outtt
VOMI.MK XXVII
PL.ATTSMOUTII, XKlIKASIvA, THURSDAY, N ) V EM Willi til, 1907.
XUMISKIt I
UWEI
Born in ihc Stale of Ohio, Where He Grew to
Kanhood, Then for Four Years
he mined oolo
After Which Returning Home and Marrying, He
Game to Platlsmouth, then a Small Place,
and Helped Make This a Gity Since.
His Early Life.
In the year that Abraham Lincoln
quit school ami started on the real quest
for the education which was to stand
him in great stead in after years, here
tofore he having been attending a school
kept by Mr. Swaney, whose ability to
teach the future president of the United
States had now been exhausted, and
because of the fact was somewhat sore,
a child was born in Mansfield, Ohio,
who in the years that were to come,
should figure in the important events
which should go to make up the history
of this city. During the time when
"Honest Abe" was farthering his edu
cational attainments, by the reading of
.rEsop's Fables, Pilgrim's Progress,
Robinson Crusoe, and the Bible, this
little boy was just learning to walk and
had received the name Perry P. Class.
Young Gass, like other young Buckeyes
of his day, spent the first years in the
schools which his time afforded, much
inferior to the ones we have at the
present. His father being a farmer
he grew up on the farm and became
well versed in the mode of farming in
vogue in his youth. At the age of twelve,
when Abraham Lincoln was serving his
second term in the legislature of the
state of Illinois, and was using his elo
quence to have the state capitol located
at Springfield, and was an element in
stopping the "log-rolling" which was
looting the state, ami became known as
a member of the Long Nine from San
gamon county, this youth took his first
trip away from home, being the assist
ant of a sheep man who came from
Connecticut to Ohio to buy some 700
head of sheep, which young Gass helped
drive overland to the "nutmeg state."
On his return trip he made his way
to the Erie canal, and over its tortuitous
route his way to Buffalo, going at the
rate of two miles per hour; part of the
time, following the toe-path himself,
and after seemingly a long time, arriv
ing at the lake shore. Here he took
shipping by a boat to Sandusky, Ohio,
over Lake Erie. This w;as the first
time that his eyes ever beheld so great
a body of water, and its rounded service
was the greatest evidence to him that
the world was a sphere, of course, he
he had read it in the books of his school,
but it did not make that impression on
him that the sight of that great hill of
water at which he looked from the
wharf at Buffalo.
Follows the Star of Empire.
After returning home he again worked
on the farm and attended school, and in
1849, at the time gold was discovered in
California, he and Wm. Winterstein
started to study medicine at the same
school. The reports which were going
all over the country about the wonder
ful finds of gold in the west, in the
course of a year tore young Gass from
medicine, and he with three companions
departed for the Pacific coast in search
of gold. Passing through St. Louis and
crossing the Missouri river at a point
between where Kansas City and St. Jo
seph now stands, and continuing a west
erly course with a little veering to the
north, passing through Kearney, then a
military post, and from there the next
place they touched was Salt Lake City,
where they rested for a week or more,
and while there Mr. Gass. then a man
of 21 years of age, listened to Brigham
Young preach this was in 1850. They
arrived at Sacramento in the fall. From
this place they followed up the Sacra
mento river and then up another river
running into it from the east, into the
very heart of the Sierras, where they
established a mining camp, placing some
six- hundred feet of flume for hydraulic
mining, which after working for a long
time proved worthless. As they did get
enough to pay expenses they sold their
works for less than twenty per cent of
what it cost them. Mr. Gass tells two
stories of this valley: one to the effect
that the mountains were so steep and
m California
high that one could not see the sun for
more than ten minutes a day, and that
about noon - he gives a vivid description
of the scenery here, where the gigantic
rocks which made the mountains were
piled in huge piles, it seemed to him a
mile high. The other story was of a
snowstorm which came one night so
heavy that it crushed all the buildings
in the town but one, and this one was
saved by shoveling off the show as it
fell during the night.
Returns Home in Ohio.
After staying here for four years he
went to Los Angeles, and in conjunc
tion with his brother, D. D. Gass, bought
eighty acres of land joining the city and
put it in barley, as that wr.s selling at
$2..r0 per bushel, and thought they
wouid surely make a fortune, but out
side of the memory of man for a similar
occurrence, when the crop was fully
started, the frost came and nipped the
tender plant and they did not get any
thing. They then sold their holdings,
and P. P. Gass started home, coming
by the way of Lake Nicaragua and the
Gulf, touching at Havana, Cuba, for
coal, and thence to New York city, re
turning to Mansfield, Ohio, where he
; was united in marriage with Miss Han-
nah Winterstein in the fall of 1856.
Very soon after they started for the
! west, and came as far as Iowa City on
the railroad, that being its terminus at
that time. Here he stopped for a while,
and then moved to Red Oak, Iowa, where
1 he met T. M. Marquette, whom he had
known before and who was teaching
school there. Here young Gass and his
bride stopped for a few months, where
he worked at the carpenter trade.
Arrival in Plattsmouth.
When the term of Mr. Marquette's
' school was out he decided to come to
, Nebraska, and about the first of Janu
j ary, 1857, he departed, telling his friend
Gass that as soon as he got to Platts
mouth, the place of-destination, he
would write him and tell about the
place and what he thought of the town.
' In due time Mr. Gass got a letter, tell
. ing all about the city, its possibilities
and its present condition, saying that
he thought it would be a good thing for
him to come. Contracting with a team-
. ster so take him to Plattsmouth, they,
after a torturous and extremely hard
trip arrived at East Plattsmouth (or
Bethlehem, Iwa). This was in the
early spring, ana as the water was high,
Mr. Gass stored his goods in a building
; on the other side of the river, placing
'. them in the second story, as water was
; in the lower rooms. He with his wife
j and another woman named Johnson en
! gaged passage in a canoe and crossed
j to this side. In order to get to town
! they had to come over the hills, and
j when getting on top of the hill just the
j other side of Happy Hollow, they en
I countered a squad of men in double file,
j which opened ranks for the three
j strangers, and after having passed the
j first few they were stopped and asked
j where they were going, and it being
; about dark, Mr. Gass and the two
i women were somewhat puzzled, as on
j close inspection all or the men were
j heavily armed. Great was the relief
of mind of the small party when T. M.
I Marquette stepped out of the ranks and
grasping Mr. Gass by the hand, saying
j at the same time, "Well, if this is not
; my old friend, Perry Gass." They were
then allowed to pass, and came on down
town. This was a very memorable
night in the early history of Platts
mouth, for in that night a family by the
name of Johnson entirely disappeared,
who had been suspected of being mem
bers of a gang of horse thieves.
This first night's experience gave Mr.
Gass and his new wife an idea that
Plattsmouth was a pretty tough place,
but which idea was entirely dissipated
in a short time. JThe first position which
Gass held in Plattsmouth was with John
Hatt, sr., not the market man here,
but his father, now long since dead,
ami was carpentering on the Platte Val
ley hotel, which stood near where the
Waterman block now stands. He worked
at the carpenter trade and was a sta
tionary engineer engaged in making
"Nebraska currency," cottonwood lum
ber, for some time. After living here
for five years he was elected sheriff for
two terms, and was police judge for
about twelve years. He was a clerk in
the Surveyor General's office here for
years, in fact, almost the entire time
which the office was at this place, and
was still working in the office when re
moved from here. During the earlier
portion of the time he was in the office,
Fred Dorrington, D. II. Wheeler and
George Smith were also clerks George
Fairfield was the surveyor. In 1861,
his wife's brother, Dr. Wm. Winter
stein, came here from Ohio and made
this his home until his death, a number
of years ago. In 188S, Mr. Gass' wife
died, and since, he and his daughter,
Miss Olive Gass, have lived at the old
homestead in the third ward, where the
Gass family have made their residence
for more than thirty-five years. Be
fore, they lived in North Fifth street
on a portion of the lot which now con
stitutes the home of Henry Herold.
Two children have blessed the life of
Mr. Gass and his good wife. A. E.Gass
now with the Plattsmouth Telephone
Company, and Miss Olive, who until
recently has been engaged as principal
in the high school.
Mr. Gass has, since he came to this
town, been instrumental in its welfare,
and was honored by its citizens in an
election to office successively for a num
ber of years. Now a man of more than
eighty years, is spryer than many a
man no more than half his age and as
jolly as a school-boy, an inspiration to
all who admire optimism, and a picture
of manhood of advanced years.
VERY TIMELY
PREVENTION
To Proclaim Quarantine on
Gatfle from the West
The Lincoln News says that Governor
Sheldon is preparing to issue a proclama
tion establishing a state quarantine on
cattle west of a north and south line
drawn through Broken Bow, and to en
force it by appointing all government
inspectors of live stock in Nebraska
deputy state veterinarians whose duty
will be to see that no infected cattle are
shipped, except under proper restric
tions. The United States has already
declared such a quarantine against west
ern Nebraska, but this does not apply
j on animals shipped to South Omaha or
between other points in the state, so
that it is ineffective to prevent disease
from spreading without state co-opera
tion.
