130 Years Ago
July 21, 1893
John Cook, of Crawford, has purchased the restaurant and news depot belonging to Mrs. M. J. Richardson, and that lady expects to leave soon for the east. Mr. Cook is said to be all that his name implies and have had lifelong experience in that particular business.
125 Years Ago
July 15, 1898
Mrs. E. Pepper was handling a revolver Wednesday evening, not knowing the weapon was loaded, when it discharged and the bullet lodged in the knee of Miss Emma. The doctors are unable to say as yet just how serious the wound will be, but do not apprehend trouble.
120 Years Ago
July 17, 1903
Quietly, peacefully, painlessly the little four-month-old baby of Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Thompson slumbered and approached the portals of Death, headless of a mother’s frantic grief and all efforts of medical attendants. Mr. Thompson is a ranch man located south of Alliance, and came to town with his family stopping at the Fox lodging house, being ill and that he might be nearer medical attendance. Some medicine for the father containing morphine was secured by Bertha, the two-year old girl during the obscene of the parents from the room, mixed with water and by her given to the baby.
115 Years Ago
July 17, 1908
Oscar Braman, who has conducted the Checkered Front livery and feed barn for the past six of seven months has disposed of the same. The purchased of the business being Alfred Jahnke, who is well known to Alliance people, and he will doubtless conduct manner in the future that has characterized it in the past.
110 Years Ago
July 18, 1913
Flaming posters in all colors of the rainbow throughout this section, proclaim the fact that the world famed Cole Brothers United Shows are to be seen in Alliance, Friday, July 25. Already the small boy and his elders are happy in anticipating the coming of this mighty tented amusement enterprise and its countless wonders. Today three special trains are required to transport the huge tents, ponderous wagons, cages, dens, chariots, tableau cars, elephants, camels, horses, ponies, men and women. There are forty-one clowns and merriment rules supreme.
105 Years Ago
July 19, 1918
The first death while in action of a man sent from Box Butte county has been reported. The casualty list the first part of the week contained the name of Richard Haugh, who was among the first drafted from this county. A brother, Roy Haugh, went in the draft of June 5th from Pontiac, Mich., to Columbus Barracks, Ohio.
100 Years Ago
July 17, 1923
A federal prohibition enforcement officer, called to the city for the occasion, lent valuable assistance to city and county police officers. The authorities succeeded in getting the evidence and rounding up four men, on charges of violating the liquor laws. The men caught in the police roundup were H. T. Thompkins, Walter Vogel, Eugene Curry and Charles Craig.
95 Years Ago
July 20, 1928
Chief of Police L.M. Horton arrived in Alliance late this morning from Denver, bringing with him Jose Miller and George Martinez, who are implicated in last Sunday morning’s robbery of the Golden Rule store. City and county police officers hope to arrest a third accomplice and it is believed that the remainder of the stolen goods will be recovered.
90 Years Ago
July 18, 1933
Whether the unidentified man whose body was found in a barley field east of the city Friday, came to his death at the hands of others or as the result of accidental injuries had not yet been determined today by city and county authorities working on the case. No clue has yet been found to the man’s identity. Supporting the theory of murder are the facts that his pockets were empty, the discovery of a stout club not far from the body which had been broken in two places, trampled grass which might indicate a scuffle at a point near the body and the tracks of two men which were found leading away from the body.
85 Years Ago
July 19, 1938
“Happy landings!” says Ralph Burton, manager of the municipal airport, to Mrs. Aubrey Burton, Alliance’s only women airplane pilot, as she prepares to take off for a solo flight… Wife of a Burlington employee and mother of three children. Mrs. Burton wants to get a commercial license and to become an “acrobat” (stunt flier). She soloed for the first time a week ago.
80 Years Ago
July 20, 1943
Saturday night the law enforcement officers thought they had a common Peeping Tom on their hands when notified that a man was on a ladder at 512 Big Horn. It turned out that the fellow was a soldier who had locked his key in his apartment. The sympathetic gendarme helped him climb to the apartment window.
75 Years Ago
July 20, 1948
Police Judge Harold Wingstad Monday warned Chris Prelle that he must clean up the property he owns on Hudson street within 30 days. Prelle was arrested by the city police on charges of violating the zoning ordinances. It was claimed that Prelle stored building material on the property, fenced Hudson street between First and Second and also used barbed wire in his lot-line fence.
70 Years Ago
July 18, 1953
Three persons were hospitalized following an accident six miles south of Alliance on Highway 19. According to Bob Lewis, state highway patrolman, Ora L. Coleman of Bridgeport was driving south on Highway 19 in a 1938 Dodge pickup and slowed down at a place where cars were parked on either side of the highway. Mrs. David Bonilla of Scottsbluff was driving a 1950 Pontiac sedan and did not realize the pickup was slowing down and ran into the truck’s rear end. The Pontiac went into the ditch and the pickup went 1,000 feet down the road. Mr. and Mrs Coleman were treated for lacerations, bruises and cuts at St. Joseph’s Hospital and were released. Mrs. Bonilla is still in the hospital with lacerations on the face, arms and legs and several broken ribs.
