The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 27, 1906

Take Out Fish By Barrel

High Water Which Later Recedes – Leaves Finny Creatures Stranded on Land.

Parties living along the banks of the river have had the unique experience during the last couple of days of being able to take all the fish that they will need for family use for days to come with the naked hands.

The high water of yesterday and the day before sent the river above the banks and onto low lands in places. When the ice gorge which dammed the stream gave way last night it receded much more suddenly than it came, leaving dozens of fish stranded in a few inches of muddy water, almost in the back yards of residents living near the stream. One man states that he took out nearly two barrels of catfish, pickerel, buffalo, etc., this morning.

(Editor’s note: For obvious reasons, I will file this one under “Fish Stories.” I have come across some other fantastic stories in old news articles and will use that category for the unusual and spectacular stories like this one.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 21, 1904

Chickens Will Be Scarce

Supply Not Recovered From Past Wet Seasons.

Comparatively Few birds and Unusually High Price May Be Expected This Spring.

Chickens and in fact all kinds of farm fowls are unusually scarce this spring and the prices promise to be higher than in years. Old fowls to be used for stock purposes, are bringing from five to seven dollars, just double the usual price, and are scarce at that. Early spring friers this year promise to bring unprecedented prices, and a good henery will be a real “oil well” investment to the farmer who is lucky enough to own one.

The past two wet seasons are accounted responsible for the scarcity of the birds. It is well understood that wet weather is exceedingly hard on the young chickens and lucky, indeed, was the spring chick that pulled thru last year.

Thousands of chickens were drowned outright in the big rains of last spring, or died from the exposure of being dragged about thru the wet grass by a most inconsiderate mother. For these and a number of other reasons, there were few chickens raised last year, as compared to the ordinary season, and the surplus over the spring market was light. This year about all the chickens there are left in this part of the state are those left over from two years.

This scarcity of the old bird, with the intense cold of the past winter, also accounts for the scarcity and high price of eggs during the winter, and there will probably be some dearth of eggs felt until this year’s birds are large enough to lay.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 21, 1903

Two Canine Robinson Crusoes

Fine Gordon Setters, Marooned on Duck Island Were Rescued on Friday

Animals Were Almost Starved

Supposed That They Had Been Left There Since Going Out of Ice 10 Days Ago

If it were part of a canine’s education to read Robinson Crusoe, two fine Gordon Setter dogs might consider their positino during the past ten days as similar to that of this famous adventurer.

On Thursday, some of the workmen employed on the Great Western elevator noticed two wolfish looking dogs skulking around Duck Island. The dogs appeared to be in desperate circumstances as they had evidently been imprisoned on the island since the ice went out, which was about ten days ago, and were afraid to brave the deep icy water which lay between them and the shore.

H.J. Bryson and Otto Foster, who are employed at the elevator were moved with pity at the sight of the poor beasts, who were howling with hunger and cold and a boat was procured and the dogs rescued. Mr. Bryson says the dogs were as “tickled as a seven-year old child on Christmas Day,” and were as grateful to their rescuers as human beings in like circumstances. After appeasing their appetites the freed prisoners scampered off not being anxious to remain in the vicinity of their bondage. It is not known who is the owner of the dogs. It is thought that the animals, which are valuable ones were tempted onto the island in pursuit of rabbit, on other game and the ice going out left them in a rather unenviable position. Judging from t heir actions the dogs must have been on the island for ten days or more.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 20, 1907

Told in Knierim.

Something That Explains The Scarcity of Ducks This Spring.

“Yessir. Killed a thousand ducks. Why they wuz so plentiful that year that my brother and another feller killed a thousand in one day.” The oldest inhabitant took a long draw at his pipe as he looked out of the corner of his eye to see how the story was received.

“Aw, that’s nothin’,” was the quick reply from a young man who had perched himself on the counter. “Why, ducks was so thick one spring that Paw killed them with a pitchfork when they flew past the wagon over his head.”

As an explanation of the scarcity of birds this spring and their shy manner, the above stories were told in a store at Knierim a couple of days ago.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 18, 1904

Chicken Thieves Make Raid

C.L. Peterson Suffers the Loss of Many Fowls

Resident in Southeastern Part of the City Loses Large Number of Chickens and Geese.

Chicken thieves made a raid on the chicken coop of C.L. Peterson, living near the Plymouth gypsum mill, on Thursday night, and today Mr. Peterson is mourning the loss of nearly three dozen choice fowls. chickens to the number of thirty or more were taken, while the thieves helped themselves to three fat geese in addition to the big Plymouth Rocks.

The theft was discovered at an early hour this morning, when Mr. Peterson found a glove in the yard near his chicken coop. Blood found near the building in which the fowls were housed led to an investigation and the discovery of the fact that he had been relieved of the greater part of his feathery wealth. The glove is the only clue to the identity of the thief, or thieves. No disturbance was heard Thursday night, although it is evident from the generous spilling of blood about the premises, that at least one chicken was killed.

Mr. Peterson is a foreman employed by the Plymouth Gypsum company, and lives near the mill in the southeastern part of the city.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 17, 1906

A Deadly Disease at Brushy

Anthrax Breaks Out Among Animals on Pratt Farm.

Is Contagious Disease Deadly to both Animals and Man – Place is Quarantined.

On being called to the farm of Charles Pratt at Brushy, Thursday afternoon by the news that a strange disease had broken out among the animals on the farm, Dr. Baughman of this city found the malady to be anthrax, a deadly contagious disease which attacks both animals and human beings. Already a number of animals have died from its effects.

Dr. Baughman, who is assistant state veterinarian took the case in hand at once and has imposed a strict quarantine n the place. All stock on the farm will be confined to it until it is certain that the disease has been stamped out. The sheds, pens, etc., will be torn down either placed in a strong antiseptic solution or burned and the dead animals will be burned in lime to prevent the disease germs from again coming to the surface.

The malady appeared on the same place some fifteen or sixteen years ago, and it is supposed that it reappeared through being brought to the surface by earth worms. It attacks those who are taken with it in the form of a malignant ulcer which spreads rapidly and soon brings death. There are practically no symptoms to give warning of the approach of the disease. The first that the farmer knows of it when he finds the dead animals which have succumbed to it.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 2, 1904

Farmer Traps a Gray Wolf

F.H. Fallon Captures Animal Tuesday Night

Had Been Prowling in Vicinity of His Home, Two Miles Southwest of the City.

To hear of large grey wolves in Webster County is rather a surprising incident but nevertheless such is the case in proof of which W.H. Fallon, living about two miles southwest of the city, has a fine specimen which he captured in a trap Tuesday night.

For some time Mr. Fallon had noticed the marauder in the vicinity of his home and planned to capture him if possible, fearing a raid on his small stock. Tuesday night he was successful and today he has Mr. Wolf safely tied and expects to bring him to this city and place him on exhibition.

The trap used was one of Mr. Fallon’s own invention, being made with a large box and baited for the victim, so that he is wholly unharmed and as full of life as ever.