History of New Rockford: June 1, 2020

The April 10, 1903, “Transcript” had an article on the local telephone situation. Noxon & Oglesby had around 100 telephones in New Rockford, plus two well-built and durable lines running into the country which were sufficient for the amount of business they carried.

However, because they were not heavy insulated cable wire with cast iron poles, they couldn’t be hooked into a long-distance line to New York City or any major community. Neither the area farmers nor the residents of New Rockford had sufficient capital or the interest to build the more expensive lines to tie into the Northwestern lines. So far, the biggest problem with the local lines was the fact that one subscriber had been listening in on other people’s conversations.

That issue mentioned a lack of workers available for the spring farm work.

There was a Card of Thanks from John H. Schaefer, LeRoy V. Schaefer, and Earl C. Schaefer thanking their neighbors for helping during the sickness and death of their wife and mother.

A notice said that during the winter someone had borrowed E.M. Stitzel’s Orchard City wagon from his machine shed west of the creamery. He would like it returned since he needed it.

William Wilson’s black Gordon setter was gone again; it had a spike collar. “Please return to the Hotel Davies.”

An ad – C.W. Jarvis, furrier, next to the East Side Livery Stable – tailoring, cleaning, pressing and repairing fur coats, robes and ladies’ fur; can tan light skins for furs or leather.

M.S. Jacobson & Company was selling a carload of northern Minnesota horses at the Hotel Davies stables; Jacobson left town on April 18 with his money and a promise to return with more horses.

Gust Larson had been attempting to procure patrons for a cream route from Twist Post Office northwest of town to the New Rockford Creamery.

H.F. Rodenberg was planning on having a two-story, 26x30 house built on Stimson Avenue West, just east of the H.G. Hudson residence.

George Randolph was very ill with pneumonia in eastern Eddy County. G.J. Schwoebel’s health had improved, and he would soon return to New Rockford.

P.J. Hester was in town, looking after his land interests after a winter in San Jose, Calif., and Portland, Ore. Charles Goss of California was visiting his brother John F. Goss and family. Mrs. Lou Smith had gone to the Twin Cities for a few weeks. During the week grain buyer F.G. Haver was in town. For a few days E.S. Severtson was in the Twin Cities on business, so Sheyenne bank cashier S.G. Severtson filled in for him at the Bank of New Rockford.

At 8 a.m. April 10, A.A. Morse appeared on the streets of New Rockford on business from his farm thirty miles east of town. Photographer Mrs. W.B. Cole returned from Minneapolis.

On April 11, H.G. Hudson had in stock for Easter: carnations, American Beauty Roses and Easter Lilies. A.J. Richter, “the Plainview dairy man,” was in New Rockford. Miss Harriet Turner returned from Fargo. Miss Nora O’Connell came in from Minneapolis to visit her parents Mr. and Mrs. John O’Connell west of town; she returned on April 27. Louis Chaquette was in on business; he told the “Transcript” he had developed kidney trouble on March 1, was confined to his bed for several weeks, but had improved.

On the morning of Easter Sunday, April 12, Dr. G.D. Murphy went to Melville to assist Carrington doctor Edwin Guss with a difficult, but successful, operation.

On the morning of Easter Sunday, Father McDonald said Mass in the courtroom; he had just returned from southern California and was feeling much better. There were special Easter Services in the Methodist Church with a sermon on the “Resurrection of Christ.” In the evening there was a Layman’s Service with James E. Hyde and R.F. Rinker as speakers and special music attended by a large congregation. At 3 p.m., H.O. Hagen, Sunday School Missionary for North Dakota, spoke in the Baptist Church; in the evening he spoke in Sheyenne. There was a large congregation for the Easter Service in the Congregational Church that evening. Major F.O. Getchell was down from Ft. Totten.

On April 13, Martin Walsh was in town. Mrs. D.A. Larkin returned to her Velva home after spending the winter with her sons in New Rockford. That evening there was an Easter Ball in the Opera House. Thomas and Katie Turner, Dr. Charles McNamara, and bank cashier A.E. Swanson, all of Barlow, attended, as did Mr. and Mrs. George Crossen. Sheyenne druggist Charles O’Connell and elevator man A.H. Johnson accompanied Misses Jet and Floy Richter of Sheyenne to the Easter Ball. The Ball was considered “a most successful event” with around 40 couples.

On April 13 and 14, barber Judson Galbraith was in McHenry visiting. Hardware man H. Arveskaug was in Brinsmade on business. Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Carroll were in from Washington Lake to visit.

On April 14, Matt Kelly was up from west of Barlow on business. Dr. William Bartley came down from Sheyenne on a professional visit. George J. Schwoebel returned from Wisconsin and the Twin Cities much improved in health. Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Brown left for their home in Cooperstown. That evening a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Horace M. Clark.

On April 14 and 15, J.D. Carroll was in from Washington Lake and attorney J.A. Manly was in Carrington on business. On April 14 to 16, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Fay were in from eastern Eddy County.

On April 15 Barlow merchant Thomas Turner, his wife Katie, and their family were in town, then went to Washington Lake to visit Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Carroll. Hugo Brueske stopped off on a trip from Spokane to see his brother William A. Brueske, the manager of the local telephone exchange. Dick Bohmbach from northwest of town and J.G. Dailey came in on business. Herb Losee came in from Tiffany for spring supplies. W.L. Bennett, cashier of the First National Bank of Carrington, was up on business. Mrs. Pat O’Connor was in shopping. J.W. Lahart and F.C. Davies went to McHenry on business; James Walsh went there to visit. Sgt. T.P. Morris went to Minnewaukan to visit his son, barber John T. Morris.

On April 16, rain halted plowing and seeding near Tiffany. H.G. Hudson began using his new soda fountain; new furniture was on the way for “fitting up” his ice cream parlor. Bauer & Larkin began hauling rock for the new grist mill. Contractor R.A. Wenzin was building a 16x28 addition to his house on the outskirts of New Rockford on Villard Ave. West. Andrew Prader returned to “his western home” [on the West Coast] after visiting in New Rockford two weeks.

On the evening of April 16, Dr. and Mrs. Charles MacLachlan entertained some friends at a duplicate whist party in their Stimson Avenue West residence in honor of the birthdays of Mrs. James MacLachlan and the doctor’s wife. “Elegant refreshments were served.”