A Look Back in Time
Posted: Monday, January 12, 2009 12:00 am
Daniel Sandoval
Newspaper writers have to anticipate what their readers are thinking. Reporters craft their stories so the reader can fill in the background information while learning something new. Qualifiers were in the news for the second week of January.
100 years ago
The lead story of the Jan. 13, 1909, Natrona County Tribune was actually a montage of short articles under the headline, "RAILROAD NEWS NOTES," the last of which discussed some tinkering on the experimental lignite locomotive No. 1453.
Child lost: The practice of identifying people by race was readily apparent in the Jan. 13, 1909, Tribune headline, "COLORED BOY DROWNED." Clarence Smith, "about 8 years of age," fell through the ice on the North Platte River in Casper.
Clarence was at play in a game of "lead the banner" with a friend identified only as "Henry Wyatt's little boy" when Clarence approached a hole and the ice gave way.
The Wyatt boy was so confused and frightened that he didn't mention the incident until around 9 o'clock that night. A rescue was promptly dispatched and the rescuers searched in vain.
Holes were cut in the ice and nets were placed downstream from where Clarence fell but the boy was still missing and presumed dead three days after he was pulled under the river's ice cover.
In spite of the racial distinction made in the Tribune headline, the article concluded with a tone of genuine loss:
"Clarence was a polite little fellow, who was in the first grade of our public schools and had many friends among the pupils who are greatly grieved over his sad and sudden death."
Peer pressure: On the inside pages, the Tribune admonished readers that the Casper Town Council passed an ordinance requiring property owners to clear their sidewalks of snow and noted that the ordinance was being ignored.
The Tribune predicted and dismissed any excuses the property owners might give for not shoveling their sidewalks and described long swaths of public walkway that were solid sheets of ice.
75 years ago
The second headline of the Jan. 12, 1934, Casper Tribune-Herald touted, "Navy Fliers Are Acclaimed on Arrival in Honolulu," referring to a squadron of six planes flying from San Francisco Bay to Pearl Harbor.
The Navy's six 10 P-1 seaplanes were so heavily loaded with fuel and oil that they experience difficulty lifting off the water, but they eventually managed to fly the 2,408 miles over the Pacific Ocean.
Testimony snags: Charles Stoddard was on trial for robbing the First National Bank of Green River.
G. Daskalis was called as witness and testified that Stoddard was in Salt Lake City March 31, 1933, making it highly unlikely Stoddard could've pulled off the April 1 robbery.
When the prosecuting attorney called Daskalis for rebuttal, Daskalis admitted that he was paid to take the stand, complaining that he wanted $100 but only received only $50.
Under cross examination, Daskalis also admitted to lying in his previous day's testimony placing Stoddard in Salt Lake City.
Another witness, Ruth Carbaugh of Denver, said Stoddard was at her home April 5 or 6, but she also admitted to bootlegging, thus damaging the credibility of her testimony.
Oh, by the way: Word from the state's Civil Works Administration in Cheyenne was bad news disguised as good news. Natrona County's quota of people to be employed jumped by 397 jobs.
However, those extra job slots expired Jan. 15, 1934, three days after the Jan. 12 Tribune-Herald article.
Roving governor: Gov. Leslie Miller, who characterized his vacation plans as just lounging around with friends in California, was on a boat in Panama. After going through the canal, Miller said he was going to New York City.
50 years ago
The top headline of the Jan. 13, 1959, Casper Morning Star declared, "COUNCIL VOTES SALARY CUTS."
Management style: The Casper City Council switched to a city manager form of government in early January 1959 and there were some city employees making too much money, according to state law.
Councilman Ernest Wilkerson said the cuts would only go down to the maximum allowed.
City Clerk-Treasurer Ed Grant got his pay cut from $7,200 to $6,240. Fire Chief Al Piper's pay was reduced from $6,360 to $6,240, and Police Chief Paul Danigan also got his pay docked to $6,240 from $6,600.
Dangerous booty: Law enforcement throughout the state was advised that someone lifted 150 pounds of dynamite from a warehouse in Linch. Included in the theft were 11 blasting caps.
25 years ago
The Jan. 12, 1984, Casper Star-Tribune's lead article was about the Kissinger Commission urging a boost in military aid to El Salvador. The commission said the insurgency could put the entire hemisphere in jeopardy.
Precious resource: Members of the Shoshone and Arapahoe business councils were in Casper to negotiate a possible resolution to a legal dispute about water rights. Gov. Ed Herschler and State Attorney General A.G. McClintock also attended the closed meeting.
Attorneys were not welcome in the meeting but they made an exception for the state attorney general.
"A Look Back in Time" is made possible with the help of Western History Archivist Kevin S. Anderson at the Casper College Western History Center, which is open to the public.