Hastings City

Hastings City

Tlie location of a settlement upon the land on which the City of Hastings stands was due to the oiJeration of American hnmigration agencies in Great Britain. These agencies, through the means of advertisements inserted in the British newspapers and through personal interviews with prosjDective colonists, set forth in glowing terms the inducements offered in the middle western section and other parts of the United States not already jjopidated.

There assembled in Liverpool one day a little company of colonists bound for America, who eventually settled in Hastings, Xeb. They embarked upon passenger vessel Scandinavia of the Allan Line, and in due time arrived in Portland, INIe. From Portland they continued Avestward, as directed by the immigration agents, until they reached Lincoln. Here they bought horses and wagons, a few simple agricultural implements and provisions and continued their journey overland. In the spring of 1871. in either April or JMay, this little company halted at Thirty-Two Mile Creek.

A number of these colonists had had no experience in farming before coming to the prairie country, some others had had a little experience with farming as it was carried on in the British Isles. On the whole, it was a dreary outlook, but as George Wilkes remarked: "We couldn't walk back, so there was nothing to do but stay." Among these colonists were Joseph Hopkins, John G. JNIoore, Tliomas Watts, William Wallace and famil}', Walter IMicklen, Thomas Johnson, jNIr. Binfield and family, George Wilkes, Thomas B. Wilkes, James KemiJ, the Rev. J. F. Clarkson and Will Roberts. The women of the colony were INIrs. Wallace, IMrs. Watts and ^Irs. Binfield.

The greater number of these British inmiigrants took homesteads in the vicinity of Hastings, the land upon which jNIicklen settled afterward becoming the site of the original to^ni. INIicklen's homestead is described as the west half of the southeast quarter of section 12, townsliip 7. range 10. The boundaries of the original town are as fol- GO

The eighty acres adjoining the original town on the west was the lioniestead of John Gillespie Moore; out of a portion of this holding ^Moore's addition was platted. James ^Vatts took for his homestead the eighty acres immediately west of that taken hy Moore. Thomas Johnson homesteaded the eighty acres to the east of IMicklen's land, the eastern boundarj' being Wabash Avenue. The addition w'hen platted was therefore called Johnson's addition. The half section tluis described became the possession of members of the British colony in 1871. They were located on their places by Surveyor Babcock of Jimiata. Of the remainder of section 12, Samuel Alexander homesteaded the northeast quarter in the spring of 1872. The east half of the northwest quarter was the homestead of James Haire, who came to Nebraska from Michigan. The west half of the northwest quarter was filed upon by George Grosse. The locations of these homesteads may be identified today by the additions which bear the names of the original settlers.

The first dwelling house was built of sod by Walter Micklen on his homestead in 1871. It was located near the corner of Third Street and Burlington Avenue. About the same time. Watts and Johnson put up sod houses on their claims. Watts' sod shantj' stood near the pi-esent location of the residence of Emil Polenske, 1235 West Second Street. In the same year John G. INIoore erected a small frame shack, which was the first frame building to be erected in the town. This building stood between Second and Third streets, not far from Saunders Avenue. The lumber to build this shack was hauled from Grand Island. The activities of these British colonists constituted all the life in Hastings during 1871.

The following year showed a very considerable growth. On Ajiril 22d Samuel Alexander arrived. He came to Hastings on the recommendation of Thomas Kennard, Nebraska's first secretary of state, by whom he was employed. Mr. Alexander when he came did not intend to remain. His plan was to file upon a quarter section of land, live upon it the one year required by law, and then return to Lincoln. Instead, he was caught in the whirl of new town development, and it is interesting to note that he did not again see INIr. Kennard until after the lapse of twenty years. Indeed, he continued to reside in Hastings until his death, April 19, 1908, and upon the day of his funeral the business houses of Hastings remained closed for one hour as a mark of respect for the pioneer.

vinced that the little settlement had a very fair show to become a considerable town. Upon his homestead he erected a frame dwelling liouse, the second to be built in the town. This structure was 20 feet long b}^ 10 feet wide. It stood immediately west of the present Alexander residence at the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Lincoln Avenue. Towards the end of the spring he also erected a frame store building of about the same dimensions as the house, and installed a small general merchandise stock. This was the beginning of the mercantile business in Hastings. The store faced south on the south side of First Street, at about 15 North Hastings Avenue, the present location of the Hastings Fuel Company. Lumber for this building was hauled from Inland, afterward known as "Old Inland," and "Halloran," which was located on the southwest quarter of section 12 in Blaine Township, four miles east of Hastings.

