THE CflfAHA SUNDAY BEE: JUNE 13, Mil.
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OMAHA IN 1871-When The Bee First Made Its Bow
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At the time The Bee made It Initial
bow before the local publlo aa a little
two-page evening paper Omaha bad
outgrown the Tillage stage. Aa the
gateway to the far west through which
the great horde of transcontinental
ploneera, settlers and tourlaU made
their waj to the mountains and the
Pacific coast Omaha had achieved a
recognized place on the map and was
enjoying the results of an increasing
trade, fostered by Ita geographical po
sition and the recent opening up of
new transportation routes of which it
was the termlnua. The traveler who
came to Omaha In 1871 would there
fore have found a thriving, bustling
little town of about 17,000 Inhab
itants. The census of 1870 had given
it a population of 16,083, and the
whole state of Nebraska a trifle less
than 115,000.
Our traveler might have made his
way np the river by steamboat, as the
steamboat lines bad not yet been
abandoned During the season of
navigation, so we are told, it was by
no means an unusual thing to see
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each day at the landing several boats
receiving their freight for the mountains and others
the products of the state for consumption at the south.
He would, however, likely have made use of the newly
built railroads which had thrown their iron tracks
about Omaha like spokes In a wheel. Stimulated by the
construction of the Union Pacific, finally completed
In 1869, four roads constituting through connections
with the east had rapidly pushed their way up to the
Missouri river. The Chicago & Northwestern had
been the first completed, then the Hannibal ft St.
Joseph, then the Chicago, Rock Island ft Pacific, and
next the Chicago, Burlington ft Qulncy. Even at that
time the project for the Omaha ft Southwestern was
afoot, soon to be carried Into successful execution.
The controversy over the use of the Union Paciflo
bridge at this point was Just at its height and the
bualneBs men of the town were energetically engaged
In a fight to prevent the threatened location of the
Union Pacific terminals on the Council Bluffs side of
the river.
BirdVEye View of the Town.
The first Impulse of our traveler would naturally
have been to take a brief survey of the place. The
whole area of the town in 1871 was but ft shadow of
what it is now. The streets had been laid out only
from Twenty-third street on the west to the river eu
the east, and from Nicholas on the north to Pierce on
the south. The inhabited portion was, of course,
much smaller. For administrative convenience the
town bad been divided into six wards, the First ward
comprising the district south of Farnam (then spelled
Farnham) and east of Twelfth; the Second, that south
of Farnam and west of Twelfth; the Third, that be
tween Farnam and Davenport; the Fourth, that be
tween the same streets and west of Fourteenth; the
Fifth, that north of Davenport and east of Sixteenth,
and the Sixth, the remainder.
The streets, even In the business center, were un
paved. The sidewalks and cross-walks consisted, for.
the most part, of wooden planks, though, the pedes
trian esteemed himself fortunate to find continuous
sidewalks at all. There was no street railway, no
electric lights, no telephones, no sewers, no water
works. The people drew their water from, wells and
cisterns, and water for fire protection was stored in
public cisterns at the intersections of certain streets.
In one thing the town pointed to an up-to-dateness
that placed it head and shoulders above ita competi
tors that was its gas works and gas lamps, which,
had been Introduced two years before. Still the use
of gas for illuminating stores and dwellings was a
luxury afforded by exceeding few.
Panorama From Capitol Hill.
Let me quote a pen picture written shortly before
this very time:
"Commencing near the river on the south atten
tion is attracted by several substantial brick buildings .
used as breweries, while the heights which bound
the city in this direction are crowned by handsome
private residences. Passing west we notice in succes
sion the gas works, Brownell hall and the Nunnery;
thence crossing to the north we reach the old capltol, -now
redeeded to the city for . educational purposes.
An ascent to its cupola will well repay the fatigue im
posed. Immediately below lies the city, with its wide,
regular streets, its lofty ranges of business houses in
terrupted here and there, by churchea and lines of
pleasant trees; beyond rolls the Missouri with its regal
pomp of waters, while in the distant east sleeps Coun
cil Bluffs a the foot of the picturesque hills from
which It takes its name. Befqre one four or five busy
lines of railroad carry the through traffic of the con
tinent, and a valley unsurpassed for fertility and
beauty can be traced for miles as it stretches away to
the north.
