Omaha daily bee., 1874-05-16
XII THE COMPASS.
A Flying Trip Through Douglas
County, by way of Sarpy,
Pappillion, Willard
and Elkhorn.
Correspondence of the BEEF
OMAHA, May Is, 1874.

EDITOR BEE:
In a recent trip through the
western and central part of our
aourishing county, we saw many
Improvements that challenged our
admiration, and made us under
stand more readily than by mere
hearsay, that Douglas county is re-
the lead which it has always
held in the State sisterhoOd of
counties. Leaving Omaha by the
U. p. express; going first south
down through Sarpy county, stop
ping for a few moments at the
but fOurishing town of
we pass on through the
most beautiful farming country in
Nebraska - the valleys of the
Pappio's-and twenty miles from
Omaha by rail, (but twelve by
wagon road) we stop at Willard the
first station We reach in Douglas
county. 1t boasts of one of the
finest depot buildings on the U. P;
large, commodious, comfortable,
and is well tenanted by the gentle
manly agent, Mr.. Stewart. The
town site has been but lately laid
out, and is owned chiefly by Mr..
Willard, the banker in our city, in
honor of whom the station is
named. 1t occupies a very pretty
piece of ground on the valley of
of what is called the Big Pappio,
and is surrounded by the best farm
ing land in our State. A very fair
hotel furnishes the "comfOrts of life
at reasonable prices" dispensed by
Mr.. Kaebler.
A very fine storehouse, contain
ing an excellent assortment of gen.
eral merchandise, attracts the atten-
ton of all visitors, who are more
highly delighted after meeting with
the kind and courteous co-proprietor
MI. Cartner, to whom with his ac-
complished lady much of the social
as well as the mercantile success of
Willard is to be attributed. Mr..
Cartner is in partnership with
Messrs. Pomroy & Kennedy, the
firm doing a large business in lum-
Der and general merchandise at
PappilliOn as well as Willard. Mr..
John Green, of Omaha, has a Ware
house at this point for the storage
of grain, large quantities being
handled here yearly. Willard is
sure to be a thriving little point in
time and will well repay any invest
ments there. 1t Is surrounded by
fine farms and live farmers. Per
example at DIR. Links, one mile
from Willard, his daughter intro
duced US t. the "Omaha Daily Bee"
a fine blooded cow, the best mixer
on the farm. We think this stamps
the young lady as a person of good
diScernment.
Mr.. Hollenbeck has a fine farm OF
several hundred acres, q short dis
lance from Willard, and is one OF
the best practical farmers i'm our
county. Leaving Willard again, 60
ing seven miles further on the L.
P, we reached Elkhorn, a very
prosperous ana thriving little town.
Owing to some land dispute, Elk
horn has been at a stand still for
several years, but as that unfortu-
nate affair is now settled, it is TAX
ing quite a start. Its mercantile in
terests are well represented. Mr.. J.
w. Stewart, who has one of the
largest stores, and finest assorted
stocks to be found i'm any small
town between Omaha and Ogden,
pronounGes trade TO be looking up,
and everything indicative of pros
porous and lively times at harvest.
Many buildings are In process of
erection, among others, we notice
one owned by MI. J. r. Silras, the
L. P. travelling photographer, who
has already rented the upper story
to the MasOns for lodge meetings,
and who intends renting the lower
floor for a store room.
BY the way, We had the pleasure
of meeting this gentleman and an
interesting anecdote he relates us of
his first experience in travelling car
photOgrapy may not be amiss here.
About four years ago he thought
that if he could obtain q car of the
U. p, fit it up as a photograph gal
lery, and run it from town to town
on the road that it would be a pro-
fitable, though novel venture. Hav-
ing made ali arrangements, he was
seated in his car one evening ready
to start out on his first trip. He sat
with his elbow out of the window,
and as they were passing through
the yard near where the smelling
works now are, 1t seraped against
some coal car on a switch laying
too close to the main track, and his
arm was broken badly. He tells me
at the time he had but one dollar
and a half in this world beside his
stock in the ar. This unfortunate
accident would have deferred some
men, but not him. He laid off at
ElkhOrn, sent for a brother photog-
rapher from Fremont who had lust
been burnt out; had him tend to his
business while he was sick; took it
i'm charge himself when well, and
has been doing a fine business ever
since. Verify, "the darkest hour is
just before day."
G. n. Crawford, Esq, is refitting
his store-rOOm, preparatory to going
into business again, and as he adds
great energy and shrewdness to his
other good qualities, he cannot fail
to be successful.
Now, as to the educational inter-
ests, as this is one which, of course,
greatly interests all new corners.
Elkhorn boasts of one of the finest
schools in the county. 1t is under
the are of Prof. John Rush, one of
the ablest and oldest Douglas county
teachers. While he has charge,
as he is by a live district
board, the school affairs of Elkhorn
will be above par.
TheSilvar House has been refitted
and furnished throughout, and is
satisfaction to all while un.
der the charge of the obliging host,
Mr.. Burton.
We understand that a lumber
yard is about to be opened at this
that arrangements are about
completed whereby stock yards will
be opened, and many other improve
nents which space and time forbids
our mentioning in this letter. !
Douglas county has several thriv-
ng towns in the western part, all