150 Years Ago
Washoe zephyr: A most terrible gale on Lake Tahoe destroyed the lumber schooner, “American Eagle.” Her captain and crew narrowly escaped with their lives. She was kept afloat long enough to permit Captain Frank Silvena and his men to get safety to land. Captain S. owned the wrecked vessel, and the loss is at several hundred dollars in money that was on board when she went ashore. The cargo was a load of sugar-pine lumber intended for the new Mint building. The schooner is a total loss.
130 Years Ago
Almost dead: A Chinese cook employed by Dr. Southworth said he was going to die at 2 o’clock in the morning. The doctor said if you think you are going to die, knock on the wall. About 3 o’clock the next morning Southworth heard knocking upstairs, and the Chinese man was in his death agonies, again the doctor got a big drink of whiskey in to him and the Chinese man said, “Guess you go to bed now, I won’t die.”
110 Years Ago
Goddesses of the stream: Miss Jessie Schulz of Sam’s Postal Delivery Shack and Miss Kate Muller of the Gray, Reid and Wright store went for a morning horseback ride to Walley’s. They had a delightful ride to the springs and had some tempting victuals at Mrs. Campbells. They stopped and loitered along the way to fish and returned with three trout — which they shared with their friends.
70 Years Ago
X-Ray: The United States public health service has loaned a portable X-ray unit to Nevada and to date have taken over 1800 chest X-rays. X-rays of Nevada’s Indian population were taken first. The films are sent to Washington for developing. The X-ray machine will be set up during Nevada Day festivities.
50 Years Ago
Servicemen in Viet Nam: Pfc. Leonard Pierini, son of Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Pierini, is serving as a member of the Second Battalion, 26th Marine Division near Phu Bai, Vietnam ...
20 Years Ago
Souvenir hunters: Pot hunters are depriving Nevadans of their own history according to Ron James who said, “It’s just like going into a library and ripping the pages out of a book.”
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.
