130 Years Ago
September 28, 1894
R. Preston, familiarly called “Pete” by his many friends, has been out in the sand hills on business the past three days. Last night at 7:30 o’clock he drove up to the livery barn of Smith & Payne, alighted, telling the hostler to care for his horse, that he would be late for supper, picked up a large revolver from the cushion of the seat and attempting to put it in his pocket hurriedly, the hammer must have caught on his clothing, and discharged the weapon.
125 Years Ago
September 29, 1899
The telephone system was placed in operation in Alliance last Monday evening, for the first time in the history of the city. The auburn Telephone Construction company has been considerably delayed in the work on account of the inability of manufacturing concerns to supply the necessary material on time. Now that the system is completed it should be a source of gratification to our people to know that it is in every way a most complete and satisfactory one.
120 Years Ago
September 27, 1904
The increase in valuation made by the State Board of Equalization, after the tax books for this county were well toward completion, very materially increased the labor of preparing the list, which work has been done principally by County Judge Spacht, acting in the capacity of deputy county clerk. Last Friday, however, the completed tax books were delivered by County Clerk Smyser to County Treasurer C. W. Brennan, where they are now open to public inspection and where taxes for this year may be paid as soon as desired.
115 Years Ago
September 28, 1909
As we go to press today the first Box Butte County fair is in progress, and for the first day the attendance bids fair to be excellent. The officers and committees in charge have spared no expense or effort to make the same a success, and with the splendid weather continuing, many thousands of visitors will be here for the closing days.
110 Years Ago
September 29, 1914
After spending most of Friday night looking for the right road from Mitchell to Alliance, the Republican candidates who are making a tour of this section of the state in the interests of their campaign reaches Alliance at about 3:30 Saturday morning and proceeded to Hemingford, Marsland and Crawford at eight o’clock without having a chance to talk to the local people. The men were late in starting on the last lap of the Alliance trip and when they reached the canon at the base of the table land all the cars but one driven by M. C. Hubbell took the wrong road and lost several hours before they finally decided on the right one.
105 Years Ago
September 26, 1919
The Bible Schools of Alliance have entered upon a campaign to double attendance by Thanksgiving. Their slogan—1400 in Protestant Bible Schools. Motto—“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman.” That means you.
100 Years Ago
September 26, 1924
After working for several weeks on a revised light, heat and power schedule for Alliance the city council read and approved a new ordinance at the regular meeting last evening that will give this city lower rates than any other city of similar size in this section of the state.
95 Years Ago
September 27, 1929
Two young ranch hands pulled a fast one on two of their acquaintances last Tuesday by borrowing a car from one of them and making away with it by holding up the other at the point of a revolver and relieving him of $50 in cash, according to Sheriff George Jones. Carl Smith, 20, and his companion in the alleged crimes, whose name the sheriff’s office did not learn, borrowed the car from Ernest Jameson, 21, early Tuesday evening and promised to return it in a few minutes. Instead of returning the machine they drove down the street, accosted William Macknick, 25, ranch hand, and asked him to take a ride with them.
90 Years Ago
September 28, 1934
The modern version of “Tom, Tom, the piper’s son, stole a pig and away he run,” was enacted in Alliance this week when some farmer, name unknown, left five pigs at the Alliance Packing company for the drouth relief and ran away without getting anything for them. Now the FERA is seeking the identity of this modern Thomas, who either forgot his receipt for the pigs or attempted to play a practical joke on the government by slipping them something of little or no value—pigs are that cheap.
85 Years Ago
September 29, 1939
With the arrival of old age assistance checks Wednesday the county assistance office was swamped with the recipients who protested against the reductions which amounted to several dollars in each instance. After a long afternoon, Mrs. Hitchcock completed the last interview and arose from her desk to find one of her clients standing in the doorway with a shotgun. Although she felt sure of his intentions, she approached him cautiously and demanded what he was doing there with a gun. “I’ve just traded a revolver for it,” he said. “Since they’ve cut my pension, I figured that I’d just have to go out and shoot some rabbits for meat this winter.”
80 Years Ago
September 29, 1944
Col. Guy F. Hix, A. C., new commanding officer of the Alliance Army Air Base, comes with a fine record of service dating back to 1922, when he joined the army. He holds the rating of command pilot, highest attainable in the army air corps.
75 Years Ago
September 27, 1949
Members of the Alliance board of education Monday night authorized a special election to vote on $500,000 in bonds to build a new Junior High school building and auditorium. A motion authorizing the election came after the five members of the board present heard Architect E. G. Shaumberg of Lincoln itemize cost estimates for the new building.
70 Years Ago
September 29, 1954
About 25 holders of primary memberships in the Alliance Municipal Golf Course discussed the addition of nine holes to the local layout at a meeting held Tuesday evening. Dr. James Kennedy will act as spokesman for a committee of the group that will meet with the City Council Thursday night. The committee will urge the enlargement of the local course to an 18-hole layout and will tell of attempts to underwrite it.
65 Years Ago
September 28, 1959
Deanna Hanna brought home the top Box Butte County honor by receiving a purple ribbon on her Ayrshire heifer at the 1959 Ak-Sar-Ben show Saturday in Omaha. All exhibitors received top purple ribbons in herdsmanship. Box Butte County was one of five counties in Nebraska and Iowa which received the purple award on herdsmanship.
60 Years Ago
September 26, 1964
Yearling steers topped Friday’s special carlot sale at the Alliance Livestock Auction Company at $22.55 per hundred. During the afternoon 2,439 cattle were sold and all classes moved very active with yearling steers being in greatest demand.
55 Years Ago
September 25, 1969
The Hemingford Village Board will open bids on the quarter-million dollar low-rent housing project at 2 p.m., October 21. The session will be held in the Hemingford Municipal Building. The bids are for general contract work to construct five dwelling buildings containing 20 units, a community facilities building, all plumbing, electrical, heating and ventilation, landscaping and site work for the project.
50 Years Ago
September 25, 1974
Rhoads Construction Co. of Goodland, Kan., is the apparent low bidder for the general contract to construct the new Bow Butte General Hospital with a base bid of $3,249,000. The hospital board of trustees, its architectural consultants, and representatives of Rhoads are involved in a negotiation process at the current time in an effort to determine ways to reduce the costs.
45 Years Ago
September 25, 1979
A chance to be near Pope John Paul II. It is an opportunity some people both Protestant and Catholic, would not sacrifice. One Alliance resident will have this opportunity to be near the pope. Mrs. Harold (Ellen) Murray will be performing with a vocal group for him next Thursday. Mrs. Murray earned this honor through her past work with the St. Louis Jesuits, four priests and one seminarian who have been writing music together for the past eight to 10 years, according to Mrs. Murray, and were asked to present several numbers for the pope’s Mass.
40 Years Ago
September 25, 1984
Potato growers in the Panhandle will have to take a wait-and-see attitude to determine if this week’s subfreezing temperatures will damage spuds still in the ground.
35 Years Ago
September 25, 1989
The announcement concerning a new City of Alliance attorney will be made sometime next week, since City Manager Lyle Lacy is out of town this week. Lacy was expected to complete interviews late last week and told The Times-Herald that he would make a decision over the weekend. City officials this morning said Lacy had not told them if he had made a decision. The city is looking for a new city attorney after Walter Metz resigned last summer for personal reasons.
30 Years Ago
September 27, 1994
At its regular meeting Monday, the Alliance Board of Education discussed the final reading of the activity trip policy. The Board discussed in depth whether or not clubs should get financial help for trips. Presently clubs are not in the budget for trips unless they are an extension of the core curriculum: science, social studies, math and English.
25 Years Ago
September 25, 1999
The Alliance Park and Tree Board and the City Parks Division invites everyone in the Alliance area to the 1999 Autumn Fest on Thursday, Sept. 30 at Central Park. Among the activities will be a tea hosted by Knight Museum, an outdoor plant/bulb exchange, and several informational sessions about planting usage of herbs.
20 Years Ago
September 24, 2004
Last night, the Alliance High School crowned its Homecoming Royalty for the 2004-05 school year. Crowned were sophomore royalty Preston Walls and Taylor Moller, Queen Barbie Essay, King Beau Sanchez, freshman royalty Alyssa Sanders and Quincey Walls, and junior royalty Amy Applegarth and Frank Thompson.
15 Years Ago
September 25, 2009
Community Development Director Rick Houck made a short presentation to the Council about Ordinance no. 2650, the proposed 2009 Comprehensive Development Plan for the city of Alliance. Houck’s presentation involved a brief explanation of what a comprehensive plan is: a guide for the city, where the city can anticipate development, and guide for the installation of infrastructure, all taking the appearance of the city into account.
10 Years Ago
September 25, 2014
It’s been nearly 50 years since the first establishment of the Nebraska Boys Ranch south of Alliance in 1965. The center helped countless troubled youth prior to its sale in October 2010. Now, four years later, the ranch is seeing some new beginnings as Teen Challenge of the Midlands, Boys Ranch on the Oregon Trail.
5 Years Ago
September 25, 2019
After a narrow vote, the Alliance Public School Board gave the green light for HOPE Squads to be formed at Alliance’s schools to increase suicide prevention efforts. Shardel Nelson, who lost her daughter to suicide, presented the board with information about the HOPE Squad program and how it can help students in times of crisis.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by staff.