Gr. State Eiitarical Society
VOL. NO. in
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, JULY 27, 1936.
NO. 49
Recreational
Program is to
Open Tuesday
G. M. Coram of Louisville to Be
County Director of Work Plan
to Extend to All Towns.
The Citizens Council, who is in
charge of organizing a community
recreational project for Plattsmouth
has succeeded in obtaining the sanc
tion of the Works Progress Admin
istration for a recreational set-up for
this city and will have a staff of effi
cient people to take charge of this
work on Tuesday morning, July 28,
at the Central school building, at
9:30 o'clock.
A director of music will have
charge of band and other instru
mental groups and will furnish mu
sic for the city as well as offer train
ing for those who wish to obtain it.
A number of supervisors will offer
entertainment and training In phy
sical training, games, and tourna
ments for both boys and girls, and
will give training in craftmanship,
group singing, dramatic projects. One
supervisor will have charge of the
primary people.
The supervisors are being care
fully chosen as to fitness and train
ing. This is a major project, proved
successful in the larger centers for
many months, and merits your sin
cere and whole-hearted support. If
that co-operation is given this will
be one of the finest things Platts-
mouth has done for its young people.
Remember the date, July 28,- at the
Central school building, at 9:30.
School people of all ages are wel
come. Adults are welcome to join
the band.
Harold C. Hill, of Lincoln, is the
district director of this feature of the
WPA work and G. M. Corura, super
intendent of schools of Louisville, has
been selected as the county director
and will have the general direction
of the work in all parts of the coun
ty. Every town in the county is en
titled to bring up any of the recrea
tional projects that they may wish
for the consideration of the county
and district directors. Those inter
ested may call Mr. Corum at Louis
ville. The local committee that will have
charge of the general program is
composed of John P. Sattler, Sr.,
chairman, representing the Chamber
of Commerce; L. S. Devoe, city
schools; A. H. Duxbury, American
Legion; Mrs. Louis Ward Egenber
ger. Woman's club; Rev. G. A. Pahl,
Garden club; Fred H. Sharpnack,
Plattsmouth Business Men's Ad club
and E. II. Schulhof, Rotary club.
JOURNEY TO TOPEKA
From Thursday's Daily
This morning a group of Platts
mouth residents boarded the special
chartered by the Douglas county re
publicans to make the journey to
Topeka, Kansas. The notification of
Governor Alf M. Landon, of Pansas,
of his nomination for the presidency
on the republican ticket will be made
tonight. The notification will be
made by Congressman B. B. Snell, of
New York, permanent chairman of
the national convention.
The special train will reach Topeka
in ample time for the ceremonies and
to take in the points of interest in
the Kansas capitol city.
It is expected that a very large
number from this state will be at
Topeka as special trains will be sent
from Lincoln as well as from points
farther west in Nebraska.
SEE BALL GAME
James McKinney and S. S. Good
Ing, Burlington veterans, returned
home today from Chicago where they
have enjoyed a short outing. They
had the pleasure while in Chicago
to see the Cubs and Brooklyn play
baseball and in which the Cubs in
creased their lead In the National
league another game.
ALVO SCHOOLMAN HERE
Superintendent L. M. Hauptman,
of the Alvo schools, was in the city
Wednesday to look after some Bchool
matters and was a caller at the office
of Miss Alpha C. eterson, county
superintendent.
ANNOUNCE MARRIAGE
The announcement is made at Ne
av.ka of the marriage of Miss
Martha Senf, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. William Senf, of Nehawka, to
Lowell McQuinn, of Union, member
of one of the well known families of
that section of Cass county.
The marriage took place on Thurs
day, July ICth, at Rockport, Mis
souri, and the only attendants were
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Schaffer, of
Union. Mrs. Schaffer and Mr. Mc
Quinn are brother and sister.
Local Young
Men to War
Infested Spain
Byron Halstead, Jr., Member of Crew
of Oklahoma and James Robert
son, Midshipman, on Ship.
