On this date ...
1971: The inaugural Rattler Reunion was set for this weekend in Tucumcari promises to be the highlight of the year, said Stanley Jennings, chairman of the event. Two graduates from the Class of 1918 have reservations for the banquet and dance scheduled for Saturday night at the new Elks Lodge. Families have already begun to arrive for the festivities, reported the alumni association. Members of the Class of 1941 have done a lot of research and correspondence for their 30-year reunion. The Class of 1951 will also hold its 20th reunion, and the Class of 1945 will have a Dutch-treat breakfast Sunday morning.
• A 68-year-old Tucumcari pedestrian was killed instantly last night when he was struck by a car. A truck driver behind the accident said the man stepped onto the roadway from the median. He was declared dead on arrival at Trigg Memorial Hospital.
• The Puretex Drilling Company of Wichita Falls, Texas, was drilling its third gas well at the Chappell Spade Ranch northwest of Tucumcari, near the San Miguel County line. The company reported finding gas at a depth of 3,600 feet and possibly oil at 1,800 feet.