"Coal Oil Johnny" of Valley Falls ran the oil horse-drawn tank wagon from Arrington to Oskaloosa with intermediate stops.
News editors along the route recounted "Johnny" stories in the New Era. This from the Sept. 23, 1904 issue: "Coal Oil Johnny of Valley Falls was here and at Larkin Friday. He arrived about noon. His four faithful mules were dry and hungry.
"Summers fed them all they would eat – a half dozen ears of corn each and quenched their thirst with a few bottles of mineral water.
"Johnny was hungry too . . . but he did not eat as much as usual. He could only hide sever of the fat roasting ears an Indian maiden had fetched him, trading the others for three cold bottles somebody found in a well. Then he had no trouble disposing of 500 gallons of coal oil and gas. (Arrington Argus)"
New Era, Oct. 14, 1904: "Coal Oil Johnny lost a mule on his way home from Oskaloosa one night last week. He came to a bridge on where there were no side rails and the team scared at something and one mule pushed the other off, the fall killing it.
"The accident happened in Delaware Township and he will bring suit for damages. (Winchester Star)"
New Era, Dec. 27, 1906: (Johnny was city marshall of Valley Falls) "The city marshall having found all well on his beat at 3 o'clock Christmas morning, retired for a little sleep when a knock at his door aroused him. In his night dress, he opened the door to find himself confronting a man with blood on his eye inquiring for a missing horse and buggy.
"The marshal had put the horse in the feed stable. The man objected to parting with a quarter for stable charges . . . Hot words followed and a lively tussle ensued. In the melee, the waistband buttons of the marshal's gauzy garment flow off and his feet became entangled in the
fallen garb.
"Freeing himself, the marshal fled to his room for some needed apparel, but when he came clothed in battle array, his man was gone."
H. M. Dodge, nicknamed "Coal Oil Johnny," was later listed as "the cement man," and there is no other information available. (Source: Valley Falls Historical Society Newsletter, Dec. 29, 1970.)
