Prairieland 1 alk
Carton’s Lake Attracted Skaters
By ROMA1NE SAUNDERS, R*\irod. Former Editor Thr Frontier
LINCOLN—A snow, a January' thaw that re
duced the snowbanks to wet puddles.
Now another morning dawns on Prairieland
srrry and gloomy, a bit of white dust fallen from
out the overcast heavens above, drifting across
street and lawn and open field as wind moans
ms of teh north.
Midwinter, from forests
of the north to southern
sands, the country knows the
time of snow and frost and
see that gives Mother Earth
a rest from shooting forth
the bud and bloom that will
be here again when spring
days come around.
Today old guys sit in
(flowing warmth and the
sisters take down the receiv
er to listen to and chat I
with friends across town or Romaine
at the distant ranch house. Saunders
It was midwinter days, midwinter evenings,
a forgotten generation of maids and youthful
gallants put on their skates at Carlon’s lake in
walking distance from O’Neill homes, cut circles
on the ice, a mittened maiden hand in the grasp
of a manly hand. Where today is Minnie Sel
kirk, Mazie Darr and the others that had glid
ed around the circle with me hand in hand?
Midwinter, I no longer skate, but winter has
an end, and we will walk again where the morn
ing glories bloom
• • t
A chat with Sen Frank Nelson down at the
state house recently gave Prairieland Talker a
look-in on the honored group of Nebraska patri
ots that forge and fashion our laws on the anvil
of constitutional authority. Also it afforded us
another chance for a friendly visit with a friend
from Holt county. Senator Nelson has been a resi
dent of northern Holt for 50 years and among
to-time onto a 40-acre tract that once was coun’
talker got in a trade for a plug team that had
bis real estate holdings steps about from time
ed as Prairieland Talker’s property—and that
served their day of usefulness.
Senator Nelson is alert to legislative trends
and feels that more and more community life
out i nthe state has to yield to centralized author
ity at the state capital. He opposes the proposed
sales tax and plans to fight to retain the state
aid for bridge work, a measure having been in
troduced to repeal the law that the late D. H.
Cronin was the author of and which is of special
benefit to Holt county.
The day I saw Senator Nelson he was going
that evening as one of a senatorial delegation to
Norfolk to look into some matters.
• * •
The published story tells us that there has
been erected at the church yard in Amelia an
electric sign that shines forth at night to guide
villagers on their way. It may be symbolic of
a spiritual light the church down there stands
for or hopes to attain. Rural communities
throughout prairieland and elsewhere have
their sanctuaries, it may be a sehoolhouse or
a humble home where sacred memories Unger
and worshippers gather from time to time.
A patriot up the street pays $600 a year taxes
on his dwelling place. Others along the street
the same, a little less or a little more. What does
that citizen get for his $600 if he has no occasion
to call for police protection or for a fire truck to
come roaring up. If the walk by his lot is snowed
under, he clears away the snow. But what be
comes of his $600—that’s a part of the pile that
finances “public service", meaning a bunch at
the city hall; another bunch at the county court
house, still more at the statehouse, schools, col
leges, highway patrolmen, street sweepers and all
the others sitting in swivel chairs with hands
folded and a leg up across the desk. What does
he get out of all this? Six hundred a year pen
alty for owning a dwelling house and keep a top
heavy city, County and state government func
tioning!
• • •
Sidney, southwestern Nebraska’s biggest town
sent its band to Washington, D. C., where they
became a unit in the inaugural parade. Shades of
Laramie Pete, Doc Middleton and Bill Reed1
Sidney has gone to the tenderfoot stage, once the
two-gun town on the way to the mountains. Billy
Reed, who shot and killed Sheriff Kearns where
the K C. hall now stands in ONeill, and Doc.
Middleton who stole most of the good horses run
across in Holt county, were both products of Ft.
Sidney philosophy of life in frontier days. Now
this southwestern Nebraska city has become a
center of musical charm and sends their band to
the nation’s capital to represent our prairieland
state when the president is the central figure.
• * *
Three basketball games tonight in different
parts of the city. Schools and colleges, where
once we learned from books and teachers the
story of mankind and how to solve the mathe
matical problems of life, now train Young
American to toss a ball at a basket. One dol
lar demanded at the door. High cost of living—
who says that!
* * *
The Platts down at Chambers have
traveled the highway of life together for a half
century, 40 years as citizens of Chambers and
Ted must feel somewhat flatten'd that Mrs. P.
put up with him for 50 years without a break.
He was born down here in Lancaster county,
started life as husband and father on the prairies
of Wheeler county riding the cowtrails. Opened
a shoe shop in Chambers many years ago and
now takes it undisturbed by doing nothing and
hangs on to their section of Wheeler county
grassland.
