From The Bode Bugle, Volume 100,
Number 14, Centennial Edition, Saturday, July 18, 1981:
Jan. 7, 1916: The electric light proposition recently voted
on at Bode carried by a three to one majority. The council has already
employed an engineer and are offering their bond issue for sale. Before many
months we will hear Editor TEMPLE of the Bugle announce the completion of
the plant. The Bode Fellows are hustlers and never do things in a half
hearted manner...Whittemore Champion.
The undersigned have agreed to close their place of business every
evening, except Wednesday and Saturday nights at 6:30 o'clock. The same to
take effect Jan. 18th. Signed: J. G. HANSON, KINSETH Bros., HALSTERUD &
HANSON, M. O. MONSON, E. J. ERICKSON, John KINSETH (sic), F. H.
EASTMAN, O. B. NELSON, A.H. ROBURG.
Jan.14, 1916: Mrs. O. C. SORLIEN has been one of the
victims of grippe during the past week.
The thermometer registered 35 below Thursday morning, which was cold
enough for any of us.
The Bode Commercial Club will meet tonight at 8 o'clock in the drug store
to organize. All who have signed up are urged to be present.
The cold weather of the past two or three days has caused great
inconvenience to the traveling public as the trains are all late from one to
three hours..
L. H. HANSON has gone to Des Moines to take a short course of thee
months, his father says, "to learn more about the iron horse." May he be
successful.
Jan.21, 1916: "Grip Claims Many" - Des Moines - Grip
claimed 128 victims in Iowa during December, according to a report prepared
by G.H. Sumner, secretary of the state board of health.
Boys dress up in your best "bib and tucker" tomorrow for the town will be
full of schoolmarms from the surrounding towns.
Last Saturday the drayman took 19 tubs of butter down to the depot and
both he and the agent counted them. The agent went off duty at 7 o'clock.
About 9 o'clock a freight came along and the agent, who lives upstairs,
heard the brakeman and the conductor disputing the count, as they could only
find 18. The next morning as B.C. BUDOLFSON went over to the stock yards he
noticed a tub of butter setting under the approach from the stock yards to
the cars. He at once notified the station agent. Why the person took the
butter that far and then left is is a mystery, but it would be pretty
expensive had they got caught at it, as there is a heavy fine connected with
stealing anything from a railroad platform.
The Bode Commercial Club completed its organization last evening at a
meeting held in the town hall by adopting a constitution and set of by-laws.
The officers of the club are: President, Martin HELMEN; vice-president, I.
L. KINSETH; secretary, J. G. HANSON; treasurer, O. C. SORLIEN; board of
directors, O.T. GULLIXSON, A. J. HANSON and C. W. RILEY. The regular
meetings of the club will be held the second Tuesday evening of each month.
Through their efforts Bode will undoubtedly enjoy electroliers in the
business part of town. They are at present trying to get a corn expert here
to urge upon the farmers the necessity of testing all corn that is used.
Next Thursday morning commencing about 8:50 and lasting about 40 minutes
will be a total eclipse of the sun, visible in all parts of the United
States. Get your smoked glass ready so as to enjoy this phenomenon.
Feb. 4, 1916: A leap year party was held at Norman
PEDERSON's Monday night.
Dr. E.I. WATSON accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Martin HELMEN and their son,
Miles to Fort Dodge Tuesday, where Miles had his adenoids removed. Martin
came home the day and Dr. WATSON and Mrs. HELMEN and Miles returned
Wednesday.
The New York health department warns against kissing as likely to spread
the grippe germ. Hereafter anyone with the grippe is certain to be an object
of suspicion if not of envy.
Feb. 11, 1916: The Board of Supervisors at their meeting in
Humboldt Tuesday granted the town of Bode a right of way for their electric
line over what is known as the South route, going one mile south from the
John AURE corner and then four miles straight east where they will connect
onto the Livermore line, all in the public highway.
Feb. 18, 1916: As a result of Br. TEMPLE of the Bode Bugle
attending the state editorial meeting in Des Moines last week, the Bugle
will soon be a machine set paper. We are glad to see Brother TEMPLE able to
thus improve the Bugle plant and we are sure his good patrons will fully
appreciate the improvement as they should...Humboldt Independent.
John KINSETH finished filling his ice house this week and we will not
need to worry for ice to cool our lemonade this summer.
March 10,1916: The Bode Booster Band and their Orchestra
will furnish the music for the dance at the opera house St. Patrick's night,
March 17th. There will be souvenir programs for those who dance. You will
not need to bring your lead pencil as they will be furnished.
