Lincoln City (part 13 of 19)

In the month of August while I was on a trip to the river with a load of salt, a panic occurred, the story of which I shall relate in brief as told by my better half who helped to enjoy it in full. During the day word was received that all the settlement on the Blue had been murdered, and from every appearance the Indians would bounce upon the Salt Creek settlement that night. It was nearly dark, wife and children were at the mercy of the neighbors, as they had no team. Uncle Peter Bellows came to the rescue and with his broad German accent he said, "Mrs. Coax you shall go wid us." Blessed be the name of Uncle Peter forever, but Uncle Peter had his peculiarities. He was a great hand to gather up things, such as old log chains, old plow shares, broken pitchforks, horse shoes (he did not have a horse), ox yokes and all sorts of old irons. He was rich in old irons. In packing up to go Uncle Peter had, of course, to take the last one of those precious jewels, but in the hurry and excitement he forgot to take any provisions for the family. When he came for my wife he said, "Airs. Coax, we takes you and the childrens, but we can't take notings else. Veil dot ish so, hurry up mine Gott, the Injuns is coming sure." My wife protested that she must take something to eat, and some bedding, and finally persuaded him to take a sack of flour ( 50 pounds) and a ham of meat and a bed, provided she would walk herself. We then had three children, the oldest, Mrs. Kate Ruby of Marquette, Nebraska, then aged five years, the next aged three years, now Mrs. Nettie M. Pingree of Colby, Kansas, and then Elmer, aged sixteen months. The oldest girl walked and Nettie was perched upon the load of goods ; my wife carried the babe upon her right arm and with the left she carried one end of a trunk a mile and a half to the ford. The babe she carried the full ten miles that dark, stormy night. Wild with fright they went pell mell. Imagine if you can the terrors of that awful night, the rolling thunder, the lurid lightning, and the mortal dread of the savage foe. Weary and fainting they arrived at Shirley's ranch late at night. In the morning it developed that the sack of flour and meat ham were all the provisions in camp for a hundred hungry souls, except green corn bought of Shirley, but they had plenty of old irons. It further developed that there had been no hostile Indians within a full hundred miles.

When it became certain that the Union would triumph over the Confederate States, and there would be ample security here as elsewhere for life and property, then great numbers came. Also a further stimulus to settlement was the certainty of the building of the Union Pacific Railroad ; its eastern terminus had been fixed in the fall of 1864 and the first ground was broken, and it may fairly be said that Nebraska had awakened to a new and vigorous Hfe. Dviring the spring of 1864, having become convinced that it occasionally rained on Blue River, we made u\) our minds to cast our lot with the little settlement in the neighborhood where now stands the beautiful little city of Seward, and made preparations during the summer and accomplished our object, making the removal December ist. Thus ends our immediate connection with the struggling pioneers of Lancaster County.*

Birth Of Lincoln, Nebraska

Note. - The following paper was read before the Nebraska State Historical Society on January 14, 1908, and is reprinted from the Collections, \'olume XVL

When I returned to your city a few weeks ago after an absence of nearly forty years, I missed the once familiar faces of Elder Young, Doctor McKesson, John Cadman, Peter Schamp, Luke Lavender, and others of the pioneers who located the Town of I^ancaster, the county seat of Lancaster County. I have been able to find but three of these pioneers as yet. Judge Pound and Edward Warnes, who live in the city, and Mr. Hawker, now living at Havelock.

The question has been asked, "Plow did a few poor homesteaders manage to donate 800 acres of land to the State of Nebraska in order to locate the capital at this point?" We were all poor enough in money, but rich in land, or, perhaps, we were land-poor. The land we held had but little cash value. We had bought some of the best of it with "college scrip" at about sixty cents an acre and the rest we had taken under the homestead and preemption laws. We made the donation in this way : every settler within a few miles of Lancaster subscribed forty acres of land; then Dawson, Lavender and John Giles vacated as much of their farms as was needed to make the town site, and took other land and more of it in lieu of that which they relinquished.

Lavender gave up the eighty acres of his homestead on which the capitol is built and got as a balance an eighty of James Young which joined him on the east and a thousand dollars in cash. Plis demand for that thousand dollars came near wrecking the whole scheme. He was told that if he did not moderate his demands the capital would be located elsewhere, but he declared that rather than move away from his home and get nothing for his improvements he would let the capital go to the Blue River or elsewhere. After some heated talk about a rope necktie, tar and feathers, etc., we surrendered and in some way managed to satisfy him.

How this princely sum of a thousand dollars and some other hundreds needed to pay the Government for its claim on these lands was obtained I have no knowledge. I remember that Elder Miller was deeply interested in the scheme, but did not put in any money of his own. Pie asked me if I woidd not rather give $100 in cash than to give some of my land. I was willing but had not the money, so the elder took my note and advanced the cash.

If I remember aright, when I came to this place in the fall of 1866, there was but one house that had both a board floor and a shingle roof. Dawson and

Lavender lived in log houses with shingle roofs, but earthen floor. Elder Young's house had a board floor, but the roof was of earth. Doctor McKesson lived in a dugout half a mile north of O Street. Mr. Hardenbergh, who was interested in some salt works and kept a small store, had, 1 think, a stone house that was fairly comfortable and decently furnished. He was the one aristocrat of the town. He managed to sell out very soon after and return to New Jersey. There was some timber in the county at that time and one or two saw mills. A man by the name of Cozad had one of these mills not far from where the Burlington depot now stands. Town lots were so cheap they were offered free to anyone who would build a house worth $ioo. A friend of. mine secured a fifty foot lot on these terms just east of the present Journal office. He borrowed a wagon and two yoke of oxen, and I went with him to a sawmill on Oak Creek, where he loaded on cottonwood boards with which we built a shanty about sixteen by twenty or twenty-four feet. The snow was deep, we were poor teamsters, and had many mishaps by the way, but finally completed our task and moved into the new house on the first day of March, 1867 - a month long to be remembered by the early settlers of Nebraska, as every night the thermometer fell to zero or below. The last day of February was warm, the snow melted and every little ravine had a running stream. A poor man living at the salt basin driving an ox team could not force them through the' broken ice and melted snow. He labored with them until he was soaking wet, then the weather turned intensely cold and he got home at last so badly frozen that, after weeks of sufl:'ering, he insisted that his feet should be amputated, and Doctor McKesson undertook the operation. He had no proper amputation saw, and I wish, right here, to correct a story that has often been told that the Doctor used a common handsaw for this surgical work. He borrowed the saw from my partner, Mr. Biles, who now lives in Los Angeles, California. It was a stiff -back saw with fine teeth, suitable for use in cabinet work, which Biles had brought from London, and though larger than a surgeon's saw it was very well adapted for such an emergency. One foot was taken oft', but the patient was too weak to recover and died soon after.

There is another item of interest which I do not find recorded in the history, an incident which reflects honor on one of the early settlers in the new city. Darwin Peckham was a carpenter and contractor, and he built the stone block of two stories still standing on the northeast corner of O and Tenth streets, which was occupied by the banking house of James Sweet and Brock, the grocery house of Rudolph, and the general store of Martin Pilug & Brother. Whilst Mr. Peckham was busy earning money for the support of his family and perhaps laying the foundation for a modest competence, it was reported one day that in one of the hotels a man was sick with smallpox. He was at once taken to a shanty on the outskirts of the town, and a volunteer nurse was called for. Mr. Peckham undertook this disagreeable and dangerous duty, caught the disease himself and barely escaped a horrible death. There are many men today wearing those bronze buttons in the lapels of their coats and drawing pensions from a grateful nation for heroic services on a hundred battlefields who never performed a nobler deed, or suffered more for our common humanity than this unassuming citizen of whom I write.

The other day I stood on O Street and called the attention of a young law student to the lot on the corner of O and Eleventh streets, on which stands part of Rudge & Guenzel's store, and told him that I stood by and saw that lot sold for $87.50; and he asked me why all of us did not buy lots and grow rich by the investment. This is the question that naturally occurs to anyone at this late day, and in self-defense it should be answered.

Nebraska at that time was supposed to be a great desert, not only by eastern people, but those who lived in the towns along the Missouri River really thought there was no land worth cultivating so far west as Lancaster County. The location of the capital was regarded as a doubtful project, and men with money to invest stood by and saw these choice lots sold for a mere song. It must be remembered there was not a mile of railroad south of the Platte River; that a large part of Iowa was still a howling wilderness ; and even on the grand prairie in Central Illinois land could then be bought for five dollars an acre. Some of those who had faith in the city and made heavy investments came to grief when hard times came. One heroic woman told me the other day that she took in washings during several of those hard years so as to pay taxes and save the family property.

It is curious how soon some people forget. Mr. Bashley was the first lumber merchant in the city and some authorities say that Mr. Larkley was the first. Bashley and his son drove two mule teams to east Nebraska City and hauled lumber to the salt basin where I built a salt house for Tichenor & Green. Pine lumber came in with the advent of the capital. In Lancaster times we used Cottonwood and walnut. There was ver\- fine walnut timber at the time on the streams west of here.

In Lancaster times Jacob Dawson was postmaster and Judge Pound was his deputy. I am sorry that the judge did not hold that position a year longer ; if he had I should be $30.00 richer. The first Lincoln postmaster was a thief and I lost that $30.00 in the mail and the postmaster was sent to the penitentiary for this and other robberies. Captain Donovan, his father-in-law, induced Governor Butler to procure his pardon and he disappeared. S. B. Pound, the young lawyer, had so good a reputation for honesty, even in that early day, that a jury of six men, of whom I was one, refused to give a verdict against his client on the sole ground that three of the men declared it to be their unalterable conviction that Mr. Pound would not defend a case that was not absolutely correct and true.

Chapter Xii Lancaster And Lincoln Lot Exchanges

Whereas, Governor David Butler, J. Gillespie and T. P. Kennard, commissioners of location of the Town of Lincoln, to be the seat of government for the State of Nebraska, in the Cnited States of America, have promised to accept the southeast quarter of section 23 in township 10 north of range 6 east of the sixth principal meridian, according to the Government survey of the said state, and now surveyed and platted as the townsite of Lancaster, in the County of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have agreed to accept said quarter section of land, as part of the townsite of said townsite of Lincoln, provided the owners of lots in said townsite of Lancaster will submit to a resurvey of said townsite of Lancaster, to correspond with the plat and survey of the other portions of the Town of Lincoln, to be so located, platted and surveyed, and accept lots, falling in said plat and survey of Lincoln, upon the lots owned by such individuals in the townsite of Lancaster, or nearest thereto, when such lots shall he covered by a street ; said lots, in Lincoln, to be so accepted by such owners, in lieu of said Lancaster lots, shall be of the same superficial area, and after such survey and plat of Lincoln, said owners to quit claim all their title in and to said Lancaster town lots to the State of Nebraska, and the State of Nebraska to quit claim to such owners, the lots conveyed by said state in lieu of said Lancaster town lots, respectively.

Now therefore, in consideration of the foregoing premises, and of $1.00 to each of us, the undersigned paid by the State of Nebraska, we, the persons whose names are subscribed to this agreement, promise and agree, jointly and severally, to and with the said State of Nebraska, in the United States of America, that we will submit to a resurvey of said townsite of Lancaster by the surveyor appointed by said commissioners of location of said townsite of Lincoln, as set forth in the foregoing "F'roviso" and accept from the said State of Nebraska lots, according to our respective ownership in said townsite of Lancaster, of the same superficial area in said Town of Lincoln, upon, or in the immediate location of our respective lots, in the manner and as it is set forth in the foregoing proviso, we the said owners of such lots in said townsite of Lancaster, hereby promise and agree to quit claim all our right, title and interest in, and to said townsite of Lancaster, previous to demanding from said state, said conveyance respectively, dated Lancaster, August 13, 1867.

Lot Exchange Table, 1867 Unsold Lots, January I, 1 869

The following list of lots, compiled from the original commissioners' report to the Legislature, comprises those not sold before January i, 1869. The amount of appraisement is also given for each.

First Lot Purchasers In Lincoln

The following list comprises the names of the men who purchased the first lots in the City of Lincoln, Nebraska, the description of the lots they bought and the prices they paid for them :

The Progress Of Lincoln And Her Utilities

In point of years the City of Lincoln may 1)e said to be in her infancy, hut in point of experience, growth, municipal improvements and efficient government the city compares favorably with the eastern cities settled scores of years before the commissioners located the capital here in '67. In the Agents' Bulletin, a Missouri Pacific Iron Alountain publication, of May, 1915, appears the following:

"As the capital of a young but fast growing state, Lincoln at once became the mecca for hundreds of ambitious young persons, and within a few years foundations had been laid for an enduring civic structure. Railroads backed by home and foreign capital sprang into being as if by a magician's wand, and where one already within the state's borders showed signs of hesitating about reaching across the prairies to the new metropolis, the people offered large subsidies or I)roceeded to build connecting lines themselves. Out of this welter of little and poorly built roads there have been evolved five great modern railroads which serve the city, forming arteries of trade which bring vast commercial territories within the reach of her business men.

"Early in her life as a city, Lincoln developed into a jobbing center, and as the state increased in population, as the railroads were extended and as agriculture multijilied, this form of commerce, linked with manufacturing in dozens of lines, became a dominant factor in her growth. As the capital the city became and remains the political center of the state. The University of Nebraska followed shortly after the selection of Lincoln as the ca]iital and its growth has run far and fast ahead of that of the state itself, as individual wealth piled up and the belief in a strong educational system grew. The dominance of agriculture as the great business of the state early led to the founding close to the city of a giant agricultural college and school, where hundreds of boys from the farm are taught everything there is to know about their business. To insure the stability of its educational institutions a large part of the agricultural domain was early set aside as school, university and agricultural lands. From sales and rentals a fund, invested in bonds and amounting now to $10,000,000, has been collected and there yet remain thousands of acres as the inheritance of the educational system of the state.

"The Lincoln of 1870 numbered a thousand or two souls, clustered about a combination business and residence district, that was less than a mile square. Today the citv proper has an area of eight square miles, and within five miles of the postoffice 65,000 people live and labor. The one-story frame .store buildings with flaring fronts of pioneer days have been replaced with modern business blocks, ranging in height to ten stories, equipped with all modern devices for com- fort and dispatch and filled with merchandise of quality and worth. The poorly equipped cottage of the pioneer has vanished and in its place are found the bungalow, the fine residence and the palatial mansion. There are no rookeries where the shiftless and the unlucky seek refuge, no district where vice and crime are given quasi-licensc to flourish and to prey. The Lincoln of today enjoys a prosperity so well distributed that it is equally as well famed for the absence of Knob Hill palaces as it is for the absence of slums."

Within the area of the City of Lincoln there are approximately seventy miles of brick and asphalt paved streets, sixty-five miles of street railways, and ninety-five miles of sewerage. The water and light plants are municipally owned and commercial lighting has given the light consumer the lowest possible rates in a city of this size. The street railway system of the city is well organized and no (luarter of the town is more than fifteen minutes from the "hub."

The City of Lincoln is located on a gently sloping plain, bounded on the west by the Valley of Salt Creek and on the east by the Antelope. This land characteristic is a distinct advantage to the beauty of the city, enabling the building of long level stretches of boulevards, handsome lawns and terraces, and giving freedom from bridging and tunneling, with which almost every city of size is burdened. Leading out from the city in all directions are paved boulevards, ending in well dragged and graded dirt roads, the pride of the county. These lead out to and past many parks, including amusement resorts, state institution grounds and municipal recreation places. The city itself maintains two parks, one in the west section and one in the east. The latter, Antelope Park, is comparatively new, while the former, Epworth Lake Park, is the home of the Nebraska Epworth Assembly, where for ten days each summer thousands dwell in tents and enjoy a program similar to that of a Chautauqua. West of the city is Capital Beach Park, located upon a wide lake now covering the historic salt basin. Electric Park is another amusement place, owned by private capital. The city now owns 125 acres of public park land.

The importance of Lincoln as a political center has been another factor in the upbuilding of the city. ' Three-fourths of the state political conventions are held in Lincoln. Not only political conventions, but numerous meetings, trade conventions and similar gatherings are almost constantly in session in the city.

Manufacturing in Lincoln has kept pace with the development of the wholesale and retail trade. There are about one hundred and forty manufacturing plants in the city, some of them upon a large scale and long established, and others just beginning. In milling and jmcking the city is rapidly rising to a high plane. One of the largest creamery plants in the country, the largest paint manufacturing plant west of the Mississippi River, the largest corset factory west of Chicago, the largest manufactory for copper cable lightning rods in the United States, the largest factory for the production of gasoline engines west of the Missouri River, are part of the many industries flourishing here.

One of the most prominent factors in the growth of the city has been the activity of the commercial club. This started on June 29, 1894, and was incorporated on July 1 8th by N. S. Harwood, A. E. Hargreaves, Charles Dauback, M. J. Waugh and M. A. Warren. For many years the club was known as the Union Commercial Club, but on May 28, 1903, the title was changed to the Lincoln Commercial Club. At present the club has over fifteen hundred members, occu-

]iies a new $150,000 building on the corner of Eleventh and P streets, and is one of the most active agents in the city. The organization reaches out after new enterprises ; promotes dramatic and musical festivities ; raises funds for various activities; protects merchants from fake advertisers; and passes upon charity endorsements ; boosts lagging institutions ; finances conventions ; and in fact does everything to better the municipal condition of the city. Its record is one of success.

Eor the twelve months ending December 31, 19 15, the City of Lincoln collected more than a million dollars in taxes, special assessments and water and light receipts. The grand total for the year was $1,672,332. New bonds were issued during the year for $351,628. The total bond indebtedness of the city at this time was $1,646,799.08.

Lincoln's building record for 1915 surpassed all previous records. Nearly two million dollars worth of new buildings were put up during the year, including office buildings, department stores, churches and theaters. The old Burr Block on the northeast corner of Twelfth and O streets is now being transformed into a modern ten-story office building, to be known as the Security Mutual Building. The original Burr Block was constructed in 1887 and was for many years the leading office building of the city. Twelve years ago the structure was purchased by the Security Mutal Life Insurance Company. The First National Bank Building was an important addition to Lincoln's sky-line and is described in the history ofthat bank. Upon the site of the old Capital Block which was built in 1874, at the corner of Tenth and O streets the new ten-story Terminal Building is being constructed. The building will be finished in 1916 and will represent an outlay of nearly a half million dollars. The new $250,000 department store erected in 1915 by the firm of Miller & Paine is another distinct improvement to the commercial district. The. new Orpheum is just completed at the corner of Twelfth and P streets. The Hardy Hardware Store, the Canter Block, and the Bennett Block are new structures. The latter block was constructed upon the site of one of the real pioneer buildings of Lincoln, a two-story frame structure which was built forty-nine years ago by John Cadman. It was constructed almost entirely of Cottonwood timber. Part of it was hauled from Nebraska City and part cut from the timber along Salt Creek. When the Burlington Railroad entered Lincoln in the spring of 1871 J. W. Mitchell was running a hotel there under the name of the Midland Pacific. For many years afterward the block was known as the Fedewa House. The addition to the Lincoln postoffice may be numbered among the latest improvements for the city, fully two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars having been appropriated by Congress for this work. Besides the municipal improvements the university has recently constructed several new buildings. These are the new dairy farm building, the Bessey Building at Thirteenth and U streets.

A new feature of the municipal government of Lincoln was established in June, 19 1 5, and is called the legal aid department. The ordinance creating the department went into effect June 28, 191 5. This imd the munici])al employment bureau are two new features of Lincoln's administration and came in through the efforts of Mayor C. W. Bryan. The city health department has also undergone a thorough process of reorganization. Strong efforts have been made to better the sanitary conditions of the city. The old isolation hospital south of the Country

Club golf links have been renovated. During the year 191 5 there were three epidemics. Measles in the spring of the year created havoc in the public schools, 924 cases having been reported inside of four months. There were in all, during the year, 68 cases of diphtheria, 115 of scarlet fever, 105 of smallpox, 11 of tuberculosis, 960 of measles and 50 of typhoid fever. With the exception of the measles epidemic this is about an average for every year in the city. The total number of births in the city for the year reached 1,163. During the same period there were 603 deaths. The death rate runs about 11, figuring on a population of 50,000.

As late as 191 1 an effort was made to remove the capital from Lincoln. The question came up owing to the fact that the licjuor question was being agitated considerably in the state. The republican leaders in the county were strongly in favor of county option and this, with the fact that Lincoln had recently voted "dry," aroused the ire of the "wet" element in the state and in several. hostile camps an agitation was stirred up for the removal of the capital from Lincoln. Two bills for this purpose were introduced in the Legislature, but both met the same fate - defeat. A bill providing for the removal of the capital was ordered engrossed for the third reading in the committee of the whole, but failed on first passage in the house by a vote of thirty-eight to fifty-eight. The second bill, which was of the same character, was amended in the committee of the whole, passed through several legislative formalities and finally was abandoned.

Lincoln in itself is a clean city, both morally and physically, in comparison with many other large communities of the West. The council records of April 19, 1873, contain the startling fact that N. S. Scott made a motion, seconded by L. A. Scoggin, and carried, that the city marshal be instructed to cause the hog-pen on Fourteenth between O and P streets to be summarily removed. Again on May 31, 1873, S. W. Robinson and sixty-four others petitioned- that the hogpens be removed from the city. This is the last record, official at least, of such strenuous sanitary measures having to be exercised.

Pavement

The first paving ever done in the City of Lincoln was in 1888, although a contract had been let the previous year to H. T. Clarke and Hugh Murphy to pave the center part of the city, in the business district, from N to S on Seventh, Eighth and Ninth, and from N to O on Tenth and Eleventh, and from N to P from Eleventh to Fourteenth, the outside streets named being included. This area was divided into two paving districts, first and second. Notwithstanding the fact the contracts were let and everything prepared to pave these streets quite a host of obstacles appeared, such as 'ihe necessity for the laying of water mains, gas pipes, sewers and car tracks before the pavement could be placed upon the streets. This necessity required so much time and money that the people became severe in their criticism of the administration, backed up in good measure by the local newspapers. The streets were not graded, ditches formed in every direction and water backed up into the business section. Government Square at times resembled a swamp and the space in front of the Capitol Hotel presented the appearance of a harbor. Persons could not cross the streets without braving the mud and water. In t888, however, the work of paving was finished and the sidewalk leveled to some degree of conformity. During 1888 and 1889 about eight miles of streets were paved, mostly with red cedar blocks, some with vitrified brick. Stout & Buckstaff of Lincoln manufactured the brick here.

The City of Lincoln can now boast of more than sixty-five miles of paving. There are 23.28 miles of streets paved with brick, 21.36 miles with sheet asphalt, 14.71 with asphalt concrete, and i mile of cedar block pavement remains although there is not much left of the blocks. Five miles of alleys are paved. The task of keeping the pavement in repair and to lay the new is an important part of the city street department's work. In 1915 the sum of $12,788.13 was spent in repair work alone. The brick pavement laid years ago is constantly going to pieces and it is only a matter of time until it will be sticceeded by new, probably asphalt.

Lincoln City now has almost seventy miles of sanitary and storm sewerage. The first sewers in the city were laid in the late '70s and by 1889 quite an extensive sanitary and storm sewerage system had been installed. Quite a bit of progress in this direction was made in 1888, when it was found that in order to have paved streets sewers had to be laid first. Each year several miles of sewerage are added, in 191 5 6.78 miles being laid. Additions are constantly being made to the property and residence extent of the city, new streets are being laid out, and in comparison to this progress in real estate opening the system of sewerage has been extended.

Street Car Lines

The history of the street car lines in Lincoln is a history replete with bewildering details of litigation, financial contest and rivalry for the support of the public. There have been traction companies in Lincoln almost without number, seeking to gain the upper hand in the fight for the control of the electric interests of the city.

As early as July 18, 1870, the town board of Lincoln passed an ordinance ratifying articles of incorporation filed by the Lincoln Street Railway. The city voted this same company the right of way upon the streets of the city in April, 1881. On August 15, 1883, the city granted a franchise to the Capital City Street Railway Company, the articles of incorporation of this company having been filed July 31st of the same year.

The first trial of street cars took place in the city at 3 o'clock on the afternoon of Thursday, November i, 1883. Mr. Durfee hooked a pair of small horses to car No. 4 and shouted to about a hundred small boys to climb on. This outfit started to climb the hill from the depot to the corner of O and Thirteenth streets. Two or three more trips were made that afternoon in order to test the track. Regular service began the following Monday. The eight or ten broncho ponies which supplied the motive power for the cars were kept in Fedewa's barn. The first three lines which were constructed in Lincoln were on South Tenth Street from O to South Street, on East O Street from Tenth to Twenty-seventh, and the South Fourteenth Street line which deviated through the south part of town.

rated by J. H. McClay, S. W. Burnhani, J. ]\L Hoffman, H. C. Eddy, J. E. Baum, j. W. McDonald, F. J. Foss, S. H. Burnham, C. M. Branson, .C. C. Hawkins and C. D. Hyatt. The Lincoln Cable Railway Company was incorporated April 25, 1887, by Thomas Sewell, John H. Ames, A. D. Kitchen, J. H. McMurtry, W. W. Wilson, John Zehrung and John J. Gillilan. The Lincoln Rapid Transit Company incorporated May 18, 1887, and built their lines the same year; this company connected Lincoln with the state hospital by way of Twelfth Street. The North Lincoln Street Railway Company was incorporated December 19, 1888, and the Standard Street Railway Company on February 20, 1889. The latter road was built to connect the Lincoln Company's line on North Twenty-seventh Street with Wesleyan University. The Capital Heights Street Railway Company was incorporated on June 20, 1887, by W. H. Harris, J. A. Rollins, A. P. Martin, V. S. Botsford, S. Sprague, M. M. Catlin, H. C. Bittenbender, and J. K. Corey. The Standard Company mentioned above afterwards consolidated with the Lincoln Electric Railway Company which was incorporated November 12, 1890. The Bethany Heights Street Railway Company was incorporated June 3, 1889, and the papers were signed by J. Z. Briscoe, Charles Hammond, E. T. Gadd, C. T. Boggs, A. Eddy, W. W. Holmes, C. C. Munson, John H. Ames, Thomas H. Hyde, A. S. Raymond, C. R. Van Duyn, W. S. Mills, Porter Hedge and H. C. Eddy. The line was built to connect the Lincoln Company's line at V and Thirtythird streets with the Christian LIniversity. At this time there were thirty-one miles of street car track in the city, with five companies doing business.

The North Lincoln Street Railway was incorporated March 6, 1889, and on October 14, 1890. opened their line for business. On November 20th the records show the incorporation of the Lincoln and West Lincoln Terminal Railway Company. On November 24th the Lincoln and Lake Park Railway Company was started with George E. r)igelow, J. H. AIcMurtry, K. K. Hayden, M. J. Bush, W. B. Comstock, G. A. Bush and D. L. Brace as the incorporators.

The Lincoln Street Railway Company was organized by J. D. McFarland, J. W. Deweese, C. J. Ernst, T. E. Calvert and Henry Lee. The I^incoln Electric Railway Company was organized by C. A. Clark, Joseph Sampson, J. D. Mc- Farland, J. W. Deweese, C. J. Ernst, John C. French and W. Little. These two roads were consolidated June 15, 1891, and the articles of incorporation of the consolidated companies filed July 13th. The new organization was known as the Lincoln Street Railway Company. Other articles of incorporation record that a Lincoln Electric Railway Company was started July 11, 1891, and the incorporators were A. C. Ziemer, A. C. Ricketts, E. H. Andrus, Thomas Ryan, John K. Barr, John S. Reed. On February 16, 1892, the Lincoln City Electric Railway was ordered sold and on July 12th, same year, it was disposed of at sheriff's sale for $51,500.

In January, 1892, the Lincoln Street Railway Company and the Lincoln Rapid Transit Company consolidated. On January 4, 1895, the Lincoln Street Railway was placed in the hands of a receiver and on December 17, 1897, was auctioned and sold for $60,500.

On August 12, 1903, the Lincoln Heights Street Railway Company was incorporated by I. L. Lyman, R. J. Gaddis, C. M. Bailey, and Laura H. Weld.

With the beginning of the year 1905 tliere started a movement for a new street car company, which was to culminate several years later in the present efficient system of electric street railways in the City of I^incoln. On January 6lh of this year a preliminary meeting was held to consider the question and on the 7th over fifty active business men of Lincoln organized the Citizens' Street Railway Company, incorporating on February 23, 1905. The articles of incorporation were signed by Alex Berger, W. E. Sharp, C. J- Bills, R. E. Aloore, J- ^L Hayes, H. O. Barber, L M. Raymond, and L. P. Funkhouser. On February i3lh the new company had an ordinance introduced asking for a franchise to the Lincoln City streets. A franchise was granted them. In April, 1906, the Lincoln Traction Company secured an injunction against the Citizens' Company in the Federal Court at Omaha to prevent the new concern from laying tracks in Lincoln. This litigation was unsuccessful and by the summer of 1906 the Citizens' Company had the Eighteenth Street line completed. During the next year they built a line east on N Street to Twenty-ninth and to Wyuka by way of S Street. They also built north on Twenty-fifth to Holdrege ; west on Holdrege to the fair grounds, east on \'ine to Thirtv-third ; south on Twelfth to South Street: and east to Nineteenth. The next year a line was started to College \'iew and finished, and the road to University Place and Havelock begun.

The officials of the Lincoln Traction Company realized that the new Citizens' Company meant business and after endeavoring to discover some loophole through which to pierce the enemy entered into negotiations with the intent of consolidating. This agreement was made a real fact on February 15, 1909, when the two companies got together and merged, much to the benefit of the city and the people. The articles of agreement were filed the same day with the county clerk.

This settlement of the traction troubles in the city resulted in an immediate prosperity and the resultant improvement of the street car service. Lines to all suburban points are now operated, the Highland Line to College Mew having been opened on March 5, 1912. The latest type of car is used by the company, which is the side-door, pay-as-you-enter style, heavy type. Quick service is given upon all of the lines. The new Traction Terminal Building which is being erected on the corner of Tenth and O streets is a great improvement to the business section of Lincoln and testifies well of the prosperity of this public utility.

Water, Gas And Electricitv

The city waterworks was begun in 1882 and consisted for seven years of a single well. This well was located in the park bounded by D and F, Eighth and Sixth streets. The supply from this well was about one million gallons per day. An attempt was made in 1887 to increase the supply by sinking a pipe in the center of the well, but after this had been done the water became salty in taste. The same year Joseph Burns was employed to construct a system of driven wells in Sixth Street, and connect them with the pumping station. jMost of these produced salt water within a very few days. Finally it was decided to establish a well near N and the channel of the Antelope. This well was completed in July of 1889 and was very satisfactory. Water was sent for the first time through the waterworks' pipe on April 28, 1885. This was the beginning of the present efficient waterworks system of Lincoln. The water that is now supplied to the people is sterilized and has never been the cause of an epidemic.

On June 3, 1872, the excavation was begun for the Lincoln Gas Works, and on December 14th of the same year gas was used for the first time by the people of Lincoln. The crude oil method of making the gas was used at that time, but in 1877, in February, this method was abandoned and coal used instead of the crude oil. On April 14, 1884, the Lincoln Electric Light Company was incorporated. Gas lamps for street lighting were installed in December, 1886. The privately owned concerns manufacturing the lights -for the city were not exactly to the voters' taste and accordingly the council, on February 15, 1904, passed an ordinance to submit the question of municipal lighting to the voters. The election was held on April 5, 1904, and the vote was in favor of a municipally owned electric light plant. On August 22d the council, by a vote of eight to five, located the new municipal lighting plant at the Mockett or A Street well. On November 12, 1906, the Lincoln council passed a dollar gas ordinance, but on December 27th the Lincoln Gas and Electric Company secured a restraining order in the Federal Court at Omaha to prevent the city from enforcing the dollar gas rate ordinance and the 3 per cent gross earnings tax measure. The matter held fire until February 10, 1908, when the company made a compromise offer to the city in regard to the dollar gas. The terms were not acceptable to the council and on March 2d the council decided to contest the franchise of the Lincoln Gas and Electric Company. However, Mayor Brown vetoed the ordinance directing the suit against the company. The matter switched back and forth for years, nothing done to compel the company to grant the needed decrease in rates. Not until the summer of 1915 was the contest brought to a close and the city was successful. The people are now able to get gas and electricity at a price approaching that of other well regulated commonwealths. The Lincoln Traction Company also supplied electricity to consumers in the city.

The I^incoln Heat, Light and Power Company was incorporated July i, 1902, by John li. Humpe, Paul F. Clark, W. H. Dorgan, Charles S. Allen and C. H. Morrill. The Citizens' Gas and Power Company was incorporated June 6, 1908, by A. L. Johnson, E. S. Kirtland. W. A. Taylor, G. \V. Isham, Charles G. Anderson and W. A. Taylor.

On November 22, 1879, the Lincoln Telephone Exchange was organized with a capital stock of $10,000. On June 11, 1882, the first successful telephone connection was made between Lincoln and the City of Omaha. By 1889 615 instruments were in use in Lincoln and good connection was had with fifty-seven towns in Nebraska and sixty-six towns in Iowa. Each year the company grew and more people used 'phones, until in 1900 the city apparently was ready to admit a competing company. The Western Independent Long Distance Telephone Company of Plattsmouth made application to enter Lincoln, construct their lines and, in fact, do business here, and on May 28th, 1900, the city council passed an ordinance to permit them to do so. However, on June 2d Mayor Winnett vetoed the ordinance as passed by the council. On March 9, the same year, the city granted a franchise to the Western Union Independent Telephone Company. On March 26, 1903, the Lincohi Telephone made connections with the Fairbury and Plattsmouth corporations. It was in this year that the Lincoln Telephone Company began to install the automatic telephone system in the city. On September 2, 1905, the Lincoln company made contracts with the independent companies in Lancaster and Gage covmties, a business agreement to forestall collisions. On January 2, 1909, the Lincoln Telephone was reorganized and incorporated as the Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph Company; the capital stock of the new corporation thus formed was $2,000,000. On January 22, 1912, the company was merged with the Bell Telephone Company.

The first line of the B. & M. Telegraph Company was completed to Lincoln on Sunday evening, June 5, 1870, and the first message was sent by the Nebraska State Journal to Omaha and Plattsmouth newspapers. A man was sent from Omaha by stage to take charge of the new office at Lincoln. R. H. Oakley, of the firm of Oakley & Owen, was the only resident of Lincoln who understood telegraphy and he had the honor of sending the first message. The new man from Omaha emerged the morning after his arrival in a drunken condition, consequently lost his job. Oakley was persuaded to take charge of the office until another man could be secured. The telegraph line had been rushed through fifty days before the railroad owing to the fact that a public sale of lots was to begin on the following Wednesday in the Capital City. The office of the company was installed in the old Scoggin row. There was one continuous wire from Plattsmouth to Lincoln, the only station between being that of Ashland, Saunders County.

As the B. & M. Railroad was extended through the state the telegraph kept pace with it and in October, 1871, there were 128 miles of line in operation, from Plattsmouth to a point on Blue River near where Sutton is now located, then called School Creek. There were ten offices. By the close of 1871 there were iqi miles of lines. In the year 1883 the business was merged with that of the Western LTnion Telegraph Company, which company now operates in Lincoln, giving this city connection with the entire world.

\\'hen the City of Lincoln was settled and started upon its life the express business of this part of the country was under the control of the Wells-Fargo Express Company, with headquarters at San Erancisco. The company established an office in Lincoln in the early part of 1868, with Austin Humphrey as agent. He conducted the business in one corner of the Humphrey Brothers' Hardware Store, in the old frame building which stood on the northwest corner of Ninth and O streets. A few years later, the business having grown to a large extent, W. H. Wallace was sent here to establish a regular office, which he did on Ninth Street, between O and P. A wagon was added to the outfit and a clerk, in the person of

Morris Turner. In the summer of 1875 the Union Pacific Railroad Company decided to handle the express business connected with its line. This reason, along with others such as the grasshoppers and distance from the main office, caused the Wells-Fargo to withdraw from Lincoln on July i, 1875. Immediately business was begun by the accredited Union Pacific Express Company on the Union Pacific Railroad. The American Express Company, then operating on the

C. B. & O., took the B. & J\I. ; the United States Express Company, operating on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific and Kansas City & Council Blufl:"s, took the Midland Pacific from Brownville to Seward and the A. & N. from Atchison to Lincoln. The American Company took the office and fixtures, with the agent, of the Wells-Fargo Company and the United States Company occupied a frame building on Tenth Street, back of the First National Bank, with Doctor McKay as agent. This was in a frame building which had formerly stood on the corner and opened as a grocery by Ihomas Sewell. In November, 1875, J. S. Atwood having extended the Union Block on O Street to the alley between Tenth and Eleventh, the American Express moved its offices to the room next the alley, the agent living in rooms above. In 1880 the L'nited States Company, after a contest with other companies, and the Union Pacific being completed to Lincoln, retired from the field west of Omaha. Early in 1S86 the Missouri Pacific came to Lincoln with the Pacific Express Company. In the fall of the same year the Elkhorn Line came m with the \\'ells-I''argo in connection with the American Express-

Lincoln Police Force

Very shortly after the location of the City of Lincoln the citizens were given the protection of a police force, small it is true, but sufficiently able to attend to the needs of the comnuniity. The city council records of May 6, 1871, state that

D. A. Sherwood's room was rented for one quarter at $15 per month for use as a jail. C. H. Street and R. E. Moore were police judges, and A. E. Hastings was marshal. F. E. Smith was appointed assistant marshal, and M. Donley, W. Wilcox, and Charles Keith, policemen. Keith had charge of the B. & M. Depot. On May 20th the marshal was authorized to take supervision of all trains going to Nebraska Citv. Lentil the trouble arose between a Lincoln police judge and the city council, which resulted in the jailing of the latter and the subsequent hearing of the case before the United States Supreme Court, many instances of dishonesty had occurred in the force. In many respects, the better class of citizens of Lincoln had a great deal to contend with on account of the lawless class of men who infested this state, as they do every border or frontier. The character of the department was literally ''cleansed with fire" and since has maintained a reputation for efficiency and strength.

Lincoln Fire Department

The first volunteer fire company was organized in 1875, ^'""i named the Phoenix Hook and Ladder Company. Prior to this, 1872, the city had felt the need of better fire protection and the council, on March 2, 1872, ordered a sale of lots in a certain part of Lincoln in order to raise the sum of $1,000. The site was to be used for an engine house and the money to purchase a Silsby Steam Fire Engine. This engine was bought and named the W. F. Chapin, the latter being mayor of the city at that time. Two hose carts and i,ooo feet of rubber hose were purchased at the same time and Steam Fire Engine Company No. i was organized, S. S. Hull being elected engineer. The company had a roster of fifty men. In 1880 the department was again increased and a second Silsby steamer was purchased. No changes were made until 1882 when the hose company was disbanded, the hook and ladder company having disbanded in 1879. Two new hose companies were organized, known as the Merchants Hose Company No. I and the Fitzgerald Hose Company No. 2. The Fitzgerald team won national reputation, competing with all comers at New Orleans in 1886. On [anuary 4, 1 880, the department was reorganized and five full-paid men appointed and a two-horse, four-wheel hose carriage purchased and put into service. In January, 1887, the Merchants' and the Fitzgerald Hose companies were disbanded, thus ending the life of the volunteer fire department system in Lincoln. In fanuary, 1887, the department was reorganized again and placed upon a solid financial basis.

Smce this time, following the gradual growth of the city the fire department has been equipped with the latest appliances for their work. Even yet it is the general opinion that the department is woefully short on modern machines, especially so within the last few years, during the course of which tall buildings and greater area has come to the city. The main engine house is located at Tenth and O streets, where the motor ladder truck, hose wagon and steam engine is kept. Ih-anch stations are now located at the following places: hook and ladder company, No. i, Tenth and O; hose company. No. i, Tenth and O: engine company. No. 2, 2300 O ; hook and ladder company. No. 2, 2300 O ; hook and ladder company, No. 3, 1225 F; hose company No. 3, 1225 F; hose company No. 4, 844 North Twenty-seventh.

Chapter Xiv Government Of The City Of Lincoln

On April 7, 1868, after reading a petition signed by a majority of the citizens of Lincoln, the board of county commissioners ordered "that the Town of Lincoln be declared a body corporate and that the powers and privileges be granted them, as by the statute in such cases made and provided." The following men were appointed trustees of the new corporation: L. A. Scoggins, B. F. Cozad, Doctor Potter, W. W. Carder and A. L. Palmer. The first election was held May 18, 1868, at which time sixty votes were cast. H. S. Jennings, S. B. Linderman, H. D. Gilbert, J. J. Van Dyke and D. W. Tingley were elected trustees. This first organization of the town was not effective; at least, it was not maintained.

In the next year a petition of incorporation was circulated and was signed by 189 of the qualified voters of the town. This was presented to the commissioners and the latter body, on April 7, 1869, incorporated Lincoln for the second time. The corporate limits were made to include section 26, the west half of section 25, the southwest quarter of section 24, and the south half of section 23, in town 10 north, range 6 east. H. S. Jennings, S. B. Linderman, H. D. Gilbert, J. L. McConnell and D. W. Tingley were named as trustees and Seth Robinson, A. T. Cropsey and J. N. Townley were appointed judges of election.

The first election under this latter organization was held May 3, 1869. The following were elected trustees: H. D. Gilbert, C. H. Gere, William Rowe, Philetus Peck and J. L. McConnell. The board chose H. D. Gilbert, chairman ; J. R. DeLand, clerk ; and Nelson C. Brock, treasurer.

On IMarch 18, 1871, the town was organized as a city of the second class, under a charter. The first election occurred on April 3, 1871, and the following officers were chosen : W. F. Chapin, mayor ; C. H. Street and R. E. Moore, police judges; A. E. Hastings, marshal; T. F. L. Catlin, clerk; G. W. Ballentine, treasurer; L. A. Scoggin, C. C. Burr, D. A. Sherwood, J. M. Creamer, J. J. Gosper, J. L. McConnell, councilmen ; and T. T. Murphy, city engineer.

Further Elections

The result of the elections, that is, the regular city elections, from this time until the year 191 5, with the names of the candidates and the vote received by each, is given in the following paragraphs :

Election of April i, 1873. f^oi" niayor : R. D. Silver, 525; W. T. Chapin, 405. For police judge: L. A. GrofT. 533; A. M. McCandHss, 358. For marshal: B. Ringer, 511; John :\IcManigal, 423. For clerk: R. P. Beecher, 402; R. N. Vedder, 530. For treasurer: W. A. Coleman, 480, W. A. Sharrar, 459. For engineer : W. T. Hull, 417 : T. J. Atwood, 475 ; J. M. Bradford, 7. For cemetery trustee: L Putnam, 518. For councilmen, first ward: L. A. Scoggin, 159; D. W. Scott, 98. Second ward: J. M. Creamer, 166; T. P. Quick, 184. Third ward: N. S. Scott, 220; J. Oppenheimer, 82. R. N. \'edder resigned the position of clerk in September and E. P. Roggen was appointed to fill the vacancy. G. B. Skinner was made street commissioner and fire warden and T. P. Quick chief engineer of the fire department. S. \V. Robinson was the city physician.

bert, 4. The question of voting the Lincohi City Street Railway Company the right of way over north and south streets from Seventh to Seventeenth and on east and west streets from A to R was carried by 841 votes to 405.

Election of April 7, 1885. For mayor: C. C. Burr, 1,115; John Fitzgerald, 1,085; H. W. Hardy, 247. For clerk: R. C. Manley, 1,333: C."j. Heffley, 870; H. C. Bittenbender, 192; C. W. Heftley, 3. For treasurer: John T. Jones, 1,402; H. S. Gordon, 860; H. C. Bittenbender, t^S:: J. N. Dowden, i. For cemetery trustee: A. AL Davis, 1,563; J. M. Burks, 878. For councilmen, first ward: James Dailey, 359; H. P. Naill, 218; O. P. Dinges, 37. Second ward: L. W. Billingsley, 305; J. D. Calhoun, 193; V. E. Farmer, 50; Jacob North, i. Third ward: A. E. Hargreaves (long term), 395; H. H. Dean (short term), 348; J. J. Butler (long term), iSi ; James Ledwith (short term), 193; D. B. Howard (long term), 120; C. G. Bullock (short term), 107; C. West (long term), i. Fourth ward: W. J. Cooper, 322 ; C. C. !Munson, 204. Upon the question of granting right of way to Lincoln Street Railway Company and permission to "construct, maintain and operate a street railway with suitable turnouts, connections and turntables in the City of Lincoln over and across, in and along" the streets north and south from First to Twenty-seventh and east and west from A to W, also Washington, Wood, Pine, Rose, Peach, Plum and South streets, Grand Avenue and University Place, the vote was in favor of the franchise by 2,217 to 19.

This election of 1885 had an unpleasant aftermath. The votes were counted on the 9th of April and on the evening of the loth the council met to consider a notice of protest by John Fitzgerald who had received 1,085 votes for the oflice of mayor to C. C. Burr's 1,115 ^"^ H. W. Hardy's 247. The attorneys for Fitzgerald were ^^"hedon, Sawyer & Snell and they objected to the jurisdiction of the council to hear and determine the contest. On motion of Billingsley and Webster the objection was sustained and the mayor and clerk were ordered to issue certificates to candidates having a majority on the face of the returns.

Attorney Wliedon gave notice that he would apply to the supreme court for a perpetual injunction to restrain those officers from issuing the certificate, but the matter was dropped and nothing more done.

B. Ringer, 40; IX. L. Trester, 81 ; Charles Poison, 3 ; D. L. Brace, i ; L. C. Pace, 3 ; E. P. Holmes, i ; one year. L. C. Pace, 109 ; D. L. Brace, 58 ; E. P. Holmes, 76 ; L. F. ^L Easterday, 2 ; F. A. Hovey, i ; two years. The proposition to give the right of way to the Rapid Transit Railway Company was carried by a vote of 2,571 to 43. The board of education was authorized by a vote of 2,708 to 11 to expend $5,000.00 in the erection of school buildings in the year.

Election of April 3, 1888. For police judge: W. J. Houston, 2,249; H. J. Whitmore, 1,814. For cemetery trustee: A. M. Davis, 2,530; C. G. Bullock, 1,057. For councilmen, first ward: A. Halter, 450; Thomas Helan, 324; Woolsey Weyant, 119; Thomas Manley, 2. Second ward: John Fraas, 262; J. B. Johnson, 116. Third ward: H. H. Dean, 446; E. Kearne, 347. Fourth ward: R. B. Graham, 436; A. C. Ricketts, 227; John McManigal, 134. Fifth ward: Louie Meyer, 422: S. D. Hyde, 323. Sixth ward: H. AL Rice, 249; Edmund Erb, 150. The mayor and council were authorized by a vote of 2,424 to 55 to use an amount not exceeding $100,000.00 in paving, repairing and macadamizing intersections of streets and spaces opposite alleys and to levy a tax to pay the interest and principal of the bonds. By a vote of 2,186 to 57 bonds for $10,000.00 were authorized for constructing extensions to the water works.

Election of .April 7, 1896. For attorney: N. C. Abbott, 3,017. For police judge: William F. Schwind, 1,767; Frank R. Waters, 2,068. For water commissioner: S. J. Byer, 2,313; William H. Hargreaves, 1,501. For engineer: Ferdinand Bonstedt, 3,392. For cemetery trustee: Charles B. Gregory, 2,880; John AIcAIanigal, 838. For councilmen, first ward: R. E. Finley, 243; James AL McKinney. 204. Second ward: W'illiam Lawlor, 309; H. Wittman, 121. Third ward: Charles Spears, 596. Fourth ward: O. W. Webster, 631. Fifth ward: Hans P. Lau. 307; Barr Parker, 453. Sixth ward: W. A. Woodward, 410. Seventh ward: W. B. Comstock, 331; H. H. Aleyer, loi.

Election of April i, 1902. For attorney: Edmund C. Strode, 3,793; James R. Burleigh, 439. For police judge: P. James Cosgrave, 3,448; Daniel Harrigan, 1,367; J. A. Drummond, Sy. For engineer: George L. Campen, 3,883. For water commissioner: James Tyler, 3,787; James T. Riordan, 502. For cemetery trustee: George W. ISonnell, 3,825. For councilmen, first ward: M. D. Clary, 225: Robert Malone, 234. Second ward: C. E. Wilkenson, 327; Jacob North, 252. Third ward: George H. Moore, 486: H. F. Bishop, 521. Fourth ward: John S. Bishop, 619; W. W. Keefe, 220. Fifth ward: William C. Frampton, 636; John J. Cassidy, 416. Sixth ward: Lee J. Dunn, 470: C. O. DeFrance, 145. Seventh w;ird : I. L. Lyman, 257: John AL Day, 143. The proposition to pass an ordinance prohibiting the sale of malt, spirituous, vinous and intoxicating liquors in the City of Lincoln was defeated by a vote of 2,369 to 2,304.

Election of April 5, 1904. For city attorney: Edmund C. Strode, 2,695; J- MDay, 866. For water commissioner : James I\L DefTenbaugh, 2,386 ; Spencer Lintner, 1,283. For engineer: George L. Campen, 2922. For police judge: P. James Cosgrave, 2,951. For cemetery trustee: James Tyler, 2,769. For councilmen, first ward : Thomas Draper, 202 ; Robert Malone, 259. Second ward : C. E. Wilkenson. 219; Michael Bauer, 285. Third ward: George H. Moore, 352; Horace F. Bishop, 480. Fourth ward: John S. Bishop, 418; W. B. Price, 115. Fifth ward: \\ . C. Frampton, 548; George \\'. Losey, 161. Sixth ward: L. J. Dunn, 339. Seventh ward: B. A. George, 208; Josiah S. Gabel, j/. The vote on bonds for $65,000.00 for electric light was carried favorably by 2,678 to 771. The city park j^roposition was also voted on favorably, 1,333 to 'KM-

On April 10, 1905, Alex Stewart, William Lawlor, Ernst Hoppe, A. H. Hutton, E. H. ^Marshall, Callen Thompson, J. C. Pentzer, the out-going council. were appointed aldermen until the special election in June.

Election of May 7, 1907. For mayor: Francjs W. Brown, 2,632; Alex H. Hutton, 2,590. For treasurer: Beman C. Fox, 3,658. For clerk: Thomas H. Pratt. 2,787; Henry M. Leavitt, 2,375. ^or attorney: John M. Stewart, 3,685. F"or engineer: William Grant, 3,602. For water commissioner: James Tyler, 3,588. For tax commissioner: James A. Sheffield, 3,527. For excisemen: Julius C. Harpham, 3,240 ; U. G. Powell, 2,773 '- Merritt L. Blackburb, 2,426. For cemetery trustee: Erwin H. Barbour. For alderman (vacancy) : Ray O. Castle. For councilmen, first ward: Oscar D. Herrick, 182; Henry M. Hauschild, 197. Second ward: George Schrandt, 143; Mike Bauer, 234. Third ward: Jesse C'happell, 360; Horace S. Bishop, 525. Fourth ward: John S. Leonhardt, 668. Fifth ward: Charles C. Quiggle, 916. Sixth ward: E. B. Sawyer, 682. Seventh ward : Burton A. George, 377.

5,174; J. E. Murray, 3,373. For tax commissioner: James Sheffield, 5,449; D. D. Davis, 2,483. For excise board: Harry Porter, 5,168; W. E. Enland, 4,<jo5 ; E. B. Zimmerman, 3,372; A. S. Tibbetls, 3,388; Frank R. Rider, 213; Clyde J. Wright, 210. For cemetery trustee: George W. Bonnell, 6,149. C'nder Excise Rule, there were 4,659 "wet" votes cast and 3,994 "dry" votes. The proposition to create the office of city electrician was lost by a vote of 4,705 to 2,433. The proposition to issue $50,000.00 in park bonds was voted on favorably, 3,970 to 3,670; but the majority was not large enough to carry. For councilmen, first ward: Oscar D. Herrick, 498; G. T. Wenninger, 175. Second ward: Adolph Lebsack, Jr., 631; Michael Bauer, 437. Third ward: Julius Dietrich, 650; William Walworth, 416. I'ourth ward : J. S. Leonhardt, 757. Fifth ward : I. Yungblut, 1,205. Sixth ward : Otto W. Meier, 849; Elliott Lowe, 514. Seventh ward: J. C. Pentzer, 685; Thomas Sinclair, 475.

The Commission Form Of Government

With the year 1912 the government of Lincoln was changed from the old form to the commission form of rule. The plan was made possible by the Banning law which had been passed by the previous Legislature, the substance of which may be summarized as follows: The new legislation provided an optional form of government for all cities of the State of Nebraska of more than 5,000 population. The cities were divided into three classes, respecting the number of councilmen. There were to be seven in Omaha, five in Lincoln and South Omaha, and three in all other cities. The councilmen were to be the only elective officials. The names of the candidates for councilmen were to go on the primary ballot without party designation and twice as many candidates should be nominated as there were places to fill. At the general election the one-half of those nominated were to be elected, also without party designation upon the ballot. The salaries were to be fixed according to the class of city. For Omaha the sum was to be $4,500.00; for Lincoln, $2,000.00; South Omaha, $1,000.00; cities from 7,000 to 25,000 population, $1,000; and cities from 5,000 to 7,000 population, $300.00. The mayor was to receive extra pay. The office of mayor was to be filled by selection by the elected councilmen from among their number. All city officials and boards except constitutional offices were to be succeeded by the commission and all departments of the city government were to be organized and directed by the council, which should make appropriation for their maintenance and appoint officers and employes. The educational boards were to be continued, also police magistrates.

On Friday, April 19, 1912, the people of Lincoln voted on the following proposition : "Shall the City of Lincoln adopt provisions of sections 8722 to 8745, inclusive, Cobbey's Annotated Statutes of Nebraska for 191 1 ; sections 16 to 39, inclusive; chapter 14-A, article 3, compiled statutes of 191 1, called 'Commission Plan of City Government?'" There were cast for the proposition 1,982 votes and against it 1,911. The fact that the plan carried by only a majority of 71 votes does not faithfully represent the spirit of the people nor the true majority of them who wished the change. The vote was light in the first place, but the efforts put forth by the adherents of the commission government overshadowed the work of those opposed.

The first general election under this form of government was on May 6, 11J13. The vote on councilmen was: Robert Malone, 2.878; William Shroeder, 4,485: Thomas J. Henslcy, 4,379: Don L. Love, 3,147; Elliott Lowe, 2,955: O. J. King, 4.055: Frank C. Zehrung, 4,142: George Dayton, 5,236: Otto W. Meier, 3,033; John H. Mockett, Jr., 3,908. For excisemen: Harry Porter. 4.540; Will H. Love. 4,485: Charles Strader, 3,487: George G. Waite, 3,521 ; Nicholas Ress, 4,335 : H. T. Folsom, 3,599. For members of charter convention : Allen W. Field, Fred D. Cornell, Ernst Hoppe, J. C. Harpham, A. S. Tibbetts, W. A. Selleck. John E. Miller, Frank M. Hall, Edwin Jeary, Morris W. Folsom. L H. Hatfield, Wilton Xan Sickle, M. I. Aitken, C. C.-Qiiiggle, C. W. Webster. For cemetery trustee: \"erne Hedge. Under Excise Rule there were 3,569 "dry" votes and 4,393 "wet." The result of this election showed that Schroeder, Hensley, King, Zehrung and Dayton were the men to first take the seats of councilmen under the new law. With the exception of King, the councilmen met accordingly and ai)pointed F. C. Zehrung as mayor of the city. Dayton was named superintendent of the department of accounts and finances: King, superintendent of the department of public safety; Hensley, superintendent of the department of streets and public improvements; Schroeder. superintendent of the department of parks and public property. The following resolution was adopted : "Be it resolved by the council of the City of Lincoln, that

"i. It shall be the duty of the mayor and superintendent of the department of public affairs to preside over meetings of the council and he shall have charge of the legal department of the city, and all matters pertaining to unliquidated claims, rules, privileges and elections.

"2. That the superintendent of the department of accounts and finances shall be the vice president of the council and preside over its meetings in the absence of the mayor. He shall be ex-officio city treasurer without pay and he shall have charge of the accounts and finances of city on all matters pertaining to printing, taxation, and licenses and shall have charge of the office of tax commissioner, city clerk, auditor and city treasurer.

"3. That the superintendent of the department of public safety shall have charge of the police, fire and health departments and all matters pertaining thereto, including city scales, sealer of weights and measures.

"4. That the superintendent of the department of streets and public improvements shall have charge of all street work and all public improvements, additions to the city, and viaducts, and he shall have charge of the office of city engineer.

"5. That the superintendent of the department of parks and public property shall have charge of all parks, the city hall, the water office and the water and light plant."

This resolution was partially adopted in substance, I:>ut much enlarged and of greater scope, and made into a city ordinance. After the 191 5 election, however, the ordinance was considerably changed and amended, making practically a new ordinance in thought.

T. H. Berg was appointed by the council to the office of city clerk. Adna Dobson was made engineer and Fred C. Foster city attorney. Dr. J. F. Spealman was named city health officer and H. Clement fire chief.

2,662; Charles E. Comstock, 2,845: F. C. Zehrung, 2,378; John Wright. 3.443; Edward H. Marshall. 2.559; Joseph Burns. 1.818. Thus the council was chosen as follows : Dayton, Bryan, Schroeder, Hensley and Wright. For excisemen : Harry Porter, 4,205; Will H. Love, 3,812; Nicholas Ress, 3,651; John Bauer, 2,321 ; Henry J. Mohr, 1.600; P. F. Zimmer. 1,818. For cemetery trustee: George M. Porter, 2,422; Horace S. Wiggins, 2.318. For bonds for extension of Antelope Park, 3,641; against the bonds, 2,486. For a refuse disposal plant, 3,732; against the plant, 2288. On the proposition to amend section i of chapter CXV of General Revised and Consolidated Ordinances of the City of Lincoln for year igo8, entitled "Sunday," there were 2,690 votes cast for amendment and 3.536 against it.

The elected members of tlie council met and named Charles W. Bryan mayor of Lincoln. Dayton was appointed superintendent of the department of accounts and finances: Wright, superintendent of the department of public safety; Hensley, superintendent of department of streets and public improvements ; and Schroeder, superintendent of the department of parks and public property. C. Petrus Peterson was selected as city attorney. T. H. Berg was named as city clerk for the second time. Adna Dobson was given the office of city engineer. W. T. Overton was appointed street commissioner. H. H. Antles was named chief of detectives and H. Clement fire chief.

The success of the commission form of city government is yet a matter of question, due to its infancy. The new plan has, outside of the advantage of the short ballot, many features, such as the centralization of responsibility, which obviate many things hitherto considered impediments in the progress of the city. The people of the city unquestionably stand a better chance of gaining much needed improvements, and more e.xpeditiously, than they did before, and for this reason, if no other, the new government is commendable.

Chapter Xv Lincoln Banks And Banking

The city has made a marvelous growth in financial strength and prestige since the late '70s. Her present position of prominence is all the more honorable in consideration of the financial depression through which the banks of Lincoln passed in the '90s.

The first bank in the city was established in June, 1868, by James Sweet and N. C. Brock. Mention has been made of this before. It was organized in the southwest corner room of the Sweet Block, the first block built on the plat of Lincoln, and continued until 1871, when it was reorganized as the State Bank of Nebraska, by Samuel G. Owen, James Sweet and Nelson C. Brock. The State National Bank was authorized to do business November 16, 1871, with a capital stock of $100,000.00. S. G. Owen was president and N. C. Brock cashier.

The First National Bank of Lincoln received its first charter to do business on February 24, 187 1. The bank was the successor of a private bank which had been founded by Judge Amasa Cobb and J. F. Sudduth, the former president and the latter cashier. Among the early stockholders of the bank were : R. D. Silver, E. E. Brown, A. L. Palmer, John Cadman, J. N. Eckman, W. R. Field, Chester Schoolcraft, J. G. Miller, G. \V. Cobb and W. P. Phillips. The first statement of the bank shows that the capital stock on April 22. 1 871, was $35,000.00. At that time the deposits were $71,330.00 and the circulation of bank notes amounted to $22,soo.oo Three years after its founding John Fitzgerald and John R. Clark bought an interest in the bank. Mr. Fitzgerald became the president of the institution and Mr. Clark the cashier. J. F. Sudduth died in 1880. but no other change was made until 1889, when John R. Clark became president; D. D. Muir, cashier and C. S. Lippincott, assistant cashier. Mr. Clark was the leading spirit in the bank until his death in 1890. J. D. MacFarland assumed the presidency at that time. In 1891 the bank increased its capital stock from $200,000.00 to $300,- 000.00 and a vear later it consolidated with the Lincoln National Bank. N. S. Harwood became president ; C. A. Hanna, vice president ; and F. M. Cook, cashier. The first two mentioned had been officers of the Lincoln National. In 1896, after four vears of hard times, with much strain for bank officials, Mr. Cook resigned as cashier and D. D. Muir returned to the place he had formerly held. J. L. Carson became president, but he died shortly and Muir stepped into the presidency in January, 1897, with H. S. Freeman cashier. In 1899 a consolidation was eflfected with the American Exchange National Bank, which brought S. H. Burnham to the presidency of the First National. The latter bank was at this time almost entirely owned by President Perkins of the Burlington Railroad and it was practically sold outright to the American Exchange Bank. In 1907 the bank formed a

[From Clement's Collpction of Early Nebraska Photot;raiilis. I'roperty of and used by jjermission of Nebraska History Seminar, State University] combination with the Columbia National, whereby the latter merged with the former. In 1907 the First Trust Company and in 191 1 the First Savings Bank were organized by the stockholders of the First National. The present officers of the bank are: S. H. Burnham, president; A. J. Sawyer and H. S. Freeman, vice presidents; P. R. Easterday, cashier; W. B. Ryons and Leo. j. Schmittel, assistant cashiers. The statement of the bank at the close of business March 7, 1916, places the capital stock at $500,000.00; the surplus, $300,000.00; the undivided i)rofits, $49,518.83; the circulation, $200,000.00; and the deposits at ?3'8i 5.593-00. The capital of the First Savings Bank, at the same date, was $100,000.00; surplus, $20,000.00; and deposits, $1,150,570.91. The capital stock of the First Trust Company is $50,000.00 and the surplus $20,000.00. The total liabiHties of the three amounts to $5,069,591.18. The directors of the three institutions are : S. H. Burnham, E. J. Hainer, George VV. Holmes, H. S. Freeman, A. J. Sawyer, Charles Stuart, J. E. Miller, F. M. Hall, C. B. Towle, E. B. Sawyer, E. J. Burkett, C. J. Bills, J. C." Seacrest, W. E. Sharp and F. H. Woods.

The present First National Bank Building was the pioneer of the modern twentieth-century office buildings in Lincoln. The bank has always occupied this corner. The building replaced by the new eight-story structure was erected in 1873 and was three stories in height. Work upon the new building was begun September 20, 1910 by the Selden-Breck Construction Company of St. Louis. Hyland & Green of Chicago were the architects. The building w-as completed and formally opened to the public on June 10, 191 1.

The First National Bank has weathered all the storms and vicissitudes which have come upon the business world in the last forty-five years. The great panic of 1873, which wrecked scores of banks throughout the country, left the First National unscathed. Then came the panic of 1893, the crop failures of 1894 and 1895, the panic of 1907 and the near panic, or business depression of 1914, caused Ijy the European war, but from each ordeal the bank emerged in safety. In 1892 the City of Lincoln boasted a total of thirteen banks and of that number the only one in existence today is the First National. All the others have since failed, or consolidated, or liquidated. The First National has itself absorbed four of the banks which were competitors in the '90s, the State National, the Lincoln National, the American Exchange National and lastly the Columbia National.

The State National Bank was founded in 1872 by the Richards Brothers and was purchased by E. E. Brown, K. K. Hayden and others in 1885 and reorganized. It was afterwards consolidated with the American Exchange Bank in 1892, which in turn consolidated with the First National in 1899. The American Exchange was incorporated on December i, 1888, and began business at the southeast corner of N and Eleventh streets, with a capital stock of $100,000.00. I. M. Raymond was president; Lewis Gregory, vice president; S. H. Burnham, cashier; and D. E. Wing, assistant cashier.

The Lincoln National Bank, which was located in the Richards Block at the corner of Eleventh and O streets, was organized in August, 1882, and ten years later went in with the First National.

C. \y. Mosher was president and R. C. Outcalt, cashier, of the financial establishment of Marsh Brothers & Mosher, a house which later incorporated as the Capital National Bank, whose failure in 1893 created a profound sensation in banking circles and practically ruined many depositors, and landed President

Mosher in the Sioux City federal prison for a term of five years, and was a leading factor in the defalcation of State Treasurer Joseph Hartley, for which he was sentenced to the state penitentiary. This bank was located in the old journal Building at the southwest corner of Ninth and O, later moving to Eleventh and O streets.

The Lancaster County Bank was incorporated in June, 1877, by Walter |. Lamb, Thomas Lowell, John Fawell, George C. Newman, J. C. McBride and Joseph W. Hartley, with a capital stock of $50,000.00. The bank did business on the west side of Tenth Street, adjoining the alley between O and N. This bank afterwards liquidated.

The L'nion Savings Bank, which operated at 1 1 1 South Tenth Street, was incorporated April 26, 1886, prominent among the men who started it being John Fitzgerald, C. E. Yates, R. E. Moore, E. E. Brown, T. E. Calvert, J. J. Imhoff, John R. Clark, K. K. Hayden and J. McConnif. This bank afterwards went out of business in 1895. paying depositors in full.

The Nebraska Savings Bank, at the southeast corner of O and Thirteenth, was organized on July 20, 1886, among the organizers being C. C. White, J. G. Southwick, James Kilburn, J. L. Miles, George E. Bigelow, D. L. Brace, L. G. M. Baldwin, C. T. Brown and L. C. Humphrey. This bank went out of business about 1893. Other institutions of the city were on the ragged edge at this time, but no more failed until 1895, when the Merchants went under. This latter bank had been incorporated July 11, 1891, by C. E. Shaw, P. A. Wells, Charles White, J. A. Wells, G. R. Brown,'j. Z. Briscoe, W. H. Walker, L. C. Burr, A. L. Shrader, Henry H. Dean, S. B. Pound, D. L. Brace, A. D. Kitchen, A. Reuber and R. .S. Young, with a capital of $100,000.00. The German National soon followed suit. This bank, located in the old Burr Block at the corner of Twelfth and O streets, was established December 10, 1886. Some men prominent in the affairs of this bank were : Herman H. Schaberg, C. C. Alunson, Joseph Boehmer, C. E. Montgomery, Alex Halter, F. A. Boehmer, B. J. Brotherton, Walter J. Harris and J. A. Hudelson.

The Industrial Savings Bank was incorporated December 23, 1891, by William StuU, Louis Stull, George A. ]\Iohrenstecher, D. E. Thompson and A. H. Weir. Fearing that the fate of the Union Savings would be theirs the Industrial went out of business in 1896. The Lincoln Savings and Safe Deposit Company, which had been established January i, 1889, not long afterwards became insolvent. The Lancaster County Bank, mentioned above, brought up the rear very soon.

The City National Bank was organized in 1899 with Thomas Auld as president and J. H. Auld as cashier, and with a capital of $100,000.00. L. J. Dunn became cashier in 1903, after the death of J. H. Auld. In September, 1907, just before the panic the bank increased its capital stock to $250,000.00. In January, 1912, Thomas Auld sold his interest to L. B. Howey of Beatrice, who became president. The vice president now is L. J. Dunn, the cashier, E. H. Mullowney, and the assistant cashier, W. Van Riper. The capital remains at $250,000.00 ; the surplus, $90,000.00 ; and the deposits amount to $2,000,000.00.

The National Bank of Commerce was established in Lincoln in 1902. M. Weil is the president, S. A. Foster the vice president, and James A. Cline, cashier. The capital stock of this growing institution is $200,000.00; the surplus, $120,000.00; and the deposits, $1,500,000.00. The American Savings Bank was organized in

First National Bank Building, Lincoln

1900. Following are the officers: J. C. Seacrest, president; C. B. Gregory, vice president: Charles li. Gregory, cashier: H. A. Easterday, assistant cashier. The capital stock is $30,000.00; the surplus," $6,000.00; and the deposits over $400,- 000.00. The German-American State ISank, which was organized in Lincoln in 1909, has a capital stock of $50,000.00, a surplus of $16,000.00, and deposits averaging .$460,000,000. H. E. Sidles is the president, C. Klose the vice president, and William Seelenfreund cashier. The Central National Bank was organized in 1907. P. L. Hall is the president of this institution ; Samuel Patterson, cashier; and Henry Mathieson, assistant cashier. F. E. Johnson is vice president. The Nebraska State Bank was organized in 191 1, with $50,000.00 capital. The capital stock has been increased to $100,000.00, with a surplus of $5,000.00 and deposits amounting to $1,000,000.00. The Lincoln State Bank was organized in 1913. Frank Parks is the president, D. L. Love is vice president, John Forrest is cashier, and J. E. Whitney is assistant cashier. The capital stock is $100,000.00: the surplus, $14,000.00; and the deposits have increased to $400,000.00.

A meeting was held at the Columbia National Bank in Lincoln on March i, 1906, for the purpose of organizing the Lincoln Clearing House ; the representatives from the dififerent banks being present. A constitution was presented and adopted. Dr. P. L. Hall was elected president; L. J. Dunn, vice president; and L. E. Wettling, secretary. All the banks represented at the meeting were duly elected members of the clearing hotise.

Bank clearings for the year 191 5 show an increase of nearly $10,000,000.00 over 1914 - to be precise, $9,776,437.00. This year the total was $119,043,782.00, a year ago it was $109,267,345.00. This is considered a remarkable increase in view of the war and general trade conditions over the country and one indication of the general prosperous condition prevailing in the country adjacent to Lincoln. Bank clearings are taken to indicate the amount of money that is spent each year in the conduct of business in sections of the country and with that in view Lincoln's place among the cities may be advanced a notch or two.

LTpon the day after the commissioners selected the site of the new capital of Nebraska the Nebraska City Press contained an announcement, signed by C. H. Gere, that the publication of a new paper at Lincoln, to be called the Cominonwealth, would be started soon. On September 7. 1867, the first copy of the Commonwealth was run off the Press at Nebraska City, no printing facilities having been installed yet in Lincoln. The second issue of the paper did not appear until November 2d. This was printed in Lincoln, in the office of S. B. Galey, a stone building on the north side of the square; W. W. Carder, publisher; and C. H. Gere, editor. It was a seven-column sheet, of shabby appearance, the type being some cast-ofif primer and nonpareil which had been discarded by the Press. It was printed upon the first Washington press brought across the Missouri River into Nebraska Territory. The third number came out two weeks later, having been printed from its own office, a small stone ])uilding which stood on the Academy of Music Block. The appearance of the Commonwealth every week from this time was very regular until the spring of 1869, when the name of the paper was changed to the Nebraska State Journal. The history of the paper since this time may be found upon a later page.

The first morning paper to represent democratic principles was the Nebraska Statesman, founded in 1867 by Augustus Harvey. Later it was sold to Capt. W. T. Donovan, and a year afterwards he disposed of it to Randall & Smails. In 1874 the Statesman was sold to Nat W. Smails & Company and two years later died, the material going to the office of the Fremont Tribune.

The Daily Democrat was launched on January 9, 1879, by Gen. \'ictor \'ifquain. Albert Watkins afterwards became interested in the publication, also A. J. Sawyer and A. B. Coiifroth. On August i, 1886, the paper passed into the hands of J. D. Calhoun, a writer on the State Journal, who ran the sheet for two years. At this time he sold out to Al Fairbrother, Sam D. Cox and H. M. Bushnell, whereupon the paper changed politics from democratic to repulilican. Fairbrother remained with the firm about a year and then sold out to them. The paper was rechristened the Call after Calhoun disposed of his interest to the above mentioned firm. Co.x and Bushnell gave the city a lively paper for a number of years. In 1894, when the hard times were in full swing, the Call was sold to W. Morton Smith and L. L. H. Austin. Smith retired six months later. Austin continued the publication of the Call until July i, 1898, when it was sold under mortgage foreclosure, later being purchased by the owners of the News. During the time that Austin controlled the paper its existence was full of trouble; he was of a very pugnacious temperament.

The first evening paper of which Ihere is any record was the Leader. It was first published in 1873 ^"d survived two years. It was operated by a stoci< company and C. C. RawHngs was the managing editor.

The Daily Globe appeared in 1874. It was published by Willis Sweet. In 1876 it was sold to F. T. Hedges, who ran it until May, 1879. The paper was then disposed of to Wilson & Higginson. In 1S80 Webster Eaton, a former assistant postmaster of Lincoln, became its editor. Soon after this Mr. Calkins of Kearney assumed control of the publication. A few months afterwards the paper expired under peaceful conditions. I. L. Lyman was city editor of the sheet for some time.

The Blade, which made its bow to the public in 1875, was run by Major Cofifray of Brownville. Its life was short. In six months it was dead and decently interred.

The Western World was the comprehensive title of a paper started January I, 1879. by Col. L. C. Pace, once a councilman of the city. Strange to relate, when the publication of this paper ceased within a year's time, the colonel said the venture had been a paying one. He said that he had quit because he was tired of doing tW'O men's work in order to make money.

In 1889 J. C. Seacrest and Walter L. Hunter began the publication of the Evening Globe. They ran the paper from C)ctober ist to December .31st and then quit.

The Evening Sun was the first populist evening paper. It was issued January 16, 1892. H. S. Bowers and B. S. Littlefield were its editors. It was run by a stock company consisting of A. P. S. Stuart, G. B. Chapman, D. N. Johnson, H. S. Bowers, E. Kearns, C. W. Hoxie, and O. E. Goodell. It survived less than a year, but it made political matters hum while it lived.

It was not until 1S96, four years later, that F. S. Eager and W. F. Schwind liegan the publication of another populist paper called the Post. Two years later, in 1898, it was sold to H. F. Rockey, of Freeoort, 111. In 1903 Mr. Rockey, through financial ditificulties, was compelled to suspend publication. Some time later W. B. Price revived the Post in the form of a weekly paper, tjut continued just a short time, when the publication died a natural and merciful death.

The old Commonwealth continued under that name until the spring of 1869. Then it became the Nebraska State Journal. On July 20. 1870, the first issue of the Daily State Journal was published. Prior to this, in November, 1869, J. Q. Brownlee had succeeded Carder in the firm. On the same day that the first daily issue was placed before the public the first train on the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad steamed into Lincoln. A daily edition had prior to this been worked off on tlie hand press, during the session of the Legislature in the winter of 1869-70, but it contained little more than a summary of the legislative proceedings. In the spring of 1871 the Journal returned to the State Block, took possession of the rooms over Rudolph's grocery, where more space was available for the increased work of the paper.

Shortly after this Brownlee disposed of his interests to H. D. Hathaway, of the Plattsmouth Herald, taking an interest in the latter paper as part payment, and the firm became Gere & Hathaway. In 1872 the job business of the publication was separated from it and A. H. Mendenhall and George W. Roberts, of Peoria, 111., joined the forces. They took charge of the job printing department

In the early part of the year 1882 the working cjuarters of the company again became too cramped and the present building was constructed on the corner of Ninth and P streets, northeast. Ground was broken for the construction in June, 1S80, and the building was ready for occupancy in December, 1881. The Journal is published from this same building at the present time.

In 1887 Mr. Roberts sold out his interest to John R. Clark, then cashier of the First National Bank. Air. Gere became president; Mr. Mendenhall, vice president; Mr. Clark, secretary; and Mr. Hathaway, treasurer, of the corporation. The corporation has existed until now, various changes of stock having occurred at different times. The Gere estate continues to hold a large share of the stock.

Col. Thomas H. Hyde, the founder of the News, wrote the following of the paper: "In 1881 there were four daily newspapers, the Journal, Globe, Democrat and News. The supply of weekly and monthly publications was large, representing manifold interests, all of which effectually drained the finances of sympathetic merchants, manufacturers, breeders of pet stock, and others interested in the production and sale of miscellaneous goods and wares they advertised. The News made its first appearance September 26th, the funeral occasion of the lamented President James A. Garfield. Four hundred and eighty copies, four columns each, were printed and five young lads, all bloated with noise, started the sale and delivery, with instructions to place all advertisers on the free list. Within less than three hours the entire edition was exhausted and nearly sufficient returns in the cash box to pay for paper and composition of reading matter.

"Eastern Nebraska was recovering from the disastrous effects of the grasshopper plague, and although crops had been excellent for several years, prejudice had not been entirely removed. Settlers were becoming numerous and so were the excursionists. A grand revival was evident. The city directory showed a large increase of business and citizens. The big railroads were headed this way, real estate, city lots especially, were advancing in price. Eastern capital flooded the banks and safes of money loaners. Opelt's line of Herdice was in operation at 5 cents a jog, and Harry Durfee whh a street railroad was on his way from Illinois."

The first start of the News was as a morning paper by Hyde & Fleming. It was then printed in a small office' in the basement of the southeast corner of Eleventh and O streets. Fleming remained but a few months. It was then moved upstairs over 1136 O Street, and issued from the job office of E. B. Hyde. It was four-column folio, but finally reached a maximum of four pages, eight column.

In 1885 Walter Hoge of Streator, 111., purchased a third interest, the paper then being issued from the third story of the block at the southwest corner of Tenth and O streets. Later it was moved to North Tenth Street, and then to 125 North Ninth Street, where it remained until purchased by the Journal. Air. Hoge withdrew in 1888. and the paper passed into the hands of the Lincoln News Company, with T. H. Hyde, E. B. Hyde and J. W. Jordan as the principal stockholders. In December, 1891. the newspaper was purchased by a stock com- pany composed of H. T. Wesleniiann. Fritz W'estcrmann, Max Westermanii, Sam E. Low and H. T. Dobbins. W. Morton Smith became its managing editor. Later he was succeeded by Sam E. Low and when he resigned, because of il! health, he was succeeded in 1893 by H. T. Dobbins, who has remained as editor ever since.

In ]\Iarch, iSi;", the News passed into the hands of H. H. Tyndalc, of New York, an uncle of the W'estermanns. Two years previously the company installed the first linotypes in the City of Lincoln, and the heavy expense, followed closely by the hard times, compelled the mortgaging of the plant. Mr. Tyndalc purchased it in foreclosure proceedings. He ran it for six months through his brother, T. IT. Tyndale. In August, 1897, J- C. Seacrest purchased the newspaper and a few weeks later disposed of it to the State Journal Company, which operates it as a newspaper independent of other jjublications, with a distinct stafT and news service.