USA > Nebraska > Seward County > History of Seward county, Nebraska, together with a chapter of reminiscenses of the early settlement of Lancaster county > Part 8
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Sept. 7th-The county commissioners order an election on location of county seat, and the editor gives them a terrible scolding.
Report of the election on the new constitution. At this time there were seven precincts, as follows :
6
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Milford, for constitution
122
Against 0
Walnut Creek
37
0
Beaver Crossing®
36
1
Oak Grove
66
33
0
Camden
66
30
0
Seward
68
66
8
North Blue
66
25
3
Total
358 Total 12
First number of Nebraska Reporter is received, and is unfavorably commented on, on account of harsh epithets and coarse language used.
Oct. 5th-S. R. Douglas caught a coon.
Oct. 19th-The Record has heard of the county seat election, and has its war paint on.
Oct 25th-" County commissioners have re-districted the county into eight precincts, as follows: Townships nine and ten, range one, form Beaver Creek; townships eleven and twelve, Lincoln Creek ; township twelve, ranges two and three, North Blue; township eleven, ranges two and three, Seward ; townships nine and ten, range two, Walnut creek; townships nine and ten, range three, Milford; town- ships nine and ten, range four, Camden ; townships eleven and twelve, range four, Oak Grove."
The editor takes a ride over to Beaver Crossing, and finds the new town flourishing. Ross Nichols, Daniel Millspaw, Roland Reed, John E. Fouse, McCauley, John Leonard, and Osborne, are men- tioned as thrifty farmers. The new mill of Mr. Smith is highly spoken of. Thomas Tisdale's store is noted as one of the best store buildings in the county.
Oct 26th-The election of officers of the county agricultural society, at Seward, is noted as occurring on the 16th inst., when W. W. Cox was elected president; Henry Wortendyke, vice president ; James A. Brown, recording secretary , A. L. Strang, corresponding secretary ; Robert McCrossan, treasurer ; directors-E. B. Shafer, J. W. Lee, George W. Standard, and Thomas Graham.
Nov. 30th-There is a long correspondence from Seward about the court-house location, wherein Croney, Williams (O. T. B.), and Ells- worth, are discussed at large by Mortimer. Wm. Hornburg, one of
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
the commissioners, also gets a rub. At that time there was a struggle between Harris on the one side and Cloyd on the other as to where the court-house should be located. We note in the commissioners' proceedings of Nov. 21st, that a resolution passed the board by the votes of Imlay and Hornburg to accept the proposition of W. C. Cloyd, to place the court-house on block 35 in Cloyd's addition, just west of the M. E. church, provided a good title to the property should be made to the county without expense. This resolution must have been re-considered at some other and later meeting, for the court-house evidently was not placed on that block.
Dec. 7th-Notice is given that a lodge of Good Templars will be instituted at Beaver Crossing, Dec. 16, 1871.
Dec. 14th-Contains a report from County Superintendent France, from which we glean that during the year 102 teachers had been examined, seventy-four of whom obtained certificates, sixty third grades, and fourteen second grades; fifty-two were employed during the year. Superintendent's salary, $200. A healthy growth and improvement is noted, and many new school-houses were erected. An appropriation is recommended for charts, globes, and other fix- tures for the schools.
Jan. 4, 1872-The railroad bond proposition gets an overhauling by the editor.
Jan 11th-There was a wide-awake meeting at Beaver Crossing, wherein the bond proposition receives the following send-off :
Resolved, That the county commissioners have disgraced them- selves in the eyes of the tax-payers, etc., etc.
Resolved, That this scheme to vote bonds is to aid a monopoly, a one-sided railroad affair, a disgrace to the people, and a binding curse upon our county, etc., etc.
This interesting document was signed by W. J. Thompson, T. H. Tisdale, and Daniel Millspaw, committee.
Also notices that Col. Vifquain will stump the county against bonds. Bond meetings, pro and con, will be held throughout the county.
" Monday last a crowded house voted unanimously against bonds. A committee, consisting of W. H. Reed, D. C. McKillip, P. J. Goodrich, Ed. Healy, and Cummins, were appointed to hold meet- ings for defeat of the bonds."
·
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
The burden of the song for all the weeks prior to the election day, February 22d, is down with the bonds, and on that day they downed them.
We notice among the writers and speakers that were conspicuous- in opposition to bonds, was Rev. T. N. Skinner.
Result of the election is noted as follows:
Milford, for bonds.
5 votes. Against bonds 147
Camden "
6
138
Walnut Creek "
10
130
Beaver Creek "
2
135
Seward
232
3
North Blue
136
66
0
Oak Grove
47
60
Lincoln Creek "
109
66
9
Total vote.
540 Total 622
Majority against, 82.
This ended the first chapter in this desperate sectional struggle, with Seward the under dog.
March 7th-The first issue of the Beaver Tribune, a semi-monthly paper at Beaver Crossing, is noticed. This was published by V. W. Wilson & Co.
March 11th-A mass meeting of the people of Camden is held, in which the county commissioners are handled without gloves for dis- franchising Camden precinct in the bond matter. It has always been supposed that a young Seward lawyer stole from the clerk's office the returns from Camden precinct, and when the canvass of the vote was made, there were no returns from Camden, so the commissioners felt obliged to ignore the Camden election, and this Camden mass meeting was ready to take up arms, as it seemed that ballots had failed.
Rev. T. N. Skinner heads. an epistle to the people, "Ballots or Bullets."
April 4th-Seward correspondent says another bond proposition will be submitted ; and also says the commissioners will dismiss their county attorney, because he is such a consummate liar that they can't believe a word he says ; and he is also accused of taking fees on two sides of a case.
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Milford money order office shows business for three months to be :
Orders issued. .$2,653 38
Orders paid. 961 61
Amount deposited.
2,140 00
Total business. $5,755 19
April 4th-Also has the minutes of a mass meeting in Seward to express their abhorrence of the idea of stealing an election. The meeting resolved that the people of Seward firmly believe in a free and untrammeled election, and in jealously guarding the purity of the ballot box ; and
" Be it further resolved, That we here assembled express our disap- probation of any scheme or plan for the purpose of defeating the ex- pressed will of the county at the late election ; and further we are desirous to know the truth or falsity of the charges preferred, and will heartily engage in any movement to ascertain who are the guilty parties, whether in Seward, Camden, or elsewhere, and to bring them to merited punishment." Signed by J. N. Beaty, Chairman ; T. J. Hamilton, Secretary.
April 18th-Appears a clipping from the Atlas on the bond elec- tion, in which Prof. Ingham says: " Blessed, yea, thrice blessed, are the peace-makers, and most benign would be the labors of any, if only successful in allaying that bitter animosity and uncompromising hos- tility which excites the different sections of our county. This spirit of ·evil which pervades our county, will, we fear, unless exorcised by a gentle spirit of forbearance and reconciliation, become so powerful as to utterly ruin the highest prospects of the whole county." The editor of the Atlas takes occasion to charge in this article the blame on the older settlers of both sections, and charges them with being narrow- minded, etc. This waked up a hornet's nest, and the learned professor soon heard a tremendous buzzing around his ears, and in a subsequent issue he takes everything back, and gets down on his knees in good shape to the old settlers ; not only asks forgiveness, but at- tempts to " bring forth fruits meet for his repentance," and pitches into Milford like a wild cat, and so the battle rages.
May 2d-It is noted that the commissioners have divided Lincoln Creek, Oak Grove, and Camden precincts, so that there are now eleven. Also, it is noted that Prof. Ingham has retired from the
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Atlas, and assumed the role of instructor. It is also noted that the History of Seward County, by O. T. B. Williams, is just out, and was printed at the Record office, which has disgusted many of the Seward people. The county superintendent reports thirty male and twenty-eight female teachers employed, and an expenditure of $4,- 721.95 between April 3, 1871, and April 1, 1872. Whole number of scholars were 1,731. Approximate number of inhabitants, 5,203.
May 9th-The erection of Tuttle's new hotel is noticed in the Seward correspondence ; also the near completion of the Presbyterian church edifice; also a call for the corporation election of the town of Seward; also that Miss Lizzie MeKillip (Mrs. Buck) is engaged for the summer school.
May 16th-It is noted that the injunction suit against commission- ers in the railroad bond case is made perpetual by Judge Lake, and everybody is satisfied.
June 13th-Notice of a new railroad bond proposition is given. The Seward correspondent calls Hon. Wm. Imlay the county com- missioners. The same gentleman, whoever he was, predicted that the same blunderers would in like manner come to grief again. He remarks, no one has any idea that they will carry. The drowning of Miss Hattie Tift is commented on. She was partially insane. Croney's sale of the Reporter is noted, and of Prof. Ingham assuming the post of editor again.
July 4th-The Record says, in flaming head-lines: "Stop the reaper and protect yourselves," thereby meaning that they must stop their work and go and vote against bonds again.
July 11th-The second bond election is reported, in which the famous " Mortimer" is buried under an avalanche of votes, bonds having carried by a majority of 123 votes. It puzzled the editor to know how Seward could swell her vote 81 since last February.
