Blast from the Past July 3, 2024

130 Years Ago

July 6, 1894

The five year old boys of Messrs. F. E. Reddish and McNulty, living in Duncan’s addition, while playing in a cellar last Saturday evening found a box of paris green and after playing with it for some time, a considerable quantity of poison was eaten by Master Reddish. Severe vomiting resulted and he was brought to a doctor’s office and relief afforded.

125 Years Ago

July 7, 1899

All in all a more pleasant day for a Fourth of July celebration could not have been desired than last Tuesday. Just enough rain fell the night before to lay the dust and make the next day cool and refreshing.

120 Years Ago

July 1, 1904

J. A. Kime arrived in Alliance Monday and is spending a week here attending to business matter and visiting old friends. “Uncle Joe” was one of the earliest settlers in the eastern part of this country.

115 Years Ago

July 2, 1909

Albert Janke, who has owned and operated the Checkered Front livery and feed barn for about a year, made sale of the same to F.A. Allen last Saturday. Mr. Janke has made no definite plans for the future, but it is probable that he will remain in Alliance, Mr. Allen, the new proprietor, has long been a resident of Lakeside conducting a livery stable there, moving to Alliance recently.

110 Years Ago

July 3, 1914

The second big sale of Alliance Horse and Mule Commission company will be held at the Alliance stock yards on July 30 and 31. This date is set so as to insure fatter stock and consequently better prices.

105 Years Ago

July 1, 1919

Everything is set for the most successful racing card ever attempted in the west when horses from far distant places will compete for the $5060 in purses offered by the Alliance Community Club for the three day event in this city, July 2, 3 and 4. Nothing has been overlooked that would tend to make a pleasing program.

100 Years Ago

July 1, 1924

Bob Johnson, 25, cowboy and gentleman of leisure in Alliance for the past six weeks is being held in the city jail pending a hearing on a complaint filed before Judge of the Peace L.A. Berry Monday by Miss Mable Boon, 16-year-old daughter of Mrs. Neil Boon, 421 Yellowstone.

95 Years Ago

July 2, 1929

Policies of the city administration in regard to further street paving were outlined Thursday night at the regular city council meeting when a petition was filed for the paving on Toluca avenue.

90 Years Ago

July 3, 1934

A levy of 25.5 mills was determined upon for the coming year and a budget of expenses approved by the board of education at a called meeting held at the high school Friday evening.

85 Years Ago

July 4, 1939

Much information of great interest to Box Butte county farmers will be divulged at the annual crop field day at the county experiment farm northwest of Alliance next Tuesday, July 11.

80 Years Ago

July 7, 1944

Business and professional men of Alliance and other sections of the county may as well get out their farm clothes and prepare to go to work in the fields. Their help is going to be needed.

75 Years Ago

July 1, 1949

The fund for the family of Ivan Jorgensen, who was fatally injured Sunday in the Alliance Rodeo, stood at $160. Jorgensen, Orchard, Colo. Cowboy, suffered a broken neck at the final performance and died late Wednesday afternoon after having been paralyzed from the chest down for 72 hours.

70 Years Ago

July 1, 1954

Area farmers are invited to hear of latest research reports on winter wheat diseases at the Bill Riss farm at 1 p.m. Friday. The farm is located six miles north of Alliance two miles west and one mile north. The route will be marked.

65 Years Ago

July 1 1959

Alliance Municipal Airport was a beehive of activity this morning as east-west service on Frontier Airlines started. Between 9 and 9:30 a.m. there were three planes on the ground.

60 Years Ago

July 1, 1964

Five hundred and 85 persons were placed in jobs during June, according to Jerry Watson, manager of Nebraska State Employment Service in Alliance. Of this number, 132 were placed in nonagricultural positions and 452 in agricultural work of all kinds.

55 Years Ago

July 1, 1969

Contrary to some opinions, the wheat certificate program will continue through the 1970 crop year, rather than ending in 1969 according to Willard Johnson, manager of the Box Butte County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation office. Many farmers think the certificate program ends this year, but a one year extension has been granted.

50 Years Ago

July 1, 1974

The Alliance Jaycees will stage Fourth of July fireworks show again this year, it was announced today by Calvin Coomes, external vice president.

45 Years Ago

July 2, 1979

Public offices and businesses in Alliance will generally be closed for the nation’s No. 1 patriotic holiday observance on Wednesday, the 203rd anniversary of Independence Day. The Post Office lobby will be open for boxholders convenience, and for mailing.

40 Years Ago

July 2, 1984

In the busiest month of the year, a total of $715,015 in construction was added in 29 permits issued by the Alliance building and zoning department in June. This was more than had been received in the first five months of the year, pushing the total to $1,381,505.

35 Years Ago

July 1, 1989

Transforming an ordinary block of wood into an art form takes a special talent and a great deal of patience. David Jensen of Alliance posses both the talent and the patience, along with a steady hand, to create realistic wood bird carvings. Jensen graduated from Alliance High School in 1978 and enrolled at Kearney State College as a commercial art major. However, upon graduating Jensen found the market for commercial artists was limited. He began carving between looking for jobs.

30 Years Ago

July 1, 1994

Almost every day people read or hear news about how the armed forces are being cut back so the government can concentrate on more peaceful means of communication than war. What citizens may not realize is that the armed forces are doing a lot more than just protecting the country from danger. The Army has around 250 jobs available to anybody with a high school diploma.

25 Years Ago

July 2, 1999

With four business items on an abbreviated agenda, the Alliance City Council took just 31 minutes to wrap up its regular Thursday evening meeting. All five council members were present as the meeting opened up with a “concern” by City Manager Tom Palmer. Palmer lightheartedly questioned the combination of his not getting paid this past week and a bill for an advertisement for a new city manager. After some ribbing by council that Palmer’s position with the city hinged on his conduct during the meeting, it was revealed that the ad was from 1998 (before Palmer was hired) and the lack of a paycheck was due to payroll software difficulties (similar to those which caused late utility bills).

20 Years Ago

July 3, 2004

According to George Varvel, customer marketing/field representative at New Alliance Bean and Grain, it will be at least 10 days before wheat harvest begins in this area. Varvel said he got his information from the farmers that he has talked to.

15 Years Ago

July 3, 2009

Over the weekend of June 12-13, Alliance was witness to the third annual Treasure Trek. In Alliance and 10 other participating communities, cars and vans, some with trailers, buzzed along the streets looking for Treasure Trek yard and garage sales and hoping to find bargains and treasure. At the YMCA flea market 277 different forms were handed in, while the overall number of these forms, filled out by those participating in the event, turned in for Alliance stood at 391 by the end of the event.

10 Years Ago

July 3, 2014

Back from a summer vacation filled with beach time and snorkeling in Mexico, Alliance High School senior Ali Iossi walked into a dream opportunity with the “Guys and Dolls” company at Post Playhouse.

5 Years Ago

July 3, 2019

Four veterans from the Alliance area were selected as part of the Honor Flight program to go to Washington D.C., where they were able to be recognized for their service and had the opportunity to visit the various war memorials in the nation’s capital.

*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by staff.