Omaha daily bee., 1881-06-16
CITY OF SHADES TREE
How Blair is Prospecting in the
Dog Days.

Correspondence OF THE big.
BLAIR, Neb., June 10 Blair is
among the most beautiful and pros
porous towns in Nebraska. Greater
taste has been exhibited in the beau
tifying of yards and shading of streets
than is usually seen in western towns.
Some credit is due Major Barrett, one
of the early superintendent of the
Sioux City & Pacific Railway, for the
start-which was given this enter
prise by him personally. 1t is asserted
the two parks between the depot
grounds and the town that to-day
occasion so many happy re-
marks, were started under his
orders, and at his own personal ex-
pense. The Sioux City e Pacific
railway company owned the town site,
and in giving title to any lot insert
the p~roviso that at least three trees
shall be planted on the street in front
of it. This insures endless shade, and
truly no town can boast of more beau
tiful streets. Blair was founded in
1869, and named in honor of John J..
Blair, hen chief proprietor of the
Sioux City & Pacific company. Its
history is one of moderate but steady
growth and continued prosperity.
The present population is LOO. 1t
has sixty business firms, fourteen pro-
fessional men, a steam tiouriug mill,
five churches, two railways, and a
graded school, employing eight teach.
ers and attended by $40 pupils. The
increase in attendance during the
past year is 1O4. The Blair Pilot of
last week contains an admirable re.
view of the city, in which the city
treasury is reported in a fourishing con-
dition. An excellent trade is enjoyed
by all her merchants, and Blair is
known to all the travelling men as a
prompt-paying town.
A number of fine brick buildings
have been erected on the business
stl Gets during the past year, and a
number will be added to the list this
season.
j. II. Hungate is preparing to build
a brick building for his bank on the
corner of Washington street and
Walker avenue, and Gus Lundt will
erect a brick building on Walker
avenue adjoining it, for his hardware
store.
The blacksmith and other
shops r being moved
from the busy part of the town
to make room for mercantile houses.
The steam mill has been purchased by
Scott & Webb, a firm from Iowa, and
is kept very busy. The st. Paul q
Sioux City and the Sioux City Il Pa
cific will build a union passengerd depot
at the crossing of the tracks. The st.
Paul & Sioux City will build n freight
depot a little to the south of it, and
the Sioux City e Pacific a new freight
warehouse somewhat to the west of
the new passenger depot.
The hotel accommodations of Blair
are better than ever. Messrs.
Cheney & Clark are running the City
Hotel in fine style. Major Cheney
is known rs one of the best hotel men
in the west, and this is the fourth ho-
tel in this section with which his
name is connected.
A sad accident occurred Sunday, a
few miles south from here. John
Rosenbourn, twenty yeaIs of age, was
drowned while bathing in a water hole
known as More's lake. The lake is
not more than ten feet deep, and
ninety feet wide, and was not consid-
cred dangerous for anyone who could
take care of himself in the water. 1t
is said that Rosenbourn was an ordi-
nary swimmer.