Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-02

metropolis, the people offered large sub
sides OF proceeded to build connecting
lines themselves. out OF this welter Of
little and poorly built roads there have
been evolved five great modern railroads
which serve the city. forming arteries OF
trade that bring vast commercial terri
tories within the reach of it's business
men.
Early in It's life az a city, Lincoln de-
veloped into a jobbing center. and as the
state increased In population, as the rail-
roads we're extended and as agriculture
multiplied. this form Of commerce, linked
with manufacturing in dozens OF lines, be-
came a dominant factor in its growth.
As the capitai. the city became and re-
mains the political center OF the state.
| The University Of Nebraska followed
shortly after the selection OF Lincoln
as the capital, and its growth has run
far and fast ahead Of that OF tho state
itself as Individual wealth piled up and
the belief IN a strong educational system
grew. The dominance Of agriculture as
the great business Of the state early led
TO the founding close to the city OF a
giant agricultural college and school.
where hundreds Of boys from the farm
are taught everything there IL 10 know
about their business. To insure the
stability OF its educational institutions
large part OF the agricultural domain was
early set aside az school, university and
agricultural lands. From sales and
rentals a FUND, invested in bonds and
amounting now to 100000, has been
collected-end there yet remain thousands
Of acres a. the inheritance Of the educa-
tional system Of the state.
The lincoln Of 1870 numbered a thousand
Tor two souls. clustered about a combination
business and residence district that was
less than a mile square. Today the city
proper has an area Of eight square miles,
and within five miles Of the postoffice
GO 900 people live and labor. The one-story
frame store buildings with flaring fronts
Of pioneer days have been replaced with
modern business blocks. ranging in height
TO eight stories, equipped with all modern
devices for comfort and quick Dispatch
and filled with merchandise OF quality
and worth. The illy-equipped cottage OF
the pioneer has vanished and In It's place
are found the bungalow. the fine resi-
dence and the palatial mansion. There
are no rookeries where the shiftless and
the unlucky seek refuge. no districts
where vice and crime are given quasi
license 10 flourish and to prey. The I'm
coin OF today enjoys prosperity so we'll
distributed that II is equally az well
famed for the absence OF Knob hill pal
aces as II IL for the absence OF siums.
Municipal Growth.
within the eight square miles OF ter
ritory are 70 be found sixty-three miles
OF paved streets. sixty-five miles OF street
railways and ninety-five miles OF sewers.
1t owns its own water plant and Its own
street lighting plant II has also branched
out into commercial lighting. and through
the competition thus given has given
consumers the lowest electric rates pos
sIble in city OF any considerable area.
Its street car system maintains up-to-
date cars upon schedules faster than
those Of other cities OF it's size. and by
reason OF the oompactness OF the business
district and the spreading character of
the residence sections few homez are
beyond fifteen minutes ride to business
and q few cars are overcrowded.
The roll Of the prairie upon which Ian
coin IL located is 30 gentle that there are
no great hills 70 climb. no cuts through
which streets need burrow their way. no