September 19th-The division of Beaver Creek precinct is noted.
September 26th-The removal of D. C. McKillip is commented on
October 3d-Specimens of peat from Walnut creek are examined and pronounced good.
October 10th-Reporter has again changed hands.
October 17th-Two wild deer were seen just west of Milford. We also quote: "The second annual fair at Seward was a success, with a fine display, especially of stock, and a large attendance."
87
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
December 5th-The Record announces the death of Horace Greeley, with a fitting eulogy. Mortimer says in same number that a scandal- ous story is afloat about one of our county officials. This must mean McPherson, county treasurer.
December 12th-A discovery of free lime, phosphates, and silicon, a vein twenty-two feet thick. This is on West Blue, in sections 7, 8, and 9, in town 9, range 2 east. The French leave taken by our county treasurer is reported, with a probable loss of five or six thou- sand dollars.
December 26th-The action of the county board in the removal of the treasurer, McPherson, and the appointment of Wm. B. Thorpe, is commented on.
January 9, 1873-It is noted that a silver-headed cane was voted to W. W. Cox, as the homeliest man in the county. The same paper notes the scalding of the child of Thomas Osborne on Lincoln creek ; also the resignation of W. J. Thompson as representative; also the removal of E. L. Clark, Jr., from the Seward post-office, for embezzle- ment. Said defalcation is thought to be about $2,000. L. G. Johns was appointed to the place. The apportionment of school money to Seward county is, to 1,701 scholars, $3,690.07.
January 16th-Announcement of the election of D. C. McKillip, representative, to fill vacancy.
January 23d-School moneys apportioned among fifty-nine districts.
February 13th-It is mentioned that at the commissioners' meet- ing held on February 3d, the geographical townships were made into precincts, and were named from the first sixteen letters of the alphabet. The same issue mentions four marriages in Seward, viz .: Ethan Atwater, Walter Briggs, Mr. Spear, and Andrew Wright.
March 6th-The bill incorporating Seward is noticed by Mortimer, who also says that the railroad track is just being laid into Seward. This letter is dated March 4th. Mortimer made a mistake, as the track was complete and the cars reached Seward on the evening of March 1, 1873. He also notes that Rev. Rockwell preached his fare- well sermon to the Methodist congregation.
April 10th-The editor publishes his valedictory.
We have looked through every page of the files of the Record from first to last, and it is our pleasure to say that the paper was a credit to the county and the state. While the editors worked manfully for
88
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
the interest of Milford in all her battles, yet they manifested a gentle- manly and courteous attitude towards all. We wish the Record had continued its publication. In quoting so liberally from its columns, we feel that we are giving bits of history, both interesting and profitable, and we hereby extend our warmest thanks to Mr. Culver for the use of his files.
The following items are taken from the Nebraska Reporter. We regret to say that the earlier files are only fragmentary, most of them are destroyed, but we are able to get from what we have at command some items of interest:
December 13, 1872-The Baptist church is up and nearly enclosed.
A letter from Shoe String Joe complains bitterly of the manage- ment of the Seward post-office. He says the P.M. is an inveterate novel reader and don't like to be bothered by people asking for mail.
January 4, 1873-A mush and milk sociable for the benefit of Rev. J. H. Rockwell was a success, and from fifty to sixty dollars realized.
Also, that homely man getting the cane is noticed.
The organization of the Seward Literary Club is noticed, of which V. Danniels was chairman, and in which Wm. Leese, T. L. Norval, H. C. Page, D. C. McKillip, T. F. Buck, J. W. English, and C. P. Dick each figured.
The New Year's address, by O. S. Ingham, is also given.
January 11th-Returns show a total vote of 396 in the special election, wherein D. C. McKillip was elected to fill vacancy in this legislative district. D. C. M. received 208 votes and there were three opposing candidates, viz., Elsworth Hamilton, T. J., and Campbell.
January 18th-The editor is impressed with the number of dead tom cats in the streets.
The marriage of E. M. Spear, of Seward, to Miss May R. New- land, of Rochester, N. Y., is noticed.
May 8th-The charter election of the town of Seward is reported as follows: resulting in the election of V. Daniels, Sam Stevenson, Herman Diers, Wm. Hays, and T. L. Norval, as trustees of the village for the coming year. There were 93 votes cast.
May 22d-The air is filled with grasshoppers, also that work is being pushed on Tishue's store, and the editor says we may well be
89
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
proud of such a fine building. Well, we were, but have got bravely over it.
The advent of Claudius Jones is welcomed.
May 29th-The new jail is nearly enclosed.
It is noted that the grasshoppers are doing some damage in a few localities.
June 12th-Sixty buildings in two months, by actual count.
June 26th-Ed. Ingham gets eloquent over a little street fight. We quote : "On the morning of the 21st of June the sun in unclouded splendor issued from the pearly portals of the Orient to pursue his daily journey through the shining concave heavens, past the lofty zenith, down to his purple, cloud-draped ocean couch, behind the western hills," etc.
July 3d-The M. P. R. R. depot and water tank are about completed.
Sept. 30th-The county fair is pronounced a success.
Sept. 4th-Says from one to two hundred loads of grain received daily, and threshing hardly commenced.
Feb. 1st, 1873-F. M. McPherson joins the editorial force of the Reporter.
The marriage of Ethan Atwater is noted.
The town council is scored for voting a hundred dollars to W. C. Cloyd for his pamphlet.
Feb. 13th-H. T. Clarke is building a bridge west of town on the river.
The city is full of strangers.
The organization of the Seward cemetery association is noted.
McPherson, our defaulting treasurer, receives encouragement and is assured that he has plenty of friends.
May 8th-The editor complains that the Atlas man calls him a lunatic.
Sept. 4th-Dick Norval is building a cosy cage for his prospective bird.
July 31st-School report from district number 9, with J. A. Brown director, shows 139 scholars in district; enrolled 66; present that day 14; average attendance 33.
The following was clipped from the Toledo Blade:
" Out at Seward, Neb., they build houses for editors in about eight
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
days. The editor of the Reporter gave an order for a residence to a building firm, and in less than two weeks the editor moved into the house, and his wife immediately presented him with a fine pair of twin babies. They do things up in a hurry in Nebraska."
The above clippings are not in their regular order, but they were jotted down from miscellaneous papers.
Nov. 15th, 1887-Total vote cast in G precinct, 286, of which Judge Lake received all but one for judge of supreme court. Total vote of county, 1,156, of which Judge Lake received 1,130.
Nov. 22d-Discusses in detail the street fight at Utica, which oc- curred some days before, in which railroaders and citizens exercised their pugilistic ability. Also, a stabbing affray north-west of the city, in which the Manning boys stabbed Frank Slonecker five times with a pocket knife. In same paper it is noted that township organ- ization carried by a large majority. Also the result of the liquor damage case of Eliza Perkins, wherein she gains a judgment of $3,000 against three saloons (this is the first case of the kind ever tried in the state) for selling her husband liquor and thereby causing his death.
Dec. 6th-We notice that R. R. Shick sold, in 1873, bonds for school district number 46 (now the Purdam district) $1,000 for $750, in order to build the little frame school-house. We quote the above to show just how our people were bled in the early days by capitalists. These bonds were ten per cent bonds and run for ten years.
April 10th, 1879-School census shows in district number nine (Seward) four hundred and eighty-nine school children. The same census gives the total population of the city at 1,250 and of the entire district at 1,666.
April 17th-Is noted financial condition of the city. Amount on hand April 22, 1878, $68.14; collection to date, $1,101.11; paid out, $885.86; balance on hand, $283.29.
April 24th-Chronicles the arrest of P. B. Thompson for robbing the mails in Seward post-office.
May 15th-Gives Orlando J. Cassler's autobiography. We will not quote it.
May 22d-A full history of the execution is given.
May 29th-Is noticed the purchase of the fire apparatus.
Also the shooting of McIntosh by Gordon on the road from the Cassler execution. Whiskey is charged with being the cause.
91
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
June 5th-The triumph of the A. & N. bond election is dwelt on at large. The total vote cast on county bonds was 1,798.
The commencement of Goehner block, on the corner of 7th and Seward streets, is noted. Also Henigan & Ashton's meat market on the east side.
June 26th-The injunction suit commenced by Claudius Jones against the commissioners in the matter of issuing railroad bonds to the Lincoln & Northwestern company is fully commented on, with severe strictures.
The arrest of Isaac Whitman for making counterfeit fifty cent pieces is announced. His factory was a dugout near West Mills, He worked over pewter and ground glass into silver half dollars, and was doing a thriving business.
July 10th-We clip the following from the description of the Fourth of July celebration parade. It speaks for itself, and shows to what extremes people can be led in hours of wild excitement. We trust those responsible for this scene have long since become ashamed of it.
"An immense hog, which some of the people mistook for an African elephant instead of a Seward county swine, on each side of its back were hung large letters 'B. & M.' A gaudily arrayed man was leading this hog by a strong rope, and this disguised personage was labeled ' U. P.' Following the hog came a man with a large shovel on his shoulder, with his hat festooned 'Banker,' and carrying a banner on which was inscribed the device, 'I do the dirty work for this hog, but it pays.'
