Adams County, Nebraska - Chapter 19: Baseball and Entertainments, 1916

Chapter 19: Baseball and Entertainments

Adams County and Hastings displayed a thorough American spirit from tlieir earliest days in many ways, but by perhaps nothing more characteristic than the manifestation of enthusiasm for the great national game. It is to be noted that many of the names identified with the early development of business in Hastings and the county were also the ones who promoted baseball, not merely as fans but in the early days as players, too.

Hastings had very good amateur baseball as far back as 1878, when the ball ground was located a little south of the Burlington track on Lincoln Avenue. In 1879 H. S. ]Mulford, ''Sandy INIulford," as he was familiarly known, arrived in Hastings. "Sandy" was the first "curve" pitcher to make his home in Nebraska, and his ability to fool the batter gave Hastings baseball a zest that it had never known before. There were many in those days who did not believe that it was possible to pitch a ball so that it would curve, and as the prowess of ]Mulford became noised about be came to be regarded as a wonder and a hero. In the summer of 1879 G. J. Evans was the catcher for Hastings, and with "Sandy" in the box they were able to administer defeat to the West Blue team which heretofore had proven a foi-midable opponent. William INIonroe and the Tompkins brothers were important members of the West Blue aggTcgation. The Hastings team at this time was composed of "Sandy" Mulford, G. J. Evans. Johnnie Crosthwaite, S. J. Weigel, H. G. Newsom, Frank Stine, J. B. Dallas, Harry Haverly and, when the opponents were particularly strong, William JMonroe. Games were played in the early days Avitli Grand Island, Central City, Fairbmy, Harvard, Sutton, Juniata and Red Cloud. George IMizen is a survivor of the Juniata players. J. B. Dallas figured as an important pitcher for the early Hastings team as well as Mulford.

cipally in Hastings where it has been characterized by periods reaching a high pitch of enthusiasm and achievement alternating with periods of ahnost total dormancy. The chief activities may be said to have commenced June 23, 1880, when the Hastings Baseball Association was organized with Charles H. Paul, president; John Stabler, vice president; George T. Williams, secretary; R. D. Tussey, treasurer; J. D. Crosthwaite, captain; Edwin Boelich, umpire and John Ballard, scorer. The players comiJosing the team under this organization were G. J. Evans, H. S. Mulford, J. D. Crosthwaite, Frank Stine, O. F. Lambertson, J. J. Cline, J. A. Dallas, E. Hersey and Frank Miner. The game at this time was on a non-jjrofessional basis.

In 1884 there was a reorganization of the association and the Hastings Athletic Association came into being and took steps to place the game ujjon a permanent footing. During this year the association purchased block 3 in St. Joseph Addition. This ground was located on the south side between Colorado and Kansas avenues and D and E streets. A grandstand and bleachers were erected and the block fenced. It was upon these grounds that the game was jilayed until about 1890, when the fence was presented to Hastings College and removed to the college campus. The college grounds were used for about two years.

In 1892 D. S. Cole prepared a ball ground immediately east of Cole's park in the southeast portion of Hastings. A bicycle track was also constructed around the diamond and for a few years following 1892 bicycle racing was a prominent sj^ort. Among those who attained good reputations as bicyclists were L. C. Landis, H. C. Wanzer, Curt Clark, Henrj' Jacobson and others. These athletic grounds were used for bicycle races, baseball and football until about 1895. Then grounds were fitted up south of the fair grounds in the extreme northwest part of the citv. In 1897 the locus of athletics again moved, this time to the old east ward school grounds, located between Second and Third streets and JNIinnesota and Colorado avenues. This ground was fenced and in the course of time serious objection to the location of tlie grounds was raised by nearby residents. Following the sale of the ground by the board of education in the winter of 1907-8 the complaining residents detei'mined to settle the matter by tearing down the fence and with this purpose a considerable body of men went to work with their hammers. Alarmed, baseball supjjorters rushed to the courthouse to secure an order to prevent the demolition of the fence. The court hastily granted a temporary injunction but before the papers coidd be served the fence was down.

under lease from the Burlington railroad and since that time the games have been jjlayed on that ground, which is located between First and Second streets and Baltimore and Briggs avenues.

During the season of 1884 the Hastings team was made up partly of professionals and parti}' of amateurs. It served to determine the supporters of the game to assemble such a team as would advertise the city to be one of the most progressive in this section of the west. The 1885 team was wholly professional. The team, known as the "Hastings Reds," made two notable trips dining the season. On the first trij) games were played Avith Atchison, Leavenworth and St. Joseph. The second trip was to the west and games were played with Denver, Pueblo and LeadA^ille. This trij) was managed and finanoially guaranteed by Charles H. Dietrich. Hastings won about one-half of the games played on the two trips. It was in this year that "Dad" Rohrer came to Hastings from Illinois upon an invitation to join the Hastings Reds. After that time, JNIr. Rohrer was actively one of the chief sujjporters of baseball in various capacities until the formation of the state league, and still is one of the keenest of the fans.

Diu'ing this trip Hastings won a notable game from the Omaha Union Pacific team. The score was 2 to 1 and the game went twelve innings. It was in this year that Hastings played its first game with Fremont. During the itineraries of the team G. J. Evans was the umpire, and during the game with St. Joseph seemed for a time to be in imminent danger of losing his life at the hands of St. Joseph patrons who resented his decisions.

During the season of 1886 the Reds played as an independent club which was organized by Amasa G. Smith, the Reds' pitcher, in 188.5. Games were played with the clubs of the Western Leagiie. Toward the close of the season Hastings challenged Lincoln and the challenge was accepted for Lincoln by Dave Rowe. Three games were played with Lincoln at Hastings and Hastings won all three and by that winning claimed the championship of Nebraska in baseball.

February 1. 188.5, the Hastings Reds were admitted into the membership of the Western League, the certificate being signed by E. E. JMurphy. The other cities composing the league were Lincoln, Omaha, St. Joseph, Leavenworth, Denver, Kansas City and Topeka.

The year 1887 was the year of the boom in Hastings and that year Hastings was a member of the Western League. That year INI. L. Elsemore was president of the Hastings Baseball Association and H. B. Knowlton, secretary. Fred Corey, of the Athletics, was secured for manager at a salary of $.500 per month. He held that position only a short time and was succeeded by U. S. Rohrer. The 2)itcliers for Hastings in the season of 1887 were Wehrle, who afterwards Mon distinction on the Pacific Coast, and Nicholson, afterwards with Chicago. Topeka won the j^ennant for 1887 and Hastings finished about the middle. By the next year the boom liad collapsed and with it went Hastings baseball for a season. The next year there was no Hastings club.

The first period of professional baseball in Hastings was 188.5 to 1887. inclusive, with the team of 1884 partly on a professional basis. Among the financial sujiporters of the game at that time may be mentioned Jay Cherry, G. J. Evans, J. B. Dallas, Durley Dent, A. H. Cramer, C. K. Lawson, J. F. Ballinger, A. L. Clarke, C. K. Lawson, C. H. Dietrich and F. J. Benedict. Pay of the players ranged from $7-5 per month to $2.50. Of the team of 1885 Brimblecom, fielder, subsequently won distinction in the Western League and the Three I. Avhile A. G. Smith, pitcher, became prominent in the Southern League. Ebright, Reds catcher in 1886, won subsequent laurels in the Western League.

Following the collapse of professional liaseball in 1887 there was not much baseball activity in Hastings until 1891 when U. S. Rohrer organized a team known as "Rohrer's Rustlers," and composed of local players. Tliis team was run on the cooperative plan and lasted practically through the season. The team fared successfully financially imtil the last game, which was played with Fremont. The adversity sustained in this game caused the team to disband.

In 1892 Hastings joined the state league for the first time. The league was composed of the clubs from Grand Island, Fremont, Plattsmouth, Lincoln. Beatrice and Hastings. One after another the clubs dropped out and the league disbanded July 4. Hastings was the last club to drop out.

In 189.-3 F. F. Carruthers organized a Y. M. C. A. team on the cooperative plan and baseball was kept alive. The Y. M. C. A. team ke])t the baseball fire smoiddering for about two years. Subsequently independent teams were organized by U. S. Rohrer, Will IMace, H. C. Schauble and William Hoagland and a semblance of baseball life was maintained until tlie tearing down of the baseball fence on the East AVard school grounds in the spring of 1908.

Hastings again became a member of the state league in 1910. Baseball supporters were incorporated February 25 of that year and the following were elected directors: F. C. Babcock, C. G. Lane, H. E. Stein, P. R. Renner and Will Neimeyer. Herman E. Stein was elected president and C. G. Lane vice president. Sul)sequent

About $2, .500 was subscribed in the spring of 1910 and a chib was assembled under the management of George Harm. The team was christened "The Brickmakers." In addition to The Brickmakers the state league comjirised tlie clubs of Fremont, Grand Island, Superior, Seward, Kearney, Columbus and Red Cloud. The league continued until about the middle of the season of 191.5, although in the meantime there were a number of changes in its makeup. York purcliased the franchise of Red Cloud, Seward sold to Beatrice, Fremont to Norfolk and Superior to Fairbury. The state league pennant was won by Fremont in 1910 and then sviccessively by Superior, Kearney, Hastings and Grand Island. No pennant was awarded in 1915, when the league disbanded.

C. J. ]Miles, of Hastings, was a strong suj^porter of the game and became known as one of the i^rincipal fans in Nebraska. He was jiresident of the state league in 191-4 and 191.5.

An interesting incident of baseball in Hastings was the visit of the Chicago and All- American clubs. These teams stopped en route u])on their toin- around the world. Being guaranteed $.500 they stopped in Hastings and played a game October "26, 1888. The gate receipts upon that day totalled about $1,300. The score Mas 8 to 4 in favor of Chicago. The players were, for Chicago: Ryan. Pettit. Sullivan, Anson, Pfeffer, Williamson, Burns, Tener and Baldwin. Tener is now jjresident of the National League and one time governor of Pennsylvania. The All-Anierican team were Hanlon, Wood, Hengle, Carroll, Van Haltren, Long, Brown, Flint and Fogarty. Some of the Hastings fans are positive that Billy Sunday was with the aggregation. His name, however, does not ap])ear upon the score book.

Several baseball players who began their careers in the game at Hastings or became known in Adams County through being members of clubs of the state league have gone up in the game for longer or shorter periods. Besides those mentioned as having played in Hastings prior to 1888, there was Byron IMcKibben, playing in Hastings in 1892. who was subsequently with the Western Leagaie; outfielder and catclier. ]McFarland, played afterwards with the Eastern League and the American Association; Fred Clark, once a fielder for Hastings, became distinguished in the Southern League and the National and was the manager of the Pittsburgh club for years. Jake Gettman began his career in Hastings and stayed in baseball for many years. ])laying in the Texas, American and Eastern leagues. Retir-

Of the last state league jilayers mention might be made of ]Mitchell, Red Cloud pitcher, afterwards with Detroit and Cincinnati; Agnew, catcher for Colmiibus, afterwards with St. Louis and Boston ; Dazzy Vance, of Hastings, jjitcher for Superior, afterwards with the New York Americans; Norton, pitcher for Hastings, subsequently with Indianapolis; Riley and Hershey, both pitchers for Hastings, the former was afterwards with the St. Louis Browns and the latter with Boston; Piercy, another Hastings pitcher, climbed to the New York Americans; JNIapel, a Hastings fielder, was bought by Cleveland; Lotz, pitcher for Kearney, became enrolled with the Cardinals, while Noyes, another Kearney pitcher, was taken on by the Athletics. Will Johnson and W. U. Rohrer are other Hastings boys who made good in the game. Johnson was a center fielder. After leaving the Nebraska State League he played with INIonmouth. Illinois, in the Central Illinois League. He played later Avith San Francisco, going from there to the Southern League and the Texas League. Rohrer played Avith Oakland and other western clubs.

The holding of a county fair in Adams County dates back to the beginning of farming in the county. On ]\Iay 6, 1872, an organization was formed for the purpose of establishing a fair. Of this organization W. W. Selleck was chosen president; Charles Bird and Walter West, vice presidents; John Bauchman, secretary and Gordon Edgerton, treasurer. G. I. Selleck, L. G. King, W. F. Selleck, J. L. Johnson and H. B. Munson were the directors. With the officers there were thirtj'-nine members of this organization.

No fair was held that year, but the next year, largely through the efforts of Charles K. Lawson, Samuel Alexander, C. C. Ingalls and others of Hastings, a fair was held at Kingston on the Blue about due south from Hastings, October 10th and 11th. This fair was so well attended and so much enthusiasm was displayed that it was seen that the county fair had possibilities in Adams County, a fact which not a few had doubted when the project Avas being- jjromoted. A large number of Juniata peo])le now joined the organization and desired that the fair should be held in their town and on IMarch 9, 1874. the Adams County Agricultural Society perfected organization at Juniata.

E. M. Allen was i^resident ; H. C. Humbert and W. W. Selleck, vice presidents; D. H. Freeman, of Juniata and Dr. A. D. Buckworth, of Hastings, secretaries; W. B. Thorne, treasurer. The directors were Samuel J. Shirley, E. N. Noyce, A. D. Williams, D. S. Cole and C. G. Wilson. The other members were: R. S. Langley, Charles Kilbourn, William Caller, C. C. Babcock, John Stark, W.H. Burr, H. J. Savery, E. Warn, W. H. Gardner, W. B. Cushing, T. Babcock, W. L. Van Alstyne, Pliny Allen, H. H. Ballon, C. JNIorrison,

. Ash, Peter Fowlie, AVilliam L. Kemp, M. C. Lindsey, John ]M. Cole, M. B. Kelley, Henry Shedd, Adna H. Bowen, Nathan Piatt, A. H. Brown, J. jM. Jacobson, James Laird, Charles R. Jones, J. S. Chandler, B. F. Smith, Nathan L. Brass, A. Clute, William B. Kelly, A. V. Cole, J. W. Stark and Conrad House. On the completion of this organization $.50 was subscribed. By a somewhat later organization of the plan five vice presidents were chosen, the first elected to have seniority in office. The first group of vice presidents were ]M. K. Lewis, of Hastings: Robert Ash, of Juniata; A. C. Moore, of Silver Lake; G. H. Edgerton, of Little Blue: and Y. Darling, of Kenesaw. This provided one vice president from each of the voting precincts.

D. H. Freeman, of Juniata, was the first recording and financial secretary, and W. A. Smith, of Hastings, was the corresponding secretary. W. B. Thorne was treasurer and O. H. Wright, of Kenesaw, was elected general superintendent. The board of directors were composed of one from each of the congressional townships, sixteen in number. The first board were the following: W. S. INIoote, AVilliam AVilloughby, J. H. Yandemark, L. B. Palmer, John Waldeck. W. M. West, Wiiliam B. Cushing, Henry Shedd, J. P. Duncan. :NL B. Kelley, William L. Kemp, E. J. Hanchett, E. C. Shellhammer, Jacob Spindler, F. Phillips and W. V. INIiller. S. J. ^Marshall was appointed marshal.

Within this board of officials there was a difference of opinion as to where the fair should be held. There were partisans of Kingston and ])artisans of Juniata. As a compromise the fair was twice held on the ])rairie midway between Juniata and Hastings. Then the fair grounds were located in Jimiata. By 1878 Hastings, confident that the county seat contest then ])ending in the court would be decided in its favor, was desirous of having the fair in Hastings, but the Adams County Agricultural Society still clung to Jimiata. Accordingly there was organized in Hastings the Hastings Fair Grounds Association. This association was incorporated Augiist 6, 1878, with the following members: R. A. Batty, A. D. Yocum, A. L. Clarke, Samuel Alexander, J. N. Smith, C. H. Paul, B. JMartin, W. A. Camp, G. W. Warren, Oswald Oliver, J. D. Crans, A. L. Wigton, O. V. Weir and A. J. Millett. This corporation issued 300 shares at $10 per share. A fort_y-acre tract, now Thompson's Addition, was jnu'chased by the association and fitted up as a fair gTomids. This tract lay between Third and Seventh streets and California and Elm avenues. A pavilion for the exhibition of agricultural and horticultural products was erected and provision made for the exhibition of live stock. Around the grounds a racetrack was built and races were a feature of the annual show.

This fair was calculated to be of wider scope than a county fair : it was a district fair j)lanned to draw from all Central Nebraska. A county fair was carried on at Juniata for a part of the time that the district fair was maintained. On April 1.5, 1884, the association sold tlie fair grounds to George Pratt for $3,000 and the area was platted by him. \\^ith the j^assing of the district fair steps were taken at once to reorganize the Adams County Agricultural Association. A numbeiof the Hastings people who had been the i^romoters of the district fair joined in the reorganization which retained many who had been members of the first organization. Davis Lowman and William jNI. Lowman were active supporters of the reorganized association.

Acting for the agricultural society C. K. Lawson bought from James H. Knight a tract of forty acres in the northwest part of Hastings; that is the northeast quarter of the southwest (juarter of section 1, township 7, range 10. This transaction was on Augiist 1, 188.). and on June 7, 1887, Mr. Lawson transferred this property to the agricultural society. The society sold ten acres that year and uiJon the remaining thirty acres the fair grounds was established and a fair held until the dry years in the early '90s forced the project to be abandoned. In an effort to tide over the enterprise the property of the agricultural society was mortgaged and eventually there was a foreclosure.

The fair grounds had a very good racetrack and for several years considerable interest was manifested in trotting horses. The trotting association was a separate organization from the Adams County Agricultin-al Society and was formed about the time that the latteiwas reoi'ganized in 1885. Among the members of the trotting association were C. K. Lawson, A. L. Clarke, M. L. Alexander, E. C. Webster, Fred Benedict, A. H. Farrens and Oswald Oliver. Racing tournaments were revived after the county fair had been abandoned largely through the eft'orts of A. H. Farrens who also became for a time a breeder of trotting animals. Last-At-Law, a horse that made fast trotting records in Illinois and other eastern circuits, was raised by ]\Ir. Farrens. The last trotting tournament held in Hastings was in the summer of 1910.

Street Fair

After the abandoning of the county fair there was a lull for several years in the matter of county entertainment and no jJermanent institution has been since established, though several kinds of entertainments have drawn large attendance from time to time. The Hastings Street Fair was held September 18-23, 1899, and drew many thousands of peojile from far and near. Adam Breede, the editor of the Hastings Tribune, was a prime mover in this fair project. The streets were closed and lined with midway attractions. The fair was opened with a grand ball, at which JNIrs. William Lowman was crowned queen. The maids were Georgia Fowler, Effie ]McIntyre, Eleanor Kirby, Flora Fisher, Rachel Alexander, Edna Cramer, Jessie Pease, Eugenia Hudson. B. M. Parmenter was prime minister. The fair was notable in that the window decorations were the most elaborate that Hastings merchants had yet attempted, and the impetus in that direction given then is yet felt. Prizes were given for the best-decorated carriages, single and double turnouts, and nearly iifty carriages were in the floral parade. They were followed by a hundi'cd bicycle riders with decorated cycles. ]Mrs. Biles and INIiss Stewart won first prize for double turnouts, and JNIiss ]Mary ^NlcCreary second ])rize. In single turnouts, Mrs. Fred Renner and JMiss Laura Buchanan won first and the Misses Pickens second.

Troxtier I'Estivai

In the fall of 1907 and 1908 a frontier festival was held at the fair gromids in the northwest part of the city. The festival was patterned after the frontier festival of Cheyenne. A. W. Borden headed a large number of Hastings business men in promoting this enterprise. Roping and riding contests were participated in by famous riders among the cowboys of the western ranges, attracted to Hastings by large cash and other prizes. One of the j^rizes offered for riding was a $,500 saddle given by the J. H. Haney Company. Among the outlaw horses at tlie exhi])ition was "Steamboat." who remained luiconquered by the most skillful cowboys. The frontier festival drew visitors from all Central Nebraska, the number of visitors aggregating, it was estimated, fifty thousand for the week.

Fall Festival

In 1910 the fall festival Avas projected by a large organization of Hastings business men. Of this organization Herman E. Stein was the first president and Will S. Trites secretary. A large number of committees were formed, all the townships in the county being rej^resented. The festival was held in the business section of Hastings. It combined street fair and agricultural fair features. The first festival was held in October, 1910, and in the next two succeeding autumns. The festival was designed to interest entire Central Nebraska.

The cliief social event of these festivals was the Yt-Nuoc-Smada ball, held at Ingleside, where the king and queen were crowned. None but the court officers knew the identity of the king and queen until they were crowned. The monarch Avas crowned King Lartnec. The name of the realm, Lartnec, is formed by reversing the word "central," and signified that the king's domain extended over Central Nebraska. Yt-Nuoc-Smada is Adams County reversed. Clarence J. jNIiles was croAvned King Lartnec I, October 14, 1910; Miss Helen Stein was croAvned queen with him. The next year A. W. Borden and INIiss Beatrice LangcA'in Avere crowned, and Judge Harry S. Dungan and INIiss Florence Dutton the last year of the festiA^al. This social event was brilliant and Avitnessed by large nmnbers. In addition to the king and queen, there were ambassadors, ladies in Avaiting, and a host of courtiers in costume. The fall festival, hoAvcA'er, Avas abandoned as, on the whole, not satisfactory, chiefly because of the inconvenience attending the closing of the streets and the difficulty of obtaining street shoAvs that met with the approval of the patrons.

The first fall festival was notable for the large number of decorated automobiles that partook in the floral parade. Nearly one hiuidred machines Avere in line. The farmers' parade also won general commendation, especially toAvnship floats, such as West Blue and some others entered. The festivals lasted a Aveek each.

of 1911. The college grounds were fenced in for tliis meet, and seats for several thousand were erected. The meet lasted three days. "Jimmy Ward" of Chicago was the aviator. The flights were made in a Curtiss biplane, the aviator encircling the college campus in circles several miles in diameter and at an altitude of about three thousand feet. On one flight Ward soared to 5,000 feet, amid thunderous apjilause. This was the first time that the majority of the sjJectators had witnessed a flight. Three years later the aeroj)lane figured in the daily news dispatches and was the eyes of the armies engaged in the greatest war in history. The meet was held on the Hastings College campus.

Poultry Show

The annual show of the Nebraska State Poultry Association has been held in Hastings twice. First during the week beginning January 17, 1910, and again in January, 1915. The first show was held in tlie Auditorium, now a garage, located on the southeast corner of Denver Avenue and Third Street. The second show was held in the Stephen Schultz garage on Second Street, between Burlington and I^exington avenues. Al^out three thousand birds were exhibited at eacli show.

The first state reunion of the G. A. R. was held in Hastings in September, 1883. It was the first reunion to be held in Central Nebraska and the attendance was very large, veterans assembling not only from Nebraska, but from Kansas and states bordering on the west. The reunion was held about a mile southwest of Hastings, along the Red Cloud branch of the Burlington. Tents were erected, sham battles fought, and the soldiers recalled in many ways the days of the Civil war. Prominent speakers addi'essed the veterans daily at the cani])fii'e. The enjoyment of the occasion was marred, however, by an accident by which N. A. Nash lost his life. The prematvn-e exjjlosion of powder to be iised in a sham battle caused the death.

The reunion was held again in Hastings, beginning August 10, 189.), and lasting for one week. This time the encamjiment was placed north of tlie Burlington track in the northwest part of Hastings. The last state reunion of the veterans of the Civil war was held in Hastings in September, 1898. The state reimion was abandoned because tlie weiglit of years borne by the veterans rendered attendance too onerous, notwithstanding the j^leasure of meeting old comrades.

The Hastings Gun Club

Between the years 1880 and 190-i the Hastings Gun Club was a nuich lieard of organization. Among the members of the first chib, formed about 1886, were Capt. \ViUiani Harden, Col. Curt Alexander, "Poker" Bill Duer, L. A. Khniey, Sr., Judge J. H. Fleming, G. A. Gardner, William Beach and ^V. P. ]McCreary. This club maintained its organization for about ten years and staged many shooting events of great interest. Both target and live bird shooting events were frequent.

About 1896 the club was reorganized and to the list of shooters were added George W. jNlaxwell of Holstein; Charley Holsworth of Juniata; Al INIiller, Prosser; Lou Zobel, Albert Bernhardt. Andy ]\Iann, Cieorge E. Isaman, Ed Greenwold, Ran Yost, Carl Tinsley, Fred Binderup, W. P. Borden, Bob Carter (now chief of police of Hastings), Walt Fisher and F. A. McElhinney. ]\Iany big shoots Avere jjulled off by this club, and tlie greater number of the membership could score 90 per cent. A clubhouse was built in the nortliwest part of Hastings, upon property of Andy jNIann.

In 1903 the state shooting tournament was held in Hastings, and the following year the club disbanded. Among the members of this club was George W. INIaxwell, who, althougli handicapiJed by the loss of one hand, has made some of the best scores in the United States with a shotgun. JMr. INIaxwell resides in Hastings at present. For a numlier of years he lias shot professionally.

Hastings Chautauqua

Among the far-reaching results following the visit of Lincoln ]McConnell, the Georgia evangelist, to Hastings was the organization of the Hastings Chautauqua Association. In the winter of 190.> INIr. ]McConnell conducted a series of revival meetings in Hastings, and through his influence and the activities of Rev. Hiram B. Harrison, pastor of the First Congregational Church, the association was formed and the following summer the first assembly was held.

The organization was formed February 13, 1906. Mr. Harrison was successful in interesting the business men and in securing their suppoi't. Stock subscriptions w^ere secured to the amount of about $2,000, and the follo\\ing officers were elected : President. James N. Clarke: vice president, William INI. Lowman. These two, with W. T. Blackman, O. E. Von Oven, H. B. Harrison. J. C. Hedge and O. H. Barr, constituted the board of directors. Subsequently Mr.

Harrison was elected secretary and W. A. Taylor treasurer, and C. E. Higinbothani succeeded ^Ir. Von Oven on the board of directors, the latter removing to Chicago.

The first assembly Avas held in a tent in Chautauqua Park and tlie attendance was very satisfactory. The first sjieaker was the Rev. Sam Jones, and when Senator La Follette spoke, upon the second Sunday, the attendance was given out by the officials as 8,000. Before tlie next assembly was held, a pavilion was erected at a cost of $5,000. The Chautauqua continued as an independent institution, with J. N. Clarke as president, until 1913, when the local management yielded to the circuit system, under which assemblies are still held yearly. While it continued independent, the Hastings association was classed as one of the "big fifteen" independent chautauquas in the United States. A gradual falling off in attendance and some rainy days finally led to financial deficiencies at the close of assemblies, which i;esulted in its abandonment by the local stockholders. The indebtedness against the pavilion led to its being sold to the city in 191.5.

There have been many nmsical organizations in Hastings. The Red Ribbon Club, organized in 1878, was partly musical. The Hastings papers prior to that date refer to a cornet band. In November, 1889, the Ladies' Quartet was organized. The members were ]Mrs. ^^'i]liam M. Lowman, and the INIisses ^NLimie Kerr, Freda Wahl- (|uist and Zora Horlocker. Miss Helen Officer was the pianist.

It was in 1889, also, that the Apollo Club was organized, with sixteen members, to promote musical education and to bring good music to Hastings. Doctor Waters was president of this organization: bushiess manager, O. H. Gordon; O. F. Farnham, secretary and treasiu'er. T. I^. Burger was the musical director, and INIiss Maria Kerr pianist, viith ^Nliss Floy Work as assistant pianist. The first clul) concert was given December 30, 1889.

Prof. John Rees has been a leading figure in Adams County musical circles since his arrival in Hastings in the winter of 1878. Professor Rees was first introduced to a Hastings audience the second night after his arrival in Hastings, at a nuisical program under the direction of Professor Love at Liberal Hall. Tliat evening ^Nlr. Rees played the violin and also sang a solo.

Professor Rees organized his first orchestra that winter, playing fii'st violin himself. Other members of the orchestra were Jacoli Bohnet, bass: Will Clarke, son of A. L. Clarke, clarinet: Cliarles

H. Paul, cornet: H. II. Cheriy, trombone, and Charles Ingalls, jjiano. Professor Rees had charge of the music for many years - from 1889 to 1915. Mrs. Fred J. Schaufelberger played the pipe organ at the Presbyterian Church for some time after its installation. This was the first pipe organ to be installed in Hastings.

In 1888 a band was organized by ^Valter Chapman, who was also the leader of the band. Among the member of this band were Adam Breede, Adoljih Binderui^, Roy Royce, Bill Albertshardt, Harry Snively, Arlie Gardner, Hemming Binderup, Ben Boyd, John Snively, Bert JNIorledge, David B. L. Breede, JNIartin Boqett, Al Kennedy and some others.

The Gazette- Journal Band, as constituted in 1889, was under the leadership of Prof. F. W. White. J. W. Wigton was treasurer; J. H. Bassett, secretary; Messrs. McElroy, Wigton and Thacker, executive committee. The members of the band were G. B. ]Mc- Elroy, Al Boyd, F. W. Cooley, John Beardsley, C. F. Royce, S. W. McAtee, J. H. Bassett, T. F. Sturgess, George C. Hensman. Fred Taggart, J. W. Wig-ton, Ed N. Thacker, B. H. Bowen, D. T. Evans, Samuel Payne and C. H. Taylor.

The members of Bandmaster Miller's band as constituted at the time of the S})anish- American war can be found in the roster of Company K. in Chapter XX. For several years prior to 1915 Will Bohnet was the leader of the Hastings Band. The Hastings jMunicipal Band, the present band, was organized in the summer of 1915. John S. Leick Avas in Hastings on his wedding journey, having married ]Miss jMabel Kieth, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Kieth of Hastings. Miss Kieth had made several tours of Europe ami had won international reputation as a cornetist. JNIr. Leick had been with Sousa's Band and Avas the leader of the Kilties Band of Canada for two years, during Avhich he with the Kilties toured Europe. iNIr. and ]Mrs. Leick were married at the factory of musical instrument makers at Elkhart, Ind.

Mr. Leick directed the Hastings Band at the Fourth of July celebration in 1915, and this led to the organization of the municipal band, Avith INIr. Leick as leader. JNIr. Leick has organized a boys' band, Avhich made its first appearance in the spring of 1916. The account of the formation of the ladies' band will be found in the sketch of the Hastings Y. W. C. A. Under the arrangement made the salai'y of IVIr. Leick is paid by the Chamber of Commerce and tlie other band members are paid by the city. During the summer of 1916 a series of fifty free concerts Avas given by the band.

Grand Opera

'I'o Williaui ]M. Lownian, manager of the Kerr Opera House goes the honor of bringing grand opera to Hastings for the first time. The San Carlo Grand Opera Company, Fortune Gallo, impresario, jjresented Verdi's Rigoletto at the ojjera house on the evening of November 29, 1916. At the matinee the following day the company jiresented Cavalieria Rusticana and I Pagliacci, and in the evening II Trovatore was presented. In the cast of these presentations wece Pietro Corallo, Angelo Antola, Evidge Vaccari, Pietro Dibiasi, Stella Demette, Natale Cervi, A. Canova, Alice Homer, Luciano Rossni, ]\Iadelena Carreno, Anna Haase, Salvatore Sciaretti, David Silva, Luigi Dellemole, Lucia Darclee, Emanuel Salazar, Giuseppe Battistini, Ada Paggi, Luciano Dossini.