Neb. State Historical Society
i I
^_I
VOL. LIX. O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1938. ’ No. 2
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War Veterans Have
Arranged Services For
Memorial Day Here
Next Monday is Memorial Day
and appropriate services will be
held in this city under the direction
of the American Legion and the
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
^ At 9:45 a parade will form at
the Arbuthnot & Reka filling sta
tion. The parade will be headed by
the O'Neill High school band, fol
lowed by the members of the
American Legion, the members of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars post
of this city and they by citizens in
cars. The parade will march west
on Douglas street to the K. C. Hall
where the exercises of the day will
be held, beginning promptly at
10 o’clock.
The speaker of the day will be
Rev. C. A. Byersdorfer, of St.
John’s. Father Byersdorfer is
known as one of the most eloquent
speakers in the state and those
who attend can be assured that
they will hear an eloquent and able
W address.
Following is the program that
will be rendered at the Hall:
I Selection, O’Neill School Band;
Invocation, Rev. H. D. Johnson;
Salute to Colors, Pledge of Allegi
ance, in Unison; Selection, O’Neill
School Band; Reading, “In Flan
ders Field,” Nadine Kilpatrick;
Vocal Solo, “Sleep, Soldier Boy,
Sleep,” Charles Yarnall; “Ameri
ca,” Audience accompanied by the
Band; Introduction of the Speaker
by Commander Lewis of the Veter
ans of Foreign Wars; Address,
Rev. C .A. Beyersdorfer; Song,
“Your Comrades and Mine,” by
Ira B. Wilson, St. Mary’s Glee
Club; Mixed Chorus, O’Neill High
i school, “To Thee, 0 Country”;
Benediction, Rev. A. J. May; “Star
Spangled Banner,” Audience, ac
companied by Band; Taps.
Sandhill Cattle
Producers Organize
Cattlemen from all parts of the
Nebraska Sandhills met at Valen
tine May 21 and formed an organ
ization known as the Sandhills
Feeder Cattle Producers. More
than 200 were present at this meet
ing which launched an organization
whose plan will be to popularize
the feeder cattle produced in the
Sandhills among the cattle feeders
in all parts of the United States.
The purpose of the organization
as set forth in the constitution and
by-laws is to advertise and popu
larize and improve the quality and
aid in the sale of Sandhills feeder
cattle, maintain a code of ethics
between buyers and sellers, and
promote a spirit of cooperation,
friendship and mutual understand
ing among producers of beef type
cattle in that region.
The organization is open to all
persons engaged in the production
of beef cattle and funds for carry
ing on its work are to be raised by
payment of dues based on the
number of head of cattle owned by
the members. At the meeting Sat
urday, approximately $1,200 was
paid in by about 100 members and
represented approximately 50,000
\ head of cattle.
Speakers at the meeting included
W. W. Derrick of the Nebraska
university; Henry W. Biederman,
livestock editor of the Nebraska
Farmer, Lincoln; Hayes Walker,
publisher of the Hereford Journal,
Kansas City; H. E. Dickinson, gen
eral manager of the C. & N. W.
railway, and Fred Taylor, general
livestock agent of the Burlington.
Former governor Sam R. Mc
Kelvie was elected president and
the following were chosen direc
tors:
Mrs. Essie Davis, Hyannis; Earl
Monahan, Hyannis; Earl Peterson,
Newport; Roy Ross, Gordon; Fay
Hill, Gordon; J. E. Lowe, Mullen;
Albert Lemmer, Atkinson; C. J.
Abbott, Alliance; Joe Kreycik,
Wood Lake; Tom Arnold, Nenzel;
Albert Salzman, Ainsworth; D. J.
Cole, Merriman; Fred Engle, Ash
by; Harold Harms, Wood Lake;
Don E. Hanna, Brownlee.
Object To Dance Hall
License At Amelia |
A good- sized delegation from I
the vicinity of Amelia were in the
city Tuesday and appeared before
the county board regarding the ap
plication of W. O. Arnholdt for a
license to operate a dance hall in ]
Amelia. A half dozen of the resi
dents appeared to protest the
granting of the license and they
presented a petition signed by 65
residents of that section of the
county, also protesting, while three
of those appearing favored the ap
plication.
The county board informed the
applicant that they would give him
an opportunity for a further hear
ing when he could present further
endorsements. He told the board
that if they would return him his
application fee of $5.00 that he
would withdraw his application,
which was done, thus ending the
matter.
Henry Alfs Dies Early
Thursday Morning At
His Home In Norfolk
John Alfs received word this
morning of the death of his broth
er, Henry, at Norfolk at 3 o’clock
this morning as the result of a
paralytic stroke suffered Tuesday
afternoon. The body will be taken
to Atkinson and the funeral will
be held there at 2 o’clock Satur
day afternoon. Mr. Alfs leaves to
mourn his passing his wife, and
one son, both of Norfolk.
Henry Alfs was a resident of
this county most of his life, living
on a farm north of Emmet. The
family came to the county in 1884
and Henry was a resident of Holt
county until 1924 when he went to
Grand Island, where he lived for a
couple of years and then moved to
Norfolk where he had made his
home since.
Mr. Alfs was 68 years of age at
the time of his death. He had al
ways enjoyed good health and his
sudden death is a severe shock to
his family and many friends. He
had an extended acquaintance in
this county and his many friends
will learn with regret of his death.
Miss Velma Sexsmith
Married At David City
Miss Velma Sexsmith, formerly
of O’Neill, and Mr. Charles L.
Mason of Omaha, surprised their
relatives and friends this week
with the announcement of their
marriage, which had taken place
on Saturday, May 21, at David
City, Nebr.
Mrs. Mason is the daughter of
Mrs. Letta Sexsmith of this city.
She is a graduate of the local high
school and of the University of
Nebraska College of Nursing, and
for the past seven years has prac
ticed nursing in St. Louis and
Omaha.
Mr. Mason is a U. S. railway
mail clerk with headquarters in
Omaha, where they will reside.
Demonstration Days
Boys and girls in 4-H clubs in
Holt county will be interested in
learning that demonstration days
will be held in O’Neill on June 23
and in Chambers on June 24. These
are not competitive contests but
will be days of instruction from
Miss Mary Runnalls and Guy R.
Davis from the State 4-H club
office.
Every club member is urged to
start their demonstration now so
they may receive help on those
days.
The annual district judging will
also be held in O’Neill on June 29,
and 4-H club camp will be in Long
Pine from July 14 to 16.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Fritz Wagman an
nounce the birth of a boy on Fri
day, May 20.
Mr. and Mrs Elmer Weidfeldt
annuonce the birth of a girl, Vir
ginia, on Thursday, May 19, 1938.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Calkins an
nounce the birth of a boy, Satur
day, May 21, 1938.
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Carr announce
the birth of a baby girl on Mon
day, May 23, 1938.
Marriage Licenses
George L. Keidel and Miss Mar
garet Zink, both of Stuart, were
granted a marriage license in
county court last Wednesday.
Vernon Strong of O’Neill, and
Miss Anneline Evans of Atkinson,
were granted a marriage license
in county court May 20.
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Ord and
daughter, Sandra, of Storm Lake,
Iowa, arrived Friday night and
spent a few days visiting Mrs.
Ord’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. E.
Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Ord returned
to their home Monday, but Sandra
will remain for a longer visit.
SOUTHWEST BREEZES
By Romaine Saunders
John Bower went to Schuyler
Monday on a visit to relatives.
Mrs. Johnson and daughter were
out from Atkinson Sunday visiting
the Young family at the ranch.
I would like to have presided as
judge in the Coogan case just long
enough to have told defendants
what I thought of them.
A large herd of young steers was
driven a day last week from Mr.
Higgin’s Inez Valley Ranch to
summer range in western Swan.
A New York woman bought a
hotel for seven million dollars.
With a roll like that what the heck
would anyone want with a hotel ?
Mrs. Primas was quite ill last
week and Mrs. Casper Addison lent
a helping hand in the emergency.
The family reside on the Delbert
Edwards place.
Tractors with rubber tires are
not a howling success in this neigh
borhood. The mud occasioned by
frequent rains renders them help
less in the fields.
The president’s new deal ideas
were indorsed in Florida—or was it
the Townsend pension idea? But
South Dakota and Pennsylvania
gave them a severe jolt.
Henry White was visiting homes
in this community a day last week
ascertaining via a petition of re
monstrance what the sentiment
was respecting the licensing of a
dance hall in Amelia.
It is some years since we in the
southwest have had to renew the
fuel supply during May. Two years
ago it was a hundred and ten in
the shade every day during May
while this year the household fires
must be kept burning.
Party loyalty is a great thing.
Grover Cleveland when president
said: “It is the duty of the citizens
to support the government and not
the government the citizens.”
Franklin D. reverses that political
doctrine. And intelligent men
agree with both.
“Thrice the brindled cat hath
mew’d.” And once too many Black
Tom pounced upon a young chicken
over at neighbor Kennedy’s. As
soon as Bernard could grab the
shotgun and inject a shell the head
was blown from one more emblem
of ill omen. Bernard says the
shepherd pup may come next.
George Holcomb of Amelia tra
versed the Kola mail route Friday
to enjoy the charm of nature out
this way and enquire if there was
a democrat left in Swan precinct.
Col. Sigman likewise accompanied
the mail carrier over into the pas
ture country and returned toward
evening with three horses he took
to Amelia.
In a letter from a relative re
ceived in the home recently men
tion is made that the attitude at
Washington toward business is
scaring capital out of the country.
An acquaintence of the one writing
the letter has sent his money to
banks in Iceland, while another has
transferred his investments from
this country to Canada.
Certain interests in the Nebras
ka metropolis, coupled with official
pressure from the state capitol,
are trying to hamstring two mem
bers of the board of trustees of the
socalled free bridge at Omaha.
Perhaps these gentlemen see in a
two-million dollar debt in this
proposition a smudge on the “white
spot” and a bridge not so “free”
at that.
Mrs. Myrtle Greenstreet of Al
bion, a friend and frequent visitor
at the Riley ranch, sustained the
destruction by a cyclone of all the
buildings except the house on her
ranch 22 miles west of E|gin the
same day a strip in southern Holt
county had a like visitation. Barns,
sheds, windmills and all out-build
ings were demolished and windows
crashed out of the house.
A friend who knows his botany
better than I tells me the pressed
flowers sent me by John Brennan
from Salt Lake City are forget-me
nots. We have them arranged on
a dark velvet background and cov
ered with glass, which makes for
permanency and the sender is not
forgotten. And I share the senti
ment of the wife who says there
is something fine about a man who
sends flowers to a friend.
Ed Turner retires July 1 from
the Atkinson-Amelia mail route,
Norris Murphy of Atkinson, having
secured the contract on a lowef
bid. He also has the Atkinson
Josie route. Mr. Turner has been
carrying the mail the past eight
years and has made friends of all
on the route. It is with regret they
learn of his retirement as he has
been genuinely appreciated for
efficiency on the job and courtesy
to the patrons.
The song-inspired meadow lark
is also something of a battle ax
when occasion requires. Attracted
by a violent fluttering in the grass
I found a meadow lark furiously
assailing a sand adder. Here was
the privilege of seeing first hand
a battle royal between a creature
of beauty and one of supreme re
pulsiveness. There were two of the
birds, one hovering near while the
other charged to the assault and
struck visciously with its bill. Then
it gave place to the other bird as it
came in to the fray. The snake
coiled and flashed out its mottled
gray ugliness as it struck to secure
a hold on the feathered antag
onists. The larks were giving the
reptile a plenty when I stepped
forward with an ax that was in
hand and severed its head. The
birds still hovered around and
showed no fear of their unexpected
ally. After the snake was dis
posed of under the wet sod the
larks hunted thru the grass but
presently were satisfied that an
enemy which doubtless had been
after the fledglings in their nest
had been effectively subdued.
Here And There
The first of the week Mrs.
