MID-SOUTH MEMORIES

25 years ago — 1997

CHICAGO – Hold on to your stomachs, folks. Last year’s most popular new products, based on grocery scanning information, included a self-rising pizza crust and baked potato chips, which may have helped boost three new indigestion drugs into the top 10 list.

Luvs Stretch diapers led the top 10 product introductions with $435 million in sales, followed by Scott 1000 paper products at $309 million and Pepcid AC with $248 million in sales. Many Americans also appeared to be trying to kick the habit by purchasing Nicorette gum, which took fourth place by ringing up $189 million in sales.

That was followed by Baked Lays potato chips, $167 million; Pampers Premium, $162 million; and Tagamet

HB/200, $155 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were Bounty Medleys, $126 million; Digiorno self-rising pizza, $120 million; and Zantac 75, $116 million.

50 years ago — 1972

The Mississippi River lapped right to the feet of more than 175,000 people who edged to the river’s bank last night and watched the Great River Pageant — officially opening of the Cotton Carnival. An $8,000 fireworks display lit the sky as the record crowd covered almost every possible spot from the roof of the Holiday Inn-rivermont to the balconies of the Tower Apartments to get a view of the royal barge arriving.

75 years ago — 1947

Milwaukee, Wis. – A sharp earthquake shook communities in a 3,000square-mile area of Southeastern Wisconsin

late Tuesday and some frightened Milwaukee residents ran into the streets in belief there had been a serious explosion. However, the quake caused only minor damage.

100 years ago — 1922

HOT SPRINGS – A nationwide campaign to place moral and religious teaching in all the public schools, colleges and universities of America, was launched here tonight in the anniversary programme of the board of education of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, when Bishops James Cannon Jr. of Birmingham and E.D. Mouzon of Tulsa, Okla., were the leading speakers. 125 years ago — 1897

James Williams, who is taking the census of Memphis, has opened headquarters in the Randolph Building, Beale and Main.

THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL FILES Sears, Roebuck and Co. opened a new multi-million dollar store on Poplar Avenue on May 7, 1958. Within a half hour after the doors were opened at 9:30 a.m., the 1,000-car parking lot was jammed. Before nightfall, Sears officials estimated the crowd at more than 25,000 and the evening visitors pushed the total to 40,000.