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CHAPTER XV.
THE PRESS OF NEBRASKA.
Too much cannot be said in praise
of the newspapers of Nebraska for the important and influential
part they have taken in the development of the State, in promoting
immigration and building up its interests from the earliest
settlements. Journalists of ability were among the foremost of our
pioneers, and helped to lay the foundations of many of our most
flourishing towns, and who, as soon as settlement was fairly
begun, started lively little newspapers to herald the advantages
and beauties of the new country to the people of the East; and as
the settlements were developed and the towns increased to cities,
so were the newspapers enlarged to keep pace with their general
surroundings. To-day the Press of the State is the pride of
the people, and will compare favorably for journalistic ability
and influence with that of any Western State. Several of our
dailies are among the foremost journals of the West, and are well
patronized and influential at home and abroad; while almost every
village in the State of a few hundred inhabitants, has a
well-sustained weekly newspaper, many of them models of neatness
and conducted with marked ability, which render the State and
their localities great service.
To residents of older States who
inquire after the growth and prosperity of Nebraska, no fact is
more surprising and none more gratifying than the remarkable
number of neat and able papers published, patronized and read in
the State. We need no better evidence of the average intelligence
of the people who come west of the Missouri to make permanent
homes.
We are sometimes told by cynical
philosophers, that common papers are in no sense public teachers,
and that really intelligent
CLXXV
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
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people get their knowledge from books; that the newspaper of
the day is little better than a bundle of trash, designed to amuse
the people no matter how low their tastes, and to further the
schemes of ambitious politicians. We leave the public to judge how
much truth is contained in such a remark, enforcing the thought,
however, that if it is true, such truth reflects directly upon
popular taste and intelligence, and should be a matter for radical
reform on the part of both journalist and reader.
View it as we may, the newspaper
bears the same relation to great libraries, that the common school
does to the university. The masses cannot yet defray the expense
of valuable books in large numbers, and have not the time to
winnow wheat from chaff, either of current events or of standard
history and philosophy. Newspaper subscribers may be regarded as a
vast co-operative association, each member of which contributes to
employ the editor to select and condense for him. This, when
rightly considered, places the editor in the position of an
important public servant, with grave responsibilities. He may be
in position to use his judgment to the highest and noblest ends;
the demands of his employers may force him to the unwilling task
of furnishing light idle matter, when his own inclinations might
lead him to furnish none but the brightest grains which the great
harvests of the world afford.
We are glad to believe that every
paper in Nebraska has a place in its history, and that no other
agency -- not even the great corporations with all their wealth
and far-seeing enterprise, not even the governing men and
Statesmen who have labored to give Nebraska position, influence
and fame, -- has wielded a greater influence for the prosperity
and importance of the State, than the cloud of news prints which
every week settles down among its busy population.
LIST OF NEWSPAPERS IN NEBRASKA,
Arranged by Counties.
It will be seen that they number: Daily,
eleven; Weekly, 139; Monthly and Semi-monthly, seven.
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ADAMS.
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Hastings
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..........
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Journal
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Hastings
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..........
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Gazette
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"
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..........
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Nebraskian
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Juniata
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..........
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Herald
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
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ANTELOPE.
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Neligh
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..........
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Republican
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Oakdale
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..........
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Pen and Plow
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BUFFALO.
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Kearney
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..........
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Press
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Kearney
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..........
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Nonpareil
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"
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..........
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True Citizen
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"
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..........
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(semi-mon.) Lit. Notes
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BURT.
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Tekamah
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..........
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Burtonian
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Tekamah
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..........
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Advocate
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Decatur
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..........
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Vindicator
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BUTLER.
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David City
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..........
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Press
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David City
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..........
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Republican
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BOONE.
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Albion
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..........
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Argus
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CASS.
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Plattsmouth
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..........
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Herald
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Plattsmouth
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..........
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Sentinel
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CUMING.
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West Point
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..........
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Republican
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West Point
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..........
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Progress
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"
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..........
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Staats Zeitung
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CLAY.
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Harvard
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..........
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Phoenix
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Harvard
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..........
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Sentinel
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Fairfield
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..........
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News
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Sutton
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..........
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Globe
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Sutton
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..........
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Mirror
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CHEYENNE.
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Sidney
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..........
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Telegraph
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Sidney
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..........
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Plaindealer
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COLFAX.
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Schuyler
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..........
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Sun
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Schuyler
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..........
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Democrat
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CEDAR.
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St. Helena
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..........
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Bulletin
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DIXON.
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Ponca
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..........
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Courier
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Ponca
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..........
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Journal
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DAWSON
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Plum Creek
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..........
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Pioneer
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Cozad
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..........
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Hundredth Meridian
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DAKOTA.
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Dakota City
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..........
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Eagle
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Jackson
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Herald
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DOUGLAS.
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Omaha
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(daily and weekly) Herald
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Omaha
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(d & w) Republican
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"
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..........
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(daily and weekly) Bee
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"
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..........
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(daily) News
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"
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..........
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Agriculturist
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"
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..........
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Watchman
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"
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(monthly) Guardian
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"
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(tri-w'k'y) Danske Pioneer
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"
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..........
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(tri-weekly) Post
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"
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..........
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Pokrok Zapadu
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"
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..........
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(monthly) Western Magazine
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"
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..........
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Folkets Tiding
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"
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..........
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Commercial Exchange
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"
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..........
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(m) High School Journal
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"
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..........
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Journal of Commerce
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"
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..........
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Rural Nebraskian
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"
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..........
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Mute Journal
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"
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..........
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Die Vestern
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Waterloo
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..........
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Sentinel
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"
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..........
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Portfolio
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12
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
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DODGE.
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Fremont
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(d. & w.) Herald
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Fremont
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Tribune
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"
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(monthly) Bulletin
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FILLMORE.
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Exeter
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Enterprise
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Fairmount
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Bulletin
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Friendville
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..........
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Telegraph
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Geneva
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..........
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Review
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FRANKLIN.
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Riverton
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Reporter
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Bloomington
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Guard
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Naponee
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Banner
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FURNAS.
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Beaver City
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Times
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GAGE.
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Beatrice
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Courier
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Beatrice
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Express
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Blue Springs
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Reporter
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GREELEY.
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Scotia
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Tribune
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HAMILTON.
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Aurora
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Republican
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Aurora
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..........
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News
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HALL.
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Grand Island
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..........
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Independent
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Grand Island
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..........
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Times
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"
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Democrat
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HARLAN.
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Orleans
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..........
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Sentinel
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Republican City
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..........
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News
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Alma
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..........
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Standard
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HOWARD.
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St. Paul
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..........
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Advocate
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St. Paul
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..........
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Phonograph
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JOHNSON.
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Tecumseh
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..........
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Chieftain
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Tecumseh
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..........
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Journal
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Sterling
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..........
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News
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JEFFERSON.
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Fairbury
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..........
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Telegraph
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Fairbury
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..........
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Gazette
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KNOX.
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Niobrara
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Pioneer
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KEARNEY.
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Mindon
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..........
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Bee
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LINCOLN.
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North Platte
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Nebraskian
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North Platte
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..........
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Republican
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LANCASTER.
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Lincoln
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(d. & w.) Journal
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Lincoln
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(d. & w.) Globe
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"
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..........
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(d. & w.) World
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"
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..........
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(d. & w.) Democrat
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"
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..........
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Register
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"
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..........
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(monthly) Farmer
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"
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..........
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(monthly) Student
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
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179
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MERRICK.
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Central City
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..........
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Courier
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Clarkesville
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..........
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Messenger
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MADISON.
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Norfolk
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Journal
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Madison
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Chronicle
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NEMAHA.
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Sheridan
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Post
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Brownville
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..........
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Advertiser
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Brownville
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..........
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Granger
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Peru
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..........
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Herald
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NUCKOLLS.
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Nelson
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..........
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Herald
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Superior
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..........
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Guide
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OTOE.
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Nebraska City
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..........
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(d. & w.) Press
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Nebraska City
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..........
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News
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Syracuse
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..........
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Journal
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PAWNEE.
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Pawnee City
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..........
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Enterprise
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Pawnee City
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..........
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Republican
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PLATTE.
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Columbus
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..........
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Era
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Columbus
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..........
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Journal
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"
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Independent
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"
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Democrat
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POLK.
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Osceola
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..........
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Record
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PIERCE.
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Pierce
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..........
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Call
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RICHARDSON.
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Falls City
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..........
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Press
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Falls City
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..........
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Globe-Journal
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Humboldt
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..........
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Sentinel
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Salem
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..........
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Advertiser
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SAUNDERS.
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Wahoo
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..........
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Independent
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Wahoo
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..........
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Times
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Ashland
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..........
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Reporter
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SALINE.
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Crete
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..........
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Union
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Crete
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..........
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Democrat
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De Witt
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..........
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Free Press
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Wilber
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..........
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Record
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Friendville
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..........
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Telegraph
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SEWARD.
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Seward
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..........
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Reporter
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Seward
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..........
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Advocate
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STANTON.
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Stanton
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Register
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SARPY.
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Papillion
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..........
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Times
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SHERMAN.
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Loup City
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..........
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Times
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THAYER.
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Hebron
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..........
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Journal
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Hebron
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..........
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Sentinel
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Alexandria
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..........
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News
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180
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JOHNSON'S HISTORY OF NEBRASKA
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VALLEY.
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Ord City
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..........
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Journal
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WASHINGTON.
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Blair
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..........
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Pilot
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Blair
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..........
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Times
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WEBSTER.
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Red Cloud
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..........
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Chief
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Red Cloud
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..........
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Argue.
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WAYNE.
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La Porte
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..........
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Review
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YORK.
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York
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..........
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Republican
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York
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..........
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Tribune
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© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 for NEGenWeb Project
by Pam Rietsch, T&C Miller