The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 20, 1906

Workman Gets Neck Broken at Harcourt

Fatal Accident on the New Interurban Line Saturday Afternoon

A.J. Gore Was the Victim

Heavy Rail Struck His Crowbar He was Thrown Into Air and Fell on Head Instantly Killed Buried at Boone Today

A.J. Gore a laborer employed on the construction gang of the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern was instantly killed Saturday afternoon at about two o’clock while working near Harcourt. A car of rails was being unloaded. One of them was thrown to the grown in such a manner that it struck another under which was the crowbar of Gore. He held the other end of the steel bar in his hand and the shock threw him into the air about ten feet. He struck on his head and was instantly killed.

His fellow workmen called a physician from Harcourt and also notified Coroner McCreight of this city. As the manner of death seemed perfectly clear and there was no evidence of foul play or even a suspicion of the same no inquest was held. Gore’s neck was broken in two places.

The unfortunate victim of the accident resided at Boone where with his brother he lived with an aged grandmother. These are the only relatives that he had. The body was shipped at once to Boone and burial was made there today.

Gore was a young man 23 years of age. He was well known in Boone and very well liked among his fellow workmen. Not the slightest blame is attached to any one for his death, it being entirely the result of circumstances.

Tags: 1906, Gore, McCreight

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 19, 1904

Railroad Name is Changed

Carbon No Longer the Name of the Little Town

Railroad Name of This Place as Well as the Post Office Name has Been Changed

Carbon Junction at last is no more as the railroad name as well as the name of the post office has bbeen changed to Gypsum. Before the post office was located there the place was always known as Carbon Junction to every one in this part of the state. When the post office was located there the post office was given the name of Gypsum because of the fact that there was another town in the state by the name of Carbon. Besides the name Gypsum is more appropriate to the place because of the numerous gypsum mills located there. The railroad still continued to call their station “Carbon Junction,” but at last they too have changed the name and in the future when the brake man goes through the train, “Gypsum the next stop” will be his call instead of “Carbon Junction the next stop.” The ruling has already gone into effect and the name over the station has been changed.

The local freight office employees who were looking for a chance to grumble, said it was a wonder the bill clerk at Carbon could not bill his freight right as a bill which was sent out of there Thursday was headed Carbon, Iowa, when the new rule went into effect on that date.

Tags: 1904

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 18, 1905

The Ice Box Thief is Abroad Again

Ice Box at Parel Home in the East Part of the City Rifled Last Night

No Clew to Perpetrators

Recent Change in Train Service Allows Tramps to Prowl About the City all Night and get Away in the Morning Before Being Caught

The ice box thief is abroad in the city again, and after a week or two or respite from his inroads Fort Dodge housewives will again find themselves placed in a position that will necessitate their keeping a constant watch on their supply of provisions, where they are placed in refrigerators outside the house, or in any place easy of access.

At the Parel home in the east part of the city the ice box was opened last night and considerably lightened of its supply of groceries for the coming day.

The officers have been notified of the theft and a watch will be kept on the neighborhood to prevent further visits.

Captain Long stated to a Messenger man this morning that the reason for the frequent inroads upon the ice boxes lay in the recent change of train service on the (Illinois) Central (Railroad). “Hoboes (sic),” said he “can enter the city at 11 o’clock at night now and they need not go out towards Sioux City until 4 o’clock the next morning. This leaves them the whole night to prowl around the city and they they can get away in the morning before there is any chance of their being caught.”

From Fort Dodge city directories:

In the 1899-1890 city directory, only one Parel is in the city. Miss Katie R. Parel boarded with Mrs. M.A. O’Connor. No occupation is listed.

In 1898, the Parel family lived at 1508 First Ave. S. The family included Miss Nellie (teacher), John, Miss Katie (teacher), Miss Mary (milliner), Miss Annie (teacher), James (fireman), Thomas (miner) and William.

