The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965, January 07, 1960, Image 1

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    XXX
Ten Pag«»
Tire WEATHER
***** hi la pm *
Thurs Dec 31 ^ 1
Fn , Jan 1 29 27 .27
Sat. jan 2 li 9 os In This Issue
Sun . Jan 3 10 1
Mon . Jan 4 23-8
Tue» , Jan. i 19 -20
SZJXJ ... * £ fIlrm "The Voice of the Beef Empire"
of snow. Friday Jan 1, 4 inches;
Volume 79-Number 37 O'Neill, Holt County, Nebraska, Thursday, January 7, 1960 Seven Cent*
Morris Pongratz,
Nancy Wray Are
Regents Winners
Nancy Wray. O'Neill high sch<x>l
senior, and Morris Pongratz. St
Mary's Academy senior, have been
named the O'Neill winners of the
Regents Scholarships to the Uni
versity of Nebraska.
The students will receive their i
tuition for the full four years at
the University. Miss Wray is the
daughter of Mr and Mrs. Ix»wis
Wray and Pongratz the son of Mr.
and Mrs. Bernard Pongratz.
O'Neill high sctxxi! also has four
students who were chosen as al
ternates: Richard Ernst, Paula
NANCY WRAY
Reed, Connie Johnson and Janet
Krugman. Alternates from St.
Mary 's are Marlene Peter and Bill
Shoemaker.
Miss Wray has been active in
band, girl's glee club, mixed
chorus anil i>ep club, in addition
to many 4-H activities. Pongratz
is a football letterman, co-editor
of the annual, a member of the i
honor society and Sodality, and i
MORRIS PONGRATZ
has participated in class plays,
the Sodality play, and done 4-H
and FFA work.
The scholarships are awarded ,
to Nebraska high school seniors ,
who rank in the upper one fourth
of their class and who have good
character and academic promise.
The scholarships are also award
ed on the basis of high scores in
competitive examinations.
When scholarship winners do
not accept the award, U'e highest
ranking alternates are chosen.
Frontier's Coloring
Contest Winners
Announced Today
Some 56 area children entered
the 1959 Christmas greeting ad col
oring contset sponsored by The
Frontier and the quality of their I
work made choosing the winners
a difficult task.
Judging is completed, however,
and the winners in each division
are determined
Marlene Ann Poessnecker, 6, has
teen selected the winner in divi
sion I for her work in coloring the
Lohaus Motor ad which appeared
in The Frontier of December 24.
! She will receive $5.
Bryan Osborn, 7, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Dick Osborn of Atkinson, col
ored the Moore-Noble I Jim tier Co.
ad and will receive $3 as the sec
ond place winner in division I.
Division II, for children in the
third and fourth grades, was won
by Michael Lynn Doolittle. Michael
is in the 3rd grade at Stuart and
is 9 years-old. He will also receive
S5. Michael colored the Wm. Krot
ter Co, ad.
Second place prize of $3 was
won by Rose Mary Ostiome, 9,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Os
txirno, Atkinson Rose Mary and
her brothers and sisters were the
only contestants who painted any
i of the ads. She painted the Mea
dow-Gold Products ad.
Winners will recive their prizes
sometime next week.
Corn Program
Farmer Meeting
Two meetings have been sched
uled with the 25 farmers who are
cooperating on the Extension Re
gional Corn Program in this area
to complete cost records collected I
this year on com production.
The first meeting will be Janu
ary 14 at 10 a m. at the courthouse
annex in O’Neill and the second
meeting January 15 at 10 a.m. in
Atkinson at the Galyen Steak
house.
The program is for the purpose
of comparing costs of producing
corn under irrigation and dryland
production and to study production
costs under different management
conditions.
Patrol Records
Given for 1959
The year 1959 closed with eight
traffic deaths recorded in Holt
county according to the Safety
Patrol activity report for the O’
Neill, Ainsworth, Valentine area.
Traffic deaths in surrounding
counties included Rock, 1. Boyd,
it. Brown, 1, Cherry 5 and Keya
Paha, 1. A total of 128 traffic ae
jeidents were recorded in this area.
The patrol also reported they
collected $11,267.50 in traffic fines
in the area in 1959. The six area
patrolmen traveled a total of
325.965 miles during the year.
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Pierce
Slide Over Embankment
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Pierce of
Amelia know what "flying’’ in an
automobile feels like.
As they were returning from
Omaha Tuesday their car went
out of control on icy roads near
Dodge and slid off the road. The
car went over a 25-foot embank
ment and lit in the ditch.
No one in the car was hurt and
the automobile did not even re
ceive a scratch.
The Pierces said they were
shaken up quite a bit but the only
damage was to their nerves.
Pre-trial Hearing
Set for Today
In Boyd Court
The pre-trial hearing for Nyal
French, who has been held in jail
for six months in connection with
the killing of his half-brother.
Frank Vanderlinde. will be held i
this morning at the Boyd county |
courthouse in Butte.
.Judge Lyle Jackson, Neligh will
hear the information at the equity
court session Attorney John R
Gallagher, O’Neill, is defense
counsel for French.
Boyd County Attorney William
Wills will present the state's case.
Speculation runs high that the
first degree murder charge against
French will be lowered to assault
and battery' charges or that the
case will be dropped altogether.
French’s mother, Sadie Dicker
son, was cleared of all charges in
Vanderlinde’s death. Franch was
the state's key witness against his
mother at the trial.
Andy Closson,
Ewing Pioneer,
Dies Monday
Andrew Rupert Closson, 87,
Ewing, died Monday at St. An
thony's hospital here in O’Neill.
Funeral services for Mr. Closson
will be held this afternoon at 2
from the Ewing Methodist church,
pastor Elliot officiating.
Mr. Closson was born the son
! of Andrew VV. and Phoebe Kidder
Closson at Chippawra Falls, Wise.,
December 31, 1872.
He moved to Ewing with his
family as a small boy and has
lived there most of his life.
He was married to Viola M.
Foster at the home of John Clos
son who lived near Ewing in 1895 l
Four children, three sons and one ;
daughter, were bom to this union
Mrs Closson passed away in 1909
at Naper.
September 25, 1947, Andrew
Closson married Emma Stanton
of Ewing.
Survivors include his widow,
Emma; two sons, Paul and Anson,
and his daughter, Mrs. Audry Bow
den. One son, Earl, preceeded him
in death Also surviving are ten
grandchildren, eighteen great
grandchildren and a great number
of other relatives and friends.
Pallbearers for Mr. Closson are
Ralph Clyde, Clifford Ilahlbeck,
Kermit Jeffreys, Charles Good,
Ernest Norwood and Willis Rocky.
Council Meets;
Grants Permit
The O’Neill city council met in
regular session at the city hall
Tuesday night with all the coun
ci I men except George Janousek
present.
The council approved payment
of some $15,000 to pay off the bal
ance of the new well. They also
paid another part of the storm
sewer money.
A building permit was granted
Paul Shelhamer at the meeting, j
Marcellus Schaaf reported that i
the new ditcher purchased by the j
city about a year ago did a total;
of $4450 work for the city during1
the summer months. This did not |
include the work done by the ma-|
chine during the recent snow'
storms. The equipment originallyj
cost some $8,000.
BABY DAUGHTER BAPTIZED
The baby daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Mark Sehi was baptized Sun
day at the Catholic church in Ne
lig'h. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Funk were
the sponsors.
Members of the O’Neill Lions club anil the legion elob are shown with the new child's size
wheel chair recently purchased by the lions club for emergency use. Pictured are, from left.
Howard Manson. lions President Ken Current, Legion club manager Bill Jansen, legion Commander
Jim Farley and Harry Peterson. Manson and Peterson are past Lions club presidents. Jim Dusatko,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Dusatko. was walking along the street anil "volunteered" to pose In
the new chair.—The Frontier photo and engraving
Kevin Roy Klabenes is shown Monday afte rnoon as he becomes more acquainted with his
mother. You’d think the first baby of I960 would show a little more concern, but Kevin just snug
gled up and went back to sleep.—The Frontier photo and engraving
Glen Sprague Dies
Quietly At Home
Here on Wednesday
Funeral services for Glen Wil
liam Sprague, 50, who died quietly
at his home in O'Neill Wednesday,
will la? held from the Presbyterian
church here Saturday aftemixin at
2. He had been ill nearly 2 years.
Rev. John Hart will officiate and
burial will be in Prospect Hill cem
etery.
Mr. Sprague was born at Star
on April 5, 1909. and spent all but
10 years of his life here in Holt
county. He lived near Omaha for
those 10 years.
He was united in marriage to
Grace Allen at Butte on December
26, 1933 and to this union two sons
were born. Ramon lives at Wood
lake and Russell is at home.
The body will lie in state at
Biglin's Chapel in O'Neill on Fri
Glen William Sprague
day from 3 until 9 p.m. and at the
church from 11 a.m. until the fun
eral hour on Saturday.
Pallbearers for the funeral are
Matthew McCabe, Charles Cole,
Jim Gallagher, John Alder, Leo
Harte and Michael Gallagher. Me
morials are requested by the fam
ily
Survivors include his widow and
both sons; four sisters—Mrs. Rulh
Pederson of Ashland, Ore., Mrs.
V'erna Gattenby of Kansas City,
Mo., Mrs. Althea Taylor of Pull
man, Wash., and Mrs. Sylvia Rose
ler of Salem, Ore.; three brothers
—Raymond of Kansas City, Mo.,
Kenneth of Kilgore and Otto of
O'Neill. Donald Sprague is also
a survivor.
His parents, one brother, Win
field, who was killed in action in
World War II, and three sisters.
Mrs. Bessie Gatenby, Mrs. Hazel
Noble and Myra Sprague, procee
ded him in death.
Mr. Sprague also leaves a great
number of other relatives and
friends.
YOUTH ATTEND BANQUET
Six O’Neill youths attended a
New Year’s Eve banquet for the
CA’s of the Assembly of God
Church North Section in Spring
view. Those attending were Gloria
Krogh, Marian and Delores Ros
encrans, Ruth Young, Connie
Brockman and Bill Fricke.
INF ANT DAUGHTER F)1F >
Funeral services were held Tues
day for the infant daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Duane Finch, Osmond.
Rev. Jehrike officiated. The burial
was at the Osmond cemetery. Mr.
and Mrs. J. W. Finch of Page
are the paternal grandparents.
Oran Long of Omaha and Curtis
Collins spent the New Year's week
end with his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Floyd Long. Also spending last
week with her grandparents, Mr.
i and Mrs. Long was Coleen Collins.
Along Mainstreet . . .
Mr. and Mrs. A. 1’. Jaazkowbvk,
who own Scovie's Western Auto,
plan to l>e in Kansas City, Mo.
this weekend to attend the Spring
merchandise show. While there
they also plan to visit with their
daughter, Nyla, who attends col
lege in Kansas.
Winnie Barger, owner of the
Apparel Shop, was in Omaha over
the weekend to attend the style
markets.
Bob Roberts, manager of the
Lee Store, is in Grand Island to
attend a buyers convention. Be
fore Roberts left he presented a
check from the Lee store for $250
to St. Mary’s Academy for the
fuel fund.
Extension Fun
Night Set for
Saturday Here
The Annual Holt County Exten
I sion meeting and the annual 4-H
; family fun night will be held Sat
! urday at 7:3U p.m. in a combined
meeting, at the O'Neill high school
] gymnasium.
The program will include mus
ical entertainment, 4-H awards, a
movie and the Extension meet
, ing. Two board members will be
elected for two year terms at the
extension business meeting. Mrs.
Ora Yarges and Mrs. Floyd Butter
field are the members up for re
election.
Refreshments will also be serv
ed.
Local Lions Club
Buys Equipment
For Emergencies
Two hospital type beds and a
childs size wheel chair were pur
chased last week by the O’Neill
Lions club to be used for emer
gencies in the area.
The equipment was given to the
O’Neill Legion club for care and
distribution and brings the total
amount of equipment now in the
care of the Legion Club to seven
wheel chairs and five hospital
beds.
Various organizations have do
nated the equipment—the last be
ing the O’Neill Junior Chamber of
Commerce. Other donations in
cluded crutches, walkers, leg
braces and arm braces, and an
oxygen tent which is now in use.
The I-egion Club began the pro
gram a number of years ago and it
was supported by the Chamber of
Commerce, the Legion Auxiliary,
and now the Lions Club.
Legion spokesmen stated that
anyone may use any of the equip
ment available by contacting the
Post Commander. Jim Earley, or
j by checking at the Legion club.
Peters Celebrate
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Peter wall
celebrate their Golden Wedding
anniversary on January 11 at their
farm home south of O’Neill. The
couple will receive neighbors and
friends from 2 until 1 p.m. on that
day and they request no gifts.
—
O'Neill Post Office
Shows 1959 Increase
Postmaster Ira Moss reported
this week that the O’Neill post
office did a “land office” business
for the calendar year 1959.
Computation of receipts shows
a total of $57,(XX). highest in the
history of the O'Neill office. The
figure was an increase of approx
imately $3000 over the year 1958.
Christmas mailing in the month
of December showed a slight in
I crease over the previous year.
Mrs. Mary Bazelman spent New
' Year’s at the J. Davis’.
25 Charges Filed
Against Bartlett
Bank Officials
Deputy Wheeler county Attorney
Harold Connors filed a total of
25 charges against three men
Tuesday at Bartlett in connection
with the closing of the Bartlett
State Bank last May.
The charges were filed against
Clifford C. Bishop, a former di
rector, Walter Plugge. and his son,
Walter C. Plugge. Federal charges
have also been filed against sev
eral persons in connection with the
closing of the bank.
Bishop was charged with two
counts of embezzlement, two
counts of false entry and four
counts of unauthorized loans.
Whiter Plugge was charged with
two counts of conspiracy to com
mit a felony and seven counts of
unauthorized loans.
Walter C. Plugge was charged
with four counts of conspiracy to
commit a felony and four counts
of false statements of financial con
dition.
The bank was taken over and
liquidated by the state banking
department after a routine check
by state examiners revealed more
than $170,000 missing.
Clearwater Resident;
Floyd Prater, Succumbs
Funeral services for Floyd Pra
ter, 65, a lifelong resident of the
Clearwater community were con
ducted on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at
the Clearwater Christian church
with Rev. Charles Soderstien of
ficiating. Burial was at Clearwater.
Floyd Prater was horn October
8, 1894, the son of Charles W.
and Frances Prater on the old
homestead seven miles north of
Clearwater. He had never married.
He resided for a time at an Elgin
rest home where he died on Sun
day. January 3.
Survivors include a brother,
Fred, of Clearwater; sisters Mrs.
Jessie Hill and Mrs. Effie Hen
derson, both of Portland, Ore.;
and a number of nieces and neph
ews.
Pallbearers chosen were Dwight
Hoffman. George and Reid Mum
mert, Elmer Moulding, Clarence j
Moore and Leslie Damme.
Collins Waives Hearing;
Bound To District Court
Edward Lee Collins, 15, son of
Mr. and Mrs. George Collins, At
kinson, was bound over to district
court Monday after he waived a i
preliminary hearing in a charge
of motor vehicle homicide before
Holt County Judge Louis Reimers.
Collins had ple^ not guilty to the
charge which was filed in con- i
nection with a one-car accident 16
miles north of Stuart December
23 that took the life of Marion
Mlinar, 18, Atkinson.
Collins was alleged to have been
driving the car at the time of the
accident. The car went into a ditch
and overturned.
Attorney J. D. Cronin will re
present Collins.
Judge Reimers released Collins
to the custody of his parents. A
trial date has not yet been set in
District court.
Carrier Position Vacant
In Inman Post Office
The Civil Service Commission
has announced an opening for a
Rural Carrier at the Inman post
office. Applications for the posi
tion will be accepted until Janu
ary 26.
In addition to a written test, ap
plicants must have resided in the
area for one year and he at least
18. Additional information is avail
able at the Inman post office. Ap
plication forms should be filed
with the U. S. Civil Service Com
mission, Washington 25, D. C.
