The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 23, 1910

City News

Marriage License

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Divorce Suit Dropped.

The divorce suit filed by Guy Walrod against his wife, Muriel Walrod, on the grounds of desertion has been dropped by the plaintiff and stricken from the district court docket.

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Settlement is Reached

The case of George Townsend vs. Mrs. J.M. Beavers, assigned for trial at the present term of the district court, has been dismissed by the plaintiff at his cost.

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Small Judgment Given

The jury in the case of Wm. Oberton vs. J.B. Black, on trial in the district court brought in a verdict awarding the plaintiff damages in the sum of $8 as a result of the defendant’s cattle trespassing on his corn fields.

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Another Case Settled.

The case of Conrad Brown and Anna Brown vs. The Fort Dodge Brick and Tile Co., slated for trial at the present term of the district court, has been settled out of court, the defendant company paying the plaintiff the sum of $310 as a result of an accident suffered by their son.

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Jury is Excused

Wednesday evening, owing to the settlement and continuation of many cases assigned for trial in the district court during the present week, Judge C.G. Lee dismissed the petit jurors for remainder of the present week. They will report Monday afternoon at 1:30 for service during the coming week.

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Divorce Granted

Thursday afternoon Judge C.G. Lee in the district court granted a divorce to Jessie Davenport on the grounds of desertion. The number of divorces granted during the two weeks court has been in session is nearly a record breaker.

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Funeral on Saturday

The funeral of the late P. Henry Vaughan, who passed away on Wednesday evening as a result of a stroke of apoplexy suffered on Tuesday morning, will be held at 9:30 on Saturday morning from Corpus Christi, with interment in Corpus Christi cemetery. All of the members of the family of the deceased are in the city to attend the funeral.

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Paving is Delayed

The rain of Thursday called for a cessation of the paving work in the city, and this morning the employes (sic) are taking a still longer enforced vacation as a result of continued inclement weather. Up to the present time the men have been able to push their work with a pleasing degree of speed and little time has been lost through bad weather.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 14, 1906

R.M. M’Cabe to Marry

Former City Editor of the Chronicle Will Wed in Logan.

On Tuesday September the 18th, Mr. R.M. McCabe, former city editor of the Chronicle, and Miss Loenteen Arthur of Logan, Iowa, will be wed. This announcement comes as a surprise to a great many of Mr. McCabe’s friends in Fort Dodge. He was at one time engaged in the newspaper business in this city, but during the past year has been editing, together with his father, the Logan Observer.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 14, 1906

Fort Dodge Man Ends Own Life

Jack Foster Formerly of Here Throws Himself Under Train at Mallette, S.D.

Sioux City, Iowa, Sept. 14 – (Special to The Messenger) – Jack Foster, a harvest hand, aged 47 years, formerly of Fort Dodge, committed suicide by throwing himself under a train at Malette, S.D., last night. Foster and wife separated three months ago and failure to affect a reconciliation last night prompted the deed.

(Editor’s note: There is a Mellette, South Dakota.)

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 11, 1908

Memories of The Past Are Awakened by Visit to Leipzig

Mrs. John F. Duncombe Writes an Interesting Letter of Her Revisit to the German City She Resided in For Three Years With Her Daughters – Other Matters of Interest.

We are now in good old Leipzig with lovely weather and both of us well, and  having a good time. We have visited the place the girls and I called home for three years and as John and I entered the hall door and walked up the familiar stairs, memories of the past came over me and I could not but feel sad. The friends of long ago, where were they all? Gone, move of them, to that bourne from whence no traveller returns. I remember how pleased your father was with our beautiful little German home, and of his saying, “Well, I heartily approve of this, it if fine,” but that is all in the past.

