The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 12, 1903

Has Discovered His Parentage

Irving B. Bischoff, of Fonda, Claims Interest in Webster County Lands by Inheritance

Says His Real Name is Young

Story of One ot (sic) Most Peculiar Claims Ever Presented in Webster County

As a result of a quarrel with the man whom he had all his  life supposed to be his father, Irving B. Bishoff (sic) of Fonda, who now believes that his real name in (sic) Young, was in the city on Wednesday, investigating what he believes to be a valid claim to certain Webster county lands. Bishoff (sic) claims an interest, by inheritance, in 130 acres of land in Johnson township, now owned by W.F. Rubel.

The story of Bischoff’s discovery of his real parentage is a strange one. For thirty years he has lived quietly in Fonda, believing himself to be the son of the man whom he now considers his step father. A short time ago, a difference of opinion arose between the two men, in the course of which the elder Bischoff announced the fact that the relation between them was not that of father and son. The younger man started to unravel the mystery, with startling results:

He now believes that his grandfather was James S. Young, and that his father was Samuel Young, who died before he was born. After his father’s death, his mother married Bischoff. J.S. Young was the owner of 130 acres of land in Johnson township, described as follows: the north one-half of the south east quarter and the east fifty acres of the south one-half of the south east quarter of section 20, range 89, township 30.

James S. Young left a will in which he bequeathed this property to his wife, Martha Young, during the term of her natural life. Later Martha Young brought suit to have her dower set apart to her, alleging that her son Samuel Young died unmarried and without issue. This was done, and subsequently another suit was brought by one of the heirs to have the land sold and the proceeds divided. In this suit it was alleged again that Samuel Young died unmarried and without issue. Accordingly, the land was sold, and the proceeds divided among the heirs.

In both suits, notice was served on the unknown heirs by publication. Whether this notice will have any effect on the claim of the heir who has thus unexpectedly presented himself, is said to be a matter of doubt, as he has all the time resided within the borders of the state of Iowa, while the notice by publication applies only to those resident outside the state.

Bischoff claims a 2-9 interest in the 130 acres now owned by Mr. Rubel.

Bischoff was in the city on Tuesday going over the records with a view to establishing his claim. He stated while here that he will hereafter go by the name of Young  which he claims to be lawfully his.

The case is one of the most peculiar which has come up for sometime. The fact that the allegations in both previous suits claim that Samuel Young died unmarried and without issue point apparently to a secret marriage on the part of that individual. Bischoff while here, asserted that he would trace the matter to its foundations, and would take all steps to secure possession of what he believes to be his patrimony.

Tags: 1903, Bischoff, Rubel, Young

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 11, 1903

New Bank in Fort Dodge

Ed Breen of Estherville and Tom Breen of This City Interested

Preliminary Plans are Made

Bank Will Occupy Present Palace Barber Shop Quarters – Dennis Coughlan to Be Cashier.

Ed Breen of Estherville, associated with his brother, Tom Breen, of this city, is to open a new bank in Fort Dodge within the next thirty days. The quarters on Central avenue, between Seventh and Eighth street, at present occupied by the Palace barber shop, will serve as headquarters for the new banking business, which will move in as soon as proper furnishings can be secured.

The new bank will have a capital of at least $50,000. Fred and Charles Larrabee will be included among the stockholders, and it is probable that Charles Larrabee will move to this city from his present home in Armstrong.

Dennis Coughlan, as present the teller of the First National bank, has accepted the position of cashier with the new organization.

The bank expects to do the commercial business which savings banks are allowed to do and at once step into a permanent place among the sound financial institutions of Fort Dodge.

Edward Breen is to move his resident from Estherville to Fort Dodge. He is expected to reach the city tonight.

(Editor’s note: I searched through several city directories from 1908 to 1935 at the Webster County Genealogical Society. The 1908 directory is the earliest one they have after 1898. In the 1908 directory, it gives the following information on the Iowa Savings Bank: Address, 715 Central Ave. Organized 1903. Capital $50,000; Surplus $11,000. President: E.J. Breen; Vice President: Charles Larrabee; Cashier: D.J. Coughlin; Assistant Cashier: C.B. Smeltzer.

