USA > Nebraska > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 54
USA > Nebraska > Clay County > History of Hamilton and Clay counties, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 54
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For many years T. A. MeKay was very active in the affairs of the society and he was ably succeeded by R. L. Mabon, both of whom established records of long tenure in the residency. They were ably assisted by such men as D. L. Toof, T. W. and A. J. Cavett, O. F. Arnold, J. B. Cain, F. C. Putnam, T. W. Williams and F. M. Howard. W. H. Streeter held the office of treasurer for a long time and was a pillar of strength to the organization, financially and otherwise, during its years of stress. The records indicate that they were always ready to advance money when called upon and the older members of the society give him credit for having saved its life on more than one occasion.
E. J. Eggert was promoted from the vice-presidency upon the death of Mr. Mabon and S. B. Otto proved himself an unusually capable secretary. In 1921 E. J. Eggert is President. L. C. Morris has been secretary for the past few years.
MODERN FARM ORGANIZATIONS.
Just as the Farmers Alliance served its useful purpose in the Nineties in getting the farmers together, and so thoroughly aroused that in their united efforts they brought about a cleaning of methods in the old-line political parties and their state government, so in the period between 1917 and 1921, the growth of Farmers' Unions, the Nonpartisan League and various other farmers organ- izations has brought about a great change. The Farmers Unions have acquired cooperative elevators and stores throughout the state and no less in Hamilton county. The permanent effect of the Nonpartisan League with its political program cannot yet be foretold, for history must be written in the past, and not with speculative analysis of the present, or wild guesses upon the future. But it can be truly said that one institution which merits a somewhat careful treatment of its first year of life, is the Farm Bureau. In 1921, Hamilton County's Farm Bureau stands as one of the first three in the state to secure a moving picture portable outfit to move from place to place and demonstrate its work in that manner. The following roster of the officials who bore the brunt of the burden in launching this enterprise, and its first annual report are recorded.
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
WHAT IS THE FARM BUREAU ?
The Farm Burean is an institution devoted entirely to farm problems. It Is composed of and managed by farmers. Membership in the Farm Bureau is open to any farmer who wishes to enroll and is willing to take an active part in Farm Bureau affairs. There are no membership dnes.
At the annual meeting of the Bureau, the members elect from their number the necessary officers and an Executive Board. This Board hires the agent and directs his work.
The County Agent is a man who is hired to give his full time to looking after the interests of the Farm Bureau. IIe has about the same relation to the farmers of the county as the Secretary of a Commercial club has to the business men. Wis work is to help the farmers in solving their problems, bringing to them the best experience of other farmers and also the results of investigations and ex- periments carried on by the government.
The Farm Bureau has the combined support of the Federal Government, the State and the County. It is recognized as an effective means of im- proving the agriculture of our county. It has the endorsement of hundreds of counties that have tried it out. There are several thousand county agents in the United States representing more than 80' of the agricultural counties and 97'% of the agriculture.
The success of Farm Bureau work in any county depends upon two things : tost. the ability and faithfulness of the agent, and second, the support given to the work by the farmers of the county. Without this support the most capable agent will fail.
