Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
On this date ...
1930: Four Roosevelt County prisoners sawed and dug their way to freedom about 2 a.m.
The men — three being held for violating liquor laws and one on a robbery charge — used a hacksaw that had been smuggled into the jail to help with their escape.
Two of the men were seen going south down the Santa Fe Railway tracks, according to a witness.
At least one of the escapees remained free for more than a year. Henry Jones was captured in December 1931 near Dallas.
Bob Kinney was captured Aug. 12 in Plainview.
Reports on the fate of the other escapees could not be determined through newspaper archive searches.
1951: A local radio station manager was trying to “quiet the panicky people” of Clovis and Portales after apparently bogus reports were broadcast that a tornado might hit both communities.
M. McCreary, manager of the KENM radio station in Portales, said there had been unconfirmed reports of a tornado headed for the area, but Walker Air Force Base officials in Roswell said no one knew of any such storm.
McCreary said a rival radio station had reported the unconfirmed tornado, which had been reported by Roswell police to Clovis police.
While no tornado hit Clovis that day, Tucumcari saw the “end of a dying tornado,” but no damage was reported.
1953: A sweltering summer inspired the Clovis News-Journal to remind area residents “when it was really hot.”
Back in June 1911, for instance, the region saw a 108-degree day, the paper reported. And every day that summer had high temperatures of 92 or more, CN-J claimed.
“And that was in the city’s infancy when modern-day cooling systems were unheard of.”
The paper said July 1911 was a little cooler than June, but August of that year saw 17 days of triple-digit high temperatures.
June of 1917 was also miserable - no moisture all month and five straight days of 100 or more with a high of 106.
1956: Clovis Cab Company claimed it had “safe, courteous drivers” who were radio dispatched for better public service.
The cab company — its phone number was 3443 — also rented cars by the hour, day, week or year.
1962: Completion and acceptance of classrooms at Lincoln-Jackson and Parkview elementary schools was expected in the next two weeks, Clovis schools Superintendent Travis Stovall said.
Two classrooms were being constructed at Lincoln-Jackson and six were being constructed at Parkview.
The Clovis school board was scheduled to meet July 12 and officials expected to review the construction work at that time.
Another item on the school board agenda was plans for construction projects at Marshall Junior High.
1965: Clovis pyrotechnic fans were enjoying the last year of (legally) shooting off firecrackers in the city limits. A city ordinance had banned the activity, effective after the July 4 holiday.
1969: Furniture Mart, at 115 W. Grand in Clovis, was preparing for a big 33-hour sellathon.
The “King of the Furniture Discounters” was planning to be open continuously from 9 a.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday.
Specials included:
n 20-inch Zenith color TV for $468
n AM/FM stereo in an early American styled cabinet for $654
n Completely frost-free refrigerator/freezer with egg storage and dairy chests for $349.
“Nobody but nobody undersells the Furniture Mart,” according to a newspaper advertisement.
1975: Fire broke out in the basement of the Campus Union Building at Eastern New Mexico University.
Firefighters said the small blaze was under control quickly and there were no injuries.
A university spokesman said the fire probably started in the wiring of the air conditioning system.
1976: W. D. “Doc” Gattis, a pioneer educator, died at his home in Clovis.
He was 85.
Gattis had come to eastern New Mexico in 1919 from Tennessee, and taught his first year in the Grady school system.
He moved to Clovis and began teaching at La Casita School a year later. He ultimately was La Casita principal for 39 years.
After retirement, Gattis served on the Clovis school board and was selected to the New Mexico Teacher’s Hall of Fame, the Clovis News-Journal reported.
Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens and Betty Williamson. Contact:
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