Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-02
COVETED COAL NOT FAR OFF
naly Three Yssrs Before Omaha Reaches
Two Hundred Thousand.
EVERY REASON FOR FAITH IN PREDICTION
II City Continues Present Rate of
Increase Doubt L. Removed as to
Its Attaining the PopuIa-
tiOn Fixed.

Only three more years are left Of the
time which Omaha has set for itself to
reach a population OF 10000. Every loyal
citizen of the city hopes and expects that
New Years day Of 1910 will open on a Ne
braska metropolis of that many people.
II the commercial and Industrial growth
of the city continues for three years at
the same rate 1t has been going the last
two, there will be no doubt at all about
reaching the coveted goal. The year 1906
was even better one than 1905. and bust
ness men see every indication the same
rate Of progress will be maintained. The
visitor to Omaha in 1910 will without doubt
see a city of many large buildings, in
creased tobbing activities, enlarged manu-
featuring interests, more prosperous peo-
pie and happier homes.
Bank clearings are good index of
city's prosperity. The records in the case
of Omaha show a rapid and steady in
crease since the financial depression Of the
sos. until 1906 clearings reached a total
of above $5O4OOO,OOO the best showing since
1898, which still holds the record. with
the big crops raised in Nebraska last sea-
son and poured into the city, with the hun
dreds of thousands of CATTLE hogs and
sheep coming to South Omaha for packing
and with the attending thriving condition
of manufacturing and the jobbing business,
there Is good reason to believe that 1898
VIII take back seat for 1907.
Schools Show Great Growth.
Perhaps no better index of growth in
population can be obtained, outside of the
census itself, than the roster, of the
schools. Omaha schools have grown rapidly
in year. Attendance has increased in
marked manner at every school building
in the city, and many new teachers have
been employed.
When the increase in the jobbing busi-
ness for one year has been q per cent.
one would hardly expect to find a business
man with the temerity to say It would
be larger this year. Yet they do say Il;
they say it with conviction and apparent
good reason. Their predictions are based
on actual figures in their books which
represent goods ordered in advance for this
year. Never before at the close of De-
cember was there more than half so many
advance orders on the books of local job
bing houses. 1t is true, also, that though
the country merchants bought literally last
season. their stocks are depleted and they
Will have little to carry over.
In spite of the high price of coal. the
industry grew between II
and 1S per cent. 1t will. keep on growing
at this rate or better, but local manu-
racturers believe government regulation of
the railroads will force the roads to give
Omaha cheaper COAL II their hope ma
terializes there will be no limit to the
progress in manufacturing way.
Sales of Money Orders.
A fact that has an obvious meaning is
n ha cala lf
Omaha postoffice increased S1,OOO,OOO in 1906
and the sales of stamps increased between
IL and ~ per cent.
Money represented in real estate transfers
was 40 per cent greater than in 1905.
Realty men say the figures viii leap up
another 40 per cent or better this year,
for real estate values are low In Omaha,
and with the great growth in all lines of
business values must increase and there
is bound to be much activity in city prop
erty.
The grain market is an important factor
in the development of the city For the
year the business grew q per cent and the
foundations were laid for growth In coming
years. By the building of elevators a
storage capacity OF 100000 bushels was
added, making the total capacity 6,O40O00
bushels. Already there are plans in con-
temptation which will materially increase
this in 1907.
Since the railroads have begun gradually
to wipe out freight rate determinations
against Omaha, millers of the north have
begun to investigate the possibilities OF
the Gate City as a milling center, and 1t
is hoped that when all rates are finally
and justly adjusted through the medium
of the Interstate Commerce commission,
Omaha will come into its own in the milling
world.