THE PAST AND THE PRESENT
(Continued from page 1)
hence another election was held Ap
ril 8. 1890. At this election Non
pareil was eliminated, but neither
Hemingford nor Alliance received
enough rotes to secure the coveted
prize. Accordingly It was voted up
on again at the general election held
November 3, 1890. Hemingford re
ceived the most of the country vote
and 126 votes In Alliance, which
made that town the county seat un
til the matter of re-locating was
again taken up.
As an inducement to the voters to
locate the county seat at Hemlng
ford, the Lincoln Land Co. promised
to donate a block of ground In the
village of Hemingford for a court
house square and construct a court
house to cost not less than $2,500,
the same to be the property of the
county as long as Hemingford con
tinued to be the county seat. As a
guarantee a deed for Block 36 and a
certified check for $5,000 were de
posited with the county clerk, to be
held In escrow. Within six months
from the election, a two-story build
ing, 46 by 52 feet, was completed,
costing $3,600.
After a few years the question of
again re-locating the county Beat
came up. Alliance had grown until
it had several times the population
of Hemingford; drouth and crop fail
ures had reduced the population of
the north part of the county. Hem
ingford people hoped for another
railroad and wanted to hold the
county seat until it came. Realizing
that they would be out voted If the
matter again came to an election,
they made a strenuous fight to pre
vent an election being called. Two
of the three county commissioners
were favorable to Hemingford, and
that gave it a considerable strateget
ical advantage.
The first petition requesting a
special election had only about thir
ty more names than were required
'by law. The attorney for Heming
ford requested thirty days in which
to file objections. The time was
used in securing the withdrawal of
signatures from the petition, which
was done so successfully that a new
petition was necessary to compel the
calling of the election. This was
'done a second time, but when the
third petition was presented it was
too formidable and the funds of the
opposition too low to continue the
fight longer. A special election was
ordered to be held October 11, 1898,
which resulted by a decisive major
ity In Alliance being chosen as the
county seat. In the regular course
of procedure in such matters, the
county records would have been
moved from Hemingford to Alliance,
January 1. 1899, but a temporary in
junction delayed the removal until
in March of that year.
The court house question came up
before the county commissioners. Al
liance had the county seat without a
court house, and Hemingford had a
court house but no county seat. By
the reversionary clause in the deed
given to Box Butte county, the court
house and the block on which locat
ed at Hemingford again became the
property of the Lincoln Land Co.
The building was offered to the
county for $1,500, and six 25-foot
lots (one-fourth of a block) in Alli
ance for $400. The offer was ac
cepted and steps taken to secure the
removal of the building to this city.
A neat piece of engineering was re
sorted to that proved successful and
has since been given a good deal of
publicity in other parts of the coun
try. E. W. Bell, employed by the Bur
lington railroad, had charge of the
work. The statement is often made,
and has been widely published, that
the court house was moved from
Hemingford to Alliance on two flat
cars. This is not correct. It was
moved on car trucks, but not on
cars. Mr. Bell took several sets of
sew trucks that had never been used,
sufficient to have equipped two cars.
The building was moved onto the
railroad track, where it was Jacked
up, girders were placed under it, so
as to rest upon the trucks. Practic
ally the house was made into a huge
box car. The moving took place
July 2 and 3, 1899. and within a
month was ready to be occupied
again. Meanwhile temporary quar
ters had been secured in the Phelan
opera house block for the county of
fices. A proposition to bond Box Butte
county for $75,000 to construct a
new court house was voted upon at
the general election In November.
1912. It carried by a small major
ity, but the election being contested,
on a technicality it was admitted to
be illegal. A special election to vote
on a proposition to bond for $60,000
was called for February 18, 1913.
The proposition carried by a fair ma
jority. In endeavoring to "give credit to
whom credit is due," too much praise
cannot be bestowed upon the board
of county commissioners. under
" -" .
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f
Lee ll.isve, Count) Attorney-elect
" A'
-....
. . . . ''-. j1-.-"' V j"'1 '
Ml.w Opal Russell, County Kiipetin
tendent-elect
whose administration Box Butte
county'a magnificent new court house
haB been constructed, for their work
In this connection. There is no pol
itics in this; it Is simply an unadorn
ed statement of plain fact. A pub
lic recognition in print of this fact
is due the three commissioners, and
this is an opportune time to make It.
From the time the bonds were of
fered for sale till the final settlement
with the contractor's bondsmen, ev
ery step was taken with a view to
getting the best value possible for
every dollar of the county's money.
They succeeded remarkably well. It
Is conceded by persons familiar with
public buildings in' Nebraska that
Box Butte county has the best court
house, in proportion to cost, in the
state. Many times public buildings
cost more than the same buildings
would cost under private ownership,
owing to graft or Incompetency of
those in charge; but In this Instance
the order has been reversed, the
county receiving more for the money
expended than would have ordinar
ily been secured under private con
struction. The new Box Butte coun
ty court house is a monument to the
ability and integrity of the board of
county commissioners and the sup
erintendent of construction. I
Description of the Building I
The following deBcription of the
new court house Is made up from a
statement furnished by D. E. ltou
den, superintendent of construction:
The building has a frontage of 85
feet on Box Butte avenue, with the
ends, 65 feet in width, facing on
Fifth and Sixth streets. It stands
in the center of the block, north and
south, with the rear on the alley
line. It is expected that some time
the county will secure the balance of
the block, and for that reason the
building was constructed as near
the center of the block as possible on
the ground now owned. !
The foundation wall is concrete
up to the grade line. The first story
is built of Bedford stone and all col
umns and ornamentations ' of the
same. The walls for the upper stor
ieB are built of a light gray pressed
brick with a heavy ornamental terra
cotta cornice. The floors are all
made of reinforced concrete, the ,
beams and columns of the same ma
terial, including the roof which has
a cement finish,' In addition to the,
composition of pitch, felt and gravel.
All the floors in the lobby and the
public spaces are laid with tile. The
floors of all offices are finished with
pedro pulp composition, the floor
turning up six Inches to form the
base board, making all the floor a
strictly fire proof. The casing for
the doors and windows are all high
ly polished red oak and the doors
are quarter-sawed white oak. The
entrance and lobbies are supplied
with marble wainscoating. The
stairs are all reinforced concrete
with steel fascia on the balustrade.
The main entrance, opening frim
Box Butte avenue, la 144x204
feet. It has a tile floor and marble ,
wainscoating. This passageway
leads to the corridor on the first
floor. In the center of which is the
"Great Seal of the State of Nebras
ka," artistically constructed of tile
mosaic.
The county court room Is in the
northwest corner of this floor, ad
joining which is the county judge's
office, having a vault for records. The
county surveyor's office Is In the
northeast corner. It has a small
private office in connection and a
vault similar to that of the county
Judge's office. The assembly room
in the southwest corner is connected
by large double doors with the coun
ty superintendent's office, east of It
in the south end of the building. The
ladies' rest room is in the southeast
corner. The janitor's supply room
and the men's toilet are on this
floor.
In the northwest corner of the
second floor is the county treasur
er's office, equipped with steel coun
ter and railing and modern stel
furniture. The county clerk's office
is in the southwest corner and is
equipped similar to the county treas
urer's office. Both county clerk's
and county treasurer's offlceB are
supplied with spacious vaults. The
county commissioners' room. is on'
the west Bide, between the offices of
county clerk and county treasurer.
The county assessor's office is in the
southeast corner. In Nebraska coun
ties of the population of Box Butte
and less, the county clerk is ex-of-ticio
clerk of the district court, but a
room in the northeast corner of this
floor is reserved for the office of dis
trict clerk, when the time arrives
that that office Is separate from that
of county clerk.
On the third floor are the district
court room, the county attorney's of
fice, the sheriff's office and the coun
ty Jail.
Attended the Implication
Among those who attended the
dedication of the court houe Mon
day afternoon, as shown by The Her
ald's register, kept In the lobby and
were
signed by those who came In,
the following, not Including
ren :
(From Alliance)
Prof, and Mrs. W. It. Pate
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Wilcox
C. E. Simpson and wife
Mrs. Wm. F. Hart
Christina Fennlng
Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Wood
Alice Hamilton
John J. Hlordan
Mrs. A. Itenswold
Tom Spencer and wife
Katherlne Hagerty
Bessie lialey
Mrs. Holla Watson
E. W. Ray
11. M. Uullock
Mrs. Wm. Bignell
Mrs. Joe Bogan
Josephine Hampton
Luclle Nohe
C. E. Gleason
Arthur J. Wright
Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Leonard
Mr. and Mrs. I. E. Tash
Mrs. S. H. Cole
Leone Mallery
Mrs. J. A. Mallery
Sarah O'Keefe
Agnes Newberry
Mrs. W. B. Young
Enoch Boyer
I. E. Johnson
Dick O'Bannou
Mrs. A. A. Ralls
Carl Woccrlpt
Helen Schott
Edna Bowman
Mrs. W. W. Johnson
Mary Wilson
Mrs. J. F. O'Brien
J. H. Vaughan
D. L. Bennett
Mrs. O. Herbaugh
Mrs. L. P. Dickinson
Devona Dickinson
Mrs. C. E. Slagle
C. H. Nohe
L. S. Campbell
W. H. Swan
Alta Young
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Hunter
L. H. Waddell
Rev. and Mrs. O. S. Baker
Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Schill
H. E. Smith
W. Red field
child
Hon W. H. WeMover, J
Mrs. John Snyder
Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Snyder
Mrs. Ray Mark
Eva Duncan
Mabel Duncan
Helen Smith
C. A. Laing
W. C. Mounts
Charlotte Mollring
Ruth Leonard
W. A. McLean
Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Duncan
Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Burkholder
Mrs. Frank Vaughn
Mrs. E. Vaughn
Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Fleming
Mrs. W. A. Wiles
Mrs. E. M. Sanborn
J. W. Guthrie
Agnes Knlest
11. L. Carey
Dr. H. II. Bellwood
Mildred Campbell
J. N. Johnston
Mrs. O. S. Blair
Mr. and Mrs. T. II. Barnes
Mrs. Anna Chaffee
J. O. Donovan
Geo. W. Elliott
Mrs. E. V. Reeves
Walter Yount
Mrs. Cuff
Mrs. Edgar Benoit
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Keegan
John bra man
C. I). Rider
G. W. Snyder
W. C. Brown
Mrs. N. C. I'ederson
Uertba Ashley
Mildred Zurn
Dorothy Smith
Ben J. Sallows
B. F. Gil man
A. J. Cole
J. E. Lawler
R. W. Hlaisdell
W. S. Coker
Mrs. Jennie Coker
Rev. Titus Iang
Warren Ixitspeich
J. J. Vance
Joe BoKUe
J W. R. Harper
- 'Mrs. J. R. Lawrence
J. S. Moscrip t
C. L. Hashman
Geo. McCoy
Lee Moore
Mrs. J. M. Miller
F. M. Roswell
F. McCoy
Mrs. Robert Graham
Mrs. G. O. Smith
Bessie Graham
Mrs. F. Ryrkman
Mrs. C. T. Plgman
Mrs. E. L. Knapp
Mrs. Jerry Rowan
Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Drake
Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Brown
11. S. Hawkins
A. Thomas
O. H. Wood
Ira E. Tash
Mr. and Mrs. John Sass
T. D. Roberts
Annie Kennedy
Mrs. O. L. Harris
G. W. Ragan
Carl BuechBensteln
L. R. Royzell
W. D. Fisher
C. Brinkman
J. C. Howkes
F. A. Trabert
S. N. Murray
W. O. Barnes
Dr. Coppernoll
Mrs. W. M. Wambaugh
Dr. J. M. Willis
Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Rodgeri
Wm. F. Trabert
W. G. Zedlker
D. H. Cunningham
Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Wright
N. C. Pederson
Mrs. E. E. Trabert
John Parks
Elma Parkes
Fred H. Gilbert
Archie Brown
W. L. Hawkins
Peter Berkel
Hattle Renswold
C. E. Wills
John Fitzgerald
W. E. Cutts
M. P. Nason
Charles S. Wilson
M. H. Whaley
C. A. Whaley
udge of District Court
I Wm. A. Lunn
kip? " '
; '
o
John Schriener
Mr. and Mrs. W. I. Lorance
Mrs. Arthur Bomgardner
Miss Edna Bomgardner
Eunice Eldred
James H. H. Hewett
Mrs. Chas. H. Fuller
J. B. Hunslcker
F. M. Hayes
L. D. Blair
Minnie Blair
Fred C. Bobbins
Lee BaBye
C. E. Clough
R. M. Hampton
Opal Russell
Marian Grebe
Delia M. Reed
Wm. Davidson
G. G. Clark
Wm. M. Hill
Mrs. T. D. Roberts
Anna Gutberlet
J. C. Thomas
John W. Thomas
Lloyd Thomas
I. M. Thomas
Smith I'. Tuttle
Roy Trabe't
L. M. Kennedy
11. H. Bennett
B. V. Reeves
S. A. Shepherd
C. E. Shepherd
F. Sheibler
Wm. Weldler
Geo. McAlpin
Henry lloptain
W. G. Wilson
Mrs. Win. Davidson
Mrs. L. Ixiwry
Mrs. F. W. iluchman
Aaron Pool
I. II Dillon
Mrs. C. P. Wakemun
II. E. Gautz
Mrs. Ella Young
Mtb. J. C. Miller
Wm. Mitchell
Italph Harris
E. M. Gregg
E. I. Gregg
( ,
illlMM IH-lla M. Iteed, County Supt.
