[Since the
1881 portion of this newspaper has not been microfilmed, Bonnie Ekse has made it
her mission to
transcribe important items about the people and happenings of
1881 in Odebolt. ]
ODEBOLT OBSERVER
Vol. 2, No. 5, AUGUST 3, 1881
F. R. BENNETT, PUBLISHER
--You may shoot prairie chickens after August 15th.
--Mr. Burnside has enlarged his store room by several feet.
--The railroad fare from Chicago to New York is down to $7.
--H. F. Warneke, the new grain and stock man, reports business as booming.
--Dennis [editor of the Odebolt paper the Reporter] says Conkling has made an
ass of himself. An ass may kick a dead lion.
--W. C. Winslow left Friday for Fairmont, Ind., where he will remain several
weeks.
--Bros. Miller [editor of the Sac Sun] and Dennis are yanking each other around
shameful. Boys, boys! Behave yourselves.
--Dr. Boardman found his little son at Nevada much better on his arrival and
returned home last week.
--The flax mill shut down for the season last week. It will resume work when the
new crop of straw is ready to work.
--We failed to note last week the return of Mrs. J. H. Gable from her visit to
relatives in Lost Nation, Clinton county.
--Rev. H. T. Martin preached last Sabbath at the Levey school house in the
morning, and Presiding Elder Layton in the evening.
--The new residence of W. A. Helsell, in West Wheeler addition, is now ready for
the plasterers. Messrs. Graham and Conklin are the builders.
--Messrs. Hanford and Simpson of the Pioneer force, and Mr. Kainson, all of Ida,
came down Friday to witness the races. They gave the OBSERVER office a call.
--The State of Missouri offers $50,000 reward for the apprehension of the late
train robbers. The officers of the Rock Island road also contemplate offering a
reward.
--J. R. Beery, Secretary of the Council Bluffs Insurance Company, was in town
last Friday. He appointed Messrs. George & Coy special agents for Odebolt
and vicinity.
--Over thirty-five dwellings and business houses are now in different stages of construction here. There are many more in contemplation, but it is impossible to state the number with accuracy.
--Mr. H. F. Warneke has purchased the grain and stock business of S. H. Parsons, on First street, and will conduct the same hereafter. We have not learned what business Mr. Parsons will engage in.
--The Helsell block, better known, perhaps, as the McKibbin corner, has been purchased by the new bankers, who we believe intend to occupy the portion now used by Zane & Helsell. The price paid, we understand, was $3,200.
--Mr. A. J. Mann, formerly of the Reporter, returned Saturday much improved in health. We understand that he will remain here for the present and perhaps permanently, should he find such out-door occupation as he [is] able to engage in.
--In another column is given the Pioneer's account of the accident which occurred to Mr. Jacob Kalmer at Ida last week, by the run-away of his team. We learn that since the accident, which happened a week ago yesterday, Mr. Kalmer remained unconscious until last Saturday, when consciousness returned and he was pronounced better though he by no means yet out of danger.
Mr. Warneke informs us that advices received from Ida yesterday morning, were to the effect that Mr. Kalmer's condition was not so hopeful, and that very serious doubts were entertained of his recovery.
--The M. E. Church sociable last Friday evening at Mr. E. Geist's, was a success, both in numbers and in having an enjoyable time. After the friends were congregated, ice cream and cake were served. When the repast was over, the Rev. J. C. R. Layton, P. E., performed the very pleasing duty of presenting to Miss Nora Livingston, in behalf of the members and friends of the M. E. Church, a beautiful gold watch worth $45, as a small memento of their appreciation of her very efficient services as organist. An address accompanied the present, which was read by the Elder, and closed by a few very suited and profitable remarks.
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[The following invitation appeared in the July 27, 1881, issue of the OBSERVER. H. G. McCulloch was the pastor of the new Advent church.]
Intivation
TO OUR FRIENDS OF ODEBOLT AND VICINITY.--Owing to building and
sickness we have not been able to make the acquaintance of the people in this
new country, and as the 25th anniversary of our wedding occurs on Wednesday,
July 27th, we invite all to meet in a social visit at our house in Odebolt, on
the afternoon and evening of that day.
H. G. and M. T. MCCULLOCH
ODEBOLT, July 18th, 1881 [The card of thanks was in the August
3, 1881, issue of the OBSERVER.]
Card of Thanks.
We tender our thanks to the many kind friends for the visit they made us on July
27th, and the beautiful presents made us at that time. We prize them highly and
appreciate your friendship in this land of strangers to us.
H. G. AND M. T. McCULLOCH Democratic Mass Meeting.
We publish today a call for a mass convention of the Democrats in this, the 72d Representative district, to be holden at Storm Lake on the 16th of the present month. The call is signed as will be seen, by Democrats in different counties in the district, and it is hoped that every county will be well represented at the meeting.
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A Double Edition.
In response to the demand of several of our business men, who wish to lay their business more prominently before the public, we contemplate issuing, about the last of August, a double edition of the OBSERVER which will contain twelve pages or a sufficient number to give our advertising friends room to spread themselves. All advertisers in the extra pages will be furnished as many extra copies containing their advertisements as they may desire, for their own use and circulation. Of course the regular advertisements will all appear in and go through the double edition, without extra charge, but those wishing more display and larger space in their ads. in that issue must make special arrangements with us. We have facilities for placing a copy of our double edition, with its extra pages, in the hands of every family within a radius of twenty miles of Odebolt, at no cost to the advertiser. This, friends, is a rare opportunity to make your business known. For rates in the double edition apply at this office.
_________________________
Congratulatory.
PITTSFIELD, Mass., July 29, 1881.
EDITOR ODEBOLT OBSERVER:--Will you tender through the columns of your neat and
newsy paper, our congratulations to Mr. and (our old and not forgotten friend)
Mrs. Voight, on the arrival at their home of a little daughter. May the little
one be as good, pure and happy as it's [sic] mother, is the wish of many
friends. MR. AND MRS. J. J. JOHNSON,
and many others
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--Attention is called to the candidate announcements contained in this paper, and especially to that of our townsman, Mr. H. L. Willson, for sheriff. The worst we can say of Mr. W. is that he is a Republican, but this isn't likely to hurt him in a county where a majority of nine hundred of the voters are supposed to be of his way of thinking. It is no more than justice to say that Mr. Willson, if elected, will fill the office ably and conscientiously. He is deservedly popular wherever known.
--The room designed to be occupied by the new store of Winchell & Webster, has been vacated by Warneke & Co., and is now being repainted and remodeled for the business of the new firm.
--Since the announcement of Doctor Huson that we would be a candidate for coroner, he has been figuratively overwhelmed with assurances of support, so much so that until quite recently it has looked as though his election was to be unanimous. But there is always somebody trying to ambush a man who is endeavoring to serve his country, and it is generally by some brother Republican who wants the office for himself. In this case the interloper is Dea. Flanders, a man who has been kept in fat offices ever since he came to the county. Even now the Deacon has so many offices that he is kept busy drawing and investing his salary. And yet he isn't satisfied. Like Conkling, he wants all or none; and like the great ex-senator he threatens to "bust up the party" if the Doctor doesn't get out of the way! We confess that in busting up the party our sympathies would lie with the Deacon, because if "busted" it would let our folks in, and not materially injure the chances of the Doctor whose so-called Republicanism is of abnormal growth; but unless the Deacon is quite sure he is a "bigger man than Grant," or Conklin either, he had better not try the "busting up" business. We do admire, and the country admires a man whose devotion to his country is so great that he will struggle along, year after year, under the weight of half a dozen offices, and keep crying for more; but the system if pursued too far is ruinous, as it would soon wear out all the patriots. Thus while there are points in the Deacon's patriotic ambition that challenge admiration, we think that in pursuit of the office of coroner he is, in vulgar parlance, biting off more than he can masticate. If he will wait a year or two, (and if in the meantime we both outwind the coroner,) the OBSERVER will support him with such vim as his unparalleled modesty shall deserve.
--The Rev. R. Smylie, of Sac City, was in town Monday, leaving
Tuesday morning. He is a friend of the Rev. R. S. Fysh, of this place.
--Mr. J. H. Winn, father-in-law of O. B. Francisco, arrived from Boscobel, Wis.,
last Saturday. Mr. W. will sojourn here for several weeks.
--The carpenter shop of Messrs. Miller & Thompson, corner of Main and Third
streets, has been fitted up for a meat market. It is a good stand.
--Mr. Webster of the firm of Winchell & Webster, is expected to arrive with
his family to-day. They will occupy the residence on Main street lately owned by
Mr. Rehberger.
--Mr. Henry L. Willson, of this place, one of the many aspirants for the Republican nomination of sheriff of this county, returned last week from a tour through some of the northern townships where he was taking orders for musical machinery and school-room furniture! Henry does not brag, but his companion du voyage thinks he made a very profitable trip.
--Bro. Dennis, in absence of the superintendent, officiated as such last Sunday at the Presbyterian S. S. school. We note this occurrence as an indication that the "line upon line and precept upon precept" which the OBSERVER has given Bro. Dennis are having their desired effect. We feel much encouraged. Will Bro. Miller note the event with such comment as its remarkable singularity suggests?
--The editor of the Reporter takes the ladies of the W. C. T. U. to task for something they are alleged to have said concerning his course on the temperance question, and then goes on to define his position. He is not very lucid in his statements, but we think he means to say that he will oppose the proposed constitutional amendment. If we are correct, we congratulate him upon arriving at so sound a conclusion, and shall look to see the Reporter give the dogma of prohibition some hard knocks in the fight that is to come.
ACCIDENT.--Last Tuesday, as Jacob Kalmer, of Odebolt, was driving down the avenue between the two towns, he came very near meeting with an accident of a fatal nature. He was driving along at a comfortable jog when a bolt in the neck-yoke broke, dropping the wagon tongue to the ground and letting the buggy run upon the horses, whereupon they became frightened and started to run. The wagon tongue struck an obstacle and snapped in two apparently as easy as a pipe stem; Mr. Kalmer, satisfied that the buggy would soon be upset and himself dashed to the ground, endeavored to save himself by jumping out, but missing his calculation, he was precipitated to the ground upon his head and shoulders with such violence as to render him insensible for several hours. The team ran down the avenue, over the Odebolt bridge, across the railroad track, and finally brought up against the barbed wire fence in front of Will. Reed's residence, escaping with a few slight bruises.
A couple of ladies in a carriage were crossing the railroad track, and just got over in time and out of the way to avert a collision that would have been frightful in its results.
Mr. Kalmer's injuries were found to be very severe and for a time it was thought he could not live, but Drs. Baker and Miller performed an operation for his relief, which consisted in laying bare the skull and elevating a piece of bone which was broken loose and produced severe pressure upon the brain. Since the operation he has been resting some better, but is yet in a very critical condition.--Ida Pioneer.
ED. OB SERVER:--……..Having some business to look after in the northern part of the county, I took a flying trip to Boyer Valley and other townships. I stopped at A. Mason's place and took dinner with that estimable man and his excellent lady, and now let me say if there is a farmer who lives at home in the true sense of the word, it is him. He has the best farm in Sac county and it is the most pleasantly situated of any I have yet seen. He has been on his large farm for 10 years, and is now enjoying the fruits of his success as a thrifty farmer. It will pay any man who wants to see a splendid farm to call on Mr. M. as he has everything that a first-class farmer could desire, and he and his lady know how to entertain their guests in princely style. I also saw many good farmers in Delaware township, among them Mr. Fanning, who, by the way, is one of the big farmers of that township, and all were in the midst of harvest. He also has a fine farm, as well as Mr. John Graham, who was stacking the grain. I next visited Mr. Hohn, a thrifty farmer of Eden township. This man is one of the best and thriftiest farmers in Eden township and a prince of good fellows. It has seldom fell to my lot to meet more hospitable people than Mr. H. and his good lady, and nobody knows how to entertain friends better than they.
I saw Messrs. Miller & Thompson, of Odebolt, building a very fine church near the line of Eden, Cook and Eureka townships. It is said to be for the Evangelical church. It must be fully 25x50 feet in size, with a nice spire reaching heavenward. This is another proof of the good morals of that locality.
Harvest in these townships was about finished Saturday last. I saw some very good pieces of wheat, but most of the wheat in this part of the county is below the average. Oats are very good. Corn looks fair, and will yield well if the frost keeps off long enough. I was astonished to see such fine farms in this part of the county and in such a high state of cultivation. Mr. Mason has a fine grove 10 years old. TRAMP.
NOTICE
is hereby given to the owners of cows in the town of Odebolt,
forbidding the hitching of cows in the alleys at night. All cows so found
hitched hereafter, will be removed by the marshal at the expense of the owner.
By order of the Council.
S. KENNEDY, Marshal.
ODEBOLT OBSERVER
VOL. 2, NO. 6, AUGUST 10, 1881
F. R. BENNETT, PUBLISHER
--Recorder N. B. Flack was in town Monday.
--Frank Caswell leaves for Greene county next week.
--The Hawkeye says that all of Garfield’s physicians will recover.
--Will. Mattes is expected home from Clinton today.
--S. H. Bowman has returned from his visit to the lumber regions.
--Mr. Darlington has gone to Ida in the employ of the Green Bay Co.
--Justice Fairbanks left Monday for Des Moines, to be absent several days.
--Gen. Beiber and wife have returned from their visit to Marion, this State.
--Lincoln Clouser and John Kemp, of Battle Creek, were in town over Sunday.
--J. Flanders and Lyman Mills left for Danbury, this State, Monday to buy
cattle.
--Lyman Mills is building a barn on his farm. Graham & Conkling are the
contractors.
--Mr. W. T. Brown has been quite ill for several days and part of the time
confined to his bed.
--C. A. Stoops left Monday for central Missouri, where he will visit for a few
weeks among relatives.
--Hanson, Mattes & Co. will occupy one of the rooms in the new Wright Block,
when completed.
--Miss Clara Fisher arrived from Webster City yesterday, and is visiting with
the family of Dr. Hull.
--G. W. Sutton and family left Monday for Jones county for a two week’s visit
among friends and relatives.
--John Mann left Monday for his home in Page county. He will engage in the grain
business at Clarinda.
--H. F. Warneke has added to his stock and grain office a building 20x24 feet,
giving him plenty of elbow room.
--The sudden rise in the price of lemons is bad on the lemonade trade, but the
ice cream business has caught a boom.
--The Sioux City Journal inclines to the opinion that train robbing is
about as safe a business as criminals can go into.
--The Sac editor of the Wall Lake Journal says the prisoners in the
county jail are so well fed that they suffer from belly ache.
--John Heuston writes to a friend in this place that the “Canada girls are
just too sweet for anything.” Set John down for a goner.
--C. S. Lee has just completed a hundred dollar cistern; stop! It may be a
hundred barrels--there’s a hundred to it somehow, anyway.
--Mr. O. P. Thompson, the new banker, is putting an addition to the office now
occupied by Zane & Helsell, fronting on First street.
--Orv. Tincher has moved his barber shop from Main to Second street, one door
west of the Odebolt House. Orv. is a first-class barber. Give him a call.
--John Wright and Chas. E. George left last Thursday for a business trip to
the east, and will visit New York, Boston and Washington before they return.
--Rev. H. T. Martin filled the appointments of Rev. Mr. Southwell last Sabbath,
who was suddenly called to Nebraska by the serious illness of his brother.
--Messrs. Hanford, Simpson and Lainson, of Ida, were down to see the match ball
game between the Cook Centers and the Idas. The former club came out ahead.
--The enlargement of the room of Burleigh & Summerwill is now completed and
it presents a very attractive appearance, with its double front. It is to be
filled with new goods now on the way and soon to arrive. Drop in and see how
nice they look.
--A party of three couple [sic] of our young people visited Storm Lake last Sunday and returned in the evening. They report a glorious time. They tarried at the City Hotel while there, of whose accommodations and courtesy they speak in high terms.
--As intimated last week, Mr. Webster, of the new firm of Winchell & Webster, arrived from Chicago last Wednesday with his family, and took up their abode at their house on Main street whence their furniture had preceded them. We are pleased to see such accessions to the business and social circles of Odebolt as Mr. Webster and family and trust they may find the hospitalities of a true western reception and many warm friends among Odebolt people.
--“Hot hogs” knock the profits off from shipments these days, say the
shippers. Messrs.
Ross and others lost a hundred dollars worth of them in getting their last
shipment loaded.
--A man dressed as a tramp has been cleaning out the sports of Denison and walking off with their surplus cash, whereat the Bulletin reads them a pretty little homily on the vice of gambling.
--Within the past forty days attempts have been made to assassinate Garfield, Blaine, and other members of the cabinet, as well as the governors of New York and Minnesota. This seems to be a time of especial danger to prominent personages. Where’s Miller?
--Wednesday and Thursday of last week were hot ones. One hundred degrees in the shade is getting to be too common a circumstance to be novel or agreeable. The clerk of the weather must be off to the sea shore and neglecting his business.
--An Odebolt hog-buyer has been picking up the pork along the Sac City branch, whereat the Wall Lake paper wonders why hogs in that region should go to Odebolt. Why it’s the price, man, the price. Odebolt always pays the best prices for grain and stock.
--The venerable editor of the Clinton Age, (dem.) was mistaken on the street the other day for a minister, by a young couple who were hunting for a parson to marry them. To their inquiry if he was a minister, he replied that he once preached a little but had reformed and was now the editor of a Democratic paper.
--J. H. Ketterer and Ben. Parker went to Storm Lake Saturday and have not returned at this writing. Their friends are anxious about them. Storm Lake is a wicked place, no doubt, but the boys are so impregnably intrenched [sic] in the paths of virtue that we have no fears for them. They will turn up all right, you bet.
--We were in error in saying that Messrs. George & Coy had been appointed special agents of the Council Bluffs insurance company for Odebolt and vicinity merely. They are district agents, properly speaking, and their territory comprises some ten counties in this part of the state. “No pent up Utican contracts their powers” as insurance agents, and they are pushing the business in this and other companies, through an effective corps of local agents.
--In another column will be found the articles of incorporation of the District Fair Association, and a list of the officers chosen to act until the annual election in February next. The association is now placed on its feet in good working trim and ready for business. It is probably too late to hold a fair this year, but there will be plenty to do to prepare for one next year. More stock is to be secured, and grounds to be purchased and fenced, buildings to be erected etc., etc. All interested may well feel satisfied with the progress made, and the fact that the project has assumed tangible shape with prospect of final success.
--John Burnside, of New Orleans, recently died, worth $5,000,000. He was a bachelor and died without making a will, and the estate is to be divided among the heirs at law. J. W. Burnside, of this place, is a distant relative of the deceased, and as the estate is a very large one, we hope, contrary to his expectations, the waves will reach him. A man who has millionaire bachelor relatives who die intestate is never safe. He is liable to be made wealthy whether or no, and if this should be our townsman’s fate, he will find numerous friends who will “sympathize” with him.
--Ketterer & Co. are about to commence the erection of a warehouse on the vacant lot south and adjoining their hardware store. This enterprising firm finds more room necessary for its increasing business, which is living evidence of what fair and square dealing and liberal advertising will do…..
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ED. OBSERVER:--Permit me through your columns to call the attention of the City Council to the fact that female dogs are allowed to run at large upon our streets while in heat. What is the use of a city organization or city officials, if they cannot prevent such shameful and disgusting exhibitions: Yours, for a stringent dog law, CITIZEN.
