MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1997
Only Georgia and Texas gained more jobs than Tennessee from business migration between 1991-95, while New York and California suffered the largest business and employment losses, according to a study by Dun & Bradstreet. Tennessee posted a net gain of 163 firms, with 1,081 entering the state and 918 exiting, netting 15,990 jobs in the process, the study said. No. 1 Georgia had net gains of 729 companies and 35,064 workers, while No. 2 Texas gained 167 establishments and 17,628 employees. Arkansas ranked 21st, with net gains of 310 firms and 2,152 employees. Mississippi was 40th, with a net gain of 92 companies but a net loss of 1,700 jobs. Kentucky ranked 30th and Missouri 24th.
50 years ago — 1972
Rann Rushing left City Court yesterday $18 poorer because he ran a red light one morning when his wife was late for work. He was one of 21 people who paid or forfeited $593.50 in fines and costs on the first day of a new “gettough” policy in city traffic court. The day marked the official beginning of a new, more demanding attitude toward Memphis traffic violators prompted by the city’s miserable accident record. 75 years ago — 1947
The 75th Tennessee General Assembly opened what may be a historic session Monday by moving harmoniously through organization plans, receiving a bill to free the toll bridges, and witnessing the members of the House decline to limit their patronage. The first bill introduced in each house was a measure stating “that all bridges heretofore constructed, maintained or operated by the state of Tennessee as toll bridges are hereby declared to be free bridges for the use of which no tolls shall be exacted.”
100 years ago — 1922
BATON ROUGE, La. – An oil company that has been drilling for oil in the northeastern portion of St. Martin Parish, near the Iberville Parish line, has struck a large deposit of rock salt at a depth of between 500 and 600 feet, according to announcement today by
Fred J. Grace, register of the state land office, who has received a report of the strike. After drilling a considerable distance into the salt and determining the effect of the deposit, the gulf company ceased operations and will later decide what will be done about piping it. The salt is in the shape of a huge dome. 125 years ago — 1897
At a meeting yesterday of directors of the New Memphis Jockey Club, S.R. Montgomery was elected president; F.G. Jones, Napoleon Hill, R.B. Snowden and O.H.P. Piper, vice presidents; M.N. Peters, secretary; and John M. Peters, treasurer.