History of New Rockford: October 16, 2023

Two of the three Eddy County Commissioners (Dafoe and Gunvaldson) met on the morning of May 7, 1906, and the third, J.G. Dailey, joined them that afternoon and on May 8. They voted to pay the following: $15.05, R.M. Kennedy, wood and coal for Mrs. Lewis and Mrs. Cahill; $45, Mrs. A.G. Gardner, register of deeds clerk for April; $4, Matt Fautsch, hauling ashes; $22, New Rockford Light and Water Improvement Co., lights for March and April; $40, John Collins, janitor’s salary for April; $3, J.L. Newville, taking off storm windows; $9.70, Mrs. D. Labhardt, laundry for prisoners; $12.45, Frank Hawthorn, hauling coal. They appointed the following road supervisors: Ed Nystrom, Dist. 7; S. Summerville, Dist. 16; Charles Anderson, Dist. 24. Bids were opened for lots 13 and 14, Block 35, and all the buildings: John Wiemals, $110; Michael O’Keefe, $250; John Carlson, $350.65; Lizzie Leonard, $351; H.W. Clark, $351, cash. Clark’s bid was accepted.

On May 8 they voted to change the boundaries of the following road districts: 1, 2, 7, 17 and 18 and voted to pay the following: $93, Dr. Charles MacLachlan, medical services and operation for Mrs. Mattis; $50, Dr. John Crawford, assisting with the Mattis case; $89, Ruth Reutenik, nurse in the Mattis case; $7.50, E.S. Buck, barbering for prisoners. They also voted to establish the following separate voting precincts: New Rockford, Munster, Gates, Grandfield; Superior, Rosefield, Paradise and Fay.

The following precinct election inspectors were appointed: Martin O’Brien, Fay; H.B. Johnson, Pitt; John W. Seckinger, Colvin; Martin Walsh, Tiffany; J.R. Craig, Sheldon; H.M. Clark, Munster; J.J. Anderson, Dutee; and Ed Nystrom, Rocky Mountain.

On the morning of May 8, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. C.S. Berge northwest of town. H. Tyler returned from Maddock, where he had visited with “the folks.” George Couch returned from Fargo, where he had studied pharmacy; he would visit his brother Orley Couch and family until the first week of June when he would return to Fargo for the state pharmacy test. Mr. and Mrs. J.A. McAuley left on a trip to Duluth and to his former home in Wisconsin; in their absence Frank McAuley would manage the Dakota Elevator; they returned on July 12. That night the dog poisoner struck again, and A.J. Clure, M.R. Fritz and J.A. McAuley all lost valuable canines. Several other dogs were poisoned, but quick work saved them. A $150 reward was being offered for the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.

On May 9 a telegram informed J.E. Bennett that his mother had suffered a severe stroke at his former home in Iowa; he left that day. After his mother felt better, he returned to New Rockford on May 17. Mrs. George Nunn was down from Sheyenne to be with her sister Mrs. J.E. Bennett. Miss Mame Sheehy went to Carrington to visit her cousins and attend a dance there that evening. Also that evening J.W. and Alice Rager hosted sixteen people at a whist party in their home on Stimson Avenue West.

On May 10 Harry Blakeley returned from Carrington and would remain for the summer. Misses Nell and Mabel Sheehy came up from Carrington to visit Miss Mame Sheehy; Miss Nell went home on May 15. O.R. Pomranke and Charles Brolin were in on business. Mrs. Frank Woodward went to Maddock to visit her father- and mother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. George Woodward. G.W. Brownell went to Fargo on business. The Phillips Academy baseball team lost at McHenry 6-3. Two of the Academy players were Guy Thompson, the pitcher, and Butler, who stole a base. The “McHenry Tribune” commented on the “gentlemanly” boys from the Academy and how the game was played cleanly and without the usual “chewing the rag” that ruined so many ball games. That evening the New Rockford Band played a concert on the Hotel Mattson verandah. Also there was a large crowd at the dance at the Opera House, hosted by the Woodmen Lodge, with music by the New Rockford Orchestra; Dr. C.J. McNamara and Will Steinweg of Barlow and George Blaha of Oberon attended.

The May 11, 1906, “Transcript” had the following names as the jury list for the upcoming district court session: Andrew Anderson, Gus Anderson, Olie Anderson, Sven Aslakson, R.U. Austin, Andrew Bakke, William Blow, D. Bohmbach, Fred Bose, Christ Carlson, J.D. Carroll, W.G. Carter, H.M. Clark, O.H. Couch, Peter Crane, John Debilt, F.H. Dutee, Stephen Guler, Charles Hayes, Martin B. Johnson, P.B. Larson, S.O. Lee, John Maisel, John Mattson, A.P. Melberg, Max Miller, W.G. Miller, John Myers, Andrew O. Nelson, Timothy O’Connor, B.W. Rantz, Irvie Spraker, Nathan Stanton, K.O. Vick and John Von Almen.

German Lutheran (Missouri Synod) services would be held in the church at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 13, and every second Sunday during the summer. Rev. F.L. Gehrs of the German Lutheran Church was offering to teach German lessons in July and August. Mrs. F.L. Gehrs’s mother from Chicago was visiting her and her family.

The Bailey Bros. of Tiffany had taken up on May 1 a 950 lb., five-year old sorrel mare with a white left hind foot and “TS” branded on the right thigh. Prader & Baeder had fine Siberian millet for sale at $1.10 per bushel. H.G. Hudson had a new attachment for the freezing of ice cream that made it much faster to make the cold treat. Mrs. H.C. Tarbell had added a soda fountain to her bakery east of the railroad tracks.

The weather had been warm the previous few days and the grain was appearing in many fields.

Mrs. H.C. Tarbell and Mrs. G.W. Johnson had joined the Royal Neighbors Lodge.

Early in the week Miss Pearl Goss had been ill, as had John Smith, whose head suffered severe and painful congestion.

On May 11 Stephen Walsh came in on business and to visit. The officers and executive committee of the Early Settlers’ Association met in the courthouse to plan the annual summer meeting. They set the date for the annual summer picnic for June 21 at Peoples’ Grove and set up the following committees: Sports: Dr. Charles MacLachlan, W.M. Chamberlain, H. Arveskaug, J.B. Dutee, A.J. Clure; Finance: Joseph Maxwell, treasurer; H.J. Mitchell, secretary; Martin Walsh, O.B. Stedman, Went Mcgee; Grounds and Privileges: H. Peoples. W.G. Carter, D.D. Dailey, M. Walsh, B.A. Daniels; Music and Program: F.P. Roush, Carolyn Waters, Jet Richter, Rev. J.R. Beebe, H.J. Mitchell, R.J. Howden. The Phillips Academy baseball team defeated Carrington 5-2 at Carrington.

That evening there was a dance sponsored by the Woodmen Lodge. Also that evening the Phillips Academy Musical and Literary Society presented the following program: Song and Current Events, Society Members; Essay, Zoa Bartholomew; Recitation, Eunice Hobbs; Vocal Solo, Ralph Beebe; Newspaper, Harry Burt; Debate, “Resolved, That the Declaration of Independence was a more important document than the Magna Charta”; Affirmative: Prof. D.M. Stegenga; Negative: Prof. L.J. Aldrich; Piano Solo, Minnie O’Neill; Address, Alvin Keime; Vocal Solo, Harry Burt; Reading, Harl Aldrich; Piano Solo, Mrs. H.J. Mitchell; Critic, Mrs. L.J. Aldrich. Also that evening a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Matt Lies.