June 24, 1911

Rockville jail – from Ravenna News

Hobo Won Bet & Made Easy Money

Gave the Village of Rockville a Lesson in Art of Jail-Breaking

Rockville had recently built a town hall which included a jail. They were very proud. Walls were solid masonry, floor was concrete, doors heavily barred and grated with iron bars. Rockvilleites were sure their new jail was impregnable.

Then this seedy looking individual came along and casually commented that he figured he could get out of that jail in 15 minutes. A committee of Rockville citizens called on him and suggested that if he had any money they would make a little bet that he could not get out in 15 minutes or 6 hours.

He said he did not have any money but if he could find a backer he would make that bet. Sam heard about the matter and, after speaking briefly with the hobo, agreed to back him and put up $50.

So the money was put up, the hob searched and relieved all knives, implements and tools of any kind, and locked in the jail. Interested Rockville citizens stood around outside to see what would happen.

There was a dull thud or two inside and a couple minutes later the prisoner was seen at another unprotected window in the building, an easy winner of the $50.

Yes, the heavy masonry walls and concrete floor, the barred window and door were all intact. But a couple of well-placed kicks of the shoe against the lath and plaster ceiling were all he needed to crawl out of the cell.

Churches
Sunday Church services – times and ministers listed along with several sermon titles. Most churches had both morning and evening services.

First United Brethren – 8 p.m. “Who Breaketh an Hedge a Serpent Shall Bite Him” (illustrated with chemicals)

Congregational – J. S. Bayne, pastor. Luther’s famous monument will be described Sunday morning as seen by the pastor at Worms, Germany, and he will speak of the four great forerunners of the reformation—Waldo, Wickliffe, Huss, and Savonnarola, emphasizing their courage and faith. At 8 he will resume his religious lecture, on the Yellowstone park with practical, spiritual lessons, illustrated by the stereopticon. Mrs. Bayne has also kindly consented to give some of her experiences in the park.

[Music at the morning service was to be a cornet solo “the Lost Chord” and another in the evening “Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep”. Also at the evening service another gentleman would give a whistling solo.]

Christian Church Ice Cream & Cake Social – to be held by the ladies on the new church property east of the Midway Hotel.

Arrivals & Departures
--Mrs. Louisa Collins is much improved but still confined to her bed.

--Rosco C. James has returned to his home in this city after a year or more of wandering about the country. He spent several months in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. His health is much improved.

[1900 census – James was living at Stella, Richardson Co, NE., born in Nov 1888 in Nebraska, 11 yrs old]
1920 Census – James was back living in Richardson Co. Born in Kentucky, Married, a child age 9.]

Hospital
City Hospital Will be Opened in August Sometime
Soliciting Committee Has Been Quietly Gathering Subscriptions
The hospital would open under new management. The old one had financial difficulties

Chautauqua tickets were on sale

A 10 ½ lb Catfish was caught in the Wood River at Gibbon

Even up trade – a man in Gibbon traded his 40 acres in town to a farmer on the island south of town for his 80 acre farm.

A Miller man traded his Metz automobile for an Amherst man’s motorcycle

K & BH RR – was being extended. Six young men from Miller went to Calloway to work on it

Motorcycles were becoming increasingly popular for use by
      1) Mail carriers
      2) Line men
      3) Young men who do not want to invest in as high price automobile

Ordinance Amended – City amended the ordinance prohibiting the riding of bicycles and tricycles on city sidewalks to allow mail carriers to ride bicycles on city sidewalks while carrying out their duties.

Insane – A well-to-do Ravenna farmer was adjudged insane and committed to the Hastings asylum

Remove rust – Mix lemon juice and salt or starch spread over the rust spot. Wash with clear water.

Post Office –

     Ready to turn over to government in August.

     Lots of men at work in all different areas.

     Upstairs marble work in halls, maple floors in rooms.

     Stairway was not done yet.

     Marble work on walls of lobby and marble part of floor being done.

     Italian tarrazi portion of floor was being pushed to completion.

     Oak wainscoating of inner rooms.

     Outside the walls were almost all pointed and washed down.

     Flag pole with gilded ball on top was up.

     East side would have slight rise where mail wagons would pull up to the back “portico”

            aka loading dock.

Normal School Construction –

A south wing was about to be built on the Normal School building. Digging the basement was to begin an a work. It would duplicate the north wing in exterior finish and on the inside except with marble baseboards instead of oak. There was also to be a basement and an up-to-date ventilating system. The first floor would be divided into school rooms and include the model school department.

Second floor: Departments of education, German and math.

Third floor: physical science. The space in the north wing where they had been would be used by the department of domestic science.

Glenwood Park –

The place to go for camping, fishing, boating. No admission charge except for picnicking parties.

Weather – ¼” of rain in the county Friday night

.
County Board Minutes, June 12 –

Voted to share with Kearney County the repair of the Platte River bridge by replacing 830 feet with 3” thick oak planks.

Voted to move Mr. & Mrs. Macklin to the county farm.
        [1910 census – 2001-2003 Central Avenue, Kearney
            Macklin, James – 50, head, born in England, imig 1878, married 29 yrs,

                                worked 15 mo of past year, labor, street work
                         Anna – 62, wife, born in Iowa, married 29 yrs, 2 children, 1 living
            Nickols, Louise E. – 21, daughter, born in Iowa, married 0 yrs, no occupation given]

Classified Ads
Lost—Friday night at the Carnival grounds, gold locket and chain. Return to the Hub office. Reward. Lois Kindt.

Found—Gold locket and chain at carnival grounds. Owner may have same by paying for this ad.  Haze Ralston at Crable barber shop.