Looking back in Roanoke history: July 8

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The Roanoke Times | File 1938

This scene from Norfolk and Western’s Vocafilm “A Century of Service” portrays a meeting in 1866 to discuss consolidating the Norfolk & Petersburg, the Southside and the Virginia & Tennessee railroads as the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad. This railroad was the predecessor of the Norfolk & Western. N&W employees in this scene are J.A. Brubaker, J.G. Wood, Pascal Owen, T.H. Spencer and L.E. Frownfelter.

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1988 (25 years ago)

"There will be a picnic spread of musical goodies at the Salem Fair and Exposition the next two weekends."
"Davis & Stephenson Inc., one of the oldest general insurance agencies in Roanoke, has merged into the McDonough Caperton Insurance Group, a regional broker based at Charleston, W.Va."
"A wind-driven thunderstorm swept through the Salem Fair and Exposition Saturday afternoon, ripping down an exhibition tent and sending two people to hospitals with broken bones."
"After a vintage year of Timesland high school basketball, it is only natural that the area dominate the starting lineup for the West boys tonight in the Virginia High School Coaches Association doubleheader."
"It's official: the State will soon own three-quarters of the Explore Park site."
"It looks like Virginia farmers will not be needing a rainmaker after all. Slow, steady rain has fallen over the Roanoke Valley and most of the state since Monday, easing dry conditions that have threatened Virginia farmlands since June."
"The National Hockey League apparently is coming to the Roanoke Valley. At least for one night."
"Former major-league star pitcher Luis Tiant will be on the mound Friday at Salem Municipal field in the Salem Buccaneers' Old-Timers Game."

1963 (50 years ago)

"The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors doesn't believe there is any present need for consolidating city and county school systems - or even studying the possibility of consolidating."
"Fourteen Roanoke firms have voluntarily agreed to begin hiring qualified persons without regard to race or color beginning July 15."
"Two of the most famous Southern writers of the past three decades will visit Hollins College ... in the coming academic year. ... They are Robert Penn Warren, who wrote the novel 'All the King's Men,' and Eudora Welty, of Mississippi, author of 'Delta Wedding.' "
"A tough guy with a heart of gold is the way TV Radio Mirror describes Artie Levin of Roanoke in its August edition."
"Despite the fact that rainfall in the Roanoke area is more than eight inches below normal, there is no indication that Roanokers will be asked to reduce their usage of water."
"Out of the ruinous ashes of a fortnight ago there arose Wednesday night a phoenix, bedecked in brilliant feathers, known as the Showtimers."
"Roanokers will see the sun three-fourths blotted out by the moon next Saturday afternoon."
"Sandra Sisson, native of Roanoke, reigned as Princess June of Hollywood where she was the official hostess for the motion picture capital for the month."
"A role in a television series ['The Farmer's Daughter'] to open in September has been given to Jane Garman, model and ofttimes beauty queen of Washington, D.C., and Catawba."

1938 (75 years ago)

"Forty-six residences are now under construction in Roanoke, the largest number since 1927."
"The Norfolk and Western Railway's new Vocafilm, 'A Century of Service,' will be shown at the July meeting of the Roanoke N. & W. Better Service club meeting.
"Named in honor of the late Rev. L.L. Downing and operated jointly by the William A. Hunton branch Y.M.C.A. and colored Boy Scout troops of Roanoke, Camp Downing will open its 1938 season on July 26 and remain open through August 14."
"A two-year enforced leave of absence for classroom teachers in the Roanoke county school system following childbirth was adopted as a school policy at the monthly meeting of the school board yesterday."
"With each avowing that it would show the other something about the game of baseball, the Salem Rescue squad and the Roanoke police met to settle the argument yesterday afternoon and the Rescue crew with a few more pointers on heavy hitting won the decision 11 to 8."
"City Council will have before it Monday afternoon the written suggestion that the old postoffice building be remodeled and used as a public library building."
"Lynchburg's girl baseball team outhit and ran circles around the Fat Men yesterday at Maher field to come out on top of a one-sided tilt, 16 to 7."
"The conversation between the Howard Hughes plane and the Berlin airport was picked up last night at 9:55 by Leo Starkey ... on his short wave set."
"Roanoke continued to swelter yesterday as the mercury rose to 94 for the second successive day."

1913 (100 years ago)

"Roanoke now has a traffic ordinance, the measure having been finally adopted by the common council at its session last night."
"Mr. P.T. Lavinder, of Roanoke, called at the health department yesterday to obtain instructions for preparing the heads of two pigs for shipment to the Pasteur Institute at Richmond for examination. One of the pigs bit Mrs. Lavender on the hand last Monday."
"Two squadrons or two-thirds of the Eleventh United States Cavalry went into camp at Cloverdale late yesterday afternoon, having made the trip from Elliston. ... The two squadrons consist of seven hundred men and horses."
"The Tigers smothered the breath out of the formidable Pirates today, in a 'chase-me-Willy' running bout, 11 to 2."
"Health authorities are highly gratified at the improved condition of milk furnished the Roanoke public by dairymen since the inauguration of a campaign to improve fresh sweet milk following an epidemic of infantile stomach trouble."
"A hung jury resulted in the corporation court yesterday in the case against Dr. J.G. Creasy, chiropractor, charged with practicing medicine without certificate from the State Board of Medical Examiners."
"Roanoke seems unable entirely to rid its population of loathsome smallpox."