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About The Polk County post. (Independence, Or.) 1918-19?? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1919)
T he P olk C ounty P ost VOLUME L (TWICE A WEEK.) INDEPENDENCE, ORE SON, S U P IT O TO BE DEAD. HE IS MUCH ALIVE Making use o f Mark Twain’s saying, “ Reports o f my death are greatly exaggerated” , Roy W. Wkiteaker may write the same when he learns of his **death.” W ord has been received from him that he is*with the American army o f occupation in Germany. Part o f a semi-obituary which The Post intended to publish in this issue is printed any way as it in a measure explains why Roy was supposed to be “ dead.” That part not thrown into the discard follows: The mystery concerning the fate o f one o f Independ ence’s brave soldier boys, R oy W . Wliiteaker, has not as yet been untangled. He is reported “ missing in action on or about Aug. 19” by the government, yet The Post had a letter from him dated Aug. 20 and a postal card was received by his sister undated in which he stated that he was again on his way to the front. The letter to The Post was written while he was in a hospital recovering from a gas atttack. A fter his release from the hospital he evi dently sent the card to his sister. I f R oy was “ missing in action” it must havd been some time after August 19. The letter to The Post and the card to his sister were the last messages ever received from him. Roy Wliiteaker has evidently “ gone west” fighting he roically for his country upon the field o f battle, but rela tives and friends are hoping because o f the confliction of dates in the government reports, that there has been a mistake and that Roy will again answer “ here” in the company roll call over there. There is a possibility that he has become separated from his unit and is with some other division of the American forces and that a tardy mail service has delayed a message from reaching his old home. Similar in character is the case o f Armine Young. Reported missing in action, after several weeks he turned up in a hospital. He was separated from his unit and was in another company when wounded and sent to the hospit al. Of course, his unit reported him missing. There are faint hopes that Roy Whiteaker may have had a like ex perience. Weeks may go by before his death (if that be his fate) can be confirmed.^ The horrors o f the battlefield cannot compare to the suffering and anxiety of the grey haired mother concerning his fate. In case o f R o y ’s death, his government insurance of $10,000 goes to his daughter, a girl o f eight, who is at present living with her mother in Washington. ERNEST SM ITH GETS BACK Ernest Smith, who volunteered in old company L at the beginning o f the war and served with honor and dis tinction with the American army in France, arrived in Independence a few days ago and was warmly greeted by his large circle of friends here. W hile Ernest was forti^. nate enough to escape German bullets and gas, he was smitten by the old chronic enemy, rheumatism, and was sent back to G od’s country a few months sooner than he would have been had nothing more than the cooties ever harmed him. He has received his discharge and retires to private life, having done more than his bit for his country. THE POST B U Y S MONITOR EQUIPM ENT The Post has purchased the printing plant of the old Monitor and will combine the greater portion of it with the present Post equipment. W e are having our period of reconstruction at the conclusion o f which, as has been an nounced before, The Post will be enlarged and improved. A large increasing patronage and inability to get sufficient help makes it a physical impossibility to issue The Post regularly until we get moved and adjusted. W OM EN TO STAGE M IN STREL SHOW The executive board of the Civic Club held a meeting at the home o f Mrs. J. S. Cooper Mohday afternoon and decided to have a benefit on Monday, Feb. 24, for the pur pose o f starting a memorial fund for our fallen heroes. This fund will all be kept at home and will be used for something o f local interest and benefit. A rousing min strel under the auspices o f the Club and Liberty Chorus will be staged. It is thought that following a winter of so much gloom, a minstrel will be the most pleasing show. FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1919. IMYOR HHO COUHCIL CONTINUE IH DEMOCK MERRY MONARCHS OF MINSTRELSY Opera House, Monday, Feb. 24 LATEST SONGS, GROSS FIRES, 6A6S ANO JOKES SPAR K LIN G MINSTREL FARCE! THE KIN D THAT CHASES THE GLOOM A W A Y ! AUSPICES OF W O M AN ’S CLUB AND LIB E R TY CHORUS BENEFIT SOLDIER’S MEMORIAL FUND ADM ISSION 25 AND 35 CENTS (Uniformed sailors and soldiers admitted free.) IF YO U C A N ’T LAUGH DON’T COME! 000000000000000000000*0«00(X! 000000-000000000000000*000 CUs On C St. SANITARY MARKET W e carry a full line of fresh and cured meats and fish in season. W e sell for cash only. You don’t have to pay the other fellow’s bad bills. Bring us your veal, hogs and fat cattle. Free delivery to all parts of the town. LIEU TEN AN T R ALF A. FLOYD A R R IV E S HOME “THE SPELL OF THE YUKON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 NO R AISE IN THE PRICE OF ADMISSION CHOICE Following the raising o f the “ flu” ban, the Owls were the first to enjoy an evening at cards. Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Drexel were the hosts last Monday evening and provided a splendid time for the club. A fter a series of whist games, L. Damon received the first prize and Mrs. W ord Butler held low score. Light refreshments were served. These S. C. White Leghorn Eggs are from the foundation stock of the O. A. C. winter laying stra Ins and wlU guarantee good strong chicks and fertility. PRICE PER SETTING 15 EGGS $1.50 Also will take orders for Day Old Chicks, with or without mother »>«• Price Day Old Chicks • 15c. each. Price of Mother Hen $1.25 each ail«: W . E. C R A V E N PHONE 7011 SNEAK T H IEVE S PRO W L B Y NIGHT Sneak thieves, prowling by night, are busy in this sec tion. Several have reported losses. Postmaster H. S. W ood’s bicycle turned up missing one morning recently. The same gang is charged with stealing several hundred pennies that were to be used to buy food for the hungry babies of Belgium. J. W . K IR K LA N D NEARS HIS 91st. B IR T H D A Y H AT C H IN G B O O S Rev. W. B. Stewart o f McMinnville will preach at the Baptist church in Independence on Sunday, Feb. 16, both morning and evening. Sunday school at the usu^J hour. It appeal's to be a hopeless deadlock between the mayor and city council over the appointment o f a city treasurer. Under ordinary circumstances it would not figure mater ially in municipal affairs for the old treasurer would con tinue in office until his successor was elected, but in this instance the retiring treasurer has “ retired” beyond the corporate limits several hundred miles thus disqualifying himself. Mayor W alker in a speech from the throne at Wednes day night’s council meeting said that he had appointed Ira D. M ix as city treasurer and until shown that Mr. Mix was disqualified for the plaee no one else would be appointed. He sharply “ passed the buck” to the council. Councilman Bohannon made a vehement reply to the m ayor’s statement. He said there was nothing personal in the opposition of himself and colleagues to Mr. M ix and that they agreed with the mayor that he was com petent and well qualified for the place, but it was their contention that the city treasurer should have some per sonal liability in addition to the usual bond. A certain houn’ dog ruffled the feathers o f a part o f the city’s governing body and caused a thrill in addition to the treasurersliip deadlock. This houn’ in his hours o f leisure tore down Councilman Bohannon’s chicken fence, scratched Councilman Calbreath’s store window and had a party in Councilman W alker’s back yard. A fter the three had given their testimonials, the hardware dealers’ association, which comprises the other half o f the coun cil, offered no objection to a demand that the chief o f po lice enforce the dog ordinance to the letter. Chief o f P o lice didn’t like the talk concerning the enforcement o f the dog ordinance and after the session told the mayor to look around for a new chief of police. Still a third bomb was exploded at this session when a notice was read from the public service commission in which it was stated that the Independence telephone com pany had made application for an increase in rates. The council was quick to unanimously agree to protest against the proposed raise and to comply with all legal require ments in order that any citizen or citizens might battle the telephone octopus according to Hoyle if so disposed. How much o f an increase in rental on telephones the company proposes to ask for is not known. Lieutenant Half A. Floyd, one of the most popular Inde pendence young men to join the colors, arrived home sev eral days ago and has been the object o f much attention and curiosity. He has the unique distinction o f being the first Polk county boy, if not the first Oregonian, to reach # g Germany after the war began. However, he would have | PHONE 1311. | much preferred to have waited and gone in with the rest of the Americans. While delivering planes from a base in oeoooooooooooeooooooooeoooooooooeooooooeovoooooocoooo the rear to a station at the front one cloudy day by mis take he sailed over Germany and was brought to earth by some Teuton whose aim was good with an air craft rifle. This meant that the young lieutenant was elected to be SUPERB ISIS ATTRACTION! come the guest of the Germans until the war was over. Their hospitality was fairly good, he says, outside o f » meals. The menu was not very desirable. A fter sojourn ing with the Germans for several weeks one day he took French leave and started for home. A fter several days o f wandering in search o f a friend he got hungry and lank AD APTED FROM THE FAM OUS POEM and made no protest when the Germans took him home OF THE SAME NAME B Y ROBERT W . with them again. They appeared to be somewhat peeved SERVICE IS A V IV ID D R AM A OF R EAL because he had gon away without saying goodby and gave A L A S K A N LIFE THAT YO U MUST NOT him a change o f rations. When the armistice was signed, M ISS SEEING. DURING IT S ENTIRE he was permitted to depart. Lieutenant Floyd looks well F IV E ACTS YOU W IL L SET SPELL and none the worst from his experience as a prisoner o f BOUND BUT THRILLED TO THE HEART war. He is on furlough awaiting the pleasure o f Uncle Sam. O W LS BEGIN TO GO OUT NIGHTS There will be Sunday school at the Christian church on Sunday morning, Feb. 16, at ten o ’clock. NUMBER 59. INDEPENDENCE, OREGON On Saturday, Feb. 15, J. W. Kirkland will celebrate his 91st. birthday and friends are congratulating. Mr. K irk land feels as young as he looks. M AINTAIN IN G REPUTATION FOR GOOD SHOWS The Isis, open again after a “ vacation” o f several weeks, is maining its reputation for putting on good shows. A number o f excellent pictures are booked for the near future which will prove a great treat to all movie fans. Tuesday night’s bill, “ The Spell o f the Y ukon” is a dandy. T-ce Jordan, reported missing in action, has been heard from.