March 17,1916: The school election Monday brought out the
largest number of votes we believe ever cast at a school election here.
There were 97 votes cast. Of these E. J. ERICKSON received 41 and Anton
MITSVEN 55 for school treasurer, there being one blank. John AURE received
84 votes for school director.
The town council met Wednesday afternoon and let the contract for the
building of the High line between here and Livermore and wiring the streets
of the town. The contract was let to James L. Robb of Emmetsburg, for
$4,535.00. The council also purchased the meters of J.K. Alline of Fort
Dodge, agent for the Electric Appliance Co. of Chicago. This we believe
finishes all the buying for the electric lights with the exception of the
electroliers.
March 31, 1916: Two of Bode's popular young men broke the
hearts of many a Coulter girl last Sunday as they paraded the streets of
that city.
Anna CHRISTIANSON's millinery store is a very attractive place for the
women this week as she is holding her Spring millinery opening as will soon
be seen by her adv.
April 7, 1916: Our new Mayor, John PEDERSON, says he will
marry the first couple free. What a good chance for some of the leap year
girls.
Castor oil is among the drugs which has been affected in price by
European War and of this the Hampton Chronicle says: "We know there are a
lot of kids in this country who hope that it gets so high that mother will
never again be able to bring it down to earth where she can get her hands on
it."
The State Savings Bank invites you to drop in and see their brainless
posting machine.
One of the first acts of Mayor John PEDERSON Tuesday morning was to have
five measles warning cards printed.
If you intend to have your house wired for electric lights we would
advise you to read J. G. HANSON's adv. this week. The price of fixtures are
advancing rapidly and one should buy them early.
April 28, 1916: Advertising for the First National Bank,
Bode, Iowa: Everybody in this city should have a camera. Everybody should
start a Savings Account. We are giving this Camera FREE to anyone opening a
savings account of $10.00 or more or increasing their present Savings
Account $10.00 or more. Special notice--If you haven't $10.00 to start an
account, you may deposit $1.00 at a time. We will put a camera away for you
and as soon as your account amounts to $10.00 the "PREMO, JR." is yours.
From Leon's Notebook:
(A series of articles by Leon Gangestad,
relating to early Bode)
Humboldt Mutual Insurance Association: The Bode Bugle - 8 - 15 -
1890: Capt. T.A. ROSSING made a trip into Norway township last week in the
interest of the Farmers Mutual Insurance Co. (Note--Other news items would
make reference to Capt. ROSSING, Ole K. GREFSTAD, Andrew GULLIXSON making
trips to Ottosen or other towns in the interest of the insurance company.)
This is the beginning of what is today the Humboldt Mutual Insurance
Association. It was organized in Bode, Sept. 25, 1886. Andrew GULLIXSON was
the first President. T.A. ROSSING purchased the first policy and
incidentally had the first claim, in the amount of Fifteen dollars. The
first annual report of the association showed receipts of $125.00 for
premiums paid on policies. When it became a county wide organization there
was a name change and the office was moved to Humboldt. When the association
moved into their present headquarters at 513 Sumner Ave. in Humboldt, in
1959, they had $31,000.00 insurance i force. Oscar GREFSTAD of Bode was a
one time secretary-manager, at the Humboldt office.
The 1880 Agricultural Census for Delana Township: (Note - This data for
the agricultural census of 1880 was obtained from a microfilm at the State
Historical Society of Iowa Library at Iowa City, Iowa) Unfortunately the
enumerator's penmanship leaves much to be desired. Too, the reproduction on
the film is very faint so it was only with the assistance of my daughter
Rachael DAVIS and a staff librarian that we were able to decipher the
following about my grandfather Lars J. GANGESTAD.
Tilled acres - 175A
Unimproved acres - 200A
Value of land, fence, buildings, 3,000.00
Value of implement and machinery 175.00
Value of livestock - $1,139.00
Estimated value of all farm production in 1879 - $1,200.00
Amount paid out in wages in 1879 (including value of board) - $40.00
Number of horses - 6-1-1880 - 6
"After thoughts" by LMG. The unimproved acres must have been the slough
land and the virgin prairie grass which had not, as yet, been broken to the
plow. My grandfather purchased the land in 1874 and my father told that as a
lad he helped, in the following years, to drive the oxen in breaking the
virgin sod where the town of Bode now stands. -- Leon M. GANGESTAD
