The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, August 22, 1918
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: The seed company received a carload of tankage. Seymore Curtis has been quite sick. Mr. Kilgore, the Grand Union Tea man, called in the village. Mrs. William McIntyre has gone to Washington, Iowa to visit her son. The seed company expects to exhibit at the Biggsville picnic. Mrs. Neil Sullivan and daughter Miss Mamie assisted Mrs. Schroeder in cooking for threshers. Eurie Mathers is home from Galesburg as her school closed for a three weeks vacation. A surprise party was given Mr. and Mrs. Emery Eberhard; they received many useful gifts. Mr. and Mrs. James Heap left for Great Lakes Naval Stationto visit their two sons stationed there. Mr. and Mrs. E.C.Lukens and family lefty by auto to visit Birmingham, South Dakota. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Stanberry, Mr. W.C.Wanders and Mrs. W.P.Terry motored to Joy, Ill. where Mrs. Terry purchased more fine New Zealand rabbits.
August 22, 1918 ALMOST LOSES LIFE: Samuel Duncan of Gladstone met with a very serious accident and although his condition is somewhat improved, it is not certain yet that he can survive. Mr. Duncan is a merchant and shipper and on Tuesday evening he was leaving for Chicago with several cars of stock. When his train was leaving Gladstone, he climbed in the engine cab to ride to Monmouth before going back to the coach at the rear. A few moments after the train left the station another freight was met on the westbound track. The running board on top of a freight car of the west bound train had got loose and the end of it projected over the side far enough to strike the cab in which Mr. Duncan was riding.
It is only a presumption that the glass in the cab window was broken and a piece of it struck Mr. Duncan. His throat was cut from ear to ear and one ear was almost completely severed. He was hurried back to Gladstone where Dr. Ditto took charge and accompanied his patient to the Burlington hospital. There it was found that his injuries were serious and that the incision had entered the windpipe. The wound bled profusely but the jugular vein was not severed. Mr. Duncan remained unconscious during the night but was able to recognize friends the next day. Last report was that the physicians thought he had a fighting chance and may survive.
TRAINS AT AUTO SCHOOL: Earl C. Shaw has enrolled in the Rahe's Auto and Tractor School in Kansas City, Mo.and will take a thorough course in automobile, truck and tractor engineering. He is but one of several young men in this section of the country who are attending this great school which is now recognized as the largest in the world.
There are now some 400 drafted men among the thousands of students enrolled there who are preparing themselves for motor mechanics and when graduated can qualify for motor mechanics in the aviation, truck and tractor service of the army when they are called. Hundreds of Rahe graduates are now holding responsible positions in the army service and thousands are garage owners and high paid mechanics in the automobile, truck and tractor industry.
T.P.& W. ABSORBED: The T.P.& W. Railway after its 50 years of "ups and downs" existence, mostly "downs," has finally been absorbed by two progressive and up to date railway systems at the request of the federal government. The Pennsylvania Line assumes control of the "east End," Peoria to Effner and the C.B. & Q. also takes over by purchase, the "West End," Peoria to Warsaw, Keokuk and Burlington. It is understood that the name will be changed to conform to that of the new owners.
Officials of the road announced by recently appointed Federal Manager S.M.Russell will be Dan Mowat, general freight and passenger agent; F.L.Fox, present treasurer who will continue as treasurer; and R.S.Hay will retain his position of auditor.
The office of passenger agent will be consolidated with that of freight agent and the present passenger agent, Geo. W.Winters, will be retired. E.N.Armstrong will continue as receiver of the road.
No change in the working forces of the road are contemplated, but over each department the government will appoint head to act as assistant to the federal manager. A special train containing high officials of both lines tarried in LaHarpe long enough to size up the situation there.
CLOSING OUT SALE: Having accepted a position with the Great Western Sugar Co. at Fort Collins, Colo. T.N. Harden will conduct a sale at his residence of household effects, carpenter and painters tools and equipment, buggy, harness and other articles. He states that the only reason for leaving Stronghurst is the excellent prospect for financial betterment which the West holds out.
ELECTRICITY FOR THE MAGIC CITY (Stronghurst): H.G. Hungate and G.H. Rippetoe of Western Illinois Utilities Co. were in Stronghurst in the interests of their proposed electrical transmission line and system for the town. Rapid progress was being made in the matter of preliminary work to the construction of the line and several car loads of poles were expected to arrive within a few days. Cross arms will be attached and the poles distributed along the route with as little delay as possible. A gang of workmen will work at digging holes and planting poles proceeding from both ends of the line at the same time. Length of time elapsing before completion of the system will depend upon the number of laborers secured to do the work. (A war is in progress and help is hard to find.)
REGISTRATION: Under the proclamation of the President of the United States all male persons who have attained the age of 21 years since June 5th last are required to register on Aug. 24th. Registration will be conducted by the local board at the Court House in Oquawka from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, August 24th.
PROPER USE OF THE SIDEWALKS: Because of the numerous complaints which are coming in of interference with the rights of pedestrians on the sidewalks by children roller skating, bicycling and "coasting" with small wagons, it again is necessary to call attention to the ordinance of the village prohibiting such use of the sidewalks. Parents are requested to see to it that their children discontinue roller skating, bicycling and coasting on the village sidewalks. The village marshal has been instructed to see that this rule in enforced and any violations reported will receive prompt attention.
Regarding the pulling of small wagons on the sidewalks, there is no objection to this practice so long as rights of pedestrians are observed.-A.H.Kershaw, Village President
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Herbert Burr of Stronghurst and Miss Blanche Renner of Carthage Lake were married at the M.E.parsonage in Oquawka. Their present associations as husband and wife probably will be brief as Herbert is one of the young men on whom Uncle Sam is depending to whip the Huns and he is expecting a call any day to report for military duty. A small barn on Thos. Dixson' farm down on the river bottoms was struck by lightening and burned to the ground. Mr. and Mrs. Hartquist are beginning to feel alarmed concerning their son Clarence who left the Great Lakes training station a month ago; they have not received word that he had arrived in France.
LETTER FROM FRANCE-Lucius Lox: "My mail has just begun to get here and believe me, I am sure glad to hear from home people and am glad they never forget me. I am feeling fine; I guess the climate agrees with me. It does not get hot like it does in the states. I suppose you are busy harvesting. I would like to be there to help, but we have a harvest of our own here to reap and we are sure doing it...I suppose you had plenty of fried chicken the 4th of July; maybe I'll be home by the next fourth. I had a fine time here as our company was picked out to go to town and parade with the French and they sure gave us a fine dinner and plenty of beer and good old French wine. In the evening we went out to get us a girl. Getting a girl was an easy job but talking to her was the hardest proposition. If I were over here ten years, I don't believe I could ever learn it (the language). Well, I have been in the trenches and visited "No Man's Land" (the area between the opposing forces' trenches) for the first time and now I am taking a few days' rest. Believe me, it is a rough looking place for a preacher's son, but we were pretty lucky having no casualties to speak of. We had fine pets in the trenches. One of them is sure a soldier's standby; he sticks right with you through shell and shot. We call him "Cutie," better known as common old gray back.(lice) We have some great boxing matches by putting them on a piece of paper and watch them fight. I was lousy as a pet coon, but have got rid of them and got all new clothing. We even get wrap leggings issued to us here. In the states they wouldn't allow us to wear them. One other pet is old standby, trench rat. They are almost as large as a half grown kitten; don't think there are any old maids or bachelors, for they all seem to have large families and they sure do raise the devil at night.
The boys take a shot at them once in a while for a Boche. Does Bill Morse's folks ever hear from him and where is he? ...Lucius W. Lox, Co.E,327 Inf. American Exp. F. France
CARMAN CONCERNS: Among the those winning the honor of attending the boys state fair school in the competitive examination held at Oquawka a few weeks ago was Walter Howell, Jr. who will represent the town school of the county. He left to attend the session at the state fair grounds in Springfield. Mrs. William Coffman had another attack of gall stones and is quite poorly. Her niece, Miss Gertrude Brown of Burlington, came down to help care for her. Several attended a party given in honor of Mr. Donald Dowell at his home near Lomax. The Lomax school is being treated to a new coat of paint which was badly needed.
WHO IS CLIFFORD DELABAR? When a new man announces himself as a candidate for political favor, the people are naturally curious to know something about his character. Clifford Delabar, who is asking for the republican nomination for county clerk, is a son of Mr. and Mrs. E.B.Delabar and is the oldest of six children-five sons and one daughter; he is twenty-five years of age and was born and reared on their 80 acre farm some three miles east of Oquawka. After completing the common school course in his home district and the high school course at the county seat, he attended for some time the University of Illinois at Champaign, earning with his own labor the money required to pay his way. For three years he has taught in the public schools of the county and is one of its successful educators. His qualifications to handle the business of the office to which he aspires are A1 and his Republicanism is unquestioned...Clifford has one brother in training for the war and another one ready to go and would be in a cantonment himself were it not for the fact that he is on crutches as the result of being kicked on his right leg by a horse some six years ago.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Mrs. Ida Wood and son Vern and Miss Ruth Staley attended the state fair in Springfield making the trip by auto. Dale Stine came home from the Great Lakes Naval training station for a visit and while here took sick with the mumps. It will be several days before he is able to report for duty. He had been assigned to the Y.M.C.A. and may be permanently retained at the training station.
The world does move; the latest lunge forward was the appearance of a band of Gypsy fortune tellers who were traveling in an automobile and had no horses to trade. Dr. E.E. Henderson of Hallowell, Kan. is visiting his brother, Dr. Frank Henderson. Miss Mamie Adair of Biggsville has accepted a position as operator at the Stronghurst telephone station. William Hartquist and family are expecting to take possession of the home they recently purchased of H.H.Rankin and will become residents of the village. Jenkins Bros. of Orleans, Ind., who purchased Carl Painter's fine Hereford calf at the sale for $3,500, were here looking for some more of a good kind.
Pyrex is a tough heat treated glass ware guaranteed not to break in the oven in which you can bake pies, cakes and bread. These bake different than any other baking utensil-Dixson sell it. (New-fangled cookware for all the up-to-date housewives.) A pleasant party in honor of the Misses Leone Burrell, Ruby Hicks and Ethel Schierbaum, who are home from their respective schools for a short vacation was given at the home of their Sunday school teacher, Mrs. W.C.Ivins. Although the attorney does not claim membership in the class, he assisted greatly in entertaining the young ladies and their mothers, all of whom are ready to give him a recommendation for speed and grace should any cafˇ proprietor be in need of a head waiter. (The Ivins were quite social and circulated the best realms of local society.)
Mr. and Mrs. H.H.Rankin are preparing to leave for Long Beach, Calif where they will make their home. Mr. Rankin has served several years as county surveyor and has been working diligently to advance in his profession as a civil engineer. There is a demand for his services on the Pacific coast at a good salary and everybody here trusts that the financial rewards will be as generous as life in the coast city will be congenial.
T. J. Hunter arrived home from Peoria considerably improved in health. (He went there to take the medicinal baths.) Miss Vesta Wilson is taking a nurse's training at a hospital in Chicago. Miss Nellie Bowen is assistant cashier of a bank at Aledo. Mr. and Mrs. Will Ross have received word that their son Lyman has been assigned to duty on the U.S. transport DeKalb. Bert Moore has the contract for building a tenant house for Joseph Dixson and work on the foundation is about completed. The Jamieson brothers have returned in their car from their trip to New York having made Niagara Falls and most of the larger cities in the East. (Original plan was to drive East and join the army and then ship car home; guess they changed their minds.)
Prof. James K. Spence and family arrived with their household goods from Plymouth. They stored their possession in T.N. Hardin's house on the corner of Main and Cooper Streets. and then went to LaHarpe to remain until Mr. Hardin and family vacate the premises. Mrs. Grace Fulton, who is somewhat improved since arriving here from her home at Garden City, Kansas, left for Galesburg where she expected to undergo an operation for goiter. Russell Brokaw in company with Cornelius and Spencer Corzatt of Raritan visited the state fair. James Porter, who has been in a Burlington hospital suffering from some broken ribs resulting from being kicked by a horse which he was attempting to turn out of a stall, is reported as having recovered sufficiently to be able to return to his home northwest of Stronghurst.
LETTER FROM RUSSELL BROOKS: "We are just getting organized. We were instructed a little about giving and receiving signals by wireless, by lights, by flags, etc., about wireless connections between signal stations and trenches. This morning we drilled about 3 hours. Our time here is very much like at Bradley except we have retreat at 5:45, mess at 6:00, then we are off to attend various entertainments at the Y.M.C.A. which is located right across the street. There are some 7,000 or 8,000 soldiers stationed here. The Battalions that just left have gone overseas; I do not know how long we will be here but understand that weekend passes will be given...I was immediately put in as corporal when we arrived and I am still in the first squad, that is most important in drill. Every day the Lieut. has the corporals drill their squads so I get practice drilling them every day. I do not know yet where any of the other Henderson boys went. I am getting along all right and think I will like the work well.
I am fortunate in having my electrical partner here in the same battalion even if he did not get as good a grade as I did...My grade at Bradley was 90 apprentice, also acting corporal and musician so you see I got through all right.-Russell Brooks
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: C.R.Pendarvis accompanied a shipment of hogs to the Chicago market. Miss Clark and Miss Elsie Cooper of Stronghurst have been engaged to teach the public school the coming term. John Pogue's residence has been greatly improved with a new coat of paint done by Mr. Alphonso Beal. Mr. and Mrs. Guy Leinbach and baby of Stronghurst visited relatives. Corp. Wm Gould is home visiting his parents.