USA > Nebraska > Platte County > Past and present of Platte County, Nebraska : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 9
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County books $ 42.50
Freight on same 3.50
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
Fees of county commissioners 12.00
Salary of county treasurer 50.00
Fees of road supervisor. 10.00
Election expense and fees county elerk.
127.00
Total $245.00
Receipts
none
Total amount of indebtedness of county up to July 1, 1860, $831.
Signed
William Davis, George Spaulding, George W. Davis.
Commissioners Platte County.
Attest:
Franeis G. Becher,
County clerk.
A special meeting of the board of commissioners of Platte County, Nebraska Territory, was held at the house of C. B. Stillman, on the 16th day of March, A. D., 1861. The newly elected commissioners, C. A. Speice, Joseph Russell and E. A. Gerrard, present. Joseph Russell was nominated and elected as permanent chairman of said board.
The regular April meeting was held at the office of C. B. Stillman in Columbus. It was ordered that each precinet establish a road dis- triet to be called by the name of the precinet.
The first petitions for lieenses to sell liquor were submitted to the board at an adjourned meeting held April 22, 1861. At this time and for that purpose the following persons were granted licenses: F. G. Becher, J. Russell, C. R. Baker, H. J. Hudson and J. Riekly.
A number of Center preeinet's enlightened eitizens petitioned the board for an order levying a school tax "for as much as the law allows," but the matter upon motion of Gerrard was laid over until the next meeting.
At the term of the Commissioners' Court, held on July 1, 1861, the following taxes were levied: Territorial tax as provided by the terri- torial board of equalization, 11/2 mills; for the sinking fund in the territory, 1 mill; county tax, ineluding poor tax, 4 mills; special tax for county buildings, 2 mills; 10% on interest of present indebtedness and 15% on the principal of all county debts; sehool tax, 1 mill; poll tax $1 for one day's labor; land tax, $3 on each 160 acres, or three
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
days' work; Center precinct to pay additional school tax of 2 mills on the dollar for building schoolhouses.
The board met August 21, 1861, and among other things ordered "that the county clerk shall receive a salary at the rate of $100 per year." As the county clerk continued to live for some years after this action of the commissioners, it may well be presumed that the official aforesaid did not depend entirely upon his salary for sub- sistence.
The regular meeting of the new board of county commissioners was held January 6, 1861. The members of this body were C. A. Speice, William Davis and John Kelly; C. B. Stillman, county elerk. The bill of George Sard for election services in Monroe precinct was rejected, and the clerk instructed Mr. Sard that the reason of its rejection was that the commissioners did not think it desirable that residents of Indian reservations should participate in all elections.
The board held a special meeting on the 1st day of October. 1862. Commissioner Speice was in the chair. After a discussion of the subject of providing bounties for volunteers the board adjourned without coming to any conclusion until the following Monday. At the term last mentioned a communication from the secretary and acting governor of Nebraska Territory was read. the subject matter of which was respecting Platte County offering a bounty for ten volunteers.
On motion of Commissioner Davis it was resolved that the board issue county serip to the amount of $500, the same to be redeemable by the county on the 1st day of July, 1864, by a special tax to be levied in June, 1863, and that the same serip may be applied by the holders of the same for the payment of the said special tax, said scrip to draw interest from the date issued at the rate of 10% per annum and to be used in the payment of bounties to ten volunteers.
All during the year 1862 and up to the October meeting of the board the members of that body consisted of C. A. Speice, John Kelly and William Davis, but at a special meeting held on the 27th day of October of that year, it appears by the record that Davis had dropped out: Nelson Toncray was named as a member of the board and took part in its proceedings at that time. The board held its first regular meeting in 1863, on the 5th day of January, C. A. Speice in the chair. It was ordered that all of range 2 east, township 18, be attached to Columbus precinct. This was upon petition of John Kunpf, William Wetterer and Martin Maron.
The petition of David Anderson, C. B. Stillman and others pray-
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
ing that the commissioners levy a tax of $5,000 to aid in construct- ing a bridge across the Loup Fork River was read; and on motion of Toncray it was resolved that the county clerk give notice of an election to be held in the several precincts of the county on the 7th day of February, 1863, upon the question of levying a tax of $5,000 to assist in bridging the Loup Fork River.
A bill of Vincent Kummer, county treasurer, for $1.14, for post- age and stationery for the use of his office was allowed and an order issued on the county sinking fund for the amount.
On motion of Mr. Toncray, Gustavus Becher was authorized to prepare a map of Platte County and to have the maps bound in a substantial manner, and when completed, if the chairman and clerk shall accept the work, they may draw an order on the sinking fund for the payment of such work at $1.25 per township and a reason- able price for binding.
The reader should not fail to notice here the extravagance of the county's business agents and the high price Gustavus Becher was offered for his services as a draftsman.
It was ordered that the county clerk issue to John Rickly a license to keep a ferry across the Loup Fork River at a point com- mencing at the military road on said river and extending to a point five miles up said river in a direct line north following the meander- ings of said river, on condition that he shall pay $20 yearly into the county treasury.
The minutes of the September term of 1863 shows that F. G. Becher's bill for assessing Columbus precinct amounting to $58 was allowed and paid in county warrants.
It was ordered at the May meeting of 1864 that an election be held on Monday, June 6, 1864, to elect one delegate to the Nebraska constitutional convention for the County of Platte, one for the counties of Platte, Merrick, Hall and Buffalo, and one for the counties of Platte, Hall, Merrick and Kearney.
The county clerk was directed to notify the supervisor of Colum- bus road district to repair the bridge near the house of Guy C. Barnum.
The minutes of the county clerk show that at the April meeting of 1865 of the board of commissioners, Francis G. Becher and Joseph B. Beebe were granted licenses to keep a ferry on the Loup Fork River for a term of five years, at the rate of $25 per year, the privi- lege to commence at the upper extremity of the Elkhorn and Loup Fork Ferry Company's privilege and to extend from such point
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
five miles up the Loup Fork River, following the meanderings of the stream.
The commissioners at this day were quite diligent in seeing that the county was given legal support by its taxpayers; that is to say, close tab was kept on the returns of property assessed. This is indicated by the case of John Rickly, who was called before the board "and interrogated in reference to his returned capital employed in manufactures," which was explained by him as follows: The saw logs on the mill ground are not all his property and those that are his were all on his own land and the amount returned as above was paid in getting the logs to the millyard. Explanation deemed satis- factory and no change made. His capital employed in merchandise returned-$18-was considered correct and no alteration made. Steam engine and saw not entered, being omitted by the assessor, for which shall be entered $500. To lots 1 and 2, block 183 in Columbus, making $3,000 instead of $2,500.
The name of Reuben Hunt was entered on the poll list of Colum- bus precinct.
The board of equalization at this session also made changes in the returns of taxable property of Augustus Forkel, William Draper, J. Rickly, John Haney and James Haney.
At the September meeting the board ordered the clerk to put up notices for the reception by the county commissioner of sealed pro- posals for the erection of three bridges in Platte County on the west bound road.
October 2, 1865, the board having been satisfied that Francis Henggler and others "had in the absence of a road supervisor of Columbus district repaired the Shell Creek bridge north of Columbus, ordered that the next supervisor be allowed to issue receipts to them for the work performed." The persons named were Francis Heng- gler, E. Ahrens, Henry Rickert, Charles Reinke, John Held, William Wetterer, M. Erb, John Will, - Merohn and Herman Loseke.
The War of the Rebellion closed in April, 1865, but war taxes were still in vogue, as the following item of the county clerk shows: "Resolved that the county clerk be instructed to issue an order to the county treasurer to furnish each county and precinct officer with a $1 internal revenue stamp for their official bonds."
By the county treasurer's report which follows it becomes appar- ent that the financial condition of the county was steadily improving.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
The report shows these items:
Levied $4,895.28
Collected 4,442.53
Delinquent 491.60
County building fund in treasury 1,266.20
County sinking fund in treasury
518.25
While the item of $491.60 might have appeared apparently large for the time, it has nevertheless given evidence of the business capac- ity of the men then in authority for collecting debts due the county and if the two funds mentioned in the report are considered in making a total, a fair balance is the result in favor of the county. This report was filed with the board at its meeting held October 1, 1866.
February 2, 1867, on motion of Commissioner Becher, the board appointed C. A. Speice county attorney for the term of one year at a compensation of $75 a year.
The bill of C. B. Stillman of $50 was allowed for salary as county clerk from June 6, 1866, to January 6, 1867.
Probably the most important meeting held by the board of com- missioners up to this time was that of April, 1867, at which time John Kelly was in the chair and had for his associate members F. G. Becher and Nelson Toncray, It was resolved that the resolution passed November 17, 1866, granting a salary of $75 per year to each prosecuting attorney be and is hereby repealed.
On motion of Commissioner Toncray it was resolved "that the county clerk be instructed to give notice of an election to be held on the 22d day of April, A. D. 1867, for the purpose of voting for or against the commissioners making a loan of $16,000 for the pur- pose of building a courthouse and jail. Voters in favor of the loan will vote for the loan; those opposed, against the loan."
ELECTION NOTICE FOR COURTHOUSE
By authority of an act passed at the twelfth regular session of the legislative assembly of the Territory of Nebraska, entitled "an act to empower county commissioners of Platte County to raise money to erect a Court House and Jail in Columbus, in said county and to fit up and furnish same," approved February 18, 1867. Now, therefore, by order of said county commissioners of Platte County, an election will be held in the several precincts of said county on the
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
22 (22d) day of April, A. D. 1867, to vote for or against the com- missioners of said county making a loan of $16,000 and to issue county bonds for the same, which bonds shall bear an annual interest of 10%, payable in 20 years from their date, or sooner, at the pleas- ure of the commissioners. Said bonds to be sold for cash at not less than ninety cents on the dollar. The said cash to be used for the specific purpose of having erected, furnished, fitted and completed a courthouse and jail in the Town of Columbus, or in any lawful addition made thereto prior to said location of the aforesaid court- house and jail.
Voters wishing to vote in favor of the loan will mark their tickets, "For the Loan."
Those wishing to vote against the loan will mark theirs, "Against the Loan."
Polls will be opened in Buchanan precinct at the schoolhouse near the residence of Alexander Albertson; in Center precinct, at the schoolhouse near James McAllister's; in Columbus precinct, at the town hall in the Town of Columbus; in Monroe precinct, at the school- house near Joseph Gerrard's; in Butler precinct, at the residence of Michael Smith. Said polls will be opened at 9 o'clock in the morning and each continue open until 6 o'clock in the afternoon of the same day.
By order of the county commissioner, this 1st day of April, A. D. 1867.
C. B. Stillman, County Clerk.
We, the undersigned householders, having canvassed the returns of an election held in Platte County, Nebraska, on the 22d day of April, A. D. 1867, to determine the question of allowing the county commissioners to make a loan for the purpose of building a court- house and jail in said county, do hereby certify that the following is the result of such canvass. For the loan, ninety-six (96) votes; against the loan, twenty-nine (29) votes.
Certified by us,
Charles H. Whaley, C. A. Speice, Householders.
Attest : C. B. Stillman,
Co. Clerk.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
April 16, 1867, it was ordered by the board that the value of the prairie land in section 35, township 17, assessed to Patrick Murray and J. II. Needham, be changed from $6 to $3 per acre, as other prairie lands are assessed.
At a previous meeting the board had ordered the county clerk to procure ballot boxes. At the May meeting held in 1867, the clerk, C. B. Stillman, reported that he had as yet been unable to obtain any proposals from carpenters in regard to making ballot boxes.
At this same meeting the resignation of Nelson Toncray as county commissioner was received and accepted and an election ordered to be held on the 25th day of May, to fill the vacancy, at which time William Davis was elected.
At a meeting of the board held June 1, 1867, William Draper, supervisor of Columbus road district, made a report stating that he had entered into a contract with Guy C. Barnum to put up a bridge on Mill Creek, which was taken away by the late floods, for $150, and that said work was completed. The contractors received their money. The board resolved that Commissioner Becher be appointed a committee to have specifications drawn and a plan for a court- house 40 x 50 feet and the county attorney to prepare the form for county bonds for the building of a courthouse.
