Fire Destroys
Big Hay Barn
$7,000 Building, 157
Tons of Hay Lost
in 10 Minutes
EMMET —A strong southeast
wind fanned a blaze of un
known origin late Tuesday and
within 10 minutes following the
first outbreak of smoke a big
hay bam here was engulfed in
flame and reduced to rbin.
The barn, measuring 66 ft. by
100 ft., was owned by the Em
met Hay Co., headed by Guy
Cole and sons, Owen ( Bud )
and Robert (“Bob”).
Building loss was esti
mated at $7,000, Mr. Cole said,
of which $3,000 was covered
by insurance. Based on pre«
ent values replacement of the
huge frame structure would
cost about $10,000.
Contents included 157 tons of
hay, about three tons of cotton
cake, some bags and a truck
radk- The contents were fully
insured and totally destroyed.
Possibility that sparks from a
passing train might have caused
the fire was ruled out. It is
possible, however, that children
playing with matches in or near
the barn might have been re
sponsible for the blaze.
Mr. Cole and son, Bud, and
R. G. Rockey, of Ewing, were
visiting outside the Emmet Hay
Co. offices, several hundred
feet away. A petroleum truck
driver, Robert Stevens, of
O’Neill, exclaimed that smoke
was oozing out the center of the
barn on the west side. The barn
was situated immediately south
of the North Western railroad
tracks on Emmet’s main north
south street- Mr. Rockey, who,
by coincidence, is Ewing’s fire
chief, said the outbreak was at
5:10 d. m.
A long diesel - powered west
bound freight train entered Em
met a few moments after the
smoke was sighted and ironical
ly the Coles and volunteer fire
fighters could not reach the
blaze with extinguishers and
garden hose until after the train
had passed.
It seemed like an hour be
fore that train got through
town/' Mr. Cole stated. "Act
ually it was only a few min
utes, I guess."
Firemen from O’Neill and
Atkinson were summoned. The
O’Neill department responded
with its number two truck. At
kinson firemen manned the new
rural truck.
Mr- Rockey said he saw no
one emerge from the building,
except five fire-fighters who
had gone in.
Throughout Emmet’s long
history fires have inexhorably
whittled down the town. It was
once a bustling town with a
hotel, livery stables, stores,
bank, saloons and various types
of business.
Mr. Cole, who has been in
business in Emmet for 30 years,
says he does not contemplate
rebuilding.
The barn that was destroyed
Tuesday evening was practi
cally demolished on March 7,
1950—the day of the historic
hurricane blizzard. The roof was
blown off and strewn about the
village and portions of the build
ing collapsed. The Coles rebuilt
the barn and used asbestos
shingles. Mr. Cole speculated
if during Tuesday’s fire wooden
shingles had been blowing about
the village some of the other
structures would have been con
sumed
Firemen kept a watchful eye
on an elevator 300 feet away on
the north side of the tracks.
They played water on small
fires tnat broke out near the
elevator and on the platform of
the railroad station.
Emmet does not have a
municipal water system al
though some of the homes have
use of garden hose.
The intense heat caused a
big Consumers Public Power
district transformer in the vi
cinity of the barn to “explode.”
Rockey said the purple ball of
fire was colorful.
Both power crews and tele
phone crews restored service in
the south end of the village
later that night although the
wires had been severed.
Elgin Ray New
Lions Club Head
Elgin Ray, manager of the
Spelts-Ray lumber company,
Tuesday evening was elected
president of the Lions club for the
new year. He succeeds A. H.
Doeming.
Other new officers are:
Dr. H. D. Gildersleeve, first vice
president; Joe Stutz, second vice
president; Dean Jeffrey, third
vice-president; Woodrow Melena,
treasurer; Don Petersen, lion
tamer; Herman Janzing, tail twis
ter.
A new secretary to succeed A.
E. Bowen, resigned, will be ap
pointed by the board of directors.
Elected to the board of directors
were: Mr. Doeming, three-year
term; L. D. Putnam, two-year
term; D. H. Clauson, one-year
term.
LEGION GETTING TV
Simonson Dost 93, of the Amer
ican Leeion, is currently installing
a 21-inch television unit at the
club rooms. The top of the tower
atop the building will be aboul
65 feet from the greund.
M INTOSH NEW
CHAMBER HEAD
Succeeds D e B o 11 ;
Rodman Becomes
First Vice
William W. McIntosh, head of
the McIntosh Jewelry firm,
Tuesday noon was elected pres
ident of the Chamber of Com
merce for the new year, June 1,
1952 to May 31, 1953. He suc
ceeds D. D. DeBolt, who was
first vice-president and filled
the unexpired term of L M.
Diehlman and later served a
year as president.
Other new officers:
Earl Rodman, first vice-pres
ident; Don Petersen, second
vice-president; Woodrow Mel
ena, treasurer; Marvin Johnson,
Burl Munsell, and William C.
Watson, members of the board
McIntosh . . . will direct or
ganization for a year.
of directors. Johnson and Mun
sell were elected to three-year
terms; Watson, one-year term.
Watson will fill the unexpired
term of Eugene Cantlon.
President McIntosh Wednes
day announced the committee
appointments for the year.
Retail trade committee: Mel
vin Ruzicka, chairman, Burl
Munsell and Marvin Johnson.
Niobrara river valley develop
ment: James W. Rooney, chair
man, Carroll W- Stewart, and
Lyle P. Dierks.
Membership: Joe Stutz, chair
man; Cletus Durr, Ed Willson,
William Watson, and Richard
Behrend.
Auditing: John C. Watson,
chairman, James W. Rooney,
G. C. DeBacker.
Noted Speakers
At Stock Meeting
The Nebraska Stockgrowers’
association will hold its 63rd
annual convention at Gordon
starting today (Thursday) and
continuing through Saturday.
The convention will be high
lighted by several outstanding
speakers. Dr- T. O. Brandenburg
will speak on animal health. He
is one of the nation’s foremost
authorities on the subject.
Harry B. Coffee, president of
the Union Stockyards company,
of Omaha, will speak on the
“Cattlerpen’s Heritage.” M r.
Coffee has always advocated
that stockmen keep up the fight
to prepare free enterprises.
Jerry Sotola, associate direc
tor of Armour’s Livestock bu
reau, will speak on incidents
from his recent tour of Europe.
Sam Hyatt, president of the
American National Cattlemen’s
association, will report on the
progress and activities of the
national organization.
Charles B. Borwsnon, Indiana
congressman, will use as his
topic, “Too Many Dollars—Too
Little Sense.”
The banquet speaker at the
association’s convention will
be Jeff H- Williams, of Chicka
sha, Okla. He is internationally
famous as an after dinner
speaker.
Dewey C. Schaffer, of O’Neill,
is current vice-president of the
Nebraska Stockgrowers associa
tion.
Atkinson Rural Fire Truck
Called To John Deming Place
ATKINSON — The Atkinson
rural fire protection truck was
summoned to the John Deming
place, 18 miles north of Atkin
son, Tuesday afternoon. The
Deming place is located on the
Big Sandy. The firemen battled
a grass blaze for about an hour.
After returning to Atkinson
the firemen received an SOS
from the Emmet Hay Co.
R. E. Chaney Family
to Loup City —
Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Chaney and
family moved last week from O’
Neill to Loup City, where Mr.
Chaney was transferred by the
Northwestern Bell Telephone
company.
The Chaneys, who have one son
and one daughter, came to O’Neill
about 1% years ago from Lex
ington.
Homer Hahn, of Lincoln, visit
ed Wednesday, June 4 at the
home of Mrs- Vannie Newman.
North-Nebraska s Fastest-Growing Newspaper
VOLUME 72.—NUMBER 6. O'NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, JUNE 12. 1952_~_PRICE; 7 CENTS.
Wilhini 10 minutes after the outbreak of fire at the Emmet Hay
Co. barn the big structure was reduced to ruin. Firemen and
volunteers who quickly gathered at the scene helplessly look*
mg on.
HOLT PIONEER, 80,
EXPIRES AT INMAN
Charles Edward Morsbach
Suffers 18 Months
Illness
Charles Edward Morsbach, 80,
died at his home in Iniman Fri
day, June 6, after an 18 months
illness.
The late Mr. Morsbach was
born February 1, 1872, in Spring
Green, Wise. He came to Holt
county with his parents in 1889.
