Looking west from William Street at the Dutch Mill restaurant, corner of William and Carson streets in the 1950s or '60s.
Wednesday
150 Years Ago
Advertisement: “The Old Boys” 1850. First grand annual picnic excursion of the pacific, coast pioneers to take place at the Bowers’ Mansion, Washoe Valley, June 20, 1874. Special excursion trains over the Virginia & Truckee Railroad will convey the pioneers and their friends to and from the picnic grounds, leaving Virginia City at 7:45 a.m., Gold Hill at 8 a.m. stopping at Silver City Switch, Carson City and other points for excursionists. Returning the trains will leave the grounds at 4 p.m. The National Guard of Virginia City have kindly volunteered their services as Escort of the Day, and will also by special request, give on the grounds an exhibition of their skill at target practice. The best bands of music in the state… Perfect safety and strict order will be secured by special conductors and guards on the trains… Tickets $2.50.”
140 Years Ago
Died: Dr. John Dawson Thompson was born on the Fourth of July 1826 in Huntsville and died in Salt Lake City. He came to Carson City 13 years ago and has been a familiar figure on the streets and a welcome visitor in every household. He was well educated and studied medicine in Cincinnati. He came west with the argonauts and reached this coast in 1850 and practiced medicine in Southern California until the discovery of the Comstock. He was generous, kind, always made a professional call and was a spectacle to see surrounded by a score of children. He leaves a wife, and a 13-year-old son.
130 Years Ago
Thrown from a buggy: Miss Bessie Mighels was thrown from a buggy at the Holstein Ranch and was badly bruised about the face. The horse became frightened by children playing at dusk and while they were running away overturned the buggy. Bessie’s injuries are not serious.
120 Years Ago
Narrow escape: The merciless Carson River came near claiming George Hussman while he was plowing near the riverbanks. He slipped into the river but held onto the reins. He yelled to the team, but the roar of the water drowned his voice and the team continued to plow a straight furrow along the bank. It was a narrow escape. (Record)
70 Years Ago
Photo caption: The annual Kid’s Fish Derby was a big success for the children photographed by Don Dondero as they proudly displayed their catches. From left to right they are Steve Williams, Alan Glover, Bruce Glover, Ronnie Simola and Carol Berger.
Thursday
150 Years Ago
Methodist Church has been vastly improved by the course of repairs of is exterior and interior. The steeple has been painted a becoming sandstone drab; the sometime down-tumbled minarets have been replaced… the windows modestly stained, pews and choir gallery newly modeled and grained; and a new brussels carpet has been bought. The church will be open again June 8 when the finishing of the pew-cushions and laying of the carpet will be done.
140 Years Ago
Advertisement: Renowned Columbia High Wheel Bicycles, “Standard & “Export.” Osborn & Alexander, sole agents, 628 Market St., San Francisco. Mechanics’ tools, hardware and machinery.”
130 Years Ago
All sorts: The capitol garden was ransacked of its flowers to decorate the graves of the departed soldiers for Decoration Day.
120 Years Ago
The Gold Brick: E. Cohn bought a gold brick from Max Gutter of Alameda, paying $1,700 in cash and calling square a debt of about $17,000. A criminal prosecution is expected. The Cohn brothers went to the U.S. Mint taking the brick along. The receiving clerk looked at the rough and blackened bar and thought it big enough to be worth $25,000, but it was light in weight. When they had it assayed, it did not have a trace of gold in the whole brick. It was all brass. A warrant has been issued for Gutter’s arrest.
70 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Special at Carson Hot Springs — Soup du jour, tossed green salad with roquefort or French, new potatoes, parsley butter, peas, dessert, hot biscuits and honey, all the coffee you want, choice of entrée, creamed turkey (a la Chloe) in patty shells at $1.50…”
Friday
150 Years Ago
Mumps: The mumps are in town and sufferers have told us they may be had for the catching, but the gifted of us are “better without ‘em.”
140 Years Ago
In brief: The trout have begun to bite ravenously at the lake. When a trout comes out of his winter quarters and is as lean as a rail and as hungry as a Comstock editor, he will snap at anything in sight.
130 Years Ago
Nevada State March: The music was composed by John P. Meder, played by the Exposition Band on the occasion of the Nevada Day exercises at the fair and is destined to become one of the noted marches of the day.
120 Years Ago
Floto Circus, Daredevil Diavolo: On a wheel in thin air his head downward, he loops the loop with the loop open at the top, whirling through space from dizzy rim to dizzy rim, his feet pointing to the stars, the wheel upside down, churning the air. Can the human mind and body act as a shot flies from a gun. The multitude holds its breath as he, the prince of dare devils, leaps head downward across the very jaws of death.
70 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Elect Nelson Glover, Justice of the Peace:
1. Graduate of Carson High
2. Overseas veteran of World War II
3. Twelve years’ experience with Drivers’ License Division…”
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death.