Iowa Old Press

The Clermont Enterprise
Clermont, Fayette co. Iowa
Thursday, August 25, 1932

Personal
Mrs. Andrew Thorson spent the week end in the home of her sister, Mrs. B. Nelson, east of Elgin.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Milan have purchased a small truck farm near Gaysville, Wis., and have located there. Mr. Milan had employment in the city but was not working all the time and decided to buy a place of his own. Mrs. Milan is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Kelleher.

Mrs. C.K. West and daughters Ermagene and Naomi, of Dubuque, were dinner guests Thursday in the H.E. Landsgard home.

Veronica McKernan of Castalia is a guest at the Thomas Powers home this week.

Mr. and Mrs. Will Delaney of Waterloon, and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Becker and family of Elgin, visited at the Ed Delaney home last Sunday.

Mrs. Herman Rolf, who has been having a siege of rheumatism is getting much better and at last reports was well on the way to complete recovery.

The Women's Catholic Order of Foresters will have a social meeting on Thursday evening, Sept. 1, at the Johnson hall. Mrs. Thos. Cummings and Mrs. J.W. Crowe will be hostesses.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Imboden and son Richard, of Earlham, were guests last week in the home of Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Follett. Mrs. Imboden is a sister to Julia Riser, who has been quite ill for several months. Miss Riser has improved so that she is getting about and has been out riding in the Follett car the past several days.

Mrs. Emma Grossman visited the latter part of last week with her sister at Giard, who is seriously ill.

Mrs. Louis Miller and daughter Chrystol, and Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Peters returned the latter part of last week from a trip they made to the western part of the state, including a stay at the lakes.

Mr. and Mrs. L.H. Appelman were married seven years last Friday and on Saturday eveing they celebrated the event when Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Humphry of West Union, Mrs. Guy Whitford and Olive, Floyd and Eugene, of Chicago, were their guests.

Margaret Powers is home from Madison, Wis., spending a two weeks' vacation. She is working in the ladies' department of the university store of which her brother is manager. Her brother, James, will accompany her back to Madison where he expects to enroll in the university.

Mr. and Mrs.Henry Olson and daughters Winifred and Lucille, from Pasadena, Calif., and Mr. and Mrs. T.J. Olson of Gunder, were guests lst Thursday in the H.E. Landsgard home.

Mrs. Emma Grossman is in Waterloo staying with the family of her daughter, Mrs. Jack Malone, while they are away on a trip.

Art Simpson Instantly Killed at Local Light Plant
A.R. Simpson, night man at the local power and light plant, was instantly killed in the water wheel which drives the machinery of the plant, late Monday night.

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Greenley, accompanied by Messrs L.L. Kiple, O.P. Stoehr and Walter Dummermuth and their wives of Elgin, and Henrietta Johnson of Ossian, had gone to the plant to see how the machinery operated. Mr. Simpson was the night man in charge when the party went there about half past ten. Mr. Dummermuth and the five ladies started with Mr. Simpson through the plant and he explained the operations of the different pieces of machinery. Going into the room under which the powerful dynamo that is operated with water power from the Turkey river, he raised a section of the metal floor directly over the monstrous wheel. With the aid of his flash light Mr. Dummermuth, Mrs. Kiple and Mrs. Stoehr looked down into the water pit.

The three saw him replace the three eighth inch steel plate and all started to go out into another part of the building. Mrs. Kiple proceeded the others stepping on the plate. Mr. Dummermuth followed her and when Mr. Simpson started to come with them he evidently stepped on the plate. Mr. Dummermuth heard a noise which caused him to turn. He saw Mr. Simpson as he disappeared into the pit leaving the place where the plate had been uncovered. He called for help and the ladies who had just gone ahead heard the splashing of water and the whirling of the wheel.
This was the principal part of the story told by the witnesses at the inquest held at the Farmers' Savings Bank Tuesday afternoon.

The jury sitting at the inquest were Frank Pringle, Dr. R.V. Brandt and L.L. Wells. Mr. Dummermuth, Mrs. Kiple and Mrs. Stoehr of Elgin, Dr. L.L. Carr and Adolph Frederick of Clermont, and C.J. Rhea of Dubuque, were sommoned as witnesses.

The jury at the inquest held by Dr. Smittle, county coroner, Tuesday afternoon gave the following as their verdict: "We find that A.R. Simpson came to his death by drowning and injuries. We further feel that the Central States Power and Light Co. was negligent in not properly securing the floor plates covering the wheel pit through which he fell into the water."

Dr. Carr testified that he was called soon after the accident and was present when the body was recovered two hours after, about 12:45. He gave the cause of death as trauma and drowning. He also testified that Mr. Simpson was a good workman, reliable and trustworthy. Mr. Frederick stated that visitors were permitted to view the plant and that they were often taken trough the various departments. He could not see how the accident could have happened if Mr. Simpson had put the plate back into place properly, and he also testified that most of the floor was made of steel plates which rested on eye-beams.

The right arm of the body was cut off below the elbow and a gash cut across his forehead. the left leg was broken below the knee and bruises across the back and other parts of the body were found. Death had been instantaneous.

The funeral will be held this (Thursday) morning at the home at 10:30 and following his services will be held at the Masonic Temple conducted by the local lodge. The service is open to the public. A fitting obituary will be published next week.

Threshing Picnic
Last Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Griebenow a threshing picnic was given at the close of the harvest season. Eleven families belong to the threshing ring. Nearly one hundred people enjoyed the afternoon until about five o'clock, with a ball game, card games and visiting. Each family brought some part of the lunchand when it was all put together it looked like there was more than would be disposed of, but at the last, little remained.

Those in the gathering were: Robert Nesbit, Louis Martin, L.L. Monroe, Dick Horan, Raymond Steffin, Elmer Osmundson, Ern Grimm, Thos. Powers, Ezra Dibble, Anson Priest, H.A. Lubke, Will Burrow, Phil Steffin, Dan Burke, Conrad Brenner, Thos. Cummings, Dan Sutter - and their wives; Taft Nesbit and George Berg of Michigan; Mrs. Kate Horan and three sons; James and Eugene Westcott; Louis Gilbert; Mrs. L.L. Rounds; George Rounds and children; Thelma and Frances Christianson; Mrs. Gerald Gutcher; Esther Paulson; Gus and Albert Burrow; Thos. McGaharen; John Peterson; Burkard Riegal; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bateman of Harrington, Kansas; and Veronica McKernan of Castalia.

Red Bird Sunday School Outing
Gladys Christianson gave her Red Bird Sunday school class of the Lutheran church an outing at the park in West Union last Sunday. At noon a picnic dinner was served after which the time was spent playing games, using the playground equipment and in sports. Her father, Albert Christianson, and Elmer Sander accompanied them. The members of the class who attended were: Phyllis Gress, Andree Tatro, Gladys Anderson, Eleanor Anderson, Gladys Thompson, Lillian Nelson, Clarice Paulson, Ray Vasby, Norma Gilbert and Leo Ostlie.

Ostlie - Dahl Family Reunion
Clermont vicinity people who attended the Ostlie-Dahl annual gathering at the Decorah park recently were:
Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Ostlie; Mr. and Mrs. A. Ostlie and Leo; Mr. and Mrs. G. Ostlie; Mr. and Mrs. K. Kittleson; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kittleson and Vilando and Clarence; Mr. and Mrs. Austin Helgerson and Arthur and Irene; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Olson and Irvin, Lyle, Clifford and Crystol; Mr. and Mrs. C. Kittleson and Dean, Guald and Loraine; Mr. and Mrs. Ole Asnes; Mr. and Mrs. L.M. Hovland; Mr. and Mrs. L.M. Asnes and Lyle, Clarisa, Gene, Earl and Gerald; Mr. and Mrs. Marian Lind and Georgie; Mr. and Mrs. E.O. Lien and Clarisa and Bennie; Mrs. Minnie Olson; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Olson; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Olson and Quenton; Mr. and Mrs. Manford Amdahl and Aldo, Gaylord and Arlene; Mr. and Mrs. A. Thorson and Eugene, Minerva and Velma.

Those attending from Le Roy, Minn. were:
Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Lien; Mrs. Lillian Hatlestad and Verdell and Clifford; and Mrs. Edna Knutson and Marilyn.

Those from Mabel, Minn., were:
Mrs. Caroline Dahl and grandson, Herman Dahl; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Dahl and Alta, Donald and DeLon; Mrs. Clara Hagin; Mr. and Mrs. Norman Eiken; Mr. and Mrs. Oley Anderson and Ordell.

Also Mrs. Archie Thompson and Maynard, of Hettinger, N.D.

Blake - Dapalania Marriage
Mrs. Peter Dapalania of Des Moines, announces the marriage of her daughter Helen Mae, to William Burdette Blake, son of Mr. and Mrs. William R. Blake of Clermont. The ceremony was performed Aug. 14, and followed by a trip through northwest Minnesota. The bride recently returned from New York City where she has been studying dancing. Mr. Blake is a graduate of Clermont high school and also attended Upper Iowa University. He is now employed by the state railroad commission at Des Moines. The couple wil be at home at the Ayrshire Apt., 1815 6th Ave., Des Moines.

Dover Mills News
Mrs. Jennie Crawford and daughters of West Union, visited one evening last week at the J.C. Matthews home.

Frances Wagner is staying with her aunt, Mrs. R.F. Learn, during fair week.

Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Guyer and son were guests in the E.G. Guyer home Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. Will Starkey and Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Anderson spent Sunday afternoon at the John Learn home.

Ed Johnson too John Borland to his home at Oelwein Sunday after a few days' visit here.

Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Rowland and Oliver and Mildred, were dinner guests Sunday of Mr. and Mrs. H.K. Johnson.

Ms. H.K. Johnson and children visited with her aunt, Andine Vasby, Saturday afternoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Nelson and family of Minnesota, visited at the hme of his sister, Mrs. E.G. Guyer and family and with other relatives here Sunday.

Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Nesvick and family were guests Sunday at the Clarence Anfinson hoome at West Union.

Fern and ruth Becker and their grandfather, George Middlestat, spent a few days last week visiting with relatives in Cedar Rapids.

Mary and Margaret Dullard returned the last of the week from a visit with relatives and friends at their former home in the western part of the state.

[transcribed by S.F., June 2015]


Iowa Old Press
Fayette County