tfefcr. State Historical Siety
my
VOL. KO. LTV
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1939.
NO. 9G
Eastern Star
Installs Officers
for the Year
Mrs. W. F. Evers Is New Worthy
Matron Mrs. Laughlin of
Grand Island Installs.
Home chapter No. 1SS of the East
ern Star held their installation of
officers Tuesday evening at their
lodge rooms in the Masonic building
with an unusually large number of
members and visiting Stars being
here .for the impressive - ceremony.
There were over 150 in attendance
at the meeting.
Mrs. Laughlin. of Grand Island,
past grand chaplain and representing
the grand chapter, served as the in
stalling officer with Mrs. Ralph M.
Wiles, past worthy matron, as mar
shal and Mrs. J. E. Schutz as cere
monial chaplain.
The officers installed were:
Worthy Matron Mrs. William F.
Evers.
Associate Matron Mrs. W. 1.
Seybolt. Murray.
Worthy Patron John Janacek.
Associate Patron L. L. Wiles.
Conductress Miss Marie Nolting.
Associate Conductress Mrs. Wiley
Sigler.
Secretary Miss Clara Weyrich.
Treasurer Miss Mary Petersen.
Chaplain Mrs. Geo. Lushinsky.
Marshal Mrs. H. F. Nolting.
, Organist Mrs. R. O. Cole.
Odah Mrs. Carl Schneider.
Ruth Mrs. W. H. Kraeger.
Esther Mrs. L. S. Devoe.
Martha Mrs. Howard Wiles.
Electa Mrs. Edgar Meisinger.
Warder Mrs. Clara Jan&cek.
Sentinel Howard Wiles.
Several very beautiful gifts were
presented to the incoming and out
going officers following the installa
tion. Mrs. Floyd Becker, retiring
matron, received a fine leather trav
eling bag from her associate officers
of 1938. Mrs. W. F. ETers, new
matron, received a bouquet of chrys
anthemums and the star points each
received bouquets in colors symbolic
of their offices.
Mrs. W. L. Seybolt made the pre
sentation of the bouquet to Mrs.
Evers and the other officers, while
Mrs. Evers presented Mrs. Becker
with her lovely gift.
Mrs. Evers also received a most
delightful surprise from Mr. Evers
when presented a beautifully pre
pared wooded casket which contained
a gavel, the wood of which came
from the farm of the Evers family
and had been prepared by Mr. Evers.
The gavel was ornamented with
pearls for the Christian name of the
recipient. It was truly n most appre
ciated token of a very happy occa
sion. The casket also contained a
collection of dates marking important
events in the life of Mrs. Evers.
The casket bore also the engraved
plate with the name of Mrs. Evers.
HAMBURG HERE FRIDAY
The Platters will entertain the
Hamburg (Iowa) basketball quintet
on Friday night on the local court
in what should be one of the fea
tures of the current season.
Both the first and second Ham
burg teams will be here for two
games, the Junior starting at 7:15
and the first team game at 8:15.
As an added feature there will be
a tap dancing specialty given be
tween halves by Junior High girls
with Miss Shirley Seiver as the ac
companist for the dancers.
Hamburg has had a very fine
record this year and played a fast
game against the veteran Shenan
doah quintet, rated one of the best
In southwest Iowa. Hamburg was
defeated by Nebraska City, but has
showed well in their games against
their Iowa opponents.
RETURN FROM MISSOURI
From Tu ay DalTT
Mrs. Fred Howland. Billy and
Betty returned yesterday from West
Plains, Mo., where they have been
visiting during the holidays with
Mrs. Kowland's parents. Mr. and
Mrs. John Gentry. On coming home
New Year's day the train on which
they were passengers was in a head
on collision with another train.
None was seriously injured but
quite wel shaken up. The train
with which they collided carried
the Georgia Tech football team.
