Good Old Days 05/13/2016

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

'Ann Holloway Crowned Queen of Fort Sidney'

May 9, 1996

Ann Holloway, a shapely 17-year old from Sidney High School, was presented with the regal crown and trappings Saturday night and will reign over her loyal subjects as Miss Fort Sidney Days of 1966. The pretty brunette was elected over other 10 candidates for the honor sat the Miss Fort Sidney Pageant held Saturday night at the Sidney Junior High School Auditorium.

First runner up was Cathy Curless, a vibrant brunette, and second runner up was Mary Jurgens, another brunette. It proves that is was a great year for brunettes, contrary to the belief that blondes have more fun. The five finalists for the Miss Fort Sidney crown in addition to those already named were Carol Bruns and Geri Fritzler.

Miss Holloway will be the reigning beauty at all of the official Fort Sidney Celebrations and will be attended by the two members of the court. In addition to the honor of being Miss Fort Sidney, Miss Holloway will compete in the Miss Nebraska Pageant to be held this summer at York, Ne. where, if she wins, she will have an opportunity to compete in the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City.

Among the items presented to her at the end of the pageant, in addition of course to the traditional roses, was a $1,000 scholarship at the Business Institute of SIdney. The award was presented on behalf of the school by Mrs. Kay McCumber, one of the instructors at the school.

A special feature of the evening was an interview with A. A. Fenske, the 1966 Fort Sidney Days Colonel.

A final item on the program was the presentation of the 1965 Susan DeVier, who told of her experiences during her year.

The pageant was preceded by an afternoon tea in the Fort Sidney Motor Hotel sponsored by the Mrs. Jaycees. At this time the contestants had an opportunity for personal meetings with the judges.

40 Years Ago

'Trail to Gold Field began 100 Years Ago This Week'

May 10, 1976

One hundred years ago this week, one of the biggest events in the entire history of Sidney and all of Western Nebraska took place. The famed Sidney Deadwood Trail opened.

Although it seems likely that considerable traveling had taken place earlier between Sidney, the Western Nebraska hub of railroad activity in those days, and the Black Hills, where gold had been discovered in 1874, it was not until the Camp Clark Bridge was opened that the route flourished.

That date is variously listed as May 10, 13, 14 and 15, 1876.

No matter which one it is, the greater wooden bridge, which was located about three and a half miles west of the present site of Bridgeport, changed the lives of thousands of men and women. Many of them were trying to reach the newly found gold fields while others discovered a gold mine right in Sidney and along the 267-mile trail will supplying services to the would-be miners.

At the height of the bonanza, Sidney had 40 saloons, including 23 in one block, and some 1,500 people were arriving and departing daily, according to some reports. Gambling and other vices were said to be rampant, causing an Omaha newspaper to label Sidney as "the wickedest city in the U.S." It's reported that "it was nothing at all for the man to be killed every night in a dance hall operated by a fellow named Joe Lane."

The one major obstacle between the gold fields and Sidney was the North Platte River. It was particularly dangerous in the spring when floods were prevalent, but could be a death trap at other times, too.

The obstacle was to be removed when Henry T. Clarke, an Omaha-area banker, freighter and promoter decided to build the bridge, which was 2,096 feet long and consisted of 61 16 by 16 "queen style" spans.

Because so many were anxious to have the barrier to the Black Hills obliterated, Clarke reportedly received lots of volunteer help in the building bridge project.

The pilings were cut in the Wildcat Hills to the south while most of the other material was reportedly shipped to Sidney free of charge by the Union Pacific and Rock Island Railroads. The lumber was then pulled by bull team from Sidney to the river.

Clarke Fuller of Sidney, in his book "Pioneer Paths," reported that Pratt and Ferris, a large ranching and freighting firm, hauled the material without cost because it had a contract ot transport a 400,000-pound stamp mill to the Homestake mine at Lead, provided it could be gotten across the river.

25 Years Ago

'Jury Finds Couple Not Guilty in Suit Involved Trucking Hitting Cow'

May 6, 1991

A twelve-member jury Friday found a Cheyenne-County couple not guilty of negligence when a black angus cow they owned wandered onto a bridge on Interstate 80 one night in 1989 and was struck by a tractor-trailer.

In a trail that lasted for two full days, Thursday and Friday, in Cheyenne County District Court, the jury deliberated two hours before finding Mourine and Margaret Mae Rapp of Cheyenne County not guilty.

The owner of the truck and trailer, Systems Transport of Linden, Utah, asked for a judgement for &109,836.10, charging the defendants were negligent and that they repeatedly allowed their cattle to escape confinement and permitted their herd to overgraze their range in time of drought.

Attorney for the Rapps was Jim Ellison. Tom Sonntag of Sidney represented the trucking company. The accident occurred about two-lenghths of a mile east of milepost 56 on I-80 in Cheyenne County at about 11 p.m. Sept 1, 1989. That is about a mile east of Sidney I-80 west interchange. The 1987 Kenworth truck was being driven by Ronald L. Sellers.

In its suit the plaintiff said the tractor sustained damages of $27,887.35 and the trailer was damaged to the extent of $22,263.75. Towing chargers amounted to more than $5,000 the jury was told.

10 Years Ago

'Osborne Flies Into Sidney'

May 9, 2006

In his quest to be Nebraska's next governor, Congressman Tom Osborne took to the air last weekend trying to cover as much ground as possible on the last weekend of his campaign before today's primary election.

Osborne, with his wife Nancy, flew out of the clouds Saturday to stop at the Sidney Aiport and share a few moments exclusively with the readers of the Sidney Sun-Telegraph.

Osborne acknowledged the race for the Republican nomination for governor is "dead-even" between and Gov. Dave Heineman.

Saturday, the polls (by the The MSR Group) showed Osborne and Heineman separated by less than one percent. By Monday morning, those same polls gave a slight edge to Heineman - 45 to 41.9 percent points.

"It seems to be pretty much dead-even," Osborne said. "I imagine it will come down to voter turnout. We have a feeling that heavy turnout will be helpful. A light turnout will not. It's going to be very close."

Osborne did not predict a win or a loss during his interview Saturday, yet he stilled dreams of the day when he can lead Nebraska down a better path.

"We won't be obligated to special interests. I havenot taken any money from corporations or political action (PACs) committees," Osborne said.

Instead of taking the "easy funding" method of accepting contributions from companies and PACs, Osborne only accepted donations from people - one at a time.

"There were no large personal contributions. The most anyone has given me is $1,000 for the primary and $1,000 for the vernal elections," Osborne said.