130 Years Ago
June 9, 1893
The handsome hook and ladder truck for the city arrived Wednesday and at present is kept in J. R. VanBoskirk’s implement warehouse. It will no doubt serve the use intended admirably. A meeting will be held in the council chamber next Monday evening at eight o’clock for the purpose of organizing a volunteer fire company.
125 Years Ago
June 3, 1898
A horse that was tied back of Bell’s store last Friday night backed into the cellar-way and was not found until the next morning.
120 Years Ago
June 12, 1903
Sunday morning just after having finished the currying of one of his fine sorrels Liveryman Fenton had the misfortune to have the animal drop dead in the stall. A supposed case of heart disease.
115 Years Ago
June 9, 1908
If by any chance, while you are walking along one of the busy streets of this city, something whizzes by leaving you to dig the grease and dirt from your eyes, and causes you to mutter incoherent and forbidden language, just forget it, as C. H. Vinsel hasn’t quite got accustomed to the habits of that pesky gasoline bronco. C. H. is the proud possessor of a motor-cycle that arrived several days ago.
110 Years Ago
June 6, 1913
A hard windstorm in the country northeast of Alliance Thursday evening is reported to have destroyed the residence on the homestead of Machinist Andy Sherman of Alliance. It is reported that none of the family was injured.
105 Years Ago
June 7, 1918
Edward Enderly, one of the early settlers of Box Butte county, met death in a horrible manner at his ranch near Thermopolis, this week when he attempted to remove a hackamore from an unbroken horse, while restraining the animal with a rope which he had wrapped about his left arm. The horse bolted and Enderly, who managed to keep his feet for 300 yards, was killed when the frightened animal attempted to plunge through a gate. Enderly’s body struck one of the gate posts so violently that the heavy post, set two and one-half feet in the ground, was uprooted and thrown twenty feet. Enderly’s skull was crushed, his neck broken and virtually every bone in the upper part of his body fractured. His son, who reached the scene of the tragedy a few minutes after it occurred, found the bronco tramping and kicking the lifeless body of the man.
100 Years Ago
June 8, 1923
Fred Schwaderer, Jr., 31 years old, was electrocuted at 6:30 Tuesday evening when he touched an iron cable used as a tie rack in front of Newberry’s warehouse on West Fourth street. The cable had a direct connection to the primary power line carrying 2,300 volts through a ground wire passing over a lightening arrester attached to the top of the pole.
95 Years Ago
June 5, 1928
An automobile crash occurred at the intersection of Fifth and Box Butte avenue late yesterday afternoon in which cars driven by L. A Livingston and R. N. Baker were the principals. Mr. Baker’s new Hudson brougham received the worst of the accident. Mr. Baker was driving south on Box Butte and the other car was proceeding north and suddenly made a turn to the left into the Hudson. Following the accident, Officer Barnum made an investigation and is alleged to have found a bottle one-third full of liquor in the Livingston car. Mr. Livingston was taken into custody and later released on bond.
90 Years Ago
June 6, 1933
Eleven young women who have completed their courses in nurses training at St. Joseph’s hospital in Alliance will be graduated with a special commencement program this evening at Holy Rosary church. The members of the graduating class include: Mary Irene Baker, Mitchell. Eleanor Dru Bowman, Cody. Louise Ida Coupens, Alliance. Helen M. Dafney, Alliance. Reva Almira Dillon, Alliance. Cathleen L. McNulty, Vetal, S. D. Edna A. Frame, Sidney. Helen Mae Murphy, Alliance. Agnes Lorraine Nollette, Nenzel, Neb. Ethel H. Smith, White Clay, S. D. Delma B. Wright, Alliance.
85 Years Ago
June 7, 1938
Charges of breaking and entering with intention to rape were filed this afternoon against Louie Williams, 30-year-old, by County Attorney Leo M. Bayer. Williams, who said he came from New Bethel, Ind., about 20 miles from Indianapolis, told authorities he arrived in Alliance about seven months ago and has been doing odd jobs at St. Joseph’s hospital since. Lucille Wyland, a student nurse, said that she awoke Friday night to find Williams in her room. Miss Wyland screamed, and Williams fled through the bedroom window. Miss Wyland’s father reported the matter to the sheriff’s office Monday morning, and Officer Joe Dorwart arrested Williams at the hospital immediately. Dorwart said Williams admitted he was in the girl’s room.
80 Years Ago
June 8, 1943
Word was received here this morning that F/O Albert C. Hunter, jr., was killed in a plane crash south of Fayetteville, N. Car., last night. He was serving as a co-pilot. F/O Hunter was united in marriage to Miss Virginia Stilley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Stilley of Alliance. Mrs. Hunter was formerly employed as cashier at the Alliance theatre.
75 Years Ago
June 8, 1948
A tragic ending to a family fishing and picnic outing occurred Sunday at the Box Butte county dam north of Hemingford when Vernon McIntosh, 21, of Alliance, drowned. Witnesses to the drowning say that a young child fishing near the McIntosh party lost the bobber from his fish line. Young McIntosh offered to swim out to get the bobber. It had floated some distance away and McIntosh apparently was seized with a cramp in the cold water. Ray Kyser of Hay Springs tried to paddle out to the sinking man.
70 Years Ago
June 8, 1953
Eldon R. Porter, 29-year-old Alliance man and father of three children, pleaded guilty in county court this morning to a charge of “feloniously entering a building with intent to steal” in connection with the attempted holdup at the Meyers Texaco Service Station early the morning of June 1.
65 Years Ago
June 7, 1958
Milton Rubeck, wire chief of the Northwestern Bell Telephone Co., here will be honored Wednesday on his 35th anniversary with the company. He is a member of the City Council and the Salvation Army Board, past president of the Chamber of Commerce and a past president of the Alliance Rotary Club.
60 Years Ago
June 10, 1963
Mother Carmen, who has been superintendent of St. Agnes Academy for the past six years, will leave her Alliance post Tuesday. Mother Carmen will attend a special workshop for three weeks at Creighton University and then go to the Mother House in Stella Niagara, N. Y.
55 Years Ago
June 7, 1968
Nearly completed plans for a new “L-shaped” swimming pool to be constructed at Sixteenth and Laramie in Alliance were approved by the City Council at its regular meeting Thursday evening. The estimate of the pool cost is $153,000. Funding will be from federal, state and local sources.
50 Years Ago
June 7, 1973
Paul Bartels, a Chadron State College senior, is working as an intern in the field of city government in Alliance this summer. He is shown a new map of Alliance’s North Park area with City Manager Robert Placek and City Clerk Gary Tomlin. Bartels, from Grand Island, is majoring in business administration and will graduate from Chadron next spring.
45 Years Ago
June 7, 1978
Grading and asphalt surfacing of a new north-south street for Alliance has been completed. It is Cody Avenue between Third Street and Kansas Street. Cost of the work is being borne by Burlington Northern in an exchange with the City for the closing of dedicated streets in former Hills Addition where the new locomotive facility is being constructed.
40 Years Ago
June 7, 1983
Perky’s Igloo-Mobile driver Trudy Chaulk takes a distinct order Monday afternoon from a young customer as another waits anxiously for a chilly treat. Cold cloudy weather makes for slow business days, Chaulk said, but warm weather brings out customers in force. When kids hear the horn and music from the vehicle, they come running for blocks, she said.
35 Years Ago
June 7, 1988
For school year 1988-89, Alliance High School will have two new administrators. Dick Boness has been promoted from building principal to principal, and Bill Reno was approved as assistant principal. The school board gave its approval during the regular public meeting Monday in the administration office.
30 Years Ago
June 7, 1993
The Optimist Club hosted its annual Fishing Derby Saturday morning. Omar Solo from Norfolk and Dustin Kozal, were taking a count of all the fish that they and their friends had caught. The turnout was good for the contest, even with the winds and cool weather.
25 Years Ago
June 8, 1998
The Sugar Valley Rally may have brought memories of an older Alliance flooding back to many Saturday morning. Antique vehicles from Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska were parked up and down Box Butte Avenue. Eighty-one cars and drivers participated in the rally.
20 Years Ago
June 6, 2003
Elvis impersonator Steve Henkel sings “Teddy Bear” to Jane Schnurr while performing yesterday at Highland Park Care Center. The concert was part of a 1950s week celebration at Highland Park and commemorated the anniversary of Elvis’ debut on the Ed Sullivan Show.
15 Years Ago
June 7, 2008
Kathy Wilfi, docent for the Riverside Zoo in Scottsbluff, shows a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach at the first summer reading program presentation at the Alliance Learning Center on Wednesday. Wilfi talked about the different classifications of bugs, let the children touch a hissing cockroach, and showed off some scorpions in keeping with the reading program’s theme “Catch the Reading Bug.” This Wednesday, children will learn how to draw bugs with artist Robert Peltz.
10 Years Ago
June 7, 2013
According to a recent news release, Alliance High School Science Teachers Mark Custer and Brett Miller have received grants from Fund for Teachers to pursue a self-designed professional development project. This summer, the teachers will: experience geological and biological phenomena in Alaska, including glaciers, volcanic / seismic activity and the Aurora Borealis, to heighten the environmental ecology aspect of earth science and biology curricula.
5 Years Ago
June 6, 2018
A total of 21 children in Alliance were served by students and faculty from the UNMC College of Dentistry on Friday and Saturday at Horizon West Dental. The volunteers provided dental care services including sealants, fillings and extractions.