Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

History of New Rockford: Oct. 18, 2021

On the evening of June 30, 1904, Mr. and Mrs. A.H. Johnson came down from Sheyenne. That evening a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Peter Dodds.

On June 30 and July 1 and 2, the eyesight specialist F.W. Soule was at Babcock and Bucklin’s Drug Store.

The July 1, 1904, “Transcript” mentioned the “Pierce County Tribune” and the “Emmons County Record.”

The Reed-Bennett Company of Minneapolis was offering a five dollar reward for the address of former New Rockford jeweler [Jan. 1898-Jan. 1904] F. Howard.

Early in the week in baseball it was the “Junior Nine” 8; the “Has-Beens” 4.

During the week, Albert West was ill with pneumonia, but was feeling better. During the week some men were plowing and repacking the grounds at the race track and the ball park in anticipation of the Fourth of July festivities.

On July 1, Mr. and Mrs. H.J. Mitchell, Minnie Syftestad, and Stella Pike went to the Chautauqua; they returned on July 21. John Debildt was in on business. State’s Attorney James A. Manly left to attend the National Democratic Convention and the World’s Fair in St. Louis; Mrs. Manly accompanied him as far as Madison, Wisconsin, where she would visit relatives until his return. Mr. and Mrs. Axtle Johnson left for the World’s Fair; he also went to the Democratic Convention. He came back on July 12 and she returned July 13, after a one-day stopover in Fargo. Mr. and Mrs. A.N. Hegvold left for Red Wing, Minnesota, where he would work for a lumber firm. Laura Reames, “Central” operator at the local telephone service, resigned and went to Carrington for a visit until July 9; Sarah West replaced her. A dance in Barlow that evening saw many of New Rockford’s young people in attendance. Mrs. William Bucklin went to Barlow to visit Mrs. A.C. Buck.

On July 2, the telephone line running southwest of town was connected with the “Central” office in New Rockford; three rural lines were now connected. Mrs. Maude Haver and Nettie Jensen went to Jamestown during carnival week; Mrs. Haver returned on July 6 and Nettie Jensen on July 8. Elsie N. Keime returned from Leal, N.D., where she had taught school since October; she was going to teach a kindergarten class in New Rockford during the summer, beginning July 13. Hardware man H. Arveskaug went to the Chautauqua; he returned on July 6. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Dinnetz also went to the Chautauqua. Lyla Yegen, clerk at the Drayton post office, went to Jamestown to visit friends; she returned on July 7.

From July 2 to 4, Ruth Reutenik was in Jamestown on a professional [nursing] visit. From July 2 to 6, Walter McDonell was in Valley City visiting his family.

The North Dakota Chautauqua on Devils Lake ran from July 2 to July 24. O.B. Stedman would run a “bus line” from Sheyenne to Ft. Totten during the Chautauqua, with a connection to the steamer “Minnie H.” to get to the Chautauqua grounds. Tickets were $1.50 roundtrip.

The topic of the sermon at the Methodist Church on the evening of Sunday, July 3, was “The Theatre.”

From July 3 to 5, Donnybrook businessmen Fred and Floyd White were visiting in town.

At 11 a.m., July 4, Elmer Dinnetz and Mrs. Eleanor Stealey were married two miles east of Flora, N.D.

On July 4, there was a Fourth of July picnic at New Rockford; the stores were open only until 9 a.m. It was a beautiful day. At 9:30, an almost mile-long parade with Uncle Sam in the lead and a “darkey quartette” riding in a Red River cart, started the festivities. The ladies of the Degree of Honor marched in costumes of all kinds from Lady Liberty to Carrie Nation; they kept the onlookers laughing, giggling, and “beaming with pleasure.” The parade, “chock full of novelties,” ended at the park, where master of ceremonies G.W. Brownell called out the races that would occur on Chicago Street in front of the park, beginning at 11 a.m.: 100-yard dash, prize, a pipe from Babcock and Bucklin; 50-yard Fat Man’s race (over 200 lbs.), prize, box of cigars by H.J. Radtke (Major and Mrs. F.O. Getchell came down from Sheyenne for the day; the Major entered the race, but suffered a leg sprain, and could not finish); 50-yard dash for girls under 14, prize, pair of slippers by John Wenz; 50-yard dash for women, 1st prize, fancy cake and $1 worth of bread tickets by James Hamilton; 2nd prize, broom and dust pan by Thos. Ose and Co.; 50-yard sack race, prize, umbrella by Peter Prader. At 2 p.m., races started at the horse track: Free-for-all Trot, best two of three half-mile heats, 1st prize, $6 (won by Dr. MacLachlan’s Belle in two heats); 2nd prize, $4, went to H.B. Johnson’s Highland Prince; Miller’s Prairie Hawk took third; Free-for-all Running Race (11 entries), best two of three half-mile heats, 1st prize, $5, Ernie Ohrner won in two heats); 2nd prize, whip by J.W. Rager, was won by Jacob Allmaras’ gray filly; Green Trotting Race, best two of three half-mile heats, 1st prize, $5 (Joseph Maxwell’s horse won in two heats); 2nd prize, robe by A.J. Clure, went to Mr. Swanson; Pony Race, best two of three half-mile heats, 1st prize, $3; 2nd prize, $2; Donkey Race, 80 rods, one heat, 1st prize, $1.50; 2nd prize, $1; 3rd prize, 50 cents; 4th prize, 25 cents. Cooling, Woodward, and Brownell were the judges, and Grandy was the starter.

The purse for the baseball game was ten dollars. Score: Has-Beens, 4; Junior Nine, 0, in 7 innings. There was over an hour of fireworks in the evening, followed by a dance hosted by the ladies of the Degree of Honor in the Opera House (during the afternoon there was also dancing in their Lodge rooms). A large crowd enjoyed the dance.

Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Buck came up from Barlow for the picnic. Attorney and Mrs. F.B. Lambert and their family of Wahpeton spent the day with Dr. and Mrs. Charles MacLachlan; the women were sisters. H. Peoples returned from the World’s Fair and from the Republican National Convention in Chicago, where he was a delegate, that nominated Theodore Roosevelt for the presidency. Dora Yegen was in Jamestown. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Campbell went to Jamestown for a short visit. Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Prader, Jr., went to Jamestown to visit and to go to the carnival. There was another picnic in Hulbert’s Grove with sports, meals, refreshments, and a big dance in the evening. George F. Fahrer, J.E. Hyde, and J.E. Cady spent the Fourth at a celebration in Fessenden.

From July 4 to 6, James Hackney was in Jamestown for the Fourth and to attend a meeting of the Asylum Board.

On July 5, Mrs. William Starke went to visit friends and relatives in S.D. Dr. and Mrs. F.D. Norton left for a visit of five to six weeks at their childhood home near Lake Chautauqua, N.Y.; they returned on Sept. 10.