* * •
The chief executive and family remained a
day and a night in the governor’s mansion down
in Missouri, moved back to their own home at
Jefferson City, explaining that the “mansion” is
a rat-infested rattle-trap, not fit for a Missourian
to live in. Some Nebraska governors did no:
occupy the “mansion” set aside south of the cap
ital building for a home for those exalted by the
sovereign citizens of the state to the governor’s
job. Why an execuive mansion? A grand new
one is going up now in Lincoln. If the state fur
nishes a dwelling for the governor, why not
dwellings for all elected state officers,
Edit orial
There’s Virtue in Restraint
An ill teres ling contrast in sportsmanship was
exhibited here on Friday evening, January 18.
The O’Neill high Eagles rang in a field goal
with a mere fraction of a second remaining in
the basketball game against the Bloomfield high
Bees. The goal put O’Neill ahead 60-59.
Bloomfield’s storekeepers strongly protested
the final basket, claiming the game was over be
fore the clincher was made. There were O’Neill
ites who let their post-game enthusiasm carry
them away, too. To complicate matters, an O’Neill
cheerleader was hurt in the moments immediate
ly following the final buzzer. Just how she was
hurt is not clearly established, but she was hos
pitalized and a Bloomfield player was said to
have figured in the incident.
Bloomfield enthusiasts caused the metropoli
tan press to report a Bloomfield victory, 59-58.
Working all season with a green team,
O’Neill Coach Bill Edwards had been winless
thus far in his first season at the helm of the
Kaglos’ cage fortunes. With his first victory at
stake, he might have taken on the role of an
ulcer-ridden coach, who shouts and rants and
puts on a spectacle like they do in the movies.
The game’s outcome at that climactic point
seemed to be questionable. A few people from
both O’Neill and Bloomfield were exercising their
tonsils with reference to that last basket. Most
of the controversy centered on a technicality in
timekeeping.
But Mr Edwards casually rounded up his
boys and quietly ushered them to the showers—
deliberately leaving the jawing to the “profes
sionals”.
Just how the Bloomfield coach behaved at
the time, we do not know. He might have re
acted like Mr. Edwards.
But for Bill it was a question of whether or
not he had won his first game of the season—
and winning games, it seems, has become the ab
solute factor in coaching—sportsmanship, physical
education, etc., becoming secondary considera
tions in many schools and colleges.
Win or not, Mr. Edwards’ exemplarary con
duct in the height of confusion certainly reflects
high credit and good sportsmanship.
The secretary of the Nebraska High School
Activities association subsequently ruled it an
O'Neill win, 60-59.
Flivvers Were Loved
Thrills and hazards of the model T Ford are
recalled by Robert Strother in a nostalgic article,
“A Flivver for the Family,” in the February Read
er’s Digest.
Until he pilots a space ship around the
moon, Mr. Strother says he will not have the
equal of the thrill he experienced as a boy in
Winfield, Kans., when he first drove a new model
T for which his father paid $440 on Christmas
eve in 1917.
“Fords were notoriously allergic to cold,” re
calls the writer. “Model T’s were started, when
they consented to start at all, by hand cranking.
. . . The crank frequently kicked. . . Right arms
in casts were as familiar a feature of the Ameri
can winter scene of 40 years ago as are legs in
casts at ski lodges and sport resorts today.
“Another recurrent hazard of model T motor
ing was running out of gas. There was no gaso
line gauge, and to find out how much fuel was
left, the operator first had to evict any front-seat
passengers and remove the seat cushion. A slat
ted cover was then raised, the gas-tank cap re
moved and a graduated stick inserted in the tank.
“To measure the oil supply was even more
of a nuisance. You crawled under the car and
opened a petcock. If oil ran out, you had oil."
Despite hardships like these, for nearly two
decades, between 1908 and 1927, reports Mr.
Strother, “flivvers swarmed in their millions
from the assembly lines in Detroit and became
known and loved thoughout the world."
—
Where Is the Rain?
Pat Harney of the Air Force-Cambridge
(Mass.) Research Center has forwarded to us an
article entitled, “Where Is the Rain”? The piece
was written by Bicknell Eubanks of the Chris
tian Science Monitor staff.
During Harney’s sojourns at O’Neill during
1953 and 1956 wind tests, we had inquiring con
i versations with him and his compatriots regard
j ing wet and dry weather cycles, artificial rain
making, atom and hydrogen bomb effects on rain
1 (or lack of it).
