USA > Nebraska > Lancaster County > Lincoln > History of the city of Lincoln, Nebraska : with brief historical sketches of the state and of Lancaster County > Part 29
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A daily edition had prior to this time been worked off on the hand press, during the session of the Legislature in the winter of '69 and '70, but it contained little more than the summary of legislative pro- ceedings, and some local items.
A new Taylor cylinder press had been added to the Journal ma- chinery, and after a dozen years of continual faithful service, it gave way to the largest size, two-revolution, Cottrell press, with all mod- ern improvements, including folder.
Still crowded for room, owing to its rapid growth, the Journal office in the spring of '71 returned to the State block, took possession of the rooms over Rudolph's grocery house, that had just been ex- tended fifty feet in the rear, making its quarters 25x100, and amply sufficient for its accommodation. Shortly after, Mr. Brownlee dis- posed of his interest to Hon. H. D. Hathaway, of the Plattsmouth Herald, taking an interest in the Herald as part payment, and the firm name became Gere & Hathaway.
In the fall of 1872 a separation was made between the newspaper and the job business, and the State Journal Company was organized, the members being Messrs. Gere & Hathaway, and Messrs. A. H. Mendenhall and Geo. W. Roberts, of Peoria, Ill., Mr. Mendenhall having long been the foreman of the Transcript office, and the latter, the proprietor of a bindery and blank book establishment in that city.
A large addition of material and machinery for book and job print-
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ing, bindery, and blank book making, was made to the old job de- partment of the Journal, and again more room had to be obtained. The second stories of the five buildings, known as Commercial block, on the southwest corner of Government square, were connected by a common hall, and after some alterations, nearly the whole of the upper half of the block was taken, part for the State Journal com- pany, and part for the newspaper, still owned and published by Gere & Hathaway.
1880
STATE JOURNAL BUILDING.
In 1887, Mr. Roberts having sold his interest in the Journal company to Mr. John R. Clark, and it having been incorporated under the laws of the State, Messrs. Gere & Hathaway transferred the news- paper to the company.
The officers of the company are: C. H. Gere, President; A. H. Mendenhall, Vice President; John R. Clark, Secretary, and H. D. Hathaway, Treasurer.
The beginning of the year 1882, found the State Journal company in the occupancy of their handsome and spacious new building, sit- uated upon the corner of P and Ninth streets. This building is a
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substantial stone and brick structure, three stories and basement, with a frontage of 75 feet on P street, and 142 feet on Ninth street. The ground was broken in June, 1880, and the various departments ready for occupancy the first of December, 1881.
Prior to this last removal into its own quarters, the company had added a small line of stationery for its jobbing trade. This depart- ment has reached such proportions that it now occupies one-third of the building - the part that was for a time rented. Its mechanical and artistic departments have also grown in the same proportions. A dozen steam presses are used for its job and book work. Its bindery is the largest and completest in the west.
To its thoroughly equipped electrotyping and stereotyping depart- ment, it has added a very complete engraving and lithographing es- tablishment, which is employed to its full capacity in furnishing Nebraska work to Nebraskans. The two-revolution Cottrell press has been sent to the job-rooms, and the Journal has for some time been printed on a Hoe perfecting press, with a capacity of 10,000 double sheets per hour, delivered folded to the hands of the mailers and news- boys.
The volume of the business of the Journal Company, in all its de- partments, reached, in 1882, the first year of its occupancy of its own building, $130,000. For the fiscal year ending July 15, 1889, it amounted to $288,306.31. It paid for labor during those twelve months an aggregate of $105,176.53, a fraction over $2,000 per week. Its freight bills for the year amounted to $7,318.79.
The history of the democratic press of Lincoln is a varied one. Democratie newspapers have had a precarious existence, and have changed names and owners frequently. In 1867 the Nebraska States- man was founded by Augustus Harvey as a weekly. It was sold within eighteen months to Randall & Smails, who changed it from a weekly to an evening daily. Owing to Randall's mismanagement, the concern broke financially, and the material went into the Fremont Tribune office. About 1878 General Vifquain founded the State Dem- ocrat, which also changed hands frequently. Among the prominent Democrats who have had control of the paper may be mentioned Hon. Albert Watkins, Hon. A. J. Sawyer, and Hon. J. W. Barnhart. Changes continued to occur until August 1, 1886, when the property
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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN.
passed into the hands of J. D. Calhoun, who successfully conducted the paper for twenty-three months. On July 1, 1888, Mr. Calhoun sold out to the "Call Publishing Company," which changed its poli- tie -. In the following August, Messrs. JJ. A. Emmons and Sol. Oppenheimer purchased an outfit and established the Weekly State Donoerat, which is yet in publication and enjoys a good circulation and fair patronage. Mr. Oppenheimer soon sold his interest to Capt. Emmons, who is now the editor, the publishers being the Democrat Publishing Company. The Democrat is ably edited, and is earnest in its support of party principles and in pushing Lincoln to the front.
On July 1, 1888, was issued the first number of the Lincoln Daily Call, as an evening paper, by the "Call Publishing Company." Of this company H. M. Bushnell is President, Sam D. Cox Secretary, Treasurer, and Business Manager, and Al. Fairbrother, Managing Editor. Under the management of these three gentlemen the Call has grown rapidly in circulation and influence. It is Republican in polities, although free to criticise where criticism is thought to be needed.
Few business enterprises of the city have grown more rapidly than the Lincoln News plant. Beginning as a very small job office, in 1880, by Mr. E. B. Hyde, it has now expanded into a large printing house, including an excellent book bindery, facilities for stereotyping, and two newspaper and a number of job presses. The Daily News was first published on the 26th of October, 1881, as a four column folio, the day of President Garfield's funeral, by Mr. T. H. Hyde, who actively joined his son, E. B. Hyde, in the business at that time, and has been the main factor in the enterprise ever since. The paper was started to contribute to the business interests of the job depart- ment. The winter of 1881-2 was one of commercial activity, and the News prospered, so that carly in the spring of 1882 the daily was en- larged to a five-column folio, and advanced to a six-column folio late in the fall of that year. The News continued to grow, and in 1885 Mr. Walter Hoge became interested in the business, and the firm became Hyde, Hoge & Hyde. The pressure of patronage required another en- largement of the News in 1887, when it became a seven-column folio. About the first of the year 1888 a stock company was formed called
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the "Lincoln News Company," and it so continues to the present time, with Messrs. Thomas H. Hyde and E. B. Hyde as the leading stockholders. The daily was again enlarged in the fall of 1888 to an eight-column folio. Mr. Hoge retired from the company during the summer of 1888. Mr. Harry Dobbins became connected with the edi- torial department in 1888, and he and Mr. T. H. Hyde do the main editorial work, Mr. Hyde being managing editor. Mr. E. B. Hyde is manager of the mechanical and business departments.
The News Company now occupies three floors of the brick building at 121-3 North Tenth street. The daily is steadily increasing its cir- culation and business, and the weekly News has a large circulation among the people of the county. Altogether the News establishment is the largest printing house, except that of the Journal, in the South Platte section of Nebraska.
The first German newspaper published in the city of Lincoln was called the Staats-Zeitung, and was owned and edited by Dr. F. Renner, now of Nebraska City. The doctor, a well educated man and strong Re- publican, started the Staats-Zeitung in 1871, and made a strong fight for General Grant's reelection in 1872. The Staats-Zeitung was after- ward moved to Nebraska City, where it is now published by Mr. Bentler.
The Germans of the city of Lincoln, feeling the necessity of having an organ in their own language, contributed, in the year 1880, a large sum of money, and guaranteed a good patronage, to Peter Karberg, who was known as an old and experienced newspaper man in Du- buque. He moved to Lincoln in the month of May, 1880, and pub- lished the first number of his Nebraska Staats-Anzeiger on June 1st, 1880. Karberg's experience and energy soon made the Staats-Anzeiger one of the best and most influential German papers in the State. The early death of Mr. Karberg, on July 2, 1884, made the sale of his paper necessary, and Mr. Henry Brugmann became the successor of Mr. Karberg. Financial troubles caused the foreclosure and sale of the Staats-Anzeiger in October, 1887. The creditors bought the ma- terial, and after disposing of the job department formerly connected with the paper, sold it to Schaal & Esser, who now continue its pub- lication. The Anzeiger was a strong advocate of Republican princi- ples under its first two proprietors, who themselves were strong party
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men. The present publishers are Democrats, and the paper has no avowed policy.
