Nebraska Newspapers

    Prairieland Talk—
In Calico Gown and Sunbonnet
Hj KU.HAI.NK SAUNDERS, 4116 South Slat St., Lincoln 6, Nebr.
LJNOOLN — Twilight has come; darkness gath
ers where sunlight glowed and night spreads the
dark robe at the end of day. The old year dies and
draws a curtain over the days and nights of one
more step left behind.
As we look upon the record of our lives written
upon the scroll of time of days now gone and out of
the treasured store, wo quaff
a little deeper of "memory’s
mellow wine." And now in
memory out of its treasured
store there appears a pioneer
woman on the prairie of Holt
county clothed in calico gown
and sunbonnet. She works out
doors, she skims the cream and
chums the 1 Hitter, gathers the
eggs and prepares the meals,
keeps the homestead abode in
in order, hangs out the washing,
works with needle and thread. Romalne
At the close of a hot sum- Saunders
mer day, she goes to the well, draws water and
steps over to her little flower garden and pours
the water over those blooming plants; stands for
a few minutes looking at the scene of blue and red
and yellow beauty at her feet, turns away and as
darkness settles across the land bows a knee in
prayer with her family in her home on quiet,
peaceful prairieland, retires for a night’s rest.
That pioneer woman here on the prairies of Holt
county was my mother. It is from such as she that
this generation of prairieland dwellers have their
heritage!
• • •
Another democratic landslide reported—
Christmas week the cost of living soared to an
other high level. Of course, our new democratic
governor had nothing to do with that! And it Is
just another thing that along the national high
way that come* and goes Irrespective of what
political group sets in the swivel chairs at the
state house and In the congressional halls down
at Washington.
• • •
From the Fryrear household west of Amelia came
a bit of interesting news along with seasons greet
ings to this former resident of that grass-robed
beauty spot of Holt county. Among other activities
engaged in by that competent ranch housewife, Mrs.
Fryrear says she spent the summer in the hayfields,
got stalled with her “sweep" in a water-washed
hole and had to be pulled to higher terra firma by
the boss on a tractor. It was a half-century or so
back on the road of life, Mrs Saunders was on the
haystack, her man sweeping in the hay with a
horse-drawn rig. Just as I pulled up to the stack
with the last sweep load of hay out of that load shot
a blue racer snake just before that hay was tossed
up to Mrs. Saunders on the stack A pitchfork took
• care of the snake. Maybe Mrs. Fryrear saw a blue
racer while out haying.
• * *
From far distant places and from friends who
have anchored for life on charming prairieland I
have received gifts and holiday greetings. All re
minders of the tie that binds us one to the other.
But that which touched a tender chord in this aged
breast of mine was the simplest gift of them all.
Donnie and Dorothy, two little children from their
home nearby, came to the door the night before
Christmas and handed me an envelope with some
thing in it, announcing with childish glee, “Here's a
handkerchief for you!” Yes a simple gift and a
Christmas card from two little friends of the "candy
man. ’ ’
• • *
The latest issue of the Nebraska History maga
zine devotes a number of pages to a story' by Wayne
Card dealing with the cattle trails on prairieland.
One who had never sat in double cinch saddle and
trotted his Mustang along the cow trails day-after
day, as the late John Addison (in company with this
cawboy-pnnter-editor had done in the long ago) will
enter into the realm of fiction as he writes. That, of
course, is permissable. But Mr. Gard treats his
subject very well. Nebraska is still the great cattle
state, but we are not trailing them to Nebraska grass
lands from Arizona and Texas deserts today. The
trucks have taken over. Maybe next we will fly
them by airplane.
• • *
Sixty-four years ago today, the day this is written,
at a public sale in what was then known as the
Minneola country, four coming yearlings out of a
small herd of cattle sold for $1.25 per head. The
rest of the stock and equipment went at that rate
into the hands of the few bidders or for nothing at
all. And that family pulled out for Missouri, but
within a few years were back on prairieland. Fruit
ful seasons followed, a change in the national ad
ministration that brought to an end the Coxie army
tramping the country over, bread lines and free soup
counters replaced by the “full dinner pail" and work
at the reopened factories. Maybe it is well to call
to mind at times what has been, look out across the
prairie where now you see $100 yearlings browse
where 64 years ago a coming yearling sold for two
bits.
* * *
A daughter of the late Billy Hagerty family
of O’Neill writes me from Columbus of her In
terest still in her girlhood home community
with which she keeps in touch by reading The
Frontier. Now a housewife presiding over her
pleasant home in the eountyseat of I’latte coun
ty, she still cherishes memories of friends and
the good and l*ad times of her girlhood days.
Thank you, Mary Hagerty Ijiwson, for writing!
* * •
First of the spoils of political victory goes to a
onetime governor of Nebraska, Roy Cochran, a 72
year-old who has been now revived by the newly-in
stalled governor. The first to go out the window was
the state engineer. Now Mr. Cochran comes in to
take on the job he was at when elected governor
in 1934. As state engineer he directed the construc
tion of highway 11 running south out of Atkinson.
I do not know what he might know about highway
building but that good lifelong democrat of Holt
county would have been this republican’s preference
for that job at the statehouse, namely, Walter O’
Malley. Certainly Walt could adorn a statehouse de
partment with the best of them.
It was during Mr. Cochran’s last term as gover
nor that the late “Jessie” James and Prairieland
Talker went to Lincoln and appealed to the gover
nor for the release from the state prison of Alva
Baker, convicted and sentenced for being, as the
late Judge Dickson expressed it, “caught in bad
company.” Our mission was successful and Alva
was soon released.
Editorial—
Difficult Session Ahead
State Sen. Frank Nelson of O’Neill, departing
early Monday for the 59th session of the Nebraska
legislature, predicts a “rather tough sessison”.
The 75-year-old O’Neill farmer, who sees all
the fine print and knows what it says even though
he has no use for spectacles, predicts the session
is capable of being longer than any other in the
history of the state.
"All departments are asking for more funds
except the highway department," the 10-year vet
eran solon told The Frontier. “The highway depart
ment apparently has the funds it needs at present
time. However, we're in a period of inflation a
cheapened dollar—and the state will be getting
less and less for its dollar. It’s a vicious situation.
"At this time I have not heard enough evidence
in the recount controversy to declare myself. How
ever, I hope to have detailed information in that
controversy within a short time after my arrival
at the statehouse.
“The work load at Lincoln this session will be
such that I will be unable to make as many week
end trips home as in past sessions. But I most
certainly will welcome the thinking of my con
stituients in the Twenty-eighth district if they wil
keep me advised either by mail or in person."
Fire Department Needs Overhaul
We're wondering if O’Neill hasn’t reached the
point where a new look at the fire department isn t in
order?
The capital investment of fire-fighting apparatus
now runs into thousands of dollars and we are
questioning whether or not full benefit is being de
rived from that investment which includes three
fire truck units two of them spanking new.
Equipment malfunctions in recent weeks have
been with regularity—in part due to extremely cold
weather.
It occurs to us that one full-time fireman could
be kept on duty at the fire station at all times. This
could be accomplished with three men working in
shifts plus a substitute. Equipment could be checked
several times daily and the firemen could be kept
busy mending broken water meters and performing
other maintenance and perhaps administrative serv
ices for the city's water and fee we r departments.
City employees, therefore, could answer the
small, routine alarms (which constitute nine out of
10 calls). When volunteer help is needed, the fire
siren could summon the necessary help.
In summer months multiple calls are not un
common during a single 24 hour period. Firemen
receive $2 for each alarm answered in the city.
The sounding of the alarm -even if it’s a
battery burning for a guy from Muskeegon—costs
the city at least $35. In autumn months when
gass fires sometimes require services of firemen
several times a day the city’s costs run into
money.
O’Neill’s fire district has been greatly increased
with the formation of the rural fire protection dis
trict, now encompassing several hundred square
miles. It is further justification for a new look at
the fire-fighting organization with a view towards at
least one full-time fireman on hand at all times with
full authority to proceed and direct the assault.
On the morning of the state oil truck explosion
firemen wrestled for 10 minutes after arriving on
the scene getting gear into action. Saturday morn
ing at the Schwisow farm there was delay due to
malfunction. Saturday night at the Alden Breiner
place the also was costly delay. Page firemen said
the dwelling might have been saved had O'Neill’s
trucks not encountered operational trouble (or had
O'Neill’s help been called earlier).
This situation is not a reflection on any of the
fine staff of volunteer firemen. It is a situation in
which capital investment has increased many times
in recent years, the area served is vastly greater
than heretofore and this is a growing city.
The present fire department is patterned along
village organization lines of yesteryear.
Further, in the slam-bang race for the fire sta
tion, with volunteer firemen converging from all
sections of the city to answer an alarm, somebody
is going to be killed. And the loss of a life or a
limb is in no way comparable to the average run of
the mill fire losses.
We think the reorganization could be effected in
such way as to insure better fire protection, better
use of capital investment, and with no increase in
cost to the city's taxpayers.
Rural Road Accidents
(By Bill Cox In Pierce County Leader)
It is an absolute impossibility for the Nebraska
highway patrol to add all county roads to their
present “beat" of all state highways to seek out
speeders and reckless drivers.
The public could demand that the county sheriff
appoint deputies and the county purchase patrol
cars—but taxpayers would be stunned at the added
tax burden. Perhaps this is the only answer but
there is still one more hope.
What about the drivers themselves? Can the
public be convinced that the most dangerous road
that is driven today is the county road?
Does it require a policeman to warn you that it
is dangerous to look in a gas tank using a match for
: a light?
Does it require a policeman to warn you that it
is foolish to close your eyes when you come to an
intersection (in reality a blind rural intersection is
the same as a driver closing his eyes as he crosses
I an intersection).
What is there about rural roads that makes what
normally is a careful driver become a careless
driver?
Speeds of 40 or 50 miles per hour on a road that
should be driven at 30 miles per hour, crossing blind
intersections where visibility is probably “zero” in
one direction, topping hills in the middle of a road
when the grade is narrow, all of these are everyday
occurrences that breed accidents.
Mr. and Mrs. Auto Driver: Why must there be
policemen on rural roads to protect you from kill
ing yourself? Sounds foolish doesn’t it? But facts
prove it’s true.
Frontier
Box 330 - O'Neill, Nebr.
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 newspaper is
a member of the Nebraska Press Association, Nation
| al 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 upon request. All subscriptions
payable in advance.
When You and 1 Were Young . . .
Charity Brittell
Watch Party Hostess
Hershiser Invests in
Cuban Land
30 Years Ago
Deaths: The two-year-old son ol
Mr. ana Mrs. Mike Johnson dieu
at home of pneumonia, which he
had three days; Mrs. Effie Gunn,
46, the moUier of several small
children, died of blood poisoning;
Jacob Maring, 45, of apoplexy . . . |
Miss Charity Brittell entertained
fnends at her home as they watch
ed the old year trie. . . . J. L. I
Hershiser left for Cuba to invest
in real estate. . . . John and Mary
Hanley spent the holidays with >
their brother in Omaha. . . • Henry j
Lamb and Miss Marion Goodfel
low, both of Blackbird, were mar
ried; Owen Critchfield and Mabel
McCutchan, a teacher in Spencer,
were married at Fairfax, SD. Her
father is County Attorney G. A.
McCutchan.
20 Years Ago
Ray Pinkerman, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Ralph Pinkerman of Redbird,
killed a large bob cat on the pro
perty of Albert Carson. . . . Mrs.
Clara M. Cole celebrated her 86th
birthday anniversary at a dinner
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. P.
W. McGinnis of Emmet. . . . Little
Jimmy Ernst, son of Mr and Mrs.
Clarence Ernst, died of pneumon
ia. .. . Miss Frances Polly of Chi
cago is a houseguest of Mr. and
Mi's. William J. Froelich. . . .
