Nob. State Historical Soeietf
The Frontier
O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1945
LX Vi
NO. 14
SMALL DOSES
PAST AND PRESENT
By Romaine Saunders
Rt. 5, Atkinson
From what happened at
election over in England the
college boys down at Washington
better step softly.
So sixty million post-war jobs
is the goal. At the same time
there is a pretty well defined
under current of sentiment
among bosses and workmen
alike that a letup on war-inflated
industry puts u& under post-war
skids.
We were spiking up legal
notices by hand in solid nonpariel
one day when Sheriff Hank Mc
Evony came into the old Fron
tier office with a sheaf of sheriff
sale notices and offered to leave
them for publication on condition
he was given a rake-off. Jim
Riggs demurred, but he and Mc
Evony went into a huddle and
we fellows back at the cases
didn’t get the drift. That week
The Forntier had a page of sheriff
sale notices but we never learned
if Hank got his rake-off^ I
haven’t seen a sheriff’s notice in
the old paper for many moons.
A maverick from the prairie
land is loose for the first time
among the confusing throngs of
the east, where lingers the his
toric fragrance of the beginnings
of our nation, the mystic charm
of 17th century architecture, the
towering shadows of Roger Wil
liams, George Washington, Pat
rick Henry, nameless patriots
and Old World adven/tfilers—a
vast community of people and
cities whert you can’t get into
the country, country as a Neb
raskan understands it.
From my own charming grass
lands to the Atlantic seaboard
Yankeeland is a great country, a
country had Nippon sensed what
lay between the two oceans we
never would havt had occasion to
remember Pearl Harbor. I came
across the country with my son
who entered the Coast Guard
Academy at New London, Conn.,
the 9th for four month’s officers
training, and will be returning
soon with his wife in a Stude
baker. Iowa is a. corn field, inter
spersed with acres of beans. The
city of my childhood home in
Wisconsin is a beautiful place,
though we spent the last half of
the night of our arrival in the
car as hotels were pre-empted by
the county fair. Wisconsin, Ill
inois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsyl
vania and on to that irresist
ablt magnet for all America,
the Great Niagra Falls. And
I got to step over into
Canada thereby. The American
side is as nature painted tht pict
ure, wthile the British have dolled
up with parks and much floral
bloom. The Falls, their majesty
and might, have been done by
abler pens than mine. Why
should I fling a feeble lhand into
the scene?
Ohio, Pennsylvania—the home;
of my ancesters—New York,
Massachifcetts, Conneticut, Rhode
Island—wlhere I now write—lands
o orchards and vineyards, tim-,
ber-covered mountains, cities and
towns that blend one with the1
other. k
After a visit down at Washing-;
ton I shall set my face toward
the setting sun. Why go east?
If for no other reason to reach
and say you have toufched the
well-spring that gave birth to a
nation and revive in you a re
newed reverance for our sacred
traditions. And who knows?
You may run across a Holt county
homesteader of fifty years ago. i
I have done just that in East
Greenwich, R. I., where I am vis
iting at the home of Glenn and
Florence Saunders. On tht Main
street—the old Boston post road—
of this busy city is a charming
little lady with a crown of gray
hair and grayblue eyes that
reflect nobility who has one of
those variety stores, Mrs. L. M.
Henry, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel J. Twing, sod house home
steader in Holt county between
Atkinson and Stuart. On ac
count of Mrs. Twing’s health thty
retumned east when covered
NATION CELEBRATES VICTORY
AS WAR WITH JAPAN ENDS
LATE NEWS FLASHES
Washington: Secretary of the
Treasury Vinson announced that
the government has planned the
campaign for the eighth and last
bond drive. It will be called the
Victory Loan Drive and will have
as its goal betwetn ten and four
teen billion dollars. Mr. Vinson
also stated that the Victory Loan
will give all America a chance to
thank men and women, of all the
branches of the armed services
of their country, for the tremend
uous work they did in bringing
abut the unconditional surrender
of the Axis Powers of Italy, Ger
many and now Japan.
President Truman’s last act be
fore retiring Tuesday evening was
to call Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt the
express the thought that he was
sorry that President Roostvelt
couldn’t be present to witness the
end of the Second World War.
Probably one of the biggest
surprises to the American people
yesterday came from Washington
when they announced that gas
rationing had come to an end.
Once more the motorist can stop
at a filling station and say “fill
her up” without having to worry
about stamps and how many he
woulr have left and so on.
The OPA announced the end of
rationing on conned goods, vege
tables, fuel oil ad stoves.
The second World War ended
Tuesday when the President of
the United States, Harry S. Tru
man, summoned newspaper men
to his office and announced that
the Japanese Government had
accepted the Potsdom ultimatum,
and surrendered unconditionally
to the Four Big Allied Powers,
the United States, Great Britian,
Soviet Union and China. The
President also announced that
Geeral Douglas MacArthur had
been appointed the Supreme Al
lied Commander to receive the
Japanese surrender. The Japan
ese Emperor agreed that he would
issue his commands to all the
military, naval and air authorit
ies, whereever located, to cease
active operations, to surrender
arms and to issue such other
orders as may be required by the
Supreme Commander of the Al
lied forces, in the execution of
t'he above mentioned terms.
As this is being written (Wed
nesday afternoon) the official an
nouncement of V-J Day has not
yet been announced, and it will
not come until the Japanese Gov
ernment signs the peace terms.
The surrender articles will be
signed in Manila, where high
officials of the, United States,
Soviet Union, Great Britian and
China will sign the peace treaty
for their respective countries.
Some think that V-J day won’t
be announced unil the end of the
week, while others believe that it
will come sooner.
The Second World War started
ir> the summer of 1931 when the
Japanese conquered Manchuria.
Then in 1937 she began her big
war game as she attacked China.
Her battle wilh the Chinese con
tinued through the years and on
December 7, 1941 the Japs bomb
ed Pearl Harbor, which proved
to be the greatest mistake the
Japs ever made. The war ended
just three years, eight months
and seven days after the attack
on Pearl Harbor.
Many rumors (has been floating
around the country, during the
past week, ever since the Japan
ese first offer of surrender was
received in the United States. It
was flashed at least twice over
wagons were the mode of travel,
driving clear through to Massa
chusetts. !
Indeed Yankeeland is a great
country, if we can control the
politicians.
the radio that the war was over,
but soon after the mistake was
made it was rectified. Then the
newspapermen and radio com
mentators announced that the end
of the war was to be an announce
ment by the President and when
so announced it would be official
and not before. When the Presi
dent did announce that the war
was over, the people all over the
World began a wild celebration.
Here in O’Neill after the Presi
dent finished his announcement
the church bells began to ring,
the whistle blew and car drivers
honked their horns, and some
staid and sedate people began to
[yell, to tell the rest of them that
tfhe war was over.
The liquor and beer establish
ments and most of the business
places closed immediately and
closed all day Wednesday, includ
ing the restaurants. Many of the
residents of O’Neill and surround
ing territory went to the church
of their choice to thank God for
that for which we all havt been
praying and hoping for, had
finally come true; and to pray
for all those boys who had made
the supreme sacrifice, so that this
and other nations could celebrate
the end of the war today.
About 10:30 last evening a bon
fire was started in the middle of
the intersection on Fourth and
Douglas streets and people gath
ered around danced and yelled
to celebrate the end of) the worst
war in the history of civilization.
According to reports the bonfire
was still going at six this morning
although at that ime here were
but few people on the streets.
The completion of this war cost
the United States over one mil
lion casualties and three hundred
billion dollars, while ht whole
world it is believed suffered over
fifty-five million casualties and
spent over a trillion dollars for
guns, materials, etc.
So August 14, 1945, will go
down in history as the day of! the
ending of the greatest war in the
history of the world. But we
must not forget the men and
women of the United States who
made the supreme sacrifice so that
we could remain “the land of the
free and the home of the brave.”
James Alan Miller
James Alan Miller, the infant
son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Miller,
was born in Stuart, Nebr., on
December 23, 1944, and died in
the hospital at Wayne, Nebr., on
August 11, 1945, at the age of
seven months, nineteen days.
Funeral services were held at the
Methodist Church Monday, Aug
ust 13, 1945, Rev. Dawson Park
officiating and burial in Prospect
Hill cemetery.
Albert Ross, Ernest Ross, Ed
win Hull and Cordell Hull, who
are cousins of the baby, acted as
pall bearers. He is survived by
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Miller, and a brother, Duane,
also his grandmother, Mrs. Emma
Miller and many other relatives.
CARD OF THANKS
We desire to express our sin
cere thanks to our many kind
friends and neighbors for their
many acts of kindness and sym
pathy during our recent bereave
ment.—Mr. and Mrs. Albert Mil
ler and Duane.
O’Neill Boy In Medical
Department Pacific Base
Midway—Archie R. Bright, hos
pital apprentice first class,
USNR, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Ramon H. Bright, O’Neill, is serv
ing in /he medical department at
this Pacific Naval base. He has
been, overseas 19 months.
Before entering the Navy in
January, 1943, Bright was a
student at Wayne State Teachers’
College.
Another Pioneer Dies At
Home Here Friday Last
Carrie N. Gibson passed away
at her home in this city last Fri
day, at the age of 82 years, five
months and twenty-two days.
The funeral was held Monday
afternoon at the Methodist
Church, Rev. Dawson Park offi
ciating and burial in the Mineola
cemetery at tlhe side of her hus
band, who passed away in 1908.
Carrie Pierson was born at
Glimakra, Sweden, on February
18, 1863. She came to Holt
county as a bride in 1887 with her
husband, Nels P. Gibson, who
located on a homestead in the
northeastern' part of the county,
near Mineola, whtre she made
her home until her removal to
this city. Mrs. Gibson was the
mother of one son, Albert, of this
city, who is left to mourn the
passing of a kind and affectionate
mother; she is also survived by
two grandchildren, Margaret and
Nelson Gibson; one sister, Mrs.
Betsy Aim and other relatives
and friends.
Mrs. Gibson was a charming
lady and had a host of friends in
the northeastern part of the county
where she lived most of her life.
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to express our sincere
and heartfelt thanks to our many
kind friends and neighbors who
were so kind to us during our sad
bertavement, the loss of our dear
beloved mother, sister and aunt.
—Albert Gihson, Mrs. Betsy Aim
and Clara, Mr. and Mlrs. A. H.
Aim, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Dimmitt,
Mr. and Mrs. H. V Rosenkrans.
Library Now Open
The Library is now open Wed
nesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday from 2:00 to 5:30
and from 7:00 to 9:00 Thursday
and Friday evening.
B. BRENNAN,
Librarian.
Patriotic And
Sacred Band Concert
Sunday, August 19.
This concert is presented es
pecially for the people of O’Neill
and community who are unable
to attend Saturday evening con
certs. Harry Claussen will an
nounce the numbers.
1. “Star Spangled Banner”—
Key.
2. Victory Overture —Yoder.
3. “When Johnny Comes
Marching Home”—Lamber.
4. March, “Bay State Com
mandery.”
Introducing the Hymn,
“How Firm a Foundation”—
Bunell.
5. Hymn, “Nearer My God To
Thee”—Monk.
6. Selection, “Largo”—Handel.
7. Vocal Solo, to be selected—
Veronica Coyne.
8. Spiritual, “Nobody Knows
The Trouble I’ve Seen.”
9. Spiritual, “Deep River.”
10. Stlection, Cornet Solo, “The
Holy City—Adams.
Dorothy Lowery.
11. Hymn, “God Be With You
Till We Meet Again.”—
Tomer.
17. “God Bless America—Irving
Berlin.
William J. Froelich will furnish
the treats for the band members.
BUILDING FOR SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN,
that tihe O’Neill Ward School
Building, located two miles west
of the O’Neill cemetery in the
northwest corner of Section 26,
Township 29, Range 12, will be
sold at public auction, for cash,
at the above' location, on Monday,
August 20th, 1945 at 1:30 P. M„
by order of the Board of Edu
cation, School District No. 7.
IRA H. MOSS,
Secretary,
O’Neill Ball Team
Again Trims Tilden
The O'Neill base ball team trav
eled to Tilden Sunday whefe they
had and afternoon game with the
Tilden Club and the local team
wore by a score of 6 to 3. R. Car
son wasl on the mound for O'Neill
and allowed bilt four hits, and,
batting in the clean-up spot he
got two hits in three trips to lead
in the batting department. Gene
Wolfe got two out of four trips to
the plate, while Dick Tomlinson
got two out of five tries.
For Tilden the hitting was
evenly divided four players gett
ing the four hits. They were
Bliss, Kinnon, Roewart and Richie
Ash burn who last year was Ne
braska nominee for the Esquire
game, and who went east and
played with the West club. He
has been playing with tfhe Utica,
N. Y., team for several months
but returned to Tilden to leave
the 23rd of this monh for induct
ion ino the armed forces. The
game was won by O’Neill in the
first inning when they drove four
runs across the plate and afttr
that the game was never in doubt.
This coming Sunday, August
19, the O’Neill club will travel to
Creighton, where they will have
a game with the Wausa club and
the local boys will try and get
revenge for an earlier loss that
was handed them by the Wausa
team.
The Weather
Date H L M
August 10 . 83 63 M
August 11 .87 60
Allgust 12_ 90 65
August 12 _ 90 65
August 14. 85 57 T.
August 15 80 62 .T
August 16_81 51 1.81
The precipitation here since
Wednesday morning at 8:00
this morning amounted to 1.81
inches. From what we have
heard today the rain was quite
general over the county. Looks
as if this would take care of the
crop for this year, if Jack Frost
does not pay us too early a visit.
PAGE METHODIST CHURCH
Feodor) C. Kattner, Minister
Sunday School 10:00 a. m.
Worship Services 11:00 a. m.
For the children in the church
basement.
For Adults in the sanctuary.
The Youth Fellowship will meet
at 8:30 p. m> The Neligh Youth
Fellowship will be guests. Miss
Joy Kattner, and possibly Ken
neth Johnson, of Neligh, will
speak on their caravan experien
ces this summer.
Major and Mrs. Gilbert R. Butts
of Washington, D. C., arrived
Tuesday from Denver, where
Major Butts has been visiting his
wife who has been living there
temporarily, for a short visit at the
home of his aunt and uncle, Mr.
and Mrs. D. H. Cronin and family.
He recently returned from over
seas, where he had spent nearly
two years. He was in England,
France and Germany. Major
Butts went into the army in Jan
uary, 1941, as a private. After
about six months service he enter
ed an officers’ training school and
was commissioned a Second Lieu
tenant and he has continued to
climb the official ladder. His last
promotion was last fall, when he
was appointed major. He was a
participant in the Normandy
Beach landing and also the drive
into Germany.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Hull, of
Sioux City, spent from Sunday
till Tuesday here visiting rela
tives and friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Ted McElhaney
and family and Miss Mary Holli
day spent Sunday in Orchard vis
iting relatives.
Dangerous To Burn Old
Battery Cases In Stoves
This spring Barbara Jean Neal,
the year old daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. C. Neal of this city, was
taken seriously ill and Dr. Carter
was called. Her condition was
so unusual that Dr. Carter called
in Dr. Finley for consultation.
Both physicians agreed that she
was suffering from some method
of poisoning but were at a loss as
to the cause. She was then sent
to Dr. Stark at Norfolk, who
agreed with the findings of the
local physicians, but not having
the necessary laboratory facilit
ies, to dettrmine the cause, she
was sent to the University hos
pital at Omaha. This was the
latter part of May. About ten
days ago Dr. Carter received a
letter from the University hos
pital, concerning the case, and as
it contains some information
as to the danger of burning old
battery cases, thought it worthy
of publication. The letter follows:
L A. Carter, M. D.,
O'Neill, Nebr.
Re: Barbara Jean Neal
Dear Dr. Carter: On entry, May
31, this patient gave a history of
vomiting two months and a con
vulsion on the day prior
to admission. She was ir
ritable and was unsteady on her
feet. The liver was 3cms below
the costal margin, and a mass in
terpreted as spleen 1 cm. below
the costal margin. Blood studies:
showed stippling of the red blood'
cells which suggested the possi
bility of lead poisoning. On
further questioning the mother
gave a history of burning battery
cases in the cook stove during
the winter and spring. With the
blood findings, history, and zone
of density in the epiphyseal reg
ion of the long bones consistent
with lead poisoning, diagnosis of
lead poisoning was confirmed.
Her response was rapid and
she continued to improve. Her
prognosis is good. She was dis
missed July 20, 1945.
Very truly yours,
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL,
R. Allyn Moser, M. D.,
Assistant Superintendent.
Pat Harty left Tuesday after
noon for Rochester, Minn., where
his brother Ben and wife have
been for several days. Ben Harty
is suffering from a tumor on the
lung and he will submit to an
operation Thursday morning, and
Pat will remain there until after
the operation. Ben’s many
many friends in this city hope
that the operation will be suc
cessful and that he will return
home in a few weeks feeling fine
and in good health.
Mrs. Charles Richter, Sr.,
suffered a slight stroke Saturday
evening, and she has since been
confined to her home, but is
getting along fine.
—
Harold Hunt, of Omaha, arriv
ed today to spend several days
visiting relatives and friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred McNally,
of North Platte, were guests of
their daughter and son-in-law,
Mr. and Mrs Richard Tomlinson,
several days last week. They
returned home Saturday.
Captain John R. and Mrs. Gal
lagher arrived here Wednesday
from Chicago, 111., where they had
been visiting Mrs. Gallagher’s
mother, Mrs. Honke, who accom
panied them here, where they
will visit at the home of his
mother, Mrs. Bea Gallagher.
! Captain Gallagher is in the U. S.
Marine Corp and spent over two
and a half years in the South
Pacific and participated in some
of the bloodiest battles the
| Marines had for the possession
j of some of tht Jap held Pacific
Islands.
Ix>cal Girl Reports On
4-H Clubs Camp Outin?
Miss Della Lewis, Mrs. Glee
Grimes and Miss Twila Whaley
returned Friday evening from
Seward, Nebr., where for the pre
ceding four days they had at
tended the Eleventh Annual 4-H
Conservation Camp.
Tnis camp was directed by 4-H
Clubs of the Agricultural College
Extension Service, co-operating
with the Nebraska State Game,
Forestation and Parks Commis
sion, U. S. Department of Agri
culture, Fish and Wild Life Ser-’
vice, Lincoln Park Department,
University of Nebraska Museum,
and other friends of conservation.
On Tuesday, August 7, Radio
Station KFAB, Lincoln, awarded
$150 scholarships to Doroth Pohl
•f Butler county, and Ronald
Ritchey, of Perkins county, win
ners of the Timely Topic Speak
ing contest. Being unable to use
the scholarship, Miss Pohl gave
it to Miss Lois Ann Davis, of
Madison county, alternate in the
contest.
The Nebraska State Game, For
estation and Parks Commission
sponsored several very interesting
lectures and demonstrations each
day on animals, birds, plant life,
and insects.
On Thursday, August 9, the
Seward Business men sponsored a
tour tq Lincoln. On this tour we
enjoyed a visit to Pioneer Park,
Antelope Park, Sunken Garden,
State Capitol and the University
of Nebraska Museum.
Each afternoon one hour was
given to either swimming or
shooting.
On Friday, August 10, a fishing
contest was held at Seward in
wlhich the award went to the per
son catching the most fish.
Each evening at 8:30 the group
gathered for a half hour Vesper
Service.
Badger Clark, a South Dakota
poet interspersed verse and phil
osophy throughout the Camp.
To every organization who helped
to make this camp possible, we
give our vote of thanks and ap
preciation.
—Twila Whaley, Reporter.
Farms In The County
Fewer But Larger
The number of farms in the
county of Holt, State of Nebraska,
as shown by the preliminary
count of returns of the 1945
Census of Agriculture was 2,199,
as compared with 2,305 in 1940,
and 2,471 in 1935. This was an
nounced today by Richard Sid
well, supervisor for the 1945 farm
census in the Fourth Nebraska
Census District with headquaritrs
at Kearney, Nebraska
The total land in farms in, Holt
county, according to the prelimin
ary count was 1,563,256 acres, as
compared with 1,427,299 acres in
1940, and 1,435,057 acres in 1935.
The 1945 figure on land in farms
exceeds the land area of the
county. Supervisor Sidwell ex
plained that this is due to the fact
that the entire acreage of a farm
is credited to the couny in which
the farm headquarters is located,
even though part of the farm may
be located in another county.
Average size of farms shown in
the preliminary census coiint for
Holt county was 711 acres as
compared with 619 acres in 1940,
and 581 acres in 1935.
In announcing the 1945 census
totals of farms and land in farms
in Holt county, Supervisor Sidwell
pointed out that the figures are
preliminary and subject to cor
rection. Final tabulations of
Holt county farm census returns
will be made by the Bureau of
Census and announced from
Washington when completed, Mr.
Sidwell said.