Kevin Klobenes Is First
Of '60; Born In O'Neill
Oldest Page
Resident, Miss
Merryman, Dies
Funeral services for Miss Grace
Flnora Merryman, 90 and the old
est resident of Page, were held
Monday at her home with the Rev.
Mina Smith officiating.
Miss Merryman had suffered a
stroke on Deeeml*er 20 and her
health became worse until her
death on New Year's day.
The daughter of the late Mr. and
Mrs. James Ira Merryman, she
was bom at Brunswick, Me., in
1869. Ten years later her family
moved to Scranton, la., where they
farmed.
When she returned to Maine for
a visit in 1909 she found herself
comparing the Maine way of liv
ing with her own midwestem life.
In an interview with The Frontier
editor in June of this year, Miss
Merryman stated that she earned
lquite a reputation for "lieing as
fast as a horse could trot” for
her comparisons between the size
of Iowa and Maine farms and the
Iowa methods of farming.
Following the death of her pnr
entts and sister. Annie, Miss Mer
ryman accompanied her brother,
Frank, to Page where they lived
on a farm. They retired to Page
in 1925.
Miss Merryman was active in
church work ns long ms ljt,M' health
permitted. Her brother died 1n 194ti
and since then Miss MdFryman had
been seriously ill several times
She suffered a leg fracture 2 years
ago and was hospitalized through
October of that year.
Donna Smith sang “Shall We
Gather at the River," “Rock of
Ages”, and "God Fie With You
Till We Meet Again”, at the fun
MISS (ilUCK MERRYMAN
oral Pallbearers were Harry and
Lyman Park, William Neubauer,
Calvin Harvey, E. II. Farnsworth
and Hugh Holliday.
Survivors include a sister, Mrs.
Bertha Harsh, Lis Angeles; one
niece, Mrs. Virginia Conehlsen.
Like Success, N. Y., and two neph
ews, C. M. Harsh of San Diego
and J. R. Harsh of I^os Angeles.
Also surviving are 8 grand nieces
and 2 grand nephews. Burial was
in the Page cemetery.
Salvation Army Fund
Drive Now In Progress
The Salvation Army fund drive
in Holt county has set a goal of
$1300. The O'Neill goal is $600, an
nounced Ted McElhaney, local
service unit chairman.
The campaign is now in progress
with firms and citizens being con
tacted by field representative V.
S. Bently, Omaha, and volunteer
solicitors. The money is deposit
ed with Archie Bright, local serv
ice unit treasurer, who is also ac
cepting contributions by mail.
Other committeemen are George
Hammond and Bill Petsche.
Funds go to the Salvation Army
Hospital in Omaha, veterans in
need of assistance, local families,
needy school children and others.
Minor Accident Occurs
On New Year's Day
Police Chief Chris McGinn re
ported that only one minor acci
dent occurred due to the slippery
ice and snow during the week.
The accident happened on New
Year’s day at the intersection of
Everett and Madison streets and
involved William Conard and Mrs.
Fred Appleby. Little damage was
done to either car.
Sale Dates
Claimed
SATURDAY, JANUARY 9th —
Hereford sale of 35 coming 2-year
old bulls. Sale to be held at the
Atkinson Sale barn beginning at
1 p.m. Charles Corkle, auctioneer,
Vernon Hixson, Neligh, sale man
ager.
Kevin Hoy Klabene.v son of Mr.
and Mrs. Raymond Klabenes, is
a boy of distinction.
He's the first baby bom in Holt
county for RlfiO. Kevin was bom at
8:58 p.m. on New Year's day.
ktwtii can claim the honor of
lmlng the flrwt baby in Holt la
only 77 minutes. Jeffrey (hrtcr
(toLschall, Min of Mr. anil Mrs.
Ernest J. tiotsi hull of \tkinson
was iMtrn at tlie Atkinson hospi
tal ami win, at first rc|s>rUst to
lu< tlie first baby of ItMiO in Holt
county.
The husky 8 pound, 8I4 ounce
addition to the Klabenes family
who ranch near Chambers, has
also fallen heir of a great number
of gifts donated by O'Neill mer
chants.
The new baby will lie no stranger
to Mrs. Klabenes. He is the sixth
child and the fifth lx>y in a row.
Ray Klabenes said that if he
hadn't had a girl the first time
lie's afraid that he would Lie out
of luck.
Sandra, the oldest, is seven. She
is followed by Stanley, four. Ken
neth, three, Greg, two, Hilly, one,
and now Kevin.
The Klabenes' ranch is located
5 miles north and 1 fa west of
Chambers. Both Kevin and Mrs.
Klalienes are doing fine and Mrs.
.Klabenes went home Monday af
ternoon.
Firms participating in Hie baby
derby were M and M Cafe and
Bakery, Gambles, McCar\ dies,
McIntosh Jewelry, Coyne Hard
ware, Western Auto, Dovoy Hex
all Drug, McDonald's, Hen Frank
lin, Gillespie’s, Safeway, Johnson
I irug.
The New Outlaw, Meyer's Mid
west Furniture, Merri Dr. Pcpi»er
Bottling Co., Shelhumer Jack and
Jill, A and M Shoe Store, O'Neill
Photo Company, Dankerts, Hard
ing Creamery, and The Frontier.
Chamber Names
Irrigation
Committeemen
O’Neill’s Chamber of Commerce
met in regular session Monday
night at a local cafe and heard re
ports from various committees.
A film "That Others Might See”
was shown to members to open the
meeting. The movie depleted the*
processes Involved with trans
planting eyes from eye donors to
persons suffering from eye con
ditions.
The Lions clubs of Nebraska are
the organizers and backers in the
eye donor program.
Dale Wilson, chairman of the
membership drive for the Cham
ber of Commerce, reported that
there are 135 members to the or
ganization for 19<k) representing a
33 percent increase over last year.
Although Jim Rooney, chairman
of the irrigation committee could
not attend the meeting, it was
pointed out that representatives of
the Portland Cement Company
and a retired Burlington railroad
man met with Rooney and sched
uled a meeting with the newly
formed irrigation committee on
January 18.
Stutz then named the new irri
gation committee members. They
are Jim Rooney, Lyle Dierks,
John Watson, William Griffin. Ri
mer Juracek, Neil Dawes, llarry
Ressel, Gil Poese, Dale Wilson,
William McIntosh, Don Meyers,
Arlen Miles, Jim Champion, Hen
Grady and L. D. Putnam.
These men will meet at an
early date and elect a chairman
for the committee. Purpose of the
committee is to steer action on ihe
proposed Atkinson-O’Neill irriga
tion project which might make il
possible to irrigate 71,000 acres of
land north of Atkinson and O’Neill.
O'Neill public school superin
tendent Milton Baack then asked
the chamber to underwrite the
cost of the second place trophy to
he given in the Holt county bas
ketball tournament scheduled for
O’Neill on January 18 to 22. The
chamber approved this request.
Baack then asked the chamber to
pay for the district music contest
programs. Baack stated that more
than 3,0(X) school children are
brought to O’Neill in the spring
due to this contest and that the
contest had not been paying for
it self until last year when the
chamber also paid for the pro
grams.
Baack said that there was a
good chance of O’Neill losing the
contest until it showed last year’s
profit. The chamber agreed to pay
for the programs.
Dale Wilson then expressed the
thought that O'Neill should have
road signs announcing to the
traveling public that they are near
ing or entering O'Neill. The plan
was well received by all mem
bers present and the project was
turned over to Harry Peterson,
chairman of the advertising com
mittee.
Milton Baack was again given
the floor and at this time he re
quested that the O’Neill chamber
promote and back the O’Neill fn
vitational Track meet scheduled
for May 4. The chamber passed
the resolution and members will
now act as timers and officials at
the meet to he held noth in the
afternoon and evening. The eve
ning finals is a new experiment in
track meets for the area.
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Cavanaugh
and son, Danny of Dubuque, la.,
returned home after spending a
week with his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. James Cavanaugh and Gene.