davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

county is especially adapted to the growth
and curing of popcorn. Neither is 1t gen
orally known that there is one firm To-
Gated at Ord that buys, prepares for
market and ships to market 100 car loads
of popcorn each year. The variety known
as rice popcorn was originated in Valley
county. The reason that this county is
especially adapted to this product comes
mainly from the fact that the corn can
be gathered from the field in late au-
tumn and sent directly to market with the
assurance that it will give entire salts
faction for immediate use. Many of the
farmers raise popcorn in preference to
field corn, as 1t yields them a larger
amount per acre, while the only extra
work connected with 1t is the extra
amount of time in husking. This popcorn
finds a market in every large city in the
union and is shipped quite largely all
along the Pacific coast, 1t weighs sixty
pounds to the bushel and each car shipped
contains about 1000 bushels. A quart Of
shelled popcorn will make ten quarts Of
corn when popped.
But the popcorn industry is a small part
Of the resources of this county. Valley
county has 200, 900 acres in farms, with over
lis, 900 acres under a high state of cultiva-
ton. While this county is strictly an agri-
cultural county, the live stock Industry has
already reached tremendous proportions. In
fact, 1t ranks first with any county In
northern Nebraska. This comes largely
from the fact that Valley county is one Of
the strongest in the entire state in the pro-
duction Of alfalfa. Last year the farmers
OF this county produced and sent to market
as a finished product 22,9OO fat cattle, GA, 300
fat hogs, over 1000 high grade horses and
5000 mutton sheep. The grain for fattening
this stock was grown entirely in Valley
county. Besides this, these farmers sold
and shipped out 10S,O0 bushels of corn,
$4,000 bushels of wheat and 5000 bushels
of oats.
Valley count has already become one
of the leading counties in the state in the
dairy industry. Last year the farmers sold
and shipped out 1872, 800 pounds of butter and
2S4, OOO gallons Of cream. This required 5,3l5
cows on these farms, where they used last
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

year over 400 hand separators. The county
at the present time has over 1900 acres
seeded to alfalfa. IL is not only the num-
her Of milch cows and beef cattle on these
farms that makes Valley county rank high
In the state, but IL is the fact that some
of the very best bred cattle in Nebraska
that have taken first premium at the state
fair were a product OF this county. Each
year a better grade OF stock is being pro.
duced, not only of cattle. but Of horses
and hogs as well.
The poultry Industry is keeping pace with
the dairy industry. Last year the farmers,
or the farmers wives. marketed 49, 500 dozen
Of eggs, and over 2OO,OOO pounds Of dressed
poultry.
The farmers who are having the best
success financially are those who are man
aging this kind of a combination OF live
stock and general farming, and it is very
gratifying to know that the number of well
bred cattle in the county has been nearly
doubled in the last few years. The dairy
industry, too, is growing with every sea-
son, and this will some day become one Of
the great dairy regions of the middle west.
They have ell of the requirements in an
ample supply Of pure water, al abundance
of wholesome stock food in2good varieties at
low cost, and open, mild winters. The av-
erage rainfall is 81 inches, and is mostly
confined TO the growing season and has al
ways been sufficient for the production Of
good crops except during the phenomenal
dry season OF 1894.
This prairie country of Valley county In
midsummer is a most inspiring sight.
Crops can be seen miles away on either
hand. Its main crops are wheat, corn,
oats, barley and potatoes. Also alfalfa,
And no county in the state can show bet.
ter acreage crops than are produced here.
Valley county has a population of 10000
people, and a valuation of S14,1 25, 900. 1t has
excellent railroad facilities, as there are
forty-six miles of track within its borders,
with six live. progressive railroad stations.
The county has one Touring mill, eleven
elevators, five banks, eleven free rural de-
livery routes, Is, 600, farms that are largely
supplied with telephones and with free
rural service.
These are the material things Of Valley
county. But they are not what the county
is most apt to boast over. 1t is a pleasure
to note that these people are especially
proud of their public schools, and that they
give literally of their time and money for
their support. At the present time there
are sixty-seven districts In the county, and
seventy school buildings, where ninety
teachers are employed, with an average
salary of about $50 per month. The county
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

means OF a small electric heater placed
in a chamber in Its centre, The exterior
OF the block Is well Jagged with heat
insulating material, and outside this
again is placed a circular tank, which
contains the water that is to pass
through the coil and be heated, and
which is intended 10 intercept any heat
that escapes through the tagging. More
tagging is applied round this tank, and
the whole is enclosed in a cylindrical
casing Of namele iron or polished cop
per. In this way very efficient heat-tn-
sulation is secured. A "rheroP' heater
measuring two feet in diameter and two
feet in height, and with an average con-
sumption of 200 watts, will. when work
ing with a cold supply at the initial tenn
perature OF so degrees Fahrenheit, yield
a daily average of twenty-five to thirty
gallons of water at 40 degrees Fahren-
helt. OF course a larger quantity of
water at a lower temperature may be
obtained. or a smaller quantity at a
higher one. The iron block which forms
the heat reservoir reaches a considerable
temperature. sometimes as much as 500
degrees Fahrenheit, and thus the water
issues from the coil as hot steam. A
specially designed valve secures that this
steam is thoroughly mixed with cold
water in any desired proportions, and SO
enables water to be drawn off at any
temperature from tepid to boiling. The
makers lain that the apparatus. which
NAV be seen in operation at 1O2 ChaFing-
cross road, can be worked at a cost for
electricity to the consumer OF a little
over 81 a quarter, though the precise
figure must depend on the terms allowed
by each supply undertaking.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

has 3,4N children Of school age. There are
three graded schools In the county. Miss
Eva b. shLman is serving her second year
as county superintendent OF schools, There
are nearly forty woman superinteudents of
schools in the state, and in every case, so
far as we have been able to learn, they are
giving entire satisfaction.
Ord, rich, modern, populous, is the center
Of the county's prosperity. Here the varied
interests OF stock, range and farm find
center. ord is strictly a selC-made city.
Not a dollars worth Of foreign capital has
ever been a factor in It's existence and It's
growth. Its buildings are owned by its
own people. Its banks are capitalized b.
home money. It's manufacturing plants
have been built and are operated with
home dollars and home talent. The mer-
chants rave grown up with their town.
and today present an unbroken front OF
growth and prosperity that has no equal
in the Loup valley. Ord. being the largest
Of the prominent cities Of the valley. en-
joys a prestige as a commercial and finan-
cial center which keeps pace with the
growth OF the country which It serves, and
which in turn serves II.
The Union Pacific was the first railroad
to build into the county, and Ord Is the
terminus of the road, connecting with the
man line at Grand Island. 1t acquired
first place in the estimation OF the shippers
and travellers, and this 1t has been able
to hold against the active competition OF
the Burlington system, which built a line
through Ord later.
This city has two banks with a deposit
of over $780, 900. They have prospered be-
cause they are careful, prudent. wise.
These banks are strong because their own
ers are strong. The people are under them
and back of them.
Ord Is erecting a new high school build
ing at a cost of $4,000, which will put II
in the front rank as an educational center.
The courthouse is IN honor to both city
and county, and the business blocks COM
pare favorably with any town OF its size.
The many church organizations of ord
are very active. Services are we'll attended
and each denomination seems to meet with
a hearty support. The city has an excel-
lent system of water works, also an cleo
trio light plant and a gas plant are oper-
ated here.
Every city dreams. Every city longs for,
greater prosperity. Every city hopes for
commercial power and municipal advance
ment. The fault of nearly all ambitious
little cities Is that they look for growth
to come without instead of within. Ord
has the element and resources that Will
brinB growth and prosperity.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

ful work as the changes tina have taken
place in the last fourteen years in Valley
county. Many a farmer who was In debt
to his factor now has money in the bank,
a bank that itself did not exist ten years
ago. The inherent good nature OF the peo-
pie approaches something like hilarity, II
Is quite likely that the most hopeless place
in Valley county a dozen years ago was
the office Of the superintendent Of public
instruction. In most Of these county Of
fices you would find men without hope,
without plan, without and adequate knowl-
edge of an educational system, who lazily
compiled lists of inaccurate figures, drew
pitiful salaries and published dull reports
that had nc particular meaning.
In these same offices now, or bigger and
better ones, you find men and women at
work who are ready to show you hundreds
Of photographs Of ramshaokle old school
houses that have been abandoned and Of
handsome new ones that have been built
to take their place. They will show you
photographs of children planting flowers
in the school yards and of other children
doing manual training work in the school
room. They still tell, of course, of insult
ficient equipment, but II you will inquire
you will find that the state and county
have enormously increased their a%ppropri-
alton for the schools, and, best Of all, you
will find that the schools now have a local
su~pport-support by ever increasing local
taxation, And no school or other institu-
ton can permanently exist on any basis
but the basis Of local support.
You will find everywhere the spirit Of
cooperation. There was a time in Valley
county when every institution was con-
Quoted only with reference to itself. Now
It is conducted with reference to all the
others.
II one was asked to name the most sig
nifioant recent changes in Valley county
they would probably say the coming Of CO.
operation; the u~nifying of forces, Of en-
ergy, of interest; the coming together Of
the workers in every department Of activ-
ity; the pulling together; in a word, the
organization Of life. The people Of this
county have just begun to find themselves
and to know their own capacity. In Ord
you not My find new business houses. and
more of them. new manufacturing enter
prises and more of them; an increase both
in the number of banks and the money
handled by the old ones. but you find that
Industrial activity In all these places is
linked with Industrial activity elsewhere.
Ten years ago a man from the east who
went into Valley county was compelled to
feel In a certain sense that he was going
inte a foreign country. In order to get
this feeling now you must go into some
very remote rural region outside of Ne
braska. Everywhere you find trains
crowded Almost everywhere the hotels
are f~illed-little hotels and big. There has
been nothing less than a revolution, by the
way, in the hotels themselves. And Ord
stands well to the front in this respect.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

z-N A review Of Valley county 1
al may be we'll to go back a de
tX cade or more and note the prog
49, ress that has been made. II
IUE0Aou visiting this county some four
Ssl@zs@S teen years ago. 1t was a jouFne!
that yielded many pleasant experiences
We visited several small towns and made
journeys into the country in different d.
r%ections. In both We encountered the
natural cheerfulness and hospitality of the
people, but the farmers were not making
money. There was almost universal com
plant that they were in debt to the mer-
chants. Many of the merchants in turn
were themselves in debit one heard much
more about difficulties than about triumph.
In talking with men singly or In clubs
or at dinners, either In commercial circles
or in educational circles. the hard times
Of the past was still the most frequent topic
OF conversation. Men spoke of the burden
imposed by the frontier; they talked about
the difficulties Of developing the country
without capital. You would often hear
illusions to the east as II it were a for.
eign country and a country where men
somehow prospered at the expense of the
west. We do not recall bitterness In this
undertone of conversation so much as
loneliness and ISOLATION and a sense vi
despair. Valley county somehow seemed
doomed to poverty for some time to come
But now we are visiting Valley county
again; everything is different. The larger
towns ave become larger and more active
and their tone, II you can speak OF the
tone of villages, is wholly different. The
street scenes at Ord. the street converse
ton, the things that you see by going up
and down through the business thorough
fares now are the same as you will see
and hear in active business cities anywhere
else I'm the world. There IL nothing, except,
perhaps, the presence OF large bands Of
cattle in feeding pens, to indicate whether
you are In the east or west. The activities
very much alike.
The small towns OF Valley county have
become larger. Some have more than
doubled their population and their activi-
ties. And even greater changes have taken
place in many parts of the farming coun-
try. You will see better houses well painted,
with we'll kept yards about them. You will
see better horses; you will travel over far
better roads; you meet men who are going
at a faster pace.
The conversation now is not about
drouth and failure Of crops. In one place
It is about alfalfa; in another 1t Is about
stock; In another about corn. You hear Of
any number OF agricultural products be-
sides corn, and corn itself has a new mean
ing. There is as much difference between
corn at 80 cents a bushel and corn at Is
cents as there is between poverty and af-
fluence.
1t is doubtful II anywhere in the world
there has been so rapid a change in what
may be called the fundamentals Of good
living and Of sound thinking and Of cheer
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26
An Electric disaster.