There will be a coyote hunt Jan
uary 8 starting one mile south
and one mile west of Midway at
the Benson school extending fQur
miles west to Eagle Creek, and
four miles south to Floyd John
son's place, four miles east to Mat
Ernst s and four miles north back
to the Benson schoolhouse The
captains are to have their men on
their line ready to start promptly
at two o'clock.
10 l ears Ago
Fresh blizzard grips region,
roads blocked, many communities
isolated by one of worst winter
storms in history. Those words the
headlines this week that were of
much interest to residents of
North-Central Nebraska. . . .
James Michael Beha, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Matthew G. Beha of O'
Neill, won the first baby contest.
. . State Sen. Frank Nelson,
prominent O’Neill farmer and the
newly-elected salon from the
Twenty-eighth legislative district,
was seated as the 1949 session of
Nebraska’s famed unicameral law
making body convened. . . . Forty
one Holt county World War H
gold star mothers received Gold
Star lapel buttons. . . . O'Neill’s
city council met in emergency
special session to discuss the snow
situation. Arrangements were
made to lease a combination
maintainence-snowplow outfit. An
option to buy may be written into
the agreement if rotary plans are
abandoned. . . . The Frontier s
Jack and Jill Comer this week
presented Ben Asher or little
Ben" as he’s called and Roberta
(Bertie) Ann Asher, children of
Mr. and Mrs. Ben F. Asher of
Page.
One Year Ago
Roger Bennett, formerly of Ew
ing, is the new Conoco agent at
O'Neill, succeeding James Storms,
who has returned to his hometown
of Winner, S.D. . . . Cynthia Mane
Syfie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
George Syfie, jr., of O’Neill, be
came Holt county’s first bom of
the new year. . • ■ Death: Rev.
Egon Kirschman, 34, former pas
tor of the Assembly of God church.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Cihlar
held an open-house celebrating
their 25th wedding anniversary.
. Ernie C. Weller, owner-oper
ator of the Atkinson Livestock
Market for the past 25 years, an
nounced he sold the firm to Roy
Aten & Associates.
Ziska Participates
in NATO Maneuver—
ATKINSON — Army Sp-4 Ed
ward R. Ziska, 23, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Jim Ziska of Atkinson, re
cently participated in a NATO ma
neuver in the mountainous region
of northern Italy, while serving
with the Southern European Task
Force in Vicenza.
Specialist Ziska, a radio opera
tor in the 124th signal company,
entered the army in April, 1957.
and completed basic combat train
ing at Ft. Chaffee, Ark., before ar
riving overseas in January.
He is a 1952 graduate of St. Jo
seph high school and a former
construction worker with Hamik
& Judge at Atkinson.
[ College Set Returns
to Respective Schools—
RIVERSIDE — Russell Napier
and Larry Larson left Sunday for
Sterling college in Kansas after
completing holiday visits. Sandra
Shrader returned to Wayne for
teachers college; Irene Ahlers to
Concordia Lutheran college at
Seward; Ronnie Mott and Wayne
Turner departed for McPherson,
Kans., and Paul Gunter went back
to Norfolk Junior college.
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS
WD—Linus J. Conklin, et al, to
Millie Hendrick 11-21-58 $10,400—
So 20 ft lot 9 & All lot 10 Blk 42,
Riggs Add—O’Neill.
WD—Ralph S. Campbell to Ray
mond C. Taylor & wife 12-2-58 $14,
400—SVfe 21-28-Range 10.
BEAUTYLAND
Beauty Salon
Phone 565 for appointment
Located across street from
bakery. Closed every Monday
morning.
_____
Plans Spring Rite
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Stel
ling of Orchard announce the
engagement of their daughter,
Miss Yvonne (above) to James
Cooper, son of Mr. and Mrs. Pete
Cooper of Orchard. A spring
wedding is planned.
Polio Benefit Band
Concert Scheduled
INMAN The fifth annual pol
io benefit band concert will bo held
at the Inman public school audi
torium Monday, January 12, at 8
p.m.
