MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1994
Shelby County Mayor-elect Jim Rout on Thursday named lawyer and Rout campaign leader John Ryder and Lucy Shaw, former president of the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, as co-chairmen of his transition team. Other team leaders include: County Commission chairman Charles Perkins, personnel firm owner and Republican activist Jeanette Watkins, and hospital executive Cato Johnson, who is a senior vice president of Methodist Health Systems.
50 years ago — 1969
Plans for the renovation of the historical home of Gen. Luke E. Wright at 688 Jefferson has been altered because one of its brick walls collapsed recently, General Wright’s great-grandson, Luke E. Wright, said yesterday. Mr. Wright said plans for renovating the two-story brick structure, which once had as visitors Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Howard Taft and Admiral George Dewey, are now undetermined. Three years ago he won a fight to save the house from being razed by the Memphis Housing Authority while agreeing to give up 5,000 square feet of the property for the widening of Jefferson and Orleans. General Wright was cited for gallantry in the battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn., during the Civil War. He served as an officer in the Confederate Army. In 1904, he was named governor-general of the Philippines. In 1905, he was appointed the first ambassador to Japan, and in 1908, President Roosevelt appointed him secretary of war.
75 years ago —1944
Stockton, Calif. – Some 500 German prisoners of war here yesterday started a sit-down strike. They had been working eight hours a day but objected when they were put on a nine-hour workday. According to the Geneva Conference, prisoners of war may be worked 12 hours a day.
100 years ago — 1919
President Wilson has issued a call for an international conference in Washington on Oct. 29. A provision for such a conference was included in the treaty of peace. The Senate, by resolution, gave the president authority to call the conference, but inserted a proviso preventing him from naming any American delegates unless the peace treaty had been ratified in the meantime. So the conference may convene without American delegates in attendance.
125 years ago — 1894
Nashville – A horrible tragedy was witnessed by a large crowd of people here yesterday. Miss Lula Randall, who for some time has been making balloon ascensions, took her craft up to a height of 2,000 feet before being given the signal to drop. Her parachute collapsed about halfway down and she plummeted to earth and was killed instantly.