"A large caricature representing first the figure of a man striking a lively gait, holding in his hand a roll inscribed 'Injunction,' which he is handing to an attendant near, accompanied with the exclamation, ' My only refuge is Salt Lake-serve this.' Following comes a woman with a carpet sack, and hanging to the coat-tails of the first described figure, exclaiming, ' Run, I smell tar!' In hot pursuit comes a crowd in the distance carrying buckets marked tar and feather beds. On the other end of this large standard was a large sleek man who had ' U. P.' on his hat, and held a rope that had been tied around a partly finished man inscribed 'A. & N.,' but the rope was broken in trying to hold the 'A. & N.' man, and the 'U. P.' figure exclaming 'the A. & N. must be stopped at all hazards.'"'
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HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
Also, the departure of Claudius Jones and family for Salt Lake is noted.
July 24th-It is noted that Fred D. Grant, a young lad living in N precinct, was killed by being dragged by a runaway horse.
July 31st-Says the contracts for the Norval block are completed.
Also, the death of Mrs. M. W. Warner, in M precinct, which oc- curred July 23d, 1879. This lady was the former wife of our late school superintendent.
Aug. 7th-It is reported that $60,000 had been received for freight at the B. & M. depot in Seward during the year ending July 31st, 1879.
Oct. 16th-Is noticed at length the shooting by accident of Miss Lizzie Welty, which resulted in the death of a noble young woman.
Also the completion of the railroad to Milford.
Oct. 23d-The visit and speech of Hon. De La Matyr is com- mented on.
Nov. 6th-Is noted the completion of the A. & N. road, and the visit of fifty distinguished citizens of Lincoln.
Nov. 13th-It is mentioned that the following two-story brick buildings have been erected during the season : Henigan & Ash- ton's, John Cattle, Sen., Goehner Bros.' engine house, Bischof's, John Roberts', and Norval Bros.
Dec. 15th-We find an estimate of the corn crop of that year as follows : 2,300,000 bushels. The highest reported yield was eighty- five bushels per acre. In the same article it was estimated that the reduction in freight, consequent upon the building of the A. & N. R. R., was three cents per bushel, or $69,000 on the crop of that year. According to our memory the estimate was rather low than high. It was a noteworthy fact that the Seward grain dealers of that fall and winter were able to pay from three to five cents more for corn than any town on the main line of the B. & M. west of Lincoln.
Jan. 8, 1888-The founding of Staplehurst and the shipment of eight cars of corn is recorded. Also the death of Mrs. Thomas Best, at Pleasant Dale, which occurred Dec. 18, 1879, aged sixty years.
We also append from its columns the following useful information :
" Edmund McIntyre has made the following statement for the B. & M. Land Department of the acreage and yield of cultivated lands in Seward county for 1879 :
93.
HISTORY OF SEWARD COUNTY, NEBRASKA.
" Total acres in county, 368,640 ; under cultivation, 109,590 acres : in rye, 1,283 acres, yield 1,924 bushels; in spring wheat, 43,825. acres, yield 482, 362 bushels ; in barley (must be a mistake, too many acres or not enough barley), 8,900 acres, yield 17,800 bushels; in oats, 5,718 acres, yield 227,720 bushels; in buckwheat, 112 acres, yield 2,240 bushels ; in flax, 2,109 acres, yield 18,981 bushels ; in. broom corn, 160 acres, yield 53} tons; in corn, 46,584 acres, yield 2,096,280 bushels ; in potatoes, 966 acres, yield 36,840 bushels; in turnips, 28 acres, yield 4,200 bushels; in blue grass, 17 acres ; in timothy, 1,272 acres; clover, 1,189 acres ; cultivated timber, 4,500 acres. Number of apple trees 30,500, pears 300, peaches 26,450, plunis 8,000, cherries 16,000, grapes 33,000 vines; 175 miles of hedges.
" These estimates are made on the returns of 1877 and estimates of the proportionate increase."
Sept. 9th-Is recorded the death of E. N. Wingfield, of "K" precinct, aged seventy-five years. His death occurred Sept 4, 1880. Mr. W. was a worthy Christian, and a member of the M. P. church.
Aug. 12th-The dedication of the U. B. church by Bishop Wright is favorably mentioned.
Also the death of Robert Walker, at the residence of his son James, aged seventy-seven years. The deceased was one of our old settlers, and was the father of W. H. Walker of our city. He was well known and highly respected.
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