The Columbus Telegram from Columbus, Nebraska • 1

The Golu MRUS THIRTY-FIFTH YEAR COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA DECEMBER 18. 1914 NUMBER 42 BUTLER BOARD PAYS NO HEED FALL OFF HORSE BRINGS DEATH Ed Backtnhus, Wall Known Farmar, Expires Nearly Four Weeks After Aocidtnt Injuries received when be was pitched off a horse resulted in the death of Ed Backenhus, well known- and Holiday Goods for XMAS Christmas For Ladioo Manicure sets, mirrors, brushes, combs, traveling sets, perfumes, fountain pens, kodaks, stationery and Liggett's chocolates. For Gentlemen Traveling sets and rolls, brushes of all kinds, razors, cigars, fountain pens, stationery and kodaks. Pollock Co. Store The Druggist on The Corner An 120 acre improved farm, 8 miles north of Columbus.

Good terms. Price $125.00 per acre. Speicc-Echols-Boettcher Co. Post Office Building Members of Gethsemane Coni- mandery, Knights Templar, will hold their annual Christmas service at the asylum at 11 a. m.

on Christmas day. A program of short talks by some of the members will be given. Mr. and Mrs. Wood Smith expect to have as their guests for Christmas Mrs.

Smith's father, E. M. LaGrange, and her sister, Miss Nettie LaGrange, Mrs. Smith's aunt, Mrs. Griffith, all of Fullerton, and Mr.

and Mrs. Nieder-. cran, of Gibbon, Neb. Plans are being laid for a big Christmas dinner at the A. R.

Miller home at which and Mrs. Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and their guests, and Mr. and Mrs.

P. A. Peterson will be present. The continued cold weather has brought about the temporary suspen- sion of all the sewer construction, with exception of that being done by the Union Pacific under tts right-of-way tnV Lewis -street, Offerman; who laid his men off the big sewer Job north of the tracks last Week, made i Columbus, Neb. -Mrs.

U. S. Mace was called to Nor- folk Monday on account of the serious illness of her sister. Mrs. I F.

Gottschalk entertained the members of the Thursday Bridge club at her home Wednesday evening. Honors at cardB were won by Mra. Arnold Oehlrich. The Christmas holidays for students at Bchool begin today. The public schools will close this afternoon for two weeks, reopening on January 4.

Practically all the teachers who live out of town plan to go home for the holidays. Today is also the last day of school at state, university, and the Columbus young people who attend that institution are expected home this evening. Rigors of winter were responsible for the PPearance of George Marrion Vlc court Wednesday morning on chlfe of helPlnS himself to coal in Pacific 'yawls--the previous evening. complaint was filed by sPecial Aent Watts of the Union Pa- Lieut, and Mrs. Will Hensley, en route to the Philippines for a residence Mexican side, and he says their ignorance of modern warfare methods and equipment is positively pitiful.

Because of their Ignorance, he Is hoping that force of arms in Mexico by this country will not be necessary. Discussing the recent agitation of an attack to suppress warfare close to the border line, Lieutenant Hensley anticipates that the Ufllted States establish a neutrality zone three miles In width and com pell the revolutionists to do all their fighting on the other side of it. Stray bullets from the Mexican rifles In that event, would fall within the zone and do no damage on this side of the boundary line. arrangements this week to cover the dflc whose duty Is to spy out per-open ditch between Thirteenth and 80n8 who attemP to convert company Fourteenth streets until spring. He Pronert' to their own use.

The de-will board it over and then cover the fendant admitted jthat the he boards with straw to prevent the frost gave was as8Uned for the occasion, from attacking the walls of the ditch. I but as was niB flr8t offense the court If the frost were permitted to pene-1 did not lnsist on hls divulging his real trate the walls they would chip off in wsnomen. He paid a fine of $2 and the spring when the thaw comes, mak- cost8. ignores Invitation to Meet Polk and Platte Officials and Inspect Platte Bridge Work. The invitation extended by the Platte county board of supervisors to the Polk and Butler boards to meet at the I Platte river wagon bridge south of Co lumbus Tuesday afternoon for the purpose of inspecting the replanking of the floor done by the Omaha Structural Steel Works was Ignored by the Butler supervisors.

