Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-24
WERE OMAHA Capital WOULD COUNT

WHERE OMAHA CAPITAL Would COUNT
There is a tide in the affairs of cities,
as well as of men, which taken at the
food, leads on to fortune. The lni-
pending acquisition Of the Omaha Street
railway system by an eastern syndicate
of capitalists will place several million
dollars at the disposal Of the present
owners to be invested where, in their
1t will bring the most profit
able returns and prove most
geous to their interests.
In view of the fact that nearly all
NJ the present owners of the Omaha
Street railway and recently acquired
Council Bluffs and Omaha lines are busi-
ness men largely interested IN Omaha
it may be taken for granted that they
will give Omaha the preference over
any other locality In investing their
money in enterprises that would promote
nmaha's industrial and commercial
growth.
In our Judgment, no project, not e1-
cepting v the establishment OF the
proposed power canal, ould give
greater impetus to omaha's growth and
prosperity than a pipe line from the oil
fields Of wyoming to Omaha. The e1-
istence of vast oil deposits in the Big
Horn district and other sections OF
wyoming was known to explorers ana
pioneers west Of the Rockies years be-
fore he Union Pacific railroad was
built. The oil fields of Wyoming, 1t Is
believed, have an almost inexhaustible
quantity, not only Of petroleum, but also
of ~ubricating oil, much more valuable
thar petroleum and more valuable h
the products Of the Ohio, Texas or Penn
sylvania oil gushers.
The only reason the Wyoming oil
fields have not been developed before
this is their remOteness from any rail-
road and the consequent expense In
volved in the transportation OF the prod
uct. A pipe line from the Wyoming oil
fields to Omaha, or rather to the vicinity
of South Omaha, would solve the prob
lem. 1t would, moreover, make Omaha
a second Cleveland az a refining and
oil distribution center. 1t would deliver
at our doors the most concentrated and
vet the cheapest fuel that could ever
be secured, which would mean cheaper
power than could be secured by any
other agency, not excepting even the
power supplied by the proposed Platte
rival canal.
While no correct estimate can be
formed Of the cost Of a pipe line from
the Wyoming oil fields to Omaha, the
approximate cost is estimated at less
than $3,0OO,00O, which would be a mere
bagatelle, considering the incalculable
benefits to be derived from such project.
Assuming that the enterprise would In
volve an outlay Of even $5,Oo0,0o0, there
can be no doubt that with an actual
expenditure of one-third Of that sum
the promoters could readily secure ali
the necessary capital by bonding the
lines, as has been done in Ohio, Penn
s~ylvania, Indiana and other states that
now have pipe line connections with the
oil regions.
The possibilities Of development in
consequence OF the establishment of oil
refneries, factories and mills, that are
usually operated In conjunction with
such plants, would Of course include the
laying out OF suburban factory towns
and villages and numerous enterprises
that spring up in every great q n
featuring enter under modern condi-
tiOns.
The Bee could name half a dozen men
in Omaha who by united effort could
connect Omaha with the Wyoming oil
fields within twenty-four months, II they
would put their shoulders to the wheel
and venture In earnest upon fioating
the enterprise. The question is, VIII
they do it, Are they fully awake to
the opportunity aud p~ublie-spirited
enough TO invest their money where it
viii give Omaha a tremendous lift and
at the same time repay double, and pos
sibly treble or q~uadruple, the money
they would have to invest?