Prairieland Talk
"Help at Cornpicking Time"
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS. 4110 South 51*t St.. Lincoln 6. Nebr.
A mid Noveml»cr morning as I park at my type
writer to do a little Prairieland Talking. Winter
come* early in the Capital City, six inches of snow
this morning an/1 cold. Hut the sun comes up in a
cloudless sky and may warm
us up by noon time. It was
clear bright day in early No
vember seventy-four years ago.
Four prairieland patriots hold
ing down homesteads four to
six miles northeast of O'Neill
came to our homestead farm
home to help my mother and
sister who were trying to
gather in the com crop. M.'
father had died that summer
and I, a 16-year-old became the nwta®
"man of the house.” At com Hauuders
gathering time a crippled hand attached to my right
arm and I could not husk com. Mike Carrol, Jim
McTaggert, Dan Hams and George Lathrup that
November day came and did the job for mother
and sister. A good crop of good com, not the hy
brid stuff they have today but the beautiful large
whit*- ears that s/jd com growers raised in those
days. We were moving into O’Neill that fall and so
one room of our homestead house was taken over
in which to store the com. I hauled some of it
into town and got 22 cents a bushel for it at the Too
hdl flour, feed and grain market at what is now
5th and Douglas street where today stands that
great building the Safeway store. A brother of one
of those helpful gents that gathered in our corn
stole a wagon load of our housed up corn, killed our
dog that remained home when the family moved
to town.
* • *
Referring to State Senator Orme l>eing a candi
date for re-election herein recently it was indicated
that the election was this fall. The senatorial elec
tion comes up again next May.
* * ♦
A Rockefeller in divorce court. The rich, the
great, have their family rows. The humbler citizens
live in peace, happy with family ties unbroken.
• • •
McClure, Elwood, Potter, Blahen and the Spade
and H. T. outfits in the cattle ranching game at one
time now no more. But one survives down in the
Amelia country that got going in the days of those
mentioned, the Riley Bros. Shorthorn cattle ranch
now carried on by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas T. Baker,
the lady of the ranch being a daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Will Riley, and her husband, Mr. Baker, a
native of England who knows the cattle ranching
game and how to manage it on the prairies of Holt
county.
Editorial
The hotel building at 4th and Everett streets,
the old brick building at 4th and Douglas streets
just across the street south of Hotel Golden and the
building at the northeast comer of that same block,
the Bently store building, are the three buildings
in O'Neill that have survived fire and floods the
longest of any on our streets. The Bently building
was in the long ago the property of two whose an
cestors came from the Bible land, ancient Pales
tine, those two the only Jews to ever live here and
they left in the mid 1880 s. The old brick building
there on the comer was the town’s first bank, the
rooms above being the office and home of M. P.
Kinkaid, lawyer, judge and congressman. The first
I knew to have the hotel on south 4th street was
a John O’Neill and Rosco Conklon Gatz meat mar
ket between 3rd and 4th streets and Neil Brennan’s
hardware just across the street from the Gatz meat
market are next in point of years. Matthews who
started The Frontier in 1880 had the first brick
house in town, which still stands on “Kid Hill.”
I took Doc's share of the crop of com we raised on
his homestead land one year.
• * •
Thanksgiving comes once more and we may re
joice over the good things of life, grasp more firm
ly the Guiding Hand of that One who desires to lead
us all the way.
* * *
Mr. Seaton of Hastings who served as director of
a government department in Washington under
President Eisenhower announces he will seek the
Republication nomination for governor primary
election day next May. Says he is definitely opposed
to a sales tax. So am I and so are citizens in the
states where they have the sales tax. Mr Seaton
has it, the itch for public office. Lets scratch him.
* • *
Four army officers died by a single blow, not on
the field of battle in a distant land but here near
our Capital City in the way many come to the end
of life's trail these times, an airplane crashing to
earth.
* • *
Winter has come at autumn time. Looking out
of the window where I am seated there it is a
blanket of white snow across the outdoor scene. I
turn away, stretch out upon my bed, close eyes and
vision again the summer sunshine, the flowers, the
singing birds, the landscape robed in velvet green,
and prairieland patriots hard at work. O, forget it!
Go out and make snow balls with which to pelt
passers by. It happened one time. A hated neighbor
going by. Brother threw a snow ball that hit that
passing gent’s hat and as the hat flew from his
head he spit a mouthful of tobacco stained spit
right into his hat.
O'Neill's Christmas Decorations
The next time you are driving through the
business section of O'Neill, we would like to have
you hike a second look at the Christmas decora
tions hanging overhead.
No doubt you have glanced at them but this
time park your car, get out and really look. We
think they are beautiful, especially with the sun
sparkling on the foil or at night when the colored
lights give a fairyland look to them.
Few persons realize the expense of Christmas
decorations. The Chamber of Commerce spent $600
this year, as in the past, to add to the decorations
already accumulated. All that amount purchsed
were the new aluminum foil strings used across the
stop light intersection.
Each year the Chamber members contribute a
generous amount but, as you can see, it is a slow
process considering the cost of the material.
The city furnishes the labor, assisted by Con
sumers Public Power crewmen, and also pays the
current charges for the colored light bulbs.
There are still quite a few of the older decora
tions to be put up and when that is finished, in ad
dition to the business establishments Christmas
trim, the City of O'Neill will give a pleasing and
festive holiday look to our many visitors.
It would add to the beauty if homeowners went
to extra trouble this year and really added the
spirit of Yuletide to the residential area.
Anyone who has visited Minden at Christmas
time is well aware of the business and visitors the
decorations have brought to that city. It is written
up all over the country and folks come hundreds of
miles to view the lights.
What a pity that an O’Neill or county organiza
tion doesn't take over the courthouse building and
make a decorating project of that. It is such a
perfectly shaped building for the idea and would
be a drawing card for miles around.
If only one long string could be purchased this
year, it could be wound around the top and be a
show place even this Christmas. Four strings could
go from the center top down each corner edge of
the building.
Picture it in your mind—colored lights all over
the building and in the shapely trees in the yard.
Add recorded music to loud speakers and then think
of the enjoyment the sight and sound would bring
to young and old alike.
Even one dollar from each family in this area
would get the project off to a good start. How about
it? Is there an organization or club that would
undertake such a plan?
Don't Raise Hogs
Secretary of Agriculture
Dear Mr. Secretary:
My friend Bordeau over in Terrebonne Parish
received a $1,000 check from the government this
year for not raising hogs. So I am going into the not
raising-hogs business next year.
What I want to know is, in your opinion, what
is the best kind of farm not to raise hogs on and
the best kind of hogs not to raise? I would prefer
not to raise razorbacks but if that is not a good
breed not to raise I will just as gladly not raise
Berkshires or Durocs.
The hardest work in this business is going to be
in keeping an inventory of how many hogs I haven’t
raised. My friend Bordeau is very joyful about the
future of this business.
He has been raising hogs for more than 20
years and the best he ever made was $400 until
this year when he got $1,000 for not raising hogs.
If I can get $1,000 for not raising 50 hogs, then I
will get $2,000 for not raising 100 hogs.
I plan to operate on a small scale at first, hold
ing myself down to about 4,000 hogs which means I
wall have $80,000. Now another thing: These hogs
I wall not raise will not eat 100,000 bushels of com.
I understand that you also pay farmers for
not raising com. So will you pay me anything for
not raising 100,000 bushels of com not to feed the
hogs I am not raising? I want to get started as
soon as possible as this seems to be a good time
of the year for not raising hogs.
Sincerely,
Octave Broussard
P. S. Can I raise 10 or 12 hogs on the side while
I am in the not-raising hog business—just enough
to get a few sides af bacon to eat?
Frontiers
Ago
50 YEARS AGO
Ray Dickerson, Atkinson, has
accepted a position in the drug
store of Gilligan & Stout to fill
the vacancy caused by the re
signation of John Sullivan . . .
Mrs. E. Krier, 59, of Meek died
at her home near Meek last week
. . . Judge Dickson will appoint
C. B. Scott of this city as his
stenographer when he enters
upon his official duties as judge
of the district court next Janu
ary . . . Col. Neil Brennan and
son Francis, left for Washington,
D. C., Monday where Francis
will enter school to prepare to
take examination to the military
academy at West Point.
