MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1994
Washington – A Senate divided along partisan and philosophical lines launched formal debate Tuesday on legislation to provide health insurance for 95 percent of Americans by the year 2000. Sen. George Mitchell of Maine, the majority leader, said providing health insurance to all Americans was “a matter of simple justice.” Speaking to a relatively large audience of senators, he said his goal was “guaranteed, private health insurance to provide high-quality health care for every American family.”
50 years ago — 1969
Las Vegas – Elvis Presley, playing to standing-roomonly crowds twice nightly at the International Hotel here, has turned down a proposed contract that would assure him an estimated $5 million during the next decade. The Commercial Appeal Saturday learned the proposed contract was from one of Nevada’s largest hotels. It would require Elvis to appear in Las Vegas for four weeks annually. Elvis’ manager, Col. Tom Parker, when approached about the contract, would only wipe his brow, grin and say, “We are very happy with what is happening at the moment. Looking into the future for 10 years is a long time. In fact, I don’t know what we might be doing 10 years from now.”
100 years ago — 1919
We are informed that a law-enforcing committee, under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce, has been organized. Col. Roane Waring is the chairman. The committee will be composed of active and courageous men. The intention is to fight lawlessness, make arrests, secure indictments and to assist in prosecution. If this committee is properly directed — and Col. Roane Waring is a very capable man — it should be able to accomplish things worthwhile.
125 years ago — 1894
Superintendent Cardwell of United Charities had two cases on his hands yesterday that made him very wrathy. One was a poor woman and two children for whom the mayor of Chattanooga had personally bought one-way tickets to Memphis. The other was a woman sent to Memphis from Union City. It has become a practice in neighboring cities to send indigents to Memphis, Cardwell said. He has begun buying some one-way tickets himself and sending the poor unfortunates back where they came from.