Prairieland Talk—
Colonial Architecture Out of Place
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS, 4110 South 51st St, Lincoln 6, Nebr.
fJN'OOIJM Prairieland where the prairie
wolf makes his home, where the last of the prairie
chickens nest, where the deer and antelope shake
the dewdrups (mm their flanks at dawn of day and
browse across valley and hill, where cattle graze
the livelong day, and where corn and wheat and
spuds and sand cherries are forever at hand.
Governor's mansion of this
prairieland state has been
thrown open for the public to
look in. not upon a commodious
ranch house, fitting symbol of
prairieland home life, but up
on a distant New England co
lonial style abode for our
chief executives and their
families. Yes, the many
thousands who passed through
the 134 doors and looked upon
the ornate structure say it is
a thing of beauty, of com- R'lmaine
fort and stately architecture. 8«under*
This great prairieland state of ours has the
Katun's outstanding statehouse, visited by sight
seers from everywhere.
Erecting a new abode for our governors af
forded an opportunity to create a dwelling place
distinctly Nebraskan.
• • •
We would not favor mob rule -but there are
times . . Court hearings and legal monkey busi
ness is costing taxpayers some $30,000 in bringing
to a focus the Starkweather murder charges. If
there lie the slightest chance to prove anyone
charged with murder as being innocent the one so
charged should have such opportunity. But a con
(istm'u su^rer tn u vicumx wiiiuii « penuu ui \
a few days should have gone to the death chamber
as soon as captured. Why have not citizens of
Lancaster county organized and marched on offi
oial circles holding the bloodstained youth for trial
months after the crimes were committed, demand
he he turned over to the mfor execution “Who so
ahe»leth man's blood, by man shall his blood be
ahed," is a divine decree
• • •
Across the street from The Frontier, in the
long ago, Fred Pfunder made and repaired har- |
ness, saddles and had in stock spurs and leather
chaps for the guys riding the range and quirts for
the hronocho husters. On the north side of Doug
las street midway in the block the senior John
Mann had a similar collection on sale. In the
next block to the west some time later V. Alberts
opened a harness shop, and now what is left of the
harness trade is in the hands of Tim Harrington, a
native son of Holt county. When a young guy I
bought my first saddle at an O'Neill harness
shop. |nit it on “Doc'', cinched it up, mounted and
took to the open country. If in the realm of hu
man activity there is one thing that thrills
with inspiring pleasure it is riding sedately across
the open prairie on the back of a horse.
Claude Hancock writes from Los Angeles en
closing a letter he and Mrs. Hancock had receiver
from Mrs. Dave Segelman of Seattle, Wash., ir
which Mrs. Segelman pays tribute to the engineei
of this department and recalls memories of prairie
land when the Segelman's made their home in O’
Neill. It is always a pleasure to read what for
mer friends write and thus learn of their welfare
Mrs. Segelman sees the beauty in ^nature all
around, flowers and trees, birds awing and ani
mal life. And loving the things of nature her soul
is lifted in adoration and praise to the One from
whose immortal hand the things of nature are laid
before us. Mr. and Mrs. Hancock plan to visit
the Segelman’s in Seattle this spring and will
come this way later when Claud plans to pay
Prairieland Talker a visit.
• * •
This bit of journalistic classic from the
evening paper: “The I-ancaster county attorney’s
office said.” Office does the talking, does It, not the
functionary presiding In the office? That is mod
ern journalism, maybe as kids aspiring to be
come newspaper writers get it in our schools of
journalism. Had Doc Mathews or Jim Riggs of
the old newspa|>ering <lays been writing the
story they woidd have concluded with, “the coun
ty attorney said."
• • •
The chairman of the board of directors of the
Chicago & North Western Railway company comes
out in print to tell us of the railroad’s troubles.
rhe sum of what he has to say is that labor unior
requirements of the railroads and state and national
dictations are the cause of it all. Trainmen serv
ing on a two-hour run require and get a full day’s
pay. I talked with a man representing the railroad
at the recent hearing before our state railway
commission and he expressed the same view ol
the situation. Let the owners of our railroads man
age them as they see fit. Nothing yet will take the
place of a railroad passenger train for mass trans
porta tion.
