Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, July 12, 1891, Page 13

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12 THE THE OMAHA DAILY BEE: GIBRALTAR OF STATES An Exhaustive Review of Nebraska’s Material Growth and Prosperity. BOUNTIFUL NATURE LAVISHLY REWARDS THRIFT. Manufactures Marching to the Music of Progressive Husbandry— Assessed and Actual Valuations—Stock Raising and Stoek Markets—Comparative Statistics, Population 1840, 455,542; In 1890, 1,055,010, Increase, 234 per cent, Value of real and personal property in 1580, | 055,160,000: fn 1500, $1,585,100,000. Increase, | 246 per cent. Amount deposited in state and national banlks, $60,/07,043; per capita, $17. State levy, 617 mills: assessed valuation not exceeding 1-10 of real value, Creamery capacity, 50,000 pounds of butter per day. Capacity of flour mills, 40,000 barrels per day. Capacity of sugar fuctories, 40,000 pounds | per day. Inhabitants to the square mile, 14 Improved land, 13,674,150 acres, Average value of improved land, $24 per acre. Railroads miles Grain raised in Nebraska in 1891, 534458 1880: Oats, 20,963,000 bushels; barley, bushels; wheat, 16,- 845,000 bushels; corn, 149,543,000 bushels; an increase of 5 6-10 per cent in one year. Cattlo and hogs marketod in 1584, 58,701; in 1890, 1,230,013, Increase 3,300 per cent. Valuo of public schools, $4,672,250.48, pended in support of schools, $4,177,224.54. Cattle in feoding sheds and ranges, 200,000 head. Output of canning factories, 15,000,000 cans. NEBRASKA Ex- PITOMIZED. A Brief Review of the Great Pros- perity of the State. In 1854 congress named tho vast region wost of Minnesota and Towa, north of the lino of Kansas, enst of Utah and tho summit of the Rockics and oxtending to tho British possessions, Nebraska, and provided for a torritorial government. There were in all this vast region but 4,000 white people. These were huddled for the most part along tho Missouri river. Sinco 185 out of this torritory have beon created the states of Colerado, Wyoming, Mon- tans, North Dakota, South Dakota and the present stato of Nebraska with a total population of moro than two millions. In 1867 Nebraska practically as now out- lined upon the map was aamitted into tho unfon, Hor area was 76,155 gquare miles. She was the thirty-seventh star in the union and for nine years continued the baby sister, when Colorado was born. Her population in 1 admission, was 122,000, Today she numbers over a million souls and ranks twonty-sixth in the statos of the union. Ten years ago her rank was thirtioth. ‘This rpid growth of Nobraska is illus- trated most graphically by the census re- turns given below: 185, 1800 18 2 1800 bR 1,030,703 In this connection it may be of interest to detail the popuiar vote for governor during the years of statehood. In 1806, when the first eloction was held, the vote was 8,041; 1808, 14,025; 1870, 19,774; 1873, 97,770; 1874, 86,019; 187 341 1875, 52,4175 1880, 87,3453 1889, 80,008; 1884, 133,555 1890, 133,230; 1888, 2,865 1500, 214,072, Nebraska's advance in the material re- sources has kopt pace with her iucrease in population. In 186, the year following her admission, the state had an assessed valua- tion of $32,600,000. In 1801 the actual value of her real and personal property roaches the magnificent aggregato of $1,585,100,300, an increase since 1830 of $955.160,300. ‘Thero are on deposit in the state banks #19,819,706, and in the national banks $30,687,- 247, making a total of §5),507,043, showing a per capita of $47. The state levy for 1800 was 61 mills. ‘Taxation is not onerous, being much less than $L on the$100 actual value the assessed valuation rarely excceding one-tenth of the real value of taxable property. ‘There are 13,674,180 acres of land still un- | improved and a very large partof this is both smooth and arable. It will make homes and farms for 100,000 additional farmers, During the last ten years the stato has de- voted a great deal of attontion to croameries, In these, as a rulo, only home capital has boen fnvested. The number of theso now in successful oporation is fifty, giving employ- , threo years after ment to 400 men with about 35 teams and with au estimatod capacity of 50,000 pounds of butter per day. The interior of the state is also dotted with flour mills, mainly of the roller pattern. “There are 40 of these daily 1 operation, ro- celving their power from tho excel- lent running streams of the state or by steam for which coal may b procured from Wyomng, Towa and Missouri at very reasonablo rates. These give employment to about sixteen hundred men and have a daily capaclty of 40,000 barrols, Nobraska has two of sugar beet factories in has been demonstrated that her soll is partioularly well adapted 10 the cultivation of the sugar boet, and this has led to the establishment of the two fac- tories, one at Grand Island and the other at Norfoll. These give employment to 500 mea during the growing season and the work of manufacturing. They represent an outlay of $2,000,000 and have a capacity of 40,000 pounds por day. « Nebraska has 20,000 more square miles than Tows, 12,550 square miles more thau the New England states. Sho lacks only a fow square milos of belug twico the slzo of the state of Ohio. She has fourteen inhabitants to the square mile, and can support 75 or 100 or 230 as well #s In Now York or Massachusetts, Nebraska has 110,000 acros of cultivated timber on which are growlng 48,000,000 trees, nearly 2,000,000 apple trees, 1,800,000 peach, 207,000 cherry troes, 215,000 grapevines and 78,000jmiles of hedgo tences. In 1874 the grain product was 10,000,000 buabels, in 1879, 100,000,000 bushels. In 1588 thore were raised 144,217,000 bushels of corn, 24,608,000 whoat, 20,177,000 oats, In 1859 the the largest America. It ylold was as follows : Oats, 20,005,000; barley, 8,606,350, wheat, 16,848,000; corn, 149,543,000; bushels, showing an inorease of 10,452,000 bushels or 5 6-10 per cent. This year, howover, farmors are paylng more attention to the oultivation of swheat and the showing will be much higher both a8 reaards the yleld and the average. The prosont indications warrant the belief that the products of Nebraska's corn flelds will reach the hand- sowe aggrogate of 200,000,000 bushels Seven years ago there was not a cow or e slaughtered In Nobrasks, except for do- westio cousumption. She uow has the third largest hog packing market in the world at Omaha and in another year Omaha will be exceeded as a packing center only by Chi- In 1854 this market received 36,508 148 sheep. 