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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1909)
TIIE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: -AUGUST 29, 1909. Burt County One of Choicest Gems in All Nebraska's Bright Diadem HI early settlement of Burt T eounty was an era of specula- tlon, but that time Id past, did t'day. th adventurewm horns- sieader who came to thjs county In the early day. 1 counted among the drslrabl land owners reached the Important stag of maintain or the county, and deservedly so, as the In sufficient revenue to cover operating frontlerman's duties wrr anything but and contingent expenses and Is gradually asy. Looking out over the broad fields Impressing Its value on the farmers of the of this groat county, flittering golden western countries. f- green In the glory of a June day sun shine, the beholder views a scene that may well challenge the admiration of the world. Acre after acre, field after fled mile after mile, of beautiful slightly roll ing farm lands appear, clothed in th V(rdant garb of the summer season, dot ted with white school houses and com fortable farm homes. Tills county's advance has been rapid and marked by strides that are consider d marvelous, even during th late period ot drnr( anion. In the last three huh ,,h. taH.i hm.. .aa.j, ... ...... vaied farms and town Improvements of both public and private chaiacter have gone forward on a most liberal bass. Frantically every acre of Und In the county Is tillable), produces enormous crop, is accessible to good markets, and, according tr) expert stove: nm nt c'iemlts, the soli embodies the highest per c:nt of producing element In comparison with soils from all states of the union, fnd r modern methods of tiling, th ll Is in creasing Its yearly yield. Th cnormom product of one reason Is of course aug mentrd Ly the breeds of live stork, th product of Ca'rying. and miscellaneous yield from frultf, vevretsbles and poultry. Altogether It toiriprles a valu of many hundred thousands of dollars. This county's advantage cannot easily be measured In terms of money. Soil, climate, markets, society, schools, churches and transportation facilities ar as perfect her a In any part of th United States, It Is the thrift and enterprls of such a oommunlty and th adjacent territory, of which It Is th center, that Inspires this descriptive article, telling of th town. It oltlsans and Its surroundings Lik the smiling face of a child, nature hath put on hr most attractive countenance. Th most valuable auxiliary to soil cul- tlvatlon la. of course, live stock breeding, and this county Is fast attaining a promi nence in that Industry. Ths rul usually applies that wherever ther is country suited to th growth of feed grains. Is also a good location for th raising of stock. Th farmers ar gradually Increas- i"! Lb'!!rt:l C!"U. rA even sheep herds ar. receiving attention Shorthorn, Hereford and Jersey cattle and Poland-China and Chester-Whit hogs popt ulat the prairie" In large herds; scarcely a farmer In tbe county but makes torn at- temDt at .took feertln.. In no w.v Tekamah rank higher as a little metropol- Itan city than It does with Its horses. The number and grade of horses always form a more or less accurate Index to th. gen eral character of a city and to the tastes and stylos of Its Inhabltnnts. Judging front this basis Tekamah ranks high. Roadster, and draft horses are both made a specialty htre. Of course, corn and hogs figure as th. leading source of revenue of th farm, and but moderate attention ha yet been given to that source of profit that yields most satisfactory results, dairying. Dairy- tng and th. conducting of creameries are EXECUTIVE Gov. Shallenberger's Invasion of the Northwest (Continued from Page On. danc on the pavilion over the water was one of ths forms of amusement. Later Mr. and Mrs. Jones entertained th. Nebraakans at their home. On. of the very enjoyable feature of th trip was th r.d by boat to Victoria. Here the Ncbraskans got their first taste of life under the crown. Colonels fell over each other trlng to avoid pedestrians and auto- Mobiles and vehicles, for the Britishers In sisted ulwaS In turning to the left, which