F 666 I .H57 Copy 1 '^ RPSOUHCE^ f>.^ Map of Nebraska. THE OLDEST INHABITANT. "When Shall We Three Meet Again?' SITTING BULL, BUFFALO BILL. H Conbenseb THistorig of IRebraska for 3^ift)2 ^caxQ to Bate PROFUSELY and APPROPRIATELY ILLUSTRATED Compiled by Geo. W. Hervet, Editor, and Published OMAHA, NEB. DECEMBEE, 1903 HV ot CONeRESS ('■oDies fter.«tvtsd L 21 1904 myrtfht Entry o. 5- iqo3 !S '^ XXo. No. COPY "? Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. OPINIONS OF PROMINENT MEN ON THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF A BOOKLET AS CONTEMPLATED The book on "Nebraska's Resources Illustrated" will supply a long-felt want. I wish it success. — E. A. Burnett, Director Nebraska Experiment Station. I think that such a book as contemplated by you will be very valuable if the field is thoroughly covered and the description of the industries is faithful, exact and complete. — R. M. Allen, General Manager Standard Cattle Company. A pamphlet such as I understand you purpose getting out. and which your prospectus outlines, giving a full showing of Nebraska's resources, will prove a valuable aid in the hands of land agents and others in con- nection with their work of inducing immigration to Nebraska. — J. Francis, General Passenger Agent B. & M. R. R. In regard to a booklet giving information in general as to Nebraska, as outlined by Nebraska Farmer, believe it would be one of the most desirable, acceptable and appreciated works that could be distributed East and West. Have lived in the state many years, traveled over it extensively and would appreciate such a publication. — Henry C. Smith, Dealer in Real Estate. I think that a condensed history of Nebraska and its resources would be of much value to the state, and I feel sure that if edited by G. W. Hervey it will be a book worthy of distribution. There is no question but a book of this kind is needed, and I wish you abundant success in the enterprise. — Peter Youngers, Nurseryman and Member of Board of Managers of State Board of Agriculture. I feel sure that "Nebraska's Resources Illustrated" will be not only attractive, but most valuable to those interested in the state's development, the resident and the "stranger within our gates." The fact that Mr. G. W. Hervey has been interested in the compilation of it guarantees its intrinsic worth and accuracy. Success to the Nebraska Farmer in this laudable en- terprise. — Bartlett Richards. President Nebraska Land & Feeding Company. A booklet carefully arranged and easy of reference setting forth Ne- braska's resources would prove of great value to many classes of people, such as teachers, bankers, lawyers, real estate men and others dealing moi-e or less with the public. A booklet of this kind would be a fine advertise- ment to be sent out to people in other states who contemplate a change of residence. I feel assured that your forthcoming publication, under the direction of Mr. Hervey as its editor, will meet the demands of the public. — W- A. Poynter, Ex-Governor. In my opinion a brief history of the state of Nebraska in a condensed form would be particularly appreciated by the public at this time. Next year is the fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of this state, and it wouli be very appropriate to bring out a publication which will to some extent enlighten the world on the wonderful progress which has been made in this short time. I believe no one is better qualified to prepare this history than your excellent paper "The Nebraska Farmer," and I sincerely hop you will undertake the work. — G. W. Wattles, President Union Natlona Bank, Omaha. Ordinarily I should not be willing to endorse any book publishing en- terprise, but there is much in the prospectus of your "Nebraska's Resources Illustrated" whicli commends itself to me. Any new and undeveloped ?tate like Nebraska can be greatly benefited by having its history and resources attractively set forth in a moderate-sized book, providing a wide circulation for the worlc can be secured. Mr. Hervey I know to be admirably quali.ied to produce such a book, and the Nebraska Farmer is certainly able to gl\'i it wide circulation. I wish the enterprise the success that Its ambitlcn merits. — G. M. Hitchcock, Member of Congress, and Publisher of Woilu- Herald. Physical Geography. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF NEBRASKA. Nebraska has an area of 76,840 square miles, and contains 49,177,600 acres of land. It is about 200 miles wide from north to south, and 400 miles long from east to west. The geographical center of the state has been placed near Broken Bow, the county seat of Custer county. The lands of Nebraska may properly be placed in two distinct classi- fications, agricultural lands and grazing lands. The eastern half of the state is a rich, prairie district, gently rolling and well adapted to general agricultural pursuits, except a very small portion along the Missouri river, which may be classed hilly or broken, but is no less productive. Soil. — A description of the soil over this part of the state will be more readily understood by the terms clay loam and sandy loam. Originally sandy loam was the distinctive characteristic of all lands in the state, of an agricultural nature, but the changing influences which have been at work during these years of cultivationhave caused a mouldering and slack- ing of the sand particles in the soil, until large districts once regarded as quite sandy are now almost without a trace of sand in the soil. Of these two general classifications, clay loam and sandy loam, there are many varieties or conditions. The lighter sandy soils are rapidly changing to the darker, heavier loams. This is readily observed by the tiller, who finds that each year's plowing and cultivation causes the ground to show darker, and contain a much larger .per cent of fine dirt, and a correspond- ingly less per cent of sand. This mouldering, slacking process is facili- tated by cultivation, the turning of the sand particles up to the influence of the atmosphere; thus increased cultivation, with the changing influ- ences that the elements are exerting are responsible for the entire acre- age of Nebraska growing richer in soil properties, and ability to produce larger crops of grasses and grains. The central part of the state contains large districts of smooth prairie, but all of it sufficiently rolling to admit of perfect drainage, mak- ing these the finest of corn and small grain lands. In this part of the state the natural advantages for fine farm homes cannot be excelled. The western half of the state is called the stock raising district, on account of its vast opeu ranges of unoccupied government lands, which produce the finest grazing for stock that can be found anywhere in the United States. Many of the varieties of grasses that grow in this section of the state possess the peculiar quality of curing on the ground, and retaining their nutritive properties as a feed almost equal to the fall pasture, making it possible for stock to pass the entire winter on the range, independent of any assistance from prepared feed. Water. — The main water courses are the valleys traversed by the Platte, Elkhorn, Niobrara, Republican and Loup rivers. These with their numerous tributaries form a system of water supply and drainage that is equalled by no other district of similar area in the United States. Living springs are to be found all over the state, especially in that part desig- nated as the North Platte country are they numerous. These little spring streams that may be seen coursing their way through the almost level prairies, to join others in the more defined valleys, help to make up the 6 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. surface water for stock. In the Niobrara district on the northern side of the state there are, in addition to the springs and streams, numerous small lakes scattered over large areas of valley lands, called hay flats. These hay valleys furnish feed for tens of thousands of cattle and horses and the lakes are their source of water supply. There is also an inex- haustible under supply of water which is called sheet water, and is pro- cured at uniform depths in almost all parts of the state. The average depth to the sheet water throughout all the district of country on the north side of the Platte river will not exceed forty feet. Artesian basins of inexhaustible water supply are found in various parts of the state, and in some places are used quite extensively for irrigation purposes. Few districts of country have more or better water than Nebraska. Timber. — The area in native timber is small, being confined to narrow belts along the streams, and where not protected from the prairie fires in the early years of settlement, is not of a quality that would attach to it much commercial importance. The cultivated timber on the improved farms, from their rapid growth and excellent quality, are now attracting much attention. It was largely due to this feature of timber development that the government Bureau of Forestry was induced to set aside a timber reserve in Nebraska, and at once commence the work of cultivating for- ests on these lands. It is a well recognized fact that in no section of country can there be found such timber growth as is presented among the many varieties of forest trees now in the cultivated groves and forests of Nebraska. Hundreds of farms in the state are now supplied with all the wood and saw timber demanded for fuel and building purposes from the groves planted by the early settlers of the state. At the World's Fair in 1903, Nebraska exhibited 130 varieties of na- tive and cultivated forest timber, while the next largest exhibit num- bered 70, made by Wisconsin. The interest that Nebraska has taken in the cultivation of trees of all kinds is set forth impressively by "Arbor Day," which originated in Nebraska by a Nebraska citizen, the late Hon. J. Sterling Morton. Stone. — Rock and building stone of various kinds and qualities form an important feature of the state's natural resources. On the northern side of the state, along the Missouri and Niobrara rivers and their tribu- taries, numerous ledges of rock are to be found. Sandstone, chalk rock, limestone and magnesia rock abound; all these have been quarried and used for building purposes. A superior quality of magnesia rock is used in complete structure of banks, store buildings and residences at Valen- tine, in Cherry county, where extensive quarries can be opened at com- paratively little labor or expense. The most extensive quarries operated in the state are in Cass county, where inexhaustible beds of building rock of excellent quality are had by simply stripping or uncovering the strata. Coal, Fire Clay and Mineral Clays. — Coal has been reported from va- rious parts of the state, but at depths and in quantities that did not war- rant investment in mining. Fire clay and mineral clays are found all along the northern counties, and in quantities and quality that will jus- tify operating. Fuller's earth was discovered a few years ago near Val- entine by C. H. Cornell, the superior quality of which has received the endorsement of the leading packing establishments of this country. Capitol of Nebraska. Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. CLIMATIC ADVANTAGES OF NEBRASKA. The superior climatic advantages, both foi^man and beast, that Ne- braska possesses over other sections of the country are worthy the obser- vation of all considerate persons. The air is dry and pure, free from miasmatic and malarial poisons so common in the rich prairie districts of the West. The clearness and purity of the atmosphere have been the wonder and admiration of thousands and tens of thousands of visitors and travelers through Nebraska, who came from less favored districts. A number of circumstances combine to make the atmosphere of Nebraska exceptionally pure and clear. Its mean elevation of 2,312 feet above sea level, its general slope towards the southwest, the direction the prevailing winds travel, its distance from the sea, the constant motion of its atmos- phere, the general character of its porous soils, which readily absorb all surface moisture, its perfect natural drainage and its general freedom from swamps, sloughs and marshy lands, all combine to give the purest atmosphere. These conditions, free it from the contaminating influence of atmospheric poisons, usual where these active agencies do not exist. An evidence of the purity of the Nebraska atmosphere is readily ob- served with the naked eye, in the great distance that objects can be seen. From high elevations the average eyesight will travel miles without the aid of artificial means, thus again proving the excellent condition of the air. The eastern half of the state has an average elevation of 1,700 feet above sea level; the western half, 3,525 feet. The average elevation of the whole line would be 2,612 feet; the average elevation of the entire state is 2,312 feet above sea level. This fact alone is evidence of the healthfulness of Nebraska climate. 1 ^^^K^ m '■ *^. ^^^ I ^^■I^H BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF NEBRASKA FARMER COMPANY. Nebraska Fifty Years Ago. NEBRASKA FIFTY YEARS AGO. On the 14th day of December, 1853, fifty years ago, Augustus C. Dodge, Senator from Iowa, introduced a bill in the United States Senate to organize the Territory of Nebraska. The following is the text of the organic act which created Nebraska Territory: "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that all that part of the territory of the United States included within the following limits, except such portions thereof as are hereinafter expressly exempted from the operations of this act to-wit: Beginning- at a point on the Missouri river where the fortieth parallel of north latitude crosses the same; thence west on said parallel to the east boundary of the territory of Utah, on the sum- mit of the Rocky mountains; thence on said summit northward to the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude; thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the territory of Minnesota; thence southward on said boundary to the Missouri river; thence down the main channel of said river to the place of beginning, and the same is hereby created into a tem- porary government by the name of the Territory of Nebraska." Thus the beginning of active legislation that resulted in Nebraska becoming a government under organic law. This bill was passed during the session in which it was introduced, and was approved May 30, 1854. The first officers appointed by President Pierce, under the provisions of the bill creating Nebraska Territory were: Francis Burt of South Caro- lina, Governor; Thomas B. Cuming of Iowa, Secretary; Fenner Ferguson of Michigan, Chief Justice; James Bradley of 'Indiana, and Edward R. Hardin of Georgia, Associate Justices; Mark W. Izard of Arkansas, Mar- shal; and Experience Esterbrook of Wisconsin, Attorney. Governor Burt died soon after reaching Bellevue. On his arrival he became the guest of Rev. Hamilton, then in charge of the Presbyterian mission station at that place. He received the oath of office October 16, 1854, and died two days later. He was succeeded by Gov. M. W. Izard by appointment. The first formal census of the territory was taken in 1855, when the population was 4,491. The first Auditor's statement of the valuation of property, both personal and real, in the territory, was $617,822. Nebraska's struggle for statehood was not so universally en- dorsed as its territorial ambition. Its first legislative work as a state was commenced under the official guidance of Gov. David Butler, May 16, 1867. Early Settlement of Nebraska. — The early history of the territory which now comprises the State of Nebraska commences with the settle- ment at Bellevue, which was the first trading point established on the Missouri river as far north as the mouth of the Platte. In 1810 the Ameri can Fur Company established an agency there. In 1823 Peter A. Sarpy became agent for the American Fur Company and for more than thirty years was the recognized leading spirit in that locality, Sarpy county being named for him. In 1846 the Presbyterian Board of Missions sent Rev. Edward McKinney to Bellevue to establish a school. He built a log house for his residence, and two years later the necessary buildings were erected for his mission work. Bellevue continued to be a stronghold in carrying forward the mission work and is today represented by a highly prosperous Presbyterian College. 10 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. GOVERNORS OF NEBRASKA. Dnvid Butler, from February 21, 1867, to June 2. 1871. Elected In 1S66, but did not enter upon the duties of the office until the admission of the state into the Union. Robert W. Furnnn. from January 13, 1873. to January 11, 1875. Born in Ohio, May 5. 1824. Practical printer and editor. Came to Nebraska, 1855. Served in the Civil war. Silas Garbcr, from January 11, 1875, to January 9, 1879. Born in Ohio, September 21, 1833. Served with distinction all through the Civil war. Settled in Webster county, Nebraska, 1870. Represented Webster, Nuckolls and Jefferson counties in the Legislature. Probate Judge. For one year Register of the United States Land Office at Lincoln. Albinus IVnnce, from January 9, 1879, to January 4, 1883. Born in Illinoi.s, March 30, 1848. Lawyer, admitted to the bar, 1870. Member of the State Legislature, 1874-8. James AV. Da^es, from January 4, 1883, to January 6, 18S7. Born in Ohio, January 8, 1845. Lawyer, admitted to the bar in 1871. State Senator, 1887. John M. Thayer, from January 6, 1887, to January 8. 1891. Born in Massachusetts, January 24, 1820. Graduate of Brown University. Colonel and Brigadier General of the United States Volunteers, 1861-5. United States Senator, 1867-71. Governor of Wyoming territory, 1875-9. Depart- ment Commander G. A. R., Nebraska, 1886. James B. Boyd/ from January 8, 1891, to January 13, 1893. Born in Ire- land, September 9, 1834. Came to ITnited States. 1844; settled in Nebraska, 1856. Member of the first State Legislature, 1866. Mayor of Omaha, 1881-3 and 1885-7. Lorenzo Crounse, from January 13, 1893, to January 3, 1895. Born in New York, 1834. Joined the army as Captain, 1861. Wounded at Baverly Ford on Rappahannock. Removed to Nebraska in 1864. Member of Con- gress, 1873-7. Assistant Secretary United States Treasury, 1891-2. Silas A. Holfomb, from January 3. 1895, to January 5, 1899. Born in Indiana, August 25, 1858. Lawyer, admitted to bar in 1882. Judge of the Twelfth Judicial District of Nebraska, 1891-4. William A. Poynter, from January 5, 1899, to January 3, 1901. Born in Illinois, May 29. 1848. Graduate of Eureka College. Member of Nebraska Legislature. 1885. State Senator, 1891. Charles H. Dletrleh, elected, 1900; resigned. March. 1901, to accept United States Senatorship. Born in Illinois, November 26, 1853. Removed to Hastings, Neb., in 1878. Bank president. Ezra Savage, from March 1, 1901, to January 5, 1903. Born in Indiana, 1842. Soldier and scout in Civil war, under Grant and Sherman. First Mayor of South Omaha, Neb. Member of the seventeenth Nebraska Legis- lature. John H. Mickey, present Governor, took the oath of office January 5, 1903. Born in Iowa, September 30, 1845. Graduate of the Iowa Wesleyan University. Banker since 1879. Member of the House of Representatives, Nebraska, 1881-2. NOTE — Commencing at the right on top of page and read to the left in the order, will give the names of Governors as they appear in biographi- cal sketch. Governor Mickey appears in groups on pages 12 and 14. Governors of Nebraska. 11 12 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. Nebraska's Representatives. 13 Mi^ «!*•> **;> l»h>v f?4^< <3^ l^^-T #^'J» ;£: 14 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. - ^5f^ ^^V inV W^^ j-::!^"'> OS •Cfti-"" x'l. r. ^', .-.^ 7 v,Ii-../f>V NEBRASKA SENATORS "•^^" '- 1903 ^. • f'.^^^^T''" '>-slff^'^ ^'-^ffT" ^'MHff^"'^'^l^5 Possibilities of Nebraska. 15 CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITIES OF NEBRASKA. Nebraska is yet in its infancy in production. It has the ability to double several times its present crop yield when under a proper system of cultivation. It is 4,465 square miles larger than the whole of New Eng- land, Delaware and New Jersey combined. It is 29,710 square miles greater in area than Iowa. England and Wales combined have less area by 17,693 square miles than Nebraska. It means something to be a citi- zen of a state with such possibilities in future development before it. There are 8,980,857 acres of government lands yet in Nebraska sub- ject to homestead entry. Of this class of lands there have been homestead entries filed during the year just closed in one out of eight government land districts of the state, amounting to 117,723 acres, and final proofs made to 55,105 acres. In the O'Neill land office there were filed 99 home- stead entries, embracing 12,300 acres, in the month of October, 1903. The possibilities for acquiring cheap lands will not always remain an open invitation to the people. The available agricultural and stock raising lands of the United States are fast going into the hands of the home- steader and speculator. The mean temperature of the summer months in June, July and August in Nebraska is 73 degrees Fahrenheit. This obviates all necessity of her citizens going away from home to find comfortable summer re- sorts. CORN BREAD AND PUMPKIN PIES— CENTRAL CITY. 16 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA CROWNS THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF THE STATE. The University of Nebraska, at Lincoln, Neb., was founded by act of the Legislature in 1869. Funds for the erection of the first building were provided by the sale of lots in the then new Capitol City of Lincoln. This first building, now called University Hall, was completed in 1871, the lumber and part of the brick being hauled from the Missouri river in wagons. September 6, 1871. the College of Literature, Science and the Arts was opened, with a faculty of five, and ninety students. The Board of Regents numbers six, two elected every other year, for a period of six years. The University comprises the Graduate School (degrees, master of arts and doctor of philosophy) ; the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (degree, bachelor of arts) ; the Industrial College (degree, bache- lor of science), this College including the School of Agriculture, the School of Mechanic Arts, and the School of Domestic Science; the College of Law (degree, bashelor of laws); the College of Medicine (degree, doctor of medicine); the School of Fine Arts; the School of Music; and the Summer Session. Nebraska students in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts and in the Industrial College pay no tuition. Non- resident students, also all students in the professional schools and in the schools of fine arts and music, pay small tuition fees. All depart- ments are open to both sexes on equal terms. A tax of one mill per dollar on the grand assessment roll of the state, together with interest income from land sales and land leases, are the chief sources of revenue. The University receives the benefit of the Morrill Acts for the maintenance of instruction in branches relating to agriculture and the mechanic arts, and of the Hatch Act, in aid of agricultural experi- mentation. The ten buildings on the city campus, house all the de- NBBRASKA STATE UNIVERSITY. University of Nebraska. 17 partments except the School of Agriculture, the work of which is done mainly at the University farm, and the College of Medicine, in which the last two years' work is given at Omaha. There are five build- ings at the farm. This consists of 320 acres, a little removed from the city campus. Here are located the departments of agriculture, animal husbandry, animal pathology, agricultural chemistry, dairying, and hor- ticulture. About 100 acres are laid out in experimental plats for field crops, fruits and vegetables. Herds of thoroughbred cattle, sheep and swine, being used for experimentation as well as for instruction. Four new buildings are (1903) in process of erection, an administration build- ing aad a physics laboratory on the city campus, a hall of agriculture, a dairy building, shops and a horticulture laboratory at the farm. The libraries accessible to the students contain about 133,300 volumes, of which 55,000 are in the University library itself. Five hundred periodicals are taken by the University. The University possesses a copious and well chosen museum, supplemented in several directions by departmental museums. During the year 1902-3 the enrollment at the University was as follows: Graduate School, 123; College of Literature, Science and the Arts, 1,047; Industrial College, 673; College of Law, 182; College of Medi- cine, 138; School of Fine Arts, 85; School of Music, 333; Summer Ses- sion, 254; grand total, 2,835. From this 275 names have to be deducted on account of repetition, leaving an actual grand total of 2,560. Nearly half were women, there being women in each department. The Univer- sity is served by 61 professors, 8 associate professors, 14 assistant pro- fessors, 17 adjunct professors, 335 instructors and lecturers, and 40 assist- ants E. Benjamin Andrews is Chancellor. The Chancellors preceding Dr. Andrews were Allen R. Benton, who was the first incumbent; Edmund B. Fairfield, Henry E. Hitchcock (acting), Irving J. Manatt, Charles E. CAMPUS AND BUILDINGS. 18 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. Bessey (acting), James H. Canfield, Gecrge E. MacLean, Charles E. Bessey (acting). The following are the Deans presiding over the various colleges: Lucius Adelno Sherman, Ph. D., Dean of the Graduate School; Charles Edwin Bessey, LL. D., Dean of the Industrial College; Ellery Williams Davis, Ph. D., Dean of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts; Roscoe Pound, Ph. D., Dean of the College of Law; Henry Baldwin Ward, Ph. D., Dean of the College of Medicine; Edgar Albert Burnett, B. Sc, Associate Dean of the Industrial College; Harold Gifford, B. S., M. D., Associate Dean of the College of Medicine. E. Penjaniln Andrews assumed the duties of chief executive of one of the most progressive educational institutions of the West, the University of Nebraska, in August, 1900. Chancellor Andrews was born in New Hamp- shire in 1844. At the age of fourteen, enlisted in the war of the Rebellion, was severely wounded, and mustered out as Second Lieutenant in 1864. He then finished his education; was ordained a Baptist minister, which both his father and grandfather had been before him. After preaching one year he resigned to become president of a college, which position he resigned to study in Germany in the universities of Berlin and Munich. Returning to America, he filled the chair of Professor of History and Political Econ- omy in Brown University, where he later occupied the chair of Moral and Intellectual Philosophj'. In 1S92 President Harrison appointed him a mem- ber of the International Monetary Conference at Brussels, and in 1898 he was elected Superintendent of Chicago schools, which position he left for the Chancellorship of the University of Nebraska. He has written an immense number of magazine articles and valuable books on economic subjects. His breadth of scholarship and keenness of intellect have raised him far above most of the educators of the day, and it is safe to say that only such men as Dr. Harris or Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler are to be classed with him. The career of such a man can but be intensely inter- esting. Allen R. Benton was the first Chancellor of the University, about the year of 1872. It is not assuming too much to say that the subsequent rapid progress and high standard of the school was largely the result of the efforts of the pioneers in the work. Charles E. Bessey, born in Ohio in 1845, received his early education in Ohio; attended Agricultural College of Michigan, and Harvard University, receiving degrees of M. Sc, Ph. D., LL. D. He was Professor of Botany in the Agricultural College of Iowa for fifteen years, and held the same position in Nebraska for nineteen years; was first Director of Nebraska Experiment Station, of which he has also been consulting botanist since 1887: from 1888 to 1891 and again in 1899-1900, was acting Chancellor of the University. Henry E. Nicholson, Professor of Chemistry, was born in Wisconsin in 1850; served in the Civil war; graduated from Harvard University and com- pleted his education at Heidelberg, Germany. In 1874 was appointed Pro- fessor of Science in the Normal School at Peru, Neb., which position he left to accept a chair in the University of Nebraska in 1882. He is a mem- ber of a number of scientific societies, as well as author of several papers on scientific subjects. Lawrence Briiner, Profes.'sor Kntomology and Ornithology, was born in Pennsylvania in 1856; obtained degree of B. S. from the University of Nebraska, in which school he has been an instructor since 18SS. He lui4 written numerous papers and books on birds and insects. University Faculty and Station Staff. 19 % k 1 i, .•«¥, i^ 20 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE EXPERIMENT STATION AND THE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE. The Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and the School of Agriculture are departments of the University. Agricultural instruction has been offered in the Industrial College since the opening of this insti- tution. Efforts were made to carry on experiments previous to 1880. A report published at that time indicates that some work had been done in the feeding of pigs, in the practice of soiling, in the raising of sugar beets and mangel-wurzels for feed, and that at least four breeds of cattle, namely. Shorthorn, Devon, Ayrshire and Galloway, had been maintained since 1874. Tests had also been made in the manufacture of sugar from sorghum, in testing varieties of grains, grasses and forage crops, in mulching, and in other subjects. The first farm purchased, consisting of 80 acres, was located north of Holdrege street near the present State Fair grounds, but this was found inadequate for the growing needs of the University, and attempts were made to secure a larger farm. The present farm of 320 acres was purchased in 1874 of M. M. Culver, but was not conveyed to the Regents until five years later. In 1868, before the pur- chase of the farm by the Regents, the stone house which still stands was erected. JUDGING LIVE STOCK Nebraska Experiment Station. 