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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 1954)
EEBR. STATS HIST. SOCIETY XXX 1500 R ST. ' LIIJCOLN, KSBR. CASS COUNTY'S GREATEST NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED Monday - Thursday SEMI - WEEKLY Consolidated With the Nehawka Enterprise and Elmwood Leader-Echo- Delivered Twice Weekly to More Than 3000 Cass County Families VOLUME 74 FOURTEEN PACES PLATTSMOUTH, CASS COUNTY, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1954 FIVE CENTS PER COPY NUMBER 8 ErLATM3(G)IJ Jmm 3-0 P- L. . f I Ml III Joinomsis Pies m f7 A car-truck crash on Highway 73-75 about two miles south of Offutt Field claimed the life of Arthur J. Jo harms, Piattsmouth barbershop owner, Sunday evening about 6:15 o'clock. Johann's car, a 1955 Chevrolet sedan purchased just three weeks ago, struck the rear dual wheels of a stock truck operate ' by Oliver Meisinger of near Plattsrnouth, and was completely demolished. The truck headed south had pulled off the pavement in an attempt to miss the northbound Johanns auto. According to witnesses to Fred Rea To Retire InJaniiary One of PlattsmoutlVs best ; loved and most modest citizens ; will retire when the new year; lolls in. ! He is Fred I. Rea, for nearly ; 20 years district manager of the i Consumer's Public Power Com- I pany and its. predecessor, the ! Iowa Light c Power company. Named to succeed Rea is Er- , nest C. Elliott, who became as- ! sedated with Consumer in 1941 I ana riattsmoutn district super intendent since 1950. lie has served with the company as line foreman, local . superintendent and superintendent of distribu tion and transmission for Con sumers kn the Plattsrnouth area. Fred Rea, by general opinion,- has endeared himself to thousands of persons in the Plattsrnouth area in his long term with the company. He Fred I. Rea t came to Plattsrnouth as manager of the old Icwa Light and Power company in 1925 and acted as manager of that company until 1941 when the company was sold lo Consumers. He was born in Missouri, later moved to Hiawatha, Kansas, wheie he was graduated from high school in 1902. Between 1002 and 1903 he attended the University of Kansas at Law- j rence, studying engineering and j working in municipal and pri- j vate electric plants. He did not ; praduate as he continued in this line of work in one plant fol lowing his junior college year. In January 1917, he. came to Ne braska as manager of the Ne braska Gas & Electric company at Newman Grove. In 1923, Mr. Rea was trans ferred to Missouri Valley, la., as manager of that area for the Nebraska Gas & Electric com pany. During the years of 1S23 and 1925 he was connected with the construction department be fore being named manager at Plattsrnouth. lie has served as president and treasurer of the Plattsrnouth Chamber of Commerce and is a charter member of the .Rotary Club. lie is chairman of the Board of Public Works for the City of Plattsrnouth, having served in that capacity since the city bought the water company in 1943. He was selected as King of the Kass Kouuty King Korn Karnival in 1953 and reigned for "a year. lie ha" been a great civic-minded worker in Platts mouth's look to the future. Richard Howe who has been news editor of the Journal for the past four month's has ac cepted a position as news edi tor of the Albion. Nebr.. News. Mr. Howe started his new duties on the parjer there today. ThQ family will move to Albion later this week. THE WEATHUR Compiled for the Journal at the Masonic Home Weather Station. Plittsmouth, Nebraska. Dec. 13-15. High Low Prec. Monday 28 12 Tuesday . . .' 54 ?' Wednesday 44 20 Forecast: Today (Thursday) Cloudy, tonight colder, showers changing to snow flurries. 0 7 rasn the accident, John Eiliott, Joe York and Mr. and Mrs. Melvin McKinney, who had followed the victim's car for several miles north of Piattsmouth,, the auto had . barely missed sideswiping the Oreapolis overpass and had continued north weav ing over the highway. Mr. Elliott stated the car was on the wrong side of the road a great share of the time and barely missed striking a transport and several other ' cars just before the fatal crash. Mr. Elliott added that he and his companions could see the driver was in distress and they attempted to pull along side to stop him, but the -weaving car endangered their own position. They witnessed the crash when the car pulled into the south bound lane striking the Meis inger truck just forward' of the dual wheels, sheering off the top, sending it careening through a fence before plung ing into a ditch. The truck also overturned, but Mr. Meisinger escaped. serious injury. Johanns had oeen in Papillion during the day attending a trap shoot. At the time of the acci dent, relatives stated he was on his way to Council Bluffs where ha was to participate in a se cond shoot for the day. According to reports, Mr. Johanns had complained some of a heart condition recently."",. It is thought, he " mzy hAtf suffered ait attack shortly before the accident. The body was taken to Papil lion and later brought to the Caldwell-Linder Funeral Home in Plattsmout?;. Funeral services for Mr. Jo hanns' will be held at 2 p. m. Wednesday, Dec. 23, at the Caldwell-Linder Funeral Home in Plattsrnouth with Rev. Erw'in Kiel officiating. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. Mr. Johanns was born at Syr acuse, Nebr., on Jan. 27, 1893, and married Hilda Wallengren at Plattsrnouth on Nov. 6, 1943. He had lived in Otoe and Dunbar before coming to Plattsrnouth.. Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Audrey Miller of Agra, Kans.; a brother, Paul Johanns of Cana da; a sister, Mrs. Lillian Egger ling, St. Francis, Kans,; and three grandchildren. He was pre ceded in death by his first wife, i Elizabeth Johanns of Syracuse. He was a member of the Lu theran church at Syracuse. Christmas Lighting Winners To 8c Named The Plattsrnouth Chamber of Commerce residential lighting contest which is now under way will be judged tomorrow night, ; according to an announcement today. Judges have been viewing various displays in all parts of Plattsrnouth during the past few weeks and are expected to come up with the winner tomorrow. Announcement will bs made in the Thursday issue of The Jour--nal. Court House Briefs Richard E. Rice, speeding, $25 and $4 costs. - Robert F. Rachwitz, speeding, $15 and $1 costs. Lloyd E. Ball, failure to stop at stop sign, $10 and costs. Eugene A. Haughton, failure to yield right of way, $10 and costs. Builders supply company, ov erweight on capacity plates, $33 and costs. Charles F. Roark, speeding, $26 and $4 costs. Hubert John Hinkel, $32 and $4 costs, overweight on capacity plates. Alvie C. Parks, $10 and $4 costs, overweight on capacity plates. Emerson T. Ireland, $11 and $4 costs, overweight on capacity plates. Melvin J. Chernault, $10. and $4 costs, speeding. Roy S. Hanson. 119 South Ninth, Omaha, driving . while drunk, $100 and $5.20 costs, li cense suspended for six months. ' Samuel C. Faulk, $11 and $4 costs, speeding. Journal Christmas -Edition Thursday Christmas greetings through the Journal, like personal Christmas cards, will be sent by many busi ness and professional men on this Thursday, Dec. 23, Christmas edition of the newspaper. That edition wSl also con tain notices of services in churches and Christmas pro grams being given. Many of Cass County's merchants will take part in sending messages of geod cheer and good wiH threvngh the pages of the Journal. Cass Christmas Seals Drive Lags Slightly Plattsmouth's Christmas Seal drive is lagging behind last year, Mrs. Charles Janacek, chairman said. Mrs. Janacek said second no tices are going out to persons who have received the seals and she hopes that will boost the drive for funds for the Nebras ka Tuberculosis Association. The chairman reported that $933.65 had been collected by Saturday. This was less than the $1,000 which was on hand Dec. 20 last year. The drive will end in January. Funds from the drive go to tuberculosis research and other services, some making Christ mas happier for victims as the following dispatch from Kear ney State Hospital for Tubercu losis: Christmas time is a merry time for the 145 patients at the State Hospital for Tuberculosis here, as it is for every one. Probably the happiest are those who can have a leave of absence ana go home for Christmas with their loved ones. Some children have left for, home already. The patients who receive leave are those who have pro gressed a great distance on the road to recovery, Mrs. Cather ine Miner, rehabilitation co-or-dinator, said. For those, who cannot go home, the hospital has a Christ mas party. This year's party was held last Thursday night. It in cludes even those who cannot leave their wards or their beds to come to the auditorium where a dance band plays. There is no dancing, however. The roombound or bedfast pa tients receive gifts and prizes, as do those at the party. Cookies, oranges and other treats are distributed also from Christmas trees in each ward. The children in the hospital get theirs Christmas morning. Presents come from individ uals, veterans groups, civic and service clubs, churches and church organizations. Many of the extra servic es for patients come from helo made available by the. Nebraska Tuberculosis As sociation, whose Christmas ' Seal sale now is going on. All t! rough the Yule season j the carolers from Kearney State I Teachers College, Kearney High School and Kearney churches , visit the hospital halls with the I traditional hymns and songs. Open House Is Set At Stitcs Company A week-long open house will be held at the Stite's Farm Equipment company of Platts rnouth starting today, it has been announced. The display will feature In ternational Harvester farm ma chinery and promised fun and surprises for everyone. The company asks the entire family to come to their display at the Chicago Avenue address. Marriage licenses: Dean Arlin Oberle, 23, and Phyllis Minnie Stall, 19, both of Eagle. Charles Howard Newton, 24, Plattsrnouth, and Janis Lea Ar nold, 21, Plattsrnouth. Harvey Dean Bailey, 21, and Lou Etta Clar, 18, both of Coun cil Bluffs, married by County Judge Raymond J. Case Dec. 14. Robert Eugene Cary, 18, and Emily Sue Ohlsen, both of Oma ha. Earl Eugene Stevens, 31, and Teresia Ann Stevens, 27, both of Omaha, married Dec. 14 by Judge Case. Marion Paul Gregg, 19, of Mur ray, and Phyllis Ann Switzer, 17, Nehawka, married Dec. 17 by Rev. Fred D. Gardner, at Nehaw ka Methodist Churchr. Jack Lee Frans, 24, of Murray, and Sharon Louis Wiley, 17, Plattsrnouth. William Orange Hester, 54, and Addie May Rosicky, 57, both of Omaha, married by Judge Case Dec. 17. Outstanding Courage Brings Honors for Norman Ashbaugh K a 11 ,'V"'' Colonel Paul Spivey, Deputy Commander of the 3rd Bom bardment Wing at Johnson Air Base, presents the Soldier's Medal to Staff Sergeant Norman Ashbaugh of Plattsrnouth for his "out standing courage" in rescuing the crew members of a downed Navy plane. At the same ceremony, Staff Sergeant Edward Gro hoski (right) was awarded the Commendation Medal for meri torious service (Official USAF Photo). A member of one of the most decorated units of the Korean War added additional honors to the organization's list when he was recently awarded the Sol dier's Medal for "outstanding courage." Staff Sergeant Norman Ash baugh, 23, of Plattsrnouth, was awarded the Soldier's Medal, one of the highest awards given for valor outside of combat ac tivities, for his actions in the air rescue of a Navy plane crew which erashed into an isolated mountain valley in Japan. He is assigned to the 36th Air Rescue Squadron located at Johnson Air Base, Irumagawa, Japan. For its support of tac tical units during the Korean War, 'this squadron was one of the most-decorated units in the theater. At present, Sergeant Ashbaugh is awaiting transpor tation to the States, expecting to arrive in time for the holiday season. The action for which the award was given occurred in February of this year dur ing operational missions over Japan. As an aeromedic aboard one of the squadron's helicopter, Sergeant . Ash baugh was alerted of the crash of a Navy plane en gaged in the maneuvers. When the crash was located, Sergeant Ashbaugh descended the hoist to reach the crash area since the helicopter could not land on the slope. The bat tered plane held a crew of three. The sergeant immediately lo cated one of the crew members and loaded him on the hoist Driver Arrested On Traffic Counts A 34-year-old truck driver, who gave his address as Platts rnouth, was held on three traf fic charges in Omaha on the weekend. Clarence D. Lamm was charged with speeding, reckless driving and overloading his truck cab. He submitted to a blood test af ter admitting to police he had drunk "a shot and a couDle of beers." His bond was set at $260. Police said Lamm reached 60 miles-an-hour through a school zone Friday just as the students left for lunch. None was in jured, i Patrolmen chased him blocks on Center street. Court Terms Set By Judge Dierks District Judge John M. Dierks has set terms for the year 1955 for Otoe, Cass and Sarpy coun ties of the Second Judicial Dis trict. Law and equity terms were set for Cass County on Feb. 7 and Sept. 12; Otoe County on March 14.and Oct. 17; and Sarpy County April 18 and Nov. 2L Docket calls for Cass County for criminal and law will be at 10 a. m. Jan. 14 and August 26 with equity May 27: Regular sessions, except dur ing August, will be on the sec end and fourth Fridays in Plattsrnouth for Cass County. " Loses End Of Finger Otis Green, Pacific Jet., is carrying his left hand in band ages as a result of an accident at a saw mill just north of the city Wednesday that cost him the end of the first finger on that hand. The finger was crushed when it became caught m a log jam at the mill. ,JW,-... . .v.. .-.-.v.w s . 111 . v v, , -.v ' litter. Of the other two mem bers, one had died in the crash and the pilot, still living, was trapped in the cockpit. In the 20 degrees below zero weather, Sergeant Ashbaugh worked to extricate the pilot, at the same time providing the necessary medical care. After three and one-half hours of work, he; was able to cut the pilot out and have him hoisted to the waiting helicopter. Dur ing this operation, th3 sergeant was swept away by a snow slide cn the mountain slope. With the survivors on their way to a hospital, Sergeant Ash baugh then volunteered to stay at the i "crash" slte 16 "guard the plane and the body of the dead airman. He spent the night at the site, making his way to a village eight miles awray in the morning. In addition to this honor, Sergeant Ashbaugh has been recommended for the Air Medal for his part in the operation which rescued survivors of the Navy plane shot down by MIGs'over the China Sea. Sergeant Ashbaugh is the son i of Mr. and Mrs. Darl B. Ashbaugh of 629 Oakmont Drive, Plattsrnouth. He enlisted with the Air Force in January 1951. His enlistment will end in Jan uary of 1955, at which time he intends to enter the University Of Nebraska to complete an en gineering degree he has started. His father is the head of the Midwest Safety and Accident Prevention Corporation in Oma ha. . FIRE DEPARTMENT STAG The Plattsrnouth Volunteer Fire Department members got together for a stag last Thurs day at the fire station. Deer meat was the menu, served by Mrs. Dasher. Journal Want Ads Pay .WW. . VW'5 'f S4f " tt , v- - jf? i Lf -H4! Wreckage of a light plane which took the trouble. An lives of three Piattsmouth residents near Grand civil Air Patrol Island Friday night. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Noble. a- m- Saturday. 1619 Hill street, Piattsmouth, were flying from yards south J direction with Omaha to Grand Island Friday when he radioed crashed piane.(Photo by Grand Island Inde the CAA, apparently near Aurora, that he was in pendent). Dark. Numbers Yellow Plates !s 1955 Theme That big "20" on Cass County license plates in 1955 will be black on vellnw nrc.nrriino- t'n tVin "00-000" sample disnlaved at County Treasurer Alice Gross hans office in the court house. This is the exact reverse of last year, which was a black plate with yellow numbers. About 8,000 automobile tax statements will be going out be tween Christmas and New Years according to E. C. Giles, county assessor. Automobile tax must be paid in full before a 1955 li cense will be issued. Giles says valuation of motor vehicles will drop about 25 to 35 percent of last year in line with assessment regulations is sued by the state tax commis sioner. The county treasurer urges purchase of license plates by mail to facilitate handling. To receive a plate by mail, send a letter including the motor ve hicle tax notice, the 1954 regis tration, the proper remittance and 25 cents to cover mailing. Issuing of plates will begin Jan. 3, 1955. Fees for passenger cars, unchanged from last year, are $6 for vehicles under 3,000 pounds, and $8 for vehicles over 3,000 pounds. Commercial vehicle rates also remain unchanged. Purchases may also be made at the' treasur er's office. Deadline is Feb. 15, 1955. 3 MinorGrashes Yield No Injury In Local Traffic Three traffic accidents, in wrhich no injuries wTere reported occurred over the weekend in Plattsrnouth, the police depart ment reported. Cars driven by Richard M. Gochenour of Piattsmouth, going west, and John G. Horn, Louis ville, collided at the corner of Fifth and Second avenue at about 1 p. m. Sunday. Damage was estimated by Piattsmouth police at about $125 to each ma chine. Vehicles driven by Joseph H. Garrett, 30, of Piattsmouth, and Ted Krakowski, 33, of South Omaha, collided at the corner of Seventh and Washington ave nue at 7:30 p. m. Saturday. Dam age of $75 was estimated, for each car. Dail E. Hild, 19, Louisville, was the driver of a car which turned east off Chicago avenue and collided with a car parked on Seventh owned by S Sgt. Robert Class of Offutt Air Base. Dam age to the Glass car was esti mated at $75 by police and that to the Hild vehicle at $85. A Classified Ad in -The Journal iripie iunerai services were set for 2 p. m. Wednesday at the Trinity Methodist church in Grand Island for Mr. and Mrs. William F. Noble and their son, Rocke Bill, 5, following their deaths Friday night in the crash of a light plane near Phillips, j Nebr., a short distance east of j Grand Island. j The Nobles, apparently headed for Grand Island, their former ! home, crashed about 10 to 12 miles east of there The family had been living at 1619 Hill street in Plattsrnouth where he was sales manager ! for Blodgett and Krajacic, con- ! tractors for residences in Platts- ! mouth, Bellevue and Omaha. j A Civic Aeronautics Patrol j Authority expert is investigating the crash. Noble, 23, his wife, Mary, 23, and their five-year-old son; Rocke Bill, were enroute to Pbttsmouth Boy Wounded At Play A 14-year-old Piattsmouth bov was at home today with a bullet wound in his leg after a rifle discharged Sun- , day on the Missouri river bank. ' Ronnie Adkins, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Austin of Piattsmouth, was the in jured boy. Mrs. Austin told the Jour nal' today that her son was playing Sunday on the river with a playmate, Larry Ben edict,. 13, at target practice when the accident occurred. - She said the bullet entered below the right knee and lodged .ear the ankle. New Police -Chief May Be Appointed Here This Week Piattsmouth Mayor Leo Mei singer said today he wanted to make clearer a couple of items contained in the Journal story on the city council meeting last week. Meisinger says -he may appoint a police chief this week to re place Kenneth Dunlap who has resigned effective next Thurs day, Dec. 23. He has qualified applicants for the job, and said he meant to say his list of qual ified applicants for patrolmen jobs was shorter than he would like it to be. Meisinger also said he has contacted the parking meter re- i pairman at Shenandoah, la., about coming to Piattsmouth to instruct the new Piattsmouth meter repairman, Ed Kneer, who has taken over the job. Meising er said he expects the Shenan doah repairman's fees to be much less than the $20 per day and expenses which the meter company man would have charged. Mr. and Mrs. John B. Kaffen berger, who recently moved to California, are residing at 2834 Candlewood St., Lakewood, (11) Calif. all-night, 5-plane search by the turned up the crash about 8:15 Noble's body was thrown about his wife's 60 yards in another! their son's hnriv rpror tv,Q ! Grand Island from Omaha when their plane crashed in a stubble field on the Eugene Scott farm, about 5 minutes flying time from the local airport. Noble had .radioed the Grand Island airport as he passed over Aurora at 8:27 p. m. and asked to be met at the airport in 10 minutes. He was in no trouble at that time, and did not mention being concerned about . the weather. The plane plunged to the ground about 12 miles to the west of Aurora. Parts of the plane were scat tered over a wide area of the cornfield across he road from the Scott residence. The plane did not burn, but was ripped apart by the impact. Noble's body ws found about 300 yards to the .south of the spot where the plane first hit. His wife's body was thrown about 60 yards in another direction, and the child was found nearer the plane. Scott said it was snowing when he left his home about 8:15 Fri day evening. The family was not at home at the time of the crash. The wreckage was first spotted by a Civil Air Patrol plane from Hastings piloted by Ed Kent of Hastings. His observer was Paul Yatman. They saw the wreckage at 8:16 a. m., and notified a CAP ground unit which went to the scene to find the occupants dead. Kent's plane was one of five from Hastings searching for the missing plane. Charles Kite, who was on duty at the airport communication station, received the radio mes sage from Noble asking that Mrs. Noble's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Delmar Mitchell, be notified of Jheir arrival. Kite telephoned the Mitchells, the"n replied to Noble that the message had been delivered. The pilot then asked him to call again and ask the Mitchells to meet them at the airport. Kite did so, and Noble did not answer when he at tempted to contact him the sec ond time. Noble was the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Noble, 118 South Vine. The elder Noble Is executive sec retary of the Grand Island teamsters' union. Mrs. Noble was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Delmar Mitch ell, Commerce Avenue. Mr. Mit chell is proprietor of the Anchor Serum Cottpany. Mrs. Noble was going to' Grand Island to assist her mo ther, who had planned a tea for that afternoon. Bill and Mary Noble were both graduated from the Grand Is land High School in 1948 and were married the same 'year. He attended the University of Ne braska for a year, and became a professional fighter in 1950. He gained considerable fame as a- heavyweight, and was un defeated , during the first two years of his career. He retired from the ring in April of 1953. Since last summer he had been employed by the Blodgett and Krajacic Construction Company of Omaha. He held the post Oi' sales manager for the firm. The family lived at Piattsmouth. Noble was one of the outstand ing football players on Grand Island's 1947 state championship football team and was -named as an all-state halfback. The Is lander team swept through a 10 game schedule that year, with Noble and Bob Reynolds furn ishing the one-two offensive punch and doing the bulk of the scoring. Bill Noble was a member of the Elks Club, the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, and Riverside Country Club. He served in the Marines during World War II. He and Mrs. Noble were mem bers of the Methodist Church. His tfarvivors othe:4 than his par ents are a sister, Patty Jo, of Grand Island; and two grand mothers, Mrs. Lottie Blair of Glendale, Calif., and Mrs. Em ma Nobl2 of Grand Island. Mrs. Noble is survived by her parents an." three brothers, Mil ton of Portland, Ore., Meredith and Marvin of Grand Island. only 4 it S i , 1: i ,iii.iiii