130 Years Ago
December 6, 1895
The largest shipment of butter ever shipped out of Alliance, was made by the Alliance Grocery Co. yesterday the amount being between 8,000 and 9,000 pounds.
125 Years Ago
December 7, 1900
Several cases of the so-called small-pox made their appearance here, the same as at about all the other towns of the state. Local physicians disagree as to what the disease is, but have no difficulty in treating it, and no fatalities are reported from any section, so that no alarm need be entertained.
120 Years Ago
December 8, 1905
The cases of most interest to the general public have been heard by Judge Westover since the opening of the term Wednesday morning. Hornarl Scribber, who passed a number of worthless checks about Alliance, had his trial Wednesday before a jury who pronounced him guilty and fixed the amount obtained under false pretenses, which was the charge, at $48.
115 Years Ago
December 6, 1910
Mr. and Mrs Link Davis have announced a social dance and general good time for next Friday evening at their home a few miles northwest of this city. All well-behaved people are invited.
110 Years Ago
December 7, 1915
Charity, the cornerstone of every Elk structure, will be emphasized in a pleasing manner on Christmas day when the Alliance lodge of Elks will play Santa Claus to every child in the city. A large Christmas tree is to be erected in front of the building if the weather permits and inside if it is stormy.
105 Years Ago
December 7, 1920
Mrs. Evelyn Preiss-McElhaney, proprietress of the Wilson rooming house on Box Butte Avenue, is in the county jail awaiting preliminary hearing on a charge of first degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Earl Anderson, a barber by trade, who was shot to death in the alley at the rear of Joe Smith’s pool hall about 1 o’clock this morning.
100 Years Ago
December 11, 1925
All of the filling stations of the city have slashed the price of gasoline to 21 ¼ cents per gallong. This cut was started last Saturday by the Continental Oil Company station and soon followed by the Baum Filling station Wednesday. The other dealers in Alliance followed suit. The price was 23c before the decrease.
95 Years Ago
December 9, 1930
Two cases involving alleged violations of the prohibition laws were added to the district court docket for trial at the next term as a result of yesterday’s lower court activity in the city. Dick Colvin was bound over to the district court on a charge of manufacturing liquor. Chester Case appealed to the district court when fined $100 and costs by Police Judge Highland for alleged possession of liquor.
90 Years Ago
December 6, 1935
A new kind of “racket” appeared in Alliance this week when a smooth talking “salesman” approached a local trucker as a representative of the public works administration authorized to issue contracts for hauling materials to PWA projects. After collecting at lease $12 he disappeared and is being hunted by city officers and WPA investigators.
85 Years Ago
December 6, 1940
Residents of Alliance will have an opportunity to see the wheels go ‘round in their new power plant at an open house to be held next Tuesday. The day will start with a short dedication ceremony at 9 a.m. The main address will be made by Mayor George Smith, while other city officials probably will speak briefly.
80 Years Ago
December 7, 1945
City Manager C. H. Hoper has negotiated a new coal contract for the City of Alliance which became effective November 15 and will continue until July 14, 1947. The contract means a nice saving to the city and will permit of a lower unit cost of electricity in the municipal plant.
75 Years Ago
December 7, 1950
The origin of the sweet potato is not definitely known. And at the risk of incurring the displeasure of a sweet potato fan, a reader of this column comments: “And it’s better that way.”
70 Years Ago
December 8, 1955
The proposed paving projects on West Third and East Third-Flack Avenue will come up for discussion and possible action at tonight’s City Council meeting at 7:30 in the council chamber. A number of property owners along West Third who oppose the paving as proposed indicate they will attend the meeting.
65 Years Ago
December 9, 1960
Box Butte County Sheriff Matt Berg and Hemingford Marshal Delmar Glass are investigating four break-ins which occurred in Hemingford sometime early Thursday morning. Berg said today the investigation started Thursday afternoon and will continue until the break-ins are cleared up.
60 Years Ago
December 9, 1965
Traffic of Christmas shoppers in downtown Alliance was moderately heavy in most stores for the first special “open night” of the 1965 season Wednesday. Eight of the city’s larger stores have announced they will be open every night now through Christmas. The stores now staying open are Montgomery-Ward, Sears-Roebuck, Gambles, Hesteds, Penney’s, The Famous and Woolworth.
55 Years Ago
December 8, 1970
The annual Alliance Volunteer Fire Department toy project for needy children is on schedule this year with Glen Walker again the chairman. It began in October and approximately 500 toys have been donated. Used ones have been repaired and repainted.
50 Years Ago
December 5, 1975
Following minor revisions to meet approved setbacks and variances, constructions on the new townhouse complex will begin shortly in Alliance, according to an announcement made Friday by David Rice, Jr. Construction on the first four units will begin in the near future according to Rice and the entire complex will be built as the individual units are purchased.
45 Years Ago
December 9, 1980
The hot lunch program for Hemingford school could become a hot potato for the new school construction firm, according to School Superintendent Don Hanks. Hanks said the school is on an extension from the state fire marshal’s office for its hot lunch program. Hanks told the school board Monday it should consider a suit against the contractor if the new building isn’t finished by Jan. 5.
40 Years Ago
December 7, 1985
Remember Pearl Harbor! One man in our community remembers it with intense clarity – he was at “ground zero” in the target zone, on an island in the middle of Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941 – 44 years ago today. He is Herbert Wait, who now farms 10 miles southwest of Alliance. Then he was a 22-year-old U.S. Navy aero-gunner assigned to Bomb Squadron 2 of the USS Lexington.
35 Years Ago
December 5, 1990
The city of Alliance wants the help of other Panhandle communities in persuading the state to site one of two planned correctional facilities here. The Alliance City Council Tuesday allocated $7,000 from the city’s contingency fund for efforts in gaining a minimum to medium security prison.
30 Years Ago
December 6, 1995
In the first year of holding tryouts for a six-state honor choir, Grandview Elementary is off to early success. Fifth-grader Uriah Flood will go to Lincoln March 13-16 to sing with students from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin. Only 20 singers are selected from each state.
25 Years Ago
December 7, 2000
One man was sentenced to probation by Judge Brian Silverman in the 12th Judicial District Court on Tuesday. Jerry J., 20, was sentenced to three-years probation on one count of theft, a Class-IV felony. He was ordered to pay the court costs and $187.43 restitution.
20 Years Ago
December 5, 2005
Over $73,000 County Fair Funds Stolen, Woman Sought: Friday a warrant was issued for the arrest of Jane S. Jane, 46, Hemingford, is charged with four counts of theft by unlawful taking for over $1500, a Class III Felony.
15 Years Ago
December 9, 2010
Morrill County Attorney Jean Rhodes has confirmed that she is appointed as the special prosecutor in the grand jury investigation of a Hay Springs woman’s death at Box Butte County Jail over the weekend. A date has not been set for the grand jury to convene, she added. Lori H., 47, was found unresponsive in her cell Dec. 4, and was later pronounced dead.
10 Years Ago
December 10, 2015
Wednesday at the Alliance High School Library, students sat down with representatives of the box Butte Sheriff’s Office, Alliance Fire Department, Chamber of Commerce, Box Butte General Hospital and other businesses, to interview for jobs. The mock interviews were provided through Kim Lewandowski’s Careers class.
5 Years Ago
December 9, 2020
After much discussion, the Box Butte County Commissioners voiced their disapproval of using the county’s Slagle Building for virtual learning for Alliance Public Schools students who are at risk of truancy.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher