NEGenWeb Project
Resource Center
On-Line Library 

NEBRASKA BLUE BOOK, 1920

169

HISTORY

     The organic act of May 30, 1854, provided for three judicial districts in the newly created territory. These courts were presided over by the justices of the supreme court, who were required to reside in the districts to which they were assigned. On December 20, 1854, Acting-Governor Cuming, by proclamation, assigned Chief Justice Fenner Ferguson to the first district, embracing the counties of Douglas and Dodge; Judge Edwin R. Hardin to the second district, embracing all that portion of the territory lying south of the Platte river; and Judge James Bradley to the third district, embracing the counties of Washington and Burt. He also appointed first sessions of these courts at "Belleview," Douglas county; Nebraska City, Pierce county; and Florence, Washington county. An act of March 16, 1855, defined the first district as the counties of Douglas and Washington with court held in Omaha, and in Washington county. The second district included Richardson, Nemaha, Otoe, Cass, Lancaster, Greene, Clay, Saline, Pawnee, Johnston and York, counties and court was held in various places in the district. The third district embraced the counties of Burt, Dodge, Loup, Black Bird, Dakotah, Buffalo, Cuming, Izard, Jackson and McNeil with court to be held at Fontanelle and Tekamah. The functions of these courts were further defined by the adoption. of the code of February 13, 1857.

     The constitution of 1875 provided for six judicial districts and relieved the judges of the supreme court of duties in the district courts. There are now eighteen districts with thirty-two judges.

JURISDICTION

     These courts have "both chancery and common law jurisdiction, and such other jurisdiction as the legislature may provide; and the judges thereof may admit persons charged with felony to a plea of guilty and pass such sentence as may be prescribed by law."

APPROPRIATIONS, DISTRICT COURTS, 1877-1921

	Salary				Maintenance
Years	Judges		Stenographers		Expenses		Total
	No.	Salary	No.	Salary	Judges	Deficiency
1877-79	6	$33,750	6	$9,750	........	$6,250.00	$49,750.00
1879-81	6	30,000	6	13,500	........	........	43,500.00
1881-83	6	30,000	6	18,000	........	........	48,000.00
1883-85	11	54,000	11	33,000	........	........	87,000.00
1885-87	12	60,000	12	36,000	........	........	96,000.00
1887-89	19	95,000	19	57,000	........	........	152,000.00
1889-91	21	105,000	21	63,000	........	........	168,000.00
1891-83	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1893-95	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1895-97	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1897-99	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1899-01	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1901-03	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1903-05	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1905-07	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1907-09	28	140,000	28	84,000	........	........	224,000.00
1909-11	28	168,000	28	84,000	........	........	252,000.00
1911-13	28	168,000	28	84,000	........	4,593.16	256,593.16
1913-15	29	174,000	29	116,000	$4,000	........	294,000.00
1915-17	30	180,000	30	120,000	........	........	300,000.00
1917-19	32	192,000	32	128,000	12,000	........	332,000.00
1919-21	32	192,000	32	128,000	16,000	........	336,000.00
Totals	........	$2,741,750	........	$1,646,250	$32,000	$10,843.16	$4,430,843.16

 

170

NEBRASKA BLUE BOOK, 1920

RAILWAY COMMISSION.

COMMISSION.

	Salary1
Thorne A. Browne, Chairman, Lincoln	$5,000
H. G. Taylor, Central City	5,000
H. L. Cook	5,000
EMPLOYES.
Rate Clerk and Accountant--C. A. Ross	2,280
Chief Engineer--B. E. Forbes	3,000
Counsel--Hugh Lamaster	3,000
Secretary--John E. Curtis	2,500
Assistant Rate Clerk--W. N. Ochsner	1,800
Chief Accountant--O. E. Johnson	1,920
Accountant--A. L. Lewis	1,800
Accountant--L. W. Kemmer	1,560
Reporter--Emma J. Hedges	$5 per diem
Reporter--Delpha M. Taylor	1,500
Field Man--N. A. Lundeen	1,500
Stenographer--Mary E. Shehan	1,080
Stenographer--Jennie M. Hitchcock	1,080
Stenographer--Vera Brown	1,080
Stenographer--Prances E. McCall	1,080
Stenographer--W. C. Oelkers	1,200

HISTORY.

     This office had its genesis in an act of the legislature approved March .5, 1885, creating the board of transportation, whose purpose was railroad regulation. The act was declared unconstitutional by the state supreme court on November 21, 1900. (60 Neb. 741). The. act was repealed and the board abolished by the legislative act of March 30, 1901. The present railway commission was created by constitutional amendment adopted November, 1906. Its functions are more clearly defined and wider in scope than those of the earlier board.

DUTIES AND POWERS.

     The railway commission has power and it is its duty to--
  1. Regulate rates and service of and to exercise general control over all railroads, express companies, car companies, sleeping car companies, freight and freight line companies, water power companies, irrigation works, stock yards, electric transmission lines, grain warehouses, telephone and telegraph companies and any other common carrier engaged in the transportation of freight or passengers within the state.
  2. Investigate all cases of alleged neglect or violation of laws by railway companies and other common carriers.
  3. Fix necessary rates and charges.
  4. Inspect condition and equipment of each common carrier and make annual reports thereon.
  5. Compel attendance of witnesses in investigations.

