Neb. State Historical Society
The Frontier
VOL. LXI O'NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 1941 NUMBER 41
SOUTHWESTERN
BREEZES ;
By Romaine Saunders
To make a prairie it takes a clover
and one bee—
One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will do
If bees are few.—Emily Dickinson.
To make a prairie it takes a level
land
And here and there a rounded
hill,
And grass and birds, and heaps and
heaps of sand.
In a newspaper editorial I find
this ‘with quotation marks around
it: "The nations used to be sure
of themselves. This is true of
every nation in the world,
including our own.” In the gospel
according to St. Luke, Chapter 21
foretelling the great event of all
time, verse 25, I read these words:
“Upon the earth distress of
nations, with perplexity.”
The Nebraska legislature appears
to be outdoing all previous single
or double-barrelled law enacting
assemblies in trivial, if not non
sensical, legislation. Much of the
products that has gone into the
hopper iB, however, harmless as it
carries no appropriations.
The home surroundings at the
Riley ranch have been brightened
the past week by the erection of a
gleaming white picket fence en
closing the yard.
Bernard Kennedy has ventured
into the mutton and wool industry
with thirty-three ewes. The lar-;
gest band of sheep I know of in the'
community is some five or six
hundred head feeding on the mead
ows at the old West ranch just east;
of Inez.
Mr. and Mrs. Roblyer of Atkin- j
son, were out this way a day last
week visiting friends and iormer
neighbors.
—
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Baker made a
business trip to Albion Monday.
A. S. Younkin, a resident of
southwest Holt during the years of
the Kinkaid homesteaders, died last
Friday at the family home in |
Omaha at the age of 95; thus tak
ing another of the well-nigh extinct
G. A. R. The remains were taken
to Lincoln for burial.
Do you ever get disgusted with
your job—feel that in whole or in
part you qualify as a humbug !
Read this from a gentleman who
signs himself Ex-Lawyer: “It
was not law I practiced, not the
balancing of equities or the appli
cation of legal formulae. I was
merely adept in the juggling of
facts to suit the pattern I desired.
I couldn’t go on pulling rabbits out
the legal hodge podge to save some
weasel-minded debtor from his
honest debts. 1 couldn’t go on tell
ing half-witted witnesses to remem
ber this and that, when the simple
truth would blow my case higher
than a tailless kite. And somehow 1
am too dull to see any difference
between my defending a known
scoundrel and his committing the
crime itself. It all seemed such a
hypocritical play on words in a
world long weary with hypocracy.” j
The group eat in the old Evans
hotel lobby listening as Gus Doyle j
read the war news in the early •
stages of the German onslaught!
in 1914. Doyle was giving it his I
best dramatie rendition and drew
to an impressive climax in the story
from Berlin of the move of Japan
against German interests in which
Kaiser Bill was made to say:
“War to Nippon!” That broke the
dramatic spell and Gus caught the;
humor of it, exploding in a good j
•old Doyle laugh. W’hen Doyle had
taken the oath of office as Mayor j
he called the saloon men together >
and informed them he was going to
enforce the Slocumb law. “If you
think,” the Mayor said, “you can
evade the law during my admin
istration you have reckoned with
out your host.” I fancy if the
genial Gus was alive and still with
ANOTHER PIONEER
PASSES AWAY
Mrs. Mary A. Gallagher passed
away at her home in this city at
12 o’clock last Monday, after an ill
ness of about one month, at the
age of 77 years, eight months and
six days. Funeral services were
held at the Catholic church last
Wednesday morning, solemn high
mass being celebrated by Monsignor
McNamara, assisted by Father Parr
and Father McDonnell. Consider
ing the inclement weather the fun
eral was largely attended.
Mary Ann Mann was born at
Gilbert, Illinois, on June 11, 1863.
The family later moved to Darling
ton, Wisconsin, and came to this
county in the spring of 1883. On
February 18, 1889, she was united
in marriage to Edward F. Gall
agher. Two children were born of
this union, Edward M. Gallagher,
of this city and Donald, of Wash
ington, D. C. Both sons were with
her at the time of her death. She
is also survived by several grand
children and one brother, J. A.
Mann of this city, who are left to
mourn the passing of a kind and
affectionate mother, grandmother
and sister.
