davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-15
LOOKING BACK FORTY YEARS
A Visitors Impressions of Omaha and
Nebraska in 1858
HOPES OF THE EARLY HUsTLERs
Primitive Life Gilded with Lofty
Observation-Disclosures Building
An Instructive Spotlight on
he Long Ago.

Miss Clara b. Hunt OF Oneida, N. Y,
sends to The Bee a part of the New York
Tribune of September %. 1868. containing a
letter from a correspondent detailing a
visit to Omaha and the railroad journey
through Nebraska and Wyoming forty
years ago this fall. The letter of the COR
respondent is interesting to those who lived
In the times described. and to the late
Corners it recounts the spirit animating the
pioneers in making Omaha and Nebraska
what they are.
The letter is dated Omaha, Neb., Au-
gust. 1865" and reads as follows;
Just returning from a trip from New
York to what was at the time the end OF
the track of the Union Pacific railroad. 1
note. some OF the Impressions which are
made upon the traveller who thus Journeys
two-thirds Of the way across the continent.
''One fact is so persistently urged upon
the traveller by rail that he could not for
get nor ignore 1t IL he would: that is, that
the west is far ahead Of the east In MAX
ing railroad travel not only comfortable
but luxurious. The stage of our journey
from Chicago to Omaha was made in cars
supplied with every comfort Of a hotel.
except the lining room, The ear was a
spacious parlor. with sofas. easy chairs,
ample dressing rooms, plate-glass windows
and a parlor organ of excellent tone and
power. At night this parlor was trans
formed into a series OF bedrooms as su-
perior TO the sO-called sleeping cars OF
some OF our eastern roads as they are to
"a tenement house 'shake-down.'' These
cars run tTom Chicago to Omaha, a dis
lance Of 500 miles. From Omaha westward
We had all these appliances of a hotel, with
the addition of a dining room, where wei
Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-15

double in price every twenty-four hours,
and assert that the city's glory has de-
But every substantial fact disproVes
their assertions. The solid, legitimate bust
ness of Omaha is steadily increasing and
must do so by the very nature of it's posi-
ton and surroundings. This is and must
continue to be the commercial city of Ne
braska, and the outlet for the immense har-
vests which are to be gathered from Ne
braska's valleys and uplands. At this point
will center the eastern connections of the
Union Pacific. and here will freights from
the west be transferred to boats for st.
Louis, 1000 miles below, or Fort Benton,
1000 miles above. The machine and car
shops of the Pacific railroad are here, and
will be extended as the necessities of the
road shall require. I see no reason to doubt
the steady and satisfactory growth of
Omaha until 1t shall be one of the most
important of our inland cities.
Features of Omaha Life.
Two large. well printed and spirited daily
newspapers represent the two political par
ties, each very sensibly striving to take
the lead in the amount of it's correspond
ence from all parts Of the state, respect
ing crops, local improvements, political
movements, etc. l notice that particular
attention has been given here to planting
trees, both for shade and timber. Ne
braska has but few trees, and yet in no
section Of our country do they grow more
rapidly and surely when properly planted
and cared for than here. Nearly every
dwelling in the city off from the main
business streets is surrounded by a little
grove of cotton wood. elm. locust. walnut,
or maple. All OF these flourish well upon
Nebraska soil. The subject Of tree-planting
has been strongly urged upon the people
by DR.. Miller, editor of the Herald. who
has made the subject one of special study
and careful experiment. He asserts that
timber Of the best kind can be more cheaply
raised here than it can be brought from
abroad, the young trees needing only the
same attention that the farmer would give
to any other crop. T~ree-planting clubs
have been formed in several of the coun-
ties of the state. which are experimenting
upon a large scale. and hopes are enter
tanned Of obtaining a liberal appropriation
from congress for the purpose OF planting
large parts OF the public lands with those
trees which will he most useful.
Manufacturing Interest.
The railroad company's manufacturing
and repair shops at this point are very
complete. They now cover about eight
acres of ground Of the forty acres held by
the company for depot and mechanical pur-
poses. The buildings are OF brick and very
substantially constructed. The machinery
is Of The best, as indeed it must be in a
place so far away from other great manu-
featuring points that the breaking OF one
machine might delay all operations foi
days. The energy shown in constructing
these works deserves recognition. II was
essential that these repair shops should
be In operation as soon as the construction
OF the road from this point westward was
begun. Al that time there was no eastern
Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-15