Mr. Harney, who formerly was in the office
of the chief of the U. S. weather bureau in Wash
ington, suggests that Mr. Eubanks has grasped
the great plains plight in a few easy-to-under
stand paragraphs:
“The great plains comprise (geographically)
one-fifth of the nation. This is the land of semi
arid environments that, when approached by men
from humid environments, bitterly defeats their
efforts to survive. Precisely this and nothing
more is the trouble . . .
“Basically, the great plains has always had a
water problem, either too much or too little. The
very nature of its topography and its geographic
location is not conducive to year-round rainfall
in substantial amounts.
“General areawide rains are mainly depend
ent on atmospheric and climatic conditions. The
ideal conditions occur at places far removed from
the great plains. A hurricane in the Gulf of
Mexico, or a cold front against the warm, moist
air coming up from the south will cause heavy,
general rains. If these conditions do not prevail
over a time, a drought occurs. It’s as tragically
| simple as that.”
We know an O’Neill professional man who
reserves the loudest neckties for the coldest days,
thus the ties usually are quite well concealed.
i CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
1 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 (March 31, 1956
When You and I Were Young . . .
Baby Unharmed After
Given Up by Mother
Figure Takes Infant
to Mountains
50 Years .Ago
From the inside "ready print”
pages of The Frontier conies this
story. A young farm wife had
: agreed that her husband should
i meet her at the fence near the
woods and take the child to a
neighbor's. The woman reached
the fence and saw a figure dim
1 ly outlined on the other side. Be
! lieving it to be her husband, she
handed the child over. To her
! amazement, the figure disappear
! ed without a word, taking the
i baby. Frantically die called to her
i husband, whom she met coming
i towards the fence. The tracks of
an immense bear led to the
home. Baby was later found un
harmed. . . Sons were born to Mr
and Mrs. R. R Morrison and
! Dr. and Mrs Flynn. A fash
i ionable feminine headdress in
• zero weather is a gauzy veil re
1 sembling a sheet of tissue paper.
20 Years Ago
Deaths: John Hayne, 69, at
Norfolk; Marion Prichett, 75, at
his farm home; William Spang
ler of Clearwater. . . O’Neill
citizens donated $166.80 to the
Ohio flood relief. . . Mr. and
Mrs. Jesse Wills of Emmet came
to O’Neill by car but were un
able to return because of drift
ing snow. They returned by train
the next day. . . Henry Loshei,
83, submitted to surgery. . . Miss
Ardith Smith of Inman, who has
! been seriously ill with pneumo
nia is improving. . . Harry Fox
lias been doing chores at Will
' Kaczor’s since the men have been
!sick. Maurice Graham also has
been helping.
10 Years Ago
The winter’s worst snow storm
arrived. . Mr. and Mrs. Wil
| liam Medcalf of Chambers cele
brated their 56th wedding anni
versary. . . Ed Markey of San
Pedro, Cal., died. His sister
Mrs. Margaret McMillan, was
unable to attend because of the
! travel difficulty created by the
storm. . . Cpl. Max Farrier of
Chambers arrived home from
Korea. . . Betty Lyons and Ralph
Rector were married. . . Miss
Elizabeth Kamphaus and Frank
Nickolite were married. . . Mrs.
C. H. Switzer departed for Cali
fornia to visit her son
Ewing News
The Past Matrons club and the
Star Kensington were entertained
Friday afternoon at the home of
Mrs. Waldo Davis. Seven mem
! bers were present. Mrs. Wilbur
| Bennett presided at the business
I session. The annual banquet was
discussed and committees were
appointed. The afternoon was
spent informally. Luncheon was
served. ¥
Mrs. John A. Wood accom
panied her husband to Norfolk
Monday, January 21, where she
remained to spend the week at
the home of her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Louis Tanck.
The Young Matron’s Pinochle
club was entertained at the
country home of Mrs. Archie Tut
tle on Tuesday evening, January
22. with Mrs. Elvin Hamilton as
the assisting hostess. Mrs. Jerry
Tomjack and Mrs. Earl Wright
were guests. Prizewinners were
1 Gail Boies, Mrs. Tomjack
and Mrs. Richard Edwards. A so
cial hour and lunch were enjoyed
after the games.
Miss Ina Bennett was a guest
Sunday at the home of her brother
and wife, Mr .and Mrs. Wilbur
Bennett. Other guests at the Ben
nett home was their daughter and
son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. May
nard Morrow and children of O’
Neill
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pruden
accompanied by Mrs. Thos. Eacker
went to Omaha on Friday. The
Prudens transacted business while
Mrs. Eacker visited her husband
at St. Joseph’s hospital.
