Prairieland Talk . . .
*Experts* Roam State, Fix Values
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS, Retired, Former Editor The Frontier
Maybe as a product of the seed
sown by the “experts” who went about the state
from courrty-to-county telling the homefolks what
. their real estate should be valued at for taxation
delegations from various counties are meeting at
the statehouse in Lincoln wrangling over the val
uations.
Governor Anderson uses the milder word “dis
cussion,” but it means the same thing. Of the 17
counties participating in the “discussions” on Aug
ust 1, Garfield and Wheeler pr.; 1 L ■,
counties were represented by
delegations. Holt county had been •>
invited to participate by sending
a delegation but ignored the gath
ering to expound the wisdom of
the wise relative to the findings
and conclusions cf the experts.
Nebraskans heretofore man
aged their affairs without experts
to be paid out of public funds.f
Now the city of Lincoln called in
another group of experts from an_
eastern university to tell how to Romaine
organize the police force. Their Saunders
conclusions include a dip into the nearly 17-mil
lion-dollar budget for increases in pay for the men
assigned to guard the peace and dignity of the
community.
A few years ago the experts were here telling
how to run the city buses.
* • *
Where are Tom Dewey, Colonel Lindberg, Sam
McKelvie, Joe Lewis? . . A gent down at Hastings
takes up a column of space in a state newspaper
demanding that the world shall know he parks by
the highway that carries the most traffic in Ne
braska. Streets, highways and roads everywhere
are crowded to capacity with traffic—this to the
Adams county patriot has become the important
probiem, overshadowing world peace and the visit
of a delegation of Muscovite “agriculturists” to
prairieland. . . The ladies have adopted wide flar
ing skirts, maybe next the hoopskirt of our grand
mothers. The other extreme a generation ago was
introduced in O’Neill by Mrs. C. E. Hall, who ven
tue forth in the new togs, took a tumble and all
but broke her neck. ... A farm woman of a com
munity near Lincoln tells us they have had to sell
their cattle as the pasture is dried up and they
have no feed for the stock. Southeast Nebraska has
been scorched under a blazing sun all through July.
Those returning from vacationing in the West re
port the Platte valley country robed in velvet
green. . . The Russian farm delegation arrived in
Lincoln the morning of August 1, looked the cap
itol city over and ventured out around Columbus.
The day previous some of them flew from Omaha
to Cherry county for a look at sandhills cattle
herds.
* • *
Nebraska’s two senators doubtless have the
approval of the homefolks for opposing that two
billion some hundreds of million dollar foreign
aid measure. Foreign aid. All lands have been on
the map for centuries beyond 1876 and if the peo
ple of those lands have not yet acquired the capaci
ty to root hog or die they better be getting busy.
A lady told me today that her daughter, living
in a distant Eastern city, is homesick for her child
hood Nebraska home but feels they can not at
present afford the $129 the airways ask to fly her
and her two small children to Omaha. Another
case where “money bars the way.” And the air
plane does not take you to your ultimate destina
tion. Some years ago I boarded a bus in Washing
ton, D.C., and was landed safely in Omaha at a
total cost of $19.26. Well, not exactly the total cost
as I gave the bus driver two bits for a pillow. Woke
up the last morning only to discover I had acquired
a seat mate during the night, and was sharing my
pillow with the auburn-head of an attractive look
ing lady.
* • •
Loren Mills, a native of Gordon and a ne
phew of the late Sturdevant brothers of Atkin
son, Brantle and Doctor Sturdevant, is connect
ed with one of the long-established mercantile
concerns in Lincoln. Charley Sturdevant, a
grandson of the doctor, is with one of the drug
firms in the capital city.
* * *
R. L. Cochran was governor of Nebraska when
the late Hugh B. James invited me to accompany
him and two others to Lincoln to intercede with
the governor and pardon board for the release of
a young man of our Swan precinct community.
The man had been mistakenly convicted and sent
to prison. Cochran now is reported scheduled for
retirement from government service in Washing
ton, D.C., where he has been since retiring as
governor. Governor Cochran treated us graciously
and our request was granted.
a * *
Early in August I received a package through
the mails from Melvin and Marvin Meals up by
Atkinson. The package being about the size of a
loaf of bread I thought the boys had concluded, in
view of the hot and dry July down this way, things
were getting tough for us and in a generous mood
they would help out with a loaf of bread. But upon
opening the package I found a pigmy size bale of
Holt county hay, a souvenir of the Atkinson hay
days. Thanks a lot, boys; a bit of Holt county hay
is precious and revives memories.
• * •
Loneliness—a cure for the bighead. Admit
ting that you were wrong is a step toward the
elimination of error. Money talks; so does the
goofy guy. You are eligible for a place in the
ranks of the successful if the boss has put up
with you for 10 years and your wife every day.
* • *
The radio has the same stories day-by-day—
the weather, the highway crackups, officials and
society groups pondering problems, community,
national and world notables expounding their wis
dom and which bunch at the bat scores the win
ning runs. And the story of a religious zealot in a
Southern state, fondling a rattler in his devotions,
is stung and dies is at least a break in the monot
ony. Too hot to write—will see you later.
* • *
We know of no one who ever regretted read
ing the Bible and know of many who have gotten
much out of it. That ought to mean something.
Editorial . . .
Every Shot Helps
A point which should make every parent feel
better is that every Salk polio shot helps protect all
children all over America. Of 20 children in a
neighborhood, let us say, Johnny is the one to get
a shot this week. But if Johnny has turned up with
polio this week, instead of with protection, every
child he played with, or rode in a bus with or sat
next to at Sunday-school or church would also be
exposed. Johnny is not going to give polio to any
of those children. Tomorrow Susie will get her shot.
„ Another six or eight children who might get it from
her will not get it. They share her protection.
Multiply that protection over the country and it
is easy to see that with the very first shots pro
e tection begins to work. It spreads with the new
shots as fast — probably much faster — than the
• disease is likely to spread.
So there’s no occasion for worry because John
ny gets it and Jane does not get hers for a few
weeks. Three-year-old Kathy is in no greater
danger than before because six-year-old sister,
0 Libby, got hers and Kathy didn’t. On the contrary,
Kathy is safer than before, because Libby got hers.
Patience is a virtue of virtues today. Protection
is not only coming. To some extent it is already
here.
c ————————————————
Is Private Power Evil?
Private rather than public development of
water power in Hells canyon has been approved
by the federal power commission. FPC granted a
50-year license to Idaho Power company to build
three dams on a hundred-mile stretch of the Snake
river along the Idaho-Oregon border.
Almost automatically came the blasts from
the public power advocates. Sen. Hubert Humphrey
(D-Minn.) termed the FPC action “just another
example of the fact that this administration waits
until congress is away to uncork its special interests
packages.”
Sen. Wayne Morse (D-Ore.) said the matter
is far from settled. “When this battle is over the
people’s interests will prevail.” Sen. Warren Mag
nuson (D-Wash.) said, “This ruling is a complete
sellout of God-given resources to the private power
body.” There were similar statements from the
0 usual people.
For many years the public power crowd has
tried by constant repetition of old refrains to put
over the idea that they alone are on the side of the
angels, that “the people” are entitled to the cheap
er power which federal ownership can bring, and
that private utility firms are heartless seekers of
huge profits.
The Minneapolis (Minn.) Star points out that
first of all, the utility companies aren’t closely
held corporations operating for the profit of a few
wealthy persons. Their stockholders in the aggre
gate number millions of individuals. Insurance
companies, pension funds and educational institu
tions own substantial holdings in utility firms. Such
investments have the highest approval because the
companies are well rim, subject to much regulation.