Some time ago, the federal authori
ties served notice that if something
were not done by Nebraska officials to
control live stock distempers a quar
antine would be declaired by the govern
ment against this entire state. The con
ference at South Omaha this week, at
tended by Governor Sheldon and a large
number of live stock men, was held to
j agree on a plan of action.
i Without state quarantine rules, it has
been possible to ship cattle or other ani
mals to South Omaha, where many feed
ers are bought and taken to various
parts of the state. In this way the op
portunities for spreading disease were
most favorable.
The United States inspection service
bars all animals from a quarantine dis
trict from being sold at market points,
unless the owner has a certificate show
ing that they have passed an examina
tion and been found free from taint.
Any stock shipped without previous in
spection are thrown into quarantine on
their arrival at market. These rules,
of course, apply only on interstate ship
ments, but when the government in
spectors become deputy state veterinar
ians they can enforce the same regula
tions inside the state of Nebraska
A Perfect Work of Art.
Mrs. A. M. Muoha, the celebrated
Bohemian artist, who at present is in
this country, is regarded as one of the
greatest painters of the world. Two of
his latest pictures are genuine works of
art and were made to the order of Jos.
Triner, the well known manufacturer of
Tamer's American Elixir of Bitter
Wine, for his wall calendar for 1908.
This calendar will be mailed to any ad
dress on receipt of 15 cents in stamps,
to cover the packing and mailing by
Jos. Triner, 616 So. Ashland ave.,
Chicago, 111.
Poultry Wanted
Highest cash paid for poultry, deliver
ed at Mynard any day in the week.
Tel. 3 O. W. F. Richardson.
Ths Open Air Was Tea Gocd.
Charles Burton, of Nehawka, was a
guest i.i the Mar.speaker for the ast
week, and was given an opportunity
yesterday to return to his home in the
south part of the county. After he got
out in the glorious sunshine he looked
around, took his bearings, and was ad
vised by the officers as to when the
trains were due to leave for his town.
Before going he thought it would be
better to wash a few cobwebs out of
his throat with a little fire-water, and
he was unable to shut off the flow until
he had suffered an inundation, and as a
result is now again in the "bastile"
charged with being drunk again.
Must Pay Back Taxes.
In the matter of the State of Ne
braska vs. the several parcels of land,
etc., and Herman B. Burgess, taken up
to the supreme court from the district
court of this county, the former judg
ment of the supreme court was vacated,
upon rehearing and judgment of district
court affirmed. The sylabus of the case
is as follows:
1. An ordinance of the city of Platts
mouth recited that it was passed under
and by virtue of an act which was after
wards declared unconstitution. Irre
spective of the power granted by the
unconstitutional law the city council
had the power under the previous
statute to enact the ordinance. Held,
that the mistake in reciting the power
to act did not operate to deprive the
city council of the power which it
actually had under the existing law.
2. In an action under the scavanger
law for the collection of delinquent city
taxes the presumption is that the tax
was legally levied and assessed and the
burden is upon the defendant to plead
and prove affirmatively facts showing
the lack of authorities to levy the tax.
3. Where the existence of a muni
cipal corporation is not questioned by
the state it cannot be brought in issue
by a private individual in a collateral
proceeding nor can the validity of an
nexation proceedings be tested in such
a suit where the evidence shows ac
quiesence in the proceedings and the
payment of taxes levied by the corpora
tion for several years.
Another Member to the Happy Family.
The family of Mr. and Mrs. George
Taylor and their two boys, who have
lived so happily together, were doubly
so yesterday, when a stork came their
way with the sweetest little girl one
could find during a day's travel. The
little one and mother are both doing
nicely, and this morning when we saw
the fond father he was still smiling,
and who would not, for the family now
makes a hand havdtobeat, "two queens
and three kings."
Margery Long Dies of Typhoid
Word was receiveddast evening, that
the little grand-daughter, of Mr. and
Mrs. G. W. Osborn, Margery Long,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Long
had died with typhoid fever, in Omaha.
The littie one has not been sick but a
few days. Mrs. Osborn, , its grand
mother, was visiting at the Long home
last Tuesday, and there was no cause for
alarm at that time. Mr. and Mrs. Os
born departed this morning for Omaha
to assist the sorrowing parents, in
surmounting the troubles which over
whelm them. It is not yet known when
the funeral services will be.
Lincoln Elks Dedicate Home.