The bank was still listed in the directories I checked through 1930. In 1931, it is no longer listed, and there is Scott’s Fruit Markets Inc. listed at that address. This is just east of The Messenger building. The building was torn down several years ago and made into a parking lot for Messenger employees. I don’t have any further information on why the bank ceased to exist, but it’s most likely a result of the Great Depression. Before 1930, there were about six banks in Fort Dodge (I didn’t keep track). After 1930, there were two.

In addition, by 1925, Ed Breen was no longer listed as president – that title went to Charles Larrabee. There were two vice presidents: Daniel Rhodes and C.B. Smeltzer. D.J. Coughlan was listed as Cashier and W.L. Hamilton and F.L. Shraon (sic) were assistant cashiers.)

Tags: 1903, Breen, Coughlan, Larrabee, Smeltzer

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 10, 1905

Town of Clare is a Moral One

There is no Crime in Clare

He States That Clare Has No Name on List of County Poor, Has a large Temperance Society With One Hundred and Fifty Members.

Clare, a town which has always had the reputation as one of the roughest of the county, is really one of the most moral, and according to the claim of Supervisor P.H. Cain, who hails from the little city on the northwest, it can show a record that cannot be approached by any other city of the county in any particular. With regard to the matter, he said to a Messenger representative:

“They can say what they will about Clare, but nevertheless that town can show a record that cannot be approached in the way of morality and absence of crime. It is a fact that there has never been a Clare man incarcerated in the county jail; it is also a fact that there has never been a serious crime committed within the borders of the town. There is not one name from Clare on the list of the county poor and there is not another town of its size in the county that can show a temperance society with as large a membership as is held in the Clare Temperance League, which has 150 names on its roll book.

“There are three saloons in the town, I will admit, and that it looks bad for a city the size of Clare. But it must be taken into consideration that there are two dry counties that come to Clare for their liquid refreshments, and it is these people who really give the greater part of the support to the liquor business. There is Pocahontas, which is a temperance county, on the west and on the north Humboldt. The people from these counties come to Clare with their tongues hanging out, and when they do get filled up they are a bad lot.

“Of course there are a lot of people in Clare who take their liquidations pretty regularly, but when you come right down to the facts of the case, there is less of rowdyism in Clare than in many cities of the country that bear a better reputation. And it is a fact that there is actually no crime. There is no doubt of the fact, too, that there is a tendency in the city toward a reform and there is less of the ordinary rowdyism now than there was a year or two ago. The town is improving in moral tone all the time which cannot be said of many of the other places of the county.”

Tags: 1905, Cain, Temperance

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 10, 1904

Mayor Northrup Makes Arrest

Rescues a Poor Jag From a Curious Throng

Diplomacy Induces Prisoner to Accompany Him to Jail Where He is Locked Up.

Mayor Northrup exercised his authority to make an arrest this morning when he took into custody an individual who was laboring under the disadvantages of an overdose of the jag producting (sic) fluid. His prisoner was unable to appear in police court and his condition was such that he was not feeling well enough to register when given quarters in the city hall.

While aboard a street car on his way down town this morning, the mayor saw a crowd standing near a prostrate figure lying on the sidewalk on Central aveneu (sic)  near Tenth street. Leaving the car, he made an investigation and found the curious crowd to be inspecting a simple drunk who had failed to retain his equilibrium while endeavoring to make his way west on Central avenue. After getting him upon his feet, the man with the jag was inclined to be balky, but was finally induced to walk down the street, where he was turned over to a policeman and placed in jail.

Tags: 1904, Northrup

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 9, 1904

Afflicted Persons Allowed Freedom

Smallpox Case at Merchants Hotel Leads to Discovery of Startling Facts.

Family Suffers From Disease

But Until Tuesday Not Reported – Meanwhile Guests Come and Go.

If the statement made by the health authorities is true a number of cases of smallpox have existed in the city for several weeks and until Tuesday no effort has been made to report the disease to the proper officers, nor was there quarantine established, the afflicted premises being accessible to many persons during the time the sickness existed.

Tuesday a case of smallpox was reported at the Merchant’s hotel between Seventh and Eighth streets on First avenue north. The place was quarantined and now it is said that an investigation had led to the discovery that the disease has existing in the hotel for some time. M. L. Sperry, the proprietor, his wife and several of the children have had the disease, according to the report, and the children have been attending school.

It is also claimed that a teacher in the school attended by the children has been a sufferer from the disease. The malady has existed in a light form and as the several members of the family have suffered from it they have been kept in their rooms, but no medical attendance has been engaged.