North Platte, Julesburg, Cheyenne and
Laramie have successfully merited the pun
gent title OF Hell on Wheels which has
been aptly applied to them during their
state of ruffianism. Wherever the nominal
end of the track may be-that is, where
regular trains stop and goods are trans
terred to wagons for further transporta-
uon-there the thieves, gamblers and pros
titutes swarm for their prey. There is no
attempt to conceal vice. The faro table is
as public as the wOrkman's bench and
more frequently seen, and the current say
ing that there is not a virtuous woman
west OF Cheyenne is fearfully near the
truth, the few noble exceptions who have
left all the luXuries and privileges of civili-
cation behind them that they may be with
their husbands and brothers who are sub
DUNG the wilderness and building the rail-
road proving the rule. Law in these new
owns is represented by the vigilance com
mittee, and n any man doubts the neces-
sity and effectiveness of this style Of ex-
ecutive a weeks stay at Benton at the
present time will effectually convert him
into an earnest advocate Of the V. C.
second Growth Of Towns.
'The second growth of these towns is
far more pleasant than the first. Certain
of them nave sunk into inslgnlficance since
their lively days, of which class Julesburg
is an example. One year ago no place In
the land was 80 often quoted as the syn
onym of all that was evil as this, but today
the passenger sees only a hamlet of scarcely
half a dozen houses and the conductor calls
its name. Others have promise Of a healthy
and vigorous growth. At North Platte the
railroad company has excellent repair
shops, round houses, etc. and a really SUI
perior hotel gives the traveller the best meal
to be had between Chicago and the end Of
the track A brisk and thriving village
has grown up here which has an air Of
stability and LONELINESS about II. At Chey-
enne there is the foundation Of a large
town and extensive trade. There are many
sound merchants there with large stocks Of
excellent goods; the branch railroad to Den
Yer will probably have the main line here:
the railroad company has extensive shops
at this eastern terminus OF the mountain
Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-15

west. At Fremont, forty-seven miles from
Omaha, the Platte is reached, and thence
forward. for more than 300 miles, the river
is almost constantly I'm sight from the car
windows The Platte is pleasant to look
at, with its many islands and it's broad,
glistening surface, but 1t is worthless for
navigation, being extremely shallow and
having a shifting, sandy bottom, like the
Missouri, which makes a bar today where
was the main channel yesterday. Twenty
miles to the right rise the bluffs which
bound the valley on the north; twenty
miles to the south the southern bluffs
bound the vision on that side; between
them lies a sea Of verdure and Of ripening
crops, while to the westward this same
valley, with scarce a tree and not a knoll
to break the surface, stretches to the
Rocky mountains, 800 miles away. It is the
natural pathway across the plains; none
easier could be imagined. Through this
magnificent country the railroad has an
imperial grant of one-half the land for
twenty miles on either side, or, to put IT
compactly, a broad track twenty miles wide
across the continent. These railroad lands
have not yet been put into market, and, as
the measurement for the company's grant
lub GIN at IL ollAp"h AiNNhs ~ nus
likewise been impossible to offer for sale
the adjoining lands which belong to the
government This disability is being re-
moved as the definite location OF the road
becomes fixed, and we shall see a steady
emigration toward the occupation OF these
lands. the price Of which has already been
liked at not less than $3.50 per acre. OF
curse. in the occupation and Improvement
. 49,. In-ls the iptaragtg of tho uoyarT-
nent and the railroad company are identi-
al. the sale of every additional acre by
either tending to enhance the value Of all
he remaining lands.
Fertility of the Soil.
81 have spoken Of the fertility for 200
miles west from the Missouri. As you go
west beyond that point you miss the lux
uriance which has been our wonder and ad-
miration, but you see none OF the sterility
which you have been led to expect in the
American Desert There is a natural grade
in the valley from east to west of about
ten feet to the mile. At 200 miles out you
are 300 feet above the sea; at Cheyenne,
ST miles from Omaha, you are SOS feet
higher than he latter city. The ascent is
i~mperceptlble to the eye as you run gsily
along. but you see the change in the vege-
tation. You still see black soil but it is
not the same as that upon the lower levels.
Here is as fine grazing country as you will
find in the world. The grass Is abundant
and nutritious. Cattle ara horses fatten
upon It and as IT dries upon the ground In
the fan Il makgs a natural hay, which re-
tains It's flavor through the winter season.
Nothing here is wanted TO insure satisfac-
tory crops except such intelligent irriga-
ton as has made the valley Of Salt lake to
burst with fairness and generous growth.
Hot Times i'm Young Towns.
"Of the cities Of the railroad line l need
say but little. They have been so often de-
scribed by letter writers that there are few
newspaper readers who do not know that
Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-15
Made Him shorter.

