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North-Nebraska’s Fastest-Growing Newspaper
VOLUME 70._NUMBER 34. "" O'NEILL, NEBR., THURSDAY^ DECEMBER 28. 1950. ~ PRICE 7 CENTS
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'52 Baby Derby
Is Announced
T
O’Neill Merchants to
Again Heap Gifts
on Lucky One
I Once again Holt county’s first
born baby in the new year will
be a lucky little fellow.
Fourteen O'Neill merchants
in cooperation with The Fron
tier will shower the honor ba
by with an assortment of gifts
that would capture the eye of
a busy stork.
For example:
Coyne’s Hardware will present
a baby bottle sterilizer complete
with rack.
McIntosh Jewelry offers a 10
karat gold baby ring.
Midwest Furniture & Appli
ance will provide the honor m
" fant with a child’s training chair.
The J. M. McDonald company
says “Nothin’s too good for first
baby” and will present a Sluin
ber-Gro safety Sleeping bag.
The Neligh Creamery has ear
marked one case ot vitamin D
homogenized milk.
Spelts - Ray Lumber company
knows that baby must keep
warm—hence 500 pounds of coal.
The New Outlaw Grocery will
herald the first one’s arrival with
a case of Gerber’s baby food.
O’lNeiii rnoto company offers
photographs valued at $15, in
cluding one 8”xi0” timed en
largement and 12 3”x5” mount
ed prints.
Shelhamer Foods will maae a
vailable with their compliments
one case oi neinz oaoy rood.
v Gamoies nave set aside a plas
tic coveied crib bumperpad for
the lucky one.
Montgomery’s Hardware, like
last year', wui give a porcelain
baby bain, 00-quart size.
R. H. bhrrner Insurance agen
cy wants baby to start the thrift
habit early, will provide a sav
ings bank and money in it. Mr.
Shriner will start the bank with
25-cents lor each pound baby
weighs.
Gilligan & Stout drug store
wants nolt's honor lniant t o
have a good hot water bottle, so
a special gift pacaage has been
wrapped and is waiting lor the
derby winner.
McCarvilles have a pair of
Red Goose snoes lor “his maj
esty” or “her highness.”
I And, just for good measure,
Tho I 'ifrii’ll—i mill mini the lucky
one a year’s subscription, Or, if
the parents already subscribe,
the expiration date on tneir pa
per will be extended for a year.
This contest marks the fifth
successive tirst baby derby
sponsored by The Frontier.
Kathleen Wanser, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. max v7anser, ol In
man, won the iirst contest in
1V47. l^ancy Flame tiarsniieid,
daughter oi Mr. and Mrs. weai
Harsnneid, oi O’iveiil, came a
long ai me right time to win the
la-Xi contest, james Michael Be
ha, son ol Mr. and Mrs. matthew
G. Bena, ol u’XMeiil, led tne ly49
parade, and David Bynn Tracy,
son oi Mr. and Mrs. t rank Tracy,
' oi Chambers, grabbed the lyou
laureis.
Two girls and two boys have
won the uerby todate and the
tirst one in 'ul will break the
deadlocK.
Any baby born within the Holt
boundaries alter midnight on
December 31, iy50, is eligible to
win. Biury Diana must ue filled
out by parents, (bee pages 10 and
111 for ust oi prizes and contest
rules.)
On your marks . . . get set . . .
go!
C&NW Asks to
Remove 4 Trains
Although the application has
no bearing on mainline Chicago
& North Western rail service
* through O’Neill, the company
has asited the state railway com
mission for permission to discon
tinue trams 13 and 14 between
Chadron and the Nebraska-South
Dakota line and trams 21 and 22
between Nortoik and Winner, S.
D. Both are passenger runs.
Company oxncials say the road
is losing heavily on these trains
and they have been generally a
bandoned by the riding public.
Trains 13 and 14 now start
from Omaha and run to Rapid
City, S. D., via Chadron.
Christmas Buyers
Smash All Records
For the second consecutive
Saturday all records were smash
ed by Christmas shoppers in O’
Neill stores.
At least eight leading O’Neill
firms reported all-time highs in
total retail sales at the close of
business at 10 p. m. Saturday.
