EMMETSBURG DEMOCRAT
Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa
April 1885

Wednesday, April 1, 1885

LOCAL NEWS
--No intoxicants in Emmetsburg. Everything in the shape of saloon has evaporated
-- Owen McNulty is erecting a dwelling 16 x 24 on his farm 5 miles west of town. Gossman and Masters are employed to do the work.
-- Mrs. Dorris has purchased two resident lots in the south part of town from the C. M. & St. P. Railway Co. and will proceed to build a dwelling house thereon.
-- M. T. Washington of Ruthven, accompanied by his sister, Miss Mary A. Washington, is circulating a petition for the appointment of post-mistress of that town and is meeting with good success. She is a young lady of refinement and culture and thoroughly capable of filling that position. We understand that she will receive the endorsement of the members of the State Central committee, and this in addition to the numerous signers of her petition, should secure her the office.
-- James E. Scott is building him a new house on his lot in the north part of town.
-- Frank Warnke has moved into his new shop on W. Main St formerly owned by Mr. Dawson.
-- Blossom Brothers of Algona take possession of the old Catholic Church building today. They will remodel the same to some extent and use the building for a creamery.
-- Father Smith will celebrate Mass in the new Catholic church on Easter Sunday for the first time. No more services will be held therein until the building is finished and consecrated.
-- T. W. Harrison who has been absent for some length of time in Mexico, Texas and other sections in the south, returned home on last Thursday night much improved in health. He speaks quite favorable of various parts of the country in that section and of its magnificent climate.
-- M. Gossman and a man by the name of Masters have formed a co- partnership for the purpose of doing all kinds of work in the carpenter line. They are now prepared to take contracts for the erection of dwellings and other work in their line and invite the public to call on them before building. Mr. Gossman is a fine mechanic and capable of doing good work. As to Mr. Masters we cannot state not being acquainted with the gentleman, but presume he is a good workman, being connected with Mr. Gossman.
-- Mr. Nelson, "the red complected gentleman" and father of A. Laurens, the once noted restaurant man of the city of Emmetsburg, came up from Fort Dodge last week to give his answer in a certain garnishment proceeding. After giving satisfactory answers in favor of his son Alfred and himself he was released. He will return again April 25, on the same errand, as another notice of garnishment was served on him before departing for the county seat of Webster county. Mr. Nelson is a gentleman in every sense of the word, like many men, has the misfortune of being the father of one of the biggest dead beats that ever came to Emmetsburg.
-- The infant child of Mr. Vestrum died on last Wednesday. The woman being too poor to defray the little one's funeral expenses, the necessary amount was raised by various individuals in Emmetsburg.
-- Norman J. Atkins, commissioner of the Scottish American Land Co. of this place and who has been to England this past winter on a visit to friends and relatives is expected to return to Emmetsburg about the middle of April
-- John Begg is now the happy possessor of a full blood Irish jaunting car, which for uniqueness of fashion, or a specimen of novelty, was never equaled in these parts except it was by the music of the Highland pipe when first heard in town. The boys consider it quite a luxury to take a drive around town in the new outfit and vie with each other for the next ride. As for Mr. Begg and his car, we prophecy for them a name in the near future equaled only by the famous Larry Doolin of Dublin city.
-- R. S. Gray of Fort Dodge, and shorthand reporter of the 14th judicial district of this state, became insane on last Saturday at his home in that city.
-- In our round about town this week we dropped into the furniture store of E. Dimler and found it busy at work polishing up furniture. We were completely surprised at the large amount of stock carried in that establishment. The first floor and basement is crowded to uncomfortableness with all sorts of new and useful articles of furniture, everything imaginable in the furniture line is stored away there in some nook or corner and if you do not see what you want, don't hesitate to ask for it as Mr. Dimler he is one of those men who is ever anxious to please customers. If you want anything in his line of goods you certainly should call on him instead of sending out of town to other dealers for goods that can be duplicated in quality and price by him. Give him a call when in need of any furniture, carpets, etc.

DIED
Wednesday, March 25, 1885, Mrs. Ed Smith aged 74 years.
Infant child of Andrew Vestrum, on Wednesday, March 25th.

Wednesday, April 8, 1885

LOCAL NEWS
-- E. Shoemaker and wife of Clinton this state, were in the city a few days last week. Mr. Shoemaker was looking over our city and county with a view of purchasing lands and locating here
-- William Ratzburg is building an addition 14 x 26, to his dwelling in the south part of town and a will veneer the same with brick. Mr. Ratzburg being a first class mechanic, will do his own veneering.
-- J. O. Stewart, of Spirit Lake, who was appointed historian of the 20th Iowa infantry at their last reunion, wants to hear from all the surviving members as to facts concerning deaths since muster, or other matters of interest pertaining to the old organization.
-- The Supreme Court has declared the law requiring physicians to make an accurate return of births, deaths, etc., constitutional, and the State Board of Health has notified the county clerks that it is their duty to see that returns are made, or to bring suit for the enforcement of the penalty -- $10 in each case -- which the law imposes upon physicians who fail to report.
-- Thomas F. Joyce is finishing up the front part of his harness shop in fine style and will soon keep for sale, cigars, tobaccos, candies, nuts and temperance drinks of all kinds.

