Millenium countdown: 1915

84 days to the millennium - 84 years ago - Friday, Jan. 8, 1915

Paper: The Carson City Daily Appeal, published each evening except Sunday by the Nevada Printing Company

Editor: T.D. Van Devort

Manager: H.J. Coogan

Subscriptions: 1 year in advance by carrier $12. One year in advance by mail $9.

In today's issue, Jan. 8, 1915, World War I is in full swing having started a year ago, but the United States won't join in the fray until April 16, 1917. Most of the Appeal's front page headlines come from distant dispatches, but the inside pages are full of local news.

In the columns for today the Appeal writes about the funeral of James D. Roberts.

Roberts was a native of Illinois who moved to Nevada in 1857. In 1859, he settled in Washoe City where he owned and operated a saloon called the Lake House. The hotel burned in 1866 and Roberts lost about $8,000.

In 1873, Roberts and his wife Annie G. Roberts moved to Carson City bringing their home which they built in Washoe City with them on a Virginia & Truckee Railroad flat car.

Painted yellow and white the two-story Gothic Revival style home still stands at 1207 N. Carson St. where the Roberts placed it in 1873.

The house is owned by the Nevada Landmarks Society and is used as a museum.

Roberts served with Capt. Edward Farris Storey in the Pyramid Indian War in 1860. Thompson & West's "History of Nevada" says J.D. Roberts and a contingent of others located land for farming along the Truckee River near Pyramid Lake. The locations were made in late June of 1860.

James Roberts died Jan. 6, 1915. On Nov. 12, 1899 Alf Doten wrote in his journal that he wrote out a certificate Roberts regarding his membership in the pioneer society.

"Nov 12 (1899) ... PM I wrote out for Jas D Roberts guard of the State Prison a certificate that he was and still is a member in good standing in the Pacific Coast Pioneers ... I found Roberts' name on the Registry book of the Society yesterday - it was in his own handwriting, under date of June 1, 1874 when he joined, stating that he was born in the year 1826, and came from Cincinnati, Ohio across the Plains to California in 1849, arriving September 10.

Roberts fathered nine children, though some of these died in infancy. The famous Washoe Native American basket maker Dat So La Lee, used to sit in the Roberts' yard and weave baskets beneath the trees. Annie Roberts baked bread for her and other Native Americans who visited.

A natural spring supplied water to the home. Many of the trees and lilacs at the Goni home next door were grown from cuttings taken from the Roberts House.

Thurman G. Roberts, James son was the last Roberts to live in the home. He was a miner and an employee of the Carson & Colorado Railroad.

The funeral notice on Jan. 8 was run under the headline "Laid at Rest"

The funeral of the late James D. Roberts took place from the family residence on Upper Carson street this afternoon, the remains being followed to the family plot at Lone Mountain cemetery by many friends and relatives of the aged pioneer. General Hagerman, Fred Knoblock, Harry Day, Judge J. F. Bartine, George Meyers and Walter Chedic acted as pallbearers for their departed friend.

Roberts' obituary said he "was one of the old guard who braved the perils of the unknown and come to the coast in the first days of the California Gold excitement."

Other local items of interest included;

Under the title "Strayed" the Appeal wrote: From the Sam Davis ranch one black, five-months-old pig, boar. Reward for its recovery. Address box 494, Carson City.

"How Long, Oh Lord, How Long."

Many complaints have been heard the past few days from residents living north of the railroad depot because of their inability to get gas, due, so the company says, to the freezing up of the pipes. the local office has made some effort to locate the part of the system which is frozen up, but being short of help its progress has been slow. Meanwhile consumers who depend on gas to cook their meals eat out of cans or go to the hotels and restaurants.

"Notice"

No hunting allowed in field known as the Kirman ranch, trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. By order of the H. F. D. L. & L. Co.

Nye County was having its share of problems at the time fighting with White Pine over territory. Under the headline "Want Slice of Nye" the Appeal wrote: When the divisionist of White Pine county get what they want of the north and northeastern end of Nye county and Clark gets its share from the southern portion, there will not be enough of the old county to swear by. But the old-timers in the county do not intend to sit idly by and let the clippers consummate their schemes. The Nye delegation will come to Carson with their fighting clothes on.

Nye sheriff had only good things to say about his attacked county.

Under the headline "Brought in Prisoner" the Appeal wrote: Charles L. Slavin, sheriff of Nye county, was an arrival on last night's train from the south having in custody Harry Stratton, convicted of burglary and sentenced to one year's imprisonment in the state institution. Mr. Slavin, who is also assessor of his county, states that Nye, though probably having the lowest tax rate of any county in the state, is in a flourishing condition financially and is looking to the future with hope and cheerfulness.

Under the "Personal Mention" column the Appeal noted a visit by Lyon County sheriff.

Sheriff Dick Randall of Lyon County was in from Dayton last evening, returning later via auto.