9 cattle, 1,673, 86 sheep, and 26,603 horses and mules. In 1594 this market shipped 81,055 cattle, 50 hogs, 1,278 sheep, and 417 horses and mules, cattle, horses, 1,180,200 This )0 it shipped 1,107,502 hogs, 311,775 sheep, and 21,0 | is the most rapid increase on record. Theso cattle, hogs und sheep were for the greater part raised on Nebraska farms. Nebraska's educational systom, irrespec- tive of the university, compr ‘ses 5,740 school houses, valued at $4,6 0.4, with sites and apparatus valued at $1,455,050.88, making a grand total of £,127,340.31, with a total ex penditure of #, 54 per year. Cattle raising in Nebraska is carried on by a nuwber of people, and there are never fewer than 200,000 nead on the ranges and feeding barns cutside of those which are fattened by farmers. The nutritive grasses of the prai- ries sustain thousands of these cattlo during all seasous of the year, while some of the larger dealers provide shelter duriag summer and winter for their stock. These cattle find a roady market at South Omahn. Among the principal feeders are tho Standard cattle company at Ames, which feeds about nine thousand head; the Bay State company which takes care of 5,000; Hurshey with 4,000 near North Bend, together with Meolsner & Sheldon at Columbus; Alton & Glover and Tsaac Albert, neur Grand Island: N. B. Bergreen, Wahoo; M. Butter- field, Creighton; Hake & Rothwell, Wood, Bancroft & Co. and the Standard breeding company in Stanton county; J. D. Speurman in Surpy county: Ormsby at Wood River, and Forbes & Columbus at the same place. “There are twenty canning factories which give emplogment to 3,000 people during the season and put up yearly 15,000,000 cans of corn, peas, tomatoes and beans. THE COUNTY EXHIBIT Shows that Prosperity and Wealth Dominate Throughout the State. The following is 8 review of the situation by counties as regards tho finances, agri- cultural resources and mauufactures of the state. Antelope County. T'his is one of the most prosperous and best watered counties in the state. It contains from southeast to northwest the Elkhorn valley and also the Cedar, Willow, Aatelopo, Verdigris and Bazille creek valleys all fer- tile and with the purest water. The soil is composed of clay and sandy loom with little, if any, waste lana: ‘The county has an” altitude of 1,500 feet above sca level making the air pure, light and unusually healthy. The annual rainfall being over 30'inches gives ample moisture to produce cereals and grains as well as vege- tables in abnundance. Our wheat grades with that of tho famous Red river of the north. The markets of the county are mostly west- ern, tothe larze stock ranches, the Black Hills and Wyoming miniug districts. The Neligh mills, with a daily capacity of barrels and the Oakdalo milis with a capacity of 150 work up immensa quantitics of grain raised in or near the couuty. Two custom mills, one at Clear Water and the otner at Jessup supply farmers in tho northwestern part of the county with near milling facilities. Tho North American cattlo company aud Messrs. Rollins & Huffman at Neligh and the Converse cattle company at Tilden give the best of markets for rough grain, fodder and produce, ‘The firat company being pre- pared to feed from 3,000 to 5,000 head of cattle in a seasou. The Elihorn Valloy railroad traverses the county from southoust to porthwest and also from Oakdale to Albfon in Boone county giving an eastorn outlet by way of Omaba and Chicago,also west to the Black Hills and Wyoming, whilst the Pacitic Short Line from Sionx City to O'Neill passes through the north side of the county giving that part an outlet to the east through Sioux UCity. The Duluth & FPueblo raiiroad is now su veying and expects to build to Neligh this fall, Neligh haviog accepted the railroad's proposition by which she gots the freight division and repair shops. This rond will give the county an outlet di- rm‘il, to Duluth and also southwest to Pueblo, Col. Noligh, the county seat, has a population of 1,300, a number of large brick blocks, fine stocks of goods, a 200-burrcl roller mill and a creamery making over one thousand pounds. of butter per day. All trades are well vepresentod and there is no luck of good hotels, Neligh also has exceptional advantages for education, baving a complete system of pub- lic and high schools with a corps of eight teachers, whilst Gates coliege under the avspices’ of the Congregational chureh of northern Nebraska, the only large institution north of Omaha or the Platte valley, is fast becoming the most popular institution of learning in the state, over 150 students hay- ing been in attendance during last- year. Three bunks—the First National, Com- mercial State and Merchants each have a Kood substantial business, Arrangements are being made to put in a sugar factory,hemp mill and flax and oil mill. A fine systom of waterworks with an average pressure of seventy-four pounds and over four miles of mains supply the city with water, ‘The churches are represontod by Congre- gational, Methodist, Episcopal und Christian socioties each with a good,substantial edifice, the Congregational costing over ,000. An opera house with a seating capacity of 600 complete the public buildings. Oakdale, Clear Wator and Tilden give good markots and business facilities on the Elk- horn valley, while the new towns of Bruus- wick, Savage and Orchard on the Short Line' help the farmers toa near market in the north and Elgin on the Albion branch to & market on the south of the county, “Tho assessors roports show that thore are in the county 8,219 horses, 20,387 head of cat- tle, 446 mules, 054 sheep and 15,731 hogs. The growing crops are: 6,870 acres in wheat, 50,557 neres in corn, 17,414 acres in oats, 250 acros in barley, 2,072 acres in tame grass, 218 acres in rye and 200 acres in millet, The county has no bouded indebtedness. Adams County. This county has three flouring mills out, side of Hustings and a choese factory at Ayr- Hastings, the couuty seat, has the foillow- ing industries: Hastings carriage works. omploying 5 men; book binding, employing 8 men ; Kimball laundry, employing 80 men; City' laundry, employlng LT bottling works, employing 2 men; J. H. Haney & Co., “harness and saddle factory, employing 