USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward County, Nebraska, and reminiscenses of territorial history > Part 31
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
385
Looking West from Diers Corner
386
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
is fully entitled to is a government postoffice built on modern plans, with rooms and fixtures commensurate with the grow- ing needs of this wide-awake community, and we deem it high time for the citizens to take this important matter in hand and see that our congressman "gets a move on him- self." The large towns have been most wonderfully pro- vided for. Now it is about time that the county towns of the country should have a hand in the creek.
The amount, of money spent on that great castle in Omaha would put a very respectable office building in every county seat in Nebraska. The time has fully come when the country people should let congress know that they have some rights that should be respected.
We cannot close this chapter without a word in regard to the postoffices of the county.
The first office was established at the old Camden bridge just by the south line of the county, and at the forks of the river, at the old ranch, in 1863.
Thus we have endeavored to trace as nearly as possible, step by step, our postoffice business and mail service through all its stages from the beginning of our settlement here un. til the present time.
We would not have the reader understand that we are casting any reflection upon the owner of our postoffice build- ing, but the narrow policy of the postoffice department in dealing with small cities.
GERMAN NORMAL SCHOOL
German Evangelical Lutheran Teachers' Seminary of Seward, Nebraska, was founded in the spring of 1894. Some . of the enterprising German American citizens, led by such men as Herman Diers, J. F. Goehner and O. E. Bernecker, determined that it was the right thing to do to build an in- stitution of learning where their children could have an op- portunity of a classical education, and especially an educa- tion as would qualify the young people for teachers.
The school was organized under the control of the Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states. Twenty acres of beautiful land was secured by the citizens of Se-
387
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
ward just to the northeast and adjoining the city, where a very commodious and creditable brick building was erected and ready for the opening of school in the autumn of 1894.
The first board of directors were Rev. J. Hilgendorf, John F. Goehner, Herman Diers and O. E. Bernecker. Herman Diers became treasurer. The present board con- sists of Rev. C. H. Becker, Rev. H. Miesoler, of Columbus, Neb., Herman Diers, J. F. Goehner and O. E. Bernecker, with Herman Diers, treasurer.
German College Building
The main building is of brick on a stone foundation, 43×70 feet and three stories above the basement. A dorma- tory annex 32x32, a substantial two-story frame structure. The school opened with an enrollment of but sixteen stu- dents, but it was destined to grow and it has grown from year to year. In 1904, or in just ten years, it numbered eighty-four students, twenty-one of which graduated in the class of 1904. The students of 1904 came from the following states: Nebraska 96, Iowa 6, Kansas 5, Missouri 2, Colorado 1, Wyoming 1.
Professor Geo. Weller has been principal from the be- ginning, and has associated with him for the last two years, Prof. Geo. Ritzmann, and also for the last year, Prof. F. Strieker. Thus far the school has been preparatory to the 'Adison Normal School of Illinois, but is designed in the near future to extend the course of instruction to that of a full normal course. Thus far the school has been ably con-
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
ducted and made very successful under the able corps of instructors and wise and generous management of the di- rectors. It is the design to expend about $35,000 in new buildings within the next two years.
There is much here to encourage a rapid growth in this institution whose foundation has been so well and firmly laid in this rich soil. The denomination has a very strong hold in Nebraska and especially in Seward county, where they have twelve large congregations of thrifty people. We can see in this institution in the years to come, one of the great rich institutions of which our country is so proud. We are informed that the English language holds the most prominent place in the course of study. German and Latin take next rank. All the branches of the normal course, also music, are taught. We are proud of this good beginning and have abiding faith that it will, in the years to come, grow and prosper and be a great blessing to our people, shedding beams of light to brighten the lives of our young people and prepare them for honorable positions in life. We hope that every good intelligent citizen of the county may at all times lend a helping hand and words of encouragement to this grand undertaking.
We have the pleasure of placing before our reader a fine view of the beautiful structure that now adorns their grounds.
SEWARD CITY WATER WORKS
At a meeting of the city council, held July 25, 1889, no- tices were ordered of an election to be held on the 19th day of August, 1889, for the purpose of voting for or against a proposition of issuing thirty thousand dollars of six per cent twenty year bonds, payable at option of the city at any time after five years from date of issue, and to bear date of Sep. 16, 1889. The proposition also provided that the city authorities should levy an annual tax upon the property of the city to pay the interest upon the bonds and also to pro- vide a sinking fund for the liquidation of said bonds; the money obtained from the sale of the bonds to be used for
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
389
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Seward Water Works Plant
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
the establishment of a system of water works to supply the city and its inhabitants.
The election took place on the 19th day of August, 1889, and resulted in a majority for the bonds of two hundred and seventy-two, there being only forty-seven votes against the proposition. The bonds were issued bearing date of Sep. 16, 1889, sixty in number of $500 each, with twenty, six per cent coupons attached. They were sold to Stull Brothers for a premium of eighty-one dollars.
Now with $30,081 cash capital, the council proceeded to business and made contracts as follows, all within a few weeks. First contract was let to A. F. Cook for the sink- ing of two two-hundred-foot wells for $1200 each, with a proviso that contractor was to have two dollars per foot for each additional foot. He guaranteed one hundred thousand gallons of water for each well every twenty-four hours. Next was let to Tamaqua Mfg. Co. for forty-eight hydrants at $29 each. The third contract was awarded Brownell & Co. for two boilers at $1380.
Fourth was let to J. P. Dunam for the construction of an engine house at $1425.
Fifth, a contract for a standpipe was let to Porter & Jackson Co. at $3800.
. Sixth was let to U. S. Engine Co. for twenty-nine valves at $448.50
Seventh was let to Pond Engineering Co. for steam pump at $1550.
Eighth contract was with the Gutta Percha Rubber Co. for two hose carts and twelve hundred feet of hose at $1400.
Ninth was with Bullock & Co. for stone at $450.
Tenth was with Goering to haul stone from cars at $3 per car of twenty tons each.
Eleventh was contract with A. A. Richardson to super- intend construction of standpipe.
Twelfth was contract with J. J. Cummins to superintend the general construction of water works at a salary of $100 per month.
Now the real trouble begins. Many attempts to secure an ample supply of water failed. A deep well was put down near the standpipe, six hundred and ten feet deep, but no
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
West Side of Square Looking South
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
water supply was obtained. Then a well was sunk down near the F. E. & M. V. tracks, which for a time promised well. Good buildings were erected there and all the machin- ery was set in motion; but soon the water failed. Then ex- periments were resorted to by sinking many wells and draw- ing the water to a common center. The standpipe was com- pleted and four and one-half miles of mains were laid, and a mass of first class machinery was placed, and the water works were very complete, but where, Oh, where was the water!
After many years of trouble and vast expenditure of means, the present great well was sunk in 1901, and happily at last an abundant supply of most excellent water was reached. The water works proper have cost the city some- thing over thirty-three thousand dollars, but the water has cost over forty thousand dollars additional.
The system is now very complete with a capacity of over a million gallons of the best water per day. The sale of water to citizens now pays running expenses and very nearly pays the interest on the outstanding bonded indebted- ness. Two thousand dollars of the bonds are taken up, and between forty and fifty thousand dollars additional expendi- tures are all paid. Seward now is proud of the magnificent plant and its supply of clear cold water.
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT OF SEWARD
In 1888, an electric light plant was first installed in our city, and was probably an up-to-date plant for that day. It was a private corporation, and like all such concerns, it ran the machine for the money in sight and did not render satis- actory service. This caused a deep seated feeling on the part of the more progressive citizens that the city should own and operate its own plant in the interest of the people. This culminated in a proposition to issue city bonds in the sum of seven thousand dollars. This action was ratified by the voters of the city on the 28th of August, 1903, when three and one-half per cent bonds were issued. At the same time there was a fund of thirty-five hundred dollars in the treasury and it was found entirely practical to utilize the
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
city water plant so far as the buildings, boilers and pumps were concerned, and thus save something like five thousand dollars of outlay. The plant was so far completed that the new plant was installed in the spring of 1904.
The total cost of the plant aside from the machinery of the water works was twelve thousand three hundred dollars. They have at this writing twenty-five miles of wire in use, with twenty-three arc lights in the streets, and three thous- and incandescent lamps in operation; of the latter, the num- ber is rapidly increasing. A one hundred and twenty horse power Westinghouse dynamo of the latest and most improved pattern is in use, and it is a "dandy."
