The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, Dec. 30, 1920
BANK ROBBERY AT MEDIA: The safety deposit boxes of the Media State Bank were looted by burglars early last Thursday morning. It is supposed that the robbers were in search of unregistered liberty bonds; but if so, they were disappointed as there but very few of these securities in the vault boxes.
A few registered bonds are missing but the greater number of these was either left unmolested or scattered about the floor of vault. A quantity of war saving stamps and a small amount of other loot, but the total loss will probably not amount to a very large sum.
The burglars gained entrance to the bank by forcing open a rear window. Chisels and punches were used in opening the vault door and the deposit boxes; no explosive of any kind was used. It is thought that the men engaged in the job were frightened away by some people returning from a dance at about 1 o'clock Thursday morning as they left nine of the deposit boxes unharmed and had apparently fled in some haste.
Impressions of fingerprints left by the men on the vault boxes have been obtained and it is though that these may eventually lead to the apprehension of the criminals. No one had heard or seen the robbers come or leave Media; but as there were quite a number of autos in the village on the night of the robbery and a number of trains passing through, this fact is not surprising.
CAF MOVES: The Vaughn Caf stock and equipment was moved Christmas Day from the old location on the east side of Broadway into the new hotel building on the west side of the street, the moving accomplished in time to allow the service of a Christmas turkey dinner in the new quarters.
The caf, which will be an adjunct of the hotel when the latter is completed, occupies the north side of the lower floor of the remodeled building and has been fitted up in handsome style with a long porcelain covered stools and other sanitary and labor saving devices.
The cook room is at the rear of the lunch room and is connected by swinging doors with both the lunch room and the hotel dining room. The latter will occupy the south half of the building at the rear of the hotel office, which was formerly the Morgan barber shop.
The work of finishing and fitting up the rooms of the second floor is being pushed rapidly and Stronghurst will soon have a modern hotel. The Morgan barber shop moved into the building vacated by the Vaughn Caf on the east side of the street.
1896 GRAPHIC: John G. Woolley, the noted orator and temperance advocate, lectured in Stronghurst the evening of Dec. 28th. A night school for instruction in bookkeeping, business forms, mathematics and grammar had been opened in Stronghurst under the management of I. H. Fuller. Application for articles of incorporation for a company to connect the various towns of Henderson County by telephone system by J. O. Anderson, O.L. Dunsworth, E.H. Allison, E. B. Campbell, T. J. Hunter, L.M. Loomis and J.F. Mains; the capital stock was placed at $2,500. Mrs. Letha Tate died at the home of her brother, T. J. Fort near Olena on Dec. 14th at the age of 82 years. The firm of Turner and Jones, dealers in groceries and shoes, dissolved. Mr. Turner is retiring from the firm and Mr. Jones continuing the business under his own name.
"WEDDING" Arthur F. Black of Dallas City, son of Mrs. L.M. Loomis of the same city, was married at Des Moines, Ia. on Dec. 22 to Miss Ethel Byers of Birmingham, Iowa. The couple will make their home in Dallas City in the big stone mansion which formerly was owned by L. Burg. The remodeled "OBITUARY" Mrs. T.B. Palmer passed away at her home in Media on Dec. 22nd at the age of 65 years, 2 months and 21 days.
Her maiden name was Mary Jane Belt, her childhood home being in Lewiston, Mo. She united in marriage at Fairmont, Mo. Dec. 1, 1861 to Thomas B. Palmer and to this union six children were born, all of whom survive: Mrs. Ida Harvey of Bakersfield, Calif.; Mrs. Ethel Graham of Fort Madison, Ia. and Homer, Olin, Lloyd and Fred, all of Media, Ill. She is also survived by her husband, one brother living at Liberty, Mo.; seven grandchildren, 4 nieces and a host of friends.
She united with the M. E. Church early in life. Funeral services were conducted at the Media M. E. Church with burial in the Stronghurst Cemetery.
FIRE IN HARTER BUILDING: A fire which started in the basement of the Harter drugstore and residence building and which is supposed to have originated from crossed electrical wires caused considerable excitement in the village.
