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History and Genealogy
Henry News Republican, Henry, IL
January 21, 1915
Hopewell
Mrs. John Gluntz, who has been very ill is, we are glad to say, some better at this writing.
A large number from Hopewell attended the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary of Mr. And Mrs. C. O. Flesberg, which was celebrated in the Swedish school house in Varna, Thursday of last week.
Peter Stromgren had the misfortune to lose a valuable horse Sunday morning, from the stalk disease**.
About 40 of Mrs. Anna Whetzel's friends gave her a farewell surprise Sunday afternoon as she will soon leave this neighborhood. She will have a public sale the 26th of January, after which she will move to Henry. We are very sorry to have her leave our neighborhood, but hope she will like her new home. Andrews Linder will move on to her place and John Austin will move on to the one that Mr. Linder vacates.
Gus Menne lost a three year old colt Sunday from the Stalk disease**
The South Hopewell Social club will hold a hard times party at the Tax school Friday, Jan. 22, to which the public is invited. A fine of 10 cents will be imposed upon all those not dressing in hard times costume. Each one is requested to bring a cup for coffee, which will be part of the refreshments.
R. Antrim was a caller in Lacon Monday forenoon.
One of Peter Benson's three year old colts hung himself in the barn Friday night some time, and was dead on Saturday morning.
Charles Okerberg lost a horse also Sunday.
Gus Stoner's were Henry callers Friday.
**CORNSTALK DISEASE"
"Cornstalk disease" is a mysterious ailment which causes sudden death in cattle while feeding in cornstalk fields late in the fall or early winter. From a disease producing standpoint the term "cornstalk disease" is meaningless, but it serves to explain in a general way certain fatalities which cannot be explained otherwise. This disease is restricted to those sections where farmers harvest their corn by picking the ears from the standing stalks, and then turn their cattle into the cornstalk fields. Apparently it is limited in its distribution to the middle and northern portions of the Mississippi Valley. The disease frequently causes death in animals before its presence is suspected. The cattle appear to be in perfect condition before they are turned into the stalk field, but the following morning one or more of the herd may be found dead. Sometimes after losing a few cattle no further losses may occur in the herd. Postmortem examination does not furnish any conclusive or satisfactory evidence as to the cause of death. Early investigation of this disease has shown that out- breaks are more likely to occur with or to follow closely after storms, especially cold rain storms. Cornstalk disease occurs under a variety of diverse conditions. It may occur in one herd of cattle, while another herd in an adjoining field under apparently the same conditions is not affected. Cause: The cause of the disease is undetermined, but due to its sudden onset and rapid termination investigators are in- clined to believe that the causative factor may be a rapid- acting poison developed in the stalks in the same manner as prussic acid is developed in other plants known to be capable of producing this poison. -Circular 214, Diseases of Feeder Cattle in Kansas by Herman Farley, December 1942, Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science, Manhatten, Kansas