History of New Rockford: June 13, 2022

The Feb. 10, 1905, “Transcript” carried a notice for bids for 300 ounces of strychnine for the county up to 2 p.m. March 6. Also, both the county auditor, W.C. Schwoebel and the board of health (R.F. Rinker, W.C. Dresser, Dr. Charles MacLachlan) put in notices that under section 274 of the Revised Code of the Session Laws of 1903, if no physician was present at a birth, death, or the presence of a contagious disease of a child within a household, the parents or guardians must report such an occurrence within 24 hours if within a town or village or three days if outside a municipality to the county commissioner of the district in which the household was located and also to the superintendent of the board of health.

E. Starks was selling apples by the bushel and apple cider by the gallon or keg at the bowling alley.

Mrs. Rebecca Lake and family had a Card of Thanks to the friends and neighbors who helped with aid and sympathy during the illness and death of “our loved husband and father.”

There were a considerable number of cases of illness in New Rockford, most involving the “grip” [flu]. Conrad Lundquist had been ill for two weeks. Mrs. C.H. Babcock had been ill early in the week. Although he was improving, Walter McDonell was still confined to his bed.

Peter Larson had purchased the house occupied by Mr. and Mrs. P.H. West on New Haven Street. Oliver Owen Morrell, formerly of the “Carrington Record,” had purchased the “McHenry Free Press.”

Former residents Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Biggs had been in Jamestown for several weeks, after having discovered the real estate business in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was not all it was supposed to be; [they had moved there from New Rockford on Aug. 31, 1904].

On Feb. 10, Barlow lumberman P.C. Peterson came up on business and to visit. Mrs. Frances Wilson went to Jamestown to visit her sons; she returned on Feb. 25, accompanied by her daughter, Mrs. Lewis, from New York. That afternoon, a meeting was held in the court house to determine the interest among farmers east and northeast of New Rockford in a telephone line which would run from New Rockford through Tiffany to Morris and Freeborn with several branch lines. If built, the line would be the fourth rural line running out of New Rockford. An organization was formed and officers elected: Martin Walsh, president; J.W. Rager, vice president; M.B. Hersey, secretary; H. Peoples, treasurer. A committee to solicit funds from subscribers was formed: W.C. Dresser, Joseph Dutee, and E.B. Thomson. Inclement weather made for a small attendance. That evening, the Yeomen Lodge met; J.N. Kunkel, Correspondent. The Phillips Academy Musical and Literary Club met and the program consisted of readings, debates, recitations, and musical numbers. The masquerade ball in the Opera House given by the Woodmen Lodge saw a large number of varied costumes and a large number of spectators; music was furnished by Andrew Johnson, violin; Walter Schmid, cornet; and Miss Carolyn Waters, piano; supper was served at the Hotel Brown. L.A. Whiteman and Walter Schmid came down from Sheyenne for the ball. Also that evening, H.J. Mitchell and P.J. Braman went to Carrington to take a couple Degrees [Masonic?] “of the Chapter”; they returned the next day.

From 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 11, and continuing every day at those hours until all merchandise was sold, the entire stock of the Independent Cash Store went on a closeout sale supervised by G.E. Stevens & Co. of Chicago. On that day, Walter Treffry returned from his visit to Marshalltown, Iowa. Fred Collins came down from near Balfour to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Collins. At 2 p.m. Feb. 11, the stockholder of the New Rockford Creamery Company elected new officers at a meeting in the basement of the court house: S.N. Putnam, president; Anton Haas, vice president; H.M. Clark, secretary; Peter Prader, treasurer. Joseph Christ was elected a trustee for three years. At 8 p.m., violinist Thorstein Odden gave a concert of Norwegian National Music at the Opera House; admission was 35 cents for adults and 15 cents for children.

Evangelist, Robert L. Jones, of western New York State held a series of revivals every evening from Sunday, Feb. 12 to Sunday, Feb. 26, in the Opera House. Seth E. Gordon, a baritone from Chicago, assisted Jones at the revivals; the Opera House was crowded each evening (450 on Monday evening). On the afternoon of Feb. 13, about 50 Carrington residents, including editor S.A. and Mrs. Lewis, came up by train or covered sleighs to attend the revival. The faculty and students of Phillips Academy hosted a supper for them and gave them a tour of the building before they went to the revival.

On Feb. 13, Mrs. James Hackney returned from her visit with her sister Mrs. J.H. Hohl in San Diego. Mrs. H.R. Campbell went to the Twin Cities to purchase the spring stock for her millinery, and H.F. Rodenberg also went there for stock for Rodenberg & Schwoebel.

From Feb. 13 to 15, Rev. J.R. Beebe was in Eckelson, where he delivered the eulogy at an old friend’s funeral. From Feb. 14 to 16, J.W. Rager and H.M. Clark were at the Brotherhood of American Yeomen State Conclave, where Clark was chosen as one of ten delegates to the National Conclave in Colorado Springs, Colo. From Feb. 14 to 17, attorney R.F. Rinker was in Bismarck attending a meeting of State’s Attorneys and visiting the legislature.

On Feb. 14, William Milne, Jr., came down from the Sheyenne Valley on business; his father had been ill most of the winter, and his son, William F. Milne III, had also been ill, but not seriously. At 8 p.m., Rev. E.W. Burleson held Episcopal services in the Methodist Church. That evening, the Anamoose Harp Orchestra played for the annual ball of the Barlow Camp of the Woodmen Lodge.

On Feb. 14 and until noon on Feb. 15, C.J. Sullivan, the Fargo eye specialist, was at Kunkel’s Jewelry for eye exams and the fitting of glasses.

On Feb. 15, John McIver of Morris came in to shake hands, do business, and inform people he was doing auctioneering business. J.T. “Pomp” Shauers came in from eastern Eddy County on business and to visit. Miss Ada Schmidt came up from Jamestown to visit her sister Miss Edythe Schmidt; she was accompanied by Miss Daisy Morris; Miss Schmidt returned home on Feb. 20 and Miss Morris two days later. Mrs. Guss Gullicks left on a trip to St. Paul, Chicago, and Milwaukee to purchase the latest in spring hats and millinery for the firm of Gullicks & Allison; she returned on March 15. That evening, the New Rockford Bowling Club (E. Starks, A. Mendenhall, C.J. Stickney) played against a team from Phillips Academy (Paul Baeder, Lawrence Prader, Roy Treffry). The New Rockford team won 1248 pins to 1243.

On Feb. 16, W.S. Farquhar, agent for the Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Company, returned from visiting his family in Farmington, Minn.