130 Years Ago
January 24, 1896
The stock association will hereafter pay a reward of $250 for testimony leading to the conviction of cattle thieves. They also request that those losing cattle report the same to the secretary.
125 Years Ago
January 25, 1901
Smallpox still continues subsiding. Mayor John R. Sexton, while making no formal proclamation thereof because he deems it unnecessary, authorizes TIMES to say that all church, lodge and other meetings may be resumed in the city, commencing on and after next Sunday, 27th inst., health condition having become such that restrictions are not believed to be required henceforth.
120 Years Ago
January 26, 1906
W. D. Rumer has completed the plastering of the upstairs of his new building, and is allowing the same to dry a few days before the interior woodwork finishing.
115 Years Ago
January 24, 1911
E. G. Asay, a quite interesting character, was in Alliance last evening headed toward Denver. Mr. Asay claims the unique distinction of being a scientific hobo. A yet young man and remarkably intelligent and well-informed one, he conceived the idea of writing a book under the title of “Scientific Hoboing,” this contains more than half a hundred pages and so well has the first edition sold.
110 Years Ago
January 28, 1916
How To Pick Leap Year Husbands: 1 – Don’t propose to a man who has thin lips. He will scorn you. 2 – Don’t propose to a man who has just a thin upper lip. He’ll scorn you. 3 – Don’t propose to a man whose head runs straight up from the back of his neck. He love neither home nor wife. 4 – Don’t propose to a man with a super-critical eye. He’ll make you sorry.
105 Years Ago
January 25, 1921
H. A. DuBuque has received word from the Robert Morton Organ company, that their expert will be here Thursday to start work on the new Imperial organ. The installation will take about 25 days, but when it is completed it will be one of the finest musical instruments in the west.
100 Years Ago
January 26, 1926
It has been rumored that the Standard Oil company has ordered its property vacated at the corner of box Butte and Sixth street and the house will be sold and moved to make room for a new filling station to be erected there this spring.
95 Years Ago
January 27, 1931
Eight airplanes were observed out at the airport Sunday afternoon. There was nothing special going on and it was just a regular day in local aviation circles. Airmindedness of people of this vicinity is on the increase. This number of planes doing flying at the local field goes to show that aviation is on the increase.
90 Years Ago
January 24, 1936
The largest movement of potatoes on record for the Alliance and Sterling divisions of the Burlington took place Wednesday, when 108 cars were taken to market by two special trains. Fifty cars over the two divisions in a day is considered rushing business and even long-time railroaders cannot remember of having ever before moved more than 100 cars in a day.
85 Years Ago
January 24, 1941
Alliance has been tentatively allotted another flying school under the civil aeronautics board’s program to train civilian pilots, according to word received this week by City Manager Clarence H. Hoper from Virgil Stone of the CAB. All young men and women between the ages of 19 and 26 will be eligible to take the ground school course.
80 Years Ago
January 25, 1946
A conference Thursday between officers of the Army engineers and the Troop Carrier Command has resulted in the selection of a tentative date “sometime the latter part of February,” when the TC command will turn the Alliance Air base over to the Army Engineers for final disposition.
75 Years Ago
January 24, 1951
George Manes, manager of the Alliance Municipal Airport said today that “pilots in Western Nebraska are on the whole safer pilots than those from the Eastern counties.”
70 Years Ago
January 27, 1956
Box Butte County rural school districts today paid out a total of $27,448.50 for free high school tuition for their students in Alliance, Hemingford, Curtis and Springfield, Neb.
65 Years Ago
January 19, 1961
Alliance’s use of Frontier Airlines services showed a gradual increase throughout the 12 months of 1960. Passengers boarding Frontier flights totaled 1,456.
60 Years Ago
January 25, 1966
A mathematics and science curriculum report was the prime order of business for the Alliance Board of Education at its regular meeting Monday evening at the Junior High Building. These teachers in the Alliance system recommended that the Laidlaw math program be continued for at least two years.
55 Years Ago
January 28, 1971
A total of 91 registrations have been received for adult education courses sponsored by the Alliance City Schools, Director Bruce Rockey reported today. Courses to be held include welding, bookkeeping, clerical office practice, advanced typing, upholstery, poster art and nurse aide.
50 Years Ago
January 22, 1976
A Bicentennial project will be combined with the 20th annual Stars of Tomorrow talent contest in Alliance, according to an announcement today from the sponsoring Kiwanis Club. The project will be to aid the City Park children’s playground area by selling “signatures” at $2 each or whatever an individual wishes to donate.
45 Years Ago
January 24, 1981
Until only a few months ago, we had never head of canine parvovirus infection. Then a call came to this newspaper that several dogs had died as the result of a new disease. Checking with a local veterinary clinic we found that this was indeed true.
40 Years Ago
January 25, 1986
The recent scrambling of signals by satellite TV companies will not threaten local cable subscribers, according to Pat Karn, manager of Alliance Community TV. The cable service already has descramblers so their subscribers will continue to receive full service.
35 Years Ago
January 24, 1991
Good piloting skills, quick action by local law enforcement and a great deal of luck averted a tragedy Wednesday, as a plane made an emergency landing in traffic on U.S. 385 north of Alliance. Mike Henningan of Odessa, Tex., a professional pilot for 16 years, was on his way to Dickinson, S.D., delivering a Cessna 150 when his engine conked out at 6,500 feet at about 12:30 p.m.
30 Years Ago
January 24, 1996
A call to Crime Stoppers Tuesday led Alliance police to recommend charges be brought against five juveniles. The teenagers, ages 13 to 15, allegedly were involved in all or a share of 13 incidents of vandalism that occurred last Thursday and Friday. Four of the five were also allegedly involved in two auto thefts that happened early Saturday morning.
25 Years Ago
January 25, 2001
A city lake is being overrun by wintering geese attracted by its open water, lack of predators and food in nearby farm fields. Laing Lake can’t accommodate the 3,500 birds that concentrated there earlier this month, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission biologist Gary Schlichtemeier said.
20 Years Ago
January 25, 2006
The Sallows Botanical Garden/Conservatory is closer to becoming a reality for the city of Alliance. The Alliance Parks Foundation met last evening with Pam Caskie, city manager, and went over the design for the conservatory and how the foundation will be working with the city to complete the project.
15 Years Ago
January 26, 2011
Since August of 2010 keno gaming in Alliance has been overseen by the Nebraska Cooperative Government (NCG), which according to the organization’s website, is managed by Lotto Nebraska, and its main purpose is to tap into the “huge sums of money” being spent on entertainment, luxury and gaming products throughout the state, that often goes to for-profit companies.
10 Years Ago
January 26, 2016
“The rumors are true,” states Allo Communications website, “we’re building in your neighborhood! The fastest Internet in Nebraska!” Allo Communications came into Alliance a while back and installed fiber optics in some of the business area.
5 Years Ago
January 27, 2021
Local law enforcement agencies reported a possible scam in Box Butte County where individuals are allegedly confiscating firearms and other equipment. A press release from the Alliance Police Department on Monday said the agency, along with the Box Butte County Sheriff’s Office were made aware of the situation in which “Federal Boys” or federal agents were taking firearms.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher