Prairieland Talk . . .
J
Hammond’s Query Answered
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS, Retired, Former Editor The Frontier
LINCOLN—A letter received from W. J. Ham
mond of Los Angeles, Calif., tells of Mr. Ham- '
mond’s interest in “Prairieland Talk,” and refers
to the recent story of the hanging of Barret Scott,
saying there has been a question in his mind how
the searching parties knew where Scott was go
ing to be hu~g.
They didn’t. Those were the days of a fading
out organization known as Vigi
®lanters or Regulators. The Dutch
er brothers, A1 Heilman and one
or two others such as Doc
o Middleton had already passed
.out of the frontier picture of
lawlessness.
While those who went out
from O’Neill that December mid
night when Mrs. Scott arrived
in town and went to the Mere
dith home on First street and
told her sad story the guess was
that Scott was taken to the Romaine
gulches of the Eagle or Niobra- Saunders
ra, hung and his body consigned to the waters of
either of those streams. One party searched along
the Eagle, another along the Niobrara. A rope
dangling from the Whiting bridge over the Nio
brara river was discovered. That was the clue. The
Niobrara, swift-flowing stream, had much open
water though frozen solid most of its length in
midwinter. It was at one of these openings in the
ice below the bridge that the body of Scott was
recovered. I do not recall the name of the search
er who cast the grappling hook that brought up
Scotty, but Hank Tomlinson can tell you.
* * *
In early sumer of the year 1903 the Elkhorn
Valley Editorial association, long since defunct,
met in Atkinson and the following ladies identi
fied with newspaper interests were received
into the association as members: Mesdames
Mead, Mather and Gcdis of Bassett; Miles of
Ainsworth, later of O’Neill; Good of Newport;
Eves of O’Neill; Efner of Chadron; Baker of Val
entine; Church of Atkinson; the Misses Miller of
Atkinson, Bowers of Ainsworth; Hudspeth of
Stuart and McLauglin of O’Neill. The next year
the editorial bright lights met in O’Neill. If any
survive other than this lone pilgrim who were
among that group, please raise your right hand.
* * *
Val Peterson, in company with other federal
officials, floated on stately wings high above prai
rieland enroute to water-soaked sections of the
Pacific coast where 50,000 have been made home
less by flood waters washing away communities, to
see what can be done to aid the stricken people.
That is the first thought of an American when
disaster strikes. Maybe if Val passed in sight of
it he looked down upon our towering capitol dome
with something of a wishful look and memories of
less exciting days when he sat upon the chief ex
ecutive throne at our statehouse. Or did that wing
ed monster of the air float over the village of Elgin
in Antelope county where Val had led the quiet
life of a village editor and where other treasured
memories cluster? From being editor of a Nebras
ka small town weekly paper, our former citizen
flies the skies with the great of the land, plans for
defense of the nation against possible attack and
rushes to zones of disaster to extend a helping
hand.
* » #
The swivel chair fanners announced in the
morning papers that Nebraska’s 1956 wheat fields
will yield 16 bushels per acre. That afternoon
they had it 18 bushels per acre and the news
papers the next day said it will be 19 bushels.
Along about next July the real dirt farmers will
give us the straight of it.
• * *
Churchmen preach world ban of atomic weap
ons. We would like to be for it but see difficulties.
Sly enemy nations can profess to join such a move
and at the same time build up an arsenal of just
such destroying weapons. If preachments would do
it there would be no wars. Conflicting human de
sires can not be poured into a caldron and come
out a rosebud of brotherly love. Human ideals,
human interests, human plans, human lusts conflict,
will conflict until the decree is heard, “There shall
be time no longer.” Until then the guy with the
best gun will dominate the scene.
MEMORIES OF PRAIRIELAND
24 East Bowery Street
Newport, R.I., Apt. 2
Dear Mr. Saunders:
Once again I want to express my appreciation
in being privileged to read your “Prairieland Talk”
in the hometown paper. In this mad, dashing world
it is a joy to relax and read pleasant expressions,
stories and descriptions of a state so dear to a na
tive Nebraskan. Your word pictures of the spring,
summer, fall and winter seasons on prairieland
make me close my eyes so the vision of the mind
sees it.
