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VOL LVIII O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1938. No. 45
NEW STRUCTURES
WILL REPLACE TWO
OLD LANDMARKS
Davidson Will Construct A New
Building, And Old Merchant’s
Hotel Being Replaced.
Work on the wrecking of the old
Merchants Hotel is progressing
rapidly. With the wrecking of this
building another old time land
mark of the city disappears to
make way for a new modern struc
ture.
A new building to be erected on
the grounds is to be of brick and
tile, and to be stuccoed. It will be
22%x62 feet, with a basement
22%x32 feet and will be modern in
every respect. It is being built
by Mrs. W. H. Stein of this city
and her sister, Mrs. O. Marcotte
of Garvin, Minn., and is supposed
to be finished by May 1, 1938. The
building has been rented to How
ard Bauman who will take posses
sion as soon as the building is
ready for occupancy. The building
now occupied by Mr. Bauman is
owned by Pete Peterson who ex
pects to put a pool hall therein as
soon as the building is vacated.
Davidson Will Rebuild
The march of progress has again
hit east Douglas street and an
other old land mark is being moved
to the rear of the lot to make way
for a new modern business struc
ture. This is the James Davidson
& Son plumbing building on Doug
las street between Fifth and Sixth
streets.
A new building of brick and tile,
with stucco, is to replace the old
building. It will be 22%x50 feet,
with a cement floor and a tin roof,
with a ten foot ceiling, and when
completed will be a commodious
and modern plumbing establish
ment.
James Davidson started in the
plumbing buxines for himself in
1901 when he built the first build
ing, a little building 14x18 feet,
which was on the lots now oc
cupied by the Royal theater. Later
he built an addition thereto and
three years later moved to the
present site of the establishment,
where another addition was added
to provide ample room for the
growing business.
As his family grew up his sons
kept joining their father in the
business until at the present time
there is the father, The Big Boss,
and four sons, John, James, Owen
and Frank who are employed in
the establishment looking after the
business that failed to keep one
man busy when he first started in
business.
Feeling the need for more room
to keep their stock in order and
to properly display their line of
goods, a new building of brick and
tile with stucco, 22x40, was erected
just east of the old shop in 1929,
and when the present building is
completed it will add much to the
appearance of east Douglas street.
Holt County
Educational Notes
Teachers’ examinations Satur
day, April 16.
Eighth grade examination, Mon
day and Tuesday, April 18 and 19.
Floyd E. Wilson, Area Engineer
of WPA projects has a proposition
to put before school districts of
the county. Thru this proposed
project, labor is available to pro
mote the reconditioning of the
school houses of the county. The
district need only furnish the ma
terial. I have written a letter to all
the directors and have asked for
a response by March 25. This will
enable Mr. Wilson to organize his
facilities to begin work the latter
pa|t of June. Some school houses
of the county are very much in
need of interior painting. Quite a
few look nice from the outside but
have a very dark interior. Some
times the teacher’s clean sash cur
tains add cheerfulness to the room
but also bring out a sharp con
trast to the dingy walls and floor.
In visiting some schools I have
been so pleased with the evidence
of cleanliness and care of the school
room by the teacher. District No.
183, teacher Josephine Krysl, is an
outstanding example of this and
there are others that are very good.
A dark dingy school room does ma
terially effect the children in it and
I hope that all districts that pos
sibly can do so will see that the
interior of their school room is
bright and clean next fall.
The following named districts
have good attendance records for
the year: Dist. 3, Willa Wilson
teacher; Dist. 32, Helena Hiscocks;
Dist. 65, Thekla Dankert; Dist 88,
Luella Hartford; Dist. 92, Ilene
Grutsch; Dist. 95, Thelma Lien
hart; Dist. 97, Marjorie Kelly; Dist.
124, Elaine Martfeld; Dist. 160,
Norene Barker; Dist. 176, Thelma
Kiltz; Dist. 177, Bessie Brennan;
Dist. 193, Stephen Price; Dist. 197,
Marie Hytrek; Dist. 212, Elsie
Peter; Dist. 218, Margaret Zink;
Dist. 231, Dorothy Grimes; Dist.
236, Stasia Jungman; Dist. 243,
Marguerite Reisinger. No pupil in
any of these districts has been ab
sent more than four days. Many
of them have not been absent from
school so far this year.
Elja McCullough, County Supt.
Richard C. Walther Is
New Manager Of Local
Telephone Co. Office
Richard C. Walther, manager of
the Northwestern Bell Telephone
company at Gregory, S. D., has
been named manager of the tele
phone company at O’Neill, effective
March 23, according to an an
nouncement made Tuesday. Mr.
Walther was acting manager here
for a time in 1936.
Mr. Walther comes to O’Neill
with over ten years of experience
in the telephone business. His ex
perience is varied. He spent six
years in the engineering and con
struction departments. In addi
tion he has had plant department
service and assignments in Omaha,
Norfolk, West Point and Laurel,
Nebr., and in Winner and Gregory,
I South Dakota.
Miss Teaquist Will Be
Chief Operator Here
Mrs. Mayme Weddel was hostess
Sunday at a one o’clock luncheon
honoring Miss Clarissa Teaquist,
who in the near future will go to
O’Neill, Nebr., to assume the posi
tion of chief operator at the O’Neill
telephone exchange.
The color scheme carried out in
the table appointments and delight
ful menu were significant of St.
Patrick’s day.
Eight friends of the honored
guest, after partaking of the de
lectable luncheon, spent the after
noon playing Irish Sweepstakes.
Miss Marjorie McMeen was pre
sented with the high point award
and Miss Blanche Millbach with
the consolation. Mrs. Weddel pre
sented the honored guest with a
beautiful gift.—Gregory Advocate.
This office understands that Miss
O’Malley, who has held down the
position of chief operator in the
O’Neill exchange for a number of
years, will be retired on a pension
by the company about the first of
July. In the meantime she will
take her accumulated vacation.
Inman Commercial Law
Class Attends Trial Here
Superintendent W. J. McClurg
'of the Inman public schools, and
the members of the commercial law
class of his school, were in the
district court last Monday as in
terested spectators at the trial of
a law suit in court. The members
of the class were adressed by Judge
Dickson, who briefly explained to
them court procedure.
He asked all those who had ever
before attended a session of court
to hold up their hands, and none
responded so it was the first time
any of the class had ever wit
nessed a session of the district
court. Superintendent McClurg
and the members of the class were
interested spectators all during the
afternoon session.
The following members of the
class were in attendance: James
Pinkerman, Walter Rouse, Norbert
Clark, Gerald Sobotka, Donald
Moore, Doris Stevens, Eunice Chu
domelka, Donna Hutton, Evelyn
Moore and John Watson.
Party For Bradys On
Wedding Anniversary
Saturday evening a surprise
party was tendered Mr. and Mrs. C.
L. Brady at their home near Dor
sey, the occasion being their Silver
Wedding anniversary.
About seven-thirty guests began
to arrive until more than 100 were
present. The evening was pleas
antly spent in a mock wedding,
readings and song selections, after
which a few games of cards were
Iplayed.
Supper was served, toasts were
given the honored couple and when
the guests departed for their homes
after a very pleasant evening they
were unanimous in wishing that
Mr. and Mrs. Brady might have
the opportunity to celebrate their
Golden wedding anniversary.
Observations From
State’s Capitol City
By Romaine Saunders
Whether or not attributed to tha
New Deal program of scarcity of
food products, of more recent ap
pearance at the fancy grocery
centers is the “genuine diamond
back rattle snake meat” put up in
cans with fancy wrappers and
made a feature of the window dis
play. Indians and Mexican peons
have had this particular delicacy to
themselves in the past, but it ap
pears the white man’s propensities
for abominable things are also be
coming pronounced. And this sort
of a diet may offer an explanation
of human perverseness that Jack
Quig forcefully alludes to as the
“disposition of a rattle snake.”
If the dress goods on display in
the city’s great stores become
popular among the ladies there will
be a menagerie of colors and fancy
figures worn in the capitol this
spring. Spots the size of footballs
and flowers like a lilac bush stand
out in sassy colors from the bolts
of dry goods.
Perhaps it was the Holt county
ranch attire worn early that morn
ing which gave the impression of
an outfit gathered up at the Salva
tion Army. At any rate, when I was
handed the bottle of cream just
purchased, was asked if my pen
sion had been reduced. I had to
inform the milk vender that he
had made a wrong guess as nothing
in the shape of pension was com
ing my way. He then informed
me a blind man who had just been
in said $15 had been cut from his
pension. Many whose life’s sha
dows slant toward the sunset have
discovered that the so-called old
age pension turns out like the pot
of gold at the rainbow’s end.
Necterines, beautiful grapes and
other products from South Ameri
ca are available at Lincoln food
centers. A certain loyalty to our
own trustworthy California pro
ducts of this nature advises not to
try the other. But speaking of
apples, the Nebraska Jonathan is
equal to any of them.
Lincoln is reducing the places
where the distilled liquids in bot
tles are available to twenty. Not
withstanding the publicity efforts
of liquor makers, the bottle of milk
continues to predominate as the
great American bottled goods.
At one of the combination busi
ness and tenament buildings of the
poorer sort that have stood for a
generation east of the Rock Island
on O street, through brick wall and
window three stories up, could be
heard on the sidewalk below the
harsh and profane lashing of a
female tongue, geared to full speed
and top note. A masculine grunt
at intervals seemed to warant the
assumption that a hard-bitten pair,
housed like rats in the dingy quar
ters of the locality, were having
a “fire-side chat.”
| -
In a particularly swanky section
of the city are evidences of faded
glory as well as in the less pre
tentious neighborhoods. An estate
built up by a millionaire M. D. a
few years ago at a fabulous outlay
of money and which was regarded
as the showplace of all the resi
dence districts now resembles the
habitation of bats and similar dole
ful creatures. The glory has de
parted from the palatial residence,
now emplfy, and signs on the ne
! glected grounds that formerly sur
passed the parks proclaim the pro
| perty “for sale.”
Nebraska’s governor is one of
the most fortunate men in politics.
He makes nobody “sore” and quiet
ly sits and smiles as a shallow
j
thinking public bestows on him the
credit for a condition wholly due to
our state constitution.
Mrs. Wilton Hayne of Page,
spent Tuesday here at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Johnson.
MRS. CATHERINE
McNICHOLSDIES AT
HER FARM HOME
Funeral Services Will Be Held At
Catholic Church Here Next
Saturday Morning.
Mrs. Catherine McNichols died
at her home northwest of this city
about 2:45 this afternoon, after a
serious illness of several months,
at the age of 78 years, six months
and fourteen days.
The funeral will be held Saturday
morning at 9 o’clock from the Cath
olic church and interment in Cal
very cemetery. Obituary next
week.
Old Mexico As Seen By
Holt County Travelers
By Mrs. Maxine Meech
A motor trip thru the Republic
of Mexico is one of the most in
teresting, hazardous, and at times
breath-takingly beautiful tours the
American continent can offer. In
the winter time it is, perhaps, an
advantage to start from one of the
still barren northern states, fol
low the sun south, and marvel at
how much more gently she treats
our southern neighbor. Texas, of
course, comes in for some of the
solar beneficence, and a chapter
might be written on that state
which is truly an empire within an
empire. To conserve space, how
ever, I shall jump to San Antonio
where one can see almost as many
Mexicans as in the republic itself.
In fact it is a city claimed more or
less by the Mexicans as their very
own.
To me San Antonio seemed the
real gateway to Mexico although
the border city of Laredo is given
■'that honor. But from San An
tonio to the border—150 miles—
the similarity to the northern Mex
ico topography was striking. Even
the villages lost '•heir spruceness,
an air of prosperity and modernity
evidenced by others our route tra
versed. There were miles and
miles of brush-grown waste land
so, had it not been for the nuisance
of the border formalities, and the
j crossing of the Rio Grande, one
would hardly know when he left
Texas and entered Mexico. I
should mention that there is a dif
ference between the border cities
of Laredo, Texas, and Neuva Lare
do, Mexico. The former is a bright
up-and-coming little city of around
30,000 people. The other is not.
It might be too unkind to make
further comparison.
