Wednesday
150 Years Ago
Methodist sociable: Carson folks won’t forget the sociable this evening. The Methodist sisters are noted for their good looks and their good coffee which are to be enjoyed at the White House in Carson. Proceeds are for the improvement of church finances.
140 Years Ago
A rolling stone: Mr. Hillhouse and family were quietly seated at the dinner table and were startled by a crash of boards and timbers, and a jar that threatened the complete wreck of their cozy dwelling. The cause of the noise, indicated that a large rock had rolled down the mountainside, struck the out-houses attached to the building demolishing boards. Some chump had loosened the stone and probably thought it was fun seeing all tumble. (Eureka Sentinel)
130 Years Ago
All sorts: Fishing is good at the river. There is $50 keno at the Monarch on Thanksgiving eve. For sale — A young fresh cow. The Wheelmen have begun to make preparations for their grand masquerade in January.
100 Years Ago
No one suffered: The voluntary food savings is getting results — that is no one ever actually suffered any hardship from it. Food control in America held the price of breadstuffs steady. The best abstinence was from wheat. Save sugar, save wheat, save port. It was done. So Americans answered the challenge of German starvation.
50 Years Ago
Historic Bliss Mansion: Open to the public for the first time, the elegant Bliss Mansion is the most impressive of all Carson City homes. The home was built in 1879 by D. L. Bliss, owner of the Bliss Lumber of Lake Tahoe. The twenty-one rooms included a formal parlor and dining room, game room, 9 bedrooms, bathroom, butler’s pantry, and linen room. It was built in 1879 at a cost of $14,000.
20 Years Ago
Dr. Jack Kevorkian: Dr. Kevorkian was released on $750,000 personal bond. He was arraigned on charges of first-degree murder, criminal assistance to a suicide and delivery of a controlled substance. Thomas Youk, who suffered from Lou Gehrig’s disease was seen on videotape wanting Kevorkian’s help in dying.
Thursday
150 Years Ago
Carson Theater: Prof. Dan DeHoun’s Family and Billy Ross will appear at the Carson Theater. Prof. DeHoun is a one-legged tight rope performer and jig dancer. Entertainment will include songs and dances, legerdemain acts, and the Irish drama of “The Beggars.” A good orchestra will be in attendance.
140 Years Ago
Items: A herd of eighty-odd head of cattle, cows and calves were driven through the city by Mr. Van Sickle.
Mr. F. D. Stadtmuller reports serious cases of sore throat at Empire—something like a mild form of diphtheria.
The Pioneer Saloon, corner of Carson and King streets, Charley Wilson proprietor, is prepared to furnish to the thirsty and bibulous at hand, a potation as the town affords.
130 Years Ago
All sorts: Nothing like Nevada climate. Looks like another Indian Summer. Mrs. West had a runaway with a horse she was driving. Damage slight. There will be a great number of hunters going to Washoe Lake to hunt geese.
100 Years Ago
Elko coldest: The government thermometer at the Western Pacific depot is recording Elko at 6 degrees below zero. Other points about town registered from zero to 10 below. (Free Press)
50 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Christmas Gift Guide—George H. Meyers Hardware, 202 North Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada, your friendly store of bargain values.”
20 Years Ago
Virginia City Churches: Members of the mountains Catholic Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the First Presbyterian Church made donations to the Virginia City Community Chest. The ministers of the churches, Rev. Michael Dallmeier at St. Mary’s, Rev. Eric Heidecker at St. Paul’s Episcopal and Rev. Dory Thompson at First Presbyterian Church came together for their community to help strengthen the Community Chest by asking those attending the service to donate a non-perishable food item or cash.
Friday
150 Years Ago
All sorts: The Irish drama with songs, dances and tight-rope performances, will be the program at the Carson Theater.
140 Years Ago
A Ghastly Burlesque: The entertainment for the benefit of the sufferers from the late crash in Sierra Nevada is set for Thanksgiving night. Overture “Dead March from Saul.” The five-act tragedy of “More Mud” will be rendered. A magic lantern exhibition representing the drift and crosscut of the Sierra Nevada, will be given by Prof. Bonnemort. Johnny Skae will then render a bassoon solo, “The Fish Fry Polka.” Grant Israel will then give the waking scene from “Rip Van Winkle...” Admission $1.
130 Years Ago
Carpet-baggers: The Carson papers announced that eight bricklayers arrived from the East to work on the Public Building at Carson. Nevada employment should be given to Nevada people. Nevada raised girls who as a rule are much brighter and better qualified than their Eastern sisters to teach school. Let’s start a “Home Protection” party and down everybody who is too stingy to patronize his own State? (Eureka Sentinel)
100 Years Ago
Wanted friends to know: An airplane designer in London was flying as observer in one of his own machines in order to have personal experience of its working. After being many thousands of feet high, he saw a couple wires had broken loose. He got up, took out his camera and photographed the flapping wires. He said “If we crashed and were killed, the camera’s record would tell my friends what happened.”
50 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Carson Theater — ’The Devil’s Brigade’ — What they did to each other was nothing compared to what they did to the enemy! William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards.
20 Years Ago
Michael J. Fox: “It’s not that I had a deep, dark secret,” said the 37-year old actor, Michael J. Fox, as he revealed he has Parkinson’s disease.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.