Past Pages for Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013

140 years ago

(Note: There is no Nevada Appeal for October 2-31, 1873, on file.)

130 years ago

A New Electric Light. John Mackay, who is now taking great interest in electricity, says that while in New York he saw a light produced solely by chemical electricity. The discovery was made by a man from Indiana, an old man with his trousers hitched up by one suspender. After combining the contents of three jars, the light equaled the brilliancy of any of the big arc lights and after hours of use, only used a trifling loss of chemicals.

100 years ago

The great Gamboa dike, the last remaining obstruction separating the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, was blown up at 2 o’clock today. In 1903 the calculation to make the Culebra cut would involve the removal of 53,800,000 yards of earth. The final figures doubled that amount.

70 years ago

The collection and salvaging of deer hides has become such an important war necessity that the United States Forest Service and United States Grazing Service are starting a drive to obtain all the hides possible during the current deer season. The hides will be converted for war uses such as gloves.

50 years ago

Roy Kidder has been named competition director for the Carson City Punt, Pass and Kick Program, Archie Pozzi Jr., manager of Pozzi Motor Company announced this week.

30 years ago

Unlimited air racing in Reno, a 20-year tradition, could be in jeopardy unless the Air Race Committee finds a way to purchase land in the air race course now threatened by development.

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