12 PAGES — 2 SECTIONS
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VOLUME 71.—NUMBER 20. O'NELL. NEBRASKA. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 20. 1951. " “ PRICE 7 CENTO
i -o.. ' : ... . .'.4-iv. ms&z.-jxaamif,* * -
Gov. Val Peterson (at "Voice of The Frontier" microphone)
urged "untiring effort" by people of the Niobrara Basin to devel
op plan into reality. At Governor Peterson's right are A. A. Bat
son, of Denver, Colo., regional director of the bureau of reclama
tion, and James W. Rooney, secretary of the O'Neill Chamber of
Commerce. —The Frontier Photo & En graving.
★ ★ ★
Basin Report
‘Now Ready9
Big Irrigation Plan
Goes to Denver;
Reelect Officers
The highlight of the 5th annual
meeting of the Niobrara Basin
Development association was the
announcement by Clyde E. Bur
dick, area engineer for the bureau
of reclamation, that his prelimi
nary report has been completed
and is “now ready for submission
to the regional office at Denver.”
In effect, this means that Bur
dick's 5-year project of research,
surveying and compilation of da
ta has been finished and is ready
now for approval by federal and
state agencies.
Burdick’s recommendations in
clude irrigation of approximate
ly 46,000 acres in the Ainsworth
unit, 66,000 acres in the O’Neill
unit (extending from Atkinson to
a point about 10 miles east of O’
Neill), 5,750 acres near Spring
view, 6,450 acres at Boiling
Springs (southwest of Cody), 6,
000 acres adjacent to the present
Mirage Flats project, 3,150 acres
at Lavaca flats (12 miles south
east of Gordon), 9,000 acres east
«,f Butte (Ponca creek project),
and 700 acres along Keya Paha
creek (below Antelope creek).
The entire scheme will call for
construction of dams, reservoirs
and canals.
The dams will produce a vast
amount of electric energy, which
will leave a merchantable sur
plus after irrigation require
ments are allowed.
A. A. Batson, a native Nebras
kan who now heads the regional
office of the bureau of reclama
tion at Denver, administering
reclamation affairs in several
states on the eastern side of the
continental divide, traced the
steps ahead to translate Burdick’s
plan into action in bringing ir
rigation to the valley.
Batson, speaking at the business
session held Monday afternoon in
the district courtroom here, told 75
members that Burdick’s report
would be in his Denver office
until about January 1, 1952.
(Continued on page 8.)
Motor Court Brings
$60,000 —
ATKINSON — The Ellenwood
motor court, of Atkinson, which
was sold last week for $60,000,
will be operated by Mr. and Mrs.
Herb Stech, of Sundance, Wyo.
The court, consisting of 15 units
as well as a residence, has been
operated by the Ellenwoods
since 1938.
Mrs. Stech is the former Wini
fred Zink, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Fred Zink, of Stuart.
The Ellenwoods, after a vaca
tion in the south, will continue to
operate their Aberdeen - Angus
cattle business.
Name 14 for. Army
Induction October 1
The Holt county selective ser
vice board Wednesday announc
ed the names of Holt men who
are to be inducted into the arm
ed forces on October 1. ,
They are: •
From Stuart—Jess R. Colson,
Donald C. Bernt, Thomas W.
Kaup, James R. Davis, Charles
L. Mulford.
From Page—Donald J. Prill.
From Chambers—Leonard L.
Svatos, Robert R Sanderson,
Raymond J. Walter, Earl E. Da
vid.
From Atkinson—Gary H. Kokes
and Leo L. Laible.
From Ewing—Leo J. Hawk.
From O’Neill—Harlan E. Pet
ersen.
Union Store Will
Reopen Today
R. G. Shelhamer, of Shelhamer
Foods, announced Wednesday, the
Union store, near the postoffice,
would reopen today (Thursday).
The store has been closed for
several weeks for redecoration.
Called to Wisconsin
By Father's Illness—
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Ray were
called Sunday to Blue River,
Wise., as his father, William Ray,
was very ill following a serious
operation.
-
STANTON MAN NEW
LEGION LEADER
Hob Swanson Elected at
District II Meet
in Atkinson
ATKINSON—Bob Swanson, of
Stanton. Monday was elected new
commander of district II, Nebras
ka department of the American
Legion. He succeeds Stanley
Huffman, of Elgin.
The annual district II meeting
was well attended.
Among those on the Legion
program were: Department
Commander Pete Marchetti. of
Omaha; National Committee
man John Curtis, of Lincoln;
Huffman, and Alex Frickel,
commander of Farley-Tushla
post.
The district II auxiliary held
sessions simultaneously at the
Methodist church.
Mrs. Pehr Wagner, of Norfolk,
district auxiliary president, and
Mrs. George Skokan, of Niobrara,
district vice - president, were
unanimously reelected.
A joint Legion-auxiliary parade
through the business district pre
ceded the barbeque and evening’s
entertainment at the Crystal ball
room. The evening’s program in
cluded a home-talent show. Mrs.
B. H. Wilson, Atkinson Auxiliary
president, and her committees
helped arrange the program.
The auxiliary program included
a memorial rite conducted by the
county presidents with Mrs. K. C.
Boulier, of Atkinson, as pianist;
Mrs. L. F. Griffin, of Atkinson,
vocal soloist, and Mrs. Charles
Fowle, of Norfolk, reader.
Mrs. Florence Soost, of Bloom
field, department education of
orphans chairman, reported on
the awarding of 18 nurses’ schol
arships the past year. These are
made available through the unit
contributions to the little red
school house fund. She expressed
the regret of the department that
more scholarships were not a
vailable since there were 86 ap
plicants for the 18 which had been
awarded.
At the close of her address on
the “Auxiliary’s Plans for the
Education of the Serviceman’s
Child,” the assemblage of district
II voted to award a nurse schol
arship of $200 to a qualified ap
plicant from district II as a pro
ject of its own for 1952.
The newly - elected depart
ment president, Mrs. Dorothy
Hastings, of Grant, presented
the principal address, using the
convention theme, "For God
and For Country."
Delegates attending the auxil
iary convention from Simonson
unit 93 included: Mrs. Axel Borg,
unit president; Mrs. H. D. Gilder
sleeve, unit secretary; Mrs. Virgil
Laursen, unit vice-president: Mrs.
John Stuifbergen, Mrs. John Da
vidson, Mrs. Dean Streeter. Mrs.
Fred Appleby, Mrs. Robert Cole
and Mrs. Guy Cole.
Unit President Borg served as
chairman of the convention reso
lutions committee.
Bloomfield was chosen by the
Legion as the host city for the
1952 convention.
(Continued on page 8.)
BROTHERS-IN-LAW MEET
An auto mishap on Saturday
evening at the corner of 2nd and
West Douglas streets involved
brothers-in-law. Involved in the
accident were Lawrence Murray
and Don Moler. Moler’s late mod
el car received minor damages.
No one was hurt.
These officers and directors will conduct the
affairs of the Niobrara Basin Development asso
ciation during the new year: Seated — Vern P.
Lindholm. of Ainsworth, secretary-treasurer (be
ginning fourth term); E. A. House, of Ainsworth,
president (beginning fifth term), and Lyle P.
Dierks, of Ewing, vice-president (beginning third
term). Second row — John Jameson, of Bassett;
John F. Dick, of O'Neill; Mr. Carlson, of Winner,
S. D„ and Duane Cook, of Springview. Third row
—James W. Rooney, of O'Neill; David Johnson, of
Walnut; J. J. Jacot, of Verdigre, and Walter Ries,
of Atkinson.—The Frontier Photo 8c Engraving.
Old robes—dusted off . . . front row: Mrs. A. E. Bowen, Mrs.
Dwight Harder, Mrs. D. H. Clauson, Mrs. D. C. Schaffer. Mrs.
Seth Noble (the honoree), Mrs. Harry Petersen, Mrs. W. W. Waller,
and Mrs. James McMahan; second row—Mrs. Don McKamy, Mrs.
Mm BBflWiS ’
H. L. Lindberg, Mrs. H. E. Asher. Mrst Bennett Sanders, Mrs. Earl
Ralya, Mrs. J. D. Osenbaugh, Mrs. C. W. Porter, Mrs. J. L. Sher
bahn and Mrs. Clarence Hansen; rear—C. W. Porter and A. E.
Bowen.—The Frontier Photo & Engraving.
Star 53 Years Sees
Robes Worn Again
(Other pictures on page 9.)
Mrs. Seth Noble, who 53 years
ago was initiated into the Order
of the Eastern Star at Planking
ton, S. D., was honored last
Thursday evening by Symphony
chapter 316.
The O’Neill woman, widow of a
a longtime lumberman here, was
surprised when a special 50-year
anniversary ceremony was en
acted by members of Symphony
chapter.
The lodge robes that were used
became a member were brought
at Plankington when Mrs. Noble
here for the affair and were worn
by the Symphony “initiation
team.”
Mrs. Noble holds the distinc
tion of belonging to the Star long
er than any other member.
She was presented a white Bi- I
ble and bouquet of flowers. Mrs.