25 YEARS A<iO
Mrs. Ellen O’Donnell has cause
for real happiness today as she
has gathered around the dinner
table all her children and their
families . . . Lone touchdown by
O’Neill beats Ainsworth crew be
fore largest crowd that ever
witnessed a game in this city
. . . Bom to Mr. and Mrs. Henry
C. Walters, Chambers, a daugh
ter named Mariea Louise, weight
7 pounds on November 20 . . .
Miss Grace Mildred Lansworth,
O'Neill, and Mr. Elmer Hammer
lin, Anoka, were united in mar
riage at the Lutheran church at
Bristow November 20.
10 YEARS AGO
National honor has been be
stowed to O’Neill youth, Edward
Boyle, who makes his second
trip to the national 4-H club con
gress in Chicago . . . Laurence
Haynes has assumed active
management of the Simonson
post 93 American Legion, club
and auditorium here . . . The
Covered Wagon council’s highest
award, the Silver Beaver, was
presented to District Judge D.
R. Mounts ... A truckload of
turkeys, ducks and chicks will be
loosed in O’Neill Saturday for a
free-for-all scramble, arranged
by O’Neill merchants . . . Kath
leen Flood Hansen and Stanley
J. Lambert have been named
as soloists for the O'Neill com
munity presentation of the “Mes
siah.”
5 YEARS AGO
Arthur W. Tomlinson, a life
long resident of Holt county, died
November 22 in the Omaha
Methodist hospital at the age of
57 . . . The annual Chamber of
Commerce sponsored yule win
dow unveiling will be held No
vember 30 ... In a 10 a.m. cere
mony November 22 Miss Joan
Frenking became the bride of
James Edward Klosner at St.
Margaret Mary’s church in Oma
ha .. . Wedding vows were ex
changed by Dixie Lea Stevens,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray
mond Stevens, and David L. Wil
lats, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. A.
Willats, both of Orchard, at the
Evangelical United Brethren
church November 17 . . . Mr. and
Mrs. C. W. Switzer celebrated
their 49th wedding anniversary
Sunday.
Locksmithing
General Repairing of
Locks of All Kinds
Cars • Homes - Businesses
—See—
Joseph P. Shanner
112 So. 4th O’Neill
Dr. H. D. GILDERSLEEVE
OPTOMETRIST
Eyes Examined—Glasses Fitted
Contact Lenses
Phone 167 — O’Neill, Nebr.
Hours 9-5—Mon. thru Saturday
Closed Wednesday
FRITZ'S
Body Shop
24 Hr. Wrecker Service
Complete Body Work
Glass Cut & Installed
- PHONE -
86 Day - 473 Night
O’NEILL, NEBR.
_30tfc
— — _
THE FRONTIER
Phone 788 114 N. Fourth St. O'Neil!, Nebr.
^_ »
The Long Age
At Chambers
50 YEARS AGO
The Methodist Ladies aid is
preparing a bazaar to be held
December 14 and 15 . . . Con
siderable petty theiving has been
going on recently. A plan how
ever, has been perfected by
which it will be easy to capture
the parties on the next occasion
. . . C. E. Martin is baling the
hay he bought of C. C. Jones . . .
Smith Bros, offers a free cake
stand, pair vases or glass fruit
dish with each $3 order . . . "The
Heavenly Twins," a farce
comedy in three acts, will lie
shown at the Band Hall in Cham
bers Decern tier 6 by the Cham
bers young people for the benefit
of the Baptist church . . . Owing
to the overcrowded condition to
the public school in Chambers,
it has been necessary to hire a
third teacher. Mrs. B. F. Earl,
and a schoolroom in the old post
office is being used.
25 YEARS AGO
Calvin and Lloyd Rostrum of
Kearney were visiting in the
Leon Hertle home last week
while here dealing in used cars
. . . Evelyn Ressel won first on
hens and Jack Ressel first on
toms in the 4-H Turkey show
held in O'Neill November 21 . . .
Chambers students are planning
a carnival at the schoolhouse
November 27 . . . Mr. and Mrs.
Ed Dexter and Ben Turek at
tended the Box Supper at the
schoolhouse south of Ballagh . . .
Mrs. Leona deed was hostess to
the Valley Center project club
November 17 at which time Mrs.
