History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 57

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 57

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).

These are a few of the startling cases where the parents were in impoverished circum- stances. A great many minor defects were discovered where the parents were able and glad to get them corrected.

The federation work since it has been taken into the state federation of women's clubs (two years ago) has taken part in the move- ments in which the women of the state are working. But as a local organization they do a great deal of charity work for mothers and children.

The individual clubs work toward meeting

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the needs of their own districts, the play Chamberlain, president, Mrs. J. E. Buck, vice- ground equipment, sanitary conditions of the schools, etc.

Each child has worked in the Red Cross war work. At the Jefferson club the knitting department under Mrs. Colwell and Mrs. D. A. Geil made 498 sweaters, 122 pair socks, 6 helmets, 11 pair half hands, 40 pair wristlets. They were Mrs. Clark's best bunch of knitters. The sewing department under Mrs. Chamber- lain also turned in a great deal of work.

The Dodge and Wasmer clubs under Mrs. Buck and Mrs. Wright combined their efforts, working together in both sewing and knitting. They took the scraps from the cutting room, sewed carpet rags and sold rugs.

The Platt school, with Mrs. W. W. Ray as knitting instructor, turned in a creditable amount of work.

The Jefferson has always held the lead among the clubs but the Howard this year with Mrs. Engleman as president ran them a close second.

The Jefferson during the time Mrs. Mc- Grath was president instituted the "penny lunch" where the under-nourished could get a glass of milk or a cup of cocoa and a sand- wich for a penny, or if the penny were lack- ing a kind teacher slipped a ticket for the lunch to the needy child. They and the Lin- coln mothers have served for the needy and they have also furnished Christmas baskets to those who would appreciate them most.

Some of the clubs have helped in buying victrolas and records for the schools and at decorating school floats at fair time. Each school has bought an emergency kit for its own school and. each has yearly entertained the "21 Club" boys.

The greatest benefit to the club members themselves has been in getting together on things of common interest and the develop- ment of a community spirit. The federation officers for the present year are: Mrs. D. E.

pesident, Mrs. B. R. McGrath, second vice- president, Mrs. Fred Miller, secretary-treas- urer.

THE WOMAN'S CLUB

There has at various times in the past been a Woman's club flourishing in Grand Island, devoted to the civic purposes best suited to a woman's organization. But recently a re- vival of interest in this civic obligation of the women has brought about a new organiza- tion, which while not exactly an auxiliary of the commercial club, is intended to carry on similar objects which the women can best undertake for the community.

The new Woman's club of Grand Island was organized in the summer of 1919. Two preliminary meetings were held by a few inter- ested women and then on the 18th of June at the city library a mass meeting was held with nearly fifty present. A constitution was adopted which was signed by those present. The officers elected for the first year were: Mrs. C. G. Ryan, president, Mrs. W. A. Prince, first vice-president, Mrs. A. J. Bau- mann, second vice-president, Mrs. Ward Hurst, secretary, Miss Ruth Boyden, corre- sponding secretary, Mrs. R. D. Kingsbury, treasurer.

The object of this club can best be given' in the words used in its constitution: "to pro- mote fellowship among the women of this community, to unite their influence and enter- prise for the betterment of educational, social and moral conditions."

A most interesting plan for the first year's work has been mapped out and there will be several departments to begin with and others will no doubt be added before the year is very far along. The St. Cecilia Society, a prominent musical organization of Grand Is- land, has become the music department of the new Woman's Club.

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CHAPTER XXI ORGANIZED LABOR IN HALL COUNTY

KNIGHTS OF LABOR IN THE EIGHTIES - RAILROAD ORGANIZATIONS - CENTRAL LABOR UN- ION IN HALL COUNTY - OFFICIAL UNION ROSTER - AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LA- BOR - GROWTH IN MEMBERSHIP

It has not heretofore been so very custo- mary in a work of this kind to form a separ- ate chapter for organized labor. But when it is considered that something like 15% of 20% of the population of Grand Island, whose population is practically one-half of that of Hall County, belong to the Central L'abor Union, it is readily apparent that labor is very much entitled to a full separate historical treatment of its organized activities as many other lines of community endeavor which are always selected for a rather comprehensive historical treatment.

Professor Commons, one of the authors of a work recently published entitled "A history of labor," states in its introduction that "the history of labor is a story of how, in the course of three centuries, the wage-earner, as a distinct class, has been gradually, even violently, separating himself from the farmer, the merchant, and the employer, and coming to feel that his standing and progress in so- ciety depend directly on wages and not direct- ly on prices, rents, profits, or interest."

Organizations of laborers to accomplish certain specified aims and objects began to appear in this country more than a hundred years ago.

Probably the first well organized move- ment to effect Hall County along this line was the local organization of the Knights of Labor, in the 'eighties. This secret order had been formed in 1869 by Uriah Smith Stephens, a native American, educated for the Baptist ministry, but who had learned

the tailoring trade for a livelihood. The secret ritual of the order as written by Stephens pro- claimed that "open and public association har- ing failed after a struggle of centuries to pro- tect or advance the interest of labor, we have lawfully constituted this assembly," and "in using this power of organized effort and co- operation we but imitate the example of capital heretofore set in numberless instances."

The great activity of the Knights of Labor as a national organization began about 1880. and it grew until in 1886 it numbered 5,892 assemblies of a total membership of 702,924. In the Hall County assembly among the lead- ers were masters Alton Avery, Wm. F. Laugh. lin, F. Hall and secretaries M. C. Beecher. T. A. Oakes, and J. Lorentzen.

But in a few years the Knights of Labor declined and the American Federation of La- bor increased and gradually supplanted the former movement. The Industrial Workers of the World has thrived among certain more transient and irresponsible elements of labor. and at times threatened to assume the propor- tions of a rival to the American Federation of Labor, but the latter has persistently pro- claimed a separate path and avowed no con- nection with the now somewhat discredited "I. W. W." movement. The aroused sympa- thetic interest of the public in the labor ques- tion has in recent years produced some re- sults along lines for which organized labor is contending and striving: workmen's com- pensation laws, factory inspection laws. hours fixing maximum daily or weekly hours of Digitized by weebly l'e

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work. provisions for one day's rest in seven, prohibition of night work, child labor laws, minimum wage laws for women, and estab- lishment of a separate department in the na- tional cabinet for labor, and in our own state a separate department in the new administra- tive system of state government for labor are manifestations of results accomplished in an orderly way by this movement.

Though the path of labor is frequently dis- turbed by strikes, with which many of the public violently disagree in principle and re- sist the disturbance and inconvenience, to that third party which is often ignored in a violent controversy between workers and employers, the public, yet this phase of our community life is rapidly growing in strength.

A manifestation of its importance locally may be gathered by the recent action of organ- ized labor in Hall County in putting forth a candidate for the delegateship to the consti- tutional convention from this county - a member of the coppersmiths of boilermaker's ·union, George Grady.

There have been a few organizations com- posed of men of a certain trade or calling for a good many years throughout the country and a good many of these have been recog- nized in Hall County and locals have flourished here.

RAILROAD ORGANIZATIONS

Practically since the beginning of Grand Island's history an important industry in the city has been the railroad.

. ..

The John D. Moore lodge No. 134, Brother- hood of Railroad Trainmen, was organized in September, 1885. Details as to who have been the presiding officers of this lodge cannot be given, as the present secretary refused this information to the compiler. But it may be said this local organization has had a long and useful career. The national head of this order, W. G. Lee, is one of the big men of organized labor of this day, and a man who recently in the discussion and agitation over the high cost of living and profiteering throughout the country delivered one of the

clearest and most pertinent statements of any national figure in the country today.

Early in the 'nineties several railroad organ- izations were formed here. The Switchman's Mutual Association, Grand Island Lodge No. 151 was one of these. W. R. Brown was master in 1890-1891 and F. B. Manley after him. Thos. Hanly, M. J. Cleary and R. C. Dunham were secretaries about that time. An- other local organization was the Railway Em- ployees Club, Monroe Taylor, of the freight office, president, and H. Warner, railroad clerk, secretary.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen do not have local lodges at Grand Island, but the enginemen running in and out of here mostly belong to the locals at Omaha or North Platte. . The Order of Railway Conductors, Grand Island Division No. 514, was organized March 22, 1908, with the following charter members : J. W. Amick, T. F. Costello, Wm. Burke, H. W. Jones, J. B. Kirsh, T. T. Pace, Gid J. Hall, I. V. Woods, Geo. J. Hull, W. H. Brooks, G. B. Brady, Grant Hadlock, H. G. Quiggle, F. W. Mappes, Jr., Leo A. Westover, J. H. Scholder, Roy E. Woodworth, Geo. H. Kanouff, Chas. F. Hull and Edward D. Wright. Geo. C. Wilson is secretary of this lodge.

The roster of present labor unions and lodges in the city will disclose other organiza- tions now existing, which are composed of railroad employees.

IN THE PAST

There have been numerous organizations formed from callings outside of railroad work in the past years.

