130 Years Ago
May 10, 1895
Wednesday was hot.
125 Years Ago
May 11, 1900
Alliance was in the hands of her stockmen friends Tuesday. The day witnessed a bigger, more harmonious and enthusiastic meeting than any heretofore. The escutcheon of the stock association is bright with addition lustre, and the record of a successful gathering of the promoters of this most important industry has passed to history.
120 Years Ago
May 12, 1905
Leonard Sampy, the agricultural expert for Box Butte county, was in Alliance Wednesday and went out to the Phelan ranch, where he will superintend the planting of brome grass, of which a large acreage will be sown. A considerable quantity was sown last season, but for some reason came up on in bunch.
115 Years Ago
May 13, 1910
In our last issue we neglected to make mention of the birth of a daughter at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Ramsey. All concerned are getting along nicely.
110 Years Ago
May 11, 1915
Willie Keiser, eight years old, suffered the loss of his hearing in the left ear and a minor flesh wound on the left cheek when he was accidentally shot by a .22 caliber rifle in the hands of Conney Pfenig, a lad of about the same age. The boys were playing in the vicinity of the railroad yards when the accident happened. Luckily, the bullet just glanced the face and did not inflict any serious injury.
105 Years Ago
May 11, 1920
The Alliance high school athletic team won four first prizes and carried off third honors in the first western Nebraska track and field meet held at Scottsbluff Saturday afternoon. The meet was a success in every way and it is planned to make the event an annual affair. Scottsbluff won the meet with 38 points; Bayard second, with 36 points; and Alliance third, with 36 points.
100 Years Ago
May 8, 1925
State Engineer Roy Cochran will arrive in Alliance on Tuesday, May 19, to go over the route of the Potash highway from this city to Grand Island and to select, with the assistance of deputy and federal engineers, the exact location of the new road.
95 Years Ago
May 9, 1930
When the agile hard-punching fistic ace, “One-Step” Watson, comes here next week for his bot with Kenny Austin, main event of the Eagles fight card, he will be greeted by a large crowd according to indications. The “Stepper” has acquired a reputation as a very game fighter and fans everywhere like to see him perform. The fight will be at the Roof Garden, instead of at the Danceland pavilion on East Tenth street, as previously announced.
90 Years Ago
May 10, 1935
It isn’t enough that a fellow has to be in jail for four months but he has to have measles too, bemoans Chester R. Kittelman, who was sentenced in district court Wednesday, after pleading guilty to stealing chickens. Kittelman went to his cell in apparent good health. Yesterday morning, when Sheriff George Jones went to feed his prisoners, he discovered the trouble.
85 Years Ago
May 10, 1940
The city’s fossilized dance ordinance requires that the owner or manager of a dance shall pay to the city treasurer $3 a day for conducting a dance. That $3 is supposed to pay for a special officer to police the dance hall. We’re a bad lot of savages here in Alliance and we can’t be trusted to hold a dance except under police guard.
80 Years Ago
May 11, 1945
A prepayment plan for medical care, known as the Nebraska surgical plan, will be offered to Alliance in connection with the Blue Cross which is now in operation here, it was revealed yesterday by Mother Evelyn of St. Joseph’s hospital. The plan, anticipated for several months, was given approval this week of the Nebraska State Medical association.
75 Years Ago
May 12, 1950
A lot of fun is promised any child who will be in Alliance Saturday afternoon who wishes to take part in the annual “kids fishing contest.” The contest, sponsored by the City Activities committee assisted by the Izaak Walton League chapter, will be held on the stream west of the Rodeo grounds.
70 Years Ago
May 11, 1955
First in the nation – that is the distinction St. Joseph’s Hospital of Alliance enjoys in its new X-ray machine. The $14,000 machine, installed last week, will be on public display Thursday during St. Joseph’s open house in connection with National Hospital Day.
65 Years Ago
May 10, 1960
Investigation of the stabbing of Alliance contractor Clyde Weston, which occurred early Sunday morning near the War Dads Club was still underway today, according to County Attorney Alan Curtiss. Curtiss said that two other persons were being sought for questioning and that charges probably would be filed Wednesday morning.
