100 years ago
Jan. 14, 1924
MAMMOTH SPRING -- Damage estimated at $10,000 was caused by a fire here this afternoon, which destroyed the plant and building of the Mammoth Spring Monitor, a daily and weekly newspaper; the residence of Justice of the Peace Walter Gregg, owned by the Hill estate; a large barn filled with hay and owned by J. E. F. Ross; and badly damaged the home of Mrs. Ross. Plate glass show windows in five stores across the street from the fire were broken by the heat. The fire started shortly after 2 o'clock in the Monitor office, presumably from an over-heated stove.
50 years ago
Jan. 14, 1974
If the 100-member House of Representatives manages to move faster than the 35-member Senate today, it will hear a resolution proposing that the General Assembly stay in session "solely for the purpose" of considering a second resolution to permit the introduction of a bill prohibiting communists from being employed by state-supported colleges and universities. ... Insiders indicate House Speaker G. W. (Buddy) Turner of Pine Bluff will recognize Representative Frank B. Henslee, also of Pine Bluff, to introduce the resolution. Turner has said he would do whatever the majority of House members appear to want, and Henslee has said he has 58 pledges of signatures for a bill to oust Marxist history teacher Dr. Grant Cooper from the faculty of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
25 years ago
Jan. 14, 1999
SMACKOVER -- Three men died in an oil refinery explosion Wednesday morning that shook this Union County town of 2,232. Sheriff's office spokesman Ken Jones said the blast occurred about 10:50 a.m. as three subcontractors were working near a tank at Cross Oil Refining and Marketing Inc. "As far as what caused it, I can't speculate on that," he said. Investigators also did not know what the tank contained, Jones said. ... Union County Coroner Ronald Southall said the workers, employed by Systems Contractors of El Dorado, were welding at the time of the accident.
10 years ago
Jan. 14, 2014
Arkansas Department of Health officials on Monday urged more people to get vaccinated against the flu as the total number of confirmed flu-related deaths rose to 15 so far this year, up from 13 as of Thursday. The death toll compares with 11 flu-related deaths that had been reported at this time last year. The number last year eventually rose to 61, making it the worst flu season in the state in 35 years, state Epidemiologist Dr. Dirk Haselow said at a news conference. "This appears to be the start of a severe season," Haselow said.