Prairieland Talk . . .
Lancaster Voters Have Been Heard
By ROM VINE SAUNDERS. Retired. Former Editor The Frontier
LINCOLN—Taxpayers, property owners, cit
izens in Lincoln and Lancaster county have spoken
to be heard.
The special election late in June cut the
props from under a segment of the community
p- 'if - '•'hat had proposed voting a 10
/ nillion-doUar bond debt on
” jroperty owners, workers and
ifarmers.
Enough is enough, say two
hirds of the taxpapers. We pro
j est more increase in taxation,
' he old courthouse and city hall
ire ample for our needs, mod
i'a! centers a plenty now and
vp need a new library about as
ich as a cat needs two tails.
Pr omoters of these various
Komaine dreams of gaiety and grandeur
saunder* l> <d endeavored to convince the
voters that a 10-million-dollar debt would reduce
taxes, but old prairieland corrunonsense wrote
that sort of talk down as fiction. The voice of the
people has been heard shouting down the corridors
of city and county administrative centers.
Tax increase resentment is such that the need,
if there bo a need, of adequate fireproof vaults in
which to preserve county and city records by the
erection of a county-city building to serve as
courthouse and city hall was not taken into consid
eration.
• • •
Out where the whippoorwill calleth
In meadow or field of grain.
There softly and gently falleth
Refreshing drops of rain.
And then with a burst of splendor
The evening twilight comes.
With harsher feelings made tender
In the glow of setting sun.
• • •
Prairieland Talker has no illusions, is not out
to perform the obsequies of our ag college or other
supernumeraries of a top-heavy state and federal
government. Living in a rural community some
years ago, I canvassed that territory to ascertain
if the patriots living there were deriving any bene
fit from the documents put out by the agrono
mists at the state ag college. None had and the
verdict was unanimous that the institution could
close up so far as they were concerned. My 14
year old grandson, a city lad, spent 10 days recent
ly at the ranch of his pals’ dad in Hooker county.
He learned to bridle and saddle a horse and
wrangle coming yearlings the day 150 head of the
season's increase were branded and no one was on
hand from the ag college to tell how to heat the
iron and run a brand on the mavericks. Doctor
Round is in an environment of agricultural nice
ties and his patriotism inspires him to boost it sky
ward And Prairieland Talker is a Nebraska boost
er, ag college and all.
* * *
A few strokes with the pen and 33 billion
dollars flutters out of Washington for building
highways everywhere. Something over 44-mil
lion-dollars will be spent in Nebraska building
diui grey eonerete streaks across prairieland.
The prairie trails, the long shady lane of our fa
thers, the quiet retreat at the end of the wind
ing road where summer dreams brought visions
of delight to he no more as the rush and roar of
traffie on highways zooms by.
Soddie society is a new thing for another 1
group movement to keep alive the memory of the
sod house era on prairieland. Max Marshal! of
Omaha becomes the society’s first president; Dr.
Theodore Peterson of Holdrege, vice-president, and
Miss Margaretta Burke of Omaha, secretary. Miss
Burke will also handle any funds the society may
acquire. W. A. Curtiss of Wahoo, Inez Coppon,
Mrs. Eller and Charles S. Reed, all of Omaha,
function as a board of directors. How many of
the new society’s 150 members ever saw a sod
house or had a hand in building one has not been
disclosed There may be other survivors in Holt
county who have laid up the three-foot walls of a
soddy but I think of Harry White down by Am
elia who could give this new society’s members
the architectural information for the construction
of a sod house. And possibly a sod cutter that had
been forged at the anvil of the late Emil Sniggs
may be found in some pioneer back yard.
• • •
The noise of world war is silenced, about for
gotten, blood pools and broken bodies and ruined
lands gone into the record of the past. The earth
thunders on. Children and sad-eyed mothers in
Europe and the Orient by the hundreds wonder
where that American soldier is who promised a
trusting maiden a home over here and she to be
his wife and mother of his offspring. American
soliders left their mark in distant lands other than
the mark of the conquering sword. To the shame of
our armies there are thousands of little children
who know not a father’s love and care and dis
illusioned weary women in those distant lands
where our soldiers have been stationed. Is some
thing lacking in military discipline that the fruits
of human lust fall on innocent victims as our
contribution to the “free world”?
• • •
He had thought, planned, developed ways
to escape the vigilance of those on guard. Yes
terday he walked out to freedom and was found
prone upon the ground beside the trail with a
swollen foot and limb. Ten years’ endeavor to
escape from a mental institution to run into the
fangs of a rattler. He lay dead from the ven
omous sting of a side winder.
