The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965, November 05, 1959, Image 1

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    STATE HIST SOC
LINCOLN. N£3R.
Bureau Men Explain Irrigation Project to O'Neill Chamber
Bureau of Reclamation men,
Gordon Wendler, R. E. Johnson
and J M. Barrett of Ainsworth
talked for more than two hours to
the O’Neill Chamber of Commerce
Monday night.
The men explained the proposed
irrigation project for O'Noill and
Atkinson at the regular meeting
held at the Town House.
J. M. Barrett, area engineer for
the reclamation people, opened the
discussion with a short history ol
the bureau. He then told the Cham
ber that the O Neill-Atkmson study
was started in 1955 and that the
study is just now being completed,
Barrett stated that two things
are necessary tie fore any recom
mendations can be made by the
group. First, the project must be
physically leasable. That is, il
must he possible from an engi
neering standpoint, there must be
enough water and the soils con
sidered must be able to support
irrigation. Secondly, the project
must be economically possible.
The tienefits derived from such ir
rigation must exceed or be equal
to the cost of the project and there
must be enough money to complete
the plan.
Barrett pointed out that an irri
gation plan such as this is much
different than that of a flood con
trol plan in that any money spent
by the federal government in this
I irrigation project must be repaid
to the treasury.
The area engineer then said that
four steps are necessary before
the government will allocate any
money to begin the project. First
the report on the area must be
completed. This has now been done
and the report states that it would
be possible to irrigate approxi
mately 71,000 acres of land here
in Holt county.
The report is then reviewed by
the Nebraska department of agri
culture and must be approved.
The report is then transmitted to
Cong" ss thiough the Secretary of
Interior
According to Barrett, at this
point the report must be supported
by local interests. It is not nec
essary that any of the ranchers
or l.tnd owners sign up to have
their land irrigated, but they, and
other interested persons, must
give some indication as to wheth
er they would like to see the pro
ject started.
The fourth step is a new one
to these projects and stipulates
that signed statements from local
parties must be given showing an
interest in the irrigation project.
At this point R. E. Johnson took
over the discussion and showed the
O'Neill businessmen and farmers |
and ranchers invited to the meet
ing just what benefits could be
derived from such a project as
that proposed for this area.
Johnson stated that at no time
in history has Holt county averag
'd more than $20 [>er acre income.
'Using the figure that the bureau
has found necessary for any ran
cher to have a sufficient living,
$2,775 net. he then showed that
Holt county ranchers have aver
aged. over the past 50 years or
so. only $1,794 net.
He then showed figures which
demonstrated that with irrigation,
farmers and ranchers effected
could net better than $4,000 with
$830 going to repay the cost of the
irrigation.
The cost of the irrigation has
tentatively been set at from $6
to $11, depending upon the class
of soil being irrigated. Since 72%
of the soil involved in this project
is class II soil, the cost would
probably run in the neighborhood
of less than $10 per acre for the
majority of farmers. Tins figure,
however, is not definite.
This $6 to $11 per acre figure
compares now with sprinkler irri
gation systems already in use at
the rate of about one fourth to one
half as much. Sprinkler system
irrigation, averaged out over the
state, costs $24.56 per acre. Pipe
irrigation costs $9.75 per acre and
the state figure for gravity irri
gatu n such as that proposed here
is $6.56 per acre.
Johnson then went on to say that
it will take 200.000 acre feet of
water per year to raise the pre
cipitation in the area the desired
13 inches. This means that it will
take 35 inches, of water diverted
at the Norden dam to deliver 13
inches of water to the crop roots
here in Holt county.
The 60- mile canal needed to
hring water to the land would
consist of 89-miles of sub-canals
and 169 miles of laterals. Approx
imately 140 miles of drainage
, ditches would have to he construct
ed to help check erosion from any
excess moisture.
Farmers using the water would
have access to the irrigation can
als when ever they wished, but
they would have to request the
wafer before they could take water
from the ditches. The water can
Ire used for any purpose.
The engineers have planned that
the canal from the Norden dam
will pass under 7 creeks and some
50 bridges will lie constructed
over the canal for roads and high
ways.
The estimates on the cost of such
a project have tx-cn set at from
$800 to $815 [ter acre. This is re
paid to the government over a
40 year period and is the $ti to
$11 per acre water usage fee.
This project, and O'Neill and At
kinson land owners, Is fortunate in
that as we are a part of the Mis
souri River Basin a good share
of tiie projects cost will be picked
up from revenues derived from the
sale of electrical power at the big
Missouri dams. If the farmer can
not pay completely for the water
usage, he pays what he can and
the rest of the money is made up
from these funds.
The bureau men feel that if the
project were completed it wcaM
add about 174 new families be
Holt county. Net farm income is
estimated to jump from the ■(*■»
cut $435,000 in Holt county tos
$2,276,800. Many of the 00ft arye
farms in the area would be ftv
duced to 200 acre farms fur she
simple reason that one farmer
would not be able to handle th*
load on a 600 acre irrigated ' arm
The men who talked to the
chamber of commerce Mciadjy
night said that they would he wrj
happy to meet any of the farmer*
anywhere to discuss the pn^ect
and to acquaint them better mlb
what is heing planned here.
Willingness to participate m the
prime factor at this stage ci the
project and interest must l>e shmm
favoring the irrigation. _
* *
B Twelve Pages
*
In This Issue
"The Voice of the Beef Empire"
• »
Volume 79—Number 28 O'Neill, Holt County, Nebraska, Thursday, November 5, 1959 _^_ Seven Cents
Romaine Rohde,
Holt Farmer,
Dies Saturday
F u n e r a l services were con
ducted Wednesday for Romaine
John Rhode at 10 a.m. with Msgr.
Timothy O’Sullivan officiating.
Burial was in Calvary cemetery.
Pallbearers were Francis Wabs,
Carl Damcro, Ed G a 11 a g h e r.
George Janousek, John Donlin and
E. M. Stewart.
Mr. Rhode died Saturday fol
lowing a heart attack at flic age
of 70. He had farmed most of his
lire near O'Neill and had moved
to town two years ago to retire.
Romaine John Rhode was tarn
February 22. 1889, at Turner,
Nchr., the son of John T. Rhode
and Bridget Hoff, both natives of
Germany.
When he completed his school
ing he worked for 7 years in
Omaha for Armour and Co. On
Oct. 5, 1915. he married Agnes
Mary Stanton at St. Patrick's
Church in O'Neill. To this union
three sons were tarn
In 1921, Mr. and Mrs. Rhode
moved to the home place in the
Phoenix Community north west of
O'Neill where he farmed until his
retirement two years ago.
Survivors besides his wife, in
clude three sons, Bernard, O -
Neill, Anthony, Burbank, Calif.,
and Francis, O’Neill; six sisters,
Mary London, O'Neill, Loretta
Egen. Omaha, Ann Boukal. Oma
ha, Margaret Goebhcls, Omaha,
Beatrice Rhode, Chicago, 111.
Clara Moler, Hastings; and three
brothers, 'Ambrose, Kennewich,
Wash.. Joseph, Dallas. S. D., and
John, Cheyene, Wyo.
Spencer Native,
Emma Boettcher,
Dies Thursday
Funeral services for Emma. G
Boettcher, 76, were conducted
Monday at Immanual lAitheran
church in Spencer with Rev. John
Rath officiating.
Mrs. Boettcher died last Thurs
clay at the home of her daughter
north of Spencer.
E m m a Boettcher was horn
January 1, 1883. at Green Bay.
Wise., and moved to Spencer at
an early age. She lived in the
community 61 years.
On Dec. 16, 1903, she was mar
ried to Gustave Boettcher-' at
Spencer. They resided on a farm
north of Spencer until Mr Boet
tcher's death in 1938 when she
moved into towrr.
Survivors include five s n..
