THE FRONTIER, O’Nrtll. Nrfcraaka. Thursday, July 9. 1959
Prairieland Talk
Drumbeat of Eternity
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS, 4110 South 51st St., Lincoln 6. Nebr.
The morning of the day this is written the drum
beat of eternity rumbled through the death chamber
of our state prison down at Lincoln. Another con
demned killer led to the death chair, strapped in
and die current turned on. Death reached an inex
orable hand and snuffed out the life of Charles Stark
wr'ffer Now after many months of appeals and
pr- T ts the verdict of the jury of twelve citiz
en; f. iet its fulfillment. When the long last roll
w r . and the reverberations of a wrecked and ru
in** .arid sound forth that young killer might stand
fa jo face with the eleven victims of his youthful
rar? and hear the final sentence pronounced the
w /ps of sin is eternal death.
• • •
She and her young daughter take off for Chicago
via railway. Will return driving a highway vehicle.
She and her leige-lord will then each have an auto
mobile and the daughter, two saddle ponies. No,
they are not in the million-dollar class of prairie
Imders he s a preacher! Memories of our pioneer
preachers who traveled the prairies astride a horse
or an foot.
• • •
All passenger train service has been abandoned
to the state of Maine, the first state to come to that.
It appears others are headed
bat nay and maybe the whole
gauntr> My respected grandsire
Ml me once that he was a pas
senger on what he said was
toe first railway train in Am
erica Who will be the grand
are today to ride the last train?
• • •
Sixty miles up the trail from
O'Neill where gold seekers trav
eled to the Black Hills in the ■agaalae
fang ago is the quiet village of Saunders
Uan*Gpn<- From there we hear
toe looting of horns and see printed appeals calling
•Mention to Nebraska’s Hidden Paradise, the Long
pine canyon with its seven springs of clear water
gotoung from a rock wall. Nebraskans trot the con
tinent over to visit the beauty spots while ignoring
aur own state's Hidden Paradise. Seventy years
ago a national and notea hie setup known as a Chau
tauqua came from far places to the Longpine canyon
■ad for days entertained and inspired the crowds
artffi vocal and instrumental music, interesting
apeak lts and a bit of comedy. For those occasions
•nr lading out railroad of today conveyed the cit
kaens to Longpine round-trip for a one-way fare. I
ta’t know now how we scraped up the car fare
and sandwich money, but Clint Lowrie and I never
missed the Chatauqua at Longpine
* * •
As the one, over whose furrowed brow' and grey
ing locks the years wrote the record of a lifetime,
senses the importance of the present there lingers
the cherished memories of the past. Life has woven
a web of smiles and tears and we would not have
it otherwise. Joy inspires a song and a sorrow
humbles the soul. So the onward march through
smiles and tears makes life what it is. a step on
the way to the bliss of eternity.
* * *
After days of scorching heat the door closed on
the month of June wet and cold It was in the late
30's down west of Amelia. The boys backed the car
out to head for Atkinson to celebrate the Fourth of
July. Boys, Dad said, you better take your over
coats. They did, and were back from Atkinson be
fore the shades of night settled across the prairie.
Cold and wet this last day of June as one of those
boys, now living in Indiana plans to take off with
his life’s companion and their three-year-old daugh
ter for a trip to the Pacific coast. Son, take your
overcoat; daughter, w’eur your furs and wrap a
blanket about Dorris! I have turned on the furnace.
• • •
Gov. Brooks refers to one of our state senators
as an "egomaniac”. That is printable, but wha
that egomaniac says of our chief executive is not
fit to appear in this refined family paper going as
it does into the best homes throughout this and ad
joining counties.
• • •
She hrad ministered that afternoon in a home
where dwelt an aging invalid. I sat alone. Then
as the low descending sun would soon glow a good
night across prairieland I walked out and saw her
coming along the road. My anxious heart layed
down its load as down the dirt road I went to meet
her. Then hand in hand back again to our own
door What is it that throbs in these human breasts
of ours that binds two beings together us one. A
short word of four letters tells it all—Love!
* * •
The St. Lawrence waterway conveying ocean
going streamers into ports of our Great Lakes has
been dedicated, with the queen of England and our
national chief executive present to make the dedica
tion addresses, and other free-world notables and
mobs of Canadian and Yankee commoners taking
it in. Now you can board a ship in London and
paddle by water all the way to Chicago. COME ON
TO PRAIRIELAND ON WHEELS!
Editorial
It's a Tunny' Law
“Good for the state patrol!” The words were
spnirn with feeling by a mother of three sons all
akf enough to drive and all old enough to recognize
responsibility.
The O'Neill mother was referring to the appre
hension of seven Holt eounty minors charged with
possession of alcohol by a state patrolman last
.She knew, as she was saying it the slaughter of
hundreds was about to begin. The mingling of blood,
aleohol and gasoline on the Fourth of July week-end
was expected and what is worse, would be taken for
granted
But it s a "funny” law, the one that charges a
minor with possession of alcohol not necessarily a
had one. mind you, but one which admits a failure
-of enforcing another law.
This newspaper would like to see another group
at names on the front page. How about the adults
who do the selling? What about them?
And how about the adults that buy from the beer
sellers and then sell to the youths?
Rriicemen the world over work hard to get a con
fession or a statement out of a person who is charged
with such crimes as murder.
(a it so difficult for the same policemen to get
• statement out of a 17 or 18-year old youth, to find
aot who sells the alcohol to the minors? Killing of a
Afferent type could be stopped an our public roads.
Would it not be far better tor police everywhere
to question and to continue to question the youths
want they find out who the adults are? We do not
waft to imply that the minors are not to blame or
tost they should be shielded- We do think, however,
Amt if a few beer licenses in the “right” places were
tost the youths wouldn’t have the opportunity to go
•crang
He Wouldn't Say
Senator Frank Nelson walked into the newspaper
office the other day, and although he didn't appear
Arad, and ready for a rest, he had good reason to
The session was the longest and one of the most
Afhcuft on record.
More than the average amount of hickering—and
•or laws are hammered out on anvils of steel per
sonalities—was seen.
He wouldn’t tell us whether he intended to run
agsm. and you can’t much Marne him for that,
newspapermen, however, will always ask immed
iately after a session. Senator Nelson, like most
•anators right about now, do have some sort of an
like Senator Nelson, they smile a relaxed smile
and say, "no comment at tMa time."
The Wahae Newspaper
Those Fund Drives
A battle has been raging in the last few years
between those who would combine the massive num
ber at disjointed and unooordiaafeed fund-raising cam
paigns, in behalf of various diseases, etc-, and those
mho want their individual organizations to carry on
■pirate drives each year.
We are solidly on the side at the United Fund, or
Oammunity Chest, or Ttorch Drive, or whatever it
maty be in the various oommamaities. Several recent
mmfii have shown that too amah money is going
Me New York headquarters of certain of these or
ganizations, and that local United Funds, for exam
ple, can divide she money more evenly and, with
one drive a year, create less work and trouble for
everyone concerned.
Moreover, there should be some check on all the
various drives and crusades today, and a United
Fund, or similar group can decide what is legitimate
and what is a racket.
There are rackets among the various fund
drives. One interesting thing, pointed out recently
in Harper's Magazine, is the fact that some of the
fund drives today collect far more money than they
ever did, even though the purpose for which they
were formed has long been accomplished, or mostly
accomplished.
For example, the annual T.B. Seal sale is gross
ing more money than it ever has, even though T.B.
mortality has been cut from 200 per 100,000 persons
to 8 per 100,000 persons.
The case is similar with polio, and the famed
“Mother’s March” is the greatest fund-raising gim
mick ever invented.
Yet the incidence of polio is down to 47 cases per
100,000 as compared with, for example, 5,848 cases
of cardiovascular disease, for which no such huge
sum of money is collected.
In summary, we contribute about the same amount
of money on behalf of 150,000 victims of muscular
dystrophy as we do for the 9,000,000 Americans who
are mentally ill. Arthritis and rheumatism, of which
there are 10,000,000 cases, get even less.
No Shortage Here
(From the Stuart Advocate)
Noticed in the county seat papers that a water
shortage has been created in their town due to the
excessive usage of water, and inadequacy of pres
ent pumps. It is ironic, indeed, to note that on an
other page of this issue, the local village dads are
encouraging the use of more water by cutting the
rates in half during the summer.
Come to think of it, we can point with pride to
our local plant for its efficiency enabling the abund
ance of water for gardens and yards.
A THOUGHT FOR THE EVENING—There is
no darkness in the night that cannot be lighted
with faith. Watch the mother comfort the small
child that wakes in the night. While we fools
strike matches, she smiles.
JAMBS CHAMPION. Ce-Publisher
JERRY PETSCHE, Editor
Entered at the postoCCce 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, 32.50 per
year; elsewhere in the United States, 33 per year;
rates abroad provided upon request. All subscriptions
payable in advance.
NATIONAL
Frontiers
Ago
,'Ht YEARS AGO
Supervisor Roberts of Shields
had considerable damage done to
in his vicinity due to a heavy hail
storm. The rye was literally pound
ed into the earth and his oats was
: cut so badly that he is now plow
i ing it up.The northwestern
, railroad sold 203 tickets to people
going to Atkinson for the Fourth
of July celebration. . . .Father
i Cassidy went to Chicago to see
, about the windows for the new
church.John Sullivan re
signed his position as janitor of
the K. C. hall and Pat Donohoe
! was appointed.T. B. Har
rison was in from the north coun
try and he says they are having
’ so much rain in his section that
! he is afraid it will rust their oats
.John Busharj nad sixty
three hogs on the market here in
1909 and received $1,159.95. The
hogs brought $7.30 a hundred
1 which was the highest price paid
[ here for several years. They were
sold to Jim Muller. . .Miss Etta
Morgan of Sioux Falls, S. D., vis
ited her sister Mrs. William Froe
lich for a month. . . .Married:
William DeVall of Meek and Miss
Mary Storjohn of Phoenix.
20 YEARS AGO
The Fourth of July was cele
brated by the various citizens of
O'Neill in many ways, but the best
thing to be said, is that there wrere
no serious accidents. . . .A. E.
Bowen planned to start remodeling
I his stnrn hnilHintr At thn r‘rAnr'lii
sion he was to have the largest
store room in the city under one
roof.Mrs. Helen Simar had
a force of men at work remodeling
the old Bentley building on east
Douglas street purchased by her
. . . .John Melvin moved his gro
cery stock to the P. J. McManus
building, just north of his store
.William W. Griffin, At
kinson was one of the 122 appli
cants to the Bar by the Nebraska
Bar Commission. . . A large dele
gation of O’Neill people attended
the Fourth of July celebration at
Inman. . ,4-H Judging Day in At
kinson was made a huge success
by the attendance of over 400 4-H
Club members from Holt, Rock
and Boyd counties. . . .The O'Neil!
baseball team trimmed Verdigre at
the City Park here with a score
of 10-7. O’Neill played eight games
so far and have won seven, losing
only to Redbird. . . .Mrs. Charles
Reka sold her interest in the Ar
buthnot & Reka filling station to
R. L. Arbuthnot andl son, Jack,
who took possession on July 1,
1939 under the name of Arbuthnot
Oil Company. . .Deaths: Bernard
Augusta Grass, 29, of Page, due
to complications from a previous
attack of influenza, John Lappan,
early nineties, of Craydon, Pa.,
former homesteader of dry creek
south of this city.
10 YEARS AGO
Installation of $600. worth of
playground equipment was started
at Ford’s Park by the members of
the Parent-Tt'achers association. . .
The J. P. Gallagher store, one of
the oldest firms in the O’Neill bus
iness directory has sold its stock
in preparation of terminating bus
iness. It has operated from its
present site on the Northeast cor
ner of South Fourth and Everett
streets since 1901.Lee Kjel
sen, bandmaster at Valentine, con
ducted the O’Neill municipal band
at regular Saturday night concert
. . . .The Holt county assessed val
uation is up $1,351,260. over 1948
according to L. G. Gillespie, coun
ty assessor.O’Neill volunteer
firemen were called twice this
i week to put out minor fires at the
i William Krotter Co and the Frank
Dalton home. . . Married: Gilbert
Fox and Miss Doris Tomlinson;
!. . .Miss Marilyn Fritton was ac
cepted as a student nurse by St.
Catherines hospital in Omaha, . ,
Births: Veldon Wayne, son of
Mr and Mrs Merle Spangler, Dor
sey; Beth Eileen, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. William Kramer, O'Neill
.The Women's association of
the Presbyterian church held their
annual ranch picnic at the ranch
home of Mr. and Mrs J. Henry
j Patterson, near Emmet.
FIVE YEARS AGO
The city council authorized a
pay increase of $25. per month to
the newly appointed police chief,
Joe Wert The new pay figure is
. $250 increased from $225. . .
Miss Marjorie (Marge* Weichman
was crowned queen of the seventh
annual American Legion sponsored
rodeo at Stuart. . . .A record
crowd gathered at the O'Neill
Country Club and parked automo
biles choked nearby side roads for
the annual fireworks exhibition. . .
Married: Miss Betty Jane Johnson
and Cec Bishop . . . .Mr. and
Mrs. Kurpgeweit built a new home
| on their farm South of Ewing. .
. Mrs. Chet Fees, O'Neill, grabbed
first place honors in the powder
puff derby, the feature of the
Fourth of July stock car race
show at the Airport speedway. . .
. .A night rodeo was staged under
the arc lights at the Holt county
fair ai Chambers. . Harry Stoke
ly, 1954 graduate of the University
of Nebraska college of Agriculture
arrived to begin his duties as
assistant Holt county agent, work
ing under county agent, A. Neil
Dawes. . . .R. A. Cahill has re
signed as mathematics teacher in
the Page public school. . . .Deaths:
Mrs. Della Walker, about 80, of
Stuart; Rhonda Sue Borg. 3
months, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Ronald Borg, O’Neill.
Taxes
To Be
Told
CAPITOL NEWS
Statchou.se Correspondent
The Nebraska Press Association
LINCOLN—It will be a month
before Nebraskans know how much
they will have to pay in property
taxes to support state government
this year.
The decision will be made by
the State Board of Equalization,
headed by Gov. Ralph G. Brooks.
For 1958, the levy was $7.97 for
each $1,000 worth of taxable value.
The budget bill passed by the
Legislature indicated a hike in the
levy to $8.62. This was based on
an assessed valuation of $3.1 bill
ion.
o*:v. "ii- r.ifiniwnrwi m i m i ban
; State Tax Commissioner Fred
I Herrington reckons the txx'st in
| tangible property value against
which the levy is applied may run
j close to $150 million, based on the
I trend in early reporting from eoun
i ties.
The tax commissioner guesses
the hik* in intangible A property
—cash and accounts recievable
—may be in the neighborhood of
$130 million. That's a 35 |*er cent
increase.
In the case of intangihle B pro
perty mainly stocks and txwds
.the txxist is expected to be $288.9
| million up 75 per cent
July 1 was the deadline for coun
j ties to report to the State Board
on values this year.
The hoard then goes over the
figures • and decides whether to
summon any counties to explain
changes at a public hearing. Then,
the levy is set.
Although there is much interest
yearly in the state property tax
levy, it is only a small percentage
of the overall tax bill.
Eby Stays
Gov. Ralph G. Brooks, under
pressure from veterans’ groups,
reversed himself and retained
State Veterans Affairs Director
Louis R Eby.
The governor made it plain he
wasn’t happy about keeping Eby,
but said he wanted to acknowledge
the wishes of "rank-and-file" ve
terans who tielong to both Republi
can and Democratic parties.
Brooks said he wanted to re
place Eby because he has per
I mitted a state employee in his
office, later identified as Janies
Smith, State American legion
Commander, to serve as head of
the veterans group. This, Brooks
said, involves a great deal of
time, travel and expense.
The chief executive also charged
that Eby had .permitted himself
to lie associated with “partisan
organizations and candidates."
Further, the governor stated, if
his objections were not taken care
of he would still remove Eby.
Bank Deposits
The word has gone out to 192
banks in Nebraska: The state
wants its idle funds for investment
in government bonds.
State Treasurer Richard Larsen,
a Democrat, Issued the call for
some $4.5 million in dormant funds
in the banks. TTiis money, plus
$4 million already invested in
bonds by reducing the size of de
posits in 11 clearing banks, would
make $8.5 million available for
investment.
It was estimated that amount
would produce $35,000 monthly
In interest which would go Into
the property-tax supported gener
al fund.
Gov. Ralph G. Brooks said Lar
sen is carrying out a campaign
pledge.
Larsen has announced he will
seek re-election and it is apparent
the investment will be part of his
campaign statements.
The action was taken after the
Legislature declined to pass a bill
requiring banks holding the funds
to pay interest to the state on
them.
Appointment Confirmed
The Legislature confirmed the
appointment of Jack Obbink as
***»-* •' ----- • I
o
.State Aeronautics Director, but
| not without dissent.
Obbink wag appointed by Gov.
Ralph G. Brooks to succeed Hol
land Harr.
The appointment is subject to
[legislative confirmation Shortly
before adjourning the 1959 session,
the lawmakers approved the se
lection of Obbink.
