Looking west from William Street at the Dutch Mill restaurant, corner of William and Carson streets in the 1950s or '60s.
Saturday
150 Years Ago
Freezing: A man got into the passenger train while laboring under the influence of liquor and proceeded to Reno. On the road he continued to indulge in a strong drink and was in a state of stupor when he reached his destination. Two hours afterward he was found laying in the snow off the north end of the platform, insensible from the effects of liquor and the cold.
When the passenger train had left his legs were still rigid to a point above the knees, and it was feared that he might lose both feet from the effects of the frost.
140 Years Ago
Advertisement: “A positive cure without medicine, patented October 1876. One box No. 1 will sure any case in four days or less. No. 2 will cure the most obstinate case, no matter how long standing. Allan’s soluble medicated bougies. No nauseous doses of cubebs, copula, or oil of sandalwood that are certain to produce dyspepsia by destroying the coating of the stomach. Price $1.50… J.C. Allan Co., 83 John St., New York.”
130 Years Ago
Advertising: “Hotel Ormsby. New management. This famous hotel will from this data furnish the finest meals to be had in this city for 25 cents. Also fine, large, airy rooms for 25 cents and upwards… W.H. Chedic, manager.”
100 Years Ago
All sorts: It is snowing.
Owners of cutters may look for a jolly good time within a few days.
A carload of fine mules arrived here from Illinois for Mr. Cole Atherton.
70 Years Ago
New Meyer subdivision: There is to be a new subdivision north of Bath St. Ned A. Turner, owner of 840 feet of land adjoining the housing development said he was in favor of any new housing and growth in Carson City. If the Meyer subdivision is adapted as proposed by the builders, I have no objection as long as it does not affect the Sierra Vista Trailer court in any way.
Sunday
150 Years Ago
Pogonip: The name Pogonip is the Shoshone, Piute, Goshute or some other Indian name for a driving bank of storm clouds as those that cover the Sierra. It happens when a great rolling mass of spray-like clouds occur along the side and down the canyons of the mountains.
140 Years Ago
Burglars around: Night before last several burglaries were committed in the city. Scott’s saloon was broken into and $50 in silver and a watch were taken from the till. The Telegraph cigar store was entered, and the bold burglars carried off six bits.
130 Years Ago
Insane: Col. Wm. H. Chamberlin, the bright and active young politician, is a mere wreck of his former self. His mind is gone, and his friends have placed him in a private insane asylum. (San Francisco)
100 Years Ago
All sorts: A couple train cars of Montana ore passed through this city on the way to the smelter.
Elko reports 25 below zero.
70 Years Ago
Coffee prices: Coffee prices will rise in a steady spiral. Householders have rushed to stock up on the beans needed for America’s favorite hot beverage. Coffee is becoming so precious that a gang in Chicago high-jacked 12,000 pounds from a warehouse. Police said coffee had joined liquor and cigarettes as a high-grade form of loot.
Monday
150 Years Ago
Inundated streets: The warm rain dissolved the surface snow and softened the ice, until in the watercourses, torrents of muddy water came roaring down, in places where these floods met obstructions they spread out in wide streams. On Telegraph Street from the Episcopal Church down to Ormsby (now Curry) Street and in front of the Curry mansion and the parsonage and in about Platt’s and Dr. Herrick’s houses, every pathway and street crossing and the streets themselves were one vast sheet of water.
140 Years Ago
Delightful compound: Mr. Lenhart, the druggist and superior chemist, has had the dream of his life to take away all the terrors of medicine. He has been able to produce a castor oil which bears no resemblance to castor oil. It is positively a palatable and delightful compound. It looks like cream syrup and has a pleasant wintergreen flavor. While the oil thus prepared loses its disagreeable taste, it parts with none of its medicinal properties. The price per bottle is 25 cents.
130 Years Ago
Coast news: Mrs. C. Calori of Los Angeles shot and seriously wounded her husband. He endeavored to force her to go on the streets and play an accordion as has been his custom for some time past. She objected as she is in delicate health.
100 Years Ago
A real cowboy: Joe Monaghan, a well-known cowboy, died suddenly in Oregon at age 54. When the body was being prepared for burial, it was found that the deceased was a woman. For 25 years she rode the ranches of eastern Oregon and was widely known as an expert, faithful and untiring cowboy. Nothing is known of her antecedents. She served on juries in Oregon and voted at all elections.
70 Years Ago
Ski clinic: Jerry Wetzel, former ski coach at the University of Nevada, and Hal Codding, former Olympic ski team member, will hold a ski clinic in the Carson High School study hall. It is open to children and adults and will furnish information to anyone interested in skiing. The clinic is being sponsored by the Carson Smoke Shop and Reno Sports Center.
Tuesday
150 Years Ago
Sierra Seminary: The seminary is in flourishing condition. The excellency of Miss Clapp’s teachings has fully reasserted itself. The skillful and experienced teacher has at present a most interesting school of 50 children, the larger portion whom are boys and girls. Miss Clapp is fond of teaching, having a native relish for leading the young ideas to development and is remarkably successful in the praiseworthy calling of her own choice.
140 Years Ago
In brief: The town is full of petty larceny thieves, burglars and similar characters.
Miss Geiger, of Virginia (City), is a guest at the residence of Judge T.D. Edwards.
Nearly all the water pipes in town were found to be frozen yesterday morning.
Coombs, the slayer of Jack Ross, is said to have been a Methodist preacher at one time.
130 Years Ago
All sorts: Carson is enjoying phenomenal weather. The streets about Carson are in good condition and several bicycles were out yesterday.
100 Years Ago
Luck changed: Jerry Ahern was burned out at Delamar in 1901 and went to Tonopah in August. He started a mercantile business in a “brown tent” with $180 capital. He now owns $50,000 in stock; his building and the lot are paid for. He is truthfully able to say he owns one of the largest mercantile businesses in the state.
70 Years Ago
Carson Theater to close: The present Carson Theatre will close, and the new one will open Feb. 5, 1954, A.R. Bowen announced. The new cinemascope screen has been shipped from Chicago, and chairs have arrived for installation. The grand opening will feature “The Eddie Cantor Story.”
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.