S. J. Weekes, of Omaha, also a
member of Symphony chapter, j
was unable to be present to re
ceive her 50-year pin.
W. J. Stafford, 65,
Scottsbluff, Dies
—
W. J. Stafford, 65, a prominent
Scottsbluff banker, died shortly
before midnight Monday night.
Stafford, who had been president
of the Scotts Bluff national bank
since 1944, moved to Scottsbluff
in 1918. He was formerly associat
ed with a bank at Norfolk.
Survivors include his wife, the
former Dorothy Tessman, of O’
Neill; a daughter, Mary Jo, at
home; his mother, Mrs. Mary E.
Stafford; 3 brothers and a sister,
who reside in Los Angeles, Calif.
Gets 3d Alternate
Academy Appointment—
Weldon ("Don”) Petersen, son
of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Petersen,
has been named 3d alternate in
Nebraska for the next entrance
class at the U.S. naval academy,
Annapolis, Md.
Petersen, a 1951 O’Neill high
school graduate, last week enroll
ed at Kemper academy, Boone- !
ville, Mo.
.
Soldier on Furlough
Is Honored —
EWING—Mr. and Mrs. Herman i
Schroeder and family were hosts |
at a family gathering at their
home on Sunday, September 9,
honoring their son, Pvt. Bernard
Schroeder, who was home on fur
lough. A fried chicken dinner
was served at noon.
Next day Private Schroeder
left for New Jersey.
Suffers 'Mild Case'
of Paralysis—
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Gilg re- !
turned Tuesday evening from J
Council Bluffs, la., where they
had visited with Mr. and Mrs.
Dan Gilg. Danny, small son of
the Dan Gilgs, is in Mercy hospi
tal with a mild case of polio.
There is only a slight paralysis
in the right shoulder. He is "im
proving.”_
Tours New England —
EWING—Mrs. Maude Brion, of
Ewing, this week is touring Can
ada and the New England states
with a group which is being spon
sored by radio station WOW, O
maha. Monday she was asked in
Detroit, Mich., how she liked De
troit. Mrs. Brion replied: “Oh,
Detroit is all right, but I like Ew
ing better ”
Lessees Will Fight
Rev. Ralph Gerber . . . O'
Neill his first pastorate. — O'
Neill Photo Co.; The Frontier
Engraving.
(Story at right)
Page Club Protests
Telephone Service
PAGE—The Page Improvement
club has complained to the state
railway commission about the
service which the Page commu
nity is receiving from the Public
Telephone company, of Blair.
A commission spokesman in
Lincoln said a date would be set
later for a hearing on the com
plaint.
The club complained that the
company’s lines are in “poor con
dition” and “switchboard service
is unsatisfactory.”
Attend Rites for
Navy Flyer —
EWING—Mr. and Mrs. Sis Eb
bensgaard, of Ewing, returned on
Monday, September 10, from
Pittsburg, Pa., after attending fu
neral services for Donald Tate,
who was a grand-nephew. He
was killed on a routine flight
from Jackson vile, Fla. He was a
veteran of World War II and is
survived by his widow and a 3
months-old child. •
Frontier for printing!
Pastor Accepts
Lexington Call
__
The pastor of First Presbyterian ;
church here since June, 1948,
Rev. Ralph Gerber, has accepted
a call from First Presbyterian
church at Lexington and will be- j
gin his pastorate there in mid
October.
The transfer became official
Monday when the Niobrara Phes- -
> bytery severed pastor-congrega
| tional relations here, effective j
next month.
Earlier Reverend Gerber had
appeared at Lexington, the Lex
ington church issued a call and
the joint congregations of O’Neill,
Kellar and Bethany Presbyterian
i churches voted to release him.
Ordained in May, 1948, upon
I graduation from McCormick
seminary, Chicago, 111., Reverend
Gerber’s first pastorate was at
| O'Neill. Mrs. Gerber has been
choir director during their stay
here.
The Gerbers have 3 children:
Timothy, 4; Rebecca, 2, and
Kathy, 1.
Besides serving First Presby
terian church, Reverend Gerber
has also been assigned to Bethany
church, near Ewing, and Kellar
church, near Chambers.
The Gerbers came to O’Neill
from Elkhart, Ind. No successor
has been named to serve the 3
Holt churches.
Polio Strikes 2d
Time in Family
Mrs. Everett Gorgen, of Ew
and on Sunday was taken to a
ing, was taken ill on Saturday
Norfolk hospital where her ill
ness was pronounced polio. She
was immediately removed to
the new County hospital in Om
aha.
