FIRST In small per cent of illiteracy. THIRD In products of meat packing plants. THIRD In production of corn. FOURTH In production of wheat. FOURTH In number of cattle and hogs on farms and ranges. FIFTH In production of oats and rye. FIFTH In production of beet sugar. SIXTH In number of acres in farms. SEVENTH In number of horses on farms and ranges. NINTH In value of farm products per acre. ;•,:•• T:ENTH-: ••• }n cl?E)«se, butter 4ntl*ii^iQ<*proilg*cts!''. I g*jMlP>^Ei>.BV T*\£' q'ec;eliry of t})e N^br2i9l^|Hisjqn8^l*9oc1ety leeS, OMAHA. NOV 17 1904 D. of 0. Showing of Nebraska Banks. (Lincoln, Neb., Trade Review, Jan. 16, 1904.) The financial condition of Nebraska and the increase in wealth as shown by the growth in bank deposits in the last five years is a record not exceeded by any state in the union. At the time of the last report the banks of Ne- braska, state and national, showed deposits in total of $96,179,242.79. Taking the population of the state at 1,200,000, this gives a per capita of bank deposits of $80 for every man, woman and child in the state; or $320 for every family of four persons in Nebraska. The showing of the growth of de- posits in the banks of Nebraska during the last five years is an interesting illustration of the way the state is forging ahead from a point of view represented by the money on deposit. The banks of Nebraska, in their report of December, 1898, make the following showing of deposits : State banks $18,225,180.14 National banks 36,769,209.56 Total, all banks, 1898 $54,994,389.70 The banks of Nebraska, in their reports of November, of the past year, MEMORANDUM 1903, make the following showing o-f deposits: National banks $59,105,360.56 State banks 37,073,882.24 Total, all banks, 1903 $96,179,242.80 This showing from the official re- ports indicates that deposits in state and national banks in Nebraska have increased in the last five years $41,- 184,853.09, a gain of 77 per cent. One year ago in Nebraska the de- posits of the banks, state and national, were as follows: National banks $55,439,124.00 State banks 34,487,619.26 Total deposits, all banks, 1902, $89,926,743.26 Taking these deposits of one year ago and deducting them from the de- posits of November of the year just past, we have a gain for 1903 over 1902 of $6,252,499.53. Nebraska produces more vine seeds and sugar corn for seed purposes than all the balance of the United States combined. Nebraska is increasing more rapidly in every line of agricultural develop- ment, live stock improvement, feed- ing of live stock, grain production, fruit growing, forestry, etc., than any other state. -3 — MEMORANDUM Nebraska Land Values. The Lincoln, Neb., Trade Review records weekly the farm land sales in the different counties of the state. From this record, gathered each week during 1903, the following summary concisely states the selling value of improved farms in different sections of Nebraska: Thirty sales of land taken at random from the entire sales reported from the counties of Nemaha, Pawnee, Johnson, Cass and Otoe show an aver- age sale value of $66 per acre. Thirty sales taken at random from those reported from the counties of Hamilton, York, Hall, Clay and Fill- more show an average selling value of $51 per acre. Twenty-two sales taken in the same way from the counties of Boone,Nance, Antelope, Wayne and Pierce show an average sale value of $42 per acre. Twenty-seven sales from the Re- publican Valley counties of Phelps. Webster, Harlan, Franklin and Red Willow show an average sale value of $32.50 per acre. It will be noticed that all sections of the state, outside of the strictly cattle section of the northwest, are fairly —5— I MEMORANDUM represented in the above figures. When the eastern section and central part are compared with the prices lands are selling for across the river in Iowa, where the farming country is no better, it will be seen that the best farming lands in Nebraska are yet far below their real value when compared with $100-an-acre farm land in Iowa. Nebraska in 1903. (Lincoln, Neb., Trade Beview, Jan. 16, 1904.) Taking the staple productions of the state, those which come from the soil, which the farmers produce and market, the record of the state for 1903 is one nearing the two hundred million mark. These figures below are largely the government estimate, the best estimate made, and yet gen- erally regarded as very conservative: Corn $48,266,000 Butter, eggs and poultry 26,500,000 Wheat 22,765,000 Hogs 19,400,000 Cattle 18,600,000 Hay, barley, rye 17,100,000 Oats 16,045,000 Potatoes