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9:45 A.M. — 780 K.C.
North-Central Nebraska’s BIG Newspaper
Volume 73.—Number 50. O Neill, Nebr., Thursday, April 15, 1954. ' Seven Cents
n ^ ^
o O
O c* O
8
° “ O
Cronin-for-Senate
O 0 °
0% Movement Launched
Senator -Griswold P. . known
personally by many Holt coun
Q o tyans. (See ediioral on page 2.)
Sen. Griswold Dies
o ° o After Heart Attack
O o O
o O °
O 0
Serves State 3 Terms
° O ° fy,
o 0 cas bovemor
° o
o, Sen. Dwight Griswold- (R
Neb.), three times governor of
this state and a member of the
JJnited States senate since Jan
, uary, 1953, died early Monday
in Bethesda naval hospital near
Washington, D.C. He was 60.
° o The senator, who was known
personally by many Holt coun
°o t£ans, wgs stricken while driv
) ing Mrs. "Griswold home from a
dinner engagement.
Senator Griswold suffered a
heart attack, lapsed into a coma,
ahd never regained conscious
o ness, d^ing shortly after mid
night. o
Funeral services were con
ducted at 2 p.m., Wednesday
o from the Methodist church in
0 Sccrttsbluf£ with Rev. Ward
° Conklin, officiating.
Griswold was active in re
publican political life for a
quarter of a century and was
named to several high posi
o° lions in the democratic admin
istration by President Tru
man.
o i
Oq
o He was bom at Harrison in
the northwest corner of the statt
November 27, 1893. He attended
Kearney Military academy as a
0 ° youth and was a student at Ne
braska Wesleyan university
o0 1910-’12. Two years later he re
ceived his bachelor of arts de
gree from the University of. Ne°
0 braska.
Griswold was in the national
guard and emerged from World
War I with the rank of field ar
tillery-) captain. He was state
0 commander of the American Le
gion in 1930.
o The late senator had been con
nected with a Gordon bank since
o the age of 21, working up to
oo cashier. He left banking to be
come editor and publisher of the
o 0 Gordon Journal and was presi
o dent of the Nebraska Press asse
ts 0 ciation in 1931.
He served i*i the state house
o of representatives and in the
state senate before establi?h
6° ment of the unicameral and he
made three unsuccessful cam
paigns for governor before be
ing elected in 1940 with a rec
ord-breaking majority.
In 1947 he left Ihe govern
or's chair after serving three
two-year terms to become for
0 eign aid administrator in
Greece.
L Mr. Griswold married Erma
Elliott of Yorkville, 111., in 1919.
They had two children. A son,
c Dwight, died of polio in 1951.
0 o Survivors include: Widow:
daughter—Mrs. John (Dorothy)
° GaveA who has been residing in
Switzerland; two grandchildren
o and two sisters.
o , -
o Anyone interested in taking a
° swimming instructor’s course
° May 17 to May 21 at Wayne is
° asked to contact Sgt. James Ly
ons before April 24. The I>:d
Cross will pay the expenses in
volved.
o °
The Contract club following
0 luncheon met at the home of
Mrs. J. L. Sherbahn.
0 _ . .
———————
A movement endorsing Julius
D. cCronin, O’Neill attorney, for
the United States senate vacan
cy, created by the death of
Dwight Griswold was touched
off here Monday night and gain
ed momentum throughout the
state Tuesday and Wednesday.
Cronin, who is regarded as 3n
outstanding ° north Nebraska
lawyer and who currently is the
president of the Nebraska Bar
association, would offer no com
ment.
It is generally known Cronin
was an intimate friend and con
fidant ofo the late Senator Gris
wold, who had served three
terms as governor of Nebraska.
The move was touched off at n
Chamber of Commerce meeting,
i'xie C of C hurriedly issued a
blanket endorsement and the
Atkinson Chamber of Com
merce, in session timultaneous
iy, unanimously backed M r.
Cronin.
