The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, April 11, 1918
TRAIN WRECK: Santa Fe passenger train No.5 was wrecked between Media and Stronghurst a few minutes before midnight Monday night and a hundred or more people had a narrow escape from death. The train, which is due to pass Stronghurst at 11:50 pm was on time and the engineer was holding down the speed to keep from arriving here ahead of schedule. Possibly it was due to this fact that no lives were lost. A broken rail is supposed to have caused the wreck, which occurred about 80 rods east of the Tulin Nelson crossing(crossing between Section 20 & 21, Media Township).
The engine, the baggage car and smoker passed over all right, but the chair car left the rails and five Pullmans followed it, tipping about in a way that shook the passengers up and gave them the scare of their lives. One man said he was asleep in an upper berth and the first he knew anything was wrong he found himself getting up from the floor and wondering what had happened. But he was not hurt in the fall. As soon as it was learned that no one was hurt, the engine, baggage car and smoker, all of which had remained on the rails, were detached and came on to Stronghurst to report the wreck.
No.3, another westbound passenger train, was due in a short time and it was ordered to stop and pick up the passengers. Among those from Stronghurst who were on board were James Marshall, Peter Voorhees, Mrs. J.H. Miner and her mother, Mrs. Barnhart. Mrs. Miner and Mrs. Barnhart had been to Mansfield, Ill. to attend the funeral of a relative and were returning home. All got home safely about 2 am. The track was badly torn up, but the eastbound track was not blocked and traffic was not seriously delayed. The wrecker arrived during the night from Fort Madison and began the work of clearing the track and getting the cars back on the rails. As fast as they were placed on the rails, the cars were brought to Stronghurst and were left in the care of a couple of colored porters. Two days were used in clearing up the wreck and putting the track in condition for use.
The train was in charge of Conductor Fitch with Engineer Newkirk in the cab. All of the cars leaving the rails were more or less damaged and trainmen stated that they would be sent back to Pullman for repairs. Empty Pullman cars were brought from Fort Madison to Lomax to meet No.3 and the passengers were transferred. The engine, baggage car and smoker from the wrecked train were sent on from here and connected up to make up a complete train at Lomax. Passengers were taken on their way with the least possible loss of time.
BOUGHT HEREFORD CATTLE: Ed Stine and son Cleo went to Longton, Kan. and bought Mr. H.D.Plummer's herd of registered Polled Hereford cattle, consisting of 16 cows and calves. Ed said they had not had any rain in that country for almost one year and Mr. Plummer was hauling water 2 miles for his cattle. He said it rained all day Friday while they were there. The cattle arrived in Stronghurst Wednesday evening bringing the Stine herd up to 44 head.
OLENA CORRECTION: Miss Beulah Leinbach of Media did not marry Mr. George Bigger of Carman; Mr. Bigger has been called to serve his county, but Miss Leinbach prefers single blessedness to becoming a war bride.
NEW MANAGEMENT: Owing to her illness, Mrs. Berg has been obliged to give up the hotel business and the management has been taken over by Mrs. Jay Foote. The house is being repainted inside and given a general overhauling preparatory to reopening about next Monday. For the past week or two no meals have been served at the hotel and it has been running on the European plan. Prior to her illness Mrs. Berg had been conducting the business quite successfully, but she will now be obliged to take a long rest.
SOMETHING TO CROW OVER: If the repose of any of the dwellers in the west part of the village should be disturbed by the crowing of a rooster in the future at what they consider an unseasonable hour for rising, they should not be too hasty in taking action intended to suppress the disturber of their slumber. The gasconading may originate with the little red bantam rooster belonging to Chester Brokaw; and if any member of the chanticleer tribe has a right to crow early and late, it is this self same bantam.
When it comes to keeping the cash flowing into the fund for the care and comfort of our boys "over there," he has all of the blooded aristocrats of the poultry kingdom backed off in a corner. At the Red Cross sale held here in February the little bantam sold in repeated sales for $116, people vying with one another in their efforts to own him long enough to turn him back to be resold.
Last week, Mrs. G.W.Worley took the little inspirer of patriotism to Kewanee, Ill., where he was put up at a Red Cross auction and realized for the branch the sum of $133.70. The final purchaser, generously arranged it so that the chicken could come home to roost for a while longer and Chester is again looking after his welfare and keeping him in condition for further drives for the cause of Democracy and the Allies.
SOCIETY WEDDING: A pretty wedding took place April 3rd at the home of Mr. and Mrs. O.F.Pence where Miss Helen, eldest daughter, married Paul D. Vaughn of Lomax, Ill. with the Rev. J.B.King of the Congregational church officiating. At the appointed time the minister led the way to the northeast corner of the parlor which was transformed into a bower of white and green similax surrounded by Killarney roses, Easter lilies with potted plants as a background. Above the heads of the bride and groom suspended from a white silk ribbon were the initials V.P. in white and green. Friend of the bride at the piano, Miss Grace Mohr, played Mendelssohn's Wedding Bells as a processional. She was dressed in blue silk and wore a corsage bouquet of sweet peas and pansies. The bride was neatly attired in a gown of white liberty satin with an over drape of white silk chiffon trimmed with white pearls. She wore a long veil held to the head by a wreath of lilies of the valley and orange blossoms and carried a bouquet of bride's roses.
The groom was attired in the conventional black. Miss Grace, sister of the bride and Maid of Honor, dressed in Nile green georgette crepe and carried pink carnations. Earl Carter of Dallas City, friend of the groom, acted as best man. Preceding the ceremony, Mr. Virgil Pence sang "I Love You Truly." After a beautiful and impressive ring ceremony, the happy couple received congratulations of immediate relatives present. All adjourned to the dining room where a magnificent feast awaited. The table was decorated with pink and white Killarney roses relieved with green ferns. A tall French basket filled with pink and white roses formed the center of the table which was secured to the wall with white ribbons terminating at the corners of the table in white and pink bows. The repast was served by three of the bride's friends.
