The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-14
;0MAHA'S PIONEER PAPER
First Journalistic Light That
Beamed in Nebraska.
Launched Forth as the "Arrow" and
Enjoyed an Existence of Twelve
DaHs-An Oak stump the Editorial
Chair-Conxtituents and NciEhbors
of the Editor.

OMAHA. Ncb., Sept. 11.-Before me lie
twelve torn and faded sheets. which beai
the title the Omaha Arrow" and which
make a complete file of the first newspa-
per that was published upon Nebraska soil.
No. i is dated July rs. 1854, less than four
weeks after the day when the new Ter
ritory was legally opened for settlement.
In many ways the Arrow illustrates the
strong. self-reliant spirit of the pioneer
ing days; II might well be said that mo
gentleman's library is complete without
st." but unfortunately these old sheets are
now very rare. l shall try TO show some
thing of the temper and humor of the men
who managed the venture, and also some
thing of the difficulties which opposed the--
and which they conquered.
The city OF Omaha now holds about l5o,-
600 people, and has all the advantages and
the dignities Of other cities OF its size
in other neighborhoods, no matter What
their age may be. The citizens are PROUD
of thci, home. not only because oil wha'
A. now is. but also because of the strong
growth 1t has made-a growth rapid and
sure as that of young giant. Until the
I'd day of July, 1854. the site OF the city
was wilderness. occupied by camps Oh
Omaha Indians. There were several rea-
sons why the General Government desired
to have these lands opened for settlement,
and a treaty was made with the omahas
by which they coded their rights, ana
made it possible for the whites to occupy
and cultivate the soil. July was the date
fixed for the first entry of claims. Before
that time the whites had been permitted
to cross the territory, en- route to Utah,
California, and other places in the far
West and there were some traders, mis-
sionaries and Indian agents living here,
but no white man had legal title to an
acre of the ground for his own use. IL
was known that some of the newly opened
lands were rich and very desirable. and
as the day approached when entry was TO
occur, there were many who gathered
upon the eastern bank Of the missouri
River, waiting to cross.
Opposite the site of the city of Omaha
stood the bustling trading village OF
Council Bluffs, where supplies were sold
to the emigrant trains that were prepar-
ing to cross the plains, and where the
pioneers of the region could buy the
necessary tools arms, and provisions
At several places up and down the river
we're other similar towns. but at omana
there was only a landing place Tor the
old-fashioned ferryboats, nothing mere
Yet before the month of July had passed
the FIRST number of the Omaha Arrow
appeared.
Chock Full of Ambition.
1t was an ambitious little paper, as one
may Judge from the headline, in which
It describes itself as "a family newspa-
Der, devoted to the arts. sciences, gen.
eral literature. agriculture, and pol-ti
], E. johnson and John ". Pattison are
named as editors and proprietors, and
the following is a part of the first edi-
torial:
We'll. strangers. friends, patrons, and
good people generally, wherever in the
wide world your lot may be cast. here we
are upon Nebraska soil, seated upon the
stump of an ancient oak, which serves for
an editorial chair, and the top of our badly
abused beaver hat for a table, We propose
editing a leader for the Omaha Arrow.
An elevated tableland surrounds us; the
majestic Missouri just on on our left goes
sweeping its muddy course down toward
the Mexican Gulf, while the background OF
the pleasant picture is filled up with Iowa s
loveliest. richest scenery Yon rich, roll
ing. widespread, and beautiful prairie. dot
ted with timber. looks lovely enough Just
IN beauty the lights and shades TO be lit
orally entitled the Eden land Of the world.
and inspire us with flights Of fancy upon
this antiQuated beaver; but II won't pay.
There sticks our axe in the trunk OF an
old oak whose branches have for years
been famed by the breezes that constant
ly sweep from over the Outlines flower
dotted prairie lea, and from which We pro-
pose making a log for our cabin and claim.
L. lxxa< nj ftlx
forest decked in their native fnery.
They approach and stand before us in our
sanctum That dancing feather which
adorns his head once decked the gaudy
plumage OF the mountain eagle. TIE
shades of the rainbow appear on their
faces. They extend the hand of friend
ship with the emphatic "cuggy how
Chow are you, friendly. and knowing our
business. request us by signs and sestic-
ulations to write in the Arrow" to the
Great Fnther that the Omahas want
what he has promised them. and they
ask us also to write no bad about
them
THE Arrows" target will be the gen.
eral interest and welfare of this highly
favored, new, and beautiful Territory.
upon which we have now for the first
time established regular weekly paper.
Our cast is decidedly young American
In spirit and politics.
The pioneering squatter and the I'M
civilized red men are our constituents
and neighbors; the wolves and deer our
travelling companions. and the wild birds
and prairie winds our musicians-nore
highly appreciated than all the carefully
prepared concerts of earth. Surrounded
by associations, circumstances, and
scenes like these, what do you expect
from u.s. anxious reader? Don't be dis
appointed IL you do not always get that
which is Ineligible and polished from
our pen 1--WE mean those of the East and
South; the pioneers understand our dia-
lect). Take. therefore, what you get
with kindly heart and no grumbling
. We will now shoulder our aka
and bid you adieu until next week"
Following this editorial was a notice:
The Arrow" is published on Friday OF
each week at Omaha City, Nebraska Ter