158 men; marble und granite works, employing 4 mon; planing mill, employing '8 men: sash sud door factory, employing 5 men; National cornice and ornamental works, employing 7 men; Hastings foundry, employing 13 men; Novelty works, 3 men; proprietary medi- clues, 5 men; three brick yards, 65 wen eight clgur factories, 45 men; Queen City roller mills, 10 men; threo flour and feed mills, 7 men; three bakeries, 10 men; blue- ing fuctory, 1 man; yeast factory, 2 men; Roso bridge builders, 10 men; Hastings dye works, 8 men: fence taviory, 2 men; Vulcan- ite roofing company, 11 men; Morin cold storage company, 2 men; two plokling works, 18, None of the above meutioaed mills, factor- umerated fos, otc., have been in existonco ten years; however the out put of the institutions en- has increased yearly since their {nception A safe and paying investment of capital would be found in turning & natural basin of 230 acros |near Hastings| into an artificial Jake, by tho aid of arunning stream travers- ing 1t. To purchase the land and completo improvements, would demand an outlay of 0,000, The ice crop alone would sell for 000 each year. Another $50,00 could bo lizod from boat and pleasuro privileges. Chief among enterprises which would bo an inducement for the investment of capital, would bo a paper mill, beat sugar factory, ropewalk, linseed ofl work merios, boef aud pork packing houses, brawery, distillery, oat meal, elucose, knitting, starch'and broom factories. Tho city of Hastings possesses superior factities for the manufacture of starch. The water hore is pronounced superior in_quality and quantity to any in tho state for that pur- pose. The city of Hastings needs a 150 room hotol badly, Itisa leading railroad center of Nebraska and a convention city, Buffalo County. The manufacturing interests of tho city of Kearney and Buffalo county are still in their infancy. Those of importance aiready in operation aro tho flouring mills at Koarney, Elm Creek and Gibbop, the Kearney packing house, Kearney electric and water power company, iron works and foundry, brewery, the Gibbon creamery, Kearney pressed brick works, stone works and the Kearney cotton mills, now under construction. All these in- dustrics havo been started within the past ton years and have proved a success. The Kearney cotton mills, which destined to be the largest west of the Mississippi river, were conceived about two years ago by east- ern capitalists, seeking for a suitable location for a factory to manufacture cotton goods. They are located about two miles west of Kearney noar Lake Icho, a large resorvoir of the canal. Here is a suitable fall for water power and a natural outlet to the Platte river below. The superstructure of the building is completed, and the work of finish- ing 1t is going on us fast as possible. To start witi, 15,000 spindles will be used, but tho architéctural arrangement of tho build- ing will admit of its being enlarged. Mr. Walter Ammock, formerly of the Henderson mills of Henderson, Ky., is sunerintending the work and will be the resident manager. The elcctric and water power company con- trols the big canai intended solely for water power, and the power at the electric station is furnished by water from tho Platte river. This is in turn transmitted to diffcront parts NEBR lines. Real estate values have an upward tendency, land having advancod about § per acre since last ‘Yiar, The populatifit is about 7 can, 15 per cquk, Scandinavian cent German and Irish. There are four flour mills, two cheese fac- tories, one creamery, one canning factory and one saw mill Among the fost needed Industries perhaps 18 the beet culture, and the subject of a fac- tory for the manufacturc of sugar from the beet has been agitated to some extent and is sure to receivo moro favorable consideration in the future, as it becomes more and moro apparent that out lands are finely adapted to the raising of the root. Burt county is not experiencing any decided boom, but there hus beon a steady growth since ' the county was first organized. Many settlers came here when the *(ireat Muddy" was the only means of communication with the civilized world, and wheon tho dusky savage disputed thoir right to invade his domain, but they had faith in the country which they had labored 80 hard to develop and their confidence was not misplaced, for tho then undeveloped re- sources have responded nobly to the touch of tho husbandman, until all over our county prosperity is evidonced by the many beauti- ful end costly residences, happy homes and coutented people. Boone County. Boone couuty has three_roller mills, one at Codar Rapuds, one at St. Edwards and ono at Albion, runniug all the year round. Thero is a cheesn factory at Potersburg, a creamery at Boone and ono at Cedar Rapids. Albion, the county seat, has a very fine school building, costing $25,000 and all the other villages in the county have wood and commodious echools, The Boone county agricultural association has expensive fair grounds, with eood buildings and an exce lent race track, located at Albjon. The soci- ety has held six annual exhibitions, which have been flattering succosses, demonstrat- ing the superior qualifications of Boone county as an agricultural and stock raising comuiunity. Box Butte County. Of the thousand square milos this county contains less than 3 per cent are waste lacd. Its staple products are wheat, oats, rye and vegetables, Sugar beets aro grown to per- foction. The B. & M. machino shops at Al- liunce employ 150 men. The Alliance milling company with a capital of $20,000 has a cap- acity of 100 barrels per day. The county hasa good new court house and a poor farm of 320 acres with a_largo brick poor house on it. All this is paid for por cont Ameri- and 10 per ASKA: Actual and assessed property valuation; population with ten years’ rate of increase; total deposi ts in all banks with eirculation per capita; area, ruling price of land, ete. Dassassy -+ 0831 uop wnua Roone Boyd...... Box Butte, Brown Buffalo. Burt.. Butler Cnan Codar. Chaso Cherry.. Cheyent Clay Colfax Coming. Custor Dakota. Dawes Dawson Dewel . Dixon Dodge. 2 Douglas1 25.255,000) Dundy 1,000,214 Fill Gugo... Garfoid Gospor. Grant Grooloy i Jofferson Johnson. Kearney . Keya Pulia Kimball, TNk Lanonster.... 1146309 /599,09 Richard Rock Suline Surpy undors . 