150 Years Ago
Audacious robbery: In Banger, Calif., two men entered John Mead’s cabin and stole up to him when he was asleep. They presented a pistol to his head and demanded money. Mr. Mead was unarmed and forced to surrender $5 in silver. It did not satisfy the robbers. They blindfolded him and made a thorough search of the cabin for gold. When none was found, they made Mr. Mead go out to his mining flume and stand there while they panned out $50 to $60. Then they left. (Marysville Appeal)
130 Years Ago
A skunky story: An animal of the genus “Mephits” was observed to make his way into the hennery. Along came Pat Bell, the old Humboldt trapper. He bet six dollars that he would go into the chicken house, capture the skunk and take him through the streets without the skunk emitting his noxious effluvium. He caught the skunk that was three feet from tip to tip and took him through the street out of town and disposed of him.
110 Years Ago
Modern innovations: These days of electricity make everything that is done magical and mystical. The signal to roll up the theater curtain is done noiselessly before you have time to settle back in your seat. One by one the old illusions depart, and we are forced to live on the alert.
70 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Carson Theatre — ‘The Stork Club’ with Barry Fitzgerald, Betty Hutton and Don DeFore.”
50 Years Ago
Photo caption: The Carson City Lions voted in favor of the Carson City downtown renovation and beautification project following an explanation by Mayor Jim Robertson, Steve Schmidt and Evalyn Pollastro, as Robertson points out the fact that the plan calls for no parking spaces on Carson Street from 5th street to the highway 50-395 intersection.
20 Years Ago
Thunderbird Lodge: Harriet Burgess has an option to buy the $60 million dollar property, the historic Thunderbird Lodge on Tahoe’s east shore, and share it with the nation.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.