Neb. State Historical Society
The Frontier
O'NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1943 NO. 14
f Captain Ralph L. Oppen
Buried Here Tuesday
Captain Ralph Lyle Oppen died
! in his home in this city last Fri
! day evening at 10:35 o’clock, af
ter an illness of about fifteen
months, of a heart ailment and
complications, at the age of 33
years, three months and 17 days.
The funeral services were held
from the Presbyterian church in
this city Tuesday morning, Rev.
Kenneth Scott officiating, and
burial in Prospect Hill cemetery.
The local post of the American
Legion were in charge of the fu
neral services at the grave.
Ralph Oppen was born at Pipe
stone, Minn., on April 19, 1910,
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl
Oppen. The family moved to this
city in 1926, his father being an
| employee of the power company
| here. He attended the O’Neill
f high school and graduated there
from with the class of 1928. On
November 17, 1930. he was united
in marriage to Miss Ruth Scott of
this city, the ceremony being per
formed in Sioux City, Iowa. He
attended the Nebraska University
College of Medicine and received
his degree as a Doctor of Medi
cine in June, 1940. He was a mem
ber of Upsilon Nu of Phi Chi
Medical fraternity. He was a
medical officer of the Nebraska
National Guard and was called to
active duty as a First Lieutenant
in the services of the armed forces
of the United States in December,
1940. He was promoted to the
rank of Captain in February, 1941.
He served at two or three camps
in the South and was then trans
ferred to Catalina Island, which
was his last duty assignment On
account of his health he was re
tired from active duty on April
30. 1943.
He leaves to mourn his passing
his wife; his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Carl Oppen of Creighton,
Nebr., who were here at the time
of his death and who spent most
of the past two weeks here dur
. ing Captain Oppen’s last illness.
He is also survived by one brother
I and two sisters. Both of his sis
ters were here for the funeral
| services.
Captain Oppen was a splendid
Hyoung man and had a host of
friends in O’Neill and everywhere
that he was known. He spent sev
iteral years in securing an educa
Ition so that he could take his
I place in the ranks of his chosen
^profession and until seized with
■the illness that terminated in his
f death he was progressing rapidly
I in his chosen profession and his
I future looked exceedingly bright.
His passing is mourned, not only
by his immediate family but by a
S large circle of friends here as well
k as in army circles, where he was
. a favorite among the officers,
j The Frontier joins the many
I friends of the family in extending
| to the sorrowing wife, his father
I and mother, brother and sisters.
I its condolene in their hour of
[■ sorrow.
I Good Neighbors
Better Than Gold
—
M. Van Dover, living in the Op
portunity neighborhood, returned
! the forepart of last week from
Omaha, where he spent five
I weeks receiving medical care in
the University hospital. Mr. Van
f Dover says that he has the finest
neighbors to be found in any part
[ of the county. While he was away
I his neighbors took care of his
i growing crops, so that worry did
■ not bother him while he was lying
■ in the hospital. But he desired us
I to say that he is deeply appre
| ciative of the many acts of kind
s' ness extended him while he was
i away and wants us to assure them
[ that their goodness to him in his
hour of trial will ever be held as
1 one of the fondest memories of
his life.
County Court
C. G. Meininger of O’Neill was
arrested on August 7th by Patrol
man R. H. Walter and charged
§ with having wrong number plates.
^ He was found guilty and was fined
? $7.00 and costs of $3.10.
Merle Peterson of Ewing was
arrested on August 8th by Patrol
man Walter and charged with
reckless driving. He was fined $10
and costs of $3.10.
Garold Jensen of Bassett was
arrested August 1 by Patrolman
R. R. Shorney and charged with
reckless driving. He pled not
guilty, but at a hearing was found
guilty and fined $10 and costs of
$3.10.
Bill Shroeder, proprietor of the
Mobilgas service station (at the
sign of the flying red hoss) in
west O’Neill, departed a few days
ago for Thermopolis, Wyo., where
he will spend the next few weeks
splashing in the curative mineral
waters in hope that he may ob
tain relief from an attack of rheu
I matism that has again been creep
1 ing up on him for some time. Dur
I ing his absence Bill Burger is
looking after the station during
■5 the daytime, while Hugh Mc
iManus, recently back from a year
of service in the army and not a
' bit afraid of the dark, is looking
- after the station duties from dusk
until dawn.
Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Gill, of
Chambers were business visitors
in this city this morning.
*
Band Concert Saturday
Evening At 8:15
1— Star Spangled Banner
....._Key
2— March, “Repasz Band”
_Lincoln
3— Waltz, “Old Timers’ Waltz”—
_ Lake
4— Novelty, “Hawaiian Medley”—
_Yoder
5— Trombone Solo, “Stars in a
Velvety Sky”-Clarke
Patsy Kruse
6— Popular Novelty, “The Toy
Trumpet”-Briegel
7— Sacred Paraphrase, “Pilot Me”
_Barnhouse
8— Overture, “Scenes From Op
eraland,” Hayes; excerpts
from “Raymond,” “Bohem
ian Girl," Foust: “Carmen”
and “William Tell.”
9— Vocal Solo, “God Bless Amer
ica” _Mrs. Carl Asimus
10— March, “March of the Steel
Men” ._Belsterling
O’Neill Will Be On
Air Line After War
The Inland Air Lines, with
headquarters at Casper, Wyo., has
filed application with the civil
aeronautics board for permission
to operate six air lines after the
war.
Among the proposed routes is
one from Cheyenne to Omaha via
Sidney, OgaUala, North Platte,
Grand Island and Lincoln.
They also seek routes from
Scottsbluffs to AlUance, Nebr.;
Casper to Scottsbluffs; Casper to
Omaha via Douglas and Lusk,
Wyo., Crawford, Chadron, Gordon,
Valentine Ainsworth, O’NeiU,
Norfolk and Fremont, Nebr.;
Omaha and Sioux Falls by Sioux
City and Casper to North Platte.
Northwestern Railroad
Again Loses To Emmet
The Northwestern railroad com
pany has again lost out in its
Emmet station agent case. The
railroad company filed a petition
some time ago for a rehearing of
its case which was tried before
the commission last spring, in
which the commission refused
their application to dispense with
an agent at Emmet. The com
mission, at a hearing last Tuesday,
! refused to abandon their position,
; basing theii* opinion on changed
i conditions, they held once more
that the public convenience and
necessity require the mainten
ance of an agent there.
Hospital Notes
Mrs. Forest Sammons and baby,
of Amelia, dismissed Sunday.
Mrs. Ray Siders and baby, of
O’Neill, dismissed Saturday.
Mrs. Arthur Block and baby,
of Walnut, dismissed Saturday.
Norborn Osborne, tonsils re
moved Wednesday.
Marriage Licenses
Alvin Andrew Anderson, 24,
and Donna Mae Farley, 18, both
of Bassett, on August 9th.
Congressman Karl Steffan and
Mrs. Steffan were in the city last
Thursday night, on the way to
their home in Norfolk, from a
visit to the air bases in western
Nebraska and southwestern South
Dakota. Karl made this office a
pleasant visit Friday morning,
where matters concerning the po
litical trend of the state and na
tion were discussed very briefly,
j Karl is looking fine and it is evi
; dent that work in Washington
agrees with him.
Mrs. Francis Kelly and daugh
ter, Frances Marie, Miss Donna
Jean Marcellus and Miss Mary
Jo Allen departed Wednesday for
Arizona. Mrs. Kelly and daugh
j ter will visit Mr. Kelly, who is
an aviation cadet and is stationed
at Glendale Arizona. Miss Mar
cellus and Miss Allen will visit
Miss Susie Bachman at Phoenix,
Arizona.
The body of Sgt. Tevis Green
arrived here last Saturday morn
ing and was taken to the family
home Sunday morning, and the
funeral services were held in the
auditorium in Charrbers that af
ternoon. Several from here, in
cluding several members of the
American Legion, went down to
attend the funeral services.
Norbert and Albert Fernholz
left Wednesday for Tacoma,
Washington, where Norbert will
make his home. Albert, who is
in the U. S. M. M„ has been
spending his furlough here visit
ing relatives and friends, will re
port for active duty.
Miss Noreen Murray will leave
Friday for Omaha, where she will
visit her sister, Kathryn, for a
few days. She will also visit her
sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Waldrop, in Kearney
before returning home.
___
The Weather
Hi eh Low
August 6 -85 65
August 7 -87 72
August 8 -93 72
August 9 ---98 70
August 10 - 92 66
August 11 98 72
August 12 -94 65
Precipitation .12
I
U. S. Senator Uncovers
Undercover Work
An appalling revelation of bu
reaucratic abuse has been report
ed in the Congressional Record
at the instance of United States
Senator Bridges. It is an account
of the activities of the Federal
Power Commission, under the
chairmanship of Leland Olds, for
mer writer for the official daily
newspaper of the Communist
Party, the Daily Worker.
The authority of the Federal
Power Commission, one of the
most powerful government agen
cies, vested with far-reaching con
trol over the electric utility in
dustry, has been used in delib
erate attempts to promote nation
al socialism in the United States.
Most flagrant example cited by
Senator Bridges centered on the
electric power requirements of a
new government aluminum plant
in Arkansas. A group of the prin
cipal private electric companies in
Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Ok
lahoma and Kansas formed the
Southwest Power Pool to furnish
electricity to the plant. Rates
were established under state reg
ulations, and adequate electric
power was made available thru
interconnection.
But at the demand of the FPC,
and against the advice of the
Army and Navy Munitions Board,
millions of pounds of copper crit
ically needed in the war effort
were used to build a duplicating
power line from a government
dam 200 miles away. In addition,
the. Commission proceeded to hold
a hearing as to the “propriety’’
of the state regulated rates of the
private companies which had been
finally permitted to supply a part
of the energy needed by the alum
inum plant. Reporters termed the
hearing a French Inquisition.
State utility commissions consid
ered it an inexcusable invasion of
states’ rights. Obviously the Fed
eral Power Commission was de
termined to extend public owner
ship, regardless of cost or in
fringement on local authority.
It seems inconceivable that a
powerful agency of government,
established to serve all the people,
could be warped into an instru
ment of prejudice seeking to de
stroy our institutions and ulti
mately our form of government.
And yet Senator Bridges reveals
with frightening clarity that it
has been done.
Legion Auxiliary Held
Regular Meet Wednesday
At its regular meeting Wednes
day night the American Legion
Auxiliary drew up a resolution
to be presented to the Mayor, the
American Legion and the Com
mercial Club petitiong that dur
ing all Military funerals all busi
ness houses be closed and flags
displayed.
Mary Harrington. Grace Borg,
Gertrude Streeter and Edith
Davidson were named regular
delegates to the State Convention
in Norfolk on August 23, and 24.
Blanche Karr and Ruth Rector
were named alternate delegates.
The unit voted to contribute
$10.00 to the Nurses’ training
fund.
Combination Sales
Combination sales requiring a
consumer or retailer to purchase
an additional item as a condition
to the delivery of any one or more
desired articles is a direct viola
tion of OPA regulations, Maur
ice E. Rawlings, district director
stated today.
He said that numerous reports
have recently* been received indi
cating such violations and that
immediate steps would be taken
in order to correct this situation.
Mr. Rawlings declared that nei
ther consumer nor retailer need
buy an additional item to that
which is desired or ordered as the
regulation clearly states: “You
must not, as a condition of sell
ing any particular food, require
a customer to buy anything else.
Any such evasion is punishable
as a violation of this regulation.”
He urged that all retailers and
consumers report any such trans
actions to the Price Panel of their
Local War Price and Rationing
Board or directly to the district
office of the OPA.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Block, a
daughter, born Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Dexter, a
son, born Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Lyndle Stout, a
daughter, born Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Anderson,
a daughter, born Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Rakes a girl, born
Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Vern Beckwith, a
boy, born Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Woods of
Page,' a boy, born Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Mavwood Brueg
man, a girl, born Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. William Strong, a
girl, born Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Dexter a
boy, born Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Clausen
entertained Rev. and Mrs. Ken
neth Scott, Mrs. Scott’s parents,
Rev. and Mrs Rabb, of Pasadena,
Cal.; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Pat
terson and Roy Sauers at dinner
at their home last Sunday.
BREEZES FROM "
THE SOUTHWEST
By Romaine Saunders
Atkinson, Nebr.. Star Route No. S.
Maybe the Italian end of the
Axis merely jumped from the
frying pan into the fire where
they can stew a little faster.
Georgia has extended the privi
lege of the ballot box to 18-year
olds, of whom there are an esti
mated 160.000 in the state. Just
that many more democrat votes.
The one who admits his preju
dices is likely to be more consid
erate of the opinions and prin
ciples of others than the chap who
boast that he is “broad-minded.”
Even critical letters from read
ers are flattering, but maybe the
writer should spend his money
for war stamps instead of wasting
it on postage stamps for the
Breezes scribe.
Mr. Wallace indicts his fellow
patriots who “hate Roosevelt.”
Unfortunately the feeling appears
to be mutual and the apostle of
good will helps matters none by
spreading the feeling of ill will.
The most ridiculous reason for
a strike yet given on the union
labor front was the walkout of
250 arrogant white workers be
cause three negro women were
Kut on the job in a tire and rub
er plant at Akron, Ohio.
A newspaper man who hangs
around close to government dig
nataries says Secretary of State
Cordell Hull has j never been a
new dealer, which! everybody has
known, but it’s not so well known
that he denies passports to some
notables. “Among those who did
not get one was Eleanor Roose
velt.”
Opinions differ. They are not
worth much. It is the record that
counts. The past several years
have brought monumental gov
ernment waste, private enterprise
strangled and the dole substituted
for jobs. Mr. Roosevelt now pro
poses a sizeable handout for ser
vice men after the war. Fine. Let
them have it; bull 'still better, let
them have jobs with freedom of
private enterprise. And while
handouts are being passed around,
now come Indian tribes of the
upper Mississippi valley states
asking for a cool billion from the
government for territory that be
longed to their ancestors. This is
probably the most legitimate of
all claims and the least likely to
be granted.
“The men that were at peace
with thee have deceived thee . . .
they that eat thy bread have laid
a wound under thee.” I wonder
if the prophet Obadiah in the year
587 B. C. had a glimpse of Pearl
Harbor as he wrote those words.
Japan had no better friend among
the nations of earth' than the
United States, and it may well be
said had no other friend among
the nations. All they have of civi
lization and modern industry they
have learned in free America. We
have fed them when they were
hungry, brought succor to them
in disaster, taken them into our
schools and churches, for which
they requite their friends with a
“wound.” Nippon will learn—has
learned—that a wounded friend
has become to him a full cup of
gall and wormwood.
A dull gray cloud that hung on
the distant prairie rim, broken at
the northern extremity into par
allel lines which the declining
orb of day transformed into bars
of gold and tinted the denser mass
with a red glow resembling the
fires of a far-off furnace—a scene
on nature’s endless screen of
transcending beauty. Just a prairie
sunset. A pale half moon rides
high in the southern heavens,
from out of the northwest floats
a breath of cooling air and eve
ning shadows deepen over the
quiet countryside. Another day
has gone into- life’s record of gain
or loss. Out in the gloaming rasps
a lone katydid. The cool of eve
ning brings release from the dis
comforts of a hot August day to
work-worn men and women and
tired ranch horses.
On a hot August day it may be
pardonable to feel like the gent
who wrote—
I would I were beneath a tree
A-sleeping in the shade,
With all the bills I’ve got to pay,
PAID!
And then the creditor might
feel like the other gent who
wrote—
Though a man may have a rasp
ing voice
That like a scythe doth mow you,
’Tis sweeter than sweet music
when he says,
Here’s what I owe you!
Close to watermelon time, but
there are not the loads of big lu
cious melons that grew at an
earlier day. And raiding melon
patches has been considered a
more or less legitimate pastime
for boys since the memory of man
runneth. Some householders take
it pleasantly, others resent the
Mrs. Cole Named State
Chairman Woman’s Com.
According to the daily press
last Sunday, Mrs. Guy Cole of
Emmet has been named chair
man of the Women’s State Sal
vage committee, and is now in
charge of that organization.
