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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1909)
The Omaha Daily Bee EDITORIAL SECTION. Pages 11 to 20. A Happy Hew Year TO ONE AND ALL . VOL. XXXVIII NO. 1(33. OMAHA, FKIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 1, 1900. SINGLE COPY TWO CENTS. ' Concrete Facts Illustrating Growth of Omaha During" the Last Year r f f 7s v a. ft i JOBBERS AND THE FACTORIES WhoUialeri Sell Oyer Ninety-Two Million Dollari of Goods. MANUFACTORIES DOUBLE THAT Plant and Supply lloun of OntkA Kxperlence a. Vnr of Remark able Growth and Dt velopment. Three conditions made It possible (or Omaha to sell $92,327,000 worth of goods at wholesale and produce In the factories $188,172,163 worth of goods. These conditions have been overlooked by those who feared the wholesale houses and factories would not have as big a year In merchandising as they had In ISO? when they reached the most phenomenal business record In the history of the city and reached It In actual figures, not in guesses. According to the business men who look back over the year's record, these are the things which caused almost every house to surprise Itself. Enlargement of trade territory. ' Steady consumption of staples In the country. Lower prices which tempted buyers with plenty of money during the closing months of the year. W. 8. Wright of Wright & Wilhelmy was at his desk the afternoon before New Year's. From a drawer he took a small black book with pages ruled In fine light red lines. "I'm not going to lie about It," said the Veteran hardware dealer. "I want to tell you a story before we talk about what the business has been for the year. "One time there was a Scotchman who was arrested and charged with a crime and upon the advice of his friends he employed an attorney. "After talking tho matte all over with the lawyer, the Scotchman suddenly stop ped and his attorney Inquired: "Have you told me the whole truth?" " 'I certainly hae", replied the Scot. " "You are sure you have told me the whole truth?" " "Yes, I hae, because I thought you could fix up th' lees, better than I could.' "Now that Is what I am going to do," continued Mr. Wright, "and that Is what I would Insliit that others do in the matter of making statements about the business conditions In Omaha, and if they do this It does not seem to me that It will be necessary for anyone to fix up the lies. The truth of the matter Is," he said, as he looked over the pages of the little book which told a story of many years" business In Omaha. "The truth of the matter is that the business for 1908 is Just as good as it was In 1907, and besides we have sold more pounds, dosen, gross and cases of articles than ever before. "Prices went ofr, not only In hardware 'lines, but In others and our salesmen had to sell morn to bring the gross sales up to what they were a year ago. Better Than Normal. "The year of 1907 was a record breaker. The year before, 1906, was a normal busi ness year In Onwiha. The business of 1908 ex ceeds that of 1906 In other words we have beaten the normal business record, and are also at the advantage of having eliminated sulphis stocks, and assisted the factories In catching up with their orders. The set back of a few months at the close of 1907 'and beginning of 1908. was a healthy thing. Factories which were six months behind with orders caught up; wholesalers who had enough of some lines on hand to last two years, sold the surplus and quit or dering until they did; cars which were tied up in traffic congestion were released and sent pounding down the long lines of shim mering steel; retailers collected from the farmers and paid the whdlesalers, the wholesalers paid tho manufacturers, main tained their credit and probably owe as much or more today s they did at the end of 1907, but the bills are new and the kind of business which the best business houses and factories want. "Withal, the year has been good. It opened good. July, August and September . fell off. but things picked up again and the close Is most satisfactory." Mr. Wright shut the little book with a snap. It Is a book which probably only the proprietors see. Each page tells the history of one year. The figures of 1908 were scarcely dry. They could hardly be called business history, they were so fresh. They showed the dollars and cents, they showed the car loads and the tonnage, the cost of trasportatlon and the cost of selling In almost every Instance It Is from such books as this that The Bee secures Its Information about the actual business done by wholesale houses from the most con fidential sources, and the figures given are. In the aggregate, making It possible to obtain from almost every broad minded business man an accurate statement of business conditions, 4 Kuialler Houses Help. In the dry goods lines the business closed about the same as last year. There la not a pliable 2 per cent difference In the sales of the big houses, while with the addition of a number of smaller houses. Which have been pushing out for business, It Is estimated that the groas sales of dry goods In Omaha for the year of lfc ex ceeded that of 1907, when It was aaid to be $8,575,000. This figure complied January 1. turui wum faunii tit be low when the In Rut would the dry the most ne since they first began to trade calico to the In dians for Connecticut madi wampum. A'ong oun after the first of the year, prices went off 10. 