April 8, 1897 —
Prof. Huckstep has been employed by the band boys for the next two months. The band has made rapid progress under his direction and now doubt but what a marked improvement will be noticed at the end of these two additional months.
A change will soon take place in the lumber yard of Mitchell & Kelley of this place, they having sold out to the Chicago Lumber Co., of which a Mr. Snyder of O’Neill is manager.
Mr. Snyder owns yards in several Short Line towns, and we understand it is his desire to secure a yard in every town on the line. The new firm takes possession on the 15th of this month.
100 Years Ago. . .
Edward Cizek of the Security State Bank showed the publisher the following interesting comparison of the bank in 1899 and in 1924.
Their first statement published in 1899 showed loans of 4848.28. In 1924, the loans were $453,497.16.
In 1899 resources were $11,450.93; 1924, $586,000. In 1899, the time certificates were NOTHING; in 1924, $281,000. In 1899, the total deposits were $1,396.21; in 1924, $465,000.
In 1899, the individual deposits subject to check were $1,196.21; in 1924, $186,000.
L. E. Eirinberg’s store advertised "a real flap jack baker, demonstrating Rob Ross pancake flour and Rob Ross maple syrup — hot pancakes, maple syrup and coffee, all you want FREE.” They also had the following specials: Gallon dark syrup, 59¢; gallon light syrup, 69¢; White Lake fish, 2 lbs., 25¢; 3 lbs. raisins in bulk, 42¢; Sunsweet fancy large prunes, 2-lb. box, 34¢.
Saturday, Dec. 13, 1924, was going to be a big day in Osmond.
Huey Garage was having a big sale of second-hand cars. Marek and Son would have a big sale of aluminum ware. L. E. Eirinberg had their big stunt on Saturday with a flap jack baker. And for those wanting a big feed, they should remember the Methodist chicken supper at the church.
On Thursday of the previous week, it started in snowing and again Sunday and Monday, a heavy fall came, making the roads impassable, and delaying the trains. Nearly eight inches of snow had fallen here, bringing Osmond's first real touch of winter.
The roads were impassable on account of the snow, so farmers that had to get to town rode a horse, drove a team or walked. One morning, Claus Hinrichsen Jr. walked in from their farm, a distance of 7 miles.
75 Years Ago. . .
The P. F. Petersen Baking Co.. of Omaha, makers of Peter Pan bread and pastries, was making a bid for sales in Osmond through the biggest bakery advertising campaign this newspaper had ever published. The campaign began the previous week, was continuing the current week and would extend through several more issues. The Peter Pan ad was on the last page of the Republican. It took up four columns and was about 18 inches deep.
The Westminster Fellowship of the Presbyterian Church of Osmond sponsored a 50-minute sound motion picture, a religious drama entitled “Mother and the Home.” The picture was shown at the local Presbyterian church on Dec. 8, 1949. No admission charge was made, but a free will offering of silver was lifted. The projecting equipment which was used to show this picture was very high class equipment, costing over $1,000. Norbert Krienert, young Osmond farmer, was the first one in this vicinity to purchase a Farmers Hybrid boar. The animal was trucked to the Krienert farm from Iowa and could be seen there. Anyone interested in such an animal could contact Will Luebbers, local dealer, for information.
Coming up with the miscellaneous assortment on the Republican editor’s desk just before Christmas was what was evidently an undeliverable note to Santa. The requests: Robert, BB gun, station set, sled, car; Roger, truck, sled, tricycle; Dianne, doll house, toy piano; Ella, anything; Emil, anything. The editor had no idea who intended the suggestions for Santa. The heading on this article: Ella and Emil easy to please.
65 Years Ago. . .
Osmond American Legion Post 326 was in the process of installing natural gas heat at the Osmond Theatre. A spokesman said the new equipment would be ready for use Dec. 2, 1959. Difficulty had been experienced in operation of oil-fired heating equipment.
