[James Creighton, a first cousin of Edward and John A. Creighton, was among the early pioneers of Omaha. He was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, March 1, 1822, the oldest of a family of six children. His father was a superintendent of construction on the national turnpike which was being built through Ohio, under the internal improvement policy of President Adams, and from this work the youthful James acquired his first knowledge of public works. With his father he continued in contract work of this kind

until 1853. He had married in 1849, Sarah Ann McCristal, who died in '53. Mr. Creighton then engaged in the merchandise business until 1855, when he married Eliza M. Largey, and moved to the West, locating temporarily in Missouri, thence in Iowa and finally in Omaha, May 26, 1856. Here he entered upon land and engaged in farming. After proving up on his claim he commenced the freighting business, going to Denver that year with supplies. In 1861 he was associated with Edward Creighton in the building of the overland telegraph, having the contract to deliver the poles for that section lying between Ft. Laramie and Ft. Bridger. In 1862-3 he continned in the freighting business, his trips across the plains, in 1863, making a total of 4,000 miles a great achievement in those days of cattle trains. In 1863 an association was formed by Edward, John A. and James Creighton and J. J. and R. A. Brown, for the purpose of sending supply trains to Alder Gulch, Montana, where the gold excitement was dominant. Cattle trains were loaded with merchandise and brought to the mines, the trains returning with miners seeking their way back to the States. In 1865 Mr. Creighton engaged in contracting, and constructed a

portion of the Union Pacific railroad. He returned to Omaha on the death of his wife and from that date remained permanently in Omaha. Mr. Creighton has always been a man of marked individuality and a foremost citizen in Omaha's affairs. He was appointed to the first City Council when Omaha incorporated, and was reelected a number of terms. He was also a member of the State Legislature of 1877, When the widow of Edward Creighton died, leaving an estate of millions, Mr. James Creighton, with John A. Creighton and Herman Kountze, was named a trustee of the Creighton college endowment and until the completion of that structure his attention was largely devoted to the project. In 1882 when Omaha entered upon its great era of pnblic (sic) improvements, Mayor Boyd selected Mr. Ceighton for chairman of the first bonrd (sic) of public works, and it was during the two years of his service in that capacity that Omaha laid in its fine streets, the foundation of its present metropolitan importance. So well did he discharge his trust that a second term was tendered him, but he declined, and again in 1887 the Mayor pressed the appointment upon him, without avail. Mr. Creighton is a man whose

idea of public duty, whose sense of right, was never swerved by public opinion or selfish purpose. He has been a leader of opinion in the city, and his judgment in municipal matters has always been consulted. He has by industry and honest effort amassed a competency which he is enjoying in a quiet way. Mr. Creighton married his present wife in 1868, and has nine of fifteen children living.]

     [Hon. Edward Rosewater, editor of the Omaha Daily Bee, is a native of Bohemia, and was born in 1841. When thirteen years old he came to the United States with his parents, who located at Cleveland, Ohio, where he resided for four years. He attended a commercial college, and then entered the telegraphic service in which he continued for thirteen years. He was employed as telegrapher in Oberlin, Ohio, in 1859, during the celebrated Wellington rescue case, and was intimately associated with some of

the leading abolitionists, among whom were Polk, Bushnell, and Langtore. When the civil war broke out Mr. Rosewater was in the South, but returning to the North as soon as possible he enlisted in the spring of 1862 in the United States military telegraph corps and accompanied General Fremont throughout his West Virginia campaign. At a later date he was attached to General Pope's staff, and accompanied that commander during the campaign against Richmond, remaining with him until after the second battle of Bull Run. Subsequently he was stationed in the war department office at Washington in the military telegraph service, where he remained until the summer of 1863 when he came to Omaha, which at that time was the terminus of the Pacific telegraph. For seven years Mr. Rosewater was the manager of the Western Union, Atlantic and Pacific and Great Western lines at Omaha, and during the same period he was the associated press agent and telegraphic correspondent for several of the leading eastern dailies. In the fall of 1870 he was elected to the Legislature, in which

body he made an excellent record and wielded a powerful influence. Since that time Mr. Rosewater has taken a very prominent part in politics. He founded the Daily Bee June 19, 1871. The history of this paper is well known. It has passed through the severest trials, but the indomitable energy of Mr. Rosewater has brought it to the front rank of American journalism, and to-day it is classed among the leading, most enterprising and most prosperous newspapers in the United States. He has fought monopoly in every quarter with such all honesty and vigor that he has made his paper eagerly sought for by the toiling masses of the people. As a writer he is concise, pointed, and clear, and in political campaigns, especially, he is an untiring and dauntless fighter. He always has plenty of ammunition in the shape of incontrovertible facts, and during all these years he has rarely made a mistake in his estimates of political opponents. A republican, he believes in principles more than in men, and has no respect for bad representatives of good principles. He is one the hardest workers in Omaha, and pays the closest possible

attention to all the departments of his newspaper, which is a power throughout Nebraska. He employs the best talent available, and pays his employes liberal salaries. As a public spirited citizen Mr. Rosewater ranks among the foremost men of Omaha. He has done a great deal to advance the material interests of the city, and is always willing to assist in the most substantial manner any worthy public enterprise. Many of the most notable public improvements are, in a great measure, due to his persistent advocacy of them, as well as his financial support. The Bee publishing company -- over eighty per cent. of the stock of which is owned by Mr. Rosewater -- has begun the erection of a magnificent six-story building, 132, feet square, at the northwest corner of Farnam and Seventeenth streets. It will be absolutely fire-proof, and in architectural design will be one of the handsomest as well as one of the massive buildings in the West. Its cost will be in the vicinity of $325,000]

ing and the Western plains, and even those of western Iowa find they need not take their stock to Chicago. By coming to Omaha, time, and money are saved, and themselves convenienced, and here they come, and with such profit to themselves that the business of the yards is constantly and rapidly increasing. The cattle, sheep and hog products being concentrated here the heaviest firms in the United States engaged in the manufacture of meats have found it to their interest to move here from Chicago, and points further cast. They have found it necessary to be nearer to the base of supplies.

They can manufacture the meat more cheaply here, and ship it east, than they can ship the hogs and cattle east and turn them into meat. No city in the Union is favored as Omaha in this respect,

and as Chicago, twenty years ago, wrested from Cincinnati the title of Porkopolis, so Omaha is now engaged in taking it away from Chicago, and the prediction is ventured that within five years Omaha will have become the chief hog and cattle market, and the chief meat-making city of the United States. The site of the stock yards is ample to accommodate such a condition and all improvements are being made upon a scale commensurate with its achievement. The present daily capacity of the packing houses for killing is 10,000 hogs and 1,200 cattle and the average value of

hogs is $14, and of cattle $35. The number of men employed in the packing houses approximates 2,000. During 1887, a railroad corporation was formed in connection with the stock yards,