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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1905)
HISTORIC CITY NOW IN DECAY STO OF BROWKVILLE 1.1 HEfi EABU AND PALMY DAYS. St. Loi's Newspaper Contains a Hi!:! In terring Skelch of the 0!j Town Gnce ti3 Greatest in the Missouri Vallev. A I r f i a riVi i !. Neb., correspondent writing to tlie St. Louis Post-Dispatch oftheoth says: 'l'p and down tlie Missouri river on the west side f tlie stream are many ruins that were left by the decay of the river traffic. The towns that were once prosperous in the old river days, are now a mass of ruins and IJrownvilie is t lie greatest or them all. It is a ruined city of hand some homes and large business houses, nearly all of them unoccupied and fall ing into decay. On the high blurts overhioking tlie river are homes that cost thousands of dollars, .some of them as much as $"o, 000, but today they are empty or c cupied only by caretakers. Many of them are brick and stone structuresas large as castles, but the roofs are fall ing in and tlie oak finishings inside are mouldy and rotten. Others are in a better state of preservation, but there is an air f desertion about them all. Down on the level, where was or.ce tlie business section of the city, are large houses built of stone and brick in which only silence reigns. Two or three bank buildings, handso i.e struc tures in their time, stand on tlie main streets, an I rats scurry across the counters where once money was passed. The vaults are empty and the combi nations to the safes are lost. Large business houses are unoccupied, decay ing as they stand, and weeds are grow ing in the paved streets in front of them. The gas plant is a ruin and the lamps on the street corners are lighted. never In the pioneer days of the IJrownvilie was a magnificent City. It was the home of many who have been known r.ationaiiv. west little men some cf them in the deydey of the town's existence and others who made them selves known in tiie world after the town had fallen into decay. In its best days the town had many schools and colleges. It was the seat of learn ing on the river. Newspapers were published here, and even a book pub lishing house nourished for a time. The river trallic made IJrownvilie. and it was also the gateway for much of the overland travel in the days of Cal ifornia gold excitement. The settle ment of a greater part of the North west was through IJrownvilie or at least such settlement as was made be fore the advent of western railroads. The first blow to Urownville's pros perity was when the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs railroad was built on the other side of the river. The building of the road presaged the decay of the river tratTie, and it fol lowed quickly. The large river steam ers, which had visited Brownville daily on their journeys up and down the stream, began to disappear and. al though, it was not recognized then as the inevitable, Urownville's doom was; sealed. Omaha began to build up and finally secured the Union Pacific railroad. Civilization spread out over Nebraska and Kansas, too faraway from Brown ville to reach it without a railroad. A great many rich men lived here at that time and the business men were enterprising. They recognized the need of a railroad, which they thought would revive the Magging interests of the country. Bonds were voted for a road. I ut the road was never built. Years later bonds were again voted for another n ad, to be delivered when the read had lieen built. It was con structed and the !wnds were deli vered, but the next year the rails were taken up A railroad was finally secured, but it was too late. Brownville had been forgotten. Civilization had gone around it, leaving the little city iso lated. Even the county seat was moved away, a greater part of the pop ulation going with it, and the town stands today a practically deserted iniinhitoi) Hv thf fpv whn rnnnot. ru u: :i " - , J ' get away aim ii-iiia o. sumn Z- ...'u i f.m ue j;;" ::.;,:; P , m At one time the town was the home i T, i tr ti 0 mnr of a United States senator, lheman V i-i,,i timto-corntnr who has been a I nited State senator .. tIw. f and more than once the subject of I . -i ftir.,Pr: i ,., ., ! Nast's pencil, afterward became a ' as t I book agent anu imutiy iisiwi lusim He had been the ow ner of one of the castles on tlie hill, and the house still stands. It is a ruin, unoccupied, and rotting as the years go by. Elforts have been made time and again to sell much of the property for taxes, but there are no buyers. In the early days two men came to Brownville and made fortunes, and they remained with