In September of 1901 he mar
ried Elizabeth Moore in Salina,
Kans.
Mr. Morsbach was a veteran of
the Spanish-American war.
Survivors include: widow; sons
—David, of Inman; Levi, of Ne
ligh; William1, of Clearwater;
daughters—Mrs. Martha Scholz,
of Inman; Mrs. Fern Kackett, of
Wichita, Kans.; Mrs. Rena John
son, of Omaha.
The funeral was held Monday
at 2 p m. in the Latter Day Saints
church, Inman. Rev. Sodderstein,
of Clearwater, officiated. Burial
was in the Inman cemetery. Big
lin Brothers were in charge.
Pallbearers were: E. L. Watson,
Elwin Smith, Harry McGaw, L.
E. Stamp, Mel Harkins and Her
bert NeUsen.
First Death in Family
in Half-Century—
Rev. Samuel D. Lee received
word Wednesday of the death of
his sister, Mrs. Myron Ballain,
of Griswold, la- Survivors in
clude the widower and five
children.
The death is the first in the
Lee family in 50 years. Origi
nally there were nine sons and
daughters.
A family reunion had been
planned at Stella next Tuesday
at the home of another of Rev
erend Lee’s sisters.
Funeral services will be con
ducted at Griswold at 2:30 p. m.
Saturday, June 14.
TELEVISION AT DELOIT
DELOIT—The first television
set in the community was in
stalled recently in the Lambert
Bartak home. Reception is re
ported to be good.
Use of Polio Funds
Discussed —
The executive board of the Holt
county chapter of the National
Foundation for Infantile Paralysis
met in the assembly room of the
county court house Tuesday, June
10.
Stanley Lambert, of Ewing,
chairman, was in charge of the
meeting.
Miss Francis Rotherham, of
Ewing, gave a report on a chapter
workshop meeting held in Oma
ha, Wednesday, June 4. Proper
patient care, and wise use of
chapter funds were discussed.
Dr. W. F. Finley was appointed
by the board to be medical advi
sor for the Holt chapter.
Rev. C. D. Ankney, of Cham
bers, was appointed publicity di
rector.
Mrs. Lester Reige, of O’Neill,
I was appointed chairman of the
i women's activities committee.
I Those in attendance were: Mr.
| Lambert; John H. McCarville,
vice-chairman; Mrs. Gene San
ders, secretary; Miss Francis Ro
therham, treasurer; Miss Alice L.
French, Mrs. John Walter and
Rev. C. D. Ankney.
Robert Day, state representa
tive, was present. Mt. Day an
swered questions regarding or
ganizational policies and guided
the board in appointing various
committees to serve the chapter
for 1952.
.
Wedding Anniversary
Custom Continued
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Haynes, of
Page, and Mr. and Mrs. John
Wells, of O’Neill, were together
Friday evening celebrating their
53d and 48th wedding anniver
saries, respectively.
Almost every year for the past
22 years the two couples mark
their anniversaries together.
W. F. Kloke, Ex-Norfolk
Salesman, Dies at 78 —
William F. Kloke, 78, former
traveling salesman at Norfolk,
and. former state deputy grand
knight of the Knights of Colum
bus, died Sunday at the home of a
daughter, Mrs. Beryl M. Beeler,
8444 Loveland Drive in Omaha.
Other survivors; daughter,
Mrs. John P. Overgaard, Lincoln;
a brother and three sisters.
Mr. Kloke formerly lived in
Holt county.
BAND CONCERT
Saturday, June 14
♦ * #
Invercargill, march_ Lithgow
The Klaxon, march_Fillmore
Two Moods,
overture _ Grundman
Moonlight Madonna Fibich
National Emblem,
march . Bagley
Hymns
Semper Fidelis, march_Sousa
“Little” Rhapsody in
Blue _ Gershwin
Waggery for Wood
winds . Walters
Wheel of Fortune
Trombone Toboggan _ Weber
On Parade, march_Goldman
Reelect Chambers
Auxiliary Head
CHAMBERS— The American
Legion Auxiliary, of Chambers,
post 320, met Friday evening,
June 6, at the home of Mrs.
Anna Albers with 13 members
present. The president, Mrs. E.
H. Medcalf, presided. The fol
lowing officers were elected:
Mrs. Steve Shavlik, secretary;
Mrs. Gordon Harley, treasurer;
Mrs. Cleo Alderson, historian;
Mrs. Don Dankert, sergeant at
arms.
The president, Mrs. Medcalf,
' and the vice-president, Mrs.
Charles Fauquier, were reelected
as well as the chaplin, Mrs. J.
W. Walter.
A report of the carpet tray
committee was heard. Lunch
was served by Mrs- Albers, Mrs.
Gordon Harley and Mrs. Earl
Hoerle.
Maryland Houseguests
of Miss Carney —
Vice-Admiral and Mrs. L. C.
Stevens, of Annapolis, Md., were
houseguests Saturday of Miss
Mary Carney. They were close
friends of Miss Carney’s brother,
the late Captain James V. Carney.
WEATHER SUMMARY
Hi Lo
June 5 .__— 89 56
June 6 __— 88 58
June 7 _ 92 65
June 8 _ 88 64
June 9! _ 85 48
June 10- 87 62
June 11 - 90 67
31ST ANNUAL GOLF
TOURNEY AT HAND
Former Residents Are
Arriving Here to
Participate
The 31st annual golf tourney
will be held at the O’Neill
Country club Saturday, Sunday,
and Monday, June 14, 15, 16.
The event will attract many out
of towners and former residents.
Because it falls on father’s day
it has been designated as a dad’s
day tourney.
Among the former residents
who will return are: Clear Gold
en, of Cheshire, Conn ■ Frank
O’Donnell, of Dallas, Tex.; Dr.
Robert Biglin, of Chico, Calif.;
Ed Campbell, Jr., of Green Bay,
Wise-; Lt. John Lee Baker, Las
Vegas, Nev.; Gene McKenna, of
Cleveland, O.; Jim Golden, of
Pittsburgh, Pa.; John McCarthy,
of Scottsbluff; C. V. Sullivan,
of Lincoln, and others.
Two old standbys who have
attended for 25 consecutive
years are: Joe Baldwin, of Ains
worth, and George Lightner, of
St. Edward. Mr. Baldwin won
the tourney in 1925.
The original Country club was
started about 1918. The first
tournaments in 1922 and ’23
were held there. H. C. McDonald
won the first, with Parnell Gold
en winning in 1923- Mr. Golden
started the tournaments.
Mr. Golden laid out a new
course and the tourney was
moved to the new site in '24.
Nothing has been changed
since Mr. Golden's original
layout. Others who helped in
those first years included H.
J. O'Donnell and his uncles,
Jim and P- J. O'Donnell.
Others who have been prom
inent in conducting the tourney
are P. C. Donohoe, H. J. Birm
ingham, Ed M. Gallagher, Max
Golden and A. P. Jaszkowiak.
Doug Dale, of Ord, who won
the championship last year, will
be on hand to defend his title.
The winner in 1949, Kermit
Mortenson, of Albion, has also
entered the ’52 tournament.
Atkinson Lake Dedication Set for July 1
ATKINSON—The old mill dam
at Atkinson, which has been re
stored during the past three
years and the 28-acre lake are
now one of north-Nebraska’s fine
recreation spots, will be dedi
cated July 1.
Frank J. Brady, of Atkinson,
chairman of the state game com
mision, announced this week that
the state conservation depart
ment will open the lake for fish
ing upon the dedication. The
lake has been stocked with bass,
pike, crappie and catfish.
The original dam was built
years ago with a tail race. It
was the project of Murphy & Re
berg, who operated a grist mill
and later developed power for the
town. At the peak of the mill’s
career it was supplying flour for
much of Holt county and virtual
ly all the settlers in Boyd coun
ty.
The dam and lake were al
lowed to deteriorate. Under
Brady's direction, a new
earthen dam was constructed
with interlocking steel sheets
and piling used for reinforce
ment. A year ago the new dam
was damaged by high water.
“It’ll never go out aagin, I’ll
bet,” says Brady. “It already has
demonstrated it can handle all
the water brought downstream
by the Elkhorn river.”
The site of the lake is about
lVfe miles west of Atkinson. The
entire park measures about 55
acres.
The depth varies up to 10 Vi and
11 feet in depth. There are lots
of trees—willows, cottonwoods,
and a few pine trees in the area.