65 Years Ago
July 19, 1958
The 3rd annual Sidewalk Bazaar was in full swing here today. The event drew many persons to the business area for sidewalk bargains offered by participating merchants, like Thelma’s Shop. Pepe the Clown’s circus truck was in the parade this afternoon with a “player piano” played by Lee Finecy.
60 Years Ago
July 19, 1963
The Marlo Circus is coming to Alliance and the Alliance merchants are sponsoring “Krazy Days” to boost the four circus performances at the Alliance High Stadium. A spokesman for the Alliance Diamond Jubilee, Inc., announced that a circus parade would be staged on Box Butte Avenue. In the parade will be the free circus pony that is being given away by the committee.
55 Years Ago
July 19, 1968
Police Chief Verlin Hutton reported that Alliance was the scene of several fights which broke out Thursday night at four locations. Hutton said that “harvesters” and Alliance youths engaged in fights at the Municipal Swimming Pool, Central School, The Alliance National Bank and on Box Butte Avenue. City police cars were dispatched to the scenes and Hutton said three additional policemen were called on duty. The fighters were equipped with pool clubs, chains, tire irons and large sticks. The most severe fight took place at Central School. Two youths were injured in the skirmish at Central. Terry Dillon, 18, Alliance, received a gash on the head. Dick Koons, 17, York, was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital by Alliance Emergency Unit, treated for minor injures, and released. Hutton said investigation of the incidents is continuing.
50 Years Ago
July 20, 1973
A five-year old boy was taken to an Alliance clinic Thursday afternoon after he was struck by a car in the street in front of his home. David McCune, 207 Grand, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard McCune, reportedly ran from behind a parked car and was hit by a car driven by Lee Robert Eberly, 31, of Mechanicsburg, Pa. Eberly told Police that he was unable to stop the car in time. The boy was treated for what was reported to be a bump on the head.
45 Years Ago
July 19, 1978
Officials at Box Butte Medical Center have announced the addition of Dr. Gary Vandewege, formerly of Lincoln, to the staff of physicians. Dr. Vandewege, his wife Patricia, and their two daughters, Chanel 5 and Tiffany, 2, will reside at 704 Dakota. Dr. Vandewege will establish a family practice in Alliance.
40 Years Ago
July 20, 1983
Alan Cornish of Triple C Farm brought in the first load of 1983 winter wheat at the elevator at First and Emerson. Pat Deaver, manager of Deaver Grain Co., said he was happy with the quality of the first load of wheat. The Centurk variety weighed 60-pounds and had only 10.3 percent moisture content. Cornish said that the grain was cut from a field north of Alliance near Lakefield.
35 Years Ago
July 20, 1988
Luke Bourn, Ryan Bolinger, and Nate Dills decided an afternoon fishing at Laing Lake would be a good way to spend some time. Although school days only are about four weeks away, when boys fish, the time for teachers and books seems a long way off. Yes, they caught about five blue gills.
30 Years Ago
July 19, 1993
Young and old alike laughed and groaned as the one-clown circus, Jim Jackson, balanced ladders on his chin, fell off a slack wire and played a rubber chicken at performances in the mini park at Third and Box Butte and in Central Park.
25 Years Ago
July 20, 1998
Dobby’s Frontier Town float crosses the Box Butte intersection on its way down Third Street during the Wagons, Windmills and Whistles 1998 Heritage Days Parade Saturday morning. The float placed first in the non-commercial category. The KN Energy – KN for Kids float passes the crowd in the third block of the parade route, placing first in the commercial category. Members of Cub Scout Pack 207 ride on the float which received first place in the youth category.
20 Years Ago
July 19, 2003
The Alliance and Hemingford fire departments’ recently replenished bottled water stocks grew by the pallet-load yesterday with the donation of 7,200 bottles of water from the First National Bank, Gregory’s Insurance and Pepsi Cola Bottling Co. of Alliance.
15 Years Ago
July 19, 2008
Standing outside the Chamber of Commerce office Friday afternoon, Earl Jones and Heritage Days Committee member Lue Nerland pose with brothers Jared and Morgan Mracek to display the spike they found near the satellite dish by the Alliance Learning Center. They had Heritage Days buttons and will split $300 in Chamber Bucks. The Spike Contest has become a fixture of the celebration in recent years with daily clues leading to the location.
10 Years Ago
July 19, 2013
The 2013 Miss Flame Pageant celebrates after their win. Miss Smoke Lance Yearling, Miss Flame Jake Perkins and Miss Spark Richard Sanchez. The fundraiser has been a great success since 2010. Dan Griess emceed the event this year while wearing bunker gear, boots and all.
5 Years Ago
July 21, 2018
Winners of the first ever Heritage Days Lip Sync Battle – Kathy Worley and Kyle McCarville – hosted by the Newberry are presented a check for $250. Worley and McCarville performed to “Anything you Can Do … (Annie get your gun).” All winnings will be donated to Keep Alliance Beautiful.