It seems that the Council’s vigorous measures to reform the sanitary condition of the stock-yards has raised the bristles of some of the hog men. They say if Odebolt olfactories are too sensitive to endure the aroma of the hog pens, they will have a side-track put in five or six miles west of us, build a town there and “bust Odebolt all to pieces.” The name of the new town has not yet been decided upon, and hog men are divided between “Shanksville,” “Shankstown,” “Shoatville,” Grunter Station,” “Root-Hog-or-Die,” and others. None but hog men, or men in the hog trade will be allowed to become permanent residents or voters in the new town; and no man or men will be eligible to the offices of mayor or councilman who cannot show bristles grown out on their backs at least an inch long. [No trouble is anticipated in filling the municipal offices under this restriction,] nor for that matter, in populating the town with—hogs. The city charter will grant special privileges to swine-shippers during their natural lives, and will contemplate posthumous honors to those who die in the trade, by having the figure of a fat hog cut in the marble that indicates the place of their last repose. [Whether it is thought that this emblem, device, or trade-mark will pass the departed to the great hog department of the hereafter, our reporter could not ascertain, but it is highly probable that such a superstition exists among them.] The lots in Shanksville will probably be laid out in the form of a fat Berkshire; the depot to be a fac similie [sic] of a hog open at one end and thatched with bristles, with a pig-tail for a bell-rope; the windows of the churches and school houses to be in form of a Poland china pig and the vanes of the steeples in profile of a marketable porker. Mothers in the town will spank their unruly offspring with a strap or shingle, furnished by the city council of Shanksville, on which is heavily embossed the figure of the prize pig at the last county fair; and thus, upon the posteriorities of its rising generation will be indelibly imprinted in bass-relief the trade-mark of the town. The engine switching at Shanksville will look like a grunter with two kinks in its tail, and the countenances of the engineer and fireman will present the facial lineaments betokened by a cross between the imported Byfield and the native racer. The very air of the men as well as the air they breathe will be redolent of the gentle perfume of the pens; and travelers will never have to inquire the name of the place, for they can smell the town long before they come in sight of it. It is even feared that breezes from the west will bring to us from Shanksville that peculiar and pungent order [odor] which our city council are endeavoring to exterminate, and which it is thought will be the staple product of the new town. It is just as likely that zephyrs from the east will carry to Ida nostrils the same odoriferous salutation. The only remedy seems to be for both Ida and Odebolt to simultaneously extend their corporate protection over the intervening territory, and we believe a citizen has suggested some such course to members of the council and recommended that they confer with the Ida city council as to the best means of throttling the prospective town of Shanksville and abating a threatened nuisance
--J. H. Orcutt, of Clinton county, arrived yesterday morning on a visit to
his brother, who lives three miles south east of town. Mr. Orcutt is a prominent
teacher in Clinton county, and for the next year is principal of the Wheatland
schools.
Click for photos of J. H. Orcutt
--We hear of several parties who are after snipe. After the 15th they will go for prairie chickens, probably.
--The Index is the name of a neat little four-column folio published by George & Wright, loan brokers of this place. It is full of statistical information concerning the growth and present condition of our state, county and town.
SPORTING NOTES.--The Ida Grove and Cook Center ball clubs played at Odebolt last Saturday. The clubs presented the following nines, batting in the order given:
COOK CENTER--DeGarmo 1b, Coy 2b, J. Duffer 3b, Phelps r.f., W. Dugger s.s., Johnson l.f., J. Drey p., G. Drey c., Lashier c.f.
IDA GROVE--Conger c.f., Bollinger p., Decker s.s., Scott c., C. Wilcox 1 base, Barnes 2b, E. Wilcox r.f., Myrick 3b, Messenger l.f.
[Long description of game, with final score of Cook Center 18, Ida Grove 14.]
The Ida boys always make it lively when they come to town and have plenty of wealth to put up.
Ida Era: Mr. Jacob Kalmer, who had his skull broken, the result of a run-away last week, is slowly improving, and Dr. Baker, the attending physician, thinks ultimate recovery highly probable.
Dr. A. H. Hull, of Odebolt, who has the reputation of being the finest surgeon in western Iowa, was down to see Mr. Kalmer, also of Odebolt, who it will be remembered was seriously injured in last week’s run-away, last Saturday.
Researched and typed from the original volume by B. Ekse
Aug 17, 1881 ... Aug 24, 1881 ... Aug 31, 1881
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