The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 6, 1904

A Wild Gravel Car Causes Commotion

A Broken Flange Allows Trucks to Jump the Track

Ran Three Miles on the Ties

But the Car which was in Middle of Train was not Ditched and Train Came Across Bridge into the city Safely

With death trailing grimly in the rear, and all unconscious of the terrible peril, that was pursuing them, a gravel train crew on the Illinois Central, experienced a thrilling escape last night.

From about half the distance between here and Tara, clear to the depot, a wild car, loaded with gravel, bumped along on the tied, smashing the track, and threatening to ditch the train at every lunge.

There is a down grade nearly all the distance and the train was running at a furious speed. The flanges broke on one side of the car, which was located about the middle of the train, and the dumb peril, lunged about in a wild effort to free tiself from the bonds which held it. Today, the trainmen are wondering how the car could have been pulled so great a distance without wrecking the entire train.

However, trainmen are accustomed to face death and peril in a hundred different and unexpected forms, and today, the engineer of the gravel train is smiling grimly, as he thinks of that ride, with death, as an unannounced companion, as it sat beside him in the engine cab.

Today, a crew of workmen is engaged in repairing the damage which the wild car did to the track. It will require fifteen kegs of bolts, fifteen kegs of spikes and fifteen barrels of braces to repair the damage. On the Des Moines river bridge, where the wild car was hurled across on the ties, nearly all the heads of the bolts are severed, and will have to be replaced. For the entire distance the wild car left its trail of destruction which bears mute testimony to the deadly peril in which the train crew made that perilous ride.

Tags: 1904, Illinois Central

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 5, 1903

The Laboring Man Will Have His Day

Fort Dodge Will have a Big Celebration on Monday, Labor Day.

The Unions are at the Head

To Have Charge of Celebration and Expect to Have a Big Day.

Not only the workingmen, but the city in general, will celebrate on Labor Day, Monday. In the atfernoon (sic) business will be at a standstill, all of the Central avenue business houses having agreed to close from 12 until 5 in the afternoon. The furniture and hardware dealers will not open up after 12, and the lumber yards will remained closed during the entire day. Appointed as a committee by the labor unions of the city, L.E. Hurlbut called on all of the merchants this morning and found them glad and willing to sign the above agreement.

Being a legal holiday the saloons and banks will be closed and short hours will be in effect at the postoffice as follows: The general delivery will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The carriers will make a business delivery at 8 a.m. and the usual forenoon residence delivery and deliver mail at their windows from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Business collections will be made at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Nearly all the factories and shops in the city will shut down.

There will be no issue of the Messenger.

Everything indicates that Monday will be a day of great festivities for the labor unions. The elaborate program arranged by the trades and labor assembly will be carried out to the letter. The celebration will begin at 10 o’clock in the morning with a grand labor parade. Several thousand union men will march, and prizes will be offered for the best appearing local union. Hundreds of union men from surrounding towns will also be in the city, the railroads having made special rates to and from Fort Dodge.

All of the exercises will be held at the park and race track. A feature of the morning will be the address by M.F. Healy. The ball game between Fort Dodge and Waterloo in the afternoon will start at 3 o’clock. The diamond willl (sic) be on the race track in front of the grand stand. The judges stand and fence have been removed and the grounds put into first class condition. Music by two bands and the Oleson orchestra and a dance will also be among the attractions. the time in the afternoon will be well taken up with the various athletic contests scheduled. Liberal prizes have been offered to the winners of all the events. The day promises to be one long remembered by the union men of Fort Dodge and vicinity.

Tags: 1903, Healy, Hurlbut, Labor Day

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.

Tags: 1908, Latham, Roper

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 3, 1903

Woolsey Pursues the Dog Thieves

Deputy Sheriff Does the Nick Carter Act and Returns Canine to Owner.

The Thieves Are Found

Emigrants Steal Prize Puppy from Farm House, But Are Caught.

Deputy Sheriff Woolsey is the hero of a dog story which runs as follows:

Wednesday afternoon a party of emigrants passing thru Iowa stopped in the vicinity of the Ben Eaton farm near Judd, intending to have dinner at that place. Finding no one at home, the family being in the field, the travelers possessed themselves of a small amount of corn, a fine bird dog, valued at $25 and then started peacefully on their way.

The dog belonged to W.J. Pressler, a farm hand who highly prized the animal and was greatly angered when returning from the field he found his canine pet missing. Some women who had been working in a field nearby, saw the abduction and informed the Eatons of the same.

Eaton and the dog’s owner immediately started in pursuit of the emigrants and caught up with them in the evening two miles from the poor farm. The campers, however, declared their innocence and would not produce the dog.

A warrant was then procured, from Justice Martin and Deputy Sheriff Woolsey and Russel McGuire, together with the two men, went out to where the purloiners of the pup had pitched camp. All denied that they had even seen a dog within the last three days, but Deputy Woolsey thought he detected a faint howl in the nearby woods. Finding a fresh path leading to where a dog’s vocal organs were apparently at work he came upon a small boy guarding the stolen animal. The boy admitted stealing the dog.

The men of the party were brought to the city where they plead guilty and were fined $1 and cost, amounting in all to $14.50. In order to raise this it was necessary for them to sell a pony.

It would be hard to tell which was the happiest, the dog or his master, Pressler when the brute was restored to its rightful owner.

(Editor’s note: Nick Carter is a fictional detective who first appeared in a dime novel in 1886.)

Tags: 1903, Eaton, Pressler, Woolsey

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: Sept. 2, 1910

Sheriff Lund After Wife Deserter

Hiram Dillingham Under Arrest at Roseau, Minn., and Will be Brought Here for Trial.

Sheriff Rasmus S. Lund left the city at midnight Thursday night for Roseau, Minn., in response to a telegram from Sheriff Edward T. Olson that he had in custody Hiram Dillingham wanted in Webster county on a charge of wife desertion. It is expected Sheriff Lund and his prisoner will return to the city about Tuesday or Wednesday, Roseau being an out of the way town on a branch line running out from St. Paul, and the railroad connections being very limited.

Dillingham was formerly a drainage contractor in Webster county, and some months ago it is alleged he brought his wife to the city and left her, telling her she need not return to the boarding camp he was conducting in connection with his drainage work. Recently Mrs. Dillingham filed suit in the district court for divorce, alleging infidelity as a cause, and naming a local woman as corespondent.

Tags: 1910, Dillingham, Lund, Olson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 1, 1906

A Water Melon Episode

Peter Carney Will Spend a Few Days in Jail For Theft

Peter Carney’s love of the juicy watery water melon got him in trouble yesterday. He noticed in front of a certain grocery store a choice selection of the big berries. But he was without the necessary cash and proceeded to get on in what he thought was the next best way. So he slipped one under his coat and slipped away. But he was not slippery enough. The groceryman had seen him and started in pursuit. He caught the fellow and compelled him to walk the water melon back to its place at the store. When the man got to the store he let the melon drop, breaking same. An officer was then called and Carney was placed under arrest. This morning in police court he was fined five dollars and cost or a total of $9.85. He was unable to pay and will be forced (to) lay it out in the city jail.

Tags: 1906, Carney

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 1, 1906

Will Not Observe Labor Day

Monday will be a Quiet Day in the City – No Celebration is Planned.

Stores Will Remain Open

The Banks and Post-offices Will Keep the Customary Holiday Hours, but the Other Business Houses Will Remain Open all Day.

Labor Day will be a quiet one in the city. Outside of a few picnics, all family affairs, and a large number who are planning to take advantage of the excursion to Waterloo, the day will not be unlike the others of the week. All of the business houses will remain open until the customary hour of closing and there will be absolutely no demonstrations of a public nature inside of the city limits.

The post-office will remain open from 7:00 until 10:00 o’clock in the morning and from 5:00 until 6:00 o’clock in the evening. There will be one residence and one business mail delivery, while the carrier’s windows will be open from 5:00 until 6:00 o’clock p.m. for those caring to take advantage of the opportunity to get their mail before Tuesday morning.

The banks of the city will remain closed all day, while the barber shops will close for the dat at 11 o’clock a.m. A large number of the local barbers are going to respond to the invitation of the Waterloo barbars’ union and take part in te (sic) demonstrations there Monday.

If the weather will permit there will be a number of picnics and fishing parties on the banks of the Des Moines river in the vicinity of Fort Dodge. A number of the golf club are preparing to spend the day on the links, southeast of the city. No regular tournaments have been planned, but a number will play for records.

Tags: 1906

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 20, 1903

Sends Wolf Pelt by Mail

Lehigh Man’s Novel Plan to Pay His Taxes

Asks That County Treasurer Apply on His Taxes the Bounty of $4 Allowed for Skins

“Please apply enclosed wolf pelts on my taxes,” reads a communication from Lehigh received at the office of the county treasurer today.

The county auditor has them on his hands which have been transferred to this keeping by the county treasurer. The pelts are those of young wolves, and are worth $2 each, the bounty paid by the county. The name of the Lehigh man who has resorted to this novel manner to pay his taxes is withheld by the recipient of the letter.

The wolf pelts were wrapped in paper and sent by mail. The bounty of $4, however, cannot be applied to the taxes until the pelts are personally sworn to.

(Editor’s note: The wolf pelt bounty would be about $96 today.)

Tags: 1903

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.

Tags: 1903, Schumack