Good Old Days 05-06-16

Compiled By Delaney Uhrig

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

50 Years Ago

'Oil Output Soon Will Accelerate'

May 2, 1966

Kimbark Exploration Co. has staked two new oil drilling locations in Cheyenne County. They are: No. 2 Deuser (SW SE Sec. 17-16-50) in the Eddy Field, and No. 2 Clifford (C SW SW Sec. 4-16-50) in the Marvel Field.

These were two of eight new drilling locations authorized last week.

Within the next two or three months Nebraska's daily oil reduction log should start showing the results of a secondary recovery program now being installed in the Sleepy Hollow Field in Red Willow County.

Two companies --- Midwest Oil Co. of Denver and Pubco of Albuquerque, N.M. --- were approved by the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission several months ago as operators of the units, representing all of the companies and individuals holding interest in the field. They are now in the process of installing the secondary recovery system, which will recover oil not recoverable by primary production methods. Some engineers have estimated that the unit may recover almost as much oil a field has produced to date by primary, and if this is so it will be a big shot in the arm for Nebraska's oil production record because Sleepy Hollow has long been Nebraska's biggest oil field.

A secondary recovery program on a smaller scale also is being installed in the Northwest Sleepy Hollow Field, with Livingston Oil Co. of Oklahoma City as the operator. The oil-gas commission approved the projects in the two fields after assuring itself that the interest owners were in accord with the program and the choice of operators.

40 Years Ago

'April Brings 2.70 inches'

May 3, 1976

A total of 2.70 inches of precipitation was received during April at the Flight Service Station at the Sidney Airport, breaking a lengthy drought.

The amount is the most received in Sidney since last May. Just 1.03 inches had been reported during the previous seven months.

Prior to April, only .20 inches had been recorded in Sidney during 1976. there was .12 in January, .01 in February and .07 in March.

All the April moisture came in the form of gentle rains that soaked into the parched land with a minimum runoff.

The largest amount received on any one day in April was on the 16th when .49 inches was measured. Between .40 and .50 inches were also recorded on the 8th, 27th and 28th.

The normal amount of moisture for April in Sidney is 1.64 inches. On the average, May brings 3.27 inches.

Sidney's total for '76 of 2.90 inches leaves it behind the normal of 3.14 inches for the first four months of the year.

25 Years Ago

'Grant Hit by Twister; No Injuries Reported'

May 3, 1991

A tornado in southwest Nebraska damaged mobile homes, blew off part of a church roof, crashed trash dumpsters into cars and downed power lines in Grant, a town 17 miles from Colorado.

No injuries were reported after the twister hit the community of 1,270 residents Thursday night, said Park County Sheriff Wendall Shalla.

A chance of showers in western Nebraska continued today with thunderstorms, some possibly severe, in the east through tonight, the National Weather Service said. Lows will be in the mid to upper 30s in the west and in the mid-40s to around 50 in the east.

Considerable cloudiness, breezy and cool conditions are expected Saturday with a continued chance of showers. Highs will be in the mid-50s to the lower 60s.

Overnight rainfall totaled 1.70 inches at Imperial, 1.64 at North Platte, 1.54 at Ainsworth, 1.52 at Ord and 1.46 at Mullen. Rain continued to fall at 7 a.m. CDT at many of the state's weather reporting stations.

Shalla said two men working on Grant's water tower saw the tornado hit the first trailer on the edge of town Thursday evening. "It's completely destroyed and gone," he said.

Grant resident Dale Styskal said he drove by the mobile home shortly after the twister hit and "there was nothing left of that." He said the occupants of the mobile home were not hurt.

Styskal said he watched the funnel cloud as it "kept trying to go down." He said it dipped down and touched the ground. "It was a matter of about 10 seconds and it was only about half a block to the west of us when we got to the basement."

Chad Hightower of the Grant Volunteer Fire Department said two campers were knocked over, roofs were torn off houses and many power lines were downed.

The weather service also reported that the tornado tore off part of a church roof, blew out a store front window and sent trash dumpsters flying into cars at an auto dealership.

Grant Fire Chief Billy Wilson said some county roads were closed because of downed power lines, including at least two high-voltage lines.

10 Years Ago

'Celebration Planned May 14 to Close School District'

May 4, 2006

As the end of School District No. 77 nears, board members Don Adams, Mark Blanke and Don Cruise want to end the school's rich history with one large party.The district will be disbanded June 15 but board members are planning to go out with a big hog roast party at the school, just north of Sidney.

The board is asking for all past District 77 students, teachers and and parents to come forward, share their memories and join with them May 14 (Mother's Day) to send the school into history in style as they merge with the Leyton and Sidney School Districts the following day. In fact, the school has been there so long, no one is exactly sure when it began.

After some extensive research, Cheyenne County Clerk Beth Fiegenschuh discovered Wednesday afternoon Nebraska School District No. 77 was founded in 1887 or sometime before.

Minutes from a District 77 board meeting in 1887 were locate in Cheyenne County records during her search.

The board is organizing a free party Mother's Day for people who have a connection with the school.

"We plan to celebrate the end of an era," said board president Cruise, Tuesday at the board's second to the last meeting. "We think it is a good idea and we are going to do it. We are expecting - who knows how many people. We are going to prepare for 200. "

Cruise said they are hoping for members of the community; past students, retired teachers, parents and students (past and present) to arrive for the district's possible last reunion.

The event will feature a hog roast, with beans, salad, relish trays, brownies, and more.

Board members want to emphasize the history of the school district at the closing celebration and they hope those who have a connection to the school will show up to share memories and old photographs of the school and past students on Mother's Day.