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 52

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 52

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).

The fall of the river generally averages six feet to the mile, but at Doris the fall is eight feet per mile, which makes this one of the best locations on the river to develop water power. The Loup is a very remarkable river, in that its flow is always regular. The average vari- ation in rise and fall, at Doris, in drouth or flood times, is not more than twenty inches. The reason for this is found in the fact that there is no long, clay, valley drainage from surrounding hills leading either into the river or into the streams which feed the river. The volume of water in the river is maintained by springs and sand-seepage from distant lakes.

Lundy has arranged to divert from the river as much water as will be necessary for power purposes at this time, but has it so arranged that a larger volume can be diverted at any time. The construction of his plant is so ar-

ranged that the present unit can be added to at any time without disarranging the plant. The power canal which brings power water from the head-gates down to the side-gates and spillway is fifty feet wide and is capable of handling 400-second feet of water, while to operate the plant in its present proportions will require only 200-second feet.

It is arranged, however, so that the spillway will take care of the surplus water. The pres- ent plant unit is supposed to develop 225 horse-power, but its power can be easily in- creased at any time, with but slight alterations.

The dam proper is seventy-three feet wide and nearly fifteen feet high, which gives a twelve-foot working head of water. The foun- dations, which are necessarily on sand forma- tion, are from sixteen to thirty-four feet below the level of the river and are made of solid cement, reinforced with steel. In the construc- tion of the dam are 400 running feet of Wake- field sheet piling, six inches thick, tongued and grooved. One hundred and five round-piling, twenty-five feet long, help to fasten the dam to its moorings, and to stay the flood tide. Also used in the construction of the dam are 42,000 feet of hard-pine, two-inch lumber: 13,000 pounds of steel reinforcements ; 250 loads of gravel ; and 1,650 sacks of Portland cement.

The head-gates and ice-control are con- structed from 2,800 feet of two-inch, hard- pine lumber, spiked to fifty, twenty-five, and thirty-five foot piling. In the construction of the side-gates and spillway, 35,000 feet of two- inch, hard-pine lumber was used. The side- gates are anchored in their places by cedar piling, ranging from sixty to twenty-five feet in length. More than 12,000 pounds of steel reinforcement is used in the cement part of the side-gate construction. For the cement work of the side-gates were required 175 loads of gravel and more than 500 sacks of cement. In this connection there should be noticed a device which is Mr. Lundy's invention. Here- tofore, all river constructions or attempts to harness the river power have been hindered by large deposits of quicksand or silt-sand, which creeps along the bottom of the old channels. The new contrivance automatically separates

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

the silt-sand in the bed of the stream from the volume of flowing water and allows only clari- fied water to pass through the turbine. It is said that this is the only automatic device of the kind ever constructed. Mr. Lundy assures us that the design is simple and that it never fails to work out the results for which it was intended. It is so constructed and so simple that it requires no attention and is ready at all times to separate the sand. This contri- vance means much for the future development of water power, not only along the sandy- bedded Loup river, but also along all quick- sand streams as well. Formerly the sand has been removed or overcome by expensive me- chanical devices which have made water power too expensive.

Mr. Lundy will use a fifty-six-inch Leffel turbine wheel which is especially constructed for a low-water head and which develops in the present unit 225 horse-power. The power is transmitted from the turbine to a new Sam- son cable drive, which is the most effective power harness for turbines yet invented. The turbine is controlled by a Woodard oil gov- ernor. The generator is 100 K. W .: 125 K. V. A. : six-cycle. three-phase, generator elec- tric dynamo and switch-board, which will generate 175 K. W., on peak load.

Then new plant now in course of construc- tion. replaces the old plant. which has been used for a flouring mill for over thirty years. It is the opinion of those who have investi- gated the plant. and also the opinion of the assistant state engineer, that the new ideas used in construction by Mr. Lundy will make this plant a decided success and a remarkable power contribution to all the region of Custer county. It is claimed that the power generated here can be economically distributed for a dis- tance of 400 miles, which radius will cover all central Nebraska. When it is understood that the Loup river is capable of developing 150 to 200 horse-power per mile. it requires 10 prophet to understand what a valuable asset the river is to the contiguous territory. With the power properly developed. Custer county need not depend upon her agricultural re- sources entirely. The opportunity to become

a manufacturing center is knocking at the ‹loor.

