Downtown Carson during the Nevada Day Parade in about 1950.
Saturday
150 Years Ago
Reading matter wanted: The reading matter for the use of the prisoners at the state prison is sadly deficient. There is scarcely a man or woman but what has more or less books, magazines, or papers. At the store of J.G. Fox where he places them in a box that could be sent to the warden of the prison for use of the prisoners.
140 Years Ago
In brief: Watermelons are now in the market, but as yet are for millionaires only. The Carson
River is so low that it will be difficult to get all the wood drives down. Thomas Beer of Empire caught two gray eagles on the Carson River several days ago.
120 Years Ago
All sorts: Miss Jo Roberts (of the Roberts House), who has been spending a vacation in California, came back to Carson. The Carson River is very low at Dayton, barely enough water running to supply the town.
100 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Grand Theater,” ‘The Leather Pushers’ now in motion pictures. H.C. Witwer’s famous Collier stories on the screen. Remarkable pictures of a college youth’s experience in the prize ring filmed in twelve rounds… Two shows. 10 and 30 cents.”
70 Years Ago
Graham Hardy’s country store: A glorified junk shop is opening at Carson and Third streets. The exterior of the store adds a picturesque touch to Carson’s main street. It is the former auto supply business now stuccoed and covered with an old-time business front brought from Virginia City. He got into the book publishing business and published the books, “The Virginia & Truckee, by Lucius Beebe and Charles Clegg for Virginia City residents who are railroad fans. Hardy also published “Legends of the Comstock Lode,” and “Cable Car Carnival,” also by Beebe and Clegg…
30 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Antique Show & Sale, Carson Mall (indoor), truckloads of oak and walnut furniture, pottery, primitives, …vintage clothing and much more. Free Admission.”
Sunday
145 Years Ago
The Reese River Game and Fish Protective Association have decided to order 2,000 young catfish for planting in the Reese River.
140 Years Ago
An aboriginal masher. On Sunday, a powerful Indian from Washoe City got very drunk here, and while under the influence was earnestly bent on making love to all the squaws he met. His conduct aroused the jealousy of quite a number of young Carson bucks, and about dusk he was smuggled to the outskirts of town, where he was unmercifully beaten by the offended Indians.
120 Years Ago
Reno is talking again of incorporating as a city. Outsiders would judge that there was room for it.
80 Years Ago
Nevada’s wool production for 1942 today was placed at 6,089,000 pounds for 1942. The average Nevada fleece this year will weigh an estimated 8.6 pounds per fleece recorded in 1941. The 10-year average for weight of each Nevada fleece was an even eight pounds.
40 Years Ago
The Carson City grand jury has recommended that a new maximum-security prison should be built because the existing Nevada State Prison has “design deficiencies” that make it unsuitable. The report recommended the existing prison be turned into a medium security facility.
20 Years Ago
Cleaning a 6-mile-long creek isn’t easy. In fact, after more than 15 years of research, including three years of an intensive temporary water treatment project, a complete plan on how to scrub out the stains left by Leviathan Mine is still four years away.
Tuesday
145 Years Ago
The work on the Dayton ditch — one of the largest irrigation ditches in the state – is fast approaching completion. The company of 15 carrying on the work are chiefly citizens of Dayton.
140 Years Ago
A big project. It is said that Adolph Sutro will soon erect a large hotel and bathing house on his Cliff House property. He will spare no expense to make it one of the most attractive places in the union.
120 Years Ago
Barber’s notice. We, the undersigned barbers, agree to close our shops on Sunday, commencing Aug. 3. All shops will run longer Saturday night, which will give customers ample time to get work done. Viera & Bettencourt, Jacob Muller, John Topogna, Ed. P. James, Frank S. Cliff, J.W. Harris.
80 Years Ago
The ultimate consumer of distilled spirits was reassured today by the war production board that estimates a five-year supply of whiskey is on hand for civilian use. The WPB gave manufacturers of rum on the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico permission to make as much as they wished and to store it indefinitely until ships are available to bring it to the mainland.
40 Years Ago
Southwest Gas has requested rate increases for its Northern Nevada residential and small commercial customers of nearly 50 percent. Rate increases could reach $18.11 per month for residential customers, up from $3.85 now.
20 Years Ago
A Clark County prosecutor is warning that a November ballot initiative legalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana would be a “giant step backward in public safety,” and would undercut driving under the influence cases in Nevada.
Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.
