y 686 G34 opv 1 aEOG-EAPHT OF KANSAS AND NEBKASKA SEAL OF KANSAS. SEAL OP NEBRASKA. r t TVy. ' " " ' ' ^ c, 1879. o-M' COPYiaaUT 187!), BY CHARLES SCltrilNEIi'S SO.Vti. "% MAP STUDIES OX KANSAS. I. Position. — What two parallels form the iKirthern and the southern boundaries of Kansas y Wliat important points (see map of Middle Atlan- tic States) lie under these parallels on the Atlan- tic seaboard ? Ans. The city of Pliiladclphia and F.irtress Monroe, at the mouth of James River. Wliich of the Atlantic States lie wholly, or mostly, between the parallels which bound Kansas ? Wliat raoridian forms the western boundary of tlie State ? How many degrees is this west of Washington ? Whit meridian forms most of the eastern boundary? A)is. The meridian of 9-1° :;()' west from Greenwich. What forms the north- ern part of the eastern boundary ? Over how many degrees of longitude and of latitude does Kansas extend ? What is its general form ? Find its breadth by the scale of miles. What is its length through the middle ? II. Slope and nrainage.— In what direction does the land slope in Kansas V What indicates that the general slope is eastward ? In what direc- tion do nearly all the streams in the south-eastern quarter of the State flow V What does this indi- cate in regard to the slope of the land ? What are the two greatest rivers in Kansas? What three large streams unite to form the Kan- sas •' Into what does the Kansas flow ? Where are the sources of Smoky Hill and Salmon Rivers ? Where are the sources of the Republican? In what State is the larger part of its course ? Where (see map of United States) are the sources of the Arkansas ? What part of its course lies in Kan- sas, and what is its direction in this part ? What is the principal stream in south-eastern Kansas ? In south-western Kansas ? Of what (see map of Central States) are these two streams tributaries ? III. Counties and Cities — Name the coun- ties of Kansas which border upon the Missouri, with the county-seats. Name those which lie west of these, as far as the month of Republican River. Name their county-seats. Name the comities which border upon the south side of the Kansas, below its confluence with the Republican. What are their county-seats ? Which county con- tains the State capital ? Name the counties which border upon Missouri to the south of the Kansas, with their county- seats. Name, in the same way, the first tier to the west of these ; the second tier ; the third tier ; the fourth tier. What part of the area of the State is included in the counties named above ? In what county, and how .situated, is Leaven- worth ? Atchison ? Lawrence ? Topeka ? Fort Scott ? Wyandotte ? Emporia ? Independence ? Ottawa? Parsons? Paola? Olathe? Oswego? Junction City ? Manhattan ? What counties lie between the western part of Butler County and the northern boundary ? What are their county-seats ? Name, with their county- seats, the eight counties forming the tier next west of those last named. In what county, .anrl how situated, is Wichita? Newton? Hutchinson? Salina? Winfield? What two important towns in the extreme south-east corner of Cherokee County ? What important towns will you pass in crossing the State from Kansas City by the Kansas Pa- cific Railroad ? What important towns will j-ou pass through in going on the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe' Railroad from the Missouri River to the Arkansas ? AVhat important towns will you pass in going on the Kansas City, Lawrence tt Southern Railroad from Kansas City to Indepen- dence ? What important towns are on the Kan- sas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad ? What important towns would you pass in going by rail from Oswego, in the Neosho Valley, to Concordia, on the Republican ? 101 Lonsitude 'lOO Wtst f; Copyright, 1870, by SCRIBNEU'S FONS. ^AF STUDIES ON NEBRASKA. I. Position and Outline. — What parallels form boundaries of Nebraska ? What important cities (see map of United States) lie on or very near the parallel of iO' V What important cities lie on or near the parallel of 43° ? A7(S.