Once across the border we trav
eled the Pan American highway—
the pride of the Mexicans and
rightly so—but more about that
later. For more than 100 miles the
road cuts thru most desolate cactus
and sagebrush country with hardly
a sign of life except scrawny bur
ros and cattle which were eking out
a thin living on the shoulders of
the highway. One lost one’s taste
for a steak at the first glimpse of
the cattle. The animals were
friendly—too much so—they seem
ed to want to embrace the very
radiator of the car; or perhaps
they felt sudden death preferable
to their miserable slow starvation.
At any rate they constitute about
the only hazard on that stretch of
the road, but a very real hazard
it is.
One hundred miles south of the
border we found a bit better look
ing country, mining and some fair
ly respectable farming. Thirty
miles farther brought us to the
foothills of the mountains, a pic
turesque pass, and shortly to Mon
terrey.
Monterrey, population 175,000,
is the most important industrial
city in Mexico. Practically every
thing is manufactured here except
automobiles, and methods of doing
business have been borrowed large
ly from the Americans. One typic
ally Mexican eu ;tom however is
inviolate here as it is elsewhere
thruout Mexico— that of the siesta.
The hours of one to three-thirty in
the afternoon are sacred to it and
all business is suspended for that
period.
Farther south we were told the
Mexicans call Monterrey a “half
breed” city. To us it looked suf
ficiently foreign — very narrow
streets, houses with barred windows
flush with the streets enclosing
the ubiquitous patio. In the newer
residential section houses are set
in lawns, but all of them old or
new are light in color and deco
rated with brilliant tile and more
brilliant flowers. There is an air
of industry and prosperity in Mon
terrey one does not find elsewhere
in the republic.
About 50 miles south of Mon
terry, one enters the citrus fruit
country, a valley so beautiful it
might have been the original Gar
den of Eden. Here are the most
important orange ranches in the
country; and Californians notwith
standing, the oranges have no
peers. They also raise grapefruit
and sweet limes but no American
lemons. Nature seems almost too
kind to produce anything so sour.
Just to drive thru this region is
truly a sensual delight.
Approximately 80 miles south of
Monterrey we crossed the Tropic
of Cancer and found ourselves in
the tropics proper. From Mon
terrey, elevation 1750 feet, we
steadily lost altitude. Here it was
near sea level, and huge sugar cane
and tobacco plantations dominated
the scene. Also there was the
Purification valley, a wonderfully
fertile country which is the great
corn belt of Mexico. For some 260
miles southward the road led thru
plantations and jungle forests
where the parrots chattered at you
as you passed, and the buzzards
eyed you thoughtfully.
Now one reaches Tamazunchale,
one of the most picturesque In
dian villages in Mexico. This town
with elevation of less than 600 feet
is situated at the foot of towering
mountains and is surrounded by
dense tropical jungle where orchids
and gardenias grow wild. So rich
is the soil here that it is forbidden
by law to throw away a single seed.
A seed carelessly tossed to the
ground will produce a tree or bush
almost overnight it seems, and the
inhabitants are constantly guard
ing their clearing against the ever
encroaching jungle.
From Tamazunchale the road
really beings to climb. In fifty
miles the temperature has dropped
at least 20 degrees and the lush
vegetation has given place to lofty
pine and oak forests. An the alti
tude is now 6000 feet. Even these
mountain tops are fertile however,
and in the distance one sees tiny
fawns being worked on the very
top-sides of the precipitious peaks.
Verily, indeed, those Indians seem
immune to the laws of gravity.
We continue to rise, winding,
winding, winding—sometimes one
can see six roads below—it’s still
only one—but always there are
(Continued on page 4, column 3.)
McKenney Sentenced
To Six Years In Pen
Michael D. McKenney, who was
convicted in ditsrict court last Wed
nesday morning of having stolen
four calves, valued at $65, the
property of Harry Van Fleet liv
ing near Atkinson, was sentenced
to six years in the state peniten
tiary by Judge Dickson Wednes
day morning. McKenney has filed
a motion for a new trial.
Jury Work In District
Court Is Completed
In the case of the Federal Land
bank vs. P. J. McManus, which was
on trial at the time we went to
press last week, the jury returned
a verdict for the bank.
The next case on trial was that
of William Krotter vs. E. M. Swee
ley. This was an appeal from the
county court. This was a suit
brought in county court by Mr.
Krottcr to collect on a note for |
$300 given by Sweeley to Krotter
The note was dated March 5, 1936,
and due on or before Oct. 1, 1936.
In the county court it was tried to
a jury and the jury found for the
defendant. It was then appealed to
the district court. The case oc
cupied the attention of the court
for a little over a day when it was
submitted to the jury which re
turned a verdict for thr defendant.
A motion was filed for a new
trial in this case, as one of the
jurors in the trial of the case in the
county court was also a juror in
the trial of the case in district
court, so a new trial was granted
and will probably come up at the
next term of district court.
The last case tried to a jury at
this term was that of William Stor
johann vs. the Estate of John
Crandall, which occupied the at
tention of the court on Monday and
Tuesday of this week. This case
was also an appeal from the county
court.
This was a suit for the balance
due on a note given by the deceased
on March 23, 1929, for the sum of
$1,265.97, with interest thereon at
5 per cent, and upon which they
claim had been paid the sum of
$40.00, and that there was now due
and owing the sum of $1,867.00.
This case was tried before the
county Judge, and on March 8,
1938, be disallowed the claim.
The case was bitterly contested
in the district court, numerous wit
nesses being called by the plaintiff
and a few by the defense. Judge
Harrington and Emmet A. Har
mon represented the plaintiff and
J. D. Cronin looked after the in
terestes of the Crandall estate.
The case was submitted to the jury
about 5:30 Wednesday evening and
about nine o’clock they had agreed
on a verdict, finding for the de
fendant.
Dvorak Bros. Consign
Over 100,000 Pounds of
Hogs To Atkinson Sale
Atkinson, March 22.—The larg
est single consignment of hogs
ever to sell at the local sale ring,
was made by Dvorak Bros, at last
Tuesday’s auction when they mar
keted 307 fat hogs that grossed
over 104,000 pounds in weight.
About one-half of the consignment
were pure-bred Duroc Jerseys of
their own breeding and weighed at
less than a year old 416 pounds av
erage. The balance of the hogs
they had bought up as pigs and
fed out. The ability of these boys
as hogmen was evidenced by the
fine quality and condition of their
hogs.
The prices they received for their
hogs varied from 8.80 on the me
dium weights on down to 8.20 and
8.35 on the extreme heavyweights.
In addition to the Dvorak con
signment over 400 other hogs were
in for the sale, selling at prices
of 8.75 and 8.80 for best butchers
with several bunches of light
weight butchers at 9.00, and some
weighing around 140 pounds at
9.50. Most heavy hogs sold at 8.00
to 8.65, while sows brought from
7.25 to 7.75; bred sows 8.76 to
10.00; pigs at 9.00 to 12:00 per
hundred.
Cattle receipts showed a good in
crease over recent weeks with
nearly 700 head being on sale.
Plenty of buyers were on hand to
match the heavy receipts, the re
sult being a brisk and higher mar
ket thruout the entire list. Two
loads of fine quality Hereford steer
calves sold at 8.35 and 8.40, while
their heifer mates brought 7.40 and
7.50 a hundred. A load of 550 lb.
yearlings sold at 7.50; another
load of 700 lb. averages of fair
quality at 7.35, while numerous
other loads sold at 6.85 to 7.25.
Only the plainest kinds sold below
6.00 a hundred.
Yearling heifers from B. W.
Waldo’s sold at 7.10, while Oliver
Shane had a nice load of warmed
up Angus cattle that brought 7.65
for the steers and 7.00 for the
heifers. Cows, bulls and butcher
cattle shared in the advance of
fully 25 to 50 cents a hundred over
a week ago.
Next auction, Tuesday, March 29.
Funeral Services Held
Wednesday For Early
Pioneer of Holt County
Frederich Schafer died at the
home of Fred Tesch northwest of
Emmet last Monday at the age of
79 years, 3 months and 25 days.
The funeral was held Wednesday
afternoon at 2 o’clock, Rev. H. D.
