Omaha daily bee., 1900-01-30
IOWA EDITORS VISIT OMAHA
Large Delegation from Along the Line Of
the Illinois Central.
ARE eutsTS OF THE RAILROAD COMPANY
Entertained by Commercial Club In
n visit 10 Packing House District
and Bnnquetcd by Illinois
Central.

A party OF newspaper men from the towns
along the line of the Illinois Central rail-
road between Dubuque and Council Bluns,
accompanied the first train over the Illinois
Central from Chicago to the new western
terminus-Council Bluffs and Omaha. They
were the guests of the Illinois Central OFF,
cials and were in charge of Col. J. F. Merry
of Dubuque. assistant general passenger
agent. Accompanying him were ]. A.
Wheeler OF Waterloo, travelling passenger
agent; II. j. Phelps, city passenger agent at
Chicago, and Superintendent c. X. Dixon OF
Cherokee.
The newspaper men reached Council
Bluffs at 1O:3O Monday and were
met at the depot by the mayor,
city officials, committee represent
ing the professional and business men OF
the city, and delegation of Omaha citizens.
Owing to delays incidental to the Inaugural
tion of the new passenger service the train
was two hours behind the time
scheduled for its arrival at Coun-
Gil Bluffs. AS consequence the
stay of the visiting editors was shortened
and the program previously arranged was
necessarily curtailed. When the train
reached Council Bluffs two large motor cars
were in waiting, and the visitors were -aken
directly to the Grand hotel, where break
fast was served About 100 of the promi-
nent business and professional men of Coun-
! ell Bluffs were on hand to greet the Iowa
mouders of public opinion and to extend
! royal welcome to them. Mayor Jennings
made short address of welcome, and was
! followed by other speakers. After break
! fast the visitors were taken through the
| implement district and left for Omaha
shortly after noon.
/ The party was met at Council Bluffs by
Messrs. c. d. Thompson and Isaac Car
penter, representing the Omaha Commercial
! club 1t was escorted across the river in
trolley cars reaching the intersection OF
Thirteenth and Douglas streets at 1850.
There cars were taken at once for South
Omaha, the visitors being accompanied by
a committee comprising R. F. Hodgin, F.
! STANDARD, Isaac Carpenter and A. Hospc.
At South Omaha members of the CONNER
| cal club of that place joined in the eX-
! tension OF the courtesies of the city, aud
| the visitors were shown through the Ar
mour and Swift packing establishments and
| through the stock yards and Stock ex-
| change. Expressions of UNIVERSAL surprise
were heard from them at the growth of the
stock industry in the Magic City. Return
ing to Omaha at o'clock the eXcursionists
were taken north to Twenty-second and
Cunning street. coming down the Walnut
Hill line TO Harney street, then west on
Harney past the city library, back over the
same line to the depots and through the
jobbing district and then up town to the
Commercial club.
1t had been originally intended to tender
a luncheon to the party at the club rooms
at o'clock, but owing to the delay in
reaching the city 1t was declared off. A
number of business men had, however, as
sembled there to welcome the visitors.
Reception in Omnhn.
Some punch and cigars were dispensed and
an impromptu reception was held. Euclid
Martin, as president of the club, expressed
the pleasure 1t afforded him to bid well
come to the guests. He believed that there
were in Omaha the elements for the build
ing of vast city with great jobbng in
terests South Omaha had developed in a
few years from a cornfield to it's present
proportions He spoke of the vast tributary
territory to the west and east and said that
Omaha, the center of this great agrcul-
tura district, is dependant upon the good
will and support Of its people, which it hoped
to merit and win. He hoped that mutual
good would result from this visit and he
extended the grip and glad hand of west
ern welcome. He called upon Edward Rose
water to speak for the Omaha press.
Mr.. Rosewater said he esteemed it high
privilege to extend welcome for the Omaha
press. Doubtless many OF the visitors were
enjoying their first trip to the city. Those
who had been here for fifteen or sixteer
years had witnessed marvsls, but those who
like himself, had been here for thirty-s sis
years, had seen great deal more. At thai
remote period the spot covered by the build.
ing in which the guests were being wei.
coined was outside of the city. He had seer
Omaha grow from city of about 900 to It's
present considerable proportions. Speaking
of Omaha as a newspaper field, Mr.. Rose
water said that there are no more papers
in Omaha now than there were in the earl!
! 70s, but the field of those here had beer
widened and the Chicago paper has beer
brought into competition. He hoped tina
the visitors had encountered the western
push, energy and civilization of the cit!
and as one example OF it he invited thos
! present to visit The Bee building and in
, spect the workings of its departments. Th
people c: Omaha had entertained great ex
!, , pectations from the coming of the Illinois
Central, which he felt confident they will
realize.
Raymond Responds.
Captain L. b. Raymond OF the Hampton
. Reporter, in responding for the Iowa pres
crowd, assured the people of Omaha tha
=, got a good thing, and when they got AS
. sistant General Passenger Ageat Merry in
terested in the city they got another goo
thing Up in his section the Illinois Cen
/ trail was regarded with peculiar affection an
Colonel Merry is looked upon as the trie
. and true friend OF the newspaperman.
had been his fortune to visit Omaha bac
in 1867 and while he would like to say some
thing OF Omaha as it was then, he did no
n want to say anything that was untrue II
A had visited Lincoln and Council Bluffs a
i, that time also, and the line Ct cities alon
:, the western bank OF the Missouri teache
=, him that he was mistaken in his estimate c
:, the foresight and energy of the Yankee i'm
= migrant. fle said that the people OF north
= ern Iowa are buying most OF their good
= now in Omaha. and the Illinois Central /
= sure to bring that section into closer rela
, lions with the city.
y. w. Carver, formerly OF the Dubuqu
= Herald said he took Greeley's advice befor
e ii was given and went to Iowa forty fou
u years ago. when it was still the home of tn
e red man and was the western boundary @
e civilization. He told of having ridden al
g over the state in the saddle, as there wa
d not rod OF railroad then in IT. and invite