A few days ago, Harry Kettering, a man of all work who has been employed at the hotel for his board, who was taken sick and showed symptoms of the disease. He was sent to a physician by the proprietor and returned to the hotel saying that the doctor pronounced him to be suffering from smallpox. His case continued to grow worse and he was again sent to the physician. the latter reports that his visit Tuesday was the first and then it only took him a short time to discover that he was afflicted with smallpox.

The health authorities were immediately notified by the physician and the hotel placed under quarantine. This morning City Physician C.H. Churchill visited the hotel and was told by the proprietor that himself and family had suffered what seemed to be the same disease but that they recovered and medical attention was not necessary.

There were a number of quests at the hotel Tuesday and those who did not leave will probably have to remain in quarantine until released by the proper authorities. The particular danger that has existed has been the coming and going of guests at the hotel while the disease has been prevalent.

Kettering is now kept in a room at the hotel. This morning a man named Dean applied for the privilege of removing the patient to his home, where he said he would care for him. Kettering, it seems, had been at the Dean home since he has been suffering from smallpox and even if he is not removed there the house will probably be quarantined.

Providing is it learned where inmates of the hotel have been during the past week or so, several more quarantines may be established.

(Editor’s note: An update on this story is located here: West Fort Dodge Protests.)

Tags: 1904, Churchill, Dean, Kettering, Merchant's Hotel, smallpox, Sperry

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 9, 1903

Crawled into Furnace in Search of Warmth

None but a Webster City Man Could Think of Such a Unique Performance as This.

Webster City, March 9 – A fellow by the name of Murphy, an employe (sic) at the new Mercy Hospital building recently crawled into the hospital furnace to get warm while drunk and narrowly escaped serious injuries.

Murphy had been working thru the day with the regular hospital gang. At the close of the day’s work he filled up with liquor and instead of returning to his boarding place, went back to the hospital building. The furnace had been fired  up during the day but had been allowed to go down at night. The room and become chilly and Murphy was cold. Looking about in a drunken stupor for a warm place he came to the furnace. He opened the door of the fire box and crawled in. The fire had died down and Murphy lay on the smouldering (sic) ashes some time before he was badly enough burned to realize that his position was dangerous. He succeeded in making his exit and was found next morning by his companions when they went to work. He was lying in a corner covered from head to foot with ashes and his clothing partly burned off him. The whole of one side of his body is quite badly burned but the fellow sustained no serious injuries.

(Editor’s note: I think the drophead about only a Webster City man could think of something like this is indicative of a rivalry between Fort Dodge and Webster City. No current disrespect is intended.)

Tags: 1903, alcohol, hospital, Murphy

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 8, 1906

A Few for the Housewife

Speaking of Cooking and Dishes – How About These?

A Few New Ones Peculiarly Fitted For the Monotony of the Lenten Repasts

There is no season of the year more difficult for the housekeeper than the extreme end of winter and the very first spring days,when fresh vegetables are still expensive, everyone is tired of canned vegetables, and meats have grown monotonous. As a result of the rich, heavy foods of the winter the systems are clogged and cry for a change and rest, even as do tired brains and hands. To keep Lent is doubtless a good and safe way to clean one’s system, by eating less meat and ctting (sic) off all rich desserts. However, there are a great many appetizing rules for Lenten dishes which go also a long way towards breaking away from the monotonous diet of the fag end of winter. A few new ones are given which have been obtained from various reliable sources.

Lenten Dishes.

French Potato Soup – For an average sized family take four good-sized potatoes to two quarts of water. let the potatoes cook away in the water, and this forms the stock for the soup. When this is done, add two large potatoes, three for four onions, and a heaping tablespoonful of butter to each puart (sic) of liquid. Let all this cook together until the potatoes and onions are thoroughly done. Season well with salt, black pepper and a dash of red.

Sardines on Toast – This makes an excellent luncheon dish. Put the sardines on a hot riddle and just heat through, an (sic) then place on hot toast. Serve with raw onion chopped very fine. The onion may be put in lettuce leaves arranged around the platter.

Boston Baked Apples – Wipe and core the apples and cut out the blossom but in coring be careful to cut entirely through the apple. Fill the center with heavy brown sugar, pressed down lightly and heaped up. Put a little water in the pan with the apples. Prick them and bake carefully until done. The sugar should form a thick syrup, which in serving should be poured around the apples. Eat with cream.