and fruits 11,326,000 Other farm products 15,500,000 Total $195,502,000 —7- MEMORANDUM Nebraska Crop Statistics. SUMMARY OF CROP YIELDS FOR 1903. (Agricultural report of Union Pacific Rail- road Co. for iy03.) Total Yield Winter wheat Spring wheat. Corn Oats Rye Barley Irish potatoes Broom corn Millet Sorghum .. Alfalfa Timothy Wild hay . Clover 32,346,6:^7 5,786,798 197,406,666 62,217,284 5,625,382 3,148,180 5,523,767 715 334,795 457,478 840,966 466,620 2,728,906 95,612 bu. bu. bu. bu. bu. bu. bu. tons tons tons tons tons tons tons The total yield of corn in Nebraska for 1903 has been placed by various authorities at estimates ranging from 150,000,000 to over 200,000,000 bushels. The government Crop Reporter places the total yield at little less than 160,000,000 bushels. The government acreage, however, as reported this year, differs by 2,700,000 from their acreage of last year. It is obvious that that is too radical a change to have taken place in so short a time. Estimates in this report were made by the same authorities both before and after the frosts and are substantially correct. —9— MEMORANDUM Growth of Crop Yield, 1860-1903. ("Nebraska's Resources Illustrated," pub- lished by the Nebraska Farmer, Omaha, January, 1904.) Corn. — Nebraska is justly famous for its great yields and rapid increase in production of corn. Corn is the great staple product of the state. The following table illustrates the growth of corn production in Ne- braska : Years Bulhels Years Bushels 1860 1,482,000 1896 298,600,000 1870 4,736,710 1897 241,268,000 1880 65,450,135 1898 158,755,000 1890 55,310,000 1899 224,373,000 1891 167,652,000 1900. 210,430,000 1892 157,145,000 1901 109,142,000 1893 157.279,000 1902 252,520,000 1894 13,856,000 1903 222,419,000 1895 125,685,000 The rating of Nebraska in corn production, as compared with the corn producing states, is as follows : 1897, first; 1896, second; 1898, 1900, 1901, and 1903, third; 1899 and 1902, fourth ; showing that for the past eight years it is even better than a third. During this same period Iowa and Illinois, the two recognized leaders in corn production, have been a tie for first place, standing four to four. In 1897 Nebraska produced MEMORANDUM 12— 8,340,000 bushels more corn than any other state in the Union, and for the past nine years has yielded an annual average of 205,000,000 bushels. Wheat. — In wheat production Ne- braska has taken a well established claim for fourth place. The wheat producing history of Nebraska is given in the following table: Years Bushels Years Bushels 1860 147,867 1896 19,391,000 1870 2,125,086 1897 27,453,000 1880...... 13,847,007 1898 34.679,000 1890 15,315,000 1899 20,792,000 1891 18,080,000 1900 24,802,000 1892 15,670.000 1901 42,007,000 1893 10,688,000 1902 52,727,000 1894 8,755,000 1903 43,409,000 1895 14,787,000 The rating of Nebraska, in compar- ison with the leading wheat producing states, is as follows : In 1896 Nebraska was ninth in wheat production ; 1897, eighth; 1898, sixth; 1899, ninth; 1900, fifth; 1901, fifth; 1902, fourth; 1903, fourth. The concentration of effort to winter wheat growing in certain portions of the southwestern part of the state, has caused Nebraska to take a promi- nent place among the leading wheat- producing states. That there are millions of acres in that portion of the state which will be turned to winter -13- MEMORANDUM wheat production, there is little doubt, since it is the most successful and profitable crop, yielding in very many instances from 40 to 50 bushels per acre; a single crop paying ihe pur- chase price of the land the crop is grown on. Oats. — Nebraska is one of the most successful oat -producing districts, though no special effort has been ex- erted yet in growing this crop. The oat-crop history of the state can be gleaned from the following table, which commences back to near the beginning of cultivation in the state: Years Bushels Years Bushels 1860 74,500 1896 34,093,000 1870 l,477,56i 1897 51,731,000 1880 6,555.875 1899 51,474,000 1890 22.430,000 1900 37,779,000 1891 48.599,000 1901-.... 39,065,000 1893 23,989.000 1902 62,122.000 1894 19.747,000 1903 53,099.000 1895 39,912,000 Alfalfa. — Ten years ago alfalfa could scarcely be said to exist in Ne- braska, its cultivation being confined to a few counties. Today it is grown in almost every county of Nebraska, the total acreage for the state last year being estimated at 202,458 acres. For 1904 the acreage is estimated at 250,000 acres. — 15 — MEMORANDUM -16- Live Stock Statistics. SUMMARY OF LIVE STOCK FOR 1903. (Report of Union Pacific R. R. Co., 1903.) Number of cattle 3.264,659 Number of bogs 2,223,396 Number of sbeep 328,066 Number of horses and mules 809,875 6,625,996 GROWTH OF CATTLE INDUSTRY IN NEBRASKA. [ReipoTt Of Nebt^asJca Farmer— hased on census report.) Nnmber of cattle in 1860 37,197 Number of cattle in 1870 79,^-54 Number of cattle in 1880 740.541 Number of cattle in 1890 . 1,726,439 Number of cattle in 1900 3,176,242 Number of cattle in 1903 3,264,659 SUMMARY OF RECEIPTS AND SALES AT SOUTH OMAHA STOCK YARDS, 1902. (Report of So. Omaha, Neb., Stock Yds. Co.) CATTLE. Received 1,010,815 Bought by feeders and packers 961,324 96 % of all cattle received sold in So. Omaha. HOGS. Received 2,247,428 Bought by packers 2,241,421 100 % of all hogs received sold in So. Omaha. SHEEP. Received 1,742.539 Bought by packers and feeders 1,607.986 92% % of all sheep received sold in So. Omaha. —17 — MEMORANDUM Nebraska's Dairy Industry and Its Value. (Nebraska's Resources Illustrated, pub- lished January, 1904, by the Nebraska Farmer, Omaha.) Dairy Interest. — June 1, 1900, Ne- braska 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 popu- lation, 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. — 19— MEMORANDUM -20- ,^ tn fc- ♦J 3 d «2 — ^ "ca ^ ^ t; <5 P -5 3 S ° >> 2 3 a s 'a c o 03 3 a> a: X5 a "5 o 0) X3 cf CO c 03 -^ ^ *f 'o s ai £> i c ^ P *c5 0} 1 m be C c? ^ a -!-> '? o u s o CO h- >> (D 1 1 a O > 0) s 'd ^ «i of o'aT »n o 20 .05 ««^o •■*s ^ S 5? O *- H 0) o o tuDcQ ca 43 O) O) e3 , ^. D :« cS > ftcs The rapid increase in this industry, already in value equal to more than thirteen (13) per cent of the entire yearly live stock product, has been brought about by natural causes. Plenty of clear, pure water, an abund- ance of wild and tame grasses for summer pasture, and a great variety of cheap and wholesome foods for winter feeding, insure a steady in- come and profitable returns to the — 21 — MEMORANDUM -22- intelligent dairyman during the entire year. Another important factor in the development of the industry has been the use of the hand separator by the individual dairyman. In 1897 there were possibly five hundred (500) hand separators in use in the state. At this date (Jan. 1st, 1904) it is estimated that the number is more than seven- teen thousand (17,000), and is being rapidly increased. In commercial dairying and the use of the hand separator the individual dairyman pursues the business at the least possible expense, on his part, for time and labor expended. He milks his cows, separates the cream at home, and sells the cream to be manufac- tured into butter at some central fac- tory, several of whichare conveniently located in the state. In 1903 the Beatrice Creamery Company of Lin- coln manufactured 8,000,000 pounds of butter, the Fairmont Creamery Company 4,500,000 pounds, theHygeia Creamery Company of Omaha 2,000,000 pounds, the St. Paul Creamery Com- pany of Grand Island 600,000 pounds, and the Ravenna Creamery Company 800,000 pounds. The price per pound for butter-fat paid the individual dairyman during the year 1903 ranged from fifteen (15) cents to twenty-six (26) cents — the basis for the price be- —23— MEMORANDUM -24— ing four (4) cents less than the highest New York quotation for creamery- butter, the manufacturer paying all transportation charges. Analysis of the statistics before quoted will show that the average yearly value of the dairy products approximates sixteen dollars and sixty cents ($16.60) per cow. It should not be understood that this sum represents possibilities in dairying in this state, for it is not only possible but entirely practical to secure returns from a dairy herd equal to two (2) or even three (3) limes the average given in the U. S. Census returns — the value depending largely upon the intelligence and skill of the individual dairyman, also whether the greater per cent of the dairy product be produced during the winter months when it has the larger commercial value, or during the summer months when it has a less commercial value. In the number and value of cattle other than milch cows Nebraska ranks fourth (4th), having, on January 1st, 1904, 2,355,919 head valued at $41,181,- 464, from which it can be readily seen that there is abundant opportunity to still greatly increase and develop the dairy industry, for under the methods of commercial dairying herein men- tioned, dairying as a business is sue- MEMORANDUM iiit -26— cessful and profitable in the grazing or range sections of the state as well as in those portions more largely devoted to agriculture. i o « "g c ^ o Z 02 >/5 CO ■^ M ■«*< 00 m WOi> — 00 !