1917
W.C. Dalley, Publisher
Jan 18 The work of unloading ties, rails, and etc, for the double track has been completed between the place and Rice and now unloading is being done at Gregory. When spring thaw comes the surfacing of rail bed will be done and track laid.
Feb. 22 Saturday afternoon a fire was discovered on the Methodist parsonage, caused by a spark from the kitchen chimney. Fortunately Rev. and Mrs. Perry discovered the fore quickly and extinguished the blaze before much damage was done.
Mar. 1 T. Garber went to Minneapolis on Monday where he will purchase a stock of new furniture for the store he has opened here.
Mar. 15 The results of the elections of Mar.9: Royalton will retain its saloons and will go with out a new village hall. A.C. Bouck is elected new President of the village.
Apr. 12 A deal was consummated whereby Bourke Mercantile Co. becomes the owners of J.H. Russell stock of general merchandise. Mr. Russell is retiring after being in business for 35 years.
Apr. 19 The first concert was given by the 20 piece ‘Royalton Military Band’. Dr. McGonagle as director.
America enters World War I
May 3 Everyone is asked to plant a garden for their families for the war effort.
May 17 A.C. Bouck installed a 300 gallon gasoline tank in front of his store this week.
Anyone desiring to enlist in the U.S. army or navy may call upon Postmaster W.L. McGonagle for the information. Transportation is guaranteed.
May 31 All males’ ages 21-31 years of age must register on June 5, 1917 from the hours of 7 o’clock until 9 o’clock in the evening of said day.
June 12 students graduate from the Royalton High School on May 30.
June 21 Royalton organizes a local branch of the Red Cross.
June 21 Local fishermen are happy over the future prospects for trout fishing in these parts. On Monday ten cans of trout fry were planted in the Platte River.
The silent movie “The Birth of the Nation” comes to Royalton Opera House on July 3rd. The movie is 3 hours long and costs 50-75 cents for adults and 25-50 cents for children.
June 21 NOTICE: the village of Royalton has removed all hitching posts from Center and Front Streets and request that all teams be hitched on side street and in the alleys hereafter. By Order of the Village Council.
June 21 The Village Council agrees to rebuild the dam and bridge that was washed out July 1st last year if all pledged money is met.
June 28 The flume is being torn out at the dam preparatory to beginning the work of repairing the breach in the dam and bridge made at the time of high water a year ago.
July 19 Dr. E.M. McGonagle has received word from the Surgeon General at Washington D.C. that as a result from the resent examination he was found qualified for appointment to Dental Reserve Corp of the Army. He has been appointed First Lieutenant.
July 19 A list of 2,065 names of men with Royalton addresses that registered for the draft.
Aug. 16 The repairs on the bridge across the Platte River in lower town were completed last week and the bridge opened to traffic, which makes for very pleasant trips around town. The repairs to the dam were so far completed Tuesday as to permit the beginning of the raising of the water and there is quite a pond again.
Aug 23 The storm yesterday afternoon at the Andrew Keer and Reinhold Kriefall farms, east of town, assumed disastrous damage. At the Andrew Keer farm the newly finished $1,500 40 x 32 feet barn was so badly twisted that it will have to be rebuilt. At the Kriefall farm, the barn, grainery and the small building in which the family resides were practically demolished.
Sept. 6 Central Minnesota was visited Monday afternoon by an earthquake shock which is reported to have lasted about 20 seconds. It was felt particularly in Staples were some damage was reported. In Royalton it was noticed by a number of citizens while others did not realize that anything of the kind occurred. The Banner did not notice and if we felt it at all we thought it was a passing automobile or a train.
Sept. 27 The filling tank and pump has been moved from in front of Brouke Mercantile to the front of E.A. Berg & Co., garage and repair house.
Sept. 27 Eight Royalton men along with their parents are given a dinner as they are the first ‘boy’s’ of Royalton to go to Camp Dodge in Des Moines Ia. for basic training.
Oct. 18 The last log drive on the upper Mississippi in now between here and Little Falls and is scheduled to tie up near here for the winter. Thus passes on the lumbering business which has been conducted on the river for the past fifty years.
Oct. 18 As of November 2 postage stamps for letters will go up from 2 to 3 cents. Postcards will go up from 1 to 2 cents.
NOTE: The publisher of the Banner, W.C. Dalley, used news articles from national and state papers to cover all the news. It would only be right to include a statement about those articles.
In 1917 the world is in its third year of World War I. America is finally entering it. There are many articles about world food shortages and American’s who are buying cars at an alarming rate are asked to drive less to conserve gasoline. Farmers are asked to grow more wheat. Every one is concerned about the “high cost of living.” Food and house hold items have gone up 20-30% in the past few years.
As this is written it is August 2008 and American’s are paying $3.50 to $4 for 1 gallon of gasoline and our headlines are full of “high cost of living”. . Maybe history does repeat it’s self.