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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (May 27, 1909)
The Frontier. VOLUME XXIX. O'NEILL. NEBRASKA. THURSDAY. MAY 27.1909 NUMBER 49 A Loyal Church An O’Neill Story With Real Home Characters. Copy wrlght, 190;i-1904-1905-190fi-1907-1908-1909, by Geo. S. Soales. AU rights reserved. A meeting of the church had been called to decide upon the purchase of new carpets. The ladles—God bless 'em—had held entertainments, and worked and saved, and secured the funds, and now the male members of the congrega tion who had stood by and looked wise, while their better halves were digging tooth and nail to accumulate the shekels, were called together to direct them where to spend the money. Parson Goodman called the meeting to order and asked Judge Mandamus to take the chair. “I move,” hurriedly said Deacon Titeflst, “that we send to Chicago and get the carpets of Catchem & Doem, the great catalogue house.” Dr Cureem’s wife seconded the motion. Hon. Thomas Jones rose in protest, “Brother and sister,” said he, “you are making a mistake. No community can prosper that divides its forces. Its buyers and sellers must work together.” “Huh!” said Deacon Titelist, “I believe in buyin’ where you can get things the cheapest.” “So do I,” answered the Hon, Thomas Jones. “That is one reason why I am a Johnny-on-the-spot man, for I’ve learned that the home man gives better goods for the money than the catalogue man. He can’t afford to sell shoddy goods to his neighbors. And competition keeps his prices down.” "It s my priveiege to go wnere 1 please with my money,” the deacon persisted. “Just so. And strike your home man when you want credit,” retorted Mr. Jones. I’m not built that way The man gives employment to my boys and girls. He buys my products and employs other people who consume my products. Hespends his profits in building up the com munity in which I live. He is en titled to my support.” “He’s got no strings on me,” growl ed the deacon. “He has, If you are a fair man,” declared the former Nebraska legisla tor. “He is a target every time you fire a contribution gun. When the church was built, you were the busiest man in town, striking business men for donations. I never heard that Catchem & Doem gave a penny.” “But these here carpets”—again began the deacon. “You can bank on their being low grade,” broke in Mr. Jones, made to sell cheap. All this Catchem & Doem catalogue stuff is. We have reliable, responsible houses in town. Why not buy of them? J. P. Mann & Co, sell carpets of repute. We all know they handle the best carpets made. What more do you want? And a firm as enterprising as this, that carries lines of carpets, rugs, linoleums, mattings, curtains draperies, a very complete stock of up-to-date dry goods, dress goods, ladies’ garments, notions, men’s clothing and stylish furnish ings, hats, caps, suit cases, fashion able shoes for ladies, gentlemen and the little folks, and everything good to eat in the grocery and table sup plies lines, is entitled to local sup port.” “You can get groceries cheaper by clubbing,”, declared Dr. Cureem’s wife. “What kind?” snapped Hon. Thomas Jones. “Bogus spices, imita tion coffee, sloppy canned goods, refuse stuff of all sorts! The club bing grocery solicitor is one of the worst evils we have, and when you compare his prices with R. R. Mor rison’s for pure, fresh and wholesome food articles you’ll find R. R. Mor rison’s the lowest anyhow. That’s not all. This popular grocer offers you a clean, big, complete stock that comprises the best of every possible thing in staple and fancy groceries and fresh fruits and vegetables. Mr. Morrison calls special attention to his excellent Barrington Hall steel-cut There's a very swell line of Wash Suits on display at P. J. McManus'— tan, pink, white and blue at $10; tan, embroidery trimmed $9; fancy trimmed ki ki cloth $6.50. Great values for the money coffees, his as good as the best and better than most, to Heinz’s pickled and bottled goods, and to a nice as sortment of queensware. Goods delivered promptly. Phone 120.” “I was in O. F. Biglin’s big furni ture store, next door to the postotlice, a few days ago,” said Parson Good man’s wife, "assisting our daughter to select a book case. We decided on the Globe- Wernicke sectional book case, because from time to time other sections can be added at little ex pense, as the new books accumulate, and yet the beauty and symmetry of the book case will be retained. In looking over Mr. Biglin’s excellent stock of furniture, it occurred to me how very many really useful and beautiful articles can be selected from his stock. Every article will last for years, and be of permanent value. I saw beautiful articles of furniture of every kind, carpets, artistic rugs and art squares, linoleums, mattings, curtains pretty framed pictures and a great variety of mouldings for fram ing pictures to order, kitchen cabinets, carpet sweepers, mattresses, couches, easy chairs, and the popular and sanitary davenports and collapsable baby cabs. There is scarcely an article in O. F. Biglin’s stock that would not make a valued gift for any occasion.” “The big cities set the fashions: why shouldn’t we get our hats at headquarters?” argued Dr. Cureem’s wife. “Why shouldn’t you buy your finery there?” sarcastically responded Miss Makepiece Cheviot, a member of the church choir. “One reason is, that right here in O’Neill is the Grady millinery store, which provides every facility for getting everything thats’s new and admirable in the world of fashion. Their trimmers are quite as expert as any from fashion’s centers, and they are as well posted and have as correct tastes. Being ex pert designers, they give an exclusive style to hats that in never found in Catcliem & Doem’s goods. And having compared prices, I find that the Grady store sells high grade mil linery cheaper than the large cities. They invite the attention of the ladies of O’Neill and vicinity to an elegant stock of new spring and sum mer millinery. They also have a dressmaking department, and attend to all work in this line.” “The home merchant’s prosperity does not Interest me,” butted in Colonel Maneouvers. “Then you are short sighted:” re torted Mr. Jones. “Take the popular clothing departmeat of P. J. McMan us—‘The House of Good Clothes.’ His people consume your products. His profits are applied to improve your town. He pays taxes to help you run the home machine. He subscribes to public enterprises. He sells you cloth ing and men’s furnishing goods that are honest, at prices that are econo mical. He carries stocks that in ex tent and variety are the pride of the town, just because he is prosperous. Interest you? I guess yes! Get the habit of buying Hart, Schaffner & Marx guaranteed clothing at this al ways reliable store, where they have but one price and the same price to all. The satisfaction received makes the habit a permanent one. P. J. McManus sells the popular Pingree men’s shoes, the Roswelle hats, new styles in men’s furnishings, trunks, bags, suit cases, and Kohn & Son’s clothing for children.” “I like to go to headquarters when I buy,” pompously asserted Deacon Titefist. “Do you send to Washington for postage stamps?” asked Mr. Jones. “I tell you that the retailer in O’Neill will sell to you as cheaply as the re tailer in Sioux City, Omaha or Lin coln or the catalogue houses any where, and he is here to back up his goods and correct mistakes. Take the dry goods and notion department of P. J. McManus’ store, for example. They buy in the best markets. They know how to buy close. They are alert to meet all competition. Their dry goods, dress goods, ladies’ ready to-wear garments of every kind, ladies’ wash suits, W. B. corsets, muslin underwear, Iron Clad hosiery for men and women, long and short kid and silk gloves, have the guaran tee of an honorable firm. If they are not headquarters for low prices and square dealing, I don*t know what the term means. P. J. McManus’ dry goods department is showing all the latest weaves and fabrics in the new summer styles of women’s wear. The grocery department carries a complete stock of everything good to eat in groceries.” “The most credulous people I know of,” continued Mr. Jones, “are those who send away for jewelry and watch es. Cheap, unreliable grades are the stock in trade of the Catchem & Doem catalogue houses. It is easy to fill a mail order with trash and so im possible to get redress. With a house like W. B. Graves’ you are safe. Back of the fact that the goods are on hand for inspection, is the guarantee of a well known citizen who could not afford, if he would, to misrepresent quality. W. B. Graves carries the best grade of watches, diamonds, jew elry, sterling silver, plated ware and clocks from the most noted manufact urers, and does repairing promptly and at moderate prices. lie also has a nice line of hand-painted and fancy china, Eastman kodaks and Kodak supplies, and sells high-grade pianos and small musical instruments.” Col. Manoeuvres suggested that certain kinds of manufacturedarticles —notably harness—could be produced cheapest in the big factories. “Nobody denies that,” said Hon. Thomas Jones. "But how about the quality? That is what is vital to the buyer. There is no other product where shoddy is so freely used by un scrupulous men. The only Simon sure cinch against a swindle is to buy of a man you know something about —a man like V. Alberts, for instance, who has been in the business here for twenty years. His repute for honest material, good work and reliable rep resentation is as the page of an open book in this community, and he carries a stock of harness, saddles, pads, collars, whips, lap robes, dusters, liy nets and horse furnishings and men's gloves, of sufficient extent and variety to meet any demand. Mr. Alberts does all kinds of harness re pairing promptly and at moderrte prices. He makes a specialty of hand made harness. In his shoe depart ment, he carries the famous North Star shoes, for men, women and child ren, and sells the reliable Singer, Wheeler & Wilson and other sewing machines, and needles, shuttles, oils and supplies for all kinds of sewing machines.” •A. 11VOV 1V/1IUIO WUV IVUU v»* patent medicines,” said Deacon Tite tist, referring to the Catchem & Doem catalogue. “Some kinds,” said Jones. “Shelf worn goods bought in job lots. When I use medicine I want the best, and to be sure of getting it I don’t patron ize a mail order house. We all know Pixley & Hanley to be thoroughly re liable, and are assured of getting the genuine quality of the goods we get. They carry full lines of everything known in the realm of pharmacy, and' make a point of having it fresh and pure. Health is too precious to take chances with. I want to know that the man is skilled and reliable who ieals out my medicines. Pixley & Hanley make a specialty of filling physicians’ prescriptions and family receipes from purest drugs at lowest prices. They sell the popular copy right novels, fine stationery, school supplies, magazines, wall papers, Har rison Bros.’ Town and Country paints, and serve fine ice cream soda and all popular soda fountain drinks.” “The merchant himself doesn’t al ways stick to the home-made idea,” declared Judge Mandamus. “Yes, and its a shame,” flashed back Mr. Jones. “They sometimes give their lentlre orders to outside concerns for cigars when we have a factory right here at home. F. W. Schroeder’s ‘Pride of O’Neill’ and ‘The Eagle’ brands are as prime cigars for the money as can be rolled from tobacco. And if the majority of cigars that are smoked in O’Neill were made here, it would add thousands of dollars to the trade of merchants through the patronage of the cigarmakers and others who would benefit by keeping the money in circulation at home. Smokers should remember this and call for F. W. Schroeder’s cigars. All cigars made by F. W. Schroeder are high grade workmanship, made under sanitary conditions. ” “ ‘Banking by Mail’ is an alluring phrase,’’said Joseph Hustler, but how about a little accomadation when the necessities of business demand it? Is it your home banker or the distant city banker that takes care of you when you want a few hundred dollars for a short time for any purpose? The Banking by Mail concerns are all willing to take care of your money, but when you want to use any of theirs, that is another story, as Rud yard Kipling says. I find the O’Neill National Bank always ready to afford any reasonable accommodation, they pay me 5 per cent interest on time deposits, and I am personally ac quainted with its others and know them and the bank to be thoroughly reliable. The bank’s safety deposit boxes are a great convenience and are offered at a moderate rental. The O’Neill National Bank is conceded to be one of the leading iinancial in stitutions of the county. It was es tablished in April, 1901, and by con servative and intelligent methods has built up a large and constantly increasing business. Its capital is $50,000.00 and surplus and undivided profits $10,558.87. Its vaults are elec trically protected. The officers and directors are: M. Dowling, president; O. O. Snyder, vice president; S. J. Weekes, cashier; Roy Smith, assistant cashier, and Dr. J. P. GUligan and II. P. Dowling.” “Many dollars have gone for cheap buggies,” spoke up Farmer Muohland. “There is only one way to get genuine quality,” said Mr. Jones. Buy of a home man—a man like O. F. Biglin, for example, he carries lines of the best vehicles in stock, that in clude many styles, and his goods are here for inspection. His carriages and buggies, farm implements and wagons are sold on the honor of a reputable house, and you stand to get what you pay for. No foreign dealer can ship you singly the same quality for as little money as O. F. Biglin buys in large lots. His work is known as the best money can buy, and includes the Henney buggies, the T. G. Mandt farm wagons, the Mc Cormick mowers, hay rakes, stackers, harvesters and binders, Moline Flying Dutchman cultivators, Monarch wash ing machines, Panama refrigerators and reliable lawn mowers. O. F. Blglin’s double store is next door to the postofflce.” “It Is a source of pleasure to me to work with good tools,” said Joseph Hustler, the well known contractor and builder “and I find that every man on the job not only does better work, but he does more of it in the same number of hours and feels more contented, when he has first class tools to work with. In fact, I am slow to employ a man who does not carry the best tools. No Catchem & Doem mall order kit will ever be found on my jobs, I cannot afford to have a man laid off several hours by the breaking of a cheap, unreliable mail order tool. The best is none too good, is my motto and my own preference in tools and cutlery is for the Keen Kutter line. I buy them of Neil Brennan, who carries a complete assortment. Mrs. Hustler uses the Keen Kutter shears and scissors, and Joe, Jr. is mighty proud of his Keen Kutter pocket knife. When you buy a Keen Kutter article, you know whpt you are getting for your money. Neil Brennan sells the famous Majes tic ranges, gasoline and oil stoves, One Minute washing machines, Lin coln Absolutely Pure paints, shelf, bunders’ and heavy hardware and kitchen furnishings, Yelie buggies, Studebaker wagons, the Dcering line of machinery, John Deere plows and Blue Ribbon cream separators." If you will buy your lumber and building material of the O. O. Snyder Lumber company’s yards it is a guarantee of square treatment, and his facilities in the way of a com plete and extensive stock of best quality interior finish, sash, doors, lath lime, cement hair, and the best on earth Acme hard wall plaster, paints, lumber and all kinds of building materials are equal to the demands of the community. They sells the best grades of hard and soft and blacksmiths’ coal. Phone 32, and you will get prompt attention.” “The J. C. Horiskey Pure Food grocery store is one of the hustling business places that deserves suc cess,” said Judge Mandamus, “and I am pleased to know that this grocery is keeping up its reputation fora square deal and everything good to eat in high grade groceries. They carry everything to be found in a first class grocery and are very particular about securing the best obtainable for their trade. Courteous treatment, prompt service, good weight and just as low prices as can be made consis tent with high quality are always accorded customers at J. C. Horisky’s Pure Food Grocery. His fruit and vegetable display is an attractive one and he has at all times all that the season affords. He sells the high grade M hite House coffees, White House canned goods and White House baking powder, and has their exclu sivesale in O’Neill. He also sells fine teas, spices, etc., and has a fine stock af fancy china, beautiful flamps, queensware and dinner sets. Goods delivered. Phone 19.” “There’s one business the catalogue men do not meddle with,” said Par son Goodman, “the butcher’s.” “But the packer does,” said Mr. Jones. “His agents slip around and take private orders for cured meats. They get no encouragement from me. W. F. Gielish supplies my table. His market is always stocked with prime meats of every description that I know to be of first-class quality. And his weights are honest, and prices graded to the lowest market notch. It pays to trade with W. F. Gielish’s Gash Market, opposite the post office. He makes a specialty of home-grown meats, his own make of fine sausage, sells pure lard, fine hams, bacon and other meats, and aiways has a fine line of poultry and other extra nice meats for Sunday dinners and fresh fish for Fridays. He pays the highest market price for hides. Goods de livered. Phone 14.” “For the past six years,” isaid Par son Goodman's wife, “Mrs. M. Fitz simmons' millinery store has supplied myself and daughters with up-to-date and tasteful hats and millinery, and done whatever remodeling and trim ming that we desired. In all this time we have never found it desirable or advisable to go away from O’Neill to buy anything in the millinery line. And I know that some of my city friends have worn less tasteful hats than we have, and paid much more for them. Mrs. Fitzsimmons carries an intelligently selected stock of the latest designs and shapes in new spring and summer hats, and can please the most fastidious in the matter of trimmings. Her years of experience in O’Neill have given her a thorough understanding of the needs of the community and she is very successful in supplying hats suit able to the individual needs of the wearer. I find her prices very moder ate, and in the finer grade goods es pecially one can make a large saving over city prices in buying of Mrs. Fitzsimmons. She is now closing out a line of tailored and trimmed hats at $1.00 each, while they last.” “Satisfaction is a much abused word,” said Joseph Hustler. “It rep resents what you don’t get at the mail order house and what you do get when yon buy any kind of horse milli nery of J. H. Davison, at the old John Mann store. Whether it is a light or heavy harness, a saddle, lap robe, whip, fly net, pads, collar, or harness repairing—anything and everything bought from J. H. Davison’s store represents Satisfaction with a big S. Just a little more than a dollar’s worth for a dollar, both in quality and quan tity, is J. H. Davison’s motto, and he lives up to the motto every business day of the year. His prices, too, are always reasonable. I have often said that he ought to put up a sign reading, ‘Davison’s Harness Store of Satisfact ion.” ‘‘Saunto & Abaoucn nave neen sup plying our family with staple dry goods, dress goods, notions, gloves, hosiery, skirts, and the numberless necessities of women’s wear. Myself and sons have bought our clothing, hats and furnishings, and we all wear the District 76 guaranteed shoes sold by them. They sell trunks, bags and suit cases, and also supply our staple and fancy groceries and fruits. I have always found Suuntu & Abdousch reliable, and their goods all that they claimed for them, and their prices reasonable. Several of my neighbors have dealt with them for some time, and they are perfectly satisfied with the treatment received and the goods secured and prices quoted. They sell good goods at low prices, and if any thing comes from their store that does not prove up to grade, they make it right.” “Yes, we consider that a very hand some watch,” said Judge Mandamus, proudly exhibiting a ladies’ size Ham ilton movement in a James Boss gold filled case. We are sending it to Glasgow, Mo., where a niece of Mrs. Mandamus will graduate early next month from Pritchett college. No, it was not bought from a mail order con cern. John W. Hiber, the jeweler in Pixley & Hanley’s, sold me that watch, and it would worry a mail order cata logue house to get hold of that class of goods. Mr. Hiber carries the very best grades of solid gold and gold-filled watches and jewelry, sterling silver ware in all the new patterns, an ele gant line of diamond rings; Howard, Hamilton, Elgin, and Walaham and South Bend watches; Crescent, Boss and Crown cases, all standard, and prices to meet all competition. Mr. Hiber does expert watch repairing and engraving, and has had a thor ough experience in city work.” Deacon Titefist continued to growl, and was heard to mutter that the “home man has no mortgage on me.” Hon. Thomas Jones concluded to ad minister a knock-out blow. “Maybe not,” Mr. Jones retorted. “But who pays taxes to keep up com munity expenses? Who’s the first man you strike with a subscription list but the home merchant? Who helps you to keep up the schools, churches and charities? The cata lague house of Catchem & Doem, or men like M. M. Sullivan,in the Golden block? And yet you’ll propose to send away for shoes when you should know you can get better quality for the money right at home. That’s blind ness, Deacon. Here’s M. M. Sullivan’s store carrying an elegant stock of the latest styles of the reliable Kirkendall shoes for the big and little folks of both sexes, and you ask me to ignore him and take a dead-sure chance of getting soaked by a concern that never spends a cent here. Deacon, you in sult my intelligence. Mr. Sullivan’s lines of dry goods, dress goods, ladies skirts, shirt waists and underwear, corsets, gloves, the Bearskin hosiery and men’s furnishings is very attract ive and all at moderate prices.” “When I want something extra fine in perfumes,” said Miss Makepeace Cheviot, the fashionable dressmaker and member