At an adjourned meeting of the board held June 15th, Mr. Becher resolved "that the courthouse for Platte County is hereby located upon Columbia Square in the Town of Columbus on condition that the Town of Columbus shall make to the County of Platte a good and sufficient deed for said square. It was further resolved that a plat of Columbia Square be prepared by F. G. Becher and one by John Rickly with the returns of the county surveyor and present them at the next regular meeting."
The next regular meeting was held July 1, 1867, upon which occasion "the plan for constructing a courthouse and for county bonds was submitted and on motion of Commissioner Davis the con- sideration of such matter was postponed until a special meeting be held on the next Monday."
At the special meeting above referred to Esquire Hudson reported to the board the case of John W. Taylor, which had come under his observation as overseer of the poor and upon his recommendation the sum of $40 was appropriated to the overseer of the poor to enable him to send him (John W. Taylor) to Omaha for medical advice.
On motion of Commissioner Becher it was ordered that the clerk procure the necessary books for the issuing of county bonds for the building of a courthouse and jail.
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
On motion of Commissioner Davis the draft for a courthouse was enlarged, "which was to be 43 feet by 52 feet, the walls to be 20 inches in thickness up to the second story; from there up to be 16 inches, stairs to be inside of building and 6 feet wide; lower story to be 10 feet; upper story, 13 feet high."
On motion of Commissioner Davis, Mr. Speice was appointed to prepare a plan and specification for a courthouse, and to receive for his services $50. This item would indicate that former plans suggested were not satisfactory to the board.
September 16, 1867, on motion of Commissioner Davis it was resolved that the draft and specifications for the courthouse made by C. A. Speice be accepted and an order drawn on the treasurer for $50 in payment of said work. The resolution was adopted.
The board that met October 19, 1867, was composed of F. G. Becher, chairman, S. C. Smith and William Davis; Henry J. Hud- son, county clerk.
The first mention of school examiner in the county clerk's records appears in the minutes for the meeting of the board held November 30, 1867, when, on motion, I. N. Taylor was appointed school exam- iner for the term of two years.
Something must have happened to John Taylor. It is quite prob- able he was a derelict of some kind, as it was ordered by the com- missioners that "the clerk be instructed to give the clothes of John Taylor to John Banero. On motion, S. C. Smith and J. P. Becker were appointed a committee to examine plans for a courthouse and make any necessary alterations.
The Commissioners' Court held its first meeting in the year 1868, on the 6th day of January, with F. G. Becher in the chair. The other member present was S. C. Smith; William Davis absent; H. J. Hud- son clerk.
After a lengthy discussion of the courthouse, Commissioner Becher moved that the county attorney prepare specifications and notices for bids and proposals to build a courthouse and that the clerk advertise the same in the Herald and Republican, published at Omaha.
The clerk was instructed to procure from the state auditor the list of lands entered in Platte County during the year 1867 and if pos- sible, obtain a complete list of all the lands entered in the County of Platte since its organization.
At an adjourned meeting of the board held on the 11th of Janu- ary, a petition was presented that the west half of townships 16 and 17. range 1 west, lying between the north bank of the Platte River and
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the south bank of the Loup Fork, be taken off the Columbus precinct and attached to Butler precinct. It was resolved that all the above described townships be hereby and hereafter attached to Butler pre- cinct for all purposes and that the polls be at the house of Michael Smith.
The clerk was instructed to insist that in the specifications for building the courthouse the time should be mentioned when such court- house should be completed and that the 1st day of January, 1869, be the limitation.
It was ordered that William Davis, E. A. Gerrard, J. N. Taylor and J. P. Maple be appointed appraisers for school lands in the County of Platte. The clerk was instructed to obtain abstracts of all entries of lands, both homestead and preemption, up to the Ist day of March. 1868.
April 6, 1868, F. G. Becher in the chair, all members were present and the question of increasing the salary of the clerk was brought up. Upon motion of S. C. Smith that the clerk receive the amount of $100 per annum as salary for his services as clerk of the board and that in addition he be allowed all fees as fixed by the statute for his services, the motion was carried.
