Other days

100 YEARS AGO Dec. 25, 1917

BATESVILLE — The finishing plant of the Mount Oliver Stave Company was destroyed by fire tonight at 10 o’clock, the loss probably reaching $20,000. It is believed that the fire was the work of an incendiary. Nearly 200 men have been thrown out of employment. The plant shut down today at noon for the holidays and there was no fire left in the building. The plant is one of the biggest in the South and was remodeled last summer, the company expending about $15,000 in making it modern in every way.

50 YEARS AGO Dec. 25, 1967

Robert V. Light, 37, a member of the Little Rock law firm of Smith, Williams, Friday and Bowen, has been representing Arkansas school districts in desegregation cases since December 1958. He and Herschel H. Friday, also a member of the firm, started out together in the Little Rock school case in December 1958 and since then have represented most of the Arkansas school districts that have been involved in desegregation suits. Besides Little Rock, the list of their cases includes Dollarway, El Dorado, Marvell, Gould, West Memphis, Altheimer, England, Crawfordsville, Morrilton, and Dermott.

25 YEARS AGO Dec. 25, 1992

After 38 years, the barber pole stopped spinning outside Snow’s Barber Service on Thursday. The barber shop, which has survived an upheaval of businesses surrounding its 5407 W. 12th St. location, closed for good Thursday. “We had a nice, good family-type business,” Russell Snow said of the shop’s success, built upon loyal customers. “The neighborhood would change, but wherever they moved they just kept coming back.” Snow, 62, is retiring three months short of 38 years at the shop.

10 YEARS AGO Dec. 25, 2007

LAKE CITY — Since a section of Arkansas 18 in Lake City opened to four lanes a month ago, authorities say motorists have been zipping through this Craighead County town like NASCAR racers hitting the straightaway at the Talladega Superspeedway. Police have ticketed 10 to 20 motorists a day driving at least 20 mph over the posted 40 mph speed limit. “They didn’t waste any time,” said Officer Steve Chambliss of the Lake City Police Department. “As soon as the barrels were moved off the highway, it was on.” He issued three tickets within 15 minutes after the four lanes opened Nov. 26.