130 Years Ago
November 3, 1893
Readers of the Times will no doubt recall the sad accident by which Albert Krause lost his life a few weeks ago. We are called upon again this week to publish the details of an accident which has befallen a younger brother who arrived from the east about a week ago. While hunting Wednesday he rested the muzzle of his shot gun upon his left foot and in some matter it was discharged, terribly lacerating that member.
125 Years Ago
November 4, 1898
Judge Hewett has made his appointments for judges and clerks of election to serve at the next election, and they are satisfactory to all parties, being composed of good and impartial men, equally divided among all parties. They are: First Ward-judges, Robt. Marler, N. Fletcher, Syl. Preston; clerks, S.M. Smyser, E.A. Feather.
120 Years Ago
November 3, 1903
As to the matter of who is most entitled to this business, we ask comparison of the respective investments in Alliance of Ellis and O’Keefe. The Times has fought for Alliance and devoted time and money to the town’s advancement fifteen years; a little more than two years ago the Herald was fighting Alliance.
115 Years Ago
November 3, 1908
It will be a source of genuine regret to many people in this city and section of the state to learn that Rev. and Mrs. C.G. Jeffers have concluded they must leave Alliance. Rev. Jeffers’ resignation was tendered by the church Sunday, and we may say was received with surprise and consternation. This came as a thunderbolt to the congregation, to whom no intimation thereof has been given. It is due ti the fact that Mrs. Jeffers has been in very poor health the past several months, and finally it is decided that her only hope is to get to a lower altitude.
110 Years Ago
November 4, 1913
On information that a game was in progress at the Lester livery barn Monday night, but were unable to secure sufficient evidence to convict. Jess Wilson, N. Fronapfel, Sam Powell, Mike Shay and Claude Lester, when arraigned before the judge gave bonds for their appearance Tuesday morning. After a consultation, with Mayor Rodgers, City Attorney Westover ordered the cases dismissed without prejudice, owing to insufficient evidence.
105 Years Ago
November 1, 1918
Bennett Curtis left a week ago for New York on the first lap of the trip to France where he will serve in the Y.M.C.A. He left his wife and three small children in comfortable circumstances and well provided for. The first of the week the entire family was stricken with the influenza and they were in very uncomfortable circumstances when the Home Service Committee of the Red Cross visited the home. Mrs. A.B. Wheeler volunteered her services as nurse, members of the organization set up stoves and made the home as comfortable as possible and every effort is being made to relieve the situation.
100 Years Ago
November 2, 1923
The unseasonable weather hovering around the freezing point, put a damper on the Hallowe’en pranks in Alliance Wednesday night, and the appearance of the streets on Thursday morning was so little out of the ordinary that the man on the street had to consult his calendar to make sure the annual holiday had come and gone. Auto drivers and pedestrians Wednesday evening heard a considerable amount of yelling, bands of noisy youngsters of both sexes being in evidence on the streets until nearly midnight, but with the exception of a few clotheslines, some garden house, wagons hauled about and one telephone pole drafted in the center of the broad highway, the damage was slight.
95 Years Ago
November 1, 1928
One of the not unexpected, but nevertheless interesting, events of the past week was the marriage of Mrs. Lulu F. Swederg and Frank Anderson, both of whom have always known this community as home and each having a very wide acquaintance. The ceremony was performed Thursday afternoon by Rev. Powell Johnston, of the Westminster Presbyterian church in Lincoln. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson went to Tecumseh for a visit at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Robb, the latter a sister of Mrs. Anderson.
90 Years Ago
November 3, 1933
An as yet undetermined amount of women’s dresses and other articles of apparel were taken last night by thieves who loots the samples of P.F. Schott, a salesman, in the garage at his home, 1017 Toluca avenue. The samples were loaded in his car housed in the carefully locked garage. Mr. Schott said this morning that an inventory of his nearly 5,000 sample pieces would be necessary to determine the loss. The apparel was removed from the cases and strewn about the car and garage floor. Entrance to the garage was gained by prying odd the lock and hinges on a door. The thieves apparently sorted the stock for the articles they particularly desired.