Commissioner Becher counted forty-two wolf scalps and ordered them destroyed. At an adjourned meeting held at seven o'clock in the evening of April 6th, the board met, when a very spirited dis- cussion on the subject of building a courthouse was participated in by the board, also by John Rickly, C. H. Whaley, G. C. Barnum and others, pertaining to its location on Columbus Square. The bid of John Green, of Omaha, was opened, and amount of bid was $21,737. The bid of J. P. Becker was $18,000. On motion of S. C. Smith the proposals of J. P. Becker be considered and that the bonds be issued and offered for sale, carried.
At a meeting of the board held April 22, 1868, the question of locating the courthouse was called up and after some discussion it was resolved "that the courthouse and jail be and is hereby located on Columbia Square in the Town of Columbus, and that the town council assume $3,700 of the county bonds and interest thereof, that the town council give a bond for the sum and a warrantee deed for a quarter of said square, and said quarter be located in the center of said Columbus Square and that the bond and deed be executed and delivered to the county commissioners at their next meeting, F. G. Becher, William Davis and S. C. Smith voting unanimously.
The consideration of the contract for building the courthouse was
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PAST AND PRESENT OF PLATTE COUNTY
postponed until the next meeting of the board, the contractor, J. P. Becker, being absent.
On the 1st day of June, 1868, at the meeting of the board, F. G. Becher moved that the location of the courthouse be changed from the center to the southeast quarter of said Columbia Square. The motion carried. At the meeting of the board held on the 13th of July, 1868, the contract and bond of the contractor for the building of the court- house was read and approved. The bond and deed from the Town of Columbus to the County of Platte was approved and deed ordered to be recorded.
At a regular meeting of the board held on the 7th day of Septem- ber, 1868, the motion of S. C. Smith to front courthouse west was called up and carried and the county clerk reported courthouse bonds ready. The motion of S. C. Smith that $25 be allowed for superin- tending the foundations of the courthouse and that James Brown and John Browner be appointed to inspect the same, was carried.
The board met in regular session on the 2d day of November, 1868, with F. G. Becher in the chair. The other members were S. C. Smith and Fred Stevens; H. J. Hudson clerk.
On January 26, 1869, at a called meeting, the chairman, F. G. Becher suggested that "there be some action with reference to our county boundaries as an effort was being made to detach the eastern portion." Thereupon Commissioner Stevens moved that the clerk be ordered to instruct the county attorney in regard to the interests of Platte County and to defeat any project to divide the county if any such measure should be presented to the Legislature.
March 1, 1869, it was moved by S. C. Smith that the store room of H. J. Hudson be rented from the 1st day of March for the use of the commissioners and the county clerk, at a rental of $15 per month. It was also moved by S. C. Smith that the clerk procure a suitable desk for his office, also three ballot boxes for the use of the precincts.
A communication from Judge Albertson accepting the appoint- ment of superintendent of the courthouse was placed on file.
On March 17th, F. G. Becher moved that F. A. Huffman be authorized to use his discretion in purchasing the safes and desks to be sold at public auction in Omaha by the secretary of state on the 24th inst., that said purchase must not exceed $600, being the amount in the county sinking fund. As compensation for his trouble his fare to and from Omaha to be defrayed by the county.
The commission then redistricted the county as follows: First district-Beginning at the northeast corner of the county, following
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the north line nine miles to the center of range 1 west, thence south to the bank of the Loup Fork, following the south bank of the Loup and Platte rivers to its intersection of the east boundary. Second district -All the territory lying in the west half of range 1 west, also ranges 2 and 3 west to the Pawnee Reservation, bounded on the north by the north line of the county and on the south by the south bank of the Loup Fork River. Third district-All the land belonging to Platte County lying between the Platte and the Loup Fork rivers from their east to their west boundaries.
The board met in regular session May 3, 1869, at which time Guy C. Barnum presented his credentials as the newly elected county com- missioner from the third district and took his seat with his fellow member, S. C. Smith; F. G. Becher in the chair.
Judge Albertson having failed to meet the requirements of the board as superintendent of the construction of the courthouse, E. W. Toncray was appointed in his place and gave bond for the faithful performance of his duties at the May meeting of the board.
At the July meeting of the board the compensation of the superin- tendent of schools was, upon motion of F. G. Becher, placed at $3 per day, with mileage to and from the schoolhouses in the respective districts and that each district be visited twice in each year.
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