday he went to Doctor Ristine and said his throat was very sore. Examination by the doctor showed an inflamed condition and a gargle was prescribed. This is the last time the doctor saw him. On last Wednesday his sister Margaret Gay Dolliver came from Sioux City en route to New York and she spent the day in nursing and caring for Victor with simple, old-fashioned remedies. He said that he was better and she left for the east on Wednesday night and was in Washington today.

Ill, But Up and Around.

On account of his illness Mr. Dolliver gave up an engagement to deliver an address at Morningside college, Sioux City, on Washington’s birthday and asked Reverend Fort to go in his place. He was up and around all of last week, but it was evident to his associates that he was not well and he so stated.

The Inquest.

The facts concerning the last few days of Mr. Dolliver’s life as brought out at the inquest this morning shed considerable light upon the sad affair. It was shown beyond doubt that the deceased had been quite ill with a cold, but was better and in his usual jovial spirits. No foreboding of this sudden fate could have entered his mind.

Mr. Bennett stated that he had been with Mr. Dolliver for two weeks in Oklahoma and as far south as Galveston. They had splendid weather all the way but Victor said on his way back from Kansas City to Omaha that he had taken cold. Mr. Bennett had not seen his companion since their return a week ago.

Mr. J.B. Butler called at Mr. Dolliver’s office in the Mason building Friday afternoon. His forehead was covered with moisture and he said he was not well.

Mark Hopkins, a barber in the Reynolds shop, shaved Mr. Dolliver Saturday night at a quarter of eleven and gave him a shampoo. Mr. Dolliver joked with him and said if he caught cold after the shampoo that was given him it would be worse for him (the barber).

Mr. A.W. Lewis said Mr. Dolliver stopped in his drug store on his way home from the barber shop Saturday night and conversed for about half an hour. He mentioned his cold and having gotten a shampoo and Mr. Lewis advised him he might add to his cold.

Mr. W.G. Moore, in whose home Mr. Dolliver lodged, stated the details of the discovery of the death substantially as told above. He said that the family were sitting in the parlor Saturday night when Mr. Dolliver came home after eleven o’clock. He heard him at the door and let him in. He thanked Mr. Moore for saving him the trouble of getting out his key in the dark. He paused on his way upstairs to say to Mrs. Moore that his cold was better and he thought he would get along all right.

Undertaker Scott embalmed the body at about nine o’clock. He judged death had taken place twelve to fifteen hours before, as the rigidity was relaxing as it does that long after death. He thought there was fatty degeneration of the heart andĀ  produced specimens of the blood as evidence, but the physicians who saw it said it was the fibers of the blood settling that gave the appearance.

Doctor Ristine had prescribed for Mr. Dolliver he said, at various times in the past and had let him have a room in his house for two years before he went to Mr. Moore’s. He had prescribed a gargle for him last Tuesday. In the past the medicine he had given him was for rheumatism which he complained of often being troubled with, but never was laid up by it and he had not thought it of a serious enough character to affect the heart. He thought from the indications and information given he had died of heart failure. Such cases occasionally happen with people with weak hearts, when if there were some one at hand to administer restoratives the heart could be started to work again and the patient would not die.

Doctor Evans told of his finding Mr. Dolliver dead in bed. He could not way what he died of but was certain from the peaceful condition of the body that no unnatural cause either external or internal had been present

No post mortem was held, the coroner’s jury being satisfied, and so stated that death was the result of natural causes.

Heart Was Weak.

Today several instances have been mentioned when Mr. Dolliver had told of having a weak heart and in one case he was temporarily prostrated by this ailment.

His Immediate Plans.

Ed. Thompson, manager of the Dolliver farm west of town, said this morning that Victor Dolliver had proposed to him right after his return from Oklahoma a week ago that the two go into partnership in the livestock business on the farm. He had made a similar proposal one year ago but the arrangements had not been made then. This time, whoever an agreement was reached and Mr. Thompson had taken an inventory of all the live stock now on the farm. He had been in Mr. Dolliver’s office last week Tuesday, Thursday and Friday to complete the plan and the contract between them was to have been signed today (Monday).

The Funeral.