Mrs. Alexander joined her husband the IMay following his arri\al and at once encountered the difficulties of housekeeping in a pioneer western town. A new three-ply carpet served to divide the little house on Seventh Street into two rooms. Small as the house was, it was necessary to supply board and lodging to many who were joining in the struggle to make a town upon the prairie. Among those who from time to time or for certain periods found entertainment in the Alexander home were F. J. Benedict, C. Ct. Ingalls, C. K. Lawson, G. H. Pratt, Tom Farrell and many others. Mrs. Alexander arrived before the small house was completed and found her first night's lodging in Hastings in the frame shack of John G. ]Moore, the latter generously yielding his own apartments to JNIrs. Alexander and JNIrs. Schryer, the latter also seeing the first of the new country, where she came to join her husband on his homestead.

The Alexanders were jjrovided with foodstuff enough to last one year, among the provisions being a barrel of hams, and a like quantity of shoulders; dried meats, bacon and cookies were also of the stock. Corn meal and flour of an excellent quality were procured from Crete. Sometimes it was necessary to resort to the use of grease from the bacon for shortening, but those, it must be remembered, were days of vigorous apjietites. At first water was hauled to the Alexander liome from the Hudson farm, about two miles west; later a well was sunk and ]\Irs. Alexander enjoyed the luxury of drawing water 110 feet.

S. S. Dow arrived in Hastings from Wisconsin ]May 28, 1872, and established a land office. During the ensuing year ]\Ir. Dow located 270 homesteads, from which it can be seen that at this date tlie growth in population was distinctly encouraging to the settlers.

In June, about the 17th of the month, C. G. Ingalls, accompanied liy liis nejihew, F. J. Benedict, arrived. ]\Ir. Ingalls had been located in Galesburg, 111., but JMr. Benedict came from the State of New- York. The two first visited York, and in a hotel there heard about tlie advantages offered by Adams County, and especially of the vicinity around Hastings. Acting upon this information, they came to Juniata and the next day procured a team and wagon from John J. Jacobson and drove to the settlement of Plastings. It was a distressingly hot day when they arrived, but accompanied by ]Mr. Dow, they immediately set out to view the prospect. About four miles northeast of Hastings, in the vicinity of the "Bob Norton farm," they bioke the lynch pin and were stranded on the prairie. Benedict leported that he had seen a wagon in Hastings and he was delegated to negotiate a loan so that the land seekers might load the broken wagon upon another and retiu'n it to Juniata. In this Benedict succeeded. He borrowed also a bucket from INIrs. Alexander, and with the pail in one hand and guiding the team with the other, he made liis way back to Dow and Ingalls. The prairie was an unbroken expanse and the young Mr. Benedict experienced some difficulty in finding his companions. He could only keep his direction straight liy observing the poles of the telegraph line along the Biu'lington track. jNIr. Ingalls was so thirsty and tlie sun was so relentless that liis impression of Adams County was far from being the best. The following day, however, they again visited Hastings and both were located on homesteads. Mr. Benedict secured employment to haul lumber with which to build the Alexander store, and thus he won the distinction of hauling from Inland the material for the first business house. ]Mr. Ingalls' homestead was located in what is now the northeast section of Hastings and the frame house that he built upon it was the third frame dwelling to be built in the town. During the summer of 1872, John Jung established the first butcher shop.

So encouraging was the outlook for a town, owing to the development in the earlier months of 1872, that Thomas Farrell and Walter Micklen took tlie first definite steps for its formation. They employed Charles W. Colt of Lowell to survey and plat INIicklen's eighty acres. This work was completed by JMr. Colt and the plat filed with the county clerk, R. D. Babcock, at Juniata, at 11 o'clock A. ]M., October 1.), 1872. On the plat the northern boundary of the town. Seventh Street, is called North Street, and the St. Joseph & Denver is shown as crossing the town diagonally from southeast to northwest, crossing the Burlington between Hastings and Lincoln avenues. While the road was graded through the city in this direction, a considerable jjortion of the ilistance toward Kearney, rails were never laid, on account of lack of funds. Streets were platted on each side of this grade; the street south of the grade was called South Railroad Street and the street north North Railroad Street. On September 27, 1872, Walter JNIicklen disposed of the west half of his holding to Thomas Farrell for $500.

