Omaha daily bee., 1906-05-06

At the Congregational church jubilee DUR
| ing the last week Mr.. Charles B. Anderson
OF Crete, Neb., read the following paper:
The material advancement of this state
In the last fifty years is the history of Ne
braska The Star of Empire had not shone
west OF the boundary OF the Missouri river
| fifty years ago. Nebraska was an unknown
lana, save for the poor reputation that had
been given the territory by the early ex-
plorers. 1t was largely regarded as a des-
ert land. and even the first settlers who
were found here in 1856 had little or no
hope that the state was At for agriculture,
beyond a limited area along the Missouri
river
Irving. in estimating the material value
and picturing the future chances of this
vast prairie empire, now Nebraska, says:
''It is q land where no man permanently
abides. Such is the nature of this immense
wilderness Of the far west which apparently
dehes cultivation and the habltation OF
civilized life. such portions of it along the
rivers may partially be subdued by agri-
culture. Others may form large pastoral
tracts like those in the east. But 1t is to
be feared that a great portion of 1t will
form a lawless interval between the abodes
of civilized man, like the waters OF the
them be subject to the depredations Of
marauders."
Fifty Years Ago.
Il In 1856 the government had just secured
from the Indians title of the land. but
the Red man was the dominant torce in
the population. The Immigrant trail was
the only means OF communication to the
west. and the steamboats, that threaded
their way up the treacherous course of the
Missouri river were the connecting links
with the civilization Of the east. In no
way can the material advancement Of Me-
braska In the last fifty years be shown
more pointedly than by few comparisons
OF the then and the now.
In 1855 when the enumeration of people
was made In this territory, the total white
population was found to be 4.49i, and with
this number nine slaves were enumerated.
Probably not one-half Of the population
found at that time were bona fide resi-
dents of the territory. Five years later
the population of the territory had only
} reached 5000. Today it has grown to
100000
The territorial life Of Nebraska began
when the act constituting Nebraska dis
q | tinct territory and opening up its lands to
D settlements was approved May 30, 1854.
Q When the Civil war war broke out in 1861,
though the population comprised less than
: 30 600 people, yet Nebraska furnished to the
r Union army 3,SO7 officers and men.
0 Admission as 10 state.
E In 1866 the legislature prepared consti-
0 tuition for a state government, which a
( vote of the people confirmed by a small
t majority. The first legislature under the
/, state constitution met July 4, 1866. The bill
J, to admit Nebraska as a state was passed
b over the presidents veto, and proclaimed on
e March l. 1867. The first capital of Nebraska
a was at Bellevue. 1t was removed &c
:. Omaha In 1855, where 1t remained until II
: became a state, when It was taken to Ian
y caster, a town of half a dozen houses,
b whose name was then changed to Lincoln
8 In 1858 the site of the city of Omaha was
: claimed. In 1856. just nifty years ago, the
: entire population OF Douglas county was
r but los. Today the city OF Omaha alone
{ has 10000 people. 1t was little less thar
> forty years ago when the city Of Iincolr
first appeared on the map Of Nebraska
and yet in that short space Of time 1t hai
! become a city Of $1,000 people.
: In 1856 there were only seven towns In
! Nebraska with an organized town govern
d ment. 1t was exactly fifty years ago wher
Il the leading town in the territory. Bellevue
70 first elected city Officers and established q
4 city government. Today there are in Ne
q braska 642 incorporated towns and cities.
81 Coming of the Railways.
e There is no one fact that shows NOR,
e strikingly and emphatieapy the ma
y terial development OF the state II
q the last nifty years than the com
= ing Of the railways and the maner in which
y they. have made Nebraska one OF the great
: est producing states in the union. In 1855
. the territorial road was surveyed between
> Omaha and Fort Kearney. over the oil,
y trails to the mountains the plodding immi
, grant trains with their guards by nigh
! and their outriders by day to protect them
: selves from hostile Indians. were the trans
y portation' companies OF the time Toda,
q over practically the same trail goes IN,
. immense transcontinental traffic Of the Unioi
Pacific railway, one OF the greatest line
> in America. with service that could no
have been dreamed or realized by the pho
g neers OF half century ago. Fifty year
ago railways TO the west were just wei
'e started west from Chicago. Only a litu
"a over forty years has elapsed since the frs
V railway train was seen west OF the Mis-
10 souri, river, and yet today Nebraska ha
5000 miles OF railways. II Is not fifty years
growth, but forty years growth that hA
~ planted In this state the railways OF Ne
y braska, which under the valuation OF $50
showed their Investment 20 be szs5 s24. ss1.
ID Growth OF Material Wealth.
@ In 1856 the value OF all property. REQ
y, and personal. found In the territory Of Ne
At braska, was u,7o5.sls. over against thi
I item stands the total valuation OF propert
at OF all kinds in this state, exclusive OF ran
O. way property. which Is shown by IN
srand assessment roll for 1906 to be q .622