VOL. LIV.
O’NEILL,
Frontier
NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 1934.
No. 49
THREE MEMBERS OF
AK-SAR-BEN GIVE A
LUNCHEON MONDAY
Here In The Interest Of Having Pari.
Mutuel Betting On Horse Races
Legalized In Nebraska.
Bert Murphy, head of one of the
largest automobile sales agencies in
the middle west, was in the city last
Monday, accompanied, by Mac Bald
ridge, formerly congressman from
Omaha, and W. H. Millard, of the Om
aha National bank. All these gentle
men enjoyed a brief visit with their
many O’Neill friends.
These gentlemen were in the city
in the interest of Ak-Sar-Ben, the
greatest state advertising organization
that has ever been organized in Ne
braska or any other state. For close
on forty years this organization, com
posed mainly of business men of the
city of Omaha, but with many out
staters on its membership rolls, has
been advertising the state of Nebraska
and bringing to the attention of the
people of the other stales of the Union
the many advantages of this state
without any expense to the people of
the state as a whole. This expense
has been borne by Ak-Sar-Ben, and
the three gentlemen who were in the
city Monday are prominent leaders in
the Ak-Sar-Ben, two of them, Mr. Mil
lard and Mr. Mi/rphy, being members
of the board of governors.
These gentlemen put on a luncheon
for a party of O'Neillites in the dining
room of the Golden hotel Monday,
which was enjoyed by about forty of
the representative citizens of the city,
of both sexes. At this meeting Mr.
Baldridge, in behalf of the Omaha del
egation, told (the assembled guests
what Ak-Sar-Ben desired, in fact
needed, if their ideas for the better
ment of Nebraska as a whole was
carried, to a successful conclusion.
Ak-Sar-Ben is a non-profit organiza
tion, not for any profit for itself, but
to enable them to be of better service
to the livestock and horse breeding
industries of the state. This organ
ization was born in 1905 and has
grown up with the state. Its chief
objective has been to advertise the
state, its livestock, butter and eggs,
its farms and factories. In their
grounds and buildings at Omaha they
have an investment of $1,500,000 and
its livestock shows there have been
recognized as among the best in the
United States. The money that was
put into these buildings was secured
from the Omaha track, when races
were held there from 1921 to 1929,
when the supreme court ruled that the
law under which the meets were held
was unconstitutional.
In order to bring back horseracing
to Nebraska the Ak-Sar-Ben is spon
ecring an amendment to the constitu
tion that will legalize pari-mutuel bet
ting on horse racing in the state. In
order to get this upon the ballot for
the coming election it will be necessary
to secure 60,000 signatures to an in
itiative petition. The members of the
organization are asking the people of
the state to circulate these petitions,
as they say the organization is with
out funds to bear this burden. They
are asking for pari-mutuel racing for
Omaha only, but the legislature will
set up the regulations if the amend
ment is adopted and no county that
doesn’t want race meets will have them.
Pari-mutuel races are now legal in 17
slates, five of them having legalized
this form of racing within the past
year. During 1933 in five state, Mary
and Kentucky, pari-mutuel racing
brought into the states in taxes the
sum of $2,452,883.31, which lessened
the lax burden of the people of these
states to that amount.
A very large part of the population
of this city are very partial to horse
racing, in fact some of the most suc
cessful race meets held in the state,
outside of Omaha, have been held here.
The people of this vicinity are signing
the initiative petitions very liberally
and when the election rolls around we
do not believe there is a question but
what » majority of the people of this
county will set their approval on the
pari-mutuel form of horse racing.
The people of the state are now
strong for the new deal, and tired of
fanatical liberty-depriving legislation,
and we believe will give the people of
the eastern part of the state what they
want in this line. As far as we are
concerned, let them have their racing,
we do not have to attend unless we
want to and if we do attend there is
no one who will rompcl us to bet on a
horse unless we have the inclination
and desire to do so.
(irotfK Clark, of Page, was in
0 Neill Thursday morning on business.
Dwight Griswold Stops
In O’Neill For A Visit
Dwight Griswold, of Gordon, can
didate for the republican gubernatorial
nomination, was in the city for a few
hours last Saturday renewing old ac
quaintenances and making new ones.
Mr. Griswold was on his way to Cedar
Rapids, where he was to deliver a
speech that evening, on the celebration
of the establishment of the city.
Dwight says that prospects for his
nomination grow brighter every day
and he is firmly convinced that if he
does secure the nomination that he
will be successful at the polls next
November.
McNully-Grutsch
Mr. James McNulty and. Miss Mar
gery Grutsch were united in marriage
in this city on April 5th by Rev.
Father B. J. Leahy, of St. Patrick’s
church.
They were attended by Miss Edna
McNulty, sister of the groom and Mr.
John Grutsch, brother of the bride.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Will Grutsch, living north of
O’Neill. She is a graduate of the
O’Neill public school, and has taught
in our rural schools for the past five
years.
The groom is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. John McNulty, of Atkinson, and
is a graduate of the Atkinson public
schools. Both of these young people
are among our most popular young
folks, and the best wishes of a host of
friends follows them to their home on
a farm 14 miles northwest of O’Neill.
About 60 friends and neighbors
gathered at the Will Grutsch home on
Sunday night to charivari the ncwly
'wed.s, Mr. and Mrs. James McNulty.
O’Neill City Finances
Are In Excellent Shape
It is doubtful if there is another
city in the United. States having the
fine financial record that is O’Neill’s.
With no outstanding debt, there is on
deposit with the Holt county treasurer
$3,200 of general fund money, labor,
$660; city gas tax, $646; fire and bond,
$440; water bond, $1,220; balance sew
er bond, $162.22. The accounts are
paid and. the above are balances.
On deposit with the city treasurer is
water fund, $558.61; general fund,
$503.38; road fund, $5.69; special water
fund, $2,500. Figure the amounts up
and try to find another town in this
year of our Lord, 1934, like it.
Pete Todsen, local manager of the
J. C. Penney store here, left last Sat
urday evening for Kansas City, where
he is attending a convention of the
managers of the Penney stores from
five states. The convention will be
attended by 320 managers and by
representatives of the firm from the
east who will discuss with the manag
ers the business conditions and the
best manner of catering to the wants
of the patrons of the company thihiout
the country. The convention will last
all week and Mr. Todsen is not ex
pected home until next Sunday night.
During his absence James Tuor, the
efficient and obliging head salesman
of the Penney store here, is the local
manager, and James will see that the
wants of their various patrons will be
attended to.
Now vice chairman of the Nebraska
state republican committee, Lyle Jack
son, of Neligh, republican leaders here
heard, is slated for state chairman to
succeed Robert Smith, of Omaha. It
was not known if Jackson will accept
the chairmanship. At the state con
vention next fall it will be necessary
to name a chairman for the general
election battle, and Jackson would be
renamed or reelected at that time. He
has a host of friends here, and was one
of the attorneys defending Earl Trcp
pish about a year ago.
The ball Riven at Daneeland last
evening by Mayor-elect Kersenbrock
proved to be one of the most popular
events of the season. The dance
started early and continued until 2
A. M. It is estimated that 1.500 people
attended the party, by far the largest
crowd that ever attended a dance there,
and everyone claimed to have had an
enjoyable time. The mayor-elect was
a genial host and was around there
all evening seeing to it that his guests
enjoyed themselves.
According to state and federal sta
tistics Nebraska's 1933 potato ship
ments arc liable to set an all time
record for the state. Shipments to
date are M.711 cars. This is the second
highest shipment record ami is more
than twice that of n year ago. The
record for shipments was established
in 1030 when 0,100 cars were moved.
BRIEFLY STATED
Several head of hogs were reported
to have died in this vicinity of in
fluenza the last week.
Early potato planting is about com
pleted in this city and an April shower
will be needed soon to sprout the
tubers.
Tuesday was one of the finest days
enjoyed here for some time, no wind
and a steady stream of sunshine of
just the right temperature.
Several persons here saw a huge
meteor fall in the west last Sunday
evening at about 8:30 o’clock. The
missile was reported as red, and looked
like it struck the earth in the sand
dunes.
Lem Bitncy returned last Sunday
night from Omaha, where he had spent
the past month receiving medical
treatment. His health is much im
proved and he seems to be on the road
to recovery.
Weatherman say, contrary to gen
eral belief, that the month of April
is the windiest of the year in this part
of the country. That is easy to be
lieve by those able to hang on until
the first of May.
The measles epidemic still continues
in this section and an odd thing about
it is that adults contract it almost as
often as children. Few are very ill
of it but a few have to remain in bed
for several days.
Mrs. F. H. Butts, of Nebraska City,
Mrs. R. E. Benson, Mrs. R. L. McIn
tyre and Mrs. Ned Knapp, of Omaha,
drove up from the latter city last Mon
day for a week’s visit at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. D. H. Cronin.
A highly successful picnic was en
joyed by the pupils of rural school
No. 170 in northeast Holt county last
Friday afternoon in celebration of the
termination of the school term.
Stella Van Every was the'teacher.
The condition of Mrs. AJtce (James)
McDermott, residing one mite south
of here, who has been ill several weeks,
was reported by friends as greatly im
proved this week. She is able to sit
up, read and converse with friends.
Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Pierce, of Lin
coln, came up last Friday and visited
at the htfme of Mr. and Mrs. John
Kersenbrock until Monday morning,
when they returned to their home.
Mrs. Pierce is a sister of Mrs. Ker
senbrock.
Mrs. Archie Bowen returned from
Omaha Wednesday and said that be
tween here and Omaha, as far as
moisture is concerned, there is no dif
ference, the ground plainly showing
there is a very small amount of it
available for starting crops.
Preliminary work on the paving is
moving along nicely. They expect to
have all the gutters completed by the
end of nc\t week and then will get
the street ready for the laying of the
concrete. It is expected that the work
will all be completed by July 1.
California, this is one on you. W. C.
Davenport, recently returned from
the west coast to Sioux City, reported
rain is badly needed, in California
around Los Angeles where about Jan
uary 1 a fall of 12 inches may have!
been called a mist by the natives.
The Roberts Construetion eompany,
of Lincoln, having the contract here
for paving a mile of Douglas street,
has a dragline and unloading plant in
operation near the stockyards of the
Northwestern railway here where in
teresting problems in moving heavy
objects are easily and quickly solved.
Mrs. J. F. O'Donnell and daughter,
Miss Grace, returned last Sunday
evening from Omaha, where they had
taken their daughter and sister, Mrs. •
Z. W. Credlc home, after a visit here
of two weeks. Mrs Credle, nee Irene
O’Donnell, had spent a couple oFwcrks
visiting the home folks and visiting
with her girhood chums in the old
home town.
A greater number of wild ducks *
than usual is found on thr Elkhorn
river and sportsmen believe that «
shortage of water in lakes, slough and
marshes i« forcing them to look for ,
nesting places on the river. The river j
is never overly popular with the fowl
because there is scant supplies of wild
rice, cilery and the like along its
swiftly moving course.
Two Sentenced To State
Penitentiary For Carry
ing Concealed Weapons
Two men arrested April 14 at At
kinson for tarrying concealed weapons ;
after they had failed to pass a fake j
check bearing the forged signature |
of a man named Spangler, and who j
have been in the Holt county jail here j
since April 14, 1934, were brought!
before Judge Dickson Wednesday afer-1
noon and after they had plead giulty i
to carrying concealed weapons were \
sentenced to serve one year each in the
Nebraska penitentiary at hard labor.
One of the men gave his name as |
John Lampert, 30, born in Kcya Paha
county, but without a home, and the j
other fellow said his name is Elliot |
D. Moore, 30, born in Wyoming and
without home although his folks live
at Richmond, Missouri,
Lampert had. been in the Nebraska |
penitentiary before on a forgery con-'
viction and he was released only last j
December. Neither of the men are j
married. Lampert said his father is
dead but his mother is living. The i
penitentiary sentences arc to start
with this April 14.
Sheriff Duffy said he would make |
an effort at taking the men to Lin-1
coin to start their “raps” Friday, i
April 27.
JOHN CONWAY
John Conway died at the home of I
his brother, Martin Conway, northwest
of this city Wednesday afternoon at
4 P, M., after an illness of several
weeks, of stomach trouble, at the age
of 70 years. The funeral will be
held at 0 o’clock Friday morning
from St. Patrick’s church, burial in
Calvary cemetery.
John Conway was born in Trenton
county, Iowa, on July 7, 1863. In 187B
the family moved to Harrison county,
Iowa, where he grew to manhod and
lived until 1900 when he moved to
Dixon county, Nebraska, where he re
sided until 1931 when he came to this
tcounty and since that time has made
hiv home with his brother. Mr. Con
wify never married. In his youth ht
learned the carpenter trade and fol
lowed that vocation all his life, having
been one of the leaders in that line of
work in Dixon county for 30 years.
Of a family of eight children, Martin
Conway is the only surviver.
STROKE SUFFERED DURING
CHURCH SERVICES FATAL
A stroke suffered Sunday during
services at the Presbyterian church
here resulted fatally to Mrs. Elizabeth
Groff, 48, at a local hospital. Mrs.
Groff was stricken at 10 o’clock Sun
day forenoon and. passed away that
afternoon at 2 o’clock.
Not much is known definitely of
Mrs. Groff here, but friends say she
had been divorced from her husband j
in South Dakota and that she is the |
mother of eight children. She came
to O’Neill from Atkinson. Services
were held, at the Presbyterian church
at 2 o’clock Tuesday afternoon and
burial was in Prospect Hill cemetery,
O’Neill.
Mr. and Mrs. Jack lleitman re
turned last Sunday night from Grand
Forks, North Dakota, where they were
called a week ago Friday by a mes
sage anouncing the sudden death of
Mr. Heitman’s father. Mr. Heitman
was 67 years of age at the time of his
death and had been a resident of Grand
Forks for over 40 years. He died very
suddenly from a heart attack. He had
been a traveling salesman for years,
having retired from active business a
few years ago. He is survived by his
wife, three daughters and one son.
Children in the habit of playing in
the streets here may have to cease a
few hours some of these days to at
tend the funeral of one of their number
who may get what several have nar
rowly escaped. Children, it seems,
have little control of the driver of a
vehicle whose idea of safety may be
one arm around some girl and the
other around another, while his eyes
may be in need of glasses.
A new gasoline storage tank of 12,
000 gallons capacity has been set up
just east of the Armour Creameries
by the Farmer’s Union Co-operative
Cream and (Jas association and has
been tilled with the thirst quenching
liquid of automobiles. Now there'are
four tanks in a row there and each
h"lds 12.000 gallons of petroleum pro
ducts, all owned by the above company.
Mr. and Mrs. John Korsenbrwk and
family and Mr. and Mr». L. H. Pierce,
of Lincoln, spent Sunday visiting rel
ative* and friend* at Osmond, return
ing home that evening.
Grasshopper Meeting
O. S. Bare, State Leader in grasshop
per control will be in O’Neill Friday,
April 27 to explain the program as
outlined for Holt county. The meet
ing will be held in the Court room at
8 P. M.
Much cooperation from those living
in the infested area will be needed to
derive the most benefit from the limit
ed funds allowed for this work. All
those interested are urged to be pres
ent.
Celebrates 83rd Birthday
A week ago last Friday, Mrs. George
Jones, mother of Mrs. Dave Loy, cele
brated her 83rd birthday at the Loy
home. Mrs. Jones enjoys singularity
good health, and while fairly old, in
years, she is not mentally nor physic
ally, and she recounts events that oc
cured many years ago in minute detail.
Mrs. Jones came to Holt county 57
years ago in a covered wagon and this
mode of traveling then was in wide
use, the snowey tops glistening on
roads that wound around like dark
serpants in thousands, like so many
white ants ever moving to west or
cast.
O Neill has been her home town for
57 years. She recalls that prairie fires
once burned near O’Neill for weeks
and even greater ones burned west of
here, in Cherry and Keya Paha
counties, and that for days after the
ashes of them sifted down here like
black rain to soil clothes on lines and
dot white buildings with specks of
black
She saw thousands of covered wag
on travelers go on and on because
times were so hard they could find no
stopping place where life might be
bettered. As the home seekers went
on, night skies often showed patches
like mashed red-beets under which
some conflagration at away at veg
etation perhaps a month while the
movers wondered where the trouble
was, who was losing homes, with no
phones to explain to the rest of the
world details of the red mystery of the
ghostly night.
A great number of friends, neigh
bors and acquaintenance called on IVfrs.
Jones Friday to tender her felicitations
and to talk over scenes and incidents
of the good old days on the prairies of
Holt county.
Hospital Notes
Mrs. Cart Dahlstein was dismissed
faoni the hospital and went to her
home here Sunday afternoon.
Edith Baker and Everett Michaelson
who were operated on last Monday
left for their homes Monday.
W. F. Harris was admitted to the
hospital Thursday and underwent a
minor opeiation Friday morning. He
was dismissed Tuesday afternoon.
Harold Parks, of Page, was dismis
sed from the hospital Wednesday
morning.
Charles Manson went to his home in
'O'Neill Saturday evening.
Mrs. Margaret Hughes was admit
ted to the hospital Sunday evening for
examination and consultation. She
left Tuesday morning.
Mrs. Elizabeth Groff suffered a par
aletic stroke and. was brought to the
hospital Sunday morning at 10:30. She
died at 1:30.
A cat half way up a tree was neatly
outwitted Saturday morning, accord
ing to one who witnessed the contest,
by a red. squirrel. Thj squirrel tried
desperately to scare the cat by runn
ing from the ground to near the cat
and making passes at it. but the cat
pawed back and held its perch. The
squirrel then used its head as well as
its feet, climbed another tree, leaped
to the one the cat held, and continued
plans for a new cottage.
