EXCERPTS FROM THE COLFAX LEADER




January 1893 through December 1893

JANUARY 27, 1893

- The Lexington creamery is said to be on a self-supporting basis.

- Lafe Hand gives us to understand that the south side is increasing in population.
It's a girl.

- Among the sicks are J.M. McGinnis, Miss Liza Collins, Dell Hamilton, J.S. Ward's
little girl and Mack Clark's children.

- Elzy Thompson, of Melvin, and Miss Sarah Bunn, of Colfax, were married
Wednesday by Rev. Dabney at the residence of Henry Bunn, the bride’s father.

- Dan Clark has an interesting fashion plate, showing various officials of the
world’s fair arrayed in the habiliments of the spring that is to be.

- Mrs. O.F. Neely went to Sumner Saturday, being notified by telegraph of the
sever illness of her father. She returned yesterday, leaving him better.

- C. Scott & Co. have put in their store a cash register, a little machine which
does a great deal of head work without brains. Its object is to prevent mistakes
and dishonesty in clerks and to make it easier to keep track of business.

- Frank Hurt has gone to Ohio for a two weeks visit.

- John Scheudle cut off the end of a finger while handling a big lump of coal in
the mine Wednesday.

- Claude Smith, leader of the Saybrook band has composed a quick-step which
he named “Out of Sight,” and which has been accepted for publication by a well
known music house of Cincinnati.

- Dan Wood is now chief engineer at the coal shaft, with Worcester Knight for
night man and Charley McCauley day fireman. Tom Carmichael has gone to a
new position in southern Illinois.

- A sheave wheel was broken at the coal shaft Friday night, a cage being drawn
against the top timbers on account of a broken indicator. This and a frozen
air-shaft have caused more or less of a layoff all week.

FEBRUARY 10, 1893

- A valentine social will be held Tuesday night at the residence of J.N. Kilgore.
Every one come and have a good time. Admission five cents.

- The cellar of the State bank building was filled by the flood Monday and the fire
in the furnace put out. It was pumped out with the village fire engine.

- The Illinois legislature has pronounced unanimously in favor of electing
senators by a direct vote of the people. The legislature must have been reading
the LEADER.

- Ezra Henline has added to his woodworking machinery a circular chisel swung
on a shaft and run by steam, which takes a bite out of a board at any angle
desired. Its principal use is in mortising window and door frames.

- The miners’ wash-house connected with A. Grending’s boarding house caught
fire shortly before 9 o’clock Tuesday evening. It was nearly extinguished by
buckets and Porter Arnold’s toy squirter before the fire company could get their
engine to work. 

FEBRUARY 17, 1893

- Mrs. LaSalle Stoops came home Saturday.

- Ed Meharry is back on a visit, but returns to Indiana today.

- The primary department of the school will celebrate Washington’s birthday
Tuesday.

- Dr. Langstaff was thrown from his buggy yesterday and his face badly skinned.

- The hidden mysteries of the lodge room will be exposed at the K.P. hall
Monday night.

- For sale: a good ten-year-old mare and a seven-year-old pony. Terms to suit
purchaser. - T.S. Willhite.

- Miss Chapman, the teacher in the Evergreen district, is sick with malarial fever
and her school has been discontinued.

- The past week has been prolific in scraps, but the peace and dignity has been
maintained in each case by suitable fines.
  Frank Vincent smashed Johnnie Juke’s jaw in an encounter Saturday night,
and was assessed $15 for it Monday morning.
  Wm. Bone, in whose store the above racket occurred, was fined $25 for
keeping a disorderly house.
  Rol Merrill and a miner named Condon had a fight in the coal shaft tower,
Merrill getting the better of him and then kicking him down the stairs step by
step. It cost them $5 each.
  Thomas Hogue was overcome by malaria or something and lost his way. It cost
him $8 to learn that he had gotten off the thoroughfares and annoyed a family.
  Wes Downey got some comic valentines out of the post office at Cooksville for
his wife, and on making inquiries concluded that Dan Leary had sent them.
While leaving the post office he met Leary and punched his face. Leary brought
him to Colfax for justice, which in this case consisted of $5 and costs. Downey’s
wrist is dislocated, so he is out of the ring for a while now.

AUGUST 18, 1893

- Allie Wood is now one of the dads. It’s a girl.

- Remember the fair at Saybrook Aug. 29, 30, 31 and Sept. 1st, 1893.

- F.A.Taylor, of Alma, Marion county, is here to see his son Zack, who is still
bedfast.

- They Y’s will meet next Thursday afternoon at the residence of Mrs. Langstaff.
All young ladies are invited.

