Hall County, Nebraska - Chapter 15: Commercial History of Grand Island, 1920 (part 2 of 2)

James Cleary went out of the hardware business late in the 'eighties; the long service of A. C. Lederman and T. J. Hurford has already been noted. R. H. McAllister store moved around the corner to 118 West Third and at that point the store is now conducted by R. H. McAllister's Sons. This business has continued now for more than thirty-two years. Haux Hardware Co. opened at 117 S. Wheeler, and later moved to their present location in the south end of the Independent building on Locust street. Their former location was taken by Rudolph Pistorius. Huper & Lange, following Cleary & Lange, was succeeded by Huper & Hehnke, and about 1897 this stock became Hehnke & Co. and remained at the 303 West Third location until about 1912 when it was moved to 212 W. Second, the present location of Hehnke-Lohmann Co. Frank Kunze opened in the 303 West Third location and still conducts the store there. The Ed W. Johnson store at 211 W. Third and Fred Rettanmayer stock in connection with Fourth street tin shop are discontinued. J. E. Hanna & Son have handled hardware at 112 West Fourth for the last nine or ten years. In the harness business, the Reese shop has remained longest, but C. P. Birk was in this business for some years, as was John Riss and Grand Island Saddlery.

Other Stores

The foregoing are by no means all of the stores and commercial establishments or interests that have operated in Grand Island, but it is not possible to take space to continue a recital in such detail of the remaining lines of business.

abstracts: John Allan has been in the abstract business for more than thirty years. Wm. Frank, O. B. Thompson, W. A. Heimberger, D. C. Zink, Ed A. Hathaway, David Ackerman and Hall County Abstract Co. have been competitors to the Allan business, and

ARCHITECTS : H. J. Fuehrmann and Rittenhouse and Brage were early architects, recently S. D. Kelley, Chas. Good, Ralph Whitehead and W. E. Donner. Oscar R. Kirschke and F. R. Crocker have operated an office for some years, and C. J. Bowell came in during 1918.

MUSIC houses: J. Leschinsky Studio, 109 E. Third, which has been conducted for years ; Locke Studio, Windolph building, and North Pine street Studio.

automobiles The automobile garages, sales agencies and shops will be treated in the industrial chapter. This business has a scope far more than local, in a manner that livery business and agricultural implement business could not reach. Grand Island has become an industrial sales, distributing, and supply center in the automobile industry of no mean proportion.

First Commercial Organizations

The first commercial organization, formed for the purpose of extending the commercial, industrial and business activities and sphere of Grand Island, was the Hall County Immigration Board, already spoken of in connection with the agricultural activities of the county. That body was formed on March 22,

187L with Henry A. Koenig, president ; S. P. Mobley, secretary. Aided and supported by the national government it sought immigration particularly from Germany.

During the 'seventies this immigration society and the local granges carried out many of the objects of the board of trade and did much to point out the resources of the county and the opportunities of the town. The newspapers of that decade were wide awake to the opportunities for advancing the claims of their community.

The Merchants Clubs

The Merchants Club was organized in Februar}^, 1876, with Fred Hedde as president; R. C. Jordon, vice-president; H. A. Koenig, treasurer, and T. J. Hurford, secretary. Some form of a mercantile association has existed in Grand Island practically ever since that time.

The Board Oe Trade

In January, 1885, the mercantile and commercial activities were embraced in an organization which took the name of the Board of Trade. It elected as its officers, C. W. Thomas, president; Fred Hedde, J. P.Kernohan and J. W. West, vice presidents; Chris Schlotfeldt, correspondent; Frank Sears, recorder; James Cleary, treasurer; H. A. Koenig, C. F. Bentley, John G. Schaupp, and S. N. Wolbach chosen directors. Edward Hooper was appointed to the vacancy in the vicepresidency caused by the death of E. R. Wiseman.

During the administration of President West, Secretary Scarff and their co-officers just named, there was issued a nicely bound and splendidly, illustrated fifty- four page booklet entitled "Grand Island Illustrated." This little volume was published by D. C. Dunbar & Co., Omaha, Nebraska, and the engravings and cuts were furnished by Gibson, Miller & Richardson, lithographers, Omaha. The book was as its title page indicated, "a comprehensive sketch of the city's growth, attractions and resources." The right-hand pages carried also photographs of O. A. Abbott, W. H. Piatt, A. H. Baker, O. B. Thompson, C. W. Scarff, Dr. C. T. Poe, Charles Wasmer, Dr. J. C. Denise.

There is no section of all the splendid state of Nebraska which equals in agricultural excellence that portion known as the Platte valley, lying contiguous to the cheif river of the state and traversing it from the western to the eastern boundar}' line. And in the very heart of the rich valley is situated Hall County, of which Grand Island is the county seat and the chief city in the valley - the base of supplies for as fine a section of rapidly developing country as there is on the face of the globe.

Nothing But The Truth Put Forth

This publication has not been issued for boom purposes. It has not been issued to sell anybody's fictitiously-valued real estate. Its purpose is much better than advertising literature. It is designed to bring to the attention of people seeking a place for location or investment the merits of Grand Island, nothing more. Its citizens are conservative and would not give countenance to any publication which indulged misrepresentation. Come and see for yourself, if Grand Island has not all that is claimed for it herein.

During the 'nineties more than a hundred of the business men established the Business Men's Club. Before it had hardly been established long enough to do much practical work, other than conduct interesting debates on important questions and appoint committees to investigate certain matters and make preparations for practical results, it came face to face with the problem of deciding whether Hall County would make an exhibit at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition.

W. Brininger, corresponding secretary, office in the Grand Island Banking Co.'s building, A. F. Buechler, recording secretary, and James Cleary, treasurer. The club had a large room in the Independent building for its meetings.

The Commercial Club

The Commercial Club was organized in Grand Island in 1904, for the purpose, as stated inj its constitution, of favoring "all commercial, industrial, agricultural and social interests of Grand Island and Hall County and to do all in its power to increase the growth and promote the general welfare of our community." Its members, then about fifty in number, elected Charles G. Ryan, president, R. Goehring, vice-president, S. N. Wolbach, treasurer, A. F. Buechler, secretary, and H. H. Glover, Henry Schuff and James A. Rourke, members of the executive committee, and the officers as members ex-officio. These officers were twice re-elected and served three terms.

The club maintained four standing committees of three to five members each, on Retail Affairs, on Wholesale Aft'airs, on Good Roads, and on Municipal Affairs.

During the year 1906-7 the club arranged a trade excursion to Ord, and was instrumental in bringing to Grand Island the state convention of cement users, and aided in bringing the state fireman's convention, and secured the state convention of the Nebraska League of Commercial Clubs.

About this time President Ryan was elected mayor and resigned the position and L. M. Talmage was president for a time. A. F. Buechler was appointed postmaster shortly thereafter and could not continue the work of the secretary, also resigning. In 1912-13 the officers were: M. L. Dolan, president; F. W. Ashton, vice-president; S. N. Wolbach, treasurer; A. D. Boehm, secretary.

budget and the employment of a paid secretary. A. M. Conners, who had been traffic manager for the Masey Milling Co., of Omaha, was elected and was supported by an enlarged executive committee consisting of M. L. Dolan, chairman; Henry Schuff, C. C. Hansen, L. M. Talmadge, A. F. Buechler, Richard Goehring, J. D. Whitmore, E. Williams, A. C. Menck, C. H. Tully, S. Hexter, C. E. Fralick, T. H. Fritts, J. Donald.

At this time there was an active Retail Merchants Association running, of which Sam Hexter was president; A. L. Beegle, vicepresident; John Alexander, secretary; Oscar Veit, treasurer; executive committee, A. W. Buchheit, A. L. Beegle, H. H. Glover, August Meyer, Oscar Roeser, Robert McAllister.

In 1914 R. Goehring was president; J. D. Whitmore, vice-president; Emil Wolbach, treasurer; A. M. Conners, secretary. The executive committee then was R. Goehring, J. D. Whitmore, Emil Wolbach, A. F. Buechler, Fred W. Ashton, L. M. Talmage, J. Donald, C. H. Tully, Elmer Williams, C. C. Hansen, C. E. Fuhrer, Oscar Veit, J. L. Cleary, M. L. Dolan, A. J. Denman, C. W. Brininger, E. W. Augustine.

The report of the officers at annual meeting of January 9, 1915, showed the county fair had been put on its feet. The committee which had handled that proposition for the club were A. F. Buechler, D. H. Vantine, L. C. Lawson, J. D. Whitmore and President R. Goehring and Secretary A. M. Conners. State conventions secured for Grand Island in 1914, were the Odd Fellows, G. A. R., poultry show, Pure Breed Horse Dealer's Association, State Commercial Clubs, Lincoln Highway Association, Bakers' convention. Moving Picture men, retail liquor dealers, state druggists and variety merchants meet, and sheriffs of the state.

In 1915 the officers were C. W. Brininger, president, J. L. Cleary, vice-president and chairman of executive committee, A. M. Conners, treasurer, Emil Wolbach.

David Kaufman became president in 1917, and Attorney A. L. Joseph succeeded Mr. Mason as secretary and served for about two years. In 1919 A. E. Nagelstock wes elected president and August Meyer vice-president. Secretary Joseph resigned and after the newr budget was subscribed the club again decided to employ a full-time, trained secretary and secured G. S. Otis, who had been secretary at Miles City, Montana, and Sheridan, Wyoming, and came to the club well recommended. For sometime the retail merchants' association worked with the same secretary, A. L. Joseph. John R. Geddes as president was succeeded by August Meyer. The executive committee of the Commercial Club in 1919 are E. W. Augustine, Thos. E. Bradstreet, J. L. Cleary, L. Donald,- E. Williams, Ed L. Brown, August Meyer, John R. Geddes, E. W. Hurst, A. E. Nagelstock, D. Kaufman, C. W. Brininger, Emil Wolbach, R. Goehring, A. C. Menck, F. W. Ashton, W. E. Clayton. The present membership of the club is shown in the following report made to the club by the 1919 membership committee:

At the meeting of the executive committee of the Commercial Club last night, the special drive committee reported the result of the work, including alphabetized list of the present members. The report was received and President Naglestock complimented the committee on its success, and the very agreeable manner in which Grand Island's citizenship responded. On motion of Mr. Brininger and seconded by Mr. August Meyer, the report was adopted, and a vote of thanks tendered to the committee for its services. The report is as follows :

Gentlemen : The special "publicity committee" appointed by you to devise plans and to conduct a drive for a budget of $10,000, at least fifty per cent of which, by your decree, is to be expended for some specific good roads purpose, begs leave to report as follows :

The total amount secured in a drive, for which we adopted the slogan, "Ten Thousand Dollars in Ten Days," is $10,752.50. We did not begin actual drive until the morning after the Commercial Club dinner at the Liederkranz on Thursday evening, March 27th, counting Friday as the first day. The $10,000 mark was passed on the Saturday noon of the week following, or at the expiration of eight and a half days. In addition to the list at that time published, the sum of $400 was later added. The drive, thus, also added over one hundred new members to the roster of the club. The members are as follews:

Since Mr. Otis took charge a credit bureau and a rate and traffic bureau have been established and the activities of the club organized and extended. The club now occupies five rooms in the Connor building as its quarters and holds frequent banquets at the Auditorium (Liederkranz Hall).