A Look Back: Aug. 31

50 Years Ago

■Cattle rustling and hog stealing, traditional tactics of Wild West bad guys, have become a part of life here in Hampshire County. Dozens of cows, hogs and horses have been stolen from farmyards in recent weeks. Farmers uniformly believe the shortage of meat and its high price tag are the root cause of the animal robbing.

■Labor Day vacationers should fill up their gas tanks before Friday night to avoid being caught high and dry by a gas shortage, the ALA Auto & Travel Club warned in its latest gasoline survey of New England stations. More than a third of New England gas stations will close Monday.

25 Years Ago

■The way is clear for an antique clock that long stood at the corner of Main Street and Strong Avenue to once again grace Main Street, this time near City Hall. The Board of Public Works on Wednesday night approved a request by John Sutter, owner of Sutter’s Mill jewelers, to erect an antique Seth Thomas clock in front of his establishment at 233 Main St.

■Three cows wandered out of their pasture Saturday at Smith Vocational Agricultural School and grazed on lawns and gardens along South Main and Beacon streets. More than a dozen people stood by amused and watched the spectacle.

10 Years Ago

■As the sun set on the opening day of the Three County Fair, fans packed the stands to see drivers get behind the wheels of once-roadworthy vehicles and pound them into scrap for cash and bragging rights. The popular demolition derby made another appearance at this year’s fair in addition to the food, livestock, midway rides and other attractions that make the event a perennial favorite throughout the region.

■Margaret Yurgielewicz of Leeds successfully climbed the Kibo summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. She reached the Uhuro Peak, the highest point in Africa, at 19,341 feet on July 23. She is a 2011 graduate of Northampton High School.

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