Robert Eacker, who has been a
guest at the home of his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Eacker, and
other relatives, departed Friday
to return to his home in Kalispell,
Mont.
Nuns to California—
Sister M. Perpetua and Sister
M. Clotildus, St. Anthony’s hos
pital staff members, have been
attending a Sisters of St. Francis
conference in Los Angeles, Calif.
They visited a new 480 - bed St.
Francis hospital at Lynwood,
Calif., operated by that order.
-1--“
TO RE-WORK TOWN
STUART—The villiage board
at Stuart has made plans to com
pletely re-work the town’s muni
cipal electrical distribution sys
tem. Idea behind the plan is to
minimize what is known as line
loss.
Attend Wedding—
Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Schaffer at
tended the w'edding Saturday eve
ning of his nephew, Jack Schaffer
Els, at the St. Paul Evangelical
Reformed church in Lincoln.
Frontier for printing!
DR. H. D. GTEDFR SLEEVE
OPTOMETRIST
Northeast Corner
of 4th & Douglas
O’NEILL, NEBR.
Phone 167
Office Hours: 9-5
Eyes Examined-Glasses Fitted
Monday thru Saturday
Echoes from the Valiev
»
We Like Trees
By MRS. MERRILL ANDERSON
For many years Nebraska ha:
been noted as the tree planters
state. Millions of seedlings art
planted annually.
In early years most of the
state was barren of trees. A few
were native along streams and
valleys.
New interest developed when
the government offered additional
land to homesteaders to encour
age tree plantings.
We are indebted to the division
of forestry for their relentless
efforts by extensive survey to
determine species most adapt
able to sandy soil. Up to the
present time, the cedar and pon
derosa pine have been found to
be the most suitable because of
their capability' to withstand
drouth. However, many leafed
varieties do well here, such as
’ the elm, which is used exten
sively for windbreaks.
The government is setting up
a program for furthering the tree
planting project. It would seem
advisable to follow some such
practice to prevent further des
truction in pasture areas, where
control of blowouts is becoming
a problem.
Our shelterbelts have proved
great value in helping to pre
vent damage from wind erosion,
also in holding the moisture.
Most of us are nature lovers,
and our tree .plantations rank
! high in this writer’s estimation.
The initial cost of tree
planting is small but the reward
for such efforts makes it very
worthwhile.
News
Mr, and Mrs. John Planz of
Fremont visited Mrs. Dallas Beh
rens. also of Fremont, who is at
the home of her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Esty Nelson.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry McKay
and Vicki of Chambers were Sun
day supper guests of Mr. and Mr*.
Duane McKay.
Edward McCarthy left Monday
to register at Creighton univer
sity, Omaha. He had completed
two years before serving four
years in the navy. Second semes
ter starts: next Monday.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Caskey
and Suellyn were Sunday dinner
guests cf her mother, Mrs. Mabel
Bennett in Winnetoon, and supper
guests of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard
Butterfield and daughter of Ne
ligh.
Jack Carney, a student a t
.Creighton university, Omaha, was
home between semesters. He ar
rived Sunday and left Tuesday,
Jack had completed two years be
fore he left for the service. He is
now a junior.
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Debacker
and family of Columbus wrere
weekend guests of his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. G. C. DeBacker. Jim
DeBacker,- a student at the Uni
versary of Nebraska, left Monday
after spending between semester
vacation at home.
Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs.
H. P. Savidge were Mr. and Mrs.
Carl Chmiel of Ew’ing. Overnight
guests were Mr. and Mrs. Walter
Sievers of Omaha.
Tuesday, January 22, Dr. and
Mrs. E. M. Gleeson and Mr. and
Mrs. Robert Devoy were in Sioux
City.
Helen Marie is the name Mr.
and Mrs. Robert L. Glide have
chosen for their new little daugh
ter.
Mr. and Mrs. David Maughan
of Tilden were weekend guests of
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry
Graham.
1h0iek(t...IN NEBRASKA ?
• Chimney Rock, old
time landmark of the
Oregon Trail, once
served as a guide
post to California
bound wagon trains.
You'll find this scenic
spot near Bayard on
U. S. Highway 26.
_I
Beer Belongs...to the good times Nebraska division
we enjoy in modern Nebraska. United States
Serve it, enjoy it, as the beverage nreuers
that is right—in any company, foundation
fer ©Very occasion. 710 Fint Narl Bank Bldg . Lincoln
Conardt Entertain—
Mrs. T. I* Liddy won higl
| score for ladies and Laurcnci
Haynes won high for the men at «
bridge party held Sunday even in*
at the home of Mr. and Mrs Johr
! Conard in Emmet. Guests wen
| the Hayneses, the Liddys and tht
• Marvin Johnsons.
