History of New Rockford: Oct. 21, 2019

The Oct. 3, 1902, “New Rockford Transcript” mentioned the “Sanborn Enterprise,” the “McHenry Tribune” owned by A.L. Lowden, and the “Michigan City Independent” owned by Mrs. Doherty.

“WANTED—A girl 15 years of age to work for her board and go to school. Apply Mrs. Wm. Bucklin.” Mrs. P.J. Hester had for sale household goods and “a fine Astrachan jacket.” For sale by P.J. Hester: about 25 work horses, including four unbroken ones; one span of three-year-old colts; four brood mares with colts; about 20 three-year-old heifers; and around 10 spring calves.

H.C. Johnson and Guy Lathrop had opened a pool room and lunch counter in J.L. Kinnaird’s new building on North Chicago Street. R.R. Woodward had added additional counters in his general store.

McHenry had five grain elevators, two track buyers, and three “blind pigs.”

W.C. Hayes’s new house on Dunnell Avenue East was almost ready for the painters. Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Dresser’s house on Lamborn Avenue East was “being pushed to completion before cold weather.”

On Oct. 3, Joseph Christ was in town. Mrs. Nathan Flater left to spend a few days in Carrington. In the afternoon Mrs. E.B. Thomson and Miss Frances entertained the Kindergarten Whist Club at the Thomson farm northeast of town. That evening the Senior Glee Club gave a concert in Sheyenne, but the attendance was slight.

On Oct. 4, Peter Dodds took up at his farm 11 miles east of town one black mare in foal, 900 lbs., about 11years old, with a little white on each hind fetlock. George H. Fields was in from his Tiffany farm. George Pincott came in from eastern Eddy County. Mr. and Mrs. D.H. Keyton were in town. John Welsh was in on business. Charles Pake was in from Bowdon on elevator business. Mr. and Mrs. William Hawkins and family of London, England, arrived to live in Eddy County; she was the sister of Mrs. Robert Walden and they would live on the Walden farm southeast of New Rockford. Mrs. H.G. Hudson went to Dawson to visit relatives and friends. Ben Fay and Valentine Fertig went out to the George Pincott farm in eastern Eddy County and bagged 45 ducks and prairie chickens, one goose, and two “sciota bears;” they returned on Oct. 6. That evening P.T. Pentesh came up from Barlow.

On Oct. 4 and 5, S.J. McCue of the “Carrington Independent” and J.T. Wiltsie of Barlow were in town. Walter Schmid was up from Carrington to see his sister Mrs. C.J. Stickney, who was very ill.

On Sunday, Oct. 5, there was a “little snow squall.” V.F. Snyder, editor of the “Bowdon Guardian,” and Miss Horn, the printer’s devil [apprentice] on the “Carrington Record,” drove up from Carrington. The “Record” was starting its fifth year of publication. Johnny VonAlmen visited Carrington, as did Miss Nell Hester. That afternoon W.J. Albright of New Rockford and Mattie Edwards of Howarden, Ohio, were married by judge W.C. Beardsley in his office. That evening Miss Hazel Oliver came over from McHenry to see her mother and other relatives. J.M. Shannon was in from near McHenry.

On Oct. 6, the Eddy County Commission (Braman, Schwoebel, Halverson) met and agreed to pay the following bills: $126.85 to G.W. Brownell for bridge lumber; $3.50 to Charles Culp for the bridge plan; $6.10 to H.O. Holstein, constable fee. They appointed A.J. Ford the inspector at the general election for the Hall Precinct, replacing Joseph Christ, and George Lovell the inspector for the Colvin Precinct, replacing D.D. Dailey.

That morning, fire destroyed J.T. West’s separator; it was insured and he was paid in full. J.E. Tate was down from near Bowbells on business. H.J. Baird came over from his brother’s Kidder County ranch to spend a few days. John T. Olson was working on a fan in a separator; the fan was in motion and caught his right hand, cutting deeply into the middle finger which had to be amputated and badly damaging the index finger which was saved. That evening Frank Gregory was in from Barlow. At 8 p.m. Rev. D.H. Clarkson held Episcopal services in the Baptist Church.

On Oct. 7, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Hoffman. Otho Lathrop visited in New Rockford. S.P. Pisel was in on business. Charles Hutchinson came in from his farm southeast of town. Rev. C.F. Sewrey left for Jamestown and the Methodist Conference. Mrs. Frank Woodward left for her home near Kenmare after visiting her parents Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Johnston. That evening the Ladies Social Union sponsored a “Talent Social” in the Congregational Church. Admission was a dime. A large crowd attended. The “Talents” (silver quarters) that had been distributed to the ladies and a few friends the previous spring were collected, bringing in about $80. Sandwiches and coffee were served and ice cream and “other dainties” were sold by the ladies. The event had been postponed from Sept. 30.

On the morning of Oct. 8, Sylvanus Marriage came in from his farm. John Cusack was in from Tiffany on business, as were B.W. Hersey and Ed Wright. S.O. Lee came in from Plainview. Charles Regan was over from Fessenden. R.H. Baker was in from southeast of town on business; his large barn was almost completed. Gil Radley was in town. Peter Johnson and his Standard Oil wagon were up from Carrington. Mrs. Florence Miller left for her home in Lancaster, Ohio. Bids were received until Oct. 8 for moving the Smith School building and two outbuildings in District 16 three miles east and for building stone foundations one foot high and one foot wide for the buildings. W.G. Carter was the school clerk. That evening Sumner Engberg came in from Barlow.

Around 6:45 that evening, P.H. West was driving his dray team at the crossing south of the Powers Elevator, just as dusk was turning to dark. [I think West was driving east on what is now 1st Ave. North where the Rockford Café is located; in 1902 the Powers Elevator was next to the tracks, but offset north from the street some 15 to20 feet]. The elevator and a string of empty boxcars cut off West’s vision, so he started across the tracks, not noticing that a heavy southbound freight was bearing down on him at 25 mph. When West realized his danger, he attempted to get the team to back up, but the locomotive struck the horses when they were about halfway across the rails. The horses were thrown fifty feet and one went into the air as high as the locomotive. One horse was killed outright; the other was so badly injured, it had to be shot. The pole of the wagon was snapped off, and the whiffletrees were broken. West jumped off and was not hurt.

On Oct. 8 and 9, J.W. Lahart was in town on elevator business.

On Oct. 9, Ned Morris returned from Medina, where he acted as a grain buyer. Jacob Adam was in from “the German country” west of town on business. Mrs. O.H. West was down from her homestead near Bowbells to visit. Dick Bohmbach was in from northwest of town. Mrs. Henry Davis came in from Rugby. John Topp was in from near McHenry on business. Mrs. C.F. Sewrey went to Jamestown to join her husband at the Methodist Conference.