The Colfax County Press publishes a weekly column entitled Peeking into the Past, which is comprised of articles taken from earlier Colfax County Press files, written by Helen C. Evans. A special thank you to the Colfax County Press for allowing me to reprint those articles! The following are selections from that column:
November 8 [3?], 1908 - reprinted December 4, 1985J. D. Wolf has sold to Frank Jonas of Wilson precinct the 10 acre tract in his addition to Clarkson which stands the old V. Fajman residence. The consideration was $3500. Mr. Jonas will rent his farm and move here and occupy the property.
About two weeks ago, James Lodl suffered a stroke of paralysis and despite the ministration of skilled physicians, he succumbed to the disease last Friday afternoon. James, a manly little fellow, aged 10 years and two days, was the beloved child and only son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Lodl of this place.
Born, on Saturday last, to Mr. and Mrs. Julius Wacha, a daughter.
Dr. S. G. Allen and F. W. Noh returned from their trip to Twin Falls, Idaho, where they both have property interests, including claims in the Salmon river irrigation project.
They were much pleased with what they saw and are convinced that the portion of the country has a great future.Work on laying a cement block foundation for Hagen & Faltys' new livery barn was commenced. Ed Kutan is doing the work, and the building will be erected by George Anderson. It is to be located on the corner block south of the Z. C. B. J. hall.
Rudolph Hamsa, who recently purchased the Cerv farm east of town, is having a large hog house, 26x60 feet, built upon the place, and E. F. Kutan, the cement block manufacturer, has just finished putting in a foundation and cement floor for the same. As most of our readers know, Mr. Hamsa is a breeder of Poland China swine and he seems to think that there is nothing too good for his hogs.
Another farmers' telephone company has been organized in the territory northwest of town. The line is to commence in the Brabec neighborhood, run south to the C. O. Brown corner, thence east three miles into Clarkson, where arrangements have been made for connection with the lines of the Nebraska Telephone Co.
The new organization is to be known as the Red Front Telephone Co., and the material for the construction of the line has already been ordered.
November 10, 1908 - reprinted January 1, 1986Joseph Zastera has sold his farm of 80 acres, a few miles northwest of the place, to Peter Zak for a consideration of $110 per acre. Mr. Zastera will move to Clarkson to live and take the rest that his years of toil entitle him to.
F. W. Noh has commenced excavating for the foundation for a commodious residence that he will build on property owned by him northeast of the depot, and has men at work running a pipeline to convert with the city water system.
Frank Kucera has decided to quit farming and has rented his place northeast of town to his son, Anton.
Frank and his wife intend to move to town and today purchased the Joseph Fajman residence property for a consideration of $2,000.Saturday morning Frank Wolf, Dr. Sucha and Adolph Lukl went to Omaha, returning the next day in an International automobile that Wolf & Vias have purchased in that city.
Dr. Sucha, who acted in the capacity of chauffeur, says that the machine behaved splendidly and is without a doubt a dandy.P. Husak,one of the original homesteaders and pioneer settlers of eastern Adams precinct, died at the family home, five miles southeast of Clarkson. The deceased was a native of Bohemia and at the time of his death was almost 83 years of age.
A young Wilson precinct farmer committed suicide by hanging. It is the same old story of booze depriving a man of reason and driving him to self destruction. We have only meager details of the tragedy.
From what we learned, the young man had been husking corn and when his day’s work was done returned home and proceeded to fill up on booze; he was in a drunken condition when he went to the barn where he was found some time later by a member of the family, hanging dead from a rope used in operating a large hay fork.
He was about 35 years of age and is survived by a wife and five children.
Those who knew him well say that love of strong drink was about his only fault. When will men learn that booze is harmless only when they leave it alone?C. A. Gould of Valentine, who has been here for some time assisting with the work of installing the Clarkson electric light plant, has been engaged by the village authorities as electrician to take charge of the same when completed.
Theodore and Ladislav Kubik, who are attending the Schuyler high school, visited their mother and other relatives from Thursday until Sunday.
They walked up and when they got here they said they had no idea that 22 miles could be so long.
The return trip was made with a team, and it is safe to say that it will be some time before the boys will again attempt to establish a reputation as lond-distance walkers.The Clarkson Markets were: Good milling wheat 85c, good milling rye 65c, corn 46c, oats 76c, eggs 20c, butter 18c and hogs $5.25.
November 17, 1908 - reprinted January 22, 1986Mike Boubin has sold his residence property to Joseph Walla, Jr., who will move here and start a wagon shop. The consideration was $825.