Augusta McPharlb* received word
from her son, Eldon, who is now at
Los Angeles, Calif., that he had
successfully passed the California
state bar examination and was ad
mitted to practice law in the courts
of that state. Eldon graduated
last June from the law school of the
University of Iowa, after taking
two years of law at Creighton, and
was admitted to the practice of his
profession in Iowa. Last fall he
went to California and has been
in the claim department of the
Travelers Insurance company since
his arrival in California. Eldon is
another O’Neill boy who worked his
way thru school and is bound to
make a success of his chosen pro
fession. His O’Neill friends ten
der hearty congratulation and
best wishes.
O’Neill relatives received word
the first of the week that Don
Steinmates, a nephew of Mrs. Ray
Martin, formerly of this city, but
now of Chelan, Wash., had been
awarded an air trip to Washington,
D. C., for having written the best
essay on “Wings Across America, ’
in connection with the recent air
mail week. The winner of the
contest is 16 years of age. His
parents were born and raised in
Pierce county, Nebraska, but have
been residents of Washington for
several years.
'Mrs. Phyllis Mackey and daugh
ter, Janet, of Corte Madera, Calif.,
and Mrs. Earl Bruening and son,
Ronnie, of Henley, Nebr., arrived
Saturday for a short visit with Mr.
and Mrs. Gharles Yarnall and
family. They left Tuesday morn
ing for Hendley, accompanied by
Mrs. Yarnall’s mother, Mrs. Ira
Meyers of Hendloy, who has been
visiting here for the past three
weeks.
In another column of this issue
The Frontier carries an ad for the
Travelers Insurance Company
offering a very desirable farm and
a 2240 acre ranch for sale. Their
local manager, R. E. Moore, says
that the company has disposed of
several farms in this county the
past few months but that they still
have several desirable tracts for
sale.
Chick Wyant left Sunday for
Omaha, where his wife has been
quite ill in St. Joseph’s hospital.
Mrs. Wyant was operated on Wed
nesday morning, and her many
friends will be glad to learn that
she is recovering rapidly.
Pass Relief Bill With Hope—
Also Fear
With passage by the House of
the new relief bill, members of the
House are now looking to the com
ing of the new wages and hours
bill which the committee tells them
they can expect not later than this
week. An effort to get the bill out
sooner has failed thus far, although
those who had once objected to
bringing it out have stated they
are willing for earlies consideration
There was not as much controversy
over the new relief bill as had been
predicted and the overwhelming
vote in its favor is proof of that
statement. The House members
who voted for the bill, hope that
it will accomplish its objective—
renewed business activity and in
creased employment. Fears are ex
pressed that this method of meet
ing the question of what to do with
14,000,000 unemployed is merely
temporary rather than a perman
ent remedy. Advocates of the
measure admit this fact and so,
today, Washington sees many ex
perts working over the unsolved un
employment puzzle.
Nebraskans Help Beautify Capitol
Nebraskans play a leading part
on helping our nation’s eapitol to
become a beautiful city. Among
them is Everett C. Crites of Cen
tral City, Nebr., who is on one of
the important committees of the
Washington Board of Trade. In
the list of members of this local
organization are names of other
Nebraskans equally active, but
very few of them are so outstand
ing. These Nebraskans, as well as
citizens from other states declare
that they are on these local com
mittees for patriotic reasons and
especially because they feel that
the District of Columbia and the
City of Washington really belongs
to all of the people of the 48 states
and that it is their duty to help
make the eapitol of the people
beautiful. Crites represents one of
the interesting research associa
tions which deals especially with
new uses of cement and his work
brings him in close contact with
the future builders of not only the
City of Washington, but of all the
cities of our nation.
Try To Revive Big Projects
By hook or crook the Florida
ship canal advocates say they are
going to finish that project. They
are in Washington, set to stay un
til they get the money from the
Government if it takes all summer.
They are giving parties and elabo
rate dinners to members of Con
gress and they are using pictures
as an argument that the canal is
necessary from the standpoint of
national defense. One of the Flori
da lobbyists says that the canal
was the issue in the recent sena
torial election in that state and
that Senator Pepper was nomi
nated on this issue alone. He was
for the canal and his opponent who
lived on the south side of the canal
site was against it. Those on the
south side say that if the canal is
dug it will ruin their drinking
water and the water they need for
irrigation. Engineers have both
upheld and repudiated this conten
tion. In the meantime the canal
boosters are using all kinds of
tactics to “educate” members who
have voted against the proprosed
spending of federal funds for this
canal.