An Inexcusable Tragedy
Even in an age of atomic weapons there Is no
reason why the penalty for an error of navigation
should be death by shooting. Certainly not for all
tiie 58 persons aboard a commercial airliner, as in
the case of the Israeli passenger craft sent down in
flames by hasty Bulgarian anti-aircraft gunners.
The tragic incident calls insistently for a rectifi
cation by Soviet-bloc nations of their trigger
happy habits toward aircraft which stray inno
cently over or near their boundaries. The Bulgar
ian goverment has expressed its “deep reget” at the
disaster. Even indemnities cannot restore lives.
The Chinese communist government agreed
to pay damages for the loss of 10 persons on a
o
British airliner shot down by fighter planes off
Hainan island last year. The Soviet government
recently offered to pay for half the injuries sus
tained when an American navy plane was hit and
forced to land off Alaska.
But the crying need is some kind of warnioa
procedure which will alert a plane that is off
course, as the Israeli transport was, and give it a
chance either to land or to stand clear. Over Hun
gary a few years ago even an American military
transport was brought to earth safely by signals
from another plane.
The Bulgarian statement says “a few warm
ings” were given to the Israeli ship, but does not
say what kind. By international practice a code
of warning flares or star shells could be adopted,
to be fired near but not at an unidentified plane.
To be sure, an anti-aircraft crew these days is
conscious that any large plane might carry an atom
ic bomb. But this hardly explains the destruction
of a passenger-type plane bearing commmercial
markings and heading away from rather than
toward the Bulgarian capital. Communist trigger
fingers simply need to learn more restraint, if that
be possible.
Searing Summers
North America seems to be on the hot side of
a temperature cycle. Whether that cycle is one to
be measured in decades or centuries no one really
knows.
The middle of our continent (including Ne
braska and her neighbors) has the “continental”
climate—extremes in heat and cold. Omaha, Kansas
City, St. Louis and other metropolises lying in the
heartland have seen their thermometers break the
112 mark in the last few years.
Warm cycles are not new. A sequence of sear
ing summers swept the Mississippi valley and the
plains more than one hundred years ago.
Ever wonder what happens to the coin given
a beggar? At once the glow of generosity is dim
med by doubts. Will the man spend the money for
a warm bed or for a vice? The same citizen sends
a check to a charitable organization. What the coin
to the beggar lacked he feels sure the check to the
agency will supply.
The International Astronautical Federation,
meeting in Denmark, said it was now concentrating
on a space ship that can return to the earth. This
is n rather belated piece of news and will throw
cold water on the budding plans of a lot of space
enthusiasts.
’ * I
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Editorial & Business Offices: 122 Sooth Fourth Si.
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—2,463 (Mar. 31, 1955)
News, Views
and Gossip
By THE EDITOR
Joyous Occasion
Dark and brooding clouds had
gathered in the eastern skies (of
all places!) for several hours last
Thursday afternoon. Finally,
slashes of lightning pierced the
sky, the thunder rolled and the
heavens opened up with rain.
It was a joyous occasion because
this signalled the end of a miser
able fortnight during which the
torrid sun had baked the pastures,
wilted the com and dried up the
lawns and gardens. And most of
the nation was sweltering.
The rain had been falling for 10
or 15 minutes, the South Fo'irth
street storm gutters were running
brimful. The storm was still in
progress and from horizon - to -
horizon we could see nothing but
rainclouds. We were so elated we
picked up the telephone and call
ed Ed Stapowich, the U.S. weather
bureau chief at Omaha. We thank
ed him for the rain.
Stapowich took the call in
stride and was happy to leam
that somebody, at least, was get
ting rain.
It was Stapowich who drove
through O’Neill back in May, stop
ped off at The Frontier office, got
himself out on a limb by declar
ing “the sandhills area will get
general rain in just a few days.”
On the morning of the fourth
day, Mr. Stapowich called from
Omaha. “How much rain did you
get?” he queried.
