The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1916
Stronghurst Graphic, Sept. 21, 1916
GLOBE TROTTERS' TOUR A BIG SUCCESS: One of the most delightful and successful community affairs of a social nature ever planned and carried out in Stronghurst was the "Globe Trotters' Tour" given by the Woman's Community Club last Friday evening. The municipal waiting room had been fitted to represent a railway station with its ticket offices, baggage room, fruit and news stand, benches for travelers, etc. Round trip tickets of the regular coupon style calling for transportation to Japan, Holland, Ireland, Washington, D.C., and Dixie Land were sold at the ticket window at 35 cents each.
Beginning at 7:30 p.m. trains consisting of six of seven automobiles each, left the "International Station" at intervals of 15 minutes, the loading and dispatching of these trains being directed by several uniformed officials. The scene at the station at the time for starting of the first train resembled that sometimes presented at a union station in an important railway center. The building was literally jammed with people all anxious to purchase tickets for the tour. Mingling with the crowd were a couple of "immigrant women" with their usual complement of children, bundles, birdcages and milk bottles, making frantic efforts to keep their animate and inanimate possessions safely herded while an ebony hued "scrub woman" of substantial build vigorously plied her mop as opportunity presented itself. On the street outside a female "organ grinder" held her place amid the jostling crowd and entertained it with a repertoire of airs, national and otherwise.
After the ticket holders had boarded their train, the run to Japan was quickly made. The W.C.Ivins home (present home of Joe Huffman family ) had been fitted up to represent the "Flowery Kingdom" and the travelers found a very faithful representation of life in that far away Eastern land. The lower rooms of the house had been tastefully decorated with specimens of Japanese art and contained many curios and articles of beauty and utility made in Japan. A number of young ladies dressed in the picturesque costumes of the Japanese and served tea to the travelers, who partook sitting on the floor in true Japanese style.
From Ivins home the route led to "Holland," the C.R.Kaiser home (today the red brick Brook family home by the park). Here a typical Dutch peasant wearing wooden shoes welcomed the travelers at the door. On the walls of the rooms were specimens of Dutch art. In one room a Dutch windmill revolved. Another room was illuminated by a large number of candles set in quaint candle sticks and on tables about the rooms were specimens of wares of various kinds manufactured in Holland. A number of ladies dressed in the costumes made famous by the "Old Dutch Cleanser" advertising posters served the visitors with a lunch consisting of a bun, a "weenie" and a cup of coffee.
After the allotted 15 minutes had been spent, the travelers returned to their train and the journey proceeded to Ireland. The "Emerald Isle" was represented by the home of Miss Emma Marshall (present of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Davis). Here a real Irish welcome was accorded, "Pat" himself doing the honors resplendent in full Irish regalia including the stub pipe. Each different room contained something suggestive of life on the "Auld Sod." A pig lay peacefully snoozing in his bed of straw on the floor in one corner of the parlor, a "Fairies Wishing Well" was to be found in another room while articles of various sorts supposed to be especially dear to the Irish heart were numerous. A cup of "Irish Stew" was served to the travelers before their departure by ladies dressed in Irish costumes.
The route lay straight across the ocean to the national capital where a visit was made at the White House represented by the home of Mrs. MaryDixson (Chuck Neff home today).
Here the tourist found "Teddy Roosevelt" and "W.J.Bryan" pacing back and forth upon the veranda apparently awaiting an opportunity to get inside.
As the travelers approached, these two perennial candidates began to harangue them concerning their pet theories of government, but before they had proceeded very far with their speeches, the doors of the house opened and "Uncle Sam" himself appeared. Unceremoniously thrusting aside both Teddy and Billie, he invited the travelers to enter. A colored servant in livery attended the door and gave a few directions as visitors were conducted by Uncle Sam into the presence of "President and Mrs. Wilson" who with extended hands and smiles received them graciously. The "Art Gallery" was next visited and the tourists attention was called to a group of statuary pronounced by Uncle Sam to be the finest in the land, composed of Betsy Ross, Abraham Lincoln and George and Martha Washington. Passing into the dining room, the guests were served with orangeade from a massive punch bowl after which the colored servant with much gusto exhibited a number of articles supposed to be very valuable because of their historic associations.
Among which was Powhatan's Tomahawk(father of Pocahantas), The Washington Hatchet (no doubt of cherry tree fame), the pen which signed the Declaration of Independence, the bullet which killed Abraham Lincoln, etc. As visitors passed out of the White House, they were again accosted by Teddie and William with a request for their assistance in getting into the place in 1920 (they wanted to be elected president).
From there the tourists sped to Dixie Land which proved to be the C.H.Davis home (today the apartment house north of CPS). Here proverbial southern hospitality was in evidence. Large slices of watermelon were served to all by buxom, black faced "Dinaha" while from a couple of violins played by skillful performers, there floated the trains of familiar southern melodies. With the music of Dixie Land still lingering in their souls, the globe trotters started on their homeward journey and in due time landed safe and sound at the "International Station: from whence they started.
Aside from being a tremendous success from a social standpoint, the "tour" netted the Women's Community Club a handsome sum of something over $130. A great deal of credit is due to those who arranged the details of the affair as well as to those who helped carry them out.
(This had to be the highlight of the social season. At this time no TV or radio existed and people made their own entertainment. What a tremendous effort!)
WOMAN WAS MURDERED: The body found near the railroad tracks east of Biggsville last week was that of Mrs. Emma Larkins of Davenport, Ia. She had been murdered in a race track stable at the Aledo Fair and her body placed in a trunk and shipped out in a car containing a horse owned in Monmouth. Mike Ferguson, a swipe, (only is explanation found that might apply means someone who steals or swipes) said to have made a confession in which it is charged that Bert Sapp of Monmouth was the man who committed the foul deed. The body of the woman was taken from the trunk and thrown from the train by Sapp afer passing the Biggsville station.
THE WEALTH OF HENDERSON COUNTY: According to the figures compiled by the Board of Review of Henderson County, which recently completed its labors, the fair cash value of all real and personal property in the county as reported by the assessors amounted to $18,440,785. Moneys and credits of banks in the county is given at $289, 176 of which Stronghurst is credited with $111,238. In total wealth Biggsville leads with the amount represented by her combined real estate and personal property being $2,418,027. In value of farm land Biggsville leads.
Raritan Township leads in the number of automobile owned-58, in horses, hogs, and grain on hand; Gladstone in diamonds and jewelry, carriages and wagons and steam engines; Lomax in the manufactured articles, manufacturers' machinery, organs and billiards tables; Oquawka in gold and silver ware, stock and bonds, burglar proof safes and water craft; Rozetta in cattle; Stronghurst in total personal property, moneys and credits, bank stocks, merchandise, in stores, household and office furniture, pianos, sewing machines and mules; and Terre Haute in sheep, agricultural implements, watches and clocks and property not listed...(this gives a snapshot view of what Henderson County was like in 1916).
PROSPECTING FOR OIL: The Henderson Oil Company has been formed for the purpose of prospecting for oil and gas in the two drainage districts across the river from Burlington. Officers of the company are Fred Fear, Pres.; John Scholer, V.-Pres.; C.A.Hedges, Sec.; and Dr. D. L. Ditto, Treas. Something like 2,500 acres have been leased and it is expected that drilling will be started within a few weeks.
***OBITUARY***GEORGE CHANDLER: George W. Chandler, prominent farmer and stockman and widely known citizen of Terre Haute Township, died at his home 2 1/2 miles southwest of Decorra on Sept.19th. He had been in failing health for a number of months and was brought home Sept.9th from the Galesburg Hospital. Up until his last illness he had remained remarkably active for his 81 years.
The deceased was born in Green Co., Pa. in 1835 to Jesse and Rachel Chandler, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Pennsylvania. They emigrated with their children to Illinois in 1844 locating in McDonough County, six miles west of Macomb. Two years later they moved to Hancock County where Mr. Chandler joined in the uprising against the Mormons and helped drive them from the country. In 1852 the family moved to Henderson County locating in Terre Haute Township. George W. received his education in the district school and at Henry, Ill., where he spent one year. When he began to do for himself he relied on his energy and good business judgment. He worked for several years as a farm hand. In 1860 he bought the farm on which he has since resided and was married the same year to Miss Estel Retzel of Pa. From this union one child survives G.E.Chandler of Stronghurst Township. Also surviving are his wife and two brothers, Benson Chandler of Gravity, Ia., and Morris Chandler of Brompton, Ia. and by three sisters: Mrs. J.W.Paul of Bedford, Ia.; Mrs. O.E.Sutton of Pasadena, Calif.; and Mrs. Veda Reed of Guthrie, Okla. He was a director and a vice president of the Stronghurst State Bank, a member of the Christian Church at Lomax.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Miss Ethel Brokaw went to Macomb where she will be a student at the Normal School this next year. P.C.Hanson, formerly of the mechanical department of the Monmouth Daily Atlas, will take up work for the Rawleigh Medicine Co. with his headquarters in this village. Mrs.W.C.Ivins has begun the erection of two new dwellings on her lots fronting on Elizabeth St. between Dixson and South Streets. Both homes have been rented; there is quite a demand for rental properties here at the present. Glenn Marshall of Stronghurst, Clifford Thompson of Rozetta and Sam Howell of Carman accompanied Co. Supt. Beall to Springield and represented the county at the State Fair School for Boys. Through the agency of R.W.Upton, the old U.P. parsonage at Olena, recently purchased by Mrs. Helen Burrell, has been sold to R.A.McCartney; and the G.C. Keener place in Stronghurst has been purchased by Mrs. Burrell.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: The Jennings Bros. have just drilled a new well for Olive Forward which now contains 20 feet of water; about 15 feet of solid rock was drilled through before water was stuck. Albert Hayes moved to town from Marcellus Galbraith's place south of town to the Harve Warner house. Mr. Jesse Tate is quite ill with rheumatism Roy Law, 19 years, met with a terrible accident Monday morning between 9 and 10 o'clock. He was working for the Sand Co. and was acting as brakeman on a chain of cars used on the track running from the main line to the sand pit west of town. He was turning the brake on one of the cars when the chain broke and he fell between two cars. Two of the wheels of one car passed over his leg, nearly severing it. He was rushed to the Burlington Hospital where it was found that an amputation would be necessary and the leg was taken off near the ankle. He is the oldest son of Mr. Willis Law..
CARMAN CONCERNS: Mr. Bliss is moving his motion picture apparatus to Disco for a week's engagement. Miss Lila Huppert is a capable and efficient stenographer at the Burlington courthouse. The Ideal Amusement and Musical Entertainment Shows and Moving Pictures given by Mr. Lehman of Burlington will be at the M.W.A. hall Friday and Saturday nights.