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V'b Stata Historical Socle,
The Frontier
VOLUME LXVI O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1946 NUMBER 1 I
■ - - — -» - — ————- i .. . _- _
UNSEASONAL COLD
INFLICTS DAMAGE
Below-Freezing Weather
a Blow to Farmers
and Ranchers
MERCURY GOES TO 23
An unscasonal cold wave mov
ing in from the northwest struck
this region early Saturday and
inflicted considerable damage on
all classes of crops and vegeta- j
tion. The mercury dropped to 23
degrees here—the lowest official
reading for the day in the north
half of Nebraska.
The cold wave w>as accompan
ied by rain, snow, sldet and wind.
Leaves on trees and on tender
garden vegetation turned black,
and they Were frequently cover
ed with ice.
“Everything suffered a set
back,” commented Holt County
Agent A. Neal Dawes.
Alfalfa was severely damaged
and numerous instances were re
ported where farmers were
obliged ito mow their alfalfa im
mediately. Blue grass suffered,
but it was not headed-out gen
erally, and some of it may be ex
pected to recover.
The greatest permanent dam
age was inflicted on gardens and
young trees, particularly iash, lo
cust, maple and mulberry. Dawes
suggested that many trees were
Weakened by the freeze, and,
therefore, would be more suscep
tible to insects and diseases.
Unofficial 20 on Niobrara
The 23-degree mark was
reached before 7 a. m. Saturday,
according to Wealther Observer
Elmer R. Bowen. THe state wea
ther bureau relaijnqd the report of
an unofficial 20-degree reading
Saturday on the Niobrara river
in eastern Boyd county.
The ground here was white
with snow by 8 a. m. Saturday,
but the snow melted quickly, and
and the mercury climbed to 43
by midday. The region was held
in the grip of the cold wave
throughout /the weekend.
A. E. Anderson, State-Federal
Agricultural Statistician, sum
marized the affect on Nebraska’s
wheat by saying that the freeze
“'did some damage,” but added,
“I wouldn’t be too pessimistic.”
The week’s summary:
Hi Lo Moist.
May 9_ 72 47 T
May 10_ 64 30 .20
Mjay 11 43 23 .04
May 12_ 62 28
Miay 13 73 41
May 14_ 75 55
May 15_ 65 35
May 16_ 62 40
Exercises to Mark
Close of St. Mary’s
Elementary School
’T'he term-end exercises for the
elementary school of St. Mary’s
Academy will be held Tuesday at
8pm in the school auditorium.
Each grade will present a num
ber.
The program:
“Skip to My Loo” and “Five
Little Drums,” action songs, by
kindergarten and grade one;
“Wynken, Flynken and Nod,”
“Lullab- e ard Goodnight” and
“Little Hans,” songs, by grades
two and three; “Call of the Sea,”
and “My Fiddle,” vocal selections,
by grade four; “The Hornpipe
Dance,” by grades five and six;
boys’ octette, by boys of grades
seven and eight; girls orchestra,
vocal by girls of grades seven and
eight; “Viennese Refrain,” a
French horn solo, by Kathryn
Golden; “Jeannie with the Light
Brown Hair,” instrumental duet,
by Patty White and Patricia
Brennan; “Mexicali Rose,” clar
inet solo, by Mary Musil; “Burial
of the Books,” a skit, by grade
eight; awarding of honors; “Dear
Old School,” by grade eight.
Holt County ARC Drive
Goes ‘Over the Top’
■
Holt county’s annual American
Red Cross fund-raising campaign,
which began April 1st and ended
Friday night, exceeded its quota
again this year, netting $5,700.79,
according to R. H. Shriner, coun
ty ARC chairman. In reporting
to state ARC headquarters, Shri
ner completed his third year as
the head of the Holt county
chapter.
The Holt drive, originally in
tended to close on April 31st, was
arbitrarily extended ten days.
The collections by communities
follow: O’Neill, $1,986.09; Atkin
son, $998.14; Stuart, $903.42;
Chambers, $498.84; Page, $362.00;
Ewing, $325.00; Emmet, $320.00.
I
Methodist Flock
Varnishes the Pews
Twenty-five men and women
parishioners of the j^Iethodist |
church here gathered Tuesday!
evening for a two-hour session in |
the pews — with varnish and
brushes.
The varnishing bee was pre-!
ceeded by a covered dish supper. I
Rev. Ll<?yd W. Mullis, church
pastor, guarantees that the varn
ish will be dry by 11 a.m., Sun
day.
TRAINING ATTRACTS VETS
Forty-four business firms have
been approved in Holt and Boyd
counties for on-the-job training
for ex-service personnel, accord
ing to Allen B. Connell, manager
of the sub-office of the U. S. Em
ployment Service here. These
firms have provided openings for
83 veterans. -
Employers interested in this
program may contact Connell in
the Holt county courthouse an
nex.
37 TO GRADUATE
AT OlILL HIGH
Baccalaureate to Be Held
Sunday; Commencement
Next Thursday
Thirty-seven seniors will be
graduated from O’Neill high
school at commencement exercis
es in the school auditorium at 8
p.m., Thursday, May 23rd, it has
been announced by Supt. Ira
George. They are:
Kenneth Berglund, Marie Boel
ter, Joan Brady, Joann Burgess,
Donna Clements, Delta Cole, Lois
Cole, Wayne Harmon, Gordon Hi
att, Marvin Holsclaw, Edwina
Jones, Max Kipple, Imogene Lan
man, Glenna Lee McClellan,
Marjorie McElhaney.
Jennie Beth Mellor, Naydene
Murray, Iren Nekolite, Ardis
Newman, Bonnie Noble, Fred Os
enbaugh, Donald Persons, Eugene
Porter, Polly Rickly, Luella Rohe,
Shirley Schaffer, Leah June
Schultz, Ilene Searles, Helen
Shaw, Deraid Smith, Helen Soj
ka, Wiley Vogt, Alvin Vorce, La
Vone Walters, LeRoy Wert, Betty
Wyant, and Mrs. F. A. Schultz.
The presentation of scholarships
will be made by Principal F. E.
Saindon, and Dr. L. A. Burgess,
president of the board of educa
tion, will present the diplomas.
Peterson to Speak
Val Peterson, Elgin publisher,
will deliver the commencement
address, entitled, “What Is Educa
tion?”
The motto for the class of 1946
is “Esse Quod Videris”; the flow
er is the red rose; and the colors
are blue and white.
Other events on the program
include: Processional “Tannhau
ser,” (Bach), by the O’Neill high
school band; invocation, by Rev.
Melvin Grosenbach, pastor of
Holiness Chapel; saxophone solo,
selected, by Donna Clements;
presentation of eighth grade di
plomas, by Prof Marvin Miller,
eighth grade teacher; trombone
solo, selected by Marjorie McEl
hanoy; presentation of the class,
by Principal Saindon; benediction
by J. M. Cummings, pastor of the
Assembly of God church; reces
sional, “Tannhauser,” by the
band.
Sermon by Rev. Mullis
At the bacalaureate services to
bo held at 8 p.m., Sunday in the
school auditorium, Rev. Lloyd W.
Mullis, pastor of the Methodist
church, will deliver the sermon
entitled “Why Is Prayer a Seri
ous Thing.”
The program includes: Proces
sional, “Pomp and Circumstance,”
(Elgar), by Miss Esther Kinnier
and Mrs. Elizabeth Harbottle; in
vocation, by Rev. Kenneth W.
Scott, pastor of the First Presby
terian church; girls’ choir, “Sanc
tus,” (Gaunod); Scripture reading
Daniel VI, 1-10, by Rev. Scott,
vocal solo, selected, by Deraid
Smith; girls’ choir, “Beautiful
Savior”; benediction, by Rev.
Scott, recessional, “Pomp and Cir
cumstance,” by Miss Kinnier and
Mrs. Harbottle.
Nebraska Cattlemen to
Omaha June 13-15
The Nebraska Stock Growers’
Association, the official repre
sentative of the state’s range cat
tle industry, will meet in Omaha
June 13-15. Last year’s conven
tion was held in O’Neill and was
described by officials as one of
the most successful meetings on
record. Dewey Schaffer of O’Neill
is a member of the association’s
executive committee. I
Exit: The Old . . Enter: The New
Dennis H. Cronin, editor and legislator ... he guided The
Frontier for more than a half-century.
Editor Cronin’s ‘Goodbye’
To The Frontier readers wherever they may be located:
Goodbye. /
It is with deep regret that I pen the above words. For 55
years I have been engaged in the newspaper business in this
city; 54 with The Frontier. Part of this time was spent with a
partner, but for the past 50 years, lacking a few months, I was
alone as editor and owner.
How well I have performed my duty, you—the readers—
know, and it is not for me to say. But I will say that at all
times I tried to be fair in news dealings and never knowingly
injured anyone through the columns of The Frontier. During
these years I have made many friends and some enemies, for
it is impossible to be in this business without making enemies,
when you publicize the shortcomings of delinquent officials or
of citizens who try to take the short road to wealth by crooked
transactions that finally get into the courts.
Saddness in Reporting
We have enjoyed our newspaper career in the empire of
Holt, where we have lived most of our life. We have chron
icled in the columns of The Frontier the births of many of our
present leading citizens as well as the marriages of their par
ents, many of whom we knew long before their marriages.
One of the saddest things in the life of a newspaperman is
that of recording the passing from this earthly sphere of many
of the closest friends and chums of his youth. It has been our
sad duty during the past eight years to record the passing of
nearly all of a group of young men with whom I traveled as a
young man 50 and 60 years ago. This makes us^ealize that time
takes its toll.
Advancing years and a shortage of competent help forced us
to get out of the business. Had competent help been available
we would have ended our life in the harness. That being impos
sible, we sold out, and on Monday morning turned over the of
fice to Carroll W. (“Cal”) Stewart, a young man just out of the
service, and a Nebraska boy who was born and grew to man
hood in Cedar county, Nebraska. Mr. Stewart is young and has
the ability and the energy to make The Frontier one of the out
standing newspapers in the state of Nebraska. Prior to the war,
he was manager of The Cedar County News, rated as one of
the best country newspapers in the state, and the record he
made for himself there is convincing proof to me that he will
give the people of Holt county a real live newspaper—one that
will be a distinct credit to the city, county and state. We hope
that all friends of The Frontier in the city and county will give
him the same loyal support that you have given me in the years
that have gone.
Will 'Haunt' The Office
As to the future I know not. I have been here so long that
I am aware of the fact that I will be like a duck out of water
for some time to come. You can’t break off the habits of a life
time in hours or days, and for sometime to come I will probably
be haunting The Frontier office, hoping that I won’t be a pest.
In conclusion, I desire to express my sincere appreciation to
the people of Holt county for their confidence in me and mine
i during the past years, both politically and in business. I expect
to continue to make my home in O’Neill and will be seeing you
as the days roll by. You, my friends and enemies (if I have
any), have my best wishes for a long life, full of prosperity and
happiness, for you certainly deserve it, for no county in any state
of the Union has a finer, more intelligent or loveable class of
people. May God bless you all.
DENNIS H. CRONIN.
Rail ‘Business As Usual’
Here Despite Strikers
While John L. Lewis and the
United Mine Workers were
partially paralyzing the Na
tion’s railroads with their cur
rent coal strike, the railroads
serving O’Neill carried on ‘‘bus
iness as usual.”
The “save coal” order from
the Office of Defense Transpor
tation didn’t apply to the
Northwestern, because virtual
ly all locomotives on the line
are oil-burners.
“We may have been indirect
ly affected," reported North
western Agent R. M. Sauers,
“because some of our connect
ing service out of Omaha east
ward was reduced. All trains
through O’Neill were operating
on their normal schedules.”
Meanwhile, the Burlington
officials didn’t find it necessary
to curtail the erstwhile coal
burning freight train on the
Sioux City-O’Neill branch, al
though Burlington was obliged
to take trains off other lines in
the state. Burlington operates
out of O’Neill on a thrice
weekly schedule.
Both Sauers and Burlington
Agent H. A. Yocum reported
that the ‘on-again-off-again’ na
tional shipping embargo over
the weekend hardly had time
to noticeably affect shipping.
GOLF TOURNEY
HEREJUNE16-18
O’Neill Country Club to
Revive Prewar
Sport Event
The O’Neill Country Club will
revive its popular prewer golf
tournament, which was tradition
ally one of the highlights of the
summer in social and sport cir
cles. The tourney dates are June
16-18.
Plans for the event were made
at the annual meeting of the
stockholders Friday night, when
Dr. L. A. Burgess was elected
president; E. M. Gallagher, trea
surer, and F. N. Cronin, secretary.
Other plans include a new roof
for the club house and new t
fences. It was decided to increase
the dues for stockholders and as- j
sociate members to $20 per year
each. There would be no increase
in the dues of out-of-town mem-!
bers.
The officials have pointed out
that all citizens of O’Neill are in
vited to join the club, which is a
center of entertainment during
the summer months. Increased
activity over wartime seasons is
expected this year. Ladies’ bridge
parties and Sunday night dinners
will again be featured.
Carrol W. Stewart ... he is
new to O'Neill.
DENNIS H. CRONIN
SELLS FRONTIER
Editor and Owner for 55
Years Will Retire from
Public Life
(See Editorial on Page 4)
Dennis H. Cronin, 76, editor
and owner of The Frontier since
August 13, 1896, announced this
week the sale of the newspaper
to Carroll W. Stewart, 28, of
Hartington. Mr. Cronin, who is
also a state senator, will retire
from active public life.
Mr. Cronin entered the news
paper field in 1891 as a coeditor
of The Item, which was one of
four newspapers operating in O’
Neill at that time. The following
year he became a part-owner of
The Frontier and in 1896 he pur
chased its complete ownership.
Under Editor Cronin’s guidance
the paper was one of the first in
northeast and northcentral Ne
braska to emerge from the era of
typesetting by hand. A type-set
ting machine was installed on
January 8, 1914. The Frontier
developed into one of the most
widely- circulated countyseat
weekly newspapers in this sec
tion.
Throughout the more than half
a century in which he edited The
SAUNDERS TO HOSPITAL ,
Romaine Saunders, 74, who
whites “Small Doles’’ in The
Frontier, entered an Omaha
hospital Wednesday where he
submitted to an operation in
volving the removal of his left
eye. This week’s “Small Doses,”
written from Lincoln, may be
found on page 4.
Frontier, Mr. Cronin participated
actively in politics. He was a Re
publican member of the state
House of Ri pre'sentalives for four
t( ms, and he served in the state
Senate for two terms. For nearly
11 years he held the post of Uni
ted States marshal for Nebraska.
He is currently completing a term
as state senator from the 28th
Unicameral legislative district,
which comprises Holt, Boyd,
Keya Paha and Rock counties.
Frontier Begins 66th Year
The sale of The Frontier marks
the end of its 65th year, the new
owner beginning Volume 66,
Number 1.
Mr. Cronin will continue to re
side at his home here with his
wife. He is the father of four sons
and four daughters. They are:
Julius D. Cronin, Francis N.
Cronin, and Richard Cron
in, all of O’Neill; Clinton E. Cron- j
in, of Grand Island; Mrs. P. B.
Hardy, of O’Neill; Miss Geraldine
Cronin, of San Francisco, Calif.;
and Miss Marjorie Cronin, of
Santa Barbara, Calif.
Stewart, who has been recently
released from the Army Air
Forces, was a member of The
Cedar County News staff be
tween 1938 and 1942, serving for
a time as managing editor. He
spent 40 months in the European
theater. His wife, the former
Margaret (“Peggy ”) O’Mara,
fcerved 18 months in Europe with
the American Red Cross. They re
turned to the United States in
December, 1945, and were mar
riied at Millburn, N. J., Mrs.
Stewart’s hometown, where she
is now teaching. She will come to j
O’Neill in June.
HERE FROM CHICAGO
W. J. Froelich returned to Chi
cago Sunday after a visit with his
family here.
Heart Attack Is Fatal
to Mrs. George Bowen;
Burial At Chambers
A heart attack Thursday night
proved fatal to Mrs. George Bow-'
en, 61, who died at her home 11
miles east of O’Neill. Mrs. Bowen
had been in failing health in re- j
cent years.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at 2 p. m. Monday at the
Methodist church in O’Neill, with
Rev. Lloyd W. Mullis, church
pastor, officiating. Interment was
in the Chambers cemetery. Pall
bearers were Clayton Mesner,
Ted McElhaney, Ned Allendorfer,
Ben Peters, Art Frahm and A1
Fretton.
Mrs. Bowen, formerly Laura A.
Meyer, was born in Hinckley, 111.,
on November 9, 1885, the second
daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
William Meyer. When a young
girl she moved to Nebraska with
her parents, settlyig near Exeter
and later moving to the O’Neill
vicinity. On October 19, 1904, she
was married to George Bowen.
Their only child, a daughter, died
in infancy.
Reared Orphans
In 1934 Mr. and Mrs. Bowen
took Max and Maxine Bowen,
orphaned twins, into their home
and reared them. The twins’
father was a brother of Mr. Bow
en. In 1942 Max entered the serv
ice and was killed in France on
November 18, 1944. Maxine, who
is now Mrs. Charles Dusek, re
sides in Omaha.
Besides the widower and Mrs.
Dusek, other survivors include
five sisters, Mrs. Minnie Ross, of
Hebron; Mrs. Marie Guse, of Bel
videre; Mrs. Augusta Oleson, of
Hinckley; Mrs. Elsie Oleson, of
Big Rock, 111.; Mrs. Anna Wise, of
Akron, O.; and three brothers,
Edward Meyer, of Hubbell; Wil
liam Meyer, of Norfolk, and
Henry Meyer, of Hinckley. Two
brothers preceeded her in death.
Among relatives and friends
from a distance attending the
funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. D. D.
Leonard, of Elgin; O. A. Bowen,
of St. Paul, Minn.; J. A. Kindle
sparker, of Akron, O.; Mrs. Char
les Dusek, of Omaha; and Mr.
and Mrs. J. L. Freeman, of Ne
ligh.
12 Seniors Graduate
at Page High School
PAGE Twelve seniors, Inez
J. Albright, Clara Mae Canaday,
Betty L. Don, Shirley J. Finch,
Lois M. Fink, Elwin E. Haynes,
Glen Pochop, Donald J. Prill,
Robert J. Stevens, D. M. Stuart,
Terry L. Taylor and Della M.
Zellars, were graduated from
Page High school trt commence
ment exercises Monday night.
Eight graduates of the eighth
grade received diplomas at the
same ceremony. They were Ster
ling Albrecht, Dale L. Braddock,
Elizabeth Jean Christon, Ernest
E. Graves, Lee Neubauer, Shirley
Ann Sorensen, Carol Jean Stev
ens and Joan Margaret Terrill.
Val Peterson, Elgin publisher,
gave the commencement address.
Baccalaureate services were
conducted Sunday evening with
Rev. Feodor C. Kattner, Metho
dist church pastor, delivering the
sermon, entitled, “This Is God’s
World."
Academy Singers to
Broadcast Friday
The girls’ glee club, a boys’
qu.rtettc, and a girls’ trio rep
resenting St. Mary’s Academy
will be heard on radio station
WJAG, Norfolk, at 4 p. m. Fri
day. A 30-minute program is
planned.
GO TO EASTERN STAR MEET
Three O’Neill ladies were in
attendance at the opening session
of meetings of the Grand Chapter
of the Order of the Eastern Star
in Omaha Tuesday night. They
were Mrs. R. H. Shriner, worthy
matron of the O’Neill OES chap
ter, Mrs. John Osenbaugh, and
Mrs. Seth Noble. The meetings,
attended by lodge representatives
from 12 states, close tonight
(Thursday).
TWO YOUTHS ENLIST
Two O’Neill youths, Verdel S.
Green, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs.
George Green, and Wayne R.
Clark, 17, have enlisted recently
in the U. S. Army. Clark enlist
ed for three years in the air
corps.
DRIVERS' EXAMS SATURDAY
A state highway patrolman will
be at the Holt county courthouse
here Saturday to conduct drivers’
examinations between 1 and 4
p.m.
DELEGATION TO
BASIN MEETING
9-County Niobrara River
Development Group
Is Formed
GEN. PICK SPEAKS
A delegation from the O’Neill
Chamber of Commerce, headed
by Mayor Frank J. Dishner and
President C. E. Lundgren, partic
ipated in the organizational meet
ing of the Niobrara River Basin
Development Association at Ains
worth Monday. The meeting, held
in the Ainsworth city auditorium,
was attended by 150 leader-dele
gates from 45 cities and towns,
representing seven Nebraska and
two South Dakota counties.
The purpose of the newly
formed association is to promote
coordinated development of flood
control, irrigation, hydroelectric
power, soil conservation, and
wildlife and recreation benefits.
Included in the O’Neill dele
gation were Julius D. Cronin,
James Rooney, Tony Asimus,
Robert Armbru^ter, Dr. L. A.
Carter, Leo P. Moore, C. J. Gatz,
Lloyd Collins, H. L. Limdberg,
Neal Dawes, Lorenz Bredemeier,
Harry Ressel, and James Cor—
kle. *
Hear Governors
Highlight of the session was a
talk by Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Pick,
the Missouri river division engin
eer. He discussed the long-range
plans and possibilities for devel
oping the Missouri river under
the Pick-Sloan plan. The Nio
brara, one of the Missouri’s most
important tributaries, could be
harnessed along similar lines, he
explained. Other speakers includ
ed Gov. Dwight Griswold of Ne
braska and Gov. M. Q. Sharpe of
South Dakota, both of whom were
enthusiastic over Niobrara devel
opment. Gen. Pick and the two
governors shared the opinion that
considerable time and concentrat
ed effort would be required to
j get action.
John Forsyth, of Niobrara, was
I temporary chairman of the Ains
worth gathering. He told the del
| egates that there are 800,000 ir
rigable acres in the 400-mile-long
Niobrara basin, according to pre
liminary surveys conducted sev
eral years ago by the Nebraska
Department of Roads and Irriga
tion. Forsyth pointed out that the
Verdigre creek, a tributary of the
Niobrara, has been charged with
$40,000,000 worth of flood dam
age during the past 40 years.
Army Engineers at Work
Most of the discussion was con
fined to generalities, and nothing
specific was brought out regard
ing the extent of the development
! that may take place in Holt or
| any other county. U. S. Army
engineers ate now conducting
further surveys and these are at
1 tracting attention of the Bureau
of Reclamation.
Dr. R. R. Brady, of Ainsworth,
was elected president of the As
sociation; Joe Leedom, of Gordon,
1 vice-president, and Paul Sehnei
' der, of Ainsworth, secretary-trea
surer.
An executive committee was
established with three represent
atives from each county. The
; committeemen from Holt and ad
joining counties follow: Holt—
Tony Asirnus, O’Neill, chairman;
Ed Matousek, Atkinson; Lyle
ierks, O’Neill. Keya Paha—H.
G. Thorley, Springview, chair
man; K. Duane Cook, Burton;
Ross Williams. Rock—John Jam
| eson, Bassett, chairman; D. H.
Haller, Bassett; Amos Hart, Bas
sett. Knox—G. LLhberger, Ver
digre, chairman; John Forsyth,
Niobrara; David Johnson, Wal
jiut.
Murray Mellor Is
Judging Champion
Murray Mellor, O’Neill youth,
grabbed first place with a perfect
score of 500 in a 4-H club judging
contest at Valentine in connec
tion with Feeders’ day activity
there. Gloria Hambeck, of Spen
cer, placed second with 467
points.
Over 150 feeders from the
Sandhills’ region witnessed the
judging and studied feeder tests.
4 MORE DISCHARGES
Four more discharges of Holt
county service personnel have
been reported during the week
ending May 9th by the Selective
Service office here. They are:
Emil J. Prochop, of Page; Nor
man J. Snyer, of O’Neill; William
E. Sorensen, of Page; and Vern
on J. Thielke, of Stuart.
