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