Telegrams were sent out Sunday night and today many message of condolence have been received. A message received today from Senator Dolliver and Miss Gay Dolliver say they will leave Washington today and are due here Wednesday morning at half past three o’clock. If they arrive on schedule time the funeral will probably be held on Wednesday afternoon. It cannot be stated for sure today.

Besides his brother, J.P., and sister Miss Gay, there are left a brother, Reverend R.H. Dolliver and sister, Mrs. E.R. Graham. Both live in Illinois and will probably be here very soon.

Rev. J.J. Dolliver, Victor’s father died two years ago and his mother died about fifteen years ago. Both lie at rest in Oakland. It cannot be stated at this time, where the interment of Victor Dolliver will be. An expression of his wishes may be found in some of his papers.

Mr. Dolliver’s father-in-law, Governor Larrabee, Mrs. Larrabee, and Frederic are in Florida and it is not known if it will be possible for them to be at the funeral. The services will be under the auspices of the Methodist church, of which deceased was a member.

Victor Dolliver’s Career.

Victor Dolliver was born in Morgantown, West Virginia in March 1862 and came to Fort Dodge with his parents twenty-seven years ago, his brothers having preceded the family here by two years. He was for a time a student of the high school here and later taught school in Webster county. He received a college training at Cornell college, Mount Vernon, and later graduated as a lawyer and was admitted to the bar.

The marriage of Victor Dolliver and Miss Augusta Larrabee, eldest daughter of Governor and Mrs. Larrabee, occurred August 18, 1896 at Clermont and the couple moved to Minneapolis where Mr. Dolliver opened a law office in January 1897. The happy life that was promised was not to be fulfilled for Mrs. Dolliver died in March of 1897. She was buried in the cemetery at Clermont and her husband’s life since that time has never regained its former hopes and ambitions. He pathetically said he had never rally had but one wish and that had been taken from him.

Since the death of his wife Victor Dolliver had devoted himself unselfishly to the welfare of his brothers and sisters and they are inconsolable at his loss. The little children of the family especially have felt his affectionate attentions and his heart was always warm for them.

Since Miss Gay Dolliver became dean of the women’s department of Morningside college Victor has turned his attention to the welfare of that institution with all the loyalty that he had for anything his sister was interested in and last summer he made a donation of ten thousand dollars (about $231,000 today) to endow a chair in that institution.

Although Mr. Dolliver has not followed the practice of his profession he had through his excellent business judgment made a good-sized fortune by investments in land and the estate that is left is estimated at about forty thousand dollars ($924,000). He was a half owner with his brother J.P. in the Dolliver farm of about five hundred acres west of Fort Dodge and was planning to spend a larger share of his time there assisting in the management of the place.

An Orator of National Fame.

Victor Dolliver acquired a national reputation as a campaign orator and has stumped the country during most of the hot presidential and congressional campaigns of the last ten or twelve years. Over six feet in height, robust of form, with piercing voice and eloquent tongue he was a striking figure wherever he spoke.

No one would have believed that so powerful a specimen of physical manhood could have had his life ebb away, gently as the breath of a little child.

(Editor’s note: Here’s an article from another newspaper of the same era. Also, Victor Dolliver was mentioned in the Fort Dodge papers on other occasions.)

The Carroll Herald: March 6, 1907

Victor Dolliver Could Have Been in Congress

Washington, D.C., March 1. – Senator C.W. Fulton, of Oregon, for many years a resident of Iowa, was one of the sincere mourners when news came to Washington of the sudden death of V.B. Dolliver. He had been a close friend of Mr. Dolliver for several years.

“Vic could have gone to congress from Oregon as easily as not,” said Senator Fulton. “He went out there in 1902 and captured the state by a great speaking campaign. Nothing like it was ever known by our people. He spent several weeks with us, and in 1904 went again. That time he spent a month, speaking all over the state and then liked it so well that he remained two or three months, ans we thought he was going to settle, He was urged on all hands that he could go to congress if he would live among us long enough to get a residence; but he said he had interests and attachments in Iowa, and little taste for public life, and he refused to stay. He was the best stump speaker I ever knew, and everybody in Oregon will indorse (sic) me in saying it.”