60 Years Ago
May 10, 1965
The Nebraska Soul and Water Conservation Commission Monday signed an agreement, the first of its kind in the nation, to allow the state’s 86 soil and water conservation districts to participate in the federal government’s war on poverty. Under the six-month contract with the U.S. Department of Labor, the state will receive $287,720 to permit the local districts to employ nearly 300 youths from low-income families to work on resources development and preservation projects.
55 Years Ago
May 11, 1970
Eight members of the Communications Workers of America struck the Kansas-Nebraska Natural Gas Company headquarters in Alliance at 6 a.m. today as part of a company-wide, 6-state walkout of CWA service employees. Union members were picketing the Alliance headquarters at West Third and Black Hills today. L. E. Walker, division manager of the company here, said all offices in the Alliance Division were open today and that service to customers was continuing by supervisory personnel.
50 Years Ago
May 10, 1975
Join the clean-up! Something is going to be done about those eye sores around Alliance – beverage cans and bottles – and you can be part of the clean-up! The 4-H Club of the Nebraska Boys Ranch want to take an educational field trip and are offering to clean-up the streets of Alliance if you pledge a on dollar donation for every 1,000 cans and bottles detected.
45 Years Ago
May 13, 1980
Weathercraft’s bid earned the firm another job with the Alliance School System at the conclusion of the open session special meeting of the Board of Education Monday evening. The board agreed to accept the option of applying TorCal to the roof of the High School rather than pitch and tar because of the warranty and lower overall cost. A pitch and tar application would cost $26,542.
40 Years Ago
May 10, 1985
Members of the Alliance Area Recreation Center (AARC) viewed a model for the center, designed to be located on the block between Laramie and Cheyenne Avenue, First and Second street. Approximately 21 people attended the final meeting AARC had with the University of Nebraska graduate school architects in the Alliance Central City Park shelter house Thursday night.
35 Years Ago
May 10, 1990
City of Alliance staff is recommending that landfill fees increase 89 percent in the proposed 1990-91 budget in order to meet the cost of new landfill regulations and use. The increased fees are needed in order for the city to purchase new landfill equipment, construct state-of-the-art disposal cells at the landfill, and for closure of the old landfill area.
30 Years Ago
May 9, 1995
Don Brown, executive director of the YMCA, was born and raised in Alliance. Brown graduated from Alliance High School and earned his B.A. in Physical Education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. “My wife and I are really happy to be here – Alliance has always seemed like home to us,” said Brown. Brown taught and coached at the Millard Public Schools in Omaha for 15 years.
25 Years Ago
May 13, 2000
May Alliance residents may have noticed their vehicles tagged by the Alliance Police Department recently. This tagging project began as a safety, health and cleanup program through the collaborative efforts of the APD, the Alliance Volunteer Fire Department and Keep Alliance Beautiful (KAB). Abandoned vehicles may hamper the mobility of fire trucks, ambulances, police cars and sanitation equipment through alleyways.
20 Years Ago
May 13, 2005
The City of Alliance, Box Butte County and Keep Alliance Beautiful have been jointly awarded $49,551 from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality to conduct a scrap tire amnesty in Box Butte County. Mike Linder, NDEQ Director indicated that state is awarding more than $1.5 million to support 94 tire recycling projects throughout the state.
15 Years Ago
May 15, 2010
Alliance Next Stop For Modern Day Treasure Hunters: What treasures are stashed around Alliance? The Treasure Hunters Roadshow is about to find out on a world-wide treasure hunt and will be “digging” in town for five days. During this free event, the Treasure Hunters are expected to see over 1,200 residents bringing in their rare and unusual collectibles. Locals will have a chance to talk to world-renowned antique and collectible experts.
10 Years Ago
May 13, 2015
Residents Show Support For City-Operated Public Transit: The City hosted a public meeting yesterday at the Senior Center to discuss a proposed budget for the application of and the potential transition to the City operating the public transit system. More than 50 local residents attended with most showing their support with a few opposed to the City taking over public transportation.
5 Years Ago
May 13, 2020
School Board Votes to Delay Graduation Decision: Opting for a traditional graduation ceremony, the Alliance School Board voted to delay setting a date for the graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 as guidelines to limit crowd sizes to slow the spread of COVID-19 are still in place. The board discussed their options with Superintendent Dr. Troy Unzicker on Monday evening.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher