Prairieland Talk . . .
Army Is Running Things
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS. Retired. Farmer Frontier Editor
LINCOLN—A writer quotes this bit of prai
Tie imagery I find in the latest number of Ne
braska History magazine: |
“Above their receding horizons forever
broods a pathetic solemnity, born of distance, si
lence and solitude.”
Seventy years have cast
their anchor on the scroll of
time sicne I plucked my first
fkrairie rose, gazed in boyish
wonder across the sweep of op
en country, tall grass waving in
the winds of May, saw for the
first time the flaming gold of
prairieland sunsets. I recall
neither pathetic solemnity, si
lence or solitude. The prairie
was alive with animated things,
the swish of the prairie birds Romain*
in flight, the soft dark eyes of Saunders
the antelope fawn looking in wonder at the
strange human creature invading their grass
grow domain, the “ooo-ooo” of the prairie rooster
at daybreak and the thunderpumper’s bugle note
at twilight, rhe night call of a lone coyote to his
mate: flashing lightning and crashing thunder,
sweeping winds and raging blizzards inspired
neither pathetic solemnity nor the silence of
solitude. And if there is any music in the world,
the prairie has it in the song of the meadow
lark and the throbbing of the harpstrings of
nature when summer breezes blow across the
land.
The writer quoted tells the story of prairie
inventions. As necessity was the mother of in
ventions, labor-saving methods and things were
thought up. Why not put the prairie wind to
work? B. F. Cole, an O’Neill watch and clock re
pair man, contrived a sailing rig on wheels. Guy
Green, who acquired the printing craftsmanship
in O’Neill plants and later was a “Kinkadd”
homesteader, built a windmill out of common
um^jer that pumped the water for his herd c*
Shorthorns. A sod cutter which enabled one to
cut the sod even thickness for building the sod
house was another prairieland invention.
* * *
John F. Byrne, 84, was brought from Col
fax county by the sheriff and begins a life
term in the pententiary for the murder of his
brother a day in January. He is probably the
oldest to be convicted of murder in this state.
• * •
By effecting some changes in the highway
patrol setup, Gov. Robert Crosby hopes to reduce
the toll of highway deaths. . . A number of dis
pensers of firewater are charged with selling
their potent goods to minors. If the stuff is OK
for the 21’ers, why not for those at 20 or under?
. . . Last year there were 11,575 marriages in Ne
braska and 2,287 divorces. . . A baby girl bom
into a New Jersey household is the 27th an 89
year-old patriot has fathered. . . One of Lin
coln’s educational institutions, Union college, has
18 students from other lands, these coming from
South America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the is
lands of the Caribbean sea. . . Prejudice is mere
ly ignoring facts:. . . “Drive to arrive alive.” . .
Columbus, down in Platte county, grows old in
a spirit of youthful enterprise—1956 is their 100th
anniversary and plans are already shaping to ob
serve it. . . The federal geological survey was
represented in Lincoln recently by a delegation
that microfilmed data concerning flood condi
tions. Too late—the dry weather man has taken
over.
* • •
Editor Cal took pencil, pad, photo and radio
equipment with him that 40 miles or so over to
Ft. Randall and did a good job of it in story and
pictures. Jf Soui:h Dakota demands the bulk of
what the Randall setup is designed to produce,
maybe they should be reminded that there is
such a place called South Dakota only because
Nebraska gave it to them. As organized into a
territory Nebraska originally included every
thing north to the Canada line.
* * *
From the little that can be made out of
muddled broadcasts and published stories it
seems that all that is involved in the Pvt. David
Schine affair is that he had been recommended
to the army brass as qualified for certain military
service for which there was a shortage of avail
able recruits. What’s wrong with that—nothing
only military guys want it known that they are
running things.
* * *
The poor man is happy; he expects no
change for the worst.—Demetrus.
Joe Miller, a resident of O’Neill and con
nected with the Barnet lumber yard before mov
ing to a farm in Paddock precinct, returned a day
in August, 1901, from his boyhood home in Iowa
where he had gone to see his mother on her
death bed. And beside that death bed he clasped
the hand of his brother whom he tad not seen
in 20 years. . . George Blinco, a fireman on the
FE&MV railroad, had a few days layoff on the
it at the home of his mother in O’Neill. His
brother, Bert, cn the short line from Sioux City
to O’Neill,' where he started railroading, was at
that time bumping over the rails in Montana. . .
Will Mullen had been over in Boyd county loaf
ing among friends and returned home to tell us
that Boyd was the garden spot of Nebraska with
bumper crops that year. . . D. Clem Deaver re
placed R. H. Jeaness as receiver at the O’Neill
government land office. . . Az Perry had given
up the stagecoach line from O’Neill to Butte and
was promoting a railroad from Atkinson to South
Dakota points.
• * *
Asked how they managed in a food market
that occupied about a block in a Southern Cal
ifornia city to prevent thieving, was told there
were some things stolen every day, "but we
make it up on those who pay."
* * *
What the present day son of the soil does to
prevent his denuded fields from being swept
awpy when winds rage across the land I have
not yet asked a prairieland farmer; perhaps he
has methods of his own. A former generation
of pioneer homesteaders, when wind assaulted a
bare field, loaded hay or straw into a rack, drove
out to the field and tossed the hay with a fork
over the land. Just hoist a fork load of hay up
for the wind to blow it out across the land,
move on a few feet and repeat the process and
by the time the load of hay or straw was un
loaded a sizeable field was saved from wind de
struction. The country may as well face the
probabilities of what now is in agricultural areas
to the south and west and plan accordingly. And
at such a time the Nebraska sandhills grass lands
are affected little or none.
* * *
During my absence from the state this past
winter, Sam Thompson has gone the way of all
the earth. His home for 81 years had been in the
O’Neill community, while others came and went.
Before there was a village of O’Neill, Sam as a
young stripling was one of the first group to set
tle in the upper Elkhom valley and I do not re
call that he was ever farther way than Sioux
City. Sam’s first business venture financed with
a loan from Pat Hagerty’s bank, was a lunch
serving counter three doors south of The Fron
tier. Because of enlarged business requirements
Sam needed more space so he moved to the
frame building that stood where the Odd Fellows
building now is. And as the time for retirement
approached he was still serving sandwiches on
the other side of Fourth street from where he
had started. And so we bid farewell to the last of
the McEvenoy colony.
* * *
In view of many communities voting bonds
that mean still higher assessments, the yapping
over high taxes doesn't mean anything.
* * *
This is a year of special religious signifi
cance. One large religious body devotes the year
to the Virgin Mary. In May a world conference
of another growing religious organization meets
in San Francisco, Calif., with delegates from
all lands. In August the World Council of
Churches will meet in Evanston, 111., maybe to
see if the various creeds can be merged into one.
Later in the year a world conference of Budd
hists convenes in Burma when the leadership of
500,000,000 devotees who are to observe the 2,
500th anniversary of the death of Gautama are
expected to develop plans for a missionary
movement to counteract what is being done
among the countless millions in the East by
Christian missions.
* * *
The state university is an important institu
tion but it is not the most important thing in Ne
braska, though one newspaper gives it a four
column double deck headline. Only a small per
centage of the citizens and taxpayers of the state
ever have contact with the university or know
anyting about its workings. Sure, a competent
educator is needed as chancellor, but only a com
paratively small group is interested in the chan
cellorship.
Editorial ...
Editors Not Good Press Agents
One of the saddest mistakes that can be made,
by any organization is to make a newspaperman
its publicity chairman. Almost anyone else, if he
can read and write, will do a better job. Thus, if
you have any ideas about asking this comer to
be your tub-thumper, you can forget it.
This may sound somewhat ridiculous, but
is isn’t. A newspaperman inherently distrusts
the word "publicity” and shies away from it. To
him it means someone trying to chisel free space
in the paper for his own benefit. It means the
scores of letters received daily from all parts of
the country containing “news releases” which
belong in the advertising columns.
Give a newspaperman the job of publicity
chairman, and you create at once a conflict with
in his soul. He becomes a schizophrenic, to use
a description of the editor’s predicament as stated
by Arch W. Jerrell of the Grand Island Inde
pendent. Jerrell had a few things to say along
these same lines a few weeks ago.
If the editor takes seriously both his desire
ns a publicity agent to get stuff in the paper and
his reluctance as a newspaperman to be had, he
may end up biting his fingernails and popping
his knuckles, and muttering unintelligible gib
berish. After all, the editor or publisher (com
bined in this case) has administrative worries
and responsibilites no matter what is accepted
or rejected lor publication.
Organizations have a legitimate right to news.
They have a legitimate right to name someone as
their liaison officer with the newspaper. The pa
per is happy to have someone take the responsi
bility of reporting meetings and important hap
penings. But make the reporter of these events
someone other than a newspaperman, and every
one will be happier.
And, while we’re lecturing, we’ll go on to
say that organization reporters will do well to
file their stories promptly. Stale club news is
the first thing fired into the wastebasket. Fur
ther, reporters should remember that whether
or not the club meeting was ever called to order
or the minutes were ever read is not the least
bit important or interesting to read. It goes with
out saying the meeting was called to order, there
was a roll call, minutes were read, and the thing
adjourned.
If you cannot find something else to report
on the notes are not worthy of a reader’s time,
much less the cost and expense of publishing.
As long as I am rich reputed
With solemn voice I am saluted,
But wealth away once worn,
Not one will say good mom.
—English Rhyme.
Astronomers report a thick layer of dust on
the moon, so we’re canceling our reservation on
the first rocket ship and will go a little later
after they get it tidied up.
Tests indicate that the safest place to be in
an atomic blast may be inside a motor car. This,
at least, holds out hope that most of our teenagers
would survive.
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Editorial k Boston Offices: 122 South Fourth St
Address correspondence: Box 338, O’Neill, Nebr
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 paui-in-advance.
Audited (ABC) Circulation—2,258 (Sept. 30, 1953)
When You and I Were Young ...
Russian-Born Count
O’Neill Visitor
Mayor Harrington Is
Seeking Reelection
50 Yean Ago
The Easter ball was held at
the rink following a banquet at
the Hotel Evans. . . Count Pul
aski of Omaha, former subject
of the czar of Russia but now a
United States citizen, was in
O’Neill as a representative of the
Fidelity Insurance company of
Philadelphia, Pa., He was enter
tained royally by many and made
many admiring friends. . The
Chicago & Northwestern rail
road is now offering one-way
excursion rate tickets to Port
land, Ore., Seattle and Vancou
ver, Wash., at $28.75. . . Mayor
Harrington is a candidate for re
election with no active or pas
sive opposition. It looks like the
election will be a tame affair.
20 Years Ago
By mistake, an Omaha store
recently shipped Mr. and Mrs.
James Barnes of Albion two baby
mattress and the following day
the Barnes’ were the proud par
j ents of twins. . . Hugh A. Butler
i of Omaha, head of the Butler
j Welsh Grain company, is being
| prominently mentioned as a
candidate for the republican
nomination for the post of U. S.
senator. . . A surprise party hon
oring Marvin Young on his
birthday aniversary was given
for him in the I. L. Watson home
in Inman following worship. . .
Vance Begthol, editor of the
Kearney Daily newspaper,
and his wife and children
were visitors here for several
days at the home< of her parent
Dr. and Mrs. L. A. Carter. . .
John Grutsch and Neil Aylworth
were causing much confusion in
town. Not even relatives could
tell the difference between the
two men they look so much a
like.
10 Years Ago
Gertrude Schollmeyer enlist
ed in the WAC and was induct
ed into service on March 21 at
it. Des Moines, la. . .A surprise
party honoring the birthday an
niversary of Rosemary Ryan was
held. . . Mary Carney left for a
month’s vacation at Hot Springs,
Aik. . .Childrens’ shoes in the
size ranges from 8%-12 and 12%
—3 may now be sold to the con
sumer ration free at a max
imum cost of $1.60 per pair.
One Year Ago
Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Blinkerd
of Neligh celebrated their gold
en wedding anniversary at their
home. . At Atkinson, Craig Swo
boda of Norfolk high won the
Legion- sponsored oratorical
contest for the second consecu
tive year. . . Duane Weier, St.
Mary’s junior, was selected by
the Chamber of Commerce as
O’Neill’s boys state delegate. . .
Two hundred persons attended
the Saddle club membership
banquet at the American Legion
auditorium.
Tune in . . . “Voice of The
Frontier.”
— O'NEILL, NEBR. —
1 hurs. Apr. 1
Big Double Bill
THE HITCH-HIKER
Starring Edmond O’Brien,
Frank Lovejoy, William Talman.
— also —
SAGINAW TRAIL
Gene Autry and Champion
with Connie Marshall and Smil
ey Burnette.
Family night $1; adult 50c;
children 12c; tax incL
Fri.-Sal. Apr. 2-3
They had a date with destiny in
the powder keg of the west
BORDER RIVER
Color by technicolor. Joel
McCrea, Yvonne DeCarlo, Pedro
Armendariz.
Matinee Saturday 2:30
Sun.-Mon.-Tues. Apr. 4-5-6
M-G-M’s spectacular love music
al, color by techncolor
EASY TO LOVE
Starring Esther Williams, Van
Johnson, Tony Martin. The M
G-M that tops them all in spec
tacle, songs and romantic tm:lls.
Matinee Sunday 2:30
Stop Taking
Harsh Drugs for
Constipation
MU Intestinal Upset! Get Reflet This
Gentle Vegetable Laxative Wag!
Por constipation, mtptr take harsh drag*.
They cause brutal cramps and griping,
disrupt normal bowel action, make re
peated doses seem needed.
When you are temporarily consti
pated, get jwu but gtnsU relief—without
•alts, without harsh drugs. Take Dr.
Caldwell's Senna Laxative contained in
Syrup Pepsin. The extract of Senna in
Dr. Caldwell’s ittmtftbt fuust wstmnd
Uxmtha known to medicine.
Dr. Caldwell's Senna Laxative tastes
good, gives gende, comfortable, satis
fying relief of temporary constipation
for every member of the family. Helps
you ge: “on schedule" without re
peated d oses. Even relieves stomach,
sourness that constipation often brings.
Buy Dr. Caldwell's. Money back if
not satisfied. Mail botde to Box 280.
New York 18, N. Y.
Make Plans to Attend
Wakefield Meeting—
STUART— The Women’s Soc
iety of the Community church
met at the home of Mrs.
Walt Dyer on Thursday after
noon March 25, Mrs. Walter
Quart lead the devotionals and
the lesson review on. the book ;f
Colossdans was given by Mrs.
Z. X. Marshall and Mrs. Fred
TasJer.
Plans were discussed to attend
the spring Presbyterial to be
held at Wakefield, April 19-20.
Following the business sess
ion, lunch was served by Mrs.
Dyer assisted by Mrs. Jack Mc
Graw and Miss Minnie Haskins.
Gets Transfer to
Ft. Bragg, N.C.
SPENCER—Army Pfc. Loren
G. Whetham, 22, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Robert E. Whetham of
Spencer will move to the Ft.
Bragg, N. C. maneuver area
with the 37th Infantry division
early in April for “exercise
flash bum.”
More than 60,000 ground and
airborne troops will test the
Army’s newest weapons and
tactics during the two-month
training manuever.
Whetham, whose wife, Ade
line, lives in route 2, Leesville,
La., has been serving as a clerk
in headquarters company of the
37th division’s 147 regiment at
Camp Polk, La. He has been in
the Army since January, 1953.
At Johnson Home—
Sunday evening, March 21,
visitors at the Hiram Johnson
home were Mr. and Mrs. An
drew Johnson, Mr. and Mrs.
George Nelson, Larry and Sue
and Walt and Maggie Egger.
1”
To Girls’ State
Ewing will be represented
in June at Comhusker girls’
state at the University of Ne
braska by Miss Diana Baum
(above), daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Baum, sr. She will
be sponsored by the American
Legion auxiliary unit 214. M-ss
Baum is a straight “A” student
in the junior class of the Ew
ing high school, carrying five
subjects, including chemistry
by extenson course from the
university. She is a member
of the Future Homemakers of
America and holds the office
of publicity chairman of dis
trict six. Other activities in
clude being pianist for various
musical groups in high school
and being a member of the
Pep club and being a cheer
ieader.
Visits at Spencer—
Miss Bonnie Johnson stayed
with her aunt, Mrs. Emil Tejral
of Spencer, on Saturday, March
20, and spent until Monday
night, March 22, there.
Mrs. Olive Dexter was a Sun
day, March 21, guests of Mr. and
Mrs. Vernon Lorenz.
I
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
CONTRARY to reports being circulated,
this notice is to inform farmers in the
area that the Continental Oil Co., of
Ewing, Nebr., will have harvest terms
this coming season. In fact, we are out look- -
ing for new business. Anyone interested
get in touch with R. G. ROCKEY, Agent,
Continental Oil Co., and he will be very
glad to explain their policies to you.
R. G. ROCKEY
Phone 82 — Ewing, Nebr.
—————^g——————
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS
WD—Edwin Thorin to Minnie
Higgins 3-10-54 $700- No 00 ft
lots 9 & 10 Blk O- Fahy’s Park
Add- O’Neill
WD—Marion J Myers to L A
& Adele Peterson- no date- $6,
000- Part of SEy4NEy4 & Part
NE%SE% 30-26-12 38 acres
WD — Harold F Bauman to
John B Kunz & Edward C. Kun.:
3-54 $5000- Lot 1 Blk 5- Stu
art
WD—Tony Asimus to Helen
LiHtitc*
The Sand Finish
TEXTURE COATING
KEATING IMPLEMENT CO.
— Atkinson —
f..
Asimus 3-20-54 $1- Lot 7 Blk 38
Riggs Add- O’Neill
WD — Roy L Ries to Ray T
Kemick & wf 3-22-54 $12,995
No 100 ft lot 19 A.V.W. Adcl
Atkinson
INSURANCE
Insurance of All
Kinds
Bonds — Notary Public
20% SAVINGS ON
YOUR PREMIUMS
RELIABLE COMPANIES
PROMPT SETTLEMENTS
Office in Gillespie
Radio Bldg.
PHONE 114 or 218
— O'NEILL —
L G. GILLESPIE
AGENCY
Established in 1893
- —
■ ~ —i
O’NEILL PUBLIC SCHOOL
OPEN HOUSE
Monday, April 5 — 8:00 P.M.
V j
High School Auditorium
Sponsored by the O’Neill P-TA
Parents and interested patrons are urged to attend
★
PROGRAM
8:00 to 9:00—Public School Band.
Vocal Seeiclions
One-Act Play, "One Happy Family"
9:00 to 10:00—Your opportunity to observe work that has
been dene and to meet and talk with faculty
members. All elementary and high school
classrooms will be open for your observation.
BUICK PRESENTS A STUNNING NEW
^Gay new cars Fresh new colors ^ Smart new decors
SLEEK NEW FASHION IN "HARD
TOPS" is the brand-new, all-new
200-horsepower Buick Centum
Riviera shown here—with the look
of tomorrow that is in every '54
Buick today.
Now in the SPECIAL and CENTURY models!
Now Convertibles Just Arriving!
New Rivieres First Time Available!
Hew Estate Wagons Now All-Steel Bodied!
-i
WE cordially invite you to a fashion showing
of a bright new springtime on wheels...
To see the tomorrow-styled Buicks we have
ready for you today-te now in airy new body
styles never available before, and in fresh new,
summer colors never shown before.
For these are smart new Convertibles, hand
some new “hardtop” Rivieras and new all-steel
Estate Wagons ready for the first time in the
budget-priced V8 Special models, and in
the high-powered Century models —and all
with the ultramodern windshield design of
sweepback pillars.
And these high-fashion beauties come in bril
liant new summer colors — rich new hues that
lift your spirits like a robin’s spring song.
Come see our sampling of these rakish new cars
and fresh new colors—and discover, in the doing,
what beautiful buys these supremely powered,
smoothly responsive Buicks are in every way.
MHTON mu STARS FOR SUICR-U. ifc. felck-fetl. Tnwtfw h-h*
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Motodor Rod • Mollbu llvo • Willow Groon K IQ IU
f ' iww«WMWWW*r “T WHIN BETTE! AUTOMOBILES ABE BUILT BUKCK Will BUILD THEM
A. MARCELLUS
Phone 370 O’Neill
