USA > Nebraska > Lancaster County > Lincoln > Lincoln, the capital city and Lancaster County, Nebraska, Volume I > Part 37
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The mayor was accordingly chosen for this purpose, and, armed with a petition for the pardon of the mayor and council, headed by His Excellency Governor Thayer, and signed by the state supreme judges, many district judges and state officers, and other prominent citizens, he proceeded to Washington, and was present on the coming in of the court on the day the decision was looked for. Case after case was handed down, but not the one in which he was particu- larly concerned.
As opinions are not given out by that tribunal, except on Mondays, and as there was no certainty that the case would be reached in a week from that time, he felt that he must return home with nothing accomplished. Before returning, however, it was his good fortune to meet Senators Manderson and Paddock, of Nebraska, who manifested great interest in the cause and suggested that they go with him to the President, that he might become acquainted with all the facts and circumstances.
The invitation was gladly accepted. He was introduced to President Cleve- land by Senator Manderson, as the mayor of Lincoln, who was supposed to be in jail. At the same time both senators spoke a good work both for the mayor and his cause.
The President accorded them a hearty welcome, then turning to the mayor he said, "My attention has already been called to the case through the press, and I would be pleased to learn more of its nature and the particulars." The mayor then gave a brief history of the case in which the President seemed much inter- ested, and inquired of the mayor when he expected a decision. He told him that it was expected that a decision would be handed down today, but that he had just come from the court room and none had been reached. He then ventured to tell the President his purpose in being in the city, that in case of an emergency he might make an appeal for executive clemency.
The Executive smiled and inquired as to the political complexion of the council. The mayor replied, nominally they are all republicans but two; practi- cally they are all democratic, particularly upon the main question-the right of local self government.
"Well, for a fact," said he, "they do seem to be standing for a sound democratic principle-the doctrine of home rule. It is a principle that ought to be triumphant, and I have no doubt that it will."
This he said with a degree of earnestness that gave assurance that in an emergency an appeal might not be in vain.
The mayor returned home. All waited impatiently and most anxiously for
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four successive Mondays to learn their fate. At length, on the Ioth of January, 1888, the wires from Washington flashed the news that the council had won. The lower court had acted without jurisdiction, and all its acts were void.
Those desiring further knowledge of the subject are referred to the case entitled In re Sawyer et al., 124 U. S. R., 402, which has become one of the causes celebres.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE STORY OF THE CRUSADE
At a public temperance meeting held at the Methodist Church, formerly the Methodist Protestant Church, in Lincoln, Nebraska, February 14, 1874, a meet- ing was called for the purpose of organizing a Ladies' Temperance Society (which resulted in the crusade) to be held at the Methodist Episcopal Church, at the corner of M and Fourteenth streets, Rev. G. S. Alexander, pastor. At the hour of 2 P. M. a large audience assembled, comprised of the best citizens of Lincoln. Miss Garrison, a temperance lecturer, who chanced to visit the city at this time, was chosen chairman of the meeting. The meeting was opened with singing and prayer was offered by Reverend Davis, presiding elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was moved and carried that "we enter into a permanent organization, to promote the moral influence in our city and to further the cause of temperance so far as may be in our power." The following officers were elected: Mrs. C. B. Parker, president, Methodist ; Mrs. Captain Scott, vice president, Presbyterian; Mate E. Hardy, recording secretary, Methodist ; Mrs. J. A. Fairbanks, corresponding secretary, Universalist ; Mrs. David Butler, treasurer, Christian. The following pledge was then unanimously adopted : "We mutually pledge ourselves to secrecy as to our plans of work and will stand by each other to the end." The meeting then adjourned to meet again on the follow- ing day at 9 A. M.
The first visit made by these loyal women was a notable occasion, notable because the treatment accorded them reflected the spirit in which their future campaign would be received by the liquor and vice elements of the city. The party, composed of Mrs. Elder Young, Mrs. G. S. Alexander, Mrs. David Butler, Mrs. Guthridge, Mrs. Doctor Burr, Mrs. G. W. C. T. Fairbanks, Mrs. M. Cedar- holm, Mrs. J. W. Hartley, Mrs. J. Torry, Miss Elsie King, Mrs. Elder Davis, Mrs. Captain Scott, Mrs. Bent, Mrs. Colonel Crabb, Mrs. A. C. Ricketts, Mrs. E. M. Roberts, Mrs. D. Buckner, Mrs. H. W. Hardy, Miss M. A. Garrison, Miss Etta Lewis and Mrs. C. B Parker, first visited the saloon owned by the firm of Bailey & Andrews, located on the north side of the public square. The saloon keepers had previously been informed that the women intended to hold a meeting in their place of business and had advertised the fact in the local papers, inviting all the lawless citizens of Lincoln, namely, the drunkards, bar- room loafers, gamblers, toughs and dissipated youths, to congregate upon this occasion and welcome the ladies. They were there in full force and were served with free drinks and cheap cigars, so that when the crusaders arrived they were confronted with a solid wall of stifling tobacco smoke and derisive faces. The
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women were undaunted and forced their way amidst taunts and rough laughter to the center of the room, to a small space between two billiard tables. Here they held their meeting with prayer and song. A few hearts among the uncouth throng were probably touched by the scene, but the majority, encouraged by cheap whiskey, treated the efforts of the noble women as a joke.
The saloon of Councilman T. P. Quick was next visited, but the bartender, a gentleman named Whipple, refused them admittance. Accordingly the women held a meeting upon the sidewalk outside the front door, Ledwith & Men- love's saloon was then visited and here the band of women was again refused entrance. The meeting here was also held upon the outside walk. This ended the work of the first day and the women returned to their homes, discouraged over the treatment accorded them, but firmly resolved to work the harder in the face of the obstacles. There were nineteen saloons in Lincoln at that time.
The next day the women returned to Councilman Quick's saloon, where a large crowd awaited them. Quick himself accosted the women and grew very abusive. Also Mayor Silvers appeared and remonstrated with the women, asking them to refrain from further efforts in the direction of prohibition.
Prayer meetings were held daily in the various churches. The first public sentiment seemed to be against the crusaders, but when their tenacity of spirit became established newcomers to the ranks were plentiful, some two hundred joining within the first few days.
The women were received kindly at the saloon of Jerry Ford and the pro- prietor promised to quit the business later, which he finally did. At Graham & Fisher's saloon a good feeling was evident. The Detwiler place under the opera house welcomed the ladies, but asked them to make their visit as brief as possible. Schwaebold's place was in good order and the management acted in a gentlemanly way. The saloon of Tommy Noonan was visited and also that of R. N. Hodskins. One of the women was assaulted by a man in front of the latter place and he was promptly arrested.
The crusaders soon realized that one of the necessities for the young men of Lincoln was a public place where they could loaf and enjoy the same social feeling which they found in the saloons. At one of the regular meetings in the Methodist Episcopal Church, at 2 P. M., February 23, 1874, an organization was formed to be known as The Temperance Ladies' Reading Room Association of Lincoln. Rooms were procured and furnished within a very short time.
As the work progressed the time grew near when all the liquor licenses in the City of Lincoln would expire. Realizing that this was one chance to prevent their reissue, the women drew up petitions which were signed by the better part of the community and presented them to the council. The cause was hopeless, however, as the council was largely under the domination of the liquor interests. The petitions were not granted. Wide publicity was given to the work of the crusaders of Lincoln and appeals were made by both sides through the press in the effort to gain the preponderance of sentiment. Samuel Aughey, professor of chemistry and natural sciences, made an analysis of the most popular brands, of whiskey sold over the bar in Lincoln and found them to be very far from real. or good, liquor. The principal ingredients, as he found upon test, were strych- nine, strontia, benzine, potash, Brazil wood, sugar of lead, Jogwood and cayenne pepper. The percentage of alcohol was very small. Four saloons were soon
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compelled to close up business, but the others continued despite the adverse press notices given them and the growth of the temperance movement. Calls came into Lincoln from other parts of the state, asking that the crusaders extend their efforts to other communities and in some cases these appeals were heeded.
On April 1, 1874, a mass meeting was held at the opera house to discuss questions in favor of prohibition and to nominate men for the various political offices, which were to be decided very shortly at a general election. Election day came and passed very quietly, only one arrest being made. The women crusaders were present at the polls and did very effective work. The result of the vote showed that a majority of the temperance candidates had been successful, in- cluding the nominee for mayor. A jubilee meeting was held at the opera house the next evening, where speeches, songs and prayers formed the program.
However, the members of the council elected were all whiskey advocates; also the vote on the marshal had been a tie. The council called a special election and elected Mr. Cooper, one of the saloon supporters, to the office. This gave the anti-prohibition people a majority in public office and then, in turn, they held a jubilee meeting, not of the character of that held by the temperance people, though. A parade was held in the downtown streets; liquor was dispensed with a free hand ; and the celebration rapidly assumed the character of an orgy.
Shortly after this the council made an ordinance designed to prohibit the women from holding their meetings. The substance of the ordinance was that no person nor persons could sing or pray on the sidewalks of the city. Mayor S. W. Little, a temperance man, vetoed this bill, but the council passed it by vote notwithstanding and thus it became a law. This restriction placed upon the crusaders worked a hardship. for, if they were refused admittance to the saloons, they had no place to hold their meetings, as the public thoroughfare was closed to them.
At a meeting of the temperance committee, attended by many of the citizens of Lincoln, C. B. Parker was ordered to prosecute Councilman Quick for riotous, disorderly and indecent conduct before the crusade ladies. The case was brought before Judge Foxworthy, who gave Quick a jury of twelve men. A. C. Ricketts and E. G. Adams were attorneys for the prosecution and E. E. Brown acted for the defendant. Although the evidence was clear and unmis- takable the jury disagreed. Clearly this was a "hung" jury. They were dis- charged and a new trial ordered for June Ist.
In the meantime, on May 22, 1874, an ordinance was passed by the council requiring bonds in certain cases brought before the police judge. The mayor vetoed it, but it became a law nevertheless.
At the second trial Judge Foxworthy gave Quick a jury of six men. Again the evidence was introduced and Quick pronounced not guilty. The jury, on the judge's instructions, also found that there was no cause for action on the part of the plaintiff. Foxworthy ordered then that the costs, amounting to $57.50, be paid by Parker himself. The latter refused to comply with this order. In an effort to straighten the difficulty and to come to some understanding Attorney Ricketts held a conference with Judge Foxworthy, but the latter, with much profanity and declarations that he wanted his "costs or blood," would not rescind the order. He even went so far as to issue a mittimus on July 9, 1874, for the arrest of C. B. Parker. Parker permitted himself to be led to jail, where many
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comforts and small favors were showered upon him by the ladies and other supporters of his cause. At HI P. M. he was released on a writ of habeas corpus issued by Chief Justice Lake of the Supreme Court and ordered to appear the next morning at 9 o'clock for trial.
At that hour attorneys Sessions and Ricketts, for the plaintiff, stated the facts of the case and read the mittimus. E. E. Brown, for the defendant, argued at some length immediately afterward. At the close of the argument the judge stated that it was not necessary to consume further time, that the whole pro- cedure had been illegal. In his opinion Associate Justice Maxwell concurred. Accordingly the prisoner was discharged, and Judge Foxworthy failed to get his costs.
The crusade and the different movements resulting from it were absolutely necessary in Lincoln at this time. The city was not morally clean for many years in this period; corrupt city officials were common and with them came professions and trades which were undesirable to the better class of people. Stringent methods had to be adopted before the city succeeded in purging itself of these elements, a striking instance being the fight waged by the mayor and council in the late 'Sos and their subsequent arrest for their effort to oust a corrupt police judge. Lincoln has become a city noted for its moral excellence, perhaps better known in this respect than any city of size in the country. The victory has been the result of a hard fight on the part of the better people, who desired better things for the community and the ostracism of the undersirable class of people.
CHAPTER XXVII
THE RAILROADS OF LANCASTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA
When one contemplates the many lines of steel railroad which cross Lancaster County in every direction, the fact that fifty years ago there was not a rail laid within the present boundaries of the county causes one to marvel at the progress of which man is capable. Lincoln at the present time is equally well equipped with railroads as any city in the Middle West. The citizens of the county have always aided the railroad corporations to construct the roads through this territory because they realized the economic benefit which would result from close railroad connection with other points in the country. The amount of shipping, both in and out of the city, depends in great measure upon the railroad facilities and, as Lincoln has quick access to trade in every direction, the ad- vantage has brought about a corresponding increase in every line of business.
