The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1918
Stronghurst Graphic, March 14, 1918
MEAT MARKET BURNS: Stronghurst's third disastrous fire within the space of about four months destroyed the Tucker meat market and bakery early Tuesday morning and for a time seriously threatened the entire block were it was located.
This block contains the Harter drugstore and residence, the post office, the Red Cross and Woman's Community Club rooms, the Stronghurst Club rooms and several private apartment rooms. All except the Harter drugstore and residence are comprised in a solidly built, two-storey structure; the meat market being located in the north end of it.
The fire was first discovered by Chas. Kirby, who roomed over the bakery in the rear of the meat market. He awakened shortly before 1:00 a.m. to find his room filled with smoke. He dressed quickly and went to the Tucker house a short distance away and roused Mr. Tucker.
They returned to the meat market and found that a fierce fire was raging in the bakery and in the basement beneath. An alarm was turned in and the clanging fire bell soon brought people by the scores.
Considerable time was lost by the firemen in getting water on the blaze owing to the fact that the wrong sized hose was first unreeled and that the proper hydrant connections could not be located for some time. During the 10 or 15 minutes lost, the fire gained such headway as to preclude saving the meat market and bakery.
The deluge of water which was poured on the flames assisted by the brick walls of the structure prevented the fire in the lower part of the building from eating into the adjoining Red Cross room. The Stronghurst Club rooms over the Red Cross were reached, however, by the flames and the interior of same together with the furniture and equipment were practically destroyed. The roof was partially burned too. T
he post office building and the Harter store and residence were untouched but nearly all of the equipment and furniture in both building as well as the Red Cross equipment were carried out into the street by the large crowd of willing workers.
The meat market building was owned by L.M. Loomis of Dallas City. The front of the building was not damaged but the remaining walls and interior were affected to such an extent as to constitute a total loss amounting to probably $2,500. Mr. Tucker's stock and fixtures were all
destroyed and his loss will probably run about $2,500. About 50 sacks of flour, several hundred pounds of meat, a considerable stock of shelf groceries and bakery goods are included in the loss.
The adjoining building is owned by Mr. C.H.Davis and his loss will probably run about $1,000 while that of the Stronghurst Club will be $200-300. The rest of the block is owned by Dr. Harter and the loss on it is slight.
Chas. Kirby, Will Ogden and Pete Johnson, all of whom occupied rooms on the second floor of the Loomis building, lost practically all of the furnishings with a total value of about $300 or more.
The fire at one time threatened to become the most serious one the village has ever had and that it did not was due to the splendid water system.
ROAD CASE: The Foote road case in which the road commissioners of Media Township sought to change the road running east and west, south of O. J. Sanderson farm, to run west from the Irons corner through the Foote farm a half mile south of the old road was tried in circuit court with a verdict of $2,560 awarded to Mr. George Foote of Chillicothe, owner. It had previously been tried in the justice court in Media and Mr. Foote was awarded $1,934.
Not being satisfied, he appealed to the circuit court and the hearing was before Judge Waggoner at Oquawka. The jury was sent down to observe the situation before reaching a verdict.
LIVESTOCK SALES MAKE COUNTY FAMOUS: The fame of Henderson County as a center for growing fine stock is extending beyond the international boundary. Last winter a gentleman came down from Saskatchewan, Canada, and bought some Percheron brood mares from D. Wasson here and must have been well pleased with his purchase, for he had the opportunity to sell one of them for almost as much as he paid for three head within a few days after reaching home.
Mr. Charles Gribble of Cayley, Alberta, Canada, a towns situated 50 miles south of Calgary, negotiated with H.N Vaughn for a part of his herd of Polled Hereford cattle. A deal was closed for 23 head including 10 cows, 6 yearling heifers, 5 calves and 2 bulls. One of the bulls was Anxiety Sixth, half brother to Anxiety's Best, a bull which sold at a recent sale here for $3,500. This purchase increases Mr. Gribble's herd of registered Polled Herefords to 70 head. Mr. Grabble has a farm of 1,000 acres and a herd of 500 grade cattle. The lot was shipped from here and Frank Murphy was employed to go with them.
HEAVENS ALIGHT: The Auroral display last Thursday night was on a scale of grandeur and magnificence such as it is seldom seen more than once in a lifetime. About 9:30 p.m the heavens seemed to be literally on fire, huge crimson streaks shooting up from the horizon at the north and east and culminating at the zenith in the ominous looking crimson colored cloud.
A curious phenomenon noticed by many in the earlier part of the evening was a broad ray of white light which shot up from the eastern horizon and which later divided into sections which floated about the sky, presenting the appearance of white clouds.
Old files of the Graphic indicated this same phenomenon was witnessed here in July 1893, almost 25 years ago. Some believed that the unusual manifestation at that time was in some way connected with the comet which was then visible.
OLENA OBSERVATIONS: Quite a gale blew through destroying outbuildings and playing havoc with hay and straw stacks. Neighbors and friends with well filled baskets swooped down on Mr. and Mrs. Clas Carlson to remind them of their 26th wedding anniversary Though greatly surprised, the worthy couple entered heartily into the merriment. A bountiful dinner was served and after many hours of social pleasure, the guests departed. Mrs. Oscar Marshall has been spending a few days with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Lant, before leaving for her new home near Middletown, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Irlin Lant of northern Iowa have been visiting in the area and have rented a farm about 9 miles west of Burlington. The Chalmer Perdue family of Biggsville are moving into property they purchased in Olena. Mr. and
Mrs. Earl Dye are rejoicing over a 10 lb. son. Mrs. Allen left for her new home, Flint, Michigan. The Harry Fox family moved to the farm vacated by Mr. Huston, who has bought a farm near Keithsburg, Ill. Mr. Lewis Dalton is moving back to his old home place. Mrs. Dalton and children are living on what is known as the Swank farm. Miss Julia Long married Mr. Howard H. Francis, formerly of Galesburg, Ill., but now stationed at Camp Dodge, Iowa.
***OBITUARY***LACY JANE COLLINS REYNOLDS: Lacy Jane Collins was born May 12, 1863 and passed away at her home in Olena March 5, 1918, aged 55 years, 9 months and 5 days. She married Mr. Jeff Reynold on Nov.22, 1877 and they have ten children, two of whom preceded her to their heavenly home. Those left to mourn are her husband and the following children: Mrs. Sylvia Burr of Stronghurst; Mrs. Mary Logerstadt of Rome, Ia.; Mrs. Orpha Hayes of Hartford, Conn.; Mrs. Rose Marshall; Mrs. Harold Watson, Osia, Curry and Goldie all of Olena. Mrs. Reynolds was ever a consistent member of the Olena M.E.Church. Funeral services were conducted and interment was in the Olena Cemetery.
1893 GRAPHIC: The stockholders of the recently organized Henderson County State Bank selected the following board: Nat Bruen, Hugh Allison, J.F.Peasley, Wm. Wilshire, E.B.Campbell, J.W.Brook, Adam Crist, P.D.Gibb, H.G.Annegers, John Carothers, I.F.Harter. The George Roberts family of Oquawka moved to Stronghurst. The committee from the grand jury sent out to investigate the condition of the county jail was obliged to use a boat to reach that institution from the public highway on the west, the county house being entirely surrounded by water. (Jail was at old county farm.) After much indications of the advent of spring, a fierce blizzard gripped the countryside on March 14th. The ice bridge across the Mississippi River at Burlington had gone out and Burlington merchants lamented the sudden cutting off of a lucrative Henderson County trade.
LEAVES TOWN HURRIEDLY: Quite a tempest was stirred over at Aledo when N.C.Nespital, government inspector of the new post office building now under construction, suddenly left town under rather unusual circumstances. Nespital had declined to sign a declaration of loyalty card and the stalwarts of Aledo demanded his removal from his official position. Nespital stated that he was being transferred to other work and that may have been true, but it was generally believed that his lack of devotion to the interests of his country had lost him his position.
NEXT LIBERTY LOAN: W.C.Ivins , who has been appointed chairman of the Henderson County Liberty Loan Campaign Committee, attended a meeting in Chicago of all the county chairmen of this federal reserve district composed of several states. He came back prepared to institute a campaign which it is hoped will remove the stigma which has rested on the county of being one of the slowest of all in coming to the aid of the government in the matter of buying bonds.
CURED IN PEORIA: Since returning from Peoria cured of his rheumatic troubles and generally rejuvenated, Tom Morgan has been speaking highly of a former Terre Haute boy under whose skillful treatment he was restored to health and happiness.
The medical man is Dr. David Kirby, who went to Peoria from this county a number of years ago as a lad and who by dint of application and perseverance has risen to a prominent place as a specialist in rheumatic and kindred diseases. Tom says that Dr. Kirby's office is daily thronged with visitors seeking treatment for various ailments and that hundreds of patients are constantly under his care. He maintains a bath house in the city in which Turkish steam, electric, sea salt and other baths are administered and which has an extensive and profitable patronage.
PRIMARY, A FARCE: The village primary furnished another illustration of the impractical nature of our primary election law as applied to cities and villages. The farcical nature of the affair was shown by one of the worst mixups.
Voters apparently paid no attention whatever to the regulations which are supposed to govern the matter of party affiliation and if they were guided by any consideration whatever in their choice of ballots called for, it was evidently based on an aesthetic taste in colors rather that on the requirements of the law. As a result two men received the nomination for village trustees on both the Citizens and Independent ballots and the rest of the vote was divided between 14 candidates on the two tickets.
Results: Citizens Party for trustee: W.R.Dobbin, 34; G.B.Lamphere, 31; G.C.Rehling, 20; Foster Lazear, 11; scattering 11. For clerk, E.R.Gilliland 10; and W.F.Johnson, 1.Independent Party for trustee: G.C.Rehling, 6, W.J.McKeown,4; W.R.Dobbin,3; G.B. Lamphere,4; scattering,12. For clerk, D.Prescott,1 and Elizie Gilliland,7.
Expert legal advice will probably be necessary to determine how the ballots to be made up from these returns for the ensuing election shall be printed.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Mrs. Nellie Ross Cornwell of Chicago is visiting friends while her husband is in South America. L.M.Loomis and son Arthur visited the village. Arthur and his wife spent the winter at Jacksonville, Fla. where he was a soldier at Camp Joseph E. Johnson; he will now be sent to Fort Sill, Okla., where he will have charge of a motor train with the 36th Division. Lloyd Rhykerd and Roland Davidson have received notice to report for duty at San Antonio, Texas. The "Overcomers" class of the U.P.Sabbath school presented the school with a handsome service flag which contains four stars. Mr. J.S.McMillan of Canton, Ill., arrived here to take charge of the Morris-Haas Poultry Co. succeeding Mr. Louis Alderson. Dee Headen has completed 30 years of service as pumper (a pumper pumped water for the steam engines) for the Santa Fe and in recognition of his faithfulness, he and Mrs. Headen have been given lifetime passes. After three more years Dee will reach retirement age and will then be placed on the pension list. Miss Ella McKeown returned from a winter's sojourn at the home of her brother at Canon City, Colo.
The County Farm Bureau has kindly consented to allow the Community Club to use their old quarters in the rooms next to the Morgan barber shop for a period of two weeks, pending the repairing of the damage to the rooms they have been occupying in the Davis Building. The library will be open at the old quarters next Saturday. Edna Salter has registered with Unit No.11 of Augustana Hospital, Chicago, but will do cantonment nursing until the Unit is called up which will probably be in two months.
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. Chester Gillis is absent from high school on account of the measles. Mr. Graham has moved his family here from Wever and will have employment at the Gus Rehling farm for the summer. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Morgan called his wife's parents, Commodore and Mrs. Evans of Olena. Prof. Earl Marsden has been appointed rural mail carrier out of Lomax; he has purchased a new Ford to drive on the route. Mr. John Huppert and family have moved to Burlington as he has sold his harness shop and property here to Mr. Will Altman of Minnesota. Mr. Huppert has been in business here for 25 years.