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North-Central Nebraska’* BIGGEST Newspaper
Volume 74.—Number 41. O Neill, Nebr., Thursday, February 10, 1945. Seven Cents
Mrs.French,
Ex - School
Head, D ies
Elected Holt County
Superintendent, ’09; i
Burial at Atkinson
ATKINSON— Mrs. Minnie B.
French, 79, former Holt county
. superintendent of public instruc
tion and a veteran teacher in the
Atkinson and Ewing communities,
died at 2 a.m., Sunday, February'
6, at the Masonic home at Platts
mouth.
Mrs. French, who had been in
, health for a number of years;
suffered a stroke on January 29
and never regained consciousness.
Funeral services were con
ducted at the Seger mortuary in
Atkinson at 2 p.m., Tuesday,
February 8. Rev. E. G. Hughes,
Methodist church pastor, offi
ated. Burial wras in Woodlawn
cemetery here.
Mrs. Hughes sang “Rock of
Ages” and “The Old Rugged
Cross,” accompanied on the piano
by Mrs. Jay Jungman. Pallbearers
were five great-nephews: Patrick
L. and William B. Miller, both of j
Atkinson; Robert and Donald }
Stark, both of Sioux City; Marvin
Miller of O’Neill and E. C. McKay
of Atkinson.
The late Minnie B. Miller
French, the only daughter and
youngest child of Abram W. and
Armenia Miller, was born on Jan
uary 19, 1876, at Kankakee, 111.
She moved with her parents to
Atkinson when she was a little
girl, where her father owned and
operated the town’s first hard
ware store.
She attended the Atkinson pub
lic school and was graduated at
the age of 16 with the class of
1892. That fall she attended Peru
State Teachers college, and after
completing the required course
she was graduated with high hon
ors.
Returning to Atkinson, she
taught several rural schools, class
es being held in homes because
schoolhouses in early days were
not available.
She then accepted a position as
instructor in the Atkinson public
school, where she taught the sev
enth, eighth and ninth grades for
14 years.
She was induced by her oldest
brother, Alfred, to file for
the office of ^county superin
tendent of schools of Holt coun
ty and was elected to that office
in 1909. She served in that ca
pacity for 12 years, then moved
to Ewing where she taught in
the Ewing public school.
It was while in Ewing that she
met her husband, Ernest C.
French. They were married in
Sioux City on June 30, 1920. They
mov^d to Atkinson where they
made their home for a few years,
then moved back to Ewing where
they purchased and operated a
hardware store until Mr. French’s
death on May 25, 1928.
Being unable to operate the
store alone, she sold it and re
tired from business. She contin
ued to make Ewing her home and
for pastime wrote news items for
the Ewing Advocate. She was
noted for her lengthy and inter
esting articles in all her letters
because her word pictures ex
plained every detail.
When her nephew, Lewis A.
Miller, left Ewing for Lincoln,
she moved back to Atkinson
where she spent the rest of her
life except for the past 14 months
which she spent at the Masonic
home.
Mrs. French was a charter
member of the Eastern Star chap
ter and served as worthy matron
. of this chapter. She was the last
surviving child of the five Miller
children. Her four brothers—Al
fred, Howard, Sherman and Clark
—preceded her in death.
Survivors include 14 nephews
and nieces.
Among the nephews and nieces
(Continued on page 6)
Mrs. Thiessen . . complica
tions following childbirth.
Mcther of 3 Dies
Unexpectedly at 39
Mrs. John Thiessen
Rites at Clearwater
CLEARWATER — Mrs. John
Thiessen, 39, the former Helen
Melcher of Page, died unexpect
edly at 7:15 a.m., Monday, Feb
ruary 7, in Antelope Memorial
hospital, Neligh, of complications
following childbirth. The infant
daughter is “doing well.”
Funeral services were conduct
ed at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Febru
ary 9, from the Concordia Luther
an church in Clearwater with Rev.
E. L. Martin, church pastor, offi
ciating. Burial was in the Clear
water cemetery.
Mrs. Thiessen was the daughter
cf Mrs. Emma Melcher of Page
and the late Edward Melcher, who
died about 12 years ago.
Survivors include: Widower;
sons — John, 3, and Bobby, 10
months; daughter—Emma Adalia,
newborn infant; mother — Mrs.
Emma Melcher of Page; brothers
—Harold of Page and Arthur of
Clearwater; sisters—Mrs. Dorothy
Clemens of Miami, Fla., and Mrs.
Esther Shriff of Tilden.
Nachtman Succeeds
Harper at Airport
The Municipal airport here ac
quired new management, effective
Tuesday, February 1.
George Nachtman, formerly of
Chambers, succeeds Gordon O.
Harper who has operated the air
port the past eight years. Harper
has not announced future plans
although he is considering oppor
tunities at Lincoln and in Cal
ifornia.
Nachtman, a veteran pilot, is an
authorized flight instructor and a
licensed aircraft mechanic. Nacht
man says he will provide com
plete aviation service for the
area, including flight instruction,
repair servisce, crop spraying and
commercial flying.
Harper was born and reared at
Page. He has not told his plans.
Chadron Manager
to Speak to C of C
City Manager Kenneth Kyles of
Chadron has been invited to speak
to the Chamber of Commerce
here at the next meeting of the
group to be held Monday evening,
February 14, at Slat’s cafe.
Don Petersen, president of the
O’Neill C of C, said Kyles will
speax for about 15 minutes con
cerning city manager experiences
at Chadron and will also conduct
a question-and-answer period.
Gene Shermer Walks
Away from Accident
AMELIA — Gene Shermer es
caped serious injuries when his
car overturned several times with
him Sunday evening.
Those who saw the wrecked car
expressed wonder that he was
able to walk away from the acci
dent.
The muscles in the back of
Shermer’s neck were badly torn.
Mrs. Wolfe (left) and Miss Carson . . . observe open-house today.—Frontier Photo.
Still Identical After 80 Years
REDBIRD — The Carson twins
today (Thursday) will celebrate
their 80th birthday anniversary.
They will observe open-house at
their home, five miles southeast
of Redbird, between 1 and 5 p.m.
The place is located 30 miles
northeast of O’Neill.
The twin sisters. Miss Lizzie
Carson and Mrs. Mary Wolfe,
were born February 10, 1875, at
Hartford, N.Y., children of New
ton and Isabella Carson. They re
sided five years in New York
state before accompanying their
parents to Saline county (near
Wilber).
In a Bohemian settlement they
spent their childhood and at
tended country school.
When the twins were 14, the
parents decided to move to the
frontier county of Holt. Mr. Car
son purchased a homestead from
the Jacob Davis family, who gave
up and went farther west.
Their father and the older boys
took 10 days to drive the cattle
from Wilber to Redbird. The
twins came by train with their
mother and sister, Carrie.
Lizzie and MaFy recall how the
pioneer Carson family made trips
to O’Neill once or twice a year in
a wagon behind a team of horses.
It was an event to look forward to
and usually required five to six
hours.
The twins reside in the old
home with their sister, Mrs. Car
rie Hunter. Their brother, Ed
ward, lives across the road on the
south.
The twins are of identical
type and forever are being mis
taken for one another—even by
some of their closest friends.
Mrs. Wolfe jokingly tells about
situations in younger life when
boy friends would become coni
fused.
They will greet their friends
today in almost identical dress
but the costume jewelry will be
different.
Lizzie has lived on the same
farm continuously for 66 years, i
Mary married Eloyd Wolfe on
January 29, 1902. Two children
were born to them—Clifford of
Clinton, la., and Mrs. Neva Dales
of Skagway, Alaska. The Wolfes
resided one mile north of the
homeplace on a farm for 17 years
and they spent 22 years living in
Lynch. Mr. Wolfe, who was a
carpenter, died in November, 1941.
Since then she has lived with
Miss Lizzie and Mrs. Hunter in
the original Holt county home
only a few rods east of Louse
creek.
Mrs. Wolfe has two grandsons
—Don and Jack Wolfe, both ol
Clinton.
The twins had four brothers- —
William, James, John and Ed
ward—and two sisters — Carrie
and one who died in infancy. The
members of the family still liv
ing are Lizzie, Mary, Carrie and
FdwaTd.
Their parents lived to cele
brate their 59th wedding anni
versary. Their father died at 81
and their mother lived to be 87.
The Carson twins may be Holt
county’s oldest set of twins. Both
are spry and enjoy good health.
Miss Lizzie even chops wood each
day to keep trim and keeps a neat
pile outside the backdoor.
Artist Dazzling; Audience Great
An estimated seven hundred
persons braved blowing snow to
hear the young piano virtuoso,
Samuel Sorin, famed Detroit-born
artist, present the second in a
series of Community Concerts
here. The concert was held last
Thursday evening.
Taking cognizance of the fact
O’Neill’s concert audience is
‘young” and newly-established,
Mr. Sorin took time at the outset
to explain his program.
For most of the concert-goers,
the music was on the heavy side.
Eut the audience was responsive
to the point of breaking in with
ill-timed applause on Chopin’s
Sonata in B minor.
After the concert, Mr. Sorin
smiled when reference was made
to the interruption.
“Frankly,” he quipped, “I ap
preciate applause whenever I can
get it.”
The program opened in a seri
ous vein with Bach’s Chorale
prelude, “I Call Upon Thee, Lord.”
The artist impressed his listeners
with his firmness of touch and
the manner the theme was devel
oped and elaborated.
The Smiths ... he is ill.
Mrs. Elmer Smith
Rites Wednesday
EWING— Funeral services for
Mrs. Elmer E. Smith, 74, who died
about 5:50 a.m., Sunday, February
6, were conducted at 2 p.m,, on
Wednesday from the Meth
odist church in Page. Mrs. Smith,
who had been ill three months,
died at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Herman Schrader in Ewing.
She had been confined to St.
Anthony’s hospital for a number
of weeks and had been removed
to the private care at Ewing only
a few days before she died.
Biglin’s had charge of the fu
neral arrangements and Rev. Lisle
E. Mewmaw, church pastor, of
ficiated. Burial was in the Page
cemetery.
Pallbearers chosen are Vernie
Hunter, Jerome Allen, Soren Sor
ensen, Melvin Smith, Arthur
Grass and Gerald Lamason.
The late Mrs. Smith, whose
maiden name was Clara Bell Pot
ter, was born October 26, 1880,
at Blair, a daughter of George and
Nancy Potter.
She came to Holt county in 1885
as a small girl.
On June 11, 1902, at O’Neill she
married Elmer E. Smith. They
became the parents of three chil
dren. The Smith family resided
many years in the Ewing and
Page communities.
Survivors include: Widower —
Elmer, who was taken to an Om
aha hospital last week and is crit
ically ill; sons — William E. of)
Walton, Ore., and Leo F. of Rain
ier Ore.; daughter—Mrs. Mable
R. Parker of Springfield, Ore.
Tambourin by Rameau-Godow
sky followed. The pianist’s left
hand depicted beating of the tam
bourin (drum) and the right hand
provided the dance tune. Sorin
expertly reproduced the effects of
the 18th century tambourin (un
like the modem instrument).
Schubert’s Impromptu in B flat
major proved to be an exquisite
melody with the artist instilling
all of Schubert’s romanticism and
simplicity of style.
Weber’s Rondo Brillante was a
glittering presentation. The round
and-round dancing might well
have been taking place by dancers
on the stage—such was Mr. Sor
in’s mastery of the Steinway.
The Chopin Sonata, actually
about 22 minutes in duration, was
of the 19th century romanticist
variety. The untimely burst of
applause followed the Allegro
Maestoso. The Scherzo was enter
taining enough but the Largo stole
that portion of the program—the
singing lagatoes. The Finale prov
ed terribly fast and Mr. Sorin
displayed brilliancy of technique,
amazing finger touch and every
ounce an artist.
Someone said that Brahms took
the wine of the romanticists and
poured it into bottles of classicists.
Which doesn’t mean much on O’
Neill’s Douglas street, except
when interpreted by one such as
(Continued on page 6)
Louis J. Bartos displays the group of three Aberdeen-Angus bulls that won The Frontier tro
phy in Tuesday’s show here. The winners are fro m the Bartos and Ray Siders herd.—The Frontier
Photo. (Story on page 6.)
Street-Widening
Hits Legal Snarl
Ewing Postal Clerk
37 Years Retiring
Hazel Ruby Serves 4
Postmasters
EWING—Miss Hazel Ruby, who
is retiring after serving 37 years
as clerk in the Ewing postoffice.
Sunday was honored by more
than one hundred persons. An
open-house was arranged at the
Methodist church parlors by Miss
Frances Rotherham, postmaster.
Patrons of the Ewing office
presented Miss Ruby a set of
luggage, while she received
many other gifts and flowers.
Mrs. Gene Ruby sang a solo,
accompanied by Miss Marcia Gib
son.
Refreshments were served from
a lace-covered table centered with
white chrysanthemums and red
candles. Mrs. Elmer Bergstrom
and Mrs. Charles Rotherham were
in charge, of the refreshments and
Mrs. Harriet Welke and Miss Vina
Wood presided at the table. Oth
ers assisting with the affair were
Miss Ruby . . . began in 1918.
Mrs. James Ruby, Mrs. Gene Ru
by, Mrs. Joseph Beelaert, Miss
Rowena Rotherham, Mrs. L. A.
Hobbs, Mrs. Perry Saiser, Mrs.
R. G. Rockey, Mrs. William
Spence, Mrs. Everett Ruby, Mrs.
Herman Zeims, Mrs. Archie Tut
tle, Mrs. Ralph Eacker, Mrs. John
Archer, Mrs. John A. Wood, Mrs.
Wilma Daniels and Mrs. Jessie
Angus.
When Miss Ruby began her
duties as clerk in the Ewing
postoffice in 1918 it was located
in the building on Main street
now occupied by the Firestone
store.
Fred Waugh was postmaster.
Later the office was moved to its
preset location on the northwest
corner of the main intersection
here.
Other postmasters under whom
Miss Ruby has served were the
late Gary Benson, Lyle Dierks
and Miss Rotherham. Willis Rock
ey and Mrs. Wilma Daniels are
now employed at the postoffice
and Charles Rotherham is the
route 1 carrier. Elmer Bergstrom
is the carrier on the daily star
route.
> ____
The issue of whether or not to relocate two federal highways
presently passing through the heart of O’Neill uncoiled this week.
The city council, after pondering the question for several weeks,
decided to make public a “letter of understanding” authored by State
Highway Engineer L. N. Ress, written January 18. (A reproduction
of the letter appears on page 6.) Ress states, in effect, street widen
ing in eight blocks (on Douglas and South Fourth street) will keep ?
the highways on their present locations insofar as commitments can
be made by his department “in the foreseeable future.”
At the same time, the council prepared a statement of position,
declaring the limited street-widening and accompanying expense
(one-half would be paid by the federal government) are justifiable
“in the matter of keeping the highways” and “as a matter of perma
nent and valuable improvement.”
Meanwhile, C. J. Gatz, extensive real estate owner, and Jack
Arbuthnot, a service station operator and home owner on affected
streets, as plaintiffs, Tuesday went into Holt county district court
and secured a temporary injunction against Ress and the O’Neill
city council.
District Judge D. R. Mounts issued the temporary injunction
order and fixed Monday, February 14, as date for hearing.
The Holt county sheriff’s office Wednesday served notices on
Acting Mayor Emmett Crabb, Councilmen Joseph Stutz, Marvin
Johnson, Norbert Uhl, M. J. Golden and L. M. Merriman, also on
the City of O’Neill through O. D. French, city clerk. Meanwhile,
supoenas are being prepared.
Deputy Sheriff James Mullen said the notice for Ress was for
warded by mail to the Lancaster county sheriff at Lincoln for service.
The city consultant engineer estimates the total costs of the
street-widening at $61,000. The city’s share is one-half—or $30,500.
Sixty-five percent of the city’s share would be “recoverable,” ac
cording to the plan, by special assessments.
<
Council’s Stand
‘Improvement’—
The majority members of the
city council at 3 p.m., Wednesday
submitted to The Frontier a pub
lic statement with reference to
the proposed street-widening plan
in order to retain two U.S. high
ways—20 and 281—on present lo
cation through the business dis
trict. The majority members are
Acting Mayor Emmett Crabb and
Councilmen Norbert Uhl, Joe
Stutz, L. M. Mcrriman and Mar
vin Johnson.
First Ward Councilman M. J.
Golden has been a lone dissenter
on the subject since the question
first arose.
The statement:
“In view of the widespread dis
cussion on the subject of street
widening in O’Neill, in order to
retain two federal highways and
correct misinformation which is
prevalent, the city council has
deemed it proper to make a pub
lic statement concerning the plans
which have been adopted for wid
ening Fourth street and Douglas
street for the purpose of retain
ing highways 20 and 281 in their
present locations through the city.
“Approximately one year ago,
the city was advised of the plans
of the state to reroute highway 20
out of the city, and to reroute
highway 281 northward through
the city and past the public school.
Since that time, the city council
has been involved in continuous
negotiations with the state in an
effort to work out a plan whereby
traffic could be expedited and
the highways retained in the bus
iness district of the city.
“Such a plan has finally been
agreed upon between the city and
state, which in substance will re
quire the widening of portions of
Douglas street and Fourth street
to an ultimate width of 69 feet,
to correspond with the present
widths in the downtown area;
thus providing a continuous 69
foot street through the congested
and main-travelled portions of
(Continued on page 6)
f * * *
Plaintiff* Say Action
‘Null and Void’—
When the possibility of widen
ing sections of O’Neill’s two prin
cipal thoroughfares, Douglas
street and Fourth street, and
adopting certain traffic reforms
was first broached publicly in the
spring of 1954, the city council
came under unofficial criticism
by a group labeled as the O’Neill
Taxpayers’ league.
The group published advertise
ments conveying opposition to
street-widening expense and con
tended the traffic reforms would
cost valuable parking space in the
business districts.
An injunction suit filed Tues
day in Holt county district court
by C. J. Gatz, Jack Arbuthnot
“and all others similarly situ
ated” appears to most observers
as an outgrowth of the impro
vised O’Neill Taxpayers’ league.
In their petition, Gatz and Ar
buthnot allege that “on or about
March 30, 1954, the council met
in special session and passed a
resolution to cooperate with the
state highway department for
the widening of Douglas to 69
feet, and on April 16, in special
session, adopted an ordinance
creating street improvement dis
trict 16.”
The petition alleges that on
November 8 the council, in special
session, passed a resolution to
“ratify, confirm and approve a
written agreement with the
state” pertaining to improvements
on Douglas and Fourth, directing
the president of the council and
clerk to enter into an agreement
with the state known as projects
200(6) and F-313(9).
Gatz and Arbuthnot contend
these proceedings are “null and
void” for these reasons:
(a) No notice in writing of the
March 30 meeting was given
members of the council, according
to law.
(b) No notice of the April 16
meeting was given in writing or
entered in the journal, according
to law.
(c) Ordinance 280-A is “vague
and uncertain.”
Gatz and Arbuthnot, through
their attorneys, Harold Connors
of Greeley and John R. Galla
agher of O’Neill, point out that
section two of the ordinance re
fers to special assessments on
property “especially benefited.”
The plaintiffs claim the council
has not in any way shown who
will be benefited, adding “in fact,
no one will be benefited.”
The council’s action November
8 is null and void, the petition
alleges, because Emmett Crabb,
president of the council, voted
for passage of the resolution while
acting as mayor and that Coun
cilman M. J. Golden had no notice
of the meeting.
Gatz and Arbuthnot claim
Crabb did not have lawful author
ity to enter into the agreement
with the state and that State En
gineer L. N. Ress, acting as agent
for the city of O’Neill, “has no
lawful authority to obtain federal
funds to match city funds for
said project.”
The petitioners are distressed
about “irreparable damage” to
their businesses if the city is al
lowed to put into force the agree
ment, and maintain the city of
O’Neill “will have no assurance
in any way, shape or form from
the state of Nebraska or the Unit
ed States that highways 20 and
(Continued on page 6)
George Rowse (left) exhibits Super Shadow 2d, reserve champion of the Hereford show, and
Henry Wood displays HW Baron Dandy 24th, the grand champion.—Frontier Photo. (Story page 6.)
/
