Omaha daily bee., 1883-07-10
NORFOLK.
A City Uf Railroads, The Future Me.
tTOpOliS Of the BlkhOTn Valley,
Why the North Platte Country is not
More Thickly settled.

''f htn"
NORFOLK. Ncb., July d.-Col. Charles
Matthowson, who died about three years
ago, was the founder of this town, hav.
ing built a mill in 1870 upon a consider
able stream which emptics into the Elk.
horn river near here, the North Fork
from which the name Norfolk. This
%etymulogy is correct; let no corrcspon-
dent If the next decade weave any COM
plimcmt to the North Platte country by
tracing the name of its future metropolis
to North Folk" however interesting
that derivation might be. 1t requires
pluck to turn ones back to the comforts
of civilization, to push out onto the raw
prairie and there, with Indians and coy
otes for company, to build the solitary
house which shall he the nucleus of u
city. Next to the patriot who gives his
life in battle for his government stands
the patriot who devotes n life t. clearing
the wilderness or breaking the prairie,
that his children may live i'll comfort and
prominence. Col. Matthewson built his
mill and a homestead near by. The road
stretching westward from there to the
hills is now the principal thoroughfarc of
a city of fifteen hundred people; Il long
and a handsome street, lined for six
squares with business houses and the
rest of the way with residences of the
prosperous inhabitants.
The greatest part of this growth has
been within the last two years, since the
railroads came here. Norfolk has three
lines now, stretching out in five direc-
tions. 1t is the terminus of the Omaha,
Nisbrara n Black Hills railroad, known
as the "Union Pacific and which CON
meets with that road at Columbus; of the
Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis q Omaha
line, usually called the Alphabet road
which runs from here to Sioux City; of
the Creighton branch of the Sioux City
d Pacific, running north into Knox
county; and it is Oh the main line of the
Sioux City & Pacific, between Blair and
Valentine. With all these highways the
future of Norfolk seems secured. The
Z. p. and c., st. p, M. d o. roads have
a union depot up town; the s. c. Is p.
built their depot about a mile and a half
from town, on the bottom land, and laid
out a quantity of town lots in the hope of
drawing the city down to them, but it is
building in just the opposite direction, on
the hills, to prevent overflow. For if
there is one thing that can be complained
of, it is that the town is situated on too
low Il piece of ground. Speaking of rail
roads, it was reported here yesterday
that grading had just been commenced at
Wakefield, in Dixon county, northward,
for the proposed line of the c., st. p,
M. & o. railroad through Cedar county
to Yankton. This will give Omaha a di-
rect line to Yankton, but rather dampens
the prospects of the Omaha & Northern.
NORFOLK ENTERPRISES.
Col. Matthewson left two sons. Char
ley and 1.-The Major" Everybody
knows Charley" Matthewson, ex-speak-
er of the house. He has a solid bank
here in a substantial building, and the
Major takes care of the mill, which is
about to change its old machinery for
the roller system, the improvements to
cost S $4,000. 1t has the best of power,
for the north fork has a deep bank, a
greater fall, and is not so wide as the
Elkhorn. Near by is Norfolk's great
pride, the store of j. E. Olney, and it is
really something to be proud of. 1t is a
building 32x12S, which cost SIG, 900.
He has for sale almost any article that a
farmer would desire, from a needle to a
carpet or a suit of clothes, all arranged
with wonderful neatness. We Glanced
to Oyerhear n conversation in this store
which will interest Omaha people. A
Chicago drummer had come in and was
endeavoring to make some sales to Mr..
Olney; but the latter persistently replied:
"No. sir. ! can get goods more cheaply
right here Of Paxton IL Gallagher, who
have established a branch store III Nor
folk w. S. Spencer, who has for some
time acted for this Omaha firm in north
ern Nebraska, has charge of this new es-
adjustment, which is in the very best
situation to supply the whole Elkhorn
valley. In the way of churches, the
town is well provided, the Congregation
al, Methodist, Catholic and German Luz
theran all having houses Of worship.
Lots on the main street are becoming too
valuable to hold churches, so they are
being moved off. On the spot where the
German church stood, which sold for
81, $50, Burroughs q Egbert, two young
men from Indiana, who are making
money here in the building business, in
tend to put up a bank. In the spring
DR., Bear thinks of erecting II hotel
about the center of the town. and DR..
Richards contemplates IA brick block,
50xS0.
1t seemed like g tting back to Omaha
to enter so good a hotel as the Pacific; it
is neat, it is roomy, its table is well pro-
vided. And it has II m%enagerie. Not
that Omaha hotels have menageries, but
this interesting collection Of animals is
inducement enough to travellers to put
up here, so they may occupy their leisure
hours in watching the mannuvers of the
baby bear, the prairie wo.f, the intelli-
gent coon, the deer, the little minks.
This collection is in the side yard and the
guests sit around on the sidewalk half
the time, petting these animals, for they
are very tame, or watching them play.
On the counter in the office the traveller
will be startled when he registers to see
a furry ball at his elbow unroll into a
little wolf and look inquisitively at him.
Beyond the Pacific house, across the u.
p, track lies what will be the residence
portion of Norfolk, on a gently sloping
hill. George Graves, who owns five or
six lumber yards hereaboutsand a pinery
in Wisconsin has IA 50, 900 residence on
this street; Major Matthewson has put
1000 into his new house; next to him
c. p. Matthewson has five lots for build
ing soon; Mr.. McClare, the dry goods
merchant, also has a 81, 900 house. Lots