The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 5, 1907

(Editor’s note: The newspapers did not publish on holidays or Sundays during the early days of Fort Dodge, so we must use a July 5 article to show what happened on July 4.)

Successful Picnic Held The Fourth

The members of the German Evangelical Sunday school and church held the most successful picnic of years in the woods north of the city Thursday. The fun started early and at the noon hour all enjoyed a grand picnic dinner. In the afternoon games and races of all kinds were enjoyed by both old and young. Everybody present voted it the best picnic held by the church for years. The attendance was large and all present entered into the spirit of the occasion. The success financially exceeded the expectations of all and the society was enriched to the amount of about ninety dollars (about $2,079 today).

Tags: 1907, Independence Day

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 3, 1907

County Jail Inmate Ill With Appendicitis

Has Been Confined to General Hospital But Has Improved and Will be Returned to Jail

Andrew Swadling, who was sentenced to serve six months int he county jail for the theft of a couple of rings and a few small articles from a room in the Union house last fall, has been confined at the general hospital for a few days, suffering from an attack of appendicitis. He is under the care of County Physician Mulroney.

His attack was very acute and for a time it was considered an operation was necessary but this was objected to so strongly by the prisoner he was given other treatment and has now so far recovered as to be able to return to the county jail, to which place he will be brought back within the next couple of days to complete his sentence.

Tags: 1907, Mulroney, Swadling

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 3, 1907

Scrappers Released From County Jail

Butler and Stubbs Become Good Friends This Morning and Ordered to Leave County at Once

George Stubbs and his uncle, Jud Butler, who were (t)aken in charge Tuesday afternoon by Deputy Sheriff Woolsey, for fighting in the road near the Adams farm, were kept in the county jail overnight and were chased shortly before dinner today.

Both of the men suffered severely from their wounds but during the time they were confined in the county jail affected a reconciliation and became the best of friends. Their wives appeared at the sheriff’s office this morning and offered to get them outside the county in the shortest possible time if they were allowed their freedom and as neither of the men would file information against the other this was believed to be the best thing to do, hence they were released

Tags: 1907, Butler, Stubbs, Woolsey

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 2, 1907

Letter Tells of Sad Drowning

Miss Nellie Boland Receives Communication Telling How Brother Lost His Life

Miss Nellie Boland is in receipt of a letter from B.F. Spry, one of the fellow workmen of Miss Boland’s brother, James Boland, who was drowned in Little Beaver creek, North Dakota, June 22.

The letter gives a clear account of the result of a flood or cloud burst the result of a flood or cloud burst which descended on the camp about 8 o’clock that evening. It seems the camp was situated on low ground and the water came with such a rush that they were entirely cut off from high land. The men in the camp all worked with all their strength to save the camp but to no avail.

They waded in water four or five feet in depth, their heavy clothing making it impossible to swim in the strong current. Many of the men had narrow escapes and the escape of (M)ichael Quinlan was almost miraculous. James Boland and Patrick Quinlan were the two unfortunate ones to meet death. The bodies were easily recovered and were tenderly laid to rest the following day. Mr. Spry writes that Michael Qu8inlan will bring the bodies of Mr. Boland and his brother to this city in October where they can be laid in the family burying grounds.

James Boland was born in 1882 and was the youngest of a family of eight children. Much sympathy is being extended the relatives here by their many friends. Expressions of sorrow and regret have been offered to the bereaved family which has helped them bear their loss with a greater fortitude.

Tags: 1907, Boland, Quinlan, Spry

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 1, 1907

Historical Society to Hold Annual Meeting

Annual Reports Will be Made by Officers and Paper on Pioneer Life Read by Mrs. J.F. Duncombe

The Webster County Historical Society will hold their annual meeting at the Library association rooms at 8 o’clock Tuesday evening, July 9. Annual reports will be heard from the President, Mrs. J.P. Dolliver; from the secretary and treasurer, Mrs. C.B. Hepler, and curator, H.M. Pratt. The rest of the program will consist of a report of the state historical meeting at Iowa City in April to which Curator H.M. Pratt was a delegate.

Mrs. John F. Duncombe will give a paper on early reminiscences of Fort Dodge and several historical documents will be read.

Election of officers will take place at this meeting. It is also planned to have a few musical numbers.

The members of the society and all others interested in the work are cordially invited to be present.

Tags: 1907, Dolliver, Duncombe, Hepler, Pratt

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 1, 1907

Automobile Driver is Assessed Second Fine

I.R. Campbell, Fined for Exceeding Speed Limit, Will Carry Case to District Court

I.R. Campbell, of the Campbell Automobile Co., was fined $25 (about $577 today) this morning by Mayor Duncombe on charges of exceeding the city speed limit on Saturday and Sunday evenings. He was also unfortunate enough to run over another dog, as on the former time he was fined for driving his puff wagon too fast.

