Carson City looking north from the top of the Capitol building in 1871.
Saturday
150 Years Ago
Frost and snow: The ground in the vicinity of Truckee and Donner Lake was covered with white frost and the air was chilly. In Carson, the mountains to the west were whitened with snow halfway from the summits to the valley.
140 Years Ago
Pacific Coast Pioneers: The Society will give a feast of fat things in Virginia City. There is a lecture on “Our Girls.” Farmer Treadway will furnish the fatted calf, and all will be served up by the hundred-weight, with stuffing and gravy accordin’. The lighter things such as baked beans, pumpkin pies, plum duff and the likes will be served as well as good things to drink and smoke.
130 Years Ago
Fishing: Taking or catching fish in any manner except by hook and line is unlawful. Persons violating the law will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
100 Years Ago
Try it here, Red Cross (World War I): A weekly work record will be kept of those who come to the Red Cross workroom to sew, make surgical dressings or bring in knitted articles. At the end of each week the list will be published. It is only fair that women of Tonopah who are making untold sacrifices may receive some recognition for their services. (Bonanza)
50 Years Ago
Vincent Price: Appearing at the Pioneer Auditorium in Reno will be “An Evening with Vincent Price,” which is sponsored by the National League of American Pen Women in Reno. Price will give selections from “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman, and excerpts from “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies” by James McNeill Whistler.
20 Years Ago
Fourth Ward School: The most historically important 19th century school in Virginia City will undergo $189,000 of restoration which will fortify the school’s skeleton. The four-story school was built in 1875 and closed in 1936. More than $800,000 has been spent installing handicapped access, weatherproofing, and restoration of the north tower.
Sunday
150 Years Ago
Being naturalized: Quite a few persons, residents of this place, have in the last few days renounced all allegiance to foreign princes and potentates and become citizens of the United States.
140 Years Ago
Bounced: A man named Kelly entered the Ormsby House and rendered himself so obnoxious to the barkeeper and bystanders that the former was compelled to take him by the neck and throw him out on the sidewalk. The drunken fellow picked himself up and used the most foul and vulgar language ever heard to the great disgust of passersby. No officer was around to lock him up.
130 Years Ago
Water for Carson: Carson is now suffering from a scarcity of water. Sewers have not been flushed, and the grass is dying in the Capitol square. For years past the city has suffered from epidemics of scarlet fever and typhoid fever, due to scarcity of water and imperfect sewerage.
100 Years Ago
Back to the old time: The country will return to the old time at 2 o’clock in the morning of the last Sunday in October, according to the Interstate Commerce Commission. All railway time schedules will be put back one hour. The time will again be advanced an hour the last Sunday in March, under the daylight savings plan.
50 Years Ago
Photo caption: Carson cut-ups — Helms Construction Co. workers gouge a goodly portion of Carson Street between Musser and Telegraph in the process of creating a median island and four left turn lanes. Trees and shrubs will be put in and the whole thing will be ready before the Nevada Day celebration.
20 Years Ago
Virtual library: Remarkable images of Lake Tahoe’s bottom are on line at Lake Tahoe’s “virtual library” ... Within a seven-month period of operation on the Internet there have been 3,000 visits.
Tuesday
150 Years Ago
Homestead lottery: Mrs. Hamlet of Carson Valley offers her beautiful residence and homestead of 160 acres and all the furniture in a lottery of 130 shares at $10 share. The drawing will take place at Duncan’s Saloon at Sheridan.
140 Years Ago
Footpad in Reno: L. Bonstein, proprietor of the Boca Beer Hall, Commercial Row, counted the money in his till, a considerable sum, closed his doors and was on his way home when he heard a quick step behind him. That instant he received a blow on the left eye from a cobble stone that was meant to knock him down. Mr. Bonstein attempted to grapple with the ruffian, and he took to his heels. Mr. Bonstein has a black eye, but also the satisfaction of knowing that the thief failed.
130 Years Ago
The flyers arrive: John Sweeny, Carson’s turfman [sic], arrived with his string of fleet-footed racers. They are well known in turf circles and comprise the following: Pat Reddy, a three-year-old Gibraltar pacer; Hattie S., a trotter which won three races at the State Fair; Sam Lewis, and the celebrated pacer Starlight, a four-year old Norfolk runner. Nearly all the horses mentioned are entered for the races during fair week and their owners confidently expect to more than divide honors with the visiting horseman. (Gazette)
100 Years Ago
Save fruit pits: Superintendent Bray from the National War Savings Committee asks the boys and girls to save the pits of peaches, apricots, plums, cherries and prunes and shells of hickory nuts, walnuts and butternuts which contain a certain amount of carbon for use in wartime.
50 Years Ago
New College: Tahoe-Paradise College has asked officials for permission to locate an educational facility on 392 acres of federal land about four miles south of town that (previously Carson College), according to Melvin Hughes, BLM area manager. The college would have about 1,200 students and contain fine arts, communications and school of music, physical sciences and data processing.
20 Years Ago
School growth: The first day of school enrollment totals 8,350. More than 250 additional students showed up the first day of school. Mary Pierczynski said the school district hired 65 new teachers with an average salary and benefits of $40,000.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.
