The Portland daily press., 1868-04-20
The Growing ~ est.
OMAHA AND COUNCIL BLUFFS.
OMAHA, NEB., April Is, 1868.

OMAHA, NEB., April 13, 1868.
To The Editor Of the Press:
As this place has become one of considara.
BILE importance since the opening of the Union
Pacific Railroad, and has been, and still il tbs
great centering point of all westward immi-
grafton, it may be interesting to soma of
your readers, away down in Maine, to learn
something of the place from one who has ''been
tnefe. The city is situated on the western
bank OF the Missouri river, on high bluff.
overlooking the river and some two hundred
rods from 1t, while the levee lies between. on
which are built the tracks of the Pacific rail-
road.
Every day witnesses the arrival of hundreds
of young men, from the East, who have LETT
home, friends, social privileges, al, and, tax
ing up the cry Of westward, Ho." have coma
hlther, TO seek homes and fortune in this new
country, and that lying still west aud now be-
ing opened by the progress of the railroad TO-
ward the Pacific Ocean. 1 am informed that
to-day, there are from fifteen hundred to two
thousand young men here, seeking employ
ment, and finding none, and many of them
with no money to pay their board, much less
to take them away. A gentleman told me to-
day that he hid had his garden worktd over
this spring. at least a dozen tunes, by men
who had begged him for something to do, and
rather than offer them charity, he let them
dig over his garden and then gave them
enough to keep along for awhile.
During last year, large numbers left Maine
for Omaha, and still larger numbers have got
it ION the brain: and it is more particularly
for the benefit of these, that / write.
That Council Bluffs is one day to become a
place of -rge commercial importance as a dis
tributing point for the immense country living
beyond cannot be denied, for its natural posi-
ton on the Missouri opening it to communica.
ton with the outer world by water, aud the
various lines of raj roa centering there, COM
bine to give it such advantages as are enjoyed
by no place west OF Chicago.
COUNCIL BLUFFS
is situated across the river in Iowa and Ger.
tainly is place of great promise. There ia a
feeling of intense rivalry existing between
the two places which to an outsider is ouite
amusing. Both claim the victory in the re-
cent location of the great bridge, across the
Missouri aud the people of each seem to ,hink
it will build them up and kill their neighbor's
prosperity,
To melt seems that the interests of Council
Bluffs and Omaha are identical, and they
should lay aside all feelings of petty rivalry,
and go to work to secure whatever of advan-
tage they can from their natural positions
Through the courtesy of j. w. Palmer, ESQ.,.
was shown what has already been done aud
projected for the advancement OF the inter-
ests OF the city, which already dreams of be-
coming the national capital
A great many buildings are going up this
season in Council Bluff, as well as in Omaha,
and great activity in real estate prevails.
George Francis Trains "corner lots" are in
good demand. A portion of the south part of
the city is called "Trainville," in honor of the
distinguished gentleman recently lying in
"durance vile" across the Atlantic
In view of what 1 have been able to learn
by observation and inquiry during a three
days sojourn here 1 would say to any who
contemplate coming to Omaha, Don't come
unless you have suff Jient money to pay your
way for some weeks if nothing turns up be-
FORE"
go down the river to-day to Nebraska city
and back to Chicago, my present home,
through Missouri, Uia st. Joseph.
J.. &C.