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SEMI-WEEKLY EDITION FOUR PAGES
VOLUME XXIX
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA. MONDAY JUNE 6. 1910
NO 38
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PLATTSMOUTH IS TO
FOURTH OF
Improved Order of Red Men Take Hold of the Matter and Will
Make It a Howling Success.
From Friday'! Daily.
Plattsmouth is to have some
Fourth of July after all. This much
was determined upon last night at
the meeting of the Improved Order
of Redmen. This organization, which
Is strictly patriotic in its principles,
and which is American to the core,
decided that it would not do to have
the natal day of the nation go ty un
observed. To this end it was deter
mined to have a celebration which
would compare with any ever given
in the city. The full scope of the
affair was not determined upon at
this meeting, but there was a live
committee appointed to get busy and
organize the occasion. This commit
tee will have powers in every way,
and will go ahead and make the
Fourth in this city a hummer.
If it is possible there will be a
large number of excellent attractions
secured. There will be all the clean
high grade shows which can be got
ten put into activity, and there will
be free attractions galore. Although
the members of the committee realize
that the time is short now until the
celebration must be made, they are
determined to utilize every moment
and they started to work last night.
Music was spoken for and this was
done hurriedly to prevent it being
snapped by some other city which
wants the goods.
The meeting last night which start
ed the ball rolling was enthusiastic
and it was largely attended. Realiz
ing that patriotism is one of the
things which lies in the foundation
of the observation of this day, there
was a determination to arrange
'for a celebration which would stir up
the city and make its people rejoice
in the fact they were Americans. To
this end the Redmen, who comprise
the real live wires of this city, decid
ed to go ahead and give a celebration
which would leave no room for doubt
at success. They Intend to make
Plattsmouth succeed and start July
4, 1910.
The determination of the Red Men
to hold the celebration resulted ma
terially in altering the plans of the
M. W. A. band which had been figur
ing with several other cities on play
ing for their celebration on that day.
They promptly suspended negotia
tions pending the arrangement of the
local celebration and doubtless will
play here on that day. This Insures
the celebration good music and plenty
of It.
, All told the Indications now are
that Plattsmouth will be Itself on
July 4th, and that the good people
of Cass county and western Iowa can
Lincoln Parties Married.
The relatives of. Dr. H. J. Lehn
hoff received word yesterday telling
them of his marriage on May 22 to
Miss Rae Challis, also of this city.
Dr. Lehnhoff has been in Europe
for some months, and he was met at
Vienna by Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Mc
Pherson, Miss Carrie Akeson and Miss
Challis, who left Lincoln a Jew weeks
ago. The marriage took place at 4
o'clock In the afternoon of May 22,
i an Evangelical church, with only
the Lincoln party as witnesses. Af
ter traveling through Eureopan coun
tries, all will return to Lincoln about
July 1. Dr. and Mrs. Lehnhoff will
reside at 1945 E street.
Mrs. Lehnhoff is a graduate of the
voice department of the university
school of music, and for some time
has been an Instructor In private
classes of music 1 nthe city. She is a
member of the Delta Delta Delta sor
ority. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. V.
F. Challis reside at Westmoreland,
Kas. Mr. Lehnhoff is a graduate or
the Nebraska state university and of
the Northwestern university at Chi
cago. He is a member of the Delta
Chi fraternity. State Journal.
Dr. Lehnhoff is well known in this
city, being a nephew of Mrs. F. I).
Lehnhoff, and has many friends here
who extend their heartiest congratu
lations. Judge II. D. Travis and Court Re
porter Earl Travis, returned this
morning from Nebraska City, where
they had been engaged in holding
court for several days.
HAVE BIG
JULY CELEBRATION
come here and be satisfied with a
grand, good time. The matter Is in
competent and able hands and with
the Red Men behind to give It a help
ing shove it Is bound to go through
with a whoop. Let everyone in the
city add their mite to make the af
fair a grand and glorious one and
Plattsmouth will show everyone how
it does succeed. With the big mem
bership of the Red Men assisted by
the local merchants and boosters
there ought to be some lively doings
and it ought to advertise the llvest
town in Nebraska far and wide. Do
your part and do it now and help the
great, big celebration for it helps
you and yours.
