Prairieland Talk
Homemade Goods Once Flourished
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS. 411* Sooth 5Ut 8C. Lincoln 6. Ncbr.
LINCOLN—I do not know if Ed Hagensick
is still operating his horn-weight manufacturing
concern on North Fourth street where he turned
out weights at one time to be attached to the
horns of young bulls to cause the horns to grow
on a downward slant. Maybe by now he has
transplanted the activities to his home in the
northeast section.
Among the home manufactured products that
O’Neill has known, the hay
burners turned out by the
McCafferty hardware — and
also Brennan’s — were the
most numerous as well as be
ing the most needed in home
stead abodes in pioneer
times.
Another factory of the
days now gone, turning home
products into "manufactured
goods", was the creamery
operated by H M. Uttley that
stood on lower Fourth street Ru«f“e
near the railroad. Uttley sunder,
quit buttermaking to turn to the practice of law.
A little known local enterprise operated m
a crude building facing the alley west of w ere
outgoing and incoming buses now park on the
north side of Douglas street was the “basket fac
tory" conducted by an oldtimer by the name of
ICitchel. an early day hotel proprietor TJe bas
kets were made of willow twigs gathered down
by the Elkhorn river, the bark peeled from the
willow- and then woven into baskets that held as
much as the ordinary bushel basket. These bas
kets were strictly home products, as was Mr Ut
tley’s creamery butter.
The town had a cigar factory at one fe
ttle patriotic proprietor turning out a brand of
cigars he called Pride of O’Neill. But the great
chicory factory on the open prairie just west of
town and the brickyard to the south of that were
really going to put us on the map.
• • •
Money bays a loaf of bread, a pillow
whereon to lay your head Money buys a coat
and cap to wear, is what the barber takes to
eat your hair. It bays everything that Is for
sale while traveling down this mortal trail.
Money does not buy the open air. the open sky
or the white clouds floating by. It can not buy
the glow of early dawn or the sunsets burnish
ed gold. It can not buy the green of leaf or
velvet gown upon the lanscape all around.
These are heaven’s gifts w'lthin our reach each
day for which we do not need to pay.
• • •
Bt-nnet Martin continues to occupy the may
or’s seat In Lincoln official circles. He was re
elected at the recent city election. The name Ben
net Martin had an appeal to such as Prairieland
Talker with memories of the Martins in O Neill
in the days now hung upon the scroll of the past.
I voted for the loser. Pat Ash. That name Pat
has its appeal—there were a lot of them in and
around O’Neill. Ash came into Lincoln as an or
phan boy, got work at the YMCA for meals and
lodging, went to school and it is such as he that
are needed in public service.
A lady of culture, a native of the great state
of Illinois, who the past three years robed in silk
en gowns has sat at a desk in our capital city.
Back there in her native land of com fields and
crowded haunts of humanity she had heard of
Nebraska as a desert land of prolonged rainless
days. Dripping wet from the downpour outside
I stepped into her office yesterday. Her queenly
features were lighted with a smile—it is a rain
ing! The lady had heard of wind blown fields out
toward the continental divide, where the buffalo
once roamed and the herds of the Two Bar X
fattened on the native grass, where in late years
deluded sons of the soil plowed up the world’s
best grazing lands, sowed wheat and wheat and
dirt blew away when winds moaned across the
land So this is the Nebraska desert, the lady
from beyond the Mississippi concluded. She and
others such as she should roll across prairieland
from Falls City to Chadron, from South Sioux
City to McCook, through verdant fields of grow
ing grain, across the miles of velvet-robed grass
lands where prairie roses bloom, where the birds
sing, the sly coyote is on the watch and the
countless herds graze in this great beef state, the
fellows on horseback up and down the cow trails;
visit the villages and towns and open country
where prairieland dwellers have found this
“desertland” to be their Garden of Eden.
Mr*. Nellie Hunt, living at 51st and O
streets, a mile or two north of my city abiding
place, has been called to St. Louis, Mo„ on ac
count of the illness of her son. who has been
laid up In a hospital some weeks. Mrs. Hunt,
widow of the late Hen Hunt, both of pioneer
Holt county families, had planned to be in O’
Neill for memorial day but instead was called to
the Missouri city.
• • •
It was at the early sunset hour drawing to a
close a stormy day in winter. A young man
standing erect in a wagon drew the lines tight
and said whoa! The team stood still in front of
George Jones’ livery stable where the “horseless
carriages” have been available on East Douglas
street. The young man climbed out of the wagon,
unhitched the horses and stalled them in the bam.
Another young fellow had arrived in O’Neill to
start life in a pioneer community. That was 70
years ago; that young fellow was soon about the
most popular guy in town, worked and in time
became a leading business man of the community.
Everybody knew’ and regarded Jess Mellor as a
Mend. He, too, came to the end of the trail, join
ed that endless caravan marching to the home of
the dead.
• • •
High schools, colleges, universities have
graduated another select lineup of young Ameri
cans. They now face the problems of life in an
unMendlv world. Some may inscribe their name
on the rolls of notoriety and others relax to en
joy the fun of the simple life content to win only
a livelihood. Evangelist Billy Graham says his
Yale and Harvard has been the Bible, the world’s
best seller of the millions of books published.
And Graham has preached to throngs numbering
more than 25.000,000. Abe Lincoln lay on the
floor in the log cabin by the fireplace and read
out of his one book. His Gettysburg speech stands
yet today unmatched in all American oratory.
There are not many Abe Lincolns.
Editorial
LB 140 in Close Squeak
State Sen. Frank Nelson’s LB 140 very near
ly upset the boat for State Engineer L. N. Ress
and state highway advisory commission.
The background of LB 140, introduced by the
lawmaker representing Holt, Boyd, Rock and
Keya Paha counties, should be of interest.
The 1955 legislature adopted a grand highway
plan for the state which dropped more than nine
hundred miles of road state maintenance. The
legislature, at the same time, added more than
four hundred miles, leaving a net loss of more
than four hundred miles (or, stated another way,
turned over four hundred miles back to the re
spective counties for maintenance).
The effect on Holt was severe. Holt lost 45
miles of state-maintained highway in the shuffle,
ie: O’Neill - Page - Twing - Deloit, Stuart - Naper,
Lynch south, Amelia spur.
It is no wonder Senator Nelson stubbornly
battled the grand plan two years ago, because
Holt, for example, wound up absorbing one-tenth
of the total cutback in the state. He was one of a
handful opposing the grand plan.
Even before the 1957 session of the legis
lature had convened, most of the senators whp had
favored the grand plan had made themselves part
of delegations calling at the statehouse request
ing one or more roads in their respective districts
be restored to the state highway plan.
You might say many of the senators who sup
ported the grand plan in the first place were
shortsighted; or, reported another way. Senator
Nelson was farsighted.
Whereupon Nelson entered LB 140, which
would restore the Lynch-Page road to the state
system (20 miles in Holt). The bill was doing
all right until other senators saw an opportunity
to amend it by tacking on their favorite stretch
to appease voters back home.
While the state engineer’s office was lopping
off the four hundred miles, super plans for a su
per highway across the state were gaining im
petus. Few of our people give a hoot for the su
per-duper schemes, and won’t accept graciously
the rejection of such bills as LB 140 (it was fin
ally killed 20-19).
Some of the state senators wno wear Harvard
tweed and big homed-rimmed glasses would do
well to counsel with Mr. Nelson while some of
this legislation is in the making. Senator Nelson
doesn't wear tweed and, without glasses, reads
more into some of the grandiose plans than many
of his colleagues
Ike’s Speeches Miss Mark
President Eisenhower’s television-radio ap
peal to the public in behalf of his 71-billion dol
lar budget failed to check the flood of mail pour
ing onto capital hill. Unprecedented numbers of
letters are protesting the ponderous budget, and
representatives and senators of both parties are
being deluged.
Furthermore, both Majority Leader Sen.
Lyndon Johnson (D-Tex.) and Minority Leader
Sen. William F. Knowland (R-Calif.) favor deep
cuts in the budget.
Nebraska's congressional delegation reported
during the weekend the mail has been extremely
heavy, the homefolks clamoring for cuts. Only
a small fraction of the writers have tempered
their feelings in the wake of Ike’s appeal.
Champions for a reduced budget urge con
stituents to write their representatives, but to put
more steam into letters going to the senators.
They urge still more sting in letters going to the
white house, which needs it more than ever.
Congresswoman St. George (R-N. Y.) recent
ly referred to the spending ability of the two
houses and offered this reference to the senate
in her newsletter: "That is where the big spenders
live and breathe.”
Nebraska is blessed with two inherently
conservative republican senators—Roman Hruska
and Carl Curtis. But sometimes they are pressed
by the white house and collegues to go along on
spending the proposals that are foreign to their
prairie nature.
Rain, Rain! Glorious Rain!
When the sun finally appeared early Tues
day after 10 glorious days of rain the country side
wore an indescribable coat of green.
Seldom has the land been so well soaked at
this season. Precipitation is far above normal and
now the pent up energies of nature and man will
stir as never before.
Four inches of rainfall thus far in May is
worthy of better lines than these. The moisture ,
has overcome the winter’s deficiency, and the 1
prospects for 1957 are indeed bright.
The proof of the pudding in this eastern-most
bit of the great American desert lies In what the
skies have to offer in July and August. Perhaps
the drouth that has scorched much of the coun
tryside during the past three years has, at long
last, been broken.
•
Joe McCarthy wasn’t such a bad guy after
all—judging from eulogies that have been forth
coming. Seldom has our editorial work created
more comment than did our kind words for Joe
and his deeds which appeared last issue. To
those who saw fit to express appreciation we of
fer our thanks. Until now those readers who felt
differently about Joe have not been heard from.
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, 1878. This news
paper is a member of the Nebraska Press Associa
tion, National Editorial Association and the Audit
Bureau of Circulations.
___
Terns of Subscription: In Nebraska, $3.50 per
year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per year;
rates abroad provided on request. All subscriptions
are paid in advance.
When You A 1 Were Young . % .
Thomas Quilty, Wife
End Wedding Trip
ToLive in House
Vacated by Loys
50 Years Ago
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Quilty
returned from their honeymoon
trip and will live in the house re
cently vacated by Ed Loy . . .
Jack Raggeri of Chambers recent
ly returned from a hospital in
Omaha “much improved" . . .
Leon A. Van Hove of Bristow and
Miss Claire Lansworth of Agee,
daughter of P. J. Lansworth, ap
plied for a marriage license; also
Vencle Kozisek and Rosella Kop
lin, both of Atkinson, and David
Leinhart of Chambers and Martha
Freilich of Atkinson . . . Jerry
; McCarthy dided after a lingering
I illness . . C. E. Stout has pur
chased the S. J. Weekes property
1 in the northeast part of town . . .
j William Menish and Michael
Welch, of Portland, Ore., former
I ly of O'Neill died.
20 Years Ago
The Connolly boys celebrated
the 63d anniversary of the arrival ,
of their father in O’Neill. Thomas
! Connolly and his wife were mem
bers of the original General John
O'Neill colony that came to this i
city on May 12, 1874 and founded
O’Neill . . . E. A. Steskal. living
northwest of O’Neill, brought the
scalps of 12 little coyotes to town. 1
He dug them out of one hole on
the Ed Earley farm . . . Little
Harry Dwayne Fox, the 1 M2-year
old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles
Fox of Meek, choked to death on
a bean while he was being rush
ed to Norfolk . . . Little Sammy,
son of E. E. Young, was missing
from home. He was found with
his Newfoundland dog, “Buster” j
. . . Mrs. Newton Carson of Red
bird quietly celebrated her 85th
. birthday anniversary' • • The barn
and granary on the John Sullivan
place were destroyed by fire . . .
Another fire gutted the $100,000
Armour Creamery plant.
10 Years Ago
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Vitt cele
brated their 50th wedding anni
versary . . . The WSCS honored
the following ladies, all over 70,
at a sunset tea Mrs. Frank Bowen
Mrs. Addie Wrede, Mrs. F. H.
Griffith, Mrs. Ella Carr, Mrs. An
na Connell. Mrs. Maggie Siders,
Mrs. Peter Curtis, Mrs. L. G. Gil
lesapie and Mrs. Sam Barnard . .
Andrew P. (“Pat") Wettlauffer,
3, of Page died after falling into
scalding water at his farm home
. . Donna Mae Furher, an O'
Neill farm girl who is completely
paralyzed, received her eighth
grade diploma. Her story was told
over a nation wide broadcast by
Ted Malone, radio’s human inter
est reporter-philosopher . . . Mrs.
Walter B. Pharrie. 28, of Gregory,
S D.. a former O'Neill resident,
died ... A family reunion was
held at the Levi Clemens home in
Amelia.
One Year Ago
Marcia Widman. an eighth
grader from the Amelia school,
won top honors with a 12.7 out
of a 12.9 in county eighth exam
inations. Last year the winner
was Rochelle Sammons, also from
Amelia (district 228) . . . Dr. E.
J. Bild, a physician for 53 years,
died in his office at Page . . .
Paiil Baker, former O’Neill high
school principal and coach, who
is with Continental Oil Company,
will have O’Neill as his sales
operative headquarters . . Ray
mond Barnard of Valley fell 40
feet from the courthouse roof
while working . . . Clyde McKen
zie. sr., of Lynch died ... Mr. and
Mrs. Jacib Serr, Boyd county pio
neers, celebrated their 64th wed
ding anniversary at the James
Mlnarik home in Ewing . . . Den
nis (“Den”) Hunt, 87. was fatally
injured by a car in Lincoln.
Frontier Wants are Mighty!
Ewing News
Supt L. M. Carter was a guest
Thursday evening when Mrs.
Carter and other teachers in the
Page public school honored two
other members of the faculty.
Stanley Gross and George Austin,
at a dinner at the Town House in
O’Neill. Mrs. Gross was also a
guest.
Mr. and Mrs. Merle Schilousky
of Orchard attended the com
mencement exercises Friday' eve
ning at the school auditoriufn.
Mr. and Mrs, Fred Tams of
Clearwater came to Ewing Friday
evening to attend the graduation
exercises at the school audiorium.
Their grandson, Robert Tams, jr.,
was a member of the senior class
Mr. and Mrs. George Garhart
and children are weekend guests
at the home of her parents. Mr
and Mrs. Irwin Clovd.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Lee had as
their guests the past week Mr
and Mrs. Louis Tomjack of Wyo
ming and Mr. and Mrs. Blaine
Spes of Fremont.
Mother’s day guests at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. George
Latzel were their son and daugh
ter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Francis
Latzel, of Kileen, Tex., and Mr.
and Mrs. Eugene Kresl of Craw
ford. The Kresls, also visited his
parents at Weston. The Francis
Latzels left on Monday for Oma
ha to visit relasives there.
Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Lee return
ed home Monday, May 13. from
Dixon, where they had spent the
weekend with their daughter and
husband, Mr. and Mrs. Curly
Sanders, and family. Other guests
were Mr. and Mrs. Harold Brown
and Merle Lee of Omaha.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kusek and
children of David City were week
end guests at the home of her
mother. Mrs. Hazel Kimes, and
sons. They also attended the com
mencement exercises at the pub
lic school Friday evening. Mrs.
Kusek’s brother, Dean Kimes, was
a member of the graduating class.
Mr. and Mrs. Merle Alsinger
I and children of Clearwater also
attended the commencement and
! called at the Kimes home
Recent guests at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kropp were
Miss Dorothy Kropp of Norfolk,
Mr. and Mrs. Mason Moirty and
family of Stanton. Mr. and Mrs.
Pete Kropp and family of New
! castle.
The Young Matrons Pinochle
club met Tuesday evening. May
14, at the home of Mrs. Rose
Bauer. Mrs. Thomas Eaeker was
cohostess. Guests were Mr. and
Mrs. Earl Wright, Mrs. Gene
Ruby and Mrs. Lester Bergstrom
Mrs. Gail Bolt's won high score
and Mrs. Ruby, low. Mrs Kermit
Jefferies received the traveling
prize. Refreshments were served.
Mother’s day guests at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Bohn were their daughter and
husband. Dr. and Mrs. Fred Prell_
witz, and family of Kearney
and Mr. and Mrs. Gail Boies of
Ewing.
Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Smith of
Caldwell, Ida., were overnight
guests Monday, May 13, at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. William
Spence.
Mrs. William Spence, worthy
matron of the Jephthah chapter
85, Order of the Eastern Star, and
Mrs. Sis Ebbengaard attended
grand chapter at Lincoln.
Lyle Spence of Lincoln spent
the weekend with his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. William Spence.
Guests at the home of Mrs.
John Archer Friday afternoon
were Lewis Miller of Lincoln and
Mr. and Mrs Mick McKay of At
kinson. Mr. Miller accompanied
the McKays to their home where
he spent the weekend. All attend
ed the commencement exercises
in the evening at Ewing.
Thirteen eighth graders receiv
ing diplomas: Mary Ann Bauer,
LeRovce Blunt, Jerald Black,
Bertha Harris, Leonora Tuttle,
Anette Rotherham, Sharon Hobbs,
Clifford Juracck, Karen Mlnar
ik. Gene Daniels, Freddie Wright,
Clifford Steskal and Jerry Tams
Supt. L. M. Carter presented
the eighth grade diplomas and
awards L-eonora Tuttle received
the top honors with a 12,9 rat
ti*; Annette Rotherham, second,
12.0 rating.
Jim H Schmitz, of O’Neill May
11, speeding night, fined 535 and
and 54 costs; officer—R. L. Gude.
!
j
I •
Yours l
..... at the bewitching hour/
Ah-h—the hour is enchanted! And you add a touch of romance
from a wondrous land—the land of sky blue waters. Hamm’s,
the beer refreshing—the beer with the crisp,
clean-cut taste—the
won the heart of al
Theo. Hamm Brewing Co., St. Paul, Minn, and San
/
the BEER refreshing
From the land of shy blue watersv
i •
