News : Virginia Gay a guest at Minne Estema..fish hooks and a full house

Post card of Minne Estema resort

Virginia Gay

Many of us have heard the story of Virginia Gay's gift: that she moved back to Ohio and had been there nearly four decades when her bequest established our local hospital. Adjusted for inflation, her gift would have been worth nearly one million dollars.

We want to keep her memory alive and to keep alive the spirit of philanthropy that established and has sustained our hospital.

Here is a glimpse of the events during a week when Virgina stayed at Minne Estema. Apparently her presence wasn't important enough to earn star billing in this article though she was mentioned as one of the other guests far down the page. Minne Estema at that time was a thriving little resort north of town on the Cedar River. In the article a fish hook in the hand brought with it some discussion of the potential need for a surgeon as there was a serious risk of tetanus in a time before vaccination.

What follows is directly from the Vinton Eagle, 1905. No, the landlord didn't die many times, though it sounds like it in the article.

The past week has been one continual rush at Minne Estema. Cottage No. 3 had to be enlarged and was raised one story and remodeled. The Barr and Van Orsdall families moved into it before carpenters could finish it, but the cottagers and carpenters agreed so well that all was merry.

The new laundry was finished save a part of the roof and some work on the doors and windows.

All the cottages are full as well as the hotel, so that no more people by day or week can be taken care of until next Thursday. The hotel, however, has provided for feeding all Sunday guests and people for meals generally, so all may come as usual to meals.

The landlord got a bad burn on his hand from having it pinned down against a hot valve on the launch engine, but having already been killed several times he did not mind much.

Young Mr. Berry got a fish hook imbedded in his hand far beyond the barb, and there was something doing on his part for a time, and general consternation among the lady guests. A trip to Vinton and the cutting out of the hook by the scalpel loomed up as a sure thing. The landlord was called and removed the hook in three seconds and by a very nearly painless method. In one second he pushed the hook so that the barb appeared outside the flesh, and in two more cut the hook below the barb with wire cutters and easily removed it much to the peace of mind of the patient, assuring him that no bad results would follow as the hook was new and bright. He said he would remove any hook, no matter how old and rusty in the same way, but in the case of a rusty hook he would advise the patient to consult a competent surgeon at once as in such case blood poisoning might follow. It will be well for all to remember this way of removing a fish hook as it is nearly painsless as any way that can be devised without drugging the patient.

The Berry family and Miss Geigher arrived from Cedar Rapids last Thursday, and the Godfrey family came last Saturday. The Webb family arrived Wednesday from Cedar Rapids. The Adams and Taylor families also from Cedar Rapids, will arrive next Monday. Mrs. P.W. Watson and Mrs. McDaniel and Barbara and Donald Sells, of Vinton, arrived Monday evening. The Boughton and Young families of Vinton arrived Sunday morning. The Webb family came in their automobile, making a quick trip from Cedar Rapids.

Thank you to Ann Harrison for thoughtfully sharing a copy of the Minne Estema Notes from the Vinton Eagle of August 15th, 1905. Thanks also to Martha Long for her dedication to preserving Vinton’s history.