Osborne County

First settlements: Bethany township, 1870; Winfield township, May, 1871, by C. H. McHugh; Independence township, April 20, 1872, James Weston. - First church buildings: Bethany township, 1872, United Brethren - 1874, Methodist; Independence township, churches in course of erection by the Methodist and Baptist denominations. - First school houses: Bethany township, by district No. 13; Winfield township, by district No. 31. -Ê First business established: Winfield township, grocery, G. & H. Alger. - First post office: Beaver, Smith Tryon, postmaster. - First marriage in the county: S. F. Weatherman and Marinda Allen, March 1, 1871. - First birth: James Weatherman, December 9, 1871.

Osborne county was organized in 1871.

Population in 1870, 33; in 1875, 3,467; increase in five years, 3,434; population in 1878, 6,125; increase in eight years, 6,092. Rural population, 5,513; city or town population, 612; per cent. of rural to city or town population, 80.

Face of the Country. - Bottom land, 20 per cent.; upland, 80 per cent.; forest (Government survey), 2 per cent.; prairie, 98 per cent. Average width of Bottoms three-quarters to one mile; general surface of the country, undulating.

Timber. - The timber is confined to narrow belts along the streams. Varieties not stated, but doubtless the same as given for neighboring counties. A number of timber claims have been taken, preparatory to planting trees. A great many forest trees were put out last spring.

Principal Streams. - North fork of the Solomon flows southeast across the northeast corner of the county. The South fork of the Solomon flows east through the county, north of the centre; tributaries, Twin, Covert, Kill and smaller creeks, flowing north. There is a moderate supply of springs; good well water obtained at a depth of from 7 to 38 feet.

Coal. - Indications of coal have been discovered, but none of consequence has been developed.

Building Stone, etc.- Good limestone abounds throughout the county. Some fire clay in Bethany township, but quantity and quality not known; also some reported in Independence township, of very good quality.

Railroad Connections. - No railroads yet built in the county.

Agricultural Statistics. - Acres in the county, 576,000; taxable acres, 67,139; under cultivation, 55,252.12; cultivated to taxable acres, 82.30 per cent.; increase of cultivated acres during the year, 19,258.13.

STATEMENT showing the Acreage of Field Crops named from 1872 to 1878, inclusive.

Increase in six years, 407+ per cent.
Average increase per annum 67.83+ per cent.

RANK of Osborne County in the Crops named below, as to Acreage, and in Cultivated acreage for the years mentioned in the foregoing table.

A FINE YIELD. - Statement of Z. C. Young, post office address, Cawker City:

Winter Wheat. - I raised a crop of wheat on Section 26, Township 6, Range 11 west, in Osborne county, planting 49 acres with the White Michigan and Early May varieties; the ground was bottom land, the soil a sandy black loam. The ground was ploughed in August and September, harrowed twice, and five pecks of seed to the acre drilled in. The crop was harvested in the latter part of June and first of July, yielding 33 1/2 bushels to the acre. The cost of production was $7.85 per acre.

Value of Garden Produce, Poultry and Eggs Sold during the Year. - Garden produce, $839; poultry and eggs, $3,133.50.

Old Corn on Hand. - Old corn on hand March 1, 1878, 144,935 bushels, or an average of 118 bushels to each family.

Dairy Products. - Cheese manufactured in 1875, 100 lbs.; in 1878, 1,421 lbs.; increase, 1,321 lbs. Butter manufactured in 1875, 65,754 lbs.; in 1878, 104,039 lbs., increase, 38,285 lbs.

Farm Animals. - Number of horses, in 1877, 1,786; in 1878, 2,829; increase, 1,043. Mules and asses, in 1877, 235; in 1878, 314; increase, 79. Milch cows, in 1877, 1,672; in 1878, 2,226; increase, 554. Other cattle, in 1877, 3,374; in 1878, 5,641; increase, 2,267. Sheep, in 1877, 2,765; in 1878, 10,510; increase, 7,745. Swine, in 1877, 4,481; in 1878, 7,785; increase, 3,304.

Sheep Killed by Dogs. - Number of sheep killed by dogs, 2; value of sheep killed by dogs, $6.

Wool. - Clip of 1877, 13,988 pounds.

Value of Animals Slaughtered. - Value of animals slaughtered and sold for slaughter during the year, $7,746.

Horticulture. - Number of acres nurseries, 2.50. Number of trees in bearing: apple, 417; pear, 151; peach, 2,599; plum, 63; cherry, 42. Number of trees not in bearing: apple, 6,253; pear, 803; peach, 23,519; plum, 2,964; cherry, 1,013.

Herd Law.. - Herd law in force throughout the county for the last four years. The general sentiment is in its favor. The only argument urged against it is, that it keeps large stock raisers from the county, and thus increases the taxes of the farmers.

Fences. - Stone, 240 rods; cost, $480. Rail, 3,064 rods; cost, $4,596. Board, 1,571 rods; cost, $2,293.66. Wire, 2,219 rods; cost, $1,686.44. Hedge, 4,460 rods; cost, $3,122. Total rods of fence, 11,554; total cost, $12,178.10.

Apiaculture. - Number of stands of bees, 1; pounds of honey, 20.

Value of Agricultural Implements. - Amount invested in agricultural implements, $28,758.

Manufactures. - Bethany township: steam-power saw mill, capital, $7,000. Sumner township: steam saw mill, capital, $2,000; water-power flouring mill, capital, $5,000. Tilden township: steam saw mill, capital, $3,000.

Valuation and Indebtedness. - Assessed valuation of personal property, $177,767; total assessed valuation of all property, $376,046; true valuation of all property, $626,743.33. Total indebtedness of county, township, city and school districts, $24,084.75; per cent. of indebtedness to assessed valuation, .06+.

Newspaper History. - The Osborne weekly Times, Republican, was started at Osborne City, in January, 1873. It was owned by the Osborne City Town Company, F. E. Jerome & Co., editors and publishers. About July 1, of same year, Calvin Reasoner became the editor, and F. E. Jerome, local editor, which arrangement continued till about the first of December, following, when Jerome again became sole editor. About April 1, 1874, William Rachr purchased the establishment, Jerome remaining as editor. A few weeks subsequently, John A. Boring became sole proprietor and editor. July 1, 1874, James H. Barnes purchased a half interest in the concern, and became co-editor with Boring. The paper finally suspended, in November of that year. No file of the paper is in existence, and it is impossible to fix dates with entire accuracy.

The Osborne County Farmer was first issued January 8, 1875, by F. H. Barnhart, who purchased the press and material of the deceased Times. It is still continued by him, and is Republican in politics.

Schools. - Number of organized districts, 71; school population, 2,477; average salary of teachers per month, males, $22.52; females, $16.05. School houses built during 1878, 5; log, 2; frame, 3. Total number of school houses, 39; log, 13; frame, 15; stone, 11. Value of all school property, $12,150. No report as to the ornamentation of school grounds.

Churches. - Baptist: organizations, 7; membership, 278. Congregational: organizations, 8; membership, 176; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $2,500. Lutheran: organizations, 1; membership, 30. Methodist Episcopal: organizations, 13; membership, 278; church edifices, 1; value of church property, $1,200. Presbyterian: organizations, 1; membership, 30. Roman Catholic: organizations, 1; membership, 100.

* Delhi and Victor townships have been organized since census was taken.