Two Plattsmouth young men are
to be given a glimpse of the civil war
fare that is rending the Spanish re
public as the battleship Oklahoma, on
which they are stationed, hastens to
San Sebastine and Bilbo, Spain, to
protect the American citizens who
have sought refuge there.
The Plattsmouth boys are James
M. Robertson, II, who is one of the
party of midshipmen from the U. S.
Naval academy now on tour of the
European waters and Byron Halstead,
Jr., who is a member of the regular
crew of the Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma with the party of
midshipmen has been in the north-
ern Atlantic for several weeks as
the naval students are acquainted
with the actual sea duty and when
reaching French ports were notified
with other warships to proceed to
the Spanish ports and stand by to
evacuate Americans that might be
in danger as the result of the battles
between the revolutionists and the
Spanish regulars.
Ambassador Claude T. Bowers, is
one of the Americans endangered at
San Sebastine, the summer capitol of
the Spanish government, as he is vir
tually beseiged in his summer home
five miles from the city.
The experience will give the crew
of the Oklahoma and the midshipmen
the opportunit yof a first hand view
of the latest European war scare.
STUBBLE FIELD BURNS
Wednesday afternoon fire swept
over the stubble In a field on tne
Elbert Wiles farm south of this city
and near highway No. 75. The fire
apparently started along the shoul
der of the highway where it is
thought a match or cigarette thrown
away had lit in the dried weeds and
grass and soon had a lively fire in
progress.
The fire spread rapidly into the
stubble and soon was driving fast
across the field and was halted from
further progress by a cornfield on the
north and west. The grain had been
removed from the field last week and
so the damage to the field was not
serious. A number of the fence posts,
however, were burned and will make
it necessary to have them replaced
and the fence restrung.
The fire threatened a section of
snow fence in the field but this was
saved by the effort of highway work
ers and residents in that section from
destruction in the path of the blaze.
There are many of these fields ad
joining the highway and a great deal
of care should be exercised by motor
ists in seeing that inflammable
matches or cigarettes are not thrown
out into the dry grass and weeds as
a very serious fire can be asily
started and which might be hard to
check.
RECOVERING FROM OPERATION
The many friends of Miss Mary
Solomon will be pleased to know that
she is now improving following an
operation for appendicitis that she
has undergone at the hospital at
Rushville, Nebraska. Miss Solomon
has been at Rushville at the home of
an uncle and while there was taken
ill and expected to return home to
receive treatment, but was some bet
ter and then a few days later was
taken with a very acute attack of
appendicitis that made an operation
necessary.
Frank Buttery
Dies as Result of
Auto Accident
Long Time Resident of This City Dies
at Omaha as Result of Injuries
Received When Hit by Car.
Frank F. Buttery, CG, who was
injured Wednesday afternoon at 10th
and Mason streets, Omaha, near the
Burlington station, died Thursday
night at the Nicholas Senn hospital
as the result of his injuries.
The report of the accident as given
by Omaha police officers was to the
effect that Buttery alighted from a
southbound street car, walked around
the back of it and in front of a
northbound car and stepped into the
side of the car of Sebastian Cemore.
which was also going north beside
the northbound street car.
The injured man was taken to the
Nicholas Senn hospital where it was
found that his condition was very
serious as he had suffered skull in
juries, the most dangerous, as well
as the compound fracture of one leg
and the fracture of several ribs. His
brother, M. E. Buttery, of this city,
was called to Omaha Wednesday
night and again Thursday afternoon
as Mr. Buttery continued to sink, the
brother arriving in time to be with
him at the last.
Frank F. Buttery was born in
Plattsmouth, where his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Joseph Buttery, were pio
neer residents and he has lived prac
tically his lifetime in this commun
ity. When completing his school
work Mr. Buttery entered the ser
vices of the Burlington in their local
machine shop and continued in the
service until some six years ago when
he was retired from the shop service
after a long and faithful service. Be
ing: still in good vigor, "Mr. Buttery
was assigned to flagman duty at Om
aha and removed to that city.
Since locating at Omaha Mr. But
tery has made his home with his
daughter, Mrs. Margaret Tefft, who
with the one brother, M. E. Buttery,
survive his passing.
During his residence in this city
Mr. Buttery was active in the com
munity affairs and served for a gTeat
many years as a member of the city
council from the second ward and
was several times mentioned as a
mayoralty candidate.
The funeral of Mr. Buttery will
be held on Saturday afternoon at 2
o'clock at the Brailey & Dorrance
chapel at Omaha. The body will be
brought here for interment in the
family plot at Oak Hill cemetery.
There will be a short service held
here at the grave.
ENJOYS VISIT HERE
Dr. A. S. Fritchen, of Decorah,
Iowa, was here Wednesday afternoon
as a guest of Mr. and Mrs. Frank R.
Gobelman, the latter a sister-in-law
of Dr. Fritchen. Dr. Fritchen is en
route home from the grand lodge of
the Elks which has been in session
at Los Angeles. The lodge at De
corah had their drill team at the
grand lodge and attracted a great
deal of attention by their snanDv
work and were among the best teams
to show at the big meeting.
SUFFERS FROM DEFECTION
Max Bowman, South Sixth street
barber, has been laid up for several
days as the result of an Infection that
first was noticed on a finger and
which has caused him a great deal
of pain and the swelling of his arm.
The condition of the patient was such
that he was taken to Omaha where
he will receive treatment at a hos
pital and which it is hoped will clear
up the infected area.
MUST WRITE IN CANDIDATE
Secretary of State Swanson Thurs
day informed the Revolutionary
Workers league (Marxist Interna
tionalists) the names of presiden
tial and vice presidential candidates
must be written in on the Nebraska
general election ballot rather than
entered by means of stickers.
The secretary furnished this in
formation in a letter to Hugo Oehler
of New York City, the league's cam
paign manager.
CALLED TO WYOMING
Ed Stava, who has been residing at
the farm south of this city, has been
called back into service of the Union
Pacific and left last night at 11:40
for Green River, Wyoming. This is
the mountain division of the Union
Pacific and Mr. Stava will take up
his work as a relay telegraph oper
ator. This is a very nice position
and will take Mr. Stava into the
pleasantness of the mountain coun
try at this heated time of the year
and is doubly appreciated by him.
Free Expense .
Trip in Store
for Lucky Girl
"Miss Plattsmouth of 1936" to Be
Chose August 4th To Com
pete at State Fair.
Who IS "Miss Plattsmouth of
1936?" Tuesday night, August 4th
several out-of-town judges will -determine
which local young lady is
to bear the title of "Miss Platts
mouth, 1936," when an official unit
how of the Nebraska State-wide
Beauty Pageant will be held here.
at the Cass theatre under the direc
tion of the King Korn Klub.
The local event is, being sponsored
by the Nebraska State Fair, Lincoln,
where the state pageant will be held,
Sept. 9 and 10, 1936. Two hundred
unit show winners will compete at
Lincoln in the official Nebraska
pageant.
The young lady selected here ill
be awarded a free all-expense trip to
the State-wide Beauty Pageant at
the Lincoln Fair. If successful in
winning the title of "Miss Nebraska,
193 6," she will receive a free, all-
expense trip to Atlantic City, where
she will represent thia-etate in the
"Miss America' Beauty Pageant late
in September, and compete for the
national title, a large cash award.
free trip to Paris and other prizes.
The show here will be one of the
many local pageants planned mis
season by the Nebraska Fair. Ac
cording to Perry Reed, secretary
manager, approximately 6,000 girls
will compete for the state title this
year in approximately 200 local
shows.
Each unit winner will have all ex
penses paid and will be royally en
tertained while at Lincoln.
The local show will be staged in
a strictly clean and high-class man
ner. Girls will wear sports, after
noon or evening attire, bathing suits
not being permitted. Out-of-town
judges will elect the local winner.
The presentation is said to be very
beautiful, interesting and exciting.
Together with extra stage attrac
tions, a full evening's entertainment
is assured.
Who IS "Miss Plattsmouth, 1936"?
A list of the entrants is elsewhere
in this edition of the Journal.
FIRE SWEEPS FIELD
Thursday afternoon fire, origin
ating it is thought from a threshing
outfit, swept over a wheat field stub
ble at the farm occupied by W. H.
Melsinger south of Cedar Creek and
some ten miles west of this city. The
grain had fortunately been removed
and was saved, but the blaze spread
rapidly and destroyed all of the
straw that had been stacked on the
field. There was a large group of
the neighbors on hond to assist in
fighting the fire that otherwise would
have spread Into other fields and
caused much damage. The wind for
tunately was blowing away from the
direction of the buildings on the
farm that otherwise might have been
swept by the fire. The loss of the
straw is a severe one at this time
owing to the shortage of feed over
the country.
CHEVIES WIN FROM GLENW00D
From Thursday's Daily
The Glenwood Merchants kitten-
ball team came over last evening
from our neighboring city to tangle
with the Chevies, the result being
that the locals were the winners by
a 17 to 0 score. The Chevies had an
easy time of the game and were able
to score freely, while their excellent
game held the Iowa visitors from
crossing the plate.
Nice Reduction
in City's Bond
Indebtedness
Refunding Program is Cutting Down
Interest Rate Quite a Few
Non-Optional, However.
Outstanding indebtedness of -the
City of Plattsmouth has been reduced
$80,000.00 in the past five years a
record that any city might well be
proud of in these strenuous times and
that is frequently commented upon as
remarkable by bond dealers.
Of this reduction, $34,000.00 was
paid off in the past two fiscal years,
as shown by the auditors' report for
the past bi-ennium. These included
bonds falling due in the respective
years and several bonds that were
temporarily in default from the im
mediate preceding years. For prac
tically a year now, there has been no
default in bond principal and the
financial affairs of the city are in
such shape that none is contemplated.
At no time in recent years has there
been a default in the payment of
bond interest.
The net bonded indebtedness of
the city at this date amounts to
$244,500.00. During the coming
year of 1937 serial bond payments
falling due total $9,500, as follows:
$3,000, January 1; $3,000, April 1;
$2,000, June 1, and $1,500, July 1.
Interest expectancy on all outstand
ing bonds for the same period is
around $9,750 a reduction from the
interest paid in past years, brought
about by (1) the retirement of bond
principal and (2) the refunding of
numerous bonds at lower rates of in
terest. July 1, 1935, $45,000 in 6 per cent
registered warrants were funded in
to bonds bearing 4 per cent for a
saving of 1& per cent. July 1, of
this year, $23,000 of 5 per cent bonds
were refunded at 4 per cent for a
saving of 1 per cent. In addition an
other optional issue of $16,000 that
has heretofore borne 5 per cent
have been reduced to 4 per cent
for the six months interest period
ending October 1, this year, and 4
per cent thereafter, through volun
tary agreement between the holders
of said bonds and the city.
This coming Monday night, the
city council will receive bids for the
refunding of an additional $45,000
of optional outstanding bonds, of
which $21,000 are optional for pay
ment August 1, and $24,000 Decem
ber 1. This just about cleans up the
optional bonds in fact there are no
more that can be refunded until next
year and then only a limited sum of
$9,000 more becoming optional dur-
a r n
ing
There are six outstanding issues of
serial bonds that have unpaid bal
ances not yet due, totaling $87,500,
$61,000 of which are drawing 5
per cent interest, $9,500, 5 per cent
interest, and $17,000, 4 per cent
none of which can be refunded be
cause of the non-optional manner in
which they were issued. If these
bonds could be refunded at the pre
vailing rate of 4 per cent and lower,
an additional yearly saving of $1,000
in interest could be made. However
as drawn, they must run to maturity
dates, the last of which is April 1,
1943. The interest will be cut down
considerably each year through pay
ment of the serial portion of these
bonds, as they become due, $9,500 in
1937, $11,000 in 1938; $13,000 in
1939; $9,000 in 1940; $4,000 in
1941; $40,000 in 1942 (including
S3 9.0 00 maturity of one issue) and
$1,000 (also maturity) in 1943.
The finance committee of the coun
cil has sent invitations to bid to a
large number of middle western bond
houses for this $45,000 offering of
ti Avt Mnndav nieht. and with the
splendid record of bond payment dur
ing recent depression years and the
low bonded indebtedness compared
with many other towns in the state,
expects to receive a very satisfactory
bid thereon.
The bond figures given above do
not include the bonded indebtedness
of Plattsmouth school district for the
high school building built in 1917
This issue becomes due a year hence,
but will be paid in full at maturity
from the proceeds of a sinking fund
that in late years has been invested
in good revenue-producing securities
awaiting the time when this non
optional, non-serial twenty year issue
should become due. So it may truth
fully be said that the bonded indebt
edness of the school district amounts
to practically nothing at the present
time.
Since neither the county nor the
state are bonded for a single penny,
the outstanding obligations against
Plattsmouth real estate and other
taxable property is confined wholly
to city bonds, now $80,000 less than
indebtedness of five years ago, and
being reduced by sizeable amounts
each year.
Suits for $35,700
Filed for Auto
Wreck Near Here
W. P. Wort man Estate and Mrs. Lucy
Newell Bring Action Against
Nelson C. Champlin.
From Saturday's Daily:
This morning in the office of the
cerk of the district court two actions
for damages were filed, the result of
the accident on the Louisville road
on Saturday, July 11th, as the re
sult of which Mr. and Mrs. W. P.
Wortman received fatal injuries,
Mrs. Lucy Newell, Miss Helen Wort-
man, Nelson C. Champlin and Eu
gene Snodgrass were injured.
One action is filed by F. A. Wort-
man, or Malvern, lowa, administra
tor of the estate of W. P. Wortman,
deceased, against Nelson C. Champ
lin of this city. In his petition Mr.
Wortman sets forth that the death
of Mr. Wortman occurred as the re
sult of the accident near this city.
In his petition the plaintiff alleges
as his cause of action that the de
fendant failed to keep lookout, failed
to have auto under control, failed to
drive auto on right hand side of road
when entering intersection, failing to
give adequate warning or signal of
approach, operating his car at exces-i
slve rate of speed, failing to reduce
speed before entering Intersection.
The plaintiff as administrator of
the estate sets forth that the deceased
was 69 years of age and capable of
earning $5,000 per year and that the
sum of $10,000 is asked by the estate
as damages.
The second cause of action is for
the sum of $700, which the admin
istrator askes to cover the cost of
$600 for funeral and $100 for the
hospital costs of Mr. Wortman.
The second suit filed was that of
Lucy Newell vs. Nelson C. Champlin,
in which the plaintiff asks the sum
of $25,000 in damages for injuries re
ceived in the wreck In which the
plaintiff's brother and sister-in-law
were fatally injured. The same al
legations as to the neglect of the de
fendant is made as in the other suit
WILL VISIT AT YELLOWSTONE
From Thursdays Danr
Frederick Fricke departed this aft
ernoon for Ashland where he win
join his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs.
Edwin A. Fricke and they will depart
Friday for a vacation trip in the Yel
lowstone national park. They are
driving through and will enjoy a
visit at a number of the places of
scenic beauty while en route.
UNDERGOES OPERATION
Charles, Jr., four-year-old son of
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fulton, was
operated on Tuesday at an Omaha
hospital for the removal of his tonsils
and adenoids and the little lad came
through the ordeal in fine shape and
is now doing very nicely and it is
hoped in a short time may be well on
the highway to recovery.
VISITS IN THE CITY
Mrs. George Vogel of South Bend
was a visitor in the city Wednesday
afternoon to look after some matters
of business and was a caller at the
court house, visiting at the office of
Miss Alpha C. Peterson, county super
intendent. AN APPRECIATION
We wish to thank the many friends
and neighbors who assisted us in
checking the fire at our farm and
assure them that their fine work and
friendly aid will long be gratefully
remembered. Mr . and Mrs. W. II,
Melsinger and family.
Gibbs Shows to
Visit This City
Coming Veek
Will Show at the Old Ball Park on
Chicago Avenue Under Auspices
of the American Legion.
The Gibbs Amusement Enterprises,
consisting of eight shows, seven rid
ing devices and numerous conces
sions, will appear in Plattsmouth
this coming week, under auspices of
the local American Legion post, be
ing located on the old ball grounds
adjoining Chicago avenue in the
southwest part of town.
The Gibbs Shows are appearing at
Auburn this week and were in Ne
braska City last week. Prior to that,
they played a number of Iowa towns.
the last of which was Atlantic.
From here they will go to Omaha
to appear at the annual St. Lucia
celebration staged by the residents of
'Little Italy."
The contract here was negotiated
by Ralph Gibbs, son of the owner
of the amusement concern, after his
brother, who is lot superintendent.
had driven up from Auburn to stake
off the grounds and determine wheth
er they were sufficiently large to ac
commodate the various shows and
rides.
One of the features of this concern
is the large number of rides which
they carry, as compared with many
similar amusement enterprises. In
cluding two children's rides, there
are a total of seven. The feature ride
is the loop-a-plane, which was one of
the top notch thrillers at the Cen
tury of Progress exposition in Chi
cago, and is now being introduced
In the middle west. A 15 cent charge
is made for this ride, but all the
others are offered at 10 and 5 cent
admission.
"Oar shows are clean and refined,"
stated Mr. Gibbs, Jr., "and my father
is on the Job all the time seeing they
are kept so. He will not countenance
objectional concessions of any kind,
and we have played many towns for
as high as four and five successive
years." Telephone conversation with
the sponsoring organization at Ne
braska City, where they appeared
last week, bore out this statement.
The shows, traveling by motor con
voy, will arrive nere some ume sun-
day.
PURCHASES NEW HOME
Mr. and Mrs. Edward G. Ofe, who
for the past year have been making
their home in this city where Mr. Ofe
is manager of the Ofe Oil Co., have
purchased a new home and will once
more be permanent residents of the
city. They have bought the residence
property of Rex Young at the corner
of Pershing avenue and Holdrege
streets which they have been renting
since moving here. This is a very de
sirable property and will make them
a most comfortable and well located
home. The many friends are pleased
to see them permanently located here
and in such a deligthful home.
TO VACATION IN WEST
Mrs. F. W. Nolting is departing
Sunday on a visit to the west coast
and where she expects to spend some
time visiting with relatives and old
friends. She will spend some time at
Billings, Montana, with Mr. and Mrs.
Fred H. Heitzhausen and family,
Mrs. Heitzhausen being a daughter.
Later she will visit with her sister,
who resides at Olympia, Washington
and also will visit friends and rela
tives at Tacoma, While on the coast
she expects to visit many of the
places of scenic beauty.
ASKS TOR DIVORCE
An action has been filed in the
district court in which Luella Fisher
is the plaintiff and Adolph L. Fisher,
the defendant. This Is an action for
separate maintenance and the peti
tion states that the parties were mar
ried on August 2, 1928, and are now
residents of Cass county.
VISIT AT FARM HOME
Miss Clara Schlictemier of Ne
hawka was a guest of Mrs. II. F.
Hendricks south of this city Wed
nesday and Thursday of this week.