Henry A Schneider, of the Elks,
holding the position of district deputy
to the Exalted Ruler of the state, de
parted this morning for Lincoln, where
the new home of the order at that place
will be dedicated today. The Benevo
lent Protective Order of Elks bear the
name of being "high rollers" and with
out doubt they will have a royal time
at the dedication of the new quarters
today. The office which Mr. Schneider
holds makes it his duty to assume
charge of the services of the dedication
today.
Will Ditch Farm Lands.
J. P. Falter, in conjunction with his
partner, W. W. Coates, today let a con
tract for changing the course of the
Four-mile Creek, which will require the
moving o!f about 5,000 to 6,000 yards of
earth, and will reclaim about 120 acres
of the very cream, of Cass county's
farm lands. The work has been given
to Geo. Porsal, who will begin upon the
work at once. This will greatly en
hance the value of this already valuable
farm, which has heretofore been known
as the "Methodist farm."
They Expect to Marry
The records at the county judge's of
fice show the issuance of a permit to
marry, in favor of. Theovold A. V.
Mogeusen,aged 26, and Miss Karen L.
A. Hansen, aged 24, of Weeping Water,
and they expect to marry in the near
future.
THE FEATHERS
ARE MISSING
An Old Game is Being Worked On
Some cf the Innocent Across
the River.
The Glenwood Tribune says that sev
eral people living south of Pacific Junc
tion in toward Bartlett are mourning
the loss of their feather beds, a luxury
that they were just getting ready to
enjoy as winter approaches.
It is the same old story of letting
strangers have the feathers under pre
tense of cleaniag them.
The base of operations of these par
ticular feather thieves was Pacific
Junction. A little more than two weeks
ago a couple of young men rented a
building of Mayor R. E. McDonald, say
ing that they were planning to renovate
feathers and that their machine would
be along in a few days.
The young men handed out cards to
their prospective victims bearing the
name of Myers Bros.
For several days they industriously
canvassed the country in the vicinity of
the Junction, using teams from the
Junction livery barn for which they
never paid. On Wednesday of last
week, having sufficiently "feathered
their nest," they proceeded to pack the
feathers into boxes on which they at
tached rope handles so that the stuff
could be taken as baggage.
They took the midnight train south to
Kansas City that night paying excess
baggage rate on 800 pounds. Pacific
Junction people were suspicious of them
and Chief of Police Ferrel telephoned
to the depot police at Kansay City the
next morning and learned that the
young men had arrived there.
Mr. Ferrel made an effort to locate
by telephone some of the victims, but
the scamps had wisely gotten the feath
ers from people not having telephones
and also living at some distance from
the Junction. In the meantime no
charge could be lodged against the men
at Kansas City and they were thus en-!
abled to get awav. j
At the present price of feathers, j
ranging from 50 to 75 cents a poundit!
will be seen that the thieves made a j
pretty rich haul, amounting to upwards i
of $400. !
It was rot till Wednesday of this
week, which was a week after the dis
appearance of the men that a victim
showed up at the Junction, this was
Rev. Gearhart, a United Brethren min
ister at Bartlett. He appears to have
been a bright and shining mark, as he
asserts tha,t he turned over to the young
men 282 pounds of good feathers.
Mrs. Spidell, a widow lady of Bart
lett was likewise fleeced. The young
rogues posed as philanthropists before
her. They told her they would clean
her feathers free, and so she al flowed
them to tote off the downy substance.
The swindlers very considerately left j
the empty ticks in the McDonald house.
These the owners can have by calling
for them. A number of families near
Bartlett will be sleeping on straw this i
winter.
It will be a safe proposition for Mills
J county people to demand a cash bond
of the next smooth-tongued rascals that
come along that ask to lug off a feather
bed to be cleaned.
Young People Enjoy Good Time.
Last evening Miss Marie Fitzgerald
entertained a number of her young lady
friends at her home, and the entertain-
ment had only fairly been entered upon
when thev were snrnrisod hav th
when they were surprised to have the
door open and an equal number of young
men "drop in to spend the evening. The
young ladies, while not expecting any
one for the evening, were equal to the
occasion, and where the games, which
were to be a part of the evening's enter
tainment were broadened to include the
gentlemen. Social cards were indulged
in, and music helped make the occasion
more enjoyable. While other games
which delight the heart of the young
folks, the refreshments, added to, and
completed the evening's entertainment.
Those who were present to enjoy the
occasion were: Misses Ethel Leyda,
Jean Morrissey, Hester Gilmour, Ethel
Ballance, Helen Kline, Georgia White,
Margaret Scotten, Grace Fitzgerald,
Esther Larson, Marie and Opal Fitz
gerald. Messrs Frank Cloidt, Bruce
Rosencrans, John Cloidt, Grovernor
Dovey, Milford Bates, Ray Travis,
Frank Smith, Will Fitzgerald.
Enjoying Winter in California.
The Journal is in receipt of a card
from T. E. Todd, who with his wife,
are spending the winter in California,
they write from Long Beach, where
they are stopping at the present time
and Bay they are having a delightful
time.
A Pleasant Evening Well Cpcnt.
Last evening the plciisant home of
Mr. and Mrs. John I liber was the scent
of much merriment, when' their daugh
ter, Miss Frances, entertained a few
friends in honor of Miss May Youtsey,
who left yesterday for hi r home in
Charitan, Iowa. Cenversalion, game:
and music caused the hours to pas
quickly by and it was late before the
guests took their departure. Delicious
refresements were served by Miss Hiber
during the ovening. Before going home
all announced they h;td enjoyed a most
delightful evening.
Miss Youtsey will return in the spring
to continue her work as trimmer at
Miss Anderson's millinery store.
The guests were Misses May Larson,
Alice Ofe, Jessie Duffy, Yelimk, Hanes,
Nora and Jennie Batten, May Youtsey
and Annie Frye.
FATAL DISEASES
IN NEBRASKA
Tuberculosis Leads a Fatal Conta
gion Agency.
The Lincoln News says that tuber
culosis held its own during October as
the most fatal contagious disease in
Nebraska, claiming a total of twenty
four victims. Typhoid fever was second
with fourteen, while seven succumbed
to diphtheria, and one to cerebro-spinal
meningitis. There were no deaths in
October, so far as the records of the
state health inspector's office show,
from scarlet fever, measles or smallpox.
A compilation of October reports
made by Miss Lulu Carlson of the health
inspector's office show how the deaths
due to contagion were distributed over
the state. One-half of the patients
who died from tuberculosis were in
Douglas county, the damp atmosphere
that hangs over the Missouri river being
favorable to the breeding of the germs
of that disease. The figures by counties
are as follows:
Nemaha Typhoid fever, 1.
Hall-Typhoid fever, 1.
Custer Tuberculosis, 1; diphtheria, 1;
typhoid fever, 1.
Gage-Tuberculosis, 1
Greeley -Tuberculosis, 1.
Buffalo Cerebro-spinal meningitis, f.
Antelope - Diphtheria, 1.
Cass Typhoid fever, 1 ; tuberculosis 1.
Cuming -Typhoid fever, I; tubercu
losis, 1.
Cherry - Typhoid fever, 1.
Douglas Typhoid feves, 4; tubercu
losis, 12; diphtheria, 1.
Jefferson Diphtheria, 2; tuberculosis
1 ; typhoid fever, 1.
Lancaster Tuberculosis, 5; typhoid
fever, 1; diphtheria, 1.
Otoe Diphtheria, 1.
Pawnee Typhoid fever, 1.
Richardson -Tuberculosis, 1.
Smallpox Situation Better
From present indications we are out
of danger from smallpox, and with or
dinary precaution there will be no more
cases of it here. The only recent case
reported to us was Mrs. Sarah Iynn,
at whose home the first case appeared
several weeks ago, and her attack is in
the very mild form of varioloid. She
suffered little from this, but owing to
the fact that she has been confined to
her bed by other ailments for several
j months she has become very week, yet-
she is now gaining strength and it isj
expected that her improvement will con
tinue. James Gruber and his wife have fully
j recovered, but are not yet out.among
! the People. Mrs. Peter Clarence and
Mrs. Ed Leach have passed the danger
point and both are getting along nicely
but they have several days yet to en
joy (?) their isolated home where they
have been living the past few weeks
Union Ledger.
Arrested Statutory Crime.
Sheriff Edwin Evans, from Albion,
Boone county, came in last evening to
accompany Miss Lillian Ford to Albion,
where she is to be tried in conjunction
with Wm. Hilgrith for a statutory
crime. About a month since Chandler
. , ., .
, . ., . . . ,. ,
troduced at the trial for divorce the
other crime was proven, and the charges
at once preferred.
Sheriff Quinton made the arrest of
Mrs. Ford night before last near Man
ley, and she was brought to this place
and placed in custody of the wife of the
deputy sheriff, Mrs. M. E. Manspeaker.
Sheriff Evans, of Boone county, de
parted with her this afternoon
Albion.
for
Fresh Oyster Season.
The fresh ovster season has arrived.
and Perry's Restaurant is the proper
place to find them m any style you
like.
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