THE OMAHA SrXDAT BEE: VAT , 1W.
Chadron the Center of a Region of Rapidly Developing" Possibilities
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CHADwnr niGn school
ITS early history of
county reads like fiction. Life
came; Indiana and bear, fur
trader and mitiaiunary, cattle
man and humesteadnr. ox team
and railroad. Each moved
across th stage and has played hia Dart.
often uncansciuuaiy in its dramatic hiHtury.
ean the development, little by
Farms sprang- Into existence, the
men
little.
i ' .1 v ZJ. -mJL - ' Sl.- f
I'fQw'ii.jw it
sise. and Sioux on tthe west, mxty-nina
f a I county reads like fiction. Life miles nnitli and south by thirty milrs east
I I cam; Indiana and bear, fur and west. In 17 or I8MI Dawes was di-
vioea. the south tnirry miles neing ctii
off and called Box Butte county, leav.n
Dura thirty-nine by thirty-six miles.
When the? rounties were orpanixpd.' F.
B. Car!;., who is now cashier uf the Citi
zens Stat bank of Chadron. was appointed
county clerk: L Forest Richards, county
sou waa tested and found to be prolific treasurer, who afterwards became gover
fur agricultural purposes; then followed nor of Wyoming; D. Y. Hears, who had
the farm and the thrifty little cities, banks spent the beet of his life with the regular
and mercantile; houses, until today an In- army In the weM. and Mooreheud. were,
dustrial and agricultural empire has been appointed county commissioners,
hewed and plowed out of the wilderness of Th first convention for the nomination
a juanor of a century ago. of officers waa called through the Chad
Lit tie is left of the cherished surround- ron Journal, aa a non-part!zaa convention,
lns of the day of the early pionetrs. An giving as a reaaofl thai air war atrangers
occasional umber wolf or coyote la seen, to each other and the object was to put up '
but la now regarded aa a novelty more the best men for office. Both parties had
than a nuisance. The red man coma over caucuses and elected delegates to attenU Chadron district. The last one was formed
Trom the- Agency and are seen on the thla convention. S. G. Canfleld from Wis- in April. 1S0S. near Wayaide. There are
tree la and In Dlacea of bualnass. conain waa elected chairman of the con- forty-eight frame echool houeea. three
How about the farmer of Dawes- county, ventlon and over ICO delegates were prea- brick, one cement block, seventeen log and
the man with a hoe. the man behind the ent. It Is seldom one would meet with a. one aod. a total of seventy school bouses,
piow? Ail credit to the man who began the more intelligent, fair-minded body of men. year there were seven schools having-
work of development with his large herds Business was transacted "orderly and with n:ne months of school, thirty-five having-
of cattle, ail credit to the railroads, all dispatch. In 1SHS, a KD.OOO court house and leHS titun nine months and fifteen having-
less Tuan three monrh?. There are four
schools having two or more departments.
There are 1.566 children of school age In the
county.
In the year U"uti there were five graduates
from the eighth grade of the country
schools. This year.. 1'S. fifty graduated
from the eighth grade from the country
schools. Many schools are better furnished
than they were two years ago: of course,
there 1a yet room for improvements. The
bmalles! school consists of three pupils.
the largest of about thirty pupils. Th'-e
d.Htricts pay their teartiers from &i3 to Si
pr month, an average of about J2-.'0.
The various Christian churches are well
represented in Children. The i urge. -it con
gregation is lhat of l. PRtrirk's Calho-
The Fremont. Elkhorn A owners and rrunant nf micnv nf lha beat t-a..i ,.. i . L
- -- iuiaii is uie popular pntur. l nis cnurcn
nave a larira
credit to the manufacturer, the merchant.
and the school teacher, but do not let
us forget tl) man who has wrought such
a wonderful change In the make up of
Uawes county. He it was who demon-
a f-'Mrt9 school house were built at Chad
ron and folluwini, a gravity water system
waa installed.
In the latteq Wi and up to 1M9C crops
were good and everybody was prospering.
strated that this county could produce In 10. a general depression that seemed
something besides cattle and wild hay. He to cover the whole civilised world set tn
Is the man, whether by choice or necrs
slty, who has proven that the soil of
White River would reap an abundance of
almost any known agricultural crop. Yes.
it waa the farmer who really discovered
t'awes county. All honor to such a man.
Make way for him and his followers.
For tlio purpose of flndlna- a. iutar.u
and hard times waa the cry everywhere.
