Niobrara County: Pieces of History

Converse County Herald
June 28, 1900
It is high time the city authorities took in hand the question relative to the running at large of cows and other animals within the incorporated limits, that annoy the public. Cows found loose in the streets and alleys should be put in a pound by the city marshal. If people in town want to keep cows let them be herded and taken care of at night.

Converse County Herald
Aug 2, 1900
Lee Miller, manager of the Barron Mercantile company, received a large invoice of goods yesterday and is busy unpacking and marking the same. Lusk merchants carry an exceedingly large stock of goods for this sized town and have the prices down as low as any of the towns surrounding here. There is no excuse for trading at other points when you can get to Lusk.

Lusk Free Lance
June 11, 1931
County to Have New Fair Ground Site; Land Bought
Niobrara county is going to have its own fair grounds for the future and in a deal consummated on Monday, the board of county commissioners purchased a tract of land on the south edge of the city from J.E. Mayes, aggregating 33 acres, which will be used for the purpose of the annual agricultural, livestock and home economics showing, and sport events such as the rodeo, or other events which may come in conjunction with the county fair.

This deal has been in the making for several weeks and was begun by County Agent E. A. Reeves and members of the board of county commissioners and the county fair board. It came about because of the undesirable location of the present fair grounds and further, because the present site is leased from the Chicago & Northwestern Railway company, and the lease has been made from year to year only. This condition made it necessary that a change be made and a permanent site secured.

The tract purchased is ideally situated for fair purposes and will offer as much or more towards drawing crowds to the fair. A race track of half-mile dimension will be built and the buildings at the present site will be moved as soon as possible. Lights and water will be facilities in the new location that were not available on the railroad's property. It is also planned that a beautification program will soon be started, and trees and shrubbery will be distributed throughout the tract to enhance its appearance.

The completion of this transaction has taken considerable of the time of County Agent Reeves, Thos. M. Fagan, president, and A. E. Johnson, secretary, of the county fair board, and members of the board of county commissioners, but it was well worth while. It is a step toward progress and shows a sincere interest in the accomplishments of this county, so far as exhibiting its products is concerned.

The grounds will also be open for use as a golf grounds, baseball diamond, football field, etc., and it is assured that all these things will be entertained without difficulty.

What the county fair board plans for this year has not yet been decided upon, but it is to be expected that announcement will be made within a short time of any decision which may be reached.

Lusk Free Lance
June 25, 1931
Road Between Two Old Woman Creek Bridges Progressing
Work on the stretch of road between the two Old Woman Creek bridges, north of Lusk, began the first of last week and according to those who have been out there this week, a rapid pace is being set from the south bridge. The project was contracted by the Western Bridge and Supply company of Omaha and this firm sub-let the contract on concrete and bridge work to Cannon & Webster Construction Company of Douglas.

Henry "Hank" Walker of Lusk has a sub-contract for the grading and culvert work on the south half of the project, and with his new Caterpillar tractor and 2-yard fresno, it is said that the dirt is moving fast and that more than three-quarters of a mile is almost completed already.

The entire project will cover about 11 miles, and it is believed that with two outfits working from the ends of the stretch to the middle, the work may be finished in less than two months. The project calls for the grading and culvert work only, and it is doubtful if this stretch will be surfaced before another year. However, the improvement being made will be a decided advantage over the former location and contour of the road in that territory.

Lusk Free Lance
June 25, 1931
Lusk-Manville Road Oil Project Finished; Highway Now Good
Motorists of Lusk and Manville, especially, to say nothing of those just passing through, are getting back their better dispositions after several days of travel on the newly oiled road between the two towns, and traffic on Highway 20 west of Lusk is getting heavier all the while. Many a car owner has put in long hours trying to get the grease or asphalt which spattered all over the old bus, removed, and it was a hard job.

The road was covered with a coating of asphalt substance with the work beginning at this end of the stretch some two weeks ago. The entire distance between the towns is now completed.

The job was not of the type of oil processing used on highways surrounding us where the oil is stirred into the gravel, but in the local case, a seepage, or workup, is depended upon. From all information we can gather, the Lusk-Manville project is sort of an experiment, and thus far it seems to be all right. What heavy traffic will do to the highway will only be determined after a trial. A layer of gravel which was swept from the center of the grade prior to the sprinkling of the asphalt substance, has been dragged back to cover the oil, and most of this is now covered with the treatment.

Lusk Free Lance
July 2, 1931
Lost Springs Times Publishes Last Paper with Issue of June 25
The Lost Springs Times, weekly publication of the Lost Springs community for the past seventeen years, and which until recently was owned and operated by Miss Mabel Buffington and Henry C. Buffington, suspended publication with its issue of Thursday, June 25th.

This newspaper had for many years been owned by Miss Buffington's father, but he was compelled to retire from active newspaper work several years ago because of his age and failing health. During many years past, it has been a very newsy sheet, and afforded the people of that vicinity a ready amount of good reading each week.

Just recently the paper was sold to Mr. A. B. Merrill, owner and editor of the Chugwater paper, and after publishing six issues, he decided upon the action taken.

To our fraternal friend, Miss Buffington, who has very capably edited The Times for the past few years, we extend a sincere wish of good fortune in whatever line of endeavor she may choose to follow in the future, and we regret losing her from the list of Wyoming publishers.

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