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 46

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company
Number of Pages: 1180

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 46

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

GENERAL PERSHING'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

On Friday, the 13th of October, 1918, Broken Bow and all surrounding vicinity cele- brated General Pershing's birthday. It was no mean occasion, and the celebration was on a par with any other celebration ever before "pulled off" in the town. Nothing elaborate had been planned - everything was to be on a simple scale - yet, everything was exceed- ingly appropriate and fitting. The parade of the school children and citizens was one of the finest street demonstrations ever seen in the city. The enthusiasm of war time, the local patriotism of the people, the allegiance to the leaders of the armies and nation - all gave to the occasion a spontaneity and spirit rarely ever seen before. At two o'clock P. M. the pupils of the North Side grade school and the high school marched from their respective buildings, under the direction of their teachers, to the court-house lawn, where it was arranged that the parade should form. The scholars carried flags and marched in double columns. The boy scouts had a prominent place in the North Side parade. One of the features to attract much attention was the High School Cadets, who made a fine exhibition of the training they had received from Superinten- dent Hewitt. Professor Hewitt had the cadets in charge and they marched with the erectness and precision of a squad that had had long military training. The North Side pupils lined up on the north side of the square and awaited the coming of the South Side children, who, with their flags and banners, marched in double column and lined up on the south side

of the square. The band assembled in front of the court house and played one or two pa- triotic selections, after which was formed the parade to the park where the speaking was to take place. The high-school flag, carried by the Council of Defense, led off, followed by the Broken Bow band ; then came the South Side schools, followed by the fife and drum corps; next the North Side schools, with the cadets in the rear of the school procession. After the cadets came citizens generally. The procession marched down Broadway to Eigth avenue, then north along the east side of the square to Eighth avenue, thence west along the north side of the square to the north side entrance to the park, where they entered the park and marched round and round the band stand until the procession wound itself up into a solid mass of American humanity, gay and resplendent with all the national colors.

The scene was one long to be remembered. Hundreds of flags fluttered in the breeze. The children and older pupils looked the part of young Americans, which role they are playing in the great world-drama of the present time.

At this juncture M. S. Eddy, chairman of the Council of Defense, put in an appearance on the band stand, called the people to order and asked all, old and young, to join in singing "America," which was done with a loyal good will that could not but have been pleasing to General l'ershing if he could have seen and heard the enthusiasm with which the national anthem was sung, and his natal day celebrated in Broken Bow. Rev. W. A. Baldwin, pastor of the Christian church, invoked a divine bless- ing which appealed to the great God for pro- tection of our brave leader and the brave boys who are serving under him. The speaker of the day, Judge Morning, of Lincoln, was in- troduced and he delighted the people with an eloquent and patriotic address. Judge Morn- ing is a personal friend of General Pershing and out of a full, warm heart he spoke of his acquaintance. of the General's magnificent leadership, and paid the American hero a splen- did tribute.

His tribute to the American soldier and sailor, given in rounded periods, was loudly

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

applauded. His denunciation of Prussian tyranny was bitter and withering. Withal, the Judge is a pleasing speaker and the people of Broken Bow were glad to meet him and hear him. The entire celebration did honor to the occasion and reflected credit upon its promo- ters. The school procession alone was over four blocks long. The music was all that could be desired. The enthusiasm of the people passed all former bounds. It was a fitting cel- ebration in honor of the modest leader of the American forces in France.

With that celebration, its procession radiant with flags and flag colors as a background. the news of the evening dispatches telling of the offensive made by our boys as a birthday cele- bration in France, in which 12,000 Germans were captured and the St. Mihiel sector squeezed off in such a way as to shorten the battle line twenty miles, made a fitting close to a "perfect day."

THE WAR ENDS

Since the foregoing paragraphs were writ- ten, great events have happened. The World War has come to an end. In the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, hostilities ceased between the allied armies and the armies of the central kingdoms of Europe. Great rejoicing and magnificent demonstra- tions resulted. Peace bonfires blazed in every town in Custer county. And the people are

exceedingly glad to be able to resume pre- war occupations.

A POST-WAR DRIVE

Before the cessation of hostilities a call for $170,000,000 had been made by the following Societies : Young Men's Christian Association. Young Women's Christian Association. Catho- lic War Board Council. Jewish Welfare So- ciety. Community Camp Service, National Library Association, and Salvation Army. Custer county's proportion of this amount was $36,809. Organization to collect the same was effected and the following were elected as the executive committee : Alpha Morgan. chair- man, representing the Young Men's Christian Association : Mrs. V. H. England. Young Women's Christian Association ; Father James Hermese, Catholic War Board Council : W. L. Gaston. Community Camp Service : Mrs. J. H. Melville, Library Association : Simon Pizer. Jewish Welfare Board: Judge N. Dwight Ford, Salvation Army; N. T. Gadd, Victory Boys.

The county was subdivided by school dis- tricts, and allotments made to each district. The raising of the respective allotments was made the duty of the school directors. With mar- velous unanimity, the directors responded, and the districts, with very few execptions, met their quotas. The amount raised for this work in Custer county amounted to $50,597.50.

CHAPTER XVI

CUSTER COUNTY LITERATURE

NEWSPAPERS OF CUSTER COUNTY - WESTERVILLE - BROKEN BOW'S FIRST PAPER - MORE PAPERS FOR WESTERVILLE - NOW COMES ANSLEY - ALGERNON - A DAILY PAPER - POL- ITICS DIDN'T PAY - PURCELL STARTS AT MERNA - "SUN" SHINES AT ANSELMO - THE "CHIEF" SHOWS UP AT BROKEN BOW - ARNOLD - CALLAWAY - THE CALLAWAY COURIER - BERWYN - SARGENT - WEST UNION - COMSTOCK - OCONTO - S. D. BUTCHER, HIS- TORIAN - A STATE CONTRIBUTION - "FAREWELL HOMESTEAD SHANTY" - ELMER E. DOWSE - A PICTURE OF EARLY DAYS - MRS. M. B. A. MARTIN - "THE BROKEN BOW" - A. J. MCARTHUR, M.D. - PRIZE ARTICLE - CUSTER COUNTY - GEORGE B. MAIR -"THE SOUTH LOUP RIVER" - HARRY B. ISZARD - TABULATED KNOCKS - MRS. G. W. DEWEY - "THE BLIZZARD" - COURT HOUSE CORNER STONE - CORNER-STONE POEM - A CUSTER COUNTY POET - "LITTLE BOHEMIAN GIRL" - "EARLY DAYS IN CUSTER" - SOL. J. COOK - "THE POET" - MRS. MARTHA A. HUNTER - MRS. A. H. STUCKEY - "THE LARK'S RETURN- ING" - "THE GOLDENROD" - "THE SERVICE FLAG" - MRS. SABINA PENROD -

"DAWN IN THE CUSTER COUNTY HILLS" - GASTON'S RHYMES FOR PADDING - "HOME IN BROKEN BOW" -"WALKING THE WATERS"

Custer county, given over to agricultural and domestic pursuits, is not expected to pose as a producer of literary men and women, yet it may be said that here can be found an intelli- gence and a literary genius not outranked else- where in the middle west.

We may not have produced prodigies but we have produced a corp of literary athletes who are vigorous in style, strong in expression, and in the realm of constructive English might be called trapeze performers on the King's English. We enroll a few, with a product of their pens in either prose or verse, but would not have anyone suppose that this short list exhausts the supply.

The newspapers of Custer county are, and have been, for the most part manned by liter- ary men who have shaped the county's jour- nalism into creditable literary contributions. Some of these editors have been geniuses in the field of their operation and have distin- guished themselves among the writers of the state. In this class we might call the names

of E. R. Purcell, George B. Mair, D. M. Ams- berry, Mac Warrington, and many others. Now follows the story of Custer county journalism.

NEWSPAPERS OF CUSTER COUNTY

There has been no agency employed that is entitled to more credit for the rapid develop- ment and advancement of Custer county from its organization than its newspapers. During the first five years of the county's history there was not a newspaper published in the county. The following is a list of the various papers that have been published in the county up to the present time, as far as the writer can pro- cure data from the records at his command. While there may be some mistakes, and pos- sibly a few unimportant omissions, we think it is in the main correct :

WESTERVILLE

In the fall of 1880 James Westervelt estab- lished a store on Clear creek, the location be- ing at that time called Elm Bridge. The name

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

was given the place because of a near-by bridge which the settlers had built across the creek and which was constructed of elm logs taken from the canyons. Other business men located there that winter and the following spring, and in honor of the first resident, James Westervelt. the new town was chris- tened Westerville. It was here that Custer county's first newspaper, the Custer County Leader, was born. on. June 13, 1881, with George Trefren, publisher, and Samuel G. Beebe, editor. The Leader continned at Wes- terville until 1883, when MIr. Beebe moved with it to Broken Bow, where the county seat had been located the previous fall. Mr. Beebe continued to edit the Leader until 1888, when he was appointed postmaster of Broken Bow. by President Harrison. The Leader fell into the hands of the Central Nebraska Bank on October 26th of that year. It was for a short time edited by J. H. Inman, then by R. H. Miller, after which the plant was leased to Jake Horn, of Callaway, and W. O. Chapman, of Ansley. Fred Shaffer succeeded Horn and Chapman, as editor. Mr. Shaffer, after a few months' experience, discontinued the publica- tion and moved to Denver, where he continued in the newspaper business. He invested in mining stock that in a few years made him rich. The frequent changes in management went against the Leader and the material was sold to other offices.

BROKEN BOW'S FIRST PAPER

The first newspaper published in Broken Bow was founded, by Robert H. Miller. June 29, 1882. Mr. Miller had been in the news- paper business at Wood River, Hall county. Nebraska. In transferring his plant from Wood River it was freighted across the country, nearly 100 miles, by wagon. The town of Bro- ken Bow had been platted only a few weeks previously. For lack of lumber or railroad facilities, and the great distance from any point that lumber could be procured, the first office building for the Republican was built of sod. on the corner now occupied by the Broken Bow State Bank, northwest of the Public Square. The building was occupied by the

editor and his family, as well as by the Repub- lican office.

The Republican continued under the man- agement and control of its founder until March 3. 1887. On that day the plant was purchased by D. M. Amsberry, who at that time was serving his third term as county superintendent of schools of Custer county. The office was continued in the sod building until July of that year, when it was moved to its new quar- ters in the Custer Block, which was built by Trefren, Talbot, and Amsberry. In later years the Republican, under its new management. was owned by a stock company, and its equip- ment was enlarged by the purchase of the type and machinery of the Broken Bow Times, a Democrat paper established by George Tre- fren and Sam Meseraull. The stock company was finally discontinued and the stock taken over by Mr. Amsberry, who continued as edi- tor and publisher of the paper until 1914. It was under his management of the Republican that a campaign against the licensed saloon was inaugurated, in the spring election of 1888, and continued from year to year until the open saloon was voted out of Broken Bow. During the years of the saloon agitation, the Republi- can was strongly opposed to the saloon busi- ness. In 1914 the ownership of the Republican passed into the hands of a young man by the name of Norman Parks, who after a few months turned the plant back to Mr. Ams- berry. A few months thereafter the plant was sold to E. C. Shea, who continued its publi- cation until the spring of 1916, when he sold the plant to James K. Hewitt, of Alliance, who is the editor and publisher of the paper at this time. It is now the oldest newspaper in the county.

MORE PAPERS FOR WESTERVILLE

The Westerville Times was started at Wes- terville in 1883, by C. I. Dalrymple. The paper was of short life and after a few months the plant was moved to Nonpareil, a town in the northwestern part of the state. The third paper, and fourth in Custer county, to be pub- lished at Westerville, was the Westerville Echo, which was started in 1884, by a young

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

Englishman named Knox. Mr. Knox soon be- came tired of journalism, and disposed of the Echo to James Westervelt, who put his son Eugene in charge. In 1886, on the occasion of the building of the B. & M. Railroad up the Muddy valley, the village of Ansley was plat- ted and established by the railroad company, and the Echo was one of the institutions moved to the new town, where Eugene Westervelt had full charge of it.

NOW COMES ANSLEY

In April, 1887, the paper was sold to J. H. and W. O. Chapman, two practical young newspaper men, who came from Cambridge, Illinois. The name of the paper was changed to the Ansley Chronicle, and it was published by the Chapmans until 1895, when it passed into the hands of Tom Wright, a young Scotchman who was then but eighteen years of age. Mr. Wright continued to publish the Chronicle until 1912, when he was appointed postmaster at Ansley, by President Roosevelt. He then disposed of the paper, to A. H. Barks, who consolidated it with the Argosy, which had been founded by C. H. Hargrave.

Later on the Ansley Argosy was purchased from Barks by Harris & Maltman. In a few months Maltman retired from the business, and the publication was continued by N. A. Harris until 1914, when the plant was destroyed by fire. As Tom Wright had established the Ans- ley Herald about this time, no effort was made to rebuild the Argosy plant, thus leaving the town, as it had been for several years, with but one newspaper. Mr. Wright continued its publication until June, 1918, when he sold the plant to James Wallace, who is editor and publisher of the paper at this writing.

ALGERNON

L'pon the advent of the B. & M. Railroad up the Muddy valley, in 1886, the Champion was started at Algernon. by a Mr. Watkins, who, after the village failed to secure a depot. removed the paper to Mason City and changed its name to the Mason City Advocate. He dis- posed of the plant to J. M. Amsberry, who continued it until 1895, when he suspended it

for a year, subsequently, in 1896, resuming its publication at Ansley, under the name of the People's Advocate. In the fall of 1900 MIr. Amsberry disposed of the paper to W. F. Greenlee, an inexperienced young man in the newspaper business, under whose management it was suspended in March, 1901. the type and other equipment being shipped to York, where they are used in a job office by the former owner.

The third paper published in Broken Bow was the Broken Bow Times, established in 1885, by G. W. Trefren and S. I. Meseraull. Financially, the Times was for a short time a great success, as land notices were plentiful. but, owing to some misunderstanding between the proprietors of the Times and Mr. Higgins, register of the land office at Grand Island, where most of the land notices came from, the latter induced R. E. Martin, an ex-Confeder- ate soldier and forcible writer. to establish an- other Democratic paper at Broken Bow. The paper was launched in March, 1886, by R. E. Martin and J. S. Dellinger, and was christened the Statesman. To it Mr. Higgins transferred his land-office patronage, and the Statesman prospered immensely. It established a branch paper at Mason City, named the Mason City Transcript.

A DAILY PAPER

The Times, not to be outdone, started a daily edition and christened it the Broken Bow Daily Times. Messrs. Martin and Dellinger disposed of the Mason City Transcript to James Whittaker, and two or three weeks later Mr. Whittaker sold it to M. C. Warrington, who continued with the paper until 1917. when he disposed of it to James P'ebles, the present owner. Martin and Dellinger dissolved partnership. Martin retained the Statesman, while Dellinger and Walters established the sixth paper for Broken Bow, known as the Broken Bow World. The Daily Times and the Daily World were soon consolidated, Mr. Walters becoming editor-in-chief and the me- chanical work being done in the Times office. In 1888 Trefren and Meseraull disposed of the good will of the Times to R. E. Martin, and

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

about the same time the Il'orld suspended. R. H. Miller then started the Daily Reporter, and had the mechanical work done at the Repub- lican office. In the course of three months the Reporter suspended and was succeeded by the Daily Republican, published by D. M. Ams- berry, in connection with his weekly edition. The Daily Republican was continued until Oc- tober. 1895, when the plant was leased to J. H. Chapman for one year and the daily edition was discontinued. In the fall of 1888 E. M. Webb and George S. Tappan established the Nebraska Citizen in Broken Bow. The paper continued until the following spring, when its publication was suspended. It was largely due to this paper that the Alliance or People's In- dependent ticket was elected in the fall of 1889.

POLITICS DIDN'T PAY

A few of the leaders of the Farmers' Alli- ance resurrected the Citizen and established the Alliance Motor, with A. J. Evans, of Thed- ford. as editor. The Motor was not a financial success and soon suspended. In April. 1890, the Motor material was gotten together by the stockholders, and the paper was re-established. C. W. Beal. president of the Farmers' Alli- ance. being elected president and manager. The paper was called the Custer County Bca- con. In 1890 E. M. Webb became associated with Mr. Beal in the publication of this paper. The Beacon was soon recognized as the leading Populist paper of central Nebraska. In the course of three years E. L. Beal, of Ansley, was induced to leave his farm and join his brother, C. W. Beal, in promoting the Alliance doc- trine. The Beal brothers eventually purchased a majority of the stock of the other members of the company, and assumed full control of the plant. Except during the year 1898, when C. W. Beal served one term in the state senate, the two brothers did all the editorial and me- chanical work of the office. During C.W. Beal's absence. F. A. Amsberry. of Mason City, was employed as assistant editor. The Beal bro- thers continued to publish the Beacon until 1907. when Elgin I. Beal retired to the farm, with his family, and left the entire charge of the paper to his brother, Charles W.

Beal, who later leased the plant to a man from Ord, Nebraska. The publication of the Beacon was soon afterward discontinued and the mate- rial sold.

PURCELL STARTS AT MERNA

In November, 1886, Purcell Brothers estab- lished the Merna Record, which was edited by E. R. Purcell. Under his management the Record flourished. It subsequently changed ownership and was moved to Callaway. the name being changed to the Custer County In- dependent. In the latter part of 1891. A. Z. Lazenby started another paper in Merna, which he christened the Merna Reporter, but it had a short life. It was resurrected in 1893. by Captain Gatchell, and continued until the fall of 1894. when he moved it to Sheridan, Wyo- ming. continuing in the newspaper business there until his appointment as register of the land office in that state. In 1899 Rev. Mr. Clifton commenced the publication of the Merna Sun, which, in the spring of 1900, he sold to Theodore A. Miller, who abandoned the paper in January following, and returned to his home in Omaha. Most of the material was shipped back to York, whence it had been leased. This left Merna without a newspaper for several years -until the Merna Postal Card was started by Claude Hall. who contin- ued its publication until 1916. It was then sold to W. R. Dutton, who rechristened it the Merna Messenger and who is owner and pub- lisher at the present time.

"SUN" SHINES AT ANSELMO

Dale for a short time had a newspaper. which was started by Trefren & Meseraull in 1886. in anticipation of the railroad being built through that valley. But when they failed to realize their anticipation. the plant was moved to Anselmo and named the Anselmo Sun.

The first issue of the Sun was from a tent, and S. 1. Meseraull was its editor. J. HI. Zeh- rung. Ben Sanders, and others tried their hands at making the Sun shine, but with indifferent success, until it finally fell into the hands of J. J. Tooley, present secretary of the state

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

banking board, who, in connection with teach- ing the Anselmo school, succeeded, with the assistance of his wife, in causing the Sun to cast weekly rays of light and glory over the people of the little village. Becoming tired of his double duty, the professor sold his interest in the paper to Al llummel, of Gandy, in 1890, and it was finally sold to E. R. Purcell, who added it to the outfit of his Merna Record. For several years the people of Anselmo were without a newspaper, but for the past few years they have been able to obtain a good one, the Enterprise, which is published at the pres- ent time, by R. H. Miller.

THE CHIEF SHOWS UP AT BROKEN BOW

In April. 1892, the Custer County Chief was established by W. G. and E. R. Purcell. under the firm name of Purcell Brothers, and they published the paper in connection with the job office that had prior to that time been run by W. G. Purcell. The Chief espoused the Populist cause, which at that time was very popular in the county and state. The Chief prospered greatly under the public patronage that was thus afforded. Since the death of the Populist party the Chief has been neutral in politics. Some years ago the newspaper and job departments were separated, and each op- erated independently of the other. The job department was taken over by W. G. Purcell and the newspaper by E. R. Purcell, who is still sole manager and editor of the Chief. The Chief is recognized by the newspapers of the state as having a larger circulation than any other weekly newspaper in Nebraska.

AARNOLD

The first paper published in Arnold was the Tribune, which was established in the year 1886, by Francis Ainsworth, and which had an existence of about a year. The Bugle Call. state organ of the Independent Order of Good Templars, also was published at Arnold for a time, about 1887, but the mechanical work was not done there. Miss Anna M. Saunders was its editor and publisher. After the suspension of the Tribune, Arnold was without a news-

paper until February, 1888, when the News was established there. by S. L. Carlyle, who continued to publish it until 1894, when he moved the plant to Nehawka, Nebraska. Ar- nold now has a newspaper published by J. B. McCoy, and called the Arnold Sentinel.

CALLAWAY

Callaway's first newspaper was the Standard. which made its first bow to the public August 19, 1886, the town being at that time just seven weeks old. The Standard was a newsy paper, published and edited by C. A. Sher- wood. The Standard grew and prospered with the town, and was finally sold by Mr. Sher- wood to S. L. Carlyle. Mr. Carlyle continued its publication until 1888, when he moved the plant to Arnold and established the News. In the fall of 1887 J. Woods Smith, head of the Callaway townsite syndicate, purchased a newspaper outfit and, on October 15tli of that year, established the Callaway Headlight, with (). H. Barber as editor and F. W. Conly as manager. The paper was named Headlight in anticipation of the early completion of the railroad. The paper was purchased. on Feb- ruary 24. 1888, by H. M. Baley, and on Octo- ber 20th following, by F. W. Conly, who eventually sold it to the Independent, April 30, 1892. Shortly after the beginning of the People's Independent party movement, the po- litical managers of that organization concluded that they needed a newspaper to spread their gospel at Callaway, and E. M. Webb was sent over from Merna with the old Merna Record outfit. Thus the Custer County Independent was founded, and for several years the Inde- pendent enjoyed a good patronage. In the fall of 1896 E. M. Webb was elected a member of the Nebraska legislature, and in 1898 he re- tired from the newspaper business, being suc- ceeded by W. A. Overman, who conducted the Independent until 1901, when the paper was discontinued. Shortly after selling the Headlight. F. W. Conly established the Week- ly Tribune, on July 2, 1892, which he contin- uously published, with the exception of fifteen months during which it was consolidated with

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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 46

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Gaston, William Levi, 1865- [from old catalog]; Humphrey, Augustin R., 1859- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western publishing and engraving company
Number of Pages: 1180