HERE FROM NORTH BEND
Mrs. Elizabeth Robinson, one of
the early day settlers of the vicin
ity of North Bend and Fremont, ar
rived here Tuesday to visit for a
short time at the home of her grand
son, Andrew Robinson and family.
She has been visiting with her
daughter, Mrs. Jake Thompson and
family at Nebraska City, Mrs. Thomp
son bringing her to this city and
later returning home. Mr. and Mrs.
Robinson motored as far as Omaha
today with the grandmother on her
way home to North Bend.
L. E. Vroman,
Old Resident,
Dies Sunday
Stricken With a Heart Attack Sun
day Morning He Dies in Eve
ning at Home Here.
Sunday afternoon at 6:30 as the
New Year's day was drawing to a
close, Li. E. Vroman, 76, a long time
resident of the city and a veteran otA
the Burlington, passed away at the
home in the south part of the city,
where the family has made their
home for many years.
Mr. Vroman has not been In the
best of health for two years past but
his condition was not serious until
Sunday morning when he suffered a
heart attack and from which he
failed to rally and as evening came
he peacefully passed away.
Mr. Vroman was born in DeKalb
county, Illinois, and tame to Nebras
ka in 1884, locating near Farnam,
Nebraska, where he homesteaded and
resided until in 1900 when with his
family he came to Plattsmouth to lo
cate. He entered the services of the
Burlington railroad here shortly after
locating Tiere and was employed by
the Burlington and the BREX at the
shops here until his retirement three
years ago.
The departed was a man who will
be greatly missed in the community
where he has long been a loved and
honored figure and those of the fam
ily circle will miss his thoughtful
and loving care that he has given
through the long years. He has cared
for and reared many of his grand
children as well as his own children
and for those he loved or was bound
by ties of blood, no task was too
great to undertake.
Mr. Vroman was active in civic af
fairs for many years and served many
terms in the -city council from the
fifth ward, and of which body he was
a watchful guardian of the welfare
of the people of the community.
He ia survived by four sons and
one daughter, Elton R. Vroman,
Minidoke, Idaho; Allard Vroman,
Gerber, California; Verdon Vroman,
Chicago; Eugene and Winnie Vro
man of this city. The mother and
one son and one daughter have pre
ceded him in death. There also sur
vives four brothers, three sisters and
a number of grandchildren.
HEAR FINE TALK ON BEES
The Rotarians at their meeting on
Tuesday afternoon had a most In
structive program offered them on a
subject that is little known by the
average layman, that of the bee and
it's product honey.
Judge A. H. Duxbury had a
four reel showing of the bee at its
work and the many uses of honey
and as well the many different va
rieties of bees that are to be found.
The pictures also showed the work
at the laboratories where the prod
ucts of the bees are handled and
from the processes many foods and
articles derived. The pictures were
explained and gave a wonderful op
portunity of the members of the
party to see the various steps of the
life of the useful and industrious
bee.
The high school students who are
to be members of Rotary for the
month of January were presented.
they being Stuart Sedlak, senior and
president of the senior class and Har-
ley Cottingham, of Murray, the presl
dent of the juniors.
R. ,W. Knorr was the leader of
the meeting.
The films, "The History of the
Honey Bee," was loaned for the oc
casion by the ' U. S. department of
agriculture extension service.
Eveland Farm
Near Elmwood is
Swept by Fire
Farm Buildings Destroyed as Well as
Grain and Large Tank of Gaso
line Blown Up.
The G. R. Eveland farm, near Elm
wood, one of the largest stock farms
in Cass county, was swept by fire
Monday that caused much damage
and spread rapidly from building to
building as well as exploding a large
storage tank of gasoline that had just
recently been filled. There was 500
gallons of gasoline in the tank as it
exploded and was hurled high into
the air by the force.
A crew of men was engaged in
sawing wood on the farm. On re
turning from their noon-day lunch
they found the wood shed afire. A
strong wind caused .the flames to
spread despite the desperate battle
that was waged by volunteer work
ers, and later by the Elmwood fire
men. During the forenoon exhaust from
the engine had several times ignited
thT dry sawdust which was from
trees long dead, the blaze being ex
tinguished by the men promptly. It
is presumed a smouldering fire in the
sawdust was fanned into action dur
ing the noon hour and -spread rap
idly from building to building.
A large barn, one of the largest
in that section of the county, a five
thousand bushel elevator, a hog
house, four thousand bushels of corn.
a team of horses. 135 tons of hay and
the five hundred gallons of gasoline
were destroyed in the path of the
flames.
Besides the horses, two brood sows
were also burned. However, soine
200 head of cattle under feed on the
farm were driven from the feedlots
nearby to a place of safety and es
caped, so the livestock loss was not
nearly as heavy as it might have
been.
For a time it was even feared the
house, some 200 feet away, might
bo destroyed, and but for the fact
that the wind was in the opposite
direction, it undoubtedly would
have.
News of the fire spread rapidly
and people came from miles around.
an estimated several thousand visit
ing the scene during the afternoon
and evening.
Some insurance was carried on the
luildings but not nearly enough to
replace them. Mr. Eveland had the
barn and granaries well stocked with
jprain for carrying on his cattle fat
tening program, which has been in
terrupted, causing additional loss, as
all agree it is steady rations that
produce beef animals.
It is Baid the buildings will be re
placed as quickly as possible.
HOLD IMPRESSIVE SERVICE
The First Methodist church Sun
day was the scene of a very impres
sive observance of the communion
service, held at 7 o'clock in the
morning and which was the first ser
vice at this time that has been held
by the church. ,
The communion table was ar
ranged at the foot of the platform
at the east of the church and with
the twelve candles that represented
the apostles made a very beautiful
setting for the participation In the
morning sacrifice.
Rev. J. C. Lowson gave the invi
tation to partake of the communion
and during the celebration which
was from 7 to 9 o'clock, there were
a large number of the members of
the church to participate.
During the hours of the Eucharist
there was soft music played on the
organ that gave added beauty to the
service.
MRS. SEYBERT ILL
Mrs. W. H. Seybert is quite 111
at her home in the Frlcke apart
ments wher she has made her home
for the past fall and winter, she hav
ing not been well for some weeks.
The many friends of Mrs. Seybert
over the county will regret that she
is not so well and trust that she may
Boon be able to show an improve
ment. Her sister, Mrs. Ruth Thomsen
has been here to assist In her care
for the past few weeks.
VISIT RELATIVES HERE
Andy Graves of-Eellevue and Al
vin Graves of Omaha, old time ball
players and former residents of the
Rock Bluffs community, were in the
:ity Sunday to visit with their rel
atives and the old time friends. The
Graves were among the best known
baseball players in eastern Nebraska
for many years and Andy a veteran
pitcher who was able to set a fast
pace for any of the teams in this
state. While here they visited their
uncle. Judge C. L. Grave.-, who also
in his younger days was considerable
of a baseball player himself.
Plattsmouth
Loan - Building
Ass'n Meeting
Report Shows Institution in the Very
Best of Shape With Reserves
of 47 Per Cent.
The annual meeting of the stock
holders of the Plattsmouth Loan &
Building association was held at the
office of the treasurer, a large group
of the stockholders being represented.
The reports of the secretary and
auditors showed that the association
has at this time reserves of forty
seven per cent, one of the largest in
the state and representing the very
strong condition of the local insti
tution. The association also has
adopted the direct reduction plan and
which provides for the reduction of
six per cent monthly.
The terms of M. D. Erown, John
Lutz and E. J. Weyrich as directors
were expiring and these were unani
mously chosen for re-election to the
post which they have so very ably
filled.
The directors later elected the offi
cers for the ensuing year, as fol
lows: '
President C- A." Jolittson. -
Vice-President John Lutz.
Secretary E. P. Lutz.
Treasurer Fred T. Ramge.
The association is now paying five
per cent on running stock and four
per cent on the paid-up stock of the
company.
