Union Pacific and the State Of Nebraska
From The Omaha Daily Bee - 1913
The Union Pacific Railroad and the State of Nebraska are so
closely related that the mention of one naturally brings to mind the
other, and the history of the two is so closely interwoven that to
separate the One from the other would be to leave that of either
incomplete. Nebraska was the-birthplace of the Union Pacific. In
Omaha, December 1, 1863, the first ground was broken for this great
trans-continental highway and pioneer railroad of Nebraska. The
coming of the railroad brought new settlers to Nebraska territory.
On March 1 1867, Nebraska was admitted to the union as a state
and from that day to this, the two have exerted every effort to make
Nebraska the banner state of the union in crop yields, transportation
facilities and all the other features that tend toward the sturdy
growth and development of a new locality. From a humble beginning,
the Union Pacific has grown with the State until it now serves over
one-third of the counties of Nebraska directly, and furnishes markets
for products raised in those as well as a large majority of the
remaining counties. The population of the entire State has grown from
28,841 in 1860 to 1,192,214 in 1910, tho latest government census.
This growth has not been phenomenal but represents a steady gain through immigration from eastern communities that have be come overcrowded, The railroad has been the leading factor in the
settling of the State of Nebraska, large tracts originally occupied
by stock ranches have been divided into small farms, new towns have
sprung up bringing with, them commercial industries based chiefly on
raw material raised in the surrounding agricultural districts, and
tho growth has been healthy, steady and permanent.
True, Nebraska has many acres that are not at present producing
crops to the full extent of their capability, but educational
advancement along agricultural lines is producing wonderful results
and intensified farming is each year coming more into prominence.
Districts falling short of necessary moisture are being supplied with
water by gasoline or electric pumping plants. This departure from
fixed farming methods is already effecting a vast increase in farm
production, and is one of those features that is receiving an
encouragement from the Union Pacific Railroad in co-operation with,
businessmen and farmers of the State. The Improvement of dairy stock
is another subject that is receiving special attention and several
special instruction trains carrying leading authorities on forage
crops have been run through different sections of the State.
The railroad is ready and anxious to better the conditions along
every line of agriculture, in the territories through which it
operates, and welcomes any opportunity to assist in tho improvement
of tho State in general. "While tho Union Pacific does not
assume all the credit for tho increase in agricultural yields in
Nebraska, it desires to call attention to a few figures taken from U.
S. Government bulletins that should recommend Nebraska soil and
climatic conditions to those who might be seeking a newer and richer
field for those pursuit of fanning industries. Total value of farm
property in 1910, $2,079,818,647 on increase of 178.1 per cent in the
last ten years. Of the above amount, over a billion and a half
dollars rep resents land alone, which item has increased in value
over 231 percent in the above mentioned period.
Domestic animals, poultry, and bees have increased over 52 per
cent; mortgages have decreased materially, a point not to be
overlooked by anyone seeking information relative to a new community.
The Union Pacific In Nebraska has grown as transportation facilities
demanded and, today, has in tho State over 475 miles of main line
track and a total mileage of over 1,200 miles, including double track
and branches. Its entire main line has been double-tracked; ballasted
with disintegrated granite which does away with practically all road
dust, an important feature especially during tho summer months;
protected by a system of automatic electric block safety signals.
Powerful engines and steel cars have been added to the equipment and
numerous other improvements that contribute to pleasant rail way
travel have been installed. "With the co-operation of the people
of Nebraska, the Union Pacific will continue to grow and, through its
growth, tho State will be benefited.
The Union Pacific maintains a Colonization and Industrial Bureau
for the purpose of assisting intending settlers, and those who are
looking for business opportunities, to meet their requirements at the
minimum of cost and with the least possible expenditure of time and
effort upon their part. We hope, therefore, that you will feel at
liberty to command the services of the Bureau, at any time, if you
are looking for land, or for a business opening. Thousands of acres
of land sub-irrigated, irrigated, non-irrigated, timber, estate
listed; and we have on file information covering three thousand
business openings in tho territory of the Union Pacific System Lines,
which is free for those asking.
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