A union or lodge of Blacksmiths, Horse- shoers and Wheelwrights Association of America thrived in Grand Island for a good many years. D. Spethman served as secre- tary.

The Cigarmakers' International Union of America was well organized here ten to fif- teen years ago, with C. H. Steinmeier, secre- tary. The officers in 1919 are Chris. Neilsen

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and Lawrence Hann, and there are still six- teen members, though the local organization was formerly stronger than that.

CENTRAL LABOR UNION

A recent step toward giving organized la- bor considerably more strength in Grand Is- land has been the growth of the Grand Island Central Labor Union. This organization has now some twenty-six or twenty-eight active unions federated together, with a membership in excess of two thousand.

Under the secretaryship of Harry H. Long this Central Labor Union made material prog- ress and enlarged its quarters from a small labor temple on South Locust to large spacious quarters in the Glover building. Mr. Long has now left this position and taken up work for The American Federation of Labor. Geo. Grady and Gus Hein are the secretaries in charge of the work of the Central Labor Union at this time.

Some of the very active local unions now flourishing in Grand Island are:

United Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and Railway Shop Laborers; organized in 1918, with a membership of 238 at this time; W. A. Davidson, E. I. Madison and R. F. Walker are the officers.

Stationary Firemen and Oilers, organized October 1, 1918, membership 79, Wm, Stolten- berg, H. Brown and Bert Rowland officers.

Brotherhood of Railroad Clerks organized, October, 1918, 73 members, Vernon Arbogast and W. L.Burnett Officers.

International Association of Machinists, Grand Island Lodge, No. 565, organized July 9, 1918, Jos. O. Donnell and C. B. Neimann are officers.

Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, organ- ized August 3, 1911, has 147 members now, and officers are Chris Birk, Otto Gruse, A. M. Bensen, Chris Michelson, and R. Shadd.

Bricklayers and Masons International Union of America, No. 8 was chartered July 11, 1911. Its first officers were Geo. Weber, W. S. Dewey, H. P. Lassen, Pete Larson was later president and Roy Calkins and W. S. Dewey

secretaries, and the present officers are H. P. Lassen, Chris Erickson and Fritz Alpers. The local now has 21 members.

Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Local 1386, organized Jan 12, 1903 with 47 members, and G. H. Meves, S. H. McAdams and Walter Whitacker are officers.

An official roster of some twenty of the pres- ent active organizations of the Central Labor Union, including some of those named above, follows : Barbers, No. 662, A. J. Maduna, Sec'y, Boilermakers, No. 475, Chas. Day. Sec'y, Bricklayers, No. 8 Chris Eriksen, Sec'y, Sheet Metal Workers, No. 556, L. Detlefsen, Sec'y, Plasterers, No. 611, C. O. Davis, Sec'y, Carpenters, No. 1386, S. H. McAdams, Sec'y. Machinists, No. 1061, C. B. Niemann, Sec'y. Painters, No. 434, F. C. Stevens, Sec'y, B. R. C. of A., No. 979, Otto Cruse, Sec'y, I. B. M. of W. E., No. 492, R. E. Walker, Sec'y, Wood River, Nebraska; State Fire- men, No. 371, Howard Brown, Sec'y, Bro. of R. R. C., No. 4, W. L. Burnett, Sec'y, U. B .- M. of W. E. R. S. L., No. 492, W. L. Camp- bell, G. I., Movie Operators, No. 495, W. P. Bemis, 'Sec'y, Cigarmakers, No. 196, Chris Neilsen, Sec'y, Plumbers, Mr Bensen, Sec'y, Mail Clerks, J. L. Humphrey, Sec'y, Mail Carriers, George Meyers, Sec'y, Blacksmiths. Dick Spethman, Sec'y, Retail Clerks, No. 328. Ella Heidkamp, Sec'y.

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR

The Grand Island Central Labor Union which has just been discussed is an integral part of the national body, the American Federation of Labor. Probably in no manner can the fact be so forcibly be brought out that organized labor has grown by leaps and bounds in the past thirty years beyond the con- ception of the average individual, than to take the space to detail a few points of the growth of the American Federation of Labor.

From a membership of approximately 50,- 000 in 1881 to 2, 371, 434 in 1917, the figures for 1918 and 1919 would be materially in excess of that were they immediately avail- able to the compilers of these pages.

