new Platte River bridge will be dedicated at Pawnee Park. The celebration is being planned by a committee from Platte, Polk and Butler counties. It was only 60 years ago that the first bridge, one of the first in the state, was built across the Platte River. Prior to that time, the traveling public, comprised of Indians, soldiers, raiders, hunters, trappers, gold seekers, and a few local settlers, crossed the great river perilously when and where they might, fortunate if high water and quicksand did not hold them up or terminate their journeys.

September 2, 1932
   Home Owned Store, Inc. - Carl E. Carson
   Fair Stationery and Supply Co.
   Peck's Confectionery
   F. P. Gunderson - Drug Store
   Bellwood Ice Co. - B. L. York.
   Stemper's Meat Market
   Dr. A. B. Margrave, Dentist
   Stohler Transfer
   W. G. Bouton - Trucking - 20C cwt.
   J. B. Allis - Trucking
   A. C. Kosch Garage

   The new $100,000.00 steel and concrete bridge over the Platte river between Bellwood and Columbus was formally opened Monday afternoon. Governor Bryan delivered the dedication address and about 1,000 persons attended the exercises, held under the auspices of Platte, Polk, and Butler counties. These counties took the initiative in securing the span and paid half the cost. The state and federal government paid the rest. Music was furnished by the Duncan band under the direction of A. D. Barnes.

November 10, 1932
   Donald Bell in company of eight young men and Mr. and Mrs. Simpson went to New York City recently and from there they sailed on the "City of Delhard" for India. They accompanied a shipment of 400 mules to be unloaded at Karachi, India. They will then go to Eastern points and reload and return home in four months.

December 20, 1932
   The L. W. Nozicka home four miles east of Bellwood was destroyed by fire. Mr. Nozicka was working some distance from the house when he saw the burning roof. Mrs. Nozicka was sick in bed and was taken to a neighbor's home. It was a total loss except for $50.00 of furniture.

January 18, 1933
   Markets: Hogs, $1.80; butcher cattle, $1.50; wheat, $.28; corn, $.09; oats, $.09; hens, $.08; springs, $.05; eggs, $.10; roosters, $.20; cream, $14; butter, $.17.

February 2. 1933
   Officers elected for the ensuing year of Bellwood baseball team are: Ora Hoshor, manager; Jake Hiller, assistant manager; A. C. Kosch, secretary; F. P. Gunderson, treasurer. Ora Hoshor and Jerry Finch were elected on ground committee.

March 4, 1933
   A fine red dust and sand, said to be from the Red River Valley plains of Oklahoma and Texas settled in Bellwood and Butler County, as well as over other sections of Nebraska, following a heavy rainstorm. The dust covered houses, cars, lawns, trees and streets to give them a reddish brown hue. The dust was moist and fell fast enough to be easily visible in rays of lights. There has been a lack of moisture in the "dust bowl" of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas during the past ten months and more "mud rains" are predicted here, after strong southerly winds.

March 6, 1933
   The banks of the nation were closed by President F. D. R. The depression of the 30's was in full force.

March 19, 1933
   Bank Situation: Eight banks in Butler County opened for

business Wednesday and there was nothing unusual in the attitude of citizens toward them or no hurried withdrawals of money. The state bank at Bellwood was opened on a restricted basis of withdrawals. It is believed that there is nothing to be alarmed about over the banking situation and that it requires only a little patience until the situation is adjusted.

April 26, 1933
   The Merry Makers Club of St. Peter's Parish meet each month at the Opera House. A committee provides the program, then cards and dancing are enjoyed. Later in the evening, lunch is served.
   The club will present a three act comedy on April 26. The cast includes Harold Demuth, Leo Kreizinger, Irvin Moell, Harry Hiller, Phyllis Powers, Isabel Demuth, Edna Peck, Charlotte Kirchner and Barbara Zieons.
   Several plays have been presented by different casts.

May 4, 1933
   A small cyclone accompanied by heavy rain and some hail at 3:30 P.M. damaged several farms and injured Mrs. Frank Brezina who was in a brooder house when the storm struck their farm. There was also damage at the Lew Hahn farm. Several buildings were destroyed.

July 6, 1933 - Minutes of Bellwood Village Board
   The proposition of feeding would-be harvest hands and other unemployed and floaters was discussed.
   Since the merchants and others have created a fund, through which such people are allowed to work, 2 hours per day at 15c per hour, same to be paid in trade checks, redeemable for food, therefore be it ordered that the Village contribute $1.00 for each 50c contributed by merchants and others.
   Dr. McNally donated trees to be worked up into firewood to be sold to the public.

August 14, 1933
   Dr. A. G. Carrolls moved to San Francisco, California, to take over his brother's practice.

   Going back to the home town of your youth, after a number of years absence is not so pleasant an experience in one respect, as it is in prospect.
   It is heartening to meet old friends and to exchange childhood experiences and recall the old delights of adolescense when the world was new and alluring. It warms the cockles of the heart to seek out the old home and the old haunts, and pleasant memories are evoked as one treads the ancient streets, greatly changed though they are. But when one starts asking about this or that person, who was a boy or girl with you and you receive one after another the answer, "dead", the inquirer feels as though he were walking through a charnel house or reading the names on gravestones.


  Bellwood Gazette - 1934 - Subscription rate $1.00 per year.

January 19, 1934
   Olson's Grocery
   F. P. Gunderson
   Scholz Hardware
   O. C. Reichwein Cream Station
   Dr. A. B. Margrave
   Stemper's Meat Market
   L. W. Funkhouser - Barber
   W. A. Wells - Lump Coal
   A. C. Kosch
   Carl E. Carson
   Jack Yanike - Buying hogs every day.
   J. B. Allis - Trucker
   Farmer's Grain Co. - Raymond Kimble, Mgr., An institution as solid as the 'Rock of Gibraltar'.
   Consumers Co-op Oil Co. - J. J. Kirchner, Mgr., Where high quality and low prices go hand in hand.

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   Scholz Hardware - C. W. Scholz, Prop., Where price sells and quality talks.
   Peck's Confectionery - A. G. Peck, Prop., We have hunches for light lunches.
   A. C. Kosch Garage - Dodge and Plymouth dealer, You wreck 'em, we fix 'em.

   Reichwein Produce and Cream Station - Estella and Gerald O. Reichwein, It's a pleasure to deal with us.

   Dr. A. B. Margrave, Dentist, Phone 43W2
   Gunderson Drug Store - F. P. Gunderson, Prop., We are in business for your health.
   L. F. Kreizinger - Insurance
   Dr. J. M. McNally - M.D.
   Dr. W. H. Pennoyer - M.D.
   Miss Charlotte Kirchner - Beauty Shoppe

   The Bellwood Gazette - Established January 1886 - Mrs. Claude G. McGaffin
   Miss Pearl Eschliman, assistant at the Bellwood Gazette

   Father J. J. Reddy of St. Peter's Catholic Church, suddenly passed away on January 6, 1936, the week the 50th anniversary edition of the Gazette was published.

   Teachers of District 71 - Mr. C. D. Garrett, Superintendent, Mrs. C. D. Garrett, Mrs. Wm. Andrews, Mrs. Howard Davis, and Miss Marion Hill. Mr. William Andrews is the school custodian.


July 28, 1934
   Dr. Pennoyerer of Central City is practicing physician in

Bellwood.

November 29, 1934
   The Girls Softball team gave an entertainment including a play, musical numbers and playlets; at the Opera House. Net proceeds of $25.00 will go towards the installation of lights at their ball diamond.

June 13, 1935
   John West has leased the Jerdon building and is operating a shoe shop.

August 15, 1935
   Prunes, 4 lb. bag 25 cents, Campbells tomato soup, 3 for 25 cents, salmon, 2 large cans 25 cents, grape nut flakes, 10 cents, and 1 qt. pickles, 25 cents.

September 1, 1935
   Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Demuth have rented the Bellwood Hotel.

September 19, 1935
   Bellwood baseball team won the championship at the County Fair by defeating Bruno 11 to 4.

November 14, 1935
   Interest 31/2 percent, Farm Rates.

1936
   C. W. Scholz has been in business since 1933.

January 10, 1936
   W. A. Wells - Lumber, building material and coal.
   Gene's Barber Shop - Eugene Mowery, Prop., We need your head to run our business.

Business people of Bellwood in 1936.
     Seated, left to right: Miss Augusta Kirchner, Miss Camilla Selzer, Mrs. Claude G. McGaffin, Miss Pearl Eschliman, A. C. Kosch, Miss Marian Hill, Eugene Mowery, C. E. Carson, Dr. W. H. Pennoyer, Harold Galley.
     Middle row: Rev. W. T. Rudolph, Dr. J. M. McNally, Dr. A. C. Margrave, A. G. Peck, John West, Miss Charlotte Kirchner, O. A. Brandenburgh, H. L. Stemper, C. O. Fenstemaker, Mrs. Wm. Andrews.
     Top row: G. W. Jewell, J. E. Moyer, C. D. Garrett, Mrs. Howard Davis, J. J. Kirchner, Mrs. C. D. Garrett, Father J. J. Reddy, William Andrews, Burch Fenstemaker.

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   West's Shoe Shop - John West, Prop., We don't save souls, but we repair soles.
   C. E. Carson - The Blackbird Grocery Store.
   Stemper's Meat Market - H. L. Stemper, Prop., To serve you makes us glad.
   George J. Dworak, Prop. - General Merchandise
   Fair Store, The Variety Store - Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Fair
   Moyer's Barber Shop - J. E. Moyer, Prop., First class tonsorial artist.
   Bellwood Co-operative Credit Association - Alfred G. Peck, Pres., John Kirchner, H. L. Stemper, Supervisory Committee, O. A. Brandenburgh, Secretary-Treasurer.
   Bellwood Hotel - Mrs. S. J. Demuth, Prop., Our coffee starts your day right.
   The H. Galley Service Station - Harold Galley, Mgr., Where price sells and quality talks.
   Olson's Grocery - A. B. Olson, Prop., It pleases us to please you.


January 1, 1936
   One of the pathetic scenes witnessed in Bellwood, was on July 4, 1912, when Miss Julia Whitney, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Whitney, was so burned by the explosion of fireworks that she succumbed to the injuries the next day. Mr. and Mrs. Joe McGaffin and Anton Hayek were also seriously burned. The death of this young lady cast a pall over the entire community.

   A pathetic scene was witnessed in front of the Catholic Church on Sunday, October 10, 1915, when Mrs. Aloisa Kosch was killed by an automobile driven by Melvin Hudson.
   Mrs. Kosch was born November 13, 1858, and married to Aloisa Kosch. He passed away on March 20, 1910.

February 13, 1936
   One of the worst snow storms since the blizzard of 1888 was experienced at Bellwood. All train service was at a stand still for three days. Snowdrifts were 10 to 12 feet deep and temperatures dropped to 16 degrees below zero. Stores and schools were closed for several days. Five people were marooned at the Frank Stempers east of town. Bellwood faced a fuel shortage but an emergency carload of coal arrived in time.

April 24, 1936
   A large crowd attended the play and amateur contest, given by the girls softball team. The prizes awarded were as follows:
   1st: Jerome Casper (Whistling Solo)
   2nd: Dale Patchen (Cowboy Song)
   3rd: Marion Hill, Claire Kreizinger, Line at Cross (Vocal Trio)

   Child's Division
   1st: Irvin Forsee (Vocal Solo)
   2nd: Francis Besch (Drum Solo)
   3rd: Audrey Kreizinger (Dance Act)
   The proceeds of the above and many more activities were to be used to build a new softball field.

June 1, 1936
   Several old Indian lodges are being unearthed on the James Creech and Jake Demuth farms, northeast of Bellwood. The work is sponsored by the State Historical Society.

June 12, 1936
   The new softball diamond was dedicated. About 300 people attended. The Bellwood Band played a couple of numbers and Mayor S. J. Demuth threw out the first ball. The diamond is in an ideal location, east of the Shell Oil Co. in the south part of town, and flood lights have been installed.

June 19, 1936
   The work of tearing down the Baptist Church, built in 1913 has begun. The material is being hauled to Columbus where it will be used to remodel the Baptist Church there.

November 12, 1936
   Dr. Pennoyer will soon leave for Chicago to specialize in

obstetrics. Dr. Anderson of Columbus will have charge of his practice.
   H. L. Stemper has sold his meat market and fixtures to the C. E. Carson Grocery.

February, 1937
   Henry Stemper has purchased the building known as Sauser's Store and will occupy it soon.

July 16, 1937
   More than two inches of rain fell in Bellwood during the afternoon and evening.
   The moisture delayed threshing a couple of days, but the corn and garden needs it. Now, if the grasshoppers would lose their appetities, or we would find a way to muzzle them, we would be happy.
   Wheat coming into the elevators averaged fifteen bushels, mostly number three, and tests 44-60 pounds.

December 2. 1937
   History of Butler County. Shinns Ferry, named for the man who operated it, was located on the Platte River near what is known as the Hookstra farm. It was a flat boat for hauling or transporting people across the river. It was operated by means of a cable stretched across the river, the boat being guided by means of long poles. The traffic was from Butler County to and from Schuyler and Columbus.

Editor McGaffin
   On the first day of January, 1886, W. H. McGaffin, Sr., came from Seward to Bellwood, where he established the Bellwood Gazette. For nearly 25 years, editor McGaffin has published the paper. In 1920, he celebrated his 75th birthday with a family reunion, at which time his nine sons and three daughters and their families were present. The family of editor McGaffin is closely allied with the newspaper business of Butler County, not only for the fact that he reared a large family of boys, each one of whom is an expert printer and newspaperman. William H. McGaffin, Jr., his son, is operating a hustling job - printing office in David City in 1920. His son, H. M. McGaffin, was for many years connected with the Butler County Press, and is owner and publisher of the Polk Progress, and also postmaster in Polk, Nebr.
   Another son, James McGaffin, operated a job-printing plant in Omaha, Nebr. Fred McGaffin is publishing a newspaper in Cherokee, Ia., and Walter publishes a newspaper in Bruning, Nebr.
   So the newspaper profession owes Editor McGaffin a debt of gratitude for training a family of boys to be expert printers, in a day when there was a scarcity of men trained in this line of work.

March 9, 1939
   Jiggs Dinner, 50 cents. For ladies and gentlemen at Bellwood Opera House, Sunday, March 12, by St. Peter's Parish. 2 p.m. Wolf Hunt, badges for hunters are 15 cents. No hunting license required. Cards for non-hunters and ladies. Luncheon after the hunt.

   "Way back when" Gas, 17.9 cents per gallon!

October 26, 1939
   The first season of Shelterbelt under the supervision of the Forest Service, has been proven satisfactory on the Frank Adamy farm. It is 1/2 mile long and seven rods wide. Under the agreement, the farmer supplies the power, and the Forest Service furnished the sub-soiling implement. Approximately 3,500 trees are planted in 10 rows. The survival is excellent with 90 percent of the trees living. The Adamy boys have not been afraid to use hoes to keep the tree rows clean. Careful cultivation had maintained a good mulch. More than 80,000 trees were planted on 23 farms in Butler County.

November 21, 1939
   Tall tales about corn crops: In 1881, one farmer remarked that his corn was growing so fast that the continual rustle kept his family awake at nights. He was afraid he'd be forced to construct 18' ladders to pick the corn if good

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