The Fort Dodge Messenger: Oct. 24, 1906
Hand Caught in Wringer
Little Dessinger Bady (sic) Injured This Afternoon at Home.
While playing with a wringer that was fastened to a tub, late this afternoon, the little child of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Dessinger, residing at 701 1/2 south First avenue, was painfully injured. A physician was called to the home at once and succeeded in easing the pain of the little one and in dressing the wounded hand.
(Editor’s note: I suffered a similar incident at the age of four. In my case, the wringer was operated by electricity and my arm was stuck at the elbow. I still have the scar from the friction burn.)
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 31, 1903
Showman Meets With Accident
John Wood, Leading Character in “Two Merry Tramps” Suffers Fractured Leg
Falls Thru Open Trap Door
Unaware of Opening in Floor, He Falls Into Basement Below
John Wood, one of the two leading characters in the Wood and Ward “Two Merry Tramps,” which is to be produced at the Midland tonight, met with an accident at 12:30 this afternoon by which he will be unable to appear on the stage for some time. As a result of his failure to see an open trap door on the stage in the rear of the opera house he was precipitated to the basement below nad suffered a fracture of the right leg between the hip and knee.
Wood, who as well as being one of the leading characters in the play, is a member of the band, and with that organization had been playing on Central avenue at noon. A few minutes before 12:30 the band returned to the opera house. A chest in which the uniforms are carried was standing near an open trap door and while in the act of placing his cap upon the cover of the box Wood unconsciously stepped into the hole and fell, a distance of fifteen feet. The other members of the band were present and several of them even saw him step back into the hole, but had no time in which to warn him of his danger. Wood himself said that the bright sunlight of the street in contrast with the interior of the opera house caused him to fail to see the opening in the stage floor. Those who saw him fall were unaware that he did not know of the opening until too late to warn him.
A surgeon was summoned and the injured man was given attention.
The production, however, will be given tonight as usual. It is customary to provide for contingencies of this nature by carrying an understudy and in this way Wood’s part will be filled tonight.
It has since been learned that Wood’s correct name is Kenyon.
The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 26, 1904
Narrow Escape for Boy
A Heavy Weight Falls Upon Robert Craig
Pinned Down Under a Furnace Which Weights 500 Pounds, But No Bones Are Broken
Robert Craig eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Craig had a narrow escape from an awful injury on Wednesday. Mr. Craig has purchased a new heating furnace for his house and it has been stored in the barn this summer. He and Robert were out in the born (sic, should be barn) and Robert was playing about when suddenly Mr. Craig heard a cry and looking about he discovered his boy pinned under the entire front of the plant which had fallen on him, just leaving his head out above the iron.
The front weighed about five hundred pounds, at least, so it seemed to the distracted father as he raised it from off what he supposed would be a crushed and broken child. The little boy was found to be badly bruised but not a bone broken. As the front fell the door fell open and supported the weight of the structure, thus in a large measure saving the child who would no doubt have been killed, or badly injured if this had not been so.
Robert is a badly bruised boy, but he will soon be around again and there is a very thankful family up at the Craig home, in spite of the fact that just after this accident the baby secured a case knife and cut his little finger to the bone to make a diversion for his parents, who were no doubt too much taken up with Robert to please the small autocrat.
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.
The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 10, 1905
Bones Broken in Game
Ball Player Breaks Collar Bone in Webster City
Webster City, June 10 – Third Baseman Dow of the Williams’ base ball team, which played in this city, had the misfortune to break his collar bone during the game. He was taken to the office of Dr. Rummel where the fracture was dressed. The injury will not prove serious and the young man returned home on the afternoon train.
The accident happened in the last half o the sixth inning. The Williams team was at bat and Dow was on first base. He attempted to make second and a long low ball was thrown (to) Arthur Martin, who was holding this base for the Baraca team. Martin stooped to get it and tag the runner and Dow attempted a slide. He collided with Martin’s knee with such force as to break the collar bone.
The young man was taken from the ball diamond and assisted to the office of Dr. Rummel. The doctor states tat the injury is by no means serious. It will lay the young man up for two or three weeks, however. Of course beside the breaking of the collar bone, Mr. Dow was considerably bruised about the shoulder.
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.
The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 31, 1904
His Case is a Peculiar One
A Man With a Broken Back Lives Nearly Two Years – Case of Joel Johnson
The case of Joel Johnson of Coalville, whose death occurred Friday, is one of the most peculiar and sad ever occurring in Webster county.