A certain member Of the fashionable
Metropolitan and Chevy Chase clubs at the
national capital has all his life borne many
quips by reason Of his exceedingly dimin-
utive stature.
Last sprinS the diminutive clubman took
unto himself a wife, the daughter OF a
well known federal official, who is said to
be as witty as her father.
Mrs. Blank" said a friend one day re-
Gently. u have just seen your husband
for the first time since his marriage. Do
you know he seems shorter than ever"
why not" answered the wife, with a
smile, "he's married and settled down."
Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-15

railroad communication with Omaha, and
the steam engine which drives all this ma
chinery was hauled 100 miles by mules from
Des Moines. The brick of which the build
ings are constructed was made in Omaha,
and is Of excellent quality. All kinds OF
cars are made here. the passenger cars
bearing the imprint OF their shops, %equaling
any which 1 have ever seen in beauty of
finish. About 1000 men are employed in the
foundry, planning mills, car shops, paint
Ing shop, and repair shops, every species
of equipment except the locomotives be-
ing made upon the spot. The locomotives
are obtained from Taunton, Providence,
Paterson, Trenton and other points at pres
ent, but ultimately they will be manufac-
tured here. The engines are all adapted to
burn coal, but some of them now use wood
upon the eastern divisions. The company
have 1. locomotives, and we passed ten or
a dozen more on a side track at Council
Bluffs, waiting until the river which is
very high. should fall sufficiently to, let
them be brought across. There is great
need of the bridge which the railroad COM
pany will build here, the contract for which
has recently been entered into with Chi
cage builders.
A Great Future
Nebraska has a great future. Agri.
culturally, no state in the union can show
greater capacity. For 200 miles west from
the eastern line of the state, the soil is SO
rich and deep that harvests unknown else
v here are here the rule rather than the
exception. Years ago, wheY those who arc
now ''old settlers came into this isolated
I~egion-say sixteen to eighteen years ago
II ey built their cabins only in the river
lotions and rated the uplands worthless
Yet today Nebraska hollands are producine
forty bushels If wheat to the acre, which
brings 10 cents a bushel premium in IN,
ST. Louis market over that Of Wisconsin
or Iowa growth. The official statistics
show that the average yield of wheat
throughout the state in 1864 was twenty.
six and one-half bushek to the acre, more
than that of any other state. Oats grow
as%tonishingly, l haze before ne a sample
bur CHI az Russian olts grown by II IL
Stewart AT his farm. about three miles
from THIS city. and which this year aver
age ninety bushels to he acre, after being
considerably damaged by the grasshoppers.
Such corn fields as may be seen along the
line of the railroad, for fifty miles west Of
this point, 1 have seen nowhere else in the
ride from New York bay TO the Missouri.
WI muSh attention has YET Dtth given 10
the raising of fruit, but where il has been
tried the experiment of the state has beer.
too recent to allow OF many bearing or
chards, but l have seen some very thrifty
ones near this city which give abundant
promise for the future.
Along the Railroad Highway.
Upon leaving the Missouri at Omaha
the railroad passes through the Papillion
valley to that OF the Platte. the former
being a small tributary Of the Missouri.
About thirty miles out the road crosses
the Eikhorn, one OF the main northern
tributaries OF the Platte. and whose valley
extends Tor hundreds - miles to the north
Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-15

