The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 29, 1916

Family Saved by Dog

Awakened Just in Time to Escape From Burning Home.

Manson,  March 29. – The home of Mr. Hall, who works for the Farmers’ Elevator company, was burned to the ground last Thursday morning. Nothing was saved. No one knows how the fire started but it is thought to have originated from the stove. A large chuck of coal had been put in the heater the night before and it was thought that might have pushed the stove door open and thrown out live coals.

When Mr. Hall was awakened by the whining of a pet dog the bed was on fire. He dropped the children out of the window to the ground and went back for his wife and baby. The dog had been at Mr. Hall’s heels all the time but when he got out of the house he noticed it was not there, so he started back for it but it was not to be found.

The family went to a neighbors for the night.

The people of Manson are helping them get fitted out with clothing again. The Hall family expected to leave for Canada April 1. Mr. Hall recently had traded the house in on a farm in Canada.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 26, 1903

W. Jorgensen’s Spring Chickens

Fort Dodge Man Has  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.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 14, 1905

Amassing Fortune Raising of Skunks

John Lucas, of Lake City, Has Chosen a Peculiar Business

He Runs a Regular Farm

The Pelts are Valuable And Are Shipped to The Cities For Fur Garments – Has About three Hundred of The Animals in Prime Condition

Lake City, Feb. 14. – John Lucas, who lives a mile west of Lake City, is slowing amassing a small fortune by breeding and selling skunks.For the last three years the business has been thriving and the quality of the hides is first class. Lucas has an option on two acres of rough ground and was first attracted to his novel occupation by observing the numerous holes these animals had dug in the banks. This gave him an idea. He had the lace fence by strong galvanized wire netting five feet above ground and two feet under ground and let the animals breed without disturbance. The nature of the tract of land is naturally a home of these small animals, as it is bluffy, along a small creek and covered with a heavy growth of hazelnut bushes. Long grass is common,a nd it is let grow. Thus the roots of the bushes furnish feed and the grass is the home of many mice and other rodents and numerous insects, on which the fur bearing animals live.

There were some three hundred animals in prime condition for fur this season. The harvest is a matter of small import. Mr. Lucas has arranged an enclosure of wire in the center of the large field and when he wants to sell a few hides he puts some kind of attractive bait in the small enclosure. Peculiar holes in the netting readily admit the skunks but a clever device as readily prevents all exit. The feat of the killing is merely selection and a small club. The pelts are largely shipped to Sioux City and Minneapolis, Mr. Lucas receiving good prices for them.

The proprietor of this novel farm has been able in this time to select prime animals for stock and is now raising but pure black skunks, though occasionally a striped one appears. Artificial feeding has been found to make the quality of the pelts better and so roots of various kinds are raised for the consumption of the detestible (sic) little animals.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 31, 1906

Wolves Bother the Farmers

Two Large Wolves Come Into Yard on the Dean Farm

Attack Big House Dog and Are Driven Away Only When Farmer Appears With a Club

Although people have for some time believed that the wolf race had been exterminated as far as Webster county was concerned, the farmers north of the city have been complaining of the depredations of two large wolves which have become very bold.

The animals are larger than a big dog and are usually ferocious. They have appeared several times at one farm. Monday night the two wolves entered the yard at the Dean farm and when attacked by the large h ouse dog they drove this animal back onto the front porch.

Mr. Dean heard the noise and when he appeared upon the scene the two wolves were up on the porch attempting to drag the big dog, now thoroughly subdued, off the steps. Mr. Dean picked up a club and finally drove the two animals away. Last night he armed himself with a rifle but the wolves failed to put in an appearance.

Fort Dodge sportsmen are considering the matter of getting up a wolf hunt as soon as snow falls.

