The Omaha guide., 1941-06-07

Committee OF Award, IheOdor7 N.
Vail Medals it was announced to-
day.
The women are Mrs. Mildred
Lothrop, chief operator for the
North Western Bell Telephone 90.
at Homer, Nebraska, and Mrs.
Nell Lazure, formerly chief oper-
ator at Winnebago, Nebraska for
the Northeastern Telephone Co.,
a non-Bell Company which is OPP
Grated by Mr.. E. G. Hunt of Blair,
Nebraska.
These awards are among three
gold and eve silver medals a
worded this year, under the terms
of the Theodore N. Vail Memoir
ial Fund, for acts of noteworthy
public service performed by tele-
phone men and women during
1910. This years awards are the
21st annual national awards since
the Vail Memorial Fund was est
ablished in 1920 to commemorate
the high ideals Of public service
held by Mr.. Vail who, at the time
of his death in 1920, was Chair
man of the Board Of the American
Telephone and Telegraph Comp
any, and to give recognition TO
outstanding acts of service by tele
phone employees beyond the ord
mary requirements of the job.
The award to Mrs. Lothrop is
the second she has received for sim
liar service in the same commun-
ity. In 1920 Mrs. Lothrop per-
formed noteworthy service during
a flood at Homer for which she re-
ceived the first Vail Medal of gold
ever awarded and she now becom-
Ell the only individual to have le-
ceived two of these national Vail
medal awards.
The awards to both Mrs. 10th
rip and Mrs. Lazure were for her
ole action during a disastrous
flood by overflow Of Omaha creek
June 3, 1910, when II persons lost
their lives at Homer and Winnie
bago.
Another Northwestern Bell Tele
phone Company employee, F. Al
an Wolcott of McCook, Nebraska,
was awarded a bronze medal and
500 for rescuing a child from the
Republican river near Franklin,
Nebraska, July IA, 1910.
The citations which accompan-
led the awards are as follows:
Mrs. Lothrop-"For courage,
initiative, and effective use Of
telephone facilities in warning in
habitants Of a flood and in direct
ing rescue work in the face Of
great personal danger.
During the early morning
hours of June a, 1910, although
fully cognizant Of the personal
risk involved, she remained at her
switchboard to warn inhabitants
of their impending danger from
flood waters and directed the work
of rescuing those she had learned
were trapped by the rising water,
Recalling a similar experience
of 20 years ago, she communicat-
ed with other places in the path
of the flood and kept posted as to
its progress. When the waters
continued to rise she called local
men for boats and other equip
ment and, approaching the need
for outside aid in addition to that
afforded by the facilities at HON.
er, she called the Police and Fire
Departments of neighboring towns
for life-saving apparatus.
I'm devotion to duty she stayed
at her post many hours until the
flood receded, despite the rushing
waters which threatened the build
ing and almost reached the second
floor where the switchboard was
located.
fResideuts of the community,
remembering her courage and re-
sourcefulness in the previous en-
Urgency, and recognizing the value
of her telephone contact with IN
habitants in danger, depended up
on her to direct their rescue work
and credit the saving Of many liv-
es to her resourcefulness and c0ur-
age"
Mrs. Lazure-"For exceptional
courage, initiative and effective
use of telephone facilities in
worning inhabitants of oncoming
flood waters despite great person
al danger.
"In the early morning hours of
June 4, 1910, she remained at the
switchboard keeping informed of
the progress of the flood and
warned inhabitants of their i'm
pending danger as it menaced the
town. Although urged to leave,
she remained on duty. sounding