The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 14, 1906

What They Say

“A white Christmas would make trade better for everybody. Unless snow comes it will hardly seem like Christmas at all and if the streets and ground are bare of snow it is certain the merchants will have less trade than if a good covering of white would come.”

-William Mulroney.

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“All of the business men along the street are wishing for a fall of snow this week. They think the holiday trade will be heavier if there is snow on the ground. At any rate sales on boy’s sleds will be light if the snow doesn’t come.”

-S.A. Smith

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I was out to Storm Lake this week ice-boating. it’s great sport. Got skating and all the other winter sports beat a whole city block. We  went a distance of two miles in four minutes once, and some other records almost as good.”

-George Somers

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“If there is one person who ought to write plainly, it is a doctor. It is so easy to make a mistake in reading illegible writing, and because of the similarity of the scientific names of the various drugs and compounds, the prescription clerk is as liable to read one thing as the other, if the writing is not plain and readable. I know one physician in the city who writes his prescriptions on a typewriter, which is an excellent way, and sure to make mistakes in reading impossible.

-Dr. H.G. Ristine

Tags: 1906, Mulroney, Ristine, Smith, Somers

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 12, 1906

Fort Dodge’s Live Ones: A.D. McQuilkin

As the owner of “The Big Store with little prices,” A.D. McQuilkin is most familiarly known, but there are other names that might serve to designate him. One is the word “Hustler.” Another is  his title of President of the Iowa Retail Furniture Dealers’ Association, which place he has filled with credit since a year ago last June. No one deserves a place among Fort Dodge’s live ones better than Mr. McQuilkin. Where questions of the city’s progress are brought up he is always found in the front rank and willing to carry the banner.

Of course, if the city’s wagon were the real thing, not figurative, Mr. McQuilkin’s shoulder at the wheel would not cause it to fly, for he doesn’t measure up well with the ringside stalwarts. But when it comes to a matter of push, as those who understand know the word, he is right on the firing line with the fellows who are making the wheels of Fort Dodge progress hum. And in this line his efforts are such that when the bunch gets out to boost his place is always reserved for him.

Not satisfied with seeing Fort Dodge grow away from him, Mr. McQuilkin has instead decided to do a little of the leading himself, and just to show what real enterprise is like  he now decides to build and start next door to his present big furniture store another one equally large which will give him the room that he needs to expand his business along progressive ideas. The two will be connected with an overhead passageway.

The friend suggested the other way that when the two stores were running Mr. McQuilkin might have some trouble in adapting his business byword, “The Big Store with little prices,” to the change, “for,” said the friend, “to have it read ‘The two big stores with the too little prices’ wouldn’t sound right” Mr. McQuilkin responded to the jest by saying it “guessed he would have to call it The bigger store with the littler prices.”

Tags: 1906, McQuilkin

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 10, 1906

Fort Dodge’s Live Ones: Mack Hurlbut

No more appropriate classification of Mack Hurlbut, who is shown in the above sketch, could be made than to place him among Fort Dodge’s live ones. Mack is a live wire at all times and stands with the men who make Fort Dodge a town that has to be handled with rubber gloves.

Every man has a few characteristics that make him different from his fellows; without them humankind would be as a flock of sheep, “black or white” would be our only distinguishing point. Mack, in the making, was given enough of these points and characteristics to make him a distinctly original and individual person. In short they are, first of all brains, pluck, aggressiveness, true business instinct, executive ability,  unlimited energy and an attractive personality.

The numerous years that Mack has spent in Fort Dodge, during the biggest and best jewelry stores which time he has build up one of the in Iowa, have demonstrated these points to every resident of the city. For the benefit of those who haven’t sized up, through mere observation we will go into detail a little.

One needs only to enter Mack’s store on Central Avenue to see the result of his brains. Its arrangement, perfect to detail, proclaim them on every hand. As to his pluck – it is a byword with all who know him. Ask the burglars who broke his window and rifled it last year, and whom he doggedly pursued with wily schemes and hounded with detectives, about his pluck. His aggressive spirit shows in every business move for continual push is, and always has been, his policy. For true business instinct and executive ability he have only to look back and recall a vision of a long-legged and thin, raw boned boy sitting on a stool learning to repair watches, then note his present condition, to see the exercise of these two abilities. Unlimited energy tells its tale in his own watchword “sleepless and restless.”

(Editor’s note: I type these as they are in the original. The sentence in italics in the third paragraph should read The numerous years that Mack has spent in Fort Dodge, during which time he has build up one of the the biggest and best jewelry stores in Iowa, have demonstrated these points to every resident of the city.)

Tags: 1906, Hurlbut

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 10, 1906

Letters to Santa

Dec. 7, 1906
Moorland, Iowa

Dear Santa Clause:

I want you to bring me a rubber ball, and a slate, a pencil box, a horn and a drum, are you going to in a buggy, or a sled? Where to you live in the summer time.

Please bring me a top. I guess that will be all

Good-bye

Ray Flaherty
Moorland, Iowa
R.F.D.

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Fort Dodge, Ia.
Dec. 7, 1906

Dear Santa Claus:

as it is getting pretty near Christmas I will write you a little letter I am a little boy 6 years old and live near the Olson Park. I hope you will find my home all right well Dear Santy will you Please Bring me a drum skates and a sled and a train of cars and a sak of nuts and candy and popcorn balls O yes and Blugle horn. well Santy if you have not got what I ask for send what ever you think best.

yours truely,

Glenn Newsum.

Tags: 1906, Christmas

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 8, 1906

Letters to Santa

December 5

Dear Santa Claus:

Pleas I want a barrel of apples and a drum a little shettling poney if it won’t kick your toys to peices to bring it with buggy and harnes. Stilla and Hellen wants dolls and dishes and a little iron and ironing board. Good by Thomas will write to.

Masting Ryan
822 north 9 St.

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Dear Santa Claus:

I want a drum, a sack of english Walnuts, candy and peanuts, a wooden snake a jumping jack and want a autobil that can run raced with Martins Shittlers poney and beat it. Martin rote for Stella and Hellens things pleas don’t anything good by.

Thomas Ryan
822 6 ave N 9 st.

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Dear Santa Claus:

Please bring me a train of cars and a toy automobile and a knife nad I guess that all buhan t your loving friend JohnMonk, be sure to come to tobin college at fort dodge, iwoa.

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Kalo, Ia., Dec. 6, 1906

Dear Santa Claus:

please bring me a little broom and horn and doll bring he a thing like Thelma Smith s, bring Tommie a sled please

good by

Rose Walton
Kalo, Iowa

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Dear Santa Clause:

Kalo, Ia., Dec. 6, 1906

please bring me a pair of skates and some candy bring little Carrie Bell a rubber doll and a rattle box

good by

Doris Walton,
Kalo.

Tags: 1906, Christmas, Monk, Ryan, Walton

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 7, 1906

Fort Dodge’s Live Ones: Sidney J. Bennett

As the first of a series of cartoons of “live ones of Fort Dodge,” the Messenger takes pleasure in presenting the well known face of our honored Mayor, Mr. Sidney J. Bennett.

The Mayor’s claims to fame are multitudinous and varied. A self-made man he lacks the usual human weakness of “worshiping (sic) his maker” that detracts from characters such as his.

Three times Mayor of Fort Dodge, and as often a member of the Board of Supervisors for the County, there are really no monuments of the progress and advancement of the City or County that do not bear the impress of his genius. Anybody who doubts the foregoing can easily be set right by a few minutes conversation with the subject of this sketch or any of his hosts of partisan friends and admirers.

Not only has Mr. Bennett achieved fame at home, but his services abroad are no less distinguished. It was he who bored the monster hole through the mountains of the Pacific Coast and gave to the world the “Stampede Tunnel; a work requiring a special knowledge of engineering, unbounded energy and superb leadership in the management of men; these qualities becoming most apparent in Mr. Bennett’s makeup in the fact that he completeed the work ahead of contract time, thus earning a large “Bonus” which laid the foundation of his ample fortune in the full enjoyment of which he is passing the years of his later life.

A soldier in the Civil War, a pioneer in western settlement, a politician  of the best type, and, above all, a truthful citizen in all cases, except where the size of the fish he caught is involved, the Mayor of Fort Dodge takes first rank for the sturdy fiber of manhood that makes for good citizenship.

It is with the sincere wish of many years of happiness and usefulness for our distinguished fellow citizen that this paper presents him to the readers; and when the time comes, as come it must to all, when he must retire to private life, to enjoy the contemplation of days well spent; whatever estimate is put upon his public services by those who may succeed him, all may have the consolation implied in Prince Hal’s comment on Falstaff: “We might have better spared a better man.”

(Editor’s note: As mentioned, this is the first in a series. I don’t currently have them all copied, but I’ll try to get the rest of them. Also, each of these is accompanied by a caricature, which I do not have scanned at this time.)

Tags: 1906, Bennett

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 5, 1906

Letters to Santa

A Child’s Poem.

The Messenger is in receipt of the poem below which is said to have been written by a little girl eleven years old. Her name is unknown. The poem is entitled “The Fort Dodge Christmas Tree,” and is as follows:

Maybe in other cities fair
When Santa Claus comes round,
He’ll leave some mighty pretty things
For his boys and girls that’s found,

But one thing sure of Santa Claus,
And I sure know, you see,
He’ll save some fine and pretty toys
For the Fort Dodge Christmas tree.

