*" 9‘^-m 4L *
K*b. State Historical Society
The Frontier
VOL. LVII O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, July 23,1936 No. 10
^ — —---j
Revive Long
Dormant Ir
rigation Talk
by James R. Lowell
State politics is being overshad
owed these days by the drouth, and
a pertinent subject right now is ir
rigation. There are about 50,000,-;
000 acres in the state, and while
a large part of this is in sandhill ,
pasture area, at least 1,500,000
acres of Nebraska farm lands,
could be efficiently irrigated, ac
cording to Govenor Cochran, who
as head of the department of roads
and irrigation for many years, has
studied the situation extensively.
At the present time there are
about 750,000 acres under irriga
tion in the state, mostly in the
North Platte and main Platte val
leys. An additional area of the
same size could well be placed
under irrigation, the governor
believes.
The major irrigation project in
the state’s history is the proposed
Tri-county. As originally planned
it would hav6 furnished water to
half a million acres. The recent
supreme court decision holding
against diverting water from one
water shed to another put the
damper on this plan, but Tri-county
officials are hopeful of lining up
300,000 acres within the legal
limits.
Tne two Dig power projects now
nearing completion (Platte Valley
4and the Loup) will not bring any
new land under irrigation altho
the Platte Valley project will fur
nish supplemental waters for 176,
000 acres of Platte Valley lands.
Aside from these, feasible irri
gation projects include the North
and Middle Loup rivers; the
Frenchman and the Arickeree (us
ing flood waters from the Repub
lican river and offering hope of
t considerable irrigation development
in the southwestern section of the
state); and the proposed Blue
Creek project in Garden county.
Senator Burke says he is seek
ing PWA approval of irrigation
development on the North and
Middle Loups as part of the federal
government's drouth relief pro
gram. These projects were ap
proved by the engineering and
power divisions of PWA, but have
been delayed because of financial
stipulations outlined by local
officials.
These rivers are fed by under
ground streams originating in the
sand regions of western Nebraska,
and, even in the dryest seasons
they run nearly bank full.
C. A. Sorensen, attornev for the
Middle Loup power and irrigation
district, announced that its backers
have decided to drop the power
phase of the project and provide
irrigation only. Tentative acre
age to be irrigated is set at 30,
000 acres.
Under the proposed change, PWA
funds sought would be reduced j
from a $1,000,000 grant to a loan j
and grant of about $1,350,000.
Considerable importance as re
gaids the future of irrigation in
the state is attached to the hearing
concluded this week at Lincoln to
determine the respective rights of j
this state, Wyoming and Colorado j
to waters of the North Platte
river. Nebraska irrigators claim
priority rights, while the other
states claim the right of first pos
session.
Attorney General Wright de
clares this litigation involves the
whole state of Nebraska. If we
lose the suit, we lose one-sixth of
the state’s income. The suit in
volves 150,000 Nebraskans, $156,
000,000 of property, and an annual
crop return of $35,000,000
Governor Cochran is attempting
; to speed up construction of reser
voirs in the Republican river flood
area. Army engineers surveyed
the valley in 1930 and the governor
says at least two reservoirs could
be built on the basis of this survey.
Additional funds (for a survey
alone) were provided by the federal
government as a result of last
^year’s devastating floods, but the
* governor wants to start actual con
struction right away with funds
(Continued on page 4, column 1.)
The mayor discovered a waste
| of water at the end of the pave
j ment on west Douglas Sunday.
| Investigation and excavation dis
^ closed a broken knuckle in the
main, repairing of which kept the
mayor occupied until well along
into the night.
Mrs. N. I. Stevenson, of Valen
tine, accompanied by a lady friend,
stopped in the city Tuesday, being
enroute to Topeka to attend the
Landon notification ceremonies.
Mrs. Stevenson is a former Holt
county girl, a daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Tom Harrison.
Young Couple Wed
—Go to Alliance
Neil B. Ryan and Miss Julia
Beelart were united in the holy
bonds of wedlock at St. Patrick’s
church last Saturday morning at
6 o’clock, Monsignor J. G. McNa
mara officiating, in the presence of
a few of the relatives and iinti
mate friends of the contracting
parties.
The groom is the son of J. B.
Ryan of this city and is a sterling
and likeable young man who was
born and grew to manhood in this
city. For some time he had been in
the employ of the Emmet Hay
Company at Emmet, but resigned
his position there a short time ago.
Neil has many friends in the city
who extend hearty congratulations.
The bride is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. A. Beelart, of Ewing.
For the past few years she has
been an able and efficient em
ployee of the bakery, where by her
charming and sunny disposition
and pleasing personality she made
many friends.
After the wedding ceremony a
wedding breakfast was served at
the Bakery, attended by a few of
the relatives and close friends of
the young couple.
They left at 8 o’clock for Alli
ance where Neil has accepted a
position and will make their future
home in that city. The many
O’Neill friends of this young
couple wish them many years of
happiness and prosperity.
BRIEFLY STATED
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Buell, of
Tekamah, spent Friday afternoon
in the city. Mrs. Buell is a niece
of H. W. Tomlinson, they stopping
here for the afternoon on their way
to Hot Springs, S. D.
Miss Margaret Quinn, proprietor
of the Classic Beauty parlors, was
confined to her home a couple of
days the first of the week with a
severe attack of the summer flu.
She was able to be at her shop on
Wednesday.
Talking with two boys from
Tilden it was learned that com
munity is badly scorched and in*
fested with hoppers. Things look
green and flourishing around
O’Neill to the boys in comparison
to their home surroundings.
The lower reaches of the Redbird
have gone dry for the second time
in the memory of those of long
acquaintence with the stream. In
1934 water ceased at the mouth of
the creek for the first time. This
is repeated again this summer.
L. H. Pierce and wife and Mrs.
Mary Keenan came up from Lin
coln Friday. Mr. Pierce is a
brother-in-law of Mayor Kersen
brock with W'hom they visited un
til Sunday. Mrs. Keenan, Mrs.
Kersenbrock’s mother, remained in
the city.
According to reports a strange
condition prevails in the Missouri
river country northeast of here.
The artisan wells suddenly ceased
to flow in the Yankton country,
while at the same time the Missou
ri river flows a full stream, more
water than usual at this seasson.
In spite of the severe drouth, but
few fires have occurred over the
county. The only such learned of
recently is the burning of a quan
tity of baled hay that wa3 held in
storage at the Lakeview ranch in
the Swan Lake neighborhood. It
was covered by insurance to the
value of $0 per ton.
O’Neill Party
Return From
Fishing Trip
The inseparable and indomitable
group of O’Neill fishermen re
turned Saturday from their north
ern cruise, having attained a lati
tude something less than the artic
circle where they found the mer
curery hovering around 108 most
,of the time, but fish and mosquitoes
biting good. Northern Minneso
sota’s alluring waters was the
original destination but they pene
trated into a Canadian wilderness
for 100 miles. Some interesting
experiences are recounted by the
boys with pleasant words for the
courtesy and gentlemanly behavior
of the guards and officials across
the line, contrasting to a snippy
attitude of those on our own side
of the line. They made a nice
catch of fish and have remembered
generously friends at home with
fine messes. Those in the party
were M. H. Horiskey, Herb Ham
mond and William Martin. Mr.
and Mrs. Ira Moss of this city,
Miss Mae Hammond and Mrs Mary
Massie, of Omaha, composed a
second party.
Joe Shields, of Norfolk, district
administrator of the WPA for this
district, was in the city Wednes
day.
Miss Marjorie Cronin returned
last Friday night from a two
visit with relatives and friends in
Omaha and, Nebi-aska City.
Miss Dorothy Reardon entertain
ed a large picnic party at the
Country Club last evening, honor
ing her guest, Miss Mulligan of
Omaha.
Kenneth Wehl and Miss Helen
I Biglin drove to Denver last Friday
and met Miss Marie Biglin, of Salt
Lake City, Utah. They returned
home Tuesday, being accompanied
by Miss Marie who will visit here
at the home of her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. P. J. Biglin for a couple of
weeks.
John Prokapes, Joseph Zrust and
son Vince, Frank Tijkle and Rudy
Pekny composed a party from
Clarkson, Colfax county, visiting
here a few days last week, the
guests of the Frank and Cyril
Peter’s households. Vince remain
ed to work through haying for
Mrs. John Peter.
| As the old saying has it, you get
the news away from home.
Around Atkinson the rumor got
' under way that grasshoppers were
so abundant at O’Neill last Friday
| that the street lights had to be
| turned on. Perhaps some of the
hopper stories told of other eom
imunities have about as little
foundation in fact.
Several local parties have be
come interested in obtaining a
swimming pool for this city. The
plan is to try and get a WPA gift
and have the pool built as a gov
| ernment project. Several towns
in the state have secured swim
ming pools in this manner and we
know of nothing that would be of
more benefit to the people of this
city and community than a good
swimming pool
Dr. and Mrs. L. B. Duffy and
children, of Jackson, Minn., were
i in the city Wednesday visiting at
the W. J. Hammond and Bert
Shoemaker homes. They were on
their way to Denver, Colorado, for
an outing and a visit with rela
tives and friends and continued
their journey this morning. Mrs.
Duffy was formerly Loretta Car
Ion and is a sister of Mrs. Bert
Shoemaker and Mrs. W. J. Ham- j
mond.
__
METHODIST CHURCH NOTES
Sunday School 10 a. m.
Morning worship 11 a. m. Ser
mon subject, “The Hand of Man
and the Hand of God.”
Epworth League 7 p. m.
Evening service 8 p. m. on the
lawn by the church. We hope to
have the band for a few numbers.
Community singing, short sermon.
As the Presbyterians are having
no service this Sunday we cordially
invite them to worship with us
The front entrance to the new
court house, of a light grey stone,
about completes the outer walls of
the first story of the building.
Combing the classical with the
familiar national emblems of
thirteen stars and bars makes a
simple yet appropriate decoration
just above the entrance. Fasces,
the Roman symbol of authority,
are placed on either side of the
national emblem. Work is going
forward rapidly on the building, a
consideable force of men, trucks
and teams having found jobs at
from 35 cents to 80 cents an hour,
working eight hours for a day.
Montana Ranchers
Look Us Over
North Dakota and Montana
cattle men are around nearly every
day looking for places that will
take care of their starving cattle.
We have been able to direct a
number to likely communities to
arrange for the care of the stock.
Individuals have all th eway from
100 to 600 head to provide for.
The territory around Miles City is
particularly hard hit by reason of
grasshoppers and drouth. Talking
with one man from that territory
Monday who was here looking for
a place to put 400 head of cows
with their calves, he said the situ
ation with them is desperate and
unless they can find pasture will
have to sacrifice the fruits of many
years work in (acquiring their
herds.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH NOW
FLOWS
The aged, the infirm, tie super
annuated, the whole group of has
beens now passing the timo in
idleness and harmless gossip, are
said to have found a fountain of
youth, a restorer of health and
faded beauty a rejuveninator of
stiffened and palsied limbs, a quick
ener and purifier of the fading
life blood’s stream, the promised
healer and restorer to vigor of a
descrepit humanity. This is to be
experienced merely by quaffing of
the sparkling life-given waters
from a well just recently put down
by an east side O’Neill householder.
We don’t know that he makes any
claims but those who are drinking
the water tell of its marvelous
qualities as a rebuilder of broken
bodies. So we hope now to see
old timers that are no longer able
to “take it’’ soon restored to the
vigor and activities of youth.
A complaint was filed in Judge
Malone’s court yesterday by the
county attorney against Delbert
Graham, who was held in the city
jail. Mattie Scukup is the com
plaining witness. Graham is
charged with the theft of some
chickens, valued at $3.85. The
hearing, as now arranged, is sched
uled for Thursday. Graham main
tains he did not steal the chickens,
which officials ay he sold to a
local dealer, but purchased them of
another person.
Ambrose Biglin and his daugter,
Miss Ann and son Gene, left last
Monday night for their home at
Casper, Wyoming. Miss Anne and
Gene had been here visiting rela
tives for five weeks and Ambrosse
came down the morning of the
Fourth for a couple of weeks visit.
The young folks made many friends
during their vi-it here and O’Neill
young folks hope that they will
again make a good visit in this
city.
--
Ben Jones, a native of O’Neill but
now ranching near Ekalaka, Mont.,
was in the city the- past week
greeting old friends. The primary
object of his visit here was to find
a pasture and a place to winter
feed cattle for himself and a neigh
bor rancher who he was accom
panying. They left about noon
Monday for southwest Holt to in
vestigate prospects down that way.
The Weather
High Low Mois
July 10 105 78
July 17 _.112 70
July 18 109 83
July 19 106 69
July 20 97 66
July 21 96 68
July 22 108 67
■
Holt County
Valuations
lor Taxation
Holt county has a total assessed
valuation of $18,207,090 as shown
by the abstract of assessors’ re
turns compiled by County Assessor
Sullivan. This total is made up
from the three items of real estate,
personal and intangibles and the re
turns have so gone in to the state
house from the assessor’s office.
These groups are divided in values
as follows:
Lands, $11,809,476
Lots, $1,669,715.
Intangibles, $782,405.
Personal, $4,555,495.
There was listed for assessment
in the county 77,567 head of cattle
at a total valuation of $1,655,950,
an average of $21.34 per head.