The Polk county commissioners were on hand, and after the members of the two boards had stood shivering for an hour awaiting the Butler officials, they proceeded to the work before them. A careful inspection of the bridge resulted in a finding that the Omaha concern had fully complied with the terms of the contract for the laying of 1,000 feet of new floor, and it was formally accepted. The Polk commissioners, who did not care to make the trip over to Columbus and return, requested the Platte county board to make settlement with the Structural Steel Works and then send them a dun for their share of the expense. They agreed to remit promptly. After the session at the bridge, the Platte county supervisors returned to the court house where they Instructed County Clerk John Graf to issue war rants for $2,290.20 In full payment of the contract.

Mr. Graf was further Instructed to charge one-fourth of that amount to Butler county and one-fourth to Polk county. Statements for their shares will be promptly forwarded to the Butler and Polk county boards. If the Butler officials shall then refuse to pay the bill, the Platte board will authorize the county attorney to start suit in an effort to collect it Rehire Farm Superintendent At the meeting Tuesday afternoon, the supervisors voted to engage J. M.

Gleason as superintendent, and. Mrs. Gleason, as or the County for another period of two years. Mr. and Mrs.

Gleason have given the county highly satisfactory services during the past year, and in recognition thereof the board decided to raise their joint stipend to $75 a month. Adjournment was taken till January 4, 1915, when the old board will clean up the odds and ends of its year's business before the organization of the new board. Mr. and Mrs. Gus Becher, entertained at bridge dinner at their home last evening.

Covers were laid for eight. Miss Ruby Randall left Tuesday for Palmer, where she will visit for several days with the George Cor-bett family. The choice Robert Lewis estate, 200 acres in Joliet town-shin on Shell Creek vallev. will be sold January 19. Easy terms.

u. m. uruenther, referee. After suffering for about two months with heart trouble and complications, Albert Von Bergen passed away in a hospital at Omaha last Saturday. The remains were brought to Columbus Sunday for burial, and funeral services were held at the German' Reform church, of which Mr.

Von Bergen was a member, Tuesday afternoon at 1 o'clock. The pastor, Rev. R. Neumarker, conducted the service in German, and Rev. George F.

Wll- Jlams, pastor of the Federated church, spoke in English. Burial was made in the Columbus cemetery. Mr. Von Bergen was born in Meiringen, Canton Berne, Switzerland, January 16, 1860. In 1873 he came with his parents, the late Mr.

and Mrs. Ulrich Von Bergen, to the United States. The family located on a farm in Grand Prairie township. On January 31, 1900, Albert Von Bergen married Miss Louisa Schmidt, of Bell wood, the ceremony taking place at Humphrey. Afterwards they resided on farms near Humphrey, Petersburg and York.

About throe years ago they went to Switzerland, where they made their home for a period of six months. Returning to Platte county a little more than two years ago, they leased a farm two and a half miles east of Columbus where they were living at the time of his death. Mr. Von Bereen did not enjoy good health during the last few years of his life. After he was stricken with heart trouble and complications about two months ago, he was taken to Omaha for treatment.

He feaveB his wife, three sons and four (laughters, also three brothers, Ulrich, who lives In Switzerland, Emit, of Umaha, and a third brother residing at York. ing it necessary to install false-work against which to lay the concrete. Mr. I "conn mriner residing nine ana a half miles north of Columbus. Mr.

Backenhus passed away Thursday i night of last week, after suffering for more than three weeks with concus sion of the brain. The accident occurred four weeks ago last Tuesday evening while Mr. Backenhus was driving some cattle on his farm. His horse stumbled and he was thrown heavily to the ground. Funeral services were heW- at the family home Monday morning at 11 o'clock, and at the Loseke Creek church at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

Rev. Dennlger conducted both services. Burial was made in the cemetery near the church. Mr. Backenhus was a resident of Platte county all his life.

He was born on the old home place of the Backenhus family, nine miles north of Columbus, November 11, 1874. Since growing to manhood he has farmed a place of his own near the old home. About nine years ago he married Miss Martha Buss, who, with their little son, survives him. He leaves also three brothers, Louis, Henry and John Backenhus and five sisters, Mrs. Henry Buss, Mrs.

Will Wurdemann and Misses Emma, Fannie and Minnie Backenhus. His aunt, Mrs. Louis Schwartz, of Kearney, was here Monday to attend the funeral. Mrs. G.

B. Speice and Tom Adams were hostesses at the Elks' ladies' card party last Friday afternoon. The honors were won by Mrs. Clyde Scott. The next party wll be held on New Year's day at which time Mrs.

Fred Sawyer and Mrs. Will Kauf-mannwill 'T'r Coming as a timely reminder that the liberal donations of Columbus people this week for the relief of war sufferers in Belgium are not misdirected, William Fontein has received from a brother In the old home city in Holland a letter describing some of the suffering of people who were driven from their homes In the war zone. Theodore Fontein, the brother, Is a potato merchant residing at Leiden, Holland. He writes that at the time the city of Antwerp was a target for the guns of the invading and defensive armies he was in that vicinity loading a cargo of potatoes. Residents of the city, most of whom were old men, women or young children, were fleeing from their homes.

A river of considerable size divides the two countries, and boats, rafts, steamers and water craft of every kind were confiscated by the fugitives to aid them in their flight. More than 80,000 of them went into Holland, and the city of Leiden Is providing food and shelter 0,000. "Just across the street from our old home," writes Mr. Fontein, "an old house, little more than a cottage, Is occupied by forty-two people. One of the factories in the city permits the homeless ones to find night shelter on two of the factory floors.

Our industries give employment to the Belgium; whenever they can, and so enable them to help support themselves, but the large number of fugitives are dependent on charity. The burden of caring for them Is becoming very heavy." Mr. Fontein expresses opinion that the monied people of Belgium sent their families to England, and deposited their money in the English banks. The large number of people who took refuge In countries adjacent to their own were the poor people. Some of them are returning to Bel-glum, as the country Is vacated by tho I soldiers, but return to find their jhomeB In ruins, their fields barren of crops, provision stores despoiled of goods, no employment, and no means I of earning a living.

Their only alternative is to seek charitable aid or die. Mr. Fontein anticipates that the war will last longer than the belief seems to be on this side of the Atlantic, but that eventually the allied armies will win. He soys that the perfect, ma-jChlne-like movements of the German forces, and the precision with which I they meet every emergency, is the nd-miration of all Europe. The kaiser holds the admiration of the neutral nntlotis, but the same cannot be said of the crown prince, who Is reKarded as a man of doubtful force and ability, The war has demoralized many, but not all business enterprises of the Old World.

GIFTS At MONROE ELEVATOR 18 RAZED Fire Treatena Business District ami Call For Help Gomes to Columbus But Is Cancelled. Fire of uncertain origin wiped out the T. B. Hord Grain Company's elevator and fully buBhels of grain at Monroe Wednesday night The flames were discovered about 10:30 p. and by the time Agent John Gibbon could reach the spot the interior was a seething furnace.

Efforts to checks the blase were futile and for awhile there was grave-danger of the fire spreading to other buildings in the vicinity. A call far help was sent 'to the Columbus Fire department. A special train had beea made up in the local yards and Fire Chief Galley and his assistants wer preparing to load some of their equipment for a run to the scene of the blaze when word was received that their service would nc4 WneededUt The elevator building, which was of, sufficient capacity to hold 16,000 or 20,000 bushel of grain, was completely destroyed, together with the content 2,800 bushels of wheat, 1,600 of corn and about 800 of oats. The loss on the building is estimated at and on the grain fully It is all practically covered by insurance. The office building, of brick construction, standing a few feet south of the elevator, was saved.

The engine that supplied the power for the elevator was housed in this building and so escaped damage. Spontaneous combustion is generally supposed to have been the origin of the fire, but the Hord people scout the idea. The grain was all this year' crop, fresh and high grade, and had not been lying long in the bins. G. B.

Blssell, secretary of the Hord company, and Auditor J. W. Hutchison, both of Central City, were in Columbus last evening returning from Monroe where they had Inspected the ruin. They said there would be no salvage from the grain. It Is understood the company will rebuild as soon as practical.

Mrs. J. T. Dolan and grandson, John Putnam, are visiting in Omaba this week. Member of the high school basket bafl squad dropped a game to thfe Pierce aggregation at Pierce last Friday evening.

The score was 32 to 29. It was an exciting contest and "anybody's game" up to the lust minute of play. See Our List of 0 FOR SALE We have a number of particular bargains. Becher, Hockenberger Chambers Co. Pack Offerman had the ditch from the tracks of two years, are spending the week north to Thirteenth street filled In this Rt the home of the lieutenant's parents, week with dirt, that section of and Mrs.

W. N. Hensley. They sewer having been completed Just be- WM leave tomorrow for San Francisco, fore the cold snap came. The Elkhoru the port from which they will sail.

For Construction company has been forced several months paBt Lieutenant Hens-to abandon, temporarily, its efforts to ley has been stationed with his regi-install the rest of the catch-basins for nient at various points along the Mexl-the lateral sewer system. The ground can border. On many occasions it has is frozen so hard that digging and re-! heen his privilege to witness battles filling have become expensive proposi- between the contending forces on the The Telegram recalved a letter this week from J. P. Stem, of Los Angeles, in which ha enclosed a fragrant rose that he had picked in the yard.

He said that the mountains in view from Los Angeles were capped with snow. Mr. Stems was evidently denied the pleasure that his Columbus friends were enjoying about that time shoveling snow and frosting fingers. J. Toms Dover, of Shelby, N.

whose wedding to Miss Georgia Boone will be solemnized next Tuesday, ar rived this week and is a guest at the Boone home. The Dover-Boohe nup tials are to be In the form of a double the other couple who will take the vows at the same time being H. H. Bausher, of Brooklyn, and Miss Winnie Warner, of Fairbury, Neb. They are expected to arrive at the Boone home tomorow evening.

Judge F. W. Button, recently appointed successor to Judge Conrad Hollenbeck, will appear in his official capacity for the first time In Columbus, January 18, when he will come to preside over a short equity term of the district court. Among the cases set for hearing before Judge Button at that time are the two of A. M.

Post vs. West End Sewer Company, also the case involving control of the Columbus Auditorium company, and that of Catherine C. Drinnin, et al, va. Gub B. Speice.

Alleging that he was assaulted by Special Agents Cashman and Watts, Fred Urech has commenced suit in the district court against the Union Pacific Railroad company for $2,500 personal damages. Urech sets forth in his petition that on the night of December 8 while he was in the vicinity of the company's tracks, the two special agents assaulted him, striking, beating and kicking him. He declared they detained him for nearly two hours against his will and by threatening to take him to Omaha and prefer some sort of charges against him, they compelled him to turn over $14 to them, after which he waB released. He alleges that as result of the treatment be suffered physical and mental distress to the value of about $2,500, and be asks the court to require the railroad company to pay him that amount. The two men named in the petition are special officers whom the company has had stationed here since the cold snap set in to apprehend anyone who might be helping coal to disappear from the cars In the yards under cover of darkness.

nooooooooooooooooooooooooo The Prettiest Girl in Coliobcs Her name? That's our business. It's also our business just now to help you please her. She'll sure be pleased to receive for Christmas any one of these articles: Johnmon Chocolate Cholco Portumoa A Qood Manleuro Bat Hand Ulrror Anaeo Kodak We are showing a special holiday assortment in all these lines If I tions that eat fast into the profits. The men were at work yesterday gathering up tools and smoothing oft a few rough places, preparatory to ceasing work till weather conditions became more favorable. The Union Pacific's construction gang is pushing the construction of the main sewer under Its right-of-way as fast as it can be done under the handicap of zero temperature.

The laying of concrete had to be abondoned several days this week, but there has been no interruption of the task of excavating. Mayor Rothleit-ner has been advised that the gang will hammer away on the Job until It Is completed. An Excellent Way to wish your dear ones a Merry Christmas is by putting a sum of money to their account, or opening a new account for them in this bank. You can do so with the assurance that the money is as safe here as it is possible for it to be. Every deposit here is protected by the Depositers' Guarantee Fund of the State of Nebraska.

The Columbus State Bank The Oldest State Bank in Nebraska. eooooooooooooooooooooooooo.