Mrs Gorgen is a sister of
Laurence Urban, who is em
ployed at Davidsons. They have
a younger brother, Harland,
now 16, who had polio about 4
years ago.
“Voice of The Frontier” . . .
Mon.. Wed., Sat.. WJAG. 9:45 a.m.
780 on your dial.
Holt People Are
Indignant Over
Sale Policy
Holt county state school land
leaseholders met Wednesday at
the courthouse annex and voiced
loud indignation over the manner
in which the state is proceeding
with the sale of leases in Nebras
ka. --^
About 150 leaseholders reelect
ed Ira C. Watson, of Inman, a*
president of the Holt organiza
tion; James W. Rooney, of O'
Neill, secretary-treasurer; Guy F.
Cole, of Emmet, director.
New directors named were Dr.
H. L. Bennett, of O’Neill; Floyd
Whitaker, of Chambers, and John
Dick, of O’Neill.
The hat was passed and in
no time at all over a thousand
dollars was raised to help fi
nance a legal battle in coopera
tion with other associations to
restrain the state in the sales.
The fuss was started recently
when the Nebraska supreme
court held as unconstitutional the
statute which gave the current
lessee the absolute right to renew
the lease at the expiration of the
old term. The statute in question
was amended by the 1947 Nebras
ka legislature.
Sales of school land leases in
the county are scheduled for Oc
tober 12, 13 and 15 (see table
elsewhere on this page and an of
ficial legal notice on page 7).
Apparently the lease sales aie~
being scheduled all over the state
immediately. Auctions already
have been staged in some pan
handle counties.
Wednesday’s meeting primarily
was of an organizational nature,
but leaseholders pulled no
punches in voicing their views of
the state’s methods.
One hundred ninety-two Holt
leases renewed since 1948 will be
offered for sale, as well as about
15 others that are older. The 192
are 12-year agreements.
Most lessees are disturbed be
cause the agreements with the
state are proving to be worthless.
Many have told The Frontier they
would offer no opositiuii if the
leases were allowed to run their
(Continued on page 4)
Schedule of School Lease Sales in Holt County
Hour Date Description Sec. Twp. Rg. Lessee „ Address
9:30 a.m. Oct. 12—SW*4 ...__16-30-16 Joy Greenfield, Stuart
9:30 a.m. Oct. 12—SEO _ ___ 16-30-16 Vernon Heyne, Stuart
9:30 a.m. Oct. 12—EM- SWVi_16-29-13 Walter Welsh, Emmet
9:30 a.m. Oct. 12—SW^4SW14 _16-29-13 Wm. O’Connor, Emmet
1:30 p.m. Oct. 12—EtfcSWVi, SW’iSEli . ..1_36-31-12 Leo Burival, O’Neill
1:30 p.m. Oct. 12—NWViNEVi — ___ _36-31-12 John Claussen, O’Neill
1:30 p.m. Oct. 12—NE'iNE'i -36-31-12 John Claussen, O’Neill
1:30 p.m. Oct. 12—SW14, SVfeSEVi _36-25-11 Roy & Ross Rees, Ewing
1:30 p.m. Oct. 12—N%, N*feSEV<i — 36-25-11 Roy & Ross Rees, Ewing
9-30 a.m. Oct. 13—NE’iNEVi, SWViNE’i, NEV4NWM1 . _18-25- 9 Howard Daniels, Ewing
9:30 a.m. Oct. 13—NW14NEV4, SEV4NEI4 16-25- 9 Howard Daniels, Ewing
9:30 a.m. Oct. 13—N'aSWV^, SWViSW’i . ...___ 16-25- 9 Fred Forslund, Ewing
9:30 a.m. Oct. 13—All 16-28-12 D. C. Schaffer, O’Neill
9:30 a.m. Oct. 15—SWV< ___36-32-10 Edw. Carson, Redbird
9:30 a.m. Oct. 15—NWV4 _ __36-32-10 C. L. & W. L. Brady, Dorsey
9:30 a.m. Oct. 15—All --,16-29- 9 Hester Edmiston, Middle
branch, & Lydia Backers,
North Platte
9:30 a.m. Oct. 15—All . --16 32 14 Edna Hendricks, Atkinson
1:3-0 p.m. Oct 15—NEV4SEV4 ___36-27- 9 Nellie Connor, Ewing
1:30 p.m. Oct. 15—SWV6-36-27- 9 Francis Tomjack, Ewing
1:30 p.m. Oct. 15—SV^SEVi ___36-27- 9 Geo. Montgomery, Ewing
1:30 p.m. Oct. 15—NW^SEVi_36-27- 9 Howard Montgomery, Ewing
t