The park is equipped for rec
reational purposes. Recently sev
eral hundred boy scouts camped
there over the weekend. The
park facilities already are in pop
ular use although fishing has
been forbidden.
Details for the dedicatory rites
are still in the making, according
to Mr. Brady.
Frontier Want-ads bring results*
Elkhorn river water rushes over the dam • • • outlet for tho new Atkinson lake
BLANKET TAX LAW
RULED INVALID
Supreme Court Rules -
in Favor of
Petersen
The blanket four-mill school
tax levy law, tested in the court*
by Charley W. Petersen, of Atkin
son, an extensive Holt county
rancher, Friday noon was ruled
unconstitutional by the state su
preme. The high court entered
an unanimous decision.
The law passed by the 1949 leg
islature provided for a minimum
levy on all elementary school dis
tricts in the county, but not to ex
ceed four mills, to provide two
thirds of the cost of operation. Dis
tribution was limited to districts
having five or more pupils.
Petersen balked on paying the
blanket tax and took the mat
ter into court. He asked the
Holt county district court to re
strain Holt County Treasurer J.
Ed Hancock from collecting the
blanket tax in rural district 231
District Judge D. R. Mounts up
held the law after hearing argu
ments of the attorneys: Julius IX
Cronin, of O’Neill, and Daniel
Stubbs of Lincoln, for the plain
tiff, and William Gleason, assis
tant Nebraska attorney-general
and William W. Griffin, of Qt~
Neill. Kolt county attorney, who
were defending Hancock, the
nominal defendant.
i ne case was suosequeniiy
heard by the supreme court ioi~
lowing an appeal.
Sens. Glen Cramer, of Albion,
and Dwight Burney, of Hartin
ton, were introducers of the law.
LB 388, which was passed 30-1#
with three state senators not vot
ing.
Among the 10 salons voting
against the bill was Frank Nel
son, of O’Neill. A freshman that
year in the senate, Nelson was
one of the lawmakers who took tr
the floor to appose the bill.
Nelson told his colleagues the
bill had some good features but
it would not stand up in its pres
ent form. The state senate, how
ever, declined to amend the the
bill and it went on the books.
The supreme court’s unconsti
tutional ruling plunged the coun
ty treasurers and school district
officials into a quandry. In Holt
alone the four-mill tax had ac
cumulated $97,000, which, of
course, could not be touched from
the moment the unconstitutional
edict was issued. On a statewide
basis the money involved will run
to several million dollars in a sin
gle year.
Some Holt school boards in ses
sion Monday had to revise then
planning because the blanket tax
money could not be used in com
puting their budget for next term.
When passed in 1949 the bill had
the support of a rural school dis
trict association and testimony
given at public hearing on the
measure stressed two benefits
from its enactment.
1. It would encourage con
solidation or reorganisation to
eliminate the economically un
sound districts with less than
five pupils.
2. It would bring on the
school tax rolls lands that had
been escaping all school taxes
Witnesses testified that in the
large ranching area, big operators
would not employ help with chil
dren because they would have to
provide school facilities.
In other districts witnesses said
no taxes had been levied for year*
because of the small school pop
ulation and the children were
sent to other districts by contract
or by paying tuition.
Mr. Petersen, the Kbit coun
ty rancher, brought the test suit
on constitutionality of the law. It
was upheld by the District court
which is now reversed by the Su
preme court.
Attorney General C. S. Beck
said that he will immediately file
a motion for a rehearing so that
it can be heard on June 21 when
the court will sit to hear motions
before the summer recess.
Beck pointed out that levies are
set on August 1 in the counties
and that prompt action is neces
sary for their guidance.
The court decision came on the
eve of budget-making meetings of
elementary school boards which
were held Monday night.
(Continued on page 8)
Flying Maniac
Still At Large
Earl Ross, 24year-old St. Peter
(Minn.) mental hospital e9cape«v
is still at large. Holt Sheriff l«o
Tomjack said Wednesday he had
been advised that Ross, described
as a dangerous sex maniac, had
been sighted in Omaha.
Ross 3tole an airplane at Brook
ings, S. D„ landed the plane near
inr and hitch-hiked to Oenaha.
He was the object Pf a manhunt
in the Ewing vicinity June 1, 1
and 3.
