The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 12, 1903

New Game Has Reached Town

Is Known as “Brist” and is Becoming Popular

Played With a Boomerang and a “Rakaw” — Interest Follows Practice in the Game

The latest novelty in games the successor to ping pong, “Brist” has struck Fort Dodge. This is an out door game played by any number of persons with paraphernalia known as boomerangs and “rakaws.”

The boomerang, an instrument as its name signifies, which will return to the player when thrown into the air, constructed along the idea of the Australian boomerang, it returns. It is not, however, of the same shape as the Australian boomerang.

The Australian boomerang is a piece of wood carved in an irregular semicular (sic) shape so that when it is thrown by a native, having much practice and considerable strength and dexterity, will return to the spot from which it is started. The modern device, with which the game is played, is simply a cross-like arrangement, composed of two sticks larger at the ends and which are fastened in the center in order that it may be made any size. By pressing the sticks close together and making the angle smaller the boomerang when thrown, flys (sic) in an oblong path. When the sicks are placed at right angles the device completes a semicircle and with practice one may throw the instrument around a house. The “Rakaw” is the net like arrangement used to catch the returning boomerang.

The game of “Brist” with which the boomerangs are use is played by standing in the center of three rings and throwing the boomerang. The object of the game being to catch the boomerang if possible without stepping out of the inner circle. If this is done the player is credited four points. If he catches it in the second circle three is made and in the third two. Ten innings constitute a game. Each player is given three consecutive throws in each inning, so that the highest possible score for a game is 120 points, twelve to each inning.

The originators of the game claim that anyone with a few hour’s (sic) practice can learn to manipulate the strange device. This being so the game will without doubt prove as popular as the late Bill Nye’s paper of the same name.

(Editor’s note: The Bill Nye referred to here was Edgar Wilson Nye. Below is a video of John Flynn, who is well-known in boomerang competition, demonstrating various types of boomerangs. In the first couple of minutes he shows a Brist boomerang and the net, spelled rakaw in this article. He goes on to show fast catch boomerangs.)

Tags: 1903, Nye

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 11, 1903

City Physician Says Boil Water

Impurities in City Water Are Caused by its Being Turned in Direct From River

Thinks Plant is Inadequate

High Water Necessitates Cleansing of Galleries at Water System, Which in Turn Necessitates Turning in Water Direct From River

“Every one should boil the city water before using,” says Health Physician C.H. Churchill.

Monday the water was turned into the galleries direct from the river, and in the opinion of the health physician its consumption is unsafe unless it has first been boiled. The river at the present time is at a high state, a fact making it all the more necessary that the water should be in some manner purified before using.

The high water has necessitated a recent cleansing of the galleries at the head of Duck Island. To do this it became necessary to empty the galleries and then they had been cleaned, the consumption of water made it necessary to refill them direct from the river. At the present high state of water, which has been maintained for the greater part of the spring and summer, the river contains much vegetable and animal matter. This being true, the health physician advises every consumer to boil the water before using.

It is the opinion of Dr. Churchill that the water plan is inadequate to meet the demands of the city and do so with entire satisfaction.

(Editor’s note: In March 1903, Dr. Churchill pronounced the water safe to drink.)

Tags: 1903, Churchill

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 8, 1903

Yetter Suffers Typhoid Epidemic

Prevailing Sickness in That Town Prompts the Council to Take Action

Excessive Moisture the Cause

Cellars Filled With Water for Past Two Years Said to Breed Diseases Germs — Property Owners Must Connect With Drains

Yetter, August 8 — This city is experiencing an epidemic of typhoid which from present appearances promises to assume a serious aspect. No deaths have yet occurred as a direct result of the epidemic, but a number of people are seriously ill.

The sickness has been caused by prevailing dampness in houses, the cellars of which have been filled with water, some of them being in this condition for two years past. In some cases the water was allowed to stand while in others it was found impossible to keep the basements dry.

As a remedy for this defect and in an effort to prevent further sickness, the city council has taken up the matter and has ordered all property owners to connect their houses with drains. The matter up to the present has been left with the individual property owners, but the spread of typhoid fever has assumed so serious proportions that it is now compulsory to adopt sanitary measures. There is no doubt in regard to the sickness being a result of the excessive moisture and it (is) hoped that this action on the part of the council will have a benificial (sic) effect.

Frank Bussell and Miss Erickson, trained nurses, have been called from Frot (sic)Dodge to care for a number of the sick.