The bride is a charming lady and for a number of years a successful teacher. The groom is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W.C.Vaughn of Lomax, a graduate of Dallas City High School and is held in high esteem by his many friends. He farms. The couple departed that evening for South Chicago and Lake Michigan for a short honeymoon visit with relatives.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Solicitors for the 3rd Liberty Loan Bond issue are now actively at work in every school district of the county and thus far subscriptions are reported to indicate that the drive will result in the county's full quota of $237,000 being realized.
GLADSTONE: Miss Blanch Duvall sent her mother, Mrs. John Duvall, a telegram stating that she would start in the afternoon for France. Her mother met her in Burlington and went to Kewanee with her where her sister, Mrs. C.R.Freed, met them for a short visit. Miss Duvall then started on her journey to Dumount, N.J. and thence to France. Miss Duvall is a graduate of the Iowa State University as a trained nurse. For the past year she has been acting as supervisor of the State Orthopedic Hospital at Lincoln, Neb. She grew to womanhood here and was a teacher in the school here before going to Iowa State. Henry Wheatly has moved to Monmouth where he is employed by the C.B.& Q.
SMITHSHIRE: The listing of the wealth and rating of all citizens of the township over 18 years of age was done so that a just and equitable apportionment of all claims and requirements of the government, whether bonds, Y.M.C.A., K.C. or Red Cross can be apportioned out to each one and everyone is expected to measure up to that apportionment or rating. Ellison Township, it is hoped, has no slackers and desire none. In fact, the willingness with which the people responded to the call to register and allowed themselves to be rated speaks well for their fervent patriotism. Miss Pauline McElhinney has been employed as teacher at Wever Academy, Media, taking the place of Prof. Brubaker who was called into the service of his country. While Estelene Cooper was driving home from high school at Kirkwood about a mile east and north of her home, her horse became terribly frightened and ran away. Miss Cooper held to the lines and tried her best to hold the horse but being unable to do so.
It dashed around the corner so rapidly that the buggy was thrown into the fence with such force that the top and occupant were thrown clear over it. With the remainder of the buggy the horse dashed on, but soon wore itself out. Mr. William McElhinney as well as a farm hand of Mr. Summerville were working in fields not far distant and saw the runaway and hurried to the lady's assistance. They found her considerable bruised and in a very dazed condition. They took her home and called Dr. P.E.Kimery who found her bruises quite painful but no immediate indications of apparent seriousness. The buggy was demolished and while a very exciting experience for Miss Estelene, her many friends are glad it was no more serious than it was.
STRONGHURST: Pearl Shook, ten year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Shook, is reported to have chicken pox. Lyman Fort, who has been a teacher in the Mitchell, S.D. high school, has been promoted to principalship at a salary of $1800. Some of the boys who went to Fort Morgan, Ala. last week report that they no sooner were admitted to camp than they were quarantined for measles. A large contingent of citizens attended the patriotic rally at Biggsville and reported an immense crowd, splendid music by the "Jackie" band and rousing addresses by the speakers. Mrs. Ralph Rankin and Mrs. Gladys Brown will supervise the making of surgical dressing at the Odd Fellows Hall. If you are interested in saving the boys, come and work. Please bring caps, aprons, knife and scissors.
Frank Murphy returned from his Canadian trip. In place of losing any of the cattle on the way, one was added, one of the bovine aristocrats giving birth to a calf at Swift Current and the little White face with wobbly legs was named for the town. Unfortunately, Mr. Gribbell, the ranchman for whom he had made the trip, was ill and could not show him around.
The most tedious part of the long journey was the wait at St.Paul for a permit from the Canadian government for the cattle to cross the line. It was just the time for the spring exodus of farmers for the northwest and Frank said that scores of men were in the same predicament. He was somewhat disillusioned about Canada. In place of great broad and level fields of wheat, he found a rolling country with comparatively small fields. When he left his northwestern destination there was four inches of snow of the ground.
FINDS THE CROOK: The police dogs from Monmouth were brought to Media in charge of Mark Yates to try and find who had broken into J.J. Gram's grocery store which had been robbed the night before. When the dogs arrived, they and the men with them were met by Sheriff Knox and a trail was soon picked up which lead to the home of a local boy, who confessed to having been implicated in the robbery and after some cross questioning gave the names of four other boys, all of whom were arrested and taken to Oquawka. Entrance to the store was gained through a window, the glass of which had been carefully removed only to be broken later. Mr. Gram did not know just exactly what was missing, but he said that various kinds of provisions, candy, cigars, tobacco, etc. were in the booty secured. A number of petty robberies have been committed in the vicinity and it is hoped that by punishing these boys that a wholesome effect will be had on other would be offenders.
MEDIA SAYS "GOOD-BYE:" A farewell party for Pvt. Willis McIntyre of the 9th Mounted Engineers was given by his friends before he started back to El Paso, Texas. He was brought over to Meloan's Hall where he found a large crowd gathered to speed him on his way and send their good wishes with him.
Games were played for quite a while and then a few short speeches were made. He was presented with a "comfort kit" which the ladies of the community club had made for him. He was also given a large fine cake that was baked by Mrs. John Wever. The cake had the U.S.flag on it in
colors and the words "our country forever" on it. He took the cake with him to show the boys at camp. Ice cream was served and nearly everyone went over to see him off on No.5 which stopped to let him on board.