In addition to the usual sports In
cident to such celebrations, such as
base ball with games morning and
afternon, wrestling matches, running
races, fire exhibtiions, free athle
tic stunts, turner exhibitions and the
like, there will be a program of
speeches by prominent speakers. The
Red Men are peculiarly liberty-loving
people they will secure speakers
in harmony with their ideas who will
extol the freedom of the great na
tion,' who will speak highly of the
rights of the great common people
and who will stand for all that up
lifts and ennobles humanity and
which has builded this country to Its
present proud position of leader
among the nations of the earth.
With all this the half is not said.
Fourth of July will be celebrated
here as not before for many yean.
Plattsmouth two years ago did itself
proud in celebrating and this year
it is hoped to rival, if not excel that
splendid exhibition. Whether or not
a great parade will be had remains to
be determined. The lack of time is
urged as one reason for abandoning
the parade for this year as one would
not be held unless there was an as
surance that it would be a success
and many were inclined to think the
time and expense incident to arrang
ing one would not be well invested.
Of course, the matter is In a
nebulous state yet, but it will clear
up shortly as the committee is al
ready well on its way and has a plan
mapped out which will insure a hum
mer. The character of the commit
tee Is such that it cannot fail to be
a success as the livest members of
the order are members. These are
J. E. McDanlel, Councilman William
Gravett, Fire Chief Anton H. Koubek,
William Egenberger and William
Hinrlchsen. If they can't make a
celebration worth having then no
one can. It is the intention of the
committee to meet tonight and form
ulate plans for the celebration.
Has Disposed o His Business.
From FrMay's Dally.
William J. Stadelman, wife and
baby, and Lou Spayer, a sister of Mrs.
Stadelman, came In yesterday for a
brief visit with friends, and this
morning drove down to the home of
Mark White for a short visit before
leaving for Los Angles, Cal. Mr.
Stadelman has sold his telephone in
terests at Norfolk, Neb., and is mov
ing to Los Angles, wehere he intends
to make his future home, and where
he will enter into the telephone bus
iness on ah extensive scale, with the
Independent interests of that city.
Mr. Stadelman has made a marked
success in this line of work and is
one of the big telephone men of the
country now. He has devoted sever
al years to the upbuilding and im
provement of the Independent tele
phone systems in this country, and
few men are better Informed as to
this line of work than he. He has a
great many friends in this city who
will be sorry to learn of his deter
mination to make a change of base
in operations, but who wish him the
greatest success in his new field. He
expects to leave for Los Angles to
morrow. Jake Denson of Council Bluffs, a
former Plattsmouth boy, after upend
ing several days in the city with re
latives, departed yesterday for Weep
ing Water where he will visit with
a sister before returning homo. It
Is sveral years since he was In this
city and his many friends were very
glad to meet hlra.
TELLS OF PIOIIEER
1!
Abraham Towner Pays Visit to
Old Friends Here.
The Journal yesterday afternoon
enjoyed a visit from one of Cass
county's earliest settlers, now located
near Surprise, Butter county. This
gentleman was Abraham Towner who
is making a visit of several days
with the families of W. T. Adams,
Wm. Gilmour and a large number of
relatives. This is his first call to
this section for an extended stay for
some time. Mr. Towner has now
reached the age of seventy-three
years but he has surprised his many
friends by seeming to have developed
the secret of perpetual youth and to
have drank of the waters of the
spring of life for his years rest very,
very lightly on his shoulders. To
one who is not acquainted with his
age the statement of it comes as a
most pleasant surprise.
Mr. Towner Is a son of Abraham
Towner who was county judge of this
county in Its early history, serving
for Beveral years in that capacity.
Judge Towner as- he was always
known during his stay here was one
of the most popular men of his day
and will be readily recalled by all
the real pioneers of the county. He
moved here from Iowa with his fam
ily In the fall of 1854, landing at
the point where the ferry is now
operated below the Burlington
bridge. The family moved down to
a claim just north and west of Rock
Bluffs, then the flourishing metrop
olis of Cass county. They arrived at
this location on October 29, and the
next day young Towner with his
father made a pilgrimage to the town
of Kenosha to get lumber to build
a house with. Mr. Towner distinct
ly remembers this trip as that night
a great sleet and snow storm came
on which painfully impressed Itself
upon him. . - -
At this time Kenosha was quite a
village, having one store presided
over by Dealie White who was .as
sisted in his labor by A. B. Smith,
who recently died, Smith being his
clerk. Kenosha was the first town
laid out in this county, Its birth ante
dating that of Rock Bluffs which
came next on the list, both dating
their birth from the year 1854.
Previous to the location of the
elder Towner and his family here,
the young man had visited this part
of the country and had ferried across
the Missouri during the spring at
the point where the Plattsmouth
ferry now plies. This work he aband
oned, however, upon the movement
of the family to this section.
Mr. Towner is full of interesting
reminiscenses of early Cass county,
recalling many of the strange and
unusual things which took place at
that time as is quite natural to a
young man Just entering upon his
manhood and leaving his teens. He
recollects the camping of the Otoe
Indians during the fall and winter
of 1854, at the place then called
Gibbs Springs, Just south of this
city and Bince long 1 known as the
Doom farm. The Indians as he re
calls them were peaceable and docile
and kind and affectionate to those
who treated them right and he and
his friends never found them to be
hard to get along with. But things
were different with those who abused
them. They made, the invariable
practice of stealing anything they
could get their hands on from those
who ill-treated them. And many
who lived in that neighborhood were
guilty of this and suffered from their
depredations. It was this class Mr.
Towner avers who complained so
persistently of the nature of the In
dians. Mr. Towner recalls well the laying
out of the townslte of Liberty, which
It was hoped would sap the vitality
of Kenosha. This was in the fall of
18" 5. the village being laid out by
Joshua Brown who opened a general
store there with M. B. Cutler, after
wards sheriff of the county as his
clerk. The new town was about two
and a half miles south of Kenosha.
Like many another ambitious pro
ject Liberty lias long since passed
away and nothing remains of it hut
history. The samo is true of Kenosha
and Rock Bluffs is almost a memory,
while Plattsmouth has forged stead
ily thead, although when Mr. Towner
came to this country it was a setlle
r.K'iit of but two stores, one of which
he thinks was run by Tom Hanna,
while the other was presided over by
1
the late E. G. Dovey, father of the
Dovey boys of this city. Of course,
I there were no towns through this
country then but what had their sa
loons. They existed in Plattsmouth,
Rock Bluffs, Kenosha, Liberty and
wherever a general store was in be
ing. These saloons were not run
on the, quiet, orderly principles of
the present day but seem to have
been what could be aptly called "grog
shops." It was in one of these that
a killing occurred at Liberty during
the stay of young Towner In this sec
tion. Jack Rakes, who, according to
Towner, was somewhat overbearing
rml dictatorial, entered a saloon
kep by a little Irishman there and
proceeded to start in to run the place.
The Irishman objected and enforced
hts objections bv drawing a revolver
and shooting Rakes. The saloon
keeper then fled, crossing the Mis
souri In a boat and coming up the
river to this place and then disap
pearing, never to again be heard of.
A mob formed and made a feint at
hunting him but they considered hliri
in the right and did not try hard to
get him. At this time Tommy
Thompson, then ferryman at Ken
osha, was coroner and he Impaneled
a Jury with young Towner as one
of its members. The jury found as
juries still find that Rakes came to
his death at the hands of the Irish
man and that was all.
Rakes' father, Carter Rakes, came
to Kenosha when he heard of the
death of his son and proceeded to
raise merry hades, lie loaded up
on bad liquor and Btarted in to clean
out the town and everyone in it. In
so doing he Insulted the wife of one
of the prominent citizens of the town
and the latter seized a shotgun and
chased Carter out of town. That end
ed that episode.
Mr. Towner was early acquainted
with William W. Wiley who has been
in such poor health for some time
past and who now lives near Murray,
lie recalls when Mr. Wiley settled
upon his homestead about two miles
from the Towner farm and when he
opened the first blacksmith shop in
this county, it being located at what
was then known as Ashley springs
and H6w culled the Churchill farm.
The two men became intimate
friends and Mr. Towner well recalls
the time when they Btayed together
In the woods while all their com
panions were gone back into the
older states. He describes that time
very graphically with its lonesome
ness and the stormy, windy nights
in the unbroken forest which lay
about their neighborhood. Always
in those days, the best friend one or
two men together had was the trusty
rifle and this lay close at hand to
repel unknown and unexpected dan
gers. This was the case with Town
er and Wiley during their sojourn
together that winter and they were
always prepared for danger of any
sort.
The first meeting of Mr. Towner
and James A. Walker, the well known
Murray citizen, is vivid in his mind,
it taking place at a point called Hay
Springs, near Scotts Bluff. This oc
curred shortly after the close of the
civil war when Mr. Walker was en
gaged in hauling hay for General
Crow who had a contract with the
government for 500 tons to be de
livered at Fort Laramie. This hay
would be cut and then under com
mand of Crow soaked in water before
delivery to make it weigh. Frequent
ly one wagon carried two (?) tons
to the post. So it would appear the
gentle art of grafting is not so re
rent as it might Beem. Mr. Townee
states It was not the drivers who
were responsible for this but the
contractor who held it to be part of
the business. Mr. Walker and Thos.
Patterson were among those working
for Crow at that time who afterwards
came back to this section.
The gold excitement of 1859 re
sulted in inflaming Mr. Towner with
a wild desire to get rich quick and
he decided to go across the plains to
Pike's Peak. To do this he and an
other pioneer Becured a soring
wagon from John Gllmore, father of
Dr. George H. Gllmore of Murray,
who was then located near Cedar
Creek in the wagon and blacksmith
business, and they prepared for the
trip. They fitted tho wngon up for
living quarters and always kept in
nlnd the invariable rifle, man's con
stant friend and companion, and
started west. They proceeded as far
as Kearney where they met hordes of
returning emigrants who denounced
the entire affair a fake and humbug
of tho first water and wanted Town
er and bla companion to return. This
they would not do, however, but they
changed their plans and went clear
through to California.
H was In the year 18C6 that Mr.
Towner left this county for good, he
then going west and locating near
what is now the town of Surprise.
He has since done well in that local
ity and is an enthusiast over that
part of the country.
There could be column after col
umn of Mr. Towner's delightful re
collections printed as he is a clear
and lucid talker with a Bplendld re
collection of men and events in early
Nebraska, but space forbids it. He
will be here until tomorrow (Satur
day) when he expects to depart for
his home. He Is a fine man and it
Is to be hoped that he can be able
to later add even more to the con
tributions which he has made to early
Cass county and Nebraska history.
A
Representatives of the Order in
the City Today.
Frtm Friday' Dally.
The Journal today was in receipt
of a pleasant call from Messrs. Geo.
Brophy of Omaha and J. D. Penn
ington of Wymore, who are in the
city looking after the organization of
a branch of the American Railroad
Employes and Investors association
In this city. Tho gentlemen spent
the day interviewing various railroad
men and others and lining things up
for a meeting to be held In the fu
ture. Mr. Brophy Is a former rail
road man, having been Auployed for
many years on the Union Pacific and
other lines, while Mr. Pennington is
an old Burlington employe. Both
men are excellent gentlemen and
good business men. Mr. Brophy was
a candidate before the Democratic
primaries two years ago this fall
for the nomination for railroad com
missioner and came very close to
receiving It. He is in every way
qualfled and would have made an ex
cellent official.
The organization which they rep
resent in this city was established
two years ago and Its declaration of
principles state it to be an organiza
tion to cultivate and maintain be
tween its members a spirit of mu
tual interest and concern for the
welfare and prosperity of American
railroads and to promote their suc
cessful and profitable operation and
malntenace for the benefit of the
employes, investors and the public.
It Is also aimed to promote a friend
ly feeling for the railroads on the
part of the public and to obtain con
sideration and hearing for the rail
roads from legislative bodies and
commissions which may enact laws,
rules and the like governing them.
To insure a fair return on the Invest
ment to labor and capital of the
roads with due regard to efficient
service, fair treatment and safety to
the public. The association provides
that It shall not be used for partisan
purposes and that It Bhall not Inter
fere in any manner in controversies
between the railroads and their em
ployes. The declaration of princi
ples Is a strong and sensible one and
If lived up to, would promote the
Interests of the entire country with
out doubt.
The organization during Its less
Sthan two years of life has been very
largely recruited from the ranks of
the railroad employes, Investors and
tho like class of people and its mem
bership now is very large through
out the country. It Is being extend
ed in every direction and the pros
pects are that by the end of this
year it will be a powerful and influ
ential body throughout the entire
country. At the present time parti
cular interest is attracted to it and
its operation by the state of the rail
road stock and bond market. With
the injunction against the roads to
prevent them raising freight rates
and several recent supreme court de
cisions affecting them, conditions in
railroad circles are very unsettled
and uncertain.
Blunt Ntill in Jail.
Grant Blunt who Is in Jail held
for grand larceny, has not yet been
arraigned but he probably will bo
this afternoon or tomorrow boiiio
time. Tho local officials of tho Mis
souri Pacific are still trying to get
word to Special Aent Kcndrlck to
arrive here and fix tho time when
he can como County Attorney Ram
sey Intends to start tho ball rolling.
W. H. Hell and son of Pleasant
View farm near Cedar Creek, were
in the city yesterday arternoon at
tending to business.
H
RAILROAD
ooo mi
NEW 0 0
BUSES
TROUBLE
II
Residents Near the Big Island
Disposed to Raise Protest.
The proposed new road from this
city to Rock Bluffs which was to
have been built along the bank of
the Missouri river seems likely to run
up against some obstacles before it
comes to a happy end. There seems
to be no opposition to its building
until the big island below the bridge
and this Bide of Rock Bluffs Is reach
ed, but at that point there is a sharp
diversity of opinion concerning the
matter. As proposed the road would
run down the west bank of the river
to the head of the island where it
would continue on dowu the west
side of the solugh between tho main
land and the Island and on down to
Rock Bluffs. It is along the west
bank of the slough that the troubla
has arisen. Property owners at this
point insist that the road be swung
across to tho island at its head, a
dike being put In across the slough
at that point and also at the lower
point. There la a dike at the upper
end now but this would havo to
be widened and strengthened against
high water or overflows while there
Is no dike at the lower end. The
property owners along the west shore,
of tho slough maintain that this must
be dono or they want damages. Those
whose land extend across the slough
are willing to have a road through
It down the island without damages
being assessed. So far claims have
been filed for damages In caso tho
road is built along the west side of
the slough. These are Ben Decker
for $150, Mrs. Ben Decker $450,
Hiram Sheldon $150 and J. W. Dixon
$100. Whether or not a remon
strance agnlnst tho proposed road
along the west side of the sloufeh will
be filed or not Is uncertain, although
one was circulated and signed by
residents of that neighborhood sev
eral days since.
Meet Officers.
The meeting of the Red Men last
evening was largely attended and har
monious and considerable business
was done in addition to the semi
annual election of officers. A num
ber of candidates were present and
took the obligation and the mem
bership of the order Is steadily climb
ing up grade. It is now perhaps the
largest single lodge in the city with
prospects of Boon being much larg
er. The election of officers result
ed in the election of the following,
most of whom were re-elected:
John Cory Sachem.
J. C. York, Prophet.
A. H. Koubek, Senior Sagamore.
Wm. Hlnrichsen, Junior Sagamore.
Keeper of Record- Emtl Walters
and Keeper of Wampum, Thomas
Walling, held over. In another col
umn appears the statement of the
work of the meeting toward a Fourth
of July celebration which will be
held.
Bad Luck in lU-tiirnlnjr.
Messrs. D. O. Dwyer, J. W.- John
son and Dr. J. S. Livingston yester
day made a trip out near Murdock
to appraise the farm of the late John
Bauer, returning in the evening. The
party had a disastrous experience
when Borne twenty miles from the
city on their way home. Mr. Dwyer's
car in which they were making the
trip became rebellious and refused
to come back home, and all the
coaxing the gentlemen would do
would not enthuse it. They had to
wait until a car could be sent from
here to relieve them, the telephone
being called Into action for obtaining
It. They were some tired and more
or less peeved over the misadven
ture. A d'ood Mian.
County Superintendent King of
Otoe county, came up Wedosday from
Nebraska City for a conference with
the members of tho board of educa
tion of this city regarding the super
intendency of the city schools here.
Prof. King la an excellent man and
a flno edurator and the city schools
would profit largely by securing such
a man as head of them. Ho stand
very high in Otoe county and has
been sosuccessfu 1 u holding tho
position of county superintendent
that no opposition to him material
ized for some time.
A. Bach, tho grocer, is a business
visitor today in Omaha, going up to
that city this morning.