The Legislature of 1869 started by appropriating 2,000 acres of land to each mile of railroad constructed within the state in two years. Four roads were begun accordingly. The first was the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad which started from Plattsmouth; the second was the Atchison and Nebraska from Atchison, Kansas; the third, the Midland Pacific from Nebraska City ; and the fourth the Omaha and Southwestern, from Omaha. Later all of these roads were consolidated under one system. The Burlington and Missouri River road was given bonds to the extent of $50,000.00 on the condition that they would build their road through the county. Then the Atchison and Topeka was voted county bonds to the amount of $120,000.00 and the Midland Pacific was given a bonus of $150,000.00. The latter road, on the strength of the large amount voted them, agreed to locate their car shops in Lincoln, but never ful- filled it. The road was built, though, as far as York and the county was greatly benefited.
In 1879 the citizens of the city and county gave the Lincoln and Northwestern Railroad Company $25,000.00 in bonds for the start of the line to Columbus. No sooner had this line been started than the Union Pacific Railroad Company ex- tended a road from Valparaiso in a southerly direction until Beatrice was reached. Between 1876 and 1878 the Burlington and Missouri River Company began a policy of extension which rapidly made it the greatest system in the state. The Nebraska railway was leased and serveral branches promoted. Among the first of these was the line to Hastings, now a part of the Denver route. The Lincoln and Northwestern Railroad was constructed from Lincoln to Columbus in 1879 and in the following year was taken over by the Burling- ton and Missouri River. The Missouri Pacific constructed a line from Weeping Water to Lincoln in 1886, after receiving from the latter city the sum of
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$70,000.00. A few months later the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad was completed from Lincoln to Fremont, receiving a sum amounting to $50,000.00 from Lincoln.
In brief the roads which run into Lincoln are as follows, with the date of their completion and the miles from their starting point to this city. The Ne- braska Railway was completed June 1, 1871 from Nebraska City to Lincoln, a distance of 58 miles. The Atchison and Nebraska Railroad was completed Sep- tember 1, 1872, from Atchison, Kansas, to Lincoln, 143 miles. The Lincoln and Northwestern constructed their line from Lincoln to Columbus completely by May 18, 1880, covering 73 miles. The Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad commenced at Fremont on October 25, 1886, and finished through to Lincoln, taking in Wahoo, Saunders County. The Missouri Pacific was com- pleted from Lincoln Junction, a point near Weeping Water, to Lincoln on August 25, 1886. The Midland Pacific was finished to Lincoln in April, 1871, and was afterwards sold to the Burlington road. The Union Pacific from Valley to Lincoln, 58 miles, was finished in 1877, and from Lincoln to Beatrice, 38 miles, in 1884. On July 13, 1892, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway was extended from the Missouri River to Lincoln, a distance of 57 miles, and during the same year or next was completed from Lincoln to Belleville, Kansas, there connecting with the main line running to Denver, Colorado. On May 7, 1893, the Rock Island depot in Lincoln was opened. The Burlington and Missouri River depot at Lincoln was completed August 6, 1881, at a cost of $125.000.00. The building is still used by the Burlington Road and has only been remodeled on the interior.
The Morton History of Nebraska states that in the Commonwealth of No- vember 23, 1867, notice is given that a railroad meeting in Lincoln "the first symptoms of Burlington dominance appeared." Also that Elder Miller thought "the only show for the people of this county is to connect their interests with the Burlington and Missouri Road." Resolutions were passed that the county issue $100,000.00 bonds for stock to that amount in the first road that is com- pleted to Lincoln.
From the same source the statement is given that in the Nebraska State Journal of May 24, 1869, there is an account of the election in which Lancaster County voted to issue $50,000.00 in twenty year bonds, ten per cent, to the Burlington and Missouri River Road, the same company to have trains running from the Missouri River to Lincoln by September 30, 1870. Also voted on the question of rescinding proposition of November 3, 1868, for $100,000.00 to the first railroad to be completed to Lincoln.
In June, 1869, the citizens assisted in breaking ground for the Burlington and Missouri River Road at the "fill" in Salt Creek bottoms. A procession was formed on Market Square in Lincoln early in the afternoon, headed by David Butler, Thomas P. Kennard and John Gillespie, also Mr. Thielson, chief engineer of the Burlington and Missouri River. At the spot of breaking ground a prayer was offered by H. T. Davis. Then Governor Butler turned the first spadeful of earth, followed by Kennard and Thielson.
