Seb. State Historical Soci.t,
The Frontier
■ i ' .Hi' ■ -.. -- - —— i ■■■■-—■ «f.|
VOL. LXIII O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1942 NO. 30
Tragic Accident
Saturday Killed
Carl Headman
A tragic accident at the North
western yards in O’Neill last Sat
urday evening about six o’clock
resulted in the death of Carl
Vedar Headman, 54, of southeast
of this city, when a truck he was
helping to load backed into him,
crushing him between the box
car and the truck, causing in
stant death.
Mr. Headman was assisting
Glen Williams in loading a
truck belonging to Smith Broth
ers of Chambers, at the North
western tracks. They had the
truck partly loaded from one car
and drove to another car to get
some freight for the firm that was
in the car. Mr. Headman went to
the car door to open it and Mr.
Williams backed the truck to the
door, catching Mr. Headman be
tween the end of the truck and
the car, crushing him and causing
instant death. Dr. Carter was call
ed at once and he reported that
Headman had died instantly.
Carl Vedar Headman was born
at Ljusne, Sweden, on February
27, 1888, and was 54 years, nine
months and one day old at the
time of his death. When a young
man he came to this country and
lived for a time at Genoa, Nebr.,
and in that city on January 10,
1917, he was united in marriage
to Miss Mabel Voxberg. A month
following their marriage they
came to Holt county and located
southeast of this city, east of
Chambers, where they had since
made their home. Mr. Headman
is survived by his wife.
Vedar Headman was a splendid
citizen and was universally well
liked by all his acquaintances in
this county. He was a quiet and
unassuming man, a hard worker
and was getting fairly well-to-do.
His sudden and tragic death is a
shock to his wife and his many
iriends in the southern part of
the county.
The funeral was held from the
Baptist church in Chambers last
Monday afternoon, Rev. John E.
Spencer, of the Presbyterian
church of this city, officiating,
assisted by Rev. Merton M. Cox,
pastor of the Methodist church
at Chambers, and burial in the
Chambers cemetery. The funeral
was a very large one. attesting to
the esteem in which the deceased
was held by his neighbors and
friends in the south country.
Banker Aid For
Pork Campaign
Bankers all over Nebraska are
being urged to immediately start
action on the Pork Production
Campaign sponsored by the Gov
ernment to increase the pork pro
duction 40% in 1943 over the fig
ure of 1942.
Recommendations are going out
this week from the office of the
Nebraska Bankers Association to
all member banks, asking that
they cooperate in this state-wide
campaign to put Nebraska back
to her former high rank in hog
production, and to thus give prac
tical aid to the war effort. Co
operating banks are urged to as
sist farmers wherever practicable
so that more sows may be bred
to farrow in the spring and fall of
1943, and to further assist in the
program to save more pigs per
sow and to feed them to a heav
ier weight.
The goal for which Secretary
of Agriculture Wickard is striv
ing is a 10% increase for the en
tire nation. A greater increase is
asked of Nebraska because this
state’s feed grain production is up
40% this year and there is twice
as much corn and wheat stored
on farms. Bankers expect that the
Government will provide price
support that will maintain pork
prices at profitable levels for the
farmer.
Mail Christmas Parcels
And Cards Early
The postoffice department is
urging the early mailing of par
cels and cards for Christmas, so
as to insure delivery by Christ
mas. On account of the great in
crease in mail, caused by the war,
all branches of the service are
crowded and a little co-operation
by the public will be of great as
sistance.
Joe Biglin attended the Nebras
ka-Kansas State football game at
Lincoln last Saturday.
ORDINANCE FOR
BLACKOUT
Our readers are requested to
carefully read Ordinance No.
206A of the City of O’Neill,
published in another column
of this issue. This a meas
ure providing regulations for
Blackouts, during the War
Emergency, and should be
carefully read by our people
to familiarize themselves with
its provisions. The first Black
out will be on Monday night,
December 14th.
Gerald Sobotka, Inman,
Gets Army Promotion
Second Lt. Gerald L. Sobotka of
Inman was promoted as 1st Lt. in
! the Army Air Corps on Novem
i ber 26. Lt. Sobotka received his
education in the Inman high
school, where he graduated in
1938, and received his military
training in the R.O.T.C. at the
University of Nebraska, where he
graduated and was commissioned
2nd Lt. on May 25, 1942. He was
sent to MacDill Field, Tampa,
Fla., where he reported for active
duty last June 25th, and was
made a Squadron Intelligence Of
ficer. On November 18 this year
he was transferred to base head
quarters and was made assistant
Base Intelligence Officer. Lt. So
botka is the son of John Sobotka,
Jr., of Inman, and married Dor
othy Langan of O’Neill.
-
Youths of 18-19
Are To Register
Youths who became 18 years of
age in July and August will regis
ter during the week of December
11th to 17th, according to a proc
lamation issued by President
Roosevelt setting the dates for
registration of teen-age youths.
Those reaching that age in Sep
tember and October will register
the folowing week, and those at
taining that age in November and
December will be required to
register the week of December
26th to 31st. A continuous regis
tration is provided for those be
coming 18 years of age after Jan
uary 1st, next. Youths of 18 and
19 years who registered last Jan
uary will receive questionnaires
at once, and they will be called
up in the order of their birthday,
the oldest first. It is stated there
will be no lottery, and youth 18
and 19 years of age, in school,
may obtain deferment until the
end of the high school year by
making written application.
.
Monroe Halladay, Ewing
Reported Killed In Action
Navy casualty list No. 17. is
sued by the Navy last Friday, an
nounced four Nebraska men kill
ed. Among them were Robert
Monroe Halladay, ensign, hus
band of Phyllis M. Halladay, of
Ewing.
Drueke-Devall Uuptials
In Portland, Oregon
Announcements were received
here by relatives and friends of
the marriage of Jeanette Drueke,
daughter of Mrs. M. A. Schelkopf,
to Clarence Devall, son of Mr.
and Mrs. William Devall, pioneer
family of the Meek community.
The ceremony was performed
at the chapel of the church of St.
Francis of Assisi at Portland,
Oregon, by Father Manik. Miss
Agatha Tunic, of Butte, was
bridesmaid and Thomas Hynes
acted as best man. Mrs. Devall is
a graduate of the O’Neill High
School with the class of 1938. Mr.
Devall is employed at the Kaiser
shipyards at Portland, Oregon.
R. H. Shriner Purchases
Hayes Ins. Business
Mrs. J. M. Hayes closed a deal
the latter part of last week for
the sale of the Hayes Insurance
Agency in this city to R. H.
Shriner of O’Neill, who took pos
session the first of the month.
Mr. Shriner has been a resident
of this city for seven years, hav
ing been the traveling represen
tative of the Dempster Mill Mfg.
; Co. in this territory. He is a gen
ial, affable gentleman and The
Frontier welcomes him to the
ranks of O’Neill business men.
Roy Sauers spent the week-end
in Omaha visiting his wife, who
! is in a hospital there.
John Alfs, Early
Settler, Departs
John Alfs died at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Tesch, six
miles east of Atkinson on Friday,
November 27, 1942 at the age of 77
years, seven months and twenty
days. Biglin Brothers ambulance
went after the body and brought
it to this city and the funeral
services were held last Monday
JOHN ALFS
1 afternoon at the Methodist church
in Atkinson and burial in Wood
j lawn cemetery at the side of his
wife, who passed away in Aug
ust, 1940.
John Alfs had always enjoyed
good health and was in especially
fine spirits this summer and fall.
At the recent election he was the
democratic candidate for county
assessor and canvassed the coun
1 ty in the interest of his candidacy
| and appeared as hale and hearty
j as he ever was. Last Thursday
] he went to the Tesch home for
Thanksgiving dinner, the family
being old-time friends. After sup
per that evening he went out to
the car and was ready to start for
home. After entering the car he
| had a heart attack. Mr. Tesch got
him out of the car and into the
house and called Dr. Douglas
from Atkinson, who administered
a stimulant and in a short time
he was feeling fine. He stayed
j there all night and was to come
i home the following afternoon. He
I had another attack about one
o’clock the next day and passed
j away in a few moments.
Deceased was born in Grand
Duchy of Aldenburg, Germany,
on April 7, 1865. When he was
ten years of age his parents came
to the United States and located
in Lancaster county, Nebraska,
where they remained for three
years, and then in 1878 they came
to Holt county and located north
west of O’Neill, in what is now
known as Pleasantview Town
ship, and here he grew to man
hood and lived the greater part
of his life.
On October 1, 1895, he was
united in marriage to Miss Amelia
Siebert, the ceremony being per
formed at Mariaville, Nebr. Two
children were born of this union:
Mrs. Minnie Martens of Atkinson,
and Mrs. Etta L. Kitchens of Sher
idan, Wyoming, both of whom
, were present at the funeral serv
i ices. He is also survived by one
brother, Otto Alfs, of Wall, S. D.,
who was also present at the fu
neral services.
John Alfs was a good citizen
and always took an interest in the
civic affairs of the county and this
city, since he moved to O’Neill
from his farm home thirteen years
ago. At the time of his death he
was a member of the city coun
cil, representing the Second ward.
John was a genial and compan
ionable man and had a host of
friends over the county who were
shocked when they learned of his
sudden death.
Fire Breaks Out
At Council Oak
Fire from a defective light wire
j or spontaneous combustion in the
! coal bin, started a fire in the base
ment of the Council Oak Store
about 11:30 this morning.
The fire had gained good head
way when the fire department
appeared on the scene and soon
had the fire under control. The
fire was burning fiercely when the
department got the water on the
flames and considerable damage
was done to the floor near the
furnace, but the only damage to
the stock was caused by smoke.
The extent of the damage was
unknown at the time of going
to press.
Miss Dorothy Moore, who at
tends Duschene College in Oma
ha, left on Sunday after spending
the holiday here) visiting her par
' ents, Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Moore,
I and other relatives and friends.
Breezes From
i The Southwest
By Romain* Saundera
Atkinson, Nebr., Star Route No. 5.
Ted Walhorki of Elyria, accom
panied by a neighbor, Mr Rankie,
was ir| this community a day last
week and bought a cow and calf
of Tom Baker. Ted is just arrived
] in his eighteenth year and is
launching out thus early in life
in the purebred stock business,
his fancy running to Shorthorn
cattle and spotted Poland China
swine.
If you are rolling along at 35
on the highway just east of Inez
and pass an underslung with a
young lady leaning hard on two
sets of lines and doing a good job
of piloting four snappy horses,
that may be Miss Betty Smith, or
some other competent ranch girl,
heading for the meadow to run
a cable around a haystack, jug
gle the heavy four-horse hitch,
swing her teams into place and
yank half a stack onto the under
slung and trot back to the cattle
feeding grounds with her load.
Maybe we old-timers have been
a bit critical of Young America,
but when it comes to a pinch they
demonstrate that they are made
of the right sort of stuff.
Cheer up; there may be a job
for you if Uncle Sam gets to it
before the new cor^gress meets.
According to one of the many
writers on the staff of the Wash
ington Times-Herald — and it
takes something of a crew of writ
ers, printers, proofreaders and
pressmen to turn out a 42-page
paper every morning—108 go on
the U. S. payroll each hour of the
day, night and day. By early fall,
th£ executive branch of govern
ment had 281,423 on the payroll
in Washington alone, while the
entire service had a total of 2,
450,759 by the end of August
"The incoming congress,” says
this Times-Herald writer, “is go
ing to insert more riders into
legislation than one might ex-:
pect. They promise no good to1
many thousands now On the job.” I
As I view it, it requires a fa
natical mental slant to regard a |
salute of the flag as an impious
act. Fanaticism has caused un-1
necessary trouble to a lot of good
people, and if commensurate re
turns have followed they were
confined to the inward glow of
the martyr. Of the thing itself,
there is nothing in the multi-col
ored bit of cloth floating from a
flagstaff—it is the priceless heri
tage which that fluttering flag
represents and for which the head
is bared in recognizing salute.