(Editor’s note: As recently as five years ago, I was made aware that in fifth-grade Iowa history class, students are taught that wolves were extinct in Iowa before 1900.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 18, 1905

Safety Deposit Vault in Chicken’s Gizzard

Remarkable Recovery of Jewelry Lost by Fort Dodge Girl

Found the Chain in a Hen

Had Been Lost For Several Months Without Any Suspicion of its Whereabouts – Chain Showed Signs of Wear From Digestive Organs.

As the result of having chicken for a Sunday dinner, Miss Mamie Gaulson, living on the flat in this city has recovered possession of a much prized necklace that was lost by her two years ago. The chain was found stowed away in the gizzard of the fowl, where it had evidently been for some time, as it is quite noticeably worn in some places altho in the whole it is in very good shape.

Miss Gauson (sic), with her parents, has only recently moved to this city from a farm south of Gowrie. Two years ago, last summer while picking pansies from a flower bed in the yard, she lost the necklace in question. She prized it very highly, and as soon as it was missed by her, made a thorough search of the premises, but without result. After a few days the incident faded out of her thoughts and the chain was given up as lost for good.

When the family decided to leave the farm and most to this city they sold off all but a few of their fowls, and these they killed, dressed and after freezing them, packed them down in a barrel and brought them here to Fort Dodge with them.

There were a dozen of them and they have been eating them along on special occasions every since they arrived there. There was one very fat hold hen that had been saved  until the last.

On Sunday it was decided to pick the bones of the old biddy, and she was brought in and thawed out. When the gizzard was opened, owing to an accident, the inner lining was cut into, and a speck of what appeared to be gold shown out from the contents. On investigation, what was the joy and surprise of Miss Gaulson to draw forth from the half digested mass in the sack, the long lost chain. It was as bright as the day it was lost and with the exception of the few links that showed considerable wear it appeared to have suffered little damage.

Of course it is highly improbable that the chain was swallowed as soon as lost, as it would surely have been entirely worn out by the actions of the digestive organs in that case. It was probably made a meal by the old biddy only a short time before her sudden and tragic death.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 28, 1905

Horse Falls Into Sewer Manhole

Peculiar Accident in Alley South of Central Avenue This Afternoon.

Hoisted Out With Derrick

Lid of Manhole Caught on Shoes of Animal’s Front Feet and Turned Over – Horse Stepped in With Rear Feet and Sank Into Hold.

One of the most peculiar accidents to happen in Fort Dodge for several years occurred int he alley at the rear of the Messenger building about eleven o’clock this forenoon when a horse owned by the Cardiff Gypsum Company, sank into a sewer manhole and was removed only after an hour of strenuous work on the part of a crowd of about fifty men and boys.

Hind Feet Slipped in.

The wagon to which the animal was hitched was loaded with empty stucco sacks and was being driven up the alley when the accident occurred. The front feet of the horse caught in the grating which covered the manhole and turned the lid over. In walking forward the animal stepped into the open hole with its hind feet and instantly sank up to its hops. The remaining horse of the team, feeling the weight of its mate pulling it back as it slipped into the hole backed slowly back, allowing the imprisoned beast to slide further down. By the time that the driver had succeeded in unhitching the imprisoned animal the other had slid clear down into the hole until only its front feet and the tip of its nose was visible.

Big Crowd Gathered.

A crowd gathered at once and many suggestions were offered for removing the animal from the narrow hole in which it was imprisoned. It was finally decided that the only way to extricate it was to hoist it up with a derrick. A heavy rope and a pulley were procured, and while the crowd swelled first to a couple of dozen and then to fifty curious people an improvised derrick was made by fastening the rope and tackle to a couple of telegraph poles. The fore feet of the animal were tied together to keep it from struggling and the rope was fastened about them. A score of willing hands caught hold and with a couple of heaves it was raised half way out of the narrow hole. It was then seen that the tackle had been placed too low for it to be possible to lift the horse entirely clear and with half of its body dangling in the hole operations were suspended and another consultation held. The rope was loosened and the horse allowed to drop partly back into three or four feet of muddy water that partly filled the hole. The rope was attached lower down this time; the hoisting commenced again and grunting and groaning the animal was lifted clear from its prison, amid shouts of success from the crowd.

