Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Who's Who in 1921 & 1922 Dillon Turney

"The Fairfield Tribune"
Thursday, December 1, 1921
Page FOUR

NO. 38 (sic - should be 40)

DILLON TURNEY

Ah, we shall now learn what in the dickens is the matter with the country. By paying strict attention to the speaker we shall learn why taxes are so high, why industry lags, why corn is so cheap. We shall learn of the mistakes of the present and past administrations, and the probable ones of those of the future. We shall learn--but here, we quite forgot to introduce you. We present, with our compliments, one Dillon Turney, citizen, wagon manufacturer, statesman, orator, philosopher.

As we have remarked we may learn a great deal by sitting and quietly listening to Dillon recount the ills of the country and prescribe their cure. No, we are wrong there. We cannot learn anything from him by sitting quietly and listening. For when we sit quietly Dillon will shut up like a clam. For Dillon is one of those people who see no fun in achieving a thing without the joy of overcoming obstacles. If he wished he could speak interestingly and convincingly on a topic for an hour or two and leaves his hearers swearing that every word he said was true. But Dillon won't do that. He wants opposition. So we find him at his best, not in oratory, but in debate.

Dillon would rather debate than work. When Al Sumner lived here Dillon sometimes stayed up town as late as--well, after nine o'clock, just to argue with Al. Al was the only man in town who had ever beaten him in debate. You see Al could talk louder and faster than Dillon, so Dillon sometimes had to give up.

Dillon and Al and some more of them used to maintain such a forum at the Raible cigar store that plans were drawn for the erection of a platform for them. But Al moved away and the evening debate lost a good bit of its pep, so the dais hasn't been built.

But it mustn't be inferred that Dillon Turney spends all of his time in debate. He's got a pretty big wagon manufacturing business, the management of which is a man's size job, especially in these days when the farmers refuse to buy wagons. Besides, there's lots of times there's nobody to debate with. But, in addition to managing the Charter Oak wagon business and engaging in friendly debate, Dillon finds opportunity to do a lot of other things, particularly things which prove a big help to the community.

Dillon Turney isn't a bit slow with his assistance. When he is unable to give it in a material form he is willing to help with suggestions for the other fellow. This helpful, unselfish spirit is well exemplified in an instance of the last city election. Dillon was the unanimous choice of the ward caucuses for mayor--they all wanted him to be a candidate and sent delegation after delegation to him asking him to accept the nomination. It pained Dillon to refuse these supplications and he did all he could to help the delegates find some one else to take the place. Finally, he went to see San Zeigler.

"Now San," says Dillon, "it is absolutely impossible for me to accept this job for I can't possibly spare the time. But I'm willing to do my part for the good of the town. So, if you'll take the job of mayor I'll give you all of the assistance in my power by keeping you and the council posted on how to run the old town."

You see, that's just like Dillon--always willing to do his part in every way that he can, even though that part is only in an advisory capacity.

But Dillon Turney's advice is something which is sought on most all subjects for he is a pretty level-headed sort of a chap and has some mighty sound ideas and principles. And he doesn't always confine his help to advisory limitations, by any means. When there's a big proposition to be put over Dillon takes off his coat and goes after it, and he doesn't quit until the job is finished. Few years ago he served as head of the Red Cross. 'Twas a hard proposition to put over in those days--the first drive in the county. But Dillon did the job and did it thoroughly. He got money out of some fellows who wouldn't buy flowers for their grandmother's funeral. What he said to these fellows is not of record, but everybody knows that it was a plenty.

That's another point about Dillon Turney. If he has anything to say--and he usually has, you know--he makes his meaning quite clear. Lese kajeste doesn't bother him at all--he'll talk right up even to such powers as Louie Chapius (sic - Chapuis).

Dillon Turney has been a great big help not alone to Fairfield as a community, but also to many a poor devil as an individual. He isn't much to blow a horn about his giving but you'll find him spreading a lot of good cheer in the world.

All in all, Dillon Turney is by way of being a pretty sizeable sort of a chap and a benefactor to the community. His character is just about as sturdy as the Charter Oak wagons which he has been making for so many years. Some of his friends declare that he has been inoculated with the bolshevist germ, but it doesn't seem to have taken very well and is he probably safe so long as he stays away from Russia. But Dillon couldn't have much fun in debate if he didn't have some trace of bolshevik tendencies. Seeing and hearing him in debate on a Saturday night just before the barber shops closed, some stranger probably got the bolshevik idea of Dillon. But so long as Dillon Turney wants to keep on being a community benefactor such as he has been there's none of us going to think less of him because of the bolshevik trace. And we're not going to try to stop him from debating--'cause we couldn't do in anyway (sic).