of the church choir, “I do not have to send away from O’Neill for them. Gilligan & Stout carry a large and varied stock of perfumes, which include the highest grade goods and something to suit every taste or caprice. In toilet requisites and nec essities for a lady’s bath, they have a complete supply. Dr. Cureem tells me that Gilligan & Stout have a very complete line of drugs, and that he can commend them for promptness and accuracy in filling prescriptions. Their new 1909 stock of wall paper will please the most artistic taste for de sirable designs. They sell paints, stains, oils and varnishes. They carry the popular magazines, sell fine stationary, high-grade confectionary and cigars, a large selection of souven ir cards, and serve excellent ice cream soda and all all kinds of soda fountain drinks.” “It is very convenient,” said Com rade Sureshot, "when coming down town for your mail, to place your order for groceries, vegetables or fruits with J. P. Gallagher. I rarely ever drop In to see what Uncle Sam has brought —and that is about twice a day on the average—but in passing J. P. Gallagh er's store I see something in the shape of fruits, green vegetables, or staple groceries, that I have a yearning for, and it is easy to leave the order. It isn't like sending to a mail order house, and buying unsight and unseen and waiting from a week to a month for the goods. J. P. Gallagher carries an up-to-date stock of groceries, do mestic and foreign fruits, and a care fully chosen stock of dry goods, notions, dress goods, gloves, skirts, Jackson corsets, ladies’ furnishings, the stylish and popular Huiskamp Bros.' shoes for men, women and children, mens’ furnishings, hats, suit cases, etc., all at low prices. Grocery orders filled and delivered promptly. Phone 04.” "apeaging oi oangs, saiu rarsou Goodman, “induces me to take this opportunity to express my hearty op probation of the motto of the Frdellty bank of O’Neill,,‘Safety and a Square Deal.’ If more things than banking were conducted on the basts of ‘Safety and a Square Deal,’the people of this nation would be Infinitely better off. We all know that when such reput able men as are at the head of the Fidelity bank promise their patrons ‘Safety and a Square Deal,’ the pledge will be carried out. The reputation of the officers of this bank for integ rity is so well known that it is super fluous for me to refer to the subject. It pays five per cent on time deposits, and offers the free use of Its vaults for the protection of the valuable papers of its patrons. Under the efficient supervision of Cashier James F. O’ Donnell, the deposits in the Fidelity bank have increased over $50,000.00 in the past nine months. After July 2nd the depositors in this bank will be ab solutely insured against loss from any cause by the new state bank guarantee law. This bank grants all accommo dations which any safely conducted bank would be justified in doing. E. E. Halstead is president; O. F. Biglin vice president, and James F. O’Don nell, cashier.” “When my barn was burned, it be came necessary for me to build an other one at ODce,” Farmer Hardluck. “One of my neighbors suggested that I might save money by figuring with a mail order concern on the lumber. I am not much of a figurer, but I know that two and two make four. And after getting prices from the mail order house on the bill of stuff I wanted, and finding out just what the freight charges would be. I took the result to the Bazleman Lumber Co., and much to my satisfaction found that I could save more than the freight bill by buying of the Bazleman Lumber Co., right here at home. They supplied me with every thing I needed in the way of building materials and gave me excellent quality and entire satisfaction. I understand that this company prides itself on the quality of the lumber it sells and guarantees satisfaction in every case. They sell everything in lumber and make right prices. They sell brick, lime, cement, plaster sash, doors, and excellent hard and soft coal. Phone 79.” “When you buy of a catalogue or mail order bouse in a distant city,” said Joeph Hustler, “you invariably lose in quality. Their prices fre quently appear attractive, but when you inspect the goods you find they lack in quality, and the goods in many instances are of a character that you would not accept from your home dealer. Speaking of quality reminds me that John P. McManus makes quality his watchword early and late. He takes every possible precaution to (Continued on page four.)