12 PAGES — 2 SECTIONS
North-Nebraska’s Fastest-Growing Newspaper
VOLUME 71.—NUMBER 21. O'NEILL, NEBRASKA. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 27, 195L___PRICE 7 CENTS
^ ni3TSOC
Lease - Holders
Biding Time
t -
Adopt ‘Wait - and -
See’ Attitude
on Sales
(See statement on page 11.)
Holt county’s school land lease
holders are biding their time
this week while marshalling
strength for a legal battle, if ne
cessary, to stop the sale of school
land leases.
Their organization, the Holt
County School Land Lease-Hold
ers’ association, has retained Wil
liam P. Kelley, of an Omaha law
firm, Matthews, Kelley, Matthews
and Delehant.
lNo action had been filed until
Wednesday. The Holt people are
awaiting the outcome of a re
straining order being sought in
federal court at Lincoln.
The plaintiff in the federal
court action is a Grant lease
holder, who says he is testing
the selling of the leases in be
half of himself and about 2,300
other lease-holders in the state.
The Grant man wants to re
strain the slate from going a
head with the sales.
A week ago the Holt organiza
tion met and reelected Ira C.
Watson, o f Inman, president;
James W. Rooney, of O’Neill,
secretary-treasurer.
J. Harold Cowan, of the Oma
ha World - Herald’s staff, spent
Tuesday and Wednesday in Holt
getting “the other side” of the
lease sale story. |
The state board of educational
lands and funds has set about to
sell at auction about 2,300 leases
renewed throughout • the state
since 1947. These are being sold
because a recent state supreme
court ruling invalidates the 1947
law, which stated that ihe cunent
lessee had the absolute right to
renew the lease at the expiration
of the term.
These leases since 1347 are 12
year agreements. During the in
terval many lease-holders have
geared their operations .large and
small, to a 12-year plan. In many
instances they have built or made
improvements.
The supreme court held as un
constitutional the automatic re
newals.
^ There are 193 Holt county leas
es and 166 individuals affected
by the court’s ruling, which
means their 12-year agreements
with the state of Nebraska are
worthless.
Twenty-one leases are to be of
fered for sale heie next month.
Only 3 are for full sections.
In auctions already conducted
in the western Nebraska wheat
areas, without exception the leas
es have been for entire sections.
Most of Holt county's 166
lessees are not regarded as "big
operators." In some instances
real hardship will result if the
sales are conducted as sched
uled.
Rooney was quoted in Wednes
day’s World-Herald as .saving,
M’hat’s a regular little dictator
ship at Lincoln. Lessees are at. the
mercy of the board and the gov
Watson claims ‘he state board
was “too hasty in starting to sell
the leases. I don’t believe anyone
around here would have object
ed if the the leases were allowed
to run their course. Nobody ob
jects to the policy of auctioning
leases. But to renege on a con
tract places the lessee in an awful
predicament.”
There is a widespread idea in
the state that school lend lease
holders have been making a kill
ng‘This is not true in the hay
country.” Watson explains. A
typical hay land leaseholder iast
year had about $12 invested in
every ton of hay, including rent
and operational costs. And, if he
fgot rich, it was not on school
land,” he said.
One lessee with a half-section
near O’Neill told The Frontier he
would be happy to lose his school
land lease.
“We’re paying too much for it;
we can rent other land for less,”
he explained.
Officials of the Holt associa
tion are anxious for the public
and prospective bidders to know
exactly what they are buying
when the Holt auctions begin
October 12. Rooney has prepared
a statement on page 11.
(See legal notice on page 7 for
description of school land leases
and sale dates.)
Sam Barnard
Fractures Hip
Sam Barnard, 91, father of
\Mrs. C. E. Yantzi, fell and frac
tured his hip last Thursday
morning. , ,
He was taken to Clarkson hos
pital in Omaha in Biglin Bros,
ambulance.
He was accompanied by Mrs.
Stanley Soukup, R. N., and his
granddaughter, Margaret Jean
Metschke. His condition is report
ed as “very good.”
Danceland Is Being
Torn Down —
The pavilion at Danceland, lo
cated lVfe miles northwest of the
city, is being razed this week.
The corner, at the junction of
U S. highways 20 and 281, will be
the site of ac!rive-in theater.
The property was surveyed a
week ago.
t Frontier for printing.
—’The Frontier Engraving
Private Boyer ... a Page
high school graduate in 1945.
PAGE* SOLDIER
KILLEDJN KOREA
Pfc. Gerald F. Boyer
Overseas Short Time:
Here in April
PAGE—Pfc. Gerald F. Boyer,
23, a Page high school graduate
in 1945, has been reported killed
in action on August 27.
News of the casualty reached
relatives this week.
He was a son of Oscar Boyer
and Mrs. E. C. Wilbur, who for
merly lived at Page but now re
sides at Fremont.
Private Boyer was inducted
December 5, 1950, at Ft. Riley,
Kans. In February of this year
he went to Ft. Belvoir, Va„ for
further training with the army
cambat engineers.
In April he was home on fur
lough for 2 weeks after which
he went overseas. He was a
member of the Second infantry
division.
Boyer was not inducted from
Holt county.
Survivors include: Sisters—Mrs
Leo (Ruth) Wiseman, of Page;
Mrs. Joseph Kencil, of Madison,
and Betty Ann Boyer, of Fre
mont; brothers—Ernest Boyer, of
Fremont, and Pfc. Richard J.
Boyer, of Presque Isle, Me., who
is in the air force.
Sunset Members
Feted at Ewing
EWING—The 31st annual sun
set banquet was held Thursday
evening, September 20, at the
Ewing Methodist church parlors,
sponsored by the Women's Soci
ety of Christain Service.
At 5:30 the registration of the
members and guests began. Each
member was tagged with the
state or country in v^hich he or
she was born.
On the program were: Rev.
John Graham, toastmaster; Rev.
Charles Chappell, prayer o f
thanks; Mrs. R. B. CrelUn, wel
come; Miss Anna Van Zandt, re
sponse; songs, by A. A. Alden, ac
companied by Mrs. Chappell at
the piano; music, by R. B. Crel
lin, on his accordian with An
drew Olson on the autoharp; in
terviews by Wm. Spence; pre
sentation of prizes, by Mrs. Har
old Harris; Rev. P. F. Burke,
benediction.
Interviews began with James
Gunter, who was born in Holt
county before Ewing was on the
map; W. A. Brown reviewed
highlights of important state and
national events; Mrs. Nellie Con
ner began a chain of stories
which might have been called an
oldtimers’ roundup; Mrs. Leota
Butler, Mrs. Minnie Primus, Mrs.
J. C. Kay and her brother, George
Davies, of Lincoln, told of inci
dents which occurred during the
terrible blizzard of 1888.
School days were recalled when
a teacher received $15 a month
and often was the person in the
community with the best educa
tion. Prairie fires, a serious men
ace in those early days, were
thoroughly rehashed. George Da
vies said pioneer Nebraska was a
sportsman’s paradise.
Many of the sunset club mem
bers have wandered far from
the place of their birth. Countries
represented were Belgium, Den
mark, England, Wales, Germany
and Canada. States represented
were Illinois, Kansas, Massachu
setts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Indiana, West Virginia, New Mex
ico, Iowa and, of course, Nebras
ka was represented with the
largest number.
Nels Jacobson, 87, bom in
Denmark, was the eldest present.
DIES IN KOREA
Pvt. Charles Vance, of Naoer,
was killed in action in Korea on
August 15. This word has been
received by his mother, Mrs. Hat
tie Vance. The soldier’s father
was the late Harry S. Vance.
RUES TODAY FOR
MRS. RENTSCHLER
Death Claims Another
Member of Pioneer
O'Donnell Family
Death Tuesday, September 25,
claimed the life of another mem
ber of the pioneer O’Donnell fam
ily
Mrs. F. M. Rentschler, 78, nee
B. O’Donnell, died at 10:15 a.m.
at the O’Neill hospital, where
she had been a patient since Fri
day when she suffered an apo
plectic stroke. She was not un
conscious following the attack.
On July 14 her brother, Pat
rick, died suddenly.
Funeral rites will be conduct
ed at 10:30 a.m. today (Thursday)
at St. Patrick’s Catholic church.
Burial will be in Calvary ceme
tery. A rosary rite was held Wed
nesday evening at 8:30 o’clock at
the O’Donnell residence.
The late Mrs. Rentschler was
born September 10, 1873, at
Audenried, Pa., a daughter of
the late John P. and Ellen
Brennan O'Donnell. She was
reared at O'Neill.
In July, 1918, she married F.
M. Rentschler, of Springview, at
O’Neill. She lived in Springview
until Mr. Rentschler’s death,
whereupon she returned to O’
Neill.
Survivors include: Brothers —
John O’Donnell, of Palo Alto,
Calif.; M. F. O’Donnell, of Dal
las, Tex.; Edward L. O’Donnell,
of Salina, Kans.; sisters—Mrs. E.
J Lyman, of Omaha; Miss Anna
L. O’Donnell, of O’Neill, and
Mrs. Susan Deaver, of O’Neill.
Biglin Bros, are in charge of
funeral arrangements. Pallbear
ers will be H. E. Coyne, P. C.
Donohoe, F. N. Cronin, P. B.
Harty, Bennett Gilligan, Joseph
Gallagher, Harry Harte and Ed
ward Campbell. _
Cub Trophy Award
to Stanley Cobb
Monday night, September 24,
at the courthouse in O’Neill, the
Boy Scout district held its first
meeting of the school year. Forty
four Scouts and Cubs represent
ing every town in the district
were present, also all of the as
sitant scoutmasters and all but
one of the scoutmasters.
Excellent participation was re
ported by Dick Miller, field ex
ecutive.
The scouting roundtable dis
cussion was conducted by Rich
ard Perry, of O’Neill, and the
Cub scouting talks were led by
William Yost, of Stuart. The
district meeting, which preceded
the roundtable sessions, was led
by J. E. Davis, of O’Neill, who
acted in the absence of District
President Judge D. R. Mounts.
The program of the district
meeting covered the following
items: A commissioners’ flag, to
be donated by Mr. and Mrs. Don
Lyons, of 0”Neill, the flag to be
passed each month to the troop
which has had the largest in
creese in membership during the
preceding month; a contest was
originated whereby all Cute
and Scouts in the district will
submit designs of the proposed
flag during the next 30 days, the
boy submitting the winning de
sign will receive a wall plaque;
and, finally, the presentation of
the Cub trophy to Stanley Cobb,
of Stuart. This trophy was pre
sented on the basis of increase in
membership during August.
Final plans were discussed for
a camporee to be held October 5,
6 and 7 on the Scout “40”, 4 miles
east of O’Neill. Good participa
tion is expected. Discussion of
the fall roundup also took place.
The boys are “going all-out for
it,” according to Miller. Addition
al prizes have been added besides
the pony. These include: a bi
cycle, a set of luggage and a tele
vision set.
Refreshments were served af
ter the Monday meeting. Hus
bands, wives and friends are in
vited to the next district session,
Miller added.
Nick Baker Honored
on 78th Anniversary —
REDBIRD—A community bir
thday party was held recently
for Nick Baker on his 78th an
niversary. A large crowd ol
neighbors and relatives gathered
at the Baker farm home to sur
prise him.
Progressive pitch was played
Nick opened his many gifts.
DELINQUENTS NEXT WEEK
First publication of the Hoi
county delinquent tax list wil
be made next week. Taxes thai
are to become delinquent nex
week must be paid bv noon Sat
urday, September 29, to avoic
publication and accompanyinf
costs.
Attend Ordination—
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Mansor
attended the ordination of Ronalc
Burt at the Clay Center Christiar
church on Sunday.