21 A report issued in 1884 makes the following note: "The Regents of the University of Netaraslta had, prior to the year 1884, taken some steps toward giving to the work of the Industrial College more Of an experimental character. It was not, however, until December of that year that decisive action was taken, when Dr. Charles E. Bessey, Dean of the Industrial College, made the following recommendations in his 'Report to the Chancellor,' namely, that there be two classes of experiments and observations: 1st, those which are popular in their character and which aim to reach immediate results; 2d, those whicli are scientific in their character; in whicli the aim is to discover some profound principle, or to establish beyond dispute some fact in nature." There was at this time but one professor in charge of all agricultural instruction, and with limited funds not much experimental work could be done. In 1886, Dean Bessey again urged upon the Regents the necessity for further experimental work, and Dr. F. S. Billings was secured to investi- gate the subject of animal diseases. Numerous other experiments were planned, but it was understood that the extent of these experiments would largely depend upon the generosity of the Legislature in appropriating funds to carry on the work. As a result of an act of Congress passed in 1887, known as the Hatch Act, an Agricultural Experiment Station was established in connection with the University and maintained by appropriations of $15,000 annu- NEBRASKA STATE FARM. 22 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. ally from Congress. Dr. Charles E. Bessey, Dean of the Industrial College and Professor of Botany, was made the first Director of the Experiment Station. He was succeeded in 1889 by Dr. Lewis E. Hicks, the Professor of Geology, who was in turn succeeded the next year by Prof. H. H. Nicholson, Professor of Chemistry. In 1893 C. L. Ingersoll, Professor of Agriculture, became Director, and served until July 1, 1895, when he was forced to resign his duties because of ill health, which a little later caused his death. He was succeeded by the Chancellor of the University, George E. MacLean, who resigned in 1899. Prof. T. L. Lyon, the agriculturist, performed the duties of the office in the capacity of Acting Director until Chancellor E. Benjamin Andrews became Director, October. 1900. who resigned this position in July, 1901, and the present incumbent, Edgar A. Burnett, Professor of Animal Husbandry since 1899, was chosen Director of the Station. Eigh,ty-one Bulletins and Sixteen Annual Reports Have Been Pub- lished. — Notable among the recent experiments which have enriched the state are those with winter wheat, the area of which has been greatly extended; the introduction of the Kherson oat, an early Russian variety. No Station has done such exhaustive work in the control of hog cholera and the immunization of hogs against cholera. The extensive use of vaccination against blackleg has been due to the efforts of the Experi ment Station, which formerly manufactured the vaccine, but which no ,v acts as a distributing agent for the government. The efforts of tl.e Station to encourage the dipping of cattle for Texas itch in the range country has been measurably successful. No Station has made so thor- ough a study of the cause of cornstalk disease, discussed in the Sixteanth Annual Report, 1903. The discovery, in 1902, of prussic acid in sorghum under certain conditions was a notable achievement of great scionlilic value. Efforts have been made to promote the dairy interests of the state by advocating advanced methods, selected herds, balanced rations, hand separators, better care, and by demonstrating that a good calf can be raised on skim milk. The construction of a dairy barn with silo and in- creased facilities has placed the Department in a position for greater usefulness. The work in horticulture has been directed toward the growing of orchards to show the effect of clean culture compared with growing a crop in the orchard, and of different kinds of late cover crops. It has also dealt with the effects of straw mulch and clean culture in growing vege- tables and with hybridizing apples and beans to produce more useful sorts. Under the provisions of the last Legislature an experimental sub- station has been established at North Platte which will greatly increase the facilities for experimental work bearing on the agricultural develop- ment of the central portion of the state. The School of Agriculture was established in 1895. In that year there were 15 students. In 1902 there were 206 students. Four courses are offered. The six-months' course opens in November and closes about the first of May. In this there are given 1.087 hours of instruction in agriculture and the subjects relating thereto. Mathematics Nebraska Experiment Station. 23 through algebra and geometry, botany, chemistry, physics, bookkeeping, civics, history, and economics, are also taught. The winter course begins about the first of the year and offers in- struction in all subjects relating to practical agriculture. There is also offered at the same time a special course in dairying. A course in corn judging and in judging live stock, which begins about the last of January each year, was offered for the first time in 1903. Fifty-one students were registered. Of the 723 students who have received instruction in the School of Agriculture at least 700 are today on the farms of Nebraska helping to develop the agricultural resources of the state and devoting themselves to the bettering of agricultural conditions. The state has been increasingly liberal with appropriations, granting the generous sum of $100,000 at its last session (1903) for improvements in buildings and equipments. Of this, more than $90,000 is being ex- pended for buildings alone. When these are completed, there will be nine substantial buildings for instructional and experimental work, giving greatly increased equipment to meet the growing needs of the institution. The capital of Nebraska was first located at Omaha by an act of the legislature, January 16, 1855. Florence, Omaha, Plattsmouth, Ne- braska City and Bellevue were all competitors for the location of the capital of Nebraska. NEBRASKA EXPERIMENT STATION PLATS. 24 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. GROWTH OF NEBRASKA IN FIFTY YEARS. In 1853 Nebraska, under its proposed territorial government, was credited with 3,000 population. Two years later when the first formal census of the Territory was taken, the population had increased to 4,491. At this time the entire appraised value of the property, both per- sonal and real, was $617,822. In 1860 the population was 28,826, showing an increase of 24,335 In five years, or 542 per cent increase. In 1870 the population was 122,993, showing an increase in this census period of 94,1G7, or an increase of 326 per cent in ten years. In 1880 the popula- tion was 452,402, an increase of 339,409, or a quadrupling of the population in this ten-year period between 1870 and 1880. In 1890 the population had increased to 1,058,910, showing an increase of 606,508 in ten years, more than doubling in this period. A very perceptible change takes place in the period from 1890 to 1900, the last census showing 1,006,300, an increase of only 7,390. In this period is covered the seasons of drouth and prevailing hard times which affected the entire country more or less, and was especially damaging to newly settled districts on the frontier. Ninety-one, two and three brought large migration into central and western Nebraska, owing to a succession of good crop years preceding, and the belief that western Nebraska was adapted to successful agricultural pursuits. The drouth that followed in 1894, and which was especially severe in the western part of the state, caused thousands of poor homesteaders to give up their ambition of acquiring a free home, surrender their homesteads and move out, only those remaining who had means provided ahead, or who realized that they made a mistake in attempting to convert a natural grazing country into an agricultural and farming district. While this apparent calamity came as a terrible scourge and persecution to thousands of poor families, it proved a blessing to the State, and to those who persistently hung on and weathered the discomfiture of scarcity and poverty. The benefits of this lesson of poverty were abundantly harvested by those who remained and directed their energy and ambition along lines of production in conformity with the natural resources of the country. This exodus of homesteaders out of western Nebraska served as a dam- aging feature of advertising for the balance of the State. It was also the means of settling in the minds of our people that while eastern Nebraska is a great agricultural and grain growing district, western Ne- braska is strictly a live stock and grazing district. A fact which, when well understood, has been the means in recent years, of building up western Nebraska under an economic and profitable live stock manage- ment. Commencing with 18G0, some time after Nebraska became a State, we find the farms contained 118,789 acres classed as improved, and 512,- 425 acres unimproved. The cash value of these farms was placed at $3,878,326. There were 4,449 horses in the State, 6,995 cows, 12.594 work oxen, 17.608 other cattle, making in all 37.197 head of cattle. There were 2,325 sheep, and 25,369 swine. The entire live stock value was placed at $1,128,771. There were produced 1,482,000 bushels of corn, 147,867 Growth of Nebraska in Fifty Years. 25 bushels of wheat, 74,502 bushels of oats, 24,458 tons of hay, 342,541 pounds of butter, 12,342 pounds of cheese, and 5,843 pounds of honey. In 1870 the following changes are noted: Acres improved land on farms, 647,031; unimproved, 1,213,376; and 213,374 acres timber. The live stock of the State had also increased at an astonishing rate; horses in 1870, 30,511; milch cows, 28,940; work oxen, 5,951; other cattle, 45,057; making in all, 79,954 cattle. There were 22,725 sheep, 59,449 swine; value of live stock, $6,551,185. The crop production showed 4,736,710 bushels of corn; wheat, 2,125,086 bushels; oats, 1,477,562 bushels; potatoes, 739,984 bushels; butter, 1,539,535 pounds; cheese, 46,142 pounds; hay, 169,354 tons; honey, 28,114 pounds. In 1880 the live stock census showed 204,864 horses, 161,178 milch cows, and 597,363 other cattle, 1,282,656 swine, 199,453 sheep. In farm products — corn, 65,450,135 bushels; wheat, 13,847,007 bushels; oats, 6,555,- 875 bushels; potatoes, 2,150,893 bushels; hay, 786,722 tons; butter, 9,725,- 198 pounds; cheese, 230,819 pounds; honey, 86,645 pounds; eggs, 7,166,090 dozens. Thus it is seen that the increase in production kept doubling up as the population was added io the State. These early settlers of Nebraska were not idle consumers, but at once commenced to add to the state's production by putting the land in cultivation, and bringing in live stock to help consume the abundance of feed produced. In 1890 Nebraska had 542,036 horses, valued at $37,787,194; 420,069 milch cows, valued at $8,464,390; 1,306,372 other cattle, valued at $22,- 242,548; 239,400 sheep, valued at $503,338; 2,309,779 swme. valued at $12,985,579; maKing a total valuation of $86,023,808, compared with that of 1880, $46,857,243. The astonishing feature in these census returns is the rapid increase that each ten-year period made, and the permanency of character demonstrated in this population by its constant growth regardless of seasons of adverse crop yield, such as are certain to fall to the lot of the new settler on the frontier and serve as a discouragement to dishearten and drive him back to civilization. In 1900 the census credits Nebraska with 121,525 farms; 795,318 SOD HOUSE HOME. 26 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. horses, valued at $36,663,359; 3,176.243 cattle, valued at $82,469,498; 511,273 sheep, valued at $1,678,498; 4,128,000 swine, valued at $18,660,932; with a total live stock valuation of $145,349,587; total value of farms, $577,660,020; of farm machinery to operate the farms, valued at $24,940,- 450; making a total value of farm property of $747,950,057. Compare this with the first Auditor's statement of the entire valuation of property, both personal and real, in Nebraska in 1855, $617,822, and we have the astonishing gain of 120,962 per pent, or an average annual per cent gain for these forty-five years, from 1855 to 1900, of 2,688. This accumula- tion of property values has no parallel in the history of agricultural devel- opment in any other district of country. The increase in farm values since 1900 has been a matter of great astonishment to both land seller and land buyer. The increase of population in Nebraska, since 1900, has been as great as at any former period in the history of the State. A steady stream of home buyers have been coming to Nebraska, because a better quality of agricultural lands was offered at less money than in any other state. Nebraska has 121,525 farms on which crops are grown. The total value of these products for 1903 is approximately $163,000,000, or an average of $1,340 per farm. Nebraska has a total value of farm property of $747,950,057, or an average per capita for her population of $701.50. Nebraska has risen from nothing in the production of corn, fifty years ago, to the third place among the states of the Union. Nebraska is fourth in the production of wheat. Nebraska is fifth in the production of oats. In live stock, Nebraska is in the race for supremacy — is fourth in the production of cattle, fourth in the production of swine, and seventh in the production of horses. The astonishing rapidity and certainty with which Nebraska has moved forward in the past fifty years to positions of wealth and business standing among the oldest and best states in the Union is evidence un- controvertable of the superior natural resources she possesses. GRAND ISLAND BEET SUGAR FACTORY. This factory was built in 1890 at a cost of $500,000. It has a work- ing capacity of 90,000 pounds per day of standard granulated sugar, and employs 225 men from October 1st to February 1st of each year. During the year it has 35 steady hands at work, including G agriculturists, who look after the growing of beets. There are 7,500 tons of coal consumed during the sugar making sea- son, also 5,000 tons of lime stone, besides many other supplies. The coal comes from Wyoming, and the stone from Cass county, Nebraska. It requires 375 tons of beets per day to keep the factory in full operation. The first campaign was commenced in the fall of 1890. but owing to the factory not being completed until late there were only 75,000 pounds of sugar made. In 1902, 7,000,000 pounds were made, and contracts for 6,009 acres of beets were made for 1903, which from the present prospective yield indicate that this crop will pay the growers $240,000. Beet Sugar Factories. 27 Sugar beet growing is more successfully carried on here than in any other state, owing to the superior quality of the soil for all vegetable crops, and the adaptability of climate for growing beets of high sac- charine property. Henry S. Ferrar is manager of the Grand Island factory and will an- swer all inquiries in relation to sugar beet growing in Nebraska. NORFOLK BEET SUGAR FACTORY. The Norfolk factory of the American Beet Sugar Company was built in 1890 at a cost of $500,000 and was operated first in the fall of 1891. Its working capacity is 400 tons of beets in 24 hours, and its output of granulated sugar is about 7,500,000 pounds annually. It requires 250 men to operate the factory, and 8,000 to 10,000 tons of coal are used for fuel, besides 450 to 600 tons of coke. Lime rock is a requirement in the manufacture of sugar and 4,000 to 4,500 tons are used. This is from the immense quarries in Cass county, Nebraska. There are 30,000 to 40,000 yards of filter cloth used, 75,000 sugar bags, and thousands of dollars worth of supplies that are too numerous to mention. Practically all the supplies, with the exception of the coal and coke, are purchased in the State of Nebraska. It requires 4,000 to 5,000 acres of beets to supply a season's run. The average tonnage last year (1902) was 10.01 tons per acre. The fac- tory guarantees a minimum price of $4.00 per ton for beets, and pays an additional price of 25 cents for each per cent of sugar above 14 per cent, fractions in proportion. In addition to the above, the factory pays the freight on beets shipped in by rail, and to the growers who haul them by wagon they pay 25 cents per ton extra; also pay in addition to the above 20 cents for all beets that have to be siloed. NORFOLK BEET SUGAR FACTORY. 28 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. To illustrate the above we will suppose that the grower delivers by wagon, that his beets are siloed, and that they test 15.3 per cent sugar. The factory would pay him as follows: Beets of I'.s per cent sugar, per ton $4.32% Extra for hauling- by wagon, per ton 25 Extra for siloing, per ton 20 Total per ton $4.77 % The average price per ton for beets, season of 1902, was $4.98. Paid out for beets per month from $50,000 to $60,000. Paid out for labor per month about $12,000. To operate the factory last year the several railroads entering Nor- folk handled 1,782 carloads of the different supplies, etc. Pulp. — This is given free of charge to all who grow beets for the factory, and the demand for it is very large and constantly increasing as the growers appreciate what a splendid feed it is for their cattle. No farmer, other than those who grow beets for the factory, can get this feed, and the balance that is left after the growers are satisfied is dis- posed of to cattle men. who feed it in the stock yards on the company's property. The Norfolk factory is in charge of J. N. Bundick. manager. SACKING SUGAR AT NORFOLK FACTORY. STANDARD BEET SUGAR FACTORY AT LEAVITT. This factory was established in 1899. Its dimensions are as fol- dows: Main building, 100x300 feet; beet shed, 100x400; boiler house, 100x120; and lime house, 80x150. Each structure rests upon piling driven into the ground to a depth of 25 feet, upon which are solid concrete foun- dations, something like 3,000 piling being used under all the buildings. standard Beet Sugar Factory at Leavttt. 29 30 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. The buildings are constructed for a capacity of 1,000 tons per day, but the machinery was installed for only half that capacity, as the acreage of beets grown did not justify a higher capacity at the time of starting the factory. The factory was not completed until the middle of Decem- ber, 1899, and the greater part of the beets that year were shipped to Norfolk, only enough being kept to test the machinery, so that the first campaign was that of 1900. The annual output of sugar, cost of beets, price paid for labor and supplies, are as follows: Sugar Paid Paid Paid In Lbs. for Beets, for Labor, for Supplies. 1900 4,917,200 $143,558.31 $47,128.27 $61,269.98 1901 7,911,300 177,121.43 40,975.14 47,687.79 1902 7.613,500 166.962.49 49.098.17 51,209.85 This year (1903) the acreage is much larger, and the quality of the beets in the whole territory is excellent, so that the output of sugar will be between thirteen and fourteen million pounds. The cost of the factory was $800,000. and with the other improve ments on the property in the shape of dwellings, etc., the company has over a million dollars invested. This factory promises to be very successful in its operation, as it has adopted a system of growing beets where poor families are given the means of employing all the children and help in the family in the work of beet growing, and get a free home to live it. The entire furnishings for the work are provided at a minimum cost. H. G. Leavitt of Leavitt, Neb., is President of the company. GIRLS' INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL, GENEVA. Girls' Industrial School. 31 GIRLS' INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL OF NEBRASKA. This institution is located at Geneva, the county seat of Fillmore county. It is under the direction and control of the state. Originally the boys and girls were in the same institution at Kearney, but the work was not satisfactory and a division of the school was made March, 1892. This school is for the purpose of giving industrial training to the juvenile incorrigible female children of the state. A full corps of teach- ers are employed, and every possible effort is made to instill into the minds of the children" ideas of honesty, truthfulness and morality. About 90 per cent of the 450 girls who have been trained at this school have turned out well, and a great many of them are now living in happy homes of their own. The cost of maintenance of the school is about $10,000 per year. The attendance varies from 50 to 60, which is a little over half the capacity of the school. The school work is much the same as that pursued in the common graded schools of the state; in addition to which, instruction in cooking, dining-room work, laundrying, dressmaking, cutting and fitting, and gen- eral house-keeping is taught. The law governing this institution was amended in 1902 so as to provide for the commitment of any girl who is vagrant or vicious, under the age of 18 years. The present buildings were erected in 1891, at a cost of about $30,000. They are ample for the accommodation of 100 inmates. The management is under the direction of Superintendent Horace M. Clark, who was appointed three years ago, and re-appointed last year. 1 SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, NEBRASKA CITY. 32 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. NEBRASKA SCHOOL FOR BLIND. Nebraska's school for blind youth is situated at Nebraska Citj% and is known as the Institute for the Blind. It was opened in 1875, with Prof. Samuel Bacon, himself a blind man, as Superintendent. The object of the school is to give to blind children the same oppor- tunity for an education as is enjoyed by their seeing brothers and sisters. No charge is made for tuition or living — parents being required to provide clothing and transportation to and from the school only. At present 55 pupils are in attendance. It is known that quite a number of children in the state are entitled to its privileges, but through hesitation on the part of parents to send from home an aflBicted child, even for its own good, coupled with a mistaken notion of the purposes of the school, or ignorance of its existence, are deprived of the benefit the school might be to them. Pupils are taught the usual branches of the common schools from the primary grades through the High school, while in addition a thorough course in music, both vocal and instrumental, is afforded such as have an aptitude for it. Several industrial pursuits are open also; piano tuning, broom making, carpet weaving, hammock making, and bead work being taught, while girls are taught sewing, both by hand and on the ma- chine, mending, knitting, crocheting, and cooking. From the foregoing it will be seen that there are practically in opera- tion three schools under one roof, three distinct sets of teachers being provided for the various departments. Hence it must follow that the ex- pense for educating a blind child is greater than for the seeing brother or sister. During the twenty-eight years of existence of this school over 300 pupils have been in attendance, of whom 60 have completed the entire course and graduated. Many are earning a good living, and are a credit to society, who but for the school would have been a charge upon the community in which they live. The present building has been erected at different times; the original building, now known as the East wing, was built in 1876, at a cost of $10,000; what is known as the Main building followed in 1887 at a cost of $35,000, and the West wing in 1885, at a cost of $14,000. The total cost of maintenance for the past year was about $12,000. The total appro- priation for the present biennium is $44,400. Three teachers are employed in the literary department, three in the music department, two in the industrial, and one for typewriting and library work. The Matron has two assistants, one of whom looks after the girls, and the other the boys, caring for their clothing, etc., besides attending to them in case of sickness. A physician is employed by the month to render any assistance needed from him, without cost to the pupils. When a wheat crop of twenty-five bushels Is harvested from an acre, there are remos'ed twenty- five pounds of phosphoric acid and thirty pounns of potash. If these are not restored by some form of manure the field will not continue to yield twenty-five bushels to the acre, except in Nebraska. Zodiac Signs. .. S3 Eclipses for 1904. In the year 1904 there will be two eclipses, both of the sun. I. An annular eclipse of the sun March 16th,invisible here; visible to southern Asia, eastern Africa and a number of islands in the East Indies. II. A total -eclipse of the sun September 9th, not visible here; visible to an immense portion of the Pacific Ocean on both sides of the Equator. The Seasons for 1904. Vernal Equinox (spring begir s). . . . March. . . . 20d. Summer Solstice (summer begins). . . June 2id, Autumnal Equinox (autumn begin). September 2?t. Winter Solsti:;e (winter begins). . .. JDecember. 2^d. EAIC, Ariea, s^ Head. TWINS, Gemini, Arms. LION, Leo, HEART. BALANCE, Libra, REINS. ARCHER, Sagittarius, ^ THIGHS. 7h. 3h. 6h. Ih. 58m. P. M. 51m P.M. 40m. A.M. 14m. A.M. HFf BULL, Taurus, NECK. -K CRAB, Cancer, BREAST. ^ VIRGIN, Virgo, BOWELS. "^ SCORPION, Scorpio, LOINS. Gt iT, 4f. CapricornuB. KNEES. FISHES, Pisces, FEET. WATERMAN, Aquarius. ^ LEGS. Morning atid Evening Stars for 1 904. The pin net Venus (9) begins as morning star ard continues as such uutilJuly 8th, after which date she wpl be evening star to end of the year. The planet Mars ( S ) will be evening star until May 30th, and then morning star the rest of the year. The planet JupiterCl/) is evening star until March 27th, then morn- ing s*ar until October 18th, and then evening star thebalance of the year. The planet Satm-n (b ) will be evening star until February 1st, then morning star until August 10th, and then evening star the balance of the year. Chronological Eras. The year 1904 comprises the latter part of the 128th, and the begin- ning of the 129th year of American Independence and corresponds to — The year 6617 of the Julian Period. The year o664-5665 of the Jewish ICra; the year 5665 begins at sunset on September 9th. The y^av 2657 since the foundation of Pome, according to Varro. The year 2564 of the Japanese Era,and ta the 37th year of the period entitled "Mfiji." The year 1322 of the IMobammedan Erf ct the Era of the Hegira, begins on tlii If.th day of March, 1904. The first day of Janua y. L904, is the 2,-^ I6,''81stday sine , tb 'pom- mencem3.it of ^he Julian I'er od. 34 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. a> — c o CO M S^ rt C +j ^ g S c e ^ o a y O •" S £ - 5 •'" CO H r< ^ --^ rj CO rg t: 6 "3 bC o g Q) O (U ^ -w c5 -a a-S o 2- £ -^ (J CO c -g ^ a cS t. a -a Si ^ a c a "=> ^1 ^ a a cS O) ■^ s M en ^5 UJ ^ *-> . o S "3 T 2 "3 CO (D o 3 >. iS .ti to a> 03 H-l o a 03 P ■? §1 So a •« '^ n - o O) , 7 24 5 1 10 1 12 7 1 5 23 10 1 2'J Sa Justice Lamar died, 1893. K 7 23 5 2 10 59 12 7 1 5 24 10 64 4. 3d Sunday after Epiphany. Matt. 8. 9h. 42m . Da y's Length. lOh . 2.5m. Va. re-adm. Congress, 1870 25th. Gen. Ewelld.'72 _ C gr. libration E. Jas. G, Blaine died, 1803. 6 9^' ? stationary. '< ^ (L Trof. Asa Gray died,1888. 21 Su 25 M 26 Tu 27 W .T1 Th 29|Fr 1 30 ?a| X 7 22 5 4 morn 112 7 5 2j 11 50 T 7 22 5 5 1 12 7 5 2G morn cp 7 21 5 7 1 1 13 6 59 5 27 47 r 7 20 5 8 2 4 13 6 59 5 28 1 45 K 7 19 5 9 3 8 13 6 58 5 29 2 46 H 7 IS 5 10 4 11 13 6 58 5 39 3 46; n 7 17 5 11 5 11 13 6 57 5 31 4 47| 5. Soptr.agesima Sunday. Matt. 20. 9h. 57m. Day's Length, lOh. Sfim. 31[Su jStr. Metropolis lost, 1878 [n\ 7 16| 5 131 6 4H14|[ 6 56| 5 32| 5 42, 38 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. '^ Z ^ oc « w ^ br I- c E = <^ 3 i; c c3 CI w ^ 00 (U «'= *^ s: (o c a, ■^ bJJ ^ o 5. •< O . ^ -^ :;i Dh ♦j ^ M c w rt u .^ Kr — i; o C = ^ o -w c >. ~- bc ^ (D .a ,y <^ 'a f^ . o c t. « c aj >-< »- Q c E ^ - o m jz it y^ be Or... Park and Forestry. 39 THE NEBRASKA PARK AND FORESTRY ASSOCIATION. When the pioneer settlers first crossed the Missouri to the beautiful prairies of Nebraska they intuitively commenced sowing the seed of forestry by their persevering efforts to grow trees, flowers and orna- mental shrubs about their door yards. Gradually, but surely, the work of the enthusiastic tree planter gained influence, and the spirit of orcharding and shade tree culture spread until a sentiment prevailed over those newly settled districts that tree growing was a possibility on the once desert lands of America. The present advanced ideas on forestry development have been en- couraged, and their work in a measure marked out by the results of years in tree culture on the Nebraska prairie. Such men as J. Sterling Morton, Robt. W. Furnas, J. H. Masters, S. Barnard, Isaac Pollard, J. M. Russell, Dr. George L. Miller, C. S. Harrison, E. F. Stephens, Peter Youngers, and hosts of others are representatives of Nebraska's efforts in forestry, all equally energetic, demonstrative and persevering in their efforts to establish tree culture and forestry, not only a possibility on the treeless prairies of Nebraska, but a certainty, under proper conditions of care and cultivation Not until February 15, 1899, was there a call issued for a meeting to organize a State Park and Forestry Association. This meeting convened at the State University at Lincoln and organized by the election of C. S. Harrison of York as President; E. F. Stephens of Crete, Vice President; A. J. Brown of Geneva, Secretary; George A. A TYPICAL NEBRASKA PARK GARDEN. 40 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. Marshall of Arlington, Treasurer; J. Sterling Morton, Prof. C. E. Bessey and Peter Youngers, Directors. Harrison has been continued President to the present time. E. T. Hartley was elected Secretary in 1902, and L. D. Stilson succeeded him in 1903. A Manual on Tree Planting, con- taining 100 pages, was issued by the Association during 1903, which treats fully on varieties of trees, shrubs, etc., best adapted to Nebraska; also methods of planting and care of trees. A publication covering the sub- ject of plants for decoration of the grounds of the home, the school and church yard will be issued during 1904, which all home owners in Nebraska should have. It will tell how to make the home beautiful. O. V. p. Stont, Professor of Civil Engineering in the University and Irrigation Engineer of the Experiment Station, graduated from the Univer- sity of Nebraska in 1S88. He was tliree years in railway employ as civil engineer; two years municipal engineering; since 1891 at present location. For several years he has had charge of government work relating to irri- gation in Nebraska. H. E. HEATH'S HOME NEAR HANSCOM PARK, OMAHA. Nebraska State Officers. 41 42 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. George D. Folliner, Commissioner of Public Lands and Buildings, now serving his second term, was born in Pennsylvania in 1844. During the first ten years of his business career he held the position of clerk with various business houses. In 1S71 he located on a homestead in Nuckolls county, Nebraska. He is a farmer and stock grower, and considerably in- terested in real estate. (See page 41). ChnrleH Weston, Auditor of the State of Nebraska, was born in New York City in 1854. After graduating, in 1872, from the University of Illinois, to which state he removed at an early age, he practiced law in Chicago for some years. In 1886 he settled in Nebraska, where his interests have been diviiled between stock raising and mercantile and banking busi- ness. In 1893 he was elected a Regent of the University of Nebraska. His re-election to the office of Auditor bears evidence of his popularity. (See page 41). Peter MortenHen, Treasurer of the State of Nebraska, is a native of Denmark. He came to America in 1870, and commenced farming in Valley county, Nebraska, two years later. He was county treasurer for nine years; was assistant cashier and then president of the First National Bank, and one of the heavy stockholders in tlie Woodberry Milling Company at Ord, Neb. He is an extensive real estate owner, and gives much attention to agriculture and live stock. He was married in 1878 to Jennie Williams of Illinois, and has one son. (See page 41). George AV. Mnr.sli, now serving his second term as Secretary of State, was born in Missouri in 1852. His parents, who were what is provincially known as Pennsylvania Dutch, removed to Nebraska when he was seven years old. He attended the State Normal School two years, and taught school and farmed until 1884. He served two terms as county clerk, and two terms as county treasurer, after which he engaged in mercantile busi- ness, which he disposed of and became part owner and editor of tlie Falls City Journal. He has always been active in the political field. He has a family of four children, who reside in Lincoln. (See page 41). Frank N. Prout, Attorney General, was born in New Jersey in 1852. His education was received in Illinois, where he practiced law for six years. In 1881 he came to Nebraska, and was city attorney at Blue Springs seven years, when he removed to Beatrice, where he held the same posi- tion two years; in 1898 he was elected to the State Senate, serving on two committees; his nomination for Attorney General in 1902 was unanimous. Mr. Prout is a lawyer of much originality and resource. His name is con- nected with the celebrated case wherein a railroad company, wliich had refused to build a station and stop trains at Blue Springs, except upon terms which the city could not grant, was compelled to do so, after a hard fought legal battle. His biennial report is said to be a model and tlie first of its kind ever publislied. (See page 41). AN'illinm K. Fowler, Superintendent of Public Instruction, was born in 1864 in New Jersey. He comes of sturdy Scotch peasantry, his parents hav- ing emigrated from Scotland about 1850. He graduated with the highest honors of his class from the New York City public schools, entering the College of the City of New York sixth in rank out of nearly 1.200 appli- cants. In the spring of 1SS3 the western fever brought him to the farm of his brothers in Dodge county, Nebraska, where he began teaching school; two years later he spent a year in study at Monmouth College, 111.; while yet 21 years of age he was principal of the Scribner, Neb., schools for one year; the year of 1888 he spent in Europe, taking a special course in the University of Edinburgh. After a brief experience as editor and publisher on his return to Nebraska, he again assumed the position of principal of schools at Scribner for a period of three years, when he was made superin- tendent of the Blair city schools. Mr. Fowler has held various prominent positions with the State Teachers' Association, and has been an active member of the National Educational Association since 1892, and is also a member of the National Department of City Superintendents. He Is an activfe ama keen wcrrker in all matters pertaining tb Uublib eflubutl'dn. (See page 41). Nebraska Congresdmdh. 43 44 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. John J. McCarthy, Conerr«ssman from th« Third District, was born in Wisconsin, in which state his father was a pioneer settler. He was reared on a farm; studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1888; for three terms he was county attorney, and a member of the lower house of the state legislature during two general sessions. He is a man of strong personality, and as an attorney his reputation extends beyond the limits of Nebraska. (See page 43). Elmer J. Burkett, Member of Congress from the First District, was born in Iowa. His early life was spent on a farm; he graduated from Tabor Col- lege in 1890, afterwards becoming principal of a school at Leigh, Neb. Two years later he entered the law school of the University of Nebraska, re- ceiving the degree L. L. M. He has been one of the foremost members of the Lancaster county bar since 1893. He was first a member of the lower house of the Legislature, then elected to Congress three times in succes- sion. (See page 43). George AV. Norrio, Member Congress from the Fifth District, was born in Ohio in 1861. Left fatherless in childhood, he worked on a farm during summer to pay school expenses in winter; worked his way through the Indiana Normal School and Baldwain at Berea, O. He studied law and in 1883 was admitted to practice; but not until after two years more of school teaching was he able to purchase the necessary books and open up an office. After following his profession ten years he was elected to the dis- trict bench, to which he was re-elected in 1899. (See page 43). Mooes P. Kinknld, Member of Congress from the Sixth District, was born in West Virginia. He graduated from the law school of the Univer- sity of Michigan. In 1881 he removed from Illinois to Holt county, Ne- braska, where he has since resided. Elected to the 1883 State Senate and made Chairman of the Judiciary Committee; served for thirteen consecutive years on the district bench. In 1900 he was defeated as a candidate for Congress, but in 1902 was renominated and elected by a handsome majority. All his life he has been an unwavering Republican. (See page 43). Rdmund H. Hlnshavi-, Member of Congress from the Fourth District, is a native of Indiana, where he was born in 1860. He worked on his fath- er's farm and taught in a country school, and later attended Butler University at Indianapolis. Immediately after his graduation, in 1885, he settled at Fairbury, Neb., where he was superintendent of schools one year, resigning to take up the study of law; became clerk and attorney for the City of Fairbury; was county attorney; was defeated as candidate for Congress in 1898, but in 1902 was elected after a long struggle. (See page 43). Gilbert M. Hitchcock, Congressman from the Second District, was born in Omaha, Neb., in 18.")9, and is the son of the late United States Senator P. W. Hitchcock. His education began in the public schools of Omaha, was continued for two years in Baden Baden, Germany, and concluded at the law department of Michigan University, from which he graduated in 1881. He practiced law until 1885, when he established and edited the Omaha Evening World. In 1889 he purchased the Morning Herald, which he consolidated with the Evening World, forming the present Morning and Evening World-Herald. In 1894 he gave up the editorial work to William J. Bryan, and undertook the business management of the paper, which he continues to pviblish. In 1883 he married the daughter of Ex-Governor C^unse; they have two daughters. In 1902 he was elected a member of the Fifty-eighth Congress, emphasizing his popularity by a majority of 1,840 votes over his Republican opponent, In a district noted as a Repub- lican stronghold. (See page 43). In regard to a booXlet srlvlng Information in general as to Nebraska, as outlined by Nebraska Farmer, believe it would be one of the most desirable, acceptable and appreciated works that could be distributed East and West. Have lived in the state many years, traveled over it extnsivly, and would appreciatee such a publication. — Henry C. Smith, Dealer In Raal Betate. February, 1904. 45 MOON'S PHASES. F.M. L.Q. N.M. F.Q. BOSTON D. H. M. 1 11 33 M. 8 4 56 M. 16 6 5 M. 24 « 9 M. CHICAGO D. H. M. 1 10 33 M. 8 3 56M. 16 5 5 M. 24 5 9M. SEATTLB. D. H. M. 1 8 83 M, 8 1 66 M, 16 3 5 M, 24 3 9 Jr. HISTORICAL EVENTS, Etc. LATITUDE Of Boston, New England, Middle Staies,0.,lnd.,lll., Mo., Kan.. Neb., Iowa,Mich., Wis., Minn.,Or.&Wash. Sun rises. Sun sets. II. M. 5 14 5 15 5 17 5 18 5 19 5 20 Moon rises. LATITUDE Of Charleston, N. «&3. C, Ga., Ala., Tenn., Miss'., La., Ark., T2X., New Mexico end Cal. Sun rises. H. M. Sun sets. H. M tloon rises. I ^^Ist. (^ tj Q.^in perigee !^^ Piirif'n; Candlemas. Freedom of Greece, 1830. Rev, in Nicaragua, 1898. Treaty with Brazil, 1891. Ft Henry captured, 1862. rises 6 48 8 5 9 16 10 28 11 37 6 66 6 55 6 54 6 54 6 53 6 52 rises, 7 8 11 9 16 10 21 11 25 6. Sexagesima Sunday. Luke 8. lOh. 14m. Day's Length, lOh. 47m, 7 Su C gr. libration W. 8 M -«Sr8th.Gen.Sherm'n b.'20 V^ Gen. Harrison b. 1773 9 Tu 10 W ^ gr. elong. W. 25* 52'. 11 Th 6 ^ a. 12 Fr 6 9 f 6 49 5 40 10 521 14 6 38 5 50 T 6 48 5 41 11 7l 14 6 37 5 51 T 6 46 5 42 morn 14 6 36 5 i^ H 6 45 5 43 56 14 6 35 5 53 K 6 43 5 44 1 55 14 6 34 5 54 n 6 41 5 46 2 54 13 6 33 5 55 n 6 39 5 47 3 50 13 6 32 5 55 10 40 11 37, morn' 35 1 33 2 SO 3 27, 9. 2d Sunday in Lent. Matt. 15. llh. 10m. Day's Length, llh. 25m. 28|Su Forrest Lieut. Gen., '65. gs 8 38 29' M Leap year, extra day. S5 6 37 5 43 4 40| lb 6 31 5 66 4 20 5 49 5 27' 13 6 SO 5 56 5 lo! 46 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. .tj ^ -kj -£ 4) o «4-i ^ CC 4-> ■/. CO o y ro o 0) o CO to .3 c 3 <1) as ;-. > 3 3 0) ,3 3 03 CO c >> o •a o o O CO CD- O 3 -a 0) "3 o *-> CO 0) Eh w 0) X! CO 3 O "3 o 0) X5 0) "3 CO a 3 C3 3 3 _o M 3. 0) a> V a ->-> t> 01 o3 J3 ^ m CO o 3 o 0) > -t-j fl >> -3 CO c<3 (D •a CO > CO -3 3 T3 O o CO V 3 O X! 3 X3 0) 3 O 3 CO cs3 CO 03 a CO 0) a (J < o W) c CO 6 J3 O _C0 o 03 3 cS a 3 XI o o3 X! '•S H Eh Eh o CO o 3 CO 5 O .4^ X3 Eh 3 03 X! W -a "^ (0 S3 CO CD 0) 'SI O o +-) 0) Pi > CC < 1- -t-> CS O o CO ■3 CO 3 o CO 'u O 3 a 3 o I— 1 O 13 U c 03 XI 3 CO z ^ 01 is CO Ct-4 OS UJ z Q. 0) 3 J3 ■•-> ■i-> '9 3 XI 3 '3 o 0) o O o3 +-> a a 3 73 o y 3 o y ^ 3 iC 03 rt 3 xT to G < 10 J _2 j= •^ 0> 3 o: m u z J5 o ■<-> 3 3 CTJ CO 03 3 a" 01 03 X! ■3 3 Oi 0> 0) ,3 0) Eh O CO CO CO CO ■a CO o ,3 OS 3 0) 3" CO QJ -a 3 ctf CP Ui O ^ (3 G Missouri River, Near Peru. 47 48 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE NEBRASKA BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION. The Nebraska State Beekeepers' Association was organized on Feb- ruary 8, 1879, at a meeting held in Omaha, the initiatory movement having been made by T. Smith Corbett, then a citizen of Omaha. The organiza- tion was completed by the election of the following officers: President, Hiram Craig, Fort Calhoun; First Vice President, J. R. Kennedy, Papil- lion; Second Vice President, J. H. Masters, Nebraska City; Fourth Vice President, J. W. Flynn, Fairfield; Fifth Vice President, T. L. Vandorn, Omaha; Sixth Vice President, Dr. Cochran, Tecumseh; Treasurer, J. N. Dynes, Papillion; Secretary, W. G. Pigman, Omaha; Assistant Secretary, W. C. B. Allen, Omaha. The following comprised the membership at the first annual meeting, held at Omaha on February 13 and 14, 1880: W. C. Pigman, Henry Brun- ing, Henry Ehrenfort, T. H. Pegeler, T. L. Vandorn, John Byers, T. Smith Corbett, J J. McLain. Perry M. Peckham, B. E. B. Kennedy, D. H. Wheeler, J. Valentine, W. H. Hart, G. Rusting, J. F. Sawyer, John G. Willis, H. Munger, W. C. B. Allen and G. W. Brewster, Omaha; J. T. Poland, Bellevue; Alvis Gramlich. John Gramlich, J. R. Kennedy, Cyrus Latham, J. N. Dynes and H. Sprague, Papillion; G. M. Hawley, Lincoln; Don J. Arnold, Brownville; James W. Flynn, Fairfield. At the annual meeting, held February 10, 1881, T. L. Vandorn of Omaha was elected President, and held this position until January 13, 1886, when W. F. Wright was elected President, and Henry N. Patterson of Humboldt, Secretary. In 1887 R. R. Ryan was elected President; Sec- retary, Patterson, re-elected. In 1888 M. L. Trester was elected President, and J. N. Heater of Columbus, Secretary. Mr. Heater served three years, when L. D. Stilson of York was elected, who has served in the capacity of Secretary for twelve years. E. Whitcomb of Friend is now serving his thirteenth year as President, and is one of the best known apiarists in the country, having been at the head of Nebraska's bee and honey exhibits at all the leading expositions for the past fifteen years. At the time of the organization of the Beekeepers' Association the bee and honey industry was attracting considerable attention, some apiaries having as much as 100 hives of bees, and the outlook in general quite fiattering. The Missouri River Valley at this period had become famous for its numerous wild swarms of the black honey bee. The stocking up of apiaries from these wild swarms was quite common in those days. From the oldest historical records of the Missouri Valley country we find that more than 100 years ago the Indians were apprised of the existence of bees, in what is now known as Nebraska. In 1804-5, when the Lewis and Clark expedition passed up the Missouri River, they found wild honey near their camp, at a point where Dakota City now stands. It was on this occasion and when the officers were absent visiting the Omaha tribe of Indians located in this vicinity, that a member of the expedition, Sargeant Floyd, while hunting along the timbered bluffs to the southeast of the camp, found and robbed a colony of bees, eating so much of the honey that he became sick, from the effects of which he died the next day. The monument marking the grave of Sargeant Floyd still stands prominent on the high bluff overlooking the Missouri River at Nebraska Beekeepers. 49 Dakota City. The Lewis and Clark expedition records the earliest his- tory of the wild honey bee in Nebraska, given by authority of any white man. Secretary L. D. Stilson of the Nebraska Beekeepers' Association says in rehearsing the results of his research for the introduction of the honey bee into Nebraska, that it must be conceded that the honey bee was a "squatter" in the American Desert long before the white man crossed the Missouri. He also introduces the following letter from Henry Fontenelle, an educated Indian, dated Decatur, Neb., April 22, 1894: "Your esteemed letter was received three days ago. I have been wait- ing- to see some of our oldest men of the Omahas. They say that the honey bee has been found along the Missouri river as far back as they can re- member. I know that relatives of mine as far back as 1S40 in hunting for deer along the Missouri river came home with skin sacks weighing 50 to 100 pounds of cooked and skimmed honey. I have heard the Omahas tell many times of finding honey among the hardwood timber on the Missouri 50 and 60 years ago. Yours respectfully, HENRY FONTENELLE." The advance in beekeeping, to the present date, has been equal to any other branch of agricultural work. From the little beginning of a few hundred beekeepers in the state in 1879, there are now thousands, and the resources of nectar production are rapidly increasing. The flora of Nebraska that are of nectar value exceed those of any other district of country. The rapid increase of alfalfa production has supplied material for many times doubling the present apiary capacity of the State. The State Beekeepers' Association is one of the present-day active and prosperous associations in Nebraska, and has a reputation throughout the country as a practical, energetic, up-to-date organization that is a credit to the present management. Edward Whitcomb, President of the Nebraska Beekeepers' Asso- ciation, was born in Pennsyl- vania, October 24, 1843. When a j lad of 10 he moved to Lee county, Illinois. On the breaking out of the war of the rebellion he en- listed in Company A, Thirty- fourth Illinois "Volunteers; served to the end of the war, raising from the rank of private to that of second lieutenant in charge of the quartermaster's department of his regiment. It was during the foraging expeditions as quarter- master that Whitcomb first de- veloped an adaptation and love for the honey bee. He came to Nebraska in 1877. Homesteaded near Friend. Represented Saline county in the Legislature in 1877. For many years President State Beekeepers' Association. L. D. Stlison, Secretary Nebraska Beekeepers' Association, was born in Erie county, New York. Served with Forty-ninth New York State Volun- teers. Came to Nebraska in 1877, and homesteaded near York. For twelve years has been on the force of Farmers' Institute workers, his subjects be- ing "Bee Culture," "Tree Planting," and dairy work. For ten years he has been Secretary-Treasurer of the Nebraska Beekeepers' Association. Had charge of bee and honey exhibit at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition. E. WHITCOMB. L. D. STILSON. 50 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. March, 1904. 51 MOON'S PHASES. BOSTON 1 T). H. M. F.M. 1 9 48 E. L.Q,. 8 8 1 E. N.M. 17 39 M. F.Q,. 24 4 37 E. K.M. 31 7 44 M. CHICAGO 1 T). H. M. 1 8 48 E. 8 7 1 E 16 11 39 E.I ■2i 3 37 E. 31 6 44 M. SEATTLB. D. H. M. 1 6 48 E. 8 5 1 E. 16 9 39 E. 24 1 37 E, 31 4 44 M. HISTORICAL EVENTS, Etc. LATITUDE Of Boston, New England, Middle States,0.,lnd.,lll., Mo., Kan.. Neb., Iowa, Mich., Wis., Mlnn.,Or.&Wash. Sun rises. Sun sets. Moon rises. H. M. LATITUDE Of Chiarleston, N. & S. C, Ga., Ala., Tenn., Miss., La., Ark., Tex., New Mexico and CaL Sun rises. H. M. Sun sets. H. M. Moon rises. H. M. ^^Ist. St.Dav. (Linperig i^^^Nicholas I. died, 1855. 33abama admitted, 1819, Chicago chartered, 1837. Anton Mesmer died, 1815 ^. 6 36 SI, 6 34 n 6 32 n 6 30 6 28 5 tU 5 52 5 53 5 54 5 55 rises 6 51 8 3 9 16 10 28 6 29 6 28 6 27 6 25 6 24 5 57 5 58 5 59 5 59 6 rises 6 54 7 59 9 7 10 13 10. 3d Sunday in Lent. Luke 11. llh. 30m. Day's Length, llh. 38m. The Peterhotf sunk, 1864. 6 9h- (^ gr- iibration W. C8th. Treaty with Jap 6^ a. [1854. FirstEnglishE.E., 1550. Philadelphia incor. , 1789. Bishop Berkeley b.,1684. 6 27 6 25 6 24 6 22 6 20 6 18 6 17 5 57 5 58 5 59 6,0 6 J 6 2 6 4 11 3^ morn 34 1 31 2 23 3 7 3 47 6 23 6 22 6 15 11 15 morn 13 1 8 1 58 2 44 3 27 11. 4th Sunday in Lent. John 6. llh. 51m. Day's Length, llh. 52m. Su M Tu W Th Fr 6 91- Cm apogee. ^ gr. hel. lat. 8. c^ ?C. i^l7th. c^ 2/ ([ .StPatrick 6^(L Sa I Chas. IV. abdicates, '08 n 6 15 6 6 4 23 10 6 14 6 6 Vf 6 13 6 7 4 55 10 6 13 6 7 /VM. 6 12 6 8 5 25 9 6 11 6 8 ■vw 6 10 6 9 5 52 9 6 10 6 8 ¥ 6 8 6 10 sets 9 6 9 6 9 ¥ 6 6 6 11 7 45 8 6 7 6 10 If 6 5 6 12 8 45 8 6 6 6 11 4 5 4 40 5 13! 5 46, sets 7 38; 8 35 12. 5th Sunday in Lent. John 8. 12h. 10m. Day's Length, 12h. 6m. 20 Su 21 M 22 Tu 23 W 24 Th 25 Fr 26 Sa ©enters T- Spring begins Botany Bay settled,1787. C gr. Iibration E. Thos. Hughes died, 1896. 324th. n W ©. Annunciation, d ? O superior. 6 3 6 1 5 59 5 58 5 56 5 51 5 52 6 13 6 14 6 15 6 10 6 17 9 47 10 48 11 48 morn 47 6 18 1 42 6 191 2 32 6 5 6 4 6 2 6 1 6 5 58 5 57 6 11 6 12 6 13 6 13 6 14 6 15 6 15 9 32 10 30 11 26 morn 23 1 19 2 11 13. Palm Sunday. Matt. 27. 12h. 30m. Day's Length, 12h. 20m, The Planet Pallas dis.'28 C in perigee. i^E'rthqu'kein Peru,'02 ^^31st.Char Bronte d'o5 0^ 5 51 6 21 3 18 6 5 56 6 16 g5 5 49 6 22 4 5 5 54 6 17 f;i, 5 47 6 23 4 38 5 5 53 6 18 <^. 5 45 6 24 5 14 5 5 52 6 18 ^]l 5 44 6 25 rises 4 5 50 6 19 3 0| 3 47 4 29 5 11 rises 53 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE POULTRY INDUSTRY IN NEBRASKA. The poultry industry has made rapid growth in Nebraska for the past twenty-five years, and like all other farm industries in this State it has furnished the most astonishing evidences of rapid development. In 1880 the chicken stock of Nebraska numbered 279,262, with a total egg product of 7,166,090 dozens. In 1890 the chicken population had increased to 7,395,368, with the stock of turkeys, geese and ducks numbering 503,- 665, and an egg product of 23,300,684 dozens. This shows a farm value of Nebraska poultry products of $4,761,427 in 1890. In 1900 the census re- ports show the value of poultry to be $3,499,044, with an egg product valued at $4,068,000, making a total annual poultry product value for the year of $7,567,044, almost doubling in value in the ten-year period from 1890 to 1900. The rate of increase in poultry production at the present time has never been exceeded. Not only has there been great encourage- ment in bettering the quality, but the influence of prices has added new life to production. A new feature of great market interest is the handling of poultry by the South Omaha packing plants. The Armour, Swift and Cudahy packing establishments are engaged in buying poultry and eggs, and this acts as a stimulant in the local markets, causing uniform and better prices to be paid by the hucksters and local dealers. Each of these firms has agencies established over the state who pay the highest cash prices for poultry, butter and eggs. At these collecting depots the produce is shipped as rapidly as car load lots are gathered, to South Omaha, where the shipments are sorted into grades. The fowls are slaughtered after the most approved method, cooled, packed in shipping cases holding a dozen fowls each, put into cold storage, where they are frozen, and remain there until the sale stock of the country is disposed of, then put on the market. The trade for this cold storage poultry commands shipments both east and west. Large consignments go to the European markets. Great Britain being the heaviest purchaser. At Swift's packing house there is a poultry feeding plant with a 12,000 chicken capacity, a novel, yet very complete and successful enter- prise. The choice fowls are sorted out for this purpose and put into feed- ing crates racked up in tiers of five coops, or crates, high. These crates are made of rounds about three-fourths of an inch in diameter and hold two dozen fowls each. The bottoms are made of same material, per- mitting the droppings to collect in a sliding iron dropping board just beneath the slatted floor of the coop. The fowls are given three times a day all they will eat of a ground feed, oats, barley, wheat and corn mixed to a thin slop with buttermilk. No other feed or drink is given, and fourteen days is the average time of fattening under this process. The packing houses of South Omaha assert that with their present ca- pacity for handling poultry and poultry products they can furnish a ready market for many times more poultry than is now produced in Nebraska. Nebraska is a very healthful climate for fowls, and the opportunities offered in this line of work alone invite increased production of tens of millions of dollars. Biographies. 63 T. L. NORVAL. L. P. LUDDEN. J. K. HONEYWELL. S. C. BASSETT. T. li. Nerval was born in Fulton county, Illinois, in 1847. Educated in tlie common scliools; completed his general studies at Hedding- College of Illinois, and his law studies at Michigan University, receiving the degree of B. M. L. in 1871. In 1872 moved to Nebraska, locating at Seward, where, with his brotlier Richard, he commenced the practice of law under the firm name of Nerval Brothers. Was a member of the State Senate of 1879; appointed Judge of the Fourth Judicial District in 1883, and elected twice his own successor, from which position he resigned in December, 1889, to become Judge of the Supreme Court, where he served two terms of six years each. He is President of the State Poultry Association. liUther P. Ludden, Secretary of the Nebraska Poultry Association, was born in Virginia, removing to New York when a boy, and coming to Lin- coln, Neb., in 1889. He has been an active worker in the Association twelve years, and to his efficient work the wide influence of that associa- tion is largely due. At present he is a breeder of White Plymouth Rocks. Mr. Ludden had charge of the state relief commission in 1890-1 and 1894-5; has served on the Lincoln Board of Education nine years; and is a member of the State Board of Education. J. K. Honeywell, President State Dairymen's Association, was born in New Jersey in 1845; attended Presbyterian Academy at Blairstown, N. J.; graduated from Eastman's Commercial College, Poughkeepsie, N. Y. After two years' newspaper work he located on a homestead in Lancaster county, Nebraska, in 1868, residing in this county ever since; for twenty years Secretary and Treasurer of Lincoln Gas Co. Mr. Honeywell now manages a private dairy near Lincoln, keeps thoroughbred Jersey cows only; does not sell milk or cream, but makes butter, and of such a quality that it readily brings 30 cents a pound the year round. Samuel C. Bassett, Secretary of the State Dairymen's Association, is descended from John and Margery Bassett, who came from England to Connecticut in 1643. He was born in a log cabin in New York in 1844; graduated at Corning Academy; served as a volunteer until the close of the civil war. In 1867 he married Miss Lucia Baker, and five years later took a soldier's homestead of 160 acres in Buffalo county, Nebraska, where he has since resided. Beginning in 1872, with its organization, Mr. Bassett served twenty-one years as an officer of School District No. 8 of Buffalo county, which district since its organization has furnished free text books to all pupils. He was first President of the Dairymen's Association, or- ganized in 1885, serving as Secretary during thirteen of its sixteen years of existence. He has been a member of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture since 1893, serving as President two years. A few years ago he was active in securing the adoption, by the Legislature, of an amend- ment to the school laws of the state, providing that "The elements of agri- culture, including a fair knowledge of the structure and habits of the common plants, insects, birds and quadrupeds" be taught In our common and high scboola. He was appointed Deputy Food Commissioner In 1901. 64 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE NEBRASKA DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. The importance of organizing tlie dairy interests of Nebraska into a state association was first considered at a meeting of the Fine Stock Breeders' Association, held at Lincoln, February 25, 1885, where a few interested dairymen got together and effected an organization by adopt- ing a constitution and by-laws, and the election of oflacers. S. C. Bassett was elected President, and H. H. Wing, Secretary. Considerable interest and energy were thrown into the work by the members of the newly organized Association, in securing a large attend- ance of interested dairymen for the first annual meeting, which was held at Fremont on December 9 and 10, 1885. This meeting was in all respects a great success. It was held in the Opera House, and a large number were present; representatives from almost all counties in the eastern half of the state were present. Addresses were delivered by G. L. Loomis of Fremont, L. S. Coffin of Fort Dodge, la., Robt. W. Furnas of Brownville., J. W. Liveringhouse of Grand Island, W. D. Hoard of Wiscon- sin, A. T. Smith of Fairbury, D. P. Ashburn of Gibbon, Prof. C. E. Bessey of Lincoln, H. B. Nicodemus of Fremont, W. G. Whitmore of Valley, and W. A. Carpenter of Sutton. Others took an active part in the discussion of topics that the various papers and addresses brought out. The impetus that this first annual meeting of the State Dairymen's Association gave the organization is responsible in a great measure for the success achieved in later years, and the influence that the Dairy Asso- ciation holds as a factor in state agricultural organization. The officers elected at the Fremont convention in 1885 were: Presi- dent, J. Dixon Avery, Fremont; Vice President, E. Mclntyre, Seward; Secretary and Treasurer, H. H. Wing, Lincoln; Board of Directors, S. C. Bassett, Buffalo county; W. G. Whitmore, Douglas county; O. M. Druse, Lancaster county; H. B. Nicodemus, Dodge county; Vice Presidents, R. W. Furnas, Neraaha county; Allen Root, Douglas county; J. W. Livering- house, Hall county; D. P. Ashburn, Buffalo county; D. A. Cowell, Gage county; Davis Richardson, Merrick county; J. O. Chase, Fillmore county; H. H. Brainard, Dodge county; J. J. King, Cuming county; J. B. Dinsmore, Clay county; Thomas Carroll, Adams county; Smith Atkins, Seward county; Henry Fry, York county; J. G. Southwick, Lancaster county. The annual membership started with 70 persons, who were well distributed over the eastern counties of the state, and whose success in some features of the dairy business influenced others to take up the work until now Nebraska stands among the foremost in dairy production. Professor Wing served as Secretary and Treasurer until his removal from the state, June 13, 1887, at which date S. C. Bassett was by the Board of Directors appointed Secretary and Treasurer, and served con- tinuously until March 31, 1898. F. H. Vaughn was then elected and served during the years 1898 and 1899, when S. C. Bassett was again elected Secretary and Treasurer, and has served from that date to the present time. 1903. The Presidents elected are as follows: 1886, J. Dixon Avery; 1887, W. G. Whitmore; 1888, J. W. Liveringhouse; 1889, J. C. Merrill; 1890, D. P. Ashburn; 1891, J. H. Rushton; 1892, E. J. Hainer; 1893, Wm. Sutton; Dairy Industry. 55 1894, W. A. Carpenter; 1895, B. R. Stouffer; 1896, E. F. Howe; 1897, F. H. Vaughn; 1898, Geo. E. Haskell; 1899-1900, John J. King; 1901, J. H. Rushton; 1902, E. S. Snively; 1903, J. K. Honeywell. The present officers of the Association (1903) are: President, J. K. Honeywell, Lincoln; Vice President, J. S. Clark, Jr., Ravenna; Secretary and Treasurer, S. C. Bassett, Gibbon; Directors, B. R. Stouffer, J. C. Merrill, William F. Ulrich, L. D. Stilson and Prof. A. L. Haecker. NEBRASKA'S DAIRY INDUSTRY AND ITS VALUE. June 1, 1900, Nebraska reported, in the General Census, a dairy cow population of 512,544, valued at $17,192,120. The butter product from these cows was 46,244,839 pounds; 11,726,180 pounds of this was made in factories, and 34,518,659 pounds made on farms. The cheese made on farms, 264,430 pounds, and in factories, 313,600 pounds, making a total cheese product of 578,030 pounds. The total value of all dairy products for 1900, $8,595,408. In 1901 the dairy cow or milk cow population had increased to 618,894, or 20% per cent, which at this rate of increase, and estimated upon the same basis of values, would at the close of 1903 show an annual dairy product value for Nebraska of $15,000,000. In 1900 Nebraska had a cow population other than that classed as milk or dairy cows, of 674,025. These cows were employed in raising calves on the ranges In the western part of the State, and were available to draw from for dairy extension. This explains how easily the increase in dairy production can be made where large herds of breeding stock are kept. The posibilities of Nebraska in dairy production are practically with- out limit, so extensive and abundant are the resources for development. In no district of country in the world are the herds so free from con- stitutional ailments and infectious bovine diseases. The unlimited supply of pure water from hundreds of beautiful, clear, running streams; the nutritious native grasses of more than 200 varieties; the cultivated tame grasses, especially alfalfa, with the most congenial and well balanced climate for health and development of the domestic animals, combine to make this the stock grower's paradise. MOVING THE CAPITOL OF NEBRASKA FROM OMAHA TO LINCOLN. One of the most important events in the history of Nebraska was the moving of the Capitol from Omaha to Lincoln, in 1867, and locating it on an almost unbroken prairie. A commission consisting of Governor Butler, Auditor Gillespie and Secretary Kennard had been appointed by the Legislature to select a site for the location of the Capitol, and on July 29, 1867, decided on the present location, where the City of Lincoln now stands. The stone used in the construction of the first Capital build- ing was drawn by Ox team from quarries in Gage county. This was before railroad facilities were provided. 