The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1917

Enlist at Once in IA. Nat’l Guard

Two Fort Dodge Companies Must Get Men

Enlist to 100 Men Each

“Proof of Patriotism” Declares Philpot

Plans for a big mass meeting in the armory Thursday evening were begun by national guard officers to spur many Fort Dodge young men to enlist in Companies F and G. Both companies probably will parade behind the Fort Dodge Municipal band. After the parade, the meeting will be held in the armory at which Mayor John F. Ford, Robert Healy and Major S.B. Philpot will speak.

Every effort is being made to recruit the Second Iowa up to full strength so it can be called out at once. One report has it that as soon as the regiment is on a war footing, it is to be divided into four skeleton regiments, each of which will then be recruited up to war strength.

Big posters printed in red have been put up in business places today telling the urgent need the Iowa National Guard has for recruits.

In the meantime, the officers of the two national guard companies at the armory are also making every effort to recruit the two companies up to 100 men each.

A total of only ten recruits was gained by Tuesday’s work. Personal canvass will be made in an effort to secure the required number. Co. F. now has about seventy eight while Company G has about ten more.

Major Philpot Here

Major S.B. Philpot of this city has been put on recruiting work, declared this morning that the two local companies have the least number of recruits of any of the companies in the Second Iowa Infantry. He urged the local men to get busy.

“We offer recruits,” said Major Philpot, “the best regiment on the border, officered by men of experience. Connection with a crack organization means a great deal more than connection with a loosely organized regiments. The Second Iowa will be used as an organization regiment. It saw the longest service on the border of any of the Iowa troops and will be used to train the raw men. Recruits should avail themselves of the opportunity to enlist without being drafted.

“At LeMars they got fourteen recruits after I left. Other companies in the regiment have been doing much better than Fort Dodge has. it’s up to Fort Dodge to get busy and do something.”

Put in Recruiting Window

The national guardsmen today decorated a display window in the front of The Messenger Building with some of their equipment and with posters appealing to the young men of the city to enlist before they will be made to suffer the stigma of a draft.

Fort Dodge guardsmen who came back from the border and were given so hearty a welcome feel that the city can pass the real test of patriotism by getting the young men of Fort Dodge to enlist. High school boys, particularly, whose parents are patriotic, will find a welcome in either of the local companies.

Suggest Earlier Graduation

Local guard officers have suggested that the eligible young men in the senior class of the high school be given their diplomas earlier than in June upon their enlistment with the national guard.

This would provide for many recruits among the best class of young fellows.

Governor Suggests Meeting

A citizens patriotic mass meeting in fort Dodge was suggested in a communication received today by Mayor John F. Ford from W.L. Harding, governor of Iowa.

Recruiting of the Iowa National Guard has been going along so slowly in the state that an effort has been launched to have the mayors in the cities in Iowa take hold of the work in order to hasten the recruiting of the guards up to the required strength.

The letter which Major Ford received today was a request for him to assemble the citizens of Fort Dodge at a mass meeting and urge those of military age to enlist in the national guard. The plan, it is hoped, will extend far enough to provide men who might be enlisted into the volunteers when the call comes for their enlistment.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1905

Come Back to Iowa

Frank Gotch Will Live Simple Life at Humboldt.

Humboldt, April 1 – Frank Gotch, the Iowa wrestler, who held the title of champion of the country until he was finally defeated a few days ago by Tom Jenkins, of Cleveland, will come back to his hold home here and undertake to restore his old form by a course of simple training.

Gotch and his chief patron, “Farmer” Burns, also an Iowan and a former champion wrestler, believes at thoroughly as ever that Gotch is still the champion wrestler. But he has lost the title to Jenkins, and must win it back.

Gotch is the victim of the desire to make money. Like Burns, he is a man of model habits in the main; not quite as abstemious as Burns, who never knew in his life the taste of liquor or tobacco, but a man who never gets out of training. Gotch was discovered, trained and brought out by Burns, and Burns was the most wonderful wrestler for his size and weight that ever went on a mat.

