Nab. State Historical Society
( The Frontier
VOL. LV. O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1931 No. 31
klAST OF COUNTY’S
VETERANS OF CIVIL
WAR PASSES AWAY
James M. Stevens Dies At His
Home In Page At The Age
Of 94 Years.
James Madison Stevens died at
his home in Page Wednesday noon,
after an illness of a couple of years
paralysis and other ailments due
to ohi age, at the age of 94 years,
10 months and 2 days. The funeral
will be held Friday afternoon at 2
o’clock from the Methodist church
in Page and interment in the Page
cemetery.
James M. Stevens was a native of
Kentucky and moved with his par
ents to Indiana when in his teens
where he grew to manhood.. When
the civil war broke out he enlisted
in Company F. 42nd Regiment of
Indiana Infantry and served nearly
four years. He participated in
many of the bloody battles of the
war during his term of enlistment
and came through without serious
injury.
After the war was over he re
turned to his home in Indiana and
on March 4, 1875, he was united in
marriage to Miss Emiline Duncan
at Princeton, Indiana. Four child
ren were born to this union, three
sons and one daughter, who with
their aged mother, who is about 95
years of age, are left to mourn the
death of a kind, affectionate and
loving husband and father. The
children are: Ben, of Page; Earl,
of Inman; Mrs. Carrie Strickland,
of Princeton, Ind., and Logan, of
Broadwater, Nebr.
Mr Stevens was one cf the pio
neers of the county, coming here
50 ye’ars ago, and ever since had
made his home in Page and on his
1 farm a few miles from there. He
t was the last survivor of the civil
' war veterans in this county, where
they were numbered by the hundr
eds just a few years ago. He was
the giant oak in that forest of men
that once lived in this county, who
had braved the fires of the men of
the southern confederacy, in order
that this republic of ours might
be saved. But father time is inex
orable and takes his toll and finally
4 even the giant oak had to succumb
' to the natural ailments of man.
He was a good citizen, a man who
served his country in its hour of
need, faithfully and well. The
younger generation of men, who
defended thir country on foreign
soil sixteen and seventeen years
ago, should pay tribute to this last
survivor of the “boys” of *61 and
see that he is laid to rest with all
military honors in the presence of
the flag he loved so well and for
which he had offered all he had to
give, his life. By honoring him the
Legion would be honoring them- j
selves.
Mr. Stevens was a good citizen
a kind and loving husband, father
and friend and his many friends
over the county will be sorry to
learn that “taps” has sounded.
Old Age Pension
Commission Meets
The old age pension commission
met at the court house in O’Neill,
pursuant to the call of the county
clerk at 2 o’clock p. m., Dec. 17th.
All commissioners were present.
Rules and regulations were adopted
by the commission and officers were
selected as follows: Dave Gimmell,
Ewing, chairman; Robert R. Dick
son, O’Neill, vice chairman, and
John C. Gallagher, secretary.
After completing the organiza
tion, the committee adjourned to
meet on the first Monday in Jan
uary. There were a number of ap
plications for old age pensions, but
none of them were acted upon.
The commission was informed
that there was less than $300 in
the county treasury. It is the
wish of the committee that those
.who are entitled to an old age pen
f ion have their applications on
'file with the secretary, John C. Gal
lagher, by the first regular meeting
which will be held on Mondty, Jan
uary 7th.
The committee consists of: Dave
Gimmell, Ewing; Bert Shearer,
Stuart; J. S. Hoffman, Chambers;
Charles W. Kirkland, Atkinson, and
i Robert R. Dickson, O’Neill.
Each member of the commission
was supplied with blank applica
tions, and are authorized to take
applications. Any person entitled
to receive an old age pension should 1
see one of the commission, or the*
clerk, Mr. Gallagher, and get a
blank and fill it out and either leave
it with the member of the commis
sion or send it to the secretary at
O’Neill.
The commission recommends that
these blanks be obtained and be
given careful consideration in the
matter of filling them out so that
when they come before the commis
sion they will be properly prepared.
It was the opinion of the commis
sion that no action should be taken
until such time as applicants could
get their petitions on file. The
kfund is so small that very little
relief can be expected.
FARMERS SHORT OF
FEED INDICATED BY
A RECENT SURV EY
Plan On Shipping Shredded Corn
Fodder Into Holt County To
Use As Livestock Feed.
The Coanty Drouth Committee
called a meeting Monday to set up
an organization to ship other forms
of roughness into the county. Re
sults of the recent feed survey show
that out of 802 farmers reporting,
168 had sufficient feed. These re
ports covered over 34,000 head of
livestock, but had only 27,000 tons
of hay and roughage.
In view of this fact, a committee
was selected to draft a plan for the
county as a whole. Wm. Riege,
Wm. Krotter, George Criss, Art
Marquardt, Lewis Kopecky, Frank
Brady, and I. L. Watson comprise
the committee. The same commit
tee suggested only one dealer in a
town handle the feed in this man
ner. Moved by Mr. Higgins and
seconded by Mr. Worden the fol
lowing dealers will handle this feed
for the county drouth committee:
William Krotter, Stuart; F. J.
Brady, Atkinson; Guy Cole, Em
met; J. B. Ryan, O’Neill; Lewis
Kopecky, Inman; R. O. Anderson,
Ewing, and Page Farmers Union,
Page.
It i3 felt this is the best way to
handle the situation in order to get
quick action on orders. Orders
should be placed early so that sup
plies may be contracted.
The following resolution was
adopted:
Moved by Mr. Wm. Krotter and
seconded by Mr. D. E. Bowen that
County Agent Reece be instructed
to locate sources of supply and pub
lish regulations for handling thru
dealer organizations already estab
lished in the county. Dealers are to
receive 50 cents per ton to cover
handling charges in less than car
load lots, 25 cents per ton in car
load lots. Farmers are to order
feed thru dealers in advance and
pay $3.00 down payment. Down
payment includes 50 cents per ton
charge to cover shrinkage which is
to be prorated on arrival of car
and refunded to individuals if any
balance is left. Motion carried.
Members of the Committee were:
M. B. Higgins, Roy Worden and D.
E. Bowen.
Hospital Notes
Mrs. William Harty went home
Friday, December 14. Little Mar
garet remained for a few days. She
is gaining rapidly.
Mrs. Mildtvd Rayangus, of Ew
ing, entered the hospital Thursday,
the 13th, and was operated on the
next morning. She improved rap
idly and went home Monday.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Tomlinson a son, Thursday morn
ing December 13.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Lamb on December 16, a daughter,
weight five pounds,
Edward Crowley was brought in
Monday, December 17, with three
bones broken in his right leg.
John Kersenbrock, mayor, tried
out a new water conservation idea
recently. Snow, cleaned off paving,
91 truck loads of it, instead of
being dumped at the river, was put
on his lawn which recently was
plowed to increase its absorption
propensities. In one Iowa town hit
was announced snow hauling was
halted because all the dump places
were full. Kersebrock’s scheme
may save them money on short
hauls and free snow water for next
summer.
Ice skaters say the congealed
water on Carlon’s lake, the river
and Donlin’s Bayou is about four
inches thick. Light snows, melt
ing, roughened the surfaces. Sev
eral skaters suffered serious falls.
RECEIVE WORD OF
FRANK McNICHOL'S
DEATH AT SEATTLE
Body Found Floating In I’uget
Sound After Intensive Three
Weeks Search
_
O'Neill relatives received word
a little over a week ago that Frank
McNichols, sen of Mrs. Catherine
McNichols who lives northwest of
town, died in Seattle, Wash., but
they lacked definite information
until the latter part of last week.
From information now at hand it
appears that Mr. McNichols dis
appeared on November 13. For
several years he had been engaged
in the real estate business at Se
attle, but since the depression had
spent most of his time as an auto
mobile salesman. On the date of
his disappearance he sold some
property for a friend of his and
took the money received from the
sale home, and gave it to the cus
tody of his wife. This was about
12:30. He informed her that he
would not be home until late that
night as he wanted to attend a
dinner given by an organization to
w'hich he belonged. That was the
last time he was seen alive.
When he did not return that
night or the next day his wife and
friends enlisted the aid of the police
and an extensive search was made
for him. or his body, which was
finally found in Puget Sound after
three weeks intensive search.
The following account of the
finding of the body is taken from
a Seattle newspaper:
“Police and coroner’s officials this
afternoon were searching for a clue
leading to the identity of a well
dressed man, believed to have a
bullet wound in his head, found
floating in Elliot bay at 2:30 p. m.
by the harbor patrol.
“Following the taking out of the
body between Pier 11B and Bell
street, a quick examination by po
lice threw no further light on the
mystery.
“The man, according to police,
was of heavy build and his clothing
was that of a meticulous person.
On one of his fingers was a gold
signet tyng inset with a diamond
and bearing the initials ‘F. Mc.N.’
“The body showed marks of vio
lence, a hole about the size of a
bullet and a scalp wound approxi
mately the size of a hammer head.
“According to investigators, the
body, which had been in the water
about one month, was that of a man
about 45 years old.”
The following from a Seattle
newspaper tells of the funeral:
“The Rt. Rev. Msgr J. G. Stafford
was celebrant of a Solemn mass of
Requiem at the Cathedral yester
day for repose of the soul of Frank
H. McNichols who was drowned in
Puget Sound.
“Survivors are the widow, Mrs.
Mary McNichols; mother, Mrs.
Catherine McNichols; sisters, Mrs.
Lottie Hickey and Mrs. Elizabeth
Donohoe; Mrs. J. B. Donohoe; and
brothers: John, Joe and Walter,
all of O’Neill, Nebr., and a brother,
William, of Butte, Mont.
’‘May he rest in peace.”
Frank McNichols was raised in
this vicinity, leaving here for Om
aha something like 20 years ago,
and then going to the west coast
where he has resided for a number
of years. It is presumed that some
one had information that he had
received money on the real estate
sale that he had made, and was
killed when an attempt was made
to rob him. Frank had many
friends among the old timers in
this section Who will regret to
learn of his tragic death.
Wiilliam H. Ohlund, aged about
65, was before the insanity commis
sion last Wednesday morning, ad
judged insane and turned over to
the custody of the sheriff, as the
hospitals are full. Mr. Ohlund was
was possessed with a mania to kill
himself and he had to be watched
constantly to keep him from suc
ceeding in his desire. He was
taken by the sheriff to Norfolk
Wednesday afternoon where he will
be committed to a private hospital
for a time.
One of the “wonders of the world”
here is the way Christmas shoppers
"cleaned out” several stores this
«
early in the Christmas buying j
game. Exact figures are not yet j
available but it looks like every
merchant here transacted a satis
factory business.
Janies Enright
Dies At Omaha
James Enright died at his home
in Omaha Wednesday morning,
after an illness of several months.
He was about 70 years of age and
was one of the pioneers of this
county, but had been a resident of j
Omaha for about forty years. The i
funeral will be held Friday morning
from St. Rose’s church on the south
side, Omaha.
Fire Fighting Equipment
Causes Misunderstanding
Well boys, it was like this: Two
O’Neill firemen, said to have been
Chester Calkins and Roy Johnson,
were out walking for their health
on a side street December 6, the
day the Legionnaires of Antelope,
Knox. Boyd and Holt counties held
their convention here.
The two firemen, whoever they
were, saw a two-wheeled chemical
fire truck trailer on a side street.
There was a long and valuable
hose and other articles someone
might walk oft’ with. So the cart
j was housed tor sate Keeping.
A man, giving his name as Ralph
McBrayer, believed of Ord, called
on the sheriff here and he explained
his fire extinguisher was missing,
right in daylight and without leav
ing trace.
Quickly the sheriff wired the
“theft” news to a Norfolk radio
station and it was w'afted over the
prairies like wild fir?. Firemen
heard the appeals for the trailer,
believed stolen by the sheriff and
I the owner, and they promptly
wheeled her out and delivered it to
the owner. The firemen were
doing their duty. Their idea in
housing the machine was to pro
tect the light parts that were liable
to be stolen. Of course, they did a
lot of wondering as to h iw and why
O’Neill found itself with one fire
trailer too many.
The stranger finally- pulled
stakes with his trai^fe A few
hours after he left a telephone call,
I purporting to be from a sheriff at
Fullerton, aroused Gerald Miles to
reply that as far as anyone here
was concerned, as far as he knew,
neither the man nor trailer should
be held.
As near as can be determined
here the man started out with the
intention of selling the extinguisher
to some town or village in the mar
ket for this type of equipment.
Take In Over 600 Toys
At Christmas Show
The Christmas slum given last
Saturday morning by the American
Legion with the cooperation of the
Royal Theatre and the Columbia
Pictured corporation, to secure toys
for distribution to needy children,
was a huge success. More than
500 children attended, and over 600
toys were taken in. The toys were
in excellent condition, many of them
new.
The success of the show assures
a happy Christmas for many needy
children in O’Neill and vicinity.
American Legion officials feel that
the splendid results obtained wan
due to the hard work done by Mrs.
Ed. M. Gallagher and her com
mittee of O’Neill ladies, who man
aged the show and also collected
many toys from homes in the city.
Mrs. Gallagher’s committee is now
busy putting the toys in shape for
distribution at Christmas time by
case workers of the Federal Relief
Organization. Legion officers are
also grateful to Columbia Pictures
Corporation for contributing two
pictures gratis and to Mrs. Georgia
Rasley for the use of the theatre.
ECONOMY LEAGUE MEETING
The HoltCounty Economy Leapue
will meet at O’Neill on Saturday,
Dec. 29, at 2 p. m. Taxpayers are
reminded that their interests are
heinp puarded by local and state,
taxpayer’s orpanizations. Support
and attend meetinps of your local
leapue, and in that way, contribute
to the support of the Nebraska
Federation of County Taxpayer’s
Leapues.—Martin Conway, Secre
tary.
Everywhere the spunky whack of
the axe resounds as householders
smack down a few cottonwoods,
scrub oak or ash as pinch hitters
apainst husky coal bills.
The Frontier force wishes all
its readers, both preat and small,
a Merry, Merry Christmaa and a
Happy and Prosperous New Year.
1935 CORN ANI) HOG
PROGRAM TO START
EARLY IN JANUARY
Few Nebraska Farmers Expected
To Increase Their Number
Of Hogs In 1935.
Definite indications that the 1935
corn hog program can be started
in Nebraska counties immediately
after the first of the year were re
ceived at the state office in Lincoln
the end of last week. Agricultural
agents will start the ball rolling in
all Nebraska counties early in Jan
uary.
Very few more details about the
1935 program have been received
but state administrators of the
nearby states will get together
shortly before Christmas to talk
over plans and establish a fairly
uniform method of procedure in all
of. the western corn belt states.
Nebraska agricultural agents will
hold their annual conference Jan
uary 2 and will talk over state
plans at that time.
Corn hog supervisors finishing
up the 1934 program now report
that farmers are very anxious to
know the details of the 1935 con
tract. Many of them say they will
sign if the program is as repre
sented in the first announcement.
A common question deals with the
purchase of feeder pigs. The new
contract permits a signer to buy
feeder pigs from other contract
signers. Those baying pigs at this
time have been advised to get sales
slips from the original producer of
the pigs.
At present prices of corn and
hogs, very few Nebraska farmers
are planning to increase hog pro
duction in the spring of 1935.
Supply of feed thruout much of the
state will also affect the number of
spring pigs farrowed. Provisions
in the new contract that the signer
can use the land taken out of corn
will be attractive to both landlord
and tenant, since the landlord will
get his rent from the crop on the
land as well as the benefit payment
on the percentage of corn acreage
reduction on the farm.
Organized Agriculture
Meetings Start Jan. JO
The silver anniversary of cow
testing in Nebraska will be cele
brated during the annual Organ
ized Agriculture meetings on the
college of agriculture campus in
Lincoln early in January, Agricul
tural Agent Reece has been inform
ed. Holt county dairymen have
been invited to attend.
Little was known of cow testing
in Nebraska before 1908 but today
there are fifteen dairy' herd im
provement associations organized
in the state with a membership of
over 200. In 1929, the peak year,
there were twenty nine associa
tions in Nebraska. Organized on
a cooperative basis, with a test on
each herd once a month, the prac
tice has been successful in deter
mining “boarder cows” and deter
mining feed costfis.
A. L. Haecker was chairman of
the dairy department of the Uni
versity of Nebraska college of ag
riculture when the first testing as
sociation was organized in Douglas
county. He helped foster the work.
E. M. Little was manager of the
Friesland Farms in Douglas county
where the first association was or
ganized. J. W. Dawson started
keeping the records and W. C. And
reas finished the work. There
were twenty-one herds in the as
sociation comprising 435 cows.
The results showed how some
cows were profitible producers and
others were not. It was from this
start that the present system of
testing started.
PROGRAM ANI) BOX SOCIAL
There will be a program and box
social and community play given at
the Meek school on Monday even
ing, December 24, 1934, at 8 p. m.
Dorothy Harrison is the teacher.
Everyone welcome.
For those away from O’Neill it
is mentioned here that there is
some green grass here, a miller, fly
}r boxelder bug is brought down
low and then, usually indoors, and
the temperature is too high for
mccessful flooding of the huge
170x190 feet municipal ice skating
’ink excavation just west of the I).
11. Cronin and north of the J. I).
tyan residence properties.
Receives Double Fracture
Of Leg In A Runaway
Last Monday morning Edward
Crowley, 38, son of James Crowley
living northeast of this city, was
out in the pasture fixing fence, hav
ing a team and wagon with him.
The team started away and he ran
to the wagon, grabbed hold and at
tempted to climb in and atop the
team. He slipped and it is sup
posed that the hub of the wagon
wheel hit him on the leg above the
knee, breaking the leg; the wheel
also hit him on the leg, just above
the ankle, also breaking it, so that
he sustained two fractures of the
leg.
His brother was also fixing fence,
about a half mile away, and by the
time he got to where Edward lay,
then home for help, and back to the
pasture, Edward was thoroughly
chilled, as he had laid out there
for about one hour.
He was brought to the hospital
in this city and the leg was set
by Dr. Finley, and the latter in
forms us that he is getting along
nicely. It was a hard streak of luck
and will confine Mr. Crowley to the
house for at least three months.
AAA Benefit Payments
In State Exceed Taxes
Corn-hog and wheat benefit pay
ments made to Nebraska farmers
total three times the amount of
money collected in the state from
processing taxes by the bureau of
internal revenue, an official report
from Washington shows. That the
Triple A programs have brot more
money into the state than they took
out in the form of taxes is clearly
evident when the official figures are
studied, W. H. Brokaw, state corn
hog and wheat administrator says.
The Washington report is the
first of the kind released since the
first processing taxes were levied
It compares payments with revenue
from taxes by state and commodi
ties, and also shows how the amount
of processing taxes collected com
pares with population and income.
On November 1, 1934, corti-hog
and wheat payments made to Ne
braska contract signers totaled
$19,863,745. Of this amount about
12 and one-half million was for the
first corn-hog payments and the
remainder was for wheat payments.
Since November 1, several counties
have received large payments for
1934 wheat compliance.
On the same date, the bureau of
internal revenue had collected in
Nebraska a total of $6,348,597. Of
this amount $1,648,252 was for hog
processing tax. Of the various
processing taxes, the one on hogs
has aroused the most discussion.
Producers have thot they paid it in
a lower market price for hogs, con
sumers thot they paid it in a high
er price for pork, and processors
were concerned for fear they could
not pass it on to either producers
or consumers. Corn-hog benefit
payments paid by November 1
amounted to $7.50 for each dollar
collected from hog processing tax
in Nebraska on the same date.
Processing taxes are collected at
the place of first processing. An
other part of the official report
points out that much of the revenue
is collected in states with flour
miils, meat packing centers, and
cotton mills, and that the products
may not all be used in the states
where they are processed. The re
lationship in Nebraska of tax to
population to income is about aver
age for the entire county, which is
some indication that Nebraska cit
izens have paid no more than their
share of the revenue from proces
sing taxes.
_ I
Government Will
Buy More Cattle
Holt county has been granted an
additional cattle sale where the
government will buy 250 of the
most distressed cattle on Saturday,
December 29th,
This is a very small quota so only
a small percentage of cattle listed
can be purchased. Permits will be
mailed to each individual, based on
recommendations of the committee
man, as to the number which can
be purchased. The cooperation of
individuals will be appreciated be
cause this quota cannot be ex
ceeded.
Sheriff Duffy and Chester Cal
kins accompanied a man 62 years
of aK« from here to a Norfolk hos
pital Monday. The patient suffers
u mental sickness.
REV. J.G. McNAMARA
RAISED TO RANK OF
DOMESTIC PRELATE
The Date Of The Investiture Of
Monsignor Has Not Yet
Been Decided.
His Holiness Pope Pious XI has
elevated two priests of the Diocese
of Omaha to the office of Domestic
Prelate with the titles of Right
Reverned Monsignor, according to
an announcement last Friday of
Most Reverend Joseph F. Rum me!,
D. D., Bishop of Omaha.
One of the two recipients of the
Papal honors is Very Reverend
John G. McNamara, V. F., P. R.,
dean of this city and pastor of St.
Patrick’s church.
Monsignor McNamara was or
dained in Omaha on March 4, 1897,
by the late Bishop Richard Scan
nell. He served for a short time as
assistant pastor at Sacred Heart
Omaha, Sacred Heart, Norfolk,
and St. Patrick’s, Jackson.
He was sent tp Bloomfield in the
fall of 1900 where he established
St. Andrew’s parish, erected a
church and school, organized a
high school and personally taught
some of the classes for many
years. In May, 1920, he was ap
pointed the first dean of Bloomfield
and served in that office until his
transfer to this city as dean and
pastor on March 4, 1934, succeed
ing the late Monsignor M. F. Cas
sidy.
l ne date ot the investiture oi
Monsignor has not been decided
and probably will not be for some
time as many of the dignitaries of
the church will attend this cere
mony and a date convenient for all
will be arranged.
During his residence in this city
Monsignor McNamara has made
many friends of all creeds who
tender him hearty congratulations
on the honor that has been bestowed
uoon him, and those who have
known him for many years and are
familiar %vith his work in the church
and for the benefit of mankind,
know that the honor was deserved
and worthly bestowed.
Terms Of Court, 1935
In 15th Judicial District
The following are the dates for
the various terms of court in the
several counties of the Fifteenth
Judicial district for the year 19.15:
Boyd county: Equity terms—June
10, August 15 and December 20;
jury terms, March 4 and Septem
ber 30.
Brown county: Equity terras—
February 7, June 13 anil September
5; jury terms—April 15 and Octob
er 21.
Holt county: Equity terms—June
18 and September 10; jury terms
—March 18 and November 12.
Rock county: Equity terms—Feb
ruary 7, June 12 and September 5;
jury term*—April 1 and October 14.
Keya Paha county: Equity terms
—February 7 and June 13; jury
terms—April 22 and September 16.
Smail Pigs A Liability
Seldom, if ever before, has the
country witnessed a situation where
good thrifty pigs are more of a
liability than an asset to the farm
er as is the cr.se at the present
moment, say3 the South St. Paul
Reporter. The markets have been
over-run with light pigs that in
view of the limited feeder demand
have proven almost unsalable,
even at extremely low prices.
While there is a feeling that fat
hogs will sell considerably higher
late in the seas r,, there are few
who want these light pigs in view
of the high price of corn, a throw
back from last summer's drouth
that shortened vhe corn yield by a
million bushels.
A story is told that a Kansas
farmer invited a neighbor over to
his farm to look at a bunch of fall
pigs.
“What will you Rive for ’em?"
the owner asked.
“Nothing flat,” said the neigh
bor.
‘.Well, if I'd give them to you,
you’d take them, wouldn’t you?”
“No," the neighbor answered, “it
would cost me too much to get
them trucked over to my farm."
A few days later the owner of
the pigs met his neighbor again.
“Well, I’m sending those pigs
over to you," he announced. “I
found a trucker who will haul them
for me at 10c a head."