Looking Back

Teresa McCrary, Times-Herald Publishing

(Editor’s Note: Forrest City will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in May. In conjunction with the anniversary, this column looking back at St. Francis County’s history will be featured each Friday on this Lifestyles page along with the week’s History Photo. The items included in this column were printed in previous editions of the Times-Herald.

March 1964

City Merchant Police Halt Loss - Friday night at 11:15 Forrest City Merchant Police discovered two men attempting to break into Forrest City Grocery at 202 S. Rosser and immediately called the city police who carried out an investigation of the incident. The two men fled on foot and were not caught. However no merchandise was taken. Also last week, the merchant police prevented loss of property when they discovered a broken lock at the Borden Milk Company at 307 Alderson. City police were called and took over the investigation.

Opportunity Day - Thursday had been set aside by John Mann, president of the Forrest City Chamber of Commerce, as 'Opportunity Day' when the chamber would conduct a unique, one-day membership drive. Purpose of proclaiming the special day also was a "call the attention of citizens to the opportunity to become an active partner in the growth of the city and surrounding territory," Mann said. During the past few years, Mann said, the city had made enormous strides, both growth wise and in establishment of new industries. "Such accelerated growth always presents many problems," he added. Providing larger schools, building new streets and homes, and increased municipal services were among the problems Mann cited. All were necessary to sustain the growing economy of the community, he said. The chamber extended great efforts toward solving community problems. To accomplish this, "the chamber needed active support and participation of every firm in Forrest City,” Mann said, adding, “If businessmen are interested in making Forrest City the most progressive in the Mid-South, they should welcome the opportunity which would be provided when Chamber members would canvass the city. An investment of only seven cents a day is all that is required."

Re-Election - Mrs. Mamie N. Wood today announced her candidacy for re-election to the office of circuit clerk of St. Francis County. "Serving as circuit clerk has been a privilege and pleasure,” Mrs. Wood said. "My humble thanks go to the people of this county for permitting me to serve the unexpired term of my late husband, Harold Wood. "I now ask for your support that I may continue to serve our county in this capacity. It is my desire to fulfill this duty to the very best of my ability and in honesty." Mrs. Wood and her 13-year-old son, Andy Wood, now reside at 1326 North Izard.

'Doodlebug' - The Rock Island Railroad asked the Interstate Commerce to discontinue "doodlebug" trains No. 23 and 24 between Memphis and Amarillo, Texas. Notification of the request for discontinuation was received in the governor's office. The trains traveled over Rock Island tracks through Arkansas. Arkansas cities on the route included Forrest City, Brinkley, Little Rock, Danville, Booneville and Hartford. The railroad's application said the trains were single-unit combination express car and coach. They were known as doodlebugs. The railroad said in its application that it lost $147,000 in 1962 and $197,000 in 1963 on operation of the trains.

Tour Begins With Navy James Laser, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Laser, left by plane for the Great Lakes Training Station following his enlistment for a four-year tour of duty with the United States Navy. Laser, who was a graduate of Forrest City High School and attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, had been awaiting audition for a place in the Navy Band, Washington D.C. However, he was notified that the official Navy Band trumpet positions were all filled and there would be no more auditions at this time. Laser, a talented trumpeter and pianist, hoped to try out for the Navy Band at some later date as openings occured in the band personnel. Meanwhile, he began routine basic training at the Navy Great Lakes Station this week.

House Fire Kills 7 - Seven people, a mother and three daughters, two nieces and a nephew, died in a fire which swept their four-bedroom home on Bridewell Lane, but the actions of a 14-year-old girl saved the lives of four other children. Dead were Mrs. Elizabeth McGown, 28, and her three daughters, Shirley Ann, 10, Debra, 6, and Suberlyn, 3; her two nieces, Deborah Reeves, 6, and Casandra Gatling, 4, and her nephew, Anthony Reeves, 8. The two Reeves children and Cassandra Gatling were the children of Mrs. Imogene Gatling, who was not at home at the time of the fire. Evelyn Reeves, 14, daughter of Mrs. McGown, was in Forrest Memorial Hospital with burns suffered while she helped her half sister, Dianne McGown, 8 and her three cousins, Wilma, 5, Hanna, 1, and Cecila Gatling, 2, in their escape. Mrs. McGown and the six children were asleep in the south bedroom of the house. Evelyn Reeves and the other four survivors were asleep in the north bedroom, with the door between rooms closed. At 9:30, lightening struck the television antenna fastened to the north side of the house, on or near the bedroom. The resulting "explosion" described by Evelyn woke her and perhaps some of the others, while setting the house afire. According to witnesses, Evelyn pitched the other four out of a window with her hair on fire. She apparently could not, or did not, have time to wake those in the other part of the house. By the time firemen arrived, flames already had eaten through the roof. The seven in the south bedroom were suffocated in their beds, although one child may have made an attempt to get out before she died. Mrs. Gatling was an employee of Forrest Memorial Hospital. Her sister, Mrs. Wilma Henson, said both Mrs. Gatling and Mrs. McGown were separated from their husbands.

Coke At Carroll Home Parties honoring Forrest City High School graduates of this season were launched on a gay note on Saturday, Feb. 29, when Mrs. Ricard R. Carroll and Mrs. E.J. Butler entertained with a very lovely 'Coke' party at the Carroll home on South Forrest. The honorees, special friends of the Butler and Carroll families, were the following eight senior girls: Miss Lois Crockett Morris, Miss Linda Roy, Miss Maryanne Hicky, Miss Jo Diffey, Miss Chris Fogg, Miss Jan Campbell, Miss Carolyn Crawley and Miss Montine Bowen. The guest list for the party was comprised of sorority sisters of the honorees, junior and senior girls of Delta Beta Sigma and totalled about 40 attractive young ladies. The party rooms were enhanced with springlike beauty by lovely gift plants of pastel hyacinths. Lovely spring frocks worn by the honorees and guests continued the accent on spring and the end-of-school season. Guests were invited for half after three and enjoyed entertaining games and contests. Iced "Cokes” were served with tea dainties from beautifully appointed refreshments table.

Operation Springboard Ralph J. Casey, seaman, USN, and son of Mr. and Mrs. Freman J. Casey of Route 5, FC, was participating in an exercise called "Operation Springboard" while serving aboard the destroyer USS Zellars in the Caribbean.

Bank Council - Mrs. M.L. Grobmyer, secretary of the Forrest City Savings and Loan Association of FC had been appointed to the 1964 Committee on the Federal Home Loan Bank System of the U.S. Savings and Loan League.

Mud Puppy - Kenneth Stanley had a mud-puppy he caught on a minnow while fishing in the L'Angulle River. His brother James gave the creature a poke to see how it worked. There was quite an identification problem associated with the mud-pup which was identified tentatively as a whatchamacallit until informed sources brought its true title. A large crowd gathered in front of the TimesHerald to observe the small animal and offer their individual estimate of its origin.

Mud-puppies, which are harmless despite their mean looks, are members of the salamander family and spend most of their time on the bottoms of lakes.

Mass Graveside Services - A mass graveside service for the seven persons killed in the house fire Tuesday night was held at Shady Grove Cemetery. The toll of the accident equalled that of the Old Downey Hotel fire over 20 years ago. Bob Myers, who was fire Chief at the time said the hotel burned on Oct. 1,1943, taking the lives of seven people. Records show that two bachelors, an elderly couple, and a mother and her two daughters died in the blaze but 14 others in the hotel escaped.

Two Attend Band Meeting Martin James, senior at FC High School and band director John Henry III were attending the 1964 All State Band and Orchestra meeting at Arkansas Tech, Russellville. James won the right to enter the All-State meeting after winning regional tryouts.

New Movie Screen - L.F. Haven, owner of Imperial Theatre, was installing the new movie screen. Improvements included the addition of more leg room between seats, painting and remodeling of the foyer. The new screen, costing about $1,000, was 16x 28 feet and featured a highly reflective surface which made a much brighter image. Haven said the chief problem he faced keeping the screen in good condition was that children throw everything from empty cups to pickles at it and thus cause considerable damage.

New Civil Defense Director William H. Rutledge, recently appointed director of county and city Civil Defense, announced that the Civil Defense program was undergoing extensive examination and revision to make it more effective in emergencies. Rutledge said the county now had in storage in Forrest City a portable hospital capable of operations without public utilities. This hospital, complete with operating rooms and x-ray machines, could easily be moved to any point in the county and prepared for operations in about two hours. Additional refrigeration space had been secured and plans were to increase the medical stocks of the hospital to a 30day supply. He was recruiting volunteers to form an emergency rescue squad available to any point in the county in any emergency. A briefing session would be held by state Civil Defense officials on March 11, in the community room of the First National Bank. This session would deal with severe weather and enemy attack. Rutledge said the auxiliary police force, now in service, would be studied and given any assistance they needrf. He said that the Civil Defense program would be beneficial to the people of this community and would have long-range merit.

Mexican Farm Worker Killed; Second Held - An itinerant day farm laborer was found beaten and shot in a tenant house on a farm about a half-mile east of Blackfish Lake near Crittenden County line, said Deputy Sheriff H.N. Green. The laborer, Richard S. Valenzuela of San Antonio, Texas, was taken to Forrest Memorial Hospital where he died a short time latter. Police were holding for questioning another man who lived with Valenzuela and had not found out the man's name. Both men were Mexicans and the man held by the sheriff's office spoke such poor English that questions revealed very little, Green said. The two men were reported to have been on a drinking bout when their car had a flat. According to the man now held in St. Francis County jail, Valenzuela went to look for help and he did not see him again until he went to the house and found him on the bed beaten and shot. Due to the language problem, details are not clear why there was such a long wait between the time the man was found and the sheriff was notified. The call to the sheriff was made by the farm owner, Starlyn Young, after the unidentified man informed him of Valenzaula's condition Green said. Valenzaula died as a result of multiple injuries to the head and loss of blood. He was also shot in the right knee by a blast from a shotgun, according to an autopsy report.