A pile of telegrams and letters
legan to accumulate Tuesday and
Wednesday at the statenouse to
iwait the return of Gov. Robert
Crosby, a republican, who had
oeen to Scottsbluff to attend tne
Griswold funeral. Griswold, a
epublican, took his seat in the
ienate in January, 1953.
Cronin has been active in
state republican circles for
many years, and a regular at
lender at national GOP con
ventions either as a delegate
or a visitor.
Republican central commit
tees in nearly a dozen counties,
including Holt, hastily lined up
behind Cronin, plus several
other organizations including
the Nebraska Junior Chamber
cf Commerce, headed by Hugh
McKenna of Omaha, formerly of
O’Neill. The president of the
Nebraska Stock Growers’ asso
ciation, Dewey C. Schaffer of
O’Neill, gave the O’Neill lawyer
his personal endorsement, and
scores of individuals throughout
the state pledged their support.
Governor Crosby is in a dif
ficult spot. He must make an
appointment to fill the vacancy
and, on the other hand, a highly
competitive situation is expect
ed to develop in connection with
the GOP primaries in which the
party will nominate a candidate
for the six-year (long) term.
Among the candidates for the
interim senatorial appointment
are the governor himself, w/.io
may step down as governor *o
enable the lieutenant-governor
to appoint Crosby; Val Peterson,
former governor, now head of
civil defense in the U.S.; Fred
Seaton of Hastings, former in
terim senator; Dave Martin cf
Grand Island, state GOP chair
nan; Warren Wood of Genng,
publisher-banker - army officer;
ohn Jirdon of Morrill, business
man, and others.
An announcement from me
governor is expected today
(Thursday) or Saturday at ihe
latest.
In a telegram to Crosby, the
Chamber pointed out that Mr.
Cronin would make a “fine
latesmart and without doubt
would make an impact on the
national scene.” The wire, signed
by President G. C. DeBaeker,
lauded Mr. Cronin’s high char
acter, exceptional ability and
wide respect.
The telegram pointed out the
O’Neill region had not be"n
represented in the Nebraska
congressional delegation since
Moses P. Kinkaid, who was the
author of the homestead act in
ihe early 1900’s.
Four-Letter Award
Again to Lohaus
The four-letter award, hignest
honor bestowed by the Ford
Motor Co., has been presented to
the Lohaus Motor Co. of O’Neill
for the sixth consecutive year.
The Lohaus firm is one of a
handful of Ford agencies in the
state similarly honored.
Presentation of a plaque was
made to H. J. Lohaus last
Thursday evening at a dinner
attended by all the employees.
(See advertisement on page ?..)
Mrs. Harold Seger and Carol,
Mrs. Clair McVey, Charlotte and
Barbara and Mrs. J. F. Contois
spent last Thursday in G.and
Island.
Seven hundred and sixty persons attended the annual 4-H family fun night
held Saturday at the O’Neill public school auditorium. Skits and acts were pre
sented by many of the clubs in the county. This was followed by the two district
o winners of the timely topics speaking contest, Alice Young and Gary Holcomb,
o
o
o
who presented their winning speeches. After this awards were presented, which
will be published next issue in full. Award winners and leaders receiving recog
nition massed on the stage to pose for this photo.—The Frontier Photo.
0
Artist s conception of new elementary building for O'Neill public school . . . rectangular object in background is present main building on campus.
★ ★ ★ ---*-——_________
Propose
$80,000
School
1 -Story, 4-Classroom
Elementary Building
Will Be Voted Upon
Plans for an 80-thousand-dol
lar addition to the O’Neill public
school plant were announced
Monday evening in a special
meeting of civic, service and
church groups. The meeting was
called by the O’Neill city schools
board of education with Presi
dent H. J. Lohaus presiding.
Voters in the school district
will be asked to authorize a 2Vi
mill levy for the 80-thousand
dollar bond issue. The bonds
would be paid off in 10 years,
including 9-thousand-dollars in
interest. The building is expect
ed to cost 65-thousand-dolla* s
with furnishings, architectural
fees and other expenses expect
ed to amount to about 15-thou
sand-dollars. The board indicat
ed a special election is planned
in May.
Supt. D. E. Nelson told the
group about O’Neill’s need for
additional space, pointing to
an average of more than 40 pu
pils per room in the lower ele
I mentary grades.
Surveys show that preschool
age population and continued
growth of the community dic
tate "that something has to be
done."
The 66 x 80 - ft. single-story
building contemplated would be
located on the southeast comer
of the present campus and would
be regarded as the first unit in
a long-range program. The east
side of the rectangular brick
structure would be on the lot
line marking the boundary be
tween. the campus and the H. J.
Birmingham property. At a later
date a counterpart could be
built in the southwest corner of
the campus and eventually a
■*U” shaped building could re
sult with the connection of three
units.
(Continued on page 5)
On His Golden Wedding Day ...
75 Tons of Wood, Broken Finger
_ - 'I Q
uur health is as good as ever,
except we’re a little older."’
That’s how Joe Gokie apprais
ed the situation Sunday as he
and his wife were honored by
members of their family in a
golden wedding observance. Mr.
Gokie is 74; his wife, 69.
Mr. Gokie was born in Ger
many and came to America with
bis parents as a small infant. His
parents were the late Mr. and
Mrs. Conrad Gokie, who settled
first at West Point and. later
took a homestead near Clearwa
ter. His parents died about 35
years ago and his sister, Katie,
also is deceased.
Mrs. Gokie's maiden name
was Urwiller. She was born in
Illinois and her parents died
when she was a little girl A
priest from Nebraska brought
her to this state and she was
adopted and reared by Mr.
and Mrs. Carl Thiele.
When the Gokie boy and the
Urwiller girl first met they were
children, in the same communi
ty. They were reared in a pio
neer era and were married at
Clearwater April 14, 1904, by
the late Rt. Rev. M. F. Cassidy.
The couple resided for a time
near Stuart, later moving onto
a farm northwest of O’Neill
where they reared their family.
In 1946 they moved inio O’
Neill to retire.
Sunday’s anniversary dinner
was held at the Joe Golcje, jr.,
home with members of the fam
ily present. The reception was
held at the Clarence Gokie
home for relatives and close
friends.
The Gokies have nine chil
dren: Sons — Carl of Norfolk,
Connie of Atkinson, Leo of O’
Neill, Clarence of O’Neill; Joe,
jr., of O’Neill; daughters—Mrs.
Theresa Spahn of Ewing, Mrs.
Regina Wilton of Klatskme,
Ore., Mrs. Margaret Keifet of
Norfolk and Mrs. Mary Thomp
son of Grand Island. Only two
of the children — Regina and
Connie—were unable to be pres
ent. Mrs. Spahn baked tne an
niversary cake. There are 24
grandchildren and one great
grandchild.
Mr. Gokie's formula for re
taining good health is the
wood pile. He estimates he has
75 tons of logs neatly stacked
in the yard at their residence
on North Sixth street.
By coincidence, Mr. Gokie
says he has posed only twice in
his life for pictures—once on h:s
21st birthday anniversary and
the other time on his golden
wedding day.
In Sunday’s excitement one of
his grandchildren slamrfied a
car door on her grandfather's
little finger, right hand. Mr. Go
kie carries a memento of the
celebration with him wherever
he goes — a broken finger m
splints.
Vote Switch Dramatic
One city councilman’s switch
in his position on the highway
problem created quite a stir
Tuesday night. And things have
been up in the air since.
A lortmght ago Third Ward
Councilman Norbert Uhl voted
with the majority in a 5-1 de
cision of the council to take
whatever steps are necessary to
retain U.S. highways 20 and 281
along their present routes with
in the city.
In a special meeting Tuesday
night, attended by an overflow
crowd, Uhl joined Second Ward
Councilman M. J. Golden in
voting against a motion made by
Third Ward Councilman Emmett
Crabb.
The motion provided: (a) The
city would complj with State
Engineer L. N, Ress’s original
proposal, to include parallel
parking and other traffic re
forms along the highway router;
fbl. option would be left to bus
inessmen to retain diagonal
parking by narrowing sidewalks.
The session broke up but the
meeting was not officially ad
journed or the minutes official
ly entered.
By late Wednesday the matter
was still up in the air. Golden
stated his position two weeks
ago and did not budge in Tues
day night’s session.
Late Wednesday Uhl asked
for additional time to reconsider
bis stand.
R. H. Parker appeared to pro
test any expenditure to retain
the highways. All others who
had things to say were enthusi
asts for keeping vhe highways
along their present routes.
Uhl’s switch denied the three
fourths majority needed.
The state highway department
has a bypass plan for highway
20 already surveyed, skirting O'
Neill on the northeast.
The annual meeting of the
Holt Countv Tuberculosis asso
ciation will be held Tuesday
evening, April 20, Town House.
Mrs. Harris . . . homesteader.
★ ★ ★
Mrs. Verna Harris
Dies in California
Former Resident o f
Page Locality
PAGE—Mrs. Verna Harris, 69,
formerly of Page, died Friday,
April 2, at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. Elmer Sinzinger,
638 S. Marengo ave., Pasadena,
Calif.
The late Mrs. Harris, whose
maiden name was Verna Sweet,
was born February 20, 1885, at
Tilden and spent her early years
in that vicinity. On May 23,
1904, she married Wilsie F. Har
ris gnd they had four children.
Between 1907 and 1912 the
family lived on a homestead 20.
miles northwest of Chadron
where Mrs. Harris kept the place
going while Mr. Harris was
away doing carpentry work. As
a widow and over 50-years-old,
Mrs. Harris purchased a farm
seven miles northeast of Page
and she operated the place for
a number of years.
For the past 15 years Mrs.
Harris made her home at Or
ange, Calif. In late November
she underwent surgery from
which she did not recover, grad
ually becoming weaker and dur
ing the last month of her life she
was under the care of special
nurses.
Funeral services were held at
Pasadena with Rev. Russell
flobinson, Methodist pastor, of
ficiating. Her remains were cre
mated and sealed in a marble
niche in the mausoleum at Pasa
dena.
Survivors include: Sons —
Glenn and Gordon; daughters—
Ruth and Geraldine.
O
O
:o
2 Sets Twin Calves
Born on Same Day
CELIA — Two sets of twin
whiteface calves were born on
the same day — April 15 — at
the Milton McKathnie farm,
which is located northeast of
Atkinson.
The first set of calves tuin
cut to be males; the second
set, one bull and one female.
Mr. McKathnie says the off
spring are “doing fine.”
George Kruse, 53,
Expires at Lynch
Rites Saturday for
Dorsey Farmer
DORSEY—George Kruse, 53,
farmer residing one mile west
of the Dorsey Presbyterian
church, died last Thursday, Ap
ril 8, in Sacred Heart hospital
at Lynch. He had been in and
out of the hospital cm several
occasions, reentering on Apr’l 3.
Funeral services were con
ducted at 2 p.m., Saturday, Ap
ril 10, from the Dorsey., Presby
terian church with Rev. Joseph
Walstadt, church pastor, officiat
ing. Burial was in the Scottville
cemetery under the direction of
the Coulthard funeral hotpe cf
Lynch. Pallbearers weie. Richard
Marston, William Derickson,
V e 1 d o n Pinkerman, Edward
Hrbek, H. H. Miles and Willis
Butterfield.
The church could not accom
modate the large crowd that
gathered for the funeral rites.
The late Mr. Kruse was born
January 26, 1901, in Germany,
near Westerade. He was con
firmed in the Lutheran church
at the age of 14. He came to the
United States in November,
1925, his parents having been
killed during World War I He
also was preceded in deafn by
two brothers.
His early years in Holt county
were spent in working for
Thomas Graham. On November
15, 1932, he married Leta Coax
ley. They became the parents of
four children. Mr. Kruse joined
the Dorsey church in 1944.
Survivors include: Widow —
Leta; sons—Albert Lee of Grand
Island and Walter of Dorsey;
daughters—Margaret and Linda,
both of Dorsey; sisters— Anna,
Dena and Ges<)ie, all of Ger
many. .,
Music at the funeral service
was provided by Mrs. Lee Bra
ay, jr., of O’Neill, who sang “Tne
Old Rugged Cross” and “In, the
Garden,” accompanied on the
piano by Mrs. Dena Brady.
WEATHER SUMMARY
Hi Lo
April 8_59 2i
April 9 _78 45
April 10 _72 39
April 11_61 29
April 12_ 69 31
April 13 ___85 45
April 14 ___90 43
An acute dryness is causing
concern among ( farmers and
ranchers. Precipitation thus far
m March and April has been
negligible.
FIREMEN SUMMONED
O’Neill firemen were sum
moned to the. Gateway motel
Friday. While'floors were being
waxed,some bed clothing caught
afire. Interior damage to one
unit was estimated at $300.
NEWS, PICTURES
Considerable newsmatter and
several pictures have necessari
ly been omitted from this issue
because of a lack of space.
V. o
CO
c
c
r.
Delegates
Going to
Hearing
Development in Basin
at Stake in Capitol;
Haynes Quits Post
The reclamation bureau ruled
recently that the Niobrara river
basin was not included in the
original Missouri river basin
plan.
Congressman A. L. Miller (R
Nebr.) immediately introduced a
bill in the house of representa
tives providing that the Niobra
ra river basin be included in
the overall Missouri plan and
that funds be allocated from the
$98,000,000 appropriated by con
gress for the Missouri river basin
plan to provide for imrutdiate
construction of the ONtill,
Ainsworth, Lavaca Flats and
Mirage Flats extension units.
Healings will be held before
the subinterior committee of the
house on Monday and Tuesday,
April 26 and 27, in Washington,
D.C. Representatives from O’
Neill, Atkinson, Ainsworth, Hay
Springs and Niobrara will be
present to give testimony.
The O'Neill unit contains
66.100 acres of irrigable land
or about 46 percent of the Ir
rigable land in the basin. Of
these 66.100 acres. 4,200 3cres
are classed as number 1, and
61.900 acres are classed as
number 2.
A 21-year average yield of
crops grown in the irrigable
area in Holt county shows com
18 bushels, small grains 16 bush
els, alfalfa IV2 tons, other for
age 1.3 tons. The value of all
crops grown on the irrigable
land averages about $16.00 per
acre annually over the 21 year
period. The estimated crop
yields per acre on the same
land if' they were irrigated
would be about as follows: Cora
45 bushels, small grains 35
bushels, alfalfa 3*,£ tons, pota
toes 210 bushels, sugar beets i3
tons. The total value of the
crops produced under irrigation
would probably be about $62.00
per acre, or almost four times
as much as under dryland farm
ing.
irrigation in the O’Neill area
would provide a closer source of
protein feeds at a more rea
sonable price. It would intro
duce more feeding of beef cattle
in the area, whit\, would in turn
provide a closer outlet for our
grassfed cattle.
Irrigation in dry years and
years of insufficient feed supply
would provide the area with
additional feed so cattle herds
would not have to be reduced
as has been necessary m the
past.
There are 353 dryland far ns
containing irrigable land in this
area. With irrigation it is esti
mated that the number of these
farm units would be increased
to approximately _460 farms.
The addition of 100 farms,
figured on a conservative ba
sis would help stabilize the
economy of the region. Irriga
tion in the area would provide
employment for the young
people of the area, who have
been drifting to the industrial
centers for employr-.ent.
The O’Neill Chamber of Com
merce passed a resolution en
dorsing the Niobrara basin plan
(Continued on page 4)
t.