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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1940)
The Frontier VOL. LX O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1940 NUMBER 48 HOLT COUNTY REPUBLICANS ARE AGAIN COMING BACK WITH OLD STRENGTH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TEN YEARS THEY CAST MORE VOTES IN THE COUNTY THAN THE DEMOCRATS MANAGED TO POLL Butler, Republican Nominee For U. S. Senator; Cochran Democratic Nominee. Dwight Griswold Republican Nominee for Governor, While Terry Carpenter is the Democratic Nominee. For the first time since 1930, ten years, the republicans of Holt county went into the lead and cast more votes at the election last Tuesday than the democrats. It was also the first time since Presi dent Roosevelt came before the people as a candidate for pres ident in 1931 when his name on the ticket did not lead the party, sweeping everything in sight. In 1936 there were 3,776 votes cast in the primary election, of which 2060 were democratic and 1728 republi cans. This year there were ap proximately 4,600 votes cast at the primary and for republican presi dential candiates 2,361 voted, while hut 1,610 voted for Roosevelt the only democratic candidates name on the ballot. Tom Ooyne, who was running unopposed on the democratic ticket for the nomin ation for county assessor, received 15 more votes in the county than did the president. More than 300 republican votes were cast than democratic in this county and in the state the republican vote ex ceeded the democratic vote by over 50,000, which is an indication of how Nebraska is going this fall. In several precincts in the county they ran out of republican ballots and more had to be printed and rushed to different polling places. For presidential preference Dew ey carried this county over Senator Vandenburg with a majority of 257 and he carried the state with a ma jority, of about 25,000. In the race for governor our neighbor on the west, Dwight Gris wold, received a splendid vote in this county, securing a majority of 1,048 over Warner, his nearest op ponent, and a clear majority over all of the candidates on his ticket for governor of 673. He ran like a race horse over the state and won the nomination with a plurality of several thousand and he will be the next governor of Nebraska. Another contest that was of in terest to many people in this county was the contest for the position of republican national committeeman for which Lyle Jackson of Neligh was a candidate, being opposed by Bert Carpenter, of Omaha. Lyle carried this county with a vote of two to one, receiving 1278 votes to 637 for Carpenter. Carpenter’s big vote in Omaha put him in the lead and he is a couple of thousand ahead of Jackson, on the un-oflficial tabulation with a few precincts missing, so he is probably the win ner. In the race for the republican can nomination for United States senator Arthur J. Weaver, new dealer carried the county over Hugh Butler of Omaha, by a ma jority of 179. Butler got a good ma jority in his home town which was increased outstate and he is the nominee with a plurality of about 30,000, and he will be the next senator from Nebraska, after the November election. On the county ticket Walter G. Sire, in his first venture into poli tics, won the republican nomi ' nation for county assessor, defeat ing L. G. Gillespie, an old time campaigner, by a majority of 1)7 votes. One of the surprises of the elect ion was the decisive defeat Gover nor Cochran handed to Senator Ed Burke, for the democratic nomin ation for United States senator. Cochran carried this county with a majority of 220 over Burke and decisively defeated the senator in his home county of Douglas and was nominated with a majority of around 20,000. On the non-political ticket, with five candidates in the field, four from Holt county, about the only surprise was the vote polled by Tony Asimus in this county. Most of those posted on the political af fairs of this section, conceded be fore the primary- that Tony would be the nominee and that Senator Brady would be the other candi date, but no one looked for Tony to develop the strength he did in his first entrance into the political field. In this county he received 1508 votes to 1872 cast for Senator Brady, a majority in this county for the Senator of 364. Stanley Soukup was third, Jameson of Bas sett, fourth and Dean Selah bring ing up the rear. Another contest that promised to be interesting before the pri mary, was the race for the of fice of county judge. On this of fice 4489 ballots were cast and Judge Reimers led the field with a vote o f 2396. In second place was Henry Grady with a vote of 910 and they will contest at the general election. In third place was H. W. Tomlinson with 604 votes and in fourth place was B. C. Engler, of Stuart, with 579 votes. In the race for the republican nomination for supervisor in the Second district John A. Carson, present member of the board, won re-nomination over Axel Borg with a majority of nine votes. Joe Schollmeyer won the democratic nomination and these two will bat tle it out next November. In the Fourth district William Wulf, of Deloit precinct, who was appointed to fill the vacancy on the board caused by the resignation of County Judge Reimers, won the democratic nomination; while Eben Grafft, of Ewing, won the republi can nomination in the same district In the Sixth district A. M. Bat tenhorst won the democratic nom ination for supervisor while Walter K. Smith, the present member of the board from that district easily won the republican nomination. REPUBLICAN For President: Thomas E. Dewey .1299 Arthur H. Vandenberg .1042 For Delegates at Large to National Convention: Hugh R. Brown .1326 Earl J. Moyer . .1257 Robert Smith .1367 Robert Van Pelt .1204 For Alternate Delegate at Large to National Convention: Kenneth H. Gedney .1245 Walter R. Metz .1295 Evelyn Minier .-.1230 Florence Moseley .1201 For Delegate to National Conven tion, Third District: E. W. Huse .1369 Fred Hall . 1428 For Alternate Delegate to National Convention, Third District: H. L. Webster .1420 Anna Reed Kuhle .1246 For National Committeeman: G. E. Bert Carpenter.637 Lyle Jackson .—.1278 For National Committeewoman: Edna Basten Donald .713 Minnie Fried Watson .912 For United States Senator: Hugh A. Butler .710 A. W. Jefferis .131 Adam McMullen . 220 John H. Miller .185 Arthur J. Weaver.889 For Governor: Charles J. Warner .-.362 Ed. M. Baumann .176 Dwight Griswold .1410 A. L. Miller .-.193 C. E. Alter .34 Robert G. Ross - 72 For Lieutenant Governor: Frank A. High .-.273 William Edward Johnson .751 John B. Peterson.274 Harry L. Reed .517 For Secretary of State: A. C. Bass . 518 Frank Marsh .— 871 Walter F. Cozad .362 Rees Wilkinson .~.150 For Auditor of Public Accounts: Ray C. Johnson .1662 For State Treasurer: L. B. Johnson, Omaha, Ne braska Auditor and Ac countant . 587 ! O. Olson 239 Thomas G. Thompson 220 William M. Miller .340 I Kirk C. Lee .141 Gus Johnson .177 Carl G. Gragson . 86 For Railway Commissioner: Richard H. Larson, Lincoln, Nebraska Bank Accounting .308 John Knickrehm .103 Charles E. Starr .39 Leo N. Swanson .228 Edwin Schultz . ..169 Al. J. Johnson .-.44 C. A. Ross .126 Carl J. Christiansen .58 Harvey E. Glatfelter .14 L. E. Marsh .120 Harry L. Babcock .147 Oscar R. Thompson .39 M. A. Larson . 61 Henry Behrens —. 32 J. E. Good . 78 William L. Randall .72 Earl F. Schwedhelm .19 Geo. T. Randall .96 Vem C. Swanson .176 For Congressman, Third District: Karl Stefan .2216 For County Assessor (To Fill Va cancy) : Walter G. Sire . 1216 L. G. Gillespie .1059 DEMOCRATIC For President: Franklin D. Roosevelt .1610 For Delegates at Large to Nation al Convention: William Ritchie .637 John H. Morehead .843 J. J. Thomas .599 T. S. Allen . 663 Jane W. Ketcham .342 I. J. Dunn . 607 H. L. Blackledge .....276 Mabel Gillespie .-702 For Alternate Delegate at Large to National Convention: Frederick M. Deutsch .917 John C. Mullen .1196 Alice Brooke .-.—939 Josephine Van Doozer .880 For Delegate to National Conven tion, Third District: Orville Chatt . 1010 Webb Rice .H66 For Alternate Delegate to National Convention, Third District: Jane Larson .-.1076 Thomas Ashford .999 For National Committeeman: James C. Quigley .1389 For National Committeewoman: Evelyn A. Ryan .1261 For United States Senator: R. L. Cochran .1128 Edward R. Burke . 908 For Governor: Terry Carpenter .807 Keith Neville .950 Fred W. Bartzatt .61 John A. Guttery . 123 For Lieutenant Governor: Nate M. Parsons .270 William H. Diers . 310 J. B. Elliot, Jr. 237 Peter Mehrens .252 A. L. Neumann _ 343 For Secretary of State: Harry R. Swanson .1176 Tom Miller .348 Paul F. Skinner .—-—153 For Auditor of Public Accounts: William H. Price .972 Jean M. Johnson .538 For State Treasurer: Leland R. Hall .-.264 John Havekost .—.— 525 Walter H. Jensen . 618 D. T. Miller .284 For Attorney General: Chas. F. Barth .287 John P. Jensen .624 Michael T. McLaughlin 722 For Railway Commissioner: Will M. Maupin .256 Harry P. Conklin .-.306 S. A. Swanson .408 George E. Yager . 79 Richard C. Hunter - 305 Floyd L. Bollen .. 264 For Congressman, Third District: S. Toledo Sherry .631 Victor J. McGonigle - 695 For County Assessor (To Fill Va cancy) : Thomas J. Coyne . 1525 Births Mr. and Mrs. Merle Murdy of O’Neill announce the birth of a son, on March 30th. Mr. and Mrs. Lynus Northouse Keith, on April 4th. Mr. and Mrs. Irvin LaRue an nounce the birth of a son, Lanny Lee, on April 7th. Mr. and Mrs. Francis Howard announce the birth of a daughter on April 9th. HOSPITALITY AND BUSINESS ENERGY OF O'NEILL IMPRESSES THE "SOOMEN" Last Thursday Evening Was a Gala One For the Citizens of O’Neill and Surrounding Country When They Gathered to Greet Sioux City Visitors and View Streamlined Train “Irish Eyes” were not the only eyes that were smiling last Thurs day evening, April 4th, when the people of O’Neill^had the pleasure of welcoming the Soomen of Sioux City, Iowa, who came to O'Neill on the new Burlington streamliner, “The Silver Streak”. This group of outstanding business and pro fessional men made a good will visit to this city and attended a banquet at the new gymnasium. This banquet was prepared by the Catholic Daughters and was great ly enjoyed by all. Over four hun dred persons were in attendance, including the 216 Soomen and also over 200 persons from O’Neill. The train left Sioux City about 1:50 and arrived around 6:10. Al though the Silver Streak is capable of traveling between 90 and 100 miles an hour, because of the con dition of the tracks in this locality, it averaged between 28 to 30 miles an hour on its trip. On their arrival the boomen were met at the depot by the O’Neill High School band and hundreds of O’Neill citizens and citizens of the county, and escorted to the new High School audittorium, where the dinner was served and the evening program rendered. The people of O’Neill might well be proud of the fact that O’Neill is the only place in Nebraska visited by the Soomen in two and a half years. Also nuyre Soomen made this trip to O’Niill than any other city. This broke the record of 186 Soomen wlifc made a trip to Storm Lake, Iowa. The meeting was called to order by Ted McElhaney, President of the O’Neill Lion’s Club. Following this, dinner was serv ed, and after dinner community singing occupied the spotlight. This was led by Otto Bridge, of Sioux City. Following the community sing ing, Ted McElhaney, president of the Lions Club introduced Julius i D. Cronin, who delivered the ad dress of welcome to the Soomen and said that O’Neill was honored to have such a distinguished group as our guests. The master of ceremonies was John W. Carey, Editor of the Sioux City Journal. After the introduc tion, the Soomen Quartette sang an adaption of "Oh Johnny,” in his honor. He then complimented the ladies ! of O’Neill, on the way they handled ! the banquet. He said he spoke as a repre sentative of all the Soomen and he had the same sentiments as they would express if they each had the opportunity of speaking person ally. The director of the Mayfair Ho tel said the banquet was carried out as well as by professionals. The Catholic Daughters were also complimented by heads of the Mar tin and Warrior Hotels. Mr. Carey then read a telegram from P. J. Donahue, who for sev eral years when he was a freight solicitor for the Burlington, was a weekly visitor to this city and well! acquainted with the old timers, ex pressing his regrets because of his J absence. Mr. Carey stated the Soomen were very glad to be in O Neill, even gladder than they thought they would be. He said the num ber of Soomen that came to O’Neill was the largest number to make a good will trip in six years. The good will tours have taken them through South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska. After this the social side of the banquet commenced. The Soomen had brought their own entertain ment along and this proved to be most enjoyable. Mr. Carey introduced the Soo men Quartette as an organization of which Sioux City was very proud. After hearing this vocal group we well understood how this pride was justified. The Quar tette is composed of the following: Paul Bower, Sioux City Gas & Electric Co.; Clarence Phillips, Weatherwax Clothing Co.; Lowell Traver, Lincoln National Life In surance Co.; Milton Soelberg, Sioux City Crockery Co.; Harry Norris, Pelletier’s Inc. (pianist). Following the Soomen Quartette Miss June Seitz gave two tap dance numbers which were highly ap plauded. After Miss Seitz had gone off the stage he introduced Miss Babs Davin, who sang several numbers. Bernie Marr was her accompanist. Following her number came Max and His Accordion Band. This is without a doubt an outstanding or ganization. They played several numbers and had an encore. After this came Yo-Yo the Clown who delighted everyone present with his amusing and varied antics. The Soomen Quartette reappear ed and rendered another number After the social program Mr. Carey introduced a number of Soo men: John Vogel, Manager Frank Pilley & Sons, Vice President of Chamber of Commerce; Henry Feyder, Marshall of Day, Mgr. of Feyder Texaco Co. Leo Darley, GenT Agent, Burlington Railway; Carl Fredericksen, Pres, of Live stock Nat’l Bank, Chief of Soomen Committee; Henry Milligan, C. J. Milligan & Sons Grain & Feed; H. C. Doer, Mgr. McXesson-Rob bins. Following this he introduced Rev. E. J. Smith, who was the speaker of the evening. He gave a brief history of Father Smith’s life. Father Smith was born in Nebraska and entered the priest hood in Iowa, in the Sioux City diocese. When America entered the war he became chaplain in the 339th Field Artillery. Since com ing back to America he has served as Chaplain of the American Le gion in state, district and local chapters. Father Smith gave a very brief address. To close the program the Quar tette sang a song dedicated to the people of O’Neill. —Marjorie Joan Cronin Soomen’s O’Neill Party Turns Out to Be a Hummer By J. W. C. in Sioux City Journal If you want a town that's live, Just go to O’Neill— Where to please you people strive, Just go to O’Neill. Folks out there are the best you can find Sturdy generous, wholesome and kind— Irish rascality, congeniality— Just go to O’Neill. If you’re looking for some Swedes, Don’t go to O’Neill— Or for streets grown up with weeds, Don’t go to O’Neill. There are Doughertys, Dugans and Tooles. Flynns, O’Flahertys, Reillys and Pooles— Work like the devil, they’re all on the level In live, progressive O’Neill. Where the sandhills start to roll— That’s busy O’Neill. Where the cowhands spend their dough— That’s busy O’Neill. Where the Burlinr/ton quit laying ties, ’Cause the town they reached was a prize— Where girls are pretty, almost like Sioux City— Yes, that’s busy O’Neill. “And there, in a Harry Norris parody, sung by the popular Soo men’s quartet (Paul Bower, Low ell Traver, Clarence Phillips and Milton Solberg, substituting for Carl Norrbom) to the lilting tune of Sweet Peggy O’Neill, you have the spirit of the Soomen’s visit to the county seat of Holt county, Nebraska, Thursday evening. “From the moment the ebulient Otto Bridge (born in England but long ago wholly Americanized), as song leader, called for the ren dition of My Wild Irish Rose in the Soomen’s best barber shop manner as the first of a series of Irish ballads sung by the entire party to the last goodnight a few minutes before 10 p. m. (stream lined train time) the Soomen never lost sight of the fact that they were in Nebraska’s most Hibernian city and never ceased to give evidence of the fact that they were thor JESSE B. MELLOR PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS DIES A Holder of a Great Deal of O’Neill and Holt County Real Estate. Always Had Faith in the : Future of This City and County Jesse Benton Mellor passed away at his home in this city this morn ing about 8:30, after an illness of over one year, at the age of 72 years, 2 months and 16 days. The funeral will be held Saturday af ternoon at 2 o’clock from the Pres byterian church, Rev. Bell officiat ing and burial in Prospect Hill cemetery. "J. B. Mellor was born at Kill buck, Ohio, on June 27, 1868, his parents both being natives of Ohio. He grew to manhood in his native city and when nineteen years of age he started west and in the fall of 1887 he came to this city, which had since been his home. Jess was a young fellow vigorous and full of ambition, but without any mon ey and he walked into this city, coming from the south. He has been engaged in business in the city ever since he came here, until last spring, when he disposed of the Ford agency and retired from active business. His first business venture was a dray line which he very successfully operated for a number of years. Then he branch ed out in the livery business, oper ating a livery and feed barn in con necction with his drayage business. His first bam was built in the fall of 1894 after the destruction of the DeYarman barn by fire the summer before. With the advent of the automo bile the livery business suffered and Jess, always being Ipng vision ed, promptly entered the automo bile business, he being one of the first in that business in this terri tory. He built a cement block building, just east of his Ford Gar age later erected, in 1912 and for many years was actively engaged in the selling and repairing of auto mobiles there. Later he erected the present commodious Ford Gar age building which he occupied for many years with the Ford agency until his retirement. At the time of his retirement he was one of the oldest Ford dealers in this section and was possibly the oldest auto mobile dealer in this central or western part of the state. J. B. Mellor was remarkably sar cessful in business and was rated one of the wealthiest men in thin city or county. During all of has business life he was an investor and at his death owned many valv able business properties in the city as well as several resideneas. He also has extensive holdings in Denver, and owns considerable Holt county land, in three bodies, two of the places being improved and upon which he has been ea gaged in stock raising. During the last few years of his life Mr. Mellor had largely retired from active work and spent his time with his livestock and other investments. His was a remark ably keen mind and his judgment was universally respected and much sought after by those inter ested in making investments or purchasing properties. During the late hard years he helped many with loans who could not make a loan elsewhere and quietly and un ostentationsly helped a great many through difficult circumstances. On July 21, 1895, he was united in marriage to Miss Mamie Burke, the ceremony being performed at Stuttgart, Arkansas, to which city she had moved several months be fore. One son, Ralph, was bom of this union, who, with his mother are left to mourn the passing at a kind, affectionate husband and father. He is also survived by one brother, George Mellor, of Red Bird, and one sister, Mrs. C. 9. Kohler, of Denver, Colo., besides three grandchildren and several nephews and nieces. In the passing of Jess Mellor another of the bunch that were much together in the latter eighties and early nineties has gone to the great beyond and there are not many of us left. In the past six months we have lost from that bunch Fred Swingley, John Haze lett, Clyde King and now Jess Mel lor. Those of us who are left feel that we have lost a real landmark and a man who had been close to us in the days that are gone. Good Bye, Jess. oughly enjoying its whole hearted hospitality. “The banquet in the new public school gymnasium proved a fitting conclusion of a red (or should we say green?) letter day for O’Neill. Thousands of persons had driven in from the country and nearby towns to take advantage of special trading opportunities offered by O’Neill meerchants and to “oh” and “ah” over the Burlington’s newest streamlined train, the Silver Streak, which pulled into O’Neill a few minutes after 6 p. m. with 216 (no more, no less) Soomen on board. "O’Neill had reason to feel proud of the fact that it attracted the largest crowd of Soomen in the six-year history of Soomen excur sions. Of course, the streamlined train may have had something to do with the size of the turnout, but the Soomen freeiy admitted that O’Neill’s well known reputa tion for “congeniality” als> played its part. “And, speaking of enviable repu tations, O’Neill’s was considerably enhanced by its demons4 ration of Thursday evening. Credit for the fine showing was divided between the businessmen as a whole; the Lion's club, which directly spon sored the reception to the Soomen and the Catholic Daughters, who had the banquet in charge and were roundly praised for both food and service. “Approximately 200 O’Neill men and women sat down with the 216 Soomen, and during the four hours they spent together during the last half century (since O’Neill became the western terminus of the old1 Pacific Short line, now a part of the Burlington system) became still faster and firmer. “The Soomen got back home at 3:15 a. m. Friday, enthusiastic over the success of the trip, the party being generally regarded as one of the best of all Soomen parties. “Never before had the Soomen so thoroughly realized the signifi cance of the well known Irish sal utation, “Cead mile faulte” (One hundred thousand welcomes).” Soomen Return From Journey Into Nebraska From the Sioux City Tribune “Weary but pleased Soomen, 216 strong, disembarked here at 3 a. m., Friday from a trip to O'Neill, Neb., one of the most successful in the history of the Soomen. Under the direction of H. N. Feyder, marshal of the day, and Carl L. Fredricksen, Soomen chief, the Sioux City boosters boarded the Burlington streamliner, the new “Silver Streak Zephyr,” at the station here at 1:45 p. m. Thurs day. “The gleaming steel train, new est and largest of the “Zephyr'' fleet, which will go into service April 15 on a run between Kansas City and Lincoln, Neb., attracted crowds in every town and at some crossroads on the way to O'Neill. At O'Neill the train was thrown open for inspection as it had been Thursday morning in Sioux City. “High spot of the trip for many of the Soomen was a visit past the huge diesel engines to stand in the cab of the locomotive. Condition of the roadbed made speed impos sible but a visit to the locomotive impressed the Soomen with the power and potential speed of the train. “At O’Neill, the Sioux City visi tors were met by a band, many res idents of the city and, under direc tion of Harry Clauson, marshal of the day for the O’Neill Lions club, marched to the new high school gymnasium for a banquet and pro gram. “The program was opened by Ted McElhaney, O’Neill Lions presi dent, who introduced J. D. Cronin, Holt county attorney, who wel comed the Soomen. “Response to Mr. Cronin's speech was made by John W. Carey, man aging editor of the Journal, who served as master of ceremonies for the program presented by the Soo men. “On the program were the Soo men quartet of Paul Bower, Clar ence Phillips, Lowell Traver and Milton Soelberg and Harry Nor ris, accopmanist: June Seitz, dan cer; Babe Davin, vocalist, accom panied by Bemie Marr and Yo Yo, the clown. “Rev. E. J. Smith of Immaculate Conception Catholic church was the principal speaker. Community singing was led by Otto Bridge. Msgr. J. G. McNamara of O’Neill gave invocation.” Francis Connelly made a busi ness trip to Norfolk on Tuesday.