• • •
Something over seven thousand patriots
gathered at the burying ground of old Ft. Robin
son a day last month ostensibly to attend the
dedication of the Nebraska State Historical soci
ety’s museum. The town of Crawford had arrang
ed to barbecue-feed five thousand hungry mouths
and when over seven thousand came marching up
for a sizeable slice of roast beef the entertainment
committee had to hustle out to the nearest ranch
to rope and bring in another steer or two. Ft.
Robinson was the last of Nebraska's military out- |
posts functioning as Indian war headquarters and ;
has been of historic interest for visitors, thus it is
an appropriate location for the society’s museum. !
* • •
Cheyenne county is the latest to come up
with a county historical society, the organization
being perfected June 5 at Sidney. It is these
county societies that perpetuate the true history
of a people. The history of our state is not what
some gent in uniform has done or the official
proceedings in legislative halls and oratorical
outbursts of political spellbinders, hut the daily
contribution of the common citizen to community I
life. It was from old Ft. Sidney that Holt county
inherited the notorious Doc Middleton.
Editorial . . .
Federal School Aid Slapped Down
An amendment tacked onto the federal aid to ;
schools bill in the house of representatives kayoed
that bill. It appears the eager-beavers for federal
aid to education will have to look elsewhere than
the current house for support.
When the roll call came, 119 republicans and
105 democrats voted “nay"; only 75 republicans
and 119 democrats favored the bill.
A provision barring any funds to Southern
states which failed to comply with the supreme
court’s antisegregation decision was the amend
ment that broke the camel’s back.
President Eisenhower had wanted to allocate
funds partly on the basis of “need” with the
“poorer” states receiving more money than the
“rich” ones. That provision was finally knocked
out and the bill, when up for final reading, bore
little resemblance to the original white house plan.
The segregation (or antisegregation) issue
conclusively helped, topple the applecart for the
federal school aid enthusiasts.
We’re glad something spoiled the party. How
ever, because the school aid bill went down with
the racial problem tacked on, the enthusiasts will,
no doubt, bounce right back and want the bill
faced on its own merits.
By that time we hope the right-thinking peo
ple in these United States will have become aware
of what’s going on and emphatically decide to
stick to the constitutional tradition; namely—that
school problems belong to the sovereign states and
to the local communities.
Nebraskans in the house, all republicans, voted
solidly for the antisegregation amendment to the
bill, and then voted solidly against final passage
of the measure.
A Parent Goes to Jail
The Verdigre Eagle carried as page one news
last week a story about a woman who had bought
a car, obtained fictitious plates and turned the car
over to her 15-year-old son.
The boy and three companions stole some
*teel posts, sold them and bought a case and a
half of beer. They were drinking the beer, says the
Knox county paper, when state patrolmen ar
rested them.
Not only was the youthful driver sent to the
Kearney training school but the mother pleaded
guilty to contributing to his delinquency “and
was sentenced by County Judge Ira J. Ballard to
serve two days in the women’s county jail and pay
costs of prosecution.”
Four other people, including the man who fur
nished the phony license plates, are serving coun
ty jail sentences as a result of the affair, says the
Eagle.
A Verdigre resident sent us a marked copy of
the story with the notation “This is what Omaha
needs”—which Omaha most certainly does.
Up to now the local authorities generally have
shied away from “parental responsibility” cases,
on the grounds that Nebraska law is inadequate.
Perhaps Judge Ballard has given them a clue as
to how they may proceed.
A strike is an overt act, visible and tangible.
The steelworkers, like all strikers, therefore
start out under a measure of popular disfavor
regardless of the merits or demerits of their case.
The public, on the other hand, is likely finding it
bard to understand an industry which, in spite
of mounting profits, announces whatever the wage
increase its cost will be passed along in higher
prices.
Nebraska’s Highways
(Lincoln Star)
Nebraska had been at it nearly 20 years before
it had spent 139-million-dollars on modern high
ways. That was including both federal and state
funds. Progress was slow in those beginning years
of the highway partnership between Uncle Sam
and the people of Nebraska. Actually there was a
disposition in the state to question dollar matching
—with the result that Nebraska's highway depart
ment always lacked the necessary funds to take
advantage of the federal funds available and ear
marked to be spent within Nebraska’s borders.
The highway bill to which President Eisen
hower attached his signature is the most breath
taking highway program undertaken by the Am
erican people. By taking full advantage of federal
funds, Governor Anderson reveals, Nebraska could
spend in excess of 139-million-dollars in the next ^
three years. That is a whale of a lot of money by
any computation in this state. It is more than we
spent in the first 15 years of highway develop
ment in Nebraska. So Governor Anderson says it
is up to the Nebraska legislature to provide the
matching funds.