Sixteenth century England saw
the rise of a religious group who
got themselves into a world of
trouble by denouncing the
churches as “steeple-houses” and
refusing to remove their hats on
occasions when common courtesy
seemed to require it. Fanatics
are a left-over from the past but
they are getting along better to
day than formerly.
The brown prairie has early
taken on the winter coat of white-1
wash and the dawn of December
1 dropped the weather gauge to
within six points of zero. The
snow has quieted fears of prairie
fires, furnish a covering for grass
and grain roots, spreads a charm
ing picture over the landscape,
deepens the chill in the air and
makes you step a little brisker.,
“All beautiful the march of i
days,
As the seasons come and go;
The hand that shaped the rose
Hath wrought the crystal of the
snow—
Hath sent the hoary frost of
heaven,
The flowing waters sealed,
And laid a silent lovliness on
hill and wood and field.”
Our nation’s capital is overrun
with newspaper “columnists” tell
; ing how it is done. One of the no
5 tables in this class refers to the
i landing of allied forces in North
Africa something like forty-seven
time as “luck.” The turbulent
flow of waters of the mighty At
lantic along the west coast of
north Africa renders surf landing
at Casablanca something more
than luck. Why not say the hand
of Omnipotence aided in the land
ing? Right as opposed to wrong—
that, in the final analysis, is the
essence of this world conflict.
Call it luck, the breaks or what
you will. Providence is forever
on the side of right, and in the
end no great issue was ever set
tled other than right. I like to
think it was not luck at Casa
Gas Rationing
Brings Folks In
All O'Neill business places en
joyed a brisk business last Mon
day, the day before the start of
gas rationing. Dry goods stores
were especially busy and in many
of the stores were customers from
several adjoining counties, visit
ing the city to make their winter
purchases before the gas deadline
went into effect.
Gasoline dealers had one of the
best days in their history in this
city. Everyone was driving in and
telling them to ‘‘fill ’er up.” In
addition to getting their car filled
many of them had milk cans, jugs
and various other receptacles fill
ed with gasoline, so they would
not be caught gasless when they
really needed it. The people who
it will really hit hard are the
farmers and ranchmen of the
county. To these, many of them
living from 15 to 45 miles from
town, will not have enough gas
oline to enable them to get to
town for supplies and then get
home again, under the present
ration program. But we are of
the opinion that this will be taken
care of shortly and those needing
gas, not for pleasure driving, but
for necessary business activities,
will be able to get what they
want. At least, for the benefit of
all concerned, let us hope so.
Tree Orders Are
Being Received
Local farmers and ranchers will
be interested in learning that
Clarke-McNary seedlings will be
available through the county
agent’s office in O’Neill again in
1943. Eighteen varieties will be
included and orders will be taken
during the winter months for de
livery at planting time next
spring. Cost of all varieties will
be $1.00 per hundred. Applica
tions may be obtained by writing
to Lyndle Stout, county agent, in
O’Neill.
The complete list of varieties
include: American elm, Chinese
elm, mulberry, cottonwood, green
ash, hackberry, honey locust,
black locust, Russian olive, wild
plum, boxelder, caragana, soft
maple, chokecherry, yellow pine,
Austrian pine, jackpine, and red
cedar.
Tree planting has become ex
tremely popular in Holt county
during recent years and Clarke
McNary seedlings have had an
excellent survival. Last year 36.
550 seedlings were distributed.
Tree planting this year may have
to be curtailed because of farm
labor conditions, but recent ex
periences show that often seed
lings can be planted before farm
work starts. Fall plowing of the
ground, where blowing is not a
problem, can save labor required
next spring.
Keep Well Move
Being Promoted
Posters dramatizing five fun
damentals on how to keep well
are being distributed throughout
O’Neill by the Northeast Nebras
ka Life Underwriters Association
as part of the nation-wide “Keep
Well Crusade” being conducted
by the country’s life insurance
people to aid in the war effort.
The five-point health program
outlined in the poster was pre
pared by the Institute of Life In
surance in cooperation with the
United States Health Service and
endorsed by Dr. Thomas Parran,
Surgeon General of the United
States.
“Those fundamentals for keep
ing well cannot be overstressed
today as we go into high gear on
war production in this country,”
Dorlin Lockmon, chairman of the
Holt County Keep Well Crusade
Committee, said today, “for every
hour lost through sickness' or in
jury strikes at the war out-put.
The total loss nation-wide from
this cause is four billion man
hours annually, and every mem
ber of this community can con
tribute to the war effort ‘just by
keeping well’ and thus reducing
this great production time loss.”
Miss Mary Carney spent the
Thanksgiving holidays in Sioux
City visiting relatives and friends.
j blanca, but the good hand of our
God over our men, and may they
I conduct themselves worthy of the
; high calling that for which they
I were landed.
Father Isadore Visits
Old Friends Here
Father Isadore, who had been
visiting at the home of his sister,
Mrs. C. E. Stout, for the past two
weeks, left Monday for Butte,
Mont., where he will visit rel
atives and old-time O'Neill folks
for a couple of weeks prior to his
return to Sierra Madera, Calif.
Father Isadore grew to manhood
in the Michigan settlement north
east of this city and he thoroughly
enjoyed his visit here with the
few real old-timers that are left
in the city and surrounding
country.
Trial Blackout
Set For Dec. 11
Anticipating the state - wide
blackout scheduled for December
14th and desiring that said black
out shall be as near 100 per cent
as possible, it is deemed advisable
that we hold a practice blackout
in O’Neill on Friday, December
11th, from 9:00 to 9:15 p. m.
All civil Defense chairmen, city
officials, air raid wardens and
civilians are asked to help make
this test a success. The object of
this test will be to iron out any
difficulties' prior to the state-wide
test in the Seventh Corps Area,
when Army planes will be over
head to check on the success of
the blackout.
We are assured by the Office
of Civilian Defense that any town
not blacking out will be severely
reprimanded. Since our Air Raid
Wardens have not yet graduated,
and are therefor not entitled to
wear the insignia identifying
them as such, a white arm band
approximately four inches in
width, may be worn during both
of these tests.
All towns in the county have
been supplied with a copy of a!
blackout ordinance covering the1
emergency and it is assumed that
the same or some suitable form J
thereof will have been acted upon |
prior to the tests.
Business houses having outside |
signs and window lighting should
arrange to have same turned off
or provide an outside switch
which may be operated by the
Air Raid Warden or auxiliary pol
ice officer in the sector.
Prior to these tests, Air Raid
Wardens should have visited all j
homes in their sector and distrib
uted the leaflets, “Meet Your Air
Raid Warden,” which have been
supplied to most committees. Ad
ditional copies of this leaflet may
be obtained upon request from
the county chairman or county
commander at O’Neill.
Wardens’ posts should be estab
lished and the city authorities
should have designated a place
for the control center to be estab
lished, with adequate telephone
communication to each.
Each community will have to
decide upon the signal to be used
for both the “Air Raid” and “All
Clear” signal. These undoubtedly
will be determined by the equip
ment at hand. They should not,
however, be signals that might be
confused with the regular fire
alarm signal.
Should you be driving on the
streets when an Air Raid signal
sounds, immediately pull into the
curb, extinguish your lights and
wait until the “all clear” signal
sounds.
Air Raid Wardens and auxiliary
police will co-operate to see that
this is carried out, since it is
necessary that the street be kept
clear for the passage of fire
trucks, ambulances, and various
utility trucks which may have to
use the streets during such a
period.
To assist you in complying with
the regulations, we list the fol
lowing:
Don’t leave your home when
the Air Raid sounds, and be sure
your children are kept off the
streets.
Don’t light matches or smoke
if you happen to be on the street.
Don’t attempt to drive your car.
Don’t leave lights burning and
go away to visit your neighbors.
Don’t turn on any lights that
will show outdoors— leave them
off or make certain your windows
are properly covered.
Don’t use your phone except in
emergencies— the operators will
be busy on defense calls.
The Air Raid signal for O’Neill
will be one blast on the fire siren
of about one minute duration. The
“All Clear” signal will be two
blasts of approximately one-half
minute duration.
HOLT COUNTY
DEFENSE COMMITTEE.
J. E. Davidson,
O’Neill Pioneer,
Is Laid To Rest
James Edgar Davidson, son of
: O. E. and Rebecca Davidson, was
born near Terre Haute, Indiana,
j on December 6, 1871, and depart
! ed this life at his home in O’Neill
on Saturday morning. November
28, 1942. at the age of 70 years,
I 11 months and 22 days, after an
j illness of several months. He
| came to Nebraska with his par
j ents when a small boy and resid
I ed in Hamilton county for several
I years. The family moved to
O’Neill in 1882 and this was his
home until his death.
On November 7, 1892, he was
j united in marriage to Miss Anna
; Hansen and to this union eleven
: children were born, eight sons
; and three daughters, who, with
' the mother are left to mourn the
| passing of a kind and noble
| father.
Mr. Davidson spent his early
manhood in the employ of John
McCafferty, who was engaged in
the hardware business. In 1901
he opened a plumbing and heat
ing establishment for himself. He
was a pioneer in this business and
continued in this work, with the
help of his sons, until his death.
The children, all of whom were
present for the last rites, are:
John, Ralph, and James, Jr., of
O’Neill; Clyde of Sioux City,
Iowa; Edward and Lloyd, of Cas
per, Wyoming; Frank, of Culver
City, Calif.; Owen, who is an av
iation metalsmith in the U. S.
Navy, stationed at Pensacola,
Fla.; Dorothy (Mrs. J. Fred Deg
nan) of Buffalo Gap, S. D.; Fran
ces (Mrs. O. H. Johnson) of Wau
sa, Nebr., and Eileen (Mrs. Cy
Bruning) of Los Angeles, Calif.
He also leaves to mourn his pass
in, one brother, John Davidson,
of Long Beach, Wash., and one
sister, Miss Dora Davidson, of
Chicago, 111.; fourteen grand
children, two great grandchildren
and a host of more distant rel
atives and friends.
The funeral was held Wednes
day afternoon at two o’clock from
the Methodist church, Rev. Daw
son Park officiating, and burial in
Prospect Hill cemetery. The fu
neral was very largely attended.
James Davidson was one of the
real pioneers of this city. Hb par
ents came to O’Neill when Jim
was eleven years old and he grew
to manhood and spent the bal
ance of his life here. He liked to
tinker around with tools, and at
an early age he went to work in
the tinshop of John J. McCaf
ferty, where he was employed for
many years, until he started in
business for himself forty-one
years ago, he having started the
first exclusive tin, heating and
plumbing shop in the city. As his
sons grew up they went into the
shop and learned the business.
He always enjoyed a good bus
iness and as the years passed he
soon outgrew the little shop he
started business in and moved it
further east on Douglas street and
added an addition, later moving
the building back and erecting a
modern brick and tile building,
which has housed the firm* of
Davidson & Sons for several
years. Jim was a good workman
and always took an active inter
est in the welfare of the city and
its inhabitants.
He always enjoyed good health
until a few months ago when he
began to fail and lost his appe
tite. A trip to specialists in Oma
ha was taken about six weeks
ago, but it was discovered that
he was suffering from that dread
malady, cancer, and there was no
hope, so he passed away peace
ably last Saturday morning. He
had a host of friends in this city
and county who heard with re
gret of his passing. Another old.
landmark, after living here for
sixty years, has passed to the
great beyond. His was an active
and useful life and he will be
missed in this city, and The Fron
tier joins the many friends of the
family in extending to them, in
their hour of sorrow, its sincere
condolence.
County Court
Ray R. Davis of Venus was ar
rested by Patrolman Meistrell on
November 28. He was charged
with reckless driving, pled guilty,
and was fined $10 and costs of
$3.10.
Harry E. Lampert of Orchard
was arrested by Patrolman Meis
trell on November 25. He was
charged witK*naving no rear
lamp, pled guilty, and was fined
$2 00 and casts of $3.10.
