THIS WEEK IN HISTORY.

Byline: The Register-Guard

1877: `Diptheria - There has been quite a number of cases of this terrible disease in the neighborhood of Spore's Ferry, seven or eight miles north of this city, four or five of which have proved fatal. Elsewhere we notice the death of Miss Wilkins, and we learn that two of Mr. George H. Murch's children died this week of the same disease, while there are several cases that, in all probability, will prove fatal.'

1907: From the deja vu all over again department: The ladies of the Fortnightly Club blocked a petition from downtown Eugene merchants who wanted shade trees along Willamette Street cut down. `After considerable argument and speech-making on the part of the councilmen and spectators, the matter came up for a vote and the petition of the business men was voted down,' the newspaper said.

1937: All the pin-ball machines, `digger' machines and similar devices in operation in Eugene must be removed by Sept. 1 or those who have them in operation will be prosecuted. District Attorney L.L. Ray addressed a letter to Sheriff C.A. Swarts instructing him to make arrests if he finds any of the devices in operation here or in any other part of the county on or after the first day of the month.

1977: A 32-year-old Springfield woman and her four children died from smoke inhalation in a blaze at their Springfield rental home at 2520 D. St. Fire officials said a smoke detector might have saved their lives. Rene Irene Fowler and her children, Randy, 12; Mary, 11; Robert, 10; and Michell, 8; had recently moved to Springfield from California. Neighbors tried to rescue them, but it was too late.

Randy Antik, president of Western Graphics of Eugene, said sales of his company's poster of Elvis Presley, who died Aug. 16, had recently surpassed those of the super-hot Farrah Fawcett-Majors poster. Antik said he had been getting calls from buyers for some of the nation's biggest chain stores, and planned to ship about 500,000 posters before the weekend.

2006 (left): A rodeo event called mutton bustin' in which young children try to stay atop 250-pound sheep came under fire after it was held for the first time at the Lane County Fair. About a dozen callers complained to the fair that the event put children in danger.

Neighbors of Monroe Park reclaimed their 2.6-acre park in the Jefferson westside neighborhood after forming a committee and garnering $100,000 in grants to plant lower-growing vegetation and to fix other aspects of the park that attracted drug use, prostitution and other crimes.