In the passing of Mrs. Gallagher
Holt county and O’Neill has lost
another of the pioneer residents of
the city and county. She had been
a resident of this city for fifty-eight
years and always took an active
part in the social affairs of the
city. She was a charming woman
and had a host of friends in this
city and county. She had always
enjoyed good health until about a
month ago when she was taken
down with an attack of the flu,
which did not respond to treatment
and other complications set in which
caused her death. The ranks of
the old timers of the city and coun
ty are thinning fast and it will be
but a short time until there will be
but few left of the real old pioneers
who came here in the latter seven
ties and the early eighties. They
are passing away and their places
will be filled by the rising genera
tion, but the latter will never know
the thrill experienced by the old.
timers when they saw the city and
county of their choice grow and
expand, as this has done in the past
sixty years.
Pleasant Dale School
Miss Ella Kazda, Teacher
None of the pupils had a per
fect attendance this past month
because of the Hu and inclement
weather.
Visitors at the school this past
month were Mrs. Paul Hoehne,
Mr. and Mrs. S. R. Tushla, Mrs.
John Kee and Miss Nayadene Kee.
On Friday, February 14, the
teacher and pupils enjoyed a Val
entin party. After playing many
games the beautiful Valentines
were passed out. Then we all en
joyed a freezer of ice cream and
cookies.
us he would see in the Italian situ
ation that somebody had reckoned
without his host.”
Weather developments Thursday
of last week forced the conclusion
that the ground hog gave us a
rotten deal—or was it a new deal.
Days of mellowing sunshine, nights
of calm with the brown prairie
lying silent under the glow of a
full moon, held promise of early
verdant blooms and budding rose.
Wednesay morning brought an
overcast sky which sprayed a mist
as the day wore on and when by
late afternoon rain beat against
the window panes one wise in Ne
braska weather changes knew
soon there would roar from out the
artic something more severe. We
county printer and writer a word
have as an heiritage from a Holt
which comprehends the sum total
of a violent winter storm. Holt
county citizens should not forget
that one of their number, 0. C.
Bates, gave to the world that pict
uresque cognomen—blizzard. The
blizzard came, blew its breath of
ice across our brown prairie fer a
night and day, and when the moon
and stars appeared the southwest
again lay shrouded in a foot of
avow.
"B" BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT HERE ]
STARTING TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 4|
Will Continue Wednesday and Thursday Evenings
And Final Contest for Championship Will Be
Held on Friday Evening, March 7
At a meeting held in O’Neill last'
Saturday, of the various coaches
of the basketball teams in this,
Class B district, the schedules were
drawn and the referee for the tourn
ament appointed.
The tournament will open on
Tuesday evening, March 4, and con
tinue on through Wednesday,
Thursday and Friday evenings, no
games being played in the after
noon. “Pat” Patterson, of Bas
sett, was chosen as the chief ref
eree.
Following are the drawings for
the opening games of the tourna
ment:
Butte vs. Spencer.
Atkinson vs. Springview.
Page drew a bye.
St. Mary’s of O’Neill vs. Orchard
Long Pine vs. Stuart.
Lynch drew a bye.
At the present time it appears
that the championship match will
be played on Friday evening for the
“B” championship, and that the
winner of the Class C district tour
neys, which are to be played at
Atkinson and Cody will meet here
in their play off to determine which
team goes to Lincoln, to compete
in the state contests.
While St. Mary’s Academy is
acting host !o the Class B tourna
ment, in the new High school gym.
C'Neill High will journey to Nor
folk, where they will compete in
Class “A”’ and will meet Stanton
in their opening game, which is
scheduled for Wednesday after
noon, Maich 6th.
Joe Nikoliczak, Sr.
Joe Nekoliczak, Sr., son of Mr.
and Mrs. Anthony Nekoliczak, was
born in Columbus, Nebr., on June
15, 1870, and departed from this life ]
February 12, 1941, at the age of 711
years, eight months and 12 days.
He was one of three children.
He was united in marriage in
1894 to Katie Swestack and to this i
union nine children were born.
They are: Eva Kaczor, Michael,
Thomas and George, of Ewing
John, Joe and Frank, of O’Neill;
Julia Yelli and Sophia Kemiech, of
Orchard.
For a few years he farmed near
Columbus, then moved to a farm
west of Ewing where they lived
thirty-eight years. Two years ago
he moved to Ewing.
He was preceded in death by one
granddaughter, Shirley Ann Yelli.
He leaves to mourn his death his
wife, nine children, twenty-six
grandchildren, one great grand
child and many other relatives.
Funeral services were held from
St. Peter’s church at Ewing and
burial in the Catholic cemetery.
He was always a good father and
lent a helping hand to his neigh
bors and friends, of which he had
many as was seen by the size of
the funeral, which was one of the
largest seen in Ewing. Friends
and relatives came from Fullerton,
Geneoa, Spalding, Greeley, Center,
Orchard and O’Neill.
St. Mary’s Young Basket
Stars Made Good Record
The grade school basketball team j
of St. Mary’s has had a pretty fair!
season, winning three out of five
games and being runners up in the
Atkinson basketball tournament.
At the tournament they first j
defeated Bassett 9-17 and then de
feated Long Pine 11-19. In the
finals a strong Valentine grade
school swamped St. Mary’s 34-7. i
George Janousck was high point
man during the season, scoring 64
points. The others on the team are:
Bill Froelich, Ed Campbell, Don
Willson, Jim Merriman, Bernard
Daily, Joe Ryan Bill Kelly, Dick
Minton, Joe Biglin, Jim Golden and j
Bob Wallace. —Dick Cronin.
o
Gordon Anderson, of Yankton,
S. D., errived here on Saturday to
spend a few days visiting friends.
)-- —...
St. Mary’s Cards Defeated
Inman Monday Night
Monday night St .Mary’s turned
back Inman High school 54-18.
The first quarter Inman got off
only one shot at the basket from
out in the court, but their ability
to hit from the free throw line kept
them remaining scoreless.
Although St. Mary’s did not
take full advantage of many set
ups the first two quarters they
were never in any real danger,
holding a lead of 19-11 at the half
time.
The second half the Cardinals
turned on the steam dropping in
thirty-five points while holding In
man to seven points.
The Cardinals seconds came;
through with a win over the In
man seconds by a score of 26-12.
Gallagher led St. Mary’s 'with 14
points.
Southern Holt Pioneer
Passed Away Last Week
George Heraog, one of the pio
neers of the southern part of the
county passed away at his home
near Chambers on February 10,
after being in failing health for the
past six years. He was about 68
years of age. George Herzog
came to Holt county with his fath
er, his mother having passed away,
in the spring of 1884 and ever
since he had been a resident of the
southern part of #he bounty. He
was one of the finest citizens in;
the county, always willing to help
others less fortunate than him
self, and always took an active in
terest in the civic affairs of his sec
tion of the county and the county
as a whole. We have lost a real J
friend in the passing of George
Herzog as have many other resi- j
dents of the county. He is sur
vived by his wife, their only child'
a son, having passed away on June
11, 1933. Our sympathy is extend
ed to the widow, who came from
one of the pioneer families of
southern Holt.
COUNTY BOYS AND
GIRLS WIN AWARDS
FOR 4-H WORK
Margery Rees, of Amelia, who is
attending the University of Ne
braska, will receive a gold medal
for rendering the most outstanding
service to 4-H clubs in Holt county
last year.
She is one of 46 club members in
the entire state to be selected by
the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben for
this special recognition according
to word just received by county
agent, Lyndle R. Stout.
These handsome medals were of
fered this year for the first time,
to be awarded in counties taking
part in the Ak-Sar-Ben livestock
show at Omaha. Similar awards
will be made again next year for
outstanding services to 4-H club
wovk.
Medals for champions selected
by the 4-H county committees were
also received as follows:
Home Economics, Mabel Forbes, j
Amelia.
Meat Animal, Bill Rees, Amelia.
Girls Room, Florence Spease,
Stuart.
Cooking, Mae DeLong, O’Neill. ,
Winter Clothes Style £>how— ■
Helen Wilkinson, Atkinson; Evelyn
Elder, Atkinson; Donna Shellhase,
Atkinson; Ailene Wilkinson, At
kinson.
These boys and girls will re
ceive these awards as a result of
their outstanding club work. They
are to be complimented and encour
aged in their work and their awards
will create more interest in 4-H
work in the county.
O'NEILL HIGH WINS
TWO MORE GAMES
Thirteen points was no unlucky
number for O’Neill but it was for
Plainview as their basketball team
couldn’t move off thirteen for near
ly a quarter during which they
dropped behind in the basketball
game here Friday—not Friday the
thirteenth—and finally lost 28-20.
Plainview opened the scoring
after which O’Neill caged two bas
kets to take the lead. Plainview
tied the score and then went ahead
and had a one point lead 9-8 at the
end of the quarter. O’Neill’s de
fense tightened and two baskets
and a free throw put the home
team in the lead 18-12 at the end
of the half.
Shortly after the second half
Plainview tied the score with a
free throw but stalled there for
the remainder of the period while
O’Neill picked up six points.
O’Neill played it safe during the
last quarter trying to protect the
lead and during the last three min
utes elected to take the ball out of
bounds following personal fouls
rather than try the free throw and
give Plainview the chance at get
ting possession of the ball.
The second team game was also
a thriller with O’Neill coming out
on the long end of a 22-24 score.
Yantzie poured in five field goals
while Cole made five free throws
in seven tries to lead the home
scorers.
Summary
O’Neill fg ft pf
Lowery . 2 0 0
Burgess ..0 0 0
Vincent _ .3 1 1
Yantzie _0 0 0
McKenna 2 13
Leach . 0 0 0
Mitchell ...0 0 0
Calkins_5 0 1
French ___ 0 2 2
Cole .._ 0 0 0
12 4 7
Plainview fg ft pf
Trube ...3 13
Carpenter_0 0 1
Jenkins . 110
Albion 0 12
Peterson___2 0 2
Thomas _ _ 10 4
Goos _ _ 0 10
Boetger 10 0
Lingenfelder _..0 0 0
8 4 13
The wind was cold last Tuesday
and the furnace wasn’t working
but the O’Neill High School bas
ketball team turned the heat on
Spencer to win 42-28. O’Neill scor
i ed in less than five seconds on Low
ery’s fielder and Vincent followed
with two more points before the
game was half a minute old. Koe
nig connected a free throw for
Spencer and then Lowery and
French connected for two baskets
each. Spencer collected a couple
of baskets just before the end of
the quarter to trail 13-5 after one
period of play. Then for three or
four minutes play was about even
but O’Neill spurted in the last part
of the half to take a 24-11 margin
at the intermission.
O'Neill went farther ahead in the
third period as each player on the
team made at least one field goal.
Leading 39-19, the O'Neill defense
grew careless and Spencer rallied
to score eleven points while O’Neill
made three—all by free throws.
In the preliminary game O’Neill
won from the Spencer reserves,
26-11.
Summary
O’Neill fg ft pf
Lowery . 6 0 1
Burgess . 0 0 1
Vincent . 4 1 2
Yantzi .0 0 0
Manzer . 0 0 0
McKenna .1 1 2
Loach .1 4 0
French .3 0 1
Cole . 0 0 0
Calkins .-.3 0 2
Mitchell . 0 0 0
18 0 9
Spencer fg ft pf
Pueelik .1 1 1
Storjohann .2 0 0
Koenig . 1 2 0
FOUR KILLED IN AUTO CRASH EARLY
WEDNESDAY MORNING NEAR TILDEN
The Car Traveled Sixty Feet Through Mid Air And
Smashed Against Embankment, Splitting It In Two
Four persons were killed and a
fifth was injured probably fatally
when a speeding automobile left
the highway four miles west of
here, traveled 60 feet in mid air and
smashed against an embankment at
about 1:30 a. m. Wednesday.
Highway patrolmen who inves
tigated expressed belief that one of
the passengers in the car had grab
bed the steering wheel just as the
machine was approaching a bridge.
The dead: Mr. and Mrs. Tom
Cline, operators of a tavern at
Oakdale, each 34; William King, 39,
Oakdale; and Bernard Hull, 29,
Oakdale.
Mrs. Hull is in a Norfolk hos
pital. unconscious and not expected
to recover. The car was owned by
Hull, who was driving.
The four were instantly killed as
the flying car struck the embank
ment and was split wide open,
Lieut. C. J. Sanders and Corp. E. L.
Shottler of the highway patrol be
lieve. Mrs. Cline was thrown from
the car and her body was found
some distance away. Mrs. Hull was
removed from the wreckage with
difficulty and taken bo Norfolk.
Joseph Dunnley, Bartlett, truck
driver, discovered the tragedy. He
saw the tail light of Hull’s car burn
ing brightly as the car lay in the
ditch, and stopped to investigate.
He hurried to a filling station to
spread the alarm.
Patrol officers say the car prob
ably was going at a terrific speed, i
They deduced that someone in the
car became frightened and touch-1
ed the steering wheel as the bridge
loomed in sight. The machine left
the highway before the bridge was
reached.
Cline, who had operated the tav
ern for several years after being
in a similar business at Royal, had
sold the establishment to Hull, who
was to take possession Thursday.
The Clines are survived by three
children, Clifford, 13; Faye, 12, and
Kenneth, 9. Mr. Cline’s brother
was killed in an automobile acci
dent several years ago.
They had closed the tavern far
! the night shortly before the acci
dent.
King, who operated an automo
bile repair shop at Oakdale, leaves
his widow, Myrtle; two sons, IS
and 2 years old, and his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. William King, sr. Ho
also lost a brother in an automobile
accident.