Mrs. Soukup Hostess—
Mrs Stanley Soukup entertain
ed the birthday club at a 1 o'clock
luncheon Saturday. The ladies
spent the afternoon socially at
the home of Mrs. George C. Ro
bertson
( K \( K DOWN
ATKINSON — Mayor Willard
Linville has announced the city
will crack down on use of air
rifles ami firearms of any type
within the city of Atkinson May
or Linville said an ordinance for
bids the discharge of arms within
| the city.
NEAR FATHER
ATKINSON—Delbert Scott of
Rapid City, S.D., came Friday to
be near his father. D F. Scott,
who died Saturday night.
Dr. J. L. Sherbahn
CHIROPRACTOR
Vfc Block So. of Ford Garage
Complete X-Ray Equipment
O’Neill, Nebraska
Notes Birthday—
Helping Mrs. Burton Kendeil
celebrate her birthday anniver
sary in Osmond Sunday were Mr.
■ and Mrs. Harry Graham and Mr.
and Mrs David Maughan of Ttl
' den.
Englers Move—
Bob Engler is moving this
weekend into the house vacated
by the Edwin L. Krugman family.
Butte Livestock
Butte. Nebr.
Tlie auction at BUTTE
LIVESTOCK MARKET on
January 23 was a cold four
hours of selling. Buyers were
very active and quality of
livestock better than average,
making a snappy auction with
prices higher on all grades of
stock.
The hog orders were ihe
best—several car loads of
number 1 butchers shipped to
the coast by two buyers.
We hope to see you on Wed
nedavs. Bring or send your
livestock to the Butte live
stock Market for highest re
turns, thanks.
is
WALLPAPER
/M Your Choice of FINE PAPERS
WcyA Ve have just received the new 1957 wall- I
/^ ^ \Wf, paper sample books. Stop in now and see
Jff • V/,\\ the New Morris line of wallpaper at prices
[Ul ) ‘i V -\<fJ to fit every budget. The most beautiful
fig f <( 0 r wallpapers ever.
l Headquarters
ll for Morris Pa’nts
PLAN TO DECORATE . , . .
NOW! Matching Colors
in flat, semi-gloss, house paint, quick drying enamel, floor
and porch paint. Completely odorless — washable, easy to
apply.
SCOVIE’S O’Neill
WESTERN AUTO
NEW FORD TRUCKS ^’57
The Roncherol More than a car, more
than a truck—it's a completely new
kind of vehicle. A real pack horse that
handles more than half a ton. Totally new Tilt Cabs I Amer
ica's lowest-priced,* most mod
ern Tilt Cob line. Six complete
new Series, upto 60,000-1 b. GC W
New pickup with Styleside body, stondord at ao extra
cost, gives you stunning style and the biggest capacity
of any half-tonner. Available in 6V4- and Mt body lengths.
They're ern through and through
Th e boldly modem styling you see just hints at how
deep-down modem the '57 Fords really are!
New Ranchero rides, handles and looks like a mod
em car. It’s a rugged truck that carries over half a
ton—more than many standard pickups. Ford’s all
new Tilt Cab Series brings modem design to the
big-truck field. It’s America’s lowest-priced* Tilt
Cab line.
New Ford pickups back up their modem styling
with higher power, completely new cabs, a new kind
of ride. Styleside bodies are biggest of any pickup.
The trucks shown here just touch the sweeping
changes in the new Ford line for ’57. See your Ford
Dealer for complete details on the truck to fit your job.
*B*a©d oo a comparison of factory-suggested list prices
NEW cabs-completely new—stronger, roomier,
smorterl New wider windshield. New inboard
step, new Hi-Dri ventilation.
NEW hydraulic clutch standard in all models
from pickups to tandems. Easier to operate—
works like hydraulic brake. Clutch and brake
pedals are suspended type I
NEW Styleslde pickup bodiee standard at
no extra cost. America's biggest pickup bodiesl
Side loading's far easier with full-width body.
NEW riding comfort! Big new roomy cobs,
completely new chassis suspension and Increased
visibility improve handling eose.
NEW chassis strength! New frames, up to 13%
stronger. New sturdier front and rear axles!
New higher capocity springs!
NEW power advances! Higher horsepower,
freer breathing, higher compression ratios, new
Super-filter air cleaner. Short Stroke engine
design—V-8 or Six, in every model!
For'57 and the years ahead—
FORD TRUCKS COST LESS
LESS TO OWN... LESS TO RUN... LAST LONGER TOOI
LOHAUS MOTOR CO.
Phone 33 _O’Neill, Nebr.
