Editor's Notebook

 

March 26, 2020



Time marches on but some things never change. On the weekend I was looking through the microfilm reels which store copies of this newspaper looking for stories about how the area was coping with the flu epidemic of 1918. If I would have paid attention when my grandparents were alive, I would know more about those times. As a youngster I regularly asked my grandparents to tell me about the “Old Days.” Their stories included the flu pandemic but I’ve now forgotten most of what they told me. When I was a youngster, 1918 seemed like a very long time ago. It was after all, the year my father was born on a Scully lease near Abdal. My friends all agreed with me that once Dad turned 40 he was “old.”

Among the stories I remember was one when he was two years old and playing on the floor while his mother worked on a ladder painting a porch. He tipped the kerosene jug she was using and took a drink. She panicked and sent for the doctor to come from Nelson. Doc was in such a hurry he rushed to the Blauvelt farm home without taking time to tie down his car’s side curtains. My grandparents told about seeing that vehicle speeding down the road toward their house with the side curtains flapping in the wind. I knew it had to be a long time ago because even the cars I had seen in the antique car parades didn’t have side curtains.

Anyway back to my search. Along the way I found a story about Superior that was included in a 1917 progress edition of The Superior Express. When written, the town was only 42 years old and The Express was 17 years old. C E. Dedrick, the editor said a growing city was never satisfied with what it had but always wanted more of the elements of success and growth. Many of the things the editor noted Superior needed are still on the wish list. He said Superior needed more paving and that is still true today. As is the cry for better housing. In 1917 the people coming to work at the new cement plant were causing a great demand for a good class of houses with modern improvements. It was suggested men with capital should wake up and invest in good rental property. Today the City of Superior has obtained grant funds and expects to build new homes to house the people development activities hope to attract. In 1917 it was proposed a wholesale fruit and grocery house to supply the vast surrounding territory would be a huge success with the splendid railway facilities this community had to offer. That hope did partially come true. The railroads did encourage the growth of the food and beverage industries that prospered here for a number of years. The railroad facilities continue to benefit the agriculture community with two companies shipping unit trains of grain and two companies receiving liquid fertilizer by rail.

It was noted Superior needed more hotel facilities and next week we expect to publish a story about an elegant hotel that opened here 90 years ago. In 1917 the editor wrote, “ We have good hotels here but nearly every night strangers walk the streets in search of a place to stay. This is giving the town a bad reputation. Money was subscribed previously for a hotel but at the critical moment the plans fell through.”

He called for a sale pavilion where weekly or monthly auctions could be held under cover. Already (in 1917) a big line of Saturday sales had been held and judging by the number of people who come from a distance to these sales, the editor said a pavilion would be a great drawing card. He was right. At that time full page ads were regularly published in The Express promoting the livestock sales being held in this area and eventually two sale pavilions (livestock auction barns) operated in Superior. With sales every Thursday and Saturday, Superior drew people from long distances and both days were busy days for Superior merchants.

In presenting his case for a paid secretary to handle the affairs of the commercial club, the editor said a paid secretary would ensure the affairs of that body would have prompt attention without distracting from the private affairs of the men who did not have the time to give to it. In a thousand different ways, a paid secretary would be of immediate benefit to Superior. Though the commercial club is now called the chamber of commerce, the group has had a paid secretary for more than 80 years.

While several of the predictions of 1917 came to be, At least one did not. Based upon the community’s rapid growth in it first 42 years, the editor predicted Superior would have a population of 10,000 people by 1920. And it may have, had there not been some unfortunate road blocks. He didn’t take into account the bank failure which robbed much of the community capital, World War I that took the young men from the community, the flu pandemic which took the lives of many of the area’s younger citizens, the dust bowl days of the 1930s, the 1935 Republican River flood, World War II, mechanization of the farms, business consolidations and the list goes on.

Nuckolls County’s population peaked in the 1920 census and has been on the decline since.

Not all is doom and gloom. We have been seeing a number of encouraging signs pointing toward a bright future. But this week with COVID-19, our focus has switched from growth to survival. This crisis shall pass and when it does those of us who survived can return our focus to growth.

For now, its is okay with me if you chose not to share COVID-19.

 

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