Quay County Sun - Serving the High Plains

On this date ...

1970: William Lane II, president of General Binding Corp. of North Brook, Illinois, bought the 130,000-acre Bell Ranch northwest of Tucumcari in the largest single land transaction in the Southwest in 23 years. Lane, who resides in Lake Forest, Illinois, said the ranch’s operation of 3,400 head of cattle and 100 horses would continue as usual. Lane said the ranch’s namesake, Bell Mountain, enticed him to buy it after hunting trips in the area.

• A jury of three men and nine women convicted two men from Toledo, Ohio, and Shreveport, Louisiana, for a Feb. 26 robbery at the Royal Palacio Motel in Tucumcari. The men told a clerk at the switchboard “this is a stick-up” and took $175 in cash from the motel’s front drawer. They later were captured at the Holiday Inn in Tucumcari.

• A total of 17 candidates filed for Quay County offices for the June 2 primary election. Five races remain uncontested. County assessor drew four candidates, the most of any race.