- The carpenter work of the M.E. church is now finished for the present, and it is
in the hands of the plasterers.

- H.W. Crumbaker and C. H. Lighthart have swapped houses and moved their
various belongings in accordance therewith.

- Mrs. Barbasaw, of Yuma, Col., and Mrs. Gurthner, of Carlock are visiting at
John Stuckey’s.

- The “former Chatsworth band” was revived long enough to play at the Catholic
picnic at Chatsworth Wednesday.

AUGUST 25, 1893

- Harvey Crumbaker is building an addition to his lately acquired property.

- H.R. Weaver and wife went to Chicago yesterday, accompanied by little Dot
Benson.

- Among the Ohio excursionists last week were Howard Helvering and wife, Mrs.
Lucy Ward, J.P. McCurry and wife, and Silas Ford.

- The 12-year-old daughter of Mrs. Pyle, of Kansas, who is visiting here, fell and
fractured her arm close to the wrist while playing at John D. Henline’s place
Wednesday.

- Sam Clark is the father of a new girl.

- John Vetter has gone to Indiana on a visit.

- Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Anderson gave a reception Tuesday night in honor of their
son, John and his bride.

- G.C. Beckwith, wife and daughters, J.H. Coleman, David Shally, J.W. Arnold
and James Gillan are at the world’s fair.

- Henry Henline’s little boy, four years old, was badly bitten by a dog at Aleck
Gillan’s house Tuesday. He was playing with the animal, when it got mad and bit
him several times in the face. Dr. Langstaff was called and sewed up the scars.
The dog, which is about a year old and apparently healthy is being alllowed to
run loose as before and carefully watched to see if he developes any symptons
of hydrophobia.

OCTOBER 6, 1893

- Dr. Day, a dentist of Forrest, has decided to locate in Coflax, and is making
arrangements for an office.

- J.C. Henline has sold his house and lots to B.J. and W. H. Claggett of
Lexington for $1,000. He will probably go on a farm.

- The literary society at Center schoolhouse has been organized with Miss Jennie
Corpe president, Earl Clark vice-president and Miss Grace Henline secretary.
The committee of general arrangements is Clyde Travis, Miss Miriam Dameron
and Miss Emma Henline.

- W.O. Wilson’s coal house burned yesterday morning, together with a hard coal
heater, a ton and a half of coal, a set of harness and other articles, all worth
about $50. The fire was stopped by prompt action or would have reached the
house. Children and matches were again the cause, and the moral is plain.

- Frank Maddocks had Marshal Straley arrested and taken to Lexington for trial
on a charge of assault. Maddocks had interfered with Straley for arresting his
father (who was afterward fined) and Straley protested rather forcibly at the
interference, without, however, laying hands on Maddocks. The trial was before
Squire Bray without a jury, Joseph Weakly prosecuting and Frank Gillespie
defending. When the courts of a neighboring town will acquit our marshal it is
surely proof enough that he is acting within the law.

- The great pacer, Pronto, belonging to W.H. Anderson, died at 4 o’clock
Saturday morning of inflammation of the stomach and bowels. He had been
under treatment for several days, but was expected to get well in time to go to
Independence. He had an easy race record of 2:22 and was valued at over
$3,000.

NOVEMBER 3, 1893

- Misses Vena and Emma Henline were at Belleflower this week attending the
marriage of their cousin, Miss Ella Harris to H.A. Rhoades.

- L.R. Wiley has gone to Oregon to join his family and perhaps to locate. On
account of the world’s fair excursion he got a through ticket for $28.

- The Illinois Central is now enforcing a rule which requires receivers of freight in
carloads to unload the same within 48 hours or pay demurrage.

- R.E. Hatcher and wife have moved into H.A. Stoddard’s house. Mrs. Hatcher’s
mother, Mrs. Claggett is here from Lexington and will make her home with them.

- The Chatsworth school was dismissed Monday of last week and the children
taken to the world’s fair on a special train, leaving at 6:30 in the morning and
returning the same day.

- Miss Minnie Nutt, from Missouri, is visiting at Theodore Taylor’s.

- James Fielding is not certain as to when he will take possession of the
postoffice. Miss Hattie Waldo will be his assistant and is now learning from
Postmaster Benson the art of handling mail.

- Mrs. J.C. Thompson has returned from Chicago accompanied by her daughter,
Mrs. Ella Frye, who is recovering from a severe spell of sickness and will stay
here until she is well.

- A dime social will be given at Geo. Arnold’s residence Thursday evening, Nov.
9th by the Christian Endeavor society of the Christian church. The program
includes cobwebs, a curiosity room, etc. All are invited.




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