Prairieland Talk . . .
o
Blizzard Authority Is Dead
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS, Retired, Former Editor The Frontier
LINCOLN—Will O’Gara heard the call and
has responded to the drumbeat of eternity. He
now lies in a grave in the cemetery down at Lau
rel. Mr. O’Gara died in Lincoln where the family
has lived in recent years.
He was the son of a native of Ireland who
came to northeast Nebraska during the Irish
movement westward in the long
ago, had but little formal educa
tion, but through reading and
diligent study fitted himself to be
come the first superintendent of
of public instruction in Cedar
county where he had settled.
Will, 77, when death claim
ed him April 25, grew to man
hood in the Laurel community,
became active in pubic affairs
and represented his district in
in the state legislature when it
was composed of a senate and Romaln*
house of representatives. Saunden
Like others of his ancesteral
land, Will had fascination for the beauty of word
pictures and so took to writing. He got into a vol
ume the various stories of the blizzard of Jan
uary 12, 1888, but was never quite satisfied with it
and planned to have it edited and rewritten. One
of Mr. O’Gara’s interests was horse racing. He
bred and trained trotters and pacers, one of
which, Black Hills Lady, is the subject of a story
of the Black Hills country, where Will and others
of the family were homesteaders at one time.
The manuscript, completed just before Mr. O’
Gara’s death, told the story of the colt folded on
o the open range, later to become a racetrack
favorite.
Mr. O’Gara and daughters, Mrs. Paul Quin
land and Mrs. Edward Jenkins, who also lives in
Lincoln, plan eventually to have the story of
"Black Hills Lady” printed in book form.
v>.)
• * *
Secretary of Agriculture Benson toured the
windswept regions where the denuded earth is
a sorry sight and walked about in powdered
soil up to his ankles. What he may propose as
relief measures has not yet been disclosed.
Settler in that region invited the condition they
find themselves in by breaking up and trying
to grow crops where nature provided grazing
land for countless herds. Cowboy country is
not for the plowman.
o
* * *
May 1. Gladiolus, tulips, lilacs and the dan
delions adorn bush and flowerbed and grass grown
landscape with rainbow color, hedgerows wave
their white plumage in the wind, lawn mowers
rumble and gumble across the yards of house
holders, and here and there a housewife with a
background of country life and the instinct of
the thrifty is in her garden with hoe and rake
cherishing visions of fresh radish and loaded pea
rows; apple and plum and cherry tree are bending
in the breeze loaded with bloom. A yellow
o feathered beauty flies to the bough of a tree and
pours forth a note of greeting to the May day
morning. Other birds hop about on the hunt for a
worm, fly to the nest and drop a morsel into open
mouths of their young. Spring days, summer
days come again on prairieland, schemes and plans
of men and the notions of the peace-of- mind
cults would defraud us of the hopes of future
years but prairieland bestows the rich heritage of
life that now is and that which is to come.
o _ „ 1
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Beaman drove north of
prairieland. It was in North Dakota they were
enveloped in a cloud of dust that rendered high
way next to impossible. Upon returning home,
their new car as well as they required a bath.
Doctor Dodge went south. In southeast Kansas he
found the wheat fields headed out and the coun
try looking its best. Charley Church went west. At
Grand Island, UJ5. 281 beckoned north to green pas
tures where countless herds were grazing and he
came to a stop in O’Neill. He found prairieland
robed in velvet green. Joe Philips and Dave Eno
headed east. Corn planters were clicking across
the fields in Iowa. I wonder which way Edward
L. R. Elson traveled to get the inspiration to write
the book in which he says: “To man comes a tra
gic sense of failure—failure in living. We are
brilliant but unhappy, clever but unstable, com
fortable but comfortless; we own so much and
possess so little. We are forlorn souls, groping and
hungering and lost.” Mr. Elson should spend a
year in prairieland, roll out of his nightmare bed
at dawn, catch the pink glow of coming day,
breathe the air of free souls and mingle with its
brilliant and also happy citizens.
* * *
Kathleen Joyce, a singer from London,
England, touring the United States and Can
ada, includes Lincoln in her concert engage
ments.
* * *
A half-century ago the lawmakers and their
advisors were regulating the railroads, two cents
a mile passenger rates, no passes, lower freight
rates, higher taxes and the size of train crews. The
late M. F. Harrington and others advocated
government ownership and management of the
railroads. That was before trucks, automobiles,
buses and airplanes got into the transportation
pisture. Now lawmakers are concerned in behalf
of “saving the trains.” Senator Nelson introduced
a bill in the present session of the state legisla
ture designed to cut down passenger train operat
ing expenses by eliminating one brakeman. Rail
road officials are concerned over shrinking re
venues and seek a reduction in taxes, so perhaps
the time has come to legislate for instead of
against railroading.
# * *
The annual spring meeting of the Nebraska
State Historical society will be held at Grand Is
land the evening of Saturday, May 14. Frank Do
bie of Texas, an authority on the history of the
region, will address the gathering of society mem
bers, his subject to be “The Literature of The Cat
tle Range.” . . . The banking commitee of the leg
islature reported for passage LB 545, which ap
propriates $36,400 for the historical society to sst
ablish a museum at Ft. Robinson. Such an under
taking is also being considered by the city of Sid
ney patriots who wish to perpetuate the memory
of a fast disappearing race of pioneers by collect
ing what may remain of frontier specimens that
form a link with a colorful past.
* * *
Ten years ago taxes had begun to hurt a little,
and spenders clamor for a sales tax. Property own
ers in Lincoln discover that their property tax is
double this year and in some instances a third
more than last year. What is the remedy? There
is none so long as the public demands the things
the former generations survived without.
* * *
The Frontier’s circulation continues to grow
and-grow.
Editorial ...
■ Traffic Clamp-Down Welcomed
Within a matter of hours after O’Neill’s new
mayor Alva Marcellus took office there came a
bout a transformation in the concept and attitude
of law enforcement in this city. We offer our
hearty congratulations to the new mayor.
The city’s new chief executive brought young
and experienced blood into the police department,
relieved Police Chief Joe Wert, transferring him
to the street department.
Mayor Marcellus commissioned two young
men to “crack down” and enforce traffic and
parking laws to the letter. Joe Sivesind, formerly
of Orchard and a former military policeman, has
been doing just that by day, and Ray Smith, a vet
teran of four years with the Nebraska safety pat
rol, has been pursuing law offenders of all types
by night.
Ci These young men have the grey-haired coun
sel of the mayor himself and of Harry Jolley, a
well-liked and firm peace officer who has been on
substitute status. Although lacking in experience,
Mr. Jolley is an asset to the department and a
credit to the city.
Ironically, the “crack down” could not have
had better timing. Within the past month an in
fant suffered a broken leg caused by a car (the
child is getting along okay); a school boy bounded
3 into the street to greet his parents and was ser
iously injured (he, too, is recovering); a 7-year
old Bassett boy wandered across the highway and
was fatally injured by an oil truck; a 10-year-old
St. Mary’s fourth grader was fatally injured by a
car on a bridge just outside the south city limits.
Although in none of these situations was the
motor vehicle operator held, the tragedies point
up the mounting hazards of the streets and
highways. The deaths of the two school children
and the serious injury to two others brings mis
ery and grief to the parents and should teach an
object lesson to the rest of us.
That no lives have been lost during the past
> 10 years in O’Neill due to wanton and reckless
driving, daily in evidence, has been an element of
luck. Mayor Marcellus is to be complimented for
being dissatisfied with the status quo and doing
something about it. Enforcement of traffic laws,
being witnessed after a long dry spell, will tend
to save lives.
Two Serious Decisions
0 There are two movements underway in the
ranks of labor that bear watching with an eagle
eye.
One is the merger of the CIO and AFL into
one all-powerful labor organization; the other
is the growing demand for an annual wage.
The first is perhaps the more important at
the moment and is the greatest test facing labor
leaders today.
A merger of the ClO and AFL would be
playing right into the hands of the communists.
They want power concentrated in a single or
ganization where they can concentrate their
forces of evil in undermining the bulwarks of
democracy and getting quick control of im
portant bodies, o
We believe that maintaining the CIO and
AFL as separate agencies representing labor is
in the tradition of democracy. Our government
was built and has prospered on the two-party
system. Labor has achieved most of its ad
vantages since two strong organizations have
been in the field, speaking for it at the con
ference tables, It makes a lot of sense that two
organizations be retained, albeit their objectives
might be very similar.
The annual wage looks to the editor as a great
danger to ambition and incentive. The short-com
ings of this new approach to the problems of
security and stability far outweigh th advantages.
This country is not ready for an annual wage
program at the moment, although it may be an
appealing way to settle problems in some key
industries. A guaranteed annual wage most cer
tainly would destroy jobs. If labor should succeed
in gaining such a ridiculous and impractical end,
the cradle-to-the-grave cycle wil have arrived, m
pure form. The guaranteed annual wage screwball
logic then would spread to other fields and there
would be a horrible day of reckoning in this
country’s economic life.
Wanted: A Soaker
Most of the midwest is hurtin’ for some
moisture. Southern parts of Holt county, where
water normally is to be found standing most every
where at this season of the year, noticeably lacks
standings water. What this dryness portends we
don’t know. But everyone in this area shares the
hope a soaker is a-comin’ real soon. Many farmers
have given up planting corn until the rains come.
A party writing in the Public Pulse column
of the Sunday World-HeTald suggested if north
Nebraskans want their last two remaining pass
enger-mail-express trains bad enough they should
buy and operate them.
Now that the school term is about over, the
real fisherman will be taking over.
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.
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.
Audited (ABC) Circulation—2,335 (Mar. 31, 1954)
When Yon and 1 Were Young .. .
Leek Appointed
New Marshall Here
C&NW Building West
from Casper
50 Years Ago
Eber Leek was appointed mar
shal by the new city council; Wil
liam Gordson, weighmaster, and
John Cain was appointed night
watch. . . A delegation of O’Neill
KC’s and Father Cassidy went
to Alliance to initiate 60 members
in the new Alliance chapter. . . A
dance was held at the opera
house honoring Miss Moran of Ft.
Randall and Miss O’Malley of O’
Neill. . . Florence Sullivan and
daughter arrived home from Ire
land and report a pleasant trip
and most enjoyable visit. . . Con
tinuous heavy rains hinder
the work of farming and garden
ing. However, grasses and small
grain are flourishing. . . The Nor
folk News report that several
carloads of ties and other mater
ials have passed up the line this
past week for the extension of the
North Western railroad west from
Casper.
• 20 Years Ago
Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Murray
held open-house at their home on
the occasion of their golden wed
ding anniversary. . . Light finger
ed gentery broke into the P. J.
McManus store. Not over two
dollars was taken. An attempt
was also made that night to
break into the Golden Rule store.
... A May day fete was celebrat
ed on the public school grounds
by pupils of both O’Neill schools.
. .. O’Neill high won the Niobrara
valley conference track meet by
scoring 60 points. Next in line
was Lynch with 28. Butte scored
23.
10 Years Ago
May 7 was the official cease
fire day in Enrope. President
Truman announced the uncondi
tional surrender of Germany and
V-E day became a reality. . . Mr.
and Mrs. Larry Barrett were
honored by a surprise party on
their silver wedding anniversary.
. . . Ira George chaperoned the
St. Mary’s band to Norfolk where
the radio manager had invited
them to play for a Nebraska au
dience. J. D. Cronin made a short
address. A number of O’Neill citi
zens formed a sort of booster Car
avan and went along to lend their
moral support to the young mu
sicians. . . An unknown bomber
pilot buzzed O’Neill right over
the telephone poles one day dur
ing the week, giving the populous
quite a thrill.
One Year Ago
A 17-month-old blue-eyed
blonde little girl who had been
the object of an intense all night
search, is “getting along fine” at
Sacred Heart hospital. Charlene
Avery was found by Omar Ton
ner about 6:30 a.m., about a mile
from her parents’ home on the
Dr. R. E. Kriz farm. . . A spring
stag party at the Country club of
ficially opened the 1954 series of
activities. . . Marine T/Sgt Dar
win K. Harley was chosen the
outstanding marine for the month.
He is a member of headquarters
and maintenance squadron 10 at
El Toro marine corps air station,
Santa Ana, Calif. . . An open
house at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Leon Beckwith in Emmet
honored her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. E. R. Young, on their golden
wedding anniversary. The
Youngs, now living in Neligh, are
former Atkinson residents.
Use of Fresh
Fruits Told—
The Sandhill Billies’ 4-H club
met at the home of George Dunk
el on Saturday, April 16. Our
leader handed out last year’s
books.
Karen Garwood and Kathleen
Dunkel gave a demonstration on
how to use fresh fruits. Their
project was “how’s and why’s for
young cooks”.
We sang our favorite songs.
The next meeting will be at the
Warden home May 21. — By
Kathleen Dunkel, news reporter.
Brownies at PO—
Brownie troop 2 met Monday,
April 25, in the library base
ment. We visited the postoffice.
Christine Herley was our hos
tess.—By Mary Ray, scribe.
Tune in “Voice of The Fron
tier”, thrice weekly!
DR. H. D. GILDERSLEEVE
OPTOMETRIST
Northeast Corner
of 4th & Douglas
O’NEILL, NEBR.
Phone 167
Eyes Examined . Glasses Fitted
Office Hours: 9.5 Mon. thru Bat
- - 1
SPRINKLER. FURROW • ROOD IRRIGATION
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Outlaw Impl.
WEST O’NEILL
- —
Back from Germany
Pfc. James D. Harrington, son
of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Har
rington, arrived in New York
last week and went to Ft. Sheri
dan to await discharge. He has
spent the past year in Frank
fort, Germany.
Dorene Haber Is
Bride-Elect—■
LYNCH—The engagement of
Miss Dorene Huber and Gerald
D. Elsasser, son of Mr. and Mrs.
William Elsasser, of Lynch, has
been announced by her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Leman Huber of
Lynch. The bride-elect was grad
uated from the Lynch high
school and for the past two years
has been employed by the Lynch
Herald-Enterprise. Mr. Elsasser
was graduated from Butte high
school. He was discharged from
the navy in December after
fcur years of service. The couple
has not set a wedding date.
Brownies Meet—
Brownies troop 1 met at
the library on May 3. They play
played games. The Brownies met
at Mrs. Gillespie’s home on May
9. The hostess was Suzanne
Stewart. She served crackers.
The next meeting will be on
May 17, at the library.—By
Sharon Kay Hartman.
Holt Women Back
from Eastern Tour
Mrs. Esther Harris of O’Neill
and Mrs. John Conard of Em
met recently returned from a
three-weeks’ visit in the East.
They visited at Niagara Falls
N.Y., and while there viewed the
falls from the Canadian side.
From there they went to Boston,
Mass., where a day was spent
sightseeing. In New York City,
they were guests for a week at
the home of Mrs. Harris’ daugh
ter, Miss Ruth.
Miss Harris is employed in the
United Nations, working with
Oriental language.
Upon leaving New York, they
traveled to Phildelphia, Pa.,
spending -a day touring that his
torical city. The following two
days were spent in the nation’s
capitol, Washington.
On the return trip, by train,
they spent a day in Chicago, 111.,
and visited Monday, April 25, at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Milton
Bock, at Burlington, la. Before
returning to O’Neill they were
guests Tuesday, April 26, in
Omaha at the home of Mrs. Har
ris’ son-in-law and daughter, Mr.
and Mrs. Deraid May, and family.
Norfolk JC Plans
Early Course—
An early-summer course in ed
ucational psychology, designed for
the classroom teacher, is planned
at Norfolk Junior college. This
course will include: Psychology
and school problems; readiness
and development; acquiring
ideas, attitudes and skiUs; plan
ning, motivation and evaluation;
emotional learning; construction
of good testing programs; evalua
tion of student progress. This is a
“lower development work”, three
hours credit.
Brownies Meet;
Make Gifts
Brownie troop 2 met at the li
brary Monday, May 2. We finish
ed our mothers’ day gifts. Our
hostess was Sandra Clark. She
served candy bars. Next meeting
will be May 16.—Patsy Bazelman,
reporter.
Frontier for printing!
‘South of Border’
Is Banquet Theme
CHAMBERS — “South of the
Border” was the theme chosen
for the annual junior-senior ban
quet held Thursday, April 28, at
the Chambers high school.
Blue and gold were the senior
colors used in the decorations.
The program follows: “Lord’s
Prayer” by Dick Young; welcome
address, “My Seniors and Senor
itas,” by Carolyn Wintermote; re
sponse, “Enchantment”, by Shir
ley DeHart; song “Mexicali Rose”
by Carolyn Wintermote and Vi
ona Burgett; toast, “High Moun
tains”, by L. J. Ekdahl; takeoffs;
“Interesting Scenes”, by Sam Tag
gart, and toast “Come to the Fi
esta,” by Mr. Weinmeister.
The menu consisted of juice,
hem, potatoes, sweet potatoes,
corn, salad, rolls, coffee and des
sert.
The seniors are Shirly De Hart,
Dorothy Haake and Lois Brown.
Their motto is: “It is not the gale
but the set of our sail that deter
mines the way we go.”
The banquet was prepared by
the mothers of the juniors. Two
sophomore boys and two soph
more girls waited tables.
Mr. and Mrs. George McKim
of Albuquerque, N. M., visited
Monday, May 2, at the home of
his brother and sister-in-law,
Mr. and Mrs. Lyle McKim. Miss’
Ruth Harnish also was a guesi at
the Lyle McKim home. She is a
sister of Mrs. George McKim.
Money to Loan
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That’s a major reason for the phenomenal success
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— CaSYOU Sit • STEER • STOP SAFELY? CHECK YOUR CAR-CHECK ACCIDENTS-WHEN BETTER AUTOMOBILES ARE BUILT BUICK WIU BUILD THEM —
A. MARCELLUS
Phone 370 O’Neill