The following descriptions appeared in the Sunday June 5, 1887 Nebraska State Journal. This was an "immigrant issue" intended to provide the towns of Nebraska with an opportunity to attract new residents.
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The County Seat of Valley County - On the Union Pacific and Burlington & Missouri Railroads - One Hundred and Eighty-eight Miles From Lincoln - Population One Thousand Five Hundred. One hundred and eighty miles northwest of Omaha, by the Union Pacific railroad, sixty miles north of Grand Island, eighty miles west of Norfolk and 100 miles northeast of North Platte lies the beautiful and thriving city of Ord. Situated at such distances from any town of importance, lying in the geographical center of Nebraska and of Valley county than which there is no better county in the state, and in the center of the fertile North Loup valley, Ord has ever been and will ever be the most promising town of north central Nebraska. Ord is a city of over 1,500 inhabitants, the terminus of the Grand Island branch of the Union Pacific and the junction between that road and the Lincoln & Black Hills branch of the Burlington & Missouri. Built on the side of a range of bluffs which slope gently to the North Loup river, the city possesses one of the most beautiful natural sites to be found anywhere in the west. The natural beauty of our location strikes the eye of every stranger who visits our city. "The prettiest town site in the west," is the involuntary and universal exclamation of all who from the residence portion of the town have scanned the city and surrounding country. From the residence part of the city the beautiful North Loup valley extends before the eye of the observer for thirty miles north and east, the river shimmering in the landscape for nearly the whole distance. The city is compactly built, and many costly residences have been erected by our substantial citizens. Several neat and commodious brick blocks have been built in the past year among which a bank building equal to any in the state, one of the finest two story brick court houses in Nebraska is the pride of our citizens. Extensive improvements are under way for the present season. The business enterprises now represented are two national banks, two dry goods stores, four grocery stores, three hardware stores, one clothing store, three drug stores, three hotels, three lumber yards, three general merchandise stores, one grist mill, two furniture stores, two agricultural implement stores, three newspapers, fifteen lawyers, six doctors, two dentists, two grain elevators, two brickyards, three livery barns. We have also a flourishing board of trade comprising nearly every business man in the city. President A. D. Robinson; secretary, H. C. Atwell, a very prosperous building and loan association, two bands--the Ord Cornet band and a Ladies' Cornet band, a military company -- recently organized by Sheriff Ben Johnson, and a public library. The fraternities represented are the Masons and Odd Fellows. The city council has recently decided to erect a system of water works after the most improved pattern, and Messrs. A. L. Strang & Co. of Omaha are now working upon the estimates. Being the county seat of Valley county and having a large tract of rich agricultural country tributary to her, Ord is one of the liveliest trading points in Nebraska. The shipments of grain and live stock every month is not equalled by any town of her size in the state. The receipts of the Union Pacific station at this point have averaged $19,000 per month. Thirty-seven carloads of lumber were shipped into Ord during the past month. Ord has long been noted throughout Nebraska for the enterprise and intelligence of her citizens. She has a larger representation at the state capital than any city in the state, including the city of Omaha. Among responsible official positions held by our citizens, we might mention that of state auditor, railroad commissioner, state senator, assistant sergeant at arms, assistant state geologist and several committee clerks. The two railways already at Ord, and the numerous lines projected, will bring our city into direct communication with every part of Nebraska, thus affording admirable shipping facilities to the manufacturer. The building of the Burlington & Missouri into the coal field of Wyoming during the present season will bring the price of coal to $4 per ton. The Union Pacific railroad and the Lincoln & Black Hill branch of the B. & M. are already here; the Chicago & Northwestern, Illinois Central and other roads are in contemplation, and, beyond doubt, Ord is destined to be one of the largest railroad centers of Nebraska within two years. We are seventy-five miles from any town of importance, and are easily accessible through the level valleys of the North Loup and the numerous creeks flowing into it near Ord. The city is settled almost exclusively by energetic men and women from the central and New England states. Society is the best; our jail is generally ?????????????? and street disturbances are unknown. The Ord school occupies a brick building, two stories high, divided into five rooms, and was completed two years ago at a cost of $7,000. The school is divided into five departments, employs five teachers, is closely graded, and is working under an admirable course of study, including a high school course which reaches up to the colleges and universities of the land, so that the necessity of sending our children away from home to complete the preparatory courses no longer exists. Under the principalship of Prof. S. S. Gillespie, excellent work is being done. Children are sent here from various districts of the county to gain advantages which the ordinary rural school does not afford. The school population of our city numbers about 400. Ord presents a good opening for the following business enterprises: Canning factory, paper mill, starch factory, flax mill, nursery, steam flouring mill, foundry, cheese factory, creamery, packing house, first class bakery, good hotel, one or two exclusive grocery stores, clothing store, boot and shoe store. The land of Valley county is of the best quality, there being no sand or alkali in the county. Large tracts of fine unimproved land are still held by speculators at reasonable prices. Improved farms can be had at from $5 to $20; wild lands, $3.50 to $8.00. Situated in the center of a county, every acre of which is first class farming land; a county settled by wide awake American citizens; with her present and prospective railroads; the distributing point for a large territory extending for fifty miles north and northwest; with her excellent schools and churches, and her enviable reputation, politically and morally, Ord is now, and always must be the leading town north of Grand Island; and a very modest and conservative prediction would place the population of Ord three years hence at 10,000.
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ORD.SAMPLE BARGAINS. No. 40-Blk. 68 to the original town site of Ord, covered with fruit and forest trees, small fruit and shrubbery, beautiful site for residence 5 blocks south of business square, Size 125x250 ft. Price $300. For larger list write to M.COOMBS Land Agent, Ord, Valley county, Neb.
F. MORTENSEN. H. A. BABCOCK.
Real Estate, Farm Loans & Insurance, ORD, VALLEY CO. NEB. Authorized agents for B. & M. R. R. lands. Farm loans negotiated. Wild lands, Improved farms and town property for sale. Titles examined. Abstracts furnished. Taxes paid for non residents. CORRESPONDENCE SOLICITED.
REAL ESTATE AGENTS
ORD, NEB.
ED HARRIS, Cashier.
Successors to Valley Co. Bank.
Oldest established bank in Valley Co.
Correspondents-National Bank of the Republic, New York. Omaha National Bank, Omaha, Neb.
ORD, NEB. Capital & Surplus. $55,000 Special facilities for making collections. Prompt ??????????????. Careful attention.
P. MORTENSEN, Pres.
H. C. ATWELL Sec. Board of Trade.
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW
ORD, NEBRASKA.
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Immigrant Issue Project
NEBRASKA STATE JOURNAL,
LINCOLN, SUNDAY 5 JUNE 1887