Carson City looking north from the top of the Capitol building in 1871.
Wednesday
145 years ago
The Mexican War veterans are making extensive preparations for their ball on the evening of Washington’s birthday, and the same promises to be one of the most brilliant and popular parties of the season.
140 years ago
In Gold Hill they are raffling off houses and lots which a few years since were valued at from $2,000 to $5,000 each. The number of chances in each raffle are from 200 to 300, and are sold for $1 apiece.
120 years ago
The management of the Electric Light Company have ordered an expert from San Francisco to thoroughly go over the electric machinery. Various difficulties have occurred during the past month, shall in themselves, but which have caused a number of shut downs.
80 years ago
Andy Welliver of the Reno police department is making plans to install a system here which he thinks will put a halt to tire and tube stealing. Since the government halted the sale of tires and tubes and started a strict rationing program, several cases have been reported of theft. Welliver is proposing painting license numbers with indelible ink on the tires.
40 years ago
Playing at “The Movies” this week: “Whose Life is it Anyways,” “The Seduction,” “Arthur,” and “Reds.”
20 years ago
President Bush approves Nevada’s Yucca Mountain for long term disposal of thousands of tons of radioactive nuclear waste. U.S. Sen. Harry Reid calls Bush a liar.
Thursday
145 years ago
An alarm of fire was given last evening about 8:30 o’clock and immediately after a large number of men and boys were congregated on Carson street. The announcement that the Theater was on fire with a large audience within created considerable excitement, but fortunately the rumor proved false. The cause of the alarm originated from a slight fire about a stove pipe in a building in the rear of the Theater.
140 years ago
On Tuesday Washoe county sent a man from China here to be confined in the State Prison for one year for keeping an opium den. That’s right; too much of that kind of justice cannot be meted out.
120 years ago
Half of the population of this city is sick with bad colds or a light form of la grippe. If you see a man with an overcoat on, he’s got it.
80 years ago
Ninety men had registered at the selective service headquarters in the basement of the Ormsby county building at noon today. Today’s registration was the third so far for the United States since the start of the Second World War.
40 years ago
Climbing unemployment and a national recession pushed retail sales in Carson City down 10 percent in the final quarter of 1981.
20 years ago
As the 2002 Winter Olympics rage in Salt Lake City, organizers trying to bring the games to Reno-Tahoe region in 2014 or 2018 are taking incremental steps.
Friday
145 years ago
The Reno Vigilance Committee is one of the probabilities of the near future. Such a reign of terror and lawlessness is said to exist there, that the law is powerless, and the citizens propose to take the punishment into their own hands.
140 years ago
The Chinese were about town yesterday clad in holiday attire, celebrating the first day of their new year. There is not as much cracking of firecrackers and bombs as in former years. They feel the effect of hard times as well as others.
120 years ago
Word comes from Reno that another case of small pox has developed. This makes seven cases in all. The disease seems to be in a very mild form and the patients that are confined to the pest house are all on the road to recovery.
80 years ago
War production board sources predicted today that more than 2 million women will be working in American war industries by the end of this year — many of them performing tasks thus far assigned only to men.
40 years ago
Lakeview residents are asking what Carson City is going to do to repair roads after massive damage after Monday’s rain.
20 years ago
When the Santa Fe train pulls up to the station at the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada, an 8-year-old may be at the controls. The Museum recently received the train set and village from Jerry Phillips and his wife, from Gardnerville.
Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.
