Iowa News from across the Country
- 1910 -

Oxnard Courier
Oxnard, California
February 25, 1910

Mrs. M.E. Turrill, Mr. N.P. Stilsen and Mr. J.C. Hartman and son, Elmer, were among those who went from Camarillo to attend the annual Iowa picnic at Eastlake Park in Los Angeles February 22.

[transcribed by S.F., February 2007]

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Winona Daily Republican
Winona, Minnesota
July 18, 1910

The death of Mrs. E.A. Greer occured at the Winona Hospital last evening. The funeral services will be held next Tuesday at 1:30 o'clock at 215 West King street. The interment will be made at Waukon, Iowa.

[transcribed by S.F., November 2005]

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Summit County Journal
Breckenridge, Summit co. Colorado
September 10, 1910

-Mrs. Miles Moe, of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, is a guest of Mary E. Swisher.
-Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Swisher departed on Thursday for their home in Mendota, Ill. Enroute, they will stop at York, Neb. for a short visit with relatives.
-Mrs. Libbie Barrett, of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, is the guest of Mrs. Mary E. Swisher, being an old time freind, they have not met before in twenty years.
-Little Lois Isaac, grand daughter of Mrs. Cotton, of Clinton, Iowa, whose fourth birthday occured on Thursday, Sept. Ith, was kindly remembered in numerous ways by her many friends.

[transcribed by S.F., May 2006]

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Evening News
Ada, Oklahoma
October 11, 1910

New Manager for M. O. & G.
News was received this morning at the local M.O. & G freight office that effective at once I.H. Luke was appointed general manager of the M.O. & G. with headquarters in Muskogee. The circular received here
was signed by William Keneflck, president and W.P. Dewar vice-president. This is a new office which was recently created on the M.O. & G. and many rumors have been afloat about Denison of men who it was said wuold be appointed to the position -- in fact a Denison man, it was first said, would be the man. I.H. Luke has been superintendent of the second and third division of the Denver and Rio Grande, with offices at Pueblo, Colo. He was born July 8, 1861 *, on a farm in Tama county, Iowa. Educated in the common school. He entered railway service in 1867 *--- Denison Herald.

[*transcribers note: the dates were typed as they appeared in the paper. -transcribed by S.F., June 2004]

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Bismarck Daily Tribune
Bismarck, North Dakota
November 6, 1910

Rev. Matthew Wing
The funeral services over the remains of the late Matthew Wing, who died Thursday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Andrew Miller, of this city, of penumonia [sic], occurred Saturday afternoon at half past one o'clock at the Miller residence. The services were conducted by Rev. Geo. B. Newcomb of the Baptist church. The funeral was a private one and the body was taken to Linton on the afternoon train, where a public funeral will be held Sunday afternoon at two o'clock. Matthew Wing was born at Brockton Canada, Nov. 4, 1845. He was married on August 30, 1873, to Ella M. Cacy, at Tipton Grove, Ia. Five children were born to this union, Ezra P., Ava May, Leo. L., Elsie Olive, and Calvin C., the last two of whom died early in infancy. The mother of these children died a number of years ago, and about twelve years ago Mr. Wing married Amelia Murdock, at Elkader, Ia. At the age of twenty-five Matthew Wing entered the ministry. He was engaged in Active ministerial work for over forty years, most of which time was spent in Iowa, with the exception of five years when he preached in Minneapolis. He was an indefatigable worker, and a conscientious pastor and held the esteem and respect of all who knew him. Five years ago Rev. Wing took up a homestead near Linton where he continued to reside until the time of his death. He was taken ill with penumonia [sic] a week ago and last Sunday was brought to the Capital City where he was taken to the home of his daughter. He received the best of medical treatment but was unable to withstand the onslaughts of the disease and passed away Thursday afternoon at about four o'clock. The deceased is survived by his wife, Amelia, two sons, Ezra P. and Leo L., and one daughter, Mrs. Andrew Miller of this city.

[transcribed by S.F., Oct. 2004]

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Winona Daily Republican
Winona, Minnesota
December 15, 1910

-Big Claims are Filed - It is Sought to Collect $14,907.99 from the Acme Packet Company for Damages Sustained by Burning of J.S. - A Limitation of Liability is Sought - Owners of the Destroyed Steamer Invoke a Law Which Has Never Been Applied to the Upper Mississippi Before-

An echo of the disaster of June 25 last near Bad Axe, below La Crosse on the Mississippi river, in the burning of the excursion steamer J.S., came to light here today, in the filing of claims with United States Court Commissioner H.M. Lamberton, against the Acme Packet company, the owners of the steamer, for damages something in excess of $14,000, some claims also for services bringing the total up to $14,907.99. These claims were filed in connection with a suit and motion proceeding begun by the Acme Packet company in the United States court here to have their liability under the burning of the steamer J.S. limited to the value of the hull of the steamer and its contents, exempting the Acme Packet company as a corporation altogether from any claims for damages. In this proceeding the Acme Packet company invoke a law passed in 1851 applicable originally only to the high seas but later amended to reach inland navigable streams. It is said this law has never before been invoked in litigation on the Upper Mississippi river. By this law the liability of the stockholders of a company for acts of its agents and employes is exempted. The claimants, it is understood, will maintain that inasmuch as John Streckfus, the president and manager of the Acme Packet company, was on the steamer at the time of the accident and had personal direction of the same the company should not be exempted. This matter will all be threshed out in detail at the May term of the United States court in this city unless by agreement it should come up before that time.

The Claims Made.
The hearing today was merely an incident to the main action, the filing of claims against the Acme Packet company because of the burning of the steamer J.S. This hearing was had at 11 o'clock in the office of United States Court Commissioner H.M. Lamberton on Center street, and aside from interested attorneys no others were present. As beofre noted the total amount of these claims is $14,907. These are itemized as follows:
-Anthony Plein, administrator of the estate of John Plein, burned to death in the hold of the steamer J.S. at the time of the disaster, $5,000, the limit of liability allowed by law.
-Elizabeth D. Joseph, De Soto, for fractured rib and internal injuries as well as numerous external bruises caused by a fall down the stairway between decks on the steamer, $5,000.
-Anna Peterson, Lansing, Iowa, for broken ankle, $1,000.
-May Coldwell, De Soto, Wis., for sprained ankle, medical treatment, etc. $1,000
-Bertha Kaeppler, La Crosse, for sprained ankle and other personal injuries, $1,000, and $124 additional to this for burned clothing and loss of watch and provisions.
-Minerva F. Myers, Lansing, Ia., for crushing of lower limb, $1,000.
-Van Sant Navigation Company, for services rendered by steamers North Star and Harriet in towing and removing passengers from the burning steamer, $200.
-L.L. Wittbecker, Lansing, Iowa, manager and leader of the Cadet band, for loss of cash and music and uniforms and damage to instruments, $388.90.
-C.E. Stephens of Vernon county, Wis., for medical services rendered to four victims of the disaster, $50.
-H.E. Moen, Lansing, Iowa, for loss of baggage, $28.80.
-Adolph Mathias, Lansing, Iowa, for loss of goods and merchandise, $15.
-Mrs. V. Krieger, Lansing, Iowa, for loss of goods and merchandise, $15.22.
-Flossie McMillan, Lansing, Ia., for loss of goods and merchandise, $15.80.
-Mrs. Henry Wagner, Lansing, Iowa, for loss of goods and merchandise, $12.51
-William Vanderbile, Lansing, Iowa, for loss of goods and merchandise, $39.
-Matt Bechtel, Lansing, Iowa, for loss of goods and merchandise,$7.75.
-John Peterson, Lansing, Iowa, for loss of goods and merchandise, $12.00.

Plein Case Statements.
The six principal claimants for loss of damages in connection with the presentation of their claims today filed brief answers objecting to the application of the Acme Packet company for limitation of its liability, in the claim made by Anthony Plein, administrator of the estate of John Plein, burned to death in the hold of the J.S., the objections to limitation of liability are set forth at considerable length. It is maintained that John Plein was without reasonable cause or justification placed in the hold of the steamer J.S. and kept confined there and that he was suffocated and burned without any fault or negligence on his part. (The document does not refer to the claim made that Plein had been placed under arrest in the hold for drunkenness.) It is further set forth that the electric wiring on the steamer J.S. was poor and dangerous, that necessary appliances were not provided for fighting and extinguishing fire on the J.S. and that such appliances as were provided were in poor condition; that the fire broke out because of negligent construction of the fire box under the boiler of the steamer J.S in not providing a noncombustible cover for the same; that large quantities of intoxicating liquor were wrongfully, knowingly and illegally sold and distributed to passengers of the boat and among the officers, agents, employes and members of the crew. It is further set forth that Plein was a single man forty-one years of age and that his father, Christopher Plein of Waukon, Iowa, is his heir-at-law, and that his earning capacity was from $35 to $40 a month. A jury trial for the damage claim is asked.

The attorneys for the Acme Packet company in the proceeding are Lane & Waterman of Davenport, Iowa, and Brown, Abbott & Somsen of Winona. The attorneys for most of the claimants are J.P. Conway of Lansing, Iowa, D.J. Murphy of Waukon, Iowa, and Tawney, Smith & Tawney of Winona. George H. Gordon of La Crosse is attorney for the claimant Kaeppler.

[transcribed by S.F., November 2005]

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New York Times
New York, New York
December 27, 1910

Rich Cincinnati Widow Weds.
Chicago, Dec. 26. -- Ben Davidson, a leading merchant of Iowa, to-day married Mrs. Blanche Hart, a prominent and wealthy widow of Cincinnati, in this city. They first met at a summer resort in the White Mountains, New Hampshire, last August. They will live in Sioux City, Iowa.

[transcribed by S.F., January 2008]



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