USA > Nebraska > Hall County > History of Hall County, Nebraska > Part 21
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THE INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN
The little village had assumed enough of the pretensions of a town by the time it was five years old so that on January 9, 1884, on the petition of thirty-three resident tax-payers the south half of section 5 and all of section 8, town 9, range 9, and southeast quarter of section 1 and east half of section 12, town 9, range 10 was incorporated as the village of Doniphan. A. M. Sweeney, James Scudder, J. W. Burg, D. O. Grice and Samuel Beidel- man were appointed to constitute the first board of trustees.
SUCCEEDING TOWN TRUSTEES
Due to the destruction of the village records in the fire of November, 1887, the records of membership of the board of trustees during the two years that intervened between the expiration of the term of the first board and the board that took office in the spring of 1887 is missing. A new village record was started on February 6, 1888, and this shows that at that time the town trustees were: J. W. Carmichael, John Schwyn, T. M. Scheaff, Jas. H. Scudder, vice J. N. Joice, who
Burger was town clerk but he was succeeded in February by Markwood Holmes when he became a member of the board to succeed Mr. Carmichael who resigned then.
The succeeding boards were :
1888 - W. E. Moore, John Schwyn, T. M. Scheaff, J. C. Francis, Hess. (Stout part of year).
1889 - Moore, Schwyn, Scheaff, H. E. Funk, Dr. J. M. Fitch.
1890-W. E. Moore, J. C. Francis, J. H. Scudder, L. M. Brewer, W. H. Mc- Culloch.
1891 - Orville Ellsworth, W. A. Camp, D. C. Gideon, Richard McMullin and S. S. Shultz.
1892 - W. H. McCulloch, J. E. Nelson, Dr. J. M. Fitch, Frank Scudder, and W. E. Moore, the last three resigning dur- ing the year and John Walker and W. J. Burger coming on in place of latter two trustees.
1893 - D. C. Gideon, W. H. McCulloch, Jno. W. Walker, John Schwyn and H. T. Ingalls, who resigned in January 1894 and Dr. Fitch returned to the board. 1894 - H. D. Williams, J. H. Scudder, | Wilbur W. Welch, John Schwyn and D. C. Gideon, who was succeeded by L. M. Brewer during the year.
1895 - A. Blunk, P. Johnson, J. E. Hitt, L. M. Brewer and Aug. Richter. The last two named being succeeded by Ben Orcutt and C. F. Raymer. and C. F. Raymer.
1896 - J. C. Francis, J. E. Hitt, Ben Orcutt, G. C. Mayer and H. T. Ingalls, the latter succeeded in July by C. L. Gideon.
1897 - J. C. Francis, R. A. Blackburn, L. M. Brewer, W. H. Welch and B. F Scudder.
1898 - Richard McMullin, Jas. Newman I. T. Ward, J. F. Button.
1899 - Richard McMullin, C. F. Raymer Valentine Clarno, M. E. Bowlin anı Amos Beagle.
1900 - J. F. Button, C. F. Raymer, Valentin Clarno, M. E. Bowlin and Amo Beagle.
In 1901 a period began during which the mer bers were elected for a two year tern The members of the board of
1901 - were J. E. Hitt, W. H. Marsh, W. F Gideon, J. F. Button and Am Beagle.
1902 - Hitt, Marsh and Gideon held over ar Digitized by oogle
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A. B. Smith and John Carmichael came on the Board.
1903 - Hitt, Marsh and Gideon were re- elected and Smith and Carmichael held over.
1904 - Smith and Carmichael re-elected and Hitt, Harsh and Gideon held over.
1905 - Smith and Carmichael held over, but three new associates were elected, Sidney White, A. C. Adams, and Elmer Orr.
1906 - White, Adams and Orr held over with J. B. Meseraull and Charles Lakins as the new .members, but the latter was succeeded October 1st by G. A. Webb. 1907 - J. B. Meseraull held over, Dr. C. A. Stone elected for the one year term, and H. E. Funk, H. T. Ingalls and R. L. McMullin came on for a full term.
1908 - With Funk, Ingalls and McMullin holding over, D. B. Skiles and A. D. Burger came on the Board.
1909 - Skiles and Burger holding over ; H. T. Ingalls re-elected and I. T. Ward and Geo. W. Webb as new members. Chas. Humphrey succeeded Ingalls in December.
1910- Skiles and Burger were re-elected; Ward, Humphrey and Webb con- tinued.
1911 - Ward and Humphrey held over; Burger re-elected, J. B. Meseraull and F. E. Sullivan came onto the Board, but H. S. Crawford took Meseraull's place.
1912 - Four new men came onto the Board, now operating under annual member- ships : W. A. Moses, E. C. Burger, L. G. Scudder, Elmer Orr, with A. D. Burger still a member.
1913 - Moses, E. C. Burger, Scudder and A. D. Burger continued in office, and D. B. Skiles returned to the Board.
1914- L. G. Scudder and D. B. Skiles re- mained, F. E. Sullivan returned and I. J. Doan and C. H. Kindig were new men on the Board.
1915 - Kindig and Sullivan remained, with W. R. Augustin, H. S. Crawford and S. B. Marsh as new members.
1916- Marsh, Crawford and Augustin held over, L. G. Scudder and F. M. Hitch elected to serve.
1917 - Augustin, Scudder and Hitch re- mained, with Chas. T. Young and Charles Redman as the new members.
1918- Young, Redman and Augustin re- mained, Scudder and Hitch were re- elected.
1919 - The present town board consists of Chas. T. Young, L. G. Scudder, F. M. Hitch, R. D. Wood and R. M. Britt.
VILLAGE CLERKS
An important office in the history and de- velopment of the affairs of a town is that of village or town clerk. In 1888 W. J. Burger was serving as town clerk. His successor for about three years was Markwood Holmes. H. N. Lord served a few months, then O. B. Hawk, and short terms of service were filled out in the next three or four years by O. B. Hawk, Dr. J. D. Jackson, W. H. Gideon, H. T. Ingalls, B. F. Scudder, J. Schwyn, J. E. Hitt, and in 1895 the clerkship settled down in the hands of John Schwyn, who served in that capacity until August, 1899.
I. T. Ward served a few months. The next spring Schwyn again took over the books. In 1901 J. H. Scudder served and was succeeded in 1902 by S. W. Burch. After three years of that work, he was followed for two years by C. . A. Dominy. In 1907 Harry Wilson was clerk; in 1908, R. McMullin, and after him D. B. Skills. I. T. Ward served in 1909, 1910, and 1911 and L. G. Scudder in 1912 and 1913. W. S. Pickens took over the office in 1914 and continued until February, 1918, when A. W. Bauman became clerk, whose successor was Percy Button. In October, 1918, the present clerk, H. E. Clarno, took charge of the books.
TOWN TREASURERS
This is an office that has not changed hands so often as the other village offices.
Some of the town treasurers have been, John M. McCulloch, John Schwyn for about ten years during the decade of the 'nineties, A. D. Burger from 1901 until A. L. Scudder became custodian of city funds in 1904. He was succeeded by H. E. Funk in 1907 and A. D. Burger returned to that responsibility in 1911.
L. G. Scudder served in 1917 and R. D. Wood is the last treasurer.
MARSHAL
Various custodians of the peace and welfare of the village have been A. Bomgardner, Shelt Howerton, Jas. Newman, C. N. Moore, W. E. Digitized by Google
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Sweney, Orville Ellsworth, C. N. Munroe and arrgange for a waterworks system for the others back in the 'nineties. Al Bamgarten, J. E. Nelson, Monroe, A. B. Smith, C. C. Underwood served in the next decade. R. Decker, M. J. Meseraull and Martin Brewer were later marshals. In the last few years Wes Pickens and Elmer Orr have combined that duty with many others they had.
The task of looking after the streets was entrusted in 1889 to I. L. Meseraull. Through the 'nineties among the various custodians of the streets were Aaron Duffield, John Ward,
town were C. J. Humphrey, B. F. Scudder, H. E. Funk, H. G. Rainz, S. Crawford, O. Ellsworth, A. Cleal, R. L. Msmullin, and D. B. Skiles. The water bonds were carried on September 17, 1912, and bonds for $16,- 000 for water purposes and $2,000 for a light plant authorized The electric light plant built for the town by the Doniphan Light and Power Co. was sold in 1916 to the Central Power Co. and hitched onto the Grand Island plant for electric serv-
BANK OF DONIPHAN, 1888
J. L. Meseraull, John Walker, B. Scudder, ice. A raise of one cent per kilowatt, author- Geo. W. Orr, L. Howerton, C. B. Smith. From ized in April, 1917, and continued during the war, was taken off by the council recently. 1900 to 1910, Mart Demster, J. E. Nelson, A. B. Smith, Chas. Munroe, Jas. Gideon, Chas. Balmer, V. Clarno, Orville Ellsworth and R. COMMERCIAL CHANGES Decker took on this task at various times. In 1914, Wes Pickens assumed the multiple burden of water, street and light commis- sioner, town marshal and clerk of the village board. His successor was Elmer Orr, who is still carrying most of those responsibilities. .
Doniphan has kept in pace with other towns of her class in the matter of public improve- ments and securing modern conveniences of life for her people. She faced the problems of water tanks, hitching posts, a chemical engine all before 1910.
The Committee appointed in May, 1911, to
Despite the close proximity of Hastings and Grand Island to the farmers living on the south side of the Platte in Hall County, Doniphan has maintained her position of supremacy as the trading point for this South Platte community. Her commercial import- ance is easily evidenced by an examination of the history of the business houses that have flourished in Doniphan.
The first store, established in August, 1879. by Upson Brothers has undergone a series of changes in management. It was later sold to Francis, who passed it on to Meseraull.
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from him to Moses, and a few years ago to Henry Olthoff.
Late in 1880 the Camp and Alexander store was sold to Burger & Mccullough. This opened the career of W. J. Burger in the gen- eral merchandise line and the management of this store remained continuously in the hands of Mr. Burger, his partner and his family for thirty-nine years, when it was recently sold to D. A. Jones of Hastings. For about fifteen years the business was conducted under the firm name of Burger & Mccullough. Mr. Burger then purchased the partner's inter- est in the store. About twenty-three years ago, after his son had finished his education he came into a share of the management of the business, and later the son, A. D. Burger, became a partner, and the business in recent years has been known as W. J. Burger & Son. In thirty-nine years of service of the wants of the public, this business has grown from a small country trading station to one of the largest and best equipped mercantile estab- lishments in the county.
Samuel Fry established a store in 1880 that flourished for a long time as Fry & Beidelman, was later sold out, and finally the stock was disposed of and the establishment went out of business.
Another early store was that handled by a Mr. Joice, and at another period by Mr. Morrow, and of which A. L. Scudder was manager for McNal & Wisner. W. A. Camp sustained a fire about 1895 or 1896. Mr. Scudder then conducted this business in his own right for fourteen years, and Hess & Son had it for a year. Then Garrett & Moss came in, and a Mr. Child of Oklahoma acquired the stock, after which it was moved away.
A. L. Scudder conducted another store in Doniphan for a time, which he sold to O. H. Strawn and recently bought it back.
Another store in Doniphan was conducted by L. M. Brown, who later sold the building occupied to O. H. Strawn.
John Burg opened a drug store in Doniphan at an early date. W. J. Burger at one time owned this stock. S. W. Birch conducted the store for some time, and later Dr. C. A. Stone
had charge of it, but in recent years it has been conducted by T. T. McCleery, the present owner.
Mr. Burger established a blacksmith shop in early days, which was conducted by Si. Gibson. Gregg Bros. of St. Joseph had the first grain elevator. The second elevator be- longed to Mr. Burger and to C. W. Thomas, later to Meseraull and a Hastings man, and eventually became the Hall County Grain Company, under management of R. L. Mc- Mullin. Ben Orcutt built another elevator which was sold to Scudder & Ingalls. Doni- phan now has two farmers' elevators one of which the farmers built new and the other being the successor of L. G. Scudder's ele- vator business. These are the Farmers Grain Co. and the Farmers Mill & Elevator Co.
Doniphan had a livery stable in 1879, owned by W. J. Burger, who sold it in 1880 to Scud- der Brothers. The livery stable is now con- ducted by Cash Richmond.
R. L. McMullin started a garage for Doni- phan early in the days of the automobile busi- ness. This is now conducted as the Doniphan Auto Co. and has the Ford agency. W. R. Augustin and Son have the Augustin Auto. Co. and have a splendidly equipped garage.
Doniphan has been well supplied with halls for places of public meetings. Burger & Mc- Culloch's hall was built in 1880 and long re- mained the place where public gatherings could be held. The Odd Fellows have had a hall, and the Masonic Hall was installed over the old Bank of Doniphan building. Doni- phan also has an opera house, of which J. C. Boroff is manager.
The first hotel in town was that conducted by Biedelman.
C. F. Raymer, as agent for Paine & Co. of Grand Island, conducted the first lumber yard, in 1880. During recent years the Aspegren- Stroud Lumber Co. of Lincoln has been in charge of the lumber yard, which is now con- ducted as the Doniphan Lumber Co. H. E. Clarno is the present manager.
John Weaver and Ed Bond supplied meats for the local trade as early as 1880. Scudder & Fry had the market at the time of the big
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fire in 1887. They later reestablished across the street. S. S. Shultz afterwards conducted the market, and in recent years O. L. Pearson. Charles Braman is the present proprietor.
The newspapers, treated in the chapter on "The Press" have been the Index, founded in 1881 by Charles Kesley, the Leader, founded in 1889, the Eagle, founded by I. M. Augus- tine, and after a gap during which the town had no newspaper for a few years, its present journal, the Enterprise.
Doniphan has had telephone facilities since 1904 when the Hamilton County Telephone Co. was given right to set up poles.
The town is not behind others in the matter of an up-to-date moving picture theatre, the Jewell.
The present interests in Doniphan are:
The Bank of Doniphan, Commercial Ex- change Bank, Doniphan Sand & Gravel Co., Doniphan Brick Yards, Skiles Barber shop, Frank M. Hitch, blacksmith shop, C. L. Boyd, Fred Fent, Saml. B. Marsh and Orr Bros., carpenters and builders, Ellsworth, Taggard, and Shehin's restaurants, McCleery drug store, D. O. Jones, general store (successor to W. J. Burger & Son), A. L. Scudder, general store, Henry Olthoff, general store, Walter Augustine and S. H. Crawford, Inmplements and farm machinery, Farmers Grain Co., Don- iphan Grain Co., Farmers Mill & Elevator Co., Augustine and S. H. Crawford, implements Wood, hardware, Joseph Wortman, harness shop, Richmond livery stable, Doniphan Lumber Co., Braman meat market, the Enter- prise, J. C. Bierbower editor, Dr. Geo. L. Wagner and Dr. C. A. Stone, physicians, Doniphan Produce Co., with H. S. Altensee, manager, the Jewell Theatre, and telephone offices.
CAIRO
The founding of the town of Cairo long postdates the early history of Mayfield and South Loup Townships. When the railroad was surveyed the town of Cairo sprang up in the spring of 1886. Established on the line of the Grand Island & Wyoming Railroad, now the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, this beautiful little town lies eighteen miles north-
west of Grand Island. The National Lumber Company hauled in lumber and established small yards in anticipation of the town, doing this late in 1885 or early in 1886. It was not long before the town had several business houses. Geo. Elfus had a grocery store, Thomas Shurtz a drug store, and George Willing a furniture store. George W. Win- gert became postmaster. Mr. Wingert has been an active business spirit in the commun- ity since that time.
THE TOWN GOVERNMENT
The village of Cairo was incorporated on November 18, 1892. The first board named to carry on the village government were:
I. M. Cole, C. M. North, Geo. A. Dove, Geo. W. Wingert, Geo. F. Shindel. Later in the year, on account of resignations, Geo. Brewer, L. Watkins and W. C. Ofield took seats on the board.
The subsequent boards who have carried the responsibilities of the government and de- velopment of the community have been :
1893 - Jas. A. Veeder, I. M. Cole, John A. Kalus, Fred Spencer and Geo. Brewer. Succeeding the last two in December, Dell Thompson and W. C. Wingert went onto the Board.
1894- J. A. Veeder, Lafe Watkins, W. C. Wingert, I. M. Cole and Dell Thomp- son, the latter succeeded by Grant Afflerbaugh.
1895 - A. L. Barnaby, Lafe Watkins, W. C. Wingert, I. M. Cole, Wm. Moore, upon whose removal C. M. North came onto the board.
