Gas mileage, Republican River farm subsidies were much in the news 72 years ago

In 1936, the Nebraska Farmer magazine included a story about a tree uprooted by the Republican River flood, and an advertisement extolling the "new Plymouth." The Long Beach, Calif., Sun newspaper was advertising Christmas specials. Claudette Peck of McCook found both publications in a box with her mother's wedding dress.

The times they aren't a changin' maybe as much as you might think ...

In 1936, Plymouth sold a car that the company bragged was getting 18 to 24 miles to a gallon of gas. And, in Long Beach Calif., a man reported a hit-and-run accident in which the motorist appeared to be intoxicated.

"It's America's most economical full-size car," the advertisement in "The Nebraska Farmer" magazine shouted. Today -- 72 years later -- full-size cars don't get gas mileage that's much better.

'Course that '36 Plymouth cost only $510. And the company would let a buyer make payments -- only $25 a month.

The ad was in the May 23, 1936, edition of the Nebraska Farmer, discovered by Claudette Peck of McCook tucked into the box that contained her mother Laura Pankonin Uehling's wedding dress. Claudette doesn't know why her mother saved the magazine, or why the box also included the Dec. 18, 1936, edition of the Long Beach, Calif., Sun newspaper.

In 1936, farmers were trying to figure out how to qualify for soil conservation program payments; farm wives were drooling over a Maytag washing machine that ran on gasoline or electric power ("No rubbing or scrubbing" -- ask about the "easy payment plan") and a "permanently silent" Electrolux refrigerator than ran on kerosene ("Modern refrigeration without electricity"); and President Franklin D. Roosevelt was stumped by foreign farmers invading the American farm market with Argentinean sides of beef, Uraguan canned corned beef, tubs of Danish butter and Canadian cheese.

The magazine's "Curiosity Corner" showed a faded photograph of a tree whose roots were reaching for the sky -- a tree turned over by the flood of the Republican River. "It is located three miles south of Benkelman, Nebr., on the south fork of the river," according to Mrs. C.A. Davis of Benkelman, who provided the information to the magazine.

The big story on the front page of the Long Beach Sun dealt with Rear Adm. Edward Clifford Kalbfus, president of the Naval War College, succeeding Vice Admiral Clarence Selby Kempff as commander of battleships. Kalbfus served on the U.S.S. Oregon in the Spanish-American War, according to reporter George H. Stevenson.

In a separate news story, L.E. Clendenin, of 837 East Ocean Blvd., reported that his car was damaged when it was struck by another car driven by a man who appeared to be drunk.

In yet another story, a group called "Long Beach Pyramid No. 43 of the Sciots" (natives of the Greek island of Chios) donated $981 to the city's "Christmas Cheer" fund.

The Green Bay Packers placed four -- Evans, Smith, Hinkle and Hutson -- on the "All-Pro Grid Team"; the Los Angeles Athletic Club's girls diving squad was called the prettiest team in the country; and Bing Crosby and Edith Fellows were starring in "Pennies from Heaven."

The new Tracy movie theater was charging customers 15 cents -- "kiddies, 10 cents" -- to watch "Dancing Pirate" in "100% New Technicolor." Shirley Temple, in "The Poor Little Rich Girl," started "tomorrow" at the new Victor band shell. "Any seat, 15 cents."

Buffum's Basement was selling "holiday hats" -- only six shopping left before Christmas, according to the front page -- for $1.50 each; the Premier Beauty College, at 132 Pine Avenue was advertising "avocado permanent waves" for $1 and cocktail facials for just 35 cents; and the Olympia Sweet Shop and Cafe on American at Ocean invited everyone to have a merchants' dinner -- the best in Long Beach -- for 30 cents. A complete seven-course turkey, chicken, steaks and chops dinner would cost 50 cents.

Claudette plans to give the magazine and newspaper to the Museum of the High Plains, McCook.