History of New Rockford: April 29, 2024

On Nov. 16, 1906, attorney C.J. Maddux was in northern Indiana, trying an insurance case in federal court. Mr. and Mrs. George Fletcher arrived from Jamestown to live on the W.G. Carter farm northeast of town; she was the sister of Mrs. D.H. Fowler.

From November 17 to the night of Sunday, Nov. 18, a “baby blizzard” struck the area.

On November 19, Miss Georgia Hersey began work in the Oberon telephone office as a “hello” girl; M.H. Oliver was the manager. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hays and baby returned from their visit to Minneapolis and Owatonna, Minn.; Mrs. Hays and baby had been at Owatonna for some time. J.N. Kunkel went to Fessenden, called there by the death of his brother, who was crossing the railroad tracks at noon the day before in the blizzard and was struck by a Soo Line switching engine. The wheels crushed his hips and the lower part of his body; both legs were broken in several places and one foot was severed. The funeral was on the afternoon of November 22. The deceased left seven children, his father, and four brothers. A coroner’s jury “severely censured” the railroad. Mr. Kunkel returned to New Rockford on November 24. Having resigned her position as teacher at the Foster School, Miss Sarah West began her new job as delivery clerk at the New Rockford post office. Frank Layne, who left that day for Fargo to make proof on his claim west of town, would be the new Foster School teacher as of November 26. Contractor H.W. Clark left for Erie, Pa., where his wife had been for some time; they would spend the winter there. Andrew Johnson, Elmer Davidson, and A.G. Gardner took Degrees in a Lodge in Carrington, returning to New Rockford the next day. That evening, the Century Lodge #60, A.F. & A.M., elected the following officers: W.E. Radke, Worshipful Master; George M. Pike, Senior Warden; Peter Prader, Junior Warden; P.J. Braman, Secretary; A.G. Gardner, Treasurer; J.E. Bennett, Trustee; Henry W. Wilson, Senior Deacon; E.R. Davidson, Junior Deacon; E. Lindstrom, Senior Steward; A. Lauch, Junior Steward; W.O. Baird, Tyler. Ray Erwin was given the 1st Degree of Masonry. Also that evening, James Carter and Charles Allen were arrested for stealing several spring chickens from the Hotel Mattson; they had the chickens in their possession. The next morning, they were taken before Justice J.L. Kinnaird, who sentenced the two to 30 days in jail and fined each $30.

Bids were received up to November 20 by clerk S. Marriage for building stables at each school house in Superior Township. F.S. Dunham, H. Peoples and H.H. Miller shipped a carload of cattle to the South St. Paul market that morning. C.A. Berge was in on business; his wheat had average over 24 bushels per acre. Barney Engberg was in on business; he was very proud of his three-week-old son. Nils Gunvaldson was in doing business and visiting. George Couch arrived from Kensal to visit his brothers and sister; on November 20 he left to take charge of a drug store in Ryder, N.D. Fred Zimmerman arrived from Winnipeg, where he had worked all fall, to visit friends and do some business. Walter Stitzel returned from a Minneapolis visit. That evening, the Sherrys did the following comedy sketches at the Opera House: “The Major’s Crazy Aunt,” “A Mr. and Mrs. Mistaken,” and “The New Doctor.” At 8 p.m. Rev. E.W. Burleson of Jamestown held Episcopal services in the Methodist Church. That evening the Great Northern’s crack coast passenger train, the Oriental Limited, was wrecked seven miles west of Lakota, near Doyon. The engineer and the fireman were killed and several passengers were injured. The accident held up passenger service from the Twin Cities for a day.

On November 20 and 21, R.P. Allison was in Jamestown on legal business.

On November 21, Henry B. Johnson of Plainview and Joseph J. Dugan from southwest of town came in on business. Miss Lena Franke of the Twist neighborhood left for Jamestown, where she would spend the winter.

On November 22, Glen Hayes came in from Max, N.D. to visit for a couple of weeks. Rudolph Indergaard was in town on business; he had recently bought a quarter section from Charles Anderson and now had a six-quarter farm southeast of New Rockford. William Rice took up three, six-to-eight-month old calves at his New Rockford barn; owner must pay charges. Ed Martin took a load of cattle to the South St. Paul market. Mrs. R.J. Kennedy and her daughter left for Valley City, where her husband would manage the Walter McDonnel farm in 1907. Having sold his interests in Eddy County, W.C. Bowers and family left for a winter in Brooklyn, Iowa, and in the spring would probably locate in western North Dakota.

The Nov. 23, 1906, “Transcript” contained a notice that the U.S. Post Office Department had made a change in box rent: instead of having ten days from the beginning of quarter for patrons to pay the rent, the amount had to be submitted prior to the start of the quarter.

In the contest sponsored by St. John’s Academy in Jamestown, Miss Anna Mary Allmaras of New Rockford was in 10th place (out of 19) with 581 pts. The leader from Jamestown had 5,088 pts.

Madame LeMay, “The Renowned Clairvoyant and Trance Medium,” was in Room 20 at the Hotel Davies for a few days and would give consultations afternoons and evenings. Among her accomplishments were finding some jewels that had been stolen and the thief who took them, locating a demented man who had wandered off into some mountains, and recovering a valuable Jersey cow. She also was “A Specialty on Ladies’ Diseases.”

Mrs. A.J. Ford had bronze turkeys for sale: pure bred young hens.

The New Rockford Band had been practicing twice a week.

Mrs. Ellen Blakely, the matron at Phillips Academy, had received news of the death of her daughter-in-law in Wisconsin. Former student Charles E. Griffith of Barlow had recently visited some of his ex-classmates and friends at Phillips Academy. Also, the Academy Boarding Club had recently hosted the first party of the winter season with around 40 young people of the town and the Academy present. They enjoyed marching, games, a short musical program and refreshments in the dining room decorated in the Academy colors of Maroon and Old Gold.

George Fugina had blood poisoning.

Mrs. Jacob Faust had returned to her home near Valley City after a visit with her daughter Mrs. Olof Lundquist and her family. Martin Walsh and his family had moved into town from the Tiffany area so the children could attend school. They were living in the Carlson house of Gregory Avenue, lately occupied by Mrs. P.J. Butler.

One of veterinarian Dr. J.C. Whiteman’s valuable horses was badly injured when one of his front legs was ripped by a large nail in the stall; the vet was having a difficult time nursing the horse back to health.