Pages Past: June 26

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1975: Fire broke out in the basement of the Campus Union Building at Eastern New Mexico University.

Firefighters said the small blaze was under control quickly and there were no injuries.

A university spokesman said the fire probably started in the wiring of the air conditioning system.

1965: Clovis pyrotechnic fans were enjoying the last year of (legally) shooting off firecrackers in the city limits. A city ordinance had banned the activity, effective after the July 4 holiday.

1930: Four Roosevelt County prisoners sawed and dug their way to freedom about 2 a.m.

The men — three being held for violating liquor laws and one on a robbery charge — used a hacksaw that had been smuggled into the jail to help with their escape.

Two of the men were seen going south down the Santa Fe Railway tracks, according to a witness.

At least one of the escapees remained free for more than a year. Henry Jones was captured in December 1931 near Dallas.

Bob Kinney was captured Aug. 12 in Plainview.

Reports on the fate of the other escapees could not be determined through newspaper archive searches.

Pages Past is compiled by Editor David Stevens. For more regional history, check out his weblog at:

www.highplainsyesterdays.com