I REMEMBER...60 years ago
From the files of the "Aurora News"
1998
- January 7, 1998 - County records showed 39 girls and 28 boys born in the county last year. There were 62 deaths in the county.
The Hampton Schools had their Christmas vacation extended a week after a case of scarlet fever exposed the entire school population.
- January 13, 1998 - The angle for parking around the square will be changed from 45 degrees to 30 degrees. The white bricks to mark the angles were being produced by NYA workers, men aged 18-25. The bricks were made of concrete.
A young Aurora man was sentenced to a year in the Nebraska penitentiary for stealing a sack of chickens.
- January 20, 1998 - A poor year for agriculture crops seems to be linked to a nearly 50 percent decline in marriages in Hamilton County. Just 54 marriage licenses were issued in 1939, compared to the usual number around 100.
Representatives of the Aurora Cooperative went to Atchinson, Kans. to view the manufacturing of Agrol. The Agrol plant, the only one of its kind in the country, uses all types of farm grains plus potatoes and artichokes to make alcohol, which is blended with gasoline for fuel. More Agrol plants may be built in the midwest if demand for the product continues to grow.
- January 28, 1998 - The Independent Party and Citizens Party were to caucus to set slates for local elections. Terms were expiring for Mayor J.A. Pence, City Clerk Fay Dobbs, Police Magistrate H.H. Leymaster and Councilmen
Levi Anderson, J.C. Nielsen, and Charles F. Adams.
Phillips claimed the second Nebraska Conference Boys Basketball Championship.
- February 4, 1998 - A proposal was presented to add parking to the courthouse square. County Commissioner V.M. Haggarty suggested that a cut be made at each of the four corners around the courthouse, and a narrow road be installed diagonally to the courthouse, with parallel parking on one side and a walkway on the other side. The city council took the proposal under advisement.
Four Aurora businesses, Aurora Elevator Co. Shaneyfelt Lumber Co., Grosshans Lumber and A.T. Parris, were offering coal for sale. Advertised brand names like Morning Glory, Skipper Coal and Broken Aro Coal marketed their coal as being "super clean" and "dust free".
- February 11, 1998 - E.J. Jones was nominated for mayor by the Independent Caucus; the Citizen's Caucus nominated J.F. Cole.
The Hartford Surety Company said it would appeal to the Supreme Court a judgment awarded to the Village of Hampton. The dispute arose after a surety bond by the Hartford expired in May 1932 on Village Treasurer A.L. Gausman. Gausman who was cashier of the Farmer's Bank, continued to keep village funds at that bank until August 15, 1932, when the bank failed. The judge ruled that the Hartford Company was still liable for the bonded amount.
- February 18, 1998 - The Aurora News offered a two-week special subscription offer of 75 cents a year.
Large numbers of livestock were sold off in the past eight years in Hamilton County. Records for 1929 and then again in 1937 showed: horses, 11,500 in 1929, 7,500 in 1937; cattle, 24,000 in 1929, and in 1937, 18,000;sheep, 12,000 (1929), 5,750 (1937);hogs, 86,000 (1929), 11,000(1937).
Bertina Bradbury received the Burlington Scholarship to 4-H Club week in Lincoln as an award for community leadership Lyle McConnaughey became the new deputy sheriff, returning to the jail where he was born 43 years before when his grandfather was the county sheriff. - February 25,1998 - After three years of losing money on its flour mill, the Aurora Co-op members voted to discontinue making flour at their annual meeting.
George Fisher, 100-year-old Civil War veteran, died this week. He had immigrated from Germany in 1852 and joined the Union forces in the Pennsylvania infantry. He fought at Williamsburg, Charleston, Cold Harbor and Anteitam.
First Securities offered a two-story house in the country for rent for $18/month. - March 4, 1998 - The Sunday Schools of Hamilton County celebrated their 60th Anniversary with a convention at the Christian Church in Aurora. A young people's rally was to end the two-day celebration.
Brand new 50 cent pieces from the Federal Reserve were being offered as a "dividend" on any new or renewed subscription purchased during two weeks in February to the paper.
