130 Years Ago
September 14, 1894
L. F. Enderly, who was one of the pioneer settlers at Alliance some six years ago, being engaged in the mercantile business here when the place was called Grand Lake, and well known to all old settlers, shot and killed a man at Harrisburg about seven o’clock on the evening of the eighth inst. Enderly, it seems was very busy when one J. C. Walters, a stage driver we understand, came in the store drunk and created a disturbance. Enderly ordered him out and a quarrel ensued during which Walters broke a show case. Finally Enderly grabbed a shotgun lying behind the counter and fired two shots, both of which took effect in Walters’ left breast, killing him instantly.
125 Years Ago
September 8, 1899
To those who enjoy a pull at the weed we wish to call attention to the Western Cigar Factory, Mr. Louis Buechsenstein, proprietor. This gentleman has been in business here for eleven years, and the merit of his goods has attracted a good trade.
120 Years Ago
September 9, 1904
Council in session. Called to order by Mayor Bowman; all councilmen present except Joder. Minutes of the last regular and adjourned meetings read and approved. Petition of a number of business men subscribing various amounts to apply on salary of Night Marshal S. W. Holt was laid on the table. Application of A. Cardwell to work for city as night marshal and do janitor work at City Hall at $55 per month was read and accepted.
115 Years Ago
September 10, 1909
The three city schools and the Academy opened Tuesday, with a very large attendance of enthusiastic students. The city seems to have taken a deeper and better interest in the school work, and report says everyone seems much pleased with the corps of teachers, who have the work in charge.
110 Years Ago
September 11, 1914
Albert Snedeker, expert linotype operator on the Times, made a record of 2,800 lines in eight hours of actual operating time Wednesday. The record was made on straight reading matter for the paper and serves to demonstrate the possibilities of the No. 8 machine when in the hands of an expert. The world’s record is held by a man in New York City. He has 3,000 lines to his credit in the same length of time.
105 Years Ago
September 12, 1919
ALLIANCE MUST WAKE UP! Alliance was jarred from its customary calm this morning by the announcement made by one of the high officials on the Burlington that he had plans on his desk for the construction of large locomotive shops, similar to those at Havelock, and to be located at either Alliance or Bridgeport, as soon as the roads were turned back to private owners. To a number of men this announcement comes as no surprise for it has been talked in the “inner circles” since last spring and it was generally supposed from correspondence with Chicago officials that the date was far in the future. That the date is possibly near at hand is a surprise, however, and the people of Alliance will have to wake up with a vengeance if we are to be reckoned with in this plan which will bring hundreds of workmen here and double the size of the town in a year.
100 Years Ago
September 12, 1924
Judge L. A. Berry, who has a dual capacity as police judge and justice of the peace, but who has not been compelled to work very hard at either occupation for several weeks, put in one busy day yesterday, when four offenders against the peace and dignity of the state of Nebraska and city of Alliance were called before him.
95 Years Ago
September 10, 1929
Oliver McPherson, 26, was taken into custody Sunday by officers and lodged in the city jail pending investigation. Chief of Police Horton began taking his fingerprints but the results were meaningless black splotches on the white cardboard where the prints are recorded. It was found that the young man’s finger tips were deeply eaten with acid. McPherson said that this was caused while he was working with an auto battery.
90 Years Ago
September 11, 1934
A resolution condemning the practice of fining farm customers for traffic violations in Alliance without providing some place where they can park while in town on business was passed by the Farmers Union at their quarterly meeting at Berea on Monday.
85 Years Ago
September 12, 1939
A tour of Box Butte county will be made next Monday by members of the land use planning committee, accompanied by specialists from the college of agriculture, Agricultural Agent Nat Tolman said today.
80 Years Ago
September 12, 1944
If Alliance is any indication of the amount of civilian goods that will be required to make up the deficits of the past few years, this country in in for a prolonged period of production in all lines and there need be little fear of unemployment except for the few months that will items he could use if they were to peace time production.
75 Years Ago
September 9, 1949
Monday night the City of Alliance will receive bids on the construction of Approximately 9900 linear feet of sidewalks. Monday is the last day when property owners can contract for the work, according to Ordinance 795.
70 Years Ago
September 11, 1954
Steve Liakos achieved big game hunting honors this morning for the second year in a row. He brought in the first antelope to the Game Commission’s checking station in front of City Hall.
65 Years Ago
September 11, 1959
Frank Barr, department regional controller of Wichita, Kan., will be the main speaker at the dedication program Saturday of the new Hemingford Post Office. The Hemingford High School band will open the program and Postmaster Floyd Gowin will give a short talk.
60 Years Ago
September 11, 1964
Planting of Box Butte County’s 80,000-acre winter wheat crop is 40 to 50 percent completed, according to an estimate made today by Clifford Quick, Box Butte County Agriculture Extension Agent.
55 Years Ago
September 11, 1969
Box Butte County Selective Service Board No. 7 at a regular monthly meeting Wednesday evening, changed classifications of several young men who have entered the Armed Forces during the past month. Thomas L. Adam, son of Mr. and Mrs. George D. Adam, Alliance was inducted in the Army. James P. Keeley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon J. Keeley, Alliance, was inducted in the Army. Donald G. LaMay son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph C. LaMay, Alliance, was inducted then in order to enter a special program, took a discharge, and enlisted for three years in the Army.
50 Years Ago
September 11, 1974
The Alliance Planning Commission voted against a request Tuesday night to vacate an alley in a new residential area in northwest Alliance. The disapproval will go to the City Council in the form of a recommendation.
45 Years Ago
September 11, 1979
The Box Butte County Commissioners were invited to attend the board of trustees meeting of the Box Butte General Hospital Monday evening. The discussion covered the land which was donated to the hospital and its use by medical service persons.
40 Years Ago
September 12, 1984
Mayors and city managers of five Nebraska Panhandle cities asked the Nebraska State Legislature Revenue Committee to retain the option for Nebraska cities to levy a one-percent city sales tax at a public hearing in Alliance Tuesday.
35 Years Ago
September 11, 1989
Cry edible bean farmers are bracing for a second night of temperatures near the freezing mark as frost warnings have been issued for the entire Nebraska Panhandle. Alliance’s overnight low was 33 as recorded by Alliance Aero Service.
30 Years Ago
September 10, 1994
Houses continue to be built in Alliance, not as many as during the building boom in the ‘70s but still at a good pace. Local contractors have been keeping busy and new builders are moving into town.
25 Years Ago
September 11, 1999
Alliance Public Library will present a special storytime program, “Stranger Danger,” at 10 a.m. Thursday. “Children of all ages need to know that there are people who may do them harm,” Dixie Bloom, children’s librarian, noted.
20 Years Ago
September 11, 2004
“Devastated” was the word retired biology teacher Bill Stout used to describe his feelings on his last trip to Kilpatrick Lake in southwestern Box Butte County. Fish—walleye, bass, panfish, catfish, tiger muskee and carp—were lying dead on the shore. In what little water was left the surviving fish’s fins were sticking out of the water as they struggled to get oxygen. Kilpatrick Lake was built west of Alliance in 1911 for 2,300 acre feet of water. It was stocked with fish for years by the Nebraska Game and Parks. Today, pivot irrigation and the drought the Panhandle has been suffering has dwindled the lake away. It may take several years before the smaller lakes, such as Kilpatrick, have enough good water in them to support life again.
15 Years Ago
September 12, 2009
Located in the dim underground regions of downtown businesses Rhoades II and Dollar General, guided tours were offered to the general public by Historic Main Street Alliance on Thursday. In the early part of the 20th century, many businesses and factories were located throughout this subterranean labyrinth, which at one time extended throughout most of the downtown region. Some of the facilities included a butcher shop, windshield defroster manufacturer (for the Model T), and the first Alliance library, in which the original wallpaper, and scribbling on the walls of area youngsters from the ‘50s or ‘60s are visible.
10 Years Ago
September 11, 2014
On July 15, The American Legion Post No. 7 officially lost its former home in the 1500 block of West Third. The local Legion chapter retired its colors at the building the day before, but not its spirit. Its new home is at the VFW building in the 400 block of Flack, from which Post No. 7 is leasing space.
5 Years Ago
September 11, 2019
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Nebraska State Director Karl Elmshaeuser is making $150 million in grants available through the Community Facilities Program to help rural communities continue their recovery from the devastating effects of natural disasters. Box Butte County is among the counties eligible.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by staff.