Good Old Days 06-06-14

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

June 1, 1914

'Cheyenne County's Court House'

The Cheyenne County courthouse in it's Doric simply is a constant source of pleasure to the eye and satisfaction to the pride. Its history is brief. On March 21st, 1911, $50,000 bonds were voted for the erection of a courthouse. 737 votes were polled, 499 being favorable to the bonds. On April 15th, 1911 the contract for the new courthouse was let to Contractor C.F. Goodhand of Ord. How close the amount bonds came to actual necessity is shown by the fact that there was left in the fund but $34 when the final payment was made to Mr. Goodhand. The Structure is sixty-feet by eighty-four, exclusive of the portico and is built of white snow stone. The interior is finished in oak, the walls and main entrance are tiled.

The banisters are of steel and brass; the stairs of steel and slate. There are three full stories including the basement which is light and airy and contains the jail, the furnace room, the janitor's work room and two rest rooms for use of the public. The rest-room and library in the northeast corner of the basement, maintained by the Women's club, is a cozy convenient place free to every woman in the county. There are Toilets and lavatories in the basement as well as on the third floor. The rest room designed for men is not yet furnished. A fine heating plant is in the basement and every part of the building is heated, and well lighted with electricity. One the first floor are to be found the quarters of all the county officers and contain every connivence, including vaults for the record of half a century to come. These offices include those for clerk, superintendent, treasurer, assessor, commissioners, surveyors and county judge. The latter has an office and a court room. The third floor, or second story, is devoted to the beautiful district courtroom which is commodious as well. Connected with it is an office for the judge. On the same floor are jury rooms, council chambers, and the care-takers' apartments. The old county buildings have been sold and are being wrecked or removed intact and soon the grounds will be cleared, ready for grading. A fine lawn will be put in and the property will reflect credit upon every citizen of the county.

75 YEARS AGO

June 2, 1939

'Favorable Rates On Potatoes Requested'

Western Nebraska Official Asks For Alteration Of Shipment Schedules

Interests of Western Nebraska certified seed potato growers were at stake Monday when J.A. Little, state railway commission rate expert went to St. Louis to present the grower's case to the railroad rate committee.

Little said he would ask a committee of the Western Truck line and southwestern railroads to adopt proposed reductions reductions sought to enable growers to meet truck competition. Sharp rate reductions are necessary, Little said, or the western growers-who have shipped their certified seed heretofore by railroad may have to buy trucks to meet the treat of "bootleg" sales in the territory where the specially grown spuds have been distributed. As William Morrow of Alliance, of the Nebraska Certified Potato Growers Association, outlined it to him, Little said truckers from Texas have been bringing shipments of fruit and other commodities to Nebraska, then getting ordinary table spuds for their return loads. The ordinary potatoes are then sold in the southwest in competition with special quality seed potatoes.

Little said the railroads have submitted proposed rate reductions which substantially meet the rates the grower's said would be necessary to enable continued shipment by rail. Little said he expects the committee to act upon his request "quite promptly," although it usually takes several weeks. Present rail rates to south Texas points Little said are as high as 90 cents to $1 for 100-pound shipments, and to meet the truck competition successfully they should be reduced to 60 cents.

50 YEARS AGO

June 5, 1964

'14 More Miles Of I-80 Ready By July'

A fresh 14 mile stretch of Interstate between Lexington and Cozad may be opened to traffic toward the end of July, Deputy State Highway Engineer G. C. Strobel reported Thursday. But he noted the date is not firm yet and may vary a couple of weeks either way, depending on the weather.

In addition, the Highway Department figures on completing another ten miles west of Cozad to Gothenberg this fall. The department is also hopeful of extending the superhighway all the way all the way to Brady by the end of the year -- at least for eastbound traffic.

Several other Interstate construction projects are currently underway or being mapped for this year. Ken Gottula, assistant Interstate design engineer, said 10 miles should be finished from Seward to Beaver Crossing in the fall. However, this would still leave a three mile gap between Seward and the present limits of eastern part of the Interstate at the Milford Interchange.

Gottula, said this stretch probably won't be finished until next year. The ground over which the highway will be built is settling now. The Highway Department has started work on the Interstate from Grand Island eastward to eventually join with the presently completed stretch from Omaha to Milford.

Gottula noted the Platte River bridge near Grand Island is under construction as are three miles back across the Platte Valley. He also discovered the Highway Department is surveying the possibility of soon building three miles of Interstate from the Wyoming border. The purpose of this would be to eliminate the need for two 90 degree turns to get to or from U.S. 30 if Wyoming opens its Interstate at the Nebraska border. Traffic would be veered gradually into Highway 30 by this three mile stretch.

25 YEARS AGO

June 6, 1989

'Sidney Honored During Memorial Tournament'

Sidney was honored Sunday between games of the Fort Sidney American Legion Memorial Baseball Tournament. President of the American Legion Baseball Association, Harold Gugeelman, presented the City of Sidney, represented by City Manager Roger Anthony, with a plaque for the towns outstanding support of Legion Baseball.

"This memorial honor goes to all of you," Gugelman said. "We are giving you this award to all of Sidney not just the city of Sidney Administration but to each and every person who has contributed to the program." Anthony accepted the award and agreed with Gugelman, "We take this award under one condition. We as the City of Sidney congratulate each other for all the work towards the program."

Gugelman, who has been with the program since 1962, said each year they try to give an award to a deserving individual who has put something into the program. "It is just something we have continued for years," he said "We really don't call it a memorial but a Memorial Day Tournament which we honor a person or group."

The Memorial award started with Al Ladine, who the scoreboard was named after.

Past recipients include David S. Young, last year, for his support of Sidney Athletics in general; Wade Sterling, who supported and cheered the program on for years; Virg Knacksted, who was a coach; and Bill Jallen, a long time umpire.

"This year we dedicated it to the City of Sidney," he added. "This isn't just for the people down in the city offices but for the whole town." Many a person and business has supported the program in this town Gugelman said.

"We are really one big legion family," Gugelman determined. "We have a great program which I take pride in. We have had some great athletes go through the legion program each year." Gugelman said they have a pretty good idea of who the recipient will be next year but he wouldn't specify. Board members of the Fort Sidney American Legion are Bob Steffens, Virgil Knackson, Don Griffith, Al Jung and Jim Beardsley.

10 YEARS AGO

June 6, 2004

'Nebraska Communities Remember Ronald Reagan'

Hastings, NEB. (AP) – In 1988, about $10,000 people in this central Nebraska city welcomed Ronald Reagan, who as president helped dedicate Hastings College's newly built communications center. That visit has become a treasured memory after Reagan's death Saturday at age 93.

Joyce Ore, who was public relations director at the college in 1988, was in charge of helping to arrange Reagan's visit and dedication. She remembers how excited people were to see conservative Republican president. " I remember the excitement generated by the crowd," she said. "And seeing the helicopter coming in. It was a beautiful day, and the helicopter was coming under that blue sky, and knowing that the president was on it and he was coming to Hastings College, It was so ."

Ore, a longtime Reagan fan, said she is old enough to remember some of the films Reagan appeared in during his time as a Hollywood Actor. " I think he is one of our greatest presidents," Ore said "He was charismatic. It's sad, but we are very fortunate to have had him for our president."

Reagan's 1988 visit was planned for months, and Secret Service agents were on hand weeks in advance to prepare. Security included SWAT team members on nearby rooftops and semitrailer trucks blocking access to the street from nearby houses.

During the dedication, Reagan called the grey communications Center on campus a "window on the world," and noted that the communications revolution would enable even rural America to have access to culture and other options taken for granted by city dwellers.

Reagan was given and honorary doctorate of communications degree honoring the Grey Center and Reagan's own background in radio and television. He also became the first voice to broadcast on the college radio station KFKX. announcing "Radio station KFKX is on the air."

The recording is still used by the station. The Grey Center has other ties to Reagan. Its creation was due largely to a $1 million donation from Robert K. Gray, for whom the center is named. Gray was a friend of Reagan's and served as director of communications during the 1980 Reagan-Bush campaign, cochairman of the 1981 Inaugural Committee, and chairman of the 1985 Presidential Inaugural.

In Norfolk, some residents remembered a visit from Reagan in January 1962, nearly 20 years before he became president. Reagan was the spokesman for General Electric and he came to Norfolk to speak at a Chamber of Commerce function. Norma Klinder said she heard the speech and still has tickets to the event, as well as newspaper clippings from Reagan's visit and a picture of the late president.