The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 25, 1904

Thrillling (sic) Accident of Frightened Team

Horses of Oakdale Dairy Cut a Swath on the River Road North of Town

Broken Wagon Tongue Cause

Narrow Escape From Death for Mr. and Mrs. Schoonmaker and Infant.

Mr. and Mrs. O.F. Schoonmaker of Clarion, visiting at the Miller home in this city, and the Miller baby, very narrowly escaped death Sunday morning in a collision with a runaway team on the river road north of the city.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller and Mr. and Mrs. Schoonmaker had planned a picnic dinner in the woods along the river north of the city. Mr. and Mrs. Schoonmaker with the Miller baby were ahead and had reached what is is known as the Narrows road north of the Haviland place, where the road is only wide enough for some distance for a single team, with no room for passing when they were horrified to see a runaway team and wagon approaching. The team was mad with fright and as they were hemmed in on one side by the bluff and on the other by the river bank, there was no way of avoiding the crash and no time to get out of the vehicle. With no decrease in their mad speed the runaway crashed into the rig occupied by the three. Mrs. Schoonmaker and the child were thrown over the dash board among the struggling and fright-crazed animals, two of which had been thrown by the violence of the contact, and were only rescued with difficulty by other picnickers who were on the same road, but fortunate enough to find a way of escape. Mrs. Schoonmaker was unconscious when picked up but miraculously was not seriously hurt, sustaining only a few bruises. The baby, aside from a scratch on its fact (sic – should be face) escaped injury and was picked up badly frightened and crying lustily by the side of the road where it had rolled from under the plunging horses.

The runaway horses, which belonged to the Oakdale dairy, and were bringing a load of milk into the city, were held by the party until claimed by their driver. The rig which had been occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Schoonmaker and  the baby was straightened out, the damage repaired and they returned to the city. All things considered, the accident was a fortunate one, in that the results were no more serious.

Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Wakefield, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Craig and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dietz, who had also planned a day in the woods were on the same road a little way ahead of Mr. and Mrs. Schoonmaker, but seeing the approaching runaway barely got out of their path at a point where the road widened a trifle, and the team passed them, just grazing the wheels of their vehicle. Hearing the crash of the collision behind them, they rushed to the rescue of their less fortunate followers and succeeded in untangling the wreck.

The runaway of the dairy team was caused by the breaking of the wagon tongue as they were coming down the hill. The driver was unharmed.

Tags: 1904, Craig, Dietz, horse, Miller, Oakdale Dairy, Schoonmaker, Wakefield

The Fort Dodge Messenger: May 14, 1906

Great Western bridge in Fort Dodge

Runs Out on Bridge

Runaway Sunday Morning Ends up in Middle of the Big Great Western Bridge.

A horse belonging to a Lehigh man broke away form its driver Saturday night about ten o’clock and tore at full speed half way across the Great Western railway bridge southeast of the city, finally stopping only when it became stuck in the ties.

It was found utterly exhausted and badly bruised and skinned by a party of boys a few hours later. The problem how to get it back to the ground seemed a serious one, but this was finally accomplished by unhitching it and leading it back. The buggy was not badly damaged and was pulled back by hand.

The accident is a most peculiar one. If a train had happened to come along while the rig was fast in the middle of the bridge a bad accident would have been likely to have occurred. It seems also strange that the animal did not rear and plunge  until it went over the edge of the railing and dropped to the ground nearly a hundred feet below. As it was, however, neither the horse nor the vehicle were badly damaged.

Tags: 1906, Great Western bridge, horse

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 2, 1906

A $200 Horse is Stolen

Boldest Theft of Year Right in Heart of City Saturday Afternoon.

Owner Offers $50 Reward

Thief Took Horse, Buggy and all From Where it was Tied near Chapin’s Lumber Yard – Burgfried Bros. Were Owners.

The boldest theft of the year to occur in Fort Dodge took place Saturday afternoon when a two hundred dollar blooded horse belonging to Burgfried Brothers was stolen from its hitching place on the north side of Chapin’s lumber yard.

The theft occurred between two and five o’clock, as the animal was tied at the place as the animal was tied at the place mentioned at two and was gone when the owners returned at five.

The animal is a bay, sixteen adn one-half hands high, weight about 1,300 pounds. It has a small white star in the face also a white mark on the lower point of the left shoulder. The vehicle was a red wheeled road wagon, containing a light harness, horse blanket and robe.

The owners are incensed over the theft and without delay the matter was placed in the hands of Sheriff Oleson. A reward of fifty dollars has been offered by Burgfried Brothers for the capture of the thief and the return of the stolen property.

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 3, 1906

Sold Stolen Horse for $40

Horse Stolen From Burgfried Bros. Sold by Thief to Teamster.

Sheriff Olson (sic) has recovered the horse stolen from Brugfied (sic) Bros. Saturday afternoon from the place where it was tied north of Chapin’s lumber yeard (sic).

The animal was sold for forty dollars to one A.H. Linda a teamster living on the flat and was later recovered from this man. Mr. Linda states that a young man approached him on the street stating that he had a horse to sell. He announced his willingness to look at the animal and was led to a side street where it was tied. The seller offered to dispose of it for forty dollars and seeing that the horse was a bargain at that price Linda at once closed the deal and the next day paid over his money, not thinking but that the man was its owner.

He took the horse home and on Monday hitched it up and started on his work with it. A liveryman recognized it and informed the sheriff. Linda was greatly surprised to hear of the manner in which he had been buncoed and at once gave up the horse. He has placed a description of the young man who sold the stolen animal to him in the hands of the officers who have instituted a search for him. It is supposed, however, that he at once made good his escape from the city. He is said to be a Fort Dodge young man, residing in “Bobtown.”

Tags: 1906, Bobtown, Burgfried, horse, Linda