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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (June 26, 1961)
PUBLISHED SEMI-WEEKLY Monday-Thursday 1.ZZR. GTATE HIST. CCCIE1Y XXX wJ - ,m x o LINCOLN, KEBR. Consolidated With the Nehowka Enterprise and Elmwood Leader-EchoRead Twice Weekly by More Than 3500 Cass County Families VOLUME 80 EICHT PACES PLUS SUPPLEMENT PLATTSMOUTH, CASS COUNTY. NEBRASKA MONDAY, JUNE 26, 1961 TEN CENTS PER COPY NUMHTR CA rst rare eveir iniere uesurovs rry- fji lr- - . HOT SPOT Firemen carried the fight to the top of the Cass Theater in an effort to save the theater building-. Two water lines were up and a third was being- hauled , a!qftuHeat soon drove the fire fighters down, however and after 4-H Visitors To Arrive June 30 Eight Cheyenne County 4-H'ers will arrive June 30 to visit their counterparts in the Cass-Cheyenne County 4-H Ex change. The Cass-County 4-H'ers who visited the western county last August nnd who will serve as hosts now are Linda Rehmeier of Weeping Water, Sandra Stapert pnd Connie Dietl of Nehawka, Rollin Terryberry of Louisville, John Roeber of Murdock, Larry Engelkemeier of Murray and Mary Hendrix and Tom Sullivan cf Plattsmouth. Two tours have been planned, points of interest will include, the Steckly Corn processing plant. Ash Grove Cement plant. State Fish Hatchery, Allied Chemical, Boystown. the Omaha Stock Yards and Equity Union Grain Elevator at Rock Bluff. This the 3rd visit by a Chey enne Co. 4-H partv. The 4th Ex change will start later this sum mer when another 4-H GrouD from Cass Co. vill visit 4-H fam ilies in the western county. Fire Chief, Mavor Co mrrieid 'Fichters, Others Who Helped Fire Chief Joe Kruntorad and Mayor Grant Roberts Fridav commended Plattsmouth's own Volunteer Fire Department, each volunteer, the local nolice force and three organizations called in to assist. The Bellevue, Avery and Offutt AFB denartments were prompt in petting here and worked shoulder to shoulder with local firefighters. One Bellevue fire man was reoorted iniured. Kruntorad said he thoueht the firefighters "did a terrific job." He also thanked all those who helped the firefighters in any wav, including providing coffee and lunch amonn- them Joch imsen's. the VFW, Falls City Meat Co.. Tim's Bar. Others were unidentified. Mayor Roberts was pleased at the conduct of both the fire and police denartments and with the heln of the neighboring depart ments. The latter are, with Platts mouth. members of a Mutual Fire Protection Association. Members call on one another for help. For Plattsmouth, the only cost was some gasoline provided to keep the visiting units' boost er pumps going. . w i i ' ft II i. : f - -? I A ? V ;1 -o -1 7 J". i Iff' A Fast Moving I Many Museum Relics The fastest moving job ever seen here saved much of the Historical Society's display mate rial in the wee hours Friday. Volunteers from the crowd of fire onlookers, police and fire departments pitched in to re scue relics from the Society's new Museum next to the theater when fire threatened the build ing and damaged the north end. At a signal, a hundred hands laid-to to clear the building of as much as could be carried out. Huge display cases, hastily pack ed with smaller moveables were lifted and taken to the Metho dist Church. Many pictures were removed from walls. Mrs. Alice Perry of Platts mouth, Society president, said she was amazed at the way the volunteer help whisked things away. The display cases went like little tables. The next day strong men had difficulty mov ing them. Not all was saved. Among maj or losses was destruction or heavy damage to a collection of paintines by Mrs. W. G. Brooks of Plattsmouth. Damage to the building, dedi cated the past year, was largely to the rear storage end and attic and also to the ceiling from the water which undoubtedly saved the structure. The partition between the dis nlay and storage-service sec tions was badly burned, the attic and much of its contents dam aged. The building structurally was alright Friday morning, al though the unsupported west wall of the theater loomed over head. Mrs. Perry, Martin Sporer, Mrs. Clem Woster and three daughters and Sgt. George Waters tackled the job of mov ing the articles to Mrs. Perry's house and garage a block west on Main Friday. Thev pot big heln from Bern ard Whipple, 8, and three friends Salvation Army Officers Listed Josephine Rys has been nam ed chairman and welfare sec retary in Plattsmouth for the Salvation Army, headquarters in Omaha has announced. Other officers are Fred Tesch, treasurer, and Dr. R. F. Breri'el, O. F. Mussman and W. C. Soen nichsen, committeemen. 6 r the theater roof caught fire the building didn't last long. The front, perhaps pulled by weight of the marauee, collapsed onto Main Street, the rubble falling just short of Plattsmouth's aerial track. ' Job Saves who happened by and offered to assist and from Scouts Kenny Rhylander, Bi'.lv Spradlin. Lloyd Fitch, Tom Dittemore, David Wilson, David Nielsen and Jim McLeod and others. Three men of the VFW mov ed some of the heavier boxes of articles to Mrs. Perry's. No estimate of amount of dam age to the Museum was given. Officers were waiting to make an estimate until after the theater wall is down. Police Chief Fred Tesch said he and his men had just barely got all of the volunteer movers out of the Museum and were out themselves when part of the theater wall collapsed and rip ped through the roof at the rear of the building. Demolition Interests Demolition of walls of the Hotel and Cass Theater began Friday and attracted many per sons. Myers and Harris of Omaha, demolition contractors, set up ouietlv and perhaps many in the cowrl then expected to see a big slam-bang. Not so. The operator running the crane and steel ball eased nortions of wall down carefully. There was little of the specta cular. Most stubborn of the masonry was the archway over the en trance of the one-time Hotel Bar at the southeast corner of thp building. It crumbled only after lots of punching from above and the side. Work was expected to con tinue today after a layoff Sat urday and Sunday. Police from Plattsmouth went to Omaha to escort the demoli tion equipment to town, Friday. THK WEATHER June 1 23, 24, 25, 11 Date Hijrh l,w Prec Thursday 75 55 .00 Friday 75 40 .00 Saturday 73 52 .00 Sunday 83 56 .00 Forecast: High in 80's; low near 60. Clear to partly cloudy. Sun sets tonight at 8:01 ; rises Tuesday at 4:53. iiiiiiiiuiiimii i ii i ii i t -'" " ii ..m m.ni.iii rnui imp !'bhi '' y tf"t ,- t 'v,i - - ": ' ' , . .. i . .''-. " lvS,V:.''llZrj'' i ..... oKfcim aim nil'. . " T . ii1 ji'i i I ii . r--. - .:' :: inn in in iimmio mm Tbrf -.i ' : in i f ft. 'MMiiTf iritfiwA-iMria iMftM'lwmiiitiwMMMMMMMMMMriiiiiiiri- GOING, GOING, GONE The fire in the Hotel was at its height when this picture was taken from the west side of Main 'Accidental Marshal Rules State Fire Marshal Joe TMvls of Lincoln Friday ruled Thurs day, night's fire "accidental'LbytJ said that further investigation would be made. He said the fire started in a room at the rear of Edith's Beauty Shop. Divis, his chief deputy in charge of electrical investiga tions and Fire Chief Joe Krun torad made the inspection. Kruntorad said his findings agreed with the fire marshal's. Evacuation Was Fast, Orderly Evacuation of Hotel residents and occupants of nearby apart ments was fast and orderly Thursday night. Police officers reported some difficulty with a few Hotel resi dents who wanted to go back for this or that of their per sonal belongings. One man was forced to leave his dental plates behind. Others fled with just a little clothing. They were taken to private homes or to St. Luke's Church for the night. Sgt. and Mrs. Georce Waters and their three children were evacuated from the Pioneer Apartments and are housed at the home of apartment owner Mrs. Alice Perry. They'll have to stay out until further word from him, Fire Chief Joe Kruntorad snid. Rev. and Mrs. A. L. Embree also have an apartment there but Rev. Fmb'-ee is in the hos pital and Mrs. Fmbree had gone to Wausa to visit a sister. There were tortuous hours for Mrs. Sarah Cecil who lives alone west of the Historical Museum. Relatives and friends sat guard with a enrden hose on the roof as the fire worked westward from 0th Street. Some sparks had to be doused. People evacuated from apart ments and homes watched anx iouslv as the fire progressed, debating whether to dash back in for a nrixe nnssession in an apartment farther from the blaze. Bloodmnbile To Be Here Julv 14 The Bloodmnbile will be at the Methodist Church here July 14 from 12 noon to 6 p.m. The VFW Auxiliary is recruit ing donors. If you can assist or will be a donor, call 3902 or 8230. CITY COUNCIL The City Council will meet to night at 8 o'clock at City Hall. It's the regular second meeting of the month. oonci Theater 5 of Fire Would Re-Establish "Five of the business operators burned out In the Hotel-theater fire Thursday night told The Journal they plan to continue op erating or get back into business if possible. Their comments: CASS THEATER G. G. Grif fin said he was undecided but has been giving the matter lots of thought. He plans to "take a vacation" first, before doing anything. There is another thea ter building, the Ritz, on 6th Street next to Behmer Furni ture. It has been unused for many years. THE HOTEL Future of the Hotel property is uncertain. It is part of the estate of the late Mrs. Erna Lapidus. It is admin istered by Omaha Attorney John J. Powers, special executor, for an investment company, holder of the estate property. Sale of I : it ' Y llippi WALLS COME DOWN -Demolition of the Hotel walls for safety's Mtk( was just beun Friday when this picture was taken. Street near fith Thursday night. from the same spot the next day. Victims the" Hotel" property had been in the making for later this sum mer, it was reported locally. Powers said the first concern is to get walls down and make the area safe. STAN'S BAKERY Stan Pro kupek said Friday: "Platts mouth has been good to us. I don't see why I shouldn't operate a bakery here again." He said he had no definite plans yet, things were in such a muddle. Stan, like others of the business operators burned out, lost most of his records. He and Fire Chief Joe Kruntorad made an attempt to get into the room where rec ords were kept but smoke wouldn't let them past the door way. BROWN FLORAL SHOP Mrs. M. E. Brown said she is continuing to operate, bringing (Continued on Page 4) Buildimigs The pjcture helow was taken (Journal Thotos). Hotel, Theater Were Landmarks The Hotel and Theater build ings which -were destroyed in the fire Thursday night were land marks in downtown Platts mouth, though far from being the oldest buildings in town. The Hotel was built in 1890 around the old Presbyterian Church whose congregation built a new church in 1889. The Hotel in its day was the height of elegance, with carpeted parlors furnished in the best of fashion where smart wedding parties were held. Accomodations were the fin est. In later years, the building had deteriorated badly and was the object of scrutiny by local and state fire authorities. The theater building, con structed by Charlie and. Tom Parmele and Jim Terryberry about 1903, too was the best in its (Continued on Page 4) j A steel hall was being gently swung from the crane to topple small sections at a time. New Museum Damaged, Can Be Restored Plattsmouth's worst fire in history Thursday night destroyed the Plattsmouth Hotel and Cass Theater buildings here ns four 1'iiefightlng organizations were unable to save them but succeeded in preventing a downtown-leveling holocaust. The fire: -Gutted the 71-year-old Hotel building, leaving the four walls standing, minus a section of the south wall which collapsed onto the sidewalk on Main Street. Burned out the Cuss Theater building erected about 1903 leav ing most of three walls standing after the front (south) wall col lapsed with its marquee onto Main Street. Heavily damaged the north (back) end of Plattsmouth's newest downtown building, the Cass County Historical Society Museum next door west of the theater. Defied control for nearly four hours despite efforts of Platts mouth, Bellevue and East Sarpy County (Avery) volunteer de partments and the Offutt Air Force Base Dept. Attracted large crowds of compassionate watchers, many of whom joined in to lend a hand stringing firehoses, moving unat tended vehicles left in the dan ger area and helping finally with rescue of historical articles, a majority of them loaned, from the Historical Museum. Burned out seven businesses, including those of the Hotel and Theater, Edith's Beauty Shop, Hulda's Beauty Shop, the Hotel Restaurant, Brown's Floral and Stan's Bakery. Left about 40 persons, many of them senior citizens who had made the Hotel their residence, without a home. And threw a major scare into most of the people who live or operate businesses downtown. Friday and since, besides the principal reaction of shock at the horror of destruction by fire, the consensus has been that the town generally was lucky the fire could easily have been 10 or 20 times worse and there might have been death or serious in jury. Two Plattsmouth firemen, John Bergmann Jr. and Winford Dasher, were struck and cut by flying glass when a plate glass building front blew out with a tremendous explosion early in the firefighting. They were the only casualties as far as is known. (Continued on Page Five) i A 4 1 i i.i iti i A Hi 0 ifti i Hi A