Deloit in 1914
The Busy Little Town of Deloit and its shipping Facilities
Deloit is a very busy little town. Its shipping facilities are fine as we have the C. & N. W. and the I. C. railroads. Team after team in long processions often come in town from among the thriving farmers with loads of hogs, and we see great herds of cattle brought in to ship. They are shipped mainly to Chicago, some to Omaha. The railroads afford good opportunity for travel going and coming. One can leave here early in the morning and spend several hours in Denison and return in the evening.
We are justly proud of our little town. We have one general store owned by F. A. and J. W. True. The dry goods department is in charge of Mrs. F. A. True, Miss Edith Dobson assisting, who has been clerking for them for the past three years, which is a good recommendation for her. Nearly everything one needs in the dry goods line may be found there. The grocery and hardware department is in charge of J. W. True who has an eye for business and is always ready to please his customers. He is assisted by William Worley who has been in their employ the past four years. The True Mercantile Co. also have an implement building where all kinds of machinery can be bought. J. W. True has charge of this. The long distance telephone is installed in their store, also the Crawford Co. and the Farmer's.
Then we have L. A. Myers, an enterprising young merchant who carries groceries, dry goods, shoes, etc. He has a nice line of goods and is always pleasant and ready to wait on customers. He delivers goods over the town twice a day at eleven and four o'clock which the people of town greatly appreciate.
Mrs. A. Prentice and daughter, Mrs. L. Childress is post mistress and assistant and have a line of groceries, novelties and stationery etc. These ladies are among the busy ones taking care of Uncle Sam's business and waiting on trade. They are always alert to please their customers. B. E. McKim is Rural Carrier and the past seven years we think his record for losing days on account of bad roads and weather cannot be beaten.
Doctor N. N. Smith is occupying a new building neatly equipped for a doctor's office and is enjoying a good practice.
The old bank building is being used by our young men as a place of amusement where they do all kinds of gymnasium stunts. Over head is the True Mercantile hall. This hall is used by the Modern Brotherhood of American lodge for their meetings also the Modern Woodmen and the Brotherhood of America Yeoman lodges.
A large hall under the management of a company of Germans has been erected which is large and commodius for all kinds of gatherings and is a great help to the town.
Restaurant is almost completed and will soon be ready for business. Mrs. Hess and Mrs. Nooks do dressmaking and are kept busy.
We have one of the nicest little banks made of brick and is fire proof and a great credit to the town. The door and fixtures in the vault are made of very heavy steel, a great invention and very expensive, which can only meet the admiration of all who see it. The bank is in charge of Mr. Guy Martin and is doing a good business and we greatly appreciate its benefits. Hereafter, people will not be required to go to Denison to pay their taxes as Mr. Martin has arranged so the people may pay their taxes at the bank here, which will make it much more convenient. Mr. Martin is also a good musician and is giving music lessons on different instruments and is a great help to our band.
Myron Meyers is still our genial barber and is equipped with new barber fixtures, a large glass that all may see "what manner of man he is". A large town directory of the business places may be read there, neatly painted on a large sign. Mearl assists in the shop on Saturdays and both are kept busy.
The cream station is in charge of Guy Johnson, a young man of good habits who has been in the employ of the creamery company for the past few years. The territory around Deloit makes a great deal selling cream and find it much easier and more profitable than to make butter.
Mr. Smith, one of the old soldiers, has fitted up a shoe repair shop and is always ready to do business.
C. G. Monahan has a veterinary office and is often called out in his line of business.
W. A. Steuck is a druggist and is nicely located with a full line of drugs and other things that go to make up a good drug store.
Mr. William Jepson and wife have charge of the hotel and everything is kept up in the first class shape. They enjoy a good patronage of which Mrs. Jepson is worthy as she has the name of being a splendid cook.
Mr. Moeller owns the saloon, which is a neat building and he has a large trade.
The elevator and lumber yard are owned by the Nye Schneider Fowler Co. and does a good business with Abram Galland as foreman and Ralph Beaman as assistant. They not only deal in lumber and grain but buy and ship hogs.
Mr. Fisher is blacksmith and has been kept busy in his line of work. The blacksmith shop is owned by John Newton.
The livery barn is large enough to afford a great many team accommodations and is owned and managed by Millard Turner. Jimmie Turner is kept busy with the town dray and is at every ones command ready for business.
Guy Martin and Mrs. S. Horr are Notary Publics. James McKim and Bert Delahey and E. K. Patchin are the carpenters, Mr. Delaney, Bert McKim, Charles Campbell and S. Browne do cement work.
The schools are in two departments, the primary under management of Mrs. Johnston and the higher studies under Mr. E. Smith.
Last but not least, we have two churches.
At the M. E. Church with Rev. Ralston as pastor, meetings are held every sabbath. Sunday school are 10:00, preaching at 11:00 and 7:30 on Sunday, prayer services on Thursday evening and Religion Tuesday evening. We have two societies of helpers in church work, the Ladies Aid Society of the M. E. church which by their efforts help along a good cause a great deal financially.
The Willing Workers of the L. D. S. church have been organized four years and have accomplished a great work, assisting in the expenses of keeping up the church house and donating to the Sanitarium, the Children's Home and doing acts of charity. They have now under consideration the buying of a street lamp to be placed in front of the church to light up the way on dark nights.
We have a band consisting of boys and young men of which we are very proud. They organized a little over one year ago and are doing nicely. Their names are Dan Fink, John Fink, Percy Fink, John Riggleman, Leonard Lingle, Jessie Shives and Mrs. Guy Martin who takes the lead. There are one or two others taking lessons, fitting themselves to join the band. Young men who start out in life with unceasing efforts to make the best of life, never fall short of winning what they undertake in life.
Source: Denison Review, Feb. 4, 1914
We thank Melba McDowell for submitting this material.