The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 15, 1906

Fort Dodge’s Live Ones: Harry Holm

Santa Claus is the original “live one” and perhaps a picture of him should appeal in a Christmas edition but Harry Holm makes a pretty good looking type for Santa Claus,a nd being a local man we prefer to illustrate him in this space. The county warrants that have been passed over the counter by the present auditor of Webster county have made the many recipients feel as grateful as though they were getting attention from Santa Claus. They recognize a relationship between the two personages.

The cartoonist has caught Mr. Holm with some of his favorite interests in plain sight. He is a railroad man by training and persued the occupation with success for many years. Under the former owners of the M & St. L. he was assistant superintendent of the entire railway. In those days if he wanted to put a locomotive under his arm and “heft” it he had the authority to do it.

Future historians will give Mr. Holm the credit that is due him for the securing of the Newton & Northwestern railroad in Fort Dodge at a time when the railroad situation was causing much anxiety to our people. Business men here had spent the hot days of nearly all one summer raising pledges of funds to bring the Crooked Creek railway here, only to find in the end th at their efforts were put forth in response to a hot air proposition. Just at that moment of chagrin and disappointment J.L. Blake, manager of the Newton & Northwestern, began inquiring of his old friend and former comrade in railroad work, Harry Holm, about the feasibility of extending their road to Fort Dodge. The boosting that Mr. Holm did for the new extension was of the thoroughbred variety and it was but a few weeks until the deal had been closed. We hope the Interstate Commerce Commission will unanimously vote Mr. Holm a perpetual pass on the Fort Dodge Des Moines & Southern Railway for his good work.

The subject of Masonry is very near to the fraternal heart of Mr. Holm and he is up on all its higher branches. But for real, absorbing interest during the summer season base ball has all the other interests “lashed to the mast.” Fandom has no greater crank than he, and if by fate it is decided that Riverside Park shall not resound to the rooting of the crowds next summer a silent spectre will haunt the hallowed spot where Boyle’s troops have twice nobly fought for the pennant and landed so high they could peek over at the prize. That ghost-like slender form will belong to County Auditor Holm.

Tags: 1906, Holm

The Fort Dodge Messenger: March 27, 1905

Lehigh Shows a Constant Growth

936 Persons There According to the Census Just Completed.

Ahead of the 1900 Count

The Corporate Limits Do Not Take In All Persons Entitled to Rank as Citizens – Lehigh Next to Fort Dodge in Size in County.

County Auditor Harry Holm has received the census returns from Lehigh and they evidence the fact that the town has grown to some extent during the past five years. The present census shows a gain of 130 people over the returns of 1900.

According to the present census, there are just 936 persons in the city as against 806 in 1900. It is a fact, however, that the incorporate limits do not cover all of the town, and that there is a considerable settlement down on Crooked Creek that is not counted as a part of the above figure. This settlement would add at least another hundred to the total and bring it up to more than a thousand inhabitants.

Outside of Fort Dodge Lehigh is the largest city in the county, and there is every prospect that there will be considerable advancement there the coming summer, as it is almost assured that at least one of the railroads that enter the place will be put on thru during the next few months.

This will mean the further development of their many natural advantages and a good growth will be the result. It is a well known fact that there is a heavy vein of coal underlying the whole town and surrounding country that has never been worked. This with the big supply of the best of clay for both brick and pottery purposes an immense amount of the finest kind of silica, or glass sand and the other natural features of advantage, should make the little city on the south.

(Editor’s note: According to a Wikipedia article, Lehigh had 497 residents in the 2000 census. The town also has a Facebook page.)

Tags: 1905, Holm