Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-06-03

countries, are active and prosperous. No
Episcopal church has been founded yet,
except one at Omaha. Nebraska is under
the episcopal care Of Boshop Lee OF Iowa.
The Baptists are possessing the ground.
with other denominations"
The population of the territory was Is, 900,
according to the last message Of the
governor. Let II be remembered that the
territory" contained SS5,sS2 square miles
and was bounded on the west by the Rocky
mountains and the north by Canada. The
assessed valuation of all the property In
Douglas county was but 81 .2Ss, 16o5O: of
Dodge county but s2O.745O; Of Nemaha
1851 15S and of Cass S76374 a total of 81 $780,
| Az, or about the present value OF a single
one OF some down town city squares Of
| Omaha with the buildings upon them
/ Otoe Richardson, Washington. Burt, pa
kotah" and Pawnee counties were in ex-
istenNe, but no assessments for taxes had
| been reported
The advantages Of Omaha as a half
way station on the proposed Pacific rail-
road and the ease of constructor through
the state are the features of chapter III
on railroads"
Claims Club Explained.
| The term claims club" is familiar to
young Omahans, but is doubtful II they
know what it means. Judge woolworth ex-
plains very clearly, and though it is a
blot on the 'scutcheon of the common
wealth, this portion Of his chapter on
''claim and presumption laws" is quoted:
Where the land has not been surveyed
the United States law affords no protec-
ton to squatter against Jumper; that
is, person entering upon his claim and
asserting possessory right to 1t. To
| afford protection In these cases the terri
torial legislature passed an act approved
| March 6, 1855, relative to claims on the
public lands by which II is provided that
the squatter may hold 800 acres by forming
| with his neighbor p club, which is required
! to make and record with the register of the
| county it's regulations.
by this act these clubs are invested with
legislative powers for their neighborhoods.
Their operation is this: A member of the
club has fulfilled the requirements OF the
rules in stalking out his claim, recording
J II and improving IL. A person steps in and
claims it for himself. The matter is
brought before the club and examined. II
the second claimant, who is called a
Jumper cannot show that the first claim
ant has no right to the claim, under the
regulation Of the club, he is required
within a certain period to withdraw his
claim on penalty of expulsion from the
territory or death. Such is the necessity
of the case, that in any case in which he
should not yield the penalty is promptly
enforced.
| Most clubs construe a person who Is
not a citizen of the territory q settler
provided he has q tenant on the land But
few cases of extreme measures have arisen
These measures afford pretty safe posses
sion to the actual settler Slthough 1t car
hardly be doubted that the law OF the
territory comforting legislative authority
ION the clubs is unconstitutional. Still pub
lie opinion is more than law"
No more interesting excerpt, for a va
riety of reasons, can be found in the en-.
tire book than that just given.
Derivation of the Name.
Judge Woolworth explains the derivation
OF the Indian word Nebraska" saying 4
means NE" for water and "braska" fol
wide or shallow-therefore shallow water.
The name was then applied to the Platte
as well as the latter nomenclature.
was proposed to open the Platte for nav
igation for fifty or sixty miles from ~
mouth.
That the legislature Of 1865 held it's SEES
sion January l out OF doors, so pleasan
was the weather. is fact ehronioled. N,
snow fell that winter.
A detailed description Of the surveye,
counties-Richardson, Pawnee, Nemahs
! Johnson, Otoe, Cass. Sarpy, Douglas
Washington, Burt and "Dakotaht" is give
in conclusion.
II may be calling, but It is in print, jus
the same, that the second great advantag
) Of Omaha City at that time was the fac
: that she lies directly opposite Counc
Bluffs" 1t Is pointed out that this he'll
good because the western immigrant crosse
the Missouri after going through the Bluff
and therefore could not miss Omaha. III
city then had q population Of 1900. accord
ing to Judge WoolwOrth, and was built u
with substantial brick blocks" The loca
ton Of the capitol on the high school sit
was described as west OF the town"
r Incidentally it was accented that the por
E ulation was made up OF intelligent and en-
terprising men. They are generally fror
t the cultivated and educated classes OF tn
east In the character OF its society as re
CARDS intelligence and culture genteel an
even fashionable life, Omaha City rival
the best town Of twice her population whic
can be named in New York OF New Eng
land"
There IA much more OF direct and absorb