Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-06-03
BARNEY O'NEIL
BOOMS WEST
Advises Youth Of New York
to Come and Grew Up
With Country

Hon. Bernard F. O'Neil state sena-
tor from Shoshone county, Idaho,
president of the State Bank Of Com
merce of Wallace, Idaho. and express
ident of the Idaho Bankers associa-
ton, as well as president Of two other
banks at Harrison. Idaho and Iatah,
Washington. and republican central
committeeman of Idaho, attended the
regular Sunday evening meeting at
the Newsboys' lodging house, IA New
Chambers street. and talked to the
boys on their prospects for the flu
ture Mr.. O'Neil spoke with the voice
of authority, for he was himself one
of them, before the children's Aid So
ciety, 25 years ago. gave him the OPP
portunity to take Horace Greeley's adj
vice and literally ego west and grow
up with the country"
Twenty-Five years ago, Mr.. O'Neil
told the newsboys, he lived on the
lower East Side. Both Of his parents
were dead, and saloon keeepr named
Clancy was his guardian. Mr. O'Neil
made several unsuccessful attempts to
obtain his guardians permission for
him to accompany party or NV. Gar
! loads of wards of the Children's Aid
society, who were about to start for
Iowa. but the saloon keeper would not
consent. The case was desperate and
called for desperate measures. So the
young optimist himself drew up a suit
Oh
ture of woman in the neighborhood
| who had been very friendly to him
| The document was accepted in good
faith by the agent in charge Of the
party, and after eluding his two broth
ers and Clancy who were hot on his
trail, young O'Neil finally found him.
! self outward bound.
His first important duty was to
guard the grub basket" and to deal
out the daily rations to the other
members of the party. When they
reached the middle west the boys be-
gan to leave the train, some going on
| to ranches and others onto farms
where places had previously been Sc
cured for them O'Neils destination
was Sibley, Iowa, where very moth
erly lady met him and took him to her
home. From there hS went to her
brothers ranch, where his early train
/ ing was broncho busting and COW
punching. After a time he left the
ranch and sold hogs to pay his ex-
penses through school. A few years
later he secured an appointment as
deputy treasurer of Osceola county
/ Iowa, and later became assistant
cashier in a bank in Nebraska.
Mr.. O'Neil paid glowing tribute
to the work of the Children's Aid So
ciety and pointed out the very great
4 ly increased advantages which the
boys of today have over those of a
quarter of century ago. At that
time the farm at Valhalla, Westches-
ter county, did not exist, and the
boys were taken from the slums and
sent directly to farms, without any
intermediate training. AS conse-
quence many of them became home
sick. Now, however, there is a strong
western spirit at the farm. and those
who are sent out know just what they
are up against and are glad of the op-
portunity.
Mr.. O'Neil advised all those who
could to go to the country homes dis
covered by the society. where they
will have good outdoor home life and
work together with an opportunity to
attend school. and make of themselves
whatever they will. '"The West is
still young" he said. land 1t has as
many good chances for your boys as
ever. With your increased advant-
ages. you can be even more successful
than have your predecessors