1898 -- The Town of Lowell at 50
News of Lowell and Community in 1898 Reveals Many Still Familiar Names and Places
Is this old news, new news to you? Or did you read it on September 22, 1898?
- Atty. J.W. Belshaw began his school at West Creek Monday.
Watermelons are cheap -- selling for three cents apiece.
Dr. Bacon and wife went to Lockport Tuesday to attend a reunion of the doctor's regiment.
F.L. Mosely and family have moved from Crown Point to Lowell.
The Fourth Regulars passed through Lowell last Friday on their way to Ft. Sheridan.
J.J. Davis returned to Chicago on Monday, where he is attending the Northwestern Dental College.
R.L. Nelson, a Lowell boy, filed his application with the commissioners for appointment to Purdue University, when a vacancy occurs.
Judson Davis and Miss Marie Brownell spent Sunday at Starr Brownell's. Earl Brownell, wife, and daughter, Kathryn, attended the state fair in Indianapolis last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Wallace and granddaughter visited last week in Valparaiso.
Fred Schmal and a friend spent Sunday in Chicago.
Mr. and Mrs. Horace Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Powell and Mr. and Mrs. Jay Ault celebrated their anniversaries in a very royal and appropriate manner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, Tuesday evening, September 20, 1898. The supper table with its large cooked goose, pumpkin pies, and proportionately class of other good things was strictly in evidence. Cupid was effectively firing his darts at the above mentioned ladies and gentlemen several years ago and the result was that the six appeared before Hymen's altar at the same time eighteen years ago.
The well for the waterworks has reached a depth of 180 feet and the new pump is looked for this afternoon. A large quantity of broken stone is being hauled to the public square, where the standpipe will be erected. The good work is proceeding as rapidly as possible.
H.H. Ragon left Tuesday to attend the reunion of the 144th Ohio Regiment in which he served as captain.
The creamery property is being improved for residence property by Marshall Nafus.
L. Davidson returned Monday night from a visit in Chicago.
Many cases of scarlet fever and diphtheria were reported over the state.
Doctors Davis and Bacon, assisted by a Chicago physician, performed a surgical operation on J.B. Bailey last Friday. They found a sack of pus in the abdomen, which they took out, dressing with antiseptics, and if more pus does not form they hope for his ultimate recovery.
Miss Lillian Wood of Des Moines, Iowa, has returned to Lowell for a visit with her parents.
Lowell's tax levy and poll is very large, amounting to $6.07, the levy being raised 44 cents on the hundred.
St. Edward's Catholic Church now has a resident priest, Father F.F. Koenig of Union City, Ind. A handsome residence will be erected for his use.
P.A. McNay and family and John McNay and wife of Crown Point went to Kankakee Thursday for a vist. They drove over.
Attorney Wood was in Crown Point Tuesday.
Fred Schmal and a friends spent Sunday in Chicago.
We will take some stove wood on subscription.
Lowell has a large contingent of female bicyclists and they all seem to be experts.
D.A. Friends visited relatives in Monon Sunday.
The E. Bixenman family went to Hebron on Monday to attend the funeral of a friend.
A news story told of a "programme" to be held in Lowell on October 6 and 7, at Gregory Opera House for the reunion of the 9th and 20th Regiments. A banquet was scheduled at Castor's Hall. Entertainment would be furnished by the Lowell town band; invocation by Rev. Randall; address by J.L. Worley; Col. Suman for the 9th and Col. Taylor for the 20th Regiment; music by the Misses Ruby and Grace Bacon, Madge Whitehall, Daisy Dinwiddie, Mrs. Allice Whitehall and Wardie Childress.
Merchants who had advertisements in this issue included: G.W. Waters Drug Store, C.O. Hill Drug Store, Chas. Ketcham Department Store; Enoch Cox, boot and shoe repair; E.J. Pixley, jeweler and optician; Martin Schur, furniture, undertaker; Wilbur Lumber, A.T. Cox manager; Mrs. M.A. Scullin, sewing machines; Burnham Bros. hardware; H. Gershman, the tailor; Herman Mangold, painter; Spindler & Pletcher, department store. Columns were used in advertising patenet medicine, bicycles, buggies, schools of oratory, saddle coats, harness, even mustache wax! A 40-inch ad from Lowenstines in Valparaiso offered men's fine wool suits at $7 and $10, Mossow Beaver overcoat, $8; fur beaver hat, 98 cents; stiff bosum dress shirt, 50 cents; hose, 10 cents; shoes, 98 cents; women's hats, 48 cents; ladies' crushed plush capes, $4.25.
Among professional men advertising were Dr. J.A. Dinwiddie, dentist; Attorneys R.C. Wood, S.C. Dwyer and J.W. Belshaw; Doctors Davis, Bacon, and Quincey of Lowell and Dr. C.W. Pagel of Hebron and Dr. J.C. Scott of Kouts.
Lowell Societies of 1898 included:
Colfax Lodge, A.F. & A.M., No. 378, meets first Saturday on or before the full moon of each month, Geo. S. Clark, W.M. and J.E. Love, secretary.
Knights of Pythias, meets Thursday at Castle Hall, C.W. Waters, C.C.; S.A. Brownell, K.R.&S.
Fleur de Lis Rathbone Sisters, No 128. Lillian Brownell, M.E.C.; Mary Bixeman, M. of R.C.
I.O.O.F., No. 245, Axel Gromberg, N.G.; Samuel Miller, sec.
Modern Woodmen of America, Cedar Camp No. 5155, W.C. Quincey, V.C.; Hiram Haskin, Clerk.
Independent Order of Foresters of America, Court No. 13. A.W.Davis, C.R.; James Palmer, R.S.
Daughters of Rebekah, Harmony Lodge No. 445, Mrs. Henry Worley, N.G.; Jenny Ault, Sec.
Grand Army of the Republic, Burnham Post 276, H.H. Ragon, Post Commander; George Davis, Adjutant.
Chicago Market Report of September 22, 1898
- Cattle, all grades, $1.85
Hogs, prime, $2.10
Sheep and lambs, $2.00
Wheat, No. 2, 30¾
Corn, No.3, .30¾
Oats, No. 3 white, .22½
Eggs, .12½
Butter, .10½
Rye, No. 2, .44½
Push and Hustle in 1898!
And it came to pass after he had advertised his goods there came unto him great multitudes from all the region about and did buy of him. And when his competitors saw it they marveled among themselves, saying, "How be it that this man is busy, while we loaf about our doors?" And he spoke unto them, saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you in this fast age of push and hustle, it is easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a business man to flourish without advertising."-- taken from the Sept. 22, 1898 issue of The Lowell Record, publisher, H.W. Veach.
This June 19, 1952, Lowell Tribune information was found in Section 2 on page 4, columns 4-5:
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From the local column of the January 5, 1899, issue of the Lowell Tribune:
George Death will sell you eight-penny nails at 2 cents per pound and up. Give him a call.
Joseph Hayden, born in 1832, died January 3, 1899. He came to Lake County in 1837.
S.H. Petrie and family have moved into the J.H. Purdy's home south of the school house.
The work of surveying for the gravel road began Tuesday morning of last week. E.A. Clark, surveyor, was assisted by Add and Leo Clark and Johnnie Minninger.
Michael Kimmet of Delphos, Ohio, and Adam Kimmet of near Fostoria, Ohio, are the guests of Messrs. John and George Kimmet and families, the former being an uncle and the latter a brother to our John and George Kimmet.
James Spaulding, the county assessor, gave some interesting statistics of Lake County: In 1890, the population was 28,800 and in 1898 it had increased to 50,000.
The figure "nine" will be found in the year dates for the next 100 years. It will then be eliminated and will not appear again except at intervals of ten years until 2900 when it will come for a stay of another 100 years.
Business men advertising in Lowell Tribune in 1899 included: F.P. Decker, gunsmith; Geo. M. Death, hardware; George Heilig, bakery; Herman Mangold, painting; A.S. Hull, meats, poultry and fish; Jerome Dinwiddie, life insurance; Harley Moy Co., imported tea; Haskin & Brannon, hardware; Mrs. M.A. Scullin, sewing machines; A. Goldstein, dry goods; Merrit Kelsey, livery sale and feed stable; Dr. J.A. Dinwiddie, dentist; C.W. Pulver and T.J. Moran, tin, copper and sheet iron work and plumbing, heating and steam fitting. Monon Route, time table; L.A. Brannon, hardware, stoves, and tinware; Wilbur Lumber Co., A.T. Cox, manager; W.C. Quincy, physician and surgeon; George Kimmet, dry goods; John L. Manning, law and real estate; Schuyler C. Dwyer, attorney at law, notary public; Geo. W. Waters, druggist; Joseph Hepp, poultry and eggs; W. Fay Lynch, general merchandise.
A party was given at the home of Blanche Hoshaw Thursday evening, December 29, 1898. The evening was spent in social chat and various games. Refreshments were served at 11:00, and at a late hour the young people departed for their homes, feeling that an enjoyable evening had been spent and wishing that such events would occur oftener. Those present were: Misses Kittie Robinson, Nora Sanger, Nannie Sargeant, Edna Hayden, Georgia Hoshaw, Stella Trump, Jessie Ross, Sadie Childress and Blanch Hoshaw; Messrs Jodie Hayden, Floyd Hayden, Joe Heiser, Claud Trump, Wallace Edmonds, Otto Trump, Leonard Cleaver, Melvin Robinson, Andrew Childress, Clarence Hoshaw and Willie Hoshaw.
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