So far the plant is furnishing the street lights, paying the running expenses, earning interest on the bonds, and saving the ten per cent per annum on the total cost of the plant and from the earnings the city was prepared Jan. 1, 1905, to take up one thousand dollars of the bonds. The pa- trons are well pleased with the service, and are receiving this most excellent service at greatly reduced cost, so the system and management are' most satisfactory. It will soon pay the entire debt and be an important source of revenue to the city. In this Seward is a leader among young western cities, and has set a pattern that other cities will gladly fol- low. Much of the success of this important undertaking is due to our most efficient electrician and manager, Mr. Martz.
SEWARD FIRE ASSOCIATION
The Seward Fire Association was organized March 20. 1885, with H. Diers, J. C. Mulfinger and L. J. Simmons as a board of trustees; articles of incorporation were filed in the county clerk's office. Before this date the records are in- complete, but it is known that the association had existed as the Seward Fire Department and was organized about 1879. with three companies. Some think it may have been at an earlier date, but the earliest enrollment we can find in the records is Herman Diers and J. J. Blodgett, dated May 29, 1879, and the next date found in records is B. L. Krouse, May 30, 1881.
March 6, 1885, we find a list of six honorary and exempt
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
members: Wm. Pratt, J. A. Campbell, J. H. Betzer, J. W. Dupin, J. A. Kilpatrick and S. B. Reed. In 1886 we find on the list of honorary and exempt members, Herman Diers, who had served six years and nine months, and J. J. Blod- gett, with equal honors.
Jan. 2, 1885, we find the first recorded list of officers: Chief, G. Babson, third term; assistant, F. Wooley, second term; secretary, L. J. Simmons, first term; treasurer, Her- man Diers, first term; trustees, H. Diers, L. J. Simmons and J. C. Multinger; J. J. Blodgett, secretary to trustees.
At this date, Feb. 1905, we find the department has six- ty active members, twenty-four in the hook and ladder com- pany, and eighteen in each of two hose companies. The last treasurer's report shows a cash balance in the treasury of $1011.38. The present officers are L. H. Diers, chief; J. Goering, assistant chief; and Harry Graff, secretary and treasurer.
We copy the following from an address at a firemen's banquet held at Seward some years ago (date not given) by G. Babson:
"In 1878, the only fire apparatus was a three gallon Bab- cock extinguisher, owned by Thos. Wolf, editor of the Re- porter. In April, 1879, it did excellent service in putting out a fire in the basement of Kribler's furniture house. In the following spring the council purchased two three-wheeled Babcock extinguishers and a hook and ladder truck. They were stored in Marshall's livery barn. Our first call one night we had an awful struggle to get the apparatus from behind carriages and buggies just to find a pile of brush and weeds on fire. The department was organized May 20, 1879. . J. C. Henderson was appointed chief by the city council; Ed. Polly was appointed foreman of Company No. 1, Wm. Ash- ton, No. 2, and Geo. Blodgett, No. 3, hook and ladder, with Jack Hanly, assistant. Our drill practice was regular for a time. Once we had a small fire, but the engines had stood idle so long that they refused to work. Later the company was re-organized with J.C. Henderson, chief: G. Babson, as- sistant; John Mulfinger, foreman of No. 1, Dick Sampson, No. 2., and H. Diers, No. 3. From this time drills were held regularly, and the department became efficient and ready for
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
business. Gus. Babson was chief from 1883 to 1887 and F. Wooly assistant for most of the time, and in 1887 he became Babson's successor. We had many hard runs and were usu- ally fortunate in being able to stop fires before much dam- age was done. In Feb., 1883, we were all frost bitten in a long run to the northeast part of town when the thermome- ter registered thirty degrees below zero. We had many fires, such as Stillwell's barn, the old skating rink, Grand Central hotel, and in 1886, the Park hotel. In 1890, Feb. 20th, the department established a reading room and library and at the end of that year had 274 books in use. Five years later this was turned over to the city with about six hundred volumes. It was the nucleus of the present city li- brary. At the first firemen's tournament held at Lincoln in the fall of 1884, our department attended with fifty men in uniform, with Gerke's band. We won the hook and ladder race and Mr. Mulfinger's company won the ladies' silk banner for the best drilled company. We came home happy. Jan. 12, 1886, the state association met at Seward, which was a pleasant time for all the boys."