O-car Herman, Bruno, Arthur
and Herbert, till of Spencer; two
daughters, Mrs. Reinhold, tlda
Kaczor, Spencer and Mrs. Karl
tEsther) Kuhnel, Crawford; three
sisters, three brothers and li |
grandchildren.
I
$1,500 Collected
For Stoffer Fund
Approximately $1,500 has al
ready been collected icy the thr?c
O'Neill news media for the Al
bert Stoffer family.
At last report, Albert was re
ported to be in fair condition in
the Veterans hospital in Omaha.
It has lieen a week and a half
since the hunting accident oc
curred
The Frontier is still accepting
donations to help the needy Stof
fer family. If you feel that you
would like to help these people,
just put your donation in an en
velope addressed to "The Stoffer
Fund," C/O The Frontier, O'Neill,
Nebraska.
Local Lion's Club Will
Finish Broom Sales
Monday and Tuesday
The O'Neill Lion's club will
finish their broom sale Monday
and Tuesday nights of next week,
according to Howard Manson.
The house-to-house sales will be
conducted by Lion’s club mem
bers with the money raised from
the sale going to help the blind.
Hulls Celebrate 60th;
Mother Attends Party
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hull cele
brated their 60th wedding anniver
sary Sunday at the Lynch ball
room with an open house that
saw almost 200 persons sign the
guest book.
The occasion was one of added
importance in that Mr. Hull's
mother, Mrs. Sara Hull. 104, was
able to attend. Grandma Hull
asked the blessing 1 adore the
turkey dinner was served and
also .gave a recitation entitled
"When I Was Young”.
Axel Borg. O'Neill, was master
of ceremonies for a program
which was patterned after a
"This Is Your Life” show. Old
friends and relatives the Hulls
hadn't seen for years appeared
as the story unfolded.
A free dance was held in the
evening and a large crowd at
tended Mr. and Mrs. Hull’s
grandchildren planned and ex
ecuted the days activities.
By coincidence both Mr. and
Mrs. Hull were born in Boone
county, la , though the former had
come to the O'Neill area with his
parents several years before his
wife-to-be was born. It was in
1882. three months after her
birth, that Mrs. Hull, who was
then Mary Osier, was brought to
the O'Neill area by her parents.
She and Mr. Hull were child
hood sweethearts, growing up to
gether in the old Meek neighbor
hood where "Grandma” Hull still
lives. They lived there intermit
tently for 42 years following their
marriage on Nov. 2, 1899 at Scott
ville. For three years—from 1932
to 1935, they lived at Knoxville.
Since 1944 they have resided at
their present home near Nio
brara.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hull celebrated their 60th wedding anni
versary Sunday at the Lynch Ballroom. Mrs. Sara Hull. 104. Elmer’s
mother is shown in the center. The anniversary cake is In the back
ground.—Lynch Herald photo—The Frontier engraving
Here's a bird we don’t see much in these parts. It’s a golden eagle captured by a farmer north
west of O’Neill. The big bird had Injured a wing and was c aught in a chicken house where he evi
dently figured to get a free meal- The bird was being sflipped to the zoo in Lincoln.—Frontier photo
and engraving
C. E. Everharts Are
Honored on Anniversary
More than 235 guests were on
hand Sunday to help Mr. and
Mrs. C. E. Everheart, Orchard,
celebrate their 50th wedding an
niversary. The party was held at
the Evangelical United Brethren
church in Orchard.
Mrs. George Voorhies, Elgin,
daughter of the couple, and Mrs.
Harold Everhart, daughter-in-law
of the couple were receptionists.
Mrs. Everhart also had charge of
the guest book.
Granddaughters Marlene Voor
hies and Mary Jo Everhart, Sar
gent, cut and served the four
tier anniversary cake baked by
Mrs. Waldo Rodgers.
Mrs. William Cox of Pierce and
Mrs Carl Ray of South Whitley,
Ind., presided at the table.
Mesdames Gordon Drayton. Wil
ber Mahood, Wayne Lautensch
lager, Wendell Wilson and H. H.
Drayton served.
The' couple was married in 1909
at the home of the bride's par
ents. She is the former Miss Olive
Meruet. The couple made their
home at Neligh where Mr. Ever
hart was employed by the Neligh
Sale Dates
Claimed
Monday, November 9th—Post
poned sale of Mr and Mrs Roy
Fullerton at the place located J
mile south and 1 mile east of
Amelia. 90 head of cattle and good
line of machinery. Col Ed Thorin
auctioneer.
SATURDAY. Nov. 7—Holt Coun
ty Hereford Breeders Association
sale of 49 registered Herefords
Show at 10 a m Sale at 1:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, Nov. 17th—Mr. and
Mrs. John Jeffrey. 3 miles west
4 miles north and Vi west of
Chambers. Selling livestock. Ma
chinery, hay, grain and furniture.
Col. Wally O'Connell and Merlin
Grossnicklous, auctioneers, Ed
Murphy, clerk.
Leader. Everhart became owner
and editor of the Orchard News
in 1917. He sold the paper in 1956.
Mr. Everhart has been very
active in Orchard organizations
He has held every local office in
the IOOF lodge, is a member of
the Orchard commercial club and
the Orchard Rod and Gun club.
Mrs. Everhart is a long-time
member of the Woman s Society
of World Service of the Evangeli
cal United Brethren church and
was its president for 13 years.
She was a Sunday school teacher
for 23 years.
Mrs. Everhart also help or
ganize the Orchard Public library
and was its treasurer for 33
years. She is now president of the
garden club and was chairman of
the Red Cross for 12 years.
The Everharts had three child
ren, a daughter dying at 6 months.
Mrs. Voorhies of Elgin and Har
old Everhart of Sargent are the
other two children. There are four
grandchildren.
• ' ■ - .
Mrs. Herzog, 82, Dies;
Services Held Monday
CHAMBERS — Funeral services
for Lillian M. Herzog, 82, were
conducted on Monday at 10 a.m.
at the Memorial Baptist church.
Rev. Earl F. Schwenk, pastor of
ficiated Burial was in the Cham
bers cemetery.
Lillian M. Schreier was bom
December 5, 1876 in Iowa the
daughter of August and Henrietta
Schreier who were German im
migrants. The family came to
Holt county in 1883.
She was united in marriage to
George Herzog on March 1, 1899
and one son who died as a child
was bom of this union. Her hus
band preceded her in death in
1941.
Mrs. Herzog died Friday,
October 30 at St. Anthony’s hospi
tal in O’Neill. She had been ill
only two days..
The only survivors are nieces
and nephews
Pallbearers were Emil Lees- j
wald. Anton Zuehlke, Wade Davis,
A1 Liedtke. Dellie Fauquier and
John Harkins. J
Rev. & Mrs. Hart
Witness Sioux
City Shooting
An O'Neill couple, Rev. and
Mrs John Hart, had a harrowing
experience Monday when they
went to Sioux City to redeem
some trading stamps.
While in the store a man came
!n, shot and killed the woman at
tendant and then turned the gun
on himself.
The woman, Delsie Johnston,
was killed by Roland Bathurst,
her brother-in-law, over a family
squabble.
According to Rev. Hart, the
woman had gone to the back of
the store to see if an item the
Harts wanted was on stock.
Bathurst came in and asked the
Harts where the woman was.
When Mrs. Johnson returned to
the front of the store, Bathurst
began arguing with her. Then he
pulled out a 32 caliber automatic
and fired twice at Mrs. Johnston
striking her in the chest.
Bathurst then shot himself in
the head. He died latei in a Sioux
City hospital.
Rev. Hart said that it happened
so fast that they didn’t have time
to be scared. After the first shots
were fired though, the Harts were
afraid that the crazed man might
start shooting everything and
everyone in sight.
The O’Neill Presbyterian mini
ster stated that the experience has
strengthed his faith in God and
the life he leads. It also exempli
fies that most of us are too com
placent with the life we lead and
that we ought to do more with
this gift of life.
The Harts didn’t stay around
long after the shooting. They got j
away from there as fast as they !
could.
Little Paul Funk
Returns Home
Paul Funk, 3-year-old twin son
of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Funk of the
Deloit community, returned home
last week from the Children's
Memorial hospital in Omaha.
Paul was burned about the legs
in a trash fire last May and has
been hospitalized in Norfolk and
Omaha hospitals ever since.
Boy's Town Choir Here Tonight
Edwin Porter,
Longtime Holt
Resident, Dies
CHAMBERS Funeral ser-'
.aces for Edwin Porter, 94 a
Chambers resident who had been
'e.iding at the Rest Home in
ituart were conducted at 2 pm.
Monday at the Methodist church
iere with the pastor, Rev. Charles
'ox, officiating.
Burial was in the Chambers
•emetery under the direction of
.liglins.
Mr. Porter died October 31. He
had been ill about a year.
Music was furnished by Stanley
nd Thomas Lambert with Mrs.
J. V. Robertson as pianist. Songs
ung were "He Leadeth Me”., “In
Tiie Garden" and "God's Way is
Best Way."
Pallbearers were William Tur
ner. Mark- Gribble, E* H. Med
calf, Omar CcClenahan. Leon Her
cl and Lyman Covey. Mrs. Louis
Nelson and Mrs. Genevieve Bell
were in charge of the flowers.
Edwin Porter was born Decem
ber 24, 1864 at Clinton, la., the
son of William Miller Porter and
Iary S. Polly Porter. He came to
.Nebraska with his parents at the
age of five and settled in Butler
sunty. The family came to Holt
ounty in 1884.
On I)ecemlx>r 25, 1887 he mar
i d Susan Henrietta Fleek at
l .ainard. They Iwcamc the par
ents of two children
Mr. Porter taught school in
Butler county and in 1898 moved
his family to Holt county. He
tarmed tor a iew years ami m
1918 was elected as county clerk.
He held this office for 12 years.
He moved from O'Neill to Cham
bers in 1932.
Mr. Porter built and operated
the station five miles east of
Chambers before moving into
town. He helped to incorporate the
village of Chambers and also
helped with the organization of
the IOOF lodge. He was the last
surviving charter member. He
also originated a city band and
aided in the building of the band
hall, later known as the Town
Hall. Mr. Porter was also active
in organizing the fair and was a
continuous fair booster.
He was preceded in death by
his wife, who died August 22,
1949. A sister also preceded him
in death.
Survivors include: son— Chaun
cey of O'Neill; daughter— Mrs.
H. B. (Loa) Hubbard of Cham
bers; 5 grandsons; one grand
daughter and 9 great-grandchild
ren.
Snow, Ice Make
Roads Dangerous
Old Man Winter put his first
icy grip on the O’Neill area yes
terday, but he made it an im
pressive one.
Four to five inches of snow, ac
companied by high winds, whip
ped through the area, making
road conditions very hazardous
and slowing traffic to a minimum.
John Osenbaugh, state road
engineer, stated that he had
trucks out in all directions last
night, but didn’t think that they
could stay out long. The high
winds whipped the snow around
and made it difficult for the
drivers to see the roads or keep
their trucks operating.
Osenbaugh said that the high
ways were very slick, hut there
had been no serious accidents as
the Frontier went to press. The
wind was blowing a good share of
the snow off the roads, but the
icy surface beneath the snow was
the big danger.
Chamber of Commerce
Organizes City-wide Sale
A Pre-Holiday sale is being
planned by the O’Neill Chamber
of Commerce for Thursday, Fri
day and Saturday of next week.
O’Neill merchants will be offer
ing great savings on many items.
The sale will be city-wide Watch
next week's issue of the Frontier
for ads on the many bargains.
