Custer County, Nebraska - Old Settlers' Stories, 1919 (part 2 of 2)

Later on, in September. 1885, James Cummings, one of Cummings Park's respected citizens, met with a sad and similar fate to the one just narrated. Soon after his settlement he caused a well to be dug after the style of the one mentioned above, but to the depth of 210 feet. This well had been dug for about three years, and Mr. Cummings. thinking that possibly the curb had become rotten to such an extent that it would be necessary to recurb, said to his wife one morning that he would hitch a team to the end of the rope and tie a stick to the other end, and she might let him down in the well for the purpose of examining it. Thereupon the rope was drawn out its full length, laid upon the ground, one end extending over the pulley and tied in the center of a stick about two feet long, and a team was hitched to the other end, face from the well.

Mr. Cummings. taking a small stick in his hand, and sitting on the stick and astride the rope, directed his wife to back the team and let him down slowly. Slowly and slowly the team backed. The wife could hear the rapping of the stick on the curb until within about ten feet of the bottom of the well she heard the cry of "stop!" Then again she heard the rapping of the stick on the curb, then instantly came loud and clear a tremendous crash. The wife, well knowing the cause, instantly screamed at the team, but they could not raise the husband from the earth that had fallen upon him. She hastened to the well and called to her husband, but no response was heard. She called again and again, but everything was as still as death. Excited and terror-stricken, she called for help. Friends and neighbors, hearing her cry. hurried to the rescue. What could be done ? Buried alive two hundred feet below the surface of the earth! News of the disaster spread like wild fire. Stout men and sympathizing women hurried to the scene to lend such aid as might be necessary. On investigation it was found that the well had caved in for a distance of over twenty feet, leaving a large cavity above Mr.

Cummings. After examining the situation, it was decided to send for one William Garlock, who was an experienced well man. During this time nothing was done, but upon his arrival he took charge of the rescuing, and said that it would be necessary to procure lumber to recurb the portion caved in : consequently teams were sent to West Union, and the work of rescuing proceeded as rapidly as possible. He first directed that it would be necessary to shovel dirt into the well for the purpose of filling up the cavity before proceeding with the digging. After this was done and the curb cut, ready to place in the well, ^Ir. Garlock, with the aid of helpers, proceeded to uncover the doomed man. At this time he was covered with dirt to the depth of about twenty feet. Soon after the digging began, Mr. Garlock reported that Mr. Cummings was alive, for he could hear him breathing. This was a great surprise to the frietids and neighbors who were so an.xiouslv waiting. The work proceeded with more rapidity than before, and report after report came up from the well digger that Mr. Cummings was still alive. After about ten hours of constant work the head of the doomed man was uncovered, and to the surprise of all it was found that he was conscious and able to give instructions. Slowly, slowly and persistently, the noble well-digger proceeded, until the entire body down below the knees was uncovered.

At this time everybody was anxiously listening for orders to pull the doomed man to the top. but instead a voice was heard from below: "Let the rope down ! I want to come uji!" The rope was quickl_\- let down and the well man taken from the well. Everyiiody wondered what was the matttr. and gathered about him for information. He told them that he could do no more ; that the man's feet were under the curb, and that he could not extend his curb on account of the dry ground - that if he undertook to dig below the curb, as he would have to do in order to get his feet out, the ground would run in and cause the well to cave, and that it could not possibly be done. I te further said that the only thing that could be done was to fasten a rope around him and

])ull him loose by force : that there was one chance of saving his life in this way. but that he was entirely exhausted, and could do nothing more. Another man being jiresent who had some experience in well-making, volunteered to go down and fasten the rope around him. After this was done, as many as twenty-five men took hold of the rope above, and at a command, began pulling gradually, pulling harder and harder until the rope broke.

As quick as thought, some one present suggested that he had at his home a threequarter rope that he thought was strong enough to pull him out. and accordingly some one was dispatched for the rope, and in a very short time returned with it. Again the well man descended and securely fastened the rope around the body, and again returned to the top of the well. On his arrival, as many men as could get hold of the rope did so, and at a command began pulling as before. Steady, stronger and stronger, they pulled until the body was released, every man falling to his knees, the rope having been drawn so tight that when he became loosened he was thrown up several feet. Orders were given to raise him fast, lest the well should again cave. After he was drawn out of danger, orders were given to go slow. This was done, and in a few seconds Mr. Cummings was at the top of the well, alive, rational, and able to tell his experience. He said that he did not realize that he had been in the well so long, although he was conscious all the time : that he knew when they were throwing dirt into the well, and knew when the well-man began digging ; he thought, however, that the falling of the dirt in the well was a heavy -thunder storm.

Dr. W'amsley was present and took charge of the case, but found it a bad one. The body was liruised. and the bowels so badly torn that inflammation set in and in four davs the poor victim died. The accident happened about eight o'clock on Saturday morning, and it was two o'clock S'unday afternoon when Mr. Cummings was taken from the well. Thus he remained in the well about thirty hours, eighteen hours of this time being under ground a distance of about twciUv feet, and his having lived while in this condition was due, doubtless, to the fact that an iron pipe, used for pumping purposes, was hanging in the well and his face was against it, thus affording- him sufficient air to keep him alive.

This sad accident will ever be remembered by the old settlers of Cumniings Park with sadness, as Mr. Cummings was one of our best citizens, and his untimely death cast a gloom of despair over the entire community.

A Water.Melox Stampede

James E. Farley, who was in an early day one of Custer comity's cowboys, and later one of our substantial citizens, followed Texas cattle and the trail to Ogallala in the spring of 1879 and from Ogallala shuffled into the South Loup country. He was employed for a time on the Finch-Hatton ranch and was familiar with all the famous characters who operated in the days of cattle. Aside from throwing side lights on the difficulty of handling wild cattle, he refers, in a worldly way, to watermelons :

"Cattle generally follow some leader, stringing out in single file, and they will follow the leader as long as he runs. If we were able to keep up with the leader or head him off we could get the cattle to going in a circle, and after a while to bunch them and get them stopped. Sometimes we were not able to get ahead of the cattle in a stampede, but had to follow alongside, catching glimjjses of them when the lightning trashed, strung out a long distance ahead of us. Many of these cattle were five or six years old, had never been near a man since they were branded, and were as wild as a herd of buffaloes. When we started out with them the first week they were on the constant lookout to get away. After succeeding a few times, some of them became spoiled to such an extent that they had to be killed to keep them from demoralizing the rest of the herd. One time there were two cow camps of us holding cattle on the head of Cow creek. Jim Dalzell, a lone settler, had a fine watermelon patch and he told the cowboys that they could have all the melons they wanted, but some of the boys in the other camp tbought it would be so mu:h nicer to steal Ihiem, and our camp, in connection with one of their men, put up a job on them that caused all of us to have three weeks' extra work. We found out the time set by the boys of the other camp to make a raid on the melons, and stationed our men in the patch to welcome them when they entered. They soon made their appearance, tied their horses, and came over into the patch, Billy Kessler, the man in the plot, leading them right up to where we were hidden in a bunch of weeds, ^^'e had taken the balls out of our cartridges to prevent any accident in the darkness. "Come over this way, boys ; here's some fine ones,' shouted Billy, as he led them toward us. We could hear them scrambling, through the melon vines, thumping the melons as they came. W^hen within a few feet of us, we sprang out with a yell and 'bang, bang, bang,' went the revolvers. Billy bravely held his ground, returning our fire, but the other boys took to their heels, dashed through the creek, with us after them, and firing at every jump. In their fright they rushed through both herds of cattle. The cattle stampeded and scampered away over the prairie and it took us three weeks to get them together again after this adventure."

It Killed The Toad

Uncle Swain Finch, as he was familiarly called by those who knew him in his pioneer days, was one of the unique characters of the early times. Things seemed to happen at his place. He and his family have furnished the details of some very interesting stories. Some of the boys tell this one on him.

A funny incident happened at one time while they were "keeping batch" for a short time at the new ranch they were opening up. One morning the cook had an extra fine brew of cofTee, and all showed their appreciation of ' it by drinking more than usual. Uncle Swain had passed his cup the third or fourth time, when he observed something white in the coffee pot. He remarked :

The Finch boys had as a guest a stylish friend from Iowa, and he was called upon to examine the coflfee-pot to settle the dispute between Uncle Swain and the cook. The young man poured the grounds out in the yard and made a critical examination. He gave a sort of convulsive gasp, turned deathly pale, placed his hand near the region of hi< stomach, and disappeared around the house The antics of the young fellow caused ihc others to push their unfinished cups as'dc. L'ncle Swain alone excepted - and to make an investigation of the contents of the coffee pot. Among the grounds they discovered a large, warty toad, swollen to three times Iiis natural size. The old fellow had evidently climbed up between the logs of the cabin and fallen into the cofTee-jxJt, which sat close to the wall and had no lid.

Along in the '80s and early '90s, when crop failures were the regular order, it was a common thing for homesteaders to prove up on their claims, mortgage them for the high dollar and then pack their belongings and start for wife's people back in God's country, as they used to call it. The settler was not decently out of sight before the neighbors would swarm in on that ranch and proceed to gather up all wood and jiosts, lumber, etc.. that could be found. They generally jjulled the roof oft' the sod house to get the jilanks or the cedar poles, as the case might be. which had been su])porting the roof sod. In this connection an amusing incident occurred in the sand hills uj) at the head of Ortello valley. There were two characters in that community whom the old settlers would recognize if they are merely called Tom Doe and Daniel Blank. Tom had rather a shady reputation - he had been a lawyer and several other things which Dan said were fully as bad. These men did not get along well. When they met in the road the conversation was generally not printable. Tom got into debt as deeply as possible and also became involved in several shady transactions. When he heard rumors of a warrant for his arrest he abandoned his claim. Unfortunately he had been so busy during the day that he didn't get ready to leave until after dark.

A day or so later old Dan, riding past, observed that the place was abandoned and made up his mind that he would even up the scores as far as possible that night. He left his team and wagon some little distance from Tom's house and went on foot to see how the laud lay. He had not yet reached the house when he heard the rattle of an approaching wagon and two men drove up to the house and immediately climbed up on the roof and began to shovel off the clay and sod. Old Dan kept out of sight until the roof was cleared and the planks and poles pulled off and thrown on to the ground ready for loading into the wagon, then he jumped out of his hiding place, let out a howl that would have raised the dead and wanted to know what in blankety, blankety, blank was going on? The men sprang into their wagons and V hipped their horses aw^ay at a gallop. When they were well out of hearing old Dan loaded up the poles and planks and hauled them home.

"In the spring of 1875 a man by the name of Eberlin, with his wife and a companion by the name of Hancock, started on a hunting trip up the Middle Loup river. When about eight miles above our settlement their attention was called to the peculiar antics of a horseman on the east side of the river. He was riding at a furious pace, coatless and hatless, with his long hair streaming in the wind liehind him as he flew along. The hunting partv was badly frightened and immediately started back to the settlement, arriving there with their team covered with foam. As soon as they were able to tell a rational story, they reported that they had seen Indians on the east side of the river. Every settler was at once notified, a council held, and a decision reached to proceed at once to make preparations for the protection of the settlement against an attack from the red men. Volunteers were called for to go to Fort Hartsufif and notify Captain Munson, the commander, and ask him to send two or three regiments of soldiers down. D. B. Allen offered to perform this duty, while four or five others volunteered to go up the river to investigate the story told by the hunters. All were instructed to ride all night and report at eight o'clock the next morning. It was laughable to see Ben Allen as he started for the fort, and a photograph of him taken at that time would be a most valuable contribution to this history. His dress suit consisted of an old pair of blue overalls, with a heavy fringe around the bottom, he was barefooted, and had on no other clothing except a striped shirt and an old straw hat. He was mounted, bareback, upon an old horse belonging to Air. Higgins. About eight o'clock the next morning the people met to consult and to hear the report of the scouts when they should return. Soon a solitary horseman was seen coming from the direction of the river, and four or five others from the north.

"The single horseman proved to be the valiant Ben, and before he was fairly within speaking distance he shouted : 'It's all right. General Munson said if we were killed by Indians to let him know and he would come over rode into camp and reported that they were unable to discover any Indians, but they had found out that the horseman who had frightened the hunters was a half -crazy fellow who lived on the east side of the river. The news was a great relief to the settlers, but they nevertheless decided to build a fort where all could congregate in case of any sudden attack from the savages. It was afterward named Fort Disappointment, for the reason that no Indians ever appeared.

The Grasshopper A Burden

The Scripture says that "the grasshopper shall be a burden," and its prophecy came true in Custer county. The following experience of Swain Finch will illustrate the fulfilment.

In the spring of 1870 the boys planted about sixty acres of sod corn, which was just beginning to make fine roasting ears, when one afternoon they discerned what appeared to be a prairie fire, a dense cloud of smoke arising in the northwest. They wondered at a prairie fire at that time of the year, when the grass was green. They watched it intently as it came nearer and nearer, until it obscured the sun and darkened the air like an eclipse. When it had come within a hundred yards of them they heard a continuous cracking and snapping sound, which increased to a perfect roar as it approached them, when they discovered to their horror that a cloud of grasshoppers was upon them. The insects alighted, and in a few seconds every green thing in sight was literally covered and hidden with a seething, crawling mass, several inches in depth. The beautiful field of corn melted down as if each leaf was a spray of hoar frost in the rays of the noonday sun. Uncle Swain was dumbfounded for a moment, but when he saw that corn fading he came to his senses, cut a large willow brush and went after those grasshoppers with a vengeance. He proceeded down a corn row, threshing to right and left, killing his thousands'with every sweep, and mowing a swath of death in his track. When he had gone about a hundred yards he stopped to get his breath and discovered to his extreme disgust that there were as many grasshoppers behind him as there were ahead. This disheartened him and he gave it up as a hopeless task. The hoppers ate up everything in the shape of grain and garden stuf? on the place, leaving it as brown and bare as if it had been swept by fire. They would settle on a post the thickness of a man's arm, and in a few seconds it would appear to be as big as a log. When the hoppers left it it would look as if it had been scraped with a knife, every vestige of hark and fiber beins; eaten off. Aunt Sarah and her sister-in-law had a fine patch of cabbages which they thought to save by covering the plants with hay : but the hay served only as a convenient shade for the hoppers, who crawled under it and dined off the juicy cabbage heads at their leisure. They then laid the hay around the patch and burned it, thinking to smoke the pests away, but to no avail. When they left that cabbage patch nothing remained but a few bare stalks, eaten almost to the ground.

A Land Quarrel

\n all new countries in which men are homesteading there are bound to be quarrels over homesteads, lines, and entries. This county has been no exception. Hundreds of incidents, like or similar to the one following could be recited, but they are a minor part of actual history, and have still less to do with county development.

One Oeorge Hartley located in section 23, township 18. range 23. in the summer of 1880, although he had not made a filing on the claim. He rented it to one Sipes and went away to work on the railroad. In the summer Hartley came back and wanted possession of the land. Sipes refused to vacate until his crop was harvested, but he allowed Hartley to go ahead and make such improvements as he saw fit. During the summer and fall the two men had a number of quarrels, and when it came time to gather the corn,* Sipes refused to gather Hartley's share. This resulted in a violent quarrel, and in the encounter that followed Hartley attacked Sii)es with a knife and cut him so badly that his liver was expo.sed. Hartley left the county, thinking that he had killed Sipes, but the latter recovered, followed Hartley, but up to date has never heard a word as to his whereabouts.

Grasshoppers Chewed Tobacco

Grove, where we selected our homesteads and commenced to improve them, but just as the ears of corn began to fonu, the grasshoppers appeared, and in a few hours completely ate up every green thing. In the edge of a draw L'ncle Dave had some tobacco plants which were very choice, and he anticipated the pleasure of smoking the weed of his own raising the coming winter. But, alas! his hopes were blasted. He covered the plants with anything he could get, but the festive hoppers ate holes in the covering and chewed Uncle Dave's tobacco as long as it lasted.

"The settlers were left entirely destitute, not having produced a thing for the support of themselves and their families during the winter. The government at this time had troops stationed at a point about nine miles above Ord. the county seat of \'alley county, and it had been decided to erect more commodious quarters for the soldiers. There was plenty of sand and gravel, and work was commenced on the garrison. The walls were constructed of red cedar, of which there was an abundance in the canyons not far distant. A saw mill was put in operation and teams were hired to haul the logs and lumber, as well as all other material needed in constructing the fort. The settlers flocked in from all directions and were given employment by the government. Allen and mj'self and Caswell went over. Allen got a job working in the mill, while Caswell and I hauled gravel from the pit and assisted on the walls of the building."

A good story is told at the expense of Senator Frank M. Currie, who is not noted for his chesterfieldian appearance. During Currie's candidacy for state senator. Uncle Swain Finch was very energetic in his support of the senator, although he had never met him. Later, after the election was over, both met on the street and a friend introduced them. Currie was profuse in his thanks for the work that Uncle Swain hadclone for him. "Yes I voted fur you," responded Swain, "but if I had

Burlin And Kellexbarger Have Some Experience

Concerning early daj's when all goods had to be freighted from railroad towns in the eastern part of the state, the late Bradford Iiurlin wrote an account of a trip he made to the eastern part of the state in the year 1883. On this trip he fell in with Joe Kellenbarger from whom this manuscript was obtained and who vouches for its authenticity. This is the way Burlin tells it :

"Do any of these latter-day saints have any idea what a trip to the railroad meant in the early days, especially if one got caught in a storm? Now let me give you newcomers a correct account of one of these trips and if you should think that this picture is in any way overdrawn, just ask Mr. Joe Kellenbarger, who was there with me. In the latter part of July, 1883, I lived near New Helena. ( )n the 11th of July a destructive hail storm destroyed sixty-five acres of corn, also the last vestige of our garden and all other crops. Being nearly out of supplies at the time, I concluded to start for the railroad for a few months' supply. And here the troubles of that trip began ; my wife declared I was never going to the road again unless I washed my feet and put on socks. So I went down and waded in the creek for a while and came in and called for the socks but she had already made the discovery that I was short on socks to the extent that I lacked just one' pair of having any, but she also made the discovery that she had one pair of those then, up-to-date, stockings, in red. white and blue rings or stripes, and looked like barber poles. She said they were so long she couldn't quite touch the bottom of them when she stood up in them, but when I came back they would need washing, and that would shrink them up so they would be right for her. So I donned the stockings and started. It rained almost continually until I got back. I went to our old home at Silver Creek, forty-four miles below Grand Island, and when I came back, left the railroad at Chapman and hit the trail eight miles further north. Here I fell in with another fellow who was not much more pleasantly situated than I. It was Joe Kellenbarger. He was trying to get back to Dale with lumber with which to make some show of building on his claim. As we were both going to practically the same place, we soon became quite chummy and between showers cussed and discussed matters in general, but a storm was on and it was slow traveling. "One day Joe said that if we could only make it to Gregory's that day, that Gregory had a roof that did not leak and we would have one night without being drowned. So we pushed our teams all day and got there just before sundown. There were six or seven covered wagons in the yard and a raft of women and children arovmd the house, so we figured that a dry bed was out of the question. We said we would water our teams and drive out on the prairie and camp. While we were watering the teams, a young lady, of perhaps eighteen or twenty, came down to the well to scrape acquaintance and she told us they were a colony from Missouri, twenty-nine of them. They were most all relatives to the Gregorys except two that sat out on a log, who were two old maids that had come along to look for land, but she thought they were looking for a man about as much as they were for land. All of the men had gone out in the hills liunting to kill some elk or deer, for they were out of meat.

A Race Through The Storm

''We drove about one hundred rods and camped on a side hill. There was a storm brewing in the north but as that could not be helped, we fed and staked our horses. We spread Joe's tent cloth over the wagon-pole, took off our coats and boots and crawled under and got a nice sleep until about twelve o'clock, when the worst thunder, lightning, and rain storm that I ever experienced came up. First we were drowned from the under side, then the wind blew the tent cloth away and we were drowned from the upper side, and there we were without coats, boots, or hats. We ran for the house. Joe had on just plain Ne- braska, three-for-a-quarter socks. The mud began to stick to our feet, making our socks so heavy that every time we took a step they would slip down a few inches. Joe's being short, he had not gone but a few rods until he got clear of them entirely, and in every flash of lightning I could see him going down the road, running like a jack rabbit ; sometimes he was up in the air and sometimes on the ground. Those long zebras of mine went to playing the same trick and pulled off until there was about a yard hanging to each foot, loaded with mud. They kept flopping in front of me. I could not run around them nor jump over them, nor get away from them. I had to stop there in the rain and climb on those rings and get out at the top. Then there was another jack rabbit show down the road, but I made time and caught up with Joe just as he got to the door. He did not wait to knock but pushed the door open and went in stumbling, and was in the middle of the room before he could stop.

"Now talk about the thunder and lightning, here is where they both had to take a back seat. \\"e found that all the men and boys had come in from hunting and had made their colony bed on the floor. The bed was just as big as the floor and when they all got to bed it was just full and Joe was treading around right in the middle of it. The men were hollowing, 'Who is there?' and 'What is wanted?' and the two old maids that were way over in one corner were piping out "Man in the house. There's a man in the house.' We finally succeeded in getting them all c|uiet except two or three of the children whom Joe had been walking on. I called for a light so we could see something, then away went the old maids again. They said there was not going to be any light. It was a pretty mess and with strange men in the house they didn't want a light. They added that if that was the kind of carryings-on they had out west they would go straight back to Missouri. But some one got a light and I started to apologize for Joe's getting into the bed with his muddy feet,

"We stayed an hour or more, until the worst of the storm was over, and told them plenty about Nebraska. Don't remember whether any of it was true or not. They insisted on our staying all night, but we said we would go back to the wagons and see if any of our horses were dead or loose, but might come back and stay until daylight. We started out, it was still raining some, and we got into that cold mud and Joe got into some cactus, so both said, 'Let's go back and stay until morning.' Joe said there was one or two of those fellows that he did not like the looks of. and believed they would just as soon go through a fellow's pockets as not, but those two old maids were mighty nice people. He said, 'We will go back and lay down, if we can find room, and you go to sleep for a while and I will keep one eye open, then I will wake you up and I will take a nap.' We went back in and the boss of the colony hustled them around until they got a little room in one corner and told us we could get over there and lie down. The boss asked if we were all right and we said we were, so he said: 'Some one turn out the light,' and away went the old maids again. They said the light was not going to be put out. It was bad enough with strange men in the bed, and to put the light out would be worse. They talked some more about going back to Missouri. I'ut they fixed the matters up among themselves and. I believe, turned the light partly out. The last 1 remembered. Joe was telling me something about going to sleep with one eye open, and then waking me up, but I went to sleep with both eyes shut and the next thing I woke and it was broad daylight. I looked over at Joe and if I ever saw a man that I thought was dead it was he : and for a minute or two if ever any fellow wished he was in Custer county and had stayed in Custer county it was I.

