Carson City Past Pages for Sunday, Aug. 11

140 years ago

The locomotive I.E. James has lately been turned into a steam fire engine and is in Carson now for trial. She is provided with a tank that will hold twelve hundred gallons of water. The test was made here yesterday, as well as in Virginia before the engine left the city and shows she will be a grand success. She threw a powerful stream from an inch nozzle, which deluged the roof of the passenger depot from the roundhouse. The I.E. James is ready to fly from point to point along the rail line at a moments notice.

130 years ago

The gamiest bird in the country now is the mountain grasshopper. His qualities are discovered by those who fish for trout. The writer once spent a few days on Wolf Creek fishing. He was informed the fish will eat nothing but grasshoppers. On walking up the canyon, he heard one about 60 feet from the road. Just as he found the rock, the grasshopper located itself 40 feet away. By sundown he captured the hopper by smashing him with a club. For excitement, danger and adventure the chase for fish bait surpasses old English fox hunting.

100 years ago

Death has summoned Jake Rodenbaugh who had one of the busiest careers in Carson Valley. He came to Nevada via Aurora and realized there would be a lot of freighting and established a station on the hill leading south from Carson Valley. When freighting died down, he had the idea of raising water from the river with a small water wheel to farm. It was a success. He was 75.

70 years ago

Denver Dickerson, editor-publisher of the Carson City Chronicle has volunteered for induction into the armed forces. Dickerson represented Ormsby County in the Nevada State Legislature in 1941 and 1943.

50 years ago

Jim Rankin, newly-appointed engineer for the City of Carson, assumed official duties today. Rankin, formerly of Las Vegas, said he will study the situation in Carson City before he suggests any policy changes, if necessary.

30 years ago

Sheriff’s office cracks up. Gaping cracks and bulging walls have Carson City detectives searching for higher ground. The basement abode in the Sheriff’s Office have been determined “unsafe” and detectives will have to move.

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