The Superior Express -

As Superior residents prepare for the 31st Victorian Festival honoring Evelyn Brodstone, one of the community’s most accomplished residents, many current resident find it hard to envision what life was like in Superior more than a century ago.

The Brodstone family came to the new town of Superior in 1876, only one year after William Loudon laid out the original town. Mr. and Mrs. Brodstone brought their two young children with them. They settled on farm near what is now the northeastern boundary of Superior. A portion of the farm is occupied by the Victorian Inn, Good Smaritian Center, Velvet Rose and Landmark Implement. Mr. Brodstone didn’t devote all of his time to the farm. He soon became an influential businessman. When the town was incorporated in 1879, he was appointed by the Nuckolls County Board of Commissioners to the first town council.

At age 14, Evelyn was a member of the first class of students to graduate from Superior High School. After being employed by two Superior business firms, she went to Chicago, was hired by the Union Cold Storage Company and went on to become an influential member of the international business community.

In 1900, twenty-five years after the town was established, C. E. Dedrick established The Superior Express newspaper. In 1906 the newspaper’s commercial printing department which was known as the Express Printing Company, was commissioned to print and bind a hardcover book listing all the ordinances then in effect. One copy of that book survives in this newspaper’s library.

Apparently the first ordinance adopted by the town board had been rescinded for the book begins with Ordinance No. 2. It provided “If any person or persons shall disturb the peace and good order of said village by clamor and noise, intoxication, drunkenness, fighting, or using obscene or profane language, in the street or other public places or otherwise violate the public peace by indecent or disorderly conduct, or by lewd or lascivious behavior, said offender shall be fined a sum not exceeding $100.

The third ordinance provided that teams of oxen, horses, mules or asses having a saddle, bridle or harness or attached to any vehicle were not to be left unattended unless securely hitched by the head.

It was to be the duty of the village marshal to seize and secure animals not properly secured or supervised for which he would be paid $1 for each seizure plus expenses.

Ordinance No. 6 regulated speeders. It provided horses, mules and ponies were not to be ridden on streets faster than an ordinary trot or gallop.

Ordinance 32 prohibited the driving or leading of horses, mules or cattle over or across the village sidewalks, unless it required to do so to obtain access to a business. However, the owners of such business had to first obtain permission from the village trustees before allowing the animals to cross the sidewalk.

Ordinance 33 directed the street commissioner to build a pound in which to keep cattle, horses, sheep or swine that were caught while running at large. The street commissioner was to impound all horses found running at large and deliver them to the operator of a livery or feed stable to be cared for until redeemed by the owner. The daily fee for caring for such animals was set at $1.50.

Ordinance 39 prohibited minors from entering saloons and billiard halls.

Ordinance 41 prohibited barb wire fences within the corporate limits.

Ordinance 47 prohibited persons from engaging in the barber business on Sundays.

Ordinance 48 was designed to prevent minors from idling about the railroad depot grounds.

Ordinance 61 made it illegal to lariat cattle on any street or alley. It also made it illegal for an owner to allow cattle, horses, mules, sheep and swine to run at large.

The intent of Ordinance 63 was to prevent drunkenness, intoxication, disorderly and boisterous conduct.

Prostitution and vagrancy along with the keeping of bawdy houses, houses of ill fame and houses of prostitution were all prohibited by Ordinance 66. It was also illegal to enter such a house or harbor vagrants.

Ordinance 87 required all males between the ages of 21 and 50 to each year provide two days labor for the maintenance of the streets. They could either do the work or hire someone to do the work in their place.

No hay, straw, millet or other combustible material was to be stacked in the open. Such materials, however, could be stored in a barn.

The town had a water works and Ordinance 100 governed the use of water. Hoses for sprinkling yards, gardens and streets or washing windows were to be used only between April 1 and Nov. 1 between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 4 and 8 p.m.

Apparently is was possible to keep a pig sty in some parts of the city as Ordinance 194 stated where pig styes were not permitted.

From the numbers in the book, it appears 205 ordinances had been adopted since the town was incorporated in 1879.

C. E. Adams was mayor and W. W. Hodges city clerk when the ordinance book was published.