Reports say sand drifted so deep
at points near Winner, S. D., Satur
day of last week on highways that
teams and scrapers were used to re
move it. Strips four feet deep and
4<K> feet long impeded traffic. At
several points west and north from
Valentine the sand is said to have
sifted over snow fencing set to stop
it, burying the fencing and causing
difficulty to automobilists.
Forecast of rain for this section
Wednesday brought one of the finest
organized layout of clouds imaginable
and a few drops of what old timers
suspected might be rain. A light wind
was toying with dust again Thursday
afternoon while strata* of clouds look
ed like they were in serious effort at
making water.
Grasshopper* are reported hatch
ing out in several sections, but no
definite informal ion was obtained.
NEW CITY OFFICERS
WILL TAKE OFFICE
ON TUESDAY NEXT
Three Elective Officials And Three Ap
pointive Officers Retire When New
Regime Takes Over Affairs.
The city council held a meeting last
Tuesday night. This will be the last
council meeting for Mayor Stout, Clerk
Campbell and. Councilman Johnson,
unless a special meeting is called, as
Mayor Elect Kersenbrock takes office
next Tuesday morning, with C. W.
Porter as city clerk and Councilman
Yantxi replacing Councilman Johnson
in the Third ward.
Mayor Stout has been the Mayor of
the city for the past eight years, hav
ing held the office longer than any man
in the history of the city. He was a
good official and he can look backward
to his tenure of office as one beneficial
to the city, as the present paving con
tract was let and work started thereon
during his term of office.
Like Mayor Stout, Mr. Johnson has
also held the office of councilman long
er than any other man in the history
of the city, having represented the
Third ward for about a quarter of a
century. He has been president of the
council for several years. He was a
good active member of the council and
devoted a good deal of time to the
duties of the office.
Ed. Campbell, city clerk, who also
retires next Tuesday, has held the
office of city clerk for several years,
and was a splendid official.
W. J. Hammond, who has been city
attorney for several years, retires also
the first of the week and will be suc
ceeded by Emmet Harmon. Mr. Ham
mond has handled a good deal of work
for the city during his tenure of office
—a good deal of it coming within the
past year, including the drafting of
ordinances providing for paving the
intersections of the city, along Doug
las street, as well as the contract for
the new well—in a very creditable man
ner and future meetings of the council
will seem odd without the presence of
Councilman Johnson, Attorney Ham
mond or Chief of Police Scott Hough
in the assembly.
• Scott Hgugh also retires as Chief
of Police next Tuesday and he will be
succeeded by John Martin. Scott has
been chief of police of this city for
;o long that he seemed to be a per
manent fixture in that department.
While Scott made enemies, as any man
can not help but do to serve any muni
cipality in that position, he made a
good officer, in a position that is al
ways trying.
The new administration takes office
next Tuesday with the well wishes of
all the people of the city for a suc
cessful term of office, and Mayor Ker
senbrock expressed the wishes of the
rest of the city officers that we all pull
for a greater and better city in which
to live.
New Candidate Filings
Charles N. Gondcringer, of Atkin
son, has filed for the democratic nom
ination for representative from the
Sixty-fourth district.
J. C. Stein, at present a member of
the county board, has filed for the re
publican nomination for supervisor
from the Jj’rst district to succeed him
self.
Scott Hough and Mrs. Bernard
Hynes made a trade last week hy
which Mr. Hough comes into posses
sion of the Hynes property in the
eastern part of the city and Mrs.
Hynes the new Scott Hough home in
the northwestern part of town, that
he had been renting for the past few
years. Mr. Hough will move to his
new property within a couple of weeks
and he expects to devote his time to
raising hogs, chickens and possibly a
garden.
Phil Welsh, assistant manager of
the Gamble store at Norfolk who had
charge of the local Gamble store dur
ing the absence of Manager Jack
Heitinan at Grand Forks, N. D., left
for his home at Norfolk Monday after
noon. Mr. Welsh made many friends
during his short stay and he expressed
himself as highly pleased with O’Neill
and the splendid people in this city
and vicinity.
Mrs. L. C. Chapman went down to
Omaha Monday night. Her son.
] Lawrence, of Omaha, has been ailing
i for some time and went to a hospital
] the first of the week for an operation,
I the operation being performed yester
day. His many O’Neill friends hope
1 that the operation will be successful
and that he will be up and around
i again, as well us ever, in a lew days.