"Coming dpwn Into the city and reaching Farnam
treet we notice the Congregational church, military
headquarters and the court house; east of these
Kountze's bank; next Shoaf Brothers' billiard hall and
the ofrices of the Chicago, Rock Island ft Pacific rail
road. At the foot of the street are several hotels and
the offices of the Union Pacific railroad. Passing
up Douglaa street, the Metropolitan hotel is the first
object of interest; then on Twelfth, but a few steps
from the main thoroughfare, the rooms of the Toung
Men's Christian association, a credit to the teal and
devotion of the young men of Omaha. Just beyond
Twelfth, the Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran church
and ViBscher's block. Next come the Omaha National
bank and the offices of the Herald and Republican.
On Seventeenth we see the new Presbyterian church
with its conspicuous spire and the Methodist churoh,
but partly built. On the corner of Fifteenth and Dav
enport the new Baptist church Is approaching comple
tion and promises to be one of the fairest architectural
Additions to the city. Following east on Davenport
we reach an open space overlooking the river bottom,
and the eye Is at once arrested by the extensive shops
of the Union Paciflo railroad. The barracks to the
north of the city also will repay a visit, theugh at pres
ent the Indian troubles west have drawn away most
of the troops."
City Government In 1871.
It our traveler should have happened In at the
council rooms In Bellman's block some evening when
the council was In session, he would have found ad
Tlslng that body as mayor Smith S. Caldwell, one of
the leading bankers and most prominent citizens. In
front of blm he would have seen ranged aa council
men E. A. Allen and W..J, McKelligaa from the First
ward, O. W. Homan an'd J, 0, Gibson from the Sec
ond ward, Henry Luhens and John Campbell from the
Third ward, John A. Horbaeh and Byron Reed from
the Fourth ward. James Crelghton and J. B, Bartlett
from the Fifth ward, and George Smith and Thomas
Martin from the Sixth war,d, Th other city fftoer
UPPER FARNAM STREET
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IRQIM FIFTFiKNTH STREET HTIQ71
were: C. L. Bristol, city clerk; John Steen, treasurer;
John R. Porter, police judge; Andrew Rosewater, city,
engineer; Jerry Dee, street commissioner, and O. V.
Oratton, gas inspector.
At the head of the police department was William
O. Holllns, city marshal and chief, assisted by Rodney
Dutcher, captain; A. P. Saunders, lieutenant; C. P.
Paulsen, turnkey, and three policemen appointed
from each ward, making a total of eighteen men In
the entire force. '
The fire department was still a volunteer organiza
tion. Steamer Omaha, No. 1, organized July 10, 1866,
was housed, together with the Pioneer Hook and Lad
der company, on the southwest corner of Sixteenth
and Farnam, where the Board of Trade building now
stands. Fire King, No. 2, organized September' 14,
1868, was housed on the east side of Tenth street, be
tween Farnam and Douglas, where No. 3 engine house
la still located. Durant Engine and Hose company
No. 1, organized February 1, 1869, then, as now, con
stituted the special service of the Union Paciflo ear
shops.
County and Federal Officers.
Wandering into the somber, square, brick court
house that had been erected on the northeast corner
of Sixteenth and Farnam streets, our traveler would
have found George B.' Lake conducting the district
court, with George Armstrong as his clerk. The other
county officers who were supposed to make their
headquarters in the building were Henry Elcke, W.
A. Purchase and E, H. Sherwood, commissioners;
Thomas Swobe, clerk; W. J. Hahn, treasurer; Louis
von Froben, surveyor; Dr. J. C. Denise, physician;
John C. Cowln, prosecutor; E. Estabrook, "attorney;
Jacob Gleh, coroner; Henry Grebe, sheriff; Jeremiah
Behm, superintendent of schools, and L. B. Gibson,
probate judge.
The United States postoffice was located on Doug
las, below Fourteenth street, and was presided over :
by J. H. Kellom as postmaster. -By the time The Bee
had been well started . Postmaster Kellom Lad given
way to Postmaster Joel Griffin, who was soon forced
to retire by the exposures of this paper. The post
office was advertised to be open from 8 a. m to 8 p,
m. daily, exoept Sunday, when It was open from 8 to
10 ft. m. The mails arrived and departed dally, except
Sunday. No malls were due Sunday afternoon or
Monday forenoon and no departures Saturday after
noon or Sunday forenoon. And the postoffice pat
ronizing public was specially informed that way sta
tions on the Chicago ft Northwestern and the Chicago,
Rook Island A' Pacific railroads were supplied by rail
way mall clerks on the morning trains.
