History of New Rockford: Nov. 4, 2019

The Oct. 17, 1902, “New Rockford Transcript” said the flax crop was disappointing with a six to eight bushel per acre average; however, some was running 16-18 bushels. The 50 acres of winter rye H. Peoples had drilled in was above ground.

A Card of Thanks from Mr. and Mrs. Otho Lathrop thanked their many friends who provided aid and sympathy during the illness and death of their son [Oct. 12].

A multi-page letter from C.J. Maddux described the trip he and his family made to southern California. Some of the former New Rockford residents he met or heard about were Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Hohl and family, Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Allen, and James Watkins and John Bigham, owners of the Pacific Transfer Company, all of whom lived in San Diego; Ray Hester attended college in Portland, Ore.; the Ware Bros. ran a hardware store in Spokane, Wash.; Henry E. Gardner was still in the Klondike and Upper Sound region, where his wife Allie and son [Lyle] had joined him that summer; Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Owen had sold their Cheney, Wash., hotel and moved to Spokane; George S. Ford, brother of A.J. Ford, lived on the banks of the Columbia River; James Flater lived in San Francisco and was in the Life Saving Service at the Golden Gate; Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Rodenberg and family and Mr. and Mrs. J.G. Franklin and family lived in Los Angeles.

Attorney M.T. O’Connor had obtained an injunction restraining the Eddy County Auditor from placing the name of James A. Manly on the ballot for State’s Attorney. O’Connor claimed that the Democratic Party had failed to advertise the caucuses for a sufficient length of time prior to the caucus day. The judge agreed.

A notice from M.T. O’Connor said he had “been cheated out of the nomination” for Eddy County State’s Attorney at the Aug. 22 Republican convention, so he had collected and filed enough signatures on a petition enabling him to run for that office. He called on Republicans “of every race, creed and color” and all “decent Democrats” to vote for him Nov. 4. It was dated Oct. 9, 1902 and was signed “Honorable M.T. O’Connor, Irish barrister and American Counselor at Law.”

Precincts, polling places, and inspectors for the Nov. 4 election were New Rockford, court house, H.J. Mitchell; Sheyenne, Olsness Hall, S.M. Nelson; Sheldon, Smith School, G.W. Johnston; Tiffany, Clark School, George Fields; Colvin, Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Carroll residence, George Lovell; Rocky Mountain, Rocky Mountain School, Peter Hanson; Dutee, William Mattson School, J.J. Anderson; Hall, Hall School, A.J. Ford; Pitt, Plainview School, Andrew Anderson; Fay, school house, Ben Nelson.

The steam heat had been turned on in the Hotel Mattson and the Hotel Brown. Plasterers were busy in the J.M. Patch Block.

There were lots of geese in eastern Eddy County.

Diphtheria in Cooperstown had closed schools there as well as churches and public meetings. George Fahrer was ill all week.

Every evening that week the Alpine Concert Company performed in the Opera House to large audiences.

On the morning of Oct. 17, Sylvia, the three-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sylvanus Marriage, was seriously wounded when a shotgun held by an older brother accidentally discharged while he was trying to extract a shell. The charge struck the little girl in the right side and arm. Doctors in New Rockford were forced to amputate the arm just above the elbow.

Mrs. John Arbogast came over from McHenry. Harry Flater returned from Canada; he would stay a few days and then leave for California with his parents. Grace B. Putnam returned from a visit with Kansas City relatives, accompanied by her mother who had been in that city for several months. Clarence Sheldon and S.O. Lee were in New Rockford. R.P. Allison was in Jamestown on legal business. Mr. and Mrs. Otho Lathrop left for their new home in Fargo, where he would be employed by O.W. Kerr of the North Dakota Collection Company. Ray Malone left for a winter in Arkansas. Frank Reed went to Bradford, Ill., where his mother was seriously ill. That evening U.S. Senator P.J. McCumber addressed “a large and enthusiastic audience…” at a Republican rally in the court house. J.T. Wiltsie, F.M. Fife, and Frank Gregory came up from Barlow for the event.

On Oct. 18, John Martin came in on business. Gus Larson was over from his Twist farm. Mr. and Mrs. Olof Lundquist went to Valley City to see her parents; he came home on Oct. 20, while she remained for a longer visit.

From Oct. 18 to Oct. 20, Leeds grain buyer A.J. Larkin was in New Rockford.

On Sunday, Oct. 19, regular services resumed in the Methodist Church. On that morning Jim Younger, who had been released from prison in 1901 on parole after his life sentence for participation in the unsuccessful Northfield, Minn.esota, bank robbery by the James-Younger gang in 1876, committed suicide in the Reardon Hotel, St. Paul. The press said he was insane. He was 54. That day Gronvold & Berg completed their threshing for the season; about 4 a.m. the next day their separator burned; the cause may have been sparks lodged in grain dust which the wind fanned into flame. They had no insurance.

That evening Thor Hollum and Ole Hegna brought John Ellingson in from eastern Eddy County. They thought he was insane, but a doctor examined Ellingson before the board of insanity and determined he was suffering from acute meningitis and was delirious. He was given medical care, but died on the evening of Oct. 22. His funeral was on the next afternoon. He was a single man, about 40 years of age, and had been in Freeborn Township from 10 to 12 years. He may have had relatives in Wisconsin.

On Oct. 20, Theodore Quam and Mr. Garnaas, two young men from Sheyenne, were in town, as were William Milne, Sr., and Peter Hanson. Frank R. Ponto came in from the Sheyenne Valley. Ed Wright was in from Tiffany. O.H. Olson was in from northwest of town. B.F. Onstott and Fred Speck were in town. Thomas Turner, general merchant in Barlow, was in town between trains. Attorney James A. Manly went to Jamestown to argue against the injunction which restrained the Eddy County Auditor from putting his name on the ballot as the Democratic candidate for State’s Attorney; the injunction was set aside and Manly’s name would appear.  

F.D. Norton went “up the line” on dental business in Minnewaukan and Oberon. Miss Katie Cosgrove returned home to Madison, S.D., after visiting her sister Mrs. Joseph Lapierre and family.

Mrs. P. J. Hester and children left for the West Coast for the winter; Mr. Hester would join them for the holidays and determine if they would live there permanently. Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Clure left for their new home on the Pacific Coast; they would live at 2129 College Ave., Spokane, Wash.