In constructing the new power plant Mr. Lundy has done all of his own engineering and constructing work, and has been assisted in the construction work by Harry Gardner. foreman, and John Wykoff, assistant foreman.

CUSTER COUNTY IRRIGATION

Once irrigation was the scheme and dream of all farmers in the county living along the river valleys. The dry year of 1894 brought the project of irrigation to the front. as the cure and prevention of crop failure. Two ir- rigation districts were formed, one in Lillian precinct and one in Douglas Grove. Both dis- tricts bonded themselves in order to construct ditches, flumes, and side-gates, but owing to a series of very favorable years the ditches have lapsed into disuse and are badly out of repair. Recently the Douglas Grove district was in litigation. A suit was brought by some of the water-right holders to compel the officers of the district to repair the ditch and furnish water to complainants. The suit was lost and at the present date the ditch is not used.

The Lillian ditch is practically abandoned. although in the vicinity of Gates a few farm- ers-George W. Dewey, estate of the late Ed. Bishop, Bert Gates, and others - are us- ing water on their land. These men and J. W. Lundy, of Doris Lake, are the only Cus- ter county farmers using water for irrigation purposes to-day.

Concerning the construction of the Douglas Grove ditch E. C. Gibbon, of Comstock. writes. in 1901. as follows:

"If the terrible drouth of 1894 was respon- sible for the construction of the Douglas Grove irrigation ditch. it has proved to be a blessing in disguise to the people of the Middle Loup valley, as it was in that year that the ditch was located, surveyed, and active work commenced, and it was by means obtained by working on this ditch that a large number of the people of this township were enabled to live through that memorable winter and to eke out a miserable existence until another crop could be raised. An attempt was made to induce the township

MIDDLE, LOUP BRIDGE AND HEAD-GATES TO IRRIGATION DITCH

POWER HOUSE IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION AT THE LUNDY ITYDRO- ELECTRIC POWER PLANT

HEAD-GATES, LUNDY HYDRO-ELECTRIC PLANT

FOUNDATION OF THE LUNDY HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER PLANT

HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

to help in the work, as the sum asked to be voted would return to the taxpayers as re- muneration for their work on the ditch, and thus help all concerned : but this aid was re- fused, and those living under the proposed ditch were compelled to organize a company and vote bonds upon themselves to obtain money to carry on and complete the undertak- ing. I will say nothing about their repeated discouragements and failures, but after one of the most desperate struggles, like Bruce's spider, they overcame all obstacles and the ditch has been finished from the Sargent bridge to Spring creek at Douglas Grove, a distance of thirteen and one-half miles, and covering an area of 7.000 acres of valuable land.

"As this is the only canal in this section of the country that has been successfully com- pleted and is now in successful operation, bless- ing its builders with its benefactions, it must be stated that its completion is due to the tin- remitting and untiring efforts of a very few men, who stood by it, through evil report as well as good, until it was an accomplished fact. and the wonderful results obtained from the use of the water it furnishes have compelled those who were hitherto lukewarm supporters to become the most enthusiastic and generous friends of the enterprise. The ditch company at the present time is officered as follows: E. C. Gibbons, president ; W. Il. Comstock, secre- tary: Charles Wescott, treasurer."

The topography of the South Loup valley is so unfavorable to irrigation that no extended attempts to use the river water on adjacent land has ever been made. In this valley. hill- headlands project into the valley, coming up to the river banks in high cliffs. thus making the construction of ditches very expensive, if not impossible.

HORTICULTURE IN CUSTER COUNTY

The horticultural products of Custer county are not sufficient to warrant any extravagant claims concerning this being a great fruit coun- try. The overwhelming preponderance of cereal crops causes the fruit industry to be neglected. AA great variety of fruits, however. have been produced in the county and some varieties are

extremely well adapted to both soil and climate. Cherries seem to be the most prolific bearers and are most regular in the production of a crop. It is. perhaps, owing to the fact that the cherry is a hardy tree and matures early. that it has come into prominence and received more than its share of cultivation.