The Lincoln Freie Presse is the youngest, but the most successful, German paper, not only in the city of Lincoln, but in the whole State of Nebraska. Its publisher and editor, Major J. D. Kluetsch, is one of the best-known Germans of our State. Being one of the oldest citi- zens of our city, Mr. Kluetsch knows the wants of our German popu- lation, and publishes just such a paper as is demanded and needed. The Lincoln Freie Presse, a seven-column, eight page weekly, was first published on September 1st, 1884, by G. Z. Bluedhorn, who sold it on February 15, 1886, to its present owner, Mr. J. D. Kluetsch. It has now the largest circulation of any German paper in the State. Its circulation is unlimited among the German residents of this and adjoining States, and it accordingly enjoys a very large advertising patronage. Independent in politics, tolerant in religious matters, and fearless, though true, in matters pertaining to the welfare of our city and State, the Freie Presse has done more than any other German paper to build up the State of Nebraska and city of Lincoln. The history of Lincoln, written by the Freie Presse in the German lan- guage, in a series of twenty-eight able articles, has advertised our city all over the United States, and also abroad, and Mr. Khuetsch and his paper have been highly commended for the enterprise shown by these articles. JJohn D. Khuetsch, editor and publisher of this paper, was born on the 22d day of March, 1833, in a town called Uelmen, near Coblentz, on the river Rhine, in the kingdom of Prussia. After pass- ing the primary schools of his town, he studied at the gymnasiums at Recklinghausen, in Westphalia, and at Coblentz and Trier, in the province of Rhenish Prussia. The gymnasium at Trier, (no doubt the oldest city in Western Europe, and at one time the residence of Constantine the Great,) was always considered one of the best schools in Germany. After graduating, Mr. Kluetsch visited the University of Bonn, and the Academy of Forestry at Eisenach, the city in which Martin Luther was held as a prisoner, and where he translated the Bible. Having finished his studies, Mr. Kluetsch entered the Prussian Army as a one year volunteer in the Eighth Prussian Sharpshooters' Battallion, at Wetzlar, near Giessen, the well-known German university. After this we find Mr. Kluetsch at the city of Cologne, where he re_
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THE PRESS OF LINCOLN.
mained in the government's employ, with the exception of a few months during the Franco-Austrian war, in 1859, when he joined the Prussian army again, until he emigrated to this country, in May, 1861, shortly after the breaking out of the rebellion. Mr. Kluetsch enlisted as a private in the Eighty-second Illinois Vohin- teers, and received many promotions for his bravery and good be- havior. He served on the staff's of Generals O. O. Howard and Carl Schurz, and took part in some of the hardest-fought battles of our last war; for instance, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Mission Ridge, and Lookout Mountain. After leaving the army, Mr. Kluetsch moved to Chicago, where he held a number of positions in the postal service, and in the recorder's office as map clerk. He was elected collector of taxes for West Chicago in 1870, and reelected in 1871, and moved to Lincoln on the 1st of May, 1872. Here he followed several vocations, until the 15th day of February, 1886, when he purchased the Lincoln Freie Presse, of which paper he is the sole owner.
The Hausbesucher (Home Visitor) is another German paper pub- lished in this city by Rev. Chr. Bruegger, pastor of the German Methodist Church, corner of Fifteenth and M streets, under the au- spiees of this church. It was founded by Rev. Karl Harris, the for- mer pastor, on June 1, 1881. Its circulation is largely among the members of the above church, and reaches about 300 copies.
The Capital City Courier was started with an office desk, but now has one of the finest and most complete newspaper and job printing establishments in the State. The Courier was established by its present proprietor, Mr. L. Wessel jr., December 9, 1885. By successive en- largements the Courier grew from a four to a six-column folio. At the end of six months it blossomed out as a full-fledged newspaper, and charged a subscription price. For the State Fair, of 1887, the proprietor published an edition of 10,000 copies, each eight pages of six columns, and the paper has continued that size ever since. It is one of that class of journals known in the West as "society papers," but it also has full and carefully edited departments devoted to the drama, literature, sport, fashions, humor, music, religion, woman, home architecture, and correspondence, besides chatty comments on polities and other current events.
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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN.
In connection with the paper a department for the prosecution of the artistic in printing and publishing is maintained. The offices are on Twelfth street, in the new Burr block, where two store-rooms are occupied, one for the Courier and business department and the other for the composing and press-rooms.