— Milwau- kee and Buffalo. What meridians form the western boundary of Nebraska ? What meridian crosses the eastern boundary near the middle? What is the position of this meridian in the United States ? A71S. — It is midway between the extreme eastern and western points. What rivers form the eastern and north-eastern boundaries ? II. Slope unci Drainage. — In what direc- tion does the land slope in the larger part of Ne- braska ? Wliat indicates that the general slope is eastward ? In what direction does the land slope in the extreme eastern and south-eastern counties ? What indicates a southern slope in that region ? What large river crosses the State from east to west ? What river drains the north-western part ? The south-western part ? What great stream re- ceives all these waters ? What two streams unite to form the Platte ? What two great tributaries does the Platte receive in its lower course ? In what directions do these two streams and their largest tributaries flow ? What does that direction indicate in regard to the slope of the land drained by them ? What do j'ou notice in regard to streams entering the Missouri between the Niobrara and the Platte ? What do you suppose is the reason of this ? What river with its tributaries drains most of the south-eastern counties ? Into what does the Big Blue flow ? III. Counties an ^ a fl -1 (U > 5: 0) TJ w •s 1. 1 £■ 5 ■— -s .s .2 a ' -a a g 2 J3 S - 8 S ^ ^ ^ ^ '^ -r- ■*^ '« ^ S >> a -a 2 K" ^ s H f^ ^ u 02 -*3 ^2 C ) «M •^ a .0 a s 2 e E-i ■S fc C a CO -^ >^ Gv, ^■^ P P C3 ho ja H ■fi ■'^ C/J a ^ o 5 e3 t^ §il£ 11=1 S-_£ So. 2 0-3 ,- t; .= ja o O M " ^3 i> y 5 „ a -^ r^ f^^ . +3 -S a c3 a O M CC 00 'bo CO (3 . I & « S '" -u a = ;s a tr. 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'U rf a J3 ri ^ ""^ n M QJ ^ ff! >^ OJ ■a; M " i5 .2 S =.. ?= ' a bo rt a 93 ^ J3 O 03 ~ -w 3 -3 to ^ 3 C3 O =. a s 1; S o ?, -^ > o ^ ^ - O CO =s a >;> g S -a .2 a? <" 1^ -a 3 r 5) a r3 a c3 J3 O 3 3 p. ° 2 « 2 rt '0 CO S M s iz; ^ B E > M !? !^ « -r; C3 CO 2 b « c4 n S g 5: N tr. ce ■n oT ^ s «5j — ' fl " & s* H jn "rt c .2 CC P^ rt C( EM a ^ -!l -+i g S 2 s > ■(« 3 «2 a r^ o &i OS 45 t- _a '-' ,— "o 2 'S 2 &« ^ -«3 .2 r S * I' s . ■a EC > ja ta - &> g ^ .a ja Eh H El -5 ^ a § ■^ S In I ■I £ I -^ ^ a o 7: 5 ^ '-S — _ o .a -S != §■ g -W cu 5 QJ Ki hn f 0: d _ i a' _ e &^ Eh KANSAS. DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY.* Area, 81,300 «^ , Paola (1879) .02— 'Beloit .10 — 1.2 Independence(l879 .05 — 3^ Council Grove ... . .03 — 3-3 Seneca .09- K 'Erie .01— iNorton .06—% ILyndon .02 — Osborne .02 — % |Minneapolis .01 — Lamed .03-3^ iPhillipsburg .04 — y£ .Louisville .01 — Hutchinson .03— V iBelleviUe , .01— V Lyons ' .04—34 Manhattan (1879).. i .01— Stockton .01— .Walnut City .01— Russell j .Ol-JjJ' Salina (1879) .01— Wichita (1879)....! .08— , Topeka (1879) .03— [Smith Centre . 03— K ' Weil'ington. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. •O'i— -ji Alma .02 — 3^ Washington .08—1 Fredonia . 06—3^ Yates Centre .35— |Wyandotte (1879) 3,636 643 1,973 838 3,829 1,107 841 1,315 547 1,010 1,387 1,413 687 1,962 3,383 5,335 13,500 1,160 263 4,613 • Census of 187S. t Estimated. \ NEBRASKA. DESCRIPTIVE GEOGRAPHY. Area, 76,000 ««?. ?». Pop. (1879), 386,410. Valuation, $7o,3.'59.r98. POSITION AND SIZE. The State of Nebraska lies immediately north of the middle parallel of North America, and immediately west of the middle meridian of the United States. It includes eight degrees of lon- gitude and three degrees of latitude. The greatest length of the State is slightly more than 400 miles; and its width, except in the western part, about 200 miles. The area is 48+ mil- lion acres. SURFACE. Nebraska is a great inclined plain, sloping very gradually from north-west to south- east. The altitude varies from 878 feet at the mouth of the Nemaha, in the ex- treme south-east, to 0,0.51 at Scott's Bluffs, on the western State line, 30 miles north of the Union Pacific Railroad. The entire State may be divided, in reference to altitude, into three approximately equal districts, eastern, middle, and western, the lines of division being north and south lines through Niobrara and North Platte. The eastern division rarely exceeds 1,500 feet in elevation; the middle is from 