Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-08

size. and Sioux on tine west. sixty-nins
miles north and south ny thirty miles east
and west. In 1857 or 1854 Dawes was di-
vided. the south thirty miles being cut
off and called Box Butte county, leaving
Dawes thirty-nine by thirtysix miles.
When these counties were organized F.
B. Carly, who is now cashier Of the Ciu-
zens State bank of Chadron was appointed
county clerk. ., Forest Richards, county
treasurer who afterwards became COVER
nor of wyoming: Z. Y. Mears. who had
spent the best Of his life with the regular
army in the west. and Moorehead. were
appointed county commissioners.
The first convention for the nomination
of officers was called through the Chad
ron Journal. as a non-partizan convention,
giving as a reason thar al were strangers
to each other and the object was 70 put up
the best men for office. Both parties had
caucuses and elected delegates TO attend
this convention. = C. Garfield from Wis
consin was elected chairman of the con-
vention and over 100 delegates were pres
ent. II is seldom one would meet with a
more intelligent, fair-minded body of men.
Business was transacted orderly and with
dispatch. In 1856, a $50 900 court house and
a SeO.OOO school house were built at Chad
lDl anu AolAuff ms a ny NaAEl SlNllA
installed
In the latter SOS and up 70 1896 crops
were good and everybody was prospecting
In 1893. a general depression that seemed
to cover the whole civilized world set in
and hard times was the cry everywhere
Labor was without employment. crops were
light and in many places were total fail
ures. The new homesteaders in Dawes
couufyr Wrprp nnor and many hecs ma His
cOuraged and left the country, but those
who remained and faced the hardships Of
pioneer life have been amply rewarded.
Many of these farmers. who a few years
ago were too poor to meet their obligations
for the every day necessities of life are now
owners and occupants OF many Of the best
residences in the city and have a large
bank account to draw on.
II must be remembered that Dawes
county is one Of the youngest in the safe
All that has been accomplished along the
line OF Development and progress has been
zone in the last q, enty years set We tiId
here today a county Of nearly l00lJ pOpu-
latiun with a vaiua- ion OF s. Is 600 Al -
with ninety miles Of RAJ road within t
borders and seven eneTget C progr IS ye
railroad stations. II is not strictly a graz
county. yet there are five elevators within
its borders, and two coed -FOUR - r. III
While the county has but one de % u
water power. the White river. p-ss.ns
through the center of the coun.t. IA - 49,
undeveloped powers that will furnish from
fifty-to 80 horsepower each. The county
is supplied with five good banks. lw0 at
Crawford. at Marsland. and two az
Chadron. The Citizens state Bank Of chad
ron is presided over by o W. Biekman,
PRESIDENT and F. B. Carley, cashier. The
First National Bank c Z Chad.on is gel
by q. r Coffee as pres den. a.d B l.
Scuvel as cashier These five banks have
a combined deposit OF about 81 ioo.0o.
Ninety per cent Of the farmers OF yais
county owns theft farms. Dawes coun a
1850 acres in farms with 2s.7t0 under cll-
uvaiOn- There is little or no sand IN
Dawes county. and willie 4 IS a az
country Il is not a cattle range Coultry,
as nearly all OF the land is under fence.
Last year the farmers OF this county soil
and shipped out Is 90 head Of Catts. 35sl
hogs. 4.Ss9 well bred horses and 65o1 mutton
sheep. A fair estimate Cf the prod 60 e
ness u this Young county can be obtain a
from that fact that the farmers las year
sold ana shipped our 57.e00 bushels Of
wheat. 3 90 bushels Of oats and % 90 bush
els OF rye Dawes county is fast coming 10
the front in the potato industry. Last year
the farmers produced $50 acres that aver
aged over 80 bushei per acre.
The farmers Of this county have over 5.aoo
acres OF alfalfa growing and in fun pro-
duetion. besides many hundred acres re-
Gently seeded. New territory is constantly
being opened up ana new farms esJab-
lished. not only throughout Dawes county
but along the border OF South Dakota
Here in Dawes county Is going today
one Of the largest land rushes IN its his
tory. Here are gathered the land-hungry
homeseeksrs from different parts OF the
middle west. The man from Illinois. with
some capital and much confidence. is here
he IS In a new country and viii have 70
learn new ways. His bank account will
save him much hardship and viii ward of
the pTivatiOns the pioneer Of Older days had
20 undergo before cOnauering the prairie
Dawes county has eighty-seyen school
districts. The first school districts were or
EaniEed in 1916. District No I was organ
lied near Crawford. then No. = being the