Joseph Severa, Jr. returned from his trip to Bruno. He has decided to accept a position in a general merchandise store at that place and expects to leave here in a few days.
While cutting wood at his home in Wilson precinct, Frank Hobza made a mistroke and struck the index finger of his left hand splitting it from end to end. Dr. Allen dressed the injury and found it necessary to make nine stitches to close the wound.
John Hypsa returned from an extended trip to visit relatives in Virginia, and on Monday again assumed his old duties as an employee of the Crowell Lumber & Grain Co.
A new foreman made his appearance at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Sajatovich at Snyder. John is the happiest man in town because the youngster is a boy. He says he will surely be the ruler of the roost, section boss and all.
Emil Slama has commenced building a home on lots owned by him just south of the Frank Humlicek residence.
The following young men went to Fremont to enroll as students at the normal: Emil E. Dudek, Frank Nemec, Louis Cibulka and John Mastny.
Work on the Clarkson electric plant is progressing satisfactorily. The boiler and 80-horsepower engine arrived a few days ago and are now being put in place, while the dynamo [is] expected the latter part of the week. It is thought that the plant will be working in full swing the fore part of December.
Joseph V. Hron, who works on a farm [a] few miles northeast of town, met with a serious and painful accident. He was on the road from his home to the store at St. Henry and, while going down hill a short distance west of the John Callies place, one of the straps on the neckyoke broke, letting the buggy on to the horses’ heels, causing them to run away.
Joe was thrown from the rig and was in an unconscious condition when found by Jesse Miller, a short time later. Miller took Joe home where he did not regain consciousness for some hours. The runaway team was caught by John Callies after they had broken the tongue and double-trees and did other damage to the buggy.
Family members made him as comfortable as they could, and later they brought him to Dr. Allen. who discovered that one of the bones of his right arm had been split.
November 24, 1908 - reprinted February 26, 1986Will Hahn and wife and their son, Clarence, took their departure last Wednesday morning for a few weeks’ visit with relatives in Wisconsin. They were accompanied by Miss Amanda Schroeder, who had been visiting relatives in Clarkson, Howells and Leigh, and whose home is in Wisconsin.
G. W. Woeppel went to Springview, Friday night, to get cattle from the Woeppel Bros. ranch. He will bring back from 300 to 400 head and place them in the feed yards on the Woeppel farms.
Frank B. Kubik is librarian of the library sent here by the star university circulating library board. The collection consists of 30 volumes of Bohemian literature & 39 books in the English language.
Hagen & Faltys have their new livery barn and feed barn completed and will be ready for business by Thursday. We believe they have the largest barn on the branch, and know it is one of the best arranged. The building is 60x100 feet.
Dr. Sucha and Emil Dudek were in Humphrey, Saturday, to witness the football game between the team at that place and the one at Newman Grove. The Doctor acted as referee. Judging by the score 0 to 0, the teams were evenly matched.
L. L. Fairbanks, conductor on the local freight, Frank Frederick of Omaha, Ed Brittenham of Fremont, and two of our local sportsmen, Dr. Schultz and Anton Kopac, constituted a hunting party that scoured the country between here and Heun and up the Maple west of town last Friday and Saturday for quail. In addition to having had a pleasant outing, they bagged a lot of game.
Married, this morning, at the Mrazek church by Rev. Drbal, Julius Kudera of Wilson precinct and Miss Mary Opatril of Stanton precinct. The ceremony was witnessed by a large gathering of relatives and friends of the contracting parties, and at its conclusion all proceeded to the home of the bride’s mother, Mrs. M. Bartes, where the wedding festivities were held and where all had a most royal time. The young couple will make their home on a farm in Wilson precinct.
W. H. Clark, who is feeding sheep on the John Noh farm in Midland precinct, reports that wolves are beginning to show up in that neighborhood again. Last Friday three of the pests drove a bunch of sheep up to the house, but ran off before they did any damage. The day following one of the wolves was killed by Rudolph Cada and a warm reception awaits the others should they decide to return.
North Western passenger No. 310 put a lady off at Snyder, Tuesday night, who was unable to speak a word of English, having just come direct from Bohemia on her way to Clarkson, to join friends and relatives. She was well cared for, however, by John Sajatovitch who made her comfortable at his home until the morning freight for her destination fully satisfied with true American hospitality. The lady is the mother of Edward, John and Charles Kutin of Clarkson.
She arrived in Clarkson and was most heartily welcomed by her sons with whom she will make her home.