130 Years Ago
February 8, 1895
A ladies’ hand bag at the Hopkins store awaits a claimant. It contains a purse, and the latter contains a nickle – not much, but enough for a woman to go shopping all day. That is, some women.
125 Years Ago
February 9, 1900
“Yamaa, the Hindoo hypnotist,” has appeared at the opera house the first three nights of this week and attracted good audiences. There is little doubt for gainsaying his powers as a hypnotist, but the rest of his show probably consists of that article called in the west “unlimited gall.” From a moral standpoint he probably deserves little patronage.
120 Years Ago
February 7, 1905
W. B. Hosier, one of the worthy firemen working out of here, returned last Friday evening after a three weeks’ absence, accompanied by a charming bride, and is receiving the hearty congratulations of his many friends.
115 Years Ago
February 8, 1910
Sheriff Cox left yesterday afternoon with Lincoln as his destination. He was taking Harry Crilley to the inebriate asylum, the latter having been sentenced to three years in that institution, however, he will be able to reduce his sentence to a few months upon good behavior. Crilley was in a mix-up a few days ago, in which he nearly killed a companion by hitting him over the head with a club, while in an intoxicated condition.
110 Years Ago
February 9, 1915
“That’s not my wife, there is some mistake,” said William Smith, of Bridger, Mont., in police court Monday afternoon when Chief Jeffers returned from a trip to arrest Smith’s wife whom he heared was living in Alliance since she left him in Bridger several months ago. Smith had only been married a few weeks when his wife departed their home, taking with her all his clothing, saddles, a horse and several bridles. As he was approaching Alliance Monday a fellow traveler, after hearing the story and the description of the woman, informed him that she was in Alliance and had been living here for some time. The woman was brought to police court and Mr. Smith had to be supported when he found out that this was not his wife nor had he ever seen the woman before.
105 Years Ago
February 6, 1920
The city board of health respectfully requests the co-operation of the citizens of Alliance with regard to the present quarantine cases in the city. The period of quarantine will be very short, and if the full co-operation of all is given the health officials, there will be much less of inconvenience, ill feeling and sickness.
100 Years Ago
February 6, 1925
The news of almost any day would seem strange to a traveler from an old civilized planet. At John’s Hopkins University they will perform an operation on a man from Colorado accused of murdering his wife. Cutting his skull giving his brain room to expand may eliminate alleged criminal tendencies. In days to come operations on the skull to remedy brain pressure especially on the top may become frequent.
95 Years Ago
February 7, 1930
Petty thieves have been making considerable trouble for J. E. Marsh, contractor on the Times-Herald building. Every night for more than a week a new lantern has been stolen. These were left out to warn the public of the street obstructions and each morning on of them was gone. And now one of the pieces of terracotta, made especially for the building and not worth a cent to anybody else, has been taken. It takes six weeks to run a single piece through the kilns at Denver and the brick work can’t be completed until that time.
90 Years Ago
February 8, 1935
There are potatoes growing in Box Butte county whose vines are now from six to eight inches high and doing fine. Believe it or not. The ancestry of almost every potato in the thousands of carloads of certified seed shipped out of this territory in past years can be traced back to six or eight original spuds. Believe that or not, too. The two facts are related.
85 Years Ago
February 6, 1940
Police this week were investigating the first break-in in Alliance in several months. The robbery occurred at the Farmers Union store and was discovered by police early Saturday morning. A quantity of pennies was taken from the cash register and papers in the safe, which was not locked, was rifled.
80 Years Ago
February 9, 1945
The police department’s two-way car radio was given an official test Thursday afternoon on a run between Alliance and Hemingford and it was called perfect. The two police cars have been equipped with both receiving and sending sets and it is possible for the officers riding in the cars to keep in constant communication with the central police station or to talk between cars.
75 Years Ago
February 7, 1950
Thursday night Alliance will have a new city council and a complete new set of city officials. These city leaders will be Boy Scouts, named or elected to office in a special election Saturday, as part of the local observance of National Boy Scout Week.
70 Years Ago
February 9, 1955
The Board of Education Tuesday night spent somewhat over $3,000 on new furnishings, mostly for the grade schools. The biggest purchase: Three pianos for the grade school multipurpose room. The Finecy Music Company of Alliance entered the low bid of $519 each, and Dr. Paul Sell recommended accepting the bid.
65 Years Ago
February 8, 1960
Jailed Youth, 19, Admits Seven Break-Ins Here: A crime spree that started Saturday night and lasted through most of Sunday night ended today when charges of breaking and entering were filed by County Attorney Alan Curtiss against Walter Don Deckert, 19, of Alliance.
60 Years Ago
February 10, 1965
At this time it appears the Alliance Public School system’s task of finding replacements for faculty vacancies in the 1965-66 year will be exceptionally light. Most of the more than 90 members of the present faculty will be back next year, a much higher percentage than in recent years in fact. The main factor in the change here is a new teacher salary program.
55 Years Ago
February 10, 1970
St. Ag Board Retains Hair Dress Code: Several St. Agnes students, representing the entire school, appeared before the Board of Education Monday night in regard to the dress code. After listening to the group present its case, the board voted to retain the same rules presently carried in the handbook. These rules provide that all should have “conventional hair cuts and hair dress.”
50 Years Ago
February 11, 1975
The Panhandle Alcoholic Rehabilitation Center (PARC) in Alliance, has a new director, effective Tuesday, it was announced Tuesday. Bill Raymond, 61, who has been associated with PARC since last July 15 as a counselor, is the new director.
45 Years Ago
February 12, 1980
Police Concerned Over High Number of Drunk Drivers: According to police department statistics, police arrested 47 persons in 1978 for DWI while 79 were arrested for the same offense last year. June of ‘78 saw only eight persons arrested for DWI, which was the highest monthly total for that year, while December 1979 police made 17 arrests.
40 Years Ago
February 8, 1985
An attorney who had practiced law in Alliance for more than fifty years died Thursday morning at Box Butte General Hospital. Leo Michael Bayer was born Feb. 2, 1907, in Alliance and had been a lifetime resident of the city.
35 Years Ago
February 9, 1990
The Box Butte County Courthouse in Alliance was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1990. Notification of the listing was sent to Mayor Eva Knight earlier this week by the Nebraska State Historical Society. The National Register is the nation’s inventory of properties considered to be worthy of preservation.
30 Years Ago
February 10, 1995
A domestic disturbance resulted in the stabbing of a 35-year-old Hemingford man early Friday morning in Hemingford. According to Hemingford Police Chief Jesse Savalas the police responded to a disturbance call at Wheatridge Court around 2:21 a.m. David Rembur, 35, was allegedly stabbed by girlfriend Fae Morgan, 38, in the lower left chest area.
25 Years Ago
February 9, 2000
WING Taskforce Drug Bust Nets 13: A joint sting operation conducted by the Western Nebraska Intelligence and Narcotics Group (WING), the Box Butte County Sheriff’s office, the Alliance Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol netted eight drug-related arrests this morning. The same investigation has already resulted in the arrest and charging of five other suspected drug offenders.
20 Years Ago
February 5, 2005
No Flu Vaccine Left in Panhandle: In October, 2004, the Center for Disease Control disclosed that the supply of flu shots was cut in half when officials in the United Kingdom suspended a major supplier’s license to manufacture the vaccine.
15 Years Ago
February 6, 2010
Carnegie Arts Center’s annual “Wonders” exhibit is currently on display in the Studio Gallery. “Wonders 2010” will be presented through May 2. This exhibit features art created by elementary and middle school children, as well as art created during Carnegie’s 8-week “Adventures in Art” workshop.
10 Years Ago
February 9, 2015
February is Nebraska 4-H Month and in the community spirit of giving back to others, 4-H members from the Panhandle District are collecting blankets for Project Linus. Since 1998, over 5 million blankets have been delivered to seriously ill or traumatized children, providing love, a sense of security, warmth, and comfort.
5 Years Ago
February 12, 2020
I was a change in course at the Alliance City Council meeting, as council members voted against putting the option of implementing a half-cent sales tax in Alliance on the ballot during the May 12 primary.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher