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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (June 18, 1953)
Prairieland Talk . . . Russian Kin Faring Badly By ROMAINE SAUNDERS LINCOLN—Met a man yesterday in front of 0 a large church and we fell to talking. The gen tleman had a Bible under one arm, and this in spired confidence. Learned something of what has been going on in Russia since the reds took over, he being a native Russian. His father’s family came to this country long enough ago so that after becoming a citizen he started life in America as a homesteader in North Dakota. Some of the family re mained in Russia, among them being a sister of my informant and his grandmother. After the communists took over the coun try their once prosperous rela tives were little by little reduc ed to want. Government brigands first would take a chicken, then come again and take more and also some of the stock. When there was nothing left but one cow and five chickens his folks thought they might be allowed Saunders o to keep them but one day they were taken away. The last letter my informant’s sister wrote 0 told them she had just four potatoes left and when they were eaten starvation faced them. And death by starvation was the fate of this man’s people, along with others, under Bolshevism. And this with enslavement is what the Mus covites offer the world. m m m The 1953 number of The Scribe, edited by the Writers club of Lincoln high school, devotes two pages, 24 picas wide by 42 deep, to “The Fab ulous Sandhills.” Beverly Buck is the author and as you read you may fancy Beverly in the classic halls of learning looking out of a window across the jungle of buildings until her vision reaches out to the farflung landscape where rises a grass grown sandhill, where verdant valley reaches to the flag-rimmed margin of a lake, perhaps hear the thunderpumper’s salute to the morning sun peeking through a distant cottonwood grove. The founder of The Frontier wrote with a gifted pen of “God’s Country.” Beverly Buck calls the sandhills “God’s own cow country.” The sandhills region comprises more than half of the state, is the one area that suffers least in famine seasons and, as Beverly Buck points out, very few people leave the sandhills ranches when once they are established. “I find the most prominent characteristic is love,” writes this former sandhiller. “There’s love for life, work, people and country that is unsurpassed anywhere by anyone. The extremes the folks go to—to be neighborly—is amazing! All you have to do to be accepted as part of this feeling of love and security is to be yourself and be humble. You are judged by what you are and do, never by what you have and put on.” * * • In memory of iheir ancestors who were fugitives from persecution, crossed the plains and sought refuge in the Rocky mountains, in turn became themselves persecutors, a Mor mon bridge has been dedicated at Omaha, par ticipated in by public officials of Nebraska and Iowa and prominent Mormon churchmen. Nebraskans can match most anything un usual involving human skill and the grit to do things. A 74-year-old woman running a newspa per in a little town in eastern Michigan all by her lonesome received attention in a full page of pictures showing her at work in her print shop, setting the type by hand, feeding a cylinder press and the hundred other things connected with get ting out an eight-page paper. We have a match for you, sister, down here in Lincoln, except that she does not edit a newspaper. Competent, inde pendent as a hog on ice, and knowing the print ing game, a Lincoln spinster operates a commer cial printing business all alone and doubtless more satisfactorily to herself and the few custom ers than if organized with a lot of guys around. • » • Something like a half - century too late there comes to Prairieland Talker a proposal to take over a printing concern in Havana, Cuba, that long narrow stretch of country some 200 miles below the lower tip of Florida, where Henry Grady and Charley Harding and a lot of other fellows from Holt county went back in the 1890's to lick the Spaniards. Hardly worth while now to start chasing after a fortune that has thus far escaped toilworn hands. Besides, I can salute no other flag but our own stars and stripes. ^ # * * * In the United States a birth is recorded every nine seconds, a death every 21 seconds; an immi grant arrives every two minutes and one leaves for other parts every seven minutes. The nation al increase in population the past 20 years is put at 22 percent. In the state of California, during the same period, the increase is 86 percent. * * * A statement condemning drunkenness., and misconduct on the part of some members of diplomatic staffs in foreign service was promul gated at a recent convention of the American Baptists in Denver, Colo. The housecleaning in Washington has accounted for something over 10,000. Maybe diplomatic circles will come next, when the guys will be taken care of who went abroad to go on a high lonesome. * • • II was "the law" in a certain eastern stale that motorists must have a windshield wiper. No legal provision had been made, however, that the motorist have a windshield. Now that has been corrected in a serious legal fashion and the law provides for both the windshield and the wiper. It is such monkey business that cumbers the country with senseless laws. • • * Mr. Hoover of the FBI reports the crime picture the worst in our history. And if it were not enough to plunder the living depravity ac counts for the heaping of insults on the memory' of the dead. The smearing with paint of the fig ure of Bryan which stands at the entrance of the state capitol could be the work only of a deprav ed and brainless fool. * * • No, a dollar won't do as much for us as it used to. But then, as has been said, neither will we do as much for a dollar as we used to. Editorial . . . ‘He Changed Looks of Townf “He was a fellow who changed the looks of ^ this town."’ Such was a comment uttered Friday as the funeral procession wended through the streets and the remains of Charles Sumner Downey, 65, were taken to Prospect Hill cemetery for burial. The late Mr. Downey, who entered the busi ness field some 45 years ago in a most modest way, developed the O’Neill Photo company into one of O’Neill’s major industries. Magnitude of the business is reflected in its staff ranging from a minimum of 10 people to a maximum of 25. It is further evident in the fact that the O’Neill Photo company for years has been one of the leading users of the U.S. mail service west of Om aha on the main line of the Chicago & North Western railroad. The street-corner observer was not thinking of the retail and wholesale photo operation, which is unique in many ways. Instead, he was thinking of the late Mr. Downey’s investments and personal financing that helped to create O’ NeUl’s postwar building boom. No few of O’Neill’s newest business buildings were personally fi nanced by Mr. Downey during construction. The same might be said for residential properties. In addition, frequently he bought already-built and invested in business and residential properties. The photo business established Mr. Downey and from then on he and Mrs. Downey were not hesitant to loan money on sound construction programs. And it was this Downey-backed activ ity that prompted the observer to say: “He was a fellow who changed the looks of this town.” Mr. Downey most certainly was progressive in the conduct of his photo business and compet ed successfully in Nebraska, South Dakota, Min nesota and Wyoming. While he spent consider able time on the road in pursuit of business, he brought back to O’Neill many ideas and thoughts gleaned from abroad and applied them at home or else passed along the word for others to use as they saw fit. He was a perpetual booster for O’Neill and his firm name is a household word in thousands of homes in the four-state area. It’s a long way from a primitive frontier home in northeast Holt county, where he was born and where his father operated a stage line, to the pinnacle of business success in a small midwestern city, especially when you consider the business operation expanded to be conducted in several states. With his own son and daughter reared and gone out into the world, the late Mr. Downey and his wife reared, educated and helped provide for six nieces. This also is a singular tribute to a man. We knew Mr. Downey quite well and we think the street-comer patriot’s observation an appropriate epitaph. “He was a fellow who changed the looks of this town.” We note in the dailies an explosive - laden truck smashed up, caught fire, and created quite a stir in Scabbeth, Kans. Firemen were afraid to go near the blaze and all kinds of complications arose. We wonder if Nebraska wouldn’t do well to restrict the transportation of TNT to rails. Hundreds of trucks marked “explosives” have passed through O’Neill thus far without a Scab beth incident. President Eisenhower says the crux of the Korean truce is that the U.S. went into Korea forcibly to stop aggression, not to impose a pol itical unity of North and South Korea. Any way you look at it, the U.S. bit off a costly bite and the high-level talking and peacemaking doesn’t compensate for the lives that have been lost or ruined. Whatever happened to the fabulous Hadacol? ►__ ___ Take Second-Look at Home There’s not much evidence on the surface but plans are progressing for the air force’s wind test to be conducted here later this summer. The Chamber of Commerce busily is arranging for housing accommodations, some downtown office space is being provided in the J. B. Ryan esta'e building, formerly known as the Bazelman lum ber yard, and in a few days a steel windmill tower will rise on the wind test site, located five miles northeast of the city. The Chamber reports housing plans progress ing satisfactorily. However, The Frontier this week received a letter from the renowned scien tist, Dr. Guenther Loeser, the German meteorolo gist now engaged by the air force research cen ter. He wants to bring to O’Neill his 14-year-old son, Rudolph, and would like to share a furnish ed home or large apartment (minimum of two bedrooms) with two fellow scientists and his son. The convergance of scientists, university professors and scholars from the air force re search center and from a dozen leading campuses in the land may strain O’Neill’s housing facilities —at least if facilities are made available compat ible with the background of the visiting persons. Please take a second-look around your house and be prepared to proffer a room if the Cham ber finds it necessary to sound an SOS. This isn't anticipated at the present, but there’s an SOS possibility, especially if many of the civilians bring along their families. Uniformed personnel, generally, will be com ing from Offutt air base, Omaha, which is with in reasonable commuting distance with their families. This is in contrast to those coming from the campus of California Institute of Technology, University of Michigan or the Cambridge re search center at Cambridge, Mass. Of course it is natural for some of them to want to bring along their families, especially in the case of for eign scientists who want one or more of their own to see the prairie. Not all of the air .force research center’s field trips are for an extended period of time. The first of the test personnel are expected to arrive July 8, others July 14, and during the latter part of July the bulk of the contingent will arrive. The tests actually are to begin August 1. The univer sity people, of course, expect to be back on their home campuses in time for the start of the fall school term in September. Miss Alice L. French is the housing coordi nator. Her telephone number is 224 and her office (office of the county superintendent of public in struction) is in the courthouse basement. Miss French is performing the coordination work in behalf of the Chamber of Commerce. Editorial & Business Offices: 122 South Fourth St. Address correspondence: Box 330, O’Neill, Nebr. CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher Established in 1880—Published Each Thursday Entered at the postoffice in O’Neill, Holt county, Nebraska, as second-class mail matter under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This newspaper is a member of the Nebraska Press Association, National Editorial Association and the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, $2.50 per year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per year; rates abroad, provided on request. All sub scriptions are paid-in-advance. Audited (ABC) Circulation—2,200 (Mar. 31, 1933). Out of Oid Nebraska. . . Applies U.S. Navy Teachings to Roads Late Senator Howell Once Engineer Robert Beacher Howell, who served Nebraska in the U.S. sen ate from 1923 until his death in 1933, was bom in Adrian, Mich., January 21, 1864. After attending the public school in Adrian, he was appointed to the U.S. naval academy, from which institution he graduated in 1885. He moved to Omaha in 1888, then went back to Michigan to attend the Detroit school of law, from which he graduated in 1893. His subsequent career in Nebr aska utilized both his background and the engineering he acquired in the naval academy. Mr. Howell served as state en gineer of Nebraska in 1895-‘96, then went to Omaha to serve a couple of years as the city engine er. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. navy during the Spanish American war, after which he returned to Nebraska to take his first active part in politics when he ran successfully on the repub lican ticket for the state senate. He served one term in the stale senate then became a member of the board of direct ors of the old Omaha water board, later served in the same capacity with the Metropolitan Utilities district. In Omaha affairs, Mr. Howell probably is known for his fight for public ownership of the city’s utilities. As a state senator, he fought for enactment of a law compelling the Omaha council to obey the mandate of the people and buy the Omaha water plant Of this phase of Mr. Howell’s career Senator Norris once said, “He became an outstanding fig ure in the state of Nebraska in favor of municipal ownership of all public