The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-09-27

folk And the floods of that year wcrc
the worst In the country's history
The new arrival who was tO become
SO important factor I'm the commit.
nity's life and growth, landed ON u
hclatCd train at the Junction ut -
water lay between the eating house
aud Norfolk. "What do you think Of
Norluk?" asked the stranger of the
junction eating house landlord "Nor
folk" replied he "Why Norfolk is
coming down here see yondcr they're
putting up one building already"
Spring Floods In 1881.
Major and Mrs. Mathcwson had pre-.
coded col Cotton abou, two weeks.
They came over the Union Pacific and
entered Norfolk In u rather porloua
manner. The Elkhorn bridge had been
washed away but the ties were still
held mp by the rails Rails aud ties
were under water OF course no train
could cross but Colonel Mnthcwsun
went out to the bridge ON handcar,
ran the handCar across the thrcadlllc
rails and transported the newcomers
safely to this side of the river ON that
car.
Years before this COL MathcwsOn
had built the old mill In Norfolk and
the first rcsidcncc-thc house known
in later years as "thc Or. Daniels
property and standing today at the
corner of First street and Norfolk Nv.
cnuC. After the death of Col Math
Cwson COL Cotton formed partner
ship with Major Joseph Mathcwson
and Charles Mathcwson and for two
years they operated the old mill profit
ably After his death the mill stock
of Major Mathcwson was purchased
| by Darius MathcwsOn, and shortly af
tcrward the plant was sold to Burch
ard, Bridge g. co. This mill in the
pioneer days of Norfolk brought farm
ers for seventy miles from all over
these prarics to Norfolk.
Immediately after reaching Norfolk
residence in which he lives today on
| West Norfolk avenue The only Other
| dwelling west of what Is now the Dial
las railroad track, was that on The
=, Hayes farm. The house that Col Cot
ton built at that time Is today, afte
| twcnty-siX years, still beautiful hom'
in every way-large, well planned, pc
cuiarly homelike with its broad lawi
surrounding, and emincnty hosptabl,
withal From home to town Col Cot
ton drove with pretty pair of ponies
still recalled in Norfolk. That thi
home was a long way out Is shown b,
the fact that the Beels block, whiCl
had been built in the seventies a
Third and Main streets and which wa
still the pride of the city, was a lon
way out. Fine carriages were rare Il
the west in those days and fine bug
gy owned by Col Mathewson and
phaeton imported by Col. Cotton wer
the pride of northern Nebraska
Wealth in Lands.
Col. Cotton invested heavily in farr
lands around Norfolk, paying neve
more than $25 per acre, and in lat
years has sold them at easily doubl
the cost price. Having capital whe
, he came with which to invest, an
taking advantage Of the opportunitie
then at hand, Col. Cotton is consit
cred one of the wealthiest men in thi
, part of Nebraska.
But more than to watch his ban
: account grow with the increase {
farmland values Col. S. Storrs Cotto
has been one of that type of positivel
= constructive citizens, literally incline
: and farsighted, whose valuation to tn
community in which he lives can NJ
, be estimated. For many years he ha
been a leading member, as well as
| deacon and trustee, in the First Coz
: gregational church of Norfolk II
was founder of Prospect Hill cemeter
| donating all of the land upon whic
; that burial ground is plated. II
l built and owns the Cotton block, or
| Of the handsomest threestory stru
l lures in the city, at the corner of No
5 folk avenue and Fourth street. II
: has built in Norfolk some twenty res
+ dences and owns sixteen today Il
: gave $4,000 toward the sugar factor
/ which was built in Norfolk and hi
donated literally toward other publ
( enterprises, giving generously towal
: the fund for land upon which stanC
ence. And he has been busy collec
a. 4