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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (May 25, 1936)
PAGE SIX PLATTSMOUTH SEMI - "WEEKLY JOURNAL MONDAY, MAY 25, 1936. ere Missouri Meets the Platte, Told in Address Address by Addison E. Sheldon at Organization of Cass County Historical Society. Following is the address given by Addison E. Sheldon at Weeping Wa ter, Nebraska, May 20, 19CG at the organization of the Cass County Ilis tori?al Society: It has been my custom, now more than thirty years, when invited to speak upon occasions similar to this to go, first, to the authentic docu ments and condense from them the facts of greatest historical and dra matic appeal, to put them in type written form before I left my study. So that, whatever I might say or fail to say in direct speech to those as sembled, there would abide in the archives of the State Historical So ciety some evidence of what I design ed to say upon the occasion. That has been my plan for this meeting. Cass County, Nebraska, is certain ly worthy of an active County His torical Society. Whether one con sider the evidences of pre-historic man; the migration of Indian tribes; the appeal of explorers known and unknown who have navigated these rivers and looked upon these en trancing landscapes; the westward march of empire; the strategic posi tion of this tract of territory bound ed by the Missouri, the Platte and the prairie; the drama of the fron tier; the sharp clash of personalities; the leadership in war and peace of Cass county men and women or the prophecy of future years, there are no counties within the state which hold greater possibilities for the cre ation of historical literature and the preservaton of mighty events. Let us then consider together what Van Camp's Pure Tomato Juice 10-oz. g0 Can $V Pc 14-oz. Can U Pal Brand Peanut Butter 2-lb. Jar 21 Sunrise COFFEE 3 lbs, 49 Attn Mb. Pk2.il Peaches or Pears No. 10 Can Sliced, 2 lbs., 25 NECK BONES, meaty . . PIGS FEET, tender PIG EARS, fresh, clean. . KRAUT, Wisconsin bulk, OXTAILS, lean, meaty . , PORK HEARTS, young, tender. PORK HOCKS, meaty BOILING BEEF, Rib BEEF STEW, choice BEEF SHANKS, tender HAMBURGER ........ BULK SAUSAGE PORK LIVER PORK BRAINS PORK HOCKS, smoked. MINCED HAM . . RING BOLOGNA SPARE RIBS FRANKFURTS . . . SALT PORK, Dry. Grape Nuts pkg Sunlight Margarine Carton 17c PINEAPPLE, large, fancy, ripe Cuban, each 106 Per Case, $3.49 TOMATOES, firm red ripe Texas, lb 12 CELERY, large, crisp well bleached stalks, each 10 CABBAGE, fresh, solid green Texas, lb 4 ORANGES, Calif. Sunkist Sweets, 288 size, doz.. . .230 LEMONS, large 300 size Calif. Sunkist, doz 390 GRAPEFRUIT, Calif. Marsh Seedless, 100 size, ea.. .50 6 for 250 CUCUMBERS, green Texas for slicing, 3 for 100 P & G, Crystal White or Omaha Family SOAP 10 31c Lewis Lye, 3 cans. .250 are some of the things which proper ly furnish inspiration for a Historical Society especially devoted to Cass County. The riatte and the Missouri rivers kissed each other for the first time more than a million years ago. That is a long time to remember. And if one cared to revive still older re cords within your county he would need go back to the period many mil lion years ago when the foundations of the thousands of feet of lime stones and sandstones were laid upon the top of the granite mountains be neath and were again build upward to make a firm foundation for the homes and the cities which now are upon them in Cass County. Put that down as a foundation of Cass County history its wonderful geology and paleontology folded away beneath your feet and now in process of dis covery and description. After the shell-fish, the ferns and the cycads, and the big marsh rep tiles and mammals which trampled the mud and left their skeletons for future geology there came, at some time man. That is the primal prob lem today for all science in Cass County, in Nebraska and in the world. Where did man come in, and where and how do we know? And, scattered over the hill-tops and buried in the valleys of Cass County are many partial answers to that question. You have made some be ginnings. Dr. Stern of the Smith sonian Institute, Dr. R. F. Gilder and your own Dr. Gilmore have already found enough to stimulate the real explorers in your county. Nothing is more fascinating than the search for the unknown. And one of the best promises of immortality is that there will always be an unknown to search for. Prehistoric life and its pursuit will certainly be a challenge to the Cass County Historical Society so long as it shall endure. Indians. Then