Ervin Carpenter was elected
leader . . . Mrs. Chloe Adams
has been named leader of the
Cloverdale project club.
Atkinson News
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Sch
muecker and family went t»
Omaha recently where they at
tended a banquet held at the
Town House for all Case ma
chinery dealers. While they were
in Omaha they were also over
night guests in the home of Mrs.
Schmuecker’s brother and sister
in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene
Wahl. Patty Schmuecker remain
ed in Atkinson with her grand
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harvey
Wahl. The Schmueckers return
ed to Atkinson Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Claude Johnson
were November 18 dinner guests
of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Schenzel
in O’Neill.
Doretta Roth and Jerry Bauer,
Valentine, spent last weekend in
Atkinson with her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Fred Roth. Miss Roth
has set her wedding day for Dec
ember 10 to be held in Atkinson.
She has been employed in Val
entine for the past year.
Emil Colfack and Edward
Bouska attended the regular
meeting of the Noxious Weed
board in O’Neill last Friday.
Mrs. Sophia Brown and Fran
ces Stuart. O’Neill, went to Oma
ha recently where they boarded
a plane for Buffalo, N. Y., to
visit their brother-in-law and sis
ter, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Ander
son. They expect to be gone about
two weeks.
Keith Keating, Denver, Colo.,
has been visiting his mother,
Mrs. Opal Keating, for several
days.
The Atkinson Civic Improve
ment Garden club met recently
at the home of Mrs. Dorothy
Olson for the regular meeting.
Thirteen members and two
guests, Mrs. Violet Ashcroft
and Mrs. Vera Planck, an
swered roll call. The hostess
served a dessert luncheon at
2:30 p.m. Plans were made for
the annual Chirstmas party to
be held at the home of Mrs.
Fred Mack December 6 at 5:30
p.m. After the business meet
ing, election of officers was
held with the following new
officers elected: President,
Opal Keating; vice president,
Mrs. Elmer Spann; secretary,
Mrs. Bill Wefso and treasurer,
Mrs. Leonard Jung man.
The Atkinson Iris society mem
bers held a workshop in Atkinson
for all members of the Federated
Garden clubs of District 6 in
this area. It was held at the new
Methodist church building No
vember 14 with a good atten
dance. Many arrangements in
keeping with the Christmas
theme were on display as well
as several tables artistically set
with linens, place settings and
other decorations in keeping with
the holiday season.
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Schenzel en
tertained the Pitch club Sunday
evening at their home in O’Neill.
Prizes were won by Mrs. Claude
Key
The Nation's Finest
Overall
Blue or Stripe
*3.39
Sizes 30 to 50
Also Coveralls
36 to 46
Reg. - Long - Short
McCARVILLES !
O'Neill Nebr.
Johnson. Mrs. LeRoy McMillian,
William Wefao and Claude John
son. The next meeting will l«e
held at the home of Mr and
Mrs. LeRoy McMilUan.
Scott Carlson came Tuesday
morning to visit his grand
parents, Mr anti Mrs. Wilhum
VV'efso. until Thanksgiving Day.
Dr. and Mrs. Carlson and Sherry I
armed Wednesday evening to
spend Thanksgiving in Atkinson
also
Mr and Mrs John Henning had
Thanksgiving dinner for her rela
' tives. Those spending the day in
the Henning home were their
son. Bob. who attends Wayne
State Teachers college; Mr. and
Mrs. Gus Obermire and family,
Stuart, and Mrs. Mary Henning,
who is in the Rest home in Bas
sett.
Mr and Mrs Ronald Frickel,
Lincoln, arrived Wednesday eve
ning to spend the weekend with
friends and relatives and were
Thanksgiving Day guests of her
grandparents, Mr and Mrs. Carl
Smith.
Chambers News
By Mrs. K. R. Carpenter
Mr. and Mrs. Burnell Grose
and family, Wakefield, were Sun
day guests of her brother-in-law
and sister. Mr. and Mrs. Sam
Young and family.
Mr. and Mrs. William Jutte,
Chambers, and their guests, Mr.
and Mrs. Joe Serck, Bunceton,
Mo., were Sunday guests of Mrs.
Jutte’s brother-in-law and sis
ter, Mr. and Mrs. Casper Harley
at Atkinson. Other guests were
Mr. and Mrs. Blaine Garwood,
Amelia, and Mr. find Mrs. Bill
Serck, Emmet.
The Rev. and Mrs. Charles Oox
went to Ericson Sunday where he
performed a wedding ceremony.!
Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Carpenter
were callers in the Tom Baker
home at Amelia Sunday evening.
Ernest Bailey, Valentine, was
a dinner guest in the Ernest
Young home Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Heed
drove to Valentine Sunday to
visit her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
E. H. Russell, and brother-in-law
and sister, Mr. and Mrs. John
Reynolds.
Pamela Sue Young, infant
daughter of Mr. and Met. Sum
Young, received baptism at the
Chambers Methodist church
Sunday with the Rev. Cox of
ficiating. Mr. and Mrs. Burnell
Grose, Wakefield, were her
sponsors.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Serck and
son, Stanley, and Mrs. Arnold
Lenz, Bunceton, Mo., came Sat
urrlay to visit friends and rela
live* The Sercks were guests In
the Wtliiam Jutte home Mrs.
li-ru visited her parents, Mr
and Mrs John IMnkert, and
brothers, Eric and Don IMnkert
and their families. They returned
home Monday
Mr and Mrs Uynn Henel
were Sunday dinner guests of
their son-in-law anti daughter,
Mr. anti Mrs. Bernard (Bus)
Clouse at Bartlett
Mr anti Mrs Don lines and
family enjoyed a Thanksgiving
dinner and family get-together
at the home of his parents, Mr.
ami Mrs. Dana lines, Inman.
Sunday dinner guests in the
G H Grimes home were Mr.
and Mrs Kenneth Adams and
Mr and Mrs. Glen Grimes
Amelia News
Hy .Min* Florence Lindsey
Leonard Svatos has been ill
due to a back ailment Gene
Carr has iieen helping him with
ius ranch work.
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Widnrnn,
Mrs. Lew Backhaus and Mrs
Edith Andersen went to Omaha
Sunday evening, Nov. 19, to see
the slides shown by Carol French
at the Methodist church. The
Frenches recently returned from
Africia.
Mr. ami Mrs. Raymond Bly
went to Custer, S. D., Friday,
Nov. 17. to get Raymonds
mother. Mrs. Louis Illy. arid
bring her home with them fbr
a visit Zane Edwards did chores
for them while they were away
The Delbert uxt Zaae M
Marti* tiunllie* attended the
rhme out farm *ale of Delbert**
brother, Hill Kdaurd*. near
Hartlett November J*. Mr. M
Manl*’ Mile died recently and
he plan* to go to Nevla. MUu» .
Mlth another brother, (laH«*
Edward* lor awhile.
CharUe Slgman has lawn on
the sick list recently
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hiatt
visited at Elmer Ooolidges Sat
urday evening. Nov. 18,
Mr and Mr* Ralph Adair,
Allen and Dick, Mr. and Mrs Bob
Adair, Jerry and Plane, visited
with their brother-in-law and sis
ter, Mr. and Mrs Bill Schmitt,
at the home at their mother. Mr*
Gertie Adair, ami were also din
ner guests there. Mr ami Mrs.
Art Poolittle and Mrs. Stella
Spark* were afternoon callers
Mr and Mr*. Glenn White and
Venita, and Grandpa White were
dinner guests Sunday, Nov 19,
at Mr and Mrs. S. (' Harnett
Mr and Mrs. Eamio Johnston
ami Mrs. Vem Sageser attended
services at O’Neill Sunday eve
ning, Nov. 19, to see the pictures
shown by Missionary Carol
French from Afrtela.
Try The Frontier Want
Ads — It Pays f
Howdy
Landowners
Especially of Holt, Rock, Loup and Garfield
counties — Yes, I think oil will be found and pos
sibly sooner than we realize.
If you are thinking of selling a part of your
oil rights or of making an oil lease I'd be pleased
to meet with you.
Come, Phone or Write
PAUL A. BUSICK
Ilitssrll Hotel
HaMM'tt, Nebr. Phone 240
OH MV ASSOCIATE
BOB GRANGER
O’Neill, Nebr. Phone 511-J
m **
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