Society
lattemoutb 3ourna
VOL. no. xivn
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA. THURSDAY. SEPT. 10. 1931.
NO. 64
IP
American Legion
Picnic is Largely
Attended Sunday
Dinner and Program of Music as
Well as Ball Game and Plane
Serve to Entertain
The America?) Legion public picnic
h-id on Sunday at Naeves park was
very largely attended by the resi
dents of this city as well as larg
nuniber of Nebraska City and Omaha
people who came to join in the pleas
am event.
The first feature of the day was
the cafeteria dinner which was served
by the members of the American
Legion auxiliary and which consisted
of the home style fried chicken,
beans, which were especially pre
pared for the former service men.
potatoe salad and the buttered rolls.
The serving was carried on in fine
shape and the members of the party
handled with speed and dispatch.
Following the dinner at noon the
Bingo game served to add to the in
terest until the band concert by the
Lewiston-Nehawka musical organi
zation which has grown into one of
the most popular of its kind in the
county and as usual this clever or
ganization acquitted themselves with
the highest honors in everj" way.
For the lovers of the athletic sports
the Manky-Plattsmouth Merchants
baseball team staged a real battle on
the ball grounds east of the main
park that drew a very large num
ber. One of the points of attraction was
the airplane which was operated by
Pilot Wilson, former army aviator,
who was kept busy taking up the
large number of persons who desired
to view the landscape from the skies
and the pilot gave the patrons many
thrills as the plane swept them
around over the vicinity of the park.
In the evening the Elks band of
riattsmouth under the direction of
W. R. Holly gave a fine concert at
the main pavilion, offering a program
of the popular standard numbers and I
which was much enjoyed by the larg2
audience.
The picnic was closed by the dance
and in which the orchestra arranged
by C. A. Marshall furnished some
real snappy music for the edification
of the dancers from this locality.
CUBA LAND 0? UNREST
Saturday evening Mr. and Mrs.
J. E. Worley of Lincoln with their
children. Leonard. Max and Robert,
were here to spend the evening and
en route to Omaha where they ac
companied Mrs. V. V. Leonard home.
There they were joined by Mr. and
Mrs. Donald Leonard of Lincoln and
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Jackson of Omaha
for the reunion.
Leonard Worley, eldest son of Mr.
and Mrs. Worley, who is now a stu
dent at Harvard university where he
expects soon to receive his master's
degree, has just returned from Cuba
where he with several other students
were engaged in some research work
in the island republic. Mr. Worley
states the conditions there are up
set by the revolutionary movements
and while the press dispatches are
censored as to the conditions there is
a strong desire on the part of a part
of the people to try and force the
intervention of the United States in
the hope of settling the affairs of
the republic. Large numbers of the
Americans are returning to the
states owing to the unsettled condi
tion. Only the night before the de
parture of Mr. Worley, the Havana
branch of one of the large American
retail firms was bombed and badly
damaged and other moves of a like
nature are made with the desire to
cause the American government to
make some move toward interven
tion. DOES WHOLESALE BUSINESS
Judge Charles L. Graves has ac
quired a great popularity as a marry
ing judge and in the recent weeks
there have been a number here to
have the matrimonial knot tied by
the genial judge and justice of the
peace, making a pleasant diversion
to the court whose usual clients are
"hose who promise never to get in
that shape again and received the
c ustomary $10 and costs.
Sunday Judge Graves was visited
by a party of four young people, all
from Omaha, who announced their
desire of becoming joined in the
bonds of wedlock. They were Miss
Fern W. Hunt and Clifford Matson
and Miss Opal Epperson and Herman
W. Wagner. The wedding ceremony
was performed in the usual impres
sive manner and the young people
served as witnesses for each other.
RETURNS TO DAKOTA
Miss Maybelle Taplett. who has
been here for the summer at the
h ime of her parents. Mr. and Mrs.
H. L. Taplett. has returned to Ty
dall. South Dakota, where she is
leaching in the schools of that place.;
Herman Taplett, who has been in
rn.kota for the tummer has return
ed home and will assist in the Sweet
shop here this fall and winter. Th.
Taplett family have also just com
pleted their nv..ving from the D. C.
Mnrtxn home U lb isidence
Tiy Mrs. j. j. iK.nelan on North
Sixth street.
HOLDS OPENING SERVICES
Canon Petter. the new rector at
the St. Luke's Episcopal church, had
the first services of his pastorate
Sunday with the celebration of the
Holy Eucharist at 7:30 and 9 in the
morning. The sermon of the new rec
tor was a splendid one and inspiring
to all of the members of the parish
who were in attendance at the ser
vice. Canon Petter and wife are lo
cating in the rectory of the church as
soon as possible and are now enter
ing on the church work in the com
munity to which they have come.
The residents of the city will join
in a very cordial welcome to this
estimable couple.
P!attsmouth
Young People
Wed in Sarpy
Miss Margaret Shellenbarger and
Mr. Gilbert H. Hirz Wedded
at M. E. Parsonage.
The wedding of the popular mem
bers of the younger social set of the
city occ-urred on Friday afternoon.
September 4th at Springfield, in
Sarpy county when Miss Margaret
Sheilenbarger and Mr. Gilbert H.
Hirz of this city were joined in the
bonds of wedlock.
The wedding came as a surprise to
the host of friends, the bridal coupie
with Miss Lucille Albert and Ches
ter Wiles, their attendants, motor
ing to Papillion where the license
was secured and the young people
then drove to Springfield to the wed
ding. The marriage lines were read by
the Rev. V. R. Daniels ofthe First
Methodist church of Springfield and
following the wedding the bridal
party returned home to keep the fact
of the ceremony a secret until the
announcement was made today by
the parents.
Both of the young people are mem
bers of the class of 1931 of the
Plattsmouth high school, and their
marriage is the culmination of a
school day romance.
The bride is the eldest daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Shellenbarger
and is one of the popular residents
of the community and a leader in the
musical and social life of the com
munity in which she has been such
a charming figure. The groom is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Hirz. born
;. nd reared in this community and
where he nas a host of warm friends.
Mr. Hirz was very active In the
high school athletics while a stu
dent. Mr. and Mrs. Hirz are planning on
making their home here for the pres
ent at least and on the new found
happiness that has come to them they
will receive the heartiest well wishes
oi the many friends and in which the
Journal joins.
DROP DOUBLE HEADER
The Plattsmouth Merchants base
ball team who were victors a week
ago Sunday over the South Side Mer
chants and Sunday over Manley.
dropped both games of a double
header at the Athletic park Labor
day by the score of 5 to 2 and 9 to
8.
In the opening game Richard Her
old was on the mound for the locals
and had difficulty in getting them
over as many were walked in this
game but the hits were kept well
scattered, but blows in critical
stages gave the visitors the win.
In this game the local huner did his
best to win with a triple that how
ever was wasted as his teammates
w-re unable to connect to permit the
scoring.
The second game was one in which
the lead was shifted frequently and
as tha last innings drew near victory
looked bright for the Merchants but
the South Siders were able to poke
out the necessary runs that gave
them a one point lead. Connors, who
had pitched Sunday for the local
team took the mound, was hit hard
but brilliant fielding held down the
margin of the hits. The sixth inning
was the big one for the Plattsmouth
as Skomal, who was trying the iron
man stunt, hurling both games for
the South Siders. was hit heavily
and brought the score to eight to
six for the Plattsmouth team, one of
these being a circuit drive by Rich
ard Herold. the bail alighting in
Washington avenue and the runner
safe before it could be returned to
the diamond.
In the seventh and concluding inn
ing the Omaha team placed several
short flies into the sunny left field
that it was impossible to handle and
which allowed them to place three
men over the plate for a win.
WILL ATTEND MEETING
From Tuesday's Dany
William F. Evers, superintendent
of the Nebraska Masonic Home in
this city, departed today for Toronte.
Canada, where he gows to attend the
meeting of the Masonic Relief Asso
ciation, comprising the United States
and Canada. Mr. Evers goes as the
representative of the grand lodge of
the A. F. & A. M. of Nebraska. The
meeting will bring together a great
body of the representatives o( the or
der in the two countries.
Merchants Win
Fast Game from
Manley Sunday
Two Fast Young; Ttams Battle
5 to 3 Score tm Locals at
the Leirion Picnic.
to
The Manley and Plattsmouth Mer-cii.'-nts
baseball teams Sunday after
i "n gave the fans attending the
American Legion picnic a real treat
in ; hard fought game that was not
decided until the last moments when
the lead that the Merchants had
rolled up in the eighth remained un
touched, with the final score 5 to
O .
The came was repeatedly tied up
by the two teams and it looked good
for extra innings when the eighth
frame rally of the Merchants gave
them a comfortable margin for vic
tory. The first scoring was in the last
of the fourth inning for the Mer
chants when Peter Herold doubled
and later scored on the fly of King
Poisall to left.
The visitors took two runs in the
sixth for a one :un lead on the local
ball tossers. when Suavely, the first
man up hit for two bases and was
followed by Decker with a fly out to
Happy Connors and C. Livingston
who retired on a long drive to left
that Richard Herold easily took.
Tommy Snipes, the tall and husky
first baseman of the visitors then
with a safe blow registered Snavely
and was advanced on the walk of J.
Livingston and scored when Ham
merdorf hit safely.
The next scoring was in the lucky
seventh when the Merchants took
two runs to acquire a lead for a few
moments, successive two baggers by
King Poisall and "Stormy" Hall laid
the groundwork for scoring and on
two bad errors at the third sack the
limners were able to tally to make
the score three to two.
In the eighth frame the visitors
opened to make things look bad for
the locals by tying up the score when
Decker scored on his two bagger and
the bit of C. Livingston.
The last of the eighth saw the
demolishing of the hopes of the visi
tors however, when "Pud" Herold
hit safely and was followed by Rich
ard Herold who was walked and a
smash by "Stormy" brought in "Pud"
for another lead for the Merchants
and while the visitors were attempt
ing to catch Hall at second base.
Rich scored altho Hall was out and
the locals took a two score lead. The
inning was closed by the fly of George
Spidell to left field.
While Manley made a strong bid
for victory in the ninth when Lohnes
was walked and scored on the blow of
Snavely. but while a desperate ef
tempt was made to get away with
victory it was ineffective and the
visitors were retired.
The Manley team was a fine bunch
of young players and who gave a real
exhibition of the national pastime
and hope to have the Merchants visit
their city next Sunday for a return
game.
ENJOY WEEK END PARTY
Dr. John Christ and wife. Mr. and
Mrs. Ray Larson, and Mrs. Nellie De
Witt, all of Des Moines, Iowa, gath
ered at the Mr. and Mrs. A. S. Christ
home in this city the latter part of
the week for the week end visit.
It was really a surprise gathering,
as the three parties came in separate
cars, all unawares of the visit of the
other, and the entire party a com
plete surprise to Mr. and Mrs. Christ.
Th- Dr. is a brother of Austin, and
Ifn. I:. Witt is a sister-in-law of Mrs.
Christ. They returned home Sunday
evening.
CAR CATCHES AFIRE
From Tuesday's Daiiy
This morning the fire department
was called to North Fifth street
where it was found that the auto
mobile belonging to W. A. Becker
was on fire. The car. however, was
not greatly damaged as only the spare
tire was burned badly and one of the
rear tires of the car also suffered
some from the flames. The car had
been drained of gasoline and it is
thought that someone had spilled on
the ground and later caught fire, the
blaze spreading to the rear part of
the car.
TEACHERS HOLD MEETING
From Monday's Dally
The teachers in the city schools
all arrived here for the opening of
the school term tomorrow and today
t lie teachers assembled at the high
school to attend the teachers meeting
which was presided over by Super
intendent R. E. Bailey. The plans
for the year's work was taken up and
discu :,sed by the superintendent and
the teachers and all made ready for
the opening of the school.
RECEIVES FINE
Prom Tuesday s nany
This morning in the court of
Judge C. L. Graves, Ray Campbell
was arraigned on a charge of assault
end battery, the complaining wit
ness being Mrs. Campbell. After the
discussion of the case a plea of guilty
was made by the defendant, a fine of
$5 and costs being assessed. .
PAYS $100 FINE
From Tuesday's Diiiy
This morning in the county court.
William Starnes, colored man, of
Omaha, who was rec ently arrested at
Cnion, charged with possession of
intoxicating liquor, was brought be
fore the bar of justice and changed
his previous piea of not guilty to
that of guilty. The court after heaf
ing the facts in the case and the plea
of the defendant Jisessed a fine of
$100 and costs, which was paid and
Mr. Starnes returned to Omaha. The
charge against William Strotter, al
so of Omaha, was dismissed as there
was no evidence that he had any
ownership in the liquor.
Funeral oi a
Long Time Resi
dent on Monday
John Fight, 86. Laid to the Last
Long Rest in Community Where
He Had Long Been Active
The St. John's Catholic church
was filled to its capacity Monday
morning as the community gathered
to pay their last tributes to the mem
ory of John Fight, one of the last
of the civil war veterans of the ity
and who had spent many years as
a loved and honored citizen of the
community.
The requiem mass was celebrated
by Father Ceorge Agius, pastor of
the church, who also gave the ser
mon, paying special tribute to the
old resident who had laid aside the
burden of life to enter into the eter
nal rest.
During the services. John Cloidt
gave as a solo number. "There Is No
Heart Like Thine" and Mrs. Robert
Will. "Lead Kindly Night." Mr.
Cloidt and Frank M. Bestor were also
heard in a duet number.
At the close of 'the services the
body was borne to the Catholic ceme
tery west of the city where it was
consigned to the last rest. The pall
bearers were E. H. Schulhof. Frank
A. Cloidt. John M. Meisinger. Otto
Pietereit, John Bergman and John
Horn.
Mr. Fight was - native of Ger
many, coming to the United States
when but a child and grew to youth
in this country and when the dark
shadows of the civil war fell over
the nation he enlisted in the Union
army and served with distinction in
the campaign of the war under Gen
eral U. S. Grant. Following the close
of the civil war he came to Wiscon
sin and was united in marriage in
that state to Miss Grace Hagel, the
young people shortly after their
marriage coming to Cass county. Ne
braska, and where they have since
resided until a short time since w-u-n
the wife and mother was called to
rest and the husband has now ans
wered the last clear call. There is
surviving five children. W. A. Fight
of California. Mrs. Phillip Born. Mrs.
P. A. Horn and Frank Fight of this
city and Mrs. Thomas J. Sullivan of
Omaha.
WEDDINGS AT COURT HOUSE
Judge A. H. Duxbury was kept
busy today in the joining of the
lives and hearts of a large nunibt r
of young people from both Nebraska
and Iowa who came here to be join
ed in the bonds of wedlock. It was
a most pleasurabb morning for the
court as the "I Will" resounded
through the court room where us
ually there is only stories of stress
and wrongdoing aired.
The parties married were Miss
Myrtle I. Reynolds and John Welch
of Omaha, who were accompanied by
Mr .and Mrs. Clyde Jones.
Miss Wilma E. Malone of Elmwood
and Charles D. Fuhrer of Walton,
the bridal couple being accompanied
by Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bogenrief
of Elmwood.
Miss Ruth LaVerne Bargar and
Edwin Dail Wills, both of Ashland,
were united in marriage, with Mr.
and Mrs. E. L. Adcock of Ashland
serving as witnesses.
The Iowa couple wedded was Miss
Ora Marie Bean and James Mulvany,
both of Pacific Junction and who
were accompanied here by Misses
Alma Bean, sister of the bride, and
Miss Myrtle Norman, both of Paci
fic Junction.
TO LOCATE AT NEBRASKA CITY
W. J. Seydlitz, former manager
of the Parmele theatre, has located at
Nebraska City, where it is understood
he will be interested in the Over
land theatre at that place. The fam
ily household effects were moved
Monday and the family will locate
at once in the new home. Mr. Seyd
litz has been interested in the motion
picture business for the past few
years at Havelock and in this city.
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to take this means of ex
pressing our deepest appreciation of
the many acts of kindness shown us
and our loved father. John Fight,
also for the words of sympathy and
the beautiful flowers at the time f
our bereavement. These loving acts
by the friends and neighbors will al
ways be remembered with gratitude.
The Chlidren of John Fight.
Basket Factory
to Open in City
in Short Time
Nebraska Basket Company to Occupy
Former Redmen Enilding
With New Plant
A new industrv and one that has
promise of a bright future in the line
of expansion is to be opened in this
City within a very short time, the
Nebraska Basket Co., being the in
dustry and which has for its pur
pose the manufacture of basket.-; and
other articles of wood.
The new company is composed of
L. D. Hiatt of this city and Thomas
J. Slayman. of Omaha. Mr. Slayman
being the inventor of the special ma
chines that are to be used and which
have proven a distinct advancement
in the art of basket making.
The local plant will he able to
take the raw material, gathered from
the areas in this locality, and in the
machine perfected by Mr. Slayman.
will be able fo have the finished ma
terial ready for the baskets and the
forming machines handle a very
large number a minute as the b..sket::
are made ready for the market.
It is expected that the plant will
be ready for operation as scion as
the machines can be brought here
from Omaha where Mr. Slayman has
been operating his demonstration
plant, and installed in the factory in
the Redmen building, owned by Ed
ward Don at.
The splitting machine that Mr.
Slayman has invented is one that
handles 250 per minute and instead
of the necessity of the steaming and
stripping and then cutting into
strips, this machine takes the rough
wood and smooths and strips the
material at the same time and it is
then ready for the shaping machines.
In the opening the local plant will
be able to turn out from 100 to 150
dozen baskets per day and this out
put will be increased as the business
expands and it is expected that sev
eral car loads of the baskets will be
made this winter to supply the or
ders. The- plant will probably employe
six to eight persons in the start but
with the future of this line of manu
factury it is hoped to have from
seventy-five to one hundred in the
factory after the first few months
of the plant operation.
Mr. Slayman expects to establish
twenty of these plants in different
sections of the United States where
they will be able to supply widely
separated territories with the baskets.
With the improved machinery it
will be possible to turn out a greater
number of the baskets at a better
price than the other processes and
as the demand in this line is fast
growing the plant should be kept
busy from the start.
The active operation of the plant
will be looked after by Mr. Slayman
while Mr. Hiatt will be the business
manager of the plant and with these
two very able business men at the
head of the organization the Nebras
ka Basket Co. should be a real as
set to the community and supplying
the people of the central west with
one of the best line of baskets that
can be found at the price that will
make them attractive to the users of
larce qualities of these articles.
This factory is the starter of one
of the moves that should have been
made years ago to induce the estab
lishment of plants of this size and
which can expand into a large and
thriving industry, and the commun
ity should extend to the new plant
every aid and encouragement.
SAND FITTERS WIN
The Lyman-Richey sand and
gravel worker's baseball team Sun
day afternoon defeated the La Platte
team by the score of 18 to 5. The
Gravelers bad Dick March on the
mound and who was very effective
against the boys from Sarpy in the
pinches. The work of Ralph Hilt
at short was also a feature of the
game for the Gravelers.
The Gravelers are to meet the U. P.
shopmen at the sandpit diamond on
next Sunday in what is expected to
be one of the best games of the sea
son.
UNDERGOES OPERATION
Mrs. Harry Tincher of this city,
who has been visiting at Odell. Ne
braska, with the relatives of Mr. Tin
cher, was taken ill Monday and on
Tuesday morning was operated on
at that place. The patient was suf
fering from a very severe attack of
appendicitis and an immediate oper
ation was necessary. The patient at
the last reports was doing Just as
well as possible under the circum
stances. TC ATTEND IOWA MEETINGS
Robert Foster Patterson, princi
pal of the high school, has been in
vited to be the speaker at the ban
quet of the Villisca, Iowa, chamber
of commerce on next Tuesday and
also to be the speaker at a large
Masonic meeting to be held by the
lodge of that city. The Masonic
quartet of this city has also been in
vited to take part in the program at
the Masonic gathering.
OLD RESIDENTS CELEBRATE
Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Rankin, 1621
J street, Lincoln, celebrated the
fiftieth anniversary of their mar
riage last Tuesday, with a quiet day
at their home, receiving congratula
tions from friends and relatives. They
were married at Plattsmouth, by Rev.)
H. B. Burgess of St. Luke's Epis
copal church, Mrs. Rankin being for
merly Miss Lilla J. Tucker. They
had three children, R. ('. Rankin of
Lincoln being the only one surviv- '
ing. Mr. and Mrs. itankin lived in
Lincoln for several years prior
1912, when they moved to Sedalia,
Mo. In 1929 they returned to Lin
coin to make their home.
City Schools
Open for Fall
Term Tuesday
Enrollment at 833 Shows Small Loss
in Freshmen Grade of High
School on Opening
The city schools opened on Tues
day for the regular fall and winter
term with the youngsters of the city
making their way to the various
buildings to start in on the nine
months of educational work. There
were S33 registered Tuesday.
The students found familiar faces
awaiting them as ajl of the teachers
of the past year were present for the
opening of school. Miss Mary Tidbal',
teacher of English in the high school,
who has resigned her position, con
tinuing on until the board of educa
tion can secure a teacher for this de
partment. All of the other teachers
are remaining for the term.
In the high school the enrollment
was 276 which was divided in the
class as follows: Seniors. 58: Juniors,
64; Sophomores. 79: Freshmen. 75.
In the high school there were fewer
freshmen than usual but the other
classes have held up well in the reg
istrations. The junior high school showed 117
in the seventh and eighth grades
while in the Central building in the
grades there were 262. In the Colum
bian school. 9S: first ward. 19; sec
ond ward, 11; Wintersteen Hill. 39;
Mercerville, 11.
The various departments of the
school were hitting at full speed on j
Tuesday afternoon and the regular i
grind of the school work being varied j
on altho the extreme heat was a ,
painful reminder of the vacation days '
that are now over.
NARROW ROADS DANGEROUS
Communities should
tention to the width
pay more at-
of their new
roads.
It is generally conceded that ouiiit
ing one-lane highways menaces the
safety of those who travel and con- i
stitutes economic waste. Two "half
highways-' built at different times
cost a good deal more than a "whole i
highway" built at one time.
Nowadays modern low-cost, water
proof, bituminous surfaces, laid over
local materials, can be secured for
a nominal figure to serve rural dis
tricts wiili year-round secondary
roads. Such roads pay for themselves
again and again in a multitude of
ways in allowing farmers to go to
market at favorable times, in giving
farm children better opportunities to
attend district Bchools. in limiting
the hazard of fire in isolated homes.
And while we are
should build for
future that will
foot surfaces if
building thorn, we
the traffic of the
demand twenty-
the maximum of
efficiencv and safety is to lie achieved.
B0TARIANS MEET
The weekly lunc heon of the Rotary
club Tuer-day t the Majestic cafe
was one largely occupied with the
reports of the officers and commit
tees on the plans for the year's work
along the lines of the activities of
the organization.
President R. E. Bailey of the club
uave a further report of the work
of the recent conference at Yankton.
South Dakota, of the presidents and
secretaries of the nineteenth district,
where in the interchange of views
a great deal of useful information
was gained in lines of the aims and
objects of the Rotary.
The various committees also out
lined the plans that they had for the
year and which promises a busy time
and many interesting events for the
club in the coming year.
HERE ER0M ILLINOIS
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Meisinger
west of the city, are enjoying a visi'
from Mr. and Mrs. George Bohns, of
Pekin. Illinois, and the members of
the house party have just returned
from an auto trip to Plainview and
vicinity where they were the guests
of relatives and friends. The visit
here of the Illinois friends has been
much enjoyed and they will remain
here for a more extended visit with
the relatives in this locality. En
route home Mr. and Mrs. Bohns will
stop at Ottumwa. Iowa, to visit for
a time before going on home.
New store, new merchandise, new
prices. Watch for the opening of
The Reliable 5c to $1.00 store.
s3-tfd&w
Early History
of Plattsmouth
is Recounted
ii robkst room patrrmIi
l'riiM'lnl l'lH mth II .
CHAPTER III
to Capitol. Statehood and
County Seat Controversies
I It is a common thing for new
towns to aspire to the possession of
such political plums as government
buildings. The new hamlets of the
rising state of NVbiaska experien 1
j this same thrill and Bellevue. Om
'asa. Nebraska City and Plait-riouth
leach wanted its principal street
' adorned with the state capitol, the
'county court house or some other
state institution.
It is not surprising then, to find
that the location of the territorial
capitol called forth a Titriolic con
I troversy which lasted over a period
i of thirteen years from 1854 to 1S7
when the unknown village of Lin
coln was finally designated as the
seat of the territorial government.
Plattsmouth made a strenuous, if not
notorious effort to gain the capitol
building and thereby hangs an inter
esting story.
The chief contenders for the cap
itol honor were Bellevue. Omaha and
Plattsmouth. Bellevue's claims were
based chiefly on the uncertain in
tentions of the first territorial Gov
ernor. Francis Burt. Gen. Win. O.
Butler was originally confirmed by
the United States Senate as chi
executive for the Territory but he
declined to accept a post so far iso
lated from the political center of the
country and out on the rough rim of
the frontier. Gov. Burt, a Carolinian,
arrived at Bellevue by boat October
6. 1854 and was received by the in-
i habitants of the village as a
man "in
dicating a disposition for Republi
can simplicity which consti'utes the
grandeur and strength of our poli
tical and social system."
But Gov. Burt was a sick man up
on his arrival and was not able to
participate in the ceremonies inci
dent to his reception and planned
by the hundred souls of Bellevue as
i ushering in a new era for the ancient
J fur post now to be dignified and
perhaps glorified by the presence of
the authority of the United States.
Gov. Burt's illness was diagnosed by
Dr. A. B. Malcomb of Bluff City.
(Council Bluffs as "a derangement
of the bilious system" but as vague
as the diagnosis was. the ailment
brought death within a few days.
The zeal of the capifd agitators
overrode whatever respect they might
have had for the Governor's physical
j condition for even his last conscious
hours were troubled by delegations
t who forced their way to his sick bed
to urge their respeetie claims of Om
iiha. Plattsmouth and Bellevue,
Certainly it was only natural that
the Governor should come to Belle
vue to begin the political rganiz
ation of the new territory. There was
! no other settlement in Nebraska hav
ing either the size or presTiee of
Bellevue with Its long connection
wi'b the fur trade of the west. But
the swift flight of Gov. Burt's soul
through I he slient reaches took with
it the vaunted hopes of Bellevue to
become the first city of the Territory
and placed upon it the sea! of the
deserted village. Still. Bellevue made
a bitter fight for its claims to the
last. The Governor's dying words
were quoted as proving that she
should have the crown and much was
made of the superior location of
Bellevue as a picturesque spot on the
Missouri and as a point for a railroad
i crossing to the far west.
The founders of Omaha were most
active in their claims for the capitol.
Omaha was midway north and south
1 in the territory and distance" MMl
and west were of no consequence
since it was generally acreed that
settlement for years ahead would be
along the eastern edge of the terri
tory. j The Plattsmouth advocates consid
I ered her location as good as either
Omaha or Bellevue and made much of
the idea that the capitol should be
located south of the Platte river since
it was claimed that the population
was greater in that section.
The Territorial constitution pro
vided that the capitol should be
located by the Governor and the lee
islature acting together. Thus the
controversy divides itself into the
period prior to the assembling of the
legislature in January, 1855 and the
legislative contest which followed
its meeting. It was during the first
period that Omaha and Bellevue were
most active while Plattsmout h's
strongest bid for the honors came in
the legislature. This can be readily
understood from the fact that Platts
mouth was just getting started dur
ing 1S54 and had no opportunity to
participate in the struggle with any
considerable force.
Governor Burt s death brought in
to power as Acting Governor. T. B.
Cuming, originally appointed as Ter
ritorial Secretary. "He was a
swarthy, compactly built man. with a
head and features that plainly be
spoke power of will, sagacity and
courage." He was unembarrassed by
the past and pledged to no one. for
no one had suspected that authority
would be so suddeny thrust upon him.
It was a difficult knot in which he
found himself with tlu- sparse popu-
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