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About The Loup City northwestern. (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1915)
Short Sketch of Sherman County and the Present Officials By PEARLE NEEDHAM. Sherman county is located in the oast central part of Nebraska, and the Middle Loup river like a silver thread winds in and out, from the northwest corner to the southeast comer of the county, making a broad fertile valley with rolling plains sloping on either side. Forty odd years of habitation and cultivation have changed the desert waste to a flourishing garden. The strong arm and dominant will of the sturdy pioneer have wrought the transfor mation. Where once were the sod huts and dugouts, the early homes of these people, we see large modern farm houses, ample barns, and granaries filled to overflowing with the products of the soil. Where a few short years ago we saw the roaming buffalo, and elk, the cattle feed upon a thousand hills, and they are fat, too. Not long since, the farmer plowed his weary way hack and forth across his field behind a yoke of oxen dragging a plow, turning one furrow at a time; now, while his blooded horses rest in their comfortable stalls, he sits beneath an umbrella, on the tractor seat, turning from three to six furrows each time across his field. The automobiles are fast taking the place of tlie good old driving teams of the farmer. When he wants to go to town, his team rests and he is whizzing away to the city in about the length of time it used to take him to get his team ready, in fact if Henry Ford should come to Sherman county, he would think this a small Detroit. The cities of the county are enterprising, progres sive, and wide awake. Many indus tries we find, employing several men, and it is not surprising with such a people, that the wealth of the coun ty has increased so rapidly in the past ten years. In 1905 the valua tion of all property, real and personal was approximately $5,850,000, while in 1915 it was $16,600,000, showing uimost a threefold increase. It is surely a credit to the people who have made it. It is the indus t ry, and the stick-to-it-iveness of the early settlers that have made this a land of plenty, and marvelous growth. The splendid improvements we find in the towns and on the farms testify to the up-to-dateness : d progressiveness of this people. Only one spot left to mar the beauty of the “land scape” hereabouts. The old county court house is stand ing there still; But the days of its youth have fled. For the last forty years it has stood in that block. And the people who built it are dead. The floor boards are warped, and bent out of shape, The walls are all molded and gray, The windows all rattle, and the doors all squeak And the joists have begun to decay. The stairs are all shaky and fill one with dread, Although we must climb them each day. The roof leaks a stream when ever it rains And the outside is fast crumbling away. Its dear to our hearts is the old coun ty court house, As it stands there so bleak and for lorn We have had it so long that its hard to give up, But if a new one were builded— who’d mourn? But with the paying off of the coun ty indebtedness, which will be done with the 1915 levy, we are sure the good people of this county will show the same sturdy true-hearted spirit that has characterized the settlers from early days on down, and erect a court house that will be a credit to them and to the generation to come. SHERMAN COUNTY OFFICERS. If any one in the good old state of Nebraska can produce a more genial or more handsome bunch 'of county officials, why we’re from Nis souri. Always they treat the public with i he greatest cortesy, and are ever obliging, and send their callers away with a smile that repeats the spoken invitation, "Come again." Since gray hairs should he honored lirst, let us intorduce to you our sheriff "Dad” Williams as he is familiarly called. Since 18S3, he has been a resident of the county. A civil war veteran, of two enlistments, the first in the 7tli Wis. and later in the 13rd Wis. of which he was made lieutenant. His reputation for marks manship makes the culprit hide in fear and trembling and keep shy of his jurisdiction. He has served as sheriff since 1904. F. M. Henry came to Sherman county about 1898. He was with the Ravenna Creamery company for several years until in 1912, he lef their employ to assume the duties of custodian and collector of the county’s funds, which is not an envious position for the County Trea-surer, regardless of everything gets the blame for high taxes, dear readers. E. A. Smith. 13th County Judge of Sherman county, in 1S83 in company with H. L. Bell of Webster township arrived in this, the garden spot of Nebraska, on board a Prairie Schooner, the chief mode of travel in those days. Since that time he has been farmer, merchant, attorney, shoe maker and school teacher, the vicissitudes of a pioneer life which is the making of the true sons Board of Supervisors of Sherman County of Nebraska. Since 1910 he has been meteing out justice to the erring ones of the county, ami his judicial mein and wisdom give him the appearance of a supreme justice, all he lacks, be ing the robe. Charles Bass of towering stately form and bass voice is custodian of the records of the district court. He doles out judgments and divorce decrees with a sparing hand and has become an expert at deeipering court proceedings. His merry “good morn ing” will drive away the “blue devils,” and he is the proverbial roails and carried more chains than any other surveyor of Sherman coun ty. But when all is said and done, when E. B. Corning cannot locate a government corner there is no use for any one else to try. Dr. A. S. Main has been a practi cing physician of Sherman county for a number of years. The arduous duties of County Coroner rests light ly on his broad shoulders, and he re ports vital statistics, looks into the causes of violent deaths, with the calm dignity of one to the mauoi born. DAN MCDONALD District No. 4. W. O. BROWN District No. 3. F. T. RICHMOND District No. 7. JOHN WtLTV Chairman District No 2. E. F. KOZEL District No. 5. WENZEL REWOLINSKI District No. 1. Happy Hooligan” of the court house, and he's never been known to have a grouch on since he came to Sher man county in 18S7. E. B. Corning, our genial County Surveyor, has occupied that position' since Christopher Columbus dis covered America, or perhaps it has been only since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. At any rate he has located more corners, set more stakes, straightened more HIYO ADEN District No.6. L. 13. Polski, a native son of Sher man county, very ably graces the of fice of County Clerk, having been splendidly fitted for the clerical work of that office by several years of banking experience. He filled the of fice of deputy clerk for three years under the late W. C. Dieterichs, and then being appointed to fill vacancy and afterward elected to office. L. L. Stephens, born and raised in Sherman county, also, is splendidly equipped to fill the office of County Attorney, being a graduate of the University of Nebraska, one of the best Universities in the United States. A young man of sterling worth, he will no doubt occupy a high position in the realm of law, some day in the future. U. H. Currier, Superintendent of public instruction, has been promi nent in educational circles of the county for several years. The schools of the county are in a flourishing condition as a result of his efforts. That he is very popular with the ■chool ma'ams of the county is evi ienced by the large institute attend nee each year. County Assessor W. T. Owens has ived in Loup City since August 1885. He is a veteran of the civil war. Inflated in Company 1 second Wiscon ■in Cavalry and w'as never killed, rounded or taken prisoner that he an remember of. Before entering he army he had served three years ■iprenticeship learning the carpen ter trade, to which occupation he re turned on his return home when that little unpleasantness was over in December , 1865. In 1871-2 he was along the Missouri river, building churches on Indian reservations; then went to Chicago to help rebuild that city after the fire. Then he re lumed to Wisconsin for a few years In the winter of 1878-9 he went to Leadville, Colorado, to try the game of get rich quick, but old Dame For tune wouldn't smile on him. On ar riving in Loup City in August, 18S5, he went into the contracting and building business which he followed until he was appointed postmaster at Loup City and filled that position from January 1, 1899, to February, 1909. He was elected and served as city assessor in 1910 and 1911 and was elected county assessor in 1912 for four years and is ready now to draw cuts with Teddy to see who will take the head of the ticket next year. S. H. Richmond the latest acquisi tion to the court house bunch, fills the office of deputy County Clerk. He came to Sherman county about ten .years ago and has since made it his home. His cheerful smile and ever willingness to oblige makes him a very efficient deputy. Mrs. Anna May, the pleasant little lady, who as clerk assists in the cler ical work of the County Judge’s of fice, is getting to be an expert in the issuing of marriage licenses. When in need of same, call upon her, she will help you into difficulties. Pearle Needham, a native born daughter of Sherman county, has years. She very smiling and graciously relieves all callers at the office of their spare change, and al though they often glare at her wrath fully, they haven't the heart to grumble much because she's so ex tremely polite about it. R. M. Hiddleson, ex county treas urer, helps out at the treasurer's of fice, once in a while during the busiest seasons. He is an old resi dent, having come to this county in 1S80. He is jolly and good natured and ever ready to please. The county board of supervisors is composed of seven members; they are all farmers and are splendid representatives of the countie's in-1 dustrious tillers of the soil, except E. F. Ivozel of Rockville, who is a merchant, but interested in the farm ing business, anyway. There is Welty who graces the chair And assumes a most dignified air. And there’s Brown who is jolly and fat— No one need ever deny that. McDonald, who’s lanky and lean—• But you never dare say that he’s mean, Rewolinski of Polish decent, Who is ever on business intent, And Richmond who wears a broad smile, Regardless of weather, it’s there all the while. The handssomest man on the board is Kozel, But don’t let him know it or his head might swell. Then Aden, who does not know how to frown— Everyone is aware when he reaches town. This is the roll of the board, tried and true. The best bunch of fellows you ever knew. NEBRASKA. By Carl E. Herring, in the National Magazine. The sun never shone on a country more fair Than beautiful, peerless Nebraska; There’s life in the kiss of her rare fied air, Nebraska, contented Nebraska. Her sons are all valiant and noble and bright, Her beautiful daughters are just about right. And her babies, God bless them—are clear out of sight; That crop never fails in Nebraska. Her homes are alight with the halo of love, Nebraska, prolific Nebraska; They bask in the smiles of the heavens above, No clouds ever darken Nebraska: Her grain waves as billows of gold in the sun, The fruit of her orchards are equalled by none. And her melons, some of them weigh ’most a ton. They challenge the world In Ne braska. Her girls are sweet models of maiden ly grace, In that modern Eden, Nebraska; They’re perfect of figure and love ly of face. That’s just what they are in Ne braska. Their smiles are bewitching and win ding and sweet, Their dresses are stylish, yet modest and neat; A Trilby would envy their cute little feet, In beautiful, peerless Nebraska. When the burdens of life I'm called to lay down, I hope I may be in Nebraska; I never could ask a more glorious crown Than one of the sod of Nebraska. And when the last trump wakes the land and the sea, And the tombs of the earth set their prisoners free, You may all go aloft, if you choose, but for me, I think I’ll Just stay in Nebraska. We Don’t Handle HoUdati Goods But we do handle necessities that appeal to the shoppers who have put in a busy day buying gifts for friends and relatives. After a strenuous day the shopper is pretty certain to be hungry and will appreciate a good dinner or supper. Take home an order of our Steaks, Chops, Ham, Cutlets, Oysters, Fish, Celery and Mixed Pickles and you will find yourself much refreshed after enjoying the same. Our stock of meats is always fresh and reliable and there is no limit to the different cuts you may prefer. We also carry a standard line of relishes, sweet and dill pickles, etc. Our Line of Hams and Bacons Are the Best Pioneer Meat Market O. L. TOCKEY, Proprietor •% J fCaxwEll TKe Wondei* Car” WE arc always pleased to demonstrate this car to prospective buyers. If you arc figuring on the purchase of a car drop in at our garage and let us tell why they call the Maxwell “The Wonder Car.” OmMcm’MoknrEp Demountable K«r j, * f0J*Electric. fQJJ^ 'ElectricStarter \ectxklxjf® Ignition r.oa- oa-raoit' of expert workmen 01 c . _»nnirs and Our repair *»«>«« f«* UI,C «1 «*•“ ana eqn'PP'O wim * :rr!--WAite LOUP CITY.