100 years ago

Aug. 1, 1914

FORT SMITH -- Fort Smith goes on the water wagon tomorrow. No one knows this better than a citizen of this city, which has had saloons for almost a century. In Circuit Court tomorrow morning Judge Daniel Hon will enter his formal order revoking saloon licenses that were granted in January by the County Court. Saloons in Fort Smith tonight resemble a popular bargain counter in a department store. Every wet goods house in the city operated with an increased sales force. Many of the stocks were almost depleted. One of the largest wholesale houses reported today that it had sold more than $7,000 whiskey alone. During the past two weeks when it became apparent that the life of the saloons was near the end, this house has sold an average of $3,000 worth of whiskey daily.

50 years ago

Aug. 1, 1964

WASHINGTON -- "Taps" for Ft. Chaffee as an active Army installation was sounded Friday when Secretary of Defense Robert F. McNamara turned down a long-pending appeal from the Arkansas congressional delegation and Fort Smith civic leaders that the Arkansas base be spared the economy axe. Rep. James W. Trimble of Berryville, in whose district the base is situated, said the secretary has agreed to keep Ft. Chaffee open, "but only on a standby basis for the 19th Army Corps."

25 years ago

Aug. 1, 1989

• Little Rock City Manager Tom Dalton wants a state jail review committee to close the city jail or order the release or transfer of all county prisoners housed there. Dalton made the request in a letter dated Sunday to Mike Grady, coordinator of the state Criminal Detention Facility Review Committees, which oversee jail standards. The review committee for the Sixth Judicial District found the Little Rock Jail out of compliance with state standards June 7. The committee is required to give authorities six months to solve jail problems before it takes any action.

10 years ago

Aug. 1, 2004

• Opponents to a statewide constitutional ban on gay marriage have formed and incorporated a coalition to fight the measure. After several months of grassroots organizing, Arkansans for Human Rights filed incorporation papers last week, said Deborah New, a spokesman for the group. New said the proposed constitutional amendment is vague and could have legal implications that affect heterosexuals as well.

Metro on 08/01/2014