ATTEND INSTALLATION
Monday evening Raymond C.
Cook, deputy grand custodian of the
A. F. & A. M. of Nebraska, William
A. Robertson, past grand master and
William F. Evers, superintendent of
the Nebraska Masonic Home, were
at Weeping Water to attend the in
stallation of the officers of Euclid
lodge No. 97.
Mr. Cook served as the installing
officer and Mr. Evers as the cere
monial marshal. Mr. Robertson
spoke briefly following the installa
tion on the work, of the order.
The officers installed were:
W. M. C. E. Pool.
S. W. Gardner R. Binger.
J. W. Edwin Schulte.
Treasurer Dr. M. U. Thomas.
Secretary Chris Rasmussen. .
S. D. Ralph Binger.
J. D. E. B. Taylor.
Chaplain Rev. George S. Hill.
S. S. Charles H. Gibson.
J. S. Floyd Cole.
Tyler Ray Haslam.
At the conclusion of the lodge
session refreshments were served
by the committee in charge.
RETURN FROM DENVER
Mr. and Mrs. TimoOy Kahoutek,
who were at Denver for the holiday
season, have returned to their home
in this city. They Were guests at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
Kahoutek, the former brother of
Mr. Kahoutek and also with their
niece and nephew, Mr. and Mrs.
Paul Williams. fThey found the
weather very fine and during their
stay the thermometer showed 75
one day and very balmy through
that part of the west.
OPENING NEW OFFICES
J. A. Capwell, who is closing his
term as county attorney Thursday,
is preparing to open his law offices
In the Gund building, just west of
the court house and expects to be
settled in the new location Thurs
day and ready to take up his prac
tice. The offices are very nicely ar
ranged and will make comfortable
quarters and quite handy to the
court house.
Mynard Club
Has Interesting
Travel Lecture
R. A. Kirkpatrick of Union Pacific
Shows Views of the Great .
Natural Wonderlands.
Last Friday evening the members
and friends of the Mynard Commun
ity club witnessed one of the most
entertaining and instructive pro
grams it has been their privilege to
enjoy in the nearly twelve years of
the lub's continuous activities, This
was an illustrated lecture, in natural
I . . 1 -, . . 1 . r , f .Via Tl 1 t I n n C
outstanding lecturerers and natural
ists, R. A. Kirkpatrick, through the
courtesy of Mr. Jecery, president of
the Union Pacific railroad.
Arrangements for his appearance
were made by Roy O. Cole, chairman
of the program committee, who had
contacted Mr. Kirkpatrick last sum
mer for an appearance before their
group and it was due to the fact that
he, while en route from the east to
California, found time to drive down
from Omaha for this appearance and
which, otherwise, he would not have
been available for some time 'as his
lectures have been in such demand
over various, sections of the United
States that he is booked well into the J
year-1940.
Mr. Kirkpatrick chose for his sub
ject the Utah - Arizona National
Parks, including Zion, Bryce Canyon
and Grand Canyon National Parks
and the Kaibab national forest,
whkh is truly the most colorful and
magnificent natural scenery to be
found in the North American con
tinent, if not the whole world. He
prefaced his pictures with vivid de
scriptions of the different geological
formations which is typical of that
section of the country and held his
audience spellbound as he described
some of the canyons whose. walls rise
almost perpendicular to heights of
over 4000 feet and in the upper
reaches of the canyon where the
walls are so -close they can be touch
ed by the outstretched hands. In this
narrow canyon it is so dark one can,
in mid-day, see the stars in the sky
through the narrow opening at the
top, nearly a mile above, with the
brilliancy of a clear moonless night.
Of particular interest was the fact
that the present floor of the icanyon
was once the bottom of a sea as is
evidenced by countless millions of
fossilized sea shells and other crus
tacean animal life which lived hun
dreds of thousands or perhaps mil
lions of years ago. Pictures show
ing the strata of the canyon walls
prove that there were fourteen sepa
rate inundations of this territory
which, before the dawn of history,
was a vast sea and which covered it
to a depth of nearly a mile. After
each inundation vast forests grew
and in turn were covered over and
their present petrified trunks and
limbs are but mute evidence of a
great forest of the dim past.
It is almost beyond the possibil
ities of human perception to realize
the magnitude of the erosive effect
of water on the rock In cutting these
enormous canyons. The speaker
stated that this erosion was meas
ured at Boulder dam and it was
found that the river was carrying
330 tons of sand, on an average,
for every minute of the four and a
half years which the dam was under
construction. This, going on for esti
mated millions of years, has cut a
canyon twenty-eight miles wide,
nearly a mile deep and hundreds of
miles long. Dozens of natural color
pictures were thrown on a large
screen showing the wonderful color
ings of rock lormations which in
places included every color of the
spectrum and which, as his pictures
showed, changed in color with the
angle which the sun's rays struck
it.
Of particular beauty were the mag
nificent colorings shown by the
desert flowers, especially cacti, and
their natural lifelike beauty brought
home to the audience the marvelous
advancement in color photography in
recent years. Previous to the lecture
a short business session was held by
the club which was presided over by
Glen Wiles, the outgoing president,
and who expressed his appreciation
for the cooperation his co-officers and
various committees had given and
wished the new officers a happy and
successful New Year.
The names of the club's officers for
the coming year were read and are
as follows: Royal Smith, president;
Mrs. Nettie Mumm, vice-president;
Mrs. Ogla Wiles, secretary; Arthur
Wetenkamp, treasurer.
RETURN HOME
James Straw, w ho has been spend
ing the holiday season with his
cousins, Lester, Wilma and Kath
riene Reeves departed Monday for
his home in Sioux Falls, South Da
kota, by bus.
Funeral of
Chester Renner
Largely Attended
Hundreds Present to Pay Trilmte to
Young Man Killed in Accident
at Hamburg;, Missouri.
The funeral services for Chester
Renner were held on Tuesday after
noon at the Sattler funeral home
where was gathered a large group of
the friends of the family and the
associates of the departed young
man. The chapel was filled to over
flowing and large numbers gathered
on the lawn to render their tribute
of esteem and affection.
Rev. Faul Dick, pastor of the
United Brethren church of Mynard,
had charge of the services and
brought to the members of the fam
ily a message of consolation in the
grief that had come so suddenly to
them and to the many friends.
During the services a quartet com
posed of Richard Spangler, Arthur
Hild, Raymond Cook and Rev. Dick,
gave two of the old and loved hymns,
"In the Sweet Bye and Bye" and
"Going Down the Valley One by
One." The body was laid to rest in
the family plot in Oak Hill cemetery,
the pall 'bearers being selected from
among the old friends and associates.
COMMISSIONERS MEETING
From Tuesday' Dall
The board of county commission
ers are holding their December meet
ing today at the court house and
winding up the affairs of the county
for the current year. The bonds of
the newly elected and appointed of
lcers are being approved and all
made ready for the changes that
will be made in the various offices
on Thursday when the newly elected
officers take over the duties of their
positions.
In the changes that will be made
is that of the retirement of Elmer
Hallstrom of Avoca, who will leave
his post of commissioner from the
second district in which he has bo
excellently Berved. not having sought
re-election.
Mr. Hallstrom was appointed to
the commissionership at the time of
the death of Commissioner Chap
man and has proven a very valu
able public official In every way.
His long training in the banking
and financial world Jias enabled him
to give Cass county the very best
of service in checking the business
affairs of the county.
ARRIVAL OF MISS DAVIS -
From Wedneaday'a Dally
The many friends of Mr. and Mrs.
J. Howard Davis will be delighted to
learn that they are the happy par
ents of a fine seven and a quarter
pound daughter, Carol Ruth, born
this morning at the Lincoln General
hospital. Mrs. Davis and the daugh
ter are both doing well and Mr. Davis
is also feeling very fine. Both Mr.
and Mrs. Davis have long been active
iii the training of little folks in the
Sunday school and now have one in
their own home to care for and train.
STUDENTS BACK TO WORK
The larger part of the Platts
mouth students who are engaged in
university and college work depart
ed Tuesday for their institutions of
learning after the Christmas vaca
tion. The students have had the po
portunity of many pleasant visits
with their families and old school
friends In - the vacation period and
during the Christmas season many
very enjoyable social events have
been held.
County Officers
to Start Terms
on Thursday
Will Take Over Offices Several
Changes to Take Place in the
Court House.
From Wednesday's Dally
Thursday will be Inauguration day
at the Cass county court house and
several of the offices will have a new
personnel after this date while oth
ers will go along as just another day
in the routine of work.
County Clerk George R. Sayles has
asked that the new-elected officials
appear at their offices at 8 o'clock
and ready to go and at 10 o'clock
they are to repair to the office of the
county commissioners where County
Judge A. H. Duxbury will administer
the oath of office.
The chief changes will be at the
offices of the sheriff, register of deeds.
surveyor, county attorney and county
superintendent where new faces will
be Installed for the coming terms.
In the sheriff's office Joe Mrasek
and E. J. Doody will take oyer the
work of sheriff and deputy to replace
Home and Cass Sylvester.
Ray F. Becker assumes the post of
register of deeds and will have Miss
Gertrude Vallery as his deputy, Mtas
-Illian White, register and Miss Geor-
gia White, present occupants, re
tiring. In the office of county superin
tendent of schools, Mrs. Lora Lloyd
Kieck will take over the position of
Miss Alpha C. Peterson, who has
long held the office and who was
not a candidate for re-election. Mrs.
Kieck has not announced her office
assistant.
Robert M. Mann will take over
the work of Cass county surveyor
from Robert H. Fitch, who has filled
the position since the death of Fred
Patterson.
County Clerk George R. Sayles,
dean of the county officers, will re
main at hla post and serve tfce public
in his usual efficient manner. No
changes are to be made in the office
force of Mrs. Blanche Hall and Al
bert Olson.
County Treasurer John E. Turner,
who has made a very able official In
handling the county funds, also re
mains at his post and retains his
force of workers. Miss Ruth Patton,
Henry Woster and Catherine Gro6B
hans. Walter H. Smith, popular young
attorney, will take over the dutlen
of the post of county attorney to
succeed J. A. Capwell. He will re
tain Miss Mary Jane Mark as steno
grapher. Clerk of the District Court C. E.
Ledgway, also was one of the county
officers returned unopposed to hla
post and with his efficiency will con
tinue to handle his duties. .lis Helen
Warner will continue as the deputy.
County Assessor W. H. Puis also
is retaining his office in which he
was unopposed and will continue to
guide the affairs of the office as
efficiently as in the past.
The board of county commission
ers have a change in Ray Norris, well
known resident of near Avoca, who
will represent the second district and
brings to the position a record of
ability and efficiency in his work.
Commissioner H. C. Backemeyer of
the third district was re-elected and
will continue to serve the people of
Cass county and help guide the busi
ness affairs. Commissioner George
L. Farley holds over and will not be
re-inducted into office at this time.
CELEBRATE 25TH ANNIVERSARY
From Wednesday' Dally
At the home of the parents of the
bride on Jannary 4. 1914 occurred
the marriage of Miss Leona Gibson
to Mr. Thomas Cacy, a young sales
man in one of the larger department
stores of Kansas City. The newly
married couple made their home in
the big Missouri town for some years,
after which they came to Nebraska
and were located on a farm near Au
burn for a number of years and later
came to Cass county and have made
their home here since. This couple,
Mr. and Mrs." Thomas Cacy were
quietly celebrating the 25th anniver
sary of their wedding here today.
Please accept our congratulations and
best wishes for many years of happiness.
