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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 1895)
wsmsmmmmm THE COURIER. if HISTORICAL No 2. The departure of the capital commis sion to bunt a site for Lincoln was a subject or merriment to tbe newspapers of tbe old capital. Not until after much travelling to and fro, looking at the sites through the length and breadth of tbe territory defined by the act, tbe commissioners on the 29th of July 1867 having issued their order locating Lin coln, in Lancaster county, on and about the site of Lancaster, its county seat, and commenced to survey the same into blocks, lots, reservations, streets and alleys, did the press of Omaha wake to the realities of the situation. There was music in tbe air. Tbe act provided that within ten days after its pa Rage the commissioners should quali fy and give bonds to be approved by a judge of the supreme court. The bonds wero to be filed with tbe state treasurer. Now it had beeji ascertained that though the commissioners had sent in their bonds to the chief justice, and be had approved them in the stipulated time, they had not been filed with the treasurer inside of tbe ten days. It was announced, therefore, that they bad no authority to do anything under the law, and that if they sold what purport ed to be lots in the town site of Lincoln, the treasurer. Hon.AugustusKountzeof Omaha, would receive the money and hold it for future disposition, but he wouldn't pay out any of it as a capitol building fund. At any rate an injunction would bo applied for to prevent him. Tbo announcement was calculated to discourage those intending to become purchasers of Lincoln lots. It did have a depressing effect. The sale of lots opened on the new site in October. The commissioners were on the spot with quite a number of possible purchasers. The auctioneer was a handbome man and had a good voice. There was a band of music in attendance, and it played as well as any band ought to play so far away from civilization. But not a bid couIJ be coaxed from a single soul. The com missioners had decided, upon consider ation, that they would not personally invest. It was deemed proper to observe the proprieties very strictly, and to avoid future scandals they jrould keep out. But this was a matter of suspicion to the crowd present. If the commis sioners haven't enough confidence in the new city to purchase a residence or a business lot, -why should we venture any investment? Night came on and not a lot had been sold. A council of war was summoned in tbe evening in the Donovan House, and the commissioners and certain gentle men from Nebraska City were in attend ance. Tbe Nebraska City capitalists said that the commissioners ought to bid on lots, and the commissioners said that the Nebraska City men -who were so much responsible for the scheme ought to bid. Finally it was conceded that both ought to bid. The Nebraska City men formed a syndicate that agreed to bid the appraised value on every lot as it wis offered and as much more n case of competition as they thought safe, until they had taken ten thou and dollars worth of lots. But there was a proviso that in case tbe sales did not amount in rive days to twenty five thousand dollars, including the syndicate's ten thousand, tbe whole business .should be declared "off, the enterprise abandoned, and no money paid in. The commissioners also re scinded their compact against becoming personal bidders, for they saw that mat ters were in a very precarious condition and they had to imbue the people pres ent with some confidence in Lincoln. The next day business began in earnest. When the five days had uaBsed 844,000 had been realized, and the prospects considered certain for the erection of a capitol building. By the time the sales at Nebraska City and Omaha bad been finished $53,000 had been taken in, and no supplementary sales at Plattsmouth and Brownville were held, though com paratively few lots had been disposed of to realize the necessary amount. Lancaster, the site of which had been swallowed up by Lincoln after the pro prietors had deeded it to the state in consideration of the location of the capitol, was a hamlet of five dwellings a part of one being used as a store, and the stonewalls of a building commenced as a seminar' by the Methodist church, but which had partly burned before completion and had. been temporarily abandoned. The residents on the origi nal plat of Lincoln were Captain W. T. Donovan, whose house stood ou the corner of Ninth and Q. on the site now occupied by the Peoria house; Jacob Dawson, whose log dwelling was on the south side of O, between Seventh and Eighth, and who had commenced the foundation of a residence on the corner of lenth and O, where the State Nation al bank now stands; Milton Langdon, who lived in a small stone house east of Dawson's between O. and P; Luke La vender, whose log cabin stood in Four teenth, just south of O, and John Mc Kesson who was constructing a frame cottage two or three blocks north of the university. Scattered about just out side the city limits as then established on premises that have since been brought in in the shape of additions, were the residences of IJev. J. M. Young, Win. Guy, Philip Humorick, E. T. Hudson, E. Warnes and John Giles. Between the date of the location and the first sale of lots a number of buildings were erected on tbe site, the owners taking their chances at the sales of securing their titles by purchase. There wero two frame stores, one occu pied by Pflug Brothers and another by Rich & Co., a law office by S. B. Galey a shoo shop by Robert and John Mon teitb, a stone building, afterwards rent ed to the Commonwealth, the predeces sor of the State Journal, by Jacob Drum, a hotel called the "Pioneer House,"' by Col. Donovan. These build ings were located on or in the vicinity of the public square and fixed tbe busi ness center of Lincoln. As soon as tbe sale was finished the commissioners proceeded to advertise plans for a capitol building. John Morris was the successful architect, and Joseph Ward secured the contract for its construction on his bid of forty-nine thousand dollars. The excavation was commenced in November, and by the first of December of thn following year, 186S, was suffi ciently completed for occupancy,and the governor issued his proclamatian transfering the seat of government to Lincoln and for the removal of the state offices and archives to the new build ing. The first capitol was constructed of sandstone, quarried at various points within Lancaster county, with a facing of magnesian limestone from a quarry near Beatrice. This stone was hauled the forty miles over roads and bridges in part constructed by the contractor. A GUIDE TO HEALTH with every purchase of Munyon's Remedies at RIGGS' pharmacy, BICi'CLE 1UDERS SHOUD USE EIGGr'S CALENDULA for sprains, bruises, sore muscles after -J RIDES, etc. In 25 and 50 cent sizes, Instantaneous in its results RMM&ViWS Gost a Kurvdred on't wait for lower prices. Fop next ear . TlMlRSst a hundred F. R. GUTHRIE, Agent 1 540 O ST. You want the best The best is always the cheapest GOLDEN THISTLE and LITTLE HATCHET FLOUR are always the best WILBUR ROLLING MILLS MANUFACTURERS TIIERE'S NO USE SWELTERING. Over a hot stove cooking picnic lunches. Deviled and other canned ham. Canned salmon, German and American cheese, domestic or imported sardines. Bottled pickles, a few lemons, some sugar, two or three loaves of bread, butter, and there you are, all ready to go. We keep them and put them up for parties better than you can put them up your self. Everything we keep is first class too. No "cheap" stuff and yet we sell it chenp. VBITH & RESS, Grocers, 909 O STREET. - UNIVRSITY of NEBRASKA - SCHOOL o MXJSIO. 11 and Q Streets. Offers superior instruction to all in artistic piano playing, and the correct use of the voice in song. All principal branches of music taught by special instruction. Pupils of any grade of advancement received at any Fall Jerm opens September 2. DIRECTOR. 129 8. Twelfth street Ladies and Qentlemen's Grill and Oyster Parlorsj Regular dinner, 25 cts. Short orders a Specialty. All the delicacies of the' season. OPEN ALL NIGHT. A CALL WILL CONVINCE YOU- 66 99 FLOUR . . S. M. MILLS, Manager. FOR SALE BY ALL DEALERS. Absolutely guaranteed by X S. Johnson Ss Co. 229 S. Ninth Sreet. LINCOLN ii A - r;i ? 4 VyC ' - i J I 3. i - .