1896 - C. M. North, S. M. Cole, F. S. Nich- olson (now mayor of St. Paul, Neb.), G. W. Wingert and Lafe Watkins.
1897 - North, Nicholson, Wingert and Wat- kins remained on the board and W. C. Ofield returned to that service.
1898 -Ofield, Wingert and Watkins stayed on, I. M. Cole returned and Ed Maxon was elected, but removed from town and was succeeded by H. G. Still.
1899 - Early in this term I. M. Cole resigned . and G. W. Wingert did not qualify, so Chas. Shindel and A. H. Shull came on and served with L. Watkins, C. M. North and H. G. Still.
1900 - The personnel remained the same, North, Shindel, Still, Shull and Wat-
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kins. It was during the administra- tion of this board that the epidemic of smallpox became so contagious and dangerous throughout the country that action was taken similar to that taken generally during the influenza epidemic of 1918- no assembly was allowed for 30 days from December 20, 1900, in church, hall, or other pub- lic place. This order was revoked early in January, 1901, when the sit- uation had improved.
1901 - North, Still, Shull and Watkins re- mained with W. S. Cole as the fifth member.
1902 - The new board consisted of A. O. Powers, A. H. Shull, C. M. North, N. C. Nelson and L. Watkins. A district court decree changing bounda- ries of Cairo unseated Mr. Watkins and his successor was I. M. Cole.
1903 - Shull, Nelson, Cole and Powers held over, S. W. Snyder came on; Cole re- signed and W. S. Bellows was ap- pointed, and Powers moved out of town and H. G. Still came back to the board.
1904 - The board started out as W. C. Ofield, S. W. Snyder, C. M. North, A. H. Shull, and N. C. Nielson. Snyder moved out of town in June and C. A. Tiedeman came on.
1905- J. E. Cox, C. A. Tiedeman, Fred Ericson, C. M. North, N. C. Nielson. 1906 - The above five served, until in Jan- uary, 1907, Emery Peters succeeded C. M. North.
1907 - The board remained the same, until in October, when A. H. Shull came on in place of Ericson.
1908- Cox, Tiedeman, Peters and Nielson stayed over, A. B. Congrove came onto the board.
1909- For this year the board was. Fred Erickson, C. A. Tiedeman, J. E. Cox, A. B. Congrove and Nielson.
910- The board remained as Erickson, Tiedeman, Cox, Congrove and Niel- son.
911 -Cox, Congrove, and Nielson re- mained, with Tiedeman reelected and E. Whitehead, the new member.
912- Cox, Congrove and Nielson were re- elected, Whitehead and Tiedeman holding over.
913 - This year saw some changes ; Cox and Whitehead remaining, G. C. Raven, Wm. Schlund and Geo. Wabel becom- ing members.
014- Membership remained the same as in 1913.
1915 - G. C. Raven, L. W. Thompson, J. E. Cox, Wabel and Whitehead.
1916 - Membership remained the same as in 1915.
1917 - Cox, Wabel and Whitehead remained, H. T. Ingalls and F. W. Goodrich were elected.
1918 - Ingalls and Goodrich held over; Cox was reelected and Harry Prohl and Geo. Whitefoot came onto the board. In October, 1918, Prohl resigned and G. H. Vant was appointed; in March, 1919, Cox resigned and the place was left open until the spring election selected new members.
1919 - The present board members are G. C. Raven, F. W. Goodrich, S. R. Benton, G. H. Vant and R. R. Thompson.
VILLAGE CLERKS
The important office of village clerk was first filled in 1892 by John A. Kalus. In the succeeding years, the books were taken care of by Wm. Moore, 1893; F. W. Spencer, 1894-5; Geo. W. Hood for a few months; Chas. Shindel from 1896 to 1899; Geo. C. Adwers for about nine months ; A. L. Barneby from February 1900 until May, 1901; R. W. Wirt for a few months; A. L. Omer, 1901 to 1903; W. C. Wingert and J. H. Harrison in 1904; C. Blease, 1905; A. L. Barneby, Oc- tober, 1905 until May, 1908; C. Hugo Hehnke became clerk in 1908 and held this position until June, 1914. The next clerk was H. P. Bellows who served until the spring of 1919, when E. H. Whitehad, the present clerk, took charge.
VILLAGE TREASURERS
L. W. Lyon first assumed the task of cus- todian of the village funds, serving from 1892 until June, 1898. W. C. Wingert assumed the office until in 1901. George W. Wingert then took up the responsibilities of village treasurer which he held from 1901 until Oc- tober, 1905. J. H. Harrison then served until 1908, when Geo. W. Wingert again assumed the office and has held it continuously during the past eleven years.
COMMISSIONER AND MARSHAL
John Murphy took up the role of marshal in 1892 and continued in that service untille
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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA
June 3, 1901. During that time the duties of street commissioner were performed by Geo. F. Shundel and Jos. Hancock until 1900. D. C. Roush and John Stogger were the next commissioners. Murphy returned to the duties of marshal in a short time and served until he again resigned on August 6, 1904. Geo. Wabel and J. W. Hancock served as marshal for short periods and Murphy served again in 1905. In 1902 and 1903 L. W. Mc- Cormack and H. D. McWilliams served as street commissioners. In 1904 Murphy was serving as both marshal and street commis- sioner, which he later did in 1905 and 1906. During 1906 C. E. Clark took over this joint burden and remained until 1910. Gust Erick- son succeeded him, and in the latter part of 1910 added the duties of water commissioner to those he already had under way. Henry Thompson served in 1911 as marshal and Robert Day as water commissioner. But in 1912 Alfred Boyd had taken up the duties of street commissioner and marshal and Gust Erickson was water commissioner. Boyd con- tinued his service until 1917, when A. B. Con- grove succeeded him, and then E. Blauvelt came into office, but Alfred Boyd returned to the positions of marshal and street commis- sioner and now holds the same. Erickson was succeeded as water commisisoner by Karl Rasmussen.
At an election held on May 18, 1909, Cairo voted bonds for the construction of a water plant by a vote of 82 for to 27 against. On the basis of an $8,000 issue, a contract was let to the National company of South Bend, Indiana, for $6,735. In 1910 a jail was ordered built, to be 10 x 14 feet, with two cells.
BUSINESS HOUSES
Cairo has always been a good trading town and has at all times maintained a goodly num- ber of prosperous business houses.
The store established by Geo. Elfers in 1886 came into the hands of I. M. Cole about 1891 or 1892. Hehnke-Lohman afterwards turned this business into the Cairo Mercantile Co., which is still managed by C. Hugo Hehnke.
The store established by Dell Thompson was at one time conducted by a Mr. Bristol. F. W. Goodrich once burned out with this stock. Dell Thompson rebuilt on the old site and handled hardware and later dry goods and groceries. Later Thompson Brothers con- ducted the business. The old established store of H. P. Bellows & Co. is now being closed out. Another stock in Cairo was formerly handled as Bellows & Goodrich, but is now the store of F. W. Goodrich. A stock handled by Chas. Wood burned out about 1892.
The pioneer hardware store of Geo. Willing, established in 1886, was later handled re- spectively by Dell Thompson, Will Parker, W. S. Bellows, and while in the hands of E. W. McAllister burned out in January, 1908. McAllister Brothers put in a stock of grocer- ies, dry goods, furniture, and hardware which burned out in January, 1915. Lloyd Mc- Allister rebuilt and restored a stock, which later became the store of Dove & Son.
The first hotel in Cairo was built by Jim Irwin on the bank corner. Later this was handled by Hancock's, by Grandma Stoeger, by Mrs. Carlson, but for the past ten or twelve years, A. R. Boyd has been "Ye Host."
Scudder Brothers, of Doniphan, opened a livery stable early in the history of the town. but the North-Robinson barns afterwards ac- quired that site and another livery stable has since sprung up. The Isaac Dunlap stable has recently been converted into a garage. Frank Hilderbrand had the first meat market. Wingert Brothers conducted a market for some time, and Geo. Weibel and Emil Leucht were later market proprietors, and the present meat market owner, Adolph Runge, has built a new building for that purpose.
The Gazette was an early newspaper in the community. J. H. Harrison established the Record about 1902 and conducted it for about six years. His successors with the editorial pen have been Elliott Harrison, A. C. Ofield W. H. Daly, and A. C. Ofield again returned to the editorial desk and now J. W. Mahaffey publishes the Record.
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