It Avas on July 13, 1872, that Charles K. Lawson arrived in Hastings, coming from Galesburg, 111., where he was in business with George H. Pratt as his jjartner. ]Mr. Lawson at once grew enthusiastic at the prospects he beheld in the new country from Crete to Hastings. He at once wrote to INIr. Pratt, advising that he sell their store in Illinois and open business in Hastings. ISlr. Pratt visited Hastings early in August, remaining in the settlement about ten days. A buffalo hunt was arranged for during this visit, and ]Mr. Lawson saw to it that his partner saw a great deal of the sin-- rounding country, and the result was that JNIr. Pratt was convinced that ^Ii-. Lawson's estimate of the country was correct. He returned to Illinois in a few days to dispose of their interests there. From Rock Island lumber was ordered shijjped for the erection of a store at Hastings. Later, Mr. Pratt sent A. H. Cramer to Hastings to assist ]Mr. Lawson in building the store and getting ready for business. Mr. Cramer was in the employ of Pratt & Lawson in Illinois. He arrived in Hastings October 1, 1872.

The store erected by Pratt & Lawson stood on the northeast corner of Hastings Avenue and First Street. It was called "The Headquarters Store," and fronted south on First Street, and a large stock of general supplies was carried. In addition, the firm dealt in horses and mules, for which there was a growing demand from the large number of incoming homesteaders. Bacon, corn meal and flour were the great staples of those days. Cornbread and pork were a large part of the diet upon which the pioneer work was carried on. The establishing of a second store on the scale of the "Headquarters" was one of the most important events of 1872, outside of the beginning of railway transportation.

Shortly after the town was ])latted, Samuel Alexander formed a business partnership with A. W. Wheeler, a homesteader, and the firm of Alexander & Wheeler late in 1872 erected a new store at the corner of Hastings Avenue and Second Street. W. H. Stock, who, with his wife and his brother, Theodore Stock, arrived in Hastings in the fall of 1872 from Illinois, purchased the first store occupied by jNIr. Alexander and moved it to the east side of Hastings Avenue. In its new location on tlie south side of First Street the store faced north on about the second lot east of the Hastings Avenue corner. On the first lot Pratt & Lawson had sunk a well, which was used publicly. ]Mr. Stock used the store as a meat market and residence. It might be noted here that the son born to JNIr. and Mrs. W. H. Stock in the spring of 1873 was the first child to be born in Hastings. In honor of that fact, the Hastings Town Company deeded two lots in Johnson's addition to the newcomer, who was named Claudius Hastings Stock. A few months following the birth of the boy Mrs. Stock died, and this death was probably the first to take place in the new town. In the nineteenth year of his age, Claudius Hastings Stock Avas drowned in Illinois by breaking through the ice while skating. The lots deeded to him are now in the possession of his sister, Mrs. Harl ]M. Alexander. The Alexander home at 31.) West Third Street stands upon one of the lots.

The Roaring Gimlet, Hastings' first hotel, was erected bj^ Morris and Eugene Alexander in the winter of 1872-3. It was located on Plastings Avenue, a short distance south of the Burlington track. At almost the same time the Inter-Ocean, another hostelry, was erected by Capt. E. S. Wells. This old landmark still survives ujion its oiiginal location south of the Burlington track and immediately east of the plant of tlie Central Nebraska JNIillwork Company. Captain Wells was a sea cajitain, and is remembered as a jolly old tar, fond of spinning yarns of varying degrees of credibility. He remained in Hastings for a number of years and then moved farther west, his wife remaining in Hastings. The old house at the southeast corner of St. Joseph Avenue and South Street is still the property of INIrs. Wells. Avlio resides in Lincoln.

Late in the fall of 1872 E. Steineau opened a clothing and dry goods store on the north side of First Street, between Hastings and Denver avenues. During this year, also, C. G. Ingalls and F. J. Benedict established an implement and lumber business. Afterwards Mr. Benedict was employed at the Headquarters Store for Pratt &: Lawson, eventually bm'ing an interest and continuing in the grocery business for many years. The events narrated outline the principal developnlents of Hastings during 1871 and 1872.

The Hastings Toavx Com Pax Y.

The development of Hastings, which had got well under way by the end of 1872, continued throughout 1873 with rapidity that augured well for the new town. With two railroads in operation and liomesteaders arriving in large numbers every week, there was a

April 17, 1873, the Hastings Town Company was incorporated as a joint stock company. The purpose of this company was to sell lots in the townsite of Hastings. The capital stock was $4.,000, in shares of $100 each, to be paid on organization. Shares Avere divided as follows among the members: William B. Slosson for Slosson Bros., ten shares; James D. Carl and William L. Smith, ten shares each; Thomas E. P^'arrell and Walter ^I. INIicklen, five shares each. Certificates of stock signed by the president and the secretary were issued for the respective subscribers and the certificates were received by the members of the corporation as pay for their interest in the land of the townsite of Hastings. By their cliarter, the corporation was to expire one year from April 20, 1873. On April 9, 1874, the company was reorganized with new members. These were Henry Beitel, Rudoliih Beitel, George H. Pratt, Charles K. Lawson and Samuel Slosson. At the expiration of the renewed charter, ]May 18, 187-5, the company made partition of the lots of the townsite remaining imsold. For this piu'pose they divided the lots pro rata according to the amount of stock of each member, after an appraisal had been made of the value of the lots divided, and tliey were assigned in proportion to the interest of each stockholdei'.

Of the original organizers of the Hastings Town Company, only two are liAing, Walter JMicklen and William B. Slosson. It was early in, the '70s that Mr. INIicklen sold his interest in Hastings. He now lives in Guntersville, Ala. William B. Slosson lives in Houston, Tex. Thomas E. Farrell remained in Hastings for many years and was prominently identified with its development. He died in Cripjjle Creek. William L. Smith died in California. Rudolph and Henry Beitel. who became members of the company at its reorganization, came to Hastings from Texas. Relatives of the family still own interests in the city. The Slossons came to Hastings fi'om Sabetlia, Kan. Charles K. I^awson and George H. Pratt are still in Inisinessin the town which they assisted to organize.

The Hastings Town Comjjany built a small ofl^ice on Second Street, about midway between Denver and Hastings avenues, and at once pushed vigorously the sale of town lots and the general interests of the village. On July 19th they stinudated the sale of lots bv announcing a general sale and offering to refund the price of railroad tickets bought Avithin a radius of 100 miles. The sale, or more particidarly the announcement of it, did a great deal to advertise Hastings, and it was at this time that its re])utation spread throughout the south central and southwestern parts of Nebraska. It was known as the town of live business and its future was ahiiost universally believed in. By the close of this year, C. H. Paul had an exclusive boot and shoe store on Second Street, about where the Barnes clothing store is now located. Charles Cameron, who resided in Lincoln, had erected a large mercantile establishment at the corner of Hastings Avenue and First Street, at about the present location of the Exchange National Bank. This store was operated for Mr. Cameron by a man by the name of Smith. On the north side of Second Street, about half way between Denver and Hastings avenues, Andreas Vieth had a furniture store. On the southwest corner of Hastings Avenue and Second Street stood the hardware store of Forcht liros., while a short distance east, R. V. Shockey was the projjrietor of another hardware establishment. Oswald Oliver opened a lumber yard in this year, the location being not far from the present site of the Oliver establishment on the southwest corner of Burlington Avenue and First Street. B. H. Brown & Son had an implement and lumber business, having bought out Ingalls & Benedict.

It was in 1873 that Hastings held the first Fourth of July celebration. A mass meeting to consider the proposition was called for June 17th. T. E. Farrell was the presiding officer and W. F. J. Comley was the secretary. It was the motion of JM. K. Lewis that the Foiu-th be celebrated that started the first definite action. The celebration included a paiade, speaking and literary program and fireworks at night. There was an accident with the firewo -ks and they were all fired at once, captious critics afterward saying that this was a jjlot on the part of the committee to enable them to conceal the fact that they had pocketed the funds raised for the pyrotechnical displa,y. Capt. A. D. Yocum led the procession. The invocation was ])ronounced by Rev. I. D. Newell, and the next in order was the reading of the Declaration of Independence by W. A. Smith. In the afternoon, W. L. Smith spoke on the subject, "Hastings, the Future Metropolis of Nebraska," and R. V. Shockey discussed "The Ladies of Nebraska, Their IMission and ^Merits." Others who spoke were J. M. Abbott, R. A. Batty, M. K. Lewis and A. D. Rust.

April 13. 1873. was the date of the beginning of the most remarkable storm that ever swept over Adams County. The morning dawned bright and clear and was hailed as the first day of spring. Towards noon the sky became clouded and a slow rain drizzled. By the middle of the afternoon the rain changed to sleet. So heavy was the sleet that it soon became almost impossible for pedestrians to make their way about the streets of the Adams County villages. In Hastings a rope was tied to the Headquarters Store and running to the well at the southeast corner of Hastings Avenue and First Street, and by means of this the people guided themselves in that section of the town. Business became impracticable, and only the most daring would venture out, and homesteaders who were in town had to remain until the storm ceased^ thereby causing no end of worry to the folks who had been left at home. The storm lasted for three days, and much damage to stock resulted throughout the county. Four new arrivals in Hastings at the time were the INIartin boys, Lou JNIartin being one, John Sherman, and Dr. A. D. Buckworth. These j^laced themselves under the care of Charles Kohl, who was one of the few who ventured to move about the streets, and thus were able twice a day to make their way from their sleeping quarters to one of the hotels. In the hostelries were a nmnber of women who, with their husbands, had come to the new country to make their home. As there seemed to be no abatement to the storm, not a few of these gave way to tears, menaced by the thought that tliey had come out upon the prairie to perish.

A farmer by the name of JNlarshall was found after the storm frozen to death at his farm on Pawnee Creek. Apparently he had gone out to the stable to feed his horses and had been unable to find his way back to the house. More fortunate was Bob Norton, though he underwent a trying experience on his homestead four miles northeast of Hastings. Upon the second daj^ Mr. Norton managed to make his way to his stable to feed his team. Having his bearings when he left the house, he experienced no particular difficulty in finding the stable, but when he was ready to go back he was unable to tell one direction from another. The world was nothing more than a whirling M'hite fury. JNIr. Norton remained in the stable two days and a night without food, and had become quite weakened from the exposure. After tlie storm many tales of hardship were narrated by those who had felt the fury of tlie elements. In Hastings the snowdrifts were fully 12 feet higli. It was the dampness of tlie sleet that made the cold of that storm so deadly. P. A. Boyd, who was located -on a homestead near Roseland, says that when a man first went out of doors it did not seem as cold as it has in subsequent storms, but before one was exposed more than a few minutes one felt the cold as though he had been drenched in ice water. Adams County has had several severe storms of various kinds, but no storm has left so

First City Election

AVhile the activities of Hastings in 1872 and 1873 were satisfactory and promising, it was not until 1874 that what had hitherto been the settlement of Hastings was incorporated. It was declared an incorporated town by the board of commissioners on April 20th of that yea)'. The board of tmstees named by the board were INI. K. Lewis, A. U. Buckworth, J. G. B. Smith, A. W. Cox and H. A. Forcht. On INIay 4th the trustees held their first meeting in the office of the Town Company. ]M. K. Lewis was made chairman of the board. At their first meeting the trustees elected city officers as follows: W. F. J. Comley, city clerk; W. A. Smith, treasurer; T. E. Farrell, collector; G. W. Mowrey, marshal; G. D. Pierce, attorney; L. E. Gould, police judge; C. H. Paul, assessor; C. K. Lawson and R. V. Shockey, flue inspectors. The position of flue inspector, no longer a city office, reminds us that at that date all buildings were of wood and it was the pvn-pose of the trustees to guard against fire.

The first ordinance enacted by the trustees was at the meeting held May 30, 1874. This ordinance required that sidewalks be built 6 feet wide, of 1-inch boards, with four stringers running lengthwise with the street. The first financial enactment came up for discussion June 2.5, 1874, when a resolution was adopted providing that a tax of 10 mills be levied on all personal property. The ordinance finally resulting from that resolution authorized the raising of $500 for general revenue purposes. A short time afterward the levy was reduced to 5 mills. It was on June 25th, also, that Hastings was organized into a city of the second class. It was divided into three wards. All of the city lying south of the Burlington track was designated the First Ward; all west of Hastings Avenue and north of the Burlington track was the Second Ward, and all east of Hastings Avenue and north of the Burlington track was the Third AVard. These ward divisions remained vmtil 1886, when the Fourth Ward was created and the boundary lines changed. Since 188(5 the ward divisions have been as follows: First Ward, south of the Burlington main line tracks ; Second Ward, north of the Burlington and west of the center line of Burlington Avenue; Third Ward, north of the Bm'lington and between the center lines of Burlington and St. Joseph avenues; Fourth Ward, north of the Burlington and west of the center line of St. Joseph Avenue. In the spring of 1916 the First, Second

The bond of the early city treasurer was fixed at $.500, and the mayor's at the same figiu-e. The marshal gave bond for $200. At jn-esent the bond of the city treasurer is $25,000, and the city clerk's $.5,000. The trustees called an election for the selection of city oiRcers to be held August 8, 187-t. When the trustees canvassed the returns on August 10th, they threw out the returns from the First and Third wards on account of irregularities. The returns from the Second Ward also were irregular. Thej^ were not thrown out, however, the committee postponing action upon them until the following evening. When the next night the committee reported, they declared the returns from the Second Ward were "regular and jjroper, but diff"erent from what they Avere at the last meeting." The trustees then canvassed the vote from the Second Ward and declared the following officials had been elected: JNIayor, H. A. Forcht; clerk, G. D. Pierce; police judge, L. C. Gould: treasurer, J. G. B. Smith: marshal. Alfred Berg: councilmen, J. INI. Smith and John E. Wood.

A good deal of feeling had been aroused, howe\'er, wlien the returns from two of the wards had been thrown out, with the result that no sooner had the first officials been declared elected than they resigned. A. D. Buckworth was notably active in the first city politics, and lie and M. K. Lewis, also active, were all but sworn enemies.

^^^hen the officers resigned, Mr. Buckworth urged that another election be called for August 27th. The trustees, however, were not precipitate and did not order an election vuitil September 22, 1874. The officials who have served the city since the first election have been as follows:

In 187> iMi". Paul failed to qualify and M. Iv. Lewis was elected at a special election to fill the vacancy. July 15, 1901, Jacob Fisher resigned and R. V. S hockey became acting mayor, serving until the next regular election. JNIayor INIiles served as mayor continuously for eleven years and was not a candidate for office when succeeded by JNIayor Ingraham.

City Clerk

A. T. Bratton, city clerk, is an institution of the city; almost as much so as tlie city council itself, or the city schools. Mr. Bratton has occui)ied the position continuously for fifteen years. Successive councils have learned to look upon the city clerk as authority upon the records of his office and the procedure of the municipal body.

\y. F. J. Comley was the first clerk and acted in that capacity witli the trustees governing Hastings as a village until G. D. Pierce qualified following the election of September 22, 1874. Mr. Bratton Avas acting clerk from the resignation of E. A. Francis, September 2, 1001. until his election April 1. 1902. The following have been the elections to the office of city clerk: contests that developed. Judge Reynolds filled this office for twelve years, serving continuously from his election April 2, 1895, until the election of David Bryson, April 2, 1907. At the spring election of 1886 Najioleon B. Vineyard and John F. Ballinger were the candidates, and after the election both claimed to have been elected. Ballinger had occupied the position since 1882 and refused to yield. For a number of months both judges held court, until the election was finally decided by the District Coiu't and Judge Vineyard was declared to be police judge.

The next disjHite about this office was in 1911, between Joseph Myer and James A. Benson. Judge jMjer was first elected April 6, 1909. Before the next election, state legislation changed the office to that of police magistrate. Under this provision it ceased to be a city office. Acting on the advice of counsel, however, Judge INIyer ran for reelection April i, 1911, at the time of the election of city officers. At the next general election, November 7, 1911, James A. Benson ran for the office of police magistrate, and upon the vote of that claimed the office. Judge ]Myer declared that there was no vacancy and refused to yield. The matter was in dispute until JNIay 1, 1912, when Judge INIyer yielded to Judge Benson upon a compromise agreement.

At the November election in 1914 Judge Benson was opposed by Karl D. Beghtol. Judge Beglitol claimed the office by one vote. Judge Benson refused to yield the office, on the gTound of the illegality of some of the votes cast by mail for Beghtol. Not until April 1, 1915, did Judge Beghtol receive the order from the District Court giving him jjossession of the office. Judge Beghtol is the present police magistrate. Elections to this office have been as follows :

Past And Present Of Adams Couxty T3

1, 191;). Karl D. Beghtol, the present incumbent, elected Xovember 3, 1914; took office April 1, 1915. James A. Benson was again elected November 7, 1916, defeating "Sir. Beghtol for reelection.

Chief Of Police

Alfred Berg was elected the first marshal, or chief of police, in the two elections of August 27 and September '22, 1874. After that the office was filled by William Brown and Joseph C. Williams successively. William H. Stock was appointed chief by Mayor Alexander in 1886, but resigned and J. C. Williams was appointed tem])orarily. George Crane was the next chief and filled the office until he resigned to take the office of sheriff.

Charles H. Wanzer was appointed by ]Mayor Yocum to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of ]\Ir. Crane and assumed the office January 1, 1890. Mr. Wanzer was the chief until 1896. G. J. Evans was elected mayor in the spring of 1896 but did not appoint a chief for about two months after the resignation of Chief Wanzer. Sir. I^ivans appointed Andrew Lepinski who resigned toward the close of Mr. Evans' administration to take a position as policeman at the then new Biu'lington station at Omaha. JNIayor Fisher appointed Lew Martin who resigned before the close of the administration and Chief Wanzer was again appointed by ]Mayor Fisher, and continued chief until he resigned in October, 1908. JMayor Miles then appointed William Widmier, who had been acting chief for some time because of the illness of Chief Wanzer and who had been a patrolman since about 1897. Chief Widmier was succeeded in the spring of 1913 by George Harm, who served until Chief Raymond Crosson was appointed by ]Mayor William JMadgett in the spring of 191,5. Chief Crosson is a major of the third batallion, national giiard, and was given leave of absence while with his regiment on patrol duty on the Mexican border in 1916. Since the dei^arture of Chief Crosson, Bob Carter has been acting chief. Patrolman Joseph Budnek, now on the force, has been in the service since about 1900.

Closely related to this subject is the account of the action of Sheriff W. A. Cole who was severely wounded while discharging his duty on the afternoon of June 12, 1916. Sheriff Cole, accompanied by his deputy, Charles W. Wilson, went to the farm residence of Bert Whitcomb which is located on the east half of the northeast quarter of section 24. in Little Blue township, to serve a writ of ejectment upon

Wliitconib. ^Vhen ^Vhitconib, who had been informed by the deputy of the i)urpose of the visit of the officers, caught sight of the sheriff he immediately opened tire with a revolver. The officer took shelter behind a self-binder and began to return the fire. A number of shots were exchanged. Sheriff Cole received three wounds and ^^^hitcomb four Avounds. ^^^hitcomb was brought to Hastings by the sheriff and his deputies.

As a result of a wound received in this action it was necessary to amputate the right leg of Sheriff Cole about three inches below the knee. Whitcomb was in the hospital for many months and his trial is pending.

April 6, 187.5 - George F. Work. J. L. Parrott (Parrott failed to qualify and the records do not show that anybody was elected in his place, although special elections were called October 8, 187^3, and Januarv 10. 1876). Robert INIorledge, Fred Forcht, J. INI. Smith and T. E. Farrell.

April 1, 1884 - Jacob Wooster, E. C. Webster, C. K. Lawson. AVilliam Breede was elected in the Third Ward to succeed Gant, who became mayor. Held over, Cramer, Stone.

April 7, 1885 - William Vastine, Charles Cameron, O. Oliver, I. \V. Cramer was appointed July 13th to succeed JNIr. Vastine, resigned. Held over, ^\''ooster, Webster, Lawson.

April 7, 1891 - A. C. JNIoore, Charles Cameron, T. J. Creeth (Creeth left in office on account of a tie vote), Mark Levy. D. M. McElhinney was appointed July 13, 1891, to succeed Jacob Heiler, resigned. Held over. Rittenhouse, Fisher. Fuller.

April .5. 1892 - H. B. Borley. J. Thomas, William Brach, C. J. Hamot. J. Fisher. E. S. Fowler was api)ointed September 12, 1892, to succeed Jacob Fisher, resigned. J. ¥j. Bruce was appointed February 18, 1893, to succeed Charles Cameron, deceased. Held over, JNIoore, Levy.

April .5, 1904 - R. B. Williams, E. L. Gauvreaii. O. C. Zinn, j\I. M. Haynes. D. JNI. Ball was elected from the Fourtli AVard to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of R. V. Shockey. Held over, Langevin, Snyder, Johnson.

April, 1914 - William Harm, Ernest Butzirus, William Westering. Joseph A. Gardiner, P. R. Renner, O. C. Zinn, A. J. Van Every, Walter Livingston.

A])ril, 1915 - Ernest Butzirus, William Harm, Joseph A. Gardiner. E. INIiller, O. C. Zinn, P. R. Renner, Walter Livingston, A. J. Van Every.