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POOLE in the Past...

Early days as a Village

   In 1910,  the residents were considering the advantages of incorporation.  Fortunately, some of the records of the early municipal activities logged by J.C. Mahoney were preserved, passed from Joseph Clayton to Bert or May Stover Clayton to Glenn Stover and more recently [1990's] in the hands of V. Todd Stover.

   At an adjourned regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Buffalo County, Nebraska, held on the 28th day of April, 1910, the following, among other proceedings, was had and done. We, the undersigned taxable inhabitants of Poole, Buffalo County, Nebraska, realizing that to incorporate will be a benefit, respectfully petition the County Board of said County, and pray that our petition be granted.

   The petitioners stated that they had a population of more than 200, and that the majority of the taxable inhabitants have signed the petition, and the they want the village of Poole to be declared incorporated.
   The legal description of the territory to be incorporated was relative to the south west corner of Section 25, Beaver Township, which is in the approximate position of the current bridge over the South Loup River south of Poole.  At that time the bridge was approximately 100 yards further west, with an access road going west from Main Street following the railroad right-of-way, then turning south under the tracks, across the Loup, then south where it met and followed Cedar Creek upstream to a point in Section #2 of Cedar Township.
   The description was as follows:

Beginning at the SW corner of Section #25... north 80 rods, west 80 rods, north 80 rods, thence north 160 rods, east 160 rods, south 320 rods to the south line of section #25, thence west to the place of beginning.

[a simple map of Poole as described, earlier photo and map]

   The village of Poole was incorporated on the 28th of April, 1910; the Board of Supervisors consisted of J. Sitz, Pat Fitzgerarld, and Charles Cressman, who voted unanimously to grant Poole incorporation.
   The first meeting of the Poole Board of Trustees was held May 6, 1910, and five trustees were named by the County Board of Supervisors.  C.E. Clark was chosen chairman of the first Board;  J.C. Mahoney was elected Clerk and there were three other board members also sworn in by J.S. Hanna, Justice of the Peace.

   The newly appointed board went right to work setting up ordinances taxing peddlers 2$ per day, draymen $5 per year, dogs 1$ per year, and pool halls - $10 per year on the first table, $5 per year for each remaining table.  Bowling alleys were taxed at $15 per year.

   Moved and seconded that no sidewalks shall be constructed on Main Street less than eight feet wide, and shall be of cement of brick, and that no buildings shall be built of any material except brick, stone, or cement on Main Street.  Motion carried.
   Moved and seconded that every able-bodied male person between the ages of 21 and 50 shall be required to give two days single-handed or one day with team labor on the streets or in default thereof, heal into the village treasury $2.55 each.  Motion carried.


   A budget to be supported by taxation was decided on June 24;  Salaries - $45, general fund - $165, streets and alleys - $100.  The fire mill levy decided July 23rd was 13.5 mills upon each dollar of assessed valuation.  [That translates to about $22,500 total assessed valuation.]  The first Board of Trustees set up an election schedule for future Board elections, with the first election to take place in April of 1911.  The salary of the City Clerk was set at $35 per annum, payable quarterly.  An ordinance was passed providing for the appointment of a Village Clerk, Treasurer, Attorney, Overseer of Streets, and a Marshall.

   The Marshall shall at all times have powers to make arrests, or order an arrest with proper process for any offense against the laws of the State or ordinance of said Village and bring the offender to trial before the proper tribunal, and to arrest without process in all cases where such an offense shall be committed or attempted to be committed in his presence.

   At a special meeting of the Board on September 29, 1910, it was moved by Hanna and seconded by Criffield, that Mr. B.J. Stover be chosen as Marshall and Street Commissioner; and at a meeting on October 34th, Mr. B.J. Stover was sworn in as Marshall and Street Commissioner.

   At a meeting of December 5th,

  Moved and seconded that we allow B.J. Stover’s bill of Street Commissioner and be allowed at the rate of $15 per annum for the months of October and November, 1910, as Marshall.  Motion carried.  Moved and seconded that we allow B.J. Stover $3 for extra service on Halloween night.  Motion carried.


   Minutes were recorded in the hand of Village Clerk J.C. Mahoney, usually with ink, but sometimes with pencil.

  Not all meetings were busy and productive; the brief meeting pictured was not typical, but rather presented to provide an indication of the fine handwriting and the detail recorded.



  Ordinances and official documents were typewritten and accompanied by the Village seal duly signed by the Village Clerk. Note the month and year.

 

  Included in Mahoney’s records were news clippings that indicated that not everyone was pleased with the incorporation of Poole.  A man by the name of John F. Steiglmeyer brought suit in District Court against the Board of Trustees, and requested that the Village franchise be declared illegal on the grounds that there weren’t 200 residents within the corporate limits.


He won his case, but the 'franchise' remained.


   Poole’s first village election took place in April of 1911.  On April 11, a special meeting of the original Board was held to canvas the election returns.

   Upon opening the poll boxes, the following men were found to receive a majority of the votes cast:  Henry Abrams, J.E. Criffield, C.D. Creswell, Joseph Clayton, and J.C. Mahoney.  Moved and seconded that these men be declared elected and that the Clerk be authorized to issue certificates of election accordingly.

   At the next meeting on May 1, 1911, Mr. Clayton and Mr. Creswell were sworn in as Trustees on the Village Board for the ensuing year.  At the same meeting,

   ... there being no further business to come before the old board, Henry Abrams was chosen temporary chairman.  Moved and seconded that Mr. Joseph Clayton be chosen chairman for the ensuing year.  Motion carried.

   And, at this same meeting, Mahoney was appointed Clerk, Creswell Treasurer.  C.J. Hanna was appointed Street Commissioner at a wage of $2 when actually employed.  Also, T.J. McConnell was chosen as Marshall at a wage of $2 per day when actually on duty, and 50 cents for each arrest outside of time employed.

   So, it was in 1911 that Joseph Clayton began serving as chairman of the first elected Board of Trustees of the Village of Poole.
   The election schedule set up by the original appointed board called for the election of two new board members on even numbered years.  At a meeting on March 4, 1912, lots were drawn to see which two members were to retire from the board.  “The draw decided that Clayton and Creswell were to retire.”
   The second Village election took place in April of 1912, and on April 6th, a special meeting was called by Chairman Clayton to canvas the election returns.  Clayton and Creswells’s retirements were brief; “The poll books show the following vote - Clayton, 26; Creswell, 27; Hanna, 11.  Clayton and Creswell, who received the highest number of votes, were declared elected as members of the Board.”
   On May 6, 1912, Joseph Clayton was again appointed Chairman of the Board for the ensuing year.  Mahoney was again appointed Clerk and Creswell the Treasurer.

   Joe continued in his capacity of Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and in April of 1913 was again chosen by the Board to continue as Chairman.

   Early in 1914 the Village of Poole was embroiled in controversy over the popular dance of the day.  On January 27, 1914, a special meeting of the Board was called for the purpose of passing Ordinance #24, an ordinance regulating indecent or immoral dancing.

   Be it ordained by the Chairman and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Poole, Nebraska:
   Section 1:  That such dances as the Bunny Hug, Bear Cat, Boston Slide, Turkey Trot, Tango and other similar dances are hereby declared immoral and indecent.
   Section 2:  Any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less that $10 nor more that $100 for each and every offense, together with the costs of prosecution and shall stand committed to the city or county jail until such fines and costs are paid.

   The dancing problem apparently persisted in spite of the new ordinance, for on February 12, a special meeting was called :for the purpose of talking over the proposition of closing all dance halls.”  “Moved and seconded that on and after February 14, 1914, that all dancing in any hall or vacant building be prohibited within the Village of Poole, Nebraska, indefinitely.”

   The problem solved for the time being, it was business as usual at a meeting of March 2, called to arrange for the upcoming election.  T.J. McConnell, J.E. Criffield, and W.W. Heapy were chosen as Judges of Election.  E. Clayton and John Thompson were chosen as Clerks of Election.

