Class V _^j^^ Copyright N" COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. THE RESOURCES AND ATTRACTIONS ^ a -OF- NEBRASKA FACTS ON FARMING, STOCK-RAISING, AND OTHER INDUt TRIES, AND NOTES ON CLIMATE. COMPLIMENTS OF THE Vr PASSENGER DEPARTMENT '"ipicToto?''' SECOND EDITION. •JViAR; e ST. LOUIS : Woodward & Tiernan Printing Co., 309-319 North Third Street, 1894. of ued A COMPLETE AND COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE AGRICULTURAL, STOCK-RAISING AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF NEBRASKA, ALSO STATIS- TICS IN REGARD TO ITS CLIMATE, ETC., COMPILED FROM THE LATEST REPORTS. SECOND EDITION. Omaha, March 1, 1894. COPYklGHT, 1&94, BY E. (j. LOMAX, GENERAL PASSENGER AND TICKET AGENT, Union Pacific System, Omaha, Neb. AN OUTLINE. Within the boundaries of Nebraska are vast areas of the most fertile and productive soil on the Continent. It is nearly all arable, and every acre is available either for pasture or farming. There is almost an entire absence of waste land. The Platte, Republican, Elkhorn, Loup and Niobrara are the principal interior rivers, all moving from west to east, or southeast. Each of these large streams has numberless tributaries. The bottomlands along the rivers are especially fertile, though hilly land is much preferred for general farming. A superior system of public schools, and an inexhaustible State fund from which to maintain them ; churches in every village and almost every valley ; railroads fairly gridironing the State, and a most invigorating and healthy climate, combine to make Nebraska desirable, in every sense of the term, for a residence. The wonderful fertility of its soil, and its great depth, assure the husbandman satisfactory returns for his labor for a long period. Being adapted to all cereals, orchard and vineyard crops, and producing luxuriant pasturage, Nebraska offers especial inducements to agricultural settlers and stock- growers. The railways afford quick and cheap transportation to excellent local and foreign markets. By the system of freight rates in force on the lines leading to and into Nebraska, the producer on the Nebraska plains is at no disadvantage with his Eastern Iowa neighbors, so far as marketing his products is concerned. Grain brings as much in an interior city in Nebraska as it does in an interior city in Iowa. Besides this, a market is being created in the mining and stock-growing regions to the west. The Slate is especially fortunate in its location. The population of Nebraska, in round numbers, is over one million, the increase between 1880 and 1885, when census returns were made, being over 60 per cent. Its total area is nearly fifty million acres. Out of this magnificent body of land, nearly all of which is arable, 100,000 farms have been carved, with millions of acres not cultivated, other millions of acres neither cultivated nor entered for settlement. Nebraska is easily capable of supporting not less than three millions of people. She will have even a larger population some day. It will be seen, therefore, that there is no crowding in the State. Abundance of room and a world of opportunity are offered a million settlers. Lands are no longer to be had at nominal prices on phenomenally favorable terms in the more thickly-settled sections of the State, though prices range 50 per cent lower than in the Central States. In Western Nebraska there are large bodies of good land still on the market at prices which are within the reach of poor people, and, as has been stated, there are millions of acres of Government lands still unoccupied to be had under the United States land laws. 6 CONTENTS. IIealthfulness of Nebraska.— Malaria and Pulmonary Diseases Unknown — Remarkable Rarity of the Air— Meat Cured in the Open Air 57 Union Pacific System. — Nebraska Division — Union Pacific in Nebraska — The Grand Lever in the Development of the State — Vast Regions Opened up to Settlers 59 Tabulated Statistics. — Growth of Towns and Cities — Important Agri- cultural Products of the State 62 Public Education. — The System — Establishment of Public Schools — Minimum Length of School Year — Prescribed Studies — State Supervision — Education of Teachers — Higher Education — County Supervision — Text Books — Local Supervision— Teachers— Taxation — Schools in Cities — The Endowment — Some Interesting Statistics. 64 The University op Nebraska. — Located at Lincoln — Tuition is Free — Academic, Law and Industrial College Departments 68 State Normal School. — Located at Peru — Buildings — Attendance — Aim — Apparatus and Cabinet — Admission 72 State Industrial School. — Located at Kearney 73 Girls' Industrial School for Juvenile Delinquents. — Located at Geneva 74 Industrial Home for Women. — Located at Milford 75 Deaf and Dumb Asylum. —Located at Omaha 75 Institute for the Blind. — Located at Nebraska City 76 Institute for the Feeble-Minded. — Located at Beatrice 77 Insane Asylums. — Located at Lincoln, Hastings and Norfolk 77 Private Institutions. — Statistics Relating Thereto 77 Nebraska Lands and Cereals. — Good Crops in Wheat, Corn, Oats and Barley— Broom Corn Very Profitable Crop— Good Results from the Sugar-Cane 78 Tobacco 79 Live Stock Interests 80 Some Advantages 81 Some Nebraska Towns. — Location, Population and General Features of the Leading Cities and Towns— Omaha — Valley — Fremont — Schuyler — Columbus— Oconee — Platte Center — Madison— Norfolk —Genoa — Albion— Fullerton — Cedar Rapids— Grand Island — St. Paul— Scotia— Ord— Loup City — Kearney — Lexington — Gothen- burg—North Platte — Ogallaia — Julesburg — Sidney — Hastings- Fairfield— Alma— Fairburv— York— Lincoln— Beatrice 82 NEBRASKA. LOCATION, AREA, PHYSICAL AND GEOLOGICAL FEATURES. Nebraska, with a grand expanse of territory, lies in the geographical center of our national domain, extending from the 40th to the 42d degree of north latitude, and from between the 95th and 96th to the 104th degree of longitude, west from Greenwich, and has a total area of nearly 77,000 square miles. The shape of the State is nearly a parallelogram, its north- eastern portion being rounded off by the Missouri river, while its south- western corner is encroached upon in straight lines by Colorado to the extent of some 7,500 square miles. Its greatest length from east to west is 412 miles. Its width from north to south is 208 miles. It is bounded on the north by South Dakota, on the south by Kansas and Colorado, on the west by Wyoming and Colorado, while along its northeastern and eastern boundary rush the waters of the mighty Missouri river, separating Nebraska from the States of Iowa and Missouri. The Platte river, in its course eastward from the Rocky mountains, passes through the entire length of the State, dividing it into two nearly equal portions, and, with its tributaries in their never-ceasing flow, contributing to the fertility of the great central region, while the waters of the Niobrara on the north, and the Republican on the south, perform the same kind office for those sections of the State. The most important of the tributaries of the Platte are the Loup and the Elkhorn, which flow southeastwardly through lovely and productive valleys till their waters mingle with the greater stream. The southeastern portion of the State has the beautiful rivers, the Blue and the Nemaha, fringed with timber and abounding with mill sites, watering that fertile region. The Indian title "Nebraska" is said to mean "water valley," or "shallow water," probably in reference to the River Platte. , While the territory now included within the limits of Nebraska was among the earliest reached by the Spanish explorers from Mexico — in A. D. 1541 — its soil lay undisturbed by civilized man until comparatively a recent date. 8 NEBRASKA. On April 30th, 1803, the territory of Louisiana, within the boundaries of which Nebraska was included, was ceded by France to the United States ; and during the following year the country along the banks of the Missouri river, from the Nemaha to the Niobrara, was explored by Cap- tains Lewis and Clarke, who concluded treaties with the various Indian tribes. In 1810 the American Fur Company established a post at Bellevue, a few miles south of the present site of Omaha. The first steamboat to reach Nebraskan waters ascended the Missouri to Fort Lisa, about five and a half miles below Omaha, in connection with Major Lang's expedi- tion to the Rocky mountains. In 1842 Colonel Fremont explored the Platte river country. The Indian tribes having ceded their lands, except reservations, to the United States government, the territory was organized and thrown open for settlement in 1854. The first settlements were made during the same year at a few points along the Missouri river, namely, Omaha, Bellevue, Plattsmouth and Nebraska City. The Mormons had previously attempted a settlement at Florence. In 1860 the population numbered 28,841. On March 1st, 1867, the State was admitted into the Union with a population of 60,000. The Great American Desert of our forefathers spread its arid, lifeless mantle of sand over thousands of square miles of the great western basin of the Mississippi. In latitude north and south, and in longitude east and west, the awful barrenness extended without limit. Civilization might approach it on the east, or grow toward it from the west, but cross the im- {)assable barrier it never could. The superheated air arising from the parched and lifeless clays and sands of this American Sahara, withered the verdure and stifled the creatures around its very borders. Such was the Great American Desert ; but it has now disappeared from the maps, and a garden State, peopled by a million and a half souls, has taken its place. In the midst of this seemingly hopeless sterility, Nebraska — "the- country-of-broad-rivers," as some say the name implies — touched by a magic spring, sprang up and put to shame the ancient desert myth, forever casting out the grim spectre from her fruitful borders. Omaha was founded on the eastern borders of the desert; then the founders of the city of Lincoln penetrated the borders, and this being about the limit to which civilization could hope to attain, it seemed a suit- able place for the capital. After them came Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, North Platte, Sidney and other towns, until the confines of the State were reached. Thirty-five years ago the desert limits were just west of the tier of counties bordering on the Missouri river. Then they were moved west seventy-five miles, and then the desert line was set up near Kearney, about two hundred miles west of Omaha. It is beyond the limits of the State to-day. Little by little the Great American Desert has faded away. Where the imaginary desert was, countless homes now are. NEBRASKA. 9 So much, then, for the American Desert in Nebraska ; a State of such magnificent extent, and of such ever-varying physical features, as to fit it for all the complex needs of habitation rather than for the sterile wastes of the wilderness. AREA OF NEBRASKA. But we must consider the broad area of this paradise of a desert, whose vast extent must always kindle the patriotic enthusiasm of her citizens, and inspire even strangers with admiration. Yet, with all the vastness of the territory of this young empire, what State has so little waste land? 77,000 square miles, or 49,000,000 acres in area ! It ranks among the great States of the land. It could be spread over all New England, and yet have 11,000 square miles left over. Even the little notch whittled off the southwestern corner of the State by Colorado would make six States as large as all Rhode Island, and make about two States the size of Connecticut, and about one the size of Massachusetts. It takes as long a time to go by rail diagonally across this great region, as it does to go from New York to Chicago, that is about twenty-four hours in round numbers, the distance being some five hundred miles. The southern boundary of Nebraska is the fortieth parallel of north lati- tude, its northern boundary line the forty-third parallel of north latitude. Beginning on the ninety-fifth meridian, the State covers eight degrees of longitude, the one hundred and fourth meridian of longitude west from Greenwich forming the western boundary of the State, as far as the forty- first parallel of north latitude. Here an offset in the southwestern corner is bounded by latitude forty-one degrees north, and by a line a few miles west of longitude one hundred and two. But suppose we take Nebraska by the four corners, and superimpose it on the eastern States having the same latitude. Then Omaha will cor- respond to New York City, Beatrice to Philadelphia, Kearney to Harris- burg, Sidney to Pittsburgh, Valentine to Rochester, and Crawford to Buffalo. It would cover most of New York, New Jersey and Pennsyl- vania, extending as far west as Ohio. There are ten counties in Nebraska, any one of which is larger than the whole State of Rhode Island. The area of Cherry county alone is larger than that of all Connecticut by nearly one thousand square miles. 10 NEBRASKA. The State is divided into ninetj'-three counties as follows: COOTIES. Squa^ Adams 552 Antelope 864 Arthur 720 Banner 756 Blaine 720 Boone 692 Boxbutte 1,080 Boyd Brown 1,020 Buffalo 882 Burt 468 Butler 583 Cass 530 Cedar 735 Chase 888 Cherry 5,668 Cheyenne 3,288 Clay 576 Colfax ■. 400 Coming 676 Custer 2,592 Dakota ." 280 Dawes 1,404 Dawson 1,028 Deuel 2,130 Dixon 468 Dodge 520 Douglas 330 Dundy 912 Fillmore 576 Franklin 576 Frontier 972 Furnas 720 Gage 864 Garfield 576 Gosper 468 Grant 720 Greelev 576 Hall....". 552 Hamilton 576 Harlan 576 Hayes 720 Hitchcoek 720 Holt 2,714 Population Population No. of Per cent 1890. 1880. Increase. Increase. 24,303 10,235 14,068 137.45 10,399 3,953 6,446 163.07 91 91 2,435 2,435 1,146 1,146 8,683 4,170 4,513 108.23 5,494 5,494 695 695 4,359 4,359 22,162 7,531 14,631 194.28 11,069 6,937 4,132 59.56 15,454 9,194 6,260 68.09 24,080 16,683 7,397 44.34 7,028 2,899 4,129 142.43 4,807 70 4,737 6,767.14 6,428 5,693 6,428 1,558 4,135 265.40 16,310 11,294 5,016 44.41 10,453 6,588 3,865 58.67 12,265 5,569 6,696 120.24 21,677 2,211 19,466 880.42 5,386 3,213 2,173 67.63 9 722 9,722 7,220 10,129 2,909 248.20 2 893 2,893 3,907 8,084 4,177 93.54 19,260 11,263 7,997 71.00 158,008 37,645 120,363 319.73 4,012 37 3,975 1,743.24 16,022 10,204 5,818 57.02 7,693 5,465 2,228 40.77 8,497 934 7,563 809.74 9,840 6,407 3,433 53.58 36,344 13,164 23,180 176.09 1,659 4,816 1,659 3,143 1,673 187.87 458 458 4,869 1,461 3,408 233.26 16,513 8,572 7,941 92.64 14,096 8,267 5,829 70.51 8,158 6,086 2,072 34.05 3,593 119 3,834 3,221.85 5,799 1,012 4,787 473.02 13,672 3,287 10,385 315.94 NEBRASKA 11 COUNTIES. Sgua^l Hooker 720 Howard 576 Jefferson 576 Johnson 396 Kearney.. 525 Keith 1,254 KeyaPaha 660 Kimball 923 Knox 1,100 Lancaster 864 Lincoln 2,580 Logan 576 Loup 576 McPherson 620 Madison 576 Marrick 440 Nance 436 Nemaha 391 Nuckolls 576 Omaha Reserve Otoe 609 Pawnee 432 Perkins 882 Phelps..... 576 Pierce 576 Platte 682 Polk 439 Red Willow 720 Richardson 545 Rock 856 Saline 576 Sarpy 230 Saunders 740 Scott's Bluff 756 Seward 576 Sheridan 2,180 Sherman 576 Sioux 2,046 Stanton 432 Thayer 576 Thomas 720 Thurston 398 Valley 576 Washington..'. 381 Wayne .^. 444 Webster 576 Wheeler 576 York 576 Totalfor State 76,840 Population 1890. Population 1880 No. of Increase. Per cent Increase. 426 426 5,039 9,430 4,391 114.76 14,850 8,096 6,754 83.42 10,333 7,595 2,738 36.05 9,061 4,072 4,989 122.52 2,566 194 2,362 1,217.53 3,920 3,920 959 4,916 959 3,666 8,582 134.10 76,395 28,090 48,305 171.97 10,441 3,632 6,809 187.47 1,378 1,378 1,662 1,662 401 401 8,080 13,669 5,589 144.57 8,758 5,341 3,417 63.98 5,773 1,212 4,561 376.32 12,930 10,451 2,479 23.72 11,417 4,235 7,182 169.59 25,403 15,727 9,676 61.52 10,340 6,920 3,420 49.42 4,364 4,364 9,869 2,447 7,422 303.31 4,864 1,202 3,662 304.66 15,437 9,511 5,926 62.31 10,817 6,846 3,971 58.00 8,837 3,044 5,793 190.31 17,574 15,031 2,543 16.92 3,083 3,083 5,606 2,394 5,767 1,888 4,993 8,687 4,338 1,753 2,816 6,625 517 3,067 4,768 3,238 5,356 4,106 1,039 6,109 606.508 20,097 6,875 21,577 1,888 14,491 4,481 15,810 38.69 53.43 36.48 16,140 8,687 11,147 44.79 6,399 2,452 4,619 12,738 517 2,061 699 1,813 6,113 210.48 250.79 154.77 108.38 3,176 7,092 11,869 6,169 11,210 1,683 17,279 109 2,324 8,631 813 7,104 644 11,170 452,402 2,813.76 205.16 37.52 658.79 57.80 161.34 54.69 1,058,910 134.06 12 NEBRASKA. But in addition to the distinction as a State of remarkable distances, Nebraka bears also the prouder distinction of being the State in the Union, where illiteracy is reduced to a minimum. Perhaps it is in virtue of the excellence of the schools and university system, that the State produces more scholars and fewer illiterates than any other State in the Union. But another matter must not escape our notice. Boston may lay just claims to being the hub, but Nebraska is the center of the United States, Kearney being called the Midland City. The geographical center is said to lie in Cherry county. SURFACE CONFIGURATIONS. The surface of Nebraska, " like the suddenly petrified waves and billows of the ocean," is constantly rolling. Level as it may appear in places, it is ever-varying and restful. That monotony which eastern people expect is not found. It is an exhilarating and impressive sight to drive over these rolling billowy prairies, in an air so clear that the topography of the country round about for miles is pictured before the eye. Wave rising above wave, carpeted with the luxuriant green found only in the nutritious prairie grasses ; between the countless billows as many troughs clad in the living green. The landscape seems one magnificent expanse of greensward, as closely clipped and as carefully kept as that of an ancient English lawn. The close-cut effect is due in many places to that sweetest of grasses, the buffalo grass, which is so close-cut and short, scarcely two inches high, that the whole effect is that of a great lawn. Besides, since there are no weeds and underbrush to litter it, and no trees to strew limbs and leaves upon it, the great lawn stretches beyond the range of human vision, as if it had been raked and set to rights throughout, for the special gratification of the glad beholder. But these are ephemeral sights of too short a life for any but the pioneer to see. For, like the primitive races and the forest primeval, they are soon changed. To-day orchards, vineyards, and fields of grain bend where yesterday the prairie grasses grew. So stoutly has the great tide of immigration set in to all the States throughout this inexhaustible belt, that every primitive billow must soon show farms, schools, villages and cities. To all but the naturalist, perhaps, this picture is brighter than the other. But nature unadorned is fairest. While there are no mountains in Nebraska, yet it must not be forgotten that much of the State is mountain high, and that there are some very goodly hills to still further diversify the landscape. Then in the region NEBRASKA. 13 known as the Bad Lands — it were better called the "good lands" — there rise up into the air those titantic, castellated buttes, of such infinitely varied forms and never-ending grandeur, that men travel the world over to see them. Many of these are mountain high, and rise out of the verdure at their bases by bare and nearly vertical walls. The low and level places of the State are often of vast extent, and yet there is no problem of drainage to be solved, for the State rises gradually, and of course imperceptibly, at the average rate of some eight or ten feet to the mile, as we go west. But whence comes all this beauty, diversity and infinite variety, in the surface configuration? To understand this we must consider how, in every lake — for Nebraska was once a lake— each river, creek, and brook, brings and deposits in the lake bed the richest lands washed from a thousand hillsides. Eventually the lake is entirely filled with its inexhaustible deposit of fertile soil. Then as the earth's crust constantly undergoes changes of level, it may happen, as is often the case, that the lake, now filled up and dried, is raised to a higher level, whereupon rain beats upon it, changes of atmosphere act upon it, and the lake bed is weathered or eroded into an endless variety of forms. Washing out broad valleys in some places, narrow valleys or canons in others; low, round hills here; sharp, precipitous ones there. Such is the geological story of a lake. Now Lake Nebraska, if we may call it such, omitting other steps in its history, was once a great fresh-water sea, larger than the whole State of Nebraska. Into it thousands of rivers and rivulets carried their load of rich alluvium, and deposited there hundreds of feet of soil of inexhaustible fertility, swept from every hillside, and out of every valley through count' less geological cycles. Around the borders of the lake, beset with a luxuriant, semi-tropical vegetation, roved innumerable herds of curious animals, now forever extinct. Here the camel, rhinocerous, tapir, elephant, mastodon, tit- anotherium, hyena, lion, horse, and other mammals, great and small, lived and died. Some being mired, were actually buried alive. The carcasses of others were swept by freshets into the lake, and their bodies, being inflated by gases, floated on the surface, and drifted far into the great inland sea. The bones of these creatures were strewn along the ancient lake bed, and buried deep along with the sediment. This will help to explain why we find the fossil bones of so many animals throughout the State, but par- ticularly in its western and northwestern portions. But time la long, and eventually " Nebraska Lake" — as is the final out- come of all lakes, then as now — filled up, and its bed became dry land. However, the level of the ancient lake bed was raised, making a fine water- 14 NEBRASKA. shed, and instead of the thousands of water-courses that in former days have fed the lake with rich sediments, as many began to cut and carve and carry it away again. Thus out of this ancient lake deposit has been weathered the ever-vary- ing and interesting surface forms as we now know them. But another force — the glaciers — was at work altering the surface of the eastern portion of the State, piling up hills and considerable ridges of sand, drifts, boulders and earth, carried from remoter parts during the glacial or ice age and dropped here. But the latter agency produced little effect on the physiography of the State, and need not be discussed beyond this mere mention. Naturally this rich sediment is washed thinner in some places than in others, but even where thinnest it is still thick. Perhaps this lake deposit theory may lead to a better understanding of the seemingly fabulous statements about the great depth of Nebraska soils. The lake deposit is largely a marl, full of lime and a sufficient admixture of sand to constitute that lightness of soil so favorable to agriculture. But, inasmuch as Lake Nebraska had its ups and downs in geological times, it seems in order now to consider the general elevation of the State of Nebraska. While the strata of the State are every where practically level, wherever exposed to view, yet the whole State is tipped, as it were, a little towards the southeastern corner, towards which the rivers of the State tend to flow. The lowest point is in Richardson county in the extreme southeastern corner of the State, where the elevation is eight hundred and ten feet, thence the elevation increases to five thousand feet along Wyoming- Nebraska boundary line, and even to as much as six thousand feet at Scott's Bluffs. The eastern portion of the State facing the Missouri, has an elevation of about one thousand feet. As we go west the elevation increases at the approximate rate of 1,000 feet for every 100 miles. Thus we pass insensi- bly from 1,000, to 2,000, to 3,000, to 4,000, to 5,000, and even 6,000 feet of elevation. By the time a Nebraskan travels as far west as about the middle of hia State, whether he realizes and appreciates the distinction or not, he has reached an altitude of 3,000 feet above sea level, using round numbers. That is to say, he is higher up in the world than he would be in any part of Pennsylvania, however mountainous and elevated he may imagine parts of that State to be, and at Scott's Bluffs he stands on an elevation more than twice that of the highest Pennsylvania mountains, and higher than the loftiest peaks in the State of New York, the Adirondacks them- selves. NEBRASKA. 15 Another way of approximating the average rate of increasing elevation, is to reckon a rise of about eight or ten feet to the mile as we go west ; or to state it a trifle more accurately, the grade as we go west is nearly six feet per mile for the first hundred miles ; for the second hundred miles, it is seven feet; for the third hundred miles, nearly eight feet to the mile ; for the fourth hundred miles, ten feet to the mile ; the last fifty miles ascending at the lively rate of some eighteen or twenty feet per mile. Traveling from south to north along the eastern border of the State, the ascent is but a foot or so to the mile. Along the western border the ascent is several feet more per mile as one travels north. This whole hydrographic basin then slopes plainly to the east, and at the same time is tipped a trifle to the south, causing its greater rivers — save the Niobrara — and all the innumerable tributaries to flow in notice- ably parallel courses toward the southeastern corner of the State. This brings us at once to a study of the RIVERS OF NEBRASKA. Nebraska, the "Black-water State," or, in the Indian tongue, the "water valley," or the "country of broad rivers," is bounded for five hundred miles along its eastern front by the Missouri, the only navigable stream in the State, along the north the Niobrara river follows pretty closely along the Dakota boundary of the State, flowing almost its whole length, and emptying, as do all the broad rivers of the State, into the great muddy Missouri. Along the Kansas line, or southern part of the State, are the fertile valleys which border the Republican and Blue rivers. Through the center of the State flows the famous Platte and its numer- ous tributaries. This sums up the rivers in the State. But some of them, particularly in the southern part, are deserving of more detailed description. Rich as is the State above the Platte, it is also a garden spot below it. The valleys of all this region are innumerable ; those of the Republican alone numbering about four hundred in its course of about two hundred and fifty miles through the State. The Republican river rises in the plains of Colorado, and flows about one hundred and fifty miles in that State before entering Nebraska, where it flows for about two hundred and fifty or sixty miles before entering Kansas. In Kansas it flows about one hundred miles, and empties into the Kansas river at Junction City. 16 NEBRASKA. The Republican valley in Nebraska is about two hundred and fifty miles long, and every acre of it the very finest for grazing. It is well watered by the Republican and its many tributaries and lesser feeders. Building stone crops out on these tributaries, and it is claimed for the whole Republican system, that no streams in the great plains are better timbered. ' Those flowing from the south are long, those from the north streams of short course, for the width of the entire divide between the Platte and the Republican, for a distance of a hundred miles or so, scarcely exceeds thirty-five miles. This river is said to average a tributary every two miles, making one hundred, large and small, and as the larger tributaries have branches, the total number of valleys is thought to equal four hundred. Some able writers who have studied this stream— judging from the fact that innumerable springs crop out along the north bank, coupled with the facts that the Republican valley is three hundred and fifty odd feet below the Platte valley, and that the Platte actually has a greater volume at North Platte, where the north and south forks unite, than at its mouth, in spite of all its tributaries — believe that the waters of this great river are drained off into the Republican by subterranean passages through the sandy soil and drift. Next to the Missouri, the Platte is the most important river of the State. Rising high in the mountains of Colorado it flows twelve hundred miles, passes through the agricultural center of Nebraska, receives innumerable * tributaries, especially from the north, some of them being important rivers, and empties its waters into the Missouri. It is an interesting fact that this broad river, after crossing the State, and receiving the waters from such tributaries as the Loup and the Elkhorn, discharges a smaller volume into the Missouri than it entered Lincoln county with. Of course evapora- tion must take up a large amount of water in the form of vapor from the broad surface of the Platte, yet this is more than compensated for by the numerous tributaries. But the course of the Platte is through a region of light and very sandy soil, which is simply a sponge on a grand scale, which sucks up water to saturation. Then some of the waters of the Platte are spirited away through subterranean passages. There is nothing particularly anomalous in this, however, for no great river discharges at its mouth all the water it receives along its course. The Yukon, Alaska's great river, discharges one-half; the Mississippi and the Amazon, one-fifth; and the Nile, but one-thirty-seventh, while some discharge none at all, but are dried up entirely and disappear before reach- ing their mouths. This magnificent river furnishes ample food for thought and reflection for the geologist and economist. Here is a mighty river favorably situated NEBRASKA. 17 for the formation of canons on a grand scale, yet it boasts of none, because, unlike other rivers of caiion regions, its current is so loaded down with sand, that it cannot transport it to the seaboard and dump it there. About all it can do is to shift its countless islands of sand from place to place without scouring out and deepening its channel. Some of the islands of the Platte are fifteen to twenty miles long. The river, as a whole, impresses one as being a broad, shallow expanse of water, studded everywliere with islands and shifting sand bars, winding its way through a fruitful valley varying in width from fifteen to thirty miles. But the economist sees in the Platte the possibilities of one of the most complete systems of irrigation that can be hoped for, and contemplates the rich returns which accrue to those agricultural regions that can intelligently regulate the watering of their crops, and are not dependent on the erratic course of nature. Already this work is begun, particularly in the western course of the Platte, and lands that were already fruitful are rendered many fold more so, and yet but a beginning has been made in this direction. Just now we find in Central Nebraska, 250 miles west of Omaha, a young Lowell — baby and man at once. In age, an infant, in commercial and manufacturing advantages, an adult. This young city has no forests in hundreds of miles, no coal fields in reach. She needs none. She has power measurably without cost and without price. The Platte river, pro- vided by the Almighty and trained by man to do his work, incessantly and tirelessly drives the wheels of Gothenburg's factories. When the men who projected and accomplished this great work are forever done with this world, the Gothenburg water power will still be blessing the people and enriching the commonwealth. Eminent engineers say the Gothenburg water power can be increased to any extent. The power plant has been completed less than a month, and already the place is full of strangers seeking locations for mills and investments. The rapidity with which western people recognize and appreciate business advantages is a most important feature in the West's great growth. Desire and ability assist at the birth of opportunity. Accomplishment swallows up projection. Situated almost in the heart of the great food-producing West, about equi-distant from water transportation by the Lakes to the Atlantic and by the Gulf to all the world, why will not Gothenburg, with its magnificent water power, be one of the great milling centers of the greatest cereal-pro- ducing country on the globe? The agencies of civilization to-day are electric. The rude implements of the past have given place to the locomo- tive, the telegraph, the steam plow and harvester. There is no possible hope of the Platte ever being of economic use for navigation unless modem electricity, which is becoming the great motive power, can be used in propelling suitably modified crafts up and down this river somewhat as if it were a canal. 18 NEBRASKA. The means of transportation will continue to be the railroads, and yet it seems as if it must completely overtax all lines to transport the produce of so great a valley, especially as it is becoming settled with such phe- nomenal rapidity, that there seems to be no keeping pace with it. To take this in with its full force one should look at a map of Nebraska of a few years ago. The white paper on which it was printed was marred here and there, perhaps, by an occasional name. But how is the map of Nebraska to-day? It is so checkered by railroad lines and so black with the names of towns and cities that one now must hunt through a bewildering maze of closely printed names to find his own county seat. At first the map was stippled with names along the Missouri valley, for it was by means of that navigable stream that settlers first entered the State. But when the Union Pacific, the first railroad in the State, pushed on with forty miles of road west of Omaha in 1865, to which other miles of road were soon added, then the line of names began to darken the map throughout the whole Platte valley. A more telling array than a reproduction of these earlier and later maps could not be asked for if the space in this pamphlet would admit. The rivers and valleys of the Platte system are of smaller extent and of less consequence on the south than on the north, because of the narrow divide between the Platte and the Republican. However, let no one erroneously infer from this that the southern parts are a whit less productive than the northern. The Loups, consisting of North Loup, Middle Loup and South Loup, starting among lakes at an altitude of about 3,200 feet, flow in a south- easterly direction about 250 miles, draining in their course some 20,000 square miles. These considered as a system are the most important tributaries of the Platte. The Elkhorn, whose course is so erratic that in advancing one mile it travels more than three, joins its alluvial valleys with those of the Platte after traveling some 400 miles in the State. The Elkhorn is the second most important tributary of the Platte. The Platte valley with its tributaries constitutes one of the most exten- sive alluvial regions in the West. But we have seen that many of the northern tributaries of the Platte rise in lakes of clear water, which naturallv directs our atteirtion to the LAKES OF NEBRASKA. Few are aware that Nebraska can boast of as many lakes as counties, and a few more. There are not less than one hundred surveyed lakes in the State. They cover a total area of no less than 11,000 acres. Thus they expose a broad surface to evaporation ; their waters are carried as vapor into the air, and sprinkled as rain over the growing crops. NEBRASKA. 19 GEOLOGY OF NEBRASKA. The great water-shed of Nebraska slopes from west to east like a veri- table roof to which it has been aptly compared. Its geological strata, then, like broad shingles, rise course on course as we climb the roof from eaves to ridge-pole. Tertiary Strata. Cretaceous Strata. Triassic and Jurassic (Missing). Permian Strata. Carboniferous or Coal Strata. But it must not be forgotten that, just as the shingles on some ancient abode may be covered from sight by the accumulations of dust, lichens and vines growing there, so our geological roof may be covered with sands, clays, alluvium, loam, glacial drift, loess, turf, etc., till its great shingles are buried and lost to view and overlooked. But dig down under the moss, or down below the turf and clays, and the shingles in either case are brought to light. Some are sound and in place, while others may be pretty badly battered and weathered by time, or may be worn out or missing altogether. Nothing less than the broad Missouri itself is a suitable eaves-trough for such an extensive roof. The first or most eastern course of shingles is made up of Carboniferous or coal-bearing strata, which cover some six or seven counties, on about 3,000 square miles, south of Omaha. The eaves-trough of our great geological roof is somewhat askew, so the first course of shingles is cut on the bias as it were. The second course overlies the first, but is even more limited, for it covers but one county and touches two others. This is the Permian fonna- tion, a sort of compromise between the Coal age and Reptilian age. This is a rather rare and limited formation occurring in but very few localities. By some interruption of unusual moment in the great geological shop, the Jurassic and Triassic courses of shingles were never nailed on, but are wanting altogether. Our third row of shingles is an extensive one, reaching from north to south and covering in area about one-third of the entire State. This is the Cretaceotts formation. The rest of the water-shed is entirely covered with Tertiary strata, omitting a stray patch of Cretaceous at the corner of Colorado. 20 NEBRASKA. Overlying these, hiding them from sight, are marls, glacial drift, loess, alluvium, soil and sod. Thus far we have made a cursory review of the geology of Nebraska, which deserves a fuller and somewhat more technical consideration. ROCKS OF THE CARBONIFEROUS AGE. The oldest bed rock in the State is the coal measure, or Carboniferous which underlies Richardson, Pawnee, Nemaha, Johnson, Otoe and Cass counties, and portions of Lancaster, Sarpy and Douglas, in the extreme southeastern corner of the State. This bed rock consists of alternating layers of limestone, sandstone, shale, and occasional seams of bituminous coal. Some of these shales are so highly carbonaceous that they look like a low grade of cannel coal. They burn well and afford great heat, and if as thick as reported — four feet — they may have some commercial value for heating directly, or for producing gas. The coal seams constantly thin out towards the west and north. The thickest seam is but twenty-four inches deep, at the most, and in other places it thins out to eight or ten inches. The workable beds will average about eighteen inches, so that they are of little commercial value, and are worked by the farmers only. The output for 1887 was reported as 1,300 tons, mined for local consumption only, and valued at three or four thou- sand dollars. The output for 1890 was 1,400 tons, valued at four thousand five hundred dollars. The output for 1891 was 1,500 tons. This coal, though of a rather inferior quality, comes so close to the surface in favored I'egions that it has some economic value there, but Nebraska coal can never enjoy more than a local reputation, much as the fact is to be regretted. Of course, if sufficiently thick, the coal seam would be the most important deposit in the Carboniferous. Of the sandstones, claystones and limestones in the carboniferous, the sandstone is least in quantity and poorest in quality. Though fairly thick in places, it seems to have little value as a building ' stone. The claystones, or shales, outnumber all the other rocks of the age, two to one. However, while very abundant, the shales have no value save as they rot down, in which case they often make good soil, or valuable beds of clay, for tiles, bricks and fire-bricks. The limestones are the important building rocks of the formation. These limestones are pretty generally marked by the presence either of rice-shaped fossil shells, or of the hole left by them in the stone. A popu- lar name for them would be rice limestone. Sometimes the fossil rice, (a foraminiferous shell) composes the rock entirely, just as if some titanic rice bin had been cemented into stone by the lapidifying juices. NEBRASKA. 21 The Carboniferous age was characterized by great warmth, moisture, luxuriance of vegetation, and more or less submerged land surfaces. The coal was first an extensive swamp, filled, like a modern peat swamp, with vegetable matter, which was pressed into coal by the rocks which were deposited above. The Permian formation overlaps the Carboniferous, and may be viewed as a sort of upper crust to that formation, unlike it, yet related to it. The sea prevailed at that time, so the rocks and fossils are marine. Before they were consolidated into sandstone, limestone and claystone, respectively, the beds of sand, lime and clay were formed in brackish or salt water, and inclosed the animals of that time. The Permian contains no coal seams. But the great interior sea retired about this time, because the land slowly rose high and dry above water, so that no sediment was washed from other regions and deposited there. Thus it is that, while the Triassic and Jurassic rocks were forming elsewhere, none were laid down in Nebraska, so that the next overlapping formation is the Cretaceous, whose clays are good for brick, but whose rocks are too friable or even chalky to be of much consequence for building or ornamental stones. The sea had prevailed again on the land during this age, and along many muddy shores immense quantities of shells, leaves, etc., were buried and converted into rock. The Dakota group of the Cretaceous is easily recognized, being of a characteristic reddish brown color and full of leaves and shells, as already mentioned. The most extensive geological formation in the State is the fresh- water Tertiary. The formation consists of clay -rocks, sand-rocks and lime- rocks more or less coherent. There are very extensive deposits of loose sand in the Tertiary forming the sand-hill country. There are also vast and no doubt valuable peat beds, and extensive deposits of marl, valuable as a fertilizer — if ever the Nebraska farmer need worry over the enrichment of the soil. Over the eastern corner of the State are sprinkled boulders, gravels, clays, sands and earth, often in heterogeneous heaps, by the great ice sheets and icebergs of the ice age. Then the Loess deposit, almost identical with that which has made the vine-clad banks of the Rhine forever famous, covers about the same area as the glacial drift. The very latest deposits in the State are the Alluvial deposits along our rivers ; deposits which have been and are still being made in our day. But an account of the geology of the State, however exhaustive or how- ever cursory, falls short of its most essential object, unless it leads to a better understanding of the relation of the soil above to the bed rock below. 22 N E B R A te K A THE SOILS OF NEBRASKA. It is the soil of Nebraska that constitutes its true basis of wealth. Hence it should be carefully studied and well understood. The classifica- tion of soils is rather an easy matter. There are two kinds to be remembered, the Primitive or native soils, and the Derived or transported soils. The Primitive or original soils are those made up of the decomposed rocks of a region. The Derived or transported soils are those carried from one region and deposited in another, either by the transporting power of water or ice or air. It is quite apparent, then, that there is a most important relation existing between the bed rocks and the soil upon them. Even though the rocks of a region were entirely bleak and bare, and utterly destitute of any living thing, they could remain so for a short time only, for heat and cold and the consequent expansion and contraction crack their surfaces, and freez- ing water breaks them up, till, little by little, the solid rock for a consid- erable distance down is converted into soil ready to catch such seeds as are carried by the winds. These take root, grow and perish, and add to the crude soil some decayed vegetable matter (humus), all-important for a truly fertile soil. Thus, little by little, it grows blacker and blacker indefinitely. So we have a soil formed out of the native rocks. The top (black) layer is known as the soil, that of a different color just below it, the subsoil, and the rocks on which it rests as the bed rock. Some of the black soil is so deep in Nebraska that subsoil seems wanting altogether. The soil is certainly as much as ten to fifteen feet deep in many places before a subsoil is reached. A most extraordinary state of affairs. This phenomenal depth is found very generally throughout the State, but particularly in the counties along the Missouri, and those along and south of the Platte. Since the eastern counties are carboniferous, consisting of limestone and shales in abundance, when these rot down, as they do very readily, the resulting soil is excellent. Limestone always adds richness to the soil. Shales make a heavy clay soil, but when sand is present it becomes a light and fruitful soil. All these conditions are filled in the southeastern counties at least. In cretaceous regions abounding in sandstone and chalky rocks, the soil is excellent also, though the rotting down of the sandstone tends to make an excess of sand. This is completely remedied, however, in the case of the eastern creta- ceous at least, by the loess deposit. NEBRASKA. 23 The State University, in preparing for the World's Fair an exhibit of Nebraska soils, found even in widely remote counties, that the soil is generally good throughout the State, and that, five times out of six, the soil is three feet thick before a subsoil is reached. The method of taking these soils was to dig out and box, unbroken, a slim prism of soil three feet down. Taken in this way the actual condition of the soil was shown, no padding being possible. These soil prisms were arranged side by side with glass fronts, so that visitors, gathered together from every country, could see and compare the showing which Nebraska soils made with those of any State in the Union, or with any on the globe. "Agricultural Paradise" and "Garden Spot" are familiar appellations often applied to the counties along and north and south of the Platte. Now that the desert spectre is ousted forever, men cannot look on these fine soils without a feeling that here is the region in which to stake their fortunes and erect their homes. This excellent soil exhibit must of necessity quietly influence many good citizens who still doubt whither to migrate for the betterment of their conditions, to cast the deciding vote for the State with the inexhaustible fertility. ALKALI SOIL. There is no more reason in dreading alkali regions than in dreading the so-called American Desert itself. Where there are alkali patches the remedy is easy. They even tend naturally to remedy themselves. Either surface, or better still, under- draining, will prove entirely sufficient. All waters contain mineral matter in solution to a greater or less extent, hence, if a pure fresh-water lake has no outlet, so that evaporation con- tinually goes on, then it is certain to become a saline or alkaline lake. But let a saline or alkaline lake have a suitable outlet and it will soon get ahead of evaporation, and will scour and wash out all mineral matter, and become strictly a fresh-water lake. Exactly so with alkaline patches ; they tend with every rain to wash out some of the alkali, and that is precisely what will take place. Now, if there is no surface water standing to dry up and deposit alkali, and no water to bring alkali from below to be deposited on the surface by evapora- tion, then this continual washing away of the alkali will shortly clean the alkali spot entirely. Drainage is the alkali panacea. 24 NEBRASKA. THE WONDERFUL PRODUCTIVENESS OF IRRIGATED LAND. In Cheyenne county, Nebraska, through which the Union Pacific rail- road runs, there is a large tract of irrigated land now open to settlers. This land lies under the Belmont canal, which is taken out on the south side of the North Platte river and covers between forty-five and fifty thou- sand acres of the finest agricultural land. The soil is a rich sandy loam, and like all irrigated land, is amazingly productive when watered. This process, too, is very simple. The canal running on a less grade than the fall of the river, soon reaches a higher elevation, from which the water is carried in lateral ditches following the natural slope of the land, and aiming to reach some controlling ridge or the highest point in the midst of a large tract, from which the water can be carried in furrows run with a plow to a number of different fields. The water is turned into the lateral by a small gate in the canal, and the irrigator, using a long-handled shovel, opens or closes the entrance to the small furrows and allows the water to spread out over the cultivated field. As there is frequently a deficiency of rainfall just at the time the particular crop needs it, the farmer in this way is enabled to water his grain at the proper season, and the warm, constant sunshine hastens the crop to earlier maturity and an increased yield. All products common to the latitude are grown on this land, and under this system the yield per acre is 60 bushels of wheat,-100 bushels of oats, 60 to 70 bushels of barley, 75 bushels of corn, 100 bushels of beans, 18 bushels of flax, 400 to 800 bushels of potatoes, three-fourths of a ton of broom corn and six tons of alfalfa. Both winter and spring wheat do well in this section, and alfalfa is such a nutritious forage plant that, when used for fattening cattle, it is superior to corn, and the profit derived from this means of handling frequently exceeds $100 per acre. The climate of this locality is delightful. The winters are much milder and shorter than along the Missouri valley, and the farmer is able to plow every month in the year. • CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL PRODUCTIVE OF INCREASING RAINFALL. The steadily increasing rainfall in Nebraska seems to have kept such steady pace with the progress of agriculture that early writers spoke of it as following the plow. In a certain sense this is true. Surely no one, least of all those who have occasion to work in virgin prairie soil in a practical way, can fail to discover that it is exceedingly hard digging and tre- mendously hard plowing for the first time. Who for a moment could expect it to be otherwise? NEBRASKA. 25 Here is a State rich in marls and loess, subject to the heating action of countless storms, and to the never-ending tramji, tramp of millions of herds of buffalo, elk, deer and antelope, that once sought the luxuriant grasses of Nebraska above all other regions. If domesticated animals tramp down and pack to brick-like hardness the clays in the farm-yard, so unnumbered wild herds at large for generations must pack the prairie. These unbroken prairies are so hard, firm and smooth, that a bicycle can often proceed across them, and carriages can drive over them with ease and comfort. They are packed as hard as a well-traveled road. What is the effect of all this on rainfall and moisture? Simply this, 'that the soil beneath is covered with a hard impermeable crust. The rain falls upon it, but does not enter it. Instead, it flows rapidly off to the nearest rivulet, thence it hurries to the nearest brooks and creeks, which, swollen, rush like torrents to the tributaries of the great rivers, and soon the rain which might have entered the soil has left the confines of the State and is poured into the sea. Throw a pail of water on this hardened prairie and it flows freely in every direction as on a floor, but try the simple experiment on the culti- vated ground, and the water is absorbed on the very spot where it fell. Once break this hard impermeable surface and mark the change ! The refreshing showers which formerly fell and at once rushed away in torrents and were almost entirely lost, are now absorbed by the sponge-like soil, and saved almost entirely, to be doled out slowly in small streams and sipage springs. When the entire State is under careful cultivation, as it is sure to be, then it becomes one great absorbent body, that may be likened truthfully to a sponge. The soil, loess, drift, marls and clays are often one hundred or more feet thick, and as they all drink up the rains the good results are manifold. The water is stored away and doled out slowly to feed, for many days and weeks, the small streams and sipage springs. Then the soil is not washed from the fields and carried away, leaving them less fruitful. Besides, when dry seasons come and the surface begins to suffer from drouth, then by capillary attraction the water rises from below and ascends to nourish the growing plants. The fact alone that the soil is ploughed and pulverized exerts in itself a very beneficial influence in pre- venting undue evaporation as well as in catching and retaining the moisture that falls. The more moisture, the more vegetation ; the more vegetation, the better is the moisture retained and given off to evaporation to make more moisture, and so on in an endless circle. 26 NEBRASKA. As the State is more fully settled the amount of annual rainfall will doubtless continue to increase as it has done, and the rain belt will push farther and farther west. In ten years the annual rainfall has been known to increase a full eight inches in the best cultivated districts. The tendency of the cultivation of the soil is an increase of moisture. Even in seasons of exceptional drouth Nebraska suffers far less than other soils, owing to the facts already alluded to ; namely, that the soil itself is deep and very light, so that it never bakes like clay soils ; then the sub- soils being very thick and of a light porous nature, take up and hold for the dry seasons unusual quantities of water. Such soil conditions are rarely met with, and are most favorably adapted to entirely resist drouth, should it come. Drouth in a region of thin clayey soils with but little subsoil, would work destruction. THE RELATION OF THE SOIL TO GOOD ROADS. The peculiar excellence of the natural prairie roads, in winter or sum- mer, can never be understood by those in eastern or middle States, until they have actually lived in the State, and traveled for miles oyer these smooth and noiseless thoroughfares. Building a road in Nebraska consists in ploughing a furrow on each side of the road — to secure better drainage— and in rounding the road up in the middle. Built in this simple way the roads are good the year round, save in exceptional seasons. However, the usual method of road building is this — one team starts a trail which others follow, and the road is made ; and furthermore, it is an excellent road. You can travel over hundreds of miles of roads, made without tax or labor. The roads of Western Iowa and Nebraska are very similar in this par- ticular ; they are hard, and so smooth that bicycles and carriages glide over them noiselessly ; and at the same time they are so elastic that there is no need for shoes, and so horses go unshod. The clatter of hoofs and the rattle of carriage wheels is not heard as on the turnpikes and gravel roads ; besides they are freer from dust than other roads. It may seem an exaggerated claim to say that these roads can be built without tax or labor, that they are not muddy in winter nor dusty in summer, that they are at once hard and smooth, yet soft and elastic, and withal noiseless and restful to drive over. NEBRASKA. 27 What remains to be desired in such roads? What more can be claimed for them? Such roads in the eastern and middle States would be bottom- less sloughs in spring, fall and winter, and dust heaps in summer. The peculiar conditions which render such roads possible in Nebraska and Towa can scarcely be found elsewhere. It may pour whole water, and yet after the storm has passed the waters run off or drj' up immediately, and you can walk over the rain-soaked ground without wet feet or muddy boots. The deep sandy loam drinks up the water, and one walks at once over dry ground. This could not be so in any region of thin soil abounding in clay. There it would be muddy for days after even passing showers, not to mention lasting storms. Not so in Nebraska. The storm lays the dust that may exist, and as the water is at once dried up, passing wagons do not sink in and cut gullies and ruts as in clayey regions. 'But instead they tend to smooth the inequalities of the road and pack it. The roads are hard, yet elastic and easy on the hoofs of our domesticated animals. This is strictly and literally true. The loess which affects the soil more or less, together with the humus or decayed vegetable matter and sand, smooth down like modeler's clay, and bind together in a lasting manner. This, however, affects the mere surface, the loam below it being unpacked and elastic. This loess is a most singular deposit ; though so soft and plastic, it retains its position for years. In Omaha, streets have been cut through, leaving great prisms of loess standing, twenty to twenty-five feet high, with nearly vertical walls. The beating of the elements for years on this seems to produce little or no wear and tear. Cellars dug in it need no walls, and yet they are fixed and durable. As to the lucky escape of Nebraska farmers from bottomless roads, in spring and autumn, these facts must be taken into account. Summer blends into autumn and autumn into winter, insensibly, and with very little rainfall to produce mud. The dry, smooth roads of autumn pass unchanged and insensibly into the frozen roads of midwinter. Winter is to be likened to a protracted autumn until late in January or February, and sometimes the frozen roads of winter change into the dry roads of spring without a break- ing up. However, if there are bad roads at all they are found in spring. For about the time of the annual spring freshets common to the Missouri and all its great feeders, it rains pretty steadily sometimes for four or five weeks, soaking the ground and filling it to saturation for future use. Even then, the roads not constantly traveled on and cut up during the storm, are in fine condition. Those alone are impassable which pass through swampy lands where water stands, a test that no road could stand. While there are local spots where a clayey or gumbo soil makes exception, yet it is believed that the above is a reasonably fair and accurate statement of the actual state of affairs throughout Nebraska. 