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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 3, 1915)
4 n i j. TIFF, OMAHA SUNDAY P.KK: OCTOBER ,1, 1015. Beginnings in the Magic City that Grew Mightily in Time An- man or women of th compara tlTety tender are of SS years In oMer than fh Booth Bide, one called South Omaha. It Is almost Impossible to be here that the thrlvine; busy community to the south In only that old. Hilrty thres yearst Im the annals of eastern cities that 1 merely a atep and In those of eltlee of the old world It la a email period that mark almost no change at all. Yet tn thirty-three years outh 8ld. the "Magic City," he ppruns- srenilnitly by mafic from the cornfields. The topography of the alte played a part In the beginning of the oily. It la Man and rolling, the ground eloping toward the river. A valley rune from ltorthweet to southeast, thua making the draiaare Meat As early ae 1T John A. Smiley of Omaha organised the t'nlon Rook Tarda company for the purpose of erecting stockyards. In 1R77 the lire stork committee of the Omaha Board of Trade reported that It vu Impressed with the very generally expreaaed rlewa of the businessman of Omaha, and the stockralsers and ehlppera of the Importance of atock yards and packing and alaughterlng houaea being erected and maintained here. The Omaha atock yarda wm organlred In April. 7. In May of the eame year th Union Block Tarda company, taking the aame name as the concern oraranlied by Mr. Smiley In 187, waa organised by William A. Pajtton. J. U Lovett. W. J. Broatch, TV. C. B. Allen and Herman Xountss. 3Trom this the preaent great yarda liars grown. Then for aeveral yeara there were prophesies, theories, reaaonlnga, which finally resolved themselves Into firm reeolvea In 11 when men who were ready and willing to venture upon an undertaking which seemed at the time to te extra hasardoua. fixed on the fanning lands there for a plant John F. Boyd waa the first superln tendent of the yarda and did the flrat actual labor toward organising the work and building the yarda. Arthur Bhrlver waa one of the flrat men and waa fol lowed in June. 1S84. by Frank Boyd. Kd Cullen. D. R. Scott and "Ike" Brayton. Ed Ilulett waa the flrat welghmaeter nd waa succeeded by Ed Stearna in IMS. Jamea Pa i ton, a nephew of "W. A.", waa the flrat timekeeper. Mr. Hutchfna waa the flrat foreman of the . yarda. At the time of opening the yarda there waa no exchange building and ao the old Fred Drexel houae. a two-etory frame structure, twenty-eight by .forty feet, waa purchased and used for th purpoee. The building atood Juat a little eat of the aoutheaat corner of the prea ent exchange building. It had four rooms on the flrat floor and alx u petal r a The flrat building erected on the atock yarda alte waa a boarding houae. Here, before the yarda were opened for busi ness, gradera and other workmen were boarded and lodxed. It wna known aa the "Canfleld House" and afterwards aa the "Union Stock Tarda Hotel." After cattle began coming to the yarda, not only thoae who had charge of the pena, but the "knlghta of the prod pole." who came In with atock, found accom modation there. Jn 1KS5 aeveral commis sion firms took offleea In the hotel. Sub sequently It waa torn down and remain only In history as South Omaha'a flrat hotel. The brick exchange bulldlnv wna built In the fall and winter of 18M. The South Omaha Globe describee thla epoch marking building thua: "The building will be four etorlea In height, aurmounted by a tower eight' feat high. The ground floor will contain the publlo offices and private parlors MAKING A STUDY OF SUNDAY Psychology Students Have Purpose in Going to Tabernacle Mceting-i. ATOIESCE MOST ATTENTIVE Studenta of psychology, or the ecltmoe of the mind and mental phenomena, are paying; considerable attention to the "Billy;' Sunday meeting.. Whether or not the psychologists are endorsing the evangelist's campaign and are Joining in the work, they take keen' Interest in his meetings from the etaiulolnt of their science. , A well known student of psychology, who teaches in one of the colleges of the state, came to Omaha for the express purpoee of studying Mr. Sunday and his psychological effect upon hla audiences. Finding the tabernacle meetings a rare opportunity for the pursuit of hla sub ject, the psychologist attended all three of the meetinga Sunday, and then decided to remain la the city aeveral days longer tor that purpose. Aa Omaha doctor, well known for hla contributions to original research. Is also making a close study of the .psychology of "iiiily" Sunday's preaching. The doc tor secures a seat of vantage at every opportunity, and carefully studies the effect of the revivalist's efforts uton ths minds of his listeners. "Every word gets a sympathetic re sponse from the audience," the doctor says. "Mr. Sunday awaya the great crowds just aa If he was a wireless send ing station and the listeners were wire less receiving station. His Influence over the audience Is wonderful, and furnishes rare example, of psychology." of the Union Stock Tarda company, largo dining room and accessories (kitchen, laundry, refrigerator ijom, etc) lunch room and bar room. The banking room will be on the second floor directly over ths stock yards com pany offices and occupy sxactly the aame amount of apace. Thla floor, which la also the mala one, will contain also fifteen handsome office rooms for the use of commission men. A wide corridor runs through the center of the building on ench floor. The third floor will be divided Into twenty-six sleeping rooms, stock room and parlor. Ths fourth (or Mansard roof floor), will contain thirty aleeping rooms." The original building aa erected, re mains today aubstantlally ths aame, but the rapidly Increasing business haa made addltiona to the structure necessary. A vivid picture of pioneer days .11 "South Omaha haa been painted by J. B. Krlon, om-e publisher of the Eagle. He says: "In there were no street cara or paved streets and Thirteenth street wss the route between the yarda and the city. Mouth Omaha waa Itself a mud hols the greater part of the time, the streets hot graded, no eldewalks and all supplies had to be brought down from Omaha. "W. O. Sloan was the pioneer store keeper. He came In 1SS4 and built small frame bualneaa houae la ths midst of a wilderness of cornstalks and jimp son weeds. Hla stock consisted of drugs and medicines, groceries and provisions, butchers' Jackets and overalls and other things too numerous to mention. "Often the speoe between ths counters was so blorksded with barrels of po tatoes, sacka of beans, aides of bacon and rowboya aa to make It extremely difficult, if not altogether impossible, for a modest man or woman to get farther than a molaaaee barrel. "Tet, tn spite of all this, the store keeper often took In as high as $KiO a day. Mr. Sloans was also the first post master snd the records show that ths flrat day's postal receipts were 23 cents and at least a dosen plecea of mall were handled. "Later he got competition when J. C. Carroll atarted another grocery store In a patch of cornstalks, Jlrapeon weeda and doa; fennel at the corner of Twenty-sixth and N afreets. His sister waa the first school teacher, and In vacation time she took a position as clerk in the Carroll emporium. During 1SV the population of the city Increased rapidly and things began to corns its way. From Chicago came a large number of commission men and things begsn to look like business, indeed. Ths opening of the Hammond packing bouse, though It was a small affair, brought aeveral hundred butchera, whlcb aent ths town on a lively boom. "There was no polios, no local author ity, no organisation, no legal restraints except those of county and state. So things were lively and It was considered a dull evening when there weren't at least half a dosen fist fights and a shoot ing scrape or two." In April, lSiV, a mayor and eouncllmen were elected under provisions of the atatute aa a city of the second class, with more than 1.0UO and less than S.000 popu lation. The following April,' 1S8S, a full set of city officials were elected for a term of two years under statute provi sions regulating a city of the second class with more than 6,000 and less than 25,000 population. In 1890 South -Omaha became a city of the first cluaa, with more than 8,000 and less than 2B.000 Inhabitants, In which class It remained until 1900, when It be came a city of the first class with more than 25.000 snd loss than 40,000 population, under which It operated until consolida tion with Omaha In 1915. All told, South Omaha has had ten dif ferent mayors, one acting mayor and one chairman of a villas board. Following the village organization the mayors were as follows: 1SS7, Exra P. Savage; 1R90. William O. Sloane; 1S92, Charles P. Mil ler, who only served half his term; 1S9S, O. E. Walker, for one year, to fill Miller vacancy; lfW, Ed Johnston; 1R96 to 1898, Dr. T. H. Ensor; 1!K, A. R. Kelly; 1902, Frank Koutsky, who was re-elected In 1904; 1906, Thomaa Hoctor; 1908, Frank Koutsky; 1910. Patrick J. Tralnor; 1011, Thomas Hoctor, who waa re-elected In 191 S a special election having been called under provisions "of the new law. Some South Omaha Firsts Catherine Rowley, daughter of Patrick and Annie Rowley, was the first female child born in South Omaha; ahe was born on nnllmud avenue botween N and O streets, August 3, lSMi. The first hoarding houae waa started In May. li, by "Bill" Jones. In a small frame building on the eaat side of Twen ty-fifth street, between M and N at reels. "Jack" Howe had ths first blacksmith shop, located on Twenty-fifth street be tween K snd O streets. The flrat Catholic service In South Sunday Paints Word Picture of How His Friend Won Race Dramatic artistry waa shown last week tn a recital by "Billy" Sunday of how Engineer George Goodrich of the Burling ton line pushing ths fast mall train In from Crestou to the Union Faclflo trans fer st Council Bluffs during a speed test for ths mail contract. Mr. Sunday was on another train at ths time, on a sid ing. He knew Goodrich, and as his engineer friend rushed through Glen wood at eighty miles an hour ths evange list put his head out of a car window and threw his rsp Into the air. The auditor could almost visualise Engineer Goodrich, with hla cap pulled down over hla ears, holding ths throttle aa If In the grip of death and the train speeding along like some mighty projectile hurled from a mighty catlpult. Goodrich won the race. Omaha was ths celebration of mass the flrat Sunday In November, 1885, In the Ryan aohool house on Twenty-seventh street between M and N streets, by Rev. John Jeanette, pastor of St. Patrick's church. Omaha. The flrat livery stable was atarted by Jesse Hogate at Twenty-fourth and N streets. Ths first towa lots sold In South Omaha after ths town waa laid out and ths Hat price sot. were purchased by Martin Kpoettl and William Kerr, on June 4, 1SSC- The first marrlags was that of John F. Rltchhart and Mrs. Anna Williams on August ft 1836, the ceremony beliur performed by llev. Dr. Patterson, rector of St. Msrk's Episcopal church, Omaha, Ths flrat death waa that of Thomaa Kerr, Infant son of William and Onle Kerr, July 4, 1884. The flrat butcher to locate permanently tn thla city of wholeaale butchera. was Charles Akofer. who cams August 28. ISM. Henry Wordeman waa ths Orat male child born here, his birthplace being a house at Twenty-fifth and M streets and ths date, July, 18). ej ! 5 "S e q a 3 BRAND JgP Business Has Been Exceedingly Good Thanks to Our Friends and Customers Remember, We Are Still Doing Business at the Same Pmcc in the Same Way . FEEDERS' SUPPLY CO. Live Stock Exchange Bldg. So. Omaha, Neb. - . In the Hog Pens at South Omaha the Porker F inds Solid Comfort j If z n ' i . . a mis mm mmm m$w--m ImmA & . - - . ; V. ,., , J . M-m " ' ' : bil' .? -' ''' ' :lvOe V ' " ' ' . J'-" ,0 Oea. Malady. ;i A:i-!.-:r:' --- " I : J . , , HIT THE TRAIL MELADY EROS. 1 ervice South Omaha U.S. A. Savrrr Kslady. ii ii turn tame Qm.ml Beginning of Stock Yards First actual work waa started oa what ts now ths (Treat stock yards of Omaha oa Apr. t, 1H4, under ths Immediate di rection of William A. Paxton, preaident of ths oompany, a inaa known for his big purse as well as his big heart. A largs fores of men and teams was era ployed and sooa a remarkable transfor matlen took place In the fields. A low swamp or slough extended frqm what Is now ths west end of the stock yards to ths Hammond company s plant. By ths first say ef August ths yards wore so far completed that they could aooommodats live stork. They covered about tea acres aod eould handle l.ww cauls dally. John F. Boyd was superin tendent, At noon oa August IS ths first shipment of ttie esune in an 4 It was such as to encourass the mea interested. It was a whole tralnload of cattle, twenty-five e-.ru. with btl head, over the Union Pa-ciri-, from r. Wolcou, Medicine Bow. Ths caltls were ted 1,714 pounds of hay and tbs next day were reealpped in twenty-five other cars sver the Hock Island railroad to Chicaga. Ths first bogs received at tbs stock yards cams oa August 17 over ths Unon Pacific, consigned by Black A Nash of Kearney, Neb., to themselves at Chi cago. There were lu hogs la two cars. Nos MOT and 1&2S. sven the car num bers of this historic event being pre served. They were ted four bushels of oora la ths yarda, for which U was charged, and were shipped the earns day over the Ch.cago A Milwaukee railroad. I What He Used These Ksr, Customer I want another flre-ettln-gulshnr. I'sed tlie Usl one all up last (lerkOlad tn a-ll Hum tn vnu air but aren I you rather i-arelees st your I f,-.i. a i , c, i urn ui luiru uuf a VI sow )uu In a M'k. Customer i. 1 don't use them for fire. They are tne greatest tilings on earth lur cJiasing out uur dausliUr s Uts cailets. Judse. JNO. FITZ ROBERTS Steer Saleitn&n Phone So. 63 H. H. ROBERTS Cow Salesman Phone So. 44 E. A. ROSE Hog Salesman Phone So. 124 oberts oros, l Rose LWm tBTK ?wOE!3BSSIkI TELEPHONE SOUTH 144 Private Branch Exchange to Cattle and Hog Yards STOCK YARDS SOUTH OMAHA, NEB. '17 iis WELCOM STOCKMEN AND AK-SAR-BEN VISITORS TO THE Tr TTTa nil n i f OU'iliJL, CASTLE "THE HOUSE OF SAFETY" Fred A. Castle, Proprietor Omaha, Neb. Room Tariff -Room with bath, $1.50 WELCOME TO OUR CITY Kake our offices your headquarters. Joiu OUB list of WELL satisfied Customers. Give us the opportunity of proving the merit of our ABILITY. BLISS & WELLMAN HVK STOCK OOMMISSIOX SKV4-2S41 r.'Tchanyn rnkw Slock Yards Tel -Office, Bo. 810; Hax Yd-. So. 049; Cattle Vd, . ,tuo ?sT7 f7n ILMlTJlM ft