utilities. His reputation in this respect was given great consideration by the voters of Nebraska and was one of the material factors in his subsequent nomination and election to the U.S. senate.” Further activity in politics came in 1912 when Mr. Howell was elected republican national committeeman for Nebr aska, a post to which he was re elected in 1916 and again in 1920. He received the republican nom ination for governor in 1914, but was defeated by John H. More head, his democratic opponent. His next foray into politics as a candidate for office came in 1922 when he was elected to the U.S. senate, defeating Sen. Gilbert M. Hitchcock. During the second de cade of the twentieth century Mr. Howell served as general manager of the metropolitan util ities district, a lieutenant in the U.S. naival reserve and in 1921 as chairman of the radio commission, United States post office depart ment. During the senatorial contest of 1922. Mr. Howell talked a great deal about radio's future. In this he seemed like some thing of a visionary. Senator Howell was re-elected in 1928, over Richard L. Metcalf, his democratic opponent. He had an easier time of it in the general electon than he did in the repub lican primary, being contested for the nomination in a close race, by O. S. Spillman of Norfolk. Senator Howell died in Walter Reed hospital in Washington, March 11, 1933. He was buried in Forest Lawn cemetery, Omaha. City School Supt. and Mrs. D. E. Nelson and family went to Boulder, Colo., Friday, where Mr. Nelson will attend summer school. Stop Taking Harsh Drugs for Constipation Avoid Intestinal Upset! Get Relief This Gentle Vegetable Laxative Way! For constipation, never take harsh drugs. They cause brutal cramps and griping, disrupt normal bowel action, make re peated doses seem needed. Get sure but gentle relief when you are temporarily constipated. Take Dc. Caldwell’s Senna Laxative contained in Syrup Pepsin. No salts, no harsh drugs. Dr. Caldwell’s contains an extract of Senna, one of the finest natural vegetable laxatives known to medicine. Dr. Caldwell’s Senna Laxative tastes good, gives gende, comfortable, satis fying relief for every member of the family. Helps you get “on schedule” without repeated doses. Even relieves stomach sourness that constipation often brings. Buy Dr. Caldwell's 30*f size today. Money back if not satisfied. Mail bottle to Box 280, New York 18, N. Y. I SLIDE HAY STACKERS We have the original Slide Stackers built by J. B. Sorey. Can furnish with steel or wood pulleys, cable or rope. Other extra accessories in clude cage, steel arm facings, or steel shod runners. Write: Farmers Lumber & Supply Company Bassett, Nebraska Or Phone 333, Collect • Miller Confers with Eisenhower Nebraska’s Fourth District Congressman A. L. Miller of Kimball last week had a con ference with President Dwight Eisenhower. Writes Congressman Miller: “My conference with the pres ident was very gratifying. “I sincerely feel it will bear fruit. I was quite honored since the president allowed, in fact insisted, that I stay longer than my a 11 o t e d time to more thoroughly discuss the various problems which have come or will come before my committee— interior and insular affairs— during the 83rd congress. “It appears that irrigation and and reclamation will prosper under this administration, since the president instructed me to ask Secretary McKay to bring up the question of “no new starts” in irrigation at the cab inet meeting. He showed much concern over the last adminis tration’s order which had forbid den any “new starts” in the U.S. and realized that if this policy were to be continued, irrigation would be strangled and stopped in its tracks. “The future looks very bright. “I took the liberty of inviting the president to western Nebr aska this fall to do a little pheas ant, duck hunting—pointing out there’s “no place like Nebraska” when it comes to good hunting. I gave a little free medical advice and told him he would be need ing some complete relaxation and advised him of the wonder ful fresh air he would get Nebr aska. “Much to my surprise, the president said that he remember ed back in 1919 he was in Kim ball on a hunting trip and stay ed the old Wheat Grower’s hotel. The hospitable people must have made a good impression, because he said he would return.” ROYAL THEATER Thurs. June 18 Mario Lanza sings again in BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE Color by technicolor. Musical introducing Doretta Morrow with James Whitmore. America’s singing’s singing idol . . . sing ing the love songs of today Family night $1.00; adult 50c; children 12c; tax incl. Fri.