Mr. Campbell refused to plead to the charge and the fine was assessed upon the complaint of the officers and without the taking of further evidence, although Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fisher were present in the court room to testify against him. He maintained he was not running at 25 to 30 miles an hour as reported by the officers, and not even going faster than the city ordinance allows, and for this reason will carry the case to the district court.

Tags: 1907, Campbell, Duncombe, Fisher

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 11, 1904

Choice Delicacies in the Market

Home Grown Vegetables are Increasing Supply in the Groceries

Berries to Come From West

No Changes in the Live Stock and Grain Markets Since Last Week

The markets are but little changed this week. Vegetables are about the same in kind, quality and price. Home grown beet green and spinach add the only variety this week and both are welcomed with enthusiasm by the housewife who is planning a Sunday dinner. The shipping of vegetables from the south is pretty nearly shut off by the incoming  of the home grown truck. The new potatoes, new string beans, new cabbages, of course are coming from the south as yet, but even their time is not short, as all these with the exception of cabbage will soon be supplied by local gardeners. New potatoes are expected by July 4th at the latest by local gardeners and string beans will be in evidence in two weeks at the latest.

In fruits there is also little change. The first scrawny little peaches are beginning to show themselves and strawberries will climb up again next week from three for a quarter to 10 cents straight at least. The Missouri crop is exhausted and that state will cease to ship. All berries next week will come from the Hood river district in Idaho and from Colorado. Fort Dodge has received its last full car shipment for this season. All shipments will come in local from Omaha and the freight rates being thus made higher, the berries are bound to go up in prices. The home grown berries are reported to be ripening. It is expected they will come on the market the latter part of next week. All other fruit remain the same.

Live Stock and Grain.

Stock and grain markets show no changes this week with the exception of chickens, which have dropped a cent a pound, selling now for 7 cents to 9 cents a pound ($1.68 to $2.16 per pound today).

The markets are as follows:

Tags: 1904

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 10, 1905

Are Many Rooters in Neighbor Towns

They Get Result of the Game as Soon as Known Here

Bet Money, Chalk or Marbles

Back Their Favorite Teams to Win – They Get The Score By Innings on All Iowa League Games Played in Fort Dodge

Evidently base ball enthusiasm is at a high temperature about Fort Dodge. The surrounding towns seem to be obtaining the reports of the Iowa League ball games at the same time as the local fans get them. While the games at Fort Dodge are in progress a good-sized crowd is in the store where the long distance telephone is, following the game with intense interest. The members of the crowd always have their favorite team and are also ready to back it. The reports come in by innings and often after a game a large number of cigars or a number of small amounts of coin change hands. Fort Dodge is the metropolis of the surrounding county and is looked to for a great deal of amusement. When any inhabitants of the surrounding towns are in the city they invariably attend the ball games. The baseball association is therefore seen to be doing good work in advertising the town and offering some inducement to the people to come here.

The interest manifested in Duncombe over the ball games may be seen by the following clipping from the Duncombe paper: “Uncle George Palmer and a number of the other baseball fans of this place became very much worked up over the Fort Dodge-Marshalltown game played in Fort Dodge Tuesday morning. Uncle George had figured that Marshalltown had a sinch (sic) on the game and was backing up his figures; but luck was against him, and he will support Marshalltown no more, especially when they are pitted against hte Gypsumites.”

Traveling men say that the fans of all the surrounding towns know as much about the team as the home fans and are more enthusiastic. Manson, Lake City, Rockwell City, and all other towns of equal distance get the result of the Fort Dodge games by innings by telephone.

Tags: 1905, Palmer

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 10, 1905

Bones Broken in Game

Ball Player Breaks Collar Bone in Webster City

Webster City, June 10 – Third Baseman Dow of the Williams’ base ball team, which played in this city, had the misfortune to break his collar bone during the game. He was taken to the office of Dr. Rummel where the fracture was dressed. The injury will not prove serious and the young man returned home on the afternoon train.

The accident happened in the last half o the sixth inning. The Williams team was at bat and Dow was on first base. He attempted to make second and a long low ball was thrown (to) Arthur Martin, who was  holding this base for the Baraca team. Martin stooped to get it and tag the runner and Dow attempted a slide. He collided with Martin’s knee with such force as to break the collar bone.

The young man was taken from the ball diamond and assisted to the office of Dr. Rummel. The doctor states tat the injury is by no means serious. It will lay the young man up for two or three weeks, however. Of course beside the breaking of the collar bone, Mr. Dow was considerably bruised about the shoulder.

Tags: 1905, Dow, Rummel