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

‘Fine Home Burns

House and Contents Totally Destroyed

During Blizzard’

March 15, 1913

When the storm was at its worst yesterday, a fire alarm was sounded for the sixth ward. R. A. Barlow’s home was found to be in flames. The volunteer firemen responded in what numbers and with what speed could be managed in the teeth of the worst storm of plain’s history. The engine house was almost buried but in an incredibly short time the fire apparatus was manned and in spite of six and eight-foot drifts, and the fact that not a man could see a foot ahead, the fire was reached. It was impossible to do anything for the house, so attention was turned to saving the Fuller and Zimmerman residences on either side. Some idea of the blizzard raging may be gathered from the fact that a two-story house in flames could not be seen half way across the street. Big sheets of burning wood swirled through the air but no one could tell where they lighted.

Both the beautiful house and contents were totally destroyed. This home was built two years ago at a cost of forty-five hundred dollars and furnished at half that amount. The loss was partially covered by insurance.

It seems that in the morning the large furnace chimney blew down at the top, clogging the passage until furnace fire filled the house with smoke. Mr. Barlow extinguished every particle of fire in the furnace then in the face of the blizzard took his wife and baby to the Zimmer home across the street, until the storm should abate and workmen could repair the chimney.

He went over home occasionally to see if the smoke was settling, naturally feeling much concerned over the blackening of their new walls and draperies. He went down to the basement and saw the furnace was cold and the smoke settled. About one-thirty he returned for some clothes for the baby and then found the interior afire. He at once turned in the alarm. It is surmised that the defective flue had permitted the woodwork to become ignited and it had smoldered many hours. At best the loss is a heavy one upon the young people who loved their model home and they have the sympathy of all.

A goodly number of firemen started to the fire, but every time the apparatus bucked a drift a man was generally lost. However, no one flagged, and everyone got his fill of handling hose and with no breath to lean on. All hands were forced into nearby homes to warm and get their wind, at frequent intervals.

75 YEARS AGO

‘Prowler Defies Police, Enters

Three More Homes Saturday’

March 15, 1938

A prowling sneak thief continued his activities in Sidney Saturday night, defying an announced drive by police to check his operations. At least three homes were entered by the prowler, according to Chief of Police S. H. Moore.

At the Gus Hellbush home, 1416 Newton, the man entered through the unlocked back door, walked into Hellbush’s bedroom and took a wallet containing $25 in cash and some keys. The empty wallet, and a container of keys, was found on the lawn of a neighbor’s house but the keys were not those taken from Hellbush.

Police believe the same man entered the home of Joe Hahler of 1701 Newton. He was accosted on the front porch by Julius Hahler, but the man knocked young Hahler from the porch and fled before he could sound an alarm. Nothing was reported missing from the home.

About an hour earlier a prowler was reported to have entered the home of Hebert Rabe at 541 Linden. Nothing was missing at the Rabe home, it was reported.

Police got their first description of the prowler from young Hahler, who said he was of large stature and appeared to be wearing a fur coat or jacket.

Chief Moore said a neighbor of Hellbush told him that someone had flashed a light into the window Saturday night. However, they had no telephone and could not notify police. The same report has been received from other homes in the southwest part of town.

Until Saturday night, complaints against a prowler said he appeared to be a peeping Tom. No robberies had been reported, although he did not gain entrance to one home on Maple Street. Police are confident the man active Saturday night is the same they have been seeking for peeping activities.

Moore said efforts would be doubled to bring the prowler into custody. He asked the cooperation of the public in checking the operations of the man, who apparently is determined to defy the police department and continue his work here.

50 YEARS AGO

‘Bookmobile Being Stocked For

Monday Start In County’

March 15, 1963

The Bookmobile will make its initial trip on Monday bringing an assortment of 1,800 books to the door of small schools and libraries throughout Cheyenne County, according to Miss Harriet Lute, of the Nebraska Public Library Commission, sponsoring organization for the extended library service.

Thus starts the Cheyenne County segment of the Western Plains Library Demonstration, a two year trial run of the Bookmobile service to outlying regions of the county. The Sidney Library will be headquarters for the operations but the cost of the project will be shared by the Nebraska Library Commission and the federal government.

Of the 1,800 volumes carried in the rolling library, about 1,000 will be for adult reading , and about 800 will be children’s books. A complete assortment will be offered, with about a third of the books being light fiction, and the balance of technical nature and reference works.

R. W. Brown of Sidney will be the Bookmobile librarian, and he will be assisted by volunteers throughout the district served.

Approximately 50% of Cheyenne County is without library service, and this traveling library system will bring book services to most of the county’s people who have been so handicapped.

25 YEARS AGO

‘Two Dolan Deaths Are

Termed As Suspicious’

March 16, 1988

“Suspicious circumstances” were cited in the deaths of two rural Sidney people Tuesday.

According to Cheyenne County Attorney Robert Goodwin, “Tuesday afternoon, March 15, Thomas A. Dolan, 79, and Nancy A. Dolan, 33, were found dead under suspicious circumstances at their rural Sidney home. Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Department and the Nebraska State Patrol are cooperating in the investigation.”

No cause of death was released by Goodwin.

Both Goodwin and Cheyenne County Sheriff Darrell Johnson were reportedly summoned to the home east of Sidney on Highway 30/385 about 6 p.m.

Reportedly both bodies have been transported to Scottsbluff for autopsies.

Details are sketchy, but according to sources outside of the County Attorney’s office, Nancy A. Dolan is the daughter of Thomas A. Dolan.

10 YEARS AGO

‘Replace Those Shorts With Snow Shovels’

March 18, 2003

Sidney residents may want to give serious consideration to putting away the shorts they were wearing over the weekend, and get their winter coat handy today.

The National Weather Service is calling for 100 percent chance of snow and rain today, accompanied by a dramatic drop in temperatures. In other words, winter is not going to go quietly, getting in one blast before spring officially arrives Thursday.

Temperatures cooled down from the Sidney high of 72 degrees recorded at the Sidney Municipal Airport into the 50’s Monday and today, the Weather Service is calling for from one to three inches of snow accompanied by rain.

That’s quite a contrast from the past few days where late winter temperatures ranged from the upper 60s into the 70s twice, including 77 degrees Friday. The airport had a high of 68 degrees Saturday, after a morning low of 44 degrees. That low reading may be warmer than some of the high readings being forecast for this week.

The Cheyenne office of the National Weather Service is also calling for winds from 20 to 30 miles per hour today, gusting to 35 mph. The chances for snow drops from 100 percent this morning to 70 percent this evening with the winds continuing and lows 30 to 35 degrees.

While no precipitation is forecast for Thursday, the first day of spring will have high temperature readings in the 40s, and lows in the mid and upper 20s. Highs may climb into the 50s by Saturday.