History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 42

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

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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).

its competitor in the coal business, W. S. Bordner & Sons, at 202 N. Walnut. The Geer-Harrison Co. began in 1893 as con- tractors, with L. T. Geer and J. D. Harrison as officers. It operated along that line until 1900 when the planing mill was built, and in 1906 the business was expanded along other lines. This company handles coal, planing work, and a general contracting business, with contracts in excess of $100,000 of new work at a time. At present R. L. Geer is president and treasurer and R. M. Geer secretary and the concern employs as many as thirty people and many of them the year around.

COAL

Coal has been handled practically all of the time by the various lumber yards, but there has been some separate coal businesses maintained in the city. The grain stores and elevators have also handled coal to some ex- tent. A. D. Sears has handled coal for a number of years; as do the T. B. Hord Grain Co. and Jno. W. West. Adolph Egge was operating a coal business in the late 'eighties and continued until about 1900. Kerr & King has the B. & M. coal yards at 611 East Fourth, afterwards handled by E. R. Kerr, and then C. E. Woodruff, until taken over by Tidball Lumber Co. and J. H. Yost Lumber Co. Other dealers have been Sweetwater Coal Mfg. Co. with offices at 108 North Elm street; Wm. Wasmer, Grand Island Grain Co., Grand Is-

land Coal & Fuel Co .; D. H. McCoy, McCoy & Marsh, J. H. Jones, and E. R. Farmer.

GROCERY STORES

There have been so many grocery stocks handled in Grand Island in the past thirty years that no pretense can be made here ct listing every one of them, but those which have been conducted for any length of time will be mentioned.

Veit & Roeser established a grocery business in the 'eighties, and operated together for a few years. Oscar Roeser then remained in the location at 115 West Third street, and for over thirty years this store has been con- This concern recently purchased and absorbed . ducted under the names of Oscar Roeser, Roeser & Co., and The Bee Hive Grocery. Mr. Roeser's two sons, Emil and Oscar Jr., are now associated with him. The store also handles a very extensive line of chinaware and crockery.

Louis Veit at the time of the dissolution of firm of Veit & Roeser removed to 120 East Third, where he conducted a grocery store until his death in 1908, after which time his widow, and since then his son, Oscar Veit, have managed the Louis Veit Co. A short time ago this company moved to 217 West Third street, where they are now operating.

M. L. Dolan was operating a store at 208 · West Third street before 1887, and about 1896 this was taken over by L. Neumeyer, who conducted it at that location until about seven years ago, when he moved to his present location, 311 West Third street.

Williams & Kerr were operating a grocery store at 302 West Third street prior to 1888. Later H. B. Kerr operated this stock for a time. By 1896 H. H. Glover was conducting a grocery stock at this location. For the past three or four years, Mattke & Gorman have operated a store in the rear of the Grand Island National Bank, on Wheeler street, with a Third street entrance through the Lorentzen dry goods store. While this location does not have the continuity of the others mentioned, it has been a grocery store location almost all of the time for the past thirty years.

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There has been a grocery store conducted at 117 S. Locust street, in the Opera House block, practically all of the time for the last thirty-two years. Elsner & Hess were at this location in 1887. They were succeeded by J. W. Cook, Daniel M. Wilt, and C. F. Haack, who later operated at 220 West Third. John Mckenzie was in this location for several years, until Bock Brothers took over the loca- tion. About 1912 Alvinus J. Bock started in at 213 West Second and Rudolph W. Bock

conducted by George Reese and Mrs. Emma Reese; J. H. Yund stock at 217 West Third, in operation prior to 1890 continued until after 1897; C. L. Haux stock at 101 East Third and succeeded by H. L. Pritchard, and afterwards in the Independent building con- tinued until after 1897. Stocks operated in 1887 which did not last very long thereafter were those of H. Bohn, on Fourth between Sycamore and Kimball; H. S. Elkins, later operated by J. L. Dinkle, at 213 S. Pine;

LISTEINE,

THIRD STREET, GRAND ISLAND, SHOWING INDEPENDENT BUILDING

retained the Opera House block location. He is now operating The Pure Food Grocery at the same old stand. In addition to these five established and long-continued locations there are a number of other locations showing rather long-continued proprietorships.