15 and flnully all of 25 per cent In many lines of staple gjods. Cloth which sold at 7H cents per yard year ago was selllnx during 1908 for 6 cents. Additional I salesmen found positions In territory many miles beyond the former boundaries of Omaha's trade empire, and more yards, dosen, case and pounds of dry goods were sold than ever before In order to bring the gross sales up to the point which they finally reached. The consumption of staple and even fancy lines of dry goods did not diminish, how ever, when times becsme hard and at the end of 1907. The farmers. In particular, hud the money and they spent It on their wives and daughter When the prices went low. they bought two new apron patterns Instead of one; a dosen new napkins, Instead of six; a bolt of muslin of finer grade. Instead of ten or fifteen yards of lower grade, and this made the business of which i voicing was completed February 1 to make a record for I, which I compare with the record of 1907, I goods dealers of Omaha had to do I strenuous work they have ever do Omaha can Justly boast at the close of a big year. Implements hov Decline. In the agricultural Implement I n", it is believed the business Is off 10 per cent to a full 20 per cent. Many reasons are given for the decrease, but the principal one seems to be that almost every farmer bought new wagons, carriages, plows, cul tivators and hnrrows during 1907, when the business done by Omaha houses was more than $11,500,000. This figure looks high, but on the testi mony of the most conservative business men In the line, It Is not too high, perh.-ips not high enough, and a new house or two has been added, while the John Deere Plow company has more than tripled the space occupied by Its warehouses and Its busi ness Is climbing In proportion. One feature of the Implement business has been the elimination of surplus stocks and the placing of everything on a better footing. One houso which had 2,4iO car riages In Its warehouse a year ago now has less than 800. The wholesalers arranged to assist the retailers who had bought heavy and where a house had a carload of wagons and the dealer a few stations be yond was ordering wagons, the goods were shipped from the retailer who had tho surplus. Thus stocks both In the whole sale houses and In the country have been well cleaned up and there Is now little doubt, but what the agricultural Implement men. who have sold more than $9,510,000 of a J13.000.000 business during the coming goods during 1908, wlh. make It better than season. Druggists have held their own soma have even done better because of new ter ritory which thoy have been adding, and the Omaha houses are now selling clear to the Pacific const, which has made it possible to mr-ke up any loss in business in the middle west by pushing f.irther toward the Pacific. E. K. Bruce Is responsible for the statement that there is not a plia ble 5 per cent difference In the gross sales of litis, as compared to these of 1907, cither way. One line of business which has attracted attention by a heavy Increase Is the whole sale milliners. The Increase in tills line will be more than 35 per cent, m increase from $488,000 to almost $700,000 In one year. Business men are of the opinion the mil linery business is a good barometer al most as good as bank cleartngs. When people are buying millinery they are also buying groceries, rubber goods, clothing, carpets, coal, lumber, paints, wall paper, bocts and shoes, confectionery, hats and caps, say the business houses. Millinery as a Barometer. Tho millinery sold In the Omaha terri tory has been better and has cost mor money than It did last year. The ten dency of the hat market is not inclined to be downward and, as a result, people had to have more money to buy millinery, but they had It and spent It, and If they could all afford new hats for their wives and daughters, It la almost certain the con sumers were buying other lines liberally The trade In groceries has been steady no falling off, and with the hepo that it will show a good Increase when the books are finally closed on the year. Even dur ing the first few months of the year the people did not stop rating because many were trying to urge hard times, nor did the consumption decrease because of the presidential campaign. The record made by the grocers has not been hard to make not as hard as It was In tho dry goods lines. Leather goods and advertising novelties had a good year In Omaha, and a ne leather house or two came along to swell the business. Both the sale and manufacture of poul try and stock foods has Increased, nota bly the alfalfa foods. Factories In Omaha have made a good record, $188,172,163 worth for the year. The most notable Increase Is In the manufacture of flour and feed stuffs, the mills of Omaha running dny and night during thp entire year, while the largest mill In the city ran only two months the last of 1907. Healthy Increases are shown by the creameries and Omaha maintains the posi tion won stverul years ago of the largest butter manufacturing point In the United States. Cracker Showing; I.ate. The manufacture of crackers decreased during 1908 because the National Blrcut company closed its plant during the win ter of 1907. and until the plant of the Iten Uisult company started In September, no crackers were made In Cmaha. The Iten plant, with a larger capacity than the old National factory. Is now running, and the Loose-Wiles Cracker and Confectionery company Is erecting a plant of equal ca pacity, which will soon make Omaha one of the largest Independent cracker manu facturing points on the "biscuit map." Beer and malt products did not show a decrease. One distillery was closed for a short time, but resumed to make up fot the tims lost when it was closed for Im provements and repairs. The cement block Industry shows an In crease, no less than six new p'.nnts opening In Omaha during the year. Among the notable reecrds Is that made ty the manufacturers of poultry supplies, Including Incubators. More of these sup ples have been manufactured In Omaha than ever before and sold from the Mis sissippi river to the Pacific coast. The following is a detailed statement ot the wholesaling and Jobbing business ct the city for the twelve months of luxx Hrrord la Detail. Agricultural Implements $ (,700.000 Advertising novelties 197,1k 0 Automobile Bupplles 90.ii0 Bakers' supplies 62.000 i Barbers' supplies 75.000 Bllhard room and bar fixtures..,, 1l5.flo0 Boots and shoes l.n!,mo Confectionery l,4u),000 (Continued on Twelfth Page.) Detailed Month. January .. Febi uary Mareii .pril , M.iy June July August .... September CH-ictber ... November December Totals. Fifty-seven permits for FORTY-FOUR NEW CONCERNS Most of These Give Employment to Many Persons. INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS IS GREAT Capacity of Flour Mills of Omaha lias Been Doubled, Bringing; it 1 p to Nearly B,000 Barrels Dally. In addition to the enlargements of firms already in business In Omaha, a large num ber of which increased their capital stock, at least fifty-five firms have come to Omaha, most of them being engaged In manufacturing, which means employment Is furnished to a large number of people. These fifty-five new firms coming to Omaha have furnished employment for 2.524 people, which means the population has grown some as a direct result ot the opening of new industries which either took men and women from places already here or furnished new tnes, at any rate supplying work for over 2,000 more people. That the new firms coming to the city have Influenced the activity in other lines Is shown In the Increased demand for factory and warehouse sites, as well as for residences. The attention of reat estate dealers was drawn to tho demand for factory sites early In the year and a list of available factory property filed with the Commercial club. This list has re sulted In the sale of several properties. ' PerslBtent advertising of the city's ad vantages and its railroad facilities has as sisted in bringing many of the Industries to the city, while In several Instances the Commercial club, or business men directly interested or represented on Its commit tees, have made It possible for Industries to come by some such action as was taken for the wool warehouses and the Money Milling company, for which Institutions the Commercial club secured the sites. Notable among the increasing Industries of Omaha Is the doubling of the milling plants. Making less than 2,000 barrels per day at present, the plans now being com pleted will mean 6,000 barrels per day from Omaha mills. The alfalfa mills are also Increasing In site and Importance, the M. C. Peters company buying a large store house for more than $30,000 Just before the close of the year, which will be an addition to the big factory already In operation. Many of the new industries have simply selected this city as the logical point at which a large business could be done; others have been brought here through the Influence of the Commercial club which has worked constantly to secure lo cations and such an adjustment of rail road rates as would make new Industries possible. "Ralston," a new Industrial suburb sprang Into existence almost before