Stillwell's barn burned in 1884, and in April, 1885, the rink burned. Dec. 12, 1885. the Grand Central hotel burned.
It has been a pleasure to know how efficient and self- sacrificing the Seward fire boys have been all through the years. Their work is entirely voluntary, but somehow they are always ready at the tap of the bell. They run like wild cats and work like tigers. They have saved many disas- trous conflagrations and are entitled to the gratitude of all our people. All the consideration they receive is they are freed from poll tax and exempt as jurors, and after five years' service they are entirely free from poll tax. Some of the boys have now served ten years or more. We are ready to vote the fire department any reasonable favor they can ask for.
BURLINGTON RAIL ROAD BUSINESS FOR 1904
The Burlington's part in the business of Seward in the year 1904.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
The tickets sold at Seward station in the year each month are as follows:
January, number of tickets,
1505 cash received, $2352 48
February,
1458
2204 35
March
1561
2134 96
April
1487
1877 70
May
1762
2015 97
June
1818
..
66
2194 19
August
929-2
66
4641 81
September
. .
2061
3854 17
October
66
1963
3342 02
November
. .
1740
2377 75
December
1744
66
. 6
2698 06
20875
$31819 18
There was shipped from the Seward station during 1904 178 cars of live stock, 119 cars of wheat, corn and oats, 60 cars of eggs, 169 cars of products, (products of flour and of the cereal mills) 25 cars of brick, 37 cars of miscellaneous arti- c·les.
Received during the year, 64 cars of lumber, 215 cars of coal. 16 cars of implements, 311 car of miscellaneous articles, and 3,970,697 pounds of general merchandise, equaling 260 car loads. Total freight collected, $75,000. Trains passing Seward daily; Passenger-8 trains six days in the week and 4 on Sundays. Freight 8 daily except Sunday and 6 Sundays.
Some seasons of the year when grain and stock moves freely, the number of extra trains is surprisingly great. One noticeable feature of the out-going freight is the eggs. Sixty car loads, or twenty-four thousand cases, or seven hundred and twenty thousand dozen.
Freight business reported by Utica for the year 1904 is as follows: Shipped out 389 cars of grain, 68 cars of live stock, 14 cars of merchandise, total 471 cars. Received 71 cars of coal, 27 cars of lumber, 91 cars of merchandise, total 179 cars. Freight in less than car lots, 1,648,575 pounds. Freight charges collected, $16,423.31. Other stations re- fused to report. Let the responsibility rest where it belongs
66
66
2125 72
July
1484
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
We did all that was reasonable to give the reader a correct idea of the rail road business from every station.
C. N. W. RAIL ROAD
The Northwestern Rail Road company received at Se- ward station during the year 1904, 224 cars of freight of all kinds and shipped out 357 cars of stock, grain and other merchandise, including 47 cars of poultry.
The passenger traffic by months was as follows:
January
Local $401 12
Coupon
$72 72
February
475 31
28 55
March
353 97
90 90
April
250 07
228 76
May
355 52
111 26
June
572 95
38 71
July
2544 73
209 16
August
638 36
398 95
September
550 54
360 18
October
582 31
181 85
November
482 86
93 60
December
477 61
382 65
Grand total, $9,882.64.
The N. W. is a branch road.
SEWARD CEREAL MILLS
This is certainly an institution that we may all feel proud of. The present plant was erected on the ruins of the one destroyed by fire in the Autumn of 1895 and was ready for business in April of 1898. As it now stands it cost about twenty-five thousand dollars. It is owned by Seward people exclusively. The builders and principal owners are John Mulfinger, Geo. Harrison, John Zimmerer and Charles Barkley. The principal structure is 36x68, three stories above the basement and filled throughout with the latest and most approved machinery known to the trade for the manufacture of oat and corn products. Beside the main structure are the engine room, kiln room, grain ware house, storage building and office, each under separate roofs. The capacity of the mills is one hundred and forty barrels of
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
4
Seward Cereal Mills
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
rolled oats and two hundred barrels of corn products per day, or three hundred and forty barrels per day, and gives em- ployment to from twelve to twenty persons at good wages. We are informed that pay checks are always ready for the workmen Saturday evening.