Horses 11,399 valued at $403,075,
$35.36 per head. It is not much
of a mule country, there being list
ed for taxation only 679 of these
long-eared quadrupeds valued at
$29,035, or $50.14 per head. There
were 9,703 hogs, 5,685 sheep and
8,364 dozens poultry listed for tax
ation. Dogs outnumbered mules
and are valued at $10 each, there
being 1,959 in the county.
The total number of motor ve
hicles is 3,451, valued at $339,225.
Total number of all schedules re
turned by the precinct assessors is
4,971, which is the number of per
sons out of a populatioin of some
thing like 20,000 who list property
or intangibles in this county for
taxation.
Total expense of the assess
ment, including precinct assessors,
is $5,503.78.
The office force has been dismiss
ed at the assessors’ office for the
present
School Notes
There are still a large number
of schools who have not reported
teachers hired for next year, there
arc likewise quite a number of
teachers who have not secured
schools. The office will be glad to
assist you in placing well qualified
teachers.
Preopening day will be held on
Saturday, August 29. The meet
ing will be called to order at 9:00
and will convene for the most part
throughout the entire day. All
teachers will be expected to attend
since this day will count as one
day of institute.
Clarence J. McClurg,
County Superintendent.
SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTIO
The Thirteenth Anuual group
! gathering of Holt County Union
| Sunday Schools will be held in the
| Johnson grove, twelve miles north
j of O’Neill, on Sunday, July 2G.
| The session will open at 10 a. m.,
i with the study of the Sunday
school lesson. Rev. E. E. Dillon,
of York, Nebr., will speak dui ing
the afternoon.
A cordial invitation is extended
to all to attend
S. Halgrimson, Missionary,
American Sunday School Union.
A twenty-three year-old auto
mobile still in service is something j
of a rarety. Perhaps the oldest I
in the ounly now in use is a 1913
model small truck in use by Elmer j
Hagensick—and anything that
Elmer has is no delapidated relic.
He keeps the old T in first-class
shape and finds it adequate for his
needs for a light truck. The hood
is of those square front type that
went with the early makes of cars.
A number of O’Neill cisitzens
are interested in the buried city
over at Lynch that Nebraska uni-«
versity men have unearthed and
are exploring and classifying their
find. % Evidences of a considerable
town of a pre-historic people are
said to be found and a number of
those interested in that sort of
thing are making pilgrimages
thereto.
Miss Florence Malone returned
Sunday to Omaha, where she is
employed as a secretary in the
Federal reserve bank. She had
been visiting her parents here for
some weeks.
The unanimous testimony of our
citizens traveling out into other
sections of this and adjoining
states, as well as the strangers
daily coming and going, is to the
effect that Holt county has suffered
the least from drouth. That there
are green meadows and pastures,
some yield of farm products and
abscence of the swarms of hop
pers devastating some communi
ties should not be an occasion of
inflated local pride but of humble
thankfulness that we have not been
utterly crushed by the overwhelm
ing wave of heat that has seared
so large a scope of our fair country.
Live Stock Market
at Sale Pavillion
Report of Atkinson Livestock
Market Tuesday, July 21.
Hog Market: Receipts 600 head.
Fat hogs and sows from 100 tc
1.50 a hundred higher than a week
ago. Top 10.15 for 180 to 220 lb.
weights, medium weights from
9.65 to 10 00. Heavies from 9.00
to 9.75; fat sows from 7.90 to 8.50;
thin sows from 6.85 to 7.80; stock
er hogs from 5.75 to 8.50 a hund
red.
Cattle Market: Generally 25 to
36 cents a hundred higher, fleshy
kinds showing the most advance.
Best grass cows up to 4.50; good
cutters at 3.75 to 4.10; canners 2.75
to 3.40; yearling steers and heifers
from 4 00 to 5.25; plain and trashy
kinds down to 3.00.
Horse Market: Demand reliable
for all kinds of well broke horses.
Colts and utibroke horses lower.
AS I SEE IT.
Was touring the United States
the other day, great drouth on
there. The democrats are blam
ing Hoover, but Hoover says he is
not to blame. The democrats have
just formed another code. It ia
known as the It. M. A. A. or rain
makers association of America
They have hundreds or rain
makers at work, but they won’t
promise us any rain until after
election. General Farley is too
busy spreading hot air over the
country. Won’t do us any good
to have rainmakers until after
election. It’s tough on the farmers
but they will have to wait until
next year to get a crop. That’s
what General Farley says.
Sincerely,
An Observer.
