The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic: May 14, 1925
TUBERCULOSIS IN FOWLS: County Veterinarian LeCroy exhibited at the Graphic office the liver and part of the intestines of a hen which had contracted tuberculosis, supposedly from drinking the skimmed milk from two cows in the herd which the doctor recently inspected and which he found reactors. The viscera form the hen presented a most repulsive appearance, being completely covered with the tubercles or nodules characteristic of this insidious disease which afflicts both man and beast. No more vivid example of the danger attending the drinking of milk from tubercular cows could be afforded than the loathsome sight presented by these viscera from a member of the feathered flock.
WOODMEN CELEBRATE IN BURLINGTON: About 25 members of the local Modern Woodman camp went to Burlington Tuesday evening and attended the outdoor initiation ceremony and celebration staged in Crapo Park by Burlington Camp No. 98. State Deputy Townley of Illinois was the chef speaker for the occasion and following his address five reels of moving pictures showing the work being done at the M.W.A. Sanitarium at Colorado Springs, Colo. and drill work by some of the crack forrester teams of the organization were shown.
AWARDED CONTRACT: The Board of Education of Community High School District No. 104 and the Directors of the District met in joint session and closed contracts for the erection of Stronghurst's proposed new school building. The contract for the general construction work was awarded to H. B. Nelson Construction Co. of Davenport, Iowa. The heating, plumbing and lighting part of the job was awarded to Carstens Bros. of Ackley, Ia. Representatives of these concerns were present and signed the contracts which totaled the sum of $99,913 ($1,480,710.66 in today's values), which is below the original estimate. H. B. Nelson Co. expects to sublet the contract for the excavating for the building within a few days and that actual work on the long-delayed project for furnishing this community with an adequate school building may be expected to begin soon and to be pushed rapidly to completion:
CRASH: Last Saturday evening the big Buick touring car belonging to A. E. Jones and being driven at the time by his son Dixson, collided in the intersection of Broadway and Dixson in the village with a Ford touring car known as the "Mayflower" being driven by Keith Stratton. The noise of the impact of the two cars was heard for several blocks and the result was rather disastrous to both machines. The "Mayflower" was turned completely over with the windshield smashed and the radiator damaged beyond repair. The Jones car, while left standing on its wheels, was damaged to much grater extent than the smaller car, its front axle being bent around so that the left front wheels stood almost at right angles with its normal positions. The fender and front mud guard on the same side of the car were demolished, the engine was torn from its fastenings, the crank case fractured and considerable other damage done. Luckily the occupants of both cars escaped without a scratch. Stratton managed to leap from the "Mayflower" in time to escape being caught underneath the wreck while Jones remained unhurt behind the steering wheel of the Buick.
The Jones car was headed south on Broadway while Stratton was going north on the same street and the collision seems to have resulted from a misunderstanding on the part of each driver as to the other's intentions concerning making a turn into Dixson Street at the intersection where the accident occurred Both drivers claim to have been driving at moderate speed, but the nature of the damage to the two cars would indicate that they came together with considerate momentum
THEY WON THE TROPHY: Stronghurst High School's fast relay team composed of Eldred Kemp, Verne Leinbach, Clarence Harvey and Frank Wilcox brought home from Macomb meet last Saturday the massive loving cup which constitutes the trophy for the relay event in the annual event. This coveted prize has been won twice by Knoxville and once by Abingdon and once by Avon and had it been won by Knoxville last Saturday, it would become the permanent possession of that school. What makes the victory of the local team especially satisfying to them is the fact that although pitted against Knoxville and Avon, the teams which won the Military Tract and Knox Relay events respectively at Galesburg on May 1st, they raced ahead of both these teams last Saturday:
GIFT TO LAHARPE HOSPITAL: The LaHarpe Quill told of an act of munificence on the part of one of our Stronghurst citizens toward one of LaHarpe's public institutions: "Following closely the announcement made a few weeks ago of a $2,500 gift to LaHarpe Hospital by an unknown friend comes another handsome gift of $1,000 to be used as an endowment fund for the institution. C. K. Kaiser, Stronghurst bank, and a brother of W. B. Kaiser of LaHarpe State Bank is the giver. The money comes in the form of a note secured by a mortgage.
An endowment fund is just what is needed for the hospital as money wisely invested brings in a perpetual revenue and the principal remains intact. Many large hospitals, colleges and other public institutions are provided for in that way. Mr. Kaiser's gift should prove an incentive for others to donate. The interest on a few thousand dollars would assist greatly in putting the business on a self-supporting basis."
