Prairieland Talk—
Guys From North Shoot Up Town
By BO MAINE SAUNDERS, 4110 South 51»t St, Lincoln 6, Nebr.
LINCOLN The following story sent me by
Homer Campbell, 4831 35th st.. SW, Seattle, Wash.,
will be of interest to Frontier readers and "ring a
bell’’ for Henry Grady. Lloyd Gillespie and maybe
ijhers.
Homer writes .
“It was not until after 1885-86 that O Neill
emerged from sporadic incidents reminiscent of
the wild and woolly West.
There was a Saturday night
aliout that time I’ll never for
get, when a bunch of fellows
from northeast of O'Neill
came to town, got hilariously
drunk, and shot up the north
tnd-south main street on de
parting. They did not long
ride alone, however, for a
posse, hurriedly organized
rode in pursuit.
"Nothing definite was
known as to the personnel of
the posse or the pursued; but
from hearsay it is possible to reconstruct what
happened as follows: Out four or five miles a
thunderstorm broke, lightning revealing the flee
ing celebrators a short distance ahead of the posse.
A team-drawn buggy seemed to be having a hard
time keeping up with the riders. Gunfire was
cracking from Ixith sides, when suddenly me ex
hausted team stopped, probably as the lines drop
ped from the fatally wounded driver’s hands.
"In the early quiet of the following Sunday
morning here is what I experienced: Curiosity as
to a horseless buggy standing across the street
from my father’s restaurant (which would be in
front of Sheriff Ed llershiser’s drug store and res
idence upstairs) exposed me to a shocking scene.
The driver’s body, having been brought in slump
ed upright in the single-seated buggy, a large hole
showing in the center of his forehead, evidently
from a bullet entering from behind.
"The previous night’s storm of the elements
bad been more kindly than the storm men gener
ate in themselves."
• • •
Cold, zero and below, snow covers our slice of
earth with a blanket of white purity dotted with
glittering diamonds the frost’s cold hand spread
across the land. Did you think to set out a dish of
wheat or bread crumbs for the birds or throw out
a bone for the coyote? The native life of prairie
Hmd. the animals, the birds- shall they hunger and
die? The prairie land wolf kills to eat — so does
man. Toss the wolf a bone. Where does the pheas
ant, the prairie chicken find a morsel when the
landscape Is blanketed with snow? Can you spare
them a few crumbs?
Steers fit for the slaughter $34 per 100 pounds,**.
$340 for a 10 hundred pounder. A dollar a pound
by the time a slice reaches your table. Pass the
spuds! ... A few' million bread winners out of
work- get out the WPA shovels. . . Another upris
ing in Cuba. Send down a Teddie Roosevelt with
the Rough Riders. . . I>octor Decker down at the
state house is in a ditter over the way some of our
schools are functioning. The schools are not turn
ing out many Abe Lincolns, Edward Rosewaters.
Judge Maxwells, William Jennings Bryans or Mike
Harringtons. . The bank down at Greeley was out
of business after an attempted robbery until a lock
expert came from Omaha and opened the vault. . .
r. v. Graff was chosen as president of the '88
Blizzard club at its January meeting. He is also
president of the Dodge county historical society.
• • •
Youth on the march for God. This was the i
headline over a story I did not read. But with the
stories of juvenile rough necks pulling off their
stuff it is inspiring to learn of youth throughout
the land devoting their lives to better things. Not
enough is said of the worthwhile activities of young
America. Here they are in schools, colleges, uni
versities, in cities, towns and rural communities,
the youth, the young men and women who sense
their responsibilities and are endeavoring to not
only conduct themselves becomingly but to pro
mote everything that contributes to the upbuilding
of life’s best interests. Come, fathers and mothers,
let us go over into Macedonia and help the kids.
• • •
As this is written I look out of the window up
on a winter scene, snow and lifeless things of na
ture, bush and tree reaching limb and twig sky
ward unadorned by leaf or bud. The day follow
ing when this may appear in print the door closes
on prairieland’s coldest winter month. Then we
step across into the traditionally windy month of
March. And down the highway comes the 17th,
St. Patrick’s day. There was a time in the old
town that you were not in good standing if you
appeared in public without the green ribbon. My
father was bom on March 17 and my son, Ro
maine, has a birthday the 17th. Had I ever pre
tended to have a right to wear the green in the
presence of a thoroughbred from the Emerald Isle
would probably got one on the jaw as Nigger Jim
did when he said to that thoroughbred Tom Mul
len, “You know, Tom, I am part Irish ”
• • •
There glows at night a thousand dots of light;
but from mom ’til evening there shines but one,
and the light of the bright world passes away with
the setting sun. A thousand thoughts clutter the hu
man mind but the heart throbs with just one; and
if that throbbing erf her dies out your fun is done. ..
Lives of our leaders oft remind us we can strut a
little too, and departing leave behind us best
wishes for all of you.
Editorial—
Grain Tax Snafu?
On March l, tne county assessors or neorasaa
and the precinct assessors are supposed to start
out to make the new Nebraska grain tax assess
ment law work.
Here is the problem faced by assessors:
(1) Landlords pay no tax even though they
may have four or five big, fat rings of com sitting
on the farm.
(2) Tenants pay 40 cents per 100 bushels for
every kernel of com raised on a farm . . . inci
dently, the same is true for wheat and soybeans.
(.3) Corn cut for silage is not taxed.
(4) If you are a tenant and both you and the
landlord sold your com before March 1 . . . the
tenant still has to pay taxes at 40 cents per 100 bu
shels for all com sold out of the 1957 crop.
(51 You can have 5,000 bushels of com on
your farm the day the assessor drives up and if
you bought this com to feed cattle you pay "no
tax”.
101 II me leiiaill CUIU mo rcui uaj twv
ears out of the field, then theoretically the tenant
should pay a tax on this com produced.
(7) If the landlord and his family enjoyed
roasting ears, then the tenant should pay the tax
on the com consumed by the land lord.
(8) If you raised 5,000 bushels of com and
fed it to your cattle . . . then you owe a tax on
the com in the cattle plus a tax on the cattle.
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
paper is a member of the Nebraska Press Associa
tion, National Editorial Association and the Audit
Bureau of Circulations.
■•pi
Farmer-Rancher Night
j O Neill Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring this night to enable
j their members to meet and enjoy an evening of entertainment
with their Farmer Rancher Friends.
Thursday, March 6
Free Lunch & Coffee Starting 7 P. M.
"* AMERICAN LEGION AUDITORIUM — O’NEILL
Entertainment follows:
PHIL HENDERSON, Farm Management Specialist, Extension |
j Service, College of Agriculture, Lincoln, also a farmer and
livestock man.
TOPIC: Relations between Farm and Town People.
WALTER BEHLEN, President of Behlen Construction Co., Co
lumbus, Nebr.
| TOPIC: The Atomic Age and Colored Slides of Nevada
|! Atomic Tests
i MUSICAL NUMBERS: bv members of O’Neill Schools.
i"" 1 .. ,|M| ■' 1 .
|v| , In 1 MAIL TO: Virgil Ijmrsen
rIdll to Attenu Chrm. Eats Committee
O'Neill, Nebraska
Anil Be Guests of
. e f IT plan on attending Farmer-Rancher Nnight— yg
O’Neill Chamber of March 6th
Commerce
-- (Name)
Free Door Prizes!
(No resident of City of O’Neill (Address)
eligible.) .— i ' ■■ ■ 1
A hen You Sc 1 Were Young . . .
Stafford’s ‘Cattle
King’ Is Visitor
John Carr Makes
O’Neill Rounds
50 Y’ears Ago
John Carr, the Stafford "cattle
king," was in the city and includ
ed a stop at Hie Frontier while
making his rounds. . T. V. Gold
en purchased R. E. Hall’s interest
in the lots on the corner of Fourth
and Douglas streets and stands
ready t o build a commodious
brick, hotel. , . John L. Sullivan
passed his examination and is a
full-fledged pharmacist. . . Those
renewing their subscriptions from
last wood’s list are: A. Baker of
Cheyenne, Wyo.; J. S. Walker of
Page; Orville Harrison and A L.
Rouse of Blackbird; Dan D. Har
rington, Ben Johring, Dennis Mur
phy and A. J. Hammond, all of
O’Neill; C. T. Simmons of Agee;
H. Shank, First National bank and
William Krotter, all of Stuart; J.
Beaver of Loonie; G. F. Cole of
Emmet; C. J. Gilligan of Sioux
City; T. P. Mullen of Butte, Mont.;
H A. Allen of Atkinson; R. W.
McGinnis of Lincoln. . . Marriage
licenses were granted to William
Cuddy and Margaret Kane, both
of Emmet, and James L. Talbot
of Ericson and Nellie E. Perrine
of Leslie.
20 Years Ago
Mrs. O. F. Biglin was guest-of
honor at a party celebrating her
79th birthday anniversary. She
has lived in O’Neill nearly 60
years and has a remarkable
memory. . . Mr. and Mrs. J. C.
Hamish celebrated their 52ud wed
ding anniversary. . . Mr. and Mrs.
D. N. Loy celebrated their 31st
wedding anniversary. . . Deaths;
Fred E Harrison of Norfolk and
Mrs. Della J. Handlan of Port
land, Ore., both former Holt
county residents. . . Miss Nellie
Vine hwn nromoted to sun
erintendent of the Herman public
schools. . . A son-in-law of Dr. and
Mrs. L. A. Carter, Vance R. Beg
thol of Kearney, a newspaper
editor and publisher, died. He had
been on the staff of HeraW-Trib
une of New York City and had
served in their Paris office before
purchasing the Platte Valley
Weekly Tribune of Kearney.
11 Years Ago
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Black of
Ewing became the par
e n t s of their third set of
twins, all boys. The oldest are
Floyd and Lloyd, the middle set
are Donald and Ronald and new
est set are Garry and Larry. . .
Robert E. Parkins, 24, a staff an
nouncer for KOLN in Lincoln,
died of pneumonia. He is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Parkins
of O'Neill. . . A movement has be
gun to organize night baseball.
Extension Club
Hears Book Report
PAGE—The Page extention
clubs met for their February les
son on “Life Insurance".
Mrs. Dan Troshynski was the
Page Extension club leader at
the home of Mrs. Jesse Kelly
Tuesday afternoon, February 18.
The sum of $1 each was voted for
the polio, heart and cancer drives
in progress during January, Feb
ruary and March.
Mrs. Kelly gave a book report
on "A Blue for Illi”.
The March lesson on “Soups"
will be given at the home of Mrs.
Harry Harper. Mrs. Kelly served
lunch.
The Golden Rule extension club
members were guests of Mrs. R.
V. Crumly Tuesday, February 18,
with Mrs. Melvin Held lesson
leader.
Mrs. Harold Frecmyer and
Mrs. Calvin Harvey were absen
tee members.
Mrs. Don Nissen was the win
ner of the guessing game prize.
The lesson on “Soups” will be
given at the home of Mrs. Joe
Beeleart March 18 by Mesdames
Lornz Riegc and R. V. Crumly.
A donation of $2 was made for
the heart fund when the members
of the East side ts-oumry muu
were Wednesday, February 19,
guests of Mrs. Norman Trow
bridge for an afternoon devoted to
the study of Life Insurance led by
Mrs. Dale Stauffer.
Mrs. William Hock will conduct
the March lesson on sewing featur
ing the zipper closing and the
proper method of making a blouse
when the members will be guests
of Mrs. Frank Cronk March 18.
Mrs. Mabel Simon of Owanka,
S.D., was a Saturday evening
guest of Mr. and Mrs. Arlo Hiatt
Ship to Butte
YOUR HOGS AND CATTLE
for BEST Market returns;
We appreciate your com
ing!
Butte Livestock
Market
Bill Hansen — Bus Hansen
Ph. 6-171 Ph. 6721
DR. II. D. GILDERSLEEVE
OPTOMETRIST
Northeast Comer
of 4th & Douglas
O’NEILL, NEER.
Phone 167
Office Hours: 9-5
Eyes Examined — Glasses Kitted
Monday Thru .Saturday
■■■I '
Exchange Vows at Elgin
Miss Doris Childers, daughter erf Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Child
esr of Elgin, and Michael London, sem of Mr. and Mrs. Michael F.
London of O’Neill, were married Monday, February 17, at Sr. Boni
face Catholic church in Elgin by Rev. Theodore Buelt.- Westland
Studio, (Neligh).
Rural Boards Adopt
Holt Resolutions
-- ■■
The Nebraska Rural School
Boards association held its an
nual meeting in Broken Bow Wed
nesday, February 19.
Attendance was less than in
previous years. There were 16
registered from Holt county.
Charles Reece of Valentine was
elected vice-president for a three
year term succeeding Otto Ulrich
of Winside, who is retiring.
It was voted to continue mem
bership in the Nebraska Council
for Better Education. Alliance
was chosen as the 1959 meeting
place the first week in February.
The Holt delegation submitted
its resoultions, adopted earlier at
O’Neill. Holt resolutions that be
came a part of the state resolut
ions include:
That the head or the state ed
ucation department be an elected
official;
That redistricting of rural
school districts be voluntary;
That the association be opposed
to the dissolution of school dis
tricts that have been inactive for
one year;
That the association be opposed
to any raise in teacher certifica
tion requirements.
"There were widely diversified
problems confronting the conven
tion," according to Mrs Lloyd
Whaley of O'Neill, who is treasur
er of the Holt association and was
one of the delegates. “Subjects
like a state sales tax and redist
ricting had the effect of an explod
ing bomb.
"Some groups felt a broader
tax base is needed to maintain
schools”, she reported.
Charles Reece of Valentine pro
posed a sales tax resolution, de
claring: “ It is the fairest tax one
that everyone would be helping to
p«y”
Reece said the sales tax would
be a replacement tax taking the
state out of the real estate tax
picture.
Schools, he said, would acquire
the surplus.
The Holt delegation questioned
the advisability of a state sales
tax and pointed out real estate at
present is providing a satisfactory
base for school operations. The
Holt group also raised the poss
ibility there might not be a surplus
from a sales tax in difficult econ
omic conditions.
The Holt group insisted a spec
ific amount be earmarked for
schools in the resolutions con
coming a state salt's tax. But the
body adopted Reece's resolution
without the earmarking.
Several spokesman took stands
against forced redistricting, de
claring state officials in Lincoln
could not comprehend the rural
mad problems, distances invol
ved and other pitfalls in whole
sale redist rioting
“It takes more than redistrict
ing to help our children develop
into the kind of leaders and citi
zens America is needing in the
years ahead.” declared a Holt
delegate
In submitting a report to Holt
countains, the four delegates in a
prepared statement said:
“We attempted to stand for the
things we felt the people hack
home desired.”
Mrs. E. E. Gaskill and Mardell
spent Sunday at Axel Borgs.
Ray Lawrence
O’NEILL — PHONE 174
Dealer of Nixon & Co.
F-E-E-D-S
General Livestock Hauling
Contains New Toxic Chemical Diphacinone
You’ll never be troubled with rata or mice as long as you bait
your premises with Diphacin. Unlike other baits, 1 diphacin
is vacuum packed to stay fresh and appealing to rodents. Its
so tasty rata and mice can’t resist it. Safe to use, easy, too.
NO FUSS, NO MUSS—
EACH OPENED CAN OF
DIPHACIN BECOMES A
SELF-FEEDING BAIT STATION.
in dor** now—/trat tay "di+tat-i.n'
J\e £)ecision Jlml ]\/eeds Explanation !
There are relatively few personal decisions a man can
make that command the unanimous approval of his
friends and acquaintances.
And among these is his choice of a Cadillac car.
For the things that inspire a man to Cadillac are
simply too numerous to be overlooked.
Considered from a standpoint of its beauty—or its
Fleetwood luxury—or its performance—or its crafts
manship—or its soundness of investment—Cadillac
occupies a position entirely its own.
At the heart of this great goodness is, of course,
Cadillac’s experience in the creation of quality cars.
For more than half a century, Cadillac’s sole con
cern in the manufacture of its products has been to
make them as fine as automotive science would permit.
It is out of this unique constancy of purpose that
has come Cadillac’s international recognition as the
Standard of the World.
We invite you to see, both in the showroom and on
the highway, how brilliantly this latest Cadillac
exemplifies all of these great traditions.
Whether you might choose the Sixty-Two Coupe or
the Eldorado Brougham—you will find your decision
beyond the realm of argument.
VISIT YOUR LOCAL AUTHORIZED CADILLAC DEALER
Light the Way to Safety—Aim Your Headlights-Every Window of Every Cadillac is Safety Plate Glass
Your Authorized Cadillac Dealer in O'Neill is
A. MARCELLUS CHEVROLET COMPANY
127 NORTH FOURTH • O'Neill, Nehr.
