The Leigh World publishes a weekly column entitled Looking Back at the World, which is comprised of articles taken from earlier Leigh World files. A special thank you to the Leigh World for allowing me to reprint those articles. The following are selections from that column:
April 7, 1899 - reprinted May 14, 2003Good Friday was not an appropriate day for planting potatoes this year.
The Leigh Hotel is once more vacant. W. L. Walling having moved in his residence in the old town.
We are informed that Dr. and Mrs. McKinley of Humphrey are rejoicing over the arrival of a son at their home the first of the week.
Rev. W. P. Murry D. D. of Fremont will deliver his lecture on Abraham Lincoln at the Opera House one week from tonight April 14. Those who have had the pleasure of hearing the lecture pronounce it the best review of Lincoln’s life that they have ever heard. Tickets 10 and 15 cents. No extra charge for reserved seats.
For some time, a number of young men, who were Sons of Veterans, have been trying to organize a camp here and at last are about to succeed. A meeting for that purpose will be held next Saturday evening at which time the officers will be elected and installed. Some seventeen sons of old soldiers have already signified their intentions of becoming members. An invitation is extended to all sons of old soldiers to meet at Smiths hall Saturday evening and join the new camp.
At the regular monthly meeting of the board of education held Tuesday evening, it was decided to retain the principal and teachers of the grammar and primary department for another year if satisfactory terms could be arranged with them. No arrangements have yet been made for a intermediate teacher as the board is considering the advisability of condensing the four rooms into three thus dispensing with one teacher and have appointed a committee to confer with Prof. Wallis on this matter.
An amusing and fortunately harmless accident occurred on Main street when Frank Sucha was just starting home after having brought in a load of hogs and had a horse tied behind his wagon with a halter. Just as Mr. Sucha had climbed onto the wagon, the horse reared back and pulled sideways on the wagon, overturning it and piling the driver, contents all in a confused heap. Bystanders rushed to the rescue and prevented any further mishaps. No damage was done except shaking Sucha up considerably and causing him some inconvenience in righting his wagon and getting started again.
We learned of the death of Miss Pearl Finnegan at the home of her sister, Mrs. Whittenberg, in this city.
The funeral services of Miss Pearl Finnegan were held in the Catholic Church at 2:00 last Friday afternoon. Rev. Jungles officiating. Her death was caused from a relapse of typhoid fever after an illness of six weeks. For the past year, she has been residing in Omaha working for the Bee building. After her first illness she came to Schuyler and has been residing with her sister, Mrs. John Whittenberg.A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Luke.
April 14, 1899 - reprinted June 4, 2003Mary Kaasch, the thirteen year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Kaasch, died last Friday morning of inflammation of the brain. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Karpenstein at the Lutheran Church.
Rumor has it that Leigh will have three saloons another year.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Haymen, April 11, a daughter.
Wm. Asche and John Asche are each preparing to build a fine large barn this spring.
Carl Loseke is building a hog house and large barn on his farm south of town.
Mr. and Mrs. Folster, living two miles east of town, are rejoicing over the arrival of a daughter at their home on April 10.
A gentleman, by the name of Max Rosenthal from Newman Grove, has rented the holly store building lately vacated by Scutt and Weisenbach, and will put in a general store about May 1.
Two Leigh boys, Glen Beaty and Worth Fisher, started for the wild and wooly west Tuesday morning. They climbed into a box car on the morning freight and had an associate close the door on them and started for their designator, Montana. Young Beaty’s parents had no knowledge of his going and as soon as he was missed, telegraphed to have him stopped. The boys were located in the train at Humphrey but for some reason the marshal there failed to hold them. They were finally located in Albion late Tuesday evening and Glen was taken in charge by the marshal. C. E. Beaty, father of Glen, went up in the evening and brought the boys home the next morning. The boys had but a few dollars between them.
Wednesday afternoon fire destroyed a portion of the grove on Randolph Johnson’s farm northwest of town and also did some damage on the farm of John Buhman. The fire started from an old straw stack on the farm of August Warnstedt, which had been set on fire the day before but did not burn up entirely. The wind on Wednesday caused the smoldering embers to blaze up and blew the sparks across the road. The fire was discovered by neighbors and by hard work Johnson’s buildings were saved, he being in town at the time of the fire.
Gerd Asche Sr. and Henry Robert left for an extended visit in Germany. They will go by way of New York and Bremen and will be about two weeks on the road. They will spend a couple of months reviewing the scenes of their boyhood and renewing old friendships. Mr. Asche visited Germany some six years ago but Mr. Robert has not seen his old home since he left the fatherland some twenty-nine years ago.
Gus Scheffler sold his harness shop to Curtis Eleym, who took charge the same day. We wish him success in his new business.
April 21, 1899 - reprinted June 25, 2003Born to Mr. and Mrs. Wm Reik, on Thursday, April 13, a daughter.
NOTICE-The party who borrowed one of the town scrapers from near S. A. Fleming’s place will please return same to street commissioner at once.
Rumor has scheduled another wedding to take place in the near future, the contracting parties being among Leigh’s most estimable young folks.
Elmer Miller has been confined to his bed most of this week with blood poison supposed to have been caused from a new ready made shirt. At present he is doing very nicely and will be all right in a few days.
Money to loan on farms at 5 1/2 and 6 percent. Optional payments. L. V. Graves, Leigh, NE.
The first spring shower put in its appearance here Wednesday. It was short but pleasant.
C. E. Clark is now located in Leigh and is prepared to do all kinds of mason work. Give him a chance to figure on your work before letting the contract.
The little child of Mr. and Mrs. Gord Steel died Wednesday afternoon after a sickness of about ten days. The funeral occurred Thursday at 2 o'clock p.m. and interment was made in Leigh cemetery.
The lecture Friday evening by Rev. Murry on Abraham Lincoln was very good and deserved a much better attendance than was present. Dr. Murry soon convinced his bearers that he was an orator of no small ability. In fact of the many persons who have, at various times, addressed the people of Leigh, few if any, are his equal, non his superior.
Wayne Republican: Within 60 days every barber doing business in the state must file an affidavit giving his age and how long he has been in the business and send along $1 when a license to shave will be granted. This license is good until November 1 of this year when it will require another $1 to get license for the ensuing year and so on to the end of the chapter.
The Farmers & Merchant’s Bank are making preparations for the erection of the new bank building that they intended building last fall. The new building will be 20 x 42 feet and will be built of brick, stone and steel making it absolutely fire proof. They will also put in a fire and burglar proof vault and new furniture. When complete the Farmers & Merchant’s Bank will have one of the most attractive and durable bank buildings in the county.
John Conley was fined $3 and costs in Justice Walling’s court last Friday for ploughing in the streets of the village. The only difference between John and several others in town, who have rusty plows, is that John got caught and they did not. This being the first case of the kind to come before him and Mr. Conley being an honest and well meaning fellow, the justice agreed to remit the fine providing Conley place the plowed streets in a condition to satisfy the town authorities. Hereafter the city guardians will keep an eye open for offenders of this kind but no more fines will be remitted.
April 21, 1899 - reprinted July 16, 2003FOR SALE-Six quarter sections of the James H. Pratt lands. Will be sold in 160 acre tracts. A fine tract of land. Terms for sale $600 cash on each quarter, 5, 6, or 7 years time on balance at 6 percent interest. Seven miles north west of Leigh, four miles north of Creston.--L.V. Graves, Agent, Leigh, NE
Why not have a public park in Leigh. Nearly every other town around us has some kind of park and some of them are very creditable. Leigh could have a park at a very small cost that would surpass any of our sister towns. An effort should be made to secure the fine grove adjourning Carl Staab’s property and enough more land to make a fair sized park. This tract can be secured at a reasonable figure and would make a very handsome and convenient place for picnics and public gatherings of all kinds. Shade trees are already in abundance and fine large ones at that so that very little expense would be incurred outside of the actual purchase price. An artificial lake can be made with but little trouble and a base ball diamond easily provided. Let’s have a park.
Born on Friday, April 14, to Mr. and Mrs G. W. Davis, a daughter.
Dr. Grable reports a boy at the home of Mr. and Mrs. G. M. Fraser.
Young Nyhoff, who it will be remembered was wounded at Manila some time ago, is expected home in a short time. All of the wounded soldiers of the First Nebraska started for home some time ago.
James Jackson will start a new restaurant and confectionery store in Creston in the building now occupied by the McNeal Saloon.
Creston’s cornet band played for a phonograph Sunday, that is the music they made was recorded on a wax roll and will be reproduced by the phonograph. Those who have heard it reproduced say that the band compares quite favorable with many celebrated bands. You can hear it by calling at Peterson’s store.
Barney McConnell now of Rogers, who this winter suffered a severe attack of the grip, died of quick consumption, Tuesday of this week.
Mrs. Pel Degman died at her home in Schuyler Tuesday of this week. She had been very ill with the measles the past two weeks and suffered a relapse, a heavy cold settling on her lungs from the effects of which she died. Besides her husband, she leaves three sons and one daughter only five months old to mourn her loss. The family have the sympathy of all in their sudden bereavement.
April 28, 1899 - reprinted August 6, 2003A great deal of excitement has been caused in Schuyler the past week by a disease called spinal mengitis and by others spotted fever appearing in our midst. By some it is considered contagious and others not. After the sudden death of Ella Long last Sunday evening the school board decided to close the schools for a week.
Miss Ella Long, aged 20 years, died last Sunday evening at seven o’clock. The deceased is a daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Uriah Long. She was a member of the graduating class. She was taken ill Saturday evening and had a high fever during the night but Sunday morning was considered some better. At six o’clock Sunday evening she became delirious and died at about seven that same evening. Besides her father and mother, she leaves a sister, Miss Anna Long, who arrived in Schuyler from Boston on Wednesday where she has been taking a course in music, and three brothers, two of whom reside with their parents, and Albert of Mexico. The entire community sympathize with the bereaved family. It is thought that the funeral will not be held until Friday.At three o’clock Tuesday morning, a fire broke out of the rear of Gibson & Fiddes livery barn. A mover wagon and team of horses had been put in the barn the night before and the man owning them, as soon as the fire broke out, rushed to the barn and broke the door in where Mr. Fiddes was sleeping in time for him to escape from the barn, but too late to save the team and wagon. Twenty-one horses were burned. Only one horse belonging to the firm was saved and one horse belonging to John Flynn. Mr. Flynn lost two horses, a wagon on which was a new organ which he intended to start out early Tuesday morning. Dr. Sixta and M. T. Grassman each lost a horse and buggy. All the wagons and buggies belonging to the firm were destroyed. The building was owned by Fred Weaver and the loss is partly covered by insurance. The horses and buggies and contents of the barn belonging to the firm were covered by insurance but not enough to cover the loss. Messrs. Gibson and Fiddes had just lately sold their old horses and bought a new lot of first class driving horses. The fire, without doubt, was sent by some fire fiend. The night being a quiet one with scarcely any wind, the rest of the buildings in the block were saved.
April 21 marriage licence was issued to Reinold Folda and Miss Mary Dudek. April 25 a license was issued to Bruno Schmidt and Miss Lena Noh all of this county. April 28 a license was issued to the following Fremont parties, Will E. Dodendorf and Kersty Marie Peterson.
Rosa Sudik, aged 13 years, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. V. Sudik, died at the home of her parents of spinal mengitis. The funeral services were held at the residence at two o’clock. A large concourse of relatives and friends followed the remains to their last resting place.
Geo. C. Granger of Norfolk was in town and rented the Leigh Hotel. Mr. Granger is an experienced hotel man. He expects to open up in a few days.
C. H. Swallow was down from Humphrey and while here bought the vacant lot south of the opera house and made arrangements to move the building now occupied by the World into the same.
The bankrupt stock of Cabeen, Dolfan and Co., Kansas City, will be sold by Mr. Rosenthal of Newman Grove, Nebraska, May 4, 1899, in the Holly building lately vacated by Scutt & Weisenbach, Leigh, Nebraska.
Parties erecting buildings in this vicinity say that it is very hard to get brick for foundations and when they do get them they have to pay a big price. Hooper bricks are worth $9 per thousand. And that reminds us that Leigh would be a pretty good place for a practical brick maker to locate. People who claim to know tell us that there is just as good brick clay within the city limits as can be found in the state. This much we do know. There is not a better location in the state for a brick yard than right here in Leigh. Several hundred thousands of brick are shipped into Leigh every year and more that would be used here if they could be bought at a reasonable price. The World will cheerfully answer anyone desiring to correspond in regard to locating a brick yard here.
May 12, 1899 - reprinted September 17, 2003W. I. Walling drove to Clarkson after a load of flour for Leigh merchants.
The World office was moved this week and is now located just south of the opera house. Come in and see us.
A. H. Wilson has purchased a lot on the corner southeast of the school house and commenced the erection of a neat and commodious residence. The house will be 18x36 feet and built on the plan of a cottage.
A son of L. Hajek, who lives northeast of town, died suddenly from what is commonly called spinal meningitis. The boy came home from school complaining of a severe headache but his parents supposed it would disappear with a nights rest so gave themselves little concern other than to see the boy placed comfortably and quietly in bed after which he expressed himself as feeling much better.
Later in the night they were awakened to find their son much worse and at once sent for Dr. Clements of Clarkson. The doctor arrived about four o’clock to find the boy unconscious and beyond the reach of medical aid. Mr. and Mrs. Hajek have the sympathy of all in their bereavement.Work on the brick bank building of the Farmers & Merchants Bank will begin in earnest. The old building will be pulled into the Street and occupied by the bank until the structure is complete. The work of excavating for the basement will commence as soon as the old building is moved.
The basement will contain the furnace and storage rooms while the first floor will contain the main business room, president’s private office, and also a private office for the cashier. They will put in a new outfit of furniture and fixtures. The counters, desks etc. will be of solid oak with marble tops and bases. The windows will be plate glass, copings and cornish of stone and a concrete walk laid around the building. When complete it will be the best constructed and most creditable building in Leigh.Hazel Anna Steel born August 28, 1897, and died April 19, 1899, age 1 year, 7 months and 21 days.
The public schools of Leigh will close on Friday, May 18, 1899. There will be no graduating class this year; no pupils in the tenth grade having completed the work in the grade. The last few days of the term will be devoted to examinations for promotions.
Parents and patrons of the schools are earnestly requested to see that all the pupils are in attendance during every day of such examinations. All pupils who fail to attend or fail of promotion will be given another chance at the opening of the next term when the same promotion examination will be given for the benefit of pupils unavoidable absent at this time and all others who desire to make up deficiencies during the summer vacation.
This last day of the school year will be devoted to some special work in Arithmetic and U. S. History being intended as though review of those branches rather than an attempt at an entertainment of any kind. --C. W. Wallis, principal