Carson City looking north from the top of the Capitol building in 1871.
Wednesday
155 Years Ago
The railway — We took a ride yesterday on the cars from Carson through Empire to the Brunswick Mille — nearly. The distance is something over six miles. The work of laying the track is progressing very rapidly, nearly or quite a mile per day. At this rate it will not be long before the screech of the Ormsby will astonish the Virginians, Snarleyow to the contrary notwithstanding. As we were whizzing along through the sagebrush, over the smooth, well-made road, we could not help thinking “Bless me, this is pleasant riding on a rail!”
140 Years Ago
It is generally believed that the causes which led to the killing of a Paiute Indian by the Chinese, lay in the fact that he had several times informed the authorities of the liquor selling to the Indians, indulged in by the Chinese. Through this information several of the liquor sellers had been arrested, and they determined to rid the world of him. From the appearance of the body at least a dozen men must have “taken a whack at it.” One wound in particular showed the fiendish disposition of the murderers.
120 Years Ago
During the campaigns of 1894 and 1896, George S. Nixon was owner and editor of the Winnemucca Silver State newspaper. We publish a few extracts from his pen written in those stirring days that evidently tried George’s soul: Send the Republicans to Hell. The Lord buried lucifer from heaven into hell. He had less justification for that act than the people of the state of Nevada have for a similar treatment of Hannaites in Nevada. Silver State, of October. (Nixon went on to serve in the U.S. Senate as a Republican)
60 Years Ago
There are a number of excellent reasons why Carson City high school should defeat White Pine in Saturday’s “AA” Conference football game at Ely but let us not count our victories before they’re hatched.
40 Years Ago
The Republican Party will go into the Nov. 6 general election with a strong registration edge in Nevada’s three most populous northern counties. For the first time in recent years the GOP edged the Democrats in Washoe County, the second largest in the state.
Thursday
155 Years Ago
Relic of the Donner Party. We are informed by a gentleman who arrived from Donner Lake yesterday that on Tuesday last a man named Haskins, while digging beneath the old Donner cabin, discovered an old iron lamp of the Dutch pattern, which had undoubtedly belonged to the Donner party, the heads of which perished there the winter of 1846. The lamp will be donated to the California Pioneer Association. — Sacramento Record
140 Years Ago
Military order. Attention Company F. Carson Guards I hereby order every member of said company to appear in full dress uniform for inspection. By order James Laing, O.S., A.M. Starling C.C.
120 Years Ago
During the campaigns of 1894 and 1896, George S. Nixon was owner and editor of the Winnemucca Silver State newspaper. We publish a few extracts from his pen written in those stirring days that evidently tried George’s soul: One of the greatest stains upon American manhood is the sale of elective franchise. — Silver State of Sept. 18, 1894
60 Years Ago
Photo caption. An honored guest — of Nevada’s Chinese will be Miss Chinatown, USA, Josie Leong of San Francisco, at the Salute to Chinese Pioneers to be held in Reno, Sparks and Virginia City on Nevada’s centennial year.
40 Years Ago
Not even Bill Koplin’s 930 turbo-charged 1978 Porsche helped in a snowstorm. Since it didn’t, Koplin drove his other car from Lake Tahoe to Reno for Tuesday’s grand opening ceremonies of Porsche’s new North American headquarters.
Friday
155 Years Ago
There are now 36 convicts confined to the Nevada State Prison — two of whom are federal prisoners. An invoice of state prisoners is looked for form the “Great East” soon, as the jails of Elko, White Pine, and Lander counties are full of U.P. Fellows who are seeking distinction by being passed to the more sublime position of a state convict.
140 Years Ago
Francis recaptured. Francis, the prisoner, who escaped from the state prison a few days ago was captured at Soda Springs, yesterday by Sheriff Robb of Esmeralda.
120 Years Ago
During the campaigns of 1894 and 1896, George S. Nixon was owner and editor of the Winnemucca Silver State newspaper. We publish a few extracts from his pen written in those stirring days that evidently tried George’s soul: Abraham Lincoln, as if by inspiration from heaven, warned his countrymen and his party of the calamities which are now upon us. He sounded the alarm as the fire-bell by night. His party heeded not but continued to riot and to revel in legislating the substance of the people into a capacious maw of corporate greed, while the people slumbered and heeded not, and rallied at the party cry, and then forged the corroding chains which now fetter them.
60 Years Ago
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has its list of 10 most wanted persons. Nevada’s gambling enforcers have their own list — of the 11 least wanted. The list contains the names of 11 underworld men considered “notorious and unsavory” enough to be banned from the state’s legal gambling casinos.
40 Years Ago
Longtime Nevada rancher and former state senator Fred Settlemeyer of Minden was honored recently as he resigned from the Senior Advisory Board of the College of Agriculture, University of Nevada, Reno.
Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.