Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 11, 1955)
Attends Summer School in Lincoln— Mrs. Henry F. Schlueter arrived home Friday after completing an eight-weeks’ summer session at the University of Nebraska. Colorado Vacation— Mr. and Mrs. Ray Shelhamer and their mothers, Mrs. J. A. Shellhammer and Mrs. A. Washe chek, left Sunday for a vacation in Colorado. mm i o : School Opening Value! Penney’s Special Shipment of Girl*’ Back-to-School Sport Casuals of smooth leather. They’re sturdily constructed, come in | rich go-with-everything col ors. Sizes 4%-9. 2.98 r I A Triple Roll Cuff Anklets at a stock up price! Heavy weight cotton reinforced with nylon for extra wear at heel and toe! Machine washable. White in sizes 3% to 11. Spe cial! 4 prg. for $1 r.. £™m i i .i Bang-Up Value! Boys’ Brown 10-Oz. Denim Jeans cut over Penney's regular patterns! Sanforized*. Ma chine washable. Bar-tacked. Zipper fly. Sizes 4 to 12. I Special! $1 mtmrtrtta .v.v.vv. —■BOMBWat a ♦Won’t shrink more than 1% Stop-Traffic Price! Boys’ Gingham Shirts in superb wearing pre-shrunk woven cotton! Brand new patterns! Blunt collar. Ma chine washable. Sizes 2 thru 18. Special! 1.33 G Save at Penney’s! Boys’ Sturdy Oxfords jus tin time for school; Soft, pliable leather uppers, rugged Biltrite soles. Handsomely embossed. Sanitized. Sizes 3 : tO 6. 4.50 Special! Washable Corduroy Play Togs crawlers, sizes % to 1%, bib for toddlers — snap - crotch front smartalls, 2 to 4, boxer longies, 2 to 6. All full cut, sized according to weight. $1 each Shop Forney’s for Smart Moccasin Oxfords in men’s and boys’ sizes! Lea ther uppers. Rubber composi tion soles. Goodyear welt con struction. Sanitized. Boys’ sizes 2 to 6. 4.98 Rugged, Lightweight Work Shoes for men! Soft, sturdy elk fin ished brown cowhide uppers! Thick, slip-resistant Vulcork soles! Rubber heels. Sani tized. Sizes 6-11. 4.98 Pioneers (left-to-right): Mrs. Harmon Towers of Minneapolis, Minn.; Romaine Saunders, 81, of Lincoln; E, G. Price, 80, of O’Neill (wearing glass ?s, in background); Charles Prussa; Wayne Werner, 85 (behind Mr. Prussa); E. O. Slaymaker (profiled in background); James Beck and Thomas Night ingale, 81.—The Frontier Photo. i Saunders in Tribute to First Pioneers (Editor’s note: Romaine Saunders, 84, retired editor of The Frontier and now a resident of Lincoln, addressed a gathering of longtime Holt county residents Sunday afternoon in the Atkinson city park The old settlers’ reunion launched the three-day hay days celebration. The theme was the 75th anniversary of the founding of the town. Mr. Saunders is author of “Praiireland Talk,” an editorial page feature appearing regularly in The Fron tier. In 1949 he edited The Frontier’s diamond jubilee edition—a 64-page anniversary issue which still stands as the biggest single issue of a weekly newspaper ever published in Nebraska. Mr. Saunders is self-educated and he is a dean of the state’s journalistic circles. Text of his Atkinson talk follows.) 6 Mr. Chairman, venerable pa triots, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen: I esteem it an honor and a priv ilege to stand before you on this platform today. We meet here un der pleasant skies and inviting surroundings because our fathers and mothers had the vision to perceive, the courage to dare and the determination to establish homes, lay the foundation for a settled community here on prai rieland far removed from the crowded haunts of men beyond the Mississippi. Their descendants now enjoy the rich heritage born of toil and sacrifice known to the pioneers. I am not a preacner and it is traditional that he who writes cannot make a speech, but should I turn to the scriptures for a text as a cornerstone of the few things I may have to say, I know of no more fitting words than those ad dressed to youth and mature citi zens directing that they “rise up before the hoary head and honor the face of the old man.’’ Perhaps the promoters of this occasion had that in mind. Seven ty-five years ago a village called Atkinson had its municipal birth near the crystal waters of the Elkhorn. Today, we celebrate that event and lay upon memory’s altar a tribute to those first pioneers and those who followed after. I think of the pioneer woman who had the grit and understand ing to deal with experiences of frontier life when she defended her camp down here by the “iver while the men of the family were away seeking provisions. A few Sioux Indian warriors, out on the warpath after the Pawnees, stop ped and started to plunder her camp. It was told that she stood with her two small children, rifle in hand, and told those Indians to get going. They went. A homestead bride sat in her one-room cabin on the open prai rie of Holt county and read a let ter from the folks “back home.” “Why don’t you write?” was ask ed in closing that letter. “Why don’t I write?” And a tear dropped into the folds of that letter. “They don’t know, they never shall know that I do not have two pennies to buy a stamp!” Two homestead couples told in after years of their first Thanks giving here. It consisted of dried cherries. A pioneer father bowed his head as the family sat down to eat and thanked God for the 'boiled potatoes, all there was on the table. A pioneer mother and wife shed tears because she had little or nothing to set before three men who had ridden up and asked for something to eat. There was an abundance of game in the country—deer, ante lope and prairie chickens. Guns, powder and shot were necessary to get the game. Guns with am munition cost money and that was lacknig to many in pioneer days. Of the many things one would come onto on the open prairie, some terrifying to a youth, many interesting and exciting, one vivid picture remains with me after many years. I was on a horse go ing across the open country. There fluttered out of the grass at my horse’s feet a mother prairie hen with a brood of little brown chicks. I dismounted, thinking to catch a recently hatched prairie chicken, but they had all conceal ed themselves so well in the grass that I found none. That day, too, I had run onto a mother wolf with her pups. Creatures of the wild live in fear of we “lords of cre ation.” Today we travel the highways in automobiles and see nothing but the dun-grey streak ahead. If you would see the great outdoors, get on a horse and leave the high ways. Get out in the open spaces, see the coyote as he trots away to safety or the jack rabbit as he bounds across your path. Catch the song of the meadow lark and get a glimpse of the gold-crested eagle soaring aloft on stately wings. The homes of the first settlers on prairieland were sodhouses, a dugout and log abode and one or two-room frame houses on the open prairie. Some here to day have doubtless read the » poem, “The Little Old Sod Shanty on My Claim,” written by a homesteader holding down his claim a few miles south of Inman. The annual hay days events start here tomorrow. Did you know that to an Inman citizen, Tremaine Van Volkenberg, belongs the credit for starting the baled hay industry, he having tied the first bale of hay in Holt county? The early settlers relied upon hay with which they made sheds for the horses and cows and used hay for fuel, the hay being stuffed into a hay burner and this set on the cook stove over the fireplace and burned. The first crop planted by the hand of man on the prairie was com. With a breaking plow a few acres of sod were turned over. Then with a little bag of com the prairie farmer, spade in hand, walked down a row of overturn ed sod, stuck the spade in and leaned it over to make an opening in that overturned soil, dropped in a few kernels of corn, took a step and repeated the process. That was corn planting as agricul ture was introduced in Holt coun ty. The second year that sod com patch was plowed again and made ready, for other crops such as po tatoes and garden produce for ta ble use. mere were no nandouts those days; it was a case with everyone of root hog or die. Violent storms in summer upset homestead shan ties, raging blizzards in winter, rainless seasons and hot winds were to try the souls of the pio neers. My parental homestead abode was moved from its moorings by a storm one night and pans of milk my mother had on a shelf were upset and the milk ran in a stream across the room. A barrel with meat from recent butchering sat outside and was upset one night by a high wind and rolled away over the prairie, depositing some of the contents along the way. Father taught the school with four pupils for $20 a month. I was sent to town on one occasion with a fat 3-year-old beef to sell. I got $16 for that critter. Many years later, which means some 40 years ago, when I had lesponded to the call of the wild and was living with my family away from the haunts of men, I was in town on a certain occasion to attend to some matters. I had land, a comfortable home, cows and horses and chickens, but no money. Crossing a street with my eyes on the ground, pondering over asking for credit to get some things needed in the home, I saw something sticking up out of the sand. I was about to pass on when the urge came to pick it up. It was a 10-dollar bill. My problem was thus solved. The sea of grass waving across the landscape invited the devel opment of the cattle industry which meant wealth to this com munity. Among the early ranches was the Spade outfit, McClure & Kunze, Sam El wood, Charley Bla ben, Lamont & Richards, the Ri ley brothers, the only one that continues to operate among those mentioned, now in the hands of a daughter of one Riley family and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas T. Baker. This generation has some au tomobile thieves to deal with. Our fathers had the horse thieves to contend with, and as in honorable pursuits there were many notables here on prairieland, the outlaws became an heroic legend. Doc Middleton, Kid Wade, the Dutch ers and even one young woman, Belle Shields, down in the Swan lake country, who led a band of young horse thieves. The story is told of the horse being shot from under Belle as they were being followed py a posse. She jerked, the bridle from the fallen horse, caught up another, mounted and made her get away. Who were the pioneers of the Atkinson community? Others here are doubtless better informed than I with respect to the community’s early history. But some names, some faces rise up out of the past today to share in the tributes of fererd here. I think of Atkinson’s first editor, Harry Mathews. He with his brother, W. D., came from the southern Wisconsin town where I was bom in the long ago. W. D. started a paper in O’Neill, The Frontier, which continues to this day, and Harry’s paper, the Graphic, became the property successively of George McArthur, A. M. Church, Dell Akin and some others, and continues today under the able direction of Editor Ralph Kelly and his capable wife. I think, too, of the grandparents of Mrs. Saunders, Grandfather and Grandmother Meals, now for many years lying out here in the cemetery; of Doctor Sturdevant, who laid a healing hand on che sick; of Brantley Sturdevant, who served in the state legislature and also in the U.S. land office locat ed in O’Neill; of Joe Bartley, who became state treasurer; of the Bitneys, the Bradys, the Chap mans, County Judge Morgan, and the present district judge, who formerly lived in Atkinson. During the past year I have had letters from Mrs. Edna Bit ney, who lives in Seattle, Wash She has memories of those we have met here today to honor. Another friend of the long ago lives in Seattle. In a recent letter to me that friend says: “At times the thought comes, how nice to happen in on the old haunts where so many friends in the long ago lived and died; to again be hold the sun go down on the prai rie horizon; to learn if a native would think me crazy if I said, “Seventy years ago I played in the streets, set type in the print shop and tooted a cornet in the band.” That lad was Homer Campbell, now in his 85th year. He had but little formal education but has written books that nave become notable, used as textbooks in universities and translated in to other languages and published abroad. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Campbell, were pioneer homesteaders in this section of prairieland. Ruben Kite, a minister of the gospel, died a few years ago in Lincoln. As a boy, he, too, played on the streets of Atkinson. When I would chance to meet him he would ask how things went with the hometown of his boyhood. Of the many communities contacted in some 38 states, I know of none where loyalty to their community is so manifest as seen among At kinson citizens. Some 10 years ago I met a lady in East Greenwich, R.I., who had lived here as a girl, and girlhood cherished memories still lingered with her. As we today bring our tribute to the memory of the pioneers, we may too express the wish that when the finish has been written to human history and the drumbeat of eternity calls all to the judgement bar of God, immortal hands will place a glittering crown upon the brow of the pioneer. And what of the living? The fu ture is in the hands of the young for them to determine what they shall do with the heritage that is theirs. Others carry on the affairs of life today. Still others of the living know their time is short. My life’s companion, the wife of my youth and the sweetheart of my dreams, lies under Holt county sod and I face the gathering shadows of life’s sunset alone— yet not alone, as I have devoted sons and daughters and loyal friends, and with you ever mind ful that out in the depths of eter nity beyond the dim unknown standeth One keeping watch above His own. Celia News Miss Dorothy Scott, Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Samms and family and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dobias and sons enjoyed a picnic dinner Sunday in a grove on the Law rence Pacha farm. Albert Johnson and son, Jim mie, of Lyons took Layton, Darrel and Carol Schlotfeld to the White Horse ranch Sunday afternoon. Mrs. LeRoy Hoffman played the organ Sunday morning at the services at the Christ Lutheran church in O’Neill. Mary Catherine and Patricia Kilmurry stayed with their grand parents, Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Kil murry, and attended hay days. Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Samms and family were Friday supper and overnight visitors at the William Maloun home. Mr. and Mrs. Milton McKathme and family spent Saturday at the home of Mrs. Blanche Rouse of O’Neill. Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Hoffman and sons were last Thursday eve ning visitors at the Duane Beck home. Ed Neville of York was a Fri day visitor at the Frank Kilmurry home. Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Samms were last Thursday afternoon visitors at the Frank Kilmurry home. Bobby Knutson went to Fremont Wednesday, August 3, to visit relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Hans Lauridsen and sons went to Hastings over the weekend to visit her brother, Merle Johnson, and family, who had a sale and left for Washington state to live. They visited other relatives while there. Mrs. Alfred Schaaf and children were Wednesday evening, August 3, visitors at the Hans Lauridsen home. Mrs. Mark Hendricks, sons, Le on and Arlen, took Millie Ernst, who has been visiting here, to her home in Milton vale, Kans., Monday. Mrs. Omer Poynts and her uncle, John Westfall, and daugh ter, Mrs. LeRoy Davidson, of Em dudo, N.M., and Mrs. Lorraine McDaniel of Clovis, N.M., who were here for the Jarvis reunion, were Monday visitors at the Mark Hendricks home. Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Samms and family were Tuesday, August 2, dinner guests at the Charles Do bias home. Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Kilmurry and Mrs. Vincent Allard and daughters of Rapid City, S.D., were Saturday supper guests at the Frank JCilmurry home. Mrs. Allard and daughters left Sunday for home. Mrs. LeRoy Hoffman and sons, Mrs. Alice Hill, Mrs. Eldon Mar ing and Mrs. Amelia Hoffman were Friday Norfolk visitors. Billy Milner was a Sunday ov ernight visitor at the Fred Mlinar home. Dorothy Scott was a last Thurs day dinner guest at the William Maloun home. Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Hammer berg and Mr. and Mrs. E. W. I Samms and family of Wichita, Kans., were last Thursday dinner and supper guests at the William Maloun home. Mr. and Mrs. Earl Schlotfeld and Nancy were Sunday afternoon visitors at the Ed Bousch home. Mrs. LeRoy Hoffman and sons visited Mrs. E. W. Samms and family Saturday afternoon at the Maloun home. Martin Conroy was a Monday afternoon and overnight guest at the Frank Kilmurry home. Atkinson received 2%-inches of rain Friday evening in a little more than one hour. O’NEILL LOCAL Mr. and Mrs. Roger Starkey of Minneapolis, Minn., spent the weekend in the John Thomas home. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Clements went to Denver Saturday to visit their son and daughter-in-law, © Mr. and Mrs. Robert Clements, and to help their son celebrate his birthday anniversary. They returned home Wednesday. Mr. and Mrs. Marlin Wichman and family were Sunday dinner guests at the home of Mrs. Julia Schaaf at Atkinson. Mrs. Wich man’s brother, Roland Bouska spent the weekend with the Wichmans. Reminiscing during Atkinson’s old settlers’ reunion held Sun day in the city park were George Meals and Harry McShane, both of Atkinson, and Robert B. Miller of Youngstown, O., a railroad er who was reared in Holt county.—The Frontier Photo. 4 Paul Shierk INSURANCE AGENCY O’NEILL, NEBR. Insurance of All Kinds Bus. Ph. 430 Res. Ph. 235 Money to Loan — on — AUTOMOBILES TRUCKS TRACTORS EQUIPMENT FURNITURE Central Finance Corp. C. E. Jones. Manager O'Neill i Nebraska Near-New Household Gc:is At Public Auction The following described property will be offered at auction on vacant lots immediately north of the Lew White Motor Co. (Chevrolet Garage), or one block west of the traffic signal and one-half block north on— Saturday, August 13th Sale wiU start at 7 P.M., sharp 3 blonde oak chests of drawers, 4 Hollywood style twin beds (complete), 4 sectional chairs (foam rubber), walnut typewriter desk, 2 electric fans, drapes for picture window, 3 shower curtains, dining room table, buffet and 6 chairs, chrome dinette set, davenport and chair set, Philco refrigerator, washing ma chine, electric range, radio-phonograph, hassock, bathroom scales, 4 complete beds, 9x12 rug and pad, platform rocker, Hot Point refrigerator, floor lamps, coffee table, Fostoria crystal glasses, etc. These consignments include the household goods of the Fred Mauer, S. A. Moore and R. V. Lucas families. TERMS: Strictly cash. Do not remove merchandise until paid for. Sale lot will be lighted. THORIN-BOWKER AUCTION SERVICE — Sale Managers — x//U*>£S Gingham Girl Self-Polishing FLOOR WAX Qt. Size_49c CUDAHY — Ideal for Flavoring 2 LBS. 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