Because of the heavy volume
in the previous week, most mer
chants believed the rush wev ov
er when last weekend arrived.
Quite the contrary. Buyers "hung
on” until stores were closed.
Vacations al Chambers—
Katheryn Rubeck, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Elwin Rubeck, ac
companied her grandparents,
1 Mr. and Mrs. John Honeywell,
of Chambers, home to spend her
Christmas vacation.
AGNES SULUVAN
RETIRESDEC. 31
Completes 15 Years A s
O’Neill Postmaster;
Succeeded Husband
Mrs. Agnes R. Sullivan, O’Neill
postmaster since 1935, will retire
on December 31.
She made the announcement
Tuesday upon receipt of her of
ficial release from the postoffice
department.
Thomas J. Sullivan, O'Neill
surveyor and former city em
ployee, has been named acting
postmaster and will assume
management of the office on
January 1, 1951.
It is a case of Sullivan - suc
ceeding-Sullivan but there is no
relationship.
Mrs. Sullivan, who was bom in
Clinton, la., became acting post
master here following the death
of her husband, Michael R. Sulli
Mrs. Sullivan . . . new postal
records established. — O'Neill
Photo Co.
van, who died October 20, 1935,
He had been appointed postmas
ter several years before.
In 1937 Mrs. Sullivan super
vised the removal of the office
from the former location (at the
Golden "hotel annex) tc the new
building. In 1938 the O’Neill of
fice ranked second in the state
per capita in the sale of savings
bonds.
Mrs. Sullivan has served as
Nebraska chairman of the Na
tional Association of Postmasters,
has been district chairman of the
association. She is the only wom
an to have held the O’Neill of
- fice, completing 15 years of ser
vice on November 26.
;
She served as acting post
master here for six months be
fore receiving a presidential
four-year appointment. In 1940
her office came under civil ser
vice.
Mrs. Sullivan resides with her
her son, Cletus V., and wife.
J. C. Shope, of Norfolk, postal
inspector, will be here to effect
the transfer to Thomas J. Sulli
van.
The new acting postmaster is
a lifelong Holt resident. In the
recent election he was an un
successful Democratic candidate
for the post of county assessor.
Mrs. Sullivan stated that in the
month of December, 1950, all
previous records were broken in
volume of mail processed at the
O’Neill office.
One of the first major tasks
confronting the new postmaster
will be the inauguration of door
to-door mail delivery, which has
been approved by the postoffice
department.
Atkinson Youth
Wins Recognition
ATKINSON— Leroy Porter,
about 10, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Earl Porter, Wednesday noon
was saluted on the network ra
dio program, “Chance of a
“Lifetime.”
Leroy, an Atkinson public
school student who has been
crippled since birth, was asked
what he wanted most. He told
the program he wanted “a
sewing machine for his moth
j er.”
On Wednesday’s “Chance of
I a Lifetime” porgram, it was
i announced that Leroy’s moth
: er would not only receive a
sewing machine but the family
would share in 72 pairs of
stockings, a wardrobe of trou
sers, an electric roaster, some
aluminum ware, several dozen
bed sheets, some pillow cases,
six cases of canned food and
other items.
Mrs. E. K. Porter, the lad’s
grandmother, had written the
program in behalf of Leroy.
Visit Points in Iowa—
The J. H. Doerning family was
in Iowa for Christmas. Sunday,
in Spencer they visited her
brother, James Cullen, and Mon
day they visited his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. J. B. Doerning, at Mal
lard.
L. A. SIMONSON
SUCCUMBS HERE
Retired O’Neill Farm /er, 79,
111 About 6 Months;
Funeral Saturday
Loren A. Simonson, 79, retired
O’Neill farmer, died Wednesday,
December 27, at 7 p. m. at his
home here. Death was caused by
a heart affliction and he had
been ill about six months.
Funeral services will be held
Saturday at 10 a. m. at First
Presbyterian church with Rev.
Ralph Gerber, church pastor, of
ficiating. Burial will be in Pros
pect Hill cemetery. A prayer ser
vice at 9:45 a. m. at the Simon
son home will precede the funer
al. Immediate relatives and close
friends will attend the earlier
rite.
The late Mr. Simonson was
born January 3, 1871, in Dane
county, Wisconsin, a son of
Thomas and Caroline Lewis Si
monson.
