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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (July 3, 1952)
p * * * i “VOICE OF THE FRONTIER” TEN ONE SECTION PAGES 1-10 I 780 k. c. 9:45 a.m. North-Central Nebraska’s BIG Newspaper • \ Volume 72.—Number 9._ O Neill, Nebr., Thursday, July 3, 1952. Seven Cents WRECK ORPHANS 5 . . . This is the car in which Mr. and Mrs. Lyndon H. McKamy of Hastings were instantly killed and Mrs. Christine Muff, 72, was fatally injured on Sunday, June 22, while enroute to a family picnic at Norfolk. The crash orphaned five McKamy children. The McKamys and Mrs. Muff are former resi dents of the Deloit community.—World Herald Photo. Water Shortage Here Enters Critical Stage -< 2 Youth’s Admit Store Break-In Kazda, Synovec Tell of 2 Days in Field Living Off Loot A preliminary hearing was held Saturday, June 28, for two 16 - year - old Antelope county youths who have admitted burg larizing John Conard’s store and combination postoffice at Em met during the early hours of Monday, June 23. Both boys admitted guilt be fore Police Judge H. W. Tomlin son and were bound over to Holt county district court. The youths are Donald Kazda, 16, of Oak dale, formerly of Atkinson, and Vernon Synovec, 16, of Neligh. Authorities were given a lead to arresting the two young men when Duane Braasch, who works for Bernard Pon gratz of Emmet, reported that he had given them a lift into Zmmet about 1:30 o'clock on the morning oi the robbery. ^Several hours later, about 5 o»clock, Guy Cole of Emmet picked up the same young men and gave them a lift when he was going out to his pasture. When the youths later were asrfced by authorities to give an account of their time between 1:80 and 5 o’clock that morning, they admitted the burglarizing. Tney had spent two days liv ing off the loot which they had stored in a haystack. One of the boys had taken a bite out of a hunk of cheese in the store during the robbery, and teeth marks could have been used as evidence. Most of the loot, which owner John Conard had estimated about one hundred dollars in vfflue, has been returned. The two youths are being held in Holt county jail pending the return of District Judge D. R. Mounts, who is out of the city until after the Fourth of July. Restrict dale of Feeder Hogs Nebraska’s hog disease out break has been described as “pretty bad” by Asst. State Vet erinarian Dr. Benjamin Griffith. He gave this summary: The disease has been found in four locations, Grand Island, Omaha and two outstate points he declined to identify. Montana and Indiana authori ties have clamped an embargo on shipment of Nebraska hogs into their states. The disease is described as a vesicular exanthema caused by a virus infection. It is highly contagious to hogs but does not affect other livestock. Leigh Reynoldson, comanager of the O’Neill Livestock Market, said the O’Neill market along with 110 pavilions in the* state has a temporary restriction on marketing of feeder pigs or any hogs not ready to go directly to the slaughterer. This restriction applies to all marketing agencies in the state. The O’Neill market—and oth ers—will continue however, to sell fat hogs. Father, Cousin Killed in Crash CHAMBERS — George W. Young, 67, of Rising City and his nephew, Marlin Young, 54, of North Bend were killed in an auto accident at Rising City Sunday. The eldest Mr. Young was the fa ther of Clarence Young of Cham bers and the youngest of the two crash victims was a cousin of Clarence Young. Burial was Wednesday at Mag net. TO CONVENTION Julius D. Cronin, O’Neill at torney, will depart Saturday for Chicago, 111. He plans to witness some of the proceedings at the republican national convention. Mr. Cronin has been active in the Taft-for-president movement in Nebraska. O ^ Q o » - O’Neill’s municipal water situation late Wednesday en tered the critical stage. Be tween 5:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. the pumps were laboring at capaci ty but were unsuccessful in keeping more than about a foot of water in the standpipe reservoir. Mayor J. E. Davis is ap pealing lo the residents of O'Neill to please cooperate for watering lawns and gar dens or else drastic conserva with the staggered schedule tion steps will have to be taken. The voluntary schedule: For persons residing east of Fourth street: Watering per missable on Mondays, Wednes days and Fridays. For persons residing west cf Fourth street: Watering per missable on Tuesdays, Thurs days and Saturdays. The mayor urgently asks all residents to refrain from wa tering on Sundays to enable the pumps to rest. “Our situation is serious. If there had been a fire Wednes day we’d have been in a very poor position to combat it. There simply wasn’t any water in the tank. “No matter where you live, if you hear the fire alarm, please conserve immediately on all domestic uses of water until the alarm is lifted. "If the O'Neill residents will not cooperate voluntar ily, the council will be obliged to lake other steps. “O’Neill’s water shortage at present is serious and will be serious until a new well can be brought into use. The pres ent pumping system cannot stand the present pace and we’ll have no water at all if folks don’t cooperate.” 13 Draftees Will Report July 9th 10 Registrants Will Get Preinduction Exams on July 15th Thirteen Holt county selective service registrants will be in ducted on Wednesday, July 9: Robert L. Retke, Otto R. Bar tos, Donald L. Harmon, Ralph M. Morrow, Glen E. Knight and Adolph Latzel, jr., all of O’Neill; Lewis L. Vandersnick of Ewing; Dale E. Pettijohn of Brunswick; Jerry E. Asher and Charles F. Waterman, both of Page; LaVerne E. Claussen of Atkinson, Clar ence C. Kramer and Alfred P. Schneider, both of Stuart. Meanwhile 10 registrants will depart Tuesday, July 15, for pre induction physical examination. These will include: Buddy W. Miles of Dorsey; John A. Ziska, Nick H. Ramold and Douglas R. Rossman, all of Atkinson; John Lee Pruden of Ewing; Lewis E. Pierson of O’ Neill; Charles B. Campbell, Jim A. Batenhorst, Harvey J. Stein hauser and Jerome E. Weber, all of Stuart. " I NEW PHARMACIST . . . Bert Bertolini (above) has joined the staff of Gilligan’s Rexall drug store, it was announced this week by Owner Ben Gilli gan. Mr. and Mrs. Bertolini will make their home in the Salisbury apartments. — The Frontier Photo. Triple-Rites At St. John’s for Victims 7 Clergy Participate in McKamy-Muff Rite; Church Overflows DELOIT—St. John's Catholic church in this southeastern Holt county community could not be gin to accommodate the throng of relatives and friends who ga thered Thursday morning, June 26, for triple-funeral rites for three former members of the par ish who were fatally injured in an auto-truck crash early Sunday, June 22. Dead are Lyndon McKamy, 41; his wife, Mrs Lyndon Mc Kamy, 39, and Mrs. McKamy's mother, Mrs. Christine Muff, 72. The McKamys were killed instantly and Mrs. Muff died two days later in a Grand Is land hospital. The requiem solemn high mass was offered by Rev. C. J. Kaup, church pastor. He was assisted by Rev. Charles Keenan of St. Micheal’s parish of Hastings, who acted as deacon of the mass; Rev. Robert Hupp of Wayne, who acted as subdeacon; Rev. J. O. O’Don nell of Norfolk, who was the mas ter of ceremonies. Other priests in attendance in the sanctuary were Rev. Peter J. Burke of Ewing, Rev. Roger Hayes of Clearwater, and Rev. John Hook of Charleston, S.C., The altar boys were Ronald and Robert McKamy, grandsons of Mrs. Muff, Robert Miller and Merle Sehi. Lyndon Harvey McKamy was born November 6, 1910, at Ewing. He grew to manhood southwest of Ewing and on June 6, 1933, was united in marriage to Margaret Eleanor Muff at St. John’s Catho lic church at Deloit. To this union was bom five children. He was engaged in farming for 10 years and for ihe past nine years was employed at the naval ammunition depot at Hastings. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Henry. Survivors include: children — Betty, 18; Le Roy, 16; Joan, 14; Maurice, 11, and Donnie, 8; broth ers—Elmo of Norfolk and Don ald of O’Neill; sisters — Mrs. (Continued on page 5) Chamber Will Treat Band After Concerts At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce board of directors Wednesday morning, it was voted to treat members of the O’Neill Municipal band following each Saturday evening concert. At the same time Laurence Haynes was reelected secretary of the Chamber. He has held the post since February. Also discussed were the forth coming membership drive and a fall retail promotion plan. Methodists Appoint Rev. Wallace Smith Hemingford Pastor to Succeed Rev. Bell Rev. J. LaVeme Jay, northeast Nebraska district superintend ent for the Methodist church, Wednesday announced that Rev. Wallace B. Smith of Hemingford has been appointed to fill the Methodist vacancy here. Reverend Jay said the new O’Neill minister will assume the pastorate here September 1. His family includes a wife and two junior high school age children. Reverend Smith will succeed Rev. V. R. Bell, who suffered a heart attack in March and was obliged to retire in the interest of his health. Reverend and Mrs. Bell are now residing at Sar gent. Reverend Bell’s retire ment became official at the an nual Methodist conference in Grand Island last month. The new O'Neill pastor joined the Nebraska Methodist conference in 1945. He served the Methodist church at Mini tare before going to Heming ford. Reverend Smith attended Garret seminary at Evanston, 111. Confirmation of the O’Neill appointment was made Monday at Wichita, Kans., following an eight-state south - central juris dictional conference attended by Reverend and Mrs. Jay. The con firmation came from the newly elected Methodist bishop of Ne braska. Dr. H. Bascom Watts. Nebraska formerly was a part of the Kansas-Nebraska bishopric. Bishop Watts will reside at Lincoln. The jurisdictional con ference included delegates from Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Ok lahoma, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Arkansas. The Jays returned to O’Neill Tuesdav. A substitute pastor to serve the O’Neill congregation between now and September 1 will be appointed “within a few days,” Reverend Jay said. Holt Auto License Directory Coming Two thousand copies of a 1952 Holt county automobile license directory—handbook style—will be off The Frontier’s presses within a week or 10 days. Glea H. Wade ordered the book from The Frontier on a contract basis. He will distribute copies to advertisers and single copies will be available through Mr. Wade and at The Frontier circulation counter at one dollar per copy. The book, numbering more than one hundred pages, will list in numerical order all the passenger car, farm truck and commercial truck numbers in the county together with name of registrant and postoffice address of registrant. Schroeder Law Faulty —Johnson Parts Unworkable, Comments Auditor When Questioned State Auditor Ray C. Johnson said Saturday in Lincoln that some features of the Schroeder rural mail route act are “unwork able." Mr. Johnson had been asked about repeated reports—includ ing one from Holt—that some counties are not following all the provisions of the 1947 law, which earmarks a penny a gallon of the state gasoline tax for rural mail routes. "I think the majority are spending the money on rural mail routes," the auditor said. However, he added, he feels that probably relatively few counties are able to follow every provision of the law. Some counties, he said, find it impossible to start by graveling the first and last unimproved mile of each mail route. Sometimes, for example, trucks can’t reach the last mile because of a bridge washout, he said. As his office reads the Schroe der act, Mr. Johnson said, 80 per cent of the money has to be spent to put gravel on the roads. Technically, he said, he doubts that this would include the cost of grading and culverts, although many counties use the money for such purposes. Interest in the Schroeder law in which there is no penalty clause has been heigthened here because of sharp criticism coming from a group known as the Holt County Rural Road Improvement associa tion, which met in Atkinson June 20. Frank J. Brady of Atkinson is president. The group is basing ils at tack on an audit prepared by Lou Maupin, of Lincoln. Mau pin's voluminous audit has come under some criticism for not being completely thorough. Brady says the group is cir culating petitions to place a com missioner form of government proposal on the November ballot. He said about five hundred sig natures were needed and it was assured there would be sufficient names. Holt county presently is oper ated under the township and su pervisor form. When the county levy is at the five-mill limit the switch to the commissioner form would mean the doing away with the township levy, most of which is used for road purposes. __ The westbound mainline train on the North Western railroad ran about 5% hours late Wed nesday morning. The train re ported engine trouble and did not reach O’Neill until about noon. TV , COMES TO LEGION CLUB . . . An elaborate television receiver with all the trimmin’s has been installed by Simonson post 93 of the American Legion in the clubrooms here. Reception, club officials say, is “spotted” and “not dependable.” A large crowd at the club wit nessed first-class reception during a televised --- fight one evening last week and these four Le gionnaires got an eyeful when this beauty ap peared on the screen. Watching show are (left to-right): Lloyd Cork, Cletus Durr, Laurence Haynes (club manager) and John R. Gallagher. —The Frontier Photo. McKamy Children Will Stay Intact -- <• The five orphaned McKamy children, whose parents perished in a terrible automobile accident on a bright Sabbath morn, are reunited in Norfolk where they will make their home. Four of the children were with their parents that fateful morn ing of June 22 when the shiny new McKamy car, Norfolk bound from Hastings for a fam ily picnic, smashed into a truck tractor outfit at Clarks Junction, two miles east of Central City. The father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Lyndon H. McKamy, were killed instantly. The children’s grandmother, M r s'. Christine Muff, 72, died later in a Grand Island hospital. The parents and grandmother were buried last Thursday from St. John’s Catholic church at Deloit. Where from here for the five children—who come from an o**d inary, hard - working, cheerful, full of life. God-fear ing family? To Betty, 18, winsome, brown haired, falls the mother’s role as eldest. Husky Leroy, 16, with football player’s shoulders, must take his father’s place for the others, Joan, 14; Maurice, 11, and Donald, 7. As usual, the McKamys v/ere together when it happened—all but Betty, who was at school in Omaha. In the morning, they took holv communion at St. Mi chael’s church in Hastings, then got in their new car to go to Norfolk for a family reunion. Leroy and Joan escaped, but Maurice and Donald suffered head injuries. Friday the young sters were transferred from a Grand Island hospital to a Nor folk hospital to be near rela tives. Leroy has been working on a construction project at the naval ammunition depot, where his father was an ordnance foreman SHORT RUN The O’Neill fire department made one of its shortest runs on record Tuesday, July 1, at 11:30 a.m. Mrs. William Wolf called the firemen when her pressure cooker, in which she was doing some canning, became dry. There was no fire but lots of smoke. She resides in the sec ond house east of the fire station. UNCLE, 93, DIES Bennet Gilligan attended the funeral of his uncle, Tom Gilli gan, 93, at Anselmo, Custer coun ty, Monday, June 30. Tom Gilli gan was a brother of the late Dr. J. P. Gilligan of O’Neill. and a popular boss. Mrs. Mc Kamy, who worked in a garment factory, was a leader in St. Mi chael’s parish. “Both parents were wonderful parishioners,” said Rev. C. J. Keenan of Hastings. The children went to St. Ce celia's school. Betty graduated in 1951, took nurse's aid train ing, attended Hastings college a semester, then went to Om aha last month to learn comptometry. The children have moved to Norfolk with the help of rela tives. They plan to establish their own home there. Betty has dropped out of school. The oth er four probably will continue their schooling at Norfolk Sa cred Heart. There is some insurance and the children are not in immedi ate want, although friends in Hastings have started a fund for them. Father Keenan said more than $50 has come to him. At the ordnance depot, at Hastings, employees contributed more than two hundred dollars in one day. Said a neighbor at Spencer park housing project where the McKamy family lived: “Betty and Leroy are strong enough to hold the children to gether.** Boy, 11, Hit by Car; Does Flip, Survives John McAdams, 11, of O’Neill was injured Friday evening, June 27, when he was struck bj a car as he dashed into Douglas street near the Apparel shop. The driver of the car was Fred Appleby of O’Neill. He was taken to O’Neill hos pital for 24 hours and returned home Saturday evening, June 28. No bones were broken. He suffered only shock and bruises, and according to his mother, Msr. James McAdams, The impact caused the boy to turn a complete flip. The father of the boy, James McAdams, said that his son had dashed in front of the car and the driver could not possibly have avoided the accident. — Mrs. Fred Prange, !33 Weeks, Dies Holt Farm Woman Bom at Malmo ATKINSON—Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. Wed nesday, July 2, at St. John’s Lu teran church here for Mrs. Fred Prange, 75, Atkinson farm woman who died Monday, June 30, in the O’Neill hospital. She had been in failing health for several months and seriously ill about three weeks. The late Mrs; Prange was born August 23, 1876, at Malmo, Saun ders county. Survivors include: Widower— Fred; sons—Arthur of Atkinson, Louis of Atkinson, Walter of Bloomfield; daughters—Mrs. Earl (Maudie) Collins of Atkinson and Mrs. Franklin (Ella) Hickman of Atkinson. 