0tt's Blutf. owird ridan Wayne. Webster | coler | York Unorganized s, 015, Totals. of the city, where electric powoer is used. Dynamos from the same station furnish power for tho clectric stroot railway system and light for tho arc and incandescent lights used in the city. Capitalists aro finding thoir way horo, aud besides this county is receiving its shro of immigration. ‘The wonderful fertility and great dopth of soil assure tho former of sat- isfactory returns for his toil for a long period. Being adapted to all cereals and producing luxurient pasture, this county offers special inducoments to the agricultuist and stock grower, There'is an abundance of room and many bright opportunities offered those scok- ing new homes in Buffalo county. Burt County. Burt county is situated in the eastern part of the state, bordering on tho Missouri river, aud is thirty-fivo miles north of Omaha and sixty miles south of Sioux City, The Chicago, St. Paul, Minnoapolis & Omaha railway traverses the entiro length of the county from uorth to south near tho con- ter. Locatod along the samo are four thriv- ing towns, Lyons, Oakland, Craig and Toka- mah, the latter place being tho county seat. The county is well watered and drancd, has an abundance of timber, and is finoly adapted 10 & diversity of agricultural pursuits, The soil is o black loam of unusual depth and is very productive, as shown by tho fact that for ‘over thirty-five years there has not been a crop failure in Burt county. Tho raising of corn and” cattle are among tho loading branches of rural industry, al- though small grain is grown to_considerable extent, there being over thirty thousand acres of wheat and oats this year. In addition to feeding our own stock dur- ing tho past year, Burt county has supplied over fifteon hundred carloads of hay for ship- ment to other parts of this state, Kansas and Missouri, besides feeding vast hérds of cattle driven here from western districts, In this way fully a thousand car loads of cattlo and hogs are each yoar prepared for tho markets of the world Burt county has over seveuty-five thousand frait trees and provides all the fruit it con- sumes, The smaller Iruits—strawberries, raspberrics, grapes, chorries, ato., are raisod in ubundance,and large quantities'are shipped to supply tho markets at Omabia aud Sioux Jity, “I'io transportation facilities of the county are not surpassed by that of any locality in the state. 1t is expected that in the near future a rail- road bridge will be built across the Missouri river at Decatur, & thriving towa in tbe northeastern part of the county, & charter having already beou granted for tat purpose, and that one of the Chicago roads now look: 1ng for a feasable route to Omaba will extend wduo 19d s3s0dop yuvg| oot sns uo) ‘uonvindog +ggst sus -ue) uon¥indod ---uopv[ndod up oup s1va5 oy *sopjm bs uj vaav| -+ puvy wavy 30 %0Hd FvIRAY| 8w ) 20w 15 e 100 e 15 26 1 10 10 i 10a b 10 2@ io@ 5@ 1@ 50 25 106 e 1 15@ 250 Mo 0 @ 15 15% 30 150 35 205,055/ 105000 21,711 00,000 s | 18| 11, 2913). 0101”452, 102100, 508 76,185 and thero is not one dollar of bonded indebt- edness outstanding. ‘There are over eighty organized school _districts in the county in which from six to nine months school 13 taught during tho yoar, In roligious matters all denominations are represonted and eyory neighborhood has its country church. Tho county is mostly set- tled by thrifty Americans, mostly from Towa and linois, with a good sprinkling of Ger- mans and Scandinayians. Hemingford, the county seat near the cen- ter of the county, is a thriving town of about five hundred inhabitauts. Alliauce in tho southeast is a busy place of 1,500 and a division station on the B. & M. railroad. ~ Box Butte, Lawn, Libby, and Burbauk, are county postofiices, each’ with its store and blacksmitn shop. Boyd County. Bovd county I tho baby couuty of Ne- brasica. It was crdilted by act of legislature last winter aud will be organized on the fivst day of August. [ is bonnded by tho state line on the north, tho Missouri river on the east, the Niobrars river on the south and the Koya Paha on thd west. ettlers are rushifui in at a great rato, and whoro last. yoag, tydians onty roamod, the sturdy yeomin is now at work with plow and axe. ‘Tho genoral formation of the country is rolling prairio divided by rich valloys. The soil is & fortil lack loam with a yellow porous cluy subsgn. There are 1,900 uarter sections of laud in the county aud as no one can purchase more than oue-quarter fxom the government, the land grabber and #hoculator oreforo boing debarred. The Pofi¢a traverses the county from wost to east, Jt is & beautiful stream, abounding with, 5k, lined with groves of timber and affording many excellent mill- sites. The Niobrara forms the southern boundary and in the western portion of the couuty the Keya Paha empties into it. Both rivers are fringed with an abuodance of tim. ber, mostly oak and cottonwood. The princi- pal’ town~ aud probable county seat of this Tair territory is Butte City, grown up like a mushroom in the last fow months. Thotown draws trade uot_ouly from its own neighbor- hood, but far from Dakota and the Sioux resorvation, Blaine County. This county has only been organized a cou- plo of years.~ A fow years ago thero wero uo settlers in tho territory which is known as Blaine county, the only sign of civilization then being oné lonely stock ranch, Thereare in consequence, no {actories nor mills as yet, but the need of them is much feit by the rap- idly increasing population. Chase County. I SUNDAY, JULY 12, 1801-S1XTEEN ! its lino through Burt county, which will givo | our people the: benetit of two' direct Chicago | | county. Up to 1845, Chiaso county was oblelly tho | home of buffaloes, antolopes and wild horses, intersporssd with a fow ranchers and thoif bunchos of cattle, feeding along some of the streams running through the county. Then | the settlement of the county began and in & short timo several thousand peopio had taken up claims and began to improve them. In | June, 1886, the county was organized and tho county seat located at Tmperial, o struggling hamlet of a few nouses near the conter of the ‘The soil is a rich, biack, sandy loam, producing in abundance all of the srops rasod in the same latitudo further east. With tho excoption of the season of 1500, the farmors have always raised a good crop, and as this failure was more or less pronounced all over tho west, it has not discouraged many of them, and they will be rowarded jor | their energy by one of the most bountiful harvests on record. Water in plenty and of excellent quality is found most everywhere in wells at an av- erage depth of forty feet. The Frenchman flows through the cniire county from west to oast, makiug ove of the fiuest mill streams in tho 'state, having & rock bottom in many places, with numerous cascades and falls, one of them at Wauneta, whero the water falls eight feet perpendicularly ovor a ledge of rock. The current in the I'renchman is very swift, having about sixteen feet fall to the mile. Near the head of tho stream is a good burr grist mill, while some six miles furthes: dovn, at Champion, there is a roller mill of seventy five barrels daily capacity, which employs some half a dozen hands. ' At the Wauneta falls there is a 100-barrel roller mll, which does not use one-third of the water power at that place. Imperial the present county seat is locatod in tho center of the county and_has a popula tion of about four hundred, Its strocts aro lined with shade trees and thoe court house block is today a fine park, with beautiful trecs, and a neat and substantial court houso situated thereon and the county has no bonded indebtedness, Champiou, situated on the Frenchman, some nine miles southwest of Imperial, is a beautiful little town of about two hundrod wud fifty inbabitants, and is in tho centor of the tract of tand irrigated by the Champion Valloy Water Powor and Irrigation com- pany’s ditch, which is just about completed, and will water somo ten thousand acres of land Wauncta, in the eastern portion of the county, has a population of about two hun- dred and is finely located for manufacturing purposes on account of the fine water power there. Lamar is situated in the north:est portion of the county, hias a_population of about two hundred and is surrounded by choice agri cultural lands, There are many good busi- “ness openings in tho county to the men who will combine capital aud energy. More grist mills are needed to manufacture into flour Chase county’s immense wheat crop. A creamery would be a_paying institution, and the Frenchman river at any point.would afford umplo power. Fine openings aro offered on overy hand to the man who desires to engage in the stock business. Good water, good grass and a good climate is what he wants and hero are all of them. The B. & M. railroad has atrack now graded through the county, the completion of which, the financial crisis’ and last yoar's failures, ‘have delayed,but brighter prospects financially, and heavy crops in the county, will insure the laying of the 1ron this fall. Chase county has just passed through the trying times that all new counties have to pass through and from now on business will revive, investments become profitable and tho future in gencral is assured. Cass County. Cass county comprises ono of tho wealth- fest and most fertile sections of tho state, It is bounded on the north by the Platte river and on tho east by the Missouri river. Ita topography is in keeping with its location; high bluff along the Missouri, and undulating prairio land rolling to tho westward. Tho soil is a light, friable loam, varying in depth from eighteen inchos to twenty feet according to location, with a_light, porous, spongelike clay subsoil, capable of holding’ moisture in reserve, Au_abundance of limestone, blue, gray and white, prevails,the former of ‘a very superior quality. Ked sandstoneis found in profu- sion in tho vicinity of the Platte, and along tho Missouri river, below Plattsmouth there are extensive deposits of ochre of a fair quality. Knolin and two kinds of firo clay aro also found in consider- ablo quantities. Cass county is geuerally blessea with an abundant rainfall, and is well watered by the rivers Platte, Missouri and Weeping Water, together with the Paw- uee, Codar, Turkey' and Four-Mile crecks, varying in length from four to twelve miies, and Salt creek, which cuts across the north- west corner of the county. ‘The acreago in _wheat this year is acres; corn, 110,301 acres, and oats acres. ‘The harvesting of small grain has been begun in tho county and the yield has been very large, the owners of the fine crops being very jubilant over their success, In fruit culture Cass county is boginning to take the lead. A large portion of her im- mense apple crop of last year was snippod cast and the most favorable encomiums were passed upon the fruit. Apples, cherries, grapes and plums are raised casily and peuches grow very well in the county. Cattle aud hogs arc raised in great quantities, and the breeding of blooded stock and fast horses rapidly increasing, and is growing to great importance. lattamonth, the county seat, is situated at the confluence’ of the Platw and Missouri rivers and is a city of 10,000 inhabitants. 1t is on the main lines of tho Missouri Pacific and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy rail- roads. The Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs_also run ’ trains through Plattsmouth to Omaha, T'no trains of tho Burlington systom cross the Missouri at this point over one of the finest steel raiiroad bridges in_the United States. Tho great Chicago, Burlington & Quiney railroad machine shops, storehouses, round- houses, ete., are maintainad at_this peint for tho use of its systew west of the Missouri river, aud tho company employs many hun- dreds of hands, disbursing’ to employes monthly from §35,000 to $45,000. Located at PPlattsmouth are the following manufactovies : The Plattsmouth brick and terra cotta works, Capital, £30,000; capacity, 10,000 brick per day; employs thirty hauds. ‘The Plattsmouth canning factory; capital, $30,000; capucity, 1,500,000 cans per year; employs 135 hands. Four cigar factories employing to fifteen hands each, One buggy and wagon factory. Plattsmouth electric lamp factory, employs about fifteen hands. Electric light company; capital, $30,000. A large “steam laundry recently con- structed and doing an extensive business. A plauing and turning mili, employs seven hands. ‘I'hers are two mles and_eno-half of elec- tric motor street railway. Paid up capital, #10,000. A new $0,000 contly compioted. finost systoms of watorworks in costing #125,000. Grades of 'stroets have boen established and Main streot paved with Stoux Falls granite atan oxpense of £30,000, A fine four-story high school building cost §25,000, and seven ward school houses com plete the sehool systom of the city. “Tho $50,000 Waterman opora house is one of the finest in the state. Tho Riley hotel cost $75,000, and is, in point of achitectural beauty, the finest in the stato, ‘Tho Porkins house is a largo aud commo- dious hostelry, its construction costing §30,- 000, A handsomo new county court house Is in courso of oroction, the corner stone having beon luid on June20. It is to cost 879,000, and will be comploted by January 1, 1891 The following named churches all have places of worship in Pluttsmouth, viz: Prosoytorian, Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist, ( aMothodist, Gorman Presbyterian, Christian, Catholic (with couvent), Colored Baptist and Swedish, owning = buildings worth from $1,000 to 815,000 cach. Contemplated enterprises consist of a flour. ing mill and a large packing establishmeat, to be situated on the Platte river botton, where tho two railroads—thoe Missouri Lacific aud B, & M.—connect. Custer County. This county has soven flouring mills all built in the last five years, The ageregate capacity of the same is 52 barrels daily and they keop about thirty men busy, the year round, All of them are equippe with the most modern roller machizery, Cedar County. Tho prineipal industries of this county are of course farming aud stock raising, tho mill ing and creamory interests coming next in importanco. There are five floaring mills, employing thirty-one men; two brickyurds, with twelve moen; three croameries, with cighteon mop, aud 8 sawwill with eight em- 21,485 22,415 from four system of soworage was ro- The city has oveof the the state, PAGE ployes, making a total of cleven manufactar. ng concerns, employing an aggrogato of fifty-nine men. Bosidss, there aro numerous minor manufacturing concorns Codar oounty has & record that has never been marred by a crop failu During the goneral distross of last season this county harvested and marketod the usual bountiful yield of grain. This has resulted in Increasod railroad facilitios, the attention of the stato bewe drawn to this section by last year's splondid crop. The official figures show that the acreage of wheat b increased 2,500 acros, corn 26,000 acres, oats 3,000 acre while flax has_incroased over 100 por cont and barloy over 25 por cont. This pnonomenal development is being continued during tho presont season and thousands of ncres of prairio are being brought under cultivation by new scttiers. The character of the above deveiopment is best shown by the increase in the number of fruit trees forest treos, nn in- dication that the {ncrease in acroago s a_re- sult of new homes and new sottlers. The number of fruit troos hus increased from 4,849 to 1,321, while forost trees, groves, ote, increased from 452,571 to 899,237, an increase of half a million forest trees would indicato, that Arbor Day has some meaning in Cedar county. The erection of a new conrt houso to cost 20,000 will be commenced next month by the county. In short, Codar county is at presont pros- perous aud, with unequalled prospocts for the future. The soil is rich, and a orop fail- ure has nevor been known. Tho develop- ment of the last year while phenomenal has been on a substantial basis and promises to continue until every acre of its 100,000 unim- proved foin the 150,000 improved acres, thay Inugh now with fortility under the titilary influence of the sturdy yeoman's plow. Cherry County. Cherry county, now tho largest in area in the state, was organized out of *unorganizod territory’” in 1883, with Valentine as tho county seat. Perhaps as good an idea of the increaso of its woalth, as shown by the assessor's books, can be had from the comparison of nssess: ments for the years of 1590 and 1391, as shown by the following tabulated statement, viz: [No. |[Valie | N {1, | Valio | 290/ 18,557 0| 154610 DOV ED LANDS, Thor Valu Acres [ Value |Tncrse e | Tieie | 'Reros 0 85.016]_sa1,00| UNDIPLROY 0,024 LAND! Value Total vi 5 il 20,050 Total Incroaso 5% By the foregoing it will bo scen that the number of horses and cattlo now asseased in this county is 40,909, an increaso in number of 17,070 and in value of $150,206 over last year; of real estate, the acreago of improved land is 85,016 acres, an increase over last year of 17,206 acres, and of unimproved land the acreage is 145,334, an increase for the year of 41,030, This increaso is derived principally from final proofs on homestends, which aro not taxable until after proof has beon ma but the figures are given to show the rapid rate at which taxable wealth is increasing. Of the 35,000 acres of improved land fuily 5,000 is now cultivated to whoat, 5,000 to oats, and the remainder to corn, rye, barley and potatoes. Although last season this county was denom- inated among the “drouth stricken,’ reliable information gives the following roturns of swck, cereals and produce shipped out, viz: 500 'cavs of hay; 60 cars of wheat; 45 cars of hogs; 250 cars of cattle; 10 cars of potatoes; 18,000 pounds of creamery butter. Cherry county has natural water power in great abundance, the Niobrara river alono having suflicient capacity to furnish power equal to thav of Minneapolis. The county wants mills to grind all this wheat, supply the contracts for flour at Fort Niovrara and Rosebud agency, our home demand and tho rapidly increasing markot of the Black Hills; also sheep owners to bring in their hords and soll or contract ou. shares their sheep to our farmers for a term of years. No botter coun- try can be found for “sheep, and small herds cared for by indinidual farmers could not fail to do well and yield handsome returns for their owners, [n addition to the 50,000 head of cattle Cherry county wintered inst season, there 18 room and foed for three or four times that number, and the owners of cattle, grazfng thom on 'laud worth from $40 to $60 per acre, had better turn their atten- tion to this county. Clay County. Clay county is an agricultural county, but she has also got mills, factories and other in- dustries, which give employment to a largo numoer of people. Among the above is the large flouring mills at Spring Ranch and De- waoose, brickyards at Sutton and Harvard, and the Bagar orick and tile company. The Edgar canning factory located at idgar is particalarly worthy of mention. During tho canning season they employ between 100 and 150 persons. Their annual output of canned goods consisting of corn, tomatoes, peas and beans amounts to 150,000 cans, Tho farmers of the county realize 'many hundred dollars monthiy from the sale of cream to the cream- erios at Sutton, Fairfield and Edgar, the Sut- ton crenmery aloneemploying thirty men and teams to gather the cream from about 3,500 cows aud ten men to work in the creamery. Their annual output is 400,000 pounds of but- ter. Fruit, berries and grapes oro also prof- itably cultivated and an increasing amount of thesé luxurics is raised from year to yoar. The following is the amount of furm and city mortgages filed und roleased for tho month ending June 30: Filea £25,044; releas amount of filed, 52,560; relensed, $6,04 tainly o romarkably good show- ing, considering the genecral stringency of money mattors. Cheyenne County. Cheyeune county being one of tho nowest counties of the stato, has as yet fow indus tries to boust of. There are,” however, two flour mills in the county both built in the last two years, employing about half u dozen hands and dong a good and remunerative business. Fort Sidney, a military post, is locatod in this county. About 300 men and 200 teams are working there at the preseut timo on ir- rigation ditches. Dawes County. A few years ago, Dawes county was a por- tion of that immenso tract of country vari ously known as Sioux county—'‘unorganized territory,” and “No Man's land.”” The only inhabitants, a few hardy rancomen, had to haul their supplies 200 mles. Now, thore are mills at Chadron, the county seat, Craw- ford and Whitney with w combined ¢apacity of 300 barrels a day and two railroads to bring supplies and carry away our surplus, Last year, on account of dry weather sbout four thousand acres were subjected to irri- gation and many more farmers commenced irvizating ditches, but tho froquent rains made thom fnnecessary and_operations were suspended until thers would bo nced for them and more time to spare, Wild grass grows luxuriantly parts of the county, aud the high all fortile, tillable soil. Tho bealthy and an abundanco of water s furnished by Chadron Chadron, and the White river to C nd Whitney. s Fort IRobinson is situated in this county and much of the home grown produco is con- suwed there, The United States land oftice is located ot Chadron and while most of the government land has been taken up, there are still some very fair claims to bo pre- ompted and much good land can still be bought at very moderate prices. Dawson County, This county ciaims a soil and climate un- surpassed in tho staie of Nobraska. Only oue partial failuro of crops, that of 1ast year, has over taken place. Many thousand acres of land still remain unbroken and raw land can still be purchased at prices rauging from $7 to 820 por acre: improved farms at from $15 10 §30, aceording to value of lmprovements and location. ‘Thero are six large flouring mills in the county employing ffty men, and four brickyards employing sixty men, ' The towns of the county aro all prosperous and growing steadily. An irrigation ditch running through the en- tire counly is to be constructod at an outlay of $250,000. This will furnish employment for 1,000 men and ny teams. The valueof 1and {n reach of this diten will be doublod, as t will insure steady and larger crops and bet. ter quality of grain, Lexington, the county seat, with a povula tion of 2,200, is fast assuming metropolitan airs, waterworks and an electric light plaot being amonj: the contomplated improvements. Thero is also a good deal of substantial build: in the lower ground i3 climato is cloar, pure croek to caw ford 1 ing going on, ono of the buildings boirg & socond §15,000 sehool house. Dodge County. Tho past five yoars have sorved greatly to emphasize the fact that Dodge county is one of the best agricuitural counties in tho very bost agricultural portion of the west. The has nevor beon a crop faflure in_this coun and it has become conspicuous during the five yoars for its fertility and crop cortainty, largely by tho repeated failures elsewhore. | This period has been an ora of much agricul- tural prosperity in this county, and s a ro sult our farmers are in_an oxcellont financial coudition ; they are stockiug their farms with botter animals, are adding to thelr equip- ments and appliances of all kinds, and erect- ing bettor residences and furnishing them with comforts and conveniences of life. Tn 1885, when there was a general failure of thee., corn crop, this county was blessed with an average yield, which realized doublo the " ago price. That year numerous mort- gagos woro paid off and scores of farmors liberated from the oppression of debts con- tracted to acquire a home. Tn 1850 thoy in common, with agricultural- ists elsewhere, had abundance of overything, but it could bo sold only at low prices. Many Wi able, however, to hold over and sell tholr products on' the rise of tho markot. Lust yoar came another shortago of the gon- eral crop, but Dodge county was as fruitful as ever and the products wero soid at twico and thrice the average price of formor years. Corn for instance, was sold in tho flold for $20 per acre and upwards. This sorics of succosses has placed tho Dodge county favmers “out of sight.” Asan in cidental result of this prospenity, lands have materially advanced in prico—at least .00 per acre during the past year. The demand for good farms has been very active this spring and many havo changed hands, in numerous cases selling for spot cash. Ouvo point of advantage to the farmors 1 the good local market created by foeding _from 100,000 t0 150,000 sheop and 19,000 to 15,000 head of cattle overy year. No mattor how high thome price of corn and grain has boon these big feeding ranches have always paid from 1 to couts more than tho shippiog price. This has rosulted in increased profits of tens of thousands of dollars to the farmors, The manufacturing institutions of tho couuty are for the most part confined to I"romont and as a rule, they are in a condi- tlon of encouraging prosperity. Thoso em- ploying the greater number of hands may be mentioned as follows Eremont, foundry and machine company, 85 0 30 men; Fromont manufacturing con- pany, (wood'workers) 25 men; steam planing mills, 2 mon; creamory package manufac- turing company, #0 mien; continuous kiln company, 30 men; Nebraska creamery asso- ciation, 10 men ;F'remont packing company, ca- pacity 700 hogs daily; May Brothers, whole- sale grocers, 15 men ; Smith fence company, 6 mon; Fremont buttor and_egg comnany, 15 mon: Theodore Huotte & Son, hardware and cornice company, 20 men; 25 to 85 men; Fremont Flail, 10 men. There aro flouring mills in the county as fol- lows: Fremont Milling Co., eapacity, 100 bar- rels por day: Briggs & Uhling, Hooper: John Diels, Scribner; J. B. Kooinson, Pobblo Creek; North Bend Milling Co. The Fromont Homp and Twino Co. em- ploys from forty to seventy-five hands, oper- ates a tow mill and twino mill at Fremont, and a tow mill each at North Bond and Fowlor, both in this county. This is thowy, only tow and twine concern west of the Mis. sissippi, and is proving a grand success. Its manufsctured product this year from last year's hemp will amount to 450,000 pounds of twine. The Fromont Browing Co. has been organ- izea, ano & 100,000 brewery with a capacity of 200 barrels daily will b3 running before January 1 next. The * wholesalo business of Fremont amounts to about §,000,000 a_year, princ pally in groceries, liquors, hardware an produce. Herald, 10 men. Douglas County. Douglas county, with an area of 33.01 square milos, embraces the city of Omaha, the motropolis of Nebraska, and is the most wealthy and populous county of the state. The county 1s nearly midway between tho nortuern and southern boundaries of tho state and is the oxtreme eastern point of tho state at tho natural gatoway through which the commerce of tne east finds access to tho west. The soil and topography of tho cour try admirably fits it for the diversified int osts and mdustries with which it abounds With tho city of Omaha covering 243{ squars miles of the total area of 33.01 square miles, tho_ farm intorosts are naturally ciroun scribed, yet there aro in the county I, farms, with a total tilled ncreage of 100,231, and 45,465 acres in pormanent meadows. The fact that much of this farm property is ad- jacent to the city, which furnishes a constant and_incroasing demand for products of the farm and garden, renders the land much more valuable than tho averago farm prop- erty of the state. Tne averago value, taking all of tho conditions into consideration, of the farm lands of tho county is placed at §35 per acro. The dairy and stock interosts of the county are very large and profitable. The county is practically free from debt m(' is well supplied with needed public buildin court house, jail, hospital, ete., while tha roads und bridges are in excellent coudition, the rapid growth and development of tho county boing consigdered, On January 1, 1891, Tar Bee, in its an- nual roviow of the 'growth, wenith and resources of Omaha publishod the most com- plete and reliable roview of the city ever at- tompted by an Omaha paper. Kor this roason the city of Omaha is not ziven an extended notice in this showing. The city is the me- e tropolis of the state, has a population by tho official census of 1300 of 140,452, as compared with 50,518 in 1880, an_increase’ in_ ten y of more than 360 per cent. Tho city his an area of 2437 square miles, an_assossod valua- tion of §20,000,000 and an estimatod actual valuation of $225,000,000. The city has 103 miles of electric motor, cable and horse car railways, 125 miles of graded and 68 miles of paved streots, 55 miles of sewers and 163 miles of water mains. In 1500 thirteon new manufacturing enterprises wero located in Omuha, giving the city 105 manufacturing industeios, with an. lnvosted capital of 7,015,000 and an annual product aggregating £25,000,000, and furnishing and cmploylug an army of ' 12,000 laborers. Twonty-thr wholesale houses bogan business in Omaha last vear. Tho vity now has 180 jobbine bousos, with an invested capital of §14, 10,000 and thoy do a busiess annually aggrogating 0,000,000, Tho banl clearings for 1500 amcunted to §257,205,190.27 as sgainst F205,081,004,04 in 1850, an inoroase of 21.7 per cent. Thirteen ' railroads center in Omaha, finding here the natural distributiue point for the commerce of the most prospe ous soction of the nation and giving employ- ment to nearly six thousand residouts of this city. Tho city's school and church facilitios are unsurpassed. Tho crodit of the city I3 unequalled by that of any western rival, hor municipal bonds finding ready sale in th flunncial markets at & promium whon othor western cities are unablo to nogotiate thoir debentures at any .vic Dixon v This couuty is situntod in the northeast corner of tho stato and contains not oue ncro of poor or undesirablo land. ‘'he soll is from two to six foot doep aud whilo thoro is uot a marsh in the county nearly every quarte u tns an abundant and never failin ont water. Along tho Mis souri river thoro is a lurgo body of timo al, olm, cottonwood and biack walnut, uflicientto supply the county with fuel and hardwood lumber for twenty years ‘There are three flourlng mills 1 tho county, viz: One at Ponca, which turns out 100 birrels of flour per duy und employs six men, another at Martinsburg employing two men'and tho third at Wakefleld with four men. There are two sawmills in_the timber near tho river, each giving employment to three men, The Aoway Valloy creamory and cold storage company at Ponea employs eightoan wmen and fourteen teams, ind averages 1,500 pounds or butter per day Mills and ‘manufactories aro scarcer in tho county thau they should be, 'Thore is wator power enough to run fifty mills day and night all the year round. Dundy County. ‘Phore are still 111,000 acres of govornment land opon for settloment iu this county, ~ All of its growth has been achioved within a period of ten years. In 1551 there wero but thirty-oight taxpayers within its torritory. Now the county has & ponulation of more than four thousaud. A grout doal of intorest has boen manifested in ireization ditches and whorever land is under or contigaous to thom it has doubled and trevled iu value, Dakota County. Dakota county is situated in the northe orn cornor of the state, forming the o boundary for Nebraska, The creatod by tho first territoral logislature pouso to & petition signed by J. D, M Crockwell and thirty-one others on March 7, 1855, In 1858 a bill passed the legislature an uexiug to Dixou county oue-palf of three supply of ex Fromont Tribune; ~~ ~—~ county mk\ | l |

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