John and I went all through the great conservatory. All the students have gone for their vacations and the whole place is being renovated and made ready for the fall term. I took John through the Auerbachshof, the wine cellar in which Goethe wrote Faust – made famous by Keller. We enjoyed the collection of renowned Faust pictures, dating back to the year 1525. We also visited the Furinjerhof and the celebrated Thomas Kirche – (church) where we used to go to hear the boys sing on Saturday morning. I called on some of my old German friends and they all knew me at once. We went to find Mrs. Nicholson and Nana, but they are up on the Hartz and will not be back until next week, so we were disappointed and I feel sure they will regret not seeing some one from home. John and I went to view the battle ground of Leipzig, and we saw the fine monument Germany is erecting to the memory of this great victory. They already have a small stone placed where Napoleon stood when commanding his army. It is all very interesting and as the morning was a bright, beautiful one our drive was very enjoyable. We will leave here for Dresden tomorrow, and remain there until we have seen all we care to see;  then on to Berlin and be ready for a plunge into Switzerland.

I hope my cabled greetings tot he old settlers, through Professor Findlay, president of the Historical Society, reached there in time and that the day was fine and all the old settlers living could be present and enjoy it themselves. They certainly deserve it after their long years of privations and hard work.

We h ad a long sea trip of seven  hours crossing over form Queensborough to Flushin, Holland. The sea was very rough and many were very sick. John enjoyed the canals and dykes and and windmills of picturesque Holland. We have been very fortunate as to weather, bright and cool, not one entire disagreeable day since we landed. John often says at eventide, “My, but this has been a grand day to me.” We are book to sail in the Hamburgh (sic) American steamer, The Kaiserine Augusta Victoria, a sister boat to the Amerika, and which sails on Oct. 2nd. When we went up to the steamer offices, we were obliged to answer a number of questions as to occupation, sex, color, etc., etc. When John heard me say white, he remarked: “Put me down green.”

I was very sorry to read of Senator Allison’s death. It seemed very pathetic and too bad that his last days should be embittered by strife in his own state, after so long a service to the public. He died on Tuesday and Thursday morning I was reading about his death in Edinburgh, Scotland. The wireless makes the world seem small.

Mary A. Duncombe

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 4, 1908

Another Pioneer is Called by Death

J.W. Roper is Summoned Home to Reward on Thursday Evening.

Was Pioneer Transfer Man of Fort Dodge

Was Nearing the Eighty-Seventh Milestone of His Life When Summoned – Death Due to Old Age.

Thursday evening with the falling shadows, the spirit of Joseph W. Roper, for many years a resident of this city and the pioneer transfer man of Fort Dodge, joined that of his wife and passed into the great beyond, death being due primarily to advanced age, and occurred at the home of his son, William A. Roper, at 622 North Ninth street, where he had made his home for the past several years.

J.W. Roper was born at Rutland, Vermont, November 25, 1821, and was of sturdy revolutionary ancestry. On the green hills of his native state he grew to manhood and on August 26, 1842, was united in marriage to Miss Mary Esther Latham at Camdor, N.Y., the couple journeying together through life, until a few years after the celebration of their golden anniversary when Mrs. Roper was called to her reward. Soon after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Roper removed from New York to the west, settling for a time in Wisconsin and in 1869 again taking their journey westward to Fort Dodge. Following their arrival here, Mr. Roper engaged in the transfer business, being the pioneer transfer man in the then struggling village. Within his lifetime the deceased witnessed a remarkable change, Fort Dodge growing by leaps and bounds from a little village to one of the best and most progressive cities of the state. After disposing of his transfer business the deceased was for many years connected with the United States Express Co., retiring a few years ago, owing to advanced age.

To Mr. and Mrs. Roper were born five children, four of whom are living, the oldest son, Edgar, having passed away at Eagle Grove a few years ago. Those living are William A. and Charles E., who are engaged in the cigar business, F.E., a conductor on the Chicago, Great Western Railroad, and Mrs. Mary Young. Three brothers and one sister of the deceased are also living, besides seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. The brothers and sister are Samuel Roper of Watertown, Wis., August of Spokane, Wash., F.H. of Estherville, and Mrs. Louisa Hunt of Mankato, Minnesota.

Mr. Roper was a man of kindly heart and a generous disposition and his passing will be mourned by many not akin to him, but who felt the kindness of his bounty when sore oppressed by sickness, care and trouble during the long and cold winters of pioneer days. He was a man of most rugged constitution and notwithstanding his advanced age was to be noted early every morning in the summer at work in his garden, while in the winter no sidewalks were cleaner than those near his home, and his daily communion with nature and nature’s forces perhaps tended to prolong his life many years more than the allotted span.