28 NEBRASKA. If the roads dry off quickly, so do the fields, and farmers can resume their work almost with the very cessation of the storm. Soaking into the ground as the rains do prevents undue and excessive wash of roads and fields, which in less fortunate regions carries away the fertile soil, leaving the clay knobs and ridges, and bare hillsides, and gullied roads. This may account in part for the fact that soils, like a black mantle, extend alike over the hills and down the hollows. To those familiar with the conditions in eastern and middle States, it is always a source of surprise to find the hills and dales of Nebraska equally covered with soil, and to find the roads that wind over them black as powdered coal, whether on the knobs and ridges or in the hollows. THE VALLEY OF THE PLATTE. Enough has been said in the foregoing pages to outline the features of the magnificent valley of the Platte river, and to convey some idea of the remarkable richness of its soil. While this fertile tract has been shown to possess, in a marked degree, every attraction a farmer could desire, there remains one point to be noted, and that is the peculiar adaptability of this vallej' for the cultivation of the sugar-beet. Mr. M. A. Lunn, Editor of the Beet Sucjar Knterpriae, Lincoln, Neb., has contributed a sketch of the rise and progress of the beet-sugar industry, which will be found highly interesting. THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. "The declaration that the sugar-beet industry can be made a profitable and consequently permanent industry in the United States has had the effect to awaken a general interest upon this subject in all parts of the country and among all classes of people. "Contrary to the understanding of some, this is not a new industry in itself, as the manufacture of sugar from sugar-beets has been successfully carried on in several European countries for three-quarters of a century ; although the commercial value of the sugar-beet for sugar-making purposes was declared by A. S. jNIarggraff, a German chemist and member of the Berlin Academy of Science as early as 1747, who found the red beet yielded 4i^o per cent and the white Gi^o per cent sugar. However, no economic method for extraction of the sugar from the beet was discovered until some fifty years later, when Carl Franz Achard, a former pupil of Marggraff, who had continued the line of research as inaugurated by his teacher, NEBRASKA. 29 succeeded in extracting sugar from the beet root on comparatively a large scale. He announced his result in 1797, and published his methods of operation, and in the latter part of 1799 presented a sample of sugar to the Institute of France, stating that the cost of producing a good article of Muscovado should not exceed six cents per pound. His efforts remained unrewarded until 1805, when Baron de Koppy, who had confidence and interest in Achard's methods and their results, erected a factory, on his estate near Strehlen, Germany. At this place actual work was begun. A second factory was erected on his estate by Achard, near Cunern, and schools for instruction in both agriculture and manufacture were estab- lished, and soon several factories were erected in different parts of Germany. "Napoleon I. became favorably impressed with the results of the experi- ments that were being prosecuted in France, and in 1808 issued his famous decree of Berlin and Milan, excluding from the markets of France all material of English manufacture. This made sugar scarce and dear, making it necessary. to undertake its manufacture from grapes and beets. Large sums of money were contributed by the government to encourage the industry. In 1811 the first factory was erected in France. Schools were established and maintained by the government for giving instruction as to the proper cultivation of the beets as well as the methods of extract- ing sugar from them. "The germs of this great industry were carried to Russia by one of Achard's pupils, and resulted in a factory being established in 1815, by General Blankenagel, in Toula. Russia exempted from taxation all lands upon which sugar factories were erected, and loaned other support to the industry. Unfortunately for the industry, the great European war broke out about that time, and very little progress was made until 1835, but from that time on the industry has made steady and substantial advancement throughout the principal countries of Europe ; but during the last twenty years the greatest improvements are noticeable. "In 1860-'61 the entire European crop did not exceed 387,000 tons, whereas for the campaign of 1890-'91 it amounted to 3,660,000 tons, of which Germany alone contributed 1,325,000 tons ; the total sugar crop of the world being 6,000,000 tons, of which 2,340,000 were made from cane. This great increase in the percentage of sugar in the beet is due to scien- tific and enlightened agriculture, by a careful 'breeding up' of the seed or 'mother beets,' selecting only such beets for that purpose as by analy- sis show a high per cent of sugar. Seed-growing in Europe is a special business by itself, and is conducted by men of known ability. "To-day the beet sugar industry is acknowledged to be the leading agricultural industry of Europe, contributing largely to its revenue, in- creasing the value of its real estate, reducing interest, giving employment to thousands of skilled and unskilled employes, causing millions of dollars to be paid to th m for sugar that is sold to other countries. 30 NEBRASKA. "With this brief review of the early history of the sugar-beet industry in Europe, let us refer to the present status of the industry in the United States, where the natural conditions of climate and soil are found to be superior to those of Europe, and where the success of the industry is now assured, if those who engage in its prosecution will avoid the mistakes which have been made by others, and thus profit by their experiences, acquainting themselves with the necessary requirements for success, and deliberately work to that end. *'H. W. Wiley, chemist of the United States Department of Agriculture, has very appropriately said : 'There will probably be found for many years to come in the United States more enthusiasm than knowledge connected with the sugar beets, and the result of this will be, unless great care be taken, that many ventures will be made that will result in financial disas- ters which could have been avoided by a thorough comprehension of the fundamental principles of the industry. The great problem in this country is the agricultural one. The selection of suitable soil, the finding of proper climatic conditions, and instruction in the method of planting, cultivating and harvesting of beets, are all matters of vital importance. Without a study of these subjects, and without a proper knowledge thereof, it will be a hopeless task to introduce successfully the beet sugar industry in this country.' "The first experiment in the United States was in the year 1830 by two enterprising Philadelphians, Avho were said to have been wholly ignorant of the cultivation of the beet root or the extraction of the sugar, and fail- ure was the natural result. Eight years later it was again attempted at Northampton, Mass., resulting only in producing a small amount of sugar at a cost of thirteen cents per pound. It was again attempted at Chats- worth, 111., in 1862, but, owing to ill-chosen location as regards soil and climate— the two principal conditions of successful culture— failed after a struggle of six years. The company then removed to Freeport, 111., remained one year, and again removed to Black Hawk, Wis. These trials all resulted in disaster, as the sections chosen were not provided with the requirements of successful work. A later experiment at Fond du Lac, Wis., in 1872, was the first to give good results, where during two years considerable sugar was made. The proprietors of this company removed to Alvarado, California, and went to the wall, as did several other compa- nies. The Sacramento Valley Company was organized in 1869, and con- tinued until 1875. The State Agricultural Society reported 3,925,000 pounds of sugar manufactured during the four years prior to the year 1873. In other localities experiments have been made, notably at Camden, N. J. ; Portland, Me.; Wilmington, Del., and at Salt Lake City, Utah, attended with different degrees of failure. These experiments represent a large amount of money unnecessarily lost. At Salt Lake City, Utah, where a factory is now about ready for operation, the Mormon Church expended $200,000 in their effort to manufacture sugar between the years 1853 and 1861. It was not until 1879, when the Standard Sugar Manufacturing Com- pany was organized by E. H. Dyer, at Alvarado, California, that any NEBRASKA. 31 marked degree of success in the manufacture of beet sugar was secured. Since then the company has been reorganized with additional capital, and is still prosecuting a successful business under the management of Mr. Dyer. "The factory at Watsonville, California, owned by Glaus Spreckels, has now been in successful operation for the past three years. The Oxnard Beet Sugar Factory at Grand Island worked its first crop in 1890. Its suc- cess is assured, notwithstanding its first season was very unfavorable for a crop of beets on account of extreme drouth. Three large factories have been erected for the crop of 1891, one at Norfolk, Neb., and one at Chino, California — these two are owned by the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company ; and one at Lehi, near Salt Lake City, Utah, being erected by E. H. Dyer & Co., and owned by the Mormon Church. All these factories, now in successful operation, were located after thorough investigation of soil, climate and other natural conditions, and are represented- to meet in every respect the requirements now known to be necessary to the successful cultivation of the sugar-beet. "The conditions necessary for success are, sufficient capital, a knowledge of the business in its details, favorable location as to transportation, accessibility to limestone and fuel, pure water, and a full supply of beets. "The analyses made of sugar-beets grown in many parts of the United States reveal the fact that the general average of the per cent of sugar in the beet is greater than in those grown in Europe. This must be credited to the natural conditions of soil and climate, and not to a scientific knowledge of cultivation and use of fertilizer, as is practiced there. "These general experiments are being encouraged to the extent of ascer- taining the cost of production as well as the number of tons that may be produced upon one acre. This is notably the case in many parts of the Western States, where the natural condition of the soil, as well as the gently rolling, even surface, will admit of the use of various implements that are now being manufactured for planting, cultivating and harvesting the beets. With the use of these implements the cost of production will be materially reduced and the handling of the crop facilitated. "In concluding this article, I will state, we now have every advantage for prosecuting successfully this industry in the United States over that of any European country. We have a home market. The consumption of sugar in the United States was, according to the last census, 55 pounds per capita for our 64,000,000 inhabitants, or a total of 3,250,000,000 pounds or 1,760,000 tons, while the United States manufactured less than 200,000 tons during the same period, not counting maple sugar. Our foreign purchases then were, in round numbers, 1,500,000 tons, or 3,000,000,000 pounds, which, if computed at five cents per pound, would represent $150,000,000 paid by consumers in this country for foreign sugar. The land devoted to sugar-beet culture in Europe is valued at from $300 to $600 per acre, and the only advantage they can claim over the United States is cheap labor. This is nearly or quite met by the non-use of fertilizers, which is annually 32 NEBRASKA. required there. We have an abundance of labor, especially in our large towns and cities, and tens of thousands of acres of cheap laud that can be made to produce more tons of richer beets at less expense for labor, and at the same time our laborers be well paid." BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY IN NEBRASKA. In discussing the aptitude of this favored State for the propagation of the sugar-beet, Mr. Lunn gives us the net results of experiments to date. The stories of the inception of great enterprises are always valuable, and this plain recital of first attempts will be read with interest. Mr. Lunn says : "No one thing connected with the history of Nebi-aska has attracted more general or universal interest throughout the United States than has the beet sugar industry, since the establishment, at Grand Island, in December, 1889, of the first beet sugar factory in this State. "With the admission of Nebraska, as a State, into the Union, the ex- perimental work was begun by Hon. Robt. W. Furnas, the first Governor of Nebraska, which has resulted in Nebraska now occupying the third place in the Union as a sugar-producing State. Governor Furnas secured, direct from Germany, the best varieties of sugar-beet seed, which was distributed throughout the State, with the request that it should be planted, in order to ascertain the adaptability of our soil and climate for the sugar- beet as a field crop. The result of this experiment was encouraging in every particular, especially to those who had had the opportunity of observing the cultivation of the sugar-beet in Europe, where it was grown for sugar making, and where this industry was declared established. "The experiments begun by Governor Furnas were prosecuted more or less vigorously in different parts of the State, and particularly at Grand Island, the home of Hon. H. A. Koenig, whose boyhood home had been in the beet sugar sections of Germany. Not only were these experiments repeated year after year, for the purpose of learning the results that might be secured in different seasons, but the citizens of Grand Island had secured the assistance of a chemist who was able also to give valuable aid in other directions, that should, in the end, result in securing a beet sugar factory. "The results of this work at Grand Island attracted the attention of Henry T. Oxnard, in 1888, who was at that time investigating the adaptability of different sections of the United States, with a view of establishing a number of beet sugar factories. Although the results secured were very encouraging, showing that the beets were uniformly rich in sugar with a high co-efficient of purity, with evidence that a good tonnage to the acre could be grown ; yet, notwithstanding all these facts, Mr. Oxnard, who has made the manufacture of sugar his life's study, regarded it but simple justice to himself and those associated with him, that the experiments of beet growing should be prosecuted still NEBRASKA. 33 another year, upon different lands and under different circumstances and conditions, comprising a more extended area of country in that vicinity, in order to preclude the possibility of mistakes previously reported. In plats so grown, 315 separate analyses were made, showing the average percentage of sugar to be 16.3 per cent. Immediately upon the conclusion of this experimental work (which was also being prosecuted in other favorable locations in different States) negotiations were at once entered into on the pai't of the people of Grand Island, with Mr. Oxnai'd, for the location of a beet sugar factory at that place. These were consummated early in Decem- ber, 1889, and provided for a factory with a capacity of 300 tons of beets per day and to be ready for operation for the crop of 1890. The work of excavation for the foundation was begun immediately, and a cablegram was sent by Mr. Oxnard for the shipment of machinerj^, which had previously been purchased with strong probabilities of its being used in California. All the available help that could be used to advantage was employed, and by this means, the factory proper and engine house had reached such a stage of completion as to be ready for receiving the machin- ery which arrived the following April. This was rapidly put in place under the personal supervision of E. Seleich, a mechanical engineer of large experience in the erection of beet sugar factories. "Previous to this, Mr. Oxnard had imported 35 tons of beet seed of the varieties which in past experiments had given best results. To the farmers contracting to grow beets for the factory, this was distributed at the uni- form price of ten cents per pound. Agricultural experts were also provided who had had experience in growing beets in Europe and who were to give information and instruction to the farmers regarding the preparation of the land and cultivation of the crop. "About 2,600 acres of beets were contracted for for the season of 1890. No preparation of the ground during the previous year had been made, which is now known to be essential in order to secure a good crop. Failure of seed to germinate and grow in many cases was charged to the seed being poor, when in reality it was due to lack of sufficient moisture in the ground, which is now known to be the case, during ordinary seasons, where spring ploughed land is planted. "These unfortunate conditions, together with lack of experience on the part of the farmers, unaided by suitable implements for planting and cul- tivating, such as are now on the market, all contributed to general dis- couragement, and the results of the first year were anything but satisfactory to either the factory or farmer, although in some few cases where the work was thoroughly prosecuted a tonnage of fifteen tons to the acre was secured, thus showing what is possible under such circumstances. Notwithstanding the many discouragements of the year (1890), arrangements were con- summated for the erection of a second and a duplicate factory at Norfolk, and also one of the same capacity at Chino, Cal., by the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company. The season of 1891 was the direct opposite to that of 1890, being one of extreme cold and backward spring, thus delaying the 34 NEBRASKA. preparation of the land and planting of the beets, which in some cases were replanted adding expense and rendering cultivation more diffi- cult by reason of the fact that the weeds had secured a good growth. The cultivating seasons continued wet and the frequent rains made it impossible to do any work for several days together, heretofore a thing almost unknown in the State of Nebraska. The results secured in the fall, however, were a marked increase over those of the preceding year. "Judging from the reports, as well as the recollections of the oldest inhabitants, it would have been difficult to have selected any two years during the life of this State when the seasons could have been more unfavorable for the introduction of this new agricultural industry. "By reason of these extreme unfavorable conditions, it was only possible to secure a good crop by suffering no neglect of cultivation to occur during the growing season. It is to be regretted, but an acknowledged fact, that the general tendency of a majority of the farmers of this State is to undertake the cultivation of a larger area of ground than the force at their command will justify, and the force of this assertion is made doubly apparent when unfavorable seasons such as 1890-'91 are encountered. It is not surprising, therefore, that there exists great conflict in the various reports that have been made regarding the profits that can be derived to the farmer in the cultivation of the sugar-beet as a field crop for market, but in this connec- tion it is gratifying to note that not one case has been reported where the known requirements to secure a good crop were complied with, where any objection has been made to its further cultivation. "Under these conflicting conditions the spring of 1892 was begun. The acreage secured among the farmers in the vicinity of Grand Island and Norfolk, was about 1,500 acres each, and about 1,000 acres was cultivated by the Beet Sugar Company, additional. "The spring of 1892 was one of more than average rain, but on the whole, the cultivating season was fully up to the average, and the general results secured among the farmers have been, with few exceptions, very satisfac- tory ; in a large majority of cases an increased acreage was voluntarily contracted for for the season of 1893, before final delivery of this season's crop. "From the first introduction of the sugar-beet into the State, which can be authentically traced to the year of its birth in 18(37, general attention has been paid to it by the State University Experimental Station, and the results carefully noted. It must be borne in mind, however, that great and important changes have taken place in the general quality of the beet, which render its cultivation for sugar-making purposes beyond question when all the conditions are properly understood— which can all be summed up in intelligent, seasonable and thorough cultivation. "In the year 1876-77, the average per cent of sugar in the beet, as reported by the statisticians of Germany, was only 8.19 per cent, but by study and scientific 'breeding up' of the seed or 'mother beet,' it is NEBRASKA. 35 improved, until, to-day, the average is quoted at about 12.50 per cent. In Germany, and other sugar-producing countries, seed growing is a separate and distinct business by itself, and no expense is spared to improve the beet in form, as well as percentage. From the general results secured by the Nebraska State Experimental Station, that has industriously distributed beet seed among the farmers in all parts of this State, the average per cent is higher than that secured in any European country. This report is also confirmed by the results secured at the government station, established at Schuyler, Neb., under the direction of Secretary J. M. Rusk, of the Department of Agriculture. The report of this station is furnished in Bulletin No. 33, which will be furnished free upon application to Secretary Rusk, Washington, D. C, and which should be in the hands of all who are interested in informing themselves upon this subject. "The experience in all European countries has been that this method was necessaiy, as capital was timid when the matter of obtaining a full supply of the raw material was questionable. But thanks to the effective work of the State and Government Experimental Stations, a large number of farmers have, by thorough cultivation, secured good and profitable crops, exceeding the net gains of any other crop. The average results secured from the State Experimental Station was a tonnage of 31.5 tons per acre, at a cost for seed and labor ranging from 129.14 to $32.75 per acre, or practically $1.00 per ton, and as the labor was all paid for at the rate of $1.50 per day, or fifteen cents per hour, the cost is cer- tainly higher than would be the cost with the average farmer. "It is now clearly demonstrated that the natural conditions of soil and climate of this State are particularly adapted to the successful cultivation of the sugar-beet, and also that a great future is awaiting the farmers who engage in this new line of agriculture, as sugar must continue in daily demand in every home of this country, and as the greatest amount of the world's supply is now furnished from beets, it is only necessary to com- pare existing conditions of the most successful European countries with those that exist in this State, and it is readily seen that the greatest advan- tages are now upon our side. The principal difference being the cheap foreign labor, which is altogether offset by our improved machinery, non- use of expensive fertilizers and the use of cheap lands; whereas their lands, which are valued at from $300 to $600 per acre, require annually fer- tilizers to the amount of about $20.00 per acre, and from the actual con- sumption in the United States, which has increased in the last fiscal year from 55 to 69 pounds per capita, making it necessary to buy nearly all we use from foreign countries, as our production is only about 200,000 tons per annum. It should be the ambition of every American citizen to make our own sugar, and thus keep within the United States the large amount that is now sent to foreign countries for sugar, which now amounts to upwards of $200,000,000, the largest part representing labor and the products of labor. We have the lands, the labor and the market." 36 NEBRASKA. VIEWS OF A VETERAN. Hon. S. M. Knox, of Princeton, 111., one of the veterans in aiding in the development of western lands, gives a strong opinion in favor of the Platte vallejf as a beet sugar country. Judge Knox says: "The beet sugar industry in Nebraska promises to be one of the most profitable industries in the State. The farmers are raising beets now for the Grand Island beet sugar factory. This factory has been in operation about three years. The farmers can raise on an average fifteen tons per acre with fairly good cultivation, and the factory pays |4 per ton for beets containing 12 to 14 per cent sugar ; $5 per ton if containing 16 per cent sugar; |5.50 if containing 17 per cent sugar; |6 if containing 18 per cent sugar; $6.50 if containing 19 per cent, and |7 per ton if containing 20 per cent sugar. The price realized for the products of an acre of sugar-beets of an average of tons per acre (say 13 per cent sugar) would be $60 ; con- taining 15 per cent sugar, |65 per acre, and beets containing 20 per cent of sugar would realize $105 per acre. The farmers can count safely on teii tons per acre with ordinary cultivation, but under proper cultivation a good average would be about fifteen tons to the acre and the percentage of sugar ought not to run below 15 percent. Two thousand acres were planted in 1892. The factory can use 350 tons of beets per day. This Grand Island factory made one and one half million pounds of sugar in 1891, and in 1892 nearly two and one-half million pounds of sugar. "The phenomenal growth of this industry is shown by the results of thirteen years in Germany, whose production was: In 1876, 289,400 tons; in 1886, 985,600 tons ; in 1889, 1,220,000 tons. Germany alone exported to the United States in 1889, 90,000 tons o/ sugar valued at $10,080,000; and in 1890, 228,576 tons valued at $25,600,572. "The development of the sugar-beet industry in France is a marvel of success, to-wit: In 1826, 1,500 tons of sugar; in 1879, 501 factories produced 430,396 tons of sugar of 2,200 pounds per ton, and in 1889, 700,000 tons. "The production of sugar from beets in foreign countries, during 1889, was : Austria, 730,000 tons ; Belgium, 195,000 ; France, 700,000 ; Germany, 1,220,000; Holland, 60,000; Russia, 480,000 tons. Total, 3,445,000 tons; valued at $385,840,000. "The amount of sugar imported by the United States during the years 1886 to 1890 inclusive, at the principal ports of entry, was, in 1886, 1,159,696 tons; 1887, 1,101,664; 1888, 1,083,258; 1889, 1,007,801; 1890, 1,183,316 tons. "For the years 1889-'90 the number of pounds of sugar imported was 2,831,570,125, valued at $94,273,605, and of this 601,149,854 pounds was beet sugar and coming from the following countries : Austria-Hungary, 60,621,711 pounds ; Belgium, 13,329,390 pounds ; France, 844,956 pounds. "The importations of beet sugar up to No. 13 Dutch standard from Ger- many during the past four years were as follows: 1885-'86, 203,288,102 NEBRASKA. 