The News From Dysart & North Central Iowa
Second & Third Week of May 1914

National News

Typhoid Serum for Militia

"Despite the fact that peace mediators have been holding up war moves for several weeks and may possibly continue to do so for several months longer, the war department at Washington is taking every precautionary measure in an effort to place troops on the Mexican border at once if necessary.

The department is sending out typhoid serum to the heads of the state militia all over the country with orders that every member of the militia be given the treatment. Every member of the Iowa militia will be given the typhoid treatment at once. Adjutant General Guy E. Logan has ordered a sufficient amount of serum to treat every one of the 3,300 Iowa militiamen. The serum will be sent out to each of the 54 companies of the state.

The typhoid treatment requires twenty days' time and is said to make a person immune from the disease for a period of three years. Typhoid is one of the worst things the army has to deal with and as a result the war department is requiring every soldier to take the treatment. Des Moines surgeons will be sent to towns where local physicians are unable to administer the shots.

Progress in the Fight Against TB

Dr. Victor Vaughn, president-elect of the American Medical Association recently made the statement that since the tubercle bacillus was discovered in 1882, there has been a decrease in tuberculosis in the US of 54 percent. The improvements in Iowa are attributed to the intelligence of her citizens who recognize and utilize safe practices to decrease transmission. Improvements are also realized due to the state sanatorium at Oakdale (previously discussed here). The State Sanatorium has provided tremendous education and has dispersed throughout the state a number of trained workers in the area of prevention. The Oakdale Sanitorium is one of the leading faculties in the country for the treatment of tuberculosis.

State News

Walcott, Iowa - Fame and Fortune

"Walcott, which is located 12 miles west of Davenport, is famous. It has a population of 467; bank deposits totaling $1,287,000; has 101 homes; 87 high priced automobiles, and not a Ford in town; one saloon; pays no taxes as the saloon pays all; has no church; no lawsuits; and no criminals; and is surrounded by land worth from $200 to $250 per acre."

Mrs. A.F. Acres Is Safe

In our last post, we reported that B.E. Ives of Cedar Falls was concerned about his sister, Mrs. A.F. Acres, who had not been heard from since the beginning of the Mexican War. "We're safe on American soil at last", comes her message from El Paso, Texas. The Acres who have lived in Torreon for the past twenty years were able to have a letter smuggled out of Mexico by a Spaniard who had been exiled by Poncho Villa before their escape from. Mexico. The Acres had amassed a significant fortune as a result of Mr. Acres business dealing in lumber and supplies. All of this was seized by the rebel forces and their villa which had been used as an arsenal was subsequently blown up as the rebels retreated the city.

New Motor Car Route Proposed - The Amana Short Route

"An enthusiastic meeting was held at Williamsburg in the interest of an auto road from Cedar Rapids to Ottumwa along the line of the Milwaukee (railroad). It is to be known as the Amana Short Route and will connect with the main line to the gulf at Milton." The need for roads which could accommodate cars did not exist before about 1910. Ever wonder how the state went from wagon trails to dirt roads to what exists today? Check out this article from PBS.

Swedish-American League Formed at Ottumwa

 

More than 200 persons of Swedish birth and decent formed a Swedish-American league at Ottumwa recently and opened their charter for the enrollment of all Swedish people and decedents of Swedes in the city. A huge picnic will be held by the league June 24 with noted Swedish speakers from Illinois and Minnesota."

Lutherans Donate Portrait of Martin Luther to State of Iowa

"A portrait painting of Martin Luther, the gift of the 150,000 Lutherans in Iowa, was presented to the Iowa historical department with appropriate ceremonies Sunday afternoon. Chief Justice Scott M. Ladd presided, and Governor Clarke accepted the portrait for the state. The Rev. Charles Voss, president of the Lutheran Pastor's Association, made the presentation address." The painting was done by Olof Frithiof Grafstrom and is in the State Historical Society's possession.

Whiskey Seized In Ottumwa

The seizure at Ottumwa of 840 gallons of whisky consigned to a number of persons in Ottumwa is believed to be one of the biggest ever made in the state under the Webb-Kenyon law. The consignment consisted of seventy crates of three boxes each and two large moving vans were needed to move the liquor from the Burlington freight house to the court house.

Ten Year Old Jumps From Moving Train
Vera Mayfield, aged 10, of Fort Madison jumped from the K-line train running 30 miles per hour near Burlington. A passenger on the observation platform in the rear of the train saw the body lying beside the track and stopped the train. She was picked up for dead but on being conveyed to the hospital she recovered sufficiently to tell the nurse she became frightened and confused when she thought she was locked in the car. She had gone to Burlington to visit a little friend and was returning alone. By mistake she boarded an empty baggage car. After the train started, thinking someone had locked her in, she forced open a side door and sprang out. She was transported to the hospital where she survived her injuries.

Farm News
"Alfalfa On Every Farm and a Silo With Every Barn"

"The greatest campaign ever put on for the fostering of any single crop will be undertaken in Black Hawk County on June 4, 5 and 6. Alfalfa will be the crop considered." In conjunction with the Crop Improvement Association from the Agricultural College at Ames, dozens of speakers will be present for four meetings in each township with additional meetings each evening in every city and town. This is planned as the first of many campaigns to be conducted throughout the state. Learn more about how alfalfa became the leading hay crop in Iowa here.

Slogan Contest

The Commercial Club of Dysart will offer a prize of $5.00 in gold to any person naming the best slogan as decided by the club at their first meeting in June. Slogan should be signed, sealed in an envelop and handed or mailed to the secretary not later than June 2nd. The envelops will be opened at the regular meeting of the club on Tuesday night, June 2nd and the prize awarded. This is a good chance for former Dysartites to show their interest in the welfare of their former home by picking out some good slogan for the use of the Commercial Club. If subscribers to the Reporter wish to send in a slogan with their subscription and offer a few words to the pubic we will see that the slogan is entered in the contest. After a slogan is chosen some booster buttons will be made and everyone in the vicinity will be advertising their Dysart spirit by wearing one of these buttons. Editor's Note: Stay tuned: The winning entry will be revealed in a few weeks.

Dysart to Celebrate Fourth
The celebration of the fourth of July in connection with the opening day of the Chautauqua (previously discussed here) was heartily endorsed by the Commercial Club at their meeting. The chairman of the finance committee, Charles Creps (1880-1920), and Herman Schroder (1875-1941) were appointed by the club to see what could be done to finance the celebration. Some of the members at the meeting thought the money to pay for the celebration should be taken from the treasury without further subscriptions and others that there were enough businessmen and citizens outside of the Commercial Club who would be willing to donate for the celebration. The entertainment committee was also directed to get in touch with people to give street performances on the 4th free to the public. The national holiday will be filled with good entertainment for the multitude of people who will be in Dysart. The Fourth of July Celebration in Dysart in 1914 would become one of the most dramatic days in the town's history. Stay tuned for details coming in July.

Summer Bank Concerts

Another discussion at the Commercial Club was the location of the band stand for the concerts this summer. The idea of having the concerts in the park was raised and the discussion followed. Last summer there was not room enough on the main business block for all the cars and this year there will be a great many more cars parked in front of the stores. Last year this proved a great inconvenience to the people bringing in produce and buying groceries. The discussion was closed by the club deciding to have the band stand located in the center of the block south of the main business block. The block is longer than the other and with the electroliers lighted there will be plenty of light and the cars can park on both sides of the street. The idea will be tried out and it is hoped that win that same day. Dysart would eventually add a band stand to the city park but this did not happen until after 1916.

Electrical Service Hours Expanded
The Chairman of the Electric Light Committee has announced that electric light service will be furnished from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. except on Sunday when the plant will be started as soon in the evening as necessary for light. Mr. Sackett, who has been working for the town for several weeks, has been hired at $90 per month as engineer and electrician.

Fred Luze Badly Injured

Fred Luze (1888-1937) was quite badly injured last Friday when his team ran away and trampled on him. The team was hitched to a buggy and he had gone in the house and left a little girl to watch the team. The wind waved the girl's apron and the team became frightened. Fred was on the porch and caught one of the horses but he was knocked down and one of the horses stepped on his side. No other damage was done but Fred was pretty badly hurt. He received a bad bruise on his head and two ribs were broken. He is able to be around now. Henry Luze (1891-1917) did his work for him while he was unable to be around.

E.E Yarrington has rented the Lena Kersten house and his family expects to move here from LaPorte in a few weeks. He is running the peanut and popcorn wagon here.

The B.H.S. Hardware Co. sold and delivered five Ford cars last week to Nick Jurgens, Will Robbins, George Lamprecht, Ed Gleim and Dave Wilson. They have sold fourteen cars so far this season.

Business

Cedar Rapids Businessmen Coming

The wholesalers, jobbers, manufacturers, bankers and other businessmen of the Cedar Rapids Commercial Club will be in Dysart on Friday, May 27th. They will call upon the businessmen of this city interested in their respective lines of business and hope to find our businessmen at their places of business during the time of the visit. These booster trips are for the purpose of forming a better acquaintance and understanding between the jobbing houses and manufacturers and other institutions and their customers throughout the state, and the history of past excursions proves that great benefits result from these trips. The train will bring to our city about 100 representatives of Cedar Rapids' instituations, including the 53rd Regiment Band, which will furnish music during their stay with us. Cedar Rapids was one of the first cities in Iowa to make these trips and have been conducting them successfully for over 16 years.

McDevitt and Smythe Sell

McDevitt and Smythe, who have been running a general store here for the past sevearl months (actually only since February), sold out Monday to Mr. McDonald, of Adair, Iowa. The stores has been closed all week and the stock has been invoiced. It is understood that Mr. McDonald is shipping the stock out and wishes to sell the fixtures. Mr. McDevitt expects to again take up salesmanship on the road. Mr. Smythe has not yet decided just what he will do. Mr. Smythe is selling all new household goods for fifty cents on the dollar including furniture, a stove, rugs, curtains, driving horse, buggy and harness.

Church News

Statement of Committee First Evangelical Church. In view of the rumors which have been in circulation about our pastor, Rev. H.O. Lorenz (pastor from 1911-1915), we wish to make this public statement, "We have traced these rumors to their sources and failed to find any evidence to prove them.

Entertainment News

The Star of Bethlehem, Thanhouser's 3 reel feature, will be shown at the Electric Theater Friday evening, May 15. This is a masterpiece in motion pictures. Prices 10 and 20 cents. The Electric Theater was opened in January of 1913 by Herman Jessen and William Clemann of Gladbrook in the Sorrell building which had formerly been a bowling alley.

School News

Summer School at Ames

"For the six weeks from June 15th to July 24th, the entire equipment of Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts at Ames will be turned over to the public school teachers of Iowa who want to fit themselves to teach agriculture, home economics and manual training. The state board of education will grant free tuition for the term. The instruction offered is planned especially to help teachers meet the requirements of the new state law which says that agriculture, home economics and manual training must be taught in all public schools after July 1st, 1915. Grade and rural teachers who come to Ames for vocational work will also be given opportunity for preparation in other common school and first grade certificate subjects. Special instructors having been secured for the purpose. To help the teaching of methods, model school rooms will be maintained, with teachers and pupils and full equipment. The director of the summer session, Professor G.M. Wilson, will send a complete catalog of the summer season on request.

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