J.A. Isamon of Aurora received a pin for 17 years of perfect attendance at Sunday School at the Methodist Church in Aurora. More than 230 former Giltner residents gathered for a picnic at Long Beach, California. It was the eighth reunion picnic. A charity coyote hunt netted four coyotes and 200 rabbits for the 300 hunters who participated. - March 11, 1998 - The Saturday Evening Post featured an article about the 1919 Surpreme Court case that reversed the act prohibiting teaching students in foreign languages. Robert J. Meyer, a teacher at Zion Lutheran School was teaching reading in German in 1919, which was in violation of the law at that time.
Efforts were underway to bring financial stability to the Aurora Country Club by reorganizing the golf course and clubhouse in to the Aurora Community Club.
John Salmon, 65, of Stockham, who was born on his parent's homestead, died last week.
Scarlet fever hit the home of H.F. Rathche in Phillips.
Agrol, an alcohol-gasoline, was going to be on sale at the Aurora Co-op. The alcohol was made from corn, barley, artichokes and potatoes. The Nebraska State Farmers Union plans to build an alcohol distilling plant in Aurora, York or Grand Island soon.
Final payments were made on the failed Fidelity State Bank. A total of 67, I percent of the deposits were finally recovered.
- March 18, 1998 - A rate reduction was announced for users of Iowa-Nebraska Power and Light.
A photographer from LIFE Magazine stopped at the Aurora High School Roman Banquet. The original event was planned by third year Latin students.
The new Aurora Country Club sought 80 members with dues of $12.50 each in an effort to save the country club.
- March 25, 1998 - Mayor Pence was added to the city ballot for re-election by petition. He was not nominated by either of the two city caucuses.
A fire destroyed a barn on the Jim Salmon farm southwest of Giltner. Four horses and three calves died in the fire.
- April 22, 1998 -Union Workers No. 245 gave a party to members of the Aurora Country Club. They used their daily work tools to serve the meal. Ketchup and mustard was served from grease guns; butter was served with a trowel from a plasterer's mortar board.
Two inches of welcome rain was received in the county last week. It brought the year's total to 5.27 inches, above normal after several dry years.
A county tax sale of 49 properties brought some bargains. Some properties sold for $1 or $2.
Wade Paschke, Glen Leymaster and Gerald C. Gerloff, all of Aurora were among 612 University of Nebraska students honored for high scholarship.
A Hamilton County farmhand who was issued a judgment of $6,000 for breach of promise and seduction, is disputing the costs because he only earns $25 per a month. The original judge's verdict was for $10,000.
- April 29, 1998 - Ralph Wright received painful burns to his hand and his face as he tried to throw out an oil heater that exploded.
Mayor J.A. Cole and Councilmen Titman, Porter and Anderson were sworn in.
Former resident Margaret Stellstrom, 30, drowned at the Hawaiian Islands.
Ray Stutzman of Gothenburg purchased the Gambles Store here. Jim Walling, who operated the store two years, was moving back to O'Neill.
Former Auroran Harold Lozier, 33, was charged with first-degree murder along with his wife. A body of a North Platte bootlegger who disappeared seven years ago was discovered buried under a barn on the Lozier farm
Nearly an inch of rain was received this week, bringing the year's total to 6.19, ahead of the normal five inches at this time.
- May 6, 1998 - Donald Powell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Powell of Aurora is in the Navy and serving on a ship that was to take President Roosevelt on a week long fishing cruise.
Aurora dentists were planning to conform to other state dental offices by closing at noon on Saturdays.
Aurora took the tennis team championship in the Central Conference for the fourth straight year. Don Anawalt and Arthur Alden won championships.
Eggert Field, southwest of Aurora will be used as a landing field for two air-mail pickups this week. The local post office is offering printed envelopes showing the air mail routes.
Max Wilkins and Ruth Grosvenor won an essay contest on Air Mail. Elmer Linder of Phillips set a new record, 23.8 in the 220 yard dash at the conference track meet.
Slightly over an inch of rain arrived this week, bring the total for the year to 7.26 inches, two inches above normal
- May 13, 1998 - Three inches of rain arrived last week, giving farmers prospects for a bumper crop. A late freeze after the rainstorm caused only minimal damage as crops were very small or not up yet.
Zion Lutheran Church at Hampton will host 500 youth members of Waltherr League for a one-day retreat.
Gypsies stole $13 from a local farmer but got away before the sheriff arrived.
Plans are being made for Aurora's first air mail pickup flight on May 19.A 15 cent per month rate increase is being announced for the Hamilton Telephone Company. The paper noted that local phone subscribers noted that local phone subscribers still pay for lower rates than charged by other phone companies. A loss of phone subscribers during the early years of the Depression were blamed for the increase along with damage to lines and poles from an ice storm
Organization meetings are planed for softball leagues this week.
- May 20, 1998 - A bonfire on the Ed Strotman farm north of Aurora was planned the night before the air mail stop here, to re-enact the first air mail flight where bonfires helped light the pilot's way.
Wet weather delayed corn planting here.
A 19-year-old was arrested for drunken driving. His father was arrested later that day for smuggling in a half-pint of whiskey to his son during a jail visit.
Frank Farr was appointed as an ambassador to AkSarBen. A driver of an overloaded coupe, carrying three other passengers, was allowed to "work out his fine" by repairing city streets.
Additional bleachers have been added to the city's softball field to increase capacity from 100 - 500 spectators will watch five mens' teams that are signed up to play in the league.
- May 27, 1998 - Junior High Principal Mrs. Anna Allen retired after 28 years with the Aurora Schools.
Seven members of the Aurora senior class were injured in a car crash near Bradshaw on the night of the junior prom. Their car hit a car that had stopped to fix a flat tire. The junior prom was given at the high school; the affair was staged as a Hollywood movie premiere, complete with a grand march.
- June 3, 1998 - Clara Marlster won the Regent's Scholarship from the University of Nebraska. The scholarship is valued at $70 and covers nearly all the tuition expense for a freshman.
Fifty-eight students graduated from Aurora High School. Aurora's junior legion baseball team has started the season 5-1, with the lone loss in an 11-inning game against Phillips.
The city's estimated budget for 1938 is $35,200.
A human "mechanical man" will be featured at the Gambles Store. Prizes will be awarded to anyone who can make him change expression.
- June 10, 1998 - An estate sale of farmland near Stockham saw land sell for an average of $28 per acre.
Twelve women are currently employed at the Commodity Relief Office. The office distributes food, supplies and clothing. Clients listed by county relief offices have access to the commodities.
June's rainfall so far is 1.28 inches; good for corn, alfalfa and pastures but not for the winter wheat.
Carl Swanson and Donn Anawalt of Aurora were participating in Boys State. They both finished in the top five on the government test.
Charles Wheeler of Hastings has been named manager if the Foods Center here.
- July 1, 1998 - Roy Kramer was the first area farmer reported out in his fields harvesting wheat. No available yield estimates were available yet, but the northeast parts of the county were expected to have yields about 25 bushels to the acre. Following the usual trend, market prices for wheat dropped from 71 cents per bushel to 64 cents per bushel this week.
Carl T. Bremer of Aurora has filed for election to the unicameral.
- July 15, 1998 - The Hamilton County Farmers Telephone association has experienced a loss of 948 customers since 1930, 29.9% of the customers base. Although the drop was drastic, the state drop over the same period of time was 4.3 %.
An Aurora man was paroled to the county sheriff for three years after pleading guilty to smuggling alcohol in to his son while the son ws in the Hamilton County Jail.
- July 21, 1998 - A July dry spell in the county was broken by a storm that brought rains ranging from one-quarter inch in the northeast part of the county to three inches near Giltner.
A tornado also touched down in the Giltner area. Only the house was left standing on the Fostin Omel farm and there was severe damage to buildings on the Lee Garret farm. More building damage was reported on the farms owned by John Stahlnecker and George Coffey farms. There were no injuries reported.
- July 29, 1998 - The city graveled 28 city blocks in Aurora. That added to the 85 blocks already having concrete or brick surfaces, which means the city has improved streets. Some private home owners have surfaced their own streets, too.
Fire destroyed a wash house and a nearly-new Delco plant on the L.E. Danhauer farm; damages were listed at $1,000
A good corn crop is expected with some stands between eight and 10 feet high on the river bottoms. Farmers were fearful of damage that could be caused by grasshoppers, which were hatching in record numbers.
- August 5, 1998 - The Aurora City Council passed as ordinance stopping beer sales from midnight Saturday night to noon on Sunday. Beer could be sold from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and from noon to midnight on Sundays.
A committee of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce met with a representative of the Works Progress Administration, who explained that the city could use WPA funds and workers for 45 percent of the costs of building a hospital. The committee was seeking public input to decide if an application should be filed by the deadline of August 31.
The Phillips Methodist Church is preparing the celebration to 50th anniversary later this month.
- August 12, 1998 - Voter turnout was light in the August 9 primary election. The county voters returned all incumbents to the ballot in November. The closest race was a tie for the county commissioner seat held by C.B. Mabon; he and his opponent, E.W. Curtin tied with 275 votes each in the election. The decision was to be made after a count of mail-in ballots.
Temperatures in the 100 degree range for several days, along with hot, dry winds were damaging the corn crop.
Many motorists were using the new city auto inspection point. One vehicle had passed through the station eight times before it finally passed the safety test.
The county fair is being planned. The fair will be four days this year instead of five and the rodeo has been dropped from the program.
An invention of Hans Dohring, owner of the Aurora Bakery, is being featured in "Baker's Weekly" the nation's largest baking trade magazine. He developed an adjustable dough cutter.
Ruth Chapman, Margaret Forrey, Gerald Menzie and Ruth Grosvenor have been awarded regent's scholarships to the University of Nebraska.
- August 25, 1998 - In an attempt to increase attendance, the admission to the county fair is being lowered from 35 to 25 cents.
Mrs. Lloyd Ator of Phillips was severely burned when an oil stove exploded at her home. It was believed the explosion was caused when tractor fuel or diesel was mixed in with the kerosene.
Temperatures were over 100 for three consecutive days, reaching 106 one day before finally cooling back into the 90 degree range.
Merchants closed down businesses for the afternoon for two days during the county fair.
Penney's advertised back to school specials of boy's dress shirts at 37 cents and girl's dresses at 49 cents.
- September 2, 1998 - A cloudburst dumped nearly four inches of rain in the Phillips area in less than an hour while Aurora only recorded .13 inches of rain at the same time. More than 20 drivers were stalled between the Philips Corner and the Platte River by torrential rains and high winds.
A new improved "silver screen" has been installed at the Mazda Theatre, along with improved sound and projecting equipment.
John Oswald and Marjorie Meismer have been named the healthiest 4-H Club boy and girl in the county and will enter state fair completion in that category.
Fourteen-year-old Don Anderson, the youngest golfer in the Aurora Country Club tournament, was paired with R. Rumsey, 69 of Geneva, the oldest golfer in the tournament. More than 50 golfers were competing.
- September 9, 1998 - Three 4-H judging teams from Hamilton County took first place at the Nebraska State Fair. Homer Leymaster, Carl Huffman and Dean Rupp won poultry judging; Donald Moore, Donald Vetter and John Oswald won dairy judging; and Yvonne Johnson and Elsie Bamesberger won the foods judging contest. Gale Henriksen was an individual winner in livestock judging.
- Aurora school administrators pondered what to do about unbalanced numbers between the first grade sections in the south and the west schools. The west school has 31 registered while the south school has just four signed up. The railroad tracks is a barrier to transferring students to even out the numbers.
- September 16, 1998 - Applications are due for power lines to rural farms. It is not known if enough Hamilton County farmers will sign up for power to allow the Hamilton County Rural electrification program to build the lines.
- Defective wiring was blamed for a car fire in a vehicle owned by Milford Fowler. Fowler drove the vehicle home from Lincoln and smelled burning rubber but could not detect a problem. He closed up the car for the night and discovered the damage the next day. The body and engine of the car were not hurt.
- Jim Ross Scranton, two and a half year-old-son-of Country Superintendent and Mrs.O.L. Scranton, won third among boys in the town group at the Nebraska State Fair Two hundred thirty-five babies were entered in the show. They were classified into ages and divided between towns and rural areas.
- Fruit trees in the county were proving more productive than the cornfields. Dr. J.F. Cole raised peaches weighing as much as a half pound each on his two backyard trees. Other fruit growers reported similar success.
- Wally Jones of Hordville and his three passengers were bruised but not seriously hurt when the vehicle they were riding in struck and killed two Angus cows just south of Aurora.
- September 23, 1998 - The publisher of the Republican-Register offered his newspaper at a reduced subscription cost of $1 per year. The short-time offer cut the price back from the normal $1.50 per year.
- The first full rail car full of hogs left Aurora in nearly 18 months. The area had been hit hard by poor crops and economic difficulties and the production had been slowed.
- The city had purchased 1,100 Chinese Elm trees last fall. They grew at an amazing rate of 4-5 feet in the first year.
- Don Kristufek, new assistant athletic director and manual training teacher was released from his contract at Aurora High School for three months when he was selected by the American Athletic Union for a team traveling throughout South America for a short tour.
- Hampton voters were scheduled to decide on a bond issue to build a new city auditorium.
- September 30, 1998 - A low voter turnout saw Hampton approve a bond issue to build a new city auditorium.
- Mr. and Mrs. O.W.Guard of Aurora celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They have lived in Aurora for more than half a century. They came to Aurora from Indiana soon after their marriage.
- Three perfect scores by H. Hinrichs, B. Mapes and O. Firth helped Aurora's horseshoe team to a win over Palmer.
- An Aurora woman had her sentence suspended after she was arrested and charged with assault and battery of a four-year-old boy. The boy was one of a group of neighborhood boys, the woman said had knocked down her flowers, ran through her garden and made themselves nuisances. She admitted to having lost her head and punished the boy a little severely. She paid the court costs of $4.00.
- October 4, 1998 - Former Aurora resident Dr. Mabel M. Dixon of Hastings was named president of the Association of American Women Dentists.
- Vern Ingram and son of Poole have purchased the Palmberg Service Station at the intersection of Highways 34 and 14.
- Hampton has received the only WPA Grant received by Hamilton County for $9,830, which represents 45 percent of the costs of a city auditorium. Bonds will be issued and surplus funds from the electric fund will be used for the rest of the $20,000 cost.
- The Aurora Chamber of Commerce sponsored a demonstration of pump irrigation at the Oscar Swedeberg farm.
- October 7, 1998 - County farmers were organizing a Grain Belt Liberty League here, in opposition to the nation's farm bill which restricted acres planted. The Group advocated developing foreign export markets and more uses for products in the U. S. to promote demand. New county officers for the group are E.A. Carlson of Clarks, N.P. Petersen of Marquette and Bruce Arnold. The nominating committee included J.A. Wanek, O.S. Swedeberg and Harry Carlson. A new industry, employing eight people, opened in Hampton this week. The company is a bean-grader supply shop and is operated by Frank Martin. The shop opened in a building formerly occupied by O.M. Troester.
- October 10, 1998 - One of Earl Hammond's Eskimo dogs (valued at $500), which was being temporarily housed at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, escaped and killed 20 chickens at the nearby farmstead of Soren Nelson. Nelson caught the dog attacking the chickens and injured it with a corn knife as he tried to chase it away.
- The Hamilton County 4-H Dairy Judging team of Donald Moore, John Oswald and Donald Vetter of the Murphy Milk Slingers tied for a second place finish at the National Dairy Judging Contest at Columbus, Ohio.
- A study by the University of Nebraska reported that the groundwater supply in this area is so great that there should never be a shortage, even in times of drought.
- October 21, 1998 - The Aurora Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a pump irrigation demonstration in the Oscar Swedeberg farm.
