The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 29, 1904

Public Recital of Music

Mrs. Smeltzer’s Pupils are Heard by Many Friends.

Recital Took Place at The Baptist Church and Caused Most Favorable Comments From All.

The pupils studying under the direction of Mrs. Smeltzer gave their final public recital last evening. The Baptist church is a delightful place for such an entertainment and the room was filled at an early hour not only by fond parents but outsiders interested in education, children and music.

The program, somewhat formidable in length moved off with great promptness and perfection, that the hour seemed very short.

One might be tempted to comment on this or that pupil, who by personal charm or skill left a particularly favorable impression. Such notice is however, not the object of such a program. It is rather to show the work of the school as a whole. The pupils are of all grades of natural ability, the proportion of genius and talent being no greater than is usual in such a number. The absolute accracy (sic) og (sic) their knowledge of their pieces, the beautiful quality of their tone and the musical phrasing and interpretations are therefore the highest tribute to the excellence of their training. The least showy pupil may record the greatest progress in mental and musical development.

It is pleasant to think how many homes are richer and brighter for this music and how many pupils are learning, almost unconsciously, the difficult lesson of self-control and self-expression.

(Editor’s note: This article is written in such a way to make me think that the pupils were less accomplished than enthusiastic, perhaps. There is no mention of any names of pupils or the works they performed. It makes me think that perhaps there were  few good performances and the writer was trying to live up to the saying, “if you can’t be kind, at least be vague.”)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 28, 1905

Slot Machines Taken Down

Orders Given to Have Them Removed Thru the City.

Complaints Have Been Made Against Them – Order Stopping Practice Not Permanent.

Fathers and mothers who fear the effect of the temptations of the slot machine upon their boys will be given for a time at least, a respite from their fears. Yesterday afternoon the propritors (sic) of the places in the city where slot machines are run were notified to take them down.

The action is the result of a number of complaints that have recently been filed before the officials of the city. The doers (?) realizing that though the running of slot machines is an entirely legitimate practice as long as they are not too heavily patronized by youths and young men decided that the complaints that had come in to them were prima facie evidence that the machines were fast becoming a nuisance in the city and decided that some steps should be taken to curtail them, consequently their action in notifying the owners to take them down.

No permanent order had been issued against the contrivances, however, and should it be deemed advisable to allow them to run later on in the year the merchants will no doubt be given permission to put them up.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 28, 1905

Vaudelille (sic) Has Good Week’s Bill

The Program at the Midland Theater is Good One For The Money.

The Vaudeville that is running in the Midland is making a big success and they are giving the people a good show. The bill this week is headed with “Zenoz” the one-legged wire-walker and he shows himself to be an accomplished artist.

The next on the program is the illustrated song which is liberally encored and the song and pictures are good. The Dayton sisters should not be forgotton (sic) as they are without a doubt the best dancers that has ever been in Fort dodge, and have a pleasing manner that wins the crowd.

Lucas & Heston who are the last on the specialty list are great fun-makers and they keep the crowd in a roar of laughter from start to finish. The moving pictures by Fred Steltzer are by far the best that has been in our city for some time the feature, this week in the pictures is “The Great Train Robbery,” although they have been shown here before they receive their share of the applause.

The show as a whole is equal to a great many high price attractions that has been booked here before.

(Editor’s note: “The Great Train Robbery” is online for your viewing pleasure. The note that accompanies the video states:

Widely credited as the first movie to tell a story. If the final shot seems out of place – that’s because it was designed to be a promotion for the main feature. The instructions supplied said it could be shown before or after the movie.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 17, 1903

Cardiff Giant in Barn

Fort Dodge’s Famous Product Now in Retirement

Huge Fake of History Has Rested For the Last Twenty-Seven Years.

The Cardiff Giant is shown in this Library of Congress photo.

Boston June 17 – How are the mighty fallen! This applies exactly and accurately to the very prosaic Cardiff giant, a monstrosity of once debatable origin, which had a career of excitement, interest and doubt that fooled all of the American public for a short time, and which had its unique career cut short, but not till a great deal of money had been made out of the fraud.

