The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-02
THE COURSE OF EMPIRE.

oMAHA, NED, sept ~, ioOS.
The Missouri river bounds Nebraska on the east.
This city lies about midway between the southeast.
corner of the State at the Kansas line and the
northeastern point opposite Sioux City, Iowa, where
the river, bending upwards towards the west forms
part OF the Northern boundary OF the state. Fiji
teen years ago there were no permanent settlements
IN Nebraska. Occasional companies OF Saints on ther
pilgrimage to the city OF Salt LAKE. or OF pioneers
and emgrants TO the newly discovered treasure
mines of the Pacific SLOPE passed over the Territory
with their wagon trains; but most OF TINS travel
came through Kansas, further SOUTH Naturally
the eastern, or river counties OF Nebraska, were
settled first. Pioneer settlers crossed over here
from Council Bluffs. Others crossed at other
points above and below. Soon afterwards sites for
towns and cities were established at intervals along
the river banks. When the rage for locating them
was at Its height settlements quickly succeeded one
another, and naming them In order from north to-
south, as the river fows-Dacotan Decatur, Central
city, Tekema, Arizona, Cunning City, De Solo, Fort
Calhoun, Florence, Omaha Bellevue, Piatismonth.
Kanosha Nebraska City, Brownsville and Ruio
sprang into existence; but some OF them are yet
towns and cities proper less In reality than IN name.
Since then interior towns of more Or less Importance,
present and prospective, have been laid out. The
paper plans Of all such towns ana cities showing
streets and lots, named and numbered, and squares
cases indications OF what they laln would be and
may rather than what they are in fact. But some
or them are thriving towns containing from several
hundred to several thousand Inhabitants ana have
already made astounding progress. The growth OK
one Is but counterpart IN more or leas degree, OF
that of each and all the Others.
Omaha Is the largest, most popuous and, In some
respects the most enterprising ana promising city
In Nebraska. 1t has little than just entered
tfof avn "a n act 4
infancy city. 1t stands some sixty feet above
high water mark, on line plateau backed by buas,
and q convenient distance from the fiat bottom
lands Of the Missouri river some OF which are sub
ject 10 overflow. On these lands, or on that part
OF them which lie above the lowest level OF the river,
the extensive storehouses and workshops OF the
Union Pacific Railroad Company are onlt Inc
buildings and the side tracks cover many acres.
Here locomotives are repaired and freight and pas
senger cars constructed some OF the coaches being
unrlvaied for the comfort and elegance Of their APP
pontments and the beauty OF tnelr nnish; and here
Is done vast amount or miscellaneous WORK incl
dental to such an immense concern as the Union Pas
cihc Railroad with its H. 500 aud locomotives,
ITS numerous way stations with their Offices freight
houses, eating houses, water tanks aud windmills;
Its bridges ana s SNOW IenceI nna snow s sneas
here iron bridge, seventy feet high and haif
mile long, is being built across the Missouri river by
OF 81, 100000. AT least year must elapse before
trains Will pass over IL, and the Atlantic and Pacific
be thus united by an unDroken line OIL rail-.
Until eighteen months ago Omaha was the capital
OF Nebraska; but the capital Is now at Lincoln, q
and os o esno @ sst
crest OF the line OF bluffs Which forms the back
ground OF the city. TINS building and Its grounds
have been donated by the State to the city for the
purpose Of q high school, The building, however,
mas been pronounced unsafe and s 70 be replaced
by q more substantial one The Legislature gave
this school permanent and munhcent endow-
ment, arising from the moneys receivable Tor nnes
and licenses under the city ordinances These now
amount to an annual income OF $50 900, and must
increase Immensely with the city. From Capitol
Hi you have fine view Of the streets below and Of
.a IN nTrU a
with perfect regularity, like those VI all the other
towns and cities None Of the streets In Omaha
Arrangements are being made Tor On extensive
system OF sewerage, and as that work progresses
hue Of horse runs up OF the business tho
rougbfares and along the base OF the bluf tho
suburbs. At mrs, a s enterprise, afeaay
places the sidewalks are temporary wooden ones,
but IN Others they are nagged with granite. A num-
Der OF fine blocks Of business buildings have been
erected. A large amount OF capital Is employed In
business 1t is asserted that at the end OF the quar-
ter which closed last june there was more bankinR
capital employed In the city Of Omaha alone than In
the whole State OF Kansas, In the whole State Of
Missouri outside st. Louis. The wholesale trade ia
eh,eny confined to heavy groceries, iron and nas
for building purposes. Of course the retail trade
covers many branches An important aud busy one
Is mat embracing agricultural Implements Many
OF them are being seAt cut TO settlements IN the
Interior.
value 10 an almost fabulous extent. On the business
streets eligible building lots which were estimated
that are now purchased at $1,000 In localities
chosen for private residences lots three times the
size OF business lots are worth from 1900 to So 0oO.
Some Imposing detached private dwellings adorn
the slopes and summit of the bluffs. Water - now
procured from wells. but eventually reservoir VIII be
constructed on the hills TO which water Will be forced
from the Missouri river TO supply the houses The
gas works have capacity sufficient TO meet the wants
OF O city of $780, 900 inhabitants. The citizens OF
omaha now assume resident population OF over
10000 but as that would be nearly one-ourth the
whole population OF the State the estimate OF Omaha
1oating population. ~ number OF line houses OF WOr-
ship. representing dnerent religious denominations,
are already finished, and others are being erected.
These however, are more than counterbalanced by
larger number OF places OF resort whose tendencies
are rather towards pefnicious influence on the
youth or Omaha. Gambling Is permitted, aud il
practlsed to large extent. Several establishments
for PLAYING keno and other games remind you OF
New Orleans where similar eStaD ishments are fegu-
larry legalIzed. And there are other haunts OF
exceptional character. Among the public places OF
amusement there are what they call the Academy or
Music, the Academy OF Fun and The Theatre Coz
mIqGe. In which, respectively the managers an
n0unce-Chdren In arms are not admitted, cards OF
admission are good for refreshments, and stamping
OF feet and cat-caling are pronihlted The city has
some fine billiard halls Ia the leading one OF which
the passing attraction Is an amateur billiard t0urna-
ment. A new and more extensive hall Ii now nearly
inished and Is to be nauguraed by brilliant tour1
nament In which the most celebrated players In the
luted slates VII contend Tor tue most costly cue
ever manufactured. -" - gysss'>'S29sSts, -,
Naturally enough, society is yet In a more or less
abnormal state in Omaha. there are comparatively
lew ladies III the city. Young men compose the
larger part OF its inhabantsa characteristic OF ali
newly established towns and cities In the West.
They live In hotels and boarding houses. At the
chie hotels board Is on par, only as to price, with
that at those IN the great commercial cities farther
east. AS commercial city Omaha must keep The
lead Of all Others In Nebraska at least for many
years. IL aspires to monopoiize considerable BUSH
that la now transacted IN Chicago st. Louis and
New York; but so does Nebraska CITY, to the south OF
this; does each OF the other youthful cities Ne
bfaska, and 80 does Council Bluns, la Iowa.
Between Council Bluils and Omaha there Is rivalry
as marked as that between 81. Louis ana Chicago.
Omaha pooh-poohs across the river at Council
Blufs, and Council BUNS looks down from her hiIls
dsdainfully on Omaha. The Western news papers
OF which Omaha has two, published every day, save
Monday-are invariably the organs OF one other OF
the two great political parties OF the United States.
The editors delight III banterlng each Other politi.
cally aud personally.
Atogethef DO not suppose there Ia more wicked
ness In Omaha In proportion to Its size, than in
some OF the larger cities east OF the Mississippi
md Inf I'm tlofrl hut Nnp