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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 1935)
Neb. State Historical Society « | i.. • l VOL. LVI. O'NEILL. NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1935. No. 14 Public School Term of 1935-’36 Will Begin On Monday, September 2 The O’Neill Public Schools begin Monday, September 2 at 9 a. m. Registration for high school stu- j dents will be held at the school house Friday and Saturday, August 30 and 31, from 9 to 12 a. m., and from 2 to 5 p. m. Please register before the opening day of school. Children who have reached the age of 4 years and 9 months Sep tember 1 will be admitted into the kindergarten. Several boys and girls have en quired for places to work for board and room. If any folks in O’Neill are in need of some worthy boy or girl we would appreciate your in forming us at the office. The High School is offering some courses such as band and orchestra music, art, mechanical drawing, manual training that should inter est many students considering en tering high school. The staff of teachers is complete. Three new teachers have been hired to fill vacancies. Miss Wind, of W'ahoo, especially trained in Home Economics and Normal Training will care for that position. Miss Mary Morrison, one of our home girls, will teach the pupils of the First grade. Helen Ryan, of Creighton, will care for the Kindergarten children and grade music. There are some teachers who will be looking for rooms. Your in forming us of rooms now will make it more convenient for the teach ers. Don’t forget school opens Sept. 2. We are all looking forward to a most successful year. Roy Carroll, Superintendent. Chickens Disappear While Farmer Away An unknown number of almost full grown chickens are missing from the farm operated one mile southeast of here, formerly the Thomas Carlon farm, by Mrs. R. L. Lawrence and her son and daugh ter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Law rence. Last Friday evening all at the home attended a show here and next day it was noticed all the larg er fries had been plucked from sev eral hundred there. No count had been kept but it is believed about 25 to 50 were taken by some ani mals or thieves. A week or so be fore it had been suspected the number of chickens had mysterious ly shrunk. In future some one will be found at the home either night or day. The Frontier suggests the practice of leaving a farm home unguarded either by night or day in these piping demorcratic days and nights is an invitation to serious losses. The woods are full of wandering men looking for something to do or something to eat. Whelans Still Hot In California Politics An airmail letter received here from Mike F. O’Sullivan of Cali fornia, formerly of this city, gives the news that Francis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Whelan, formerly of O’Neill, had been named as dep uty United States district attorney under Pierros Hall at Los Angeles. The district attorneys office handles all govenrnment legal affairs in Southern California, comprising a combined population of four mil lions of persons. Francis, the letter says, had been associated with his father, Edward, and his brother Vincent in the legal game and of late had been known as Whelan, Whelan & Whelan, lo cated in the San Diego Trust & Savings building in San Diego. Thomas, another of Ed’s sons, is now and has been for five years district attorney—states attorney —of San Diego county, Cal., and has associated with him as his chief clerk Edward Whelan, Jr., and un der Thomas there are more than 25 deputies and the office has made a remarkable record and the name of Whelan on the coast has become just about as well known as the Pacific ocean. Tom was elected for his second 4-year term last fall, so the people there must be sold on the California division of the free Whelan idea. Francis takes office in Los Angeles on the 19th of August. O’Sullivan wound up his airmail with “The Whelans surely are making marks for themselves in California.” Edward Whelan, Sr., as everyone here remembers, was mayor of O’Neill about 20 years ago and his wife, Susie Quilty before her mar riage, sister of Thomas Quilty, taught in the O’Neill public schools for years and was an A-No. 1 educator. An O’Neill relative of the Whel ans not long ago reported back here the Whelans had a sign out reading: Whelan, Whelan, Whe lan, Whelan & Whelan, attorneys. He was joking. But they say a California weekly newspaper edi tor heard that eight more W'helans were graduating from law schools, so he wrote a story about the law yer family Whelan like this: “Whelan, Whelan, Whelan, Whelan, Whelan, Whelan & Whelan—to be continued next week.” “Looks like genuine free Whelan” an 0’ Neililite remarked on learning of the wholesale taking up of the law business by the family. Early Settler of Page Vicinity Dies After A Long Period of Illness George Elmer Hunter died at his home at Page, Nebr., last Thursday afternoon, after' an illness of sev eral months of cancer, at the age of 73 years and 6 days. The fun eral was held last Sunday after noon from the Methodist church in Page, Rev. Yost officiating and burial in the Page cemetery. George E. Hunter was born in Genoa, Wisconsin, on August 9, 1862. When a young man the family moved to Merrick county Nebraska, where they lived for about five years and