Iowa Old Press

Burlington Weekly Hawkeye
Burlington, Des Moines co. Iowa
June 9, 1860

Iowa News

- Some three months ago, a young man named Andrew Young, who had been
employed as a teacher at Genoa Bluffs, started from there for Millersburg on
horseback, since which time he has not been heard from.  He had quite a sum
of money in his possession, and suspicions of foul play have been aroused.
The fears of his friends are confirmed by the fact that a package of papers
belonging to him have been found scattered about on the prairie in the
vicinity of Millersburg.

- The Davenport Democrat and News of the 1st, reports that on Wednesday
evening, a party of young men attending the ball in the Le Claire Hall,
gathered in an adjoining saloon to "take a drink". While there two of them
engaged in a scuffle, and while they were wrestling, some scoundrel in the
crowd, inflicted a severe wound in the side of George Roode, one of the
wrestlers.  The thrust was done so skillfully that no one in the party knew
anything about it until young Roode informed them that he was stabbed.  Had
the blow been struck a little more squarely, it would undoubtedly have
proved fatal.

- The Guttenberg Register says the story that has been in circulation to the
effect that Baker was elected to the Legislature from this county [Clayton]
instead of Peet is untrue.  It states the result to be, after correcting the
mistake made at Grand Meadow, a majority of nine in favor of S.R. Peet.

- John Edwards has disposed of his interest in the Iowa Patriot to Mr.
Mendel.  The publication of the paper will hereafter be continued by
Fairbrother & Mendel.  Mr. Edwards is still retained as editor until other
arrangements are made.

- We are sorry to announce that the splendid steam saw-mill owned by Mr.
Elias Brown, at Forest Home, was entirely destroyed by fire on Thursday
morning of last week.  the cause of the fire is entirely unknown.

- The Clayton County Journal of last Thursday, says that during a severe
gale that swept over Elkader on Tuesday forenoon, the roof of the Catholic
church was blown off, doing considerable injury.  The wind was terrible at
the time.

- The Vinton Eagle states that Gov. Kirkwood visited that village on Monday
last for the purpose of looking into the affairs of the Blind Asylum,
preparatory to appointing a Commissioner to resume work on the building.

- "Wide-Awakes" - A meeting was held in one of the rooms of the Julien
Theatre building last evening, and an organization to be known as the
"Wide-Awakes" was effected, its object being, as is well understood, to
diffuse Republican principles, and to aid in the election of Lincoln and
Hamlin.  A constitution and by-laws were adopted, and twenty-one gentlemen
gave in their names as officers.  The officers elected were W.B. Allison,
President; J.B. Lane and F.M. Freund, Vice Presidents; W.L. Couch,
Secretary, and G.P. Abel, Treasurer.  This is the pioneer company of Iowa.
We trust it may have many worthy followers.  -- Dubuque Times.

- The Des Moines Commonwealth learns that Dr. Lovejoy and his aged mother,
while on their way from Green County to the above place, a few days since,
were thrown from their buggy and seriously injured, by the breaking of the
harness.  Mrs. Lovejoy had several of her ribs broken, and Mr. L. had a
shoulder blade broken and was otherwise injured.

- Melancholy Catastrophe - Mr. Jabez Hopkins, of Fox River township, Davis
county, was killed by lightening on Sunday morning week.  The bolt descended
upon the roof of his house, and parted, one portion coming down the chimney
to the fire-place, near which Mr. Hopkins at that moment was.  The fluid
struck him on the head, burning his hair, face and clothing, in a shocking
manner.  A metallic handle knife in his pocket was melted to a running fluid
and the steel blade was also melted so as to be ardly recognized.  The
leather of one of his boots on his feet was burnt to a crisped mass of coal.
The fluid then passed to the earth, tearing up the hearth and floor.  The
other section of the bolt passed down one of the rafters to near the eaves,
when it entered a flue and followed the stove pipe to a stove in the room
below, melting the door and other parts of the stove.  In its passae to the
earth it left no perceptible track beneath the stove.  The family, who were
in the house, were all struck senseless, but soon recovered.  A dog which
had taken shelter from the storm beneath the floor of the house was found
dead, although no marks of the effects of the lightning were found on its
body.

- The North Iowa Times seems to have a fondness for "the Ring," and in the
person of one Andrew Gaffney, of McGregor, has found a man who will fight
any citizen of the United States or Canada (England having been already
conquered in the conflict with Heenan) for $1,000 to $5,000; the fight to
take place within 20 miles of Chicago, and to come off in September or
October next."  It states that "letters addressed to 'Big Andy,' McGregor,
Iowa, care of North Iowa Times, will be promptly responded to."

- Pike's Peakers - The Delaware County Journal of last Wednesday, says that
on that morning a company of about twenty-five men, women and children, in
five covered wagons, drawn by four yoke of oxen and three pair of horses,
and accompanied by thirty-five head of cattle, passed through Delhi on their
way to Pike's Peak.

- More Immigrants - Another installment of immigrants, from Somerset county,
Pa., arrived a few days ago at Waterloo, to join the Pennsylvania settlement
recently located near that town.

- A few days ago the house of James Todd, of Milo township, Delaware county,
caught fire and was consumed.  Most of the household effects were saved.

*****
Submitted by Sharyl

Burlington Weekly Hawkeye
Burlington, Des Moines co. Iowa
June 30, 1860

IOWA NEWS.

