Iowa
Old Press
The New Albin Post
New Albin, Allamakee County, Iowa
September 20, 1928
Published Every Thursday
A. Myrtle COOK, Editor
Edw. E. COOK, Business Manager
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The New Albin Fall Festival is the headline
event of the week for this town, and we are all saying little
prayers to the patron of Community Doin's that all will go well
and that we make a barrel of money, which, as you all know, will
be turned over to the town for use in civic improvement, such as
the creation of a public rest room at the town hall, a much
needed convenience which will be greatly appreciated. Then will
come improvements to the tourist park near the creamery, which at
present, is simply an open lot without any comforts to attract
and make enjoyable our camping visitors, of which we expect an
increasing number as word of our wonderful country gets bruited
about and the roads get better.
One wonderful thing about New Albin community affairs is the fine
spirit of cooperation. For every knocker -- and what town doesn't
boast a great many such -- we have many enthusiastic boosters --
boosters who pitch in and invent interesting and entertaining
things to do, and then pitch in and help make 'em possible. How
easy it would be to say: "Well, I'm not on any committee.
Let the committee do the work!"
Not so with our folks. Realizing that committees can logically
consist of only a representative number, the rest of the
residents pick out the work which interests them most and helps
the committee to function. That's the proper spirit!
It always seems to us that any project really needs knockers. A
knocker might give the impression that he is tearing to pieces a
project when he "hangs crepe" and "throws cold
water." But not so, indeed! What he is doing is spurring on
the people who believe in the project, and they do better and
harder work to make a success, just to prove that it CAN be done.
We need every one of our boosters, less e'm, but let us keep our
knockers, too, just to have someone to crow over!
NEW ALBIN SCHOOL NEWS
- The first and second grades have been supplied with new reading
material this week. The third and fourth grades have nothing of
importance to relate, with the exception that
Marvin POTTRATZ, of the third grade, has been absent for a few
days on account of illness.
- The New Albin School as a whole is going to exhibit some work
that has been completed this year. It will be on display at the
City Hall during the Fall Festival. The exhibit, of course, will
not be very large because time has been limited.
- The Juniors are selling chances on a cake. The money received
from this will be used to cover their expenses of the year.
- The High School will start next week on a play which is given
in the near future to raise funds for athletic equipment.
- The entire High School enjoyed an illustrated talk on the
subject of Barberry Eradication by Mr. YOUNT of the United States
Department of Agriculture. Mr. YOUNT is sent out by the
department to assist in educating the public to destroy the
common barberry plant. By means of slides and illustrations he
explained how the black stem rust attacks the growing grains and
destroys them. It was explained that the black stem rust could be
eliminated by destroying the barberry, as the spores of the rust
live for a time on the barberry plant. Perhaps one of the most
important points of the lecture was the statement that each
farmer and landowner could easily destroy the barberry on his own
property and thus eliminate the expense of sending government men
to do the job for them.
LOCALS AND PERSONALS
- Mrs. Chas. ROSS of Marquette visited her mother-in-law, Mrs.
Minerva ROSS, on Wednesday between trains.
- Rev. Adolph FRUECHTE returned to his home in Chicago Thursday
after a several days' visit with his mother, Mrs. Dora FRUECHTE.
- Miss Eva GREENER left for her home at Reno Saturday following a
several days' visit with her friend, Miss Maline ANDERSON, who
returned to Reno with her.
- Louis FRITZ, Emil WEYMILLER and Reinhardt JORDAN motored to La
Crosse Thursday.
- Fair visitors at La Crosse last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
were as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Louis BECKER, Mr. and Mrs. J.
HIGGINS and the former's mother, Mesdames Dora TIMMERMAN, R. J.
EISCHIED and son Teddy, Peter METZDORF and daughter Florence,
Simon MEDICUS, Otto HURLEY, Mary MOORE and daughter, Cecelia,
Charles KUBITZ, Mary MORGAN, L.V. IRONS and Marcia BAECHLER, and
Messrs. Larry WELSCH, Ed MEYER, Geo. ROSS and Miss Lillian
BELLOWS, Mr. and Mrs. Henry RIPPE, Wm. LAGER and Mr. and Mrs.
John KROACK, Jr.
- Mrs. Frank EASTON went to La Crescent Wednesday to visit her
mother.
- Miss Marie HAHN departed for La Crosse Wednesday last for an
extended stay with relatives.
- Mesdames Robert THOMAS, Jr., and Mrs. Mary STEELE returned home
on Saturday evening after a visit of several days with friends
there.
- Miss Elizabeth KERRIGAN, who visited several days with her
father, Col. Eugene KERRIGAN and friends here, returned to her
employment at Milwaukee Saturday.
- Leo CROWLEY came home from La Crosse Thursday for a brief visit
vith home folks.
- Mrs. Joseph SIEGFRIED returned home Saturday evening following
a several days' visit with her daughter, Mrs. Clem BURKE and
family.
- Miss Rita LAGER returned to her school duties at St. Theresa's
College at Winona Thursday morning, after a summer vacation spent
with her parents here.
- Harold and Arthur STEVENS motored to La Crosse Saturday to
visit their father, Wm. E. STEVENS, who is ill at one of the
hospitals there.
- Mrs. Ed KUBITZ of Spring Grove motored here Saturday and spent
the day with relatives.
- Mrs. Clyde VISGAR who became suddenly ill, was taken to La
Crosse Thursday afternoon. Her husband accompanied her.
- Mrs. Lou DOHLIN and daughter, Donna Lou, went to La Crescent on
Thursday to visit at the George BRENNAN home.
- Mr. and Mrs. Walter MIDDENDORF and family, accompanied by the
former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. George MIDDENDORF, Oscar LENZ, Mr.
and Mrs. Henry WUENNECKE and daughter, Miss Edna, attended the
funeral of Mr. Henry DESCHNER at Brownsville on Sunday.
- Mr. and Mrs. Ervin LUETTCHENS and daughter, Belva, of La
Crosse, visited relatives here Sunday.
- Nick FINK returned to Viola, Minnesota, Saturday following a
week's visit with relatives.
- Mrs. Frank EASTON arrived Monday evening after a few days'
visit with her mother at La Crescent.
- A.F. KUEHN of Viola is spending a few days here.
- D.H. HIGGINS and son, Raymond, motored to La Crosse Saturday
and met the former's son, Wilford, who is employed at the
Veteran's Hospital at St. Cloud, Minnesota.
- "Shanty'" CARROLL and James DONAHUE returned home
Monday from Viola where they had been doing carpenter work for
A.F. KUEHN.
- Mr. and Mrs. D.H. HIGGINS and daughter Angela and two sons,
Wilford and Roy, autoed to Cassville on Sunday where they spent
the day with the former's daughter, Miss Pearl, who is teaching
in the public school there.
- The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert WELPER was baptized
Sunday at St. Peter's Evangelical Church by Rev. P.C. KEINATH,
and was given the name, Reginald Lowell. The sponsors were W.
CLANCY and John KLINSKI.
- The E. VERTHEIN home in Post Parkway was improved this week by
a new chimney, built by John GHELF.
- Mr. and Mrs. Leonard SCHWARZHOFF and son, Freeman, were
Saturday guests at the Ole ORNESS home at Mays Prairie, west of
Churchtown. Mrs. ORNESS is a niece of Mr. SCHWARZHOFF.
- Mrs. Emma MADEMAN, her son Richard, and his friend, Miss Clara
JOHNSON, all of Stockton, Minnesota, visited with the former's
sister, Mrs. J.F. BRENNER, last Saturday.
- Fred WEYMILLER and L.J. WELSCH scouted around this vicinity on
Tuesday on a hog-buying expedition. They purchased about 50
animals destined to supply tons of pork chops and bacon to city
dinner tables.
ENGLISH BENCH NEWS
- Old Jack Frost paid English Bench an unpleasant visit Sunday
evening. He is an unwelcome guest at any time, but the corn is
thought to be out of danger. The flowers in the yards will be
missed as they were so pretty this year.
- George DRESSELHAUS, mother and two sisters, Clara and Florence,
were Sunday guests at the Mrs. Ada MARTIN home.
- Mr. and Mrs. Gus WILDE and family were Sunday visitors at the
John SADLER home.
- Clarence WIEMERSLAGE spent Sunday at George WIEMERSLAGE's.
- Mr. and Mrs. James HANSEN and little daughter, Ethel, of near
Decorah, spent Sunday on the Bench.
- Mr. and Mrs. Clyde SADLER and three children of Waukon Were
Sunday guests at the Mrs. Joe HARTLEY home.
- Lorna Mae WILDE spent Sunday at the John SADLER home.
- Walter KUMPF is helping with the silo filling at Fred KUMPF's.
- Marvin SPIEGLER hauled a truck load of wheat to Caledonia
Monday for Gus WILDE to be made into flour.
- Mrs. Joe REEDER of Rossville was a guest a few days last week
of Mrs. William SPIEGLER.
- The Leo POTTRATZ family of Eitzen were Sunday visitors at the
Ben HARTLEY home.
- Dr. H.P. FIELD and wife of New Albin and Dr. HAYES and wife of
Lansing drove out to the Gus WILDE home Sunday, looking over Mr.
WILDE's fine collection of Indian relics.
- Howard and Gene BULMAN, Edwin WENIG and Floyd ASCHBACHER
returned from the harvest fields of Dakota on Thursday.
- Mr. and Mrs. Russell ROBERTS and Joe SADLER of Lansing were
Sunday callers at the Clifford SADLER home.
- The John SADLER family and Mrs. Louisa SADLER attended the Fair
at La Crosse Friday.
- Loretta WATERS spent Saturday night with Clara DRESSELHAUS.
- The Lewis DRESSELHAUS family were Sunday visitors at the Fred
KUMPF home.
WINNEBAGO NEWS
- Ambrose BEADY and son, and John DIVINE of Chicago visited the
fore part of last week at M.J. DONAHUE's, and the latter part of
the week at the Ed BARRY home.
- Mrs. Ellen CAVIN and James THORNTON drove to La Crosse Thursday
to attend the fair.
- James DONAHUE, accompanied by Lawrence CARROLL of New Albin,
did some carpenter work for A. KUEHN at Viola, Wisconsin.
- Mr. and Mrs. Edw. BARRY were Caledonia callers Saturday.
- Mr. and Mrs. Joe ST. MARY of Caledonia and Mr. and Mrs. Paul
THEOBOLD of Freeburg spent Sunday at the M.J. DONAHUE home.
- The GRIGGIN Brothers recently built a new silo and are already
busy filling it.
- Joe JENNINGS of Caledonia spent Sunday at Pete COLLINS'.
- Marion DONAHUE visited Monday evening with her friends, Gladys
and Grace RYAN.
- Mr. and Mrs. Pete MEINERS spent Thursday evening at the Ed
BARRY home.
- Mr. and Mrs. J.G. SABIN and daughter, Roma, were Caledonia
business callers Saturday.
DORCHESTER NEWS
- Mr. and Mrs. Maurice WATERS, daughter Stacia, Mrs. DANAHER and
Mrs. Will SPIEGLER were visitors at the SIRES home Sunday.
- Jas. LEPPERT was a caller here on Monday morning.
- Howard and Jean BULMAN, Edward Weng and Mr. ASHBACHER arrived
home Thursday from Dakota where they spent the past two months
harvesting and threshing.
- Clingen REINBOLD took in the La Crosse Fair on Thursday.
- Mr. and Mrs. F.W. CAMPBELL and Mr. and Mrs. L.W. CAMPBELL and
daughter, Lonell, of Chicago, are visiting at the EISENLA home.
- Al VAUGHN returned from La Crosse Saturday.
- Will SPIEGLER and son Marvin were Decorah callers Sunday.
- Mary and Julia SHEFELBINE were shoppers here Monday.
- Frances DETERS and Bessie EISENLA attended the Fair at La
Crosse on Thursday.
- Mrs. SIRES and son Gerald were Waukon visitors Saturday.
- Russell LANE and Sidney HARTLEY were duck hunting at New Albin
on Sunday and got six ducks.
