Little River County turns 141

The Encyclopedia of Arkansas puts out a pretty nifty calendar that lists Arkansas events from years past (much like the Democrat-Gazette's Other Days). In addition to the creation of Little River County on March 5, 1867, here are a couple of other March 5 news items:

• 1895: State Rep. Joe T. Robinson, who would later serve as governor and U.S. senator, introduced a bill in the Arkansas House of Representatives to create a state railroad commission. The bill was defeated. In an interview with a reporter from the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Governor James Clarke charged that the Iron Mountain Railroad had “purchased the defeat of the Railroad Commission Bill.” Clarke’s statements cast suspicions on those who had voted against the bill.

• 1958: Orval Faubus filed for a third term as governor “because I think I can win and I want to run.” His action only made official what has been an “open secret” for many weeks. He said that while he had thought about the third term for some months he made up his mind only last week after receiving the results of a statewide poll.