Iowa
Old Press
DeWitt Observer
DeWitt, Clinton, Iowa
Wednesday, June 18, 1884
Irishmen and Harper's Weekly
We copy the following sensible article from the Des Moines
Register:
The treason of Harper's Weekly- whether it be that of conscience
or compensation-is good fortune for the Republican party in one
respect. It rids it of a venomous enemy of Irishmen and
Catholics. For many long years, and indeed ever since Nast has
cominated it with pictures, it has been brutally offensive to the
Irish people and the Catholic church. It has constantly struck
all Irishmen in the face with the full width of its hand,
has ceaselessly given to Irishmen in its caricatures faces like
beasts, and constantly derided the Catholic church. Its
caricatures of Ireland's sorrow is the mass have been as
unrelenting as they have been cruel and its derision of Irishmen
in America fully as brutal. Its onslaughts on the Pope, its
caricatures of him and the sacred ceremonies of the church, have
all been shocking to fair play and repugnant to the American
sense of decency. There is not the least doubt that its brutality
toward and abuse of Irishmen have done more than anything to keep
New York City Democratic and to drive the Irishman as a mass into
the Democratic party.
Now it is gone. It goes, too, just as the impulse is on hundreds
of thousands of Irishmen, because of their antipathy to free
trade and other Democratic theories, to come over to the
Republican party. It will help them
to come with accelerating pace, as they see their old arch-enemy,
Harper's Weekly, leaving the party. On the whole, therefore,
there is not much to regret to the departure of the paper.
Iowa Inventions
Following are the patents granted to iowa inventors last week,
repoted for the Observer by Justus M. St. John,
solicitor of patents, Cedar Rapids, Iowa:
Martin Bohlig, Dubuque, hobby-horse.
James g. Butterfield, Sioux City, locomotive ash pan.
Henry H. DePew, Maquoketa, convertible chair.
James W. Gregory, Ames, bird cage.
Charles E. Griffith, Storm Lake, bit for inserting screw eyes.
J.W. Jackman, H.B. Neighbors, J.R. Stick and S.F. Habitzel,
Lafayette, chimney cons.
Hans H. Sater, Dubuque, Horrow.
Clarence A. Williams, Webster City, carpenter's workbench.
John J. Wood, et., Berlin, Wis, and Fred Christen, Iowa Falls,
machine for grinding harvest knives.
- Dubuque is live with a huge military encampment.
- A boy named Geo. Conze, living near Calamus, was drowned a few
days ago by wading in a pond with all his clothes on and getting
into a deep place. Being unable to swim, he drowned. Four or five
men and boys who were seining in this water, and of which party
George was a member, saw him drown, but none of them being
swimmers could render no assistance. So we learn from the Calamus
Free Press.
Social Statistics
Clinton Herald: During the week ending June 14th the
County Clerk issued marriage licenses as follows:
Thomas Callahan and Mary Lanagan.
John Andreas and Eliza C. Peterson.
W.C. Thorn and Florence E. Yale.
A.H. Clausen and Nellie Ott.
Clayton Olney and Elnora E. Lake.
J. Dougherty and Catharine McMullen.
Edward Williams and Bridget Spain.
John Bartow and Mrs. Sarah Burkey.
C.J. Cole and Miss Emma Kube [or Kobe].
The following deaths were reported:
George Wagner, Clinton, 1 year.
____ Jensen, Olive township, 78 years.
Henry Burmeister, Lost Nation, 29 years.
During the same week births were reported, father's name only
appearing:
Carl Niesche, girl, Wheatland.
Francis Tillman, girl, Elwood.
Ernest Ruckeberg, girl, Sharon.
Thomas Howsen, boy, Eden.
Wm. Dunn, girl, Camanche.
John Geo. Keller, boy, Clinton.
Wm Edens, boy, Clinton.
Oliver P. Hughes, boy, Clinton.
Nathan H. Thurston, boy, Clinton.
Dedick Steenfat, girl, Clinton.
Frank Hubbard, boy, Clinton.
Wm. Reschka, girl, Clinton.
Chas. Muller, boy, Clinton.
Chas. Nelson, girl, Clinton.
Andrew Dahl, boy, River Park.
Henry Kahler, boy, Orange.
P.W. Peterson, girl, River Park.
Henry Erich, boy, Lyons.
Personal Mention.
- Uncle Achilles Robb is again quite low and is probably near his
end.
- Gus Barbour, traveling insurance agent, is home for a week or
two.
- Old Mr. Murlough, of Washington township, died last Sunday. The
funeral in town yesterday was largely attended.
- Cotton & Wolfe have papered, painted and generally improved
their office, assisted by the efficient service of S.F. Tailor.
- H.A. Fay and wife start today for a tour of several states and
a visit to the scene of their childhood in the old Granite state.
- Stephen Cumming is still sick, remaining about the same, with
the chances, against his recovery, as Dr. Dennison informs us.
- Lou. S. Purssell, of Chicago, ws in DeWitt a day or two last
week, departing Saturday for Lyons, to stay over Sunday with his
mother. Mrs. Purssell had been a few days visiting her mother
(Mrs. Geo. C. Tyler) and
returned with her husband. They are well situated in that city,
Mr. Purssell being a leading contractor in carpenterin, doing a
thriving business.
- Among the Clinton Herald's docket dots on Monday
occurs the following:
"Philip Mudgett, of Camanche, arrested for assaulting a man
named W.F. Andrews, had a hearing before Justice Sesman today and
was fined one dollar and costs. D.J. Darling prosecuting and I.R.
Andrews defending. An appeal to the District Court was taken and
bond furnished."
- Mrs. J.H. Flint, of Clinton, has opened a studio for the summer
over Drew & Lee's grocery store, DeWitt, where she will be
found on Tuesday of each week. Pupils will be received at the
following rates: For $10.00 paid in advance, 16 lessons will be
given; if not in advance, 12 lessons for $10.00 All kinds of
painting will be taught, and ladies wishing to order decorative
work of any description will be guaranteed perfect satisfaction.
Studio open from 9 1/2 a.m. to 5 1/2 p.m. every Tuesday.
- The accident referred to by our Welton correspondent, wherein
John Toedt's son Louie, aged ten years, lost one eye, was a
serious affair. The boy was using a piece of steel spring to
throw bits of stone or other articles, when the wrong end flew up
and struck him in the eye, breaking the ball. Mr. Toedt brought
the lad to town and Dr. Morgan called Dr. Hazen, oculist, of
Davenport, and last evening an operation was performed, cleaning
out the socket, etc. The bright little fellow is now comfortable
and doing well at Mr. Voss's.
- W.H. Talbot and Edward Quigley were fishing in Gubbins' bayou
on Monday when Talbot hooked up a catfish four feet long and
weighing forty eight pounds. It being on a small hook and line,
it took fully half an hour to land the monster.
[transcribed by C.J.L., October 2006]