History of New Rockford: June 21, 2021

On March 9, 1904, an eight pound daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Hoffman of Tiffany. Jennie Read of Stuart [Stewart], Minn., came in to visit Mrs. A.H. Wilson and family. O.J. Schutt came in from his 320 acres on business and to visit. Will Albright returned from a winter spent “back east.” George Fahrer, owner of a meat market on Chicago Street, went to Barlow and purchased the Barlow Meat Market. That evening, the Methodist Ladies’ Aid held a social with music, singing, games, and light refreshments at the home of Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Wilson; admission was 15 cents. A large number of people attended. Also that evening the AOUW (Workmen) Lodge met.

On March 10, a deal was made with terms that would have all telephone lines, including all the county lines coming into New Rockford, go through the central office of the city telephone system, that of Noxon & Oglesby. All lines would be connected to the long distance line also. A.G. Kinslow of Kenmare, N.D., arrived with his family; Davies and Hale had leased the Hotel Davies to him. The building was being renovated and remodeled for Kinslow, who had 22 years of hotel experience. Arthur Melberg came up from his Barlow farm.

The March 11, 1904, “Transcript” carried an article on an attempt to start a Farmers’ Elevator in New Rockford. A group composed of John W. Aldred, “the Anderson boys,” Joseph Christ, W.C. Dresser, John F. Goss, C.W. Hall, H.B. Johnson, Joseph Maxwell, Dr. Charles MacLachlan, Donald Niven, H. Peoples, S.N. Putnam, J.W. Rager, O.J. Schutt, W.C. Schwoebel, “and many others” spearheaded the project which called for a 50,000 bushel elevator. A meeting for all interested people was held in the C.J. Maddux law offices at 2:00 p.m. on March 18.

That issue mentioned the “Berwick Post” and stated that Cathay was about to get a newspaper. “For the finest homemade bread, cakes and pastries call on Mrs. H.C. Tarbell.” S. McDowell was selling Little Wonder Flour Mills. William Steinbach had for sale some Percheron work horses and brood mares, four to seven years old, and some two- and three-year olds, all raised on his farm. A letter from George Schwoebel said he was on the Pacific Coast and on his way to Los Angeles, where he intended to remain for a while.

In school notes, on March 7, Harold Hall re-entered the third grade. Ralph Beebe, Mont Biggs, Lawrence Fisher, and Walter Stitzel were the high school students who were neither absent nor tardy during February. Amelia and Mary Ackerman, Mary Gronvold, and Ulah Hylton of the third and fourth grades had not been absent during the first six months of school. The following were some of the examination marks during February: Edwin Fisher, U.S. History, 100; Grammar, 93; Alberta Borthwick, U.S. History, 97; Grammar, 95; Minnie O’Neill, U.S. History, 95; Evalyn Mattson, Botany, 100; Gertrude Buck, Second English, 93; Lawrence Fisher, First English, 94. The following all received 100 in the February music exam: Anna Ackerman, Alberta Borthwick, Mamie Borthwick, Olive Burnett, Fena Carlson, Anna Gronvold, Elmer Gronvold, Harry Hawthorn, Mabel House, Lydia Hylton, Hazel Kennedy, Wanda Keime, Hazel Kepner, Edith Marriage, Lawrence McDowell, Harland Mitchell, Alma Riggle, Emil Syftestad, and Minnie Syftestad. On the morning of March 10, Messrs. Beardsley and Pike visited in several of the school rooms.

Mrs. Charles Campbell had been ill for some time, but was getting better. Five members of the Pat Byron family of northern Foster County had suffered with pneumonia, but were feeling better. George Fugina was recovering from pneumonia, as were Mrs. Killian and her baby. H.R. Rodenberg had been confined all week to his west side home with a bad case of lumbago. Lorne Ireland had to have three stitches to close up a wound he received from a knife as he was butchering some meat. Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Kennedy had received news that their young son Harold, in St. Paul for medical treatment, had completely recovered from erysipelas. J.H. Hohl was feeling better in Los Angeles after an operation which opened up “a valve running into one lung.”

Carpenter Tony Wenzin was building a windmill on the Nick Lies farm in Wells County. Arthur Larkin had painted his dray wagon, so that it loomed “up like a searchlight on a Japanese man-of-war.”

George Pincott had recently purchased two stallions from M.A. Clark of Aberdeen, S.D., and added them to the stock on his Sheyenne Valley ranch. One was a seven-year old, 1800 lb. Percheron; the other was a five-year old, 1700 lb. half-Percheron, half-Clydesdale.

There were hopes that a steam laundry would be established in New Rockford. Some men had been in town to look over a spot for a 32x60 building and were corresponding with Ed H. Martin about putting it near his residence on the riverbank and having an uptown office. They wanted it on the river for easy access to water. [It was not built.]

Recently, Mrs. M.V. Haight and Miss Frances Lies of Wells County visited Mr. and Mrs. William Bucklin. After coming down from his Esmond farm, Dennis Pottinger had been visiting his sister Mrs. Charles Culp and her family. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clure had found a home in Long Beach, Calif., and were living eight blocks from the ocean.

About 1:00 a.m. on March 11, a fire of unknown origin broke out in the Monarch Elevator at Brinsmade and completely destroyed the structure. F.S. Dunham shipped two carloads of beef cattle to South St. Paul; one animal that he had purchased from C.B. Goodrich weighed 1945 lbs.; a three-year old steer that he had purchased from George Fugina weighed 1690 lbs. William Bucklin went to Lakota for the wedding of his niece Miss Abbe McCormick. B.G. Arbogast returned from a long business trip to Minnesota. The high school literary society met and had a meeting and entertainment.

On March 11 and 12, fourteen people, including Alberta Borthwick and Edwin Fisher, took the teachers’ examinations. Miss Borthwick, an eighth grader, was noted on April 22 as having passed.

On March 12, Lars D. Tweet was in on business, as was merchant Thomas Turner of Barlow, who was accompanied by his son Carroll. Sykeston school teacher Miss Susie Monahan came over to visit her father and sisters at their farm south of New Rockford for two weeks. That afternoon a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. D.L. Lytle.

On March 12 and 13, James Wiltsie and C.O. Tomlinson were up from Barlow.

On Sunday, March 13, Dr. C.J. McNamara came up from Barlow. That evening, Rev. Frank Sprague of Fargo, a missionary and evangelist of the North Dakota Baptist Convention, conducted services in the Baptist Church.