USA > Nebraska > York County > York County, Nebraska and its people : together with a condensed history of the state, Vol. I > Part 67
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Upon the death of this revered servant of humanity in February. 1919, people journeyed from far and near, from all over the state of Nebraska to pay tribute to his memory, and we herewith append one of the many tributes paid in the press to the work he had performed.
CHARLES SIMMONS HARRISON
was born Nov. 24th, 1832, at Edmeston, Otsego Co., N. Y. His parents were Stephen Selick Harrison and Sarah Elizabeth Sears. He was one of seven children. Those then surviving him were Mrs. Sarah Wyckoff of Escondido, Calif .. and Mrs. Phila Warner of this city. Ile married Miss Charlotte Amelia Cummings at Huntley, Ill., April 7th, 1859. The children born to this union were Willard A. of this city. Henry Stephen of Los Angeles, Calif .. and Roxey Eleanor, who died in infancy. His wife passed on in 1841 and in the summer of 1872 he married at LeRoy, N. Y .. Miss Charlotte Kitchel Rawson, who is well remembered by the early settlers of York. Mrs. Harrison died of pneumonia while residing in Boston, Mass., where Mr. Har- rison was field secretary of Congregational Academies, in 1892, and in 1893 he mar- ried Miss Carrie L. Williams of Roxbury, Mass.
He did missionary work for his church throughout the West and Northwest, filled many pastorates, organized the Congregational churches here and in Arbor- ville. He failed in health about this time and took up colonization for the Burling- ton and afterwards for the Union Pacific. During this time he brought many of the best citizens of York County to make their homes here. He returned to York in 1900 and built his home and began at the age of sixty-eight the building up of a new business, the growing and sale of perennials and the writing of books and articles for farm journals. At one time he was the weekly correspondent of twenty-
YORK
WORKS
YORK FOUNDRY AND ENGINE WORKS, YORK
THE NE. PUBLIC LA PARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND ELLODAN FOUNDATIONS
569
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
three papers and magazines and was horticultural editor of many, including the New York Sun. He used to say he talked to thousands every day though he sat in his chair at his home.
Commenced work as home missionary on the frontiers of Minnesota in 1857 be- fore the roads and bridges got there, suffered all kinds of privations-nearly drowned, the horse sinking three times with him; nearly frozen, had to live on potatoes and tallow, and didn't know the history of the tallow and didn't want to know. He had a tract of country of one hundred miles in extent where he preached the first sermon. Sometimes on cold winter nights he was followed by gaunt timber wolves, which howled almost broken hearted, because they could not have missionary raw and warm for supper. He was called there to preach and bury the dead. He also performed many surgical operations.
He saved the life of one man badly mangled in the saw mill. His son, born after, was for five consecutive terms member of Congress, and his daughter wanted to be married by the man who saved Grandpa. . The ceremony was per- formed in one of the largest hotels of Minneapolis just fifty-five years after the terrible accident.
YORK FOUNDRY
As Viewed in 1887
The York foundry and engine shop, which was conducted through the '80's by Jolm C. Kilner, began the York Foundry and Engine Company in 1889, and in its very first years' business as a corporation made an excellent showing. This en- terprise from the first equipped itself to handle all kinds of castings and machine work on short notice, also engine boilers, pulleys, shaftings and beltings and handled all kinds of supplies for grain elevators. With a successful record of thirty-five years behind him Mr. Kilner is still conducting this enterprise.
This foundry has been a successful institution and in 1920 is still operated by the Kilner management.
A notice of its work published in 1890 said the York Foundry and Engine Company has completed its first year's business as a corporation and the showing made is an excellent one. The company has been to great expense the past year enlarging their facilities and making their exhibition at the state fair and are now able to declare a dividend nearly equal to ten per cent.
The electric light company has also declared a good dividend on last year's busi- ness, all of which goes to show that York is a good place to establish enterprises of any kind. The institutions now here are paying the investors well, which should · encouragement to new enterprises to locate in our city. Any legitimate en- terprise that will pay anywhere will pay in York. No institution that is now in the city is losing money. Come to York with your manufacturing plants and our citizens will assure you a welcome and will furnish what capital is needed. No fakes nor adventurers wanted, but any legitimate business will be accorded all financial encouragement necessary.
CANNING FACTORY
As early as 1886 the need of a canning factory was sounded in the press, and the following gives the industrial local viewpoint of that time:
520
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Realizing the fact that those interested in the establishment of a canning factory in this city are anxious to gather as much information as possible. we make the following extract from the proceedings of a meeting recently held by the stockholders of the Plattsmouth canning factory :
"The first business of the meeting was hearing the reports of Secretary Lewis embodying a complete statement of the business for the past year, which showed that the company had realized handsomely upon the $8,150 capital invested 'n the enterprise. The exact figures were not obtained, but the profits of the concern were away beyond anything that had been anticipated.
"Mr. C. M. Wead, from a special committee appointed to prepare a report mpon the needs of the company for 1886 and outline its business, submitted his report, recommending the following additional outlay of capital :
"New store house, $200; new engine and boiler, $225: two new telescope machines, $1,000; two new process kettles, $300; two new cutters, $400, making a total of $3,125. He also reported that contracts had already been made for produce for the following output : tomatoes, 125 acres, 250,000 cans: corn 610 aeres, 750,000 cans: beans, 30 acres, 150,000 cans; total. 1,150.000 cans.
"With a corn crop as good as that of last year, the total number of cans in the prodnet would go far beyond the above estimate. He said that it was necessary to know immediately whether or not it was the desire of the stockholders present to go into business on this generally enlarged scale next year, or whether it would be necessary to cancel some of the above contracts for produce.
An expression of those present was called for, and several stockholders spoke with enthusiasm in favor of the proposed increase."
A very short time later the following shows the progress made and indicates the spirit with which the builders of York took hold of anything that appealed to them :
"President Wright of the canning company makes a last appeal this week to our moneyed men to take the balance of the stock necessary to make the enterprise a success. Our men of capital appear to be more interested in the three per cent a month business than some legitimate industry which would tend to make York self sustaining. The only work now afforded to the laboring men is in the line of building. The last brick will be laid on the last building in York some day, and then what work have we to offer our laboring men? The wild fowl of the air will be flying out of the windows of a number of our fine buildings inside of ten years if some move is not made soon to give permanent employment to our surplus population. We boast of the number of our banks, our excellent schools and fine churches, but all these will not make York a city that can take care of its own population. Let us have the canning factory and every other industry within our reach that will give permanent employment to skilled and unskilled labor. We have banks, schools and churches enough for onr present needs. Give your town boom in another direction."
On March 4. 1886, a month later, the following excerpt shows not only the thoroughness but speed used by York business builders :
"The canning factory is at last an assured success. The company was permanently organized on Monday evening. The capital stock is placed at $50,000. The company will commenee operations with a paid up capital of $9,000. The officers elected for the ensuing year are: Geo. W. Post, president; Cyrus
571
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Hutchins, secretary ; D. E. Sedgwick, treasurer; HI. B. Dibble, general manager. The above named gentlemen with Dr. H. Reader, J. B. Read, R. E. Leach and D. N. Blood constitute the board of directors. A committee was appointed to secure a location. Work will be commenced next and will be pushed as rapidly as possible. Mr. T. C. Rutter, of Glenwood. Iowa, has been engaged as process man, and is expected to arrive in the city this week with his family.
We are informed that the company will begin the work of making cans at once. Much credit should be given the retiring temporary president, Mr. Wright, for the constant and tireless attention which he gave to the enterprise from the very first. The stockholders are men of means, and among the most successful of our business men. The success of the company is now assured."
Looking back upon the young enterprise when it was a year old, we find this perspective :
The annual meeting of the York Canning Company was held on Monday evening at the office of Kingsley & Hutchins. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: W. H. Bagnell, president; vice president, Robert Wright ; secretary and general manager, H. B. Dibble: treasurer, D. E. Sedgwick. The board of directors is composed of the above named officers and Martin Burns, James Stewart, J. C. Lenox and J. P. Miller. It is expected that the factory will be in good running order by the first of March, and everything points to a good year's business ahead for the company the coming year.
York County had one other industrial dream, which, despite all of the work expended in its promotion, did not materialize, and that was an effort to secure a sugar factory.
DOES YORK WANT A BEET SUGAR FACTORY ?
How can we get one? What will be its advantages? That is what we want to find out.
France, Germany, and other European nations have been making sugar from beets successfully for years. All the information that we can gather says that Nebraska can produce beets with a larger per cent of sugar than Europe, Cali- fornia of any other part of the world. If this so what is to hinder us from pro- ducing the sugar for the nation? It will take 1084 factories the size of the one at Grand Island run to their full capacity to supply the amount of sugar we are now importing, while 5,000 acres will produce all the beets one factory can con- sume. This will require 5,000,000 acres planted in beets, employ 2,500,000 people and require not less than $500,000,000 capital for manufacturing alone, so there is no danger of over production in the near future. If we can establish the fact that we can successfully raise beets containing a high per cent of sugar the factory will come. A few of the advantages are: It will require a large quantity of brick and other material and employ a large amount of capital and become a large tax payer ; will employ at least. 500 hands, who will require houses and the necessaries of life; this will furnish more business for merchants and more of a market for all kinds of farm produce. The direct benefit to the farmers will not be so much in the raising of beets or the cheapening of sugar as in the diversity of farm crops and increased home market for other products, and the increase in the value of their property, from the impetus that all lines of business will re-
Vol. 1-37
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IHISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
ceive from increased capital and employment of labor. One man withont im- proved machinery can probably raise ten acres of beets from which he will make as much money as from farming eighty acres of corn. The farmer need not ex- peet to make a fortune from raising beets but when we have learned how to raise them to the best advantage, it will undoubtedly be a profitable business. Those who have raised beets this year for the factory at Grand Island complain that it has not been profitable. But last season was very unfavorable. They have not yet learned the best methods of raising beets, or employed the improved ma- chinery that is now being manufactured. and Mr. Oxnard contracted with them at a price fully $1,00 per ton less than they are now paying at the factory in California. It is unreasonable to condemn the whole business on such a short trial. Be- lieving that the beet sugar business offered more to all our people than anything else in sight, the County Fair Association appointed a committee to look up the matter of experimenting in raising beets to see if we can raise beets in York. County containing a sufficient per cent of sugar to warrant a factory in locating at York. The committee, in conjunction with the board of trade of York, will furnish the seed and such information as to the best methods of raising the beets as they can obtain and will attend to every man's having beets analyzed. This analysis will be consolidated into one report showing what each man's beets analyzed : this report to be published and laid before beet sugar men and capi- talists, showing that we can raise beets that contain a per cent of sugar that will warrant a location of a factory here. We want at least ten farmers in each pre- cinet in the county to raise a patch, measuring the ground accurately and keep- ing a correct account of cost of production weight of product, methods of culti- vation, etc. The beets are excellent feed for stock and will pay as well as any other erop you can raise for that purpose. We will not be prepared to furnish seed before March, but want to talk with you and get ready before that time. Hand in your names so we will know how much seed will be needed. We have established headquarters at the office of Robert Rae. seeretary of the county fair, where we will be happy to meet you. Drop a postal card with your address and we will send you the Beet Sugar Enterprise, that will give you all needed in- formation on the subject.
J. W. SMALL, II. READER. S. SPELLMAN. Committee.
An effort was made to secure an aereage of 5,000 to guarantee a factory. But this did not materialize. But the effort was not all in vain, for it promoted an industry that yielded no small revenue to some of the citizens for a few years. But the hard times of the years following the 1894 brought on other troubles and the sugar beet idea dried up, like the erops.
The commercial rosters in the next chapter of this work show the list of industries that developed in York County from 1890 until the present time.
CHAPTER XII
COMMERCIAL HISTORY OF YORK
EARLY COMMERCIAL LIFE-YORK'S FIRMS IN 1886-YORK'S FIRMS IN 1887-THE TOWN'S CALIBRE-BUILDINGS IN 1887-BLOOMER'S CONSERVATORY OF LUMBER MUSIC-LUMBER MUSIC AND MUSIC OF LUMBER-FIRMS IN 1900-ROSTER OF FIRMS IN 1913-COMMUNITY COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATIONS- LIST OF MEMBERS AND BUSINESS MEN, 1921-YORK HOTELS.
EARLY COMMERCIAL LIFE OF YORK
In various parts of this work, heretofore, have appeared accounts of the early life of the Town of York, which have gone into detail of the arrival, flour- ishing careers and departure of many business enterprises. Beginning with the first store of Elwood Brothers and the succeeding store of J. H. Bell, mention has already been made of many businesses of the late seventies and early eighties. The stores doing business in York before 1882 have been elsewhere mentioned. The accompanying illustration of a business directory of 1884 and 1885 will bring to mind many more. The policy has been adopted to compile a commercial roster of listing the businesses in existence in 1887. then a list of those in 1900, an- other list of those in operation in 1913 and a final list of all individuals and busi- ness enterprises supporting membership in the York County Commercial Club in 1920.
YORK'S BUSINESS MEN IN 1886
THIS SLIGHT SKETCH OF THE REPRESENTATIVE MEN WHO WERE MAKING YORK A BOOMING BUSINESS CENTER WAS PUBLISHED ABOUT 1886.
YORK'S LEADING FIRMS
First National Bank with a capital of $50,000 is doing an immense business. F. O. Bell, president and H. C. Kleinschmidt, cashier.
York National Bank is also one of the strongest institutions of the city, capital $50,000. Hon. G. W. Post, president, and E. M. Battis, cashier.
Citizens State Bank capital $50,000 is a strong and reliable institution and is doing a good business. J. W. Barnes, president, W. A. Sharrar, cashier.
York Savings Bank is a young but remarkably healthy concern and is trans- acting a good business. G. P. Chessman, president, M. A. Green, cashier.
Real Estate Firms. York probably contains more live engergetic real estate men than any city of like importance in Nebraska. The real estate dealers of York are all wide-awake and are assisting to make York of the future an im-
573
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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
portant city. The representative real estate men are Baldwin & Crapser. successors to Lundeen & Cook; Simmons & Green, F. F. Mead, Kingsley & Hutchins, Hop- kins & Cowan, Cowell & Burns, J. W. Small, Buckmaster & Knight, Daggy & Atkins, Stark & Mosher, and others all of whom are entirely reliable.
Clothing. Among the live clothing men may be mentioned Robert Armstrong, W. K. Williams and Woods Bros.
Dry Goods. The dry goods trade is well represented by E. M. Cobb & Co., D. J. Colling, Woods Bros .. J. F. McConaughy, Ewen & Butler, John S. Knott. C. L. Meissner and Carl Zimmerer.
Groeers. York is well supplied in this line of trade, among whom may be mentioned Coles & Thomas, Carl Zimmerer, Knight Bros., J. S. Knott, E. R. Shamp, Hughes & Evans, Germond & Talbot. W. H. Lacey. Burr and Kolb, Chilcote & Co., Geo. A. Beck, J. W. Cook, Wm. Rae and W. C. Burr.
Druggists. This line is represented by Wyckoff & Knapp, Panter & Bishop, Bagnell Bros., G. H. Jerome & Co., and S. A. Dorr.
Hardware Dealers are: A. C. Snyder, S. C. Grippen & Co .. E. V. Zimmerer and Blixt & Fisher.
Harness Makers. E. Stache, the pioneer harness maker of York County began manufacturing here in 1873 and is an energetic business man. He is now the owner of considerable real estate in the city. W. C. Kneeshaw is younger in the trade, but has a good patronage. Woodley & Norton is the latest to embark in the business. W. Bernstein is operating a shop near the depot.
Title Abstracts. Buekmaster & Knight have a new and complete set of abstract books. Chris Hallstrom and Baldwin & Crapser have the oldest set of books in the county.
Attorneys. The York bar is among the best in the state and is represented by the following legal lights. Sedgwick & Power, Seott & Gilbert, France & Harlan, Edward Bates, Merton Meeker, D. H. Bishop, W. M. Cowell. T. Eddy Bennett, J. F. Hale, A. C. Montgomery, M. C. Frank, D. T. Moore, J. C. Carnahan and John D. Reed.
Physicians. Doctors. G. W. Shidler, J. J. Porter, R. M. MeConanghy, D. E. Sedgwick, B. F. Farley, D. D. Foristall, Carseadden & Blackburn. A. O. Faulkner, J. (. Panter and T. J. Hatfield and J. A. Dieffenbacher dentists.
Boots and Shoes. The exclusive boot and shoe trade is confined to Oscar Froid and Vail & Greene, while a dozen or more firms handle boots and shoes in connection with other lines.
Jewelers. The jewelry firms are four in number and carry fine assortments of goods. They are Westervelt Bros., W. L. Whedon. Wm. Cochran and F. M. Dillon.
Bakeries. Two bakeries are now in operation by W. R. Furnam and J. S. English.
Agricultural Implements. Liniger & Metcalf Co., Anderson & Strosser, F. J. Jones, Philip Ritger, and Henry Seymour.
Lumber Dealers. The lumber trade is in the hands of energetie business men who push it for all that it is worth. The firms are C. N. Carpenter, A. F. Bloomer, National Lumber Co., and the York Lumber Co.
Coal Dealers. The coal dealers are, H. C. Shepardson. E. A. Warner, C. N. Carpenter and Joseph Morrison.
Wall Paper at Batnell fros, South Bido
YORK BUSINESS DIRECTORY RELIABLE BUSINESS FIRMS OF THE CITY
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THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRIPY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDAI. NE
577
HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY
Meat Markets. The butcher trade is in the hands of Henry Jeffery. J. F. Clark, J. R. Bevaridge and O. N. Kelley.
Hotel Men. The hotels are managed by A. Blodgett, C. B. Hackney & Son, O. W. Cole, Geo. S. Hyde, II. B. Seeley : and there are a number of restaurants.
Confectionery. A. F. Robinson, A. Stevens, P. W. Dale, G. W. S. Coon, Linch & Blackburn, Frank MeCann, J. L. Dever and a number of others.
Sewing Machines and Musical Instruments. John Oppfelt, E. Hetzel manager, Singer Manufacturing Co. and a score of agents.
Millinery Establishments. Harry E. Wells & Co., "Little Store," Mrs. Dibble, H. A. Buffum, D. J. Colling and others.
Furniture Dealers. York has two of the largest and most complete furniture stoeks in Nebraska : M. B. Atkins and Baer Bros. are the proprietors.
Livery Men. York has ten strong livery firms; the leading ones are W. L. Clark, Southworth & Fosterburg, Krakel Bros., B. B. York, J. Smith, T. M. O'Neal and others.
Newspapers. York has three as good papers as any inland town in the state, two of which have steam power. The Democrat the official paper of York County, the only democratic paper in the county is published by Geo. F. Coreoran. The Republican, the oldest paper in the county is published by Morgan & Dayton. The Times, republican in politics, is published by Sedgwick & Bell. The Collegian is a monthly published by the students of the York College. Two other weekly papers are published in the county, one at Bradshaw, the Gazette, published by E. F. Chit- tenden, the pioneer newspaper man of York County, and the Leader, at Waco, pub- lished by G. C. Freeman.
Photo Artist. I. F. Kennedy has at present the exclusive patronage of the city in this line and is compelled to employ a number of assistants to properly eare for his immense patronage.
Barber Shops. Five barber shops employing twelve barbers do the tonsorial part of the city's business, the leading firms being, Meradith, Clapp & Swartz, Ballard & Norton and three other shops.
The following roster of firms in business in York in 1887, will reeall many familiar names. Of these, probably only Win. Bernstein, harness, C. N. Carpenter, coal, and George Chileote, groceries, are still in the same business. Druggist Jerome and Il. C. Kleinselnmidt are also holdovers from that generation.
CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY
ABSTRACTS OF TITLE
Baldwin & Crapser, 610 Lincoln Ave. Buckmaster & Knight, Opera Block. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS Anderson & Strosser, northeast corner Beaver Ave. and 5th St.
Burr & Van Tuyl, 528 Grant Ave.
Liniger & Metcalf Co., 115-117 W. 6th St.
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