there are the Indians. Have you ever thought it a remarkable fact that when the first white ex plorers came up the Missouri river Plattsmouth, Tues., Wed., May 26-27 Belle of Belgium PEAS No. 2 Cans 3 for 25c Indian Valley Tomatoes No. 2i2 Can lie Bright Fall (Piece) Lb. US Your Choice Pound Your Choice Ponnd Your Choice Pound Your Choice Pound Casco BUTTER Mb. )flp Carton iiV' Otoe Chief $13S FLOUR, 48 lbs Victor (2-lb.) sf Cake Hour, pkg.. .il&c em they found no occupied Indian vil lages along the Nebraska shores from the mouth of the Nemaha to the mouth of the Platte? I have thought of that for some years. I have dis cussed it at historical meetings in Richardson, Pawnee, Nemaha and Johnson counties. It is a remarkable fact. It is paralleled upon this con tinent by a similar fact relating to Kentucky. That was a hunting ground and battle ground between Indian nations to the north and to I the south. So Cass County has a real subject for study in the absence of living Indian villages on its soil at the time the explorers came up the river over a hundred years ago. Set that problem as one of your goals. Early White Explorers In the printed records of the early white explorers and from the hasty records of the earliest French, like Truteau, down the years are a multi tude of interesting references to the shores, the woods, the waters of Cass County. The study and organization of these references to this region has never adequately been done. It ought to furnish an incentive and a guide for study by the intensive historians of this county. The Platte river was the natural dividing line in the early years be tween the lower and the upper Mis souri rivers. It was a kind of equator and its crossing was celebrated by the rough river men in somewhat the same way as the old-time sailors celebrated a similar crossing of the equator. The North and South Platte War The leading feature of early Ne braska Territorial history was the war between the North and South Platte sections. Through the contro versies upon all other subjects re main interminable struggle between the North and the South Platte. Plattsmouth should have been the capital of early Nebraska by the rules of great city foundations else where. The junction point of two great rivers has always been regard ed as strategic if the location was otherwise favorable in the matter of elevation, access to territory and navigation then the great city would be at the Junction at great rivers. Then why did not Plattsmouth achieve that great distinction? Ex ploration of facts and debate upon them in this field furnishes splendid material for historical discussion and instruction. Was it because the steamboat landing at Plattsmouth was unstable? Was it because the road westward up the Platte from Plattsmouth had a series of deep ravines to cross before it could em erge In the open level valley? Was it because the founders of Nebraska City and Omaha were smarter people than the founders of Plattsmouth? What a field for earnest debate! When the Burlington railroad se cured 1200,000, bonds from Cass County and $50,000 from Platts mouth upon its agreement to locate the headquarters of the Burlington road west of the Missouri at Platts mouth why did not the Burlington stick to its bargain? When the great Overland Trails from the Missouri river to the mountains and beyond were planned by the pioneer fur traders, freighters and immigrants why was not the Plattsmouth route the popular one? Destiny holds so much of the future within the hollow of her hand. And she keeps her hand so nearly shut that te people who play with her never can see all she has within her hand. Some Notable Cass County History I love to linger upon the romantic events connected with the early his tory of Cass County. The first com petent weather records in Nebraska were kept by Dr. A. L. Childs at Plattsmouth in the '60's and '70's. These weather records were a great aid to the settlement of Nebraska. They showed an increasing rainfall from year to year. Robert W. Furnas was the first genius who saw the value of these records and published them to the world In his own news paper and in the early State Board of Agricultural reports, notably the one of 1873. Upon the foundation of these rainfall figures all the early promoters of Nebraska builded. Fur nas pointed out. and others, followed, that these rainfall figures showed as good rainfall in the growing season for Nebraska as might be found in the favored regions east of the Mis sissippi river. So that most Important data for the future of man