■- CO l~ CO Ol • • Q'V — I coos I ifi T)> O — "W IMOI t-CO — ICC «o ■*« j> I — i-» 3-. i> O ' 00 — lO •g* in 100 o oi o ■* CO -H ..... ft ■ : : : '.,a g.f- (u cS c8 3 MEMORANDUM -28- The Poultry Industry in Nebraska. (Nebraska's Resources Illustrated, pub- lished January. 1904, by the Nebraska Farmer, Omaha). 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 evi- dences of rapid development. In 1880 the chicken stock of Nebraska num- bered 279,263, with a total egg pro- duct 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 563,665, and an e^g product of 23,300,684 doz- ens. 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 val- ued 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. MEMORANDUM Nebraska's Sugar Beet Industry. ( Report of State Industrial Bureau, 1903.) Sugar factories in state 3 Number of acres planted to beets 18,000 Banner counties for beet raising : Lincoln county 5,000 acres Hall, Red Willow, and Dodge counties 4,200 acres Number counties raising beets 24 Urban Resources. OMAHA AND LINCOLN. Omaha Financial Statement, 1903. Bank clearings $393,805,547 Vol. jobbing business 101,387,500 Manufacturing 130,583,050 Output Omaha smelters 33,809,961 Real estate transfers 6,99^,367 Real estate mortgages, filed 2,435,357 Real estate mortgages, released. . 3,184,092 Building permits issued 1,093,957 Money orders issued at Omaha . . . 484,808 Money orders paid at Omaha — 2,283, 128 Lincoln's Financial Statement, 1903. statement of banking. Capital stock $600,000.00 Surplus and undivided profits . . . 249,960.83 Loans and discounts 382,500.25 Cash and sight exchange 1 ,710,839.22 Deposits 4,885,244.29 Vol. of jobbing business $19,531,000.00 Manufacturing 6,471 ,000.00 Real estate transfers 4,838,090.eo Building permits issued 1,015,020.00 — 31 — MEMORANDUM —32— Educational Statistics. (Report of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, December, 1902.) PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Summary fob the School Year Ending July 14, 190:i. Counties 90 Districts 6,666 School-houses 6,813 Teachers required 9,101 Different teachers employed 9,629 Average monthly salary ot teachers $40.44 Children of school age (5-21) .... 375,340 Total enrollment 290,543 Average daily attendance 185,755 Average length of school year (days) 138 Value of district property $10,281,548.36 Total teachers' wages $2,828,048.94 Amount paid for books and sup- plies $254,123.91 Total expenditures $4,435,338.45 Cost of education per pupil (on enrollment) $15.27 Cost of education per pupil (on average attendance) $23.87 Total indebtedness $3,241,782.82 Graded schools 465 Number of teachers in graded schools 3,152 Number of four-year high school graduates— boys 384, girls 753; total 1.135 Number of three -year high school graduates — boys 197, girls 324; total 521 Private schools 221 STATE UNIVERSITY. Value of grounds and buildings. $1,500,000.00 Appropriation for 1903-1904 839,500.00 Number students 2,560 Number faculty 200 — 33— MEMORANDUM -34 Nebraska's Area and Climate. 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 prop- erly be placed in two distinct classi- fications, agricultural lands and graz- ing 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 prpductive. The central part of the state con- tains large districts of smooth prairie, but all of it sufficiently rolling to admit of perfect drainage, making 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 open ranges of unoccupied government lands, which produce the finest grazing for stock — 35 — MEMORANDUM -26— 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 qual- ity of curing on the ground, and retaining their nutritive properties as a feed almost equal to the fall pas- ture, making it possible for stock to pass the entire winter on the range, independent of any assistance from prepared feed. The superior climatic advantages, both for man and beast, that Nebraska possesses over other sections of the country are worthy the observation 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 Ne- braska, 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 southeast, the direction the prevailing winds travel, its dis- tance from the sea, the constant mo- tion of its atmosphere, the general — 37- MEMORANDUM -38— 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 con- ditions free it from the contaminat- ing influence of atmospheric poisons, usual where these active agencies do not exist. An evidence of the purity of the Nebraska atmosphere is readily observed