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Life seems good in 1902
The McCook Tribune of Sept. 5, 1902, included a note about Lyman Miller's left foot. He had been having "a very painful and quite a serious time from blood poison ... caused by a cactus."
The Tribune was pleased to be able to report that "the infected member" was gradually improving.
I love little tidbits like this in these old papers. Mr. Miller's great grandchildren can now see a little slice of his life and have another family story to tell. In our modern, security-sensitive community, we can't even read in the nightly news that our long-time neighbor is in the hospital in order to inquire and find out that he is quite ill.
The McCook Free Public Library in the Red Willow County courthouse continued to grow, but no books would be available for checkout on the night of the grand opening.
Delays in the arrival of the books had made it impossible to have them all catalogued in time for the opening. The shelving was there and ready though, 365 new books had been received, 65 more had been ordered and a third order of new books was ready to go out. The board had subscribed to about 30 magazines and newspapers besides the ones donated and the local and weekly papers also. You know, I'll bet I've had many of those same 365 original books on my book shelves over the past few years ... Bob Loshbaugh might have some of those same books now! Bob bought a ton of my books at my auction a month ago.
Maybe it's because I come from a railroading family, but one of my favorite things to read in the old tribune is the Railroad News Items. It's a personals column about and for railroaders. Ray Search used to describe the mass of humanity that passed over the wooden pedestrian viaduct over the tracks every day to work. There is something about the items that they put in there that brings the gentleness and romance of that whole era to life with just the reading about it.
Some examples: "Way car 95 is about ready to go out of the carpenter shop and 55 will go in for repair ... Engineer Roy Dixon departed for Salt Lake City, Wednesday night ... No. 342 is in the drop pit this week, having her fluesheets patched. No. 345 will follow her for the same purpose ... Ralph Cutler and bride returned Sunday from their wedding trip and have gone to housekeeping in the dwelling just recently vacated by Dan Lucas and family ... Brakeman M.S. Parks is off duty on account of getting a hot cinder in one of his eyes. Somebody has a baby, someone isn't feeling well, or their father is seriously ill in Missoula and they've gone to visit ... they seem to go on long vacations at the drop of a hat to rather exotic locations, they refer to the railroad equipment by name and refer to them as "her" ... I just love it. They'd probably laugh if they knew how idyllic that all sounds to someone in 2003!
Barnett Lumber moved into their new home at the base of Main Street, where the Chamber is and to the south corner. They say it much better though ... "Last night the Barnett Lumber Co. people finished the removal of their general offices and effects into their new quarters over on Lower Main avenue. They doubtless have the best-appointed lumber, coal and stone yards in Nebraska outside the largest cities."
If we think we are mixing up the elementary kids in McCook now ... try figuring out where your kid should go with this notice from G.H. Thomas, Superintendent. "In the East ward building are grades above the sixth inclusive, and the fourth A. In the new frame house, east side, the fourth B, and the first and second grades for pupils living in the east part of town. In the West ward building the fifth grades, all of the third grade, the first and second grades for all pupils living in the extreme west part of town, and the preparatory school for all beginners living north of the tracks. In South McCook the fifth grade and a preparatory class for beginners living south of the tracks."
So, they had an East ward, West ward and South ward plus a new frame house to help with the East ward and a high school. The McCook Gazette Centennial edition said that the high school was in the upper floors of the frame building that was called West Ward.
It was still located where the big high school that most of us remember on West 1st Street was ... West Ward didn't move until 1906 and then the big brick and stone high school was built on that spot, where Central Elementary is now.