In 1908, the Parel family lived at 1508 First Ave. S. In the household were Anna T., John, Katherine, Mary J. (a milliner), Nellie (a teacher) and William, an operator with the Great Western Shoe Co. There is also a listing for James I. and May Parel at 1311 11th Ave. S. He was an adjuster, but no company is listed.

`In 1909, most of the family lived at 1602 Third Ave. S. This included Anna T. (teacher), John, Katherine, Nellie (teacher), and William, still an operator at the Great Western Shoe Co. James I. and May Parel lived at 1311 Fourth Ave. S. and he was a clerk.

Tags: 1905, Long, Parel

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 17, 1906

Telephone Line Finished

The New Selective Farm Line South of City Finished Yesterday — First of Kind Outside City

The final work in establishing the new selective farm telephone line, southeast of the city, was completed late yesterday aftrnoon (sic), by the Iowa Telephone company. It is the first line of the kind to be established out of the city by the Iowa company, and is the beginning of a series which will radiate into the country in various directions. It is a result of the work of L.A. Townsend, special solicitor for the Iowa Telephone company, out of Des Moines.

The line extends from Fort Dodge to a point between Kalo and Otho. It is strictly a party line, and is composed of two wires, with five telephones on each wire. It is what is known as the metallic circuit line, which provided for each party of it long distance telephone service. On calling into the central office in the city the service is the same as though the telephone were in Fort Dodge, with the advantage of long distance service.

Tags: 1906, Townsend

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 16, 1904

“World’s Fair” Day Was Great Success

More Than 200 Fort Dodge People Attend Duncombe Celebration Monday

Sports Were Features of Day

East End Team of This City Takes Game From Duncombe, Score 13 to 1 —
Bloomer Girls Play Foot Ball and Draw Large Crowds

A crowd of more than two hundred people took the train for Duncombe on Monday morning and spent the day in the enterprising little city to the east of us. Monday, August 15, was the great day of the year for the people of Duncombe. The “World’s Fair” day, which has been celebrated by the citizens of that place for many years, and which always takes a big crowd from Fort Dodge.

Program of Sports

The program of the day consisted almost of sports, and of these events there was no stint this year. Basket ball, foot ball, base ball, horse races, races on foot, sack races, three-legged races, egg races, and in fact, everything in the line of races that could be imagined. there were also wrestling matches and boxing matches and in the evening two big dances in operation in the two halls of Duncombe at the same time.

The real features of the day and the greatest drawing cards on the program was the basket and foot ball games played by the Boston Bloomer girls. The games were both fast and furious and kept the sightseers interested from start to finish.

Post card showing nine members of the Boston National Bloomer Girls Base Ball Club, wearing baseball uniforms, posed with L.J. Galbreath in the center. Photo courtesy Library of Congress collection.

Base Ball Game

The feature next in interest, perhaps, was a ball game between the East End nine of this city and the local team of Duncombe. This game was in the hands of the East Enders from start to finish and resulted in a score of thirteen to one in their favor.

Many Stayed Over

Many of the Fort Dodge people who attended stayed for the dances in the evening, a goodly number of them not getting home until this morning. All report that the people of Duncombe know how to entertain and will be glad of another similar opportunity to visit that city.

(Editor’s note: The Boston Bloomer girls were a baseball team. The Library of Congress website says this:

“Bloomer girls” take to the baseball diamond challenging amateur, semi-pro, and minor league men’s teams in front of thousands of spectators. Known for wearing practical, loose Turkish-style trousers created by Amelia Bloomer, hundreds of teams ‘barnstormed’ the country during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, providing women an opportunity to travel and play this traditionally all-male sport.)

Tags: 1904

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 15, 1906

Lightning Strikes St. Olaf’s Church

The Tower on the Corner of the Edifice Wrecked and Splintered

Damage Amounts to $200

Happened About 5:00 O’clock This Morning During Electrical Storm — Work of Repairing Damaged Parts Will Commence at Once

About 5:00 o’clock this morning, during the severe electrical storm, St. Olaf Lutheran Church, on the corner of south First Avenue and Fourth Street, was struck by lightning doing considerable damage. None of the residences in the neighborhood were struck or damaged in any way, though those living near heard the crashing of the timbers and the falling bricks, and were greatly frightened by it.

