Prairieland Talk
"Used to Give Them Away"
Iiy ROMAINE SAUNDERS, 4110 South 51st St., Lincoln 6, Nehr.
Making "big money” these modem days. And
"big money” goes to meet the living demands of
the day in which we now live. A block up the street
from where my typewriter is parked a hole under
the house they call a “basement
apartment" $f»0 a month rent.
My seven room house in O’Neill
some 65 years ago could not
get a renter to pay me $5 a
month for it. The clerk at the
store today asked me for 16
cents for one tomato. Told her
to keep it. Twenty years ago
down there in Swan precinct I
got 50 cents for a half bushel
of red ripe beauties. And just Romalne
a year or two ago daughter and Saunders
her husband and two girls from California and I
visited Tom and Ruth Baker a few miles west of
\rnelia. Tom stepped out to his hack yard garden,
then came in with a peck of choice Nebraska to
matos which he gave to those California visitors,
free for nothing. They have nice looking ones in that
Pacific coast state but good only to look at. At one
time we dropped a 5 cent coin in the collection plate
at church. Now they expect a dollar.
* * *
Hot and rainless summer days in Montana,
Wyoming, aand parts of the Dakotas is the story
we hear. It takes us back in memory to those terri
ble day in 1891 when hot winds fanned the prairies
of Holt county and growing crops withered and
died. Most of our state this summer enjoys good
growing weather, rain as needed. Some of our city
farmers have been out to count the ears of com
and tell us we are to harvest a full crib of corn. And
all on prairieland looks well.
* * *
According to what one news man on the air had
to say recently our nation’s chief executive thinks a
recount would install the other gent in the White
House and hopes he will come and take over. Is
Mr. Kennedy sick of the job already?
* * *
A man and wife conducting each a separate
business in the same building on south 48th Street
four blocks from where I am parked, he a barber,
she a magazine peddler.
* * *
Arabian horses are now it atYiong horseback
riders High headed beauties they are. But is there
a nag today that equals the little native broncs had
on prairieland until recent times. Here in the city
we rarely see a horse but I know one family who
has taken over a spot on the outskirts of the city
where they have not just one hut two or three horses
which ma, dad and daughter ride.
Editorial
Here are the names of a few notable citizens
of the O'Neill community some 70 years ago, hardly
their equal to be found anywhere: W. D. Matthews,
M. P. Kinkaid, M. F. Harrington, R. R. Dickson,
B. S. Gillespie, A. F. Mullen. Lawyers, politicians
and Matthews the editor. Oddly enough hardly one of
them would speak or have anything to do with others
of the group. They worked their heads. But there
was Jim Davidson and Jim Triggs who worked with
their hands and were always at it. Gone today, the
intellectual giants and the humble worker with
his hands. And time moves on as we of the genus
homo come and go. Do your test today, tomorrow
you may te laid away.
* * *
I sit idle in the shade this warm summer day,
and think of Bly and Berry and Baker out there in
the hot sun putting up hay.
* * *
State Senator Orme tells me that she was one
of a small group of Lincoln notables that recently
made a trip out in the state to visit a community
that promotes an irrigation project, the group from
Lincoln being sponsored by one of the city banks.
Mrs. Orme said she greatly enjoyed the trip and
her visit to that beautiful spot on prairieland that
s adorned in summer green kept fresh and growing
by the waters of the Platt river flowing to irrigate.
* » *
And now an air force captain trys it on a trip
nit into the vast expanse of space. There are others,
humble citizens of this troubled old world, men, wo
men, children, who hope to go some day out into
space to return no more until the world is spoken
bringing forth “a new heaven and a new earth.”
A trip out into space today is scarcely a step to
ward the nearest shining star. But when this mortal
becomes immortal, a Heavenly Being by your side,
the distance to that better world mean nothing.
