The Alton Democrat from Alton, Iowa • Page 2

PAGE TWO THE ALTON. IOWA DEMOCRAT THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1953 The Alton Democrat has been the principal newspaper of County, which is one of the largest and richest agricultiiral counti in Iowa, for sixty yeara. Published weekly at Alton, Sioux County, Iowa, by Mrs. Clara Bowers and son, Geo. E.

Bowers, a partnership, L. BoweJM, editor. Subscription rate, by mail, $3.00, payable in advance. Harnessing the "Big Muddy" A Watertown, South Dakota man has a poor opinion oi' the whole Missouri River program, according to a letter appearing in an eastern newspaper. He thinks that trying to harness the Missouri and other rivers for irrigation purposes is a colossal waste of money.

The letter was prompted by publicity arising from the fact that Lake Mead, formed by the great Hoover Dam, is now silting over on the bottom and in a period of years, if the "mud glacier" continues (as it surely will) the lake will be filled with sediment and the purpose of the Dam will be defeated. Army Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation are attempting to solve this problem and have asked Congress for funds to build a series of half a dozen small "silt-control" dams in the Colorado basin. This, Army engineers believe, will safeguard the nation's huge investment in the Hoover Dam. The Watertown man thinks "the whole sorry affair is a monument to the perpetrators of the original sin of building Hoover Dam." Then he gives some figures on the Missouri River program as it has progressed to date, showing that the original cost estimated at $641 millions has increased to $11 billion. The worst of it is that several dams built in South Dakota have proved of no value due to "lack of suitable water and soils." Our friend to the west makes a strong case against with Nature" and we do not have the technical information to prove he might be WTong.

Undoubtedly, there has been much experimenting and useless waste in the Missouri River program. Yet Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri residents of the great Missoui'i basin, which has been left in its natural state along our borders, have seen and experienced too much flood devastation, with its millions of loss, along tho Missouri from Sioux Falls to Kansas City and below, to be satisfied for this restless river to take uncontrolled the course of Nature. Many mistakes may have been made in the Missouri -7 j-p but. we cannot see that the pro- the people and government agencies together, make a whole-hearted attempt to work out differences of opinion and adopt a program which will correct the mistakes so far made. Many hearings in this direction have already been held and we have faith to beheve that the best solution for the problem can be found and a practical method soon be adopted for harnessing the "Big Muddy," the full blast of that northwest wind.

The drifts keep getting bigger and bigger until spring. Yet, considering everything, we in the Valley would not trade with you on the Hill. 0 A By Bill Bowers J. After a trip to California and a long visit withi Fr. J.

E. Tolan, brainy cage expert from Sac riors kayo Estherville last night and must agree that they seem to be the class of N.W. Iowa, although we haven't seen Rock Valley or Maurice play yet. Despite this fact, we know S. C.

reputation for being a "tournament team" and right now, we think that there is only one team around that could knock Center out of tlie state tourneys. This outfit is Corpus Christi of Fort Dodge. They were fine last year and lost only one player while picking up a defense which is becoming popular among the public schools around Storm Lake. It is a 2-2-1, HOSPERS City we have garnered more Storm Lake. It is a 2-2-1, than the usual amount of mater- stretching the length of the floor and spells murder to a club that is not too adept at ball handling.

Storm Lake has used it for three years and Storm We in the Valley, You on The Hill Alton's building boom, while not phenomenal, keeps rolling right along. Several retired farmers are now building or completing homes in Alton keep the boom rolling. While these new homes are mostly on "the Hill" North Alton too has shared in the building activity. This would be gratifying to the original builders in North Alton, the late G. W.

Pitts and Nels Kessey. These pioneer lawyers, who had opened a law practice in the early ''80s at Orange City, saw the possibilities in the new and booming little hamlet of "East Orange" (as Alton was ihen Northwestern Ry. had' just pushed through its rails between Omaha and Minneapolis and the little settlement had every prospect of a mushroom growth while its larger neighbor three miles west, left without rails, was likely to languish. Orange City had the court house but East Orange had the railroad. So Messrs.

Pitts and Kessey built a substantial bank, land on the Floyd river and built their homes on its west bank. Their land was plotted into lots and it Was expected that the town would build north from the railroad station and business section. Eventually, many believed, Alton and Orange City would become one town, But events transpired which changed the complexion of the country, and prospects for uniting the two toAvns dim. The Northwestern Ry. built its branch east and west line, giving Orange City a railroad.

Although Alton's boom continued for a time and it became a railroad junction, building went west "up the Hill" and the two homes in North Alton were cut oM from the business section by the new railroad. Yet over the years some nice improvements came to this section of Alton the handsome brick hatchery and several iittractive new homes. Now this addition to Alton numbers nine homes instead of the original two, both of have been modernized and improjred. On the whole, we of North Alton, with our river view and pulsating highway on the north are happy to have "elbow-room," Even the best of neighbors, such as ours in North Alton, could be too close. Distances tween houses are just about right in our part of town.

There might be a few handicaps, of course, living in the "'suburban district," such as an over-abundance of snow but also thought a lot of the in the winter. When the snow blows we on the north get gSsfna. lial and can only hope to explain by condensation the sports news that should be of interest to our readers. So here goes nothing, with the fervent hope that we miss nothing, after experiencing the most eventful two weeks of our life. Fair and Warmer On Sunday, Dec.

22, we left Alton aimed in the general direction of Texas, with the m- tention in rnind of reaching California. We, meaning Harold Kuyper, better known around here as Mr. Republican, who furnished the car, Slayton S. (Sadie) Smith, another of our instructors in the artful subject of basketball, and myself. After two and one-half days of rough weather, flat tires, detours and excitement which really can't be paralelled, we pulled into L.A.

Kuyper and Smith had enough of the sunshine and traffic after three days, but we lingered on for another two, and think we saw most of what L.A. has to offer. Just a note of gratitude here to the wonderful people in Southern California who made our sojourn such an enjoyable one. While in the City of the Angels, we saw quite a bit of T.V. It comes in perfectly there? and wo had a chance to watch two basketball games and one football contest during our stay, thanks to this medium.

T.V. basketball is by far the best; the frequent close-ups provide jammed into an opponents anatomy. We saw U.C.L.A. defeat Washington State and U.S.C knock off Oregon State in runaways. As far as football is concerned, T.V.

brought us the championship pro game between Detroit and Cleveland which Detroit won, 17-7. However, much of the atmosphere of football is lost when viewed by television, and we would still ratlier see it from the stands. Getting away from once again, we might say we were very impressed by such sights as the Grand Canyon (that would have been our last sight if Messrs. Kuyper and Smith had had their way). Las Vegas at night (took a smaU loss to one armed bandit, by the way, and it's probably lucky that I only had ten minutes there), Grauman's Chinese theatre, where I saw the footprints of many Kolljrwood Idols and the huge Coliseum of L.A.

Places that absoultely did NOT impress me were Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. I think my two conripanions will go along with me on this and Sadie would probably like to add a certain place in New Mexico to the list- Another note of thanks to the people who made our visit so eventful and our Christmas so merry, and may we wish the best of luck to all of them. Fair, bat Cold Almost immediately upon returning to Alton, we re-packed our bags and took off for the residence of Rev. Joseph Tolan in Sac City, this time along with an Iowa State frosh cage star, Glenn (Finny)' Van Gronigen. Perhaps the fact that Father Tolan has a T.V.

set influenced us a little, but our main reason was to talk shop with him, tliat is, find out what he Chinks about the baskeball teams in N.W. Iowa. Naturally, since he is the Sioux City Dioncesan Youth Director, the parochial teams are most important on his line-op. However, he fs aisc very well versed on public high teams around Sac, and his opinions- about them do not have to have that absolutely neutral trend, as do his ideas concerning the teams he rates in his weekly sports column in the Sioux Citv Visitor. So we'U dwell mostly on these, although we must add one diocesan team to those we discuss, as they may well be one of the teams in the "select sixteen" this March.

Father T. saw Sioux Center lose to Storm Lake, but loss or no loss, he thinks that the Warriors (not Indians any more) ar" terrific. He seems particularly impressed by Ron Juffer and big Alvin Kraayenbrink, Lake defeated Sioux Center last week, which makes Frannie Jones' club look a little weak in the line of throwing the ball around. Neither club is too strong on the bench and both are quite fast for their height, besides being very well coached. I hope that tlie two have to face each other because I think, that such a battle would prove, once and for all, that basketball as played in N.W.

Iowa is the best in the state. We won't say anything about Sioux County until after such a battle comes off. Diocesan Starts Feb. 1 Father Tolan announced that the Diocesan Tournament will start on the first of February and will be played at two sites. The Western Division will play at Marcus (what a shame) and the Eastern Division gets its start in the lush gym of Corpus Christi.

No wonder the Eastern Division always nms off with tine trophies, with such a better beginning. Mrs. Jennie Oldenkamp Mrs. Jeimie Oldenkamp died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Arie Roos on Saturday evening, Dec, 27 at a few minutes before 6 p.m.

She had reached the age of 78 years, 10 months and 18 days. On Feb. 23, 1893 she was married to Bert Oldenkamp who preceded her in death April 19, 1933 She was a faithful member of the Chr. Ref. church, although, unable to attend services for the past few years.

She is survived by 7 sons, namely. Herman, Gerrit and William of Sheldon, Charles of Sibley, John of Hospers, Bert of Bellflower, and Dick of Downing, Calif; also three daughters, Jennie (Mrs. Arie Roos) and Martha (Mrs. Henry Roos) both of Hospers and Gertrude (Mrs. Arie Roos) and Martha (Mrs.

Henry Sheldon) also 41 grandchildren, and 47 great grandchildren, also two brothers Maurice and Art Van Meeteren Sr. both of Sheldon. The entire family was present for her funeral with the exception of Bert and Dick who had just recently visited their mother. Funeral services were held Tuesday Dec. 30, at 1 p.m.

from the home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry Roos and at 1:30 p.m. from the Chr. Ref. church with Rev.

D. D. Bonnema in charge. Pallbearers were 6 grandsons, Bert Oldenkamp, Bernard Van Oort, Wilburt Oldenkamp, James Oldenkamp, Alvin Oldenkamp and Glen Roos. It Seems To (By Floyd River Philosoplier) Arvie Jacobsma, Jimmie Warr tjes and Andy Miedema left the first of the week for Grand Rapids, Mich, where they will seek employment.

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Korback and family trucked their household goods to Granville Friday where Mr. Korback has Opened a hardware and plumbing store. rp, I Mr.

and Mrs. Milo Streff and vJ: be played on children of Alton moved into the Feb. 8 in Heelan of Sioux City's former Korback home. Mr The wind howls, the snow blows; The fire roars, the oil goes. Readers who have failed to realize there was a poet in their midst have only to glance at the foregoing to discover the genius who has been languishing, undiscovered, for lo these many years.

Most people around here seem to be burning oil in tlieir stoves and furnaces these days. Out west where they have thousands of square miles of forests and dozens of coal mines they bum natural gas. You can cut down a big tree here and then hunt for a day and one-half before you can find anyone who wants to use it for fuel. It isn't difficult for the FRPh to recall the days when cobs and wood fed into the kitchen range furnished most of the heat in a farm kitchen on a winter's evening. One of the first steady jobs that came our way was breaking up twigs and sticks for the kitchen wood-box, 1 eady for starting the fire in the morning.

Another regular job was bringing in two scuttles full of hard coal and filling the big baseburner every evening. These days you have the tanks filled with fuel oil and then forget the furnace all winter. There are very few chores left around home for many of the boys. Few parents have much idea as to where they go in the evening and how they spend their time. In the days B.A.

(Before Automobiles) high school youngsters enjoyed skating and coasting. These sports are far too plebian for the high school boy or girl of today. A wiener roast and big bonfire down on the ice have no appeal for them. Ah, times, different customs. There's nothing much anyone can do about it.

floor. Corpus Cliristi are the defending champs and St. Mary's, Alton the defending runners-up. as they have been for three of the last four years. Sioux County Court Marriage licenses were issued to the following persons: Bernard James Baartman, 19, Rock Valley, and Lorraine De Jong, 18, Rock Valley.

Clair W. Heusinkveld, 19, Maurice and Aimee Joyce Van Peursem, 22, Maurice. Joe Van De Brink, 22, Hull and Arlene Margaret Kammerman, 18, Orange City. Peter Duits, 33, Orange City and Jane Eva Wierda, 25, Sioux Center. Robert Francis Konz, 26, Alton and Bcrnice Ann Hoffman, 24, Hospers.

The first report of Earl V. Slife, guardian of the property of Jack Tanner, was approved by the court. The estate of Andrew Van Dalfsen paid the sum of $2091.94 into the State Treasury for State Inheritance Tax. Upon petition, Emil Winterfeld and Hattie Landhuis, were appointed administrators of the estate of Emma Winterfeld, late of Rock Valley, with bond set in the of $12,000.00. The court appointed Florence Kimmel as administratrix of the estate of Daniel F.

Kimmel, late of Sheldon. Bond of trix was set in the amount $1000.00. William Van Surksum was appointed administrator of the estate of Grace Van Surksum, late of Hull. Administrtor's bond was set in the amount of $5000.00. The estate of Anton Rise, Draayom, guardian of the property of Margaret N.

Dyk, was approved by the court. "The leasing of the ward's 80 acres of land to Richard Schaafsma for $13.25 per acre was also approved by the court. Tre estate of Antaa" late of Ha warden, was valued at abotrt $1600. and consists of a property In Haward'en and" household goods. The estate goes to Ms wife, Julia Rise.

The estate of Elizabeth Becfr- mann, late of Granville, was valued at about $76,873.48 and consists of 160 acres of land in O'Brien: county, and a town propertv in cash bank, and other personal property $199.60. The estate goes to six children and eleven grandchildren. Tlie wiM also provides that $200 be naid St. Joseph's Catholic church for masses. The estate of Elmer F.

Jacobs, late of Hawarden. was valued at about and consists of farm enuinmept, livestock and grain. The estate goes to his widow. The action broueht by Stern Finance Co. vs.

Dick Vreeman, al was settled and dismissed and the attachment was released and costs were paid. Streff will operate the tavern which he purchased from T. J. Riedmiller. Mrs.

Charles Schwarz entertained a number of little folks New Year's afternoon honoring her daughter Rita on her fifth birthday. XCarry -iTorxucyer ami son Kenneth and Miss Joyce Te- Stroette left Wednesday for Ft. Riley, Kans. to visit the former's son, Gerald stationed there. Mr.

and Mrs. Ernest Loewen and family of Alton spent New Year's Day in the parental Loewen home. Miscellaneous showers were held on New Year's Day in St. Anthony's churcli basement for Bernicce Hoffmann and Sunday afternoon for Christine Fisclier, both brides of the past week. Mrs.

Bob Conner and dsugh- ters of Sheldon spent Trursday in tho parental Fred VA-schoor home. Mr, Conner was taken to Rocliester last week to consult specialists in regard to his back. The Ladies Aid of the F. Ref. churcli met Tuesday with Mrs.

A. Hellinga and Mrs. Chas. Tillema as leaders, and Mrs. Ann Oldenkamp and Mrs.

Albert Nieuwenhuis as hostesses. Clem Freking. daughters Marie and Louise and Mary Ellen Jungers accompanied by Sister M. Edith all of Hospers and a Sister from Granville left last week end for Dubuque to visit the former's daughters and other relatives. They all returned home the past week with the exception of the Sisters, who remained for a few days longer visit.

The Freking's daughter is in the convent in Dubuque. Oliver Ward has relinquished his position with the Slagle Lumber Co. where he was employed the past years, and began work New Year's day with the Horton Jacobsma Oil station. Thought Gems 4 Mrs. Barney Bindner and family and Mrs.

Bud Jonas and Bonnie spent Friday with Mrs. Jack Schumacher in Sioux City New Tear Time! the corrector when our judgHTfints err. Byron Look not mournfully to the past it comes not back wisely improve the present it is thine; go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear, and with a manly heart. The best preparation for the future is the present well seen to, and the last duty done. G.

Macdonald Time is a mortal thought, the divisor of which is the solar year. Eternity is God's meas- virement of Soul-filled years. Baker Eddy The vicious count their years; virtuous, their acts. Johnson tell us, Year we are fain to What is thy charm Qiat wO hail thee so? E. Sangster Contractor Ira Van Buskirk, who has the job of grading No.

10 between Granville and Alton, seems to have quite a system of keeping his crew together the year around. When winter ties up his operations here he moves families doWn to Corpus Christi, J'exas, where he appears to have projects on which to keep them busy until spring opens up here again. All the men get to go south for the winter except a few who haven't yet put in enough years on the job. A couple of these boys are holding down the fort here this winter, living in their trailer houses. The crew attempted to continue their grading operations after the Thanksgiving blizszard, since the ground was so dry it didn't freeze up.

They were throwing so much snow, as well as dirt, into the grade, however, that the highway commission inspectors finally halted further jperations until next spring. With most of the culvert work completed and sev- ei-al miles of grading thrown up it won't take long to finish the job when weather Local residents ai'e now living in the hope that the highway commission-will submit recommendations for paving and advertise for bids on the eight miles to complete the paving of 10 next summer. Meanwhile, there are now rumora going around about a possible overhead railroad crossing two miles east of Alton. Why there should be an overhead at this lioint, however, when the paving has a grade crossing west of Paullina is a moot question for which this column fails to find any answer. There are also rumor? that the Milwaukee railroad has had auditors examining tax records of the C.

N.W. Hawarden branch line but for what purpose no one appears to have the Some say the Milwaukeewould like to have the road as an alternate route for its main Sioux City line east when flood water interferes with operations on the southern Iowa route. In that event the Milwaukee would, apparently, need to use the Omaha line from Sioux City to Alton. Since the Omaha uses the I C. rails between Le Mars and Sioux City such an arrangement between the companies evidently could be worked out.

But maybe the Milwaukee would run over its own line to Hawarden and then east. The Des Moines Hawarden branch intersects the line of the Milwaukee Road at Slater, some twenty miles north of Des Moines. Maybe the Milwaukee would trade its Algona to Canton line for the Des warden line. The Milwaukee intersects the N.W. Des Moines Butterfield and Des Moines Lake Crys- Hal lines at Algona.

This is all idle speculation, no doubt. Just trying to find some reason for the nosiness of the Milwaukee auditors, is But it's kind of interesting speculation, at any rate. their homes.