is Cvjtitiary to every law the Nebraskans vir heerd te.l of. Of great surprise to the Nebraskans wa the fact that of th ten business blocks along th principal bualness street of the city, six of them wer occupied by pros perous looking Chinese. They also discov ered that th mother of the son of the lieu tenant governor of the province had disin herited that person and the home estate was balng raffled off at S10 a share. The larg. landed estat. wa. being sold oft In iois tor seiners. Th Nebraskans went from Seattle to Ta- eoma by boat and there another surprise ... mem. runner uvt,nor ravage was on the pier waving a welcome as the boat alld into laud. This was August 10. and inasmuch as It was th birthday of Prl- vat Secretary Fuibe It was mad a gala day all around. The Nebraskans were taken over the city In automobiles then out to the top of Council Hill resort, overlook- Ing th bay. They were taken to the biggest sawmill camp on the coast and raw th bitjgest savilu? wd by th b gxext saw ny of th cultvnels ever saw saw and so forth. 8om 10,000 feet of lu lit er were sawed out of that sawlog. Which In Ne- Iraska would be worth, at th regular re- tall price, about JIbO. so one of the colonels figured up on th road home. Tha Coin- imrclal club of Tacoma entertained the party at a little luncheon ot eight courses during th evening. At Portland th Nabratkana wer net by trowing In Nebraska toward colossal In- dvistry and one of th prime evidences of a country' wealth In the mar future, will be estimated by the amount Inverted cows and creameries. It la a department of the farm In eastern countries that has (.'urn Is H:iij. and the average yield U forty buslirls per acre and of a very high ((utility, oats, wheat, barley, rye and po tatoes are also sure crops, and are largely St own. Everything the farmer plants and property cultivates no matter whether It Is a hill of brans or a thousand acre of corn It Is going to yield a good harvest, or anything, lie attempts to raise In the way of live stock, whether It I a brood of. chickens or a herd nf shorthorn cattle, he Is going to receive good returns If they are given half a chance. Ves, this Is ths plane for the firmer, the stockman and fruit man. Nature so Intended It to be, In fact, the older settlers have never seen a failure of crops in this cjunty. Th soil Is peculiar to th belt which Is known as the b.urf dcpoKlt In th valley of th Nil in Kgypt, or In that of ths T too valley, M slssippi, famous th world over for their rlchhets. It Is a dark loam, sometihat mixed with sand and exceedingly fertile snd productive. Th farms ar a good as can be found out of doors and Just us nrar school and churches, and more productive than farms In th east, that wers worn out long before a plow turned thl fir ,1; (.oil to the sun. Thoy ar liv ing In a country that U new, th wealth of which ha g.ven it a century's advanca In a quarter of the tlm with ths hustle Characteristic of the west and the refine ment of the east Burt county Is exceptionally well located on th west side of th Missouri river, thirty miles north of Omaha and sixty milts south ot Sioux City, on the Chicago, 81 Paul, Minneapolis It Omaha railway, As for agricultural resources It cannot be surpassed anywhere. Oh man and team can cultivate and keep In excellent condition about twlc th number of acres and produce a greater yield pr acre than can be don In any eastern stat. Tekamah, of all th towns on this, rail road, is on of th best as a trading' point, or as a general location for a good real dno town. Th streets' are well graded and kept and th slop of th town Is such that no mudholes xlt Th lawns, gn- horn, hav. th. car. which Indlcat. a prld In the town. Th church buildings ar stabl structures, th business men ar wide awak and progressive, th school advantages ar. good, th. fir. protection pl. " to thos. who would local. In a ,lv" town w can on,y bfor ""n ,penQ y ne' lnB lown " ,av,lM" can only be appreciated when seen. The various religious denominations ar wlt represented In Tekamah and are all active and harmoniously Working together for good. The Masons and Odd Fellows have very strong lodges In Tekamah and own their own buildings and