56 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF NEBRASKA. This great state occupies an unrivaled position in liaving the lowest per cent of illiteracy of any state in the Union. Nowhere has the value of a common school education been more generally and universally ac- knowledged, nor has the free secondary and higher education been neg- lected. The Constitution of Nebraska, adopted in 1875, declared that all moneys arising from the sale or leasing of sections number 16 and 36 in each township in this state should be perpetual funds for common school purposes, of which the annual interest or income only can be appropri- ated; and the interest on these lands sold and leased, together with that on warrants, county bonds and school district bonds, certain fees and licenses, and the State school tax of 1% mills or less upon the dollar of assessed valuation of all taxable property in the State, provides a sum in excess of $000,000 apportioned annually to all the common school dis- tricts of the State. This amount will increase from year to year, rather than diminish. Local school districts may tax themselves not to exceed 25 mills on the dollar of assessed valuation. All fines, penalties and license moneys are appropriated exclusively to the use and support of the common schools in the respective subdivisions where they may accrue. The Constitution also states that the Legislature shall provide for the free instruction in the common schools of all persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years. Free education, including free textbooks and supplies, is furnished in all school districts in the State. School government, organization and management in Nebraska is almost purely local, each one of the G,GG6 districts being responsible for its own school. Each district provides a full course of instruction in all of the eight grades or years of work below the ordinary High school, and many of them furnish graduate certificates upon their completion of this work. The course includes reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic, grammar, geography, history, physiology, etc. In some of the larger cities of the State kindergartens have been established. When a school district has a population of 150 or more children of school age, it may organize a High school district and furnish free High school privileges to all its pupils who complete the eight grades of work below the High school. We have in Nebraska nearly 100 villages main- taining a High school of one year, or a total of nine grades of work; there are 150 villages with High schools of two years; 80 villages or cities with High schools of three years, and 85 cities in the State maintaining a full four years' High school course, many of them differentiated into classical, scientific, English and commercial courses. Above these we have as a superstructure the magnificent University of Nebraska, with its faculty of 200 and an attendance of more than 2,500. The University has a heavy endowment from lands donated to the State by the United States, and is supported by the proceeds of investment of a permanent fund, by other incomes, and by a tax of 1 mill upon the dollar of assessed valuation of the State. Omaha High School. 67 P H H U M 1-5 ° o c o » ,a ^ >. (D .a 5i ^ +-> o 13 -t-> ^ cS +j o a r/T m 0) tH o o cS fl ^ O CO ^-^ o O cij o rt CO Z o rt S c8 o -^ ft ^ .2 t« -o ti ^ s cd ?^ 01 !<-i jr o o i; o ,d '=3 -t-> m ^ CO 0) O t3 5 a d O 6 d O) (h n3 a t< !m rt 3 rt fl l=i CS ci 1— < s rt d 2 § 1^ 13 CO CO CO •■^ u <» .a 'S^ trt 1-1 o i3 « J2 >. 13 2 o .2 . 'O M 0:1 CI °o a 1^ s? rt M u ja CO ^ o .3 CO > CO -^ >" -a ^ 58 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. are alive and awake to the educational calls and needs of the day. Besides the State Normal at Peru, a new Normal has recently been located at Kearney. The State department of education also conducts annually five Junior Normal Schools, summer sessions of ten weeks each, at as many different points over the State, particularly in the north and west. Associations of teachers are held frequently, county, con gressional, district and state, and the county summer institutes are well attended and profitable. Teachers' associations of late years, however, differ materially from those of a few years ago, in that school board associations, patrons' meet- ings, women's clubs and other auxiliary associations are now frequently held in connection with the teachers' gatherings. A majority of the teachers of Nebraska carry on reading circles for their own benefit and last year devoted a large proportion of their time to the study of the ele- ments of agriculture, as a knowledge of that branch is now required for a teacher's certificate. More and more attention is being paid to the environment of the child, and better school buildings are being erected, with a view to the greater comfort and convenience of the child, with better seating, light- ing, heating and ventilating. The tendency in Nebraska is not toward a larger number of school districts and more schoolhouses, but rather toward a diminution in the number of districts. We desire to unite the weaker districts and weaker schools that better and stronger schools may be established. DEPARTMENT OF NEBRASKA GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC. The G. A. R. in Nebraska was first constituted a provisional depart- ment July 10, 18G7, but no reports were made to national headquarters and it was soon dropped from the rolls. In 1874 J. E. Philpot of Lincoln was appointed Provisional Commander and on August 2Gth of the same year he was at his own request relieved and Paul Van Dervoort of Omaha was appointed Commander. Judge Lee S. Estelle, the present Department Commander, was appointed his Assistant Adjutant General. On June 12, 1877, the first Department Encampment organized, and officers were elected. From that date the membership gradually in- creased, until June 30, 1893, there was reported in good standing at that date 8,625. Since that time the membership has gradually decreased, until June 30, 1903, reports show 4,921 in good standing. L. M. SCOTHORN, A. Q. M. G. NEBRASKA'S FIRST POSTOFFICE. The first postofficc in Nebraska was established in Bellevue in 1849, through the efforts of Peter A. Sarpy, an Indian trader, then located at that place. The first regular appointment of postmaster at Bellevue came six years later, and subsequent to the passage of the act creating Ne- braska territory. D. E. Reed was the postmaster appointed, and held the office in the old mission house, where his wife, Mrs. Reed, taught the first white school ever opened in Nebraska. April, 1904. 59 MOON'S PHASES- BOSTON CHICAGO D. H. M. D. H. M. L.Q,. 7 53 E. 7 11 53 M N.M. 15 4 53 E. 15 3 53 £. F.Q. 22 11 55 E. 22 10 55 E. F.M. 29 5 36 E. 29 4 36 E SEATTLE. D. H. M. 7 9 53 M. 15 1 63 E. •22 8 55 E. 29 2 36 E. D. ID. M. W. HISTORICAL EVENTS, Etc. LATITUDE Of Boston, New England, Middle States, 0.,lnd., 111., Mo., Kan.. Nob., Iowa, Mich., Wis., Minn.,Or.&Wash. Sun rises. H. M. Sun sets. Moon rises. H. M. LATITUDE Of Charleston, N. & S. C, Ga., Ala., Tenn., Miss., La., Ark., Tex., New Mexico and Cal. Sun rises. H. M. Sun sets. Moon rises. H. M. 9 in aphelion. Good Iri. Prof. Morse died, 1872. "t;^ 5 42 6 26 8 3 -- 5 40 6 27 9 14 4 5 49 6 20 7 51 4 5 48 6 20 8 57 14. Easter Sunday. John 20. 12h. 49ra. Day's Length, 12h. 35m. Sin^. § stationary, (fgr. lib.W. Robert Raikes d., 1811. 6 $([. 7th. ^ in perihelion. Lee surrendered, 1865. 6 28 6 29 6 31 6 32 6 33 6 34 6 35 10 19 11 19 morn 15 1 3 1 45 2 23 6 21 6 22 6 22 6 23 6 24 6 25 6 25 9 59 10 57| 11 51 morn' 39, 1 24 2 4' 15. Low Sunday. John 20. 13h. 9m. Day's Length, 12h. 49m. 6'h a. t in apogee. Battle of Ravenna, 1512. French fleet cap., 1782. 6 9C. " 15th. Matt. Arnold d.. 6 ^C. Vj 6 36 6 37 6 39 6 40 6 41 6 42 6 43 sets 6 26 6 27 6 27 6 28 6 29 6 29 6 30 sets 16. 2d Sunday after Easter. John 10. 13h. 29m. Day's Length, 13h. 2m. ^gr. hel. lat. N. DoUinger Excom'd,1871. 6 W C3 . -^ i^ o ct-l 2 cd U ^ «-i «- E 03 a; o "3 m4 *'"' c -^ -a TT ■i-i m e<3 4-1 o epresei ion do ts kin looke( H o C3 *- ^ >. 00 03 ■ri t-t ^ -.^ a O ■- 00 c 03 c c 3 quipmen rs of a : ry best s carefu rvision. 0) *^j C a> Q) 0) •-" (D j=; 03 •1— 1 ti > ^ _c TS u *^ 3 "C rt g} c 03 z g C S ^ 0) J 0) a etf O" ^-> g TJ o () z "■3 XI -a £ o M °s S 5 g S £ — ■t-i ^ .01 -" *^ a rt rt -J u_, '^ '■" - fl ° a S IJ z < CO z o 02 a CP a buildings more tha tution is and its detail of u I cc o u. X o 0) "5 'be u o aring in er. Va 1 now it modern -J 03 c X3 < H Q. CO O I V 03 u 03 o 00 1—1 d the one ap diately there the same, ui ed with all t O ^ ^^ 3 O) o Tj T3 CD ■i-> e, a imm de t rovi rt ,^ =^ » o: o o o "^ -S a^ tC ■""• >> -^ _ fl

. H. M. 7 5 50 M 15 4 58 M. 22 4 19 M. 29 2 55 M SEATTLE. D. H. M. 7 3 50 M. 15 2 58 M. 12 2 19 M. ?9 55 M. HISTORICAL EVENTS, Etc. LATITUDE Of Boston, New England, Middle States, 0.,lnd., 111., Mo., Kan.. Neb., Iowa, Mich., Wis., Mlnn.,Or.&\Vash. Sun rises, n. M Sun sets. Moon rises. H. M. LATITUDE Of Charleston, N &S. C, Ga., Ala., Tern., Miss., La., Ark., Tex., New Mexico and Cal. Sun Sun sets. Moon rises, i H. M I 18. 41h Sunday after Easter. John 16. 14h. 6m. Day's Length, ]3h. 27m. ct. Philip and yt. James. ^ stationary. (£ gr. lib. W. Bat of Tewksbury, 1471. James L Orr died, 1873. Cavendish assas., 1882. 7th. 6h(^ ^. 4 54 7 U 9 3 3 5 14 (J 41 r^. 4 53 7 1 10 3 3 5 13 6 42 t 4 52 7 2 10 56 3 5 12 6 42 t 4 51 7 3 11 41 3 5 11 6 43 t 4 49 7 4 morn 3 5 10 6 44 ^-^ 4 48 7 5 21 3 5 9 6 4o ^5 4 47 7 6 5S| 4 5 8 6 45 8 41' 9 39 10 32 11 18 morn ] 40 19. Rogation Sunday. John 16. 14h. 21m, Days Length, I3h. 3J:n. Su M Tu W Th Fr iSa C in apogee. Louis XV. died, 1774. n h O. ? in tS. 6% (L. Ascension day, 6 9f 4 42 7 11 2 52 4 5 4 6 4S )f 4 41 7 12 3 22 4' 5 4 6 49 r 4 40 7 13 3 50 4 5 3 6 50 T 4 39 7 14 4 24 4l 5 2 6 50 4 3S ;20. Sun. after Ascension. John l.'i-ie. 1th. 37m. Dav's Length, 13h. 50in. 15 Su ^lbih.6 ^CCgr.hb.E. 'f 4 38 7 15 sets 4 5 1 6 51 sets 16 M ^HpMafekingreliev'd,1900 K 4 37 7 16 8 35 4 5 1 6 52 8 12 17 Tu Lopez in Cuba, 1850. W 4 36 7 17 9 34 4 5 6 53 9 10 18 W c5 W (T. n 4 35 7 18 10 27 4 4 59 6 53 10 4 19 Th French fleet cap., 1692. n 4 34 7 19 11 17 4 4 59 6 54 10 fir, 20 Fr Lafayette died, 1834. a 4 33 7 20 morn 4 4 58 6 55 11 4! 21 Sa g in aphelion. 05 4 33 7 21 1 4 1 4 (8 6 55 morn 21 Whit Sunday. John 14. 14h. 50 m. Day's Length, 13h. 50m. 22 Su '^22d.(^ ? ?. C in per. ^ Prus'ns ent. Paris,'71 a, 4 o2 7 22 3J 4 4 57 6 56 27 23 M f;i, 4 31 7 22 1 14 4 4 5:5 6 57 1 6 24 Tu Kidd executed, 1701. n 4 30 7 23 1 47 3 4 56 6 57 1 45 25 W 5 stationary. Ember day n 4 29 7 24 2 22 3 4 55 6 58 2 2C, 26 Th Battle of Ostrolinka,1831. ^rs. 4 29 7 25 2 5G 3 4 5 1 6 59 3 6 27 Fr Ember day. r£b 4 28 7 26 3 31 3 4 55 6 59 3 45 28 Sa Ember day. r^ 4 28 7 27 4 8 3 4 54 7 4 27 22 Ti •inity Sunday. John 8. 1 5h. 1 ra. Day's L ength. 14h. Ttti.I Su M Tu ^29th. a gr.libration W. Chalmers died, 1847. "1, 4 27 7 28 rises 3 4 64 7 1 ^, 4 27 7 29 8 46 3 4 54 7 ] / 4 26 7 30 9 35 3 4 53 7 2 rises 8 211 9 111 70 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. ♦^tl ^ '-^ i% g 13 — ® 0) e •V ■o 1 d) 0) bs (Tl ba E 3 d < c- -n o 0) 0} o c 01 C o 0) o .1 J5 £■" E-gS 2 =« rt "^ ^ E E ^ ■fl -a S "O s^ <: & ,5 O £ 5 ^ "> -. p 2 c .*_, rt cd : >. C ^ ^ <1> 0) -C ;< d n m J= C 3 CL, 0) a X fc: m C£l . -a O S ^ => X3 J= d ^ •-. o if 1-1 ° d E S u *• w — Kn " ° Ml CO COS "^ .2 2; „ W CO E bi 5 S 9 is fe O ^ o oj >. jj j:; - •- u 5 w d .-US m ft .2 ir: "1 m a o ^ M 3 §5 — O H ^^ t~y (11 d d =5 -H x: d x; M d w !tl d Z ^ d C . « O d S " * t. "O t; ~ 3 to a) d ft a ■" o 4) > 0) ft c ts x: > » .G d o M ♦J ^ C w c d d d !tl H d H 3 x: ^ »1 3 m -a c d A S x; d d - . ra C ►*• M o E 3 60 M c c 0) '-' rt I" oj ^ m Si 6 : o « -^ "3 ' "H ^ .S -^ .- E 4^ — 4j ^ - o 00 — . c CO i; w "^ d ^' t! (U o OJ 3 hB W ■5 ^ c •^ oj ■>-• w C o "> •S . rrt IT; O ,„ *J , • C d flj o c 2 d o w ^ g 0) c d t? U) O 2 ft ft ^ x: ^ E E ^ d x; d >> (u 4) t W « PM J x: o c ^ ft d 4) fa ^ c- ^ r » ^ ^ l-^ ^ ife b Sri. O <0 O 00 d -^ d "^ Ph -a -a (C "*-< d ;^ •- O M o o I- "* d *J -. ^^ iS > d Qj •~ 4) O O *" c 3 a _ C u 4) ■^ *-" fci X O m "c. 'm ^ <" b « y ^ C 3 S X3 4} I c x: ^ (3 00 i: x: 4) *i Irrigation. 71 IRRIGATION ORGANIZATION AND IMPROVEMENTS IN NEBRASKA. During the past year applications for permits to appropriate water for irrigation purposes have been filed with the State Board of Irrigation for about 100 miles of new canals, covering about 40,000 acres, and appli- cations for permits to appropriate water for power purposes have been filed for plants which the applicants estimate will cost about eight million dollars, and develop about one hundred thousand horse power. In addition to the new projects, many important improvements have been made in canals already constructed, and the area irrigated under these has been largely increased. Many appropriators on the smaller streams have constructed reservoirs to store the surplus water, and in this way add to the acreage which it is possible for them to irrigate. The greatest development has been along the North Platte river and the smaller streams in the northwest section of the State, where they do not depend on the natural rainfall as they do farther east. The Loup rivers carry a large amount of water, and rising as they do in the sand hill country, their flow is very uniform. There is an abundance of productive land which could easily be irrigated by canals taken from these rivers, but irrigation development has been retarded in the past by the tendency of the farmers to depend upon the natural rainfall, which is generally sufficient to raise crops. The same is true of a large number of canals taking water from the differ- ent streams in that part of the State east of the 100th meridian, but the farmers are beginning to realize the fact that even in the seasons when good crops are raised without irrigation, the judicious use of water from the canal will bring a largely increased return, and in addition to this, the canal is an absolute insurance against the loss of their crops in years of deficient rainfall. During the past two seasons there has been an unusual amount of rainfall in Nebraska, and this has rendered the use of water from many of the canals in the eastern sections unnecessary. Within the past year, the Supreme Court of this State has handed down several opinions which have done mi:ch to settle the question of irrigation rights in Nebraska. These decisions declare the irrigation law of the State to be constitutional, define the rights of riparian owners and uphold the rights of appropriators who have made beneficial use of the water. This has done much to establish the stability of existing rights and to encourage appropriators. There are still a number of important points which remain unsettled. Nebraska extending as it does from the Missouri river almost to the mountains, includes within its borders two distinct regions. The eastern portion of the State is within the humid region and the rainfall is usually sufficient for successful agri- culture, and the extreme western portion might be classed as semi-arid. Here the rainfall is very variable and is generally deficient and very few crops can be raised without irrigation. The conditions being so different in diiTerent portions of the State, render it very difficult to settle many of the questions which arise in regard to the use of water. The question of the distribution of the waters of interstate streams is a very important one and one which should be settled as soon as possible. Nebraska is particularly interested in this question. A very 72 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. large part of the land reclaimed in this State receives its water from the Platte rivers. About 1,200 miles of canals, covering about 560,000 acres, receive their supply from this source. The pioneers of irrigation have gone into this part of the State and encountered all the hardships incident to the settlement of a new country, and have brought thousands of acres of land under the influence of irrigation and added millions of dollars to the value of the State. These people should be protected in the usr of the water which they have appropriated, and be assured that subsequent appropriators in other states will not be permitted to divert the water and ruin their work of a life time. Some system should be devised whereby the appropriator of the water of any stream who has made beneficial use of the same, should be protected without regard to state lines or other political subdivisions. In the early days of the settlement of this State there was a great prejudice against irrigation and anyone who advocated it was looked upon as an enemy of the State. Many of the pioneers who settled in the western portion of the State, realizing the uncertainty of agriculture when dependent upon the natural rainfall, constructed a number of canals which demonstrated the value of irrigation. Nebraska has now about 2,500 miles of canals, covering about 1,000,- 000 acres of land. In the western part of the State, the normal flow of many of the streams during the height of the irrigating season, has already been appropriated, but only a small portion of the entire flow is used, and a large amount of land can still be reclaimed by an intelligent system of storage and by educating the irrigators to use the water upon the land when it is to be had, instead of waiting until the crops are suffering, and every one desires to use the full amount of his appropria- tion. On some of the smaller streams, the plan of distributing the water by a time schedule has proved very successful. This allows each appro- priator to use all the water available in the stream for a short period and then turn it out to be used by the next one who is entitled to it. In this way it is possible to accomplish much more than could be accomp- lished when each irrigator is restricted to the amount of his appropriaton, which is sometimes only a fraction of a cubic foot per second, and is allowed to use it for the entire season. We have a district irrigation law in Nebraska which enables a ma- jority of the land owners in any territory which is susceptible to irriga- tion from a common source, to organize a district, and this district has authority to vote bonds for the construction or purchase of works, and to levy a tax to raise money to pay these bonds, and also to pay for the maintenance of the works. This law has worked out very success- fully in many cases, and we have some districts organized under it which are very finely improved and in good financial condition. There has been considerable development along the line of pumping water for irrigation, and quite a number of plants have been put In opera- tion, employing wind mills, water wheels, gasoline and steam engines for the motive power. Taking everything into consideration, Nebraska has made very good progress in irrigation improvement, and is in position to make still greater development in the future. state Fish Hatchery. T3 THE NEBRASKA STATE FISH HATCHERIES. The act creating a Board of State Fish Commissioners for Nebraska was passed by the Legislature in 1879, and the first Board, appointed by Governor Garber, comprised W. L. May of Fremont, B. E. B. Kennedy of Omaha, and C. H. Kaley of Red Cloud. The present grounds, consisting of fifty-two acres of land situated in Sarpy county, near the town of South Bend, was purchased in 1880, and the plant has been improved from year to year until at the present time Nebraska has the most val- uable and completely equipped State Fish Hatchery west of the Mis- sissippi river. The Legislature of 1901 repealed the law creating a Board of Fish Commissioners, and passed a new law creating a Game and Fish Commission, with the Governor as ex-officio Commissioner; the present officers of the Commission are George L. Carter of North Platte, Chief Game Warden; Emil Hunger of Lincoln, and Harry McConnell of Albion, travelling deputy Wardens; W. J. O'Brien of South Bend, Superintendent of Fish Hatcheries. The output of the Hatcheries has amounted to about 8,000,000 fish and fry annually for the past eighteen years. Owing to our fish laws, which prohibit the taking of fish in any manner except with hook and line, it is impossible to give any figures as to the number of pounds of fish caught annually or the value of the industry to the State. It is safe, however, to say that the value of the State Fish Hatcheries to the State is many times the actual expense of operating the industry. The annual appropriation for maintaining the Nebraska Hatchery is $3,850; the total valuation of the State property at the Fish Hatcheries is $16,920. According to the United States survey, Nebraska has 6,4S5 miles of streams, and 11,160 acres of lakes, all public water. The teasibility of stocking these waters with food fish is no longer a question, and the streams of Nebraska are rapidly becoming filled with the finest varieties of fish. The private reservoirs, fish ponds and little brooks and spring streams that abound without limit throughout almost the entire State represent the most fruitful sources of fish supply for food purposes. These, while getting their supply of fish for stocking up, are not taken into account in measuring the capacity of the State for fish production. What have the Hatcheries accomplished, and has the work been profitable to the taxpayers, is a question often asked. There need be no hesitancy in answering this question in the affirmative. It is only neces- sary to follow the course of the State fish car in its valuable aid in carrying on the work of distribution among the streams, lakes and fish ponds in the remote parts of the State, and the emphatic endorsement of the State Fish Commission in its work will give the answer. During eighteen months of 1901 and 1902 the State fish car traveled over 9,279 miles of railroad in Nebraska in its work of fish distribution. The value of the fish industry to Nebraska is in its source of food for our people, and this is now an acknowledged resource of the waters of the State. The new game and fish laws enacted by the last Legislature provides that a charge be imposed for fish from the State Hatcheries for stocking private waters. 74 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. Stock Breeders' Association. 75 THE NEBRASKA liViPROVED LIVE STOCK BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION. The Improved Live Stock Breeders' Association has been in existence for twenty-one years in continuous organization, being organized in February, 1882, under the name of the Nebraslia State Stoclf Breeders' Association. Its inception may be credited as the outgrowth of an asso- ciation of breeders of thoroughbred stock which was organized at Omaha in 1879, for the purpose of importing new and valuable strains of improved stock into Nebraska and the Western stock ranges. This Association, while representing the breeding interests of breeders of thoroughbred cattle, sheep, swine, poultry and pet stock, assumed in its purpose the commercial feature of handling breeding stock for the West- ern trade, one of the objects being to establish a public live stock ex- change at Omaha, which was then the recognized gateway to the new stock raising districts and farm lands of Nebraska and the country west. It was planned that this Association hold public exhibitions and sales of live stock for the mutual welfare and advantage of breeders and deal- ers in the improved breeds, the important purpose being to encourage a more general interest in the distribution of pure blooded stock among the common herds and flocks of the Western country. The Association, under the title of " The Nebraska State Breeders' Association," made excellent progress in live stock improvement. Many good herds were established in the State, and a general interest was awakened in the securing of better bred animals. In 1884 the Associa- tion was under the following officers: C. H. Walker, President; L. C. Todd, J. H. Hayden, J. V. Wolfe and E. P. Savage, Vice Presidents; John R. Harvey, Secretary and Treasurer. The annual meetings in the early history of the Society were actively participated in and good programs were presented. The Association has been one of the most influential organizations in the State, in the matter of live stock improvement. It has gathered into its membership the breeders and promoters of all breeds of im- proved animals. It promises more in the matter of effective work in the general upbuilding of agriculture and the live stock industries of Nebraska than any special or separate oi'ganization can hope to ac- complish. Its work has no bounds and its influence extends out to every feature of live stock improvement and farm advantage. The following is a list of the officers of the Nebraska Improved Live Stock Breeders' Association, commencing with 1893: President, Elijah Filley; Secretary-Treasurer, H. S. Reed; 1894 — President, Elijah Filley; Vice Presidents, W. G. Whitmore, Mrs. A. M. Edwards, C. H. Searle and T. J. Hitte; Secretary-Treasurer, H. S. Reed; 1895— President, C. H. Searle; Vice Presidents, Elijah Filley, J. V. Wolfe and Thomas Miller; Secretary-Treasurer, H. S. Reed; 189G — President, C. H. Searle; Vice Presidents, C. H. Elmendorf, Mark M. Goad, S. McKelvie and G. H. Bal- linger; Secretary-Treasurer, T. J. Hitte; 1897 — President, W. G. Whit- more; Vice Presidents, A. L. Sullivan, G. H. Elmendorf, J. Mandlebaum, C. H. Ballinger and F. E. Wheeler; Secretary-Treasurer, Wm. Foster; 1898— President C. H. Elmendorf; Vice Presidents, W. G. Whitmore, C. 76 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. H. Searle, I. W. Chappell, Charles Walker and Wm. Foster; Secretary- Treasurer, S. McKelvie; 1899 — President, C. H. Elmendorf; Vice Presi- dents, W. G. Wtiitmore, H. A. Talcott, C. H. Wallier and I. W. Chappell; Secretary-Treasurer, H. F. Mcintosh; 1900 — President, C. H. Elmendorf; Vice Presidents, E. H. Andrews, L. L. Young, Col. M. W. Harding and M. M. Coad; Secretary-Treasurer, H. F. Mcintosh; 1901 — President, L. L. Young; Vice Presidents, Phil Unitt, E. B. Day, Col. M. W. Harding and E. Z. Russell; Secretary-Treasurer, H. F. Mcintosh; 1902— President, W. A. Apperson; Vice Presidents, O. P. Hendershot, Wm. Ernst, Thomas Mortimer and Robert T. Anderson; Secretary-Treasurer, E. Z. Russell; 1903 — President, Wm. Ernst; Vice Presidents, S. McKelvie, T. A. Geivens, O. P. Hendershot and T. L. Norval; Secretary-Treasurer, E. Z. Russell. A. Li. Haecker, Professor of Dairy Husbandry, Experiment Station, Uni- versity of Nebraska, since 1S96, was born in Iowa in 1872. His boyhood was spent on his father's farm in Wisconsin; graduated from Minnesota School of Agriculture in 1895; during a leave of absence from the University of Nebraska, in 1900, secured degree B. S. A. at Iowa Agricultural College. His picture Is last In third row, page 19. WM. ERNST. B. Z. RUSSELL. William ISrnst, President Nebraska Improved Live Stock Breeders' Association, one of Nebraska's most progressive and up-to-date farmers and live stock breeders, came from Germany in 1866, where he was educated for an agriculturist under private instruction. After quitting school he received, at a cost of $250.00 per year, a position at a model farm, to get familiar with manual farm labor, book-keep- ing, etc. At this place he remained two years, paying $500.00 for the privilege. He next took a two-year course at the Agricultural College at Pattern, Han- over, and at the veterinary school of Dr. Abelman of the same place. After graduating from these, he received a position as volontair on an estate of the Duke of Mumter, or, in other words, was permitted to hold a very responsible position without pay for two years more. Leaving this place, he received, for the first time, a salary, managing an estate for a rich nobleman, one Her von Lupke. His last work in Germany was the independent managing of a large estate, from which he retired to come to America, which Mr. Ernst pronounces, "The country of my choice; the best country on earth." After coming to America he worked for five years on a farm in Illinois, then came to Nebraska, where he has engaged in farming for himself the past thirty years. Mr. E. Z. RiisHoll, of Herman, Secretary of the Improved Live Stock Breeders' Association, was born in 1866 near Florence, Neb., from which place he removed with his parents to Omaha in 1877. Attended the public schools, and later was book-keeper with the Standard Oil Co. for five years, which position he resigned in 1888 to engage in farming, which he has followed since. Mr. Russell Is an enthusiastic breeder of swine; he takes an active Interest in push, log- the live stock organizations, and his energy and ability are well known. Officers Shorthorn Breeders' Association. 77 THE NEBRASKA SHORTHORN BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION. The Nebraska Shorthorn Breeders' Association was organized Janu- ary 22, 1903, by a meeting of breeders called at Lincoln, Neb., for this purpose. A Constitution and By-Laws were adopted at this meeting, and the following officers elected: L. C. Lawson, Clarks, President; L. J. Hitchcock, Falls City, Vice President; A. B. Heath, Republican, Secre- tary; and W. G. Saddler, Juniata, Treasurer. The Association has made rapid progress in growth, there being now near 200 members, representing the good herds from every county in the State. In January, 1884, there was an organization of Shorthorn breeders effected, with J. B. Dinsmore as President; Richard Daniels, Vice President; O. M. Druse, Secretary; and J. O. Chase, Treasurer. This organization remained in active working condi- tion for three or four years, then ceased to hold meetings and soon passed out of existence. The present Association has all evidences of an active and useful career before it. Lucius C. Lawson, President Nebraska Shorthorn Breeders' Association, was born in December, 1S50, in Crawford county, Pennsylvania; moved to Tama county, Iowa, in 1865, with his parents. In 1S73 came to Nebraska, locating at Clarks, Merrick county, the present site of Willow Springs Stock Farm, where he conducts the breeding- of registered Shorthorn cattle, trotting bred horses and Berkshire swine. Mr. Lawson is an enthusiastic Nebraskan, and fully imbued with the spirit of live stock im- provement. Alfred B. Heath, Secretary, was born in Ohio in 1S51; moved with his parents to Illinois in early childhood, where he remained till of age, when he came to Nebraska, locating in Harlan county. Here his ambition for successful farming and stock rais- ing is being amply fulfilled on a fine tract of 1,200 acres of rich Nabraska land. This farm is located near Republican City, is stocked with Shorthorn cat- tle and other improved breeds of farm animals. As Secretary of the Nebraska Shorthorn Breeders' Asso- ciation, Mr. Heath has been able to bring the mem- bership up to nearly 200. ■\Villiam G. Saddler, Treasurer, was born in Ken- tucky, in 1844; was raised on a farm and received his education in the public schools of his native state. Was a soldier in the civil war, at the close of which he returned to farming, and in 1875 moved to Putnam county, Indiana, where he again engaged in farming until 1883, when he moved to Adams county, Ne- braska, and located on a farm near Juniata, where ho now resides, engaging in farming and breeding Shorthorn cattle. Mr. Saddler is one of the prosper- ous farmers of Central Nebraska. He has eight sons and one daughter. His wife was Susan T. Hale of Kentucky. Was elected to the Nebraska Legislature, 1902. L. C. LAWSON. A. B. HEATH. WM. Q. SADDLER 78 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated, >. X! c >, -a .S ■S S "^ i ■« ^ « ^ "" .1 f h ^ K C S "" 2 >" rt S p » -. stock Growers' Association. 79 THE NEBRASKA STOCK GROWERS' ASSOCIATION. The Nebraska Stock Growers' Association was organized in 1895, at Alliance, by about ten men to start with. The operations of thieves in their neighborhoods had become so bold and open that something had to be done. Their object was expressed in the following paragraph from the Constitution they adopted: Section 2 — The object of this Association is to advance the Interests of tlie stock growers of Nebraska and adjoining states, and for the protection of the same against fraud and swindlers, and to prevent the stealing, taking and driving away of cattle, horses, mules and asses, from the rightful owner thereof, and to enforce the stock laws of Nebraska. The temporary Secretary elected at this meeting was Mr. R. M. Hamp- ton of Alliance. During the summer of 1895 Mr. J. R. Van Boskirk was asked to take the office of Secretary-Treasurer, and by the time of the first annual meeting, in 1896, there were forty-five members, residing in the " hills country," all the way from Ogallala to Rushville, and all representative ranchers. Under the initiative of Mr. A. S. Reed, the first President, and of Mr. Van Boskirk, there were a number of prosecutions of offenders, result- ing in several convictions, and by the time of the annual meeting of 1897 there were about 150 members, and the Association had made a name among the cattlemen of the State. By reason of its increased financial strength, the Association was able to offer a handsome reward for the apprehension of thieves, and by the close of 1898 there was apparently a cessation of stealing. During this year the Association increased to over 200 members, and became strong enough to obtain inspection at Omaha and other markets. They also procured the passage of the State Brand Law by the Legislature. The aim of the officers was to obtain legislation which, when enforced, would make it impossible to dispose of stolen stock. This was to be accomplished by the inspection at Omaha and by the Brand and Hide Inspection Laws. But it was not possible to get a hide law until the session of 1900, when it was again brought forward by the Secretary, J. R. Van Boskirk, who was a member of the Senate at that time. Then the officers of the Association could say that if the cattlemen would enforce the law, a steer was as safe on the range in Nebraska as a silver dollar in a bank vault; and in a meas- ure this is now true. Other legislation was had in the Legislature of 1900, backed by the influence of the Association. The Veterinary Law, pushed by Mr. Van Boskirk, is the best one on the statutes of any State, as it prohibits the appointment of an unfit man. The Association has had a great educative influence for the last five years. Its annual meetings have attracted cattlemen from a wide scope of country and held the attention of the State. At the annual meeting of 1903, E. M. Searle, Jr., of Ogallala was elected Treasurer, and A. M. Modisett, of Rushville, President. The fol- lowing gentlemen have served as President: A, S. Reed of Alliance, four terms; S. P. Delatour of Lewellen, three terms; R. M. Hampton of Alliance, one term. J. R. Van Boskirk gerved as Secretary-Treasurer for eight years. so Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. LIVE STOCK BRAND INSPECTION. The system of brand inspection in operation at the large market centers, where branded stock from the western ranges are shipped for sale and distribution, is the outgrowth of organization among the range cattle owners. The branding of cattle and horses became a necessity years ago, when the ranges began to fill up and the herds commenced to encroach upon each other's grazing territory. The mixing of unbranded stock demanded more than individual recognition; a mark placed upon the animal by a burning brand was by common consent brought into general use. Not only was it found convenient to satisfy disputes of ownership of animals between neighboring ranchmen, but it served the purpose of detection often when the branded animals were stolen and driven off their owner's range. The duplicating of brands ecame a matter of much concern among ranchmen as the herds began to multiply and the range country fill up with stock. To obviate this difficulty a system of recording brands was introduced, some states adopting a county register, while others had brand laws enacted providing for the registering of all brands at the state capital. Nebraska at first used the county register system of filing claims for brands with the County Clerk, but later had a State brand law passed, which is now in successful operation. All brands are now filed with the Secretary of State, and no two persons can secure the registering of the same brand, and no brand is a legal brand imless registered. There is no State provision or law for brand inspection in Nebraska, this being provided for entirely through the two range stock associa- tions in the State, the Nebraska Live Stock Growers' Association, with headquarters at Alliance, and the Keya Paha Cattle Growers' Association, at Ainsworth. These two Associations employ their brand inspection through the Wyoming Live Stock Association, which keeps an inspector at South Omaha, Chicago, Sioux City, St. Joseph and Kansas City, and handles the inspection for South Dakota, the Nebraska Associations and the State of Wyoming. Only members of these Associations who pay into their Association fund their annual assessments are able to receive benefits from the inspection. The inspectors receive from the Secre- taries of the various Associations, or states making appropriations for such inspection, a list of the brands of the persons entitled to its benefits. This brand book contains the name and address of each person entitled to protection and an exact copy of each brand. A person to fill the position of brand inspector must of necessity be an expert in deciphering brands at sight. The work of the brand in- spector is done on horseback, and before the yarded cattle commence to sell and move to the scales. If strays are found they are separated from the bunch, sold separate, and the commission firm whose consign- ment they were in, charges up a proportionate amount of freight, yardage, commission, etc., against the animals and holds the proceeds subject to release by the inspector, to go into the hands of the owner of the cattle, or to the Secretary of the Association furnishing the brand. All cattle carrying uncertain brands, o-r where there is a doubt as Live Stock Brand inspection. 81 to a brand being on, in the care of the inspector, the animal is roped, quickly made secure, and a pair of clippers applied over the brand, and the surface of the skin exposed to view. It is believed that very few stray cattle escape detection from the critical eye of the inspector. It is reasonably certain that this system of checking, with the detective methods adopted by the Stock Growers' Associations in the range districts, has practically put a stop to cattle and horse rustling. It is almost an impossibility for a shipment of stolen cattle to get through the yards at any of the points where the brand inspection is employed, without de- tection. The work of the brand inspection department at South Omaha is presented as follows. For the period April 1, 1902, to April 1, 1903, num- ber of strays arrested and proceeds of sales returned direct to owners of stock by the commission firms: Number. Value. Wyoming 2,856 $ 96,532.80 South Dakota 1,963 70,275.40 Nebraska 1,239 36,696.46 Total 6,058 $203,504.66 Number arrested and proceeds returned to owners through Secre- taries of the Stock Growers' Associations: Number. Value. Wyoming- 1.151 $ 38,922.81 Nebraska 145 4,344.35 South Dakota 1,086 , 38,879.17 Total 2,382 $ 82,146.33 Making a grand total for the year, for these three states, 7,440 head, and a net sale to owners of $285,650.58. Wyoming was the first State to commence brand inspection. This was introduced at the South Omaha Stock Yards by the Wyoming Asso- ciation, April 1, 1892, and down to the present year, April 1, 1903, has had Gl,784 head of stock caught up by the South Omaha brand inspectors, yielding a net return to the owners of $1,798,343.28. South Dakota adopted the brand inspection in 1893, and through the Wyoming inspection at South Omaha has had down to April 1, 1903, 1G,941 head of stock arrested, producing a net return to the owners of $615,878.91. Nebraska did not arrange for brand inspection until 1899, and through the same agency at South Omaha had, from that year down to April 1, 1903, 3,119 cattle arrested, yielding a net return to the owners of $102,348.06. The entire brand inspection at South Omaha, with the States named, commencing at 1892, shows a total of 80,844 head of strays arrested, yield- ing to their owners, after all expenses of freight, commission, etc., have been deducted, $2,516,569.84. Notwithstanding that Nebraska has more than double the cattle pop- ulation of South Dakota, there was arrested at South Omaha the past year 700 more strays for South Dakota than Nebraska. Nebraska's cattle population is almost five times that of Wyoming, yet there were two and a half times more strays arrested the past year at South Omaha for Wyoming, a fact which is explained by the additional security that the 82 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. fenced range of Nebraska offers to the live stock business over the more open districts. The Western Nebraska cattle raiser is comparatively free from los§ by strays and stolen cattle. The opportunities to engage in the business are numerous, and the advantages offered have no equal in any other section of range country. SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT INSPECTION OF ANIMALS AND MEATS AT SOUTH OMAHA. One of the most interesting and valuable departments of the United States government is the Bureau of Animal Industry. This de- partment is the safeguard for the people of the United States, and in fact for all the people the world over who use American meats, in preventing them from being supplied with meat that is, or has been, diseased, and unfit for human food. So very rigid is the inspection by men who are experts in their particular line, both before and after an animal is killed, that it is, we may safely say, impossible for an animal, it matters not how slightly diseased, when it once reaches the stock yards, to make its appearance again in the shane of food for human con- sumption. Everything that is condemned by the government inspectors, whether it be a live animal or a carcass, is so completely destroyed that con- sumers need never fear, when buying any of the packer's products, that they will get something not fit to eat. To give a complete description of the workings of the Department of Animal Industry would consume several hundred pages, therefore we must be content with a very brief outline. As soon as any cattle, hogs or sheep arrive at the various stock yards in the United States they are immediately unloaded from the cars and placed in pens. After each car load has been securely locked in a pen they are informally visited by a government inspector, who carefully makes mental notes of the condition of the stock as regards disease. This is done to better fit the inspector with a more accurate judgment when the animals are brought before him for his final decision. Should there be a doubt as to any infection when the animals are brought before him they are again locked in a pen, to be finally passed upon by the doctor in charge. This is the finish of what is called the ante-mortem examination. The government ofllcials are only about half through with their examination when this stage is reached. It is possible for an ani- mal to be so slightly infected with certain diseases that an examination, be it ever so thorough, does not disclose this fact while the animal is alive. The perfect test comes after the animal has been slaughtered. The manner of inspection after slaughtering, or what is known as the post-mortem examination, is conducted as follows: A government inspector whose practiced eye is unfailing, sits in a box that is so arranged that all of the inside of every animal slaughtered is passed before him immediately upon its removal from the carcass. He is stationed so close to where this work is done that should he detect, or is even in doubt as to the entrails or lungs having the slightest infection, he reaches out Government Inspection. and places a tag upon the meat, which means that it is condemned, and can only be used as fertilizer. A further inspection, or what is known as the microscopical test for the detection of " trichina," is demanded by the governments of France, Germany, Austria and Denmark, of all pork exported from the United States to their respective countries. This microscopical inspection con- sists of shredding with sharp shears a small portion of three pieces of meat that has been taken from that many different parts of the carcacs which may be found to be infected with trichina. These shredded pieces are placed between two pieces of thick glass about two inches square, which are brought together with a pressure that causes the meat to spread and become transparent, Then with the assistance of a microscope " trichina " is very readily detected. The diseases for which animals are condemned are as follows: Hog cholera, swine plague, charbon, or anthrat, rabies, malignant epizootic catarrh, pyaemia and septicaemia, mange or scab in advanced stages; advanced stages of actinomycosis, or lumpy jaw, inflammation of the lungs, the intestines, or the peritoneum, Texas fever, extensive or generalized tuberculosis, animals in an advancd state of pregnancy or which have recently given birth to young, any disease or injury caus- ing elevation of temperature or affecting the system of the animal to a degree which would make the flesh unfit for human food, any organ or part of a carcass which is badly bruised or affected by tuberculosis, actinomycosis, cancer, abscess, suppurating sore, or tapeworm cysts, must be condemned. Animals too young and immature to produce wholesome meat, animals too emaciated and anaemic to produce wholesome meat, distemper, glanders and farcy, and other malignant disorders, acute in- flammatory lameness, and extensive fistula. To get a true conception of the perfect working of this department, no better course could be pur- sued than that of making a visit to South Omaha, Neb., and meet Dr. Don C. Ayer, chief inspector in charge of Station Bureau of Animal Industry, whose office is in the postoffice building, and who is ever ready to give visitors all the information at his command. He has worked faithfully in this de- partment at this point for eleven years, and with his corps of trained inspectors and doctors has this branch of the government service in such perfect working order that today Omaha can boast of hav- ing one of the best equipped and one of the most DR. DON C. AYER. successfully operated stations in the United States. Dr. Ayer has had a military training, joining the army when a young man as a private, served through the civil war, before the close of which he was made a commissioned officer, which speaks well fdr his military record. He is a thorough disciplinarian, de- manding from all subordinates the same strict attention to duty that his superiors demand of him. Coupled with this he is one of nature's gentle* men, hence his unprecedented success. S4 Nebraska's Resources llluetrated. STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL STATISTICS. The State Department of Labor and Industrial Statistics in Nebraska obtained considerable prominence and comment during the present year by reason of the energy shown in the various channels of its work. There have been more fields invaded for the collection of statistics than here- tofore. The free employment bureau of the department has been given more attention, and for the first time in its history it has undertaken the task of fulfilling the farmers' wants in the way of supplying sufficient labor to cope with the harvesting proposition, viz., the insufficient supply of men. The female labor law has been rigorously enforced, as has the child labor law in the factory centers of Omaha and South Omaha. The collection of crop statistics and information, and their publication in monthly reports showing the conditions of crops throughout the State during the season, is a new and an important feature of the increasing worth and importance of the department. Statistics are being collected and compiled covering the following subjects: Manufacturers and Wages, Meat Packing Industry, Railroad Statistics, Dairy Industry, Flouring and Grist Mills, Labor Organizations, Reports of Strikes and Lockouts, Municipal Statistics, Ecclesiastical, School and Professional Conditions, Criminal Statistics, Lodges and Fraternal Societies, Charities and Charitable Institutions, Nebraska's Sur- plus Products, Beet Sugar Industry. These statistics will be published in monthly and quarterly reports and distributed over the country, and all combined and issued in the biennial report, which is issued near the close of the biennium. Special pamphlets on the Beet Sugar Industry, Cement Industry, and Irrigation, will also be issued. Chief Clerk Despain, who has charge of the statistical work, believes that the great value of statistics lies in their freshness, and he there- fore believes in issuing statistical reports whenever such data and infor- mation is complete and ready for publication. The fire escape conditions have received much attention at the hands of Commissioner Bush, who is especially looking into the condi- tions of the public buildings and college buildings throughout the State which have heretofore been unprovided with fire protection. A very prominent feature of the work of the present administration is the formation of plans for the co-operation of the State Department of Labor with the National Department of Statistics, seeking to eliminate differences in statistics given out by the two departments. Hereafter all census enumerations undertaken by the national government will be managed by the state bureau in each state. This co-operation will be inaugurated in January, 1905. The new scheme will cause the importance of this department to increase, and will give the office a number of field agents to be placed in all portions of the State, whose business it will be to carefully and accurately collect all statistics regarding crops, and all interests of a statistical nature. The census enumeration will also be under the supervision of this office. Commissioner Bush advocated this scheme in the National Convention of Officials of Labor Bureaus held in Washington, D. C, April, 1903. Jurv*, 1904. 85 MOON'S PHASES. BOSTON D. H. M. L.Q. 6 53 M. N.M. 13 4 10 E. F.Q. 20 10 11 M. F.M. 27 3 23 E. CHICAGO D. H. jr. 5 11 53 £ 13 3 10 E. 20 9 11 M. 27 2 23 E SEATTLE. D. H. M. 5 9 53 E. 13 1 10 E. 20 7 11 M. 27 23 E. D. ID. 1 M.IW.I 1 W 2 Th 3 Fr 4 Sa HISTOKICAL EVENTS, Etc. LATITUDE Of Boston, New England, Middle StateB,0.,lnd.,Ill., Mo., Kan.. Neb., Iowa, Mich., Wis., Minn.,Or.&Wasli. Sun riees. Sun Bets. n. M Moon rises. H. M. LATITUDE Of Cliarleston, N. &S. C, Ga., Ala., T«nn., ^Mss., La., Ark., Tex., New Mexico and Cal. Sun rises. H. M. Sun sets. 'I. M. Moon rises. H. M. ^ in perihelion. Corpus Christi, Transit of Venus, 1769, (5 f? C. 4 2J 4 25 4 2=1 4 24 7 31 7 32 7 32 7 33 10 17 3 4 53 10 56 2 4 53 11 29 2 4 52 11 59 3 4 52 7 2 7 3 7 3 9 56 10 37 11 13 11 47 23. 1st Sunday after Trinity. Luke 16. 15h. 10m. Day's Length, 14h. 12m. Su M Tu W Th lOlFr 11 Sa C_ in apogee. 6th Memphis t'k'n. '62 _ Wash'ngt'n com.1775. 5 gr. along. W. 23° 40^ Crystal palace op'n'd,'51. c<^^. Cgr.lib. E. 4 24 7 34 morn 2 4 52 7 4 morn AVt 4 24 7 34 26 2 4 52 7 5 19 X 4 23 7 35 53 2 4 52 7 5 50 X 4 23 7 35 1 21 ] 4 51 7 6 1 23 X 4 23 7 36 1 51 1 4 51 7 6 1 59 T 4 22 7 36 2 21 1 4 51 7 7 2 34 T 4 22 7 37 2 56 ] 4 51 7 7 3 12 24. 2d Sunday after Trinity. Luke 14. 15h. 15m. Day's Length, 14h. 17m. 17Fr IslSa Massacre at Paris, 1814. (|^13th. 6 9(L' (5 ^ C . W 6 ^ a. Emp. Frederic died, 1888. Thos. A.Bayned., '894. ([_ in perigee. Cyclone in Iowa, 1P82. K 4 22 7 37 3 37 1 4 51 7 8 K 4 22 7 37 4 23 4 51 7 8 n 4 22 7 38 sets 4 51 7 8 n 4 22 7 38 9 12 si 4 51 7 9 55 4 22 7 39 9 59 4 51 7 9 55 4 22 7 39 10 41 4 51 7 10 a 4 23 7 39 11 18 1 4 51 7 10 3 57 4 46 sets 8 51 9 40 10 27| 11 9 25. 3d Sunday after Trinity. Luke 15. 15h. 17m. Day's Length, 14h. 19m. ^9^. 9in^. 20th Bl'kh'leCal., 1756 _ O ent. Q Sum. beg. Lieut. Greely rescue, 1884. Akenside died, 1770. St. John Baptist. (T gr libration W. ^. 4 23 7 40 11 51 1 4 5i 7 10 n 4 23 7 40 morn 1 4 52 7 11 n 4 23 7 40 26 1 4 52 7 11 m 4 23 7 40 59 2 4 52 7 11 d:^ 4 24 7 40 1 32 2 4 52 7 11 ZA; 4 24 7 40 2 8 2 4 53 7 11 "I 4 24 7 40 2 48 2 4 {3 7 11 11 48 morn 28 1 6 1 44' i 2 26 ■ 3 8! 26, 4th Sunday after Trinity. Luke 6. 15h. 15m. Day's Length, 14h. 18m. Su M Tu W Th 6 SC S|^27th. 6 ^ Q. «/Bat ofM'nm'th,1778. 6 9t;?.St.Peter&St Paul. 5 inR 4 25 4 25 4 25 4 26 4 26 40 3 32 40 rises 40 8 14 40 8 54 40 9 30 4 58 4 53 4 54 4 54 4 54 7 11 7 12 7 12 7 12 7 12 8 56, rises 7 51 8 34 ■ 9 12,} 86 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE LARGEST LIVE STOCK FEEDING ENTERPRISE IN THE UNITED STATES. This greatest of live stoclv feeding enterprises is owned and operated by T. B. Herd of Central City, Neb., where the general headquarters for its operation is established, and where the greater body of the 18,000 acres of rich agricultural and hay lands utilized in the operation of this gigantic enterprise is located. The extent of this feeding business can be realized only by an association of the figures which go to make up the immensity of the business carried on at this ranch. The average annual output of finished corn-fed stock from the Hord feed yards for the past five years has been: Beef cattle, 10,000 head; sheep, 10,000 head; and hogs, 7,000 head. These numbers have been in- creased some years to more than 15,000 cattle, 15,000 sheep, and 10,000 hogs. There are 8,000 tons of hay T. B. HORD. and from 800,-O00 to 1,000,000 bushels of com con- sumed annually in the feeding operations of this immense plant. This live stock feeding plant is represented at the present time by thirteen feeding stations, or ranches, each of these independent of all others in its local management, inasmuch as each feeding station has its yards, buildings, etc., complete, with its foreman or manager and his assistants to carry on the work of that particular division or station and the handling of the stock placed on it. There is found at all these feed- ing stations a striking feature of permanency, of substantial structure in all improvements, buildings, cribs, fences, hayracks, feed bunks, etc. The principle of economy, " What is worth doing is worth well doing," is clearly set forth in the feeding fixtures and appliances, and the system of care and attention that every animal at these feeding stations receives. The cattle feed lots range in size from ten to fifteen acres, are laid off in squares or blocks, and are arranged for convenience in handling the feed in its relation to the cribs and storage buildings on the ranch. In each feed lot is a well, with pump and wind power, which supplies the stock with drinking water in large tanks, conveniently arranged for use. These water supplies are always in operation when there is wind to run the mills. The overflow from the cattle tanks is piped into a trough suited for watering the hogs, and the surplus from these is car- ried by waste ditches out of the yards. Hay, straw and other rough feeds are fed in long, upright racks, or cribs, where several days' supply may be placed for the cattle to go to at will. The grain feed is given in feed bunks made to accommodate eight to ten head of cattle. In these bunks there is placed twice a day just such an amount of grain, shelled corn, or what constitutes the ration being used, as the cattle will eat up clean, leaving nothing to be used for the next meal that has been slobbered over and made unpalatable. If a little is left over, the manager sees that the feed is reduced sufficient to permit of no surplus In the feed bunks when the cattle have finished Largest Feeding Enterprise. 87 .si X5 ^ CO 3 ;3 +^ ^ o ^ 03 C O ■^ o M 5 ^ •jH p -a -c p, "o o Si >- a> O) O CIS o .55 ^' S O M o a» ;~ m >» X o CD -o ITl ^ fl> » 0) § 01 CM ^J t>J3 ft o >> CO m ^ rri O CD n 4-1 o ft H ft O en G o o s rt -u tw K c3 b ft •S S CO CD ft cS ^ 2 c^ ^ O! !1) W) QJ O tl-l ^ ■!-> -^^ s -M o be -a ■5b ^ ^ « bO .a -7-) C3 ^ Ctf CO m ^ CD C X 3 O CO O ^ i.B «3 (D 0) o b O T3 88 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. cribs offer. In some instances a tight board fence is built on the north side of the feed lot to sei-ve as a windbreak. In each feed lot is a hog house large enough to shelter from storm all the hogs that will at any time be turned in to follow the cattle. The sanitary precautions in use at these feeding stations to keep free from disease-contaminating influences, is a feature that deserves special notice, and in a measure is responsible, no doubt, for the great success attending the efforts of Mr. Hord in cattle feeding. The feed lots are plowed up each spring; every foot of the ground is planted to corn, and thoroughly tilled. A big crop is raised as a result of turning under the manure of the feeding herd. This cultivation purifies the top soil and removes all the filthy conditions of the usual old feed lot. The crop Is harvested in the fall and removed from the lot, and the new bunch of feeding steers comes into the feed lot on fresh ground, free from all evidence of filth and disease germs that could operate against their rapid growth. The age at which Mr. Hord prefers cattle to go into the yards on full feed is three years. He prefers the steers to be practically through the growing stage, ready to take on flesh and fat rapidly. At this age he encounters but little trouble in making satisfactory gains, even with a class of cattle that are usually discriminated against by many feeders, because they are not high grades of beef breeds. The margin between the high grade feeding steers and those less favorably bred is so much greater than exists when the two animals come together in the fat mar- ket that the plainer steer, properly bought, offers a good profit in the feed yard. The system of feeding usually employed at the Hord feeding stations is to commence in the fall, or when the cattle are first put in the feed lots, by giving snapped corn and crushed snapped corn. From this they are gradually brought onto full feed of shelled corn, which is the main grain ration used in the fattening process. Mill feeds, bran and shorts are used to considerable extent as a variety. The swine management at these stations is a matter of special in- terest, since the same sanitary precautions that characterize the feeding operations throughout have made it possible that this large number of hogs can be carried in a measure safely without serious outbreaks of disease. The hogs are intended in the main to subsist on the waste from the cattle, but in addition to this they receive a daily allowance of slops made from mill feed. They are also supplied with a corrective or digest composed of a mixture in the following proportion: One bushel slack coal, ten pounds salt, two pounds sulphur, one pound saltpeter. This is placed in a trough where it is accessible at all times. In case an inva- sion of hog cholera occurs in any of the herds, the best available treat- ment is used, and by diligent care and attention with the best of sanitary measures employed, the disease is arrested without alarming fatality. But a small part of this immense herd of hogs is raised on the feeding ranches. They are bought in large droves, usually coming from districts and states west, and where the corn crop is not sufficient to mature them into the finished fat hog for the slaughter. The value of the hog to the cattle feeding industry is variously estimated as a factor in the profit Largest Feeding Enterprise. Three dollars per head on the steers fed is a conservative figure to be added by the use of the hog as a helper. The sheep feeding division on the Hord ranch is separate and apart from the cattle and hogs, and constitutes an industry in itself. There are forty acres devoted to this feature of the business and it Is laid off in blocks of lots or yards, with streets and alleys to accommodate the handling of the various bunches of sheep, and to admit of easy access to the yards with team for distribution of feed and cleaning pens when desired. In addition to the feed lot or yard where the sh?ep are kept, each block of four pens has a separate feed lot located in the center of the block; this lot contains no furnishings but feed troughs, which are sufficient to hold feed for all the sheep confined in any yard in the block. Opening into this from each of the adjoining yards is a wide gate, which is thrown open to admit a pen of sheep when the feed is in the troughs. This plan obviates all annoyance in placing the feed, and gives the sheep an equal chance in getting to troughs first, which is the ambition among sheep. The sheep used in the Hord feeding yards are usually brought from the ranges of Montana, Wyoming, Oregon and New Mexico, by train loads. The amount of corn consumed per 100 head per day varies from three to five bushels, depending somewhat upon the size of the sheep and the condition of the weather. Tehy are given all they will eat up clean as soon as they are brought onto full feed. The sheep are usually fed- out and shipped before the shearing season. Lambs require a little dif- ferent feed and care than older sheep. As to the breed of sheep or cross-breeds best suited to feeding, Mr. Hord gives a preference to the cross-bred mutton and wool sheep, using the cross made by use of the Merino ram and mutton or coarse wool ewe. The physical development of this cross he thinks preferable as a feeding animal. The coarse ewe is the better suckler, gives more milk and brings a stronger lamb, which grows into a better mutton carcass than where the Merino mother is used. An especially interesting feature in this enterprise is the amount of feed consumed and the local market it creates for com and hay. The amount of corn consumed per day during the feeding season ranges from 5,000 to 7,000 bushels, depending upon the number of stock in the yards. Besides making a home demand for hay and corn, independent of the shipping trade and elevator market, there is much of the unmer- chantable product taken by these feeding stations, which makes this feeding enterprise even more valuable as a local market than if strictly merchantable grain were used. This firm pays out on an average nearly $300,000 per year for farm products to be converted into beef, pork and mutton. Half-fat or warmed np stock never leave the Hord feed yards. Shipments are made by the train load, and go at all seasons, depending upon the mature or ripe condition of the animals more than markets. Mr. Hord has introduced the profit-sharing system Into the manage- ment of his feeding operations, whereby employes occupying responsible positions are given a per cent of the profit accruing from the business under their charge, in addition to their salaries. This incentive to cloBer attention and more thorough work needs no argument on behalf do Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. of its practical application in results. Practical men, with personal in- terests, invite success in any line of business. The system of communication employed by Mr. Hord in the general oversight of his feeding stations is the telephone. Private telephone lines connect the various ranches with his office and residence in Central City, where, at stated hours through the day, he consults with his fore- men and managers at the various feeding stations on matters pertaining to the business of each. In this way he is at all times familiar with the conditions and able to advise as to changes needed. The Hord feeding industry, besides its many attractive features of magnitude and splendor of stock views in every direction. Is an educator, imparting lessons of value and profit on every hand to those who are interested in the feeding and handling of live stock. At no other place can one learn so much of the distinctive properties of the meat-producing animals of the country and their relative values as meat as can be gath- ered at the Hord feeding stations. Cattle come into these yards from almost all states engaged in cattle raising throughout the West, Northwest and South. These various classes of cattle, made so by breeding and climatic influences, afford an interesting study for the observing and critical student in live stock information. THE SHEEP FEEDING INDUSTRY OF NEBRASKA. The sheep feeding industry of Nebraska presents the most astonishing feature of development, in meat production, that can be brought to the attention of the reading public. No one unacquainted with the practical work of handling large flocks can entertain an approximate idea of the magnitude of this business as now carried on in this State without being brought to a realization of the mammoth proportions by the aid of sta- tistics. Sheep feeding as a business began in Nebraska in 1879. Just who should be the accredited originator of this enterprise cannot safely be stated as there are several claimants. It is safe, however, to say that the first extensive sheep feeding operations were commenced in Dodge county, near Fremont. The largst number of sheep ever fed in one county in the State was in 1892, when Dodge county fed 200,000. In 1893 there were about 400,000 sheep fed in the State, and in 1894 there was practically a relinquishment of all that had been acquired in the line of feeding operations, owing to the corn crop failure of that year. A renewed effort in sheep feeding, based upon the com yield of 1895, which was much below the average for the State, coming with a single bound up to 300,000 head of sheep, established beyond a doubt that mut- ton production in Nebraska had become a fixed means of profitably mar- keting millions of acres of the corn and hay crops of the State. A comparison of statistics will more fully impress upon the mind the im- portance of this rapidly growing industry in Nebraska. In 1897, when Nebraska produced more corn by 8,340,000 bushels than any other State in the Union, there were in its feed yards finishing for the mutton markets of the world, 1,000,000 sheep. These sheep were distributed all over the corn growing sections of the State, and in flocks Sheep Feeding Industry. 