then came to Holt county in the spring of 1880 and settling on a farm near the present village of Page, where he had since made his home. On January 9, 1883, he was united in marriage to Miss Eva Farr, at Hansen, Nebraska. To this union eight children were born, six sons and two daughters, six of whorq survive and, with their mother, are left to mourn the passing of a kind and affectionate husband and father. The children are: H. H. Hunter, Ft. Collins, Colo.; R. S. Hunter, Los Angeles; F. L. Hunter, Osage, Wyo.; V. E. Hunter, Page; L. E. Hunter, Hanford, Cal.; Mrs. C. Ellsworth, Neligh, Nebr. Mr. Hunter was for many years one of the prominent residents of the eastern end of the county and took a prominent part in the civic affairs of that section. For nearly a quarter of a century he was engeged in the general mer cantile business in Page with an other pioneer, Mr. Grey. He had been a resident of the county for over fifty-five years and witnessed its growth and development, its prosperidty and adversity and he had a large share in the advance ment of the eastern part of the county. He had many friends who will regret to learn of his passing. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Gaffer, of Mankato, Minn., were in the city this morning looking over their old home town, as they were residents here something like forty years ago. Mrs. Gaffer was formerly Ada Welton, daughter of one of Holt county’s pioneer sheriffs. They were married in this city and left here in 1894. For several years they have been residents of Mankato, where he was an em ployee of the Northwestern railroad until his retirement on pension some time ago. _. Mr. and Mrs. Jens Christianson and family, of Miles City, Mont., drove to this city last week to visit with Mrs. Christianson’s father, Fred Nielsen, who is recovering from an operation he underwent at Norfolk a few weeks ago. They returned home Monday. Neil Ryan arrived in the city last Saturday from Chicago and will spend a couple of weeks here visiting with his father, J. B. Ryan and with other relatives and friends here. CARD OF THANKS. We wish to thank our many friends and neighbors for their un tiring efforts and help as well as all others who assisted and com forted us during the long illness and death of our beloved husband and father; also for the many beau tiful floral offerings.—Mrs. Claus Storjohann and children. Funeral Services Held Sunday At The Home For Claus Storjohann Claus Storjohann died at his ranch home northwest of this city last Thursday afternoon, after an illness of several months of ail ments incident to old age, at the age of 83 years and 13 days. The funeral services were held at the farm home last Sunday afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. E. E. Dillon offi ciating and burial in Ihe cemetery at Phoenix, a short distance from his original home in that section. The funeral was largely attended, people coming for many miles to pay their last tribute to this rugged pioneer. Claus Storjohann was born in Alvesloke, Barmstedt, Holstein, Germany, on August 2, 1852. When a young man he came to the United States and for three years lived in Iowa, coming to Holt county from Minden, Iowa, in the spring of 1884 and settled on a farm near Phoenix, where he lived for several years, then he built a new home on another farm that he had acquired a couple of miles east of the old homestead, where he resided up to the time of his death.. On January 24, 1883, he was uni ted in marriage to Miss Mary Steenbock, at Council Bluffs, Iowa, who with seven chilren are left to mourn the death of a kind and affectionate husband and father. The children are: Henry and William at home and August, who lives on the old, home place near Phoenix; Mrs. Emma Butzke, Dal las, S. D.; Mary Devall, Meek; Martha Johring, Red Bird; Rose Goeke, Atkinson. In addition he is survived by 38 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren and one broth er, Hans, of Spencer. Mr. Storjohann was one of the pioneers of the Phoenix neighbor hood, moving into that section of the county 51 years ago last spring, when there were very few settlers in that section of the county. He endured all the hardships and pri vations of the early days, when neighbors were few and far be tween. He w’ent through the des tructive blizzard of 1888 and the panicky times of the nineties, but through it all he never complained, having sincere faith in the future of the section that he had chosen for a home. And that hope was re alized for he had one of the most commodious farm homes in the county, with all modern convenien ces, and one of the best improved farms in this section of the state, at the time of his death. He was reared in the Lutheran faith but in 1894 he joined the Church of God, and was a faithful member of that faith up to the time of his death. For many years he had been known as Grandpa Storjohann and was beloved by all the members of his family as well as his neighbors and friends for his many fine traits of character and his liberality to those in distress. He wras an outstanding citizen and his passing will be sincerely re greted by a large circle of friends and acquaintenances. Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Webster and daughter, Catherine, of St. Paul, Nebraska, arrived in the city last Saturday for a visit at the home of Mr. Webster’s sister, Mrs. Fred McNally. They returned home Sunday. Mr. Webster is theeditor of the St. Paul Phonograph, one of the leading newspapers in that section of the state and naturally paid this office a short call while in the city. Come again “Dan” the latch-string is always on the out side. At a meeting of the Simonson Post of the American Legion, held on Wednesday evening, Ira H. Moss and J. D. Cronin were elected delegates to the Legion State Con vention, which will be held at Be atrice from August 25 to 28 inclu sive. Because several members of the band are now enjoying vacations, preparatory to the opening of school, there will be no band con cert on the streets next Saturday evening, but they will be resumed again a week from Saturday. Clarence Olson, editor of the Crofton Journal, was an O’Neill visitor last Saturday on his way home from a visit with relatives at Atkinson. While in this city he made this office a pleasant call. THE NEBRASKA SCENE by James R. Lowell Your correspondent has been surveying the relief-reemployment battle front during the past week and has found the reliefers either without amunition or holding their fire until the whites of the enemies’ eyes are discernable. Latest news from the great front: While officials are admitting that there is some shortage of re lief labor, especially in the Repub lican river and Knox county flood areas, workers who are not on re lief but who need employment bad ly, perhaps, as those who are, are demanding consideration from WPA authorities. The NERA administrator is at tempting to do something about this situation where the stabliza tion projects on the Missouri river are concerned. River wory authorities have re ported a short4ge or relief labor but have been unable to employ non-relief workers because the government specifies that 90 per cent of the labor shall come from relief rolls. The NERA has asked regional offices to allow a more lib eral interpretation of employment rules on the Missouri river,, but without success to date. The first WPA work to get under way is that of flood rehabilitation in the Republican valley w'here ap proximately 650 men, 400 of whom are from outside the flood, area, were employed early this wreek. These are being paid from the $150,000 emergency grant obtained by Governor Cochran several weeks ago, and another half million was made available for this work late this w'eek. A. D. Morrill WPA prject engi neer, estimates that 2,000 men will be given work in the Republican valley wrhen the rehabilitation pro gram is at its peak. The highway department and the railroads are hiring so mar.;-, uiea in the flood area that it is nard to get enough relief employables to fill the de mand, but Morrill thinks this con dition will be “improved” when the late fall slump in farm and other employment comes around. Outside of flood rehabilitation! the first WPA work available in volves a $175,000 grant which is expected to put 1,000 men to work. More than half of this employment will be in Omaha, but the work of actually getting the men on the job is dragging. Many Nebraskans not officially connected with relief or politics are wondering why the powers that be found it necessary to appoint a sick man to head the WPA in Nebraska. Administrator Felton, now on a six weeks’ sick leave, was incapacitated for duty more than half the time he was director of the state depart ment of agriculture and inspection. The appointment of Janies R. Smith, WPA engineer, as acting administrator brought on a politi cal squabble, and the present bett ing is about even that Smith will stay on. Smith happens to be the son-in law of a man who is associated in the banking business with C'has. McCloud of York, rock-ribbed re publican. Democratic leaders don’t like the connection, altho about the only evidence either way on Smith is that he is a good engi neer. The democratic big shots may be right at that, however, as it prob ably will take a man with extreme political sagacity to steer the good ship WPA thru the political winds that are due to blow with increas ing velocity until 1936 election time. A Lincoln physician who is a democrat declares that the recent splitup between the NERA and the state medical society will not be regretted by most of the democrat ic doctors in the state. The relief medical setup was dominated by republican physicians, he said, and was being used to form an impreg nable republican combination in the state association. Only three banks have been is sued charters as a result of the 1935 law allowing the organization of banks with $10,000 capital in the smaller communities, according to Ben N. Saunders, director of the state banking department. Be fore the law went into effect last spring, $25,000 was the minimum capital allowed. (Continued on page 4, column 1.) t Serv ices For Aged Holt County Resident Held Monday In This City George J. Kohler died in the j O’Neill hospital last Friday morn- j ing, after an illness of a few weeks of acute indigestion, at the age of 85 years, G months and 7 days.! The funeral was held last Monday morning at 10 o’clock from the; Catholic church, Rev, B. J. Leahy officiating, burial in Calvery ceme tery. George J. Kohler was born in Germany on February 9, 1850. When a young man he came to the United States and for several years was a resident of Ohio, later mov ing to Johnson county, Nebraska, and from that county came to Holt county in the spring of 1908. On May 10, 1877, he was united in marriage to Miss Eva Ann Nor ris at Clyde, Ohio. To this union eight children were born, six of whom are living to mourn the passing of a kind and affectionate father. The children are: Addie Rigney, Chicago; Katherine Riggs, PageClara Quaschnick, Herrick, S. D.; Charles and Mrs. Emma Bal lentine, Page; Mrs. Inez Bredehoff, O’Neill. Mr. Kohler came to this county twenty-seven years ago and bought the farm ten miles east of this city, where he made his home up to the time of his death. He made a lovely home out of his place and was nated in this section as a fruit grower, specializing in grapes, with which crop he had splendid success. He was a good citizen and his pass ing will be regretted by a large circle of friends and acquainten ances throughout the county. Peter Reifers Is Dead After Several Months of Siekness of Cancer Peter Reifers died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Valla, in this city last Friday morning, after an illness of several months of cancer, at the age of 71 years, G months and one day. The fun eral was held last Monday morn ing from the Catholic church, Mon signor McNamara officiating and burial in Calvary cemetery. Peter Reifers was born at La fayette, Indiana, on February 15, 18G4. He was a resident of his native state for several years and then moved to Nebraska.. On Feb ruary G, 1885, he was united in mar. riage at Blair, Nebraska, to Miss Malinda Boston, who passed away several years ago. Five children were born to this union, two sons and three daughters, three of whom survive to mourn the passing of a kind and affectionate father. The children are: Mrs. Frank Valla, O’Neill; Mrs. Nora Walter,Stanton, and Matt Reifers, Sand Spring, Montana, all of whom were pres ent at the funeral. Mr. Reifers came to this city in the spring of 1908, coming here from Greeley county, and had made his home here practically ever since except a couple of years that he lived in Montana. While here he was engaged in various lines of business and he built sev eral buildings in the city, disposing of them when he could do so at a profit. His latest business venture here was a second hand store on lower Fourth street, which he dis posed of when his health began to fail and he also disposed of the building. He was a giant of a man physically, always an in dustrious man and one who was successful in a financial way. He was a gruff appearing man, but pleasant and companionable when you got to know him. He had many friends in this section who will miss his passing. Smalt Portions of County Receive Needed Moisture It is still very dry in this im mediate vicinity, but the weather has cooled off considerably the past : few days. Last Monday night a great portion of the county re ceived good rains, running from .17 of an inch here to one and a half inches in parts of the county. The most favored portions of the county during the past six weeks, as fijr as rainfall is concerned, has j been the South Fork country and the extreme northern and north eastern parts of the county where they received a good rain last Mon day night and have received, several \ showers within the past few weeks. There will be a good deal of corn in that section, but in this immedi ate vicinity, that is within six miles, there will be very little corn, the extreme heat and the long dry spell having put the finishing touches on what, six weeks ago, looked as if it would be a bumper crop. Red Birders Still Going Strong On North East Nebraska Ball Front The super-pronto Red Bird base ball machine cut another couple of swaths through the opposing nines recently, one of them being nothing more than a massacre against the Ponca Valley Indians of near Na per. That game was at the Old Settler’s picnic and the Red Bird players won the contest by a score of 8 to 1. Batteries: Red Bird, Schollmey er, Hansen and Conard; for the In dians, Saul, Premo, Red Horse and Dick Chasing Hawk. Hits, Red Bird 8 and the Indians 6. Struck out: Each side had seven. Er rors, Red Bird 1, and the Indians 6. Sunday the Red Bird boys again went on the war path and they ambled over to Verdel and wal loped the lively Butte nine 8 to 4. Batteries in this contest were: Red Bird, Tomlinson and Scholl meyer; Butte, Anderson, Liever and Schlissler. Hits: Red Bird, 9; Butte 6. Errors: Butte 5, Red Bird 2. Struck out: Red Bird 11, Butte 8. Jack Schlissler made a home run; Albert Carson made a three bag ger and a two bagger. The follow ing made two base hits: A. Car son, Charles Richter and Pickering. Red Bird was scheduled to play Verdigris there Tuesday. The Red Bird nine this season has played 14 games, won 9 and lost only 5. The team is composed of a fine bunch of players and other nines delight to play against them. Verdigris took the Red Bird boys into camp Tuesday with a score of 8 to 7 in favor of Verdigris. It was a close and exciting game and • the result was in doubt until the last man was retired. Batteries: Red Bird, Conard, Carson and Schollmeyer; Verdigris, Alder and Boelter. — Hold Quarterly Con ference At M. E. Church The fourth quarterly conference; of the O'Neill M. E. church wasj held at the church Monday evening | at which the pastor and the officers and presidents of the various societies of the church made their annual reports. Rev. Paul Hillman, j the district superintendent, was present and presided. Officers and standing committees were elected for the ensuing year. By a unani mous vote the pastor, Rev. A. J. May, an<fc wife were invited to re turn for another year. The annu al conference of all the churches of the state will meet in Omaha at the Hanscom Park church Septem ber 10. Lloyd Gillespie was elected as a lay delegate and Rev. D. S. Conrad as reserve. J. B. Ryan and son, Robert, and Mr. and Mrs. Emmet Doyle, of Chicago, returned last Saturday from a weeks trip to Wyoming, where they visited relatives. At Sheridan they visited at the home of Jim’s brother, Mike, and family while at Gillette they visited at the home of another brother, John and, family. They report having had an enjoyable trip. Herb Hammond, Mike Horiskey, Ira Moss, Francis Montgomery, George Hammond and P. C. Dono hoe left last Monday for Ericson where they intended to spend some time fishing. However, the re ports that reached here, were to the effect that it really rained down there and they were forced to come home without even getting their lines wet. Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mellor and Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Mellor return ed last Thursday afternoon from a visit with relatives and friends in Denver, Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Mellor spent several weeks in the Colorado city, while Ralph and his wife went out there last week to bring them home. John Spellman and son, Billy, of Omaha, arrived in the city last Saturday evening and spent a couple of days visiting relatives and looking after business matters. They returned home Monday. Cause of Fatal Accident To Lawrence Stevens Is Not Definitely Known Lawrence Francis Stevens died at his home near Page last Sat urday night at the age of 21 years, 2 months and 7 days. The funeral was held last Tuesday morning from the Catholic church in this city, Rev. B. J. Leahy officiating and burial in Calvery cemetery. Lawrence was working for his uncle, Edward Boyle, on a farm near Inman. Early Saturday morning he got up early, milked the cows and then took a horse and went out in the pasture after the horses. He did not return and they went out to look for him and found him in the pasture uncon scious. He was picked up, taken to the house and a physician called. The latter decided that he was suf fering from a fractured skull and he never regained consciousness, passing away that evening. The manner in which the accident hap pened is not known. They are of the opinion that he was probably out in the pasture an hour before he was found. It is possible that the horse may have fallen, stack ing him with his feet as he fell from the horse, which would ac count for the fractured skull. He leaves his parents, two brothers and two sisters to mourn his tragic death. Tuor And Phalin Take Honors In Doubles of Tennis Tournament The doubles tourney, which has held the city agog for the past week, ended last night in a finaL blaze of glory with James Tuor and Jerry Phalin defeating Larry Phalin and Don Stannard. Tuor and Phalin won easily, the score being 6-3, 7-5, 6-2. The combat was witnessed by a large number of tennis fans who spent their time rooting for their favorites to win. The match itself, was character ized by brilliant play on both sides and was very interesting to watch. Tilden To Hold Golf Tournament Next Week The 12th annual golf tournament of the Tilden Country Club will be held on Sunday and Monday, Sep tember 1, 2. Two 18-hole matches will be played each day in all flights. Qualifying scores must be in the hands of the committee by 9 A. M. Sunday. There will be flights suitable for all who qualify with three prizes in each flight. Free lunch will be served on the grounds on Sunday evening, Sep tember 1. Visiting ladies attend ing the tournament will be enter tained at bridge. The committee in charge will do everything in their power to provide for the com fort and pleasure of visiting golf* ers. The Frontier is in receipt of a telegram from John Latenser, Jr., acting state director of PWA that no public works applications re ceived after September 16 can be considered by the government. If the people of this city or section want to secure public improve ments, with the government grant ing outright forty-five per cent of the total cost thereof it is high time they were getting busy and sending in applications. How about a nice swimming pool for the city? This is something that is badly needed and an appropri ation ceuld be secured that would make it cost the people of the city very little. Let us get busy and try and get one? The Frontier this week is carry ing nearly 450 inches of advertis inging, more advertising lineage than has ever appeared in one issue cf an O’Neill newspaper, except in a special edition. The reason: Ad vertisers know the paper with the circulation and the one that the people read and pay for. Mr. and Mrs. Donald Gallagher arrived in the city Wednesday on their way home from a trip through Yellowstone Park and other points of interest in that section. They will visit here for a couple of days before going to their home in Lin coln. Mrs. William Biglin, accompan ied by her sister, Miss Ann Waters, arrived from Jackson Sunday. Miss Waters will spend a short time here before returning to her home.