The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1916
Stronghurst Graphic, Nov.16, 1916
HENDERSON COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY MEETS: The Henderson County Medical Society had its annual meeting in the Masonic Hall, Stronghurst. Members present were Dr. W.J.Emerson, President; Dr. E.E.Bond, Vice-President; Dr. I.F.Harter, Secretary-Treasurer; Dr. J.P.Riggs, Dr. C.E.Kaufman, Dr. H.L.Marshall and Dr. A.E.Lauver. Visitor present-Dr. J.F.Percy, Dr. W.S.Bower, Dr. E.C.Franing, Dr. H.M.Winters and Dr. G.L.Rathbun of Galesburg; Dr. Chas. P.Frantz, Burlington Iowa; and Dr. J.Hoyt Huckins, Biggsville.
Dr. Frantz, who is a specialist in the treatment of eye diseases, ear, nose and throat, read an paper on "The Modern Tonsil Operation," which was interestingly discussed by Dr. Percy, Winters, Bower and others. Dr. Bower, the medical poet laureate of Illinois, presented a paper on "The Differentiation Between Neurasthenia and Hysteria." Dr. E.C.Franing, who is coming to the front by making good in surgery, gave a paper on "The Prevention of Cancer..."
CANADIAN FARMING PROFITABLE: Dr. W.O.Bulter while in Stronghurst last week stated that his investments in Canadian land was money making. He had just received a letter from his son who is farming in Saskatchewan country where he had just finished threshing wheat and the yield had been 50 2/5 bushels per acre grading No.1. At the prevailing price of $1.85 per bushel, the returns for the season's work would amount to $92.24 per acre.(To us today that does not sound like much, but then, the worth of a dollar was far greater.)
VICTIM OF COAL GAS: Mrs. Frank Galbraith of Gladstone was found lying unconscious in bed in her home at about 11 o'clock, having been overcome by the fumes from a hard coal base burner in an adjoining room. Mrs. Galbraith is 81 years of age and resides alone. She had evidently been rendered helpless by the gas fumes some time during the night.
As soon as her condition was discovered, medical aid was summoned and every effort put forth to resuscitate her, a Pulmotor being brought into service. These efforts, we are told, have only been partially successful and but little hope is entertained of the patient's recovery.
HORSE SALE: The unusually severe weather last Tuesday reduced the attendance at the Percheron Breeders' Horse Sale. Prices at which the horses sold were as a rule very low, considering the quality and breeding of the animals. One factor, which perhaps contributed to the failure of better prices being obtained, was the exceedingly high price of feed which now prevails and which makes the cost of carrying stock through the winter rather expensive. (Long list of sellers and purchasers follows) Local buyers of note include the following: Buell Corzatt, Raritan; Towler Bros., LaHarpe; R.N.Marshall, Media; Chas. Painter, Stronghurst; F.Sweeney, La Harpe; and L.E.VanArsdale, Blandinsville.
1891 GRAPHIC: A thrilling account of the adventures of a surveying party for the B.&M. Railroad in the Big Horn Canyon in Montana of which Jacob Bennington, a former Stronghurst boy was a member of the party was included. The opening of the Dixon Hotel "newly equipped and furnished" on the west side of Broadway was announced. W.J.Clark married Miss Callie Cooksey on Nov.12th.
Tuesday, Nov.13, 1891 was designed as a "red letter day" for Stronghurst for on that date J.W.Tinkham of Kirkwood while drilling a well on the A.R.Brooks place west of the village, struck a strong flow of natural gas at the depth of 125 feet.
The report of the "strike" caused intense excitement in the community and people by the hundreds visited the scene. The escaping gas was ignited after the flow had been partially diminished by placing a round weight over the opening in the pipe, and the roar of the flame produced could be heard for a distance of 40 rods. Hopes for a bright future for the "Magic City" ran high as the flow of gas continued undiminished for several days.(Stronghurst was known as the Magic City because it magically appeared with the coming of the railroad.)
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: The Stronghurst Village Board decided to notify restaurant keepers in the village that the maintaining of the device known as a "punch board" is in violation of the village ordinance prohibiting gambling. Revival meeting conducted by Mr. and Mrs. Head at the M.E.Church continued. Mrs. W.B.Towler was in Chicago purchasing new goods for the Towler store; she was accompanied by Miss Ollie Best. In Gladstone aged Civil War veteran Alexander Galbraith died. The quail season opened and local sportsmen say that the birds seem to be unusually scarce in this locality. A tractor engine belonging to Raymond Mathers of Media went through the bridge one-half mile south of the Hartquist place on the road leading north from town wrecking the structure. C.R.Kaiser and Wm. Daugherty made a trip to Indianapolis in the Kaiser automobile which was left at the factory for overhauling; they returned by train.
A new barrel of herring can be found at Lovitt's grocery. A free will offering will be taken at morning service at the U.P. church to benefit the suffering Armenians, Syrian and Albanian Christians. This part of the country is experiencing a period of genuine winter at present with the mercury having been within a few degrees of the zero mark for two or three mornings. Mr. Harve Blackledge, a former resident of the country southeast of Stronghurst, but for the past eight or ten years living in Nebraska, died at the home of his son Clyde in Lincoln, Neb., Nov.10th. Mrs. L.B.Allen, who recently disposed of her store at Olena to her son-in-law, Earl Dye, has purchased the stock and restaurant business of Mrs. Robb here in Stronghurst and expects to continue the business at the same location.
A number of our local sportsmen have been having fine success in bagging ducks down on the river bottoms. A total of 50 water fowls were brought into camp on Big Island by M.E.Beardsley, I.I.Sprout, T.C.Knutstrom and A. McKeown. The following morning Messrs. Beardsley and Sprout bagged 15 more in a few hours shooting.
The cold storms from the north are said to have brought the ducks into the sheltered coves and inlets of the Henderson County bottoms by the thousands. Col. Fred Gray, the well-known and popular auctioneer, is going about on crutches as the result of an accident. While engaged in dragging the road near his place one morning, he was thrown in front of the drag by one of the horses suddenly jumping. The drag passed over him and in the mix up one foot was twisted around in such a manner as to dislocate the ankle. He also suffered some very severe bruises about the upper part of the body. While able to get about on crutches, he will have to give up his usual activities for a brief period.
County Clerk Barnes reports 2,343 bounties have been paid out for ground hogs killed in the county since Jan.1st. A buggy in which Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rickles of Olena were riding was run into by an auto being driven by Dan Evans just west of Olena. A wheel was torn from the buggy and the occupants thrown out and bruised considerably, but they were neither seriously injured. (Those new-fangled machines claimed another victim!) The "Hard Times" social given by the Olena Sunday School at the Homer Justice home was a great success.
Prizes for the shabbiest costumes were awarded to Mr. George Fort and Mrs. Allen of the older people present and to Delbert Burrell and Miss Marie Peterson of the younger set. M.F.T.Schierbaum was called to his old home at Okaawville, Ill. by the sudden death of a younger brother, G.H.B.Schierbaum, who was the manager of a summer hotel and sanitarium at there. Miss Marjorie Thompson, who is a teacher in the Oquawka schools, came home to remain until the scarlet fever quarantine there has been lifted. A case had broken out in the family of Mr. and Mrs. C.A.Mills with the victim being their son, John; however, no great fear of the disease becoming epidemic exists.
I.I.Sprout and family are packing their household goods and will load them on a car as soon as one is available at the local station for shipment to Cameron, Ill, near which Mr. Sprout has a farm on which they expect to make their home.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Miss Violet Pendry had the misfortune of stepping on a nail while coming up from the depot and is absent from school.
Mr. Art Guinn left for Halfa, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Vaughan and Mrs. William Vaughan of Stronghurst left for the former's home in Arkansas. Mr. Ervin Parks went to Dallas City to have dental work done. Miss Fern Dowell spent Sunday with her grandmother, Mrs. John Hudson.