upon these plains had its beginnings in Platts mouth. You know the first Nebraska liter ary book was the "Legend of Weep ing Water," written by A. C. Dake, first professor of English in the Uni versity of Nebraska. The book reads as though the author had Just risen from reading Virgil's "Aneid." And the legend of Weeping Water is cer tainly as much a work of the imag ination as Virgil's story of the found ing of Italy. But there it Is. The beginnings of Nebraska literature. The rippling of the Nehawka on the rocks and a story of an impossible event told In an impossible way. But first the beginning. Then there is the part that Cass County played In the rally for the Union. The gathering of patriotic spirits from all parts of the county. The formation of the first Nebraska regiment, with Company A organ ized at Plattsmouth. The leadership of Colonel Livingston and the spirits which gathered about him. And here I show you a flag of Company A, First Nebraska, Shilo and Corinth battle torn. You all know the part played by Cass County in the organization In the state of Nebraska. That forever famous tale of the Rock Bluffs pre cinct election. The casting out of the precinct vote which made the state of Nebraska Republican instead of Democratic in its beginning. In the lurid literature of our past there is none that flames with greater vio lence than the literature which dis cusses the Cass County politicians and their part In controlling the destiny of this new commonwealth. The Early Settlers Within its borders Cass County possesses the nearest New England geography of any part of our state. Was it an accident that this New England of the west with its hill tops and wooded streams and rocks and little valleys had among its dom inant settlers from New England of my forefathers and many of yours that New England with all its virtu ous Yankees and Yankee failings, the ability to trade horses, the habit of going to church on Sunday, the capacity for continuous work and for a plan to go along with the work which made the early homesteads so soon like the old homes in New Eng land. Besides the Yankee ingred ients there were plenty of others, good standard stuff. The sturdy Ger man, the adventurous Missourian and the whole retinue of the frontier which made the early society so full of social surprise. Some Familiar Cass County Names in Nebraska History Familiar to me since my boyhood are some of the pioneer Cass Coun ty names. My father came to Ne braska in 1867, locating in Seward County near Beaver Crossing. The family came out in 1869, traveling by covered wagon with two yoke of oxten over the old Steam Wagon Road from Nebraska City west at the rate of (15) miles a day. Father used to make the trip to the Missouri river two or three times a year with ox team. He found better bargains in merchandise at Plattsmouth than those of Nebraska City and several times he made the journey to Platts mouth and return, taking over a week for the trip. So we were familiar from childhood with names that are familiar here in Cass Coun ty today. Among only a few I men tion today: Isaac Pollard. Lawson Sheldon, both of these came from the good old Vermont stock of my an cestors, Peter A. Sarpy, Dan Wheel er, Isaac N. Wiles. L. G. Todd, Judge Maxwell, Judge Chapman, Colonel Livingston, S. M. Kirkpatrick, Or lando Tefft, John A. MacMurphy, K. D. Hathaway, the roll stretches on beyond the limitations of this hour. These were men who were active all through the territorial and early state period. Their contribution to Nebraska, as well as their home coun ty has never adequately been put in print. And that should be one of the objectives of the Cas3 County His torical Society. Why Have a Historical Society? Sometimes this question is asked. The answer is found In every day life of every people. The world to day and the world tomorrow is the direct product of the past. All the elements of thought and action which appear now spring from the thought and action which preceded us. The sum of patriotic purpose and progressive action grows from knowl edge of the past.""-Literature in all Its forms must arise from the minds of yesterday and the records which they made. So, we have the great American literature which arose on the Atlantic coast out of the heroic records of the original white settlers upon that coast. That literature could never have been written if the historical record had not been pre served. Longfellow could never have written Paul Revere's Ride, or Evan geline or Hiawatha unless the basic history which he used had been pre served. Theodore Roosevelt wrote most of his masterpiece "The Win ning of the West" by actual personal study of the original documents In the Wisconsin Historical Society Li brary. Mari Sandoz wrote her prize winning book "Old Jules" from a three years study of the newspapers of western Nebraska preserved by the Nebraska State Historical So ciety, supplemented by her own memory. But her memory could never have supplied the definite de tails which she wove into her story. So, here in Cass County, you have a work to do which cannot be done adequately by any people except those of your own county. It is im possible for the State Historical So ciety to do this detailed work in 93 counties of the state. So In the last ten years there have been created, with the co-operation of the State Historical Society these County His torical Societies in about 50 coun ties. In some of these counties the historical meeting of the County So ciety have become one of the great social and literary events of the years. To them come the surviving pioneers, the descendants of pioneers, the general history loving members of the community, and they make a feast day. They give their own pro grams and they teach the rising gen eration the worthy past history of the local community. The State His torical Society welcomes the organ ization of a Cass County Historical Society. We pledge you our active co-operation in all you may under take, and we know that you can ren der to the state as a whole some of the most valuable historical service out of the abundant Inspiring records of Cass County. NAMED CLUB PRESIDENT William (Bill) Christy was elected president of the Community Build ing club Wednesday night. Since he was in good standing by having his dues paid, he was declared eligible to hold the office to which he was named and has been paid the $50 salary. PATIENT TAKES A WALK Nebraska City William Bassinger is back in the hospital. He walked out the other day to see his wife and find out if she had enough money to get along on while he was confined to the hospital with a neck injury suffered in a fall from a ladder. COWBOY HAT CLUB TO BOOST RODEO Decatur, Neb., May 21. County wide plans have been formulated to boost the Burt county rodeo-fair. The publicity committee has announced the formation of a cowboy hat club and it is hopeu the wearing of big hats will extend to all sections of the county. The Oakland baseball team will be known as the Cowboys and the backs of the baseball suits will announce the dates of the rodeo fair Aug. 25, 26 and 27. Booster trips have been planned. OHIO MINISTRY UNFROCKED Mansfield, O. By a vote of 103 to 72 the Ohio synod of the Lutheran church unfrocked the Rev. R. N. Me Michael on a charge of "conduct in compatible with the moral purity of the ministerial office." Mr. Mc Michael, pastor of two churches at Lucas, near here, has the right of ap peal to the synod, but said he was undecided whether to bring the case up again. He was divorced in 1932 on grounds not approved by the church. The penalty is dismissal from the ministry. WYOMING COLDEST SPOT Cheyenne, Wyo. Western Wyo ming was reported by the weather bureau as the coldest spot in the United States. At Yellowstone park and Rock Springs a low of 30 degrees above zero was reported, and at Lan der 32. F. L. Disterdick, federal meteor ologist, said east central and north eastern Wyoming face a serious drouth unless there is moisture very soon. The entire state, wtih the ex ception of the irrigated sections, needs moisture badly. FARMERS TO GET REFUNDS Washington. More than $750,000 will be refunded to farmers and country livestock buyers as a result of the supreme court's decision this week upholding commission rates set by Sec. Wallace for the Chicago mar ket, the agriculture department said. The refunds impounded in federal courts, represent the difference be tween the rates charged by Chicago market commission men and the low er rates ordered by Wallace Jan. 8, 1934. DIAZ KEPT FROM CHURCH Mexico City. The interior depart ment refused Catholics permission to move the body of Archbishop Pascual Diaz y Barreto, who died Tuesday night, from his home to the national cathedral. A crowd of 1,000 had waited dur ing the evening at the cathedral for the expected arrival of the church man's body, while more than 10,000, it was estimated unofficially, had viewed the body in his residence and kissed the glass top of the casket. RUTH CHATTERT0N COLLAPSES ON SET Hollywood, May 22. Collapsing under the strain of her attempt to live up to the tradition "the show must go on," Ruth Chatterton was taken from the set on which she was working Friday with a high fever and ordered to bed for at least three days. The titian-haired star had been at work for two weeks despite an at tack of influenza. Her condition be came weaker and Friday her tem perature rose alarmingly. STATE CANCELS 65 OLD AGE PENSIONS Lincoln, May 21. The state as sistance office Thursday said old age pensions of 65 persons were can celed in the past three months. In most tases, the cancellations followed reinvestigation of the cases and find ings that the persons were ineligible. Thirty-one men and 34 women were affected. Five of the group were 85 year? old or older. FIND 4 MAROONED GIRLS Green Bay, Wis. Four girls miss ing on the waters of Green bay for more than eight hours were found marooned on tiny Frying Pan island The girls were Doris and Phyllis Par- mentier. 21 and 13. Kathleen She- quin, 12, and Ruth Gerhard, 13 They were rescued by Police Sergeant Chester Walters and Patrolman Frank Deviley of Green Bay. FRED CAREY IS APPOINTED Omaha. Fred Carey, veteran Om aha newspaper man, was named sec retary to Mayor-Elect Butler. Butler said Carey would have considerably more responsibility than the average mayor's secretary, and would draw more salary. rSlIIIIISIIIIIlEIE;iillIiIIlitIIi!!;iiicEHIIiII!IIIII3in!IlIEiniIIUIIfIIIIIIIIIl Wednesday Specials Pure Fruit Jelly, 2-lb. jar 23b Apple Apple and Raspberry Apple and Grape Soda Crackers, 2-lb. caddy IGA Soap, 10 bars for . .250 Matches, 6 -box carton 190 Salmon, 1-lb. tall cans, 2 for '.230 Peaches, No. 10 (gallon) tin 450 3o.i. Shi-nuD . f7 CLEANER and FREE! JOHNSON'S FURNITURE POLISH SILVER POLISH . MJil jqhnson:s WAX GLQrCQAT 59c Gudahy's Smoked Picnic Ham llockless, 5 to 7 - - - - ' -'- . -. .J liliiCd licilii? 1b IS CUDAHY CUDAHY liUER SAUSAGE REX BACOil Special Price, per Lb. Half or Whole, Lb. Fresh Sliced Fork Liver, lb. 12c I Wm iotaa, lb. . . 1c 1 Fresh Ground ; Hamburger &!iii!!ii!ii!HiniH!i!S VETERANS CAN GO FISHING Washington. Postal officials eaid veterans who are on vacation when their bonus payments are delivered will find them waiting at the post office when they return. Under spe cial rules announced recently, post masters were instructed not to de liver bonus packages to anyone ex cept the men to whom they are ad dressed. If the veteran is not at his ad dress, his bonus package will be held by the local postmaster for 30 days. If the veteran falls to return within 30 days, the package will be return ed to the central government office from which it was sent. PRINCIPAL FORBIDS ROMANTIC STROLLS Gorham, Me. Principal Walter E. Russell banned walking hand-in-hand for boy and girl students at the State Normal school Friday. Also subject to disciplinary meas ures were students of the two sexes who walk on Norman Hill In the twilight with arms clasped about each other's waists. Girl students were particularly resentful of the new rules. NEW SUITS for Memorial Day Ready to Put On S15-$!0-$19.50 Blues Grays WESCOTT'S Personalized Tailoring Pork and Beans 3 Red Beans or Spaghetti gj large Full Cans j Your Choice ES 3 for 2c I ROILED OATS large Tube 10c PINEAPPLE TP FE 2 Large Cans.-' S Broken Slices .till". lb. Ave., LB., . . HAVE SOCIAL THEE The local court of the Catliolic Daughters of America held a very delightful social meeting on Tuesday evening at the Knights of Columbus hall, where the evening was spent in the pleasures of a covered dish dinner as well as an evening of cards. The committee in charge, Mrs. Cyril Kalina, Miss Genevieve Whelan and Miss Antonia Vanek, had ar ranged a very fine time and the fam ilies of the members were invited in to enjoy the dinner. The event was to honor Mrs. Ed gar Creamer, retiring grand regent and Mrs. Fred I. Rea, district de puty , both ladies being presented with tokens in recognition of their splendid services to the order in the past. The remainder of the evening was spent at cards, in the bridge contests, Mrs. Frank Mullen being the winner of high score, while in pinochle, Mrs. Anna Zitka, proved the most skillful. BABGAIH8 1935 FORD DELUXE COUPE Fin ished in black. Uphol stery like new. Only fctfiPil 1931 OLDSMOBILE SPORT COUPE, DeLuxe model. Completely recondit ioned. New tires and battery. Bargain at 1930 CHEVROLET COUPE Motoi reconditioned and car refinished in a beautiful green. A $4f good value at JLKJZs 1930 OLDSMOBILE COUPE DeLuxe model. Refinished and in excellent condition throughout. ?j7k Special low price, only - ' Rm V. BRYATJT 0LDSM0BECE SALES AND SERVICE . . ,a L lbs. Z? ISSEi CAR