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CHAPTER XXII

THE PRESS OF HALL COUNTY

FIRST PAPER, THE BANNER - PLATTE VALLEY INDEPENDENT - THE DAILY INDEPENDENT - GRAND ISLAND WEEKLY TIMES - THE DEMOCRAT - GRAND ISLAND ANZEIGER AND HER- ALD - CENTRAL NEBRASKA REPUBLICAN - THE FREE PRESS - UP TO DATE IDEAS - THE VOLANTE - MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS - WOOD RIVER, DONIPHAN AND CAIRO PAPERS

"The pen is mightier than the sword - we're told.

But what is either to a sharpened Faber? Paste-pot and scissors have a mighty hold And save a sight of heavy mental labor - But if you want a power - sturdy, bold - Archimedes' hand-spike, or Damocles' sabre - Give us a Washington, a Taylor or a Hoe And spondulicks enough to make the critter go.'

To the Mormons is accorded the honor of establishing the first newspaper in Hall County. The beginning of the press followed much closer upon the first settlement than the be- ginnings of even the organized churches and. schools. In the spring of 1858 the Mormons had a number of farms operating on Wood River and in that little community the first newspaper in Hall or adjoining counties was established by them. It was named the Banner, was owned by one Peck and edited by Joe E. Johnson. It was published under several different names, during its Nebraska residence, among them being the Huntsman's Echo. In the spring of 1863 it was moved away with the Mormons and when taken to Salt Lake, was rechristened The Mountain Bugle. The Banner was the evangelist of this Mormon tribe, sending out their teachings and doctrines, so it was of little use to the colonies of German Christians, or even the Catholic community coming into that section of the country. For the larger fraction of a decade these German colonists were compelled

to get their news from papers published at Chicago, or the faraway Fatherland.

In 1869 an enterprise was established at North Platte which eventually became the first permanent paper of Hall County, The Independent. This paper was established as the Platte Valley Independent, and issued on January 1, 1869 by Mrs. M. T. G. Eberhart and Seth P. Mobley. In their salutations they claimed for the new journal just what its name indicated.

As it was the only paper of the whole west- ern and north and south central sections of the state, west of Fremont, its pages were filled with advertisement and the news columns quite replete. On June 11, of that year, a bitter attack on J. P. Marston was made.

This brought forth an action for libel, and threatened a sale of the Independent to Barton & Park on June 25, but the withdrawal of suit and the dismissal of Marston as foreman of the Union Pacific shops averted that course. Mr. Mobley remained at North Platte as editor for some time, and issued the paper as the Advertiser. In the meantime headquarters were removed to Grand Island, with Mrs. Eberhart as resident editor. On July 2, 1870, Mrs. Eberhart as editress issued the first num_ ber of the Platte Valley Independent at Grand Island. She was a virile writer and became generally known over the state. The tone of the new paper was decidedly Republican when political affairs were under discussion, and the

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news columns were well filled. This journal was the advertising medium for all of this section of the state, and gained a foothold which it has since maintained. Later Mr. Mobley became associated in the business and publication of the paper in Grand Island and the association ripened into closer relations, Mrs. Eberhart and Mr. Mobley being married on December 9, 1871.

Mr. Mobley had been editor of the Fort Kearny Herald in 1865, before he had under- taken the enterprise that developed into the Iedependent. Mrs. Mobley was born in Limerick City, Ireland, and came to the United States with her parents in 1849, attended St.

INDEPENDENT BUILDING, GRAND ISLAND

Mary's convent at South Bend, Indiana, in 1852, after her father's death, taught school at Peoria, in 1864, removed to Omaha in 1867 and went to North Platte in 1869 where she taught school until she became connected with the new Independent. Both Mr. and Mrs. Mobley were very prominent in the Grange movement. Her Fourth of July addresses and lectures on statesmen and agriculture re- ceived some attention.

The Platte Valley Daily Independent, ap- peared on October 2, 18.73. In its salutatory paragraph, it announced :

It will appear at sun-up each morning, and in order that there may be no fears in regard to the permanency of its financial basis, we make both subscriptions and advertising rates payable weekly.

This daily issue ceased at the end of the political campaign during which it had made its appearance.

The Daily Fair Bulletin was issued from the Independent office September 18, 1878.

After the Mobleys had conducted the Inde- pendent during the dozen years preceding, in 1883 they made a sale to J. A. McMurphy of Plattsmouth, who had a week or so later sold to Fred Hedde. J. W. Liveringhouse was another proprietor who owned the paper during the time the Mobleys sold it, and Fred Hedde eventually took charge.

