150 Years Ago
Ducks: A mysterious unknown appeared at the Appeal printer’s door and roused us from our meditations. Upon answering the door we were confronted by a member of the Sardine Club who put a brace of teal “ducks” into our hands and decamped before we had time to recover. The fact is Gus and Billy Bethards went a ducking, and this was the commendable way they had of remembering the printer.
130 Years Ago
Sutro’s generosity: The Appeal wrote a letter to Mr. Adolph Sutro, asking on behalf of the school children for a contribution of trees for Arbor Day. He responded, “Mr. Sam Davis, Morning Appeal, Carson, Nev., Dear Sir: “I shall take pleasure in sending you one thousand small pine trees of the species Pinus Maritina. I think they will do well in Nevada. I am pleased to see that you have an Arbor Day. I shall try to forward them by Wells, Fargo & Co. express about April 11 ...”
110 Years Ago
Grass for the deserts: The Goldfield Chamber of Commerce received a letter from a San Francisco man. He presents a plan that will turn the sandy and dusty deserts of Nevada into green prairies by planting lipa, a plant grown in a dry portion of Northern Africa. It can flourish without water, except for the occasional rainfalls. It only grows close to the ground and gives the appearance of a newly-mowed lawn. Many Goldfield people are thinking of experimenting with this grass.
70 Years Ago
Boy Scouts: Leaders of Green Bar Boy Scout patrol, Troop 34, took a field trip to Brunswick Canyon by the old stamp mill. Scoutmaster Dick Waters, his assistant, Jack LaGrange, patrol leader, assistant leaders and the troop scribe went on the camping excursion. Scouts learned how to set up camp, control cooking fires, disposal of waste and cooking without utensils. Scouts who made the trip were Bill Denison, Joe Lenford, George Johnson and Lee Alton of Carson City.
50 Years Ago
Therapeutic abortion measure: A landslide vote was made by the Nevada Assembly for a bill allowing therapeutic abortions. The vote was 30-5.
20 Years Ago
Up for bid: Remote areas of Nevada are up for grabs — no roads, no power, questionable water. It’s the land the government gave to the Central Pacific for the transcontinental railroad in 1869. The parcels, range from 155 acres in Elko County to 714 acres scattered across 340 miles of desert from east of Reno to Wells.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.