Big Ed obviously was pleased
that he had hit the nail on the
head. “Are you happy?” he asked.
The spring season had been dry
hereabouts and the May 17 rain,
heralded in advance by Mr. Stap
owich’s weather gadgets and sci
entific training, broke the drouth.
For the ensuing two weeks the
rains came almost daily.
• • •
Heat Wave Broken
Back to our phone conversation
with Mr. Stapowich last Thursday
afternoon. Big Ed declared the
blistering punishment was over;
that a cold front moving down
from the north would touch off
numerous showers on a line ex
tending from Denver, Colo., into
Minnesota. Taylor (west of Bur
well) was clobbered with a seven
inch deluge, and showers fell
all along the imaginary line.
While the skies were emptying
over O’Neill and a good-sized
chunk of the O’Neill territory was
being watered, o’ur conversation
with Stapowich drifted to differ
ent weather talk.
Big Ed has just completed a
weather-wise house in Omaha. His
house is perched on a hill, taking
advantage of prevailing winds,
shutting out the sun’s hottest
rays, ventilating through a cav
ernous culvert-type opening at the
bottom of the hill. Air is drawn
through the tunnel (which is
deep in the ground), sent up^nto
the house where the warm air is
exhausted. A 20-degree differen
tial means that Stapowich’s “Wea
ther-ing Heights” is air-condi
tioned mother nature’s way.
* * •
Pencil Needed
Stapowich lampooned the arti
ficial rain-making schemes being
tried.
“If cloud-seeding were feasi
ble,” Stapowich declared, “the
U S. weather service would be in
it up to our neck.
“We get some screwy re
quests,” he continued. “The other
day some people came to me with
a plan supposedly based on ele
mentary physics. The people rea
soned that since cold air lingered
close to the ground, why couldn’t
the entire city of Omaha be air
conditioned mechanically, the
temperature lowered 20 degrees,
and the cold air be kept from
escaping by reason of hills, Mis
souri river, etc.?”
Stapowich pondered the dela
tion's questioning for a few mo
ments, called for a sharpened
pencil and began figuring. Finally
he said to the do-gooders:
“I believe the city of Omaha
cculd be air-conditioned — every
Royal Theater
— O'NEILL, NEBR. —
Thurs. Aug. 11
The air force called it “Operation
Deep Freeze” ... but this hand
ful of heroes who lived it called
it “hell”!
TOP OF THE WORLD
Starring Dale Robertson, Eve
lyn Keyes, Frank Lovejoy with
Nancy Gates, Paul Fix, Robert Ar
thur.
Family admitted for 2 adult tick
ets; children under 12 admitted
with parent; adults 50e;
children 12c
Fri.-Sat. Aug. 12-13
Big Double BUI
All new thrills!
REVENGE OF THE CREATURE
Starring John Agar, Lori Nel
son, John Bromfield. Wierd mon
ster escapes! Terror siezes the
city! All the pent-up fury of the
ages amok.
— also —
Gene Autry in
SUNSET OF THE WEST
Adults 50c; children 12c; matinee
Sat. 2:30. All children under 12
free when accompanied by parent
Sun. -Mom-Tues. Aug. 14-15-16
John Wayne, skipper of the ship
that had to get home, dead or
alive, and Lana Turner, the torrid
fuse of his floating time-bomb! in
THE SEA CHASE
Cinemascope, Warner color,
stereophonic sound. Also starring
David Farrar, Lyle Bettger, Tab
Hunter. They were both rene
gades—the captain whose own na
vy had rubbed him off its maps—
the girl whose reputation kept her
barred from half the world!
Adults 50c; children 12c; matinee
Sun. 2:30. All children unless in
arms most have tickets
home, all office buildings, every
factory, each street and every
cowpen at the stockyards. But
it’ll take 1,572,669,431 one-ton air
conditioning units to do the job;
or the energy equivalent to three
and one-half atom bombs.”
