History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 40

Author: Edwards, Lewis C
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1742

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Some time in 1881 the Humboldt Daily News, a small sheet, was started by Sowle & Bloom, two young men, but maintained itself for but a few months on account of the lack of support.

NEWSPAPERS AT STELLA.

The Press at Stella, considering the size of the town, ranks as one of the strongest and most prosperous newspapers in the state. Nearly every- body thereabout "takes" the Press, consequently the subscription list is a source of great pride to the editors. The Press endeavors to lead in the constructive thought of the community; its purpose being to lead and direct and help to build up, and never to tear down. The paper gives space freely to promote movements and measures of a public nature, designed for the good of the town and of the community. The advertising and job departments of the paper have a steady growth and in both these de- partments the Press always has more or less out-of-town patronage. Espec- ially is this true in school and public-sale work. Schools both in Rich- ardson and Nemaha counties patronize liberally the job department.

The Stella Press was started by Gird Brothers in 1882 and is now thirty-five years old. During the first few years editors changed frequently.

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For fifteen years the paper has been owned and maintained under the man- agement of the Haskinses-Clyde G. Haskins and Miss Eunice Haskins --- brother and sister, who are progressive and energetic, and have made the Press an influential factor in the community in which it circulates.

THE VERDON VEDETTE.

The T'crdon Icdette, the official newspaper of Verdon, which has always kept itself in the forefront as one of the newsiest of the country weeklies of the county, was founded in the month of November, 1883. by T. J. Floyd who published it until 1885, when he sold it to John Saxton and removed to Hitchcock county, where he became rich in the real-estate business. Mr. Saxton published the paper for a year and in 1886 sold it to W. H. Stowell who published it for a number of years. It is now under the able and effi- cient management of Charles G. Humphrey, formerly of Pawnee City, who is a veteran newspaper man and who, with the able assistance of his wife. has kept the l'edette up to its standard as one of the reliable country newspapers, having inaugurated many improvements since assuming charge.

PAPERS AT RULO AND SALEM.

The Richardson County Courier was the last newspaper to be estab- lished in Falls City. This paper made its initial appearance in the month of November. 1915. and was owned by T. T. Ross, who for a few months was assisted by his brother, Ora Ross. Both these young men had for years been employed in the newspaper shops of the county. The Courier under this management continued for nearly a year, when it was sold by T. T. Ross to Harvey Anderson, who removed the paper to Rulo, from which city the paper has since been issued. Besides the Courier, Mr. Ander- son also owns the Rulo Register, which paper is issued from the same office at Rulo.

The Salem Standard published at Salem, was first established by O. T. Ross, in 1912, and was later sold to Mr. Galloway, of Salem, and is now owned and published by James Reed.

STORY OF THE FOUNDING OF FALLS CITY'S FIRST NEWSPAPER. By J. Edwin Burbank (1905).

In 1855, fifty years ago. Sewell R. Jamison, foreman in the office of the Richmond (Indiana ) Palladium, came into my book store in that city and announced that he was going to start a little newspaper for the boys

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called "the Broad-Arc of Freedom, or the Grubbiny Hoc of Truth. Neutral in all things, independent in nothing ; no pent-up Utica contracts our powers." He wanted me to write a leader for it. After some hesitation I wrote an article under the head: "The Whig Party Not Dead," stating that the party's principles were eternal and would always exist.

The little paper was issued at twenty-five cents for three months and was full of fun and comic almanac cuts, intended for the boys and girls, who took hold of it with a vim.

After three months Jamison came into my office and announced that he had promised his patrons an office. So I went to Cincinnati and traded wild lands for a complete office (outfit of equipment), enlarged it and in less than twelve months it became one of the leading papers and was an important factor in the election of Oliver P. Morton as governor of Indiana. In the following winter I met General Lane, who was stirring up recruits for the Kansas troubles, and who described the location for a town at the falls of the Nemaha, in Nebraska.

General Lane said that a survey had been made which, by erecting a damı above the falls and extending a race to the foot of the proposed town, would give a forty-foot fall and could be made the Lowell of America. I then started for. Kansas and induced Isaac L. Hamby (afterward one of the founders of Falls City), who had a claim on the St. Joseph trail to California, to locate a town, which we called "Winona." We built a school house and named it Hamby University. I traded some lands, bought at the sale of Indian lands, for a stock of goods and started a large hotel, under construction by David Dorrington. But one night the hoodlumis of Highland, a competing store, came and tore down and stole our hotel. They came back the next day for the sills, but were repulsed by some of the Lane boys at the point of a revolver. We had a company of twenty dare-devil. young free-state boys, under the charge of Captain Dean. At the first honest election these boys shouldered their rifles and voted in spite of the border ruffians. At the polls there were quite a number of the pro-slavery border ruffians and they opened their eyes when one of our men said, "Stand back, boys, and let Captain Dean vote, as he wants to go and take care of the guns."

After the theft of our hotel I abandoned Winona and moved my store- school house to Falls City and then brought the Broad Axe from Indiana to help boom the town. At the same time there was a newspaper published

(27)

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by a Abel Downing Kirk, on the Missouri river, on the half-breed tract. which tract was settled principally by Frenchmen, who had squaws for their wives. His paper was known as the Rulo Western Guide ..

"OLD-TIMERS IN NEWSPAPERDOM."

(An interesting paper written and read by J. L. Dalbey, of the Shubert (Nebraska) Citizen, before a meeting of the Southeastern Nebraska Press Association, held at Falls City.)

J. L. Dalbey, of the Shubert Citizen, is a veteran in the newspaper field in Richardson county and belongs to the old school of editorial writers. He pushes the pen with an ease and grace characteristic of that school. and has spent the most of his life in the upbuilding of.the county.

In assigning to me the task of writing of "Old-Timers In Newspaperdom," our presi- dent has left a large latitude in which I may roam at will and enll from among the many old-timers in journalism such names as memory may have fastened there; and the only question now that bothers me is as to whose names I shall cull from the gallant army of the noble past that present themselves to me.

You who have lived in southeastern Nebraska will call to memory the form and features of that gifted writer and poet laureate, Judge J. J. Marvin, whose death occurred in Falls City. In the spring of 1865 be purchased from J. Edwin Burbank, a paper that had been started in Fall City, called the Broad Are, and after running it here for a time time under that name re-christened it by calling it the Southern Nebraskan. It was on this paper that the latter well-known George P. Marvin, of the Beatrice Democrat, received his first lessons in the "art preservative." But Judge Marvin is gone and his works alone remind un that he has lived, and

Ilis bent and shattered form, That held a heart so pure and warm. Long since has found repose; And but the mossy gravestone tells Where now the dust we loved so well, The mouldering clods enclose.

Judge Marvin was not only a writer. but he was a poet as well. in the strictest sense of the term, and there is not one among us today but who will revere his virtues, try to emulate his gifts and honor his memory. Peace to his ashes.

As old-timers in newspaperdom we mention the names of W. S. Blackburn, who gave life to the Vemaha Valley Journal, later the Falls City Journal, removing the same from Brownville to Falls City in the year 1868. W. S. Stretch, one of the noblest Romans of us all, who fulfilled the measure of his days of usefulness and then, like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him and lies down to pleasant dreams, he gave attention to the Foreman of the Universe, in whose hands are the issues of Life and Death, and passed away to join the silent majority in the charnel house of the dead. But Colonel Stretch, though dead, yet speaketh: and the good that he did, the sorrowing hearts that he made glad, the words fitly spoken in season shall be gems in the crown of rejoicing in that day when the graves give up their dead.

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And yet there were other old-timers in that day of the long past, whose names are almost forgotten, and are only remembered as we eon the history of the past and find then there. Of these we mention Judge A. R. Scott, Rev. George T. Webster. James Fuson, W. Chadwick, A. I .. Rich, D. W. Hanlin and Jacob Bailey. These all served their sentences, of more or less duration, and went out into the world to seek fame in other fairer fields of promise. In more recent years the old-timers have been more aggressive in their ideas, more forcible in their way of presenting their ideas of men and measures, and as a consequence have built up a newspaperdom without parallel in the history of newspapers in the early past. Among these later-day lights of the profession. whose names have been indelibly stamped upou the history of the century, we remember Lon M. May, J. F. Gardener, A. J. Reed, Ruel Nims, John Saxon, Rev. Bowers and P. W. Pinkerton. Some of these old-timers are dead and others have gone out from among us to seek employment in the more (to them) congenial walks of life. In later years we remember as bright lights in newspaperdom (and they also, in the hurry and bustle and get-up-and-get of the present day, might be called old-timers), T. W. Pepoon, Cy Thurman. John Hammond, of Salem Index fame, and George H. Holton, These, like the former of whom we have spoken, served their day and generation and gave way to younger and more progressive men and women, who have built up our modern pictorial and big-head- line journalism. Of all the old-timers of forty-five years ago, earlier and later, only one remains at his post, that we can now recall, and that one is Henry Clay Davis, of the Falls City News; and an examination of his anatomy will reveal the fact that he is battleworn and scarred, the effect of hard-fought battles with his brethren of the craft in the days gone by, over political questions, questions of morals, and questions relating to less weighty matters.

Thus far we have confined our remarks to men who have given to journalism in Falls City its life and inspiration, but there are others. At Humboldt were George Gird. David Speicer and George P. Monagan, Sr .; and later on were Ernest F. Sharts. Frank Harrison and 1. E. Shrauger. At Stella were Kennedy and Gates and Gird. At Verdon were Saxon and Floyd, and our president, William H. Stowell. These all having earned a good report-and wealth-and have departed for larger fields of usefulness; and their places are taken by young, vigorous manhood and womanhood, anxious to fill the niches well made vacant by their removal.

These men all were worthy of our imitation. They were men of broad and liberal views, and while differing from one another in politics, perhaps in morals, were certain on some questions, on the temperance question particularly. and gave their views frankly. but firmly, and without any uncertain ring. But while doing this they accorded to those who differed from them, the right of thoughts and the freedom to express them. In those old days the country press was a synonym for honesty of purpose and devotion to truth. Editors and papers were not hought by ambitious politicians, and railroad com- panies could not control the columns of the country journals for railroad passes.

They were chivalrous; they were charitable; the office was always a haven of rest for "Weary Willies" of the profession, and a corner in the composing room and a bunchi of exchanges furnished these latter wayfarers a night's repose. If "flusb," the wanderer had a square meal at the hotel or restaurant of the town and if "broke." which was generally the case, he went home with the editor and ate corn-pone and potato soup with him and his family.

The old-timer was the watch-dog of his neighbor's affairs. He kept tah on the marriages of his community; he laughed with those who were merry, and his tears of sorrow mingled with those in affliction. Was a man born, he was first to herald the glad tidings to a slumbering world ; and the first to condole with the parents and friends

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when a little one had wandered back again through the pearly gates into the home of beauty from whence it came. Ile was the friend of all. the foe to none: just and square and honest.

AN OLD FALLS CITY NEWSPAPER.

Through the kindness of C. F. Cain, of Miami, Florida, the writer recently was made the pleased recipient of an ancient copy of the Falis City Broud Axe, which was the first newspaper published in Falls City. The paper is seared with age, of a yellowish color, but in a good state of preservation. It was of the issue of May 14, 1864, and was No. 16 of Vol. VI., which shows that the paper had at that time been published for six years and six- teen weeks at Falls City. This would indicate that the paper was established in 1858, the first issue thereof appearing on the 26th of January of that year. The issue before us is a four page affair of four columns to the page, the columns being about fourteen inches each in length. At the date of issue it was published by L. B. Prouty & Company and appeared weekly the subscription price being $1.20 per annum, in advance, for one copy, or five copies to one address, per year, $5.00.

A Court House Directory appearing was as follows :

RICHARDSON COUNTY DIRECTORY.

Judge Dist. Court

Hon. E. S. Dundy

Deputy Clerk

Geo. Van Deventer

Probate Judge

Hon. Chas. F. Walther

Clerk of Court Rienze Streater

Sheriff Wilson M. Maddox

Geo. Van Deventer

County Surveyor

Ira J. Beckwith Jobn Patton

County Commissioners

O. W. Dunning J. R. Wilkes

County Treasurer

F. A. Tisdell

Pensions Surgeon

H. O. Hanna. M. D.

Letters will reach any of the above named officers at Falls City. Nebraska Territory. Richardson County

POST OFFICES IN RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA TERRITORY.

Falls City

William Watts, P. M.

Arago

Judge Walther, P. M.

Rulo

C. C. Coder. P. M.

St. Stephens

W. 11. Mann, P. M.

Salem

Archer Isham Nance, P. M. 1 6 John Holt. P. M. I John Gird. P. M. Middleburg

ITumboldt

Mrs. I. E. Tinker. P. M.

Franklin

Franklin Ferguson. P. M.

Monterey

ME. Bremen, P. M.

Monond

Jo. Watton. P. M.

Miles Ranche

1. Page. P. M.

Elmore

.I. B. Prouty. P. M

Nohart

J. Il. Burbank. P. M.

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RICHARDSON COUNTY, NEBRASKA.

As the paper was published during the Civil War, when rumors were prevalent, the following is interesting: "Advices from Richmond (Va.) represent great distress and wild disorder as prevalent in the towns."

On the editorial page, in an editorial written by Mr. Prouty, the citizens of Falls City are taken to task for not providing necessary school facilities in the following manner under the title of :

GAS !!

This village has been notorious for the manufacture of a large quantity of domestic gas.

Hydraulics, navigation of the Nemaha, colleges, bridges, libraries, churches and schools have each had its triumphant hour of gassy glory, to be abandoned as impracti- cable to the detriment of the possible and the attainable.

It is true in many things the citizens of this place have done well. Whenever some prevailing sentiment or interest has united them, their labors have been heroic. and invincible. But it must be an immediate and pressing necessity. Schools do not seem to belong to this class; they are well enough if they grow by legislative aid, and are built by public funds, but it in too every day a matter to require mich exertion, and our people, good easy souls, satisfy their consciences with the reflection, that it is the business of the public and not theirs as individuals.

They concede, in a kind of general way that an intelligent and industrious population to fill up our beautiful country is desirable, but they do not realize the fact that the class of people we need will not settle in a community too indolent or ignorant to support and sustain good schools, and that some of our best citizens are dissatisfied and want to remove on this account alone.

There is no excuse for our want of means.

Relieved from all war tax, having no need of individual or municipal bounties to stimulate patriotism our territory is in better condition financially than ever before in all its history.

There are men enough able and willing to unite and put up a good school house. if they saw any money in it-

But they are a little nearsighted; they see the five-cent piece at the tip of the nose. but are blind to the dollar at their feet. They are blind to the fact that individual good is identical with general good; that the welfare of the community is the welfare of all its citizens. They view their interests as separate and apart from that of the community, and understand no profit save that which is made off their neighbors.

They cannot see how rapidly every good settler, every acre of land cultivated. every dollar of additional capital, every additional house or barn or fence built. or trer planted, adds an actual money value to the possession of every man in the entire county.

Enclosing the public square with a neat fence, tastefully planting it with trees- building a school house, no matter how small, if erected with taste, would add an actual value that would be speedily felt in the way of reputation and immigration by every man in the neighborhood. A good school house is the IMMEDIATE WANT OF THE TOWN, But we don't propose to waste any more gas upon the subject now. It can be built. if not otherwise, by a joint stock company that will pay the stockholders primar- ily as an investment. But if you good people don't awnt it, and don't see it. if you prefer your children should be taught no more rational or moral amusements than drinking

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whisky and shooting revolvers at each other, go on with your show, but don't loaf around the corners gassing abont schools, but confess that yon don't care a continental for all the schools in Christendom.

The District Court for this county adjourned on the 12th inst. We were not in attendance but are informed that there was a large amount of business PUT THROUGH. The Grand Jury it is said, found quite a number of indictments against our LAW ABID- ING CITIZENS for various misdemeanors. We have been promised a list of the Imsiness done by the court, which we expect to lay before our readers in our next issue.

As regards our position on the question of "STATE ORGANIZATION," we will say : there yet remains time sufficient for us to explain our views. The "Enabling Act" [reference to Act of 1861] was not amended; it is for us to elect delegates. the first Monday in June next, to frame a State Constitution. After we have seen and examined that instrument, it will be time enough for us to say whether it would be best for us ( the territory) with a population of some 28.000 to accept of it. It will depend alto- gether upon the character of its provisions whether we shall support or denounce it. [ Statehood did not carry until 1867.]

The foregoing statement by the editor, Mr. Prouty, in regard to his stand or lack of a stand on statehood at that time, was no doubt in- spired by the receipt of the following communication from one of his sub- scribers, which was given a place of prominence in the same issue of the Broad Axc.

For the Broad Are.

Mr. Editor: As the people will soon be called upon to vote for Delegates to frame a STATE CONSTITUTION would it not be well enough to have some discussion upon the matter? We cannot perceive that the Are is taking a very active part "pro or con" on the subject ; it is a subject that involves the interest of the whole people of this Terri- tory, more than any other during our territorial existence. Its importance demands a free and full investigation of all the advantages to be gained in exchanging our territorial existence for that of a Sovereign State. Or would we be politically and financially losers by closing out our territorial existence? THIS IS THE QUESTION. The people should vote understandingly (and no doubt they desire to do so) and would be glad to have all the information that can be obtained in governing their votes and undoubtedly they look to you as a publie journalist for much information in regard to this matter, and will expect you to take a position, and if your position is well sustained by good argument. there is no doubt but what it will have its effect in controlling the vote of the county to a great extent.

State Organization, I do not think should be a political measure. Neither should Office-Seekers, or present Federal Office-Holders who are fearful of losing their present positions, have too much influence in controlling our election, but the masses themselves should become familiar with this subject and let sound judgment dictate the course to pursue. Not having a copy of the Bill as passed by Congress, but as the Nebraska Legislature. did, at its last session, pass a resolution asking Congress to amend the Bill then before Congress allowing the people the privilege to vote, when voting for Delegate to frame a State Constitution: "For or Against State Organization," and if this amend- ment has been made, our fate will be virtually sealed the first Monday in June. There-

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fore, it behooves all who have an interest in the matter, to go to work early, talk the matter over freely and frankly, and act for the promotion of the public good.

Delegates will have to be chosen, and the county being entitled to five. will give us quite an influence in the convention. Let us have good men to fill the position. and no doubt we will, as we never lack for candidates from which to make a selection.

RICHARDSON.

Salem, May 10, 1864.

The Falls City Broad Are at that time ( May, 1864), was with but one possible exception (the Rulo Western Guide or the Rulo Register), . the only newspaper being published in Richardson county and for this rea- son the following becomes interesting from the lack of other means of advertising :

CANDIDATES FOR DELEGATE TO FRAME A STATE CONSTITUTION .- We expect in our next issue to be able to announce quite a number of candidates for that position. We hope to hear from the different precincts, before our next issue; let us have a large list of candidates to select from. We are entitled to five Delegates.

Ambition often puts men to doing the meanest offices-as climbing is performed in the same posture as creeping.

NEWS ITEMS.

ANOTHER MASSACRE .- On the 7th inst., a party of ten men, belonging to the First Arkansas Cavalry, herding some public 'stock near the battlefield of Prairie Grove. were surprised by 21 of Buck Brown's guerillas. The latter were dressed in Federal uniform, and pretended to belong to the Thirteenth Kansas. Our men were in a house at the time, and were called out by their pretended friends, shook hands and conversed with them. All at once the bushwhackers commenced shooting the men down and suc- ceeded in killing and mortally wounding all but one, who made his escape to tell the mournful tale .- Fort Smith Era.

(From the Omaha Republican)

Cairo. May 9th, 1864 .- From Alexandria we learn that the enemy attacked Green- ville, a small town opposite, but were driven back by the gunboats.

They have driven our pickets at both places several times. The Federal forces now at Alexandria is reported to be 35.000 strong.

The rebel force under Kirby Smith, Magruder and Taylor, is also quite heavy. A flag of 'truce with a demand to surrender was sent to General Banks. Today a boat left, but with what result is not known.

Washington, May Sth, 1864 .- On Friday an attack was made by Longstreet on our right, while the Rebel troops under Hill were at the same time hurled against our left wing, which was composed of Hancock's and Warren's corps holding the center, engaged also by desperate assaults.

Fighting continued with hardly any intermission for two days; but yesterday morning, Lee. having completely failed in his object, withdrew from the engagement.

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History of Richardson County, Nebraska : its people, industries and institutions, Part 40

Author: Edwards, Lewis C Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1742

Author: Edwards, Lewis C
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1742