Tags: 1903, Bussell, Erickson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 7, 1903

Policeman and Prisoner Mix

Officer Andrews Has Strenuous Time Thursday Night

Only Subdues His Prisoner by Sitting Upon Him Until Patrol Wagon Arrives

Policeman Gust Andrews, who enjoys the privilege of maintaining the dignity of the law in West Fort Dodge, is in poor shape for a foot race, as a result of an encounter on Thursday night with one Peter Swanson. Swanson, who was drunk, was kicking up the dust in great shape and didn’t give a rap for the dignity of the law, nor was he a bit sensitive about puncturing the officer’s feelings when the custodian of the peace placed him under arrest. Marquis of Queensbury rules were disregarded when the officer and his unwilling prisoner started to mix. In police court this morning, Andrews testified that Swanson had him down at least fifteen times, and it was not until he pinned his prisoner to the earth and sat upon him that he was finally subdued. When the patrol wagon arrived, the policeman arose from his seat, and even then Swanson was reluctant about taking a ride, but with the assistance of Officer Weiss was persuaded to go.

This morning he was fined $10 and costs, and went back to jail in default of paying his fine.

Police Andrews told the court this morning that Swanson is peaceful enough when sober, but a bad man when under the influence of liquor. Thursday night he was drunk and a complaint was lodged against him by a woman who said he had frightened her.

Tags: 1903, Andrews, Swanson, Weiss

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 2, 1903

Wants Dealers to Pay $9,000

Mrs. S.E. Smith Files Suits Against Three Firms Selling Intoxicants

Alleges Sold Husband Drink

Report That Defendants are Only Men Who Wouldn’t Make Settlement

Suits for damages aggregating $9,000 (about $221.796 today) have been brought by Mrs. S.E. Smith against three Fort Dodge dealers in intoxicating liquors on the grounds that they sold intoxicating liquors to her husband, S.E. Smith, and thereby lost to her the support which she would have received from him had he not been furnished with opportunity to become intoxicated. The defendants int he suits are Jacob Schmoll, Kiley & McCaffrey and C.S. Corey. Of each individual dealer plaintiff asks $1,500 ($36,966) actual and $1,500 exemplary damages, or a total of $3,000 ($73,932). Petitions for plaintiff have been filed by W.T. Chantland in the office of the county clerk.

The wording of each petition is similar. It is alleged that the defendants for the past year have been selling intoxicating liquors to S.E. Smith, plaintiff’s husband, who is addicted to drink. It is claimed that Smith is a stone mason and when able to work makes from $2.50 to $4.50 ($62 to $111) per day, which however, he does not earn when under the influence of liquor.

It is hinted that the trial of the suits on file will prove unusually interesting. Smith, it is claimed, did not confine his liquor purchases to any particular dispensers of intoxicants and other liquor dealers may be implicated. There is a further report that defendants in the three suits on file are the only persons who refused to make a “settlement” with plaintiff and that others were accused of selling Smith liquor, but that they made a settlement and no action was taken against them.

Tags: 1903, Chantland, Corey, Kiley, McCaffrey, Schmoll, Smith

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 1, 1903

Sprinkles Gold Dust on Floor

Joaquin Miller, the Poet, Tells of a Dance Given in the Klondike

The Floor Becomes Slippery

Miners Sprinkle Gold Dust on it to Keep the Women From Falling.

At one of his lectures just after his return from the Klondike Joaquin Miller told the following story: “One night I was invited to a dance in a miner’s cabin and while Bill Dalton scraped away on his fiddle we just hoed it down. But eh miners tramped in and out so much between dances that before midnight the ladies declared the floor was so slippery they couldn’t dance another step unless something was done. Then something was done that never was possible in mining days in California. Each miner gallantly opened his buckskin powder pouch and sprinkled gold dust on the floor! And this was repeated throughout the night. And in the morning, ladies and gentlemen, those miners never troubles themselves about sweeping up that gold dust. They just hitched up their dog sleds and rode away.

At this point of Miller’s narrative there was a slight agitation in the audience, an ominous sign of incredulity, but Miller was equal to it. With a wave of his hand toward one of the boxes, he said, “And my old friend up there in the box, Captain John Healy, will substantiate what I say.”

It was a master stroke of the poet, for the house burst into applause and greatly embarrassed the modest millionaire mining and railroad promoter of Alaska, who unsuspectingly had accepted Miller’s invitation to attend the lecture in the afternoon.

(Editor’s note: There is nothing in the article that indicates origin. I doubt that this lecture occurred in Fort Dodge. But it is an interesting story, nonetheless.)

Tags: 1903, Healy, Miller

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Oct. 24, 1903

Pigeon Raising as Ft. Dodge Industry

B.C. Keim Begins with 500 Birds to Raise Pigeons to Satisfy the Epicure.

Business a Profitable One

P.D. Keim, Owner of Number of Carrier Pigeons, Also Interested.

