North E Street near the railroad depot in Virginia City, probably in the late 19th century.
Wednesday
150 Years Ago
Advertisement: “W.H. Corbett, D.G. Corbett – Corbett House, one block south of the U.S. Mint, Carson Street, Carson City. Board by the week, day or meal – with or without lodging. The accommodations offered at this hotel to the traveling public are unsurpassed by any in this state. Corbett Brothers.”
140 Years Ago
Wong Fat Die, the chief mourner: He was the brother of the deceased. He knelt before the coffin. His business was to initiate everything done by the brevet mourners and in order to see what they did, he was obliged to get down on his hands and knees and look under the tables. (Continued)
130 Years Ago
All sorts: Several murderers were hanged throughout the country.
The minstrels satisfied a large audience at the Opera House.
100 Years Ago
May have radium: D.C. Mitchell of San Francisco arrived in Reno. He is carrying with him a piece of rock that attracted many visitors at the Chamber of Commerce. It is claimed that the rock contains radium. Mr. Mitchell has substantial proof that the minerals usually found in radium bearing ore are present and tests are now under way that will show that it carries the precious metal.
70 Years Ago
Tip receivers: Nevada Internal Revenue director Vaughn W. Evans reminded the state’s casino employees and others who receive tips or gratuities over and above their normal paychecks must be declared on their 1953 income tax returns.
Thursday
150 Years Ago
A yarn: The Reveille makes light of Shep Wixom’s attempt to commit suicide by hanging himself in his cell with his socks. That paper evidently doesn’t credit Shep’s yarn.
140 Years Ago
Wong Fat Die, the transparencies: The rebel transparencies were facsimile of those carried in the great rebellion of 1855. They were oblong, triangular, globular, diamond shaped… (Continued)
130 Years Ago
Music hath charms: The Appeal editor, as following the Barlow band up and down the street yesterday, he was so interested in the splendid music that he didn’t notice a high place in the sidewalk. He ran his head into a sack of coal in front of rails, tore his pants on a buckeye reaper, and threw one overshoe on the roof of the Warren Engine House. The other went through a window in Jacobs’ tailor shop, and the band played on.
100 Years Ago
First snow: Carson was visited by the first snow in this valley for the season. There was about three inches in this valley while a good fall is reported in the mountains.
Born: In this city, Jan. 14, 1904, to the wife of D.W. Quill, a son.
70 Years Ago
Pickle eaters: National Pickle Packers Association reported pickle consumption hit an all-time high in 1953. Americans chomped a total of $30.5 million cases of pickles according to the association.
Friday
150 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Grand Ball will be given at the Merzbach-Burns Dancing Academy, under the auspices of Union Lodge No. 4, I.C.G.T. Jan. 22, 1874, for the benefit of the Orphans’ Home. Tickets without supper, $2.50. Dancing to commence at 8 o’clock sharp.”
140 Years Ago
Wong Fat Die, at the grave: The procession filed through the streets and was nearly an hour when the wagon in the rear containing the roast pig, etc. reached the grave. The band of subsidized mourners stationed themselves about the trave and at a given signal turned loose. There were seven women in the lamentation corps, and they decried like the mischief at $1 an hour… When the hour was up, they stopped crying promptly by the watch, and the friends of the deceased in order to show how they felt gave them $3 more to start crying again. The funeral was very ably conducted by Mr. Sam Wright the urban undertaker of this city.
130 Years Ago
Off the track: When the passenger train was a short distance from Franktown on its way to Carson, the engine encountered a huge drift of snow and the locomotive, and the two forward cars left the rails. The drift had been rained on and had frozen solid. The engine was found at right angles with the track and about 100 feet of rails were torn up. The engine was found at right angles with the track and the baggage car on the other.
100 Years Ago
All sorts: The sound of sleigh bells was the tune that greeted the Carsonites.
70 Years Ago
1954 licenses: Sixty bicycle licenses have been sold this year according to Geraldine Lamb. So far only 22 dogs have been licensed. Dog Licenses are $1.50 for males and $2.50 for females.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.