USA > Nebraska > Adams County > Past and present of Adams County, Nebraska, Vol. I > Part 32
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Hastings is the western terminus of the Chicago & Northwestern in Adams County. The original purpose was to build the line through to Denver and the idea is still rumored from time to time.
The Northwestern affords connection with Omaha by way of Fre- mont. For many years it was called the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad; it has always been, however, a part of the Northwestern.
The branch of the Burlington in the southern part of Adams County, at the building of which Holstein, Roseland, Pauline and Leroy came into existence, was built in 1887, though not by the Bur- lington. It was the result of the acquiring of the St. Joseph & Denver City by the Union Pacific interests. The St. Joseph & Grand Island Railroad lies rather across the stream of commerce and travel than with it. It was to act as feeder for the St. Joseph & Grand Island that the line in the south part of Adams County was built by the Union Pacific. Its original name was the Kansas City & Omaha, better remembered as the K. C. & O. This line of feeders began to be con- structed in 1885, building first from Fairfield to York through Sutton and later extending from York to Stromsburg. The line through Adams County was built from Fairfield to Alma.
The original plan for this road too was to extend to Denver, but a total of 190 miles was all that was finished. The road was bonded to the amount of $1,000 per mile and its earnings became insufficient to pay the interest. About 1890 its condition as a business enterprise became so hopeless that it was sold at auction and bought by the Bur- lington, of which, since that time, it has been a part.
John M. Ragan of Hastings was at this period general attorney for the St. Joseph & Grand Island and had charge of the acquiring of right of way for the feeders. Pauline was named in honor of Mr. Ragan's wife, Pauline S. Ragan, and Leroy in honor of Leroy Stone, son of C. L. Stone, of Hastings. It was the poor crops inci-
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dent to a period of shortage of rain that caused the downfall of the Kansas City & Omaha.
The Hastings & Northwestern is the newest line in Adams County. It constitutes the "Gibbon cutoff," and extends from Hastings to Gibbon. The Hastings & Northwestern is a Union Pacific road. Regular service was established between Hastings and Gibbon during the first few days of June. This cutoff is twenty-eight miles long and was constructed with great rapidity; negotiations for right of way were not begun until the fall of 1912 and the rails were laid by April 1, 1913.
The new station on Third Street is located within 100 feet of the original location of the station of the St. Joseph & Denver City. The passenger station of the St. Joseph & Grand Island which was located south of the Burlington tracks, between Denver and Hastings ave- nues, was removed to East Twelfth Street after the present station came into use and is now used as a freight and yard office. The Third Street station was erected at a cost of $60,000. The railroad has bought the property lying between Minnesota Avenue and their tracks from Second Street to Seventh Street.
The East Side Boulevard was opened on property purchased by the City of Hastings in 1912. In granting the right to the Hastings & Northwestern Railroad the city council closed Third, Fourth, Sixth, Tenth and Eleventh streets at their point of intersection with Wabash Avenue and the East Side Boulevard was opened to relieve the condi- tion thus produced.
The first station agent of the St. Joseph & Denver City was John J. Wemple. A. A. Sweet followed, and then came Sam Heacox, who was the predecessor of Mr. Conoughy. J. J. Conoughy has been the agent since September 5, 1885.
The Burlington station in Hastings was located on Bellevue Ave- nue from 1873 to 1902. At the time that the first station was located, in 1873, there was a lively rivalry among the residents. The Hastings Townsite Company exerted all its efforts to have the station located within the boundaries of the original town, while John G. Moore, whose holding lay immediately west, endeavored to influence the rail- road to place the station in the vicinity of his land. To clinch his argument Mr. Moore donated thirteen acres of land and some building lots to the railroad, with the result that the station was built in the west end. The first station was destroyed by fire in 1879, and a new one built. For several years a lunch room was maintained near the station.
The present Burlington station was completed in 1902 at a cost of
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about $75,000. When the location was changed from Bellevue Avenue to St. Joseph, the west side objected as strenuously as had the east side in 1873. They argued that the location had been determined upon for a consideration and that the railroad had no moral right to change. Julius C. Swartz has been the station agent at the Burlington con- tinuously since 1884, returning that year from a period in Denver. Before going to the latter place he was in Hastings for some time.
For the aid of the construction of railroads in Adams County $211,000 in bonds were voted. Of this sum $6,000 were township bonds voted by Ayr and Little Blue for the aid of the Kansas City & Omaha. Upon the same date, March 26, 1887, the Kansas City & Omaha bonds were defeated in Roseland and Cottonwood townships. For the aid of the Pacific Railroad, now the Missouri Pacific, Adams County voted $125,000 and the City of Hastings $20,000. For the aid of the Chicago & Northwestern, Hastings voted $60,000. All these bonds have been paid and the county has no bonded indebtedness. The assessed valuation of railroads and car companies in Adams County in 1916 was $1,277,960, making a total valuation of $6,389,800.
Adams County towns are located as follows, with respect to rail- roads: On the main line of the Burlington -- Hastings, Juniata, Kenesaw. On the St. Joseph & Grand Island-Hastings and Hansen. On the Chicago & Northwestern-Hastings. On the Mis- souri Pacific -- Prosser, Juniata, Hastings, Pauline. On Red Cloud branch of the Burlington-Ayr. On the Burlington's south county line -- Holstein, Roseland, Leroy, Pauline. On the Hastings & North- western -- Hastings, Newmarch, Hayland. Charles Moritz, of Pros- ser, operates the elevators at Newmarch and Hayland.
NEWSPAPERS
The first newspaper in Adams County was the Adams County Gazette, established at Juniata in January, 1872, by C. C. Babcock and R. D. Babcock. The Babcock brothers published the weekly at Juniata until 1876 and then moved the plant to Hastings. In 1880 it was purchased by J. W. Short and Charles Kelley and that year was purchased by the Wigton brothers, who had established and were publishing the Hastings Journal. After the consolidation the Journal was called the Gazette-Journal. The Wigton brothers interested in the business were A. L. Wigton, J. W. Wigton and George A. Wig- ton. A. I. Wigton resided in Omaha for the last several years of his life and died at Omaha in December, 1914. J. W. Wigton now
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resides in Denver, and George A. Wigton lives in Hastings and is an official in the Loyal Mystic Legion.
The Hastings Journal, which was the first paper to be established in Hastings, was founded by A. L. Wigton and M. K. Lewis. The first office was opened on Second Street, next to Hastings Avenue. The first paper was issued from the press, May 24, 1873. The initial number was received with great enthusiasm and it was decided to sell it at auction. It was knocked down to S. S. Dow, who had bid five dollars. Mr. Dow thought the paper cheap at the price.
In the fall of 1882 the Gazette-Journal Company was organized as a joint stock company and incorporated, with an authorized capital of $100,000. The erection of a fine two-story brick office at the south- west corner of Lincoln Avenue and Second Street was commenced at once and was finished and occupied in the spring of 1883. The pub- lication of the Gazette-Journal as a daily was commenced in August. 1883.
In September, 1885, the company was reorganized. J. O. Fisher succeeded J. W. Wigton in the business management, while A. L. Wigton was succeeded as editor in chief by C. F. Royce. Other changes were made in the executive offices of the company. E. C. Webster became president, J. B. Ileartwell vice president, J. J. Wemple treasurer, J. W. Wigton secretary, J. O. Fisher manager. These constituted the board of directors. In the spring of 1886, an addition double the size of the original building was built ad joining it on the west. The new building was completed in September of that year. The Gazette-Journal conducted, besides the newspaper plant. a large job and lithographing department and carried the largest pay- roll of any establishment in town. The paper was published until the plant was practically destroyed by fire July 29, 1889.
February 8, 1878, A. D. Williams, who had established a weekly paper in Kenesaw, the Kenesaw Times, removed the plant to Ilast- ings and changed the name of the paper to the Central Nebraskan. In 1879 Mr. I. D. Evans, now of Kenesaw, was associated with Mr. Williams in the publication of the paper. After the Central Nebraskan had been published about two years the name was changed to the Hastings Central Nebraskan. At about the same time that the name was changed, the weekly was converted into a daily. Following Mr. Williams the paper was owned successively by Bratton & Renner. Professor Webster and Merritt & Creeth. The firm of Bratton & Renner was composed of the present city clerk. A. T. Bratton and Fred Renner. The firm of Merritt & Creeth were John A. Creeth and E. E. Merritt. Mr. Creeth died in Los Angeles in 1915. The
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detailed ownership and sale of the Nebraskan was as follows: Mr. Williams sold to Mr. Bratton, Mr. Bratton to Professor Webster, Mr. Webster to Dr. II. P. Fitch and Doctor Fitch to Merritt & Creeth. On the suspension of the Nebraskan, the plant was absorbed by the Daily Republican.
In November, 1889, the Daily Press was established by J. W. Kinsella, W. B. Palmer and Walt Mason. The three were news- papermen from Omaha, where Kinsella and Palmer had been con- nected with the Omaha Republican. The financial backing and adver- tising patronage did not prove sustaining and after publishing sixteen issues, the paper suspended. The printing of the Daily Press was done by Mr. Rounds, son of S. P. Rounds, who was one time a govern- ment printer. Mr. Rounds had purchased what was left of the Gazette-Journal plant after the fire.
About this same period a paper called the "Daily Times" was pub- lished for a short time by a Mr. Thornton.
March 24, 1894, John S. Williams began publishing a daily paper, the Hastings News. It was published for about a year as a daily and then was changed into a weekly. After publishing it two years as a weekly Mr. Williams again started it as a daily, finally changing it back into a weekly. After running the paper for nine years Mr. Wil- liams sold the Hastings News to William Madgett, who continued it for a few weeks and then the paper suspended.
During the boom period a fine daily paper was established in Hast- ings by a so-called Boston syndicate. This was an eight-page paper. carrying telegraphic news. Failing to get advertising patronage, the paper suspended publication and type and material was sold to the Omaha Republican.
The Hastings Daily Republican was published from January 12. 1889. to September 4. 1915, when it was purchased by Adam Breede, publisher of the Hastings Daily Tribune. The Republican was founded by Charles L. Watkins and Frank A. Watkins. For the first two years the Daily Republican was published as a morning paper with an eight-page Sunday edition. After absorbing the Daily Nebraskan the Republican was changed into an evening paper and so continued to the time of its sale.
F. A. Watkins bought the interest of his brother, Charles. and associated with himself his younger brother, Ed. Watkins, who for a number of years before had been engaged in the job printing and bookbindery business. Several years later Frank Watkins bought the bookbindery and job printing departments and assumed the sole direc- tion of the plant. On January 1, 1912, Sidney G. Evans, son of G. J.
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Evans, purchased a half interest in the entire plant and was associated with Mr. Watkins until a few days before the newspaper was sold to Adam Breede. Mr. Watkins retained the job department and bookbindery.
The first linotype machine to be used in Hastings was installed in the office of the Republican by Charles H. Palmer in May, 1904. The machine belonged to Mr. Palmer and his association with the Repub- lican was by contract.
Other papers founded by Messrs. Watkins were the Ayr Times, the Blue Hill Times and the Red Willow County Times at Indianola.
Sidney G. Evans is now assistant editor of The Searchlight on Congress, published at Washington, D. C.
The Hastings Evening Record was established in Hastings early in 1899 by Harry Mock and Ed. Mock, who came from Alma, where they had sold the Alma Record to E. H. Batty. The Record was published for abont two years by the Mock brothers and then sold to J. S. Ramsey, who published it for a short time before the paper suspended.
Our Own Opinion was a paper established by George Lynn during the time of populism. About the same time George E. Brown established the Peoples' Journal, also a populist weekly, which later absorbed Our Own Opinion. The Peoples' Journal was discontinued in 1907.
The Nebraska Volksfreund was a German weekly newspaper which was established in 1883 in Hastings and continued publication under various ownerships until 1890, when it suspended. It was edited by William Breede and P. N. Carson.
The Adams County Democrat, supporting the democratic party, was founded July 10, 1880, by Richard (Dick) Thompson and Durley Dent. It was purchased by the present owners, R. B. Wahlquist and C. B. Wahlquist. March 1, 1888.
The Hastings Daily Tribune is the outgrowth of two newspapers and the absorption of a third. The Hastings Independent was estab- lished as a weekly newspaper, July 3. 1886. by Frank D. Taggart. Mr. Taggart was a republican and established the paper mainly as a political organ. Isaac LeDioyt was the managing editor of the Inde- pendent. At abont the same time another weekly newspaper, the Tribune, was established by A. P. Brown and Dick Thompson.
The Independent was purchased by A. L. Wigton and his son, Will Wigton. A. L. Wigton did not act as editor very long. but turned the management over to his son. A. H. Brown purchased the Independent and later the Tribune. The name was then changed to
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the Hastings Independent-Tribune. Adam Breede purchased the Independent-Tribune from A. H. Brown in 1894 and changed the name to the Hastings Tribune. Mr. Breede published the Hastings Tribune as a weekly until October 2, 1905, when the Hastings Daily Tribune was established. The weekly Tribune has been continued.
