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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 1957)
pi i i KEBR. STATE III3T. SOCIETY XXI 1500 R ST. LINCOLN, KEBR. TME PiLOT'SMflDaJTIrD J(Q)(MIMQ Consolidated With the Nehawka Enterprise ond Elmwood Leader-Echo Read Twice Weekly by More Than 3500 Cass County Families CASS COUNTY'S GREATEST NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED SEMI-WEEKLY Monday-Thursday VOLUME 76 SIX PACES PLATTSMOUTH, CASS COUNTY. NEBRASKA, MONDAY, JULY 8, 1957 TEN CENTS PER COPY NUMBER CO Users To vi hi v m v Oos Get 4lr 1 Hi 1 V'1 . -w 1 Hi , V I- 1 Jk.J 1 A I M l 1 lor .ft a, r r I I 1- I THE HKi DIPPKIf AT WOHK Here is the dragline which currently is cutting a big- gash in the ground at the new game re fuge north of Piattsmouth. The equipment is cutting a channel which eventually will be over a mile long. Top photo shows the unit, while the bottom photo shows the dipper as it comes up with a paj load. The lower picture wus taken from within the cab. Journal Photo Gigantic 'Dipper Takes Real Bite With a gurgling grunt the big "dipper" tore itself loose, and to the accompanying clatter of a panting 12-cylinder "cat" mo tor, swung in a 160 degree arc and dumped its load seven yards of muck and slime from the bottom of a channel being cut at the game refuge. The big "dipper" in reality is the business end of a gi gantic dragline which is cut ting a monstrous swath through bottomland near the Missouri River which, some time in tJie future, will be come a mile and one-quarter long lake. The "dipper's" task Is but one of many undertaken by the State Game, Forestation and Parks Commission in creation of a first class wild fowl refuge from what was once onlv tangled un derbrush on the old rifle range north of Piattsmouth. When the dipper's job is done, the lake will be about 12 feet deep, 100 feet wide at the bot tom and 700 feet wade at the top. Running two nine-hour shifts, the dragline is extend ing the deep gash in Mother Karth at the rate of 200 feet each day. It is estimated atrons n School Union School patrons of the Elm-wood-Alvo districts (95 and 102) Tuesday, July 16, will go to the polls to decide on a merger of the two systems. And as day for balloting nears few predictions are being made as to the election's ultimate outcome. County Superintend ent of Schools L. A. Behrends said persons in both areas said little talk was noticed which could be considered indicative of the outcome. Two polling places will be used. In Elmwood voters will cast ballots at the community building while Alvo patrons will use the fire house for balloting Polls will be oocn from 8 a. m. until 8 p. m. Superintendent Behrens said Vf"f f the dipper is picking up and moving about 6,000 yards of muck and slime each 18 hours. To give you some idea as to the "dipper's" size, one load from its steel-spiked mouth, easily would fill an average size dump truck. And the "dipper" is averaging one load about every three minutes. The dragline is owned by Eu gene Luhr, Columbia, 111., who was low bidder on the iob. It takes a three-man crew to keep the "dipper" in operation. Maning the controls as operator is Clyde Hammet, Natchez, Miss. Two Auburn men, Lowen Boat man and Albert Kleckinger, act as oiler and catskinner. A "cat" on the job is nec essary for the big dipper walks along the bank on huge steel "feet" as it gou ges out its pay load. Rut be fore it can plant its tremen dous flat feet and get a good grip for "walking," the earth ahead must be level. That's where the cat comes in. Work on the channel was be gun in early June and it is es timated the project will con sume about five months. To Vote a total of 803 apparently eligible voters are in the two districts with 573 in Elmwood and 230 in Alvo. The school official said it was his hope a large turnout of voters would be recorded in the election. To be eligible, voters must be 21 and a citizen of the United States, a resident of one of the districts involved for 40 clays and the state of Nebraska for six months. Voters also must own real or personal property in either hus band's or wife's name recorded during the last regular assess ment or they must have children of school age. Journal Want Ads Pay First Summer Band Concert Slated Tuesday First in a series of summer band concerts will be presented at 8 p. m. Tuesday in City Park and the public is invited to at tend the program to which there will be no admission charge. The band will be under the direction of Richard Kucera, band director of Piattsmouth High School. Kucera today said the organi zation holds rehearsals at 7 p. m. every Monday and he urged all Piattsmouth band graduates and local musicians to partici pate. A 10-number program is slat ed for presentation tomorrow night with the leadoff march, "Them Basses." bv Huffine. Balance of the program will be varied with the band making such offerings as "Pacific Grandeur," and ov erture by Olivadoti; "Pre lude in C Minor." Rachman inoff; "March of the Meteo rites," by Leader. "Paslelst" bjyr McRae; "In the Good Old Summertime." by by Romberg; "Bolero Non," by Kurtz; "Nutmeggers' 'march," by Osterling; and a march by Merrick. Second concert in the ser ies is scheduled to follow on Tuesday, July 16. This pro gram will feature grade school musicians with first half of the program played by the "C" band and the second half bv the "B" band. Piattsmouth Man Only One Stroke Off Record Score Don Bell, a Piattsmouth golf er, literally burned up the Stein hart course recently while play ing with foursome, says the Ne braska City News-Press. Bell, who at one time follow ed the larger tournaments, shot two identical rounds of 32-32 for an 18 hole total of 64. The six under par 64 was just one stroke off the 18 hole record of 63 recorded bv course man ager Fred Oetgen, set on the very unusual day of Jan. 1, 1956. The single nine hole record is a five under par 30 which was set approximately five years ago by Bill Schuchart, then the Happy Hollow course profession al in Omaha. Others in the foursome with Bell were Don Dammast of Ne braska City who shot very re spectable rounds of 38-37; Jim Begiey, Piattsmouth who record ed a 49-53 mark and Dr. Al Souders, Nebraska City with 62 54 totals. Forfeits Bond Floyd West, Nebraska Citv. Saturday forfeited cash bd j of $104 when he failed to appear in Cass County Court. West, apprehended July 4, by Sheriff Tom Solomon at a local drive-in restaurant had been charged with intoxication and distrubing the peace. THE WEATHER Compiled for the Piattsmouth Journal at the Masonic Home Weather Station, Piattsmouth, Nebraska. July 4,5,6,7, 1957 Date High Low Prec. Thursday 92 74 .00 Friday 87 60 .00 Saturday 92 62 .00 Sunday 98 74 .00 Forecast: High in 90's. Fair to night with low in mid 60's. Con tinued fair Tuesday. Sun sets tonight at 7:59. Sun rises Tuesday at 4:59. Local Resident Dies As Auto Crashes Train The body of 31-year-old Paul Francis Sullivan Sunday was sent to Twin Lakes, Minn., for burial. Mr. Sullivan, father of five children, was killed shortly after 6 a. m. Friday when a car he was driving crashed into the side of a Rock Island train. The accident occurred 4.4 miles east of Pa pillion on state highway 370 as Mr. Sullivan was enroute to his work with Earlj Construction Co.. at Millard. There were no eyewitnesses to the mishap and the train crew were unaware of the collision. The gravely injured man was found sometime after the acci dent and died in an ambulance enroute to Douglas County Hos pital. He is survived bv his wife, and five children: Stephen, David, Rita, Francis and James; his parents: Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sullivan, Twin Lakes, Minn., and seven brothers and sisters: Mrs. Arnold Moen, Albert Lee, Minn., Mrs. Rov Hildreth, Oakland, Calif.; Eugene Sullivan, Iowa City, la., Mrs. Glenn Ziemer, Rhode Island. Robert Sullivan, Albert Lee. Minn., Virginia Sul livan, Rhode Island, and Igna tius Sullivan, Twin Lakes. A former employe of Allied Chemical Co., Mr. Sullivan had been a resident of Piattsmouth five years. He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church, Fraternal Order of Eagles and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He saw active dutv during the Ko rean conflict. He was married to Agatha Sipple, July 1, 1946, in Albert Lee. Minn. Mr. Sullivan was born April 4, 1926 at Clear Lakes, la. Recitation of rosarv by Msgr. Joseph Przudzik was held at 2 p. m. at Sattler Funeral Home, which was in charge of local arrangements. Large Crowd Hears Sermon For Centennial Centennial services Sunday morning were held in First Methodist Church with an over flow jamming into the auditor ium to hear Dr. H. Bascom Watts deliver the morning's ma jor address. Dr. Watts is bishop of the Ne braska area Methodist churches. During the afternoon memor ial services were held in the church at which Dr. Richard W. Miller was the featured speak er. He is the new district sup erintendent. Despite an extremely hot aft ernoon and evening, better than 100 persons took part in an eve ning centennial banquet at Lions Community building. This event was high lighted by an address by Dr. Frank A. Court, pastor of St. Paul's Methodist Church, Lincoln. Cutting of the centennial cake was spotlighted at the banquet. The task was performed by Mrs. Katherlne Hall and Mrs. Don York, both have been members of the church for more than 60 years. Louisville Paving Contract Is Awarded To Omaha Company LOUISVILLE (Special) An Omaha construction firm has been named low bidder for a summer paving project here which will cover eight districts. National Construction Co.. was awarded a contract on a bid of $105,770, which is $26,000 below engineer estimates of $131,705. Four other companies includ ing Booth and Olsen which hns the highway 50 job entered bids for the contract. Naval Aviator Visits In City Lt. Commander Allan B. Carl son. US Naval Air Force, was in the citv over the weekend visiting his father, A. B. Carl son, manager of the Piattsmouth Hotel and Mrs. Carlson. He arrived Friday night and enjoy ed the visit here until Sunday when he left to return to his station. He is at this time stationed at Washington, D. C. Counfy Lines In Drowning of an Omaha youth1 in the Platte River Thursday marred an otherwise "perfect" celebration of a four-day Inde pendence Day Holiday in Cass County . Sammy Cappello, 18, died as he tried to sw im the Platte River (complete story else where on this page) to be come the county's only vio lent death during the period. Although many Cass Countians hit the highways and byways, and roads in the area were heav ily traveled, Sheriff Tom Solo mon said accidents were at an EarlMerritt Dies Suddenly Early Thursday Earl Merritt, prominent Cass County resident and World War 1 veteran died suddenly at 7:30 a. m. Thursday at his home in Murray. Mr. Merritt. 70, suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. He had been a resident of Murray since 1934. Funeral services for Mr. Mer ritt were held at 2 p. m. Satur day at the Caldwell-Linder Fu neral Home and burial was made at Lewiston Cemetery southeast of Murray. Rev. Howard Hutchman of ficiated at the final rites with music furnished bv Dale Wohl farth with Mrs. Olin Morris at the organ. Pallbearers were: Herbert Campbell, Arthur Hell Wig, Roy Howard, Lloyd Leyda, George McKulsky and Robert McKulskv. Mr. Merritt is survived by his wife Mav: brother, William. Glendale, Calif.; three sisters: Mrs. Grace Dalton. Los Angeles, Calif.; Mrs. Betty Heckler, San Diego, Calif., and Violet of Los i Angeles, and several nieces and nephews. He was born Feb. 5. 1887, at Henderson. Kv., and was mar ried to Mav Lewis on April 12, 1915, in Piattsmouth. Mr. Merritt. a painter and decorator, lived in Union from 1913 to 1934 when he moved to Murray and was a 35-year mem ber of the Nehawka Masonic Lodge, No. 246, AF and AM. A veteran of World War 1, Mr. Merritt was wounded in action in the battle of the Argonne For est. Platte River Claims Life OfOmahan,18 An attempt to swim the Platte River Thursdav cost the life of 18-year-old Sammy Cappello 2408 South 19th, St.,, Omaha. The youth's body was found shortly after 9 a.m. Saturday resting on a sandbar one mile east of the Platte River bridge) by Sam Lapuzza, Omaha A rescue crew composed of Sheriff Tom Solomon, Bill Coak ley and Fred Ehlers, returned the body to Platsmouth where it was removed to Omaha for burial. His death tragically ended what had been intended as a funfilled holiday outing. Young Cappello and a com panion, Gary Sartino. 17, 9413 Bellevue Blvd., Omaha, had been swimming at Hansen's Lake near the river when they de cided to make an attempt to cross the Platte. Sartino told Cass County Sheriff Tom Solomon they were near the bank when Cappello went down. Sartino said he tried in vain to grab his com panion as he disappeared be neath the surface. Solomon conducted a fruitless search Thursday afternoon and again Friday for the youth's body. Cappello is the second drowning victim in Cass County within less than a week. An Offutt Base Airman, 19-year-old Robert Daniel Hale, Sleepy Eye, Minn., drowned Sat turday in the waters at Merritt Beach. A Classified Ad in The Journal costs as little as 35 cents Residents Toe Legal Observing Holiday absolute "minimum" none were recorded or reported. Even calls In other categor ies were limited as Piattsmouth Chief of Police John Hobscheidt said the holiday was one of the "quietest ever" in this city. Only complaints received by the police department were shooting of firecrackers within the citv, the chief said. ' He added traffic through the city during the four-day period while some times heavv, proceeded in an orderly manner and with in traffic laws. Three Airman Escape Serious Injury In Crash Three Offutt Air Force Base airmen escaped with nothing more than cuts and bruises when the auto in which thev were rid ing pounded over a curbing and smashed into Ruback's Super Market early Thursday. Thev were Collins C. Cernicky, 26, driver, and Theodore J. Har mon, Jr., 18, and Jerry L. Dav is, 17. All three were removed by ambulance to Offutt for treat ment. The accident occurred at 1:15 a. m. Cernickv told investigating City Patrolman Kenneth J. Dun lap he must have "dozed" at the wheel as his car rounded the curve at Chciago Ave. His two companions were asleep when the accident occurred. The airman Thursday paid a $20 fine plus $4 costs in police court after being charged with reckless driving. Burning Grease Puts County Man In Omaha Hospital A 66-year-old county resident today was reported "getting a long well" in St. Catherine's Hospital, Omaha, where he is undergoing treatment for second and third degree burns incurred Saturday. Fritz Siemoneit suffered burns on one arm, leg and both feet when he attempted to take a can of burning lard from his home. The accident occurred after 9 a. m. Siemoneit is said to have been asleep when the lard, on a kitch en stove caught fire. He awak ened grabbed the can and head ed for a kitchen door. But at the door a stiff breeze blew flames back at him and he dropped the can of blazing grease. Siemoneit is in room 244 at St. Catherine's. His farm is lo cated six miles west and three miles north of Piattsmouth on the Cedar Creek road. Mrs. H. M. Johnson and son, Eddie riennrt.ed Rntnrrlnw aftni-- noon for Centerville. Ia., where they will be guests in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Posovich, a daughter of Mrs. Johnson. MANY TONS of sand have been moved Into place by heavy equpment to provide a solid base I for the new highway between Offutt Air Base and A brilliant summer sun uSn day sent temperatures skyrock eting to the 100 mark and high humidity made anything less than an airconditioned home or car extremely uncomfortable. The blistering heat may have kept some persons home but it resulted in what has been called "record breaking crowds" at beach es north of the city. It was estimated between 6,000 and 7,000 persons seeking to es cape torrid temperatures jamnred swimming areas at dolman's and Merrill's. Gas Ordinance To Be Given Board Tonight City council tonight will hear a proposed gas ordinance offer ed by the Gas Company calling for an increase in rates to local consumers. Council was informed of tlje pending action last week in a letter written by gas compnay officials. The mem orandum listed major factor in decision to seek an in crease of approximately 6.7 per cent as a rise in whole sale price. While the company decried I action of Northern Natural Gas Co., in hiking wholesale prices, The Gas Company said it had no alternative but to follow suit. But officials said thev still were in process of preparing opposi tion to the wholesale rise. If the brief agenda on tap for tonight's session means anything councilmen mav be in for one of its shorter sessions. Only other item docketed for presentation is the pos sibility of a report by the volunteer fire department on results of a probe into bids offered on a new fire truck. -Mayor Bruce E. Oold also said he intended to advise coun cil of results of his recent treks into the citv's westside where he conducted an individual poll seeking reaction to possibilities of establishing sanitary districts in that area. Flower Show To Open Wednesday "Flower Fantasy", a flower show will be presented by the Piattsmouth Garden Club be ginning at 2 p. m. at the Gas Company Club Rooms Wednes day. The show promises to be an array of garden beauty, due to the extensive moisture and the show knowledge of the local club personnel. In recent years the flower show was held in conjunc tion with the King Korn Karni val. The show will be open to the public with no admission charge. Pie and coffee will be served during afternoon and evening. Assisting the Garden Club will be the Sunbonnet Garden Club. Journal Want Ads Pay t , - Li'-"" r--f"'- . City Residents To Share In $20,000 Pie Officials of the Central Flee trie and Gas Co. (The Gas Co.). have announced Piattsmouth will share to the tune of $20,004 in a $1,178,522.32 "cost of gas" re fund jackpot. Hut while gas consumers in this area will be receiving (in deductions applied to gas bills) combined cmlit. re presenting refunds for three periods, the company In tak ing steps to Increase gas rates about 6.7 per cent in each rate bracket. This is made necessary bv an increase in prices by Northern Pipeline Co., to The Gas Co. It has been disclosed The Gas Company' cost of gas will be. increased $082,185 annually be ginning Aug. 7, and Piattsmouth consumers will ante in $14,557.30 of the amount. The refunds and two reduc tions in rates, one in April and one hi September, 1956, result ed from the fact Northern Nat- I ural Gas was not authorized by I the Federal Power Commission to continue collecting the full rate which had been requested. Basically, cost of gas re fund credits amount to 2.3i tents per 1,000 cubic feet of gas, applicable on allfirtn gas purchased from Dec. 27, 195-1 through Sept. 26, 1955, plus an additional credit of 4.99 cents per 1,000 cubic feet on all firm gas purchased from Sept. 27, 1955 through June 26, 1956, plus 2.63 cents per 1,000 pm gas purchased from June 27, 1956 through Dec. 26, 1956. A combined credit, represent ing refunds for the three per iods, now is being applied on bills of gas users. The Gas Co., recently inform ed Piattsmouth city officials Northern, the pipeline company, has filed with the Federal Pow er Co., another application, the sixth since 1950. for authority to increase wholesale gas rate; to its utility customers. As previously mentioned, Plattsmouth's share of this in crease has been set at $14,557.30 Company officials have re quested city council to per mit an increase of gas rates amounting to about 6.7 per cent in each rate bracket in order to offset the in crease in cost of gas the company will be paying after Aug. 7. The requested increase in re tail rates will amount to about 5.8 cents per 1,000 cubic feet of gas. The Gas Co. emphasized the requested increase is based up on Northern's applied for In crease in the wholesale price which they will collect under a refunding bond. New local rates will like wise be refundable rates sub ject to proper adjustments and "cost of gas" refund cre dits to Piattsmouth custom ers upon final determination of Northern's rate case. Petition Filed A petition seeking damages has been filed in district court. Petitioner is Gladys Cook with Willard Gochenour as defend ant. .... ..... .... ... - 7 ' -Li"'- 1 ' ' . " V ) - ' Piattsmouth. Work on the project has been going on day and night. This plcturo was tokeu near the Orpapolis viaduct. (Journal Thotoi hi)iMiwiI'"(4.i4NmI)mi