F. II. Nason
A. J. Macey
E. E. Trabert
A. L. Donis
E. B. Miller
E. P. Looney
W. R. MetE
Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Purtnton
John O'Keefe
C. W. Slsley
O. L. Harris
W. L. Patterson
Elizabeth Janney
Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Mote
Wtlma Mote
Marian C. Mote
George Vandervoort
Vera Dunn
Daniel Dunn
Stella Moore
Mrs. Ed Pool
Mr. and Mrs. N. G. Leishmau
Fay Hembry
Ethel Hembry
Jas. II. Skinner
Lelda Cutts
Frances A. Cutts
Mrs. D. E. Purinton
Mrs. A. II. Grove
G. II. Hagaman
John Ditsch
George Ditsch
Frank Buechsenstein
B. O. Beckwlth
V. E. Hall
P. T. Grove
V. G. Fogle
Tressa Vandervoort
Mr. and Mrs. T. S. Fielding
May Nation
Henry Blume
Nina E. Nation
Esther Nation
Minnie Ryan
Mary Ryan
Mrs. A. J. Cole
Sam Latky
J. W. Hashman
Maggie Kleser
Ralph T. Taktos .
H. E. Marvin
Mrs. A. G. Wright
Glen Miller
Andy Walmer
Jennie Blair
John Wright
Stanley Wright fc
F. O. Rowe T
Geo. II. Miller
S. C. Soules
W. T. Schlupp ,
Dorothy Bicknell "
Paul W. Thomas
J. W. Miller
F. W. Zobel
Mrs. Chas. Boone
Mtb. J. T. Boone
Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Bell
11. J. Young -
Mrs. F. R. Clayton
Mrs. Moses Wright
Mrs. H. U. Carpenter
Mrs. F. M. Russell
Mrs. Ben Russell
Mrs. Enoch Boyer
Mrs. Verity Reeder
Mrs. Nellie Heath
Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Rodgers
C. I. Rodgers
T. J. O'Keefe
M. G. Wambaugh
Mr. and Mrs. E. Boone
W. H. Glass
Nellie B. Cutts
Mrs. A. H. Bobbins
P. J. Sturgeon
J. C. Vaughan
J. P. Hazard
Mattie Workman
Mrs. E. S. Martin
Mrs. S. A. Smith
Mrs. W. C. Mounts
Arthur Grove
A. H. Grove
J. A. Mallery
Mrs. C. L. Hashman
Ada Hashman
Robert Mundt
Sam Mundt
M. F. Nolan
Lyndell W. Lewis
Rena Morcy
Chester Hagan
Mrs. H. A. Cunningham
Mrs. F. M. Baker
Mr. and Mrs. Archie Gregory
S. O. Carr
Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Acheson
Harney Pitts
W. E. Spencer
M. J. Nolan
Mrs. Dick O'Bannon
Mrs. W. H. Archer
J. Atz
John W. Tynan
Mrs. W. L. Vernon
Mrs. J. G. Dole
Mrs. H. Reimund
Mrs. Esther Miller
L. L. Kish
C. J. Benjamin
P. K. Moore
F. B. Sweeney
W. M. Wilson
W. W. Norton
Mrs. J. C. Wright
J. II. Vance
Vema Rodgers
Mrs. R. E. Rodgers
Mrs. O. E. Williams
Mrs. Carl Witham
A. T. Lunn
Mrs. A. J. Macy
Ruth Macy
Helen Macy
Mrs. W. J. Hamilton
E. H. Boyd
(Concluded on page 8)
HF.nVANTH OF THE PF.OPI.K
(Continued from pa'g 1)
elected thre years ago, and was re
elected this year by a Urge majority
over a popular former county com
missioner. J. M. Wanek has repre
sented the First district as county
commissioner for nearly nine yesrs.
Ills present term of office does not
expire for two years yet. His last
re-election, which was In 1912, wae
without opposition. Sang C. Reck
retiring member from the Third
district, has been county commis
sioner for seven years. It has been
his ambition to assist, as a member
of the board. In constructing a court
house that would be a credit to the
county and at an expense not greater
than the value of the building. HI
ambition In this regard has been
gratified. George W. Duncan, the
Incoming county commissioner from
the Third district, Is an old timer la
Box Butte county. He held the of
fice for many years, during the stir
ring times when county seat location
and other Important questions were
up for settleemnt. The fact of his
election last month by a large ma
jority Is proof of his popularity, al
tho his reputation needs no such evi
dence. As a businessman as well as
county official he has the confidence
of his exceptionally large circle of
acquaintances.
John Jelinek, county assessor, was
elected to the office In November,
1911. His term of office would ex
pire at the end of another year but
for the change from annual to bien
nial elections, which will make the
term five years Instead of four. He
made an exceptionally good record
as assessor of Running Water pre
cinct for many years, and It was up
on the strength of this record that
he was called by the voters to take
the higher office of county assessor.
Last, but not least, In the list of
county officers comes the county
judge. L. A. Berry was elected to
the office first In 1903. ' The voters
of the county have not held htm to
the rule of rotation In office after the
second term but have re-elected him
four times. It can be said of Judge
Berry that he is one of those law
yers who believe that the prevention
of trouble Is better than Its cure by
litigation and that often the settle
ment of differences by compromise
Is better for both parties than by
trial at court.
NOTICE
TO PIIAIKIK IMM1 OWNERS
Now Is the time to dispose of your
herds. Guaranteed poisons at the
rate of three cents per acre, sold at
Holsten's. You can get the poison
and do the work yourself.
HOLSTEN'S, THE REXALL STORE
dec 31-2t-5204
Burial of HUter
Miss Jessie Carpenter, sister of H.
U. Carpenter of Alliance, who died
Monday evening at Sioux Falls, 8.
D., will be held at the Baptist church
In Alliance Friday morning at 10
o'clock, Rev. Morphy preaching the
funeral sermon. The body is expect
ed to arrive Thursday noon. Inter
ment will be made at the cemetery
at Letan, where her father, and
mother are burled.
Miss Carpenter was a former resi
dent of Alliance, moving to Sioux
Falls three years ago where her
three nephews, who are attending
the Baptist college there, made their
home with her. Her death followed
an operation a week ago.
Three Night at tiera House
The. Rlnaldo players, a high class'
company, will appear at the PheUn
; Opera House on Thursday, Friday
and Saturday of this week In "The
i Stranger", "The Game" and "The
I Million Dollar Doll." Hiry hat
their own special scenery and cos
tumes that are unusual.
1'iulergoeH Surgical 0xralioit
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar O'Banaon
went to Seward before Christmas. A
week ago today Mrs. O'Bannon .un
derwent a serious operation at Mor
row's hospital In that city. Altho
not out of danger yet, her friends
hope for her speedy recovery.
ST. .MATTHEW'S ( Hl ltCH
10 a. in. Sunday School.
11 a. m. Holy Communion.
7:30 p. m. Evening prayer and
sermon.
Mondays and Wednesdays: Boys
Club, at 7:30 p. ra.
Subject Sunday. "Can You Read?"
Dean A. Tliorold Flier, Hector
The funeral of Joseph Mashek,
father of Henry Mashek. of Mars
laud, was held In Casper on Sunday,
December 20. The body wa accom
panied to Casper, Wyoming, where
burial was made, by the son and Joe
Duhon of Marsland.
Will a neutrality order that bans
"Tlpperary" also rule out dot leedle
German bandt?
(; o
Edgar M. Martin, Treasurer
