The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 11, 1904

Burglars Enter Hardware Store

Entrance Forced to Sanders Hardware on Upper Central Avenue

Little of Value is Taken

Burglar Apparently Familiar With Store and Was Evidently a Boy

The burglar again gave evidence of his presence in the community when Thursday night he made a successful entry into the Sanders’ hardware store on Upper Central avenue, although so far as is known, he succeeded in getting away with little of value. The burglary was the third attempt of a similar nature made within the pst few weeks. Besides the hardware store, the saloon of George Benn at Sixth street and First avenue south has been molested twice, once successfully.

The discovery of the Sander’s (sic) robbery was made this morning when the store was opened for the day. Little disturbance was left to indicate the presence of an intruder, but his means of entrance was clearly apparent. He entered the building by cutting out one of the small windows in the back and then raising the sash. Between the front and rear of the store is a door which is kept locked at night. To pass thru the burglar cut a heart shaped hole int he panel thru which he evidently inserted his hand and opened the lock on the other side. From the size of the hole it is believed that the burglar was either a boy or a man with an unusually small hand.

So far as know this morning, nothing had been taken, the only evidence that the place had been disturbed, being the roller top desk, which is usually left open, but which this morning was found to be closed. A knife and a cigar holder, which the burglar had left behind him, were found and are the only clues to his identity.

The police as yet have been unable to apprehend the persons who robbed the cash drawer at the Benn saloon two weeks ago. A second attempt was made to enter the saloon a few nights ago. Two men were discovered by a policeman while they were working in the rear of the building. They took to their heels and were pursued by the officer, who shot twice and hit one of the men. Both, however, succeeded in making their escape.

Tags: 1904, Benn, Sanders

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 10, 1905

Fort Dodge as an Art Center

What is Being Accomplished by the Constant Efforts of Fort Dodge Artists

An Interesting Sketch Club

Anyone is Privileged to Join and Much Interest is Being Awakened Among Lovers of the Fascinating Art – Meets Thursday Afternoons

A sketching club has been organized which meets Thursday afternoons after school in Recital Hal (sic). The class has been sketching for several weeks and a great deal of interest is being awakened and about twelve gather every week to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to develop talent.

Different members of the club pose each time, or furnish some one who will and fifteen minute sketches are made. By timing the sketches, there is a certain amount of ambition aroused to see who can accomplish the most in the allotted time.

Among those who sketch are Miss Lizzie Newberry, one of Fort Dodge’s best known artists,; and Carl Hepler, who studied recently at the art Institute in Chicago. Mr. Hepler as well as Miss Newberry is able to suggest a great many points to the amateurs who sketch, and much good is being derived from the classes.

Anyone who wishes is privileged to join the class, and as there is no stated instruction, there is no charge to the ambitious beginner, although they can not but be helped by the regular practice, and association with those interested.

Another art class which is accomplishing much good in Fort Dodge is that instructed by Miss Florence Young at the Mosaic club, one evening a week for the benefit of those who cannot study at other times. This class has been sketching all winter and is accomplishing much.

Miss Young is also elevating Fort Dodge art by teaching china painting and Miss Edna Richardson has a very large class in this line of work.

At Recital hall Miss Carrie Newberry and Miss Lizzie Newberry also have a very interesting class in china painting, and the hall itself is an artistic place to visit, with its many pretty pictures on the walls and the quantities of beautiful china which helps to adorn this attractively arranged hall.

The smell of the plants and oils is very attractive to one who has the craving for art, and this  Bohemian den is worthy of many visits from Fort Dodge people who are interested.

With these professional instructors quietly and constantly at work and the instruction which is developing the school children together with the many able artists who work in their homes, the artistic developments of Fort Dodge should surely not suffer.

Tags: 1905, Hepler, Newberry, Richardson, Young

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 9, 1903

Unions Boycott Lehigh Stores

Deadlock is On as Result of Establishment of Cash System by Lehigh Merchants

Buy All Goods Elsewhere

Unions are Purchasing Goods by Carload. May Establish Co-Operative Store

A deadlock is on at Lehigh between the merchants and the laborers and the outlook is a very serious one for the store keepers of the city.

The trouble all arose over the establishment of the cash system on February 15. The merchants of Lehigh held a meeting some weeks ago and decided to adopt the cash system, putting themselves under bonds to stick to the cash basis.

The miners, brick makers, and other laborers took exceptions to this move and immediately made arrangements for trading elsewhere, going to Dayton, Burnside, Homer and Fort Dodge for all their goods, while the business men and clerks of the town were left with nothing whatever to do.

the labor unions of the city got together immediately after February 15, and ordered a car of flour, while each individual family sent to Chicago m ail order houses, cutting out entirely the home trade. The laborer unions have even invited the farmers tributary to Lehigh to join with them and take advantage of the wholesale prices they get in their car load lots of flour, potatoes, feed, etc., and many of them have done so, thus still farther hurting the trade of the merchants. The business men still hold to their agreement, but all or nearly all of them are willing to sell out. N.H. Tyson, who has always been a leader in a business way in Lehigh, has sold his general store and will move to Fort Dodge, according to report.