37 pounds, valued at $5,619,543; 1886-'87, 220,444,030 pounds, valued at $4,914,322; 1887-'88, 51,533,917, $1,322,516; 1888-'89, 212,394,949, $6,035,202; 1889-'90, 512,009,173, valued at $16,031,431. "In 1891 the quantity of sugar imported by the United States was 3,483,477,222 pounds ; cost $105,728,216— about one and one-third cents a pound landed at the port of entry. This is up to June 30th, 1891. Same time there was imported by the United States 20,603,463 gallons of molasses, valued at $2,659,172. "In the United States the beet sugar industry is now fairly introduced into Nebraska. There are now two beet sugar factories established in that State, one at Grand Island in the famous Platte valley, the other one at. Norfolk on the Elkhorn river, a tributary to the Platte. Both factories are located on the lines of the Union Pacific system. These factories have been in successful operation since 1890. The soil of the Platte valley and its tributaries, with the climate of Nebraska, seem peculiarly adapted to produce beets containing a percentage of saccharine matter equal to, and in most of the beets larger than in the beets of Germany or France. The water in the Platte river, and the water obtained from wells is just the kind of water most suitable for use in making the beet sugar. The soil, climate and water being of the best, and the beets equal to the best sugar beets raised in Germany, and the great demand for sugar in this country being so far beyond the supply, are strong reasons why the farmers of Nebraska ought to engage in the sugar-beet culture. The facts are plain that all the sugar produced in the United States only supplies about one-tenth of the demand. "There have been attempts made in many of the Eastern States to raise the sugar-beets, and manufacture sugar from the beets, but without success. The results of the investigations regarding the sugar-beet culture in Nebraska, and the establishment of factories at Grand Island and at Nor- folk, is due to the persistent efforts of the Hon. Henry A. Koenig, of Grand Island. He commenced planting sugar-beet seeds in 1868, and these beets raised at Grand Island were found to contain 15 per cent sucrose. Mr. Koenig continued these experiments until he was elected State Treasurer in 1871. These experiments were continued by other parties with gratify- ing success at different places in the Platte valley. "In 1888 Mr. Koenig determined to make another effort to have a factory erected at Grand Island, and with this object in view engaged Prof. Wm. Huch of Shoemingen, Germany, to make thorough investigations as to the climate, soil, cultivation and analysis of the sugar-beets. The results of all the investigations, regarding the sugar-beet culture for 1888-'89, were very satisfying, and in many cases exceeding the greatest expectations ; in fact, the effect has been to convince the most skeptical that Nebraska soil is peculiarly adapted to the successful cultivation of sugar-beets. "Through these successful investigations, instituted by Prof. Huch and the untiring energy of Mr. Koenig, the Messrs. Oxnard were induced to visit Nebraska ; arriving in Grand Island September 18, 1889, remaining 38 NEBRASKA. some ten days, making thorough investigations as to climate, soil, location and analyzing beets, which were selected by themselves from the field. The result of 314 analyses made gave an average of 16.1 per cent of sucrose. "Negotiations were at once commenced by Mr. Henry T. Oxnard and the Grand Island Improvement Company, which resulted in a contract being signed December 6, 1889, by the Messrs. Oxnard to build a factory at Grand Island with a capacit)'^ of 350 tons of beets per day. "There is a district of country in Germany 100 miles long and 20 miles wide that has 178 factories making sugar from the sugar-beets, and this Platte valley is over 400 miles long, and an average of 15 miles wide, and every acre of it equal to, if not better than, the best sugar-producing coun- try in Germany. "The Grand Island factory made this year about 2,500,000 pounds of sugar, and about the same number of pounds were made at Norfolk. To supply the demand for sugar in the United States requires about 3,150,- 000,000 pounds, or about 1,500 factories of the capacity of the Grand Island industry. "It will require about 12,000,000 tons of sugar-beets to supply 1,500 factories, and it will require about 800,000 acres of land to produce the beets for that number of factories, or 1,250 sections of land of 640 acres each. The quantity of sugar consumed in the United States at the present time can be produced in the Platte valley and its tributaries, and not diminish the regular crops now raised ; and that part so used can feed and fatten more cattle and sheep than are fed and fattened at the present time in that portion of the State. Every farmer in the Platte valley ought to raise from 5 to 10 or 20 acres of beets annually, in addition to the crops now raised. Five acres of sugar-beets would yield the farmer about 15 tons per acre, and the lowest price at the factory, |4 per ton, will be quite remunerative, more so than any ci'op of wheat or corn ; and by commenc- ing in this small way, the farmer gradually becomes educated in this new industry, and thereby avoids the danger of commencing with more enthu- siasm than knowledge of the business. "The Messrs. Oxnard, in the year 1890, had three experts from Ger- many employed, at their own expense, to teach the farmers with whom they made contracts for beets to supply the factory, how to select the land, how to prepare it for the seed, how to thin and cultivate the beets and prepare them for the factory. In 1891, they employed four more experts, making seven in all, to instruct the fai'mers at Grand Island and Norfolk how to manage successfully this new industry ; and these experts will continue to be employed, at the expense of the company, until the farmers understand how to raise beets successfully. At the experimental schools young men are now making the sugar-beet culture a specialty, so as to teach the farmers the art of raising beets. "The best assurance that can be given^f the fact that Nebraska is the best country in the United States to raise the sugar-beets, is the fact that NEBRASKA. 39 the Messrs. Oxnard have built two factories in Nebraska at a cost of half a million dollars each, and the fact that they sent to Germany for the experts, brought them to Nebraska at their own expense, and have, since 1890, paid them wages and expenses to teach the farmers how to success- fully raise the beets. It proves ^.onclusively that they know practically that Nebraska is the best beet sugar country in America and equal to the best in the world. "The Platte valley, according to geologists, was at some period in the past, entirely under water, and the soil has all the appearance of made ground, being the result of ages of decaying vegetable matter, resting on a bed of sand similar to the bed of the Platte river. An unlimited supply of the best and purest of water is obtained by digging or driving into this bed of sand — the depth varying from 4 to 60 feet, according to the height of the surface above the bed of the river. "The Platte river is a wide, shallow stream, with a swift current, having an average fall of seven feet to the mile. At certain times of the year the bed of the stream becomes nearly dry, but even at these times, a few inches below the surface, the supply of water is abundant. There is a continuous underflow that is never affected in the least. "It is now demonstrated that the Platte river has a never-failing source of water power, supplied from the underflow. This is demonstrated by the ditch and artificial lake at Kearney, ditch and lake at Gothenburg, and ditch and lake at Ogallala. These ditches are all supplied from the underflow. This underflow furnishes an inexhaustible supply of water and is never affected by flood or drouth. The ditches are like the wells in Nebraska. When the sand pump is driven- down into the coarse gravel, the well is never affected in the least by wet or dry weather. "The soil of Nebraska is a porous subsoil. When the original sod is broken and cultivated, the rainfall largely goes into the ground, and is retained ; and when the surface becomes dry, by capillary attraction the moisture comes again to the surface and keeps crops growing. In early times, when this great country west of the Missouri river was put down in the geographies of that day as the 'Great American Desert,' little did peo- ple think that before the close of the 19th century, Nebraska would be in the front ranks of all the States of the Union as a great agricultural and cattle-growing State, and in the lead of all the States in the Union as a sugar-producing State, and the Platte river that was supposed to be of no utility whatever, proves to be a river that can and will, in the near future, supply more water power than any other river in the United States. The underflow can be taken out in ditches on both sides of the river, and at every point desired. The ditches are constructed with one foot fall to the mile ; river, seven feet fall to the mile. A ditch 16 miles long will carry water to a point in the uplands 96 feet above Ihe bed of the river. At the end of the ditch, lakes are constructed by building dams at suitable places in canyons, as nearly on a level with the upland prairie as possible, thereby getting the greatest fall possible. These reservoirs are capable of furnish- 40 NEBRASKA. ing sufficient power to run many large factories. Every town, village and station on the line of the Union Pacific system in Nebraska can have one of these ditches and reservoirs furnished by this underflow. "A district of country that is so well adapted to the production of wheat, corn, oats, barley, flax, broom-corn, sugar, rye, hay, cattle, hogs and sheep, and the abundance and cheapness of water power for manu- factures, is sure to be rich and prosperous. "Men-less land wants men; and land-less men want land. In the East and in the large cities are thousands of idle men. In the great West are thousands of acres of idle lands. These idle men are suffering daily for the necessaries of life ; in many cases children are asking for bread. In the great West there is an abundance to eat, and a great demand for these idle hands, if they are willing hands. "Question: 'How can we get these landless men and willing hands upon these unoccupied lands?' "The tendency of young men has been, for a number of years, to leave the country and go to towns and cities. The census of 1890 shows that 46 per cent of the population of the United States live in towns and cities. That is not as it should be. Want and suffering are self-evident amongst the surplus. All this idle surplus population ought to be on land; in homes of their own. They ought to be producers — not wage workers. "To all homeless people seeking homes I say, go to Nebraska. Go to some point in the famous Platte valley, on the line of the Union Pacific system, and get a tract of land and make a home of your own, for yourself and family. The lands — the most fertile in the world — are waiting your coming. These lands cannot come to you, but you can go to the lands. Go and occupy them, the people of Nebraska will bid you welcome. You will find them kind neighbors, ready to lend you a helping hand, and who will aid you with their counsel and experience. If you are industrious and prudent in the management of your affairs, you will in a few years be a free and independent man, and your family will rejoice with you that you cast your lot in the great State of Nebraska." GRAND ISLAND AND NORFOLK BEET SUGAR FACTORIES. A newspaper correspondent recently interviewed farmers in the neigh- borhood of Grand Island and Norfolk, regarding beet culture, and reports as follows, in February, 1893 : THE GRAND ISLAND FACTORY. "I asked the farmer what he considered the most profitable crop he had raised during the last two years. His reply was unhesitating and emphatic, 'Beets!' NEBRASKA. 41 GOOD MONEY IN BEETS. " 'Beets,' " he said. ' If you manage 'em right, there's more money in beets than any crop you can raise in these parts. But you have to reaUze the fact that the raising of beets ain't so much farming as gardening. You have to get right down and go at them. And some men are too big to do that. They think an American citizen ought to ride around over 200 or 300 acres. As soon as they get out their naturalization papers they are too proud to get down and garden. They need encouraging. That's right. They ought to have the bounty.' And he rubbed his legs where the felt boot tops had got to smoking from the close proximity to the fire. "Now that is the farmer's point ol view faithfully recorded. It shows, in fact, the whole situation; even the undeniable reluctance of the Nebraska farmer to take up with this new crop. "M. Emile Brysselbout, the chemist and superintendent of the Grand Island sugar factory, said concerning this : " 'It does not seem at all peculiar to any one who is acquainted with the introduction of the beet industry in France and Germany. Farmers are conservative the world over, and they are particularly slow to take up with the raising of a new crop. But it seems to me as if, by this time, the farmers ought to be convinced that there is more money for them in beets than in any other crop. Of course, every farmer can not raise sugar-beets. It is scientific farming. It appeals to the very best class of farmers. In fact, it gives an opportunity to farmers capable of doing scientific work, to show what they are made of.' • OPPOSITION IS DISAPPEARING. "There is a general feeling, not only among the people at the factory, but generally in and around Grand Island, that the prejudice against sugar-beet raising is gradually giving way. It has been due in no small extent to the constant opposition and misrepresentation of some of the local papers. "I pride myself on being able to see the point of view of almost every- body, but I am obliged to confess that after much honest endeavor the only argument against sugar-beet raising that I can find, is that it involves manual labor and the exercise of brains. I do not know which of these things it was that aroused the local papers to oppoaitiorf. C0NTRA.CTS INCBBASING. "But that this conservatism is disappearing is evidenced by the rapidly increasing number of contracts that are being made with the company this year. Mr. Ferrar, the superintendent of the agricultural department of the factory, said: 42 NEBRASKA. " 'Some of those who have been most opposed to us are coming in this year and making large contracts. I think such rekictance as has existed lias been largely due to the natural timidity of the farmers in taking up with a crop with which they were unacquainted. You see, the beet has to be treated with great tenderness. The sweetness has to be worked into it, so to speak. First, you must be careful in the selection of your ground. It must be deep soil, with a soft sub-soil that will allow the water to pass through. Un worked land will not do, as the weeds are apt to be too rank ; sandy soil will not do, because it will flow ; freshly-manured ground makes too coarse a beet; wet ground will not do at all, because, while the beets need a good deal of moisture, they must not be allowed to stand in the water. NEEDS DELICATE CAEE. " 'Deep plowing is most essential. You see, the ground must be soft and yielding. It's not safe to plant before the first week in April, and the last planting ought not to be later than the middle of May. If a man has a large field, there is some advantage in sowing different blocks of it at different times, because that allows the farmer more time to attend to them. When the plant has formed good leaves, which under the right conditions is about five or six weeks, then is the time for thinning out And much depends upon having this well done. Up to this time the beet has not been touched, except in the way of light but frequent cultivation. In the thinning out, the bunches are so separated that each beet left remaining in the ground stands quite by itself. If two beets are left together, they twist around one another and neither amounts to anything. They should be left from six to eight inches apart in the row, the rows being, you understand, far enough apart to allow a horse to pass between them. There is a LITTLE KNACK ABOUT THIS THINNING. " *In order to do it so as not to loosen the beet that is left in the ground, and at the same time to get up the entire root of the one you are uproot- ing requires a peculiar twist of the wrist. But when it is once learned one does it instinctively. After this thinning has been thoroughly done the crop is practically assured. The sun, the rain and the wind do the rest. It takes about five mpnths for the beet to mature. Then it is brought here and put in our sheds.' "Mr. Ferrar spoke again of the great satisfaction he felt at the manner in which the farmers who raised beeta last year were renewing their crops and the manner in which those who had not hitherto essayed beet raising were now making arrangements to do so this coming summer. "Apropos of this it may be well to read the following list, which repre- sents the results obtained by farmers in various parts of the State : NEBRASKA, 43 SOME RESULTS. Tons Average Con- per Amount tract. Name and Address. Acres. Tons. Acre. Amount, per Acre. 61 Fred Roby, Grand Island 3 50.8 16.9 8 22139 S73 80 145 John F. Harrison, York 2 35.0 17.5 140 17 70 08 100 Charles Riedel, Loup City 1 14.1 14.1 63 62 63 62 115 Anthony Shaefer, Red Cloud 3 44.5 14.8 177 91 59 30 86 W. B. Wilson, Hastings 3 43.1 14.4 172 46 .57 49 139 Charles Klein, Tobias 1% 18.5 10.6 105 92 60 52 222 August Heuman, Seward 1 13.1 13.1 52 36 62 36 4 J. H. Stewart, Broken Bow 2 18.7 9.3 102 95 5147 106 George B. Rood, North Loup 5 62.4 12.5 249 76 49 95 88 Phelps County S. B. Co., Holdrege 20 193.4 9.7 993 62 49 68 6 F. Garbers, Chapman 2 17.3 8.6 96 57 48 28 219 Margaret Heubert, Hampton 1 9.2 9.2 46 06 46 06 202 Henry Lubs, Alda 2 20.0 10.0 9165 45 82 94 J. T. Mallelieu, Kearney 75 784.8 10.5 3,476 20 46 35 134 Edward Amman, St. Paul 1 10.5 10.5 42 25 42 25 185 L. L. Doane, Scotia 2 20.8 10.4 83 23 4161 179 J. F. Loghry, Geneva 1 10.1 10.1 40 76 40 76 1 David Brandt, Abbott 3 32.2 10.7 144 15 48 05 226 D. C. Kuns, McCoolJunction l]4 17.8 11.9 7128 47 52 170 .T. H. Wagner, Wolbach 2 21.7 10.8 86 93 43 46 THE FACTORY IN WINTER. "Concerning the factory at Grand Island, it stands a mile or more from town, and wears at present, it is unnecessary to say, a look very different from that which it has during the 'campaign.' The long, neat building of red brick, the channels for floating the beets, the kiln, with its half melted bricks, the great pallid ' dumps ' of refuse from the limestone, the still-smouldering heaps of the burned slack, are there. But the place is silent. The pump house, through which there passes 2,100,000 gallons of water daily, drawn from eighty great wells, is bolted now ; and the pipes and sluices are empty. Within the machinery is, much of it, apart, and a few men spend their time cleaning it and getting it ready for the coming year. Up in the laboratory there is always something to do. "One of the reasons that the expense of running the factory is greater than usual is that, while, thus far the factory has run only 100 days in a year, the company has to hire its chemists and managers by the year. If the supply of beets was such that the factory could run fifty days longer, it stands to reason that there would be much better results all around. IN OPERATION. "When once the fires are started and the mill is in operation, there is no let up either night or day. The men work in shifts. Last year about 250 were employed continuously in the factory. And during the growing sea- son nearly 400 persons were employed in the beet fields, for the Oxnard company raised 1,000 acres of beets themselves last year. 44 NEBRASKA. "Last year the Grand Island factory turned out 21,101 bags of sugar, which is equal to 2,110,100 pounds of the same delicious material. And still they have stored in forty great iron tanks 1,773,200 gallons of syrup, which will be made into sugar next year. Some idea of the labor and material that all this represents can be guessed at from the fact that sixty tons of coal and thirty tons of limestone are used daily during the cam- paign. The limestone, after its trial by fire in two kilns, is used as a clarifier. YOUNG BLOOD IN BUSINESS. "In one way the Oxnard company is a typical western company. That is to say, every one concerned with it is young. Mr. Oxnard himself is young and a bachelor, and he came into his present business by heredity, so to speak. His father was a sugar refiner somewhere in New York State. Mr. E. C. Howe, the manager of the Grand Island factory, is not yet thirty ; the superintendent, M. Emile Brysselbout, is barely that age, though he has already had much experience in the business in various parts of France. Mr. H. S. Ferrar, the superintendent of the agricultural depart- ment, is a gentleman with an Irish name, an American tongue, and what may be termed the "country eye " — that is, the eye made for close observa- tion of things rural. All of these men have an amount of enthusiasm for their work, and a belief in it that would be surprising anywhere else than in America. But here some sort of microbe appears to diffuse itself through the mental system, causing an intense and indefatigable earnest- ness. It is this which has conquered the ' Great American Desert,' and made it one of the rich places of the world. "Grand Island itself seems to have not a little of this same intensity. Everyone is working with a eye single to success. And this unity of motive, and diversity of action has produced the usual results. THE NORFOLK FACTORY. "There is something intensely interesting to me in a town the age of Norfolk. If the ancient town, which has seen innumerable generations, which has helped make history, which has seen wars, been reddened by tragedies, been the site of national events and the birth-place of great men, has its charm, in almost no lesser degree has the new town in Nebraska in which the men are still living who can say: 'I have made it.' They regard it with tender eyes. Their affection magnifies everything within the town limits to them. Just as the prattle of a man's first-born seems to him to be the most astonishing eloquence to which he ever listened, so do the buildings, the improvements and the enterprises of a new town seem, to those who have brought about these achievements, to be extraordinary. "This sentiment is something that is exceedingly healthy. It gives self- respect, pride of the right sort, strength of character, firmness and con- NEBEASKA. 45 fidence to the men and women who live in such a community. They acquire a sort of honest aristocracy, and rightly count themselves among the 'best people.' And they are such. They are creators. They are a force. They have produced. And their production has been nothing per- functory. It has been idealized. For it is not alone their dollars which have been invested. It is their brains, their sentiment, the utmost earnest- ness of their hearts. They have overcome difficulties. They have tri- umphed over their longing for an easier life. They have forced themselves, in spite of their wrestle with material affairs to attend also to intellectual ones. They have not made mere shelters for their children and structures to accommodate their trade, but they have put libraries and drawing- rooms, and the spirit that goes with these things, into their homes, and the true energy and commercial courage that goes to the making of true merchants, into their stores. "Over at the east of Norfolk stands a mill — a flour and feed mill — owned by a pleasant man who bears the euphonious name of Birchard Bridge. Twenty years ago a mill stood on the same site. And that was the begin- ning of Norfolk. During all that time the little river has turned awheel there, and as it turned, around about have gone up buildings, homes, stores, churches, school-houses — until now the town has 3,000 inhabitants and a local pride and social grace that seem incredible when one considers the age of the town ; and which could not possibly have been acquired in so short a time anywhere else on the globe except here in the western part of our continent. A BEAUTIFUL SITE. "The prairie rolls a little around about Norfolk, and thus the tedious monotony that so often oppresses one in Nebraska is relieved. Trees have been planted by nearly every property owner. The streets are naturally good — better than the paving on many streets I wot of. There is a^high school building of good design and hygienic merit. There are several other schools and a demand for more. The business street has several new brick blocks of excellent appearance, and on the residence streets are many most attractive homes, some of which represent a large sum of money, and some of which do not. There is an excellent little daily and two weekly papers. And the town has a water supply, a sewer- age system and electric lights. "Then there's the beet sugar factory. It stands about a mile from the town and presents the tidiest appearance imaginable. It is about eighteen months since it was opened, and it has run with increasing success and now has prospects for a still more successful year. Last summer the factory rap abcftit sixty days and turned out 17,184 sacks of sugar, each sack containing 100 pounds. And there are now 12,000,000 pounds of syrup stored in tanks against next year's product. Fifty per cent more beets were worked the last year than the first one, and it is safe to say that the proportion of increase will be as great for the coming summer. 46 NEBRASKA. "The company raised 1,000 acres of beets themselves last summer and will increase their acreage to about 1,500 for the coming summer ; and from 800 to 1,000 work-people will find employment in the fields and factory, which will give an idea of the magnitude of this young industry. "The personnel of the Norfolk factory is as follows: Henry F. Oxnard, president; James G. Oxnard, vice-president; James G. Hamilton, secre- tary; Henry S. Adams, manager; Fr. Weitzer, superintendent of agricul- ture; M. Duelle, director, and Charles G. Steele, M. Williamson, J. H. Brown, F. L. Steele and B. K. Keepe, heads of departments, business men and assistants. "As the Norfolk factory was bu?lt after the one at Grand Island, it has the benefits of any little improvements that might have been suggested by experience, but to the casual eye, the factories appear to be twins. The ground around Norfolk is adapted to beet raising to an extraordinary degree, and the farmers appear to be taking up with it with increasing enthusiasm. This year no orders are being solicited, yet applications for contracts are steadily coming in, and there is every prospect of a very brisk year. "The following shows something of the success of farmers who have had experience in beet raising during the last year. It represents a good aver- age, and is in no way exceptional : Tons per Amount Name and Address. Acres. Tons. Acre. Amount, per Acre. (i. Brummond, Norfolk 3 56.3 18.7 $ 211.08 $80.36 I i. A. Lunde, Newman Grove 2 36.<) 18.4 158.96 79.48 Ifiis. Nelson, Humphrey 3 42.9 U.3 217.13 72.37 I' Kristenson, South Omaha 1 13.7 13.7 68.17 68.17 William Dommer, Norfolk 5 73.8 14.7 330.89 66.88 H. Wachter, Norfolk 5 71.5 14.4 321.74 64 35 F. Ilaase, Norfolk 10 146.0 14.6 637.73 63.77 T,. Wachter, Norfolk 3 41.9 13.9 187.47 62.49 Fred Hans, Stanton 3 41.8 13.6 169.00 56.33 (;. Scheer.Creighton 2 19.7 9.9 98.50 49.25 Berger Bros. & Warnfeldt, Norfolk 24 307.1 12.7 1,391.24 57.96 W. R. Artman, West Point 25 280.7 11.2 1,224.04 48.96 L. Bourne, Norfolk 20 259.2 12.9 1,111.43 55.57 "The transformation of a dirt-covered beet into many thousand white and glistening granules of sugar is an interesting and remarkable process —it is a thing of such fine ingenuity, such nice adjustments and such accu- rate tests. The sugar turned out by the Nebraska sugar beet factories ranks with the best granulated sugar made. And it may be mentioned that the brown sugars made from the beet are not pleasant to the taste, being salty and heavy and having a sort of vegetable odor. "When the farmer drives up with his load of beets they are, of course, weighed before they are put in the storage sheds. When they are wanted NEBRASKA. 