MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1993
Demolition work began this week on two cotton warehouses and two Cotton Row buildings to clear the way for AutoZone Inc.’s planned downtown headquarters. The work on Wagner Place and Front Street, which is being done by Biggs Wrecking & Excavating Co., is expected to take two months. The headquarters for the Memphisbased auto parts retailer is expected to open in 1995.
50 years ago — 1968
Only a few years ago, Memphis attempted to collect a city automobile license from residents of other Shelby County towns who work in Memphis. It developed that the other towns had the same power to tax residents of Memphis for driving through. The city had to back down.
75 years ago — 1943
Will Memphis have a sufficient supply of coal this winter? That question was answered in the affirmative last Monday by Abe Fortas, Undersecretary of the Interior, and yesterday the Memphis Retail Coal Merchants’ Association replied in the negative. The coal dealers say that many of the larger coal yards are from 5,000 to 10,000 tons of coal short now, as compared to last year.
100 years ago — 1918
For four years, France has borne the civilization of the world upon its bayonet point. For four years England has stood up manfully on land and held absolute command of the sea. A year ago America came in. Gradually it has dawned on us the full measure of our responsibility. In 15 months we have been able to pull out of the air a fighting army of more than 1,400,000 men and land it in France. It is one of the beautiful things in history that everyone is willing to fight for France and under French officers.
125 years ago — 1893
Clerk and Master E.B. McHenry yesterday moved out of his old offices in the Shelby County Courthouse to a place provided for him in the Bickford building next to the City Hall. Circuit Court Clerk Strehl and his forces today are packing up to move shortly.