It is understood that as soon as a building can be obtained, the labor unions will start a co-operative store, and claim that they will effectually put a stop to other business enterprises in the town.

Lehigh has always been a credit town since its establishment, and the sudden adoption of the cash system came as a shock that upset the business tranquility of the town and brought on the crisis which now threatens. It has been the custom for the merchants to carry the people from the fifteenth of one month to the next. It is understood, also, that the state organization of the united Miner Workers of American have $750,000, a part of which they will invest in establishing a wholesale house at Des Moines for the distribution of supplies to the members of the labor unions at actual cost. The outcome of the present difficulty at Lehigh will be awaited with much interest, as the situation is considered a serious one. More orders are bening (sic) sent out for car load lots of flour, feed, potatoes, etc., every day or two, and neither side will give an inch.

There was an unusually large crowd of Lehigh people came to Fort Dodge on Saturday to trade as a result of the business situation there. The Great Western morning train brought about one hundred and fifty passengers.

Tags: 1903, Tyson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 8, 1907

Webster County Pioneer Dead

M.V. Alger Succumbs to Death in a Very Unexpected Manner

Resulted From a Carbuncle

Suffered Only Two Weeks With It When Death Came Last Night at 12;30 O’clock – Funeral Will Occur Sunday Afternoon From the Home.

M.V. Alger one of the older and better known of pioneer settlers of the state and county died at his home on the Northeast outskirts of the city last night at 12:30 o’clock, death resulting, in a most unexpected manner, from a carbuncle on the back of the neck, with which he had suffered two weeks. Death came in the presence of his family, and before the attending physician could be summoned. It is believed that in some inexplicable way the brain was penetrated, which caused death. The funeral will occur from the family residence on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock, interment to be made in Oakland cemetery.

Martin Van Buren Alger was 63 years of age, having been born in Lewis county, New York state in the year of 1840. Much of his early life was spent in New York. He came to Iowa and settled in Humboldt county in 1865. In December 1871 he was married to his wife Miss Johanna McLean in Fort Dodge, though his residence in Webster County was not permanent until 1873 when he removed to Fort Dodge.

He was a veteran of the Civil War,  having been a ship carpenter and enlisted in the government transport department,  having seen active service during that time.

Tags: 1907, Alger, McLean

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 8, 1907

Put Dynamite in Oven of Cook Stove

It Exploded and Three Men are Injured – One Will Probably Die.

Occurred at a Grading Camp

Camp Was Located Four Miles South of City – The Injured Men, Albert L. Hook, Merton Hook and Floyd Wicher Are in City Hospital.

(Editor’s note: There is somewhat graphic description of one person’s injury in the section with the subheading Injured by Flying Pieces.)

As the result of putting three sticks of forty per cent dynamite into the oven of a cook stove to thaw out, this morning, and then forgetting them, two men and a boy, all three employed on the Newton & Northwestern right of way southeast of the city, lie badly injured at the city hospital.  They are Albert L. Hook and son Merton and son-in-law, Floyd Wicher.

The accident occurred this morning about 8:00 o’clock. The cook had been up some time and had breakfast prepared when a member of the party placed the three sticks of dynamite in the oven to thaw out. Shortly after, when seated about the breakfast table, the dynamite exploded, all knowledge of hit having passed from the minds of the occupants of the tent.

Great Destruction.

As the explosion occurred the stove was blown to atoms. Small pieces flew in all directions. The tent had practically vanished for nothing but a few small pieces of it remain near the spot where it once stood. The table, dishes, beds and other furniture of the abode were demolished by the concussion, fire starting in several places from small pieces of bedding scattered about.

Injured by Flying Pieces.

There were seven people in the tent when the explosion occurred. The cook had been standing over the stove, but, just prior to it, had walked out of doors on some errand. As the concussion came a small piece of the iron of the stove struck Merton Hook on the back of the head, laying it open until some of the brains oozed out. Other pieces struck his father, causing several fractures about the lower limbs and Wicher, whose right leg was broken in two places, one below and one above the ankle.

For a time the other members of the party were thrown into a stupor from the noise and shock. As they regained control of their minds, they began to care for the injured. A farmer, attracted by the explosion, which was heard several miles away, telephoned to Kalo, summoning Dr. C.J. Musser.

Doctors on Scene.

Dr. Musser arrived on the spot about half an hour after the accident, and later Dr. Bowen, of this city, who also had been called for. Together they performed an operation upon the head of the boy, removing a piece of metal larger than a silver dollar from the gash it had torn in the skull of the youth.

Following this the remaining victims were attended, and everything to make and keep them easy and as free from suffering as possible, was done.

Brought Here in Ambulance.

An ambulance was then sent for, and it left the city shortly before noone (sic), returning from the scene of the accident, with the victims, at about 2:30 o’clock.

Further operations were performed on the arrival at the city hospital, and up to a late hour this afternoon the young boy was still alive though in a very precarious condition.

The party was at work changing the channel of a small creek from the right of way of the Newton & Northwestern. Considerable dynamite was used int he work, and keeping it as they had to in a tent, it became damp and froze during the night.

A.L. Hook, who of the three is the least injured, hails from Cedar Rapids and was sub-contracting under Murray Brothers of Cedar Rapids who have the contract for the right of way. In the party there were the two sons a son-in-law and a daughter.

Tags: 1907, Bowen, Hook, Musser, Wicher

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 7, 1903

Little Child Dies in Wagon Home

Child of Henry Palmer, Emigrant, Taken Ill and Dies From Exposure South of City

The Family Came From Clare

Child Was Buried at the Expense of the County. A Very Sad Case of Destitution

Webster City, March 7 – An example of privation and exposure in which was mingled the pity and compassion of all who knew the circumstances, was brought vividly before the city authorities Friday morning. A trapper and his wife, bound from Clare, Webster county to Des Moines, travelling (sic) across the country in a covered wagon, lost their 7 months old babe while camping in the edge of this city,  under the most pitiable conditions.

The trapper, Henry Palmer by name, and his family left Clare a week ago. They traveled in a covered wagon drawn by a mule and a horse. They wagon is scantily furnished and extremely chilly and damp for travel in this sort of weather. Palmer and his family traveled slowly, camping for several days in places where they found trapping good. Mr. Palmer hunted and trapped, while his wife was occupied mostly with the care of their baby. They arrived in the vicinity of this city last Monday and camped between the F.A. Edwards Bluff View farm and the John Essig place. The day they pitched camp here, the baby was taken sick with grip and pneumonia, brought on by exposure. Dr. Conrad was called, and attended the baby until Thursday, when Dr. Richardson was called. Thursday night the child died. The city took charge of the little body, and interment was given it in the city cemetery at 3 o’clock Friday afternoon.

The outfit driven by Mr. Palmer excited much interest from those who saw it today. In the rickety wagon was a stove with its pipe protruding thru the canvas. The team looked much the worse for privation, and about the whole outfit was an air of extreme poverty. The genuine sorrow and heartbroken spirit of the parents added to the pitiableness of the situation. After the last sad rites had been performed over the body of their infant, Mr. and Mrs. Palmer proceeded on their journey to Des Moines, where Mr. Palmer expects to get work and where they will locate.

Tags: 1903, Conrad, Palmer, Richardson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 6, 1905

Physicians Equip Common Laboratory

The Doctors in the Oleson Block Will Have a Laboratory for Themselves.

The Project is  New One

Four Physicians Are Working Together in Equipping This Labratory (sic), Which Will Be in The Back Room On The Second Floor.

The physicians in the Oleson block have adopted a novel plan, by which they will all be able to progress in their work in medical science. There are four physicians in this block besides Dr. Carver, who is a specialist, and the four men will jointly equip one of the rooms in this block for a labratory, which they can all use. Thus all will have the advantage of a well equipped labratory, and at a less expense, than if each had to equip his own.

The men have been talking of this plan for some time, but have been unable to get a room until this week. J.N. Millker, who has had his office, and that of the Fort Dodge Clay Works located here, today moved his fixtures to the office of J.M. Kincaid in the Messenger building. This leaves his large office room vacant.

Dr. Charles N. Mulroney will take this office and add it to his office suite, while he will give up the room he formerly used as his private office, for the use of a labratory for all the physicians. The new office is much larger than his former private office, and it will enable him to better handle his work, wh ile the former office will be sufficiently large for the labratory.

The labratory will be fitted up in the near future, but as Dr. Churchill, one of the prime movers in the new venture is out of the city this week, it will probably not be fitted up until next week. The project is a new one but will aid all the physicians in their work, as they will gain the help of the other men.

(Editor’s note: The word laboratory is misspelled labratory consistently throughout, but I only noted it once.)

Tags: 1905, Carver, Churchill, Kincaid, Miller, Mulroney

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 5, 1905

Bryan Draws a Large Audience

Closing Number of the Y.M.C.A. Court Was By The Orator.

Talked on Trip Around World

He Saw Many Things of Interest, But Put the United States at The Head of the List – Orator is Bald and Fat, but Just as Magnetic.

