A LOOK BACK AT JACKSON

25 years ago, 1972

State Rep. Marvin E. Proffer, D-Jackson, has announced his candidacy for re-election to sixth term as representative of 155th District; while he has no opposition for Democratic nomination, he will face Republican candidate Melvin D. Lichtenegger, Jackson businessman, who announced his candidacy a month ago; Lichtenegger is also without opposition in the primary.

Ellis O. Crain has been hired to make merchants and manufacturers assessments in Jackson, after it is learned that County Assessor Edwin A. Blumenberg will be unable to return to his job until May 12 at earliest; Blumenberg is recuperating from heart attack; to keep work from getting too far behind, court recently employed Crain to assess rural merchants and manufacturers; work in Jackson is to be on same basis, $1 per assessment.

City Council moved to exercise its options to purchase 46.338 acres for parks, and will hold two other options for further consideration; tract to be purchased was John C. Crites tract which adjoins City Park on north; still under consideration for purchase are Winningham tract east of Highway 61 and Litzelfelner tract east of Greensferry Road.

50 years ago, 1947

F. Earl Williams and C.W. Knox have purchased one lot and parts of two others in West End Addition; purchase was made from Dallas and Leona Hays of Maryland and Cathryn Baker and Floyd J. Baker of Florida; they are heirs of late Edward D. Hays; tract lies west of Hubble Creek and at one time was considered by board of education as location for the new Lincoln School.

Egg breaking at Absogood Packing Co. is nearing all-time high; about 400 cases, each holding 30 dozen eggs, are being prepared each day; price of eggs is 12 cents higher this week than at corresponding time last year.

Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Johnson are purchasers of 289.70-acre farm in Cape Girardeau County; farm was bought from Troy E. Pierce, who lives in Illinois; consideration, according to revenue stamps attached, was approximately $13,500.

Fred A. Schneider grocery store has been purchased by Melvin Lichtenegger of Cape Girardeau; Schneider had been in grocery business for 40 years and will retire.

75 years ago, 1922

Sam Lail farm has been sold to Louis Schaper by administrator of Lail estate; farm contains 188 acres, and is considered one of best in vicinity of Jackson; it has quite a history; grandfather of Sam Lail, George Lail, was kidnapped by Indians who roamed over this country while elder Lail was a boy; while they held Lail, they camped on site of present farm, but later moved west; Lail returned to this county after having grown to manhood, and acquired the camp site and surrounding land from Alexander Summers on June 4, 1830; he lived there rest of his days and reared his family there; immediate family are all dead now, Sam Lail being last to succumb; farm is located about three miles south of Jackson on Jackson Branch of Missouri Pacific Railroad.

Gerhardt Construction Co. of Cape girardeau has been awarded contract for construction of almshouse on County Poor Farm, between Cape Girardeau and Jackson; Charleston Plumbing and Heating Co. got contract for heating building; work on structure is to begin at once.

Many Jacksonites journey to Cape Girardeau these days to see old Mississippi River on rampage; coming back, they express their satisfaction over fact that Jackson is high and dry, about 90 feet higher than flood ever reaches.

Fire broke out in laboratory of Cape County Milling Co. Wednesday afternoon, threatening entire plant; prompt action by an employee, however, put out blaze after it had spread to bolts of calico stacked in lab; given a few seconds, blaze would have spread beyond control.