The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965, April 26, 1934, Image 1
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.