[Saint A. D. Balcombe is chairman of the Board of Public Works of Omaha. He is a man eminently fitted for the position, his long residence in the city and close and intimate knowledge of its needs, with his practical mind, making him exactly the right man for such a responsibility in a growing and progressive city. The Board of Public Works of Omaha has hundreds of thousands of dollars to expend annually, the public improvements keeping right apace with the remarkable growth in population and wealth. He

is of old New England stock, transplanted in New York State, and was born in Utica, N. Y., June 12, 1829. He lived with his parents until he was sixteen years of age, attending school and later serving as a clerk in the post office under his father who was postmaster. In 1845 he went to Battle Creek, Mich., where he entered as clerk in a drug store and remained until he had obtained a thorough knowledge of the business. In 1849 he removed to Elgin, Ill., and started in business for himself, continuing until 1854 when he again changed his place of abode, this time going to Winona, Minn., where he lived until appointed Indian agent for the Winnebago Indians in 1861. Mr. Balcombe came to Omaha in 1866 and purchased the Republican, assuming editorial control. Those were trying days in

the history of the city and conducting a daily newspaper was a constant struggle on all sides. He piloted the Republican safely, however, as its editor and proprietor until 1871, when he disposed of a half interest to Waldo M. Potter. The paper was afterwards merged into a stock company and Mr. Balcombe retired from its active management in 1876. In 1878 he was appointed deputy revenue collector. He was afterwards made a government gauger, which position he held until a change in the administration. He was appointed a member and chairman of the Board of Public Works last Spring by Mayor Broatch. Mr. Balcombe has bad a long and useful public career. While living in Minnesota he was elected a Republican member of the council in the Republican Legislature in 1855, and

was elected by a subsequent Legislature as a regent of the State University. He was a member of the Minnesota Constitutional Convention of 1857 and presided over that body as its chairman. He was a member of the first State Legislature of that State in 1857 Mr. Balcombe was married while a resident of Elgin, Ill., to Miss Anna E. Fox, by whom he has had five children.]

     [Louis Heimrod is a native of Germany, having been born in northern Prussia in 1847. His parents belonged to the middle classes, the elder Heimrod being a physician in moderate circumstances. In his youth Louis Heimrod received the excellent education afforded by the German schools, and at the age of twenty years, in 1867, he passed his examination as a volunteer in the Prussian army. In the year following, the young man determined to emigrate to America, and make his fortune in the States. He

accordingly bade farewell to the fatherland, and sailed for America in 1868, coming direct to Omaha. He remained here until the following year, when the wonderful development of new towns along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad, then in course of construction, induced him to migrate further West, and he located at Laramie City, Wyoming, where he engaged in the grocery business, under the firmname of Clark & Heimrod. After two years of prosperity, Mr. Heimrod returned to Omaha and remained until 1875. He then removed to Shreveport, Louisiana, where probably the most important event of his life occurred, save one - -he married Miss Estafanney Romagossa. He spent six years in the South, doing a

successful business, and having every inducement to remain, but his past life in Omaha had caused him to become so attached to this city, that it proved the magnet once more to draw him from his new home. He returned in 1881, and has lived here ever since. Mr. Heimrod is one of the representative German- American citizens of Omaha. It Is a repetition of a truism to say that no class of foreign-born citizens have added more real strength to this country and its institutions than have the frugal, hard-working Germans. Mr. Heimrod is a good citizen. He possesses the respect and confidence of the community. He has always been energetic and wide-awake to push the interests of this city. He has taken a lively interest in all public affairs, and has

been liberal in giving both time and money to public enterprises. Among his own class he is highly respected and honored. He is president of the German Association, and president of the Turn-Verein, besides holding minor positions of honor in many other societies. With his colleagues, Messrs. St. A. D. Balcombe and Clifton E. Mayne, Mr. Heimrod was chosen last spring as a member of the Board of Public Works. During the period he has already served matters of very great importance to the city have been acted upon by the Board -- matters requiring the expenditure of thousands of dollars. Mr. Heimrod has brought his business training into good use on the Board, He has been careful, conservative, though progressive, and his course has been such as to commend the judgment that selected him for the position. Mr. Heimrod is at present a wholesale and retail grocer, and does a large business.]