History of New Rockford- Oct. 15, 2018

The following New Rockford businesses would be closed at 6 p.m., each evening from Jan. 1 to April 1, 1902: H. Peoples, general store and farm machinery; R.R. Woodward, general store; Rodenberg Bros.; Prader & Litcher; D. Niven (New Rockford Meat Market); J.W. Rager, harness shop; J.M. Mulvey Hardware; George F. Fahrer & Co. (East Side Meat Market); A.C. Buck (Central Drug Store) and J.C. Whiteman (The New Drug Store).

Other major New Rockford businesses included the Bank of New Rockford (Hugh Peoples, president; Charles MacLachlan, VP; Ernest S. Severtson, cashier); Eddy County State Bank (P.J. Hester, president; Joseph Maxwell, VP; E.R. Davidson, cashier); Hotel Davies (F.C. Davies, proprietor; C.A. Lathrop, manager); Hotel Mattson (Christina Mattson, proprietor); Powers Elevator Co. (M.B. Hersey, manager); G.W. Brownell, lumber, coal, wood, flour, feed; Gull River Lumber Co., B.C. Larkin, mgr.; Thomas Ose hardware; “The Transcript” (Charles J. Maddux, owner/publisher; the current issue was Vol. XX, No. 18; $2 per year); F.D. Norton, dentist, over Rodenberg Bros.; Drs. Charles MacLachlan and C.J. McNamara, physicians and surgeons, office over the Central Drug Store, with a room at the Hotel Mattson; M.T. O’Connor, attorney, Davies Hotel; R.P. Allison attorney, office opposite the Maddux Block; C.J. Maddux, attorney, lender, insurance; George Ackerman, abstractor; John L. Kinnaird, undertaker and funeral director; J.T. Syftestad, photographer, studio on Villard Ave. East; E.H. Martin, dray line; Kennedy & Scott (R.M. Kennedy; H.J. Scott) Dray and Express Line; H.W. Clark, contractor and builder; Logan & Farley Restaurant, located in the former courthouse building on Chicago Street; Kunkel & Hudson (J.C. Kunkel; H.G. Hudson) fruit, confectionary, restaurant; East Side Bakery, Lizzie Leonard; D.Y. Stanton Barber Shop in the Maddux Block basement; H.L. Rood, livery, feed & sale stables “The Big Red Barn” on Chicago St. South; E. Starks, feed grinding and wood, at Lundquist’s machine shop; Northern Pacific Railway, W.E. Biggs, agent.

The Devils Lake Branch time card showed the following: Passenger train #131, daily except Sun.; southbound in at 4:07 p.m.; Passenger train #133, daily except Sun.; northbound in at 12:01 p.m. Freight train #156, daily except Sun.; southbound in at 11:55 p.m.; Freight train #155, daily except Sun.; northbound in at 1:05 p.m. Mixed train #144, Oberon to Bowdon; Tues., Thurs., Sat., southbound in New Rockford at 11:50 a.m.; Mixed train #143, Bowdon to Oberon; Mon., Wed., Fri.; northbound in New Rockford at 11:55 a.m.

In the “Secret Society Directory” the following were posted: Modern Woodmen of America Lodge, New Rockford Camp 2214, every Tuesday evening; E.R. Davidson, venerable consul; Peter Prader, Clerk. Royal Neighbors of America, Riverside Camp 821, every Monday evening, Woodmen Hall; Mrs. Laura E. Pike, oracle; Mrs. Amanda J. Radtke, recorder. Knights of the Maccabees, New Rockford Tent #41, last Thursday evening of each month, Orhner’s Hall; George Norton, commander; Henry Davis, Sir Knight Records and finance keeper. Century Lodge, A.F. and A.M., first and first Mondays; W.E. Biggs, worthy master; W.C. Hayes, secretary.

Ancient Order of United Workmen (AOUW), Rockford Lodge 46, every Wednesday evening; W.C. Hayes, master workman; P.J. Braman, recorder. Zoller-Wood homestead #318, Brotherhood of American Yeomen Lodge, every Friday evening, Ohrner’s Hall; J.W. Perry, foreman; B.C. Larkin, corresponding secretary. Degree of Honor, Crocus Lodge #27, every Saturday evening, AOUW Hall; Mrs. Mary Bennett, Chief of Honor; Miss Maggie Morris, recorder.The Woodmen of the World Lodge may have met every Thursday evening in Ohrner’s Hall; J.C. Fay, clerk; George Flater, C.M., but there is a possibility the organization had disbanded.

Listed in the church directory: Catholic Mass every second Sunday at 11 a.m., Father McDonald. Baptist services every Sunday, 8 p.m.; Sunday School, 3 p.m.; prayer meeting Wednesday, 8 p.m., Rev. S. Van Tassel. Methodist services every Sunday at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., Rev. C.F. Sewrey. Congregational services every Sunday at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sabbath School noon on Sundays; Christian Endeavor at 6:30 p.m. Sundays; prayer meeting at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday; Rev. J.R. Beebe.

On Jan. 1, the Rodenberg Brothers ended their partnership, with J.H. Rodenberg retiring and H.F. Rodenberg continuing in business. The next day George J. Schwoebel became a partner with H.F. Rodenberg by buying J.F. Rodenberg’s interest in the business which would be known as Rodenberg & Schwoebel. J.F. Rodenberg was planning on leaving for California, where his wife and children were already living. The “Transcript” noted that Schwoebel had served seven years as a County Commissioner and six years as the County Judge.

On Jan. 2, C.R. Turnbull was over from Kiner on business. Miss Hattie Davidson returned from Carrington, where she had spent New Year’s with friends. Miss Mae Tobler left for Eden, Wells County, to teach that winter.

That evening, the NRFD met in Rager’s Harness Shop and elected officers: Rev. J.R. Beebe, chief; R.U. Austin, assistant chief; A.J. Clure, secretary; E.R. Davidson, treasurer; J.W. Rager, trustee; Olof Lundquist, chief engineer; John Olson, assistant engineer; A.J. Clure, Hook and Ladder captain; H.J. Scott, Foreman, Engine #1; A.J. Larkin, Foreman, Engine #2.

The Jan. 3, 1902, “Transcript” carried a letter from S.N. Putnam, who disagreed with New Rockford School Principal E.R. Thomas, on his article in the “High School Clipper” about vertical writing (good penmanship). The letter filled almost two columns on the front page and discussed Putnam’s objections.

Mrs. R.U. Austin had been ill that week with pneumonia.A note said that Henry Berge of Carrington was planning on opening a cigar factory in New Rockford. R.R. “Rock” Woodward owned a 30 lb. fox terrier.

An item stated Miss Phoebe Dixon had to resign as a New Rockford teacher because the State Superintendent of Public Instruction J.M. Devine had been informed that a five-year state certificate “could not be duplicated in North Dakota” and Miss Dixon’s permit had expired. Because there was no teachers’ examination scheduled until March, she had no alternative.

That issue said that wolves had become more plentiful, so a few days before, six men went out to hunt the animals. Two of them were H.J. Mitchell and George Fahrer. Four miles northwest of New Rockford, Fahrer spotted what he thought was a wolf, but Mitchell disagreed, claiming it was a dog. After a discussion, Mitchell was persuaded the animal was a wolf. As the men advanced, the animal disappeared in the tall grass. With 300 yards to go, the two hunters stopped when they saw the animal in the grass looking at them. Mitchell took careful aim and discharged his rifle. The wolf howled, but didn’t move. The men found a large gray wolf “…breathing its last.” It “…was one of the largest ever captured in this county.” Other hunters failed to turn up any wolves, although they did see some out of range.