Labor was without employment, crops were
light, and In many places were totai fail
ures. The new homesteaders In Dawes
county were poor and many became dis
couraged and lets the country, but those
who remained and faced the hardships of
pioneer Ufa have been amply rewarded.
location fof a number of people who had Many of these farmers, who, a few years
the western fever. L, (1. Sweat and John ago. were too poor to meet their obligations
Sweat, both of Stanbeixy. Mo., started for the every day necessities of life are now
west in iwa.
M.raoun v aaity rai.road having- Just com- residences in the city and
pleted arrangements to extend its line bank account to draw on.
irom a4nuna west, they went to Mia- It must be remembered that Tawes
sourt "Vailey to consult with the officials county is one of the youngest m the s.ate
and learn something of the extreme went- All that has beta accjnipluiliei aljn the
has an attractive edifice un K-.ng street
and is doing a very active work in the
city. The oldes-t conttiYtai.un in the city
's that of tne Congregational church. The
c.Litia!-eer&i:nnaiiMls wet- tho first t.i Ktati.
ern part of Nebraska; they were Micour- lin. of de.eloD.ncnt and Drcare s has bevn 'rh reliiHona ervl. e in I'hu.irnn ..i-amH
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iK r . A. - t . xO ll J aiV '! Uw 1$: ill
..... i . .. . . T . ... ....... . 1 ' - t . ml
cmcriis or chadrott conMsgciAL club jryjr UC ' "' i''fJ''' jjl0'
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CHAIZRCttT BLOLLta FLOOR HILL BlalWG REBUILT AFTER' - ! i . fl .
including the hmeM TiT 4 J7""" ' " ii'i I
of a - ' -V 9.
BETNU rETKOYED T3Y ITFH A YEAR ACO OWHrTD SJECTT. EOOU
e4 in the ail his country
Mu-c!, 'following, with over volumes. It Mil. about CT.adron and had not paid for
has be-n supported liberally by cit.zen by the sail... He raid he was opposed to edtt-
donations and by g'- of booas. it canon an.. u i.vt,
has now over 1 'i voinmee, and in the fit- ins tribe to the government maian Btnoo.a.
month, nf its ..Deration has issued H.s entire speech was of g.neiai complaint
ay the glowing reports, but were ad- uune in trie lul l..tiuv v?ai ti.id the fitt ihur. li ami erei-ieH the firat , hi.r, ii ..i. ' .. i .rrf ami loaned over and an arraignment of the Indian depart
- . - - - - - a hum t jr' . v... -" - -
uj uw'viaii hoi o go iar oeyond hare todav
ment of tne Kovemroent. The grand pa-
enr tne city has taken ra.ie on t!u day a maxnifrt-ent sue-
i.HV volumes.
Tlorina The last
over the Moral y and voted a tax for its !'.e.l Cloud with a band of of
suiiDert and it la now :n fact as U as in his tr.ie was escorted into the city by a
nH-nn a fr.. nuhiic library. Mrs. Elizabetn band oi ciw boys. Among this band
ffmitn lia.s been librarian from its opening, cowboys. moM of whom are still living in
and :r H-r management 1 largely due tne Chadron. were: William Lockler. L. J. F.
county or nearly w.u uonu- ouiltiii:c. rhuv have a verv choice oca; on.
vaiej.line.ae the countrj- was Inhabited latiun with a vaiua.lon of W.1M0TO. A); with their church and parsonage facing tne
only toy Indians and wild cowboys aiid with ninety m.les of tai rtad within t court tmufce para. The Congresauonal peo-
occupied by a few scattering cattle borders, and seven eneiget c pro:r !v pie ha.e always maintained a strong o-
ranchea. Prominent among those officuus ra-lroad stations. It is not unct.y a S"i i ganiiatiun in the city. The miiueier is the
were J. R. Buchanan, general pasnengcr county, yet Uiere ate five elevates wuhin Rev. tj. w. il.tchell. The Grace Episcopal
itf.U a-iid K. Morehouse, gcr.etal jts borders, and two gotd ruuri r. i.l . church was establisned soon after thai of
lfght agent, who at a later date met While Uia c-iuntv lias but une de eonl l.'ie Congregartonal and lias been a very Mo.i nonuiarnv oDtained. laerer. James Dahlman .now mayor of
them at Slanberry. M k, and arrangad ff.r water power, the Wh ta river, p-s,.n ,' active factor in the religious and social life Money making and the enterprises wh-ch on ana). W. A. Blrdsail. F. B. Carley,
tran-portation of the colony to Valentine, through the center uf tne coun. .. a " t ... the city. The Rev. Frederick Graves is makes money making ponsi'oie are tne jarne Owens and Ben-loe wenthai.
When the Sweats arrived at Valentine they undeveloped powers that will furnish f.pn te rector of the parish and Is especially foundations of the building up of modem Th. chadron Flouring mill waa destroyed
had a conviction that a better country fifty -to Z horsepower each. The cu inty P'-pular and helpful in ail denartments of ,lty life. Money Is mea:is. but ctvll.ad Hf by fr? .ast year, but ;n its place com-
farther west could be found for the location (a 8l,ppiiMl with live good banks, two at th,i If" f 'lie city. The churui has re- j ,ne end. and c.villzed life means some- pi?(Hj ,n(j n opfrstion Is a new mill of
crntiy completed a very attractive and ti,ing more tnan taree m. a day, a suit y bljrreiB p,r day capacity that is mmi-
M-rvii-eabie und room.
Very early in the life of tne city the
.Methodist church eatablisned work in Cliad-
of a colony of farmer.
After discussing matters at length with
James Morris and J. Weslev Tucker,
legfMer and rec.iver of the United Stale
land office at Valentine, they aicurel a
suitable outfit, employed drivers and suid' s,
laid in sufficient supplies, and started west
to explore White River valley, an 1 after
spending about ten days, returned and
completed the crsa-ilration of what is
known as the ' Sa-eat Colony." In April.
UM, the coluney charterel a tram, loail.-d
It with emigrant supplia, bade fjr-wcll
to oid homes and friends and after delays
and disappointments, scenes pathetic and
amusing, they landed In Valentine m a
bllrtard. and just how they reached the
promised land r.o living mortal can te'l.
b it they got there, and were kept too busv
building dugouts, leg and sod house, to
liiink of home. Indians or cowboys.
About the name time quite a number of
Settlers came from other stales. A doxea
families or more came from Marshall
county, la. Mr. Messenger, from there,
brought with him a saw-mill. Uncle Sam
furnished the limber and settlers delivered
.ne logs for one-haif of the lumoer. As a
sult, houses were built and some snelter
fur stock waa pruv:drd for what proved to
be iiv hardest w inter experienced In this
emiJw. iim Us settlement.
Perhapa the greatest amount of courage
displayed In the ea.-'y settling uf Dawes
county was by Edward E. Egan. who
shipped from Illinois to Valentine a pr-ntuig
preos and with wagnn and team hauled It
to the mouth of Chadron Creek, set it up
in a tent and began the publication cf the
Chadron Journal, which proved to be one
of the best edited country newspapers In
the state, and had much to do with the
early oraaniiauon cf our county.
The colony was mcaiea id tne unorgan-
Crawford. one at Mareiand. and two at
Chadron. The Citizens r-'tate Bank of Chad
roll is presided ever by O W. Btekmun.
Dissident, and F. B. Cailey. cavhicr. The
Kirt Natioiai Bank if Chad:on ! momgei r"" ,id '" maintained a vigorous organi-
by C. F Coffee aa presdtn, a: d B I
Scuvel as cishler. Thee five banks have
a combined depo-it of about SI
Ninety per em cf the fartrers of tuis
county ona tl:ei farms. Daw:s coun y at
2s.rn acres in fir-rs a 1th 27.7H) under cul
uvation. There is little or no sand in
Lawea county, and wt llj t is a at: e
count i-', it is not a rattle range cou.icry,
aa nearly all of the land is undVr fe.ice.
Last year the farmers of this cointy roll
and snipped out 15.1 head ef ratt'e. !;!
hogs. well brd horses and mutton
sheep. A fair esr.mate f the prod c It e
ness of thia young rminf.y can be obtain -d
from that fact that the farmers Its year
sold and shipped out 37.800 busiels of
wheat. 33 bushels of oats and 000 bush
els of rye. Dawes county is fast earning to
the front in the pctato industry. La-t yeir
the farmers ptoduced Z.iM acres that aver
aged over lia bushel per acre.
The farmers of this county have over i .
zuiion and has been very influential in the
religious life of the city. The Rev. Mr.
Whitman has Just come to the city as
raitor of tli s church.
