Fountain flashback
25 years ago — 1993
Methodist Health Systems announced plans Wednesday to become the sole owner of Germantown Community Hospital-Methodist East. Methodist, which owns 20 percent of the 120-bed facility at 7691 Poplar, said it has signed a letter of intent to purchase the remaining 80 percent from National Medical Enterprises (NME), a forprofit hospital chain based in California. Officials of Methodist and NME would not discuss details of the deal until they sign a final agreement, probably this summer.
50 years ago — 1968
Businessman William Loeb announced last night that entertainer Pat Boone has bought half interest in the Stop-N-Go drive-in groceries, which Mr. Loeb purchased recently. Mr. Loeb said Mr. Boone would be at his home at 3027 Central Thursday night for a party to celebrate. Jeff Dyke, president of Stop-N-Go, will be one of the guests. Mr. Boone already had an interest in Loeb’s Bar-B-Q.
75 years ago — 1943
Allied Headquarters in North Africa — Fighting like a cornered rat, Field Marshal Rommel’s forces launched a series of desperate counterattacks in an effort to hold the Mareth Line and have largely wiped out gains made by the British Eighth Army there earlier in the week. However, the British are moving up behind the line and American troops are closing in and are shelling Mezzouna, only 22 miles from the Mareth Line.
100 years ago — 1918
Hang out a white flag from your porch today if you have books to give to our soldier boys, says Abe Scharff, head of the Rotary Club library committee. Delivery wagons of all the downtown department stores will spend the day picking up the books and will take them to Cossitt Library for shipping. Memphis’ quota is 20,000.
125 years ago — 1893
Magistrate M.T. Garvin says he is going to stop all county magistrates from practicing in the city and he means it. There promises to be quite a row in the ranks of the County Court. Mr. Garvin referred to a case last Saturday night when a man was found dead on the levee and the magistrate of Germantown, Tenn., tried to hold an inquest and gain a fee. “These men are magistrates by the grace of God and maybe 20 votes, and they should be grateful to collect fees in their own jurisdictions,” he said.