The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1902-01-25


was the map used by that official i'm 10
eating the counties referred To. From
the reports of the territorial legislat-
urcs Mr.. Sayre then drew and coloTed
a series of maps representing the state
and counties i'm every phase of the
changes created by the federal govern
ment and by the Legislature. The bills
changing the boundaries Of the Coun-
ties and describing their location by
their relation To rivers or other natural
boundaries are occasionally very much
mixed geographically. Where there is
a conflict between the actual tOpog-
raphy and the geography of the leg
iSlatorS, an irreConCiliable discrepancy.
Mr.. Sayre marked il conflict. and
went on to the next confusing phase of
county reorganization. In the original
territory set aside as Nebraska by the
federal government two counties We're
first organized and named Morton and
Wilson counties respectively. This was
when the territory of Nebraska inClud-
ed large slices of the states which now
bound it on the west, north and south.
The magnificent area called Morton
county. in honor of Mr.. ]. Sterling Nor
ton was lost to the state of Nebraska
by being appOrtiOned by congress to an
other state in order u make the states
of uniform size. Mr.. Sayre'S last map
showed the counties as the last terri
tOriaI legislature left them. Since the
territory was made into a state. the
county changes have continued. The
western counties are still large and
their settlement and agricultural devel-
opment will produce further changes.
But surveys have been made and maps
are fairly accurate. 1t is not likely that
any future legislative body after the
fashion of past legislatures will ignore
topography and counties already named
and located. Mr.. Sayre's maps from
the period of statehood to date will in
vOlve less critical choice of conflicting
testimony. The maps are large, neatly
lettered, and of great value to the his
tOrical records of the state.
The same impulse which led the alb
origine to cut a runic history of his
tribe on rock and bits of horn OF bone,
induced Mr.. Sayre to make this long
series of maps, some of which record
only slight changes in the political
boundaries. For love of his race and
that his children and his childrens
children should have definite records
of the changes effected in the state, the
expert engineer made these maps. The
aborigine and the map-maker receive
the same reward: the consciousness of
extra duty done. No one would have
blamed either aborigine or the modern
man for ignoring his impulse to COM
plete a record, but pOsterity would
have been the poorer. 1t is a far cry
between the abOrigine's pictures and
Mr.. Sayres work, the difference be
tween crudeness and the finished pro-
duct of a scientific mind. But the his
toricaI impulse, the Willingness To
search imperfect records for jewels of
truth, to labor without recompense or
chance of fame is the same in abor-
igine and scientist.
The reverence a man has for the
heaps of stones piled up by his ancest-
ors TO mark historical crises is what
separates him from the brute and is a
sign of his high calling. In the days
of old when a man wanted to be extra
good he went off into a cave and said
several hundred prayers a day. Soil
tude has its uses. and if more men and
women went into retreat and reflected
on their mistakes and strengthened