.. m a i a * '
LADS LAND 30-INCH NORTHERN . . . James
(“Buck”) McAdams, 15 (holding fish), and his
brother, John, celebrated John’s 8th birthday an
niversary Friday by landing a 30-inch 7V4-pound
northern pike in an Elkhorn river bayou. They
—The Frontier Photo * EnKravInB
are sons of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. McAdams, who
have lived in O’Neill only a short time. "Buck”
has consistently been pulling out big fellows
since his arrival, uses pork rind for bait, impro
vising it to resemble frog legs.
ATKINSON MAN !
DIES IN STREET
Heart Attack Fatal to
Claus Dierks, 64;
Rites Tuesday
ATKINSON—Claus Dierks, 64,
Atkinson resident for more than
half a century, was stricken with
a heart attack on the streets of
Atkinson in the early morning
hours Sunday and is believed to
have died immediately.
His body was discovered about
8 o’clock by Simeon Ames, who
was enroute to work. The body I
was found north of the Ames;
residence.
Mr. Dierks had been seen
about midnight and was en- ,
route home when he died. Dr.
N. P. McKee said death was
caused by a heart attack.
Funeral services were con
ducted Tuesday, September 25,
at 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian
church. Burial was in Wood
Lawn cemetery. Rev. Orin C.
Graf officiated.
Survivors include: Brothers —
Henry, of Atkinson; William, of
Scottsbluff; sisters — Mrs. Ed :
(Margaret) Clausen, of Atkinson; I
Tina, of Omaha, and Anna, of 1
California.
The late Mr. Dierks was born
at Scribner. He was a laborer
for many years in the Atkinson
community.
Doubt U.S. 281
Finish in 1951
Although a contract for gravel
surfacing on about 5 imiles of U.S.
281 between Camp and Eagle
creeks, north of O’Neill, was a
warded September 18, state high
way officials doubt that the con
struction will be completed in
1951.
Lee & Johnson, Inc., of Sioux
City, have an $8,528.50 contract
for supplying and placing 4,160
cubic yards of gravel on the 4.8
miles of highway. Contracts for
grading and constructing cul
verts on this portion of 281, the
last project in rebuilding the
highway from O’Neill to the
Spencer corner, were awarded in
June, 1951. According to highway
department construction reports,
as of September 15, only 11 per
cent of the culvert work and only
34 percent of the grading work
was done. This grading work
percentage includes that done on
the detour as well as on the high
way.
The extremely wet summer just
past has made normal construct
tion progress impossible, accord
ing to Harold L. Aitken, state
engineef.
"It's no easier for contract
ors to use their heavy grading
equipment when the ground is
soaked than it is for farmers to
plow their fields when they
are muddy," Aitken said.
He declared that the grading
and culvert work on this portion
' of 281 could be finished during
November “only if the weather
, if practically perfect every day
between now and then1.”
Laying the gravel will require
about a (month after the grading
and culvert work is completed.
The highway most likely will not
not be completed until the
spring of 1952.
Postmaster Exam
Being Reopened —
The civil service commission
has announced that competitive
examinations for the O’Neill
postimastership are being reopen
ed. Examinations were given ear
lier this year to 3 candidates:
Acting Postmaster Thomas J. Sul
livan. John Hynes and Lester Jo
nas. Examinations are being giv
en again in order that at least
3 candidates can be graded.
Sullivan has been acting post
master since January 1, when
Mrs. Agnes E. Sullivan retired, i
There is no relation between the '
Sullivans.
—
Region Escapes
Damaging Freeze
Corn raisers in the O’Neill re
gion have kept their fingers
crossed this week.
The weatherman has threaten
ed a freeze on at least 3 occasions,
but thus far the region has es
caped frost.
The weather during the week
has been characterized by damp
ness, cloudy skies, chill winds,
and late autumn-like atmosphere.
Lowest temperature during the
week was 36, posted early Satur
day morning. There were no re- j
ports of frost damage, however,
in the immediate area. ,
Showers Sunday afternoon and
evening netted well over an inch
of moisture. There were traces of
moisture on several other occa
sions.
Average date for a killing
froel here is about September
12.
•
County Agent A. Neil Dawes
estimates Holt’s corn needs from
2 to 3 weeks of good weather to
mature and he doubts seriously
if Mr. Freeze will hold off.