Here in Newport, R.I., working with the pub
lic, one meets people from all states in the Union,
and they ail have pleasant things to say of Ne
braska and the West. I received what I call my
Christmas gold star from the ranch the other day.
My sister sends me some home churned butter each
year at Christmas time. Her husband owns the
JO ranch south of Atkinson. It is a treat to have
real butter, and in my book it is pure Nebraska
gold, yellow like the goldenrod, not like the but
terfat we buy here.
I would like to obtain a copy of Homer Camp
bell’s (she means Will H. Spindler’s) “Tragedy
Strikes at Wounded Knee.” I have been unable to
find it here.
I must get at some of my house work now. I
wanted to wish you and yours a most joyous
Christmas and new year’s, and I look forward to
reading your “Prairieland Talk” in The Frontier
during 1956. Most sincerely,
FLORENCE M. FELTS (Roseler)
The writer of this letter has been advised to
contact the author, Will H. Spindler, at Wounded
Knee, S.D.
* * *
More than a score of citizens of Yuba City,
Calif., lost their lives in the death and destruction
wrought by floods that hit in Oregon and Califor
nia. Could be it be that a bright young woman stu
dent in the O’Neill high school who stood with
her graduating class more than 60 years ago in
the upper room of the old courthouse was one of
those swept to death at Yuba City? Mrs. Fryr, a
widow living in that northern California city, was
a member of that O’Neill high school graduating
class answering to the name of Henrietta McAllis
ter. Her parents lived in the Minneola community
of Holt county, and Etta, as she was called by her
schoolmates, made her home with Mr. and Mrs.
John Smoot on First street, the present home of
Mr. and Mrs. James W. Rooney. Mrs. Smoot was
a sister of Henrietta, who is related to Mrs. Alfred
James of Swan precinct.
* * *
Christmas weekend accounted for 581 high
way deaths. As this is noted the new year high
way tragedies are not yet told. Nebraska con
tributed three to the Christmas total, two from
Grand Island.
* * *
Under the spell of vivid memory and absence
of confused thought, in the presence of his ques
tioners, a heretofore respected citizen of the com
munity, a cultured person with a university degree,
makes confession of a revolting crime, signs it as
his voluntary act and deed. He is taken to court
to answer for that crime. Not guilty! And so a
falsehood follows a blood-stained soul. Either the
confession was false or the response to a murder
charge in court is a lie. Oh, yes, I killed her, but
that was not first degree murder! Shades of the
immortal Blackstone! A killing results from one of
two causes, a murderous desire harbored or an act
of self-defense. Certainly a husky guy who deals
the death blow to his defenseless little life’s com
panion cannot claim self-defense.
* * *
It is all over. Down the highway of 1956 we are
headed toward the destiny of another year. The ’55
holiday season, which began with Thanksgiving,
was marked by an enlarged spirit of spreading
good cheer, cheer in the form of gifts and baskets
at food markets to feed the hungry that seem to
be forever present. A troubled world makes us
think and the milk of human kindness flowed in
generous response to provide a few hours of hap
piness for destitute families here and there. The
One Whose birthday is commemorated in late De
cember. said nothing concerning the observance
of the day, but He did say, “If ye love Me keep
My commandments.” This may imply just giving
a cup of cold water to someone.
Editorial ....
Russia Faced with Problems
Dr. William Starlinger, noted German physi
cian who was held in a Russian political prison for
six years, until last year, has written a most ab
sorbing book, dealing with Russia, Russia’s future
and the motivations that move the Russian people.
Doctor Starlinger talked with many Russians
in his six years inside Russian prisons. He had the
opportunity to talk with generals, high political
office-holders who had been ousted, farmers, in
dustrial workers and every type of citizen v.
day makes up communist Russia. His book is an
stimulating it is said to have had a tremendous
influence on West German Chancellor Konrad Ade
nauer.
