Past Pages July 18

130 YEARS AGO

Remarkable runaways: Justice Cary said the worst stampede he ever saw was at a funeral in '62. The procession was three miles long ... headed by an elephant. The fellow driving the hearse thought he'd tickle the elephant's ear with a whip, and when the elephant turned around, with one blow of his trunk smashed the hearse in ... yanking the coffin out and whisking it over his shoulder into a wheat field. When Justice Cary was asked if they got the corpse back, he remarked, "Well, you see a couple of gorillas got loose and they went over into the field and takin' the coffin carried it to the cemetery and buried it just as good as a sexton would have done. Some baboons went along to act as mourners."

120 YEARS AGO

All sorts: As the Renoites are ejecting the tramps, Carson had better keep an eye open for a detachment.

70 YEARS AGO

Advertisement: Carson Theatre - "Susan and God" with Joan Crawford and Fredric March - You've never known anyone quite like Susan ... she took blase Broadway by storm ... fluttered gay Gotham's heart.

50 YEARS AGO

Advertisement: Immediate occupancy $1395 moves you into Hillside Estates (end of W. 5th Street), $16,500 total price - 3 bedroom, fireplace, tile kitchen and bath, walk to all schools ... Chas. B. Marriage Co. Realtors, 325 N. Carson.

20 YEARS AGO

Asbestos cleanup in the Carson City High School will cost a million dollars even if the bond issue doesn't pass.

10 YEARS AGO

Two winners of the Harry Potter look-alike contest at Kennedy's Books were named, Alora Collier and Kiona Rosth, both of Carson City.

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