Aug. 5, 1897 —
We can use that corn you promised us on subscription at this time.
The home of Ed Zeurcher has been blessed with a new baby. Aug. Schutt is the happy father of a new child that came to his home last week.
Frank Tucker has his wheat all cut and in shock, and he says that his crop will be very good.
Joe Mosher, who is employed with the Brugeman Bros., had the misfortune to have a horse fall upon him.
100 Years Ago. . .
Playing at the city auditorium on Saturday night, “The Sky Raider,” with Captain Charles Nungesser, the world’s greatest living ace, who during the war brought down 105 enemy planes. “The ‘Sky Raider’ is a thrilling story, in which you will see the greatest air battle ever filmed."
A “ bachelor birthday dinner” was served at the Claus Riessen home in honor of Clarence Riessen on his 16th birthday. A number of friends were invited. The table was beautifully decorated in harmonizing shades of deep pink, green and white. A birthday cake bearing 16 flower candles centered the table.
As Clarence lighted each candle, he was obliged to give his life history by means of some significant happening for each year of his life. After the repast, the fishing pond was visited, Frank Landreth fishing out the Merry Widow. The remaining guests discovered some fine advice for bachelors on the end of their lines. The wishing well then was opened, wherein the future of the several guests was found. Bottles of milk were served to the two most disappointed bachelors.
In a fast ball game on the Osmond diamond, our boys beat the fast Pierce team 13 to 5. John Thomsen was in the box for Osmond and Paul Thomsen filled the catcher’s box. The following was the complete line-up: Riessen, ss; Tierney, third base; Carl Thomsen, first; John Thomsen, pitcher; Paul Thomsen, catcher; Hoyt, left field; Gore, right field; Lorenz Fuelberth, center field, Kenneth Carver, second base.
Osmond now had signs up at the various points leading into Osmond, as well as a dandy sign at the entrance to our tourist park giving the directions and distances to the surrounding towns. L. E. Taylor had been busy for a week making and painting those signs, and he did a dandy job of it.
75 Years Ago. . .
Willie Becker purchased 160 acres of 240 acres owned by Louie Kiichler on No. 20 just south of the McLean junction seven miles east of Osmond. The place was currently farmed by Orville Bahr. Purchase price for the improved 160 acres was listed at $140 per acre.
The 1950 Osmond Volunteer Firemen’s Ball was held at the West Randolph Ballroom on Aug. 1. The WNAX Bohemian band furnished music for the dance. Admission was $1 per person, tax included.
Osmond’s Harvestfest and hospital benefit, arranged to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the town and the fifth anniversary of the opening of St. Joseph Hospital, was held July 29-30, 1950. There was a carnival, dancing, rides, concessions, baseball and $175 cash in free prizes. A farmer vs. city men’s game Saturday afternoon provided a lot of fun for the few people in the bleachers. More than 1,000 persons registered for 12 free cash prizes which were awarded at a drawing. Phyllis Klutman of Osmond was the winner of the $50 first prize. Some 3,000 trinkets were given to kids during the two days. The scheduled bingo game turned out to be an auction sale as county authorities who had previously warned against any form of gambling were on hand to halt such attempts.
One night as the [hospital] Sisters sat on the lawn resting a bit, good fairies in the guise of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Kratochvil appeared laden with a freezer of homemade ice cream, a dish of strawberries and paper dishes so there would be no aftermath of dish washing. It was a very pleasant surprise for them.
65 Years Ago. . .
The one and a half- year- old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Stonacek of Osmond drowned in a farm tank at the family farm six miles northwest of Pierce. Sandra Stonacek was playing in the farm yard at the time of the tragic accident. The Pierce fire department was called and worked with the girl until 10 p.m. in a futile effort to revive her.
Mervin Wilson, local barber, who had been at the Veteran’s Hospital in Omaha since July 10, underwent an operation for removal of his voice box. He was getting along well, it was thought. Mrs. Wilson had been with him most of the time.
Chadron horsemen relived the Old West — after a modern day fashion, that is. The riders galloped into Osmond, a stunt that was part of the advertising for the 75th anniversary of the western Nebraska college town. It commemorated the famous 1883 horse race between Chadron and Chicago. At that time, the route was laid out through Long Pine, O’Neill and Wausa. In the 1960 version of the race, both riders and horses were hauled to the edge of towns along the route in cars and trucks. There the latter day cowboys would mount their steeds and parade the streets.
An automatic switch, in use for less than a year at the site of a new water well drilled by the city, burned out and was to be replaced in the 24-hour period that followed. Cause of the malfunction was not known.
Four school buses to be purchased and used by the District of Osmond were ready for delivery. That was the word reaching Dr. E. D. Boice, secretary of the school board. The bus bodies were produced by the Wayne Body Manufacturing Co. at Richmond, IN. It was in the Wayne shops that the bodies were welded to Ford Chassis purchased through Pittack Ford Sales of Plainview. Each of the vehicles would accommodate 48 children and driver. A fifth school bus, already on hand, would complete the hauling complement.
One of the hotter jobs in a hot season, the 1960 one included, was that of Osmond’s telephone operators, who worked in a small office with a comparatively large south window. But that had been changed; the place was now air conditioned.
50 Years Ago. . .
Most every farm wife intensely dislikes being the runner for machinery repairs. Somehow she just never has the right information. Then, there’s the problem of tracking down those wandering field workers at lunch time. The “Sip & Chat” column which covered the subject was the last one written by Virginia Lindquist, who had been substituting for Delores Muller in July 1975. Virginia writes about taking lunch to the crew, who isn’t where they’re supposed to be, and when she finally locates them, the combine has broken down and “the $%&$% thing won’t run” so she has to run to the implement store.
The large crowd of fans attending the softball game at Osmond was treated to a close and exciting contest which had Osmond squeaking past Bloomfield 2 to 1. Osmond won the top spot in the Pioneer League with a record of 16 wins and 2 losses. The two Osmond runs on that day came on a walk to Doug Gansebom and a home run by Randy Jochum.
In a joint announcement, purchase of Osmond Seed, Feed and Grain by the Osmond Cooperative, Inc. was told. The purchase included the elevator facilities on the west edge of Osmond and on the south side of Highway 20 adjacent to Osmond Skelly Service, Inc., The sale also included personal property such as trucks and other equipment utilized in the operation of the elevator.
25 Years Ago. . .
Donna Bell Galvin of McLean was installed as Le Chapeau Departemental de Nebraska of 8 & 40, a subsidiary organization of the American Legion Auxiliary. The bell ringing ceremony was held at the Holiday Inn in Kearney. Mrs. Galvin selected the cystic fibrosis unit at University of Nebraska medical Center in Omaha as her chapeau project and hoped to raise $2,500 so Nebraska could give a nurse’s scholarship.
The Osmond Cheer Squad traveled to Lindsay during the summer to attend a two-day commuter camp. The Osmond squad received a trophy and a spirit stick. Cheer squad members were Megan Kumm, Kari Ekberg, Emily Wilke, Natalie Kruse, Jamie Stech, Mariah Hodson and Jessica Simmons.
10 Years Ago. . .
A committee to oversee the needs of the community food pantry was formed which included Cindy Beacom, Charlotte Kiichler, Nancy von Rentzell and Pastor Rodgers Chishiba. Members met to discuss the needs of the pantry and when they opened the door to the room in United Methodist Church in which the pantry is housed, they were dismayed to see how bare the shelves were.
The family of Dave and Irene Johnson met at Poolside Park for a family reunion. Eldest attendant was Dar Johnson, while the youngest was Jaylen Sohl. Coming the farthest were Wayne and Arlene Lorenz of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, and Deb Johnson of West Linn, OR; the Lorenzes were also the longest-married couple.