It will be remembered the unfortunate man was hurt while working in a coal mine in Coalville nearly a year and a half ago. He was buried under a fall of coal and his back was broken just below the points of the shoulder blades. He was brought to the hospital in this city and in the hope of relieving the pressure on the spinal cord, an operation was performed. It was discovered, however, when the incision was made, that the spinal cord had been almost entirely severed. It was thought that man would live but a short time, but a part of the injured vertebra was removed and the patient recovered apparently his health, but of course, not retaining any action or feeling in any of the organs below the region of the injury. Having no relatives he was removed to Coalville, where he was cared for at the expense of the county. He gradually began to grow worse again after his return to Coalville and about six weeks ago became so bad he was brought back t o the hospital in this city, where he remained under the care of the county physician until death.
Previous articles:
Is Paralyzed From Waist Down
Juel Johnson in Sad Plight
The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 20, 1903
Long Chapter of Accidents
Several Fort Dodge People Meet Mishaps Which Place Them Under Doctor’s Care
None Are Seriously Hurt
A Broken Arm and Various Cuts and Bruises Fill Out the List
The little six year old son of Clark Andrews residing at 549 Third avenue north while playing with several young companions received injuries that will keep him in the house for several weeks. He and a number of other boys wre playing together in a barn on the back of his father’s premises when Clark started down stairs. When about half-way down his foot slipped and he fell to the ground. Instinctively he put out his hand to catch himself and falling upon his arm broke it. A physician was called and the arm was set. At present he is resting easily and is very thankful his fall did not result more seriously.
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Adelbert Butler a lamplighter in the employ of the Chicago Great Western sustained a rather painful accident Tuesday night while in the performance of his duty. It is his duty to see that the different switch lights and the other lights in the Great Western years are trimmed and properly lighted and for this purpose he carries a small ladder with him on his rounds. He had climbed up on the ladder to relight a lamp when the ladder upon which he stood slipped from under him and he fell to the ground. In some way he struck his head, cutting the scalp and inflicting a wound about an inch and a half in length. He managed to come to town and have a physician dress his wound which had to have several stitches taken in it but was very weak from loss of blood. He is back at work today as well as ever.
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C.B. Kibby while showing a prospective customer the stock he was handling had the misfortune of having one of the heavy wagon tongues fall upon his head. He was stunned by the blow and it was several minutes before the doctor, who was hurriedly summoned by his customer, could bring him back to consciousness. He was not very badly hurt and execept (sic) a severe bruise ont he top of his head is now feeling all right.
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While Harry Carter was lifting up a cake of ice into an ice box it suddenly slipped from his grasp and fell heavily upon his foot. The ice weighed about forty pounds and falling with such force badly crused (sic) his foot. A physician who examined the injured member said there were luckily no bones broken but that the foot was rather badly bruised and would pain him for some time.
(Editor’s note: graphic content)
The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 18, 1903
Mangled By Stallion’s Bite
Hnnry (sic) Vauble, a Webster City Farmer, Terribly Injured
Entire Cheek is Bitten Out
Entered Barn to Look After Sick Horse and Got Into Stallion’s Stall by Mistake
Webster City, May 19 – Henry Vauble, aell to do farmer living seven miles north of this city, had his whole cheek bitten out by a vicious stallion here this morning. He is now at Mercy hospital, suffering great pain from his injury.
Mr. Vauble has had a horse undergoing treatment at one of the Webster City livery barns for some days past, and this morning came in to see how the animal was getting along. By a mistake he got into the stallion’s stall which was next to that of his horse. The animal turned and with one vicious snap tore away the man’s whole left cheek.
Vauble staggered back, the blood flowing from the wound in streams. The employes (sic) of the barn promptly came to his aid and he is being given every attention.
The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 5, 1903
Fred Clausen, of Ogden, Narrowly Escapes With Life
Almost Ground Under Wheels of Minneapolis Train Bound for Fort Dodge
One of the narrowest escapes form death that did not result in anything more serious than a bruised arm, happened to thirteen-year-old Fred Clausen Saturday night at Ogden. The Minneapolis & St. Louis passenger train had just begun to get up speed after leaving the station and came around a curve directly upon the boy. He saw it coming in time and jumped, but just a little too slow. The fact of his being in the air with his feet off the ground, is probably the only reason he was not thrown beneath the wheels.
As it was, he was struck on the shoulder and thrown several feet down the embankment. The train was stopped immediately, and the crew went back to pick him up. Instead of finding him dead, as they expected, the found him sitting up nursing his shoulder, which had been struck pretty hard. The boy says, however, that the train did not strike him, but that he stumbled and rolled down the embankment, hurting himself that way. However that may be, he is extremely thankful for his exceedingly narrow escape.
