Wednesday
150 Years Ago
Theater: The great drama entitled “Camille” will be presented, for the first time to a Carson audience this evening by the Piper’s Opera House Dramatic Company. The touching character of Camille will be assumed by our favorite actress, Mrs. Sue Robinson Getzler, and she will be supported by that excellent actor Mr. L. F. Beatty who will enact the part of Armand Duval. A competent company of stock actors will fill the subordinate characters.
130 Years Ago
The Black murder trial began in Virginia City yesterday. The Hole in the Wall saloon will be opened on Wednesday. C.W. Friend returned from San Francisco yesterday with Lieut. Maxwell of the U.S. Signal Corps. A man stopped the Appeal because it neglected to describe his wife’s dress at a Gubernatorial ball. Great fun editing papers.
100 Years Ago
Seymour Case, state engineer, and Albert Quill have gone to Dayton to measure the water in the Carson River. Each year new land is opened up requiring a large supply of water for irrigating purposes which has recently, in the pursuance of this practice, worked a hardship among ranchers adjacent to Dayton.
70 Years Ago
Water Fountain on Clear Creek Road Turned Off: The public stone-encased drinking fountain halfway up Clear Creek on U.S. 50 has been closed because the water has been found unfit for consumption. The drinking fountain, located on a big turn along the heavily traveled road, was constructed and is maintained by the state department of highways.
50 Years Ago
A 3,300-acre, $3 million fire that started in Ash Canyon yesterday afternoon and came close to destroying part of western Carson City after raging through most of this city’s prime watershed was reported mostly controlled by mid-afternoon, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Fire boss Bob Carroll said at noon the blaze was fully contained. National Guardsmen called out by the governor and scores of volunteers feared the blaze would get hotter as the day warmed up. “This is the worst fire since 1926,” said Gov. Paul Laxalt, his face smudged and dirty after he and his wife, Jackie, removed valuables from their $70,000 home.
Thursday
150 Years Ago
The man from China who shot a woman at Chinatown was brought back to this place by Special Officer Lewis and placed in jail. If that persecuted female should die, there is no knowing what might happen to him — he might break his neck while addressing his fellow citizens.
130 Years Ago
Whisky Did It: On Sunday afternoon at Dangberg’s ranch, Douglas Co., the Indians employed in haying got hold of some whisky and had a free fight. One of the Indians was pounced on by the others and literally beaten to death. His face was horribly mangled and his head pounded with rocks. The Indians dispersed to the hills after the tragedy.
100 Years Ago
Saturday evening at 7:30 community singing will be held on the Capitol grounds. It is hoped the people will turn out promptly and join with the will in the songs. Our boys have been doing some wonderful work the past 10 days on the fields of France and we should help send up peans of praise.
70 Years Ago
Studio Officials Begin Shooting Scenes in Carson: Musser Street in Carson City today was reminiscent of a street seven in Tucson, Ariz., in the 1880s as shooting in the forthcoming film, “Chicken Every Sunday,” got under way this morning. That section of the capital community was dotted with horses and buggies, old-time model automobiles with their gas lights, and women in long dresses and busties. Throngs lined the street watching officials of Twentieth Century Fox shoot the first picture in Carson City since the “Remarkable Andrew” was filmed here before the last world war.
50 Years Ago
Gov. Paul Laxalt today directed that plans be formulated for a massive reseeding program to help restore several thousand acres of charred land west of Carson City. Laxalt said the program, to be known as “project pine,” will begin as quickly as possible. The governor has already directed all state agencies to cooperate fully in the massive reseeding program. “It is essential that we begin reseeding of the area as quickly as possible,” Laxalt said.
Friday
150 Years Ago
We are glad to see our young friend Doc. Munckton among us once more. The doctor looks as if the waters of the Truckee and the salubrious wakings from the Reno sagebrush agreed with him.
130 Years Ago
The Appeal sincerely regrets the detention by the authorities of Hon. Clement us Berry. Mr. Berry, among other duties about town, sweeps out the Appeal sanctum — that is, of course, when he is not sweeping out Sheriff Ullrick’s sanctum in the county building. He has been snatched into the tank for 30 days during which time the sheriff has the benefit of his services and the Appeal’s sanctum becomes more and more like a pig-pen in distress daily.
100 Years Ago
Will O. Woodbury, one of Carson’s best-known citizens and for years prominent in all affairs that have made for the betterment of the city, yesterday filed with the county clerk as a candidate for the nomination for sheriff and assessor of Ormsby County.
70 Years Ago
Three convicts escaped from the Nevada State Prison’s farm early this morning and an intensive search for them has been launched over this western Nevada area. Warden Richard Sheehy said the escaped trio, all Indians, include Harvey Mitchell, 21, Grant McLeod, 24, and Arthur O. Keats, 19. The warden said the three made their break for freedom about 3:30 this morning after they “jumped” ignition wires on a 1947 Chevrolet pickup truck and left.
50 Years Ago
Blaze Declared Officially Out; Mop-Up Starts: Firefighters today began the long and tough job of mopping up after what fire boss Bob Carroll described as “one of the most potentially dangerous fires I’ve ever been involved in.” It destroyed some 1,800 to 2,000 acres and $3 million worth of timber, buildings and prime watershed. Cost of fighting the fire was estimated at $100,000 to $150,000. About 125 men worked through the night and morning to put out the last of the blaze. Fire departments from every community within a 40-mile radius fought the fire.
Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.