100 years ago - Sept. 4, 1918

Patsy Parkin
Posted 9/19/18

Taken from the files

of the Wheatland Times

Sept. 4, 1918

Courtesy of Platte County

Historical Society

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100 years ago - Sept. 4, 1918

Posted

The new wing of the Wheatland Hospital, “which has grown to the position of the largest and most successful establishment of its nature in the state of Wyoming,” has opened for use. It includes 2 new operating rooms, a sterilizing room, patients’ waiting room, doctors’ preparation room, 15 new private rooms, and a large maternity department. Within a few days, 15 successful surgeries, some of which were “among the most difficult operations known to modern surgery,” had been completed in the new space. The nurses’ dormitory,“fixed up in the most modern, convenient and comfortable style,” is also completed and occupied.
The use of an additional 25 pounds of sugar per family for canning and preserving has been okayed by Mr. Diers, Federal Food Administrator for Wyoming.
Every man aged 18 to 45 in the United States, except those already in service or exempted, has been summoned by President Wilson to register for military service on September 12. The total from Wyoming is expected to be 30,620 men.
President Wilson has proclaimed the price of the 1919 wheat crop at $2.20 a bushel. He is sincerely hoping for peace before the 1920 crop is harvested.
A specialist from the Bureau of Chemistry with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is in town inspecting the Wheatland Creamery. The government is gathering data to determine if small local creameries should be closed and the manufacture of butter and other dairy products be turned over to large, centralized plants. J.R. Mason, president of the local creamery, can “conceive of no greater calamity to the dairy interests” of small communities and sparsely settled areas, essentially killing the development of local dairy husbandry.

An auction sale including 150 head of horses, milk and stock cows, and all farm equipment will be held at the McNall place, 6 miles west of Guernsey and 2 miles east of Hartville Junction.
A very enjoyable family reunion was held at Festo Lake by the Noah Hudson and Joseph Hudson families. Several boys of these families will soon be leaving for training camps and one of the motives for the gathering was to bid the boys godspeed.
James Balisdell of Glendo is listed in this week’s wounded list from the war department.
The local chapter of the Red Cross reminds donors that secondhand clothing, as of now, is not acceptable for refugee relief so no donations can be accepted. 1032 pairs of socks and 172 sweaters were recently shipped to headquarters from the community group. The sewing rooms are open every Thursday and Saturday and continued attendance is greatly appreciated.
The former D.Miller & Son Store, now under new management as the Farmers Mercantile Company, is open for business and has been thronged with crowds of customers. The store continues to offer for sale groceries, furniture, shoes, clothing, and other dry goods.
Nebraska farmers who have experienced severe hot winds and dry weather for the past several years are now investing in cropland on the Wheatland Flats.
H.I. Shaw, a farmer living 12 miles northeast of Chugwater, has been arrested for an attempted criminal offense of a young girl. He is a married man and father to young children. Sheriff Roach is holding him under a bond of $2,000.
A.W. Goff, farmer from Guernsey, has raised a fine crop of watermelons this summer, but has a hard time keeping coyotes from eating them, always bypassing the green melons and picking the ripe ones for their midnight refreshments. J.W. Harvey of Wheatland credits just 1 of his 5 beehives for producing 200 pounds of honey so far this season.