Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-19

ternal revenue collector; Milton f. La
master, deputy internal revenue collector
C. p. Storrs, liquor gauger; j. T. Hole
marshal: S. S. Caldwell. pension agent, ant
Brigadier General Ord was commanding the
Department of the Platte, with headquarters
in the building at the corner of Fifteenth
and Harvey streets.
OMAHA'S EXCELLENT SCHOOLS.
, Even in those early days the citizens OF
Omaha prided themselves upon the excel,
lence of their schools. The public school sys.
! TEN was under the control of the Board OF
Trustees, comprising A. j. Simpson, moder'
ator; b. f. b. Kennedy, director; John
Evans, treasurer; and Ezra Willard, J. H
| Kellom and w. r. Bartlett, trustees. There
were at the time eight public school build
ngs-the Pleasant school. which had cost
IS 1000, the Pacific schooi, which had cost
s23, 900, the lizard school, which had cost
S35 900, and five frame. buildings. About
twenty teachers were employed to instruct
the pupils in attendance. The state had
| granted the city the site of the old capitol
for school purposes, but the magnificent
High school building which now crown the
hill was only commenced In 1871 and not
completed until 1872.
Omaha's private schools were also numer-
Gus and of recognized standing twenty-five
years ago. W hall was already being
conducted as a boarding school for girls and
young women under the auspices of the
Episcopal church. 1t was located in a com
modious structure ON sixteenth and Jackson
streets for its home aud was under the
principalship of Miss Elizabeth Butterield.
The Catholics maintained st. Mary's acad-
envy on the north side of st. Mary's avenue,
west of South avenue, anu a parochial school
on Eighth street. between Howard and Har-
ney. Finally a German school association
supported a private German school housed
in a building on Toward, between Eighth
and Ninth streets.
AS a supplement to the schools the Omaha
Public library was established in 1871 by
an association formed in December of that
year. Its management was i'll the hands of
eleven directors, the first directors being A.
j. Poppleton, John Patrick, George L.. Mil
Ter. S. 5. Caldwell, John p. Edgar, st. A.. ID.
Balcombe, Henry w. Yates, j.. W., Gannett,
Nathan Shelton, A. Swaltzlander and A. NJ.
Henry. The nucleus OF the library con-
sisted of 600 to 700 selected books, pur-
chased from Mr.. Il. o. Crosby of Fremont
1t was this library that was later turned
over to the city to be made a free public
library. and which has developed into
Omaha's present substantial free circulating
library.
FRATERNAL SOCIETIES. SOCIAL LIFE.
In the way of fraternal societies and So
cial organizations the Omaha of 1871 was
we'll supplied. There were 5he lodges Of
the Independent Order Of Odd Fellows,
which met in Dad Fellows hall on Farnam
street, with John Evans as grand secretary.
There were a number OF Masonic lodges
meeting in Masonic han. also ON Farnam
street, of which II. p. Deuel. was grand
master. The Templars Of Honor met in
Good Templars' hall in the Caldwell block,
with Nathan Hunt as d.. NJ. w. p. There
We're several chapters Of Good Templars who
met in the same hall or In MeCune's hall
on Cunning street. There were the knights
of Pythlas, who had afhall on Fourteenth
street, and for whom David Carter was
grand consul. There were the Sons of Tenn
perance, with John Orchard as W. r., meet
ing in the Good Templars' hall; the Gale
DOMAIN society, which hAet at sarsfeld hall;
and the 81, Andrews society. John C. Gown
was president of the Omaha Base Ball club,
which had been organized back In 1866.
There was a Turner's society, OF which IL.
Riohber was first speaker and Gustaye
Benecke secretary. There was the Omaha
Medical society, with II. S. Mathewson. pres
ident; j. r.. Conkling, vice president; X. c.
Moore, recording secretary; j. c. Denise,
corresponding secretary, and J. II. Peabody.
treasurer. There were also several labor
unions In Omaha in 1871, the strongest OF
which was Omaha Typographical union No.
81, OF which Thomas Walfe was president;
Richard Burt. vice president; John Wagner,
secretary; c. ID. Schultz, financial secretary;
Richard Pugh, corresponding secretary;