THE PAST 100 YEARS

From the Santa Fe New Mexican: March 26, 1921: The city police and sheriff believe that in the arrest of Antonio Martinez, a young man who says he comes from Taos county, they have the first clue which may help them discover the identity of the sneak thief or sneak thieves who have been at work in Santa Fe during the past few weeks. A dozen homes have been robbed of jewelry, blankets, revolvers and guns, traveling bags, fountain pens, and even oranges and butter.

March 26, 1946: District Judge William J. Barker of Santa Fe, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor, said today he would resign from the bench immediately.

... Barker is the second gubernatorial aspirant to announce plans for early retirement from the bench. Supreme Court Justice Thomas J. Mabry said last week that Governor Dempsey had informed him that he would accept his resignation and appoint a successor before the April 2 opening of the primary campaign.

March 26, 1971: The yellow color in the faucet water of some Santa Fe residents during the past few days comes from “them thar hills” and drinkers need not be worried, according to Dean Sanborn, water superintendent.

March 26, 1996: When Gov. Gary Johnson called a special session of the New Mexico Legislature last week, he expected action on what he considers a “loophole” in state law: a provision allowing gasoline sales on New Mexico’s Indian reservations without paying the state’s 17-cents-a-gallon tax.

To the governor, this was a dire threat — not only to folks in the motorfuel business, but also to the state’s highway-construction-fund. The state, claimed Johnson could lose $177 million a year in revenue.

By the time the session ended four days later, lost-revenue figures had been reduced to $100 million — or maybe only $3 million at any rate, it was clear that the governor had pushed the panic button.