130 Years Ago
September 7, 1894
The preliminary hearing of Mrs. Bridget O’Mara was had at Hemingford Tuesday, with Attorney Mitchell of this city prosecuting. She is quite aged and blind, but was charged with setting fire to the grain stacks of William O’Mara and burning some 250 bushels of wheat on the 31st day of August. She was bound over to the district court and did not attempt to deny the charge, having coaxed from children to lead her to them.
125 Years Ago
September 1, 1899
Fifty-seven homestead entries were made at the U.S. land office in this city during the month of August. The officials consider this a quite satisfactory business showing.
120 Years Ago
September 2, 1904
A violent electrical storm Tuesday evening at about seven o’clock sent a bolt that set fire to the northwest corner of the livery stable property of Stephen H. Desch, and flames spread almost instantaneously over the entire structure, which was really two stables and each at one time operated under different management. The barn made a very hot fire, setting ablaze the Renswold blacksmith shop across the street south, threatening both lumber yards and property nearby.
115 Years Ago
September 3, 1909
Next Tuesday St. Agnes Academy will begin its second year, with a very bright outlook. Students from all the surrounding cities have enrolled, besides a number of our city students. The building has underwent a decided change in the past year, both inside and on the grounds. Everything inside has been oiled or painted, and a new cement walk has been put around the building, which greatly enhances its neatness.
110 Years Ago
September 4, 1914
That the Burlington has been charging Alliance dealers on certain classes of freight a rate higher than that fixed by the Interstate Commerce Commission was discovered when the traffic committee of the commercial club took up the matter of freight rates recently. An investigation also shows that the Burlington is charging Alliance a higher rate on certain classes than the Northwestern is charging Crawford for the same thing which put the Alliance dealers at a disadvantage in this territory.
105 Years Ago
September 5, 1919
All attendance records at the Alliance city schools were broken this week, by the enrollment of students for the ensuing nine months’ term of school. Last year, at the end of the first week, there were a total of 906 pupils registered in all city schools combined, while at the end of the first week this year, a total of 919 was represented with a possible fifty more students to come. The High School is so crowded that there is not seating room in the assembly room for the students, and practically all other departments are as crowded.
100 Years Ago
September 5, 1924
Voters of the Alliance school district have, by petition, authorized the school board to go ahead with the proposed issue of $75,000 serial bonds, the proceeds of which will be used to retire warrants now outstanding and put the district on a cash basis. The petitions, which were circulated last week, were generally signed by the voters of the district, the total number of signatures secured being in excess of 750.
95 Years Ago
September 3, 1929
Rudolph Wendt is being held in the county jail for investigation in connection with the murder of Elvere Shaffer, who was found pistoled to death on the highway a mile east of the city on August 25 at an early hour in the morning. Wendt is a baker who came here several months ago from Kearney, where he worked with Shaffer, also a baker, but who had been working on a farm previous to his death. Wendt, officers state, was one of the first on the scene of the tragedy after they had arrived.
90 Years Ago
September 4, 1934
On his return to the state capitol, J. H. Wehn, deputy land commissioner, said he will recommend a 150 percent increase in the valuations of school lands in Box Butte county, the largest increase proposed in the state so far. Values now at from 50 cents to $5 an acre would be increased from $1 to $10 in Wehn’s recommendation and would be classed as grazing land, hay land and agricultural land.
85 Years Ago
September 5, 1939
Police officers and county sheriffs from western Nebraska and from neighboring areas of Wyoming, South Dakota and Colorado were arriving in Alliance this morning for a three day police school conducted by agents of the federal bureau of investigation. The school is sponsored by the FBI, the League of Nebraska Municipalities and the city.
80 Years Ago
September 5, 1944
Radio equipment for police cars began arriving this week it was revealed today by City Manager Clarence Hoper. The order was placed last April. Before they could be acquired, approval was necessary by the War Production Board and the Federal Communications Commission, after which competitive bids from various manufacturers were received.
75 Years Ago
September 2, 1949
One thousand bushels of wheat was taken from the Charles McLean farm Tuesday night, Deputy Sheriff Bill Maunier announced Wednesday. The wheat was taken from a steel grain bin on the McLean farm, 24 miles northeast of Alliance. The door to the bin had been broken open.
70 Years Ago
September 4, 1954
“Mission Accomplished.” That was the report today from the Industrial Committee of the Alliance Chamber of Commerce after returning from a 2-day junket into Eastern Nebraska to study development corporations that help three Nebraska communities obtain new industry and promote institutions they already claim as their own.
65 Years Ago
September 3, 1959
An influx of over 500 out-of-town people, in addition to the many who come on their own, will descend upon Alliance Sept. 15-17 as part of organized groups attending the fall meeting at Sandhillo Race Track. The visiting delegates will represent 21 cities, which will be honored at special races.
60 Years Ago
September 4, 1964
Tradesmen, irked by changes now being enforced in Alliance under a new Building Code, attended the City Council meeting Thursday evening in force. In the group were electricians, plumbers, carpenters, contractors and suppliers, 25 altogether. They were delayed in accomplishing any changes in the code by the announcement of Councilman Walter Mischnick, backed up by City Counselor Walter Metz, that they would have to take suggested changes to the Alliance Code Committee which has a meeting scheduled Sept. 14.
55 Years Ago
September 4, 1969
While still uncertified to the County Assessor, the property tax rate within Box Butte County and its subdivisions is emerging and discloses that tax levies will be generally lower for 1969. Figures are late this year because of equalization and legislative actions.
50 Years Ago
September 4, 1974
Supt. Dick Boness reported the enrollment figures to the St. Agnes Board of Education at its regular meeting Tuesday evening. He reported a total of 125 students. This includes 41 boys and 45 girls in the freshman through senior classes and 18 boys and 21 girls in the seventh and eighth grades.
45 Years Ago
September 4, 1979
Saturday has been declared a “Day of Celebration” in Alliance marking the dedication of Burlington Northern’s $47 million freight car and locomotive repair and maintenance center. Official dedication ceremonies will be presided over by Norman M. Lorentzsen, BN president and chief executive officer.
40 Years Ago
September 4, 1984
Three Alliance juveniles are listed as suspects in an apparent arson that caused an estimated $5,000 in damage to a house Monday morning. According to an Alliance Police Department report, a witness told police that a six-year-old girl had named a seven-year-old boy as having “poured three gallons of gas in the house, got matches from a desk drawer and lit the fire.”
35 Years Ago
September 2, 1989
John Weber is really not sure if he’s ready, but from all indications Rush Creek Omihra is ready and rearing to go. Weber and his Arabian horse will be participating in the Rush Creek Sixties this weekend at the Rush Creek Ranch near Lisco. The Sixties is a 60-mile endurance race that tests not only the stamina of the rider but also that of the horse. The race is being held in celebration of the ranch’s centennial of incorporation.
30 Years Ago
September 3, 1994
“It was totally devastating to Kris. He felt cheated,” said his mother, Doreen Schwarzrock. Kris Schwarzrock has placed first in the first round in the Box Butte County Spelling Bee every year since first grade. In sixth grade Kris placed first in the second round and went to the midwest finals in Omaha. In seventh grade he placed third. In eighth grade Kris didn’t get past the first level. Kris took the written spelling test, came home and told his mother he had not missed any words: “They were easy,” he said. According to his mother he missed one of the words because he misunderstood. (…) At this time Kris’ parents filed a suit in Box Butte District Court, which has now advanced through appeals all the way to the Nebraska Supreme Court.
25 Years Ago
September 4, 1999
During Friday afternoon, the Alliance Water Department concluded its chlorination of the community’s water supply as a follow up to earlier negative bacteria test results. According to Superintendent Mike Hulquist, eight water samples taken at two locations in Alliance on Monday, Aug. 30, tested negative for coliform bacteria.
20 Years Ago
September 4, 2004
Troops overseas who are from Nebraska are experiencing an easier time phoning home, thanks to the United States Postal Service and its customers. The Alliance Post Office and other post offices in the Central Plains Postal District, which includes Nebraska, Kansas and southwest Iowa, ended its “Phone Cards for Troops Program” this past week. The Alliance Post Office soled 15 phone cards within five weeks, which were donated to National Guard troops in Iraq who are from Nebraska, Kansas and southwest Iowa.
15 Years Ago
September 4, 2009
At last night’s Alliance City Council meeting a very short public hearing concerning Resolution 09-99—the Property Tax Approval for the city of Alliance was conducted. The property tax request, based upon the Box Butte county Assessor’s determination of taxable value, was set at $338,471,804 per $100 valuation. The city of Alliance requested $1,207, 169.98 that requires city taxation levy of $0.356700.
10 Years Ago
September 4, 2014
The 2014 Nebraska State Fair is one for the books and Box Butte County 4-H members strived for the best and came out successful. Deb Kraenow, 4-H coordinator, noted Box Butte County had 108 static exhibits this year as well as 2 beef exhibits, a rabbit and poultry exhibitor, which was a first for Box Butte County, and a breeding meat goat exhibitor.
5 Years Ago
September 4, 2019
Congressman Adrian Smith came to Alliance last Tuesday as part of an agricultural update tour through the Third Congressional District. Alliance was the first stop on the list for Congressman Smith, with stops in York and Auburn following. He explained that despite the struggles agriculture in Nebraska has faced in the past year, such as poor weather and the failure of the Gering/Ft. Laramie and Goshen Irrigation District Canal, there is much to celebrate.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by staff.