Pages past, Nov. 4

On this date …

1970: Fire gutted one unit of Portales’ Hillcrest Motel. Two other units, including the manager’s living quarters, were badly damaged by smoke.

A passing trucker first reported the blaze. “He stopped his semi-trailer truck and attacked the fire with a small hand fire extinguisher after alerting the motel manager,” the Portales News-Tribune reported. “However, his fire extinguisher was ineffective and the fire gained considerable headway before Portales fire units reached the scene.”

Officials said the unit where the fire began was occupied the night before, but the occupant had checked out and left the motel before the fire was discovered about 9:30 a.m.

Firefighters did not speculate on the cause of the fire.

1950: Ben McCanless, president of the Clovis Barbers Union, died after suffering a heart attack.

McCanless, also a farmer and former barber in Portales, was survived by his widow and three sons. Two of his sons were serving in the armed forces.

1950: Eastern New Mexico University’s football team defeated St. Mike’s, 19-2.

The Santa Fe school scored its safety in the first quarter to take a 2-0 lead. But Coach Al Garten’s Greyhounds never trailed again after defensive guard Bob Benton returned a pass interception 91 yards for a touchdown.

The win highlighted Homecoming weekend for ENMU.

Family entertainment …

1970: The Jungle Book and The Love Bug, both Walt Disney productions, were showing at the Tower theater in Portales.

Admission was $1 for adults. Children were admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

The Love Bug starred Dean Jones, Michele Lee, Buddy Hackett and Herbie the Wonder Car.

News tips …

1950: The Portales Daily News awarded two $3 prizes for news tips from the previous week.

Jerry Ainsworth first notified the newspaper of a fire, which destroyed a $20,000 clubhouse, at Portales Country Club. Leonora Holt reported a Stockdale, Texas, peanut grower lost his false teeth, which were retrieved from a carload of peanuts in Portales.

“Usually the Daily News awards only one $3 tip each week, but these two were both so welcome as to rate duplicate prizes,” the newspaper reported.

Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens. Contact:

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