- Mrs. L. MEDICUS and children spent several days this week at
the Henry TEFF home before leaving for their new home at
Janesville, Wisconsin.
- Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. TEFF were Waukon callers on Saturday.
- Mr. and Mrs. OVERMAN and son Ben of Wisconsin are visiting
friends here this week.
- Mr. and Mrs. George WATERS were Waukon visitors Saturday.
[transcribed by E.W., April 2009]
-----
The New Albin Post
New Albin, Allamakee County, Iowa
September 27, 1928
“A Good Newspaper Published in a Good Town”
Wednesday morning while Mrs. Henry Hupfer of Monona was making
ketchup she had a serious accident. When putting the cork in a
bottle filled with hot ketchup she struck the cork with her open
hand, and the bottle broke, and the inside of her right hand went
directly onto the ragged edge of the glass and hot ketchup. The
thick muscles of the thumb and the tendons of the fingers were
cut so badly that there is fear of her losing the use of her
fingers. The doctor worked for over an hour removing the glass
from the wound and dressing it.
On the H. F. Opfer farm, one mile south of the Ludlow store,
there was a bad underground landslide and a cave or crevice
caused by the last heavy rain storm. There is a hole 30 feet
wide, nearly 50 feet along and about 30 feet deep. There is about
15 feet of solid ground before you see any rock, then down about
six feet or more is a crevice about two or three feet wide and 10
or more feet long into which the above mentioned ground with all
the corn hills standing on it has dropped into the world of the
known, which is surely some scenery and many people have stopped
here to look at it. The writer will put up a sign to direct
people who wish to see the same.—Postville Herald.
JOHN WAUKON’S PROGENY NOT AMONG INDIANS AT LATE FAIR
Says the Waukon Democrat: The Indian show on the fair
ground during the late fair but the announcer babbled a lot of
bunk in proclaiming the vulnerable Indian as being a son or
grandson of our town’s Indian namesake, John Waukon. The old
chap came from Kansas City to join the show and was part
Menominee, a different tribe from the Winnebagoes. A number of
the other Indians were members of the Brown family, who reside on
small farms below De Soto, Wis.
We noted in the Des Moines Register that Gov. Al Smith
had his picture taken with this outfit, wearing the beautiful
feather headdress of the chief. And we really thought it was far
more becoming to the chief than it was to Al, who looks better in
his familiar brown derby.
REMAINS OF FORMER LANSING RESIDENT BROUGHT BACK
The remains of the late Capt. Jas. Ruth, early resident and
former postmaster of Lansing, who died at Sacramento, Cal., over
a year ago, were brought to Lansing one day last week for
interment in the family lot, says the Waukon Democrat.
Capt. Ruth commanded Co. F of the Sixth Iowa cavalry of which the
late W.B. Cowan was a member. He resided here in Waukon 20 years
ago while serving as county auditor. Capt. Ruth was the uncle of
Mrs. Ruth Tufts and E.J. Angell. [transcription note: the
newspaper likely mixed up Capt. Jas. Ruth with his son, James
Edward Ruth. Captain Ruth died in 1909.]
FOR SALE—Corona Portable Typewriter. A-1
condition. $30.00— Richard Dresselhaus.
DENNES-BUEGE NUPTIALS
Miss Theresa Dennis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Dennis of
Caledonia, Minn., and Stanley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Buege
of New Albin were married Tuesday morning, Sept. 18, at 8
o’clock, at the Church of St. John the Baptist, Rev. John M.
Kieley officiating. The attendants were Miss Stacia Dennis,
sister of the bride, and Elmer Buege, brother of the groom.
The bride wore a gown of powder blue satin and velvet with hat to
match. She carried an arm bouquet of pink and white asters. Miss
Dennis was gowned in blue silk crepe and velvet with hat to
match. Her bouquet was of pink and lavendar asters. A wedding
dinner was served at the home of the bride’s parents to
immediate relatives. The home was decorated in blue and pink and
the season’s flowers were used in profusion. After an
extended wedding trip to points in Iowa and Minnesota, Mr. and
Mrs. Buege will make their, home at Winona, Minn., where the
groom holds a position with the Barnard Road Construction Co. The
many friends of the groom and members of his family tendered to
the bridal couple a reception at Kelly Hall, New Albin, on
Tuesday evening, Sept. 25, which was largely attended. New Albin
folks join in wishing the young couple a long and happy life
together.
LOST, STRAYED—BUT PROBABLY STOLEN
Yes, sir, the culprit who would perpetrate such a crime
as this should be drawn, quartered and even eighth-ed, have his
chewing tobacco taken away and sentenced to listen to radio
static for the rest of his life. We mean the cussed mean villain
who did purloin, misappropriate, convert to his own uses, seize
and STEAL a squash raised by Ake Nelson from a mere seed the
wonderful diameter of over two feet through the waistline. Mr.
Nelson was cuddling along this exceptionally large squash and
counted on displaying it with justifiable pride at the Fall
Festival, but one day last week he found it missing. It certainly
could not have been the work of boys, says Mr. Nelson, for it was
almost too much for a man to lift. Nevertheless, someone
"lifted" it, and bad cess to him, say we.
REV. W.E. SMITH GOES TO NEW PASTORATE FOLLOWING
CONFERENCE AT VINTON
Rev. and Mrs. Wm. E. Smith returned from conference at Vinton,
Ia., on Tuesday evening, after a very pleasant session. En route
they stopped to visit friends at Janesville, a former pastorate
of Rev. Smith’s. Rev. Smith brings back the news that he has
accepted the pastorate at Hazelton, Ia., located four miles from
Oelwein. Their many warm friends made during their three
years’ residence at New Albin wish them every pleasure and
comfort in their new home. They expect to leave about Wednesday
of next week for their new charge. The new pastor to come to the
M.E. charge here is Rev. A.B. Gable who will be here for next
Sunday’s services.
DUBUQUE TELEGRAPH-HERALD PUBLISHES PICTURE OF MRS.
TUFT’S NIECE
The Dubuque Telegraph-Herald of Sept. 23 published the
pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Lester Norris. Following is the caption
which appeared under the picture:
“Dellora Angell, age 26, now Mrs. Lester Norris, who fell
heir to the immense fortune of the late John W. Gates 10 years
ago, lives modestly in her native village; St. Charles, Ill.,
where she has taken upon herself to play the role of fairy
godmother and is busily engaged in transforming the little
country town into an up-to-date city.” Mrs. Norris is a
niece of Mrs. Ruth Tufts and E.J. Angell and daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Angell.
IOWA RIVER BOY TO HAVE PLACE IN "WHO’S
WHO" - S. Francis Hartley to Have Signal Honor — Cited
for Beautiful Poetry
S. Francis Hartley, 110 Block Avenue, Waterloo, Ia., author of a
recently published book of poetical philosophy, “Humble
Ballads of the Heart,” and other writings, recently received
a request for biological information for inclusion in the
1930-1931 edition of "Who’s Who in America,” the
red book of America’s famous men and women.
The above clipping we received in an envelope marked “The
Hawkeye Publishing Co., of Waterloo, la.,” on which was
pencilled: “An Iowa River boy.” Perhaps many local
readers will recognize this former resident and be glad of his
accomplishments in the literary field. One is not surprised that
the beauty of his native country seeped into his heart and
directed his literary achievements into the paths of poetry.
I like to think, that such the laurel,
Fame,
Drop from its branch a twig, unto my hand—
And so, along life’s way, would wend my name—
That it might be an immortal land.
The leaves of earth, in autumn, tumble fast;
The forms of men sink low, and ‘round us lie;
The earth itself, must soon be of the past;
And what remains, is such that cannot die.
And so, it is not much to gather gain;
And little more to reek in this world’s fame;
But if, some place, true gold is tried from pain,
Give me that gold—in spirit—and in name.
--S. Francis Hartley.
A. RUDNICK PRODUCE CO. OFFERING FESTIVAL PRIZES
The A. Rudnick Produce Co. are announcing a unique contest in
connection with the Fall Festival. In their advertisement may be
found the prices to be paid for poultry, butter fat and eggs,
together with the announcement of two prizes, one of $1.50 to the
person bringing in the most poultry during the three-day
Festival, and another prize of $1.00 to the person bringing in
the most eggs during the same period.
VAUDEVILLE TROUPE’S LOCAL APPEARANCE POSTPONED
Word was received on Monday by F.C. Schwarzhoff, manager of the
Lyric Theatre, that Tyson Wittland, head of the vaudeville troupe
which was to have put on a bill at the Lyric on October 5, broke
his right arm while cranking a car on Sunday and will be unable
to make his appearance on the date set. However, this troupe will
surely make their appearance at a later date, with 10 acts of
high class vaudeville guaranteed to please the most fastidious of
the Lyric’s. patrons. Mr. Wittland is a cousin of E.O. Lenz.
-D.J. Kelly left last Friday for Dakota to attend to harvesting
the grain on his ranch there. During his absence Mrs. Kelly is
assisting in operating the feed and produce business.
ALL SET FOR THE BIG TIME! COME TO THE NEW ALBIN FALL FESTIVAL!
Whoopee! She’s here! Two carloads of concessions lay on a
siding at the New Albin Station on Tuesday awaiting trucks and
drays to unload the bewildering array of chairplane, the huge
ironwork of the ferris wheel and the gaily painted horses of the
merry-go-round. The concessions are grouped on Market Square, and
needless to say, it will be the center of attraction for every
youngster in town during its stay. A lot of enthusiasm is being
displayed by local gardeners, housewives and farmers in the
agricultural and domestic displays, and new and interesting items
are being added to the program by the hardworking committees
daily.
Boxing Contests of Two Classes—Fly and Feather Weights to
Contend
Among the popular amusements to be enjoyed is the Boxing
Tournament, to be held every night during the Festival under the
direction of the Sports Committee, consisting of A. Rudnick, Dr.
H.P. Field and Herbert Hayes.
An explanation of the tournament is as follows: The events are
divided into two classes. Preliminaries in each class will start
Thursday evening at 7 o’clock. All entries cast in a box,
from which the two names of partners are to be drawn. Two
2-minute rounds must be boxed to qualify. The winners will box
three 2-minute rounds on Friday evening. The two best in this
class will box Saturday evening in four 2-minute round contests.
The boxing classes consist of:
1st class—Up to and including boys 13 years of age, not
weighing over 95
pounds.
2nd class—Up to and including 16 years of age, not weighing
over 125
pounds.
Please enter your name with Herbert Hayes before 7 p.m. Thursday
so you can be weighed. Prizes of $2.50 and $1 will be awarded to
the winners in each class, plus a purse to be made up for the
winners on Saturday night.
Dance Every Night!
The orchestras are engaged for a series of three dances on the
nights the Festival. On Thursday night [illegible]ick’s
Orchestra of La Crosse will play for an old-fashioned dance. On
Friday night Bid Deane and His Eight Serenaders will play for a
modern dance, and on Saturday evening, Kroak’s Orchestra, a
local organization, will play for another of the popular old time
dances. Come and enjoy yourselves every evening. Get a full
variety of dance steps going for the busy winter season.
General Program of Festival Events
Now let’s sum up the Festival and its events:
Visit Exhibits, Patronize Concessions. Take in all the exhibits
by all means. See the Agricultural and Domestic Exhibit at Travis
& Kumpf Store. Attend the School Exhibit and that of the Camp
Fire Girls at the City Hall. Then patronize the fine concession
rides which will be grouped on Market Square.
The ladies of the St. Joseph Church Parish will have a booth for
the sale of light lunches and coffee, while the local Festival
Committee will operate a stand for hot sandwiches and other
viands under the park grandstand, to be superintended by Percy
Buckendahl.
Sports, Baseball in Afternoons
On Thursday afternoon the unique and interesting races will be
run, using the straight piece of graveled road across the track
for the racetrack. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday
afternoons’ entertainment, the baseball diamond at the
schoolhouse will be the attraction.
Boxing and Dancing in the Evenings
The evenings will be occupied with the amusements, dancing and
the continued events of the boxing tournament, which start at 7
p.m., giving ample time to “take in” everything and
have a maximum good time.
Festival Needs Co-Operation of All
And for the last word: Nothing ever was, or ever will be, a
success without the cooperation of everyone. We need, not only
the exhibitors and the important committeemen who have worked
hard and faithfully to arrange for this Festival, but we need
crowds of folks to enjoy the events, to patronize our merchants
during the Festival, and encourage all who at considerable
sacrifice, are ever at work making New Albin an up-and-coming
place whose citizens will be proud of her! All that can be done
in advance has been done. It’s up to us ALL now to put the
finishing touch to the affair by backing ’er up to the last
ditch and having a GOUD TIME! LET’S GO!!!
THINGS ARE HUMMIN’ IN TENT CITY ACROSS THE TRACK!
Talk about team work! New Albin has seen a good example of it
going on all day across the tracks in Market Square where in a
twinkling of an eye a magical city of tents has risen on a plot
of bare ground. Last night all the paraphernalia was stowed away
in box cars. Tonight everything is shipshape, with not a rope nor
a strip of canvass out of place, all ready to go except for the
electric wiring.
NEW ALBIN A GENERATION AGO—MANY CHANGES IN THE OLD
TOWN SINCE THEN—Clippings from Old Time Local Newspapers
A faint musty odor clings to the Post Plant these days,
due to piles of old newspapers, some of which were published at
New Albin, and a scattering few Mirrors, published at
Lansing, and Waukon county seat papers. Many interesting things
can be learned about this section, some through the news items,
and others by “reading between the lines.”
One of the most interesting is a copy of the first New Albin
News, owned and edited by Ludwig Schubbert, dated Dec. 9,
1904. The advertisements in this paper were an index to the
merchants of that day, and among those who have long since
departed for other fields of endeavor, or for the Great Beyond,
are noted:
New Albin’s Popular-Priced Clothier (who was he?); A.P.
Petrehn, hardware; Dr. E. Jas. Gable, Dr. H.C, Boyer; Fitschen,
Son & Steele, general merchandise; J. Regan, barber; O.M.
Jacobson, watch repairer and jewelry; R.H. Thompson, furniture
and undertaking; W.O. Bock & Co, general store; Wild Bros.,
cabinet work and lumber.
Mr. Schubbert’s paper had for its slogan: “The Paper
With a Mission and Without a Muzzle.”
Here is a clipping from it of a happy party which has not been
forgotten by two of our people, at least:
“One of those happy occasions that young people so well
enjoy was the surprise on Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Higgins last
Thursday night when upwards of half a hundred of their friends
marched in and took possession of the home of this newly-wed
couple. Refreshments were served by the visitors, who brought
abundance of viands. The hosts were the recipients of a fine
50-piece tea set.”
And here were the market reports way back in 1904:
“Hogs—$3.90 and $4.10; cattle, $2 and $3; Chickens, 6c
and 7c; Turkeys, 10c and 12c; Butter, 20c; Corn, 30c and 25c;
Oats, per bu., 24c; Barley, 30c and 33c; Rye, 60c and 65c; Eggs,
20c.”
Who Remembers the New Albin Globe?
In 1904 Herbert J. Metcalf was publisher of the Lansing
Mirror, later consolidated with the Allamakee Journal.
A fraction of one of its pages had a heading: New Albin Globe,
indicating a former New Albin paper of that name whose list was
purchased by the Mirror some time prior to 1904. No one
has saved a copy of this Globe, so we probably never can
trace back the complete history of New Albin’s editors and
the papers they printed.
From a Mirror of Dec. 13, 1907, we glean that tobacco
was an experimental crop here. Messrs. Ross and Riser, notes the
correspondent, report the crop excellent.
Travis & Kumpf sold furnaces, the sale of two being noted,
installed by F. Schwoebel of Lansing.
Rev. Lease was called back to New Albin to serve another year as
pastor of the M.E. Church.
New potatoes were selling at 50c a bushel, indicating a short
crop, as they were selling at 20c and 25c elsewhere.