A dozen or so corn picking neighbors of Herman and Otto Stark gathered at the Stark farm near Breslau five miles west of Osmond to pick the Stark corn. Herman Stark, who normally did most of the crop work for the brothers, had recently suffered a heart attack. His condition and recovery were entirely satisfactory, but he was forbidden by his physician to perform physical labor.
Osmond high school students selected five girls from the senior class to act as homecoming royalty for the annual homecoming which would be Dec. 18. Later, one of the girls would be selected as the Homecoming Queen. The seniors selected were Peggy Borgmann, Kathryn Rasmussen, Mary Ann Bumann, Audrey Wanke and Angelyn Buchholz. The annual homecoming activities included the basketball game with Wausa. The girls selected as Homecoming Queen was Audrey Wanke.
Elementary and high school students in District 42R probably would be going to school in a new near half million dollar building with the beginning of the 1961-62 school year. It was even possible that elementary pupils would be shifted to the new building at midterm in the 1960-61 year. The construction of a school was a mandate given the school board of the district by voters at a special bond election at the city hall on Dec. 17, 1959. The count: For, 522; against, 141.
50 Years Ago. . .
Ten youths in the Osmond area took part in the first hunter safety course given by the Osmond Jaycees. Each of them passed the exam to become certified as a safe hunter. Instructors for the course were Galen Tickle, Paul Kahler, Merlyn Kuhl, Charles Sukup and James Burger.
Bill Ainsley, newsman from KCNA- TV (Channel 8), of Albion was in town to do a feature on the Osmond General Hospital, recognizing the recent accreditation of the hospital.
Ainsley filmed hospital staff members as they performed their duties, and talked with staff and administrative personnel. He could not give a specific date and time the feature would be aired, but thought it would be on the 6 and 10 p.m. news either that Friday or Monday.
One of the oldest family names was returning to the Osmond business community. The newly-established firm would be known as Moore's Grain and Feed and was locating in the building on State Street formerly utilized by Moore’s Transfer, which had moved its operation to Norfolk in recent years. Although the firm name was new, the owners and operators were not. The firm would be operated by Clyde, Sid and Terry Moore, all of whom had been associated with Moore’s Transfer in the past.
The Osmond Volunteer Fire Depart- ment responded to a fire call about 1:15 a.m. at the Kenneth Bowling home. There was not an actual fire; however, the oil furnace had failed to ignite and the house was filled with smoke and fuel oil fumes. Mrs.
Bowling returned from a bowling team Christmas party to find the house filled with smoke, with the realization that her children were home asleep.
Fortunately, there were no injuries, and a fire did not result. There was, however, smoke damage.
The prizes listed for the first 10 babies born in 1975 included cash, savings accounts, first day free nursery case, baby spoon set, free haircut, baby food, overalls, Hankscraft vaporizer- humidifier, gift certificates, floral arrangement. Some were designated
to specific babies, such as $10 cash to the first Laurel baby by Security
National Bank of Laurel.
25 Years Ago. . .
Some requests in letters to Santa in 1999: From Brett Bahr: I would like a Voltron Megazord I would like the Pokemon movie New pliers for my Dad New mousetrap for my Mom Emily Brummels: I would like a Betty Spagetti and a puzzle. I would also like a Barbie Airplane Garret Kuhl: I would like a big stuffed animal cat And a Nebraska football helmet My Dad would like an arrow Carissa Gutz: I would like a Skate - board Shannon, a Giddyup Girl and a Bop It Extreme.
10 Years Ago. . .
Some requests in letters to Santa in 2014: Kaleb Gardner: I want a grey power ranger and red power ranger. I want a green power ranger super mega and a robo knight.
Charley Aschoff: I want new barbies and I want a horse. All kinds of toys.
Caleb Vinson: I want a dump truck.
Abby Brown: Thank you for last year’s presents. I’m really happy about that. I want anything.
