Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
At 6 p.m. on March 25, 1904, the Epworth League of the Methodist Church sponsored a supper at the Opera House for 25 cents. Over 100 plates were laid. After the meal, R.P. Allison acted as the emcee for a musical program (numbers by the League choir, and solos by Miss Lou Arnold and Mrs. R.R. Woodward), and a debate between teams from Sheyenne, who took the Affirmative, and New Rockford (Charles A. Babcock, Mrs. B.W. Rantz, James A. Manly), who had the Negative on the question, “Resolved, That Wealth Is A Detriment to Success.” Because of inclement weather the day before and bad roads, only two of the Sheyenne team—Nels K. Mattson and A.E. Webb—were able to make it to the event. The judges (Mrs. W.O. Baird, James E. Hyde, A.C. Olsen) voted 2-1 in favor of the Affirmative. That evening, there was a program at the Clark School near Tiffany to close the winter term; Nora Rager, the teacher, was presented with “a solid gold set ring and a gold mounted ink stand.”
At 1 p.m. on March 26, a meeting for farmers interested in a Farmers’ Elevator was held in the C.J. Maddux law offices. Around 40 farmers attended and it was decided to go ahead with securing shareholders in the venture. A special train came through New Rockford on a tour of inspection. Aboard were Northern Pacific president Elliott, 2nd vice president Hannaford, general manager Cooper, and his just-appointed successor Mr. Horn, Tax Commissioner Fernald, Superintendent of Motive Power A.E. Mitchell, and geologist Storrs. Harry Saunders came down from Oberon to visit his sister Olive Saunders. Mrs. Larkin, the mother of the Larkin boys, and her daughter-in-law Mrs. Robert Larkin, left for Velva, where they were going to spend some time. Dr. G.D. Murphy purchased a driving team from Ed Cramer.
On the morning of Sunday, March 27, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Gus Lauch.
On March 28, J.H. Lake sold his stock and farm machinery at an auction sale on the Valentine Fertig farm. Frank Reed returned from a winter in Illinois. Charles Thomas, the lineman for the long distance telephone company, was in town transferring the “long distance booth” from Babcock and Bucklin’s drug store to the local telephone office. John Noxon of the local Noxon and Oglesby telephone company arrived from Valley City to look after the local system. During the week, he installed new transmitters and receivers in the business places, so by week’s end, almost all the businesses were connected to the long distance line. The residences would be connected later. Noxon returned to Valley City on April 1. Nora Rager opened the spring school term as the Tiffany school teacher. Contractor H.W. Clark left on a business trip for Minneapolis. That evening, Rev. E.W. Burleson came up from Jamestown to conduct Episcopal services in the Baptist Church. Also that evening, Father Gallahue arrived on the delayed express from Esmond, where he had been snowbound since March 24; J.W. Perry was on the same train and spent a few days in New Rockford transacting business. Rev. C.F. Sewrey became a 3rd Degree Mason at the Century Lodge meeting that evening.
That evening, several business and professional men met in the Swanson Bros. store and took the first steps toward organizing a YMCA in town. Officers elected were S.N. Putnam, president; G.W. Streeter, vice president; Sam Swanson, secretary; M.F. Kepner, treasurer; board of directors: James A. Manly, H. Arveskaug, and Sam Swanson. A committee appointed to draw up by-laws and rules was composed of M.F. Kepner, G.W. Streeter, and C.J. Stickney.
On March 28, the Bank of New Rockford, Ernest S. Severtson, cashier, had resources (assets) of $118,192.26, up $12,271.95 from the $105,920.31 of January 22. Checking accounts amounted to $44,119.40, up $2697.51 from the $41,421.89 of January 22.
[The statement of the First National Bank of New Rockford, James E. Hyde, cashier, was illegible, but on January 28 it had resources (assets) of $63,046.77, and checking accounts of $12,245.60.]
On March 29, Sadie Trainor came over from Fessenden to visit her sisters. Col. Seth Bailey came in on business from the Columbia district. Mrs. Walter Priest went to Sheyenne to visit; she returned the next day. Ruth Reutenik took the train to Esmond to visit her brother Charles for a few days. That afternoon, the ladies took over the bowling alley again and turned in some good scores.
On March 30, Charles Erickson was in on business from northwest of New Rockford. F.F. Crepps came in for some machinery repairs and spring supplies. J.W. Young came in from the Tiffany Flats on business; he was sporting a large “mutton chop” beard. G.W. McDonell, millman at the New Rockford Roller Mills, Kellington and McDonell, went to Valley City to see his family.
On March 31, E. Delafield Smith came up from Carrington on business. P.J. Shanahan returned from a winter in Wisconsin. J.D. Carroll was in from Washington Lake on business and to visit. S.N. Putnam went to Fargo and A.R. Johns to Minnewaukan, both on business. Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Hoffman and family took the train for their new home near Stanley, N.D. That evening, after twenty years of barbering, D.Y. Stanton retired; Granville Egbert and Judson Gilbreath took possession of the shop which was owned by the New Rockford Co-Operative Improvement Co. [one source said they purchased it];
On March 31 and April 1, John and Fred Topp were over from the McHenry country on business.
The April 1, 1904, “Transcript” carried an ad for tailor-made spring and summer shirts sold by J.F. Gregory. Tailor Arne Pederson, in the old court house, also had had a full line of spring and summer “suitings” for sale. Mrs. E.A. Gammel had ladies’ tailor-made suits, skirts, and other wearing apparel for sale. A.H. Wilson had a self-feed hard coal burner with an oven attachment and a refrigerator for sale.
An ad: New Rockford Machine Shop, Olof Lundquist, prop. Steam and gasoline engines repaired; bicycles cleaned and repaired; lathe work; steam or hot water heating plants.
Early in the week the snow was so plentiful and so “just right’ for snowballs, that a number of “little boys” and “kids” [young men and businessmen] could not contain their desire to have snowball fights and to pelt gentlemen walking down the street; a few windows were broken, but the fun made up for the damage.
In School Notes, Charles Maddux was absent because of rheumatism. Paul Baeder had left school and was engaged in manual labor. During the week, Sarah Trainor was visiting friends and former pupils. On the morning of March 31, Mrs. Muir and Miss Bisbee, an assistant professor of chemistry at UND, visited the high school.
The previous week, A.H. Wilson, former manager of the Powers Lumberyard, returned from the Pacific Coast with the news he had purchased a ten-acre tract of land adjoining the townsite of Medford, Ore., and would be settling his business affairs and moving his family to their new home by April 15.