Omaha daily bee., 1905-07-09
STRANGERS VIEW OF OMAHA
F. A. KeefOver of Western Penman Gives
His Impressions of City.
GATEWAY TO THE GREAT WIDE WEST
Natural Location for Magnificent
MetrOpOIis-Pays Tributes TO Busi-
ness Colleges aud Calls David
son Roosevelt in Education.

Word etchings of Omaha and some of it's
men and women are done by f. A Keef-
over, associate editor OF the Western Pen
man, which is published at Cedar Rapids
Ia, and printed in the July number Mr.,
Keefover was here during the Central Com
mercial Teachers association meeting in
May. This is the way he summarizes con
ditlons:
Omaha is the front outlet to the great
western COW pasture. 1t is a breezy, snappy
big town, with no more serious fault than
hundred or so of unsightly mudhoes that
make hideous some of fits otherwise attrac-
tive business streets. There are certain
city authorities that can learn only by eX-
perience, that asphaltum paving is not the
t.ing for heavy commercial traffic. With
the airy sweep Of the wide-curving Mis-
souri, at its front and the boundless undu-
lating hills at its back, Omaha has an ideal
situation for a great city. Already its
growth in business, its array of sky-scrap-
ers and its mounting civic pride, fore
shadow its secure position as the capital Of
the great west-central region.
The writer works on in his pleasant way
through a somewhat disappointing evening
at a local theater where Melbourne Nc
Dowell was now and then reporting for
duty. But once outside the playhouse, Mr.
Keefover's good spirits returned. He con-
tinues:
Let him who, from an acquaintance with
invested with smoke and bone-racking
climate-let him take his place with the
elder Mr.: Boyles for a ride about the city.
He will learn that Omaha is distinctiveiy
two cities.
When the alert, quiok-decislon, intense
business man climbs the ridge marked by
the city hall and the high school ne drops
commercialism and passes down the west
ward slope with mind and soul free for the
enjoyment OF home and artistic instincts.
In this residence-Omaha the air is clear
pure ana exhilarating from the breezes that
come from the three states or prairies to
the southwest, The hills and valleys run
gently TO each other and in direction to the
southwark.
Some Verdant beauties.
To the southwest is the range of the Field
club, where short halt was in order.
Right IN the midst OF residence Omaha lies
beautiful HanscOm park, stretching its
many acres OF half-wild, half-tamed forest
over deep ravine and along either blum
Tor many blocks. other parks and resorts
are there with attractions TO suit divers
tastes. And FOR this pleasant and pleasing
view Of Omaha, as 4 exists back OF the
vention. (Mr. II. b. Boyes)
Who does not know OF the Van SAINTS,
to few 20 see and know the home life, 50
unusual and withal so sane. Out beyond
| Twenty ninth street, on the brow of a
hill, their home is found. The house Is
even a little more than modern, for Mr.
I Van SAINT has supplemented the architect !
/ work with Improvements of his own de-
'
| his own peculiar needs and tastes Amone
| other unusual things 10 be found are a
printing press, run by electric motor In
/ the basement; room fun OF birds and
/ other small animals, and another with
walls fianked with cabinets, holding bugs
and beetles In abundance, to delight the
heart OF a naturalist. And here is, OF
should be, the real work of Miss Var
/ Sant-that Of naturalist-not disparagina
| her acknowledged success in the class
| room. either.
Tribute TO Business Colleges.
| The business schools OF the city ar,
! dealt with as follows:
Irish as 1t may sound, the visitor to tn,
Omaha business schools will make thi
round by going in a straight line. Excep
for Boyles' college, which is a block ives
OF the others, they are all on one stree
| and within stones throw of one another
The Boyles school, where the convention
was held, is one Of the large ones, occupy
ing all Of a tWo-story brick building re
Gently erected for the school There Is tn
air OF newness about the rooms and furnl
ture; there is a wealth of sunlight an,
good, wholesome Nebraska air al over IL