The early settlers planted small orchards as soon as they were able to procure the trees. and in most of these home orchards the cherry was the leading variety. Some few very large cherry orchards were put out for commercial purposes, but while the cherry is hardy and an early bearer it is likewise a short-lived tree. and the large orchards passed into decay. The owners did not feel that the profits of cherry- raising warranted them in replacing the dead trees and maintaining the orchards intact. But to-day, on almost every farm and on almost every residence lot in the cities and villages. can be found a few choice cherry trees which generally produce well.

Apples rank next to cherries as a Custer county fruit. The hardy varieties do excep- tionally well if proper attention is paid to them. But in many instances the small farm-orchards receive little care and attention, and conse- quently it is not to be expected that they will produce large crops of well developed commer- cial fruit. Thus far the county has not raised enough apples for home consumption.

In this latitude the peach tree does not stand the hard winter, and very few bushels of peaches have ever been raised in the county. Small fruits and berries do well in the low lands where they have sufficient moisture. Grapes are admirably adapted to the county's climatic and soil conditions and if given more attention could be raised in great abundance and with good profit.

The whole county was full of wild fruit in an early day. An article written by James D. Ream thirty years ago will give an idea of the character and abundance of Custer county wild fruits :

J. D. REAM MAKES A FIND

The history of horticulture in Custer county would cover many pages if it included all the efforts and failures. But a few lines as to the

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

conditions found here at the time of the first settlement of the county may be of interest to some. While camping in the canyons with Wilson Hewitt, in January, 1880. I chanced to leave my gloves lying by the camp-fire in the evening, and when I looked for them in the morning I could not find them. After thorough search about the camp, Mr. Hewitt suggested that if I would tear down a pile of brush and trash that was about three rods from camp and that was three feet high and four or five feet broad, I would probably find my gloves. as it was a wood-rat's nest, and these rats had often carried off such articles for him while he was camped in the canyons. I immediately tore it down, and to my pleasant surprise I found my gloves, and nearly half a bushel of nice wild grapes, dried upon the stems, as clean and bright as when they were taken from the vines in the fall, and beneath these quite a quantity of dried plums. The rats had evidently provided the fruit for winter use, as they had eaten some of the plums, having gnawed the pits open and eaten the kernels out, but had not commenced upon the grapes. Here I obtained my first practical knowledge of the horticultu- ral products of the county. I at once began to inquire regarding them, and to my surprise I heard some wonderful stories as to their vari- ety and quantity. It was with great interest that I looked forward to the fruiting season, and, to my surprise, I found in the canyons. early in June, an unlimited supply of black currants, which, when stewed, with a little sugar added, made a sauce that was quite an addition to the meager fare of the average Custer county homesteader. We did not have very long to wait for the wild gooseberries to get large enough to stew, and of these, like the currants, there was an unlimited supply. Fol- lowing these came the wild blackcap-raspber- ries, which, although not scattered all over the county, were very abundant in some of the canyons, and often bore large quantities of luscious fruit, one woman having picked and canned eighty quarts in one season. By the time these were gone, the earliest varieties of plums and choke-cherries were ripening. It would be useless to attempt to estimate the quantity of these two fruits produced that sea- son, as every plum thicket was loaded with plums, the quality of many of the varieties be- ing exceptionally good, while every clump of choke-cherry trees was black with the ripening fruit. I neglected the little wild strawberry that we occasionally find in the canyons. It is small, and not much of a bearer, but the flavor is very fine. The buffalo-berry is a fruit known

