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.
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