ACID PHOSPHATE FREE: To each customer who will call at our office we will give 10 pounds of acid phosphate, enough to apply on 1/20 acre of corn. One Farmers Elevator Co. in Illinois handles between $8.000 and $9,000 worth of fertilizer per year. One Henderson County farmer who used seven tons last year claimed his yield of corn was almost double where he used the acid phosphate. We have only a few tons of Raw Rock Phosphate left-E. G. Lewis Seed Co. (The company is encouraging farmers to add to their manure fertilizer.)
MUSICAL CONCERTS: The high school orchestra will give a concert Tuesday evening at 8 pm at the Lyric Theatre. No admission will be charge and everybody is cordially invited. An orchestra from the West Side United Presbyterian Church of Monmouth will give a sacred concert in Media, Ill. United church next Sabbath morning, May 17th at 9:45 am. Everybody is invited to come and enjoy the musical feast with us-Thos. Howell, S. S. Supt.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. John Avery of the neighborhood west of Stronghurst are the parents of a fine young daughter born last Sunday, May 3rd. The Latin Club of the local high school enjoyed a trip to Burlington for a picnic supper in Crapo Park Friday evening. Miss Evelyn Fort, who has been connected with the musical department of Monmouth College for the past two or three years, has been engaged to teach pipe organ and piano in an exclusive girls' school located at Chambersburg, Pa. The position is said to be a very desirable one from several points of view, and Miss Fort's many friends will extend to her their congratulations on her winning the place,
METHODIST PRESENT PLAY: The anniversary of the founding of the Epworth League was observed at the local M.E. Church last Sunday evening by the presentation of a play entitled "Robert and Mary," founded upon the story of Robert Moffatt, pioneer missionary who early in the last century left his home in Scotland and the maiden to whom he betrothed. He went to South Africa venturing alone into the Namaqualand which was ruled over by the fierce native chief Africaner, whose very name was a terror to all the white colonists of South Africa and succeeded in converting the savage ruler and his people to Christianity.
After two years of labor amongst the African blacks, he was joined by Mary Smith to whom he had been betrothed in Scotland and who had finally won the consent of her parents to her marriage with the missionary.
In the play Manley Staley very ably sustained the role of Robert Moffat while Miss Faye McMillan gave a very excellent interpretation of the character of Mary Smith. Rev. Myers and Miss Edith Salter acted the part of the at first obdurate and finally submissive parents of Mary in a very clever manner. Prof. Dawson and wife and Garnet Burrell, Dale Grandy and Madeline Trimmer, in their Dutch costumes, gave a very creditable representation of a South African Boer family such of a South African Boer family that Moffat found a temporary home with on his first arrival at Cape Town. One of the pretty scenes in the play was a tea party participated in by Mary Smith and some of her girl friends represented by Eloise McMillan, Erma Curry, June Smith, Dorothy Moore and Lucile Parish.
Special music appropriate to the theme of the evening and given behind the screen between the various acts added to the interest and effectiveness of the whole program. The affair was something of an innovation for the community in the way of Sabbath evening services, but it no doubt served as effectually in presenting to the audience the thought of the importance of missionary work as a sermon on the subject could have done.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mr. and Mrs. John Avery of the neighborhood west of Stronghurst are the parents of a fine young daughter last Sunday May 3rd. The parents of the little folk in the first and second grades of the village school were entertained with a "Mothers' Day" program given in the school room on Friday afternoon. The manner in which the program was carried out reflected much credit upon the training the children had received at the hand of their teacher, Miss Kirby. At the close of the exercise, each pupil was given a white carnation to present to the mothers as they passed out. (Today, as we take for granted flower shops like Bygones & Buds, we must remember how exotic a carnation would have been in 1925; fresh flowers had to be shipped in-probably by train.)
Mrs. A. J. Steffey continues in a very precarious state of health at her home in the east part of the village. Miss Clydean Simpson returned from a visit of several months at Washington, D.C. at the home of her sister, Mrs. VanTassel. Mrs. Nellie Cornwall of Chicago has been visiting her mother, Mrs. Joe Ross and other relatives in the vicinity. W.B. Gregory was at Centralia, Ill. representing Henderson County as a delegate at the quadrennial state convention of the Modern Woodman of American Mr. Gregory was selected as an alternate delegate to the national convention. Mrs. Maxine Flanagan entertained a company of 12 young ladies at a card party Monday evening. A nice luncheon was served and an enjoyable evening was spent with the guests. Mrs. H. M. Lovitt received word that her father, Mr. Hugh O'Connor of Scottsbluff, Nebr., who has been in failing health for some time, was critically ill at a hospital in Hot Springs, S.D. Mrs. Lovitt left at noon that day for her father's bedside. High school graduation classes composed entirely of girls are occasionally heard of, but the Terre Haute High School claims the rare distinction this year of graduating a class composed entirely of boys-Lyell Moore, Chester Melvin, Wendell Lovitt and Charles Vaughn.