   At a regular meeting of April 6, 1914, it was moved and seconded that the ‘no dancing’ order of February 12th be rescinded.  The Board was divided on the vote, and Chairman Clayton cast the deciding vote in favor of the motion to rescind the order.  It was then “moved and seconded that we suspend the rules and pass Ordinances #25 and #26 on three readings at this meeting.”  Ordinance #25 was given three readings and passed.  It read as follows:

  Be it ordained... that Ordinance #24... passed and approved the 27th day of January, A.D. 1914, be and the same is hereby repealed.

   Ordinance #26 was then passed and approved on all three readings.

   Be it ordained... it is hereby declared to be unlawful for any person or persons in a public hall, place, or resort, within the corporate limits of said village to engage in the indecent and immoral dances commonly known as the Bunny Hug, Bear Cat, Boston Slide, Turkey Trot, Tango, or any other immoral and indecent dance or dances by whatsoever name they may be known or designated....

   The fine for the violation remained the same.  The new ordinance limited the offense to public places, but broadened the definition of the indecent and immoral dances.

   At a special meeting to canvas the election returns on April 11, 1914, it was

moved and seconded that as Mr. Joseph Clayton and Mr. B.J. Stover received the highest number of votes cast in the election, that they be declared elected.

   At a special meeting on April 30, Joseph Clayton was chosen Chairman for the ensuing year and B.J. Stover was chosen Treasurer for the ensuing year.

   At a July 6 meeting, there was a general discussion of the water plant proposition, and it was

moved and carried that we submit to the people of the Village of Poole the proposition of voting $2500 for fire protection.

   On December 14, 1914, a special meeting was called for the purpose of hearing the report of the Police Magistrate.  Meeting called to order by Chairman Clayton, members present:  Clayton, Stover, Reynolds, and Mahoney.
   Report of Judge McConnell on the arrest of John Pesek and Floyd Plummer for disturbance of the Peace.  Pesek fined $20 and Plummer $15.55.  Harry and George Bateman pleaded guilty and were fined $1 each.
   Total expenses in the case were $11.10; Balance of $27.45 turned over to treasurer out of which amount $3 are due J.S. Force for his time in making arrests.

   Glenn Stover shared second-hand recollections of the incident involving Pesek and Harry Bateman.  It seems that Pesek and Bateman had quite a battle in the implement yard or barn across the street south of the bank, and even though Pesek was nearing his prime as the “Tiger Man” wrestler, Bateman was not one to give up a fight.  Bateman was literally tossed about and suffered a permanent hearing loss in the battle.  The fines were a bit lop-sided; I wonder how the $20 was collected from Pesek?!

   J.C. Mahoney’s entries in the Village log were discontinued in early 1915, but another document of interest from 1918 was inserted at a later date.

   An ordinance opening, laying out, and establishing a Street to be known as Clayton Street... on the West line of said Village... commencing at the South point of Main Street... thence South along the Section line to the SW corner of Section #25.

   The right-of-way was to be 40 feet wide, with the County providing the West 20 foot strip, and the Village of Poole providing the East half.  A. Hanna, B.J. Stover and Dick Perry appraised the 20 foot strip belonging to Mrs. Charles Standage at $125 an acre.

   A second document, probably saved in the log by May Stover, was a Sample Ballot for a Special Election held May 9, 1972.
  


   Dissolution of Incorporation of the Village of Poole, Nebraska.

  A petition conforming to statutes for submission of the abolishment of incorporation of the Village of Poole, Nebraska, having been submitted, shall the Village of Poole, Nebraska abolish its incorporated status or retain its incorporated status?





   The results of the 1972 election were inevitable.  Poole had seen its better times.  Although the State Bank of Poole was one of the last to close its doors during the depression, it shortly relocated in Ravenna.  Rail business declined, and a flood in 1947 ended service between Ravenna and Pleasanton via Poole.  And, so the Village of Poole, after 83 years of existence and 62 years of incorporation, became again unincorporated.

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