USA > Nebraska > Custer County > History of Custer County, Nebraska; a narrative of the past, with special emphasis upon the pioneer period of the county's history, its social, commercial, educational, religous, and civic developement from the early days to the present time > Part 26
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[Photo by S. D. Butcher]
FIRST TRAIN INTO BROKEN BOW, AUGUST 26, 1886
ing mill later owned and operated by S. J. Lonergan. A large planing mill was built the same year, by S. A. Barstow.
BIG BUILDINGS GO UP
In this year were established the additional business enterprises of T. M. & J. W. Salis- bury, dry goods ; Thompson, Wilson & Drake, dry goods; Ryerson & Leslie, books and sta- tionery: H. Walton, drugs; and the Custer County block was built by R. C. Talbot, G. W. Trefren, and D. M. Amsberry ; also an opera house by Trefren and Hewitt. The growth of the city continued gradually until 1894, many substantial buildings being erected,
established in 1889, with C. J. Stevens, presi- dent, and F. M. Rublee, cashier.
GETS TO BE A CITY
In 1888 the town had outgrown the rank of a village, and it was organized as a city of the second class. The first officers were: O. P. Perley, mayor ; B. S. Lilly, J. L. Cobb. S. .A. Barstow, Hans Dierks, councilmen; E. P. Campbell. city clerk ; H. M. Sullivan, city at- torney. In 1894, owing to a severe drouth and a financial panic, the population of the city decreased fully one-third, and several of the business houses suspended in the year fol- lowing. The number included Kloman &
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Arnold's bank, the Central Nebraska National Bank, Barstow's planing mill, William H. Cline, D. S. Lohr, Graham Brothers, and many oth- ers. Since 1895 the population has been grad- ually increasing, and several business firms have been added. The population in 1890 had reached over 1,600, and in 1894 it was esti- mated at 1,800. In 1895 the number did not exceed 1,100. The census of 1900 gives the population as 1,375. The census of 1910 boosts the population to 2,200, while the pop- ulation to-day will probably reach 3,000.
In 1910 the population reached 2,260 according to the govern- ment census. The business interests have kept pace with the population and to-day it is the largest trade center between Alli- ance and Grand Island.
MODERN BUILDINGS GO UP
In 1910 the
new high-school building was erected, at a cost of $40,000. Building materials were cheap and an exceedingly fine building was erected at a remarkably low cost. In the same year a two-story, brick city hall was erected, on South Tenth avenue. It is the most commodious town hall west of Grand Island. It has base- ment, jail, with ground-floor apartments for the fire-fighting apparatus. In the upper story is the council chamber and an auditorium with chairs for seating about 500 people.
On the corner of Broadway and Tenth avenue the Baptist congregation erected a $15,000 brick church, with basement and all modern fixtures. (See description in Chapter XI.)
Three more good buildings went up in 1915. The Security State Bank built a white-tile building on the northwest corner of the square and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows built the Lyric theatre, with a fine lodge room, and offices over head. The front of the build- ing is of white, tile-faced brick.
The third building to go up in 1915 was the Carnegie public library, a neat, tile-roofed building, costing over $10,000. The odd de- sign of this building makes it very noticeable. Both the I. O. G. T. building and the library are on the west side of Tenth ave- n11e.
FETALIOF
CARNEGIE LIBRARY AT BROKEN BOW
PLENTY OF GOOD, PURE. WATER
In the spring of 1888 a group of the citizens, see- ing the need of an ade- quate water supply, and almost forced to take such action on ac- count of the prohibitive rate for fire insurance, undertook the task of organizing a stock company and build- ing a waterworks system. The articles of incorporation are dated March 28, 1888, the capital stock was $50,000, and the names of the incorporators are: S. J. Lonergan, O. J. Collman, D. M. Amsberry, A. W. Gandy, Mar- cus Reyner, John Reese, S. A. Holcomb, L. H. Jewett, James Holland, Wilson Hewitt, G. N. Rawson, and George W. Sturdevant.
After prospecting along the railroad, a lo- cation in block 3, F. Reyner's addition, in the southeastern part of the city, was selected for the pumping station, being the only place where a sufficient flow of water was found.
In the latter part of the year 1903 the city
.
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
purchased the waterworks system from Frank H. Young, who had become the owner of the controlling interest in the stock and who had been managing the plant most of the time since it was constructed.
In 1916 the old pumping station, which had supplied water for the city continuously for twenty-eight years, was abandoned and a new plant constructed, to do both the street light- ing and pumping. The plant is located on Eighth avenue, on the south side of the rail- road right of way. Here an abundant flow of water was secured at a depth of about 160 feet. Two wells were sunk, eight inches in diameter,
BROKEN BOW TO DATE
At the present time the city has a fine park, three large, brick school buildings, seven church buildings, city hall, court house, li- brary, four banks, six grocery stores, four dry- goods stores, four hardware stores, three meat markets, five garages, three lumber companies, two novelty stores, three millinery stores, one men's-furnishing store, three jewelry stores, three drug stores, one book store, two grain elevators, two furniture stores, three hotels, three restaurants, and numerous oth- er business places of miscellaneous na- ture.
DIERKS BLOCK, BROKEN BOW
and from the top of each, when disconnected, there flows a good stream of pure water. The equipment for pumping consists of two elec- trically driven centrifugal pumps, each a com- plete unit, and either one of sufficient capacity to meet the present demand for water.
The storage is provided by a concrete reser- voir, on the hill south of town, holding about 160,000 gallons and affording a pressure of sixty pounds in the business part of town. The mains have been extended until the city now owns about six miles of cast-iron mains, all in good condition, and supplying about 550 consumers. The city has been most fortunate in the abundance and purity of its water sup- ply, not a single case of disease ever having been traced to this source.
THE PUBLIC SERVICE CLUB
The commercial organization of Broken Bow is called the Public Service Club, as the above caption would indicate. It was organ- ized in May. 1913. Its first president was E. R. Purcell, E. P. Steen being the first vice- president, with the following constituting the board of directors: A. E. Anderson, J. G. VanCott. A. H. Souders. E. P. Walter, J. S. Molyneux. Emery F. Bush, James Lomax, Charles J. J. Masin, C. A. Curric.
The following were the charter members: J. S. Molyneux, George Ayers, E. P. Walter, Carl P. Jeffords, J. G. VanCott, C. L. Mullins, Alpha Morgan, J. C. Lomax. L. D. George, A. E. Anderson, E. R. Purcell, C. A. Currie, George A. Kiffin, Emery F. Bush, J. G. Leon-
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
RESIDENCE OF N. T. GADD, BROKEN BOW
RESIDENCE OF JUDGE JAMES R. DEAN, BROKEN BOW
RESIDENCE OF J. M. KIMBERLING, BROKEN BOW
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
ard, D. M. Amsberry, Lewis E. Tanner, A. H. Sonders, E. P. Steen, Charles J. J. Masin, A. J. Elliott, C. W. Bowman, R. S. Kuns, Horace F. Kennedy, W. F. Forest.
The object of the organization is to bring together men of unquestioned character and intelligence who are desirous of promoting the welfare and prosperity of the city of Broken Bow and the vicinity. Its aim is to secure the co-operation of the people in the commu- nity representing the agricultural, real estate, banking, commercial, manufacturing, profes- sional, and educational interests. It is not to supersede or antagonize any existing business or social or- ganization, but, by con- sultation and united effort, to work to- gether for the common good, to aid and en- courage ex- periments for more produc- tive farming ; to secure loca- tion of factor- ies and other enterprises ; to promote com- mercial progress and disseminate valuable com- mercial and economic information ; to buy, sell, lease, and sub-lease real estate ; to increase so- cial activity, confidence, and harmony among all our people mutually engaged in useful occu- pation : and finally to use all legitimate means to protect and foster the business and social wel- fare of the members of this corporation.
In the Masonic Temple building the club has fitted up elegantly furnished rooms, which make luxuriant apartments and accommodate every social feature for which the club exists.
At the present time the following constitute the corps of officers and the personnel of the different committees. The names of the dif- ferent committees indicate the extent and char- acter of work carried on by the club.
Present officers - N. T. Gadd, president ; MI. S. Eddy, vice-president ; E. P. Walter, sec- retary : L. D. George, assistant secretary ; and J. C. Lomax, treasurer.
Board of Directors- N. T. Gadd, Frank Kelly, A. R. Humphrey, J. S. Molyneux, J. G. VanCott. A. E. Anderson, E. R. Purcell, C. S. Tooley, M. S. Eddy, N. D. Ford, and A. Mor- gan.
War Board- N. T. Gadd, Frank Kelly. A. R. Humphrey, J. S. Molyneux, J. G. VanCott, A. E. Anderson, E. R. Purcell, C. S. Tooley, M. S. Eddy, N. D. Ford, A. Morgan, E. P. Walter, and L. D. George.
PUBLIC SQUARE PARK, BROKEN BOW
New Indus- tries - W. C. Schaper, Wil- liam Darnell, S. W. Jacoby, and William Bruce.
Municipal- A. R. Hum- phrey, Dan Keplar, L. A. McClain, J. K. Hewitt, and R. H. Kuns. Educational -Dr. C. L. Mullins, H.
O. Wittmayer, E. S. Holcomb, G. I. Sellon, and C. S. Tooley.
Field Meet - Arthur Melville, E. F. Myers, and J. K. Hewitt.
Finance- E. S. Holcomb, A. E. Anderson, and E. P. Walter.
Auditing - Charles Luce, Tom Brown, and C. S. Martin.
Public Improvement - George Ayers, John Tierney, W. G. Purcell, J. C. Lomax, and Emery Bush.
Mercantile - A. M. Drew. C. S. Tooley, Alvin Burke, A. H. Souders, and George Ayers.
Bowling Alley - Father Cornelius, Foster Jackson, C. H. England. J. G. VanCott, and C. A. Martin.
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Booster - Harry Knapp, L. E. Mc Williams, Joe Trevitt, J. F. Wilson, and J. G. Leonard.
Chautauqua - A. E. Anderson, M. C. War- rington. W. Schneringer, J. S. Molyneux. Frank Kelly, L. W. Wilson, T. W. Bass. and A. Morgan.
Agricultural - H. P. Gates, James Martin, John Squires, Homer Rupert, and C. W. Wil- lis.
Entertainment - T. W. Bass, John P. Rob- ertson, H. D. Huntington, Clyde Wilson, Henry Ayers, H. Possehl, and L. E. Cole.
established a store in his sod house, in 1882. The village was laid out in 1883, and a large building was erected by S. E. Edwards, the same being occupied by Blum Brothers, as a general store. In 1884 Ben Hardin estab- lished a general store, and William Ray launched out in the blacksmith business; R. E. Probert opened a hardware store. C. L. Long a drug store, and S. Leland & Sons erected a large water-power flouring mill. In 1877 a postoffice had been established at the Arnold & Ritchie ranch, three-quarters of a
ROOMS OF BROKEN BOW SERVICE CLUB
House - A. E. Anderson, A. H. Souders, and A. M. Drew.
Good Roads - Frank Kelly, James Martin, Ras Anderson. J. S. McGraw, and M. S. Eddy.
THE TOWN OF ARNOLD
Arnold was named in honor of George Arnold, who located in this vicinity in 1875. and who was a member of the ranch firm of Arnold & Ritchie. The original village site was located in section 28, township 17. range 25, in the famous South Loup valley, near the west line of Custer county, Nebraska, the land having been homesteaded by R. E. Allen, who
mile from the present site of the village, but in 1881 it was moved to the residence of R. E. Allen. Dr. J. H. Murray located here in 1884 and here he practiced his profession until 1890. In the year 1886 John Finch and Virgil Cannon opened a drug store. Alex Rob- ertson a bank, and Miss Mary Robertson a millinery store. A large hotel and various other business enterprises soon followed. In 1891 Arnold boasted of a population of about 150. and the following lines of business were represented: A. G. & M. E. Hoffman, gen- eral merchandise ; Allen & Son, hardware, im- plements, and livery ; Frank Anson, hotel; C.
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
C. Parsons, barber shop: Albert Hansberry. jeweler ; F. E. Needham, grocery and meat market ; Joseph Pease, blacksmith shop; Ben Hardin, general store, hardware. and under- taking ; T. H. B. Beach, general merchandise and dealer in live stock; David R. Parks, ice dealer; John Finch, druggist: R. E. Allen. dealer in live stock : B. E. Robinson, physician : W. M. Beach, postmaster; Alvin Harris, mill- er. .At that time the village supported an ex- cellent school, with Miss Amy Robinson in
of the center of section 27, township 17, range 25: thence west along said half-section line to a point sixty rods east of the center of section 28. township 17, range 25; thence north to the place of beginning."
The following named gentlemen were ap- pointed as first trustees of the village : Jolin Finch, B. E. Robinson, F. E. Needham, J. M. Samuelson, and F. M. Spegal.
At the present time Arnold has a population of about 350; a ten-grade school, with Pro-
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[ Photo by S. D. Butcher]
AN EARLY DAY IN ARNOLD
charge, and Christian. Methodist, and Baptist churches.
On the 9th day of February, 1909, the coun- ty board of Custer county passed favorably upon a petition praying that the following de- scribed tract of land be incorporated as a vil- lage, to be known as the village of Arnold : "Beginning at a point on the half-section line sixty rods cast of the center of section 21. township 17 north, range 25 west : thence run- ning east along said half-section line to a point sixty rods west of the center of section 22, township 17. range 25: thence south to a point on the half-section line sixty rods west
fessor E. C. Pickett at the lead as principal. J. V. Reader as intermediate teacher, and Miss Leora Hardin as primary teacher. The two- room school building, which afforded ample accommodation for several years, was much too small for the rapidly increasing school pop- ulation during the present school year. neces- sitating the use of another room for the lower grades. . \ large and modern school building will be erected this year and, possibly. anoth- er grade added. Three churches. Christian, Methodist, and Baptist, all supporting resident pastors, are ministering to the spiritual needs of the community. . At this writing. (some
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
STREET SCENE AT ARNOLD
F
FINCH DRUG STORE, ARNOLD
MASONIC TEMPLE, AT ARNOLD
RESIDENCE OF JOHN FINCH, AT ARNOLD
RESIDENCE OF E. L. CLEVELAND, AT ARNOLD
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
time ago), the following lines of business are represented: Ben Hardin, general merchan- dise and hardware: B. E. Robinson, physi- cian ; W. H. Judkins, hardware and furniture ; the Farmers State Bank, D. S. Bohrer, cash- ier : F. H. Gilcrest & Company. lumber, coal, and implements : Dierks Lumber Company, lumber and coal ; John Finch & Son, druggists ; Arnold Mercantile Company, dry goods and groceries ; Parons Brothers, harness shop ; John Manara, barber; Ray & Reed, meat market ; F. D. Reynolds, dentist ; Mrs. J. Elsie Logan, physician ; Morrow & Backes. contractors and builders ; H. J. Bedford, publisher Arnold Sen- tinel; Charles Beardsley, jeweler and opto- metrist : Mrs. Charles Beardsley, restaurant and bakery ; Duckett & Maddox, hardware and furniture ; Helton & Roberts, general merchan- dise ; the Peoples State Bank, W. H. Jennings, Jr., cashier ; Knox & Logan, real estate and insurance ; Mrs. H. R. Black, shoes and no- tions; S. McCants, dry goods and groceries ; MeCants & Sauter, meat market; John P. Long, farm implements; Confal Brothers, garage; S. L,eland, roller mills: Grooms & Stewart, blacksmith shop; Phifer & Son, liv- ery, feed, and dray; Nansel & Lohr, livery, feed. and dray ; N. E. Paine, blacksmith shop; H. E. Bishop, cement-block factory and build- er : Arthur Down, lather ; Mrs. Gertrude Par- sons, hotel; Charles McGuire, postmaster ; John Samuelson, well-maker and plumber ; Gus Morrow, painter ; G. G. Gunter, plasterer and bricklayer: William Collins, restaurant ; Wood & Smith, hotel; Finch, Robinson & Meads, real estate; P. G. Houghton, real es- tate; Dr. M. A. Rown, chiropractic; T. S. Wood, contractor and builder ; R. S. Wood, painter ; F. J. Smith, cement-block maker and plasterer; Stevens & George, barbers: Mark S. Tapley, plumber ; C. V. Rutner, auto livery. The Beatrice Creamery Company, David Cole Creamery Company, and the Farmers Co-oper- ative Creamery Company have stations here.
A BIG CELEBRATION
When the railroad was completed and the first train reached Arnold, a gala day was planned and six thousand people entered into
one of the greatest celebrations ever held in Custer county. The following is a newspaper account of the event :
"It seems hardly possible that a town of less than 1,000 inhabitants could entertain within its gates 6,000 guests at one time and do it in such a perfect and satisfactory manner that out of the vast throng not a single complaint was heard. And yet this is the record Arnold placed to its everlasting credit on Friday of last week, when it celebrated 'Railroad Day. It was a great occasion and a great gathering. the crowd being one of the largest that has ever assembled in any town in the county.
"For many weeks this hustling and enter- prising business town was preparing for the celebration, and all credit is due to the loyalty of its citizens and residents of the neighboring country, who so promptly responded to the demands made upon them and worked together as a unit in successfully putting through an affair that will for all future be marked as a red-letter day in the history of Arnold.
"From early morning, people commenced pouring into town from every point, and large numbers had arrived the night before. Bro- ken Bow contributed about 150 of its population to the occasion, and it took twenty-eight autos to convey them there. Callaway sent 400 dele- gates. Oconto 200, Merna and Anselmo about 100, and Grand Island 150. Gandy, Stapleton, Gothenburg, and all towns located west of there sent large delegations.
"But it was when the Kearney special ar- rived that the biggest bunch of humanity dropped into town. The train was composed of ten coaches and was crowded to the roof, there being between 1,500 and 2.000 people aboard. It was a great sight to see them scramble from the windows of the coaches in their haste to reach the scene of festivities.
"No stranger's money was any good there, -- everything was free, and then some! Even the stores were closed. so as to preclude the pos- sibility of any thoughts of a 'rake-off.' Every detail had been looked after so minutely, by competent management, that the visitors had no trouble in getting just what they wanted at the right time and in the right place - and
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
in a hurry, at that. That was the beauty of it. There were no delays, and the whole af- fair glided along like a well constructed piece of mechanism using the finest quality of lubri- cant.
"There were four blocks of gaily decorated streets, the red, the white, and blue bunting being so arranged as to present a very at- tractive appearance. Another artistic feature was the placing of poles at about thirty foot intervals, the top of each being festooned with a flag of welcome. Every business place and residence sported some kind of decoration, and if ever a town presented a gala appearance, Arnold was certainly it. Five good bands were in attendance and there was music galore. Grand Island and Kearney both sent excellent bands, as also did Brady and Callaway. Ar- nold has a good organization of its own, which furnished pleasing music that was highly ap- preciated by the visitors.
"The feeding of such a multitude of hun- gry people was by no means an easy task, and called forth no little ingenuity on the part of the management to properly manipulate it. But it was done as it should have been, and if any person left town carrying with him that 'gone feeling' about his stomach, it was strictly his own fault and could not be laid at the door of the hospitable hosts and hostesses. "And the food - there were mountains of it. Wagon-loads of buns, gallons and gallons of pickles, great mounds of juicy roast beef, oceans of coffee, so aromatic as to cause one to linger around in blissful ecstacy and just sniff and sniff ; also pyramids of home-made pies and cakes, not bought ones, understand, but every one made by the good housewives and daughters of that vicinity, who are well up in that sort of thing and thoroughly under- stood the art of preparing wholesome dainties for hungry people. No pure-food problem in the cooking they put up-it's the genuine article and plenty of it.
"The dinner was served cafeteria style. There were two large tents and as one en- tered the first he was given a wood plate. then came a sandwich, next a pickle, further on great slices of roast beef and pork, then fol-
lowed a big wedge of pie and a huge slice of cake, a tin cup containing coffee and then the knife and fork. About this time, your plate was so loaded down with good things that it was difficult for you to carry in that manner, so you passed into a second tent, seated your- self and proceeded to transfer the food to a place where it would do the most good. Then you passed out, deposited the cup among a heap of others, dropped the knife and fork into a receptacle placed there for that purpose. and threw the plate away. If your hunger was not satisfied, you were at perfect liberty to return to the first tent and repeat the per- formance. Talk about picnics. This had all the others of a like nature faded to an in- significant blur. And the best part of it was, the people were pleased. How could they help from feeling so, after the royal entertainment they had received ?
"Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Reed, living in the oldest sod house in Arnold, issued invitation dinner-tickets to the railroad officials and heads of commercial clubs and their families. There are three large rooms in the house, and in each was a long table loaded with food and delicacies of all descriptions. Here the diners feasted to their hearts' content, and all voted Mr. and Mrs. Reed to be the very paragons, of what a model host and hostess should be.
"The afternoon was devoted to speech-mak- ing, music, and sports. Judge C. L. Gutterson and County Attorney Beal, of Broken Bow, both made short talks, as also did Rev. Mr. Fagin, of the Arnold Methodist church. They all spoke along congratulatory lines and high- ly complimented the citizens of Arnold upon the splendid effort they had made.
"Although the citizens all worked so well together, it necessarily remained for some one to supervise. and no small amount of credit is due Messrs. John P. Long, J. M. Samuelson, John Finch, and Rev. Mr. Fagin for the whole- hearted way in which they circulated among the people and made them feel at home. Bro- ken Bowites who were so fortunate as to be present, declare it to be the best arranged cele- bration they ever attended in this part of the country.
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BUILDINGS IN MERNA
1-Residence of S. Van Buskirk. 2-Residence of W. E. Sweeney. 3-Residence of D. W. Widaman. 4-Residence of A. O. Gordon. 5 -- Merna Public Library. 6 -- Garage of B. S. Wells.
HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
"The Arnold Sentinel, edited by J. H. Bed- ford, got out a souvenir edition for the occa- sion, numbering twenty-four pages. These editions, which were given to the visitors free of charge, contain all kinds of useful informa- tion about Arnold, its pioneer days and rapid growth of late years. The pages are finely illustrated with local scenes and pictures of prominent residents. It is a handsome edition and well worthy of the energetic town it repre- sents."
VILLAGE OF BERWYN
At the time of this writing the village of Berwyn is thirty-two years old, and if it is small for its age, let it be understood that the size in no way reflects on the enterprising
BIRDSEYE VIEW OF BERWYN
spirit of the citizens. It is a convenient trad- ing point and community center for the people on the adjacent farms and makes no preten- sions to being anything else.
It was laid out in 1886, by the Lincoln Town- site Company, on the north side of the rail- road grade that was then being extended up the Muddy valley. The location centers on the section line which runs east and west between sections 16 and 21, township 16 north, range 19 west. The half-section line running north and south through these sections divides the town east and west and forms the principal business street. In the same summer, J. O. Taylor, a substantial pioneer farmer, erected on the new townsite the first store and put in a stock of dry goods and groceries. About the same time R. P. McKnight put up another store building and used it jointly for
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