July 22, 1897 —
The Pacific Short Line here will run a special excursion train next Monday, July 26th, leaving Osmond at 7:15 a.m., arriving at the city at 10 a.m. Returning leaves the city at 7 p.m. Fare for the round trip, $2.45, on account of Barnum's circus.
From the Coleridge Blade: A young girl, aged 17, who is an inmate of the poor farm, gave birth to twin babies on Tuesday, one white and one black. The white child only lived a short time. The case is exciting considerable interest and the county "dads" are exerting themselves to provide for the offspring.
100 Years Ago. . .
Some 40 or 50 of the men of Osmond gathered at the council room to discuss the matter of a sewer system. The cost and construction of a sewer system was thoroughly explained and the meeting was thrown open for discussion. The fact was brought out that there were many lots in Osmond on which the back taxes were so heavy that they would not begin to sell for enough to pay their share of the sewer tax, and that it would be better to first sell those lots under the Scavenger Act. The point was brought out too, that it would be better to complete the water system first, and also get a better system of street lights before tackling anything new, and that it would be better to wait until times were a little better.
Alfred Manska and Carl Schubert Jr. were returning home from Osmond in their Ford touring car. They had just reached the level spot on top of the hill across the track three miles east of town when they noticed a Ford sedan setting on the north side of the road, with four men endeavoring to do something to it. Just as they were opposite the four strangers, one of them jumped on the running board of Manska's car and pulling the choker brought it to a standstill. He then drew a gun on the boys and demanded that they give them some feathers which they were wearing in their hats. This the boys obligingly did, and the bandits next demanded their neckties. The boys thought this was going too far and refused, where upon the holdups demanded their car and everything they had. The boys realized they were in a serious situation but they were determined not to be robbed, and as the holdup gang was armed and twice their number, Carl Schubert jumped out and cranked their car and Alfred Manska gave it the gas. Seeing their intended victims about to escape, the bandits fired twice, the first bullet whizzing past the left ear of Manska, and the second striking the rear of their car. Alfred and Carl drove on to the Briggs filling station east of town and phoned to Osmond, giving a description of the car and its occupants. Sheriff Kinkaid and Special Police Jack Waddle made a thorough search but no trace of the hold-ups could be found.
75 Years Ago. . .
Two little girls, one 2 and the other 3, lost tips of their fingers in unrelated accidents during the week. It was 2-year-old Rita Fuchtman, daughter of the Walter Fuchtmans, who lost a finger tip in a swinging door. Kathy Clemens, a year older, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Clemens, was a lawn mower victim in her accident.
Children with caches of stored firecrackers and other 4th of July noise and light makers generally frowned on the rain that partly blasted holiday plans while their dads saw naught but good in the generous showers that were slated to help fill the oats heads, perk up pastures and boost the corn to the ground shading stage.
Returning from a two weeks fishing trip to Lac La Ronge in north central Saskatchewan were Louis Thomsen, Louie Kiichler and Eugene Liewer of Osmond and Marlin Beals and son Roger of Wausa. The party brought back 528 pounds of fish fillets and whole fish.
A 73-year-old widow suffered tragic death at the home of one of her sons northwest of town. County coroner E. D. Beech, called to the scene, said the death was suicide. The aged and respected longtime resident of this community had been in ill health for several years. Racked by sickness and despondency, she was believed to have been temporarily deranged at the time she wandered from the home of her son, poured kerosene on her body and ignited it. She died as a result of burns.
65 Years Ago. . .
Two Osmond men, 46-year-old Elmer "Shorty" Johannsen and 33-year-old David Buchanan Jr., lost their lives in the choppy waters of Lewis and Clark Lake on the Missouri River. Johannsen's body was found the same day, while Buchanan was found four days later after an organized search led by the Army Engineers, with 25 boats and 75 men participating. Buchanan's son, 11-year-old Bruce, who had gone with the men that weekend, had remained in the car that day.
Lack of interest in an Osmond Elkhorn Valley League baseball entry threatened the end of an era of baseball popularity at Osmond. Evidence of community apathy was interpreted directly and forcibly by gate receipts. Casper Theisen, team manager for many years, threatened to disband the team if attendance at local games did not improve. A week later, the paper announced, "Take heart, baseball fans; there's a spark of life left." So far in 1960, the team had at least three players who were salaried imports. As it was reorganized, there would be no hired players. The 1960 model car of S. N. Westergard, for seven years superintendent of Osmond Public Schools but who had accepted a position at Wayne, sustained damage estimated at more than $700 as it was driven through a brief, violent hail storm near Lexington. Westergard was in the area making hail adjustments, a summertime job he had filled for several years. The car was caught on the open road and had no chance to seek shelter. Top, trunk, hood, fenders and sides were all badly damaged. The "shatter-proof" windshield was shattered on the spot. The driver crawled to the rear seat for protection when the windshield went out.
Osmond municipal pool saw more people enter its gates during the 4th of July weekend than at any time during the current season. Manager Donivan Huwaldt said Sunday was the bigger of the two holidays with an estimated 175 admissions.
50 Years Ago. . .
A three-year dream became reality for Mrs. June Bennett of Rochdale, England, when she stepped from the plane in the United States. She and Joan Koehler of McLean had been pen pals for some 27 years and Mrs. Bennett came to the tiny Pierce County farm community for a visit. The long pen pal friendship started about the time the two were starting high school. They had exchanged gifts, cards and pictures during the years, but never had visited by phone or to the other's homeland until then.
The Osmond girls' softball teams chalked up two more wins as they hosted Randolph in a triple-header. The opening game ended in a 16-0 score with Terri Hoeppner and Yvonne Edwards sharing duties on the mound. The second game ended 8-10 in Randolph favor with Osmond making a strong comeback as time ran out. Jackie Gast brought in two home runs. The last game was Osmond all the way in a high-scoring 24-4 game. Anita Gloe worked on the mound and also brought in a number of runs on two triples. Both Brenda Folkers and Jayne Gast accounted for grand-slam home runs.
Varsity and reserve cheerleaders of Osmond High School were at a camp on Doane Campus at Crete. While there, among other activities, they were taught cheers and also performed before the other partici - pants. Attending from Osmond were varsity cheerleaders Pam Warneke, Karen Armstrong, Brenda Folkers, Julene Kumm, Rose Clayton and Kathy Rice; "B" team cheerleaders Joy Pfanstiel, Gail Krohn, Edwina Robinson and Rae Ann Reed. The Osmond girls won two blue ribbons and two white ribbons.
25 Years Ago. . .
Visitors from near and far con - verged on McLean on July 8 to help that community celebrate its 100th birthday. While attendance was good all day, two events - the afternoon parade and the evening barbecue - brought numbers many, many times the northeast Nebraska village's population of 49. Other entertain - ment included accordion music by Ray Krohn of Osmond and Willis McDonald and Virgil Podany of Randolph; Plainview Klown Band, spinning wheel demonstrations by Robin Finck of McLean and quilting demonstration by Virginia Huwaldt of Randolph. The final event was an outdoor movie, "Roy Rogers and the Golden Stallion," and Woody Wood -
pecker cartoon.
10 Years Ago. . .
In a two-vehicle accident southeast of Osmond, Carl Fuelberth of Norfolk was traveling north on 547 Avenue and Deb Broekemeier of Osmond was traveling weest on 861 Road when their vehicles collided at the intersection. Mrs. Broekemeier was transported to Osmond General Hos - pital with head and neck injuries, and was treated and released. According to Pierce County Sheriff Rick Eberhardt, "They were very lucky."
