davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-06

day there is a cold rain falling which
pierces you when it strikes. / don't
know what it will be by morning.
Got the box all o. k. and gave the
boys theirs, or rather gave Lee Hol-
combs and Orville's to Kenneth to
give to them. | did not have time to
hunt them up. They are all on their
way east now--left last week. / got
the socks, too. thank the ladies for
the gloves and handkerchiefs.
. | don't know what else to say, so
will close, hoping to hear from you
soon, | remain as ever,
Your loving son,
Edwin.
Edwin r. Bailey, Headquarters 81 +.
A. Brigade, Camp Macarthur, Waco,
Texas, Section c.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-06

The Baker school, located three
miles south of Greenville will hold a
box social at the home of Sam Veig-
Ter Friday. evening, February 8. Ev-
eryone invited.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-06

what makes you sit there adm toct that
hornf"
won't hear things he says while he's fixing the
machine Tiger. salr5Es
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-06

City Treasures Notice
Tuesday, February IL, 1918, will be
the last day for the payment Of taxes
at one per cent rate. Office open ev-
cry afternoon and evening.
1wk-Adv. City Treasurer.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-06

Degrees work at the next regular
meeting of Doric Chapter No. rs o. E.
s., Tuesday evening, February IL.
Bessie Peterson, Secretary.
Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-06

A. M. Hall, member of the local
school board, spent part of Monday
afternoon at high school.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03

building. Governor Cummings proc
lamation of December 20, 1854, to
call the legislature in Omaha, was
followed by an indignation meeting
in Bellevue. Nebraska City and
Brownville were also contenders for
the honor. Bellevue claimed it by
reason of priority of settlement and
Omaha won it by superiority of in
fluence.
Rev. William Hamilton wrote the
following account of the famous
capital controversy: "ln the early
settlement of Nebraska there was
much excitement and some blood
shed, but the greatest excitement
was about the location of the capt.
tai, as on that depended the future
wealth of many, as they supposed.
Had Governor Burt lived, it was his
intentions to examine the country.
and then place the capital where it
would be the most beneficial to the
territory, not to the individual or to
himself, though he was poor man
and in debt. l suppose l was bet
ter acquainted with him than any
others, except those who came with
him to the territory.
Burt Killed by His Kindness.
"He was remarkable for his kind
ness of heart and his sterling in
tegrity, as those who came with him
testified, and as | could bear wit
ness, too, as far as | knew him. His
kindness led him to listen to the
proffered advice of those who came
10 consult about their own interests,
when he should have enjoyed per-
feet quietness. His state of health
required this, but the people would
not let him rest. | might also say
that he was worried to death. /
feared the consequences from the
first, but caution was of no avail to
those who hoped to get rich by his
deciding according to their wishes.
The end came, and it does not seem
a harsh judgment to say that by
some it did not seem to be regret
ted. After his death. and before
the body had been taken from the
mission, plans were made to place
the capital at Bellevue. These plans
were talked over in the room where
the corpse was lying. The talk
was intended to be blind, but | I'M
derstood it well enough"
History relates that Rev. Mr..
Hamilton refused to consent to CIV
ing 100 acres of the Presbyterian
mission lands in consideration for
the location of the capital at Bel
levue, after the Bellevue Land
Claim association had promised lib
orally.
Baptist Locate First Church.
The earliest protestant church
history of the state is dated at Bel
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03

In our article last Sunday we re-
ferred to Col. Peter A. Sarpy as one
of the prominent men identified with
the early days of this interesting
town whose history dates back to
the visit of Lewis and Clark, July
%, 1904,
Sarpy exercised his dominating
personality in Bellevue, and also in
Burt county, for period of 30
years, most of which time he passed
in Bellevue. His first appearance
on the scene was in 1925, at the
age of Fl, as clerk for John P. Ca
banne at the latter's trading post
near Calhoun. He followed Ca
banne at Bellevue as manager for
the American Fur company. Born
in 1904 of French ancestry, he was
educated in St. Louis. His father
was Gregoire Sarpy, said to have
been the first man to attempt nav;-
CATION of the Missouri river. He
was identified with the establish
ment of the towns of Tekamah and
Decatur in Burt county, where he
was associated with Ben R. Fol.
som and Stephen Decatur. In 1854
he was member of the town CON-
pany which plated Bellevue, and
he died in Plattsmouth, January d,
1865, after a career of 40 years
which was not surpassed by any
Nebraskan of his time,
A. E, Sheldon of the Nebraska
State Historical society refers to
Sarpy as the first permanent white
settler in this state. Manuel de Lisa
probably was the first white settler,
but his residence was more transi-
tory than permanent.
Known as white Chief"
He possessed a commanding man
mer, was of fluent address, polished
and refined in the presence of wom-
EN-, and was known as white
Chief" by the Indians. with whom
he had many dealings. Ni-co-mi Of
the Iowas was his Indian wife. 5.
Before the gold rush in '4o he es-
tablished a station across from Bel
levue, known as "St. Mary" long
since washed away by the action Of
the river. During lS49 he operated
ferry between St. Mary and Bel
levue and had a lively business,
transporting gold seekers and their
effects across the Missouri. He
also established Traders Point. an
other station opposite Bellevue.
During l847 Brigham Young and a
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03

Q.-Who killed Cock Robin?
A.-William Jennings Bryan.
Q.ADon't you think this is sillyl
Al don't think, KNOW
What is Art.
There, that took up quite a bit
of space. Powell has nothing on
me. And he complains in his conf
cal cartoon: Il don't see my Job
listed"
OF course not. Art isn't a job nor
an occupation. 1t is a state of mind F.!
And that thing about the preacher
being Mortified at the question:
Have you ever been convicted of a
crime?"
That's far-fetched. 1t would take
more than that to horrify preacher
rowadaysl Preachers have changed.
Why, we've even got 'em in the
newspaper business. Some of them
are working in shipyards on the
coast. One is boss riveter. And
there is a whole smear of them over
in France. They're getting medals
over there for something besides
preaching. Eli, What?
Here is the Big Thing.
I think Powell missed the big
thing about these questionnaires.
They were sent to republicans and
democrats alike. The question:
What are your politics." did not
appear. Evidently the government
thought the republicans were good
enough to fight. But Mr.. Wilson,
apparently, does not think they are
good enough to have places in the
war congress-! Will some one tell
me why this is?
You will have to overlook my ig-
norance. You see I am merely an
average loyal American. l still
claim the right to vote whatever
ticket l please and to vote for whom
| please for congress.
| may have been misinformed, but
I thought that was what we were
fighting for!
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03

among the dust and ruin and the
case of liquor bought for medicina
purposes just before the state wen
dry.
And instantly the wife came into
her own! Why not? Didn't
hubby need her affidavit to prove
he had bonahde dependents? Yor
bet he did. And when he got a good
look at the requirements of that
QUESTIONABLE he quit kicking about
the coffee being cold, and Directing
to the cats in the house, and deplor,
ing the ungodly sum spent on the
new hat.
Changes His Tactics.
Instead, he billed and cooed
That is, he billed and cooed as best
he could, being considerably out oil
practice. A man must keep his
hand in to be an efficient biller and
cooer.
Now Powell has drawn a car
toon to go with this yarn, or this
yarn is being written to go with a
cartoon Powell has drawn.
In that cartoon he has asked a
number of questions, having quite
bit of space to fill. These ques:
tons were put up to a certain neu.
trail gentleman who answered them
as follows:
Q.-Do you love your mother-in
law?
An the same way that !
cherish my broken golf sticks.
lQ.-Have you any religious
scruples against peeling potatoes?
Al believe that beauty is only
skin deep. | love beauty.
When War Will End.
Q.-When do you think the wal
will end?
A.-When the man" has beer
! taken out of Germany and the 'hel'
out of Wilhelm.
Odd you have the flu?
Al took a certain preventive.
Odd you ever meet the editor
of the Bundle Bee?
A.-No, but I've been stung by
him.
! Q.-Have you paid your coal bill
yet?
A.-Not only mine, but at the rate
I am paying the hotel per week ]
have paid also the coal bills of sew
eral other guests"
Bryan Did It.
Q.-How old were you on your
first birthday?
Al was old enough to know
enough to eat regular, something !
haven't always known enough to dc
since.
Q.-Do you think you will ever
! amount to much?
, Al want but little here below
and that six years old if l can get it
Q.-Do you wear bed slippers?
A.-No, but I believe in night
caps.
Odd you ever crack a Ford
joke?
| Ayes, and cranked them, too.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03
By ROBERT ]. HORTON.


If you see a middle-aged sort o.
man going about these days with hi:
eyeglasses hanging down on tht
outside of his coat and queer look
n his eyes, do not call the wagon
1t is nothing dangerous.
He doubtless has just finished
making out his questionnaire!
It. used to take Philadelphia
lawyer to do such things. But PEG.
pie learned whole lot about the
law business after they begun tc
make out questionnaires.
With no previous opinions to &C
by; without the case of Casey
against Jones, or more likely Smith
against Brown, in the court of ap.
peals in such-and-such conty
-sighteen-eigbty something. as a
foundation, and with no previous
filled out forms to work with, the
lawyers made about as many mis-,
takes as their clients.
Albums Come Back.
So filling out the questionnaires
has been matter of matching in
dividuall memory against govern
ment doubt. And when it comes to
exemptions the government has
proved very pessimStic. AT times
there has seemed almost no hope!
1t was remarkable how little we
knew about ourselves until we start
ed on that questionnaire. With a
single stroke Mars brought about
100000 family albums back on the
center table from the garnet where
they had been discarded and had laid
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03
Omaha Doctor Under Fire
in American Offensive

Letters from 1t. ]. S. Alexander,
U. S. A., written to his wife in
Omaha, tell of meetings with many
Nebraska and Iowa soldiers at and
near the front and of experience:
under fire in the hospitals.
The first letter, written Septem.
Der Is, describes scenes Immediately
following a successful allied drive.
Il made trip up the line that was
actually occupied by the boche last
week." he writes. Found three
doctors from one of the field hospi-
tails walking around, so l got a car
and took them with me. One was
1t. Howard Lilienthal, one of the
greatest chest surgeons in the
world. We drove up in the trenches
and explored the dugouts together.
On the way back l stopped at Mo-
bile Hospital No. |, under the COM
mand of Maj. Donald Macrae, of
Council Bluffs. He took me through
his hospital, which is the most
complete one of its kind in France,
They have mostly boche wounded
there now. He had the same outfit
on the Chateau-Thierr front and
handled over 5000 cases of seriously
wounded there. In this drive there
were less than 100 cases.
an another hospital last night I
met Capt. c. E. Foote of Hastings,
Neb.
ITO return to the German lines,
I saw all kinds of dugouts, hewn
out of solid rock, built up with heavy
timbers and lighted with electricity.
One place was a little palace, built
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03

of concrete, with walls five feet
thick, with full length mirror, 'good
furniture and nice places to sleep
and a mess hall for the officers
which would do credit to any home
with pictures on the walls, cur.
tanned windows overlooking beau,
'tiful valley, flower boxes and plenty
of everything except playing cards
for the deck they left in their hasty
retreat was worn and dirty.
THE last three nights here have
been lovely with moonlight, bu,
these moonlight nights are, full OF
horror, for the Hun planes have
been flying low over our camp, but
they don't seem to bother us much
The anti-aircraft guns open up as
soon as they come near, and as they
shoot shrapnel and high explosives
directly over Our camp, it is to our
interest to wear our steel helmets,
for all that goes up must come
down.
"The night of the big drive I ad-
NIT | was some nervous and did not
have my clothes off for three days
and nights, but now l can sleep any
place-not that I'm any Drawer, but
/ need the sleep"
In letter dated October 3, DR..
Alexander says: "Rain and cold.
About three-quarters of the time
we are chilled to the bone but keep
well in spite of it all. I volunteered
and spent two days and nights in a
dressing station under fire and feel
that | am rendering aid where it is
most needed. Have met Rev. Mr..
Calvert of the Benson Methodist
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03
little eyeurane4s to Maaf424 Towns
NJ by edward DacAO H-BEILEVUE, SARPY COUNTY