47 they are dropped into a shallow channel, in which there is running water, and are thus conveyed to the factory and lifted ingeniously on an elevating wheel and dropped into a washer, where rotary paddles clean them and hustle them to one end, where a bucket elevator displays something very much akin to brains in picking them up and carrying them to the very top of the building. TRANSFORMATION OF THE BEET. "Here an automatic weigher, which is used by the French government and which serves all the purposes of a government inspector, since it refuses to open its mouth until it has received a certain amount in its gullet, then it makes registry of the fact and drops the beets out of the machine into a cutting machine, full of jagged knives, where the beets are converted into cossettes, or little slices, no bigger than an eighth of an inch thick. Down drop the little cossettes, then, into the diffuser. Here hot water goes over them fourteen times. There are fourteen vats, by the way, and fourteen heaters. And the water runs from one to another, beginning at 190 degrees Fahrenheit and ending with water at its natural temperature as it comes out of the ground. It takes an hour and a half of this work to get this sweetness out of the beet — a literal case of sweetness long drawn out. There's one thing certain, there is very little saccharine substance left in the beet when the diffusers are through with it. NOTHING IS WASTED. "The pulp is not wasted, but is taken by a screw and put in presses which take the water out of it, and is then used for fodder. And this is counted very nutritive. "The juice meanwhile is sent to the mixers, and here it receives what is called 'milk of lime.' This is used to clarify the juice, which at this period is exceedingly thin and light. Then the juice is sent to a heater, leaving its precipitation of organic matter behind it, and is then put in the great carbonation tanks. In these the excess of lime is precip- itated by carbonic acid gas, and the foam is so great that it must occupy six times as much space as does the liquid itself. After having gone through the large carbonation tanks, a very small amount of lime is again inserted, and taken out in a series of small carbonation tanks. During all the process of carbonation, the juice is being heated by steam. This, in the words of Mr. Brysselbout, 'coagulates albuminous matter and perfects purification.' A WONDERFUL PROCESS, "Next the mfxture of juice and lime mud goes through the filter presses — wonderful presses clamped together by hydraulic pressure, and with an interior astonishingly complex and extensive. After this the syrup loses its Ethiopian hue, and becomes the color of a fine light beer. After the 48 NEBRASKA. mechanical filtration has taken place, and all the sediment and heavy coloring matter is left behind on the cloths and screens of the presses, the juice is sent through a 'quadruple effect,' otherwise four boilers, which operate together, the exhaust steam of one going to another and a vacuum finallj^ being created in the last one. Here the juice cooka until it is thick, and again it goes through the process of filtration. This is subjected to its last boiling in a vacuum pan and here the "filmass" is formed — that is to say a part of the syrup crystallizes into sugar, while a part of it remains thick syrup. All this is dropped into a mixer and kept constantly in motion. TAKING OFF THE SYRUP. "It is necessary, of course, to remove this syrup. So the filmass is taken in little wagons to a centrifugal machine, which keeps up a merry motion of 1,200 revolutions each minute, and which are lined inside with brass wire cloth and perforated brass sheets. The syrup is sent flying through these little holes. The sugar stays in the machines, where it is washed with steam and water. "Then clever screws and elevators whisk the sugar up to a granulator— which is a huge revolving cylinder with a steam-heated drum inside. At the end of this is a blower, which sends a draft through the cylinder to dry the sugar. At the other end is a screen which separates the different sized granules— in other words, the different grades of sugar. "The filmass meanwhile, like the souls in purgatory, is consigned to a place of waiting. And it must be boiled again before it can enter into the joy that awaits shining granulated sugar — that of being eaten. "Eighteen hours is all that it takes to make a beet into sugar — not much time considering the transformation." MINERAL RESOURCES. Nebraska is pre-eminently an agricultural State, and her wealth is in her soil rather than in her minerals. As the bed rocks are all sedimentary instead of primitive or eruptive, mineral deposits are few, as compared with her mountainous neighbors. GOLD. However, grains of gold occur in the sands of the Platte, carried there from gold-bearing regions farther west. The occurrence of gold is a fact of interest to the mineralogist rather than to the economist, for though it is found, it is not in paying quantities. NEBRASKA. 49 Iron pyrites, or "fool's gold," which is such an omnipresent mineral, is very commonly met with, and naturally enough, from its beautiful gold- like color, many think they have discovered ore of great value, and send packages of it to the State University for determination. If the dis- coverers would simply pound the " fool's gold " with a hammer, they would find that it is not malleable like gold, but crumbles. Or, if they would roast it on the top of a hot stove, sulphur would be driven off, and a bit of blackish iron left instead of gold. Glistening grains of mica having a metallic lustre, deceive many citizens of the State. They are not particles of silver, as a few strokes of the hammer will show. COPPER. Native copper is reported as occurring in Cherry county, in the form of flattened grains, but not in deposits of any economic importance. IRON. Iron occurs, particularly in the Dakota cretaceous, in the form of limo- nite, the yellow oxide of iron, but not in deposits of any economic impor- tance, inasmuch as it is but two or three inches thick. Besides, no natural fuel with which to work the iron is associated with it. OCHRE. However, iron, in the form of ochre, is abundant enough to produce that valuable, yet cheap, paint, in sufficient quantities to supply the world. It occurs in many counties south of the Platte, and from Plattsmouth down the Missouri, there are immense deposits of ochre of good quality. Some beds are of considerable extent and are four or five feet thick. This mineral paint occurs, also, along the Republican river. In color it varies from dull red to brown and from dark yellow to light yellow. At Indianola, in Red Willow county, the ochre deposit is very thick and extensive, and of a peculiarly fine quality. A considerable industry has sprung up here, and an ochre mill is turn- ing out large quantities of paint. The ochre is noticeably homogeneous and free from grit, so that only very simple, and but few operations are necessary to prepare this natural deposit for use as paint. 50 NEBRASKA. LEAD AND ZINC. Lead, in the form of galenite (lead and sulphur), and zinc, in the form known as black jack or sphalerite (zinc and sulphur), are known to occur in the State, but so sparingly as to interest the mineralogist rather than the manufacturer. PHOSPHATE. The same is true of a newly discovered bed of phosphate of iron or natural Prussian blue, in Franklin county, which occurs as bright blue and as yellow nodules, which school children ground up to make bright colored inks, thus leading to the discovery of the beds. MAGNESIA. An interesting deposit of magnesia, in the form of silicate of magnesia or meerschaum, has also been brought to light during the year. COAL. The most important mineral deposit in the State is the coal bed already discussed. While no coal is exported from the State as yet, the fact that citizens in the State where such beds occur can avail themselves of cheaj) fuel, makes it a bed of interest economically, as well as geologically. The mines have been worked so far by farmers almost entirely, who get a fair grade of coal for digging it. The output to date amounts to about 1,500 tons annually, valued at three or four dollars per ton. PEAT. In connection with the coal beds, which once were extensive peat swamps themselves, come the peat beds, to which the State must turn sooner or later for fuel. There are peat bogs along almost all the rivers throughout the State, and the amount of fuel of good quality stored away and undeveloped, is of very great importance. As to quality, it is considered excellent; and as to quantity, there can be no doubt that it is widely distributed. It is said that in some parts of the State there is scarcely a township without a peat bog or so. Hayden NEBRASKA. 51 was one of the first writers to urge on thie people the recognition of the extent and usefulness of these peat deposits. However, his words as yet have availed little, because of the excellent coal which is shipped at a reasonable price from Iowa, Missouri and Colorado. In spite of this it is still to be wondered at that the matter has received so little serious atten- tion. As a matter of practical experience, peat is an economical and valuable fuel, and the expense incurred in getting it is small. To prepare it for use as fuel, it is cut into blocks of convenient size and dried. However, mills like those used in compressing slack into cakes are employed to harden peat into bricks. The results are very encouraging and promise valuable returns when people come to a realization of the value of such deposits. One peat swamp in Logan county is reported to be about six miles in length, of variable width and of a depth exceeding fifteen feet. Here, then, in one county alone bordering the Platte valley, is stored away for future consumption, combustible matter enough to supply the citizens of that region with cheap fuel for many years to come, when once it is under- stood and developed. In Seward county, on the Blue river, occur peat beds as good and almost as extensive. The chief tools in the development of peat bogs are the spade and the shovel. The blocks of peat, when cut, are piled away like wood in the shed. The process is as simple as cutting wood. Our peat deposits are entirely unappreciated and undeveloped. CLAYS. But in connection with coal and peat, clays are an almost necessary associate, for nothing is much more impervious than a stratum of clay. So a depression lined with clay holds water and becomes a lake or peat bog. The underlying and sometimes the overlying clays of coal seams are usually fire clays, useful in making bricks and tiles for fire-places, grates, stoves and furnaces, and for other uses where great heat must be with- stood. Fire clays are quite abundant and in widely separated regions in the State. Brick and tile clays of good quality are found everywhere, particularly along the southern and eastern parts, and, as ,the country develops and the demand for this product constantly increases, new clay beds must be added to those already known, until many flourishing industries are])uilt up. These deposits are already very extensively worked. 52 NEBRASKA. POTTERS' CLAY. Several beds of potters' clay along the Missouri river are worked, and one in Cass county, on the Platte, is quite extensive. MARL. Marls are clays so rich in lime and other minerals beneficial to crops that marl soils are counted very productive. They are often used as fer- tilizers where the soil is naturally poor. When full of fresh water shells they are known as shell marls. It is a superabundance of these marls that gives the soil of the State its reputation for fertility. The Tertiary formation, which occupies two-thirds of the State, is char- acterized by these deposits, and if we reckon in the loess also, then we have an almost universal deposit. Marl beds are very abundant in Western Nebraska, also along the Republican and its tributaries, varying in thick- ness from five feet to ten feet, and in color from green to yellow and gray. But it occurs not only in Southern Nebraska, but along the Niobrara as well— in short, pretty generally throughout the State— and exercises a very telling influence on the soil. SALT. It seems to have been a mooted question whether the numerous salt wells, creeks and marshes, especially of Lancaster county, were to be accounted gains or losses to the cQfnmunity, inasmuch as many acres are given over wholly to them. In the case of the salt marshes in Lincoln, some six hundred acres in one patch are considered waste land because of the innumerable saline springs which rise to feed Salt creek. However, a very practical test of its value. is being made. If the busy people whose time or means will not suffer them to depart to health resorts in the heated season, continue to show their appreciation of the Lincoln Salt Lake as they have done, there can be no doubt of the useful part these salt springs are to play in the community. A large artificial lake some two miles long, and about a mile wide, has been made, with a suitable sand beach for bathers. Boat houses and pavilions have been erected, pleasure boats, sail boats and a small steamer are at the ser- vice of the pleasure-seekers. If it is any criterion, then ihe thousands who availed themselves of the refreshing spot for the sake of change, recreation or sport, show undeni- ably that the salt springs and marshes are to prove blessings to the people of the region. So forcibly have the beneficial influences of this salt lake been borne in on the people, that a large and pretentious sanitarium has been built in Lincoln, to be supplied with salt water from an artesian well. NEBRASKA. 53 Numerous salt wells are reported south of the Platte, and as far west as Hastings at least ; brine being generally encountered in boring for fresh water. GYPSUM Gypsum, or lime sulphate, is found throughout the State in the form of clear crystals (selenite) so soft that they can be scratched with the finger nail. However, it is lime in the form of lime carbonate that is of high commercial importance to the State, for under this head comes the LIMESTONES. On these we depend for our building stones and for the lime with which to make our mortar, our side walls and ceilings. Some of the Nebraska limestones, especially certain outcrops in Otoe county, are sufficiently fine grained to have received the name Litho- graphic Limestone. However, it must not be inferred from the name that this is a stone like the fine Solenhofen limestone of Bavaria, used for lithographic purposes throughout the world. Notwithstanding its name, it is probably of no consequence as a stone for engraving purposes, but may be a valuable building stone. Limestones occur throughout the State, but in the central and western parts the bed rocks are covered so deeply with surface material or superficial deposits, as already described, that they are not known to exist, and are not used by the people. Limestones are found particularly in Southeastern Nebraska, or the carboniferous corner of the State, and along the Missouri, the Platte, Blue and Republican rivers. Some of the limestones are compact and fine grained, others coarse and spongy. Some soft like chalk, others again so mixed with silicious matter as to be rather hard and flinty, others so highly fossiliferous that they look like petrified oyster beds. All these varieties have been put to some good use, either for architect- ural or foundation purposes. Nearly all the eastern limestones, from the Platte river down and as far west as the Blue at least, are marked by rice- grains (fusulina) or by the hollow places they once filled. This may be called rice limestone or fusulina limestone. They are valuable for building purposes, the fusulina shells or impressions doing them no harm. One quarry of such limestone at La Platte furnished the stone of which the post office and court house at Lincoln are built. These buildings are handsome and very substantial looking structures, and are admired largely because of the excellent effect produced by the fine light gray limestone of which they are built. 54 NEBRASKA. Quarries near the State Fish Hatcheries, at South Bend, on the Platte, yield a stone that is counted even finer. Stone from this quarry has been used in the building of the State Capitol. Similar quarries are opened both on the south and north banks of the Platte. TIMBER. The amount of timber actually found in Nebraska— a State pronounced by strangers, a treeless prairie — is a gratifying surprise. With such varia- tions of altitude as there are in the State, one must expect to find a cor- responding variation among forest trees. Some kinds of timber are common the State over, others are confined entirely to the lower altitudes or eastern parts, and others to the higher altitudes or Western Nebraska. The timber exhibit at the World's Fair enlightened many as to the size and extent of native trees in Nebraska. Black walnuts, five and one-half feet in diameter, have been cut. Poplars far larger, and elms and oaks are also known, and pines of great size are common. These are cut into timber for various uses, and besides, supply an immense amount of fuel. The yellow pine or bull pine, occurs in Northwestern Nebraska, as well as in the central portion of the State. Red cedar grows throughout the State. White oak and post oak, yellow oak and low yellow oak, scarlet, scrub and black oaks, are confined to the carboniferous or southeastern corner of the State, but burr oak covers the eastern half, from north to south, while red oak covers the eastern fourth of the State. Iron-wood is found along the Missouri and Niobrara. Butternuts are restricted to the southeastern counties, while black walnuts cover the eastern third of the State, and many grow along the southern tier of counties. Hickory trees are represented by the shell-bark, big hickory nut, mocker- nut, pig-nut and bitter hickory. The hickories grow particularly to the east and south of the Platte. Willows are numerous and are represented by the black willow, almond willow, shining willow, beaked willow, prairie willow, dwarf willow, dia- mond willow and the sand-bar willow. The last named occurs throughout the State. Cottonwoods, which are the largest trees of the State, many being reported with diameters varying from five to six feet through. The cot- tonwood is a valuable native tree, which grows with great rapidity, and deserves the attention of all who wish to improve their lands by planting trees. It grows the whole State over ; so does the white elm. NEBRASKA. 55 The white elm (also called water elm, swamp elm and rock elm), is destined here, as in the east, to become a very popular shade tree, and as it is adapted naturally to the State, its cultivation cannot be too zealously encouraged. Red elms grow in the eastern fourth of the State. The hackberry, red mulberry and " sycamore " are also found. The silver maple or soft maple (not to be confounded with the red maple) , grows in the eastern third of the State, but the ash-leafed maple or box elder, is universally distributed, and is planted very extensively for shade, and for " tree claims." Three varieties of native grapes occur ; the summer, frost and early wild grape. Prickly and smooth gooseberries, wild, red, black and golden cur- rants are among the native small fruits. Wild plums grow everywhere. Among the native cherries are sand, choke, dwarf wild, and black cherries. With these may be enumerated wild crab apples, hawthorne, service berries, and elders and pawpaws. The red bud, Kentucky coffee tree and honey locust grow in the south- eastern counties. Both the green ash and red ash flourish over the State. Besides tliese there are shrubs and climbing vines. Sixty-two trees and sixty-nine shrubs belong to the State. Along the northern part of the State some one hundred and twenty-one woody plants are known ; along the southern part, one hundred and thirty-three. THE FAUNA OF NEBRASKA. Valuable game and fur-bearing mammals, as well as birds, live, or used to live, in the State which was once the " empire of the buffalo." This valuable animal, however, was so quickly and wantonly destroyed that there is not even a skeleton or a stuffed skin in the State museum, to repre- sent even the valuable herds that once pastured on her broad prairies. But the " buffalo," or correctly speaking, the American bison, is gone, save a few in domestication. So, also, the elk, formerly so abundant. The prong-horned antelope is driven to a remote corner of the State and is on the verge of extermination. So it is with the Virginia deer, white-tailed deer, the mule deer, and the black-tailed deer. Bears have always occurred sparingly in the State, even when first settled. There are two raccoons, the common and the black-footed. Among the cats are the mountain lion, wild-cat and Canada lynx. There are opossums, moles, shrews, hares, rats, mice, musk-rats, beavers, wood-chucks, prairie dogs, gophers, striped squirrels, chipmunks and flying squirrels, American badger, skunk, otter, wolverine, ferret, mink, weasel, sable, swifts, foxes, coyotes, wolves and bats. 56 NEBRASKA Some eighty-five mammals are recorded for Nebraska, exclusive of the mastodon, primitive elephant and many fossil mammals found here. The fish hatcheries, at South Bend, are doing valuable work in stocking ponds and rivers with good fish. Of the shell-fish there are immense num- bers of clams or mussels, in all the streams and ponds. The number of birds recorded are some two hundred and fifty, among which are eagles, hawks, songsters and game birds. Ducks and geese are well represented, and sportsmen still find large numbers of these water fowls, especially along the Platte. While the wild pigeon and wild turkey are exterminated, yet grouse, prairie chicken and quail are very abundant. Plovers, snipe and rail are common and furnish excellent shooting for the sportsman. There are some ten or twelve turtles, five or six lizards, twenty-five snakes, a lai'ge number of frogs, toads and salamanders. Of fishes, many varieties are already known, although they have n«ver been properly studied. CLIMATE AND HEALTH. It is not by personal impressions, but by actual figures, that the climatic conditions of a region are decided. Accordingly certain tables are appended here which may throw some light on the climate of the State, and will make comparison of this with other climates possible. The following table gives the mean and average climatic conditions for the twelve months of the year : January 18.4 28.2 February 23.9 25.1 March 35.7 21.5 April 51.8 4.8 May 61.3 1.2 June 70.6 July 75.7 August 73.4 September 64.7 October 52.2 5.6 November 36.3 19.7 December 25.8 25.3 The above table is made up m 0^ S Q^ t) o 6.7 1.06 6.5 4.4 6.1 13.7 6.1 .85 5.6 4.0 5.8 11.8 0.7 1.36 6.9 5.0 7.0 12.4 2.70 7.0 7.0 11.3 4.26 9.0 7.3 11.2 4.97 8.7 4.7 11.6 4.54 8.0 4.0 14.1 3.39 6.6 4.9 15.3 2.39 5.5 5.0 15.3 2.11 4.9 7.0 15.2 0.93 2.7 2.7 5.6 15.3 3 .8 0.75 4.0 4.6 8.4 11.3 of averages based on observations made NEBRASKA. 67 .a 1 1 f-* to D, 3^ ..-1 3 1 a w 1 3 03 OQ 1878. ..51.4 117.9 18.2 97 — 8 29.29 16.0 53.1 50.8 185.5 1879. ..49.4 135.8 22.2 97 —17 28.74 17.1 61.7 43.4 174.9 1880. ..49.7 140.4 14.3 97 —26 25.29 14.9 53.3 52.2 188.7 1881. ..49.3 140.6 16.6 100 —32 35.79 43.5 73.2 69.5 141.0 1882. ..56.0 131.6 8.0 99 —15 27.13 19.4 66.8 62.6 158.5 1883. ..47.6 131.8 15.5 99 —28 35.79 21.5 89.2 75.5 148.9 1884., ..47.8 136.0 29.5 97 —32 29.50 23.3 80.0 81.1 140.3 1885., ..46.8 142.9 29.4 98 -27 29.24 20.3 76.4 70.6 167.5 1886., ..48.0 146.0 25.7 102 —25 28.32 61.1 87.4 70.1 166.4 1887., ..48.4 137.8 28.6 103 —30 22.95 26.4 73.1 79.6 145.9 1888., ..48.3 132.0 32.1 105 —35 27.55 15.3 77.8 77.6 140.6 1889., ..50.6 112.2 5.1 111 —27 30.14 13.3 67.2 98.5 153.1 1890., ,.50.7 132.8 13.7 112 —34 21.81 19.5 59.8 89.5 168.0 1891., ..49.6 126.2 7.6 110 -|8 38.57 35.9 79.5 99.5 147.1 Mean 49.2 133.1 19.0 29.26 25.4 71.3 72.9 158.9 HEALTHFULNESS OF NEBRASKA. The claim to longevity which the State has set up from the outset, may seem to emanate entirely from the undue enthusiasm of successful citizens. In sifting the evidence one must find, however, that these claims have their foundation on fact, and that they are reasonable and true, and are exaggerated but little, if at all. Nowhere in the State can be found cause for disease. The one fundamental idea of diseases in modern times is the germ theory. Yet we do not find these germs in dry, pure atmosphere and high altitudes. Ranchmen, cowboys and soldiers can answer this in part at least, by one important fact. Meat in Nebraska, even when exposed without protection to the summer heat tends to dry into a hard, black mass without decomposition. With the same treatment in an atmosphere less free from germs, the piece of meat would become a hotbed for the bacterium turmo and all the other bacteria of fermentation and putrefaction. In respect to purity, the air of the State vies with that of its next neigh- bor, Colorado. Malaria and pulmonary diseases are not known. There is no burning with fevers or chattering with chills or wasting away by consumption, for the very seat of such distressing maladies is entirely removed. 58 NEBRASKA. There are no noxious exhalations from moulding or decaying matter, for in all climates where the air is so free from humidity, the capacity for moisture is so great that evaporation goes on so rapidly that matter dries up without mould or decay. There are no stagnant marshes, swamps, bogs and sloughs to give off the bad air and poisonous gases which plant the germ of agues and fevers in the blood. Neither do man and beast drink from stagnant pools. Instead, the marshes are dried up and the water is drawn from deep wells after filtering through many feet of fine sand and clay. The very seat of diseases is removed, and when men are stricken with fever, the cause can be traced directly to poor sanitary conditions of his premises, or to other purely local causes. Many who have contracted fatal pulmonary troubles or show hereditary tendencies to such diseases often flee for safety, when too late, to Nebraska, as to Colorado. Nebraska's claim to entire freedom from all tendencies to consumption and other pulmonary afflictions is often met by the rejoinder that it is too young a State for any of its native-born citizens to die of such ailments. The truth is that there is no tendency here to such afflictions. There is no spot on earth free from diseases, yet here they are reduced to a minimum. The statement that the dry atmosphere and high altitude of the State, while so conducive to longevity and health in general, tend to nervous complaints, is unfounded, and remains to be proved. The air is in constant motion, renewing the supply, and ever mingling with the general current and dissipating any poisonous airs that may arise from any cause. The marvelous purity of the western air is particularly noticeable tt the eastern travelers, who find themselves entirely unable to judge distances. They are used to seeing a sort of haze or atmosphere over distant objects, and the more haze the greater the distance. The thick atmosphere becomes a standard of measure by which the eastern people size up distance. These same people coming into our entirely clear air, completely misjudge distance. Lofty castellated buttes six to ten miles distant seem right at hand, and many an eastern visitor, allured by the beauty of the scene, undertakes an early morning stroll to the top of these magnificent ruins. He generally returns from his half-mile stroll shortly after dinner, having breakfasted on fifteen or twenty miles of the purest air that comes to broaden any man's experience. Not yet accustomed to the clear air, sportsmen often misjudge the distance of game and very commonly shoot under it, falling far short of the mark. NEBRASKA. 59 Artists who would linger among these enchanting ruins, find no haze (save occasionally in Indian summer) , or atmosphere, and their paintings are flat and unsatisfactory, and filled with too much distant detail, since the eye can easily see objects twenty, thirty, and even forty milea distant. THE UNION PACIFIC SYSTEM. But a description of the growth and progress of the State is incomplete without mention of at least one railroad which has been largely instru- mental in the marvelous growth and development of the State. The first road to enter Nebraska was the Union Pacific, which was char- tered in 1862. Work was begun in Omaha the following year, and forty miles of road were completed by 1865. Within five more years 705 miles of road were constructed and operated in the State, and this increase continued, until now, in 1893, there are over nine thousand miles of Union Pacific lines, rail and water, in operation over the entire system. This is tabulated below, to show still better the part this road has taken in enabling the commonwealth to double and quadruple as it has done. The mileage of the Nebraska Division of the Union Pacific is as follows : NEBRASKA DIVISION. Union Pacific Railway — Miles. Council Bluffs to Cheyenne 520.2 Omaha & Republican Valley Railway — Valley to Manhattan 190.0 Valparaiso to Stromsburg 52.9 Columbus to Sioux City 126.1 Columbus to David City 18.6 Oconee to Albion 33.8 Genoa to Cedar Rapids 30.3 Grand Island toOrd 61.8 St. Paul to Loup City 39.0 Boelus to Pleasanton 22.1 Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf Railway — Julesburg to LaSalle 150.9 Tot£d Nebraska Division 1,245.7 Throughout the State there is already one mile of railroad to every fourteen square miles. The total mileage of railways in the State of Nebraska is 5,406 miles. 60 NEBRASKA THE UNION PACIFIC IN NEBRASKA. The important part played by the Union Pacific in the development of the State of Nebraska cannot be estimated by any array of figures. The construction of the road, its rise and triumphs, are a part of the history of the State, and the record of the prosperity of the road also witnesses the growth and increasing wealth of this grand young commonwealth. Since that memorable day in July, 1865, when the first rail was laid, the Union Pacific has been a strong friend and helper to the State. To-day, the Nebraska Division of the road covers 1,245 miles of track — that is, the main line, branches, and auxiliaries. Vast regions of fertile country have thu? been opened up to settlers, and great areas of land brought by rail into close communion with the metropolitan centers and markets. Thriving cities, villages, towns, and hamlets, have sprung up in every section traversed by the line ; the State in twenty -three years has grown from 122,000 to over one million and a quarter inhabitants, and with a hundred- fold increase in all the many-sided phases of commercial, material, and intel- lectual prosperity. There are but few examples of surprising growth equal to Nebraska. The population in 1855 was 4,494 ; in 1860, 28,841 ; in 1870, 122,993; in 1875, 257,280; in 1880, 452,402; in 1885, 740,645, and in 1890, the United States census gave 1,056,793. The crop yield of 1884 was of enormous magnitude: corn, 160,000,000 bushels; wheat, 48,000,000; oats, 31,000,000; barley, 18,000,000; rye, 20,000,000, and in succeeding years the crops have averaged the same generous proportions. Since the first settlement in 1854, there have been planted with forest trees in Nebraska, 248,000 acres, or over six hundred million trees, all of which are in a pros- perous condition. The assessed valuation of the State is over $200,000,000; tliere are 120,000 farms under cultivation, and 100,000 owners; and there are 600,000 acres of improved land in Nebraska. The beginning of this prosperity, this wonderful growth and progress, dates from the inception of the Union Pacific Railway. The history of the Union Pacific Road in full would require a volume for the story, and in the brief space at our command we can only outline a few of the salient features of this great system. Everyone knows some- thing of its early history, how its construction was demonstrated to be a necessity as a war measure ; the great achievement of the engineers who had it in charge, and the wonderful story of the patient heroic effort which finally surmounted all obstacles and triumphed over all obstructions. For the building of a great railway develops incidents as startling and romantic as can be found in the recorded pages of history. The growth of the United States west of the Alleghanies, during the past fifty years, is due not so much to free institutions or climate, or the fertility of the soil, as to railways. If the institutions and climate and soil had not been favor- able to the development of commonwealths, railways would not have been constructed ; but if railways had not been invented, the freedom and NEBRASKA. 