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North-Nebraska’s Fastest-Growing Newspaper
VOLME 70.—NUMBER 13._O'NEILL, NEBR., THURSDAY. AUGUST 3, 19S0. — pHiCE 7 CE1^
1
Election Nears,
Interest Mounts
i __. !
Unicam, Sheriffs Races
Are Attracting Most
Attention
(Turn to pages 6 and 7 for
Republican and Democrat
sample ballots. Also see edi
torial, "Let's Vote," on page
10.)
Another Nebraska primary
election is at hand.
Holt countyans will trek to
the polls on Tuesday, August 8,
to exercise their great Ameri
can privilege—voting.
Interest has been mounting
during the past week as the red
letter day approaches. Most of
the interest centers around local
contests and, of these, the uni
cameral race and the wide-open
sheriff’s meelee predominate.
Two of 3 candidates for the
28th district seat in the state
legislature will vie in the gen
eral election. Seeking the nom
inations are Frank Nelson, of
O’Neill; Norris Coats, of Stuart,
and Fred J. Jungman, of Atkin
soon. This is a non-political race
and Nelson is the incumbent,
having served a term.
Nelson is an O’Neill farmer
living north of town. Jungman
is an Atkinson stockman and
Coats is a Stuart businessman
and former publisher of the
Stuart Advocate.
Curiously, all 3 unicam can
didates are Holt countyans.
The district embraces 4 coun
ties—Holt, Boyd, Rock and
Keya Paha.
The Republican race for the
county sheriff nomination re
volves around Glea H. Wade,
A. B. Hubbard, Ben Oetter,
Lawrence Haynes and D. S.
McCage, all of O’Neill, and
Lawrence Hamik, of Stuart.
The Democratic chase for the
nomination for sheriff is almost
as interesting. Candidates are
John Kersenbrock, Leo S. Tom
jack and Bob Tomlinson, all of
O’Neill, and Thos. J. Davis, of
Inman.
Another attention-compelling
race is between Incumbent Ruth
Hoffman and Esther Cole Harris
for the Republican nomination
for county clerk. Mrs. Harris
presently is register of deeds,
but in anticipation of consoli
dation of the 2 offices, by virtue
•of Holt’s declassification be
cause of population loss, Mrs.
Harris filed for the clerk’s post
Miss Hoffman has been clerk
for 5 years, originally appoint
ed by the board of supervisors
to fill a vacancy.
On the state level. Gov. Val
Peterson, who is endorsed by
the Republican state conven
tion, is opposed on the Repub
lican ballot by A. B. Walker
and Ernest A. Adams.
On the Democratic side, Walt
er R. Raecke and Frank B.
Morrison both enjoy party en
dorsements with Henry L. Fill
man, Harry R. Swanson and
Terry Carpenter other candi
dates.
(* denotes incumbent; ** de
notes endorsement by state
convention of party.)
Other Republican candidates
include:
STATE TICKET
For lieutenant - governor :
Charles J. Warner** and An
(Continued on page 4.)
July Moisture in
Holt 4.25-Inches
The final week in July was
dry compared to the other 3. A
shower on Monday, July 24,
netted .29 of an inch and no
traceable moisture has fallen
since.
Precipitation for the month
was 4.25 inches, according to
Government Observer Elmer
Bowen. Prolonged wetness
made it a notable month in his
tory.
First few days of August were
cool. M!ercury dipped to 50 de
grees early Wednesday.
Summary based on 24-hour
periods ending at 6 p. m. daily
follows:
Date Hi Lo Prec.
July 24 - 78 55 .29
July 25_ 88 60
July 26 . 81 58
July 27 .. _ 82 57
July 28 _ 78 58
July 29 _ 88 60
July 30 _ 84 68
July 31_ 82 70
August 1 78 68
13 HANDS NEEDED
ATKINSON — Thirteen hay
field workers are needed at At
kinson to supply the demand,
according t o Claude Hum
phreys, volunteer farm place
ment representative for the Ne
braska employment service.
TOWER GETS PAINT
O’Neill’s municipal water de
partment tower (standpipe) this
week is receiving a coat of paint
inside and out. This accounts
for low water pressure.
Mr. and Mrs. Pat Hynes vis
ited Patrick J. (“Patty Joe”)
Rotherham in a Norfolk hospital
Monday.
Jimmy Davidson . . . plumb
er, heating expert, fisherman
and fireman. —O'Neill Photo
Co.
JAMES DAVIDSON
EXPIRES IN OMAHA
O’Neill Man, 45, Member
of Pioneer Firm;
Rites Thursday
James E. Davidson, jr., 45,
member of a pioneer O’Neill
business firm, died about 7 o’
clock Sunday morning, July 30,
in St. Joseph’s hospital at Om
aha, where he had been a pa
tient since January 14.
Mr. Davidson was a victim of
cancer.
Funeral services will be
held at 10 o'clock today
(Thursday) in the Methodist
church in O'Neill.
The body lies in state at Big
lin Bros, mortuary until time
for the funeral.
Rev. V. R. Bell, church pastor,
officiated and burial will be in
Prospect Hill cemetery. Mem
bers of the O’Neill volunteer
fire department, an organiza
tion to which Mr. Davidson be
longed since 1925, will act as
pallbearers.
The late James E. Davidson,
Jr„ affectionately known to
hundreds of people in the O'
Neill region as Jimmy David
son, was born in O'Neill on
June 8, 1905, a son of James
E. Davidson, sr., and Anna
Hansen Davidson.
He was educated in the -O’
Neill public school and upon
leaving high school he joined
his father in the Davidson
plumbing and heating firm. The
late Jimmy Davidson was a fix
ture in O’Neill community life
and always was very active in
his field, in the fire department
and in community events.
The late Mr. Davidson never
married and always resided in
the parental home.
Jimmy was an ardent fisher
man and all of his leisure hours
were spent fishing in numerous
lakes and streams in this terri
tory, and many homes bene
fited from his fishing success
es.
The grave will be near that of
the late James E. Davidson, sr.
His father, the founder of the
Davidson firm a half-century
ago, died in 1942.
Three sons have carried on
the plumbing and heating
business — Jimmy being in
charge of the service depart
ment.
Survivors include: Mother, of
O’Neill; brothers—John, Ralph
and Owen, all of O’Neill; Ed
ward, of Casper, Wyo.; Clyde,
of Roscoe, Calif.; Lloyd and
Frank, of Culver City, Calif.;
sisters—Mrs. J. Fred (Dorothy)
Degnan, of Buffalo Gap, S. D.; j
Mrs. O. H. (Frances) Johnson, '
of Clark Fork, Idaho; and Mrs. !
Cy (Eileen) Bruning, of San 1
Gabriel, Calif. j
YOUTHFUL PASTOR . . .
Rev. Robert Olson, 25, is new
pastor of Christ Lutheran
church at O’Neill and Imman
uel Lutheran church at Atkin
son. He is a recent theological
school graduate, this dual pas
torate is his first assignment.
—The Frontier Photo.
LARGE CROWD AT i
BARGER FUNERAL
Military Burial for 37
Year-Old Veteran of
World War II
Funeral services for Virgil
H. Barger, 37-year-old O’Neill
man, were held at 10 o’clock
Saturday morning, July 29, at
the Methodist church here.
Mr. Barger died about 9 o’
clock Wednesday morning, July
26, at his home here. He had
been critically ill for 4 days.
Rev. V. R. Bell, Methodist
pastor, officiated and interment
was in Prospect Hill cemetery, i
Members of Simonson post 93,
of the American Legion, con
ducted military burial rites and
served as pallbearers.
Virgil H. Barger was born
May 8, 1913, at Marion, Ky., j
son of Mr. and Mrs. William
Barger. When he was 6-years
old, he moved with his par
ents to Elm Creek, where the
Barger family resided until
1922, when they moved to
Norfolk.
Virgil was educated and grew
to manhood there, became a
meat-cutter by trade and spent
some time as a salesman.
He was inducted into the ar
my on May 15, 1943, at Denver,
i Colo., and served for 2 Vi years
in World War II. He spent a
year and 7 months overseas
with the 397th antiaircraft ar
.
Virgil H. Barger . . . earned
soldier's medal.
tillery battalion in Africa, Mid
le East, Europe. Decorations in
clude soldier’s medal and Bel
gian Fourragere. Sgt. Barger
was separated from the service
at Denver on December 8, 1945.
Shortly after that he came to
O’Neill. On November 14, 1947,
he married Winifred Walling, of
O’Neill.
Mr. and Mrs. Barger operat
ed the Barger Super Duper
Market until illness forced
him to withdraw from active
business. He spent consider
able time in Veterans' hospi
tals. and recently had recov
ered sufficiently to become an
employee at Gambles.
Survivors include: Widow;
sisters—Mrs. L. W. David and
Mrs. Tony Karara, both of Pon
tiac, Mich.; Mrs. Frank Stewart,
of Denver; Colo.; brothers —
Learner, of Nampa, Ida., and
Brownie, of Deary, Ida.
The body lay in state at Big
lin Bros, funeral home until
time for the funeral. A large
crowd attended the rites. Pall
bearers were Dale Buchmaster,
Robert Moore, Glea H. Wade,
Melvin Ruzicka, John Conard,
John Stuifbergen, Willard Napr
stek and Gene Cantlon.
Mr. Barger’s brothers and
sisters were all here to attend
his rites. Other relatives and
out-of-town friends included:
Richard and Melvin Barger, of
Norfolk; Mrs. Ina Kirk, of Nor
folk; Mr. and Mrs. E. Butter
field, of Neligh; Jim Lovejoy
and Joe Thompson, of Valen
tine, Mrs. June Baker, of Neligh.
_
Reservist Gets Call
To Active Duty
First O’Neill reservist to be
called to military duty during
the current crisis is Robert
Lowery, an employee of Amer
ican Gear Co.
Lowery was a staff sergeant
in the air force during World
War II, serving as a radio and
radar maintenance man in Eur
ope.
He is to report for duty Au
gust 10. Married, he is the father
of 2 children. He is a son of Mr.
and Mrs. Fred Lowery.
Spend Weekend Away—
Mr. and Mrs. Elgin Ray spent
the weekend in Loup City and
Grand Island.
Patrick Joseph Rotherham, 6, has reason to be happy. He's
recovering nicely from brain surgery. Little hope was held that
he would live after being struck by a state-owned vehicle on an
O'Neill intersection.—Photo courtesy Norfolk Daily News.
PLAN TO ENCLOSE
HOSPITAL IN FALL
All Materials, Equipment
For St. Anthony’s
Purchased
All materials and equipment
to be used in connection with
construction of the 420 - thou
sand-dollar St. Anthony’s hos
pital have been purchased and
deliveries arranged.
Work, is progressing rapidly
on the hospital site, immediate
ly west of St. Mary’s academy,
and excavation is nearing com
pletion.
Melvin Jarvis, traveling rep
resentative for Busboom St
Rauh, general contractors, of
Salina, Kans., visited the site
Monday and advised the build
ing committee that work would
advance rapidly from now on.
He declared it was the in
tention of the contractors to
have the building built and
enclosed before the winter
weather arrives, thereby en
abling workmen to proceed on
the interior throughout the
winter months.
Over the weekend 2 carloads
of materials arrived by rail—a
car of brick and a car of cement.
Brick is the light buff color.
A new concrete mixer is be
ing shipped from the factory di
rectly to the O’Neill job. Olof
Mathisen, construction superin
tendent, said Wednesday the
mixer was enroute by rail.
Jarvis explained to James M.
Corkle, head of the building
committee, that all materials
were ordered and some of these
were stockpiled before the Kor
ean war began.
Building committeemen ex
plain that even with shortages
and cutbacks it would be prob
able that the hospital con
struction programs would have
priorities on materials.
Comittee still needs more
contributions.
— ■ <
White Way Energizing
Highlights Dollar Days—
Leading O’Neill business
firms will participate in a dol
lar days promotion on Friday
and Saturday, August 18 and 19.
Highlights of the 2-day mer
chandising festival will be the
energization of O’Neill’s new
white way.
Theme of the promotion will
be back-to-school- The Cham
ber of Commerce’s retail trade
committee is in charge of ar
rangements.
Ted Cooper Dies
After Heart Attack
Ted Cooper, about 50, son ol
Mr. and Mrs. Chester Cooper
S former O’Neill residents, died
I Friday in a Denver, Colo., hos
pital. He was enrout? to th<
West coast when he was strick
en with a heart attack.
Funeral rites were held Mon
day in Denver. Body was ere
: mated.
Mr. Cooper lived at O’Neill
for a number of years when a
young man. His parents operat
ed a cigar store and ice cream
parlor.
He left here, became mar
ried. and lived for a time in
Chicago. 111., and New York
City. His daughter, Donna
Rae, became a well - known
vocalist with Fred Waring's
orchestra and Mr. Cooper
served for a time as Waring's
publicity manager.
The late Mr. Cooper spent a
year in the O’Neill and Atkin
son communities after World
War II. He has been located re
cently at Hastings and Lincoln.
Cub Scouts to
Receive Awards—
Monday evening, August 14,
will be an eventful night for
the Cub Scouts as a court-ot
awards will be held at the Am
erican Legion club room.
A parent must be present for
their son to receive an award.
The boys have worked hard
to earn credits.
!>-—
*~r •
PROGRESS REPORT ... In a week's time the
site for the proposed St. Anthony's hospital
was transformed as men. machines and horse
drawn dirt scoops went to work. Results of a
week of excavation can be seen in background.
Discussing hospital blueprints are Edgar L.
Coleman, of Grand Island, employee of the
Frank McNett architectural firm: Walter Voss,
of O'Neill, employee of James E. Davidson &
Sons plumbing and heating firm, and Olof
Maihisen, of Salina, Kans., construction super
intendent for Busboom & Rauh. general con
tractors.—The Frontier Photo.
Physical Exams
for 56 Holt Men
---,*s
6-YEAR-OLD BOY
WIL L RECOVER
Rotherham Youth Makes
‘Good’ Progress
After Surgery
(Picture at left.)
Patrick Joseph Rotherham,
6 vear-old O’Neill boy who was
struck by a state-owned vehicle
in an intersection here Friday,
July 21, will recover. He is mak
ing “good” progress in Our La
dy of Lourdes hospital at Nor
folk where he was taken after
the accident.
Patty Joe, as he is known to
his friends, was hit by a state
higway department truck driv
en by Gene Porter, 22, of O’
Neill.
The boy is reported to have
gotten off the ground and walk
'd away from the accident. A
few hours later he lapsed into
unconsciousness. A hemmorhage
on the brain had developed.
Originally it was thought he
may have suffered a skull frac
ture, but this later proved un
true.
By coincidence, a famous
brain surgeon. Dr. Chriato
pher Landry, of Boston. Mass.,
was in Omaha for a confer
ence. Advised of the case, he
rushed to Norfolk to perform
the operation.
For 4 days Patty Joe lay in
critical condition at the hospi
tal and doctors held little hopes
for his recovery.
Saturday he was allowed to
sit up for a short time. Monday
, he grinned for the photogra
phers.
Patty Joe’s mother died 6
weeks ago at the time his baby
brother was born. There are 6
other children in the family.
The father, John E. Rother
ham, is considering moving the
family to Omaha.
2 O'Neill Men
Receive Degrees—
The University of Nebraska
conferred 454 degrees Friday at
the conclusion of the summer
session—2 going to O’Neill men.
Warren A. Burgess, son of Dr
and Mrs. L. A. Burgess, and
Gene M. McKenna, son of Mr.
Gene M. McKenna, son of Mrs.
Mabel McKenna, each received
a bachelor of science degree in
the college of business adminis
tration.
Hay Days Boosters
Coming Today—
ATKINSON—The Baler club
will invade O’Neill on Thursday
evening, August 3, to herald
the Hay Days celebration to be
held in Atkinson on Wednes
day and Thursday, August 16
and 17.
The Balers will stage a brief
program at the main square
| and then will go to Danceland
where a Baler club dance will
be held.
Korean War Responsible
For Revival of
Conscription
The Red-inspired Korean war
will make its first impact on
community life in Holt county
when 56 young selective service
registrants, between the ages of
25 and 18, report for preinduc
tion physical examinations dur
ing August.
The Holt county selective ser
vice board received its first or
ders from state headquarters on
Thursday, July 27.,
Under draft regulations,
names of men ordered to prein
duction examinations are not
revealed.
For the present no married
men, no World War II veter
ans or none known to have
been previously rejected will
be called.
! Mrs. W. H. Harty, chief clerk
for the Holt board, said there
are few men in the age groups
now being called who are in
class 1-A. Most of the 1-A men
in the county are in the younger
age groups.
Upon receipt of the first call,
the Holt board convened and
elected Glea H. Wade, of O’
Neill, chairman of the board.
Wade is a World War II veteran,
having served as a sergeant in
the Pacific theater where he
was wounded 4 times. He holds
the Purple Heart award with 3
clusters. He is a Republican can
didate for sheriff in the August
8 primary election.
Other members of the board
are: Fred J. Jungman, of Atkin
son, who lost a son in Europe
during World War II; and Wil
liam E. Wutf, of Ewing, ^rho
recently waft appointee!to luc
I ceed John Q. Archer, also of
Ewing, resigned because of ill
! health.
Mrs. Harty, clerk, also lost a
! son. in Europe during World
War II.
All 56 men will be sent from
here simultaneously for prein
duction examinations.
._
Thiesens Get
Hiway Contract
Two contracts for construc
tion of 5 miles of U. S. highway
281 between O’Neill and Spen
cer were awarded Tuesday by
the state highway department.
Thiesen Brothers, of Osmond,
won both of the contracts. For
I trading the new construction
; and installing culverts, grading
and graveling the detour road,
the firm will receive $29,619.30.
The Pierce county firm made a
| low bid of $10,687 for install
ing culverts on the new con
struction.
The work will start north of
U. S. highway 20, IV2 miles
north of O’Neill. The detour will
be 1 mile west of the highway
under construction.
Grading the 5 miles of high
way will require the excavation
of about 150 - thousand-cubic
yards of earth.
Twelve metal culverts and 2
concrete box culverts will be
built to provide adequate drain
age for the new road.
3 Persons Hurt
in Auto Smash
Three persona were injured
about 5 p. m. Wednesday in a
2-car accident 5 miles east of
O'Neill cn highways 20-£75.
Miss Nancy Le Masters, of
Arizona, who had been visit
ing at St. Paul, was rushed to
Lutheran hospital at Omaha
with a shattered left knee cap.
She was the lone occupant of
the eastbound Arizona car.
Mr and Mrs. Roy McGregor,
of Olympia, Wash., who with
3 children were enroute to O’
Neill, were occupants of the
other machine, which was trav
eling west. Mr. and Mrs. Mc
Gregor are in O’Neill hospitaL
Mr. McGregor has a cut
knee and his nose; Mrs. McGreg
or suffered bad cuts on her knee,
eye, ear and arm. Both suffer
ed from shock. The children
were unhurt.
Mrs. Florence Schultz return
ed home Monday evening after
an extended visit with her
daughter and husband, Mr. and
Mrs. Clarence Tadd, of Spring
field, Mo. She also visited an
other daughter and her hus
band, Mr. and Mrs. Owen Hiatt,
in Omaha enroute home.
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