Past Pages Dec. 27

130 YEARS AGO

There was a considerable number of visitors at the Orphan's Home to witness distribution of the gifts among the children. The entire program, as laid out by Colonel and Mrs. Mills, passed off excellently, and it is certain there was not a happier lot of little ones in the State than were at the Home last night. Senator Fair yesterday caused the following articles to be sent to the prison for the convicts: Three barrels of fine crushed sugar, five boxes of apples, two boxes of tobacco, and one box clay pipes.

100 YEARS AGO

What was probably one of the most stubbornly fought and fatal gun fights ever held in this State took place in Lovelock with both contestants dead as the result. At the noon hour a prominent rancher and a farm hand met and emptied their pistols at one another, enough bullets striking each man so that both were dead. The result was a family affair, which both men were interested.

70 YEARS AGO

Nevada Senator McCarran will push his plan next month for a separate Air Force for the U.S. With a unified command.

50 YEARS AGO

After 39 years of highway service, former District Two Engineer J.L. Hancock has retired. In 1922 when Hancock began his service, the highway program was less than five years old. In his service, the highways grew from less than one hundred employees to nearly a thousand with over 4,500 miles of paved highways.

20 YEARS AGO

Who was the real St. Nick? "St. Nicholas never exchanged gifts with anyone. He gave to the poor," says Rev. Sarantos Serviou, dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral.

10 YEARS AGO

Building plans filed with Douglas County show the new Starbuck's bean roasting and processing plant will be about 60,000 square feet larger than earlier proposed.

• Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.