He came to Holt county at
the age of 10 with his parents,
who were farmers. The family
resided at Clay Center for a
time before coming to the O'
Neill vicinity.
In 1894 Mr. Simonson and Miss
Anna C. Gulleckson were mar
ried at O’Neill. They were child
, hood sweethearts. Mrs. Simonson
1 died December 6, 1948, in a Sioux
i City hospital.
In 189a the Simonsons moved
onto the family homestead, 14
miles northeast of O’Neill, and
resided there until 1919 when
they retired, moving into O’Neill.
The Simonsons became the
parents of seven children, all of
whom survive with the excep
tion of one son, Gaylor Thomas,
who was killed in action at Cha
teau Thierry, France, on Septem
ber 1, 1918.
Simonson post 93 of the Am
erican Legion at O'Neill was
named for the son who died in
World War I.
i
The late Mr. Simonson was a
member of First Presbyterian
church and members of his fam
ily have always been active in
region and auxiliary affairs.
Survivors include: Daughters
—Mrs. Roy (Ruth) Goree, oi
Long Pine; Mrs. Lorena Duffy,
of Casper, Wyo.; Mrs. Ralph
(Sylvia) McElvain, of O’Neill;
Mis. George (Lillian) McCartny,
of O’Neill; Mrs. Ralph (Edna)
Walker, of O’Neill; McKinley C.
(“Mac”) Simonson, of O’Neill
and Orchard; 19 grandchildren
and five great-grandchildren.
Quints Set for
Benefit Show
The O’Neill Lions and College
All-Star basketball teams have
been going through strenuous
workouts this week in prepara
tion for the benefit game to be
played tonight (Thursday) on
the O’Neill public school court.
All proceeds will go to the Li
ons club milk fund for under
privileged children.
Coach Amie Doerning’s once
beaten Lions, who have run
roughshod over most opposition
| this season, have been challeng
j ed by a band of former St. Jo
seph’s hall (Atkinson), Atkinson
high and St. Mary’s academy
basketball greats to be led by
Bob Berigan, currently a mem
ber of the St. Louis university
! team.
Doerning has been employing
the “two-platoon” system with
success. One team includes Bob
Matthews, Elmer Blackbird, Max
Mossman, Jim Donohoe and Berl
Damkroger. The other, Shorty
Miles, Bob Jonas, Bill Carlson,
Fay Robeson and Bing Volber
ding. In reserve are Dan DeBack
er, Warren Taylor and Gene
j Leach.
O’Neill Region
Escapes Mishaps
State Highway Patrolman Fay
| Robeson reported Wednesday
that the motorists in the O’Neill
region thus far have kept the
record free from serious highway
accidents.
He said the fact was unique in '
view of a rash of accidents from
coast-to-coast in which hundreds
of lives were lost.
Miss Shirley Johring, who is
spending the holiday vacation
with her mother, Mrs. Martha
Johring, and family, will return
to Minneapolis, Minn., this week
end to resume her studies dt the
Minnesota Bible college where
she is a freshman this year. Miss
Johring was an overnight visit
or this week with Mr. and Mrs.
A. C. Utterback, of Clearwater,
and with Bennett Gillespie fam
ily, of O'Neill. 1
V*«S*.
Christmas, 1950. was unlike
earlier Christmases for the
Sterne Martenek family, dis
placed Polish people now liv
ing on a farm near O'Neill.
Santa Claus paid a visit, show
ered the Marleneks with clo
thing and toys, and the "Voice
of The Frontier's" announcer,
George Hammond, told the
world about it. The Marleneks
are Z i g m u n d (centerfore
v,;.;.;.;.-:.
i
ground), Stanley (centerback
ground), Henry and the par
ents. The lad at lower right
was a visitor who collected his
quota of toys, too.—The Fron
tier Photo.
Father of these kiddies is in
the army in Korea and recent
ly had both feet froaen. They
are Jerry. Jack and Mary Jane. ,
The Jolly Ol' Fellow bright
ened their Christmas, too. San
f
ta wanted to remain anony
mous.—The Frontier Photo.
Anonymous Santa’s Job Grows
When an O’Neill man in work
ing man’s clothing came to The
Frontier one day last week and
announced he wanted to be a
Santa Claus for a “family of O’
Neill kids,” he had no idea what
was in store.
He finished up being Santa for
five families—thanks to his own
generosity and the yule spirit
manifest by several O’Neill
housewives, a working girl, and
several businessmen.
With an automobile full of
'clothing and toys he took off on
his mission of goodwill. George
Hammond and the “Voice of The
Frontier’s” special events unit
went along, and recorded some
of the goings-on when Santa
made his unexpected visits in
homes where stockings might
otherwise have been empty.
First stop was at the farm
home of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Mar
tenek and family, living two
miles east of O’Neill.
Not many months ago the
Marteneks were living in Eur
ope. Mr. Marienek was a farm
er in Poland, he had some land
and the family was considered
to be in comfortable circum
stances.
Then came World War II.
For five horrible years life was
miserable for the Marteneks.
Hitler’s Nazis took away their
land and all their possessions
and transplanted the family to a
forced labor camp in Germany.
Their only child then, Stanley,
was a baby.
Stanley was torn away from
his parents but later returned to
them in a concentration camp.
The Marteneks are newcomers
to America—no longer displaced.
There are three boys: Stanley, 8;
Henry, 7; Zugmund, 4.
Highlight of the day was a tri
cycle for Stanley—recommended
by a doctor to help overcome a
lameness. The Marteneks speak
Polish mostly, but the children
are learning English. Santa
spoke the “international lan
guage.” Hammond reported to
the radio audience. The gibber
ing of Polish was audible in the
background.
Next stop was in a home
where the father recently had
both feet frozen in Korea and
where the mother and four small
kiddies were depending upon the
allotment check.
Then there was a visit to per
haps the humblest home in O’
Neill.
The reception accorded Santa
there also was broadcast on the
Christmas morning “Voice” pro
gram.
The children completely ig
nored the microphone when
Santa appeared and the con
versation that spontaneously
ensued told the story better
than any reporter could.
This self - styled Santa, who
wanted to remain anonymous,
made several more stops in O’
Neill and visited Atkinson, too.
Some fellow, this Santa!
These visits provided the
theme for the Christmas morning
half-hour “voice” program heard
over WJAG: (Norfolk, 780 k. c.)
The program entitled “Christ
mas in O’Neill, 1950," opened
with St. Mary’s academy first
graders introducing and singing
“Jingle Bells” and “Up on the
Housetop.”
By taperecording the First
Presbyterian church choir sang
“Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful,’’
“Birthday of a King,” by Neid
linger, soprano solo by Miss Bar
bara Bennett, and “Brightest and
Best,” by Coombs, with solos by
Miss Lois Harder and Stanley
Lambert. The music was record
ed at the Christmas eve candle
light service at the church.
Music excerpts from the mid
night mass at St. Patrick’s Cath
olic church followed, featuring
the choir with pipe organ accom
paniment.
Then came Santa’s visits with
the O’Neill public school band,
playing Goldman’s “Christmas
March,” filling the intervals. The
music was recorded.
Child Dramatically
Rushed to Hospital
Hugh James, 10-year-old son
of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred James,
of Atkinson, was rushed to an
Omaha hospital Tuesday in
dramatic fashion.
Mr. and Mrs. James began
the trip with their car, which
broke down at O’Neill. The
boy was transferred to a Big
lin Bros, ambulance. A Nor
folk pilot had been alerted and
was standing by at the Norfolk
airport when the ambulance
arrived.
The plane was met at the
Omaha airport by another am
bulance and a police escort.
The boy is suffering from
rheumatic fever.
Visit Hynes Home—
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Young,
of Ravenna, spent Christmas with
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Austin
Hynes.
“Voice of The Frontier,” Mon ,
Wed., Sat,, 9:45 a. m. . . . WJAG
. . . 780 on your dial!
O'Neill Man Earns
Civil Promotion—
William D. Allendorfer has re
ceived a one grade civil service
promotion. He is a department of
the army civilian working with
a finance unit in Friedberg, Ger
many.
A native of O’Neill and a 1940
graduate of O’Neill high school,
Mr. Allendorfer worked with the
counter intelligence corps during
World War II. He came to Eur
ope on this present tour of duty
in October, 1946. Accompanying
him in Friedberg is his wife, Vir
ginia A. Allendorfer.
Moss Family
Heads South—
Mr. and Mrs. Ira H. Moss and
daughters, Suzanne and Sarah
Lou, departed Friday for a visit
in the Southern states. They con
templated visiting Texas and
Louisiana and hoped to see the
Sugar Bowl football game on
New Year’s day.
Mrs. P. B. Harty was appoint
ed deputy clerk of the district
court in Mr. Moss’s absence.
S. W. BRION DIES;
BURIAL AT EWING
i
Heart Ailment Fatal to
Well-Known Ewing
Banker
EWING — Funeral services
were conducted at 2 p. m., Wed
nesday, December 27, at the
Methodist church in Ewing for S.
W. ("Pete”) Brion, 87, well
known Ewing banker. He died at
9:05 a. m. Christmas rn a Nor
folk hospital where he had been
a patient since November 22.
He had been a sufferer of a
heart ailment.
Survivors include: Widow —
Maude; son—Samuel Richard, of
Neligh; daughter — Mrs. M. B.
(Mary) Huffman, of Ewing; sis
ters—Mrs. Eva Davies, of Lin
coln, and Mrs. Sadie Jones, of
Manatee, Fla.; four grandchil
dren, several nieces and ne
phews.
Samuel Walter Brion was bom
March 9, 1883, at Unadilla. As
an infant he moved to Holt coun
ty with his parents, settling on a
farm 10 miles north of town. In
1891 he moved into Ewing where
he spent the remainder of his
life.
The late Mr. Brion began hi*
banking career at the age ol 15
with the Ewing State bank. He
later transferred to the Pioneer
bank of Ewing and later help
ed organize the Farmers Stale
bank. He initially served as
cashier and for many years
served as president. He headed
the bank at the time of bis
death.
On October 1, 1913, he married
Maude BuiiwhiStle at Ewing.
They became the parents of two
children.
Mr. Brion was active in most
community affairs, served as a
member of the board of educa
tion, village board of trustees
and township board. He was a
member of the Masonic lodge.
Order of Eastern Star, Royal
Highlanders and was baptised a
Methodist. His hobbies were
hunting and fishing.
Rev. C. C. Chappell, Methodist
pastor, officiated and burial was
in the Ewing cemetery. The main
auditorium in the church could
not accomodate the crowd and
loudspeakers were placed m the
basement. Masonic burial rites
were conducted.
His parents and three sisters
preceded him in death.
New Assessor. Sheriff
Take Over January 4
Two new Holt county officer*
will assume their duties Thurs
day, January 4. Both were vic
tors in the November general
elections.
Leo S. Tomjack, Democrat, of
O’Neill, succeeds A. B. Hubbard,
Republican, of O’Neill, as county
sheriff.
William E. (“BUI”) Wefso, Re
publican, of Atkinson, will re
place L. G. Gillespie, Republican,
of O’Neill, as county assessor.
Wefso defeated Gillespie in the
primaries and subsequently won
the general election.
Miss Alice French, who ha*
been appointed new superintend
ent of public instruction, will as
sume her duties in mid-January.
She has not yet been released by
O’Neill city schools where she is
a faculty member. Miss Elja Mc
ullough, retiring superintendent,
will attend college at Wayne af
ter the holidays. She left O’Neill
last week.
Santa Brings 2
Babies for Xmas
Santa was not too busy with
toys and stuff to lend the stork
an assist with two babies —
both boys — in O’Neill on
Christmas day.
Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Layh,
of O’Neill, became the parents
of a son, Ricky Lee, weighing
8 pounds. Ricky Lee is their
first child.
Rev. and Mrs. Robert Olson,
of Christ Lutheran church at
O’Neill, had a son, John Rob
ert, weighing 7 pounds 2 ounc
es. The Olsons have another
child.
The babies were bom in O’
Neill hospital.
Harty Family Reunites—
Mrs. W. H. Harty had as he*
guests at Christmas her son and
his wife, Mr. and Mrs. James
Harty, of Scottsbluff; her daugh
ter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs.
Kevin Kocina, and daughters, of
Central City, and her son. Jack,
of Chicago, 111. The James Harty*
also visited her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Simon Bosn.