OFFICERS AND C'O-OPERATORS
OF HAMILTON COUNTY FARM BUREAU-1918 EDWIN HUENEFELD, PRESIDENT
I. B. Henricksen, Vice-President
I. N. Skinner, Secretary-Treasurer
Wm. Lindahl, Director Adam George, Director
A. E. Axen, Director
A. N. England, Director
L. A. Wiekland, County Agent,
Aurora
PRECINCT VICE-PRESIDENTS
Farmers Valley-W. F. Enderle Orville-Emory Riecker
Grant-Clarence Kemper
Monroe-Anton Dahl
Union-1. N. Skinner
Phillips-B. B. Ileuermann
Scoville-C. A. Starr
South Platte-V. Johnson
Deepwell-A. J. Peterson
Otis -- Carl Jensen
Hamilton-S. W. Weikel
Aurora-F. C. Rundle
Bluff-A. V. Burke Beaver-Art Snyder
Valley-P. II. Gibson
CO-OPERATORS
School Dist. No. 1. Perry Reed No. 2, Phillip Ochsner
No. 3. 1. J. Doell No. 4. J. J. Springer No. 5, Jno. Finegan
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
No. 6, Ralph Wright No. 7, Jno. Werth No. 8, O. C. Olsen
No. 54, Chas. Cogil No. 55, C. S. G.jerloff No. 56, W. E. Allen
No. 10, Albert Furr
No. 57, L. A. Megrue No. 58, Jno. Jacobsen
No. 11, Sam Chapman
No. 12, Thos. Salmon
No. 59, A. C. Anderson
No. 13, Ross Toof
No. 60, Lars Larson No. 61, L. P. Jones No. 62, R. Hammond
No. 15, A. A. Enderle
No. 16, Geo. Dixon
No. 63, Rex Goethe
No. 17, A. Anderson
No. 64, Chris Ilieber
No. 18, To be supplied
No. 65, A. V. Burke
No. 19, Kay Gjerloff
No. 66, Carl Huenefeld
No. 20, Jno. Sorensen
No. 68, Orvis Cox
No. 21, G. F. Johnson
No. 69, J. W. Saylor
No. 23, H. C. Humphrey
No. 70, E. Newhouser
No. 24, J. B. Hagarity
No. 71, Geo. Hilliard
No. 25, F. Christiansen
No. 72, O. F. MeDannel No. 73, Adam George
No. 27, Mark Wilson No. 28, E. R. Coffey
No. 75, Will Talbert
No. 29, Merle Sims
No. 76, Thomas Siever
No. 30, Clark Wilson
No. 77, W. H. Beins
No. 31, W. E. Thompson
No. 78, D. M. Walker
No. 32, C. F. Gilmore
No. 79, Harry Ling
No. 33, Fred Splinter
No. 80, Frank Willkins
No. 34, L. C. Altrogge
No. 81, H. J. Hoegh
No. 35, Geo. Hawthorn
No. 82, Frank Weedin
No. 36, L. H. Locke
No. 83, E. O. Streeter No. 85, Ralph Evans
No. 37, Robert Young
No. 86, B. Henrermann
No. 38, Jno. J. George
No. 87, D. H. Stalneeker
No. 40, Wm. Kamtz
No. 88, Monte Levee
No. 41, Bert Davis No. 42, W. Brock
No. 90, John. Bengtson
No. 43, Casper Arnold
No. 91, L. A. Pohl
No. 44, F. L. Bald
No. 92, Robt Killion
No. 45, Emil Anderson
No. 93, Paul Sagehorn
No. 46, Fred Herbig
No. 94, Earl Castle
No. 47, Geo. Land
No. 95, E. E. Lansden
No. 48, Ed Larsen
No .- 96, A. Grunkemeir
No. 49, C. Simonsen
No. 97, A. MeDannel
No. 50, To be supplied
No. 98, Lynn Hanger
No. 51, P. H. Gibson
No. 99, Frank Rundle
No. 52, W. M. Shertz
No. 100, Nels P. Christiansen
No. 53, E. F. Otto
OFFICERS OF HAMILTON COUNTY UNION OF THE FARMERS EDUCATIONAL AND CO- OPERATIVE UNION OF NEBRASKA.
President-Mark Wilson, Aurora
Vice-President - Guy Huffman, Giltner
Secretary-Treasurer-P. E. Snarr. Giltner Directors-Jonas Saylor, I. N. Skin- ner and (). L. Ilenefeld.
