::This post originally ran on December 8, 2003, as the community of Hampden was preparing for the centennial the coming summer.::
My parents and I are busy working on the history book for the Hampden Centennial.
Mom has been working her way through microfiche of old Hampden newspapers. Here’s a clipping or two from the editorial page of a 1921 edition:
We are curious to see how many private accounts will be opened with the Bank of North Dakota, while they maintain their present policy of returning checks drawn against an actual cash balance.
Tom Maloney had a peeve because the Devils Lake Journal spoke of him as one of the Nonpartisan members of the County Board. So the Journal man had to take a whole column and a half to spank him. Wonder where the Courier-News got all the inside dope Thomas?
The Nonpartisan Leader on the cover of their issue of February 21st, picture the farmer as being up a stump. Very true, and if Townley or Lemke can pull a few more deals, start a few more banks, etc., he’ll not only be up a stump, but he’ll be up in the air so high he’ll have to have his meals sent up by aeroplane.
There was a report rife in town last week that a couple had spent a night in one of the local garages, being locked in when the establishment was closed for the night. There was some effort made to keep the matter quiet for a while but it soon became known, and as long as people would insist on knowing who they were, it was Lizzie Ford and on of the Dodge Brothers. – Shear Steal.
I like the last one. Clever joke. Here’s more from various other editions of the same Hampden newspaper:
It is very disappointing to us to hear the false story that has been spread about Mrs. Robert Swenson leaving Mr. Swenson and their home, and that Mrs. Swenson is living at some other place.
We will appreciate information leading to the party who first started this as it may be valuable to us to know the name of so simple a person.
- Mr. and Mr.s Robert Swenson
Wait! It gets better…
On our drive to Devils Lake yesterday we observed that as we approached the Satanic city the roads became rougher with each passing mile. The new paving was very nice to drive upon though.
And about those hogs…
We would suggest to the owners of the numerous cattle and hogs running at large within the village, that they fence in the entire town, which would allow the balance of the inhabitants to remove their vegetable and flower gardens and shrubbery outside the city limits. Apparently this is the only solution of the problem, as it seems that those owning the aforesaid live stock have not the necessary civic pride or the consideration for others to take proper care of their cattle and hogs.
Personally we have an excellent remedy of our own that we expect to make use of within a short time, unless the nuisance is stopped. We have tried this remedy before and find that though rather severe on the live stock and their owners purse, it gives excellent results.
A bit later…
Ordinance No. 6, Section 6 says in part “No person shall at any time allow to run at large any stock, such as cattle, horses and hogs especially, within the corporate Village of Hampden.”
Coming down the street the other day the editor had to step off of the sidewalk to get around a cow. Whose particular cow this happened to be, we do not know, but the fact remains that it was there, contrary to law, and steps should be taken by the proper authorities to prevent this public nuisance. It wasn’t so very long ago either that our attention was called to two pigs using the main street as a feeding ground. What they found to eat, or rather what the owner thought they would find to eat there, we do not know, but it would seem that the owner of the said pigs would be able to feed them without ‘sponging’ on the village.