85 Years Ago
November 1, 1938
The approval of 521 PWA projects over the nation Saturday, among which was the Alliance school addition project, killed practically all hope of obtaining a grant for power plant construction here, but city officials today decided to hang on until Thursday when the council will hold its regular meeting. City Manager Clarence H. Hoper, upon learning of the approval of the projects, immediately queried the American Municipal association in Washington and learned that PWA funds are now practically exhausted. “The situation does not seem very hopeful,” the association office said.
80 Years Ago
November 2, 1943
Only nine counties in the state show an increase in population from April 1, 1940 to March 1, 1943 and Box Butte county is one of these. Cheyenne if the only other county in Western Nebraska to show an increase. The 1940 census gave Box Butte county a population of 10,736 and figures released by the census bureau Saturday give a population March 1, 1943 or 11,254. These figures are based on the number of registrations or war ration book two.
75 Years Ago
November 2, 1948
The annual fall show and sale of purebred Polled Herefords will be held in Alliance Sunday and Monday, Nov. 7 and 8. The Tri-State Polled Hereford Association members have consigned 68 bulls and 15 females to this annual fall event. The show will be held in the sales ring of the Alliance Livestock Commission company, starting at 1 p.m. Sunday. Judge of the show is Dr. Sherman Wheeler of the University of Colorado.
70 Years Ago
November 2, 1953
The new improved portion of Highway 87 became an important link in the state highway network Saturday morning when dedication ceremonies were held at the 16-Mile Corner, junction of Highways 87 and 19, north of Alliance.
65 Years Ago
November 1, 1958
City Policeman Byron Fowler was the first man to check in with a deer at the Alliance station this morning as the 1958 season started off with a “bang.” Fowler reported to the station at 8:45 a.m. with a buck estimated to weigh approximately 165 pounds. Only other hunters reported by 11 a.m. were Myrtle White Letcher, Keith Payne, and William White, all of Alliance. All three were traveling in the same party and each had a deer.
60 Years Ago
November 1, 1963
Alliance youngsters observed a safe and sane Halloween evening. Police Chief Doug Thomas said today that no vandalism was reported to the station Thursday night. The Alliance Volunteer Fire Department was called to Sixth and Dakota at 7:30 p.m., to put out a grass fire, apparently started by pranksters, but other than that he tricks or treaters had themselves to the usual assortment of “soap” pranks. Over 700 kids stayed our of “soap” pranks.
55 Years Ago
November 2, 1968
The continued mild weather brought a large crow out for the special carlot sale at the Alliance Livestock Auction Co., Friday afternoon and a load of steer calves from Lee Furma at Marsland topped the market at $35.50. These calves weighed in at 308 pounds. There 3,202 cattle in the sale with over 2,300 being calves while the balance were either yearling steers or yearling heifers.
50 Years Ago
November 2, 1973
Bids will be opened Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. for five street improvement projects in Alliance which are estimated to cost property owners and the city a total of about $253,000, according to a decision by the City Council at its regular session Thursday night. The Council members voted 5-0 to approve the plans and specifications provided by Great Plains Engineering and to set the Dec. 13 afternoon bid opening. The Council will received a tabulation of the bids and a recommendation from the engineering firm at its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. on the day. Charles Kemery, vice-president and co-owner of Great Plains Engineering, said about $204,000 of the costs will be assessed back to the property owners, leaving around $49,00 in general obligations to the city at large for intersections, storm sewers and other work benefitting more than just the abutting property.
45 Years Ago
November 1, 1978
Jim Cowsery, formerly of Cheyenne, Wyo., is the new managing partner of the Pontiac, Buick and GMC dealership in Alliance and the business will carry his name. Art Borror, former Alliance resident now of Arizona, remains in the new corporation as the principal owner although Cowsert will be the managing officer. Neal Frost, present partner, is retiring. Mr. and Mrs. Frost own their home in Alliance at 1111 Box Butte. Frost has been in the automotive business in Alliance for the past 40 years.
40 Years Ago
November 1, 1983
“I hope this will save someone some money. In the last several months I have seen several complaints come across my desk concerning fraudulent C.O.D. (collect-on-delivery) mailers. I have decided it is time we get a warning out. Pleas beware before paying for a C.O.D. parcel addressed to you through the U.S. Postal Service. You may not open the C.O.D. parcel until you pay the charges. If you pay he charges and are not satisfied with the merchandise, that dissatisfaction must be resolved between the customer and the sender. You cannot stop payment on the check because it is made payable to the Postmaster, and we send a money order to the mailer. However, if you believe it is misrepresentation, you may refer to the information to the Postmaster or to the Postal Inspector in Chare, Des Moines, Iowa 50302-0566. You may also refuse a C.O.D. before paying the charges and the C.O.D. will be returned to the sender,” Postmaster Harry Schaffert said today.
35 Years Ago
November 1, 1988
The Box Butte County Commissioners Tuesday morning hired Bob Hickman to paint the first floor of the county courthouse. The commissioners last month opened bids for painting the interior section of the first floor of the courthouse and decided to reject all of the bids submitted. Hickman, a seasonal county employee for the road department, will paint the area at $6 per hour after the November 8 elections. He told the commissioners he will more than likely paint on weekends. Some of the equipment for the painting project will have to be rented by the county.
30 Years Ago
November 1, 1993
Alan K. Van Tillburg, 28, joins the Alliance Times-Herald news staff today as sports editor, replacing Ryan Metcalfe who resigned to pursue other opportunities. Van Tillburg comes here from Richmond, Ind., where he was a sports writer for the Richmond Palladium-Item and was self employed as the owner of Recruit Midwest, a firm specializing in the recruitment of high school athletes 25 Years Ago for colleges. He will keep his interest in the business, expanding it to Nebraska and states adjoining in the Panhandle.
35 Years Ago
November 2, 1998
Alliance’s longest-active businessman, Glen. M. Worley, died Saturday, Oct. 21, 1888, at Box Butte General Hospital. He became ill at Worley Studio, the place where he had reported to work every day since 1931. His aunt, Mable Worley, had purchased the Alliance Art Studio on East Fourth Street from a Mr. Grebe in 1919. She built the building at 508 Box Butte when the earlier location was purchased by Ben J. Sallows to become the new home of The Alliance Times-Herald. Her nephew joined her as a photographer in 1931 and later bought the business.
20 Years Ago
November 1, 2003
“Holiday Reflection,” Carnegie Arts Center’s Winter Gala 2003, will be presented at 12:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, at the Alliance Country Club, with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. prior to the late performance. “It will be beautiful and entertaining,” Joan Dockins the Carnegie’s Public Relations Coordination said in describing the event. “The Country Club will be decorated with the vistas of light and glass. With holiday sparkles everywhere.”
15 Years Ago
November 3, 2008
Sydney Swanson, the ‘07 honoree, presents the Outstanding 4-Her Award of 2008 to Alyssa Dye last night at the Box Butte County 4-H Achievement Night, a night of awards and celebration, in the Multipurpose Building at the Box Butte County Fairgrounds. Dye is a seventh-year member of 4-H and a Junior member of the 2008 Box Butte 4-H Council.
10 Years Ago
November 2, 2013
Earlier this summer the stat of Nebraska DOR installed two new lights at the crosswalks on Third Street/Highway 2. The lights provide a countdown in seconds of how long it will be until the light changes to yellow. This gives pedestrians an idea of how much time there is before the light changes. The state of Nebraska, instead of the city of Alliance, was in charge of implementing the new lights because it is also a state highway.
5 Years Ago
November 3, 2018
Alliance Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Troy Unzicker spoke to members of the community and staff members Thursday evening at the Performing Arts Center in hopes of keeping the public more informed and to answer questions that they might have. He noted that he prefers to hold forums at the end of each quarter but due to his schedule that is not always possible. The news that the forum was going to take place was announced through the school’s newsletter as well as went out via school breach call on Wednesday.