hav. their respective halls richly furnished. Th Modern Wood- men of America, Woodmen of the World and Ancient Order of United Workmen each has a large membership, besides several ether organisations. Tekamah's schools ar f & b COMMITTEE OF THE TEKAMAH COMMERCIAL CLUB. Benag 6. Joslln, formerly a railroad sta- tlon agent at Grand Island, but now holding down th position of mcr. president of th street railway company of Portland, and Senator Beach of Washington, now an In- Urnai revenue collector he did not Inspect the baggage of the colonels. With these two as guides th entire party was taken to th Commerc'al club and given a ban- quet at which several speeches were made, Trips were mad over th. city In special car. Th governor's party left Lincoln on tb night of August 11, on a special ear at- tached to the regular Burlington train, and returned to Lincoln August 2i. Th follow- ing made the trip: Oovernor A. C. fthallcnberger, wif and form, nd therefor he wa given author daughter. .. -n imMutt orders, none of which was dls- I'l k it, Knmtm r,. w T 1T.,p.a l Adjutant General John C. Har.igan and w Ife. Colonel daughter. K. M. Westtrvelt. wif and Co.onel H. J. Hill and wife. Colonel l J. Gates, wife and daughter. Colonel E. W, Ujt;en and wife. Colonel J. II. Kelly, v,ire and friend. Colonel V. 1. McMhane. Colonel H. V. llsrstia.l and wife. Coionel A. I'. Ki'Hinimons. Coion'! l'.obert Oberfelder. Rev. M. L. Daly. Th follow ins did not return- Pnlnn.l and Mr8. Mm who went t(J Yell(w,lone park; Colonel and Mrs. Gates, who re mained at the exDosltion: f'olonv mil Mr, K,y ho wcnl , Ca lfornla aa dld ntv Ml. paiv. Colonel McKbane stnppM off ot ruillngs and Mls Shallenberner s opped at KUtrldan. Mrs. Marshall a.opped at i,en- ..... Colonel fliuimmnni .,nt n in,.. Carada. The governor and his colonels picked up a splendid recrvlt i r.r.nit-. hut lost him on German day at the exposition This was Colonel Scheie of H?n urd a i.ie nber of the iat, lamented demoerv. c legMiture. Th ltslffia or did no; announce uhctlu-r he wa n hiding from I 1-t constituents or merely yl.'itl g the exposition. He Joined the party one day, but as that day happened to be armiuii day he lut himself. Colonel and Mrs. Bills were also sighted, but owing to the illness of Mis. Bll'.s the two were un- able to attend the banquet given In honor of the governor by th exposition manage- ment. While on would auppoee In hearing the y t . Moond to none. They hold a front pi so arnong ,h nh Phoola ot the i at Th, Tekamah roller mill ha a eapaelty 0 flfty barrftls per day, and does all kinds of mni work, receiving a splendll home patronage and good orders from abroad. This mill Is a well kept and well equipped affair and Its name on the out- sld of a sack Is a guarantee ot a good artlcl within. If Tekamah I noted for on thing more than unoti.fr, it Is that It is tlie horn of numerous laru. land owntr ai.d atoik men. It has over sixty residents who own on sn avtrag over 400 acres each. It has several who own 1,000 acres and over. The peculiar part of this Is that every one of these larg. land owners came here without anything. Tliat this accumu lation of wealth wa made by thilr own effort since they became residents here. The live stock Industry predominates all others. Conditions are the most favor able. The abundant production of grain and grasses, th soil dry for fall and winter feeding, the climate mild and nearly all sunshine, which Is so conducive to th welfare ot animal life. The prox imity of th llv stock market at Omaha for the sale of tat cattle and the pur chase of rang cattl from the mountain states, that ar raised there by the mil lion and shipped to th corn belt to be fed for th block. Thousands ot head of cattl ar shipped In here each year to consume the surplus grain and hay. The hog is the most profitable branch of the llv stock Industry. They are grown hero and ar always found In the fe.d los with cattl. Timber of all kind makes a very rapid growth. Nearly every farm has a large grov. Maple, aim, ash, box elder, walnut and cottonwood predominate. The growth of several varieties will avurage one Inch per year in diameter; that is to say that a tr fifteen year old will measure fif teen Inches In diameter two feet from the ground. The county has today at least ten times as much timber in it s It had twenty years ago. A number ot farmers have recently set up portable saw mills in their groves and sawed 30.030 or 40,000 feet of lumber out of their surplus trees without Injury to their groves or appearance of the premises'. Burt county was named In honor of Hon. Francis Burt of South Carolina, oolonels tell of th trip everything was lovely throughout th trip, at least six colonels have told In th strictest confl- dene that at time they were overworked. For Instance, Colonel Obsrfelder mad no bone about getting weary acting as depot master when waiting for trains at the va- rlous cities visited. His uniform, he be- ltevea, caused several to take ,.im for this important personage, and ho had to retreat on at least one occasion rather than show his Ignorance of station affairs. Colonel Marshall had to repeat more than once that he wa not the leader of a band whet asked "when is the band to play, mister!" Colonel Furs, private secretary to the governor, was the only colonial not in unl- ootyta. Because ot this there was no fa- tallty throughout th entire trip and every thing was lovely at (t finish. PI I. eves Politician. Joseph M. Donahue of Philadelphia, wU known in i-ollUcal circle. Is a traveling salesm&n for a firm interested lp church fixtures. He tells a good on on him self that happened up at Shenandoah a tew day ago. "As I came Into th town." said Dona hue, "1 noticed In th distance a larg black and whit pltf. It seemed to be watching me continually for a half n.l. beforo I got Into th station, "When th train stoi ped th pig was opposite ths station lojklng up in my r,o I allahted and started throush th town, th p g following ma every step. "I went Into a drug stur to buy a soda. The L In stayed outside, and when I cam cut to continue my Journey the p'g as r ady and fjllowtd. t was soon at the church door ar.d waited th arrival of th sexton. When h cam I walked In th open door ai.d th pig mad an at- tempt to go, too, but was soon chased by the gruff orders and a kick from th Jan- Itor. "When I came out I noticed th pig wending Its way toward th. station, a Quarter of uill. ahead ot me. m:ngly downhearted becaus It had not been abl to follow mo into th church." Fhlladel- phla Times ': , y. U. Nebraska's first governor. The first elec tion in Burt county was held in Decem ber, 1864. All who had taken the oath aa required, that they Intended to make Ne braska their future home, were allowed to vote. The total amount of taxes levied In 18C5 was !U. The valuation of the county at that time was $13,000. The Northwestern railroad was completed to Tekamah in the fall of 1876. It Mas com pleted to Oakland In 1879, and to Lyons and Bancroft in 1KS0. The population of the county In 1S73 was 6.000; In 1SS0 it was 7.000. Tekamah, the county seat, is located In the south western part of the county. It wad named by W. N. Byers, this privilege hav ing fallen to him by lot. The first perma nent settlement In Tekamah was made on April 19, 1S55, by B. R. Folson, Z. B. Wilder and John and Niles Folson. It was Incorporated as a city very early in Its history, on March 14. 1S6S, and became tha county seat at th same time. Onley Harrington was made postmaster. The first school was taught by J. R. Conkllng in 1857. In 1868 H. 8. M. Splelman hauled a load of corn to Omaha and could finds sales for but one-half of the load. Edmond Shafer, now deceased, being un able to find a market for his wheat, had It converted Into flour and drew the same to Denver, Colo.', UBlng a yoke ot oxen and a yoke of cows and taking three months to make the trip. The Omaha Indians occupied this oounty previous to the time of its s-jttlemint. In the spring of 1855 they were removed to their present reservation, In Blackbird or Thurston county. Burt county stands first industry. In drainage laws of any in the state. They uurt county is not only well supplied have recently completed a drainage ditch vilth railroads and good, thrifty railroad thirty-five miles long, costing 136.000 and stations, but the county has one town at redeeming over 100,000 acres or land. A least many miles from the railroad that farm cose to Tekamah, consisting of 20) is decidedly one of the best inland towns acres, was recently sold for 1127 per acre, in the state. It is the town of Decature, Another farm of 126 acres produced la.tt Mtua'ed In the northeastern part of the year W.tOO vorth of corn. county on the Missouri river, between Elm The schools of the county are under the and Wood cretks. The first elalm located management of Miss Eda C. Nelson. The rear Picatur was by Mr. Rose In 18C5. The county has seventy school districts and 107 town was located In the fall of the same teachers. This county has b.en very sue- year by the Decatur Town and Ferry com- cessful in the plan of free transportation pany, composed of I'eter A. Sarpy and of rural pupils to the city schools. S tphen Ixcatur. Colonel Sarpy hud an Burt county has 239,000 a cits in farms, Ind an trading port here in 1SA6. Robert wlih 160.0CO acres under cultivation. From I'trclval was the flrtt poFtmaster, in 1867. these farms they sold and shipped Out last The Town and Ferry company was char year l.tOO.OCO bushels of corn, 201,000 buslnls tned in 1856. Letters patent of the United ot wheat and 670,000 bushels of oats. But Slates, signed by President Abraham Lin this county, like many others In Ne- coin, were granted to the town of De biaska, is, first of all, a live stock county, catur on May 1, 1862. Decatur was made Last ytar( there were sold anu shipped out a city ot the second class in the fall of TjaxoiDrxr "to rtrcf W nr? ' I TEACI1ER8 OF THE TEKAMAH PUBLIC ECROOL& A- i ' :,'.:-'uv- '."ft. :rY7 MEMBERS OF TEKAMAH fl.OOO bpef cattle, 46,800 fat hogs and 27,000 mutton sheep. The county has i,300 acres 0f alfalfa, which Indicates that they are paying more or less attention to the dairy , .... . !" "on i mi i " mi ' 1 1 111111 1 .Mm- iJiiii" mmiiiuiiiuiini i nm : fj : w if Crack Eagle Drill Team Coming to Omaha ftrtf? DEGREE TEAM OF KANSAS CITT AERIE .HTe - -:-.., ' . ! a i 'v-' ) WOMAN'S CLUB. OFFICIALS Of HURT COUNTT. 1!68 and reduced to a village in the aprlng ef iggn. Decatur at present Is an uncom monly thrifty town and draws Its trade f.om a wider circle than any town in the county. Oakland, another of the good towns of the county. Is situated in the western part of the county, on Logan creek in Logan valley. The first sottler here was Aaron Arlington, who, wfth his wife and four daughters, arrived here from Philadelphia In 1859. One of his daughters married a halfbreed named J'ilcher. At this time their nearest neighbor was Commodore Decatur, over thirteen miles away. John Oak arrived here In 1862 and purchased the rite of Mr. Arlington, and it is after Mr. Oak the town Is named. This town Is located in one of the richest sect'ons of the county, and is a model Uttle city In every respect. Lyons Is one of tha best shipping points for grain and live, stock in eastern Ne braska. It is located eight miles from Oakland, and also on Logan creek. It has four grain elevators, and every branch V-:-V ... - . , .. - - W & NO. 47. FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES. '3 19- 1 of business Is well represented. It Is town of splendid homes, well kept streets and abundant shade. The first permanent settler In the vicinity of Lyons was Joslati Everett, who. with his brother, came herJ in July, 1S66. In the same year Mr. Weld Lyons came here, and it Is after hlra tho town is named. The farmers of Logaa valley, In which both Lyons and Oakland, are situated, are engaged mostly In stock raising, although grain In considerable quantities is raised. The valley is broad, Its slopes ar. gen tie and eaHy of ascent, and with the never, falling, rnpld-runnlng and beautiful Logan creek, skirted with trees, standing singly, in rows and in groves, with its numerous! farm buildings surrounded by hedges, or chards and domestic groves of cottonwood, maple and walnut, with its herds of cat tie and sheep fattening upon tho rich na tive grasses of Its plains and hillsides, with Its fields of waving cereals, it pre sents altogether a scene of plcturesquenesa, richness and beauty, such as th ey ot the traveler seldom sees. "j" " ' Wij lilt V t 4 i Vi I I I i f o