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24
Feb

For The Custody of Children

   Posted by: admin    in Divorce, Lawsuits

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 24, 1906

For The Custody of Children

Suit Between Divorced Man and Wife Filed in the District Court Today

Suit was filed in the clerk’s office today by Edward Fuller asking the custody of his five children who are now held by his divorced wife Jennie (uncertain about the middle initial – it looks like an upside-down F) Fuller.

The petition of the plaintiff states that he was granted a decree of divorce by Judge W.D. Evans in 1904 and that at that time the custody of the children was given to him. Despite this, his former wife has according to his claims held the children and has refused numerous requests to give them into his possession. He alleges that they are now wrongfully witheld (sic) from him and asks that the wife be commanded by the court to give them into his possession. The Fullers were former residents of this city who are now living in the country.

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24
Feb

Boys Entice Young Girls From Home

   Posted by: admin    in People

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 24, 1906

Boys Entice Young Girls From Home

Mrs. Cochran Puts City Police on Trail of Her Child Daughter.

She Tells Shocking Story

Little Girl Who Smokes Cigarettes and is Genuine Tough Believed to be at Bottom of Affair – Three Boys and Three Girls in It.

Almost crazed with grief and apprehension, and hardly able to keep from weeping outright a woman living in the lower districts of the city, giving her name as Mrs. Cochran, appeared before Mayor Bennett this morning, bearing a shocking tale of woe.

She states that she is of the opinion that her young thirteen year old daughter, Mabel, had been led from home in company with two other girls scarcely older and is now in some resort or has left the city.

The girl, so she says, has been keeping company with one Isabel Anderson, whom she avers is a genuine tough, and though only thirteen or fourteen years old, smokes cigarettes and has a reputation otherwise in keeping.

Her daughter was seen yesterday in company with the Anderson girl and Bertina Overby, another of the same stamp, and the three were about the city with Joe Williams, Charley Hutchinson and Leo Halligan, who the chinson and Leo Halligan. Now (italicized text was an extra line in the article) states Mrs. Cochran, neither of the three girls have shown up at their homes and whereabouts of the entire sexette is unknown.

The police say that several of the crowd have been considered fit candidates for the reform school for some time. They will be on the look out for them today and if they are found some action will probably be taken in the matter which will prevent such happenings in the future.

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23
Feb

Roy Burkholder Accidentally Shot

   Posted by: admin    in Accident

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 23, 1906

Roy Burkholder Accidentally Shot

Discharge of Shot Gun Gives Him a Painful Wound in The Leg

Roy Burkholder, a young lad about fourteen of (sic) fifteen years of age, who resides at 418 1st. Avenue south was the victim of a very painful through not dangerous accident yesterday afternoon.

Young Burkholder in company with another lad started out hunting yesterday afternoon. About four o’clock they stopped at the Central tracks near the Lizzard (sic) creek. A shot gun which they carried was deposited on one of the rails, while the boys sat down on the tracks. The gun became dislodged and fell in such a manner as to discharge the load, which entered the calf of the leg of Burkholder. He was taken to his home where a physician was called. The shot has been extracted and the lad will suffer no serious results from the wound.

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23
Feb

Midget Passes Away at Otho

   Posted by: admin    in Birth, Death, Otho

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 23, 1906

Midget Passes Away at Otho

Iowas Smallest Baby Dies After Only Couple Days of Life.

The little baby boy born to Mrs. and Mrs. John Ford at Otho pased (sic) away Thursday. This little child was born Monday and only weighed one and a half pounds. The child was heralded as the smallest child born in this state. it was never strong and at no time was there any hope entertained that the child could live.

The funeral occurred the same day as tis death and only a short service was held. The mother’s condition is yet bad and for this reason the services were very brief.

The exact measurements of the midge was not taken, so it will never be known. The child, however, was not very much smaller than the ordinary small baby, but had apparently no flesh. Its weight was below the two pound mark, which in itself is a record.

(Editor’s note: I’m not sure why they termed the baby a midget, since he died shortly after birth and I doubt that condition could be recognized that soon, especially with the state of medical knowledge at the time. I could be wrong. But it’s interesting to see how much knowledge has been gained in just over 100 years – babies of this weight are not routine, but they do live, often with no permanent damage from premature birth.)

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