PUBLICATIONS.

     Annual report.
     Nebraska classification and supplements.

---

     ^'Salary fixed by constitutional amendment effective January 1, 1921.

NEBRASKA BLUE BOOK, 1920

171

APPROPRIATIONS, RAILWAY COMMISSION, 1885-1921.

Years	Secretaries of Commissioners	Stenographer and Clerks	Number of Officers and Clerks	Office, Traveling, Printing Reports, etc.	Physical Valuation	Deficiency	Total
1885-87	$12,000	......	4	......	......	$4,716.63	$16,716.63
1887-89	12,000	$3,000	4	$3,800	......	......	18,800.00
1889-91	12,000	3,000	4	4,150	......	......	19,150.00
1891-93	12,000	3,000	4	3,950	......	......	18,950.00
1893-95	12,000	2,400	4	650	......	600.00	15,650.00
1895-97	12,000	......	4	525	......	178.88	12,703.88
1897-99	12,000	1,600	4	850	......	88.00	14,538.00
1899-01	12,000	1,600	4	200	......	......	13,800.00
1907-09	18,000	12,000	16	20,000	......	500.00	50,500.00
1909-11	18,000	18,000	24	20,000	$40,000	......	96,000.00
1911-13	18,000	22,000	23	20,000	40,500	......	100,500.00
1913-15	18,000	21,840	21	65,000	......	......	104,840.00
1915-17	18,000	30,720	21	43,0061	......	......	91,726.00
1917-19	18,000	37,280	21	96,500	......	......	151,780.00
1919-21	18,000	38,120	......	68,500	......	......	124,620.00
Totals	$222,000	$194,560	......	$347,131	$80,500	$6,083.51	$850,274.51

---

     ¹ $1,500 for car shortage investigation.
B0ARD OF CONTROL.

COMMISSIONERS.

	Term Expires	Salary
L. Clark Oberlies, Lincoln	July, 1921	$3,000
Kathryn Worley, Omaha	July, 1923	3,000
A. E. Allyn, Hastings	July, 1925	3,000

EMPLOYES.

	Salary
Secretary--Ernest B. Fairfield	$1,800.00
Accountant--A. Howard Schlegel	2,000.00
Bookkeeper--Grace E. Wilson	1,200.00
Voucher Clerk--Mabel B. Clark	1,140.00
Stenographer and File Clerk--Grace E. Griffin	960.00

HISTORY.

     This board was created by a constitutional amendment adopted November 5, 1912. Its name was changed from "Board of Commissioners of State Institutions" to "Board of Control" by constitutional amendment adopted September 21, 1920. It consists of three members appointed by the governor and confirmed by two-thirds of the senate, their terms of office being six years. This board has full power to control all present and future state penal, reformatory and charitable institutions subject to the limitations of the statute. The powers previously possessed by the governor and the board of public lands and buildings with reference to the management and control of these institutions was vested in the board of commissioners of state institutions on July 1, 1913. An

 

172

NEBRASKA BLUE BOOK, 1920

act, in effect April 21, 1913, prescribed the duties of the board. It is required to appoint certain chief officers of all the institutions under its control. The entire board is required to visit and inspect every institution at least once in six months, and at least one member must visit and inspect each institution once in sixty days. The board is required to purchase all necessary supplies for all the institutions. It has control of all admissions to the institutions. It must gather statistics and information and publish the same in its biennial report, The following institutions are under the management of the board: Soldiers' homes, hospitals for the insane, school for the deaf, institute for the blind, industrial schools, institute for feeble-minded children, industrial home, orthopedic hospital, penitentiary, and woman's reformatory.
PUBLICATIONS.

     Biennial report.

APPROPRIATIONS, BOARD OF CONTROL, 1913-1921.

	Salary				Maintenance
Years	Commissioners	Secretary	Other Clerks	Number of of Officers and Clerks	Office	Total
1913-15	$18,7501	$3,150	......	9	$36,850	$58,750
1915-17	18,000	3,600	10,260	......	7,440	39,300
1917-19	18,000	3,600	15,320	......	8,1552	45,075
1919-213	18,000	3,600	17,520	10	20,500	59,660
Totals	.$72,750	$13,950	$43,100	......	$72,945	$202,725

---

     ¹ $3,000 of this amount appropriated and made available April 23 to be used by the commissioners in preliminary work until the law went into effect.
     ² Includes deficiency of $625.
     ³ In 1919 the legislature did not make separate appropriations for each of the state institutions under the control of this board, but lumped the appropriations for these institutions, together with the office maintenance of the board itself into one appropriation as shown below.
APPROPRIATIONS--MAINTENANCE OF BOARD AND SIXTEEN STATE INSTITUTIONS, 1919-1921.

Years	Cash Funds From Fees and Sales	Maintenance of 16 State Institutions	Deficiencies	Total
1919-21	$800,000	$2,927,500	$287,900	$4,015,400

© 2001 for the NEGenWeb Project by Pam Rietsch, Ted & Carole Miller