The Portland daily press., 1890-03-03
cIimpses Of the Frontier.

On account of the severe storm a small
audience greeted Rev. FL. K. Warren at High
street church last evening in his lecture.
"Glimpses of the Frontier" The speaker
has recently assumed the presidency of Gates
College, Neigh, Nebraska. lie described
the wonderful development of the city of
Omaha, the barren rolling prairies of North
Nebraska. the excellence of the school houses
compared with the homes of the people, the
sod houses Of the early settlers, the ranches,
the sand hills and the school and church
life Of the frontier towns. 1t seems that the
percentage OF illiteracy in Nebraska is less
than in any other state in the Union. That
section of the state already has fiourishing
Chantauqua assembly two or three years old
In the village of Long Pine. The develop
ment of North Nebraska which is the newer
part of the state has not proceeded far
enough to have large towns ana cities but
still there are between three and four hun
ldred thousand people already there and they
come at the rate of twenty thousand year
to that part of the state. The area of
North Nebraska is greater that that Of the
State of Maine. If the eastern end were
placed on, Massachusetts bay the western
would be out in Lake Erie. Four-fifths of
the northern part of the state is arabic land,
the west is becoming valuable for pasturage
and the outlook is that all will be ultimately
brought into use. 1t appears that the rain
fall increases with settlement not only be-
cause of tree planting but by the mere OPEN
ing of the soil. The tough fibrous prairie
sod sheds water like roof sending it into
the brooks and streams, and it is quickly
gone, But when the prairie is broken and
the earth upturned, the rain sinks in,
evaporates, returns again, making greater
and more evenly distributed rainfall For
this reason and because, through the pre-
cautions of the settlers, prairie fires cease to
run, tie most desolate sand tracts of the
western part are being overspread with grass
and becoming more and more desirable for
pasturage. In this great area, so rapidly
filling up with people, Gates College is the
only institution of college grade, and so
seems to have large and unoccupied field.
1t has been running nearly eight years and
graduates its .rst senior class next June.
The Christian character and influence of the
Institution has been really remarkable.
Nearly every student who comes under its
teaching Is led to Christ. 1t has the Oldest
Il ~ " IL III tho obdto VI NeDl2SKa. Inc
country is poor as yet, the farmers struggling
with debts necessarily incurred in develop
ing their holdings and hence the students
VINO come are almost without exception in
straitened circumstances and it becomes
necessary to put every charge down to the
lowest possible point. Tuition is only about
500 year, and the young people board for a
dollar and seventy-fve cents week. MANY
OF the students entirely, most in part, pay
their own way. The institution has recital
tion hall and chapel, and dormitory for
young ladies only.
President Warren is in the East visiting
old and making new friends for the college.
and securing the needed funds for the ex.
penses of the current year,