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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 1955)
Prairieland Talk . . j Visits Wilkie Birthplace By ROMAIN'E SAUNDERS, Retired, Former Editor The Frontier MARION, IND. — The countryside is aglow with the gold of sunlight this early day in April and the unclouded blue of the heavens above lends further charm to the lure of the great outdoors. ? In a 50-mile drive, the buildings of opulent gentlemen and ladies of Hoosier country life gleam white in the sunlight. Cows here arid there of aristocratic pedigree lie in the sun chewing their cud. Our drive took us to the siz able city of Elwood, the birth place of Wendell Wilkie, once a candidate for the presidency a~.d now numbered among the dead. On a prominent street of the city stands a brick school build ing bearing the marks of the years that is known as Wendell Wilkie high school, a seat of learning where that notable Hoo sier acquired the background of _ " _ what became manifest in polit- Saunaen ical and literary qualities. What might have been the rebound of the nation had Mr. Wilkie been voted into the white house can never be known. As for America and its thrifty people and men of genius it matters little who occupies the presiden tial throne. a 0 Tiie city of Elwood probably dates its begin ning far in the past. A gent from Nebraska’s far o flung prairieland visiting a community bearing the name of Elwood isc reminded of Cowboy cSam El wood riding up Fourth street in O’Neill on a mag nificent chestnut gelding, tossing the bridle °rein over his mount’s back in from of the Critic, swing ing from the saddle rand maybe headmg for Ed Kelly’s window at the bank to onegotiate a loan, giving as security for his $50 note maybe a hun dred head of longhorns. Sam was a candidate for county treasurer but failed to make it and some1 o time later pulled up his Holt county ranch anchors and went to the Roswell community of New Mex ico where all were of his kind. , J o ° Italy, a going concern among world govern ments for 2,500 yearu and once the mistress of the world, sends hither its man with a market basket to be filled with cash and tools and pow er plant products to take home to “reconstruct” U the toes and ankles of the centuries-worn “foot” of that ancient land. Sure, the generous hand of Uncle Sam is opened wide to all comers. o w • * * O o ° Weatherwise functionaries this morning sent out a the story over the air ofj snow in some sec tions of the country, rain in others and bright sun- ' shine in favored communities, and the “dusty days” that have brought hopeless gloom to pa triots in eastern Colorado and western Kansas where nature’s°greatcgrazing lands have been ruin ed by the plow. It was in the ’30’s a “dark day” enfolded us in Swan precinct intHolt county,ca con tribution to life’s experiences on prairieland. What were spoken of0as dust storms had been blowing0 out ofrthe same territory now affected at frequent intervals during the summer. At 3 o’clock one af afternoon we were blacked out. A dense cloud of dust drifted in from the far southwest0 and hung above the velvet green of the prairie grasslands. Above the dust blanket gathered a rain cloud. Darkness enveloped us. But rain fell and with it the dust bowl’s cloud turned to mud. The wire fences took on the appearance of a mud fence. If the-deposit of soil from the dustobowl regions o was of any benefit Holt county profited rather ° than suffered that time. o * r* -■> • c ’ Qc It is known in Hoosierland as the ' general as- “ sembly. ,That is the state law-making body. Gov ernor Craig, relaxing in Florida after the winter’s legislative season, proposes a special session to con vene later to make an appropriation of funds to 0 build something or other. Laws, state and national, for the most part are not the result of popular de mand. A legislator or the ^executive thinks “there ought to be a law” and so the accumulation of legal r enactments pile up. - oo - “ , .-o C D? —... 1 —. ' -■■■ ■. In the death of Col. Robert R. McCormick of the Chicago Tribune and Joseph Pulitzer of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch two more join the ranks of those who touched the field of daily newspaper journalism with the stamp of great persons. Like William Randolph Hearst and a few' others, Mc Cormick and Pulitzer were the papers they edited anrf their passing leaves few if any in the lealm of daily journalism that put the stamp of individ uality upon the printed page. Another somewhat less notable as editors go, who has joined the ranks of the dead along with McCormick and Pulitzer was the 92-year-old Abilene, Kans., editor, Char les W. Harger, a personal friend of President Eis enhower and the one responsible for the setup in Abilene in memory of the president’s boyhood | in that Kansas town. * • * Walking abroad this morning, lingering a moment by the brink of the river and moving on upgrade I was held up by a group of eight “bandits.’’ Nothing to do but hold up both hands and surrender. The “bandits” were 3- and 4 year-old boys and girls who from previous ex perience suspected that the old guy had a pocket full of candy. Empty pocket when I got back from the morning stroll. O * * • o The 215 teachers of the Marion public schools took i!he day off Friday, April 1, and were the guests of community industrial centers and bus iness men. Meanwhile, school kids made a day of it. Fortune fell to Prairieland Talker to have two of these drop over to see a specimen from the Nebraska prairies and listen to tales of pioneer life. rLike most boys it had an appeal to these two young Hoosiers who had never seen an Indian. So they got the story of Sitting Bull and an ac count of the battle of Wounded Knee that follow ed the death of Sitting Bull at the hands of Indian opolice, along with some other accounts of experi ences" of the long ago on the open prairie. Sorori ties and clubs comprising various groups also were in weekend gatherings. O * • * Among the events to enliven April’s-1 first weekend in Marion was the state Young GOP meet which-brought together some 500 .of the . younger element of the state affiliated with that political group who assembled at Hotel Spencer auditorium. The theme of the session was “State hood for Hawaii.” Mrs. Elizabeth Farrington, del egate from the island's to congress, was one of the t speakers, and a. group of Hawaiian girls, students at the Indiana state university, were the honor guests. Another event arousing community interest centered in the Easter pageant put on by the Wes leyan college, which also assembled a choir of 100 voices that sang “The Crucifixion” Sunday evening in a gathering for thee public at their college church. A chorus rendered the “Holy City.” * * » o n Grant county, Indiana, has not only a salaried county attorney r:whose duties include prosecuting offenders but there is also a salaried defender of the offenders who are financially unable °to hire counsel. This official has the title of pauper attor ney. The theory, as expressed by the incumbent of that office, that it is an American tradition which gives all, whatever their social or industrial standing may be, the°right to be heard in court. The pauper attorney faces the tears of the unfor tunate, in their troubles as. well as penniless crooks. > 0° , Z° o * *' Representing the 107-year-old Associated Press, two score-newspaper publishers, editors and reporters had a gay party and get-together in this Indiana city a weekend in late March. And with them came the year’s heaviest snowfall, accompan ied by Arctic gales. The AP was promoted by a few newsmen in New York City in 1848 and now its representatives are scattered over the globe. The AP fellows hung around here for a day or two, byt the Arctic visitor came so late it could only remain overnight. Editorial . . . O O O „ J Q » * " O Abolish War, MacArthur Urges “We should now proclaim our readiness to i abolish war in concert with the great powers of „ the world,” declares Douglas MacArthur in the May Reader’s Digest. ^ 0 War is no longer a means of settling inter national differences, MacArthur holds. The enor mous potential of destruction to both sides/ be cause of nuclear weapons and other “triumphs of scientific annihilation,” makes disaster inevitable for winner and loser alike. If this certainty of mutual ruin means that war can now be outlawed, “the greatest advance in civilization since the Sermon on the Mount” v 1 *nay be at hand, MacArthur believes. To abolish i- i war “would not only create new moral and spirit ual values—it would produce an economic wave of prosperity that would raise the world’s standard of living beyond anything ever dreamed of by „ ° man." 0 . MacArthur says the present tensions are being kept alive by two “great illusions”: The Soyiet be o .lief that the capitalist nations’ are preparing to at = tank, and the tree- world’s belief that the Soviets r c have the same designs. 'Yet the peoples of the world, whether free" or 1 slave, do notcwantowar and ate all in agreement on the need to abolish war, the general empha sizes. “The leaders are the laggards. They debate over a hundred issues that stem from the threat of war, but never in the chancelleries of the world or the halls of the/United Nations is the real problem raised. . . They increase preparedness by alliances, by distributing resources o throughout - c. the world, by developing deadlier weapons and by ,c applying conscription in times of peace. . . But - never do they dare to state the bald truth, that the next great advance in the evolution of civiliza ' / tion cannot take place until war is abolished. . . This is the one issue which, if settled, might set tle all others.” J * - O O They Saved Their Church Trinity chapel is a country church near Lin coln. It is not a big building, but it is standing proof that people can get together to keep religion alive in their community. The April issue of Suc cessful Farming magazine tells the story, of this church, a building constructed with the aid of three Protestant groups. „ ^ This was the problem: 0 Like many churches in the last decade, the Rokeby Congregational, Wesley Methodist and PJamaica Methodist churches in the same rural area were having trouhle filling their pews. Farms were enlarging, and the total farm population was decreasing. Better automobiles made it possi ble to travel farther — perhaps into town — to church. But the leaders of the three congregations got ■m ,V. J ° > ” ----— -- II together; in 1946 they merged. About 100 persons signed the original charter of Trinity chapel. Mem bership is now 150, and there is a new church building on a hill overlooking Lincoln. The founders of Trinity chapel wanted to keep a rural church an influence in the farm community. They sought advice from parent Methodist and Congerational conferences, then went ahead with the ai$ of Rev. Carroll Lemon, secretary of the Nebraska Council of Churches. They agreed to leave denominational ties out side Trinity chapel, though remaining active in denominational work. Though members do not identify themselves as Congregalionalists or Meth odists, they support the two churches’ missions and educational intitutions. Theirs is a “family church”—with family activities encouraged, o Th® building of Trinity chapel was a com munity enterprise, financed by members and by community fund raising projects. Farmer-mem bers did much of the construction work. The Ja maica Methodist church building was sold, and proceeds went into the chapel fund. Lumber from the two other buildings was used in the new church. Today Trinity chapel is alive and growing. An evidence of its health is an active youth group that attends church activities instead of going “into town.” Judging by the showing made at Bassett by train-saving enthusiasts, the prospect of losing Chicago & North Western passenger-mail-express trains 13 and 14 ranks second in importance to the memorable blizzard of 1948-’49. _ 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 coun ty, Nebraska, as second-class mail matter under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This news paper is a member of the Nebraska Press Associa tion, National Editorial Association and the Audit Bureau of Circulations. _ o Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, $2.50 per year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per year; rates abroad provided on request. All subscriptions are paid-in-advance. _ o Audited (ABC) CircuSation—2,335 (Mar. 31, 1954) ° o A o o 0 o ° 0 * n No Longer Useful? The elective chieftains who guide Consumers Public Power in Nebraska are elated with the prospects of constructing a nu clear-powered steam generating plant in this state. Inasmuch as Consumers is the only public power agency among the four ap plicants seeking authorization from the atomic energy commis sion, best guess is the public pow er agency has the inside track. The three competing private pow er agencies are located in New England and in Illinois. It would seem the public pow er apostles are moving out front on this score. But in another phase of CPPD policy we beg to differ. The chieftains are methodical ly dismantling diesel plants in the various cities and towns _ generating plants acquired through purchases of municipal systems. For several years the O'Neill diesel unit has been slat ed to be tom down and moved out; similar plants at Neligh and Creighton, for instance, have been recently dismantled and junked. The procedure is to get sanction from the city and town councils before applying the sledge. The CPPD owners say the die sel generating units have long since served their period of use fulness. They point out that steam and hydro turbos arp the current tiling; nuclear energy is coming up next. Meanwhile, Nebraska has been criss-crossed with a fabulous power grid, financed by federal money. * * • Centralized Power Somehow The Frontier does not place supreme confidence in this widely-ballyhooed network and centralization of power—especial ly in view of decentralization of everything else in the" interest of civil defense. o Theoretically, this country’s enemies could blow the smither eens out of a half-dozen strategic power sources and paralyze much of the midwest. We have nearby Ft. Randall in. mind as one of the possible targets—probably not at the top of the enemy’s list but nonetheless on the strike sheet. Some disastrous results could be obtained by the simple sabotage stunt of throwing an iron cable over a few high tension lines at .convenient places. Mother Na ture is capable of crippling com munications, too, in her own un predictable way. The grand network idea doesn’t impress us as being infallible— especially in a warborn emer gency. If “Old Betsy” were kept in tune at the plant situated at the top of North Second here, she could supply enough power to pump water in the case of a blackout; she could kick oil and gas furnaces off-and-on and re frigerate foods; it might strain her but she could provide at least a 10-watt incandescent light for every home. This for O’Neillites as well as some of the surround ing towns. Worth Weight in Gold There would be no juice for electric ranges, air-conditioning, etc., in such an emergency, but “Old Betsy,” presently of token value, could be worth her weight in gold if worse should come to worse. Multiply “Old Betsy” by all her sisters throughout the state, who have been dismantled or are about to get the axe, and you have a disturbing situation. Consumers economists point out that “Old Betsy” can’t manu facture power at a cost which will compare favorably with costs at which power can be generated by the super-duper layouts. But we hold standby plants should be encouraged; certainly where ownership rests in the hands of j the public. St. Anthony’s hospital here has an auxiliary power supply; some individuals have standby sources, j * * * Calling Boy Scouts If the Consumers Public Pow er heirarchy doesn’t want to per petuate “Old Betsy” perhaps the project could be earned out: by the Boy Scouts. Why scrap “Old Betsy” and her sisters in view of the cheap j standby insurance—if they would! be permitted to hang around? —CAL STEWART When You and I Were Young . .. Great Northern Eyes Denver Link Twin Cities Route May Cross Holt 50 Years Ago Prof. J. V. Dwyer was retained as superintendent at the O’Neill high school. Madge Kay will be the principal. Other teachers for the coming year will be Laura Fields, Maggie Hurley, Anna Donohoe, Mary Horiskey and Nellie O’Fallon. . . The Royal Highlanders will celebrate the passing of the lenten season with a grand ball at Golden’s halL . . Some of the Great Northern of ficials visited O’Neill last week and it is rumored that a portion of the roundhouse here will be torn down and removed to Yankton, S.D. The roundhouse here far ex ceeds the needs with the removal of eight of the stalls O’Neill will still have a five-stall roundhouse. Great Northern, too, plans to have a direct road between St. Paul, Minn., and Denver, Colo. This will be accomplished by building a cutoff between O’Neill on the Willmar and Sioux Falls division and Thedford, or a near by point, on the Burlington. . . David Wilcox and’ his wife have returned to Atkinson after spend ing the winter in California. . . In the bulletin “Resources of Ne braska”, o recently released by the ; state bureau of labor, it is learned ! that Holt county produces more cream and hay than any other county in the state. 20 Years Ago James P. Marron will take over the M. F. Harrington law office...' Stephen J. Benson, resident for over 50 years and pioneer in Holt county, died at his home in O’Neill. . Republicans of the Third congressional district will hold their annual founder’s day meeting in Wayne. . . Donald Hardesty and Miss Laura Stein beck, both of Stuart, were granted a marriage license in the county court. . . Dr. J. L. Saerbahn, a chiropractor from Benkelman, was in the city recently. He will locate here about June 1. 10 Years Ago Harry J. Shelton, sr., and Mrs. Harry J. Shelton, jr., of St. Louis, Mo., were houseguests at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Melvin. . . James Gold en is visiting his parents awaiting call for induction into the navy Bernard Rohde will soon spend leave at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. J. Rhode. He has been overseas for the past 34 months. . . Mr. and Mrs. P. E. Nissen will leave soon for Bur bank, Calif., where they will visit their son-in-law and daughter, Pfc. and Mrs. Laurence Haynes. One Year Ago James Gilg, pupil in district 99, won the Holt county eighth grade spelling contest. . . Mrs. Arthur (Eva) Bo wring of Merriman was appointed by Gov. Robert Crosby to succeed the late Sen. Dwight Griswold. . . District 14 pupils, their teacher and Mrs. Francis Johnson visited The Frontier. . . Three Holt countyans, including James W. Rooney of O’Neill, Lyle P. Dierks of Ewing and Charles E. Chace of Atkinson, will testify in Washington, D.C., at a congres sional appropriations hearing in behalf of the Niobrara river basin development plan. REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS WD — Bert & Mary Farewell to Bert & Marv Farewell 3-31 55 $1- SWy4 20-26-12 WD — Bert & Mary Farewell to Bert & Mary Farewell 3-31-55 $1- NW% 7-25-11 WD—Constance Biglin to Rich ard Sanders & wf 4-14-55 $1,200 Lots 6, 7, 8 Block “J” McCaffer ty’s Second Add’n WD — Wm. Langan to Frank Filipa 4-11-55- $35,800 Sec. 1 31-11- NVjfNEVi & SEy4NE»'4 & NEy4SEy4 12-31-11, w14 6-31 10- S%NE% & W%SEVi 6-31 10 & SEy4 7-31-10 WD—John Murphy to Harry L. Bennett 3-31-55 $8000 S%NEy4 & N%SEy4 35-30-11 QCD — Thomas McQuire to John Shalt 4-8-55 $266.00 EV4 Lot 17 Blk 15- Kimball & Blairs Add Stuart QCD — Thomas McGuire to Clifford Farr 4-8-55 $266.00 Wu. Lot 17 Blk 15- Kimball and Blairs Add Stuart WD— John Shald to Wm. f Wewel 4-8-65 $7,321.97 Lots li’ & 12 in Blk 16, Kimball & Blairs Add’n. ^_____ c J c | i It Happened In NEBRASKA— When the Mormons crossed Nebraska in 1847, their wagons served as beds, kitchens, moving vans—and sometimes boats! Each 10 per sons were furnished a fully-leaded wagon, two oxen, two cows and a tent. No wonder they avenged 13 miles a day! ~ o o How times have changed—in all ways! NEBRASKA DIVISION Have you noticed how even Nebraska taverns have progressed, today serving United Stotts the best interests of the community by Brewers maintaining clean, well-regulated busi- foundation ness establishments? -»ov . 710 First Natl Bank Bide , Lincoln V o ° a o o o O C£» * c r* 11 o If your listing in the present M directory should be changed -B or if you desire to add addi-, tional listings please notify the Telephone Business Of fice today. 0 O O Want to feel ; . o 'o o ' ///re a pilot feels ° o ° HOTTEST BUtCK IN HISTORY > H° ro» M. M many 35 ftuidu oa Km K^hway, : , roHi"® up bipB«r wt« tbaa mtv a«»u— ia °c lurfory-teppiag *. popularity tfeat bat olroasy mo6» *** on. of tho ”11* Thru*" of Amorica'i boot mW o O r> ' 1 4 11 v~'" •• .,., , .. _> . " ;._. - ' - ■— L ~ ,r. i, Today*s the day to "Join The Test Pilot Chib** and see what a thrill you get when you try Variable Pitch Dynaflow* ° o • ° „ ° » n C J ° O O o ■ ~ ' ~ " _ Local delivered price 5 /\ 0°oc of the 1955 Bulck SPECIAL 2-Door, 6-Fauangw Sodoo, Modal <1 ^Uurtrotod) is "o ,J —o „ 0 °, ■•••■ ..00 OotKwel •ou.twwnt, occraorla*. i*o>« and local tom. If oar. . rT’c**. mov *!*•>"» !• «d,oi.«o cnmanaOWacQ ° 0 Cvwn m« toctory-tnt»o 'wd a*tras vow may want ora baroo ns O a». Haotnr A Onfro.t.r - M1 -7»; Sadia A /Wnw-tRLJt. I Said . .1-utb: Ab! Tho mTrt»rr'. nnr»^Uo'-> q q ^out cor. lh«* Uk* ‘ ***?” D o° ° o0 Bat witk Dy»»tlow • *wt*cfc °° onuVortoWoPitcii Ton woro horo. Now *•*•* ° q ° q °q Boy, tkat% UO'roUo I ° 0 iwxr jwitaa^05^71 ' * 0 ° o o*o0 ■¥ MU TON »rstt HAM K« MOCK Son No n**k . w— MM ago. -—y, — o _ __ r _ We ’re not kidding. When you try a ’55 Buick with Variable Pitch Dynaflow, you’ll feel like a pilot does when he heads his plane down a runway for take-off. For you, in the driver’s scat, are doing what that pilot does—you’re changing the pitch of your propellers — one way for instant response on getaway—another way for better gas mileage in cruising. Your propellers are whirling in oil, deep inside the Dynaflow unit. When you press the pedal in the normal way, you hold those propellers in their economy angle—and you enjoy plenty more miles from your gasoline. But when you want instant acceleration—for quick getaway, or for a sudden safety-surge of emergency Power—you just Press the Pedal way down, and—with absolute smoothness—you get O the action you want, and split-second quick. It’s the thrill that’s the talk of the industry — performance unlike anything you have ever known before on the ground. And so many folks have been asking to try it that we Buick dealers across America have set up April as “Test Pilot Club” Month. All it takes to join the “Qub” is a test drive at the wheel of a new Buick. That's all. So we eordially invite you to win your “wings”—to try the spectacular perform ance of Variable Pitch Dynaflow — and to feel the mighty V8 power that puts the whip to these gorgeous new Buick beauties. Drop in this week. 9Dynaflow Drive is standard on Roadmaster, optional M extra cost on other Series. I 0 .0 0 A. MARGELLUS Phone 370 ° ° o .n ° o o O Neill, ——————————————————_.___0 0 ' . «• 00 ° o ° o 0 0 o0 o o n n 0 O OO no