The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, August 3, 1923
THIEVES HIT STRONGHURST: About 4:30 Tuesday morning, Pat Billups, who is employed in the NuVon Cafe was on his way to work and when coming around the corner at Yoakam's Jewelry Story, he saw two men getting in a Hudson Sedan in front of the George Dixson hardware store and drive quickly away. The fact that he was used to seeing cars pass at all hours of the night meant that the incident was soon forgotten. About noon that day he met George Dixson and asked him if they had left their gasoline pumps unlocked the night before. George said that the pumps were always locked when they left the store at night. After being told of the incident an investigation was made and they found that the thieves had broken the lock on the high test pump and evidently helped themselves, and further investigation revealed the fact that they had pushed in a small piece of glass in the broken window of the ware room and had taken several cans of cream separator oil, probably using it as a substitute for cylinder oil. Several empty cans were found near the pump. The sedan had wire wheels and in all probability, it was the same car that was stole in Monmouth the night before.
The Monmouth Daily Atlas of Tuesday had the following to say regarding the incident: " R. E. White is mourning the loss of his Hudson sedan today which was stolen last night from his garage back of his home on North First Street. The car was in the garage at eleven o'clock last night and this morning at nine o'clock it was gone.
The thief was able to get the car out of the garage and into the street without making any noise as none of the family heard anything out of the ordinary. The sheriff and police today notified nearby towns of the theft."
CULTURE COMES TO THE "MAGIC CITY(Stronghurst was once known by this nickname)": With the arrival of Mr. Frank H. Nelson, the special Redpath advance agent, the Stronghurst Chautauqua Committee will put on the finishing touches in preparation for a splendid Chautauqua this year.
According to Mr. Nelson, the program is exceptional not only in quality of its individual numbers but also in the well balanced arrangement of the whole course. Each number exceeds the other in quality working up to a final climax in the last two nights in the play, "Friendly Enemies" and the Van Brown Trio. The program the first night will be a combination of musical entertainment by the Southern Dixie Duo girls and a humorous address by Granville Jones on "The Philosophy of the Hillbilly." Special emphasis is placed this year upon the children's hour at three every afternoon. Readings will be given for the old as well as the young under the auspices of Miss Roberta Lee Clark of the Chicago Columbia School of Expression. Season tickets are so reasonable, $1.50 for adults; $1.00 for children with single admission to the play alone being $1.00...
OFF TO MILITARY TRAINING: Harry Painter, Charles Decker, Manly Staley, Donald Rankin and Dixson Jones left by auto for Camp Custer, Michigan, where they will take four weeks military training. Another contingent left Sunday afternoon on No.22: Bob Steffey, John Stine, Alton Vaughan, Clarence Burrell, Glen Marshall, Henry Marshall, Rudyard Kersahaw, Delford Putney and Max Barnett.
FIGHTING ON BROADWAY: An old quarrel renewed when the opponents met face to face on Broadway resulting in a fistic encounter that was a fast and furious of a few seconds. The principles were non-residents of our peace loving community. One hailed from Olena and the other from LaHarpe. The latter was employed on a farm near town. We did not get the ringside weights when they weighed in, but from a casual observation we would judge the "Bone Crusher" from Olena had the edge on "Kid Soakam" from LaHarpe by 30 pounds.
Before the beginning of the first round, the opponents forgot to shake hands. No starting gone was gonged and the hot July sun burned down on the oiled arena and the gladiators that were about to settle their difficulties.
The first part of the first round consisted of 99% slugging and 1% science. The last minute of the first round the "Bone Crusher" heaved a mighty heave at his opponent's countenance, but the "The Kid" ducked and landed on the "Crusher's" anatomy which gently assisted him on his downward course and after the stars had ceased dancing in the air and the meteors not longer lit up the heavens, he arouse from his reclining position, but this time with a knife in his hand. He started for his opponent, but a spectator interfered and stopped the fight.
All sympathy was with the LaHarpe lad who was much smaller and fought in self defense and who was the master of the situation up until the time the knife was brought into play.
OPERATED ON FOR APPENDICITIS: Vincent Eugene Leinbach was taken to the Burlington Hospital by Dr. Harter and underwent an operation for appendicitis. He is the youngest son of Mrs. Pearl Leinbach. (The first successful appendectomy was performed by Dr. Wm. West Grant in Davenport, Ia. 1885)
STRANDED IN STRONGHURST: M. C. Baron, wife and Mrs. Holden and daughter Harriet of Winfield, Iowa, who were enroute to Florida by auto, had the misfortune of stripping the gears in their car this side of Burlington and were delayed 24 hours while they were being repaired. While here, they camped in the park and were very high in their words of praise for Stronghurst and the cordial treatment they received. They thought the park a very beautiful place and commended the town for the use that is made of it by the children of the community.
