Wednesday
150 Years Ago
Spookish clock: A common pendulum clock at the Florida mine had not ticked or moved a hand for a year; the pendulum laid in the bottom of the case. All of the sudden the clock struck “ten,” and there was movement of the machinery that went on for an hour and a half and then quit. The action of the dilapidated clock made some of the boys believe that “something out of the common way is going to happen to somebody.’” (Reese River Reveille)
140 Years Ago
Brief mention: The Eureka Leader says that the arrival of a keg of beer at this office betokens an early Fall instead of an early Spring. The compositors won the Fall after six hours struggling with the keg.
We chained a pair of scissors to the desk with a dog chain and before night the “devil” had them in the back room cutting up a blotting pad into sections to make a gem puzzle.
130 Years Ago
Peeping Tom: In Grass Valley there is a “Peeping Tom” who watches women disrobe at night. He is still at large, and although pursuing the nefarious vocation for two weeks, he was once shot at. That he will be killed in the future is confidently expected as citizens are watching for him with shotguns.
100 Years Ago
New prison constructed: Governor Boyle presided over a meeting of the state prison guard where general plans were formulated and adopted for the construction of a new prison. It will be erected on the old prison grounds and the first unit of 100 concrete cells will be placed at the west end of the present edifice and run north and south. Two buildings will be torn down, and the stone from these will be used in constructing the new building. Convicts will furnish the labor.
50 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Furnished Models Open Daily,” Young America Homes, Park Terrace, $20,550 to $22,550, 3 and 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, award winning kitchens, cathedral ceilings, interior laundry areas, glamourous baths, no down to G. I.’s – Minimum down F. H. A., J. D. Smith Realty—Directions: approx. 1 ½ miles east of Carson City on Highway 50.”
20 Years Ago
New post office: A new $7.5 million post office is on schedule for November 1 at the corner of Roop Street and Little Lane. The 37,000 square-foot post office will replace the post office on Washington Street, used since 1970. The new building is constructed in the style of the Paul Laxalt State Building.
Thursday
150 Years Ago
Advertisement: “Fourth Literary Entertainment by the members of the Adelphi Club to consist of readings at the Methodist Church. Programme: ‘Paul Revere’s Ride’ (Longfellow) read by George A. Tyrell… ‘The Raven’ (E. A. Poe) read by H. S. Mason, a ’Combat Scene’ from the Lady of the Lake (Scott) read by George A. Tyrrell. Admission free. Doors open at 7 ½ o’clock [sic]. Reading to commence at 8 promptly.”
140 Years Ago
Easter eggs: Everybody must have an Easter egg, and it is estimated that there is not an egg in town that has not been colored. If eggs are boiled in pitch, they will be black. A bright yellow egg has been obtained by mixing a couple pounds of gold dust in the pot where the eggs are boiled and stirring it rapidly for a half an hour with a wooden spoon. Green eggs will be provided when spring grass is thrown into the pot, but a few pounds of verdigris intensifies the color. The last of the compounds impregnates the eggs and a basketful distributed to a juvenile baseball club will cause the death of the entire nine in twenty minutes.
130 Years Ago
Rev. Bird: Mr. Bird’s appearance in the pulpit is very pleasant. He is tall and of good figure, has a rather peculiar head, good face, with a handsome mouth and teeth. His hands are rather too small and effeminate for so large a man. He is a well-bred, well educated English gentleman. He looks at you with a face that smiles of its own accord, and tells you in a pleasant, confidential kind of way, what God has done.
100 Years Ago
City to take charge: The Greater Carson Club and city trustees made tentative arrangements for the turning over of free camping grounds and its improvements to the city. If approved, the city will keep up maintenance of the grounds.
50 Years Ago
Lear—no steam engine: Industrialist William P. Lear who has spent $6 millions of his own money without government support, announced he will no longer try to produce a smog-free steam engine for automobiles.
20 Years Ago
Photo caption: Eagle dancers Gordon Frazier and grandson Bryson Frazier of Nixon, take a break after their performance at the Spring Awakening festival at the gymnasium in the Stewart Indian School Museum in Carson City. The thunder of drums echoed through the gymnasium during a Jingle Dance.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.
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