Sarpy at St. Mary while on his way
from the east to Nebraska to settle.
Carter had travelled by stage from
St. Joseph, Mo-, and was II days on
the way. Arriving at St. Mary, he
stated, Sarpy wished to show his
hospitality by offering the cup that
cheers, which was the general GUS
tom of those early days.
Fontenelle Built. Trading Post.
Sarpy acquired strong friend
ship with the 'Fontenelles. Lucien
Fontenelle, father of the famous chief
of the Omahas, built the trading
post at Bellevue, which afterwards
was occupied by Sarpy. The late
Henry T. Clarke, remembered by
many Omahans, related that Sarpy's
trading post was located one-half
mile north of the railroad depot.
Sarpy is said to have assisted Logan
Fontenelle obtain the chieftaincy OF
the Omahas and otherwise advised
and helped his friend for whom the
Fontenelle Motel in Omaha was
named. a -.
I 1t. John C. Fremont, American
explorer, soldier and Typographical
engineer, while on his expedition
became intimately acquainted with
Sarpy, from whom he received sub
stantial assistance in the work to
which he had been commissioned.
Bruno Tzschuck who was an EN-.
ploye of Sarpy for several years, in
a memoir, wrote that the famou:
pioneer was a man of remarkable
vigor and endurance, keen bust.
ness man, kind to his employees, Of
courteous and polished manners and
convivial on occasions.
Sarpy as a Politician.
"His knowledge of the Indiar
tcharacter, gained by lifetime spent
in the west, was not surpassed by
any of his associates throughout the
Indian country" he wrote. Also
"He came to Omaha ON the occa
sion of the first legislature, as q
contestant for a seat in that body
but the adoption of Mr.. Poppleton'.
resolution to not go behind the GER
tificates of election, issued by Act
ting Governor Cunning, shut him
out. On that occasion he appeared
| in all the glory Of semi-civilizet
garb, and with an abundance of re
volvers and bowie knives, which
weapons were assumed more for TIL,
effect than with a view of antici
pated need. Sarpy had no children
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03
Misplaced Generosity

Here is a case of misplaced gen.
crosby. The guilty party meant
we'll, but her manner of showing
it wasn't what you might call tact
full. 1t was at bargain party
one of the porch kind-and ice
cream and waters were served.
Miss Ghoans," urged the host
ess, do have some more ice cream.
mo, really, L"
ooh, don't refuse, or I'll think
you don't like it"
well, if you'll just give me
mouthful-"
"Ah, that's right, Katie, fill Miss
Ghoan's plate for her"
Miss Ghoans is sensitive about
her generous mouth and she was so
angry that she telephoned to us
about it with the request that we
put it in the paper.-Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03
Bill and Hank
. Discuss w ar
While Scribe
Tries to Toll

Some grand little Assignments
writing feature yarn with q pail
OF painters working over you
Did you ever hear . couple q
painters work?
Here's sampler ,s
"Well, Bill, when do Yah ttinh
the war'll end?"
It'll be year or two yit, Hanld
easy year or two. Why, dy' thinY
these munition makers IS going ia
let this war end till they get thsii
COMMENT contracts flledl Not on
yer life. Same ting in Germany.
Krupp's running that end Of the
war. Do ye think he's going to
spoil his business to please the
kaiser or anybody else! It'll be
two years, easyp
well, I dunno; dunno. Nv
wife's got cousin over there, Bill,
and he says they'll be in Berlin
by spring."
"An' how does he know. I asst W.
How does he know? He's jest In
the army, that's all. What's tho
army fer? To shoot up the muni-
tons, that's what. And when they
gifts almost caught up on the con-
tracts Wall street wires acrost
Use EN- up, use EN- up; too many
shells accommodating. And they start
another offensive. That's whatp
Dab, dab-not very hard dabs,
either. just ordinary dabs. Then:
Had any oysters yit this season,
Bill" -'-
eyes, an I didn't tink much Of
'em.">
"Jest what I thought; jest what I
thought.N Oysters aip't what they
use to be, Bill. I'm telling We oys-
tiers is changing. Their shells is
softer, too"
"Sure they're softer. Why
wouldn't they be softer? They's
no more albumin left in the sea.
They're using it all up to- make high
explosive shells. Oysters has got
to have albumin. Why I kin crack
these shells nowadays with my
teethp
Dab, dab.
Business Of getting a-drink Of
water.
Business of taking fresh chew.
Prices is fright now, Bill, amt
they?" .
Highway robbery, plain and
simple. That's the trouble with
the country nowadays, it's full of
profteers. They're gettin' two
prices and a half of the third on
ever'ting. We git just enough ter
baccer to fill boiler tooth fer
cents-maybe it's by now, as I
amt bought any Since 8 o'clock,
when came down to work--and
I'll, tell we they want this war to
keep up so as they can keep gettin'
them high prices"
"Sure they do, Bill, sure they do.
And when they can't think of any
thing else to do they try to cut
the wages of poor working man
as is gettin' only measly So day.
I'll tell we dollar hour amt
enough fer this work"
Course it amt; course it amt
That's what"
Dab-dab-da--
Hold on, it's noon, Billp
Now we'll try and write that
article. Let's see; what was It
about?
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03

1evue. Rev. Moses Merrill arrived
in Bellevue on November 10, 1888,
having been sent by the Baptist
Missionary society to preach among
the Otoes. At that time Bellevue
was 200 miles from the nearest
white settlement. Elder Merrill died
in Bellevue on February 6, 1910. His
son, the late Samuel Pearce Mer-
rill, one of the first natives of Ne
braska, was born in Bellevue July
Is, 1884, and he died in California
two years ago. Six years ago he
visited DR.. w. F. Milroy of Oma-
ha. During the second year of his
residence in Bellevue Elder Mer-
rill moved his mission to a point
four miles west of the present rail-
road depot of La Platte, and not far
from Bellevue, the site subsequently
being known as the John F. Payne
farm and at later date as the
Adam Mohr farm. Remnants of the
mission are still visible. Rev. Moses
Merrill endeared himself to the
Otoes, whom he joined on their
hunting trips.
Rev. William Hamilton began his
work June f, 1853, erecting the first
mission house for the Omaha In
dams. He was sent to this field by
the Presbyterian board of foreign
missions. He continued his labors
in Bellevue after the Omahans went
to their reservation north of De-
catur in 1855. The Presbyterian
church now in use in Bellevue was
his pastorate until 1865. This
church is said to, be the oldest
church of its denomination in Ne
braska. Father" Hamilton, as he
was sometimes referred to, died in
Decatur during 1891.
First Newspaper in the State.
I. Nebraska's first newspaper was
"The Nebraska Palladium" which
appeared at Bellevue on July Is,
1854. p. E. Reed was editor and
proprietor, and Thomas Morton set
the first type. Morton afterwards
went to Nebraska City and became
proprietor of The News of that
town.. The Palladium was a weekly
publication. Indians peered through
an open door while Governor and
Mrs. Cunning received the first proof
sheet. An item in the Palladium of
November IS, 1854, referred to the
arrival of J. Sterling Morton, con-
tributor of the Detroit Free Press.
Another item was an advertisement
of Henry T. and Artemus Clarke, as
forwarding merchants, steamboat
agents and dealers in lumber and
staple foods. Henry T. Clarke's in
forest in Bellevue was keen up to
the time OF his death in Omaha a
few years ago. The name of Clarke
was closely identified with the life
of Bellevue for half century.
Omaha daily bee., 1918-11-03

and was never married to a white
woman, though he had an Indian
wife for whom he always cherished
high regard. He was of French
parentage, about five and one-haif
feet in height, strongly built, re-
markably active and famous far and
near for his bravery and determine
ton" =
Rather Poor Financier.
Rev. Samuel Allis, who arrived in
Bellevue in 1884, under Presbyter-
ian auspices, wrote of Sarpy as fol-
lows: He possessed some excellent
qualities and traits of character, al
though sometimes rough and un-
couth; was a heightened gentleman,
who exercised great influence
among the whites as we'll as the In
dians. He was particularly gener-
Gus to white men of distinction and
wealth, also to the Indians when it
paid well; but exacted every penny
of his hired men and others who
earned their living by labor, Still,
he was generous to the needy. He
was active and persevering in the
transactions of various kinds of
business, employed considerable
capital in Indian and other trade,
but was often wronged by his
clerks, who vexed him. For a bust
ness man with large capital, he
was rather a poor hnaNcier."
In 1854 Bellevue, which was tMn
in Douglas county, was the scene
of much activity. The town at that
time was OF more importance than
Omaha, and the residents cherished
fond hopes Of having the state cap
ital within their grasp. The fourth
of July celebration of that year has
never been excelled in that com
munity. Francis Burt, appointed by
President Pierce to serve as first
governor of Nebraska territory, ar
rived in Bellevue on October 7
1854, after an arduous journey from
the south. He subscribed to the
oath of office before Judge Fenner
Ferguson, served two days and
died. During his illness the gov
ernor was moved to the Presbyte.
rian mission by Rev. William Ham
iltonDa and was given attendance by
Sarpy and Stephen Decatur.
Omaha Made State Capital.
The plans OF Governor Burt, to
call the first session of the new leg.
islature in Bellevue, and to have the
town named as the permanent state
capital, were adversely affected by
subsequent events. The legislative
session was called at Omaha by
Governor Cunning, who succeeded
Burt, and Omaha enjoyed the dis
tinction of being the capital.for a
while. The Central high school OF
Omaha is looted n, Cap'tol hill
site of the former state capitol