B.C. Keim, living at 1413 Second avenue north has made a new business venture in Fort Dodge. That business referred to is the raising of pigeons for the market. Mr. Keim has been in this line of work but a very short time and has already about 500 birds, old ones, and expects to have at least 500 more at once, or as soon as he can purchase them. He makes his purchases thruout the country, buying them anywhere and paying a good price for them.

His pens are at his home, and they have a capacity of over 1,600 pigeons, all of the birds being confined to these pens. The principal object of course, in raising these birds is to dispose of them on the market, where they are dressed and are considered a great delicacy by the epicures in the city. They are sold when about four weeks old, and are at this time plump and tender. The young birds, or squabs, bring anywhere from $2.00 to $3.00 (about $49.29 to $73.93 today) per dozen on the market, and the demand for them is always good.

Mr. Keim’s father, P.D. Keim, is also interested in raising pigeons, but he has none but the fancy kind, known as “homers.” These birds are too valuable to be sold on the market, as they are the kind known as the “carrier” pigeon those formerly used for carrying messages, during time of war and before the telephone or telegraph was invented. They may be taken any distance form the home where they were raised, and if loosed will return to that place, no matter what the distance, seeming to know by instinct what direction to fly, and will go at once and direct to that place, without once swerving from the true and direct course.

Mr. Keim has large pens fitted up for these birds, leaving them plenty of room in which to fly but not allow them outside of the pens, as the chances are that if he did they would return to their former home. He expects to soon have some young ones, and these may be allowed their liberty as they will always return to him. He now has a half dozen pairs of the fancy birds and expects before a great while to have enough of these kind from the birds that he now has to put them on the market as the “Homer” squab is much more tender and plump than the ordinary bird, and consequently brings a higher price while it would be to (sic) expensive to buy the “Homer” birds at from $1.00 to $2.00 ($24.64 to $49.29) a pair they can, if the breeding is fast, be raised at no greater cost than the ordinary pigeon, and after the first outlay, the cost is no more.

Tags: 1903, Keim

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 20, 1903

Long Chapter of Accidents

Several Fort Dodge People Meet Mishaps Which Place Them Under Doctor’s Care

None Are Seriously Hurt

A Broken Arm and Various Cuts and Bruises Fill Out the List

The little six year old son of Clark Andrews residing at 549 Third avenue north while playing with several young companions received injuries that will keep him in the house for several weeks. He and a number of other boys wre playing together in a barn on the back of his father’s premises when Clark started down stairs. When about half-way down his foot slipped and he fell to the ground. Instinctively he put out his hand to catch himself and falling upon his arm broke it. A physician was called and the arm was set. At present he is resting easily and is very thankful his fall did not result more seriously.

■ ■ ■

Adelbert Butler a lamplighter in the employ of the Chicago Great Western sustained a rather painful accident Tuesday night while in the performance of his duty. It is his duty to see that the different switch lights and the other lights in the Great Western years are trimmed and properly lighted and for this purpose he carries a small ladder with him on his rounds. He had climbed up on the ladder to relight a lamp when the ladder upon which he stood slipped from under him and he fell to the ground. In some way he struck his head, cutting the scalp and inflicting a wound about an inch and a half in length. He managed to come to town and have a physician dress his wound which had to have several stitches taken in it but was very weak from loss of blood. He is back at work today as well as ever.

■ ■ ■

C.B. Kibby while showing a prospective customer the stock he was handling had the misfortune of having one of the heavy wagon tongues fall upon his head. He was stunned by the blow and it was several minutes before the doctor, who was hurriedly summoned by his customer, could bring him back to consciousness. He was not very badly hurt and execept (sic) a severe bruise ont he top of his head is now feeling all right.

■ ■ ■

While Harry Carter was lifting up a cake of ice into an ice box it suddenly slipped from his grasp and fell heavily upon his foot. The ice weighed about forty pounds and falling with such force badly crused (sic) his foot. A physician who examined the injured member said there were luckily no bones broken but that the foot was rather badly bruised and would pain him for some time.

Tags: 1903, Andrews, Butler, Carter, Kibbey

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 19, 1903

Another Snake Story Comes From Lehigh

But the Snake is Petrified – Fine Made Recently in Beem’s Clay Works

The remains of a petrified snake of unusual proportions and in a remarkable state of preservation, were discovered in Beem’s Clay works in Lehigh a few days ago.

A section near the head of what was probably a prehistoric reptile was taken out. It was about two feet in length and fully three inches in diameter. Later on, a section of the tail, of about the same length, was discovered. The men worked all day in trying to get out the middle section, which would render the speciment (sic) complete, but their efforts were unavailing.

Had the entire specimen been recovered, it is probable that his snakeship would have been sent to some museum in the state, as it was a remarkable specimen.

Tags: 1903, Beem