After years of triumphal progress about the country, being exhibited to thousands of wondering people, after causing a division in the scientific world as to the authenticity of the claims of the monster’s antecedents, the cause of all this trouble is now calming (sic) reposing in a very unromantic packing case, protected from the chilling frosts of winter by a loose garb of coarse sawdust in the barn of a well known citizen of Fitchburg. Indeed, he has been here the greater part of the last twenty years or more, or soon after the Boston Herald put an end to his “meteoric” career by an editorial which pronounced him a fake.

But here at Fitchburg his giantship is, and few people have known anything about it. In addition to his suit of sawdust there is some quasi litigation about that prevents his public participancy in the events of the early years of the new century, when a generation is coming to the fore which will some day want to see him out of curiosity, if not for the gratification of scientific research, which was in his early days a ruling motive about him.

When the business of exhibiting the giant failed, S.S. Lawrence, a local contractor, was engaged to build a shed or addition to the hotel in which the giant could be stored. He did so. Soon afterward Mr. Lawrence took the giant to his own barn and stored it there, and there it has been ever since. There was an agreement as to payment for this storage, but nothing has been done about it, so Mr. Lawrence holds on to his stone charge, which he has had nearly twenty-seven years.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 16, 1904

The Jolly Peanut Club

A New Fun Finding Organization is Organized.

Eight Young Ladies Band Together As Eight Kernels in a Peanut Shell.

Seven members of the Jolly Peanut club, accompanied by Mrs. Harry Vincent as chaperon and Bruno Schroeder as coachman, left the city this morning in a large carryall for Humboldt, where they will spend the day in the various manners of enjoyment best known to young girls. The club was organized some time ago, but this is the first expedition into other lands as an organized band of funfinders.

The young ladies, eight in number, spent the night at the Schroeder residence, sleeping all in one bed, arranged by laying two big mattresses on the floor side by side. This was done in an attempt to live up to their name, it is supposed, like eight little kernels in a peanut shell. The girls were up at 4 o’clock this morning to be ready for their lark, and all in their big carryall passed thru the streets at 6 a.m. , rousing the town from its slumbers with the  hubbub of tin horns secured by them the night before the occasion.

The Peanut club was organized by the  young ladies for a good time organization, and they plan to follow as closely as possible the life and doings of “Eight Girls and a Dog.” The dog is not as yet forthcoming, but the club is otherwise complete with eight as lively girls as are often seen in a bunch.

The members of the club are as follows: Doris Olney, Hazel Schroeder, Olive Maher, Lulu Kepner, Talma Kitchen, Jean Marquette, Beth Wright, Hazel Clark.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 12, 1906

Collect Unique Stamps

People Throughout Country Ready to Purchase Rare Stamps – Frisco Letters Marked “Earthquake.”

Since the disaster at San Francisco enthusiastic stamp collectors have been adding to their unique collections. Every available piece of writing maing (sic) material was used during the dreadful week folowing (sic) the earthquake for friends and relatives were gladdened by the receipt of a bit of old card board or a tiny scrap of paper.

The post offices all over the country delivered missives from the stricken city, free of charge to the sender. The writer would substitute the word “earthquake,” “no stamps to be had” or collect at destination,” in place of stamps. sometimes a substitute, either an out of date stamp or old revenue stamp was used, but regardless of the method of attempting to provide substitutes the postoffices have cancelled the corners, making the relic of “philatelic” value.

The redemption division of the post office department has been busily engaged in redeeming thousands of ruined stamps and stamped envelopes which have been sent back east from the postoffices of San Francisco. The postmasters were credited with the full amount and received new stamps and envelopes.

Stamp collecting has become one of the fads of this country. The enthusiastic collector will work overtime, nights and Sundays to secure a rare specimen, an error or a freak. The recent earthquake has been the means by which several unique relics will be secured for future reference when their value is assured.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 8, 1903

Juvenile Band is Coming to the Front

Has Received Invitation to Play at Waverly on Occasion of Woodmen’s Picnic Next Tuesday.

