History of New Rockford: Jan. 28, 2019

On Mar. 27, 1902, State Veterinarian F.W. Tompkins was in town on official business. Henry Johnson's brother arrived with a carload of fine livestock. J.W. Rager's brother and family arrived from Indiana to work his farm that summer. That evening a 25 cent charge got you into a supper of oysters, meats, etc., followed by cake and ice cream, a meal that would normally be 50 cents, and a musical entertainment, speeches and recitations at the Methodist Church. The men of the church sponsored the supper. James Hamilton supervised it. The tables were decorated with palms and flowers. Miss Sarah West won "the magnificent cake" which she then cut and served with ice cream. The event "...was a brilliant financial and social success..."

The Mar. 28, 1902, "Transcript" carried an announcement from C.J. Maddux which informed the public that for the past year or two his law, land, loan and insurance business had increased to the point that he had turned most of the "Transcript" work over to A.C. Olsen and H.L. Lyon. In view of their work, he was adding their names to the masthead as editors and managers. With improved advertising the paper had been increased from eight to 10 pages and would go to 12 if income warranted such a move. Maddux stated he had worked on the "Transcript" for 19 of the 20 years of the paper's existence.

The masthead read "C.J. Maddux, Publisher; A.C. Olsen, H.L. Lyon, Editors and Managers."

That issue said there had been plenty of moisture lately. Sheriff J.E. Bennett said there was more water on the prairies than in any spring since 1883.

A letter from A.D. Tomlinson dated Mar. 25 spoke of his trip to and from California and other western states. His wife and he had seen the following former area residents: Dr. E.S. Miller and Henry Flater in Flagstaff, Arizona Territory; Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Allen, Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Chamberlain, John Williams, Miss Streeter, Miss Van Ostrand, and John Goss in San Diego, a city of 15,000 people; John Franklin, Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Rodenberg, and Mr. Camp in Los Angeles.

Mrs. Edna Whiteman Flater, widow of George W. Flater, had purchased the John Olson house just south of the Clure Implement Company's office and warehouse on West Villard Avenue. Mrs. Flater, her mother and her brother Lloyd were preparing to move in.

A short item said Iver Vick of Sheyenne had arrived in Dakota Territory in 1880 and went to work for the Northern Pacific Railway as a carpenter until 1885.

 Dentist F.D. Norton would be available in New Rockford from the first to the 15th of each month over the Rodenberg & Schwoebel store.

An ad for H. Peoples said his business sold the following farm machinery: Kentucky Shoe Drills, Kentucky Single Disc Drills, Monitor Double Disc Drills, New Havana Press Drills, John Deere Plows, Disc Harrows, Corn Planters & Cultivators, Buffalo Pitts Steel Lever Drags, Duplex Feed Mills, Wind Mills, Moline and Banner Wagons, Dunham Soil Packers and Pulverizers, Campbell Sub-Surface Packers, Buggies, Surreys, Spring Wagons and Hero Fanning Mills.

Prader and Goss sold Van Brunt drills and seeders.

Over the past year J.M. Mulvey had added boots, shoes, groceries, canned goods and gentlemen's furnishings at his hardware store.

D.C. Geiger, section 35, T148, R66 [Superior Township], had Argentine seed flax and speltz [a wheat variety] for sale.

That issue commented that in September the railroad branch had been completed from Oberon to Esmond, which now had a population of 500 [it would peak at 535 in 1910], hotels, barber shops, restaurants, several large general stores, a drug store, a bank and a newspaper. Former New Rockford resident Dr. John Crawford had a large drug store; he was the only doctor. Former New Rockford resident Robert Allison, Jr., was a barber there.

Ira L. Shroyer was assisting P.J. Hester in the Eddy County State Bank due to the large volume of business. Judson Galbraith was holding down the fourth chair in Stanton's Barber Shop. Joseph Dutee had moved from Lakota back to his farm. Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Clure and family were moving out to their farm; their house was being made ready for Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Prader, Sr.

Oscar Bauer had been ill all week. A letter from George Stitzel said his health had improved quite a bit since he and his family had moved to Dixon, Ill. When the rotary snow plow broke through the snow banks in front of the depot, it had hurled snow and ice through the windows of Rodenberg & Schwoebel's store. Flying glass cut J.H. Rodenberg's hand, and there was some fear blood poisoning might develop, but his injury was on the mend. Mrs. William Cahill was improving under medical care in Fargo for her rheumatism from which she had suffered for many years.

An item stated that George W. Flater, who died on Feb. 21, had joined the Workmen Lodge on Feb. 12 and obtained Workmen life insurance. Mrs. Flater received two thousand dollars from his policy on March 21.

At a show "the other night" Miss Dexter, a waitress at the Hotel Davies dining room, was voted "the most popular young lady in the city." The management presented her with a gold watch.

A report stated that the Carrington & Casey Co. would grow macaroni wheat on their large farm north of Jamestown.

Early in the week A.P. Cotter was in from his Tiffany farm on business. F.C. Davies and his two-horse team arrived in town after being lost on the prairie one night, wandering forty miles out of his way.

During the week a 10 lb. son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Fertig.

Andrew Powers was planning on leaving for Montana the next week after a lengthy time as the "head chair" at Stanton's Barber Shop; on April 1 he left for Butte, Mont.

In "School Notes" George Cahill had left school. On Mar. 24, Olive Kennedy returned to school. Lulu Thomson had returned to school after a brief illness. Ernest Ohrner had been promoted from the fifth to the sixth grade. Clarence Kennedy had been promoted from the seventh to the eighth grade. Mildred and Wanda Keime had rejoined the intermediate department. Miss Frances Thomson had some pretty crayon drawings posted in the first primary department. Mrs. C.J. Stickney was decorating the blackboards in the second primary department again. The sixth graders were reviewing physiology in anticipation of an examination. The eighth graders were preparing for the state examinations in May. Muddy roads and muddy feet were keeping the janitor busy. The wet weather had been causing many absences.