[Mr. J. J. Dickey, general superintendent of the Western Union Telegraph Company for the district west of the Missouri river with headquarters in Omaha, has been a resident of this city since 1869. He is the son of the late Judge T. Lyle Dickey, of Illinois, and was born at Rushville in that State, April 11, 1839. At the early age of sixteen, having made rapid progress in his studies, he became a school teacher in Missouri. He taught for one winter in that State, and the next winter he conducted a school in Iowa. In

1857 he attended Bell's Commercial College in Chicago, and for the next three years he earned a livelihood as a book-keeper. This time he learned the art of telegraphy in the private office of Judge John D. Caton, in Ottawa, Illinois, becoming quite proficient in a very short period. For five years he was employed as general bookkeeper for the Illinois & Mississippi Telegraph Company at Ottawa. When the lines of this company were leased to the Western Union, Mr. Dickey was transferred to the office of the general superintendent of the latter company at Chicago as chief clerk. In August, 1869, he was promoted to the position of superintendent of the Union Pacific lines at Omaha. He also became superintendent of the Western Union in 1881. During the summer of 1887 Mr. Dickey's connection with the Union Pacific telegraphic service was severed in order that he might devote his undivided

attention to the affairs of the Western Union, and he was accordingly made the general western superintendent of that company with a more extended jurisdiction. His territory now includes Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, New Mexico, and part of Iowa, Missouri, California and Oregon. Mr. Dickey's efficiency in the telegraphic service has been long demonstrated, and his faithful work has been appreciated. When the telephone was introduced to the public in 1876, there were very few persons who believed in its practicability. The public looked upon it more as a toy than as an instrument of great practical use in everyday business life. Mr. Dickey, however, was not one of the doubters. He saw at once that it was one of the greatest inventions of the age, and when an opportunity was afforded him of investing in it he did not hesi-

tate to take advantage of the offer. He organized a company with some considerable difficulty, as his railroad friends, whom he solicited for subscriptions, were slow to believe that they were not throwing away their money. However, he finally succeeded, and as soon as possible put in operation a telephone exchange in this city. Omaha was among the very first cities to make use of this great public convenience. Mr. Dickey and his associates extended the system throughout the West, and now own all the exchanges in Nebraska, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. Mr. Dickey makes Omaha his home, and is ranked among the most respected citizens.]

     [Hon. Joseph H. Millard was born in 1836 in Hamilton, Canada, his parents having moved there from New Jersey. When fourteen years of age he moved to Iowa, and there spent some years on a farm. In the fall of 1856, when he was twenty years of age, he came to Omaha and engaged in the real estate business. He opened an office in a small building near the corner of Farnam and Tenth streets. His principal business was the locating and entering of wild lands for various parties. When the real estate firm of

Barrows, Millard & Co. was formed he became a partner, and soon after the organization of the company they started a bank in the Western Exchange building, at the southwest corner of Farnam and Twelfth streets. This building, which was one of the pioneer landmarks of Omaha, was recently torn down to make room for a more stately structure. The late S. S. Caldwell was associated with them in the banking business. When the gold mines were discovered in Montana in the spring of 1864, Mr. Millard went to that territory and carried on a banking business at Virginia City and Helena for over two years. Returning to Omaha in the fall of 1866, he became associated with the Omaha National Bank on January 1st, 1867, the organization of this bank having been effected in July, 1866. Mr. Millard has been connected with this bank since

that time, and for the last four years has been its president. The bank occupies a handsome five story building on the west side of Thirteenth street, between Douglas and Farnam, in the very heart of the city. The capital is $500,000, and the surplus is $350,030. This bank under the careful superintendence of Mr. Millard and his faithful associates, ranks among the most solid financial institutions in the West. Mr. Millard, who is a Republican, served one term as Mayor of Omaha, and was for six years a government director of the Union Pacific. These are the only public offices he has ever held. Although frequently urged by his friends to be a candidate for office, he has, as a rule, refrained from actively participating in politics. He is a safe and conservative business man, and a successful financier. He devotes his time wholly to the

affairs of the bank, and is very popular among its patrons as well as among the public generally. Mr. Millard was married in 1861 to Miss Carrie G. Barrows, of Davenport, Iowa. They have two children -- W. B. Millard and Miss Jessie H. Millard.]