Ceanses beauties and preserves the teeth and
imparts purity and fragrance to the breath
Used by people of refinement since 1866
Gunnison news-champion., 1908-10-16
IA VOTE FOR TAFT
S A VOTE FOR PiNo5OT
SAn E. ~ A-s Lsy. 6a< kiyaii.s 4 Eena
RsMe SyA.a Tel 4 SrAeae - TAss~ q
~ LnA Uh1u Re-ve M.aae...A ~
So - Any 4 Or hnAeA
nnA Cs,m Cd EsscA CnasA
unUs

cell he taken of the face 4 oar map
estIscls In Colorado we have sss-
sesa Willoa scree. cr one-fosrth 81
the state q pr'ncIpalI'y - b!sak-
ssed
When = county Is IN dels and
twc thirds Il its Isni is w,thdrasn
from the possibility Of private. tax
paying ownershIp " doubles the
bsseten upon the rest Nor - the
all There ss po~ IN congress- wait
ing to he passed II this election soes
ior Pinchot aud the administration
Pol,cser, a measure to put the re-
naming 400 millions acres Of gov
ernment land under the same sbso-
lutte rule. As sore as the sun rises,
IT will he passed unless We send a
protest that ~lll Instantly he heard
no matter ho~ the national slect,oa
goes Tsf, might he elected. bat II
Colorado and the other mountain
states speak in no uncertain Ian
Ruage they will not dare put this
upon us.
They are trying 10 be good, very
good Just before election. From
Pinchot aud Wilson and Garfield
down 10 range riders, instructions
are out to grant every request which
cannot possibly he delayed until
after November 3rd But we must
Judge the future by the past. When
have they ever kept their agreements
when that agreement ran counter TO
the pet hobbies Of theorists Ut Wash
lnHtonY
We are obliged TO make this .
national Issue. Mr. Bryan staRds
pledged TO carry out the national
platform and grant US home rsle.
Taft stands pledged to Pinchot. DO
Ne want four yesrs moro Of forest
Fosesves - st psossst ruR? do We
Osst ~ ssDy u ssAos riders ia
cssaao1 - N09n. . ks1y e 1sAuanl
e6SsAoldsss thss woADA sbsolsssiy
control elections in this state for
svsrnore? Do we want oil pablo
land put under Pinchot's rule? Ii
not, there 10 only one way to make
your protests effective Discard
partissnship for the time. Vote for
Colorado, your hones your packet
book and the prosperity Of your
county and state. DO it silently if
you will, but do it.
james II. Teller, made short bat
spirited address on other nst,onal
issues, and one of the most interest
ed and attentive audiences ever
gathered st the county seat dis
persed.
Next woek News Champion will
publish moro Ut length certain
points from Senator Ammon splsn-
did address
Gunnison news-champion., 1908-10-16
Asss ni.isg ksass.

