USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. I > Part 66
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Every time the editor of this newspaper picks up an exchange printed in a county where a farm bureau is maintained he has the feeling that the farmers of York County are missing a great means of betterment of farm and crop condi- tions. The attitude which some farmers have, that the farm bureau is a meddler, trying to tell farmers how to do things they themselves know better how to do, is absurd. The farm bureau is a clearing house through which the ideas of one pro- gressive farmer are passed on to another ; things of benefit to all are made common property and a spirit of co-operation is encouraged so that every farm activity is bettered. The farm bureau will soon again be presented to the farmers of York Connty for acceptance or rejection. We are expressing a hope that the majority speaks out strong for the modern rural community enterprise.
The Allied Union Co-operative Association of York has become one of the leading and pace-setting co-operative organizations of the state, and has built up a
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wonderfully successful business, portraying the value of farmers' organization in trading together.
YORK COUNTY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
The following story of the organization of a new enterprise, an all-county farm- ers' and small towns' proposition-not just a town commercial club or chamber of connnerce-which will become a factor in the future is told by Editor Alden in the following excerpts from the Republican, in October and November, 1920;
These reports cover a series of meetings held to get the project launched and working smoothly, and 1921 finds this new organization with several branches ready to become a county-wide force and set a fine precedent to other counties,
What many people consider a movement of far-reaching importance was launched at Waeo in October. 1920, when, acting upon suggestions from the Waco Com- munity Club, a meeting was held for the purpose of considering the formation of a county community organization. The rain of the night before made the roads muddy in some places and rough in others so that the attendance was reduced, but there was a very enthusiastic meeting and the preliminaries of the organization were made.
The plan which is projected calls for a county-wide organization with a very nominal membership fee of $1. The governing body is an assembly composed of three members from each local community club. The assembly will have monthly meetings at a place or places to be later chosen.
The hope of the men who have taken great interest in the organization is that a community elub may be organized in each township in the county, and that these local clubs will be the basis of representation in the county organization. In order that there may be no control each community club has equal representation with each other club, so that the commercial organization in York with its 400 members will have just the same number of representatives on the governing board as the smallest country or township organization. The assembly will choose its own officers consisting of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and sergeant at arms.
The work of the organization will be done largely through its bureaus and here the largeness of the plan shows. The preliminary plan calls for bureaus for pub- licity, finance, executive, entertainment, highways, membership, employment, agri- culture and live stock, educational, fellowship, etc. The purpose is to form an organization which shall be able by the character of its membership and its applica- tion to the common interests to take up each and every question which may come for solution in the common life of the county. Thus the labor bureau would supply farm hands, laborers, household help, etc. The agriculture and live stock bureau would attend to all questions coming up for solution in this important department and would give a great impetus to better crop methods, better marketing and better stock on the farms of York County. The important bureau of highways could do a great work for better roads in York County. The educational bureau could render a fine service in the consolidation of schools which is coming and bettering school conditions in the county.
The possibilities for good in such an organization as above outlined are immeas-
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urable. It is a fine and intelligent attempt to promote a co-operative spirit in York County and weld the varied interests of its people into one great whole, while attempting to render a service to each and all.
The York County Community Association is attracting considerable attention and much favorable mention over the state. It is apparently the first comprehen- sive attempt to extend the community elub idea over a county. Heretofore a town or neighborhood has been considered the scope of activities for a community club. In York County the plan of having the county used as the unit of organization is proposed and we note the Lincoln Trade Review commenting on the plan in this wise :
"A new thing in business and agricultural organization work is the selecting of the county as the unit for organization.
"The York Community Association, recently launched, is such an organization. This organization aims to have a community organization in every township within the county ; this township organization in turn being entitled to representation in the county community association.
"In counties where the agricultural element is so predominant. the community elub, as a slight variation from what is generally accepted as a chamber of com- merce, has done untold good in bringing together farmers and the town business men. The attitude that the farm bureau in its organization work in this state is taking, is to be commended. It is at least in no way antagonistic to the many com- munity elubs that are organized, and in fact there is a noticeable tendency towards the working together of the county agent or the farm bureau representative with the community or commercial club.
"One of the big results that can come through this county plan of organization will be the enlisting of hundreds of men in all walks of life into organization work of this kind. A county that can boast of a community club in every township will have an organization that will bring out representation from every nook and corner of the county, representing ideas from every class.
"The bankers of this state have realized the necessity for organization work in a general way along this line, and the bankers have selected the county in many instances as a unit for building up a better and closer organization among the bankers."
President Shields has announced his selections for the heads of bureaus which are provided for by the proposed form of government of the community association. They are: Farm, David Price, Thayer ; Clubs, Frank Widle, Beaver; Publicity, J. G. Alden, York ; Advisory. S. W. Gillan, York; Fellowship, Wade Read, York; Highways, M. B. Stream, Waco; Invitation, L. L. Slagel, McCool ; Program, L. D. Beltzner. Bradshaw ; Finance. A. R. McFadden, McCool : Entertainment, Gone Bemis. York: Organizer. George Myers, Bradshaw : Executive, Dr. F. S. Morris, MeCool : Employment, W. J. O'Donnell, York ; Membership, C. F. Baekemeyer, Waco; Agri- culture and Live Stock, R. F. Getty, Waco; Education, Prof. E. C. Bishop, Brad- shaw.
The list contains a superabundance of newspaper men, who by the way seem always ready to do their full part and share, not only in publicity but hewing wood and packing water. Aside from that piece of favoritism on the part of President Shields we ean commend highly his choice of timber for bureau heads.
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
It very soon developed that the men present were very favorably inclined toward an organization of the character outlined and a date was fixed for a meeting to be held in Bradshaw to conclude the final arrangements for perfecting the organiza- tion. This meeting will be held Friday, November 12th. The organization com- mittee was enlarged from a small to a large body and is composed of the following members :
Waco: F. P. Shields. R. F. Getty, A. C. Stream, L. E. Cooper, C. F. Backe- meyer.
Bradshaw: J. H. Currie, E. C. Bishop, Bert Palmer, J. C. Reed. Ed Hickey.
Thayer: C. M. Horsfall. D. W. Price, O. B. Liedtke.
MeCool : A. R. McFadden, Charles Kuns, Charles Tharp.
Beaver : Frank Widle. Charles Purinton, Reverend Wonderlich.
Benedict : E. W. Witten. A. Schneider, William Herrold.
Hays: Will Shipley, Jesse Wolstenholm, John Boren.
Baker: John Morgan. Fred Saddoris, Frank Broadwell.
York: Wade Read, George W. Shreck. W. J. O'Donnell. J. G. Alden.
The officers of the organization committee are F. P. Shields, Waco, chairman. and J. G. Alden, York. secretary.
The representatives passed approval on the draft of a form of government for the association. The name suggested is the York County Community Association. Any citizen of York County may become a member. The governing body is a Congress composed of three members chosen from each local community club. A loeal chib in each township of the county is the aim of the association. Each club will have a representation of three on the governing body. The work of the asso- ciation will be performed in the main by bureaus, such as labor, live stock and agriculture, education, highways, and the like.
If the meeting of Monday evening can be taken as an index of the general feeling, the association is launched on a successful course and the Bradshaw meeting will complete the organization in short order and with widespread enthusiasm.
The election of officers resulted as follows: F. P. Shields, Waco, president : R. E. Simmons, Bradshaw, vice president ; E. C. Bishop, Bradshaw, secretary; I. E. Cooper, Waco, treasurer : A. R. McFadden, MeCool, sergeant at arms.
The first duty confronting the officers is the organization of the entire county. The plan of the organization committee calls for community clubs in all the town- ships, each local chib to have three representatives in the county assembly. An intensive effort will shortly be made to get an organization in each locality and the following committee was chosen to undertake the organization work ; Dr. F. S. Mor- ris, MeCool: R. F. Getty, Waco: David Price, Thayer : George Myers, Bradshaw ; S. W. Gillan. York : A. L. Clem, Gresham : William Herrold, Benedict.
Of a meeting at Bradshaw the following was said :
Under the impulse given to the formation of local community clubs by the York County Community Association, recently organized, the good people of Brad- shaw Township met at Harmony Church on Monday evening and organized a community club.
The organization was there effected by the election of the following officers : George 1. Myers, president : Dr. W. C. Muirhead, vice president ; James W. Strat- ton, secretary ; Mrs. Harry Turnbull, treasurer; James Carlisle, sergeant at arms.
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
A committee, consisting of A. M. Strunk, Bert Palmer and L. D. Beltzer, was appointed by the chair to prepare by-laws for the government of the club and this committee will report at a meeting which will be held in the town hall in Brad- shaw on Monday evening, December 13th.
The Bradshaw Township Club is a very happy omen of the success of the movement the county over. It is composed of both town and country people and points the way for other organizations of like nature which will work out in fine spirit the thought of the forward looking people in whose minds was born the idea of the county community association.
Editor Shields of the Waconian, to whom the York County Community Associa- tion owes much for its conception, went to the case last week and "stuck" up this scintillating comment on the York meeting :
"It's nothing if not contagious and catching! From a more handful of enthusiasts to the proportions of thirty-two live coals, the York County Community Association has grown until its name and fame have reached and permeated each and every corner and nook in the county-and that is not all. It has made such inroads as to not only more deeply interest its discoverers, founders and promoters, but the project has animated a desire of many others of the county to "get aboard," as was evidenced at Monday night's meet in York. When you can succeed in arousing the curiosity of the farmer, the doctor, the lawyer, the merchant, the educator, the banker, the man in sedentary walks-and the newspaper man-all with one blast of the bugle, then you have started something which only time, tide and monkey wrenches can check. That feed and talkfest are deserving of more than that of a passing show. Those talks of inspiration by enthusiasts from Brad- shaw, Thayer, York, McCool. Benedict. Beaver, Hays. Morton, McFadden and Waco, not only stirred from center to circumference, but they forced a rapid-fire desire to peer deeper into the project, prompting a pledge on the part of the unor- ganized territory to go home, peel its linen and then get into working harness. The preamble and provisions, as drawn and formulated by the committees, heretofore mentioned, were read by the secretary and then intelligently discussed by the con- gress, but pending more light and a more extensive representation, it was thought best to defer present adoption. No objections, that is, no serious objections were raised to the formulations by those who were in the "selective draft." At the close of the spirited meet, several delegations stood ready with invitations and appeals to hold the next meet in "our town," and after a short session of discussion, it was agreed to accept the warm welcome extended by delegates from Bradshaw to meet in their city on Friday evening. November 12th. At this meet, no doubt, the "con- gress" will be organized, and possibly the official personnel for the ensuing year will be chosen, so, should you desire to participate in the said selections, you should be present at this Bradshaw meet. Remember, this is an exclusive county affair-each township having equal representation-nothing more nor nothing less. Don't be deceived or mislead by those who are on the outside. Intelligence on the part of townships will be able to head off "bunk"!
CHAPTER XI
YORK COUNTY-INDUSTRIALLY
YORK'S INDUSTRIES, IN 1887-HARRISON NURSERIES-C. S. ILARRISON-YORK FOUN- DRY-CANNING FACTORY-YORK'S SUGAR FACTORY DREAM.
York is not essentially an industrial town, but, nevertheless, with the Harrison Nurseries, of national fame in their line, and many other successful and lucrative small industries, this phase of the life of the community deserves separate, elaborate treatment and will receive the same in this segregated chapter.
First, we will present a review prepared for the local press in 1887, which will give the reader an idea of the industrial progress up to that point.
YORK'S INDUSTRIES
The Representative Industrial Interests of York
York is not merely a trading point for a small scope of adjacent territory; it is a business center. Its territory extends over several counties; and with our superior railroad accommodations, this being also a railroad center, its jobbing trade will doubtless reach out much farther still as soon as the two new roads are in operation. At present we have :
A large Roller Mill, which has a capacity of about two hundred barrels of font per day. It is one of the very best equipped mills in the state, or in any other state for that matter, and its trade extends throughout Nebraska and into Kansas and Colorado. We also have a small grist mill located on Beaver Creek, which has a good run of local business and makes a good article of flour. Besides these, four large flouring mills are located in different portions of the county.
Four Steam Elevators handle the grain which is marketed here. These are all very large and well equipped and capable of handling an immense amount of small grain. Corn is purchased by the elevator men and by a number of others, and is stored in extensive and capacious cribs. The capacity for handling grain of all kinds is equal to that of any town west of Omaha, and yet it is frequently taxed to its utmost.
The York Foundry and machine shops is an extensive establishment and turns out heavy castings for nearly all the brick blocks in this part of the state. Steam engines are also manufactured and mills and elevators fitted out and repaired. These extensive works do a heavy business throughout the state, and have no com- petitor outside of Omaha and Lincoln. The buildings are of brick, and the shops are thoroughly equipped.
A Canning Factory here puts up "York Canned Goods." Last year was
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
the first year of this important enterprise, but the quality of the goods is pro- nounced superior to any other put up in the West, and equal to any in the country. Over one hundred hands are employed during the busy season, and thousands of dollars are disbursed annually for sweet corn and tomatoes. There is no light employment which yiekls a larger return for the money and time employed than raising these articles for the canning factory. It is a light and healthful employ- ment and yields large returns.
The Creamery is thoroughly equipped and has a large and commodious building. At present it is not in operation, but will doubtless be started again at no distant day.
Brick Making is extensively carried on here. There is in Nebraska a scarcity of the very best clay for brick making; at least this has been supposed to be the case, and this industry had been mainly confined to a few towns, of which York is probably the most important in this line. The very best quality of clay is found in abundance and an excellent quality of brick is made. We have three of four yards in operation, and there is a good prospect of pressed brick and a tite factory this season. We have every reason to believe this industry will be extensive and profitable.
Cigar Factory. York has a first-class cigar factory, which manufactures all the leading grades, and wholesales and retails a large amount of excellent goods every year.
Blacksmith and Carriage Shops. York does a large and profitable business in this line and is represented by Wray & Johnson, James Armstrong. M. S. Herrick, Lundy & Haney, B. F. Marshall, Geo. Colling. L. Barch and others.
Merchant Tailoring. This industry is ably looked after by three good firms, and a large amount of excellent work is turned out every year. Woods Bros. employ often as high as six skilled hands. G. W. Miller and Joseph Keilbert both do an extensive business.
A long list of carpenters, painters, bricklayers, stonemasons, plasterers, shoe- makers and other tradesmen have their homes in York and find steady employment.
The York Nursery is one of the oldest institutions in the county and has been a vast benefit to the people, furnishing home grown fruit and shade trees in quan- tities to suit and whenever required. Its trade extends far into Kansas and Colo- rado, and through it York becomes the center of trade and source of supply for a large territory of one of the most important commodities in this western country, furnishing employment to about twenty hands. York has a Chinese laundry and several others, operated by the colored population. The only soda water and pop factory in this part of Nebraska is located at York, and the goods manufactured here are in great demand throughont this section. The cigar factory and candy factory located here also lead out with their business into other towns and help connect York with them. For a large number of goods they depend on York, and this place thus becomes the most conspicuous and does more business than any other within a large scope of country.
The board of trade is negotiating with a wood turning firm at Wymore to locate here. If this firm is secured it will be run in connection with the foundry and machine shops, and will be quite an addition to the industry of the city. The board of trade is also corresponding with other enterprises which are pointing this way. York wants a paper mill and a broom factory and will probably have them
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
in operation during the present year. A number of important enterprises will be located here at once to take advantage of our unrivaled railroad facilities.
HARRISON NURSERIES
No single industry of York has accomplished more to spread the reputation of the city, to spread good cheer and comfort among the people of Nebraska and extended its operations to such a wide extent beyond the borders of its own state as has the Harrison Nursery. Started through the energies and love of C. S. Har- rison for everything horticultural, this business has become a financial, economic and civic success. The work of Reverend Harrison extended into so many fields, that the compiler hardly knew where to insert the following brief tribute, written in 1913, but finally decided in a way to dedicate the short chapter to discussing the industrial development of York by inserting it here.
C. S. HARRISON
C. S. Harrison was born in the State of New York, November 24, 1832. In 1844 he moved with his parents to Illinois. His father was sick when they landed in Chicago, and he had to hunt the dirty village of Chicago over for a peck of potatoes. In 1857 he commenced preaching on the frontiers of Minnesota. For four years he had to endure the privations of a new country. Sometimes he was nearly frozen. He often was obliged to ford swollen rivers. Having had some success in church work he was called by Land Commissioner Geo. S. Harris to take a colony into York in 1871. It was called the May Flower Colony. He induced several hundred people to come to York County. He preached the first sermon in York in an unfinished store building. There was an audience of fourteen. The country was new and the people very poor-most of them living in sod houses. In the spring of 1872 the Congregational Church was organized through his persistent efforts. York grew rapidly though off the line of the railroad. For seven years the people had to hanl lumber and goods from Fairmont. But handi- eapped as they were, and without a railroad they outgrew every town on the B. & M. all the way from Crete to Hastings. The class of people who came to York shaped its future. They made and kept a clean town. A good academy building was put up; it raised a strong hope out of the despair of the grasshopper days. Then came the great liquor war, when they threatened to kill Mr. Harrison, who was the chairman of the executive committee, which was very much alive. ITis life was often threatened and one day two men loaded up with liquor started out to kill him. But they were knocked lengthwise by Henry Seymour. One escaped and the other on complaint of Mr. Harrison lay three months in jail and found it did not pay to be a saloon henchman. The war was fought to a finish, and the people found that deceney paid. As soon as it was known that saloons were to be kept out of York, traveling men and others moved in where their boys could be safe. There are but few manufactories in York : people seemed to live on the reputation of the town and how the city grows-beating other towns which had a better start and a better location two to one. Mr. Harrison started a nursery in 1871 and in 1881 he went to Pueblo and left it with his sons. And here let me say that these sons bearing and honoring his name have done more to help the city than any
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two men who have ever lived here. They keep an army of workmen and of agents. They spend most of their money where they make it and last summer put up a fine $10,000 building.
When about sixty-seven years old Mr. ttarrison's health failed. Ilis church nerves were worn out. He had been nearly forty-two years in active work in the ministry-had built sixteen churches and received many hundreds on confession of faith-had helped found two academies and raised about a hundred thousand dollars for church and educational work. He had a right to be tired, but he had been too busy to make money. When he might have been worth a hundred thousand dollars ; he had saved in these long busy years not enough to build a comfortable home. So he started an ornamental nursery on two of the weediest lots in the city. This grew to cover twenty-eight lots. Then after ten years he sold a half interest to HI. S. King. Since seventy years of age he has published five works on horti- culture and has another now nearly ready for the press. He has at great pains gathered the best things from Europe and America and now the C. S. Harrison Select Nursery has a reputation reaching from ocean to ocean, and Manitoba to the gulf. He is still in active work and enjoys his glorious flowers which keep up a procession of beauty from spring to the hard frosts of autumn.
At a ripe old age he is now waiting on the hither shore for the coming of the boatman to take him to the other side. Most of the co-laborers of former days have already gone over, and at times he is lonely. But he lives among pleasant memories and in glad anticipations of reunions beyond.
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