History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 41

Author: Buechler, A. F. (August F.), 1869- editor
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Pub. and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 1011

USA > Nebraska > Hall County > History of Hall County, Nebraska > Part 41

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 magnificent ten-story North American

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Hotel was started and the exterior of the structure erected by the end of 1917, and has stopped progress for over a year, on account of the company building it getting into financial difficulties through manipulations back and forth between the hotel holding com- pany and the stock-selling and promoting company, both of which had practically the same officers. But steps are now being taken to hasten the completion of this structure in the very near future, as it is in great demand.

RESTAURANTS

Restaurants and lunch counters come and go too fast to permit of a detailed listing of all of these establishments which Grand Is- land has maintained. The restaurant location with the longest practically continued line of existence has been the Opera House location. J. P. Hensley conducted this late in the 'nineties. By 1900 Boeck and Fossgreen were in charge, and a few years later the firm was changed to Klinge and Fossgreen, and so re- mained until Fred L. Regan took charge. Mrs. Thrall's restaurant on Front street and her later place of business on Third street were famous in their day. Mrs. J. Jenneman was another hostess of the early 'nineties on North Pine. Other restaurant keepers of the 'nineties were Mrs. J. D. Purdy on Wheeler avenue, John F. Hall on North Plum, M. R. Meek on Sixth street, O. H. Tracy on Front street, the Union restaurant, and the Vienna cafe, conducted by Schuff and Callahan. The Vienna restaurant and hotel has been enlarged and now occupies a fine two-story brick build- ing on N. Locust street. Prior to its removal to its present location in 1910 this restaurant ran from 1894 to 1910 continuously - 24 hours a day without a key being used to turn the lock to the place day or night. In 1918 the name of the hotel and restaurant was changed to the American. Between 1900 and 1910 the main restaurants were: the Vienna, the Union, the City, conducted by W. F. Maddox, Boeck & Fossgreen, Opera House Cafe, Modern Lunch Room at 202 West Third, Bon Ton, F. H. Bonnell, 222 West Third, College Restaurant, at 307 West Third, Robert

Geddes, at 113 West Third, which took the name of Candy Box, about 1904, Mrs. M. C. Kerr, 112 West Third, the St. James, Mrs. M. Hanrahan, 102 W. Front, Windnagel, Hill and Cornfield eating places. The Palace Cafe, opened by S. Shindo about twelve years ago, has grown until it feeds as many people as any other eating place in the city. Shuster & Jungbluth opened a cafe and confectionery in the Masonic Building about ten years ago, which has in recent years been conducted at 111 West Third by Arthur A. Schuster. For a number of years Brown's Cafe, previously operated as a home cooking restaurant, was a factor in the restaurant business, but this place closed out in 1918. The present eating houses of the city are Koehler Cafe, conducted by Karl Kalex, the American, formerly the Vienna, conducted by Henry Schuff and Son, the Palace, conducted by S. Shindo, the Island, another Japanese cafe, the Mandarin, a Chinese cafe, the Grand Cafe, Opera House confectionery, F. L. Regan, Schuster's cafe. the Davies Cafeteria, in Michelson block, new Miller Cafeteria, Paris Cafe, Union Pacific Depot Dining Room, Aksaraba, Farmers' & Merchants, Royal Chocolate Shop, and a num- ber of lunch rooms around the Burlington depot.

CONFECTIONERIES

Late in the 'nineties, Dill & Huston con- ducted a confectionery and eating place at 109 West Third; W. H. Quillen opened up about that time, about where the Lechinsky studio is now located, and later moved a couple doors east, and is still operating a confectionery and fruit store. Other con- fectioneries operated in recent years for any length of time have been: The Opera House Confectionery, operated by Walt Appledorn. from 1889 for about eight years, after J. P. Hensley closed out in the room south of it. Henry Bartenbach was in charge of this busi- ness for a couple years, until Boeck and Foss- green took it over, and since then Klinge & Fossgreen and Fred L. Regan have operated it. The Grand Island Candy Kitchen opened about 1907, and is still in operation, now. owned by Gust Valonis. Wm. Ivers has been

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conducting a confectionery and bakery for a number of years, and is now located at 104 East Third. W. C. Campbell first opened at 105 S. Locust, but for about ten years was at 101 East Third, a location now occupied by the Becker Music Co. Schuster & Jung- bluth opened in the Masonic building, but A. A. Schuster now conducts this place at 111 West Third. J. C. Gerspacher's place at 215 West Third, Gurley place at 115 N. Locust, later occupied by Ed McAllister, Lucy Alstot place on West Third, and Burley and Rogers' confectioneries have been closed out. The Royal Chocolate Shop (Campbell & Dority) opened about five years ago and is still in flourishing operation. Wm. Stein- meyer has operated at 324 West Fourth for a number of years past. There are a number of fruit stores, cigar stores, and soft drink parlors that operate partially as confection- eries.

SALOONS

With the arrival of state and national pro- hibition, the saloon and liquor dispensaries are all a matter of memory and history, ex- cept that numerous locations long used for that purpose have held over as dispensaries of soft drinks, with the old familiar bar, foot rail and equipment to remind the patrons of days gone by, when the cup was full and some imbibed even too copiously and too long. Regardless of the unfavorable opinion that many of our readers may hold of the saloons, and the possibly changed ideas of some of the former patrons as they now view them in the perspective, these institutions were a factor in entertaining many guests, as well as residents, of the community. In the days when they flourished public sentiment looked at them differently than now.

A man by name of Schuler opened one of the first saloons in the new community, called the Headquarters Saloon; about 1870 there were five saloons and bars in the town; Anderson's place, on the present site of the Tucker & Farnsworth drug store, at Third and Locust; a bar maintained in the Michel- son Hotel (Nebraska House) ; Kraft's place, on the site of the present Commercial State

Bank ; Bassett's sample room, under the Clar- endon Hotel; and Cornelius Iver's Billiard hall on Third street. P. Dunphy soon there- after advertised a wholesale and retail liquor business. Gustave Koehler at an early day opened on the present American (Vienna) hotel and restaurant location, later moving to a site which is now part of the Koehler hotel site, on west Front street, and finally in the Koehler hotel building. After his death, this location was retained and a saloon operated by the various proprietors and Koehler Hotel Co. Another memorable loca- tion, maintained for something like thirty years, was the Foley location. Jas. Foley opened some time in the 'eighties and remained at 212 West Third until about 1913. Without attempting to name all of these institutions, a few of the more memorable establishments were: 118 South Locust, conducted at various periods by John C. Cornelius, Albert Heyde, Sanders & Schlichtling, Wm. Schlichtling, W. E. Parker, manager, and Axt & Paulsen; 105 N. Locust, by Fred Roth and Frank Kunze; 113 S. Wheeler, by Claus Eggers, Eggers & Schumacher, and later by Henry Schumacher at 115 S. Wheeler; John Hann at 507 S. Locust, Hann's Park, as usually called, and later by Henry Hann; 123 S. Locust, at south end of Opera House block, by Jas. Hengen, in the 'nineties by Stout & Hengen and Jas. Stout, Henry Sievers, and for a time by Gustav Sievers, when Henry Sievers moved across the street to 124 S. Locust, which location was last occupied by Cornelius & Roby and John C. Cornelius ; Julius Guendel's location at 118 East Third, which H. A. Buenger had the last years of its career. The Kuehlson location at 118 East Front was maintained under one manage- ment for something like thirty years. Chris Ronnefeldt maintained a saloon at 107 East Third, in late years called the "Onyx," but during the last biennium of the business he had the "Schlitz" saloon at 123 E. Third, in the old Scarff building. The Ark was at 122 East Third, the Turf Exchange at 309 West Third, and J. J. Klinge's locations at 114 N. Locust and 214 West Third, Theo.

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Schaumann's location at 224 West Third, 310 West Third with Henry Sanders and F. Duhrsen, 207 West Third, by Fred Roth and Henry Sanders, 308 West Third, by Charles Nielsen, about 1889, 215 West Third, with Carl Moeller, Straus & Grotz, Grotx & Schers- berg - these were some of the notable es- tablishments of this line. The 308 West Third location was carried on after Nielson, by Heyde, and at last by Nich Weinrich. The Schlitz location, 124 E. Third, was carried on about 1889 by Murphy & Lanigan. The Palmer House Bar was another memorable institution, as the saloon at Front and Pine, and one at 112 N. Pine, and the Mint at 118 East Third. There are no doubt numerous establishments omitted from this list, but most of those that ran for any length of time have been included.

Soft drink establishments have remained in the locations at 124 S. Locust, 204 West Third (Bernstein & White location), Geo. Baumann, proprietor; and next door west; . at the Sorenson location on North Locust, on the alley on west side of street; at Koehler hotel location, now fruit and confectionery store; in the Roth building on Wheeler street ; Nick Weinrich location, 308 W. Third; at the Mint location, 116 E. Third; Schlitz loca- tion, 123 E. Third; and several locations on Front street. On the other hand, after the saloons closed, some of the most desirable locations were turned over to other lines of business and, notably the locations now oc- cupied by Pizer's Smart shop and Schu- macher's Meat shop, given beautiful new fronts. Kauman location at 107 E. Third is now occupied by a tractor and road machinery concern, as also the Buenger location; the Golden Gate location at 124 E. Third was first occupied by Brown's cafe and now by a fruit store; the Opera House location is now used by Willman's clothing store, and the Vienna building corner by a new clothing store recently started there. Though twenty- eight saloons stopped two years ago, Grand Island's growth has taken up practically every vacant store-room left in the city.

BARBER SHOPS

. This is another line of business that changes hands too often to allow mention of every shop. But yet a short resume will show some startling proprietorships in Grand Island, as to the length of time-certain shops have been under one management. A business that keeps up with the growth of the community and is essential enough to stay on top of the rising tide of prices is a permanent factor in the community life. A shop such as Theo. Bern- stein's, operated at 312 West Third, before 1890 and there under the same management until 1914, and later known as Martin's shop, has been operated from the time of five and ten cent shaves, through the fifteen cent per- iod, and if it was still continuing under that management would be operating on the twenty-five cent basis recently established. Another location long maintained is 116 N. Locust, by Sowles & Nelson, Nelson & Franz, W. W. Nelson, and A. N. Foxhaven. The Palmer House barber shop was maintained for many years, at times by Phillips & Sowles, C. W. Nelson, Wm. F. Krause, R. V. Wiley. O. H. Tracy ran a shop on Locust street in the 'nineties; the Palace shop at 121 East Third preceded the 'nineties ; N. I. Augustine established a shop in the 115 East Third loca- tion about 1900 and conducted it there until about 1913 or 1914, when E. S. Fairbanks ran it for several years and recently sold it. Seward W. Johnson, colored, ran a shop for ten or twelve years at 108 N. Pine and later on Walnut street. The Puritan shop at 110 N. Pine is a well-known one. Paul H. Hay- man's earlier shop at 220 S. Pine was later superceded by his shop at 120 North Pine which has been going for a number of years. C. W. Marsh opened a shop about 1912 at 114 West Third. There has been a shop for some time in the basement of the Hedde building. Frank Donner had the 115 North Locust location for some years, succeeding the Hainline shop some ten or twelve years ago. W. H. Smith succeeded to the 110 N. Pine location about ten years ago. The pres- ent shops are those in the Hedde building,

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under Sterne's clothing store; under the State Bank of Grand Island at Third and Locust ; the Koehler hotel shop; one in the Ryan building; the 117 E. Third location ; 204 West Third; 114 N. Pine; Grace's pool hall; Hangas' pool hall, 212 E. Third; Wheeler street shop; 110 N. Pine; 106 E. Fourth, and possibly several others.

LIVERY, FEED AND SALE STABLES

In the first fifty years of the history of Grand Island, the livery, feed and sale barn was a distinctively serviceable institution to the tourist, the traveller, the farmer who came to town to trade, and residents in general. But the sale business is now handled at the Horse Barns, the feed is sold, from feed stores, and the livery business has all but given way to the automobile industry.

Since the days of the Michelson barn, sit- uated on the alley between Third and Front on the west side of Pine, and its mate, the Fonner barn across the street, numerous barns have come and gone in Grand Island. Proba- bly the barn location that held forth in that line the longest was that of Frank Corkins at 306 East Third. This barn was running in the late 'eighties and was still there in 1910. The American Feed, Livery and Sale Stable of John Fonner continued until about 1890. John Windolph's barn was conducted in the 'seventies, and the C. E. Jerome livery barn was running as early as 1876 and as late of 1892. About 1891 it moved from 313 East Fourth to 307 East Front. Other barns running in the late 'eighties were: Geo. P. Hansen, 113 N. Elm; Banks Brothers, 213 E. Front; J. C. Pederson & Co., 202 East Fourth ; C. D. M. Washburn, 205 East Front ; Adam Windolph, 113 West Front; and early in the 'nineties, O. U. Wescott's barn took the 202 East Front location. C. D. M. Washburn conducted a dray line for years, and his last location was a barn on the present site of the Y. M. C. A. building at First and Locust. The Corkins business was conducted under various names, F. Corkins & Co., Corkins & Countney, and Frank Corkins. J. G. Knowles' barn at 124 North Sycamore was running in

the later 'nineties. By 1900 the list of barns had settled down to about the following: Jas. Detlefson at 313 W. Second, near the present public library site, a site that has recently been cleared off entirely and a new store build- ing constructed thereon; E. G. Howell barn at 110 South Elm; J. Windnagel's barn on West Third; Corkins & Co .; J. E. Hanna's barn at Wheeler and First, a location since replaced with the Nielsen Garage; W. H. Bordner's barn, successor to the J. C. Peder- son barn; Grand Island Feed Barn at 424 West Third; Wescott barn and Robert Halde- man's barn at Front and Sycamore.

Ed Miner started a barn at 308 East Third something like twelve years ago, and today This is one of the two livery businesses left in Grand Island. In fact a great many towns and cities, some of them considerably larger than Grand Island, are now without a single livery business left. The prevalence of the auto livery when roads are passable has made the livery business less paying, and when roads are such that automobiles cannot get through a livery business cannot be operated with any great degree of profit. Barns operating after 1907, not heretofore mentioned, have been, one near the Bradstreet & Clemens' site; Zink & Fletcher's on East Front; Palace stables, 112 S. Kimball avenue; W. C. Rhodes, 112 N. Oak, and same barn later by J. H. Davis; the Bordner barn at 22 East Third, continued by Kaumans & Maroney, Frank Gross, and Stewart & Black ; Niels T. Wheeler at the 222 South Wheeler, up to a short time ago when he went over to the automobile business.

BLACKSMITH SHOPS

While the blacksmith shop originally de- pended upon horses, wagons, and kindred farm equipment for business, it has not dis- appeared as fast as the livery barn. The blacksmith shop and the carriage shop have been able to switch over to repair work and various mechanical services in relation to auto- mobiles, trucks, and tractors, so that numerous shops are still operating, though undoubtedly not relying entirely on blacksmith work for their maintenance. Ed Hooper's old shop, Digitized by google

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maintained during the 'sixties and up until about 1890, was first located on the west side of Locust street about the present site of the Equitable Building & Loan building; and in 1887 was listed at 201 South Locust, the present North American Hotel site. C. E. Lykke's shop on west Third was operating in 1876 and remained in operation until about 1904 or 1905. Chas. Hofman worked in shops here as early as 1883, but started a shop in 1887, on South Spruce street. Gottlieb Heid- kamp came here in 1886 and A. Krall came in 1886 or 1887. Hofman's Spruce street location was taken by Krall & Heidkamp about 1896, and a little later Hofman started on Wheeler street, where he remained until his recent retirement from the business. Krall & Heidkamp moved over to 216 S. Locust a few years ago and are still operating a black- smith and machine shop there, right in the heart of the business part of the city. Other shops running by 1890 were H. Stratman's shop on Spruce between Second and Third which ran until a few years ago; Charles Murray's shop on Sycamore, between Third and Front; the Peter Nelson shop at 117 South Spruce, and E. Sorenson shop at 201 North Pine, the present location of the Brown Fruit Co. The two latter shops ran until about 1896 or 1897. The Spethman shop was located on Locust, between Third and Front in the 'nineties, and later M. C. Speth- man's shop on North Sycamore and finally at 214 East Third, a location still operated as the Spethman blacksmith shop and a car- riage shop with it. Another shop still operat- ing is the location at 412 West Third, the successor of C. E. Lykke's business, operated after Lykke's retirement by Johnson & Trent and now by Johnson & James. The old D. Spethman shop on 111 N. Sycamore was also operated by W. W. Farmer, Harry H. Bulck and H. W. Smith. The Chris Dalgas shop has been operated since about 1907 at 124 East Fourth. Other shops have been operated by M. L. Boquette at 214 N. Elm about 1900; A. T. Chrisman on Wheeler avenue about the same time; C. E. Huihn, near Bradstreet's

barns a few years ago, and Hamilton's on East Front about 1890.

Charles Hofman relates that he was the last man to shoe any oxen in this county, also the last man to shoe an Indian pony in Grand Island. Both of these incidents were in 1885, and mark the time of the passing of two important landmarks of pioneer life. Many ponies and oxen were brought down from Loup Valley or stopped off on the way through in the early days.

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS

This is another business that has withstood the inroads of the automobile industry, be- cause such an establishment can add power farm machinery to its stock, take on tractors and trucks and sell them along with wagons and plows. No matter which line of imple- ments a dealer may be handling, his manu- facturer can supply him tractors, trucks and engines as well as the hand and riding imple- ments and wagons and buggies. The history of the dealers along this line up until 1886 has already been traced. The year 1887 found the Henry Stratman stock on South Spruce running, and this business continued until recently when upon the death of the younger Stratman it was closed out, and a tire concern has taken over the last location at 120 S. Wheeler. In 1889 and 1890 implements were being handled by Stratman, Hann & Boehl, L. M. Bryan, Allison & Medberry, Peter Heintz, T. J. Hurford, Liniger & Metcalf store, C. E. Lykke and J. J. and J. B. Rogers. Stocks of agricultural implements were later handled by Grand Island Transfer, Storage & Commercial Co. at Front and Kimball; H. J. Palmer, at the rear of Wol- bach's on Pine street; Herman Bros. at 217 South Locust (the site of the present Com- mings garage) ; Plano Mfg. Co., Grand Island Banking building; Guy Self Feeder Co., Jones Bros. at 224 East Third; Matthiesen & Eggers and D. Matthiesen. The Lininger location at 217 South Locust was continued until about 1911 or 1912, most of the time as the Grand Island Implement Co. J. J. and B. J. Rogers

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operated for some time at Second and Locust, until about 1910 or 1911. With the Stratman stock retired, the three existing stocks of agricultural implements and kindred lines are of somewhat recent origin. J. H. Squires opened about 1893 or 1894 and a couple years later Upperman & Leiser took over his loca- tion and stock at 114 South Pine. This is the oldest of the present establishments in this line, and during 1919 has been reorgan- ized as G. A. Leiser & Co. D. Gilbert & Son started about twelve years ago, and recently D. Gilbert has taken over the argicultural implements at 415 W. Third, and his son has taken over the district agency for Maxwell automobiles at the same location. The recent addition to this line of business is the big plant of W. T. Detweiler Co. at Fifth and Pine streets. Mr. Detweiler came to Grand Island sometime ago, but has been running stores in a number of towns in this part of the state. Harry N. Oldson is local manager and this concern has constructed a large frame building for its stock.

ELEVATORS

Unlike some industries and commercial interests, the elevators at Grand Island handle more of a local territory, because they have competition at every town in the county. The old Sears elevator has already been spoken of ;

the B. & M. tracks. About 1890 the town had three or four elevators, the Grand Island Grain Co. at Walnut and Front; the Grand Island Milling & Elevator Co. plant on Green street and U. P. tracks; and Von Wasmer elevator on Burlington tracks. C. A. Peterson & Co. afterwards operated at Greenwich and U. P. tracks. S. N. Wolbach owned the elevator along the Union Pacific tracks dur- ing the last half of the 'nineties. The Louis A. Von Wasmer elevator was taken about 1896 by the Wilson Grain Co. with Oscar Wells as manager, and later by the McCloud Grain Co. and eventually by Oscar Wells & Co. Mr. Wells was manager of this institu- tion for a great many years, retiring early in 1918, when he sold the plant to the High-

land Grain Co. who is now operating it. About ten years ago the T. B. Hord Grain Co. took over the Walnut street elevator. The Farmer's Co-Operative and Educational Union is now constructing an elevator on the Union Pacific track west of the Hord elevator.

FLOUR AND FEED

This line of retail business has been largely handled by separate stores. Blunk Bros. sold flour and feed in the late 'eighties. Glade & Etting and Glade Milling Co. handled it to some extent in earlier days. A. D. Sears has been engaged in this business for over twenty-five years, on South Spruce street. B. F. Merrill, 302 East Third, Peterson & Co., and C. F. Rollins were dealing prior to 1890. In 1891 various dealers in this line were Grand Island Coal & Fuel Co., at Elm and Front; Adam Krombeck, Wheeler avenue; Marcus Sherman, 201 East Fourth; Grand Island Roller Mills and C. A. Peterson & Co. mills, and the elevators. Later dealers were W. H. Houser, A. R. Craig, Roberts & Son, L. K. Richard, Emmett Bros., E. Diehl, J. Olson & Son, S. P. Peterson, W. E. Palmer, and J. W. West who has been operating a store at 324 West Third for practically twenty years now.

LUMBER AND COAL

The lumber yards in the late 'eighties were also the L. A. Van Wasmer elevator built on . Bogue & Sherwood, 214 N. Pine; Grand Island Lumber Co. (successor of Hedde yard) which changed its name about that time to George A. Hoagland; Hall County Lumber Co. at Front and Sycamore, which yard was succeeded about 1896 by the Chicago Lumber Co .; North Platte Lumber Co. on Front street between Pine and Locust, and Chicago Lumber Co. then operating near Cedar and Front streets. The Hoagland yard has con- tinued in operation under that name until a few weeks ago local men organized and took complete control of the yard, under the new corporate name of Goehring-Sothman Com- pany.

The Chicago Lumber Co. is still in opera- tion here. The W. H. Harrison yard started about 1896, on Elm street, and the business 1 the business Digitized by

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is still operated by the W. H. Harrison Co. with Guy L. Harrison as president and Fred L. Harrison as secretary-treasurer. This com- pany operates a planing mill, an important industry, as well as their lumber and coal business. The C. E. Woodruff coal yard at 611 East Fourth, also handling lumber, was started about 1899 or 1900, and was taken over about 1910 by the Tidball Lumber Co. and a couple years later by the J. H. Yost Lumber Co. who have since moved and are now operating near Front and Sycamore streets. The Herman Nelson Lumber & Supply Co. has been operating at 216 North Walnut for the past seven or eight years.

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 41

Author: Buechler, A. F. (August F.), 1869- editor Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Pub. and Engraving Co. Number of Pages: 1011

Author: Buechler, A. F. (August F.), 1869- editor
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Lincoln, Neb., Western Pub. and Engraving Co.
Number of Pages: 1011