130 Years Ago
April 3, 1896
Rose, the little daughter of Geo. C. bell, was run over by a cow that some men were driving in the street this morning. She was hurt but little, although badly frightened.
125 Years Ago
April 5, 1901
Pickard & Cody, who operate the steam laundry, have put in some new machinery and are getting their equipment in shape to do as good work as can be done in any steam laundry in the west. They deserve a liberal patronage at the hands of Alliance people.
120 Years Ago
April 6, 1906
While Roy Beckwith, W. O. Barnes and Frank Irish were out hunting last week, Mr. Beckwith came very near to having his hunting days come to an untimely end. He had just begun to get started on the hunt when the muzzle of his gun was blown off. Roy believes that the barrel had become clogged with the snow.
115 Years Ago
April 7, 1911
The average man dresses to please the ladies or rather to please “a lady.” Realizing the importance of this fact, we want as many ladies as possible to see our new spring suits on our opening day Saturday, April 8th. In order to induce them to do this we will give to the first 100 lady callers on that day each a fine red or pink rose.
110 Years Ago
April 7, 1916
“Autogitis” is a new complaint, or rather the name is new, but the complaint is one of long standing. The latest victim of “autogitis” is Ira E. Tash, a veteran driver and a man whom we all supposed was immune. It is brought about by any one of half a dozen different causes, the principal one of which is cranking cars. The advance of the spark and a careless handling of the crank will bring on “autogitis” almost immediately.
105 Years Ago
April 8, 1921
J. E. Stark reports that his telephone bell was worn out this week following the publication of an ad in the Times offering setting hens for sale. “Mrs. Stark threatened me with all kinds of dire punishment should I ever do such a trick again,” he said. You will just have to make up your mind to be bothered with business if you advertise in The Times.
100 Years Ago
April 9, 1926
W. R. Harper, proprietor of the Harper Department Store, one of the largest and best-knwn stores in Alliance, made a complete assignment to his creditors last night and the store did not open for business today. Mr. Harper was compelled to take a $20,000 loss three years ago when mercantile stocks tumbled in price due to the depression which followed the years of peak prices.
95 Years Ago
April 7, 1931
All baseball players ot Alliance and vicinity who wish to be candidates for the Alliance team this season are asked to meet at the new baseball diamond on east Third street at 5:30 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. The grounds have been leveled off and put into shape for playing. The building of the grandstand will start tomorrow.
90 Years Ago
April 3, 1936
Alliance placed first in one of four events in the annual district declamatory contest at Hemingford last weekend. Schools competing were Crawford, Harrison, Hemingford and Alliance. George Martin of Alliance won in the extemporaneous division, speaking on “Government Ownership of Public Utilities.”
85 Years Ago
April 1, 1941
“Alliance Band Will Tour Hawaii on Spring Trip.” “Ten Teachers to Leave Alliance; Enlist as Soldiers, Hostesses.” “Students Required to Read Superman.” Those are a few typical headlines from this week’s edition of The Spud, high school student publication, believe it or not. The explanation lies in the fact that today is April 1, also known as All Fools Day.
80 Years Ago
April 5, 1946
A number of officers and enlisted men are due to arrive in Alliance this weekend to work at the Air Base in the disposal of records, it was learned today. The officers are from the headquarters of the Third Air Force Troop Carrier Command, Greenville, SC.
75 Years Ago
April 7, 1951
Newspapers aren’t the only ones who make typographical errors. C. W. Boys’ has a Ford pickup and the nameplate on the hood reads “Frod.”
70 Years Ago
April 5, 1956
The number of people contacting the State Employment Service office here continues to decline, Manager H. V. McClary said today in his report for March. This indicates fewer are needing or hunting jobs. New construction in the Alliance and Chadron area soon will be taking up more workers, McClary said.
65 Years Ago
April 3, 1961
City police today were investigating an overnight break-in at Don’s Cafe, 218 West Third, which netted a burglar or burglars about $200 in currency and change. Pennies made up $19 of the loot. Entrance was gained by breaking a pane in a pull-out window at the rear of the building.
60 Years Ago
April 4, 1966
Mail received by Mrs. Jennie Patterson of Alliance congratulating her on the occasion of her 100th birthday includes a card on White House stationery from President Johnson. It reads: “My sincere congratulations upon your birthday. May good health be your through many more happy years. Lyndon B. Johnson.”
55 Years Ago
April 7, 1971
John Oliver, criminal investigator for the Nebraska State Patrol, reported a number of Indian-Head pennies identified as being from the Russell Miller coin collection were recovered near the City warehouse recently. Russell Campbell, Jr., and Jack Billings, both of Alliance, found the coins in some weeds around sheds owned by the City on First St.
50 Years Ago
April 6, 1976
Thirteen Alliance and five Hemingford students at the University of Nebraska were among approximately 2,150 honored for high scholarship Tuesday at the University’s 48th annual Honors Convocation.
45 Years Ago
April 4, 1981
Hemingford High School scored 100.4 points to win the Class II trophy at the 21st annual Chadron State College Inter-High School Scholastic Contest Friday.
40 Years Ago
April 4, 1986
Spring fever manifests itself in a trendy form this year. It wasn’t hard to notice because at the first hint of warm, sunny weather, hundreds of Alliance Middle School boys cruised the sidewalks. But they’re not on bicycles. Since the popular movie, “Back To The Future” premiered in Alliance last winter, 10-, 11-, and 12-year-old boys have been biding their time until Spring. With the warm sunny days over Easter they whooshed along the sidewalk on their skateboards, just like Michael J. Fox did in the movie.
35 Years Ago
April 1, 1991
The Alliance Police Department received a bomb threat at approximately 8:30 a.m. Monday morning, said Sheriff Mike Frerichs. The caller said the bomb was in the Box Butte County Courthouse. The building was evacuated and the building searched for about 15 minutes before the call was determined to be a hoax. Frerichs said that the call was made as an April Fool’s joke by an employee of the county clerk’s office.
30 Years Ago
April 6, 1996
During the first three months of 1996 the amount of construction and building permits has risen a significant amount from the same period in 1995. Several projects have just been finished and others are just beginning. According to Interim Building Inspector Bob Carr, the approximate value of the building permits so far this year is $714,000, compared to $588,000 during 1995.
25 Years Ago
April 6, 2001
The street closures for this coming July’s annual Heritage Days will include the relocation of the carnival to the 400 and 500 blocks of Box Butte Avenue. Among the reasons given by Shell Tomjack, Alliance Chamber of Commerce director, for the move was the proximity of the bars at the south end of where the carnival was located in the past.
20 Years Ago
April 5, 2006
On Monday, Carhenge, one of the historic tourist attractions in Alliance, became one of the central points in a car ad. A crew for the Nissan Pathfinder spent a few hours filming the vehicle driving both around and through the attraction.
15 Years Ago
April 7, 2011
It was recently announced that the after school program at Emerson and Grandview elementary schools will receive $54,000 from a federal grant for 21st Century Community Learning Center programs. The grant is available or the next five years.
10 Years Ago
April 6, 2016
Alliance placed second at this past Friday’s Chadron State College Scholastic Contest. The Bulldogs scored 6.753 points in Division II behind first-place Sidney who ended the day with 12.662 points.
5 Years Ago
April 7, 2021
On Monday, the city of Alliance was announced as the 88th location in the Runza Restaurant chain as Neal and Lora Blomenkamp plan to open the restaurant along Highway 385 In the fall. The Blomenkamps own the Runza restaurant locations in Chadron, Gering and Scottsbluff.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher