Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-01
OMAHA FIFTY YEARS YOUNG

credit for suggesting the railroad to the
Pacific slope The war demonstrated the
military necessity of a rail connection
with the coast states and forced congress
TO take the steps that made its immediate
construction possible. Without the subsidy
offered in the acts Of 1862 and 1868 the road
certainly would not have built for years,
end the development of the whole western
country would have long been retarded.
At the recommendation Of the chief
engineer. Peter A. Dey, the eastern ter
minus was fixed ION the western boundary
of the state of Iowa, opposite Omaha" an
event so auspicious as to provoke a respon-
sive demonstration from the enthusiastic
inhabitants of the young city, who made
the master stroke of their celebration the
actual breaking of the ground for the
newly projected road. This occurred De-
cember @ 1863 with the thermometer how
ering close to the freezing point
The work of construction pushed
with all possible rapidity, but with the best
expedition it was May 10. 1869, before the
juncture of the two roads heading for one
another from east and west was effected.
in the presence of a distinguished body of
spectators. by the driving of the golden
spike at Promontory point, girdng the con-
all accounts the celebration at Omaha Of
the completion of the Union Pacific was on
a scale commensurate with its Importance
to the commercial and Industrial position of
the city.
II Engineer Dey was the central figure in
the initial work, Thomas c. Durant. as
first vice president and general manager.
had more to do with its successful compile
ton than any other one man. While many
names have since shown bright in the prog
ress Of this epoch-making enterprise, those
OF Dey and I,urant irlgst form the base
stones dT the arch that has raised this great
rairoaf 20 its eminence and carried 1t
through stress and storm.
The prestige acquired by Omaha as a rail-
way center In those early days has been
constantly maintained, until today the steel
rails radiate in every direction. while three
magnificent bridges span the Missouri
where Browns lonely ferry formerly trans
ferred victims Of the gold fever from one
bank to the other.
With firmly established Industrial foun-
dalton, the progress of the city has gone
steadily forward. Commercial expansion.
1t is true, has been broken occasionally by
bursting real estate booms, grasshopper
plaques, drouth-stricken crops or general
financial depression but in material well
fare and ever widening public activity the
community takes rank with its most wideL
awake competitors. Besides it's extensive
jobbing interests, it's manufacturing devel-
opment has been along the lines OF silver
smelling and refining, Hnseed oil mills.
white lead works. machine and locomotive
shops and the great live stock market and
and meat-packing establishments that have
a.. q -.
braced against its boundary under the name
Of South Omaha, and sure, sooner or later,
to be one with it in corporate existence, as
1t is already in life and business. Although
just past the fftieth anniversary. Omaha
boasts Of all those advantages that make
an attractive living place-good schools,
we'll stocked free libraries substantial
churches, art galleries, well-paved streets.
with water light and rapid transit; fine
public parks, imposing public buildings.
Above all, 1t is a city of homes and home
owners, thick with modest dwellings,
though only meagelIS supplied with pala-
tial mansions. Omaha's contribution to the
world of science, art and literature is per-
haps small, but It has given two presidents
to the American Bar. association in James
M. Woolworth and Charles F. Henderson.
the latter also having filled the position of
president pro TEN of the United States SEN
ate; in banking circles Herman Kountze
and Joseph H. Willard are known through
out the country; Edward Rosewater and his
newspaper The Bee, occupy a place in the
front rank of American journalism; the art
gallery OF George w. Lininger is classed
among the best private collections on this
side of the Atlantic and the benevolence
OF John A. Creighton has received recogni-
ton in the title conferred on him OF count
in the holy Roman See.
The Transmssisslppi exposition OF 1896
constitutes Omahas browning achievement
of recent years Projected in the period oil
densest Industrial gloom and executed in
the face Of the war with Spain, the enter
prise proved an unexpected and unprece-
denied success, returning to the stock sub
scribers 90 per cent of the money they had
advanced. The financial success was. how
ever subordinate to the success in other
directions. white city of such architec-
tural perfection could not fail to afford ar
aesthetic stimulus in itself OF wonderful
educational effect. Participated in by ali
the transmississippi states and territories
as an exhibition Of the resources and prod
ucts of this vast region, the exposition
served to open the eyes Of visitors from
both at home and abroad to the limitless
possibilities there spread before them. The
Indian congress alone, including as 1t did
! representatives OF nearly all the remaining
tribes OF aboriginal inhabitants gathered
together under direction of the Indian au-
thorities OF the federal government, formed
an ethnio object lesson the like OF which
had never before been presented. No fitteI
elimination could have been prepared thar
the Peace Jubilee. in its closing month OF
October. attended by President Mckinley
members of his cabinet and heroes of the
armed conflict just concluded. all united In
acclaiming the end OF war typified In the
exposition as a towering triumph of the
arts of peace.
Omaha Florists Club.
A H. -. -.