PIONEERS HAD
THEIR TROUBLES
(Continued from page 2-D)
My cousin and I were get
ting a load of hay at a stack
when I looked up and saw
something in the distance that
obscured the view. I said.
"What is that?" My cousin
looked and then said "It's a
blizzard, let's gel out of here.
We made it to his barn, pui
up the learn, then got to father’;:
by following a wire fence. Er
nest and Ed had started for
Swan Lake. The storm struck
when they were two miles from
home and they turned back and
got to safety. Gus and Will Ott
were exposed to the storm, but
were able to get to shelter by
following the track made in the
snow in the morning. This was
accomplished by one of them
walking ahead of the team.
The C. W. Moss family lived
on the hill South of the Elmer
Fix place and some 80 rods
North of the Moss abode stood
the school house. The teacher,
Mrs. Bird, and her pupils were
marooned in the school house
for 24 hours by that ’88 blizzard,
their only means of light at night
being a kerosene lamp without
the chimney. Hay was used for
fuel and they fortunately had a
supply of that in the unplastered
school house that sat up on stilts
or all might have perished in the
40-below temperature. Three of:
the Moss children were in the
school, John, Theodore and Au
drey, who later became my
wife.
May I pause again to pay a
tribute to the sod house, the
cow chips and the hay burner,
the three great institutions
that made the taming o! the
wilderness possible.
Prairie fires, blizzards, violent
Summer storms, long distances
to travel, losing one’s way on
the open prairie were some of
the hazards of pioneer life. If
you took a job you worked a
week for what boys and girls
•am in a day now.
Before there were undertakers
and funeral directors the settlers
look care of and buried their
dead. The body was taken to the
•emetery at Chambers, let down
into the grave by means of lines
taken from a set of harness and
the neighbors who had dug also
filled the grave. If no minister
was available to perform the
rites of burial, R. C. Wry was
asked to be present and offer
prayer. Mr. Wry was one of the
organizers of the Chambers
Baptist church, had the first
S'ocery store there and was the
rst postmaster.
We wars many limes made
to feel grateful because of the
unselfish ministery of this
noble pioneer over at Cham*
bars.
Some items of interest follow
which appeared in the Amelia
Journal of April 20, 1893. George
Travers and Fred Scott were
the editors. On that date they
let the public in on these bits of
news:
Sunnyside Sabbath School
meets every Sunday at 10 a. m.,
church service immediately af
ter. Covenant meeting second
Saturday in each month.
There has never been a total
failure of crops in South Holt
county. If you want to buy
the old Howard place call at
this office. This is one of the
best 160 acres in the flowing
well belt. Price $2,000. terms
reasonable.
A mowing machine to trade
for a road cart at this office.
Also a road cart for sale cheap.
Will sell a first-class fanning
mill right from the factory for
$21.
Harry Davis carries the mail
from Atkinson via Inez, Amelia,
Swan, Ballagh and Erina. Rates
for passengers very reasonable.
This route is through the cele
brated flowing well belt. Dis
tance traveled about 55 miles
one way three times a week.
Remember at all times to
speak a good word for your
neighbor.
There is nothing easier to be
lieve than a good lie about our
selves. . . . Mark this—you don’t
have to be disagreeable to be
good.
Harry Davis has purchased a
town lot in Amelia. A. A. Ander
son has more of these splendid
lots for sale.
The Journal of December 6,
1894, had these items:
When in Amelia don’t fail tc
call at the new store and see the
fine line of holiday goods or
display. Christmas presents foi
old and young. The most com
plete line of holiday goods eve:
shown in Amelia at prices t<
suit the times.
The greatest affair of the sea
son in the social line was th
grand literary banquet at Foun
tain Valley, (Inez), which hai
I an excellent program. Lew Kel
lv, chairman, called the assernb
I lv to order and after singinj
i Mrs. Nancy White led in pray
1 er, followed by some instrumen
’ tal music by the Salavators. W
W. Peck made a short address
I and then followed the program
.'which was well receivec
| throughout. And the supper
well, everybody brought a bas
ket of good things, some broughl
j two, and everybody ate all they
could and cried because they
could not eat more. The party
adjourned about midnight, and
everybody voted it the most en
joyable affair of the season. For
genuine hospitality and ability
to entertain Fountain Valley is
at the head of the list.
Free lunch can be obtained
| by buying goods at the follow
ing prices:
Good tea, per pound .30
2 lbs. Evaporated
peaches -25
2 lbs. apricots .25
1 lb. raspberries — -20
20 lbs. raisins 100
20 lbs. rice 100
32 bars soap 100
Warranted flour, per sack .65
i 5 HOGS BRING $85;
‘BIG MONEY’ THEN
From a letter written by
James W. Baker, dated “Amelia,
Neb., February 18, 1893," and
addressed to George Schricker at
Davenport, la., some quotations
are taken.
Mr. Schricker took as a
homestead the land where the
the buildings of the James ranch
in Swan precinct now stand.
Mr. Baker was also a home
steader in that neighborhood.
He was an uncle of Tom Baker,
of the Riley ranch, who sent
The Frontier the letter from
which extracts are taken.
“We have had the nicest Win
ter weather and the least snow
I have ever seen in Holt coun
ty,” he writes. Of a certain
neighbor, Mr. Baker said that
he was “just as lazy as he used
to be. He sold me his cow and
pigs and pasture fence, and his
chickens to Mr. Sewall. So that
leaves him with just three
horses. He is getting tired of liv
ing batch there, he says, and will
rent the place and go to the
world’s fair.”
This same neighbor he writes
about, whose first name was Al
bert, had neglected to plow fire
guards and a prairie fire burned
his hay stacks, but he saved his
house.
Writing of his own livestock,
Mr. Baker said they were in fine
shape. On the 13th of February
he had taken five hogs to Atkin
son. The hogs sold for $7.35 a
hundred and brought $84. “That
is big money for hogs,” he wrote
and added “I have 12 left yet.”
Presumably of this $84 hog
money Mr. Baker sent $40 to a
bank in Albion to pay a note.
Young People in 1881-'82
Victims of Cupid —
Taken from files of The
Frontier: “Mr. Nic O’Brian, of
Saratoga precinct, returned to
his old Wisconsin home a couple
of weeks ago “after his things,
he told us. The sequel shows
that Nic took a wife as one of
his Badger effects, and on Tues
day night, Mrs. Nic, accompan
ied by her mother, arrived in
U INeiu emuuic w
home. Congratulations being in
order we extend ours.
Mr. Walter O’Malley and Miss
Julia Welch were united in mar
riage on Sunday, the 21st inst.,
Dec. ’81), at t h e Catholic
church, Rev. Father Smith of
ficiating. The Frontier extends
congratulations to the happy
couple. By the way, Walt, does
n’t Ryan exert a peculiar (mar
riageable) influence over his
clerks?
The Frontier of December 28,
1882, recorded four weddings, as
follows: . , . . „
Father Smith performed t h e
ceremony at the church at 2 o *
clock on Christmas that made
Mr D. P. O’Sullivan and Miss
Mary E. Kirwin husband and
wife. , ,
At the bride’s father s on the
24th, ‘Squire’ Gager “tied up
matrimonially Mr. Chas. Ellis
and Miss Ida Schaffer.
Another wedding on Christ
mas day was that at Apple
Creek, the contracting parties
being Mr. William Pine and
Miss Loville Campbell.
Mr. Andrew Robinson and
Miss Lizzie Lumsden were mar
ried at Atkinson.
COWBOYS WELL ARMED
D. L. Pond, a livewire of the
Inman community, took a whirl
over the open spaces adjacent
to O’Neill in an early day and
wrote: “Large herds of cattle
are kept by different ranchmen,
■ on the unoccupied land, varying
> from 1,000 to 30,000 head. . . .
Some of the stockmen employ
•15 to 20 cowboys who ride
! ponies and go well armed to
- i protect themselves from In
1; dians.”
For Insurance in Old Reliable Com
panies and Service by an Experienc
ed Agent, call on . . .
