It’s time, once again, to revisit the news of yesteryear by perusing the contents of The Baldwin Times of old.

   This week in 1895 continues a dry spell in news. Or perhaps it’s a testament to the Victorian-era view of a newspaper as a form of entertainment, as well as a source of knowing what is going on in the world.

   Yet again, the front page is covered with the latest installment of the serial novel, “Won at last,” by Bernard Bigsby. It picks up with 16-year-old Elsie horrified by proclamations of love and a marriage proposal by Mr. Dodd, the dubious pastor who took the room vacated by school master Frank Grey at the boarding house run by Elsie’s parents.

   Dodd tells Elsie that her parents approve of the match and proceeds to force himself on her. She then screams for help and Dodd falls to the ground from a blow to the back of the head. Coming to Elsie’s rescue is Jack Wilder, the gruff and burly prospector — and loyal friend of Frank Grey. After assessing the situation, Jack tells Elsie that he and his wife, Millie would be there to help her if she needed it.

   When Elsie arrives at home to tell her parents about what happened, they turn out to not be so sympathetic. Instead, they chide her for her own treatment of the seedy pastor.

   That leads us to chapter seven, “Frank Grey secures an appointment and loses it.” The chapter focuses on Frank’s arrival in Chicago and his decision to look for work as a newspaper man.

   It’s during this search, while mailing letters, that he meets and befriends a young Englishman in a similar situation.

   Frank’s job hunt results in several rejections from daily papers.

   The installment concludes with Frank getting a tip and visiting the office of a man who runs a socialist weekly paper.

   As for actual news in the four-page publication, an article reports a transportation problem in Stockton.

   “The bridge across Kennedy Lake is torn up, and the Messrs. Ferguson and McMillian are building a new one,” the article states.

   Evidently, this caused problems, as reported in an adjoining article.

   “Owing to the extreme declivity of a hill that the public have to pass on account of the bridge being torn up, Mr. Nelson had one of his fine oxen crippled several days ago,” the article states. “A pin flew out of the yoke, and the heavily-loaded wagon ran upon the tongue stear with over 5,000 pounds of freight on it.”

   The weathered newspaper also reports on the death of the Rev. Thomas G. McGowan of Lathan. According to the article, the Irish-born Methodist minister moved to Stockton at age 14 and went on to service as a member of the Baldwin County Commission.

   “He was an upright man, a staunch Deomocrat and was highly respected by all who knew him,” the article states.

   Check back next week for another look at The Baldwin Times of yesteryear.