Mae Helen Clark
The Newton Record
NEWTON
July 16, 2008 05:15 pm
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The year is 1905, it is now June and July and the farmers and their families have come to Newton where they meet up with the town people and are enjoying visiting and talking about the news of the day. Saturday was the big day in Newton and people really enjoyed visiting on the streets while the children played on the streets and ran in and out among the people.
Imagine the conversations and the news. Just go back in time with me and I will bring you some talk from the past.
One or two heavy rains fell in this section the first of last week.
The fruit crop is almost a failure this year but watermelons are getting to be plentiful.
The latest report from New Orleans is that eleven new cases of fever developed yesterday and six deaths for the day, making a total of 165 cases reported officially to date.
A special train is being run every morning and evening out to Decatur from Newton during the term of Circuit Court. The train leaves at 7:30 and returns at 9:15 in the morning and leaves in the afternoon at 5, returning at 6:35.
Wash Fielder, a black man, and his two sons were driving a double team and wagon across the railroad at Hickory last Friday, the west bound early morning mail train struck conveyance knocking the old man and his two sons, who were in the wagon, team, wagon, and all, in every direction. The mule and horse were killed and the wagon was completely demolished.
On account of the protracted mailing now in pro-gress at the Baptist Church and circuit court being in session at Decatur, the barbecue and picnic to have been given at McElroy’s bridge tomorrow has been postponed indefinitely.
I. W. Jarrell presented the Newton Record with a nice watermelon the week of June 24, the first we had seen this season. July 4 is usually considered early for home grown melons and to see them so early on June 24 is a little unusual. Mr. Jarrell has a fine patch of about an acre and a half and says he has learned the secret of raising early melons, which is in the use of the proper kind of fertilizer.
The first regular freight train was run to Decatur over the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City last Monday (Newton Record item published Thursday, June 22, 1905). No passengers are being carried on the freights. It is not known yet when passenger train service will be extended though the report is that not likely before through service is inaugurated.
The ladies of the Methodist Church had a bad night for their “Poverty Soshul” last Friday night on account of the heavy rains, but not withstanding they made about $10 more above expenses and the repeated entertainment the next Thursday and made $20.
Triplets were born to an Indian woman, wife of Tom Jacks, who lives in the Erin neighborhood, several days ago. The babies are all girls, weighed five and a quarter pounds each at birth and are now doing nicely, giving promise into develop into womanhood.
Work on the new Presbyterian church was slowed down some because some necessary materials didn’t arrive on time but it was received and work continued.
On June 29, cotton has taken as upward shoot. It was worth about nine cents. It has sold for nine and a half cents.
J. C. Wilson, A fireman on the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City Railroad narrowly escaped and was severely hurt. He was underneath his engine making repairs and told a brakeman to get in the engine and reverse some levers, but not to release the brakes. The brakeman did as directed, but it seems the brakes did not hold or something was wrong and the engine moved off. Wilson was dragged some thirty feet and the brake beam cut a long gash across his chest, the ash pan mashed a great hole in is stomach and he was bruised up generally. He was taken to the Newton Hotel and physicians to dress his wounds, which while serious are not fatal. He was getting along very well at the present. His stomach wound was the most dangerous and if it heals, his recovery is pretty well assured.
Articles for these conversation pieces from the past have been taken from the Newton Record from June and July publications in 1905.
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