RKRNARD L. HULL
Bernard L. Hull was born at
Meek, Nebr., on August 7, 1911, the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Levi Hull. He
grew to manhood on his father's
farm northwest of this city and at*
tended the O’Neill High school,
graduating with the class of 1928.
Shortly after his graduation he
started out in life for himself and
for several years was a resident of
Lexington, Nebr., later of Valen
tine.
On November 16, 1838, he was
united in marriage to Miss ilene
Cork, the ceremony being perform
ed at Ogallala, Nebr. Mrs. Hull is
the daughter of one of the prom
inent business men of Page. Mr.
Hull is survived by his wife, who
is in a serious condition in a Til
den hospital, his father and moth
er, living on the farm northeast of
here and one brother, Loyal Hull,
also a resident of that section of
the county.
Funeral services will be held in
the Methodist church in this city
Saturday afternoon at 1 o’clock.
Rev. V. C. Wright officiating and
burial in the Marquette cemetery,
northeast of this city. The rela
tives have the sincere sympathy of
their many friends in this city and
county in their hour of sorrow.
Farm Ixian Association
Members Have Successful
Meeting Here Monday
The members of the O’Neill
National Farm Loan Association
held their annual business meet
ing, on Monday, February 17, fol
lowing a one-o’clock luncheon,
which was held at the Golden Ho
tel in this city.
About one hundred twenty-live
members were present at the lunch
eon and at the meeting, and listen
ed to talks by Don Beaton, of Oma
ha, a representative of the Feder
al Land Bank of Omaha, and to
L. R. Stout, County Agent of Holt
County. A. E. Spittler, Secretary
Trasurer of the Farm Loan Co
operative, also reported on the ac
tivities of the past year. His re
port revealed that the Association
has 302 Federal Land Bank loans
totaling $1,113,400.00 on its books
and an additional 253 Land Bank
Commissioner loans in the amount
of $483,800.00.
The members of the association
elected George Shoemaker, of
O'Neill and John E. Kee, of Emmet,
to serve three year terms as mem
bers of the Board of Directors.
Following the annual meeting the
Board of Directors organized for
the ensuing year by electing George
Shoemaker, I*resident; Ethan J.
Allen, Vice President; A. E. Spitt
ler, Secretary-Treasurer, and Anna
L. O’Donnell, Acting Secretary
Treasurer of the O’Neill National
Farm Loan Association.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Swans-on
of Herman, and Miss Anna Toy
of O’Neill, who has been visiting in
Herman and Omaha for the past
three weeks, are expected on Satur
day. Mr. and Mrs. Swanson will
visit at the home of Mrs. Swanson’s
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Anton Toy.
Oatman . 10 0
Woidneek .. 6 1 3
Bentz .. 0 0 3
Lubcr ..0 0 4
Gelster. 2 0 3
O’Neill’s last borne game of the
season will be played Friday, Feb
ruary 28, when Atkinson comes
here. The grade school teams from
the two schools will play the pre
liminary game which will start at
7:30.
Coach Don Anderson
Goes To Kearney
Coach Don Anderson, who came
to O'Neill in the full of 1939 from
Ainsworth, to serve as athletic di
rector and science and math in
structor, has tendered his resigna
tion to the School Board, and will
leave on Saturday for Kearney, Ne
braska, where he has accepted a
position as science teacher. The
members of the School Board have
not, as yet, elected a successor to
Mr. Anderson, but his position as
coach will be taken by Harold Con
ners, assisted by Dorlin Lockman
for the balance of the basketball
season,
O’Neill Girl In Car Wreck
South of Lincoln
The following appeared in the
Omaha World- Herald of last
Tuesday, under a Lincoln date line:
“Two University of Nebraska co
eds and an army air corps ground
school student were injured last
night in an auto collision on High
way 77 six miles south of here.
"The girls, Elsie Toinich, Bush
nell, Nebr., and Delores Storjohann,
O’Neill, Nebr., were not seriously
hurt. The soldier, Ray Lienhart,
Spencer, Nebr., suffered serious
cuts on the face, head injuries and
loss of several teeth. The car in
which the three were riding, driven
by Miss Storjohann, collided with
one driven by E. J. Shane of Crete.
Shane was not injured.
The Weather
The weather has been just a
little snappy the past week reach
ing one below zero on Wednes
day morning, according to the local
weather report. It is fairly warm
today and the indications are that
the blustry weather is over for a
few days and we will have nice
weather again. Following is the
chart for the week:
High |Low Free.
February 13 .32 18 .10
February 14__34 18
February 15 .34 19
February 16 .33 32
February 17 .40 24
February 18 .40 5
February 19 . 7 -1