At the meeting of the road and bridge committee of this county called by Supt. of Highway C. R. A. Marshall at Stronghurst to consider proposals for the erection of a new concrete bridge west of Olena, action was deferred until a later date because of the fact that but one of the proposals was made out on the forms prescribed by law. Raymond Johnson who is a student at Hedding College and a member of the Lincolnian Society there accompanied other members on a pilgrimage to Lincoln's tomb at Springfield. The trip was made in autos and the part spent the night in a tourist camp at Mason City, Ill.
W. T. Love of Gladstone was in the village arranging for the publication of a public notice declaring the intention of certain residents of Gladstone to circulate for signature a petition to the county court asking that the privilege be granted the people of the county of voting next fall upon the proposition of removing the county seat from Oquawka to the proposed new city of NuHope (it appeared in this issue). (Love was trying to establish a new town by Gladstone and in this way was obtaining publicity. This is the same man who in 1912 established the Lomax Town Co. and tried to make the town a railroad hub. Possible investors had other ideas and it never happened.)
Last fall a young man by the name of Butler hailing from Warren County passed a number of forged checks on certain Stronghurst merchants. The checks were turned over to the Henderson County sheriff and he was asked to try and local the culprit and have him brought to justice. It seems that he succeeded in carrying out this purpose and that young Butler plead guilty to the charge of forgery in court at Oquawka and is now finishing a 90 day jail sentence.
IT WAS A SUCCESS: The May Fete presented last Saturday afternoon by the ladies of the Women's Community Club on the Harter lot near the village park proved to be a very pretty affair. The May pole dancing by the children, the singing and revelries and the ceremony of crowning the Queen of May were all gone through with in a manner reflecting much credit upon those who had charge of the affair. The principals in the May Queen crowning event were as follows: May Queen-Eleanor Dixson; Maid of Honor-Margaret Upton; Flower Girl-Betty Brook, Margie Lou Evans and Betty Chandler; Pages-Keith Sanderson and Wallace Stine. In his role of "Jack of the Green" Charles Prescott furnished much amusement for the audience while his band of merry men dressed in green suits also did their share in preventing anything in the nature of monotony occurring. The band of little girls dressed as fairies, flitting across the scene at times gave additional charm to the picture.
Those having charge of the Fete wish to acknowledge their indebtedness to Mrs. Melbourne Boesch of Burlington for the use of the May pole and to Mr. A. E. Moore and Wm. Sullivan for the work which they donated in building the platform for the throne and for other services rendered. The Fete was directed by Mrs. M. L. Evans and Mrs. F. A. Annegers assisted by Mrs. Harry Painter, Mrs. Orville Boyd, Mrs. A. F. Kaiser, Mrs. Estel Mudd and Miss Jean McElhinney.
THEY WERE RAIDED: For some time past it has been suspected that a resort located near the Stronghurst Club house on the river was being conducted in a disorderly manner and early last Sunday morning Sheriff Davenport made a raid on the place and took into custody a character known as "Happy" Palmer, a Mrs. Spiker with her daughter, Mrs. Jones and a man by the name of Mescher. The evidence against the latter two not being deemed sufficient to warrant holding them, they were released. Palmer and the Spiker woman were, however, remanded to the county jail where they are now said to be languishing.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: Several killing frosts have greatly damaged fruit and garden vegetables. Olena school closed May 7th with a cafeteria style dinner followed by ice cream and cake. About 50 people were present and all seemed to enjoy the occasion greatly. Miss Spear has been retained for another year. Miss Esther Johnson closed her school at Hopper with a school dinner which was well attended. Miss Esther will teach the Marshall school and will be leaving soon for Macomb State Normal. Thelma Peterson closed her school in the Heisler district with a dinner and has been employed by the school board for the coming year. Miss Evelyn Krown of Burlington will teach the Kirby school next year. Miss Krown and her family lived for many years in Media and has many acquaintances who will wish her well.