The lightning struck the topmost metal ornament on the steeple, and following the slanting roofs down, wrecked the tower greatly. Large holes were torn in the sides, shingles and bricks being thrown to the street below.

The extent of the damage is not exactly known. It has been placed at about two hundred dollars ($5,032 today), as the whole tower will have to be rebuilt and strengthened again. The damage to the interior is not very great, the frescoing being left in a fair condition.

Lightning also struck the disused Minneapolis and St. Louis station, wrecking a chimney and slightly damaging a portion of the roof. the building is the property of Andrew Hower and is used by the Hower & Hoffman flour store for a storehouse. The contents of the building were not damaged.

(Editor’s note: In the 1898 directory, the Minneapolis & St. Louis depot is listed at 1010 Sixth St. S.)

(Editor’s note: The 1908 Fort Dodge city directory lists the church location as First Avenue South, southwest corner Fourth. It was called St. Olaf’s Norwegian Lutheran Church then. That building is currently the Coppin Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.)

Tags: 1906, Hower

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 14, 1905

Mayor Has Hoboe (sic) Cleaned Up

Man Found Begging With Over One Hundred Dollars on His Person

Unable to Speak English

Mayor Has Him Fixed Out at Barber Shop, Buys New Suit of Clothes for Him Out of His Money and Sends Him Out of Town

Residents of the east part of the city telephoned in Saturday afternoon to police headquarters stating that a hoboe (sic) was begging at the residences of that part of the city.

The patrol was sent out in response to the call and a stout looking young foreigner with one arm in a sling found in the act of asking assistance from the back door of a dwelling. He made a race for cover as soon as he sighted the officers but was captured and placed in the wagon.

Later, while on the way down town he leaped from the vehicle and started out on the dead run. The officers with the aid of bystanders succeeded in capturing him again, though only after a hard fight and this time he was held in the back of the patrol until the jail was reached.

On searching him Chief Tullar was surprised to find that almost every pocket in his clothes contained a bag of money. Six separate sacks and purses each containing bills or silver were taken from him.

A count of the money brought to light that he had a total of $132.06 (about $3,323 today) in the following denominations: bills, $45; gold, $5, dollars, halves and quarters, $27.50; nickels, $4; loose change, $3.21; pocketbook, $6.75.

Mayor Bennett found in police court this morning that he was unable to speak a word of English. An onlooker stated that his talk sounded like Polish and Tom Robinson was summoned. Robinson stated that he spoke Bohemian and a person of that nationality who happened to be in the room volunteered to talk to him. Little was learned other than that the fellow readily admitted having begged the money that he carried, Smiling when telling about it and evidently thinking that it was an exploit to his credit.

Under instructions from Mayor Bennett he was told that he was fined $15 for begging and that the marshal would be instructed to take him to a barber shop, give him a bath, shave, hair cut and shampoo, buy him a suit of clothes out of his money and send him out of town.

He objected strenuously to parting with his money, begging to be let go without being fined, or having to pay for a new suit of clothes and for getting cleaned up out of his hoard, but the mayor was obdurate and still protesting he was led to a tonsorial parlor. After his bath, shave, etc., he emerged a changed man. He really semed (sic) to enjoy getting cleaned up after being forced to do so and grinned with delight when he surveyed himself in the mirror.

He was taken to a down town clothing store by Chief Tullar and fitted out with a neat well fitting suit of clothes and with his hoard of money lightened considerably, instructed to get out of town and go to work.

Joe Kelley of Council Bluffs was found asleep in an alley in a badly intoxicated state yesterday. He was allowed to leave town.

