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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1941)
TSebr. Slate Historical Society vs ij vol. no. ivn PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, JULY 21, 1941. NO. 50 mm nr lir Main Runway Being Made Ready for Surfacing West Portion Closed to Heavy Traffic as Dirt Movers Ply Different Rcute Steel Going Up From Friday's Daily Steel work at the bomber plant is being put into place as fast as the force of riveters can handle the large beams and fabricated pieces. A great deal of progress was noted on the Journal's weekly trip over the grounds this morning with Captain G. V. Fleming. Those accompanying the captain on the tour were Mrs. R. A. Pates, publisher; Elmer Webb of the force and Mrs. Webb and Don nie. rarticularly noticeable since our visit of last week is the progress made on the main runway. A new route for the dirt moving equipment has been established to the north of this runway, half or more of which has been graded and made ready for the asphaltic concrete on which the finished planes will roar into the skies, with test pilots at the con trols. The finished portion extends from the west end near highway 75 to a point near where this runway running from northwest to southeast will be crossed by the shorter No. 2 runway, which is to extend from the northeast corner of the grounds to the road along the south edge of Fort Crook and crosses the main runway at right angles. The main runway is ideal for the plane take-offs, running to high em bankments at each end. so that (just in case) if a plane isn't in the air by the time it reaches either the northwest or southeast end of the runway, it will be then and fifty feet or more in the air as it passes over highway 75 at the west eDd or the new four lane state highway 31 , at the southeast corner. We drove around the rim at the west end, and from that point down to the high way it looks like one is 200 feet above the road level. Besides continuing grading away the hill north of the plant, the grad ers are busy getting the sloping approach to the runway from the plant exit, down which planes will roll as they leave the assembly line and are wheeled into place for their first take-off. leveled up and in shape for surfacing. Dirt is also being re moved from the west edge of the field to make room for the widened highway. Most of this dirt is still going to increase the height of the fill on the main runway at the south east corner of the grounds. For the first time in various trips, we were taken into the gigantic basement underneath the fifteen-inch concrete floor of the 000x900 foot assembly room. The basement, with its 540,000 square feet of space, will be used largely for storage of mater ial and bomber parts shipped in by rail and unloaded from the cars. To get these parts to the assembly floor, four large elevators are provided for, and there are also concrete stairs leading to the assembly floor at fre quent intervals. The entire basement as will be the rest of the plant is air conditioned, with provision for rapid change of air to provide per fect ventilation. The unloading track along the north side of the building will be under cover, allowing the un loading of supplies and material in all kinds of weather. The storage and loading-out track along the south side of the building is at main floor level. The tracks run north east to cross the highway on an over pass near the old pumphouse. Piling is being driven at this point, on which to construct the -concrete piers that will support the double-track overpass. Resides being used for storage, a part of this gigantic basement will house the cafeterias and recreational facilities for employees. The pillars are large round con crete structures four or five feet in diameter, flaring to a bell shape at the top and containing conduit and outlet boxes for four electric lights to each pillar. Only part of the con crete floor in the basement has been completed, and that in skip sections, with the work of laying the fill-in sections occupying the attention of a half dozen or more mixer crews. The work as a whole is still mov ing along ahead of schedule and con- fidence on the part of everyone that it will be completed well ahead of time. Surfacing on the No. 2 runway is being placed anil soon will be start ed at the west end of the main run way, which, as stated has been con ditioned to receive it. On our visit to the engineering offices we found F. C. Kendall, the project engineer with bag packed and ready to leave for Baltimore, where he will spend several days in the main plant of Ihe Martin company. Assistant Froject Engineer Loran Otto (Plattsmouth resident) was busy at his desk, but found time for a word of greeting. Inability to contact Captain Niles of the Public Relations department, at his office in Omaha, held up for the time being our plan to take a picture or two. These permits are issued only for single visits and must be renewed each time. Photos can only be taken of small sections, and in no event to show composite views of the plant or its exterior walls with relation to the terrain. We have enjoyed very much these weekly trips through the plant, thru courtesy of Captain Fleming, and expect to continue them, hoping to bring to Journal readers a word picture of the gigantic structure be ing erected to house the thirteen to twenty odd thousand workers who will be employed there on round the clock shifts in the turning out of bombeis. When one considers that some 75.000 man hours go into the making of a medium bomber of the Martin B-2G type and this plant may be geared to turn out three a day, it is quite easy through simple mathe matics to calculate the approximate number of workers that will be em ployed there when the plant opens early this fall. This plant, gigantic as it seems, is smaller than several others being rushed to completion in various sec tions of the middle-west. Here is one an engine plant located "near Cincinnati, Ohio, with 2,120,000 square feet of floor space, compared to 540.000 here if the assembly area only is counted, or slightly over one million square feet counting both the basement and main assembly floors. In that gigantic plant all sixteen of the major league baseball teams could ! play eight, simultaneous games, with 240.000 spectators 30,000 for each game . . . and there would be enuf room left for a college football game. Incidentally, the Journal has been able to secure from Aviation News Features a splendid picture of the Martin B-26 shown in contrast with the cumbersome looking biplane that was used in world war No. 1. This picture, together with others touch ing on the spectacular progress be ing made in plane production, inter esting news features, etc., will be given to our readers in regular edi tions of this paper from time to time and in a featured bomber edition to be published before the plant is opened. "Keep 'Em Flying" is the slogan of the Aviation News commit tee, Aeronautical Chamber of Com merce of America, sponsors of this feature service to newspapers. We are sure you will like these interest ing stories and pictures even more than our feeble attempts to describe progress at the Fort Crook plant. The Martin B-26 which is to be manufactured here and the picture of which we will bring to you within a few days, is described by the Army Air Corps as "faster than most of the pursuit planes now fighting in Eur ope." CARD OF THANES Deeply grateful to the niuuy kind friends and , neighbors we wish to thank you one and all for your kind expressions of sympathy shown us in our sorrow at the loss of our brother, uncle, and great uncle. Your kind ness will always be remembered. Mrs. Tetty Bengen, Mrs. Martha H. Ruby, Mr. and Mrs. John Beckman and family, Mr. and Mrs-. Roy Een gen and family, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Bengen and family, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dozier and family. Old established life insurance com pany needs part-time agent in Green wood, Louisville and Elmwood. If you would like to add $500 a year to your income by hard work in your spare time, write Box 15, Journal I Office. Legion Auxiliary Has Interesting Meeting Friday First Meeting of the New Ye jt Held at Home of President, Mrs. Robert Cappell. The American Legion Auxiliary held their first meeting of the year at the home of the new president, Mrs. Robert . Cappell. The regular business meeting was conducted and reports of committees were heard. There was a communication read concerning "scrap aluminum" which is to be collected here for defense purposes. The Auxiliary is co-operating with the local committee on this project. Mrs. Cappell an nounced her committees for this year: Membership Mrs. E. O. Vroman, chairman: Mrs. C. A. Marshall, Mrs. Fred Herhster. Mrs. Wm. Kraeger, Mrs. Taylor Cuthreil, Mrs. John Parkening. Americanism Mrs. A. TI. Dux- bury, chairman; Mrs. L. S. Devoe, Miss Mathilde Soennichsen, Mrs. Frank Gobelman. Poppy Mrs. George Conis, chair man; Mrs. Claude Pickering, Mrs. Joe Abrams. Mrs. Max Vallery. Mrs. Raymond Larson, Mrs. Taylor Cuth reil. Mrs. W. O. Reeves. National Publications Mrs. James Mauzy. Defense Mrs. H. L. Gayer. Memorial Mrs. A. H. Duxbury, chairman; Mrs. Otto Lutz, Mrs. Frank Bestor, Mrs. Mifo Hoppe, Mrs. John Hadraba, Mrs. John Hallstrom. Wreaths Mrs. Florence Persin ger, chairman; Mrs. Cleo Capper, Mrs. Chester Austin, Mrs. Ed Bash us, Mrs. Charles Nelson, Mrs. Charles Janecek, Mrs. Ray Shafer. Mrs. Ed Steppat, Mrs. Wlnnifred Grebe. Year Book Mrs. Ray Larson, chairman; Mrs. Charles Nelson, Mrs. E. G. Ofe. Publicity Mrs. Edgar Glaze, chairman; Mrs. Robert Cappell. Legislative Mrs. Joe Stibal, chair man; Mrs. J. A. Capwell. Past Presidents Parley Mrs. Ray Larson, chairman; Mrs. Fay McClin tock. Rehabilitation Mrs. Fay McClin tock, chairman; Mrs. Adelaide iEoyn ton. Mrs. Wilhelmina Nolting, Mrs. James Rehal. Mrs. Joe Safarik. Child Welfare Mrs. Elmer Webb, chairman: Mrs. Clyde Rosborough, Mrs. Clvde Jackson. Mrs. John Tur- nor. Mrs. Edgar Creamer, Mrs. Les- lif Niel. Music Prosrram. Colonial Mrs. Wiley Sigler, chairman; Mrs. R. W. Knorr. Mrs. E. G. Ofe. Gold Star Mrs. Don Seiver, chair man. Dishes Mrs. A. N. Boynton, chair man. Community Service? Mrs. Lora Kierk. chairman: Mrs. R. P. West- over, Mrs. David Fickrell, Mrs. Claude Ruse, Mrs. Wilbur Means. Education of War Orphans of Vet erans Mrs. Frank Rebal. chairman; Mrs. Joe Sedlak, Mrs. Celia Palecek. Employment Mrs. Ed Tritsch, chairman; Mrs. Frank Rice, Mrs. Bessie Aschenbrener. Juniors Mrs. Elmer Webb, chair man; Mrs. E. O. Vroman, Mrs. John Turner. The Auxiliary is co-operating with the Legion in sponsorin gactivities to raise funds to send the drum corps to the convention at Hastings next month. As representatives to this conven tion which is August 10-12, there were six delegates and six alter natesv elected: Delegates Mrs. Rob ert Cappell, Mrs. Edgar Gfaze, Mrs Elmer Webb, Mrs. Eugene Vroman, Mrs. Frank Bestor, Mrs. Taylor Cuth rell. Alternates Mrs. H. L. Gayer Mrs. Ray Larson, Mrs. Fay McClin tock, Mrs. A. II. Duxbury, Mrs. George Conis, Mrs. A. M. Boynton The business meeting was ad journed and Dorothea Mae Duxbury gave a very interesting talk on her week at Girls State which was held in Lincoln in June. Following this. a delightful covered dish picnic was held on the lawn at the Cappell home. There were twenty-two present. RETURN FROM OUTING Mrs. Louis Tiekotter and children. Joan and Kenneth, with Mrs. Etta Gaebel, of Louisville, returned home Thursday evening from a pleasant visit in Wisconsin. They were visit ing at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin with Mr. and Mrs. Een Woodward and family and had the opportunity of visiting many places of interest in that part of the country. Mr. and Mrs. Woodward are former Platts mouth residents, he being the direc tor of the Plattsmouth high school band while here. RETURNS TO HOSPITAL From Thursday' Dally This afternoon Sheriff Joe Mrasek took William Tigner to Lincoln where he was placed in the state hos pital for care and treatment. He be came unruly last evening on the street and struck at the electrolier posts, trash containers on the street and causing a great deal of excite ment. Police officers and Sheriff Mrasek found it necessary to take the man into custody for safekeep ing. The man had previously been at the hospital under care and will now be placed under protective cure. Coverage at Bellevue Added by the Journal Copies of Semi-Weekly to be Distrib uted to Every Family There, Thru Co-Operative Deal Through a co-operative arrange ment with the Bellevue commercial ! club worked out this week, starting next Thursday the Semi-Weekly Journal will go into every home and trailer house in Bellevue on Thurs days. Not only this, but; the paper will carry a lieuevue news page xo ue in reader interest and provide that community with. the news medium it has long sought and came to the Journal early this week with a re quest to provide. Here is how the arrangement will work: An experienced newspaper woman in Bellevue, will be editor, aided by an associate editor and four reporters who will provide a daily stream of news to this office of events about the bomber plant and happenings at Bellevue. This news will be'inm as received in current issues ot tne evening Journal and then grouped on the Bellevue page Thursdays as part of the regular Semi-Weekly issue of this newspaper going to all subscrib ers. The interest of readers here and over Cass county generally in what is going on in our neighboring boom town is more than sufficient to warrant its inclusion in our regular editions. What the Plan Means This set-up will provide Platts mouth advertisers with the greatest possible opportunities of reaching the rapidly enlarging Bellevue field in a newspaper that will be taken into the homes and read for the informa tion it contains and carry into those homes the regular ads of Journal patrons in addition to the regular complete coverage in Cass county the Semi-Weekly provides. The additional Bellevue coverage, through this arrangement, will cost advertisers not one cent over the regular rates, and certainly will con tinue as the one and only effective method of reaching Bellevue resi dents. It is our intention to make this Bellevue page not only interesting to Bellevue people, but to Journal readers throughout this territory. In these days of fastly changing conditions. Plattsmouth is interested in Bellevue and what it is doing. As stated, the news will be run from day to day in the Evening Journal, as received from our capable editorial writers there, under "Special Belle vue News Service" by-line and then consolidated in the Thursday Semi Weekly Journal. Bellevue newsboys will deliver the paper to each family residing in the town. Advertisers will be canvassed Mon day for space in the first issue carry ing the "Bellevue Bomber" page and covering both fields at the regular ad rates. HAS HEAD INJURED Clifford Dasher, employe at the BREX shops, suffered a painful in jury Thursday afternoon while at his work. He was helping jack up a coal chute when a plank used in the work slipped and struck him on the head. He suffered a cut on the left side of the head that required two stitches to close. The injured young man was treated at the office of Dr. L. S. Pucclik. Housing Topic of Discussion at C of C Meeting All-Weather Streets Reported as One of Requirements for Defense Area Home Locations What will Plattsmouth do about the housing situation? Will mass construction of new homes be under taken here to meet the demand that is sure to come with opening of the bomber assembly plant? This was one of the matters dis cussed at Thursday's noon-day Cham ber of Commerce luncheon. A visit here on Tuesday by Holger Holm, state FIIA chairman, earlier in the week had resulted in considerable information on what the require ments would be. E. J. Richey re ported Mr. Holm advised houses would have to be located on some sort of all weather road, and felt that black top or other paving dis tricts should be created by the city council. It was pointed out, however, that resident property owners them selves control the creation of such districts and can petition for or against, except where their property abuts an established federal or state highway, in which case the council could force paving over objections. No one felt that paving should be done at the expense of the city, but rather that property owners should pay, as always in the past, on the basis of front footage, with the city continuing to provide the intersec tion. As chairman of roads and transportation, Mr. Richey was thorized to make a survey and report findings to the council, or better still secure petitions , for those desiring paving. On hill streets it was said black top is not adequate, and a sug gestion made that rock bound mac adam (being used in Louisville and Nehawka) which in: reality is little short of concrete is very satisfactory and where laid by WPA labor, costs property owners only about $1 per square yard, or a little over $1.50 per running front foot. Vice President Presides President George Dobson was iniof the yellow stamps will Lincoln and Vice President A. H. I Duxbury presided. Mr. Langer (new restaurant man) and Mr. Bigsby (new funeral director) were present as guests. Total attendance was nineteen. There was also some discussion of the stamp plan for Cass county, and all members were urged to at tend the meeting at the court house this morning to learn the full de tails of the plan before passing snap judgment on it. Secretary E. II. Wescott reported on a conference he had early this week with another gasoline pipe line force heading this way, regard ing establishing headquarters here during the five or six weeks it will take to get through this territory. He also told of correspondence with a 2fi-inch gas line concern coming this way, which will not arrive for some time, but will be here for a much longer period than the gaso line forces that lay from one mile to as high as three in a single day. Pleasing reports on employment were received from the local office of the Nebraska Employment Service. It was stated that many more men are now at work on the school pro ject and it is now expected to have a roof over the building within the next sixty days. Agricultural committee reported the local creamery again assisting with the distribution of poison and creosote to eradicate grasshoppers and chinch bugs, which, according to "Farmer" Searl Davis, are plen tiful, but not nearly as bad as last year and preceding years. RECEIVE GOOD NEWS The many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lee Hartford, of Kansas City, Missouri, will be very, much pleased to learn of the fact that they are now the parents of a fine son, born on Sunday, July 13th. Mrs. Hart ford was formerly Miss Helen Schulz of this city. WORK WANTED Will do plastering, brick-laying, cement blocks, and cistern work. See Fred Rice or call 488-W. jy7-tfw GO TO BEATRICE Mrs. "Dusty" Rhoades and son Lorence, Jr., departed Friday morn ing for Beatrice where they will be guests at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Persinger. Mrs, Rhoades has spent the past month in this city at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rhoades and while here had the opportunity of meeting many former schoolmates and friends. They expect to leave Beatrice the latter part of next week for their home in Los Angeles. Food Stamps to be Used in Cass County Soon County Commissioners Vote Accept ance of Plan of Surplus Mar keting Administration. Beginning August 1st there will be no more surplus commodities dis tributed in Cass county. Persons eligible for commodities will be eligible to participate in the food stamp plan. The board of county commission ers at a session Friday afternoon voted to accept the plan of handling the food distribution plan as covered by the Surplus Marketing Adminis tration and the state assistance de partment, this to start operating on August 1st. The county assistance office will be the certifying agency in Cass county, giving to persons eligible au-!the opportunity to buy stamps. An identification card will be issued to enable the persons to obtain the food stamps from the Nebraska state assistance office. There will be a minimum amount of stamps that may be purchased as well as a maximum. The minimum depends on the sources of income of the person or family. The minimum for one person will be from $5 to $6 per month, for two persons, $8 to $14 per month and for three per sons from $11 to $16. A single person buying 55 worth be for given pur- $2.50 of the blue stamps chasing the food supplies. All of the stamps must be spent for food only. Miss Helen Porter, county assistance director states. This is the first time that the stamp plan has been tried in Cass county and is awaited with much in terest by the board of commissioners. It is expected that the plan will not cost more than the present method of supplying food and probably will mean less expense to the county. In connection with, the plan a meeting will be held on Monday evening at the Hotel riattsmouth by the food dealers of the city to hear the plan explained and the discussion of the operation as far as the mer chants are concerned. SENT TO HOSPITAL From Thursday's Dally Roy Wood, who has been in cus tody several times was today orderod committed to a hospital for care. He will be , taken to Knoxville, Iowa, Friday morning and placed in the t'nited States Veterans hospital for mental cases. It is hoped the treat ment n ay be of benefit to his condi tion that has become quite severe. TO ENTER HOSPITAL TRAINING From Tuesday's Dally Miss Elizabeth Anne Ruffner, who has been working in Omaha for sev eral months, returned home today. Miss Ruffner, who graduated from Plattsmouth high school in 1940, has been accepted for nurse's training in St. Anthony's hospital School of Nursing at Denver and expects to leave for there early this fall. VISITS OLD FRIENDS From Friday's Dally Mrs. C. E. Hartford, of Boone, Iowa, was here today to spend a few hours visiting with old friends. She was en route to Kansas City, Missouri, where she will visit with her son and later may go on to Cali fornia to visit her daughter, Mrs. Elva Hartley and family for some time. Subscribe to The Journal Frank Neugebauer Dies at Home at Steinauer, Nebr. Resident of Plattsmouth for Eighteen Years and Employee of the BREX Shops Here. From Friday's Dan? The death of Frank Neugebauer, 53, occurred this morning at Steinauer, Nebraska, where he has been for the past two weeks at the home of a sis ter, as he has been in failing health for the past six months. Mr. Neugebauer was born in Vien na, Austria, but came to the United States as a young man, located at Steinauer, Nebraska, where his par ents settled and the family home has continued at that place. For a number of years Mr. Neuge bauer was located at David City, Ne braska, in the battery business until in 1023 when he came to Plattsmouth and has since made this city his home. During is residence here he has been in the employe of the Burlington Refrigerator Express Co., shops, where he was a man well beloved by his associates and fellow workers. Mr. Neugebauer was a very devout member of the Roman Catholic church, and during his residence here one of the active workers ard members of the St. John's church of this city. He was chairman of the St. Vincent de Paul society of the church as well as one of the very active members of various church committees. He has just recently completed a two years service as grand knight of the Mon- signor M. A. Shine council of the Knights cf Columbus. Since the first cf the year he has been failing very rapidly and since March has been compelled to give up his work but remained here at h!s apartment at the Hotel Plattsmouth until several weeks ago when he was taken home. His death was due to a lung affliction. Kindly to a fault, a christian gentle man in every way he will be much missed by those who had the privilege of knowing him the best, and the com munity in which he has lived has lost a fine and useful citizen. Mr. Neugebauer was unmarried and is survived by two brothers and a sister at Steinauer, and a sister, a member of the Sisters of Charity now at Denver. The funeral services will be held on Monday morning at 0 o'clock at the St. Anthony's church at Steinauer. LIKE WEST FINE Mr. and Mrs. Robert II. Fitch have just returned from a very pleasant outing in the west, the greater part of the time spent in Estes Park, Colorado. They travel ed by train to North Platte where they visited for a short time with their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Jewell, who later took Mr. and Mrs. Fitch by auto to Colo rado. They enjoyed the coolness of the park and the pleasant days spent in the open, especially Mr. Fitch, who spent some time in his favorite sport of fishing. After the Colorado visit they stop ped at Brewster, Nebraska, to visit Mr. and Mrs. John Turner, the lat ter a daughter, viewing many places of interest in that section. Robert Fitch of Grand Island later drove up to take the parents home with his family for a few days and from where they returned home. RETURNS TO CALIFORNIA Donald Eushnell, who enjoyed a pleasant visit with his mother, Mrs. G. O. Schwenneker and other rel atives here, left for the west coast Thursday morning. Accompanying him back was R. F. Reed, who also resides in Burbank. Mr. Reed came t.i the middle west with "Don," and he spent his vacation in Kansas City, where he has relatives. BIRTH OF SON To Mr. and Mrs. Don Ricketts of this city, at the St. Mary's hospital at Nebraska City, Wednesday, July 16. Mrs. Ricketts was formerly Miss J Florence Erhart, of Nebraska City. Mr. Ricketts is connected with the meat department of the Hinky-Dinky store of this city.