Omaha daily bee., 1921-06-19
A big step forward from Oma

a big step FORWARD lolh oiha
has primitive period was street paw
ing, which, after some unsuccessful
attempts. was begun in a practica
way in 1883, aui continued with th'
towns growth until all the principa
business thoroughfares and rromi'
nent residence streets were convert.
cd from muddy or dusty roads, &C.
cording to the weather, into wei
paved highways. Prior to the paw,
ing period Omaha's condition was
truthfully described in the opening
lines of Frank Streamer's famous
jingle:
"Hast ever been in Omaha.
Where rolls the dark Missouri
down,
And four strong horses scarce can
draw
An empty wagon through the
Where sand is blown from every
mound
To fill our eyes and ears and
throat,
Where all the steamers are aground
~-h And all the shanties are atloat!
fhe next notable public improve
fent was the waterworks. It IS a
f,ost remarkable fact that Omaha
q did not have system OF water
works until it was city OF over
10000 people. The construction OF
the first plant was begun in the
eun,mrr az 1880, and water was
turned into the pipes IA months
later. Prior to this time the city
depended for its water supply upon
wells and cisterns, the latter beng
filled from the river by tire engines
MANY public and private improve,
ments followed the completion OF
the waterworks plant.
Establishment of Stock Yards.
) The establishment of stock yards
and packing. houses 81 years ago
as resulted in making Omaha the
second live stock market OF the
world. This great enterprise. was
conceived and promoted principally
bv public spirited citizens OF Oma-
ha whose names should ever be re-
membered BY the people OF the
metropolis of Nebraska. lney
were William A. Paxton, FranK 1nF
Murphy, Thomas Swobe, 7. w.
Hamilton, M. A. Upton, +: Z: llel'
I. NJ Anderson. John A. McShane'
Iohn H Donnelly, John A. Creign-
ION. Herman Kountze, ]. M. WOOL
worth. all of Omaha, and A. n;
swan of Cheyenne. B. F. Smith and
Francis Smith of Boston and John
n Bosler of Pennsylvania. these
men were the officers and directors
OF the Union Stock Yards company
and the South Omaha Land syndi-
cate. and they induced the big pack
ers9one after the other-to estab-
lish packing plants i'll South Omaha,
Which grew to be a city of about
10000 before annexation to Omaha.
Today the packing business is the
biggest industry in Nebraska.
The building of the Douglas
street bridge SO years ago at COST
Of over 100000, connecting oma-
ha and Council Bluffs, was an enter
prise that added greatly to the com
mercial and social interests OF the
two cities.
The Trans-Mississippi and Inter
national exposition in 1893 was a
notable achievement in the history
of Omaha. 1t marked an epoch IN
the upward trend of the city. VI
the many expositions held IN the
United States this was the only one
that paid its stockholders substan-
tial dividend. The subscribers to
the stock were repaid 92H per cent
OF their subscriptions. They had
not expected return OF their
money. and therefore it was a most
agreeable surprise. Their subserip-
tions were regarded as contributions
to an enterprise for the lifting OF
Omaha from the slough of despond
and advancing it far along on the
pathway of progress. The total cash
receipts from all sources were
Sl.76l,3o4. The net profit was $685.
Oil.
To Arouse People.
The organization of the exposition
was proposed in the fall of 1895:
when the commercial interests OF
the community were at the lowest
ebb, to arouse the pc, pie of Omaha
and the west from the stupor, de-
preston, and gloom which per-
vaded all business circles and every
walk of life. This deplorable con-
dition had been brought about by
financial panic and successive crop
failures.
ITO enlist financial aid at such a
time for a great exposition Of the
resources of the west was a
stupendous undertaking. and no one
can appreciate the discouragements
encountered except those who were