Wednesday, April 15, 1885

LOCAL NEWS
-- Peter Metz is having rooms fitted up for his barbershop over the drugstore of Cady & Shea, and will remove thereto next week. Mr. Metz is a first-class workman, courteous to his customers and a good fellow generally. We wish him success in his new location.
-- W. J. Moses is building a boot and shoe store on Main Street West of Ormsby Bros. & Co’s bank.
-- L. H. Sporin is the man who has the honor of being the first mayor of Ruthven. He was elected at their first municipal election last week.
-- J. R. Blossom has moved his family here from Algona to make this their permanent home. The Blossom Brothers have large interests here, and it is necessary that one of the firm should reside here. We gladly welcome Mr. Blossom to our town and hope he may find it a pleasant home
-- Reverend Gordon informs us that from his canvass of this town, he finds the number of families to be 250 which he estimates will average six persons to each family making a total of about 1800 persons in town. As Mr. Gordon counts only heads of families it is evident the population of town is much larger than the estimate given by him and we think the new census when complete, will give Emmetsburg a population of at least 2000 if not more.
-- Miss Annie Cline departed on Monday for Mt Vernon where she expects to finish her education in voice culture, instrumental music and painting at Cornell University. Miss C. was a student two years at the Illinois female college of music and fine art.
-- The First National bank of Emmetsburg was organized the 6th, inst., with a paid up capital of $50,000. The officers are Col. E. S. Ormsby president, A.N. Eddy of Chicago vice president and O.L. Ormsby is cashier. The directors are P. Joyce, E. B. Soper and Charles McCormick. This new enterprise will be a great benefit to our town and is one that our citizens may all well feel proud of. Officers are now busy making preparations to get things into readiness for work and will be ready for business in a few short weeks.

DIED
April 10, 1885 Mrs. W. H. Kirby aged 31 years.

Wednesday, April 22, 1885

LOCAL NEWS
-- Al Ewing who has been in the employ of W. W. Johnson & Son for some years past has resigned his position and will remove to Minneapolis where he will again engage in business.
-- J. M. Hefley was elected Marshall at the special meeting of the town council Thursday evening. John McNally had been marshal heretofore for several years and made an excellent officer.
-- A. W. Helse has resigned his position as operator for the Milwaukee company at this place, and has accepted a similar position for the company at Canlon Dak. Mr. James Flaherty takes the place of Mr. Helse.
-- Born -- to Mr. and Mrs. D. T. Sterner, April 19, 1885, a son.


Wednesday, April 29, 1885

LOCAL NEWS
-- Misses Maggie and Hannah Dunn of Dubuque county and sisters of Mrs. Patrick Joint, are here with the purpose of making this their permanent home.
-- Squire Moncrief performed a very successful matrimonial operation last Wednesday in uniting Mr. Jens Christian Christianson and Miss Elsie Marie Sorensen in the holy bonds, at the residence of H. C. Shadbolt.
-- Norman J. Atkins returned last Thursday from the old country where he has been the past winter. Mr. Atkins informs us, that the vessel upon which he started, ( Germanic) though supposed to be one of the strongest and best that crosses the Atlantic, met with the high sea when three days out, that came very near ending in a terrible catastrophe; as it was, there were two lives lost and 18 severely injured. Mr. Atkins was quite fortunate in his escape.
-- W. G. Henry returned from Carthage, Illinois, on Wednesday night where he had been for some two weeks past visiting his father who was dangerously ill.
-- Mrs. James P. White and family will soon occupy the upper rooms in the building used by William Moses as a boot and shoe store.
-- On our way to supper Saturday evening we were hailed and asked if we had gotten out an extra edition of the illustrated DEMOCRAT or what was the cause of the large crowd in front of the post-office screaming and dancing around like the crowd did Tuesday night when the DEMOCRAT was taken to the post office. We made no reply but elbowed on through the crowd, and found the cause of the commotion the result of William Moore -- a quiet, unoffensive man -- having Mr. Fay on his knee and spanking him justily, yea viciously on the lower part of Mr. Fay's anatomy who felt the effect thereof muchly. Since quitting the Sherman House, Fay, with a few fair lady companions have lived next door to Mr. Bennett in the west side of town. Fred Bennett had frequently hinted to the young men who made their nocturnal visits there, that it was dangerous to prowl around there after dark, as his bees might bite some of them. The boys made sport of Bennett, so Saturday he rushed over to town hat in hand, sweating like a bay steer, and had the house "pulled" whatever that is, and to be brief, it was declared a nuisance and ordered closed, and the girl the marshal put in jail was given 12 hours to leave town. We prefer not to give the details concerning the lawsuit and many other things we have heard concerning this man Fay. The spanking he got from Mr. Moore was for an insult offered that gentlemen and we only wish Fay and his kind was dealt with in this style more often.
-- James Grier expects to have his new restaurant all fixed up this week. A connection with his restaurant he will run a bakery, an enterprise much needed.
-- Cole VanGorden has gone to Dakota; not for health or to grow up with the country, but just for novelty and to satisfy the desire that all young America yearns for -- to travel and see their country.

MARRIED
Charles Furguhauson of O'Brien county, Iowa, to Miss Elizabeth Bowden at the residence of the bride's mother in Emmetsburg, by Rev. C. E. Cline, April 22, 1885.
At the residence of H. C. Shadbolt in Emmetsburg Iowa, on Wednesday, April 22, 1885, by Thomas Moncrief, J. P., Mr. Jens Christian Christianson and Miss Elsie Marie Sorensen.
At the home of the bride, on Thursday the 23rd by Rev. C. E. Cline, Mr. P. O. Refsell of Emmetsburg, and Miss Hattie Blanchard, of Silver Lake.

DIED
In Walnut Township on Tuesday, April 21, 1885, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen J. Guerdet, aged 11 months. The remains were interred in the Catholic cemetery on Wednesday.