“Voice of The Frontier”
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9:45 A.M. _ 780 k.c. P®** 1 t0 12
North-Central Nebraska’s BIGGEST Newspaper
Volume 75.—Number 3. O’Neill, Nebraska, Thursday, May 19, 1955. Seven Cents
Deraid Graham caresses back of his head where he was slug
ged during a robbery . . . James Earey looks on. — The Frontier
Photo.
William R. Warren, 19 (left), and James Blood, 17 . . . robbed
fitting station, captured, sentenced in span of five days.—The Fron
tier Photo.
A WOL Airmen Slug
Station Attendant
City Obliged to
Spend $12,000
384-Ft. Well Going
Down Soon
At a special meeting of the city
council Tuesday afternoon, called
by Mayor Alva Marcellus, the
council voted to seek bids on a
new municipal water well to al
leviate a serious supply situa
tion.
The city’s consultant engineer
estimates the new well might cost
$12,000. Bids will be opened on
June 10.
According to present plans, the
well will be drilled within about
six feet ot the socalled “middle
well” on U.S. highway 81 right
of-way ,1!£ miles south of town.
A test hole there last week indi
cated a 1,100-gallons-per-minute
capacity pump could be used
there at a depth of 384 feet. This
well is to be considerably deeper
than existing wells, which have
been troublesome because of sand.
A test hole within the city
bore good indications, Mayor
Marcellus said, but the estab
lished well sites south of town
would enable a savings on pipe
and material.
Mayor Marcellus said he would
name a finance committee from
a group of businessmen (not
members of the council) to review
the city books, which are being
audited, and the city’s budget re
' quirements. The newly - elected
mayor indicated the council would
o welcome and guide on the fiscal
recommendations of the unnamed
committee.
The council also authorized
purchase of a new police cruiser
car. The new combination police
rest station on South Fourth
street, in the Yantzi budding, may
be ready for occupancy next
v'eek.
The council reviewed activities
of the street department. Consid
erable grading, gravelling and
culvert work has been done on
the streets since the new council
took office; also some alley im
provements have been made.
The Frontier was designated as
the official city newspaper for the
new fiscal year. Mayor Marcellus
said some appointments will be
forthcoming at the next regular
meeting of the council,
o ■ —
Pool Opening Set
for Sunday, May 29
Weather permitting the O’Neil]
municipal swimming pool wil]
open for its second season on Sun
day, May 29. Season tickets are
now on sale at the pool office
Western Auto, Eby’s Service sta
tion and First National bank.
During the forenoons the poo'
wid be used exclusively for Rec
Cross swimming lessons. Dor
Templemeyer will again manage
the pool and will operate througl
the supper hour.
' <
Two airmen, absent-without- ‘
leave from an air force radar sta- ,
tion at Waverly, la., bargained
for trouble and found it within '
a span of five days.
William R. Warren, 19, of Val- j
ley Falls, R.I., and James Blood, ,
17, of Lynn, Mass., took off hitch- !
hiking from Waverly last week.
They were picked up by Edward
E. Heatherton, a Waterloo, la.,
motorist. The driver was rapped
in the head with the butt of a re
volver, tied up, left in a field,
and the two airmen headed west
ward in Heatherton’s car.
About 6:40 p.m., last Thursday,
Blood walked into the Earley Oil
company station in West O’Neill.
According to Deraid Graham,
the attendant at the station,
young Blood asked permission to
use the rest room. Upon emerging
from the rest room, the air force
man wearing jeans and a red
jacket and flashing a revolver,
advised Graham this was a hold
up. Blood ordered Graham into
the rest room.
When Graham’s back was
turned, the attendant was clob
bered on the head with the butt
of the revolver. Graham was
dazed but not knocked out.
Blood then picked up a ham
mer handle and hit Graham in the
head again, drawing considerable
blood. Still conscious, Graham
said Blood helped himself to $131
in the cash register and escaped
into a waiting car, which had
been parked nearby.
Dan Scott of Atkinson stopped
off at the station within a few
minutes after the robber had
left, aided Graham and summon
ed help.
News of the bold robbery was
flashed to law enforcement offi
cers throughout the area.
A roadblock at Valentine later
in the evening enabled Cherry
County Sheriff Bill Herman to
quiz the two airmen. Herman
thought the radioed description
of Blood didn’t apply and did not
detain them. A person standing
nearby, however, saw a revolver
which had not been concealed.
Herman began pursuit of the
two, who, about 1 o’clock, were
finally stopped at Rushville by
Sheridan County Sheriff Wen
dell Hill.
Holt County Sheriff Leo Tom
jack set out immediately for
Rushville and returned Warren
and Blood to O’Neill Friday night.
The two AWOL airmen had, in
a few short hours, run their
course. They signed statements,
admitting the Graham incident.
Monday morning they pleaded
guilty before H. W. Tomlinson
and were bound over to district
court without bail. At 2:30 p.m.,
Tuesday they appeared before
District Judge D. R. Mounts and
were sentenced to the Nebraska
men’s reformatory at Lincoln.
Each was given a sentence of
from three to 10 years for rob
bery.
County Attorney William W.
Griffin prosecuted. John R. Gal
lagher was appointed by the court
to represent Blood; Norman Gon
i deringer was appointed to rep
l resent Warren.
(Continued on page 12)
Soaking Rain Buoys Ag Hopes
Driver, 17,
Critically
Injured
Thelma Summers in
‘Grave’ Condition;
3 Others Are Hurt
Miss Thelma Summers, 17, was
in “grave" condition Wednesday
night at St. Anthony’s hospital
here following a two-car crash in
which three other persons were
injured. Miss Summers, driver of
one of the vehicles, is suffering
from multiple internal injuries, a
possible skull fracture and con
siderable hemorrhaging.
Successive blood transfusions
were made and the hospital
listed her condition as “criti
cal.”
Her two sisters, Leona, 16, and
Joyce, 12, passengers in her car,
were listed in “satisfactory” con
dition.
Miss Leona suffered a brain
concussion and possible skull
fracture. The youngest sister,
Joyce, suffered possible chest in
juries. »
The other car was owned and
operated by Louis Juracek of
Niobrara, who escaped unhurt. A
passenger in the Juracek ma
chine, Henry Meyers of Niobrara,
suffered a broken leg and was
taken to the Lindberg Memorial
hospital at Creighton. Meyers
also suffered facial cuts.
The accident ocurred about 5
o’clock Wednesday afternoon on
a country road 13 miles east of
O’Neill.
The Juracek car, a 1955 Buick,
was travelling eastward. The
Summers car, owned by the girls’
father, Harold Summers of Page,
was travelling northward. The
collision occurred on an inter
section.
Holt County Sheriff Leo Tom
jack, who invetigated, said a
shelterbelt made visibility poor
at the corner.
The Summers girls were en
route to their home after hav
ing cleaned up the rural school
in district 55 taught this past
term by Miss Thelma.
Both cars were badly demolish
ed and school books in the Sum
mers machine were strewn
around the wreckage.
The Summers girls were
brought to O’Neill by Biglin’s am
bulance, and another ambulance
took Meyers to Creighton.
Miss Leona was graduated from
Page high school this spring.
31 to Graduate
at St. Mary’s
Thirty-one St. Mary’s academy
seniors will receive diplomas in
commencement exercises at 10
a.m., Thursday, May 6. Rev. Ed
ward B. Gill of Butte will address
the graduates.
Ellen Corkle has been an
nounced winner of valedictorian
honors and the salutatorian
award goes to Helen Vitt. Miss
Corkle receives the St. Mary
college, Xavier, Kans., scholar
ship, and Miss Vitt will be award
ed the Mt. Marty college, Yank
ton, S.D., scholarship.
Other awards:
Connie Lydon, scholarship to
Marycrest college, Davenport, la.;
JoAnn Ziska, scholarship to St.
Mary’s college, Omaha; Barbara
Cunningham, Norfolk J unior
college scholarship; Mary Janice
Remter, Wayne State Teachers
college award.
Class night will be observed
Wednesday, May 25, in the public
school auditorium. The class mot
to: “Today we follow, tomorrow
we lead.” The class flower is the
white rose.
The class roll:
John Connot of Valentine, Jerry
Cuddy, Terry Donlin of Bristow,
Bennie Fleming, Pat Gokie, Ter
ry Wanser of Ewing.
Jeanne Cole, Ellen Corkle, Bar
bara Cunningham, Peggy Degan
of Superior, Mary E. Froelich,
Vera Dell Funk of Clearwater,
Sandra Harpe», Edna Heeb of
Midland, S.D.
Pauline Hoffman of Cody, Dot
ty Lee of Browmlee, Connie Ly
don of Ewing, Kay Martin, Patty
Morrison, Patty Mullen.
