History of New Rockford: Jan. 9, 2023

On Sept. 4, 1905, the Eddy County Commission (Dailey, Dafoe, Gunvaldson) met and voted to pay the following: $29.20, Mrs. M.E. Pottner, care of Mrs. Clara Swantz and for bedding destroyed; $102.50, Mrs. Carrie E. Fay, care and nursing of Mrs. Clara Swantz and for bedding destroyed; $7.20, New Rockford Light & Water Improvement Co., June and July lights; $4, H.W. Wilson, Aug. and Sept. rent for telephone; $90, Mrs. A.G. Gardner, register of deeds’ clerk for July and Aug.; $80, John Collins, janitor for July and Aug.; $55 and $140, George M. O’Connor, Dugan grade. They voted to approve the report of R.M. Kennedy on the inquest held about the body of Mrs. Mary L. Jacobson on July 25, 1905.

They granted a franchise to the McHenry Mutual Telephone Co. for the erection and operation of telephone poles, lines, and fixtures along the public highways in Townships 148, Ranges 62-64 [Paradise, Cherry Lake, Columbia].

They approved the following petitions for new roads: Jens Myhre and others for a road from the common section corner between the southwest quarter of section 2 and the northwest quarter of section 11, T149, R67 [Munster] running one mile east, then four miles north on the section line, ending at the section stake common to the northwest quarter of section 24 and the northeast quarter of section 23, T150, R67 [Grandfield].

Karl Myhre and others for a road from the common section corner between the southeast quarter of section 32, T150, R66 [Gates] and the northeast quarter of section 5, T149, R66 [New Rockford] then running due west on the township line three miles to the section corner common to the northwest quarter of section 1, T149, R67 [Munster] and the southwest quarter of section 36, T150, R67 [Grandfield].

W.S. Randolph and others for a road starting at the northeast quarter of section 6 and the northwest quarter of section 5, T149, R62 [Colvin] then due south on the section line three miles to the section line common to the northeast quarter of section 19 and the northwest quarter of section 20, T149, R62.

Mike Mulligan and others for a road from the southwest quarter of section 25, T150, R63 [Eddy] due east one mile to the southeast corner of section 25, T150, R63.

On Sept. 5, H.W. Wilson’s mother, who had been visiting the Wilson family for some time, left for Manitoba to see her sister and then would return to her home at Newmarket, Ontario. That afternoon Joseph Maxwell began his threshing operations, as did the Treffry Bros. when they fired up their big “Yellow Fellow.” Also that afternoon, Stephen Guler and Anna Christ were married by Rev. N. Reutenik at the German Reformed Church’s parsonage, after which the couple drove out to the farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Christ, the bride’s parents, for a wedding dinner southeast of town.

On Sept. 5 and 6, Northern Pacific brakeman William Wakeman of Jamestown was visiting in New Rockford. On those days, Dr. John Crawford was down from Esmond.

On Sept. 6, the former editor of the “Bowdon Guardian” S.J. McCue drove over and spent the evening visiting. C.J. Maddux went to the Twin Cities for the Minnesota State Fair.

Rain on Sept. 6 and 7 halted threshing, but the threshers got going again on September 8.

On Sept. 7, J.W. Young was in for harvest supplies and to visit from his Tiffany farm. Herb Losee came in on business. Morris postmaster D.D. Dailey was in for business and pleasure. D.M. Stegenga of the Phillips Academy returned from Michigan, where he had been with his family. Misses Carrie and Mae Jensen arrived from their home at Forest City, Iowa, for the winter; Miss Carrie had been in New Rockford the previous winter [August 17, 1904-March 20, 1905]. Mr. and Mrs. D.H. Kunkel came in from Osceola, Neb., to visit his brother J.N. Kunkel and family; they would also see relatives in Fessenden and Bismarck before returning home. Mrs. B.M. “Doc” Leonard and Margaret Casper left for Kenmare, where Doc had a restaurant. That evening, when merchant H.F. Rodenberg came home from work around twenty of his friends sprang a surprise birthday party on him; the evening was passed with conversation, music, and refreshments.

The Sept. 8, 1905, “Transcript” said that early returns from the macaroni wheat harvest showed 25-30 bushels per acre, but for the hard wheat it appeared it would be 12-15 bushels.

John Goss was superintending a group of men who were putting a Page woven-wire fence around the cemetery north of town under the sponsorship of the Cemetery Association.

During the week, J.W. Aldred suffered with appendicitis, but was recovering.

The previous week, Mr. Johnson came in from Wisconsin to spend the fall with his cousins the Ewals boys.

On Sept. 8, there was a strong wind. B.G. Arbogast of Duluth, James Graham of eastern Eddy County, and J.A. McCrum of Tiffany were in New Rockford. Attorney R.P. Allison returned from a business trip to Jamestown. Former [1898-1902] New Rockford banker P.J. Hester arrived from Lewiston, Idaho, to see about his business interests; he returned home on Nov. 7. Mrs. William Wilson came down from Sheyenne to care for Mrs. Sarah Bacon, who had lapsed onto a semi-conscious state that day after two weeks of gradually getting weaker; she was being cared for at the home of J.W. and Alice Rager. Mrs. F.J. Shoemaker came in from Sycamore, Ohio, to visit her sister Mrs. H.G. Hudson and family. Miss C. Lillian Lund arrived from her home in Cass County, ready to assume her duties as the Assistant Principal of the New Rockford Schools. J.T. Wiltsie came in [from Bowdon?] to spend the weekend with his family. Mrs. A.R. Johns left to visit in Denhoff. Mrs. Harry Campbell held her opening for the fall millinery styles in her shop on Villard Avenue West. John McVey shipped three carloads of fat cattle to the South St. Paul market.

That afternoon, a strong wind blew. The Treffry Bros. were harvesting a field on the Joseph Utz farm south of town. A sharp blast of wind carried burning material from the fire box of the Treffry Bros. steam engine to a pile of straw. The wind blew the ensuing flames through the stubble to the separator, which caught fire. The hired men saved the self-feeder, cylinder, and parts of the front end of the separator, but the rear end was a total loss, as were the cab and woodwork of the engine. Engineer Walter Treffry managed to get his machine out of the flames, but at the cost of burned hands and face. There was no insurance, but the Treffrys telegraphed for a new “Yellow Fellow” as quickly as they could.

At 8 p.m. Sept. 8, Rev. Hristoff lectured in the Columbia School on his life among the Turks; a collection was taken up.

On Sept. 8 and 9, there was a Grand Fall Millinery Opening at Gullicks and Allison’s on South Chicago Street. On September 8 to 10, Miss Sarah West was in Oberon visiting Miss Dora Beer.