The Ben Franklin store, an old
institution under a new name, with
enlarged quarters and a doubled
stock, had a successful opening
last Saturday Tjlic store was |
closed two days to get in readi-1
ness for the event. Archie Bowen,
the proprietor, is an O’Neill boy.
who has made good in business,
taking over some years ago the
store started here about the begin- i
ning of the century by his father, >
known during the years os Bowen’s
Variety Store. It has been one of
the successful business concerns of
the town from the start. Archie
now has a store that is a credit
to the community and will no
doubt continue to enjoy a growing
business.
Word was received here of the
death early in the week at his
home in South Sioux City of
Joseph P Meredith, age 79, a!
brother of the late J. H. Meredith
of O’Neill. Two nieces of the de
ceased, Mrs. Charles McKenna of
this city and Mrs. R. M. McCaffrey,
of Kansas City who is here visit
ing, went to South Siofhx City
Tuesday afternoon to be present at
the funeral.
--■
CAUTION!
There is grave danger from
fires. During this dry time citi-!
zens should exercise extreme care
that fires do not get started from
carelessly throwing lighted cigar
ettes or by other means. A little
care may save a large loss.
JOHN KERSENBROCK, Mayor.
A vicious roar from the north
west for a brief period past mid
afternoon Sunday raised clouds of
dust, tore awnings about town and
pessed on without a raindrop. The
heat of many days seems to have
been dispelled and citizens went
about their daily jobs with re
newed vigor.
Zeb Warner,
Another Early
jSettler, Taken
Zebedee M. Warner passed away
at the residence of his son John,
about 12 miles northwest of this
city last Friday evening about 8
o’clock, after an illness of several
months of heart trouble, at the age
of 72 years, 7 months and 3 days.
The funeral services were held in
the Presbyterian church in this
city at 2:30 Monday afternoon, Rev.
Vahle of Atkinson officiating and
burial in Prospect Hill cemetery.
Deceased was born on December
14, 1863, at Trible, West Virginia.
In his young manhood he moved
to Iowa and for a few years lived
near Onawa and came to this
county in 1885, shortly after he
reached his majority. He took a
homestead about ten miles north
west of this city and proceded to
carve out his fortune from the soil.
On September 1, 1890, he was
united in marriage to Miss Mary C.
Johring, daughter of one of the
pioneer families in his neighbor
hood. To this union seven child
ren were born, all of whom are
living and were present at the
funeral services. The children
are, Walter B., Ansley; Chas. A.,
Roy, Elmer W’., John F. and Fred
Warner, O’Neill; Mrs. Fannie R.
Sftevene, Siou^c City, Iowa, and
Mrs. Elizabeth P. Taggert. Chamb
ers.
Zeb was one of the real pioneers
of this section. Coming here in
1885, he lived in the county for
fifty-one years. In the early days
he was one of the largest and most
successful farmers and stockmen
in this section of the county and
he kept adding to his real estate
holdings and improving his farm
[until he had one of the best im
proved. places in the county. He
was a hard worker and as his
financial condition improved he
branched out into other lines of
business,.
About twenty-five years ago he
moved to this city and shortly
thereafter he engaged in the hard
ware furniture and implement bus
iness with his two sons, Walter and
Roy. The firm did a large busi
ness for several years and the
break in prices at the end of the
war hit them hard as they were
carrying a large stock They re
tired from the implementbusiness
in 19.11 and continued the hardware
and furniture business until the
store was destroyed by fire in 1932
Zeb was a builder. After coming
to O’Neill and getting into the
hardware business he built a large
addition to his store building and
during his residence in the city
built two residences here, one of
which is now the O’Neill hospital.
Two years ago he made a trip
to California and while there suf
fered a heart attack and had to
come home. Since that time he
has had a couple of attacks, from
which he shortly recovered, but
each attack weakened him and he
was not inthe physical condition to
withstand the last attack suffered
about five weeks ago. lie was a
good citizen and he had much to
do with the building up of this
section of the state and this city,
always willing to spend his money
to help promote the interests of
his home community. He was of
that hardy band of pioneers that
came here in their youth when this
country was a bleak and desolate
prairie, remained and by hard
work and thrift assisted in develop
ing it into a thickly settled and
prosperous community and when
the work is completed lay down
the burden and pass on. Like other
old timers who have gone before
him he will be missed, not only by
his family but by a legion of
friends throughout the county.
The sheriff’s office was asked
from Red Cloud last night to be
on the lookout for a hitch hiker
by the name of Ben Ellis, said to
be on his wray here looking for
work. His 2-year-old baby fell
in a tank of water yesterday and
was drowned, the family endeavor
ing to locate him here or at Basset,
where he intended to go if unsuc
cessful locating a job in this
county.