The other names on the list of United States of
ficers located la Omaha In 1871 were: Hon. John F.
Dillon, Judge of the circuit court; Hon. Elmer S.
Dundy, 'judge of the district court; Watson B. Smith,
clerk of the ctroult and district courts; Silas A. Strick
land, United States attorney; Thomas J. Majors, In
ternal revenue assessor; Charles. K. Coutant, assist
ant internal revenue assessor; Joseph E. Lamaster, in
ternal revenue collector; Milton F. Lamaster, deputy
Internal revenue collector; C. P. Storrs, liquor gauger;
J. T. Holle, marshal; S. 8. Caldwell, pension agent,
and James H, Peabody, M. D., pension surgeon. Brig
adier General Ord was commanding the Department
.Busy Life of the Present Editor of The Bee
The present editor of The Bee, Victor Rosewater,
counts his years in exactly the same number that The
Bee does. He Is a native son of Omaha, having been
born In a small cottage standing on the site of the
Bee building, February 13, 1871, ft little more than
four months before the birth of The Bee.
Victor Rosewater Is the eldest son In the family of
Edward Rosewater, the founder of The Bee. and bis
educational training was from the first inspired with
the idea that he would eventually take up newspaper
work. When 6 years of age he entered the public
schools and has the unique experience of having
passed from the lowest class of the first grade to his
graduation at the age of 16 without attending classes
lu any building but the old Omaha High school which
has just been torn down.
The winter following the completion of his public
school course was spent In Washington, where he
served as page without pay In the United States sen
ate to aoquire familiarity with the methods of gov
ernment and acquaintance with the men foremost In
publlo life.
His college career embraced two years of study
In Johns Hopkins university in Baltimore and three
years at Columbia university in New York City, from
when he received his degrees, specializing in polltcal
science, economics and constitutional law. In his
final year at Columbia he held the university fellow
ship in political economy and his doctor's dissertation
entitled "Special Assessments A Study in Municipal
Finance," not only reoelved approving comment and
commendation from the leading economists of the
worm, nut was forced by tne demand lor it to ft
" second edition, ft distinction enjoyed by only two or
three of the publications In the college series.
Even while still ft lad at school Vetor Rosewater
began indulging bis bent for writing. His first pub
lished articles appeared la philatelic magazines, re
flecting his boyhood enthusiasm as a collector of
postage stamps, Later, Jn association with James
Wallaee Breateh, he founded the Omaha High School
Register In 1688 and was his editor-in-chief for the
next two years. While at college he aeted as corre
spondent for several of the big metropolitan dallies
and contributed articles to magazines and scientific
WHEN THE, BEE WAS
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of the Platte with headquartera In the building at the
corner of Fifteenth and Harney streets
Omaha's Excellent Schools.
Even In those early days the citizens of Omaha
prided themselves upon the excellence of their schools.
The public school system was under the control of
the Board of Trustees, comprising A. J. Simpson, mod
erator; B. E. B. Kennedy, director; John Evans,
treasurer; and Ezra Millard, J. II. Kellom and W. R.
Bartlett, trustees There were at the time eight public
school buildings the Pleasant school, which had cost
88,000, the Pacific' school, which had cost $23,000,
the Izard school, which had cost 835,000, and five
frame buildings. About twenty teachers were em
ployed to Instruct the pupils in attendance. The state
had granted the city the site of the old capltol for
school purposes, but the magnificent High school
building which has Just been torn down to make way
for completion of the present new structure on the
crest of the same hill, was only commenced In 1871
and not completed until 1872.
Omaha's private schools were also numerous and
of recognized standing twenty-five years ago. Brow
nell hall was already being conducted as a boarding
school for girls and young women under the auspices
of the Episcopal church. It was located In a com
modious structure on Sixteenth and Jackson streets
for Its home, and was under the prlnclpalshlp of Miss
Elizabeth Butterfleld. The Catholics maintained St
Mary's academy on the north side of St. Mary's ave
nue, west of South avenue, and ft parochial school on
Eighth street, between Howard and Harney. Finally
a German school association supported a private
German school, housed In ft building on Howard, be
tween Eighth and Ninth streets,
A ft supplement to the schools the Omaha Publlo
library was established In .1871 by an association
formed in December of that year. Its : management
was in the hands of eleven directors, the first dlrec-
tors being; A. J. Poppleton." John Patrick, George
L. Miller. S. 8. Caldwell. John P. Edgar. St
A. D. Balcombe, Henry W. ... Yates, J. W. Gannett,
Nathan Bhelton, A. Swartzlander and A, M. Henry.
The nucleus of the library consisted of 600 to 700
selected books, purohased from Mr. E. O. Crosby of
Fremont. It was this library that was later turned
over to the city to be made ft free publlo library, and
which has developed Into Omaha's present substantial
free circulating library.
Fraternal Societies. Social Life.
. In the way of fraternal societies and social organ
izations the Omaha of 1871 was well supplied. There
were the lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fel
lows, which met in Odd Fellows' hall on Farnam
street, with John Evans as grand secretary. There
publications. He has been ft member of the Amer
ican Economic association, made up of the foremost
political economists in this country, for more than
twenty years and has frequently figured In the dis
cussions at Its annual meetings. He has written
articles, too, on Invitation, for a number of encyclo
pedias, and even now, In the midst of the pressure of
dally Journalism, finds time occasionally to write on
current topics for the magazines.
Coming back to Omaha In the summer of 1893,
Victor Rosewater found a place on The Bee, starting
In as police reporter, but quickly moving up to the
position of editorial writer. In 1886 he took complete
charge of the editorial side of The Bee as managing
editor, remaining In that capacity for ten years until
he became editor of the paper In February, 1906,
when the elder Rosewater relinquished the title and
responsibility, as well as the work, just prior to his
departure for the World's Postal congress at Rome,
after which he did not resume active labors on the
paper.
In politics Victor Rosewater is trained In the
school of his father, having started at he bottom of
the ladder and worked his way through all the various
stages of political service. Inheriting republican affil
iations, he has been In the political harness success
ively as member of city, county, state and national
committees and delegate to numerous party conven
tions. He undertook the organization of Nebraska
in 1908 in the Interest of the candidacy of William
Howard Taft for president, and was chosen one of
the four delegates-at-large to the republican national
convention at Chicago, at which he was made a
member of the republican national committee. In
the subsequent campaign he was appointed by Chair
man Hitchcock on the executive committee and placed
In charge of the publicity work for the western
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were a number of Masonic lodges meeting in Masonlo
hall, also on Farnam street, of which II. P. Deuel
was grand master. The Templars of Honor met In
Good Templars' hall in the Caldwell block, with
Nathan Hunt as D. M. W. P. There were several
chapters of Good Templars who met in the same hall
or in McCune's hall on Cuming street. There were
Knights of Pythias, who had a hall on Fourteenth
street, and for whom David Carter was grand consul.
There were the Sons of Temperance, with John
Orchard as W. P., meeting In the Gooi Templars' hall;
the Caledonian society, which met at Sarsfield hall;
and the St Andrews society. John C. Cowln was pres-
ldent of the Omaha Base Ball club, which had been
organized back in 1866. There was a Turner's so
ciety, of which H. Riohber was first speaker and Gus
tave Benecke secretary. There was the Omaha Med
ical society, with H. S. Mathewson, president; J. Ri.
Conkllng, vice president; R. C. Moore, recording sec
retary; J. C. Denise, corresponding secretary, and J.
H. Peabody, treasurer. There were also several labor
unions in Omaha in 1871, the strongest of which was
Omaha Typographical union No. 61, of which Thomas
Wolfe was president; Richard Burt, vice president;
John Wagner, secretary; C. D. Schultz, financial sec
retary; Richard Pugh, corresponding secretary; Harry
Haskell, treasurer, and James Markell, sergeant-at-arms.
As a Commercial Center.
For a town of its age and size Omaha was in 1871
no mean commercial and industrial center. It boasted
of five flourishing banks, four of which successfully
withstood the great financial crisis of two years later.
These banks are worth ' enumerating. ' The . Central
National bank was located in Central block, in Far
bam street, with an authorized capital of $1,000,000.
John McCormick was president; James G. Chapman,
vice president; James M. - Watson, VaVdter; James E.
Boyd, assistant cashier. The First National bank,
then' " now., at th. corner of Thirteenth and Far -
nam streets, had been established in 1866 and organ
ized as a national bank August 20, 1863. Its capital
and undivided profits were over $250,000. Edward
Crelghton was president; Herman Kountze, vice pres
ident; Augustus Kountze, cashier; H. W. Yates, as
sistant cashier. The Omaha National bank, corner
Thirteenth and Douglaa streets, had a paid-in capital
of $100,000, and an authorized capital of $500 000.
