Photo provided Tallac pier is advertised in this undated historical photo.
Wednesday
155 Years Ago
Bodies recovered: The Gold Hill News says that the bodies of two men, White and Brightmore, who were killed on Monday by a cave-in in the old Chollar mine, were recovered — both much mangled.
140 Years Ago
Battle of the volunteer firefighter groups — Warrens and the Curry’s: A challenge from the belligerent Warrens was issued to the Curry’s for another battle with water. Several inflammatory speeches were made with the drift that three men holding the Warrens could clean out a dozen of the Curry men. It is probable that the next fight between the squirters will take place on the Capitol grounds, and the Warrens propose to have the Supreme Court of the state act as umpires.
130 Years Ago
All sorts: Sleighing has never been better.
70 Years Ago
Shell Oil, another well: The new well-known as Lockes Unit No. 1, drilled by Kerr-McGee Drilling Company is located six miles west of Shell’s Eagle Springs discovery well. It is currently pumping about 250 barrels of crude.
60 Years Ago
Schools closed: A blizzard in the Sierras caused power company officials and highway crews problems, but to 5,000 children at Lake Tahoe Basin schools were closed. Tahoe City already had eight feet of snow on the ground and 13 inches of new snow fell at south shore and 22 inches at the north end of Sierra Lake.
Thursday
155 Years Ago
Kentucky civilization: A young girl was taken from her house in Louisville by a party of ruffians, stripped of her clothing, and tarred and feathered. A like atrocity has never been heard of in the history of our country.
140 Years Ago
Brief mention: Pneumonia has found its way to Mason Valley.
The public schools have again convened, and the children are obliged once more to tackle their studies. The only change inaugurated is in the Kindergarten school, where they have installed Mrs. Warren Wasson as Miss Babcock’s assistant in place of Miss Nellie Parkinson.
130 Years Ago
Deadly pogonip: The clouds, came out of the mountains like huge serpents. They were not clouds of fog in the ordinary sense, but frozen fog that filled the air with millions of ice daggers instead of snow. It is known as the “pogonip” and a deadly breath if inhaled for any length of time.
70 Years Ago
Kidnap suspect (Philadelphia): A mechanic checking for a rattle in his automobile triggered the kidnap alarm when a woman reported the man shoving a boy into the trunk of his car and slamming the lid. They traced the car, and the owner explained that he put his son in the trunk to locate a rattle — his son found it.
60 Years Ago
Top 10 music: “Leader of the Pack,” Shangri-Lee. “Baby Love,” Supremes. “Ringo,” Greens. “Come a Little Bit Closer,” Jay & Americans. “She’s Not There,” Zombies. “You Really Got Me,” Kinks. “Mr. Lonely,” Vinton. “Last Kiss,” Wilson & Cavaliers. “Time Is on my Side,” Rolling Stones. “Have I the Right,” Heney Samba.
Friday
155 Years Ago
Farmers Insurance Co. It seems to be one of the best, the cheapest and surest method of obtaining life policies. Each man insured puts up “in one pot” as it were; and when any one of the parties’ interested dies, his heirs take in the whole pile. It is a wonder that this style of mutual insurance never was adopted before, it is so simple and yet so very effective.
140 Years Ago
The frozen truth (a Hank Monk story): The Piute Indians have been selling jack rabbits in astonishing quantities.
Acres of frozen rabbits: Bill Jackson visited King’s Canyon and asserts he found acres of jack rabbits frozen stiff on the ground. “You see, the cold snap drove the rabbits into the canyons out of the wind. On a moonlight night I came across a drove of over 100 making for the canyon. There were the rabbits — acres of ‘em — all huddled together in a bunch, packed like sardines, and everyone was frozen stiff as a wedge. Some Indians came along and figured they struck a meat bonanza and they’ve been luggin’ off rabbits ever since. There are thousands of frozen jack rabbits in Carson Valley. Hank Monk corroborates Jackson’s yarn but says that the present crisis of the affairs of the jack rabbits isn’t to be compared with the general destruction of the animals in 1869 when every rabbit on earth was frozen stiff.
Hank says, “Yesterday I see’d hundreds of them rabbits thawin’ out. It is a fact. Whenever the sun hit ‘em hard they’d limber up, give themselves a shake and skip away for the sagebrush. Little sugar and gin? Guess I will.”
130 Years Ago
Shut the door: People who call at the Appeal office to get warm are requested to spend as short a time as possible in passing through the door. People talk about the weather, and when they get half through, they start a little chat which they keep up for several minutes. By the time they have called and gone away they have let in 1,960 cubic feet of cold air at 16 degrees below zero.
70 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Carson Hot Springs Dining Room — Dollar Dinner Days — $1 chicken and dumplings, French fried prawns, roast turkey and dressing or breaded veal cutlets. Full meals for a buck. Come out and enjoy eating with your neighbors…”
60 Years Ago
Squires, Graham, Sparkle: Rick Squires and Terry Graham provided the scoring punch again as Carson City high school’s Senators clubbed Douglas, 72-52, in a nonconference basketball game. It was the Senators’ sixth win without defeat for the season.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.