-Sai. June 19-20 Big Double Bill Routing Voodoo vengeance! VOODOO TIGER Johnny Weisemuller as Jungle Jim with Jean Bryon, James Seay, Jeanne Dean and Tamba. — also — WINNING OF THE WEST Adult 50c; children 12c; tax incl. Matinee Sat. 2:30. Children un der 12 free when accompanied by parent. Sun.-Mon.-Tues. June 21-22-23 Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Ve^-Ellen, George Sanders, in Irving Berlin’s CALL ME MADAM Color by technicolor. The most glittering banquet of entertain ment the screen has ever pre sented. Adult 50c; children 12c; tax incl. Matinee Sun. 2:30. Children un der 12 free when accompanied by parents. Price was selected from the O’Neill chapter on the basis of his farming program, scholas tic standing and his leadership abilities. While taking voca tional agriculture, he has had both dairy and beef cattle in his farming program. He has recently gone into partnership with his father in purchasing and managing a 149-acre farm. Attending the 25th annual convention with Price were Dwayne Devall, Bob Sanders, Russell Closson and their in structor, C. H. Stone. Closson was promoted to the “state farmer” degree last year. Venetian blinds, prompt deliv ery, made to measure, metal or wood, all colors.—J. M. McDon ald's. DRS. BROWN & FRENCH Eyes Tested—Glasses Fitted t Broken Lens Replaced in ! 24 Hours Other Repairs While Toa * Wail | Complete X-Ray Wins State Degree Eddie Price (above), son of Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Price of O’Neill, was promoted to the “state farmer” degree of the Future Farmers of America organization at Kearney, June 4. This honor is bestowed to only two percent of the FFA members in the United States. I She knew only one word— and that was wrong The woman with the frightened eyes sat across from Father Flannery desperately trying to tell her story in sign language. She was a DP, escaped from behind the Iron Curtain. Now in a midwest city, she was seeking her only living relative—a daughter attending a Texas university on a scholarship. Bad luck had carried her hundreds of miles the wrong way—for all she knew of America was a street address and one English word, the name of a city which in her clouded accent sounded like “Houston”. To Long Distance Operator Joan Gray, Father Flannery explained the problem. Sorry, she reported, : there was no such street address in Houston. Dis- j mayed, the priest was about to put the phone down. But Joan Gray was thinking fast . . . “Suppose we try Austin,” she suggested, “the names sound somewhat alike.” And Austin it was! Soon a joyous mother was reunited with her daughter. The story above is true, but names have been changed to protect the privacy of the people in it. Resourceful \ Joan Gray might be an operator in your town—for , this is but one example of the helpful spirit of the men and women behind your telephone service. To attract and hold good people like Joan Gray, to train them well and provide them with good equip ment, your telephone company must have reasonable rates for service. We must stay financially sound to continue to bring valuable telephone service to every one who needs it ... to continue to make your tele phone worth more than it costs. Do you know a true telephone story like this? Send it to Northwestern Bell Telephone Co., Omaha, Nebraska. Northwestern Bell Telephone Company The insiders”call it^j|| the buy of the year! ^p This great new medium-priced line is making the kind of news you like to read: "a truly big car that even 'lowest-price’ buyers find interesting.” famous the world over for power and ruggedness. Visit your Packard dealer soon and see for yourself why people who know motorcar values best call the CLIPPER "the buy” of the year. • l k In addition to the Clipper, PACKARD is budding today a car so beautiful and that it is applauded, everywhere as "America's new choice in fine cars." Ask the man who owns one—today! —_ N-93-DT Maybe you're a confirmed "lowest price” car buyer, but are be ginning to wonder whether you couldn’t use a little more automo bile on today’s crowded, high-speed highways. We’d especially like to have you see and drive the new CLIPPER. For, if you’ll think a minute, you’ll realize that with a dolled-up "lowest-priced” car you’re really in the medium-price field anyway, or close to it. And you’ve still got, basically, a smaller, lighter car, with no chance of adding the BIG Im portant Three of today’s driving: power steering, power braking and power shifting ... all of which are available to CLIPPER owners. Every inch your big-car dream! That 122-inch CLIPPER wheel base and overall length of 213 inches is Big Car! Yet the CLIPPER is perfectly parkable in metered spots and tight spaces. And on the road it’s a dream! Power? Ever since you took your first jalopy to your heart, you’ve heard that Packard engines are FOREE TIRE & SUPPLY CO. 126 W. DOUGLAS O’NEILL, NEBR.