Adams County, Nebraska - Chapter 7: Hastixgs - Modern Developments and Activities, 1916

Chapter 7: Hastixgs - Modern Developments and Activities

The activities of Hastings today as we are familiar with them may he said to have hegiin with the administration of Clarence J. iMiles who was elected mayor April 1, 1902. A large portion of the time between the middle of July, 1887, and 1902 was characterized by the depression due to the stagnation of real estate values that persisted long after the boom. Beginning with the IMiles administration the businessmen, reinvigorated by new blood, and assisted materially by good crops and advancing prices for farm products, set about to make use of the possibilities that were clearly confronting the city. Early in this administration "Twenty thousand inhabitants by 1910!" became the rallying cry of the business forces. The mark set Avas not reached but the effort made contributed not a little to the ushering in of a period of substantial growth in industrial and commercial lines.

The Legislature of Nebraska in 1903 provided for the location of a new normal school in the western part of the state and Hastings entered the contest with several Western Nebraska towns to secure the location. This concerted effort was the first team work that the business men of Hastings had engaged in since the boom. At this time the Commercial Club was formed at the instigation of the mayor. The mayor was the j^resident of this organization and City Clerk Bratton the secretary during the eight years of the club's existence. Among the accomplishments of the Commercial Club may be mentioned the reopening of the Catholic educational institution, the Academy of the Immaculate Conception which had ])een closed and the building vacant for years, and the bringing to Hastings of the Nebraska Sanitarium. The Adventists had decided to remove their headquarters from Lincoln and the committee was undecided as whether to locate in Grand Island, Kearney or Hastings. It was the effort made by the Commercial Club to show the advantages of Hastings that was largely responsible for their choice.

were conducting a foundry in Blue Hill, to move their plant to Hastings, and that was the inception of the present Hastings Foundry & Iron Works. The Eniericks had invented a trij) hammer which they wished to manufacture and they desired a location more favorable than Blue Hill for distribution. They filed articles of incorporation in Hastings December 15, 1906, and about that time commenced their foundry and manufacturing business.

The Emericks conducted their business for about a year and tlien were bought out by A. H. Farrens and C. B. Hutton. The Hastings Foundry & Iron Works was incorjiorated with a capital stock of $30,000. The hicoi-jjorators were A. L. Clarke, C. B. Hutton, C. G. Wallace, George Wilkes and A. H. Farrens. In 1909 the first of the grouiD of six brick buildings which the plant now occupies Avas erected. The other buildings were erected in rapid succession the greater number of them within the first eighteen months. In 1910 the Western Land Roller Company began the manufacture of their land packer which has grown steadily, the sales in 1916 having reached 2,000 rollers, four of which were shipi^ed to Buenos Aires. The plant Avas established by ]Mads Anderson and sons Avho are the lirojirietors.

The manufacture of flour began in Hastings in the early '70s AA'hen C. G. Ingalls and some others operated a biu'r mill. Not, however, until 1887 Avas the business established in a large Avay. In that year Humphrey & Bird built a mill on South Denver Avenue at the present location of the Hastings Milling Company. The mill had a capacity of 100 barrels of flour per day. In 1889 ]\Ir. Bird. Avho still resides in Hastings, spld his interest to Gordon H. Edgei'- ton. In the summer of 1894 the mill Avas destroyed by fire and Avas not rebuilt by Humphrey & Edgerton. JNIr. Humphrey is noAv in the Klondike. In 1895 The Hastings JNIilliug Company Avas formed, the princii)al stockholders being J. C. Hedge, C. E. Dinsmoor and J. S. Hamilton. They erected a plant that year Avith a capacity of 125 barrels of flour per day and ten years later increased the capacity by 25 barrels per day. January 19, 1904, the plant came imder the control of the Lincoln ^Milling Company but only for a short time Avhen control Avas reassumed l)y the Hastings INIilling Company. The principal stockholders continued the same until 1915 Avhen ^Ir. Hamilton AvithdreAv. August 18, 1916, the Hastings mill Avas completely destroyed by fire and is being noAv rebuilt.

Reference has been made in another chapter to the brick business of early days and the manufacture of brick continues to be one of the most important industries of Hastings. The connecting link betAveen the early brick j)lants and the present is Peter Hempel, now a firm member of Polensl^e Eros., Schellak & Company. JNIr. Hempel as a boy worked in the yard of INIcElhinney & Johnson, beginning at a wage of 50 cents a day, which after awhile became 75 then $1 and so on until ^Ir. Hempel became an emijloyer of brickmakers himself.

In 1885 a man by the name of Cooper operated a small test plant at the location of the east yard of the Polenske Bros. & Schellak Company's yard on the St. Josej^h & Grand Island and at about that time the plant was bought by A. S. Hurley. In 1886 Samuel Collins and P. A. Stewart came from Illinois and started a plant just beside that of ^Ir. Hurley. Through changing ownerships both l^lants became merged in what is now the Polenske Bros. & Schellak yard. ]Mr. Hurley oiJerated his plant about one year.

Samuel Collins of the firm of Stewart & Collins died about 1892. It is probable that he made the first experiments looking to the manufacture of paving brick in Hastings with a small kiln which he built for that i^urpose. But ]Mr. Collins did not live to see the result of his experiment. Just a few hours before he died he asked that the brick be brought from the kiln to his bedside. Peter Hempel brought two of the bricks to the dying man.

"How are tliey?" he asked. "I want to hear how thej' sound." ]\Ir. Hempel knocked them together. Mr. Collins shook his head in disapproval. They had been removed, JMr. Hempel says, too soon fi'om the kiln and also the hearing of the sick man was blunted. They Mere better than he thought.

After the death of JNIr. Collins, P. A. Stewart continued the business about a year alone and then took in as his partner Robert Klose of Doniphan. JMr. Stewart died after taking in Mr. Klose, and shortly afterward W. H. Ferguson became a partner in the business. In 1895 Emil Polenske bought out Mr. Ferguson. The firm of Klose & Polenske continued until 1900 when INIr. Klose sold to Emil Polenske, Doede Smith and William Schellak. In 1899 what is now the south yard of the Polenske Bros., Schellak & Company, was bought by the Hastings Brick Company which was composed of Hugo Polenske, Emil G. Polenske, John Puis and Fred Butzirus. This yard was started some ten years previously, and is now merged in the larger firm. In the winter of 1915 William Schellak died suddenly of heart failure and in January, 1916, the firm was reorganized with the present name. The incorporators at the reorganization were Hugo and Emil Polenske, INIrs. William S. Schellak. A. A. Lembach and Peter Hempel.

A. L. Clarke, C. B. Hutton, W. H. Ferguson, George Burehard, George ^Vilkes, Peter Hempel, A. H. Farrens and others. In 1910 this firm bought out tlie Hempel yard which had been organized by Peter Hempel in 1904. This company operates also plants in Nebraska City and Holdrege. The two Hastings plants employ 120 men when the season is in full blast and the total output, both tile and brick, is 30,000,000 annually. The Western Brick & Supply Coml)any has two plants in Hastings.

Cigar Industry

The cigar industry which was inaugurated in an early day as previously narrated received a new impetus in 1900 when the factory of Sink (Sc Bloom was instituted by John Sink and Frank Bloom. G. J. Evans who has pushed the cigar business with unusual vigor came into this firm in 1902, though the name of Sink & Bloom was retained until 1905. John Sink disposed of his interest in the factory in 1904 and went to Grand Island where he is still engaged in the manufacturing of cigars. In 190.5 the name was changed to the ]M-esent firm name of the Evans-Bloom Cigar Company.

The firm of Snyder & Brewer, one of the earliest factories to be established in Hastings, was purchased by L. A. Kinney in recent years and is now the Kimiey Cigar Company. For the last years Harry Brewer has been a resident of LaJolla, Cal. His business partner, S. S. Snyder, died about two years ago in Chicago. W. E. Riggs was an extensive manufacturer of cigars from 1911 to May. 191B. when he disposed of liis plant to the Kip]) Cigar Com- ])any.

John H. Kipp, head of the Kipp Cigar Company, conducts one of the largest cigar manufacturing establishments in Nebraska. This factory was established in 1909. Other cigar factories operating at present are those of William Gay & Sons, George Bauer and John Hart. The industry in its various branches employs about two hundred workers, many of whom are women and girls. The total output for the year ending June 1. 1916. was 7,014,28.5 cigars.

Zmanufactures Ix I.Eather

The J. H. Haney harness and leather goods manufacturing establishment is of interest because it has gi-own to be one of the largest plants of its kind in the United States but it also serves as an index of the comnuinity's possibilities in manufacturing. The plant origi- iiated in 1886 at the present location on the corner of Second Street and Denver Avenue. William ^l. Dutton was engaged in the manufacture of harness in Iowa at that time. JNIr. Dutton sent J. H. Haney and W. A. ]McKay to Hastings to establish the plant. At that time he did not intend himself to come to Hastings but the success of the venture changed his plans. The output of the plant in 1880 amounted to $17,800. The growth of the plant is indicated by the output of 1916 which was slightly more than $600,000 in value. The plant started wtih six employes; they are now more than one himdred in number.

In 189.5 a branch was estal)lishe(I in Omaha, with Mr. Haney in charge. The output of the Omaha plant is about one-half that of the Hastings establishment. The total of the output of the Hastings jilant in 1916 was slightly more than that of the first twelve years combined. The output of the first fifteen days of 1916 was greater than the total output of the first year in the firm's history.

With the coming into use of the automobile this firm began tlic manufacture of accessories and there has been an enormous increase in this line necessitating the establishment of a warehouse in New York. Branches are maintained in Canada for the distribution of tliis line, and incjuiries have been made this year from Spain and other Evu-opean ])laces. In 1914 the firm took over the manufacture of the Rose air ])ump, the invention of Frank E. Rose of Hastings, also the inventor of the Rose gasket cutter. The output of the air pump has increased 1,000 per cent since 191-4 and at the close of 1916 the firm was behind .50,000 pumps with its orders. In 191.5 the firm manufactured and delivered a large order of six-horse-team harness for the use of the English artillery. In December, 1916, the factory commenced to operate twenty-four houi's in the day.

Graix Bix Factory

1911 and within two years had doubled its output. Bulletin No. 31 of the Nebraska State Department of Labor places the outjiut of butter of the Blue Valley Creamery Company for 1915 at 1,000,000 pounds.

Home Products Expositiox

]Much interest in local manufacturing was stimulated in Hastings in 1909 by The Hastings Tribune Home Products Exposition which was held at the Auditorium on the corner of Denver Avenue and Third Street JNIay 4th to 7th, inclusive. At that time thirty-three makers of local products had their wares on exhibition and many of them had improvised miniature plants to exemijlify the process of manufacture. The exposition was conceived by Henry G. Smith of the staff of The Tribune and managed by him.

Bulletin No. 30, issued by the Nebraska Department of Labor in December, 1915, gives the following information about the industries of Hastings at that time:

Census Report

"The census excludes the hand trades, the building trades, and the neighborhood industries, and takes account only of establishments conducted luider the factory system. Statistics are not included for establishments having products for the census year valued at less than $500. except that reports were taken for establishments idle during a ])ortion of the census year, or which began operation during that year, and whose products for such reason were valued at less than -$500.

"It is estimated that the population of Hastings on July 1. Idli. was 10.252. There were forty-six establishments reported located within the corporate limits of the city during the year.

"The capital invested was $1,384,000. In this connection it should be stated that the inquiry contained in the census schedule calls for the total amount of capital, both owned and borrowed, invested in the business, but excludes the value of rented property, plant or equipment which was employed in the conduct of mamifacturing enterprises.

"The cost of materials used Avas $954,000. In addition to the component materials which enter into the products of the establishment for the census year, there are included the cost of fuel, mill suj)- ])lies, and rent of power and heat. The cost of materials, however.

"The census inquirj' does not include amounts paid for miscellaneous expenses, such as rent of offices, royalties, insurance, ordinary repairs, advertising, traveling exj^enses, or allowance for depreciation.

"The value of products, which amounted to $1,610,000, represents their selling value or price at the plants as actually turned out by the factories during the census year and does not necessarily have any relation to the amount of sales for that year. The values under tliis head also include amounts received for work done on materials furnished by others.

Suzmmaky For Hastings Building Since 1902

Since 1902 hundreds of new residences have been erected in Hastings, the last ten years having seen the erection of a greater number of dwelling houses than any other period. In 1902 Clarence J. ]Miles built the "]Miles Terrace," between Fifth and Sixth streets on St. Joseph Avenue. This may be reckoned as the beginning of the modei-n building period. These flats were built with modern conveniences and subsequently w^ere purchased by E. L. Gauvreau. The St. Joseph Avenue flats were the first of their kind to be erected in Hastings. They were built in 1887 by John E. Gant. Something of tlie advance made in building site properties may be gleaned from the fact that when Mr. Miles purchased the lots upon which the Miles

Independent Telephone Company

The Hastings Indejiendent Telejjhone Comjjany was incorporated June 13, 1904, by Dr. J. N. Lyman, R. A. Batty, H. H. Henderson, George F. Keefer and George H. Pratt. Other prominent stockholders were W. A. Taylor, G. J. Evans, Herman Stein and William S. Schellak. The authorized capital stock was 6,000 shares of $50 each, the company to commence doing business when 400 shares had been subscribed. The company did much to promote the use of the telephone among the farmers of Adams County. Until this period the number of farm subscribers was very small. The telephone })uilding at the corner of Denver Avenue and Third Street was erected Ijy this company. The automatic service was used.

The Independent Telephone Company was purchased by the Lincoln Telegraph & Telephone Company February 6, 1913, at which time the subscribers of the Independent had increased to 3,200. The purchasing company had for years had their office in the Clarke- Buchanan Building. When the independent plant was acquired the purcliaser remodeled and enlarged the building.

Hastings Chamber Of Commerce

Tlie Chamber of Commerce which filed articles of incorjjoration April 15, 1911, is the successor of a long line of organizations, prominent among which was the immediate predecessor the Commercial Club. Before that there was the Union Club and at an earlier date.

1887. the Board of Trade. Tlie i)resent incorporated organization ein-olled the greater number of Hastings' business men. J. N. Clarke is the i)i-esent president. Former presidents are Herman Stein and C Ct. Wallace. It is the first organization to maintain a paid secretary which it has done almost from the beginning. The secretaries have been C. H. Disbrow, H. B. Howell, George Middleton and the present secretary, R. A. Blake. Will S. Trites was acting secretary between the terms of Mv. Disbrow and Mr. Howell.

In a summary of Hastings in 1916 the Chamber of Commerce enumerated among others three wholesale grocery houses, two wholesale fruit houses, two wholesale poultry, butter and egg houses, one wholesale hide and tallow house, three wholesale bakeries, one wholesale paint, glass and Avail paper house, three wholesale lumber coml)anies, two wholesale coal companies; one horse collar factory, three harness manufacturing establishments, six cigar factories, four brick yards, foundry and iron works, brass and aluminum factory, one bioom factory, three sheet metal works, one lightning rod factory, two auto and bicycle tire jiump factories, one windmill factory, one ice cream factory, three large candy factories, four cement block manufacturing i^lants, one corrugated culvert factory, one artificial ice plant, two transfer houses, one brewery. The Hastings Brewing Company was incorporated January 30, 1907. There had been an earlier brewery in Hastings or near Hastings, oj^erated by INIartin S. Shellak and L. Bauersacks. The firm incorporated June 19, 1889. The plant was operated on section 23 in Denver Townsliii) and ran for about two years when it was destroyed by fire and not rebuilt.

Continuing the list of present day industries there are one canning factory, one large flour and feed mill, eight automobile distributingagencies, three tire and rubber distributing agencies, one furniture polish factory, one packing house, one cold storage plant, three grain elevators, one planing mill, two steam laundries, three monument and granite works, one daily and two weekly newspapers, one business college, one music conservatory, two resident building and loan associations, four photograph houses, four green houses, four moving picture theaters, one blank book manufacturing plant. In the retail business Hastings has unexcelled grocery stores, exclusive ladies' tailoring stores, men's clothing, boots and shoes, hardware, lumber yard, coal yards, meat markets, drug stores and many other lines.

Mary Lannixg Memorial Hospital

Hospital which was oi^ened January 21, 1915. It was erected by Wilham H. Lanning in memory of his only child, Mary Lanning, who died at the home of Mr. and ]Mrs. Lanning in Hastings, January 21, 1910. Before erecting the hospital Mr. Lanning visited all the notable hospitals in the United States and embodied his observations in the plans. For the excellency of its adaption to its purpose the JNIary Lanning ^Memorial Plospital is unexcelled.

The management of the institution is vested in a board of seven trustees. The first board began to serve March 24, 1914. They Avere George H. Pratt, James N. Clarke, Charles G. Lane, Charles F. INIorey, William H. Lanning, Thomas Frahm, Christian Koehler. The trustees selected by lot who should serve for one year, who for two and so on the longest term to be for seven years. The articles of incorporation provide that the trustees are to serve Avithout emolument and that no two shall at any one time be members of the same church or religious organization. The officers are a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer.

The Clarke Hotel

The Clarke Hotel, which was opened for service February 1, 1914, was the solution of the hotel problem that had confronted Hastings in an important way for a dozen years. The building was erected by an organization of local business men, the Citizens Hotel Company. The oflficers elected for the first year were : President, A. L. Clarke; vice president, C. E. Higinbotham; secretary, James N. Clarke; treasurer, George H. Pratt.

The committee chosen for the organization of the hotel company were elected December 12, 1911, and were A. L. Clarke. Karl Kauf, Herman E. Stein, J. N. Clarke, W. M. Dutton, C. E. Higinbotham and A. H. Farrens. The plans for the hotel were made by the C. W. Way company assisted l)y Westcott, Ronneburg & Co., of Chicago, consulting engineers. The building committee was A. L. Clarke, George B. Tyler, C. E. Higinbotham, A. H. Farrens, Karl Kauf and H. E. Stein. The general contract for the erection of the building was let to John Hempel of Hastings. When opened the hotel contained 120 rooms and had been built at a cost of $182,000. exclusive of furnishing. In 1910 a fifty room addition was constructed on the west end which brought the total cost of the structure to $275,- 000. The addition was opened November 1, 1916. The proprietor.

John M. Teeling, came from Watertown, South Dakota, to conduct the hotel at a rental that would pay 6 per cent net to the stockholders. The hotel was named in honor of A. L. Clarke. The appointments, decorations and accommodations of the Clarke place it in the ranks of the best hotels in the West. There are many stockholders of the Clarke Hotel, some holding only a single share of $100.

Moving Pictures

The first moving pictures exhibited in Hastings was during the street fair of 1899. The first moving picture theater was opened at 21-i North Hastings Avenue, the present location of the clothingstore of Harrj' Proffitt, by Fred Haj'ter, associated with ]Mrs. C. S. Epley, the present proprietor of the New Edison. This theater was called The Nickel and the ojiening date was June 3, 1907. ]Mr. Hayter continued in the business about two years and then went to California where he was engaged in the same business. In the fall of 1916, he jjurchased the Plaza, which is the continuation of his original h.ouse.

The Brach Theater was erected by William Brach and is the first elaborate, exclusive moving picture theater to be erected in Hastings. The house was opened October 8. 1916. Charles A. Beghtol is the proprietor.

Next to the Plaza, the Wonderland is the oldest moving picture house in Hastings. It was opened at the present location on Second Street about a year and a half after the opening of the Nickel, by B. F. Livengood who managed the house for an Omaha man. For about two years the Gay Brothers, Stanley C. Gay and Sidney F. Gay were the j^roprietors. It was bought from the Gay brothers by W. A. AValden who was the owner for several years. Since the spring of 1916 ]Mrs. Walden has been the owner of the Wonderland.

Tejiperance Campaigns

In 1908 U. S. Rohrer inaugiu-ated a campaign for the non-licensing of saloons in Hastings. A civic federation was formed headed by ]Mr. Rohrer and closely associated with him were the pastors of the English speaking churches. In the spring of 1908 the vote in the council was a tie, the mayor casting the deciding vote in favor of license. The non-license forces questioned the mayor's authority and the question was carried to the Supreme Court which sustained the mayor's action.

The following- year the non-license forces nominated John ]Mc- Kenzie for mayor. He. however, was defeated by Mayor C. J. Miles. For several j'ears following the subject was alive and there was much litigation. In the spring of 1915 the question of license was voted upon under the initiative and the referendum. Those in favor of license won the election.

As narrated previously the first great fire in Hastings was on September 14, 1879. The next large fire was on July 2, 1881. This fire destroyed every building in the block in which the German National Bank is located except the Forgy building on the east corner where the J. H. Haney harness factory stands and a little building adjoining it on the west and a livery barn on the north. Cole Bros.' circus was exhibiting in Hastings that day on a lot south of the Burlington tracks. There was great excitement at the circus when the fire alarm spread, and to avoid accident the management ordered the circus hands to drop the canvass and so no one was injured. The circus men then gave good assistance in fighting the flames. The postoffice burned in this fire. The postoffice was again burned in 1886 in a fire that burned a large part of the east side of Hastings Avenue between First and Second streets.

In July, 1890, the dry goods store of H. A. Fyler & Co.. located at 715-717 West Second Street, was destroyed by fire. The Gazette- Journal plant suffered a disastrous fire, July 29, 1889. The fire that originated in the basement of Stein Bros.' store, 606-614 West Second Street, on the night of November 3, 1905, probably caused the greatest property loss of any fire in the history of Hastings. The total damage was estimated at $140,000. Besides the Stein Bros., J. H. Spotts, who conducted a clothing store, and the millinery store of JMiss Stewart were badly damaged. The stores occupied by JMiss Stewart and Stein Bros, were the property of Charles H. Dietrich and the store occupied by Mr. Spotts belonged to Dennis Cormier. The present buildings were erected as soon as the debris could be cleared away and preparations made.

INIarch 3, 1911, a large sale barn belonging to Ed Tanner was destroyed by fire on the south side of Second Street between Colorado and Kansas avenues. The barn was full of horses iji readiness for a large sale to be held the next day. Forty-eight of the animals were burned to death. Early in 1913 the livery barn of Will Heff'ron on the north side of Second Street and between the same avenues as the

Hotel Clarke, Hastixg.'

On December 26, 1913, tlie Gaston music store on the southwest corner of Second Street and St. Josepli Avenue was destroyed by fire and has not been rebuilt. This building was the property of Mrs. Herl)ert Knox Smith, daughter of Senator Dietrich, and contained t\\o store rooms with the Knights of Pythias hall upstairs. INIany Hastings lodges suffered loss in this fire.

The Hastings ^Milling plant was destroyed by fire August 18. 1910. The mill of Hum])hrey & Edgerton at the same location had been burned to the ground in the summer of 1894.

Tlie first Hre whicji caused any considerable loss in Hastings was on January 1, 1878, when the Thomi)son Hotel, a very creditable structure that stood on the east side of Kansas Avenue between First and Second streets, was destroyed.

Liberal Hall, called after January 1, 1886, Germania Hall, was a large frame structure that stood on the southeast corner of St. Joseph Avenue and Third Street, from the fall of 1878 to December, 1916, when it was purchased by Fred Schouburg and wrecked for the lumber. The hall was built by the contractor, Tom Scales, for the Hastings Free Religious Society, the leaders of whom were R. A. Batty, Dr. J. N. Lyman, M. K. Lewis, and H. C. Renfrew. All of those named are dead. Doctor Lyman died late in the fall of 1916 in California.

The founders were liberal thinkers in religious matters and for a i:)eriod of about eight years from the erection of the hall, brought many lecturers on educational and philosophical subjects to the city. The hall became historic, however, because of the many purposes for which it was used. On December .5, 1886, Judge Pound ojjened a term of the district court in the hall and it was used as a court room tmtil quarters were obtained in the Stone Block.

It was here that the notable trial of I. P. Olive was held. It was here also that Senator Dietrich was in attendance upon a dance upon the night that he heard tliat the slayers of Cassius INIillett were to be lynched. Later that night he saved the life of John Babcock by cutting the rope around the man's neck just as the lynchers were about to jmsh him off the railroad bridge.

as a gymnasium, and boxing exhibitions were given. In 1892 it Avas leased by the board of education and used as a school room. It was used for the same jnu-pose at a later period both by the public schools and the parochial school of the Catholic church. Seven times it was the Salvation Arn)y Hall. It was purchased by the United Brethren Church of Hastings at one j^eriod and used by them as a house of worship. The church sold it to the Knights of Columbus, who used it for a lodge room for a time and it was this organization that sold it to ^Ir. Schouburg, the building having become unsafe. It served at one time as the lodge room of many lodges and was for a time the home of the G. A. R. Post.

It was leased in 1886 b}' the Germania Society, an organization devoted to mutual benefit among the Germans of the community. William Breede was the president of this organization. It was at this time that the name was changed from Liberal Hall to Germania Hall.

Presidents Visit Hastings

The first president of the United States to visit Hastings was Benjamin Harrison, who made a speech from the rear platform of his private car at the Burlington Station on Bellevue Avenue at 6:30 in the morning, May 13, 1891. The G. A. R. headed the procession of about two hundred men who stood in line to greet the chief executive.

James N. Clarke and William R. Burton stepped upon the platform and greeted the President when the train stopped and JSIr. Clarke presented him to the assemblage. The president made a speech of ten minutes' length. In the presidential party wei-e ^Nlrs. Harrison, Postmaster General John Wanamaker and Secretary Rusk of the department of agriculture. Secretary Rusk had not yet arisen so the speech for which he was scheduled was not given.

President Roosevelt stopped in Hastings April 27, 1903, and delivered a speech and later turned the first spadeful of dirt for the laying of the foundation of the Carnegie Library. President William Howard Taft visited Hastings in the fall of 1911 and delivered a speech of two hours' length, beginning at 4 o'clock, at the Kerr Opera House. Later in the evening the president was tendered a banquet at Brandes Hall. William JNIcKinley delivered a speech in Hastings while campaigning for President Harrison's last term.

Hastings Country Club

bility of instituting golf as a regiilar feature of Hastings' outdoor life. Not very much enthusiasm was manifested and only three attended the meeting, ]Mr. Kirby, Charles G. Lane and George W. Tibetts. Nothing daunted by the lack of interest, the three went ahead with the business and elected Mi\ Kirby president, ]Mr. Lane treasurer, and Mr. Tibetts secretary of the Hastings Country Club. Mr. Tibetts has been secretary and JNIr. Lane treasurer ever since. That year golf was instituted by the three officers.

The original golfers were soon joined by several others, among whom were George H. Pratt, C. K. Lawson, C. F. INIorey, John Ilees, R. B. Wahlquist and C. B. Wahlquist. Some time later came S. L. Stichter, who was an enthusiastic golfer until the time of his death. About 1905 G. J. Evans took the clubs. These are the old players around whom the present golf players, nearly fifty in number, gathered, and the original members are still in almost daily evidence on the links.

The game was first played vipon groimds leased at about the same location as is now used, and upon a six-hole course. For several years a nine-hole course has been used. The Country Club was incorijorated INIarch 1, 1902, for a jjeriod of twenty-five years, with a capital stock of .$.5,000, divided into shares of ten dollars each. The incorporators were George H. Pratt, Charles G. Lane and George W. Tibetts. Immediately thereafter the club purchased forty acres of land bordering Heartwell Lake and three lots from Senator Dietrich. The club house stands upon one of these lots.

The first club house was a small affair erected at a cost of seventyfive dollars and stood on the east side of California Avenue across the street from the present club house, Avhich was erected in the spring of 1902 at a cost of one thousand dollars. C. D. Richey drew the plans and A. J. Kammerlohr was the builder. Since 1902 dances have been given on Friday evenings throughout the summer, and Tuesday, evenings have been ladies' reception evenings. The membership at present is one hundred ten. John Rees is president. Golf was played in Hastings as early as anywhere in Nebraska. An interesting sidelight upon the price of land in Hastings is found in the fact that the forty acres owned by the Country Club was acquired and the club house built, all from a capital stock of five thousand dollars.

November 27, 1916, the stockholders of the club voted to purchase fifty acres lying east of the present grounds and to erect in the summer of 1917 a new club house at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. It was also decided to raise the capital stock to $.50,000 and to increase the shares from ten dollars to fiftv.

A. J. Binderup, D. P. Blankenbiller. H. A. Blenkiron. William Brach, Adam Breede, William Brookley, A. L. Clarke. J. J. Conoughly. Dr. John Cooke, A. H. Cramer, "w. H. Davis, F. C. Day, F.

F. A. ]McElhinney, D. B. Marti. George H. JNIead, C. O. Metzler, A. F. Meyers, C. J. IMiles, C. F. Moery, H. B. Norris. J. N. Norton, Oswald Oliver, C. A. Philliiis. Fred Pickard. A. Pickens. George I*inneo, Rev. John Power, John T. Powers, G. H. Pratt, John Rees,