Carson City looking north from the top of the Capitol building in 1871.
Saturday
150 Years Ago
Washoe Lake and game: Hunters who go out to Washoe Lake – The lake itself is very shallow, not deeper at any point than a man’s neck. In fact, in several places far out blades of delicate green grass may be shooting up from the surface of the transparent wager. At present geese squawk and fly about swarming and are hard to get at. The game from the lake so far has been fat and fine.
140 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Clem Berry, house cleaning and all sorts of general utility work in Carson. Office – anywhere along Main Street.”
130 Years Ago
All sorts: The pine nut crop is unusually light this year. The lightness of the crop will be evened up by the heavyweight prices.
Turkey with cranberry sauce, roast pig with apple sauce. Nothing like it on the coast. At the Ormsby House.
110 Years Ago
Seeking homes: People from other states are looking for homes, ranches, and cattle ranges in Nevada, where they recognize there are advantages and that do not exist where they now live. If you, or any of you, can give the writers the information they desire, you will be doing your state and locality a deserved service.
70 years ago
Tiny Tot Kids Contest (in part): Sponsors of the “On Stage America” minstrel show are featured in Carson and have released names of children entered so far in the “Tiny Tot Popularity Contest.” Children up to six years are eligible. Proceeds will go to the Carson City community pool. Six winners will be announced, and they will be awarded loving cups. Tiny tot contestants and the voting locations are as follows: Deborah Dondero, Kitzmeyer’s drug store; Michael Bell, Muller’s drug store; Nipper Wright, Carson Smoke Shop; Lynn Lee Pochop, Market Spot; Michael Patrick Shaughnessy, Cash Mercantile; Roland Pierini, Fireside Inn; Vicki M. McKenzie, Kitzmeyer’s drug store…
Sunday
150 Years Ago
Give it up: The life of the barber is not without its comicalities. Fred, at the corner shop opposite the Ormsby House, got hold of an elephant in the shape of a ruddy visaged young ‘un, about twenty-five years old, who had evidently had a heavy dream about his upper lip. By the actual count he had not enough bristle to number nine on a side, and what sprouts did appear could not be caught without nippers and seemed to be crawling back out of sight under the wood chopper’s lowing hide.
140 Years Ago
Chinese row: Two leathery Chinese people told Mrs. Thaxter that her husband had hired them to saw some wood. Fifteen minutes later two others climbed over the fence and began operations on the other end of the pile. The two drew nearer and began to jabber in a manner unintelligible to the listeners. By this time nine small boys in the neighborhood gathered on top of the woodshed to see the fight. Homer Thaxter appeared on the scene with a baseball bat and all four Chinese people climbed over the fence. Then the array of small boys climbed down off the woodshed and denounced Homer as to mean for any usefulness in the country.
130 Years Ago
All sorts: It was only 5 degrees above zero in the morning.
The kids are joyful; there was skating.
A schooner of frothing beer for a nickel is at Wiedlands.
110 Years Ago
Spiritual retreat: Rev. Father Dalton of San Francisco will conduct a spiritual retreat at St. Theresa’s Church. A distinguished member of the Dominican order, he has been conducting missions and spiritual retreats for some time in different sections of Nevada and is said to be a pleasing and convincing pulpit orator. Although the retreat will consist of Catholic services, people of all creeds, and even of no religious belief, are cordially invited to attend.
70 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Carson Theater— ‘Perilous Journey.’ A story set in gold country, almost womanless Sacramento, in the early days. Also playing, ‘Band Wagon’ and ‘Little Rascals’ Comedy.
Monday
150 Years Ago
Police court: His honor was sufficiently convalescent to visit a fine of $20 on that incorrigible toper, John Doe. John had been snoring in public as usual, and this being the second offense, he got a slight advance on the initial fine. The court charged him a $20 piece which he produced and retreated. These old Sunday drunks are like to be expensive.
140 Years Ago
Chinese Restriction Act: One of the good effects of this act is the fact that every girl in San Francisco who is able and willing to work, can find ready and profitable employment.
130 Years Ago
Empire notes: Wiggins Turkey Shoot and Masquerade Ball are all absorbing topics of the port of entry (turkey, chicken and throwing at ducks, and masquerade with costumes are available). The hall will be illuminated with forty incandescent lights, and he intends to run a pontoon boat over the river to the turkey range so if anybody wants to shoot at night, there will have good light to shoot by.
110 Years Ago
Leisure Hour Club: The club promises a very entertaining program at their hall. In addition to a paper to be read by Mr. E.D. Vanderlieth, a series of slides picturing the Panama exposition will be displayed on the curtain.
70 Years Ago
Snow falls in governor’s office: It snowed right on schedule in the office of Gov. Charles Russell. Boyd Quate of Denver, a representative of Water Resources Development Corp., staged a snowmaking demonstration as he had promised in the governor’s office before Russell and other state officials. He produced a box of snow 3 feet long, 2 feet wide and 2 feet high.
Tuesday
150 Years Ago
Hardware: Rail’s great hardware establishment has been receiving a winter supply of wares and merchandise. There is everything from a knitting needle to a crowbar and from a warming pan to a Medallion Range, they fitted one out there in splendid style. The elegant tank, an immense tube of copper, looked like a piece of plate – so elegant are its proportions.
140 Years Ago
In brief: Julia Beals has at last been landed in a home the insane.
130 Years Ago
Midwinter fair: Sam Davis has received the concession and closed the contract for a piece of ground to get up his ’49 exhibit. He is willing to allow the state to use a portion of the same, and to ask the agricultural board to make application.
110 Years Ago
Golden bars: Two bars of bullion from the Comstock M&M cyanide plant at Silver City valued at $2,500, and the product of the October run, were received at Woodbury’s assay office and shipped to the mint at San Francisco. It is expected that this figure will be maintained for a long time. Twelve men are employed at the works.
70 Years Ago
Lander County: Sheriff Frank Hammond found that there’s “no place like jail.” He was free again after spending nearly a week under arrest in the home of Constable George Bonner after he was found guilty of contempt of court.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.