1,500 to 3,000 feet; and the western, for the most part, from 3,000 to 5,000. The altitude along the Missouri increases very gradually from 878 feet at the mouth of the Nemaha, to 984 at Plattsmouth, 1,026 at Omaha, and 1.340 at Niobrara. The altitudes in the Platte valley, on the line of the Union Pacific Railroad, increase from 984 feet at Plattsmouth to 1,220 at Fremont, 1,496 at Colum- bus, 1,887 at Grand Island, 2,83.5 at North Platte, and 5,061 at Pine Bluffs, near the State line. The depot of the Union Pacific at Omaha is at an eleva- tion of 1,056 feet, 30 feet above the river; thus, in crossing the State, the grade rises 4,000 feet, at quite a regular rate, about ten feet to the mile. \ In the southern tier of counties the rise is only about one-half as great. I * Figures furnished by Prof. S. Aughey, largely from his own measure- The altitudes vary from 909 at Falls City to 1,324 at Fairbury, 1,771 at I meuts. VIEW IN NEBRASKA. Bloomington, 2,348 at Indianola, and 3,008 at the State line, on Republican River.* The surface, in the eastern division, in general, is gently undu- lating. A narrow belt, of five miles or more along the Missouri, is quite broken, and abrupt bluffs border the stream. The middle division is more varied, and presents a succes- sion of alternate valleys and ridges. The valleys are the result of the erosion of the surface by the streams; and the ridges are simply the remains, between the eroded valleys, of the original surface lands. There are, therefore, no very great differences of level between valley :~ ^' ~ _,„^ and upland. In general, a stretch of flat alluvial " bot- tom " borders the streams, both in the middle and the east- ern division. On each side of this '• bottom '' the land rises, in more or less abrupt bluffs, to the upland which forms the general sur- face. The most itnportant valleys are those of the Platte, Loup, Elk- horn, and Republican Rivers. The first ex- tends the entire length of the State, var^-ing from four to twelve miles in width, with gentle slopes instead of precipitous bluffs. The others are from two to eio-ht miles ,t. leading to the upland wide. The loestern division has a still more broken surface; but, even here, the irregularities are the result of the unequal erosion of a once comparativelv level plain. The valleys often have the form of narrow and deep ravines, with precipitous sides. Especiall}' is this the case in the region north of the Niobrara. DRAINAGE. The Missouri River receives the entire drainage of Nebraska, through three principal streams. These are the Niobrara, in the north; the Platte, in the middle; and the Republican, a tributary GEOGRAPHY OF NEBRASKA. 13 of the Kansas, in the south. The Big- Blue, also a feeder of the Kansas, carries to it the waters of the south-eastern portion of the State. These streams are quite siiallow and rapid, hence are not avail- able for purposes of navig'ation; but the\' and their larg-er tribu- taries, at different points on their course, afford excellent water- power. Between the Platte and the Niobrara the Missouri receives only insignificant streams from the broken country adjacent to it. The drainage, in the north-eastern quarter of the State, is toward the JElkliorn, rather than toward the great stream on the boundary. The Platte is formed by the confluence of two nearly equal streams, the North Platte and the South Platte. Its only con- siderable tributaries, aside from these, are the Loup (Wolf) and the Elkhorn, the former draining the middle and the latter the eastern portion of the region nortli of the Platte. The Loup, flowing through a valley nearly parallel with that of the middle Platte, receives a large number of parallel streams, which, like the Elkhorn and the tributaries of the Republican and Big Blue, follow the general south-eastern slope of the State. MINERALS. The mineral resources of Nebraska, though considerable and varied, are almost entirely undeveloped. The great coal-field of the Mississippi basin extends into the south-eastern part of the State, and peat-beds are very numerous. Good building-stone is abundant in eastern Nebraska, also brick clay and potters' clay. A large bed of