130 Years Ago
October 13, 1893
A portion of Alliance has once more narrowly escaped destruction by fire. This time it was the frame building two doors north of the Grant hotel, erected by Westenhaver Bro., and now owned by Pat Kelley and used for a saloon. Coals of fire had evidently fallen out of the stove upon the bare floor and burned through into the cellar. From there it soon spread under the floor, allowing the stove to upset and eating its way up between the plastering and siding.
125 Years Ago
October 14, 1898
F. C. Brockett, night bar tender in the Red Light saloon, proved recently that there are men in his business whose integrity can not be impeached. About the middle of last week a fellow by the name of John Bogie got off the train here and came up town. When he returned to the depot he found the train of sheep, which he had accompanied from Casper, Wyo., had left. He proceeded to get gloriously full, and late at night began throwing greenbacks around the saloon promiscuously. Mr. Brockett was the only person present this time and gathered up the fellow’s money until it was all in his possession. Bogie then went to the depot and was finally hit over the head by one of the porters. This made him partially demented, and it was not until Wednesday night of this week that he recovered sufficiently to leave town. The next morning after Mr. Brockett took charge of the money he turned it over entire to Mayor Bellwood, and it was found that there was $275. Part of this was used to pay bills Bogie had contracted, buy a ticket, and Mayor Bellwood sent a draft for $200 to Bogie’s destination in the eastern part of the state. Mr. Brockett could have kept the entire amount and no one would have been the wiser.
120 Years Ago
October 13, 1903
A band of gypsies encamped near town Saturday and are plying their fortunetelling and other grafts on the credulous. Reports from the towns they have visited northwest are not very flattering, and it probably behooves people in the neighborhood of these roving vagrants to keep a close lookout of loose personal property.
115 Years Ago
October 13, 1908
Jules A. Sandoz was in Alliance Saturday. He is from the sandhill neighborhood northeast. We made some mention of the matter once before, but it takes nerve for a man bitten by a rattlesnake, alone at a ranch, forty miles from a doctor, to lay his shotgun across the wagon and deliberately pull the trigger and blow away the back of his hand, but that is what Jules did. He had a pretty close call of it after that, but is all right again and will have full use of the hand and all of it there, though he still keeps the member bandaged.
110 Years Ago
October 14, 1913
Several auto loads of Alliance people have visited the Pine Ridge Indian agency the past few days to witness the preparation, and final production of the famous battle of “Wounded Knee” under the supervision of a moving picture concern. Permission to stage the event on the actual scene of battle was granted by the United States officials.
105 Years Ago
October 8, 1918
Traffic in the yards was at a standstill for a few minutes Sunday evening while two men settled a dispute arising from a drunken brawl. They stood on the track “argufying” and they would not move, hence the train had to stop or run over them. A few blows were exchanged and they were fined in police court Monday morning. Clarence Gaines, who had the liquor, paid $100 and costs; George Warfield paid $20.
100 Years Ago
October 12, 1923
A Romanian about 25 years old giving the name of John Ross and thought to be from Omaha is held in the county jail pending an examination by the county insanity board. He was picked up here a week ago and later released. Since that time complaints have been received form all sections of the county that a crazy man was entering the houses and scaring the women and children.
95 Years Ago
October 12, 1928
Aaron “Ace” Gray, parachute jumper who was killed when his parachute failed to open during an exhibition at Dalton recently has been identified as an escaped convict from Washington state pen where he had been serving time for forgery. Some believe that it might have been intentional on his part that he dropped to his death.
90 Years Ago
October 6, 1933
Three arrests in Hemingford this week of persons charged with intoxication was evidence that the potato harvest is being celebrated with something stronger than 3.2 beer. Two men who came to Hemingford for the potato season are still detained in the jail there because of their inability to pay fines. Thomas Pope was fined $10 and costs on charges of drunkenness. The arrests were made by City Marshal E. N. Watt.
85 Years Ago
October 11, 1938
Nazi anti-Jewish propaganda directly from Berlin has been received by at least two city high schools in this area – Alliance and Gering – within the past month. Teachers who have scanned the books said they were obviously sent for school-child consumption. On the fly leaves of the books was laboriously hand printed “Property of Gering schools,” and “Property of Alliance schools.”
80 Years Ago
October 12, 1943
Cecil Johns, Alliance, was charged with giving liquor to minors and given the maximum sentence of 10 days in jail and a $10 fine by County Judge Penrose E. Roming. Robert Dyer and Warren Carrier, both 16 years of age, got Johns to buy them a case of beer and then they took it out north of town and drank all but two bottles. Later in the evening they drove their car back into town, coming north of Niobrara when they cut across the street at Seventh, running into two cars parked at the curb and Verne Hutton, night patrolman was called.
75 Years Ago
October 12, 1948
While a woman is generally chided for the frequence in which she changes her mind, her sex doesn’t have an exclusive monopoly on this ability – a man can change his mind too. This was demonstrated to the clerk of the Box Butte county court. A couple entered the office, applied for a marriage license and after the usual questions and answers was granted the document. The prospective groom paid the two dollar fee and the pair left. An hour later the man came back alone with the marriage license. He told the clerk he had changed his mind about marrying the lady and wanted the license canceled. He was refunded his two dollars.
70 Years Ago
October 12, 1953
An investigation was being conducted today into the stabbing early Sunday morning of a girl on a farm southwest of Hemingford. Hospitalized with a knife wound in the chest of Eva Pretty Hip, 16, whose condition this morning is serious, and being held in the Box Butte County jail for investigation is Edith Eagle Hawk. Both women, County Attorney Robert Moran said, are field workers.
65 Years Ago
October 11, 1958
A man who gave his name as Everett L. Stroupe is being held in the county jail today in connection with two auto thefts in Hemingford. According to Don Collins, Marshall at Hemingford, Stroupe took a car belonging to Aaron Nyquist that was parked on Main Street Friday. Stroupe drove the car four miles south of Hemingford and abandoned it. This morning, Stroupe took a truck belonging to Harold Gasseling that was parked in an alley near the business district of Hemingford. Collins spotted the truck with Stroupe driving. Collins along with Gasseling, gave chase that ended seven miles west of Hemingford. Stroupe gave Collins no trouble then. But at the town jail, Stroupe kicked over a stove, knocked down the stove pipe and kicked out a window.
60 Years Ago
October 12, 1963
Rito Vallejo, an employee of Panhandle Packing Co., was injured Friday afternoon when his arm and clothing got caught in the power takeoff of a tractor. Vallejo is in St. Joseph’s Hospital and submitted to surgery late Friday afternoon. According to C. D. Foster, who operates Panhandle Packing Co., Vallejo and another employee were seven miles north of Alliance putting a fence around some feed he had purchased.
55 Years Ago
October 11, 1968
John E. Tucker, 25, who recently returned to Alliance after six years in the U. S. Navy, has been engaged as a deputy sheriff by Box Butte County and started work Thursday. Deputy Tucker graduated from Alliance High School in 1961 and is married to the former Linda Greenfield.
50 Years Ago
October 13, 1973
Ned Percival and Walt Metz were elected vice-president and president respectively of the Alliance High School Student Council Friday. Debbie Hatch was elected secretary and Mark Seebohm, treasurer. Class senators include: Seniors – Allen Goff, Tim Garwood and Marla Spencer; Juniors – Dan Olson, Julie Petersen and Tony Chadwick; and Sophomores – Nancy Brown, Bill Nagaki and Paul Heimbuch.
45 Years Ago
October 13, 1978
Smokey the Bear has been visiting all the elementary schools this week to promote Fire Prevention Week. Smokey, usually seen around Alliance without the hair, hat and extra-large Levis, is known locally by a different name, but we’ll let you figure out what it is.
40 Years Ago
October 12, 1983
Sen. J. James Exon was in town Tuesday to give constituents “a brief overview of what we’re confronted with now.” During a luncheon which he called a listening session, Exon told about 70 Alliance residents that Americans must face the critical issues of nuclear arms control and budget deficits that are crippling the economy.
35 Years Ago
October 10, 1988
The Alliance High School Marching Band took a I rating in field marching and won the parade competition, during the 1988 Old West Balloon Races in Scottsbluff Saturday. The 32-member Swing Choir, “Sound Alliance,” received a I rating and was first in Class A.
30 Years Ago
October 13, 1993
The Harmonics, an Alliance High School choral group of 11th and 12th grade students, had the top score of 93 and received a gold rating at the Old West Weekend Show Choir Competition held Saturday in Scottsbluff. The ninth and tenth grade show choir, the 14th Street Singers, received a score of 86 and a silver rating. Gloria Olson is the AHS choral music director.
25 Years Ago
October 9, 1998
Rocky Bell has been an Alliance volunteer fireman for the past 20 years. He has served in many different capacities within the Alliance Fire Department, but none as important as Bell’s term as Fire Chief of Operations.
20 Years Ago
October 11, 2003
The last day of Fire Prevention Week is today, bringing to a close a week of activities aimed at making the community more aware of fire prevention measures and fire safety. One of the most popular programs is the pizza giveaway. If the AVFD delivers a person’s Pizza Hut Pizza and that person has a working smoke alarm their pizza is free.
15 Years Ago
October 11, 2008
Though the weather was cold, the community spirit was warm Friday morning during the ground breaking ceremony for the High Plains Veterans Cemetery east of Alliance. Governor Dave Heineman thanked the High Plains Veterans Cemetery Task Force for their commitment in making the project possible. He said, he was pleased to announce that the state was able to provide additional funding.
10 Years Ago
October 11, 2013
Last night at the Alliance High School the Bulldogs had their homecoming coronation event. The AHS cheerleaders performed a dance number and got the crowd motivated. The band, under the direction of new instructor Dave May, played the Star Spangled Banner. A group of males dressed in their versions of cheerleading outfits made their debut and really got the crowd going with their dance moves. The official 2013 Homecoming Court was announced. Queen went to Rylee Trout and Junhyung Kim was named King.
5 Years Ago
October 10, 2018
The Alliance Eagles Club donates $2000 Monday to the Veterans State Cemetery at Alliance Foundation. The money will go towards a planned windbreak.