Other grocery businesses in operation prior to 1890 that continued for some years after- wards were: Hayden Brothers store on East Third; F. F. Fedder, at 214 West Second, which continued until after 1904; Hennings Brothers, at 212 West Fourth, which was taken over by Henry Reese and afterwards, about 1907 or 1908, the stock was moved over to 224 North Walnut, where it has since been continued by the Reese family, in recent years

J. W. West, and later by Hill & Reider in Masonic block; Frank Judson at 218 West Third; J. W. Liveringhouse, 124 East Third; Hathaway store at 402 West Third; John Riss at 420 West Fourth; S. W. Smith at 112 West Third; E. A. Stevens, Sixth and Walnut; H. Thomas at 215 East Third. Among the grocery stores established during the 'nineties, which were later discontinued, were: Grand Island Grocery at 305 West Third, afterwards called the Cash Grocery House (this being the Cleary location), carried on until after 1904; The Meyer & Co. store at Third and Spruce; John Herman . store at 406 West Third; J. T. Connell, 102 East Sixth; John W. Cook, 404 N. Plum,

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a location ten years later used for a grocery stock by T. C. Keefe.

Among the grocery stores which were started since 1900 and afterwards discon- tinued, merged, or otherwise disappeared, were: J. C. Gerspacher store at 219 West Third; W. C. Campbell at 103 East Third which was conducted for something like twelve years ; L. M. Gaver at 112 East Third, but Mr. Gaver's store at 223 North Wheeler was sold recently and is still in operation ; B. & M. store at Fifth and Plum, later ope- rated by Herman King, though there is still a small store at that corner; Scott store at 414 N. Plum; Rasmussen store at 524 E. Fourth; Hub Grocery, Sixth and Pine streets ; J. H. Wilson Co., 422 N. Fourth; Golden Rule on West Ninth; R. A. Odum, 813 N. Oak; and numerous stores in recent years that may have been overlooked.

Among the businesses now operating that have been continued for some time, are the following: Bee Hive, Bock's, Neumeyers, Mattke & Gorman's, and L. Veit Co. have already been named. About 1907 Ferdinand Seebohlm opened at Second and Wheeler a stock which William Veit for the past ten or eleven years has operated as the Second Street Cash Grocery, but in 1919 it is being closed out, as Mr. Veit is entering the real estate and insurance business with Theo. P. Boehm. Corl Brothers on Third street opened in recent years a cash basket grocery; A. J. Burkey started the store at 320 W. Koenig, which location Fred Nable had used for his bakery for a number of years; for the past five years Mrs. Minnie Graham has operated this Koenig street grocery ; another enterpris- ing grocery in that neighborhood is that of Lafe Campbell, at 422 South Locust; and another neighborhood grocery further west is the Uneeda Grocery, 519 S. Greenwich. The Sanitary grocery at 323 W. Third, operated by Howard Garrett has been running for about three or four years; the Star grocery at 401 West Third, formerly operated by H. N. Oldson, and now by Geo. Nelson, and before that this location was occupied by Alden Bros. was operated by S. H. Ferguson in the

'nineties. The Kelso grocery now at 413 N. Walnut was formerly operated by J. A. Kelso, up until his death, at 324 West Sixth. John Knickrehm has been in the grocery business at 102 West Fourth for practically twenty years, opening about 1900. The F. N. Rask store has operated at 220 East Fourth for practically ten years. The B. W. Monk store at 523 East Fourth is, more recent but a store was operated for over twenty years at 524 East Fourth by Wm. Becker, S. E. Connor, Dennon & Son, and later by R. L. Davis. H. P. Hansen has been in business at 220 East Fourth and at 202 East Fourth for twelve or fourteen years. Something like twenty-three years .ago Jens Olsen was conducting a store at 205 East Fourth, which is now operated at 201-205 East Fourth by Frank I. Olsen. The U. P. Cash grocery on East Third was recently established. T. F. Costello's store at 102 East Sixth in recent years has become the Ideal Grocery store; Frank K. Buell is operating at 619 North Eddy, and was formerly listed at 723 West Eighth. he L. P. Christensen store is at 114 East Fourth. W. T. Zook runs the College Addition store near the Old Soldiers' Home; there has in recent years been a store operated.by Geo. Weiderspohn at 505 East Koenig; Wilke's Cash grocery is located at 912 N. Kimball; in recent years stores have been operated at 602 West Fourth and 924 West Eighth. T. M. Sharp until recently operated a store at 817 South Locust. Another neighborhood resi- dential district store has been at 1402 W. Third; Jordon residential grocery, 504 E. Sixth. Other stores now operating through the various portions of the city are, Alexander Bros. at 207 West Eleventh ; Baker's grocery. 412 N. Washington ; Boldt's grocery, 520 N. Walnut; R. A. Carson grocery, 1302 W. Fourth; the Corner grocery at 1103 W. Eighth ; the store at 524 West Eighth, form- erly conducted by Edward Jones, by Isaac Highland, and recently by W. D. Highland, and known as the North Side Basket Store; Peter R. Jensen, groceries, 822 W. Fifth; Kallos & Kallos, 105 N. Locust; Thos.

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Maloney Grocery at 610 N. Locust; A. Mc- Dowell confectionery at 402 W. Fourth with some groceries; Model Grocery, 604 E. Fourth; Gordon L. Neligh, 505 E. Sixth; Otto Pfatsch meat market and grocery, 316 N. Sycamore; Chas. Rose & Son's Grocery at 712 N. Cleburn; Alex Scheibel grocery, 515 N. Beal; and Hitchcock-Hill Co. on South Walnut, wholesalers-to-consumer, and a Con- sumers and Producers Mercantile Association is expecting to establish a cooperative store.

This leaves a few recent stores, which the owners have sold or discontinued, not mentioned; among these being, Awe & Hen- drickson at 815 N. Oak; B. H. Tivis at 824 W. Eighth and G. A. Thomas at 602 W. Fourth ; C. G. Wetzel at 215 E. Fourth ; Chas. Wicker, 607 W. Fourth; G. W. Brady, 1302 W. Fourth; Chas. H. Stall, E. Fifth; Leslie C. Poore, N. Wheeler; W. H. Mader, 207 W. Eleventh. This list enumerating thirty- four groceries outside of the downtown busi- ness district, in addition to eleven downtown stores will indicate somewhat the extent of the growth of Grand Island and how the town has spread out.

MEAT MARKETS

Many of the groceries have handled meats, but, nevertheless, there have been numerous separate markets throughout the past thirty years.

There has been a market in the Opera House block on South Locust street a good share of the time for the past thirty years. Alter & Glover were operating there in 1887; H. Linderman followed at 113 South Locust; P. F. Fischer was in the Opera House block during the late 'nineties ; in 1907, Lee & Cord- ing operated there, and F. W. Fuller followed about 1907. Henry Maass had a market in that block about 1910 at 113 S. Locust; dur- ing the war the Equine Packing Company established a market for their products in the Masoinc building, which closed out, and recently Shultz & Fillmore have opened the Locust street market there, selling it to Bockhahn Bros.

James Fonner had a market at 112 East

Third in 1887, which lasted about four or five years longer; other markets running at that time which disappeared within a few years were: C. L. Howell, 119 W. Third; J. W. Miller, 213 W. Fourth; J. G. Rocka- fellow, 116 N. Locust; Fred Stehr, 213 W. Second, which market was afterwards con- ducted by Mitchell & Blake and Otto L. Guenther; Henry Stehr was at 215 East Fourth; he was followed by Shrist Meyer.

For the Fonner market at 112 East Third, some claim of continuity could be laid, as Kuestner & Schwaiger took this location over about 1896 and continued there until they moved to 213 West Third, later this business was taken over by Kuestner & Ehlers, and now R. M. Kuestner runs it at 215 West Third as the Central Market. Richard Guen- del operated at 220 West Fourth, and W. D. Hanchett succeeded him in that location, and Guendel opened at Fourth and Pine. There has been a market at Pine and Fourth prac- tically continuously. It was operated about 1910 as the North Pine market, and later by Otto Prautsch, and for the past five or six years by Wm. F. Fremhke, the present pro- prietor. Short time occupancies were those of C. H. Watts at 213 W. Second, Pridemore and Long at 406 N. Plum, Geo. Cornelius at 116 N. Locust, Hill & Rockafellow, 111 W. Third, all dating about 1890. Meier & Schim- mer, at 223 W. Third, Wm. Meier, and Meier & Weise at 113 W. Third, was a business that continued for some time ; John Meier operated at the 223 W. Third stand and later at 307 W. Third, and Bonson's market succeeded him. Jas. Hall at Pine and Sixth in the early 'nineties; C. G. Hansen at the same location, Jos. Drury, and Chas. Stall, East Fifth, were other short time occupancies. Numerous markets not mentioned here have been conducted in connection with grocery stocks.

The markets now operating in the city are Kueser's Central market; Shultz Bros, suc- cessor of the market at 222 West Second, operated heretofore by Krehmke & Fillmore ; Krehmke & Gaver, Kremke & Cords, and William Meier ; Shultz & Fillmore's newle

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Locust street market; H. Schumacher & Son's market at 113 S. Wheeler, established about three years ako; the Wm. F. Krehmke market at Fourth and Pine; the Star market at 402 West Third; the Sanitary market at 319 W. Third, successor to the business es- tablished by Kloppenberg & Kraft some three or four years ago; Peoples Meat Market, 204 E. Fourth, Bockhahn Bros., N. Locust street, and numerous markets connected with grocery stores throughout the city.

ments. Paul O. Weinhold was in the bakery business through the 'nineties, at 218 West Second, 423 W. Second, 415 and 423 W. Third, and finally in recent years at 1217 West Division, until he closed out in 1918. William Ivers has been in the bakery business for some years, recently at his present location, 104 East Third. Other bakeries that ran for a short period were A. G. Lastey, 914 W. Third; Titus Wholesale Baking Co. at the 218 W. Second location; M. V. Powers, 111 East

THIRD STREET, GRAND ISLAND, MIDDLE NINETIES

BAKERIES

The list of bakeries somewhat conflicts with the confectionery roster. The pioneer baker of the last thirty years was Fred Nabel, who was running a bakery back in the 'seventies, and continued until about twelve years ago. His location in the 'eighties was on the present site of the Woolworth ten cent store, but in the late years of his business career was at 320 W. Koenig street. Henry Thiessen con- tinued that business a short time, and then a grocery store went in there and the store building-house combined is still used for a grocery. The A. Beer bakery at 309 W. Third was continued into the 'nineties as the Palace Bakery and later by John W. West. J. P. Voitle operated in the 'nineties at 223 East Front. For years the Union restaurant and Vienna restaurant conducted bakery depart-

Front in 1887; Wm. Robinson at 509 E. Fourth, form 1893 to about 1896 or 7; Elite Bakery, 111 West Third; Model Bakery, 414 West Third; G. I. Bakery, 213 East Fourth and Cottage Bakery, 217 East Fourth. The bakeries now operating in the city are: The Monogram Bakery, conducted by Robert Teviotdale, one of the largest bakeries in the state; Ernst's Bakery at 419 West Third: Regan's Bakery in Opera house block; Ivers' Bakery at 104 East Third; Star Bakery at. 321 West Third; Sanitary Bakery at West Third; Larkin's Bakery, which recently gave up its room for Geddes Furniture Co's expan- sion ; Christ Kost Bakery on East Third.

ICE DEALERS

In 1887 there were three ice dealers in the city : Gustave Koeh'er, with Office at 123 East

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Front. Mr. Koehler furnished ice for the next twenty years, and during the following two or three years John Koehler handled ice. The other dealers in 1887 were Lafayette Meyers, 120 N. Walnut and Andrew Ott, 1113 West Charles. They each discontinued a few years later and Koehler had the field alone until about 1900 when the Grand Island Electric Light, Ice and Cold Storage Co. opened an ice business at Pine and Fourth, making artificial ice. About 1907 Martin Schimmer furnished ice from his lake. About 1910 the Fairmont Creamery Co. offered artificial ice. Cornelius Rauert served from Wasmer lake for a short time in the 'nineties; C. Elwood Kent was in the business for a short time from 1910, and so was J. H. Jones, serving from Ott's Pond at that same time: Gus Thavanet started about 1912 and the Wood River Ice Co. until the winter of 1918- 1919 left so little natural ice to cut that in the spring of 1919 he decided to turn his equipment to the sand hauling busi- ness and while working on it sustained an injury that resulted in his death. C. J. Palmer, with an artificial ice plant, is the only retail dealer in the summer of 1919. The Loup Valley Packing Co. offers ice in ton lots or more, and a new organization has been formed to cut natural ice this coming winter.

DRY GOODS AND SHOES

In 1887, of course, Wolbachs had been run- ning all through the 'eighties. L. A. Pease & Co. at 220 W. Third; E. A. Stevens at Sixth and Walnut; C. A. Wiebe, 201 W. Third (Sterne's present locatien), who had been run- ning for several years then; Boston Store, 119 S. Locust and J. D. Cowie, 110 W. Third, constituted the other stores. The Cowie store was continued by Ed W. Thomas and E. Walker & Sons until about ten years later. Hayden Brothers store changed its location a couple of times, finally being at 212 . West Third, about where the new First National Bank building is, and remained in business here for about twenty years longer, though in the meantime they commenced a very suc- cessful department store business in Omaha, to

which they eventually exclusively devoted their attention.

P. D. Martin & Co. opened the One Price Cash Store, at 123 West Third (Alexander's presnet location) and later moved to East Third street and finally to the present location of the P. Martin & Bro. store at 208-212 West Third. H. H. Glover Co. opened with dry goods and shoes at Third and Locust about 1896, but. shortly after that were at 302 W. Third, and this store was continued by Mr. Glover until about 1914 when H. J. Lorentzen

THIRD, EAST OF LOCUST STREET, GRAND ISLAND, 1919

took it over, and he is still located at that place. A. C. Menck started at 104 West Fourth, around 1904, but that location was afterwards taken by Geo. Loan, then by Perley A. Dennon, and lastly by Geo. Allerheiligen. In the meantime Mr. Menck re-opened at 122 West Fourth, where he still remains in busi- ness. J. S. Johnson was in business a short time at 220 West Third. The Grand Dry Goods Co. (A. W. Taylor) opened at 307 West Third, later ran as A. W. Taylor Co. at 221 West Third, and this stock was taken over about five years ago by the O. C. Thompson Co. who are conducting it at the latter location. The Golden Rule, or J. C. Penney Co. store was installed in Grand Island some four or five years ago and is operating at 309 west Third. L. M. Drew operated a small general store across from the post-office in 1900. The more recent additions to the dry goods busi- ness are two exclusive ladies' furnishings and ready-to-wear shops installed within the last three years, A. E. Nagelstock and (J. B.) Pizer's Smart Shop, both on West Third

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street. The Woolworth 5 and 10 cent Store, 218-220 West Third, handles many features of a dry goods line, and David Kaufman's 5 to 25 cent store at 214-216 West Third, handles some dry goods.

THE WOLBACH STORE

The site for this store, at the southwest corner of Third and Pine streets, was selected

and Michael S. Wolbach moved to Beatrice, Nebraska, and S. N. and J. S. Wolbach con- tinued the business. In 1880 they erected the first brick store building in Grand Island or Hall County, and despite the fears of many of their friends that this was entirely too ad- venturous an undertaking for this new com- munity, their faith has been justified many times over. In 1884, Jacob S. Wolbach sold

1874.

Here since the Indians

Bound for California Gold Fields

bak Wageni.

WOLBACH STORE, GRAND ISLAND, 1874

in December, 1873. A frame building was started which was completed in March, 1874, Michael Wolbach came to Grand Island at about the former time. In 1874 Jacob S. Wol- bach, who had been in the retail dry goods business in New York city, and Jacob S. Wol- bach opened the business here. Samuel N. Wolbach did not come until the fall of 1874. The frame building was soon outgrown and other frame buildings were added in the latter 'seventies. In 1880 the first firm was dissolved,

his interest to S. N. Wolbach, who continued the business until 1901 when his sons, E. J. and Emil Wolbach, assisted in the business, and later on were admitted to membership in the firm of S. N. Wolbach & Sons. Further ad- ditions to the store were made in 1884 and 1890, and later with the purchase of the Alexander building and the installation of thoroughly modern store front to the entire frontage of 110 feet by 132 feet, occupying Digitized by Google

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three floors of the building on these five business lots.

SHOE STORES

Shoes had been handled by most of the dry goods and many of the clothing stores. But there have been a few exclusive shoe stores in the city. Knapp Bros., 106 W. Third and R. L. Null at that location were in business around 1890. The long-continued exclusive shoe stock in the city has been that of De-

LOCUST, NORTH OF THIRD STREET, GRAND ISLAND, 1919

cauter & Beegle which has been running since about 1893, for a full quarter of a century now. It has been located at 112 West Third, the present location of the First National Bank next door east, present location of Nagelstock's; and at 119 West Third, its present location. The Cincinnati Shoe Store at 206 West Third was in operation about 1900; C. B. Kugler handled shoes about 1908, and the Shoe Market, the second exclusive shoe store, at 113 West Third, started in about four years ago. This business is now managed locally by E. A. Nicholson. The Pulver and other repair shops have handled shoes at vari- ous times.

At the present time some of the repair shops in the city are : Charles D. Pulver, 109 N. Wal- nut; Geo. J. Schreefer, Frohberg building, E. Third; G. I. Elec. Shop, 102 E. Fourth; at 107 S. Locust ; 111 S. Walnut and Mickelson block on Pine street.

CLOTHING BUSINESS

Stores that handled clothing during the 'eighties were : Dexter & Shonstrom, 111 W. Third, run by G. A. Dexter in 1887; Marcus & Co., 119 E. Third; C. A. Wiebe; Wolbachs ;

The Rival, 206 West Third. The Dexter store discontinued about 1888. The Marcus store was carried on for ten years or so longer, as Marcus & Lebovitz, M. Marcus & Co., and W. Lebovitz respectively. Max Kalman later opened up in this location twelve or fourteen years ago and is still running there. Wool- stenholm & Sterne opened a little over thirty years ago at 103 E. Third (McAllister block, about where Gaston Music Co. is now located) and continued there a few years, moving about 1893 to the Independent building, at the south- west corner of Third and Locust where the store still continues in operation, now under. the management of A. W. Sterne. Geo. W. Price & Co. opened at 103 E. Third after Woolstenholm & Sterne moved; and the next store to go in there was that of Sam Hexter, who left Wolbach's store about 1900 and started his own store.

Gus M. Friend had been running at Third and Locust, the Alexander location now. About 1904 Sam Hexter moved to this location and continued in business there until about 1911 or 1912, when he sold the stock out to Wolbach's, and the building belonging to Mr. Thummel was also acquired by Wolbach's. In 1

LOCUST, SOUTH OF THIRD STREET, GRAND ISLAND, 1919

the meantime Alexander & Willman had opened at 109 West Third, which is now the west room of Wolbach's store. A short time later a trade or deal was made whereby Wol- bach's acquired the Alexander & Willman room for the further expansion of their store and John Alexander acquired the building at 123 West Third, and moved a stock to that location, where he is now running. C. H. Will- man then went to 123 South Locust street. t street, Pole Digitized by

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 42

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