- The Aurora Bi-Lo Market closed its doors. The stock was moved to a similar store in Hastings.
- Two farmers living in the Farmers Valley area got in a fist-fight over a property line last week. The instigator was fined $57.28.
- October 28, 1998 - Temperatures dropped to 28 degrees last week, bringing the first cold weather and frost to the state.
- The Aurora Schools closed on Wednesday afternoon so teachers could attend the annual Teacher's Convention in Lincoln.
- Myron and Eugene Gustafson, members of the 4-H Club Livestock Prevention Demonstration team won first place at the Ak-Sar-Ben Livestock Show in Omaha. The win earned the duo a trip to the national competition in Chicago.
- Marquette's United Brethren Church is celebrating its annual homecoming. The church is one of the oldest church organizations in Hamilton County and was organized in 1873.
- Walter D. Johnson, 35, collapsed and died, apparently of a heart attack, as he hunted ducks with two friends near Phillips.
- The Kronborg Hall was crowed with people of Danish heritage who gathered to hear Danish music presented for three hours last week.
- November 18, 1998 - Hamilton County Rural School teachers continued a plan where half the county schools were closed in one afternoon so their teachers could visit other schools in the county; the other half were closed the afternoon of the following day while the teachers visited schools in the other half of the county.
- Paul Dudsches, employee of the Hamilton County Farms company, lost parts of fingers on his right hand and a broken arm in a combine accident. He slipped as he was climbing on to the machine and his hand was caught in a moving chain.
- The Aurora Huskies won the Central Six conference by defeating Central City 7-0 in a playoff game. The Huskies finished the season with four wins and a tie.
- Mr. and Mrs. William Spence of Stockham became parents of a son on "the eleventh day of the eleventh month at the eleventh minute past the eleventh hour," which also marked Armistice Day.
- Leslie Nunamaker, 49, Hamilton County native who played professional baseball with the New York Yankees, was buried at the Aurora Cemetery. He set a world's record in cutting down three Detroit runners trying to steal in one single inning that continued to stand at the time of his death. He caught for the Chicago Cubs, The Boston Red Sox, the Yankees from 1914-18, the St. Louis Browns and the Cleveland Indians. After his playing career ended he managed minor league teams until he retired at age 43.
- November 25, 1998 - The Hamilton County Farms Inc. had their second employee in two weeks suffer mangled fingers in a farm accident. W.R. Dobbins suffered deep cuts to his hand when it was caught in the chain of a corn sheller.
- All the Aurora customers using natural gas had their service temporarily interrupted when a pressure problem was discovered at the substation outside of the city. Area residents spent a long, cold afternoon before service was restored; preparation of the local newspaper was delayed because the typesetting machines are fueled by natural gas.
- Area residents hoped for snow as temperatures dropped to eight degrees this week. The residents have suffered with another dry year, following several years of drought.
- A 20-foot tall persimmon tree on the George Hammond property is first light crop of fruit after being planted 11 years ago. Hammond brought back the fruit from Arkansas and planted the seed.
- Frank Edgerton has received numerous inquiries about his windmill irrigation after an article on the unusual method of pumping appeared in the Nebraska Farmer magazine recently.
- December 16, 1998 - A large truck, caring an Educational Safety Tour through Nebraska, stopped in Aurora. The bus holds a complete hospital ward, with "patients" showing the results of carelessness in driving and riding bicycles. The tour is being sponsored by the state's mortuary association.
- The Aurora Chamber of Commerce and the Mayor are working hard to conteract a proposal by the City of Hastings to reroute Highway 34 south from Milford through Hastings and into Colorado. Cities along the route west from Lincoln to Broken Bow are fighting the proposal.
- Former Stockham resident Elton Lathrop, 27, lost his right arm in a printing press accident in Pampa, Texas, where he is press foreman.
- Aurora stores will be open in the evenings beginning next week to accommodate holiday shoppers.
- J.A. Doremus was reelected superintendent of the Aurora City Schools for a three year term.
- Luther deFreese, principal and athletic coach at the Philips Consolidated School, resigned effective at the close of the first semester.
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