The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 3, 1904
Hoodlums in Office Buildings
They Go in Upper Hall Closets to Drink Wishkey (sic)
Throw Bottles in Sewer Pipes, Clogging Them and Requiring Plumbers to Remove the Debris
It is surprising to know the extent to which hoodlums make free with other people’s property, as demonstrated in a good many down town business buildings. Complaints are being made constantly that somebody, whether boys or full grown bums, enters the upper halls of business buildings and make trouble by stealing the electric light globes from their sockets, taking the chains from toilet room apparatus, and clogging up the bowls of the toilet room traps with all kinds of old junk from coarse paper to empty whiskey flasks. The frequency with which glass bottles are found by plumbers whose services are required to remedy troubles caused by such hoodlumism proves that the people who are to blame for a good deal of this are men and not small boys.
To show the extent of this trouble it may be mentioned that L.K. Phillips tells a Messenger representative that his plumbers were summoned to a large building on Central avenue used for offices three times last week on account of the drainage of the toilets room traps being clogged so the water could not run away. Each time they found an empty whiskey bottle stuck in the pipe. It takes a good deal of gall for a man to seek the seclusion of another person’s building to drink his whiskey, but it is certainly the limit of meanness to follow that action by throwing the bottle down the pipes.
This petty mischief should be stopped by the police if vigilance on their part can do it. It is difficult to catch people in such acts and some good detective talent will be necessary.
Tags: 1904
The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 2, 1905
Operators Stop Work as Bees Swarm
Western Union Telegraph Office Closed for Half an Hour
Drive Operators From Keys
A Very Amusing Incident Occurred at the Western Union Telegraph Office This Morning But One Whose Comic Part is Not Appreciated
The Western Union Telegraph operators, manager and messenger boys were all driven from their office in quick fashion this morning at about 10 o’clock. The operators and other employes (sic) were working at their desks when a swarm of bees flew through the open door and began to light on different objects all over the room.
With a shout of dismay the operators left their keys and hurried from the office. They all hurried with heads down too, for the upper part of the room was filled with these insects. The operators and other employes rushed into the street and before any had stopped they were on the other side of the street.
A hurried consultation was held and a plan of attack was drawn up. The plan had to be decided upon quickly too for the operators had left their work, even while they were sending and receiving message. The could hear the dot and dashes being rattled off which signified their call and knew that operators elsewhere were all wondering what was the matter at Fort Dodge.
Fortunately as the employes took themselves out of the door the door itself was left wide open and some of the bees seeing that there was nothing to be found there were leaving the room. As the employes discovered that the enemy’s forces were being reduced they made a valiant rush for the office and taking newspapers rolled up and other misslies (sic) began the work of extermination. Soon the slaughter was great and over-whelming. But meanwhile the time had been flying and before it was thought safe to resume operations at the keys a half hour had gone, and messages from all points were piling up. Now the office rules are that a door shall be kept tightly closed until a screen door can be purchased.
The swarm of bees is attacking many business houses.
At the Keim and Bunn candy factory they have become a veritable nuisance. Sulphur (sic) is being burned constantly there to drive them away.
Tags: 1905
The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 1, 1904
Fireman Lou Pray Injured
His Foot Crushed in an Accident at Tara Monday – Caught Between Car and Water Tank
Louis Pray is confined to his home suffering from a crushed foot as a result of an accident of which he was the victim Monday night. Pray is a fireman employed by the Illinois Central and was on his engine bound west at the time of the accident. From what can be learned the mishap was due to a string of cars not being “clear” on a sidetrack at Tara. As the engine was passing the cars Pray’s foot was caught between them and the tank in the tender and painfully hurt.
Tags: 1904, Pray
