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:
June 5 [6?], 1905 - reprinted October 22, 1980Joseph Zvacek, a farmer living 3 miles northwest of this place, died at his home.
Folda and Mundil sold the L. F. Folda and Mundil sold the L. F. Folda quarter on the Bilby ranch to Joseph Dolesh of Buffalo county for $47.00 per acre.
June 6, 1905 - reprinted October 29, 1980John Faltys purchased a ticket to bring Josef Bures from Bohemia to make his home in Clarkson. When he arrives he will be given employment on the Faltys farm.
Folda and Mundil sold the Petr Stonacek property in the west part of town to John Faltys.
Rudolph Mundil has moved his restaurant from the Basta building, into the building purchased of Anton Janda.
The Clarkson ball team went to Howells Sunday and crossed bats with the team there, Clarkson lost. The game ended 12 to 16.
Lightning struck the home on the farm of Mr. and Mrs. George Hanel, a few miles southwest of this place. The bolt struck the roof and went through 2 living rooms and came onto the porch where the family gathered, and where the deadly work was done. On the porch were Mr. and Mrs. Hanel, their 2 daughters and son. Mrs. Hanel was struck unconscious and her daughter, also affected by the shock rushed to her mother’s aid. The shock discolored one of her hips. The father and daughter worked over Mrs. Hanel for a few moments when she regained consciousness. Then the daughter turned to find her little sister, Anna aged four years, cold in death, while her little brother, George, aged seven was so injured by the deadly bolt that one side was paralyzed, the flesh on one foot was badly burned. Dr. Lowery of Leigh arrived but could do little to save the child, and he died the following morning.
June 13, 1905 - reprinted October 29, 1980Joseph M. Bos purchased of J.M. Mundil a ticket that will bring Anton Suchan from his home in Bohemia to Clarkson.
June 20, 1905 - reprinted November 5, 1980Ernest Hamsa and Rosie Severin were married at Stanton by county Judge Vining.
Longin Sousek and Miss Annie Hanel were married in Schuyler. Longin Sousek is the only son of Mrs. Mary Sousek.
The switchboard for the Clarkson telephone exchange was put in the first of the week and most of the instruments have been put in our business house and residences, and everything will be in first class working order within a week.
On Sunday afternoon the country south and east of Clarkson was visited by one of the most destructive hailstorms in recent years. In the neighborhood south of the Novotny church, winter wheat and rye were beaten to the ground, while spring grain was badly damaged and the fruit crop ruined. Farther south the storm was more severe and in the Heun and Praha neighborhoods windows in many homes were broken. Drifts of hail were 2 feet deep and was not melted until the next day.
June 27, 1905 - reprinted November 12, 1980John Kabes and son, Joseph purchased the John Hunt 320 acres, a few miles northeast of town for $55 per acre.
M. Richtek met with a painful accident, while he was having a cave dug and John Kuntz was doing the work. While engaged in letting Mr. Kuntz down into the cave the windlass got the best of him and he had to relinquish his hold on the handle, which struck him in the face, making a deep and painful would. Dr. Allen found it necessary to take 4 stitches to close the wound. Kuntz struck the bottom of the cave with considerable force, but aside from a good shaking up escaped without injury.
Adolf Buhacek who completed the school census for the Clarkson district, reports there are 201 children of school age, an increase of 13 over last year.
The annual meeting of School Dist. 58 showed a goodly number of voters in attendance. The form of school government was changed from a board of 3 to 6 and the following were elected as new board members: John Blotz and Ant. Mestl for a term of 3 years; J.D. Wolf and F.W.Noh for 2 years; and Longin Folda and Jos Krikac for 1 year. The treasurer’s report showed a little more than $2,000.00 in the treasury and a tax of $300.00 was voted.
Gus Muhs of north of town topped the South Omaha market with 3 cars of steers. The stock sold for $5.30
The village board set the tax levy for 1905--a levy of 10 mills was made for general purpose and 7 for bond fund. The latter will be used in payment of the interest on the waterworks bonds and the creating of a fund for the payment of the principal when due.