History of New Rockford: November 14, 2022

 On July 4, 1905, the 7-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Welsh took a .22 rifle from his home on the Sheyenne River and went out to shoot gophers, against the wishes of his mother. While he was either looking down the barrel or blowing into it, the rifle discharged and the bullet knocked out a couple teeth and lodged in his cheekbone, just below the eye. Dr. Bartley was called, fixed up the wound, but left the bullet in the cheekbone, and went back to Sheyenne. The boy was conscious, but unable to speak. Even though he “was very low,” hopes were high that he would recover. On July 14, it was reported that he was “getting along nicely.” Mr. and Mrs. Will Wilson came up from Jamestown to visit friends and relatives. Eddie Wilson came up from Jamestown to spend a few days with relatives. Frank Reed went to Fargo for more treatment for his lung trouble; he returned on July 12, feeling much better.

 There was a Fourth of July celebration at Peoples’ Grove on the Sheyenne River with horse races, foot races, a sack race, a potato race, a greased pole, baseball, and a Grand Ball in the evening. Another celebration took place on the Mr. and Mrs. John Lies farm in eastern Wells County with a baseball game in which the single men defeated the married men 11-7; a horse race (1st, Jacob Allmaras’ horse; 2nd, Matt Lies’s horse; 3rd, Fred Allmaras’ horse); a 100-yard dash (1st, Frank Dusek; 2nd, Bernhard Strifel; 3rd, Frank Hartl); and a Grand Ball in the evening. Much of the food was cooked by Mrs. Lies. That evening there were dances at the Opera House with music by the New Rockford Orchestra and in Hulbert’s Grove. There were also picnics in the W.C. Schwoebel Grove and the George Treffry Grove. In town, there were get-togethers at the Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Dresser and the Mr. and Mrs. E. Starks homes, both with music, recitations, speeches, and fireworks.

 On July 5, George Pincott returned from Wyoming with two carloads of fine draft horses, which were taken to his farm on the Sheyenne River. Mrs. Edyth Hall arrived to visit her brother James Tetro or Tatro?; she left on July 12. Editor C.C. Manning was down from Sheyenne; his right hand was in a sling due to “a playful firecracker.” Postmaster D.D. Dailey and Joseph Dutee were in from Morris to get more poles for the telephone line being constructed to connect eastern Eddy County with New Rockford. James Graham came in from eastern Eddy County on business and to visit. Joe Dutee, Sr., was in town. Rev. E.E. Saunders, editor of the “Oberon Reporter,” was in town visiting friends. At 8 p.m., Rev. E.W. Burleson conducted Episcopal services at the Methodist Church.

 On July 5 and 6, John Seckinger was in on business from eastern Eddy County.

 On July 6, there was a heavy shower of rain and a little hail, but no damage. Patrick Boyle was over from the McHenry country on business. Miss Olive Couch, teacher in the Columbia School District that summer, took a few days off to go to the Chautauqua.

 On that day in Portland, Ore., New Rockford attorney Robert F. Rinker and Lydia Messerschmidt of California were married. [The bride had been the principal of the New Rockford Schools from September 15, 1902-May 29, 1903.]

 The July 7, 1905, “Transcript” quoted the June 27 “Portland Oregonian” about two Portland sisters, 20 and 30 years old, who had been caught in the undertow off a local beach and were in grave danger of drowning, but were rescued by two young men from New Rockford, John P. Von Almen and Walter J. Smith.

 C.J. Maddux was selling his hay crop from the southwest quarter, section 20 and the northeast quarter, section 29, T150, R65 [Bush].

 F.C. Davies and crew had finished the cement sidewalks from Lamborn Ave., south along Chicago Street to the corner and then resuming the sidewalk from the southside of Villard Ave. in front of H. Peoples’ farm machinery office as far south as the front of Mrs. Ohrner’s residence.

 Dennis O’Keefe had received a well-drilling machine that could drill 1800 feet down.

 During the week, hardware merchant H. Arveskaug and barber W.A. Mendenhall were at the Chautauqua. Mrs. Henry Miller of Sheyenne and her mother Mrs. Gallup of Wisconsin visited Miss Vannie Hall at her Stimson Ave. East home. Miss Vera Keime, the night clerk at the telephone office, was at the Chautauqua. Norman Treffry was ill and confined to his bed.

 The previous week, Dan Dailey was in McHenry.

 On July 7, a special train loaded with N.D. National Guardsmen passed through New Rockford, stopped at Oberon, and the men then marched overland to the annual encampment on the shores of Devils Lake. E.S. Severtson returned from a meeting of the North Dakota Bankers’ Association in Grand Forks. Earl Starks and his mother left on a journey to find some relief from his inflammatory rheumatism that had kept him in bed for a week. Perry Stanton came in from Bismarck to visit his parents.

 On July 8, A.J. Ford, his father, and his daughter returned from the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland. Mrs. O.E. Couch and Miss Florence departed for a visit with relatives and friends in Bismarck. At 1 p.m., the annual election of the nine members of the Farmers’ Elevator Board of Directors, S.N. Putnam, secretary, was held in the court house.

 On Sunday, July 9, William Jennings Bryan appeared at the Chautauqua; the “Transcript” reported that New Rockford was “pretty well depopulated” due to the number of people who went up to hear the orator/politician and that the total of Eddy County people there was 500. At 3 p.m., Rev. S.F. Beer preached at the Sheldon School. At 3 p.m., Prof. L.J. Aldrich preached in the Sheyenne Baptist Church and in the New Rockford Baptist Church at 8 p.m.

 On July 10, Mr. and Mrs. H.W. Wilson and family, Dr. and Mrs. G.D. Murphy, Mrs. W.O. Baird, and Miss Vera Keime returned from the Chautauqua; Dr. Murphy took immediately to his bed with a case of blood poisoning caused by poison ivy. The Tomlinson family went to the Chautauqua. Barlow businessmen Fred Hanson and O.B. Tausen were up on business.

 From July 10 to July 12, the Agricultural College Excursion to and from Fargo took place; over 50 Eddy County residents, including eight women, were on the trip. From July 10 to July 13, Garrett VanHorn and his son from Ellendale visited his niece Mrs. R.R. Woodward and family.

 On July 11, J.W. and Alice Rager returned from the Chautauqua. Mr. and Mrs. Barney Engberg were in shopping. Frank Lytle returned from a visit with his brother at Glenburn.

 On July 12, Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Hudson and Mrs. A.R. Johns returned from the Chautauqua; Harry Ford had filled in at Hudson’s fruit and confectionary. John Von Almen returned from his Portland, Ore., visit via Elizabeth, Minn.