Xkaklv Ruined His Eve

one eye open all the same and that was twisted around in the socket so that it was looking at right angles with his nose and was pointing straight over to that corner where the old maids were. Then the other side of the situation presented itself to me and I got to laughing, and the more I tried to stop the more I couldn't stop. Finally Joe woke up and wanted to know what the matter was and seemed to be quite grouchy. He said if we could not behave ourselves we had better leave and not wake the whole house up, so we crawled out. Joe very quietly and I as much so as I could. I couldn't keep from looking at Joe and every time I looked at him I had to laugh. Finally he said, 'What is the matter with you, man, are you drunk or going crazy?' I said, 'Why, man, don't you know that one of your eyes is cross-legged?' He said it didn't feel altogether right and guessed he must have strained it keeping watch last night. We kept a sharp lookout for our socks on the way back to the wagons but the water had carried them away and we never found them."

Chapter Mi Hard Winters Axd Hard Tbies

The Black Winter of 1880-81 - A Tough Time ix 1880 - Heaw Losses - As Things Looked to Bishop - Accidents and Tragedies - Xo Christmas Presents - An Early Blizzard - Down Twice but Not Out - Frozen to Death in Powell Canyon - The Blizzard OF 1888 - A Hard Times Christmas - Christmas Entertainments in the \'arious Churches in Broken Bow - Filled up on Christmas - The Glovers Weather Ninety-four - Didn't Carry off the Mortgage - Fourth of July Hailstorm - Dry Ninety-four - He Won Out - Had to be Helped - Poor but Happy - A Home-grown Cyclone - Worst Blizzard in Thirty Years - S'HEEP Perish ix Transit

During- the early years of any countrv hard winters and hard times are twin born. No way by wliich they can be divorced lias been invented by any genius yet born. Hard winters, when people are ill-prepared, insure hardships and privations. The brave pioneers of Custer county weathered their share of storrhs and endured their proper quota of hard times.

The first houses were poorly constructed, fuel was exceedingly scarce, warm clothing was not over-abundant, the heating plant was often the kitchen stove, the country was open, without groves or wind brakes, and under these conditions weather that could hardly be reckoned as cold under present conditions, was considered then very severe and oppressive. Feed was scarce, stock unsheltered, or, at best, poorly sheltered, and all these things combined to entail hardships which none but the brave could endure and conquer.

Hats off in the presence of tho.se men and women who stemmed the tide of early winters, who met. without grumbling or complaining, the conditions of early days, lived to enjoy the steam-heated, pla.stered house, and who ride through the winters of the present time wrajjped in flannels and furs .and snugly ensconced in a stove-warmed auto, into which

In presenting this chapter on hard winters and hard times the stories of old settlers have been compiled. The people who endured the storms and years tell their own stories.

The Black W Inter Of 1880-1

The winter of 1880-81 will never be forgotten b\' those engaged in the cattle business in Custer county. Men who in the beginning of that winter were wealthy, found themselves bankrupt in the spring.

Early in the winter a rain began falling. The grass became thoroughly saturated ; then it suddenly turned cold, and every stalk, spear and blade of grass at once became an icicle - all matted together in one sheet of solid ice. Immediately following this came a heavy snow, from ten to twelve inches deep, which was again followed by another rain, and this in turn b\- another sudden cold wave, the result of which was to cover the surface of the snow with a thick, strong crust.

The country was covered with ice and snow until spring. The winter was very severe, the temperature ranging for days and weeks at from ten to twentv below zero. The condil-ki tions were such that it was ahnoSt impossible for the cattle to get to the grass. The winds, which ordinarily blew the snow off the hills and left the grass thereon free to the cattle, could not affect this solid body of ice and snow.

The legs of the cattle, traveling about in a famished condition seeking food, soon became bruised and bleeding from contact with the sharp crust on the snow. There was plenty of feed on the ground, but the cattle could not get at it. They died by the hundreds and thousands. It was estimated that from seventy-five to ninety per cent." of the cows and calves on the range perished that winter and sixty per cent, of the steers also perished. They lay in piles behind the hills where they had sought shelter.

The following spring many who had engaged in the business in Custer county, and who until this winter had believed there was no g-razing country equal to it, quit the business in disgust and left the county.

A Tough Time In 1880

H. Lomax, who at the present time is a resident of Broken Bow and prominent in Custer county banking activities, has served his time as an early settler, and concerning his experiences makes the following statement :

"My first introduction to the South Loup river occurred in April, 1880, at a point about half a mile above the mouth of Ash creek. Having made the journey from Plum Creek in a heavily loaded wagon, we struck the river just as the sun was sinking into the western prairie and tinging the tops of the eastern hills with a glow of red. The log shanty in which we intended to camp was on the other side of the stream, and we started across. Before proceeding ten feet our team stopped and the wagon settled to the axles in quicksand, the water gently washing the bottom of the wagon box. A portage was necessary, and not only was the cargo all carried across, but we had to wade back and forth with the different parts of the wagon, taking out a wheel at a time. Having at length arrived at our destination, cold, wet, and weary, we proceeded to prepare our supper. Our log shanty, in the middle of a dense grove of cottonwood and willow, had the river on one side and a bayou on the other. Before supper was ready a whirr of wings called me to the door. O, land of ducks ! Hundreds were there before me of all colors and sizes - flying, swimming, diving, in the security of their ignorance. After this, duck was too common a food to be mentioned in our cuisine. Our shanty had been shingled with cow-hides, thrown on the roof. During the night a cold north wind whistled through the crevices between the logs of our dwelling, which had not been chinked, and we arose, took off the roof covering and pinned the hides up against the wall to serve as siding. After this, whenever it rained we put the hides on the roof to keep out the water and when it blew we put them on the side of the house to keep out the wind - a very simple and effective device which furnished additional proof of the truth of the old saying that 'necessity is the mother of invention.' One of the settlers in this part of the country was Saul Garringer. He was a perfect architect in the construction of dugouts, and he evolved from the original trapper's hole in the ground a series of apartments which lacked only electric lights and steam heat to make them equal to any modern palatial residence. Whenever he was not making a new dugout he was building some addition to the old one. He was also a lineal descendant of Nimrod of old, and hunted exclusively with the rifle. He it was who gave me the first clear conception of the possibilities of rifleshooting. While hunting ducks with him one day he observed that I always aimed at the body of the bird ; he explained to me that this cut the flesh up too much, and that he always hit them in the head.

"The spring of 1880 was extremely dry, so drv that the wheat in the Platte valley refused to sprout, and had to be plowed up and corn planted in its place. On the third day of July it began to rain and the rest of the summer was excessively wet. August 10th a cloud- burst occurred in the vicinity now occupied by the village of Callaway, which caused a serious flood in the South Loup and Wood river valleys. The Loup bottoms were running with three or four feet of water for twelve hours, and the fringes of willows that lined the river banks were filled with cedar posts and rails that had been washed down from the corrals of ranches above. The rain, which fell during the greater portion of September, turned in October to snow, which continued to fall in enormous quantities all winter. During the fall, the work of the beaver, which was plentiful along the river, amounted to a veritable massacre of the timber which lined the banks. During the months of October and November they could be seen working in droves, preparing for the long winter which their instinct warned them was coming on.

"Thousands of sheep had been driven into the country during the summer of 1880, and the winter which followed left in many cases not more than twenty per cent, of the herds alive. After a severe snowstorm in October and cold weather in November, the ice on the river was strong enough to bear heavy loads. The real winter snow began to fall December 16th. and from that time until March the ground had a covering of eighteen inches on the level, with drifts twenty feet deep. The wind was almost continuous and the cold at times intense. The cloudy days were unusually numerous for Nebraska. In December the clear days amounted to seventeen, in January sixteen, in February eighteen. The average temperature at eight o'clock a.m. in December was 33; in January 25.9; in February 30.4. Cattle on the range stood day after day, week after week, chewing leaves, twigs, branches, and bank, until the trees were eaten bare as high as a cow could reach, and the branches were chewed so they looked like frayed ropes. Thousands of the poor animals died, and it has always been a mystery to me how any survived. In the spring many of them which survived lost their horns and hoofs, which had been frozen, and dropped oflf when the thaw came. When the ice broke up in the river it was a month before it could be crossed in safety. John McGinn was then located two miles up Ash creek, where the Plattsmouth ranch now is. He had purchased some corn in Wood river valley but was unable to haul it across the Loup river, and it had to be dragged across with a rope, one sack at a time. At that time there was not a bridge across the Loup in Custer county."

It is estimated that sixty to si.xty-five per cent, of range cattle perished during the winter of 1880-81, which until the present time is referred to by old settlers as "The Hard Winter."

Blessings sometimes come in ill-shaped disguise. It was so in this case. The enormous loss of stock put the cattlemen out of business and delivered the range over to the settler and his breaking-plow. The growing feud between the rancher and the settler was over. This was to be an agricultural rather than a range country. This decree was written irrevocably on the white banks of the drifted snow during the winter and fulfilled in the yellow harvests that have succeeded each other since that winter.

As Things Looked To Bishop

The following is taken from a July, 1918, issue of the Custer County Chief «nd describes the impression Custer county made on a visitor who came here in March. 1881 :

"J. C. Bishop, brother of the late E. N. Bishop, of Gates, arrived in this city Friday of last week, from Boston. In a conversation he told of the first time he saw Custer county. He came to Nebraska from \'irginia, upon the solicitation of his brother, to enter the cattle business in the winter of 1881. March 1. 1881. he arrived in Broken Bow, coming overland from Grand Island. A big blizzard had just passed over the country. Cattle were dead by the thousands, frozen to death in the willows along the streams. Mr. Bishop says he thought he saw at least 100,000 in all before he got to his brother's place. The cattle business did not look good to him, notwithstanding old settlers told him that every winter would not be like the last. But he contended that he might work for years and then lose all his increase in one storm, so accordingly he returned to \'irginia. He states now that he was never more surprised than by the progress and development of this country. He declares that the climate is different entirely and he attributes the change to the number of trees which now are to be found everywhere."'

Accidents And Tragedies

Trials and hardships are the common heritage of all pioneers. In March, 1878, J. F. Henderson, from Harrison county, Missouri, settled on Lillian creek. February 27, 1879, he went into Hunter's Shanty canyon to cut cedar for fuel and posts. He had nearly completed his day's work when in felling a twentytwo inch tree it turned on its stump as it fell, in such a way as to strike Mr. Henderson, throwing him down the steep canyon side, where he struck on a pile of brush. His left arm was broken in two places, his left hip dislocated and the leg broken below the knee. In this condition, with snow, on the ground, he lay from sundown until after sunrise the next morning, when he was found by his wife. I'nable to move him in any way, she went for help to the nearest residence, that of her daughter, ^Irs. James O.xford. It was noon when, with oxen and a wagon, they came back and the bruised and broken sufferer was taken a mile to the home of James Oxford. To get help was the next thing, and remembering that three trappers had been at the mouth of Lillian creek, j\Irs. Oxford started for the camp, two miles away. One man was there, and when she told him of the accident to her father and asked him to go for help to the nearest neighbor's place, on Victoria creek, eight miles distant, the trapper said: "I know how to sympathize with you, for I lost my wife and child in a blizzard." He started on his sixteen-mile run, and came back the next morning with Isaac and Temp Merchant. Temp was dispatched for the nearest doctor, having to go to Loup City, fifty miles down the river. Dr. Hawkins reached the CJxford home Sunday morning, the fourth day after the accident, under the influence of liquor, and incompetent to do the surgical work required. Running his hand hastily over the broken leg, he said : "Your leg is all right, but the arm will have to be amputated." With knife and saw he cut the arm square off, took two or three stitches from skin to skin across the freshly cut flesh, and said it was all that was necessary for him to do. Mr. Merchant insisted that the leg was broken and must be dressed. With reluctance, the doctor roughly tried to put the broken bones in place and bound them with splints, then left for his home. Seven months Mr. Henderson lay in that pioneer home, unable to get from his bed, when he was moved to Mrs. Comstock's home. Every settler from Loup City to Victoria creek vied with each other in rendering kindness to the sufferer. Connected with this incident is the pathetic death of little Daisy Oxford, the pet granddaughter of Mr. Henderson. A slender child of eighteen months, she sat at his bedside on the Saturday before the doctor came ; rocking forward, she, in some way, caught the bail of the tea kettle, sitting on the edge of the stove, and the contents of boiling water was poured over her head and hands. The little suft'erer, under the care of Mrs. Comstock, who had been sent for, lived nearly a week. Mr. Eubank preached her funeral sermon, and then remained four days, expecting to be called to preach the funeral of Mr. Henderson. ^Ir. Henderson did not die but lived to express his gratitude to the old settlers who filled the office of good Samaritan to him in those days.

No Christmas Presents

Another incident that speaks of the privations of the pioneer's life and his love for his family, was the death of Arnett, on the Bayhoffer place. Christmas was near, and there was no money to get the loved ones a present. The father took his gun, in which the breech pin was secured with a piece of wire, and went to the cornfield, thinking to get chickens to sell

\\'hen C. \\". Prettyman moved his family on to the new claim he had pre-empted in the Ash creek valley in November of 1886. he domiciled the family in an improvised shack while he was building a more substantial sod mansion. The shack was made by setting up two-by-fours on the ground in roof or \" shape and covering them with shiplap. The gable ends were closed up by nailing up the wagoncovers.

On the 15th of November a snow storm set in, and before night it developed into one of the worst blizzards the country has ever known. He relates the experience of himself and family during the storm, as follows :

"The snow fell into our roof house like meal through a sieve. The situation was very serious and I was actually afraid that my wife and little ones would be frozen to death. I had sent my oldest son over to Mr. King's to look after the horses before dark, and I hoped that he would remain there all night and that they would come and rescue us in the morning. In this I was not disappointed. Soon after daybreak we saw them coming, plowing their way through the snow. I had slid out of my bed under the eaves of my roof, where I had laid under a sprinkle of snow about eighteen inches deep, and after digging around in a snowbank piled up in a corner I unearthed a suit of clothes and a pair of boots, which I got into. I then waded through another drift to the stove, dug it out and started a tire. By this time the wagon of Mr. King had arrived and we dug the children out from under their covering of snow, steaming like pigs in a straw stack, piled them in the wagon and set off for Mr. King's, under whose hospitable roof we stayed until the storm was over. When we returned to our shanty it was full of snow, which I scooped out and got out dry goods. Soon afterward we finished our house, having to cut the frozen sod with an ax."

Dowx Twice But Not Out

'SI. E. Brandenburg came from Saratoga, New York, in March, 1878, and started a cattle ranch at the mouth of Sand creek, on the south side of the Middle Loup river, two and one-half miles southeast of the present site of Sargent.

He came ^t the beginning and has probably endured as many privations and hardships as the average pioneer. The hard winter of 1880-81 took from him his all, as it did that of many others, and he was compelled to begin life anew. He went to work by the month to get a new start, and had succeeded very well - when, in the early '90s, a series of disasters - an unfortunate business venture, the loss of his hogs by cholera, and nearly all of his cattle through chronic abortion, together with the loss of his crops - again floored him and left him a bankrupt at the beginning of 1895. A change in the tide of his affairs then turned the current into the channel of prosperity, and in a few years he had one of the best stock farms in central Nebraska, the same comprising nearly 600 acres, valued at S8,000, and an equipment worth very nearly as much more, including one of the best herds of shorthorns in the state, roadster, horses, a splendid drove of hogs and the necessary complement of farming implements, - all accumulated during the last eight years. \'erily, the resources of the average Nebraskan are almost boundless.

Elisha W. Clark, a hunter and trapper, was frozen to death in Powell canyon, northeast of Arnold, in December, 1879. Clark had been a colonel in the war of the rebellion, was a widower, and had for a number of years followed hunting and trapping for a livelihood. He established his camp in Powell canyon on December 2d, his only companions being his team and a couple of large greyhounds. About a week afterward he was seen by a cedar hunter on his way to ]\Ir. Goodyear's hay stacks after some hay for his team, and said that he intended to carry the hay in his arms to his camp, which was three miles away. No more was thought of the trapper for some time by the few residents of the neighborhood, but one day the dead bodies of his two hounds were found near Air. Goodyear's haystacks. The weather was intensely cold, and the ground was covered with snow, and it was feared that Clark might have shared the fate of time. They had gnawed the bark off the tree to which they were tied and eaten every bush and twig within reach. One - of the horses had eaten of¥ the limb to which he was tied, thus saving his life. The party scoured the vicinity thoroughly, without result. The county commissioners offered a reward of fifty dollars to anyone finding the body of Clark. During the following spring, while hunting for some horses, C. W. Hughey, of Arnold, came across the dead body of the unfortunate trap-

Powell Canyon, near Arnold, where some years ago a hunter and trapper lost his way and was frozen to death, his body not being found until the following spring that had apparently overtaken the dogs. A search was immediately instituted, but no trace of the missing man or his team could be found. On the 1st day of January a party of cedar haulers reported that they had found a wagon and two horses in one of the numerous pockets of Powell canyon, and a party went at once to the place, where they discovered the horses. One of the horses was dead and the other nearly so. As Clark had been missing for three weeks, it is supposed that the poor animals had been there about that length per, at the head of a small pocket in the canyon, his gun by his side. He had evidently died on his knees, apparently crawling into the narrow place to get such protection from the cold as its walls afforded.

It was nearly night when he had been seen at the stacks after hay, and it is the supposition that in attempting to return to his cainp in the darkness he became bewildered in the maze of pockets that indent the canyon, until, overcome with weariness, he sank down and was frozen to death. The bodv was found five miles southwest of where his camp had been, and had he proceeded another mile in the direction, in which he was apparently traveling when he succumbed, he would have come into the South Loup valley within sight of Chapin's ranch.

The Blizzard Of 1888

Old settlers shiver yet, when the famous blizzard of January 12, 1888, is mentioned. That was one of the fiercest storms that ever struck the country. Shortly before noon the wind veered to the north and west and without warning came the whirl and swirl of a blinding blizzard, such as the old settlers of that time had not seen before. The thermometer dropped twenty degrees in almost as many minutes. Hundreds of people were caught away from home and thousands of cattle and horses were out on the fields and ranges without shelter. The storm was so blinding that stock could not be driven against the wind. Accordingly they drifted with the storm and many perished. It was almost impossible for a man to find his way through the blinding snow from the house to the barn, or from the barn back to the house. Teachers and children were caught in the school-houses and in many places stayed all night, and next day, in the school-house. If they happened to have fuel they were fortunate and suffered slight inconvenience.

The storm was general throughout the middle west. It raged, however, with greatest fury in the Dakotas and northern Nebraska. Many lives were lost and everywhere there was a great loss of stock. Custer county was fortunate, however, and no loss of human life was credited to this blizzard in this county. Many blizzards have swept the open prairies of central Nebraska, but the Custerites who weathered the blizzard of 1888 are past masters in the lore of storm, winds, and snow. During this blizzard the temperature fell to thirty-two in this county, but throughout the storm region it ranged from twenty to fifty-two below, which made this blizzard match and overmatch the great storm of 1882.

A Hard Times Christmas

Christmas will be generally observed by the various churches of the city. The festivities will not, in all probability, be on as grand a scale as in years of greater prosperity, but will, nevertheless, be just as attractive and every bit as enjoyable. Instead of making a grand display there seems to be a tendency among all the churches to exert every effort in relieving the destitute and distressed, of which we have our full share. This, to say the least, is very commendable.

The Christian church gave a very nice entertainment on Christmas Eve, consisting of a musical and literary program. Santa Claus appeared and distributed nuts and candies to the little ones. On Christmas day a handsome thing was done by the good people of this denomination. Instead of buying presents for the children, the money was used in preparing an excellent dinner, and over one hundred people were fed, including the children of the Sunday school and ten poor families who were invited in. The food which was left was then distributed among poor families.

The Presbyterian church entertainment on Christmas Eve was a novel affair. An oldfashioned fire-place was erected on the pulpit and above that was built a brick chimney. The bricks, however, were pasteboard bo.xes filled with nuts and candies which old Santa Claus distributed to the children. A good program was carried out. At the close of the entertainment the children were marched into the lecture room, where tables were spread and sup])er was served to them. This program was a complete surprise to the little folks and was much enjoyed by them.

The entertainment at the Episcopal church was held on Christmas night and was out of the usual order of Christmas doings. The program consisted of music and of short Christmas tales by Professor Currie. L. H. Jewett, Mrs. Chrisman, Rev. Robbins. and j\Irs. A. Morgan. The latter was particularly interesting, as I\Irs. Morgan related the story of her being stolen by cannibals on the Fiji Islands

The Christmas p_vramid was the attraction at the Baptist church. It was laden with presents, which were distributed by old S'anta Claus. A splendid program was rendered.

At the Methodist church a program of recitations, songs, etc., had been prepared and was successfully carried out. The little folks were nicely remembered with candies and nuts.

Filled Up On Christmas

Under the caption of "Christmas dinners" the Chief publishes the following list of dinner parties which were given on the hard-winter Christmas day of 1894:

Mrs. Belle Doxie entertained a lively crowd of young people at her home for dinner. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. F. W. Hayes, the Misses Flora Gould, Ora Spence, Grace Cox, Josie Sheppard, Lillie Snodgrass, and the Messrs. H. A. Thompson, Dr. Hallar, Harry Day, M. A. Sullivan, and E. R. Purcell.

The dinner party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Rublee was made up of Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Ed. McComas, Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Bartlett, Mrs. Patterson, Miss !Mamie Thompson, and !Mr. Nine McComas.

At the home of ]\lr. and Mrs. L. H. Jewett, there were gathered at a sumptuous feast, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Wirt, Mr. and Mrs. O. P. Perley, Rev. Bailey, and Roy Wirf.

Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Shepherd entertained a party at dinner, consisting of Mr. and i\Irs. J. A. Harris and family. Captain Burnham, and E. H. King.

Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Campbell departed from the time-honored custom of a Christmas dinner and gave a Christmas breakfast to a party of friends, with a Christmas tree well laden with presents for the little ones. It was a unique aiifair. Those present were Mr. and Mrs. Alpha Morgan, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Haney, Mrs. Scruggs and daughter Belle, and Mr. and Mrs. Mosby and family. Alpha Morgan acted as Santa Claus.

Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Sullivan shared an elegant dinner at their home with Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Gutterson and family, Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Currie and family, and Mrs. Kimel Barns.

At the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Maulick there were assembled at a Christmas feast, Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Eastham, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Maulick, Miss Henderson, and Mrs. Bailar, of Strang, Nebraska.

Thb Glovers Weather Ninety-Four

"In the late '80s homesteaders were proving up on their claims and mortgaging them. A Custer county mortgage had a certain market value in the east. One could borrow from five hundred to eight hundred dollars on a quarter-section, at ten per cent interest, - making out the note and mortgage at seven per cent interest for five years, then figuring the other three per cent for five years, which on an $800 loan would amount to $120, making a separate note of this secured by a second mortgage due in two and one-half years. This went to the agent as commission, and it was so attractive that agents traveled the countrs' soliciting the homesteaders to prove up and take a loan. The agent in some cases advanced the money for the expense of making pjoof and in case that the homesteader had not resided on his claim the requisite five years they would advance two hundred dollars for the purpose of "paying out" or commuting the homestead. The loan business became so lucrative that irresponsible parties went into the business; making out the papers on a piece of land, promising the money within sixty days, then placing the papers on the eastern market to sell before he could fulfill his part of the contract.

goods into his wagon and went back to his wife's folks and when the "soddy" went down there was nothing left on the place but the mortgage. Others stayed and while the crops were good could make a living, but prices were so cheap that they couldn't raise the interest and taxes. Then came the crop failure of 1890, when we didn't raise enough to live on. More of them left their places to the mortgage. In 1890 and 1892 we raised good crops, but prices were low. yet we had just about recovered from the failure of 1890. The year 1893 came with a half of a crop and a general business stagnation. - labor out of employment and Coxey's army invading \\'ashington. Everybody was hard up, made their old clothes do another year, hoping for better times next year. Next year was dry. The ground was dry clear down. We had a rain and snow storm the last days of March that wet down about six inches. The grain came up, no more rain came and it died before it got big enough for a cow to feed on. \\"e then put in some more seed, hoping to get rain to make it' grow. A light shower came and brought it up so that we could see the drill rows across the field, and that is as far as it got, as the moisture was all gone. We planted and cultivated our corn. There was enough moisture, reta'ined by the cultivation to bring the corn up high enough to brush the axle of the cultivator and some tassels began to show, but there it stopped. \\'e went in with, a sled corn-cutter to save the fodder, cut about seventy acres of the best of it and got about fifteen loads of the fodder. \\"e had broken up eight acres of sod in 1893. This was included in a field of spring wheat, and from this eight acres of backsiting we harvested and threshed sixty bushels of wheat. This, with our fifteen loads of fodder, was the entire crop from 360 acres under cultivation.

"Stock lived in the pasture but didn't grow. How to get through the winter was the problem. We sowed sixty bushels of rye in the corn field to make fall and winter feed. We never saw it again. W'e sold ten head of cows for eighty-five dollars, sent a bunch of heifers and horses up to Cherry county to winter, and kept at home just what stock we thought we needed to keep. Thus everybody got their fodder or whatever feed they had stacked up and we turned everything out before the first of September. And they fattened on the buffalo grass. \\'e dressed a beef about Thanksgiving time and another between Christmas and New Year's. They were both in good shape and made good beef.

"We went into the winter with feed enough on hand to feed about thirty days. We were favored with a mild, open winter and had to feed but two days, so had our fodder left to feed our teams while putting in our next cro".

"Such was our personal e.xjjerience in our struggle with the drouth of the early '90s. Our farm, like the rest, was mortgaged, but being one of the better class of farms we thought it worth staying with. In fact, we didn't know where we could go to better ourselves. Our mortgage became due in 1893. \\'e were able to pay the interest. The year 1894 came and went. In ^larch of 1895 we received a letter from the agent of the loan company, not demanding a settlement but asking if we were in need of any assistance in the way of feed and seed to put in our crop.

Fourth Of July H.Mi, Storm

"In the sjiring and summer of 1879 the crops gave promise of an abundant harvest and the settlers looked forward to a good return for their labor. They were celebrating the Fourth of July at New Helena, in the most approved stvle, eating, drinking, and making merry, when a cloud no bigger than a man'^s hand was observed in the northwest, which grew with alarming rapidity until it overspread the whole heavens, and out of it came one of the most destructive hail-stonns this county ever experienced. The crops were literally beaten into the earth. Not a bushel of grain was harvested in 'Victoria valley that year. A few turnips sown after the hail storm were the only crop produced in that section. The log schoolhouse where the settlers were gathered to celebrate the Fourth, had three windows on the north side. The glass was broken into fragments bv the hail, after which George Carr attempted the impossible feat of keeping out the storm by covering the three windows at one time with a blackboard long enough only to cover two. j\Ien, women, and children crowded into the building, terror-stricken, some crying, some praying, and, I am sorry to record it, a few swearing. The hail streak was about four miles wide and passed down Clear creek, completely cleaning out the crops in its course. The settlers had to haul their feed and seed for the next year from Grand Island and Central City, 120 and 130 miles distant. In 1880 we had good crops, but the hardships and privations of these pioneer days have been lived through, and while some have fallen by the wayside and still others gone to 'the land beyond the river,' many of us remain to enjoy the fruits of our early trials, proud of our noble county and its splendid citizenship, and confident of its continued growth and development.

Dry Ninety-Four

"To the residents of Custer county the drouth of 1894 was a new experience. They had seen slight drouths before, even in Custer county, but never before had they seen a spring and summer with entire absence of rain. Even in the spring the ground was so dry as to make plowing difficult, and as the season advanced it was impossible. But the crop was put in and made a good struggle for life. Up to the 4th of July there was still a. chance for a crop. The corn was of fair size, and still green. On the 4th of July there was a slight shower, early in the day, but followed by blistering sunshine. By night the corn was flat on the ground, beyond help from any amount of rain. But the rain did not come, even after it was too late, and long before frost every green thing was dead, and the leaves had fallen from the trees.

"This meant more than financial loss; it meant a year of privation and suffering to most of the people of the county. It meant that if they were to stay in the country they nnist support themselves and their children without help from the soil, and with little or no resources of any kind. There was little stock in the country, and it was worth little. Good cows sold for ten dollars, and good thrifty calves for two dollars and fifty cents, or even less. ]\Iany people sold every thing they had and left the country. It was all they could do, for the time, but in a year or two most of them came back and turned their experience into profit. Some farmers were able to stick it out by hunting wild game all winter, and using brush and cow-chips for fuel.

He Won Out

"The determination of some of the people was almost beyond belief. I have in mind a little, bent, old man who had managed to gather up a little bunch of cattle. He had no land. Instead of selling his cattle he got some warm clothing and just lived in the hills with his cattle, moving them from place to place, wherever he could find old dry grass. It was his opportunity. In a few years he had a good half-section of land and many cattle, the increase of the little herd that he had nursed through that winter.

Had To Be Helped

"It soon became clear that without help some of the people would perish, and before cold weather the county was organized to meet the situation. In each precinct, with the supervisor at the head, relief committees were organized to care for the needy. The east was almost careless in its liberality. Help came from abroad, and those who could, helped their neighbors. Farmers who had it, sold seed wheat to their neighbors, and waited a year for their pay. Not a single instance is reported of any one trying to turn the people's needs to profit. Persons asking or accepting aid who did not need it were very few, while the needy who refused all aid, and even helped others, were many. Real need never asked in vain. In the winter following this drouth. Dr. A. I. ^IcArthur went to I^Iissouri and collected enough money to buy a car load of seed corn, which he shipped to Custer county. Of the scores of business men asked to contribute to this car, only one refused, and strange as it may sound, he was the only one who asked to see the doctor's credentials. Not only did they give, but always with a word of encouragement and sympathy. The railroad shipped this car free of charge, which was their general custom.

Poor But Happy

"One very noticeable thing about the people during this drouth was their cheerfulness. Not only did they refuse to be starved ; they refused to be discouraged. There was more social intercourse among the people during this year than ever before, and I am ready to believe that the habit has survived to the present time. Hunger only sharpened the sense of humor. When a straw hat or corset was found in a box of winter supplies the fun was for everybody. Sometimes the 'needy' played tricks on the relief committee. For a time, in W'esterv'ille. the relief committee had their 'office" in the front of the bank. One day a very ragged man came slowly across the street toward the bank door, and the committee began estimating what all he would want. When he came in, he went to the cashier's window and asked for some change, pushing a fifty dollar bill through the window. .A. few people the drouth entirely crushed. For a few hundred dollars, farmers sold good farms that are now worth as many thousands. A few lost all commercial pride, and took advantage of the times to repudiate their debts, but to the country the drouth was a great benefit. It stopped recklessness in spending and in the making of debts. Men had homesteaded, and then mortgaged their farms. The money had come without effort, and they were spending it without judgment. The drouth .stopped their income and their credit. They could neither earn nor borrow, and never again can a \car"s misfortune force them to beg. ^lore than any other one year, 1894 has contributed to the great prosperity of Custer county."

In ihc matter of weather and storms Custer county has always been rather independent and has insisted upon doing business for itself. It generally keeps abreast with current weather and puts on tap any article that seems to be fashionable and popular. Not to be outdone, the county put on a late fall cyclone of its own in October, 1913, which at the time was described by the Custer County Chief as follows: "At si.x o'clock Thursday evening, October 3, 1913, Custer county was visited by a terrific cyclone, which went the full length of the county from southwest and northwest. It was - terrible in its fury and practically every building in its path was wrecked or damaged. It passed Broken Bow on the southeast, just missing the city. The fair-ground buildings were a total wreck, and all the buildings on the Brenizer ranch and John Squires' place, a few miles south of town, were completely blown away ; the M. K. Hagadorn and J. A. Hutchinson homes, just southeast of the city, were wrecked. The cyclone formed near Lodi and went southeast to Burwell. its path being from one-quarter to one-half mile wide. Much damage was done to farm properties, and though no fatalities were reported, the following people were hurt : Flossie, the ten-year-old daughter of \\'ill McCaslin, who lives east of here, was badly crushed and was taken to the Ryerson hospital in a precarious condition. Mrs. Mc- Caslin was injured about the breast, another small daughter and the baby had their heads badly cut. while Mr. McCaslin sustained several bruises. In the Sargent district the following people were injured : John Speer. col- .lar bone broken ; Mrs. Bevington, badly bruised but not serious ; Mrs. Frank Kidder, rib broken and badly bruised ; Melvil! York, badly bruised about the body (all of these injured, it is understood, were taken to Sargent and placed in the hospital) ; George Hill, head bruised. The worst part of the storm in that vicinity passed about two miles east of Sargent.

"The above account was written after the forms had been made up and the paper ready for press. A full descrii)ti(jn will ajipear next week."

north wind prevailing-. Friday saw the most destructive blizzard this section of the state has known in the past decade. A record in a local newspaper gives the following data :

"During the whole of Friday the storm raged to such an extent as to make it unsafe to leave shelter, and heavy losses were sustained by many of the stockmen and farmers of this and adjoining counties. At this point but little snow fell, but what did come was drifted so badly as to make the roads impassable for the next two or three days. Between this city and Alliance it was reported that from nine to eighteen inches of snow fell during Thursday and Friday, and at no time after the early afternoon of Thursday did the prevailing high wind show a cessation until late Friday night. The heaviest loss of live stock from reports coming to this city on Sunday and Monday was suffered by feeders and ranchers in the vicinity of Brewster, Dunning and Thedford, although local farmers and feeders suffered some heavy losses. Peter Erickson, who ranges cattle on the North Loup, was a heavy loser, over two hundred head of heavy stock succumbing to the storm. A. McClain, of Dunning (father of Ira McClain of this city), had 315 head of cattle he was carrying through the winter and out of that number lost 150 head of the heaviest stock. He had taken up and placed under shelter about one-half of his herd, consisting of young animals. The remainder were left on the open range and drifted into the Dismal river, where the heavy loss occurred. The loss of Mr. Erickson also occurred from the animals drifting into the river. L. H. Jewett of this city, who had ninety-five head of heavy stock on the Dismal, lost forty head in the same manner. Mr. Jewett reports that this snow had drifted over the river and the lighter and younger stuff were able to cross over the snow in drifting ahead of the storm, but that the heavier stock went through the snow and mired in the river.

"R. B. Beauchamp, of Dunning, was another heavy loser of the same vicinity, having 180 head of stock in the storm and losing ninety of them. His cattle, however, were in the open pasture, and drifted ahead of the storm into the fence corners, and it is supposed a good many of them dying in the storm, were tramped to death by the remainder of the herd. Most of the Beauchamp herd were young stock that was bought last fall at an average price of thirty dollars per head. Henry Andrews, of Anselmo, also was a heavy loser, the storm taking fifty-five head out of his herd. His cattle were partially sheltered. A. M. Cook of this city lost fifty head out of his herd of 235, near Linscott. Other losses in that neighborhood are: McConnell. twelve head of milk cows ; George Zutavern, 200 out of a herd of 575 ; and a man by the name of Whitney lost sixteen - his entire herd.

"J. D. Gage, a lumber dealer at Dunning, had twelve head of horses perish from exposure to the storm. The loss in horses, however, was light as compared to cattle losses. ]\Iiller Heller, a Kinkaid homesteader of near Halsey, suffered the loss of sixteen head of milk cows. It is estimated that the loss to the Kinkaiders was very extensive and as they are in the majority of cases unable to lose any stock, they will feel the loss to a greater extent than the heavier losers who deal extensively in the live-stock business.

"I. N. Bovee, a former resident of this vicinity, but now of Halsey, in a letter to Mr. Jewett, states that while his live stock suffered from the storm he lost none and considered himself very fortunate, as the loss in his neighborhood was very heavy.

"A train of double-deck cars loaded with sheep was pulled into the Burlington yards at Whitman early Friday. On the train were about 11,000 head and during the day the larger part of the whole load perished. It was estimated on Monday that of the whole 11,000 only about 2,000 had survived the storm.

"Fred Wagner, of Wagner, was reported to have lost twelve head of cows and four horses in the feed lot. His loss on the range was supposed to have been heavy, but just how much has not been reported.

can Tuesday morning from W. B. Adams : 'Just a line to tell you of the terrible condition of the poor old sandhills after the blizzard. About forty per cent, of loss in cattle, and horses about ten. I lost nine head out of 200; J. H. Lowe lost 700 head of cattle, and E. Crain lost eighty out of 153: W. W. Mahafify lost his whole herd and John Boyce lost about 100 head ; John Morrison, of Mullen, lost about seventy-five head, Joseph Heclan si.xty, and Richard S. Fox lost 100 out of 118. That is about the way it runs in the sandhills. No lives lost that I have heard of.'

"The loss in the immediate vicinity of Broken Bow was very light compared with the losses of the northwest part of the county, Blaine and Thomas counties. Tierney Brothers, who are operating a ranch at Wagner, report the loss of probably forty head of cattle. They also lost some hogs in the local feed yards, besides the loss of ninety head of porkers on the South Loup. Raid Skinner suffered a loss of seventeen head of cattle at his farm twelve miles north of the city. Judge Sullivan lost six head of cattle and Harve Andrews lost five head. Others losing cattle reported in this ofiice were George Bush, five head, and R. F.

Burnett, two head. Tom Finlen lost five head of horses at his farm south of town, and John Price suffered the loss of a like number of horses at his farm. Other losses have been reported but no confirmation of the rumors had been reported at that time.

"Robert E. Shaw and Thomas G. Butler, of ^lilldale, were in the city Tuesday. They reported the loss of stock in their vicinity was very light, but the losses to the northwest of them was finite heavy. The heavier loser was Clarks Philpot, near Gandy, who lost several hundred head - thirty or forty per cent, of his herd. Dan Haskell's loss was small. Henry Andrews, of Anselmo, reported a loss of fiftyseven head of cattle out of 500. George Templar, north of Broken Bow, reported to have but fourteen head of cattle. Charles Sanders, of Ortello valley, reported to have lost sixty head of cattle. Jewett & Andrews, JBroken Bow, four head of cattle. Harry Knapp, southwest of town, reported loss of twelve head of cattle. J. J. Boblits, South Loup, reported loss of five head of cattle. Vincent Steadry, west of town, reported loss of two head of cattle. Lon Davis, east of town, reported loss ofone mule."