cement-stone (hydraulic limestone) exists in Gage County, on the Big Blue; and lithog- graphers' stone is found near Syracuse, in Otoe County. Mineral paint is plentiful along the Missouri, from Plattsmouth southward; and silica, in a form to produce a valuable polishing powder, abounds along the Republican, near Arapahoe. Marl is abundant in western Nebraska. There are extensive and valuable saline lands in Lancaster County, and also in north-western Nebraska, beyond the head-waters of the Elkhorn. CLIMATE. The climatic character of Nebraska is almost identical with that of Kansas. The average annual temperature is about 55°, and the summer and winter seasons are marked by extremes of heat and cold. The annual rainfall diminishes gradually from the south-east to the north-west, the eastern, middle, and western portions of the State showing about the same differences as in Kansas. The heaviest rains are in spring and early summer, in the months of May, .Tune, and July. The winter months are nearly rainless. The average rainfall in the western half of the State for ten years past has been 20 inches. The eastern half may be divided into three nearly equal belts, which have had respectively an annual rainfall of 32, 28, and 32 inches during the same period . These rain-belts may be marked by lines passing in an irregular curve from the Missouri to the southern State line. The first passes near Jackson, Schuyler, and Seward ; the second near St. Helena, Grand Island, and Hast- ings. The third, separating the eastern half of the State from the western, passes from the western terminus of the river boundary, through Plum Creek and Beaver City {near the meridian of 100"). Constant and often strong winds characterize these States of the plains. This is on account of their position in the track of the return trade, and the absence of any barriers to break the force of the wind. Sudden and violent thunder-showers are quite frequent in summer. The climate is undergoing a gradual modification in consequence of the cultivation of the soil and the increase of forests. SOIL. Of the 48|- millions of acres in the State, it is estimated that 30 millions, or five-eighths of the whole, are perfectly adapted to all purposes of agriculture. The remainder, by reason of the nutri- tious prairie grasses which naturally cover the surface, is admira- bly adapted to stock-raising on a vast scale. A diagonal drawn from the mouth of the Niobrara to the south-western cor- ner of Hitchcock Coimty, on the Kansas border, would separate that portion of the State where arable laud is the rule from that in which the surface in general is better adapted to pasturage, with more or less arable land in the valleys. Owing to tlie dryness of the winter, the soil is ready for the plough as soon as the frost is out in the spring, and it pulverizes easily and uniformly. Being never water-soaked, it does not bake, and withstands the drought of late summer so perfectly tliat corn and other late crops are rarely injured, even by weeks of rainless weather. The soil of the "bottoms" is a deep black vegetable loam, min- gled with lime and more or less sand, and of the highest fertility. The upland soil, though less deep, is equally productive, being especially suited to wheat-growing-. The availability of the land for general farming- is greatest in the eastern quarter of the State, and diminishes gradually toward the west, with the increasing- elevation of the surface and decreas- ing- rainfall. FORESTS. Native timber in Nebraska is confined to the vicinity of the streams. The timber belts vary in width from a mile or more in the east, to mere fringes, or scattered patches, along the margins of the streams, in the middle and more westerly counties. The most common trees are cottonwood, soft-maple, oak, elm, willow, and ash. Much attention is given to timber-raising, and there is scarce a farm without its artificial grove. The trees most commonly planted are cottonwood, soft-maple, black-walnut, and ash. They grow very rapidly, many trees attaining a foot in diameter in the course of eight or ten years; and after a few years the cultivated timber has the appearance of a natural grove. In the spring of 1879 over 58,000 acres of cultivated timber were reported in the State. The increase of forests is gradually modifying the climate in the settled portions of the State, increasing the rainfall, retaining the moisture of the soil, and diminishing the force of the winds by interrupting their hitherto unbroken sweep over the vast area of the plains. 14 GEOGRAPHY OF NEBRASKA. AGRICULTURE. The cultivation of the soil and stock-raising are the great sources of wealth in Nebraska; yet at the present time only a small fraction of the available land has been brought into use. In the spring of 1879 only about 2^ millions of acres were re- ported as under cultivation, not quite one-thirteenth of the esti- mated area of arable land in the State. The crops to which the largest acreage is devoted are the dif- ferent grains, especially corn, spring- wheat, oats, and barley. Corn succeeds best on the valleys and slopes, while wheat thrives Isetter on the upland. The estimated yield of these crops in 1878 was: corn, 42 million bushels; wheat, 1.5 millions; oats, 8 millions; and barlej', .3 millions. Potatoes and other root-crops, meadow- grasses, sorghum, flax, aiid broom-corn, together witli or- chard-fruits, grapes, and the different small fruits, are also cultivated. Vast herds of cat- tle are fed upon the native prairies in the western half of the State, and the capa- city for increase in this direction is prac- tically without limit. Immense numbers of Texan cattle are fat- tened here for the Chicago market. The " drives " are brought for market to Og-al- alla, on the Union Pacific Railroad, whence they are distributed to the great ranges on the upper Republican, Platte, and Loup rivers. MANUFACTURING. The manufacturing industries of the State are still in their in- fancy, but the past few years have witnessed great progress in this department. The leading branches are those more or less connected with agriculture — flouring-mills, breweries and distil- leries, soap works, carriage and wagon factories, plow shops, cheese factories, foundries, broom factories, and pork-packing houses. COMMERCE. The trade of Nebraska is large, and steadily increasing with the development of the natural resources of the State. It consists chiefly in the exchange of the products of the soil and the herds for eastern manufactures and foreign supplies. The principal home market is Omaha; the most accessible out- side markets, Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. A VIEW IN OMAHA. There is also a large shipping trade westward to the mining districts, especially in poultry and eggs, flour, butter, pork, and other articles of common consumption. The facilities for transportation are great, notwithstanding the absence of navigable streams within the boundaries. Through the Missouri, access by water can be had to every part of the great central plain. The Union Pacific Railroad, which crosses the State, brings it into connection with the general railroad system of the country, and gives access to all the great markets, not only upon the lakes and the Gulf, but also upon the Eastern and Western sea-boards. In 1879 there were in operation within the State 1,235 miles of railroad, with an assessed valuation of over 8^ millions of dollars. Two hundred miles of road were built and equipped during the years 1877 and _:i 1878. INHABITANTS. The total popula- tion of Nebraska in April, 1879, was 386,- 410, or about five per- sons to every square mile of territory. This population is, however, nearly all included in the south- eastern half of the State, the western half being very sparsely peopled. Eight counties — Cass, Dodge, Doug- las, Lancaster, Otoe, Richardson, Saline, and Saunders — con- tain over one-third of the entire population. The rapid increase of population is dtie to immigration, both from the more populous States at the East and from Europe. It is estimated that not less than 50,000 immigrants entered the State during the year 1878. The total increase of population in one year, from the end of March, 1878, was nearly 64,000. The great bulk of the population is American born. The Eu- ropean immigrants represent nearly all the countries of Northern Europe. Scandinavians, Germans, English, and Irish are espe- cially numerous. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION. The State is divided, for purposes of administration, into coun- ties, 63 of which were organized at the end of March, 1879. The organized counties are subdivided into voting- precincts and into school districts. The incorporated cities have their own political organization apart from the townships within which they are situated. There are also within the State several military and Indian reservations. The State Govermneiit embraces three tlepartiueiits, Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The Executive officers are Governor, Lieutenant - Governor, Secretar}', Treasurer, Auditor, Attorney-General, Commissioner of Public Lands and Buildings, and Superintendent of Public Instruction. The State Legislature includes a Senate of thirty members, and a House of Representatives of eighty-four members. The mem- bers of both the Executive and the Legislative departments are elected for a term of two yeai's. The regular sessions of the Le- gislature are held biennially, opening on the first Tuesday in January. The Judicial department includes a Supreme Court, six District Courts, and various inferior courts for the hearing of minor causes. The Supreme Court consists of a Chief-Justice and two Asso- ciate Judges, elected by the people for a term of six years. The Judges of the District Courts are also elected by the people, serv- ing during a term of two years, Nebraska sends to Con- gress two United States Senators and one member of the National House of Re- presentatives. It is there- fore entitled to three votes in the election of President of the United States. CITIES. The cities of Nebraska are incorporated in two classes. Those having a pop- ulation of 15,000 or more form the first class; those below 15,000 and above 1,500, the second class. Places with less than 1,500 inhabitants have no city or- ganization. Omaha is the only city of the first class. There- are over thirty of the second class, all distinguished by rapid growth and great business activity. The leading cities of Nebraska, like those of Kansas, are situated at advantageous points for shipment on the lines of railroad which traverse the State. The greatest are at the points of intersection of the leading lines. Omaha is the great railroad centre of the State. Nehrasika City, Lincoln and Fremont are next in importance. These four cities are distinguished for their extensive jobbing trade, which extends not only to all parts of the State, but to ad- jacent States and Territories. The principal places on the leading railroads of the State and their branches are the following: 1. UNION PACIFIC. (Between Omaha and western State line.) Omaha, Papillon, Fremont, Schuyler, Columbus, Central City, Grand Island, Kearney, Plum Creek, North Platte, Ogalalla, and Sidney. Connections at Fremont eastward for Blair, northward for West Point and Wisner ; at Valley for Wahoo and David City. 2. BURLINGTON AND MISSOURI. (Omaha and Kearney Junction.) Plattsmouth, Ashland, Lincoln, Crete, Fairmont, Sutton, Harvard, STATE UNIVKKSITY AT LINCOLN. \. 'P Hastings, Juniata, Kearney. Connections from Crete southward to Beatrice ; from Concord northward to Bellevue and Omaha j from Hastings .southward to Red Cloud. 3. NEBRASKA RAILROAD. Brownville, Peru, Nebraska City, Syracuse, Palmyra, Lincoln, Sew- ard, York. Extensions in construction from Brownville to Falls City, and from York to Aurora. 4. ATCHISON AND NEBRASKA. Falls City, Salem, Humboldt, Table Rock, Elk Creek, Tecumseh, Sterling, Lincoln. 5. ST. JOSEPH AND DENVER. Fairbury, Alexandria, Belvidere, Carleton, Edgar, Fairfield, Hastings, Grand Island. 6. OMAHA AND NORTHWESTERN. i Omaha, Florence, Blair, Tekamah. Branch from Blair westward to Amherst. 7. COVINGTON, COLUMBUS, AND BLACK HILLS. Covington (opposite Sioux City), Dakota City, Jackson, Summit, Ponca. Omaha (30,000), on the Missouri River, at the cross- ing of the Union Pacific railroad, is one of the most important cities west of the Mississippi. It is the great commercial centre of the State, being the point to which its leading railroads converge, has exten sive, 1?r6cir"yards, and its ship- ping trade is very large. The manufacturing inter- ests are also extensive, in- cluding railroad machine- shops, foundries, carriage and wagon manufactories, a safe and vault manufac- tory, linseed-oil works, lead- smelting works, white lead works, works for reducing and refining gold and \' 'er ores, and many other establishments. It has excellent public schools, the State Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, and several important denominational schools. The city is beautifully situated on a low table-land, rising on the west into bluffs, which form admirable building sites, and are crowned by many elegant residences. The business part of the city is on the lower ground. It is connected with Council Bluffs, on the opposite side of the river, by a railroad bridge and a steam ferry. Lincoln (7,500), the capital of the State, and the county seat of Lancaster County, was founded in 1867, its site having been selected by a commission appointed to locate the State capital. Its growth has been remarkable, and it is now one of the leading railroad cen- tres of the State. The State University is located at Lincoln, also the State Penitentiary. Nebraska City (5,500), the county seat of Otoe County, is finely situated on Missouri River, and has an important local trade. It contains the State Institution for the Blind, and Nebraska College. Fremont (3,500), situated on the north side of Platte River, is an important grain market, and a place of active and rapidly in- creasing business. LIBRARY OF CONGRI GEOGRAPHY OF NEBRASKA. 016 094 415 Fulls City (2,500), tlie count_y seat of Richardson County, is the incipal market for South-eastern Nebraska. Columbus (2,500), Grand Island (3,000), Kearney City (1,500), ,d Hastinr/s (3,500) are the leading commercial centres of middle ebraska, all being important grain markets. At North Platte e repair shops of the Union Pacific Railroad. The population Grand Island and vicinity is largely German. Seward {\,bW)), Crete (1,500), and Beatrice (3,000) are the great ntres of trade for the basin of the Big Blue, one of the most ipulous and productive portions of the State. I'lattsmouth (3,200) is the eastern terminus of the Nebraska vision of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad, and con- ins extensive repair-shops. West Point(%fiQQi), the county seat of Cuming County, has, like rand Island, a large German population. Brownmlle (1,750), the starting-point of the Nebraska Railroad, id Tecumseh, the county seat of Johnson County, have a large cal trade, chiefly in farm-produce. North Platte (1,000) is the ost important jilaoe in Western Nebraska. EDUCATION. The State system of public instruction inchules ungraded schools, strict graded schools, city schools, a State Normal School, located Peru, and a State University, at Lincoln. There is also an istitute for the Deaf and Dumb, at Omaha; and an Institution ■r the Blind, at Nebraska City ; and a Reform School, at Kearnev. The larg'er cities have graded schools of a high order of exoel- nce, through which pupils are advanced^regularly, from tho most ementary grades of scholarship to that require .ission to le university. The schools are supported by the income of the fund derived om the congressional land grant, together with a tax of one mill ?r dollar on the assessed valuation of the State ; and a local tax hieh in cities cannot exceed 10 mills on a dol'lar, in other dis- icts '27) mills on a dollar. The land grant consists of the IGtli and ofJtL sections in each mgressional township in the State, making cvtie-eighteenth of its itire area. This land is sold or leased, at k price fixed by law, and the proceeds constitute the j)ernianent fund for the support of the schools. The State University and other State schools are supported partly by appropriations made by the State Legislature, and partly by the proceeds of valuable land endowments. The district and graded schools are under the direction of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, county superintendents, and district boards. The State institutions have each their own boards of managers. The Board of Regents of the L'niversity consists of six persons elected by the people, one j'early, for a term of six years. They are authorized by law to establish five colleges, namely, (1) a Col- lege of Literature, Science, and the Arts; (3) an Industrial College; (3) a College of Law; (4) a College of Medicine; (5) a College of the Fine Arts. Only the first two are as yet organized. HISTORY. Nebraska, like the other States west of the Mississippi, formed a part of the territory which, under the general name of Louisiana, was purchased from France in 1803. The Territory of Nebraska was organized in 1854, with a much more extended area than the present State. Immediately after the organization immigration began, and the population rapidly in- creased. In 1855 it numbered 4,500, and in 18G0 nearly 29,00(». f he State was admitted into the LTnion, with its present bound- aries, in 1867. A special session of tho State Legislature was held in the summer of the same year. An act was passed at this session providing for the establish- ment of the seat of government at a site to be called Lincoln, and to be selected by a commission consisting of the Governor, Secre- tary of State, and Auditor. The establishment of a Normal School at Peru, and the location of the State Universit}' and Agricultural College at Lincoln were provided for at the same time. The Normal School was opened the same year; the University not until 1871. The Institute for Deaf and Dumb was opened in 186'J, and the Institute for the Blind in 1875. The first regular session of the State Legislature was held at Lincoln in 1869, opening on the seventh day of .January. COUNTIES' ■"'jF NEBRASKA.— (From Census by Counties, 1879.) lams itelope. . 1871 1871 lOne'. I 1871 Organ- ized. ifTalo lit . . , itler . da eyenue . . »v Ifax Tiling*. . . ster kota . . , , wson* . . xon dge*.... uglas* . . udy Iniorc . . . mklm I 1871 ^atier* ' 1872 ruas , 1873 1869 IS-IS ISBS 1855 1S57 18H7 1871 1S6« 18.56 1877 1855 1871 1858 1855 1854 187.3 1871 Popula- tion in 1879. 8,162 a,178 2,626 6,878 5,165 7,.'510 13,435 2,775 County Seat. Hastings. Oakdale. Albion. Kearney. Tekaniah. Davi.l City. Plattsraouth. St. Helena. Popula- tion. 3,500 300 1,450 700 800 3,200 185 1,218 Sidney. 9,373 [Sutton. 5,960 :Schuyler. 0,095 'West Point. Custer. Dakota City. Plum Creek. Ponca. Fremont. Omaha. 096 3,208 3,871 4,061 11,579 36,557 1,000 900 2,000 8 500 763 600 3,500 3,000 8,760 iGeneva. 4,137 Bloomington. 626 Stockville. 2,982 {Beaver City. 400 800 150 GountieR. Organ- iz •!. Gage 1857 Greeley 1872 Gosper 1877 Hall 1S61 Hamilton 1870 Harlan 1S71 Hitchcock* . . 1873 Howard 1871 Holt 1871 Haves*t JctTerson 1869 Johnson 1856 Kearney 1872 Keith*. 1873 1856 1804 Lancaster. . . . Lincoln 1859 Madison 1867 Merrick 1864 Nance* Nemaha* .... is.5.5 Nuckolls 1871 i Otoe 18.55 Pawnee 1857 Popula- tion in 1&79. 9,629 7.53 623 6,375 6,478 4,193 264 3,246 1,839 600 6,280 6, .302 3,840 274 2,088 18,675 2,017 4,280 4,625 1,000 10,504 2,964 13,863 5,899 County Seat. Beatrice. Sc-otia. jVaughn. |Grand Island. lAurora. [Alma. Culbertson. St. Paul. IPaddock. Popula tion. 3,000 40 2,000 500 "266 300 Fairbury. Tecumseh. jMinden. jOgalalla. Niobrara. Lincoln. i iNorth Platte. Madison. ICentral City. iBrownville. Nelson. Nebraska City jPawnee City. 1,500 1,200 35 5.50 7,500 1,000 260 600 Counties. 1,7.50 200 5,500 800 IPhelps 'Pierce Platte IPolk !Eed Willow ; Richardson Saline ISarpy Saunders Seward* jSherman Stanton Sioux*t. iThayer Valley Washington*. . . . Wayne Webster :Wheeler*-t York {Unorgan'd Ter. * I Total.... Organ- ized. 1873 1859 U57 1870 1873 18.55 1867 18.57 1862 1865 1874 1867 1872 1873 1855 1S70 1871 1870 Popula-j tion in ' County Seat. 187a. Popula- tion. 1,275 Williamsburg. 684 Pierce. 7,587 Columbus. 5,023 Osceol.a. 963 Indianola. 13,433 Palls City. 12,417 Wilber. 4,o!-2 Papillon. 13,.528 Wal'oo. 9,389 S.ward. 1,120 Loup City. 1,486 Stanton. 5.50 4,535 Hebron. 1,540 Old City. 8,361 Blair. 481 La Porte. 5,947 Red Cloud. 700 9,112|York. 17,625 2,500 300 50 3,500 1,.388 600 1,200 1,500 250 200 750 100 1,500 100 900 386,410: * Estimated. t Unorganized.