Past Pages for Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014

140 years ago

War with France. A bit of a war cloud arose over that part of Gold Hill where the dump of the new Belcher air shaft is. It seems that a Frenchman owns a lot at the foot of the dump of the new air shaft. Gradually the dump has grown larger and larger. Frenchy got his back up, called in his friends and armed them with rifles, shotguns, six shooters and bowie knives. This morning as the car man was preparing to dump a load of rock, an array of firearms was brought on him. French threatened to blow “ze hade off eem.” Constable Harkin was called, but as of press time, we were unable to find him, so progress cannot be reported.

130 years ago

As yesterday’s Appeal was bout going to press, a kerosene lamp fell to the floor, and the explosion started a lively fire in the composing room, with flames from floor to ceiling. Robert Merrigold, a compositor, was near the lamp when it exploded, catching his clothes on fire. Will Davis turned the office hose on him, and Frank Curtis, securing a harden hand grenade, hurled one on the fire. It was out in 10 seconds. The cost of the loss was estimated at $50.

100 years ago

Rush on to Goldfield. The big strike on the Jumbo Ex property in Goldfield is resulting in increased travel to the southern camp. For the past few days, they say, the trains leaving Reno for the south are loaded with passengers, and from Southern California people are coming in great numbers. The newcomers are not all the working class, but those men looking for business and speculative opportunities.

70 years ago

Sgt. Wallace Yee is reported in good condition following an injury when a piece of shell struck him in the leg, leaving him stiff and sore for a few days. Yee is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Yee of Carson City. Yee is looking forward to returning to Carson City to show off his Purple Heart.

50 years ago

Plans for the first Sunday edition of the Nevada Appeal are moving ahead and Carsonites will have the opportunity Sunday, Dec. 6, to read the first Sunday edition in the 100-year history of the Appeal.

Trent Dolan is the son of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.