the people of Omaha new It, the Shlmer A Chase company opening as a townslte the old homer of Dr. George L. Miller, end the Importance of the suburb Is now apparent as one of the big cases of the year before the Nebraska railroad commission has been opened in order to adjust railroad rates. List of New Firms. The following is the list of new firms and Industries which came to Omaha during the year, their capital and business. (In the event branch houses have been opened, as has been the case In a number of in stances, the capital the buying power of the firm is given, as representing what the business actually means. This is the case of the Butler Paper company and others. The paper company has a capital stock of $4,500,000. It has opened a branch house in Omaha. The stock carried has no bearing on the situation. The capital back of tho concern is $4,500,0)0, and these fig ures are used for branches In the following list:) The following gives name of company, capital and article manufactured or sold: American Bottling company, $1,000; min eral waters, soda, etc. Anderson Concrete company, $5,000; con crete blocks. The Ankhurter company, $10,000; nuts and nut products. Balsler Commission company, $2,000; gro cers' sundries. Butler Bros, (branch), $4,500,000; general merchandise. Butter Cream Candy company. $2,000; candy factory. Central Tire and Rubber company, $6,000; automobile tires and accessories. The Diamond Rubber company, $25,000; rubber tires, etc. Dlehl Chemical company, $35,000; manufac turing chemists. Farmers Lumber company, $100,000; lum ber and building material, Florence Brick company, $5,000; concrete blocks. Oate City Brokerage company, $5,000; wholesale cigars. Howard Stove and Manufacturing com pany, $160,000; heating stoves, ranges, eto. Ideal Cement company, $5,000; cement building stone. Independent Lumber company, $50,000; lumber and building material. Iten Biscuit company, $150,000; crackers, biscuits and cakes. Johansen Brod. Shoe company (branch), $25o,0uo; wholesale boots and shoes. Keusbey & Mattlson company (branch), $1,000,000; asbestos goods. Lexington Mill and Elevator company, $100,000; flour. Looe-Wlles company, $200,000; crackers, biscuits and cakes. Maney Milling company, $125,000; flour and meal. National Lumber Box company, $25,000; woolen packages and boxes. Nebraska Concrete Reinforcement com pany, $6.ti0: concrete posts, blocks, etc. L. J. Nelson & Co.. $20,010; wholesale lumber and wooden packages. UPiaha Concrete Stone company, $3,000; concrete blocks. Omaha Oil company, $50,000; oils and greases. Omaha Van and Storage company (ware house). $Hoi0e: storace. Omaha Wool and Storage company, $100,- Orudell Farm Dairy company, $30,000; dairy feed, alfalfa men!. Charles Passow A 8ons. $3,000; pool, bil liard and bar fixtures. Peru Plow company, $200,000; farm Imple ments. People's Ics and Cold Storage company Showing of Building I No. of I Per- Stores snd Dwellings. Office Buildings1 mlts. Fr.lBk.l TM Cost. FT. Bk T 1. 1 Cost. 79 lih 4l 6 45$ im.frv 3 $ 34,500 45 1 5 921 93 i hfi 87 12 loll &3; 66 4 SI lV.I.XlKl 73 l.7'x i 2.100 l,(ru 7.25) 19.5HU 249 XSo 319.760 228 5i'i 2.6. .150: 847.1T&i S19.s76 i2.375 178.230 154,2501 1 ml 1DI 133 14.1 1x8 15X 1V 9 92 81 4 9.1 135 a 31 10.6 K 15.80.) 7.40 12,5uu .3flO 116! 731 63 61 A : 4- 1,000 hi I 1.526 8Xxj 112'1,0U0 I2.648.7K I 22! 36fl22.900 dwellings of two apartments, nine of three, (warehouse), $.00,000; storage and Ice. Perfection ement Bions company, sd.vw; conciete blocks. Pone Trunk and Leather company, $l.ooo; trunks and leather goods. Puck Soap company, swi.0110; soap. Ralston Car works, $200,000; freight cars. passenger coaches, etc. Khogo-L,niiia springs company, .ni,uw; mineral waters, ginger ale. Sioux City Saratoga Chip company, 12,500; potato chips. Bwanson iimana rum company, moving picture machines, optical goods, eto. Toledo Computing Scale company (branch), $000,000; computing scales. Cncle Sam Breakfast Food company, $10O,uflti; breakfast food. Wellcr Bros., 2"0,ooo; lumuer. Western Umbrella company, $1,000; um brellas. Wilson Reinforced Concrete company. $5,000; concrete blocks. t Western Bridge ana onsirucuon com pany, $75,000; bridge supplies. Benson Cement Works, $20,000; cement blocks. General Acoustic company of New Tors, (branch), acousticons, etc. Pierre Jnckson, fire-proof material. Kats-Cralg Construction company, $60,000; water works, sewers, etc. McKeen Motor Car company, $1,000,000; gasoline motor cars, air compressors, en gines, etc. Minneapolis Steel and Machinery com pany (branch), $1,000,000; electrical power plants. Omaha Folding Machine company, $15,000; newspaper folders. Scntes Motor Car company, $10,000; auto mobiles. . Pplcer, Nate, $2,500; wholesale Ice crenm. Stahl Church Organ company, $10,000; church, concert and ehnnel nrg-ans. MILLION FOR PUBLIC WORKS Amount Spent for that Done and Does