More accurately it is up to the people of Ne
braska.
They will have to decide whether they want
to utilize all the available federal funds—whether
they are willing to absorb additional taxes to pro
duce the state’s share. The legislature should not
be expected to do anything else than to carry out
the will of the people and this program will be
upon more sound, solid ground if it has the en
thusiastic support of all Nebraskans. In terms of
leadership, the governor should assume his share
of responsibility in urging approval of legislation
adequate to get the job done.
Opportunities of this type do not appear every
day. But to get federal funds the states must put
up their share of matching money.
If you are a golfing bug, play early in the
week; it may rain late in the week.
The world will find out about it—if you 4**
a particularly hot shot!
There is a surprisingly large number of good
fishing days.
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
ARTHUR J. NOECKER and ESTHER M. ASHER,
Associate Publishers
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—2,559 (Mar. 31, 1956)
When You and i Were Young . . .
15 Horses Cremated
in Livery Blaze
Lumber Yard Loss Is
$40,000
50 Years Ago
Fire destroyed the Bowen livery
barn and the Bazelman lumber
yard Fifteen horses were cre
mated. The lumber yard loss was
estimated at $40,000 and was not
covered by insurance. Mr Bow
en's property was insured for
$800 Miss Ruth Evans gave a
porch party at Hotel Evans in
honor of Owen Meredith, a West
Point academy student, and Miss
Green of Michigan, who has been
engaged to teach in the O’Neill
schools for the coming year. . .
• We have 2,000 pounds of pure
home rendered lard on hand and
to reduce the supply will sell
it during the next 30 days at nine
cents per pound in 50-pound
cans.—Spittler and Poe.”
20 Y ears Ago
Emil Sniggs, who since 1887
has operated a blacksmith shop,
retired after 55 years of work. . .
Glenn Tomlinson caught the big
gest bass out of Park Rapids,
Minn., for this year. Those with
him were Mrs. Tomlinson, Mr.
and Mrs. Bud Calvert and Mr.
and Mrs. William Turner of
Chambers. . Thomas Donlin
shipped 32 head of hogs and
topped the South Omaha market.
The hogs sold for $10.35 per
hundred pounds . The Misses
Lois. Lenora and Patricia Sulli
van left for a two-weeks’ vaca
tion in the Black Hills.
10 Years Ago
Mrs. Elvina Scofield, 86, died
of an apoplectic stroke at her
home. . Dianne Howard, 6, was
victim of a hit-and-run driver.
She suffered a broken collarbone
and shoulder . . Mrs. Josephine
Hart, 81, and Mrs. John White,
29, both of Page, died after ill
nesses.
One Year Ago
Robert Devoy of Sioux City
has purchased an interest in the
Gilligan Rexall ' store. . Joe
Sengelman, north Holt pioneer,
died at his farm home at the age
of 84. . . Francis A. Mohr, 33, of
Atkinson, father of four young
children, suffered a fatal heart
attack at the Stuart car races.
. Mr, and Mrs. Scott E. Conner
of Ewing celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary.
I
Page Woman Wins
Safety Citation
PAGE — Miss Hellice Stevens,
1014 Court st„ Sioux City, receiv
ed the fifth safety citation of the
women's division of the Sioux
City safety council.
She was selected by two pa
trolmen after the policemen had
followed her in a car for some ,
distance and noted she had ob- 1
served the proper speed limit, had
?iven proper signals, stayed in
ler own lane, and had given spe
cial attention at all intersections.
The citation was sent to Miss
Stevens, who is a daughter of
Mrs. Ben Stevens of Page.
—
Other Page News
Mrs. Jennie French and daugh
er. Miss Alice, of O’Neill, Mr.
>nd Mrs. Allen Haynes and Miss
i'iola were Sunday guests in the
iome of Mr. and Mrs. William
Veubauer. Mr. and Mrs. Edgar
Wood of Lincoln were afternoon I
’allers there and at the home of j
Misses Grace and Nellie Wood,:
jfter a weekend spent with their
laughters, Mrs. Calvin Harvey
md Mrs. Kenneth Asher, and
heir families.
Mrs. CarHe Taylor and daught
ers, Hazel and Floma, of Norfolk |
md Mrs. Emma Canaday and the
Misses Grace and Nelle Wood
,vere Fourth of July guests in
he William Neubauer home.
Members of the young adult
Sunday-school class picnicked at
he Page park Sunday noon. A
;hort business meeting was held I
oefore the crowd dispersed.
Miss Jo Ann Braddock of Hast- (
.r.gs spent Saturday, Sunday
md Monday with her parents, j
Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Braddock.
Mrs. Carrie Townsend accom- j
aanied her sister-in-law, Mrs. i
Dora Townsend, and Duran Ruth- i
?rford to Norfolk on Saturday
there she was a guest in the |
frank Chmeler home. On the
fourth the Chmeler family was
til at home and Mr. and Mrs.
\lva Townsend of Columbus and
;heir children and grandchildren
■vere all there also. The others
vent to Hartington to the Robert
Weir home and returned to Page
Monday. Mrs. Carrie Townsend
iccompanied her grandchildren,
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Gilmore and
family, to Page on their way to
their home at Deadwood, S.D.
Royal Theater
—O’NEILL, NEBR. —
rhurs. July 12
Family Nights
Universal International presents
Virginia Mayo, George Nader
CONGO CROSSING
Co-starring Peter Lorre, with
Michael Pate, Rex Ingram, Tonio
3elwart. Print by Technicolor. In
savage Africa they kept a ren
iezvous with terror!
Family admitted for 2 adnlt tick
ets; adults 50c; children 12e
Fri.-Sat. July 12-14
Print by Technicolor
STAR IN THE DUST
Starring John Agar, Mamie Van
Doren, Richard, Boone, Leif Er
ickson, Coleen Gray with James
Uleason, Randy Stuart. The sun
is setting in Gunlock—and justice
Is going with it—unless Bill Jor
3an picks up the badge they
threw in the dirt and takes a last
reckless chance!
Adults 50c; children 12c; matinee
Sat. 2:30. All children under 12
rre* when accompanied by parent
5tm.-Mon.-Tue*. July 15-16-1T
Print by Technicolor
TOY TIGER
Starring Jeff Chandler, Laralne
Day and Tim Hovey, with Cecil
Kellaway, Richard Haydn. It’s
got that “Toy Tiger” tune. That
lovable little boy of “Major Ben
son” fame—Tim’s back!—with a
tiger by the tail and the world
by the heart.
Adults 50c; children 12c; matinee
5un. 2:30. All children nnder 12
Free when accompanied by parent
Program Closes
Bible School
EMMET — The Bible school
at the Methodist church closed
with a picnic and program Friday
evening Work the children had
done was displayed Twenty-eight
had enrolled for the course.
Teachers included Rev. and
Mrs. Glenn Kennicott of O’Neill.
Miss Linda Serck, Mrs Paul
Newton and Mrs Grant Peacock
of O’Neill.
Other Emmet News
Miss Jeanie Foreman was an
overnight guest of Miss Norma
Widtfeldt last Thursday.
Miss Shirley Schultz was a
guest at the Albert Widtfeldt
home Friday.
Miss Rita Clara Hoehne spent
most of the past week at the
Ray Richards home.
Donnie and Lee Pierson, sons
of Mr. and Mrs. George Pierson
of Wyoming have been guests at
the Norman Wayman home for
three weeks.
The Howard New ton family j
were Sunday guests of the Wil
liam Newtons.
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Whaley and
daughter of Los Angeles, Calif., I
visited his mother, Mrs. Bill :
Teske. Friday.
Mrs. Leon Beckwith and Mrs. i
p. W. McGinnis were guests at,
the Garden club meeting at the
Earl Houts home west of Emmet
last Thursday.
The Glen Burge family of
Chambers were Sunday dinner
guests at the Bessie Burge home.
Kristie Abart, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Keith Abart, spent the
past week at the Charles Abart
home.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Sidek and
family visited the George Skopec
family Friday evening.
Mrs. William Newton called on
Mrs. George Skopec last Thurs
day afternoon.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Winkler went |
to Humphrey Friday to attend |
the funeral of his cousin, Max I
Babl.
The Charles Winkler family of
Atkinson were Sunday guests at
the Joe Winkler home.
Mrs. Ed Etherton called on
Mrs. Joe Winkler and Mary Al
ice last Thursday afternoon.
Miss Nancy Sipes, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Sipes of
Seward, is spending a few days
visiting at the Gilbert Fox home.
The South Side club will meet
Tuesday afternon, July 17, with
Mrs. Walter Pease. Roll call will
be to answer the question, “Does j
your garden really pay?”
Fourth of July dinner guests;
af the Max Grenier family of O’
Neill included: The Albert Sipes
family of Seward, the Gilbert J
Fox family, Mr. and Mrs. Robert j
Tomlinson and Veldon of Star,
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Rapley of
Watsonville, Calif., Mickey and
Dasey Tomlinson and Mr. and
Mrs. Eddie Tomlinson.
