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Newspaper
Polk Progress
Location
Polk, Nebraska, United States of America
Date
Jan 25, 1940
Page
1
A brutal night in Polk dropped the temperature to an unofficial 30 below zero last Wednesday. A strong north wind worsened the chill, making conditions highly disagreeable for residents.
Polk streets and alleys are cleared after eighteen inches of snow, thanks to street and alley commissioner Gust Westlund. The rapid cleanup leaves Polk ahead of neighboring towns in maintaining normal traffic flows.
The Farmers Co operative Grain Association held its annual meeting at City Hall on Wednesday January 17 with about fifty stockholders in attendance. W J Fisher was re elected president and new directors were Andy Carlson for five years and Curtiss Flodman for the unexpired term of George Anderson who moved away. Polk’s Yodeling Cowboys entertained before dinner served by Arborville Missionary Ladies.
Three road contracts for Polk County projects were set last Thursday and Saturday. A. L. Cook won road side improvement on Highway 81 southeast of Shelby for 7,391 dollars. Theisen Bros. received the grading job on Highway 92 west of Osceola for 41,223 dollars and Diamond Engineering Co. won the culvert contract at 10,547 dollars. Abel Construction Co. of Lincoln earned armor coat work on Highway 81 north and south of Stromsburg for 37,374 dollars.
W H Brokaw Nebraska Extension Service director explained federal farm program changes aimed at better soil forest and human resource conservation. Key points include a lower payment rate for seeding legumes requiring more land or added soil-building work and an increased payment rate for brome grass seedings reflecting seed prices and erosion control value.
Polk county farmers have placed 89 400 bushels of the 1939 corn crop under AAA loan since December 21. Loans run until March 31 at 57 cents in commercial and 43 cents in noncommercial areas. The 3 percent rate is one point lower than last year, with banks handling about 98 percent of loans.
Wayne Upton cut the palm of his right hand seriously when a water faucet he was turning broke Monday. Dr Williams dressed the wound which required several stitches.
Sheriff Peterson warns motorists that February 1 is the deadline to operate with 1939 plates and urges removing old plates when placing 1940 plates. Drivers should bring 1939 certificates to the county treasurer for 1940 licenses and discard old plates to prevent theft.
Snow persists in many county farm communities with drifts refilling after being opened earlier in the week. Travel is limited to main highways as horses and bob sleds replace motorized transport, leaving little news in the paper this week.
The Goldenrod Conference tournament comes to Polk with games Thursday January 25 and Saturday January 27. Polk faces Stromsburg at 7 pm, Clarks meets Silver Creek at 8 pm, and Osceola battles Ulysses at 9 pm. Winners advance to Saturday afternoon play and finals Saturday night. Admission 15 and 10 cents.
A collection of whimsical and curious items spans from a prisoner seeking reentry to a prison in Oklahoma to a Brooklyn forgery case showing illiteracy. Other notes cover a New York minister building chimes from brake drums, a Los Angeles juror’s bicycle speeding arrest, and forecasts about World War I’s duration.
Miss Marjory Whitnack spent the weekend with home folks at Kearney. Mrs A Stevens Horace Vera and Iva and Mrs Lawrence Sundberg and Vance were York visitors Tuesday afternoon.
Beginning January 29 the Farm Credit office clerk will be in the office only on Fridays and Saturdays each week. Those needing a Feed and Seed Loan should apply at the County Agent's office without delay.
The T. C. W. Club will meet this Thursday afternoon with Mrs. Carl Johmison. Mrs. Joel Toline returned Sunday evening from Lynn Center Illinois where she visited her daughter and family. The Johnsons and Ansel Fredrickson visited the Oscar Fredrickson home on Sunday. The Larson Lee family and Kenneth visited the Petrus Nelson home Sunday evening. Willard Bush returned Saturday from Sioux City Iowa for a visit with his parents. Dorothy Fredrickson underwent appendicitis operation Friday at Immanuel hospital in Moline Illinois while in nurse training.
Maurine and Donald Nordlund and their parents traveled from Stromsburg to Columbus Thursday and Fremont Sunday. Maurine joined the Fremont symphony orchestra, delaying a planned Fargo debate due to bad weather. A. W. Peterson received hospital care after illness, recovering with a nurse. The Carlson family visited Herman before returning to Minnesota. Local birthdays and snowbound travel woes are noted alongside the Gamble store sale to Loris Neal.
A medical overview explains resting and exertion heart outputs, noting about two ounces per beat and sixty beats per minute at rest, yielding large blood flows. It discusses heart failure degrees, aging effects, and guidance on safe activity levels for elderly individuals and those with heart disease.
Leroy Johnson, residing two miles west and four miles north of Polk, schedules a farm sale for Friday February 2. The listing includes fourteen head of livestock, two Farmall tractors in good condition, and a large assortment of farm machinery. Eddie Larson and Ross Noble will call the sale. The advertisement appears elsewhere in this issue.
Snow bound roads and sub zero weather hindered country folks from attending the sale. To be fair to workers and residents, the store extends the sale with the same terms and discounts on all goods except staples at higher market cost. Prizes have arrived to entice participation and support the town.
Polk County farmers and landlords receive 435 checks totaling 57 555.09 as final 1939 farm program payments. The average check is 132 31 with expectations of 300 000 more soon. Applicants in full compliance earned three checks for wheat parity corn parity and conservation payments. A 160 acre farmer in full compliance earned about 400.
Readers from Elmherst Illinois Polk Nebraska weigh in on The Checkerupper column. They praise the writer and speculate on the author’s gender while urging the columnist to continue the feature.
The piece notes a shift in editorial policy with a new administration and signals possible changes to the community column. It recalls past encouragement by Wurtz & Co. and mentions Whittier's snowbound lines as seasonal reflection.
A 1940 outlook indicates more grasshoppers may hatch in Polk County based on adult and egg surveys. Eggs found were 15 percent higher than in a prior survey, with statewide results from the University of Nebraska College of Agriculture Entomology and USDA Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine. County trends show western Nebraska counties mainly had fewer eggs while eastern areas saw increases.
Mr. and Mrs. Cramer return from Denver after visiting daughter Dean Nelson and Stock Show. Ernest Ratliff and W E Ratliff with Raymond spent days in York. Lois Cramer stayed with Emery Cramer in Polk. Piper and Roy of Litchfield visit S S Piper’s home. Whitgrens and others visit York. Schrader Maynard and Glenn visit Shockeys. Lackey Hoffman and families guests of Hansen. Cline, Shockey, and Scheapler families hosted at Scheapler home.
Mrs F W Schuman serves as substitute music instructor in Osceola Schools this week during Elsie Mansfield’s absence due to her father’s illness and death in Ong Nebraska. Fred W Schuman recommended for re appointment as Osceola postmaster. Emil Mansfield of Ong Nebraska dies. Mr Carlson’s snow bound cream run ends with one horse dead. Vic Anderson family attend birthday in Stromsburg. Mrs Charles F E Anderson’s condition critical.
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