150 Years Ago
Sierra Seminary festival: Misses Clapp and Babcock’s Sierra Seminary has been refitted and furnished up. It is as neat as a pin, comfortable, light and cheerful. The walls are newly plastered, the woodwork nicely painted and grained by Mr. Mack. It makes a fellow “would he were a boy again” with a satchel in hand. The boys and girls in attendance are to be holding a housewarming jubilee at the schoolhouse.
140 Years Ago
Hot air chicken factory: The hatchery is called “The Silver State Poultry Association” with stock held by a few Carsonites. The works are about a half-mile east of the railroad depot. Mr. I.P. Clarke is the manager and is familiar with the unnatural breeding of chicken process. There are 180 laying hens with breeds such as Brown and White Leghorns, Back Hamburg, Houdans, etc. There are two incubators, one of 500 eggs and the other 200 egg capacity. The hot air will be transfused through long wooden boxes, permitting just enough heat to escape to allow the required temperature. The incubating capacity will be from 800 to 1,000 chickens per month. Mr. Clarke feels confident that the enterprise will prove a success.
The Ormsby House: Mr. John T. Pantlind, manager of the Ormsby House, is an energetic and admirable manager. Improvements are being made daily. Even the courtyard of the house bears as neat an appearance as the dining room of some pretentious hotels. The kitchen to the parlors are of a first class character, and challenge the admiration of the traveling public. The railroaders whose ball will be given on the 14th have wisely hit upon the Ormsby for their banqueting.
130 Years Ago
Curses and prophecies: Ten years ago a band of gypsies were the recipients of some slight at Pioche, and an old beldame in the company cast a curse on the city that said it would wither and decay for 10 years before it would prosper again. The camp began to feel the effects of the blight and had been withering. It has been ten years, and the Piocher’s claim that every prospect of the town coming back. (Virginia Enterprise)
100 Years Ago
Garden seeds: The Appeal received a supply of garden seeds from Congressman Roberts for distribution to the public — corn, cucumber, lettuce, radish and tomato seeds. Children will not be given seeds unless they bring a written request from parents.
70 Years Ago
Nevada Day meeting: Suggestions for 1948’s Nevada Day show: Bands are furnished with funds for transportation and given at least one free hot meal. Negotiations are to be made with G. Elmer Kelly, float maker, to enter a contract calling for the decoration of Carson City for the Nevada Day celebration,
20 Years Ago
Ban fishing: Animal activists group want to ban fishing at Lake Mead because birds and other animals get tangled up in fishing lines. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said that millions of fish and other animals die from discarded fishing hooks and tackle.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.