8&EB0M®
Editorial & Business Offices: 10 South Fourth Street
O'NEILL, NEBR.
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Entered the postoffice at O’Neill, Holt county, Nebraska,
as second-class mail matter under the Act of Confess of March
8, 1879. This newspaper is a member of the Nebraska Press
Association, National Editorial Association and the Audit Bureau
of Circulations.
Established in 1880—Published Each Thursday
Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, $2.50 per year; else
where in the United States. $3 per year; abroad, rates provided
ac request. All subscriptions are strictly paid-in-advance.
Hurricane Blizzard of March 7, I 950
The great Hurricane Blizzard of March 7, 1950, already is
history. It will not soon be forgotten.
In the annals of American history catastrophes brought about
by the elements sooner or later are referred to and are generally
known by a definite title, ie: Jamestown Flood, Galveston Hurri
cane, Bhzzard of 88, etc.
The Frontier wishes to propose a title for last week’s mem
orable storm: Hurricane Blizzard of March 7, 1950.
Blizzard connotes a violent windstorm with driving snow and
intense cold. Last week’s onslaught was more than that. It was
s land-hurricane with wet snow driven so hard that it pulverized.
In almost every respect that 24-hour debacle was different and
consequently will deserve special attention from the historians.
It was preceded by a day inai rouna pea«sin«ns »« i«k
spring attire; the storm struck with such surprise that vain
weather prophets were utterly dumbfounded; it rivalled (if not
surpassed) all other storms from the standpoint of violence and
intensity; snow was borne by a hurricane wind that mounted
up to 100-miles-per-hour; in a wink mountainous drifts grew to
heights comparable to last winter's cumulative snow and the
Recurring Blissards of 1948-'49 have their own chapter; it was
a "quickie" in relation to many other notorious storms, lasting
only 24 hours; the calm after the storm was as unreal and in
sincere as the calm before the storm.
Yes, the Hurricane Blizzard of March 7, 1950, stands alone in
most respects—save perhaps in the matter of cold. Temperatures
throughout most of the day hovered between 12 and 5 degrees
above zero. It was a blessing, of course, that temperatures didn’t
drop lower. Temperatures were sufficiently cold to freeze to death
one man, who was attempting to walk to town from his aband
oned car, and hundreds of cattle, which were without ample pro
tection.
If temperatures had been 20 degrees lower—as in the historic
January 12. 1888 blizzard—the O’Neill region would not yet have
counted all its dead residents, not to mention livestock and
poultry.
The Tuesday, March 7, storm was terrible in every sense of
the word. It will be talked about as long as there are people liv
ing who remember that dreadful day.
Now, more than a week later, folks in the O’Neill region are
only beginning to be dug out from under the powdery, sugar-fine
snow. Number of country people who got into town last week
very nearly could be counted on vour fingers. Those that weie
successful certainly were the hardier type, their errands were im
portant, and many of those traveled by horseback or walked a
considerable distance. . .
Stockmen are still counting dead critters. These are to be
seen along fence lines, under snowdrifts, in plum thickets, bored
into haystacks, in lowland ponds and streams. It is generally
agreed that more livestock perished during the weatherman’s
bludgeoning of Holt county than during all of last winter, when
stock was subjected to short rations and severe weather over an
extended period of time.
Somehow out of chao* and devastation there emerges a
normalcy. Just how this come* to pais we cannot say. But
weather-hardened Holt countyani have a way of facing their
problems, serious and grim as they may be at the tima; iur
mounling tham, and eventually becoming the champion.
The populace was staggered by the Hurricane Blizzard, but
rural folk and townspeople alike bounded back with characteris
tic gusto and spirit, and it can be said they're now on top the
situation. ,
In retrospect The Frontier views the incident—and thats
what the history books will call it—as a trying ordeal of relatively
short duration; a winter storm so severe, so weird that at the
time folks rightfully asked themselves; How could it be worse?
But today it is history.
Damage to livestock and other personal property will mount
into hundreds of thousands of dollars for Holt countyans alone.
Only one life was lost. It might have been worse for everyone,
except for the family of the 23-year-old man who stumbled to
the ground and died near the end of his mission; it might have
been worse, too, for the expectant mother who, heroically rescued,
gave birth to a son in the warmth of O’Neill hospital.
Today the Hurricane Blizzard of March 7, 1950, belongs to
the historians. But it will be talked about as long as there are
Holt county men and women living who remember the dute.
★ ★ ★
Lost: 4 Sale Days
Regular Thursday sales at the O’Neill Livestock Market will
be resumed March 23. Sales were interrupted for 4 weeks follow
ing the disastrous fire which destroyed the pavilion on the night
of February 18.
Hundreds of country folk and most business people will wel
come the resumption of activity at the mart. It is a known fact
that absence of a sale on the past 4 Thursdays—February 23,
March 2, 9 and today—had a marked effect on retail business in
this city.
It’s an old custom—marketing. Old World cities usually were
built around a market place or a market square. Even today in
many provincial European towns the livestock are driven into
the heart of town where they are sold at auction. This form of
trade is not restricted to cattle, hogs, sheep, goats and poultry. The
markets are filled with garden truck and a thousand-and-one
other items changing hands, some for the ’umpteenth time.
O’Neillites have experienced in recent weeks what it means
to be without a livestock market.
The new, enlarged pavilion will make the O’Neill facilities
--■
even better. Naturally, the new structure won’t be completed by
any means, but there wiU be a sale and business can be resumed
a^ usual.
Fires are terrible things. And the February 18 blaze was a
severe blow to Verne and Leigh Reynoldson, new comanagers of
the p,ant, as well as to the O’Neill Civic club, owners.
The Reynoldsons have been undaunted and in a week they’re
resuming their auction—good weather or bad. Patrons of the
market will be provided every possible facility and comfort that
can be devised under the circumstances.
★ ★ ★
Folks Like Our Service
Dozens of persons have expressed interest in and gratitude
for The Frontier’s service during and immediately following the
memorable Tuesday, March 7, storm. These manifestations alone
amply repay us for our effort spent in conveying immediate, on
the-spot news coverage in our three-wray method: Printed word,
pictorial and audible word (radio).
The avalanche of letters that we have received, many of
them containing requests for extra copies of our Blizzard Edition,
are tangible evidence that our efforts were appreciated.
To work up a dozen special radio broadcasts, ranging in
length from 2- to 23-minutes—all on an emergency basis; to pro
vide a steady flow of vital news and pictures to the outside world;
and to produce a special Blizzard Edition within hours after the
crisis was over imposed a tremendous burden on The Frontier’s
relatively small staff, which is geared to producing a 12- to 16
page paper once a week and do 3 routine quarter-hour broadcasts.
Probably the greatest satisfaction we derived from our whole
effort was the opportunity to sign up several rural families for a
subscription almost before the storm had petered out. We’ll swear
by oath that a handful of new subscriptions that walked in our
front door last Thursday and Friday were gratitude propositions.
And, folks, if you do like our service there’s no better way to
show it. At the same time you’ll be assured of more than your
money’s worth in the year ahead.
Prairieland Talk —
Death Takes Child from Clutches of
A Maddened North Platte Mother
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS
LINCOLN — North Platte has
had its tragedies. Two-gun men,
gamblers, reckless devils on
horseback, In
dians, and
stagec o a c h
bandits. All or
any of these
would have
blushed a t
what a mother
out there is
accused of do
ing to her 4
year-old child.
The story is
I a little one
died as a re
Romaine suit of beat
Saunders adminis
tered by a
heartless or insane woman, the
story of one whose actions read
like a story from the enemy’s
concentration camp.
The father and a daughter
testified to unbelievable cruel
ty of a mother for her off- !
spring that would bring the |
blush of shame e^n to devils.
Reports tell of the husband
testifying that he had told the
mother he would “beat hell”
out of her if she did not let the
child alone.
Why didn’t he?
Death took the child from the
clutches of a maddened moth
er—mother, to whom the whole
world looks for tenderness and
solicitious care for the little
ones.
What the coroner’s jury de
termined, what the post mor
tem report disclosed may be of
little note. That there has been
such a mother in a Nebraska
city in a civilized age must
shock the community into do
ing something to prevent the
repetition of such a tragedy.
* * *
The CIO now assays the role
of authority on taxation with
an envious eye on corporation
and stockholder profits. With
out corporations and organized
business enterprise there could
be no CIO or other labor or
ganizations.
If "big business" is faxed to
death the CIO's will go with
It. The workman has his time
and the labor of his hands in
vested in his job. The capital
ist has his money supporting
the job and his business abil
ity directing the operations.
Both are interested in its suc
cess.
Each are entitled to compen
sation according to their in
vestment. If taxation becomes
confiscation both CIO and cap
ital are ruined.
• • •
Ruth Bryan Rhode was in
town to illuninate and eluci
date the picture hidden behind
the scenes of the United Nations.
It was homecoming for the dis
tinguished lady. It was here, in
the days when her gifted father
captured the presidential nom
ination with his “crown of
thorns and cross of gold,” she
caught the glitter of romance in
the eye of a young artist. One
of the big churches opened its
doors for the occasion. I haven’t
felt it was worth a dollar to lis
ten to anyone talk, not even a
gifted daughter of her illustri
ous dad.
• * *
Another anniversary of our
beating up the Japs on Iwo hav
ing roll around, Governor Pet
erson by official proclamation
declares the week beginning the
19th to be a period in observance
of that event. The governor does
not say whether we are to greet
it with 100 guns at sunrise,
sound the bugles, go to church
or take the week off on full pay
• * •
A Pennsylvania matron had a
birthday anniversary last month
the 112th for her. And her name
is O’Neill.
