many years ago


The Columbus Journal, March 3, 1897
DIED
SCHROEDER--Sunday, February 28, at 3:30 p.m., Gustav, oldest child and son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schroeder.
The funeral took place yesterday, Tuesday afternoon, services being held at the Maennerchor hall, Elder H.J. Hudson and Rev. De Geller officiating.
Gustav was the second son of his parents, his elder brother dying fifteen years ago, on February 28. Gustav was born at the homestead farm, Platte county, Nov. 15, 1870, and for one of his years, his life has certainly been an eventful one. At the age of 15 he took great interest in matters pertaining to what became his life-work--steam and electrical engineer, and as time passed and his knowledge increased, his opportunities for employment widened, and, with health, it is not wide of the mark to say that he might have become one of the great electricians of our country. Young as he was, his experience was much, and the call for his well-known and much-appreciated abilities was urgent. He was one of the very first electricians in Nebraska. He was called to St. Louis by the Heisler Electric Manufacturing company to superintend the erection of their works; then to Chicago, where he was engaged during the World's fair in the manufacture of incandescent lamps; then to Ft. Wayne by a company to start their plant; then to Houston, Texas, for the Houston Electric Manufacturing company.
He came home in 1895 on account of failing health; was called to Fremont to superintend the opening of their plant and operate it for the trial term of sixty days; then to LaPorte, Indiana, for a similar work; then to the University at Lincoln, where he was only able to stay three days. Since then his hold on life has seemed to grow less and less on account of lung trouble. He sought relief by travel and change of climate, going to Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, but returned to his home here January 3d, since which time he has been awaiting the end. His thoughts were on his life work, day and night, and his last words were, "Will, turn on the steam, it is time to start up."
Gustav was a bright young man, an honor to his parents and to this community, where he received his impulses toward the work which so absorbed his faculties.


The Columbus Journal, June 2, 1897
MARRIED
McKEE-COSTELLO--Last Monday at Columbus Robert McKee and Miss Jennie Costello were made man and wife. Miss Costello resided in Fullerton last summer where she made many friends. Robert needs no introduction to Nance county people as he is well known all over the county. As a member of the rustling firm of Kennedy & McKee, our people have seen a modest beginning grow into one of the most flourishing firms in town. The best wishes of all our people go out to this newly married couple who wish them all joy and comfort that come to married life. Tuesday evening the band boys accompanied by the hose team and their cart, called on Mr. and Mrs. McKee and gave them a serenade. Robert appeared on the scene and thanked the boys kindly and passed the smokes.




The Columbus Journal, February 23, 1898
BORN
GATES--Born, Tuesday morning, to Mrs. Ira Gates, twins, a son and a daughter. A lady acquaintance suggests the names, George and Martha as appropriate.

The work on the irrigation canal which runs through southern Nance and northern Merrick counties is being steadily pushed this winter, although the cold weather is interfering with operations somewhat. The company has ordered frost plows from the east and when they arrive the winter work will progress more rapidly and a larger force will be employed. It is the intention to have the canal completed to carry water for irrigation in the spring.


The Columbus Telegram, May 12, 1898

Misses Grace Hatfield and Louise Schmocker, the girls who ran away from home a few days ago, were brought home last Friday, penitent and willing to stay with their parents hereafter. All they went to the city for was to procure work, and were working in a hotel at Omaha when found. Their return was a great relief to the parents, who suffered great agony of mind during the absence of their children.


The Columbus Journal, June 23, 1898

The reporter for the Telegram was out in the country about 35 miles northwest of here Saturday and found the corn, wheat, rye, barley and oats looking fine. Corn was over one foot high in many places and where it had been cultivated once looked clean. We did not see but one field of oats that had lodged and that was only one corner of the field. The barley was turning in many places and the fine hot days since will help to ripen it. We have never seen crops look any better in Nebraska than they do this season.


The Columbus Journal, July 6, 1898

Ed. Jenkins, and his ranch-helper, Barney Hassmann passed through the city Monday with 56 hogs and 23 head of cattle for the South Omaha market, getting the top price that day, 3.70 for the hogs, averaging 306 pounds, and 4.65 for the cattle, averaging 1223. The hogs were hauled from the farm to the station, eleven miles, during the night and were in fine shape. Mr. Hassmann may well congratulate himself on the success he has made, because many people who bought cattle last fall for feeding have lost money, instead of making several hundred, as Barney has done.


The Columbus Telegram, August 11th, 1898

As Mrs. Frank VanAlstine was returning from taking her husband to work on the Ernst residence, at about one o’clock this afternoon, the horse she was driving ran away with her. Going down Twelfth street one of her children was thrown from the buggy in front of the Meridian hotel, escaping serious injury by a hairsbreath. In turning into Nebraska avenue, at the Clother, Mrs. VanAlstine and a baby were tipped out, and also escaped injury. The horse ran into watering trough at the park and was caught before much damage had been done to the buggy.


The Columbus Journal, July 27, 1898

There is another case of diphtheria in town, a child of the Peters family. The residence was quarantined Wednesday morning. Mr. Peters attended one of the children in the Baumgart family that was sick with diphtheria and he undoubtedly carried the contagion from there into his own family. If this disease is to be stamped out here it must be handled with extreme rigor.


The Columbus Telegram, September 29, 1898

Albert Herman, who lives on the Haney farm about six miles southeast of town, came in Tuesday and caused Charles Booth, a young man who had been working for him, to be arrested on a charge of adultery, alleging the deed to have been committed with his (Herman’s) wife at their home. Booth was arraigned on information Tuesday before Judge Robison, and pleaded not guilty, and asked for a continuance until Thursday at 2 o’clock. The amount of his bond was fixed at $500, in default of which he was committed to the county jail.


A quarantine was placed on the residence of John Sullivan, near the Union Pacific round house, Monday evening. A six-year-old boy being afflicted with scarlet fever. The lad seems unfortunate, as only a short time ago he was scalded with some hot water.


The Weekly Telegram, October 27, 1898

While driving over the Olive street crossing Monday afternoon Mart Postel’s horse stumbled on the railroad crossing and fell in such a manner as to break the shafts square off. The animal was entangled in the harness so that he could not rise until the harness was removed.

The clerk of the district court is busy preparing the bar docket for the coming term of court. There are about 200 civil cases on the docket, and the term will probably last three weeks. In the criminal docket there are about a dozen, none of any great importance except the cases of young Tshudy, Butcher and Laughlin, who are charged with stealing horses, and they will doubtless be taken up and disposed of as soon as court convenes.


The Columbus Journal, November 30, 1898

Friday morning about four o’clock the firemen were called out to a fire at S. S. McAllister’s in the north part of town. A small stable, eighty chickens, garden tools, etc. were burned to the ground. Loss about $150.

The following was thought of sufficient importance to send it broadcast by telegram: J. R. Manning, living near Battle Creek, had ten hogs affected with cholera and to each hog was fed a pint of kerosene in a bucket of milk. Every hog recovered.


The Weekly Telegram, November 17, 1898

Fred Rickert, employed in the car department of the Union Pacific, had the misfortune to lose $105 in currency one day last week. He drew the money out of the bank to make a payment on some property which he was about to purchase, and finding that the papers were not yet ready concluded that he would keep the money with him until they were. Shortly before he reached home he discovered that his pocket book was missing. A diligent search over the route failed to find the missing treasure, nor has he since found any trace of it. He has a strong suspicion of where it went, but nothing positive.



The Weekly Telegram, Jan. 5, 1899

J. W. James has been awarded the contract for the county’s poor farm for another year. Mr. James has given good satisfaction in conducting the affairs at the farm and we are of the opinion that the committee has made a good selection in again choosing him.


The Weekly Telegram, Jan. 19, 1899

Frank McCone, who lives in the southern part of the city, was a little surprised when he went to his stable last Saturday morning and found that one of his horses had been shorn of its tail by some miscreant during the night. It had been cut and hacked off by someone and lay there under the horse’s feet. Frank says that a joke is a joke, but if he finds the perpetrater of this deed he must suffer the consequences.


The Weekly Telegram, Feb 2, 1899

J. H. Johannes, editor of the Biene, was in Omaha Friday. He says he noticed large numbers of people who carried their arm in a sling—an evidence of a recent vaccination.


The Columbus Journal, February 8, 1899
DIED
Dischner, were coming south in a one-horse, covered buggy, at the Union Pacific crossing near Schroeder's mill, the fast-mail train from the east struck between horse and buggy, killing the mother almost instantly--dying before the hospital was reached, a few blocks away.
In the collision Thomas got rolled up tightly in their wraps which were in the buggy, was caught on the pilot of the engine, where grasped a hot pipe with his left hand, the only one he had any use of at the time, and was thus carried to the depot, where the train stopped, and he was cared for. His left hand and glove were partly roasted by hanging on to the hot iron.
The young man has been removed to St. Francis hospital where he is being cared for. His most serious injuries are to the spine and hip, but it is thought he will recover.
The coroner's jury, while fixing the responsibility for the accident upon the railroad company, does not blame the crew; the view of the crossing was obstructed by a long string of freight cars, so that the approaching train could not be seen.


The Weekly Telegram, Feb 16, 1899

The flippant manner in which the Argus editor uses the expression "Little Joe," is a source of sorrow to this item [??] at friends who had hoped the judge would keep corked up in secrecy his intense proclivities for the undignified game of "craps." This unfortunate admission of his familiarity with the darkies’ favorite game will lower the judge several degrees in the estimation of the public, and will no doubt result in his ostracism from the society of the fairer sex, with whom he has heretofore been a general favorite.


The Columbus Journal, Feb 22, 1899

Messrs. Joseph Rya and Fritz Asche opened out Thursday last in the Henry building, corner of Eleventh and Olive streets, in the grocery business. They are young men well known in the community, and will make a good business team.


The Columbus Journal, Apr 12, 1899

Grand Prairie township has been sorely afflicted by diphtheria the past few weeks. Several families have the disease, a few persons are dangerously ill with it, and three have succumbed to it, Ella, the 7 year-old daughter of J. Hageman, died Friday morning; the infant child of Fred Mindrup the afternoon of the same day; and Emma, the 11 year-old child of C. Heitman, died Sunday. The funeral services of the two former were held at the Shell Creek German Baptist church Sunday afternoon; that of Miss Heitman was held Tuesday morning at the same place.

DIED
HAGEMAN, MINDRUP, HEITMAN--Grand Prairie township has been sorely afflicted by diphtheria the past few weeks. Several families have the disease, a few persons are dangerously ill with it, and three have succumbed.


The Columbus Journal, Apr 19, 1899

During the high wind of Wednesday afternoon a prairie fire started on Plum creek and did considerable damage, just how much we have not been able to find out at the time of going to press. The house, barn and everything on the W. W. Tyler farm, occupied by Tom Caddy, was burned, and not a thing was saved out of the house or barn. A new house on the Allerton ranch was also burned. Joe Liebert lost a shed and some stock. Men who have been in Boone county 20 years say it was the most terrible fire they ever saw. The stubble fields and prairie was so dry they burned like powder under the high wind that was blowing.


The Columbus Journal, May 31, 1899

Columbus now has three authorized sewer companies, and before many years, the system should be made to drain the entire city. The last to organize is the Columbus East End Sewer company, designed at first for the accommodation of St. Francis academy, but of course can be made to do duty for the entire east end of the city.

MARRIED

MOCHENROSS-RODEHORST--Thursday, May 25, 2 o'clock, p.m., at the German Lutheran church, this city, by Rev. H. Miessler, Joseph Mochenross to Miss Louise Rodehorst, youngest child and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Rodehorst.
The beautiful customs in vogue in parts of the old country were followed in this case. The one who invites the wedding guests (usually a brother of the bride or some relative) starts out with a single piece of ribbon by way of adornment, and at each place where he stops, gives invitation to the wedding, and before he departs, a piece of ribbon is found and securely fastened to some part of his clothing or to his horse's foretop, main or tail, and by the time he reaches home the appearance of horse and rider is very gay, and picturesque.
When the wedding party came to the church for the ceremony, the bride's carriage was very finely and gaily decorated emblematic of the brightness and cheer of the occasion. There were some two hundred guests, and after the ceremony at the church the drive was made to the bride's home in the country where they enjoyed the wedding festivities.


The Columbus Journal, June 28, 1899

Saturday evening Sheriff Byrnes arrested Frank Koch at his former home some six miles north of this city. In 1897 Koch was convicted of attempted criminal assault, and was sentenced to six years in the penitentiary at hard labor. About three weeks ago he escaped from his guards at the penitentiary.


The Columbus Journal, July 5, 1899

Peter Iverson, living three miles southeast of town had his house struck by lightning during Monday night's storm. The lightening struck the roof near the chimney, tearing off shingles, splitting the corner of the house, damaging considerable furniture, and burning holes in the screen door. The amount of damage has not been estimated as yet.


The Columbus Journal, November 1, 1899

H.E. and James Bradigan, who plead guilty to stealing the butcher's wagon at Humphrey some time since, are serving a thirty days' sentence in jail for petit larceny. Robert Weast, one of the men engaged in the affair of last year, when officer John Brock was shot while in the discharge of duty as policeman, is awaiting trial before the district court at its next session. These three are the only enforced guests of the sheriff at present.

I.Gluck, S.J. Ryan, Henry Loseke and L.H. Leavy have laid a brick sidewalk in front of their residence properties on Tenth street, south of the opera house. These walks cost 11 cents a square foot or 44 cents for every foot in length of the walk, for material and work, making, in the end, a very durable and good sidewalk.


The Columbus Journal, December 13, 1899

Julia, daughter of William Newman, aged seven years, died Wednesday night last of scarlet fever and diphtheria combined. Five more children in the family have scarlet fever in a mild form. School was closed in the district on Wednesday.


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