It is a noteworthy fact that this institution can and al- ways does pay the farmers for a good article of oats or corn much better prices than the shippers can possibly pay, and it is safe to say that the farmers of Seward and surrounding counties are many thousands of dollars gainer by the existence of this grand plant. The company enjoy a large trade in ev- ery state and territory west of the Mississippi and is extend- ing to our island possession in the Orient. The trade mark, the "White Dove," is known far and wide as one of the best brands of rolled oats in the markets of the world. The bus- iness men of Seward and the laboring people as well as the farmers all have great reason to feel a great interest in the Cereal Mills of Seward.
SEWARD MILLS
The history of this valuable property is a part and a very important part of the history of this city. It was with great difficulty that the title of the water power was secured as an old land shark at Cincinnati, by the name of Geo. Hilton, had at an early day entered a large tract of timber land just near the mouth of Plum creek which included the forty acre tract where the mill now stands. The old fellow steadfastly refused to sell the property for a long time and seemed very obstinate in the matter until some of the neigh- bors took a hand, and wrote some letters to him that would not look well in print, which brought the old fellow to his senses and he concluded to sell the forty acre tract at ten dollars per acre to H. L. Boyes and the first work on the mill site was done in 1867. A brush dam was built and a saw mill was started, without shelter or roof, on the river bank in the spring of 1868. For a time this was a scene of great activity, as logs by the thousand were hauled long distances and the log yard, covering quite a space, was a sight to all beholders. In 1870, the company started the first mill to
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
grinding grain. This little affair was known far and wide as "Banner Mills." It was draped in red, white and blue, like the star spangled banner. It did good work and was run at its full capacity until an evil day came in 1871, when it became overloaded with farmer's grists. One night the whole bottom of the mill fell out and dumped the machinery and grain into the river. It was a woeful looking mess that we beheld one bright Sabbath morning. The river was strewn with grain in bursting sacks, loose grain, flour, feed and wrecked machinery all tangled in a heterogenious mass.
This was a sad blow to the owners and to the community but, it must be rebuilt and the courageous owners immediately set to work and in due time all was set to rights and the mill wheels began again to turn. Some years later the little mill was torn down and a much larger one built in its place and as the business expanded, that one had to give way for a larger one. Then in 1891, the third one was replaced by a large roller merchant mill, and in 1893, that great beautiful structure burned, but that will power and energy of its own- ers knew no such word as fail and in just one hundred days after the cruel flames had destroyed it, another and grander mill was ready for business. At that time Mr. Deane was associated with Mr. Carlos Boyes & Co. and remained a val- uable partner for a number of years, when Martin Hulsizer and Burdette Boyes, a grandson of the founder and son of Carlos, became partners.
Size of the present mill is 40x72 feet and five stories high, with the best modern machinery throughout, having six double standard rollers for flour and three set for corn products, working capacity, one hundred and fifty barrels per day. Storage capacity, sixteen thousand bushels, water- power capacity, over one hundred horse power. Water gage of river at low water stage, four thousand cubic feet per minute. The company at this writing are engaged in filling a government contract of one million pounds of flour or forty car loads.
BRICK YARD
Seward's new brick yard, employing about forty hands and turning out 30,000 excellent brick per day, is something
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Seward Brick Yard
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA
to be proud of. It is what is known as a draw kiln, where the fires never go out. With its great smoke stack tower- ing one hundred and ten feet, makes it conspicuous.
Under the able management of William Worthman and son, it is destined to add greatly to the business of our city. We are pleased to present to our readers a splendid picture of this valuable plant.
BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
Seward Building and Loan Association was organized late in 1893, and early in 1894 articles of incorporation were filed. February 6th the first officers were elected as follows: J. J. Blodget, president; John Zimmerer, vice president; Geo. Merrium, secretary and J. F. Goehner, treasurer; J. P. Dunham, J. H. Erford, W. H. Debolt, W. E. Longworthy, S. D. Atkins, J. J. Thomas and O. C. Reynolds, directors. Object of the association is to encourage people of moderate means to secure homes on easy payments. The plan con- templates the loan of means to assist in building or purchas- ing homes on payments about equal to the rent of like prem- ises, with low rates of interest. Each payment is divided so that the interest is kept up and part of the principal paid and thus in a few years the party has a home paid for.
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