No. 39, C. P. Moore
No. 89, N. C. Nelson
No. 26, R. P. Fiss
No. 74, Simon Larson
No. 14, J. Frank Byers
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
LOCAL UNIONS AND THEIR SECRETARIES
Hart-V. W. Herman, Giltner West Boag-Ed Humphrey, Giltner Salem-Horace Potts, Trumbull Mt. Hope-Walter Larmore, Giltner Star-O. A. Cox, Giltner Grove-Guy Huffman, Giltner Verona-E. Wilson, Stockham Wright-E. C. Riecher, Stockham
Prairie Center - Fred Aldrup,
Aurora Beaver-M. L. Hutsell, Hampton IIamilton Center-E. G. Schrock, Giltner
Aurora-Frank Anderson, Aurora Grant Center-Ralph Hammond Aurora
Platte-Gordon Graham, Marquette Shady Nook-W. A. Miller, Aurora West Beaver-Otto Wright, Aurora Furays Grove-Mrs. Bernice M. Pier- son, Aurora
Maple Grove-Fred Gingrich, Aurora Hordville-C. G. Heuring, Hordville St. Joe-J. M. Wagner, Phillips Farmers Valley-P. O. Regier, Hell- derson Hillcrest-I. J. Doell, Hampton
Pleasant Hill - Peter A. Nissen, Hampton Union-H. M. Eskildsen, Hampton Frank Splittgerber, Hampton
The first annual meeting of the Hamilton County Farm Bureau was held in the district court room December 8, 1918 with about fifty progressive farmers in attendance. The principal features of the program were the report of the county agent, L. A. Wiekland, and a splendid address by C. E. Gunuels, director of the extension service of the state university. Mr. Gunnels was for two years the farm demonstrator of Seward county, being one of the first in the field. He made such a splendid record there that he was chosen to take charge of the work for the whole state, and has since been called still higher. He will go to Wash- ington about the first of the year to help develop the farm bureau idea along national lines. His address was full of splendid suggestions that will doubtless prove of practical benefit to all who heard it.
At the close of the meeting the following officers were elected for 1919: President, Edwin IIuenefeld; secretary-treasurer, .I. N. Skinner; board of directors, William Lindhal, L. B. Henrickson, Adam George, A. N. England, Axel Axen; precinct vice-presidents; W. F. Enderle, Farmers Valley; P. H. Gibson, Valley; F. C. Rundle, Aurora; Anton Dahl, Monroe; A. V. Burke, Bluff; S. W. Weikel, Hamilton ; Clarence Kemper, Grant ; A. J. Peterson, Deep- well; Arthur Snyder, Beaver; Carl Jensen, Otis; Victor Johnson, South Platte ; Emory Reicker, Orville; I. N. Skinner, Union; B. H. Heuerman, Phillips, Scoville was the only precinct unrepresented.
"WHEN THE GRASSHOPPERS CAME." BY MRS. D. T. MOORE OF YORK COUNTY
One afternoon during the harvest season of 1874, our family consisting of four members and two visitors, making six altogether, went from our home, in the valley of Lincoln Creek, to the home of Mr. Charles Keckley on the hill, where we were invited to partake of the hospitality of Mr. Keckley and his sister, the late Mrs. Bonar. We were feeling in just the right spirit for a good social time and a rest, as our harvest was over and we were ready to help our neighbors even to the extent of taking supper with them. While still lingering at the table, we noticed that it was growing darker in the west than the time of day
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
would warrant. Fearful of a sudden storm which often took us unawares, the men went to investigate, nothing indicated a storm, except the darkening of the western sky and an ominous roaring which was alarming. The men climbed to the roof of the house-did I say it was a sod house ?- to investigate farther. And there they came, by the millions, the undesirable newcomers. We learned a day later that devastation lay behind them. The harvest was especially good that year but harvesters were few in number and even though a few had utilized Sunday to save their crops, many fields were still unent. These the grasshoppers laid waste, then ate the growing corn and garden leaving nothing but tomatoes and tobacco behind them. But here they came, and as we saw them settle upon our neighbors cornfields and gardens, our heart sank within us, for we knew our fate was the same. As we proceeded on our way home, much sadder than when we left a few hours before, we saw every stem of grass, every garden plant-our splendid garden which had been our pride and source of supply all summer-and the cornfields and trees all covered black with the army of grass- hoppers, where they had settled for the night and for so long as there was any- thing for them to eat. It was little use to try to save anything but a few trees in the front yard to which much care had been given and which if saved would be permanent. These were chosen for the experiment, and no sooner were they well settled than a bucketful of cold well water, from the hands of the men of the house would disturb the repose of that particular bunch, and by persistent effort a few of our little shade trees were saved to grow another year. It was almost more than we could believe possible, where everything had been growing and green was the prevailing hne, in a few hours to see here black stems and corn stalks, and those who lost their ripened grain were worse off.