only in the western part of the state, growing on the sides and near the top of the steep canyons, and often bearing large quantities of very bright red and yellow berries, somewhat smaller than the tame currant. The bush or tree is a slow-grower and very thorny. The fruit is very sour and often hangs on the tree until winter, making a very pretty sight. It makes a fine jelly, and its juice is a valuable aid in making jelly from the more acid fruits. The wild dewberry was found on the Middle Loup river valley, but has not been extensively cultivated. In addition to all this we found some sections of the sand-hill country covered with what are known as sand cherries. The sand cherry is a low-growing bush or shrub, seldom reaching over eighteen inches in height in its native condition. but it is a very prolific bearer, a twig one foot high often bearing al- most half a pint of fruit, which very often grew the size of tame cherries. The pits are large, the skin thick, and the flesh not so juicy as the tame cherry. The fruit has a peculiar, pun- gent taste that is disagreeable to many people, but this characteristic is much less prominent in some varieties than in others. For a long time it was supposed to be the sand-cherry of the east, Prunus Pumila, but Professor Bailey, in a bulletin issued by Cornell University in 1894, deiend this, and named it Prunus Besseyi, in honor of Dr. C. E. Bessey, of the Nebraska University, who had made extended experi- ments with this shrub.

FRUIT RECEIVED TOO LITTLE ATTENTION

With all this array of varieties of fruit, and every bush and vine loaded to its utmost, is it any wonder that we entertained high hopes of the tame-fruit industry in the future? Whenever the pioneer turned the black loamy soil and planted and cultivated with reasonable care, he was richly rewarded with enormous production of grain and vegetables.

But while the farmer pioneer was imbued with the spirit of push and perseverance, while he refuses to give up hope when met by dis- appointments, he is not a careful observer or a diligent investigator. In this case he did not stop to observe that all these fruits, in every instance, were found growing under pe- culiar conditions. They were always found where moisture was abundant, and ofttimes where protection was afforded from sun and winds.

In this manner good old Dame Nature was trying to teach a valuable lesson. She had this

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

written a message in every canyon. on every hillside. and in every valley. She had written it in large, plain letters, telling how and where to grow trees, fruits, berries, vines, and big weeds.

Did we read Nature's handwriting, and in- terpret her message of instruction? No, our untrained eyes failed to see the handwriting. and our undeveloped reasoning faculties failed to catch the lesson she had tried to teach us. We remembered the luscious fruit that grew in the orchard on the old home farm, in the eas- tern states where we used to live. We did not stop to question whether or not the varieties that flourished there, would stand this acrid climate, of hot sun, winds, and small rainfall. We planted what we thought we wanted to grow, and planted it where we happened to think we wanted it to grow, regardless of any laws of Nature, or any message that the good old Dame had sent us. We did not recognize that the location, the kind of soils and subsoils, the preparation of the ground, and the after- cultivation, were all basic problems that must be reckoned with.

The ever-present itinerant tree-peddler was on the ground. and, supported by the great variety of wild fruits found growing here, as well as aided by glowing pictures and full description of the wonderful fruits that he said could be grown here. he caused the pio- neer's eyes to glisten and his mouth to fairly water, as he imagined he could see himself picking the ripening fruit from his own trees and vines. in the near future. Trees were planted galore, planted hither and yon - all laws of nature were disregarded and. in most cases, all known laws of cultivation and care were unheeded.

Failures, yes, ninety per cent. of the early attempts at fruit-growing here were failures. But sufficient success has been attained to prove that many kinds of the tame fruits can be grown here with reasonable success . when there is given an intelligent compliance with nature's laws. But the splendid fruit-grow- ing sections of the eastern part of the state. where the hardier varieties of all kinds of fruits can be easily grown. and the equally

successful sections of the inter-mountain country to the west of us, have supplied us with such great quantities of splendid fruits, at reasonable prices, that the problem of fruit- growing has lost much of its interest and has not received the attention that it would otherwise have received. Another resulting loss is that many of our farm homes lack much of the attractiveness and homelike ap- pearance that a well-cared-for orchard and a few flowers would have given them. The careful investigation and study required in successful fruit-growing under our conditions would have proven of great value to us in

COMSTOCK FLOURING MILLS

helping solve some of the many other dry- climate problems that we have met in our general farm enterprises.

THE MILLING INDUSTRY

Milling has been one of the industries of Custer county that has reached large propor- tions. In nearly every community a good- sized flour mill has been erected, and in most communities they are doing business at the present time.

The first mill built in the county was at Westerville. In 1885 a man named Grierson located in Westerville and put up a water- power mill on Clear creek. In this mill the first grists of the county were ground. With the building of other towns. at the expense of Westerville's ambitions, the mill ceased op- erations, and high water destroyed the race and dam. Other mills of the county were

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASK. 1

built at Milldale, Callaway, Ansley, Mason, Arnold. Comstock. Sargent, Anselmo, and Broken Bow. Some of these mills have been destroyed by fire, but six are in operation to-day - those at Callaway, Arnold, Sargent. Comstock, Mason, and Ansley. Further ref- erence to these mills will be found in chapter IX, under the respective histories of the towns in which the mills are located.

To S. J. Lonergan we are indebted for the following account of the Broken Bow mills :

THE BROKEN BOW ROLLER MILLS

The Broken Bow Roller Mills were erected in 1887. Messrs. Frey and Shoup, of Grand Island, Nebraska, commenced the work of building, and operated the mill for a short time. Owing to the liens filed by those who furnished the machinery - amounting to about $11,000 - it was closed. The property at the time it was closed was valued at $20.000.

S. J. Lonergan, who located in Broken Bow in the spring of 1887, was induced to take the mill over on trial for three months, after which he decided to buy the controlling interest in it and made several needed improvements. costing about $9.000. Thereafter he paid all the liens against the property and incorporated the business for $29.000. Within this time George Frey purchased Mr. Shoup's interest in the company, but he later sold to the Central Nebraska National Bank, owned and con- trolled by John Inman and O. J. Coleman.

After this exchange of interests. the com- pany continued to operate the property for several years at a profit, capital to do this be- ing furnished by the stockholders, who re- ceived notes executed by the company, for money advanced. During the '90s the Cen- tral Nebraska National Bank failed, but be- fore doing so it sold the milling company and paper to an Omaha bank, also disposing of their stock to some eastern parties. This action threw the property into court, and when it was sold it was bought by the Omaha banker who held the largest claim against it. Later on the Omaha banker sold the property to S. J. Lonergan, who immediately reincorpor- ated the business. under the name of the Broken Bow Roller Milling Company. He proceeded to enlarge the plant, by building an elevator. with a capacity of '30.000 bushels. and also installed several thousand dollars' worth of needed machinery. expending in all for these betterments. $13.000, which made the cost of the milling company's property up to and including that time, $42.000.

S. J. Lonergan continued to run the mill for several years after this time, at a profit - up to the time of the panic of 1897. In fact, the mill was running night and day at the time of the panic, and was doing a profitable business. This panic came like a thief in the night ; in the morning every banker in the country had crept into his cyclone cave, but the business man was left, like the private sol- dier on the firing line, to stop the onrush of this calamity or perish trying. Checks were valueless, money out of sight, property values were withered, and thousands of business men were carried out on the crest of this tide. to find themselves in the status from which they started in bygone years.

In 1912 S. J. Lonergan traded the mill for land. It then became trading property, and it thereafter changed hands one or more times,

MASON CITY FLOURING MIT.I.

by lease or sale. While being operated in 1917, by Messrs. Jones and Bahr, it was burned and became a total loss.

ELECTRIC 1,1GHTS EVERYWHERE

In striking contrast to the lights used in the homes of Custer county forty years ago are the electric lights with which every town and village in the county is lighted. Forty years ago, candles were common and the oil-lamp of small. smoky burner was the major illumi- nation. It was a fortunate farmer that had a lantern with which to do chores in the barn after and before daylight, but to-day things have changed. Not only do the dwellers in the towns have homes lighted by electricity. but many of the farmers have their own elec- tric-lighting plants and thus are enabled to have every modern convenience on the farm, as well as in the city. The first lighting plant

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HISTORY OF CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA

in the county was established at Ansley. The second was in Broken Bow. After several attempts, Broken Bow finally secured a splen- did plant, put in and operated by the Custer electric corporation of which Charles S. Mar- tin is president and manager. This plant was established in 1909 and is a large, modern plant, well equipped to meet the needs of the community.

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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 52

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