Prairieland Talk . . .
Maidens Continue to Wed
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS. Retired. Former Frontier Editor
LINCOLN—A gent celebrated his birthday
downtown "with friends ” When he got home
where birthday parties should be observed with
the children an “argument’’ is said to have fol
lowed. Whereupon a 14-year-old
son after conveying the young
er children to a safe distance,
armed himself with bow and
arrows and went to the defense
of his mother. Dad is in a hospi
tal with a hole in his broadside
below the chin.
Another guy got into the
papers because he took off for
Athens, Greece, without telling
the queen of the house any
thing about it until he got there
and wrote her a letter. Romair.e
Still maidens fair with gold- Saunders
en hair get into the wedding gown and with a
smile curling ruby lips pose for the wedding pic
ture.
• * *
Publisher Mark Cramer of the Wayne Herald
was killed in an airplane crash at Denison, la.
Maybe newspaper people should keep ther feet on
the ground as much as possible. In Holt county
in the “horse and buggy" days—or more properly,
horse and saddle — an editor might get a black
eye from some guy he had “writtenup” but none
ever died with their boots on. Doc Mathews, one
of the first ne wspaper men of the frontier days
and founder of The Frontier, in company with
Clyde King, survived the ’88 blizzard when com
ing in from a trip to the South Fork country. But
if they had been provided with an airplane in
those days instead of a reliable pair of broncs,
they probably would have been blown into the
Gulf of Mexico. But they, with the Wayne editor,
too, are dead— the destiny of all mankind through
accident or sickness.
* * •
A family group from central Illinois, which
bad been visiting relatives in Aurora, down in
Hamilton county, made a weekend stop in Lin
coln on their return to Illinois. Through a cas
ual meeting and exchange of greetings, I learn
ed from them that the July weather conditions
are the same in their home community as they
found in Nebraska.
• * •
Dorcas societies and welfare organizations
of church women are doing much to help the
needy and but little attention is give by the pub
lic to what these self-sacrificing women are do
ing in lines of helpfulness. While publicity, praise,
money are bestowed in large measure upon other
organizations with their high salaried workers,
the Dorcas ladies work without pay and too little
recognition of the great work they are doing.
These ladies of one church group have helped
15,000 needy persons the past year involving a
cash investment of $117,000 and many hours of
work and investigation of needy cases. It is all
done without fanfare by kindly womanhood giv
ing their time without money and without price.
* • *
I noted in the dailv press where some Holt
communities received up to two inches of rain
last week.
Monday, September 2, 1901, Merrit Martin
opened a term of school as teacner in the Hoxie
school two miles east of O’Neill. . . That day car
penters began work building a one-room addition
to the Alice Coykendall home in the western part
of town which Miss Coykendall was to occupy
as her dress making establishment. . . Will Low
rie’s marriage to Miss Nona Johnston received a
half column writeup in the Auburn Herald. His
father, Rev. N. S. Lowrie. and brother. Rev. C. W.
Lowrie, performed the ceremony. Will at that
time was also an ordained minister. The Lowrie
family had lived for many years in O’Neill be
fore moving to Lincoln. . . R. H. Jenness retired
September 1 that year as receiver at the U.S. land
office and D. Clem Deaver took over the job.
¥ ¥ ¥
The nearest we have yet come to being in
spected by the strangers ip the flying saucers
has been down at Fairbury. The civil defense
night watchers at the capital city report no
strange airplanes flying over us, but keep a rec
ord of the number and direction headed of do
mestic planes passing this way.
• * *
THE OLD SWIMMING HOLE
Nov/ I would like to say
If I can have one wish today,
Just take me to the old swimming hole,
, In its limpid waters to roll,
And get all over wet
Washing away the heat and sweat.
There’s the “muny” swimming pool
With guard and teacher, like at school.
And mobs of kids, men and women
To whom swimming lessons are given.
But that’s not like the old swimmnig hole
Where in limpid waters we oft did roll!
¥ ¥ ¥
Wheeler county has two towns, Bartlett, the
countyseat, and Ericson, which has boasted a
railroad. Garfield county has one town, Burwell,
the rodeo capital of the state. Fitting enough—
from down that way came such bronco busters as
Tim Bunnell and Nigger Jim. Holt county in the
distant days of yore had a dozen or more noisy
towns. Now% approaching old age, but a growing
city, O’Neill is the admiration mixed with a bit of
envy, of eight other thrifty towns and villages
in the county.
¥ ¥ ¥
Our ranch cowgirl from Cherry county shows
herself capable as United State senator and it is
rather to be regretted that the cards are so stack
ed that she will not be a candidate to continue
to carry on as senator.
♦ ¥ ¥
The assessed valuation of property in Lan
caster county, the bulk of it in Lincoln, for 1954
is placed at $186,000,000. Personal property valua
tions are somewhat lower than a year ago but in
creased valuations on real estate bring the total
to something over 300 thousand more than in 1953.
* * •
A proposal comes from New Mexico that
Western states, including us, outlaw cloud-seed
ing. It is said that in place of bringing rain, such
monkey business prevents rain and snow from de
descending upon us. It was tried in O’Neill some
60 years ago and wre got quite a sprinkling.
Editorial . . .
S.D. Pays for Mistakes
(From Business Week Magaxine) <;
South Dakota will soon join the small body
of states that have no bonded debt. By August 1
the state will have paid off the last chunk of debt
piled up sicne 1917. At one time the state owed
60 millions dollars; in 1925 it had the highest per
capita debt in the United States.
The final payoff will amount to $9,200,000,
covering the last principal and interest on rural
credit bonds, which have been called ahead of
maturity, some by as much as five years.
South Dakota's fall into indebtedness dates
clear back to the early davs of World War I, and
was a byproduct of the political activities of the
Non-partisan league.
The league at that time gained wide popu
larity through its gospel that the state should
go into business and, by eliminating the middle
man in trade, allow the consumer to reap the
middleman's profit.
Republican leaders in the state decided to
steal the league’s thunder by offering some more
of the same. In 1916. the GOP pushed through an
amendment that eliminated the 100-thousand
dollar debt limit.
The state promptly went into the business
of making loans on farms and ranches. For work
ing capital, it issued $47,500,000 of bonds, at an
average interest rate of 5.3 percent.
South Dakota happily plunged into other ven
tures. It spent 185 thousand dollars to buy and
equip a lignite mine at Haynes, just across the
line in North Dakota. In 1919, the state set up a
business insuring against hail damage; five years
later it began a cement business.
The books showed a distressing tendency
toward red ink. The farm and ranch loans wrere
made in the 1917-1919 period when land values
were at a peak and commodity prices were high.
By the 1930's, prices were down to record lows.
Admittedly, the economic roller-coaster plav
ed a big part in the dismal showing of the loan
agency, but it was widely charged that politics
deserved a fat slice of blame, too.
Eventually the state began shaking off its
fiscal old men of the sea. In 1934. the lignite mine
was sold for $5,500. In 1941, the legislature put
up 263 thousand dollars to permit liquidation of
the hail insurance business.
The cement plant remains as a good deed in
a naughty world. It makes a nice profit on its <13 -
500,000 annual sales. ’
Its fair time again. In just a few more days
all roads will be leading to the Holt county fair
grounds near Chambers. The fair is a fine Amer
ican tradition and those folks in the Chambers
community, who take the responsibility seriously
as a year-around proposition, are to be’commend
ed for successfully perpetuating the Holt countv
exposition. We predict the night-time rodeo will
be well received as a departure from the usual
afternoon showing.
Atkinson's hay days follow the Holt county
fair this year. Traditionally, hay days come first
on the calendar; the fair, second
It was inevitable a mechanical street-sweep
ing device would follow the many blocks of new
paving.
What ever happened to the chautauqua pro
grams of yesteryear?
>
The Political Score
The headlines—and, in fact, President Ike
himself, though quite mildly, have scored the
house's almost total cutback of public housing as
a defeat for the administration. Why this estimate
when by far the greater part of the president’s
housing proposals came through?
The answer is to be found on the political
balance sheet. The whole of the Eisenhower hous
ing program fits the liberal-conservative frame:
Government setting up conditions under which
private enterprise finds greater encouragement to
do the housing job; and in one area, that of lowest
income brackets (where private enterprise has
consistently found it unprofitable to operate),
government assuming a portion of the burden.
This last has been the earnest on the promise
that the program is liberal as well as conservative
—evidence that the administration is pro-little
fellow as well as pro-business. Without it, the
program can be made to look all-conservative.
Another congress early next year can restore
at least something more of the housing authoriza
tions asked for by the president (which in turn
were less than those backed by Senator Taft), and
thus take care of some of the actual housing
needs. But jnless the senate before the end of this
session does considerable to correct what the
house has done, the republicans will have failed
to take care of one of their prime political needs
come November elections
—
It’s a reflection on the newspapers, radio sta
■ tions and other media of information that more
people are not aware of who is running for what
in connection with the forthcoming election. Peo
ple are becoming so apathetic about the conduct
of the various echelons of government that only
a first-class scandal or mockery jars their inter
est. Campaigners for senate and congressional of
fices and the governor's chair are obliged to work
from door-to-door. Street comer oratory and de
bate have gone out the window. The system of
checks and balances worked better, in our opin
ion, in the days when candidates adept at those
methods of campaigning won the elections.
Wish the railroad people would let us know
the next time an old-fashioned steam locomotive
is due in town.
Frontier
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Editorial & Business Offices: 122 South Fourth St,
Address correspondence: Box 330, 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
I the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, $2.50 per
year; elsewnere in the United States, $3 per
year; rates abroad provided on request All sub
scriptions are paid-in-advance.
Audited (ABC) Circulation—2.335 (Mar. 31, 1954)
When You and I Were Young...
150 Sacks of Flour
in Closeout Offering
Doyle’s Lease Has
Expired
50 Years Ago
Miss Anna Davidson and Char
les George were united in mar
riage at a ceremony performed
in the bride’s home. . . Many
rural people were in town to at
tend the Gollmar show, which
put on two exhibitions and a
street parade during its stand
here. . . D. A. Doyle is conduct
ing a closing out sale. His lease
expired and there are 150 sacks
of full patent guaranteed flour
to go. . . The ladies of St. Pat
rick’s Catholic church are giving
a lawn social at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. T. F. Birmingham. All
ladies of the parish are invited
to attend.