The BnpiiM and the Chrint an churches
are also represented with very active or-
of clothes and a bunk to sleep in. mm
the pe..pie ..f Chuaron, pending tn early
di veuiuinrni of their city and it more re
cent .row in. were .(uue. auxoroed in lay
ing the fuur.danon oi material success and
piovHi na li-.e m.ans for the more attrac
tive ;.ule of i.fe. th -y have now r-aA-hcd the
point whir tluy ca.i sl-are some of tucir
characteristic eneigy and aliuodant le
sn'rces to improve ;iic:r e"tery-iu sur-
acres ot airana growing ana in run pro- located on tne slope of the Pine Ridae on
ganizjiiotis. Rev. Herbert J. 3nce being roundii-.ss. Public opinion is r pe for work
the pastor of the former and the Rev. 11. lu inm jjrection. The city is lortunaie in
L tN-nton of ihe latter. All of the churches having an active Commercial duo ..f 1M
named have good church bu.ldings and the mt-mber. wno are constantly on tne a.ert
majority of thein have parsonages. f. anything that will auvance the best in-
A strong spirit of o-.peratlon ex sis ivsts of ihelr city. A sewerage system
among these churches and eacn is prosper- L.OB,inK SA. is now being completed. The
Inc an 1 helpful in the life of the city. In County Agricultural society holds an an-
additton to umiiw named there i a very nilaJ faiI. al chadron eacli tail and Pa-,
active Chnstitn x-ience church, which been succcsaful from every standpoint tnin
holds regular services In one of the ha; la lne It has pr iven of much vaUe
of the city.
In the year ISiS the Congregational peopi
of Chadron. encouraged by the different
church denominations in norinwest Ne
braska and with the stronsesi co-operation
of the ctt sens of Chadron. established an
academy in Chadron. This institution is
ern in every resnect. The grain for sup
plying this mill s grown entirely in Dawes
county. Tiie'city also lins t ro brickyards
that run full capacity during trie r entire
The city is weil lighted with an electrio
p ant located in the city limits. One of
the strong features of Chadron Is that it
la t!-e division station of three lines of the
Northwestern mad. The ciiy has a popu
lation of ovr people and la one of the
most pioiperous ciL.es in northern Xe- season one of the heart foot bail teanfs ta
braska. w-fstern Nebraska. They were not defeated
The Chadron public schools rank with at si) by any Nebraska team. The at J- -'
any other schools in the slate. The main dents of the high school have access to th
building consists cf tnirteen rooms and Young Men Christian association gym-
two large hallways, built very sustantiaily. nasium. which gtvea them unusual advan- t
There are four teachers in the high school tagea along physical training lines. Withr-i
faculty, all of which are eolWce and uni
versity graduatfs. The citizens of Chad
ron and vicinity take unusual pride in edu
cational pursuits. Great interest is taken
In athletics. Chadron had during tne last
the opening of the State Normal school.
located ai Chadroo. it will offer educa
tional facilities equal to any city of Its
size In the state and exceeding any other
city in northwest Nebraska.
Region of the Big Wind that Blows for Months
auction, oesldee many hundred acres re
cently seeded. New territory Is constantly
being opened up and new farms estaO
llshed. not only thrmurhHii Dawes county,
but along the border nf South Dakota.
Here in Dawea county is going un today
one of the largest land rushes in ita hit
lory. Here are gathered the land-hungry
homeseekera from different parts or the
middle west. The man from Illinois, with
some capital and much confidence, is here.
He la in a new country and will have to
learn new wa a His bank account will
k campus of eighty acres adjoining the
city on the soutn. This academy has done
a great serv ce to the entire northwest,
drawing students from a wide territory in
Nebraska. Wyoming and .South Dakota.
M'.re remote states have frequently been
represented In the student body. The stand
ards of tne academy have always been
very bigh and the leathers of
training and ability.
to tne county and a decided neip to the
city as well.
Chadron is the county seat of Dawe
county and it diaivs tia.te from a wide
ciicle of product. ve farming and grazing
land. The meichants of the city iarry a
c. mpiete stock and all lints of irauo a- 9
Wail represented.
T
HE Ead-i-ad--bist-ioz." the
famous wind uf i-M days of
Si stun, is the one feature of
the country lying st the junc
tion of Penia. Afganivtun and
P.aiuciufctaii. This appalling
dominates life from May to
It prevails o er a stretch
1U mi'ee w'de and ren-
September,
of ouuntry
A euy lannot be beautiful in spots and 'ers existenre almost unbearable. It may
still lay claim to superiority. It cannot vary slightly from year to year in strength.
have well paved streets ar.d a weil built and duration, but invariably comes from even the strongest buildings. Ioose baked
busme-as district and spoil the effect wan north -north west, S degrees w.-st and S bricks take on an edge like a saw with
degrees on either side of that is Ita greatest
variation. .
1.1 yuiet yar the wind mac not exceed
ici-five miies in hour and is seldom
leas than f ifty. In bad years it teacnes
Utt miles an hour. The country is dum-
poor residences, t had! on n.t oeen
developed in spots or streaks. Viewed from
any standpoint, it is a pleaaanl. prosperous.
arked PI ogreaaive home city.
1 he first Fouita of July celeuration heid
hi Chadron was in Is, when Chief Red
A tajie placed close en.niuh tu be within the soil and roofed over for protection, a
siopin ramp affording means or egrss.
Cattle, and donkeys have pieces of fe'.t
placed on their backs to protect them, but
bheep and goats, being much b. tier pro
vided by nature with protection against
tne wind, are herded In pens surrounded
by a fence.
Touching the speed of 131 miies an hour,
it Is interesting to note that forty miles
r-presents a gala, sixty miles a heavy
storm and eighty to 10 miles a hurricane
sweeping everything before It- The wlnrt
deeply cut teeth. Wa.ls at right angles to .f L30 days baa very right to be classed,
reach of the canvas a"i as tney sway
and tag to the biast wears a hoie in the
canva.i in a day or two. even a walking
etick or cane does tne same by the mere
friction of the end against the stout c oih.
The surface of the lr.nd is profoundly
modified by this persistent force. Driving
before it great clouds of dast and gravel.
It acts as a pert ct sand bleat and destroys
The property of the Chadron arademv i,
been donated to the Mate by the citv of f'oud addressed fully i.m popie wno had mated by ii. Houses liv e to be built wiih
Chadron for the location of the state Noi- gathered around the speaker's stand. He a strong wail ou the north-nortijwest aide.
save him much hardship and will ward off mal scnoo! located at Chadron by the staie dreeeed ard he tried to nuke blank except for one window, generally
, V. l W pn. luuili -iim jnuc.wvx ui vaoc wn UWI COara Or ,i'-UUl I Kin. ooiiwtri mvrrmi mm m u.au. n; iw- i lum up iiiiu wnmil notes, wn.cn SI S
B- i lernioij ouunij . wnu-n waa to undergo before eoonuej-ng the prairie In December, UeC, a large company uf tures wre prominent and expresalve. Al- stopped up with dabs of mud aa the wind
Tl ided into thr-e counties in the winter Dawes county has atghtr-eeven school citizens of Chadron met in the nnk and thoug.i not an orator, he was a forcible Increases and which are r moved as it
. ... as f'1, Sheridan on the east, districts. The first school districts were or- organised the Chadron Public Library a-- speaker, and what he aaid oa this ocrav- falls. No garden can exist wu.iuut ita
r -"'n miles north and south, by thirty- g-anized In 1n6. District No. 1 was organ- ciation. The object of this aasociailon waa sion waa repeated by his interpreter. He wind wail. Tents have to be arranged aa
" "nJ E-awesi the same jaed near Crawford, thaa No. t being the ut establish and maintain a fice yuaa couiplained thai the oarameat had taken Ut trunk and fonuluja,
Its direction are completely removed, thos
endon are around and pi red away. "The
wind of istan wears away the wails of
build'ngs aa the whetstone wears away
aie-1.'"
From the summits of the lyw p.ateau
that abound in tne country, especially at
the commencement of the wind, when frost
has disintegrated the rock and soli, drifts
hundreds of yards long and twenty feet
deep sre formed. Cattle aa well as men
need snelter from the Teres north-northwester,
the enemy to life In the country.
They aie peuned ui chambtis dog eut of
with Ih.ute better known blasaic breezes
dignified by special names, tne simoon, the
suocru. the solans, the liarmatian, tne
puna wtnds of Pre. the mistral of Mar
seilles, the pampero of Buenos A.vres, or
'.ne willv-willy uf west Australia.
The wind of 11X) days is gfnera.iy hot,
the desert a scorching furnace, ifiestan
is in the lai'tuds of Cairn and the tempera
ture in the anade rises to in degrees. Oa
the sun setting tne temperature fails rap
idly and in t'ie amaii hours of the morning
a blanael la Welcome. c-.ngapore fre
Prtaa