Graham Brothers’ Juvenile Band has been invited to participate in the band concert to be given at Waverly on next Tuesday at the Woodmen’s picnic. It was decided this morning that the band will go. The band is  under the direction of Mrs. Sultzbaugh and Mrs. Chiquet who have organized the band t his winter. That the band which has only been organized for a few months and is composed entirely of beginners has been requested to play at this contest is considered an excellent testimonial to the leaders and players. The management wish it understood that the boys will not be allowed to participate in any of the pernicious amusements which usually are a feature of gala days.

The band is composed of the following boys:

Cornets –
Verne Chiquet
Harry Sultzbaugh
Frank Isaacson

Slide Trombone – Fred Chiquet

Valve Trombone – Frank Bostwick

Tenor – William McDaniels

Basses –
Clifford Vonstein
Lester McGuire

Altos –
Will Todd
Melvin Roscoe
Clyde Boyden

Drums –
Gilbert Chiquet
Allen Brown

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 1, 1904

Pirates May Show Elsewhere

Mason City and Humboldt Want Play.

Local Production Will go to One of the Two Places – Would Run Excursion.

Arrangements are being completed by which the home talent production, “The Pirates of Penzance,” so successfully given here Monday and Tuesday evenings, will be produced at either Mason City or Humboldt. Dates are wanted by both towns, and it is possible that the opera will be sung in both Mason City and Humboldt, but its production at one of the two places is assured. This speaks favorably for those taking part in the opera, and for Mr. and Mrs. Joe Brown under whose direction it was given, and besides ample proof that Fort Dodge’s local talent is appreciated elsewhere than here although the hearty appreciation shown during the two productions was most gratifying.

In any case, whether it be Mason City or Humboldt that secures the “Pirates of Penzance,” nothing will be spared to make it as complete a production as given here. The Fifty-sixth regimental band will accompany the singers, and all the specially prepared costumes and scenery will be again used.

Should Mason City secure the opera a special train will be made up here and an excursion run to that place with a rate of one dollar for the round trip. Coaches will be reserved for the members of the band and opera company, and rates will be made for all the towns between hre (sic) and Mason City. In case the opera is given at Humboldt an excursion will likewise be run to that point, with a  small rate, and an excursion run from Albert Lea to Humboldt.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 19, 1906

Accident at the Circus Grounds

Seats Fall Upon Miss Ruth Peterson Prior to the Evening Performance.

Bad Accident Barely Averted

Caught in a Rush For the More Popular Places The Young Lady Was Thrown to the Ground The Seats Falling Upon Her.

During the performance of the Sells-Floto circus at Oleson park last evening an accident that might have resulted seriously for many people occurred. It was only averted by the presence of mind of those in the vicinity, all escaping but the one young lady, who, besides a badly sprained ankle, is suffering from many bruises as a result of the accident.

She is Ruth Peterson, the sixteen-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.F. Peterson, residing at 1727 Fourteenth avenue south. It was during the early part of the evening, before the large crowds has assembled. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson and daughter were seeking seats in the west end of the tent near the entrance from the menagerie. As they started up the tier of seats, a general rush was made for the better places, and in the hurry about them a portion of the seats were thrown to the ground, one of the supports thus weakened, slipping out of place.

In the excitement and confusion several people were thrown down from their seats, but all escaping except Miss Peterson, whose right foot was caught beneath the fallen seats and twisted in such a manner as to temporarily dislocate the bones. She was badly bruised by the fall, and for a time suffered much pain.

At the time of the accident the crowd in the tents was small, but yet large enough to cause a general rush to apparently safer quarters. That section of the seats was immediately rearranged and strengthened.

The employes (sic) of the circus came to the assistance of Miss Peterson at once, and after caring for her as best they could, arranged a property chair taken from one of the dessing (sic – should be dressing) tents in a place of advantage, where in spite of the pain suffered, she remained, seeing the circus to the finish.

Before leaving the circus grounds, however, Miss Peterson’s ankle had become twice its normal size, and she was taken to the city, where a surgeon’s aid was secured to care for the dislocation.