Johnson officiating, and burial in
Prospect Hill cemetery.
Mr. Schafer had been a resident
of this county since 1883 and lived
northwest of Emmet. He was a
bachelor and for the past three or
four years had made his home with
Mr. Tesch. He leaves three sisters
surviving him, all residents of
Germany.
The Weather
We have had nice spring weather
the past week, with no moisture.
Farmers are busy in the fields and
they say the ground is in better
condition for spring planting than
it has been any time this season of
the year for the past ten years.
Following is the chart for the week:
March 17_ 64 36
March 18_61 34
March 19_ 62 30
March 20_ 70 32
March 21_ 69 41
March 22_ 58 33
March 23 _ 68 24
TOP HONORS GO TO
HOLT COUNTY AT
VALENTINE SALE
Hereford Bulls Of R. E. Lucas And
Walter Sire Win Prizes And
Bring Top Prices.
At the Hereford bull sale at
Valentine last Tuesday, held by
the Northwest Nebraska Hereford
Breeders Association, the Grand
Championship of the sale was won
by a sixteen months old bull raised
by R. E. Lucas & Son of this
county, and brought the top price
at the sale, being sold for $575 to
I a Wyoming rancher. The cattle
were judged before the sale by
experts and the Holt county of
ferings won the honors in a fine
field.
Mr. Lucas and son had four
past yearling bulls that averaged
$400 each, at the sale.
W. G. Sire’s Paladin Domino
bull stood first in his class as a
senior herd bull and brought $505
at the sale. This bull was bred
by R. E. Lucas & Son. Mr. Sire
has been a Hereford breeder for
several years and formerly lived
near Inman, but now lives north
west of this city.
There were about 100 head of
Hereford bulls sold at this sale,
breeders shipping cattle over 400
miles to present them at the sale
ring. The top twenty head, sold
at the sale, averaged over $300
each, which was a record price for
a like number at any sale held by
the association since its organiza
tion twenty-six years ago.
The Frontier extends congratula
tions to Mr. Lucas & Son and to
Mr. Sire for the honor they have
[brought to this county by their
Hereford cattle. It proves to the
cattlemen of the county that if they
want good Hereford bulls they do
not have to go out of the county to
get them, as they will find just as
good in this county as in any
part of the state.
At the anual election of officers
for the association, held after the
sale, Mr. Lucas was elected as a
member of the board of directors
for the ensuing year.
Cliff Bridges Trapped
And Cut By Wire Drag
ing On Rear Of A Car
Cliff Bridges, 23, had a narrow
escape from serious injury and
possibly death last Thursday night
about 11 o’clock. Mr. Bridges was
standing on the corner of Douglas
and Fifth streets waiting for a car
coming from the north to pass,
and turn the corner. As the car
swung aiound the corner, travel
ing very fort, a long piece of barb
wire which had caught on the run
ning gear of the car, swung around
and circled Mr. Bridges. The wire
was wrapped around the legs and
shoulders of Mr. Bridges, and he
was severely cut.
A car was parked near the
corner of the street and when the
car carrying the death dealing wire
turned, the wire passed under the
parked car, catching there and
breaking, removing the pressure
from the body of Mr. Bridges. Had
there been no place for the wire
to catch it might have tom
him in two. Mr. Bridges feels that
l he was indeed lucky to escape with
only minor injuries.
Mrs. Mable McKenna
Files For County Clerk
Mrs. Mable Meredith McKenna
filed for the republican nomina
tion for county clerk last Wednes
day. Mrs. McKenna is a native of
this city and county and has a
large acquaintance all over the
county and will prove a formidable
candidate at the primary, and at
the general election if succesful in
the primaries.
Bowen Store Broken Into
The Bowen Variety store was
broken into last Sunday night, the
cash drawer rifled and about fifteen
dollars in cash taken. The cash
was change left in the drawer.
Entrance was made thru the coal
shute, then the burglar entered the
upstairs room and rifled the cash
drawers. Mr. Bowen was of the
opinion that some large boxes of
chocolate were also taken, but he
was not certain.
Miss Marie Steinberg of Orchard,
was visiting with friends in O’Neill
the forepart of the week.