But there were five opposing
votes, cast by Sens. John Cooper
of Humboldt. John Donner of Kl
| gin, George Fulton of Beattici.
Kai l Hollenlkvk of Look |’mo
M P. Russillo of Omaha \u
Republicans. Obhink is a 5
crat.
Electric Motor*
Rewinding — Rebulldln*
Gall Ui W — M ha 8*rvi<*
Northweit Electric
O’Neill
Out of Old Nebraska
Nebraska's Passes:
Roubidoux, Mitcheii
In a prairie state such as Ne
braska, there are few passes
I through hills or mountains digni
fied by that title. The state does
! have two passes that are well
known to history and to travellers.
|It is not surprising that they are
within a few miles of each other
and are passes through the same
obstruction, Scotts Bluff and the
Wildcat hills to the south.
They are Mitchell Pass, the
one now used by highway Hti past
the National Monument, and
Roubidoux Pass which is several
miles southwest or Mitchell Pass.
Roubldoux's years of use and
fame were before 1850. The Mit
chell Pass route was first tra
versed, or made passable, by ar
my troops hauling goods to Fort
Laramie.
The army, like other travelers,
wanted the trail to stay as close
to the river as possible, and the'
Roubidoux route away from the ri
ver from near present Melbeta to
Horse Creek seemed liko a thirty
mile detour. The way through Mit
chell Pass never left the river far,
and seemed much more direct and
less circuitous. The army made a
passable road and from about 1851
on the Roubidoux Pass route was
less and less travelled. This first
famous pass is now almost forgot
ten.
In its heyday, Roubidoux Pass
was a noteworthy place on the
Oregon trail, described in the en
tries in the journals that haw sur
vived. Hie trading post ami H i, k
smith shop of Roubidoux elicited
comment as they provided most
welcome service along the trail
Also, the beauty of the Goring \ al
ley, the gmxi quality of the mad,
and the view showing I at ramie
peak in the distance from the top
of the Pass , impressed the ha
veners, they thought they were
seeing the Rocky mountains tor
the first time ns they saw I-ara
mie Peak. This pass had a more
favorable aspect and was a ix-iter
and easier trail to follow than the
one that became more popular
thn>ugh Mitchell Pass.
Merrill Mattes, historian of
the area, has pointed oat an iro
ay In the desertion of Koutddoux
for the Mitchell Pass route. Tl\r
Imx'elers xvho made the change
realized they had picked a oiore
difficult route, but took it be
cause it xvas more direct
shorter. Actually, the mileage of
the two routes from the time the
trails parted till they came back
together was almost ideutioal.
As this xvas true, the travellers
who foresook the Roubidoux Pass
route for the new one saved noth
ing and lost considerable in quali
ty of the trail.
If they had stayed with Roubi
doux Pass it is at least possible
that towns such as Goring would
have been located differently thir
ty or forty years later.
SQIt CONSERVATION
I
The new stamp commemorating soil conservation will be marie
available In many post offices on August 27. The Frontier Engrav
ing.
Four C’s Determine Diamond Value
There are only four factors which establish the value of any
diamond sold anywhere. These provide rules by which the worth
of your diamond can be accurately measured by trained jewelers,
aided by specially designed scientific Instruments. These factors
are commonly known as the FOUR C’s. These are color, clarity,
cutting and carat weight.
McIntosh jewelry
40? E. Douglas Phone 1M
A Trusted Jeweler Is Your Best Advisor
NEBRASKA’S HIDDEN PARADISE
Long Pine, Nebraska
Band: Jess Gayer
Date: July 12
STEAKS, SEA FOOD AND CHICKEN
5-9 p.m. Daily Sundays 11:30-2 and 5-9
Closed Mondays
World-famed for the Best
| Dependability
The Cadillac motor car has long been famous for its extraor
dinary capacity for trouble-free operation. The credit should
go to its fine engineering . . . high quality of materials . . .
and skillful, painstaking craftsmanship. Naturally, these
factors also result in great economy of operation and give
the Cadillac a unique ability to maintain its value over an
unusually long period of time. If these are things you’ve
been seeking in a motor car, visit your Cadillac dealer soon!
VISIT YOUR LOCAL AUTHORIZED CADILLAC DEALER
A. MARCELLUS CHEVROLET CO.. 127 No. 4th St., O’Neill, Ncbr.
. . o