Jenkins wrested the championship from Burns, and Burns raised up Gotch to wrest it from Jenkins. Now Jenkins has taken it back again, and Gotch proposes to go back to the farm and the soil and the simple life to recover his weight and form and defeat Jenkins again.

There is little doubt that Gotch will succeed, for he has repeatedly proved himself superior to Jenkins. But the past winter he has been touring the country doing one-night stands agreeing to throw local champions at the rate of one to every five minutes as fast as they’ll bring ’em on, and such stunts, which are the very worst things possible fora man’s training, when taken with irregular hours and hard traveling. As a result Gotch went to the platform for his last match with Jenkins at fifteen pounds under his best weight.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 2, 1906

A $200 Horse is Stolen

Boldest Theft of Year Right in Heart of City Saturday Afternoon.

Owner Offers $50 Reward

Thief Took Horse, Buggy and all From Where it was Tied near Chapin’s Lumber Yard – Burgfried Bros. Were Owners.

The boldest theft of the year to occur in Fort Dodge took place Saturday afternoon when a two hundred dollar blooded horse belonging to Burgfried Brothers was stolen from its hitching place on the north side of Chapin’s lumber yard.

The theft occurred between two and five o’clock, as the animal was tied at the place as the animal was tied at the place mentioned at two and was gone when the owners returned at five.

The animal is a bay, sixteen adn one-half hands high, weight about 1,300 pounds. It has a small white star in the face also a white mark on the lower point of the left shoulder. The vehicle was a red wheeled road wagon, containing a light harness, horse blanket and robe.

The owners are incensed over the theft and without delay the matter was placed in the hands of Sheriff Oleson. A reward of fifty dollars has been offered by Burgfried Brothers for the capture of the thief and the return of the stolen property.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1906

Sold Stolen Horse for $40

Horse Stolen From Burgfried Bros. Sold by Thief to Teamster.

Sheriff Olson (sic) has recovered the horse stolen from Brugfied (sic) Bros. Saturday afternoon from the place where it was tied north of Chapin’s lumber yeard (sic).

The animal was sold for forty dollars to one A.H. Linda a teamster living on the flat and was later recovered from this man. Mr. Linda states that a young man approached him on the street stating that he had a horse to sell. He announced his willingness to look at the animal and was led to a side street where it was tied. The seller offered to dispose of it for forty dollars and seeing that the horse was a bargain at that price Linda at once closed the deal and the next day paid over his money, not thinking but that the man was its owner.

He took the horse home and on Monday hitched it up and started on his work with it. A liveryman recognized it and informed the sheriff. Linda was greatly surprised to hear of the manner in which he had been buncoed and at once gave up the horse. He has placed a description of the young man who sold the stolen animal to him in the hands of the officers who have instituted a search for him. It is supposed, however, that he at once made good his escape from the city. He is said to be a Fort Dodge young man, residing in “Bobtown.”

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1903

Short Messages

Mr. and Mrs. W. Kopp are the proud parents of a baby girl.

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L.S. Braunstein made a business trip to Duncombe Wednesday.

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Arthur Lungren is confined to his home by an attack of la grippe.

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Miss Florence Parsons is clerking in the Gates Dry Goods store for a short time.

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Miss Margaret Mahoney is on the sick list today and not able to be at work.

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Fire Marshal J.W. Lowrey is recuperating from his recent illness in Colfax.

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Miss Harriet Major has left Fort Dodge for Decatur, Illinois, where she will make her future home.

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Mrs. John Steinbrink has returned to her home in Manson after undergoing a successful operation at the city hospital.

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John Hein of Chicago, is making a few day’s visit in this city.

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Mrs. C.D. Case entertained Wednesday evening in honor of her brother, Walter Anderson, who is visiting in this city.

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Mr. Early’s Methodist Sunday school class will hold a handkerchief bazaar in the east window of the Early Music house during the next ten days.

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P.A. Carson who has been at the city hospital during the past two weeks because of appendicitis has recovered. Mr. Carson’s home is on Round Prairie Hill.

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Dr. T.E. Devereaux left today for the Black Hills where he has interest in a mine. During his absence, his brother, Dr. C.H. Devereaux of Humboldt will attend to his office.

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Green B. Morse the famous race man with eighteen of his horses and seventeen men passed thru the city Tuesday night enroute from San Francisco (to) Gravesend, New York.

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Mrs. C.D. Case entertained Wednesday evening in honor of her brother, Walter Anderson who is visiting in this city. Miss Cromwell of Kansas City has gone to Humboldt for a visit at the Dr. McCreight home.

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The new carpet cleaning wheel at the Sherman laundry has been put up and is in operation. This system of cleaning is an innovation in the city, and it is promised that it will far exceed the old broom stick method.

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Wednesday at 3 o’clock, Henry Hale and Miss Katie Harbach, both of Kalo were married at the home of Emory Smith in this city. Only relatives were present at the ceremony which was performed by Rev. McIntire of the Christian Church.

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Three drunks were docketed at the police court this morning. All plead guilty and were given the usual $7.10. None of the prisoners having the wherewithal and this being their first offense they were dismissed. Their names were: John Seburg, Henry Adams and Frank Myers.

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The first of the three classes at the German Lutheran school received examinations this morning, which if passed, will signify the completion of work in the German school. The second class will receive its examination on Friday morning. Those of the highest class who have completed their required work will be confirmed on Easter Sunday.

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A good sized delegation of Webster County people came up to attend the performance of “The Chaperons,” at the Midland on Wednesday evening. Among the party were the following:

George C. Tucker, city editor of the Freeman-Tribune, and wife.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 2, 1903

Juel Johnson in Sad Plight

Miner, Paralyzed by Accident, Cannot Live Much Longer

He was Injured in January.

Since That Time Has Lain, Perfectly Helpless, on Cot in City Hospital.

Juel Johnson, the miner who last January had one of the processes of his spinal column crushed in a mine accident at the Pleasant Valley mine, is still alive, but there is little hope for his recovery at Thrombosis or the clotting of a vein has set in and it will be impossible for him to survive. If it had not been for this Mr. Johnson might have lived several years.

Mr. Johnson’s injury was an unusually serious one. While he was at work on the mine a large mass of coal fell on him and knocked him down. Johnson was picked up helpless, and on examination it was found that one of the processes of the spinal column had been crushed and that the ragged edges of the bone almost severed the spinal cord, thereby affecting the nervous system and causing complete paralysis.

Mr. Johnson is a prominent member of the Miner’s Union which has been looking after him. He is at the city  hospital, where he is being given every comfort.

Other articles:

Is Paralyzed From Waist Down

His Case is a Peculiar One

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1903

In Memoriam

August Lindahl, whose death occurred Tuesday at his home in West Fort Dodge was one of the best known and highly respected citizens of the community in which he lived. For twenty-three years he has made his home in this city, and during this time he has made his mark as a man of industry and worth. His death is generally regretted.

August Lindahl was born in Sweden on March 26, 1853. He came to the United States to live thirty-two years ago, and settled first in Illinois, where he followed the pursuit of forming. Twenty-three years ago he decided to come farther west, and traveling by wagon, as last reached Fort Dodge and settled on the west side of the river.

During two terms of two years each, Mr. Lindahl was a member of the city council, elected on the republican ticket, and in this manner was identified with the city’s management. His services in this capacity proved his ability and devotion to the city’s interests.

For the past two years, Mr. Lindahl has been a sewer contractor, but of late had not been active in his business on account of his sickness with diabetes, the disease which finally caused his death. It is a sad coincidence that four years ago Adolph, Mr. Lindahl’s only son, died from the same disease. Mr. Lindahl leaves one daughter, Amanda.

