140 years ago
It’s the bold pioneers who are to have a grand jollification on the 31st of this blessed month. That day will be the ninth anniversary of the admission of Nevada into the Federal Union, and what better could be done to commemorate that conspicuous and memorable statistic than that the old boys who have in sight of the gold coast as early as the sainted year of ‘50 should step out and dance the dance of joy and cut up the hilarious cuts of high jinks? In my minds eye Horatio, the gallant Dr. McMeans, glorified anew with the mirthfulness and with courtly step leading some proud, young, high blooded maiden through the figures of a good old-fashioned cotillion.
130 years ago
Lake Tahoe Timber. At a meeting of the Lake Bigler (Tahoe) Forestry Commission, it was resolved to ask the Central Pacific Railroad not to sell its land until the next legislature. The members of the Commission think the land would be much more valuable as an attraction to tourists than sold for timber. It would certainly rob Tahoe of much of its beauty which is such a watery gem of the Sierra Nevada.
100 years ago
Tonight at the Grand “Satan,” the greatest motion picture ever made, will be shown. It is in five reels. The first reel pictures the fall of Satan and his departure from heaven, continues through Adam and Eve to the fall of the Tower of Babylon. The second reel is a vivid recital of the New Testament.
70 years ago
Italy has declared war against Germany, its erstwhile ally. Italy was granted the status of a co-belligerent with the United Nations just 35 days after armistice was signed by the Badoglio government and the Allies.
50 years ago
Two teenage boys who fled Reno in a stolen car and crashed two police barricades on Highway 395 were halted in a hail of bullets last night just north of Carson City. Neither of the two youths were injured in the 30-mile chase.
30 years ago
About 100 people at the Johnny Carson City Day party roundly applauded Chamber of Commerce President Tom Baker as he walked on stage at the “Johnny Carson Show.”
Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.