December 26, 2001

Herald news ... 100 years ago

By Emma Jane Muir
Special to the Herald
       - Owing to the fact that smallpox has found its way into some of the state institutions, it has been deemed best by the Board of Trustees of the Northern Asylum for the Insane at this place to restrict promiscuous visiting at the institution at the present. There are no cases of the disease in Traverse City, but with visitors coming from all parts of Michigan, every care should be taken to prevent contagion and all visiting will be prohibited until further notice, except in most urgent cases.
      - The Catholics on the west side have obtained permission from Bishop Richter to build a new church and establish a new parish. The committee is still at work to raise the funds.
      - Among the gayest of the Christmas festivities was the one enjoyed by seven young ladies at the home of Miss Georgietta Morgan last Saturday. A gigantic cobweb was unraveled with the presents attached found in all sorts of impossible places. Following the entertainment, a midnight luncheon was served to the guests.
      - Anna East, the young daughter of Mr. and Mrs. East of Fifth Street, was painfully burned about the face and hands Monday afternoon. She was building a fire with kerosene when a small explosion occurred. Fortunately, her clothing did not catch fire, else she might have lost her life.
      - A fine snowy owl is confined in a cage at the undertaking rooms of H. L. Carter and is attracting a good deal of attention. The bird was shot by Mr. Sullivan at East Bay last week, but was only slightly wounded in the wing. The bird will be kept as a pet.
      - Ellsworth Durga, of Long Lake, was hurt Saturday while docking logs when the log coming back struck him on the side of the head, shoulder and hip. At present, he is getting along well.
      - The suit for $100 damages of Mrs. C. V. Fisher against Julius Campbell, came before Justice Brown Tuesday and was finally dismissed, having several times been previously adjourned. The suit was for injury to reputation in a case against Mrs. Fisher in which it was claimed she fraudulently left the city with a wheel for which she had not made full payment. The incident is now considered closed.
      - George W. Benjamin, agent of the W. W. Kimball Co., had a very narrow escape from serious injury at Williamsburg Wednesday last. He had taken a piano to that area and when going down the hill in Williamsburg, the horses started to run. The wagon was overturned, the piano pitched into the ditch and Mr. Benjamin got out of the way in the nick of time. Without such quick action, he would have been crushed.
      - Riley Sweers, E. W. Greilick and Em. Wilhelm, the committee of Elks appointed to look up the needs of poor families in order to distribute gifts for Christmas, made as thorough a canvass as possible and found about twenty family in need of things calculated to make life comfortable. These were mainly families supported by widows, although there were some where the father of the house is incapacitated by illness. The value of the gifts amounted to nearly $200 which contributed handsomely to the project.
      - Arrangements have been completed for a mask ball under the auspices of the Boys Band for New Year's night, January 1, 1902. The ball will take place at the City Opera House and will be one of the pleasantest events of its kind this winter. The music will be furnished by Prof. Wysong's full orchestra.
      - The fire department was called out Monday to look after the burning chimney in the building occupied by Undertaker L. D. Curtis. The fire inside the chimney had become so hot that the smoke escaped into the upper part of the house and through the roof looked as though the building was already on fire. The firemen did not find it necessary to throw water, but after they went back to the engine house, the chimney cracked from the top to the basement and considerable damage was done by the smoke.
      - Advice on deportment. When traveling on the ocean, never allude to seasickness at the table. Most every one is squeamish on the water and any allusion of this sort is in bad taste.
      - Medical advice of a century ago. To treat scurvy, take morning and evening, a spoonful or two of lemon juice and sugar.
      - Best buy of the week. Nuts of all kinds for the New Year's dinner. 10 - 20 cents a pound at The Hannah & Lay Mercantile Co.