91 ranging from a few hundred to 30,000 head. When we consider that these figures represented the sheep actually on feed in the feed yards, exclusive of the flocks of stock sheep running on the farms and ranches of Ne- braska, and that their members exceeded the present sheep population of the states of Maine, New Hampshire; Vermont, Massachusetts, Con- necticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Delaware, states largely devoted to sheep raising, we can then have some conception of the greatness of the sheep feeding industry and the possibilities of Nebraska along live stock and agricultural lines, in comparison with other states and other districts of the United States. The sheep feeding industry in Nebraska has been steadily increasing, widening out, covering larger districts of country, until every corn grow- ing county in the State is represented by its annual output of thousands of well fatted mutton. The common farmer has been given opportunity to observe the value of the sheep as an economic and profitable means of converting the crops of the farm into a concentrated market product. This opportunity has been taken advantage of, and the present sheep feeding industry is not confined, as formerly, to large bands and extensive feeding plants, but extends to the farmer of limited means where only a few loads are put in the feed yards. The close proximity of Nebraska's feed yards to the range sheep country on the west, where one-half of all the sheep of the United States are produced, is additional evidence why this sheep feeding industry is a natural resource of the State, and is the outgrowth of the great feed production in grains and hays that Nebraska has developed in recent years. The only reason that Nebraska will not be feeding 5,000,000 sheep within the next decade will be the lack of demand for the mutton. Nebraska's grain and hay producing ability has not yet been brought to a test, the feed resources are practically without limit, intensive culti- vation for crop yield has not been thought of, much less put into practice. When this one industry of sheep feeding is singled out and placed in comparison with what other states are doing that claim to be sheep and wool growing districts, we then have a faint shadow of the future of Nebraska, when its millions of untilled acres are brought into use as grain producing and hay growing lands. IMPROVED BREEDS OF SHEEP. In the breeds of improved sheep, Nebraska contains some of the finest prize-winning animals in the United States. Prominent among these are the flocks of C. H. Ballinger and Robert Taylor, whose Shrop- shires, Hampshires, Leicesters and Rambouillets have visited many of the largest shows and expositions in the country and have been recog- nized by merited awards. The climatic conditions in Nebraska, together with the excellence of its pasture grasses, its superior feeds and great abundance of alfalfa hay, is a guarantee for success with the breeding flock. There is a strong tendency towards the establishing of the farm mutton flock. 92 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. GOVERNMENT LANDS IN NEBRASKA. Nebraska has an area of 49,137,280 acres; 39,549,812 acres are classed as appropriated, 606,611 acres are reserved, and 8,989,857 acres are unap- propriated, or subject to homestead entry, called government lands. These unappropriated lands are located in eight government land districts, designated as follows: ALLIANCE DISTRICT. Box Butte county . . 48,632 acres Cheyenne county .... 280,571 Dawes county 157,070 Deuel county 517,256 Scotts Bluffs county.. 122,565 Sheridan county 550,031 Sioux county 874,052 Total 2,550.177 acres BROKEN BOW DISTRICT. Blaine county 231,578 acres Brown county 143,745 Cherry county t)28,247 Custer county 30,293 Grant county 183,398 Hooker county 325,349 Logan county 142,400 McPherson county . . . 278,276 Thomas county 252,746 Total 2,116.032 acres LINCOLN DISTRICT. This district has but a small acre- age of government lands left, there being only 4.625 acres; 3,700 of this is in Greeley county, 725 in Valley, 120 in Custer, 40 in Sherman, and 40 In Buffalo. McCOOK DISTRICT. Chase county 47.467 Dundy county 117,548 Frontier county 640 Harlan county 40 Hayes county 17.897 Hitchcock county .... 2,500 Red Willow county . . 400 Total 186,992 acres NORTH PLATTE DISTRICT. Custer county S'^'^ a'^'^e.': Dawson county 180 " Keith county 117,2i)3 Lincoln county 179,768 Logan county 33,035 McPherson county ... 271.123 Perkins county 15,268 Total 617,377 acres O'NEILL DISTRICT. Boone county 4,898 acres Boyd county 20,041 Brown county 5,900 Garfield county 149,920 Holt county 101,780 Keyapaha county .... 600 " Knox county 400 Loup county 198,740 Rock county 52,120 Wheeler county 87,520 Total 621,919 acre.s SIDNEY DISTRICT. Banner county 46.368 acres Cheyenne county .... 206,496 " Deuel county 140,62') Keith county 11,517 Kimball county 109, P.'?! Scotts Bluffs county.. 14,929 Total 629.866 acres VALENTINE DISTRICT. Brown county 279,737 acres Cherry county 1,871,458 Keyapaha county .... 36,322 Rock county 166,722 Total :!,354,38» acres These estimates are the government reports for the year ending June 30, 1903, and are lessened by the homestead entries filed subsequent to this date. How to Procure These Lands. — These lands can be procured only under the homestead law, which requires actual settlement for a period of five years in order to get a frev-; title or patent to the land. Persons Entitled to Make Homestead Entries. — A single man over twenty-one years old; a single woman over twenty-one years old; a mar- ried man over twenty-one years old; a married man, the head of a family, if not twenty-one years old. A married woman has no legal right to make a homestead entry. A homestead entry may be made for 160 acres or less. The expense of filing a homestead entry is as follows: For 160 acres, $14; 120 acres, $13; 80 acres, $7; 40 acres, $6. It costs to prove up on a homestead, at expiration of the five years: Land office fees, $4 for 160 acres; $3 for 120 acres; ^2 for 80 acres; and $1 for 40 acres. Government Lands. 93 Any person making a homestead entry must, within six months from the filing of the entry, move onto the land and establish a home and re- main thereon at least fourteen months, when commutation may be made by proving actual residence and paying to the Receiver of the local Land Office $1.25 per acre for the land filed on. Otherwise a continuous residence of five years is required in order to obtain title. The greater portion of the government lands remaining unoccupied in Nebraska are best suited to grazing and stock ranching purposes. They are generally improving in quality each year and becoming more resource- ful as grazing and hay lands. Opportunities for the man of small capital to start in the raising of live stock on the unappropriated millions of acres of good grazing lands cannot be excelled in any portion of the globe. As evidence of the value and utility of these lands we quote a letter under date of October 30, 1903, from the Register of the Land Office at Valentine, Neb.: " Dear Sir: This land district embraces most of Brown, Cherry Keya Paha and Rock counties. In Brown county there are approximately 265,000 acres unappropriated and subject to entry; in Cherry, 1,750,000 acres; in Keya Paha, 24,000 acres; and in Rock, 155,000 acres. " During the year ending June 30, 1903, homestead entries were made in this office covering 117,723 acres, and final proof made to 55,105 acres. " At present vacant lands can only be entered under the homestead law or by location with scrip, except in case of isolated tracts of less than IGO acres, which may be purchased at public sale under prescribed regulations. I shall not attempt any description of the country or oppor- tunities offered settlers, as you are quite familiar with existing condi- tions, which were never better, all interests doing well. " J. C. PETTIJOHN, Register." FAT SHEEP AT NEBRASKA EXPERIMENT FARM. 94 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. o s o ■i-> CJ a si u % 01 ClJ -3 > o -a a; tn 1) > S3 ^4-1 n 1 cd • ^ u b£ rs -CJ rt rt O 4-> u < cfl M 01 M b. .-0 a QJ -I a rs x; •^ n> nJ .£: o si cti 0) -a > ■I.J C d O 13 01 U .a c Q O" CM rt o C m -c C u 01 X3 a ca Wl t. -■-> OS July, 1904. 95 MOON'S PHASES. BOSTON D. H. jr. L.Q. 5 5 54 E. UM. 13 27 M. FM. 19 3 49 E. KM. ■27 4 42M. CHICAGO 1 D. H.M. 5 4 54 E 12 11 27 E.I 19 2 49 E. 27 3 42 M. SEATTLE. D. H. M. 5 2 54 E. 12 9 27 E. 19 49 E. 27 1 42 M. D. \D. M. W. HISTORICAL EVENTS, Etc. LATITUDE Of Boston, N e w England, Middle Staies.O.,Ind.,Ill., Mo., Kan.. Neb., Iowa, Mich., Wis., Minn.,Or.&Wash. bun rises. H. M. Sun sets. ;r. M. Moon rises. H. M LATITUDE Of Charleston, N. & S. C, Ga., Ala., Tenn., Miss., La., Ark., Tex., Now Mexico and Cal. Sun rises. Sun sets. Moon rises, IFrj 6 k a- ^3 4 27 4 27 7 40 10 1 7 40 10 29 4 bb 4 55 7 12 9 48 7 12 10 20 27. 5tli Sunday after Trinity. Lulve 5. 15h. 12m. Day's Length, 14h. 16m. C in apogee. in aphelion. [8101. 5th. Adm. Farragut b. , __ 6 11 a. Annexat'n of Hawaii, '98. 6 9 (D superior. 6 ^0- (Tgr libration E. c /WV 4 28 7 40 10 50 4 4 56 7 12 ■vw 4 28 7 40 11 25 4 4 56 7 12 X 4 29 7 39 11 52 4 4 57 7 11 >f 4 29 7 39 morn 4 4 57 7 11 T 4 30 7 39 20 5 4 58 7 11 T 4 31 7 38 54 5 4 58 7 11 T 4 32 7 38 1 30 5 4 58 7 11 10 51 11 25 11 57 morn' 30 1 7 1 48 ,28. 6th Sunday after Trinity. Matt. 5. 15h. 5m. Day's Length, 14h. 11m. 6^9- John Q. Adams b., 1767. 6 ^ (L. 6 ^ First District — E. J. Burkett. Second District — G. M. Hitchcock. Third District — J. J. McCartney. Fourth District — E. H. Hinshaw. Fifth District — G. W. Norris. Sixth District — Moses P. Kinkaid. SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' HOME. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Home, located at Milford, was estab- lished in 1895, when an appropriation by the Legislature was made for renting and maintaining a soldiers' home. The building consists of a three-story brick, 44 by 84 feet. In 1899 the Legislature made an addi- tional appropriation of $13,000 for the purchase of this property, with thirty-seven acres of ground. There was also need for a hospital, and $5,000 additional was appropriated for the building of a hospital. The present capacity of this Home is 100 persons. Heads of State Departments. Ill HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS OF STATE- Beginning at left in order, standing, is: 1. Adna Dobson. State Engineer of Irrigation. 2. John Davis, State Board of Cliarities. 3. Geo. L,. Carter, Fish and Game Commissioner. 4. Burritt Bush, Commissioner of Labor. 5. L.. M. Seothorn, Assistant Quartermaster General. 6. Ed Royee. Secretary State Banking Board. 7,. J. H. Culver, Adjutant General of State. 7. EA \f Church, State Oil Inspector. NEBRASKA'S RArLROADS. Nebraska has three distinct great lines of railroad dividing its ter- ritory from east to west. The Chicago and North-Western, on the north side of the State, extending from east to west with its main line, and very completely covering the northeast one-third of the State with its tributaries, is the recognized controlling railroad of North Nebraska. The Burlington & Missouri River railroad is principally on the south side, extending its main line from east to west through the State. It has also a main line extending through the northwestern part of Nebraska, and numerous tributaries connecting with the main line, form- ing a complete network of roads over the greater portion of the south one-third of the State. The Union Pacific, extending from east to west through the central portion of the State, using the Platte Valley for its main line of road as it passes westward on its course to the Pacific coast, has likewise availed itself of the tributary country through which it passes. These three great representative lines represent the pioneer railroads of Ne- braska and control the trade of the greater portion of the State. The Rock Island and the Missouri Pacific have lines extending through the eastern part of the State. Nebraska has 5,698.74 miles of railroad to its credit. 112 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE SOUTH OMAHA UNION STOCK YARDS. The present capacity of these yards is estimated at 800 cars of cattle, 20,000 head; 450 cars of hogs, 30,000 head; 140 double decks of sheep, 35,000 head, and 50 cars of horses, 1,000 head. Eighty acres are now covered with pens, barns, sheds and other buildings, all built in the most complete and substantial manner for handling live stock. The large feeding districts of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas contribute heavily from theii' feed yards in the fat stock shipped to South Omaha. In range and stock cattle. Western Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and all the range country west of these are in the natural line of shipment to South Omaha, and send their surplus to these yards for sale. The field of supply from which to draw trade, places South Omaha at great advantage over any other central market in the country, and this fact alone emphasizes the certainty with which South Omaha is to take the leading place as a live stock market and packing center. TOTAL. RECEIPTS OF STOCK FOR TWENTY YEARS. Years. I Cattle. I Hog-s. Sheep. Horses and Mules ^489 2,027 2,999 3,344 5.271 7,5.')0 5,069 8,7.51 14,113 12,248 8.294 7,077 9,347 6,r,72 10,392 34,255 59.645 36.391 42.079 52,829 328,742 1884 1885 18S6 1887 188S 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 Total 88,603 116,963 148,515 239,377 3.j5,923 473,094 615,337 601,002 755,059 852,456 821,512 586,103 586,578 810,949 812,244 837,563 828,204 818,003 1,010.815 1, 071,1 77 12,429,477 3,686 152,524 447,019 1,056,524 1,262,647 1,224,691 1,702,723 1,537,387 1,613,384 1,406,451 1,932.677 1,186,726 1,216.370 1,610,981 2.101.387 2,216,482 2,200,926 2.414,052 2.247,428 _2, 230, 067 29,76.5,132 5,593 19,484 41,490 79,422 172,138 152,517 153,873 169,865 188,588 252,273 243,945 204,870 358,005 627,160 ,085,136 ,086,319 ,276,775 ,314,841 .742,539 ,863,763 I 11,038,596 Total number of stock received in 1903, 53,602,929. NEBRASKA IRRIGATION ASSOCIATION. The Nebraska Irrigation Association was organized in 1895, to pro- mote and encourage the development of the arid and semi-arid areas of the State. This Association has been of great advantage in securing practical irrigation laws, and in its general work of encouraging irriga- tion improvement along the streams on the western side of Nebraska. It holds its annual meetings regularly, and has an active and energetic membership, who are persistent in urging irrigation improvements for the uncertain rainfall districts. The present officers of the Association are as follows: President, A. G. Wolfenbarger, Lincoln; Vice President, W. H. Wright, Scotts Bluff; Secretary, H. O. Smith, Lexington; Treasurer, W. H. Fanning, Crawford; Members of Executive Committee, to act with officers: Hon. J. S. Hoagland, North Platte; Henry E. Lewis, Lincoln; C. G. Crews, Cul- bertson; F. G. Hamer, Kearney. Omaha the Metropolis. 113 OMAHA THE METROPOLIS OF NEBRASKA. Omaha, known in past history as the Gate City to the West, is one of the most substantial and prosperous cities on the continent, with a population of approximately 125,000 people, and the prospective ad- vantage it will receive by becoming a central grain market for the surplus of the great grain growing districts that surround it on all sides, is a guarantee of its rapidly increasing greatness. It is a city of labor and industry. There is no other city of its size with so small a per cent of idle people. Omaha may truthfully be called a city of activity, labor and business. Its population increases as its demands for increased labor develops, thus a healthy, prosperous growth has marked the building of one of the most substantial business cities in the central west. Its jobbing trade for 1903 was $101,387,-500; for 1902, $90,300,000; for 1901, $73,100,000; for 1900, $62,500,000. Increase 1903 over 1902, $11,087,500. Percentage of increase 1903 over 1902, 12%; 1903 over 1901, 38%; 1903 over 1900, 62. Omaha is reached by the following railroads: Burlington and Missouri River, Chicago & Great Western, Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, Chicago & North -Western, Illinois-Central, Missouri Pacific, Wabash, Union Pacific. It has 100 miles of street railway, and street railway connection with several outside towns. Five of the largest packing establishments in the United States are located at Omaha, where $70,000,000 of products from the farm and ranch were handled by these establishments during 1903, and where $5,000,000 to $6,000,000 are paid annually as wages for handling this produce in its varied processes of preparation for the con- sumer. The Grant smelting and refining works, the largest mill of its kind in the United States, is located at Omaha. The gold refined during 1903 is $3,357,328 less than during 1902; the silver is $139,904 more than during 1902; the lead is $710,173 more this year; the copper is $375,188 less than during 1902; and the blue vitriol is for 1903 $62,169 more. In production the amounts are: Gold, $10,190,081.00; silver, $13,352,397.00; lead, $9,800,073.00; copper, $90,522.00; blue vitriol, $376,888.00; total, $33- 809,961.00. The largest wholesale business west of Chicago is handled by the wholesale dealers of Omaha, and this is steadily increasing in capacity as the requirements of the country tributary demand. Omaha has inherited a wealth of agricultural resources in the coun- try naturally tributary to it, that guarantees a constantly developing trade in all lines of business that a prosperous and enterprising people demand in the natural course of good living. Omaha is called upon to furnish the material to build up a great, undeveloped country to the west, northwest and southwest of it, and in exchange handle the produce of the greatest producing district on the globe. Omaha's growth will necessarily be rapid in order to take care of its rapidly increasing resources. OMAHA A GRAIN MARKET. Omaha is the center of the greatest grain producing district in the West. But notwithstanding its location, surrounded as it is on all sides by extensive grain growing territory, there has never been a determined 114 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. effort upon the part of its citizens to make it more than a local grain market. In the summer of 1903, after the Great Western railroad had built into Omaha, its President, Mr. Stickney, asserted his intention of making Omaha a grain market, by giving such rates as would attract elevators, mills and grain dealers to it. The need of a central grain stor- age point for the vast millions of bushels of grain grown for the com- mercial and shipping trade in the territory tributary to Omaha, needed no argument, and Mr. Stickney's proposition at once met with approval and indorsement by the business men of Omaha. A proposition for the establishing of a grain exchange was introduced in the Commercial Club in October, and was followed by the organization of the Omaha Grain Exchange November 11, with a capital stock of $250,000, 500 shares of $500 each. The stock was largely taken by the business men of Omaha. The opening up of the Omaha Grain Exchange for buriness commenced January 1, 1904, under the guidance and management of the above named officers. OFFICERS OF THE NEW OMAHA GRAIN EXCHANGE, Commercial and Family Orcharding. 115 OFFICERS OF THE NEW OMAHA GRAIN EXCHANGE. 1. N. B. Updike, President of the Updike Grain Co. 2. A. L. Reed, President of the Byron Keed Real Estate & Loan Co. 3. Nathan Merriam, President Merriam & Holquist Grain Co. 4. A. B. Jaquetli, Late Vice President of tlie Omaha Elevator Co. 5. G. W. Wattles, President of the Exchange, ex-President of the Trans- Mississippi Exposition, Commissioner to the St. Louis Exposition, Vice President Union National Bank. 6. E. E. Bruce, Director of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition, President of E. E. Bruce & Co., Wholesale Druggists. 7. A. C. Smith, Junior Member M. E. Smith & Co., Wholesale Dry Goods Co. 8. F. P. Klrlvendall, Director of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition, Presi- dent F. P. Kirkendall & Co., Wholesale Boots and Shoes. 9. S. A. McAVhorter, Vice President of the Exchange, President Mc- Whorter, HoUinger & Sunderland Grain Co. COMMERCIAL AND FAMILY ORCHARDING. The commercial orchard industry in Nebraska has received consid- erable attention within the past twenty-five years. In view of the com- mercial feature of growing fruits, hundreds of orchards of forty to one hundred and sixty acres have been started and the most satisfactory results obtained in tree growth, and fairly profitable results in the annual yields of fruits from these orchards. Owing to the care and labor in orchard cultivation, with the uncertainty of satisfactory crop yield, the work of orchard development has passed into the hands of orchard specialists, with better prospective results for the future. The family orchard, on the Nebraska farm, is one of the present day improvements, and a recognized necessity with the up-to-date farmer. The very large list of varieties of fruits naturally adapted to Nebraska soil and climate makes the cultivation of the family orchard an easy and sure proposition with the home builder. Nebraska has long since passed the experimental stage in fruit culture, and is today a land of gardens, orchards, groves and prospective forests. FRUIT ORCHARD AND NURSERY, MARSHALL BROS., ARLINGTON. 116 Nebraska's Rsources lllistrated. THE GRASSES OF f.LBRASKA. The grasses of Nebraska combine Id represent a greater value than any other crop produced in the Stat-^ Tliere are approximately IGO va- rieties in Nebraska. Of this numt«jr 140 are native or wild varieties. These wild grasses are in a measure peculiar to certain localities and conditions of soil and climate. How are they distributed in the State? Professor Bessey of the University of Nebraska, who is the recognized authority on grasses, having spent many years in the study of the native and introduced grasses of the State, divides the grass districts into four regions, as follows: The wooded, bluff and meadow land region on the east side of the State, commencing at the Missouri River and extending west twenty to thirty miles. The next, or second, region, which he calls the prairie region, as distinguished from the region beyond it, called the sand hills region. There are 72 species of wild grasses in the wooded or bluff region, 81 in the prairie region, and in the sand hills region 119. Westward froji this is the foot hills region, where there are 89 species, which plainly shows that the sand hills district is the best region in the State, in pasture values. This very astonishing statement of the grasses of Nebraska is a surprise to all who have not given the matter the investigation and scientific research employed by this eminent authority, Professor Bessey. The same authority says there are only three grasses in the first region along the Missouri River that are peculiar to it, not found else- where in the State. In the prairie region there are sixteen, and in the sand hills there are twenty, while in the western region there are three peculiar to that section and not found elsewhere. "What are some of these peculiar grasses? Let us throw the regions all together and call it the Great I'lains Region. We have here one grass that, as soon as you get out of the State, east or west, you do not find; you go north or south and you will find it — that is the buffalo grass. The area in the TTnited States over which the buffalo grass is found is a long narrow strip, taking in Nebraska and lapping over a very little into Iowa, running down into Kansas and Texas; then on the west side, just keeping in front of the mountains, and running away north into British America. Now that is the area in which the buffalo grass is found. You go over in East- ern Iowa and there is no buffalo grass there. The buffalo grass is a native plains plant. It came into being here, and it means this, if it means any- thing, that the buffalo grass is adapted especially and particularly to the conditions that prevail on the Great Plains, extending from away up in British America down to Texas. " 'IMien we have a family of grasses which are known as grama grasses. The gramas are very near relatives of the buffalo grass. Of these gramas there are perhaps half a dozen species in the State. They are taller than the buffalo grass and are different, in that in the gramas the two sexes are in the same flower, while in the buffalo grass the sexes are separated. The result is that the buffalo seeds very sparingly, and the gramas produce seeds rather abtindantly. The gramas occupy the same region with the buffalo grass, only the gramas wander a little more. Taking this same strip where the buffalo grass is found, the gramas run a little to the east and west of this, extending north and south and lapping over into the moun- tains further, and into the prairies on the east farther." There are also a number of sand grasses that are peculiar to the sand hills, and with the buffalo and gramas make the main dependence for winter feed. In tame grasses Nebraska has all the standard hay and pasture varieties in successful cultivation. The only reason there has not been a general concentration on the tame grasses and a wide area under Rainfall and Moisture. 117 cultivation is the strong position the wild varieties have taken in the estimation of live stock growers and feeders. Timothy, clover, alfalfa, brome grass — in fact all the tame hay grasses have been remarkably successful. Nebraska is rapidly becoming the greatest hay and pasture state in the Union. Its wild grasses have no equal as a pasture, and its wild hay is linding a market wherever hay feed is demanded. 1899 19.51 inches 1900 24.46 1901 . . .' 22.76 1902 29.09 RAINFALL AND MOISTURE CONDITIONS IN NEBRASKA. The average annual precipitation, in periods of ten years, com- mencing with 1849, is as follows: 1849 to 1858 27.72 inches 1859 to 1868 20.15 1869 to 1878 24.41 1879 to 1888 25.03 1889 to 1898 21.37 The average annual precipitation for Nebraska for the past fifty-four years has been 23.84 inches. For the eastern side of the State it is ap- proximately thirty-two inches, while for the extreme western side it may be placed at eighteen to nineteen inches. The districts of lightest precipitation will raise successful crops if the average rainfall is evenly distributed during the growing season. The seasons of failure over the dryer sections of the State are universally due to periods of drouth during the growing season, an irregular distri- bution of the rainfall, more than lack of moisture sufficient to produce a crop. It does not require as much moisture in Western Nebraska, under semi-arid conditions, to grow a successful crop as it does on the eastern side of the State. A few seasonable showers from seed time to harvest, produces the desired crop. Some varieties of corn will mature and pro- duce a crop on the western side of Nebraska, with much less moisture than is required on the eastern side. The alfalfa plant is semi-arid in its perfect development. It has been found that alfalfa on the western side of Nebraska will produce double the seed yield, and better quality, than it will on the moist soils of the eastern side of the State. The native pasture and hay grasses of Western Nebraska produce good crops even under conditions of drouth and insufficient moisture. Nebraska is admirably adapted to crop production, since its climatic ^influences are met by plants naturally suited to the varied conditions. NUMBER AND ACREAGE OF FARMS AND VALUE OF FARM PROPERTY, CLASSIFIED BY PRINCIPAL SOURCE OF INCOME, WITH PERCENTAGES— (CENSUS REPORT, 1903.) /'riiicrpal SourQ--e No. of Farms. No. Of Acres in Farms. | Value of Farm Property. Ave. of Income. Total. PerCt Total. Perot. The State 121,525 59,509 978 285 53,895 2,833 101 38 44 3,842 246.1 192.9 80.6 46.6 317.8 216.8 122.2 6.3 90.3 149.1 29,911,779 11,477,161 88,648 13,281 17,128,839 614.328 12,339 241 3,975 527,967 100 38.4 .3 ' '57'.3" 2.1 '"I'.g" $747,950,057 350,640,840 2,844,230 1,022,060 367,390,827 11,567,430 514.300 248,805 302,910 13,418,655 100 Hay and grain .... Veg-etables 46.9 .4 .1 Live stock Dairy produce .... 49.1 1.6 .1 Flowers and plants Nursery products . . Miscellaneous "l'.8 lis Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. THE OLD PEOPLE'S HOME. The Old People's Home, of Omaha, was started twenty years ago. It was formerly the " Old Ladies' Home," and was free, the Home being supported by contributions. Those entering since August, 1903, are obliged to pay $300.00 a j^ear. Applicants are admitted on probation six months, must be 65 years old, and must have lived in Omaha three years. This institution in December, 1903, was the home of nineteen old people. The management consists of a board of nine directors and six officers, the President being Mrs. Geo. Tilden of Omaha. NEBRASKA INSTITUTION FOR FEEBLE MINDED YOUTH. This institution was established by the State of Nebraska in 1885 for the benefit of the feeble minded children between the ages of five and eighteen years, who, by reason of their affliction, are denied the educa- tional advantages of our public schools and who, likewise, because of their physical weakness, are necessarily dependent. Children, residents of Nebraska, who are feeble minded, and those who, by reason of their being backward, are unable to receive the benefits of the common schools and ordinary methods of instruction, are entitled to care and training free of charge, except the expense of necessary clothing and transportation to and from their homes. Aside from the school duties, the girls are taught sewing, house work, cooking, and all branches of domestic employment, while the boys are instructed in brush making, carpentering, farm work, and other branches of employment that may be useful to them in after life. Seven instructors are employed. NEBRASKA INDUSTRIAL HOME. This institution is located at Milford, and came into existence in 1888. The object for which it was founded was to shelter, protect and help reform wayward, unfortunate girls who seek the protection of the Home. With this laudable purpose in view a number of the benevolent women of Nebraska secured the establishment and control of this Home. The Legislature of 189G-7 took it from their control and placed it in the hands of the Governor. Mr;?. A. M. Edwards served as Superintendent until May, 1902, and was succeeded by Margaret Kealy. In 1902 over 550 girls, of an average age of nineteen and a half years, had sought the shelter and care of the Home. Eighty-two adults and babes were cared for in 1902. Each inmate enters for a term of one year, and is taught plain and fancy cooking, laundry, general house- work, and plain sewing, as well as the branches of study given in our common schools. In addition to these practical helps toward fitting them for useful lives, they receive religious instruction. The cost of maintaining the Home is about $10,000 a year. The per capita cost of maintenance in 1902, based on the average weekly at- tendance (63), computed upon the entire expenditures, was $3.03 per week. A source of revenue to the institution are the products of the forty-acre farm — ^the fruit trees, vegetables, poultry, hogs and dairy products, amounting to $1,331.47, under the management of Mrs. A. M. Edwards — a good showing on a land appraisement of $2,400; an enterprise that the State has reason to feel proud of, both in its charitable work and its economical management. Educational Institutions. 119 STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. The State Normal School, located at Peru, has five large and com- modious buildings, finely equipped with all modern conveniences. The grounds are beautiful, and the location is healthful and free from the annoyances usual to the city or town. This school is ably presided over by the Principal, Professor Clarke, and a highly competent corps of in- structors. Hundreds of graduates have been sent out from this school to fill the highest and most responsible positions as teachers in the best schools in Nebraska and adjoining states. The value of the Normal School is becoming a matter of common information, and school boards everywhere are demanding the normaj school trained teacher. Nebraska's last Legislature provided for a second Normal School, which was located by the authorized committee at Kearney, where grounds and suitable buildings are being provided. STATE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS. The State Home for the Friendless is located near Lincoln on 2.07 acres of ground; has five buildings and a small greenhouse. The main building, school building and laundry are brick; the hospital and barn are frame. The first two are two stories and basement, the laundry two stories, with boiler room in basement. The main building has kitchen, store room, girls' room, children's dining room, girls' play room, boys' wash room, office, parlors, old ladies' dining room, sleeping rooms, halls, nijjrsery, girls' dormitory and clothes room. The school building has in basement boys' play room, wash room, kindergarten room and engineer's room. First floor — chapel, school room, matron's room, boys' dormitory and wash rooms. Second floor — boys' dormitory, bath room, sleeping rooms, etc. Every department of this institution is carried on in a sys- tematic and careful manner and is one of the most deserving public institutions in the State in the interest of charity. NEBRASKA'S PRIVATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. Nebraska's educational advantages are fully in accord with the in- crease in population and business development of the State. Colleges, academies, seminaries and schools of a higher order of learning are springing up wherever the demand seems to warrant their existence. Nebraska has a population of exceptionally high order intellectually, and the encouragement of private educational institutions is the natural result of a prevailing ambition for advanced learning. The latest edu- cational statistics show that there are in the State sixty-five private educational institutions — schools that do not come under the general classification of public schools and do not receive their support or main- tenance from the public school funds of the State, or by State appropria- tion. The list of private educational institutions given in this connection comprise some of the very be§t schools in the country, and as a whole are much above the average of those found in the older eastern states. The property value controlled by these schools is estimated above $2,500,000, which item of itself indicates a highly prosperous condition of business among these institutions of learning. 120 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. The following is a list of private schools and their locations in the State: NAME OF INSTITUTION AND P. O. Bellevue College, Bellevue N'western Bus. & Nor. Col., Beatricje St. James Orphanage, Benson Cotner University, Bethany Trinity Seminary, Blair Neb. Central College, Central City . . . Union College, College View St. Francis Academy, Columbus Doane, Crete Chadron College, Chadron Ursuline Convent, Falls City Franklin Academy, Franklin Fremont Normal College, Fremont.. Grand Island College, Grand Island.. Grand Island Nor. & Bus. Col., G. Isl'd St. Mary's School, Grand Island Hastings College, Hastings Queen City Bus. College, Hastings . . St. Francis School, Humphrey Academy of St. Catherine, Jackson... Kearney Nor. & Bus. Col., Kearney.. Kearney Military Academy, Kearney . Convent, Lincoln German Evan. Luth. School, Lincoln.. Lincoln Business College, Lincoln... Lincoln Neb. Con. of Music. Lincoln.. Nebraska Col. of Oratory, Lincoln.... St. Theresa Parochial H. S.. Lincoln.. St. Francis de Sales Cath. S. Lincoln. The Lincoln Academy, Lincoln Uni. of Neb. School of Music, Lincoln Gates Academy, Neligh Nativity Convent, North Platte .... Danish High School, Nysted Boyles' Com. & S. H. College, Omahn. . Brownell Hall, Omaha Creighton University, Omaha House of Good Shepherd, Omaha .... Immaculate Conception, Omaha Mount St. Mary's Seminary. Omaha . . Omaha Com. College, Omaha Ong's Neb. Bus. & S H. Col., Omaha. . Sacred Heart Academy, Omaha St. Oloysius, Omaha St. Berchman's Academy, Omaha .... St. Catherine's Academy, Omaha .... St. John's Academy, Omaha St. Joseph's Omaha St. Mary Magdalen's, Omaha St. Patrick's, Omaha St. Peter's, Omaha St. Philomena's Par. School, Omaha . . University of Omaha, Omaha Van Sant's Shorthand School, Omaha St. Wancelaus. Omaha Orleans Seminary. Orleans Pawnee Citv Academy, Pawnee City.. Plainview Normal, Plainview St. John's, Plattsmouth St. Agnes, South Omaha Neb. Wesleyan ITniversity, Uni. Place Luther Academy, Wahoo Nebraska Normal College. Wayne.... Weeping Water Acad., Weeping Water York College, York c5 12 90 40 90 50 272 97 67 51 60 36 485 129 58 44 90 136 110 20 53 225 160 35 38 52 48 59 30 148 303 140 754 120 12 50 14 20 50 200 26 60 40 48 268 15 80 44 42 60 or; 128 254 71 432 55 169 84 50 IS 125 255 134 67 92 90 49 396 106 69 37 40 65 65 95 105 52 125 160 35 39 263 57 70 15 104 80 17 80 120 72 398 230 38 75 71 60 88 200 30 72 62 82 59 96 100 31 69 65 75 257 258 36 579 60 181 3tf 175 174 90 230 110 175 527 231 169 143 150 143 1225 235 300 138 81 140 280 65 205 125 105 350 402 320 70 77 325 105 129 45 313 80 320 80 260 72 1152 350 50 125 85 80 138 400 56 132 102 130 327 111 180 75 111 125 100 385 512 107 1011 115 350 223 U 120,000 60,000 100,000 26,000 20,000 200,000 25,000 51,000 72,000 10,000 14,000 125,000 60,000 25,000 5,000 35,000 6,500 20,000 12,000 50,000 100,000 32,400 32,400 18,000 5,000 40.000 215,000 40,000 6,500 82,000 55,000 30,000 40,000 25.000 15,000 25,000 5,000 15,000 23,00J 27,000 116,500 5,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 25,000 75,000 15,000 50,000 4,000 45,000 112,200,900 Nebraska's Territorial Governors. 121 NEBRASKA'S TERRITORIAL GOVERNORS. The first Governor was Francis Burt of South Carolina, who filled the office from October 16, 1854, to October 18, 1854; died October 18, 1854. Vacancy filled temporarily by Secretary T. B. Cuming to February 20, 1855. The second Governor was Mark W. Izard, from February 20, 1855, to October 25, 1857; resigned October 25, 1857, and vacancy filled by Secre- tary T. B. Cuming to January 12, 1858. Third Governor, Wm. A. Richards, from January 12, 1858, to Decem- ber 5, 1858; died December 5, and vacancy filled by Secretary J. Sterling Morton until May 2, 1859. Fourth Governor, Samuel W. Black, from May 2, 1859, to February 24, 1861; resigned February 24, 1861, to enter army; vacancy filled by Secretary J. Sterling Morton until May 15, 1861. Fifth Governor, Alvin Saunders, from May 15, 1861, to February 21,1867. STATE FARMERS' INSTITUTES. The Farmers' Institute work was commenced in Nebraska as early a-s 1887. Only a few meetings, however, were held at first, and as the interest increased, the force of Institute workers was added to by using the best available instructors. Organized effort in this line of education was first taken up by the State University, resulting in F. W. Taylor being appointed Superintendent of Institute work for the State. By a special act of the Legislature there was a biennial appropriation of $6,000 made for paying the expenses of carrying on this work, and under this provision the Farmers' Institute system of education has grown until now there are Institutes held in every part of the State, and the demand for Institutes is beyond the ability of the Superintendent to supply. Prof. F. W. Taylor was the first Superintendent of the movement in Nebraska, and continued in charge until 1899, when he resigned, and Prof. E. A. Burnett succeeded him. THE WILD FRUITS OF NEBRASKA. The wild fruits of Nebraska have from the earliest history of the State been a matter of much interest to everyone who has had the pleas- ure of witnessing them in their fruiting season and tasting of their delicious flavors. In plums, many varieties have been foimd, varying in color, size and quality. In single thickets of only a few acres, along streams or ravines, there have been counted twenty odd varieties, vary- ing in shade from a cream color to yellow, green, purple, scarlet, red tinged with all shades of yellow. Some varieties are large, of excellent quality and open free from the stone, resembling very much the tame plums, while others are quite juicy and have little of the solid flesh properties resembling the tame varieties. Wild cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, grapes, mulberries, elderberries and sand cherries are found in various parts of the State in great abundance. In the northern part of the State, along the streams in the sand hills and in the draws, these wild fruits exist in great profusion. 122 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. NEBRASKA STATE POULTRY ASSOCIATION. The State Poultry Association is one of the oldest organizations in the State. It was organized in 1884, under its present system of govern- ment. Prior to that date there was an organization, but it did not hold regular annual meetings and exhibitions. On November 15, 1892, the State Poultry Association became an incorporated body, and for several years has been receiving an annual State appropriation of $1,000 for the encouragement of poultry improvement in the State. This appropriation is used in premiums and maintenance of the annual poultry shows, which are held twice a year; the fall show in conjunction with the State Fair, and the winter show at Lincoln during the convention week of State associations. The Nebraska Poultry Association has acquired the repu- tation of being one of the best managed associations in the country, and its annual shows are of a highly interesting and educational character. The officers for 1903 are Judge T. L. Nerval, Seward, President; E. B. Day, Fremont, Vice President; Rev. L. P. Ludden, Lincoln, Secre- tary; I. L. Lyman, Lincoln, Treasurer. Directors — C. M. Lewelling, Brownville; David Larson, Wahoo; E. E. Smith, Lincoln; C. Rockhill, Harvard; W. A. Irvin, Wilber. THE NEBRASKA PRESS ASSOCIATION. This Association was organized in 1872. At that early date it was known as the Nebraska Editorial League. The object of the Association is to encourage and promote the mutual friendship of its members, and the best interests of the profession. Annual meetings are held regularly, and an active membership of about 200 maintained. There are now G30 weekly and daily publications in the State. The officers of this Asso- ciation are: Adam Breed of Hastings, President; W. J. Purcell of Broken Bow, Secretary-Treasurer. H. R. Smith, reared on a 640-acre stock farm, at Somerset, Hillsdale county, Mich.; graduated with highest honors from Michigan Agricultural College in 1895; spent one year in graduate study in University of Wis- consin; Acting Professor of Agriculture University of Missouri, 1900-3001; came to University of Nebraska as Assistant Professor of Animal Husbandry October, 1901; made Associate Professor, 1902, and full Professor, 1903. He bought, fed and exhibited at the Chicago International Live Stock Show. 1903, the Nebraska steer "Challenger," the Grand Champion Steer of America. See fourth picture at right in row 5, page 19. VALUES OF SPECIFIED CLASSES OF FARM PROPERTY AND OF FARM PRODUCTS 1860 TO 1900. tn >, men -3 • "Sg. a c c3 . (1) o CO -5 m en > CO p p 3" CO 5. s > p r-t- )— 1 O n' o_ 00 (D Z C o' 00 o P CO a <[ > i_i o P 3 0= H O o CD CD 1=1 T p O to p' c; CD o z P o' p O -i CfQ O l-ts 3 3 r+ CD r Cfi P >-! O p S' s= p 2. p CO en- o o" o c E 1 CO O 3 P CD p p crq p to n > D o •"! p o 3 o l-h o P P CD P t-t- 5" CO 3 ^ -a o CD CO CO p p_ P3 »-j f^. p o O I—* S" CO 17+ l-h l-h CD CO H 2 S £L CD . *< — ' e p' ^ CD CD 00 ft, P ^ O CD n- a m 0°. <^ tT- en f^ 2 _CD '^ -O W 2. r* "q C; o CD Oq p O p p "■ p p ■-! n- & ■X- P- o CO p P CD P P crq P o ^. ^ p p r+ CO o CD ^2 P c:: p" - 3 o 8 ii . o ^ ^ 2. 2. g. o o P ng ■-. P p & P^ "1 CM CD g c:i CD p o rt- r* P — cr CD ^ P" Oi CD o •-) H O O P* Tt CD w g: p o '^■ ^ p p e. ^ t: co' P o M O '"' P C5 . 124 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. LIST OF ADJUTANT GENERALS. S. J. Alexander, 1879; E. P. Roggen, 1883; John C. Bonnell, 1885; C. N. Baird, 188G; A. V. Cole, 1887; Victor Vifquain, 1891; J. D. Gage. 1893; P. H. Barry, 1895; J. N. Kilian, 1901; L. W. Colby, 1901; J. H. Culver, 1903. LIST OF BRIGADE COMMANDERS. Brigadier General, L. W. Colby, 1887-189G; Brigadier General, C. J. Bills, 1896-1898; Brigadier General, P. H. Barry, 1901. LIST OF FIRST REGIMENT COMMANDERS. Colonel, L. W. Colby, 1881-1887; Colonel, O. H. Phillips, 1887-1890; Colonel, J. P. Bratt, 1890-1898; Colonel, J. N. Kilian. 1900-1901; Colonel. H. L. Archer, 1901-1903; Colonel, V. C. Talbot, 1903. LIST OF SECOND REGIMENT COMMANDERS. Colonel, Franklin Sweet, 1887-1890; Colonel, C. J. Bills. 1890-189G; Colonel, Wm. Bischof, Jr., 1896-1898; Colonel, A. E. Campbell, 1889-1900; Colonel, Wm. Hay ward, 1901-1903; Colonel, J. W. McDonald, 1903. The Indian War. — In the latter part of 1890 the Sioux Indians at Pine Ridge Agency in South Dakota began to make trouble, which in- creased to such an extent that in January, 1891, the entire Guard was sent to the northern part of the State and distributed along the line of the C. & N.-W. Railway, and north of there, where they remained twelve days, this in the middle of winter. The Indians were quieted by U. S. troops without their getting into the State. Spanish-American War. — For this service the State furnished three regiments of Infantry and one troop of cavalry. The First Regiment was mustered into the United States volunteer service on May 10, 1898. at Lincoln, and left for San Francisco and the Philippines on May 16. This regiment did splendid service, and brought honor to themselves and to the State. The regiment returned to San Francisco, and was mustered out there August 23, 1899. This organization had enrolled during the period of service 1.376 men; and lost, killed in battle, 21, died of wounds, 13, of disease, 30. The Second Regiment was mustered in on May 10, 1898, at Lincoln, and left for Chickamauga Park. Georgia, on May 20, where they re- mained in camp preparatory to the advance on Cuba; but the war ended without their being called further, and they were returned to old Fort Omaha and mustered out there on October 24. 1898, having lost 27 men by disease and accident. The Third Regiment was mustered in at old Fort Omaha on July 13, 1898, and moved to Jacksonville, Fla., on July 18. From there sailed to Havana on December 30, where they remained until the next April, when they were returned to Augusta, Ga., and mustered out there on May 11, 1899. Lost from disease, 30 men. Troop A, Nebraska National Guard, was mustered in as Troop K, Third U. S. Cavalry, at Lincoln, on May 14, and moved on May 20 to Chickamauga Park, Georgia, remaining there until September 8th, when they were mustered out. The officers fnr the war with Spain are as follows; Boys' Industrial School. 125 PRESENT OFFICERS NEBRASKA NATIONAL GUARD. FIRST REGIMENT. Colonel, John P. Bratt; Lieutenant Colonel, Geoge P. Colton; Major, John M. Stotsenberg-, Harry B. Mulford, Fred A. Williams; Adjutant, Frank D. Eager; Quartermaster, Lincoln Wilson; Surgeon, Frank D. Snyder; 1st Assistant Surgeon, Charles L. Mullins; 2d Assistant Surgeon, Robert P. Jensen; Chaplain, James Mailley. SECOND REGIMENT. Colonel, Charles J. Bills; Lieutenant Colonel, Emil Olson; Majors, William S. Mapes, Ernest" H. Tracy; Adjutant, Willard S. Harding; Quar- termaster, Frank H. Myers; Surgeon, Maurice A. Hoover; 1st Assistant Sur- ireon. Michael A. Rebert; 2d Assistant Surgeon, James G. Marron; Chap- lain, Joseph G. Tate. THIRD REGIMENT. Colonel, William J. Bryan; Lietuenant Colonel, Victor Vifquain; Major, John H. McClay, Conrad F. Sharmann; Adjutant, First Lieutenant Chas. F. Beck; Quartermaster, First Lieutenant Wm. F. Schwind; Surgeon, Major Ole Grothan; 1st Assistant Surgeon, Ralph J. Irwin; 2d Assistant Sugeon, Albert P. Fitzsimmons; Chaplain, Captain Edward F. Jorden. GOVERNOR'S STAFF. Adjt. Gen., Jacob H. Culver; Q. M. and Com'y Gen., George E. Jenkins; Insp. Gen.. Charles J. Bills; Surg. Gen., Carroll D. Evans; Judge Adv., John Ehrhardt; Gen. Aides, Clarendon E. Adams, Clarence J. Miles, Jacob S. Dew, Samuel M. Melick, Joseph W. Thomas, Herbert P. Shumway, Charles W. Kaley. FIRST BRIGADE, NEBRASKA NATIONAL GUARD. HEADQUARTERS, GREELEY CENTER. BRIGADE STAFF. Com'ding, Patrick H. Barry; Ass't Adjt. Gen.. George E. Gascoigne; Sur- geon, R. Emmet Giffen; Ass't Q. M., John R. Quein; Commissary, WfO M. Stoner. FIRST REGIMENT, NEBRASKA NATIONAL GUARD. HEADQUARTERS, BROKEN BOW. REGIMENTAL FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. Com'ding Col., V. Claris Talbot; Lieut. Col., Joseph A. Storch; Major, Warren R. McLaughlin, Charles M. Richards, George Lyon, Jr.; Q. M., Arundle M. Hall; Commissary, William R. Brooks; Surgeon, Willis E. Talbot: 1st Ass't Surgeon, James B. Hungate; 2d Ass't Surgeon, Emil C. Underburg; Chaplain, Orien W. Fifer. SECOND REGIMENT. HEADQUARTERS. FAIRBURY. REGIMENTAL FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. Com'ding Col., John W. McDonnell; Lieut. Col., Fred J. Bolshaw; Major, John C. Hartigan, Oliver G. Osborne, Ernest H. Phelps; Adjt., Robert A. Clapp; Q. M., Elwin B. Culver; Commissary, Leonard E. Hurtz; Surgeon, Frank S. Nicholson; Chaplain, A. E. Knickerbocker. U. S. MILITARY POSTS IN NEBRASKA. There are three government military posts in Nebraska -where United States troops are regularly garrisoned: Fort Crook, near Omaha; Fort Niobrara, near Valentine and Fort Robinson, near Crawford. These military posts are beautifully located and finely equipped with every con- venience and necessity for the health and comfort of the soldiers. From one to two regiments are garrisoned at each of these places. John H. 3Iickey, Governor of Nebraska, was born in September, 1845, near Burlington, la. In the common schools of the day he received his early education. At the beginning of the war he enlisted as a private, and with his regiment was in service in Eastern Tennessee, with Sherman until after the surrender of Atlanta, and with Hood and Thomas in their Tennessee campaign. After the war he attended the Wesleyan College at Mt. Pleasant, la., for two years and afterwards taught school. In 1867 he was married to Miss Morinda McCray, and a year later took up a home- stead in Polk county, Nebraska, and a few years later removed to Osceola. In 1870 he was elected the first County Treasurer, an office he held for nearly ten years, when he was elected a member of the Legislature, where he was one of the leaders in the house. In 1879 he opened the Osceola Bank, of which he has been a President ever since its organization. Gov- ernor Mickey has always been a Republican, having cast his first vote for Lincoln in 1864. He has been prominent in church work, donating $5,000 for the Osceola church, $11,000 to the 'V^'^esleyan University at Lincoln, and there is hardly an enterprise of his church in the State toward which he has not given liberally. He has married twice. Has five children by his first wife and four by his second wife. (See pages 12 and 14.) 126 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. C. J. ERNST. EDSON RICH. JXO. L. TEETERS. W. G. WHITMORE. NEBRASKA BOARD OF REGENTS. The Board of six Regents are the legal representatives of the State University and Agricultural College and Experiment Station in every business relation. They employ all officers and instructors and fix their salaries; they direct expenditures of money under special in- structions from the Legislature for all purposes, including buildings and repairs; they report bi-ennially to the Legislature through the Governor of the State all their transactions, including the full state of the educa- tional work done in every department of the University. The Regents are elected by direct vote of the people; they serve for a term of six years, two members being elected every alternate year; they re- ceive no compensation for their services, but are allowed actual travel and hotel expense incurred while attending to the business of the University, two meetings of the Board of Regents being required each year by statute. Carl J. Grnst, born near Goerlitz, Germany, in 1854, settled with his parents at Nebraska City in 1868. He was employed in a book and sta- tionery house; tlien in Otoe County National Bank. Later entered the services of the B. & M. Railroad Company Land Department at Lincoln as clerk, then as cashier. Since 1890 has been Assistant Land Commissioner in charge of the Nebraska Land Grant; on June 1, 1903, appointed Assistant Treasurer of the Burlington System west of the Missouri River. Was elected Regent of University of Nebraska in November, 1901, for six years' term. John Lewis Teeters was born in Johnson county, la.; graduated from High School and Commercial College; graduated from Iowa State Univer- sity in 1886; studied law and admitted to the bar in Nebraska, 1890; en- tered wholesale jewelry business at Lincoln in 1892, in which he is still engaged; elected Regent University of Nebraska in 1899; has never been a candidate for any other office. Charle.s S. Allen, one of the recently elected members of the Board of Regents of the State University, was born in Manchester county, Michigan, in 1864. Was raised on a farm until eighteen years old; attended the country schools and later an academy at Benzonia, Mich., for two years; graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1886 with degree of A. B. ; studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1889; commenced the practice of law at Lincoln in 1894; in 1896 took the post-graduate course in Ameri- can History, and next year received degree of A. M. ; served on Lincoln School Board from May, 1897, to May. 1903. Horticultural Society. 127 "W. G. Whltiaore, of Valley, recently elected Regent of the University of Nebraska, has been actively identified with the state agricultural in- terests for twenty-five years, coming here from Massachusetts in 1878, and, with his brother Frank, locating in the valley between the Platte and Elkhorn Rivers, where they have developed a fine farm of 1,000 acres, oa which they have raised and fed live stock. In recent years their farm has been turned into a feeding-in-transit station for stock coming over the Union Pacific railroad from the ranges of the west to Omaha and Chicago markets. In 1902 three-fourths of a million head of stock were fed here, and probably the number will reach a million this year. Mr. Whitmore has served successively as President of the Nebraska Dairymen's Associa- tion and Improved Stock Breeders' Association, Treasurer of the Nebraska Beet Growers' Association, and for fourteen years Treasurer of the Valley school district. He owns the Valley Opera House, and is connected with the Valley State Bank. He has twice been a member of the State Legislature. Mr. Whitmore succeeded ex-Governor Furnas as State Statistical Agent of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In this capacity he has over 300 crop reporters, mostly farmers, over the State, whose estimates of crop and live stock conditions are compiled every month, thus keeping the De- partment at Washington accurately informed on agricultural conditions. Mr. Whitmore's successful business experience and constant contact with the semi-educational activities of the State render him a useful member of the Board of Regents. Edson Rich, born at Griggsville, 111.; came to Brownville, Neb., on steam boat in 186.5; spent his early boyhood days at Brownville and grad- uated from the High School there. Entered the University of Nebraska in fall of 1879 and graduated June, 1883. Then spent a year in John Hopkins' office, taking post-graduate course in Political Economy and International Law; then went to Lincoln, read law with the firm of Harwood, Ames & Kelly. Admitted to the bar in 1887; remained with Harwood, Ames & Kelly until 1890. Removed to Omaha and began practice. Was a member of the Legislature the winter of 1897, in the Lower House. Made Assistant General Attorney for the Union Pacific Railroad Company in 1900, which position he holds at present time. Was elected Regent for a six-year term in the State University in the fall of 1899. Married in fall of 1900. THE NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. The organization of the Nebraska State Horticutlural Society took place at a meeting held on the 29th day of September, 1869, on the State Fair grounds at Nebraska City. At this early day there had quite a sentiment spread over the State in the interest of fruit culture. Tests had been made in various localities, especially in and around Platts- mouth and Nebraska City, which established fruit growing, as not only a possibility but a certainty. Among those early day advocates of horticultural development were' the following persons, who were listed as charter members of the State Association, and whose names go down in the State's history as founders of this most worthy enterprise: R. W. Furnas, F. A. Tisdel, Benton Aldrich, Nemaha County; J. H. Masters, Oliver Horner, O. P. Mason, J. H. Gregg, J. B. Merton, J. Hoagland, J. Sterling Morton, J. M. Taggart, H. K. Raymond, J. H. Croxton, Otoe County; P. W. Hitchcock, Geo. B. Graff, Alvin Saunders, L. A. Walker, Douglas County; David Butler, Lan- caster County; J. B. Weston, Gage County; Jonathan Edwards, Dodge County; J. W. Hollingshead, Pawnee County; Wm. D. Wilson, Des Moines, la.; J. W. Pearman, Davenport, la. J. H. Masters was elected President; R. W. Furnas, Secretary, and O. P. Mason, Treasurer. 128 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. J. H. MILLARD. LEE SMITH. G. S. CHRISTY. L. RUSSELL. Joseph II. Millard, United States Senator from Nebraska, was born in 1836, the son of natives of the United SStates temporarily residing in Canada. He received his early education in Iowa, and later removed to Omaha where he engaged at first in real estate business. He was Director and afterwards President of the Omaha National Rank, which position he now holds; for one term he was Mayor of Omaha; six years Government Director of the Union Pacific Railroad, and subsequently a stockholder in the company and a member of the directory for seven years. He -was elected to the United States Cenate in March, 1901; his term will expire in March, 1907. He is a widower, and has a grown son and daughter. Lee Smith, President of the Nebraska Corn Improvers' Association, was born in Steuben county, Indiana, in 1863. He came with his father to Washington county, Nebraska, in 1879. Mr. Smith has been a prominent grower of seed corn in Nebraska for several years, and a successful ex- hibitor at the fairs.' G. S. Cliristy, President of the Nebraska State Horticultural Society, is one of the most enterprising fruit growers in the State. He is a recog- nized old settler in Nemaha county, and was its Representative in the State Legislature in 1903. Mr. Christy has acquired an enviable reputation as a grower of small fruits. L. M. Russell was born in 1856 on the old Russell homestead near Vandalia. 111. In 1872 removed with his father to Southwestern Iowa, where they engaged in tlie nursery business until 1881, when they came to Ne- braska, locating near Wymore. and started in the nursery and fruit growing business. Was elected President of the Nebraska State Horticultural Society in 1902, and Secretary in 1903. (Continuation of Horticultural Society.) The next meeting was held at Brownville on January 5, 1870, at which time a constitution and by-lays were adopted, and the annual winter fruit show was introduced as a feature of the Society, which has been carried down to the persent time. The varieties of fruits exhibited at this show, which was held thirty-three years ago, were Winesap, Rome Beauty, Rawles Jenet, Dominie, Milam, Ben Davis and a few others. The selec- tion of a recommended list of both large and small fruits was taken up as a part of the work of the Association, and a committee was appointed for tills purpose, it being deemed wise to at once benefit by the expe- rience and tests already made by various members. Thus the intelligent planting of orchards commenced in Nebraska at an early day, which ex- plains why there are now so many commercial orchards in the south- eastern part of the State, that produce their annual crops of fruits with such marked regularity in yield and quality. The orcharding and tree planting industry has been carried forwara Banks of Nebraska. 