Historic and Descriptive Review of Nebraska

     In October, 1866, at the first election held in Stanton County, the county seat was located on the present town site. The first building was a residence erected by C. M. Densmore, and occupied by C. Nye, who lived in the lower story and used the garret for a clerk's office. During the same summer, Densmore & Kendall opened a store, the first in town. Densmore was also the first man who slept on the town site, sheltering himself under a lumber pile. A tin shop was next started by Nye, and a harness shop by Lewis Ley, who then left his "dug out,"
     In 1860 a school house was built and obtained thirty-five scholars the first session. Dr. W. L. Bowman preached the first sermon, in the school house, and in 1870 a Congregational pastor began to hold regular services.
     There are at present five churches, Congregational, German Evangelist, Lutheran, Baptist and Methodist. The first public school was opened in 1877. There are now two handsome school buildings, erected at a cost of $1,300 and $2,500 respectively. The average school attendance is 230.
      The town is located on the main line of the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad, which affords first-class service and prompt connections with distant points. It has two nice hotels, a flour mill and two newspapers, the Weekly Register (Republican) and the Democrat. The orders which have active lodges are the Masons. Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, M. W. A., G. A. R., and Sons of Veterans.
     The town is one of the solidest in our State, with a fine country trade, and its hospitable people form a most happy and prosperous community.

Is in the center of the agricultural section of northern Nebraska, and possesses a soil of great fertility. Every branch of farming industry is successfully maintained within its borders. Stock raising has come to be the chief occupation of the farmers, for which peculiar advantages exist in the large number of small streams which intersect the county and the excellent hay which everywhere grows in abundance. Near the center of the county the Elkhorn courses from west to east, donating to agriculture thirty miles of the "garden valley." From the north at intervals it receives six good-sized creeks, and from the south about the same number. Thus is every precinct in the county abundantly watered. The soil is thus greatly diversified. Everywhere may be seen all the gradations from the low bottom lands with their luxuriant growth of grass to the rolling prairie uplands yielding abundantly all kinds of grain. About 30 per cent. of the county is valley land, 5 per cent, bottom, 15 per cent. table land, 35 percent, rolling prairie and 15 per cent, sand flats and ridges. Along the south side of the Elkhorn the faint beginnings of the great western sand region may be traced in the belt, varying from one to three miles in width, which extends nearly across the county. With this exception, the soil is not sandy but largely a rich, black loam, varying from nine inches to three feet in depth, with clay subsoil. The soil is porous and a perfect under drainage prevents it ever flooding or becoming too wet for tillage. Good water is procured at a depth of from fifteen to twenty-five feet in the valleys, and from thirty-five to eighty feet on the uplands. There are no natural timbers, but many artificial groves have been planted extensively. Coal, formerly the sole fuel supply, has been largely supplanted by cutting down this "planted" timber. Although wheat and oats are largely raised, the soil is mostly adapted to pasture. Corn can be produced in abundant quantities on any of the land in the county, and hay, even the celebrated blue joint, can be had for the cutting There are several very large sheep ranches in the county, and cattle and horses of all the various breeds are raised and shipped. When groves have been planted to protect the fruit trees from the sweeping winds, the fruit yield has been abundant. The county has 253,303 acres, about one-half under cultivation.

STANTON COUNTY ABSTRACT OFFICE, C. M. Densmore, Proprietor, Real Estate and Loans, County Surveyor.--One of the prominent city enterprises in its important branch of commercial activity is that of Mr. C. M. Densmore, established twelve years. He is proprietor of the Stanton County abstract office. Abstracts of title, maps, copies of recorded instruments, plats, transcripts made, patents secured, and all matters concerning title to lands and lots in Stanton County furnished on short notice. The business from the start has had a rapid and substantial growth. All descriptions of city and suburban realty are bought, sold and rented. Money is loaned on real estate or personal property. Mr. Densmore is a native of Illinois. He is well-known here as our county surveyor and is an old hand at surveying. He was formerly deputy county clerk and deputy county treasurer. He has lived here since the first of January, 1870.

CITIZENS BANK.--Few banks in the State have wielded more influence or maintained a more prominent position than the Citizens Bank of Stanton. Nebraska, established in 1882. The capital is $50,000. Mr. F. P. Hanlon. president, resides at Omaha, Neb. Mr. John Eberly,

cashier, was born in Stark County. Ohio, and has been cashier since the bank started. He has lived in Stanton County since 1872 and was formerly county clerk here four years. He belongs to the G. A. R., having served in the 19th Ohio Infantry. The Citizens Bank is an institution of which the city is justly proud and lathe possession of which the citizens have every reason to congratulate themselves.

FIRST NATIONAL BANK.--The financial policy of the government, as seen in the national banking system, is wise, safe and economical. The First National Bank was organized as a national bank in 1885. being successor to the Stanton County Bank, established in 1879. The capital is $50,000: surplus and undivided profits, $19,000. Mr. Levi Miller, president, is from Iowa, and is an I. O. O. F. F. McGiverin, vice president, is cashier of the Commercial National Bank of Fremont, Neb. Mr. W. Gerecke, cashier, has lived in Nebraska since June, 1867. He has been banking since 1886. He formerly was county treasurer of Madison County two years, and county clerk of Madison County four years. He is a K. T. Mason and I. O. O. F. He is one of the county's livest men and as cashier is eminently the right man in the right place. The First National Bank, in a word, is a credit to the city and its excellent executive.

     L. SMITHBERGER, County Clerk of Stanton County, Clerk of the District Court.--One of the useful and enterprising men known to Stanton County, Nebraska. is Mr. L. Smithberger. He is a native of Iowa, but has lived in Stanton County, Nebraska, twenty-two years and is therefore entitled to be known as one of our oldest settlers. He was elected to his present offices in fall of 1891, having formerly served from 1888 to 1889, before which he farmed and was in the hardware business here. His present offices call for the exercise of such qualities as good judgment, diligence and carefulness and he is an official who has shown himself to be possessed of these.

     A. A. KEARNEY, Prosecuting Attorney.--Mr. Kearney has practiced in Stanton six years. He is a native of Illinois and has lived in Nebraska since 1880. He was educated at Grand Prairie Seminary, Onaga, Ill., and at Oberlin College. He was admitted to the bar in Iowa in 1880. He is a Mason (commandery), and an I. O. O. F. He prosecutes his cases with an assiduity which deservedly commands for him the respect of the fraternity and the confidence of the people. He is a notary and does a large collection business.

     CHAS. S. CONEY, Superintendent of Public Instruction.--A competent official, who has been bred to his business, is the subject of this sketch, whose administration has proven in every way successful. Mr. Chas. S. Coney was born and raised in Michigan and is serving his fourth term as superintendent of public instruction. Be has been known to the people of Stanton County eight years, and, previous to being superintendent, taught school with fine success. Mr. Cone is an I. O. O. F. and K. P.

     C. F. KALK, General Merchandise Dealer.--One of the representative mercantile houses of Stanton, which form the basis of the commercial importance of this prosperous trade center, is C. F. Kalk's, founded three years. The premises occupied are 24x80 feet in extent and are amply suited for the transaction of the large business. He deals extensively in dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, ready-made clothing and gents' furnishing goods. He employs three experienced hands in the store, always found ready to wait upon the numerous customers. Mr. Kalk's goods have justly gained a wide name for very line quality and moderate prices. He was born in Wisconsin and has lived in Stanton County eleven years, and formerly farmed in Pierce County. He is a man of energy and good business qualifications and has won a name for integrity that is second to none.

     NYE & SCHNEIDER CO., Lumber, Grain and Live Stock, H. F. Stephens, Manager.--Our pen sketches of Stanton's leading mercantile enterprises would be incomplete without due mention of the influential corporation, Nye & Schneider Co. They have numerous yards all over Nebraska, the local management at Stanton being in the able hands of Mr. H. F. Stephens. They are large dealers in lumber, grain and live stock, hard and soft coal. The facilities the concern possesses for successfully conducting their business are of an unusually complete character, whereby they offer their numerous customers advantages difficult if not impossible to duplicate. Mr. Stephens is a native of Illinois and is a Mason. K. of P. and I. O. O. F. He is a clear-headed energetic man and to his efforts must be ascribed the success of the company in this section.

     C. P. PARISH. Fancy Grocer and Baker.--Has been established here over three years. The commodious premises he occupies are 20x 60 feet, with a fourteen-foot shed in the rear. He employs two hands and has had a life-long experience in the business. He is a native of Ohio and is identified with the Masons (Blue Lodge). He is an active and go-ahead gentleman, fully worthy of the success he has achieved.

     It is a wonder to every one who visits Schuyler that her people have never made an effort, like other thriving Western towns, to call the attention of the tourist, capitalist and investor to all of her advantages and many attractions.
     Schuyler is now a town of 3,000 inhabitants, a bustling commercial center, drawing the trade of two counties of unusual fertility and peopled with prosperous farmers. The appearance of the business portion of Schuyler is one to impress the visitor with the most favorable ideas as to her prosperity and wealth, and there is no denying that the residence portions of the town are far above the average in point of costly buildings, lovely lawns, and abundant foliage.
     But it has not been the policy of the citizens to advertise the town. In this respect it is certain that their conservativeness has been of benefit to them, insomuch as the attention of fly-by-night real estate sharks has not been directed to her unusual growth, and real estate transactions have thus been confined to cool headed methods of dealing-- no fever, no excitement, no boom, Schuyler has strode ahead in the even tenor of her way, unlike her sister communities, many of whom are reaping the reaction of too much boom. Everybody has been well satisfied with the times in Schuyler. The merchants have all done well, had as much trade as they reasonably wanted, and realized profitably on their investments.
     The stores carry an extra good quality of stock in abundance and variety, and almost any commodity in trade may be found on the shelves and counters. Schuyler, moreover, is a great grain center, and the farmers of two

counties vote Schuyler the best place to trade and sell. For this reason large elevators are kept up to their capacity, and a feather in the cap of Schuyler is a roller mill of 300 barrels per day capacity, the largest in the State.
     Schuyler is the county seat of Colfax County, with a population of nearly 11,000, and during court times, the hotels are often inadequate to supply the demand for rooms and meals.
     As a residence place Schuyler extends unusual advantages: advantages favorable to the city, and, what is most important, from a social standpoint. The social element is mostly made up of eastern people and intelligent Germans and Bohemians. The moral tone of the community is elevating. The people are progressive in culture and education. A free reading room is maintained, and the schools are graded. The Sabbath is well respected as a day of worship, and there are some pretty churches, maintaining eloquent pulpits. Fraternity is well appreciated here, and the secret societies are in a flourishing condition.
     Schuyler is on two lines of railroad. The main line of the Union Pacific has been a great factor in the improvement and growth of the town.
     In the summer of 1887 the first train over the Schuyler and Pacific Junction branch of the B & M. Railroad took a party of excursionists to Omaha, in order to celebrate the opening of the road, which was the means of connecting Schuyler with a large territory before then only accessible by round-about travel.
     The only brick buildings of Schuyler. prior to 1882, were the court house and Parker block. These buildings were both erected at


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