Believing that there was an opening in the city for a first-class dis- tinetive Sunday morning paper, the Sunday Morning Globe was brought into existence, in April, 1889, the publishers and editors he- ing W. L. Hunter, late of Illinois, and J. C. Seacrest, who had been for two years identified with the newspaper business of the city. The Globe is an eight-page, six-column paper, independent in politics, and devoted especially to the interests of society, secret fraternities, sports, and city events touching the interests of the masses. It aims to be a people's paper. The business is done in the name of the Globe Pub- lishing Company. The office of the company is located in the Wind- sor block. The daily Globe was started September 28, 1889.
The first agricultural paper published in Lincoln, the Nebraska Farmer, was established in 1872, by General J. C. McBride and J. C. Clarkson, now of Chicago. At the time this publication was estab- lished, the farming and live-stock interests of Nebraska amounted to very little; they were too young to support a paper published in their interest. But the main reason for the establishment of the paper was to promote, by its influence, the success of certain land deals in the State in connection with a railway project of that carly day. In 1880, however, the farming and live-stock interests of the State had grown to larger proportions, making the field of an agricultural paper broader and more lucrative. In that year General McBride pur- chased his partner's interest in the journal and conducted it alone for some time, when he sold an interest in the paper to O. M. Drusc. Soon after this transaction General MeBride was appointed post- master, and the entire paper became the property of Mr. Druse. At this time the Farmer was a monthly publication. In January, 1887, L. L. Siler, of Lawrence, Kas., and H. E. Heath, of Kansas City, purchased the paper of Mr. Druse, who had been running it for some time as a semi-monthly.
The new firm soon changed it to a weekly publication. In Janu- ary, 1888, Mr. Siler sold his three-fifths interest to his partner, H.
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THE PRESS OF LINCOLN.
E. Heath, who in the following spring took his brother, H. A. Heath, a practical farmer from Western Nebraska, into partnership, since which time the firm has remained unchanged. The Nebraska Farmer is recognized as the leading farm journal published in the West. It is ably edited, and has a large force of contributors and correspondents, made up of men who have practical knowledge of the things about which they write. It has an extensive circulation through Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and other Western States.
In the fall of 1886, Colonel H. S. Reed and Ex-Governor Robert W. Furnas established a monthly journal called Western Resources, the first number of which was issued in January, 1887. In the fall of 1887 Colonel Reed purchased the interest of Governor Furnas, and continued to conduct the paper as a monthly until January 1, 1889, when the form of the paper was changed, as was also the time of pub- lication. It is now issued three times per month, viz: on the 10th, 20th, and 30th.
At the time Western Resources was established it was made a gen- eral farm paper, but when Colonel Reed became sole proprietor he changed policy and made the paper exclusively a live-stock journal, devoted to the live-stock interests of the State. Since the paper has been conducted on this line of policy, more live-stock organizations have been formed in the State than ever before, for which Colonel Reed is mainly responsible. Western Resources is without a peer in its line in the West, and is acknowledged to occupy second place among the live stock journals of the entire country. Its circulation is about 10,000 copies, and it is the official organ of the following associations, which shows that it is appreciated by the men in whose interest it is published : Nebraska Draft Horse Breeders' Association ; Trotting Horse Breeders' Association ; Hereford Breeders' Associa- tion ; Imported Stock Breeders' Association, and the Association of Expert Judges of Swine.
The Nebraska State Laborer was established in August, 1888, by the organized workingmen of this city, and is published under the auspices of their principal organization, the Central Trades and Labor Union. It earnestly champions the cause of the workingmen, and ably advocates all measures which tend to ameliorate the condition of the laboring masses and elevate them to a higher plane of usefulness
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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN.
and enjoyment. It has grown rapidly in popular favor, and is exer- cising a wide influence among that class to whose interest it is devoted. It is edited by B. S. Littlefield, a former well-known teacher in Lilli- bridge & Roose's business college.