The funeral will be held at the home on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock, Rev. F.E. Drake, pastor of St. Mark’s Episcopal church, officiating. Mr. Roper was a prominent and life long member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and that society will assist at the services. Interment will be made in Oakland cemetery, by the side of his wife who was called from earth a few short years ago.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 20, 1903

Michael Schumack Passes Away

A Well Known Railroad Man Succumbs to Long Illness.

Funeral Will Take Place Tomorrow Morning – Has Been in Employ of the Illinois Central.

Michael M. Schumack, a hostler at the Illinois Central roundhouse died at his home at 429 Tenth avenue south Wednesday afternoon at 1:15 after four weeks illness. Death was due to heart failure, which was aggravated by an attack of scarlet fever.

Deceased leaves a wife and five month’s old child, besides one brother, James, living in this city. At the time of his death he was twenty-six years old. He was born and raised in the eastern part of the state. Since moving to the city a year and a half ago he has been in the employ of the Central where he was popular and well liked by all the men.

Deceased was at one time fireman on the Northwestern, when he was located at Boone. The funeral will take place from Sacred Heart church Friday morning at 10 o’clock. None of the out of town relatives will be able to reach the city in time to attend the funeral.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 15, 1904

Young Furniture Maker is Genius

Henry Carlson Designs and Makes Furniture Which is Unequaled

Uses No Pattern Whatever

Young Man Who Has Only Been in This Country a Year and Who Has Had No Previous Experience is Very Skillful.

Henry Carlson, a young man employed in the furniture repair room at the A.D. McQuilken furniture store has proven that he is an excellent workman in furniture manufacturing. He has made several articles of furniture which exhibited in the window of the McQuilken store show the designer and maker to be a man of genius in this line.

The first that his talent was discovered by the other employes (sic) in the store and by Mr. McQuilken was when he asked some of the employes to come to his room and see a chair which he had made in the evenings after his working hours were over. The employes as a rule accepted his invitation and went to the room to see the chair. When they saw the chair they were all delightfully surprised as the chair was indeed a beauty. The chair was a large rocker made solely with the use of a saw, knife and hammer. The chair is an enormous one and is beautiful in design. It is said o be one of the most comfortable chairs imaginable.

After this he was given more work of this kind and in no case has he failed to do as good a job as is done with the must uptodate (sic) machinery, while he uses only the saw, knife and hammer. He has made several articles for people who have wished something made by special pattern. He is quick to catch any one’s idea as to how a piece of furniture is to be made and as soon as he understands the design he is able to go directly to work on it and without the use of a pattern or any other design to make the article. His work is speedily done and is very neat with finished. He has made book cases, hall trees, music cabinets and magazine stands which are now exhibited on the McQuilken window.

One of the most beautiful pieces of workmanship is a gentleman’s shaving stand which he has just finished. The stand has a mirror on the top which can be turned or revolved in any direction. A music cabinet which he also recently finished was designed by him from a description of one he received from a man who wished one made for himself.

A magazine rack which he made, he designed wholly himself. He has made several others from pictures he has seen of them but this one he designed himself and is a great improvement over any of the others. It can be used as a small bookcase to contain books which one needs in any part of the house away from the large bookcases. The stand although seemingly being small has a capacity of a large number of books or magazines.

The shaving stand which he made was a surprise to Mr. McQuilken, as he had had several of similar appearance before and while he was in Chicago this last time on his purchasing trip this stand was made. It was feared for awhile that Mr. McQuilken would buy one while on his trip as he was much pleased with them, but he returned without one and was glad to find that he would have one in stock although he had neglected to buy one while away.

Another piece of furniture which probably attracts the most attention of any is a large upholstered couch. This couch was designed by this young gentleman after a picture of one he had seen in a magazine. The couch is a very beautiful one and is  upholstered in leather. The couch is made in the style so universally popular now, that of the massive old time furniture. The couch looks as though fastened together by wooden bolts, and in every way its appearance as a couch made one hundred years back is carried out. The upholstering is of felt and is made to that it can be taken off, if desired. The couch is the most comfortable couch that has ever been carried in stock according to Mr. McQuilken.

