Nebraska Signal, February 3, 1882
"The new bell for the Congregational Church has arrived, and weighs 815 lbs. This bell was made in Troy, New York, and is undoubtedly one of the finest in the State as to size and tone."
Geneva Review, October 11, 1883
“Last Thursday night the landlord of the Kellogg House left the doors of the hotel open in order to accommodate those who would be out late to the various entertainments that were going on. About two o’clock in the morning a couple of hoodlums from Fairmont come in and amused themselves by going into all the rooms that could be opened and annoying the guests in every conceivable manner. The next night the doors were locked in order to prevent a repetition of the occurrence, and when mobs of fellows come to the hotel they found themselves balked in their enterprise, and for revenge gave a free concert for about two hours, disturbing the whole neighborhood with the vile language and coarse profanity.”
Geneva Review, September 17, 1884
“Trouble in a Geneva restaurant this week resulted in two youths suddenly appearing on the street with a boot behind them. We know nothing of the cause or effect, but noticed that it caused much merriment.”
Nebraska Signal, June 11, 1885
“Crawford, County surveyor, after laying out two rows of blocks in the Yates addition and doing some surveying on Court St., discovered that his chain was three inches too long and will have all the work to do over.”
Nebraska Signal, March 13, 1890
“Mrs. Addie M. Billings, Geneva’s female lawyer, took occasion to air her religious or irreligious views at the revival meetings one evening last week much to the disgust of the helpless listeners. No cause is assigned for the break further than that possibly if she had kept still no one would have known she was there and oblivion was unbearable.”
Nebraska Signal, May 12, 1892
“Tom Crowley of Stanton township made himself very disagreeable on the streets last Thursday and the marshal asked him to leave town, which he did, driving his horse at its utmost speed. He soon returned and was arrested for fast driving and was taken before Police Judge Camp and given his choice of paying six dollars or working on the streets. He paid the money.”
Nebraska Signal, August 18, 1892
“The park just east of the court house is the battleground where the local politicians daily fight their battles.”
Fillmore County Republican, Nov. 29, 1893
"The ladies of the Congregational church will give a public dinner Thanksgiving day, in the K. of P. Hall from twelve until half past two. Come and get a good dinner for no trouble only to eat it and pay 25 cents for it. Menu: Roast Turkey, Roast Chicken, Cranberry Sauce, Chicken Pie and Jelly, Baked Beans, Potato Souffle, Buttered turnips, Mashed Potatoes, Cold Slaw, Pickles, Celery, Mince, Cherry, Pumpkin Pies, Lemon Cake, Tea and Coffee. All for 25 cents."
Nebraska Signal, November 15, 1894
"Broke Jail at Geneva: Two Prisoners Escape after nearly Killing the Guard: This morning at about 1 o'clock, two prisoners in the county jail, known as Will Shickler and Charley Douglas escaped. One of the men feigned sickness and the guard, Bert Herriott, let him into the corridor. No sooner did he get there than he viciously struck Herriott with some concealed implement, felling him to the floor. Both men then pounded him into unconsciousness bound and gagged him. They then made their escape. Young Herriott is in a critical condition and may die from his injuries. Intense excitement prevails in Geneva and 100 armed men have started in pursuit. The county offers a reward of $200 for the apprehension of the felons."
Nebraska Signal, July 9, 1897
“J. G. Burruss is building a bathing tank and toboggan slide in the grove west of the Major Williams property. The tank is twelve feet wide, twenty-four feet long and five feet deep and is set in the ground about a foot and a half. The slide will have an extreme elevation of about fifteen feet.”
Geneva Gazette, October 14, 1897
“W. H. Cooksey and W. S. Moss, of Burress, were in the city (Geneva) last Saturday. Mr. Cooksey reports business good in Burress and says that plans are about perfected for the establishment of an electric light and street car plant.” (in Burress)
Nebraska Signal, May 19, 1899
"The Pabst Brewing association is building a beer house on the Burlington switch south of the Ferguson elevator (641 G Street). The house will have a capacity for something over a carload of beer. Russel Lyman will be the local agent and henceforth Geneva will be a distribution point for this famous Milwaukee beverage."
Nebraska Signal, June 16, 1899
The cold storage house of the Pabst Brewing Company is now completed and a car load of ice was put in last night. It is said that a car of liquid refreshments will be on the track by Saturday."
Nebraska Signal, April 6, 1900
“At about 11 o’clock Wednesday morning the fire department was called out to extinguish a fire at the residence of Dr. J. W. Puckett, but the blaze was put out before the hose carts arrived.
Mrs. M. V. King, who resides next door to the Pucketts, noticed a strong smell of smoke and on investigating discovered the house to be on fire. She notified Clint Shickley who gave the alarm by telephone.
The fire had started in the wood box standing back of the range and when Chief Mohrman arrived had burned through the floor and also through the lath and plaster and was burning at a great rate up the studding. The weather boarding was knocked off and the fire extinguished. The loss was about $25.00.
It is thought that a pet monkey which was loose in the house, was responsible for the fire. In some manner it had got hold of some matches and ignited them. A lamp hung immediately over the wood box. That lamp was broken and the oil made a good starter.
Orlie Beals went to the fire on a wagon and when alighting at the water plug sprained one of his ankles so severely that he had to be taken home and attended by a physician.
In making the turn on a corner the hose cart belonging to No. 2 tilted up on one wheel, which sprung an axle. This is also laid up for repairs, but the monkey still lives.”
Geneva Gazette, July 8, 1904
“BROKE JAIL: Three Prisoners Make Dash for Liberty on the Fourth: The three prisoners in the county jail awaiting trial in the district court on the charge of robbing the boarding cars of a gang of Italian laborers at Exeter made a break for liberty on the fourth about 6:00 p.m. Janitor Linnert, who has the contract for feeding the prisoners, took their supper into the jail at the usual time. He had to return for their tea and while he was setting his supper down one of the prisoners slipped a piece of broom stick into the lock so that the bars did not catch when he closed the door. No sooner was he out of sight than they made a dash for liberty. Linnert returned sooner than they had expected however and found them just coming out as he opened the door. They threw themselves against the door, pushed him aside and ran down the corridor.
County Attorney Waring was standing on the street just at this time and happened to see three men come rushing out of the east entrance in rapid succession, turn the corner and disappear. He suspected at once what had happened and started down the street on a run with his eye on the fleeing prisoners. He called to Sheriff Page who was just starting home and told him what had happened. In the meantime Janitor Linnert came running out of the court house and sounded the alarm. Mr. Waring ran over to the pop factory where he found Mr. Gaspar coming up with his delivery wagon. Gathering up a few men on the street they started in pursuit. Meanwhile Sheriff Page had stopped a boy with a buggy, confiscated the rig and driver and started hot on the trail.
The three prisoners ran southwest from the courthouse across the backgrounds. Two of the men got into the cornfield on the edge of town while the third being crippled hid in a barn near at hand. The two in the cornfield continued until they struck the railroad crossing at the old Forsythe place. It is thought they did not expect to find anyone at home, it being the fourth and intended to enter the house. Mr. Forsythe was in the yard however and they did not stop. Mr. Waring and his party believed they were in the corn would cross the field and got the drove (sic) rapidly. Before they got to the end of the field they saw movements in the corn. Soon they could distinguish the forms of the men. Mr. Waring called to them to stop. Realizing they had been detected one of them hid under a bush where he was found by the party. The other crawled under the fence and started down the road on a run.
Mr. Waring jumped out of the wagon and started after him. When he called upon the prisoner to hold up he stopped and gave himself up. The cripple who had hid in a barn heard one of the passing searchers remark that he thought one of them was in the barn. Fearing capture he attempted to steal out and crawl into another barn Dr. M. Propst saw him and went in after him. The fellow had crawled up in a loft and refused to come down. Dr. Propst said he should and added weight to his argument by emphasizing his remarks with a hand that contained a six-shooter. The argument of the gun was too strong and overcame the other’s convictions and he yielded to the demand and came down.
The three would-be jailbirds were soon behind the bars again. They feel very much disappointed over the failure of their escape which they had evidently carefully planned. They had selected the fourth because they thought there would be few people in town and they would have a good opportunity to get away. The Sunday quietness outside the jail and around the courthouse led them to think the town was deserted. A close watch will be kept over them in the future and it is not likely they will have another opportunity to escape.
Geneva Gazette, March 9, 1911
“AIR DOME FOR GENEVA: Prominent Geneva Businessman at Helm of New Enterprise: Plans Drawn Up: Seating Capacity for 1,000: To Be One of the Biggest and Best Summer Playhouses in This Section of the State: There is movement on foot for the construction of an Air Dome in the city of Geneva.
It is not definitely known as yet, where the new summer playhouse is to be located.
Plans have already been drawn up and at this writing investigation is being made as to the approximate cost of the building.
One of our local business men who is at the helm of this new enterprise informs us that is is his intention to deliver to the play-loving public nothing but the very best of entertainment, in the way of up-to-date vaudeville, motion pictures and occasionally a bit of good drama.
If the Air Dome is built according to the blue-prints which were shown to us this morning it will be one of the largest and best in this section of the state.
The stage is to be built large enough to handle the largest and best companies.
The seating capacity will easily accommodate 1,000 people.
We did not find any further mention of this project, nor did we find who the prominent businessman was!!
Nebraska Signal, March 6, 1913
“Lost: A pocket book containing a pants button and two minstrel show tickets. Finder keep the pants button and pocket book but please return the tickets.”
It was common for the newspaper to list the latest automobile sales.
Nebraska Signal, February 12, 1914
“The Menking garage reports the sale of an Overland to Tom Ackland, a Ford to Walter Geiselman, G. F. Skinkle trades his Overland for a six and Bert Lynn his Overland for the Skinkle car. Ernest Eich purchased an Excelsior motorcycle.”
Nebraska Signal, June 24, 1915
“M. W. Dinneen of the Meridian Auto Polo Co. presented a proposition to play two games of auto polo here picnic day, naming an attractive price, one game to be played in the afternoon and one in the evening. The proposition was discussed in detail and it was accepted by the committee subject to the work of the finance committee. Whether a picnic will be held at all will depend on the financial support the committee receives.”
Nebraska Signal, September 19, 1929
“OLD TIMERS VISIT CORN CARNIVAL UP: The Community club lunched at the Jameson hotel Monday. Next Monday the luncheon will be at the Maryland at 12:10. Please note the hour. When there are speakers it is important that the luncheon begin promptly. It is not often known in advance what time will be needed for speaking or what business may come up.
Congressman Sloan had two old timers at the luncheon as guests and President Vanier opened the speaking part of the program by asking Mr. Sloan to introduce his guests. Mr. Sloan was sitting between Mark Alexander of Pomona, CA, and J. W. Baird of Green River, WY. In his introduction Mr. Sloan called attention to the fact that Mr. Baird was in the bakery business in Geneva thirty years ago and that Mark had served meat to this community many years before dashing away to California. What, inquired Mr. Sloan, could anyone need besides if well supplied with good bread and good meat?
Responding to the introduction, Mr. Baird said he was very pleased to meet some of those he knew when in business in Geneva thirty years ago. Mark commented upon the fact that there wasn’t much to Geneva when he moved here forty-seven years ago. There were no brick buildings in town and only one or two two-story structures. He said he first boarded in a house where the Citizens bank building now stands. The building is now the residence of Sheriff Little. There were only two houses north of the main part of town. The house now occupied by Mrs. Jesse Walker stood in the west business block next to Joe Fisher’s store building and was lived in by Mr. Fisher.