There are at this time twenty-six periodicals published in Lincoln. Besides those referred to at greater length, may be mentioned, more or less in detail, the following additional publications : The Nebraska Methodist, published at Wesleyan University, in the interest of that institution and Nebraska Methodism generally ; the Hesperian is the organ of the students of the State University ; the Proscenium is a theatrical sheet, issued in the interests of Funke's Opera House; the Congregational Nors, by Rev. H. A. French, is a journal devoted to the interests of the Congregational Church ; the Lincoln Monthly, by Messrs. Lillibridge & Roose, represents the interests of the Lincoln Business College; the New Republic is the organ of the Prohibition party in the State, of which Hon. W. H. Hardy is now the editor; the Western Workman, by Professor F. F. Roose, is the Western or- gan of the Ancient Order of United Workmen; the Lincoln Jour- nal of Commerce, is a monthly price current, published in the interests of the city jobbing trade, and for other business purposes; the Ne- braska Railway Gazetteer, by Professor F. F. Roose, is a monthly periodical devoted to western railway affairs; the Daily Stock Dealer is a daily published by Mr. Walter Hoge for the benefit of the Lin- coln Stock Yards, Packing and Provision Company, and the stock dealers of this vicinity ; the Home News is a little folio in the interests of the Home for the Friendless ; the Farmers' Alliance is a monthly, designed to represent the association of farmers by that name; the Lincoln Newspaper Union is the trade journal of the Lincoln news- paper ready-print supply and publishing house, managed by Mr. Frank Rohm; this house also prints the Nebraska State Capital, a story paper ; Modern Bookkeeping, by Lillibridge & Roose, is pub- lished in the interests of accountants and students.
The Cherrier Directory Publishing Company, of which A. B. Cherrier and N. Hall are the members, has for two years past pub- lished city directories which are better arranged, more convenient of reference, and more complete, than any directory before published.
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INCARCERATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
CHAPTER XXIII.
INCARCERATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL-A MEMORABLE OCCURRENCE IN THE CITY'S HISTORY-A SKETCH OF THE PROCEEDINGS, AND A LEGAL HIS- TORY OF THE CASE.
In the fall of 1887, the Mayor and eleven members of the City Council were imprisoned in the county jail of Douglas county for al- leged contempt of the Circuit Court of the United States, District of Nebraska. The following is a brief statement of the facts which oc- casioned this extraordinary action on the part of the Federal Court :
Sometime in the month of August certain parties, gamblers in the city of Lincoln, preferred charges in writing with the Council, against Albert F. Parsons, Police Judge, alleging that he had been guilty of malfeasance in office, in that he had not accounted for moneys collected by him as fines as required by law. These charges were the result of a warfare made upon the gambling fraternity of the city by the newly- elected Mayor, A. J. Sawyer, and the Marshal and police appointed by him. In compliance with the request of the persons making the charges, a committee of the Council was appointed to investigate the charges. The committee met, and after hearing much testimony pro and con, reported to the Council that in their opinion the charges were true, and that the Police Judge had not paid over to the Treasurer all the money by him received, and recommended that his office be de- clared vacant, and that a successor be appointed by the Mayor. The ordinance then in force relating to removal of city officers not pro- viding for trial by a committee of less than the whole of the Council, it was amended, and the committee's report again filed.
While the resolution declaring the office vacant was pending, Mr. Parsons appeared with his attorney, Mr. L. C. Burr, and requested that action be delayed until a certain day, when the evidence could be read and counsel heard before the whole Council, stating that if this was done they would be satisfied with the action of the Council in the premises. Their request was acceded to, and a day fixed as desired.
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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN.
Before that day arrived, however, Mr. Parsons had obtained from Judge Brewer, of the United States Circuit Court, an order restraining the Mayor and Council from taking further action in the premises until he could hear and determine the matter. After careful consid- eration, and after taking advice of counsel, the Mayor and Council became satisfied that the restraining order was made without authority of law, and was of no binding force or effect. They accordingly dis- regarded it, and proceeded to declare the office of Police Judge vacant, and the Mayor appointed and the Council confirmed Mr. H. J. Whit- more as Police JJudge to fill the vacancy.
The action of the city officials was at once brought to the attention of the court, and an order entered, requiring the Mayor and Council to appear and show canse why they should not be punished for contempt.
At the appointed time the parties appeared and presented their reasons for violating the injunction, and averred that the court was without jurisdiction to issue the same, and that consequently they were under no obligations to obey it. Judge Brewer, however, held that his order was properly issued, and adjudged the defendants guilty of contempt, and sentenced Mayor Sawyer, and Councilmen Briscoe, Burks, Cooper, Pace, and Dean, to pay a fine of fifty dollars each, and Councilmen Billingsley, Graham, Hovey, Ensign, Fraas, and Dailey, to pay a fine of six hundred dollars cach. One and all de- clared their intention to suffer imprisonment rather than pay the fine imposed, and they were accordingly taken in charge by the United States Marshal, and confined in the Douglas county jail.
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