Today we bring you a mix of news from around the state from 1915.
Near Burnstad, in south-central North Dakota, Tully Williams, a well-known farmer and stockman, suffered a freak accident. He was cleaning his barn one morning, and when he had his wagon loaded with manure, he drove it from the barn, but when the wagon passed over the doorsill, Williams became trapped between the wagon seat and the doorframe. He somehow got free and back to his house, where his hired man found him “in a helpless condition” hours later.
Meanwhile, in a story out of Lisbon, the pastors of the Lisbon Ministerial Association protested against the chaplain of the state senate, calling the language he had used in his prayers before the Senate “unworthy and unfitting any minister of the gospel.” They felt he had brought disgrace upon the ministry. They said, “We further protest against the insults that he has hurled against the womanhood of the state in his public prayers; especially those now in Bismarck in the interest of righteous legislation.”
They also objected to the chaplain using his position as leverage to influence members of the house and senate regarding pending legislation. They went on to say, “As men and ministers who know him personally we call upon all ministers in the state … to join us in voicing the conviction … that his words and actions show him to be unworthy … of such a position.”
And from Fort Yates, there was news of a recent wedding. The story read, “Both the parties are popular young Indian people of Bullhead district.” Their names were particularly wonderful, Rose High Cat and Harry Poor Dog.
News from Grand Forks reported Gus Sollom of Reynolds had invented a new straw spreader. The story said “The model is now completed at the Grand Forks Foundry Company and a firm in Detroit is bidding for the manufacture of them.”
And at Fortuna, in the northwest corner of the state, it was reported that Joseph Buckley-DeWitt had found his mother after an eleven-year search. Joe’s father died when he was two, and he had been sent to an orphanage. Joe had found his mother and a brother in Alexandria, MN.
Dakota Datebook written by Merry Helm