The Hastings Daily Tribune was set by hand composition until 1907, since which time linotypes have been in use. A perfecting press was installed in 1910. August 15, 1914, the Daily Tribune began using full United Press telegraphic news service received by leased wire. Henry G. Smith has been associated with the Tribune since the founding of the daily. The subscription list of the Hastings Daily Republican was purchased by Adam Breede, the owner and editor of the 'Tribune, September 4, 1915. When the Independent-Tribune was purchased by Mr. Breede the paper had no printing plant, not even a proof press. For many years the paper was printed by the Adams County Democrat.
The first paper published by the students of Hastings College was the Vidette, which was first issued in 1885. The present college paper was first issued in 1895.
The Wholesaler was a trade journal founded and published by R. D. McFadden in 1910. It suspended publication after about a vear.
The Juniata IIerald was first issued October 25, 1876, by the Citi- zens Company; A. II. Brown was the editor. September 15, 1877, it was purchased hy G. S. Guild, and then was owned successively by William Knickerbocker. J. W. Liveringhouse and F. W. Francis. Upon the death of Mr. Francis in March, 1884, the Herald was pur- chased by the present editor and owner, I. H. Rickel, who has issued the paper continuously.
Following the removal of the Kenesaw Times from Kenesaw in 1878 a paper has been issued in the town by various publishers. The Kenesaw Citizen was published for a time. Dr. E. J. Latta was the editor of this paper for a period. The Kenesaw Sunbeam is the paper published at this time; it was purchased by W. W. Malman, the pres- ent owner and editor, November 1, 1913, from J. A. Gardner, who now publishes the Holstein IIerald. Mr. Malman installed a linotype in the office of the Sunbeam in 1915.
CHAPTER XXIII
INGLESIDE
The Ingleside Hospital for the Insane, located a little more than a mile west of Hastings, is the largest institution in Adams County, and one of continuous interest. The bill locating the hospital was passed by the Legislature of Nebraska in 1887, and $75,000 was appropriated for the erection of buildings. The appropriation was made on the condition that 160 acres of land should be donated at Hastings for the use of the hospital. Forty acres were given by Adams County and 120 acres additional by A. L. Clarke, Samuel Alexander, James B. Heartwell and a number of other citizens.
The first bill for the location of the hospital at Hastings was introduced in the Legislature of 1885 by Fred P. Olmstead, repre- sentative from Adams County. Mr. Matthewson of Norfolk was the speaker of the House in that session, and favorable to Norfolk: the net result of the legislation was the substituting of the name of Norfolk into Mr. Olmstead's bill in place of Hastings. One of the weaknesses in the proposition for Hastings which Mr. Olmstead was authorized to make was the offer of forty acres of land, while Norfolk offered 320.
The contract for the erection of the original building, the admin- istration building, was let to Ellis Reynolds & Sprecher. C. C. Rit- tenhonse was the architect and S. J. Weigel the superintendent of construction. The cornerstone of this building was laid July 25, 1888. By subsequent appropriations the land area of the institution has been increased to an aggregate of 6291 2 acres, less the rights of way of the Missouri Pacific and the Burlington railroads, which leaves a net of approximately 620 acres. The lands are located as follows: 120 acres on section 9, 40 on section 10, 320 on section 16 and 1451 .. on section 15, all in Denver Township.
In 1891 the north and south wings were added to the original building, and in 1897 the South Annex was built. In 1902 the North Annex was erected. The cornerstone of the newest building, the
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Cowles Building, was laid April 26, 1910. In 1904 and 1905 Amuse- ment Hall, where the patients' dances and various entertainments are given, was built. The hall is 60 by 100 feet. During the same two- year period, the farm cottage on the northeast quarter of section 16 was built, and two new greenhouses were constructed. The dairy barn on the northeast quarter of section 16 was built in 1914. It is a modern, sanitary barn, equipped with James steel stanchions, and will accommodate sixty-six cows. A large herd of Holstein cows is main- tained at Ingleside. About seventy-five are milked at the present time, the milk and cream being used by the dwellers at the hospital.
The cost of the dairy barn was $5,500, in cash, but the patients performed a great deal of the labor and the barn is valued at $10,000. The hospital has its own electric light and power plant and water- works system.
THE SUPERINTENDENTS
Dr. M. W. Stone was the first superintendent of the institution. Doctor Stone came from Wahoo and was appointed May 1, 1889. J. W. Liveringhouse of Grand Island was the first steward.
Nebraska politics was convulsed in 1891 by the struggle of John M. Thayer and James E. Boyd for the governorship, and the struggle is reflected in the records of Ingleside. Governor Boyd served first from January 15, 1891, to May 3, 1891. On April 20th Governor Boyd ap- pointed Dr. G. W. Johnston superintendent. On May 5th Governor Thayer resumed his seat as governor and on the same date removed Superintendent Johnston, who had served only twenty-four hours. Governor Thayer then, May 5th, reappointed Dr. F. G. Test, whom he had first appointed May 31st and who had served until his removal by Governor Boyd. On September 15, 1891, Doctor Test was removed and Dr. F. J. Bricker appointed. February 15, 1892, Doc- tor Bricker was removed and Dr. G. W. Johnston reappointed. Doctor Johnston assumed control of the institution February 15, 1892, and served until Dr. Robert Damerell, of Red Cloud, appointed by Governor Holcomb, March 28, 1895, assumed charge April 10, 1895. Dr. J. T. Steele, of Hastings, was appointed assistant by Doctor Damerell, succeeding Dr. W. B. Kern, who had filled the position under Doctor Bricker. Doctor Kern had come from Wood River, and this was his first connection with the hospital.
Dr. J. T. Steele was appointed superintendent by Governor Poynter and assumed control May 16, 1899. Dr. W. B. Kern was appointed superintendent by Governor Charles H. Dietrich, Feb-
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ruary 1, 1901, and S. Woodard, of Aurora, was assistant physician. Doctor Woodard was later appointed superintendent of the Lincoln Hospital by Governor Shallenberger. Harry C. Haverly, of Has- tings, became steward with the superintendency of Doctor Kern, and Alma J. Chapman second assistant. Mr. Haverly continued as steward until December 1, 1907, when he resigned to become landlord of the Bostwick Hotel. He was succeeded as steward by George James.
Doctor Kern was superintendent continuously from February 1, 1901. to February 1, 1909, when he was succeeded by Dr. M. W. Baxter, who was appointed by Governor Shallenberger. Doctor Baxter served until February 1, 1911, when Doctor Kern again assumed charge, having been appointed by Governor Aldrich. When Governor Morehead was elected, he again appointed Doctor Baxter, who served from February 20, 1913, until his resignation, which took effect January 31, 1916. Upon that date the present superintendent. Dr. W. S. Fast, assumed charge. Doctor Fast was appointed by the board of commissioners of state institutions, and was formerly superintendent of the school for the feeble-minded, at Beatrice.
NAME AND PURPOSE
The purpose of the institution, originally, was to relieve the insti- tutions at Lincoln and Norfolk of those cases believed to be incur- able, and the legal name was "Hospital for the Incurable Insane." Very emphatic objections were made by superintendents, in their reports. to this name. Doctor Johnston argued that it was unfair to those individuals confined and who were able to comprehend their situation, to force upon them through the name the realization that they were in an institution from which they would not be released. It was also urged that the name was a misnomer, because in many instances patients recovered their mental normality of their own accord. Doctor Kern also urged this matter upon the Legislature. After 1895 the name appearing in the reports of the superintendents is "Asylum for the Chronic Insane." It was the Legislature of 1905 that changed the name and character of the institution. The name was changed to the "Nebraska State Hospital," and instead of being an institution for the chronic insane of the state, it was made the hospital for all classes of insane in a district comprising fifty-three counties. The Legislature of 1915 gave the institution its present designation, "Ingleside Hospital for the Insane."
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POSTOFFICE ESTABLISHED
June 26, 1905, the United States Government established a post- office in the institution, designating it as Ingleside. This was the origin of the present name, Ingleside. The superintendents were the postmasters until March, 1913, when Ingleside, together with all other fourth-class offices, came under the civil service. Percy M. Jones, the bookkeeper of the institution, became the first postmaster under the civil service and served until his resignation in the spring of 1914. At that time, Mrs. Una Norris, wife of the present supervisor, assumed charge of the office. Mrs. Norris died in March, 1915, and Miss Mae Baxter was acting postmistress until the present post- mistress, Mrs. Golda V. Crutcher, qualified, August 26, 1915.
Until the Legislature of 1913 established the "Board of Commis- sioners of State Institutions." which organized July Ist of that year, Ingleside was in the care of a board of control composed of the gov- ernor, secretary of state and the commissioner of public lands and buildings. The institution, having its management strictly a matter of political patronage. has always been the object of a great deal of political maneuvering, and at intervals the newspapers of the two political parties have found much to say, sometimes sensational mat- ter, about Ingleside.
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