The State Journal in January, 1870, advertised 200,000 acres of Burlington and Missouri River lands in Saunders, Cass and Lancaster counties. Terms were offered as follows: ten years time, interest at six per cent in advance for
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two years, the principal in nine annual installments. On two years' time the land might be obtained at twenty per cent less than the ten year price.
In April, 1870, the Burlington and Missouri River Road closed a contract for the location of a depot. The citizens of Lincoln pledged $5,000.00 to obtain the right of way through the west part of town and the railroad company agreed to locate their depot on grounds sold them by the state commissioners for that purpose in the bottom between O and Q streets, west of Eighth.
By this time, 1870, the people of Lincoln began to appreciate the luxury of railroad travel. Hitherto stage journeys were a necessity to the nearest point of railroad connection. However, the coming of railroads did not abolish the existence of stages, for as late as August, 1870, the Kansas and Nebraska Stage Company operated stages from Lincoln. A stage left Lincoln every morning for Nebraska City ; three time a week for Beatrice, Tecumseh, Pawnee City, Albany and Marysville, Kansas ; every Monday for Camden and McFadden's; and every Friday for Seward and Ulysses.
The five trunk line railways now entering Lincoln have eighteen diverging lines, which bring the city into communication with a vast trade territory and give distributing facilities which enable the citizens to maintan the highest selling power. Lincoln is nearer to 774 of the 914 railroad stations in Nebraska than any other commercial center. Fully eighty passenger trains leave Lincoln each day. Havelock is the center of the locomotive industry of the Burlington sys- tem and at Lakeview the same road has erected one of the largest and costliest gravity freight yards and roundhouses on its lines.
SOUTH SIDE OF MAIN STREET, HAVELOCK
NORTH SIDE OF MAIN STREET, HAVELOCK
CHAPTER XXVIII LANCASTER COUNTY TOWNS
HAVELOCK
Located about four miles from the heart of the City of Lincoln is the Town of Havelock, the home of the Burlington Railroad shops and the center of a hustling industrial community. In the late 'Sos G. G. Smith, W. J. Johnson, O. Master and Dr. J. A. Scott came to the site of Havelock and each erected a building, built of frame and very small. One account has it that the first frame house in the village was built by Charles A. Holderness in 1891, but this seems to be a little late. The marriage of Nellie Holderness and Lester Gleason was the first in the town and the birth of their child was the first also. By 1892 the following buildings had been erected on the site : the Lancaster Block, the Walton Block, the Holliett House, the Dullenty House, "The Ark," the Headley Build- ing and Arnett's Building in which the owner had a barber shop.
On May 6, 1893. the Town of Havelock was incorporated with the following first officers: Dr. C. F. Ballard, chairman, J. E. Hutchinson, Charles S. Saber- hagen, George Anderson, H. B. Kepner, board of trustees; Sam Hinkle, clerk ; O. C. Smith, treasurer ; C. M. Copp, attorney ; and F. C. Perkins, marshal. The land on which the Town of Havelock is situated was given by the Lancaster Land Company to the Burlington Railroad for the location of the shops at this place. The town was named after Gen. John Havelock, of English army fame. Elder Miller formerly owned the land which was donated to the railroad. A. E. Loughlin was the head of the Burlington at the time of the land transfer, which deal comprised 200 acres.
In the 'Sos the little railroad station of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad was moved from Denton, a mile east, to the spot where it now stands. Later it was decided to locate the repair and manufacturing shops of the west- ern division of the railroad at this point, plans were drafted and a plat of the shops made, together with that of the proposed village. The first dirt was turned for the machine shop in June, 1890, an appropriation of $275,000.00 having been voted by the road directors for that purpose. The shop, which was 400 by 130 feet, was completed in one year. On June 13. 1892, work was begun on a new shop. Later a blacksmith shop was constructed east of the former and in 1893 a boiler shop was put up. This was about all of the build- ing at the shops until 1910 when the sum of $2,000,000.00 was spent in new buildings. From forty workmen at the start the force has now grown to about eight hundred. The presence of the shops in the town has been the incentive to growth, until now it is the second largest town in the county. Most every
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