Frank Trv~artheA 10 here from
River Portal TO remain indefinitely
Too much water in that end of TIE
tunnel for his health.
1t 10 understood that J. H.
Andersoa hiss sold his lease on the
Lucky Strike to esstern parties Who
will take charge in . fe~ days.
The Cortland mine 10 being
stesdily operated by the Colorado
Quartz Mining Company. Work is
now devoted mainly to developing
ore bodies and until that 10 accom-
plished the mill running has been
suspended.
Excesoive water 10 interfering
with operations at the breast Of the
Carter tunnel, no~ in a mile, and
. force Of men are drifting on the
vein showing at the 3745 mark. 1t
10 believed that the breast has
tapped the Volunteer vein whence
comes the water.
Gunnison news-champion., 1908-10-16

Old ussssnS sAais snoe sU yards "
sAe kslA and tAsow tkem ip. The
sAsh was "ee .ssAs by Hipss in h,s
coal sad Gss psuspecsiAS tssssy
ssess go. Ii wss klIsd w,sk wssss
10 sses TIE top
Authorities 1t Gsnnooa wore at
Once soslSed and Sheriff Wsseoa
sad Po~se sccoNpsa.sd ~ II II.
Andre~s, Pssssdest. and c. L.
Stone, sscretary Of tbs STOCK grower.
association, With other cattlsmsn
went up - witnesses Pressler and
White were immediately arreo,ed,
while the cattIeMsn went 10 inspect
the shaft The s,ench WAS come
thing awful bat they sacceeded in
6shinS out seversl gwen hides bear
iaA the brsads Of Hyssr, E,Isbssch,
aud Lehman ~ reported O.e VAS
t'~d in . Rsns syssck and weighted.
In Tact stones and dirt had contin-
0slly been thrown down the shaft.
A pole stuck down alongside the
spon8y msss would come up coated
with hair the eatire length. The
ssaell WAS % overpowering when
the water was baled out that il was
dangerous to work over the hole. II
is the opinion of cattlemen that
hundreds Of hides are il the shaft.
Whether there are other cachs~,
whether large psmbers Of cattle
have not been driven out Of the
coanty ~ we'll ~ slaughtered and
Who else are implicated is . ques-
tion. bat the stockmen are deter
sni''sd " sFsss no sapsnss il silt
ina the matter % the bottom. l.ast
yesr they lost over 400 hesd in this
vicinity of which neither hides nor
bo~ss were ever fossd
freliminery heasisg was hold
TsssAag ssssrnsns by Jsstios Postss
80 SstA psiso.sss vaissl exso -.
ssioa. bosd waA plscsd u oeOO0
in esch cses.
Gunnison news-champion., 1908-10-16
osss Eapa . - ~

This week the deer have been
kept on the keen jump. but mighty
few captured. Too dry and leafy,
but the boys oil say weather il de-
liehtful for camping.
Howard England is On . hsntins
trip up Mill creek.
Harper, Palmer. Boyles and
Mckee came in Saturday fro0
Stevens eulch bringing three deer
along. Pretty good luck.
Me.srs o. W. Barton, Geo. Haines
and c. |. Miller were out hunting
last week and returned with a
couple of fine deer.
II. p Ferguson and wife came
back from Los Pinos creek SUNDAY
They report some deer in sight
there and brought back two to
prove it.
John McCormick and hIs sons
are taking a hunting trip and L.
J. Thompson is behind the counter
in Collins and McCormicks store
Palmer Nader Jr is with the Nc
Cormlcks in the hin. Of Cabin creek.
Gunnison news-champion., 1908-10-16
~ Assi1saa Z. esak liakG1,y

Unexpected firing Of . rife
Monday. tore out knvcklea Of The
two first fingers on Frsak Lightleys
Ieft hand and the bullet erased
his neck. 1t SCENE psobsbIe thss
he will Lore one finger and his
whole hand 10 in bad condition.
A wagon load OF cattleman he'd
started TO return from Nj Carbon
Monday evening. A loaded Is
calibre rife VS. leaning aRainsl
the seat between two mon and
Frank had his hand on the bsck Of
the seat The rife went OF, the
bullet tearing thro~gh the blankess
and wooden seat then through HE
hand and across his seek. Ths lat
TER wound for . moment was thought
to be fatal but later proved only
scratch though very close to the
jagular vein. The wound in his
hand was complicated with par
ticles Of blankets and wood driven
into the flesh.
Gunnison news-champion., 1908-10-16