Mrs. Cole has been chairman of
the Holt County Salvage commit
tee for the past year and a half
and her work in this county was
so good that the state officials
were of the opinion that she
should be at the head of the com
mittee. and when a vacancy oc
curred in that position she was
placed at the head of the com
mittee. The Frontier, as well as
her many friends in the county
extend sincere congratulatios on
this well-deserved honor coming
to this Holt county lady and we
predict that she will make a suc
cess of this drive in Nebraska
during the next year.
Still Need Tin Cans
And Waste Fats
Tin cans are still wanted and
should be taken, prepared, to the
Tin Can depot in your town In
O’Neill take them to the small
building back of the Court House
annex. The Spelts-Ray Lumber
company have kindly let us use
a building of theirs and they will
be hauled to this place at intervals
but the building back of the an
nex is so convienent we are going
to continue using it.
The need is so great for the cans
that oil cans, paint cans and to
bacco cans can now be used. They
need not be cleaned, just crush
very flat. Other cans should be
cleaned the ends opened and
flattened.
The waste fat collection for
July in Holt county was the
smallest since this work started
Our boys on the battle fronts are
making good gains, and they need
our help more than ever, to fur
nish them with ammunition and
the weapons of war. We can’t
let ’em fight with bare hands.
Ernest E. Emminger
Ernest E. Emminger died in the
State Hospital in Norfolk at 8:45
o'clock last Friday morning, after
an illness of four days of terminal
brpncho pneumonia, at the age of i
79 years, 7 months and 22 days.
The body was brought to O'Neill
by the Biglin ambulance Friday
and was shipped Saturday morn
ing to Humbolt, Kan., for inter
ment.
Ernest E. Emminger was born
at Fredonia, Mich., on January 13,
1864. He came to Holt county
about 40 years ago and for sev
eral years lived in the northern
part of the county, then moved to
Conley township about 30 years
ago, where he made his home un- i
til a few years ago when he rented
his place and lived in O’Neill for
a time. Mr. Emminger never mar
ried and he is survived by two
sisters, who live at Humbolt, Kan.
Patrolman and Mrs. R. H.
Walter and family arrived here
last Friday and are now located ,
in the Pat O’Connor home in
southeast O’Neill. Patrolman
Walter came here from Omaha
and took over the duties in this j
district that had been looked after
for the past couple of years by
Patrolman Meistr^l, wrho has been
transferred to Columbus, leaving
for there last Friday.
loss of a melon. On one occasion a
ravaging gang of boys get into
the melon patch of the late Dr. A.
H. Corbett, whose home was in
the same block as my own on
lower First street in O’Neill. Cor
bett was a dentist, photographer
and amateur farmer. When he
discovered that his melon ground
had been invaded he got the old
trusty hoe and cut melons and
vines into shreds. I was not one!
of that raiding gang, but at a
much earlier date was identified
with others who had designs on
an orchard at the home of a, wid
ow, where hung tantalizing red j
apples. The approach to the or
chard was made warily, but that i
bunch of youngsters were flab-'
bergasted when the widow her
self met them with a smile and a
cheery “Hello boys! Want some
apples? Just climb over the fence
and help yourselves.” And there
on the spot the raiding gang be
came a volunteer squad for the
protection of that grand woman’s
property and person.
The city of Lincoln has a con
test as to which of two of its citi
zens is the lawfully elected
member of the city council. Rees
Wilkinson was given the seat on
the strength of the findings of the
canvassing board which gave him
a majority of four votes over the
next man, who contested and
has won in county court. Mr.
Wilkinson appeals and in the
mean time the mayor and council
have discovered they have a live
wire among them, injecting some
life into the ordinarily routine of
a municipal council session. Mr.
Wilkinson is an originator. He
started more than a ouarter cen
tury ago the first exclusive auto
mobile insurance company in the
state and has been followed by
many imitations. Now he is wag
ing a fight to bring an indifferent
traction company to a sense of its
obligation to the city.
•
Pioneer Dies On Highway
Just East Of Atkinson
Bert Freed. 72, one of the old
time farm residents of this com
munity, died suddenly of a heart
attack about one o’clock Thurs
day afternoon, August 5th.
Mr. Freed was on his way to
town from his farm 6 Vi miles east
of Atkinson. About a mile from
town one of the tires on his car
w’ent flat. He suffered the heart
attack as he was putting a jack
under the car, and died instantly.
Mrs. Freed was with him, but
did not get out of the car at once.
After a few minutes she called
to her husband when she didn’t
hear any activity, and receiving
no answer she gut out to find him
lying dead in the road.
Born in Illinois, Mr. Freed came
to Holt county when he was a
boy, and had lived here practical
ly all of his life.
The body was brought to the
Seger funeral home in Atkinson,
where it will remain pending fu
neral arrangements which have
not yet been made. Rites will be
held at St. Joseph’s Catholic
church in Atkinson, probably
Monday or Tuesday morning.
Mr. Freed is survived by his
wife; two sons, Lyle of Phoenix,
Ariz., and Robert of Atkinson;
one daughter, Mrs. Fred Barnes
of Atkinson. -Atkinson Graphic.
U. S. Employment Service
Placed Many Workers
Job placements by the Norfolk
office of the United States Em
ployment Service soared to a new
high during the past year. Mana
ger Walter Steffen announced to
day.
In a report for the year ended
June 30th, Steffen said a total of
6,792 workers were hired by em
ployers in the Norfolk area, fol
lowing their referral by the local
USES office, compared to 2.080
job placements in the preceding
year This is a percentage gain
of 266 per cent.
Of the 6,792 placements, 4,471
were in agriculture—testimony to
the No. 1 place held by farming
and ranching in northeastern and
northern Nebraska. Steffen said
the demand for all types of labor
shows no sign of letting up in the
face of a gradually thinning sup
ply of manpower.
"Many employers in the state
are successfully attacking the
manpower problem by upgrading
workers within their own organi
zation to fill skilled jobs and go
outside only for low grades of
skill.” Steffen observed. “It is
much easier, of course, to locate
unskilled workers and train them
than it is to find experienced
helD.”
He suggested that only a start
had been made in the Norfolk
area to fully utilize women work
ers, who constitute a large* source
of labor supply. He urged that
employers make an "affirmative”
study of their plant operations to
determine what additional jobs
might be handled by women. A
reaoDraisal of this kind, he as
serted, frequently discloses that
an employer need make only
minor changes in his plant setup
to employ women. Steffen said
the Employment Service will be
glad to furnish a skilled assistant
to employers who desire aid in
making such a study.
"Employers who before the war
had not employed women have
been surprised and pleased by the
skill women have shown on jobs
previously handled by men. But
we have made only a beginning
in this field. More and more
women will be needed to fill jobs
this year as we get nearer the
bottom of the manpower barrel.”
Prices Nominally Steady
On Livestock Receipts
Livestock receipts were cut here
last Monday and, for the most
part, prices looked about steady
with a week ago. The market car
ried a firm undertone and the
day’s supplies found ready outlet.
Calf supplies were short and
those that were here were very
ordinary in quality. Prices were
mostly around last week’s levels
on both steers and heifers.
Only a fair showing of year
lings was on sale. Steers in this
class paid from $12.75 down, with
nothing toppy offered. Heifers
cashed at $12.50 down.
The cow market was a little
easier, with a few top beef cows
making around $12. Plainer kinds
cashed at $10.50 to $11.50, with
common kinds placing at $8.50 to
$9.50. Canners and cutters sold in
a wide price range from $6.50 to
$8.00. Bulls scaling 1225 pounds
made $12.95, with the bulk pay
ing $12.45 to $12.60.
About 500 hogs were on sale
here. Choice handyweight butch
ers cashed $13.65. Bulk sold at
$13.55 to $13.60. Sows reached
$’2.75 on lightweights; bulk cash
ed at $12.55 to $12.65. Feeders
were quite plentiful and paid
S 12.20 to $12.50. Little pigs sold
by the head at good prices. Next
auction will be held on Monday,
August 16.
Mr. and Mrs. W J. Froelich and
children, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Stout
and Miss Lou Birmingham left
Monday for a vacation trip at
The Brule, Superior, Wis.
Montana Jack Describes
Oregon-Idaho Highway
John O'Malley received the fol
lowing letter from Montana Jack
Sullivan, of Butte. Mont., a couple
of weeks ago. Jack’s vivid de
scription of the Oregon-Idaho
highway is so good that we deem
ed it worthy of passing on to our
readers:
Dear friend John: Some time
ago I told you I was going to tell
you about a journey I took one
time from Huntington, Ore., to
Boise, Idaho.
There was a beautiful highway,
which crosses a sagebrush desert
as far as the eye can reach. This
highway is lined on either side
by locust trees at intervals of a
feur hundred feet.
I noticed a cultivated area
about twelve feet in extent at the
base of each tree which was a
solid bed of cactus. There was no
cactus anywhere through the
sagebrush excepting at tne base
of each tree. I asked a fellow who
w'as working on the highway just
what the scheme was about the
cactus.
He said it rarely ever rained in
that locality and that locust trees
withstood more drouth than any
other tree which would grow
there. He said the cactus absorbed
the moisture out of the air and
that the trees robbed the cactus.
It was the longest stretch of
highway I ever traveled where
there were no habitations of man
kind. The beauty of the scene was
so absorbing that the thought of
lonesomeness never entered my
mind. The sage bore a purple
blossom and the clear blue ridge
of mountains in the distant back
ground topping this immense field
of purple was staggering to the
imagination. To get the picture
as I got it. the sage had to be in
bloom and the atmospheric con
dition timed just right.
Down on the “Painted Desert”
in Arizona, one gets those pris
matic, or rainbow colorings,
against the hillsides, which give
the desert its name. But the Ari
zona desert is brighter, and with
the strange formations even with
out the prismatic effect, you’d
still have a picture.
In case one did not hit this
sagebrush desert just when I did,
it might be a long, drab, lonesome
road. But the glow on the mo'in
tains, the bloom on the sage and
the atmospheric conditions were
all perfect to have a lasting im
pression.
I have always been in love
with life and raptured with na
ture. but scenes like these make
me wish that I could handle a
paint brush like Charles Russell;
then my happiness would be com
plete.
I have some time yet on the
hospital job and am also inspect
ing the wiring of the airport, so
can’t tell for a couple of weeks
when I can shove off for O’Neill.
I am all hopped up about the trip,
for that’s one place where one
can relax. All anyone ever does
around O’Neill is seek recreation.
Any time I ever heard anyone
talking about work around O’Neill
I thought they were trying to kid
somebody. It’s the only place in
the world where work is a snap.
I was glad to see that big Wop
dog it out of the war. I always
had him figured for a phoney, and
thought there was enough yellow
in him to paint the court house.
He has been bowling over small
countries the past few years who
had nothing to eat or fight with
but cocoanuts. The first time one
of those American kids took a
power dive at him the yellow
came to the surface.
I am enclosing a cartoon which
tells the story about England. I
want you to show it to Tom
Griffin.
I will get lined up in a week or
so, then I "an fi"'"-e who" T "an
get away Then. I’ll write to Don,
and also Bob Gordon. He is also
coming west this fall—that is, to
O’Neill. As ever vour nal,
JACK SULLIVAN.
Wheeler County F*ir On
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Residents of this area will be
treated to the only rodeo show
ing in this section of the state t-is
year when the Wheeler County
fair and rodeo is presented at
Bartlett on Friday. Saturday and
Sunday, August 13. 14 and 15. In
addition to the rodeo, stress will
be put on the 4-H and agricul
tural exhibits of the fair.
Walter Plugge, rodeo manager,
has been busy the past month lin
ing uo that nart. n* the =how. He
announces that calf roping, bull
dogging. Brahma, bronco and buf
falo riding will be the main fea
tures of his program. Mr. Plugge
s well equipped to stage a top
notch rodeo. At his large ranch in
Beaver valley, eight miles north
east of Bartlett, he keeps Brahma
and Texas longhorn cattle and
buffalo the year round. “Walt”
has shown over quite a territory
in past years, but will limit him
self to one or two shows, in ad
dition to the Wheeler county ro
deo. this year.
A dance will be held at the fair
around pavilion on Saturday and
Sunday nights.
Mr?. Emma Dickinson Weekes
left Wednesday for Omaha, where
she plans to make her home.