History of New Rockford: August 16, 2021

From April 30 to May 3, 1904, bank cashier J.E. Hyde was in Fargo on business; he also visited his farm near Hillsboro. From April 30 to December 1, the Louisiana Exposition [“St. Louis World’s Fair”] took place in St. Louis, Miss.

On May 2, the Eddy County Commission (Braman, Dailey, Dafoe) met and paid the following: $1.60, Powers Elevator Co., coal for L. Williams; $2.06 [$2.00?], Noxon and Oglesby, April telephone; $40, W.C. Hayes, April janitor work; $45.11, S. McDowell, coal for court house; $10, Ruth Ruetenick, nursing for W.S. Lyon; $6, J.E. Bennett, services for W.S. Lyon; $31, Dr. Charles MacLachlan, medical services for county poor—W.S. Lyon, Mrs. Swantz, the Molyneaux boy; $5, Hiram King, digging grave for W.S. Lyon; $3, A. Bradly [Bradley?], cleaning court house chimney; $24.75, John Dodds, road work.

On May 2, bank cashier A.E. Swanson and Dr. C.J. McNamara were up from Barlow. Attorney James A. Manly was in Carrington on business. Katie Cosgrove returned to her South Dakota home after a couple weeks visiting her sister Mrs. Joseph Lapierre. The eight-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Utz was thrown from a pony and sustained a broken arm. A light bay gelding with two white hind feet up to the ankle, 1150 lbs., 16 hands high, and branded cross S on the left jaw strayed from the Crane and Losee farm near Tiffany.

From May 2 to 3, J.M. Shannon was over from McHenry to visit.

On May 3, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Ellsworth and child came up from Kulm to visit his parents Col. and Mrs. D.F. Ellsworth. Peter Ewald [Ewals?], Jr., returned to his farm near the Foster County line after a visit to Missouri. Walter McDonell of the New Rockford Roller Mills went to Valley City to visit. Liveryman Sam Swanson went to Fessenden. The three-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dinnetz was kicked in the face by a horse that evening; his head was bruised, and he was badly cut around the left eye, which required several stitches.

On May 4, L.A. Arbogast came over from Duluth to check on his elevator business. S.J. Strande was in on business from eastern Eddy County, as was John Weipert from Barlow. Sylvanus Marriage came in from southeast of town for spring supplies. John Anderson returned from a few days in the country, painting Mr. and Mrs. B.G. Arbogast’s house. Mrs. R.F. Leppla was in town for a few hours’ visit; the former Lena Piedt had lived in New Rockford for several years before marrying her husband, who was the editor of the “Berwick Post.” She was on her way to the funeral of her sister at Bowdon. At 8 p.m., Bishop Mann of Fargo conducted Episcopalian services in the Methodist Church; Rector Rev. E.W. Burleson was present. That evening, veterinarian J.C. Whiteman returned from western Eddy County, where he had done a delicate surgery.

On May 5, B.W. Hersey took up a black calf branded P.E. at his farm near Tiffany. Superior farmer Tony Haas and Carrington attorney T.F. McCue were in town. D.B. Wellman returned from several months on the Missouri Slope. Hans Anderson was in on business from his farm southwest of town. Fred Zimmerman, Jr., came in on business, as did F.P. Roush from Tiffany. Attorney R.P. Allison returned from Jamestown. That afternoon, the West Side Kindergarten Whist Club met at Mrs. G.D. Murphy’s. That evening, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Martin Johnson in the Plainview district.

The May 6, 1904, “Transcript” said that W.W. West had purchased the “McHenry Free Press” from J.B. Arbogast. The “Sheldon Progress” was also mentioned.

That edition called for a new steel bridge over the James River at New Rockford to replace the old wooden bridge which had served for years and was getting unsafe.

Two two-year old iron-gray colts had strayed from J.W. Rager’s barn; one was a gelding and one was a mare.

Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Dresser wanted a girl to do housework. “Good wages paid.”

New Rockford had been having a cold weather spell, but with warm weather coming, the “Transcript” called for the re-introduction of the curfew bell.

In School Notes, third-graders Ulah Hylton, Gertrude Kunkel, and Ralph Dinnetz and fourth grader Florence Schwobel received 100’s on their arithmetic exams. Doris Maddux had 100 in spelling and several other primary room students achieved 99’s. On May 3, Ella and Alf Dinnetz left school to go to their rural home. Raymond Treffry and Ethel Hegvold were new second-graders. Walter Sewrey was back after a month’s absence. The high school students observed the circulation of blood in the web of a frog’s foot under the microscope.

During the week, Mrs. Ed Martin was suffering from an appendicitis attack so severe she was too weak for an operation.

Richard Zehrfeldt had been painting and renovating his house on Lamborn Avenue East. Streeter and Cooling had the interior of their offices on Chicago Street painted. Peter Prader painted the Prader and Goss building. Hudson’s ice cream and confectionary building had been painted. Olof Lundquist was having the cellar excavated for a new one and one-half story house at the corner of Villard and New Haven [Lots 20-22, Block 18, west of the court house]; it would have hot water heat and cost around $2500. A group of men went to the dam east of town and used stones to strengthen it.

Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Buck had moved to Barlow for the summer, where he would run his drug store business. The Bucks’ house in New Rockford would be occupied by Mr. and Mrs. A.R. Johns and family.

On the morning of May 6, the horse that pulled J.R. Winslow’s milk delivery wagon ran away on Villard Avenue West, but merchant J.E. Cady grabbed hold of the rear of the wagon, slowing it enough “for about fifteen men” to grab the horse and stop it. Winslow then continued on his way. Mrs. W.J. Morris came in from Plainview to shop. The Minnesota Mutual Insurance agent W.S. Farquhar left for a visit with his family in Farmington, Minn.; he returned on May 18. That evening the Euterpean Ladies Quartette of Carrington appeared in the Opera House, followed by a dance with the New Rockford Orchestra. Foster County State Bank cashier Will Bennett of Carrington; A.E. Swanson, cashier of the Security Bank of Barlow; and Foster County State’s Attorney Hoopes attended. Adam Forepaugh appeared at H.G. Hudson’s that evening [no explanation of his talents].