Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-09-02

metropolis. the people offered large sub
sides or 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 its business
men.
Early IN its life as n city. Lincoln de-
veloped into a iobbing 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 It's growth.
As the capitsi. 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 ana fast ahead Of that OF the 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 Jed
10 the founding close to the city OF
giant agricultural college and school,
where hundreds OF boys from the farm
are taught everything there Is TO know
about their business. To insure the
stability OF its educational institutions n
large part OF the agricultural domain was
early set aside as school. university and
agricultural lands. From sales and
rentals q FUND. invested in bonds and
amounting now to s1o,Ooo.0oo. has been
colleoted-end there yet remain thousands
OF acres e. the inheritance OF the educa-
tional system Of the state.
The lincoln of 1870 numbered a thousand
or two souls. clustered about n combination
business and residence district that was
iess than mile square. Today the city
proper has an area OF eight square miles,
and within five miles Of the postoffice
5000 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
10 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 its place
are found the bungalow. the fine resi-
dence ana 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 to flourish and to prey. The LIN
coin Of today enjoys a prosperity so we'll
distributed that II IL equally as well
famed for the absence of Knob hill pal
aces as II 10 for the absence OF slums.
Municipal Growth.
Within the eight square miles Of ter
ritory are TO be found sixty-three miles
OF paved streets. sixty-five miles Of street
railways and ninety-five miles OF sewers
II owns It's 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 n 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. am by
reason Of the oompactness OF the business
district and the spreading character of
the residence sections few homes are
beyond fifteen minutes ride to business
ana few cars are overcrowded.
The roll OF the prairie upon which IAN
coin IL located Is 30 gentle that there are
no great hills 20 climb. no cuts through
which streets need burrow their way. no