HECLA HAPPENINGS (OF A TOWN THAT IS NO MORE)

by Claudia Tompkins

Entry T17 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Credit to the Hooker County Paper for the
following news items that were sent in from
various people for news there.

1904 - "Plans to build a new schoolhouse
southwest of Hecla. Miss Mary Herncall has
been employed to teach the coming term. The
finishing work on the new `knowledge box' is
progressing nicely, by Mr. Glass."

1905 - "May - W.E. Frasier has taken
charge of the Hecla Hotel, he sets a first class
table."

"Harry Burns, is now Section Foreman."

"The Hecla Literary Society meets at the
schoolhouse every 2 weeks. Quite an interest
is being taken."

"The Hecla school will close in 3 weeks.
Miss Herncall, the teacher, has given the very
best of satisfaction and the children all speak
in the highest terms of her. The Directors
would do well to secure her for the next
term."

"Johnnie Shearer is getting along first class
in his telegraph studies, is now being able to
send and receive messages slowly."

1917, March - "Tuesday of last week the
mail carrier who carries mail from Hecla
north to Hire, on arriving at his home in the
snow storm, found that his home and its
contents were burned to the ground. After
searching for 4 hours for his wife and children
he gave up the search in despair, thinking
their lives had been lost in the fire. In this
critical moment it came into his mind to look
in the cellar, and there he found them all safe
and to his great joy." (Editor's note) - We
are always glad to get the news from Hecla,
in fact from all parts of this neighborhood.
We ask that items be made plain, for instance
the name of the mail carrier should have been
given. Thanks again.

"Theo Osborn, of Hecla, smashed his
buggy up to the extent that it will cost him
several dollars for repairs. While driving into
town (Mullen) Saturday to do his week-end
shopping, and he had connected the cause of
his accident with neglect of city officials in
allowing one of the water works stop cocks to
go unguarded in the middle of the wagon road
just west of the court house. He was driving
along at a nice clip when his buggy axle
caught on the iron housing, putting his rig out
of business. He is not complaining of the
matter from a damage standpoint, as many
would, but he is wise to the fact that it might
have resulted more seriously, in which case
he doubtless would look at it from a different
angle."