Users OF electric light will be interested
In the disaster that recently befell Oh
ginato, a village near Lake Como. Electric
light, created by hydraulic power, was in
stalled in every house ana even in stables,
An electric storm caused a short circuit
In every house some one ran to switch off
the light. In consequence twelve people
were killed outright and twenty-nine re-
ceived severe shocks and burns. The wires
caught fire and fell from the walls, catch
ing in their coils terrified men and women.
In some houses the walls and floors be-
came charged to such a degree with cleo
tricity that the inhabitants could not touch
them without getting shocks. In the mean
time everywhere in the village The lights
were sxtinEuishsd The arkne Increased
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26
Motor Cars Of other Days.

MOTOR lars OF ONner Days
1T is generally understood that the era
Of the motor car dates from 1870, but It
has recently been found" said Jesse w.
Perkins OF Portland, Ne, that Elijah
Ware, once a we'll known railroad construc-
ton engineer in Boston and vicinity, in
vented a very successful machine In 1861.
Its success may be Judged from the
fact that Mr.. Ware was In the habit of
racing his car with fast trotting horses
on the old plank road at Bayonne, n. j.,
and was able to go over fields, up hill
and down dale. He was always thinking
Of some mechanical schemes, but could
not order his groceries without being
cheated or imposed upon The house Is
still standing where he built his auto. The
machines appearance, when completed.
resmbled a modern fire engine more than
an automobile. Wood was used for fuel.
and a small iron boiler generated steam
for the oscillating engines, With the steel
and brass machinery and gayly painted
woodwork It must have had quite a dash
ing appearance.
when Mr.. Ware completed and first
tried his engine a crowd collected TO see
the first run. As a whole the people
looked unfavorably on Elijah's achievement,
and some went 50 far as 10 have It de-
nounced by police authorities as a public
nuisance, because they thought II would
frighten the horses. But II seems that the
people who tried to help him were the
most annoying. When one man asked him
II there was anything he could do Mr..
Ware replied, The trouble is there are too
many trying TO help Mr.. Ware ran his
machine very slowly In the streets and
those who saw him say that his steam car
riage made less noise than the modern
automobile. On the roads he went like the
wind, according to witnesses In the country.
The people under stoyepipe hats and poke
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26
wireless Stations in England.

"AECANHh 6NAhAuh III
The London Times states that the agree
ment for the transference of six working
shore stations in the United Kingdom from
Marconi's Wireless Telegraph company 70
the postoffice is complete. These stations
are at the following places: Liverpool.
the Lizard, C~rookhaven, Rosslare, Caister
and Niton. The postoffice also takes over,
under the agreement, the North Foreland
station which has hitherto been under the
Joint control OF the company and Lloyd's;
and II is presumed that it will reopen two
stations which the company had aban-
d~oned-those at WitheTnsea and Holyhead.
These shore stations exist for communica-
ton between the shore and passing ships;
but the agreement also gives the postoffice
the right TO use the Marconi system for the
transmission Of kilograms from the main
land to stands in the waters of the United
Kingdom for a period Of fourteen years.
1t is believed that this provision of the
agreement will make II necessary to lay
cables 10 many islands to which II would
otherwise have been necessary to lay them
sooner or later, and in this respect many
thousands OF pounds will be saved. So
far as passing ships and the adjacent is
lands are concerned, the postoffice will
incorporate the Marconi telegraphy in the
state system. Among many advantages
which the Marconi company will derive
Immediately from the agreement Is the
consequential release from it's contract
with Lloyd's. which, indeed. the postoffice
practically adopts. OF course the bulk Of
the wireless business will remain in the
hands OF the company. There are now
go ships carry the Marconi apparatus, and
the message dispatched from and received
by those ships will continue to be under
the companys control So will the trans
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26
Big Harvest OF Oysters.


