The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Registrar for Daniel McMillan Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.1917
Stronghurst Graphic, Sept.13, 1917
PICNIC RAINED OUT: The sound of rolling thunder and a heavy downpour brought disappointment to the members of the Farmers' Elevator Co., the business men of Stronghurst and the people of the community when they awoke last Friday morning, the day of the big community picnic planned for Stronghurst. As conditions were unfavorable, the idea of a basket picnic dinner was abandoned, but it was decided to have the speaking and musical part of the program in the Lyric theatre. Too late the clouds parted and the sun shone.
At about one o'clock the band appeared upon the streets and rendered a number of selections and within an hour a sufficient crowd has assembled to give the village a gala day appearance. A good audience assembled at the Lyric at 2 o'clock to listen to the program. After some fine music by a special orchestra, Mr. B.G.Widney, acting as master of ceremonies, introduced Mr. A.M.Steinhart of Bloomington, Ill. Mr. Steinhart is the man who was mainly instrumental in organizing the Farmers' Elevator Co. here last year. After chosen remarks, he introduced Mr. Millard R. Myers of Chicago, the editor-in-chief of the American Co-operative Journal, the official publication of the Farmers' Grain dealers Association of the Grain Belt States and a man who has made an extensive study of the subject of co-operation both in this country and Europe. (Check this issue on microfilm at the library for details of his speech.)
Following the address, a quartet composed of W.J.McElhinney, Douglas Prescott, Sarah McElhinney and Marie Davidson sang a patriotic selection after which the assemblage dispersed.A red hot game between a picked team from the village and a bunch of young country athletes took place at the ball park immediately following the exercises at the Lyric. John Fort as pitcher and Estel Mudd as catcher composed the battery for the village while Homer Weddington and Elizie Gilliland delivered and received for the country huskies. The first seven innings furnished the spectators with an exhibition of fine ball, but in the eight inning, the country lads fell on Fort's curves and what they did to the village bunch was a plenty. The ninth opened with the shadow of defeat looming and the inning proved to be a repetition of the preceding one. The game closed with the score standing 9 to 1 in favor of the country boys.The evening crowd was entertained by a band concert on the street and a play at the Lyric theatre.
1892 GRAPHIC: Frank Silsbee had accepted a position as night operator for the Santa Fe at Ormonde, Ill. At the Democratic county convention W.C. Ivins and I.F.Harter received the nominations for circuit clerk and coroner respectively. The Rev. H.G. Liljikrantz handed in his resignation as pastor of the Swedish Lutheran congregation of Stronghurst and was expecting to be ordained as a minister in the M.E.church at the approaching annual conference.
The Santa Fe Railroad was experiencing a tremendous boom in business; a Fort Madison paper reported that 84 trains passed over the bridge within a 24 (How many go throught Stronghurst in one day in 2004?)Bill Higgins, a crook of East Burlington, was brought before Squire Chalfant at Oquawka and charged with the destruction of two boats and assault with intent to commit murder. He was bound over to the grand jury in default of bail placed at $5000.
The fact that a six gang steam plow drawn by an 18 horse power thresher engine had been put in successful operation on a farm near Joliet, Ill., was thought worthy of mention as indicating the progress being made in farming methods.
T.P. & W. MAY LEAVE: Burlington business men are somewhat worked up over the prospect of the T.P. and W. Railroad withdrawing from that city. Receiver Armstrong of the road recently visited the city and informed some of its leading business men that unless there was a material increase in business at that point, it would be obliged to quit operation its branch line from LaHarpe. He stated that the cost of maintaining this branch amounted to about $2000 per month and that it was now being operated at a loss. The withdrawal of the road from Burlington would be more or less of a blow to the business interests of the city. An effort will no doubt be made to have a larger share of the city's shipping business diverted to the road.
DROWNED IN THE RIVER: Lewis McOlgan, 7 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. James McOlgan, drowned in the river at that point. The little fellow had gone down to the river bank after school and climbed into a skiff tied up. In some manner he lost his balance and fell into about 4-5 feet of water. Although the accident was witnessed by several people, it was nearly half an hour before the body was recovered. Every possible effort at resuscitation was made without avail.
(Prohibition and its supporters had gained political clout and the moral conduct of the population was being dictated by the state. This is an example of things to come.)
THE ANTI-CIGARETTE LAW: We (the Graphic) have been requested to publish the Illinois statue in regard to the manufacture, sale and smoking of cigarettes for the benefit of those who do not know what the law specifies:Section 1. Every person who shall manufacture, sell or give away any cigarette containing any substance deleterious to health, including tobacco, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed 30 days. Section 2.
Every person under the age of 18 years or over the age of 7 years, who shall smoke or use cigarettes on any public road, street, ally or park of other lands used for public purposes or in any public place of business of amusement, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by a fine of not more than $10.
Section 3. Every person who shall furnish any cigarettes in any form to any such person or who shall permit any such person to frequent the premises owned by him for the purpose of indulging in the use of cigarettes in any form, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by a fine not exceeding $50 for the first offence and not exceeding $100 for the second and every additional offense or imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding 30 days for each offense.
(The editor goes on to state that there will be a determined effort to stop the flagrant and open violation of the law in the village. Otherwise, watch out; the constable will nab you. (In this issue is a long article explaining the requirements for applicants in the regular army. Check it out at the library on microfilm if you had a family member serving in World War I.)
ROSEVILLE MEN LOSE CATTLE: I.A.Meacham and Burley White of Roseville each lost a carload of cattle in a wreck on the Santa Fe a few miles west of Fort Madison. The men had each bought a load of cattle in Missouri and were having them shipped to Ponemah for unloading.
The two cars were next to the engine of the train, which when rounding a curve near Ardale, Ia., and smashed into the rear end of another freight train, telescoping several cars in both trains. Every one of the 30 animals in the Meacham consignment were killed and nearly all of the 33 head belonging to White. A somewhat strange feature of the wreck was that no person was injured.
LOCAL AND AREA HAPPENINGS: Misses Ethel Brokaw and Esther Marshall registered as students at Monmouth College. Blandinsville is to have a Farmer's Elevator company with stock capitalized at $20,000. Mr. and Mrs. E.F.Beardsley arrived from Tulsa, Okla. for a visit with family. Mr. Byron J. Peasley, a Master Mechanic for the Missouri Pacific Railroad headquartered at Little Rock, Ark., has been calling on friends and settling matters in the estate of his late mother, Catherine Peasley.
Mr. Alex Peterson of Knoxville, Ill., state food inspector, was in the village and found that the backyards of some of the restaurants and stores were in an unsanitary condition and suggested that this be changed as a precautionary measure against fines. The farmers living south of Stronghurst are making an effort to raise money to have four miles of road leading south from the village oiled. It has been suggested that the village should oil the first mile to the Sanderson corner. Most in the village seem to be willing to contribute toward the project but think the road should be improved first.
At the village board meeting, G.Q.Fort was elected water commissioner as H.H.Rankin had failed to qualify and had left the village. Mr. Fred Fitz, well known farmer and stockman of Decorra neighborhood, topped the Chicago market at $17.00 per hundred weight on a bunch of fancy shorthorn cattle. Mr. Fitz's shipment, all fancy yearlings, averaging 1007 lbs. were purchased as calves at the George Chandler estate sale last December.
Otis Irons of LaPlata, Mo. left for the William Jewell College to study for the ministry. Cranston Doak, Joe Ross, and Bert Johnson were all at the Minnesota State Fair in St.Paul. Misses Edna and Ethel Schierbaum will enroll as students at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Joe
Painter and Frank Apt of Pleasant Plains, Ia. drove over in Joe's new Dodge car to visit friends. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Staley are mourning the death of an infant daughter born to them last Sunday and failed to survive. The remains were buried in the village cemetery. Miss Hattie Taylor and Miss Ruth Davis left on an extended trip through the Northwest.
They expect to take a river boat at Davenport for St. Paul, going from there to Canada and returning over a southern route through Colorado. Lawrence Duncan returned home to attend the funeral of his mother. Lawrence is one of five sons, all of whom were registered in the draft. All passed the physical, but two were exempted having families to support. Two others beside Lawrence will leave for military training.
Mr. Ralph Rankin and three youngest children arrived from Lakewood, N.Mexico. He states that he is preparing to move his family back to Illinois.
His oldest son, Lloyd is now a member of the National Army having joined the state militia of New Mexico. Buy your driving goggles at Yoakam's (Early cars were open air so one needed goggles to keep the dust out of one's eyes.) Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Wagy returned to their home at Amarillo, Texas.
Mrs. Sarah Penny purchased the property on Elizabeth St. owned by Joe Huff, who expects to move his family to Beardstown where he will have employment with the telephone company. T.D. Steffey and crew are engaged in construction of the extensive addition to the Seed Company building in Media. Mrs. M.E.Stevenson and daughter Lillian will move to Chicago. Chancey Hollingsworth, who has been employed in a clerical position during the summer with the construction company building the national army cantonment at Rockford will return to his studies at the University in Champaign .