Pages past — Sept. 4

On this date ...

1975: U.S. Sens. Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico, and Lloyd Bentsen, D-Texas, were proposing plans to re-establish rail passenger service through Clovis.

The passenger train service had ended in 1971.

The senators asked those interested in bringing it back to contact the board of directors of the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Efforts were not successful.

1941: Portales city officials were making plans for a Sept. 12 statewide blackout.

About 80 “special police” were appointed to help organize the civilian defense drill in which all lights were to be shut off and windows covered.

The drill was mandatory across New Mexico because military leaders considered border states “of strategic importance from the standpoint of an invasion possibility” as the nation braced for war.

1914: The Barbara Worth Hotel in San Diego advertised “A room with a bath for a dollar” in The Clovis Journal.

Pages Past is compiled by Editor David Stevens. For more regional history, check out his weblog at:

www.highplainsyesterdays.com