Through the Cabin Window – March, 2017

100 YEARS AGO, March 6, 1917

♦  Concurring in the Senate amendment, the House finally passed the Riggs bill, granting women equal suffrage in all primary elections held in Arkansas. The measure lacked only the governor’s signature to become a law, and friends of the bill declared that it would undoubtedly meet with executive approval, as it was recommended in the governor’s message.

♦  A total of $1,254 in benefits was added to the assessments in street improvement District No. 5, when a re-adjustment was made this week by the assessors, F.M. Morgan, R.H. Weems and W.O. Wilson.

75 YEARS AGO, March 6, 1942

♦  Missouri Pacific added a ninth bus to be operated between Conway and Little Rock. All nine buses make a round trip daily.

♦  The Arkansas USDA war board was calling for the production of 95,000 acres of peanuts in 1942 compared to 21,000 acres in 1941. The Faulkner County quota was 10,000 acres. The oil, meal and fiber are produced from these peanuts was vital to the war effort.

♦  A new 200-bed hospital was to be constructed for the acute mentally ill on the medical school grounds. This would double the bed capacity of University hospital.

75 YEARS AGO, March 6, 1967

♦  Two to four inches of snow, some mixed with rain and sleet, fell in northern Arkansas this morning after a tornado, high winds and hail pelted much of the state last night. Schools were closed in Conway and Mayflower.

♦  Tommy Watson and Russ Benton of Greenbrier were named to the Class B All-State basketball team.

♦  Rev. William West, pastor of Second Baptist church, said today that morning services of the church were to be broadcast by radio each Sunday. The 11 a.m. services would be carried by Station KVEE.

25 YEARS AGO, March 6, 1992

♦  The Vilonia City Council hired Shane Shoemake of Conway as the new city police chief. The former chief, Norman Clifton, resigned due to health problems.

♦  A McDonald’s TV spot featured four Faulkner County musicians, Tebo Carter, Ralva Bass, Sam McKaskle and M.B. Breeding appeared in the commercial that focused on Breeding and Jo Anna Young of Little Rock “fiddling and eating catfish” and was filmed at the Arkansas Territorial Restoration.

♦  The Bigelow Volunteer Fire Department held a spaghetti and sausage supper fundraiser to raise funds for a “Jaws for Life.” A King Dome III contest selected a bald ambassador for the year.

10 YEARS AGO, March 6, 2007

♦  Major General William D. Wofford of Conway was formally inducted as the adjutant general of the Arkansas National Guard during an assumption of command ceremony at Camp Robinson. Prior to the appointment, Wofford served as the Deputy Commanding General (Reserve Component) US Army Forces Command. He joined the National Guard in 1975.

♦  Conway’s potential to purchase land near Prince Street and Morningside Drive to build a city park was discussed at a regular meeting of the Conway City Council. Money collected from the Advertising and Promotion prepared food tax would fund the land purchase.