• • •
Twenty-two of the country’s leading maga
zines claim a total circulation of over 80 million
copies. Writers like to write, readers like to read,
printers like to print what the public reads.
* • •
I cannot lay a hand upon a distant lane
nor walk among the stars. But I can walk where
children play and say a kindly word each day. ]
crave nor to scale fame’s dizzy heights nor wielc
the septer of a king, but I will join with those
whose praises they sing. I can speak a word tt
cheer a fellow traveler along life’s highway or lif
the load from some burdened heart. Limitation!
stay the human hand, befogs the mind of man, bm
as we walk the lengthening way we find one hen
and there to whom we may be kind and lend c
helping hand. So in this vast universe Omnipoten
hand appoints some little part for each to do.
Editorial—
Courthouse Elevator Needed
ine arcnnecis wno piannea iioit county s pres
ent courthouse and the county committee that ac
cepted the plan erred in not providing an elevator.
The t>uilding was erected in the days of public
works administration (PWA) in the dark thirties,
and it was the thing to do to pass up the frills In
fact, it wouldn’t do to make things too comfortable
else everyone would clamor for a job within the
hallowed walls. Sort of like air conditioning, per
haps. Too fancy.
Everyday people are obliged to climb the
steep stairs to reach major county offices. Oc
casionally, there is a jury trial or a hearing con
ducted in the district courtroom.
The county fathers who built the courthouse
came up with an imposing, attractive edifice along
conservative linos.
Rut the lack of providing for an elevator—at
least, a shaft—was an oversight From the ground
floor (it’s sometimes called the basement) to the
janitor’s quarters at the top four floors—is quite
a haul.
Currently, District Judge D. It. Mounts, who
has had several heart attacks, is "grounded” be
cause of the innumerable steps. He represents an
enlarging group of people who shouldn’t attempt
climbing. Nine out of 10 litigans in probate
and a substantial number of people who visit the
courthouse once or twice a year are people who
have attained an age at which they should climb
Stairs with discretion. There aren’t many juries
nowadays fait when juries are summoned the duty
beckons quite a number of senior citizens. The
trials attract a good many senior citizens as spec
tators.
An elevator could be erected at the east end
of the building with basement-first floor, second
floor (mainfloor), third floor and fourth floor en
trances. It’s a four-story building any way you
look at It even though the top (fourth floor) is pri
vate.
The Frontier and no doubt many of our
readers would be agreeable if the Holt county' su
pervisors would investigate the possibilities of an
elevator shaft Entrances onto the various floors
might have to be made through the supervisor
room (mainfloor) and jury room above, but they
are in use a relatively few hours a year.
It’s only a suggestion A separate external
shaft with inside entrances doubtlessly would be
less expensive than, for example, a stairway well
oonverted into an elevator shaft. The elevator
should be a navit-yourself model
Byrd Story Heartening
dur newsletter Human Events reports one of
the most heartening stories to hit the nation’s cap
ital in many weeks was the story behind Sen.
Harry F. Byrd's decision not tv> retire from the
senate.
Byrd is a veteran warhorse democrat from
Virginia.
In his statement reversing his retirement de
cision. mention was made of a recovery in Mrs. j
Byrd's health and to the request of the Virginia
assembly (legislature) that he run again for office, j
But only passing reference was made to the
startling phenomenon which has had the senator’s
capitol hill office in a spin for weeks and which is
given considerable weight in estimates as to
Byrd’s change of mind. Human Events refers to
a deluge of mail that followed his first annoupce
• ment. The mail implored him to stay on.
The senator’s office reports that an exact es
timate of the total volume of these letters is not
yet possible, but that approximately three thou
sand had been answered until last week. A mass
of other mail is still pouring in.
Senator Byrd, our readers will recall, is at
arch conservative who throws plenty of weigh
around the capitol and who has been a champioi
for reduced spending.
Meanwhile, the Chicago (111.) Tribune editor
ializes that Ohio’s Sen. Frank M. Lautsche, als<
a democrat, is the “forgotten man” in the senate
When he rises to speak his colleagues file out am
the press seats empty. Lausche’s greatest sin ii
conservatism. He has been elected governor o
Ohio five times.
It is difficult to understand how the democrats
party can overlook such men for presidentia
grooming when there must be a tremendous ap
petite within and without the demo ranks for mei
of the Byrd and Lausche stripe.
In fact, in its small way, The Frontier woul<
quickly ahondon any “new deal republican” can
didate to support either in a presidential election
provided, of course, a pure republican si kissed of
at the next national GOP convention in the fashio;
Bob Taft was scuttled at Chicago.
Interstate Folly
Estimated costs for running the grand intei
state highway through the heart of Omaha hav
now been revised upward to 70-million-dollars
Scores of homes, buildings, several schools am
churches will be razed to clear the way. Elabor
ate overpasses and access provisions will have ti
be made.
How in the world intelligent Nebraskans cai
sit idly by and watch the squandering is more thai
we can understand!
To route traffic through the builtup area o
the city will serve only to compound traffic prob
lems.
A bypass route to the north where an existini
Missouri river bridge (Mormon) would carry hal
the traffic would cost one-fifth as much.
Try and square State Engineer L. N. Ress
thinking at Omaha with the lopping off of thous
ands of miles of state maintained highways in out
state Nebraska and you have one of the classit
conundrums of modem state history.
Long ago we labelled the interstate highway
program a grand WPA project—a pump-primei
for the nation’s economy. On that score we hav<
not yet revised our thinking.
The Omaha World-Herald apparently believe!
the super-duper through the middle of its town i!
just the ticket. Actually, Omaha and the statt
would benefit more if the 70-million-bucks went intc
an outstate network of highways.
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.
Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, SL50
per year; elsewhere in the United States, S3 per
year: rates abroad provided upon request. All sub
scriptions payable in advance.
First Gardening Stamps Sold
Mrs. Mardell Hoerle of Ewing
purchase from Mrs. L. V. Cooper, <
cent stamps were released March
herald the 100th anniversary cell
Ithaca. N. Y., honoring the great
Hyde Bailey. One hundred twenty
the postoffice department the firs
gardening and horticulture. Promi
by the Federated Garden clubs ol
by Louis Harley with Polaroid
When You & 1 Were Young ... 1
4-Room House,
Corner Lot: $450
Stocking to Resume
Egg, Cream Buying
50 Years Ago 1
A son arrived at the home of
| George and Ellen Shoemaker. . .
, E. L. Chapin of Chicago, a broth
| er of Mrs. Sam Barnard, is visi
i ting in the city, stopping here on
his way to British Columbia,
) where he goes to locate permanen
I ly. . . House with four rooms on
corner lot, three blocks from
Main street, for sale at $450, see
R. H. Parker. . . A surprise party
; was perpetrated by Miss Clara
Gatz and a score of friends on Miss
Arelie Holden. The affair was held
at the Gatz residence in the
southwest part of town. . . O. F.
Biglin went to Omaha recently
, to attend the funeral of Martin
Welsh, an old time resident of
this county, who died there last
Thursday. . . Harvey Stocking
came up from Plainview to re
1 sume his butter, egg and cream
business. He and Mrs. Stocking
i left here about two years ago and
their friends will be glad to learn
, they are making O’Neill their
home again.
20 Years Ago
Mrs. Mayme Weddel was hos-1
tess at a luncheon honoring Miss j
Clarissa Teaquist, the new chief
operator at the O’Neill telephone
exchange. She is replacing Miss
O’Malley who’s retiring. . . Mr. \
and Mrs. C. L. Brady of Dorsey
celebrated their silver wedding
anniversary. ..Work on the
wrecking of the Merchant's Hotel
is progressing. . . Cliff Bridges,
i 23, had a narrow escape near the
: comer of Douglas and Fifth. As
i a car rounded the comer .travel
ing very fast, a long piece of barb
wire, which had caught on the
• running gear, swung around and
> circled Mr. Bridges around his
. legs and shoulders. Fortunately,
I a car was parked near the corner,
j The wire passed under the park
'■ ed car and broke. Mr. Bridges
feels he was very lucky to have
escaped with minor cuts.
10 Years Ago
Mrs. Robert Taft, wife of the
Republican senator from Ohio,
1 appeared as guest speaker at the
; IF YOU
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When you need money for
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Best of all, once your credit
is established with us, you will
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Central Finance
Corporation
C. E. JONES, Mgr.
Harmon Bldg. O’Neill, Nebr.
(lefti is shown making a stamp
Chambers postmaster. The three- j
15 throughout the country and ,
■bration at Cornell university,
American horticulturist. Liberty
million stamps were issued by
t issue in any country honoring :
ttion of the stamps is sponsored I
Nebraska. The Frontier Photo J
jegion club to push her personal
Bob Taft-for-President" c a m
>aign. . . A dust storm that com
>ared with dust bowl days of the
30’s, visited north-Nebraska.
. F. N. Cronin was elected a
nember of the board of educa
ion, beating Ted McElhaney.
One Year Ago
Mr. and Mrs. John M. Grutsch
•elebrated their golden wedding
inniversary. . . Miss Lorraine
Jail Ernst, daughter of Mr. and
Vlrs. Homer Ernst, was guest of
lonor at a party at the home of
aer grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
J. C. Parker. Miss Ernst is leav
ing to become a missionary in
Belgium Congo. She will study in
Belgium prior to leaving for the
Belgium Congo She will study in
Belgium prior to leaving for the
mission field. . . Deaths: Mrs.
Ora Yarges, 57, of Stuart; Clyde
Hiatt, 69; Mrs. James Davidson,
84; Mrs. Vincent Jehorek, 68;
Mrs. Walter Ourt, 71, of Stuart;
Mrs. Leonard G. Shoemaker of
O'Neill.
Fredrichs to Jet
Mechanic School—
A/3c James A. Fredrichs, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fredrichs of
the Opportunity locality, has
been to the jet mechanic school
at Amarillo air force base in
Texas where he will undergo 16
weeks of specialized training in
one of the most vital career
fields in the air force.
Often referred to as the air
traning command’s “m o d e 1”
base, Amarillo air force base is
the nation’s leading training cen
ter.
Airman Fredrichs was gradua
ted from O’Neill high school in
1955 and received his basic train
ing at Lackland air force base,
Texas.
Social Security
Worker Scheduled—
A representative of the social
security office will be in the as
sembly room in the basement of
the courthouse in O’Neill from
9:30 a.m., to 3 p.m., Thursday,
April 10. Self-employed applicants
should bring extra copies of their
1956 and 1957 tax returns, receipts
showing that the self-employment
tax is paid, and proof of age.
Sehi Brothers
Purchase Bar
DELOIT Mark ami Virtus
Sehi have purchased the White
S|*>t bar in Neligh.
They are holding a farm sale
today (Thursday* and will be
moving their familes to Neligh
soon. The Sehi brothers will take
possession of the bar May 1.
Other Drliiit News
Sunday guests at the Lar
son home in Ewing were Mr. and
Mrs. Carl Chris ton of Denver,
Colo., Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Pahl
and Mary of Oakland, Mr. and
Mrs. H. Reimer and Elayne and
Mr. and Mrs. Don Larson and
family, Mr. and Mrs. Don Starr
and daughter.
Supper guests Thursday eve
ning at the Ralph Tomjack home
were Mr. and Mrs. Ewald Spahn
and Doris Ann, Mr. and Mrs. H
Reimer and Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Miller.
Mrs. Glenn Harpster and Mrs.
H. Reimer took the lesson in Nel
igh Thursday for the extension
club.
Fifteen ladies met Thursday,
March 18, at the Tomjack home
for the lesson on making floral
decorations.
There is still snow on the
ground, but bare spots of earth
began to appear during the week
end, and some of these spots are
"greening up". Iris crocus are
beginning to push their heads
through the ground.
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Harpster
were Norfolk visitors Monday,
March 17.
Mr. and Mrs. Johhny Bauer
were Sioux City visitors Tuesday,
March 18 where they had fat
cattle on the market. Mr. and
Mrs. Rudy Morrow and family of
[O’Neill stayed at the Bauer homo
in their absence.
Jack Bartak. son of Mr. and
Mrs. Stanley Bartak. has re
enlisted and returned to service.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Funk and
family have moved to the farm
recently vacated by Mr, and Mrs.
Ferdie Hupp and family. The
Hupp family moved to Norfolk on
Tuesday, March 18
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Tomjack
and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Reimer
spent Wednesday, March 19, in
Sioux City where Ralph had fat
cattle on the market.
Making of AltUnl
Flowers Told—
kw ING The Ciearwatei
Creek home extension club was
entertained Tuesday, March 18.
at the home of Mrs. George Jeff
eries A 1 o’clock covered dish
dinner was served.
The lesson on the making of
artificial flowers and (he demon
stration was given by Mrs. Fred
Maben, Mrs. Walter Westerof and
Mrs. Nadine Edwards. The dem
onstration also included corsages.
Guests were Mrs. Wilma Dan
iels, Mrs. Roy Wright and Mrs.
Don Ruroede. Dinner guests were
George Jefferies, Fred Maben
Burgess Cratty
GETS PROMOTION
Kenneth P. Backhaus of O'
Neill recently received a promot
ion in the army reserve officer's
training corps at the University
of Nebraska. He was promoted
from cadet to cadet sergeant.
Sylvia llurder and Jan Peter
sen of nurse’s training school,
Immanuel hospital in Omaha,
were weekend guests of her par
ents, Mr. anil Mrs. Dwight Har
der __
Money To Loan!
Household Hoods, Personal
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Farm Equipment
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Reliable help with your return
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ACCOUNTANT
GOLDEN BLDG. — PHONE 414 — O’NEILL. NEBR.
——■ m ■■■ - ■ ...
AL GASKILL (LEFT) and It. P. (BOB) GASKILL
Al Gas kill has joined the R. F. GASKILL INSURANCE AGENCY at O’Neill as j
agency manager. The office is located at 124 South Fourth st., and specializes in in- 1
surance of all kinds. Al and Bob are brothers. Al served 3% years in the navy dur
ing World War n, is married and has a family, having spent most of his life here.
INSURANCE OF ALL KINDS
Phone 7 1 0 or see AL GASKILL I
at the
R. F. GASKILL INSURANCE AGENCY
124 South Fourth — O’Neill
OCEAN TO OCEAN ACROSS SOUTH
AMERICA—AND BACK-IN 41 HOURS I
CHEVY’S NEW V8 LEVELS
THE HIGHEST, HARDEST
HIGHWAY OVER THE ANDESI
To prove the durability of Chev
rolet's radioal new Turbo-Thrust
V8,* the tremendous flexibility of
the new Turboglide transmission,*
the incredible smoothness of Full
Coil suspension, we tackled the most
challenging transcontinental road in
the world — the 1,000-mile General
San Martin Highway. To make it
harder, the Automobile Club of
A + i no aoal hfiOH fihllt. flt
Buenos Aires — no chance to add
oil or water or adjust carburetors
for high altitude.
So the run began — across the
blazing Argentine pampas, into the
ramparts of the forbidding Andes.
Up and up the road climbed, almost
2i miles in the sky! Drivers
gasped for oxygen at 12,572 feet —
but the Turbo-Thrust V8 never
slackened its torrent of power, th<
Full Coil springs smothered every
bump, the Turboglide transmission
made play of grades up to 30
percent. Then a plunge to the
Pacific at Valparaiso, Chile, a
quick turn-around and back again.
Time for the round trip: 41 hours
14 minutes — and the engine was
never turned off!
*Extra-cost option.
Air CondMonlm tawpaaalarai nod* ta a*dar»
lor otl-waafher comhrt. Oat a demoru(roHaal
Msrntmhuw
You’ll get the best buy on the best seller! end ahead lies the toughest part ol the perilous Andean climb!
See your local authorized Chevrolet dealer
A. MARCELLUS CHEVROLET CO.
127 No. Fourth St. Phone 100
O’Neill, Nebr.
• •
