Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-24

are turning their attention to the dairy in
dustry.
The feeding Of stock has become one
of the great industries of Adams county.
Last year the farmers sold and shipped out
of the county 7,400 head of beef cattle and
$4,000 head of fat hogs. In the early days
before the condensation of freight. when it
cost as much to ship a car load of cattle to
Chicago as it did a car load of corn, and be-
fore the days of great packing-houses on the
Missouri river, the farmers of Adams county
labored under a great disadvantage. Few
people realize the savings to the farmers by
the condensation referred to. 1t takes fully
two car loads of corn to fatten one car load
of steers. A car of steers is hauled from
the local station in Nebraska to the Missouri
river packing house for less than one car
load of corn and there two cars of cattle
are condensed again into less than one car
load of dressed beef, and this one car load
is hauled to Chicago for less money than a
car load of corn was formerly transported.
This gives the farmer the full producers
profit on his cereals and also a better profit
on his live stock; and is a concentration in
freight of at least four to one. This repre-
sents millions of dollars each year to the
farmers of Nebraska. The average citizen,
If he considers the matter at all, gives only
passing thought to the resources of Adams
county and Nebraska and does not stop to
realize it's enormous wealth, what has
already been accomplished and what is yet
to be done.
Adams county has 100, 900 fruit trees
in full bearing, consisting of apples, peaches,
plums and cherries. Last year the county
sold and shipped to market ISL 600 bushels
of corn and 1900, 600 bushels of wheat be-
sides 8 1000 bushels of oats. Adams county
is about twenty-four miles square and has
about "a, 900 population. The city of Hast
ings is the county seat of Adams county and
has a population of about IL, 500. 1t is the
heart of one of the most extensive and
fertile agricultural and stock growing
prairie countries on the continent and four
of the great railroad systems engaged In the
development of the west, have found It to
their advantage to build lines into and
through the city. 1t is the end OF the
division of the c.. b.. & Q. system with it's
main Chicago and Denver line, its Kearney,
its Aurora, and its Republican valley
branches. 1t has one of the most important
arms Of the Union Pacific system in its ST.
Joe & Grand Island branch, which is a link In
the main line of that company from st. Louis
to the coast. 1t has a branch of the Missouri
Pacific which, with the st. Joe and Burling-
ton roads, give it three competing lines to
Kansas City, st. Louis, and points south. It
also has an arm of the Chicago G. North
western and these four great railway sys-
tens have In all ten arms radiating out of
the city in all directions, bringing it in close
touch with all parts of the surrounding
country. D.
Hastings has frst-class water. sewer
and electric light plants, with their attendant
ccnveniences for industrial use. For post
Office and federal court purposes it has a
government building with grounds on which
$1S5,000 has been expended. 1t has a county
court house, with grounds on which $780,
600 has been expended; a state institution
with grounds on which over $25O,OOO has
been expended; a high school building with
grounds on which 500, 900 has been ex-
pended; a college with good buildings and a
cash endowment OF 500, 900; a fine public
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