History of New Rockford: Jan. 24, 2022

Around Sept. 26, 1904, Leslie’s telephone line was transferred to the “Central” location in Babcock and Bucklin’s drug store, making a total of five such lines in the “Central” office.

On the evenings of Sept. 26 to 28, the Nix family appeared in the Opera House; “they are good.”

On the morning of Sept. 26, Jacob Chamberlain sold his 960-acre farm, five miles west of New Rockford, to Jacob Allmaras for around $20,000; Chamberlain was going to close out his business interests and leave for his home in California to live, which he did on Nov. 2. Druggist A.C. Buck came up from Barlow to run his drug store in New Rockford for a week; he was going to turn his Barlow business over to Dr. C.J. McNamara for the winter; McNamara, just returned from two weeks at Duluth, Minn., was up from Barlow for a few hours. Susie Monahan returned from a visit with Bowden and Sykeston friends. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hulbert southeast of town. Rev. J.R. Beebe and L.J. Aldrich went to Mayville for the General Association of Congregational Churches meeting; Aldrich went to represent the Phillips Academy. Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Brownell went for a visit in the Twin Cities.

On Sept. 27, John T. West came in on business. Tiffany postmaster A.L. Jermo went to Minneapolis on business.

On the morning of Sept. 28, rain halted threshing. Taking advantage of the weather, O.R. Pomranke came to town for supplies; he had a very sore finger which he had accidentally struck with a hammer. The bridge crew arrived to begin work on the new steel bridge. Former resident Daniel Larson arrived from Anoka, Minn., to look over his business interests. William Sanders bought a 35 h.p. double cylinder Buffalo Pitts threshing engine from H. Peoples and took it out to his eastern Wells County farm. Mrs. Ed Roach came in from eastern Wells County to shop. Mr. and Mrs. John Collins returned from two weeks at Balfour. Alfred Dinnetz was in town on business; he had lost a team of horses from his pasture the previous week and was convinced they had been stolen. Nels Faar came in on business from northeast of town. Mrs. George Crossen left for Harvey, where her father was ill and not expected to live. That evening, George A. Lovell was in for supplies and to visit.

On Sept. 28 and 29, Walter McDonell of the New Rockford Roller Mills was “down the line,” promoting the mill’s flour.

On Sept. 29, George M. Pike returned from the Twin Cities, where he had gone on business for H. Peoples and Co. Mrs. O.E. Couch left for a visit with her parents at Sibley Butte and other relatives in Bismarck; she returned in early November. Rev. F.L. Gehrs went to Chicago for the wedding of his sister. Norah O’Connell went to Carrington to visit. Anastacia [sp.?] Hennesey returned to Carrington after a visit; on Oct. 1, she returned and on Oct. 3, she began teaching in the Guler district. That afternoon, a livery team belonging to Swanson and Mostue, hitched to a wagon with a hay rack on it, were frightened by a combination of a freight train and P.M. Mattson’s auto; John Swanson and H.W. Otte attempted to stop them, but failed. Both the wagon and the hay rack were damaged. At 6 p.m., the Congregational Ladies’ Social Union served a Harvest Home supper in the Opera House for twenty-five cents; “a large number” attended. Hugh Paukratz came into town; his wheat went 15 bushels to the acre and graded #2 Northern. That night, there was a reported killing at McHenry; Jack Ryan shot and killed William Zien [one source says Zeeh], a man employed by the Gerhardt and Stanton meat market, and made his escape. John Ducke, Sr., came over from McHenry and said it was cold-blooded murder. Ryan was captured on the afternoon of Oct. 1, a few miles from the rural Deehr post office in Nelson County. [The post office was located nine miles southwest of the present village of Pekin.] He was tried in Carrington, and in late March 1905, was sentenced to six years in prison.

The Sept. 30, 1904, “Transcript” carried a For Sale notice from Silas M. Hylton of the Powers Elevator: one oak bedroom suite, one oak extension dining table, one kitchen table, and 17 yards of matting. He also had 160 acres of land, three miles east of Tiffany, for sale or rent.

Peter Wertenberger of Indiana was in town visiting with some former Hoosiers: B.W. Rantz, J.W. Rager, and C.J. Maddux. J.H. Fitch of the Independent Cash Store was having his building improved with sheet iron trimmings and paint. Charles Haynes of Chicago, who had purchased Robert Walden’s half section east of New Rockford the previous fall, had just finished threshing.

On Sept. 30, Jacob Valer came in from his farm. George H. Fields was in from Tiffany on business. B.W. Hersey came in from Tiffany for harvest supplies. E. Delafield Smith came up from Carrington on business. That evening, about 20 friends surprised Mr. and Mrs. Valentine Fertig with a party at their home on Stimson Avenue West, the occasion being their fifth wedding anniversary. The presents given to the couple all commemorated the “wooden” anniversary. Music and cards completed the evening. During the latter part of the week, Maud Stearns, the telephone exchange’s night operator, received a visit from her mother.

On Oct. 1, H.J. Row was in from the “east end” on business and to visit. Harriet Davidson left to continue her studies at Hamline University. Mrs. Frances Wilson went to Jamestown and met her daughter, Mrs. H.L. Lewis of New York City; the two returned to New Rockford on Oct. 3; the two women then went to Jamestown on Oct. 18, from where Mrs. Lewis went on to her New York home; Mrs. Wilson returned to New Rockford on Oct. 20. Perry Stanton went to Bismarck to begin work at the Beardsley and Finney drug store. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clure returned to Hastings, Minn., after a visit with Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Clure. That afternoon, the Republican Legislative Convention met in Carrington. Dr. Charles MacLachlan of New Rockford was elected chairman. Ole Rue of Eddy County and George D. Palmer of Foster County were nominated for the State Legislature. Eddy County men named to the Legislative Central committee were C.C. Manning, secretary, and W.C. Dresser, treasurer. Eddy County delegates were H.B. Johnson, Charles MacLachlan, C.C. Manning, S.N. Putnam, Ole Rue, Olof Rue, John Schaefer, and D.B. Wellman.

That evening, the Amateur Musical Club, directed by Mrs. H.J. Mitchell, presented a concert in Mrs. Mitchell’s home: “Sonatine” by Minnie Syftestad; “Weaving Garlands,” by Mabel House; “Orvetta Waltz,” by Edith Campbell; “Noctourne,” by Harta Dinnetz; “Spinning Song” and “Fairy Polka,” by Pearl Aldrich; “Come Dance with Me,” by Olive Bennett and Mrs. Mitchell; “Little Beauty Waltz,” by Alberta Gardner; and “The Butterflys [sic, Butterflies],” by Florence Schwoebel.

On Oct. 1 and 2, J.W. Perry visited from Esmond. On Oct. 1 to 3, Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Campbell visited in Jamestown.