130 Years Ago
May 8, 1896
The chimney now being constructed by Wm. Worthman for the railroad company will be 100 feet in height, and will contain 160,000 brick, all of which must be extra good and hard. Mr. Worthman expects to have it finished by the last of next week.
125 Years Ago
May 3, 1901
With hay in demand at a price of $12 per ton in Alliance, there are no doubt several who will watch the growth of new grass with more than passing interest.
120 Years Ago
May 11, 1906
Orders were sent out by the present city administration that all seats, signs, and benches obstructing the sidewalk would have to be removed at once. Some have complied with the orders and taken their seats off the walk, while others have paid no heed to them at all. We think it looks very much better with these unsightly seats off the sidewalks, but believe all should be taken down if a few are.
115 Years Ago
May 12, 1911
You can’t spend thirty-five cents in a more enjoyable manner, than by attending the play, “A Case of Suspension,” at the opera house tonight.
110 Years Ago
May 12, 1916
Tommy Smith and Art Davis are training hard for their big bout which is scheduled for next Thursday night at the Phelan opera house. With the go a week distant the men are ready for the gong and when the time comes they will be ready for the battle of their lives.
105 Years Ago
May 13, 1921
Joseph Zikmund, 210-pound Bohemian bonecrusher of Bainard, Neb., and for several years one of Joe Stecher’s training partners, has been matched to meet Pete Sauer in a finish event at the roof garden next Monday night. Zikmund is reported to be one of the “upper tens” in the heavyweight game and has the reputation of being one of the cleverest big men on the mat.
100 Years Ago
May 14, 1926
For more than a week a number of men have been busy cleaning the streets and alleys in preparation for cleanup week, which starts Monday and continues through the week with a big celebration for the kids on Saturday. The working force will be doubled next week and an effort will be made to finish the campaign in one week with the assistance of every person in Alliance.
95 Years Ago
May 12, 1931
Many inquiries are being received by the Chamber of Commerce as to what chance there is of this city adopting the daylight savings time schedule. This is in use in the eastern cities. It permits longer evenings, allowing more time for recreation for the working people.
90 Years Ago
May 8, 1936
Air races, high-speed “aerobatics,” formation flying, skywriting and a sky full of stunt flying are scheduled for the Alliance Air Show Sunday, May 24, when dozens of planes will assemble at the municipal field and provide unusual entertainment for Alliance and its visitors.
85 Years Ago
May 9, 1941
No trace had yet been found today of Bill Stevenson, 17-year-old youth who disappeared from his home here Monday night. After news of his disappearance became known several persons reported seeing him riding his bicycle toward the west edge of the city.
80 Years Ago
May 10, 1946
Police authorities here are looking for Richard Seymour who earlier this week was acquitted of adultery charges in district court. Police say that Seymour yesterday went to a local cafe and there made a disturbance. He is being sought on charges of intoxication, disorderly conduct and using obscene and indecent language.
75 Years Ago
May 12, 1951
City Manager R. W. Laing, in answer to a number of queries, said today that the new yellow curb markings in places where parking is prohibited is being done to conform with national standards. Laing said that the yellow markings are standard across the country for such markings and have been approved by the National Association of Highway Engineers.
70 Years Ago
May 12, 1956
Safety checks for cars will be given in Alliance Monday and Tuesday as a public service of the New Car Dealers Association. President Neil Colerick announced today anyone is welcome to bring his car to the Safeway parking lot. There is no charge for the safety check and no obligation afterwards.
65 Years Ago
May 11, 1961
A flight of Berlin Ez-A-Way mechanical folding bleachers, being considered for the proposed community building addition to the Junior High School, are on display today in the show room of the Dobson motor Company. The display was scheduled for the Drake Hotel but the lobby there was not sufficiently large to accommodate the 4-tiered, padded seats.
60 Years Ago
May 14, 1966
Since May 1 through Friday night there had been 85 persons enplane on Frontier Airlines here. From last Saturday through Friday night there were 52. Last year there were only 107 boardings on Frontier here during the entire month of May.
55 Years Ago
May 14, 1971
A six week Elementary Summer School, beginning June 14 and ending July 23, has been funded in the amount of $10,030 through Title I of the elementary and Secondary Education Act. The school is designed to work with students from pre-kindergarten to grade 6.
50 Years Ago
May 13, 1976
Brent Debus was a “free man” again Wednesday afternoon, set free, in the best traditions of American justice, by a jury of his peers who found him not guilty on charges of distribution of a controlled substance (narcotics). In all fairness to Debus, however, it should be noted that the distribution charge was rather contrived. It was contrived as a simulated court case presented to local junior high school students and designed to provide some insights into the operation of the law and justice systems.
45 Years Ago
May 7, 1981
There were 52 building permits issued at the City Building and Zoning office in April with a total value of $460,628, bringing the amount of permits for the year to $1,263,337. Largest permit issued was for a McDonalds Corp. restaurant to be located off the new Ramblin’ Road extension south of Third St. McDonalds has an additional permit for signs to cost $15,000.
40 Years Ago
May 8, 1986
People drive by Dwayne Rose’s house at 419 Potash then drive by again. A nearly-completed storage shed in Rose’s backyard catches their eye. Rose didn’t build it. He didn’t buy it completed and move it there. The 12×16-foot miniature barn-shaped shed construction is being done by the Alliance High School building trades class.
35 Years Ago
May 10, 1991
Paul Phaneuf of Friends of Carhenge has received word that a three-member filming team for the British Broadcasting Company (BBC) will arrive in Alliance on Tuesday, May 14. They will be filming a piece on Alliance’s Carhenge for viewers in the United Kingdom.
30 Years Ago
May 6, 1996
No records
25 Years Ago
May 11, 2001
As gas prices keep rising in Alliance, people continue to fill up at the local gas stations while certainly not enjoying it. “I have had customers say they are going to buy a motorbike or walk more,” Rex Ann Raskiewicz, manager of Big D on East Third Street, said this morning. “Every day, I hear comments that they want to buy a smaller car, especially those customers who drive daily to Chadron to school.”
20 Years Ago
May 11, 2006
The Alliance Police Department is investigating an armed robbery that occurred at 1:40 a.m. today at the Gas ‘N Shop convenience store. The clerk reported that a thin, 6’ tall, white male with dark brown eyes and thick eyebrows entered the store, displayed a weapon and demanded money.
15 Years Ago
May 10, 2011
A tornado warning issued last night around 8:40 p.m. reminded Box Butte County residents of the need to heed the warnings of the National Weather System. Box Butte county resident Melissa Zapata, who lives approximately five miles east of Hemingford, in the affected area, said last night was a reminder to update her emergency kit.
10 Years Ago
May 12, 2016
Monday kicked off Economic Development Week as the director of Box Butte Development Corporation, Chelsie Herian, continues to work hard to come up with new ideas to develop local communities. Economic Development is defined as, “Efforts that seek to improve economic well-being and quality of life for our community by creating, retaining jobs and supporting or growing tax bases.
5 Years Ago
May 12, 2021
After a deliberating for more than six hours, a jury returned a verdict, finding George S. guilty of intentional manslaughter and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony in the killing of Steven O. The trial began Monday afternoon with Box Butte County District Court Judge Travis O’Gorman presiding.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher