The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic, May 1, 1924
PLANT MEMORIAL TREES: During the past week seven carefully selected maple trees as a memorial to the boys who lost their lives in the World War were placed on the Santa Fe right of way directly south of the station grounds. In 1919 the community tried to express sincere sympathy by a mass meeting held in Weir's Grove. Now a living tribute will be planted so that the people of Stronghurst and vicinity may be often reminded of the debt owed to them.
The hearts of the people are filled with gratitude to these young men is evidenced by their eagerness to assist in providing this memorial. The maples were donated by Mrs. John Pogue of Media. The superintendent of the Illinois division of the Santa Fe, Mr. G. H. Minchin, gave willing permission when asked for the necessary space for the planting of the tree and the local employees of the road, Mr. T. E. Walker, Mr. R. H. Davies and Mr. S.W. Hollingsworth gave all the assistance in their power. Material for the protection of the trees was furnished by the manager of the Telephone Co., Mr. G. C. Rehling, and the tile placed besides each one for convenience in watering was donated by Mr. A. S. McEhinney. Messrs. R.W. Upton and R. M. Billups were employed to select and plant the maples and the Boy Scouts have undertaken to keep them well watered through the season. It is believed that every citizen of Stronghurst will take a personal interest in this memorial.
Sacred to the memory of Ernest Foote, Cranston Doak, Ralph Simonson, Harry Clark, Earl Breen, Arthur Johnson and Roy Foote, these young maples stand, straight and strong like the soldier boys who marched to victory through death.
CELEBRATES IN A BIG WAY: The home of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Ogden five miles south of Stronghurst was the scene of a pleasant social gathering, the affair being in the nature of a surprise arranged by Will's wife in honor of his 55th birthday. The house was beautifully decorated and about sixteen neighbors and friends were present and partook of a bountiful dinner of roast pork, chicken and other tempting viands prepared by the hostess and served at the noon hour. A large cake with 55 lighted candies adorned the festive board. When all were comfortably seated at the table, the radio set was tuned in and the guests were privileged to listen to a sermon and some good music during the meal. (This was special entertainment as most did not own a radio.) Following the dinner, a pleasant afternoon was spent in social conversation and listening to the radio. On their departure the guests all voted Mr. and Mrs. Ogden royal entertainers and expressed their pleasure in having been permitted to enjoy the hospitality of the home.
CONVICTED: The Appellate Court recently handed down a decision affirming the judgment of the Henderson County Court rendered in Feb. 1923 whereby a sentence of 60 days in jail was imposed in the case of Frank Wilsher of this village convicted of the illegal manufacture of intoxicating liquor. Following the publication of the decision of the higher court, the defendant has suddenly disappeared and the carrying out of the penalty imposed by the county court will depend upon the effectiveness of the attempt of the officers of the law in the county to locate him.
MAY BUY THE T.P. & W.: "E. P. Bracken and H. Robinson Sufirod, vice president and T.J. Thomas, general superintendent of the C.B. & Q. with S.M. Russell, receiver of the T.P.&W. were Warsaw visitors last week. They came on a special train which was composed of the Q official's private car and Mr. Russell's private car and a coach. A rumor had it that perhaps the Q contemplated taking over the bankrupt T.P.&W. to which it is said to have an interest."-Blandinsville Star-Gazette
THEY DEBATED: The C. E. Society of the Stronghurst Christian Church held a debate on the question: "Revolved that dancing, card playing and pool paying are not detrimental to the Christian Life." The affirmative side was taken by Alfred and Myrtle Shallenberger and the negative by William Butler and Hazel Stine. Good arguments were presented on both sides, but the negatives were not able to completely convince the judges that these amusements, when properly conducted, were detrimental to Christian life. What was considered their strongest point was that some weaker natures were unable to resist the temptations to evils growing out of indulgence in the amusements and that the strong ought to forbear for the sake of the weak.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Rev. N. E. Olson has resigned the pastorate of the Swedish Lutheran Church in Stronghurst and accepted a call to the Highlands English Lutheran Church of Denver, Colo. Wheat and oats are looking fine in this vicinity and the farmers are plowing he ground for corn. The rain of last Friday will do a world of good to the growing crops and put the ground in better condition for plowing and planting. C. E. Spiker is engaged in painting the home of Mr. and Mrs. Doug Steffey. (House were Charley Ferguson lived.) Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fordyce of Eleanor are the parents of an 8 pound boy born last Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. Chester Adair, who live on the farm near Raritan operated by Bert Russler, are the parents of a fine baby born April 27th The two Lake Fort ponds near the village were restocked with a supply of perch, crappies, bass, catfish and sun fish from the Mississippi River last week.
A crew of over a hundred men is now reported to be employed on the road paving job in the vicinity of Biggsville. It is said that the program calls for a mile of concrete to be poured every ten days and that 130 car loads of cement, 500 car loads of sand and 750 car loads of gravel will be required to complete the strip of road under construction.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: C. S. Forbes lost his valuable milk cow through its having access to an alfalfa patch and feeding too greedily upon the young clover. Alfred Shallenberger has dispensed with the use of crutches and now gets about very well by the use of the artificial limb which was recently made for him in Chicago. A large cistern for the use of the Stronghurst Women's Community Club is being constructed at the rear of the building adjoining the State Bank which has been rented for club room purposes. Alvah Shook is working at a garage in Williamsfield and likes his work. Rev. R. C. Myers attended a conference of M. E. ministers of the Galesburg district at Knoxville. He was called home that same evening before the conference was over by the telephone informing him that his young son Myrle had been taken ill with an attack of bronchial pneumonia. The child remains quite ill. A street car on which Rev. Myers was traveling from Galesburg to Knoxville collided head on near the Galesburg city limits with an auto in which two men were driving into the city. The auto was overturned and one of the men caught beneath it and quite badly injured. The button factory at Oquawka, which has been furnishing employment for about 30 men, was closed down last week for an indefinite period owing to unfavorable conditions in the button market.
A fresh application of paint to the interior of the Curtis restaurant has added much to its appearance. The exteriors of the State Bank and the adjoining Community Club building are being brightened with a fresh coat of paint. Donald Rankin is employed with the signal service of the Santa Fe. Frank Daugherty is out with an extra gang of 225 and now located at Williamsfield and working west of the railroad. Harry Jones was recently promoted from section foreman to road master with headquarters at Chillicothe, having supervision over this division of the Santa Fe R. R. Harvey Lant has a regular run from Chicago to Kansas City on the Santa Fe as mail clerk; he is getting started nicely in the work and thinks he will like it. The village authorities have succeeded in securing a permanent place in which to dump refuse matter such as trash, etc., hauled out from town. They have leased two acres of ground of Dan Shook on the farm adjoining town on the north and are negotiating for the purchase of the land. A. E. Moore moved to the Rezner place across the street. The village authorities under the management of A. E. Moore have completed an outlet for surplus water under the railroad track west of the depot.
As a result of elections held April19th, Raritan is to have a new $10,000 ($143,600 in today's values) school house to replace the one destroyed by fire last winter and the Old Bedford District will replace its old schoolhouse with a modern building to cost $4,500 ($64,620 in today's values). Roland Davidson has resigned his position as local manager of the Benteco Grocery Store and will be employed by A. E. Moore, contractor and builder, during the coming season. Mr. E. A. Crapnell of Joy, Ill., has assumed the position vacated by Roland in the Benteco Store. E. G. Lewis of Media visited his wife at the sanitarium in Jacksonville, Ill., where she has been a patient for several weeks; he found her much improved. F. G. Reynolds has completed the installation of a 10 horse motor and a burning-in machine in his shop on Mary St. and has employed Del Fornell as mechanic. He is now prepared to do all kinds of auto repairing in connection with his general blacksmithing and repair work. M. L. Evans returned from Denver, Colo., accompanied by his wife and daughter who had been there for several week for the benefit of Mrs. Evan' health. As the weather there was continuing cold and wintry with about a foot and a half of snow on the ground, it was thought that conditions here were more favorable for Mrs. Evans speedy recovery.
RETURNED HOME: The remains of Charles Cargill, former Carman resident who died at Halfa, Iowa on April 21st, were brought to Carman and funeral services conducted at the M. E. Church.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mr. and Mrs. H. O. Garrity left over the Santa Fe for points in Kansas where they will spend an indefinite time at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Garland Cramer. Mrs. Carrie Graham was taken to Galesburg by her son Charlie where she will be cared for in the home of her son Russell and family. She is very poorly and expected to get treatment that might help her. Mr. and Mrs. Chester Adair are the parent of a fine baby boy. Work was commenced last week on the state cement road in good earnest, some 150 men are now at work and a good number turned away who wanted work. At the J. R. Johnson crossing owing to the many work trucks and travelers, it was deemed best by the town board to put a flagman to look after traffic and travelers. Garret Brooks has been at this post this week. J. M. Millen of Santa Anna, Calif., a former resident of Biggsville, is expected here about the middle of May having already left his home but intending to stop off in Kansas and Nebraska where he will visit his two sisters and a brother. He expects to spend the summer with his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Whiteman.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Media high school declamatory contest held at the Academy Friday evening was well attended despite the inclement weather. In the girls' contest Mildred Lant won first place; Gwendolyn Hixson, second and Agnes Erickson, third. In the boys' contest William Pogue won first place; Harold Rankin, second and Carl Leftwich, third. Medals were awarded the first being solid gold, the second solid silver and the third gold filled. Mildred Lant and William Pogue will represent the school in the County Contest. The high school board has re-elected Prof. Neil Ausmus for another year. Prof. W. W. Murtland has been re-employed at the Academy. Forty of the fifty-one members of the Men's Bible class were present at the fish fry given by the old men of the class to the young men and boys in the U. P. dining rooms. Thomas Howell cooked the fish and they were pronounced the best ever. A male quartette has been organized and will furnish some of the music for the regular Sunday meetings. Elna Erickson is recovering from an attack of mumps. Prof. Shoemaker is back in school after an attack on tonsillitis. Grandma Bacon seems to be some improved but is still confined to her bed. Mrs. Laura Beall, Mrs. Charles Malm and Miss Florence Gram drove to Galesburg Thursday evening to hear Poland's famous artist, Paderweski, play. (Ladies driving a car and at night! My! My!)