There is some talk now that the
gigantic Passamaquody project in
Maine may be revived. Some elab
orate houses and buildings were
constructed there but the original
project was about abandoned and
since then the buildings have been
used by the National Youth Admin
istration.
Walters Leave For Europe
With the tourist season opened
in real earnest here in the East,
many Nebraskans are beginning to
appear in the nation’s capitol.
Among the interesting Nebraskans
here this week are Mr. and Mrs.
Otto F. Walter of Columbus and
their daughter, Virginia. These
Nebraskans are enroute to New
York to board a new Holland line
steamer on her maiden voyage.
They will take their automobile
with them and will tour England,
Germany, Austria and other coun
tries and expect to remain until
next fall.
Rally To Support G-Men
Crippled by lack of funds, the
nation’s crime smashing Federal
Bureau of Investigation is being
drastically slashed to half strength.
From a financial standpoint, the
Bureau of Investigation has been
a decidedly profitable investment.
Last year it operated on a budget
of approximately $6,000,000, and
returned to the government $41,
438,000, in fines, savings and re
! covery of stolen property. The fact
that the F. B. I. is “bad medicine”
to the undeworld is already known
to the nation. The records show
that in the last four years Hoover’s
men have apprehended 16,000
dangerous criminals. The forces of
the F. B. I. have been thrown into
122 kidnapping cases and of these,
119 have been solved. The figures
show that kidnappings and bank
robberies are on a steady decline.
All in all, Uncle Sam has been
served well by this law enforce
ment body. Members in the House
got together and started a cam
paign to give the F. B. I. relief. The
result is a recommendation from
the executive that the funds be
made available for the G-men and
now it is hoped that everything will
be all right.
Funeral Services For
Lloyd W. Crippen Will
Be Held Tomorrow
Lloyd W. Crippen died at the
O’Neill hospital at about 1 o’clock
Tuesday morning, after an illness
of several months of cancer. The
funeral will be held Friday at 2
p. m. at the home of the deceased,
Rev. A. J. May officiating, and
burial in the Mineola cemetery.
Lloyd W. Crippen was born in
Illinois on January 21, 1886, and
was 52 years, 4 months and 3 days
old at the time of his death. On
May 17, 1921, he was united in
marriage to Miss Hallie Meeker,
the ceremony being performed at
Sioux Falls, S. ,D. Five children
were born of this union, three sons
and two daughters, who with their
mother are left to mourn his pass
ing. The children are: William,
Daniel, Gladys, Lloyd jr., and Ce
cile. He also leaves five brothers
and one sister.
Mr. CrippCn and family came to
this county in 1925 and ever since
had been a resident of the Oppor
tunity neighborhhod. He had a
host of friends in that section of
the county who will regret to learn
of his death.
Visits Old Home
John C. Mullen and sons, Gerald
and John, and nephew, Arthur
Mullen, of Omaha, were in the city
last Saturday and Sunday visiting
relatives and old friends, and in
cidently visiting the scenes of
John’s boyhood north of this city
and at Ptge.
t John said that the county looked
immense, and it reminded him of
the early days in old Holt. He said
that his brother, Arthur F., who
has been seriously ill for several
months, was feeling better, but
was a long way from well. Arthur
F. has many friends in this county
who are hoping that he will be
successful in his fight for better
health.
The Weather
The past week we have had fair
ly nice weather, with very little
moisture. Farmers are all busy
planting corn and with favorable
weather expect to complete plant
ing by the end of next week. Small
grain and pastures are doing fine
and the amount of butter fat pur
chased by local cream buyers is
increasing daily. Following is the
weather chart for the week:
High Low Mois.
May 20_ 00 46 .03
May 21 _ 63 43
May 22_71 45
May 23 _ 71 47
May 24 _ 73 47
May 25 ... 73 52
Total precipitation for May, 4.27
inches. Total precipitation since
January 1, 1938, 9.92 inches.
Redbird Wins Opener
The Redbird baseball team open
ed its 1938 schedule Sunday by de
feating Oakview 2 to 0. Redbird
collected 5 hits to Oakview’s 2. The
I batteries were: Redbird, Krugman
and Ross; Oakview, Marshal and
Boelter. Four Oakview batsmen
struck out and six Redbird men
were fanned.
Court Orders City To
Remove Obstructions
On West Douglas Street
The case of the State of Nebras
ka, on the relation of Robert R.
Dickson, relator, vs. the City of
O’Neill, John Kersenbrock, Mayor
of the city and the individual
Councilmen of the City of O'Neill,
Nebraska, asking for the removal
of obstructions on west Douglas
street, and which was tried before
Judge Kruger of Grand Island, last
April, was again before the court
Wednesday morning.
At this hearing a motion for a
new trial was overruled and the
preemptory Writ of Mandamus
was signed by Judge Kruger under
date of May 25. The writ com
mands the city officials to remove
the obstructions on receipt of the
writ.
The officials named are com
manded “to have removed the ob
structions situate on Madison and
Douglas streets, abutting on and
adjacent to lots 15 and 16, in block
37, Riggs Addition to the City of
O’Neill, Nebraska; namely, to re
move all signs, light poles erected
by the Asimus Brothers, gasoline
pumps and other obstructions of
every kind, character and descrip
tion in Douglas and Madison
streets, in front of lots 15 and 16,
in block 37, Riggs Addition to the
City of O’Neill, Nebraska; and to
remove all obstructions and signs
now on the north side of Douglas
street, and in Douglas street, south
of lots 22, 23 and 24, in Block B,
O’Neill and Hagerty’s Addition to
the City of O’Neill, now occupied
by the respondents Toney Asimus
and Carl Asimus; and to remove
the large sign on Douglas street,
situate between the curb and the
sidewalk on the south side of Doug
las street, near the center of the
block, advertising the Gillespie
Radio Shop, located north of Block
38, Riggs Addition to the City of
O’Neill, Nebraska.’’
4-H Club Week To Be
Held May 30 to June 4
Nebraska’s twenty-third annual
boys and girls 4-H Club Week will
be held in Lincoln at the Agricul
tural college May 30 to June 4.
The attendance at Club Week is
made up of boys and girls and
leaders who have made outstanding
club records in the previous year.
The programs will consist of edu
cational excursions, sports, a trip
to Omaha on a special train to
visit the packing plants, stock
yards and other points of interest.
Holt county will be prepresented
by Mrs. Edgar Stauffer and Marvin
Stauffer of Page, and Margery and
Bob Rees of Amelia. These per
sons have outstanding 4-H club
records and are very deserving of
attending this program.
Plant Hybrid Corn Tests
Many farmers in Holt county
will be interested in watching the
hybrid corn test plot on the farm
of Harry Ressel northof Chambers.
Mr. Ressel, in cooperation with •
county agent Lyndle R. Stout, has
planted 15 varieties of hybrid corn
in one field in order that it may be
determined which varieties are best
adapted to Holt county conditions.
Since so much interest has been
shown in hybrid corn and so little
information is available, this will
be a good opportunity to watch the
different varieties in order to learn
which is most desirable.
Highway Patrolmen
Here Are Transferred
Patrolman E. L. Haley, who has
been stationed here since last No
vember, has been transferred to
Lincoln, effective June 1. Harvey
Nash, who was here with Haley has
been transferred to Grand Island,
also effective June 1.
Lawrence Russell has been
transferred from Grand Island to
this city and Harry Joe Brt has
been transferred to this city from
Norfolk, effective June 1.
Mr. Russell was in the city Tues
day looking for a residence, which
he succeeded in finding ati(J will
move here the end of the month.
E. P. Gaines, State Manager for
the Travelers Insurance company,
and R. R. Porter, Cashier, of Oma
ha, were in O’Neill on business
Thursday.
What is the use of priming the
pump if the bottom of the water
bucket is full of holes?