The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 26, 1906

Historical Society Organized Last Night

Shall Be Called Webster County Historical Society – Meeting July 10th.

Enthusiastic Meeting Held

Committee Appointed to Draw up Constitution and By-laws – it will be Affiliated With the State Historical Society at Des Moines.

A small, though very enthusiastic crowd of people interested in the organization of a local historical society met at the Baldwin studio last evening to discuss the feasibility of the venture. Captain H.M. Pratt acted as temporary president and chairman of the meeting and H.O. Baldwin as secretary. During the evening a motion, which all present were in favor of, towards exploiting the scheme, was passed and an organization was affected.

The early part of the evening was devoted to the discussion of the various plans as suggested by those present, a committee composed of the following members being appointed to draw up a constitution and by-laws:

Mrs. Johnathan P. Dolliver, Mrs. S.C. Carpenter, Rev. R.L. Breed and Captain H.M. Pratt, who was made chairman of the committee.

Arrangements for the next meeting which will also be an open one, on the evening of July 10th, were made. The meeting will again be held at the Baldwin studios, talks, illustrated by steroptican (sic) views preceeding (sic) the enrollment of the charter members of the organization.

The name decided upon for the society is the Webster County Historical Society, and membership to it will not be confined to the city, but will be granted to any resident of the county who is interested and willing to lend his or  her assistance in the interest of the society.

There are at present but eight societies in the state outside of the two state historical socities (sic). They are: Lucas and Decatur counties which were organized in 1901; Linn and Jackson counties organized in 1904; Washington and Poweshick (sic), organized in 1905; and Scott county organized about two months ago.

All these county historical societies are affiliated with the old state historical society, whose head quarters is at Iowa City. The Webster County Historical Society will also affiliate its organization with that of the state society, and will become an auxiliary member, at once, which will entitle it to one vote on all matters before the state board, and all historical publications issued by the state society.

At the close of the next meeting of the historical society five officers will be elected: A president, a vice president, a secretary, a treasurer and a curator.

Tags: 1906, Baldwin, Breed, Carpenter, Dolliver, Pratt

The Fort Dodge Times: June 25, 1891

Card of Thanks.

We desire to extend out heartfelt thank (sic), to those who lent aid and comfort in our late bereavement, the death of mother and sister and daughter.

Mr. and Mrs. G.C. Kettering
Mrs. Mary Lewis
Mrs. E.M. Holloway

Terrible Storm.

Tuesday night, a terrible storm, 12 inches of water and fierce wind, devastated the country at and west of Cherokee. Forty houses were destroyed at Sutherland, on the Hawarden branch of the Northwestern, but no lives are reported lost. Four persons are reported drowned at Cherokee, and four at Correctionville. Travel on the Ill. Central, west of Cherokee, is still impeded.

Teachers Institute.

Persons who have rooms to let to teachers during Institute, or, who will take teachers to board, will confer a favor by notifying me, stating the number than can be accomodated (sic), terms and place of residence.

Institute begins July 6 and continues two weeks.

John Carr
Co. Supt.

Notice

For Saturday only of each week.

I have arranged to give instructions to country scholars on the piano, guitar, banjo or Mandolin, lessons to be given on corner of George and Fourth streets. Terms, five dollars in advance for 12 lessons.

Will L. Webber

Gowrie

News

I.W. Moore and wife of Callender, attended the concert here last Friday evening.

DeWitt Youker’s school house in the Ellis district, south west of town, closed last Friday.

Grandpa Evans, southwest of town who has been ill for several weeks is still failing.

Miss Mae Lynd was quite sick during the latter part of last week, but is reported better now.

Mrs. Wiseman, of Des Moines, a sister of Mrs. A.M. Felts, visited with the Felts and Preston families last Friday and Saturday.

E.W. Sorber and wife and little Nellie went to Correctionville Tuesday to attend the annual reunion of the North Western Veteran Association, being held at that place this week.

Rev. Lyman Evans, of San Barnardino (sic), Cal., a brother of J.M. on his way home from the Presbyterian convention recently held at Detroit, Mich., visited the Evans family here last week.

Mr. Mortimer and wife and others from Callender attended quarterly meeting here last week.

Mrs. Northam, of Black Hills, Dak. a sister of Mrs. W.H. Goodenough, is visiting here this year.

D.M. Clark is going to raise his house facing the south on Market street, up even with the sidewalk. This will improve the appearance of the property very much.

Tags: 1891, Carr, Clark, Evans, Felts, Holloway, Kettering, Lewis, Lynd, Moore, MOrtimer, Northam, Preston, Sorber, Webber, Wiseman, Youker

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 25, 1903

Are Charged With Horse Stealing

John and Ed Wheaton Are Placed Under Arrest By Constable Flint On Wednesday.

Hearing Was This Afternoon.

Claimed that They Took an Animal Belonging to Mrs. Josephine Scott – Alleged Theft Was Committed last February

John and Ed Wheaton, charged with stealing a horse from Mrs. Josephine Scott, were arrested on Wednesday afternoon by Constable A.J. Flint, and were lodged in the county jail. They were brought up for hearing on Wednesday, but the hearing was deferred until 2 o’clock this afternoon, in order that the witnesses could be secured.

The Wheaton boys have been employed in grading gangs in the city for some time past. The told the officers that they had paid for the horse which they were charged with stealing.

Mrs. Scott claims that her horse was taken last February from the Davis livery barn, where it was being kept. The Wheaton boys were in Sioux City not long after, and it is claimed that they had driven the horse to that place and disposed of it there. The accused claim that they went to Sioux City by rail.

Considerable interest was taken in this afternoon’s hearing.

The case came up before Justice Martin this afternoon but at time of going to press the hearing was not complete.

Tags: 1903, Flint, Martin, Scott, Wheaton

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 25, 1904

Prospect Hill “Wild Man” Taken

David Francis, Former Insane Patient at Poor Farm is Man.

Captured Near Oleson Park

Disappears Four Weeks Ago. Lives On Refuse Left by Picnic Parties in Oleson Park – Officers Jordan and Mericle Capture Him.

The alleged wild man who has been the subject of no little uneasiness on the part of residents of Prospect Hill for a week or more, had been captured and now occupies a cell in the county jail, where he will probably remain until committed to the asylum.

The “wild man” is David Francis, a demented man, who until four weeks ago lived in the eastern part of the city. Previous to that time he was an inmate of the county poor farm. Francis is insane, but except for him (sic) decidedly wild appearance, is not up to the standard of real wild men.

Captured Friday Night

The capture was made Friday evening by Deputy Marshal Jordan and Policeman Mericle. For several days past reports had been brought the police about the “wild man” making his apeparance (sic) and since then a search had been in progress to locate him. Friday afternoon the police were notified that he had made his appearance near the Fifteenth street viaduct where he frightened two little girls. Police were sent to the vicinity and later a search was taken up near Oleson park. It was in the ravine west of the park that Officer Mericle came upon the “wild man” and no desperate struggle ensued. Francis was taken in charge by the officer, who with Deputy Marshal Jordan brought him to the city and placed him in the county jail. When captured Francis presented many appearances of being a wild man. His long shaggy beard, ragged garments and unkempt features gave him an appearance that had he been met unexpectedly might shake the nerves of a person who could not be accused of being timid.

Had Been Inmate of Poor Farm

Francis was an inmate of the poor farm until last winter, when he was taken in charge by his sister, who lives in the east part of the city. Four weeks ago he disappeared and all efforts to find him were vain. A few days after his disappearance he was seen on the M & St. L. tracks near the Ryan property, but after that he disappeared until a week ago when he made his appearance on Round Prairie. For some time past he had been living on the refuse left at Oleson Park by picnic parties. When brought into town his shoes were tied on his feet by white ribbons, probably picked up at the park.

(Editor’s note: The original post can be found here.)

Tags: 1904, Francis, Jordan, Mericle

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 23, 1904

He Runs on Schedule Time

Residentes (sic) of Prospect Hill Terrorized by “Wild Man.”

Strange Individual Making His Appearance Every Afternoon and Leaves in Evening.

The residents of Prospect Hill are being terrorized every afternoon by the apeparance (sic) of a “wild man,” as he is termed. The wild man is evidently a person of very regular habits. He runs on schedule time. Each day for the past wek (sic) he has arrived in the same neighborhood on Prospect Hill at the same hour of the day, about 3:30 p.m., and departs at a given time later in the evening, after frightening the women and children of the neighborhood helf out of their wits by his freakish actions.

The man always appears from the direction of the woods near Oleson park, and and after his usual stay in the neighborhood he has haunted, departs for the unknown whence he came. All attempts on the part of the male residents of Prospect Hill to engage him in conversation and find out the reason for his strange behavior, and why he should haunt this particular neighborhood at a certain time each day, have thus far proven fruitless.

The women and children of the neighborhood have been worked up to a high state of nervous excitement by this man of regular habits, and it is understood some action is to be taken in the near future to capture him and find out the wherefore of his maneuvers.

(Editor’s note: There’s a follow-up article here.)

Tags: 1904

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 23, 1903

Sewing Machine War is Spreading

Singer and Wheeler-Wilson Companies Now in Fierce Competition in Webster City.

Methods are Too Strenuous

Warrants for Arrest of Seven Over Officious Agents Have Been Sworn Out and Placed in Hands of Webster City Police.

The Singer-Wheeler-Wilson sewing machine war, which raged with violence in this city some time ago, has spread to Webster City, where arrest seems likely to follow the strenuous efforts of some of the sewing machine agents. Warrants for the arrest of seven of these ubiquitous gentlemen were issued on Monday.

The agents for whom warrants have been issued are all from Boone.

The Webster City Freeman Tribune gives the following particulars:

The sewing machine agents who have been flooding the city with the Singer and Wheeler & Wilson machines for the past ten days, will run up against some trouble this afternoon if the program of the city police force is carried out. Warrants have been issued for seven of them upon the charge of selling their goods about the city without a license.

Since the advent of these representatives of two rival companies in the city life among sewing machine agents seems to have become peculiarly strenuous. Their modus operandi has been to leave a machine at a home whether it was needed or not, provided only that the housewife would give it a trial. Things went along smoothly until competition began to grew fierce between the two companies when each started in on a crusade of making sales on almost any kind of a basis.

It was when this stage of the business was reached that the agents left a machine at the home of W.J. Biernatzki. They removed his old machine which they were to take as part payment on the new one should it prove satisfactory. The machine was not just what was wanted, so Mr. Biernatzki says, and he made a demand on the agents for a return of the old machine and a removing of the new.

Through some misunderstanding or other the agents refused to do this, in consequence of which Mr. Biernatzki informed on them and the warrants are now made out for their arrest and will probably be served this evening. The agents all hail from Boone, instead of Fort Dodge, as mentioned Saturday.

Tags: 1903, Biernatzki, Singer, Wheeler & Wilson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 22, 1903

First Official Trip is Made

Car No. 20, of Fort Dodge and Interurban Line, Makes Run Over New Extension.

Was Enjoyable Excursion

Thirty-Two Fort Dodge People Were Guests of the Street Car Management – Run Was Made to Race Track, Terminal Line.

The first official trip over the Fort Dodge and Interurban street car line was made Saturday evening at 7:30. The excursion was made in one of the new cars, No. 20. Manager Healy had invited about thirty friends, including the stockholders of the company to ride as guests of honor upon the occasion of the first tour over the new line.

No. 20 is a large, easy running car, and as the road bed is in good condition the trip was a very enjoyable one. The party left at the city park and rode directly to the new park where the guests alighted and were shown about the grounds. After viewing the park, the car was run out to the driving park which is the terminal of the line, after which the party was conveyed back to the city.

The trip was made without a hitch and the management received many congratulations upon the successful and early completion of the line. Manager Healy had charge of the trip; Arthur Comstock, superintendent of the Light & Power company was the motor man, and Thomas Wilson acted s conductor on the first run.

There are now four miles of track laid which makes the ride a pleasure trip as well as convenient for those living on the line. For the present two cars will be kept running on the line. The cars will pass at the Great Western depot. The management are now arranging a schedule.

Those who went out on the first trip were:

Tags: 1903, Campbell, Collins, Comstock, Cook, Downing, Fessler, Flannigan, Haire, Harps, Healy, Hepler, Hower, Joyce, Larson, Laufersweiler, Oleson, Price, Rankin, Roberts, Robinson, Rodney, Ruge, Ryan, Selvy, Slack, Tierney, Vaughn, Welch, Wilson, Wolfinger, Young

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 22, 1903

Lehigh Home Blown Up By Dynamite

Residence of Henry Lewis is Wrecked By Explosion of a Dynamite Bomb.

Buiding (sic) is Badly Shattered.

Lewis, Wife and Two Children Escaped Injury as Explosion Was at Rear of House – Strike Troubles Supposed Responsible for Outrage.

Lehigh, June 22 – At 1:30 on Saturday morning, the home of Henry Lewis in this place, was partially wrecked by the explosion of a dynamite bomb under the kitchen door step. Lewis, with his wife and two children were asleep in the house at the time, but they escaped injury on account of the fact that the sleeping rooms are in the front part of the house, while the greatest force of the explosion was felt in the rear of the building.

The house, itself, was badly damaged. The back door was crushed in, the steps destroyed, plastering was knocked down all over the building and the roof was raised by the terrific force of the explosion.

Mr. Lewis has been working in the Lehigh Clay Works, being employed in place of the strikers, and it is supposed that this fact accounts for the outage. The general supposition is that the dynamite was exploded by some of the disaffected workmen at the Clay Works.

The occurrence has aroused much feeling here, as it is almost miraculous that none of the family were seriously injured.

It is supposed that a stick of dynamite with a fuse attached, was placed under the porch, the fuse was lighted, and the guilty parties had plenty of time to make their escape.

Tags: 1903, Lehigh Clay Works, Lewis, strike

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: June 21, 1915

Rail Echoes

L.G. Meder, traveling passenger agent for the Union Pacific, is in the city today on business.

Fred J. Morrison, division claim agent for the Illinois Central, went to Council Bluffs today on business.

Sick List

Miss Loyala Van Rhein, is sick at her home.

Miss LaVena Decker is confined to her home with illness.

A.E. Rutter, who has been sick with typhoid fever, is slightly improved.

The little son of Mr. and Mrs. V.B. Tennant is sick with quinsy.

Miss Bessie Struthers underwent a slight operation this morning.

Mrs. George Kearby was operated on at the hospital for appendicitis, Saturday.

Notice to Not Give Credit.

My wife, Clara Mikelson, having left my bed and board, and deserted my home, notice is hereby given that I will not be responsible for her debts after this notice is published.
P.J. Mikelson

New Arrivals

Sunday a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. K. Echternacht. (Editor’s note: I’m not really sure if that initial is a K, an F or an E.)

Tags: 1915, Decker, Echernacht, Kearby, Meder, Mikelson, Morrison, Rutter, Struthers, Tennant, Van Rhein