Many farmers probably will
realize more out of their corn by
cutting it for silage. Denting
has only nicely begun.
Week’s weather summary, bas
ed on 24-hour periods ending at
6 p.m., daily, follows:
Date Hi Lo Prec.
September 19 .... 75 50
September 20 — 80 47
September 21 _ 51 44
September 22 69 38
September 23 52 36
September 24 68 38 1.03
September 25 60 45
Forbearance Asked
in Mail Deliveries
Postal officials here this week
urged forbearance on the part of
patrons on the new door-to-door
mail delivery routes, which go
into effect October 1.
The transition from box and
general delivery to door-to-door
service involves considerable de
tail work, explained Assistant
Postmaster Harold E. Weier, and
“we’ll be several weeks getting
all the wrinkles ironed out.”
The carriers will be John
Hines and Jerry Spittler. Hines,
presently a clerk, will work the
main route in residential and bus
mess sections in the forenodns.
Spittler will handle the afternoon
downtown district delivery and
handle parcel post deliveries
throughout the city.
Frontier for printing . . prompt
deliveries.
THOMAS F. NOLAN,
LAWYER, EXPIRES
Rites Saturday for Life
Long Resident of
O’Neill
Thomas F. Nolan, 66, lifelong
O’Neill resident, died unexpect
edly about 4:30 a.m. last Thurs
day. September 20.
He was found dead in his room
at the Frank Valla residence by
Mr. and Mrs. Valla. He had not
been ill and had made his usual
trips to the business section the
day before.
Funeral rites were conducted
Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Pat
rick’s Catholic church with Very
Rev. Timothy O’Sullivan, church
pastor, officiating. Burial was in
Calvary cemetery. Pallbearers
were Merle Hickey, John R. Gal
lagher, H. E. Coyne, P. C. Don
ohoe, John McManus and Frank
Valla. Biglin Bros, were in
charge.
Twelve members of the Fif
teenth judicial district bar asso
ciation attended the rites in a
body. They were: William Ely,
Samuel E1 y, William Smith,
George Farman, John Cassell, all
of Ainsworth; Herbert Curtis and
Arthur Weber, both of Bassett;
Charles E. Chace, of Atkinson;
Julius D. Cronin, William W.
Griffin, Norman Gonderinger and
John R. Gallagher, all of O’Neill.
The late Mr. Nolan was born
at O'Neill on March 22. 1885.
a son of the late John and Brid
get Donohoe Nolan. He was ed
ucated in the O'Neill school and
attended Creighton university,
where he received a law de
gree.
A part of his boyhood was spent
at Ft. Randall.
In recent years Mr. Nolan
maintained his law office in the
former Nebraska State bank
building.
His wife was the former Nell
Ryan, of Denver, Colo., formerly
of O’Neill.
Survivors include a brother,
John Nolan, of Denver.
A rosary was offered Friday
evening at 8 o’clock at Biglin’s.
Mrs. Edward Gallagher
Named Chairman—
Mrs. Edward M. Gallagher .of
O’Neill, will serve as chairman
for the 1951 Christmas seal sale
in Holt county, the Nebraska Tu
berculosis ascotiation announced
Wednesday.
Selection of committee chair
men and members will be made
by Mrs. Gallagher in the near
future.
The sale of Christmas seals
will be conducted in Holt county
by the Christmas seal committee
from November 19 to December
25. This year’s Christmas seal
sale, to be conducted throughout
the nation by the 3,000 associa
tions affiliated with the National
Tuberculosis association, marks
the 45th Christmas seal sale in
this country.
A campaign meeting was held
at Bassett on Wednesday, Sep
tember 19, attended by Mrs. Gal
lagher, Mrs. James Carney and
Mrs. Dale Kersenbrock.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Joseph Francis Hansen and
Miss Kathleen Dolores Flood,
both of O’Neill, on September 24.
Ronald Everett Borg, of O’
Neill, and Miss Rosemary Kra
mer. of Stuart, on September 24.
FORMER HOLT
OFFICIAL DIES
John C. Gallagher, 59,
Hites Today at^
St. Patrick’s
A former Holt county clerk,
John C. Gallagher, 59, died Mon
day, September 24, at 8:30 p.m.
at his home here. He had been
in failing health for several
years and had been critically hi
several days prior to his death.
Funeral services will be con
ducted at 9 a.m., today (Thurs
day) in St. Patrick’s Catholic
church. Burial will be in Calvary
cemetery with Biglin Bros, in
charge. A rosary was offered
Wednesday evening at 8 o’clock
at the Gallagher home.
Pallbearers will be Leo Carney,
P. B. Harty, M. J. Golden, Jack
Arbuthnot, M. H. Horiskey and
John Sullivan.
The late Mr. Gallagher, son
of William F. and Fannie Mur
phy Gallagher, was born Oc
tober 16, 1891, at O'NeilL He
graduated from O'Neill high
school in 1909.
On June 4, 1924, he married
Fannie H. Harper at Kirksville,
Mo. They became the parents of
4 sons and 1 daughter.
The late Mr. Gallagher was
employed 1909-’12 by the late R.
R. Morison store; 1912-’16 by the
J. P. Gallagher store and from
1922-’26 he operated the Grand
cafe here. He was elected Holt
county clerk in 1930. Between
1917 and 1925 he was O’Neill city
clerk. In recent years he served
as night clerk at the Golden ho
tel. He was a member of the
Knights of Columbus.
Survivors include: Widow;
sons—John, jr., of Gothenburg;
William, of O’Neill; Jerome, who
is in the army stationed at Ft
Monmouth, N.J.; James, of O’
Neill; daughter—Miss Mary Ann,
who is in nurses’ training at St
Catherine’s hosDital. Omaha.
All of the children were to be
here for the funeral.
Stanford Ross, Wife
Married 62 Years
Mr. and Mrs. N. Manford Ross
on Saturday, September 22, cel
ebrated their 62d wedding anni
versary.
They were married at Boone,
la., in 1889.
Mr. Ross came to Holt county
in May, 1904, serving as the van
guard for the family. He brought
with him household goods and
livestock.
Mrs. Ross, the former Anna
Louise Forslund, and the children
followed later. The family farm
ed northeast of Midway, about
20 miles north of O’Neill, for ma
ny years. Later, Mr. Ross was a
mason.
They have 2 sons and 1 daugh
ter: Elmer, of O’Neill; Mrs. Mar
tha Miller, of Fremont, and John,
of Atkinson. There are 5 grand
children.
Neither Mr. or Mrs. Ross en
joys good health.
Spencer Pair Wed
51 Yean—
SPENCER—Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Kayls, of Spencer, Sunday, Sep
tember 23, celebrated their 51st
wedding anniversary. Mrs. Kayls
was bedfast a year ago at the
time of their golden wedding.
They observed open-house at the
Comunity hall.
A daughter, Mrs. Frame Weder,
was receptionist.
ENTERTAINS EDUCATORS
ATKINSON — Superintendent
of Schools Harold Hutcheson, of
I Atkinson, will be host to ap
' proximatelv 75 educators from
north - central Nebraska today
(Thursday) at 4:30 p.m. The group
will make plans for teachers'
conventions in October and dis
cuss educational problems.
COLLISION AT CORNER
There was an automobile
truck collision at the corner of
Seventh and Douglas streets a
bout 7 o’clock Sunday evening.
Vehicles belonging to Roy Shel
hamer, of O’Neill, and Mr. Van
Fleet, of Royal, were damaged,
but no one was injured.
PHONE HEARING SET
Friday, November 2, has been
set as the date for a hearing in
Lincoln by the state railway
commission. The complaint of the
Page Improvement club, charg
ing that telephone service at
Page is “poor and inadequate.”
i will be heard at that time.
HAY STILL IN WATER
DELOIT—It soon will be com
] picking time but ranchers west
j of here are still trying to get
their hay out of the water. Rain
fell here Friday and Sunday.
The corn crop will be good if the
frost stays away at least another
2 weeks.