O
Nebraska State Histori
cal Society
VOL. NO. XLI
PLATTSHOUTH. NEBRASKA. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1925.
NO. 2
A
(
KING OF TRAILS
BRIDGE COMPANY
FORMED FRIDAY
(MEETING AT, OMAHA MAKES A
START TOWARD ULTIMATE
. ' FREE BRIDGE HERE.
A. SCHNEIDER PRESIDENT
St rture to Cost $125,000 and Will
e Fart of the K. of T. High
way System When Done.
Yesterday at Omaha was complet
ed the plans for the launching of the
King of Trails Bridge company, with
the purpose of constructing a new
steel and concrete bridge over the
Platte river north of Plattsmouth,
with the intention, as the members
of the company state, of making the
bridge a free structure as soon as the
amount of the investment is return
ed in tolls, at which time the bridge
will be transferred to the counties
of Cass and Sarpy to be operated as
a non-toll bridge.
The bridge, it is stated will cost
in the neighborhood of $125,000
and will be a structure made in
strict compliance with the require
ments of the state and fede.al gov
ernment regulat'ons so that when it
is taken over by the counties it will
fit in with the plans of the comple
tion of the great King of Trails
highway.
The new bridge will be 20 feei
wide, capable of holding two streams
of traffic and with an 80-ton capac
ity. There will be 100 foot spans,
twelve of them being used, which
are to be of steel and supported by
concrete. The roadbed of the bridge
will also be of concrete.
"While the exact location of the
new bridge has not been decided up
on, it is expected that the structure
will be erected east of ' thefiesent
line of bridges rnd giving a straight
road from the &outh to .the bridge in
stead of the present roadway to the,
auto and wagon bridge west of the
Nord corner.
The new bridge when it is turned
over to the counties will eliminate
the last toll bridge in the state and
the members of the company in their
by-laws have made agreement that
the bridge Fhall be turned over, an
roon as the amount of the invest
ment to the stockholders has been
returned. This will enable the ex
tension c the federal and Etate aid
to the bip-hv: y north of thi9 city
which has been held back heretofore,
the members ef the company Et"te.
allowing the completion rf the King
of Trails highway from Kans:is City
to Omaha. In the past it hns been
i;npoi?siblf to secure federal aisist--nee
on the highway south of Fort
Crook and north cf Plattsmouth
The meeting of thor-o interefted ?n
the c ompany at O mha yc5?i:rday
took up the adoption cf I he by-laws
and also the election of officers and
the following were selected:
President Henry A. Schneider,
Plattsmouth.
Vice President Everett Bucking
ham. Omaha
Secretary Searl S. Davis.
Directors H. A. Schneider, Frank
M. Bestor. Senrl S. Davis and R. A.
Troon, of Plattsmouth; Everett
Buckingham. T. C. Byrne and W. B
Cheek, of Omaha.
The company will start their ac
tive work at once and hope to have
this rtructure under way in a short
time, which will mnrk one of the im
portant links in the great King of
Trails highway that extends from
the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian
border and is the second heaviest
traveled highway in the state of Ne
braska. as in the summer season it
has from 700 to 1,200 cars daily
over it.
The project has been" considered
for some time following the failure
to secure the present bridge by the
county commissioners, and undr the
agreement as entered into in the by
laws of the company, the members
feel confident that they will be able
to secure the needed federal aid on
the highway.
The funds for the erection of the
bridge have been secured on pledges
from the residents of Cass, Sarpy and
Douglas counties and include in the
list of the promoters of the project
in addition to those who have been
elected as the officers were, George
Brandeis. Walter W. Head, Frank S
Keogh, F. H. Davis, Gould Deitz. Joe
Kelly and President Davidson of the
Nebraska Power Co.
ENJOY PLEASANT PARTY
Iast evening a number of young
people were very pleasantly enter
tained at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Ed Dragoo and the event one that
was enloyed to the utmost bv all of
the members of the Dartv. The time
was spent in games of all kinds and
several musical numbers by the
members of the party while during
the evening. William Matschullat
entertained the members of the party
with several stunts. Those attend-
ing the event were:- Misses Velma
and Bessie Bushnell. Ida and Mary
McFarland, William Matsehullat,
Charles Fulton and John McFarland.
GIVES BRIDGE LUNCHEON
From Friday's Daily
Mrs. "V. J. Streight entertained
twelve friends delightfully at lunch
con yesterday at her home in honor
of her sister, Mrs. Edwin T. Dutcher
of Warrensburg, Missouri, for whom
a number of parties have been given
during her visit here.
The table was most attractive in
a color scheme of pink, sweet peas,
favors and place cards Carrying out
the color scheme, colored ices and
candies in pink hearts suggesting the
Valentine season. Following the
luncheon the guests played auction
bridge at which Mrs. G. E. DeWolf
was the winner. Mrs. Lynn Minor
won low prize and Mrs. Dutcher the
handsome guest prize.
YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE MARRIED
IN IOWA
Miss Edith K. Yelick and J. Henry
Leacock of This City Joined in
Wedlock Yesterday.
From Thursday's Oally
Yesterday afternoon at the par
sonage of the First Methodist church
at Council Bluffs, Iowa, occurred the
marriage of two of the well known
young people of this city, Miss Edith
K. Yelick and Mr. J. Henry Leacock.
The wedding was a very simple
one, the young people being accomp
anied on their mission of happiness
by Mr. and Mrs. Hans Heinrich, the
latter a sister of the groom, and on
reaching the Iowa city they repair
ed to the parsonage where Rev. An
derson united them in the bonds of
holy wedlock.
The bride was attractively gowned
in brown flat crepe and wore a pic
ture hat to match.
Following the wedding the bridal
party returned home on the after
noon Burlington train to receive the
congratulations and well wishes of
their relatives and friends.
, Mr. and Mrs. Leacock will be at
home to their friends after February
Sth at the home, 415 South Fifth
street.
Both of the contracting parties are
nembers of the graduating class of
1924 of the Plattsmouth high school
and their school day romance has de
veloped into the decision that they
will take up life's journey together
until the close of their lives. The
bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
James Yelick and wa3 born and rear
ed in this city where she is univer
sally loved and esteemed by a large
circie oi" friends. The groom is a son
of Mr. a, id Mrs. Henry H. Leacock
and has mane his home here for the
post three years and is numbered
as one of the very finest young men
in the omniuniiy. He is an employe
of the Burlington in the local shops,
where he has the confidence and es
teem of all his associates. Both Mr.
and Mrs. Leacock have been very ac
tive in the religious and social life
oi' the Methodist church and their
friends there will be pleased to learn
that they expect to continue to make
their home here.
The Journal joins with the other
friends of the young people in wish
ing them all the joy and happiness
that they so well deserve.
ENTERTAIN AT BRIDGE
From Friday's Daily
Last evening, Mrs. C. A. Rosen-
crans ana Miss Marie Fitzgerald
were hostesses at a very pleasant
bridge party at the Rosencrans home
whoch was enjoyed to the utmost
by the ladies who were iu attend
ance.
The home was arranged in a col
or scheme of red, the Valentine sea
son being followed in the decorations
and which added to the delightful-
ness of the occasion and the enjoy
ment of the ladies.
There were four tables of bridge
and the first honors were won by
Miss Marie Soennichsen while the
consolation prize was awarded to
Miss Frances Weber of Chicago.
At a suitable hour the members
of the party were served with very
dainty and delicious refreshments
by the hostesses who were assisted
by Mrs. Ralph Johnson.
APPOINTED ON SOLDIERS'
RELIEF COMMISSION
The board of county commission
ers at their session this week made
the appointment of G. W. Peterson,
of Eagle, as a member of the sol
diers' relief commission for Cass
county. Mr. Peterson is one of the
old veterans in the third commis
sioner's district and will assist in
the administering of this county
fund for the old civil war veterans.
MRS. BRENDEL AT HOSPITAL
From Fridays rMlly
' Mrs. B. F. Brendel, one of the old
and highly respected residents of
j Murray, is now at the hospital in
Omaha where she was taken on
. Thursday for treatment and a slight
j operation. The many friends are
: hopeful that she may find permanent
relief In the course of treatment at
; the hospital and eoon be able to re-
turn to her home.
ROBERT BAXTER WINDHAM
CALLED TO LAST REWARD
Pioneer Statesman and Lawyer Passed Away
at Home Here Last Evening After a
Long Period of 111 Health.
A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY SINCE 1867
Deceased Had Served Many Terms as Member of the State
Legislature and Was Prominently Mentioned for
Governor of Nebraska Several Times.
Calmly and peacefully facing the
breaking lights of the distant shores
of the land of everlasting day, Rob
ert Baxter AYindham, pioneer soldier,
lawyer and statesman, passed on last
evening and with his going there
passed one of tiie best known and
distinguished residents of Cass coun
ty and Nebraska.
The story of the life of Mr. Wind
ham is a part of the history of Ne
braska, as he has taken part in the
making of a great deal of the his
torical development of his adopted
state and given to the people of the
community a service that is without
price and unselfishly he has served
to do all that was possible to make
the land that he loved worthy of tho
highest ideals.
Robert Baxter Windham was born
in St. Joseph, Missouri, July 5, 1846,
and spent a few years of tender
childhood there, being taken when a
child of nine years by his parents to
Glenwood, Iowa, then one of the out
posts of the great unknown west. In
the quiet little Mills county city he
grew to manhood and received his
education in the schools of that
place. There was received the basis
of the ideals that were to guide him
through life and enable him to give
to his state and community his
splendid service.
When seventeen years of age, Mr.
Windham entered the Iowa state
militia and served in it for some time
in the outbreaks that followed the
drafts that were ordered by the gov
ernment. In 1864, Mr. Windham enlisted in
Co. K, 4 6th Iowa infantry, serving
under Col. David B. Henderson, lat
er congressman from that state and
speaker of the national house of rep
resentatives. The military service
of Mr. Windham covered the cam
paign in western Tennessee and
northern Mississippi.
After the close of the Civil war,
Mr. Windham returned west and in
1867 came to Plattsmouth, Nebras
ka, to cast his lot with that little
frontier town and where the rest of
his lifetime was spent, a great part
in public service.
Feeling the desire to enter the
law profession, Mr. Windham enter
ed the law offices of Hon. Samuel
Maxwell, later supreme judge of the
state, and completing his studies In
this city, on the advice of Judge
Maxwell, entered the University of
Michigan where he completed the
law course and then returned to
Plattsmouth to take up for himself
the practice of law. At the time of
his death, Mr. Windham was one of
the oldest of the alumni of the Uni
versity of Michigan.
He opened his law office in this
city in 1873 and continued in active
1 practice up to a few weeks ago when
i i
, i
O i
I ROBERT BANTER WINDHAM
1
i '
I )
, t U 1
his ill health made necessary his
closing the office and retiring. Dur
ing his years of practice, Mr. Wind
ham served several times as city at
torney of Plattsmouth and in which
capacity he handled much extensive
litigation.
The deceased was for a period of
20 years the president of the Cass
county bar association and was one
of its most distinguished members.
In the summer of 1S7S Mr. Wind
ham, at the urgent requests of his
friends over Cass county, became a
candidate for the state legislature
and was elected by A large majority
and was re-elected in 1S2 2 and 1883.
In the session of the sixteenth ses
sion in 1S82 he was speaker pro-tern
of the house of representatives and
also served as chairman of the ju
diciary committee of the house. He
was again selected as the represen
tative of Cass county in 1905 and in
1918 was again called to serve thr
people of his county with honor and
distinction and his splendid services
were very valuable in forming legis
lation for the young state.
In the year 1902, Mr. Windham
was strongly urged by his friends
over the state to enter the race for
the republican nomination for gover
nor of Nebraska, hut owing to the
bereavement that had come to him
at that time he declined the prof
fered honor and devoted himself to
his business interests and the care
of his family, then all of tender
years.
In 1900 Mr. Windham was named
as one of the presidential electors
from Nebraska and assisted in cast
ing the vote of this state for McKin
ley and Roosevelt. Mr. Windham
was also for several 3years a trustee
of the state institution, the school
for the dumb at Omaha and the
school for the blind at Nebraska
City. He served under Governor
John H. Mickey; George L. Sheldon
and A. C. Shallenberger.
In the year 1879 in this city, Mr.
Windham was married to Miss Jen
nie Campbell Patterson, daughter of
Hon. James M. Patterson, long a
prominent figure in the history of
Cass county. To this union there
were born five sons and three daugh
ters, one son, Jamie, and the wife
preceding Mr. Windham in death.
The surviving children are: Wade
W. Windham, Lincoln; Robert
Windham, Plattsmouth; Benjamin
Windham, residing in California;
Samuel C. Windham of Cedar Rap
id.1?, Iowa; Miss Hermie Windham of
Plattsmouth; Mrs. Ellen Sturgess of
Omaha and Mrs. Kathryn Riddle of
West Palm Beach, Florida. All of
the children will be here for the final
services with the exception of Sam-
uel, who is at the hospital in Omaha
recovering from an operation.
Mr. Windham was one of the char
ter members of the Methodist church
in this city and has long been iden
tified with the activities of the
church, as a teacher in the Sunday
school, a worker in the musical de
partment of the church and also a
member of the official board for many
years.
The1 deceased wac r.lso one of the
founders of the Grand Army of the
Republic and has held many offices
in the state organization of that
patriotic body, his last duties being
as the judge advocate of the depart
ment of Nebraska. He has continued
active in the local post up until the
last few weeks when he was strick
en down and compelled to remain at
his borne as the last days of life drew
near.
Mr. Windham was also one of the
officers of the Nebraska Territorial
Pioneers association and held many
offices in that organization of the old
settlers of the state.
The funeral services of Mr. Wind
ham will be held on Sunday after
neon at 2:30 from the First Metho
dist church of which he has so long
been a member and the body will be
laid to rest in Oak Hill cemetery be
side the wife and son.
IN MEMORIAN
"V Robert Baxter Windham !-
True Heroism A Tribute
Life, indeed, is one great - contin
uous drama, where each generation
steps upon the stage, plays its part,
selects its heroe3 and heroines, dis
lrys the theme which calls forth all
the resources and powers of its chief
ict.ora. writes its part of earth's his
tory and passes on.
In each generation appear some
noble souls who seem to have caught
inspiration from the very breath of
God. They emerge from the valley
cf commonplace life; are seen by a
few, struggling up the mountain
side. They clamber over peaks and
crags, cross chasms, struggle on, un
Tiindful of the ibes and scoffs of the
dust-earth: below,, '.until they reach
ie sennit ottUeir.i':est, where
they tanrT aglow with the conscious
ness of the presence of the Divine,
and signal to coming generations to
climb higher toward the Infinite.
Our generation i? playing its part.
Our little community furnishes one
of the scenes which has its heroes
and heroines. The3e are not heroes
or bygone days. Mail-clad knights
with flaming banners courting death
as the price of glory do not appear.
Roland and Oliver; Tanrred and
Godfrey; Bertrand and Chevalier
Bayard have long since gone. Yet
for more than a third of a century,
in our very midst, a hero of finer
qualities, broader vision, greater
purpose and sublimer courage than
all these, has acted his part in the
great drama, in the presence of us
nil. Unnoticed, perhaps, by gallery
and pit. but without doubt has re
ceived the plaudits of the angels of
God.
For several da3's the death angel
has hovered over our little city with
message in hand and last eventide
knocked at the door of Robert B.
Windham's heart and bade him
come. Too much cannot be said of
this good man's life. In the flush of
young manhood he was left alone
with eight 6mall children depending
on his care. With fidelity and self
sacrifice rarely seen, alone, he look
up the task of their nurture and edu
cation. In all the years that followed, he
never faltered nor complained, main
tained a home and reared them all to
manhood and womanhood. By the
circumstances of life, two grand
children, also, became largely de
pendent upon his bounty and care.
Here, also, he never faltered for a
moment, assumed the duty, gave
them the best he had and in his last
days were the objects of his greatest
solicitude.
His home cares, duties and bur
dens, however great, did not absorb
his entire interest in the way of life.
He was active in all the civic duties
of his home town, county and state.
He became influential in the affairs
of his church, the community, po
litical activities and in all move
ments tending toward public wel
fare. He has lived the alloted time
of life, openly in our midst, without
a blot or blur upon his good name.
We shall miss our friend upon the
street, in the office, in public gather
ings, in the church and, indeed, in
all the affairs of our loved commun
ity, but his memory will endure. He
was our friend and we were his.
Adieu, noble soul!
A FRIEND.
LOCATE AT LINCOLN
South Bend, Neb. Feb. 6. Mr. V.
H. Kitrell. who is associated with
the sand business in South Bend, was
a visitor at Lincoln for the past few
days and while there arranged to
move to University Place, and will
in the future be associated with a
firm there as one of the predominat
ing partners in the sand business and
will still retain his interests in
South Bend, but will have offices in!
University Place. Mr. Kitrell, with
his family, will move to University'
Place on February 16th, where they'
Holdrege Btreet and Warran Avenue.
! JOSEPH SMETANA
IS MARRIED AT SE
DALIA, MISSOURI
Pormer Well Known Plattsmouth
Your.g Man Weds Lady of
. the Missouri City.
From Friday's Daily
The announcement has been re
ceived here by the relatives of the
groom announcing the marriage of
Miss Nora Simmons and Mr. Joseph
Snu-tana. which occurred this week
at Sedalia, Missouri, where the con
tracting parties are making their
homes.
The wedding came as very pleas
ant news to the friends here as the
happy event had been anticipated for
some time by the relatives and close
fripnd nf flip ernntii here.
' The bride is a daugffter of Mr. and
Irs. William Simmons of Sedalia
and is one of the highly esteemed
end popular young ladies of that
jcity, where she has so long made her
j home and passesses a very large
circle of friends in the home town.
The groom was born and reared in
this city and is the eldest son of Mr.
and Mrs. Louis Smetana and a young
man highly esteemed by those who
have the pleasure of knowing him.
Mr. Smetana was one of the Platts
mouth boys to go first into the ser
vice of his country at the outbreak
of the World war and served for
more than two years in the navy.
For the past two years he has been
located at Sedalia, where he is in
the employ of the Missouri Pacific
at its shops there and among his as-
rociates he is held in the highest
esteem.
The friends here will Join in wish
ing Mr. and Mrs. Smetana much
happiness and success in the years
that lie before them.
FINDS BOOKS OF
LOAN ASSOCIA
TION CORRECT
Auditor Completes Work of Audit
ing Books of Plattsmouth Loan
and Building Association.
From Friday's Dally
For the past two weeks the direc
tors of the Plattsmouth Loan &
Building association have had Frank
E. Schlater, expert bookkeeper, en
gaged in the task of making a thor
ough audit of the books of this fin
ancial association and which has
just been completed by Mr. Schlater.
The report of the auditor shows
that the books of all of the officers
:ire in the best of shapes and kept in
a splendid andefficient manner that'
is most pleasing to the stockholders, j
The condition of the building and :
loan association is the very best that ,
could be desired and gives a real j
showing of the financial institution
of this city.
The Piattsmouth Loan & Building
association has been conducted along
the most strict and conservative lines
and with the result that it Is safe
and sound and managed in a real
business like manner.
Journal Want Ads pay. Try them.
13
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If
The First national bank
THE BANK W HERE YOU HEEL AT H OMK
PLATTSMOUTH .
"The Bank Where
S3
ORGANIZE NEW CLUB
From Friday's Daily
Last evening the M. X. S. club
was organized at the home of Miss
'Catherine Schneider where a number
of the young ladies of the high
school assembled to enjoy the eve
ning and start the club on its way
in the most pleasant manner. The
officers selected by the club were:
President, Jean Tidball; Vice-President.
Kathleen Troop; Secretary,
Ruth Tidball; Treasurer, Catherine
I Schneider.
After the social pleasures of the
evening and at an appropriate hour
the hostess served very dainty and
delicious refreshments.
YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE WEDDED AT
COUNCIL BLUFFS
Miss Violet Carroll of Near This City
and Mr. Charles Atterberry are
Married In Iowa City.
From Friday's Daily
Yesterday Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Atterberry returned home from
Council Bluffs where they were mar
ried on Wednesday afternoon at 4
o'clock at the county court house in
that city.
The bride was Miss Violet Carroll,
who resides on a farm south of this
city and where she has made her
home since a child of four years and
where she possesses a large circle of
warm friends. She i3 a daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Campbell and a
young lady of much charm of person
ality and who is held in the deepest
affection by those who know her.
The groom is one of the well
known young men of the eastern
portion of Cass county, coming here
several years ago from his home in
Kansas and has been for a greater
part of the time engaged in road
work for the county along the K. of
T. highway and has lately been en
gaged in business in Union.
The many friends of the young
people Join In extending to them
their-best wi&hes for their future
happiness and success.
MES. W. H. BUSH PASSES AWAY
From Frlday'B Daily
Mrs. W. II. Rush, one of the most
excellent of women and one whom
everybody in the vicinity of Mur
dock, and, in fact, the entire portion
of the county in which she lived
and from which she removed with
her husband, some two years ago, to
Harlingen, Texas, answered the call
of the Angel of death at her home
last Thursday morning. A message
from a daughter, Mrs. Brittain. of
Harlingen, Texas, to Miss Viola
Everett, of Murdock, told of her
passing away and the starting of the
funeral cortege to Lincoln where two
of the daughters, Mesdames Milles
and Way, are making their home.
Mrs. Rush is mourned by the hus
band and seven daughters. The
daughters are Edna, Vera, Nellie,
Jessie, Leona, Mabel and Mary. Mrs.
Jamas Foreman of near Alvo, is a
sister of Mrs. Rush. At this writing
nothing is known as to the arrange
ments of the funeral or where the
interment will be.
As you think so you eventually
look.
i
NEBKASKA.
You Feel at Home!"