Rice and Tomatoes – Cold boiled rice will make a good foundation for a Lenton luncheon dish. To one large cupful of stewed tomatoes add two small or one large onion cut fine. let these cook with a little butter until the onion is thoroughly done. Put the rice into a buttered pudding dish, pour over it the onions, tomatoes and mix all together. Cover with bread crumbs and bake only a few minutes or ia (sic) will be too dry.

Orange Marmalade – This is the season of the year when orange marmalade can be made quite cheaply. Peel one dozen oranges, cutting the peel in little strips with a pair of every pound of sliced fruit and peel add three pints of cold water. Let this stand over night and in the morning  boil about two hours or  until tender. Then weigh and to every pound of fruit add one and a half pounds of granulated sugar (scant weight) and the juice of two lemons. An addition of the peel of four grapefruit, cut in strips and previously boiled in several waters until the very bitter taste is extracted is an improvement. The grapefruit peel should be weight with the other fruit with the same proportion of sugar.

Prune Tapioca – Wash one-half cupful of tapioca and soak it over night in three cupfuls of cold water. In the morning put both the water and tapioca in the double boiler and cook for one hour. Before this, wash the prunes and put them in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover them. Let them simmer gently until they absorb the water. Turn out to cool and remove the stones. When the tapioca has cooked an hour, stir in one-half teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, and one-half cupful of sugar. Spread a layer of it in the bottom of a baking dish, sprinkle with prunes, next with another layer of tapioca, and so on, leaving the last tapioca. Bake an our and serve partially cold.

(Editor’s note: In the [very unlikely] event that I get the ambition to try any of these recipes, I will post a picture of the result and give a review of the experience.)

Tags: 1906, Lent, recipes

The Messenger: March 8, 1906

Vagrants Beware!

The Mayor Prepares for the Spring Migration of the Tramp Class

As the time when tramps begin to wander around among the fields and in the towns is fast approaching, and the usual spring incoming of the ragged, “neverwork” class may be expected to strike Fort Dodge at any time, Mayor Bennett had prepared himself and will be in a position to make the stay of hoboes (sic) in Fort Dodge an interesting one.

The paths of such, as strike the city will not be lined with roses – Oh! no! It will be “back to the high grass,” or else away to the stone pile or the city streets; the hammer and the shovel for thirty days. The mayor’s policy with “vags” worked so well last spring that the formula has been preserved and as fast as the “Willies” drop into Fort Dodge they will be added to the street commissioner’s force.

The street graft for police court prisoners has not been worked hard during the winter but unless Fort Dodge is given a wide berth by those qualified the ranks of the street forces will grow to surprising dimensions from now on.

(Editor’s note: In this time frame, the mayor – an elected official, possibly with no legal experience or training outside of being mayor, presided over police court – equivalent of Magistrate Court today – and handed down sentences. One sentence favored by Mayor Sidney Bennett for hobos was cleaning the city streets. The term “Willies” is short for “Weary Willies,” a slang term for tramps, hobos or vagrants.)

Tags: 1906, Bennett, hobos, police court

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 7, 1906

Move Started for Modern Hospital

Subscription List is to be Circulated Through the City

Knights of Columbus in Move

Physicians Agitate the Project – Planned to Have Sisters in Charge – Board of Trustees to Care for Funds to be Selected

A move has recently been started by a crowd of Fort Dodge physicians which is backed by the Knights of Columbus and the people of the city in general, by which it is hoped to push through to a final end the much talked project of a modern hospital for the city.

A subscription list has already been formed which it is planned to circulate through the entire city for the purpose of raising funds, and the work will probably be started at once. A committee headed by Mayor Bennett and consisting of other prominent men of the city is being formed for the purpose of receiving the proceeds, which are to be expended on the recommendations of the committee, the Fort Dodge doctors and the Knights of Columbus. In case the hospital is built it is planned to place it in charge of the Sisters of Mercy.

Fort Dodge has long needed a large modern hospital, and in view of the size of the city and the excellent reputation of Fort Dodge’s medical men through the state it is fast becoming a crying need. The present move will no doubt meet with the approval and encouragement of the entire city. The cost and size of the hospital will depend on the success that is met in soliciting subscriptions for the purpose.

Tags: 1906, Bennett, Knights of Columbus, Sisters of Mercy