Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1901: Thomas Edward “Black Jack” Ketchum, described as the “most noted desperado of the Southwest” by the Galveston Daily News, was hanged in Clayton.
Ketchum, a self-confessed train robber accused of multiple crimes including murder, was also a rancher near Tucumcari who rode on many trail drives. He was hanged for a failed train robbery in which no one was killed.
They hung him so hard, the history books tell us, his head came off.
The native Texan, who lost an arm in the botched train robbery, seemed at ease in the hours before his death.
“Ketchum talked for over an hour with visitors, cooler than any who met him,” the Galveston newspaper reported.
He confessed to some crimes but denied others, claiming he’d never killed a man and only shot three.
1946: Wayne Sanders had been elected Portales High School’s student-body president.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Sanders of Portales.
Kenneth Gilbreath had been elected vice president.
1950: State game officials were urging “careful consideration” before planning any prairie chicken hunting.
Gaming Director James Cox said prairie chicken populations in Roosevelt County were “not so abundant as in previous years,” The Associated Press reported.
Drought conditions and a heavy kill the year before were blamed for the decline in population.
1950: Consolidated Milk Products Co. had closed its Portales operation.
Area supervisor Lyle Bridges said the plant’s equipment had been moved to Winfield, Kan.
He cited lack of raw materials as the reason for the plant’s closing.
He said most milk went for whole milk and cheese products.
The Portales company had been operating 10 years, converting buttermilk and skimmed milk from creameries into feed for livestock and poultry.
1956: A 21-year-old Clovis woman was serving five days in the Curry County jail for vagrancy.
The woman’s 2-year-old son was being cared for by a sister.
The woman, whose name was not published by the Clovis News-Journal, said she planned to move to Santa Fe after completing her sentence, which also included $17.50 in fines.
1960: A Portales News-Tribune reporter counted 129 bicycles parked at the city’s three grade schools and junior high.
Reporter Dave Thornton, reporting on Bicycle Safety Week, found that 29 of the bikes had lights and none of the lights he tested worked.
He found many of the bikes had broken pedals, needed chain guards or fenders and lacked horns.
1960: It was "fun to ride the train," especially, "when it's the San Francisco Chief," according to promotional advertising by the Santa Fe Railway.
An ad in the Clovis News-Journal encouraged passengers to "Relax in luxurious surroundings - private rooms and suites or reserved 'stretch out' seats.”
Passengers were also promised they could "meet interesting people" and dine on world-famous Fred Harvey food.
Stops on the Chief's route included Chicago, Clovis and San Francisco.
Passenger train service through Clovis ended in 1971.
1961: Clovis was hosting a three-day convention of the New Mexico Congress of Parents and Teachers.
About 500 delegates were expected for the gathering, which included “how-to” workshops.
The theme was “Education: Key to the future.”
The convention kicked off at the Drifting Dunes Cafe before moving to Rock Staubus Gymnasium for the workshops.
1967: The Pleasant Hill Extension Club members decided to purchase a new motor for the 4-H Club girls sewing machine.
Club members also spent the day making paper-mache jewelry.
A covered dish luncheon featured chicken enchilada pie.
1972: Two Texico women were hospitalized after suffering from carbon-monoxide poisoning in their home.
The sisters were in fair condition at Clovis Memorial Hospital.
Police said the women "evidently left their automobile running after returning home sometime Tuesday evening and it was left running through the night," the Clovis News-Journal reported.
1973: New Mexico's allotment for growing Valencia peanuts was increased by 2,143 acres for the upcoming growing season, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Texas was granted an additional 239 acres for Valencia peanuts, and smaller amounts were given to other states.
The National Peanut Board said that the sweet-flavored Valencia peanuts were still grown almost entirely in New Mexico, and account for less than 1% of the United States’ total peanut production.
1988: Members of the Clovis High School symphony and concert bands were back in Clovis after the 24-hour drive home from Anaheim, Calif., where they competed in and won top honors at the Magic Mountain Invitational Band Festival.
Band Director Gordon Hart told the Clovis News-Journal that both groups received best of class awards, competing against other schools in the 4-A division.
Hart said several individual band members also received awards as outstanding soloists, including senior Keith Sacane on the trumpet, senior Leslie Parrish on soprano saxophone, junior Jennifer McKinney on oboe, and junior Jennifer Johnson on piccolo.
2006: John Neibling was named Clovis Community College’s third president. The college board voted 3-2 for Neibling; dissenters wanted to hire Becky Rowley, who became CCC's fourth president when Neibling retired in 2011.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