Tags: 1905, Bennett, Kelley, Robinson, Tullar

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 13, 1904

Black Diphtheria at Stanhope

Dread Disease Made its Appearance There Some Time Ago

Many People Were Exposed

Malady Was at First Pronounced Tonsillitis and Many People Visited the Afflicted Homes, Exposing Themselves to the Disease

The town of Stanhope, a few miles south of Webster City, is in a high state of terrified anxiety over the appearance of several cases of black diphtheria, from which three deaths have already resulted. It is reported new cases are breaking out with terrible regularity and that many exposures have occurred thruout (sic) the town.

Every effort is now being made by the terrified citizens to put a stop to the spread of the malady, and it is hoped that from now on there will be no more eposures (sic). The disease is stated to be the most malignant type of that most dreaded of all the ills of childhood, black diphtheria.

The malady has not attacked children exclusively, but in one or two instances grown people have been infected.

Reports from the Leonard Hill home today indicates that Mr. Hill who is suffering from the disease, is no worse but appears to be holding his own. Little Mildred, who was buried Sunday last was the last of the Hill children, which fact makes the case particularly sad and elicits the sympathy of all.

It is feared that unless the officials in Stratford and Stanhope exercise the strictest quarantine and care in families who have the disease or have been exposed to it, that it will spread rapidly. It appears that when the disease first made its appearance in the Leonard Hill family it was pronounced tonsilitis (sic). Neighbors and other friends went in and out of the home in a very free manner. Of course all these have been exposed to the black diphtheria and if the authorities are to protect the people from an epidemic of diphtheria all persons who have been exposed should be promptly put under quarantine and kep there until it develops whether or not they have the disease. Black diphtheria is not a disease to be trifled with and the health of the community demands that all quarantine laws be strictly enforced regardless of how many or how prominent the people who may have been exposed to it.

Besides the little Chipman girl the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Milburn is also suffering with the disease.

Tags: 1904, Chipman, Hill, Milburn

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 12, 1903

New Game Has Reached Town

Is Known as “Brist” and is Becoming Popular

Played With a Boomerang and a “Rakaw” — Interest Follows Practice in the Game

The latest novelty in games the successor to ping pong, “Brist” has struck Fort Dodge. This is an out door game played by any number of persons with paraphernalia known as boomerangs and “rakaws.”

The boomerang, an instrument as its name signifies, which will return to the player when thrown into the air, constructed along the idea of the Australian boomerang, it returns. It is not, however, of the same shape as the Australian boomerang.

The Australian boomerang is a piece of wood carved in an irregular semicular (sic) shape so that when it is thrown by a native, having much practice and considerable strength and dexterity, will return to the spot from which it is started. The modern device, with which the game is played, is simply a cross-like arrangement, composed of two sticks larger at the ends and which are fastened in the center in order that it may be made any size. By pressing the sticks close together and making the angle smaller the boomerang when thrown, flys (sic) in an oblong path. When the sicks are placed at right angles the device completes a semicircle and with practice one may throw the instrument around a house. The “Rakaw” is the net like arrangement used to catch the returning boomerang.

The game of “Brist” with which the boomerangs are use is played by standing in the center of three rings and throwing the boomerang. The object of the game being to catch the boomerang if possible without stepping out of the inner circle. If this is done the player is credited four points. If he catches it in the second circle three is made and in the third two. Ten innings constitute a game. Each player is given three consecutive throws in each inning, so that the highest possible score for a game is 120 points, twelve to each inning.

The originators of the game claim that anyone with a few hour’s (sic) practice can learn to manipulate the strange device. This being so the game will without doubt prove as popular as the late Bill Nye’s paper of the same name.

(Editor’s note: The Bill Nye referred to here was Edgar Wilson Nye. Below is a video of John Flynn, who is well-known in boomerang competition, demonstrating various types of boomerangs. In the first couple of minutes he shows a Brist boomerang and the net, spelled rakaw in this article. He goes on to show fast catch boomerangs.)

Tags: 1903, Nye