Photo provided Tallac pier is advertised in this undated historical photo.
Wednesday
150 Years Ago
The Odd Fellows Hall: The room is on the second story of the building on the corner of Plaza and Musser and has been fitted up at a cost of over $4,000. The ceiling has been raised and arched so that it is 16 feet in the middle and 11 feet high on the sides. The main lodge room is 26 x 60 feet with two anterooms and five small five rooms for paraphernalia of the order. The wainscoting is imitation of oak and around the room are placed the chairs. The hall is lighted with gas — there being two chandeliers with eight burners each and four single wall burners in the main lodge room. It is supplied with an Estey Cottage Organ.
140 Years Ago
Death of William Wild: William Wild, known as “Doc” died last evening. He was a resident of this county and worked in the mines of the Sacramento District until some of his fingers were blown off by a premature explosion. He had many friends and was a member of Hose Company No. 1. The flag on the hose-house hangs at half-mast as a mark of respect to his memory. The firemen are requested to meet at their hall and attend the funeral.
130 Years Ago
All sorts: Ladies in Virginia City are obliged to pack six shooters to keep hoodlums from insulting them. The Comstock would be better off if about a dozen of its young toughs were made targets of.
70 Years Ago
Capital pelted by radioactive hail: Some of the hail stones pelting the nation’s capital were the size of tennis balls. Children sucked the stones. Later it was discovered the stones were radioactive. Three scientists of the Navy’s hydrographic office said the radioactivity was of “low value” and so the stone-sucking kids showed no “apparent ill effects.”
60 Years Ago
Centennial issue: The issue of the Nevada Highways and Parks went on sale at local newsstands. The special 64-page issue contains an array of articles by prominent western writers and historians. Nevada’s Walter Van Tilberberg Clark, author of the “Oxbow Incident” and “Track of the Cat,” is represented by an article on the colorful Alf Doten Comstock newspaper…
Thursday
150 Years Ago
Runaway: A lad from New York went from Carson to Lake Tahoe and was allowed to ride a horse from the hotel at Glenbrook to the stable. Then he decided to ride further and turned the horse into the road when the latter started on a run and was then out of sight with the boy who was terribly frightened and hallowing whoa at every jump. The lad’s mother was on the verge of hysterics. The boy was found thrown off, but uninjured, about a mile away. His horse-riding adventures are over.
140 Years Ago
A new telephone company: W.S. Bender and others are organizing a company to operate the molecular or cork telephone. It is an improvement over anything heretofore known, and costs half as much as the bell and operates twice as well. The company has the right for Nevada, Oregon and California. H.M. Yerington will be president…
130 Years Ago
Advertisement: “W.E. Adams. Dealer in fresh home-made and imported candies, gum and nuts, popcorn and finest brand of cigars, tobacco, stationery, lemons, limes, oranges, and all fresh fruits in season. Orders left at the store will receive prompt attention. Opposite post office.”
70 Years Ago
Personnel Department seeks secretaries: Most positions are located in Carson City. Senior clerk stenographers start at $250 per month with merit increases to $302. Principal clerk stenographers earn from $288 to $347 monthly.
60 Years Ago
Profiles: One new television series will start its season of “Profiles in Courage” with President John F. Kennedy. After his election, many producers sought his best-selling book about moral courage as a basis for the series.
Friday
150 Years Ago
Sutro’s lecture: The great phantasmagoria. Through the columns of the Virginia Dependent of the great conservator of the people’s right and interests, who would not steal the mines because they are too hot to carry off, you know, announces that he will lecture in this city in August. We advise all to go and hear him for the sight is as good as a menagerie and the language is rich.
140 Years Ago
All sorts: Diphtheria has again broken out on the Comstock.
The circus will pitch its tents near the box factory. The V.& T. Railroad will run a special train from Virginia City to enable the Comstockers to attend the circus.
130 Years Ago
All sorts: Low water in the Carson River, and Mexican Mill is closed in consequence.
Adolph Sutro has been nominated by the populists as mayor of San Francisco.
70 Years Ago
Band concert: Fifteen musical selections are on the program for the Carson volunteer band concert on the Capitol lawn. The band is under the direction of A. (Dutch) Berning Jr. Selections for the evening in part are (in part): “Mexicali Rose,” “Beer Barrel Polka,” “Glow Worm,” “Mocking Bird Hill” and the “Star Spangled Banner” …
60 Years Ago
TV Guide: Channel 2 “Woody Woodpecker,” “You Asked for It,” “Seven Seas,” “Expedition,” “High Road” “Stump the Stars,” Bill Dana,” “Groucho” and a movie.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.