with the naked eye, in the great distance that objects can be seen. From high elevations the aver- age eyesight will travel miles without the aid of artificial means, thus again proving the excellent condition of the air. Nebraska's Prize Cattle. That Nebraska produces the finest feeding cattle in the world, has been abundantly set forth in the "Grand Champion Prize Steer of America," the blue-roan Challenger, who so easily won over all competitors at the International Fat Stock Show and Exposition at Chicago in 1903, and by the additional evidence of the Grand Champion car-load lots of steers exhibited by the Nebraska Land and Feeding Company that found no — 39— MEMORANDUM equals in the show ring at the Ameri- can Royal at Kansas City in 1903, as well as at the International at Chicago in 1902. Nebraska Possesses: The largest creamery in the world. Two of the largest ice-houses in the world. The champion prize steer of the world. Two of the largest packing houses in the world. One of the largest smelters in the United States. Two of the finest railway stations in the United States. One of the four largest state uni- versities in the United States. Three of the largest beet sugar factories in the United States. The largest single cattle and sheep- feeding yard in the United States. Terminals and headquarters of twenty of the greatest railroad sys- tems in the United States. —41 — MEMORANDUM -42- Nebraska's Grasses. 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 of the state will produce more pounds of beef to the steer, during the grazing 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 production, 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. — 43 — MEMORANDUM —44- Future Development of Nebraska. Nebraska has some 48,000,000 acres of land, and in 1900 only 40 per cent, or 18,432,595 acres, were in the census returns reported as improved. in the number and value of cattle, Nebraska in 1908, ranks fourth, with 3,005,758 head valued at $58,424,527. In the number and value of swine, Nebraska in 1903, ranks fourth, with 2,860,242 head valued at $18,391,536. The total number of swine in the United States January 1, 1904, was 47,009,367, and 36 per cent of this number (17,076,532) is found in the states of Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska. If this is the record with only 40 per cent of the land improved, who dare state in definite terms what the record will be when all the land is improved? ^^^^ 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 com- bined. It is 20,710 square miles —45 — MEMORANDUM greater in area than Iowa. England and Wales combined have less area by 17,093 square miles than Nebraska. It means something to be a citizen of a state with such possibilities in future development before it. There are 8,980.857 acres of govern- ment lands yet in Nebraska subject to homestead entry. Of this class of lands there have been homestead en- tries 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 homestead entries, embracing 12,300 acres, in the month of October, 1903. The possi- bilities for acquiring cheap lands will not always remain an open invi- tation to the people. The available agricultural and stock raising lands of the United States are fast going into the hands of the homesteader and speculator. ■47 _ MEMORANDUM -48- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS NEBRA 016 088 128 8 GURDON ^. rv A-i -Lxjcio, yjiuaua, jri^siucuu Peter Jansen, Jansen, Vice-President. Matt Miller, David City, Treasurer. Harrison G. Shedd, Lincoln, Secretary. NEBRASKA EXHIBITS Palace of Agricultubb, Main Aisle: Nebraska Headquariers and Reception Room, H. G. Shedd, Secretary of State Commission. Nebraska Agricultural Exhibit, Jas. Walsh. Supt. Nebraska Corn Display, Central Special Exhibits. Free Moving Picture Theatre, Vivid and graphic illustration of the real Nebraska. Nebraska Dairy Exhibit (dairy section), S. C. Bassett, Supt. Palace of Horticulture, near North Annex Entrance: Nebraska Exhibit of Apples and Small Fruit, E. M. Pollard, Supt. Palace of Education, Main Aisle North: Nebraska Exhibit of all Educational Institutions, E. H. Barbour, Supt. Palace of Mines, Centre: Nebraska Exhibit of Soils and Building Materials, Minerals, etc., E. H. Barbour, Supt. Exposition Live Stock Shows: Entry of Prize Winners from Nebraska State Fair, Lincoln, 1904. Note.— Copies of this hand-book may be obtained by interested parties at the Ne- biaska Headquarters, Palace of Agriculture, main aisle, World's Fair, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.