It was completely exhausted when removed and lay as if dead for a few minutes. Beyond a few scratches where it had scraped against the sides of its narrow prison it was uninjured and in a short time was little the worse for its experience. The animal was a very valuable one and its owners are congratulating themselves on the lucky end of the incident.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 16, 1905

Chief Tullar Sells Livery Business

His Stock of Horses and Rigs Sold to Charles Smith of Iowa Falls

A deal was completed last night by which Charles Smith of Iowa Falls becomes the sole owner of the livery barn of Chief of Police Tullar on First avenue south.

Mr. Smith is an old and experienced liveryman. He has been in the city for some time looking for a location and takes possession of the Tullar stables at once. Mr. Tullar states that he has found his duties as chief of police to great for him to give proper care to his business so decided to sell.

The entire stock of vehicles and horses except those kept by Mr. Tullar for his personal use were involved in the transaction. the consideration for the stock was $15,000.

(Editor’s note: The amount of $15,000 in 1905 would be equivalent to about $359242 today.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 3, 1904

Eggs are Worth 28C Per Dozen

Take a Sudden and Surprising Jump, Going Up Several Cents

Cold Weather is Responsible

Hens Will Not Lay When Cold Weather Comes Unless Well House and Well Cared For – No Relief Until February.

Twenty-eight cents per dozen for eggs (in today’s prices, about $6.71). That is the price that is asked today, and the end it not yet. They are, according to the present indications, likely to go to thirty-five cents ($8.38) before the week is out and their steady advance from now on until Christmas is to be expected.

The hens have the situation in their own hands. They got a corner on the supply early in the seaon (sic) and as there is no opposition there is nothing to be done to relieve the situation till the spring laying season comes on and her maternal ambitions overcome her desire to be contrary.

The present abrupt raise in the price of eggs is due to the sudden arrival of cold weather which invariably puts a stop to the supply of eggs. Hens must be warmly cared for or they will not produce eggs in winter. A sudden change from warm to cold weather invariably shuts off the production at once, and it is some days until the hens recover enough of their usual cheerfulness to being laying again.

Added to this fact there are comparatively old biddies in the country, and last spring’s pullets will not begin operations until February. The old hens brought such and excellent price int he local markets all spring and summer that nearly allof the farmers of this section sold out their poultry close. There are a great number of young fowls in the country, but they do not help at the present time.

(Editor’s note: The inflation calculator I use puts the price of 28 cents in 1904 at $6.71 in 2010 prices and 35 cents in 1904 at $8.38 in 2010. I recently bought a dozen and a half egg package for $2.98 and was not happy with that price. I should have been counting my blessings.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Nov. 6, 1905

Wreckage in Path of Runaway Team

Team Belonging to Mrs. R.M. Wright Wrecks Three Conveyances in Flight

A team belonging to Mrs. R.M. Wright broke loose from their fastenings near the corner of Seventh street and Central avenue at 10:00 this morning and took a quick run down Central avenue to the park. In the flight a carriage belonging to J.C. Hoagland was tipped over and the Peterson grocery wagon received a like fate. The horses ran astraddle of a tree in the park, and their flight was stopped, but not before the buggy and harness were badly damaged. The horses had been hitched by Mrs. Wright, near her husband’s office. They began kicking at each other and in the melee the hitching strap was broken and the wild run started.

After overturning the Hoagland carriage, the vehicle of Mrs. Wright was in turn tipped over and dragged on its side.  Later the carriage righted itself and then was turned again as the Peterson wagon was struck. The runaway attracted a large crowd to the park.

The Wright carriage is badly damaged, every wheel being ruined, and the body of the rig is in bad shape. The harness likewise, is badly cut up. The Hoagland carriage, was uninjured, as Mr. Hoagland caught the horse, before it could joint (sic) the others in their wild flight. The Peterson horse was also easily captured before any damage was done.