Franklin County, Nebraska

For Another Day

Well…I just couldn’t stand it-I just had to know? So, from under the bed I pulled out the December 29, 1899 issue of the Prickly Pear, a newspaper printed in Bloomington. What a mess those yellow fragile pages made on the floor as I took that special issue from its huge cardboard file. I don’t like to disturb those papers too much, thinking they might fall to pieces before my eyes.

I found something that interested me on the front page. Editors Ashby and Bryum, told their readers where the taxes levied against the county went and to whom. The article supplies the following information:

“Some of our readers have asked us where the $66,057.00 of taxes levied against the county for the year 1899 goes to and who gets it, and in order to give them the desired information we called at the treasurer’s office and Mr. Jas. Chitwood, the gentlemanly deputy, looked the matter up for us so that we are able to lay it before our readers this week. Every person who feels any interest in knowing for what purpose these taxes are levied should preserve these papers for future reference. Following are the several funds under the levy with the amounts set opposite each:

State General $5,720.06
State Sinking 572.00
State School 1,144.01
State University 1,144.01
County General 10,296.11
County Bridge 4,576.05
Soldiers Relief 286.00
Funding Bonds 6,864 .08
High School 1,144.01
County Road 858.00
School District Tax 18,789.69
School Bond Tax 2,126.62
Franklin Precinct 614.55
Turkey Creek Precinct 962.77
Poll Tax 4,590.00
Riverton Village 652.46
Franklin Village 467.67
Bloomington Village 486.06
Hildreth Village 173.52
Upland Village 223.37
Township Tax Consol’d 4,366.84
Total $66,057.88

I also found an account of a Christmas season gathering at the Ready schoolhouse. Check the included map from the 1905 Franklin Atlas. This school (district 24) must have been Ready School. Doug Cline now lives on what was the R. D. Ready farm of 1905. Again I say, I have amazing stories of this Ready, now Cline farm deep in my files. It also covered the adjoining Edwin Lewis farm. From the Prickly Pear comes this heart-warming write up.

“On last Saturday night the Ready schoolhouse south west of Riverton was packed to over flowing with a jolly, happy good natured crowd of farmers and their families. The occasion being that of a Christmas tree loaded to the top with rich, useful and ornamental presents. If good cheer was ever shown in Franklin County, it was fully developed on this occasion. Everybody got a present; everybody was thankful and filled to the brim with that angelic feeling ‘peace on earth good will toward men.’ It is reported that R. D. Ready, with all his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were there, and they completely filled one section of the house, and at least for three-quarters of an hour, as the presents were taken from the tree the caller was heard to repeat ‘Ready, Ready, Ready.’ Rev. M. O. Harper of Bloomington was in attendance and, when the caller spoke his name, he proudly came forward and was made the recipient of a toy pig. Upon unscrewing the head he found on the inside 15 cents and a note upon which was inscribed the following: ‘There is money in hogs.’ the Rev. is thinking of adopting these devices in making his Sunday collections. Jim Watson and Will Rogers received each a hand organ and, as soon as they can produce a monkey from Africa, they expect to hit the road and take life easy. Jim Ready sat during the entertainment firmly wedged in between two sweet looking girls and was so happy that he didn’t give a straw whether he got a present or not. May the good people of that vicinity repeat the occurrence many times as the years come and go.”

These individuals didn’t seem concerned that the world might come to an end in the year 1900. There was no big idea or projected plans for the upcoming year. It looks like their greatest worry in December 1899 was hog cholera and the fact that Dr. J. B. Sumner lost a fine lap robe he wished returned to the drug store. Keeping warm must have been a concern, for most of the newspaper ads of the day offered mufflers, overshoes and mittens. A person could find these at the store run by F. H. Ludeke. Mr. Ludeke was also a carpenter. One m ore note: preaching at the Methodist church was done at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m., and also at 7:30 p.m. the same day. All other services were at the usual hour on Sunday. The pastor was L. M. Grigsby. Next week, I will cover more of this 1899 Prickly Pear newspaper so we all can learn what was happening exactly 100 years ago in Franklin County.

“So hath God wiped out the past, so hath he spread the earth like an unwritten page; for a new year upon this lies the virgin robes of the yet unstained year!” Anonymous

For Another Day by Rena Donovan

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