tioned by General Dodge for bravery in battle. Returning from the war, he was elected county superintendent of Iowa county, and filled the same position in Powesheik county two terms. In 1882 he removed to Fort Collins, Colorado, where he practiced law some years. He became interested in irrigation, making a special study of the subject, and removed to the North Platte river near the Nebraska-Wyoming line, where he assisted in constructing the first irrigating canal on that stream. To no other man is more credit due for the advancement of Scott's Bluff county in irrigation development than to Senator Akers. He filed the first papers in Nebraska relative to irrigation and has assisted in the. organization of a large proportion of the irrigation districts in his county. Mr. Akers was a member of the senate in the legislature of 1895, chairman of the irrigation committee, and a member of the committees on judiciary, immigration, manufactures and commerce, railroads, privileges and elections, live stock and grazing, and of the special relief committee. He took a most prominent part in securing the passage of irrigation legislation, and the statute is usually referred to as the "Akers Law." When the State Board of Irrigation was organized he was chosen assistant secretary, and was advanced to his present position April 11, 1896. He is one of the best known men in Nebraska, and has been making a study of the needs of the arid and semi-arid west, which can be supplied only through national legislation.

MIL T. YOUNGFELT, assistant secretary and engineer of the State Board of Irrigation, was born in Sweden, March 21, 1862. His father is a clergyman of the Lutheran church and rector of two parishes. The son was educated in Sweden and graduated as civil engineer and agriculturist from one of the higher institutions of learning. He came to this country in 1886 and located in Omaha, where he has been continuously engaged in engineering work. He served as deputy county surveyor of Douglas county, engineer to the board of park commissioners of Omaha, and has besides been identified with several private enterprises requiring a high class of engineering skill. At the time of his appointment to his present position in April, 1896, he was a member of the regular force in the office of the city engineer of Omaha. He was married in 1891 to Miss Beatrice Seward, of Omaha, and has two promising sons. As a professional man Mr. Youngfelt has shown himself competent, and has been very successful in his undertakings.

ON. FRANK BACON, division secretary of irrigation for the second district, was born in Winnebago county, Illinois, in 1853, and engaged in farming and stock raising in Dawson county, Nebraska, in 1884. As a business man he has been signally successful, and is one of the most highly esteemed citizens of Dawson county, where he has land under ditch. During the

1895 session of the state legislature he represented his county in the lower house, and distinguished himself as an earnest advocate of practical irrigation legislation. He was an important factor in getting substantial recognition for the irrigation interests. Since his appointment by the State Board of Irrigation as division secretary for the second district, Mr. Bacon has acquired a knowledge of irrigation which, coupled with his practical experience as farmer and irrigator, makes his service of great value to the state. He is an influential member of the committee on legislation of the Nebraska Irrigation Association.

DNA DOBSON, division secretary of the State Board of Irrigation, is a well known civil engineer whose home is in the capital city. He was born in Wisconsin in 1857, came to Nebraska in 1872. and at once engaged in the practice of his profession, being employed on many important public and private enterprises, both at surveying and engineering. He served as city engineer of Lincoln from 1891 to 1896, during which period he supervised and conducted a vast amount of important business. He was married to Miss Ellen E. North, daughter of Mr. Jacob North, of Lincoln, and they have two interesting children, Frank and Arthur. Engineer Dobson is secretary-treasurer of the Nebraska Engineering Society. He is a quiet, unassuming, but able and efficient officer.