The story of the life of this talented man is very interesting. He arrived in this country less than one year ago from Sweden and as yet it is hard for him to understand some points of English grammar. He understands perfectly what is said to him and is also able to read newspapers and books, which is very remarkable for one who has been in this country as short a length of time as he was. From the artistic work turned out by him one would think he must have been a furniture maker in his own country but until he commenced work at the McQuilken store he had never done any work of this kind. The work in fact comes natural to him and he is able to do as good work as is done in the leading furniture factories of this country with the aid of skilled workman and the latest machinery.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 14, 1905

Asks M’Cash to Sign Petition

Brewery Petition Solicitor Breaks Into Anti-saloon Offices

Manages to Escape Crowd

Laugh Went Up From League Officers – No Doubt in Mind of Brewery Representative Who Fell Into Wrong Crowd.

An unsuspecting brewery petition solicitor was steered into the office of I.N. McCash yesterday without realizing what he was up against until the head of the anti-saloon league started in on him with a temperance lecture. He then managed to escape amid the uproarous (sic) laughter of some of the office men of the Iowa Loan and Trust building, who were in the hallway and the adjoining room watching the course of their joke. The solicitor would not even stop to buy the beer for the crowd he was in such a hurry to get away.

Just who the man was with the petition no one seems to know. He was circulating on the fourth floor or the Iowa Loan and Trust building next door to the office of the anti-saloon league without knowing he was so near to the camp of the enemy.

“No, I don’t want to sign,” said the man next door, “but there’s a fellow in the next office whose (sic) a hard drinker, better see him,” pointing to the room where Dr. McCash forms plots against the brewery.

The solicitor was as eager as a book agent to secure names and without reading the black faced type on the office door he bolted in, petition in hand. He inquired of hte young woman in the front room if the man in the other office was in and he was ushered through. The saloon fighter was dictating to his stenographer when the brewery agent came in and he did not look up immediately. As he turned in his chair he saw the man with the petition in his hand and took in the situation before the solicitor did.

Face is Familiar

The man with the petition had not been attending temperance lectures and is not a member of the University Place Church of Christ.

He did not know McCash from a bartender.

“I was told you wished to sign the brewery petition,” began the man.

“What?” said McCash. But he didn’t wait for the solicitor to answer.

“No sir!” he exclaimed with such force that a gleam of enlightenment is said to have shot across the brewery man’s face.

“I’ve been fighting that thing night and day and do not think” but by the time he had delivered himself of these words he was talking to the side of the wall for the solicitor had made his getaway.

Up and down the corridors of the hall sounded uproarous (sic) laughter that must have rung in the brewery man’s ears even after he had reached the exit of the passenger elevator on the lower floor and taken a bracer at a neighboring bar.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 12, 1905

City May Get Another Park

Property Owners Along the Upper River May Donate the Land

Would be a Large Tract

No Strings on the Proposition if it is Made – City Would (be) Expected to Give It a Proportionate Share of Attention With Other Parks.

Negotiations are pending which may result in another generous donation to Fort Dodge’s public parks. While it cannot be said that the matter has been definitely settled still it is known that the Morgan estate and Messrs. A.R. Loomis and E.G. Larson are considering the gift to the city of the land up the river from the brow of the hill to the water from the Fort Dodge brick company plant – known as Thiede & Heileman’s yard – to the F.M. Grant land, which lies alongside the hill leading from Round Prairie down to the famous “river road.”

If Mr. Grant should see fit to join with these other property owners in donating the land on the hillside to the people of his home city it is likely that Doctor Kime who owns the next strip of shore land would give a similar portion.

The information negotiations do not contemplate putting strings on the gift otherwise than that it shall be improved as a park out of the regular fund for which a tax was voted for ten years at the last municipal election.

While a dam would greatly enhance the value of this idyllic spot as a pleasure ground that would not be stipulated as a necessity by the donors.

There would be at least sixty acres in the proposed park site, perhaps much more for the land is irregular and would need to be surveyed.

There is no question but the city council would accept such a gift with alacity (sic) and give the land its proper proportion of improvements with the other city parks. It will be hoped the intention may grow into action this year.

There is no more beautiful spot for a park than this land lying in the forest above the site of the old Arnold Mill dam.