The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic: Jan.3, 1918
ARMY LIFE NOT HALF BAD: Ralph Ingram of Terre Haute who was home from Camp Dodge was asked what makes the soldier look so hearty and strong. He replied that he thought the habits of regularity they are required to observe were largely responsible for it. They retire every night at 9:30 and rise at 6:45 in the morning. They have good wholesome food and have a great deal of vigorous exercise in the open air every day.
They not only drill but have physical exercises that bring every muscle of their body, arms and neck into play and many who previously suffered from defects have over come them and enjoy such health and vigor as they never had before. Ralph didn't express himself on universal military training but he thought the physical training now given in the army could be adopted in every high school with great advantage to the students.
Many of the boys who went to camp expecting nothing but hard tack and monotonous lives have been most happily disillusioned. They are well fed housed and well treated by their superior officers and good feeling prevails among the men. And this report is corroborated by practically all the boys who return from camp.
YULE TIDE WEDDINGS: Painter-Felton-At the beautiful country home of Mr.and Mrs. F.E.Painter on January 1st occurred the wedding of their daughter, Mae to Mr. Jesse Felton of Princeville, Illinois. The house was prettily decorated with pink and white carnations. Dr. A.P.Rolen of Hedding College assisted by Rev. Wade Smith of Terre Haute performed the ceremony in the presence of about 80 friends and relatives.
At five minutes of twelve Miss Florence Rice read, "The Finest Sight," accompanied by Miss Minnie Peck. Following this, Mr. Harry Painter, brother of the bride, sang with much feeling, "The Sunshine of your Smile." Just at the hour of twelve Mrs. Frank Graves struck the opening chord of Lohengrin's Wedding March and the groom attended by Mr. Joe Painter, brother of the bride, emerged from the library and took his place before a bank of palms and ferns. At the same moment the bride with her attendant, Miss Mae Felton, sister of the groom, descended the stairs and took her place preceded by Miss Mary Apt who carried the ring in a beautiful calla lily.
The bride was beautifully gowned in white taffeta and Georgette crepe and carried an immense bouquet of bride's roses. The bridesmaid wore pink taffeta and carried pink roses. The ring-bearer was very charming in pink crepe de chine. After the ceremony a dainty two course luncheon was served by the Misses Stella Beall, Louis Nichols, Wanda Norval and Ruth Clifford, college chums of the bride.
The out of town guests were Miss Mae, Mr.John and Mr. Walter Felton of Princeville; Mrs. F. Graves of Abingdon; Misses Stella Beall of Princeville, Florence Rice of Galva; Theo Milligan of Biggsville, Minnie Peck of Colchester; Wanda Norval of Abingdon; Ruth Clifford of Lewiston; Lois Nichols of Elmwood and Messers Harold Greene of Spear and Don Thomson of Aledo. Troxel-Annegers Wedding-Mr. John Annegers of Lang, Sask.,Canada, was married to Miss Edna Troxel of Burlington, Ia. on Wednesday at high noon.
The bride is one of Burlington's talented vocalists, having studied under efficient masters in Chicago and furthered her musical education in Winona, Minn. She has also been a successful teacher of music in the schools of nearby towns. The bridegroom comes from the Stronghurst, Ill. neighborhood but lately has been occupied in agricultural pursuits at Lang, Saskatchewan, Canada, where he is engaged in wheat raising. The young couple left from a trip to California before going to Canada to live.
LETTER FROM J.E.HARDIN: Antioch, Neb.-This being Christmas day and all hands have a day off from duty, I thought that I would let my friends know what is being accomplished in western Nebraska. I am working for the Alliance Potash Co. which is located at Antioch on the main line of the Burlington R.R. The company is composed of business men from Alliance and two ranch owners. D.E.Wynn Jones of Lincoln, Neb., is the superintendent and constructing engineer.
Here's what we've accomplished since Sept.15th when we came here: The plant site looked like a weed patch with the exception of a place where they were piling lumber in large piles; it reminded one of a huge lumber yard. There have been 38 cars of lumber and 300,000 brick and other materials used in the construction.
A large bunk house for the men which is 36 ft. by 110 ft. and two stories high with rooms 11 x 12 feet furnishes housing two men per room with each having a bed. An office on the first floor and a large wash room is provided for the comfort of the men. A large dining room accommodating 104 men at one time with a kitchen, pantry and store room has a second story where men with their wives are housed. A large office building with rooms above for the office help is nearby. All are plastered and erected in the best of manner and are piped for steam heat and plumbing.
The main factory building is 220 feet long and 82 feet wide, the main walls are of brick, 38 feet high; the walls are all up and the carpenters have about 1/3 of the roof completed. They are getting ready to set the machinery and boilers.
They have run large pipe lines to the different lakes, some of which are 17 miles from the plant. They pump water from the wells in the lakes to the plant where they reduce it down to the solid mass of potash. They have also built a large garage to house the cars and have started to build 40 houses for the employees of which three are plastered and ready for the wood finish. They build the houses for the men and charge them a rent equal to the interest on the investment and there is some talk of giving back the rent paid if a man will stay for a year.
Our superintendent is a man who believes in having good wages and expects returns from the men. We get the very best there is to eat and our board and room costs $1.00 per day. On Thanksgiving day he gave a dinner that any man would be proud to sit down to and we are to have a 6 o'clock dinner tonight (Christmas) that will far excel that one. Mrs. Jones looks after the kitchen, dining room and sleeping apartments and the rooms are kept clean and just like you would at home; everything is run respectful both inside and out. I am only telling this to show what can be accomplished with kind treatment and it makes me feel like doing a day's work every day. Mrs. Harden, Ruth and myself have good positions and are contented and pleased with our work.-J.E.Harden (Mr. Harden is encouraging folks back home to go West.)
COUNCIL OF DEFENSE: A county branch of the State Council of Defense was organized under the direction of Mrs. Clements of Chicago. A.L.Beall of Media was selected as chairman and A.F. Fawley of Oquawka as secretary. The executive committee will be composed of the following persons: Raritan, A.A.Worthington; Media, J.F. Meloan; Biggsville, Rev. A.C.Douglass; Rozetta, J.G.Thompson; Bald Bluff, Adam Watson; Terre Haute, Rev. Wade Smith; Stronghurst, C.R.A.Marshall; Gladstone, D.S.Bryans; Oquawka, Ray Brooking; Lomax, Fred Rehling; Carman, A.C.Babcook. The neighborhood committee for Stronghurst Township will consist of C.R.A.Marshall, C.E.Peasley, A.H. Kershaw, W.C.Dobbin and B.G.Widney. A public meeting will be held in Gladstone at which time prominent speakers will explain the nature of the work.
1893 GRAPHIC: The G.W. Halmer Co. held forth in the opera house and in a drawing at the closing of the performance Lorn Abbey of Biggsville won a pony and Chas. Lukens of Olena won a town lot in the west part of Stronghurst. James Wray and Miss Ella Shaw of Media were married on Dec.28th.
Frank Silsbee succeeded Peter Groom as night operator at the local railroad station. J.S.Warner sold his stock of groceries and shoes in Stronghurst to H.F.Turner of Canton, Ill.
New Year's day 1893 brought one of the saddest tragedies in the history of Stronghurst and saw the passing of three of the prominent citizens of the village. Joseph Dixson, the founder of the village and widely known farmer and stockman, and his foreman, Joseph Moore, met death in a railroad crossing accident at the east edge of the village. Mr. Moore being instantly killed and Mr. Dixson lingering until the following morning. Mr. William Cooksey, a well known business man, also passed away New Year's night.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: "Cotton"Hurd was home from Camp Dodge. Mrs. A.L. Negley has barred rock cockerels for sale. Dr. J.R. Goodwin, a former well known physician of Raritan, was killed in Virginia on Christmas day last week. Irvin Milliken, the 17 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Milliken of east country, was operated on for appendicitis at the Monmouth Hospital; he is reported as recovering nicely. Ki Walker went to Galesburg to undergo a minor surgical operation the result of an imperfect healing of the wound when he had an operation for appendicitis a year ago.
Earl Negley, who was below the draft age, has enlisted for the Navy. He passed an examination in Burlington and was sent to Des Moines and hopes to be assigned to the training class at Norfolk, Va. The coal situation in the village became quite acute again last week, but with the arrival of a car of coal and two more the famine ended for the time being.
M.L. Evans, Jr. has offered his services for the defense of the nation and will report at the third officers training camp at Rockford. Mr. Evans has had several years training in a military school and his friends expect him to secure a commission as second lieutenant after his course of training at Camp Grant. His brother, Volney Evans, has come from his home in Iowa to take charge of the family's farming interests in this locality.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Miss Ora Kemp and brother Robert returned to their home in West Branch after a visit with relatives. Mr. Carl Marsden, who left here 7 years ago with his parents, R.B.Marsden and wife for South Dakota, is training in Chicago. He was visiting his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wisbey; everyone was glad to see him and he was kept busy shaking hands.
Mr. George Marsden and family of Carman, Mr. Claude Vaughn and family of Lomax, and Mr. James Mathers and family of Stronghurst spent Christmas day with their brother, Will Gibb and family near Biggsville.
Several of the young folks attended a watch party at Dallas City. Mr. Sam Howell is the new clerk at the A.C.Babcook store while Mr. Babcook and son and daughter are visiting his brother Chet Babcook of Glasylow(Is this a misprint meaning Gladstone?) Mr. John Dowell of Lomax, Mrs. Clara Gittings of Lomax, Mrs. Mary Siens of Carman and Miss Beulah Leinbach of Stronghurst were initiated into the order of the Royal Neighbors.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Mr. Lou Wilson and Mr. Cecil Sutton were sufferers with the LaGrippe and Mrs. Dan Campbell has pink eye this past week. Work has commenced at the seed house again; a number of men have been employed taking down the corn and shelling and grading it. Mr. Lewis gave the cobs at the seed house to the Red Cross Society and they are selling them and letting the money go for the benefit of the society.
The managers of the seed house and the men who picked corn out at Mr. Ed Bigger's last fall were entertained at the hospitable Bigger home; the affair was an oyster supper and watch party. Last week in Fort Madison occurred the marriage of Mr. Fred Gibb of this place and Miss Grace Bryant of Smithshire and Miss Nellie Gibb and Fred Palmer.