GEORGE C. ROBERTSON
O'Neill, Nebr.
We Really Appreciate Your Business
’ RYAN, BIGLER
HELDUP BY MOB
Masked Gang Threatens to
Hang Pair of Cattle
Buyers in 1894
In 1896 there was still activ
ity along the border gulches
among the remnants of left-ov
ers of the old vigilanters organi
zation. On January 24 of that
year a young fellow by the
name, of Graves was waylaid at
the spot where Barret Scott and
party had been held up a year
before. Graves was taken by
masked men to a cabin and put
through a grilling, then let go
under orders to get out of the
county. Involved in this was the
suspicion that Graves knew a ,
lot about the Scott affair and
was gathering evidence to bring
members of the mob to justice. |
Less than a month later, Holt
county’s first born white child,
now 21, Joseph W. Ryan, in
company with Charley Bigler
was held up by masked men near
the Ray postoffice some 20
miles Northwest of O’Neill. Joe
was associated with his father,
James Ryan, in the stock busi
ness, their ranch being five
miles West of town.
The morning of February 10, j
1896, he mounted a horse and
rode off in the direction of the
Bingler place where he arrived
about noon. He inquired of Big
ler if he had cattle for sale and
was told he had, also being in
formed that James Creigs had
hogs ready for market. Joe was
invited to remain with the Big
lers for dinner, after which Mr.
Bigler proposed to accompany
him to the Creig’s place. Catch
ing up a horse and throwing on
saddle and bridle the two rode
North.
After proceeding some dis- j
lance Joe turned in his sad
dle and saw three masked men
riding on a lope after them.
He called Bigler’s attention to
the oncoming figures and Big
ler remarked that he had often
been held up and something
was in the wind today.
Neither of the two riders
were armed with the more-or
less familiar six-shooter, but;
as the three masked figures,
rode up along side three guns
pointed at them and they were
ordered to halt.
Other masked riders came in
out of the gulches and the
whole party proceeded North j
for a short distance and came to
a stop in the shelter of a hill.
“Will this do?” asked one of
the band. It was agreed that it
would. Ryan and Bigler were
ordered off of their horses,
blindfolded and when they
heard someone say, “Bring the
long ropes,” it looked pretty
serious. Their hands were tied
behind their backs, a noose slip
ped over their heads.
Joe’s story of what then en
sued was told to the O’Neill
newspapers two days later, and
is as here recounted:
“I was asked what I knew
about the Allen cattle. I thought
they referred to the cattle I
had bought of Bill Allen the
year previous over by the Slo
cum postoffice. ‘How about the
Carr and Allen deal?’ I was
asked. Then I knew it was the
cattle I had bought in the Fall
of Tom Allen down on the old
Potter ranch. I did not know
what it was all about. One af
ter another shot questions at
us. I was asked if I had any cat
tle in the Allen herd. I replied
. only those I had bought from
Ben Johring. I had paid him
$150 for six head of poor cat
tle. ‘And you paid $25 a head
for them,’ I was asked, to which
I replied, ‘yes.’
"After much questioning
the bridle reins of my horse
were put in my hand, rope re
moved from my neck and I
was instructed to remain
where I was for 20 minutes
and then get out of that
neighborhood and come no
more there to buy cattle.
'How will I know when the
20 minutes are up' I asked.
'When you hear a shot' I was
told. I thought probably this
shot meant my finish. Pre
sently I heard the mob ride
away and in the course of 15
or 20 minutes there was a
shot.
‘‘My hands had been pre
viously freed so I removed the
blindfold and there by my side
stood Bigler tied and blindfold
ed. I released him and we rode
away, stopping at his home. It
was thought best not to trans
act any cattle business that day
in that neighborhood.”
This experience resulted in a
complete breakdown for Mr.
Ryan and he went to a prema
ture grave a few years after.
The purpose of the masked mob
was thought to have been to
eliminate the Ryans as cattle
buyers as they were paying
more than some other buyers
who were thought to be re
sponsible for the holdup. One
arrest was made but the sus
pect escaped conviction.
