30 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. announced that net income for 1968 was $13.8 million a $1.5 million drop from 1967 mostly because of poor performance by “Dr. Dolittle.” Air West President G. Robert Henry told the Civil Aeronautics Board that selling the airline to billionaire Howard Hughes was the only way to end a divisive management split that was crippling its operation.

THE NEWSMAKER: William H. Martin, president of the National Automatic Merchandising Association, told members attending a trade show at the Ambassador Hotel that the growing popularity of prepackaged, microwaveable food over home cooking was revolutionizing the vending industry.

THE NUMBERS

MARCH 8, 1969

Dow Jones Industrial Average 911.18

London gold $43.50/oz.

Chuck steak 36 cents/lb.

1969 Ford Thunderbird $3,876