Show bolor colorful ful old west lives aga again in 0 in omaha historical museum railroad exhibit Is visual record of pioneer days features OMAHA NEB the roaring hectic days of the old west are not dead they still live in all their flamboyant glory in the union pacifica historical museum located in the companas comp anys headquarters bead quarteTs building amere here fascinating documents maps relies relics weapons furniture books household articles farm implements personal possessions and other mementos of the men and events which carved an empire out ol of w a wilderness comprise a dramatic and graphic visual record of the struggles ruggles it tragedies and d triumphs of the pioneer west portray progress as interwoven with the faded re relics lie and ghosts of long dead pioneers and heroes of the west are exhibits portraying the epic record tn in the building of the union pacific which played an instrumental role in the westward expansion ot of the empire shunning away from the musty and moldering atmosphere of the typical museum idea all the exhibits are designed to preserve all the color and adventure which prevailed in the pioneer days since this valuable historical col COI lection was opened to the public in 1939 approximately visitors representing every state in the union and 41 foreign countries have regis at the museum reminisce on careers bearded oldsters wander through the exhibits musing over items which W recall rec a 1 I 1 the their r own picturesque careers when they and the west were young in contrast are school children and street urchins in by the drama in the winning of the west side by side come scholars and business men housewives and railroad executives while during war years me many ny a serviceman discovered that browsing around the exhibits provided an ideal means of whiling away the seemingly endless wait tor for trains curator of the museum is mrs ruth cultra hamilton former school teacher who has been associated with the railroad for many years lauds womans comans role true to her clan mrs hamilton admits that her one regret is that the museum collections arl are almost wholly a memorial to the great men of the past no one remembers those anonymous women who ranked with their men as courageous pioneers she complains to museum visitors however she can point out a few household 0 behold articles which serve as mute reminders that even while heroes conquered the west someone had to cook and museum sew rear children and help with the farming modern day housewives stare uncomprehendingly at such primitive devices as candle molds a saner sauerkraut stamper a broom of hickry splints a spinning wheel and reel dating back to 1859 typical of the hardships which the pioneer woman endured are exhibits ol of crude farm implements ari an awkward flail clumsy hoe boe and handmade barley fork the old iron dutch oven and grill la in the museum once were the only cooking utensils owned by some mormon family which carried them across the plains on the historic migration from nauvoo III to utah recall indian raids many souvenirs of the constant guerrilla warfare between the hostile indians and abid workmen who pushed the rails ever westward also are on display supplementing leme lating the tomahawks and arrows is the handiwork of indian women who engaged in more peaceful pursuits than their warriors included to in the display are fine caskets and beadwork tobacco pouches medicine bags amulets and other articles fashioned by sioux women and decorated 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 display cases many blany guns gums shown A huge 69 horse pistol is on display along with flintlocks flint locks dating back to the american revolution and pepperbox pepper box types derringers der ringers ba ball 11 and cap and muzzle loading types in one gase case are guns taken from train robbers while another case contains bullet molds cartridge loaders powder flasks flacks and horns shot pouches and other pieces of equipment used in n pistol shooting A rare old book showing the trails from texas to eusworth ellsworth kas i one of the roaring cow towns of the and a collection collects on of branding irons highlight the mementos of the day of the cattleman and cowboy mute symbols of a still earlier day when the buffalo and bison i roamed the western plains by the I 1 A THE WILD AND WOOLLY WEST Is recreated re created for or goggle eyed youngsters in this display of guns and knives M millions Iff ions are the watch and scissors used by old jim bridger and a money belt and autographed pic p ture of buffalo BM bill cody the epic migration of pioneers over the mormon trail oregon trall trail and other pathways ava ys to the west Is re represented I 1 by many relies relics attracting major interest Is an original map issued to westbound pioneers showing every place across the prairies where food could be obtained and the location of blacksmiths rare and original photographs photograph ot of the great emancipator hold the th spotlight pot light in an extensive lincoln col lection A replica of the lin lincola coln funeral car also is displayed tribute to ralls rails with the building of the west ir retrievably linked with the develop ment of rail transportation the mu seum features mementos in the his tory of railroading principal item is a yellowed tele gram bearing a single sentence you can make affidavit of comple tion of road to promontory sum mit v this message sent by gren ville villa M dodge chief engineer tc oliver ames then president of the th U P signified completion of con st ruction work and on the follow ing day the golden spike was driven to join the union pacific and the th central pacific as the first trans continental railroad linking the east and west |