Show Colorful 0 Old ld West est Lives Again In Omaha Historical MUseum Railroad Exhibit Is Visual Record Of Pioneer Days Features OMAHA NEB The The roaring roarIng roar roar- I ing Ing hectic days of the Old I West are not dead they dead they still live in all their flamboyant glory in the Union Pacific's i historical museum located in inthe inthe inthe the company's headquarters building here Fascinating documents maps I relics weapons furniture books booles j household articles farm implements ments personal possessions and other mementos of the men and events which carved an empire out of a wilderness comprise a dramatic and graphic visual record of the tragedies and triumphs I of the pioneer West Portray Progress Interwoven with the faded relics and ghosts of long dead pioneers and heroes of the West are exhibits portraying portraying por por- the epic record in the building build build- Lag ing of the Union Pacific which played an instrumental role in the westward expansion of the empire Shunning away from the musty and moldering atmosphere atmos atmos- phere of af the typical typical- museum Idea all the exhibits arc designed designed designed de de- de- de signed to preserve all the color and adventure which prevailed In the pioneer days Since this valuable historical collection col col- col lection was opened to the public in hi 1939 approximately visitors representing every state in the union and 41 foreign countries have registered registered registered regis regis- at the museum Reminisce on Careers Bearded oldsters wander through the exhibits musing over items which recall their own picturesque careers when they they and and the West West West- were young In contrast are school schoolchildren schoolchildren schoolchildren children and street urchins intrigued In Intrigued in in- by the drama in hi the winning winning win win- ning of the West Vest Side by side come scholars and business men housewives housewives house house- wives and railroad executives while during war years many a serviceman discovered that browsing browsing brows brows- ing lag around the exhibits provided an ideal means of whiling away the seemingly endless wait for trains Curator of the museum is Mrs Ruth Cultra Hamilton former school teacher who has been associated associated associated asso asso- with the railroad for many years Lauds Womans Woman's Role True to her clan Mrs Hamilton admits that her one regret Is that the museum collections are almost wholly a memorial to the great men of the past No one remembers those anonymous anonymous women who ranked with their men as courageous pioneers she complains To museum visitors however however how how- ever she can point paint out ont a few household articles which serve as mute reminders that even while heroes conquered the I West Vest someone had to cook coak and F 4 v f 4 HISTORY WAS MADE With the rifles rilles saddle and other equipment equipment equip equip- ment included In this general view of a section of the historical muse museum urn I sew rear children and help with the farming Modern-day Modern housewives stare uncomprehendingly uncomprehendingly un un- at such primitive devices as candle molds a sauerkraut saner saner- kraut a broom of hickory splints a spinning wheel and reel dating back to 1859 Typical of the hardships which the pioneer woman woman wom worn an endured are exhibits of crude farm implements implements-an an awkward flail clumsy hoe and handmade barley fork The old iron Dutch oven and grill in hi the museum once were the only cooking utensils owned by some some Mormon family which carried them across the plains on the historic migration from Nauvoo Ill to Utah Recall Indian Raids Many souvenirs of the constant guerrilla warfare between the hostile hostile hos hose tile Indians and workmen who pushed the rails ever westward also are on display Supplementing the tomahawks and arrows is the handiwork handiwork handi handi- work of Indian women who engaged engaged engaged en en- in more peaceful pursuits than their warriors Included in the display are fine baskets and beadwork beadwork bead bead- work tobacco pouches medicine bags amulets and other articles fashioned by Sioux women and decorated dec dec- orated with embroidery of flattened porcupine quills dyed with roots and berries Wild eyed youngsters gaze in awe at the pistols which spat flame and lead in the hectic early days but which now rest peacefully in the museums museum's display cases Many Guns Shown A huge 69 horse pistol Is on display along with flintlocks dating back to the American revolution and pepper box types derringers balland balland ball balland and cap and muzzle loading types In one case are guns taken from train robbers while another case contains bullet molds cartridge loaders powder flasks and horns I r ri i k kEN EN ROUTE TO PROMISED LAND Mormon lormon pioneers used these crude farm Implements and household utensils on their historic trek from Nauvoo Ill to Utah Utah shot pouches and other pieces of equipment nt used in pistol shooting A rare old book showing the trails from Texas to Ellsworth Kas one of the roaring cow towns of the and a collection of branding irons highlight the mementos of the day of the cattleman and cow cow- boy Mute symbols of a still earlier day when the buffalo and bison roamed the western plains by the t 4 ff- ff l p s' s 4 T TIlE TIIE E WILD AND WOOLLY WEST VEST Is re re created for goggle-eyed goggle youngsters In this display of guns and knives millions are the watch and scissors used by Old Jim Bridger and a money belt and autographed picture pic plc ture of Buffalo Bill Cody I The enic migration of nio- nio I over o the Mormon trail tall Oregon trail and other pathways path path- I ways to the West Is represented represent represent- ed by many relics Attracting major maJar interest is an original map issued to westbound pioneers pioneers pio plo showing every place across the prairies where food foad could be obtained and the location loca loea- lion tion of blacksmiths Rare and original photographs photograph of the Great Emancipator hold the spotlight in an extensive Lincoln col lection A replica of the funeral car also is displayed Tribute to Rails With the building of the West irretrievably ir ir- retrievably linked with the development development develop develop- ment of rail transportation the museum mu seum scum features mementos in the history history his his- tory of railroading Principal item is a yellowed telegram tele gram bearing a single sentence You can make affidavit of completion comple tion of road to Promontory Sum mit This message sent by Grenville Gren Gren- ville vile M. M Dodge chief engineer tc te Oliver Ames then president of th the tho U. U P. P signified completion of construction con can work and on the following follow follow- ing lag day the Golden Spike was driven drive en to join the Union Pacific and th Central Pacific as the first transcontinental trans trans- continental railroad linking the East Easl Easland and West |