The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, April 21, 1921
WINTER WAS STILL HERE: Winter staged a third "final appearance" in this section during the past week in a three day engagement and performance which in some respects might be termed unequaled. A violent rain and wind storm which set in on Friday night, April 15th changed to snow and sleet on Saturday and as the temperature fell below the freezing point, all objects exposed to the elements soon became coated with a layer of ice. During Saturday night the weat
her cleared and there was a further drop in temperature and the picture which the face of nature presented when the sun came up on Sunday morning while one of beauty, was not one calculated to create enthusiasm, especially amongst farmers and home gardeners. The sight of green foliage of the trees covered with a coating of ice and of the green tops of growing grain and garden vegetables standing rigid and erect above a covering of two or three inches of frozen snow was one which was both unusual and disheartening.
Although a brisk north wind blew all day Sunday, the snow and ice gradually disappeared during the day under the influence of the warm rays of April sun and by evening conditions had apparently returned to normal again. The damage which will result to grain, fruit and vegetable throughout the section affected by the storm is a matter on which opinions differ. Some think that while grain and grass will be affected only to the extent of a slight retarding of growth and most of the fruit has been killed. Others, not so pessimistic, express the belief that the cases where the blossoming stage had not been reached but little damage occurred and that was in cases where trees were in full bloom a good percentage of the blossoms were not killed.. .
While it will require a little time to determine what the effect of the storm will be on grain and fruit crops, there is no uncertainty about the damage wrought in other ways. The telephone and telegraph systems of the country were hard hit, miles of ice ladened wire and poles by the hundreds going down under the heavy gale which accompanied the storm. Mr. Thos. Dixon, who is one of the officials of the Stronghurst Telephone Co. told the paper that it would require many months to restore the company's system to the condition of excellence which had been attained previous to the storm and the financial loss involved would probably amount to between $4,000 and $5,000. This company has recently gone to a heavy expense in the matter of repair work and the fitting up of a new central station and installation of new equipment designed to improve their service. The loss occasioned by the storm comes as a heavy blow at this time.
1896 GRAPHIC: The new M.E. Church at Smithshire was dedicated April 19th. W. S. Baird retired from the grain business and J. B. Smith of Chicago became the new lessee of the Santa Fe elevator and continued Mr. Wm. Aplin in charge. A. Struble and Thomas Kline had formed a partnership to be known as the Stronghurst Manufacturing Co., the manufacture of water tanks being the main purpose of the firm. Mrs. W.J. McElhinney had one of her arms severely scalded caused by the upsetting of a pot of boiling tea.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: The Economy Manufacturing Co. of Lomax received an order for 100 dozen brooms to be shipped to Cork, Ireland. Miss Mary Morgan returned from Los Animas, Colorado, where she spent the past winter with her brother, G.R. Morgan. Mrs. Gibhard Fitz has sold her residence to J. W. Decker and with her daughter, Miss Clara, will return to the farm near Decorra.
Ray Wolf of Galesburg, the new signal man of the railroad station here and his wife are staying at the Charles Davis home until they can secure a permanent residence. The Old Maids' Association will meet at the Lyric Theatre April 29th. A.D. Atkins, road commissioner of Raritan Township, returned from a Galesburg hospital where he had a cancerous growth removed from one of his hands.
E.H. Murphy, postmaster at Cuba in Fulton County, was arrested by a post office inspector and taken to Peoria, charged with the embezzlement of $1,000 of government funds.
The proposition for issuing bonds for a waterworks extension, pumping and filtration plants, etc. at Dallas City was carried by a vote of 202 to 49. Foster Lazear, the town's well known and enterprising druggist closed a deal by which he becomes the owner of the building in which he has conducted business since coming to Stronghurst 10-12 years ago.
Ernie Links of the Old Bedford neighborhood is at the Macomb Hospital with a badly infected hand resulting from a wound inflicted by a piece of steel. It is thought that one of the fingers and possible the whole hand will be lost.
Reports from Blandinsville are to the effect that Mrs. Math Huston's condition is somewhat improved. A remarkable coincidence in connection with her illness is the fact that a sister, Mrs. Cordius Chandler of Gravity, Iowa, suffered a paralytic stroke on the day previous to that on which Mrs. Huston was stricken.
John Simonson of Raritan Township had been appointed by Judge Gordon as a member of the Henderson County board of review to succeed the late O. T. Dixon of Rozetta Township. The new board will consist of the county board of supervisors, and C.W. Cooper of Bald Bluff and Mr. Simonson.
HE OFFERS A DIVERSITY: At K.E. Yoakam's in spring most fancies turn to alarm clocks and he has a large line of fully guaranteed clocks ranging in price from $1.50 to $6.00.
The line of Queensware is complete so come in and select your dishes. The optical business is good and if you are in need of glasses, come into our office and let us fit your eyes. . .
OBITUARY***JESSE LEE WILSON*** Jesse Lee Wilson, oldest son of George H. and Sarah Durham Wilson, was born near Emerson, Iowa June 23, 1884 and passed away at his home in Stronghurst April 17, 1921, aged 36 years, 10 months and 25 days.
At the age of sixteen he came with his mother and her family to Stronghurst where he has since made his home. His father and two sisters preceded him in death. He leaves to mourn the loss of a dutiful and thoughtful brother, his mother, two brothers, Robert and Fred, and three sisters-Vesta at home, Mrs. A. B. Crane of his vicinity and Mrs. Lula Riggs of the Macomb neighborhood.
The deceased had been in failing health for the past 16 months and when told he was suffering from that dread disease, tuberculosis, he made a brave fight for health, living practically out of doors during the past year; but when he saw that the battle was a losing one, he expressed to those about him that he was ready and even anxious for the call to come. Funeral services were conducted at the Stronghurst Christian Church with interment in the Stronghurst Cemetery.
THE PRELIMINARY CONTEST: The M. E. Church was comfortably filled last Friday evening with patrons and friends of the Stronghurst school, who came out to hear five boys and five girls from the high school contend for declamatory honors (would be called "speech" today). The program opened by the reading of an essay by Miss Ethel Lind followed by the delivery of an oration by Miss Luis Hollingsworth.
In the girls' declamatory contest which followed, Alta Marie Reynolds, Minnie Wood, Frances Worley, Gail Brook and Julia Huppert were the contestants. First place was given to Frances Worley whose selection was "Laddie," by Hepsa Stratton. Second place went to Gail Brook, who recited Eleanor H. Porter's "Introducing Jimmy.''
The boys contest was participated in by Joseph Dixson, John Stine, W. Dixson Jones, Harold Bainter and Harold Lukens. First honors went to Harold Bainter who had chosen "If I Were King," by J.H. McCarthy. Second place was won by John Stine who gave C.S. Thompson's "All for his Boy."
Judges were three young men from Knox College. While these were preparing their decisions, a quartette composed of Miss Maree Larson, Miss Mildred Grandey, Miss Julia Huppert and Miss Frances Worley entertained with two nicely rendered songs.
(The local area town news on microfilm is very dark and hard to read-Olena, Biggsville, Media, Gladstone, Decorra and Carman.
If interested, go to the Henderson County Library and puzzle it out.)
THIS AND THAT--PART OF RAILROAD BRIDGE BURNS: Eight wooden spans of the Iowa approach to the Burlington Railway's Missouri River Bridge between Pacific Junction and Plattsmouth were destroyed by fire of small boys cooking "mulligan." (Today, that river bottom is flooded and rail service re-routed.)
VOTE OUT SUNDAY MOVIES: Citizens of Cedar Falls voted overwhelmingly against the operating of moving picture theaters on Sunday. The vote was 1,457 against to 437 in favor of the Sabbath movies.
WARNED OF ICEBERGS: All trans-Atlantic steamship lines were advised by the navy hydrographic office to shift their routes 60 miles to the south because of reports on ice condition showing spring drift.
PRICE OF POTATOES: Potatoes sold for 15 cents a bushel in Traverse City, Mich.; it was the lowest price in many years and was due to the receipt of thousands of bushels growers had been holding.