Lincoln State Journal - June 5, 1887

    Of all the towns on the Omaha and Republican Valley Railroad, none have a more beautiful location, a healthier climate, a more fertile surrounding country, a more wide awake, pushing set of business men than Stromsburg. A special census this year showed it having a population of 1,500. All branches of business are well represented by live, active men, who are all doing a heavy business. Three banks here dole out money to the needy granger or artisan, carrying deposits ranging from $15,000 to $45,000, and capital ranging from $20,000 to $50,000. The Park bank and Stromsburg bank are the two older concerns and have men at the head who are among the more opulent and reliable moneyed men of the state. Buckley & Ross, Sprague & James and Bell & McCune represent King Corn's interest here and shipped out last year over 2,000 car loads of corn, grain and flax, and also 300 cars of livestock. In dry goods and general merchandise, Ford & Peck and J.A. Frawley stand at the head, doing a business averaging over $40,000 each in sales. Post & Headstrom, H. Gold & Co. follow each doing a heavy and profitable business.

    Scott & Woods, A Ryquist, Charles Nyquist are also engaged in general merchandise. R.E.McConaughey, Fred W. Gray and S.R. Howell shipped in last year 175 cars of lumber and are selling lumber at rates that encourage building. J. G. Green and Andrew Carlson represent hardware. Lew Woods and Olof Netsell do a large business in fruits, groceries and queensware. Needstrom & Harrison, Lash & Lind, C.H.Lindburg are agricultural implement men. George Osborne, and Johnson & Lewis deal out drugs. F.N.Peterson carries a handsome and well assorted selection of furniture. J.E.Crook and D.R.Montfort apply the wants of the inner man at their popular hostleries. The above firms do a business each year amounting to not less than $600,000. Three newspapers nourish the intellect. Four millinery shops decorate the persons. W.V. Sharp deftly removes offending molars. Drs. Owens, Coleman and Stanton heal the sick of the contented Stromsburger.

   Livery barns, a bakery, harness shop, butcher shops are in due proportion. A.P.Buckley flourishes the razor and also manufacturers brooms. J.W.Edgerton, G.M.McConaughy and E.E.Stanton furnish legal learning while Prof. L.D.Davidson dispenses a more useful and beneficial knowledge as principal of the beautiful and commodious public school building here. Five church spires point heavenward, and any of earth's weary pilgrims can have their choice of denominations. The Building and Loan association here has been doing and is still doing, a splendid business in building cheap homes for the poor man, erecting a new house every month at the least. The Union Pacific Railroad company is doing a heavy business and the town this spring is alive with the sure approach of three other railroads making for this point. The Missouri Pacific, the Burlington & Missouri River, the Kansas City & Northwestern, and the Kansas City & Grand Island railroads are all heading for Stromsburg, and have made arrangements to search this place within a year.

    The town is filling up rapidly with the best class of citizens, business is booming and the fine agricultural country surrounding always insures a large and remunerative year. Business and residence property here is remarkably reasonable considering the boom the town is enjoying and parties looking for location need not be alarmed about being "stuck" on real estate.

    The Swedish college is a high graded institution and is already drawing a large attendance. Stromsburg, enthroned on high tablelands overlooking the Little Blue, at its feet, prosperous and ambitious, invites inspection and treats visitors heartily and cordially. The social privileges are refined and well developed, and the society is composed of some of the best blood of the eastern states.

    A board of trade will be organized this week, and the manufacturing interests will be invited by liberal inducements to come here and locate. The proper railroad authorities informed The Journal reporter that for five years past Stromsburg's improvements have exceeded those of any town along the Omaha and Republican Valley railroad. The town is not ahead of the country and its prospects for the future are bright. And yet there is room