NEW RICHMOND TIDBITS - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

With two newspapers, New Richmond can feel proud, but her citizens must “toe the line” or be written up!

Ira Stout left last week for South Dakota to bring home Chas. Kirkpatrick who is seriously ill with lung trouble. Chas. Is a son of Wm. Kirkpatrick, proprietor of the Black Bear Hotel

CWJ 19 Feb 1897

New Richmond – Joe Beal & Sam Dean are assisting in getting a supply of summer cook wood at the Black Bear Hotel.

NRR – Painless dentist to be at the NR Hotel Tues July 14, 1914

NRR 22 May 1913 – maybe there were two hotels as this is not the same lady

NRR 22 May 1913 p 3 – Mrs. Zula Million, proprietress of the NR Hotel announced a chicken dinner for Tuesday evening at 6 o’[clock and found she had more guests than she had expected. She will announce another like affair soon.

NRR 23 July 1914 p 3

The burning of the New Richmond HOTEL Friday wrought the heaviest loss since the great conflagration of July 12, 1898. In fact the fire losses in all these 16 years have been of minor consequence.

NRR 10 June 1915 p 5 – Aunt Hope Kirkpatrick was down from Elston Tuesday  She returned two weeks later

NRR 3 oct 1912 p3

Mrs. Hope K loaded her household goods in the car Mon and left Tues for Indianapolis to take up her residence.

CWJ 10 Aug 1900

Hostess of the Black bear. New Richmond Record: With the end of this week the Black Bear hotel will close. Mrs. Hope Kirkpatrick, who has for so long kept our only hostelry and who is known far and wide as a pleasant old lady who always sets an excellent board and does everything in her best way for her patrons, will pack her household goods but will leave them for the present in the hotel. Mrs. Kirkpatrick will shortly assume a position in the Crawford hotel at Crawfordsville and will have charge of the pantry. She is reputed to have kept the best hotel of any of the small towns in this county and traveling men who were making this section and finding they must remain over night, made it a point to get to New Richmond to enjoy the hospitality of "Aunt Hope Kirk" rather than have to put up at some other less comfortable country inn.

Ira Stout, the owner of the Black Bear Hotel, has refused to rent or lease the house to anyone but Aunt Hope, and said that he would much prefer to have her continue, but if she must give it up, he would lock it up.

CWJ 21 June 1901 p 5 – John Kirkpatrick, son of William and Hope K died Tuesday night from stomach trouble.  Dr. Wm. Kirkpatrick and family of Iowa are guests of their parents, John Kirkpatrick Sr and wife.  (is this Wm. And Hope or Wm’s father or ???

1901 she had some “guests” but it doesn’t specifically say in the hotel

Several NRR – William K, cashier of the Corn Exchange State Bank

23 July 1914 – New Richmond Record

At a quarter of five Friday evening an alarm of fire rang out, and word was passed from one to another—“It’s the hotel.” Quickly the town’s chemical engines and a crowd of earnest fire fighters were on the scene to do the best they could to save property from the flames. When first discovered the hotel was thought doomed and no effort was made to save the building. The first men to arrive assisted in removing clothing and personal effects of the hotel boarders and the fixtures of the hotel and the greater part of all such property was saved. Fanned by a west to northwest breeze the flames spread rapidly and drove the men from the upstairs rooms. The fire is supposed to have caught in the roof near the northwest corner of the building from a spark from a defective kitchen flue.

In looking over the old files of the New Richmond Record, this bit of interesting news is taken from  February 15, 1900; —

New Richmond has always been keeping right ' up with the times in style, push and improvement, and many times even succeeding in outdoing her larger neighboring towns and cities. Just now she has gone them all one better by having the first automobile, John T. Detchan of this place having lately purchased of an eastern manufacturer through the Dovetail Buggy Co. of Crawfordsville a handsome new horseless carriage and which is the first one owned by a citizen of Montgomery county or any of the adjoining counties.

The new vehicle is for the present on exhibit (it the office of the -Dovetail Buggy Company in Crawfordsville, and where it is seen every day by hundreds of admiring people. The new rig is a latest style Stanhope stick back, black and red body witli red running gears. The wheels, pneumatic of course, are about 30 inches in height with tires four inches in diameter. The automobile cost Mr, Detchon just $1,000, and as soon as nice good roads in the spring are here the first automobile may be seen on the streets of New Richmond. “Here it comes,” and “there it goes!” It is capable of a speed of forty miles an hour.

Mrs. S. R. Tribby and daughter Murel had come from their home east of towu late Saturday evening to make the household purchases in town, and on their return stopped at the James Kincaid home for ice. On their start for home their horse bolted in an attempt to run away, Mrs. Tribby and her daughter were thrown out, Mrs. Tribby receiving many injuries and flesh bruises.

Dr. Wray was called at once to the Kincaid home where he attended the injured. Mrs, Tribby suffered a bad zigzag gash above the right eye, cutting to but not injuring the eyeball, this injury resulting from striking her forehead against the top of a fence post. There was also a fracture of the frontal bone, three ribs of the left side broken, a dislocation of a knee cap, a sprained ankle, besides many flesh bruises. Miss Tribby suffered a badly wrenched back. y

Following the dressing of Mrs. Tribby’s wounds they were removed to their home. Mrs. Tribby suffered severely from the shock, but soon recovered from that, and is recovering nicely.

In the short space of fourteen years since the automobile came into practical use for business and pleasure, it numbers into the thousands in Montgomery county and has practically shoved the horse and buggy off the country roads. Almost any day, winter or summer, you may start out for a drive across the country and the automobiles will outnumber the buggies two to one. The automobiles too have come into use to fill every need, and people have so grown accustomed to riding at breakneck speed that a horse and buggy’s snail pace is too slow for them. An automobile, with its load of several additional people, makes an easy trip of fifty or an hundred miles, whereas a horse and buggy with its two people formerly found it a hard task to drive its five or ten miles.

We were not able to learn the figures of the last transfer of the hotel property, nor the amount of insurance on the building. Mr. Frakes and the adjuster for the insurance company were expected here Monday afternoon to adjust the loss.

To prevent breaking the new electric light globes and lamps, the town ordinance against throwing or playing ball on the streets and alleys of the town will be enforced. Boys and young men are warned not to throw balls on town property under penalty of said law. John A. Work, Marshal. Mrs. Lane’s loss, which covers clothing, dishes and cooking utensils, will probably reach $30 to $35.

Finding the hotel property was beyond all hope of saving, the attention of the fire fighters was turned to saving the big grain elevator of Haywood & Detchon and the New Richmond (Joal & Lumber Co’s, yards which were in direct line of the rain of sparks and flying shingles from the burning building; also the near buildings of the Flaugher livery barn and shed across the street, the cottage occupied by Fern Patton and wife Just north of the hotel, and the wool storage of Chas. Haywood, south of the hotel. Every pump in the vicinity was used to its capacity for water used by a well organized bucket brigade,'and all the hose about town was pressed into service to raise the water to the roof of the big elevator. Though the elevator was on tire some half dozen times, the sheds at the lumber yard were afire at possibly a dozen different places, it was quite marvelous that the destruction of property was confined to the hotel, due to the efforts of a sufficient force of willing fire fighters.

     

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Town of New Richmond

While THE REVIEW man has been touring the towns of the county, many interesting things have been noted, but perhaps the most important facts are connected with the history of Coal Creek township and her towns. In 1830 Samuel Kincaid, a native of Ohio, who had resided in Crawfordsville for years, removed to the present cite of New Richmond, and after purchasing the land of Allen Beesley, he opened the first blacksmith shop ct that region. At an early day he laid out the town, assisted in its building enterprise and finally removed to Hamilton county where he died in 1845. In 1881 New Richmond was a village of three stores, a blacksmith shop, a church, a few dwellings and several doctors, the first permanent physician being Dr. Manners, and the ones to-day being Dr D. M. Washburne, who has practiced for 23 years in New Richmond, having attended Indiana Medical College in '73 '74, and Dr. F. M. Linn, a graduate of Central College of Physicians and Surgeons.

THE TOWN TO-DAY

shows a most wonderful change and remarkable growth, it being noticed that its large company of business men are young men and full of lifo and ambition such as is required for the advancement of any community. Without an exception the business men are all young and enterprising and no better evidence of the persistent efforts to make it a business town is needed than the new buildings and new industries that have sprung up in the town since 1881. The Clover Leaf railroad is in a measure also responsible for such a pleasing change.

THE MERCHANTS.

The Corn Exchange Bank was founded two years ago last September. Its influence has done much for the town. G. W. Washburn is president and Chas. Kirkpatrick cashier. Mr. Washburn is an extensive real estate owner in this county.

The only dairy operated in New Richmond is that of W. II. Burris, a soldier of the late war. His dairy has been in operation for seven years and is located ore mile east of the town. His cows are all noted stock and the test of cream is as much as 36 per cent.

Boswell Clough conducts a respectable caloon, which he ITIB run for six years with the exception of four months during which time it was owuod by Oscar Stingley, who resold it to Mr. Clough four weeks ago. No gambling iB tolerated and no minors allowed.

Starr Dunn, an expert tinner and plumber, came from Chicago one month ago and opened the only tin shop within twelve miles of New Richmond. He purchased the shop of C. L. Knight, and has doubled its stock, adding a full line of pipe tools. Mr. Dunn was for twelve years an employee of the 13. & O R. R. as a tinner and plumber.

D. Hunnel is town treasurer and for eight years has run a general grocery store, seven of which he was located in his present convenient quarters.

Clark Bros., J. P. and Ellis, are the restaurant and bakery men and are gentlemen of sterling qualities. They have carried on their business in the town for two years. Their wagon delivers bread, cakes and pies within the town and surrounding country.

Chas. Mitchell, better known as "Mitch" is an accommodating and skilled barber and owns a pretty shop in which he has labored for three years. Mr. Mitchell is a favorite with the young men and is a good musician, being master of a number of different instruments.  He is cornet player in Schweitzer’s band.

¬W. B. McComas. formerly of Waynetown, but now of Kingman, is regular visitor to the town the capacity ot a huckster. He has resided in tins county for 57 years.

W. H. Long owns tlm only harness shop and deals in hatd mad» harness, leather halters, fly nets, »te. lib has worked at his trade here for four years and has owned his shop for two years. His goods give the besr satisfaction and he has many substantial friends.

D. M. LUCHB conducts a first class meat market, which he has operated for some time. Ten years exp rienc at his trade is a drawing card for him and he enjoys a good patronage.

D. M. Plunkett is a contractor! For 20 years he has done ditching and contracting and is considered an expert manager. "The Black Bt»ar" is the only hotel and is second to none in the county. It has been under the able management of Mrs. Wm. Kirkpatrick for 9 years.

Dr. A. M. Miller has practiced donti.stry here for throe years. Is a graduate from the Ohio collego of dental surgery and is something of a expert in crown and bridge work. He has handsome quarters over the bank.

J. N. Alexander is a popular young barber who has managed a well appointed shop for 5 years. He runs three chairs and the only bath room service in the township. He Is agent for a first class laundry and has for sale choice line of toilet soaps.

The newspapers, are the Record and Enterprise. The former is edited by Edgar Watts who founded his paper in 1896, and the latter by R. S. Osborn who is now on his 5th year of publication. Both papers add greatly to the life and interest of this community.

H.S. Deorman, the veteran booth and show maker, conducts a shop in his residence and has given faithful attention to the business for more than thirty years, eighteen of which he spent right here in New Richmond. He gives special attention to all kinds of repair work.

         Source: New Richmond Record 26 Nov 1914 p 1

Postmaster Frank E. Campbell returned from Indianapolis last Thursday where he bought new furniture and fixtures for the post office to displace the old ones so long in use. The new post office furniture will be of all steel, and will include a stamp and money order window, with plenty of room for call boxes and lock boxes the latter being all keyless automatic lock boxes. The new furniture will arrive about December 1st.

Source: New Richmond Record 20 Aug 1914 p 1