The delegation wiped per
spiring brows and trudged away.
Throughout the conversation
about “Weather - ing Heights,”
cloud-seeding, air conditioning and
atom bombs the rain continued to
fall at O’Neill.
Big Ed said:
“We’re forecasting showers for
Omaha and vicinity tomorrow. If
if rains here, I’m going to call
you!”
—CAL STEWART
When You and I Were Young . . .
Ed Whalen Returns
from British Isles
‘America Is Best Place
on Earth’
50 Years Ago
An old settlers’ picnic is being
arranged for in the Blackbird
country in a fine grove on William
Kaczor’s place, 18 miles north of
O'Neill. . . Attorney Ed. H. Whelan
returned from a three-months’
trip to the British Isles. Ed says
his travels have convinced him
that America is the best country
on earth, and its people the most
agreeable. . . The Frontier and the
Nebraska Farmer of Lincoln have
arranged to conduct a piano, gold
watch and scholarship contest.
The voting will be on subscription
money paid to The Frontier. You
may vote for any lady in Holt
county and we want several
young ladies to enter the contest.
... State Sen. Dimery of Beaver
Crossing was in the city. The
senator had business in this re
gion and while up this way came
on to O’Neill to visit with his old
friend, J. A. Cowperthwaite.
20 Years Ago
At the regular meeting of the
city council, a paving district was
created of the two blocks on
Fourth street north of Douglas,
and it was decided to pave these
two blocks at once. . . The Wom
en’s Christian Temperance Union
elected Elsie Johnson president
and Mrs. Lucy Leach as vice-pres
ident. . % Judge R. R. Dickson re
turned home from a two-weeks’
visit at the home of his brother
at Osage, la. . . Russel Bowen
and Miss Wilma Dell Smith were
united in marriage at Crookston,
Minn. . . John Baker was in
Chambers for minor surgery. . .
Two clever baseball nines which
could be called the Scrawny Eyed
Scridgets and the Scridgy Eyed
Scrawnets, boys around 10 or so,
played at the fair grounds.
One nine was composed of Capt.
Duke Kersenbrock, Paul Kubit
schek, Howard Graves, G. Ham
mond, Don Loy, Jack Harty and
Bill O’Connell. On the other team
were Meredith McKenna, Jerry
Toy, Clayton Powell, Red Stuart,
Harold Calkins, Jack Morrison
and Francis Gunn.
10 Years Ago
Apprentice Seamen Gene Street
er, George Janousek, James Gold
en and George Bosn, who are all
stationed at the navy training sta
tion at Great Lakes, 111., managed
to get together for a 45-minute
chat. . . The Bell Bros, circus,
which takes great pride in its
cleanliness of performance, will
be in O’Neill. . . A large crowd
attended the wedding of Norma
Jean Derickson and Elroy Arthur
Lieb. . . Arlan Tangeman of
Chambers had the end of the mid
dle finger cut off while working
with hay machinery. . . Miss Vi
Eidenmiller left for Denver,
Colo., where she will visit her sis
ter and other relatives. . . Mrs.
Ruby Skelton, 67, died Wednes
day at her home following a para
lytic stroke.
One Year Ago
Rev. Ernest Smith is the new
pastor of Christ Lutheran church
in O’Neill and St. Paul’s Lutheran
church in Atkinson. . . Walter
Kruse is recovering from injuries
received while repairing his car
at the Bill Aim place near Red
bird. . . Oscar R. Kirschke, 75, re
tired architectural engineer now
residing in San Diego, Calif., re
visited scenes of his childhood,
having been away from Holt
county for 65 years. . . Stanley
Huffman of Deloif was elected
senior vice - commander of the
state American Legion convention
held in Omaha. . . Mr. and Mrs.
Henry W. Tomlinson, well-known
O’Neill couple, marked their 58th
wedding anniversary. . . The
Birthday dub entertained at a
covered dish picnic dinner at the
home of Mrs. O. W. French.
HOME ON LEAVE
ATKINSON — T/Sgt. Richard
Baker, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alva
Baker of Atkinson, is home on a
45-day leave after returning re
cently from Japan. He will be
stationed in Germany after leav
ing here.
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Moss and
daughters, Lou and Mrs. Harry
Lampert, and granddaughter, Jan
et Lampert, went to Park Rapids,
Minn., Saturday for a week’s va
cation.
—
I
_I
I Prairie "Schooner^Jobil Homes
WE FINANCE — WE TRADE
O’Neill Trailer Sales — Phone 254
DICK TOMLINSON, Prop.
—M———^—
PUBLIC SALE
On James F. O'Donnell place, Vi-mile west of Emmet, 2 miles
north and Vi-mile west on—
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12th - 1 P.M.
41 Head of Cattle—Including 8 Shorthorn and Whiteface milk
cows, 10 stock cows, 15 coming 2 heifers, 2 coming 2 steers,
6 bucket calves. ALSO 25 spring Hamps., 35 Wh. R. hens.
Machieury, Etc.—Including 1955 model J-D tractor with powr
trol, 1954 Chev. 4-dr., with Power-Glide, J-D mtd. lister
and cultivator, McC. 2-row eli, ’51 G.I. 2-row picker No.
5 mower, McC. self-washer separator (new), Globe 2-unit
milking machine (new).
ALSO another line of machinery consigned by Francis Tenborg.
Large assortment of Household Goods. — Terms. Cash.
ED WINKLER, Owner
Col. Wallace O’Connell, O’Neill, Auctioneer
First Nat’l Bank, Atkinson, Clerk
WERE TRADING
HIGH, WIDE
- and then some /
Qo-you get & ttfpfe bonus__ -'
in tocfuyb top-sei/ing Bu/ck f~T~
1 * Bonus Buy
rT ctrade-ln MU>*ance \ ~iec%aZ?uk****«*" Br
\ -bigg^ in W h J ^^petfarngooe, va/ue
^ £°nus
*esate
-4^ ^
^vs**
YOU can come in right now on a Buick
dividend distribution that’s like money
in the bank for you. And a look at the nation’s
new-car sales figures will tell you why.
« This year, Buick is doing jar better than just
outselling all cars in America except the two
most widely known smaller ones. This year,
Buick sales are soaring past every high
water mark in the book—past 600,000 cars—
and we*re still going strong.
So we’re declaring an extra dividend — for
you. On top of the long trade-in allowances
we have been making all year, we’re adding
a profit-sharing bonus allowance.
But you’ll be getting a lot more than a great
deal. 'Yfou’ll be getting a great car —the
hottest-selling Buick in history.
.you’ll be getting Buick’s far-in-advance
\^Bonua Beauty in Harcftops
Even the new hit in hardtop*—the 4-Door Riviera—
is included in our profit-sharing bonus deals today.
Shown here is the low-price Buick Special, 6-Pas
senger, 4-Door Riviera, Model 43. Also available in . ;
, the supremely powered Century Series as Model 63.
styling, Buick’s mightiest V8 power, Buick’s
highly envied all-coil-spring ride, Buick's
extra size and room and comfort and solidity
of structure. And you’ll be getting the per
formance thrill of the year—Variable Pitch
Dynaflow*— the switch-pitch transmission
that’s taken the country by storm.
Come in today and see for yourself that
there’s never been a car like this before —
and never a deal so easy to make.
* Variable Pitch Dynaflow is the only Dynaflow BmuJl bailis today.''
It is standard on R.OADALASTER, optional at modest extra cost on
other Series, y
i Thrift of the year is Buick -
Biggest-selling Buick in History!
-1—- t WHEN BETTE* AUTOMOBILES ABE BUILT BUICK WILL BUILD THEM ■■ ..■ » —i
A. MARCELLUS
Phone 370 O’Neill