130 Years Ago
December 14, 1894
Alliance will soon need more school buildings and more teachers. It has been thought advisable to replace some of the old worn out text-books we have buy new ones. So arrangements have been made to exchange the old grammars, arithmetics, spelling-books and civil governments for new texts on the same subjects.
125 Years Ago
December 15, 1899
I will give $25 for evidence sufficient to secure a conviction of anyone stealing Pabst beer bottles. I will also give $5 for information disclosing the name or names of anyone purchasing Pabst beer bottles.
120 Years Ago
December 6, 1904
Fire started at the pressure tank of the gasoline lighting apparatus for Norton’s store last evening, and an alarm was turned in, but the blaze was extinguished by the clerks before it had done any damage, and by the time the fire apparatus was brought to the scene.
115 Years Ago
December 10, 1909
“The Belle of Japan,” presented at the opera house Tuesday evening, had but small attendance, probably on account of the cold weather. The Japanese costumes were very pretty, and one can not but fail to to believe American women would be healthier if they were imitated.
110 Years Ago
December 11, 1914
The largest order for phonographs ever given in Alliance was wired to the Edison distributing agency by Geo. D. Darling Thursday night. The unusual demand for the new Diamond Disc Edison this year has made necessary the heavy additional order.
105 Years Ago
December 9, 1919
The Eagles Club furnishings and equipment have been stored and the club rooms have been closed until such time as they erect a building of their own. J. A. Keegan purchased the building several months ago and he has leased the lower floor to Mr. Hirst for a selfserve grocery.
100 Years Ago
December 12, 1924
Another lease of life has been given the Alliance land office, according to a telegram received from Congressman Robert G. Simmons of the Big Sixth district, who made the fight in the house of representatives to save it from abolition. This is the third time it has been necessary to fight to save the Alliance land office.
95 Years Ago
December 10, 1929
Renewal licenses for automobiles for 1930 are now being issued a the office of County Treasurer Cora M. Lewis. Under the new law there are but two prices being charged this year for auto licenses. For autos under 2700 the fee is $8 and over that $12. This is regardless of the age and model of auto.
90 Years Ago
December 11, 1934
Preparations are nearly complete for the first Alliance grade school Christmas song fest which will be held at 3 p. m. Friday in the high school auditorium. About 800 voices will combine in the program. Only a limited space will be available for spectators, the school authorities state.
85 Years Ago
December 12, 1939
Alliance’s non-college civilian flight unit under the civil aeronautics authority’s program to train pilots will get under way January 1. It was said that at least 50 prospective students will be permitted to enroll in the ground school, which will be conducted at the high school under a high school teacher. From that number, 10 will be chosen for flight training beginning April 1 on the basis of scores on examinations.
80 Years Ago
December 12, 1944
Four young girls of Alliance were sadder and wiser this week after learning that their “marriage” to men in the armed forces here were performed under faked circumstances with the lines read by soldiers impersonating army chaplains. Each had supposedly married a paratrooper at the time paratroopers were stationed at the Alliance base, according to their various stories.
75 Years Ago
December 16, 1949
“The Alliance postoffice will handle more than 20,000 cards and letters a day for the next week,” Postmaster Frank Brennan reported this morning. Brennan again reminded residents that unsealed Christmas cards cost two cents to be mailed this year.
70 Years Ago
December 11, 1954
Officials at the Alliance Air Service are busy testing Alliance’s new VOR station. James Ramsey, Nebraska director of aeronautics, told the Times-Herald that station should be in complete operation in about 30 days. The VOR (Visual omni range) station sends out in all directions a constant signal consisting of a series of dashes followed by a pause.
65 Years Ago
December 11, 1959
Miss Jeanie Sampson and Alliance, and Miss Bonnie Shimek of Hemingford, have been named county contestants for the annual Good Citizenship Essay contest to be held at the Alliance High School January 16. The winner will be given another topic to write on for the state contest.
60 Years Ago
December 12, 1964
For the first time in over two months, boardings on Frinti Airlines here has gone over the required 5-a-day by the Civil Aeronautics Board. During the first 11 days of December, 56 boarded planes here.
55 Years Ago
December 12, 1969
Swine producers from the Alliance and Hemingford areas met Thursday evening at the County Extension Office in Alliance to form a new swine organization which will be known as the Panhandle Pork Producers Association.
50 Years Ago
December 10, 1974
“Service will be the byword of the department,” said John Means, following a ceremony Tuesday morning in the City Council Chambers during which he was sworn in as Alliance’s new police chief. Means said he was attaining a lifetime ambition by becoming a police chief.
45 Years Ago
December 15, 1979
Need something to do in your typing class? How about typing a letter to the hostages in the American Embassy in Iran? That’s what the Alliance High School Typing I classes did Friday and hopefully the Americans will receive 100 Christmas cards from Alliance students by the holiday proper.
40 Years Ago
December 10, 1984
Susan Hansen, County Assessor for Box Butte County, today got the commissioners approval to take bids for aerial photography project of farms in the county. Hansen said the aerial phots will be used to update the assessor’s tax records.
35 Years Ago
December 15, 1989
The City of Alliance earned the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) Pedestrian Safety Citation for its achievement in pedestrian traffic safety for 1988. The citation is one of 404 citations to be presented by AAA Clubs across the country in the federation’s 50th annual Pedestrian Protection Program.
30 Years Ago
December 8, 1994
Nebraskans still digging out from the first heavy snow of the season found themselves struggling with another storm that brought freeing drizzle, light snow and dense fog to the state early today.
25 Years Ago
December 10, 1999
A Box Butte County grand jury has cleared county official of any wrongdoing in the death of an Alliance man who died while he was being held in the county jail.
20 Years Ago
December 13, 2004
People give many types of gifts during the holiday season, including items ranging from clothing, electronics to even animals. But before giving an animal as a gift, people should be aware of important steps that should be taken to protect others and the lives of animals.
15 Years Ago
December 11, 2009
The Alliance High School One Act team has been crowned the Class B State Champions for 2009.
10 Years Ago
December 11, 2014
There wasn’t much in the of ribbon cuttings or special ceremonies Wednesday afternoon, but the door officially opened on the Alliance Public Library’s newest venture, a bookstore, the former staff workroom.
5 Years Ago
December 11, 2019
With Christmas just around the corner, Santa Claus is a busy man. He took time to stop in Alliance during the Christmas Parade on Dec. 3, meeting with children following the parade.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Baum