Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-03
EARLY DAY STENOCRAPHERS
Rsmsrkabl. Expansion OF Demand for Short
hand Writer'S
SOME PIONEER REMINISCENT YARNS
Many of the oId-Timers in Omehn
Have Drifted Into other Employ
meDt aud some Have Won
Fame and Fortune.
DINE PIONEER REMINISCENT YARNS

No profession has developed so rapidly
In the state OF Nebraska as that OF the
stenographer. At the time the state was
admitted to the union 1t is doubtful II one
writer OF shorthand Of sufficient prohclency
In his art to take a verbatim report Oh
speech resided within it's borders Ioday
the number OF really competent verDatm
reporters is limited, but the "stenograph-
ers," men and women capable OF dolhB
the routine work of a business ONCE, are
legion. and the number Is being constantly
increased by the graduates Of the CONNER
ciaI schools, OF which every big town IN
the state possesses one or more.
with all OF the increase, however, the
demand for competent workers keeps pace
and It is n modest counting room Indeed
which does not give employment TO one or
more nimble-fnf red men and women oc-
cupied from morning until night In re-
cordInE the words OF the heads OF depart
ments.
The first court stenogrspher appointed
in the state OF Nebraska was John I. Bell,
the present publisher OF the Omaha Mer-
curry He was appointed by Judge Lake
OF the Second judicial district. in which
Omaha was situated, April 10, 1875. The
legislature OF that year passed law pro-
vidlng for the appointment of court re-
porter who, under the terms OF the law,
was 10 report all criminal cases and at
the option Of the attorneys In all civil
cases In which it was desired to preserve
the testimony lie was to be paid 80 a
day for the time actually employed, tho
counties in which cases were tried to pay
him for criminal cases and the parties to
the suit to pay for his work in civil cases.
The use OF the stenographer In the court
room was novelty and a majority or lti-
gants preferred TO save expenses and
therefore the stenographer was not em-
ployod in many civil suits at first. At tho
same time he had to travel over the district
with the Judge and pay his own expenses.
The result was that the office went begging
in some OF the three districts in which
the state was then divided
Moore n Pioneer.
One OF the first court stenographers in
the state was Eugene Moore, afterward
state auditor, who served under Judge
Valentine in the Third district. lie was one
OF the most expert men of his day. p. Il.
Beardsley was a pioneer court reporter in
the First district, serving under Judge
Richardson. Ho was said to have been
an exceedingly bright stenographer and
scholarly man. His wife studied under
him and shortly after his appointment was
appointed deputy stenographer Of the dis
triCt, being the nrst woman 10 report
case in Nebraska court OF law.
In 1877 the state was redistricted and ut
the same time tho law relating to court
stenographers was changed, the reporters
being paid n salary OF 81 600 per year and
10 cents per 100 words for transcripts They
were then required to take notes In oil cases
tried before the court. This Legislature
failed to make any provision for the pay OF
the reporters and for two years they worked
without remuneration, the next legislature
approprlating money to meet the deficiency.
The stenographer OF that day was paid in
county warrants, which were worth go cents
on the dollar. so his salary OF 81 900 shrunk
to $500 In exchanging for legal tender. The
legislature some years later again changed
the law fixing the salary OF court reporters
at $1,000 per year and cents per 100 words
for transcripts, at which figure the salary
still remains. At the present time there