Mr. and Mrs. Harter were eating breakfast in their second floor apartments in the building when they noticed the odor of smoke. Investigation revealed that smoke was coming from the warm air registers making it evident that the source was in the furnace room in the basement. On going down to the first floor and opening the basement door, a volume of smoke poured out which soon filled the drugstore room and office. An alarm was turned in and in response to the clanging of the fire bell, a number of the members of the volunteer fire department were soon on hand with a lead of hose.
Connection was made with the hydrant on the corner a few feet from the building, but this hydrant was found to be out of order and it became necessary to go to the one on the Chant corner, a block west in order to get connected with the city water supply. It was only a few minutes, however, until a stream was being played into the basement and the fire was soon out. Several of the floor jousts and a wooden partition in the basement were badly charred and quite a large hole was burned in the floor of the doctor's office.
The fact that the fire seemed to have started in the basement ceiling close to where two light wires were attached to a joist seems to leave little doubt that a short circuit was the cause of the fire.
BLAZE IN BURLINGTON: The John Boesch store in Burlington, Ia., one of the best known business concerns in Southeastern Iowa and a popular trading place for a large section of the country, was ravaged by fire last Sunday morning as was the Masonic hall which occupied the third floor of the building.
The fire was discovered about 9:30 Sunday morning and raged for about two hours before the firemen gained control of the blaze.
While the greatest damage to the building itself was caused by the burning of the floors and partitions of the two upper stories, the largest amount of property damage was ruined by the water which poured down into the west portion of the Boesch store where thousands of dollars worth's of silks, woolens, underwear, hosiery and other goods were ruined.
It is thought that the loss thus suffered will amount to around $50,000. The goods in the newer or east section of the Boesch store were fortunately untouched by fire or water and the store was open as usual on Monday.
While origin of the fire is not known, the most plausible theory is that it was caused by defective electric wiring somewhere in the upper or third store of the building where the Masonic hall was located.
The Masonic lodge suffered the loss of all of its paraphernalia and equipment valued at around $8,000. It is thought, however, this loss will be covered by the insurance carried. The Boesch loss will also be covered by the insurance of $160,000 carried by the firm.
CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCES: The only public observances of the Christmas season were the entertainments given by the children of the three churches and the early morning services at the Lutheran Church. The M.E. and U.P. Churches held their exercises on Christmas Eve and were well attended. The program at the Lutheran Church was given on Dec. 27th and highly enjoyed by a fine audience.
Contrary to expectations, it was a "white" Christmas before the day was over; a snow which began falling about noon covered the ground with a soft white mantle before nightfall. There was but little stir upon the streets of the village during the day, but many quiet family celebrations and dinners were enjoyed.
All businesses except cafes and restaurants suspended business, but the rural mail carriers made their trips as usual in accordance with the ruling of the P.O. Dept. made necessary by the large number of Christmas packages which always arrive too late for delivery before Christmas morning.
ATTENTION, FIREMEN: Firemen and all others who so kindly assisted in extinguishing the fire and saving our building, furniture and clothing, are cordially invited to be our guests at the oyster supper and entertainment to be given by the Apt brothers and sisters in the Community Club room the evening of Dec. 31st. We desire to express our appreciation of the promptness of the response to the alarm of fire. Please call at our offices for tickets to the supper.-Dr. I. F. Harter and Mrs. Harter
FIREMAN HURT: Last Friday morning at 1:30 an east bound freight train went on to the passing track east of the local station. A string of freight cars were standing on this track, which the engineer of the freight train failed to see in time to prevent a collision. He and the fireman and one of the brakeman jumped before the crash came. The engineer and brake man escaped with a few scratches, but the fireman was not so fortunate. In jumping he was thrown against a telegraph pole in such a manner as to receive severe injuries in the back. He was given first aid by Dr. Marshall here and then sent to the Santa Fe Hospital at Fort Madison. The front end of the engine was considerably damaged by the collision but was not derailed.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mrs. Sol Kessinger returned from a visit with relatives in Peoria. Mr. and Mrs. Nat Curry and daughter Erma spent Christmas with C. S. Curry and family at Winfield, Ia. Mrs. Wm. Worthington of the country south of Stronghurst suffered an attack of pneumonia. The 41st anniversary of Dr. and Mrs. I. F. Harter will be celebrated Dec. 30th in an informal way. The household goods of the George Warren family were loaded to be shipped to their new location at Table Grove, Ill. Sheriff McDill was re-employed as overseer of the county farm at a recent meeting of the Henderson County board of supervisors. The ice harvest has begun on Lake Fort as the recent cold snap produced a good quality of ice which is about 8 inches thick. Mrs. Emmet Milliken is a victim of tonsillitis.
La Harpe had a community Christmas tree and 86 pairs of warm stockings besides candies, nuts, etc. were distributed amongst those most likely to appreciate them. Sheriff McDill headed into a drove of cows a few nights ago while returning from Raritan to Oquawka, which resulted in one dead cow and damage to the front end of the sheriff's car to the extent of about $60($640 in today's values). Harvey Harter of Sabetha, Kans. after having spent several weeks visiting at the Harter and Dobbin homes went to Burlington to visit relatives there. He expects to go to Seward, Nebr. to spend the winter with relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Dobbin accompanied him to Burlington. Rev. K.R. Anderson left for Torrington, Wyo. where he will officiate at the marriage of his sister who lives there. The Chas. and John H. Peasley families and Mrs. Cora Hoffman were present at the marriage of Miss Helen Hunt and Mr. Carmen Hanna at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Hunt in Burlington, Ia. The new Mrs. Hanna is a niece of Mrs. C. E. Peasley.
The people of the community will be glad to learn that Walter Howell has accepted the position of manager of the Farmers Grain and Mdse. Co. here. Wm. Babcook of Carman had expected to take the position but was obliged to change his plans on account of the condition of his wife's health. Mr. Howell will probably not move his family here until next spring. John Highfield, Sr. and wife of Beggs, Okla. visited at the home of Dr. and Mrs. John Highfield this past week. C. L. Johnson and family are moving from town to the house on the Foote farm vacated by the Calvin family. Hubert and Paul Jamison, who are students at the Ames, Ia. Agricultural College spend the holidays with the Marshall families here. Recollections of days of real sport were stirred up in the minds of villagers by the jingle of sleigh bells and the appearance of a horse drawn cutter on the streets. Harry Johnson, living 2 miles N.E. of Monmouth, received the prize offered by the E. G. Lewis Seed Co. for the best yield from an acre of corn of the 1920 crop. The yield was 106 bushels and the prize $25 and a silver cup.
-OBITUARY-JAMES KANE: James Kane who for ten years lived one half mile south of Media but who had for the last year and a half been an inmate of the St. Joseph's Home in Peoria, died at the institution on Christmas Day at the advanced age of 83 years. The remains were shipped to Sciota, Ill. and taken from there to the residence of Mr. Kane's son in Point Pleasant Township, Warren County. Funeral services were conducted at St. Patrick's Chapel north of Raritan and the remains interred in the cemetery next to the chapel. The deceased is survived by four sons, namely: John Kane of Fairfield, Ia.; William Kane of Chicago and John Kane and James Kane, Jr. of Point Pleasant Township, Warren County.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mr. Abbey has disposed of his store to a gentleman from Burlington. Mrs. Nina Dixon has been helping out in the Abbey store this week straightening out the books. Mrs. John Stevenson was operation upon last week in Burlington for gall stones. Dr. Rena Rezner is recovering from a recent sick spell. Louise Dixon is now engaged in the restaurant business, having recently bought out Jim Norton. Chas. Whiteman presented his daughter with a fine Sedan car for a wedding present.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Forest Chaterton of Chicago visited with his sister Mrs. D. S. Bryans. Mr. and Mrs. Farrell Graham and children from Elly, Iowa visited with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Will Graham. A community Xmas tree and a fine program were held at the M.E. church Saturday evening. An orchestra presented fine music. Glenn Rhoads was the lucky one to catch the turkey that Mr. Pitts, the produce man, turned loose at 2 p.m. Mr. Rhoads probably had a turkey dinner Xmas day. G. W. Christy has bought out Mr. Runion's garage and will take charge Thursday.