We do not like to dwell upon hardships but the grasshopper year was one of those which tried men's souls and the courage of many deserted them, and rather than see those dependent upon them suffer they gave up and went back to their old homes. Those who remained and "stayed by the stuff" were well rewarded. The following winter was a hard one for man and stock, no vege- tables of any kind were saved and for a farmer's wife to cook a meal without potatoes was almost impossible, but we did it the grasshopper year. One sub- stitute was whole wheat mush fried brown and eaten with milk. The wheat was taken to the mill and ground coarsely as feed for the stock, horses, cows and hogs; all seemed to thrive upon it, and I know we never tasted more tender or sweeter meat than our hogs produced the "Grasshopper Year." But to go back to our own rations, from this coarsely ground wheat we sifted the finer portions and used it as a variation from the white flour. We did not even have cornmeal as I remember ; there were "Yankee" or Navy beans as plentiful then as they are now. - But the potatoes were the most missed vegetable. I remem- ber when we went to take Sunday dinner with Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Read and I saw the dish of mashed potatoes placed upon the table I could scarcely wait, and I have no recollection of the other dishes which were accompaniments to and no doubt all as good in their way as were the potatoes. I do not know where they got their potatoes either.
We lived through the winter and when spring came were ready to begin over. Only there was no seed of any kind at hand, and this was the time and
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
place to ask and take assistance from any who were able and willing to give it. and there are those who no doubt could tell the story better than I.
We were in fear of a return of the grasshoppers as of the horde of young ones which might hateh out, but every precaution was taken and erops were raised again, and we were glad we were citizens of Nebraska.
IIARD TIMES IN NEBRASKA
OLD LETTER WRITTEN BY GENERAL BATES DESCRIBES HOT WIND OF JULY 26, 1894
During the '90s Bates was a frequent contributor to the Otsego (N. Y.) Republiean, whose editor was an old army comrade. Naturally, most of his communications dealt with the war movements of the one hundred and twenty- first New York volunteers, which regiment was organized in the vicinity of Otsego, but occasional references were made to Nebraska polities, erops and local affairs of more or less importance. From an old scrap book is taken the following description of the famous hot wind of 1894 and its probable conse- quences, written under the date of August 15th of that year: also a reference to the court house foundation which may be of interest to the men who built the new postoffice :
"Nebraska is seeing hard times this summer. Corn is king in this state, and until July 26th the prospect for a bountiful crop was never better, but about 10 o'clock a. m. on that day there came from the south a breeze that filled every heart with terror. It was heated as though it had come from the burning sands of Sahara, and long before night the corn leaves had become parched so that there were no hopes for the making of the full ear. Old corn, of which there were thon- sands of bushels in the state, went right up to 50 and then to 60 eents per bushel. These are too high figures for feeding purposes, and so hogs and eattle must go with the eorn. All hogs fit for slaughter have been shipped to the eities for killing, and store hogs are being shipped to localities where eorn is more plentiful. Along the Mississippi river there is perhaps half erop, and farmers will not feel the reverse as they do in the eentral and western portions of the state.
