The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic Sept. 28, 1923
BARN BURNS DOWN! Last Thursday afternoon the large barn and contents on the Jim Brewer farm about 4 miles north of Stronghurst was completely destroyed by fire. The family were not at home in the afternoon and the discovery was not made until the return home of Mrs. Brewer about five o'clock in the evening. She soon gave the alarm and in a short time a large crowd of neighbors and people from town were on hand to help, but the building was too far gone and in a short time was leveled to the ground.
The contents destroyed were 40 tons of hay; 500 bushels of corn; 600 bushels of oats; one new wagon; one trailer; seeder, hayrack; pitchforks; one buggy, 5 sets Concord harness; 2 sets double harness and one set of singe harness. Insurance was carried but will not cover the loss. Mr. Brewer wishes to thank all the friends and neighbors for their valuable assistance and heroic work.
SMALL BLAZE AT JOE DIXSON'S: Fire from a burning trash pile caught fire to the garage at the Joe Dixson farm last Saturday afternoon and was discovered just in time to avert a disastrous fire. A bucket brigade aided with fire extinguishers that were taken to the fire by George Dixson soon had the blaze under control. The east side of the garage and a small portion of the roof were practically ruined.
***WEDDING BELLS***Mr. Walter Wood of Orville, Ohio, and Miss Gladys Rankin were united in marriage at Monmouth, Ill., last Thursday morning at 10 o'clock at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Parks. Immediately, the happy young couple left for Chicago where they spent a short time and then departed for their future home in Orville, Ohio. The bride is the daughter of Mrs. Elizabeth Rankin and was educated in the Stronghurst schools and latter attended Knox College and Bradley Polytechnic School at Peoria. The groom is a jewelry man and is employed in a large jewelry store in Orville. KEOKUK COLORED ALL STARS 7; STRONGHURST 1: Stronghurst was defeated in the last game of the season last Sunday by the Keokuk Colored All Stars by a score of 7 to 1. Dillon pitching for Stronghurst pitched a good game but it was "jinx" day for the balance of the team with practically every man registering an error and the colored boys got away on everything. Stronghurst has had a fairly successful season winning a large per cent of the game and losing a few by a close margin.
S.H.S. WINS FIRST FOOTBALL GAME: The S.H.S. won their first gridiron victory last Friday afternoon at La Harpe where they met and took the La Harpe High School team into camp by a score of 31 to 6. This was the first game of the season for both teams and as it was too warm a day for football, the first half of the game was slow and ragged. Stronghurst shoved the pigskin over for the first touchdown and La Harpe then made their first and only touchdown. The first half ended 19 to 6. In the second half both teams tightened up and got down to real football. Stronghurst soon showed her superiority and got away with two more touchdowns making the ending score 31 to 6.
KILLED BY THE BURLINGTON STREET CARS: Last Thursday evening at 6:20 Laurence Williamson, a 13 year old lad, was struck by a street car and instantly killed. The lad had just leaped off a moving street car going in an opposite direction and alighted right in front of the car which knocked him down and frightfully mangled him. His brother, Donald Williamson, with whom the lad was staying while his parents were away on an auto trip, helped drag the lad out from under the car and identified him as soon as he saw the lad's face, but up until that time having no idea it was his own brother he had seen killed. The lad's folks are said to be recent residents of Carman.
BLANDINSVILLE BANK ROBBED: While a number of residents of this little town looked on, too terror-stricken to offer resistance, a band of four men in an automobile swooped down upon the First National Bank here today, dynamited the vault and escaped with between $5,000 and $10,000 ($68,600-137,200 in today's values).
SETTLED WITHOUT A TRIAL: The case of assault and battery against Harry Royse which was set for last Thursday morning was settled by the attorneys and Justice R. A. Board without being called for trial. Harry pleaded guilty to assault on L.M. Loomis and was fined $20 and costs. This was the easiest and cheapest way out of the matter for all parties concerned-Dallas City Review
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: I. H. Brokaw and Sons, raisers of full blood Duroc hogs, exhibited their fine stock at the Macomb Fair and the La Harpe Fair this year and took all honors against strong competition. Col. J. W. Decker was at Viola, Ill where he assisted in the pure bred Poland China sale of J.M. Nesbitt and son. This makes twelve years in succession that Col Decker has assisted in the Nesbit sales. The October meeting of the Woman's Club will be held in the club rooms Saturday afternoon with "Women Writers" the subject for the event. Charles Hedges of Rozetta, former pastor of the M. E. Church of Stronghurst for three years some 31 years ago, visited old friends; he was accompanied by his wife, the sister of Loren Morey. The button factory of Dallas City which closed down last winter will reopen again the first of October. This is good news to the citizens as it opens a way for employment for the coming winter. Rock Island is to attempt to raise $1,000,000 for a new hotel. This is the same town that was going to produce $80,000 for the removal of Hedding College and in the wind-up was able to report only $8,000 subscribed.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mrs. E. L. Claybaugh left Sabbath day to take charge of her son Sam's children near Stronghurst while Mrs. Sam Claybaugh is taking treatment at the clay springs in Indiana for rheumatism. Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Garrity left for Des Moines, Iowa to attend the Soldiers' encampment. Friend received word of the marriage of Paul Henderson and Miss Esther Ban at her home in Little York. The Herman Dixon family is moving into the John Dixon home with his father. Ralph Kirbbridge who has been employed the past several months at the Wiegand Bakery has accepted a position at Kankakee and has already taken his job; Mr. Wiegand will discontinue his bakery here for a time. Martha Smith, the small daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ora Smith, west of town, had the hard luck a day last week while at school to fall while swinging on the rings and broke her right arm in two places. She was taken to the office of Dr. Babcock where the fracture was reduced and later taken to Monmouth for X-ray. A nurse came to care for Mrs. Jack Stevenson who is quite low. Mrs. Dr. Henderson returned home from Little York where she had been called the middle of the week by the death of Mrs. Ban.
RARITAN REPORTS: John Torrance arrived home from Kansas City. Mrs. Doren Perrine, who has been visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. P.H. Voorhees for the past five months, departed for her home in Idaho. G.H. Voorhees was on the market with a load of hogs. Luola Schenck returned home after spending four weeks in Colorado. Mrs. Jennie Melvin and son, who accompanied her there, remained for a longer stay. E. F. Hamilton, who was operated upon in the Macomb hospital eight weeks ago, returned to his home. Corzatt Bros. and Dean Cortelyou were on the market with a shipment of hogs; Dean and Cornelius Corzatt accompanied the shipment to market. Mr. and Mrs. Downs and baby of Clinton, Iowa, spent the past week in the Ben Livermore home. They were called here by the sudden death and burial of Peter Livermore. Don Voris and Louis Cavins had a collision just north of town Monday evening when the two cars came together causing the Louis Cavins car to receive a splintered axle. The Ford car driven by Don Voris was badly broken up. No one was injured.