The optimistic view taken by many oys-
termen before the opening OF the tong
ing season concerning the quality and
yield Of the catch seems to have been
fully justified. oysters are In good con-
dillon and two men working in a boat
can take from thirty-flve to forty bushels
daily from bars that only a few years ago
would scarcely yield ten bushels a day.
Many reasons are given for their rapid
Increase, but 1t seems to be the consensus
Of opinion that the manner in which the
Gull law has been enforced has been OF
most benefit.
Until a few years ago each spring, toward
the close OF the longing season, large
schooners from New Jersey and Long
Island Sound visited these waters buying
seed oysters to be transplanted to their
waters. In most cases these vessels were
willing to take oysters practically unculled,
so long as the price was low, ana had
this practice not been discontinued the
result would have been OF vital ~disadvan-
tage TO this community.
The market here is, as yet. not very
brisk. oysters that are caught now are
transplanted into shallow water, where,
In most instances. they become fattsF than
on the bars.
The gasoline engine, which only a few
years ago was practically unknown in the
oyster business here, has almost become
a necessity. Many oysteFmen In former
years lived In shanties on the shores OF
Wye river, In order to be near the most
prolific bars or rocks. only returning to
their families at the last OF the week.
The motor boat has practically eliminated
the use OF these shanties. placing the bars
within easy reach. The tonger without =
gasoline engine in his canoe or dead-riss.
is now considered behind the times, and In
many cas-. is given a tow by his more
fortunate brother.-Baltimore Sun
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26


fsaaSFH cript seems to promise the
S&S&J central station engineer some
rec Of relief from the disadvantage
iuder which he laboTs at present, hat
Tor the greater part OF the twenty-fouF
hours much OF his plant Is standing idle.
establishment charges being augmented
thereby. while nothing is added 70 rev
enue. The heaters employed In this sys-
tenn are Intended 10 be permanently con-
nected with the mains, and therefore, II
a number OF them were installed in an
area OF supply, they would constitute a
substantial addition to the constant load
upon which the STATEN could count. But,
further, since the apparatus contains q
considerable store of heat II is possible
TO cut off the supply Of current for a
short period without seriously affecting
the supply OF hot water. and II arrange
ments were made TO take advantage OF
this fact and to d~isconneet the heaters
for the few hours during which the con-
sumption OF current for lighting pur-
poses is at It's height. they would become
a means for improving the load factor
without increasing the maximum demand
The current taken by the heaters being
approximately constant. a meter might be
dispensed with; and supply undertakings
might find II beneficial to let out the
apparatus 10 their consumers at inclusive
rates, which would cover both the hire
OF the machine and the cost OF the cleo
trical energy which IL consumes.
In the "Therol" water heater. as IL Is
called. electricity Is employed to give the
domestic hot water supply for which
ho~useholders have hitherto had 10 rely
upon the kitchen range. The fundamental
"a OF the arrangement Is to store the
a. reduced by a small electric current
con antiy passing into the apparatus.
- - use Il for heating water as re-
b4rGA BOF this purpose a block OF iron,
IA rDundAA coil OF pipe. Is heated BY
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26
Lnnr ni.tnnce seeInr.

SIN another apparatus for seeing cleo
trically at long distances has been de-
yised. We have already transmitted
photographs by ~tslegraphy. and an ex-
tension OF the method would transmit
actual luminous images. The chief trouble
has been tina the elements OF the picture
must be reproduced successfully. and while
this makes no difference with a photo
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26
Recent of Electrical Investigation, Experiment and Application

atlantic messages. and the message be-
tween ships and lighthouses and light
ships. and the company will be encouraged,
il it chooses, to introduce wireless tele-
graphy between large towns in the United
Kingdom.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

bonnets must have been surprised when
the glittering engine came whizzing along
the peaceful roads, without rails. kicking
up dust and vomiting smoke wherever il
went."-Washington Post.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

the terror and the people fled through the
gloom under a pouring rain, madly scream
ing whenever flashes Of lighting illumined
the sky. For twenty minutes the beautiful
village was transformed into a veritable
hell.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26
Methods Of Heating water.

SYSTEM for obtaining a sup
ply OF hot water for domestic
purposes by electrical means
described by the Boston Trans
cript seems TO promise the
central station engineer some