129 by later advocates and specialists until the horticultural conditions of Nebraska are a recognized leading feature in our general agriculture. The State Association has been a powerful factor in this work, and de- serves the well merited commendation of forcing land owners to kelp themselves to the benefits and riches that fruit growing adds to the improved farm and home. The orchard improvements, on the farms of Nebraska, have added millions of dollars to their value, and millions more will follow, as time moves on and the orchard acreage increases. At a meeting held at Omaha June 15, 1870, the Society was honored by the presence of Marshal P. Wilder of Boston. Charles Downing of Newburg, N. Y., and Messrs. Elwagner and Barry of Rochester, N. Y. Officers elected from 1872 .to 1904 are as follows: J. H. Masters, Presi- dent, 1872, '73, '86; Vice President. '83. J. T. Allen, Vice President, 1872, '73; President, 1874, '75; Secretary, 1883. '84, '85. R. W. Furnas, Secretary, 1872, '73; President, 1877, '78, '79, '80. D. H. Wheeler, Treasurer, 1872, '73, '74; Secretary, 1875, '76, '77, '78 '79, '80, '81, '82. J. "W. Moore, Secretary, 1874. E. N. Grennell, Vice President, 1875, '77, '80; President, '81. John Evans, Treasurer, 1875, '76, '77, '78. S. B. Hobson, President, 1876. Hiram Craig, Vice President, 1876. Charles Mathewson, Vice President, 1878, '79. Chris Hartman, Treasurer, 1879 to '87. S. Barnard, Vice President, 1881; President, '82, '83, '84, '85; Secretary, '86, '87, '88. R. N. Day, Vice President, 1882, '85, '86; President, '87, '88; Secretary, '91. Mrs. R. H. Stratton, Vice President, 1887. W. R. Harris, President, 1888; Vice President, '89, '90. Peter Young- ers, Jr., Treasurer, 1888 to 1904. F. W. Taylor, President, 1889, '90, '91; Secretary, '92, '93, '94. E. F. Stephens, President, 1892 to '96. D. U. Reed, Vice President, 1892, '93, '94; Secretary, '95. G. A. Marshall, Vice Preisdent, 1895, '96; President. '97, '98, '99, '00. '01. J. H. Hadkinson, Secretary, 1396; Vice President, '97, '98, '99. C. H. Barnard, Secretary, 1897 to 1902. L.. M. Russell, Vice President, 1900, '01; President, '02; Secretary, '03, '04. G. S. Christy, Vice President, 1902; President, '03, '04. W. J. Hesser, Vice President, 1903, '04. These last officers were elected at the January meeting, 1903, and hold office until June, 1904. The Society holds its annual exhibition of fruits in the Horticultural Hall, State Fair grounds, and gives to fruit growers $1,000 to $1,300 in premiums each year. Five experiment sta- tions in different parts of the State are maintained at the expense of the Society, that are bearing excellent " fruits " for the horticultural interests of the State. An annual report is published containing the proceedings of the Society for the year. These reports were printed as a part of the agricultural report until 1884, but since then they have been published in a separate volume of from 200 to 300 pages, and a file of all the reports makes a very complete horticultural library, as nearly everything per- taining to horticulture has been discussed at these meetings by the best posted men in this and neighboring states. Among the charter members of this Society the name of J. Sterling Morton is found, a citizen of Nebraska who won a world-wide reputation as " Father of Arbor Day," and as a member of Cleveland's cabinet. Four members — FHmas, Saunders, Butler and Crounse — have occupied the Governor's chair in Nebraska; while Mason was one of the most noted judges in the early history of the State. THE BANKS OF NEBRASKA. The 1902 report of the Department of Banking of the State of Ne- braska, issued under date of May 1, 1903, shows that the total deposits in incorporated, private and savings banks, under State supervision, were as follows, for the years: 1892, $24,891,113.29; 1893, $17,208,476.14; 1894, $18,074,832.43; 1895, $14,200,775.62; 1896, $10,227,537.93; 1897, $13,902,- 940.36; 1898, $18,225,180.14; 1899, $21,666,111.12; 1900, $25,894,059.37; 1901, 130 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. $31,431,358.54; 1902, $34,487,619.26; 1903 (September 5), $38,401,448.47; 1903 (November 25), $37,073,882.24. There were on November 25, 1903, 501 banks under State supervision and reporting to the State Banking Board, having a paid up capital of $8,018,100.00 and with deposits aggre- gating $37,073,882.24. On November 25, 1902, there were 476 hanks, with an aggregate paid up capital of $7,833,000, and with deposits aggre- gating $34,487,619.26, showing an increase of 40 in number of banks reporting December 10, 1901, an increase of paid up capital of $573,950, and an increase of deposits amounting to $3,157,154.90. The total number of depositors in State banks November 25, 1903, were 116,484, and Sep- tember 5, 1903, 113,829, as against 97,518 December 10, 1902, and 95,052 December 10, 1901. Average amount of credit to each depositor, 1903, $326.00, as against $353.45 in 1902, $329.45 in 1901. Amount of deposit per capita, 1902, of entire population of the State, based upon last census, $32.27, as against $29.32 in 1901. Amount of deposit per capita of entire population of State in national banks, 1902, $51.88, as against $52.18, 1901. Amount of deposits per capita of population of State in all banks of Nebraska. 1902, $84.15, as against $81.50, 1901. Average reserve State banks, 1902, 28,67 per cent, as against 39.79 per cent, 1901. Average reserve national banks per cent of total deposits in available funds, 1902, 34.35, as against 36.56, 1901. Secretary Royce of the State Banking Board gives the following report in detail November 25, 1903: RESOURCES. LIABILITIES. Loans and discounts. .$34,530,329.29 Capital paid in $ 8,018,100.00 Overdrafts 452,994.00 Surplus fund 1,426,277.19 Bonds, stocks, securi- Undivided profits .... 1,935,471.43 ties, judgments, Dividends unpaid .... 12,244.00 claims, etc 671,312.07 Deposits 37,073,882.^4 Due from national. Notes and bills re- state and private discounted 199,073.10 banks and bankers 8,840,255.44 Bills payable 307,151.58 Banking house, furni- ture and fixtures... 1,430,891.14 Total $48.972, 199v64 Other real estate 366,343.45 Current expense.s and Number of banks reporting, taxes paid 579,566.66 501. Premium on United States and other Number of depositors. 116.484. bonds and securities 1,086.92 Cash items 92,381.66 Cash 2,507,199.91 Total $48,972,199,54 The banks of Omaha make the following showing: _ Nov. 17, 1903. Sept. 9, 1903. Nov. 25, 1902. Deposits $24,971,964 $27,469,148 $23,730,927 Cash resources 10,943,180 12,841,172 9,503,768 Percentage 43.82 47.75 40. Cash resources Include cash and clearing house items on hand, due from banks, and government bonds, exclusive of bonds deposited for circulation. These figures show that, while there was a loss on November 17, compared with the previous statement on September 9, in deposits $2,497,194, cash resources $1,897,992, percentage 3.93, the same statement compared with a year ago shows gain in deposits — $2,241,027, cash re- sources $1,439,397, percentage 3.82. The total deposits in all Nebraska banks for 1902 was $96,000,000; In 1903, $121,000,000, a gain of $25,000,000 for 1903, Nebraska's Agricultural Standing. 131 NEBRASKA A STATE OF UNEQUALED RESOURCES. Nebraska is the THIRD state in the production of corn. Nebraska is the FOURTH state in the production of wheat. Nebraska is the FIFTH state in the production of oats. Nebraska is tlie FIFTH state in the production of beet sugar. Nebraska is the FOURTH state in the production of cattle. Nebraska is the FOURTH state in the production of hogs. Nebraska is the EIGHTH state in the production of horses. Nebraska produces more vine seeds and sugar corn for seed pur- poses than all the balance of the United States combined. Nebraska has the greatest number of distinct varieties of native pasture and hay grasses of any state in the United States. Nebraska's native grass pastures on the west and northwest half ef the State will produce more pounds of beef to the steer, during the graz^ ing season, than can be produced on pasture in any other district of country on the continent. Nebraska has the largest acreage of wild grass hay lands of any state in the Union, and when the hundreds of thousands of acres now remote from railroad and used for grazing are turned to hay produc- tion, she will stand FIRST as a hay growing state. Nebraska has in one body, on the east side of the State, 20,000,000 acres of land of higher agricultural quality, and now producing more value in farm crops than any other tract of land of equal area in the United States. Nebraska has in one body, on the west side of the State, 29,000,000 acres of grazing and hay lands that cannot be surpassed as a live stock grazing district by any equal area in the United States. Nebraska produces the finest feeding cattle in the world, which has been abundantly set forth in the " Grand Champion Prize Steer of America," the blue-roan Challenger, who so easily won over all com- petitors at the International Fat Stock Show and Exposition at Chicago in 1903, and the additional evidence of the Grand Champion car load lots of steers exhibited by the Nebraska Land and Feeding Company that found no equals in the show ring at the American Royal at Kansas City in 1903, and the same was true of their exhibit at the International at Chicago in 1902. Nebraska is increasing more rapidly in every line of agricultural development, live stock improvement, feeding of live stock, grain pro- duction, fruit growing, forestry, etc., than any other state. THE BIRDS OF NEBRASKA. The history of " Nebraska's Resources Illustrated " would not be complete without a brief account of Prof. Lawrence Bruner's investiga- tions of the bird resources of the State and their importance as a crop saving population: "The place where a bird builds its nest and rears its young is just as surely home to it as the place of our childhood to us. This being true. Nebraska is the home of a relatively large number of distinct species of birds of varied habits. Up to the present time we have definite records of the nesting of 225 to 230 species and subspecies, while there are 60 others which possibly occasionally breed within the State. The nesting of so many distinct kinds of birds within a prescribed region is very significant, since It is during the growth of the young birds that a large amount of 132 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. highly nutritious food is required. From the standpoint of the farmer and fruit grower this fact is of the utmost importance, since most young birds are fed almost entirely on an insect diet during the time spent in the nest, and for a short time afterwards. This can also be said of many of the birds that leave the nest as soon as hatched. Therefore, during the growth of the young birds the quantity of such food, which is gathered by the parenj^ birds over the entire State must be relatively enormous. Taking as a basis for estimation that twenty-flve insects per day is an average diet for each Individual bird, and that we have about one and one-half birds to the acre, or in round numbers 75,000,000 birds in Nebraska, or approximately 35,000,- 000 to 40,000,000 pairs that nest here, there would be required 1,875,000,000 Insects for each days' ration. Should each pair of this large number rear four young, there would be required a sufficient food supply for from 140,- 000,000 to 160,000,000 young birds. If a single bird requires on an average 25 insects per day, the enormous number of 4,000,000,000 of insects, or 35,000 bushels of 120,000 insects per bushel, would be" required during each day to feed the young birds alone. But young birds need much more food than do old ones, and we should at least double this quantity for the young birds. Then to this food supply must be added that required by parent birds themselves, while taking care of the young, making a grand total of 86,000 bushels or 107 car loads of 20 tons each, provided we allow 50 pounds as the weight of a bushel. Estimating that there is "a single grasshopper, katydid, or cricket to each square yard of surface, it would require at least 650,000 bushels of these insects to cover the State. Not taking into account, any of the myriads of other insect forms nor the rapid rate of reproduction which is going on among them, these alone would be nearly one-third enough insect food for our birds during the year. This being true it Is plain that at least twice as many birds could find the proper insect food in our State each year." Nebraska is rapidly becoming the home of the insectiverous kinds of birds, and as it year by year increases in forest growth it will also add millions to its present bird population. THE BURLINGTON ROUTE. ' The history of the Burlington Railroad is the history of the West. Fifty years ago it was an insignificant local line, thirty-three miles long, commencing at Chicago and terminating within a mile or two of Aurora, 111. Today its lines traverse eleven of the richest states in the Union. Its length approximates 8,300 miles. It employs 40,000 men; owns 1,300 locomotives, 1,100 passenger and 47,000 freight cars. Its gross earnings for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1903, were about $62,000,000, and its operating expenses more than $40,000,000. It has a mileage in Nebraska of nearly 2,700 miles, approximating about one-half of the total railway mileage of the State. The value of the benefits it has conferred on the entire West is beyond computation. Many of its extensions were undertaken amid the sneers of those generally supposed to know whereof they are speaking, but who were really in densest ignorance of it. Had the advice of these men been followed, the rich territory west of the Mississippi river would today be a vast wilderness. When the construction of the greater part of what is now the Burlington System was undertaken, the territory through which it was to pass was generally supposed to be a barren waste, incapable of cultivation, and many were the predictions that the whole undertaking would end in financial disaster. The promoters of the road fortunately were better informed, and it is to their energy and intelligent forethought that the settlement and development of Nebraska is in no small measure due. The Burlington has by no means reached the zenith of its greatness. There remains for it vast territories to occupy and develop, the richness and productiveness of which are fully equal to those already paying tribute to it. Horse Breeding Industry. 133 CLASSIFICATION SHOWING NUMBERS AND VALUES OF NEBRASKA'S LIVE STOCK (1900.) Live Stock. Age. ^ ^ , „ , I Not on On Farms and Ranches. j Farms. Number. Value. Av.Val. Numb'r Calves I Under 1 Steers | 1 and under Steers | 2 Steers I 3 Bulls Heifers Cows kept for milk . Cows and heifers not kept for milk. . . Total Colts Horses Horses Mule colts Mules Mules Asses and burros. Total. and under and over and over and under and over Lambs Sheep (ewes) .... Sheep (ram or wether) Swine Goats Fowls — chicks. . . Turkeys Geese Ducks Bees (swarms) . . . Unclassified Value of all live stock 2 and over Under 1 1 and under 2 and over Under 1 1 and under 2 and over All ages Under 1 1 and over All ages All ages 754,500 401,158 317,360 119,590 51,791 345,275 512,544 674,025 5 8,757,661 9,303,685 10,991,720 5,690,337 2,567.438 7,413,817 17,192,120 20,552,720 3,176,243 66,776 73,082 655,460 6,201 6,671 42,252 732 851,174 175,323 279,073 56,877 4,128,000 2,399 7,417,837 118,892 74,907 201,503 52.143 $82,469,498 1,284,984 2,316,583 33,061,792 182,875 293,356 2,695,229 116,756 $39,951,575 330,358 1,102,871 245,269 18,660.932 9,126 2,374,930 199,563 5,465 $145,349,587 $11.61 5,627 23.19 1,693 34.63 1,668 47.58 4,349 49.57 422 21.47 2,060 33.54 26,312 30.49 1 1,868 $31.51 43,999 $19.24 31.70 50.44 29.49 43.97 63.79 159.50 1,517 1,271 65,833 398 160 2,242 308 $56.87 71,729 1.88 3.95 4.31 4.52 3.80 3.83 133 5,401 492 93,094 384 THE HORSE BREEDING INDUSTRY IN NEBRASKA. From a small beginning forty-three years ago, Nebraska has ac- quired eighth place as a horse producing state. In 1860, when the first official census was taken, and while Nebraska was yet a territory and represented six times its present area, there were but 4,449 horses reported. At the end of the ten years following, the horse population had increased to 30,511 head, an average annual increase of 58 per cent. The estimate at this census period was made on the original territory, since Nebraska at this period was struck off from the original territory, and became a State in 1867. In 1880 the census shows the horse population for the State of Nebraska to be 204,864, an average annual increase for the preceding ten years of about 58 per cent. This astonishing increase in the horse popu- lation of Nebraska for the twenty years from 1860 to 1880, has had no equal in the history of states. In 1890 the horse population had increased to 542,036 head, two and two-thirds times the number reported in 1880. li>4 Nebraska's Resources Illustrated. Is 1900 the census credits Nebraska with 795,318 horses, an increase of 253,282 head, or an average annual increase of 25,232 horses. During all this period of horse development in Nebraska there has been a disposition to improvement in quality. The importing of draft horses was commenced years ago, and no new district of country in the United States has had more and better horses brought within its borders and put to use in building up the common horse stock of the country than Nebraska. This energetic work of the resident horse im- porter stands today as one of the greatest monuments to the memory of the enterprise and devotion of our live stock improvers. Hundreds of the finest stallions and breeding mares of the improved breeds are to be found today scattered over the State, devoted to the work of building higher the already excellent standard of the Nebraska horse. The Range Horse. — The range horse of the western country has acquired a reputation for power of endurance and traveling long distance, with apparently slight fatigue, that has made him famous not only throughout the United States but throughout the civilized world where horse service is demanded and staying qualities appreciated in the animal. The range bred horse of the United States has won for himself a character peculiar to no other type of the equine race. He is dis- tinctly the horse of the western range. His life in the open air, un- restrained by man or beast in his free movements, has given him a confidence in his ability to take care of himself, that nowhere in the animal kingdom is so keenly portrayed as in the fleetness of movement in the herd on the range. The wild horse exhibits an instinct in his habits and conduct that has been greatly admired by those familiar with his sense of caution and self preservation. The range bred horse of Western Nebraska is in all the essential attributes of vigor and endurance the equal of the wild horse, and in point of tractability and quality when broken and put into service, he has few, if any, equals in the horse world. Thousands of these animals exhibit the splendid form, carriage and vigor of the thoroughbred and horses of improved breeding, and when put to work have little regard for fatigue or distance on the road. Numerous Instances are recorded where teams of these horses have been driven to wagon 100 miles in a single day, and with no apparent injury to the horses. The influence of climate, the nutritious properties of the wild grasses as a feed, the pure water from the running streams, the free life on the open range from earliest colthood, all have their bearing to bring about this wonderful power of endurance. There is nothing in the life of the range horse, as he is now bred, to detract from his health and stamina. Every feature of his existence tends to grow him stronger and make him more resolute and enduring. It was these properties that gave the range horse of the western country his merited prominence in the Spanish-American war, and later when his services were in demand in the South African war, where his superior endurance again stamped him as the most valuable war horse in the world. The outlook for the range horse industry in Western Nebraska was never so bright, taking all conditions and circumstances having a bearing on the business into consideration. Soil Maintains Fertility. 136 NEBRASKA'S SOIL CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING ITS FERTILITY. The quality and quantity of soil are the two distinctive features of land properties that demand the consideration of the intelligent land buyer. The character of the Nebraska prairie in its ability to produce crops without exhaustion of the soil, has attracted the attention and in- vestigation of scientific and practical agi'iculturists from all parts of the world. The usual course of crop rotation which the soils of the eastern and southern states demand, in order to maintain their producing capac- ity, has not been a requirement on the prairie farms of Nebraska. On the contrary, the years of continuous cultivation and deep plowing have revealed additional ability in the soil to increase its yield. Numerous instances can be cited all over the early settled portions of the state, where lands have for more than twenty years in succession produced good crops of corn and not a pound of artificial fertilizer has been added. These are simply illustrations of what the great area of agricultural lands in Nebraska is capable of doing. How long these conditions of natural soil fertility will serve the purpose of profitable crop yields cannot be estimated, suffice it to say that the almost unlimited depth of soil, with its ability to take up the surface moisture and store it in the subsoil for crop growth, lends a reasonable belief that a resort to fertilizing materials, other than natural vegetation, will never be required in Nebraska. Thus a landed expense which has ruined hundreds of communities in the Bast and South need never be feared on the broad and fertile prairie farms of Nebraska. The record of experience on scores of Nebraska's best pro- ducing farms establishes this beyond a doubt. STATE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS. The State Industrial School at Kearney was established in 1870, under the name of the State Reform School. The Legislature appropriated $10,000 for the erection of the first building and the maintenance of the school during the biennium period. The first building was completed In 1881. In 1891 the Legislature made an appropriation for a Girls' Industrial School, to be located at Geneva, to which school the girls were trans- ferred March 14, 1892. The Legislature of 1887 changed the name from the State Reform School to that of State Industrial School, the name It now baars. The number of boys committed to this institution, as shown l)y our records to this date, is fourteen hundred and eighty-three (1,483). The names of the present officers are as follows: B. D. Hay ward. Superintend- ent; H. D. Schaff, Assistant Superintendent; A. C. Partridge, Book- keeper and Stenographer; Dr. H. S. Bell, Physician; Jas. A. Dallas, Manager Grade "B"; J. T. O. Stewart, Manager Grade "C"; Geo. T. Day, Manager Grade " D "; D. O. Brown, Manager Grade " E." The names of the Superintendents since C. W. Hoxie's administration are as fol- lows: James M. Campbell, .John T. Mallalieu, Dr. J. V. Begthol, B. D. Hay ward. Nebraska's land area will admit of double its present production whem improved methods are applied in the cultivation of growing crops. 136 Missouri Pacific Railroad. Iron Mountain Route The Popular Southwest System DIRECT LINE From Points in Nebraska and Kansas to ST. LOUIS — WORLD'S FAIR CITY Doable Daily Service between Omaha and St. Louie. Five Daily Trains each way between Kansas City and St. Louis. Double Daily Service Colorado, Utah and the Pacific Coast. Through Pullman Sleeping Cars between St. Louis and San Francisco. Four Daily Trains between St. Louis, Hot Springs, Ark., and Texas points. Through Pullman Bleeping Cars between St. Lonis, Dallas, Ft. Worth, San Antonio, Galves- ton, Laredo, City of Mexico, El Paso and Southern California. Pullman Tourist Sleeping Cars, Dioing Cars and Free Reclining Chair Cars. Descriptive Literature, etc., oil application. maps. Folders, H. C. TOWNSEND Qeneral Passenger and Ticket Agent ST. LOUIS, MO. !♦♦« Wabash Railroad. 137 "Follow the Flag" The WORLD'S FAIR LINE ^X^^ St. Louis Kansas City Chicago Das Moines Detroit Council Biuffs Toledo Omaha Buffalo EVERYTHING JUST RIGHT For All Information Address C. S. CRANE, HARRY E. MOORES, Q. P. A. Q. A. P. D. St. Louis, no. Omaha, Neb. 138 Estimate Attendance at World's Fair. $75,000 SO IN CASH PRIZES WILL BE PAID TO ADVERTISE THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION Can You Estimato How Many P*^og»lc ¥1/ ill Attend tho Great St- Louis pBif in 19049 The 1889 People Whose Esti- mates are the Closest Will Receive $75.000 00 in CASH PKIZKS. You have the same op- portuiiliy a» anyone else to ^yio a Fortnne. Everything connected with this contest will be with abso ute fair- ness to all, for the WORI^D'S FAIR CONTEST CO. of St. Louis has depusitedthe money with the MISSOURI TRL'ST CO. whose Certificate of Deposit Is herewith given. It has U. S Postal O K. Prizes are the largest ever of- fered in any contest, divided as follows for the Nearest Correct Estimates: 1st prize $25,Oro 2d prize lO.OOi .3d prize 6,000 4th priz« 2,.50O 5th prize l.-'iOO 6th prize 1,000 Missouri Trust Company Capital $2,000,000 St. Louis, Mo., May 20, '03 This certifies that The World's Fair Contest Coini>aiiy, incoriiorated, lias tbie day denosit- ed Willi tills company $7.1 000 in gold, for tlie pa^ merit of tliii awards in its contest on the total paid attendaiK-e at the Louisiana Pur- cbiise Exposition. 1904, and that said deposit Is held In trust by this company to be paid by it to such succ>'S*ful contestants as the committee on awards may direct. JOS. L. IIAVLEY, Treasurer Miasouri Trust Co., St. Louis, Mo The next 10 prizes, $200 each . . . 2,0o0 Thenext 20'prizes, $1( 0«ach .. . 2,000 The next 50 prizes, $.50 each... 2,.500 Thenext 100 prizes, $'2.5 each... 2,500 Th«i next 200 orizes, $10 each... 2.000 Thenext 500 prizes, $5«ach... 2,.")00 Thenext 1,0U0 prizes, $leach... 1,000 Sapplementary prizes for earlier estimates 15.500 TOTAL. S75.000 ONE FREE ESTBma TEis given to eacit Meltraslea Farmer Subscrilter paying ONE DOLLAR for one full year's suhscription in advance; each additional guess 25Cm INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP Vol! ESTIMATE The total paid attendance at World's Pair, Chicajjo, was 21,-180,141. The total paid attendance at Pan- Anieric:-in, Uutfalo, waa 5,306.8.59. Tlio total paid attendance at Trans-Mississippi, Omaha, was 1,778,250. The official record of the secretary of tlie. World's Fair showing ihe total paid attendance' will determine who an; entitled to the prizes and the awards will be made by a committee of prominent judges made up of leading business men of St. Louis. FILL OUT TUrs OOtTP^V AND SEVD WtTK YOUR ESTI>I%.TB NEBRASKA FARMER, Omaha, Mob. 8IR3-Raclosed find $1.00 for one yeir's siiliscription to the N ti; ii rt \SK A. F.^BMEE as per yonr SPECI.\L OFFER which includes one estimate in the World's Fair QuesBing Contest. Mail paper and Engraved Certificate to (Name) I B6TIM4TB THE TOTAL. PAID ATTENDANCE AT THE QEEAT ST LODia WOKI-n'« FAIR TO BE (P. O. Address) History of Nebraska Farmer. 139 O. M. DRUSE. EARLY HISTORY OF THE NEBRASKA FARMER. My first acquaintance with the Nebraska Farmer was in 1875, when J. C. McBride of Lin- coln and J. T. Clarkson of Schuyler, Neb., seeing the need of such a paper, started it. A paper called Nebraska Farmer was started several years before, but died for want of patronage. As Ne- braska grew, and a better class of farmers came, a desire for a better knowledge of western agri- culture and stock raising became more manifest. It required an effort, and various schemes were sug- gested to obtain a respectable subscription list. One of the most successful was to run excursions on the B. & M. railroad to Lincoln at half fare, plus one dollar, each pas- senger to get the Nebraska Farmer one year. In 1876 I went East for some agricultural implement advertising, but had to take machinery in pay, and returned in three weeks with a car load of machinery and half a car load of barbed wire. From 1877 to 1879 I was not connected with the Farmer, then bought a half interest in it from McBride for $500, Mr. Clarkson having drawn out in 1878. McBride diverted the Nebraska Farmer from its proper channel into politics and it was used to promote Van Wyck's interests. I then bought McBride's interest and continued the publication as a farm and stock journal until I sold it to H. E. Heath, in 1886, and I am more than pleased to note the steady and permanent advancement it has made for the past twenty years. Its publishers have my best wishes for its success. O. M. DRUSE, Lincoln, Neb. BIOGRAPHIES. Page. Allen, Chas. S 126 Andrews, E. Benj ... 18 Avery, Samuel 102 Barbour, B. H..'....109 Bassett, Samuel C... 53 Benton, Allen R 18 Bessey, Chas. E 18 Blake, L. J 98 Boyd, Jas. E 10 Bruner, Lawrence... 18 Buffalo Bill 70 Burkett, Elmer J. . . . 44 Burnett, E. A 97 Butler, David 10 Chlssell, W. C 100 Christy. G. S 128 Cooper, Geo. B 100 Crounse, Lorenzo.... 10 Davis, Ellerv W 102 Davis, Jas. W 10 Davlsson, Prof. A. E. 97 Dawes, Jas. W 10 Dietrich, Chas. H.... 10 Dinsmore, John B... 67 Druse, O. M 139 Ernst, C. J 126 Ernst, Wm 76 Follmer, Geo. D 42 Fowler, Wm. K 42 Furnas, R. W 10-67 Gain, J. H 38 Garber, Silas 10 BIOGRAPHIES. Page. Haecker, A. L 76 Heath, Alfred B.. 77-100 Heath, H. E 98 Hervey, G. W 100 Hinshaw, E. H 44 Hitchcock, G. M 44 Hitte, Thos. J 98 Holcomb, Silas A.... 10 Honeywell, J. K 53 Jansert, Peter 108 Kalus, W. J 98 Kincaid, Moses P. . . . 44 Knotts, Mrs. M. P...100 Lawson, L. C 77 Loveland, G. A 38 Ludden, Luther P... 78 Lyon, T. L 78 Marsh, Cassiu.'^ H. . . . 98 Marsh, Geo. W 42 McCarthy, John J. . . 44 McGilton, Edmund G. 66 Mcintosh, Hugh F...100 Mclntyre, Edmund.. 67 Matthews, Miss Zelta.lOO Mellor, Wm. R 68 Mickey, John H.. 10-125 Millard, J. H 128 Miller. Matt 109 Mortenson, Peter. ... 42 Nance. Albinus 10 Nicholson, Henry E.. 18 Norris, Geo. W 44 Norval, T. L 53 BIOGRAPHIES. Page. Peters, Albert T. . . . 38 Peterson, Miss Mae C. 100 Pollard, E. M 109 Poynter, Wm. A 10 Prout, Frank N 42 Rich, Edson 127 Robertson, A. H 100 Rudge. C. H 67 Russell, E. Z 76 Russell, L. M 128 Saddler, Wm. G 77 Savage. Ezra 10 Shedd. H. G 109 Sherman. L. A 109 Sitting Bull 78 Smith, H. R 122 Smith, Lee 128 Stilson, L. D 49 Stout. O. V. P 40 Sweezey, G. D 97 Teeters. John L 126 Thayer, John M 10 Walsh, James 109 Ward, Henry B 62 Wattles, Gurdon W..108 Webster; L. A 98 Weston, Chas 42 Weyer, J. 1 102 Whltcomb, Edwar