20 Years Ago
The federal government will
plant two rows of trees, approx
imately a mile apart from the
Canadian border to the gulf of
Mexico. In doing this they hope
to regulate the climate—the trees
are to modify climatic and other
agricultural conditions in the
drouth area. . . Mrs. James
Crowley died at her home north
east of the city. She came to %Holt
county 58 years ago when only a
few scaietred shacks marked O’
Neill. . . The national debt in
creas by five billions since the
new deal administration came
into being—most of the increase
being outright appropriations. . .
John Dillinger, public enemy
number one, met the fate of all
gangsters in Chicago, 111., this
week. He was fatally shot by U-S.
agents when he drew his gun for
another notch when coming out
of a down town theater.
10 Years Ago
Margaret Engler of Stuart was
notified that she was awarded a
trip to the Nebraska 4-H conser
vation camp at Seward. She re
ceives this award due to out
standing 4-H club work over the
past several years. . . The Bo
hemian club held its first picnic
1.1 Ewing. A large crowd turned
cut and another one is planned.
. The OPA directed that more
sugar will be released for can
ning purposes—each person in a
family will be allowed 20 pounds
of sugar. . . Mrs. Art Wedberg,
former O’Neill resident and Holt
county pioneer, died at her home
in Fremont.
One Year Ago
Paul Shelhamer was wounded
seriously when he slipped on a
log while shooting rats at the
dump and the .22-calibre pistol
he was using went off. The bullet
pierced his left leg above the
knee. . . A bicycle parade ended
the safety campaign sponsored
by the Willing Workers 4-H club.
... A 6,200-pound helicopter I
landed in O’Neill, piloted across
the country from Bedford, Mass.,
until now an unknown accom
plishment for these crafts. . .
Property valuation in Holt coun
ty went up. Farm land increased
by 207 percent and city and town
real estate values 438 percent.
Deloit News
Leonard Milfer is home after
working for his uncle near
Spalding for over two months.
He reports less moisture there
than here and scarcely any hay
to be mowed.
Larry Juracek has been visit
ing at the home of his grandpar
ents, Mr. and Mrs. John Sehi.
Darold Armstrong is employ
ed at the Fred and Maynard
Stearns farms this summer.
A number from here attended
the free days at Elgin and Clear
water the past two weeks.
Grasshoppers, ants and flies
are thick as usual in hot dry
weather.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Stearns at
tended a Stearns family reunion
in Iowa on Sunday, July 11.
Bonnie Rossow and Shirley
Weber spent the weekend in
Wayne. Don Larson came home.
Elayne Reimer spent the week
end with her uncle and aunt,
Mr. and Mrs. Don Starr, and
Elizabeth in West Point.
The ladies of the St. John’s
church served breakfast to the
parishoners Sunday morning af
ter services.
Shirley Sehi has been staying
at the Rudy Juracek home near
Ewing.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Temple
attended 4-H camp near Seward
last week.
Deloit had .20 of an inch of
rain last Thursday. More would
be welcome. Most of the com
bining is done and haying is the
next big job.
Letters to Editor
I
i Transplanted —
S705—8th Ave. NE.
Seattle, Wash.
June 19, 1954
j Romaine Saunders
c/o The Frontier
Dear Friend:
We have been enjoying your
articles in The Frontier for sev
eral years, entitled “Home on the
Range,” “Small Doses, Past and
Present,” and now your “Prairie
land Talk.”
My wife and I always turn to
your article first, then “The
FTontier Woman.”
We are transplanted oldtimers
from Nebraska. We were born
and raised there. My wife was
born in Bethany, spent her child
hood days there and in Lincoln.
I was born in Omaha. We are
now getting along in years and
are adjusted to the West coast.
We love our home out here in
Seattle. Tt is so beautiful here in
the Puget Sound country. We
miss prairieland, though.
Mountains are beautiful, but,
Nebraska is beautiful, too, and
after living there so many years
our roots have gone so deep, and
all our happy memories are of
Nebraska.
We can tell from your articles
that you loved the quiet beauty
of that part of Nebraska. We did,
too. You describe it so well. You
are still giving us interesting
articles from the passing scene ,
that you are observing, although
you have been transplanted to
Lincoln. We love your mingled
sentiment along with your good
common sense.
We wish you good luck and
hope your many friends will be
leadine your articles for many
more years.
Yours truly,
D. SEGELMAN
Reminder —
Hollywood, Calif.
July 20, 1954
o
Dear Cal Stewart:
Enclosed $3.00 check. Neglect
only reason for not sending it
earlier.
I enjoyed your New York story
last week. Prairieland Talk is
most interesting.
Reminder. Holt county pic
nic, September 12, big fireplace,
Griffith park, Los Angeles. Hy
Nightengale, former Atkinson
citizen, president.
See you in September >r Oc
tober.
Best of everything.
W. J. McNICHOLS
MILLER THEATER
— Atkinson —
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