tfcfcr. State Hiitorictl Society
VOL. no. in
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 1936.
NO. 51
Tax Levy is Set
at 1 J6 by Board
of Equalization
Is the lowest State levy in Fifteen
Years; .39 of a Mill Under
the 1935 Rate.
The state board of equalization and
assessment Wednescay fixed Nebras
ka's 1936 state levy at 1.7C mills on
the dollar valuation, the lowest rate
in 15 years or since the board began
to assess property at its full value in
1921. The new rate is .39 of a mill
under the 1935 figure of 2.15 mills.
This year's levy is designed to raise
53,627,069 in state taxes on the basis
of the grand assessed valuation of
the state of $2,060,835,158, as de
termined recently by the board from
valuation of counties, railroads and
franchises. j
The board estimated the total run
ning expneses of the state govern
ment for the next fiscal year at
13,625,771 or $738,067 less than the
1935 figure. Based on an assessed
valuation of $2,060,835, the 1936
levy will produce $1,298 more than
the $3,625,771 needed to operate the
state government for the next fiscal
year.
State Tax Commissioner Smith said
the absence of legislative and other
emergency appropriations and this
year's higher tax valuations were re
sponsible for the cut. The commis
sioner erplained that the second year
of toe biennium is less costly than
the first due to the legislative ses
sion. Expenses of the 1935 legisla
ture, including emergency appropria
tions, totaled about $405,000.
Gov. Cochran said the Jowlevy
was made possible thru Increased
valuations, principally upon personal
property, and thru the lower esti-,
mated expenses for the operation of
the Btate government. Motor vehicle
values increased considerably this
year due to a new law which requires
payment of those taxes at the time
annual license plates are purchased.
The 1936 grand assessed valuations
of the state was $30,592,631 higher
than the 1935 total, which was $2,
030,243,537. Drouth conditions, the governor
said, also were taken into consid
eration by the board in setting the
levy as low as possible. "This levy,"
he added, "will be adequate to raise
the necessary funds In connection
with other receipts for the state gen
eral fund, to carry on state activities
for the next fiscal year. A canvass
has been made of state activtis to
ascertain what funds, if any, may be
conserved and as a result thereof it
has been determined that In excess
of $100,000 from appropriations to
the board of control and departments
responsible to the governor will not
be used. Accordingly, this sum has
not been taken into account in mak
ing the 1936 levy."
The board likewise disregarded the
expanse of the special session of the
legislature held last fall, which was
met from funds on hand in the state
general fund. The state general fund
balance on July 1 was $630,724 and
the balance in all current revenue
funds was $6,533,944.
Only in two years since 1921 have
the levies been lower than 2 mills.
They were 1924 and 1926, when the
levy each time was 1.8 mills. Prior
to 1921 property was assessed at
one-fifth of its value rather than at
its full value, making a comparison
of levies or prior years with those of
today impossible.
The board of equalization met for
five consecutive days last week as re
quired by law. State Auditor Ayres
provided Smith with the quorum
necessary to do business. Secretary
of State Swanson was vacationing
and State Treasurer Hall is con
valescing from a broken leg.
Beer and liquor revenues esti
mated at $1,138,007 and $864,076 In
miscellaneous collections for the gen
eral fund were subtracted from gross
appropriation needs in arriving at
the total to be raised from the 1936
property tax. The 1.76 mill levy will
raise $3,627,069.90.
From Friday Daily
u. f. Hell of Louisville was In
the city for a short time today to
look after some business matters and
meeting the many old time friends,
WILL ENJOY TRIP
C. S. Johnson, who has been mak
ing his home in Nebraska City with
his daughter, Mrs. A. W. Propst and
family, was here today to visit with
the old time friends. Mr. and Mrs
Propst' are moving in a few days to
Jacksonville, Florida, to make their
home in the future and Mr. Johnson
will then start on a trip among the
relatives and old friends. He is plan
ning to visit with his brother at
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, then with
relatives and old friends at Daven
port, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois
His plans for the future are still in
definite but he feels that perhaps he
may once more locate in this city
where he has so many old time
friends.
Cemetery Board
Organizes for
Taking Control
William F. Evers Selected as Chair
nan of Board To Draw By
Laws and Start Plans.
The board of six members created
by the city council to have control
of the city cemetery in the future,
have held their first meeting and per
fected the organization and are now
drafting the by-laws that will govern
them in the handling of the affairs
of the cemetery.
The officers of the board named
were:
Chairman W. F. Evers.
Vice-Chairman Fred H. Sharp
nack. Secretary-Treasurer L. W. Niel.
The other members of the board
are Judge A. H. Duxbury, J. C. Corn
stock and George A. Kaffenberger.
' The creation of the board and its
start of active operations represents
the realization of the movement that
has been urged for several years of
having the cemetery taken from the
control of the council and vested in a
commission of the citizens who will
have active charge and management
of the cemtery for the future and
who will make their yearly reports
to the council.
The new hoard or commission will
have the right of hiring all those
who are employed at the cemetery,
setting the prices of lots and the
task of seeing that the cemetery Is
properly cared for at all times. There
is also provided a fund known as the
perpetual care fund to which the lot
owners or other can donate and which
will be devoted to the continuous
care of the lots in the city of the
silent.
DEPART FOR VACATION
From Friday's Dally
This morning Dr. and Mrs. R. P.
Westover and daughters, Janet and
Ruth departed via auto for the lake
country of Minnesota where they
will enjoy an outing of a short dur
ation. They are planning on making
their headquarters at Lutsen, Minne
sota, which is located on Lake Super
ior, north of Duluth, in one of the
most attractive spots at this season of
the year. The resort is so far north
that the Plattsmouth people are
hoping to find a much cooler atmos
phere.
SUTTEES FRACTURED ARM
From Thursday's Dally
This morning shortly after 6
o'clock while a Burlington freight
train was passing through the local
yards near the passenger station, a
man riding on the train attempted to
get off or fell from the train. He
suffered the fracture of his left col
lar bone In the fall. The injured
member was treated by Dr. O. C.
Hudson and the man was able to con
tinue on his way into Omaha, his
destination.
ATTEND SALES CONFERENCE
From Saturday's Daliy:
Edwin Kalina and Robert Bestor
were In Omaha today where they at
tended a conference held on sales
manship by one of the large whole
sale hardware houses for the repre
sentatives of many of the Nebraska
and Iowa retailers. The conference
will also include a trip to the Mis
souri river for the entertainment of
the members of the conference.
Recreational
Projects Getting
Under Way
Much Interest Shown as the Varions
Projects are Organized and
Prepared for Action.
The recreational projects sponsor
ed by the WPA are now getting nice
ly under way here and a great deal
of interest is being shown with fifty
persons now enrolled and which will
cover several lines of activity.
The formation of a band is one of
the prime movements sought and
which is under the direction of Peter
Gradoville, well known musician, who
is the supervisor of this section of
the activities.
Mr. Gradoville has issued a call for
all Interested in the formation of a
harmonica band to meet at the Cen
tral building at 2 p. m. on Friday for
the purpose of discussing the plans.
It is urged that no one buy Instru
ments until the check is made of
what instruments and key will be
needed in the band.
There were thirty out Wednesday
for baseball and much interest taken
by the boys in this popular summer
sport.
There are fifteen primary young
sters now enrolled and who are en
joying the supervised play which will
be made a part of this feature of the
recreational program.
BEAUTY PAGEANTS
The scope and magnitude of th6
Miss Plattsmouth Beauty Pageant is
growing beyond the fondest expec
tation of its promoters. Next Tues
day night, August 4th at the Cass
theatre promises to be the leading
event of the mid-summer season a
veritable highlight socially as well as
a big boost for the coming Korn Kar-
nival.
There are now at this date over
110 paid-in-full sponsors to this proj
ect and the committee is hard pressed
to find a sufficient number of young
ladies between 14 and 20 to repre
sent these sponsors. However a suf
ficient number have responded so that
we can safely say that Plattsmouth's
most beautiful young womanhood
will appear before the spotlight on
next Tuesday night and the Judges
are going to have a hard time.
One thing sure, somebody Is going
to be Miss Plattsmouth and enjoy
an all expense paid trip to the Btate
fair and we feel sure be successful
there in winning the "Miss Nebras
ka" title.
Two very special features have
been added to this program, either
one of which is well worth the 15 or
25c admission charge. One is the
Kiddie Pageant of litle girls 2 to 6
years, dressed their loveliest who will
also appear before the spotlight. The
other is a surprise feature which is
a deep dark secret, but It's guar
anteed to turn your liver over with
side splitting laughs. Don't miss It
under any consideration, or you will
have regrets all the balance of your
life..
And lastly, if the weather permits
the plan now Is to hold a dance at
the American Legion building follow
ing the program at the theatre at
which all the entrants will be honor
guests. The Rhythm Kings orchestra
will furnish music both at the theatre
and for the dance. This dance will
be open to the public, 35c for men
and 15c for ladies.
ENJOY PICNIC SUPPER
The members of the local court of
the Catholic Daughters of America
held a very delightful social meeting
at the pleasant home of Mr. and Mrs.
John J. Cloldt on west Main street.
The ladies had come with covered
dishes of the good things to -eat and
which provided the means of a pleas
ant picnic supper which was served
on the lawn of the home. The re
mainder of the evening was spent in
playing bingo.
GIVE PLEASING ENTERTAINMENT
From Friday's Daily
The audition which is featuring
Merchant's night, had as one of the
attractions last evening the Meade
vocal trio of Murray. The trio was
very pleasingand showed the greatest
charm In the songs they rendered.
GATES LTT.T.EY HERE
Gates Lilley, of Papillion, who with
Fred L. Carsten of Avoca, are the
candidates for the legislature from
Cass and Sarpy counties, was in the
city "Wednesday to visit friends and
looking after his political interests.
Mr. Lilley is one of the best known
residents of Sarpy county where his
family were pioneer residents and he
has served there In several public of
fices Mr. Lilley has served several
terms as a member of the board of
county commissioners of Sarpy coun
ty and also as a member of the leg
islature and in which he has served
on the most important committees
Mr. Lilley is visiting the various sec
tions of the county to get acquaint
ed with the Cass county people.
Old Age Assist
ance Reaching a
Large Number
June Sees $2,725.86 Distribnted to
Residents of County from So
cial Security Funds.
The working of the old age as
sistance, dependent children and
blind assistance under the state so
cial security program is now reach
ing a very large number and well
justifying this aid to those whose age
had rendered them not able to pro
duce. The records In the office of Coun
ty Assistance Director Paul Vander
voort, II, show that in the month from
June 1 to June 30th, there was dis
tributed $2,725.96 to cover the var
ious activities that fall under the
general head of the social security
program.
There has so far been 406 appli
cations for old age iatanee filed
in the local director's office and of
these some 350 have been passed up
on and approved for the needed as
sistance. There are some thirteen
that have yet to be acted upon and a
number have been rejected or the
parties have died and changed the
status of the applications.
There has been thirty-one appli
cations of dependent children made
in the county since this part of the
social security program was started
but in this part of the program a
number are cared for under the
mother's pensions.
There has been six applications for
the blind assistance made and these
are being cared for as rapidly as pos
sible. "When the full program is working
it is expected that the payments will
reach over 4,000 each month in the'
county.
FIND WOMAN WANDERING
Thursday afternoon Chief of Po
lice Joe Libershal received the re
port of some strange woman being
seen wandering in the vicinity of
Garfield park and calling at homes
in that section of the city seeking
permission to leave packages at each
place.
The chief questioned the lady and
who gave the name of Helen Fleeme
and her home as Columbus but her
action was such that Thursday even
ing it was decided to have her de
tained until an investigation could
be made to determine her condition
and also her home. She was kept at
the Hotel Plattsmouth last evening
and today while the case was being
investigated by Sheriff Homer Syl
vester. VISITS IN CITY
From Friday's Daily
George H. Heinke, well known Ne
braska City attorney, was here today
for a few hours to look after some
matters at the court house and meet
ing his many friends. Mr. Heinke was
for many years county attorney of
Otoe county and has several times
been In court here to assist in crim
inal prosecutions.
Clyde Rupe and wife, of Fairmont,
arrived Wednesday for a visit with
Mr. Rupe's mother, Mrs. Dora Mark,
and his brother, George Mark.
A. O. Pearsley of Union, was here
Wednesday to spend a few hours
attending to business matters and
visiting his friends. .
Farmers Face
a Real Problem
Due to Drouth
Necessity of Being Cared for Throngh
the Resettlement Administra
tion or the WPA.
There are being constant applica
tions at the local re-employment of
fice from farmers who are suffering
from the drouth and now face the
necessity of having to seek some other
line of work. These farmers are
largely renters and who in the face
of the crop failure will have the
greatest difficulty in standing the
winter season.
The Resettlement Administration
is expected to be able to aid many
of the farmers in feed loans and sup
plies that might carry them through
if the present acute drouth is main
tained and the stock feeds badly de
pleted.
The local re-employment office has
handled very efficiently the employ
ment on various projects, with the
list of those now at work showing a
pleasing gain over the past week.
The farm lists that have applied
at the office has been largely from
the ranks of those who have been en
gaged in farm work and who for the
past two years have been off the
rolls at the office but who have suf
fered the loss of their occupation
owing to the crop failures.
PERCENTAGE OF TAX
BEING COLLECTED HERE
In preparing a report for an east
ern bond house last week, City Clerk
Albert Olson unearthed some inter
esting information regarding the per
centage of Plattsmouth taxes col
lected during the past three years, al
so the per centage of 1935 taxes that
have now been paid (all personal tax
now due and delinquent but only
first half of real estate tax yet due,
as second half does not become due
until September 1st).
In 1932 the taxes levied for city
use totaled $57,734.00. To date $50,
812.98 of that amount has been col
lected, or 88 per cent.
In 1933 the city tax levy was cal
culated to yield $47,480.24. Amount
paid to date, $38,726.54, or 82 per
cent.
Yield expectancy from the 1934
levy was $45.2S7.25. To date $31,-
343.82 of that amount has been paid,
or 69 per cent.
The 1935 city levy was made to
yield $47,176.18 if all taxes were
paid. As stated above, the second
half of this year's real estate taxes
are not yet due, but to date $27,
982.98 has already been paid, or ap
proximately 59 per cent.
The assessed valuation on which
levy was made in 1933 was $1,946,
563, while in 1934 it dropped to $1,-
882,818, going back up again in 1935
to $1,979,410. This year's valuation
although awaiting returns from the
state board covering railroad and
similar assessments before being com
plete, is expected to equal or exceed
the two million mark.
HAVE PLEASANT OUTING
County Treasurer and Mrs. John
Turner, with their daughter, Dor
othy Jean, have returned home from
their summer vacation trip to the
mountain sections of Colorado where
they found it much cooler and pleas
ant. They spent a larger part of
their time at Hugo, with Judge and
Mrs. C. M. Sommerville, the latter a
sister of Mrs. Turner. While at Colo
rado Springs they visited the Garden
of the Gods and viewed its many
places of interest which included the
grave of Helen Hunt Jackson, noted
poetess of the late eighties.
RETURN TO CHICAGO
Thursday evening Mrs. James
Ptacek and daughter, Gertrude, and
Master Stanley Marcelak, who have
been spending the past three weeks
here as guests of Mr. and Mrs. Theo
dore Yelick and other of the old
friends, returned to their home in
Chicago. They have enjoyed very
much the visit here among the old
friends, the Ptacek family having
made their home here for a great
many years before removing to Chi
cago.
RETURN HOME
Betty Lou and Franklin 'Sedlak and
Robert Ulstrup returned home last
evening after spending the past three
weeks here with their uncle and aunt
Mr. and Mrs. Max Vallery. A most
pleasant time was had, a number of
parties being given in their honor.
Mrs. Max Vallery and Mrs. Albert
Janda entertained a group of chil
dren in their honor. While at Ash
land, Robert and Ellen Ulstrup gave
a swimming party and picnic at
Linoma Beach. Mrs. P. B. Dunn gave
a theatre party, seeing Shirley Tem
ple at the Orpheum and later a picnic
supper.
Delegations
Make Appeal for
Road Projects
Connty Groups Seek Drouth Relief
in Offices of Governor Cochran,
State Engineer Tilley.
Delegations from several Nebraska
communities Thursday appealed to
Gov. Cochran and State Engineer Til
ley for road construction projects as
drouth relief measures. The officials
informed the delegations there was
little likelihood the state could start
any such construction projects and
advised the representatives to try to
work out something with the WPA.
A group of northeast N"ebraskans,
headed by S. J. Finnegan of Lindsay,
requested improvement of county
roads with state highway designa
tions 12 miles south of Battle Creek
and 13 miles south of Tilden. Finne
gan said the counties affected prob
ably would match any funds which
wtre available. Included in the dele
gation were residents of Battle Creek
and Tilden and two members of the
Madison county board, John Storek
and Arthur Rohdekar.
Several residents of Hayes and
Perkins counties requested grade im
provement on a sandhill road from
Hayes Center to Grainton. They also
asked for bituminous mat surfacing
between Grant and Ogallala to con
nect with Lincoln highway, U. S. No.
30.
Extension of paving on highway
No. 16 west of ahoo was sought by
Saunders county representatives. Til
Icy informed them this has been on
the highway department's program
for some time and will probably get
under way early next year. The
group also asked for advice as to
procedure on right-of-way problems
on a road east of Ceresco, for which
a contract has already been awarded.
TO PRESENT PLAY
The Plattsmouth Dramatic club
will present "The Jade Necklace," a
3 act comedy with an element of
mystery involved, at the Cass theater
on Tuesday, August 25, the club's
board of directors announced today.
Roy Olson, club president, will di
rect the play, which will have a cast
of 8 people, chosen from the club's
membership rolls. The play is the
second to be produced by the organ
ization since its inception last win
ter, and funds derived will be used
to improve the clubrooms held by
the club, to buy stage literature,
plays and other articles necessary to
the organization.
A tentative cast has been selected
by the director, whose names will
be announced later, as soon as ar
rangements are complete.
VISITING IN IOWA
Mrs. Paul H. Wohlfarth, of this
city, is spending a few days visiting
in Shenandoah, Iowa, where she is a
guest of her sister, Mrs. J. W. Jones
and family. Mrs. Jones was here to
enjoy a visit with her mother, Mrs.
Adah Moore and the sisters and
brother and on her return was ac
companied by Mrs. Wohlfarth for a
visit.
TO VISIT IN CALIFORNIA
From Friday's Dally
Mrs. D. C. Morgan, of Omaha, was
in the city today for a few hours
visiting with the old friends and
looking after some matters of busi
ness. Mrs. Morgan reports that her
sister, Mrs. C. D. Eades, ha a departed
for Hollywood, California, where she
will visit with relatives for some
time.
Nebraska Boy
Admits Letter
of Extortion
Grant Lad Says Asked $25.0CD from
Father of Shirley Temple
'Deliver hy Plane'.
Sterling Walrod Powell, 16-year-
old farm boy at Grant, Neb., confess
ed Friday afternoon to wriiing an
extortion letter asking 25 thousand
dollars of George F. Temple, father
of Shirley Temple, the juvenilo movio
actress, R. A. Alt, chief of the bu
reau of federal investigation in Om
aha, said.
Powell, arrested at his home one
mile south of Grant about 5 p. m.,
was taken to North Platte, where he
was arraigned before United States
Commissioner A. F. Streitz at 9
o'clock this morning. He was lodged
in the city jail for the night.
The letter, written about May 9,
Instructed Shirley's father to have
the money, in small bills, dropped
from an airplane May 15 at a desig
nated spot about one and one-half
miles southwest of Grant or the life
of his daughter would be endangered.
Lost in Fan Mail.
Apparently the letter was lost In
the child's fan mail, her father said
Friday, and was not opened until May
18, three days after the time speci
fied for delivery of the money.
Its envelope missing, the letter.
written on common stationery In
longhand, was given immediately to
the federal bureau. Through the
bureau's Washington laboratories the
stationery was traced to a drug store
in Grant.
The arrest came after weeks of
work, by federal operatives from the
Omaha office.
7 Says it Was a Joke.
Confronted with the letter Friday
afternoon, Towell admitted writing
it, federal agents said, but denied
that he ever went to the spot he had
named to look for the monev.
Small for his age, a sophomore last
year in Grant High school, the youth
is not an ardent movie fan, and his
parents are in comfortable financial
circumstances. Agents were unable
to establish a motive for the lad's
conduct.
He is the oldest of several children.
Officers said he told them that he
wrote the letter as a Joke.
His parents have lived on the farm
near Grant for the past four years.
and he was regarded as a nearly
model boy. Sheriff Bechtel f.aid.
The Temples are touring in the
northwest.
They were last reported in San
Francisco on their trip up the coast.
They checked out of a hotel in that
city Wednesday.
Elaborately Guarded.
The 7-year-old star has been elab
orately guarded against possible kid
naping attempts. On July 17, her
father gave an unwitting demonstra
tion of the mechanical bodyguards
at the Temple home.
He accidentally tripped a master
switch that makes the Temple domi
cile "kidnap-proof," and bells clang
ed, lights blazed and a siren screech
ed. The little actress' earnings are es
timated at about 500 thousand dol
lars a year. Her father is manager
of a branch bank. Her mother is
closely associated with her daughter
film work.
STILL CONFINED TO HOME
Mrs. Henry Starkjohn, who has
been ill for the past month, is still
confined to her home and under the
care of physicians. Mrs. Starkjohn
was at an Omaha hospital for some
time but has now returned home and
will continue her treatment here. She
was taken very seriously ill while on
a visit in the western part of the
state and her case has been one that
has proven very baffling.
RETURNS HOME
Arleen Woods, who has been en
joying a visit of several weeks here
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank
R. Gobelman, departed Friday even
ing for her home in Springfield, Mis
souri. She has greatly enjoyed the
visit here and during her stay made
many friends among the young people
of the community.