WHAT A BASH! It is doubtful if anyone ever reaches such a degree of success that a word of sincere commendation is not an inspiration to further and greater effort and it is certain that when our first endeavors are not appreciated, we are easily discouraged and sometimes cease to make further effort.
But it is not for this reason alone that we would give a word of praise to the little ladies who entertained us so pleasantly at the hospitable home of Dr. and Mrs. Harter last Friday evening. The occasion was a party given by the members of Mrs. C. M. Bell's Sabbath school Class, primarily to entertain their parents...Unfortunately, a number of parents could not be present and we all know that no matter how much others enjoy our efforts we, as children, receive our greatest satisfaction from the knowledge that daddy and mother are pleased.
The program consisted of Bible readings, songs, piano solos, dialogues, singing, speeches, etc. (If you are interest in who did what-a long list, look up the article at the Henderson County Public Library on microfilm).
The games which followed were entered into with zest by old and young; however, there were no old people there; the only way to distinguish the older from the younger was by observing the gray hairs which adorned the heads of some of the participants. The most exciting event was a paper cutting race between four youthful dames whose combines ages number 335 years. Mrs. McLain walked away with the prize, but Mrs. Slater was a close second. The little hostesses served a dainty lunch in charming style and a piano solo by Donald Johnstone closed the evening program.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Dr.H.L. Marshall and Frank Crenshaw left by auto yesterday afternoon for their farms near Quincy, Ill. to oversee the threshing of the wheat crop. Miss Lelah Salter, who has been visiting home folks in town, will leave for California for a year's stay. Mr. and Mrs. Emory Cavins of the east country were dinner guests of Oscar Schroeder and family of Hopper. Miss Christy Armstrong and mother of Princeville, Ill, were visiting in town; Miss Armstrong was one of our teachers in the high school three years ago.
Announcement has been received of the marriage of Ruth Emily, daughter of Judge and Mrs. R.F. Robinson, to Richard A. Craig. The nuptials were solemnized at the Robinson home in Chicago. The groom is a graduate of Purdue University and holds a position with the Western Electric Co. in New York and the young couple will make their home in that city. Many friends of the bride, who remember her as a resident of Oquawka, will extend best wishes and congratulations. Messers W. C. Ivins, B. G. Widney, G. T. Chant and Roy Park left for a week's outing on their farm near West Point, Ill. Work of excavating under the residence of Mrs. Addie Cortelyou is now being done by workmen for a commodious furnace room and basement. Ernest Putney has resigned his position in the meat department of the Farmers' Co-op store and has accepted a position with the Lem Logan meat market. The Community Women will conduct a market at the Holingsworth building. Fruit, vegetables, chickens, butter, egg, cream, buttermilk, cake, bread and other food will be on sale. Miss Carma Deal of Wabash, Ind., who has been visiting at the Mrs. Marion Fort home, left for her home last Tuesday.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Harry Long has gone to Knox County to have charge of the Santa Fe Depot there. Mr. C. G. Richey went to Canada on a business trip. A fine new coal house has been erected by the Santa Fe carpenters. Elgie Ray, who is mail carrier from here to Raritan, has so fully recovered from his recent attack of typhoid fever as to be able to be on duty a part of the time. Tuesday, a ten pound daughter who has been named Clydine, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Graham at the home of Mrs. Graham's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Mathers. Lewis Miller had the misfortune to break his arm while cranking a Ford truck.
RARITAN REPORTS: Thomas C. Rooney of Patterson, New Jersey, came for a visit in the John Gould home. E.F. Hamilton was taken suddenly ill at his home. He was taken to the Macomb hospital for treatment and expects to undergo an operation in a few days. Mr. and Mrs. Gillie Maynard and children of Iowa came for a short visit in the home of his sister, Mrs. Fannie McCormick. Rebecca Mesecher spent Saturday in the home of her sister, Mrs. Lloyd Thrush. Mrs. Jennie Melvin and son Lynn, the Misses Loretta Schenck and Glenna Wasson and Rev. Ihrman left for a three day outing at La Salle. Stewart Adams of Chicago came for a visit in the home of his mother, Mrs. John Gould.