6 Nelsons Serve During Late War -— — « „ (By a Staff Writer) BRISTOW — Gold lettering on the napkins read: “Mollie and Pete—1902-1952.” Sunday, June 29, Mr. and Mrs. Nels Peter Nelson, well known Boyd county couple, ob served their golden wedding anniversary. Somehow the cel ebration was just a little dif ferent. Perhaps, because “Mol lie” and “Pete” are not run-of the-fmill folk and because they’ve reared a family that has contributed more than its share to the well-being of this good land. The occasion was also a re union for the Nelsons and their six sons and two daugh ters—the first in more than 20 years. The Nelsons’ golden wedding day began with a church rite at the tiny Methodist church on the hillside. Miss Eloise Rustad of Stuart delivered the sermon in the absence of the regular pastor, Marjorie Nelson, who was ill. Pews in the front of the church were reserved for the Nelsons and their descendants. A ribbon barrier set aside one empty chair. That chair would have been occupied by their fourth child, John, except that he lost his life at Palermo, Sici ly, while serving in the navy during World War II. < Golden flowers decorated the altar and large gold numerals formed a “50” hung on the pul pit. One granddaughter, Helen Nelson, played the wedding march as Mr. Nelson 77, and Mrs. Nelson, 71, marched down the aisle arm-in-arm. Another granddaughter, Jane Amyra Al ^en, sang a solo. Miss Rustad’s sermon was based on a half century of Christian living and divine love, based on the 137th Psalm. A. B. Enborg of Lincoln, whose wife is a cousin of Mr. Nelson, sang, “Let’s Honeymoon Again.” At noon a basket dinner vras served in the yard at the Nelson (Continued on page 3) ★ ★ ★ The Nelsons f . . a half-century. — The Frontier Photo. % High Court Refuses to Reopen Tax Slit County Treasurers to Drop Blanket Tax The Nebraska supreme court which had unanimously ruled the four-mill blanket school tax law unconstitutional a month ago, Saturday announced the court would not admit a rehear ing on the matter. On June 21 the attorney-general’s office had filed a motion for a new hearing. The court issued Saturday’s an nouncement prior to its summer recess and flatly stated it would not reopen the dispute. The test suit which involves several millions of dollars in Ne braska tax monies originated in Holt county when Charley W. Peterson, Atkinson rancher, asked the Holt district court to restrain County Treasurer J. Ed Hancock from making the col lection. Holt District Judge D. R. Mounts upheld the constitu tionality of the law where upon Peterson hustled the case to the Nebraska supreme court. When the court found the blanket 1 a w unconstitutional these questions arose: (1) What happens to the blan ket tax money already collected? (2) What about refunds? In the Holt county treasury alone over 98-thousand-dollars in blanket tax money will be idle pending the next session of the state legislature. Refunds on taxes already paid can be drawn only when the blanket tax was paid under writ ten protest. When the attorney-general’s office asked for a rehearing, the county treasurers throughout 1he state were ordered to proceed with collections as usual. A few days later, however, the high court refused to reopen the Peterson test suit and new orders had to be issued. Hancock said he received a letter from State Auditor Ray C. Johnson on Sunday morn ing ordering the Holt treasur er to drop the blanket tax from all future collections. “Unfortunately,” Hancock told The Frontier, “we had mailed a quantity of postcards to taxpay ers pertaining to second-half taxes Only a few hours before the court’s final announcement. The blanket tax was on those cards. “Many taxpayers are respond ing and paying the figures noted on the card in which the blanket tax was computed. Since last Saturday we have been return ing these payments and pointing out the lifting of the blanket tax. “This business has made things very complicated,” Hancock savs. “We have had to strike $24,919.67 in blanket tax money from 2, 773 property—personal and real estate—tax accounts on 1951 un paid taxes. We have stricken $2,906.75 from 305 accounts on unpaid 1950 taxes.” Revision of the unpaid taxes has added a burden to the office routine this week. County trea surers throughout the state are in the same dilemma. Ironically the time element of the ruling works disadvantage on the persons who have prompt ly paid taxes without entering written protests. $1,213,977 V aluation Gain in ’52 $1-Million Increase on Cattle Assessment, Abstract Reveals The assessed valuation for tax purposes of Holt county’s tangi ble property has increased by $1,213,971 over last year. The total tangible property evalua tion for 1952 is $21,653,183. So reports County Assessor William F. Wefso in his annual abstract of assessment figures. One of the contributing factors, to the increase was the cattle valuation. For 1952 the figure is $13,319,000. This is an increase of one million over last year. There was a considerable de crease in com* however. Last year’s figure was 151,800 bush- e els evaluated at that many dol lars compared to a total of 33, 275 bushels this year evaluated at $1 a bushel. This is a decrease of 118,525 bushels. Last year there were two television sets in the county. This year there are 11 sets evaluated at $485. Tractors and farm machinery showed a great increase over 1951. The assessment on tractors is $1,089,315 for this year. This is an increase of $159,225 over last year. All other farm equip ment is listed at $1,033,615, an. increase of $90,555. Total individual tax schedules were $15,842,790 for 1951. For 1952 they were $16,531,115, an increase of $688,325. Total business tax schedules for 1951 were $1,279,245. The re port for 1952 shows $1,324,220' which is an increase of $44,975. There was an increase in household appliances. The figure for 1952 is $556,330, an increase Of $51,350. Personal equipment showed an increase of $2,090 over Urn. Property not listed was eval uated at $23,825, an increase of $5,380. Sheep evaluation increased by $16,615, being assessed at $42, 842 for 1952. Improvements in lease land was $28,000 for 1951. For 1952 it is $32,315, an increase of $12,610. There was a great increase in automobile evaluation. For 1951 it was $3,131,430, while in 1952 it is $3,597,945. This i» * an increase of $466,515. All real estate showed a total of $13,198,785 for an increase of $85,595 over 1951. Items which showed a decrease were: Horses and mules evaluated at $71,390, a decrease of $9,340. Hogs assessed at $162,960, a decrease of $231,660 from last year. Poultry dropped $7,425 with an evaluation of $51,510. Grain other than com was as sessed at $8,740, a decrease of $8,345. Seeds showed a loss of $7,595 with an evaluation of $1,605. Hay and forage dropped $6, 925 having a total assessment of $27,200. There was a decrease in air planes in the countrv. The valu ation was $10,980. This is a de crease of $590 Household goods showed a loss of $1,085. The valuation is $17, 695. Heart Attack Fatal to John F. Kazda Atkinson Man Dies at Winner John F. Kazda, 49, of Atkinson died Monday, June 30, of a heart attack while working in Winner, S.D. Mr. Kazda was a carpenter contractor. He was born May 28, 1903, at Atkinson. Except for the years he served in the armed forces during World War II, Atkinson had been his home. He never married. Funeral services were held at 9 a.m., Wednesday, July 2, at the Norb Uhl residence in O'Neill, Very Rev. Timothy O' Sullivan officiating. Burial was in Calvary cemetery and Biglin 1 Brothers in charge. Survivors include: Mother_ Mrs. Emma Kazda; brothers — Alfred of Atkinson; Frank of Lincoln; sisters—Mrs. Anna Holz of Ewing; Mrs. Norb (Louella) Uhl of O’Neill; Mrs. Carl (Ella) Hoppe of Atkinson. Pallbearers were Merle Hickey, A1 Kallhoff, C. W. Gatz, Harold Kirkland, Dean Reed and Claude Hamilton. FILMS TO BE SHOWN A film dedicated to the better ment of employer-employee re lations will be shown at 8 p.m. or* Wednesday, July 9, at the Ameri - can Legion club under the au spices of the Chamber of Com merce, it was announced this week by Chamber President Wil liam McIntosh. All employers and employees are invited. The film, entitled “The Head Man,” will be I shown by Mayor J. E. Davis.