Good Old Days 02-28-14

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

February 1914

'Ever New Subject: The Weather'

Last Saturday was a remarkable one in that the thermometer registered up to summer heat, not only for the middle hours of the day but after the sun went down the air was oppressive. Some ladies wore no wraps and farmers poured into town like circus day. No one talked of anything but the phenomenon of a sleepy hazy day is midwinter. Reports showed even higher temperatures elsewhere in the state. But a change came o'er the spirit of our dreams on Sunday morn, and a wicked white storm grew worse and more until at nine it was zero and the landscape blotted out. The wind was none of your little zephyrs but one could blow anything loose over into Colorado This day was tight Immortal Gorge's birthday and also just five years from the day of the storm which cost a school teacher her life in this county. But it does seem now-a-days that old Mother Nature is favoring her child, Cheyenne County, and a good spanking is about all she can give for sundown found the temper of the storm quieting and Monday dawns smiling through cold. And so it has been all the week' although another brave effort to blizzard was made Thursday night petered out before it even had a fair start. Thaws have taken all four inches of snow except where it landed in spots. And another million dollars is added to the value of the land in Cheyenne County which assessors wont fail to make a note of.

75 years ago

February 1939

'HOLS Tenants Are Ordered To Vacate

Twenty Houses Are Affected By New Policy; Sales Are Too Slow Is Claimed'

A series housing problem has been created in Sidney by the decision of the Home Owners Loan Corporation to vacate twenty of his rental properties here. The order means that nine houses, now vacant, will not be rented and eleven homes now occupied must be vacated within the next thirty days.

Of the eleven homes now rented four are to be vacated by March 1(tomorrow) and the other seven must be surrendered by April 1.

The move, according to information supplied this newspaper, is in line with the established [policy of HOLC to sell the properties, taken under foreclosure. Officials have decided it will be easier to find buyers if the homes are vacated reconditioned and put on the market-ready for immediate occupancy.

The situation created here reveals about the fact that Sidney already facing a housing problem before this new order was received. According to real estate men, there are not enough desirable rental properties to take care of the families forced to move.

Said one real estate dealer: "The outcome probably will be that many of these families, now renting, will be forced to buy. That is what HOLC wants, so no alteration of this policy may be anticipated. We do not have enough good rental properties Sidney outside HOLC, to accommodate the families that must move. I know of two or three men who have already made preliminary steps to purchase property of their own".

According to local representatives of the HOLC, all of the properties to be offered for sale will be put in, tip top condition before they are placed on the market. These men believe some "Once-in-a lifetime" buys will be available for those in position to take advantage of them. Two or three deals already are underway for HOLC property in Sidney and these are expected to be compiled within the next two weeks. The remodeling and reconditioning program by HOLC should cause a mild spurt in the material and contracting business, it was reported yesterday.

50 Years Ago

February 26, 1964

Car-Train Collision Damaging

An estimated #3003 damage and a of driving while intoxicated resulted from a car train collision that happened at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the union pacific switch track on highway 30 in east Sidney Police reported that an eastbound 1964 Plymouth driven by Gayland T. Crawford A & D Trailer Court, Struck Union Pacific couch 124 as it was being pulled by a switch engine. Crawford told police he did not see the flashing red signal or the switchman. He was booked on drunken driving charge and put in the city jail.

No one was injured and these was no damage to the railroad car. Members of the U. P. crew were Engineer Cedarburl, fireman J. McConnahay, John Curless, Art Ostermeler and A.H. Ostermeier.

A number of other accidents were investigated by Sidney police during the last few days.

At 7:40 a.m. Tuesday a car collision occurred at the intersection of 15th and Newton, involving a 1961 Chevrolet, driven by Irene R. Seelmeyer, 2634 Laredo Lane, and a 1958-Chevrolet, driven by Cora O. Martinez, West Toledo. Police said that the Martinez car starting out from a stop sign, going south on 15th and the driver did not see the-eastbound Seelmeyer vehicle in time. MRS. Martinez tried to stop her car slid into the left rear door and fender of the other vehicle. Damages to the Seelmeyer car were estimated $50, with about $10 damage set on the Martinez vehicle.

A collision Of Sunday in the parking lot behind the Branding Iron-resulted in$75-damage to a 1960 Chevrolet, owned by Willa Simpson, 1135 5th, and $50 to a 1960 Plymouth, owned by Deward Jelinek, 18th and King.

Damages were heavy in a collision that occurred at 8:55 p.m. Sunday on the 13th and Illinois Police said that a 1955 Chevrolet, driven by James L. Hare, 1404 Newton, was eastbound on Illinois When it collided a 1950 Ford, driven by Jess F. Rowe, 1428 13th and making a left turn, Damages were set at $250 to the hare vehicle and $ 150 on the Rowe car.

An Estimated total of $260 resulted from a two car accident that happened at 6:15 p.m. Sunday on Illinois east of 13th Police said that a 1957 Ford, driven by Alfred L. Matthew's, 1809 2nd, was west bound on Illinois and being slowed for a red light when it struck in the rear by a 1958 Ford, driven by Charles Hawkins Jr., 1716 Grant, Damages were estimated were estimated at $80 on the Matthew's car and $180 on Hawkins vehicle.

25 Years Ago

March 1, 1989

'Residents May Need To Change Water Use Habits'

Sidney residents: you simply must change your ways in the manner you are using water from the city's supply.

That was the message city council got Tuesday night in an hour long report City Manager Roger B. Anthony.

Sidney's water is contaminated with nitrates and the problem has been getting worse each year, forcing the shutdown this past year of three wells that formally helped supply local needs.

The city wells are being contaminated by nutrients coming from a number of sources, Anthony told council. Over fertilization of corn fields with chemicals is one of cause; another is animal manure spread on the fields. Excessive use of fertilizers on both corn fields and on the city residential properties was also cited.

Anthony said the combination of these course of nitrate-N contamination causes the nitrates to be leached into the groundwater which supplies the city.

This nitrate contamination is concentrated in a plume of water that is "slowly increasing and spreading toward the city," the report states.

The remaining wells currently in use "will not maintain what the city has needed for city use and irrigation during the summer months," Anthony read lengthy report.

10 Years Ago

February 27, 2004

'New Officer Joins Sidney Police Force'

The Sidney Police Department has added another fellow officer to its Law enforcement team. Tyson Shaul of Oshkosh, Neb. has signed on as Sidney's newest police officer.

"He is an excellent candidate for an officer and just and just a very nice young man," said Police Chief Larry Cox. "I think he is going to make a fine police officer," Shaul was sworn in Monday.

Officer Shaul is spending his first week on the job undergoing field training and learning the ropes of the Sidney department. "Right now I'm just getting familiar with the town," Shaul said "getting to know people and department procedure," He made his debut in the community Tuesday meeting city and council officials.

Shaul says he is looking forward to kicking off his career in Law enforcement in a small community," Sidney's a good place to start on and learn," he said. "With a great department to expand skills. I'm looking forward to serving the town,"

Shaul is following his fathers footsteps, having wanted to be an officer from an early age. "My dad is in Law enforcement," he said, "I've just always wanted to be an officer. To be able to help people and make a community a better place." His father, Monte Shaul, is a refuge officer for the U.S. Fish and wildlife Service at Crescent Lake Refuge near Oshkosh.

Of the candidates the positions, Shaul "Did the entire testing procedures and scored very high," Cox said. " He is impressed not only with his writing testing but also with his oral board. Everyone involved was very impressed."

Shaul graduated in December 2003 with a bachelor in criminal Justice from Chadron State College. In addition, he was a park ranger for two summers at Glendo State Park in Wyoming and has fought fires for the government.

Shaul has planned tentatively to attend a 14 week training course at the Police Academy in Grand Island, Neb. in May.

He is the son of Monte and Janet Shaul of Oshkosh.