130 Years Ago
May 22, 1896
Decoration day – or what is now more properly called Memorial Day – will be observed in Alliance one week from tomorrow under the auspices of General Dayton post G. A. R. and the Women’s Relief corps, and in which they will be assisted by the Alliance Artisan band, a number of the secret societies, the schools and others.
125 Years Ago
May 17, 1901
W. D. Davidson, who was working with a telegraph line gang on the Union Pacific and returned to this city recently, brought to this office for the inspection of the writer a bottle of oil.
120 Years Ago
May 25, 1906
Charles Tash, who has always had an intense longing to drive a Grecian chariot, has, in a measure had his desires met and is now driving the equipages belonging to the Drake hotel in a most graceful manner.
115 Years Ago
May 26, 1911
M. D. Nichols has moved his shoe repairing establishment to the room first south of the Mathies tailor shop. He has heretofore been in the rear part of Alliance Shoe store, but now has a location exclusively for his own business.
110 Years Ago
May 26, 1916
Charles Schafer has installed a new acetylene welding outfit in his shop on Laramie avenue. This permits the welding of any kind of metal and any shape or size of casting.
105 Years Ago
May 27, 1921
Men have been employed the past few days for the purpose of working on a special plant to be used for experimentation in the separation of the soda and potash from other salts. One of the great troubles with the potash deposits of this section has been to get a process that would effectually separate the various salts and produce a commercial fertilizer free from deleterious ingredients.
100 Years Ago
May 28, 1926
Alliance will be firmly convinced that money talks next Friday at 4 p.m. when the “Money Talks” special drives up to the Times building to throw away $50 in cash to the awaiting crowds. Yes, folks! Dimes, nickels and pennies will be showered from the special and those catching the coins can claim “keeps.”
95 Years Ago
May 26, 1931
Phil Bain and Dave Fancher, both of Hemingford, told county authorities that they were held up at the point of a gun at the outskirts of Hemingford Friday night by Leonard “Shorty” Russell, 37. They claimed that Russell had a long-barreled pistol and threatened them.
90 Years Ago
May 22, 1936
Alliance’s newest park development – the swimming pool block – is fast nearing a stage when its beauty will rival that of the main park plot. A crew of 35 workmen began pouring cement on the lily pond just east of the new electric fountain Wednesday.
85 Years Ago
May 23, 1941
A representative of the surplus marketing administration will come to Alliance about June 2 to make a complete survey of Box Butte County with a view to establishing the stamp plan for distribution of food-stuffs. The purpose of the stamp plan is to replace direct relief and where it has been tried it has not only increased the amount of relief available, but it has cut the government’s expense.
80 Years Ago
May 21, 1946
The University of Nebraska chemurgy project at the Box Butte County experiment station is doing extensive work in the possibilities of white mustard and related species as a possible new crop in this state.
75 Years Ago
May 26, 1951
Then there is the one about the doctor’s house here in town whose telephone number is only one figure different from the phone number of a local funeral home. The newshound called the mortician, got the doctor and made inquiries about “bodies in the basement.” The shocked doctor’s wife assured him that there were none, and besides, he must have the wrong number.
70 Years Ago
May 26, 1956
Alliance police are investigating a safe cracking job which happened at the Alliance Tractor and Implement Company some-time Friday night. The burglars got off with about $300 cash and around $1,500 in checks according to Gordon Keeley, part owner of the implement business.
65 Years Ago
May 27, 1961
The made-over Alliance Post Office will have a front vestibule at Box Butte Avenue level, will include a 37-by-56-foot addition to the north, will cost $324,000, and must be completed within 300 days from the time the contract is signed.
60 Years Ago
May 28, 1966
Wanted: An inch of rain soon! That is the fervent request of Box Butte County farmers. Bean planting is “nicely started” but the beans had just as well remain in the bag for all the growing they will do until rainfall is received, according to a report on this crop Friday night.
55 Years Ago
May 24, 1971
The Coca-Cola firm of Scottsbluff, owned by Dave and Pete Miller, has purchased the 7-Up Bottling Co., here from Ray Timbers. Al Koch is currently the manager of the plant and no further details were available here today.
50 Years Ago
May 27, 1976
Two members of the Alliance Volunteer Fire Department received 25 year pins in a special ceremony Wednesday evening, and six new members were initiated. Chief L. E. (Bus) Overstreet said the initiation was the largest since he has been a member of the department. The two getting 25 year pins were Wilford Jensen and Gene Christy.
45 Years Ago
May 22, 1981
A tow-alarm fire Thursday night at the Alliance Airport destroyed a storage building and injured a radio news reporter. The fire, in the building owned by the city of Alliance and rented by Plains Implement and Motor Company, was reported at 6:56 p.m. and caused by an electrical shortage, according to fire department officials.
40 Years Ago
May 21, 1986
The Alliance City council will conduct a public hearing Thursday night concerning the application of a liquor license for Kenneth C. Grosh who hopes to open a restaurant in the basement of the Elks Club this summer.
35 Years Ago
May 22, 1991
Because of the recession and business losses, Burlington Northern Railroad officials announced Wednesday that there will be layoffs system-wide. William N. Joplin said, “We do have some layoffs being implemented today.” The jobs remaining will be taken by the employees who have the greatest seniority.
30 Years Ago
May 24, 1996
Cabela’s plans to move a minor portion of its distribution system to Alliance, according to Tony Dolle, outdoor communications manager for the company. A nation-wide mail order outdoor clothing and equipment business, Sidney based Cabela’s shipping system is a multiple step process. “We’re moving a couple of those steps to Alliance,” Dolle said today.
25 Years Ago
May 26, 2001
Constantly growing, Alliance’s library has relocated throughout its history to accommodate expansion. The present facility’s size has served as a foundation for diverse programs and services. Since the library moved into the Alliance Learning Center three years ago, patrons have relished in its new features, especially computer access and meeting rooms.
20 Years Ago
May 25, 2006
Rerouting of utilities in Central Park will begin soon for the expansion of the Knight Museum. The City of Alliance will accommodate citizens who have currently booked events in the Shelter House.
15 Years Ago
May 25, 2011
The former Nebraska Boys Ranch, in the Sandhills south of Alliance, is no longer a vehicle for the Snow-Redfern Memorial Foundation to assist disadvantaged youth. With the sale of the ranch on May 19, however, cattle will continue to graze the range and a new organization will serve youth at the campus.
10 Years Ago
May 23, 2016
The Nebraska Department of Labor released preliminary unemployment numbers today for April. Box Butte County continues a rise with 3.9 percent for last month. That compares to 3.6 percent in March and 3.1 percent in February.
5 Years Ago
May 26, 2021
In an effort to stop an ongoing rash of burglaries in Alliance, the Alliance Police Department is asking citizens for help. According to Alliance Police Department Sergeant Cody Buskirk, since February there have been more than 60 burglaries in Alliance. He advised citizens to take precautions to limit the burglaries.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher