Iowa
Old Press
Iowa Recorder
Greene, Butler, Iowa
October 12, 1921
STATE NEWS IN BRIEF
Meservey.- The almost extinct prairie chickens are getting more plentiful.
Christ Christensen, a tiler on the L. Janssen farm, three miles north of
Meservey, claims to have the only pet prairie chickens in the state. During the
hot summer months when water was scarce Christensen noticed that a prairie
chicken followed his work closely, apparently to get water out of the dirt
thrown out of the ditch. The next day he carried a dish and watered the chick,
and at noon divided his dinner with it. The chicken is now so tame that he can
be petted, roosts on the car fender and keeps Mr. Christensen company during his
labors in the tile ditch. When a stranger approaches Mr. Prairie Chicken is just
as wild as he ever was. Prairie chickens are protected by law until 1922.
Marshalltown- Kenneth Clark, 11, son of J.W. Clark, a farmer, living three
miles south of Dillon, was instantly killed Friday afternoon when the top of his
head was knocked off by a piece of stump weighing eighty pounds, which was
thrown 660 feet through the air from an adjoining field where men were blasting.
Mr. Clark had objected to the dynamiting shortly before his son was killed.
Cherokee.- W.H. Schmidt is exhibiting a branch from a red raspberry vine,
cut form his garden on Oct. 3, that bears twenty-one berries, on of which is
fully ripe. His garden affords many similar specimens. Mr. Schmidt has lately
gathered the ripe blackberries and has numerous specimens nearing maturity. Both
raspberry and blackberry vines are of the ordinary varieties and had produced a
good seasonable crop this year.
Ames.- Iowa buttermakers who are competing for the gold and silver medals
offered for the best butter score for the year by Iowa State college in the
educational contest sent in 32 tubs to be scored on September 23. E.H. Rohrssen,
Waverly, won first in the whole milk class and C. N. Hart of Plymouth won first
in the gathered cream class. Rohrssen had a score of 96 per cent and Hart scored
95.5 per cent. This contest runs throughout the year with twelve monthly
scorings. The next scoring will take place at the Buttermaker's convention to be
held at Cedar Rapids the latter part of October. The contest for the year closes
on November 25. Judges for the scorings are Howard Reynolds, Mason City; H.E.
Forrester, Des Moines, assistant food and dairy commissioner of Iowa and A.W.
Rudnick of the extension service of Iowa State college.
Mason City.- Henry Behm, brother of Jack Behm, on trial here for robbery,
pleaded guilty to robbery Friday and admitted that he had been a member of the
Jones-Welsh gang of auto and mail bandits. Judge C.H. Kelley sentenced him to
ten years at Fort Madison.
Dubuque.- Mrs. Ethel Woodow, who resides in Dubuque county paid a fine of
$25 and costs when arraigned on a charge of hunting without a license, before a
justice of the peace here on Friday. It is the first case on record here where a
woman was arrested on a charge of hunting without a license.
Graettinger.- A few days ago a special appeared in The Register stating that
a seventy-eight pound pumpkin was on display at Albia and the question was asked
"Who can beat it?" Graettinger can. Charley Jensen has a pumpkin on display in
his store that weights 125 pounds. He also has a smaller one that weighs
eighty-one pounds. Who can beat that?
Traer.- A crowd estimated at 500 attended a public sale of purebred
Shorthorn cattle on George Knoop's farm near Clutier. The entire offering of
forty-two head were sold, the average price being $130. The highest priced
animal, a cow, was purchased for $320 by Miller Bros. of Britt, Iowa. Most of
the buyers were from Tama and adjoining counties.
Hampton.- Oney Fred Sweet, the well known newspaper writer and lecturer, and
by the way, originally a product of Hampton, has come back to the old town to
make his home there. After visiting friends and relatives here for a few days,
the welcome was so earnest and wholehearted for Mrs. Sweet, and recalled such
recollections of old times to Fred, that they decided to make their home here
for a time at least, and they have leased apartments in the Mrs. Lucy McNeil
residence and have commenced housekeeping there. Mr. Sweet will be away from
home much of the time engaged in chautauqua and lyceum work.
Winthrop.- Harry Ringold, a farmer living near Winthrop, had an experience
yesterday that he will not care to repeat. It happened that his neighbors bull
got into his pasture and was attacking a bull owned by Mr. Ringold. Mr. Ringold
took a pitchfork and proceeded to part the animals when the neighbor's animal
turned on him and for a few minutes it looked as though Mr. Ringold would be
seriously injured, when he succeeded in striking the animal in the eye and he
backed away from him and went after the Ringold animal again, which he killed.
The animal killed was a thoroughbred Polled Durham, for which Mr. Ringold had
paid $80 when a calf. Mr. Ringold's injuries were not serious, although he was
pretty badly bruised up, and it will take some time for him to recover.
New Hampton.- Ralph Cott, is a 15 year old lad living northeast of this
city. He is a member of the Farm Bureau boys' and girls' club. He is a hustler
in every respect. He raises Poland China pigs and has won several prizes at
county fairs. He has become an expert in judging pigs. He has been at it for two
years in connection with the Ames expert. His judgment is excellent. Besides
raising pigs this youngster has this year entered into the corn contest. He
reports he has a yield of 80-1/2 bushels by weight. He has sent samples of his
corn to Ames for the moisture test. He has selected seed corn from the best
grown on this acre.
[transcribed by C.J.L.; July 2004]