Ezra Millard was president and J. H. Millard cashier.
The State Bank of Nebraska was at the corner of
Thirteenth and Farnam streets. It had ft capital of
$100,000, with Alvin Saunders as president and Ben
jamin B. Wood cashier. The banking house of Cald
well, Hamilton ft Co., now the United States National
bank, was already at the corner of Twelfth and Far
nam streets, and transacted business the same as an
Incorporated bank.
In the line of Jobbing and wholesale trade the
chief business was in agricultural Implements, grocer
ies, hardware, lumber, liquors furniture and some dry
goods. In addition to the nucleus of manufacturing
on a small scale, such as everywhere carried on by
the cigar makers,, shoemakers, blacksmiths and so
forth, there were a number or more important factor
ies and mills. Two flouring mills were at work grind-
division, embracing twenty-six states and territories.
His successful conduct of his part of that campaign
brought words of thanks and appreciation from both
the national chairman and the president-elect
Although he has never been a candidate for office,
Mr. Rosewater has a notable record for publlo service,
chiefly along educational lines. For eleven years he
was an active member of the Omaha Public Library
board, taking a leading part In the development and
expansion of this institution. In 1896 he was ap
pointed by Governor Holcomb to fill out an unexpired
term on the Board of Regents for the University of
Nebraska, where he devoted his energies to raising
educational standards. In 1898 he served on the
award Jury for the educational exhibits at the Trans
Misslssippl exposition. In 1903 he acted as chairman
of the Board of Review that revised the tax assess
ment for the city of Omaha, signalizing a great step
forward in the movement for tax reform. In 1908
he was one of the delegates representing Nebraska
in the first Conservation congress called by President
Roosevelt to meet at the White House, and is head of
the state council for Nebraska of the National Civic
federation. Among other accumulated honors which
Mr. Rosewater prizes Is the rare novelty of having
Inurred a resolution of censure by the state senate
of Nebraska, voted upon him In 1897 by a bunch of
boodlers exposed and thwarted Just as they were
grasping a pot of money put up by Omaha gamblers
to secure the repeal of the law making gambling a
felony.
Mr. Rosewater makes no pretense to oratory or
publlo speaking, but has responded at various times to
Invitations to deliver lectures on subjects of economics
and finance to the University of Wisconsin and the
University of Missouri, as well as the University of
Nebraska. '
He Is one of the steadiest workers on the whole
newspaper force, devoting what little time he takes
off to travel for observation or attendance on gather
ings of leadera of thought enlisted in various publlo
movements. He was married in 1904 to Miss Katie
Kats of Baltimore, and a daughter and son complete
the family, the boy being named Edward Rosewater,
second, after bis grandfather, who founded The Bee.
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ing wheat into flour. Two breweries
were converting malt into beer. K
distillery was In operation manufac
turing whisky and spirits. The lin
seed oil works had Just been started.
There were two soap and candle fac
tories, a cigar box factory, a paper
box factory, a coffee and spice mill, ft
foundry, a carriage factory and sev
eral wagon makers, sanh door and
blind manufacturers, a show case
maker and pork packers. There were
two establishments engaged in the
construction of lightning rods and one
which was flooding the west with Nebraska-made
hoop skirts and corsets.
All this without counting the two
thriving lottery swindles which were
soon after compelled to retire from
business under the Irresistible on
slaught of The Bee. The principal
addition to the industries of Omaha
for the year 1871 was the smelting
works, which had been organized the
preceding year and which completod
the construction of its works and be
gan active operations in February,
1871, giving employment night and day
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to an aggregate of sixty men. Next
to the Union Pacific car shops, the smelting works at
once took rank at the forefront of Omaha's manufac
turing enterprises. '
Representation In the Professions.
Among the Inhabitants of the town our traveler
would have found a fair representation of Intelligent
professional men. Of the attorneys and law firms
then practicing before the courts only a compara
tively few are still pursuing the profession In this city.
Here, however, are some of the familiar names: G. W.
Ambrose, Baldwin ft O'Brien, J. C. Cowln, Gilbert ft
Swartzlander, Neville ft Hawes, Strickland ft Webster,
Savage, Manderson, A. J. Poppleton, C. H. Brown, C.
S. Chase, W. J. Connell, G. W. Doane, Luther &
Thurston, John I. Redick, E. Wakeley, J. M. Wool
worth, D. L. Thomas.
The list of surviving physicians of twenty-fire.,
years ago Is still smaller, Those who are well remem
bered are Drs. I. Van Camp, O. S. Wood, Peck ft
Moore, V. H. Coffman, S. D. Mercer, J. C. Denise, J.
R. Conklln, George Tilden and James H. Peabody.
None of the ministers of 1871 occupy Omaha pul
pits regularly today.
Amusements and Entertainments.
In the matter of amusements our traveler would
not have much difficulty to secure desired diversion.
The Academy of Music, In the Caldwell, block on
Douglas street, was the scene of theatrical entertain
ments by Its own slock company under the manage
ment of Mr. Corri. Redlck's New Opera house had
but shortly been completed at Sixteenth and Farnam
streets and witnessed ft number of performances, both
amateur and professional, before It was knocked
down as a capital prize in the great Pattee lottery.
Scattered about the town were Innumerable concert
and dance balls, where social gatherings of varying
degrees of propriety were the powerful and frequent
attractions.
As ft hotel guest, our traveler would hardly have
fared i0 well as he might reasonably have expected.
The famous Herndon house had been transformed Into
the Union Pacific railroad headquarters, and the won
derful Cozzena hotel, which George Francis Train had
built In sixty days, could no longer lay claim to superi
ority. There were nevertheless, some dozen hos-'
telrles ready to receive guests and give them good ac
commodations, and a host of lesser hotel lights and
boarding houses. Among the hotels to which the busi
ness man of Omaha would have recommended his
friends in 1871 were the American house, Atlantlo
house, Cozsens hotel, Davenport bouse, Douglas house,
Emmet house. Metropolitan hotel, Omaha house, St
Charles hotel, St James hotel, United States hotel,
Valley house and Wyoming house.
Every hotel of pretension of course conducted a
saloon In connection with It, but If that had been all,
there would by no means have been enough saloons to
supply the demand. The places where liquor was to
be had added up between eighty and ninety and many I
of them had gambling room attachments for which no
effort wns made at concealment .
From the Standpoint of Morality.
In contrast with this the organizations of church
going people presented a strong array and Omaha had
made good progress in the field of mission, church
and Sunday school.
To quote in conclusion from the unknown contenn,,
poraneous author to whom I have previously refer
red, "with regard to morals, Omaba has suffered from
Its position as the entrepot for all the west and the
resort of professional rogues seeking a respite after a
sojourn in the mountains. It was also plagued with a
set of newspaper correspondents who delighted in re
tailing all that was prurient and giving to every street
brawl the importance of a first-class tragedy. Hence
the impression east is general that life and property
are by no means safe In Omaha; upon this subject we
say briefly that as in all cities, vice may be found in
certain haunta in Omaha, but it does not ply Its reduc
tions nor display its vulgarities in public, as it docs
In many places laying claim to superior virtue. . .
"As to the state of religion, during the last year,
some of the churches have had to endure the trial of
witnessing the fall of prominent members; others are
divided In sentiment and some are destitute of pastors,
but a glance at the city will show that religious activ
ity has been the rule from the beginning. Sabbath
schools are numerous and well attended; benevolent
associations are sustained, as well as missionary en
terprises and should any one test the report of liber
ality which pervades all classes be will find nowhere
in the world a more hearty response to the claims of
suffering humanity than he will from the religious
portion of the population of Omaha."
THERE ARE OTHER BEES.
Five daily newspapers the United States bear
the name of Bee. The pioneer of the name now in
existence was established in New Orleans in 1827.
It was originally an Anglo-French publication, but It
is now exclusively French, and bears the elongated
title, "L'Abellle de la Nouvelle-Orleans." The second
In point of age is the Sacramento (Cat.) Bee, estab
lished in 1864, and published by James McClatchy.
The Omaha Bee ranks third in years, and the Toledo
(O.) Bee, now News-Bee, established in 1877, fourth.
The fifth is the De Queen (Ark.) Bee.
The number of weekly Bees, exclusive of those
published with the dallies, approximates twenty. The
Columbus Blene, the German weekly paper at Co
lumbus, Neb., was named after The Bee of Omaha
as was likewise the Francttas (Tex.) Bee, started last
year by H. H. Phllpott, formerly our staff correspon
dent at Lincoln. The postoffice at Bee, Neb., also
looks to this paper as Its namesake.
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