The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1913
Stronghurst Graphic, September 17, 1914
VIOLENT STORM: This section was visited by a storm of unusual severity about 9 o'clock Monday evening. The duration of the storm was brief, but the downpour of rain was tremendous and within the space of a half hour the surface of the ground was flooded and the water courses turned into raging torrents. The waters of Honey creek, two miles south of town spread over the wide stretch of bottom and came partly up the surrounding bluffs, sweeping away fences and stock enclosure, and on receding, left large quantities of debris to mark the extent of the flood.
At the Chas. Peasley place near Decorra the storm took the form of a "twister" and wrought havoc with buildings and trees, causing damage which will run into the thousands. The house and barn were both partially unroofed, the north side of the house roof being torn off bodily, sheathing, shingles and all. A new garage, built this summer was completely demolished and two buggies which were in it badly smashed up. A large touring car which was also in the garage was carried several rods out into the barn lot and only slightly damaged.
The scale house and scales were badly wrecked, a cow house moved from its foundation and a cattle shed was torn down. The wreckage of the latter was hurled against a tenement house on the place occupied by James Cargill and family. Several boards and pieces of timber from the cattle shed were driven complete through the house, but strange as it my seem, none of the Cargill family were injured. A daughter of the Cargill's slept through the disturbance although board from the cattle shed in passing through the house barely missed her bed. The house was badly twisted and moved from its foundation. A large number of trees in Mr. Peasley's orchard and many fine shade trees were blown down.
Mr. Peasley was not home when the storm occurred and the whole thing was over so quickly that Mrs. Peasley did not know that any serious damage had been done until Mr. Cargill came to the house and told her of it. Mr. Peasley's loss is partially covered by the Carthage Mutual Cyclone Ins. Co. So far as is known the "twister" did no further damage except at the place on the Evans farm occupied by C.A.Johnson where damage was slight.
1889 GRAPHIC COLUMN: (This column reprises items from that earlier time)-W. J. McElhinney received a telelgram from Clegg, the railroad contractor, to ship his railroad scrapers to him in Ohio. The Des Moines Co., Ia. agricultural board was denounced for running their fair at Burlington on the Sabbath and allowing racing, gambling and general "cussedness" to be carried on. Gear Putney, John West and Ed West took in a Baptist meeting in Plymouth.
HISTORIC LOGS: Logs from old Fort Edwards, located at Warsaw, Illinois, during the early Indian wars and in commemoration of which a monument has just been erected there on the high bluffs overlooking the Mississippi, have been found on a farm near the town where for years they were used as part of a chicken coop. Plans have been made to bring them into Warsaw for the centennial celebration and dedication of the monument. Twenty-five years ago Phil Dallam, editor of the Warsaw Bulletin, located the logs on the farm and secured wood from them which he sent to the John Deere Plow Co. to use in a peace plow built. The plow beam was inlaid with small pieces from U.S. forts and battleships and later sent around the world.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Grady Fort left for Northwestern University, Evanston, where he will take a science course. Miss Mattie Brokaw has returned to her studies at Normal, IL. Earl Brokaw, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.V. Brokaw, went to Ames to pursue a course at the state agricultural college there. Douglas Briley, a farm hand for John Harbinson of Media township, was found lying dead in the barn lot by his employer; it is supposed that he died from a paralytic stroke. The deceased was 53 years of age and unmarried.
Tony Stenzil who lives on the old Woods Farm northeast of Stronghurst got into an altercation with John Lilteich of Gladstone at that place and during the fight Liteich is said to have struck Stenzil upon the head with a rifle taken from the hands of a boy who as standing by. The blow fractured Stenzil's skill and he is now an inmate of the Burlington Hospital.
A Mexican laborer working with the Decorra section gang became enraged at foreman West and after getting the worst of it in an attack upon the foreman with a shovel started out in search of a knife. He was, however, restrained by other members of the gang from using the knife and the next day a warrant for his arrest was sworn out before Squire Morgan. In the meantime the "greaser" made a get-a-way.
The Stronghurst U.P. Church closed a deal with J. W. Stine by which the latter became the owner of the church parsonage located on the corner of Mary and Court Streets (the Jack McKeown home). The church people have closed a deal with R.P.Frans and W.C.Regan for the purchase of three lots on the corner across the street east of the church and will probably erect a new parsonage.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: T.J.Parsons went to Cedar Rapids to attend a family reunion. Mr. and Mrs. C.H.Davis started for Canada where Mr. Davis has some real estate interests. Perry Cooper has purchased the lot and shop recently vacated by E.A.Coudery and will use the shop as a warehouse for part of his stock of stoves and heavy hardware. Miss Esther Curry enrolled as a student at Monmouth College last week. Albert T. Blakely, Danna L. Roche, Lee Porter, Henry M. Tibbets, Fred B. McKim, Daniel K. O'Day and Harold B. Anderson of Lomax, C.C.Collins, Irvin M. Houtchen and Joseph L. Huff of Stronghurst took the examination for the position of rural mail carrier.
The Stronghurst Christian Church Sunday School will hold a picnic in Peasley's grove near Decorra next Saturday. A deputy U.S. marshal was in town rounding up some witnesses in bootlegging cases to be tried before the U.S.circuit court in Peoria. Miss Grace Marshall will attend Western College, Oxford, Ohio. Rev. W.F.Kettlekamp preached his farewell sermon to the M.E. congregation last Sunday. Mrs. J.G.Saunders left for Kirksville, Mo. where she will take a course in the school of osteopathy. Mrs. Flo Tillotson has suffered considerably from a fall upon the cement sidewalk in front of the Fisher store. Mr. C.C.Krow, an old time resident of the Biggsville neighborhood and Civil War Veteran now living in Pawnee County, Okla., was calling on friends. He came to attend the Soldier's reunion at Oquawka.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: O.P.Colegrove is having is house reshingled. Mr. Douglas Briley dropped dead at the John Harbison home about three miles north of here. He arose that morning feeling apparently as well as usual but he was found about 9 o'clock lying in the orchard. Several months ago he suffered a stroke of paralysis and although he had never fully recovered from this stroke, he was again able to be about. A large number of families in town are having gasoline light plants placed in their homes.