What Stocktonites Were Doing 98 Years Ago
Last Thursday night the store of the Damar Mercantile Company was again robbed. This time the thieves gained entrance by prying off the lock n the back door. The safe was broken into and about $40.00 in cash taken. No merchandise was molested, according to reports. The store is owned by a young man named Pugh and his losses, having three in the past year, come heavily upon him.
Paul Sinclair had hardly had time to kick the dust from his shoes of the sale of his shop to Moore & Phelps when he started plans for another shop. He scouted over the country and bought fixtures and equipment and is starting a shop in the Farr building, a few doors south of H. C. Sweet’s Office. The room has been repapered and painted and gives Paul a very good location.
The Keys Petroleum Company of Denver is this week preparing to sink a test hole one mile north of Damar. The company has everything on the ground ready to begin at once. The object of the test is to get an idea of the foundation of the soil, which may possibly lead later into a development of oil in the county. The Keys Company have experienced operators and are making some developments around Penokee and also over in Trego County. This is the first move to learn if there is any oil under Rooks County.
Two young Plainville men arrived at the Hicks Hotel late Friday evening after the guests and hotel family had retired. They registered and proceeded to take possession of a room, wash themselves after having had some tire trouble, and then retired. The following morning, they arose before the family and guests had done so and scratched their names from the register and departed. Mr. Christianson immediately went to the county attorney where a complaint was sworn out and by noon the boys were overtaken and appeared in the court of Justice Stevens. The justice gave each a small fine and after admonishing them for the act done, sent them on their way.
Heavy rains fell all around Stockton last Friday night. A hard wind blew over the town with considerable lightning, giving evidence of the tail end of a twister somewhere, but no damage was reported. Only a light sprinkle of rain fell in this vicinity. The wheat and other crops are greatly in need of rain and it is hoped that the county gets a good rain this week.
Leroy Castle (21), the son of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Castle and well known around Stockton, had been severely cut and bruised as a result of his attempt to save the life of his girlfriend, Miss Mary Colling (22) when she fell into the swollen creek while standing on Bear Creek Bridge near Denver, Colorado. Leroy was severely cut and bruised as a result to save the young lady. The girl’s body was finally brought to shore at Merrison after a strenuous struggle with the current. Young Castle was found lying exhausted on the bank 100 yards below the bridge where he had dragged himself. The young couple had gone to the mountains with another couple. After parking their car, they started across the creek on the makeshift bridge with Miss Colling in the rear. It was thought she was overcome by dizziness from the rushing water beneath and fell into the water. Castle immediately plunged in after the girl, but was unable to overtake her in the torrent. He was nearly unconscious when found, his body a mass of bruises and cuts from the sharp rocks he had been thrown against in the stream.
The new sidewalk from the Stockton Motor Company building to the city park will soon be completed. The walk is finished as far as the city gate and it will be a valuable addition to the city. Frank Grimsley is doing the work.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Look were taken by surprise Tuesday when their daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Silas McCormick of Bakersfield, California came for a surprise visit. Mr. and Mrs. McCormick expect to spend several weeks here.
The Alton ball boys journeyed to Stockton last Sunday with the intention and returning home with the winning end of the score. However, the Old Timers were a little bit better and kept the credit here. The score at the end of the game read 5 to 3. It was a good, clean game of ball— one of the best on the local field for some time. Next Sunday, the Stockton team will match the Nicodemus Giants at the fairgrounds.
Carl Moore and Elmer Phelps, who took over the Sinclair Barber Shop last week, have given the interior a renovation, painted the fixtures white and has a very inviting appearance. The boys have named their place the “white shop.”
Albert Rice went to the Hays hospital last week for the amputation of a toe. Albert got one of his toes badly smashed some time ago and it had been giving him considerable trouble, so he decided to have the member taken off.
Mrs. Ray Grover, living west of Stockton, had the misfortune to break a shoulder bone last Saturday evening. She tripped and fell over a post in the yard, causing the injury.
From The Woodston Argus…..Some time Sunday afternoon or evening while the Walter Dunlaps were visiting the oil field south of Natoma, somebody slit the screen door and got in, taking a little change that was in the cupboard and eating some candy that happened to be in the house…..Glen James and Chas Buttermore, who had been in Kansas City as witnesses on the case of Roy Tipton versus the Missouri Pacific, returned home Wednesday. They inform us that Roy received a verdict of $10,000.00…..W. J. Morrissey shipped another car of fat hogs to the Kansas City market on the freight last Friday morning.
