130 Years Ago
January 17, 1896
Ye will be looked for at ye povertie partie which metes at ye M. E. meetin house next Thursday evening.
125 Years Ago
January 18, 1901
The number of people on the streets last Saturday was the largest since the smallpox scare commenced, and showed that people are at last considering conditions as they actually exist. The sensible way is to take precautions and then go about business as usual.
120 Years Ago
January 19, 1906
Mr. and Mrs. Boon have made sale of their place – two lots, with house and barn – just northwest of Alliance and known as the old Ralph Weston place – to Leroy Roezell, consideration $965.
115 Years Ago
January 17, 1911
At a meeting of the stockholders of the Alliance Creamery and Produce Co. held yesterday afternoon, the capital stock was increased to $50,000, most of which is already subscribed, so that the company will soon have $50,000 stock, fully paid up. The creamery manufactured 395,650 pounds of butter in 1910, which is about twenty-five percent increase over the previous year.
110 Years Ago
January 21, 1916
The county commissioners have been asked to rent the south half of the lower floor of the court house to the federal government for use as land office quarters. The rental is about $35 per month. After deliberating over the question for some time, the board concluded that the county can use the space to better advantage than leasing it and the offer was declined.
105 Years Ago
January 18, 1921
A birthday celebration, inspired by an overdose of “bad likker,” and accompanied by the excitement of watching a basketball game at the high school gymnasium Friday night, landed Gladstone Spencer, 20-year-old Alliance youth, in county court yesterday morning, where he was assessed a fine of $50 and costs on a charge of intoxication.
100 Years Ago
January 19, 1926
Many farmers in this vicinity who have purchased grass fed cattle and fed them on corn to put them into good marketable condition have found this a paying proposition. The consequences will be a big increase next year in the amount of feeding done around Alliance. Over 100 carloads of corn fed cattle went out of this vicinity this season.
95 Years Ago
January 20, 1931
Two night policemen were engaged in a fistic battle near Tenth and Laramie late Sunday night when they are alleged to have found Don Helmer, 25, a Moorcroft, Wyo., ranchman, in an enclosed auto beating his 19-year-old wife. When the officers started to arrest Helmer he is reported to have struck Officer Hoppes and then to have turned on Officer Barnum.
90 Years Ago
January 17, 1936
The city council last night again considered the downtown parking problem, but left the situation untouched because the members felt that they knew too little about what a majority of the business men want done, if anything, about it. The council indicated that demands for changes in parking regulations have come so far from only a few individuals.
85 Years Ago
January 17, 1941
The release of Walter Reisenweaver from the state penitentiary, where he was confined for the past 22 years on a charge of murdering Charles Johnson in the Alliance railroad yards, recalls the first job of fingerprinting ever done in Alliance.
80 Years Ago
January 18, 1946
The City of Alliance has accepted the government’s offer of $15,000 for the USO building, furniture and equipment and the notice of acceptance has been forwarded to C. W. Anderson of the Federal Works Agency at Kansas City.
75 Years Ago
January 17, 1951
Parents of two local youngsters – aged 5 and 6 – disclaim any connection with their “magazine selling” enterprise which has been reported in the northwest section of town the last couple days. The “salesman” is a 5-year-old boy and his assistant a 6-year-old girl. Apparently they go from house to house, ring the doorbells and ask whoever comes to the door: “Do you want to buy some magazines?”
70 Years Ago
January 19, 1956
Young folks of Alliance will combine fun with funds at the Skate for Polio Party tonight from 7:30 to 10. The party at the West Third Skating Rink is open to junior and senior high age students of the public schools and St. Agnes Academy.
65 Years Ago
January 19, 1961
A civil action seeking judgments totaling $35,800, as the result of an automobile accident June 15, 1959, at the intersection of Twelfth and Platte, was filed today in the Box Butte County District Court.
60 Years Ago
January 18, 1966
Alliance and Chadron patrons of Frontier Airlines now may make trips to Denver at half fare for a 3-month trial period. This $11 reduction from Alliance and 13 from Chadron was approved this morning by the Civil Aeronautics Board in accepting an application by Frontier Pres. Lewis Dymond to experiment with “standby” fare reductions between several specific points.
55 Years Ago
January 19, 1971
An ambulance-taxi service to be operated publicly, with rates charged to users, was one idea discussed at a meeting of Alliance City Councilmen and Box Butte County Commissioners at a luncheon meeting here Monday.
50 Years Ago
January 15, 1976
Alliance Fire Department activity slowed somewhat in 1975 following a year of heavy action in 1974, according to the annual report of Fire Chief L. E. (Bus) Overstreet. The number of city fires last year fell to 48 from what is believed to be an all-time record high of 93 for 1974. The total fire loss for 1975 is listed at $10,825, a substantial drop from the $66,357 fire loss for the previous year.
45 Years Ago
January 17, 1981
Over $55,000 worth of new communications equipment is being installed in the Regional Law Enforcement center and in the Alliance and Hemingford police cruisers. The new communication equipment will make the Alliance Police Department much more efficient, according to better Everton, record and communication supervisor for the department.
40 Years Ago
January 18, 1986
Another possible vacancy in the downtown business area has come with the closing last Saturday of the Alliance Sweetbriar ladies apparel store. “At this time the reopening of the store is uncertain,” according to the assistant general manager Wade Barrow Jr., at the company’s office in Denver.
35 Years Ago
January 17, 1991
Discussion around Alliance’s coffee shops Thursday morning centered around one main topic – the start of the war with Iraq. Over coffee, those stopping in before heading to work said over and over how glad they were that action finally had started.
30 Years Ago
January 20, 1996
E. John Kiss will begin his duties as the new lieutenant of the Alliance Police Department February 12. Before joining the Alliance police force, he was in the United States Air Force and graduated from Chadron State College with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
25 Years Ago
January 18, 2001
“I want to educate the public about assisted and independent living,” Rita Kampster, manager of Good Samaritan Towers, explained about why she spoke to the Alliance Rotary Club on Monday. Kampster explained that there are independent living apartments, as well as assisted living apartments, in the tower that are basically like any apartment in Alliance.
20 Years Ago
January 19, 2006
Increasing the labor force is the goal of the Nebraska Advantage Act – creation of jobs through tax credits or returns to employers who invest in Nebraska and hire Nebraskans is key to the program.”The Nebraska Advantage package was designed to create a business climate that makes Nebraska the preferred location for starting and growing you business,” the office Web Site states.
15 Years Ago
January 18, 2011
The Box Butte Sheriff’s Office is investigating a burglary that occurred at Pat’s Creative Sewing and Supply Center located 3.5 miles west and 3.25 miles south of Hemingford.
10 Years Ago
January 23, 2016
Alliance Middle School has begun a contest between all four grade levels this semester called Classroom Competition. The competition is being used to try and improve performance in several categories.
5 Years Ago
January 20, 2021
Judge Richard Birch issued a judgment in the cases against former Box Butte County Public Defender Jon Worthman on Friday, finding him guilty of possessing cocaine with intent to deliver, a class 1D felony.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher