MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1996
John Travolta, whose career resurgence began with 1994’s smash “Pulp Fiction” and continued with last year’s highly successful “Get Shorty,” will be honored as the Male Star of the Year at NATO/SHOWEST ‘96. The actor, who will be seen in such upcoming films as “Broken Arrow,” “Phenomenon,” “The Double” and “Michael,” will receive the honor at the March 7 awards banquet in Las Vegas. Travolta also received NATO’S Star of the Year honor in 1983. On Feb. 12 he starts work on “Michael,” in which he plays a hard-living, promiscuous angel.
50 years ago — 1971 WASHINGTON – Insisting federal authorities have made the required legal determinations, Solicitor General Erwin N. Griswold Monday urged the Supreme Court to lift a stay and allow construction of Interstate 40 through Overton Park in Memphis. Griswold spoke for 30 minutes as the high court heard an hour of oral arguments in the Overton Park case. The court took the case under advisement. He said both Transportation Secretary John Volpe and his predecessor, Alan Boyd, properly had determined — as required by law — that there is “no feasible and prudent alternative” to the park route. 75 years ago — 1946
Memphis’ vital telephone system, crippled yesterday by picket lines of striking Western Electric Co. workers, faces a gradual collapse “in a matter of time” unless repairmen and operators return to their posts. The seriousness of the Memphis telephone situation is pointed up by the fact that 75,059 of the city’s 85,461 telephones are “dials.” And the dial system is more subject to breakdown through mechanical failure than is the manual system, and cannot continue operation indefinitely without repairs, which may be needed at any time. Maintenance men who look after the dial system were among several hundred employees of the Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co., who refused to cross picket lines of striking installation and maintenance men who are members of the Association of Communications Equipment Workers.
100 years ago — 1921
Fire completely gutted the two-story frame building at 396 Monroe Ave. about 11:30 o’clock last night. It was occupied by the Lafiar & Culley Automobile Repair & Tin Works Company. The damage was estimated at about $6,000.
It was not determined last night how the fire started. It had its origin on the first floor, however, it was reported. The flames had a good start before the fire companies arrived.