North Platte & It's Associations

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CONTENTS.

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CHAPTER	PAGE
Chapter I.
Nebraska becomes a territory	6
Breaking ground for the U. P. Railway	8
First locomotives and engineers	13
Perils of track laying	16
Chapter II.
First house in North Platte	20
Construction camp followers	24
U. P. shops and round house built	27
Chapter III.
North Platte becomes a county seat	36
County Commissioner proceedings	38
Log school house and teachers	47
Chapter IV.
Log jail built - Its associations	51
First church in town	57
South Platte bridge built	59
Robbery and Lynch law	66

CHAPTER	PAGE
Chapter V.
Indians steal horses	69
The Kate Manning murder	71
Brick making introduced	75
The Unitarian hall and Mrs. Cogswell	92
The Catholic Church and its pastors	95
Chapter VI.
First Mayor and city council	100
Presbyterian Church history	108
Brick making attempted	111
Methodist Church built	112
Chapter VII
The city in 1884	119
Lutheran Church history	125
North Platte pioneers meet	129
Electric lighting introduced	130
Chapter VIII.
The city fire of '93	132
North Platte Spanish War volunteers	137
City Schools	142
Chapter IX.
Gleaning from the school records	145
The U. P. railway strike	159

CHAPTER	PAGE
Chapter X.
Masonic Temple built and dedicated	173
History of Platte Valley Lodge No. 32	177
Chapter XI.
Cottonwood Springs and associations	183
Fort McPherson built and garrisoned	190
Chapter XII.
Indian hostilities	201
Duke Alexis buffalo hunt	207
Chapter XIII.
The National Cemetery	214
Soldier's graves	216
Chapter XIV.
Sketches of James Belton, John Bratt, Dr. Longley, Dr. McCabe, G. Vroman, and C. F. Tracey	225
General Index

This work is dedicated to the memory of her who shared the joys and sorrows of the author for forty-six years.

Frontspiece

North Platte

And Its Associations

Archibald R. Adamson,

Author of "Rambles Through the Land of Burns," Etc.

"The days of old to mind I call,

And often think upon."

- Old Song.

THE EVENING TELEGRAPH,

NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA

A. R. ADAMSON

PREFACE.

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The purpose of this work is to review the gradual growth of North Platte, and incidents associated with it, with such brevity as will lay the story before the reader in a condensed form. Therefore, the narrative is restricted to the simplest recital of events and makes mention of a few pioneer citizens, who, under unpromising conditions, aided to make North Platte the fairest city in western Nebraska.

Material for a work of this kind is not abundant, as few stirring incidents are interwoven with the city's history: so, on this account, the following pages contain nothing more than a retrospection that will recall events and incidents to the minds of elderly citizens, and serve as a flash-light on the past, which it is hoped a new generation will appreciate. Of late, death has claimed many old settlers, and only a surviving few are left with whom to consult. with two exceptions, they seemed please to be call-

ed on, and proved reminiscent, and talked with zeal of occurrences that took place when Indians and buffalo were numerous and frontier life perilous. Such recollections, combined with gleanings from the County, City, School and church records have aided greatly in tracing the progress of local events, and adding interest to the narrative.

Andrew J. Miller, who was intimately and prominently identified with the county and city when they were emerging from the primitive, has been resourceful and obliging, and has supplied information that will prove interesting. Maj. William Woodhurst, who was sheriff of Lincoln County when law and order were loosely observed; has also supplied what will engage attention.

Appreciation of help received from these gentlemen, and from Mrs. W. C. Reynolds, Franklin Peale, James Belton, James Babbitt, and others, is gratefully acknowledged.

THE AUTHOR