EDITOK1AI/—
Spend 4 Cents;
Write Eisenhower
President Eisenhower has re
quest. i that all citizens who an
concerned about our economy,
and that should be everyone,
should write to him personally
telling of their interest.
\
It’s a good idea. I-et’s nil write
to him right now, today. Nothing
elaborate or typewritten, .lust let
him know how you feel. Your
letter might not lie read, hut if
everyone writes, the bulk will as
tound our legislators and might
just be impressive enough to
make them worry some about us j
taxpayers.
The most it will cost you is 5
minutes of time and a four-cent
stamp. It could save you many
dollars in taxes.
It's worth a try anyway, isn’t
it?
O'Neill Eagles Entertain
Balers For Homecoming
O'Neill high school will cele
brate their homecoming this Fri
day with a parade in the after
noon and the Atkinson football
game followed by a dance in the
evening.
A bonfire pep rally will be held
tonight at 7 on the northeast cor
ner of the school grounds. The
pat ado will begin at 3 pm. Fri
day with nine floats entered.
The parade will begin at the
corner of 6th street and Douglas
and will continue west on Douglas
to first street, then south one
block and east on Everett to
Fourth street. From Fourth street,
the parade will continue north to
O'Neill high school.
A parade of the winning float
will be presented at halftime dur
ing the game. The king and queen
will also be crowned at this tim.'.
The Boy’s Town Concert Chen
wiU perform in O'Neill as file
first of the O’Neill Community
Concert 1959-60 series Thursday
it the O'Neill high auditorium at
8:15 p.m.
The 40 voice choir is composed
of formerly homeless hoys who
are now citizens of Father Flana
gan's lioy’s home near Omaha
Ranging in age from 11 to 18, the
choir lioys project their artistry
under the baton of director Father
Francis Schmitt.
.ThQ program varies to include
the polyphony of Palestrina,
Strauss waltzes and loik tunes by
Stephen Foster, to mention a lew
This is the 12th national tour for
the boys.
The concert choir is one at
three choirs ut Boy’s Town, where
more than 200 of the 900 bays
participate in the vocal music
prugra m. According to Msgr
Nicholas H. Wegner, Director
Boys Town, the purpose of the
choir tours is to give the boa's,
the broadening effects of travel
and first hand knowledge of their
country.
Tractor Upset
Kills 14-year-old
Venus Area Girl
Betty N e w h a u s, 14 year-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur
Newhaus was killed Tuesday
night when the tractor she was
driving overturned.
The Newhauses live in Ih*
Venus community. Betty was *
freshman at the Orchard paWir
school.
She is survived by her parents
and three brothers.
Funeral services are pendinj'
No Trial Date Set
No trial date in the Sadie Dttt
erson murder case has been act.
Omaha doctors who examined
the body of Frank Vamlertnde
last week have not submitted
a report on their study.
Carl Holt waves goodbye to O’Neill after 8 years on Mo ta
City to O’Neill run. Mr. Holt retired after 50 years of service ta
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad.
After 50 Years Holt
Steps Down From Cab
Carl Holt waved good-bye to
O’Neill for the last time Thursday
night. He stepped down from his
cab after 50-years duty.
Mr. Holfrended a "long and var
ied" career as engineer and em
ployee of the Chicago, Burlington
and Quincy railroad. He had been
engineer on the O’Neill to Sioux
City run for the last 8 years.
Carl’s 50 years of service began
when he hired on as a boiler
maker helper in Sioux City in 1909.
That same year he was transfer
; red to Fremont as an engine tend
[ er on a work train.
He was promoted to engium
in 191? after a stint in Omaha aatt
working virtually all freigM and
passenger runs out of Sioux CMg.
In suming up his career, tt.
j Holt said that he “fired and ram
everything from smaB
wheelers to the largest type en
gines we had’’.
Mr. Holt made his hosne <m
Sioux City. Besides the OUdi
: Sioux City run, Carl had the Ida
i coin to Creston, la. run, and Me
Omaha to St. Joseph run.