Not Tonch What is Tet to Be Done. Over $1,000,000 was expended In public works In Omaha during the year :90S. the exact figures being $1,020,322. Th s Is $238,796 mnm than was spent In 1907, when a total of $781,526 was used In public Improvements, Thi ennrmous exoendlture is on work completed and does not touch work that has been ordered or Just begun. The mam moth North Omaha sewer, which will cost the city nearly $100,000 and the Union Pa oifi vr iiavnoo. which Is barely begun. Is not Included In the 1908 figures. In addl tlon to this work there are a number of other large sewer contracts as well as con tracts for paving and other work which are not included. During 1908 thirteen and one-third miles of new paving were laid at the cost of $534,686, bringing the total mileage of paving of all kinds up to practically 117 miles, Nearly twenty-two ml'.es ot curbing, thirty- three and one-half miles of permanent tide walks and nearly ten miles of sewers were constructed during the year. A summary of the year's operations of the public works' department, as prepared by City Engineer Rosewater, follows: Kind of Work. Paving Curbing Sewers Sidewalks Grading (continued) Grading repairs and rounding up Asphalt repairs (laboratory expenses and tarnlngs, street cuts) Stone, brick and macadam pavement repalrt CroFswalks Sidewalk repairs and changes Bridges and culverts , Sewer maintenance - Sidewalk and street cut Inspection Engineering department Totals BANK CLEARING ARE WAY UP Show a Derided Gain Over Those of the Preceding- Year for Omaha. Bank clearings in Omaha show a decided Increase for 1908 over 1907, -nd as these figures are generally taken as a good Index of business, the figures are looked upon as a criterion of the business stamina of Omaha. While two months show a de crease, other months show a sufficient In crease to make the whole show a substan tial gain. November showed an Increase ot 19 per cent. A change In the system ot bookkeeping accounts for the double entry In 1893. BANK CLEARINGS. 1887.. 1X88.. 18x9.. 1890.. 1X9'.. 1X92.. 18U3.. 1XS3.. 1X94.. 1X95. . 1896.. .$274,441,069 1X97 $243,288,798 832,014,01 6 402.5u0.332 490,124,913 442,257,780 545.879,3X4 632.S33.745 126.104,072 4X3, 472.P18 3X1,2X6,477 420.282,668 1898. 319.461,528 297.432,370 315,135,196 319.043,6X8 301,511,775 3112.8X0,920 898,9X6,212 442.2X5,6X5 6" 4,388,764 667,515.738 1X9 1900 1901 1902 1910 19H4 1W15 19i Hi , 1907 1908 ... 6i2,525,867 1907. $ 45,426,005 41,022, 2t3 64.461.8X1 46.013.452 48.020.1X0 47,738.6x4 44.138,791 47,064.729 48.525.120 68,872,391 42,224. m 44,014.438 $567,515,738 REPORT 19i 18. January $ 51.173.896 February 41.Sll.8o3 Xlarch 66.727.264 tprll 48,100,093 rMay 48,312,787 June 4X.44X.X13 July 46.1X6.596 August , 46,092,424 September 60.3x8.lnl October 66.290.530 November 6ti.094.68U December 68,0iJ6,896 Totals $tl02.626.967 TOM FLYNN HAS A Street Commissioner Comes Forward to Show What His Depart- meat Has Done. Even though the streets of the city have not presented the cleanest appeirance during all seasons of the year, Strei t Commissioner Flynn reports cleaning on nearly 20.000 blocks and over 20,00) Inter sections during 1908. In that period hi department carted off the streets over 18, 00 loads of sweepings and over 4,000 loads of snow A summary of the rep irt of the street commissioner's department for 19 8, the figures being approximately, is as follows: Blocks denned by hand 15.240 Blocks cleuned by machinery 3.342 Blocks cleaned by flushing 1,269 Intersection cleaned 20. ,08 Loads of sweepings collected 18,5iO Loads of snow collected 4.J0J Operations in Omaha Warehouses and Factories. Schools. Ilk. Cost. 87.iXi 18,000 isi'looo 175.000 7,$411.ojio eleteu .f four and two of si llChurch's.ll Fr.lBk. T'l.J Cost. Bk.l C'ost.l! T.T.7. $ ....j 7l$ j 1 1 2 4.4Wj j i i 'l 6.5k' 'i li'w'io 3 31 25, 5n) I 21 2' 41 l.i ! 1 3 41 303.360' i 1 II lo.iOO 'I 1 1 2j ll.oiii 2 3 8 94.0OH, 1 3u.nu 1 3 4 JS7 ,m)i I 1 11 6.U0O! 1 1 7 W 26 $708.7501 4:r75.00o GRAIN RECEIPTS INCREASE Two and Half Million More Bushels Than Year Ago. WHEAT AND OATS EXCEED CORN Of All Grain Received at Omaha for the Tear Total of Over Forty Four Million Bushels Is Shown. Two and a half million bushels more grain was received on the Omaha market during the twelve months of 1808 than dur ing the same months of 1907. This Is an unexpected record and was made because the receipts of wheat and oats were greater than the receipts of corn an unusual and remarkable record, ac cording to the grain dealers. While the receipts of corn at the Omaha market were nearly 6.000,000 bushels less during 1908 than during 1907, fully 6,000.000 bUBhels more of wheat and almost 2,000,000 more bushels of oats came to Omaha. The record In a corn-growing state, at a market surrounded by other states which produce more corn than any other grain, was made because of the shortage ot the Nobraska corn crop during 1907, and which was marketed during 1908. The crop of 1906 was over 252,000,000 of bushels, against 179,000,000 bushels during 1907, and this alone would be sufficient to explain why the re ceipts of corn at the Omaha p.lmary market should fall 6.000,0(0 bushels In a year. The wide difference between receipts an J shipments Is caused by the amount of grain held In storage at the close of last year and again at the close of 1908, whon the elevators have a large amount of grain In them, especially wheat It will also be noticed that the receipts of barley were 633,000 bushels and only 152,000 bushels were shipped out. In the case of tho barley, the consumption of barley In Omaha Is equal to more than 75 per cent of tho total amount received. Each year shows the consumption of wheat In Omaha 1s increas ing, as well as of corn, though as yet there Is no considerable proportion of either grain consumed here. One fact stands out in the report of the Omaha Grain exchange. At a time when Omaha is getting flouring mills, the report shows the market also gets the wheat for these mills. Report 'of Receipts. The following Is the report of receipts Miles in -Cost In -Present Tctal Mlles. Value. 116.92 $6,727,441 19(16. 1907. 1908. 1907. 13.32 . 11.76 9.78 .33.54 9.31 18.31 9.55 37.21 $334,6X6 $334,874 84,873 133,191 96,45 22.114 14,786 41,974 16, 1 2a 6.892 2.4T3 16.173 18.431 8.025 .10,673 71,344 142.21 113,920 2,368 19,054 33,355 1,7.10 1,629 181.61 320.00 2.436,477 1.153,8s0 1.670,569 ... 1,893 1,630 11.106 12 485 33.967 78 0 74.38 $1,020,322 $781,628 of the different grains, compared to the receipts during 1907: RECEIPTS. 1908 1907. Corn 13,070,200 18.491,000 Wheat 14,959,300 9,984,000 Oats 16,212,800 13,5X8,800 Rye 180,910 140,000 Barley 633,000 336,000 Total all grain 44,066,100 42,538,800 Report of Shipments. The following is the report of shlpmenti made from Omaha of all grain, as com' pared to the year before: SHIPMENTS. 1908 1907. Oorn Wheat Oats Rye Barley Total all grain 10,194,000 19.027,000 11,454,000 9,641.0110 12,814,600 14,799,000 167,000 187,010 152,000 133,000 .... 34,781,600 43,787,000 PARK SYSTEM IS ENLARGED Increased by Gift of Two Handred and Sixty-One Acres Aronnd Sallna Sea. Through the munificent gift of Mrs. Sallna C. Carter, 261' acres have been added to the park system of the city of Omaha during the last year.- This Is Levi Carter park, surrounding what has been known as Cut-Off lake. Mrs. Carter gave the city $50,000 with which to buy the land. In addition to this Increase of park area, one mile has been added to the boulevary system In the opening of the Northwest boulevard. The parks of Omaha now contain 874 acres, and a person can drive over ten and one-half miles of boulevards. The area of the parks and the length of the boulevards Is as follows: Parks. Acres. Levi Carter 261.13 Klmwood 2 13 Hivervlew 111.67 Fontnnelle , 107.53 Miller 78 Hunsconi 67.69 Deer 19.30 Kountze 10.73 Bemla 9.40 Curt Ins Turner 7.58 Bluff View 6.10 Jefferson Square 1.72 HmiebaUKh 1.10 Boulevurds. Milei. Florence 8.75 South Central 2 44 Southeast 1.78 West Central 1.61 Northwest 1 The total original cost of all the park was $496,264.15. Not as much money was spent last year In improvements on the parks and boule vards and on maintenance as the preceding year, but still they have been kept up In good shape. In 1907 $134,164.83 was ex by Months for the I Ap'trment Hospttalstl Houses. Miscellaneous. New II- Bk.l Cost Bk. Cost. Ft. Bk.lT'M Cost. Fr.!Bk. $ 10 4 171 10$ lxl 161 HI l 13 11 In 14 10 6 5.960 5.1110 14.au 8,225 IX. Xi 4,96i) 8.060 3 Ho 7,975 30.575 41.876 4.060 6oi 61 83 1091 104 iojI i:; 112 771 U ll 12.500 1 :5mm. 19.0UU! 40.! 1 8 63,000 8 II 12 631 S.5u6i SI 118 1.02&I 189j -I 5 $77.6co $106.6001 116 151 131 $153.2X51 pended In maintenance, while In 1908 but $79,223.26 was expended. The table of re ceipts and expenditures for tho last yrur Is as follows; Park receipts $49.5? 82 llunscnm park 6.793.52 Rivervlew park 9.621 M Klmwood park 5.167.39 Miller park 13,871.80 Kountse park 663 X4 Curtlss-Tnrner park fltw.41 Deer park 324. 93 Bemls park 911.46 Fontanelle park 363 on Jefferson square 373 67 Capitol Avenue parking , 93 87 Bluff View park 727.24 Greenhouse 251.70 Levi Carter park 7.50 Road receipts 25.1X9.53 Florence boulevsrd 2.419.e) West Central boulevard... 7.370.86 9.456.79 South Central boulevard.... Iavenworth street 994.79 40.00 62.75 937.02 1.766 02 61.634.50 11.843.04 1.361 53 676.01 Southeast boulevard Northwest boulevard Dodge street Lafayette avenue Park bond fund West Central boulevard Kd Crelghton avenue Smith Central boulevard. Plnkney street 2,8X1.28 PACKING HOUSE BUSINESS Total for the Tear Amounts to Ninety Million Dolars for All the Bigs Plants. The volume of business In the packing Industry of South Omaha has reached $90,000,000 In 1908. As large as this figure Is It lacks fully $2,000,000 of reaching the figures of 1907. The Increase of 1907 was, until tho last two months of that year, far beyond all previous records and had not the hard times burst In October, 1907, with such suddenness the year would have been phenomenal. As It was the condition of business then mado the year's figures about normal. The effect of that decline continued as a natural consequence In 1908, but after three months all prospects brightened until the close. South Omaha receipts of cattlo for tho year show a decresse of 120,000 head In round numbers. Tills decrease easily ac counts for a decline of $2,000,000 or $3,000,000 In the volume of business. The following table shows the actual consumption of live stock by tho four great packer: ARMOUR & CO. Hogs 606,364 Cattle 151,347 Sheep 217,083 Calves 5.479 Total 978,173 Cost price, $14,939,226. CUDAHY PACKING COMPANY. Hog 650,000 Cattle 250,000 Sheep 350.000 Calves 60,000 Total 1,300,000 tJost price, about $17,000,000. OMAHA PACKING COMPANY. Hogs 208,287 Cattle 101,846 Sheep 156.557 Calve 2,483 Total 469.562 Cost, $8,000,000. SWIFT AND COMPANY. Total hogs, cattle, sheep, calves.... 1,600,000 Cost, $16,000,000. The business is distributed as follows: Swift and Company $23,OO,O0O Armour & Co ; 26,000.000 Omaha Packing company 13.0oo,ooo Cudahy Packing company 27,600,000 By-products and Independent pack ers 26,000.000 Total $114,600,000 REVENUE COLLECTIONS LESS Gradnal Increase In Use of Denatured Alcohol One Canse for Decrease of Receipts. The Internal revenue collections for the Nebraska district show a falling off of $24,374.13 during the year, as compared with those ot the preceding year. There Is a tangible reason given for this decrease. The bulk ot the decrease Is found In the tax on spirits, which fluctuates from year to year. The gradual Increase In the use of denatured alcohol, which Is a nontax able product, may have something to do with the decrease, but even that is partly conjectural. Tho growth of the temper ance sentiment throughout the state and the closing out of a large number ot saloons In he various communities of the state has undoubtedly had something to do with the dimunition of the sale of spirituous liquors and a consequent reduc tion In the revenues formerly derived from that source. Following Is a comparison of the Inter nal rcvenuo collections for the district dur ing the years 1907 and 1308: 1907. 1908. Lists $ 4.976.30 $ 4.O47.00 Beer stamps 377,822 00 876.070.00 Spirit stamps 1,786,738.40 1,766,800.00 Cigar and cigarette stamps 84.106.98 Tobacco stamps 6.672.73 Special tax stamps .... 86,359.34 Process butter stamps. 1,234.02 Playing card stamps 3.36 Mixed flour stamps.. 6.26 Documentary stamps. 1.26 85.282.00 4.K5O.00 84.3x8.00 170.00 lion .60 Totals $3.34 979.63 2.321.606.60 COUNTY HOSPITAL .RECORDS Nearly Six Handred Patients Treated and Over Seven Handred Received. Nearly 600 patients were treated at the Douglas County hospital dur'ng the year, according to the r?part of Superintendent Farrar. The report shows the average number of patients In the Institution lj bo 223. The number received during the year was 704 and the number dUcharged. 593. Ninety-nine died. Sick put ents to the number of 593 have been treated by the hospital staff. Of these eighty required surgical operations which necessitated 7.669 surgical dressings. During the year nlno babies have been born at the hospital. Year 1908 l Alterations (land Additi's Buildings. Totals. T'1.1 Cost. No. I 20'' 1W Cost. II 59 66 93 124 126 loO 116 166 139 95 79 73 167,Sfl 14S.3l 28.400' 28n.575i 371.325 402.960; 561), XVh 4c.075i 449 9 frO.tfiOl 4)3. $ 21.400 188.750 1X3.450 221,620 3ol,ii 893.3X3 4fO,16U 676.040 4X.i,72o 473. WK) 617.875 420.1. 378.62a 3&.IJI) 18.2201 20.510! 22.060! 47.20 16.1j 26.650! 24 M 17,425! .83o! 31.52ft! 52 31' 32 271 3ol I9 24 171 346,8uol 1 8)1 1' 1.216 $4,301 .9o $26.t60f $4.690,S50 TRANSFERS IN REAL ESTATE Amount Not Up to Last Year, but Large for Conditions. CITY MORTGAGES ARE FEWER October Is the Month In Which tho Largest .No in her of Trans fers Is Made for tho Vrar. Records from Register of Deeds , FranK W. Bandle's office show real estate, trans fers have fallen off over $2,036,000 111 19tS as compared with 1907. While, this Indicates a falling off In real estate sales those who arc conversant Willi financial conditions It is not a bad showing under the circumstances. Tho detailed figures show the greatest backslides cams during tho first seven months of the year. Since July there has been a tendency to ward a rally and during November and De cember the recovery was so great that thoso two months exceeded the correspond ing months of lust year. Tho number of farm mortgages filed Is slightly larger than the year before while ilu number released has decreased about $100,000. Both the fi llings and releases of city mortgages show a decrease tho last yesr, while the number of sheriff's mortgages show a decided de creaso largely because the scavenger cases were settled up before tho beginning of the present year. The following tables show the business done In tho register of deeds' office as compared with 1907: Real Estate Transfers. 1907. January 71 1.022.00 February 701. 847.no March 822.7X0.00 April 1.268,146.97 Miiv 1,167.323 17 1908, $ 897.614.00 637.6b3 00 726.5x6.IK) 932.710.00 725,572.110 1,031. 118.0.) 659,917.00 787,264.00 802,748.00 1,066.6X7.( 8H8.480.0i 696,528.00 June 1,806.808.60 July 1,030,072.44 ?.,423.6 755.504.9:1 1,077,6X6.00 7S6.598.fli) 461,164.00 August ... September October .. November Decern ber Totals $11,299,678.87 $9,262,887.00 Farm Mortaaa-es, FILED. RELEASED.- No. Amount. No. Amount. Ternary , February Murch ... April May June July August .. September October ., November December 10 $ 35.7H0 00 69,220.00 61,122.00 66,110.00 $ 27.413.00 78.01l).fl0 61.450 00 25.650.0(1 14,50.H0 72.112.00 15 8'6.. ) 18.09(1.(11) 7,500.00 21,710.4)0 8. 150.00 7,600.00 11 24 17 7 7 1 6 2 6 9 1 21 .2 6 12 7 9 2 13 8 8 16.s50.00 15.X46.90 3.0O0.00 1l.6Ai.45 2x.5oo.oo 8.8i 10.00 11.900.01) 1. 100.00 Totals 101 $316,3.14 .35 Farm Mortgagees, FILED. No. Amount. 129 $348,610.00 1DOT. -RELEASED. -No. Amount. January ... 8 $ 19,375.00 8 $42.22.00, February ... 11 29.610.00 14 66,"60.00 March 16 4x,im.0O Vx 48,755.00 April 24 47.932.00 26 7l.945.flO May 9 33.465.00 18 57.85.0O June I 15 8o.2oo.tiO 10 30,150.00 July 2 6.500.01) 6 26.xOo.00 August 9 24,?.i6.o0 12 32,835.00 September .. 5 16 700.00 10 32.6X5.00 October 7 18.3xn.oo 10 13,oi6.flo November ,. 9 22,958.00 8 13,0c0.00 December .. 4 10,4oo.o0 10 16,464.00 Totals 119 $309,306.00 119 $440,080.00 City Mortaaaes, lOOM. -FILED.- -RELEASED. No. Amount. No. Amount January 145 $ 219.iWl.88 176 $ 274,050.50 February ... 160 2l5.6tni.S3 2(6 4n6,238.0O March 273 3X6,071.62 188 207.718.76 April .326 440,721.00 219 261,245.00 May 334 441.7fl8.08 252 333,912.00 June 346 445.03X.42 2"2 261,091.50 July 342 652,954.64 222 273,060.00 August 3)8 617.327.flO 2u3 275.9xi'.00 September .. 3n8 4,.'8,352.29 197 263,411.00 October 327 6X3,676.98 229 800,526.0 November .. 242 433.879.28 1X5 844,018.50 December .. 331 4o6,2)5.00 1x4 240,412.00 Totals S City ,461 $6,170,346.02 Mort Braves, 2,493 $3,450,664.26 lOOT. -RELEASED. -No. Amount. 222 $S7.527.6 221 i22.176.OI FILED. No. Amount. $ 263,5X7.00 2X7.96C.tiO 493,415.00 5v3.037.iW 5711. 7ke mi 469.358.00 43!),.iX-..J() 5;i5. 870.00 476,007.00 801 ,f 59.00 846,434 00 177.278.tK) January .. February . March .... April May June July August ... September Octoler ... November Diicembur Totals.. 256 , 185 , 308 , 300 331 335 , 332 , S'JI , 3 )7 , ICS . 1V1 . 152 2l'r6 319 372,112.00 394,196.00 249 2.6 240 191 197 1X2 146 190,487.03 3 j,,.'fl 278.492.OH 279.472.Ofl 301,116 01 187,717.00 108,212.00 .3.448 $5,445,868.30 2.7S2 $3,639,261.50 Sheriff's Deeds. January . Ferruary . March .... April May Juno July August ... September October .. November December Totals 43 $73.872.37 17 $42,922.00 BAR LABORS FOR AMENDMENT Attorneys of Douglas County Do Good Work In (ampalitn Increase amber Supreme Jadnrs. Dmuha attorneys have for a number of years done effective work In promoting tho general g.-od of the profehs un through tin; Douglas County assoc. atlon, which hat i passed a, very successful year. About 131 attorneys belong to the association, Inclnl Ing some of tho iiiohI prominent in tho city. Tim organization did effective work In tho lust campaign In promot'ng the constitu tor al amendment providing for the Increase In the number of supreme judges. It has also recently endorsed a reform of tho Nebraska divorce Uws and for the lneieiso of tho sulirleg of federal Judges. The offieeis of the us oeluli in are Charles A. Ooks, president: Arthur C. Wakeley, vice president; Victor R. McLueas, secre tary, and J. J. Boucher, treasurer. The ex ecutive council consists of Frank Craw ford, E. C. Page, R. B. Smith, A. C. Vnkiley and E. E. Thomas. FIFTY-FIVE EXAMS ARE HELD Civil Mervlre Department of Cavern meat tilven Permanent ttoartera In Poatofltee Ilaildlnc The civil service department of the gov ernment has been given permanent quar ters in the postofftce building again on the second floor, these rooms being perma nently assigned for examination rooms and the office of the local secretary, Miss Viola Coffin. During the year 1908 there have been fifty-five civil service examinations and In which 628 persons took the examinations for various positions In the postoffioeg, de partmental service. Immigration or Insular and Panama canal service. . No. Amount. No. Amount. 6 $ 8.4.1.07 2 $ i',726.00 1 25.00 6 6.071.00 3 9,047.00 6 18.3X0.00 2 2,9flO.O0 8 6,1160.00 1 12,400.') 3 2.30O.00 .. 3 6,792.00 1 600.00 w 3 17.50n.oO 3 7,200.00 3 6.440.00 3 6,2'KI.O 3 1,811) 00 I I.X50.0U 2 1,050.00