Betty Osborn of Dorsey, Ce
cilia Peter, Mary Janice Remter,
Regina Roggasch of Rose, Patty
Sullivan of Omaha, Patty Tomlin
son, Miriam Troshynski, Mary
Lou Uhl, Helen Martha Vitt,
Helen Winchell, Jo Ann Ziska of
Emmet.
On Thursday, April 28, the jun
iors entertained the seniors at
the annual banquet and prom. A
short intermission followed the
banquet while the students, their
parents and friends danced.
Diplomas to 35
O’Neill Hi Seniors
Marilyn Lindberg Is
Valedictorian
Marilyn Lindberg was award
ed valedictorian honors Wednes
day evening, May 18, in O’Neill
high school commencement ex
ercises. She was awarded a
church school scholarship) also
the Reader’s Digest award. Pre
sentation was made by Principal
Paul Baker.
Salutatorian honors went to
Norma Timmerman, who received
the state teachers’ college award.
Robert Sanders, who finished
Lindberg Timmerman
third scholastically, received the
Norfolk Junior college scholar
ship.
The University of Nebraska re
gents’ scholarships went to Miss
gents’ scholarship went to Miss
ternates: David
Sanders, Janice
Holsclaw and Jea
nene Backhaus.
Dr. Walter Beggs
of the University
of Nebraska pre
sented the com
mencement ad
dress. He is chair
man of the depart- Sanders
meat of educational principles
and history.
The senior class roll:
Donald C. Adams, Duane E.
Alton, Ardyce Jeanene Altpn, Da
vid C. Andersen, Jeanene Kay
Backhaus, Radean G. Block, Du
ane D. Boelter, Mildred Louise
Crabb, Owen M. Davis, Vera Jean
Ernst, Eugene R. Ermer, James
A. Frerichs, Richard E. Gaskill,
Edward E. Gatz, Joan Kathryn
Godel, Carroll F. Grenier, Don
ald H. Gruhn.
Betty Mae Harmon, Janice Joy
Holsclaw, Janet Arlene Hull,
Marilyn Marie Lindberg, Bernard
D. Lorenz, Lillian Marie Mauer,
Carolyn JoAnn Moseman, Bertha
Ellen Orsborn, David M. Page,
Patricia Jeanne Pierson, Edward
Ritts, Robert I. Sanders, Janet
Rosalie Seger, Leila Mae Shaw,
Mavis Kay Strong, Vonda Rose
Thomas, Norma Jean Timmer
man, Sharon Glee Hancock.
Supt. D. E. Nelson presented
diplomas to 38 eighth graders:
The roll:
Larry Anderson, Shirley Ba
butzke, Bill Baker, Joan Booth,
Jerry Dawes, Robert Dennis,
Darrel Dexter, Velda Ernst, Nan
cy Fetrow, David Floyd, Jeanette
Fricke, Larry Frisch, George Ful
ler.
Karen Hartronft, Sharon Hart
ronft, Dianne Howard, Cherrian
Knepper, Konnie Kurtz, Jimmy
Larson, Patty Lewis, Sharon
Marcellus, Ronnie Mauer, David
McCage, Keith McKim, Mary
Neiman.
Ruby Passieux, Allen Reynold
son, Betty Rodman, Carolyn
Schmiechel, Jo Ann Searles, Nan
cy Sipes, Konrad Smith, Melvin
Sollman, Howard Staub, Marilyn
Strong, Teddy Strong, Rose Wal
ton, Robert Wheeler.
Jesse Wilkinson, 87,
Rites Set Friday
Jesse W. Wilkinson, 67, a re
tired farmer who came to Holt
county in 1928, died at 5:05 p.m.,
Tuesday, May 17, at the home of
his daughter Mrs. Hazel Boat
man, who resides in the north
east section of the city. He had
been ill 2% weeks.
The remains will lie in state at
Biglin’s chapel between 9 o‘clock
and noon today (Thursday) and
will be forwarded to Ansley.
Funeral services will be con
ducted at 2 p.m., Friday, May 20,
at the Church of Christ in Ans
ley. Burial will be in the Ansley
cemetery.
The late Jesse William Wilkin
son was born May 28, 1867, in
Iowa, the son of Hiram M. and
Minerva Paine Wilkinson. They
became the parents of seven chil
dren—three of whom are deceass
ed.
On January 24, 1893, at Aurora,
he married Eva Jane Barnett.
The family came to Holt county
from Cherry county in 1928.
Mrs. Wilkinson died June 29,
1938.
Survivors include: Sons—Wil
liam of Sun Valley, Calif., and
Vern of Chambers; daughters —
Mrs. Haze1 Boatman of O’Neill
and Mrs. Earl Robison of Wood
ruff, Kans.
«■■■. Jk.x,.i i ; —i i» i in i if ;i«jKX mrssmwmmAXM
Spanish Dancers in Musical Production
O’Neill public grade school pupils, under
the direction of Richard Smithson, recently pre
sented the musical production, “A Day at the
Book Store.” A Spanish dance team comprised
a portion of the program. The dancers (left-to
right): Bobbie Kramer, Ruth Ann Walker, Lon
na Haynes and Stanley Schmeichel.
Minister ‘Captures’ Wayward Boy
Aroused by the activity of a
17-year-old boy who was at
tempting to steal a car from the
street in front of the Assembly
of God church, the owner of
the automobile and church pas
tor, Rev. Wayne A. Hall, made
a “capture” Thursday night.
The minister applied the
golden rule to the wayward
boy, gained a confession, noti
fied authorities here and the
young man’s farm parents near
Kearney.
After obstructing the boy’s
efforts to take the O’Neill car,
Reverend Hall invited the
youth into his home where Mrs.
Hall prepared a good supper.
The boy poured out his heart.
He recounted how he had
disagreed with his father, taken
a 1947 car from the streets of
Kearney and abandoned it at
Pleasanton, having run out of
gas. He appropriated another
car and drove to O’Neill.
“The boy said he was tired
and sleepy,” Reverend Hall ex
plained, “so we told him to go
to bed and get a good rest.”
Reverend Hall said he would
not press charges and ques
tioned if authorities at Kearney
would press the matter. The
boy was to graduate from high
school this week.
“He was a good boy,” Rev
erend Hall commented. “He
simply had had bitterness and
disappointment and got off on
the wrong track.”
HITS 2 PARKED CARS
ATKINSON—A 1947 two-door
car driven by Don Wedige, 17, of
Atkinson rounded the comer near
St. Joseph’s Catholic church Sun
day morning and smacked into
two unoccupied parked cars. The
unoccupied cars were owned by
E. C. McKay, a 1954 model, and
by Harold Waldo, a 1952 model.
All three vehicles were damaged,
according to Deputy Holt County
Sheriff James Mullen, who in
vestigated. Wedige was not hurt.
Carl Hammerberg
Expires in Hastings
Bom Near Celia ;
Burial Monday
ATKINSON— Funeral services
were conducted at 2 p.m., Mon
day, May 16, from the Methodist
church here for Carl Martin
Hammerberg, 60, who died Fri
day, May 13, in Mary Lanning
hospital at Hastings. He had been
in poor health about 18 months.
Rev. E. G. Hughes officiated
and burial was in Woodlawn
cemetery. Pallbearers were Stan
ley Johnson, Merrill Smith, Glen
McClurg, Lou Humphrey, Har
old Kirkland and Earl Ellsbury.
Singers were Mrs. Dean Flem
ing and Mrs. William Schorn with
Mrs. E. G. Hughes at the organ.
They sang “In the Garden” and
“Abide wTith Me.”
The late Mr. Hammerberg was
born July 3, 1894, in the Celia
community north of Atkinson. He
was a son of Frank and Mary
Hulda Hammerberg (deceased).
He resided on the farm until 1919
when his parents moved into At
kinson.
Mr. Hammerberg sold auto
mobiles, did some trucking, and
for 12 years carried mail on
RFD route 4. He was employ
ed for a time at the naval am
munition depot at Hastings. He
was a member of the Methodist
church here.
On September 11, 1954, he mar
ried Miss Julia Allhouse of Stu
art.
Survivors include: Widow —
Julia of Hastings; brother—Oscar
Algot Hammerberg of Atkinson;
sister — Mrs. W. R. (Mildred)
Greenwood of Sagle, Ida.; five
nieces and four nephews.
Among relatives and friends
from out-of-town for the funeral
were Mrs. Martin (Julia) Ham
merberg of Hastings, Mr. and
Mrs. Albert Johnson of Lyons,
Elmer Johnson of Oakland, Mr.
and Mrs. J. V. Johnson of O’
Neill, Mr. and Mrs. Ora Yarges of
Stuart, Fred Zink of Stuart and
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Loger
well of Bassett.
Mrs. Ada Fleener
Dies in California
Mrs. Ada Fleeoer, 67, the for
mer Ada McAllister, a longtime
resident of Holt county, died at
her home at Costa Mesa, Calif.
Survivors include: Five daugh
ters, two sons, five brothers and
five sisters. Mrs. Jennie Eppen
bach of O’Neill is a sister.
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Muff and
Carolyn took Miss Bonita to Om
aha Sunday from where she went
by plane to Washington, D. C.,
to spend the summer with her
sister, Miss Barbara.
Over 200 Attend
Deanery Meeting;
7 Speakers Heard
Among those from O’Neill at
tending the O’Neill deanery meet
ing of the National Council of
Catholic Women Monday after
noon at Lynch were: Mesdames
John Donohoe, Grover Shaw,
John H. McCarville, Edward
Gleeson, Oliver Ross, Charles
Boyle, Joseph L. McCarville, sr.,
Frank Clements, Edward M. Gal
lagher, Henry Martin, Jerry Hal
va, George Head, H. J. Lohaus,
Leo Gokie, John Pribil, Floyd
Wilson, Lod Janousek, John Hick
ey, Robert Shoemaker, William
Watson, Harry Graham, Sylvester
Zakrzewski and Miss Mary Car
ney.
Over two hundred persons at
tended the session held in the
Odd Fellows hall in Lynch.
Speakers were Rev. William Fos
ter of Spencer, Rev. Charles
Kamber of Lynch, Rev. Francis
Price of Emmet, Very Rev. Tim
othy O’Sullivan, Rt. Rev. Msgr.
John Juricek of Omaha, Mrs. H.
Schultz, president of the O’Neill
deanery, and Mrs. G. O’Brien of
Omaha, archdiocesan president of
the council.
Mrs. William Watson and Mrs.
Robert Shoemaker, both of O’
Neill and both registered nurses,
gave a demonstration on emer
gency baptism.
Rev. Hall Accepts
Broken Bow Post
Rev. Wayne A. Hall, pastor of
the Assembly of God church here
for the past six years, Sunday
resigned his pastorate to accept a
call from the Assembly of God
church at Broken Bow. The field
there is larger he told his congre
gation.
Reverend Hall, who lived a
number of years in southwestern
Holt county, succeeded Rev. Jo
nah Hamburger as pastor of the
new church here. Prior to coming
to O'Neill, Reverend Hall and his
wife, a native of Ansley, had
been in evangelistic work.
The Halls increased the aver
age church attendance from 20 to
120 according to church records.
"
; Quinns Leaving
for California—
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Quinn expect
to leave Monday for San Diego,
Calif., where they will visit their
son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and
Mrs. Edward Quinn and family.
They also plan to spend some
time with their nephew, Bill
Moore and his wife in las Angeles.
They will be accompanied by
their grandson, Jerry Versal of
Atkinson. On Tuesday evening
the Quinns attended commence
ment exercises in Atkinson where
Jerry was a member of the grad
uating class.
Frontier for printing!
Walter Richard, 111
Several Months, Dies
Funeral Saturday at
Chambers
CHAMBERS—Walter A. Rich
ard, 76, longtime resident of the
Chambers community, died at
12:20 a.m., Wednesday, May 18,
at his home at Chambers. He had
been ill several months and re
cently had been hospitalized at
O’Neill.
Funeral services will be con
ducted at 2 p.m., Saturday, May
21, from the Methodist church in
Chambers. Rev. J. M. Hodgkin
will officaite and burial will be
in the Chambers cemetery.
The late Walter Allen Rich
ard was born December 20,
1878, at Lincoln Center, Kans.
He came to Holt county in
1894 from Kansas.
On August 31, 1901, he married
Lillie Bell Wyant at O’Neill. They
became the parents of two chil
dren.
The late Mr. Richard farmed
for many years. He had spent
most of the winter in Wyoming
near his daughter, but recently
had been residing in his home
on an acreage at the west edge
of town.
He was a member of the Odd
Fellows lodge at Chambers.
Survivors include: Son—Clar
ence W. of Powell, Wyo.; daugh
ter — Mrs. Leona Hodgson of
Chugwater, Wyo.
Atkinson Rural
Route Extended
ATKINSON—An extension has
been made to rural route number
two which operates northwest of
Atkinson. Carrier Donald R. Da
vis made his first trip on the new
portion Monday, May 16. Nine
families are now getting rural
mail service who formerly had to
go into Atkinson to get their mail
as service had never been extend
ed into that community.
The patrons who receive ser
vice from the extension are Lew
is Jphnson, Harry Anderson,
Claude Raymer, John Kramer,
jr., Eugene Poessneckei, Dean
Funk, Eugene Karr, Charles
Deermer and William Spann.
