Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper

Good Old Days 01-03-14

COMPILED BY THE SIDNEY Sun-Telegraph Staff

These stories from the past first appeared in The Sidney Telegraph. Original writing is preserved, though some stories were shortened for space reasons.

100 YEARS AGO

'The Night of The Big Wind'

January 3, 1914

The wind Wednesday evening was something to command respect. The way it tore off loose boards and ripped out shaky glass was worth seeing. The enclosure built over the front of the C. W. Hornaday Mdse. & Grain Co., unfinished building was torn down and thrown with violence against the cables of the S. E. S. Company. The additional weight broke off the pole near the top, doing considerable damage to the wires and the globes on the electroliers. Manager Hardy repaired the damage Friday. Thursday morning saw the world smiling under the wet and soppy caresses of a Chinook and after a month of frigidity it was mighty welcome even though it means some breeze.

75 YEARS AGO

'Couple Near Death Of Burns After Explosion'

January 6, 1939

Horribly burned when flames from an exploding gasoline lamp showered the with fire, Mr. and Mrs. Julius Becker, farmers residing six miles east of Gurley, were near death early last night at the Roche hospital.

Attendants said it was doubtful if either Mr. or Mrs. Becker would live. It was considered doubtful if they could live overnight.

Although details of the explosion were vague, it is understood that a lamp exploded in the kitchen of the Becker farm home, spraying flames on the couple. The clothes were entirely burned from their bodies.

They were rushed to the hospital, suffering intense pain, and were given given emergency treatment. However, because of the extent of burns, it was believed the treatment would be futile.

The three children of the Beckers escaped burning in the explosion. It was presumed that they were in another room. Neighbors took the children to their homes. It was reported that the house was badly damaged.

50 YEARS AGO

'Violator Is Arrested On New Year's Eve'

January 3, 1964

A parole violator wanted in California, 20-year old Nancy Capps, was picked up in Sidney on New Year's Day and was taken into custody Thursday by Federal Marshal Obbink of Omaha.

Cheyenne County Attorney John Peetz Jr. said the young violator told a rather pitiful story. She was arrested in California at the age of 16 for carrying a forged instrument across the state line. She was convicted on the federal offense and served time at Terminal Island, Calif., a women's federal prison.

She reportedly left California with a brother-in-law who was arrested in Ogallala after trying to steal some gas. After he had served out his sentence i n Keith County jail he reportedly abandoned her and she went to Kimball.

Peetz said she came to Sidney New Year's Eve with a Kimball man who was arrested by the highway patrol for driving while intoxicated. Miss Capps' apprehension here was an accident. Her picture came in the mail to the sheriff's office and Deputy Gene Morris showed it to Lt. Ervin Smith of the police department. Lt. Smith recognized the woman as being one that was still at the police station.

25 YEARS AGO

'Gaetano: Safeplay Sale Means Local Growth'

January 6, 1989

The sale of Sidney's Safeplay Manufacturing Company will, in the long run, mean more jobs for the community.

According to John Gaetano, president of Pro-Mate U.S.A., "Our goal is to increase the business for the town." He said the company will continue to make Tuf-Wear products in Sidney and intends to double the employment at the Sidney location. Safeplay employs 41 people at Sidney and an additional 29 in North Platte.

Hammond McNish, the majority stockholder in the company, reported negotiations for the sale of the company to Pro-Mate had been going on for "about nine months." He said the sale of his 38,869 shares closed Dec. 29.

McNish, who owns the former ice manufacturing and cold-storage plant in which Safeplay is located, also reported, "They gave me a ten-year lease on the building." He also said that he had been assured by both Art Easterday and Gaetano, that the company would continue to be based in Sidney.

The former Sidney resident said stock in the company had been originally sold for $10 a share in 1966. "It didn't amount to much until 1968 or '70," he recalled. According to the Lawrence, KS, resident, the company was sold for a price of $24.48 per share. There are 41,104 shares of stock outstanding.

The new president, Gaetano, said his primary role will continue to be in "sales and marketing for the company." He noted Art Easterday will remain as general manager of the company.

The purchase, by the 10-year San Francisco manufacturer of exercise equipment, Gaetano said, was to enable the company to expand its product line with additional high quality merchandise.

"Safeplay has always been seen in the sporting goods market place as one of the best quality manufacturing companies in the industry. Their reputation has become completely phenomenal."

He cited the Sidney's company excellent reputation as a supplier of U. S. Olympic boxing team equipment and boxing equipment used in the "Rocky" movies. "The people you have there have proved they can do the job. They've proved it year after year.

10 YEARS AGO

'Mild December Ends Record Breaking Year For Weather'

January 3, 2004

Area residents may not have had a White Christmas in 2003, but the December weather did produce some snow and relatively mild temperatures for the month that offered the end of fall and the first of winter.

December weather extremes ranged from a high of 66 degrees (a record for the date, beating the previous mark of 63 set in 1954) to a low of zero, with a median high of 44.2 degrees, according to information compiled by the National Weather Service at Cheyenne, Wyo., based on observations taken at the Sidney Municipal Airport.

Those extremes compared to the record high of 75 degreesrecorded at the airport on Dec. 28, 1980, and the record low of minus 39 degree on Dec. 22, 1989.

The past year had a temperature range of 124 degrees.

The airport had a low of minus 19 on Feb. 24, beating by nine degrees the previous low mark for that date set in 1960.

The airport had a maximum of 105 degrees, recorded twice, on July 17 and July 25. Both of those marks were record highs for their dates.

It was the hottest July on record, according to National Weather Service information. Median high for that month was 94.6 degrees. Previous mark was 76.7degrees recorded in 1964.

It was also a summer in which daily high readings exceeded 80 degrees or more for 60 consecutive days. For example, the low maximum reading in July was 81 degrees on the 28th. The high of 72 degrees on Aug. 30 broke the heat wave.

July had 23 days in which daily highs exceeded 90 degrees. There were 19 such days in August.

All that heat followed June, the 10th coolest June on record and featuring a record low of 39 degrees for the date on the morning of June 26.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 03/20/2024 16:13