History of New Rockford: November 9, 2020

On August 18, 1903, William Cahill, having been found guilty of the murder of his brother, was taken to the State Penitentiary by Sheriff J.E. Bennett and George Nunn in Bismarck to begin his 10-year sentence; the court had extended the time in which he could request a new trial for 60 days, but refused to stay the execution of the original judgment.

On that day the partnership between Charles Lyman and George J. Ellis in the Lyman & Ellis Cigar Company was dissolved with Lyman taking over the business. George Hartel [Hartl?] was in on business. Mrs. William Starke was in shopping. Erick Lindstrom came over from Denhoff on a business trip. Jamestown attorney S.E. Ellsworth was in on legal business between trains. Mrs. Charles Clure left for Spirit Lake, Iowa, where her granddaughter was very ill with typhoid fever. The little girl was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Miller; Mrs. Miller had recently visited in New Rockford [July 22 to August 4]. Charles Clure accompanied his wife to Minneapolis, then went to his old home at Hastings, Minn. The Clures were planning on going to California for the winter. Mrs. G.A. Miller of Buffalo, N.D., came in to visit her daughter Mrs. John Dodds and family. Frank Parker fell in the cellar door opening at Prader & Goss’s general store, but the large man (270 lbs.) was not injured. At 3 p.m. the WCTU met in Alice (Mrs. J.W.) Rager’s rooms in the Hotel Mattson.

From August 18, to August 21, John Collins and his brother-in-law Mr. Fox were visiting at Balfour.

On August 19, H.M. Clark began work on the First Congregational Church of Barlow. Mrs. P.H. West, Mrs. Viola Woodward, Mrs. H.J. Mitchell, and Mrs. Walter Priest went cherry picking in the Sheyenne Valley; they returned in the evening with “great gobs of cherries [which were] a…rich juicy brown color with freckles galore….” F.W. Clausing and Henry Presteen of Waverly, Iowa, came in to look over some land in Eddy County with an idea of perhaps buying some. Louis Martinson [Lewis Mortensen?] was in New Rockford to visit. Martin Walsh and J.R. Craig came in for harvest supplies. J.E. Cady of Fessenden was in town and would stay a couple days. William Cole and his young son of Chicago came up to visit his sister Mrs. A.D. Tomlinson and her husband for three weeks.

On August 20, a team ran away with Francis McCabe in the driver’s seat; he suffered several severe and painful bruises and cuts. Dr. G.D. Murphy took care of his wounds. Burrill A. Daniels was in on business. Mr. and Mrs. Bert Prouty came in to shop. Miss Helen Bulson was up from Jamestown to visit Mrs. C.H. Babcock. Mrs. C.F. Sewrey, Mrs. Frank Gregory, Mrs. A.A. Pettit, and Miss Ella Grierson drove over to Emerado to visit Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Anderson and their daughters Pearl and Blanche. That evening Mr. and Mrs. C.J. Maddux hosted a card party in honor of Miss Carolyn Hanson; Hearts, both six-handed and progressive, were played and light refreshments were served; vocal and instrumental music followed. The next day Miss Hanson returned to her Minneapolis home.

The August 21, 1903, “Transcript” mentioned the “Nelson County Observer,” “Courtenay Gazette,” “Kulm Messenger,” “Litchville Bulletin,” and “Wells County News.”

Groceries at Rodenberg & Schwoebel “The One-Price-Store”—Evaporated apples, 10 cents per lb.; California prunes, 5 cents per lb.; Fancy Sea Blend Coffee, 7 lbs. $1; Extra Golden Santo Coffee, 25 cents per lb.

At the Powers Elevator Co.—hard coal, $9.25 per ton; soft coal, $7 per ton; lignite, $3.25 per ton; blacksmith coal, $1 per sack.

An ad—The New Restaurant and Lunch Room, first-class meals at all hours; cigars, tobacco, and soft drinks. Logan and Farley, props.

A note said that former resident J.H. Hohl had become a director of the Green-Marshall Co. in Los Angeles, a manufacturer of paints, oils, and varnishes. Hohl had lived in New Rockford 15 years and had been the manager of the Gull River Lumberyard, had a half-interest in the Hohl & Hanson general store, and was vice president of the Bank of New Rockford.

Charles Onstott was having a 14x18 cottage built on Dunnell Avenue East. Real estate agents Streeter & Cockerill had moved their offices into the old courthouse building on Chicago Street in the room next to George F. Fahrer’s Meat Market [probably on lots 4 & 5, block 17, on Chicago St., now 8th St. N. where the Do It Best Hardware is now (2020)]. The large basement under J.W. Rager’s harness shop was almost completed.

Ole Dahler was getting the New Rockford Orchestra into shape. Mrs. George Woodward and daughter Miss Florence of Devils Lake were visiting her daughter Mrs. W.C. Dresser and family; they returned on August 25. Miss Jenny Hersey visited Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Kunkel in Fessenden.

Henry B. Johnson’s trotting stallion Highland Prince took third in the trotting races at Fessenden recently.

The previous week Mrs. Guss Gullicks returned from her millinery buying trip to the Twin Cities. Martin Larson trapped two “enormous wolves” and added them to his menagerie.

On August 21, the ladies of the West Side Kindergarten Whist Club drove out to the home of Mrs. E.B. Thomson nine miles from New Rockford; they presented Mrs. Thomson with two fine cut-glass dishes “as a token of the high regard in which she is held...” Ray Hester of Carrington came up to spend a couple days. Lloyd Whiteman returned from Fessenden. Between trains, Mrs. O.A. Burger and Mrs. O.B. Tausen of Barlow visited Mrs. A.C. Buck. R.P. Allison was in Esmond on business. That evening Will Steinweg came up from Carrington to attend a dance at which there were a large number of people.

From August 21 to August 25, J.W. Perry was in Esmond.

On August 22, J.M. Patch came in from Indianapolis to look after his business interests. Mrs. W.J. Morris came in from the farm and brought a bouquet from her flower garden to the “Transcript” office; Editor Olsen took them to his room in the Hotel Mattson. Mrs. Ida Hall and son Harold arrived from Crookston, Minn., to visit Mr. and Mrs. Olof Lundquist; they returned on September 2. Ed Myhra went to Minneapolis. Mrs. H.C. Hoy returned to her Wimbledon home after visiting Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Kinnaird and family. Miss Anna Fluetsch returned to Jamestown after a couple weeks visiting. That evening Matilda Fletcher lectured in the Congregational Church on “Is Man An Angel?” A capacity crowd heard Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and the idea of a “missing link” held up to ridicule. Miss Fletcher concluded that mankind was “the handiwork of an All-Wise Creator.” Also that evening the members of the Junior Christian Endeavor had a Mother Goose party in the park which was “much enjoyed by the little folks.” Miss Helen Oliver came over from McHenry to visit Miss Sarah West. From the evening of August 22 to August 23, Miss Mary McCrank of Tiffany was in town.