Deceased was a member of the West Fort Dodge fire department, whose members feel deeply the loss of one of their number.

Shortly before his death Mr. Lindahl made a will whose contents have not as yet been public.

The funeral will be held from the West Side Methodist Episcopal church at 2 o’clock on Thursday afternoon.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 2, 1903

West Fort Dodge Business Houses Closed

Honor Shown to Late August Lindahl Whose Funeral Was Held This Afternoon.

Business in West Fort Dodge was practically at a standstill this afternoon on account of the funeral services of the late August Lindahl, which were held from the Riverside M. E. church at 2 o’clock this afternoon. The merchants of West Fort Dodge without exception, closed their places of business during the time in which the funeral was in progress.

The services were conducted by Rev. C.J. Messenger, pastor of the church, and were in every way suitable to the sad occasion. Interment was made in the cemetery in West Fort Dodge.

The West Fort Dodge fire department of which Mr. Lindahl was a member, attended the funeral in a body.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1903

Rockwell City’s Baptism of Fire

Columbia Hotel and Illinois Central Depot Destroyed by Fire Today

Guests Roused From Sleep

Many are Forced to Leap From Buildings of Blazing Hotel. Loss is Heavy

Rockwell City, Ia. April 1 – Thirty guests were forced to flee in their night clothing from the burning Columbia hotel in this city at early hour this morning. Many were compelled to jump from the widows (sic) of their rooms, but at the hotel was a two story structure none were injured.

Scarcely anything was saved from the burning building, the startled guests being barely given sufficient time to make their own escape. One traveling man for Younker Brothers of Des Moines lost samples valued at $800.

The fire started from the explosion of a kerosene lamp, shortly before five o’clock this morning, and before the fire department could arrive the flames were beyond control. The building was burned to the ground.

The hotel was owned by Dr. J.M. Cooper. The loss, which will amount to $5,000,  is total, the insurance policy having expired three days ago, and not having been renewed.

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Rockwell City, April 1. – The Illinois Central depot at this place burned this afternoon. The flames started while Agent E.E. Empie and his assistants were all away from the depot, and the source of the fire is a mystery for this reason. The whole structure, including the baggage and express rooms and their contents, burned to the ground.

The fire department had a hard fight to save some barns near by, but were successful in this endeavor, altho they could not save the depot building itself.

(Editor’s note: According to this website, 1903 dollars adjusted to 2009 dollars [the latest year offered on the site]  would mean the salesman’s $800 samples would be worth around $19,000 today. The $5,000 hotel would be approximately $118,000 today.)

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1903

Engine Stopped Just in Time

Misses Carrie Johnson and Inger Larson in Serious Peril

Horse Fell in Crossing Track

Alertness of Engineer of Approaching Freight Train and Flag Men Avert Accident.

With the horse they were driving fallen and floundering on the track, Misses Carrie Johnson and Inger Larson sat helpless in their buggy, watching an Illinois Central freight train bearing own (sic – should be down) upon them, on Tuesday. The alertness of the engineer in charge of the train, and the flagman on duty at the crossing, saved them from what seemed for a time to be a deadly peril.

As soon as the man at the throttle saw the predicament of the two ladies he reversed his engine. The emergency brakes were set, and the train was stopped before it reached the buggy with its helpless inmates.

The carriage was slightly damaged but nothing else resulted from what might have been a terrible accident.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 31, 1903

Dread Smallpox Appears Near Vincent

John Simon and Family, Five in All, Have Been Closely Quarantined.

Vincent, March 31 – Vincent people are greatly agitated over the breaking out of two genuine small pox cases at the John Simon Home one half mile south and three miles east of that place.

Mr. and Mrs. Simon and son Joseph and daughter Edith and Stora have all broken out with the malady. The place has been quarantined, but many of the neighbors and some Vincent people are said to have visited at the Simon place before it was discovered that the Simons were stricken with the dreaded disease. As practically all Vincent people have been vaccinated many cases of the genuine smallpox cannot break out.