Freewill gifts will be accepted
Lunch will he served by the Band
Mothers club.
Dinner iiuest—
Dinner guests at the Francis j
Curran home new year's day j
were Mr. and Mrs. Rob Oswald !
and family of West Point, Mrs.
Rueben Sehantz of Pender. Mrs
Willard Schweitzer of Lebanon
Ore.; Alvin Oft and three child
ren and Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Of
all of O'Neill. Mr. Oswald, Mrs.
i Schantr and Mrs. Schweiter are
I a nephew ami niece erf Mrs. L A
Ott.
NOTICE
Merchants and other persons hereafter promoting
merchandising schemes involving drawings, prizes and
other violations of the lottery laws are advised that the
same are unlawful and violators will be prosecuted. Pub
lication or advertising information of such scheme's is also
forbidden by law. I
WILLIAM W. GRIFFIN,
I County Attorney
LEO S. TOMJACK
Sheriff.
County Treasurer's Semi-Annual Statement
HOLT COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Balances
FUNDS July 1
1958
STATE FUNDS:
General_$ 9,023.87
Intangible_ 35.53
Spec. Bldg._ 939.61
Service Annuity_ 659.16
Med. Coll. Bldg._ 329.60
School Lands___ 10,653.16
Univ. Lands_ 217.40
Highway Superv.-43.99
Highway Maint._ 686.19
75% Overload Fines _ 637.50
Drivers Licenses_61.00
Old Age Tax_ 93.53
Spec. Bee Tax_ 2.75
Receipts Transfers Transfers Disburs. Balances
7-1-58 to from other toother 7-1-58 to *2-24-58
12-24-58 Funds Funds 12-24-58
$102,791.71 - -- 91,25141 $20,564 17
3,664.03 3,339.16 360.40
117,772.66 10,333.00 2,379.27
7,764.84 ______ 6,844.26 1,579.74
3,882.44 3,422.17 789.87
28,980,39 ._..... 30,198.70 9,434.85
2,356.70 1,853.90 720.20
232.14 258.48 17.65
3,595.38 4,006.21 275.36
2,186.25 . _ 2,703.75 120.00
1,285.30 1,311.20 35.10
6,043.22 .. _.__ 4,65305 1,483 70
140.65 . .. 143 40
INSTITUTION FUNDS:
Univ. Hosp..106.38
Care Insane_ 2,334.34
Care F. Minded_ 557.81
STATE & FED. FUNDS:
Old Age Assist. _ 3,001.50
Aid, Dep. Children_ 777.94
Aid, Blind_ 167.66
Aid, Disabled_ 107.61
Admr. Expense_ 320.87
COUNTY FUNDS:
General_ 90,069.47
Bridge_ 47,896.28
Road_ 43,261.78
Road-Bridge . 14,629.98
Mail Route _ 25,234.56
Solds.-Sailors_ 1,822.65
Unemployment Relief_ 9,173.51
Medical & Hospital_ 15,408.85
Fair__ 2,206.52
1,383.90 1,179.60 310.68
27,585.37 24,246.54 5,673.17
6.371.59 •_ 5,661.60 1,267.80
90,887.83 87,693.98 6,195.35
19,557.96 __ 119.29 19,281.65 934.96
11,251.01_ 10,757.27 661.40
11,233.14 119.29 _l__ 11,008.19 451.85
9,078.21 9,377.32 21.76
54,104.19 11,536.56 ... 72,038.58 83,671.64
32,042.99 __ 32,056.23 47,883 04
40,751.31 20,000.00 _ 73,469 85 30,543.24
14,653.59 7,912.97 21,370.60
43,544.80 47,446.82 21,332.54
147.16 .. .. ... 1,969.81
1,780.06 1,072.12 .. 2,077.74 9,947.95
8,653.51 6,594.92 17,467.44
2,849.26 2,400.00 2,655.78
Mother’s Pensions_ 1,072.12 _
Delinquent Tax Fund_ 29.91
Inheritance Tax_ 27,589 99
Miscellaneous Fees__
Drivers License____
Partial Payrhent_ 1,585.50
Interest on Investment_ 25,127.77
Tax Sale Foreclosure_ 3,305.52 _
Noxious Weed_ 586.85
Tax Sale Redemption_ 9.70
25% Overload Fines ........
Grain Tax, Undist.___
Advertising ____
PRECINCT FUNDS:
General _ 61,411.74
Library-2,315.43
Poll Tax ----
Fire Districts_ 7,025.82
SCHOOL FUNDS:
General _ 214,853.81
Band _ 28,011.77
Free High_ 63,392.60
State Apportionment__ -
Fines and Licenses--—
Miscellaneous
Blanket School_ 17.76 _
.... 1,072.12 ....
. ... 29.91 __ __
10.691.09 20,000.00 13.38 18,267.70
204.20 _' 204.20 _
102.70 .. 102.70 _....
317.28 .... 1,207.21 695.57
2,415.00 10,000.00 . 17,542.77
. . . . 3,305 52
1.11 _ _ _ 587.96
3,879.69 _ ___ 3,291.58 597.81
728.75 728.75
4,828 51 _ __.. 4,828.51
471.00 471.00
43,921.38 2,303.72 _ 50,332.75 57,304.09
3,345.20 3,298 00 2,362.63
2,303.72 _ 2,303.72 .. _
9.951.09 .... 11,502.00 5,474.91
270,094.71 5,182 77 _ 275,694.03 214,437.26
30,993.64 _ 38,136.75 20.868.66
88,153.26 . ... 151,545.86
3,818.92 ..Z 3.818.92 . .
1,363.85 ... 1,363.85
... ... —.... 17.76
VILLAGE FUNDS:
General_ 42 244,45 41,823 39 6,810.11 - 43,889.05 46,988 90
Water Bond '___ _ .... 3,419 48 2,338.18 - - 2,964.14 2,793 52
Sewer Bond_ 11,273.48 5,777.68 - 106.32 11,345.43 5,599.41
Atkinson Ball Park_ 912.44 273.24 .. . 1,013.83 1 71 85
Atkinson Municipal Building__ 2,779.73 1,037.16 1,210.00 2,606.89
O’Neill Swimming Pool_ 1,194.06 447.36 -— 1,641.42
O’Neill Park __ 1,328.43 1,932.53 ..- - 1.260.00 2,000 96
O’Neill District Paving_ 3,623.70 6,390.82 4,426.72 5,587.80
O’Neill Intersection Paving___ 24,837.62 4,469.79 -- 703 00 28,604 41
O'Neill Street Widening_ 2,963.01 26.46 --- —.— - — 2,989.47
O’Neill Armory_ 1,427.91 1,322.40 2.500.00 250.31
rao Tpv 5,022.90 - 5,022.90 _ _
Poll Tax ~ L_ 936 70 - 936.70
Auto License-- - 744.19 -
IS Rev. Water.~. ~T - _ — 825 0° Jod 25 00
$812,80160 $1,102,104.49 47,024.57 $47,024.57 $1,027,596.42 887,309.67
July 1, 1958 Balance--- 812,801.60
December 24, 1958 Balance_ _
$*914,906.09 $1,914,906.09
Unallowed Claims on File in Clerk’s Office December 15:
Bank Balances_$699,712.48 Gen, 8'°™ 83 Medical 920’53
Investment (Government Bonds)- 175.000.00 ®ndJe , ’ nemP
Cash and Checks in Office_ 12,597.19 Road 3,623.38 Relief 59.00
__ Rd.-Bridge 267.90
$887,309.67
STATE OF NEBRASKA. 1
COUNTY OF HOLT [ SS‘
I J. Ed Hancock County Treasurer or Ho., County. Nebraska, do s„,enrnly swear tha, the '^^tcn™, ism* a^conrc, to
C Subscribed a^swo™” brforf me this 2nd day ot January, 1959. KENNETH WARING, County Clerk
(SEAL)