I can’t tell why he always brings
His best toys to us here
But guess ’tis cause we write him
Such nice letters every year.

And show him such a jolly time,
‘Specially Tom and me,
That he just puts on the very best
On the Fort Dodge Christmas tree.

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Dear Old Santie,

Won’t you bring me a doll,
to of them, one large and one small,
A bed and a chair and a story book
With pictures rare
And a woolon dog with curly hair,
And some candy and nuts, with popcorn balls
And, dear old Santa, I guess that’s all.
Now don’t for get our no. and street
And I’s got big stockings because I’s got big feet

BLOSSOM ST. CLAIR
1422 11th Ave south
Fort Dodge, Iowa

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Dear old Santa Clause,

I want a doll
And a doll cab
Bring John a rocking horse
And a story book
And we both want a box of candy
Your loving little girl

Catherine Ryan

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Dear Santa Claus how are you. I want a store, a big doll and a sled duble runner skates and a pair of furs and doll go cart and a little soeing muchine and a trunk and a washing mishine and a box of wrighting paper and a chair that’s all. Now don’t forget my adress is 1243 6 ave n and 13 street.

MARION FLAHERTY
Fort Dodge, Iowa.

Good by Sant Claus.

Tags: 1906, Christmas, Flaherty, Ryan, St. Clair

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 5, 1906

Even Tired of Turkey

An Incident of the Day After Thanksgiving.

A butcher tells the following story as an incident happening the day after Thanksgiving:

“Sir,” said an unhappy individual, walking into his shop, “please lead me to some delicate dish – something that’s easy to eat, something on the other side of the house from turkey, cranberries and oyster dressing. If we eat today it’s only because it’s custom. I don’t believe anyone’s hungry at our house. We fed turkey to the family, the cat, the dog and the bird. I suppose we’ll have turkey hash today and turkey pie tomorrow. The ‘Review of Reviews,’ I call it. Show me something to break the monotony.” The butcher finally fixed him out with  some kind of meat as far from turkey as possible. He says the incident is an old and happens a good many times after Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Tags: 1906, Thanksgiving

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Nov. 16, 1906

Eggs are Skyward

They Retail at 25 Cents, Which is Usual  Top Notch Price for Winter.

Fresh eggs are skyward and what is more grocers are at a loss to supply the trade at all. They are retailing at twenty-five cents a dozen and dealers are buying at twenty-four. The conditions are almost unprecedented and grocers hardly know what to make of them.

“I was up at Ruthven the other day,” said Mr. D.E. Leary, “and thought in a country town like that I could surely be able to pick up a few cases, but I was badly fooled. Eggs are as scarce there as they are here.  Some one got in a car load there a few days ago and they completely sold out in two days. I think it is possible the packers are trying to keep the prices up so that they can unload their storage supply at big prices.”

Thumb Badly Cut

Slight Accident Happens at the Fackler & McMullen Plant.

While at work in the machine department of the Fackler & McMullen plant, as the foot of Central Avenue, this morning, Jno. Sultzbaugh, an employe (sic), sustained a slight injury to his left thumb by a piece of flying metal. He was at work at a lathe at the time when the metal he held in his hand broke, one of the pieces striking the end of the thumb, cutting it severelyi.

Casualties None

Lone Aspirant Passes Initiation and Becomes Full Fledged Elk

One lone candidate for initiation awaited the pleasure of his to be brother Elks in the Elk’s quarters in the Mason building, last evening, and successfully passed through the ovation prepared for him. His name is Clyde Lunger, Kansas City Agent for the Banker’s Life Insurance Company of Des Moines, formerly located here in the interests of that company, and well known in the city.

Still Have Hope

The State Board Has Not Relinquished Idea of Locating Hospital Here

That the state board of control is still considering the probability of locating the state tuberculosis sanitarium here was demonstrated in a telephone convention (sic) held by Judge Robinson with a member of the local committee. In spite of the obstacles which lie in the way, the board is still looking towards Fort Dodge with favor, and will before the next general assembly, decide the site of the state institution in order to make a favorable report on the matter places in its hands.

Closes the Series

Sunday Night Will be Last of Dr. Gwilym’s Sermons.

Rev. D.V. Gwilym, D.D. of New York City, who has been conducting services in the First Methodist church the past two weeks, will close his work here tomorrow night. In view of the fact services will be held this afternoon and evening that as many of his expositions may be given as possible.

The largest audience greeted him last night that has been out yet, and the interest is constantly increasing. Sunday will doubtless be the great day of these meetings. Dr. Gwylym will preach both morning and evening, and every one is cordially invited to attend.

Tags: 1906, Gwilym, Leary, Lunger, Sultzbaugh