Nebr. Stale Historical Society
Co
1 1
VOL. NO. L
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, SEPT. 13, 1934.
HO. G2
James M. Robertson, Noted
Masonic Leader, Called to Rest
in Omaha Hospital Monday
One of the Early Settlers of Nebraska and Long
Time Leader in Cass County Political
Circles Answers Death Call
PRESIDENT NEBR. MASONIC HOME ASSOCIATION
Past Grand Commander Knights Templar of Nebraska and
Past Grand High Priest Royal Arch Masons of
Nebraska Came to State in 1872
This morning at 10:30 at the
Methodist hospital at Omaha, occur
red the death of one of the men
whose life has been identified with
the history of Nebraska since the
first days of statehood James Mcin
tosh Robertson, president of the Ne
braska Masonic Home Association
and distinguished leader in Nebraska
Masonry.
Mr. Robertson had been in failing
health for the past few years but had
not been in serious condition until
the last few weeks when It was
found necessary to have an operation
performed the past week. The patient
had rallied nicely from the oper
ation and had been doing well until
Sunday when he suffered a" relapse
and gradually grew worse until
death came to his relief.
Mr. Robertson was boru in Scot
land, August- 4, 1851, spending his
boyhood days in the land of his birth.
Approaching his twentieth year Mr.
Robertson came to America, arriving
at Plattsmouth on January 10, 1872,
being a resident since that time of
the state and for the greater part of
the time of Cass county. Mr. Robert
son shortly after his arrival here
located at Lincoln where he engaged
In contracting work. While a resi
dent of Lincoln Mr.-Robertson was
raised on September 4, 1872 to the
Masonic order and had since been
one of the active leaders of the order
In the state. .
After a few years at Lincoln Mr.
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JAMES McINTOSH ROBERTSON (1851-1934)
Robertson moved to Louisville where
he entered In the sand and gravel
business that covered a great many
years.
Mr. Robertson was always inter
ested In the affairs of the county
and state and a leader in the repub
lican party of Cuss county and in the
fall cf 1S95 he was selected aa coun
ty clerk of Cass county, serving two
term3 in that office and then served
as deputy for one term. He was then
called to serve a3 clerk of the dis
trict court, holding that office until
in 1923, a long and distinguished
career in the orYice that won him a
host of friends by his fine business
like administration cf the office.
While a loved and honored figure
in the life of Cass county and Its
people, Mr. Robertson occupied a
f t p. t a vi.Ie- place as a leader in the
Masonic bodies of the state, receiv
ing the highest honors that the order
can bestow on their loyal-and faith
ful workers.
On his coming to Plattsmouth, Mr.
Robertson was made a member of
Nebraska chapter No. 3. Royal Arch
Masons in 189G and in the year 1898
was made a member of Mt. Zion
eommandery of th? Knights Templar
of this city. He had occupied the
various offices of the bodies and
served as high priest and commander
of the two bodies. In 1916 Mr. Rob
ertson received the Scottish Rite de
grees at Lincoln.
In 1920 Mr. Robertson, who had
for several years been a member of
the board of control of the Nebraska
Masonic Home, was elected as presi
dent of the Home and served in that
capacity since that time.
At the meeting of the grand chap
ter of the Royal Arch Masons of Ne
braska in 1923, Mr. Robertson was
selected as the 54th grand high
priest of the order in the state. With
the meeting of the grand eommand
ery of the Knights Templar of Ne
braska in this city in. 1926 he was
elected as grand commander; being
the fifty-fifth head of the Templars
In the state. ,
In the year 1925 at the session of
the grand council of the Royal and
Select Masters held at Omaha, Mr.
Robertson was named as treasurer
and had since held that office.
While a resident of Louisville Mr,
Robertson was married to Miss Mary
Hasemeier, December 22, 1881, the
marriage being performed by Dr. J.
T. Eaird, pastor of the First Pres
byterian church of Plattsmouth. The
widow and four children survive the
ps.ssing of this splendid citizen and
kind and loving friend, the children
being William A. Robertson, Mrs.
Blanche Gamer, Miss Jessie M. Rob
ertson and Mrs. Marie Westover of
this city. There also remains six
grandchildren, Mrs. Vestetta Gray:
j.mes M. Robertson, II, Rachel and
William Robertson, Jr., Janet and
Ruth Westover.
Clifford Jorgensen of Lincoln, Is
here to enjoy a short visit at the
home of his sister, Mrs. R. Foster
Patterson arid family.
BIRTH OF LITTLE SON
Mr. and Mrs. Jame3 Alexen of
near Cedar Creek, report the birth
of a son Sunday, September 2, to
their son-in-law and daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. Tinus Eoniberg, of Platts
mouth. This is their first grandchild. The
happy parents are receiving the con
gratulations of their many friends.
Mrs. Romberg was formerly Miss
Mathilda Alexen of near Louisville.
Mr. Bomberg is a nephew of John
II. Hallstrom of this city and the
many friends here will join in their
best wishes to the little one.
'Days of Forty
Nine' Parade Held
Saturday Night
BREX Employes Stage Historic Pag
eant That Is Unexcelled for
Impressiveness.
The "Days of Forty-ine" parade,
the contribution of the employes of
the BREX shops to the fall festival,
proved one of the most impressive
and interesting that has been given
in any of the fall festivals that have
been held in the past.
The pageant was arranged In a
manner that carried out each phase
of the advance of the American race
west across the continent when the,
first reports of gold strikes in Call-!
fornia sent the flood of hardy pio-'the
neers across the plains to the west to
have a part.
The Indians who resented the in
vasion of their chosen lands was
portrayed by a group of the shop
men in realistic manner and. who'
also in the course of the' parade dem
onstrated the scalping of the invad
ing whites.
Soldiers to protect the settlers were
also in the parade, but the large sec
tion was that devoted to the settlers
In all manner of garb, many carry
ing with them their effects in wheel
barrows or packs while others more
fortunate were provided with pack
horses.
The life of the golden west was
shown by two well planned and ar
ranged floats, one showing the old
wide open saloon and gambling
house that flourished along the gold
country and in attire of the pioneer
days the players carried on their
games as the float moved along the
line of march. j
The old time dance hall of the
pioneer settlements was shown' by a
float and which attracted much at
tention as the shopmen in costume
of men' and women of the days of
forty-nine enacted the measures of
the dance.
The coming of the religious spirit
to the west was represented by the
circuit rider with his tall and digni
fied "plug" hat, this being a very
lifelike representation of the men
that risked their lives to bring the
gospel to the west.
The staging of the parade required
much time and effort and the mem
bers of the shop force and their chair
men, Harry White and E. O. Vro
man, deserve real praise for the mag
nificent offering they have made to
the success of the Korn Karnival.
The men have had the co-operation
and assistance of Mr. Jeager, shop
superintendent, who can feel well
pleaded with the clever way that the
historic pageant was carried out.
' The various sections of the his
toric drama was announced by K.
Foster Patterson from the platform
at Fifth and Main streets as the
great parade moved down the street.
OLD SETTLER'S DAY
The committee in charge of
Old Settler's day, celebrating
the
the
46th annual reunion, have prepared
letters of invitation that can be se
cured by anyone that may wish to
invite the former residents of Cass
county to be here for the meeting.
The Old Settlers will be held here
on Friday, September 21st, a fine
program being arranged for the day
and which will offer many fine fea
tures for the old timers.
These Invitation letters can be se
cured at the Plattsmouth Journal,
the Farmers State and Plattsmouth
State banks and the C. E. Wescott's
Sons store. Call and secure the let
ters you may wish and invite the old
friends here for this great annual
reunion.
Light and Green
Football Squad
to Start Season!
With Only Two Lsitsr Men Back,
Coach Rother Faces Problem
cf Euilding Up Team.
With a light and inexperienced
squad bcasthig but two letter veter
ans, it looks like a lean year for
Coach Rothcrt's Plattsmouth high
school football team. The 1933 team
was completely broken up by grad
uation, leaving only the two co-cap
tains, Wm. Crouch and Howard Hirzi
with experience. Howtvcr, thtre are
some rays of hope due to the fr.c
that the crop of newcomers is rather.;
largo and they may snap cut of it
before the season Is cpsii. Anyone
watching the squad of 40 in their
workouts will bo impressed by the
small size of the players, giants of
the type of Poiter and Armstrong
are missing and will be sorely need
ed. So Coach Rothert is laced with
the necessity of building a new team
which takes time, experience Liid
material.
The season cper.s with ti.e ttrong
Glenwood team whica i.- r:poit d to
have one of the heaviest tenuis in
western Iowa this yer.r, ca Sl;;1.ci.:-
j ber 28. This game w ill be played at J
Glenwood. An event which always
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adds interest to the 'football season''!
is the annual football diive i.i wiiicuj
four high school classes compete
with each other in selling football j the official contest rounds, but con
tickets. Last year the Senior, class tcstants may play one round one day
barely nosed out the Sophomores, the
present Juniors, so that the class of
1936 are already boasting that they
will win this " year." Further an-
nouncement about the price of tick
ets will be made in the near future.
After looking over the football
squad, Coach Rothert began to think
of a possible lineup and. this is the
result: Centers, Carr and Vallery;
Guards, Bowman, Minor, Newton and
Hatt; Tackles, Crouch, Arnold, Eg,
ling and Stodola; Ends, E. Taylor,
Wall, Richter, Taplett, . Taylor
and Hennings; Backs, Carey, Case,
Cotner. Hirz. Mrc.sck. Seltz. and
Woster. A team from thi3 tentative
lineup would not average over 1S5
pounds. But despite lack of -Aveight
and experience, the Plattsmouth team
will go on the field at Glenwood,
well drilled in the fundamentals and
with the fighting spirit that some
times 'topples bigger and better
rivals:
On swallow docs not make a
spring, neither docs one season make
a football team but the 1934 P. H. S.
team will be in there fighting every
game and the end of the year will
find only a half dozen of the whole
squad lost by graduation.
The complete roster of the squad
Is as follows: Crouch, Hirz, Arnold,
Bowman, Minor, Carr, R. Vallery..
E. Taylor, Hatt, Carey, Case, Cotner,
Mrasek. Woster, Seitz, Nelson, New
ton, Stodola, Taplett, G. Taylor, N.
Hennings, R. Hennings,- Rishcl,
Long, Keil, A. Johnson, McCarty,
Stewart, Wiles, Richter, John Gayer,
Lancaster, Winters, Minnicar, Rice,
Miller, Lepert, Wall, Eggllng. .
ENJOY A FAMILY REUNION
The country home of Mr. and Mrs.
J. C. Roddy, near Union, was the
scene of a very delightful family
gathering on Sunday, when for the
first time in ten years all of the
members of the family were togeth
er. The children and members of their
families came from many widely
separated points to renew the bonds
of kinship in the delightful event.
The dinner wras served at the noon
hour and was one that brought forth
a great array of the dainty articles
that enters into a fine Cass county
meal.
Following the dinner the members
of the party had pictures taken and
a general good time in visiting with
each other until the time for depar
ture for home arrived.
Those present were Robert Roddy,
Omaha; Mrs. C. L. Dixon, Blair; Hu
bert Roddy, Denver; Herbert, Frank
and William Roddy, Union; Mrs.
Carl Wessel, Nehawka.
Cee the goods you buy. Catalog
descriptions are flowery enough,
but how about the goods when
you get them?
ARREST LINCOLN PARTIES
Saturday afternoon near Green
wood, Clyde McGuire and C. M. Hage-
man, both of Lincoln, were arrested
St;
with intoxication. They
Sheriff Homer Sylves
ter and brought to this city where
they were held pending the filing
of charges against them.
This morning McGuire was charged
with operating a motor vehicle while
intoxicated and on his plea cf guilty
was given a sentence of thirty days
in the county jail and his drivers li
cense revoked for a year.
Ilagoman was charged with being
intoxicated and on his plea of guilty
was fined $10 and costs.
eti Prize Contests
Announced for
Local Golfers
Blind Bogey, Putting and Flag Com
petition with Eleven Prizes
ITo Entry Fee Required
An event of especial interest to
members of the Plattsmouth Golf club
.'s ec'ieduled fcr tiiis coming Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, in the nature
! i a combined flag, putting and blind
I ,
iK-gc-y contest, with eleven prizes for
the various winners. The contest is
e;
on to all members with no regis
iticn fee required.
The first two rounds played dur-
i ing the three days will be counted as
ar.d the second another day, if they
so desire.
The blind bogey contest, with
which local golfers are quite familiar,
through its having been promoted
here last year, will include a sealed
number between 65 and 71. Con
testants select their own handicap be
fore they start lh first round. .Deduct
handicap from the total number of
strokes and record score. If the re
sult is within this range of numbers,
they are eligible to win the prize. At
the close of the contest, the sealed
number will be revealed and one hav
ing that number wins the blind bogey
prize. In case of tie, a putting con
test will determine the ultimate win
ner. Another prize contest is that for
lowest total number of putts in eigh
teen holes of play. Contestants will I
keep track of their putts and turn in
the number.
A new feature this year is the flag
contest with separate prizes for each
of the nine holes. The winners will
be those registering closest to the cup
in a given, number of strokes. On the
second and sixth holes the lay of the
ball after the first or driving stroke
will govern. On the first, fifth, eighth i
and ninth holes, two shots are allow
ed before measuring distance from the
cup, and on the third, fourth and
seventh holes, three shots.
The flag contest is worked In this
manner: The first contestant plants
a flag where the ball lies after the
permitted number of shots at each
hole, with a tag attached bearing his
name. Succeeding golfers who come
closer to the cup with like number of
shots, move the flag to the place their
ball comes to rest, replacing thereon
a tag bearing their name. At the
close cf the contest the names on the
nine flag3 will be declared prize win
ners for the respective holes.
As stated above, the first two
rounds played by any golfer, begin
ning Friday morning, Sept. ,14th, will
be the official contest rounds. One
round may be played Friday and the
other Saturday or Sunday, but there
must be no unofficial play between
the two official rounds.
.The eleven prize awards, coupled
with a no-registration fee, should re
sult in the enrollment of every mem
ber of the club in this year's contest.
The prizes will be awarded Sunday
evening at the close of contest play.
SECURES NEW BARBER
The E. G. Shellenbarger barber
shop, which has been operated as a
one-chair shop for some time, has se
cured Don Cramer, an experienced
tcnsorialist, who will hold down the
second chair; beginning today.
The shop was purchased several
months ago by Mr. Shellenbarger In
the closing up of the estate of Doug
las McCrary, after he had operated it
for a time for the estate.
Corn Production
Lowest in Many
Years in State
Yield Estimated at 29.936,000 asj
Against 234,692,000 for 1933
Other Crops Suffer.
The report of the state and federal
department on the crop yield of the
state points to one of the lowest
years in the history of the state with
the corn crop as the greatest sufferer.
Oats and barley are near failures
with yields of 5 and 6 bushels re
spectively. Alfalfa, forage crops and
pastures have shown some improve
ment. Rain has helped the prepar
ation of land for winter wheat and
rye.
The forecast for corn production is
29,930,000 bushels as compared with
234,098,000 bushels last year and
the 5-year average of 230,002,000
bushels. Corn for grain will be lim
ited to low spots in fields and fields
protected from winds in northeastern
Nebraska, irrigated corn in the
Platte Valley, a very limited acreage
in the sandhills and a few counties
in western Nebraska which have poor
to fair yields. The estimate of corn
yield is 3.5 bushels per acre. This
yield involves the grain equivalent of
all corn such as grain in fodder, sil
age, hogged off, etc. The injury
from drought and high winds is so
severe that fully a fourth of the corn
will not yield more than one to two
tenths tons of forage per acre and it
is doubtful if the average forage
yield on half of the acreage will ex
ceed one third of a ton per acre.
Oats are not meeting previous ex
pectations. ' The September estimate
is 5 bushels per acre and the pro
duction 7,235,000 bushels as com
pared with 23,373,000 last year and
74,190,000 in 1932. An unusually
large percentage of the oats was pas
tured and some was cut for hay
while much was left entirely unhar-vested.-
Barlev with a yield of 6
bushels per acre will produce only
2,400,000 bushels as compared with
8,390,000 . bushels in 1933 and 18,
300,000 bushels in 1932. A vast
amount of the acreage was not har
vested for grain. The yield of spring
wheat is estimated at 4 bushels per
acre and the production i,ub,uuw
bushels as compared with 3,312,000
bushels in 1933. The acreage altho
smaller than in 1933 is larger than
the acreage during recent years. The
average yield of rye is estimated at
3.5 bushels r.nd the production 59S,
000 bushels as compared with 1,712,
000 bushels in 1933 and 2,S30,000
bushels in 1932.
The average, yield of potatoes' is
estimated at 40 bushels per acre and
the production 5,760,000 bushels as
compared with 8,025,000 bushels in
1933. The acreage of potatoes Is
considerably larger this year than
last but the farm crop is generally a
failure. The irrigated potatoes in
the Kearney district will yield about
200 bushels per acre. A considerable
proportion of the late commercial
acreage in western Nebraska may yet
make a partial crop. The yield of
sugar beets is estimated at 10.7 tons
per acre. A considerable portion of
the acreage had been abandoned. The
production is forecast at C53.000 tons
as compared with 1,068,000 tons last
year.
The production of all hay is ex
tremely light. Alfalfa production is
forecast at 1,326,000 tons as com
pared with 2,169,000 tons in 1933.
The production of all tame hay is
estimated at 1,781,000 tons as com
pared with 2,858,000 tons last year.
A large acreage of small grain was
cut for hay but the yield was ex
tremely poor. The shortage of hay
and forage is extremely serious. Rus
sian thistle and other weeds have
been cut for hay. Late rains have
brought some improvement to the
hay and feed situation. The last cut-;
ting of alfalfa is expected to produce
a considerable tonnage and sorghums
and other late feed crops were im
proved. The production of wild hay
is estimated at 924,000 tons as com
pared with 1,760,000 in 1933 and
2,291.000 in 1932. The condition of
pasture is 22. With the exception
of the sandhill area most of the pas
ture in the state was either extreme
ly poor or completely worthless until
recent rains were received.
Phone the news to Tlo. 6.
MARRIAGE BUSINESS BRISK
Saturday evening Judge A. II. Dux
bury was a busy man at his heme,
on Pearl street making others hany
via the marriage route.
A double wedding of two Omaha
parties occurred, they bting Frank
s
Feltheim and Mu:s (V eiia .
Netzel and Mr. Key P. Netzt I and
Miss Manie A. Fie tin i:n, t!:ey serving
as witnesses for each oth-r. This
is the third wedding in the l'i il'n ir:i
family to be performed by JiiJg-.'
Duxbury.
Miss Alice Winifred Byxbe and Mr.
Raymond C. Rigs, also of Omaha,
were married at the Duxbury iio;m-,
their witnesses bfing Yale ('. East
and Margaret E. East of Omaha.
High School
Classes Hold
Their Election
All
Four of School Groups Select
Officers and Sponsors for
the Year's Woik.
The annual election of cla:;s of
ficers and sponsors was held by tho
classes at the high school M unlay
and Tuesday. All of these offices in
volve considerable responsibility in
the conduct of the student activities
for it has been the policy of the
school for a long time to allow the
student as much participation v.-.i pos
sible in the direction of activties in
which he plays a prominent part.
This does not mean student govern
ment in the sense that the students
determine policies but that in tl'.eir
programs and social functions, they
shall have a large pait in plu'ining
'.and carrying these activltit:; out.
This develops a splendid sense of re
sponsibility among the students and
gives them some line experience
which will be valuable to them in
later life.
One organization, the Student
Council, which has direct supervision
of the convocation programs, remains
to be organized. In the meantime,
the first convocation will be hrld on
the morning of Tuesday, September
25 when the formal opening of the
annual football drive will be held.
A committee of the Senior clasi will
be in charge of this program.
The officers and sponsors chosen
are as follows:
Senior
President Lois Giles
Vice-President Herbert Minor,
Fred Frlc-ke
Treasurer Carl Hula
Sponsor Miss Ueighley
Junior
President Joe Il'-ndrix
Vice-President Rose Mary t'l&idt
Treasurer Betty liulin
Sponsor Mr. Alvord, Mr. Iteeacr
Sophomore
President Earl Taylor
Vice-President Alice Hirz
Treasurer Iiobt. Vallery
Sponsor Mr. Grin in
Freshman
President Dick Hall
Vice-President Raymond Wo:-tcr
Treasurer Shirley Sievers
Sponsor Miss Horuung
ENROLLMENT 343
With the largest oniolln.cnt In
the history cf Plattsmouth IiigU
school, the figures tod.iy fIiov. that
there are 343 students jiUi i l:n;;
classes. Three years ago,t ht num
ber was 248. A high school e f 100 i.-.
not unlikely in two or three years.
The figures for each class are s fol
lows: Seniors f
Juniors (.9
Sophomores ICS
Freshmen 111
i
More records fell in the V.m two
classes, each being the largest in the
history of the school and in addition
if the enrollment in the class of 1930
continues, it will probably be the
largest clas3 ever to receive diplomas
from P. II. S. Large classes that in
some cases are crowded and the prts
ence of such a large group did not
delay the efficient beginnirg of
classes r.nd all were in their class
rooms at 9:25 on opening day and
now the school is running in mid
semester form.
A Texan, regaining hia f.:ght af
ter sixteen years, says the things
women wear are "something awful."
Having missed the Empress Eugenie
hat, he can't appreciate his luck.