it to the last. One was ex-Gov. F.irna-, who made his farm near the limits of the town, his home in all the years of his politi cal life. The other was W. T. Den, who came here in 1330 with only a kit of shoemaker's tools and who became one of the richest men in the west. He remained in Brownville all his life. Both of these men are buried in the tTm"M'"0tt CARNIVAL A SURE GO Iti.sa strange fate that befell the- I ZZJIZTZ ...... t .1 . . .1 earlv settlers had reason to believe! that it would continue tog'ow and in j time become tlie great city of the J west. Tlie shift ing sands of commerce ; threw it aside, however, and it is pos sible that there would have een out one large city on the Missouri river, and I hat would have been Prownville. Had the railroads centered there instead of going to points north and south there would have been i t T tie of Omaha and Council Ululls, perhaps still less of St. Joseph and Atchison, and Kansas City would have had a hard struggle for existence, iirown ville would have rivaled St. Louis and Chicago and tlie dreamsof tlie pioneers been realized. A Close Call. Albert Weir, one of the employees of tlie News, .thile workingabout a press Monday morning caught his clothing in the last revolving cog wheels and before the press could be stopped his right leg was dragged into the cog wheels atid the flesh torn about the cap of the knee and the muscles seriously injured. Tlie press was stopped in time to keep it from crush ing tlie knee. Dr. F. S. Marnell was called, dressed the injury and sent the young man home, where be will be compelled to remain some lime. It was a close call. Nebraska City News. DRESSING UP THE WINDOWS Merchants and Business Men Showing a Ccmmendabie Enterprise. A number of the merchants are get ting their windows into shape for the big day tomorrow. Philip Thierolf has an attractive injandt scent light display on the front of his saloon. Wescott's tore is similarly lighted up, the electricity in the latter in stance being made right on the prem ises. Ilrabili's jewelry store has an arch j of incondescent lights in the front j window. Earl Wescott did the w iring j in each case. I i Ilerger's bakery is iixed up to show a village s-cene. Tuo wagons drawn by prancing horses are going down the tinsel-paper street. One wagon is heavily loaded witli two buns, the other groans under the weight of five cookies, thus showing the marvelous size of Ilerger's pastry. A canvas sign is strung across the sidewalk in front of the laundry bear ing tlie legend "Steam Laundry." Underneath is a smiling black cat and at one side a grinning negro. This artistic production is the work of Mr. Wrenn. The Hessian fly. "Although the Hessian fly proved to be less destructive to small grain than had been feared in the early spring," says Prof. Lawrence limner, "a suffi cient number of the larvae have ma tured nevertheless, and have gone in to the -tlaxseed' stage to make precau tionary measures necessary at this time if we would he perfectly certain that no harm shall come to the grain sown tli is fall." Since the insect lives over the sum mer in the stubbie and issues sufficient ly early in the fall to deposit eggs on early grain, it becomes necessary to destroy it while yet in the "flax-seed" stage. This can be done by either burning the stubble or plowing it un der thoroughy and deeply during the present month. Every farmer should accordingly see to it that all stubble of wheat, barley and rye is thus treated before the tlies can issue. If this is universally done throughout the fall wheat region the insect can be almost entirely destroyed in a single season. Cooperation, however, is absolutely necessary and the work must be done before the tlies issue, as suggested above. Late planting is also recom mended where this can be done with out fear of interference by an early winter. Used Handkerchief for BarTowel. Walter Mayor, who borrowed a hand kerchief from Henrv Huckins. former- Iv editor of the Lincoln Blizzard m a . , saloon last ingot with saloon last night with which to wipe his mouth after taking a drink of beer, was lined ?1 anu costs in police court r t usiiidrnini,'. He pieaded gunty to " ' T. the charge and paid his line. lorthe ... , past vear he has Veen working on a 1 .... , , . ,. farm in Nebraska and is now making ii g bis way back to his home in Chica go. Mavor. who a charged on the police register wit'i "larceny from the person." said there was nothing in the story of his steal in-.; at all. The bar keeper gaw hirn permission to wash his face in the rear of the saloon, but alter he had completed his ablutions he found there was no towel. He w ent back to the bar, had another beer, and then, without asking permission, bor rowed Huckins' handkerchief to re move the foam and moisture still re maining on his face. That made Huck ins sore and he called the police, but did not appear in court this morning to prosecute. Lincoln News. II. Klietsch, the Hour man of "Weep ing Water, was in town today. , .. n . .j . i ... Many oi ine Auracuons upsnea up Li,1(?!d Fn.o: flt.L.:: fne::. for ever Night and Maid Street Fairly Swarmed with People. Performance is now going on. In .,..,..1, .. .1.,... . !o ,.... rl.-iT i:wf tin' f uiai .-n'. w.. !nv bnu j - v.. case. The street fair is about all ready to begin. Three of the shows were, in fact, in operation last night. They were Tuiene I;ros. merry-go- round, the jubilee minstrel show and Uno, the Australian wild girl. Tulene Pros, had the advantage of getting here ahead of the other con cessions and they did a good business last evening. The crowd was large considering the fact that tlie formal opening of the show was not until tonight. rii', the Australian wild girl drew big crowds. A big picture in front of the tent shows two husky sailors in the act of capturing the wild girl. W,Len it is remembered that this curious creature has batlled tlie med ical and scientific world, that she is Mankind's Most Monstrous Marvel and Most Marvelous Monster, that she eats big Texas rattlesnakes alive first allowing them to l ite her, then bit ing o.T their 1 eads an.1 tearing the scaly skin fiom the flesh with her teeth what wonder is it then that the crowds hurry to see Unol The negro minstrels, located just opposite the Perkins House, did a good business. They are advertised to be the Jargtst show of the kind travel ing in the world and the price of ad mission is the small sum of 15 cents which lak-s you through the entire performance lasting one s ii'i hour. On Fourth street, just south ol Main, is located the big electric and moving picture show. On Main street, just west of Fourth, is located the big Ferris wheei. This appears to be a very strong arrangement and was put up in an incredibly short time. It is operated by a gasoline engine and will raise people higher than the th!."' story of a h' use. On the other side of the street, op posite tlie Ferris wheel, is the tent where Pearl the Fat ("thi is on exhibi tion. Pearl is known to most Nebraska p op!e, being reared in Council lilu!!'-. She is truly a wondersul sight. She is only 12 years of age and weighs r:;.) pounds. Associated with Peail in the same tint is the Living Doll who con fesses to being years of age and weighs only 22 pounds. The carnival company's n.ern-go-round is located on Fourth street v.v. th of Main. The high t.rapese for the aerial free act is erected on Fifth street north of Main and north of that is the Stadium. 1 1 is impossible to mention all the smalit-r concessions ring throwing devices, palaces of palmistry. lortune telling booths, nigger baby stands, hot w iener stands, ic cream and lemonade stands without number. At the Woodmen Grounds. There is where the big time will be tomorrow. The dancing platform has stood waiting since the previous date and all the other concessions are there. The .Royal Neighbors have erected a commodious tent for the reception of visitors. Ail the big events will take place there, and the prize purses will be put up just as advertised. Then there are the two big ball games mentioned elsewhere in this issue. The special trains from Omaha will arrive before 10 o'clock in the morning, and also the special on the Missouri Pacific will fairly pour the people into town. While the real headquarters tomor row will be at the grounds out on Chicago avenue it is safe to say that the crowds w ill be thick down about the stret fair just as they were thick here today and will be all this week. Ill for Some Time. In an interview with a prominent physician of this city, he stated John Wallinger died Monday morning about 10 o'clock, and that he had come down stairs earlier in the morning for the purpose of remaining up. Just a few minutes before he died he told his daughter he would go back to his room and lay down as he was not feel ing so well. The doctor also stated that Mr. Wallinger had been in poor health for a long time, and that heart failure was the cause of his death. Mr. Wallinger attended the picnic at Ilolschuh's grove Sunday afternoon. The Masonic Rome. 1). M. Jones was in Omaha Monday and conversed with the architect who drew the plans for the addition to t;ie Masonic Home in this city. He was told by that gentleman that the plans and specifications will be down here in a few days for the benelit of the con tractors here who desire to make bids on the work. It is the intention to have the addition completed as so:n as possible, as Hon. F. E. White, Grand Secretary says there are many throughout the state awaiting admis sion, and that it would not be long af ter the completion until the inmates would number at least l.io. If you are a judge of a good smoke, try the "Acorns" 5 cent cigar and you will smoke no other. Base Ball Tomorrow. Don't forget the two big; free ball games tomorrow out at the grounds where the Woodmen picnic will be j body. No discrimination against the .'Stronger sex tomorrow. The Wood men oiler a purse of ?!' for the Avoca game in the morning and $lo for the "Victor" game in the afterno-Ti. The hours for the games are 10 a. m. and o:.".0 p. m. Elks' line up against A voca : Schnei der, 'lh Harrison. 3b: Prisbrey, cf; Tutt, ss; Wurl. lb: Parmele, If: Wil- kens. rf: White, p: Ballance, c Elks' line-up against the Victors: Mauzy, cf: Schneider, 2b; White, 3b: Harrison, rf; Prisbrey, If: Gcos, lb; Tutt, ss: Kosak, c; Wilkens, p. Double Wedding at St. John's Church. Mr. Aloysius Alt and Miss Crescen tia Althammer, and Mr. George Ilrasky and Miss Mary Kushinski were joined in wedlock this morning at St. John the Baptist's Catholic church. Mr. John Engel was best man for Mr. Alt and Mrs. John Engle was the bride's matron. For Mr. Ilrasky Emil Kohoutek acted as best man and Miss Mary Ilrasky was the bride's maid. At 10 o'clock the procession entered the church which was comfortably filled with friends and relatives of the contracting parties. In the van of the procession were Pose Kushinski. Was Her Enemy. A woman w ho was a great tale-t carer happened to hear one" neighbor speak slightlv of another ar.d immediately carried the word from the first to the second neighbor claiming that she thought as a friend she ought to let the second neighbor know what the first neighbor was saying, but instead of thanking the tale-bearer, the second neighbor said: "It makes no differ ence to me how many rotten eggs my neighbor has on his piemises. but the person wjio carries tlie decayed hen fruit to my house and breaks it under my noise in my enemy." Crops Never Better. In his weekly crop summaty, issued Monday, Section Director Love!and,cf Lincoln says: ' The past week was warn:, with maximum temperatures above M de giees on several days The daily mean temperature averaged 2 degrees above norma!, except in northwestern coun ties w here it was about 2 degrees be low normal. "Heavy showers occurred quite gen erally in eastern counties where the rainfall, mostly exceeded 1 inch and ranged from 2 to more than than 3 inches in considerable areas. In most central and western counties the rain fall was less than ne-half inch. "Haying and threshing progressed rapidly except in eastern counties Fri day and Saturday, where the heavy rain Thursday night retarded work of this character. Some spring wheat has been threshed and the yield is rather better than expected. Potatoes are not yielding as well as expected. Corn has grown well and has been very much benetited by the rain in the eas tern counties. In some northeastern counties a high wind accompanied the rain and damaged corn to some extent by breaking and b-owing it down. As a whole corn is now in excellent con dition with every promise of a large crop. Fall plowing has progressed nicely with the soil in excellent condi tion." Funeral of John Wallinger. At the home of A. A. Schaefer south- uocf rf 1'ln 1 1 cmf mtli tl-.A fnnpral nf the late John Wallinger was held this ! afternoon at 1 o'clock. Services were held abo in the German Lutheran church and the body was laid to rest in the Wallrol cemetery. Married at St. John's Church. I Henry Winkler of Petersburg and i Miss Mary Rich of Plattsmouth were married in St. John's Catholic church at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning, Fat'i er Bradley officiating. The bride was dressed in white with veil and wreath and was attended by Miss Mary Sitzman as bridesmaid. The best man was Mr. Michael Preis. T:ie bridal party approached the alta.- to the strains of Mendelsohn's wedding march. Tlie service was in German. Mr. and Mrs. Winkler will remain in the city a few days and will then go to Petersburg. Neb. where they wi I make their home. A double wedding occurred at St. Johns cbuich at lo o'clock Wednesday Mi. Aiovsius Alt and Miss Crescentia Ahhammer will be joined in marriage. The other couple who will enter the state matrimony are Mr. George Ilrasky find MissMarv Kushinski. "Deed Easy." An old batchelor in the neighbor hood of Murray .-as being twitted, the other day be ..use he never married. His excuse was that no one would have him. "Why," said a young fellow who stuttered, "its d-d-dead easy d-down our way. I called up Miss by phone and I s-said: I h-have an important q-q-question t-to ask you, and she s-s-said, What is it? and I s-s-said, Will y-y-you m-m-marry me, and s-she s-said. Yes, w-w-who is t-this t-t-talking?" COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS Candidates Must Be Qualified By Holding First Grade Documents SAYS STATE SUPERINTENDENT MCBRIEN. State Superintendent McBrien an nounced yesterday that he is disposed to adhear to an inflexible rule requir ing all county superintendents elected in November to hold first grade teach ers' certificates. They may not issue the documents to themselves, and must show themselves qualified for them in regular examinations unless they are college graduates or have life certifi cates. In the event they fail toqualify in the manner prescribed by McBrien. which is also that of the new certifica tion law, their elections will be null and void and their places will have to be filled by appointment. Superinten dents who are candidates for re-election also come under the same pro visions and must be qualified on or be fore election day. The advices re ceived from various sections of the state indicate that there will b? some trouble over these new provisions in several of the ninety counties. In some instances county conventions have already been held. If their nom inees are not equipped according to the standard laid down by the state superintendent they will have to per form their work over again. Under the provisions of the law six of the small western counties are ex empt: Blaine, ;rant. Hooker. Kim ball, Mcpherson and Thomas. The provision of the act passed by the last session of the legislature rela tive tit T he p eet ion nf enunt v snnpri n- tendents is as follows: "No peion shall be eligible to the otlice of county superintendent who does not hold at least a first grade county certificate issued in this state and in force at the time of his election. The provisions of this act so far as tlie same relate to the "certificates of county superinten dents, shall not apply to counties having 1. ss than one thousand inhabit ants." It is suggested that some of the sup erintendents who are candidates for re-election and others who are aspir ing to the nomination will have a hard time securing first grade certificates without doing a good deal of studying between this time and the date of the November election. The suggestion that certificates may be issued by the official to himself or to his successor in otlice is frowned on by Superintendent McBrien, who recommends that the business be removed as far from politics as possible, and insists that all such officials as are in otlice now qualifv before the superintendents of other counties and in all cases before those who have first grade certificates. He prefers, that they take the exami nations for those first grade certificates before county superintendents who hold life professional certificates. He has made the following statement with reference to the policy to be pursued: "Some have facetiously suggested that county superintendents now in office who aspire to re-election and who may now hold first grade county certificates might issue to themselves such certificates. This otlice w ill hold that such certification does not meet the requirements of the law. The county attorney cannot qualify merely bv tlie studv of law. He must be legally admitted to the practice of law by taking the proper legal exam ination or being admitted to practice through due process of law before he is eligible to this office. The student of medicine is not a legal practitioner merely from his study. He must pass the required examination before the state board of examiners, though he be a graduate of a medical college. It follows under the intent of the new law that the county superintendent must likewise legally qualify, not by issuing to himself a certificate but by holding a first grade county certificate issued to him by the proper authority on a satisfactory examination, unless sucil supei iiiieuueii l ui tuuuiuiiie i therefor holds a state certificate or is j a graduate of a college, university, or normal school of good standing. I , appeal to the honor and integrity of county superintendents who are to. retire from office next January to issue : no first grade county certificate to any j one not entitled thereto. Ij not let . the political bosses scare you into issu-; iingany certificate to any one except j I upon merit Let every person who I aspires to the high office of county superintendent qualify in accordance with the lav. before he or she dare ask any political party for nomination to the office. Any person w ho aspires to this office who cannot meet the re quirements of the law is unworthy the votes of a free peopie. The state superintendent does not believe that there is any politics to it. He points to the fact that there are two county superintendents holding life certificates who are democrats. During the session of the legislature it was facetiously urged that the bill requiring first grade certificates would make it impossible for any demoerafn to secure their fleet ion to the office. For a superintendent with a second grade certificate to issue t he qualify ing document he says would "smack too much of politics." "It wou'd strengthen the coil Pirate Issued to apply to a county superin tendent who holds a professional stale certificate good for life. Such a county superintendent is free from all obliga tions in asking any one else to issue him a first grade county certificate. " The reeoidsshow that the following county superintendents hold pn.fes sional state cert itieate.s uood tor life: W. A. Julian, Hasting: T. N. Hart zell, Kearney: C. S. Wormian, Platts mouth: C. L. Coons, Clay Center: John Chleboun, jr., Schuyler: Charles A mot, Fremont: F. J. Bod well, Omaha: Anna V. Day, Beatrice: P. P. Bentley, Alma: James O'Connell, Trenton; Mrs. Olive True, Fairbury; J. II. Baker, Minden; O. It. Bowman, Lincoln; Fred A. Marsh, Central City; Geo. D. Carriinr ton, jr.. Auburn; It. C. King, Nebraska City; A. Softley, Grant; Geo. Crocker, Falls City; C. H. Bright, Wayne. A. H. Mager Laid to Rest. The funeral of the late A. II . II age r was held from his residence on South Tenth street. The services were in charge of the Odd Fellows lodge of I which he was a member. A large number of the Odd Fellows formed in lino at the hall and march ed to the house in charge of L G. Larson as marshal. The services there were under the auspices of the Odd Fellows, John Corey and P. I). Bites acting as high priests. Interment was made at Oak Hill cemetery. Following were the pall bearers: George Dodge. M. L. John son. T. K. Olson. John Kirkham, Wrn. Holly and Louis Anderson. Warm Fight at Weeping Water. Last week the post office fever struck town, and after a candidate or two had bobbed up. a petition wasstarted. The vexed question had fairly got set tled when another petition, to move the postotlice across the street into C. A. Webster's store building, was gen erously supported with signatures. This aroused the ire of the business men on the southside of Main St. and another petition was circulated to re tain it in its present location. The ink almost burned the paper when a few signed, so warm did things get. Either location is a good one, the idea with some was that a removal into a building where no other business was conducted, would make it pleasanter fo pratrons. hut those whose bu.iness is on the south side of the street rather 'bought the present location an ideal one. and even started a couple of rigs to s cure signers. Congressman Pollard has not yet given any candidate for postmaster encouragement enough to satisfy thern that they are safe in buying new box es or even keeping t he old ones. To state it fairly, it is early yet by alout eight months, reconing by the expir ing term of postmaster Hay, and again it is a matter that Congressman Pol lard will let out to some one else most likely so that w hat is to be may not be until it is. Weeping Water Herald. Will Start Church Here. The Hepzibah Missionaries who held tent meetings on south Eighth street for several weeks in the early part of the summer are going to start a per manent church here. They have rented the Patterson building at the corner of Sixth and Pearl streets for that pur pose. Elder G. W. Ostrander who has been in the city several days, went to Tabor. Ia.. today to complete arrange ments. Most of the members of the sect live in Tabor and Mr. Ostrander expects a number of them to move to Plattsmouth. It's mighty funny how a girl never grows a wisdom tooth till she is in love and a temper tiil she is married. 50C BABIES? No V. v..il!fl nrif ! put sur-h ;i eli-aj :ii)d lerrerliitni!f urn nn tin: iittic l;:r.iii-'s or rli.-y :irc -tUjut tlie best frh-nO-. v- li:iv-. -IS ti.; Slippers 2Ld- Shoes t whi.-li . r f r Cliilcln.il s;i;jjr. b!:n-W. .' to s -In - " " . . . , Slicix-rs. t:in l:it iits;ipp r. " " Keil " " . . . Patent 4-strnp. 5 to J'uii 4-str:ip. s to U Pat.-m Wiiie Top. Sto 3 AdvtrtUins Jirusiics .'A) .5it i 1.40 . .! .19 We Dye Old Tans, Black. Sherwood & Son.