The young people of Gladstone will give an entertainment in the Olena church Friday. Mother's Day was observed on Sabbath PM; the attendance was not what it should have been. The young people of the village were paying their respects to Mr. Frank Rickels Tuesday evening in a rather hilarious manner; they had heard he had a new housekeeper.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: The Henderson County Athletic Meet will be held here in Mather's field at the west end of town on May 22th. Six high schools (Lomax, Terre Haute, Gladstone, Biggsville, Stronghurst and Media) are entered. The county declamation contest will be held in the evening with the ladies Bible class of the United church serving supper in the dining room of the U.P. Church. The churches and school buildings will be open all day so that anyone who so desires may go into them and rest whenever they choose. Mr. and Mrs. John Dalton and son Dean and Mr. and Mrs. Wray of Monmouth were Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Pendarvis. Mrs. Wray and Mrs. Pendarvis are daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Dalton. Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Lewis took their youngest son Edward to Holmes Hospital at Macomb for a tonsil operation. A large crowd was in attendance at the Mother's Day program held by the United church congregation Sunday morning. Graduation exercise for the 7th and 8th grade were held at the grade school Tuesday evening. The 8th grade pupils received a diploma and will enter high school next fall are Cleta Smith and Faye Lawyer. The 7th grade pupils who received certificates and are ready for 8th grade were Eva Dixon, William Murtland and Thomas Reece. Prof. Shoemaker and Miss Florence Gram have been re-employed for another year.
A. L. Beall was taken suddenly seriously ill Monday night from what the doctor pronounced acute indigestion. Tuesday he was no better and Wednesday morning he had developed what the doctor thought to be peritonitis and was rushed to Burlington hospital for treatment. His condition is considered grave. An orchestra of 13 pieces from the west U.P. church of Monmouth will give a sacred concert on Sunday morning. Pupils of the high school under the direction of their musical instructor, Miss Mary Dixson, will present a musical comedy, "The Wishing Well," at the Academy Thursday and Friday evenings. A track meet with Kirkwood high school has been arranged to be held here Monday afternoon.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: Mr. and Mrs. Perlie Dixon and daughter Mary Ruth came in from California and will be at home in the John Dixon residence. Prof. Schuler's will hold a sale of their household goods; they expect soon to leave for Des Moines, Iowa where he has a position. The high school board announced two new additional members of the faculty for next year: Clarence Bolen of Macomb as coach and science teacher and Miss Grace Suboldt of Victoria for Latin and History. Herb Jamison and son-in-law, Glen Snodgrass of Des Moines have recently purchased from the Miller Construction Co. the lots in the east part of town and will erect a large storage oil tank which will be known as the Midwest Oil Station. The Snodgrass family expect to go to housekeeping soon in the Vaughn property in that part of town.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. Robert Seins is down this week and under the care of Dr, Emerson. Mr. Frank Sourwine from Burlington, agent for new Nash cars was in the village. Miss Minne Rehling and Mrs. Pearl Coffman entertained the Thursday Club at their home. Mrs. Thomas Dixon is on the sick list and Dr. Dixon of Burlington was treating her. The Farm Bureau will have a movie here at the M.E. church Friday evening and the Three Links Sunday School Class will have an ice cream social at the lady’s rest room; they will also serve home made cake, candy and popcorn. Mr. Wm. Galley of Burlington has moved on his farm here west of the town formerly known as the W.H. Marsden farm.
BOOTLEGGER TAKEN: George Gilmer, who is said to hail from the vicinity of Swan Creek, was placed under arrest last Sunday afternoon by Marshal Denum on the charge of illegal possession and transportation of intoxicating liquor. In answer to a telephone message Sheriff Davenport came down later in the day and took the prisoner to Oquawka where he was released after giving surety to the amount of $1,000($14,820 in today’s values).
It appears that Gilmor, who has been making frequent trips here of late has been under suspicion for some time and after he had driven into town last Sunday afternoon, Marshal Denum searched his car which was parked near the NuVon Café and found two pint bottles of alcohol under the seat. When Gilmer returned to the car, he was placed under arrest and told to drive the car to the Simpson garage. When he arrived there, he made an attempt to get the two bottles of liquor from under the seat, evidently with the purpose of smashing the bottles or pouring out their contents. The marshal was too quick for him, however, and in the scuffle, which ensued, Gilmer’s hand was cut as badly as to necessitate his having surgical attention.
The village was all agog with excitement when it became known that a real live “bootlegger” had been apprehended and Marshal Denum had no end of assistance and advice as to the proper mode of procedure in the case from regularly appointed as well as self-constituted peace officers and representatives of public safety and welfare organizations. The episode served to illustrate one thing and that is that while certain forms of infractions of the law may be winked at in this community, any attempt at violation of the provisions of the 18th Amendment will meet with the infliction of speedy justice.
SOCIAL WORKER ON SITE: Miss Rose Marie Smith of the Illinois Children’s Home and Aid Society arrived here Monday on a mission to help homeless children by explaining to the people of this village and vicinity the humanitarian works this organization is doing for unfortunate boys and girls who have been made homeless either through death, incapacity or degradation of parents.