The past 100 years

From The Santa Fe New Mexican:

Sept. 22, 1917: RED RIVER, N.M. — Ed Westerby, of this place, seeing signs of bear, set his beartrap a few days ago and caught a half-grown cub which he has taken back to town alive, and as soon as its broken leg is healed, he will try to tame and train it. Resetting his trap, he then caught the old bear and as a result is not now worried over the price of meat, as he has a good supply for winter use. But after killing the old bear and in re-setting the trip for additional meat supply, the trap was sprung by accident and Mr. Westerby became the victim. The teeth of the trap passed through his hand in two places. As the news of the capture of another bear had spread about town, several men were nearby and came to the rescue of the trapped man.

Sept. 22, 1967: LAS VEGAS — Six men mental patients, confused and bewildered by dense, acrid smoke, suffocated early Thursday when a sudden fire broke out at the New Mexico State Hospital. Hospital attendants, including an 18-year-old university student, led 152 men and women patients to safety, some reluctantly, who were “walking right back into the place.”

Three of the attendants, including Jean Montoya, were overcome by smoke, but not seriously injured, hospital officials said.

Sept. 22, 1992: WASHINGTON — Ending almost four months of gridlock, key members of the New Mexico congressional delegation by this morning expect to reach an agreement on legislation to create a Jemez National Recreation Area.

Sen. Pete V. Domenici, R-N.M., and Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., late Monday agreed to legislation that would create a 57,000-acre recreation area in the Jemez Mountains.