William Jennings Bryan, taken about 1907. Image from Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3b41852/

Between twelve and fifteen hundred people attended the lecture by W.J. Bryant (sic) at the armory Monday night. Most of them had heard him before, but the charm of his oratory and genial presence never grows old with audiences.

Since he was here the first time in 1895 he has made several political speeches here and appeared once on the Chatauqua grounds. He has changed in appearance in those eleven years. He is downright bald now, and has added weight to the point of being fat. But his voice is of the same clear, mellow tone. It filled the large auditorium, while he spoke without an effort. He is lecturing constantly, but the exercise of this voice has no effect on its fine quality.

Mr. Bryan eschewed the subject of politics, saying he was happy and contended (sic) with his condition as it is and thought he had better not talk about politics while he felt that way.

His address at Fort Dodge was the story of his observations on his trip abroad, the journey around the world.  Those who followed the lob gook of the journey in his letters to the newspapers at the time were already familiar with the incidents he told orally here. But it was a treat for them to hear it told again by Bryan himself. Whether the smoothness of his address and the wonderful facility with which he uses the right word in the right place is the result of hard work or extemporaneous effort the effect is that of off-hand conversation with apparently not a thought as to the make-up of the sentences.

Mr. Bryan and his family made the trip around the world traveling westward from the United States. He reversed that order in his lecture, beginning with observations about Europe and ending with Japan. Mr. Bryan showed his patriotism by his comparisons which in all cases were in favor of the United States. It is pleasant to hear, but perhaps the people of this country need to hear more of the things they are surpassed in.

As one looks back on the lecture it seems to have been scattered fragments arranged with no particular order in mind. When a 25,000 mile trip is described in one hour and fifteen minutes there must needs be some pretty big jumps.

The most interesting points of the address were of the presentation at the court of the King and Queen of Norway, the reception by the Emperor of Japan, both of which functions were exceedingly ceremonious and decidedly brief. Amusement was created by Bryan’s descriptions of his graceful bows and efforts to follow the proper customs even to the extent of wearing evening clothes at 9 o’clock in the morning. He said it always looked to him as though a man had missed the last car when he appeared in a swallow-tail coat in the morning.

Bryan said he was nearest to royalty among the Dattos in the Philippines. He sat alongside their royal sovereign under two red umbrellas. Bryan has a good story in this connection which always brings a laugh. When they were awaiting the approach of this Datto ruler he was heard firing a salute. They counted the sounds and it am0unted to twenty-one. That is the president’s salute and Bryan was touched by the courtesy – but the firing continued. This must be for the second term, they thought: but when they passed the forty-second guna nd started on the third term they felt uneasy.

Bryan drew comparisons between Confucianism, the religion of China, and Christianity and thought the negative principles of the Oriental religion probably had much to do with China’s stagnation for 2,000 years.

Bryan expects to see Japan adopt Christianity just as that country has adopted the other means of progress of western nations.

Tribute was paid by the speaker to the doctrine of international peace and the conspicuous part President Roosevelt took in bringing the Oriental war to a close. He also gave King edward a compliment and said he enjoyed his call upon him and found him affable and easy of manner, the most democratic ruler in Europe.

Bryan had a visit with the Czar of Russia, but feared from the way he had acted since then he had not accepted his advice. He thought it was of some value to his own reputation to have been alone with the Czar half an  hour for he had been called an anarchist ten years ago, but the Czar of Russia was very shrewd in finding out anarchists and yet he had confidence enough to permit him to have an audience.

The hardest thing in making a trip around the world is to get good drinking water. they bought boiled water and bottled water, but occasionally found all that was really imported about the bottled water was the labels. He thought all nations should do more honor to the hen. All the way around the world they depended on eggs for food and untainted nourishment.

Mr. Bryan came to Fort Dodge from Omaha.  He was entertained while here at the residence of E.H. Rich.

Tags: 1907, Bryan, Rich

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 4, 1907

Seen and Heard

The way in which ticket agents are pestered by questions is an old tale, yet it does not get exaggerated greatly in being told. The other evening a Messenger reporter sat behind the grating with ticket agent Bert Markin of the Great Western and  heard him carry on the following conversation over the telephone:

“Hello! Why, it’s forty minutes late.”

“Yes forty minutes.”

“No it won’t be here until 8:35.”

“Yes, I’m sure it’s forty minutes late.”

“No! not until 8:35, you see it is due at 7:55. 7:55 plus forty minutes would make 8:35.”

“Well! there’s a possibility of it making up some of that time before it gets here.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“No! its (sic) usually right on time.”

“I don’t know what’s the matter.”

“Yes forty minutes.”

“No! I don’t think there has been a wreck.”

“You’ll have to excuse me a minute, there are a number of people waiting to buy tickets.”

“I think the buses will wait.”

“Yes ma’am, forty minutes.”

“Please excuse me.”

Tags: 1907, Markin