* * *
Prairieland is robed in summer green, the
golden rod and prairie rose their beauty shed and
add a touch of bright color to the scene. I go again
in memory along the velvet green beneath and the
bright blue above, the meadow lark pouring forth
its song of joy and a jack rabbit bounds away from
the one it considers its mortal foe. And then I
come upon it a ‘‘blow out" with its drifting sand
where no beautiful flowers bloom. A spot along the
way to remind us of times of sorrow and tear stained
days somewhere awaiting along life’s highway be
fore the journey is dnoe. We pause a moment with
the sand filled blow out before us; then turn away
and move on amid the charming scenes nature’s
Artist has painted. So along life's highway we go
with smiles and joy among our fellow travelers—
and now and then to shed a tear.
What Does It Really Cost?
A proposal by Hi-Plains Airways of Hill City,
Kan. to bring air service to north-central Nebraska
has apparently met with approval of many towns
along the proposed route C. E. Walts, president of
the airline, made a tour of these cities a week ago
and judging from stories and pictures appearing in
papers published in these towns, made quite an
impression on both the editors and city officials who
viewed the plane.
However, we can not say that we were either
impressed or enlightened by Mr. Walts* stop in
O’Neill. Moreover we wore surprised that O’Neill
merchants should be so impressed with the com
muter service offering two round trips daily to the
community of your choice. We were particularly
surprised that they should be so much in favor of
“being able to board a plane in O'Neill in the
morning, spend the day SHOPPING in Omaha, and
return home in the evening.”
However, the chamber of commerce is apparent
ly in favor of this service according to a letter sent
to the Civil Aeronautics Board asking service for
O'Neill from Hi-Plains.
We notice also one last sentence in a paragraph
of Hi-Plains’ pamphlet asking for support. A line
which says', “Air mail and air express will also be
carried.”
Although it appears to be only an after thought,
we feel quite sure that this is the main reason for
serving O'Neill. Mr. Walls has not told us just what
added government subsidy he will receive for
serving O’Neill but we’ll bet it will be substantial.
In all frankness we must say that Hi-Plains air
ways would probably offer top service, their air
craft is modern and should it be necessary to make
a trip by air would undoubtedly be a pleasant plane
to fly in.
However, we are always skeptical when someone
offers us something for nothing. Hi-Plains has of
fered us air service. We know what the passenger
ticket is going to cost. When we find out what the
real cost of the service is going to be in lost busi
ness and government subsidies, then perhaps we’ll
be better able to judge just how badly we want
“two round trips daily to Omaha.”
COATESVILLE, PA., RECORD: “Washington
ever is willing to take on another job, no matter
how full its hand may be with the problems it al
ready has failed to solve. An appropriation of $10
million is asked for fighting juvenile delinquency
.... Meanwhile, in Washington, D. C., which de
pends entirely upon the Federal Government’s know
how to keep crime down, the local papers are full
of news of a crime wave and juvenile delinquency.”
SHELBY. MONT., PROMOTER: “An old and
very wise Frenchman remarked after the collapse
of his country in World War II: ‘My country fell
because we had come to consider France as a cow
to be milked rather than watchdog to be fed.’ This
was after France had been burdened with all man
ner of social subsidies and benefits.”
Frontiers
Ago
50 YEARS AGO
The Republican County conven
tion met in the Oddfellows hall
Wednesday and was called to or
der by R. R. Dickson. . .This
county was visited with a splen
did rain last Saturday night. . .
Gene Sullivan went down to Ew
ing last Friday where he had
a boxing contest with a young
ster of that section whom he put
down in the third round. . .An
nual visit of the Rt. Rev. George
F. Beecher will be made to St.
Paul's Episcopal church here Sun
day. . .Dell Akin, Editor York,
E. J. Mack. C. W. Moss, S. E.
Kelly and William Bokhof were
among the Atkinson delegates at
tending the Republican conven
tion.
I
25 YEARS AGO
Quite a large number of in
quiries have been received at the
Agricultural Agent’s office regard
ing blister beetles. . .Chicken
thieves visited at the home of
Joseph 9chollmeyer in the Scot
ville neighborhood July 4 and
stole 200 of his chickens. O’Neill
resident, Gertrude Bauman, pass
ed away in Thermopolis, Wyo.,
July 3 where she was visiting her .
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Bauman. . .Bids will be received
for the building of a tile school
hoase in District 196.
10 YEARS AGO
The third annual American Le
gion sponsored two-day celebra
tion will begin with a parade, fol
lowed by ball games, dancing and
a presentation of the National
Air Shows. . .Atkinson farm wo
man, Mrs. Stanley Rzeszotarski,
74, dies at home of her son. . .
Twin children of Mr. and Mrs. Ro
bert Moore, are able to leave in
cubator; Kathy now weighs ‘9
pounds, 13 ounces, and Kevin
weighs 10 pounds, 7 ounces. . .
Rains plague farmers in area. . .
Charley Ermer, lifelong Holt re
sident, dies July 7.
5 YEARS AGO
Dr. H. D. Gildersleeve succeeds
Verne Reynoldson as commander
of American Legion Simonson
Post 93. . .Former O’Neill resi
dent, Mrs. Clarence Hicks, 55,
dies at Lexington. . .Services held
July 11 for Mrs. Otto Smith, 72,
Atkinson resident. . .Doris Hen
derson, Orchard, and Carroll D.
Marcellus, Stuart, wed June 30 at
Ewing ceremony.
The Long Ago
At Chambers
50 YEARS AGO
The Fourth in Chambers passed
off very smooth and it was a day
free from accidents, no fights or
drunks. . .Mrs. McBride and Mrs.
Risor have been visiting their
sister, Mrs. George Major, and
have now returned to their home
in Fremont. . .The young people
are giving to Clyde Putnam a
warm welcome this week, he hav
ing come up from Sioux City to
celebrate here. . .Smith Brothers
advertise the choicest stock of
candy at 15 cents a pound. . .
The famous Rainbow Dance, por
traying all the rainbows gorgeous
colors by the use of a dress con
taining nearly 200 yards of ma
terial, will be given here Satur
day night.
25 YEARS AGO
Funeral services held July 6
for Mrs. Jim Gibson and infant
son. . .Three accidents here in
past week with one fatality, Gra
vel Inspector Harold C. Johnson
of Yuma, Colo. . .Calvin, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Dan Crandall, re
ceives painful burns when fire
works catch on fire in his pants
pocket. . -High temperatures and
strong winds fail to keep atten
dance down at July 4 celebration.
. .Seymore Harkins have moved
into their new home purchased
near Bliss. . .Weather for past
week has been very hot and dry
and corn will soon need moisture.
Remter Serving on
New Missle Cruiser
The Navy’s sleek new guided
missile light cruiser USS Topeka j
is practically a tourist attraction
in the Western Pacific—it has
received more than 24,000 visitors
since March.
Serving aboard the Topeka,
which recently left Manila after
making a goodwill stopover at the
Philippine city, is Robert -R
Remter, hospital conpsmau third
class, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs
R Remter, Spencer.
The cruiser has traveled more
than 40,000 miles since it was
commissioned in March 1900 p.t
the Brooklyn Naval Shipyard
Steaming through the Panama
Canal the lollowing July, the ship
joined the U. S. Pacific Fleet.
Since it reported for duty in the
Western Pacfic last March, the
Topeka, armed with the Terrier
guided missile system, has visit
ed such ports as Chinhae, Korea;
Nagasaki, Sasebo, Shimoda, Y<k<v
suka and Beppa, Japan, and Na
ha, Okinawa.
Locksmithing
General Repairing of
lau^ks of All Kinds
(tars - Homes - llimlnetdiot
—See—
Joseph P. Shanner
112 So. 4th O'NelU
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