Judge Meyer, of Alliance,
touched the tender spot in an
address at the Lincoln Bar as
sociation gathering. It is the
pressure groups clamoring for
federal funds for localized in
terests that blocks the way to
government economy. Judge
Meyer said there are some
cracks in our temple of free
dom and it is time representa
tive government should be ad
ministered for the welfare of
the country as a whole irrespect
ive of the pressure groups. Many
of these represent powerful or
ganization. Too often for favors
from the White House members
of congress are influenced in
their actions.
• * •
Now comes a story out of
Minnesota telling of a potato
grower’s deal with the govern
ment parity price fixersi He was
paid $1.46 per hundred weight
for 160,000 pounds of spuds. The
parity boys then didn’t know
what to do with them, so the
grower bought his crop back at
1 cent per hundred pound
weight. And not a potato had
been moved off his place.
School men either outlive
their usefulness to a community
or seek other fields to labor in
after a few seasons at the most.
Not so with Ira George. He has
headed the O’Neill schools for
a longer period than any who
I have been in service there I
! wonder if ^t is not because he is
J solid with the kids. The board
of education having raised the
pay of the force of 22 teachers j
indicates that body of distin
guished citizens feels they had
better hang onto a good thing
when they have it.
• * •
Mr. Acheson says he didn't
mean it. Has he had his ear
to the ground to learn what
America thinks of the Alger
Hiss affair. Will the Honor
able Secretary enlighten us on
what he means when side
stepping his earlier statement
by now saying. "One must be
true to the things by which
he lives. The counsels of dis
cretion and cowardice are ap
pealing."
• * •
The scientist under lock and
key over in old London for be
traying us is said to be the
brainiest of them all. Brains
without a heart constitute a
world menace. The last of the
Hebrew prophets saw unclean
spirits that looked to him like
frogs eminating from some in
tellectual sources. The reaction
of the extra smart is that of the :
low-brow croqk. Both want to !
be good when caught.
The supreme court reverses j
the railway commission’s find
ings denying railroads requests j
to abandon unprofitable train
service. If citizens want to hear
the train whistle it is up to
them to furnish the business to !
the railroads, which may be on
the way out everywhere as
more-and-more the rubber tires
take over.
• • •
Daily hearings are being held
by the senate finance commit
tee on House Roll 6,000 that re
vamps the social security setup
and may get at the job of pass
ing or revising the measure
within a few weeks. As the
house passed the measure there
are substantial increases pro
vided for those on the receiving
end.
• • *
Nebraska is included in the
zone regarded as least vulner
able to attack for the location
of centralized industries. Let us
discourage the defacing of our
fair landscape by the introduc
tion of factories belching smoke
like volcanos with attendant la
bor troubles and the picket
lines of malcontents and n’er
do-wells.
# # *
Hugh Butler has not ranked
among the stellar lights of the |
U. S. senate, but there are few
in that body who consistently
saw wood and exercise the sol- j
id good sense on legislation and
national policies as does the
senior senator from Nebraska.
Gray Infant Dies;
Burial at Valentine
I PAGE — Funeral services
\ were held at the Catholic church
| at Valentine at 3 p.m. Friday
afternoon, March 10, for Mich
| ael Duane Gray, 6-months-old.
j Rev. Blair had charge of the
i services and also carried the
| casket.
Michael Duane, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Duane Gray, was born
at Valentine August 16, 1949,
and passed away at 7 o’clock
Monday morning, March 6, at
the Valentine hospital following
a short illness.
Survivors include: parents;
sisters — Velia and VaReane;
grandmothers — Mrs. Evelyn
Gray, of Page, and Mrs. Mike
Lewier, of Butte, and other rel
atives.
Mr. and Mrs. Gene Baber, of
Plainview, Mrs. C. E. Walker,
of Page, and Ralph Gray, of In
man, attended the funeral serv
ices at Valentine. They return
e dto their homes Saturday.
Mrs. Evely Gray had received
a message Sunday evening,
March 5, telling of the serious
illness of her grandson. Mrs.
Gray and her son, Ralph Gray,
of Inman, drove to Valentine
that night. Mrs. Gray is still
staying at the home of her son I
at Valentine.
Grass promotes rapid absorp- |
tion of rain water.
DIES AT BRISTOW
LYNCH — Funeral services
for Theodore Londquist, 44,
will be today (Thursday) at
Bristow. Mr. Londquist passed
away at the Robert Bowman
home in Bristow' early Tuesday
morning, March 7. He had been
bedfast for several months. His
widow'1 survives. _ «
!■! ^ ■ "1
THE ELGIN FACTORY
GRADUATION WATCH OFFER
CONTINUES THROUGH
THE MONTH OF MARCH
at the
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O’Neill Phone 166
O’NEILL
TRANSFER
John Turner, Prop.
★
Daily Trips
Omaha to O’Neill
O’Neill to Omaha
Irregular Trips
O’Neill to All
Nebraska Points
★
Telephones:
O’NEILL—241 -J
OMAHA—JAckson 3727
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