The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 29, 1904

Shot in the Hand by an Unknown Gunner

Ed Johnson Suffers a Peculiar Experience While Standing in His Yard.

Ed Johnson, an employe (sic) of the Fort Dodge Light & Power company, living in the Oleson addition in the southeast part of the city, is suffering from a peculiar and unexplainable accident. While standing in his yard, he felt a sting in his hand. He look and his hand immediately became covered with blood. Dr. Saunders was called, and a piece of metal was found in the wound. It is supposed that the hurt was caused by a stray shot from a twenty-two calibre (sic) rifle, but no report was heard and no person was in sight in any direction. The wound is not a serious one, and Mr. Johnson will be able to be at work in a few days.

Tags: 1904, Fort Dodge Light & Power company, Oleson addition, Saunders

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 23, 1904

Measles at Orphans’ Home

An Epidemic of the Malady Exists There.

The Disease Has Been Exceptionally Severe – Pneumonia a Frequent Complication.

An epidemic of measles in a most violent form has broken out among the babies at the German Lutheran Orphans’ home on Sixth avenue north, and one of the little ones lies at death’s door with complications resulting from the disease.

The malady appeared at the home some time ago, and at the present time every baby in the institution is seriously ill with the complaint. The disease has been exceptionally severe, and in every case has left the little on a victim to some complication or other. Pneumonia is the most common of these complications, while in some of the children, diseases of the middle ear are the after effects.

In the case of the child  which is at present in the worst condition, and which will undoubtedly die, the measles first became complicated with pneumonia, and later, in spite of all that medical science and the best of care could do, farther complications set in and the child has meningitis in addition to measles and pneumonia.

The disease as it has appeared at the home is said to be the most violent nature possible to the malady, being the worst that has appeared in the city for some years. There is, however, no danger of a spread of the disease, as the home is kept thoroughly isolated by quarantine.

Tags: 1904, German Lutheran Orphans Home, measles

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 21, 1904

Chickens Will Be Scarce

Supply Not Recovered From Past Wet Seasons.

Comparatively Few birds and Unusually High Price May Be Expected This Spring.

Chickens and in fact all kinds of farm fowls are unusually scarce this spring and the prices promise to be higher than in years. Old fowls to be used for stock purposes, are bringing from five to seven dollars, just double the usual price, and are scarce at that. Early spring friers this year promise to bring unprecedented prices, and a good henery will be a real “oil well” investment to the farmer who is lucky enough to own one.

The past two wet seasons are accounted responsible for the scarcity of the birds. It is well understood that wet weather is exceedingly hard on the young chickens and lucky, indeed, was the spring chick that pulled thru last year.

Thousands of chickens were drowned outright in the big rains of last spring, or died from the exposure of being dragged about thru the wet grass by a most inconsiderate mother. For these and a number of other reasons, there were few chickens raised last year, as compared to the ordinary season, and the surplus over the spring market was light. This year about all the chickens there are left in this part of the state are those left over from two years.

This scarcity of the old bird, with the intense cold of the past winter, also accounts for the scarcity and high price of eggs during the winter, and there will probably be some dearth of eggs felt until this year’s birds are large enough to lay.

Tags: 1904

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 21, 1904

He Forgot to Stay Away

Nutty Willey Returns and Gets into Trouble.

Steals a Coat and is Bound Over to the Grand Jury on the Charge of Larceny.

Ernest Willey, the “Nutty” Willey of police court fame, will probably give the city authorities little trouble for some time to come. Willey was ordered out of the city Friday morning and promised to do so and never return. He left town, but forgot to stay away. worse than that when he did return Saturday night he went into the Haire clothing store and when he left forgot to pay for a coat which he had carelessly picked up.

When arrested he was given no further chances to depart from the city, but was taken before a justice of the peace and bound over to the grand jury charged with larceny. It is probable that the jury will report on Willey’s case tomorrow, and a disposal made of the charge against him at the present term of court.

Tags: 1904, Willey

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 16, 1904

West Fort Dodge Protests

Against Location of the Pest House on That Side.

Board of Health meets and Revokes its Action Taken Monday Night.

The residents of West Fort Dodge were up in arms Tuesday and this morning when they learned of the arrangements made by the board of health for the location of a temporary pest house on the west side of the river. The West Siders were so vehement in their protests against such a step that a special meeting of the board of health was held this morning and its action of Monday night revoked.

Following the council meeting Monday night the board of health made arrangements by which a house near the river bank, just west of Duck Island was to be used as a temporary pest house in which the health officers were to place Harry Kettering, the man now at the Merchant’s Hotel suffering from smallpox. The house is owned by August Swanson. John Nelson, the agent of Mr. Swanson, secured the consent of the owner of the building and made arrangements with the city for the removal of Kettering. When the residents of West Fort Dodge learned that a pest house was to be maintained so near their homes they arose in protest and great was the indignation that descended upon the head of Mr. Nelson.

Protests were made to the mayor and this morning a meeting of the board of health was called, with the result that the disposition of the smallpox patient is still a matter that is worrying the health authorities. Mr. Nelson says that he would have refrained from offering the house had he thought there would be any objection on the part of the West Side citizens and when he learned of their objection he was one of the first to request the board to revoke its action.

(Editor’s note: The original article is located here: Afflicted Persons Allowed Freedom.)

Tags: 1904, Duck Island, Kettering, Nelson, smallpox, Swanson

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 7, 1904

An Experience in a Balky Elevator

Two Women Try to Descend in Court House Elevator – Trip Takes an Hour

Stops Between Two Floors

Elevator Will Neither Go Up Nor down – See No Humor in Situation

Compelled to stand in an elevator that balked between the first and second floors and positively refused to either go up or down, their calls for assistance unanswered and their utmost efforts to either operate the machine or to devise a means of escape from the trap in which they found themselves, was the unpleasant experience of Mrs. Henry Olson, wife of Sheriff Olson, and her visitor, Mrs. Frank Clark, a few days ago.

The story, which declined to be suppressed, can be seen in a humorous light by persons to whom it is told, but to the two women who were caged in the elevator for what to them seemed like an infinite time, there is no humor attacked (sic) to it. Although the situation was devoid of danger, it was extremely exasperating and not in the least laughable to them.

There are two elevators in the court house. One leads from the sheriff’s office to the top floor and is used for the conveyance of prisoners and visitors to and from the jail. The other is in the southeast corner of the building and is for the private use of the sheriff and his family, who occupy the south side of the fourth floor. It was this elevator that balked when it had descended and it occupants from the top floor to four feet above the top of the door of the first floor.

Mrs. Clark had been calling at the Olson home. She had climbed the stairs, but in leaving had been induced by Mrs. Olson to descend in the elevator. The latter operated the machine and the trip was made successfully from the fourth to the second floor and part way down to the first.

Then the elevator stopped. The elevator shaft is a cage of iron netting. The elevator itself has no doors, the entrance being closed by the side of the shaft when the car is in motion. For this reason when the electricity which furnished the motive power failed, not a single means of exit was offered to the encaged women. They called for help, but unfortunately for them the elevator is in a part of the building furtherest from the offices. It has no chairs or seats of any kind and for that reason they had to stand up.

An old man heard their calls, and inquired as to the trouble, but aside from volunteering the information that he “guessed you’ll have to stay up there,” was of no material assistance.

Finally a small boy came to the rescue and was dispatched to the office of the Light & Power company, where he reported the predicament. After some delay the power was turned on, but instead of going down the elevator ascended to the top floor. Her visitor was content to be free again and favored descending by means of the stairway, but the sheriff’s wife was determined to make the elevator obey whether it wanted to or not. The women embarked for the second time and this time made the trip successfully.

(Editor’s note: In an effort to make this easier to read, I have introduced paragraph breaks in a few logical places. The original article only had two paragraphs. I think I will continue this practice for the future for the ease of the reader.)

Tags: 1904, Clark, Olson

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 5, 1904

Coalville Man Wins Automobile

Oscar Hult, a Young Man Employed in Coal Mines, has Lucky Number

Winning  Number is 30,358

Automobile Proves Popular, and No Dissatisfaction With Result.

One day last summer, Oscar Hult, a coal miner in the employ of the Gleason Coal company at Coalville, went into the Plymouth Clothing house and bought a suit of clothes. When the clerk wrapped them up he gave Mr. Hult ten tickets on the automobile, which was raffled off last Wednesday evening. During the last year different persons within a radius of fifty miles have bought clothing in Fort Dodge at the Plymouth because they wanted to get a ticket on the automobile. When the doors were opened Wednesday evening at 8 o’clock there was a large crowd waiting outside. The weather was fierce. Sweeping blasts from the northwest caused men to pull their coat collars a little  higher, but it did not deter them from being present and on time. It only required a short time to fill the store although special provisions had been made for the reception. The tables laden with clothing had been pushed pack and a temporary stage made in the center of the room On it the committee consisting of Will Cisne, R.E. Sherman, J.E. Downing, John Ruge, G.F. Rankin, Chas H. Colby and E.G. Healy, began the work of finding the lucky number. The tickets were placed in a large revolving church and after a thorough mixing one was drawn out. When it was read, there was a dead silence. There were no cries of “I have it.” Then twenty-nine others were drawn and called out to be used in case the first one did not come to light.

When the train from Coalville pulled into the station at noon today there was a large number of men and boys who alighted and made straight for the Plymouth. Oscar Hult only touched the ground a few times on his way down town. He had the lucky number clutched tightly in his hand and wore a smile that would not come off when he made known the fact at the Plymouth. His friends and associates shared in the joy with him. He concluded to leave his property where it is for the present, but expects to dispose of it in a short time. The drawing has been a great success as well as a great advertisement for the Plymouth. All those who held tickets were perfectly satisfied with the manner in which the raffle has been conducted. Mr. Hult is to be congratulated.

Tags: 1904, Cisne, Colby, Downing, Gleason Coal, Healy, Hult, Plymouth Clothing, Rankin, Ruge, Sherman