The Appeal brings news of war

There were 2,466 persons listed as voters in the 1910 census in what was then Ormsby County. In the first week of August 1914, a headline reads:

Registration for the upcoming election is exceedingly slow.

At noon today the great register of Ormsby county totaled 377 signatures of citizens entitled to their right of franchise. Of the above number 175 declared they are affiliated with the Democratic party, 169 with the Republicans, 10 Progressives, five Socialists and 18 not declaring. With ten days left for the primaries, there is little more than half of the number of voters at the last general election.

All the while, World War I is starting, France is occupying Germany, ambassadors have been issued their passports and told to leave, the stock markets of the world have closed in a panic and the headline in the Carson Daily Appeal reads:

Kaiser Going Nuts; Defies the World

Assemblyman and Mrs. W. C. Grimes of Fallon are lost. Last word was they were to sail on the Vaterland from Europe on July 23, but no word has been transmitted as of July 22. It is unknown if they are some of the Americans marooned in Europe on the eve of war.

Locally, it's getting close to the primary and there are more ads for politicians than for clothing. People that depend on politics are choosing sides and business is looking south. Eyes of Carson City were on Tonopah and the production of silver.

On the front page is a preview of tonight's movie: "The Perils of Pauline"

Tonight at the Grand

Pauline is kidnapped by Hicks and locked up in an abandoned house on which he sets fire. Harry drives an auto through barricaded doors and rescues Pauline from the burning building. Owen sees a vision of the mummy come to life and pointing at him the finger of accusation, its eyes blazing with anger, its cold lies speaking a message which chills his blood. Thrilling, sensational and by far the best episode yet presented.

Price: 15 and 25 cents.

Samuel Platt, native Carson City politician, is running against Frances Newlands for United States Senate. Platt, a cinderella of political report, is also Jewish. This is his first try at the Senate of three. He's run for offices over and over, never to get elected. Platt finds, after the fact, that woman's suffrage is paramount to being elected.

Of notice in the Appeal is the banner that reads at the top of every front page: To "Make Known the Resources of Nevada."

The "Personal Mention" column is who has come in, or gone out of town. Apparently the reporter for the paper hangs out there every day, all day long to note who is here, and who isn't here. The paper spent a great deal of time finding out who is where, doing what and why.

There are lots of lawyer ads. What seems to be missing from the Appeal in 1914 is a sense of understanding that we must not take ourselves too seriously. In older Appeal issues, you forever get the sense that what you may be reading may not really be all the truth, or reside in some kind of gray area between fiction and non-fiction. In 1914 Appeal editorials, we have become way too serious ... teeth-grinding serious.

One act of war. Fifty-five thousand French troops have entered the German territory. The Kaiser's troops are preparing to meet them. France declares war.

The Cost of War

Prof. Charles Richet of the University of Paris has estimated the cost of war on all sides at $50 million a day. How long can this go on?

Fish Nearly Drown

While transporting 30,000 trout fry from Tonopah to Manhattan, a party of government picatorial experts were caught in a cloud burst and spent the night dealing with a flood. The fish were finally placed in Peavine and adjoining creeks.

The Second Waterloo

The world awaits a second waterloo as armies battle within sight of the historic site. The British are to land in Belgium to join 500,000 French troops.

Ormsby Has Many Sports

Up to the present time 300 fishing and hunting permits have been issued by County Clerk Patterson which is evidence that the game warden is keeping a close tab on the boys, or the latter are all true sports.

Take Notice

The People of Carson City are hereby notified that they must keep off the motor fire truck at all times. The work of the fire department is greatly handicapped by outsiders who persist in riding upon the apparatus and are of no service after arriving at fires, but are only in the way.

We ask for the benefit of all concerned that you give the firemen a chance. We would also suggest that all traffic be suspended during an alarm in order to give fire apparatus full right of way.

WARREN ENGINE CO., NO. 1

The Nevada Mine Operator's Association is asking the federal government to buy 25,000,000 ounces of silver, or many in the mines will be out of business. Senator Newlands and Congressman Roberts are asked to carry the message to Congress.

A reply from Senator Key Pittman assures "definite action at earliest possible moment."

Best Subscription ad

Best subscription ad ever run in the Appeal: "Don't bother your neighbor, subscribe to the Appeal."

An order on mints in San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia to purchase 1,175,000 ounces of silver at 52 cents is the first move by the government to avert depreciation in silver because of the European war.

"George Wingfield, who returned this morning from the coast, states that conditions there are undisturbed and there is no vestige of excitement. In conversation with bankers and smelter men, as well as with financiers in other lines, he learned that a gansuine feeling with respect to the future value of the white metal prevails."

Mark Twain's War Prayer

Oh, Lord, help us to tear the soldiers of the foe to bloody shreds with our shells, help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief, blast their hopes, blight their lives, water the way with their tears.

• Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote a column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.