‘What the He-! No
More Fat Cattle?’
A1 Hileman came in out of the
North gulches with a load ol
stone for the foundation of a
building that Fred Gatz was
having built. When the load pul
led up to be dumped and Fred
saw who had brought it he ex
claimed, ‘What the h—, Al, aim
there any more fat cattle in the
i pastures out that way!"
A SHOW IN THE 90's . . . Mrs. James H. Riggs
Sunday-school class of girls staged a show in
i the 1880’s and the above photograph is a scene
from their production. Standing (left-to
right)—Lillian Bowen, Rosa Meals, Laura Meals
and Lillian Gallaher; kneeling—Florence
Smith and Mary Heinerickson; reclining—Maud
Gillespie.
Frontiersmen Came
to Elkhorn —
And he showed me a pure
river of the water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and
of the Lamb.—Rev. 22:1.
Pious souls who had crossed
the muddy Missouri at Running
Water, made their way South- :
west and anchored their prairie
schooner for the first time at the
brink of the Elkhorn, John’s
brief description of the river of
celestial realms may have come,
to mind with the conviction that
here it is.
Winding its course on a bed of
sand the crystal waters of the
Elkhorn river flowed through
an unspoiled region of waving
green dotted with the blue and
gold of the meadow bells. Deer
and antelope drink of the cool
ing stream and wild water fowl i
nest by its side; the haunting j
beauty, the lingering harmony 1
of colors in nature’s^ lavish j
adornment, the fairy music of j
bird and insect have intrigued ,
the travelers. They pause. Here ;
we make camp. Where the wa- 1
ters spread wide and shallow I
man and beast stepped in and
drank of the nectars of the
sands, where narrowed into
deeper pools fish were hooked
out to roast at the evening
camp fire.
The glow of camp fires no
longer cast their flickering light
over the waters, the covered
wagon, the wigwam, the print
of beaded moccasins, even the
fish that the pioneers knew, are
gone; but the Elkhorn flows on
to mingle its flood with other
streams that empty a full flow
ing tide into the sea.
Square Dancing, Waltzing
Thrill Ardent Youth
“Salute your partners, join
hands and circle to the right!”
The whine of the violins and
the gliding of sandaled feet ov
er the polished floor was on.
Who was that leather-lunged
gent calling to the dancers? May
be Elmer Merriman or Martin
Cronin perched on a stool high
on the musicians’ platform in
the old combination skating
rink, opera house, and general
community amusement and
cultural center on West Doug
las street, leading a wav into
vacant places. The music enus,
the “call boy” wipes his perspir
ing brow and is silent. Sweating,
ardent youth and coy maiden
retire to the side lines. Out steps
a few couples and the seductive
waltz circles. the room led by
Tom Morris and partner. A
night in the gay ’90s in old O -
Neill.
Pioneers Would
Have Their Jokes —• .
It seems that about the tim
that H M. Uttley started for
Washington, D. C., in the employ
of Postmaster Hagerty, sal
The Frontier of December £?.
1881, some practical ]oker in
O’Neill sent a letter enclosing a
photo of Uttley to the chief or
police of Washington, warning
the police to look for the orig
inal of the picture as he was a
"crank" who had started for the
capital to kill Scoville and thus
end the Guiteau trial. The pap
ers got hold of it, the police
were on the lookout, Scoviue
and Guiteau were on the ragged
edge, when Congressman Valen
tine, from this district, w a s
obliged to explain the matter.
---
Judge Harrington Escapes
Injury When a Young Fellow —
The O’Neill Tribune of Juiy
7, 1887 said: “While riding a
wild pony in the pony race#. ^
the fair grounds Monday after
noon, James Harrington was
thrown against the wire fePce al
the South end of the track anj
received a very ugly
wound on the right limb.
al assistance was procured im
mediately and the injured ooy
taken to his home. Although the
wound is not as severe as a
first supposed, it will be several
weeks before the young man
' will fully recover.
if We Can’t Shave You
We Can Skin You . . .!’
The first Fourth of July cele
bration at Page after the newly
settled community got going as
a town drew a sizeable crowd of
the “younger set” from O’Neill.
Some of the young fellows of
that group were meandering
about taking in the limited
places of interest when they
came to a building where stood
a barber pole. Pausing to look
in they saw a barber chair in
one side of the room and a meat
block to the opposite side. By
this stood a husky with sleeves
rolled up and a meat knife in
hand. “Come in, boys,” was the
cheerful invitation; “if we can’t
shave you we can skin you!”
WJAG . . , 780 on your dial
—
Mullen Brothers
Study Dentistry —
An item of 49 years ago:
Will Mullen departed Monday
for Chicago, where he and his
brother, George, will take a
course in dentistry for the next
three years. George met him at
Fremont, having been down at
David City for a few days. The
boys have many friends in O’
Neill who wish them all kinds of
good luck..
Apple Creek Country
Produces Everything —
Mrs. McElaney sent to this of
fice, said The Frontier of Sep
tember 20, 1880, a sample of na
tive hops grown on Apple Creek.
If the crop equals the sample no
better hops are needed. It would
appear that the Apple Creek
country produces everything
good. I
Learns Lessons in
Western Etiquette
Western people are death on
| etiquette, wrote a visitor from
! the East to his mother when he
first saw O’Neill in 1879. You
J can’t tell a man here he lies
without fighting. A few days ago
a man was telling one of his
neighbors, in my hearing, a pret
ty large story. Says I, “Stranger,
that’s a whopper.” In the twinkl
ing of an eye I found myself in
a ditch a perfect quadruped.
Upon another occasion, says I to
a man I never saw before, as a
woman passed: “That isn’t a
specimen of your Western wo
men, is it?” Says he, “Your afraid
of fever and ague, ain’t yore?”
“Very much,” says I. “Well,” re
plied he, “That lady is my wife;
and if you don’t apologize in
two minutes, by the honor of a
gentlemen I swear that these
two pistols”—which he held
cocked in his hands—“shall cure
you of that disorder entirely.”
So I knelt down and politely
apologized. I admire the Wes
tern country much, but darn me
if I can stand so much etiquet
te; it always take me unawares.
Athletes Become
Circus Performers
In 1888 O’Neill had an or
ganization of young huskies
known as the Star Athletic club.
Walt Tesch was captain; Grand
Saunders, secretary, and Tim
Hanley, treasurer. Other mem
bers were: John Weekes, Jim
Harrington, Frank Mann, Den
nis Sullivan, James Shane and
Dennis Cronin. During the year
or so of the club’s existence the
boys put on a show or two in
the old rink and made O’Neill
citizens gasp at their ability as
circus performers.
The Great Unwashed — J. C.
Smoot has the only bath tub in
town. Try it, now that warm
weather is here.—The Frontier,
May 27, 1886.
George Brown killed three
large elk and several antelope
this week, which he brought to
town dressed in fine shape. We
have now eaten deer, antelope
and elk steak and it is difficult
to determine which is the best.
(That was in 1880 when there
were no official strings of hunt
ing)
Central Finance Corp.
Norfolk O’Neill Neiigh
25 Years in the Field
Fulfilling a Need that
Is Centuries Old!
THE PIONEERS were largely concerned with the simple
and the basic things of life. Most loans were ex
ecuted along friendly, neighborly lines. Borrowing then
was honorable and necessary just as it is today.
PERVADING the prairie scene, however, was the matter
of survival, the job of conquering the wild, and the
task of building.
TODAY the pace is different. The requirements are quite
apart from those humble beginnings. The sod
houses and log cabins are gone — supplanted by modern
dwellings that afford a more pleasant, more abundant way
of life.
TODAY, the Central Finance Corporation, I I years
“young,” in O’Neill, stands ready to prove useful
to hundreds of Northeast and Northcentral Nebraskans in
their pursuit of life and happiness. Our friendly financial
service is at the disposal of any who need a “lift” . . . any
who wish to take advantage of the convenience in “Cen
tral-izing” their loans in making for better living.
PHONE 14 ... O’NEILL
★
General Financing
LOANS
INSURANCE
★