Early in 1883 a company of liberal men, who were dissatisfied with the political con- trol of the railroad monopoly and who desired a medium by which they might express more independent views, formed an enterprise that undertook the publication of what they termed The Anti-Monopolist These gentlemen were William Anyan, Fred Hedde, W. H. Thompson, and J. R. Thompson, afterwards district judge, Ed Hooper, Geo. Cornelius. This company did not exist very long and Fred Hedde in the course of 1883 acquired the whole establishment. When he purchased the Independent, and on July 18, 1884, became editor and owner, he united these two weeklies. retaining the name of The Independent and adopting the tendency of the anti-monopolist, a tendency peculiarly his own.

In the beginning of the year 1884 he estab- lished The Grand Island Daily Independ- ent, the first issue of which appeared in Jan- uary, 1884, and which has lived through all these years of struggle, varying adversity and prosperity, until it greets the year 1919, thirty- five years later with daily telegraphic service for over 7,000 subscribers and purchasers.

The first editor of the Anti-Monopolist had been P. Ingalls, and he was followed by Mr. Liveringhouse, heretofore mentioned as also editor of the Independent for a short time. Mr. Hedde continued in charge of the Inde- pendent as the responsible editor continuously from July, 1884 with the exception of fifteen months from December 1, 1895, to the last of February, 1897, during which time the paper was leased to Messrs. W. M. Geddes. former mayor of the city and A. F. Buechler. until March 1, 1897.

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HISTORY OF HALL COUNTY NEBRASKA

DAILY EVENING TIMES.

VOL. I.

GRAND ISLAND, MONDAY, OCT. 6, 1878.

NO. 2.

Daily Evening Times.

The Commitles of the Wret.

HIMMELLAST

"Develop your ininerals."" In

Denis ios "pay up"

PERLBHED EVERY EVENING, (Kerept Banday)

The firat If piry that suggests Itself in the A extern reader in Connection will the prestut es citing condi lou of commercial

There are at least tan distinct classes of obnoxious picsoge, st art exhibitions who diethorne's Comfort and trend on one's toes; 1. There are the civil people who

Factors in a good cause løbet ter than kogmbh cip a bad one.

Search of bers for their vir

tugs and miyle for thy mnulte.

New proverb -- Man proposes but woman very often rejects bim

and well defined ausweis it from your pics

Then ate the pleasant people

How to roll'in, wealth -- Mar-

Ter: ASviruso RATES ON APPLICATIO

drup through the Wont un size, hat of touch better if ordinary quality.

While it on 3

There are the fashionable the foot that kicks you down

begin to move toward the en people, who come in all their stairs.

boanl, this great store of war lor Query. and cause you ceaseless

lins cercaly been bronttin. perals ar of being tripped ap by their

yet mainly in the hands of a

W. H. PLATT, ATTORNEY AT LAW

PROBATE JUDGE.

snobbish forty cars.

B. B. KELLEY, M. D. FOFFICE AT CITY DRUG STORE'

Bumlalug Porgres far C. S. Pasalone

DES. THORSTECKEN & BRUHN6,

Physicians and Surgeons, OFFICE ON THIRD STREET.

GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA July 20-17

F. DREWS, FASHIONABLE CARBER.

& Our cerchasEs during the past, who, slen serned to round a's

you have opersted with the os Lave, lett their cronies, blatantly.

"Airbus alt'kas so good as mine;

must function, and the record- of the cuinmercial agencies, East and Invs fur it, and wouhin't take Went never exhibited their call thousand."

in a better light. IwamPolitiets

U, There are the elever people, have taught but sparingly and wim wake working comparisons of have not contracted any bylolite, don't with living painters, was pospried back, "Don't sentire if I nead that can become woher as truut you to liste this there is nothing wyw worth looking at in

4. The best element of It in all the range of modern art.

-A sharp old gentlemno trav

young men who sat by ber to "please watch last wowns while he went into another car, as she Bad fits."

-Here In the Istest, description

Olio Third Street aner Land Office, GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA.

W A Wide, Prut

STATE CENTRAL B NK OF NEBRASKA.

Capital, Authorised Capital,

200,000

-The man who doesn't like

Munnt Washlogton, hecanse be GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA. maa'L stand the climb In it should keep quiet. He will find It pre- clous hard work to run It down. SAMUEL BURNS, Turpdeter ous, DiAler ia

-At the fire on Sunday more- ing a Danbury man, in the excite ment of the house, showed Keno."

CROCKERY. China, Class and Plated Ware, Gas Fixtures, LOOKING SEMAINES LAMPE & 27 FARNAM STREET.

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dur suche any difference be tween ticket on the hearth and Cricket on the heath? There R. -Plato says that God has so ant far framethis lawe that it is for the advantage of every une to observe thent.

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History of Hall County, Nebraska, Part 57

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