61 natural advantages of our Western States would have beckoned to human immigration and industry in vain. Civilization would have crept slowly on in a toilsome march over the immense spaces that lie between the Appalachian ranges and the Pacific Ocean ; and what we now style the Great West would be, except in the Valley of the Mississippi, an unknown and unproductive wilderness. Like many other great truths, this is so well known to the older portions of our commonwealth that they have forgotten it ; and the younger por- tions do not comprehend or appreciate it. Men are so constituted that they use existing advantages as if they had always existed and were matters of course. The world went without friction matches during uncounted thousands of years, but people light fires to-day without a thought as to the marvelous chemistry of the little instrument that is of such inestimable value and yet remained so long unknown. The youngster of to-day steps into a luxurious coach at New York, Philadelphia, or Chicago, eats, sleeps, surveys romantic scenery from the window, during a few days, and alights in Portland or San Francisco without any just appre- ciation of the fact that a few decades since it would have required weeks of toilsome travel to go over the same ground, during which he would have run the risks of starvation, of being lost in the wilderness, plundered by robbers, or killed by savages. But increased facilities of travel are among the smaller benefits conferred by the railway. The most beneficent func- tion of the railway is that of a carrier of freight. What would it cost for a man to carry a ton of wheat one mile? What would it cost for a horse to do the same? The railway does it at a cost of less than a cent. This brings Nebraska, Colorado, Dakota and Minnesota into direct relation with hungry and opulent Liverpool, and makes subsistence easier and cheaper throughout the civilized world. The world should therefore thank the rail- way for the opportunity to buy wheat ; but none the less should the West thank the railway for the opportunity to sell wheat. No fact among all the great politico-economical facts that have illus- trated the world's history since history began to be written is so full of human interest or deals with such masses of mankind as the growth of the interior United States since the railway opened to the seaboard these immense solitudes. Within fifty years over thirty millions of people have been transplanted to or produced upon vast regions of hitherto uninhabited and comparatively unknown territory, where they are now living in comfort and affluence and enjoying a degree of civilization second to none in the world, and greatly superior to any that is known in Europe outside of the capitals. This could not have happened had it not been for the railway; and as a helper in developing this great area, the Union Pacific has been a very potent factor. 62 NEBRASKA TABULATED STATISTICS. Showino the Growth op Towns and Cities Agricultural Products of the State. AND the More Important Towns and Cities. Counties. 1890. Omaha Douglas 140,452 Lincoln Lancaster 55,154 Beatrice Gage 13,836 Hastings Adams 13,584 Nebraska City , Otoe 11,494 Plattsmouth Cass 8,392 Kearney Buffalo 8,074 South Omaha Douglas 8,062 Grand Island Hall 7,536 Fremont Dodge 6,747 York York 3,405 Columbus Platte 3,134 North Platte Lincoln 3,055 Norfolk Madison 3,038 Fairbury Jefferson 2,630 Holdrege Phelps 2,601 isso. Number of Increase. Percent of Increase. 30,518 109,934 360.23 13,003 42,151 324.16 2,447 11,389 465.43 2,817 10,767 382.22 4,183 7,311 174.78 4,175 4,217 101.01 1,782 6,292 8,062 4,573 353.09 2,963 154.34 3,013 3,734 123.93 1,259 2,146 170.45 2,113 1,003 47.07 363 2,692 741.60 547 2,491 455.39 1,251 1,379 2,601 110.23 Crops and Agricultural Products 1891. Nnmher of acres cultivated. State. Wheat. Corn. Oats. Barley. Meadow. Flax. Rye. Millet. Broom Corn. Hemp. 1891 1,223,787 1,026,821 4,538,009 4,317,682 1,420,907 1,603,189 147,942 174,739 883,451 927,725 238,198 613,827 110,741 148,035 54,746 20,170 1 113 1890 Increase.. 196,966 220,322 i i Number of Real Estate— Lands. State. Fruit Trees. Forest Trees. Grape Vines. Improved. Unimproved. Acres. Value. Av. Acres. Value. Av. 1891 1890 4,246,715 5,455,083 712,091,445 186,270,436 1,188,931 1,808,932 12,056,219 11,719,359 »47,026,378 45,603,415 S3 82 3 89 14,206,540 14,228,821 830,040,157 30,347,400 82 09 2 13 Increase 336,860 $1,422,963 NEBRASKA, 63 LIVE STOCK. Horses. Mules and Asses. Cattle. State. No. Value. Av. No. Value. Av. No. Value. Av. 1891 609,036 585,089 $8,294,585 9,145,456 «13 77 15 63 40,447 47,099 8711,594 828,584 816 Ol! 1,699,854 86,379,358 17 59 1,677,063 7,041,292 83 73 1890 4 19 Increase- 23,947 22,791 State. Sheep. Hogs. Assessed Value of Assessed Property. No. Value. Av. No. Value. Av. 1891 162,641 178,586 8120,634 100,870 80 66 56 1,633,839 1,805,897 81,168,981 1,821,539 80 71 1 00 8183,184,030 27 1890 APPLES SHIPPED 1891. County. Bushels. Richardson 226,998 Nemaha 560,100 Otoe 586,240 Cass .330,460 Washington 19,525 Saline 18,700 Saunders 3,000 Cuming 2,500 Johnson 18,664 Dodge 3,021 Pawnee 6,400 Environed by health and founded on stores of wealth, the young empire has added over six hundred thousand citizens to her common- wealth in ten years. That is an increase of one hundred and thirty four per cent. The next decade must show greater growth and mightier achievements than the past, for westward the course of progress takes its way, and more than ever must the Great East look up to and depend upon the Great West. 64 NEBRASKA. PUBLIC EDUCATION. THE SYSTEM. The following is an outline of the public school system in this State : ESTABLISHMENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Free instruction is provided in the common schools of this State for all persons between the ages of five and twenty -one years. Every organized county is divided into school districts, and each incor- porated city of more than fifteen hundred inhabitants constitutes one school district. MINIMUM LENGTH OF SCHOOL YEAR. The minimum length of the school year is three months. Unless otherwise specified, twenty days constitute one school month. PRESCRIBED STUDIES. In all schools supported by public money, or under State control, instruction must be given in Physiology and Hygiene, with special reference io the effects of alcoholic drinks and other stimulants and narcotics upon the human system. STATE SUPERVISION. The supervision of the schools of the State is vested in a State Superin- tendent of Public Instruction, elected biennially by the people. EDUCATION OF TEACHERS. For the purpose of training and instructing teachers, a State Normal School is established : and Normal Institutes, organized by the State Superintendent, and County Institutes, organized by the County Superin- tendents, are held. HIGHER EDUCATION. High Schools may be established in any district having more than one hundred and fifty children of school age. The State University is recognized by the State constitution, and provision is made for the management and general government of the same. NEBRASKA. 65 COUNTY SUPERVISION. In each organized county there is a County Superintendent, elected by the people for two years, who has general supervision of all county schools with the usual power to examine and license teachers. TEXT BOOKS. The district boards prescribe the course of study and text books for use in the schools ; and are required to purchase and furnish, free of cost to the pupils, the text books in use. LOCAL SUPERVISION. _ Each district has a school board of three members, elected for three years; but districts containing more than one hundred and fifty children of school age may elect a district board of six Trustees, to hold office for three years each ; two being elected annually. Women may vote at district school elections. TEACHERS. Teachers are employed by the school Trustees or by the Director of the district school board. No person is allowed to teach unless he is of good moral character and has a certificate from the County Superintendent or other person authoriz(>d to grant teachers' certificates, or has a diploma from the State Normal School, or from the State Normal School of another State, approved by the State Superintendent. There are three grades of certificates granted by the County Superin- tendent. Professional State -certificates are granted upon examination by the State Superintendent, or by a committee appointed by him. Graduates of colleges and universities of good standing who have received a first-grade certificate and have successfully taught in any high- school in the State three years, are entitled to a professional State certificate. LOCAL TAXATION. The voters of each school district determine at the annual meeting the tax to be levied for all school purposes, which shall not exceed twenty-five mills on the dollar in any one year. Ten mills of this may be used for the building, purchase or lease of the school house. 66 NEBRASKA. SCHOOLS IN CITIES. In incorporated cities of more than 1,500 inhabitants, public schools are under the direction of boards of education, of six, nine or fifteen members, according to the population ; elected on the general ticket for a term of three years; and one-third liable to change. The board elects annually a Superintendent of Public Instruction. Boards of education have entire control of the schools in cities. THE ENDOWMENT. The public schools of this State are supported : — First : From a local tax voted by the district voters at the annual district meeting and levied upon the property of the school district. Second: From the general State tax on the grand assessment roll of the State. Third: From the interest of the permanent school fund. Fourth : From the lease of school lands. Fifth: From the interest of unpaid principal of school lands sold. Sixth: From license from the sale of liquors, and from certain fines. The land grants made by the general government to the State, form the basis of the fund for the public schools, the State University and the Nor- mal School. The total amount of land so granted amounts to 2,880,870 acres, divided as follows : To the common school fund, 2,733,500 acres ; to the University fund, 45,426 acres; to the Agricultural College fund, 89,140 acres; to the Normal School fund, 12,804 acres. The amount of the permanent school fund at the close of 1892, which is invested in United States bonds, etc., is the sum of $2,525,872.35, with a further sum of cash in the treasury ^f $490,398.39, making a grand total of $3,016,270.74. There are at present 1,462,707.97 acres of school land under lease, pro- ducing an annual rental of $90,716.08, which, together with the annual interest on sale contracts of $239,170.11, and added interest on delinquents of $5,542.37, makes a total of $335,428.50 to be annually apportioned among the school districts of the State, in addition to the interest on the perma- nent school fund invested. NEBRASKA. 67 SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS. The following statistics concerning the public schools of the State will be of interest : Between the ages of five and twenty-one: — Males 176,326 Females 167,303 Total 343,629 Attended school during the year: — Males 130,083 Females 123,826 Total 253,909 Between eight and fourteen years 159,732 Attended school between eight and fourteen years 138,892 Eni-ollment under five years 872 Enrollment over twenty-one years 379 Enrollment between five and twenty-one years 252,658 Number of school houses : — Stone 39 Brick 320 Frame 5,759 Log 188 Total 6,306 Number of graded schools 316 Number of districts having six months school or more 4,731 Number of districts having four months school or more, but less than six months 660 Number of districts having three months school 745 Number of districts having no school 286 Average days school in all districts 135 Number of school houses well furnished with patent desks 5,161 Number of school houses built this year 205 Number of private schools 182 Number of districts owning text-books 4,698 Number of teachers actually necessary for county schools 7,877 Number of teachers enrolled in County Institutes 5,716 Total enrollment at Institutes 7,381 Total cost of Institutes, for all purposes $17,577.86 Addresses and lectures before Institutes 297 Teachers engaged in reading circle work 1,644 68 NEBRASKA THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA {Located at Lincoln) Is just as much a part of the public school system of the State as any high school in any community is a part of its system of public education. It is as though one had completed his work in the graded school and high school, having passed through the first, second, third, fourth and other grades, should look about him to see where he could find the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth grades ; and should be told that they are in Lincoln, and are called the State University. With every step in education it becomes more and more important to provide more liberally for instruction, apparatus, and the general equipment which has been found helpful in advancing sound thought and satisfactory investigation. Higher education is necessarily more expensive than that which is lower in form. This is why there are few graded schools compared with the rural or district schools ; why there are fewer high schools compared with graded schools ; and why there is but one University. The University of Nebraska has for its sources of revenue : First, The aid received from the United States. This comes by a grant of seventy-two sections of land for the support of the State University, by a grant of ninety thousand acres of land for the Industrial College for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanical arts, and by a special act creating the so-called Morril Fund, which makes an annual appropriation for instruc- tion in certain branches. Second, A fund is derived from a general tax of three-eighths of a mill upon each dollar of valuation on the assessment roll of the State. These resources enable the University to offer its privileges without charge, and this is why it is able to print in every circular and catalogue the M^ords TUITION IS FREE. The University i;onsists at present of three under-graduate departments or colleges, as follows : The Academic Collejje, including the general literar\^ work. The Industrial College, including the work in agriculture. The College of Law, admitting to practice at the bar. There are in operation in connection with these colleges, Prcparatorn Courses in which instruction is provided for students denied this oppor- tunity in the schools of their own neighborhood. NEBRASKA. 69 A School of Graduate Instruction, not yet fully organized, is open to graduates of these and other colleges. There is also a School of Fine Art and Music; in which, pending the opening of the College of the Fine Arts, instruction is given in Drawing, Painting, Modeling and the History of Art, and in Instrumental and Vocal Music. The principal buildings and appliances of the University are situated near the business center of Lincoln ; occupying four entire blocks of ground within one enclosure. University Hall contains the Chancellor's office, the office of the Treas- urer and Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds, the several Libraries and Reading Rooms, the Chapel, Society Halls, and twenty Lecture Rooms. Nebraska. Hall contains the General Museum and rooms for Agriculture, Botany, Entomology, Geology, Horticulture, Physics and Zoology. The Chemical Building is devoted exclusively to Chemistry, and con- tains the several laboratories and offices. Grant Memorial Hall is occupied by the departments of Military Science and Physical Training. The Boiler House contains seven steam boilers which supply heat to all the buildings on the campus, as well as steam power for the engines and dynamos of the electrical plant. The Electrical Laboratory contains the engines and dynamos of four distinct and complete electric systems, and other electrical apparatus. A large Green House is filled with a choice and valuable collection of plants for illustrative and experimental purposes. A Library Building, to cost $100,000, is rapidly nearing completion. TTie Experiment Station Farm includes three hundred and twenty acres of rolling upland in a good state of cultivation and with valuable improve- ments. It is two miles east of the University campus. The collections of books accessible to the students are the General Library, the Department Libraries, the State Library, the City Library and the Library of the State Historical Society. These contain in the aggiegate about sixty thousand volumes. The Museums of the University contain material illustrative of Natural History, Agriculture and other departments of study. All these collections are already of considerable size, while some are of unusual value. They are so arranged as to render them accessible to students and visitors. As these Museums afford a safe repository for objects of value, it is hoped that frequent gifts will be made to the several collections. In the Laboratories of the University full facilities are provided for the practical study of Chemistry, Physics, Geology and Mineralogy, Zoology, Entomology, Botany, Horticulture and Agriculture. The total value of scientific apparatus is about $150,000. 70 NEBRASKA. The equipment of the Military Department consists of one hundred and ninety Springfield Cadet Rifles with accoutrements; a battery of four 3-inch field rifles; fifty cavalry sabres; sixteen commissioned officers' swords and belts ; musical instruments and uniforms for military band ; flags, etc. The Armory is open for drill and practice at stated times during the week. All male students in the college classes are required to di-ill six consecutive semesters, unless excused by the Chancellor. The Gymnasium has been opened to the young men and women of the University, under the supervision of a competent director. It is not a play room, but the laboratory of the instructor in Physical Training. As such it affords endless facilities for regular and systematic exercise in various lines to students of both sexes. All students are required to take certain work under the Director during the first two years of residence. Any young man or woman who has finished the course in a good country school may enter the Univereity and find educational work and a welcome. The studies which must be completed before taking up the preparatory courses of the University and which are not carried at all in this institution are: English Grammar; Arithmetic — fractions, denominate numbers, per- centage and its applications, analysis and proportion ; Descriptive and Physical Geography, and Elementary United States History. Any student having taken work in advance of the very simple require- ments just mentioned, will be given credit for such work and will be allowed to take the most advanced standing consistent with his acquirements. There are a large number of city high schools in different parts of Nebraska that fit students for advanced standing. The work of these schools is properly accredited by the University. Those coming from these schools are not obliged to take examinations at Lincoln in work which has been completed in such schools. The University authorities prefer that all students should remain at home schools as long as possible. Lists of accredited high schools will be sent on aj^plication. These schools admit pupils from the country on the payment of a small term fee. All University work begins with the opening of the University year; but a student prepared to take advanced work may enter at any time. Opportunities for work are afforded in almost every conceivable direc- tion, whether he be a candidate for a degree, or can remain but a limited time. Following are some of the more important courses : Agriculture — Illustrated by a farm, laboratory, museum and library. A7-t — Drawing modeling, designing, painting, perspective and lectures on art history. Botany — A thorough course in general and cryptogamic botany. Chemistry — One large building is entirely devoted to this subject. NEBRASKA. 71 Civil Engineering — Graduates are in demand for railroad and -other work. Electrical and Steam Engineering — A full course, with $30,000 in illustra- tive apparatus. English — A thorough drill in the structure and use of the English language. English Literature — The standard English authors are critically studied. Economic and Political Science — The problems of to-day are invest- igated. Geology— A large museum, special attention to the geology of Nebraska. Gh-eek — A thorough drill in the structure and literature of the language. History — Extended courses in all departments of history. Horticulture— IWnstrated by orchards, vineyards, museum and library. Latin— A thorough drill in the structure and literature of the language. Lato College — A large faculty and full courses, including two years of under-graduate and one year of post-graduate work. Manual Training — Complete courses in wood and metal working, including design and pattern making. Mathematics — A full course in higher mathematics. Medicine— A course accredited as preparatory work by best medical colleges. Military Science — Lectures on military science, and battalion and artil- lery drill. Modern Languages — German, French, Spanish, Italiana and Scandi- navian. Music — Lessons in vocal and instrumental music, with orchestral train- ing and practice. Begular Courses of /S'^Md;/— Classical, Literary, Philosophic, English, Electrical and Steam Engineering, Scientific, Civil Engineering and Agri- culture; leading to appropriate degrees. Preparatory Courses — Prepare for all under-graduate courses in the University. Special Courses— Preparatory to Law, to Medicine, to Journalism, to Teaching ; as well as short, practical courses for Farmers and for those engaged in the manufacture of beet sugar. Special Students- Persons of mature age and definite purpose may enter the University at any time and pursue any one or more topics in which they are interested and which their previous education and training fit them to study. Summer School — A special school for Nebraska teachers ; in which they may secure the latest results of all study and research, and receive instruc- tion in the most approved methods and in the use of the best apparatus. 72 NEBRASKA. 3Ianual Labor. While the University cannot undertake to furnish manual labor to many students, it is enabled to do so to a limited extent upon the farm and campus, and in the various buildings, at rates varying from fifteen to twenty -five cents per hour (dependent upon the quality of the work). Many students find work in private families and in various occupations, by means of M^hich they defray a portion of their expenses. A person of ability and energy, who is master of a trade or who can do first-class work, can always find remunerative employment. It is not known that any student of ordinary energy and industry was ever obliged to leave the University heeause of lack of money for necessary expenses, after having been say sixty days on the ground — or long enough to inform him- self as to opportunities for securing employment. An employment bureau is maintained at the University, where the names of those seeking work and those desiring workers are recorded. STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. [Located at Peru.) BUILDINGS. The school buildings, five in number, are large and commodious. All the buildings are heated by steam, lighted by electricity, and are provided with an ample system of water works. Three years ago a building was erected on the campus and occupied by the Library, which now numbers 5,547 bound volumes, including 750 pub- lic documents. The Reading Room is supplied with the leading magazines and a large number of daily and weekly papers. The Laboratories are well equipped and large enough to accommodate all the students desiring to do laboratory work. The school has a good Observatory, with a serviceable eqnatorially- mounted astronomical telescope, which adds very materially to the school facilities. THE ATTENDANCE For the year 1892, was 435, of which 103 were not in Normal courses. Nearly all the graduates from both departments are now engaged in teach- ing in this State. The demand for Normal graduates is increasing year by year. THE AIM OK THE INSTITUTION Is to train competent tea«liers for the public schools. At present, the members of the Practice School pay no matriculation fee. They receive gratuitous instruction from the most skilled teachers, except for two hours NEBRASKA. 73 of each day, when they are in the hands of student teachers, who are directed by the critic teachers. Before receiving the certificate of the Board, each member of the Training School spends from twelve to fourteen weeks in actual practice and observation under the careful direction of the Superintendent of Practice and of the critic teachers. APPARATUS AND CABINET. For illustration in the several departments of Natural History, there is a good collection of minerals and fossils, together with cabinets of Zoology, Entomology and Botany, which are enlarged and enriched by contributions and by the work of students in the scientific departments. The chemical and physical apparatus is sufl&cient for illustrating these departments of science and giving the students efficient laboratory practice. ADMISSION. As the state Normal School is not, primarily, an institution for the education of children or people in general, but a professional school for preparing trained teachers for the public schools of Nebraska, and as its course of study, being arranged with special reference to this end, can not be accomplished in a fragmentary way with advantage to the student, but with great disadvantage to the school, all applicants admitted in accord- ance with the regulations of the Board of Education must be persons of proper age and character, who have a fair knowledge of the common branches and are in good faith preparing to teach. In order to enter the Elementary Course, students must pass a satisfactory examination in Spell- ing, Reading, the use of Language, and the rudiments of Arithmetic and Geography. Students holding a certificate of qualification in the Elemen- tary Course will be allowed to enter the Higher Course without further examination. Provisions have been made for admitting students in a Preparatory Department and in Elementary Classes for training teachers, which will be mainly taught by the members of the Advanced Classes in the Normal Department, under the eye of trained instructors. STATE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL. {Located at Kearney.) The object of the State Industrial School is to take the incorrigible juveniles of the State and transform them into good men. The means used for the accomplishment of this object are educational advancement, industrial training, moral culture and physical reconstruction. The results become more permanent and gratifying each year. The interest of the school does not cease when the boys leave the school. Homes are provided for the homeless, and the school continues to be the friend and counselor of each. Nearly all the boys for whom homes have been provided by the school are doing well. 74 NEBRASKA. There have been 850 commitments since the opening of the school ; about 575 have left the school and 57 have been transferred to the Girls' Industrial School, at Geneva. There are at present about 220 pupils. THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES Are conducted by the regularly appointed Chaplain, who conducts the Sabbath School on Sabbath morning, and preaching services on Sabbath afternoon. He is also the agent of the Superintendent in securing homes for the paroled boys. THE BRANCHES TAUGHT Are History, Geography, Grammar, Penmanship, Reading, "Writing and other minor topics ; literary exercises are required, and some of the boys are taught instrumental and vocal music. Aside from these branches the boys are taught printing, shoemaking, tailoring, firing, wood and iron work, carpentry, cooking, laundry work, gardening, and in addition they wait on the tables and do general house work. THE PAPER. A paper is published semi-monthly called " The Industrial School Courier." The mechanical work is done by the boys under the direction of an instructor. The editorial, local and general literary department is under the supervision of the Superintendent of the school. The publica- tion of the paper has not only been of local interest, but has directed the attention of the State to the school. An excellent work is being done by the institution, which ranks among the leading reformatories of the United States. GIRLS' INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS. (^Located at Geneva.) This institution is an outgrowth of the State Industrial School. For several years it has been felt that co-reformatory work was not advisable, and that the interests and welfare of the boys and girls would be subserved by their becoming separated. The girls' school was established in 1891. The grounds include 40 acres of smooth and fertile soil, sloping gently to the north. The building is known in reformatories as a double family building. It is 112 feet long, 55 feet wide, with three floors above the basement. The outside walls are built of pressed brick with Colorado brown sandstone trimmings. There is nothing about the place suggestive of a place of retention. The children are watched over and cared for by kind assistants and have constantly held up before them the beauties of an honorable, womanly life. NEBRASKA. 75 The larger girls are detailed for work and instruction in the Industrial Department four hours in the morning, and attend school four hours in the afternoon. The smaller girls attend school four hours in the morning and are detailed for departmental instruction for part of each afternoon. THE BRANCHES TAUGHT In this school are the same as those taught in the public schools of the State. The Industrial branches are such as every good housekeeper should know. DEMERITS. When a girl is received into the school she is given four or five or six thousand demerits, according to the gravity of the offense for which she is committed. Ten or six demerits are canceled each day that she is perfect jn studies, conduct and work. When she has canceled all her demerits, she is retained until a suitable home can be found for her, if she has no home of her own. The discipline of the school is that of a well-regulated family. INDUSTRIAL HOME FOR WOMEN. {Located at 3Iilford.) This institution was established as a home for fallen women and is conducted upon the plan of a model home. As those who come to its doors come voluntarily, cheerful obedience is expected of all inmates. Six weeks each are devoted to the laundry, to plain and pastry cooking, to dining-room work and to dormitory work ; the remaining time is spent in the-sewing-room — each inmate attending school every afternoon. This system has proved most satisfactory in its results. The school is thoroughly 'organized, and all the common branches are taught. Those who intend to make dressmaking a means of support are allowed three months in the sewing-room, with the privilege of remaining until they become competent seamstresses. ATTENDANCE. The largest number enrolled at the school is forty -four ; the average attendance is twenty -one. DEAF AND DUMB ASYLUM. The Nebraska institute for the deaf and dumb is located at Omaha. It has a commanding location. The grounds are covered with trees of about twenty-three years growth, and are, including the buildings, valued at about $117,000. 76 NEBRASKA, THE OBJECT Of the school is to educate those children of this State who are too deaf to be instructed in the common schools. The methods employed are princi- pally what might be termed eclective ; though other systems are employed as seems best fitted to the individual case. Many of the pupils are taught speech, and some are instructed entirely by speech. MANUAL TRAINING. There is a mechanical department connected with the institution. In the school of carpentry the boys are instructed in the art of tools — carving, engraving, turning, scroll-sawing, joinery and repair work. A school of printing provides work for another class. They are taught type-setting and job work. Most of the printing of the institute is done by the students under the direction of a foreman. There is a sewing-school and dressmaking department for the girls. Instruction in drawing is offered in the advanced grades, and art studio work is provided for those who take a special interest in art and have special talent in this direction. ATTENDANCE. The school is now crowded, and additional room is to be provided by the present legislature. The Nebraska school has a very good name throughout the country, and is favorably known in some foreign countries. INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND. {Located at Nebraska City.) , This institution takes the place for the blind children of the State of the public schools for others. The studies pursued are identical, and, with the appliances now at hand, the students can easily keep pace in school work with their more fortunate brothers and sisters. To this literary work is added an Industrial Department, where skill in the use of tools is required, and trades are learned that assist pupils in obtaining their livelihood later in life. Instruction in the Music Depart- ment includes the piano, the organ, the violin, vocal culture and harmony. Many successful teachers of music have gone out from the institute. Instruction in piano tuning is also given. Physical culture receives special attention. NEBRASKA. 77 INSTITUTE FOR THE FEEBLE-MINDED. {Located at Beatrice.) In this Institute the first object is to gain the child's interest, which, in itself, often takes months. The moment interest is shown the essential point for future advancement is gained. In school work the kindergarten methods ai'e employed. Most of the children delight in paper weaving and folding, card sewing, etc., and many have become quite proficient. Some of the more advanced students are given instruction in the various forms of industrial work. All the children are engaged in school work, more than half speak quite ■plainly, while the remainder speak either indistinctly or make no attempt to speak at all. Quite a number have been taught to write, and often write letters home without assistance. A few are able to do some work in arithmetic, rarely further than to fractions; and a few can be taught the primary colors. INSANE ASYLUMS. This State has three Insane Asylums; one at Lincoln, one at Hastings, one at Norfolk. The management and methods follow the most approved results of modern thought and investigation along these lines. REPORT OF PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE, 1892. Nebraska has its full quota of private educational institutions, all in a flourishing condition. The following statistics will be of interest: Value of Value of No. of Name. No. of Buildings Scientific Volumes Students, and Grounds. Apparatus, in Library. Beatrice Business College 240 Bennett Academy 58 Blake School 97 Brownell Hall Cotner University 283 Creighton College 172 Doane College 153 Franklin Academy 142 Fremont Business College 101 Gates College 204 Gibbon Normal 125 Hastings College 210 Nebraska Normal 432 Nebraska Wesleyan University 190 North Nebraska Seminary 131 Pawnee City Academy 137 Scotia Normal and Business College 75 University of Omaha 80 Weeping Water Academy 99 York College 205 2,000 5,(M)0 165,000 1,000 3,000 200,000 1,000 6,000 250,000 15,000 82,500 5,154 5,700 16,500 300 1,500 100 125 20,000 25,000 4,500 1,000 1,000 7,500 1,000 2,000 50,000 450 650 233,000 4,000 2,000 10,500 175 650 3,000 125 6,000 60,900 300 2,000 4,000 100 3,000 3,100 300 400 78 NEBRASKA. NEBRASKA LANDS AND CEREALS. The character of the country west of the Missouri and tributary to the Union Pacific has become so well and widely known that the great majority of settlers and new-comers are generally fixed as to purpose before remov- ing hither; but in answer to the occasional inquiry under this head, we can truly declare that the range of possibilities is as great as the country is rich and vast, and its future assured. There is no part of the West where such a variety of crops can be grown, and all yielding good profits every year as a general rule ; but if one should fail, the farmer still has good returns from others, the raising and feeding of cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry, selling milk to the cream- ery, and the growing of such crops as flax, broom-corn, etc., which can all be carried on in connection with growing grain, which eastern farmers once thought was the sole dependence. Here, after the first years of wheat, corn has been grown on the same land for twenty years in succes- sion without a failure. Wherever good corn lands are found, there other crops will flourish. Orchards, it will also be noticed, flourish everywhere in the West where corn grows. Wheat succeeds everywhere on the new lands, but after two or three crops corn proves more profitable. Corn is the great crop of the country, and one which has succeeded every year since its planting commenced in Nebraska. Oats are having a much larger acreage each succeeding year. The advantages of this grain ground with corn, etc., for all kinds of stock, is being understood. Rye is gener- ally sown early in the fall for pasturage, afterward giving a good crop of grain. Barley is being generally raised, and proves profitable both for market and feeding. The acreage of flax has wonderfully increased during the past two years. The crop may be considered a very reliable one, the product always in demand. Broom-corn is one of the most profitable crops in Western Nebraska. A grower in Hall county reports a net profit of |34 per acre, another in Merrick has grown nine crops with- out a failure. The increase of cane planting in the last two or three years promises, at a very early day, a large home production of both sugar and syrup. Like broom-corn, the crop is a sure one, with less cultivation than corn, and does not need as much moisture. A grower in Colfax reports, from several years' experience, a return of $40 to |50 per acre, and other sections equal results. Millet is in general favor for winter feed for stock, and especially for sheep, yielding a large amount per acre. Buffalo and other western counties give an average of four tons per acre. NEBRASKA. 79 TOBACCO. It may be a surprise to many to learn that tobacco can be successfully cultivated in Nebraska, but experiments thus far demonstrate that the plant thrives and good crops are obtained. The experiment has been tried at Schuyler, on the main line of the Union Pacific, 78 miles from Omaha. Mr. H. Abraham, of Gi'and Island, a leading cigar manufacturer, visited the tobacco fields at Schuyler, and reports as follows : "In 1890 the culture of tobacco was commenced at Schuyler, and has just gone successfully through its third season without meeting more obstacles (hail, wind-storms, drouth or tobacco worms) than in any other country. Thirty acres in all were raised. "The first planting was done about the middle of June and the last about July 1st, the first cutting about August 15th and the last about September 8th, taking in all about sixty days. This demonstrates that tobacco ripens much earlier in this climate than in any other cigar leaf growing district, and that no injury from frost is to be feared. The variety of seed used this season was of a Connecticut Havana, which seems better adapted to this country than any other variety. "The crop of this year is far above that of any previous year. The first year demonstrated only that a good quality of tobacco could be raised in the Platte valley ; the second, that tobacco could be raised of sufiicient com- mercial value to induce growing it, and this year proves that probably tobacco can be raised here which will rival any raised in Connecticut. "The leaf is not far enough advanced to give this as a final opinion, yet one can compare tobacco from other districts, when at this stage, and must conclude there is none finer. "Messrs. Wells and Nieman have built an improved tobacco shed, with all the modern appliances, and we examined their earliest cutting, which was housed about August 16th. The leaf is all coloring fine and showing delicate glossy colors, the veins are as fine as threads, and we have not discovered anything which would indicate white veins. If this tobacco will turn out as well as it has so far developed, the Platte valley will gain a reputation. "To illustrate the value of last year's crop, it is to be mentioned that Messrs. Wells and Nieman are offered in the average fifteen cents per pound, the yield being estimated at 1,500 pounds per acre, which means 1225 per acre. And they have twelve acres of this crop. Mr. Kolm, who has charge of this farm, says it has cost them about $70 per acre. "Tempting as this may look, we would not advise any farmer to try rais- ing tobacco without having learned the business thoroughly. An experi- 80 NEBRASKA. ment without the management of a skilled overseer of long experience would result in loss and discouragement. Improved sheds must also be erected. "But by careful management Nebraska can be made a tobacco growing State. "Honor is due to Messrs. Wells and Nieman for enterprise and persever- ance without bounds shown by them, and our State will have to thank them for the starting of a great agricultural industry, which will outshine all the other crops that have made Nebraska famous." LIVE STOCK INTERESTS. There is no other interest as prominent to-day as that of cattle raising and fattening for market, as well as growing young stock for breeding purposes. The great opportunity still open to secure lands suitable for this business should be embraced at once. The success and profits of the past few years have attracted a large number of eastern stockmen. The abundance of summer and winter pasture, and the great corn product, have caused Nebraska to be called the best meat-producing State in the West, where a man can make the largest percentage of profit on his capital invested. There is a considerable extent of both government and railroad lands which are well adapted in every respect for this business. The raising of horses, for which the demand has, to the present, been supplied from other States, can be carried on here with large profit. J. L. Brott, of Frontier county, says their product is worth more than that of 200 cows, and it costs no more to raise them till three years old than a steer of the same age. There is no disease, no heaves or spavin, and a blemish is rare. They have better wind and endurance than those grown in stables and fed on grain and hay. Thousands of horses are finding their own living on the western plains, without shelter, grain or care during the winter, and are fat in the spring. Clydesdale and Norman stallions, bred to fair-sized American mares, are producing animals with which the market has never yet been overstocked, at good prices. At present, in most of the western counties, where men commenced on homesteads a few years ago, will be found successful sheep growing. The abundant buffalo grass gives them rich pasturage, summer and winter. The high, dry lands are most favorable to health; foot rot is unk.nown. The percentage of increase is much higher, and the lambs are stronger than those of the Eastern States. Millet, oats, etc., for winter feeding, can be grown at small expense. Protection, better than sheds of pine lumber, can be made by building walls of sod and covering them with poles and hay or straw. The pioneer of small means will find that he can make NEBTIASKA. 81 his stables of prairie sod, which are warm, and at the start answer all the demand. In the rougher parts of Dawson, Custer, Frontier and adjacent counties are found the ideal sheep ranches, nature providing the neces- sary shelter. Hogs, corn and pork combined, are called the great crop of Nebraska, and nothing has paid so well. Farmers have received, by breeding, 100 per cent more for their own corn than the market price, when turned into pork. The great and increasing population at home and abroad calls for meat, and for this the consumer must look to the prairies of the West and the corn lands. SOME ADVANTAGES. Creameries and cheese factories have developed in Nebraska within the last few years, and are proving almost universally a source of profit, not only to the operator, but to parties owning cows and selling their milk and cream. The demand for butter at good prices (ranging from 25 to 45 cents according to the season) has constantly increased, thus increasingthe demand for milk. The profit per cow has frequently been from |15 to $25 per season,"a larger and easier return than from any other method. It will be noticed that nearly half the people in Nebraska reside in counties tributary to the Union Pacific Railway, and that more tharMialf the population added to the total for the State in the past five years is found in these counties. They have kept fully abreast with the progress of the State. They are by far the best and richest counties in the State. In Nebraska every man can own a farm. In fact, nearly every man does own a farm, if he is a farmer. He can rent land on shares, giving his landlord about one-third of his crop, or he can pay a cash rental of from $3 to $5 per acre, if preferred. Those who wish to cultivate a larger acreage than they are able to own, will find a wide area of cultivated land which can be hired from year to year, the landlord usually furnishing house, barn and other farm buildings. A great many farmers rent lands in the manner indicated, and meanwhile purchase, pay for, and improve land in the same vicinity. Breaking is usually done between seasons, when regular farm work is less engrossing than at other times. A "renter" can, therefore, make his living on rented ground, and at the same time obtain and break land of his own. There are millions of uncultivated acres of as good lands as the sun of heaven ever shone upon. They are awaiting the settler and his plowshare. The young State is forging ahead with most startling rapidity. No other State of the Union has experienced so much growth, and in no other are farmers so generally prosperous. The days of experiment are past, and Nebraska's fame as an agricultural commonwealth is established beyond 82 NEBEASKA. all possible cavil. It is no exaggeration to pronounce it the best of all the farming States for the man of moderate means. The long, severe winters of the North, and the hot burning winds of the South are both escaped. The golden mean between these extremes is Nebraska. It is these facts which bring the best of all the Western immigration to the Prairie State of the trans-Missouri country. SOME NEBRASKA TOWNS. The tourist, the health-seeker, or the home-seeker arriving in Omaha stands at the main gateway of the great Union Pacific System, the original trans-continental route. The main line stretches across the State, follow- ing the grand valley of the Platte, until it enters Wyoming. OMAHA. Of Omaha, the metropolitan city of Nebraska, it is not intended to make special mention in this pamphlet. To those, however, who desire to enter into extensive business affairs requiring heavy capital, this city offers fin#advantages, being one of the greatest wholesale points in the West. Omaha has a population of 150,000, and all the luxuries and conveniences of a metropolis; in proportion to size, Omaha is the best lighted and best paved city in the West. Omaha's bank clearings have shown a greater per cent of increase during the past year than have those of any other city ; her wholesale houses have nearly doubled their business within the past year. Omaha has had fewer failures and smaller losses than any city of its size on the continent. Omaha has the largest smelting works in the world. Omaha is the third pork-packing center in the world, and the present rate of increase in the business being done will place this city in the second place within a few months. Omaha, according to the census of 1890, had a population of 140,452. The population in 1880 was 30,518. Omaha has 18,180 pupils in the public and denominational schools. Omaha has seventy miles of paved streets. There are nearly 200 manufacturing establishments in the city, having a capital invested of $9,000,000. NEBRASKA. 83 There are 457 teachers employed in the schools and colleges of the city. There are 150 miles of graded streets in Omaha. There are sixty public school buildings in Omaha. Omaha has a complete sewer system, nearly 100 miles in all. There are nine national, nine savings and two State banks in Omaha, with a combined capital of $6,000,000 and deposits averaging $25,000,000. There are more than 100 churches in Omaha. Omaha has as fine a water plant as there is in the country. It was built at a cost of $7,000,000 and has a capacity of 50,000,000 gallons daily. Omaha has ninety miles of electric railways. Omaha has the largest distillery in the world and three of the largest breweries in the United States. The actual real estate valuation is $250,000,000, while the assessment for taxation is based on a one-tenth valuation. The post office receipts for the year were $264,588.29. This department gave employment to forty-six clerks and sixty-six carriers. Omaha has the largest white lead works in the world. All of the vast Union Pacific System is managed directly from the Union Pacific Headquarters Building in Omaha. There are about 24,000 employes with a monthly pay roll of $1,600,000. About 2,200 of the employes make Omaha their home, 500 are engaged at the headquarters, 1,300 in the shops, and the remainder in the yards and local freight offices. VALLEY Is northwest of Omaha, in Douglas county, thirty-five miles distant. It is the junction of the Union Pacific Railway and its Republican Valley branch, and is twelve miles from Fremont. The town is growing, having now a population of 600. The churches and schools are well maintained ; elevation 1,137 feet. FREMONT Is the first town of importance on the main line of the Union Pacific, forty- seven miles west of Omaha. It is situated at the confluence of the Elk- horn and Platte Valleys, two of the picturesque, productive, and densely populated valleys of the State. Its elevation is 1,192 feet. Fremont has enjoyed a solid, substantial, healthy growth for many years, and has now a population of 9,000. The water system is admirable, four miles of mains giving ample supply ; the principal streets and business houses are lighted 84 NEBRASKA. with electricity ; there are four miles of horse-car tracks, four banks, and four loan and security companies; a packing house of 1,000 daily capacity, a canning factory, foundry, brick company, planing mills, elevators, and a large brewery. The Nebraska Creamery is one of the largest in the West, 500,000 pounds of butter being produced annually. There are two daily papers and several weeklies published in Fremont; six public school build- ings, with a seating capacity for 2,000 pupils, and a business college. Fremont has often been called the prettiest city in the State; the early comers were prodigal in the planting of shade trees, and the town is now almost embowered. It is conceded that Fremont contains more fine residences in proportion to its size than any other city in Nebraska. SOHITYLER Is a vigorous town of 3,000 people, seventy-six miles from Omaha, on the main line of the Union Pacific; elevation 1,346 feet. Situated a short dis- tance north of the Platte river, it is surrounded by a magnificent country, finely cultivated, and producing large crops. A large proportion of the population of Schuyler is Bohemian — a sturdy, steady, reliable class of citizenship. The business blocks are substantial and elegant — the banks, court-house, schools, and other structures showing marked architectural taste. There are three national banks and a loan and trust company. There are three papers published in Schuyler, and among other industries are extensive flouring mills, sorghum and sugar works, and a brewery. The water works system in use cost |30,000. COLUMBUS Is a highly prosperous town of 5,500 inhabitants, ninety-two miles from Omaha, on the main line of the Union Pacific, and has an elevation of 1,442 feet. The city lies three miles north of the Platte river. Water works, electric lights, and street railway are now in full operation. The opera house has a seating capacity of 800, and Mrennerchor Hall will accommodate 300 ; a Catholic monastery, located on an elevation overlook- hig the city, occupies an acre of brick buildings, and belongs to the order of St. Francis. Connected with this is an academy, under the direction of the Franciscan Sisters, for the education of girls, and in addition thereto the hospital of St. Francis, open for the unfortunate of every race and religion. There are two national banks in Columbus, a good hotel, exten- sive roller mills, elevator, packing house, and four newspapers. From Columbus the Union Pacific sends out two branches — one to Nor- folk, fifty miles north, and the other to Albion, forty-three miles noi'th- west. The country on both these branches is accounted among the richest sections in Nebraska. Immense crops of corn are raised, cattle forming the staple industry. NEBRASKA. 85 OGONEE, Nine miles north of Columbus, elevation 1,489 feet, is the junction po'nt for the branches, and has about 200 inhabitants. The next town of impor- tance on the Norfolk branch is PLATTE CENTRE, A rapidly growing town of 600 inhabitants, elevation l,53o feet, fifteen miles from Columbus. There are two banks, one newspaper, brick yard, flouring mill, etc. The order of St. Francis has a convent here. Grain and stock are the principal shipments. MADISON, The county seat of Madison county, elevation 1,574, is thirty-five miles north of Columbus, and has 1,600 inhabitants. It is surrounded by a beautiful country, the land being extremely rich and w^ell cultivated. Fruit is extensively raised, and heavy shipments made of cattle, hogs and grain. There is an excellent roller-mill, a creamery of 1,500 pounds daily capacity, two newspapers, three banks, and the best grade of schools. The North Nebraska Normal College is also located here. NORFOLK Is fifty miles north of Columbus, elevation 1,514, and is a bright, energetic city of 5,000 inhabitants. The town is located at the confluence of two forks of the Elkhorn river, thus giving to the city a water-power amply sufiicient for all manufacturing purposes. The principal streets are lined with handsome business blocks, and many elegant residences are seen in the suburbs. Norfolk has several miles of street railway, a good system of water works, an artificial stone manufactory, two steam bottling works, foundry and machine shops, canning factory, packing house, flouring mills, beet sugar plant, brick and tile works, a large creamery, and other industries. There is a handsome opera house, three banks and three newspapers. The State insane asylum, erected at a cost of $175,000, is located here. Educational advantages liere are fine, equal to the best in any State. Tte splendid country tributary to Norfolk is the strong point in favor of the future of this prosperous young city. From Norfolk the Union Pacific runs into Sioux City, Iowa, and close connection has been established between Sioux City and Salt Lake, daily. Returning to Oconee Junction, connection may be made with the Albion branch. 86 NEBRASKA. GENOA Is twenty-one miles north of Columbus, elevation 1,573, and has a popula- tion of 1,000. There is one bank, two newspapers, flour mill, and an elevator of 14,000 bushels daily capacity. The Indian Industrial School, sustained by the Government, is located here, and has 170 pupils, from vaiious tribes of Indians— Crows, Omahas, Pawnees and Apaches. The area belonging to this school covers 320 acres of ground, the main building covering 6,000 square feet. The Indian boys and girls are taught the industrial arts successfully ; there are carpenter, shoe, tailor and harness shops, laundry, warehouse, etc. ALBION, Forty-three miles northwest from Columbus, elevation 1,747, has a popula- tion of 1,200, and is located on Beaver river, which furnishes power for two fine roller mills. The surrounding country is rich in agricultural products and live-stock. There are two banks, three newspapers, water works and good schools. It is a supply and distributing point, well sup- plied with good hotels, elevators and flouring mills. It is situated on the Beaver river, a rapid stream which never runs drj^, and affords an abundant water supply. Occupying a central position in Boone county, Albion drains a well-settled country for forty miles around. . In the fertile valley of the Beaver, land can be bought for from $10 to $40 per acre. Stock- raising is carried on extensively, and corn is the principal product, yielding from forty to sixty bushels per acre. Small grain is raised in limited quantity. From Genoa a branch runs to Cedar Rapids. The first town from Genoa on this division is FULLERTON, A lively place of 1,500 inhabitants, elevation 1,623. The town is situated at the confluence of the Loup and Cedar rivers, thus affording good water- power. Two banks and two newspapers are established here. There are good schools, churches, opera house, flour mill, etc. CEDAR RAPIDS, • Fifty-one miles northwest of Columbus, elevation 1,775, has 800 population, and is beautifully situated on the banks of the Cedar river. One flouring mill has a capacity of 150 barrels daily, and a creamery turns out 700 pounds of butter per day. One bank and two newspapers are located here. The educational facilities are unusually good. NEBRASKA. 87 Returning to Columbus, the next town of importance on the main line is GRAND ISLAND, 154 miles west from Omaha, elevation 1,860 feet. This is the county seat of Hall county, and is one of the most prosperous cities in the State, having a population of 10,000. Grand Island is situated in the center of a magnificent agricultural country, and Hall county exhibits at the State Fair have usually headed the list. The city is lighted with electricity, has a fine system of water-works, and here are located the division shops and steel rail mill of the Union Pacific, employing about 1,000 men. Although this area is considered to be pretty well settled, still the sales of the Government land office, located at Grand Island, would indicate that new- comers are constantly arriving. The value of the manufactured output in this city exceeds $4,000,000 annually, and over 3,500 men are employed. An immense beet sugar manufactory has been established, costing $500,000, and employing a large number of men, the capacity of the factory being 300 tons of beets daily. The Grand Island Canning Factory produces annually about one million cans of corn, and the creamery 250,000 pounds of butter. There are five banks in Grand Island, with an aggregate capital of over $1,000,000, two daily and seven weekly newspapers, a fine opera house with seating capacity of 1,200, extensive flouring mills, creamery, breweries, brick and marble works, foundry and packing house, all in a flourishing condition. The educational facilities are unusually fine. The United States land oflSce and the Nebraska Soldiers' and Sailors' Home are located here. Over $1,000,000 has been expended annually in building, and the city valuation at the present time is over six million dollars. In three years the city grew from 5,000 to 10,000 inhabitants. With its rich surroundings, cheap fuel, and first-class facilities for distribution, the town is destined to become a very important manufacturing center. From here the St. Joseph & Grand Island Railway branches east to St. Joe, Missouri, 252 miles distant. The Union Pacific System sends out another branch north to Ord, Loup City and Nantasket. Proceeding on this northern division, the first town of importance is ST. PAUL, Twenty-two miles north of Grand Island, elevation 1,796 feet, with 2,000 population. Here, as in most of the interior towns of Nebraska, the chief industries are grain and live stock. St. Paul is admirably equipped for so young a town. There are three banks, three newspapers, roller mills, water works, opera house, a board of trade and excellent graded schools. The town is in a condition to make rapid and substantial growth ; with a large portion of the trade of one of the finest counties in the State practi- cally at its command, the prediction of a most prosperous future is amply justified. 88 NEBRASKA. SCOTIA, Forty -five miles north from Grand Island, elevation 1,905 feet, population 500. Scotia is beautifully situated in the North Loup Valley in the center of a fine farming region. There is abundance of high-grade limestone in the vicinity suitable for building purposes. The town has extensive brick- yards, two good flour mills, excellent schools, two banks and a newspaper. ORD Is sixty-one miles north from Grand Island, 2,047 feet elevation, and is very pleasantly situated on a high plateau overlooking the North Loup river valley. The town has 1,500 inhabitants. There are two banks, three newspapers, fine school houses, water works, board of trade, brick works, broom factory, soda water factory, roller mills and elevators. This North Loup Valley is one of the finest agricultural sections of Nebraska, and Ord, situated in the midst of an extensive grain growing region, unsurpassed in fertility, is the chief market. Returning to St. Paul, a branch of the Union Pacific runs to LOUP CITY, Sixty-one miles from Grand Island, elevation 2,067 ''eet, a town of 1,000 inhabitants. This is another distributing point for a fine agricultural district. Loup City is a very fair sample of an inland Nebraska town — $16,000 water works, a $70,000 roller flour mill, substantial court house and graded schools. A canal 2f^ miles long, from the Middle Loup river, furnishes splendid water power. The valuation of Sherman county is placed at $1,200,000, and there are sixty-three school districts in the county. The town has good hotels, two banks, two newspapers, elevators and a first-class creamery. Returning to Grand Island, on the main line west, the next town of importance reaclred is KEARNEY. Kearney is 199 miles west from Omaha, and has a population of 10,000. The surrounding country is fine farming land, well watered and timbered, and the grain yield is very heavy. The State Reform School is located here, the buildings costing upward of $100,000. The city is beautifully situated on abi-oad, level plateau 2,146 feet above the level of the sea, insuring a bright, clear atmosphere and is located immediately south of the ridge separating the valleys of the Platte and Wood rivers, which affords the natural opportunity for the establishment of three artificial lakes, giving an immense water power, the capacity of which is scarcely disturbed by NEBRASKA. 89 the various manufacturing plants now operated by it. In order to secure this immense power it was necessary to tap the Platte river at a proper grade and conduct the supply to the elevation between the Platte and Wood rivers which is situated immediately north of the city. This was done, and at Elm Creek, sixteen miles west, the water was obtained and led along the natural elevation which divides the valleys, and the water stored in the three lakes, from either of which it can be turned over falls sixty feet into the river again. The streets are broad, crossing each other at right angles, everywhere lined with shade trees, which do not, however, interfere with a comprehensive view of the many superb business blocks, handsome school, church and other public buildings, while the residence streets are lined with elegant and costly homes, beautified by fine shade trees, shrubs and flowers. Farther away in the suburbs are seen the tall chimneys of extensive manufacturing plants, which show the beginning of the usual possibilities of the city. Its railroad facilities are excellent, having the great railway system of the "West, the Union Pacific, placing it in direct communication with all the principal cities east and west, and the Kearney & Black Hills Railway to the northwest. In public and private improvements it is not excelled by any city of its size between the Mississippi river and the Rocky mountains. Its water works are first class, have 22 miles of pipe, capacity 3,000,000 gallons per day, sewerage second to no city in the State. Extensive and excellent electric light plant; nine miles of electric street railway, well equipped and making communication with the various parts of the city rapid and convenient ; a magnificent court house very fine in architectural style and possessing all mo4ern conveniences, costing $100,000; a beautiful city hall, costing $30,000; a fine opera house, the latest addition being a magnificent stone block, five-story, with a seating capacity of 1,200, and costing $140,000. It has a large number of manufacturing enterprises ; a cotton mill with nearlj-- 90,000 square feet of floor room, arranged for 15,000 spindles, employing at its full capacity 150 men, and capable of producing annually 3,500,000 yards of muslin ; a canning factory with a capacity of a million and a half cans annually. In addition to this there are plow factories, foundry and machine works, cornice works, cooperage factory, oatmeal mills, paper mills, a hinge factory, and many other industries of equal importance. There are about a dozen substantial banks in the city, nine hotels, the best of school facilities, thirteen churches, two daily and four weekly papers. LEXINGTON Is 234 miles west of Omaha, elevation 2,885 feet, and has a population of 1 ,500. The land adjacent to the town is all that could be desired for farm- ing or stock raising. Lexington uses the electric light, has an opera house seating 600 people, good educational advantages; flour mills, elevator, banks, and newspapers. The business blocks are particularly substantial and elegant for so young a town. 90 NEBRASKA. GOTHENBURG Is 258 miles from Omaha, has an elevation of 2,557 feet, and 500 popula- tion. This rising young town is supported by a magnificent grain and stock raising country and is destined to become an important center in the Platte Valley. The town has two elevators, and heavy shipments of grain and stock are made at this point. The Gothenburg Water Power and Investment Company has constructed a canal from the Platte river, ten miles in length, which furnishes a grand water power for every sort of manufacturing, and this power is being rapidly utilized. The town has three banks, good hotels, an energetic newspaper and prosperous schools. NORTH PLATTE Is 294 miles from Omaha, elevation 2,796, and has a population of 4,000. This is the end of the first passenger division of the Union Pacific, and located here are the company's extensive repair shops, employing a large number of men. There are three newspapers, two banks, creamery, flour- ing mills, and bottling works, electric light, and water works. The United States land oflice is located here. Land in the vicinity of this town is admirably adapted for either farming or stock raising. OGALLALA ' Is the county seat of Keith county, 341 miles from Omaha, and has an elevation of 3,207 feet above sea level. The population is over 800, and is increasing rapidly. It is in the midst of the largest cattle district in the State. A new brick-court house recently constructed, costing $20,000, is a beautiful structure which would be a credit to any town in the State. A new brick school house has been erected at a cost of $10,000, and the Bank of Keith County have built a fine brick structure at a value of $8,000. The Ogallala Roller Mille, having a capacity of 100 barrels a day, were erected at a cost of $25,000. They are the only mills between Greeley, Colo., and North Platte, and manufacture an excellent grade of flour. This would be an excellent point for a creamery and canning factory, and the enterprise would find plenty of encouragement. JULESBURG, The junction of the Union Pacific Short Line to Denver, Colo., at an eleva- tion of 3,456 feet above the sea, is 372 miles from Omaha and 197 miles from Denver, and has a population of 600. The town was formerly located five miles further west, and at one time boasted of a population of 5,000, but was totally destroyed by Indians in 1864, and has since been located on a NEBRASKA. 91 slight eminence overlooking the surrounding country for many miles. It is located in Sedgwick county, Colo. The soil in this vicinity is of a dark, rich sandy loam, which produces abundance of cereals, grasses and fruits. The high altitude at which Julesburg is situated makes the climate healthy and bracing. A number of people have sought this point as a health resort, a physician might reap a harvest by locating a sanitarium here. Several good schools have been erected here and have a good attendance. Good lands can yet be obtained here at very reasonable prices. SIDNEY Is 414 miles from Omaha, and has an altitude of 4,090 feet, and a popula- tion of 1,600 people. Extensive repair shops of the Union Pacific are located here, giving employment to a large number of men. The town does a large business with the country to the north toward the Black Hills. It is located in the midst of a great cattle country, but the land being fertile and well adapted to agriculture, it is rapidly being taken up by a thrifty class of farmers from the older States. There is a United States land office here for the accommodation of the new settlers. Five com- panies of United States troops are stationed near here, occupying thirty acres of land just outside the city limits. The business of the town is large and varied, being at one time principal distributing point for the Black Hills. The buildings are substantial and handsome, and the schools and churches are well attended. Starting eastward from Grand Island over the St. Joseph & Grand Island Railway, the first town of importance met is HASTINGS, Twenty-five miles from Grand Island. The city of Hastings is a bright example of a western town, where thrift, pluck, enterprise and a deter- mination to win have overcome all obstacles and won success. Dating only from 1872, the town to-day numbers 15,000 inhabitants, and presents the aspect of a small metropolis. This "City of Plains" certainly looks metropolitan with its extensive gas works, electric plant, telephone system, fire department, hotels, banks, and manufactories. All this has been accomplished within the past few years, for the early history of the town is simply the record of every struggling country village. The soil of the adjacent farming country is a deep, rich, black loam, very easily cultivated and exceedingly productive. Hastings is the distributing point for all this section, and has, moreover, established a wide foreign trade; the retail trade of the town approximates $3,000,000. Hastings is one of the liveliest as well as most prosperous cities in the West. Its business men are broad-gauged, clear-headed, liberal-spirited. The Hastings Board of Trade is a model for much larger cities. It has 92 NEBRASKA. about one hundred and fifty members, every man of whom works for the interest of the place at every opportunity. If he is called upon to contribute to a fund for any purpose, he doesn't wait to find out first whether he, personally, is to be directly benefited. The members proceed upon the sensible theory that what helps others must necessarily help them, and that whether it does or not, they, as citizens, owe something to the com- munity. With such a class of business men, any city must be devoid of all advantages to escape progress. FAIRFIELD Is eighteen miles east from Hastings, a town of 1,500 people, and in the center of a magnificent farming region. The farmers in this section are remarkably well-to-do ; large shipments of grain and live-stock are made annually ; three elevators are engaged in handling the grain product. Fairfield has a creamery of 3,000 pounds daily capacity, steam syrup works, and the usual quota of religious and educational institutions. From here a branch runs to ALMA, The county seat of Harlan county, with a population of 2,500. Alma is one of the most beautifully located towns in Nebraska. Situated on the Republican river in the midst of a magnificent farming country, the town presents all the indications of being an active commercial point in the near future. Alma has a pretty opera house, large flour mills, three newspapers and three banks. Resuming the eastward journey at Fairfield, the next town met is FAIRBURY, A strong, solid town of 5,000 people, having all the luxuries and comforts of a metropolitan city. The town supports a good opera house, has first- class business blocks and many fine residences. The line enters Kansas some distance east of Fairbury and stretches across that State to its destination at St. Joseph. From Fairbury one may journey north to McCool Junction, and from thence to YORK, A live, progressive city of 5,000 inhabitants, and possessing all the good features which are found in so many interior Nebraska towns. The ship- ments of grain and live-stock from this place are among the largest in Nebraska. Four elevators are employed in handling grain. Next is Stromsburg, the noted Scandinavian settlement, with 1,500 inhabitants. NEBRASKA. 93 The Swedish Lutheran College is located here — a highly cultivated institu- tion. Immense crops of grain are harvested and shipped from this section. From Stromsburg we run through Valparaiso, a town of 800 people, past Wahoo, an alert town of 2,500 inhabitants, largely settled by Bohemians and Swedes— those sturdiest of farmers, and so in the swing around the circle we have returned to Valley on main line just 35 miles west of Omaha. This whole section is a splendid panorama of choice farming country, well-nigh perfect in all the requirements of an agricultural district. LINCOLN. Should the home-seeker desire to see one of the loveliest valleys in the entire West, and also the capital city of Nebraska, let him board the train at Omaha that runs to Kansas City via Valley and Manhattan (or change from the main line at Valley to this train), and 57 miles south he will arrive at Lincoln. It has been asserted these many years that a capital never rises above the function of being a home for politics and the seat of government. Lincoln is a shining exception in this regard, for it is as bright, energetic and active a business center as any city of its size in the West. Manufactures flourish, and a phenomenal wholesale trade has been developed, so that Lincoln is a city of commercial activity in the very best sense of the term, and by no means given over to the science of legislation, to the exclusion of home industries. Already sixty miles of street railway lines are in operation, and over thirty miles of paved streets, and brick, stone and iron blocks give her an air of permanence. All the executive departments of the State are located here, as well as the State hospital for the insane. State Penitentiary and University. The population of Lincoln is fully 60,000, and steadily increasing. The town is handsomely laid out. The streets are broad and well shaded, and very many elegant residences invite the inspection of the visitor. The advantages derived from being the seat of government are more than equaled by the possession of a singularly active, loyal, pull-all-together citizenship. This indomitable constancy to the home interests has made the city what it is, and will secure her future position beyond question. Lincoln is rapidly becoming an educational center, and in the past few years has secured the location of several institutions of learning — one the Nebraska Wesleyan, costing $75,000; another the Cotner Christian University. A third, the Union College of the Seventh-day Adventists, has recently been opened. Another fine institution is the Episcopal College for boys. Forty miles northward we come to BEATRICE, A beautiful city of 15,000 people, located on the Big Blue River, 134 miles from Omaha. Manufactures and all the varied industries that go to make up the assured success of a progressive city are found here. Beatrice justly prides herself on her public schools. At the great competitive examination at New Orleans in 1886, open to the world, Beatrice was 94 NEBRASKA. awarded the diploma. Here are found the usual adjuncts of metropolitan life, electric light, street cars, etc. The Beatrice stone quarries have attracted much attention from the superior quality of the product, large quantities being shipped annually; 30,000,000 brick are manufactured annually; the canning factory employs 200 hands, and over $1,000,000 are expended for improvements, public or private, every year. Continuing this journey southward,- we follow the Blue river past Mary ville, Kansas, to Manhattan, Kansas, where the Blue empties into the Kansas river, and the Omaha & Kansas City line connects with the main line eastbound to Kansas City or westbound to Denver. The Blue River Valley is one of the most productive and loveliest in the world. Regarding this hurried review of the more important towns on the main line, branches and auxiliaries of the Union Pacific System in Nebraska, it is desired to say that the half has not been told. It is impossible within brief limits to tell the story of the wonderful development of these sturdy young towns and cities — all made possible by the strong help of the Union Pacific. Here are dozens of places, under 2,000 population, with their high grade schools, churches, gas and electric light, opera house and water works — all the comforts, the luxuries, and the elegancies of social and public life to be had for moderate taxation and a minimum cost of living. The educational and social advantages of many of these smaller towns is surprising to Eastern travelers and home-seekers, while the beauty and prosperity of this great agricultural State of Nebraska cannot be deswibed in set terms, but must be seen to be appreciated. THE I Carrying the'.United States Orerland Mail for ^^^i^i^N^^ China, and Japan, PASSING THROUGH THE MOST FERTILE PORTIONS OF KANSAS^ THE MOST PRODUCTIVE LANDS IN NEBRASKA.. THE FAMOUS PANHANDLE OF TEXAS, THROUGH THE ROMANTIC AND PICTURESQUE SCENERY OF OOL_ORADO^ AND THE FAMOUS GRAZING LANDS OF f NA/VOMING_ IT IS THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE TO THE VINE-CLAD HILLS AND NUMEROUS HEALTH AND PLEASURE RESORTS OF UTAH- IT IS THE ONLY LINE PASSING THROUGH THE MILLIONS OF ACRES OF GRAZING, FARMING, FRUIT RAISING AND MINING LANDS OP IDAHO- IT IS THE DIRECT ROUTE TO THE AGRICULTURAL, GRAZING, MINING AND TIMBER LANDS OP THE STATES OP OREGON AND WASMINGTON- IT IS ALSO THE "POPULAR ROUTE" to the famous yet PRACTICALLY UNKNOWN COUNTRY OP ALASKA VIA RORTl—AND. E. DICKINSON, General Manager, E. L. LOMAX, Gen 'I Pass'r and Ticket Agent, OMAHA, NEBRASKA liments of the Passenger J)^^^^''^^^^'^' SECOND EDITION. '^^^^^^^^^^ WOODWARD & TIERNAN PRINTING CO., ST. LOUIS. \-k hJU i^ \% U (0 z >►- ZU -V 3rz s. ^\:, J » 1 >rf S ' r V ~ /r WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT. ■ y Ticket Agent in the United States or Canada can sell Tickets, check Baggage, and arrange for Pullman Palace Sleeping Car berths, via the Union Pacific Railway. Do not complete your arrangements for a Western trip until you have applied to the undersigned. Additional information, Maps, Time Tables, etc., will be cheerfully furnished. LEANT, Tf. T.— 23 Maiden Lane. J. 1). Tenbeoeck, Traveling Passenger Agt. aSTON, MASS.— 290 Washington Street. WiLLARD Massey, Traveling Passenger Agt. James S. Smith, Traveling Passenger Agent. UFFALO, N. T.— No. 46 Exchange Street. A. LuNDQUisT, Traveling Passenger Agent. UTTE, MONT.— Cor. Main and Broadway. E. V. Maze, General Agent. HETENNE, WTO.— C. W. Sweet, Freight and Ticket Agent. illCAGO, ILL.— 191 South Clark Street. \V. H. Knight, General Agent Freight Dept. W. T. Holly, General Agent Passenger Dept. T. W. Young, Traveling Passenger Agent. J. A. HUGHSTON. Traveling Freight Agent. L. L. Davis, Traveling Freight Agent. N. R. Halliday, Passenger Agent. INCINNATI, OHIO.— Room 35, Carew Bldg. J. D. Welsh, General Agent Freight and Passenger Departments. L. C. Morris, Traveling Freight Agent. A. G. Shearman, Traveling Freight and Passenger Agent. OLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.— 14 Pike's Peak Avenue. W. G. Rice, City Ticket Agent. OUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.— A. J. Manderson, General Agent, U. P. Transfer. J. W. Maynard, Ticket Agent. J. C. Mitchell, City Ticket Agent, 421 B'way. lENVER, COLO.— 1703 Larimer Street. Geo. Ady, General Agent Passenger Dept. F. W. Angier, Traveling Passenger Agent. E. G. Patterson, City Ticket Agent. H. M. Clay, City Passenger Agent. Scott Bryan, Ticket Agent, Union Depot. •ES MOINES, IOWA.— 218 Fourth Street. E. M. Ford, Traveling Passenger Agent. >ETROIT, MICH.— 155 Jefferson Avenue. D. W. Johnston, Traveling Passenger Agent. lELENA, MONT.— 28 North Slain Street. H. O. Wilson, Freight and Passenger Agent. CANSAS CITT, MO 1038 Union Avenue. J. B. Fr.awley, Gen'l Agt. Passenger Dept. H. G. Kaill, General Agent Freiglit Dept. J. B. Reese, Traveling Passenger Agent. H. K. Proudfit, City Passenger Agent. T. A. Shaw, Ticket Agent. R. D. Speck, City Ticket Agt., 1000 Main St. A. W. Millspaugh, Ticket Agt., Union Depot. LONDON, ENG.— Ludgate Circus. Thos. Cook & Sons, European Pass'r Agts. LOS ANGELES, CAL,-229 South Spring St. G. F. Herr, Passenger Agent. W. H. Davenport, Agent Freight Dept. J. S. JuDD, Traveling Freight Agent. NEW ORLEANS, LA.— 129 Common Street J. P. DOUGLA.SS, Jr., General Agent. NEW TOBK CITT.— 287 Broadway. R. Tenbroeck, General Eastern Agent. Sam'l A. Hutchlsoh, Traveling Pass'r Agt. J. F. Wiley, City Passenger Agent. OAKLAND, CAL.— 918 Broadway. F. R. Ellsworth, Passenger Agent. OGDEN, UTAH.— Union Depot. C. A. Henry, Ticket Agent. G. H. Corse, Passenger and Freight Agent. 0LT3IPIA, WASH.— Percival's Wharf. J. C. Pekcival, Ticket Agent. OMAHA, NEB.— 9th and Farnam Streets. C. J. Lane, Division Freight Agent. Frank N. Prophet, Traveling Pass'r Agt. Harry P. Deuel, City Ticket Agent, i;^02 Farnam Street. H. E. Dunn, City Passenger Agent. J. K. Chambers, Ticket Agent, Union Depot. PHILADELPHIA, PA.— Room 3, No. 20 S. Broad Street. S. C. Milbourne, Traveling Passenger Agt. PITTSBURGH, PA.— Rooms 307 and 308, Fer- guson Block. Sam'l A. Meyers, Traveling Passenger Agt. PORTLAND, ORE.- 254 Washington Street. W. H. HuRLBURT, Assistant Gen'l Pass'r Agt. D. C. O'Reilly, Traveling Freight Agent. V. A. Schilling, City Ticket Agent. E. S. Van Kuran, Ticket Agent, Grand Cen- tral Station. PUEBLO, COLO.— Cor. Union Ave. and 1st St. A. S. Cuthbertson, General Agent Freight and Passenger Departments. ST. JOSEPH, MO.— Chamber of Commerce. S. M. Adsit, General Freight and Passenger Agent, St. J. & G. I. R. R. F. P. Wade, City Ticket Agent, Corner 3d and Francis Sts. Jo. Hanson, Ticket Agent, Union Depot. ST. LOUIS, MO.— 213 N. 4th Street. J. F. Aglar, General Agent Freight and Pas- senger Departments. N. Haight, Traveling. Passenger Agent. E. R. Tuttle, Traveling Passenger Agent. Geo. Carroll, Traveling Freight Agent. C. C. Knight, Freight Contracting Agent. SACRAMENTO, CAL.— 305 J. Street. J. A. Gill, Contracting Freight Agent. SALT LAKE CITT.— 201 Main Street. D. E. BURLEY, General Agt. Passenger Dept. D. S. Taggart, Traveling Passenger Agent. L. J. Keyes, City Ticket Agent. SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.— No. 1 Montgomery St. D.W.Hitchcock, Gen'l Agt. Passeng'r Dept. G. W. Luce, General Agent Freight Dept. T. R. TiLLEY, City Ticket Agent. C. E. Brown, Traveling Passenger Agent. W. R. Vice, Pacific Coast Passenger Agent. H. K. St.\hl, Traveling Freight Agent. J. F. FuGAZi, Emigr' t Agt. , 5 Montgomery Av. SAN JOSE, CAL.— 25 West Santa Clara Street. L. M. Cheshire, Contracting Freight Agent. SEATTLE, WASH.— 705 Second Street. A. C. ISlARTiN, General Agent Freight and Passenger Departments. SIOUX CITT, IOWA.— .503 Fourth Street. D. M. Collins, General Agent Freight and Passenger Departments. Geo. E. Abbott, Trav. Frt. and Pass'r Agt. W. M. Enright, Citv Passenger Agent. Geo. F.Wheelock, Ticket Aert., Union Depot. SPOKANE, WASH.— Cor. Riverside and Wash- ington. Perry Griffin, Passenger and Ticket Agt. TACOMA, WASH.— 903 Pacific Avenue. E. E. Ellis, General Agent Freight and Passenger Departments. TRINIDAD, COLO.— J. F. Linthurst, Ticket Agent. \ UNION PACIFIC, •*THE OVERLAND ROUTE " IS THE ^^tiis^ MOST DIRECT LINE FROM THE MISSOURI RIVER -TO All Principal Points West, And on Account of tie Varleil Character of tlie Conntry it Traverses, Offers to those who contemplate going "West a more greatly diversified territory to select from than does any other TRANS-CONTINENTAL LINE. Passing as it does through NI^BRASKA, KANSAS, T^^AS, iVi^ W MEXICO, COI^ORAnO, WYOMING, UTAH, IDAHO, MON- TANA, 0R:E^G0N and WASHINGTON, every business interest is to be found along its line. .• .• .* ,• ,• "Pny flip PflrmPT thousands of acres of rich agricultural land are ' , yet open for settlement. For the Stock-Raiser, IryeTLTecured"""'"' '"'"' '"^ T-'oT tllP IVTinPr ^^^^ gieat mountains of the West await but the open- -Liiioi ; jj^g ^Q become thd source of large fortunes, and For the Business Man, '^" g/of-^/ties and towns of the west v^ u^ x^Kji-i ^^^Ki -ut-i-i^i-i, ^j,g daily offering unequaled opportuni- ties for investment of capital and location of industries which are unsur- passed by older sections of the United States. For pamphlets descriptive of the above named States or Territories, or any information relative to the Union Pacific, call on or address any agent of this Company, whose name is given in the list on the inside cover, or E. DICKINSON, E. L. LOMAX, General Manager. Gen'l Passenger & Ticket Agent LBFe '05