1912

I. World Wide

The Titanic sank
 

Explorers Stefansson &Anderson explored arctic Canada and reported finding a race of white Eskimos on the north edge of the continent.
 

War between Italy and Turkey – Airplanes were used to drop bombs on a Turkish camp.

        A Peace treaty was signed Oct. 15
 

Olympics were held in Stockholm. American athletes did well taking most of the track and field events

A Polish chemist coined the term “vitamine”

II. In the United States

Presidential election year.
        The presidential campaign was milder than the primaries.
        Taft (Republican) was president.
            For the first time an incumbent president had to campaign for renomination.

            Former president, Theodore Roosevelt, had thrown his hat in the ring

                Opposed Taft at the Republican convention. Taft was nominated
            Roosevelt’s supporters did not agree with Taft’s nomination

                They split off from the Republican Party to form the Progressive ticket.
                Nicknamed "The Bull Moose" party, after Roosevelt's declaration that he felt "as strong as a bull.
                They then held their own convention and nominated Roosevelt.
                [The party lasted 4 years and then reunited with the Republicans.]

        Dem. candidate, Woodrow Wilson was nominated on the 47th ballot.

            Champ Clark had been the frontrunner

            William Jennings Bryan, who was fighting for chairmanship of the Democratic party

                    and wrote most of their platform, was instrumental in swinging support to Wilson.
            Wilson was elected. .

New Mexico and Arizona became states [bringing total to 48]
 

The 17th Constitutional amendment was passed allowing election of Senators by popular vote. Before this they had been elected by the state legislatures.

The bath tub trust was dissolved – sanitary enameled ironware manufacturers. Sherman Anti-trust Law was being used to break up many trusts.

World Series - Boston Red Sox beat the NY Giants.

Troops were sent to Cuba because of an uprising of Negroes in an outlying province.
        The Cuban government was friendly to the US.
        Also sent to Nicaragua during uprisings there to protect property and lives of our citizens in Nicaragua

Counterfeit $5 bills were discovered in New York City [today it’s $20s or $100s]

Changes to parcel post - Weight limit raised from 4 to11 pounds and 72” in length and girth
        Must include senders name following “From”
        Rates variable as to weight and zone where it goes
        Must use 4th Class or Parcel Post stamps.
            Use 1st-3rd class stamps don’t count as postage paid
        Not insured unless an extra 10 cents is paid
        Delivered only to addressee, forwarding will require extra postage

III. In Kearney
 

TB Hospital

Created by act of state legislature in April 1911

Formally opened Jan 22, 1912

Located one mile west of Kearney

A farm was operated by hospital employees until 1938

Patients were paying cases – paid their own way
        Or charity cases – bill was sent to the county that sent them to the hospital
        Both categories were charged the same - $30/month
        Charges covered room, board, laundry, care of nurses, medicine

As the facility expanded over the years all the buildings were connected by a system of tunnels

Sept 1913 – Kearney citizens complained that patients were leaving the hospital to come into Kearney to attend the theater. They felt if patients were well enough to do that, they could be sent home.

Downtown

Jack’s Café advertised a turkey dinner [2004 Central]

Isis Theater [2304 Central] – “Vaudeville tonight – Wilbur Harrington & Company – In a great high class act –Comedy, Novelty Acts, Singing, Dancing, and Jumping”

Pool hall keepers and tobacco dealers were warned by acting mayor Henline to pay strict regard to statutes and ordinances under which they were operating with respect to boys and minors.

In the city hall suitable rest and toilet rooms for the convenience of women coming to the city have been completed.

Advertisements

Ad – woman dishwasher at Plaza Café - $5/week

For rent – 5-6-room houses, 9-room house, rooms or suites over downtown businesses.

To trade – A Good Buffalo county farm improve, to trade for Kearney resident property. W. F. Sammons.

Elsewhere Around town

Courthouse exterior windows were washed by janitor using hoses used with lawn sprinklers in summer

$40,000 bond issue passed for the establishment of a municipal street lighting plant….an engineer was employed, the city surveyed and a system of street lighting laid out…

A new addition to the city cemetery has been plotted, sowed to grass and lots are now available for internment purposes.
 

A new “auto fire truck” had been purchased and was ready for use after the first of the year.

The Commercial Club [Chamber of Commerce] decided to hire a paid secretary

        Projects during the year included

                building a “model road through the sand hills south of the river.”

                Opposed the removal of motor service (McKeen Motor car) on the Kearney Black Hills Railroad.

                        They succeeded in getting one of the motors returned and the afternoon mail service resumed.

Conventions (9):

Poultry show – Included Buffalo County and all points along the KBRR.

State firemen’s Association annual convention

West Nebr. Teachers’ Assoc. met during Easter vacation. Kearney not a member

Buffalo County Sunday School convention and rally a 3rd ward park

Platte Valley Trans-continental Good Roads assoc. held annual meeting in Kearney

West Nebraska Holiness assoc. held its 10th annual camp meeting in 1st ward park

Chautauqua held the “best program ever offered in the city.”

State Christian Endeavor met

State conference of the United Evangelical church. One of the biggest snow storms in the history of the town occurred that week. No mention of snow in the report of their meeting

        March 14 – about a foot of snow. Followed by more snow a week later.

        Clearing snow on KBH RR was done from Calloway to Glenwood but could not go further.

                Men from Kearney went with shovels to clear the tracks the rest of the way.

Schools

Largest graduating class in June from the Normal School (92), high school (69), county 8th grades (181)

Board of education made provision for the printing and posting in each school room in the city a large card bearing the 10 Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. They were also making provision for putting a Bible in each room so a short scripture lesson could open each session.