Looking Back

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

‘Usual Sprints’

February 22, 1913

The village had its usual two runaways last Saturday. These are getting to be so regular that citizens hardly look at a team speeding by. The first was Ray Nelson’s well-trained team. They objected to the looks of a bull tearing through the street hotly pursued by Nelse Olson and son. Roy managed to guide his runaways toward the east end of town while Mr. Nelson and his animal occupied the west end. Both men got their charges somewhat quieted and headed in towards the livery barns. Just as Mr. Nelson approached the Brown barn from the east, Mr. Olson came in from the west with the speedy bull. Away the whole caravan went again this time Mr. Nelson doing the west end of town and Mr. Olson doing the east. It was laughable since they were straight runs and no damage done. Pedestrians gave wide roads to the contests.

The second runaway was not so fortunate. John Owen’s team started on Haskell Hill through something breaking about the wagon. They ran down to the Doty place, crashed into a fence. One horse broke its leg and had to be shot and the wagon was damaged considerable. This is a heavy loss to this industrious young man who was getting nicely established in his teaming work.

75 YEARS AGO

‘Two Year Sentence Is Handed Wilmoth’

February 22, 1938

Charles Wilmoth, confessed forger, was sentenced to a two year term in prison on Saturday by District Judge J. L. Tewell. Wilmoth admitted forging checks on Earl Panabaker, for whom he was working for in 1934.

According to county authorities, Wilmoth said he left here and went to Sterling where he got a job on the railroad between Sterling and Akron. Later he went to St. Joseph, Missouri and secured work in a quarry. It was there he was arrested last week.

Wilmoth told police his capture followed a beating he had received at the hands of unknown assailants. He said he woke up in an alley with his head bashed in and went to the police station for aid. While there he admitted he was wanted in Cheyenne County on a forgery charge.

The specific complaint against Wilmoth accused him of forging a check on Panabaker’s account at The American National Bank. However, the county attorney said he actually forged five checks for more that $180. He learned Panabaker’s signature while working for him the county attorney explained.

50 YEARS AGO

‘Measles Epidemic, Flu Cases Cut

Attendance At Schools In County.

February 25, 1963

The population in this area has for the past two weeks has been subjected to measles in epidemic proportions, influenza including some moderate cases of the Asian type, the ever present colds and a very few cases of chicken pox and mumps.

Several persons, children and adults, have been hospitalized for upper respiratory ailments.

The Sidney elementary schools are reporting a high rate of absenteeism – due principally to measles and influenza.

Other schools in the county have reported an invasion of illness, with flu being high on the list.

Sister M. Agneta, head of St. Patrick’s elementary grade school, reported this morning that there were 30 students absent with the flu and 13 out with measles. She said that sickness in the grades have shown some signs of lessening.

In Sidney Public Schools the lower grades principally have felt the effect of the measles and flu invasion..

The absent lists at all of the elementary schools were long this morning, according to reports. Ivan Adams, North Ward principal, said the absenteeism was still heavy there. On one day last week ten first graders were missing from a class of about 30.

Miss Marie Nicholson, Central principal said today that 10 of the 23 students in the morning kindergarten class were absent, most of the bedded down with measles.

The story was about the same with all the schools.

25 YEARS AGO

‘Little Threat Posed By Oil Leakage’

February 19, 1988

A 400 to 450 gallon oil leak south of Gurley may take “until Sunday or Monday to clean up,” according to Civil Defense Coordinator Dan Jenson.

Jenson, whose responsibilities include overseeing spills and leaks of materials considered hazardous to persons or the environment, reported Friday morning, “It’s going to take a little longer than I figured when I first saw it Wednesday.” He was notified by the Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office shortly after they received the first report at 3:19 p.m. Wednesday.

At the scene Wednesday, Jenson estimated the leak from a Marathon Pipe Line Company line between Burlington Northern Railroad tracks and State Highway 385 had left approximately 50 to 60 barrels of crude oil on the surface.

According to Jenson, the cleanup, while taking more time than expected, poses little threat to the aquifer in the area. “With the ground being frozen, we’re going to luck out, because it’s not going to leak down on us.”

The leak, Jenson reported may have resulted from corrosion caused by the soil in the area of the railroad tracks.

10 YEARS AGO

‘Record-Breaking

Cold, Light Snow

Chills Area’

February 25, 2003

And just how cold was it in Sidney?

It was record breaking cold.

It was so cold that Sunday’s high of nine degrees above zero was a record low maximum reading. Previous record low high for the date was thirteen above, established in 1965.

It was so cold that Monday’s morning low of minus 17 broke the minus 10 degrees set in 1960. The minus 17 was accompanied by a wind chill of minus 34 degrees.

It was so cold that the precipitation from the snow that fell was almost overlooked. The snow, between one and two inches, melted out to .28 in precipitation, the single wettest day at the High Plains Ag Lab since .36 was recorded from three inches of snow on October 30, 2002. The Ag Lab has recorded .54 in precipitation in February, making this the wettest month since last October, when 1.16 in rain and snow was recorded.

Unfortunately, the moisture is not going to do much to help recharged underground water supplies or relieve the drought conditions that have stretched over the past two years.

Although the snow was not deep and especially wet, DeBoer said it apparently did “get caught between rows and that is good.”