Saturday
150 Years Ago
Mint House: The well-known proprietors of the Mint House, Walker & Bettinger, opposite the United States Branch Mint, have dissolved copartnership. Mr. Bettinger has retired and E. Walker will run the house and bar. Night before last he gladdened the hearts of our temperate compositors with a bottle of really find old Bourbon and other drinkables.
140 Years Ago
The picnic: Twenty-two cars came down from Virginia City and Gold Hill filled with people who attended the Miners’ Union picnic. The following score was made by the riflemen: Sarsfields 781 – Carsons 782. The host cart race was won by Libertys of Gold Hill. J. H. Martin won the glass ball shooting match. Ladies race (100 yards). First prize, toilet set won by Miss Maggie Morris of Empire. Men’s race (half a mile). First prize, gold-quartz sleeve-buttons won by E. Cummings.
120 Years Ago
Poetry and Passion in Capitol Building: House cleaners at work on the Capitol building have been renovating it from top to bottom. In the vault in the Secretary of State’s office an old box containing about two hundred love letters was unearthed. Some were tied in bundles by blue ribbon and some contained locks of hair. The letters did not say who the receiver or sender was. They were signed by names of the writers and addressed to “My Dearest,” and presented fairly well from the changing fashions of stationary from 1860 to Nevada’s statehood.
The letters were passed around and perused and many exclamation of wonderment at the refinement and education of the writers, and it was thought that from such a varied collection of individuals all at once must have been a veritable Aaron Burr in personal magnetism. Secretary of State Howell wanted to annex the letters to the State Library but discovered the chest had the initials of T. W. H. or Thaddeus Warsaw Healey who owned the Cupid letters. He was notified and told he could have them. The Judge Healey has not responded. Suspicion however points to this gay old bachelor who at the time was cutting a wide swath among feminine hearts in Carson and as the veritable Beau Brummel of the period.
100 Years Ago
Taking higher courses: Twelve boys and girls graduated from Carson High School and have enrolled in higher education. Anna Maud Stern, Katherine Shaffer, Williemae Lee, Frances Yerington and Bertha Anderson have entered the University of Nevada, and Merle Van Metre is a midshipman at the Naval Academy at Annapolis.
80 Years Ago
Safety Sallies: The Safety Sallies were donated to the city by the Carson City 20-30 program according to Robert E. Krebs. The painted, wooden figures were purchased through the 20-30 International. The club would also like to express its appreciation to local citizens for their courteous recognition of the Safety Sallies, which warn motorists that they are approaching school crossings.
20 Years Ago
Hobo camps: Private lands in the Brunswick Canyon area appear to draw long-term campers. “Hobo camps” make recreational river users uneasy. Although officers have cited the trespassers, without complete support of the property owners, the trespassers can’t be prosecuted.
Sunday
150 Years Ago
A flying girl: An occupant of the State Orphans Home in Carson City, a little girl about six-years old, was overcome by an angelic feeling and undertook to fly away from a second-story window of the Home. She came to the ground ker-flummix [sic], fortunately not hurting herself seriously.
130 Years Ago
For Sale: Shaw’s Hot Springs, the well-known bathing resort, two miles north of Carson City, Nevada, consisting of eight bath-houses, two swimming tanks (24x60 feet), hotel, cottage and other improvements, together with 170 acres of land.
120 Years Ago
Female footpads: To add to other claims of civic greatness, it now appears that we have a lady foot-pad in our midst who attempted to relieve an acquaintance of his watch and chain. The man was too wary and detected the attempted theft in time to save the ticker. (Chronicle)
100 Years Ago
People and notes of interest: Mrs. Mary McGrath (nee Roberts) and son Phillip were among the morning arrivals. They are visiting Mrs. McGrath’s mother, Mrs. James Roberts. (of Foreman-Roberts House).
70 Years Ago
Advertisement: “If Disaster Strikes Your Household-Be Ready. Protect Yourself Against the expense of 6 dreaded diseases including Smallpox, Polio, Spinal meningitis, Diphtheria, Scarlet Fever, Leukemia, Encephalitis, Tetanus… Annual premium only $5.00 per person, $10.00 per family regardless of size. Come in today E. H. Miller & Son. 511 N. Carson, Phone 138.”
20 Years Ago
Carson man follows dream: Dick Ham, former head of the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse took a trip around the world in six months, traveling to Germany, India, Nepal, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Korea. Ham said, “ Follow your heart and live your life…” said Dick Ham, former head of the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Tuesday
150 Years Ago
Born: In Carson City, September 5
th to the wife of J. M. Benton, a son.
130 Years Ago
Advertisement: “The St. Charles Hotel. The Two Popular Hotels, the St. Charles and Muller House are now being run under one management. And known as the St. Charles. The accommodations and table will be of the best and the bar stocked with the best Wines, Liquors and Cigars in the market. Gilbert Briggs, Prop.”
120 Years Ago
President McKinley: “Buffalo, N. Y., Sept. 6, 4:35 p.m. There is a rumor unconfirmed that President McKinley has just been shot down by an unknown man as he was going from the Exposition grounds to the hotel.”
100 Years Ago
Pioneer Day: Governor Boyle has agreed to issue a proclamation declaring Pioneer Day, September 24
th as a holiday. Pioneers throughout the state will join Carson City pioneers in a celebration that will include one of the oddest parades ever seen in this part of the country.
The pioneers will be expected to ride in all sorts of buggies, phaetons, surreys, barouches, carts and wagons labeled to show the year the occupants came to Nevada—beginning as far back as 1851. Donkey teams, mule teams and more than thirty teams of horses will be in the parade, beside automobile, old fire trucks and other relics. Two hundred elderly Indians will be on hand, in addition to Indian students and school band.
The exercises will be held at Capitol square after the parade—telling stories of old Carson City and witnessed, will make your blood run cold. Also included are races, automobile parade, concessions, merry-go-round, jitney dances and the show…
70 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Safeway—Western beer, 16 cents; whole roast coffee-Nob Hill, 1 lb. 75 cents; Jell-well desserts 3 for 21 cents; potato chips (Granny Goose) 19 cents; Pepsi-12 ounce bottle (plus deposit), 6 for 39 cents.
20 Years Ago
Refused payment: Both Medicare and private insurance refused to reimburse Betty Kruk for a PET scan that saved her life following breast cancer. The Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a new procedure that showed she had a malignant tumor.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.
