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:
January 10, 1905 - reprinted June 21, 2000
Joseph Krikac is winning quite a reputation as an auctioneer and we are pleased to note that he is securing a goodly number of sale.
Miss Rosie Prusa, who had been clerking at Chleboun Bros'. store during the holidays, left for ther home in Howells.
While R.P. Basta is still a very sick man, his condition is some better which gives his many friends grounds for the hope that he will recover.
Adolph Fillipi has been reappointed deputy assessor for this precinct, and the appointment gives universal satisfaction.
January 10, 1905 - reprinted June 28, 2000Commencing the first of the year the county clerk adopted a strictly cash business. Hereafter he will refuse to file or record any instrument unless cash accompanies the paper. Clerk Maple explains that when the filing fee is not paid he is responsible to the county for the amount as soon as it is filed and this causes him to have a personal account with the patrons of the office. The cost of the various filings and recording runs from 20 cents up to $1.50 and the amount being so small is usually forgotten by the owners of the instruments.
Frank Vogltance came up from Dodge where he had been spending his holidy vacation, and again entered upon his duties as principal of the Clarkson schools.
The local lodge M.W.A. is experiencing a large gain at the present time, from two to a half dozen applications for membership being acted upon at every meeting. The order provides a save [sic] and inexpensive insurance.
Charles Endsley, the young man who was shot in the scrap at the Bilby ranch is still alive despite the fact that his skull was twice punctured by a 32-calibre bullet which had plowed its way through his brain. Strange as it may seem, present indications are that he will recover. He is now able to sit up a part of the time. William Burns, the man who did the shooting, is still in jail at Stanton, awaiting the extent of his victim's injuries.
Miss Josie Kudera and Mr. Leo. Vanicek wee married at Schuyler by County Judge Wells. The bride is the oldest daughter of Joseph Kudera of Midland precinct and was one of the prettiest and jolliest girls in this locality. Leopold is a son of Jacob Vanicek who lives southwest of here and is an industrious and promising young famer. They will live on his father's farm.
January 17, 1905 - reprinted July 19, 2000Last year about a dozen persons came to this neighborhood direct from Bohemia and all are well satisfied with the change. That an equally large number will come the present year is highly probable. Times are hard there and wages very low. Frank Bos sent a ticket to Frank Suchan, a nephew living there, that will enable him to come to this land of plenty, where so many of his countrymen have found happy homes.
The people of Clarkson and vicinity will be grieved to learn that D.C. Swinford has been let out as agent for the North-Western at this place, owing to some trivial violation of the company's rules. Just where he will go when he leaves Clarkson he has not as yet made up his mind, but as he is an experienced ralroad man he will not long be out of a job. James Ryan, formerly agent at Howells, is in charge of the station here for the present.
Frank Zastera marketed the largest hog that has been sold on the Clarkson market for many a day. The animal was a 2-year-old and tipped the scales at an even 677 pounds.
Joseph J. Roether disposed of his personal property at public sale, and we understand, intends to leave with his family in a short time for Casey, Oklahoma, where they will make their home.
William Burns, the man who shot Chas. Endsley in the scrap at the Bilby ranch some weeks ago, has been bound over to the district court at Stanton upon the charge of shooting with intent to kill. His bond was fixed at one thousand dollars, which he was able to furnish. Endsley is not as well as he was a few days ago and his recovery is not at all certain.
The old creamery building and the half-acre tract on which it stands, in the northeast part of town, was sold to Carl Kmoch, who will fix the same for residence purposes. The price paid was $320. With the exception of the old boiler this is the last of the creamery property.
Emil Dudek left for Salt Lake City where he expects employment with the Latham Mining Co. Some of the principal stockholders of the company live at Dodge. V.J. Yunek is president. All have great faith in it as a paying investment, and reports seem to justify their faith.
Nicholson & Hamilton, who have the Clarkson waterworks under contract, have a force of men here engaged in installing the fifteen-horse-power gasoline engine in the pump house and doing some other work.
January 31, 1905 - reprinted December 6, 2000The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Longin Folda, who ha been dangerously ill for the past ten days, is no better at this writing.
J.S. Maclaren is the new station agent at this place. The gentleman comes from West Point, where he has been in the employ of the Northwestern for some years.
Dr. Atkinson was here from Dodge, having been called in consultation with Dr. Allen in regard to the illness of the little son of Mr. and Mrs. Longin Folda.
There is to be a grand wolf hunt in the Praha neighborhood, and we understand that a number of our sports intend taking part in the sport. Here's hoping they will be more successful than they were in the last hunt.
John Heun of the Wells neighborhood left for Chicago where he will visit with his brother, Joe, and family, and from there he may conclude to take a run up to his old home at Mineral Point, Wisconsin.
Herman Miller, Bernard Jonas and Frank Horak returned from their trip to Corpus Christi, Texas. All express themselves quite well pleased with the southern county.
Mrs. Anna Splichal sold a forty acre farm owned by her in Wilson precinct to Mrs. Anna Motycka of Schuyler, receiving $2,240 for the same. The lady purchased thru Folda & Mundil the Gordon residence property, just north of the New Zion Church, and will move to Clarkson to live.
Wm. Burns, the man who shot young Endsley at the Bilby ranch on the last day of the old year, and who is now in jail at Stanton charged with murder, will have his preliminary hearing on the eighth of February. Burns has engaged W.W. Young to defend him, and we understand that an attempt will be made to show that the shooting was done in self-defense.
January 31, 1905 - reprinted December 13, 2000Folda & Mundil report the sale of more of the Bilby ranch lands. This time two Howells gentlemen, L.F. Folda and F.K. Sindelar, are the lucky buyers. Mr. Folda taking a quarter and Mr. Sindelar, a half section. This makes a little more than fifteen hundred acres of the ranch land that has been sold to parties at Howells. Evidently our friends down there know a good thing when they see it. We are told that several more sections of the ranch are to be put on the market before spring opens, and, no doubt, it will find ready sale.
Among the cases to come up for trial at Schuyler is one in which Anna Vancura, widow of Vaclav Vancura, a blacksmith who conducted a shop a short distance east of this place for many years, sues the Z.C.B.J. Lodge.
After leaving here Vancura moved to Howells, at which place he committed suicide about one year ago. During his residence here he joined the Z.C.B.J. Lodge of this place, in which order he had a policy at the time of his death. Payment on the policy was refused by the head officers of the order upon claim that the deceased had ceased to be a member before his death, owing to non-payment of dues. The widow and other heirs claim that the dues were all paid up, and have sued for the amount of the policy.
Mrs. Vancura and her children are now making their home in Chicago. The outcome of the suit will be anxiously awaited by those in the neighborhood who know the family, as well by members of the family.Up to this time the following fifteen person have joined the Wells telephone company: Emil Pokorny, John Wankmiller, John Kopac, Geo. Steir, Joseph Trunec, Sam Gutleben, Henry Kroeger, John Immel, Frank Munster, William Schroeder, Mrs. B. Wankmiller, Chris Hahn, B. Schmidt, Carl Kramer and G. A. Schmidt.
Phones have been ordered and will be put up at once. This company will connect with the Farmers' Telephone Company at Praha and Pleasant Hill and it will not be long until all of the central part of the county will be covered by the lines of the three companies.The Clarkson Market (January 31, 1905) Good milling wheat $.84-92; Good milling rye $.58; Corn, .32 1/2; Oats, .23; Eggs, .20; Butter, .17; Butterfat, .28; Hogs, $4.10-4.20.