"Of course, you will ask, 'What will the farmers do?' There is only one way to meet the ealamity and that is to drop every Inxury, cut off all expenses, get extensions on all indebtedness for another year, make preparations for getting those who are entirely destitute in convenient centers and there establish soup honses or other economical methods for furnishing subsistence. And above all else, punch up congress on the irrigation experiments. Give us some prae- tical methods whereby the effects of these drying winds and long continued droughts ean be counteracted.
"This condition of affairs will give some people a good lesson. It will teach them to be a little more economical and have a little more thought for the future. The scriptural injunction of 'Take, therefore, no thought of the mor- row,' won't work in Nebraska. Every farmer must learn to keep one crib of corn ahead until after the new erop is assured each year. There are just a few of that kind in our midst, and they are happy.
"Although we are having some experiences not especially pleasing, Aurora
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
has some things to be thankful for. The foundation is being laid in the court house square for a $60,000 court house. A person from the east would be sur- prised to see the beginning. Wide trenches are dug only two feet deep where the walls are to be laid. These trenches are filled with rubble stone filled with cement and well tamped, and on this the footing stones are placed and then the structure goes up of brick faced with stone. The frost never affects the ground; the breaking up of the surface when spring opens is never seen in Nebraska. I suppose this is the reason why foundations can be laid so near the surface with safety to the building."
FARMERS' ELEVATORS IN IIAMILTON COUNTY
THE AURORA REPUBLICAN ON AUGUST 5, 1913, RECITED THE FOLLOWING HISTORY OF ,
THIS MOVEMENT
The farmers' elevator movement has reached its climax in Hamilton county. Every one of the eight stations in the county now has a sneeessful, prosperous company, the latest edition being the Farmers' Elevator Company of Giltner, which began business July 26th of the present year. The total number of companies in the county is seven and eight elevators are operated, the Aurora company having an elevator at Murphy also. The membership in these seven companies exceeds 1,000 farmers. which is about one-half of the number in the county.
The present successful farmers' elevator movement had its beginning in the county about 1905. Prior to that time there had been farmers' companies at different points in the county, but they were poorly organized and the im- proper management that followed soon resulted in failure. The later movement has profited by the mistakes of the pioneer movement and placed itself on the fixed institutions of the county.
A general demand for better grain markets, which was the result of the excessive margins that were taken by grain dealers in this as well as in other coun- ties, was the impelling force in the organization of the present companies. An investigation of past market conditions and a comparison with present market conditions shows that a much narrower margin of profit is now being taken in this county in the grain business than was taken ten years ago. The actual result of the establishment of these companies and their successful operation is the proof that they have fulfilled their mission.
On January 18, 1904, wheat was bought in Aurora for 53 eents. At the same time it sold in Kansas City for 80 to 82 cents, a margin of 27 to 29 cents. On January 19th of the same year the Aurora price was 54 cents, the Kansas ('ity price 83 cents and the Omaha price 75 to 77 cents, a margin of 29 eents under the Kansas City price and 21 to 23 cents under the Omaha price. Other comparisons in the same year show margins of from 22 to 30 cents. At that time the cost of handling a bushel of wheat to Kansas City was about 11 eents and to Omaha about 10 cents, leaving the Aurora grain dealer a net margin for himself of from 15 to 20 cents under Kansas City and 12 to 15 cents under Omaha, after he had deducted freight and commission charges.
