Wednesday
150 Years Ago
Weather and mail: No outside mails by either route have reached this place for ten days due to the snow that has fallen to great depths on the Esmeralda Mountains. The snow was three-feet deep at Benton and Aurora. The river is very high in the vicinity of Aurora.
140 Years Ago
Activity at the Arlington: Americans living at the Hotel have been interested in watching the newly arrived Chinese Minister, his wife and their servants. They are unable to read numbers on doors and are likely to be found in one part of the house or another and sometimes have entered by mistake when the latter were in them. Of course it is embarrassing for a lady standing in her petticoats in the act of wiggling herself headforemost into a “jersey” to hear the door suddenly open, followed by a guttural exclamation, and catch a glimpse, as she gets one eye above the clone-clinging garment.
120 Years Ago
Looking for a camp ground: General Young and staff will arrive in Reno and inspect the country back of Steamboat Springs for the purpose of selecting twenty thousand acres of ground as a camping group for the entire military force on the coast next Summer, bringing of thousands of soldiers here. (Journal)
Governor Sadler sent a telegram to General Young inviting him to inspect this valley for the purpose of a camp ground, but the telegram arrived too late.
80 Years Ago
Old-timers say present storm worst: Dr. W. H. Cavell, Carson City dentist, who was born in Carson City remembers one year many years ago. “But I remember we piled snow in the middle of the main street and made tunnels so that people could cross from one side to the other,” he recalled.
70 Years Ago
Governor Russell: The Governor was presented with a beautiful 10-pound cake compliments of the Sperry Flour company of San Francisco and E. O. Boywer, president of the pioneer firm. It wasn’t Governor Russell’s birthday, but part of Sperry’s 100
th anniversary. The cake was made by “Miss Sperry,” Miss Marilyn Graffis of Stockton, a music student at the College of the Pacific.
20 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Ironwood Stadium Cinema 9, 1760 US Highway 395, Minden: ‘A Beautiful Mind’ with Russell Crowe & Jennifer Connelly; ‘Lord of the Rings’ with Elijah Wood & Sir Ian McKellen; ‘Ali’ with Will Smith…”
Thursday
150 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Adolph Jacobs, proprietor of the Cigar Store of the Ormsby House Corner, Carson City, Nevada. Keeps the Finest Brands of Havana Cigars, Pipes, fine cutlery.”
140 Years Ago
Firebell: A fire broke out in a dwelling on the corner of Spear and Carson streets at the home of merchant tailor, F. Johnson. That the wind was blowing hard, and the fire was confined to one building was a matter of luck. The fire companies were fast in getting out, but it was some time before they could get any water. The Curry Company couldn’t get water from the hydrant in front of Kitzmeyers furniture store as it was frozen. The Warren hose cart found the hydrant at the Stone Market frozen. Warm water was poured into it and in turning a pin, the valve broke. The cistern at Telegraph and Curry streets worked . When the fire was first discovered in Mr. Johnson’s house, outsiders rushed in and assisted removing the furniture. The building was completely destroyed.
120 Years Ago
Powder explosion: Dr. Huffaker was called to Mound House to attend to three victims. Mr. Fisher, employed at the gypsum quarry was thawing a stick of giant powder in the stove when it exploded. Mr. Fisher received a severe scalp wound. His little child asleep in the room received a bad scalp wound. Mrs. Fisher who is an invalid, was thrown to the floor and injured.
80 Years Ago
Popular features in Nevada Appeal: Six of the most popular newspaper features start in the Nevada Appeal. Four new comic strips make their bow this afternoon: “Joe Palooka” by Ham Fisher, “Red Ryder” by Fred Harman, "Dixie Dugan” who features new fashions and “The Jackson Twins,” a family-type series. There will be a daily editorial page cartoon by Reg Manning and a column by Henry McLemore, the laugh-smith.
70 Years Ago
Up in flames: A 1949 Kaiser sedan belonging to Elmer Sturgeon of Carson City was nothing but a shell as a result of a fire. As they were drifting 18-miles east of Dayton on U.S. 50, the first sign of trouble developed when lights on the car started to blink. Then the motor quit. They raised the hood, the wind blew on the motor and a fire started.
20 Years Ago
Third term: A New Year’s resolution for Al Kramer was to seek re-election to a third term as Carson City’s treasurer. Kramer is responsible for the city’s $50 million investment portfolio, banking duties and $23 million in property tax collections…
Friday
150 Years Ago
Severe accident: Alfred Helm, Clerk of the Supreme Court, received a dispatch from Virginia City stating that his wife’s brother had one leg badly shattered and the other broken. The unfortunate one was placed under the care of Dr. Bronson.
140 Years Ago
No to show business: Hank Monk has had an offer of $250 per month and all expenses paid for one year, to exhibit himself in the larger Eastern cities as the man of Horace Greeley fame. He declined the tempting offer. He hasn’t seen a place larger than Virginia City in over twenty years.
120 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Peterson & Springmeyer, successors to P. H. Peterson, (Old Sacramento Hay Yard). We deal in only the best of Hay, Barley, Oats. Hay delivered by the bale or ton. Stabling for 100 head of stock. Wood for sale in any quantity, cut or four feet long.
80 Years Ago
Advertisement: “No fooling. This is Plain Horse Sense. It doesn’t pay to “skimp” on a grease job. The chassis and springs on your car take a terrific beating every time you drive it… Jud Lamb, 76 Union Oil Products, North Carson Street, Phone 220.”
70 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Carson Theatre — Walt Disney’s masterpiece, ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in technicolor.”
20 Years Ago
Little Tykes: A worker, Carrie Nelson, discovered that her six-year old business had been robbed. All the closet doors were opened and between 70 and 80 children’s videos were gone. “They took the pillowcases and just filled them with all the (compact Disks) and video tapes.” Also taken were two portable stereos, cash and a sleeping bag—total value between $2,500 and $2,700.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.