In the English Bench news of that issue we note the hunting
enjoyed and the eagles which were common in those days:
"Thos. and Levi Sires broke up camp after a two weeks
outing. They succeeded in bagging one large catfish, 79 musk
rats, 2 grey foxes, 1 coon and 1 large eagle. The eagle was shot
while soaring over the dogs.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Malone drove to Waukon one day last
week and the children, while playing, attracted the attention of
a large eagle which swooped down to the ground frightening them
very much. Rosella, their eight-year-old daughter, picked up a
broomstick and struck the eagle on the head, stunning it. They
finally succeeded in killing it. The bird measured eight feet
from tip to tip, and the talons are being kept as a souvenir of
the brave little girl’s gallant fight.”
Mr. Schubbert was an able editorial writer, whose style was
patterned a great deal after that of Ed Howe, the famous editor
of the Atchison Globe. We quote one of his from this
issue that is as apt today as it was when he wrote it, well nigh
a generation ago: “l find no part of my work more difficult
than the cultivation among my constituents of a proper and
genuine civic pride. The truth is that most people are ashamed to
live in a small town. They consider it in some way derogatory to
their intelligence and standing, and look with a mixture of envy
and reverence upon the denizens of larger laces. They never lose
an opportunity to condole with themselves over the town being
“slow” and “dead” and “behind the
times.” In the majority of cases this sentiment is not
impelled by the speaker’s actual requirements, but by his
desire to appear wisely metropolitan and up to date. Turn the
average rural grumbler loose in the great city he has been
sighing for, and he won’t know what to do with himself and
his opportunities after he gets there.”
On second thought, however, we do not think this applies so
strictly to the country dwellers of this age. Their contacts with
the city conditions are greater what with the newspapers and
magazines and radios, so that they can appreciate the beauties
and comforts of the country as far ahead of the smelly, dirty,
grubby city with its grinding poverty, its filthy slums and its
winter breadline. Most of us brag about our town, realizing that
with running water, electric lights and good furnaces, that we
have all the comforts plus the far healthier living out here
where “men are men, in the great open spaces.”
But to get back to these old musty files:
A different roster of advertisers is noted in 1907, indicating a
change from the first paper on hand in 1904: H.F. Ayer sold
jewelry; Henry Fladager was the clothier; John F. Brenner
advertised city delivery; F.L. Lenz operated the city dray line;
Wild & Dolan, lumber dealers; May & Riser advertised the
“Eureka Sliding Gate;” A.B. Travis was a hardware
dealer; A.F. Kuehn kept the Jefferson Hotel; John Miller built
barns. The tobacco crops came in for mention, favorable weather
being noted for casing the tobacco crop.
And here’s another item which maybe was of the
“Postbox” variety and maybe was serious, we can’t
tell: “Ed Fish fell into the Iowa River one day last week
and came nearly being chewed to pieces by several ferocious
catfish. He was rescued by by-standers, however, before the fish
got the best of him.”
“Pat Ryan’s team ran away last Thursday and ran into
Mail Carrier Kelly.”
“Matt Hill, the Caledonia young man who has rented the Sires
blacksmith shop, is now installed and ready to attend to the
wants of customers.”
The Waukon Republican, of Feb. 1, 1905, devoted quite a
bit of space to fashions and from its pages we clip the following
fashion note which we think will be of use to our feminine
readers. We believe the recipe for this natty cover-all was 15
yards of fine quality burlap, a package of nails or some
peppermint-flavored glue, with a yard or two of baling wire for a
drawstring. Oh, be your age and listen:
“A foundation of stout mohair or of good sateen may be made
gay with a plaid silk flounce of serviceable surah. And this
petticoat is very pretty for wear with the walking skirt of the
clay, which particularly needs that the garment immediately below
be neat and pretty—gales and the movement of the quick
walker disclose quite plainly the petticoat of the wearer.”
Naughty, naughty!
And from the same paper we clip the forerunner of the Ford joke:
“The following is a first class substitue for a sleigh ride:
Seat yourself in an uncomfortable rocking chair in a draughty
passageway. Attach a string of sleigh bells to the back of a
chair. Place your feet in a tub full of ice and fresh snow. Have
the door opened. Start rocking, sometimes fast and sometimes
slow. Imagine that the right person is holding your hand—and
take solid comfort.”
Yea bo! Those were the days!
[transcribed by E.W., January 2013]