George Schaaf, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Alfred Schaaf of Atkinson,
spent last week and this week
as a guest at the Elmer Schaaf
home
Miss Suzanne Brainard. daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs George
Brainard, is spending this week
with her grandparents. Mr and
Mrs Floyd Brainard
Miss Maureen Higgins of Val
entine is spending a few days
visiting at the A1 Havranek
home.
Gerald Wills visited his par
ents. Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Wills,
and his brothers, Ronald and Art,
July 4.
Mrs. Dean Perry and family
were dinner guests of Mr and
Mrs. Joey Staub last Thursday.
Miss Maureen Schaaf, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs Elmer Schaaf,
.pent from Tuesday, July 3, until
Friday as a guest at the John
Schaaf home
Mr and Mrs Fred Perry of
O’Neill visited the Dean Perry
family last Thursday evening.
The Elmer Schaaf. Herman
Schaaf and Alfred Schaaf fami
lies spent the Fourth of July in
Neligh.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fox were
Sunday supper guests of the
George Brainard family.
Miss Patricia Mullen spent
Sunday with her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Bill Mullen, and family
The Elmer Schaaf family were
guests of Mrs. Ruth Barnes of
Atkinson Sunday, July 1.
Janice Klo"r>enborg, daughter
ot Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Kloppen
borg of O’Neill, spent a few days
with her grandparents. Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Kloppenborg.
Miss Ellen Havranek, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. A1 Havranek,
spent the past week in Valentine
as a guest of Miss Maureen Hig
gins.
Mr. and Mrs Robert Tomlinson
ur.d Veidon of Star were Sunday
dinner guests of the Gilbert Fox
family.
Misses Leah and Linda Serck
spent last week visiting friends
in the Rock Falls community.
They were guests at the Henry
Vequist home.
Mrs Agnes Gaffney visited
Mrs Ed Flood last Thursday af
ternoon.
Mr and Mrs. William Serck
and daughters attended a Fourth
of July picnic held by the Pleas
ant Day club of Rock Falls. That
evening they were guests at the
Abort Widtfeldt home.
Mis Agnes Gaffney and Mrs.
Charles Abart visited Mrs Mary
Lewis Friday afternoon
Visiting California —
Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Mareell
us and family left Monday, July
2. for Peeo, Calif, for a two
weeks' vacation. They will be
visiting his brthers, Leo and ‘
Lloyd, at Peeo.
O’Neill News
Jim Klosner and Miss Joann
rrenkmg. both of Omaha, ar
rived Tuesday evening, July 3,
to get her mother, Mrs. J. A
Frenking. who had been visiting
here for several days with her
sister, Mrs John Melvin, and
with other relatives. They all re
turned Wednesday, July 4.
Mrs H. E. Coyne entertained
Monday at a luncheon in honor
of Mrs. Bowker and also hon
oring Mrs. D. E O’Brien of Chi
cago. 111., the former Dorothy
Jordon.
Sunday, Mrs. Louis Zastrow
entertained at breakfast five
members of the TNT club The
guests were Mrs. D. E. O’Brien
of Chicago, 111., Mrs. Don Berg
of Sterling, Colo., Mrs. Francis
Hickey, Mrs. Ray Bosn and Mrs
W. H. Bowker.
GAMBLES M!5 SUMMER !
CLEARANCE! J
Shop Every Department "
in Our Clothing Store! i
For Savings Up to ^
12 PRICE j
You’re ’way ahead of them all for action when you drive this
glamorous go-getter . . .
And you’re away ahead in value, too—for, believe it or not,
you can own this big and brawny beauty for less than you’d
have to pay for 43 models of the three small cars!
Here’s the perfect way to break the small-car habit. Drive
it—price It—today!
bTHE CAR SAYS OO AND THE PRICE WON’T STOP YOU I
>ontia.o
Will. KROTTER CO.
305 W. Douglas_ O’Neill, Nebr.
DANCEj
Butte Legion j
Ballroom i
Saturday, July 14th i
Music by—
JOLLY
COPPERSMITHS j
• •
Tonight? Refreshingly yours !
Yes—here it is! For you, tonight!—or right
now! A tall, frosty Hamm’s Beer—
with a hint of the enchanted land of sky blue
waters captured in each sprightly drop.
Reach for Hamm’s Beer—refreshingly yours!
Theo. Hamm Brewing Co., St. Paul, Minn, and San Francisco, Calif.
Hamm
the BEER refreshing
From the land of sly blue waters»