Late in 1906 the first real farmers' elevator company was incorporated in
440
HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
the county. Agitation increased and the grain market was visibly affected in a general way even before any farmers' companies began to buy grain. On June 13, 1907, Aurora grain dealers paid 72 cents for wheat. The Kansas City market then was 86 and the Omaha market 92 cents, leaving margins of 14 and 20 cents, respectively, or a net of 3 and 10 cents, respectively, against the old net margins of from 12 to 20 cents. Other comparisons for June, July, August, September and October of the same year show the continued and suc- cessful operation of one company in the county caused the margin of the grain dealer automatically to shrink until it became as low as 11 cents under the Kansas City market and 12 cents under the Omaha market. This statement does not show the true condition, however, because the relation of the markets at Kan- sas City and at Omaha were such that when the margin was smaller at Kansas City it was larger at Omaha, and when it was smaller at Omaha it was larger at Kansas City, so that between the two markets there was no time during the year 1907 when the Aurora grain dealer did not have a net margin of at least 4 cents a bushel. The net margin for the year varied from 4 to 11 cents, the average being above 7 cents. On April 16, 1908, shortly after the incorporation of the Aurora company, but before its elevator was yet built, the Aurora market price for wheat was 80 cents, the Kansas City price 91 cents and the Omaha price 93 cents, which even then left a net margin of more than 41/2 cents under the Omaha market, for at this time there was a reduction in freight rate to Omaha which was usually resulting in an addition to the profit of the grain dealer of 15 per cent of the old freight rate. Thus, in this case, as in others, did "coming events cast their shadows before," and the approach of the farmers' elevator re- duced the margin of the grain dealer from 20 cents to 4 cents, a saving to the community of 16 cents.
The Aurora market has here been cited only for illustration because it was at that time the largest market in the county and should have been the best. Dur- ing those years conditions were very similar at other towns in the county, with occasional and irregular variation, sometimes better, sometimes worse. Now, with the market in the control of the farmers' elevator companies, the maximum net margin on which wheat is bought is 3 cents a bushel, which means over the old prices a net profit to the farmer of from 1 cent to 17 cents a bushel in addi- tion to the profit of his company which he also shares.
This margin averages more than 10 cents a bushel less than the old margin, which means that the farmer now gets more than 10 cents a bushel more for his wheat than he did ten years ago. Such a saving means much to our county, for onr 2,000 farmers raise an average annual crop of 2,000,000 bushels of wheat alone, of which they market more than 80 per cent. A comparison of the market on other grain will show results like the above showing made in the wheat market. The sum total of the result is an annual saving to Hamilton county of more than a quarter of a million dollars, or about $25 a year for every man, woman and child in the county. This statement of the actual result is very conservative, being much less than the actual figures show.
Five of our companies are organized and operated on the real co-operative plan. The plan provides for a limited dividend on the capital stoek, which amounts to the same thing as interest on the money invested, because the value of the stock is kept at par. The remainder of the surplus, if there be any, is paid
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
to shareholders in proportion to the amount of business each has transacted with his company. Since the principal volume of the business is in grain, the surplus is usually divided according to the amount of grain bought or sold and the pay- ment is commonly known as a grain dividend. The real working of the plan can best be shown by giving a few of the actual results it has produced. They are taken from the records for last year. The payments were 8 per cent on investment and 2 cents per bushel on the grain. One member with $25 invested marketed 1,300 bushels of grain, receiving $2 interest on his investment and $26.15 on his grain, a total of $28.15. Another with the same investment mar- keted 2,500 bushels of grain, receiving $2 interest on his investment and $50.90 on his grain, a total of $52.90. Another with $200 invested marketed more than 6,000 bushels of grain, receiving $16 interest on his investment and $127 on his grain, a total of $143. Still another with an investment of $100 marketed more than 1,900 bushels of grain, receiving $8 interest on his investment and $38.09 on his grain, a total of $46.09. Those members who transacted no business with the company received only 8 per cent interest on their investments.
This co-operative plan, which is not a new plan, is growing in popularity' with all classes. The investor is satisfied with it because 8 per cent is a liberal return on the investment and becanse, when the company is operating with the double idea of paying interest on the investment and a return on the business in addition, the interest on the investment is assured. The patron is satisfied because, if he does not get the full market valne of his grain when he sells it, the remainder will be paid to him at the end of the year. The patronage dividend is now being extended to other commodities than grain.
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