130 Years Ago
April 19, 1895
There may be those who think it pleasant to have teeth pulled. Lee Acheson perhaps was of that opinion when he told Dr. Abbott to extract ten one day this week. “Now he’s sorry that he spoke that way.”
125 Years Ago
April 20, 1900
C. E. Marks has a new Edison phonograph which proves very entertaining and works most satisfactory.
120 Years Ago
April 18, 1905
A postal card written by E. W. Ray from the M. E. hospital at Omaha, the last of the week states that he has undergone an operation there, having the vein removed from the ankle to the hip, and he says “though he has quite a wound, he was not sick afterwards.” The doctor informs him he will be all right in a couple of weeks. Mr Ray’s many friends will be glad to learn of his progress and hope that permanent relief may be afforded, as he has long been a sufferer from this ailment.
115 Years Ago
April 22, 1910
It is very evident that the baseball season has opened in Alliance, as there is a double header scheduled for Sunday. One game will be between the Clerks and the Traveling men and the other between the Painters and the Carpenters. The first game will be called at 2 o’clock sharp and will be of five innings duration in order that both games may be played.
110 Years Ago
April 20, 1915
Bearding the lion in his den proved an unprofitable experience for Henry Attell, a modern “John Silver,” when he picked the alley in the rear of L. L. Kish’s residence as a fitting place in which to give vent to his hate against the world in general. Attell has the misfortune to carry a timber limb, but he can step around with the ease and grace of a tango dancer. Monday afternoon he overestimated his capacity for booze and proceeded to the alley in the rear of Nigh Marshal Kish’s house where he started to raise a rumpus. Mr. Kish was sleeping, but the noise became so fervid when Attell got well started on his encyclopedia of indecent language that Kish hurried out to argue with the offender. “Silver” was finally landed in the city jail after he had lost several pieces of perfectly good cuticle and after Kish had lost a good pair of trousers in his struggle with the one-legged demon.
105 Years Ago
April 20, 1920
Prospects for a boxing exhibition that would do credit to any of the larger cities of the country is in sight as one of the attractions of the big race meet and Elks’ convention to be held in Alliance June 23, 24, 25. A letter received by The Times from Otto Floto, veteran sports writer and promoter, in response to an inquiry states that arrangements can probably be made to have Mike O’Dowd, world’s champion middleweight boxer, appear here against some worthy opponent yet to be chosen and that Mr. Floto will lend his support in landing the attraction for Alliance.
100 Years Ago
April 17, 1925
Ed Henderson of South Alliance is under arrest charged with possession and sale of intoxicating liquor and his trial has been set for April 23 before Judge Tash in county court. Henderson was arrested several months ago when a state man filed a complaint against him for selling liquor, but the witness testified that he received the liquor at the Henderson place after dark and he was unable to state on oath that Henderson had sold it to him, although he was confident of this.
95 Years Ago
April 18, 1930
That portion of Alliance to whom the census figures mean anything are going to be painfully shocked when the total figures are compiled judging from the preliminary announcement from the first and fourth wards as submitted Thursday by Supervisor E. G. Laing. The fourth ward shows 1072 and the first ward 1276 or a total of 2348 from half of the city. Ten years ago the offical census recorded 4500 in Alliance, but if the preliminary announcement is to be taken as a comparison the city will not reach the total of ten years ago. And almost anybody will take oath that the city is at least 2500 larger than it was 10 years ago.
90 Years Ago
April 19, 1935
Apparently complete secrecy today shrouded incidents leading up to the arrest in Alliance Wednesday evening of Charles Rathburn, central figure in several recent inquiries by officers. Alliance officers, who arrested Rathburn at the request of Deputy State Sheriff E. E. Clark and other out-of-town authorities said they were not told why he was in custody. Clark and the other men took charge of Rathburn immediately after his arrest Wednesday night and hurried away with him without saying where he was being taken.
85 Years Ago
April 19, 1940
If, after a long day in the kitchen, you’ve placed your head in your hands and wished that a miracle might deliver you from kitchen drudgery – then you will want to attend the Times-Herald’s free cooking school, which will be held May 1-3 in the city auditorium. Miss Dorothy Gill, nationally recognized food and home-making authority, who will conduct the school, has many new tips on how to lighten household chores, making the kitchen day seem hours shorter.
80 Years Ago
April 20, 1945
Officers reported that the Texaco bulk plant office was broken into Wednesday night or early Thursday morning and several “A” stamps taken. Entrance was gained through a window which had been broken. Although a radio and other articles were in the office at the time, the intruder took only the gasoline ration stamps. These had been glued on to a sheet of paper in such a manner that officers believe they cannot be passed.
75 Years Ago
April 21, 1950
County court business picked up this morning with Judge P. E. Romig hearing two cases and scheduling a hearing for Tuesday morning. In this morning’s action, the court entered a plea of not guilty for Albert Lang, 26, of Berea, charged with two counts of automobile stealing. Lang was arrested late Wednesday evening five miles west on Tenth Street by City Police Officers Leonard Perkins and Joe St. Onge. He was arrested for running two stop signs and for speeding. Perkins, driving the police car, pursued Lang five miles before being able to force him to stop. Jack Tuma was the second man to appear this morning. He pleaded guilty to forgery and was bound over to district court on $500 bond. Tuma was charged with writing a $10 check on the Bank of Hemingford and signing the check.
70 Years Ago
April 21, 1955
Alliance learned Wednesday night it can rely on quick protection from its citizen soldiers in case of emergency. Company L of the 134th Infantry, National Guard, proved that with a rapid mobilization after the order flashed from Washington to put “Operation Minuteman” into action nationwide. They had known the alert would come sometime this month or next, but not what day or hour.
65 Years Ago
April 21, 1960
Thirty-seven Alliance High School Senior High students have been named on the honor roll for the fifth 6-weeks period. The announcement was made today by Norval Trout, acting principal. Students eligible for the honor roll must have at least 3 “A’s” and no grade below “B”.
60 Years Ago
April 20, 1965
A milestone event happened at the Alliance Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 136 Monday evening when the largest class of new members in its history was initiated. The initiation of 70 new members took place after the annual Past President’s banquet.
55 Years Ago
April 23, 1970
The Alliance Public Library soon will display on one of its walls the picture of Marine Pfc. Ronald L. Coker, who was presented the Medal of Honor posthumously Monday by Vice-President Spiro Agnew. The citation was received at the White House Monday afternoon by the Marine hero’s father, Cecil L. Coker of Alliance, and the ceremony also was attended by two brothers, Ray D. Coker of Ft. Robinson and Charles W. Coker of Hyannis.
50 Years Ago
April 23, 1975
Fourteen officers from four law enforcement agencies stationed in Alliance are attributed by Police Chief John Means with virtually halting vandalism in the city. Only two incidents of vandalism were reported last weekend, a sudden drop in comparison to past weeks. The reason for the decrease, Means said, was all-night patrols begun April 11 by plainclothes policemen in unmarked cars.
45 Years Ago
April 22, 1980
An Alliance resident escaped serious injury Tuesday morning after his mobile home burned to the ground at the Tower Plaza mobile home court in east Alliance. The owner of the mobile home, Mark Anderson, was in the structure when the fire started at 5:17 a.m., but escaped without any injuries.
40 Years Ago
April 23, 1985
Alliance Family Says Japanese Exchange Student Is Typical Teenager: “You think for some reason since he’s from Japan, he’d be different, but he’s not, he’s a typical teenager,” said Linda McMeekin. She was talking about Seiji Kino, (pronounced seige keno) the Japanese exchange studen who has been living with the Gary McMeekin family since last July.
35 Years Ago
April 19, 1990
Alliance has a “gold mine” – this is how Todd Kirshenbaum, tourism consultant for the State of Nebraska, described Carhenge to a group of about 80 local business people Wednesday night. Kirshenbaum presented a “Hospitality Seminar” to the group at the American Legion Club. The seminar dealt with how local residents treat visitors coming into the community and what kind of lasting impressions those visitors will take back home with them about Alliance. It has been projected by Friends of Carhenge that up to 5,000 visitors per month will come to or go through Alliance to visit the controversial Carhenge.
30 Years Ago
April 22, 1995
Box Butte General Hospital has received several telephone calls from persons wishing to donate blood for victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. The American Association of Blood Banks has advised BBGH that blood shipments from outside the area are not needed at this time.
25 Years Ago
April 19, 2000
AVFD Burns ‘Eyesore’ For Training: A Colorado resident donated a house that she owned at 203 South Mississippi to the Alliance Volunteer Fire Department for a training burn. Public Information Officer Garry Bauer said that the burn met two purposes by allowing new firefighters the opportunity to do “Nozzle training” and it got rid of an “eye sore”. The house had been vandalized and was covered with graffiti.
20 Years Ago
April 21, 2005
Local contractors have said they have not received payment for the work they did for a subcontractor on the municipal pool project. Alliance City Manager Wally Baird acknowledged that the city has received a Tort Claim concerning this non-payment.
15 Years Ago
April 21, 2010
Alliance High School students have the option of attending the after-prom program, which has gained in popularity in recent years, due to the quality and variety of entertainment. Comedienne and magician, Janene Harris, will provide this year’s after-prom live entertainment.
10 Years Ago
April 22, 2015
The Hemingford Bobcats winners in the classroom. Mrs. Stark’s Professional Development class just finished the H & R Block Budget Challenge. All 10 students have been participating in this budgeting simulation with 31,065 other students from 1,388 classrooms around the country. After nine weeks of paying bills, answering surveys, and taking quizzes, they have placed first.
5 Years Ago
April 22, 2020
Hemingford Public School will host their graduation ceremony on May 9, weather permitting. They will be monitoring the weather forecast and notify people if changes occur. Each graduate will be permitted one vehicle to hold their nuclear family. The graduates and their family will park around the football field. Diplomas will be placed on a table in the center of the field.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher
Clarification
In last week’s Blast from the Past, Rick Guernsey was named as having two major traffic charges following an incident in the 500 block of Box Butte as published April 16, 1975. Guernsey was not booked on any charges, and all charges were dropped from that incident. The article from 1975 said that he was booked on charges of assaulting a police officer, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and willful reckless driving.