WEDDING BELLS: Lormer Runner of Blandinsville and Miss Edith Gearhart of Raritan were untied in the holy bonds of matrimony in Burlington July 31, 1922 (probably a typo and it is 1923) by Rev. M. Tuttle. They were accompanied by the bride's parents and sister. The bride is the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gearhart and is one of Raritan's young ladies who has spent her entire life in the community. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Runner of Blandinsville. He has been engaged in teaching school and he taught at Sunny Ridge School this past year.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Lynn Jamison returned from Chicago where he attended the Chicago University for the past six weeks. Little Dorothy Millen is on the sick list. Relatives received word from Swift Current, Sask., Canada, of the birth of a son to Mrs. Alma Person Alexander and husband. Dr. A. C. Douglass of Ames, Iowa, who has been attending the Y.P. convention at Monmouth, spent Thursday here with friends. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde McCormick left for a two weeks visit with his parents at Illinois City. Mrs. John Mekemson and daughter, Miss Jean, left for Xenia, Ohio to visit relatives for three weeks. Robt. Mickey has gone to Oakville, Iowa where he will work on the electric lines operated by D. W. Lee.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: After a lapse of a few days on account of rain, the threshing machine is again doing business in this neighborhood. Mr. Leslie Lyons remains quite poorly-some days feeling quite well and others days suffering considerably. A prenuptial shower will be given for Miss Wilma Burrell at the home of her sister, Mrs. Joel Marsden on Aug. 6th. Mrs. Frank Veech is in the hospital suffering from an injured eye. Lee Davis and the Dowell brothers autoed down to Fort Madison.
The Home Coming picnic was held on the church grounds last Saturday and despite the rain and weather was quite well attended. It was a success socially and financially. The meeting of new friends and renewing of old friendships were truly was worth while. Had not the rain interfered, it would probably have had one of the largest crowds in many years. The splendid chicken dinner at 30 cents a plate made quite good at this low price and totaled $32.40 ($444.55 is today's values). The young people's booth did a land office business netting $16.50 ($226.38 in today's values). The literary and speaking program was called off because of the late arrival of participants so the entire afternoon was given over to outside sports and social fellowship. Among some the stunts pulled off are the following: the drawing contest for a beautiful hand rug donated by the J.C. Penney Company of Burlington was handed down to Mrs. Anna Johnson; the hand bag donated by the John Boesch Co. of Burlington went to Mrs. Minnie Peterson; the hand bag from Schramm Co. was won by Miss Thelma Peterson in the cookie eating contest; the slow Ford race was won by Keith Hicks who wears a pick and span new neck tie from Ringold & Co., Burlington; the fishing tackle from Nichols & Co. Hardware Store went to Acil Dowell in the pie eating contest and also the cuff buttons from The Hub; Loren Pearson won a neck tie donated by Mr. Grandey in the running race, ages 12-14; the face powder donated by Mr. Grandey of Stronghurst went to Darye Dowell and Leo Detrick as winners in the three legged race; Vanna Dowell won the running race for girls, age 12 t0 14 and received beads from Bicklen Co. and perfume by Mr. Grandey; Garnet Cross who won a running race received a purse from the Woolworth Co.; Lillian Jacobs won beads by Bicklen Co. in a running race; Bessie Davis in a running race was presented with beads from Woolworth Co. and stationary by Bicklen Co.; Virgil Davis, Jr. in a running race won a knife and chain from Woolworth Co.; Mrs. George Detrick is renewing her youth by means of a nice hand mirror as the oldest lady on the grounds donated by Mrs. W. Hicks; prize for the youngest baby present went to baby Jacobs and was presented with talcum powder from Mrs. Joel Marsden. Other donations from Burlington were two lbs. of coffee by Burlington Tea and Coffee Co., 2 lbs. of coffee from Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. Among those from a distance were Mrs. Dora Richey McQuown of Sandwich, Ill.; Mrs. Mamie Carothers Lee of Roseville, Ill.; Mrs. Hunt of Raritan and many from Stronghurst, Biggsville, Gladstone, Carman and Decorra.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mrs. Addie Royse and son of Wyoming are visiting at the L. V. Jones home. Max Marsden while playing fell and injured his arm badly. Mrs. Margaret Kilgore visited a few days with Mrs. William Pendry, Jr. Mrs. Addie Gludy of Burlington spent a few days with her mother, Mrs. L. Brown. Messrs. Ray and Jack Stimpson while grapeing on Big Island ran into a nest of rattlesnakes, killing 14.