The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 8, 1903

Family Trouble Up in Court

Herman Schmidt Blames His Father-in-Law

Mayor Sides With Herman

Curtain Falls upon a Watery scene. Human Baracade (sic) at Wolf’s Barber Shop.

Herman Schmidt, with tears in his eyes, declared to Mayor Bennett this this (sic) morning, that he is a barber by trade and that he had never been in jail before. He laid the blame for his being in jail at all upon his father-in-law, who, he said, had stirred up discord between himself and wife. Schmidt was arrested on Wednesday night for being drunk and disorderly, the more specific charge being that he was abusing his family. His Honor was impressed with the apparent honesty of his story and discharged him, at the same time warning his father-in-law to let Schmidt and his wife alone.

A little tailor whose name did not appear on the police docket, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon, while forming a human barriacde (sic) at the front door of Fred Wolf’s barber shop. He had fallen across the door in such a manner that those inside could not open it, and he himself was quite beyond moving. Marshal Larson picked him up and cared for him till he was able to navigate, and then set him at liberty, retaining, however, a large fat bottle of good old forty-rod whisky (sic), which he found on his person.

Tags: 1903, Bennett, Larson, Schmidt, wolf

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Dec. 20, 1906

Fort Dodge’s Live Ones: Welch Brothers

Welch Brothers, “Sam and Ed,” are not very old yet, but in proportion to their years they have been the shoe business a long time and have learned about all the points there are to be discovered about the trade.

Sam Welch went to work for C.M. Rudesill as a boy twenty years ago, spending his time out of school hours at the shoe store. He was with Mr. Rudesill about twelve years; then went to Minneapolis, and was with A. Knoblauch for six years. Returning to Fort Dodge he had charge of the shoe departmetn of the Boston store for a short time and then was with the Richardson shoe company of Menominee, Michigan, for one and one-half years as traveling salesman.

Ed Welch has been in the shoe business twelve years – four years with C.F. Wennerstrom, four years with the Larson Dry Goods company and four years with the Green Wheeler shoe company on the road.

The Welch Brothers bought the shoe stock of Edward Rank last September and formed the partnership which promises to be a marked success. the extensive experience of the owners of this establishment gives them every advantage in buying goods and their wide acquaintance in Fort Dodge, this having always been their home, gives them the advantage in selling in large quantities.

They are pushing the “Welch Brothers Brand” of shoes, rather than the make of any particular factory, having faith in their ability to select the best quality of goods in their line – a product they are willing to vouch for with their name.

Tags: 1906, Larson, Rank, Rudesill, Welch, Wennerstrom

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 12, 1905

City May Get Another Park

Property Owners Along the Upper River May Donate the Land

Would be a Large Tract

No Strings on the Proposition if it is Made – City Would (be) Expected to Give It a Proportionate Share of Attention With Other Parks.

Negotiations are pending which may result in another generous donation to Fort Dodge’s public parks. While it cannot be said that the matter has been definitely settled still it is known that the Morgan estate and Messrs. A.R. Loomis and E.G. Larson are considering the gift to the city of the land up the river from the brow of the hill to the water from the Fort Dodge brick company plant – known as Thiede & Heileman’s yard – to the F.M. Grant land, which lies alongside the hill leading from Round Prairie down to the famous “river road.”

If Mr. Grant should see fit to join with these other property owners in donating the land on the hillside to the people of his home city it is likely that Doctor Kime who owns the next strip of shore land would give a similar portion.

The information negotiations do not contemplate putting strings on the gift otherwise than that it shall be improved as a park out of the regular fund for which a tax was voted for ten years at the last municipal election.

While a dam would greatly enhance the value of this idyllic spot as a pleasure ground that would not be stipulated as a necessity by the donors.

There would be at least sixty acres in the proposed park site, perhaps much more for the land is irregular and would need to be surveyed.

There is no question but the city council would accept such a gift with alacity (sic) and give the land its proper proportion of improvements with the other city parks. It will be hoped the intention may grow into action this year.

There is no more beautiful spot for a park than this land lying in the forest above the site of the old Arnold Mill dam.

Tags: 1905, Grant, Heileman, Kime, Larson, Loomis, Morgan, Thiede

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 22, 1903

First Official Trip is Made

Car No. 20, of Fort Dodge and Interurban Line, Makes Run Over New Extension.

Was Enjoyable Excursion

Thirty-Two Fort Dodge People Were Guests of the Street Car Management – Run Was Made to Race Track, Terminal Line.

The first official trip over the Fort Dodge and Interurban street car line was made Saturday evening at 7:30. The excursion was made in one of the new cars, No. 20. Manager Healy had invited about thirty friends, including the stockholders of the company to ride as guests of honor upon the occasion of the first tour over the new line.

No. 20 is a large, easy running car, and as the road bed is in good condition the trip was a very enjoyable one. The party left at the city park and rode directly to the new park where the guests alighted and were shown about the grounds. After viewing the park, the car was run out to the driving park which is the terminal of the line, after which the party was conveyed back to the city.

The trip was made without a hitch and the management received many congratulations upon the successful and early completion of the line. Manager Healy had charge of the trip; Arthur Comstock, superintendent of the Light & Power company was the motor man, and Thomas Wilson acted s conductor on the first run.

There are now four miles of track laid which makes the ride a pleasure trip as well as convenient for those living on the line. For the present two cars will be kept running on the line. The cars will pass at the Great Western depot. The management are now arranging a schedule.

Those who went out on the first trip were:

Tags: 1903, Campbell, Collins, Comstock, Cook, Downing, Fessler, Flannigan, Haire, Harps, Healy, Hepler, Hower, Joyce, Larson, Laufersweiler, Oleson, Price, Rankin, Roberts, Robinson, Rodney, Ruge, Ryan, Selvy, Slack, Tierney, Vaughn, Welch, Wilson, Wolfinger, Young

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 19, 1903

New Company is Organized

De Loura Auto Manufacturing Company Adopts Articles of Incorporation Thursday Afternoon.

It is Capitalized at $30,000.

$25,000 of this Amount is Paid up – Officers and Directors Are Elected At Meeting On Thursday – Plans for Opening Plant.

The De Loura Auto Manufacturing company, the latest addition to the industries of Fort Dodge, was organized and its articles of incorporation drawn up at a meeting of stock holders in the rooms of the Commercial club on Thursday afternoon. The company is capitalized at $30,000, with $25,000 paid up.

Officers and directors were elected as follows:

President, J.H. Abel.
Vice President, L.E. Armstrong.
Secretary and treasurer, F.C. Minogue.
Manager, H.E. De Loura.
Directors -
F.V. Sherman
H.E. DeLoura
J.H. Abel
J.T. Gleason
F.C. Minogue
Samuel Emms, of Perry.

It is expected that by the first of next week answers will be received from the parties from whom references with regard to Mr. DeLoura’s character are expected. If these replies are of the favorable character which is expected, the company will pay Mr. DeLoura $3,000 and he will at once come to the city from Perry and let contracts for the new buildings and prepare to place his plant in operation, which he hopes to do within thirty days.

The stockholders of the new company, aside from those already mentions in the list of officers and directors are as follows:

W.S. Putman of Des Moines
F. T. Clark
William Fessel
Ferdinand Moeller
Dr. Alton
A.M. Feltz
M.J. Haire
T.F. Flaherty
M.F. Healy
C.W. Ackerman
J. Jensen
P.J. Tierney
C.W. Wakeman
J.F. Flaherty
L.L. Leighton
E.G. Larson.

(Editor’s note: The inflation calculator converts $3,000 to $71,848; $25,000 to $598,737; and $30,000 to $718,484.)

Tags: 1903, Abel, Ackerman, Alton, Armstrong, Clark, De Loura, DeLoura, Emms, Feltz, Fessel, Flaherty, Gleason, Haire, Healy, Jensen, Larson, Leighton, Minogue, Moeller, Putman, Sherman, Tierney, Wakeman

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 1, 1903

Engine Stopped Just in Time

Misses Carrie Johnson and Inger Larson in Serious Peril

Horse Fell in Crossing Track

Alertness of Engineer of Approaching Freight Train and Flag Men Avert Accident.

With the horse they were driving fallen and floundering on the track, Misses Carrie Johnson and Inger Larson sat helpless in their buggy, watching an Illinois Central freight train bearing own (sic – should be down) upon them, on Tuesday. The alertness of the engineer in charge of the train, and the flagman on duty at the crossing, saved them from what seemed for a time to be a deadly peril.

As soon as the man at the throttle saw the predicament of the two ladies he reversed his engine. The emergency brakes were set, and the train was stopped before it reached the buggy with its helpless inmates.

The carriage was slightly damaged but nothing else resulted from what might have been a terrible accident.

Tags: 1903, Illinois Central, Johnson, Larson