The most intriguing conclusion drawn by Doc
tor Starlinger is as follows: Russia is faced with
several problems which cannot be solved simul
taneously.
First, the Russian people do not have enough
food, and the problem of raising the living stand
ards and improving the morale of farmers cannot
be solved as long as emphasis is being placed on
heavy industry, as it is today.
Second, the Russians cannot provide the aid to
red China, their principal ally, that China needs
to expedite progress in raising its living standard
and proceeding with an all-out program of indus
trialization.
Doctor Starlinger believes the only way the
kremlin can prevent serious distractions inside
Russia, and stresses in her economy, is to reimpose
a completely terroristic reign such as that exer
cised by the deposed soviet police leader, L. P.
Beria. If such a reign of terror is not reimposed,
then Russia will have to expand her trade, perhaps
use her gold reserves to do this, and lower her arm
aments and military preparations to help solve
the economic and food problems inside Russia.
Conservative Talk
Sen. Carl T. Curtis (R-Nebr.) offered some en
couraging news in a statement issued Tuesday,
January 3.
“There is no possibility of passing a five-bil
lion-dollar foreign aid bill during the coming ses
sion of the congress,” the veteran Comhusker law
maker declares.
Curtis believes there will be strong emphasis
behind efforts to balance the budget with “many
senators seeking some debt retirement prior to fur
ther tax reduction.”
Curtis pointed out, for example, that Sen.
Richard Russell, chairman of the senate armed ser
O
vices committee, has called for cessation of foreign
economic aid. “Many senators,” said Curtis, “who
formerly supported foreign aid as a temporary
post-war program now believe this aid should stop.
Most recipient countries are far above pre-war
economic levels.”
“We have learned, by experience,” said Curt
is, “that we cannot help nations beyond their de
sires to help themselves.”
For some inexplicable reason the administra
tion more than doubled its estimate of foreign aid
requirements between a pre-Christmas briefing
and the actual amount now being sought. The five
billion represents an all-time high and is rather
strange talk coming from an administration that
promised less foreign aid and pledged economies
all along the line.
If all states supplied conservative senators as
Nebraska does the free spenders would have in
vincible opposition.
Adlai Stevenson is now finding out, like Ike,
that the radicals on each end of the issues make
life a many-splendored thing for the moderate.
The tall men now take over, as basketball
becomes sport king for January, and the short
brethren might as well play tiddley-winks.
President Eisenhower may have been lucky,
in experiencing a moderate heart attack, if it
slows him down and prevents a more serious one
later.
Fear is kin to both envy and a guilty con
science.
Frontier
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
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
papa: 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 advanee.
Audited (ABC) Circulation—2,530 (Sept. 30, 1955)
When You and I Were Young . , .
53 Sundays Fail
During Year 1905
Won’t Occur Again
Until 2015
50 Years Ago
Fire which started from a lamp
in the cellar of Morrison’s grocery
store wrought considerable dam
age to the building and stock. . .
The year just closed has had 53
Sundays, a circumstance that will
never occur again during the lives
of persons now living. One hun
dren and ten years will pass be
fore this arrangement of the cal
endar is again observed. . . Noth
ing definite was done at the
council meeting looking into the
establishment of a lighting sys
tem. . . Miss Ida Schwanck, an
employee of The Frontier, met
with a distressing accident when
she caught the sleeve of her dress
in a cog wheel of a job press. Her
arm was drawn in and the skin
and flesh torn from the elbow to
the hand. . . Mrs. F. W. Phillips
of Star came to O’Neill expect
ing to go away on a visit, but in
stead had to go to Omaha for
medical treatment in St. Joseph’s
hospital.
20 Years Ago
Henry D. Grady, former Holt
sheriff, purchased a half-interest
in the grocery store of his broth
er, Ben, and the firm of Grady
Brothers has opened for business.
. . . The Good Fellowship club
me at the Methodist church
Talks were given by F. M. Reece,
C. J. McClurg and Rev. D. S. Jay.
. . . Leo Devereaux, who was
seriously injured in an automo
bile accident a month ago, is up
and around. . . J. P. Mann enter
tained five guests at a dinner
party at his home. . . The funeral
of Will Sammons, held at Amelia,
was largely attended. . . George
T. Robertson, who has been
spending the holidays at the home
of his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
George C. Robertson, left Mon
day for Hastings college where
he is a senior. . . The kids are
wondering when they are to turn
water on the city skating rink. .
The old county jail is a thing of
the past. Workmen have complet
ed the tearing down of the old
building.
10 Years Ago
William Haggerty, one of the
oldtimers of this county, died at
a hospital in Norfolk. . . Gambles
store stock will be moved into the
corner room of the Golden hotel,
vacating the store room in the
block west temporarily. The move
is made because of extensive re
modeling of their present quar
ters. . . The first recruiting team
to tour this section of the nation,
since the opening of the campaign
to enlist 70,000 men in the regular
army, will arrive in O’Neill. . .
Gerald D. Hansen and Darlene R.
Dalton, both of O’Neill, have ob
tained a marriage license. . . The
Get-Together club met with Mrs.
Ray Snell at Page with 12 mem
bers present. . . Mrs. E. G. Casey
entertained 11 children at a the
ater party honoring her son’s
birthday anniversary. Tommy was
nine-years-old.
One Year Ago
Connie Gilman and Nancy Wat
son were injured in a car accident
while driving away from a skat
ing pond. The car in which they
were riding struck a deep ditch.
. . . Five generations were repre
sented at a dinner at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Siders at the
south edge of Inman. . . Richard
Arlen Finwall, 10, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Richard Finwall of Ft. Jones,
Calif., was stricken with infantile
paralysis while visiting relatives
at Ewing. . . Miss Melba Dobro
volny won first in the 4-H pie
baking contest. Mary Clair Gilg
rated runnerup. . . Ralph Nelson,
45, Rock county rancher, was
killed instantly when struck by a
falling tree on the Louis Hall
place in Keya Paha county. . . The
Future Homemakers of America
during December were busily en
gaged in various Christmas pro
jects. . . The Stuart firemen were
summoned to a blaze 9% miles
northeast of Stuart to extinguish
a tractor fire. The tractor belong
ed to Thilo Poessneeker, who was
refueling the machine when the
blaze started.
I
Mildred Louise Crabb Is Wed
Miss Mildred Louise Crabb, daughter of Mrs. Austa Crabb of
O’Neill, and Owen Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Davis of O’
Neill, were married Tuesday, December 27, in the First Presbyteri
an church here. Rev. J. Olen Kennell performed the double-ring
ceremony.—O’Neill Photo Co.
Miss Orsborn to Wed
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Orsborn of
O’Neill announce the engage
ment of their daughter, Miss
Bertha Ellen (above), to George
H. Mumm, jr., son of Mr. and
M'-s. George Mumm, sr., of
Bloomfield. Miss Orsborn is a
graduate of O’Neill high school.
Mr. Mumm is a graduate of
''Bloomfield high school and is
now employed with the state of
Nebraska department of roads
and irrigation. No date has been
set for the wedding.
Drive Cows 4 Miles
Thru Snow to Load
onto Waiting Trucks
VENUS — Edwin Trenne
pohl, who lives on the Holt
Wheeler county line, was oblig
ed to drive a herd of cows four
miles through deep snow last
.week before the cattle could be
loaded onto waiting trucks.
The cows were herded by
men on horseback to the four
trucks which had gone to Venus
to receive the loads. The cows
had been kept on the Mrs. Ma
bel Davis farm. Nearest chute
was at the Cecil Moser farm.
On Christmas eve Mr. and Mrs.
Victor Halva had a half - hour
visit by telephone with Mr. and
Mrs. Haug from Springfield, Mass.
^I
■ 1
)
HOME'S
• New NATIONAL HOMES available in O’Neill’s North
Heights addition, or on your own town or country lot any
where in the area. Numerous floor plans and designs from
which to choose. Low monthly payments.
NORTH-NEBRASKA BUILDERS
FRANCIS GILG — HARRY E. RESSEL
Phone 150 Phone 548-M
.. DANCE..
AT O’NEILL
AMERICAN LEGION AUDITORIUM
AND BALLROOM
Saturday, January 7th
ACES OF RHYTHM ORCHESTRA
Admission: Adults, $1 ; Students, 50c
Letters to Editor
Eugene, Ore.
Dec. 26, 1955
Find enclosed check for $3 sub
scription for The Frontier for the
year 1956.
You will see by the enclosed
clipping from the Eugene Regis
ter-Guard we are having very
bad weather. Yesterday—the 25th
— it rained another two inches.
We do not understand it. I have
lived here 32 years and have nev
er seen anything like this. My
home is on higher ground so do
not suffer from the storm.
O’Neill is my girlhood home and
Lloyd, Floyd and Lester Ritts are
my brothers.
If you print this they will all |
know I am safe and okay.
Sincerely,
MRS. OWEN F. HERRING
1158 West 10th sL
(Editor’s note: The clippings de
scribed the ravages of the Mc
Kenzie and Willamette rivers,
winds up to 100-miles-per-hour,
and snow-melt adding to the
mountain streams.)
Christmas Birthday
for Lizzie Pelcer
ATKINSON—Mrs. Lizzie Pel
cer, one of the oldest Atkinson
residents, Christmas day observ
ed her 94th birthday anniversary.
Mrs. Pelcer was born at Ports
mouth, O., in 1861. She came to
Gage county at the age of 17,
where she met and married Wil
liam Pelcer. They moved to At
kinson in 1909.
Mrs. Pelcer was honored Sun
dya by having with her Mr. and
Mrs. Harry E. Pelcer, her son and
daughter-in-law, with whom she
makes her home; a granddaughter,
Mrs. C. E. Spence; three great
grandchildren, Gary and Dennis
Spence and Mrs. Richard Braun,
and two great-great-grandchil
dren, Loretta and Barbara Braun,
all of whom make their homes
near her in Atkinson.
Mrs. Pelcer enjoys "very good
health.” Her spare time is spent
keeping scrapbooks, tending flow
ers and writing letters. 1
Star News
The Gibson school held the
Christmas program Thursday eve
ning, December 22. Gifts were ex
changed among the pupils and
teacher, Miss Diane Hoffman.
Treats were handed out to the
children. Lunch was served after
the program.
Mr. and Mrs. Ewalt Miller and
Barbara were supper guests at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lysle
Johnson and son Christmas eve.
Later in the evening they all
went to the home of Mrs. Hulda
r- -- ' -j
Miller and daughters. Others at 0
the home of Mrs. Miller were
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Johnson, Mr.
and Mrs. Walter Johnson and
family, Mr. and Mrs. Richard
Miller and family, Mr. and ’ Mrs.
Delbert Boelter, Mr. and Mrs.
Max LeMasters and family, Mr.
and Mrs. George Mott and family,
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Frank, Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Miller and fam
ily, Mrs. Pearl Groeling, Gary
and Carolyn and Mr. and Mrs.
Wilbert Widhalm and family. All
of Mrs. Miller’s children were
present except Mrs. Martha Tate
of Dallas, Ore. Lunch was served.
Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Fox and
family were Christmas day guests
at the Robert Tomlinson home.
DR. H. D. GILDERSLEEVE
OPTOMETRIST
Northeast Comer
of 4th & Douglas
O’NEILL, NEBR.
Phone 167
Eyes Examined . Olaaaea Fitted
Office Hour*: S.6 Mon thru Bat
I ---
'-mb
Marcellus lmp.1
Phone 5
— WEST O’NEILL —
New Listings!
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
400-Acres in Boyd county.
440-Acres in Boyd county.
550-Acres in Keya Paha county.
920-Acres in Holt county.
> •
2—320-Acre tracts in Holt county.
5,560-Acres in Holt-Rock counties.
6,400-Acre8 in Knox county.
Acreages near O’Neill, Chambers and
Inman
ED THORIN
Licensed Real Estate Broker
Auctioneer — Insurance
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