MOTHER DIES
Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Harder
attended the funeral Tuesday of
her mother, Mrs. Santi Haivala,
74, in Bufaflo, S.D. Services were
conducted from the Lutheran
church in Buffalo. Mrs. Haivala
died Sunday at the hospital in
Felle Fourche, S.D. She is sur
vived by three daughters and
two sons.
Mrs. R. L. Sutcliffe entertained
the Jeudi club at dinner and
bridge last Thursday. Mesdames
J. B. Grady and D. A. Kersen
brock had the high bridge scores.
j> - .1 ....
Moisture Is
Welcomed;
Vital Time
o
O’Neill Measures .65;
Cloudburst Hits in
Locality of Bristow
Prayers for rain in the parched
north-central Nebraska area were
answered Tuesday.
Some portions of the O’Neill
region, on the verge of being
drought-stricken were blessed
with heavy rains.
Tuesday afternoon’s rainfall at
O'Neill was officially tabbed at
.65 of an inch. Heaviest rain in
the area came in the form of a
cloudburst along the Niobrara
river south of Bristow and east
of the Spencer hydro-electric dam.
Up to 3.60 inches was recorded
there.
On the opposite side of the
ledger, a locality east of Page
received only a sprinkle and
Long Pine got no relief at all.
Tuesday morning light showers
were reported by motorists trav
eling between Norfolk and Clear
water. At the same time, Ran
dolph, Plainview and Brunswick
report showers.
About noon rain began falling0
at Bassett and by l o’clock the
precipitation amounted to 1.10 o
inches. This storm moved east
ward giving most of Holt county
an old-fashioned drenching. The
Atkinson-Emmet area received
rain for several hours measuring
up to 2.10 inches in the Atkinson
and Green Valley localities. Am
elia reported 1.50; Chambers, .73;
Ewing, .75; Inman, .60.
Bonesteel and Lynch measured
one inch of rain; Spencer, .45;
Verdigre, .30; Creighton, .50.
Clarence t)onohoe, who resides
6!& miles north of O’Neill, report
ed two inches of rain at his place
and heavier rainfall in the Mid
way locality farther north. He
said some of the farmers who had
staved off corn planting until the
past week are “sitting just right
now.” ...
Mayor Edwin Wink of Cham
bers happily explained “every
nickel’s worth soaked in”
around his neighborhood. The
Chambers area and the country
south and west of Chambers
had been deprived of moisture
all spring and some of the pas
tures were naked.
Troxel Green, who resides four
miles west of Chambers and two
miles south, indicated the 1.69
inch rainfall in his neighborhood
would transform the pastures in
just a few days. Mr. Green, a
young rancher, said oldtimers re
call springs when pastures were
worse off, “but I can’t remember
a drier spring season.” Because
of the dry condition of his pas
ture. Mr. Green had sent out a
load of cattle last week.
R. H. Strong, who lives 12
miles south of O’Neill and three
miles west, reported a one-inch
rain at his place. “I was getting
ready to sell off some of my cat
tle and I know some of the neigh
bors were beginning to feel the
same way about the drought,”
Mr. Strong told The Frontier.
“But Tuesday’s rain changed
all of that!” he grinned.
Clarence Johnson, who lives
south of O’Neill, reported “more
than a half-inch of rain” and pre
dicted pastures would recover
quickly with a little warm wea
ther.
Ord, which was in the heart of
the north-central drought area,
got 2.37 inches; Burwell, coun
tyseat of Garfield county, re
ported 1.50 inches; Greeley coun
ty received partial relief in the
form of a quarter-inch rain. Bart
lett measured a half-inch.
Pickstown, S.D., received 1.50'
inches; Norfolk, .13; Clearwater,
.31.
O’Neill retailers felt immedi
ate resalts as rural folk, hopes
buoyed by the general rainfall,
switched Into a spending mood.
In O’Neill the rain began fall
ing at 3:45 and literally poured
for about 10 minutes. The skies
continued to drip into the early
evening hours.
Mrs. O. A. Hammerberg, The
Frontier’s correspondent in the
Atkinson locality, described the
moisture like this: “A big rain
badly needed.”
The hop-skip-and-jump show
ers were accompanied by consid
erablje electrical disturbance, c
Consumers Public Power report
ed lightning difficulty at the
Spencer hydro.
Last week’s report by the
state-federal statistician in Lin
coln declared Nebraska pastures
were 73 percent of normal, com
pard to 78 percent at the corre
sponding time a year ago.