     Wool vs. Cotton- It now appears that the leading influences in Davenport are going in favor of the establishment of a woolen factory there rather than a cotton factory. The majority of practical business men think that a woolen factory would be by far the most preferable as well as profitable.

     Brutal Assault- A man named James McCarty, while in a state of intoxication last Monday night, was brutally assaulted and almost killed by a notorious character in Davenport known as "one armed Charlie," keeper of a house of ill fame. The ruffian was assisted by two others named Ed. Lavender and Scott Stevens. They were arrested and committed the next day.

    Struck by Lightning- The New Oregon, Howard county, Plaindealer, of the 15th says that on Monday previous, the residence of Henry Baker, near that village, was struck by lightning and almost totally wrecked. Fortunately no lives were lost.

    Drowned.- A young man named ___ Reeves,  was drowned in the Des Moines river at the mouth of Sugar creek, two miles below this city, on the 15th. The unfortunate young man, in company with a brother, was bathing in the river. The river is very low now, but there is a hole some 15 feet deep at that place, in which he became strangled. Workmen from the K.D.M. & M. Railroad were engaged near and ran to the spot when the brother gave the alarm, but could render no assistance. Young Reeves lived between Agency City and Dahlonega.-- Ottumwa Courier.

    Prairie Breaking By the Square Mile.- We learn from A.P. Wood, Esq., of this city, that three eastern men (New York State farmers) are each having a section of prairie broken up as short distance east of Coffin's Grove, Delaware county. They design to convert this land into farms for their own use. New breaking, Mr. W. states, is to be seen in almost every direction along the roads leading through the prairie districts within fifty miles from this city. This speaks well for the future productive interests of this section of country.-- Dubuque Herald.

    Some of the female boarders at the County Jail express great dissatisfaction on account of not being allowed sardines, oyster soup and fixins in place of the ordinary jail grub. The Jailor thinks they are putting on "too many airs for ladies of their stripe."

    Quite a stream of immigration has been setting into Franklin County this spring. A large number have arrived and more are expected soon. The new comers are mostly from Illinois, where they have lived ever since the country was a wilderness. They have witnessed the growth of that State and will consequently have patience to wait for the development of this region. This is the character of the immigration we like to see.-- Franklin Record.

    Mr. E.B. Isett, an old and well known citizen of this place, died very suddenly on Tuesday from the effect of a quantity of Bateman's drops, taken by his own agency in a partial fit of derangement. He leaves a wife and a large family of small children to mourn the loss of a devoted husband and fond father, for whom the deepest sympathy is felt in their bereavement.-- Wapello Intelligencer.

    Allamakee Co.- Wolves- From the Waukon Journal we learn that a Mr. James Reed, living near that place, tracked some wolves from his farm to a cave, and then had some rare sport in burning them out. He collected a large lot of birch bark, and placing it in the mouth of the den, set fire to it, thus roasting several of them. Just as he was applying the torch, two young ones came home. One of them he caught while the other scrambled over his back into the cave.

    Horrible Death.- The Ft. Madison Plaindealer learns that Isaac Owen, who escaped from the Lee county jail last winter, where he was incarcerated to await trial for murder, met with a horrible death in Ohio. His feet were badly frozen on his flight, and the flesh afterwards sloughed off his legs and feet and caused his death by gradual torture.

    Elk.- A party of gentlemen went out hunting from Fort Dodge a few days ago and brought home six Elks, and a red fox, all alive.

    On Saturday the 16th inst. a man named Gould living in the vicinity of West Liberty, Muscatine county, on his way home from Iowa City with a load of whisky and lager beer, was met by persons in disguise, and had his whisky and lager taken from him and spilled upon the ground.

    Suicide.- The Guttenberg Register of the 21st states that Charles Falkenheimer, a Justice of the Peace in that place, returned home Wednesday morning from a trip in the country and committed suicide by jumping into the river.

    Tumor Removed.- The Montezuma (Poweshiek county) Republican says that Dr. Conway of Brooklyn, assisted by Dr. Bricker of Iowa county, has successfully removed a tumor of eight years standing from the face and neck of Mrs. Newkirk of Brooklyn.

    Suicide at Fort Dodge.-  The Sentinel of the 16th reports that Mrs. Eliza Lumpkins, a well and favorably known woman of that place, committed suicide by hanging herself a few days ago. She had become deranged.

    The Guttenburg Register of the 21st says that J.L. Merrit of Glen Haven, left home on Tuesday morning last, to work upon a farm about two miles distant. After working a short time he took his halter and started in pursuit of his horses, taking with him his adz. He called at a house and inquired for his horses; he was informed where they were, and has not been seen since. His hat and adz have been found upon the bank of the river. It is feared that he has drowned himself.

    Truth Stranger than Fiction- Among those who suffered loss by the late tornado was a Mr. Wm. H. Bennett of Dewitt. A letter, which was written from Pennsylvania some five years since, and which being of importance, his wife had kept in a drawer among her private papers, was, with almost everything else, swept away. It alighted twenty miles north from the track of the whirlwind, and fifty miles from Bennett's on the farm of Mr. John Wood, near Sterling, Ill. Mr. Wood is a cousin of Mrs. Bennett. On the 12th inst. while plowing, he found the letter and rightly conjecturing that his Iowa relatives had been dsepoiled by the tornado if not killed, he hastened to Dewitt with his wife to ascertain the truth and relive their necessities.

[ Submitted by C.J.L. Mar 2004]