A .pssad.d dssaccsstic ..sstiAS
wss tAss ksld Wednesday Night ~
st.s cosrt hsSse, ~hss So. L. \ Am
o"es aud Hoa. Js.ss n. Tsliss, .
yosnO.s brother of Seassor Hesry
n TslIer, sddsesssd tie voasss.
Over $50 we're cst. in spite oi the
eecS thsa bot thsss dave we're s,vss
- sdSesssse the meetlnS
n =. Lake Jr scted - chairman
ssd srprodscsd a number Of Bryan
sfsscbes On the photograph. These
sf~scies. which are kept at Demo
cratic county headquarters, are sur
pr,slnGly clear aud give not only the
Great Commoner latest word ON
leading isssss Of the i.y, but the
voice Is snmistsksbly that of the
neHt prrs,dsnt.
Senator Ammoas 10 probably the
h,sot ps~sed man cn forest reserves
in Colossdo. His argument wss a
clesr. convincing statement of the
system; how it has hsmpered devel-
opment in Color.do, how the admin
lstrstion 10 trying 10 be good just
before election. and closed with the
clinchine argument that there WAS
bot one way to protest, but one time
10 do it, unless We wanted four years
moro of Pinchot.
The senator first took up the pub
i.c lead question showing how in
every new locality the natural re-
SOURCES had been used ~ an incen
tive for new ssttIess. lie Described
the march Of immigrSsion westward
and how Colorado had grown he
csNse OF the bene6cisat sysaea. OF
hoSsstesds ssd opportunities foI
private ownssship sad sse. Nov
~ tl.is 10 changed. Usdsr Tie psss-
sot sysaea Of ssssevss the essirs
ps0se q ~ sdoisisAsaaioa - II
EpUwiaG ss41 Il saSasysss, ~
u eas1o ~ 49, 80 Glsunuasa6
ssttless - esd 70 hsaPer einiAg
sock growing ssd ssttIss~s~t
Tho rspsblicsa platform endorses
tbsss iniqaities, the prssideat and
his Crown Prince William, are
pledssA TO keep Ar. P.nchot in
Office. Mr.. Taft epsuly ssstss that
he will do this. On the other hand
the democratic platforms, both ma
tionsl and state. favor elimination Of
non -forested areas, home rule in
grazing, encouraging instead OF de
couraging the homessesders and q
Just treatment Of the forest and
water propositions upon their merits
ss managed by Colorado people who
understand the problems.
There are lGJ million of acres in
these mountain staten tied up in re-
serves. An ara larger than France
or Germany, and it might jest ~
Gunnison news-champion., 1908-10-16
ossAh o Prse.sty q Sasvns -
- VseSe3.

Directly across from the Maple
Leaf on the west side Of the Coch-
etopa creek and containing both the
Maple Leaf and Lubricator veins
10 tie double O group, owned
largely by Chicago capital
About $1,000 in development
work has been spent and the
showing of mineral is very
good indeed. There are several
shafts but the deepest of ll5 feet
is on the Lubricstor vein. Con
siderable ore has been opened by
drifts in some Of which the shoots
assays up to $!5oooo.
Recently an attempt WAS made to
Jump these claims, the assertion
made that development work had
been done on patented ground.
Recent surveys have proven this
false and the company is preparing
to put on a force Of men and open
on . large scale c. A. Wood of
Chicago is president He 10 An
official Of the Chicago 4 Alton Office
at the Windy CITY I'D. Bremner Of
the Marshall Field Store in Chicago
j. treasurer and Arthur Edwards
is secretary. J.. II Preston one Of
the large stockholders Of the COM
pany has been at Gunnison during
the week engaged in laying plan.
for the mining campaign promised