Past Pages

by Sue Ballew

120 Years Ago

Forepaugh's circus has finally departed from Carson and is on its way to Placerville. During its protracted sojourn here, the elephant, lions and baboon were quartered at Folsom's hay yard, and Dick Gray was appointed keeper by the authorities. Mr. Gray's duties were not irksome. He simply had to lie on the hay all day at $5 a day and watch the elephant throw dust on himself. After a while the baboon became very much attached to Gray, and when that functionary was asleep the baboon would gather a wisp of hay and keep the flies off the sleeper.

100 Years Ago

A fire at Empire (a mile east of Carson) destroyed five buildings in the center of town, one man, a plumber by the name of Dave Bradbury either lost his life in the fire or hit the road for other parts. The buildings destroyed were the old Wiggins dance hall and saloon, the old butcher shop and blacksmith shop and several sheds and the old Sam Longabough general merchandising store. The store had been cleaned out, having been sold to J.W. Adams who purchased it for the brick.

70 Years Ago

It's on sale for a song Ð "Any legitimate offer for the Carson City mint would be considered by treasury officials," according to the treasury department's supervising architect, William A. Newman.

50 Years Ago

Photo caption: Barbara Couch receives a $50 scholarship award from Anita Smith. Miss Couch was awarded the Eliza Carter scholarship, which is presented each year to outstanding scholastic ability to a full or part orphan of a veteran.

20 Years Ago

The United States detonated a nuclear device under the remote desert mesa in an unprecedented test involving Soviet scientist under an agreement by both countries for monitoring each other's nuclear weapons tests.

10 Years Ago

Photo caption: Nick Koropchak takes Sen. Richard Bryan, and the senator's rural representative Tom Baker on a tour of the area burned in the 1996 Autumn Hills fire. Koropchak re-vegetated the areas on his own.

• Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.